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Constanto Mysterium - A Paradise of Shifting Constants
Get PDFMathematicians speak of constants of mathematics. Some of these constants are known to high-heavens. Some remain hidden in the obscurity of erudition. And to be frank, while every real number is a mathematical constant, we don’t know much about most of them (is not the set of transcendental numbers incommensurable without us knowing or understanding very many of them?).
So what elevates some constants above others? Is this elevation just a measure of the ignorance of mathematicians who have explored but a small patch of an infinite quilt, a case of six wise men trumpeting the – well, the trumpet - of a vast elephant because that was the easiest piece in hand? And what about the inconstancy of the mathematical thought itself, down historical ages? What does Godel have to say about this shifting, inconsistent belief in mathematics? And how might we transcend that great logician’s mathematical injunctions
A Minimalistic Approach to Quantum Reservoir Computing: The Power of a Single Quantum Oscillator
No full textA reservoir computer is a neural network model that uses past information to predict a system’s future states. Recently, Quantum Reservoir Computing (QRC) has emerged as a promising research area, with studies suggesting that QRC may offer greater efficiency compared to classical reservoirs. This paper aims to investigate the applicability of quantum reservoirs and their advantages over classical reservoirs by proposing a possible reservoir. Specifically, we model a quantum harmonic oscillator (the reservoir), with its angular frequency ω modulated by the position s of a classical noisy damped harmonic oscillator (the system). Our anticipated results, demonstrate the proposed reservoir should exhibit superior prediction accuracy compared to classical reservoirs. This improvement is attributable to the infinite-dimensionality of quantum reservoirs, which enables greater information storage. While classical reservoirs can be manipulated to achieve high dimensionality, an infinite-dimensional quantum reservoir retains the capability to store significantly more information. These anticipated results open avenues for further exploration of different quantum systems as reservoirs, such as entangled qubit pairs, and their potential applications
Math is _______: A Study on Prospective Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Math and Teaching Math
Get PDFIn this project, we examined one cohort of twenty-eight college students and their perceptions of mathematics at the beginning and end of a semester-long mathematics content course for K-8 prospective teachers (PTs). More specifically, our study explored PTs’ perceptions of what mathematics is and what mathematics teaching is, and how and why those perceptions might change over the semester-long mathematics course. PTs’ perceptions were captured through open-ended surveys and follow-up interviews. Our intention was to better understand the reasonings for changes in perceptions during the course to support teacher educators in their work of preparing prospective teachers
Teaching Mathematics for Labour Emancipation: An Autoethnography of a Math Teacher in Mykonos
Get PDFA wealthy society does not necessarily ensure a good education for its students, just as it does not guarantee wealth for its workers. In this paper we visit a junior high school mathematics classroom on the Greek island of Mykonos, where a significant number of students are employed. In this context, we explore how a mathematics teacher, inspired by social justice mathematics, can empower students in their work environments. We adopt an autoethnographic approach in our narrative, presenting the process of designing and implementing specific mathematical activities aimed at revealing the issue of labour exploitation in the touristic Greek islands. We describe how these activities dispelled the myth of easy money and contributed to the students’ labour emancipation. In short, our study presents, from a teacher’s point of view, how an in-service mathematics teacher can implement critical mathematics education theory to inform and empower students as future and present workers
Essays on IMF-Supported Programs: Analyses of Selected Issues
No full textSince its inception in the aftermath of the Bretton Woods Conference, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has continued to play a significant role in the international monetary system. However, its performance and activities has been met with criticism and scrutiny. This dissertation is a collection of four chapters that investigate selected contemporary issues surrounding IMF-supported programs. The first two chapters deal with the issue of prolonged use of IMF resources, as well as the relatively recent phenomenon of graduation from the IMF. The first of these chapters provide a case study of the Philippines, a country that went from being the worst example of a prolonged user to becoming a full graduate from the use of IMF resources in the post-2000s era. We show that the country’s path to graduation is associated with positive changes in key economic and institutional variables reflected by improvements in monetary policy, export diversification and economic efficiency. In addition, changes in the political environment shifted the country’s preferences towards home-grown reforms and reserve accumulation as the means to resolve balance of payments crises. The combination of these factors rendered IMF assistance unnecessary, such that the country has maintained its reputation for graduation even during times of global economic distress. The second chapter investigates the phenomenon of graduation empirically using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). Using this method, we determine sets of conditions that lead to graduation from the prolonged use of IMF resources. We found two pathways towards graduation; the first pathway involves the combination of middle-income status, low fiscal deficit, low current account deficit, above average export growth and a highly effective government. The second configuration shows a pathway to graduation despite inadequate reserve levels, for as long as the country is of middle-income status, has above average export growth and has a highly effective government. We also investigated pathways towards continued prolonged use, and found configurations that are consistent with empirical literature, but are not necessarily mirror images of the pathways towards graduation. One of the criticisms of IMF programs is the low track record of completion and implementation, with some scholars arguing that excessive conditionality is the root cause of the problem. The third chapter investigates issues on the completion rates of IMF programs and the degree of IMF conditionality over time. We look at the trends in completion and conditionality for the past four decades and examine whether changes in the degree of conditionality have impacted the completion rates of IMF programs. Over the 1980-2023 period, there were no significant changes in the trends of IMF completion rates. On the other hand, the average number of conditionalities declined in the mid-2000s, reflecting the Fund’s streamlining efforts. Using bivariate correlation analysis and Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) models, we did not find a significant association between completion and conditionality. The last chapter investigates the effect of existing IMF programs on portfolio inflows in emerging market economies. While the IMF has claimed that its programs send positive signals to international capital markets, the empirical evidence for the presence of this so-called “catalytic effect” has been mixed. This chapter adds to the existing literature by using a novel dataset and methodology. We use Markov-Switching regression models to identify episodes of high and low portfolio inflows and investigate the relationship between the existence of IMF programs with the probability of the occurrence of these episodes. We also use an instrumental variable technique to address issues with selection bias and the endogeneity of IMF participation. The results support a kind of “stigmatic effect” wherein the presence of an IMF program increases the probability of being in a relatively low state of portfolio inflows and portfolio debt inflows. However, these programs do not necessarily cause “switches” from one state to another. Instead, the presence of an IMF program in an emerging market economy is associated with the persistence of the low state of portfolio inflows
Tracing the Collective Endeavors: The Cultural Discourses of Women Printmakers Throughout History
Get PDFThe purpose of the dissertation is to examine the women who paved the way for future generations of women printmakers by tracing the influences and practices of women printmakers throughout history within collective workshops. In the West, the concept of a collective endeavor began during the Middle Ages with monasteries and convents, where artisans created religious works of art as a way to teach illiterate audiences and also to adorn churches and cathedrals. However, during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the concept of the collective workshop grew out of artist’s studios and ateliers. Artists were trained in the apprentice system, as in any other profession during the period. They started from age seven to fifteen, living with a master painter. Guilds supervised training, wanting to ensure professional reputations and control the number of artists to limit competition. After leaving their apprenticeships, artists entered related guilds and affiliated themselves with workshops as assistants to master artists. Similar to most other art forms in the early modern period, printmaking was regarded as a man’s enterprise. Yet the culture of printmaking and the print workshops soon became one of a family business, especially in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which permitted women not only to contribute to the print trade but also to achieve recognition. For the most part, painting and sculpture can be created solely by an independent artist. The very nature of printmaking was and still is collaborative. Thus, it was accessible to women during a period in which the idea of the individual artist and the concept of great master artists were finally emerging. By examining the collective environment of printmaking, I propose that women printmakers benefited from and have also been stifled in collective workshops. Yet, these collective workshops have also helped establish some of the greater-known and lesser-known women printmakers. I also trace what can be considered mutually shared experiences for women printmakers, beginning with family-run workshops to art academies, group workshops, art movements, and finally, group press collectives. This dissertation addresses the social and historical context of collective print workshops, beginning with family-run studios through the evolution of the field of printmaking and women’s positioning within it. Ultimately, this investigation can hopefully enlighten this field of study regarding the opportunities, contributions, and inventions of women printmakers, as well as expose the challenges they faced and the recognition they have also achieved
Outness Through a Cultural Lens: Self-Construal Impacts Disclosure Among Diverse Sexual Minority Individuals
Get PDFThis research aimed to advance an empirically informed understanding of the role of culture in sexual identity management decisions and disclosure tendencies among sexual minority individuals (SMIs) from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Sexual identity management decisions – in relation to voluntary disclosure of sexual identity – reflect purposeful interactions between SMIs and their environments shaped by the self-concept and resulting in motivational preferences and tendencies regarding disclosure that permeate across social contexts and life domains (Jones & King, 2014, Lidderdale et al, 2007; Ragins, 2008). Recognizing cultural worldviews (e.g., collectivism and individualism) as deeply embedded within the self-concept, the present research considered cultural constructions of the self-concept to be at the crux of SMIs’ tendencies to disclose or conceal their sexual orientation across contexts. Self-construal (Markus & Kitayama, 1991) – the degree to which individuals see themselves as distinct and independent vs. connected and interdependent with others – was used as the cultural lens of the self-concept to examine disclosure tendencies. The present research marks a novel application of the self-construal framework that is also unique in its incorporation of multiple measures of self-construal. The traditional dual-model of self-construal (e.g., Singelis, 1994) was employed to test hypotheses and examine broader cultural effects among SMIs. Additionally, a multidimensional measure (e.g., Vignoles et al., 2016), featuring seven dimensions of self-construal was employed for exploratory analyses. Central to this study was targeted inclusion of ethnic and racial minorities, to facilitate comparisons between SMIs of color and White SMIs, addressing notable gaps and misconceptions regarding the sexual identity management decisions of SMIs of color and the cultural mechanisms underlying ethnic group differences in sexual identity management. A cross-sectional, self-report online survey was used to collect data from SMIs of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds residing within the U.S. With a total sample size of 300 participants distributed relatively evenly between White SMIs and SMIs of color, comparisons were made in self-construal variables (e.g., independence and interdependence), disclosure tendencies (e.g., outness), and other key variables related to sexual identity management (e.g., perceived heterosexism, acceptance concerns, internalized homonegativity, and identity centrality), as well as in the predictive effects of these sexual identity management variables on outness. Findings indicated more similarities than differences between the two groups, as no significant group differences emerged in outness nor across the sexual identity management variables. Notably, analyses of hypothesized moderation of the associations between sexual identity management variables and outness by SMI group revealed only that sexual identity centrality predicted greater outness among White SMIs but was unrelated to outness among SMIs of color. Interestingly, SMIs of color scored higher on independent self-construal than White SMIs; however, interdependent self-construal scores did not differ between SMI groups. Findings also emphasized the relevance of self-construal for disclosure tendencies across all SMIs, irrespective of ethnic group membership. Specifically, higher scores of interdependent self-construal predicted greater outness, including beyond the effects of sexual identity variables (e.g., internalized homonegativity and identity centrality); interdependent self-construal had no effect on outness. Using the multidimensional self-construal construct, findings highlighted specific aspects of an independent self-construal that promote disclosure (e.g., a tendency to maintain consistent behavior across social contexts and a preference for defining the self as different from others). Further, mediation analyses confirmed that independent self-construal plays a crucial role in explaining differences in outness among SMIs, fully mediating the relationship between SMI group membership and outness. As such, this study is among the first to directly test a cultural explanation for ethnic group differences in outness, with findings emphasizing that culture, rather than race or ethnicity per se, is the key driver of meaningful psychological differences in sexual identity management. Altogether, study findings challenge theory and research designs that confine investigations of cultural influences to ethnic/racial minorities, a practice that reinforces the misconception that culture is a relevant construct only to people of color (Bieschke et al., 2008). In effect, culture and self-construal are central aspects of the human experience for all individuals, including SMIs, regardless of ethnic or racial backgrounds. Findings also align with theories emphasizing the importance of the self-concept in sexual identity management, highlighting self-construal as distinctly influential from sexual identity variables. Therefore, just as sexual identity is recognized as an essential factor in understanding outness and sexual identity management processes, the findings from this study emphasize the need to incorporate self-construal into this framework. By doing so, future research can capture influential elements of the self-concept distinct from sexual identity, for a more comprehensive understanding of the individual factors that shape sexual identity management and disclosure tendencies
Queen Nefertiti: Power and Intrigue Amidst Gender Inequality
Get PDFQueen Nefertiti, one of ancient Egypt\u27s most enigmatic & striking figures, rose to prominence during a time of radical political and religious transformation. Known for her striking beauty and influential role, her legacy transcends mere aesthetics, positioning her as a powerful force in a male-dominated society. Despite the constraints of gender inequality in ancient Egypt, Nefertiti played a pivotal role as co-regent with her husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten, and perhaps even ruled in her own right after his death. This thesis explores the complex interplay of power, gender, and political intrigue in the reign of Nefertiti. Through an examination of her historical and cultural context, her influence over religious reforms, and the mystery surrounding her later years, this study aims to unravel the strategies she employed to navigate a world that marginalized women’s leadership, while also contributing to the unique legacy of her dynasty
The Mediating Role of Social Connectedness in the Association Between Volunteering and Affect in Daily Life: A Dynamic Approach
Get PDFSustained engagement in prosocial behaviors, like volunteering is an evidence-supported facilitator of well-being. Volunteering and well-being are also dynamic processes unfolding over long and short timespans, which is well reflected in research on well-being (e.g., Heshmati et al., 2023) but less so in the research on volunteering. This is the case despite existing evidence demonstrating that dynamic changes in components of well-being, like emotions, are associated with engagement in particular behaviors including civic or prosocial behaviors (Hou & Bonanno, 2018; Snippe et al., 2017). Therefore, it would be reasonable to suspect that volunteering may have a similar dynamic relationship with well-being. I aimed to investigate this suspicion through a nuanced examination of volunteering behaviors in daily life and how they relate to components of well-being (i.e., affective states and social connectedness). Using the MIDUS 3 National Study of Daily Experience dataset ( N = 1, 236; Ryff & Almedia, 2022) I first examined individual differences in dynamic characteristics of change in positive and negative affect over an eight-day period in relation to daily volunteering behaviors (Study 1). Then I investigated – based on existing theory and empirical research – whether the associations between volunteering behaviors and affect in daily life were explained through feeling connected to others in those moments as well as the duration of these hypothesized effects (Study 2). Results from log transformed regression models used for Study 1 showed baseline (i.e., intraindividual means) levels of the affective states of calm ( b = 1.58, p \u3c .01), satisfaction ( b = 0.63, p \u3c .05), and jittery ( b = 0.49, p \u3c .05) were significantly related to time spent volunteering. Also, intraindividual variability in the positive affective state of confidence ( b = 1.59, p \u3c .05) and overall negative affective states ( b = 0.36, p \u3c .05) were also significantly and negatively associated with time spent volunteering. These findings suggest that further research is needed for understanding the role of volunteer motivation in the dynamic relationship between volunteering and affect in daily life. For Study 2 multi-level mediation models supported the hypothesized partially mediating role of social connectedness between time spent volunteering and positive and negative affect, explaining over 70% of the total effect in both models. Vector auto-regression was used to examine the persistence of the effect of social connectedness on lagged values of affect; this effect lasted up to four days but there was no lagged effect on negative affect. Similarly, there was no sustained lagged effect of volunteering on any of the other variables. These findings underscore the importance of social connections in the volunteering process and provide a potential mechanism for explaining the association between volunteering and the affective components of well-being. Overall, this research provides evidence of a nuanced and complex relationship between volunteering and components of wellbeing experienced in daily life, underscoring the importance of using short timescales and dynamic approaches in investigating psychological phenomenon, like volunteering and wellbeing
Students or Suspects? Safety Policy: Is the Wanding Policy in an Urban School District Racializing Latinx Youth?
No full textThe ongoing debate over school safety, driven by rising concerns about national school violence, has led to the widespread adoption of preventive measures under the national zero-tolerance discipline policies in U.S. schools. While these policies aim to create safer environments, they have raised serious concerns about their disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, particularly students of color. This has prompted critical questions about the fairness and equity of such policies, as well as the long-term consequences they have on the educational experience and well-being of these students. This dissertation examines the wanding policy implemented in a large urban school district as a safety measure, where the predominantly Latinx student body is subjected to heightened security protocols. By analyzing this specific policy, the study explores how such measures intersect with broader concerns about racial disparities in school discipline and safety, and the potential unintended consequences they may have on the educational experiences and outcomes of Latinx students. The wanding policy, which uses handheld metal detectors to randomly search students and their belongings, is part of a broader trend in school safety measures designed to prevent violence but has sparked intense debates about its effectiveness. While some school administrators defend the policy as a necessary tool for maintaining order, students and advocates argue that it perpetuates racial disparities and contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline. This study explores the perceptions of students, principals, school board members, classified staff, and community members, analyzing how the wanding policy is interpreted and implemented, its unintended consequences, and its impact on the educational experiences of Latinx youth. By framing this issue through the lens of LatCrit Theory, this research contributes to ongoing discussions about the intersection of school safety, racial justice, leadership in policy implementation and educational equity. This qualitative study analyzed 36 interviews—4 individual and 6 focus groups—with students, principals, school board members, classified staff, and community members. Students overwhelmingly felt monitored, criminalized, or unfairly targeted by the policy, leading to distrust, discomfort, and strained relationships with staff. While school leaders were divided on the policy, they recognized its safety intentions but questioned its effectiveness, particularly for Latinx students. The findings highlight concerns about the policy’s unintended consequences, making some students feel criminalized rather than protected