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The Television Set as a Social Sculptural Form
No full textSenior Honors Thesis, Department of Art History, University of Wisconsin-MadisonThe Television Set as a Social Sculptural Object explores the entrance of the television set into art spaces as an object, and traces the fluctuations in its status as a tool, an object, an art object, and eventually a symbol through a series of exemplary objects from the latter half of the twentieth century and into the early twenty-first century. The hypothesis in this exploration is that the television comes to take on a very animated interpretation and identification, which is revealed in its treatment by not only these artists, but in its capacity to respond to external stimuli and communicate reciprocally with the viewer. Additionally, the television set as it exists in the art space experiences a period of an active life, which is succeeded by death in a somewhat hyperbolic sense— at the very least, the process of domestication is complete and the television set is subjugated to a purely symbolic-functional role. The framework within which I will consider each work of art, and then television art as a whole, relies on the identification of the monitor as a body and an object upon which actions are imparted. It supplies definitions of the object, the process of domestication, whether or not these art pieces perform, and the condition of the object
Critical Consciousness Among Young Adults in a Community in Hawaiʻi
No full textFull Text DissertationIn this convergent parallel mixed-methods study, I utilized Diemer et al.’s (2022) previously validated Short Critical Consciousness Survey (ShoCCS) and conducted virtual interviews with a sample of young adults aged 18 to 25 in a rural community on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, to explore how perceptions of community circumstances influenced participants’ aspirations and opportunities. The research framework centered on critical consciousness to assess the internal mechanisms by which young adults perceived and responded to their life chances. Analysis of both survey and interview data demonstrated a strong sense of agency among participants, with evidence of high motivation to overcome obstacles to personal and community well-being. However, traditional modes of civic and political engagement among participants were generally low. It is important for both individual and community development that young adults engage in civic and political life in a full range of forms. Thus, the development of programs and structures that boost involvement is highly recommended. Although the chosen community of Wahiawā and Whitmore Village areas may not be the most central facet of the participants’ identities, this study called attention to the geographic, social, and historical influences on its members
Navigating the borderlands: Understanding the lived experiences of second-generation Vietnamese refugees and immigrants in higher education.
No full textThis dissertation explores the lived experiences of second-generation Vietnamese refugees and immigrants in the United States, focusing on how cultural identity shapes their professional roles in higher education. Using a critical, phenomenological approach, the study centers the narratives of seven participants who navigate intergenerational trauma, cultural disconnection, and systemic barriers. Their stories reflect a continuum from cultural silence to reclamation, shaped by gendered expectations, refugee histories, and racialized assimilation. Participants draw on frameworks like Anzaldúa’s (1987) borderlands theory and Yosso’s (2005) cultural wealth model to articulate dynamic, nonbinary identities. Many use their lived experiences to mentor marginalized students, challenge institutional inequities, and create more inclusive educational spaces. Despite limited representation and ongoing challenges, they exemplify resistance, resilience, and advocacy. In a political climate hostile to diversity efforts, this study calls for disaggregated data, culturally responsive training, and sustained institutional support for Southeast Asian communities. Findings contribute to research on identity, equity, and professional practice in higher education
Risks of an Operational Bottleneck in Mining due to the Catastrophic Failure of a Jaw Crusher
No full textPlan BThis paper examines the financial impacts and risks associated with the catastrophic
failure of a jaw crusher’s swing jaw at Company XYZ’s surface mining operation, on January
20, 2024. The primary crushing circuit experienced a critical failure when the swing jaw of the
sole jaw crusher fractured and halted production. This study analyzes equipment and employee-
related safety risks, financial expenditures, reputational risks, and productivity loss which
stemmed from the incident based on interviews with maintenance employees and a review of
near hits, reported workplace hazards, injury reports and financial data analysis. The analysis
revealed the significant financial impacts of the jaw crusher failure which totaled over $700,000.
Worker safety risks included two instances in which employees and equipment were placed at
unnecessary heightened levels of risk, and the organization’s risk mitigation techniques were
identified. Interviews with maintenance personnel were conducted which revealed employee
perceptions of specific areas where improvement could be made regarding jaw crusher removal
and replacement activities that were specific to lifting and rigging. Documentation and
communication of safety measures including hazard mitigation were found to be adequate during
the first shift and proved essential in controlling equipment and employee-related risk. The
investigator recommends that Company XYZ maintain a strategic inventory of critical spare
parts to decrease unplanned downtime-related loss, standardize second and third shift meetings
to ensure knowledge transfer and minimize potential loss, and provide advanced lifting and
rigging training to maintenance personnel. The study concludes by outlining further
opportunities for research regarding Company XYZ’s operating facility
SIMULATING THE SEARCHING BEHAVIOR OF MARINE ZOOPLANKTON AND COUNTING PARKING SEQUENCES
No full textMarine zooplankton respond to a variety of chemical signals in order to better navigate their environment. Using observations of Gnathia marleyi and Orbicella faveolata as a comparison, we create a series of models to simulate their behavior. We start with I. Ra˜no’s model based on Valentino Braitenberg’s theory of Braitenberg vehicles. We then adapt this model to incorporate reading the gradient of the environment and add an energy reservoir to replicate the resting behavior observed in Gnathia marleyi. We also adapt the model into a stochastic differential equation to replicate the behavior observed in the coral larvae. In addition, we examine a new method for counting parking sequences, as defined by Ehrenborg and Happ, by counting the number of possible preference vectors that result in a given order of parked car
Classifying Enzyme Substrates using Machine Learning
No full textColor poster with text, charts, and graphs.Knowing what types of enzymes a molecule will interact with can aid drug development by minimizing side effects due to unwanted interactions. In this project, we built and interpreted models for classifying enzyme substrates. We utilized the machine learning technique XGBoost in Python to build a predictive model for each enzyme class using the original molecular data as well as top linear combinations of the data obtained using Principal Components Analysis. We will discuss the process of developing code to automatically tune the parameters of XGBoost to optimize the model. We will also present examples of how to interpret these models by writing code to visualize the impact of variables in each model and identifying common factors in the top contributing variables of significant principal components to characterize each enzyme class. For example, we found that the probability of a molecule interacting with oxidoreductase enzymes is positively associated with the number of nonpolar regions. A particular descriptor is NOCount, the number of (polar) NO groups in the molecule, which was negatively associated with the probability of interacting with oxidoreductases.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program
Gender and Patriarchy in Medieval Reenactment : Building Intentional Community Through the Historical Imagination
No full textColor poster with text and photographs.This project aims to highlight how people navigate gender through medieval reenactment within intentional communities. Medieval reenactment is one of many forms of historical reenactment that focuses on European history during the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century CE), a period of unquestioned patriarchal, heteronormative dominance of men over women. To what extent do Medieval reenactors recreate the patriarchy in their subculture in modern times? Data for this project come from four in-depth interviews, participant observation at three events, and seven short journalistic interviews with participants at those events. We find that status and belonging in the reenactment community is determined by how faithfully participants recreate original conditions of life regarding clothing, jobs, food, etc. However, attitudes and practices regarding gender are more mixed; in some respects, women are relegated to subordinate roles in the community in ways consistent with patriarchy, but in other respects, reenactors reject aspects of the patriarchy. In conclusion, our data show that patriarchal values and norms are still recreated within these intentional communities, although it remains to be seen whether they are merely performative or deeply held by individual participants.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program
CULTURAL DISTRICTS AS A COMMUNITY ECONOMY SAN FRANCISCO’S COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH
No full textCultural Districts, despite their historical and initial programing as tools for urban revitalization that often led to processes of gentrification, can also function as a “community economy”; an ethical project of collective action when adopting a grassroots approach. The San Francisco Cultural districts program illustrates this claim with a community-based model, although there is room for further improvement.
This thesis will examine cultural districts research and evaluate how it has come to resemble the non-exploitative mode of production of the “community economy”. Using the case study of the San Francisco Cultural Districts Program, I argue that in research and in practice cultural districts can challenge the capitalist hegemonic framework as an alternative mode of cultural economic production
Program for Analysis of Filament Homogeneity in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8-x (Bi-2212) and Nb3Sn superconducting wires
No full textColor poster with text, images, charts, and graphs.Superconductors are materials that can carry electricity without resistance at cryogenic temperatures, which is useful for large magnet applications such as particle accelerators. Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8-x (Bi-2212) is a superconductor capable of producing very large magnetic fields (>20 Tesla), but processing the Bi-2212 into usable, filamentary round wire forms is challenging. The fluctuations in the size and shape of Bi-2212 filaments in a composite wire can affect processing capability and wire performance. The focus of this project was to create a programmed application that would simplify the image analysis process. The program takes as input a series of black-and-white thresholds of transverse wire cross-sections. The program then returns as output a spreadsheet with filament measurements and basic statistical data on the filaments over the series of images. The key measurements of a filament are its area and circularity. The key statistical data of a filament is its coefficient of variation, which provides information about its homogeneity along the wire. Previously, this analysis took up to 5 hours of manual analysis and data manipulation. Using the new program has reduced this time to up to 5 minutes of automatic analysis, improving productivity by 60 times.U.S. DOE Office of High Energy Physics, award DE-SC0020984; University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program
Re-paired Bonds: ZENK Expression in Auditory Recognition and Reward Systems of Zebra Finch Partners
No full textPair bonding, central to the survival and reproductive success of many social species, is supported by both the vocal recognition of partner signals and the reward systems that reinforce these attachments. In zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), a socially monogamous songbird, pair bonds form rapidly and can be sustained through auditory contact alone, even persisting after temporary re-pairing (Silcox & Evans, 1982). While these behavioral dynamics are well established, the neural mechanisms that support an individual's auditory recognition and valuation of partners remain less understood. To investigate this process, we exposed zebra finches to recordings of calls from current partners, previous partners, or strangers while housed in a dark setting without other stimuli. Brains were fixed afterward, and neural activity was assessed by staining for the immediate early gene, ZENK. ZENK-labeled cells were quantified in auditory processing and social memory regions (Field L subsections, caudomedial mesopallium, caudomedial nidopallium) and dopaminergic regions involved with reward and valuation (nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area). Analyses of these regions will focus on how neural activation patterns vary across sex and social treatment, offering insight into how auditory recognition of partner calls and dopaminergic reward responses shape the persistence of monogamous pair bonds in zebra finches.University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, & Creative Activity (URSCA