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Fermented Resistance: The Role of Kimchi in Preserving Korean Identity Through Colonialism and Modernization
Get PDFThis thesis began with a simple observation during my year abroad in Seoul: kimchi was everywhere. It appeared at every table, in every household, and soon, in every question I had about Korean identity. What started as a personal curiosity evolved into a deep historical inquiry into how this single dish — made of fermented cabbage, radish, and spices — came to represent the soul of a nation. This thesis traces kimchi’s journey from a humble survival food in agrarian Korea to a symbol of resistance during Japanese colonization, a tool for reclaiming identity after liberation, and ultimately, a globally recognized emblem of Korean pride and soft power. Drawing from history, food studies, and cultural analysis, I argue that kimchi is not just something Koreans eat — it is something through which they remember, resist, rebuild, and represent themselves. In telling the story of kimchi, I aim to show how food can preserve a people’s history, even when their voices were nearly silenced, and how something as everyday as a meal can speak louder than politics, borders, or time
Gender and Self in Product Evaluation
Get PDFGender schema plays a critical role in decision making by guiding mental organization frameworks and processing information. Drawing on gender schema theory and the self-congruity framework, this study hypothesized that participants with a mean femininity score above the median would ascribe a feminine-typed shampoo more hedonic attributes than other participants. Similarly, the second hypothesis claimed that participants with a mean masculinity score above the median would ascribe masculine-typed shampoo more utilitarian attributes than all other participants. A third hypothesis predicted that product evaluation would be more favorable when the participants’ gender self-schema aligned with the product gender-type. Participants (N=85), recruited via Sona Systems, viewed either a feminine or masculine typed shampoo bottle in an online survey. They selected relevant product evaluation dimensions, evaluated the product, and completed a modified Bem Sex Role Inventory used to classify participants into gender-schema groups. Independent sample t-tests detected no difference between high and low gender trait groups on attribute selection and a 2 x 4 ANOVA revealed no significant main effect of product gender condition or gender self-schema on product evaluation score. However, the interaction between product gender condition and self-schema on product evaluation approached significance. Supplementary analyses using masculinity and femininity scores as continuous predictors also detected no significant associations with evaluation or attribute selection. While the hypotheses were not supported, these findings offer insight into how gendered design cues may interact with identity based processing. Future research should incorporate more inclusive gender measures and clearer product manipulations
Measuring Progress: The Dynamic Effects of California\u27s Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Policy on Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Enrollment, Capacity, and Equity
No full textIn 2021, California announced a $2.9 billion investment to establish a Universal Prekindergarten Program (UPK) by 2026. The state is primarily focusing on expanding its preexisting Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program to achieve its goal of providing free high- quality early childhood learning experiences to all 4-year-old children, regardless of income or background. This paper examines Transitional Kindergarten (TK) data to examine the overall and cross-sectional impact of California’s recent Universal Prekindergarten Program (UPK) policy on district level TK enrollment and capacity. A dynamic event study framework was used and found that California’s UPK expansion policy increased TK enrollment and capacity at the district level, with the effects being more pronounced in districts serving racially and ethnically diverse student populations and those located in metropolitan and urban regions. Additionally, school level Transitional Kindergarten (TK) data, in combination with American Community Survey (ACS) census-tract estimates and Child Opportunity Index (COI) classifications, were used to analyze trends in equity concerning TK access. This study concluded that California is achieving its goal of expanding free Transitional Kindergarten access to all 4-year-old children without compromising access to children from communities that were prioritized by the state’s previous targeted program
Land Back to Right of Return: Proposing Paths Forward in Palestine
No full textThis thesis presents a parallel case study of the settler colonial histories of Canada and Palestine. The Land Back Movement was first analyzed to determine what conditions enabled the success of Indigenous land restitution in Canada. Subsequently, a cross-analysis with Palestine was conducted to ascertain whether the same enabling conditions could facilitate Palestinian land restitution, known as the Right of Return
Optimizing Gradient Bounds of Torsion Functions Among Various Shapes
No full textIn this thesis we explore the geometric optimization among various cross-sectional shapes in order to maximize the shear stress of a cylindrical bar under torsion. We provide derivations of existing analytic methods by using various techniques including conformal mapping. Analytically, we found the optimal ellipse which maximizes shear stress when the domain is subjected to an area or arc length constraint. In addition, numerically, we use method of particular solutions and finite element methods to find the shear stress and then optimize it among different shapes. In particular, we consider the moduli space of triangles and shapes that can are presented by a particular complex formula. Our methods successfully find the optimal triangle and the optimal shapes among these complex-represented shapes
Beyond the Bank Account: Financial Inclusion and Maharashtra\u27s Microenterprises
Get PDFFinancial inclusion has evolved from mere bank account ownership to a broader imperative that encourages the active and consistent use of financial services to cultivate practices of savings and better financial management. Focusing on the underserved communities of Maharashtra’s microenterprise sector, this thesis evaluates the effectiveness of four central financial inclusion schemes: Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana, Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises, Stand-Up India, and Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi. This thesis develops a four-dimensional evaluative framework, assessing each scheme’s performance in accessibility, awareness and financial literacy efforts, adoption of digital services, and accountability and oversight mechanisms.
Through a combination of secondary research and field-based insights, the findings reveal that while Maharashtra is often perceived as an economically developed state, there are still gaps in the design and implementation of its financial inclusion efforts. Despite having access to bank accounts, many beneficiaries, particularly those operating in the informal sector, remain on the financial margins. Leveraging the strong social networks inherent to informal economies and fusing them with private-public partnerships, this thesis advocates for a community-based financial system- one that recognizes the informal sector as an integral part of economic development, rather than a vestige of the Indian economy
Integrating DICEBOX into G4CASCADE
No full textIn this work, we evaluate the performance of the DICEBOX code in modeling nuclear gamma-ray cascades following neutron capture, with a focus on its integration into the G4CASCADE simulation framework. DICEBOX is particularly useful in regions of high level density and for filling gaps in poorly defined nuclear level schemes. To benchmark its effectiveness, simulated gamma spectra were compared to experimental data and other nuclear models using residuals and spectral trends. DICEBOX shows strong performance in mid-energy regions and for isotopes with high nucleon numbers, such as Gadolinium and Xenon, though it underestimates transitions from high-energy levels. This limitation, however, does not preclude its use, as relative intensities can be re-normalized. In isotopes with sparse level schemes, such as Silicon, DICEBOX offers valuable predictions for otherwise undefined transitions. The model\u27s flexibility, including nuclear and supra-realizations, allows it to capture statistical variations in nuclear decay. Future integration into G4CASCADE will enable selective model application and improved treatment of incomplete decay data. This work highlights DICEBOX’s utility in refining nuclear background modeling for experimental simulations and detector studies
Adaptation Vs. Mitigation: Venture Capital Investment Trends in Climate Technologies
No full textAs global temperatures continue to rise at a rapid pace, the urgency for the development of highly effective climate technologies has grown. The increasing demand that exists has ignited a rise in venture capital investment within the last quarter century, though attention has remained on specific types of technologies. This thesis investigates the disproportionate allocation of venture capital funding toward mitigative technologies, including renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and carbon capture solutions. Greatly underfunded, adaptive technologies are specifically designed to help communities as well as ecosystems withstand the current and near-term impacts of climate change. Innovations in climate-resilient agriculture, decentralized water purification, flood detection systems, and various other solutions are included. Data from over two decades of global venture capital activity shows that total climate tech investment exceeded $330 billion, yet a relatively small fraction of that capital targeted adaptation focused companies. Mitigative technologies consistently attract a greater share of investment because of greater scalability, higher potential profit margins, as well as alignment with existing policy incentives. This disparity has built a climate investment system that prioritizes reducing emissions over ensuring the immediate resilience, as well as safety, of populations already affected by climate disruption. Solutions that are adaptive generally tend to be more localized and context-specific while also being comparatively slower to yield returns. This leads to less attractiveness based on traditional venture capital models, which favor rapid growth and a global scale. Furthermore, many adaptation projects noticeably rely on public sector engagement or serve various communities that are not seen as lucrative markets. Government policy surrounding emissions reduction goals can present favorable opportunities for mitigation tech companies to gain market adoption, creating a more favorable investment for prospective investors. At the same time, tax credits and various subsidies have overwhelmingly favored specific mitigation efforts, further skewing the overall funding trends in that direction. Today, climate finance continues to be closely linked to various decarbonization metrics and the likelihood of common adoption, frequently measured in tons of carbon offsets instead of lives safeguarded or systems maintained. As a result, many people undervalue adaptive innovation, despite its important role in helping various societies endure increasing climate risks. This sizable gap has meaningful implications, particularly for many lower-income and climate-vulnerable regions. With climate change projections indicating that the world will continue to experience further changes in the environment, the demand for new innovations at a global scale will only increase. The thesis argues that the growing frequency and intensity of climate events will force a natural reorientation of funding priorities moving forward. Driven by necessity, adaptation will become a larger market, leading investment trends to follow. Should global governments introduce policy initiatives that concentrate on climate resilience, disaster prevention, and long-term stability while also maintaining support for emission reduction, it is possible that the funding gap separating mitigation from adaptation might start to close. A balanced approach would enable the climate tech sector to address the urgent needs of today more effectively while also tackling the sustainability challenges of the future
The New Economics of College Football: Analyzing the Relationships Between NIL, Recruiting, Revenue, and Transfer Mobility
No full textIn this paper, I examine how NIL valuations are related to recruiting strength, program resources, and player transfer portal behavior. The study contains two data sets: A team-level and a player-level. The analysis reveals that NIL valuations and recruiting strength are closely linked, favoring Power Five programs and reinforcing existing inequalities. Players with higher ratings are more likely to transfer, particularly to schools offering stronger NIL environments. Lateral transfers, players transferring within the same group, resulted in financial losses. Conference affiliation and position visibility also play critical roles in NIL outcomes. While NIL empowers athletes to monetize their brand, it influences recruiting and creates an inefficient labor market that benefits Power Five programs and skill positions. It also increases transfer portal activity, diminishing student-program relationships. These findings suggest that NIL has introduced significant structural changes to college football, deepening financial divides and hurting player-program relationships
Exploring Neurodiversity & The Role of Flexible Workplaces For Organizational Neuroinclusion
Get PDFThis thesis conducted a thorough literature review on the experiences and outcomes of neurodiverse individuals in the workplace and found consistently lower outcomes in well-being, work performance, intention to leave, and job satisfaction compared to neurotypical workers. It examined how the emergence of remote work presents new opportunities for mitigating some workplace challenges around stress and sensory overload, while recognizing that remote work alone falls short as being a definitive solution for the unique challenges faced by neurodiverse people. Instead, it argued for Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA’s) as a comprehensive and systemic strategy to address individual needs and organizational inclusion, concluding with recommendations for employee resource groups, participatory leadership, and alternative hiring processes from case studies of large-scale neuroinclusive programs. These findings have significant implications for the design of various flexible work policies, such as remote or hybrid work, and for advancing the well-being and workplace equity of neurodiverse workers