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Silencing the classroom: Ocean Hill-Brownsville and the production of the history of education
No full textEducation policymakers and stakeholders regularly draw upon the past to justify their visions for the future of public schools, yet scholars have only begun to examine the formation and function of these historical narratives. Using New York City’s short-lived Ocean Hill-Brownsville (OHB) school district (1967-1970) – one of many late-1960s experiments in “community control” of schools – as a case study, this dissertation brings the tools of public history and memory studies to bear on the history and sociology of urban education to ask how various education stakeholders construct narratives about the history of urban education and deploy these narratives in education policy debates. Based on a mixed methods approach applying critical discourse analysis to archival and ethnographic research, I demonstrate that the OHB district implemented a range of “dignity-affirming” practices that continue to inspire activists today. Such practices ought to be understood as in a lineage with ongoing demands for: 1) community schools, 2) culturally responsive education, 3) bilingual education, and 4) Afrocentric independent education. Instead, they remain distorted or silenced in dominant historical narratives that portray the district as an educational failure pervaded by anti-White and anti-Jewish racism. By employing Michel-Rolph Trouillot’s (1995) seminal theory of “silencing” the past alongside the insights of philosophers of racial, feminist, and postcolonial epistemology, I argue that these dominant narratives are manifestations of the “ignorance” and “amnesia” that are required to sustain White supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism, and imperialism. However, I also point to multiple insurgent narratives that highlight the educational visions and legacies of community control, thereby resisting dominant epistemologies and hierarchies of power. Such narratives remain central to ongoing fights for educational justice and self-determination in Brownsville and beyond.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical reference
Learning in captivity: dissecting principles of normalization, openness, and responsibility for adult learners
No full textPrison education is a timely topic considering today’s global focus on digital rehabilitation and the recent return of public funding for higher education for persons incarcerated in the United States (Federal Bureau of Prisons, 2023; UNICRI, 2024). Yet, important questions remain about how persons deprived of liberty (PDL) navigate learning in carceral settings, and the value of learning for their lives inside and in preparation for release. This qualitative exploratory and descriptive case study took place inside three correctional facilities in Austria from June 2022 to May 2023. A total of 46 semi-structured interviews were conducted, encompassing 16 prison personnel (teachers, social workers, pedagogues, and correctional officers) and 30 PDLs. The following three research questions were addressed from data sources including interviews, informal observations, and document reviews: 1) What value do prison staff and learners ascribe to learning? 2) How does the prison environment impact learning? 3) How, if so, was learning impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? With the help of strategies of grounded theory analysis, research findings were situated within the tenets of andragogy (Knowles, 1990) and principles of normalization, openness, and responsibility (Rentzmann, 1996). The study captured a blurry distinction between education and vocational training, with “fully-fledged” apprenticeships approximating the principle of normalization and being highly regarded by PDLs and staff. For non-native speakers, learning German was a gateway to education and navigating life inside prison. Principles of responsibility and openness were found within technology- assisted learning programs, including university degrees, language classes, and external apprenticeship programs. The study discovered that various accommodations were made for students during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, including the extension of apprenticeship contracts, the use of internal teachers, and increased security measures to lessen the spread of the virus. Within the context of a total institution (Goffman, 1961), the study captured the intersections of institutional, cultural, and personal barriers to learning. Findings suggest the continuation of education specialists increased flexible learning support for self-directed learners, including university students and non-native learners.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical reference
Random walks, the H-space of a random graph, and four miniatures
No full textABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION
Random walks, the H-space of a random graph, and four miniatures
By QUENTIN DUBROFF
Dissertation Directors:
Jeff Kahn and Bhargav Narayanan
This thesis is composed of two chapters proving results in discrete probability and
probabilistic combinatorics and a final chapter giving short proofs of four unrelated
results. The introduction gives a brief overview of the two longer results.
Chapter 2 proves the following natural statement that was conjectured by Itai
Benjamini in 2009. Here G is a (simple) graph and τG is the cover time (the time it
takes for a simple random walk on G to visit every vertex).
Theorem 1. For every C, there is an ε > 0 such that for every n-vertex graph G,
P(τG < Cn) < exp[−εn].
A first ingredient in our proof is a similar statement for a general Markov chain with
sufficiently small transition probabilities.
In Chapter 3, we study a version of higher order connectivity in the random graph.
The edge space E(G) of a graph G is the vector space FE(G)
2 with elements naturally
identified with subgraphs of G. For a fixed graph H, the H-space CH (G) is the
subspace of E(G) spanned by copies of H in G. Straightforwardly,
CH (G) ⊆ CH (K) ∩ E(G),
iiwhere K is the complete graph on the vertex set of G. We are interested in under-
standing when (i.e. for which p) equality holds if G = Gn,p. We prove that a simple
necessary condition is w.h.p. sufficient for equality whenever H is strictly 2-balanced.
Such a characterization was only known previously for odd cycles, where in particular
the result for triangles established the first open case of a conjecture of M. Kahle on
the homology of the clique complex of Gn,p.
The final chapter proves four mutually unrelated results. First, we give a proof
that maxi |ai| ≥ n
⌊n/2⌋
if a1, . . . , an are integers with distinct subset sums, which is
the best known lower bound. Second, we prove an identity relating a certain quadratic
form associated to a convex polytope to that of its dual polytope. This identity may
be viewed as a generalization of Minkowski’s identity relating the normal vectors and
facet areas of a polytope. Third, we give a new proof of the van den Berg-Kesten (BK)
inequality on disjoint occurrence which is one line given the Sauer-Shelah lemma and
Harris’s inequality. Finally, we finish with a counterexample to a directed version of
the KKL inequality conjectured by Subhash Khot.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical referencesIncludes vit
Impact of early identification of chronic kidney disease in nephrology referrals for high-risk African American males
No full textPurpose of the Project: The goal of this quality improvement project was to assess the effectiveness of early identification of individuals at high risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD) among African American males and increasing the rates of referrals to a nephrologist. Methodology: The primary aim was to ensure that African American males with abnormal kidney indicators are appropriately identified in the emergency department (ED) and referred to a nephrologist or their primary care physician at an urban community hospital in Northern New Jersey. Inclusion criteria consisted of African American males over the age of 18 years old who presented to the ED with abnormal kidney indicators. ED providers were reminded about indicators of CKD in high-risk African American males and the need for referral to follow up with nephrology and primary care provider. Nephrology and/or primary care provider referrals of high-risk African American males were counted after implementation of the intervention. Results: The data analysis includes chart reviews from 100 patients (n=100), equally split between pre and postintervention. Preintervention, 24% referred to a nephrologist and postsample of 32% patients referred. The results (X2 (1) = 2.597, p = .107) suggest no significant association. A percent change of 33.33% showed a clinical impact. Implications for Practice: The literature and findings of this project emphasize the critical importance of early identification of patients with abnormal kidney indicators and the subsequent appropriate referral to a nephrologist. All African American males were screened regardless of their chief complaint and admission diagnosis. This approach is integral for ensuring effective management and care.D.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference
Implementation of an evidence-based algorithm to increase cephalosporin administration in the surgical patient
No full textD.N.P.Includes bibliographical referencesIncludes vit
Reducing door to provider time in the emergency department through quick registration
No full textPurpose of the Project: Emergency Department (ED) throughput is a challenge in today’s healthcare environment. One outcome measure of throughput is the patient door to provider time. Bedside quick registration was implemented in the ED for patients arriving by ambulance to decrease door to provider time. A reduction in the time the patient waits to see the provider will have an overall effect on their length of stay (LOS) which will positively impact ED crowding. Methods: The ED nursing staff were provided education on the process of quick registration and how to facilitate that quick registration at the bedside. This was done through the existing electronic medical record (EPIC). Door to provider time was measured for the preimplementation and postimplementation periods of 4 to 6 weeks. Patients with complaints that lead to lengthy ED stays were excluded to decrease outliers.
Results: A mean decrease in door to provider time was observed between the preimplementation and post implementation groups. The mean time preimplementation was 33.1minutes and postimplementation was 24.5 minutes. The data did not meet assumptions of normality, thus a Mann Whitney U test was used to compare the data resulting in U = 14171.00, z = -1.314, and a p = .189, not a statistically significant finding.
Implications for Practice: Demonstrating a decrease in mean door to provider time, has a positive impact on ED throughput. Maintaining bedside quick registration will sustain decreased door to provider time. This in turn decreases ED overcrowding, promoting patient safety and satisfaction, increasing hospital revenue, and improved LWBS rates. Thus, continued efforts to assure that quick legislation is firmly in place are essential.D.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference
Simulation-based training with cognitive aids to increase provider preparedness for intraoperative malignant hyperthermia crisis
No full textPurpose of Project: Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) presents as a hypermetabolic crisis when susceptible individuals are exposed to volatile agents and/or succinylcholine. MH is a low frequency, high risk crisis that occurs in 1:100,000 people. Patient outcomes are directly linked to prompt recognition, response, and treatment by healthcare professionals. Anesthesia professionals are often first-line in the initial recognition of MH and are commonly designated as leaders in perioperative crises. Few providers have experienced an MH crisis, and therefore lack confidence in proper recognition and management. Methodology: Quality improvement project at a 289-bed community teaching hospital. An education session was followed by implementation which included two simulation days. The target sample size was the 81 members of the anesthesia department. Actual sample size was 31 participants the first day and 34 on the second day, each divided into two separate groups with 15-17 people per session.
Results: Microsoft Excel and SPSS software were utilized for data analysis. A p-value of <0.05 was used to establish statistical significance. A McNemar test for key action items met versus not met between simulation day one and day two (p= 0.375). A type II error may exist due to limited sample size. Data collected for time to meet each key action item between simulation day one and two was analyzed using a paired samples t-test (p=0.056) , however correlation was significant (p<0.001), indicating that repeat simulation is correlated with improved times. Qualitative data collected indicated staff satisfaction with simulation training and use of cognitive aids to guide crisis management.
Implications for practice: Simulation-based training should be utilized for annual competencies in any facility that performs anesthesia with triggering agents. Training will continue to be a part of annual training sessions at the site of implementation moving forward.D.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference
The glider guidance system (ggs): a model-guided path-planning program for advancing glider operations through depth-averaged ocean currents
No full textThe Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is assessing the use of autonomous underwatervehicles (AUVs) to provide a sustained sampling presence underwater. One class of AUVs are
buoyancy-driven gliders which can conduct long-duration missions at sea under the control of shoreside
operators (Schofield et al. 2007). Gliders utilize pilot-programmed missions to sample target areas of the
ocean as they fly in a sawtooth pattern beneath the waves, typically down to depths of 1000 meters. At
sea, gliders are subject to advection by ocean current forces which can impact their flight path. Given that
buoyancy-driven flight mechanisms yield slow horizontal speeds over ground (approximately 20 cm s-1), strong currents can be particularly problematic. Therefore, knowing ocean currents conditions around an
operating environment is vital for the success of glider operations. Surface currents alone do not represent
the net hydrodynamic forces exerted on a glider, as it will experience the water column average current.
Due to a limited number of existing glider flight tools, developing modern operational methods to provide
operational forecasts of modeled depth-averaged ocean currents would be of great value. To improve glider operation confidence, we have developed the “Glider Guidance System”(GGS) - a Python-based program that computes 2-dimensional depth-averaged current (DAC) datasets
from existing 3-dimensional ocean models (RTOFS, CMEMS, and GOFS). To correctly calculate DAC
data from ocean model outputs, which provide unevenly spaced data points over depth, GGS utilizes a
1-meter resolution bilinear interpolation method to calculate data points for each meter of depth (figure
1). Furthermore, GGS employs a user-configuration file which defines information about the glider
mission (such as maximum working depth and mission extent) to automatically compute DAC for the
mission and subsequently provide real-time data visualization products. GGS has been used to support active glider operations contributing to the National AcademiesUnderstanding Gulf Ocean Systems (UGOS) Initiative. Over the course of the UGOS project, mapping
products such as magnitude contour plots and threshold zone contour plots (depicting regions of
prominent DAC fields which approach and surpass the average horizontal speed of a glider) were
produced daily to assist in the identification of zones which were both safe and optimal to fly gliders in
real-time (Figure 2). Beyond UGOS, GGS is being used to identify the optimal path for the Sentinel
Mission - the first circumnavigation mission by an AUV, championed by the glider “Redwing”. Using
DAC to identify advantageous current fields for Redwing to fly through allows pilots to confidently
define target waypoints for the mission which maximize battery efficiency and minimize risk. Elevating
this capability, GGS also contains a pathfinding algorithm which calculates the most time-efficient path between waypoints in DAC grid. This optimal path is further used to calculate the distance, effective glider speed over ground,
and estimated duration for the mission. Insights related to DAC and derived estimations for AUV speed and transit time are critical forincreasing operational confidence. Providing this information from multiple ocean models additionally
increases the capacity for pilots to identify clear regions of uncertainty (disagreement between ocean
models) which serves as a proxy for areas that may be unreliable; even under circumstances where
conditions seem mild. As gliders continue to grow as a core oceanographic observation platform, the
development of tools such as GGS will play a vital role in ensuring that users have the capacity to
perform remotely piloted research missions with the support of representative real-time data.M.S.Includes bibliographical reference
Flooding past, present, future: how urban development and climate change impact the waackaack creek watershed
No full textIncreased rainfall is expected due to climate change in many areas around the world including New Jersey. The Waackaack Creek watershed is one such urban watershed that may experience this which will exacerbate existing flooding problems caused by urban development. This thesis creates a calibrated hydrologic and hydraulic model with collected data to assess how increased climate change rainfall will affect existing floodplains compared to the effects of urban development. To allow comparison, a predevelopment model, an existing model, and a climate change rainfall model were created. These three model results are compared through floodway maps and statistics to assess their relative impacts and better understand to what degree climate change may worsen flooding. Going from predevelopment to existing development, floodplain areas increased by 20% for the 2-YR storm, 10% for the 10-YR storm, and 5% for the 100-YR storm. Flooding depths increased by a median of 0.50 ft for the 2-YR Storm, 0.37 ft for the 10-YR storm, and 0.30 ft for the 100-YR storm. Going from existing development to future climate change conditions, floodplain areas increased by 11% for the 2-YR storm, 8% for the 10-YR storm, and 7% for the 100-YR storm. Floodplain depths increased by a median of 0.37 ft for the 2-YR Storm, 0.49 ft for the 10-YR storm, and 0.71 for the 100-YR storm. The results overall showed moderate increases in floodplain areas with similar magnitude of affects from climate change compared to the impact of development. Further discussion is made about the potential impact sea level rise may have and potential solutions that can be made to resolve flooding problems.M.S.Includes bibliographical reference
Controlled partitioning of engineered proteins and particles to biomolecular condensates
No full textBiomolecular condensates arising from liquid-liquid phase separation contribute to diverse cellular processes, such as gene expression. Partitioning of client molecules into condensates is critical to regulating the composition and function of condensates. First, we leveraged a bio-inspired approach to design amphiphilic, surfactant-like proteins to control their localization to the condensate interface. We designed and examined families of amphiphilic proteins comprising one phase-separating domain and one non-phase separating domain. In particular, these proteins contain the soluble structured domain glutathione S-transferase (GST) or maltose binding protein (MBP), fused to the intrinsically disordered RGG domain from P granule protein LAF-1. When one amphiphilic protein is mixed in vitro with RGG-RGG, the proteins assemble into enveloped condensates, with RGG-RGG at the core and the amphiphilic protein forming the surface film layer. Importantly, we found that MBP-based amphiphiles are surfactants and influence droplet size, with increasing surfactant concentration resulting in smaller droplet radii. In contrast, GST-based amphiphiles at increased concentrations co-assemble with RGG-RGG into multiphasic structures. We propose a mechanism for these experimental observations, supported by molecular simulations of a minimalist model. We speculate that surfactant proteins may play a significant role in regulating the structure and function of biomolecular condensates.Next, we sought to discover the biophysical principles that govern particle inclusion in or exclusion from condensates using polymer nanoparticles with tailored surface chemistries as models of macromolecular complexes. Particles coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) did not partition into condensates. We next leveraged the PEGylated particles as an inert platform to which we conjugated specific adhesive moieties. Particles functionalized with biotin partitioned into condensates containing streptavidin, driven by high-affinity biotin-streptavidin binding. Oligonucleotide-decorated particles exhibited varying degrees of partitioning into condensates, depending on condensate composition. Partitioning of oligonucleotide-coated particles was tuned by altering salt concentration, oligonucleotide length, and oligonucleotide surface density. Remarkably, beads with distinct surface chemistries partitioned orthogonally into immiscible condensates. Based on our experiments, we conclude that arbitrarily large particles can controllably partition into biomolecular condensates given sufficiently strong condensate-particle interactions, a conclusion also supported by our coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations and theory. These findings may provide insights into how various cellular processes are achieved based on partitioning of large clients into biomolecular condensates, as well as offer design principles for the development of drug delivery systems that selectively target disease-related biomolecular condensates.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical reference