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Cultural Crossroads: Dubai\u27s Cultural Influence on Mobility & the 20-Minute City Feasibility
No full textThe research explores the feasibility of the 20-minute city concept in the context of Dubai, an idea that was first proposed by Professor Carlos Moreno in 2016. While this model, which is based upon the theory that residents should be able to reach essential services within a certain time (i.e., 15 or 20 minutes), has been adopted globally in various cities across the world, its application within non-Western, high- income, car-dependent settings remains largely unexplored. For this reason, this study analyzes the 20- minute city concept in Dubai s unique context within its sociocultural, climatic, and cultural settings in the city. The central question guiding this study examines the following: How do Dubai s unique cultural aspects influence the feasibility of the 20-minute city concept, considering existing mobility trends, climate conditions, and public perceptions of sustainable transport? In order to answer this question, the study applies a pragmatic mixed methodology approach, which is primarily drawn from secondary data obtained from reputable sources such as Dubai Municipality, Roads and Transport Authority, Baynaat, and Digital Dubai. Data from these sources, such as the car ownership rates, public transport ridership levels, the Dubai transportation map and satisfaction percentage, are utilized. Additionally, data from published surveys from previous academic studies are integrated, highlighting the gendered norms within mobility, cultural attitudes, and barriers to active mobility. The lack of first-and last-mile connectivity as a barrier to using public transportation is also analyzed, all in relation to the 20-minute city concept. The findings from this study reveal that although Dubai has invested in the public transportation infrastructure, the city s car dependency remains deeply rooted. This is also reinforced by Dubai s sprawling, low-density land use developments and cultural associations linking car ownership with status, privacy, masculinity, and independence. In addition, the extreme summer temperatures are identified as another barrier, as the extreme heat makes walking and cycling impractical for most of the year. While first-and-last-mile connectivity further discourages transportation use, even among those with high satisfaction with the existing services. The social stigma associated with public transport in Dubai, as a mode of mobility, is associated with lower- income expatriates, further discouraging middle-to-high-income residents from using public transport. Cultural attitudes to public transport, such as gender norms and limited active mobility infrastructure, significantly constrain the use of sustainable modes of mobility. These findings conclude that the vision of the 20-minute city concept in Dubai cannot be achieved by infrastructure alone. Success is dependent on transport planning with cultural change, socioeconomic equity, and environmental considerations embedded within the city s urban design. Recommendations for practice include framing public transportation as aspirational, providing education and campaigns that respect the culture of Dubai, and addressing first and last-mile connectivity, as well as implementing active mobility infrastructure in a climate-sensitive approach, such as shaded/cooled infrastructure. A change in land use patterns is needed to facilitate more impactful mixed-use neighbourhoods within the current city layout, which will help enable the 20-minute city vision. Considering future research, the study highlights the need to collect primary data beyond the previous secondary case studies to investigate residents\u27 behaviour perceptions. Longitudinal studies to better understand the changing mobility trends, as well as research into pilot projects to test climate-adapted and gender-sensitive solutions, within efforts of urban mobility planning in the context of Dubai, can help work towards the 2040 Urban Master Plan. This contributes to the global dialogues of smart cities and effective transport planning in non-Western cities, in relation to the 20-minute city concept
Enhancing Science Accessibility and Engagement for Students with Visual Impairments: A Randomized Trial of the Talking LabQuest in Nigerian Schools
No full textStudents with Blindness in Nigeria are often erroneously perceived as incapable of engaging with science at the basic education level, contributing to their low enrolment in science-related careers. Although various techniques and materials have been proposed to support students with blindness in science, many lack empirical validation. This study investigated one such approach by examining the impact of the Talking LabQuest on the interest of Students with blindness in science subjects.
A randomized controlled trial was conducted in inclusive junior secondary schools in Nigeria, involving 20 classrooms over an 18-week period. Twelve classrooms were randomly assigned to the intervention group, where students used the Talking LabQuest and three sensors during weekly science practicals. The remaining eight classrooms formed a waiting-list control group. While there were no school dropouts, a 5% attrition rate was recorded among individual students. Data collection methods included interviews, observations, and documentary analysis.
Findings revealed that students with blindness, previously excluded from practical experiments, were excited to independently participate in hands-on activities. They showed improved performance in practicals compared to their sighted peers, despite the absence of baseline performance data. Sighted students in the intervention group also demonstrated increased enthusiasm and a better understanding of the experiments. Overall, students with visual impairment reported a heightened interest in science and expressed a desire to continue engaging in practicals.
These results underscore the potential of the Talking LabQuest to improve science learning for both blind and sighted students in inclusive settings, challenge prevailing stereotypes, and highlight the need for further research on long-term impacts
Cochlear Micropump Drug Delivery System: A noninvasive technique for murine intracochlear drug delivery
No full textIn a 2018 World Health Organization (WHO) study, over 400 million people worldwide were affected by hearing loss (World Health Organization, 2023). Cochlear implants have provided a conventional route to aid inner ear issues but are ineffective either delivering to unintended targets or delivering unknown concentrations of a particular drug and create toxicity to the user. With medical advances and using 3-D printing technology, new opportunities to use programmable drug delivery systems to treat auditory disorders have been created. Borkholder Labs in Rochester, NY have created and improved a miniaturized implantable and scalable peristaltic micropump that provides programmable and accurate drug delivery for inner ear applications. Borkholder Labs used a non-invasive micro-CT imaging technique to create a 3-D atlas of the mouse cochlea to determine measurements for transport parameters between the three cochlea scalae. Results validated quantities of inner ear pharmacokinetics, and the micropump components passed key biocompatibility tests which indicated they were suitable for translation applications including subcutaneous implantation in humans and animal models. In an effort to introduce this micropump and how it can help restore hearing loss, an animation (about 3 minutes) was created in two parts: (1) Recover Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL)” and (2) “Restoration”. These animations provide information about (SNHL), as well as introducing Borkholder’s Labs’ micropump system which can help the restoration process of damaged inner and outer hair cells in the cochlea. Both animations were created to spread awareness and present the medical community with a new option for an implantable drug delivery system to treat hearing loss
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Employee Attrition and Organizational Profitability
No full textArtificial Intelligence (AI) has become a transformative force in the modern workplace, reshap- ing decision-making processes, enhancing operational efficiency, and influencing the dynamics of human resource management. One of the critical areas where AI demonstrates substantial potential is in predicting, managing, and mitigating employee attrition. Employee attrition remains a pressing organizational challenge, incurring substantial costs in recruitment, training, and lost productivity. This research investigates the dual impact of AI on employee attrition and organizational profitability, exploring both the opportunities and the challenges that arise from its integration into human resource and business operations. The study examines how AI-driven predictive analytics tools enable organizations to forecasting attrition risks more accurately than traditional HR methods, AI empowers managers to design targeted retention strategies such as personalized training programs, career development opportunities, and workload adjustments. Furthermore, AI-enabled HR systems contribute to cost savings by minimizing recruitment expenses, lowering the risk of hiring mismatches, and optimizing talent manage- ment processes. In parallel, the research highlights the relationship between AI adoption and organizational profitability. Beyond HR, AI drives financial gains by streamlining processes, improving productivity, and enhancing decision-making across departments such as operations, marketing, and supply chain management. Profitability is further reinforced through reduced attrition-related costs and improved workforce stability. However, the study also emphasizes that the positive impact of AI on profitability is contingent upon responsible implementation. Ethical considerations, particularly concerning employee privacy, algorithmic transparency, and fairness, play a mediating role in shaping organizational outcomes. Resistance to change, lack of trust in AI-driven recommendations, and cultural misalignment may limit the effectiveness of AI tools if not properly addressed. In conclusion, the integration of AI into workforce analytics and human capital management offers a powerful lever for organizations to improve both employee retention and financial performance. However, its impact is not uniform and depends on the interplay between technology, ethics, leadership, and employee trust. The research contributes to academic and managerial discussions by offering actionable insights into how AI can be harnessed to create resilient, profitable, and people-centered organizations in an era of rapid digital transformation. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Employee Attrition, Workforce Analytics, Predictive Ana- lytics, Organizational Profitability, HR Management, Retention Strategies, Ethical AI
Understanding the Experiences of People With and Without Vision Impairments When Using Mobile User Interface Alternative Color Modes
No full textA current trend in mobile user interface design is to provide alternative color modes (ACMs), such as light mode, dark mode, and high contrast mode, to improve people’s interaction experiences according to their vision access needs and/or the environment. For example, high contrast mode can improve UI visibility for people with low vision and for people using their smartphones in bright sunlight. However, little is known about the experiences of people using ACMs. To address this, we interviewed 29 people with and without vision impairments to discuss the benefits and challenges of ACMs. We found that while ACMs are beneficial, the current implementation results in accessibility and usability issues, particularly for people with vision impairments (e.g., negative health consequences and affected work performance). Using our findings, we outline steps the HCI community should consider to address current limitations and improve future ACMs
Assessing the Impact of GIS Data Inaccuracies on Urban Infrastructure
No full textUrban infrastructure delivery is a complex process influenced by project type, spatial distribution, stakeholder coordination, and data quality. This thesis examines the application of Microsoft Power BI, a no-code visual analytics tool, as a means to analyze performance patterns in urban projects and inform decision-making in smart city governance. The study uses a structured secondary dataset simulating over 600 infrastructure projects across various departments and neighborhoods. By transforming raw data into an interactive dashboard, the research explores relationships between delay rates, customer satisfaction, budget compliance, and technology adoption. The analysis revealed that project categories such as metal furniture and police administration accounted for the largest share of resources and public engagement. At the same time, emergency and hazardous tasks showed lower satisfaction and higher variability. Spatial visualizations highlighted significant disparities in workforce allocation, with certain neighborhoods receiving disproportionate attention. Furthermore, departments that integrated emerging technologies, such as AI and IoT, demonstrated stronger operational performance, although adoption remained uneven. Power BI proved effective in cleaning, modelling, and visualizing data, offering a practical solution for non-technical stakeholders to monitor key performance indicators. However, limitations were observed in its spatial and statistical capabilities, and the simulated nature of the dataset restricted generalizability. Despite these constraints, the study demonstrates the potential of dashboard-based tools to improve transparency, responsiveness, and efficiency in infrastructure planning. The thesis concludes with recommendations for enhancing data accuracy, promoting digital adoption across departments, and incorporating predictive analytics in future research
These Yellow Stars of Ours
No full textThese Yellow Stars of Ours is an experimental documentary that traces the intertwined histories of Thaun and Nam Nguyen as they flee war-torn Vietnam, fall in love, and build a life in Western New York. Through their accounts and those of their two sons, the film explores the complexities of generational trauma and the ongoing experience of bicultural straddling—the negotiation between inherited Vietnamese identity and the shaping influence of an American upbringing. The project examines how trauma, memory, and cultural displacement circulate across generations, shaping identity in both visible and invisible ways. Methodologically, the film is structured around the conceptual metaphor of preparing a bowl of phở, using the act of cooking as a framework for deconstructing and reconstructing the filmmaker’s relationship with his parent’s history. Each narrative thread functions as an “ingredient,” allowing the filmmaker to compartmentalize and examine distinct components of the family’s story. This metaphor becomes the foundation for a multidisciplinary visual methodology that includes kinestasis, rotoscoping, video collage using found footage, and replacement animation. Drawing from an extensive archive of home movies and family photographs, these techniques serve as experimental tools for interrogating how memory can be manipulated, layered, and re-contextualized. The sonic methodology similarly reinforces the film’s thematic concerns. Beyond interviews, the ebb and flow of the narrative is supported by a textured soundscape built from recordings of the filmmaker’s homemade guzheng and nautical sound effects—an auditory gesture toward the perilous ocean journeys undertaken by Vietnamese refugees. The combination of visual and sonic experimentation reflects the fragmented, nonlinear nature of inherited history: memories that do not originate with the inheritor yet profoundly structure his sense of self. Through these methods, These Yellow Stars of Ours investigates how personal, familial, and cultural histories converge, collide, and ultimately shape the future of a diasporic family
Timeless Poetry
No full textTimeless Poetry reimagines classical Chinese poetry through contemporary digital tools, transforming ancient verse into immersive visual experiences. Using Cinema 4D and Blender for 3D modeling and ink-wash–inspired rendering, the project reconstructs poetic landscapes as cinematic-style environments that invite viewers to encounter traditional imagery through modern visual language. Postcards—chosen for their nostalgic and emotional resonance—serve as both a physical anchor and an interactive trigger: when scanned, each card reveals an AR visuals that reveal the scene in motion. This hybrid design bridges past and present, showing how technology can enhance, rather than replace, cultural heritage by offering new entry points for engagement. Although early development relied solely on manual modeling and animation, later stages incorporated limited AI-assisted ideation for visual references while maintaining human authorship at the core. Ultimately, Timeless Poetry demonstrates that cultural preservation can coexist with digital innovation, offering a thoughtful approach to sustaining poetic imagination across generations