28653 research outputs found
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Bitsy
No full textBitsy is a photographic installation composed of scanned childhood images, still life photographs, and manipulated digital prints. The work centers on my sister and I with the use of distortion, dramatic lighting, and color to alter the original images, transforming personal photographs into visual representations of memory and loss. The work is presented in domestic style frames and clotheslines arranged to create a physical space that mirrors the tension between private life and public viewing. Through this series, Bitsy translates personal history into a visual language that traces the process of letting go and translating love into a tangible form.B.F.A.School of Ar
Unseen phenomena
No full textInformed by the personal experience of being severely hard of hearing, this
design research thesis explores the relationship between tangible architecture
and the invisible composition of sound. While physical structures dictate
movement, auditory stimuli also influence navigation and decision-making,
yet architectural discourse often overlooks this sensory element. This thesis
investigates how sound shapes spatial experience and perception.
Drawing from R. Murray Schafer’s concept of soundscapes, early studies
began with sketches and culminated in an intricate drawing of an imagined
soundscape. A peer-based experiment further examined sound perception
by guiding participants through various spaces and sounds and recording
subjective interpretations. These findings informed the design of an acoustic
box, a tool for exploring sound’s interaction with geometry, form, and material
through digital simulations and physical fabrications.
The research culminates in a spatial instrument designed to manipulate and
filter sound through dynamic, adjustable components. This instrument offers
inhabitable and interactive auditory experience for researchers, performers,
and pedestrians alike. This thesis advocates for a more intentional focus on a
multisensory approach to architecture, enriching human experience through
auditory exploration.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
Conversations about conservation
No full textProtecting biodiversity is essential for maintaining ecosystem services—such as clean air, water, and pollination—while ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources. Encouraging the sustainable use of natural resources helps balance current needs with the protection of the planet for future generations. Using art to highlight biodiversity issues help me engage viewers with scientific discovery and creative thought. Conversations About Conservation communicates the need for viewers to support the natural environment. Each work advocates for an issue that specifically relates to the health of our environment. Creating awareness through visual language allows me to inspire action and help build a stronger movement toward conservation— benefiting the environment and enriching our lives for a more harmonious coexistence with nature. Making these sculptures out of glass mimics the delicacy and strength that glass holds as a material along with the way nature is resilient, strong,M A
Rhetorical analysis of Ghana's anti-LGBTQ+ bill: a critical discourse analysis approach
No full textGhana is one of many countries in the world with policies that criminalize LGBTQ+ identification and activities. Strongly rooted in the family cultural system of heteronormativity, Ghana has created policies with the goal of promoting the “proper” Ghanaian family values. This research project analyzes the rhetorical impacts of Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ+ bill, Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Value Bill, on the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in terms of identification, alienation, scapegoating, prohibition, and surveillance. I apply the theoretical frameworks of Kenneth Burke’s identification and alienation and terministic screens as well as Michael Foucault’s discursive notion of prohibition and theory of panopticons to demonstrate that the LGBTQ+ community is being alienated and policed by the dominant promoted identity in the Ghanaian community due to the introduction of its anti-LGBTQ+ bill. I argue that the bill functions as a terministic screen that portrays heterosexuality in Ghana as the only proper sexual practice, which creates the notion of ingroup and outgroup. This form of identification creates scapegoating and surveillance of the outgroup, the LGBTQ+ community
The wellness hub: a positive companion for college students' success
No full textThe Emerging Media Design and Development (EMDD) master’s degree program focuses on creativity, problem-solving, and technological innovation. While brainstorming for this creative project, I decided to create something that would further expand my skills in all three areas. During my college experience, I regularly observed a problem: My peers and I have consistently experienced stress and negative emotions that seem to heighten during exam periods. Secondary research proved that this issue is both real and cyclical, requiring new approaches to break the pattern (Manchri et al., 2016; Kahn & Shamama-Tus-Sabah, 2020; Healthy Minds Survey, 2024). After conducting primary research to better understand the problem space, I identified virtual reality (VR)–a medium with impressive capabilities to promote positive emotion through immersion and interactivity–as a possible solution.
Drawing inspiration from the broaden-and-build theory of positive psychology, I developed a proof-of-concept VR game called The Wellness Hub. This game is designed to serve as a mental wellness companion for college students. Through gameplay, students can unload negative thoughts, de-stress, organize tasks, and work toward achieving their goals, while learning about the benefits of each activity to provide intrinsic motivation. This game and the details included within its design are inspired by a review of extant literature, primary research through collaborative design activities, and user testing. By leveraging the power of VR, I aimed to create a tool that helps students imagine new possibilities for overcoming challenges throughout college.M. A
Whose power is it anyway? Leadership and accountability experiences of black women in mid-level higher education administration
No full textTo better understand root issues of mid-level employee attrition in higher education, it is
imperative to add volume to the voices of marginalized professionals whose insight and power
are historically missed and diminished. What perspectives of power are held by Black women in
mid-level administrator roles within higher education leadership and what role do these
perspectives have within accountability practices? The research related to the leadership
experiences of Black women is limited yet dynamically diverse and reflects the need for Black
women to determine what their perspectives and usage of power will be. Through this study,
awareness is brought to the leadership accountability practices within higher education from the
perspective of mid-level administrators who have a greater lens to see multiple layers of
leadership and accountability. The awareness gained cultivates a better understanding of what
senior-level administrators can do to cultivate a healthy campus culture centered on effective
accountability practices. Furthermore, the Black women involved in the study, through reflection
of their experiences in strategic interviewing, gain a deeper awareness of their perception of
power to influence the campus culture.D. Ed
Unseen burdens: the impact of historical trauma on lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts in African Americans
No full textThe present study investigates the association between historical trauma (HT) and
lifetime suicidal ideation (SI) and attempts (SA) among African Americans. While individual
(e.g., discrimination) and systemic (e.g., economic disadvantage) risk factors for suicide have
been studied in the African American community, and HT has been extensively examined in
Indigenous communities, the role of HT in general and in relation to suicide remains
underexamined in the African American community. The current study aims to fill these gaps
and determine whether HT, measured via the African American Historical Trauma Questionnaire
(AAHTQ; Williams-Washington & Mills, 2016), uniquely predicts SI and SA beyond known
demographic correlates of suicide risk. A large nationally representative sample of African
Americans (n = 3,015) were recruited via a probability-based web panel (KnowledgePanel) and
participated in this survey study. Data were weighted to distributions based on US Census data
prior to analysis. Consistent with hypotheses, independent samples t-tests revealed individuals
with lifetime histories of SI or SA endorsed significantly higher levels of HT compared to those
without, though effect sizes were small (Cohen’s d = 0.29 for both). Further, logistic regression
models indicated that HT scores significantly predicted lifetime SI and SA (ORs = 1.38 and 1.39,
respectively), even after controlling for age, gender, and income. These results suggest that HT is
a unique predictor of suicide risk among African Americans, underscoring the need for targeted
interventions that consider HT in suicide prevention efforts.M. S
Destination 3
No full textAcross the United States rates of social anxiety, depression, and obesity are
rising at dramatic rate, my site located in South Bend, Indiana also can relate
to this issue. Therefore, I will be addressing the mental, social, and physical
wellness of an urban and underserved community. Destination 3 is located
on the outskirts of the downtown core surrounded by lots of residential areas,
businesses, and even a baseball stadium.
I aim to create a new community center that offers physical activities, spaces to
interact with others, and areas that can help someone grow internally. My goal
with this project is to focus on improving the total body wellness experience of
the building’s occupants by doing so I’m breaking wellness into three categories
physical, social, and mental. It is important the building creates an atmosphere
that allows for such activity, provides natural light while being open that can
create visual connections with all the environments that happen around the
building. Destination 3 will become a new center for not only physical activity
but also a location that people can go to when they are looking to meet a new
friend or catch up with an old pal.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
BMP-7 promotes coronary angiogenesis and improves cardiac tissue perfusion in ischemic heart conditions
No full textCurrent research suggests that Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) play an important role in tissue regeneration. BMP-7, an important regulator of cell differentiation and angiogenesis, has proven potential in promoting vascular growth and tissue repair. However, the specific mechanisms through which BMP-7 enhances coronary angiogenesis and improves cardiac tissue perfusion in ischemic conditions remain not well understood. Using an in vivo mouse model of myocardial ischemia, BMP-7 will be administered to know its effects on coronary angiogenesis and tissue perfusion, with measurements of capillary density, blood flow, and cardiac function. In addition to this, molecular techniques will be employed to analyze the expression of angiogenic markers and signaling pathways activated by BMP-7 in ischemic cardiac tissue. The results from this study will provide new insights into the function of BMP-7 in cardiac tissue repair and vascular growth, showing its potential as a regenerative therapy for ischemic heart diseases. By elucidating the mechanisms through which BMP-7 promotes coronary angiogenesis, this research could make way for personalized therapeutic strategies aimed at improving patient outcomes in ischemic heart conditions.M. A
Thrive Haven (architecture for community and nature)
No full textThis project envisioned an architecture that serves as both a shelter and
a school for vulnerable children in Egypt, including those experiencing
homelessness and those engaged in child labor. It creates a stable environment
where children can live, learn, and develop essential skills for independence and
reintegration into society.
The architecture integrates housing, classrooms, workshops, and communal
spaces to support both education and personal growth. Sustainability plays
a key role, utilizing passive cooling, efficient water management, and locally
sourced materials to ensure climate responsiveness and resource efficiency.
More than just a place of refuge, the project fosters stability, dignity, and
opportunity, empowering children to build a better future.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin