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Queering the Ear: Podcast Aesthetics and the Embodied Archive in S-Town
Get PDFDespite podcasts’ rising popularity over the last twenty years, literary scholars are only beginning to focus on their affective potential as multimedia texts. In this thesis, I argue that even mainstream podcasts are productively intertwined with queer theories and aesthetics of belonging. Using the 2017 podcast S-Town as my case study, I examine the aural aesthetics of queer failure, temporality, archives, embodiment, and desire as key elements in this complex medium. Putting these theories and aesthetics into practice, I describe my process of research-creation and present a podcast I made about my road trip to Woodstock, Alabama, S-Town’s place of origin.
The streamable audio of the podcast can be found in DigitalCommons@Mac
Spectral Fitting Approach for Collective Thomson Scattering Experiments on an Extreme Ultraviolet Plasma Light Source
Get PDFModern computer chips as well as the entire semiconductor industry rely on Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) at 13.5 nm ± 1% to create finer resolution features. In the industrial settings, the 13.5 nm photons are generated by a plasma following the interaction of 20-30 μm diameter molten tin droplets with focused CO2 pulsed laser beams running at kHz repetition rates. Although the 13.5 nm light generation process has already been comprehensively studied numerically, only a handful of experimental studies report simultaneous measurements of the plasma parameters relevant to the production of the highly charged ions Sn8+‒Sn14+ responsible for the EUV light. Time-resolved collective Thomson scattering measurements, probing simultaneously the electron and ion features would provide a complete picture of the physics at play. To prepare experimental data analysis, a MATLAB-based fitting tool was developed for real-time inference of the electron density, electron temperature and average charge state from Thomson scattering experimental spectra. Least-squares fitting using lsqcurvefit from MATLAB is deployed in conjunction with the analytical expression of the Thomson scattering spectral density function to perform a non-linear regression model for the fitting of the experimental data.
This work was made possible by funding from the Department of Energy for the Summer Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program. This work is supported by the US DOE Contract No. DE-AC02-09CH11466
Custom Calibration and Correction of Photoemission Electron Microscope Images Using Graphene
Get PDFThe Photoemission Electron Microscope (PEEM) is a full-field electron microscope that utilizes the photoelectric effect to image a surface. Due to a spatial resolution on the order of 10 nanometers and its ability to image both the morphology of a surface and its band structure, it is a useful tool for understanding the properties of materials for use in electronic devices. To correct for random sample misalignment and the experimental frame of reference in the spectroscopy mode of the PEEM, the 3D dataset must be rotated in both the momentum and energy coordinates which requires pixel calibration and energy alignment. I have created custom Python scripts to both automate this process and standardize the calibration and correction procedure to streamline data analysis for users of the PEEM. Graphene was utilized as an initial calibration material due to its distinct electronic band structure. The 6 Dirac cones of graphene were used as iso-energy points to align the frames on the energy axis and a series of matrix operations were utilized to rotate the image in the momentum axis to correct for sample misalignment. I used the corrected dataset to estimate the Fermi velocity and compared it to theoretical predictions
New Synthetic Route for Peptidomimetics and Design of Ester Hydrolysis Peptide Catalysts
No full textProteins have desirable functionality in applications other than that of their biological origin, such as enzymes, which may be applied to industry. However, proteins are often unstable outside of their natural environments, making them difficult to use in an efficient manner. One way to relieve this is the use of protein-mimetics, which can have increased stability outside biological environments while also retaining functionality. In this thesis, I approached protein-mimetics from two different angles. The first mimic was a structural peptidomimetic that was synthesized using a pre-monomer approach. This is a solid phase synthetic strategy that separates the backbone elongation from the addition of the side chain functionality. The key thiol-ene coupling reaction for this approach was optimized to result in over 95% reaction conversion. The second type of mimic focused on catalytic activity of short peptide catalysts for ester hydrolysis and investigating the role of secondary structure on that activity. We found that the secondary structure’s role is dependent on the design scaffold through analysis of two separate β-hairpin scaffolds
Réunion: Haven or Hostile Land?: A translation of a complex documentary in pursuit of reclaiming identity
Get PDFIn 2012, the documentary film La Réunion : terre d’asile ou terre hostile was first screened at the Comorian International Film Festival (CIFF). The film, directed by Comorian filmmaker Saïd-Ali Said Mohamed, explores the experiences of Comorians on the island of Réunion, a Department of France in the Indian Ocean. It not only discusses the complex, interwoven histories and identities of the Comoros and Réunion, but the film itself is part of a broader movement to reclaim the representation of Comorians. This project, a French to English subtitling of the film and an accompanying analysis, seeks to fully appreciate the many linguistic, cinematographic, and cultural nuances of the film.
En 2012, le film documentaire La Réunion : terre d’asile ou terre hostile est sorti au Comorian International Film Festival (CIFF). Le film, réalisé par le cinéaste comorien Saïd-Ali SAID MOHAMED, explore les témoignages des Comoriens à la Réunion, un département français dans l’Océan Indien. Le film discute non seulement des histoires complexes et des identités spéciales aux Comores et à la Réunion, mais il est aussi une partie d’un mouvement de revendiquer la représentation de Comoriens. Ce projet, le sous-titrage français-à-anglais du film et une analyse supplémentaire, désire apprécier et comprendre les plusieurs détails linguistiques, cinématographiques, et culturels du film
Decolonizing and Diversifying French Curriculum in Twin Cities K-12 Schools
Get PDFFrench classes in United States K-12 schools are still largely Paris-Centric and targeted towards a white/upper-class student demographic. The purpose of this study is to examine K-12 French teacher’s strategies in promoting diversity in their classrooms, and what effect this has on student engagement. Participants include eight K-12 French immersion teachers in the Twin Cities (Minnesota). Results from the study are complex and varied, however, they indicate that use of authentic resources and connection to students’ personal interests and culture are major ways in which the French curriculum can be reshaped to promote diversity and engagement
Don’t Beep At Me: Using Google Maps APIs to Reduce Driving Anxiety
Get PDFStress while driving is a significant issue that causes automobile incidents. Along with the physical injuries, there is often baggage and trauma associated with these accidents. Wearable health monitoring technology, like Smartwatches, has a real possibility to help people further understand the stress inducing processes of driving. Thus to help with this issue, I propose a Google Maps app extension called: Don\u27t Beep At Me . This project creates a map that is layered by heart rate instead of speed limit and has great potential to be useful for reducing driving anxiety
Utilizing Remote Sensing Technology to Relocate Lubra Village and Visualize Flood Damages
Get PDFAs weather patterns change worldwide, isolated communities impacted by climate change go unnoticed and we need community and habitat-conscious solutions. In Himalayan Mustang, Nepal, indigenous Lubra village faces threats of increasing flash flooding. After every flood, residual concrete-like sediment hardens across the riverbed, causing the riverbed elevation to rise. As elevation increases, sediment encroaches on Lubra’s agricultural fields and homes, magnifying flood vulnerability. In the last monsoon season alone, the village witnessed floods swallowing several fields and damaging two homes. One solution considers relocating the village to a new location entirely. However, relocation poses a challenging task, as eight centuries of ancestry, heritage, and nuanced cultural complexities exist in both aspects of communal opinion and civil engineering. To investigate this issue further, we utilize remote sensing technologies such as drones and satellite imagery to create unique, highly-detailed 3D visualizations and 2D maps as a way to document climate-related impacts in Lubra village. In addition, we generate digital elevation models to investigate quantifying riverbed elevation trends to address how the riverbed elevation changes overtime. In tandem, we conduct oral interviews with members of Lubra to understand how flooding and droughts affect their ways of life, allowing us to contextualize these models. Pairing visualized data with personal accounts, I aspire to provide an informative story that depicts Himalayan climate change on a local level, and demonstrates these impacts to both the Nepalese and global audience