48440 research outputs found
Sort by
Developing Volunteer Training Modules in the Rio Torres Interurban Biological Corridor
No full textThe CBIRT-RB is a consortium of organizations overseeing volunteers’ efforts to mitigate pollution and promote the preservation and conservation of the Río Torres. The Río Torres Interurban Biological Corridor consists of the Río Torres Micro Basin and its surrounding green plot. Through data collection, learning module design, and iterative evaluation, accessible online resources were created with the aim of standardizing volunteer training across the organization. The modules provide structured learning on biological corridors and sustainability efforts in Costa Rica
Developing strategies to expand Hawaii’s Slow Food Programs
No full textOur project aimed to expand organizational efficiency and effectiveness in achieving Slow Food Oʻahu’s mission (SFO), a non-profit organization (NPO) in Hawaiʻi that promotes the education and consumption of culturally important foods. Through expert interviews, analysis of other successful NPOs, and discussions with SFO’s board of directors, we identified opportunities to improve operations within NPOs. Our results highlight solutions that improve utilization of technical applications including Square, a pointof-sale system, Meta Business Suite, a social media organizational tool, and Google Classroom, a digital file organizational tool. By creating and implementing these solutions we aimed to streamline operations and improve SFO’s overall outreach capacity
Implementation of XR Technology in Biodiversity Education
No full textThis project, sponsored by the Association for the Promotion of Wetlands Sustainable Development and FabCafe Bangkok, addresses the declining biodiversity and youth engagement in the Nong Han Wetlands, located in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand. The goal was to strengthen high school students' awareness and connection to the lake through innovative educational methods. Using Extended Reality (XR) technology and project-based learning, we designed interactive activities to teach biodiversity conservation. Findings indicate that XR technology significantly enhances student engagement and knowledge retention. We recommend integrating XR into school biodiversity education to sustain long-term interest in environmental stewardship among the youth
Dr. Johnson’s House: Conducting Visitor Research to Identify and Attract New Audiences
No full textDr. Johnson’s House is a small historic house museum tucked away in the heart of one of London’s most historic districts. The museum had historically attracted a narrow audience base. This project aimed to provide recommendations on potential ways to attract new visitors and diversify the audience of Dr. Johnson’s House. We sought to understand the visitor experience at Dr. Johnson’s House, examined the offerings of other historic house museums in London, and analysed our findings to identify ways Dr. Johnson’s House could adapt the museum to attract new visitors and broader audience segments. We identified engagement, immersion, and inclusion as the main areas of growth Dr. Johnson’s House could focus on to create a more meaningful museum experience for a wider range of audiences
Citizens - Open Banking Tracking & Insights
No full textA customer-centric dashboard was designed and implemented to streamline access to customer data to enhance customer support for open banking services. Leveraging the Citizens Bank Open Banking Platform, the team created a centralized web application that simplifies customer support by providing information on customer accounts, fourth-party fintech integrations, and consent statistics. The project employed agile development, advanced data science techniques (e.g. clustering, regression, time series analysis), and functional programming within React, NodeJS, TypeScript, and Python to deliver a robust tool that helps improve operational efficiency, enhances customer satisfaction, and prepares the platform for future scalability
Private 5G Standalone Network for Mixed-Reality Unmanned Ground Vehicle Application
No full textThis report presents a fully functional, over-the-air, private 5G networking testbed using a combination of software-defined radio (SDR) hardware, srsRAN and Open5GS implementing the 5G protocol stack, and a proposed software-defined networking (SDN) emulation platform i.e. EMANE. This proof-of-concept is then integrated into a mixed-reality automotive simulation environment incorporating physical and virtual Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs). UGV telemetry and sensor data will be moved across the testbed from a COTS User Equipment (UE) to an SDR gNodeB implementation (\textit{i.e}., Real-to-Real (R-R) communications). The main deliverable of this project is a private, custom, over-the-air standalone 5G network implemented with a software-defined radio base station and consumer off-the-shelf user equipment. This network will later be used as the backbone of a mixed-reality unmanned ground vehicle digital twin project
Designing a Swift Water Rescue Simulator for La Academia Nacional de Bomberos in San Jose, Costa Rica
No full textThe National Firefighter Academy of Costa Rica is a training institution that provides firefighters with training programs; however, it lacks a flood simulator, limiting their preparedness for swift water rescues. This project aimed to design a Swift Water Rescue Simulator to provide a safe, realistic training environment. Through research, expert consultations, and stakeholder input, the team developed a detailed design, cost analysis, and implementation plan. These findings and recommendations were compiled into a final report and presented to the Academy for future development
Arte Sobre Ruedas: Designing the way Forward
No full textRural communities in Costa Rica face limited access to art education; our project with Arte Sobre Ruedas (ASR), a local art nonprofit in Monteverde, worked to address the issue of art education inequality. Through community surveys, interviews, and document review, our team aimed to recommend improvements to ASR by addressing participant preferences and increasing visibility. Target audiences for surveys and interviews included parents of children ages 0-18, female artisans, and seniors. We identified themes in barriers, community benefits, and program preferences. We designed a website to publicize ASR workshops and community impact. Finally, we made program recommendations for each target audience. Overall, our work with ASR allowed for improved community programming
Modifying Caps on UiO–67 Post-Attachment and Computational Approaches to Quantify MOF Pore Size at Molecular Caps
No full textCancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide commonly treated with chemotherapy, often with severe adverse side effects. One strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of chemotherapy includes the use of delivery vessels that release therapeutics directly to tumor sites without exposing other healthy tissues. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have been investigated as potential delivery vessels. Theoretically, therapeutic molecules could be loaded into a MOF’s pores and then bulky capping groups attached to the surface, preventing the therapeutic from diffusing out of the MOF’s pores. If the capping groups could degrade under conditions unique to tumor sites, that could allow for targeted drug delivery. The following studies sought to explore MOF UiO–67 as a potential drug delivery vessel and develop a computational method to calculate the size of capped MOF pores. Methods: Two studies were conducted. In the first study, UiO–67 surfaces were exposed to organosilane molecules which were further modified post attachment before being analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic and powder x-ray diffraction analysis. In the second study, a model and molecular dynamics simulation of MOF–5 with triphenylacetic acid (TPAA) caps was developed along with an algorithm that can calculate the pore size of a provided pore. Results: The results of the first study showed the elements comprising the silanes and modifying molecules were detected at the surface of UiO–67 after the respective experimental procedures, though the crystal structure of UiO–67 was found to have degraded after the post-attachment modification experiment. The results of the second study showed the pore sizes of TPAA capped MOF–5 were split into three modalities representing major occlusion, minor occlusion, and no occlusion of the pores. Conclusion: The experimental results of the first study support the hypothesis that UiO–67 surfaces can be modified, though the described procedure degraded UiO–67’s crystal structure. In addition, the results suggest that silanes on MOFs can be modified post-attachment, giving an alternate pathway to place bulky capping groups on MOF surfaces besides direct attachment. The experimental results of the second study suggest that the algorithm could expedite MOF guest capping and trapping research as well as provide insight into the underlying relationship between MOF pore structure, capping group structure, and the size of guests that can be trapped
Enhancing Earthquake Preparedness in Istanbul
No full textİstanbul, Türkiye is one of the most earthquake prone megacities, situated along the North Anatolian Fault. With a major seismic event expected before 2030, the city faces challenges in urban planning, public awareness, infrastructure resilience, and policy coordination. This project evaluates İstanbul's Earthquake Preparedness through fieldwork, expert interviews, spatial data analysis, and policy review. It integrates historical risk trends, municipal plans and social and psychological dynamics of affected communities, especially post 2023 earthquakes. Our findings show gaps in municipal coordination, limited public trust, and out of date spatial data. We conclude with targeted recommendations for İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), and other organizations. Recommendations focus on GIS integration, educational reform, structural monitoring, and inclusive emergency communication strategies