University of Illinois at Chicago
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Federal Requests for Information: Responding to Advocate and Develop Campus Networks
No full textBook Chapter identifying use of federal requests for information as a mechanism for library workers to engage in advocacy and policy work actively and to further develop relationships throughout their institution in the United States.</p
Atmospheric Water Vapor Condensation on Ultra-short Pulsed Laser Surface-Processed Copper
No full textCondensation, a ubiquitous phenomenon with applications ranging from power generation to climate control in buildings, features a complex interplay of surface properties, heat transfer and fluid dynamics. In recent years, Ultra-short Pulsed Laser Surface Processing (ULSP) has emerged as a powerful tool to engineer surface structures with unparalleled precision and control over scales of practical relevance. This study explores how ULSP-structured surfaces are poised to alter condensation studies and applications. One of the primary advantages of ULSP-structured surfaces is their ability to tailor surface topography scalably both at the micro and nano scales. These engineered structures serve as nucleation sites for condensation, influencing the mode of condensation. Herein, high-aspect-ratio (tall) microstructures of O(~100μm) are fabricated via ULSP on copper plates. The plates are characterized for their roughness and wettability when they reveal superhydrophilic properties. The resulting substrates are then characterized for condensation, wherein uniform film-wise condensation is observed throughout the experiment duration. Furthermore, the condensation heat transfer coefficient (CHTC) is compared against a mirror-finish Teflon-coated Cu substrate via gravimetric estimations. Interestingly, the ULSP plates are found to have similar condensation performance to mirror finish hydrophobic samples, or outperform them at almost all experimental scenarios.</p
Improving Access for Black Women in Breast Cancer Clinical Trials: An Exploration into Opportunities at Community Cancer Centers
No full textBreast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States (CDC,2024). Mortality rates for breast cancer are declining, but not equally for all populations. “Black women are 41% more likely to die from breast cancer than White women, despite having similar or lower incidence rates” (American Cancer Society, 2022). There are intersecting and compounding reasons for higher mortality rates in Black women. Evidence shows that a lack of access to high-quality care, (American Cancer Society, 2022), implicit biases of health care providers (Hall et al., 2015), and Black women presenting with more aggressive and late-stage forms of the disease (Uscher, 2023), are key drivers. Barriers to access to high-quality care result from a lack of insurance, reliable transportation, available healthcare providers or facilities, outreach about available healthcare services, and culturally competent care. Inadequate access to care leads to missed opportunities in preventative care, delayed diagnoses, and increases in deaths from treatable diseases like breast cancer. In addition, Black women are underrepresented in cancer clinical trials, a critical aspect of access to quality care. A cancer patient’s participation in clinical trials increases their access to innovative treatments, cutting-edge medications, and additional clinical care for the disease. Research has repeatedly shown that partaking in clinical trials improves patient outcomes, including survival (Taye A et al., 2024). Currently, Black women account for 3% or less of participants in breast cancer clinical trials (Stringer-Reasor et al., 2021), although a recent survey indicated that 83% of Black women with breast cancer would likely consider clinical trial participation (Cavallo, 2022). One driver of this disparity is community access to clinical trials for breast cancer. Most cancer patients, including Black women, receive care in community settings, not at academic medical centers where clinical trials usually take place (NCI, 2017). In addition, a recent survey of over 500 Black women indicated that a leading barrier to their participation in clinical research is that trial sites are too far (GCI Health, 2024). This finding confirms research by Riggan et al. (2023) which argues that “physically centering research activities in Black communities” could greatly improve recruitment and retention of Black participants in clinical trials. Conducting clinical trials at community cancer centers is an effective way to offer access to clinical research to marginalized populations, but the availability of trials in this practice setting is limited (Ebrahimi et al., 2024). For this reason, there is a need to identify opportunities to improve access to clinical trials at community cancer centers. The increased access to clinical trials in communities where Black women receive their breast cancer treatment can help work towards the equitable inclusion of Black women in breast cancer clinical research.</p
<i>Cultivating Spiritual Forces</i>
No full textMy research focuses on the values that animate the farming practices of biodynamic farmers in the Driftless region of the American Midwest. Biodynamic farmers practice what they call a ‘spiritual science’ that conceives of the world as being full of spiritual forces, and they see fostering the proper arrangement of these energies in their crops as the central role of the farmer. This image, taken in the fall of 2024, shows a key event in the biodynamic agricultural year: preparing manure for making compost. In the fall, fresh cow manure is stuffed into cow horns, which are then arranged in a circular pattern in a pit, and buried for the winter. Each spring, the horns are dug up, and the manure, which has dried into a rich, dirt-like substance, is turned into a fertilizer tea that is used to enrich compost. The horns are carefully arranged such that no two horns touch; leaving space between them allows for more effective flows of spiritual forces into the horns. The better the horns receive these energetic forces, the more energy is transferred into the manure, which means more energy goes into the compost and therefore into the crops grown using that compost.</p
<i>Partial Rebound of a Liquid Drop on a Hydrophobic Surface</i><i>d Item</i>
No full textMy research project explores experimentally the fundamentals of hydrodynamics of pure liquids, solvents and colloidal suspensions commonly used in painting and coating processes by drop impact deposition onto solid and porous surfaces. The image displays one of six possible outcomes of drop impact on a solid surface called “partial rebound”. Here, a pure water drop was captured few milliseconds after impact onto a 50% pre-stretched Teflon surface, and due to the impact dynamics, a partial rebound scenario originated; in which the liquid drop stays partly in contact with the Teflon surface and launches one or more droplets at its top due to the capillary instability. In particular, the image captures the exact time moment (not seen by the naked eye) when this secondary droplet is about to detach from the main drop which are interconnected by a tiny liquid filament. Additionally, the image was acquired by a high-speed camera with an acquisition frame rate of 2000 fps and back LED lighting. Finally, the goal of my research project is to develop and facilitate innovative processes of painting and coating large surface areas with less material, aiming at optimizing these processes and reducing final costs of production.</p
The Geophysics of the Icy Galilean Satellites: Surface Evolution and Gravity
No full textThe icy Galilean satellites of Jupiter (Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) are considered ocean worlds. Because habitability necessitates an energy source, a key geophysical question is how active or “warm” these worlds are or were in the past. I investigate these moons’ surfaces and interiors, aiming to shed more light on their unique geophysical properties and processes. A common theme across this research is exploring whether the materials composing these moons are warm enough to flow and behave in a ductile manner mechanically. I investigate this through large impact craters for all three satellites and through gravity in the case of Europa. These moons present unique impact crater morphologies whose origins are poorly understood. In Chapters 2 and 3, I use numerical simulations to investigate the formation and evolution of large craters on Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. The stresses induced by a newly formed crater prompt the ice to redistribute itself over million-year time scales, gradually relaxing and restoring a flatter surface. I find that viscoelastic relaxation of ice, when accounting for impact-generated heat, sufficiently explains the formation of dome craters on Ganymede and Callisto. For Tegid Crater on Europa, which exhibits a seemingly flattened dome, additional mechanisms beyond relaxation are required to explain its shape. In Chapter 4, I present a methodology for retrieving line-of-sight gravity anomalies in preparation for NASA’s Europa Clipper mission. Gravity anomalies stem from deviations in the reference gravity field, such as those caused by seafloor topography. A cold and rigid seafloor can support greater topography, potentially resulting in stronger gravity anomalies. Conversely, a warmer silicate crust allows topography to subside into more ductile mantle material, compensating the topography and producing weaker gravity anomalies. In this way, gravity measurements can indicate the thermal state of Europa’s interior. I implement a data processing method to convert the spacecraft’s velocity changes—observed when flying close to Europa through Doppler shifts in the radio signal—into line-of-sight gravity anomalies. Using synthetic mission data, my results show that these anomalies can indeed be detected above anticipated noise levels
The Effect of Retrieval Practice Schedule and Accuracy Feedback on Self-Efficacy and Memory
No full textRetrieval practice and distributed study are two of the most effective learning strategies for enhancing long-term memory. However, little research has examined their combined effects, the distributed retrieval practice effect, on self-efficacy, a critical motivational factor in learning that can have downstream effects on memory. This experiment investigated how retrieval practice schedules (distributed vs. massed) and accuracy feedback (feedback vs. no feedback) impact both self-efficacy and final test performance. Two hundred twenty-three participants completed a three-session experiment in which they watched lecture videos, engaged in retrieval practice under different scheduling conditions, either received accuracy feedback or not, and took a final test after a 24-36 hour delay. Self-efficacy was measured at multiple time points throughout the experiment to track change over time. Results revealed a significant increase in self-efficacy over time, but no significant differences between retrieval practice schedules or feedback conditions. Final test performance was significantly higher for participants who received accuracy feedback, yet retrieval practice schedule had no effect on memory outcomes. Importantly, larger gains in self-efficacy predicted better final test performance, highlighting the relationship between self-efficacy and memory. These findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of self-efficacy in relation to study strategies and suggest that feedback plays a critical role in memory outcomes. Future research should explore longer retention intervals, alternative feedback formats, and individual differences in metacognitive awareness to optimize both self-efficacy and memory performance. This study underscores the need to integrate cognitive and motivational factors when designing effective learning interventions
High-Dimensional Causal Mediation Model for Detecting Neuroimaging Biomarkers
No full textDiscovering neuroimaging biomarkers that link pharmacological interventions to neurobehavioral outcomes is imperative for advancing mental disorder treatments. Functional connectivity, a pivotal biomarker, reveals neural interactions and helps decipher complex neurological and psychiatric conditions. We propose a high-dimensional mediation model to map neural pathways and pinpoint sparse connectivity mediators. However, small sample sizes in neuroimaging studies often lead to unstable parameter estimates. To address this, we introduce "Pathway Network," an innovative penalization technique for biomarker discovery and hub detection. This convex penalty combines the Pathway LASSO and Network-constrained penalties, aiming to stabilize mediation effect estimates and integrate brain network information through a Laplacian matrix grounded in graph theory. To solve the optimization problem, we developed an Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers algorithm and created the "HDMAADMM" R package. Extensive simulations validate the effectiveness of this approach. Application to neuroimaging data from individuals with internalizing psychopathology further demonstrates its clinical utility. This method represents a significant step forward in biomarker detection within high-dimensional mediation analysis, with potential applications in genetics, precision medicine, and beyond
Integrating Analogical Reasoning to Improve Erroneous Worked Examples as a Learning Intervention
No full textThis research explores the integration of analogical reasoning to enhance the effectiveness of erroneous worked examples (WE) as a learning intervention for linear functions (LF). Mastery of LF is critical for mathematical proficiency, yet students often struggle with conceptual and procedural challenges, particularly when transitioning between tabular, algebraic, and graphical representations. Prior research indicates that WE with error-processing tasks can improve learning outcomes, though their effectiveness varies depending on students’ prior knowledge. To address this gap, this research investigates whether pairing WE with structural analogs of prerequisite knowledge can facilitate conceptual change and improve LF problem-solving. Two experimental studies were conducted, each employing a 3×2 between-subjects design. Participants were assigned to one of six conditions that varied by WE type (error detection, error indicated, or no WE) and the presence or absence of an analog task. Findings suggest that integrating analogs significantly enhances students' ability to process and learn from erroneous WEs, particularly for those with lower prior knowledge. The results demonstrate that analogical reasoning supports conceptual change by promoting error detection, cognitive conflict, and knowledge restructuring. This study contributes to instructional design by offering a novel approach to improving mathematical learning through targeted intervention strategies
Somos
No full textSomos is a curated creative dissertation that explores the complexity of bilingualism within Latine literature and experimental forms of narrative, borrowing non-fiction elements into a fictional novel. The project is also focused on exploring disappearance and loss within the Mexican American community and to process a connection to the concept of a “motherland.” While the completed manuscript for Somos exists and is divided into five parts and an epilogue, only Parts 1, 3, 4, and the epilogue are being submitted to fulfill the dissertation requirement
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