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Understanding why and how women determine to stay in student affairs after having children: a narrative inquiry
No full textMany women leave higher education and the workforce because of inadequate support after childbirth, as student affairs units often struggle to create family-friendly environments. The purpose of this narrative inquiry qualitative study was to understand why and how mothers who work in student affairs choose to stay after having children. This study was concentrated on individuals working in housing and residence life; student activities such as fraternity and sorority life, governance, leadership, programming, student organizations; civic engagement and service; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants at four-year, large-size, public institutions in the United States.
The themes were as follows: (a) supportive network, (b) flexible work arrangements, (c) knowing the job, (d) employee benefits, and (e) role modeling. Some themes also included subthemes, which add nuance and texture to the study’s results. The participants shared their personal stories of being a mother in student affairs and how these experiences have helped them be retained in the student affairs industry. This study helped advance the understanding of student affairs mothers' experiences on college campuses, specifically at large, four-year, public institutions, and will continue to assist the student affairs industry in supporting the needs of future mothers, and even just caregivers, in the future. Some recommendations built from the themes include (a) fostering robust support networks, emphasizing the role of supportive supervisors who offer flexibility and encouragement; (b) promoting flexible work arrangements within the workplace; (c) reviewing parental leave policies regularly to accommodate diverse caregiving responsibilities; (d) ensuring they are offering competitive employee benefits and work with local businesses to provide discounts for employees to alleviate any financial pressures; and (e) encouraging visibility and mentorship from leaders who balance work and family life to help empower current and prospective employees.D. E
Disablist living
No full textIn the United States, one in four individuals are diagnosed with a disability. However, it is guaranteed that in a person's lifetime they will develop some form of a disability either due to aging, genetics, or an unforeseen accident. Despite this, our nation lacks adequate housing, subjecting the millions of individuals with disabilities to a plethora of physical, emotional, and social barriers that negatively impact their quality of life. Disablist Living seeks to focus on this inequity and investigate the relationship between disability, form, and experience through a series of three individual homes; each focused on a specific type of disability: mobility, hearing, and visual impairments.
By dismantling barriers that have encroached on those with impairments, individuals without an impairment may feel uncomfortable within the homes; allowing them to better understand their peer’s experience of having to navigate an environment not designed for them. By studying the typical single-family home and methods of design that aid in overcoming imposing barriers, each house has its own identity that enables occupants with a disability to have an independent and comfortable home environment through design methods that align with their specific needs.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
Historical and practical perspectives of touch, meter, and style in organ playing
No full textThis dissertation explores the historical and practical dimensions of touch, meter,
and style in organ playing, catering to students aspiring to establish a strong musical
foundation on the instrument. Emphasizing the significance of these three fundamental
musical concepts, the study employs annotated score excerpts to illustrate their
application across diverse organ repertoire spanning different musical epochs. Notably, it
elucidates the varying approaches to touch and meter dictated by stylistic considerations,
crucial for achieving authenticity in performance. The dissertation comprises four
chapters, beginning with an introduction that lays the groundwork and outlines the
research methodology. Subsequent chapters delve into historical performance practices,
examining how techniques evolved across different musical periods, and providing
practical insights into their application through annotated score excerpts. The final
chapter synthesizes the study’s findings, addressing limitations and implications for
future research, while emphasizing the relevance of historical insights for contemporary
organists. By illuminating the dynamic interplay between technique, expression, and
stylistic nuances, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of organ
performance, offering valuable guidance for scholars, practitioners, students, and
educators alike.D. A
Net zero charging stations
No full textAs gas stations across the nation become obsolete in a world designated for electrified transportation, a new form of infrastructure must take its place as a hub for modern day commuters. Electric vehicles are a carbon free solution to growing climate concerns, so the chargers that fuel them should seek to follow this same trend.
The aim of this diploma project is to create a structure that caters to the charging demands of electric vehicles, using the building as a collector to support a series of off-grid chargers. By evaluating the essential and circumstantial issues associated with the application of this building type, a new generation of spaces can be developed. This project seeks to address the electrical demand of our vehicles, reducing the carbon footprint of driving, and providing productive and enjoyable environments for the people spending their time charging.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
Dirty art
No full textSandwiched between the Maumee River, an active railroad, and an abandoned set of factories; this project holds the subcultural identities’ of many art forms and creatives that often go overlooked. Some of which include graffiti, local live music scenes, breakdancing, skateboarding, and aggressive inline.
This project seeks to appropriate my personal art style and approach that has been subconsciously infused in all my past projects, to be used in the built design. This approach often includes many iterations of form massing, that influence the form, that then influences program, that influences the form, and so on. This project also questions the traditional process that we use when designing buildings and creates a new vocabulary of design moves derived from graffiti forms and letter structure. What balance must be found in order to translate dirty art into dirty architecture? As well as allow these subcultures to come together and thrive in a place that both honors the history of these art forms as well as pushes for a new lens to view these subcultures within. Dirty art can happen anywhere, has been happening everywhere, and will continue to happen everywhere without permission. But what happens when these subcultures are allowed their own space to exist, grow, and come together to create.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
Contemplative atmospheres
No full textNature is the forgotten key of medicine. The untouched greenery, the vast skies, the gentle ripples of water—they possess the power to heal from within. As mental, physical, and emotional health is flailing across the world, an intentional interaction with mother nature can serve as an experience that enhances one’s perception of life and further deepen one’s sense of self and heart.
Exploring the therapeutic benefits of nature, the objective of Contemplative Atmospheres as an architectural approach highlights the serene moments that nature-integrated design can curate, while fostering raw connections to one’s surroundings and inner self. Using such an approach with the integration of Japanese Zen design principles, the curation of a Wellness Retreat nestled in the sanctuary of nature is composed. As the Zen ideology embodies tranquility and profound grace, the rich value of such principles further supports the idea that atmospheric space is of utmost significance and that simplicity is true perfection. In return, the proposed Wellness Retreat embodies the blissful ambience of nature and the journey of exploration from within, fully immersing one in a therapeutic experience and state of true serenity.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
Church of Eden
No full textCollege of Architecture and PlanningIn past centuries, we have seen many shifts in architectural culture, design, and the attitudes towards design theory by both the public as well as architects and other designers. We now find ourselves in a modern/post-modern dominated profession where meaningful details can be lost to cost-benefit analysis and other “design” features of the twenty-first century.
This project proposes that we are missing something that classical architecture provided. This project aims to take a deeper look into the depth of classical design in order to inform a new implementation of such a style, predominantly as a Catholic Church, to be located in Indiana.
In recent years, namely the twentieth century, the concept of biophilic design has developed. This concept complements well the ideologies and design theories largely associated with classical architecture of the past.
Considering these two design ideologies, the goal now becomes to create a design style that infuses classical and biophilic architecture through a Catholic church. The implementation aims to successfully bring together visitors, parishioners, children, young adults, and all other major user groups to a life-giving, spiritual, and spatial experience that advances the relationship between God and man in a beautiful and elegant story-driven approach to design.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
Nomadic echoes: unspoken architecture
No full textThe essence of beauty is not perfection. It is not solely defined by appearance but also by the character that comprises its substance.
Beauty can be found in generational knowledge, in cultural celebrations that have endured for centuries, and in activities that unite communities throughout the assembly process. Craftsmanship and the understanding of materials required to execute it reveal beauty. Humility and modesty are beautiful, as is resilience. Handmade technology holds its own unique beauty, as does the underlying essence of a substance. Beauty can be found in the simplicity of inexpensive things.
Beauty isn’t always readily seen, but once recognized, it becomes apparent everywhere.
One could say it's perfectly imperfect.
Beauty is in Bajareque.Thesis (B. Arch.)College of Architecture and Plannin
Development and characterization of engineered rieske dioxygenases with non native activity
No full textRieske dioxygenases, a class of enzyme systems commonly found in soil bacteria, play an important role in the bacterial metabolism of aromatic “pollutants” in their environment. Rieske dioxygenases have long been utilized in organic synthesis due to their ability to catalyze the cis-dihydroxylation of aromatics to produce chiral diene-diol metabolites. Despite their utility, the potential applications for these green catalysts have historically been limited by steric and electronic constraints on their substrate scopes and activity levels.
Our work in the Ball State Laboratory for Biocatalysis Research is focused on the development of new green-chemical tools, in the form of engineered enzymes that operate in aqueous solutions, to help the chemical industry diminish their reliance on non-renewable energy sources. To this end, we have developed new variants of the widely used enzyme toluene dioxygenase with expanded reactivity through the use of multiple mutagenesis strategies along with a recently reported high throughput screening platform. Through this work, we have developed toluene dioxygenase variants with activity for amide-functionalized substrates that are
not metabolized by the natural enzyme and revealed key residues that modulate the enzyme’s activity and selectivity. This research has led to the production and characterization of novel chiral metabolites with significant potential for utility in organic synthesis.
Computational analysis (homology modeling, docking studies, molecular dynamics simulations, and substrate tunnel mapping) of the engineered enzymes produced in this work has led to the identification of key generalizable strategies that can be applied to engineer improved dioxygenases in a variety of contexts.M. S
Supporting teacher creativity: analyzing how ideas develop during strategy instruction
No full textIn this intervention study, we explored the integration of creative thinking strategies into educational practices, drawing inspiration from Beghetto and Kaufman's (2014) framework. Participating teachers were tasked with a story-building activity, with their responses analyzed using three critical variables: fluency, elaboration, and "final idea." By seamlessly infusing creative thinking techniques into instructional methodologies, the intervention aimed to shed light on how educators can foster creativity within learners.
The findings unveiled a noticeable enhancement in the sophistication and elaboration of ideas when participants engaged in activities combining divergent and convergent thinking. While fluency showed no substantial improvement, participants demonstrated notable advancements in idea generation and refinement under imposed constraints. The intervention concludes by advocating for collaborative efforts among educators, researchers, parents, and policymakers to advance creative pedagogies. By providing practical creative thinking strategies tailored for educators, the research promotes a holistic approach to cultivating creativity in learners, empowering them to navigate the complexities of the modern world with ingenuity and resilience.M. A