19614 research outputs found
Sort by
Transparency, Accountability, and Accessibility: A Comparative Analysis of the Publication of Transition Documents through the Context of British Columbia, Manitoba, and Canada
No full textThis thesis sheds light on transparency, accountability, and accessibility efforts through the lens of British Columbia’s recently published transition documents. Using a multiple case study approach, with cases being the Government of British Columbia’s British Columbia’s website and published transition documents from 2020 and 2022, this research discusses similarities and differences between three of British Columbia’s ministry’s transition binders and compares findings to government transition documents and websites in the Government of Canada and Manitoba. Ultimately, one of the key findings from this research is that British Columbia meets more of the transparency, accountability, and accessibility criteria outlined in this thesis than the Governments of Manitoba and Canada. The research finds that the Government of British Columbia makes it easier for citizens to hold their governments accountable than the Governments of Canada and Manitoba. Regarding accessibility and transparency, British Columbia performs well: on par with the Government of Canada and better than the Government
of Manitoba. Additionally, ministry-specific findings in British Columbia prove that ministries may be given some level of independence when supporting these initiatives. The thesis also identifies the areas where British Columbia has the potential to improve these metrics when publicizing its binders.Graduat
Enhancing image classification accuracy using convolutional neural network on CIFAR-10 dataset
No full textThis project explores the application of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for image classification on the CIFAR-10 dataset, a widely recognized benchmark in computer vision. The CIFAR-10 dataset comprises 60,000 32x32 color images across 10 distinct classes. This study aims to build and optimize a deep learning model to achieve high classification accuracy on this dataset.
A CNN with multiple convolutional, pooling, and dropout layers was implemented, enhanced with batch normalization to prevent overfitting. Data augmentation techniques were applied to improve the model's generalization capabilities. The model was trained using the Adam optimizer, with callbacks for learning rate reduction and early stopping to fine-tune the training process.[1]
The results demonstrate the effectiveness of deep learning techniques in achieving substantial performance on the CIFAR-10 dataset, with detailed analysis of training and validation metrics. The model was evaluated on selected data from the CIFAR-10 dataset, showcasing its predictive capabilities. The findings provide insights into the design and optimization of CNNs for practical image classification tasks.Graduat
Deep learning-enabled studies of galaxy mergers and supermassive black hole evolution
No full textWhen the smooth evolution of an isolated galaxy is punctuated by a merger event with a companion of similar mass, theory and observations indicate that a metamorphosis will begin. Dramatic changes in the morphologies and kinematics of merging galaxies are thought to funnel gas towards their centres, leading to elevated star formation rates and supermassive black hole (SMBH) accretion rates. The transformation brought about by mergers appears to be the missing link between the two main types of galaxies – blue star-forming spiral galaxies, and red quiescent elliptical galaxies – observed in the Universe. Simulations predict that galaxies are experiencing the most rapid changes immediately after coalescence (when the merging companions are no longer distinct objects), but observational samples of post-merger galaxies predating this work are generally incomplete (small, and possibly not representative of the post-merger class) or contaminated.
In this work, I present the methodological details of an updated post-merger identification effort using a simulation-trained convolutional neural network (CNN a type of automated machine vision tool) to flag galaxies that are very likely to be post-mergers. I present a proof-of-concept feasibility study using mock observations of simulated galaxies (Chapter 2) before applying the CNN to classify real images of galaxies in the low-redshift Universe (Chapter 3). The CNN classification effort is followed by a manual quality control exercise, which finally leads to the identification of large (with some 100s of galaxies each), pure, and defensible post-merger samples from two different imaging surveys: the Canada France Imaging Survey (CFIS), and the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS). With the post-merger samples in hand, I also present on the demographics and evolutionary characteristics of post-merger galaxies using multiple astronomical surveys for multi-wavelength characterization.
I find that star-forming post-mergers are elevated by a factor of ∼ 2 in their star formation rates relative to star-forming non-merger galaxies (Chapter 4). I also find that active galactic nuclei (AGN; the observable phenomena associated with SMBH accretion) are more common by a factor of 2–4 in post-mergers compared to non-mergers, and that those AGN appear to be about twice as luminous as AGN in non-mergers (Chapter 5). Finally, I use new X-ray observations from the extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array (eROSITA) space mission to verify that AGN are unusually common in post-mergers, and to characterize the strength of the connection between mergers, SMBH, and AGN obscuration (Chapter 6). In each result, I also compare the characteristics of the new post-merger samples to statistically identified groups of galaxy pairs that are presumed pre-mergers. Close galaxy pairs are somewhat more likely to experience elevated star formation, SMBH accretion, and obscuration than their isolated peers, but the results for galaxy pairs are generally weaker than for post-mergers.
Together, the results of my studies indicate that the amplitude of transformation seen in post- mergers is unique in the low-redshift Universe. Looking forward, I project the viability of future astronomical surveys for post-merger identification, and find something rather unexpected: while next-generation observatories will offer an opportunity for marginal improvement in identifying the remnants of major galaxy mergers, imaging that is already available (CFIS, DECaLS) is well suited to the task (Chapter 7). I therefore posit that the present generation of astronomers studying galaxy mergers can use forthcoming surveys like Euclid and the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) to answer more difficult and granular questions about the impact of mergers on galaxy evolution.Graduat
From the Ground Up: A Comparative Analysis of Virtual Reflectance Transformation Imaging and Traditional RTI in the Context of Cemetery Conservation
No full textReflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) is widely used in archaeology to reveal eroded inscriptions invisible to the naked eye but falls short in providing metric data critical for monument preservation. This project investigates Virtual RTI (vRTI), a novel approach that marries RTI's detailed imaging with the metric precision of 3D scanning, offering the best of both worlds. I compared vRTI's effectiveness against traditional RTI in uncovering inscriptions and potential for long-term preservation. Findings indicate that vRTI delivers on its promises, but that widespread adoption of vRTI is hindered by high costs, extensive processing requirements, and the technical complexity of 3D modeling, posing significant challenges for many institutions. This research underscores the transformative promise of vRTI while acknowledging the realities of its implementation, allowing traditional RTI to retain its high status in the field of cemetery conservation.Jamie Cassels Undergraduate Research Awards (JCURA)UndergraduateReviewe
Revealed for Her Pleasure: Ontological Permanence of Female Ecstasy in Christian Erotic Metaphysics
No full textThis work explores depictions of women’s pleasure in Late Antiquity and examines linguistic similarities between representations of women’s sexual gratification in pre-Christian Latin and Greek literature and physicality in portrayals of Christian women’s spirituality. This work concentrates on the poetry of Ovid and Catullus, the ancient Greek novels Chaereas and Callirhoe and Leucippe and Clitophon, and New Testament Apocrypha, including Acts of Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca and Acta Andreae. Further, this research argues that the process of genre transmission shows that the roots of medieval erotic theology and affective spirituality can be found in the classical world by examining the late antique literary transition from women receiving pleasure from a lover to women receiving satisfaction through a relationship with Jesus Christ as a bridge between the classical and medieval worlds.Jamie Cassels Undergraduate Research Awards (JCURA)UndergraduateReviewe
Relational place-based solutions for environmental policy misalignments
Get PDFWe uphold Indigenous Nations globally that are reasserting their rights and responsibilities to steward their territories, and specifically our Haida, Heiltsuk, Nuu-chah-nulth, Saulteau, Syilx, and West Moberly First Nations colleagues. We thank Sherry Pictou, who provided inspiration and direction for this piece and Shayla Lawrence of the Okanagan Nation Alliance (www.syilx.org/fisheries) for her review.Current reductionist approaches to environmental governance cannot resolve social-ecological crises. Siloed institutions fail to address linked social and ecological processes, thereby neglecting issues of equity, justice, and cumulative effects. Global insights can be gained from Indigenous-led initiatives that support the resilience of relationships within and among places.The authorship team acknowledges the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada/Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada for funding support via ResNet (NSERC NETGP523374-18), a network grant that created connections among the authorship team and led to this article.FacultyReviewe
Little red barns: Hiding the truth, from farm to fable
No full textWe all know what a farm looks like. It’s happy cows, happy chickens, happy farmers, and little red barns dotting the green countryside. The nostalgic image persists, although those farms of our imagination are disappearing. Award-winning journalist and TED Senior Fellow Will Potter will speak about his 10-year investigation into factory farming, and how the most powerful industries on the planet are outlawing journalism and censoring research to keep consumers in the dark.UndergraduateUnreviewe
Native prey, not landscape change or novel prey, drive cougar (Puma concolor) distribution at a boreal forest range edge
Get PDFMany large carnivores, despite widespread habitat alteration, are rebounding in parts of their former ranges after decades of persecution and exploitation. Cougars (Puma concolor) are apex predator with their remaining northern core range constricted to mountain landscapes and areas of western North America; however, cougar populations have recently started rebounding in several locations across North America, including northward in boreal forest landscapes. A camera-trap survey of multiple landscapes across Alberta, Canada, delineated a range edge; within this region, we deployed an array of 47 camera traps in a random stratified design across a landscape spanning a gradient of anthropogenic development relative to the predicted expansion front. We completed multiple hypotheses in an information-theoretic framework to determine if cougar occurrence is best explained by natural land cover features, anthropogenic development features, or competitor and prey activity. We predicted that anthropogenic development features from resource extraction and invading white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virgianius) explain cougar distribution at this boreal range edge. Counter to our predictions, the relative activity of native prey, predominantly snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), was the best predictor of cougar occurrence at this range edge. Small-bodied prey items are particularly important for female and sub-adult cougars and may support breeding individuals in the northeast boreal forest. Also, counter to our predictions, there was not a strong relationship detected between cougar occurrence and gray wolf (Canis lupus) activity at this range edge. However, further investigation is recommended as the possibility of cougar expansion into areas of the multi-prey boreal system, where wolves have recently been controlled, could have negative consequences for conservation goals in this region (e.g. the recovery of woodland caribou [Rangifer tarandus caribou]). Our study highlights the need to monitor contemporary distributions to inform conservation management objectives as large carnivores recover across North America.This research was funded by the Oil Sands Monitoring program. It is a product of this program but does not represent the views of the program.FacultyReviewe
Enhancing field multiplication in IoT nodes with limited resources: A low-complexity systolic array solution
No full textSecurity and privacy concerns pose significant obstacles to the widespread adoption of IoT technology. One potential solution to address these concerns is the implementation of cryptographic protocols on resource-constrained IoT edge nodes. However, the limited resources available on these nodes make it challenging to effectively deploy such protocols. In cryptographic systems, finite-field multiplication plays a pivotal role, with its efficiency directly impacting overall performance. To tackle these challenges, we propose an innovative and compact bit-serial systolic layout specifically designed for Montgomery multiplication in the binary-extended field. This novel multiplier structure boasts regular cell architectures and localized communication connections, making it particularly well suited for VLSI implementation. Through a comprehensive complexity analysis, our suggested design demonstrates significant improvements in both area and area–time complexities when compared to existing competitive bit-serial multiplier structures. This makes it an ideal choice for cryptographic systems operating under strict area utilization constraints, such as resource-constrained IoT nodes and tiny embedded devices.Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University provided funding for this research work through project number (PSAU/2023/01/26738).FacultyReviewe
A droplet-based microfluidic impedance flow cytometer for detection of micropollutants in water
Get PDFMicroplastics as micropollutants are widely spread in aquatic areas that can have a toxic effect on aquatic life. To reduce the potential risk they pose, it is essential to detect the microplastics and the source of the contamination of the environment. Here, we designed and developed a droplet-based microfluidic impedance flow cytometer for in situ detection of microplastics in water. Impedance spectroscopy enables the direct measurement of the electrical features of microplastics as they move in water, allowing for sizing and identification of concentration. To show the feasibility of the developed method, pure and functionalized polystyrene beads ranging from 500 nm to 6 ?m in four size groups and different concentrations were used. Focusing on three different frequencies (4.4 MHz, 11 MHz, and 22.5 MHz), the changes in the signal phase at frequencies of 4.4 MHz and 11 MHz are a strong indicator of microplastic presence. In addition, the functionalized microplastics showed different magnitudes of the measured signal phase than the pure ones. A k-nearest neighbors classification model demonstrated our developed system’s impressive 97.4% sensitivity in accurately identifying microplastics based on concentration. The equivalent circuit model revealed that the double-layer capacity of water droplets is significantly impacted by the presence of the microplastics. Our findings show the potential of droplet-based microfluidic impedance flow cytometry as a practical method for detecting microplastics in water.This research was funded by the Discovery Grant (RGPIN-2018-05726) from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada.FacultyReviewe