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Toward A New Media; (Re)Animating Africa
No full textThe introduction of new media, including televisions, radios, schools, and religious institutions, as indicators of development and globalization, shifted the primary sources of education and moral guidance from community elders and storytellers to formal structural organizations, like religion. In the current media environment, animated cartoons have become a leading form of entertainment and social engagement for kids. These cartoons now effectively occupy the space once held by oral storytelling, shaping the beliefs, values, and behaviors of younger generations
The Story Of Us (Jukebox Musical)
No full textThis thesis paper explores the process of writing the jukebox musical, The Story of Us (Jukebox Musical), and the experience that I had while I was producing the show. The Artist statement gives a summary of my thoughts and inspirations. The project overview goes through the entire process of writing, producing, and casting process. Additionally, this section speaks on the song choices I made, and the ups and downs of choosing to write my own show. The entire script is located in the Main Materials & Contextualization section, along with some specific changes that were made while working towards the final project
Representing Childhood: Abstraction and Aesthetics of Simplicity in Ezra Jack Keats\u27s The Snowy Day
Full text linkThe central question driving this project is not “Is The Snowy Day art?”—a question that risks reifying the very hierarchies this thesis seeks to trouble—but rather: What might it mean to treat this picturebook as an art historical object? What must be addressed in the discipline’s practices, priorities, and self-conceptions to engage such work with rigor and care? How can we analyze the picturebook as an art object
Selling Egg-cellence: An Exploration of Commercial Oocyte Donation and Genetic Determinism in 21st Century America
Full text linkThis thesis examines the impact of genetic determinism on commercial egg donation in the United States. Through critical analysis of social media advertisements, online forums, and interviews, it argues that reductionist, genetically deterministic thinking drives the commodification of oocytes. Fertility agencies exploit assumptions about heritable traits (health, ethnicity, intelligence) to market desirable donors, influencing intended parents\u27 choices and compensation hierarchies. Then the research explores how these same ideas shape perceptions of familial closeness in donor-conceived individuals and their parents, revealing mixed feelings surrounding genetic ties. This study highlights the complex interplay of biology, technology, and social constructs in defining family in the age of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs)
Let\u27s Talk About Sex: Investigating Radical Feminist Theories on Prostitution in the United States
Full text linkThis paper explores the feminist debates surrounding prostitution through an analysis of Catharine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin’s abolitionist theories, juxtaposed with critiques from Wendy Brown, Janet Halley, Susie Bright, and Marxist feminist abolitionist Esperanza Fonseca. The text examines the systemic forces of patriarchy and capitalism that commodify women’s bodies and the challenges of legislative approaches to the sex trade. While MacKinnon and Dworkin identify the structural inequalities underpinning prostitution, their legislative proposals often fail to address the stigma and systemic conditions that perpetuate the marginalization of prostituted people. Critics like Brown and Halley highlight the limitations of punitive measures, calling for a nuanced understanding of agency, while Fonseca emphasizes the necessity of addressing the material conditions that sustain the sex trade. In considering these perspectives, this thesis advocates for a partial decriminalization legislation paired with comprehensive social services and a basic minimum income that guarantees prostituted individuals with a right to exit. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on feminist approaches to the sex trade and legislative reform, offering a framework for ethical and effective change
Development of a 3D, in vitro model of RUTI incorporating Escherichia coli and epithelial bladder cell co-cultures
No full textUrinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are the most common outpatient infections, affecting more than half of women in their lifetime. Many of these women will experience what is known as a Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection (RUTI), defined by more than two UTIs in six months or three in a year. Researchers attribute RUTI’s recurrence to initial infections that were never fully treated, which may recur due to the lack of effectiveness of antibiotics against biofilm infections. Vaginal swabs, urine, and blood samples from 79 women experiencing RUTIs were collected. Sequencing of vaginal and urine samples found that the most prevalent bacterial species present was Escherichia coli. Analysis of blood indicated that 82% of patients carried mutations in the SERPINE1 gene, which codes for the plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) protein. PAI-1 is produced in the liver and is essential for blood clotting; it regulates the breakdown of fibrin. Mutations in PAI-1 result in systemic fibrin build-up. In this work it was hypothesized that a build-up of fibrin enhances the growth of bacterial biofilms and/or provides resistance to antibiotic treatments. To confirm this hypothesis, E. coli biofilms were cultured over a monolayer of HTB-5 bladder epithelial cells for 48 hours to establish an in vitro environment. The infections were then treated with ciprofloxacin (30 μg/L), a common antibiotic prescribed to treat RUTIs. Two experimental groups were tested with and without a fibrin hydrogel to evaluate fibrin’s role, where the fibrin overlaid the HTB-5 cells’ monolayer. It was found that in the presence of fibrin hydrogels E. coli biofilms had increased cell numbers, compared to the absence of fibrin. Furthermore, E. coli cells could fully penetrate the fibrin hydrogel and reach the cell monolayer, resulting in a loss of viability of bladder cells to the point of eradication (100% loss) by day 4. These findings highlight a new opportunity to investigate the possible pore-toxin-forming abilities of E. coli and their effect on bladder epithelial cells. Overall, this model could prove essential in investigating novel antimicrobial treatments for RUTIs that could lower the recurrence rate
The Legacy of Housing Discrimination: Asthma Disparities in California Cities
Full text linkThis thesis examines the effect of discriminatory housing policy on current asthma rates in California cities. This study uses boundary design and propensity score methodologies to analyze asthma-related emergency department visits in census tracts with corresponding appraisal grades from the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation maps. The results indicate significantly higher asthma burdens in grade D (redlined) census tracts compared to grade C tracts, even when controlling for present-day pollution concentrations, with historically redlined tracts experiencing an average of 26.88 additional emergency department visits per 10,000 residents. The analysis further reveals disparities between grade C and B neighborhoods, suggesting that even less severely impacted tracts face meaningful health inequities. These findings align with previous studies linking redlining to poor health outcomes and highlight the compounded effects of structural disinvestment and environmental exposures
Penetration Testing, Vulnerabilities, and Ethical Hacking
No full textThe purpose of this thesis is to explore practical and theoretical examples of cybersecurity, through practical hands on tasks and technical challenges, and studying real world examples. It focuses on three main areas: testing the Claremont Colleges network, completing the Stripe CTF 2.0 Web Edition challenge, and examining how tools and techniques from case studies can be applied to practical scenarios and future applications. Key objectives include identifying vulnerabilities in the Claremont network, specifically the Claremont McKenna College (CMC) Athenaeum login page, modernizing and completing the outdated Stripe CTF challenge, and analyzing case studies to draw parallels with these tasks while gaining a broader understanding of real-world hacking. In my thesis, I will explore penetration testing techniques and vulnerability exploitation. An overview of foundational concepts will be provided, followed by a breakdown of the tasks undertaken and the tools utilized. This project demonstrates how, with only a laptop and specific, key skills, individuals can either secure or compromise information systems, which have major ramifications for institutions and private individuals
Recession Resilience: Hedging with Psychologically-Based and Essential Sectors in Defensive Portfolios Amid Economic Turmoil
Full text linkThis thesis examines the performance of two distinct sector-based portfolios — psychologically-based and non-psychologically-based — during three major economic downturns: the Dotcom Bubble (2000), the Great Recession (2008), and the COVID-19 Recession (2020). The psychologically-based portfolio includes industries like alcohol, beauty, and streaming services, which appeal to consumers seeking comfort or affordable indulgences during financial uncertainty. In contrast, the non-psychologically-based portfolio comprises sectors like healthcare and consumer staples, which provide essential goods and services regardless of economic conditions. Through regression analysis, this study evaluates the relative returns of both portfolios and compares them with each other. The results suggest that while the psychologically-based portfolio exhibited slightly higher average excess returns, there was no statistically significant difference between the performance of the psychological-based and non-psychologically-based portfolios. However, both portfolios demonstrated low beta, were comprised of large-cap and value stocks, and proved effective in lowering risk, making them viable hedging strategies during recessions. These findings have important implications for hedge funds and institutional investors seeking to protect their portfolios from volatility during economic downturns. Future research may explore how real-time data and different portfolio construction methods can further refine recession-proof investing strategies
Better Than Blume: An Approach to Forecasting Future Stock Betas with Linear Bayesian Models and Sample-Wide Priors
Full text linkThis paper investigates the predictive accuracy of stock beta forecasts by comparing the widely used Blume adjusted beta to four Bayesian regression models I developed. Stock beta, an essential measure of systematic risk, plays a crucial role in portfolio management and valuation; however, raw betas lack forecasting capabilities. While various attempts have been made to develop alternative beta forecasting models, the Blume adjustment remains the most commonly used. To evaluate this, I created four Bayesian models utilizing a single, sample-wide set of priors, simplifying the computational requirements compared to stock-specific priors. The analysis is based on daily return data for stocks with market capitalizations exceeding $1 billion, tested over three distinct periods: 2004–2009, 2010–2015, and 2016–2021. Performance is assessed using standard regression metrics and a set of Diebold-Mariano tests. Although the Blume adjustment consistently outperforms my Bayesian models in forecast accuracy, some of my Bayesian models show potential through their improvement in R-squared over the Blume model. These findings emphasize the challenges of enhancing beta forecasts while maintaining simplicity but also indicate that my Bayesian approach could be further refined and readily applied