Research Interests:

Systems modeling and network analysis particularly involving supply chain and cyberphysical system applications, data analytics and machine learning especially applied to competency evaluation systems and content curation, removal of barriers from implementing Industry 4.0 technologies in industry and government, scientific and information visualization, and serious games for STEM education.

Projects:

  1. Access to STEM Innovations: Equity for Everyone. 2021-2023. PI: Jessica Johnson. Co-PI: Katherine Smith
  2. Operationally Directed Instructional Network-Engineering Library (ODIN-EL). 2020-2023. PI: Katherine Smith. Co-PIs: Jessica Johnson and Deri Amason.
  3. Virginia State Investments in Port of Virginia Electrification: A Simulation-based Framework for Identifying, Assessing, and Mitigating Systematic Cybersecurity at the Operational Technology Layer. 2021. PI: Rafael Diaz. Co-PIs: Katherine Smith, Hector Garcia.
  4. Competency Evaluation System (CES) Texting Educational Data-Rapid Knowledge Transfer and Assessment (TED-RKTA). 2020-2021. PI: Katherine Smith. Co-PIs: Jessica Johnson and Rafael Diaz.
  5. International Conference on Mathematics of Data Science 2018.
    PI: Yuesheng Xu, ODU. Co-PIs: Hideaki Kaneko, Fang Hu, Katherine Smith
    Travel grants and the student poster session at this conference were sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under award number 1839457.
  6. CACI. Program Management Support.
    PI: Andres Sousa-Poza. Co-PIs: Mamadou Seck, Maria Pazos-Lago, Charles Daniels, Katherine Smith, Cesar Pinto.
    This research was supported by CACI.
    This work resulted in the development of a framework and corresponding tool to assess the readiness of government systems to move from private servers to public cloud environments.
  7. Stern2STEMLogoStern2STEM: A Pilot Program to Increase Veteran Retention and Success in STEM Degree Programs.
    Principal Investigator: Anthony Dean, ODU
    This research was made possible through the Office of Naval Research STEM under ONR GRANT11899718.
  8. Supplemental Critical Thinking Explorations to Promote Discovery and Deeper Comprehension.
    Primary Faculty: Shari Davis; Collaborating Faculty: Katherine Smith
    This research was made possible a 2017 Faculty Innovator Grant from the Center for Learning and Teaching at ODU.
    A series of interactive worksheets will be developed that will complement various topics introduced in Ma101 that will encourage students to develop, apply and share their critical thinking and problem solving skills. students will be prompted using leading questions that will help them arrive at various conclusions and will then be encouraged to generate their own variations and try to solve them. Engaging students in various explorations of complementary topics will promote individual discovery, broader understanding and interactive discussions. These interactive worksheets will include a series of videos will also be developed that will further explore these topics.
  9. Implementation of Dynamic Geometry Applets to Enhance Student Learning Outcomes.
    Primary Faculty: Katherine Smith
    This research was made possible a 2016 Faculty Innovator Grant from the Center for Learning and Teaching at ODU.
    A series of applets was developed and implemented in a geometry course for future elementary educators both online and in person using an open source cross platform tool. The applets implement dynamic geometry worksheets that allow for instructor demonstration as well as independent student exploration. Students are provided with instructions to engage with the applets which enhance their understanding of dynamic relationships between geometric objects. As students engage with the content in this innovative way, the focus will be transferred from memorization of rules and properties to true understanding of geometric relationships.

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles:

  1. Diaz, R., Smith, K., Acero, B., Longo, F., Padovano, A. “Developing an Artificial Intelligence Framework to Assess Shipbuilding and Repair Sub-Tier Supply Chains Risk.” Procedia Computer Science 180 (2021): 996-1002. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.01.363
  2. Diaz, R., Smith, K., Landaeta, R., Padovano, A. “Shipbuilding Supply Chain Framework and Digital Transformation: A Project Portfolios Risk Evaluation.” Procedia Manufacturing 42 (2020): 173-180. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.02.067
  3. Smith, K., Shull, J., Dean, A., Shen, Y., and Michaeli, J. “SiGMA: A software framework for integrating advanced mathematical capabilities in serious game development.” Advances in Engineering Software 100 (2016): 319-325. doi: 10.1016/j.advengsoft.2016.08.007

Book Chapters:

  1. Smith, K., Shen, Y., Dean, A. “Software Design Considerations for Mathematics in Mobile Games.” In Game Design and Intelligent Interaction. Deliyannis, I. (Ed.) IntechOpen (2019). doi: 10.5772/intechopen.88177.
  2. Smith, K., Shull, J., Shen, Y., Dean, A., Heaney, P. “A Framework for Designing Smarter Serious Games.” In Smart Universities. Uskov, V., Bakken, J., Howlett, R., Jain, L. (Eds.) Springer International Publishing (2018): 263-294. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-59454-5_9.

Conference Proceedings:

  1. Smith, K., Johnson, J., Dennis, T. “Leveraging Legacy Training in Modern Systems: Framework and Implementation.” Proceedings of the Interservice Industry Training, Simulation & Education Conference. Orlando, FL. November 29-December 3, 2021. (abstract accepted)
  2. Johnson, J., Smith, K., Dennis, T., Jimenez, G. “Adaptive Assessment Feedback in Competency Based Learning Ecosystems.” Proceedings of the Interservice Industry Training, Simulation & Education Conference. Orlando, FL. November 29-December 3, 2021. (abstract accepted)
  3. Diaz, R., Acero, B., Smith, K., Behr, J. “Assessing Risk of Shipbuilding and Repair Sub-Tier Suppliers.” Proceedings of the Decision Sciences Institute 51st Annual Conference. Online, November 21-23, 2020.
  4. Kosteczko, J., Smith, K., Johnson, J., Diaz, R. “Virginia Digital Shipbuilding Program (VDSP) – Building an agile modern workforce to improve performance in the shipbuilding and ship repair industry.” Proceedings of the 2020 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. Virtual Online, June 21-24, 2020. doi: https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2–35487
  5. Joe, M., Smith, K., Diaz, R. “Employing H2 and AR Immersive Environments with Real-Time Feedback to Enhance Digital Engineering Workforce Development.” Proceedings of the American Society of Naval Engineers Design Sciences Series: Digital Engineering: Digital Twin. Washington, D.C., November 6-7, 2019.
  6. Smith, K., Siangchokyoo, N., Gamarra, E., Tamhane, A., Dean, A. “Doctoral Engineering Grant Writing Experience to Prepare Future Professional and Faculty.” ASEE-SE Conference. Raleigh, NC, March 10-12, 2019.
  7. Tamhane, A., Smith K., Dean A., Shen, Y. “Supporting Student Veterans Along the Engineering Degree Pathway” 2018 Fleet Maintenance & Modernization Symposium. Virginia Beach, VA, September 17-20, 2018.
  8. Smith K., Shen Y., Dean A. “Incorporating Diegetic Elements to Increase Engagement in Games for Engineering Education.” 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. Salt Lake City, UT, June 24-27, 2018.
  9. Zhu, Z., Shen Y., Lin, C., Ren, S., Smith, K., Dean A. “Design of A Virtual Laboratory for Automation Control.” 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. Salt Lake City, UT, June 24-27, 2018.
  10. Kao, D., Smith, K., and Liu, Z. “Tracking Blade Tip Vortices for Numerical Flow Simulations of Hovering Rotorcraft.” Proceedings of the 2018 AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition. Kissimmee, FL, January 8-12 2018. doi: 10.2514/6.2018-1175
  11. Smith, K., Shull, J., Shen, Y., Dean, A., and Michaeli, J. “Overcoming Challenges in Educational STEM Game Design and Development.” Proceedings of the 2017 Winter Simulation Conference. Las Vegas, NV, December 3-6, 2017. doi: 10.1109/WSC.2017.8247837
  12. Smith K., Shull J., P. Heaney, Shen Y., Dean A., Michaeli J. “Overview of Game and Content Design for a Mobile Game that will Prepare Students in Calculus and Physics Prerequisites to the Engineering Curriculum.” 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. Columbus, OH, June 25-28, 2017.
  13. Smith, K. “Implementation of Dynamic Geometry Applets to Enhance Student Learning in Online Courses.” Proceedings of the Twenty-ninth Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics. Chicago, IL, March 9-12, 2017
  14. Heaney P., Smith K., Shull J., Eller B., Dean A., Shen Y., Michaeli J. “Stern2STEM: Implementation of a Feed Forward Model for Educational Game Development.” Proceedings of ASNE Day Technology, Systems, & Ships. Arlington, VA, February 14-16, 2017.
  15. Smith, K., Shull, J., Dean, A., Shen, Y., and Michaeli, J. “SiGMA: A software framework for integrating advanced mathematical capabilities in serious game development.” Advances in Engineering Software 100 (2016): 319-325. doi: 10.1016/j.advengsoft.2016.08.007
  16. Smith, K., Shen, Y., Shull, J., Dean, A., and Michaeli, J. “A Toolkit for Presenting Advanced Mathematics in Serious Games.” IEEE SouthEastCon. Norfolk, VA 2016. doi: 10.1109/secon.2016.7506687

Abstracts, Demos, and Presentations:

  1. Diaz, R., Smith, K. “Digitalization of Maritime and Port Operations: A Sustainable and Resilient Perspective.” 2021 Production and Operations Management Society Annual Conference. Online. April 30-May 2021.
  2. Diaz, R., Smith, K. “An Artificial Intelligence Approach to Assess Shipbuilding and Repair Supply Networks.” 2021 Production and Operations Management Society Annual Conference. Online. April 30-May 2021.
  3. Smith, K., Diaz, R., Shen, Y. “Leveraging Causal Networks in Dependency Analysis.” Proceedings of the 2021 MSVE Student Capstone Conference. Suffolk, VA. April 22, 2021.
  4. Smith, K., Johnson, J. “Uniting Modern Educational Communication Protocols with Traditional Educational Taxonomies.” Proceedings of the 2021 MSVE Student Capstone Conference. Suffolk, VA. April 22, 2021.
  5. Smith, K. “Digital Shipbuilding.” HRIC Tech Tuesdays. Virtually, December 15, 2020.
  6. Smith, K., Johnson, J., Bothel, T. “Leveraging a STEM Ecosystem to Promote Connections throughout the Maritime Workforce Pipeline.” International Conference on Engineering, Science, and Technology. Denver, CO, October 7-10, 2019
  7. Johnson, J., Bothel, T., & Smith, K. “Charting the Course: Integrating Advanced Learning Technologies to Motivate STEM Maritime Career Pathways.” International Conference on Social and Education Sciences. Denver, CO, October 7-10, 2019
  8. Smith, K. “Calculating the Perfect Shot: Using Math to Make Free Throws.” ODU BLAST, Old Dominion University. Norfolk, VA, June 25, 2019.
  9. Smith, K. and Shen, Y. “Overview of Automated Label Placement for Three-Dimensional Objects.” Proceedings of the 2019 MSVE Student Capstone Conference. Suffolk, VA, April 18, 2019.
  10. Murphy, E. and Smith, K. “A Modern Approach to Identifying Bottlenecks in a Queueing System for a Non-Profit Organization.” Spring 2019 MD-DC-VA MAA Section Meeting, Hood College. Frederick, MD. April 12-13, 2019.
  11. Smith K. “Teaching Computers to Play Super Mario Brothers using Mathematics.” Norview High School Leadership Center for Science and Engineering Outreach Event, Campostella Southside STEM Academy. Norfolk, VA, March 19, 2019.
  12. Smith K. “Math in Super Mario Bros and Teaching Computers to Play Board Games.” 2019 Focusing on the Future event, William & Mary. Williamsburg, VA, February 2, 2019.
  13. Smith, K., Shen, Y., and Dean, A. “Diegesis in Games for STEM Education.” Proceedings of the 2018 MSVE Student Capstone Conference. Suffolk, VA 2018.
  14. Smith, K., Shen, Y., Dean, A. “Challenges in the Design and Development of Mathematics Games.” Proceedings of the Thirtieth Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics. Washington, DC, March 15-18, 2018.
  15. Smith K. “Math in Super Mario Bros and Teaching Computers to Play Board Games.” 2018 Focusing on the Future event, William & Mary. Williamsburg, VA, February 3, 2018.
  16. Smith, K. and Kaneko, H. “Big Data Analytics at ODU.” Jobs in Science Seminar. Thomas Nelson Community College, Hampton, VA. October 25, 2017.
  17. Smith K., Shull J., P. Heaney, Shen Y., Dean A., Michaeli J. “Overview of Game and Content Design for a Mobile Game that will Prepare Students in Calculus and Physics Prerequisites to the Engineering Curriculum.” 2017 ASEE Global Colloquium. Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal, September 16-18, 2017.
  18. Smith K. “Using Open-Source Software to Increase Engagement.” 2017 Faculty Summer Institute, Old Dominion University. Norfolk, VA, May 16-17, 2017.
  19. Smith K., Liu Z., Shen Y. “ActiveFLOVE: A Framework for Explorative Visualization of Large Flow Data.” SpringSim 2017. Virginia Beach, VA, April 23-26, 2017.
  20. Smith, K., Shull, J., Shen, Y., Dean, A., and Michaeli, J. “CAPTIVATE: Employing Classic Game Mechanics in a Serious STEM Game” Proceedings of the 2017 MSVE Student Capstone Conference. Suffolk, VA 2017. (Best Presentation in Gaming and Virtual Reality Track)
  21. Smith, K., Shull, J., Dean, A., Shen, Y., and Michaeli, J. “MAVEN: A Serious Mathematics Game for Veteran Education.” Proceedings of the 2016 MSVE Student Capstone Conference: 30-31. Suffolk, VA 2016. (Best Presentation in Gaming and Virtual Reality Track)
  22. Smith, K. and Shen, Y. “Preliminary Research for Development of a Mathematics Toolkit for Use with Unity.” Proceedings of the 2015 MSVE Student Capstone Conference: 117-119. Suffolk, VA 2015.

Posters:

  1. Shull, J. and Smith, K. A Toolkit for Presenting Advanced Mathematics in Serious Gaming (presented at ASNE Day 2016)
    Poster