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Covid-19\u27s Impact on Grocery Expenditure Amid the Rise of Social Media\u27s Unattainable Wellness Culture Within Beverage Products
Get PDFThis paper explores post-pandemic consumption through two different lens: economics and media studies. First, I will focus on COVID-19’s impact on the expenditure of grocery goods. Then I will explore how today’s wellness culture is made unattainable through social media by examining an organic grocery store and two beverage products. By examining these two areas of consumption, it provides critical information on an individual’s consumption during the unique shocks of the pandemic and the cultural context behind those actions
The Game of Going Public: Market Timing, Information Asymmetry, and the Signaling Effects of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in the Technology Industry
Get PDFMy thesis explores the game of going public in the technology industry, specifically the strategic decision-making process of issuing an initial public offering (IPO), the advantages a company may gain from its market timing, and the signaling effects of its IPO. Existing research on this subject is vast but fragmented into areas that focus on the decision to go public, game theoretical analysis of the advantages, analysis of the advantages using quantitative data, and signaling effects. To address this gap, I developed and analyzed three game theoretic models which account for all these factors that affect the success of an IPO. So, my research question is: under what conditions do Nash equilibria exist where a technology company would have a first- or second-mover advantage, and how are these advantages affected by information asymmetry and signaling effects? The results demonstrate that Nash equilibria exist where a company may gain a first- or second-mover advantage, but Nash equilibria also exist when a company prefers to stay private. These findings are particularly relevant in the technology industry as they provide insights into an IPO\u27s strategic process and success, which is significantly shaped by the costs of going public
“Nice to See You”: Addressing Plant Awareness Disparity with Locally Specific Ecological and Cultural Plant Education
Get PDFPlants form the basis of life on Earth. However, due to the phenomenon of plant awareness disparity, a self-perpetuating cycle whereby plants are overlooked on an individual and global level ensues. Lack of plant awareness leads to a lessened emphasis on plants in sustainability and conservation as well as biology education, resulting in negative impacts on biodiversity and food security. The severity of plant awareness disparity is dependent on cultural context, and Indigenous and/or traditional societies are less likely to experience plant awareness disparity because of they are typically more connected to plants for their everyday needs. Native plants are ecologically and culturally irreplaceable. Despite this, they are devalued in comparison to non-native plants. Through this project, I sought to address these issues by creating an accessible and permanent educational installation at Nesook’s Garden at the Pomona College Farm. I created a guidebook that highlights the ecological and cultural significance of seven native plants featured in the garden. The cultural focus of the guidebook was the plants’ importance to Gabrielino-Tongva culture. By installing signage for the Nesook’s Garden and hosting an event at the garden that engaged community members with the plants through creativity, this project sought to address plant awareness disparity and highlight the ecological and cultural significance of native plants on a local scale
MAPPING THE TREN MAYA’S MARK ON MÉRIDA
No full textMapping the Tren Maya’s Mark on Mérida investigates whether the Tren Maya railway is ushering in new sustainable development which provides economic and social benefits for the residents of Mérida, Mexico. The Mexican government has spearheaded the megaproject’s construction in a mere four years with the goal of boosting economic growth in an environmentally and socially conscious manner. The following investigation highlights where this vision, articulated in technocratically-constructed public documents and amplified in reporting, has been fulfilled in Mérida. Through geospatial, physical, and journalistic investigations and analysis, it is revealed the Tren Maya has brought a host of impacts upon the Yucatecan capital through channeling public investments into the Centro Histórico and periphery lands surrounding the metropolitan area. Although these investments present numerous economic, social, and environmental benefits in line with the stated Tren Maya goals, there are also a series of emerging negative consequences. These findings are also conveyed beyond this document using narrative storytelling via a publicly accessible ArcGIS Story Map with maps, imagery, and figures compiled into an accessible information hub
Synthesis and Biological Testing of Novel Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors to Combat the C797S Mutation in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
No full textNon-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) account for ~85% of all lung cancer cases, with advanced forms of NSCLCs having a less than 5% 5-year survival rate. One of the common oncogenic drivers of NSCLCs is an activating mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Although targeted therapeutics have been developed to treat EGFR NSCLC, resistance to earlier generation inhibitors is common. Osimertinib is the current standard of care for EGFR NSCLC patients. Aumolertinib, a derivative of osimertinib, is currently in clinical trials in the United States. Both drugs inhibit EGFR via a covalent bond formed with the Cys797 residue in EGFR’s ATP binding pocket; however, resistance occurs after ~10 months, with 20% of resistant cases containing a C797S mutation. Due to serine’s lower nucleophilicity relative to cysteine, the inhibitory covalent bond cannot form. Some small molecule drugs used to treat diseases target serine residues, and research has identified serine-targeting electrophiles that can be appended to third generation EGFR inhibitor scaffolds. We modified the warhead of osimertinib and aumolertinib, and successfully synthesized and characterized three novel small molecules: an osimertinib ⍺-ketoamide, an aumolertinib ⍺-ketoamide, and an β-bromo-osimertinib. These novel molecules were tested for efficacy against wild-type and EGFR NSCLC human cell lines, and we observed low rates of EGFR inhibition. While the molecules still require testing against the C797S mutation, the lack of binding to the other cell lines supports our hypothesis that a serine in the binding pocket will be required for our serine-targeting molecules to bind to EGFR. This is the first time this approach has been used to combat the C797S mutation in NSCLC. If the molecules are selective for serine, this would be the third instance of a small molecule targeting non-catalytic serine, providing insights into expanding the scope of small molecule targets
The New Order: Navigating Conservatism\u27s Populist Shift and Its Democratic Consequences
No full textThis thesis examines the intersection of conservatism and populism in the United States, analyzing its implications for democratic stability. Through ideological and strategic lenses, it explores how populism’s anti-elite rhetoric and cultural grievances have reshaped conservatism, emphasizing racial identity and cultural traditionalism over limited government and free markets. The study highlights historical and modern examples, including Donald Trump’s presidency, illustrating how this convergence fuels democratic backsliding via voter suppression, executive aggrandizement, and affective polarization. By addressing structural and cultural conditions, the research argues for institutional forbearance, policy innovation, and rebuilding trust to counter the erosion of democratic norms
Exploring Gratitude Journaling in 12-Step Recovery: Effects on Attitudes, Affect, and Cravings: A Pilot Study
Get PDFThis study explored the emotional and attitudinal effects of gratitude journaling exercises among 12-step program attendees for substance use disorders (SUDs) and behavioral addictions. A total of 152 participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, which completed Seligman’s “Three Good Things” exercise and a structured gratitude journal, or a control group, which engaged in a neutral journaling task. Emotional states were assessed using the positive and negative affect schedule-short form (PANAS-SF), while cravings were monitored with the Penn alcohol craving scale (PACS) to ensure the interventions did not exacerbate participants’ alcohol cravings. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant reductions in negative affect over time across all groups. The experimental group exhibited a marginally significant increase in positive affect compared to the control group. The most substantial effect was observed in PACS scores, where the experimental group demonstrated a significant reduction in cravings. Participants’ attitudes toward the exercises varied. While some found both the gratitude journal and “Three Good Things” exercises beneficial ( n = 8), others reported neither exercise as beneficial ( n = 10). These findings suggest that gratitude-focused journaling exercises, particularly the “Three Good Things” exercise, can enhance emotional resilience and reduce cravings, making them promising tools for individuals in recovery. The inclusion of the PACS ensured ethical monitoring of cravings, affirming the safety of these interventions. Future research should examine long-term adherence and the broader applicability of these interventions in diverse recovery settings
God’s Chosen Candidate Pulpit Freedom Sunday and the Reshaping of Evangelical Political Mobilization, Pulpit Politicking, and Church-State Relations
No full textThe Pulpit Freedom Sunday (PFS) Initiative represents one of the most pointed challenges to IRS restrictions on church political activity in modern American history. At its core, PFS was not merely an act of pastoral resistance but a carefully orchestrated legal strategy, spearheaded by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), designed to provoke a constitutional confrontation over the Johnson Amendment, the federal statute prohibiting 501(c)(3) organizations from engaging in campaign intervention. Yet the significance of PFS extends well beyond tax law. It reflects deeper anxieties about the perceived disappearance of moral knowledge from public life, the evolving role of clergy as political actors, and the uneasy place of religious authority within a secularizing political order. This dissertation examines these questions through a mixed-methods analysis of sermons delivered from 1990 to 2024, focusing on Calvary Chapel Chino Hills (CCCH), a PFS participant, and Grace Community Church (GCC), which did not participate. Employing computer-aided text analysis (CATA) using MAXQDA24 and DICTION 7.2, supplemented by manual coding, interrupted time series (ITS) analysis, and qualitative interviews with ADF attorneys and PFS pastors, this study assesses whether participation in PFS corresponded with measurable shifts in political messaging from the pulpit. In doing so, it explores the broader motivations behind PFS—motivations that blended theological conviction, legal strategy, and partisan allegiance. Contrary to the prevailing assumption that pulpit politicking is simply an expression of partisan allegiance, the evidence suggests a more complicated reality. While partisan motivations were undeniably present, many pastors also understood their political engagement as a theological necessity, rooted in the belief that defending biblical truth required active intervention in public life. Participation in PFS was not seen as a departure from pastoral duty but as an extension of it—an act of “gap-filling” in a society where moral knowledge had eroded. For these pastors, politics was not merely a civic sphere to influence, but a battleground for preserving transcendent moral order against the forces of secular relativism. Yet PFS also illuminated the complex regulatory environment churches face under the Johnson Amendment. Analysis of IRS enforcement practices, guidance documents, and case law reveals significant “gray areas” in the application of the law, particularly concerning the distinction between issue advocacy and campaign intervention. This ambiguity has exposed the reality that violations of 501(c)(3) restrictions are not unique to evangelical churches. Mainline Protestant churches, often overlooked in discussions of political engagement, also cross regulatory lines—though typically in more subtle ways. Recognizing this broader pattern challenges narratives that frame evangelicals as the primary or sole offenders and invites a more nuanced understanding of how religious institutions across the theological spectrum navigate the tensions between faith, law, and politics. Historically, American clergy have long influenced political life, from the colonial period through the Civil Rights Movement. Yet PFS is distinctive in that it emerged within a theologically conservative evangelicalism that, for much of the twentieth century, was hesitant to mix the sacred with the political. The rise of the Religious Right, growing cultural polarization, and mounting perceptions of government hostility toward religious expression created conditions for a more assertive and confrontational form of evangelical political activism. PFS provided not just a theological rationale but a practical legal framework for pastors willing to cross longstanding boundaries separating church and state. Despite widespread participation, the IRS largely refrained from enforcement, leaving the Johnson Amendment intact but effectively unenforced. This outcome raises critical questions about the limits of legal activism, the strategic choices of government agencies, and the complex entanglement of religion and politics in contemporary America. To assess the practical effects of PFS, this dissertation undertakes a longitudinal analysis of sermon content at CCCH and GCC over thirty-four years. Dictionary-based content analysis and ITS models reveal that while CCCH engaged sporadically in political discourse prior to 2008, PFS marked an inflection point. Post-PFS sermons increasingly emphasized the “biblical vote,” framing specific policy positions—opposition to abortion, support for Israel, and rejection of LGBTQIA+ rights—as non-negotiable duties for Christian voters. Statistical analysis confirms a significant rise in campaign intervention mentions and election-related discourse, particularly during election years. Theoretically, the dissertation draws on James W. Ceaser’s foundational concepts— religion, nature, and history—to situate evangelical political rhetoric. PFS participants justified their actions through appeals to biblical revelation and divine providence, while remaining skeptical of Enlightenment-based appeals to nature or reason as sufficient foundations for moral and political order. Their engagement reflects an underlying tension between American liberalism’s procedural commitments and a deeper desire for substantive moral realism rooted in transcendent truth. Ultimately, this dissertation challenges the notion that pulpit politicking among evangelicals can be understood solely as a function of theological conviction or partisan interest. It demonstrates that movements like PFS arise when the boundary between religious duty and political strategy collapses—and when clergy, perceiving a moral vacuum in public life, claim a prophetic voice within the political arena. Yet it also raises a fundamental question for the American experiment: how closely can religion and politics approach one another before the two become indistinguishable, blurring the line between prophetic witness and political power
Essays on Identity-Based Bias and Discrimination
No full textThis dissertation empirically examines identity-based disparities and discrimination in the context of criminal justice and science. It focuses on gender and racial bias within the U.S. criminal justice system and ethnicity-based disparities in international scientific collaboration due to the rising U.S.-China tensions. Across these contexts, the dissertation documents the evidence for discrimination and its consequences. Chapter 1 examines whether gender match between prosecutors and defendants influences prosecutorial charging decisions and case outcomes. Prior research has largely focused on same-gender bias among judges, juries, and federal prosecutors. This study extends the analysis to county prosecutors who have broader discretion. Using administrative data with random case assignment, I find strong relative opposite-gender favoritism in property crimes. In property crimes, relative to the mean, female prosecutors are 32.2% less likely to drop a case and 13.5% less likely to drop a charge when handling same-gender defendants compared to male prosecutors. These biases carry through to case outcomes, increasing overall convictions by 6% relative to the mean. I also find weak evidence of same-gender favoritism in person crime charging decisions, but the bias does not carry through to sentencing outcomes. These results are similar in magnitude to previous studies on federal-level convictions. Altogether, the findings highlight same-gender bias in prosecutorial decisions at the state level, with effects differing by crime type. Chapter 2 investigates how the racial match of prosecutors, defendants, and victims affects charging decisions and case outcomes. Adding to the existing research that documents same-race favoritism between prosecutors and defendants, this study contributes by examining the mitigating effect of victim race. Leveraging the random assignment of prosecutors in a large district attorney’s office, I find evidence of both same-defendant-race favoritism and added same-victim-race favoritism, with the latter being more influential. Compared to non-White prosecutors, White prosecutors are 7%-20% more likely to dismiss charges, relative to the mean, when the defendant is of the same race but the victim is not. However, when both the defendant and victim share the prosecutor’s race, White prosecutors are 15%-23% less likely to dismiss charges. These biases significantly impact case outcomes in person crimes, with a 17% decrease in convictions for same-race defendants but a 29% increase for same-race victims. The results not only provide evidence of same-race favoritism among prosecutors but also highlight that prosecutors tend to favor victims of their own racial group more strongly than defendants. Chapter 3 examines the impact of rising U.S.-China tensions on three main dimensions of science: STEM trainee mobility between the two countries, scientific collaboration between U.S. and Chinese researchers, and researcher productivity. Using a difference-in-differences approach with CV and publication data, ethnically Chinese graduate students became 15% less likely to enroll in U.S. Ph.D. programs and 4% less likely to remain in the U.S. post-graduation after 2016. In both instances, these students were more likely to move to a non-U.S. anglophone country instead. Chinese citations of U.S. research declined sharply, while U.S. citations of Chinese research remained stable. Although reduced Chinese engagement with U.S. science has not yet affected the average productivity of China-based researchers, anti-Chinese sentiment in the U.S. has decreased the research productivity of ethnically Chinese scientists in the U.S. by 2%-6% and increased their likelihood of ceasing publication by 7%. The results strongly suggest a “chilling effect” on ethnically Chinese scholars in the U.S., impacting both the country’s ability to attract and retain talent and the productivity of its ethnically Chinese scientists
Assessing the Relationship Between Empathy Climate, Motivation to Empathize, Network Ties, and Leader Engagement in Pursuit of Validating an Empathy Climate Scale
Get PDFIn the current fast-paced, collaborative, and volatile work environment, leader empathy is emerging as a critical leader capability for leaders across all levels. Leader empathy refers to a leader’s ability to understand and relate to the feelings and experiences of another individual or group of individuals while also recognizing that the experience is not their own. In 2018, the European Union cited leader empathy as the top leadership skill; in 2020, Forbes named leader empathy as one of three critical leadership competencies; and in 2023, Harvard Business Review listed it as one of eight essential leader qualities. Leader empathy is critical to leader and organizational success for the associated benefits afforded to individuals and organizations, two of which are its direct effects on leaders’ networks and engagement. Leader empathy has a significant positive direct effect on the overall size, strength, and diversity of leaders’ networks and on leader engagement. In the modern workplace environment, well-networked and engaged leaders are non-negotiable for organizational success. Larger, stronger, and more diverse networks provide empathetic leaders with easier access to the necessary resources and support required to move work forward at the pace today’s economy demands. Similarly, engaged leaders are more creative, resilient, and aware of market dynamics, which enables them to make better decisions, maximize resources, lead through change, and ultimately drive performance and profitability. Considering these and other benefits afforded to empathetic leaders and organizations led by empathetic leaders, developing leader empathy is a top priority for researchers and practitioners alike. Despite interest in developing leader empathy, there remains a gap in the literature on the relationship between climate and leader empathy. Understanding this relationship is valuable because the perceived environment informs the choice to empathize. This gap may be due to a lack of a clear and accepted definition of empathy climate and a validated scale to measure it. Over three studies, this dissertation directly targets this gap by completing the scale validation for a previously proposed empathy climate scale by assessing the scale’s test-retest reliability and incremental and predictive validity. All three studies analyzed responses from participants recruited through Prolific and leveraged single-rater self-report surveys. Study 1 (N = 236) used nested multiple regression analysis and found support for the scale\u27s test-retest reliability. Test re-test reliability is particularly important for a climate measure as climates are relatively fixed unless leaders act to change them. Study 2 (N = 250), which leveraged hierarchical regression analysis, found support for the scale’s incremental validity relative to a measure of compassion climate. This is relevant because, despite significant differences, compassion and empathy are often treated interchangeably. Finally, Study 3 (N = 352) assessed the scale’s predictive validity using full information maximum likelihood path model analysis and an ego-centric network analysis approach. Specifically, Study 3 tested if empathy climate predicted leader engagement serial mediated by the motivation to empathize and the number of strong or weak network ties. Network ties refer to the relationships that define a leader’s network, and strong and weak network ties vary in terms of time, intimacy, liking, and reciprocal services. Diversity of network ties moderated the relationship between the number of weak network ties and leader engagement. Despite not finding support for serial mediation, neither the number of strong nor weak network ties positively related to leader engagement, I found relatively good support for the scale’s predictive validity. Empathy climate was significantly positively related to motivation to empathize, the number of strong network ties, and leader engagement. Additional exploratory analysis further bolstered the scale’s predictive validity. I ran two exploratory path models again using full information maximum likelihood. The exploratory models replaced the number of strong and weak network ties with overall network size, strength, diversity, and overall network strength. Empathy climate predicted all three network attributes and motivation to empathize fully or partially mediated these relationships. I found support for serial mediation in the second exploratory model, which only included overall network strength. Altogether, the findings from Study 3 complete the scale validation process by demonstrating the scale’s ability to predict leader motivation to empathize and highlight the importance of leader empathy as a tool to help leaders build more advantageous networks and stay engaged. In totality, the findings of this dissertation carry implications for both researchers and practitioners, generating valuable insights and avenues for future research. This research provides a tool for future empathy researchers to account for the previously unexplained climate related variance in their studies, offers insights into how empathy influences network structures and contributes empirical evidence differentiating empathy from compassion. This research also identifies motivation to empathize as a novel leader engagement antecedent. For practitioners, the empathy climate tool equips them with the ability to assess if the climate supports leader empathy before making an investment in leader empathy training. In summary, this research offers meaningful insights for researchers and practitioners and future research opportunities, such as replicating Study 3 using a whole network analysis approach