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Direction and Technical Supervision of A Midsummer Night\u27s Dream
Full text linkThis project contains the research, application, performance, and final reflection of the entire production process of A Mid-Summer Nights Dream at Fairhaven Middle School from November 2023 through May 2024 by Laura Williams and the students and faculty of Bellingham School District involved in A Mid-Summer Nights Dream. The document includes character and visual production research, historical context and significance, student learning goals regarding the production as a unit, documentation of the production period and post-production reviews
RACISM DETECTION IN TWEETS
Full text linkSince the advent of social networks in 1997, businesses and people’s lives have changed in a good way. From promoting companies to reaching out to friends and family, social networking has become a major element in our lives. X is a very popular platform that is used by many people, including celebrities and politicians, to communicate with their audience. Like other platforms, X is not spared by the racism contained in the tweets. We should be able to catch those racist comments on any social media and block the accounts of those responsible for them. To do so, we have two options that we can use. The first option is to use more moderators on social media because they are humans. They can use their common sense to detect racism better than artificial intelligence (AI), but there is no guarantee that they will be honest enough to do the job. The second option and the purpose of this study is to upgrade the performance of deep learning models and use them to detect racism online. For this kind of task, we need a model that will allow computers to work with little supervision and learn independently. Deep learning almost learns the way human brains do and process information by utilizing artificial neural networks to learn patterns in data. Those neural networks can assimilate complicated concepts and relationships from data. Moreover, they can be improved and get more accurate for better predictions.
This research will employ thirteen different machines and deep learning models, including Support Vector Machine (SVM), k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), Random Forest (RF), Logistic Regression (LR), Decision Tree (DT), Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (Bert), Naive Bayes, Extreme Gradient Boosting(XGBoost),The Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU),Fasttext, Light Gradient Boosting Machine(LightGBM), Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, to analyze and classify instances of racist language in a dataset.
We will begin by a literature review to understand the racism detection methodologies and the challenges associated with them. Following this, The dataset that will be used, will be preprocessed to optimize it for deep learning, utilizing techniques such as embedding, tokenization, removing punctuation and stopwords, lower casing and lemmatization.
The methodology will involve training multiple deep learning models and comparing their performance in terms of accuracy, precision, and recall. It will also use some techniques like Smote, We implemented a function capable of creating synthetic sentences including different races in orders to allow the models to train on a dataset containing different races rather than one race. We will also use techniques like Ensemble learning, Hyper-parameters optimization, Attention mechanism, Sentiment Analysis, and Dynamic weighting to boost the accuracy. The aim of this study is to show that it exists techniques that can be added to the existing models in order to help them improve their performance.
When training models for racism detection, the dataset is a critical concern because if the data represents only one race, the model will be biased towards recognizing patterns specific to that race and it may fail to generalize across other racial groups. The ability of the model to effectively detect or understand racial or harmful content involving people from different racial backgrounds will be limited. To address this, it is essential to diversify the dataset by including a balanced and representative sample of data from multiple racial groups. This way, the model will learn or understand how racism can manifest across different contexts, languages, and cultural expressions, rather than learning patterns in a one-race dataset.
Our contribution to improve machines and deep learning for racism detection will contribute to reduce racial biases in AI, ensuring that deep learning systems detect harmful stereotypes and discriminatory language without reinforcing societal inequalities. Our research promotes the development of ethical AI, with practical applications in fields like content moderation, hiring practices, and criminal justice, contributing to the creation of more inclusive, equitable systems
Ron and Wayne Erickson Interviews
No full textRon and Wayne talk abut growing up in Ellensburg and other memories of coming of age in Washington. They discuss family and friends and how things have changed over the years.https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/cat_tales/1025/thumbnail.jp
Stories about the David Rowlands Family of Ellensburg, Washington
Full text linkIncluding David\u27s upbringing in Montgomeryshire Wales, his brother Robert\u27s coming to America first, his siblings who stayed in the United Kingdom, and his 32 years with the Northern Pacific Railroad in Ellensburg.https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/local_authors/1034/thumbnail.jp
Jack Carpenter Video Interview
No full textJack Carpenter talks about growing up in central California and adventures he had before and after coming to Central Washington State College in 1973. He discusses some significant historical events he witnessed during his time in the Navy. He also discusses some extensive bicycle trips and how he came to stay in Ellensburg.https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/cat_tales/1026/thumbnail.jp
Articulating Balsa Wood Bridge
Full text linkThe objective of this project was to design and construct an articulating bridge consisting of only balsa wood and glue to meet a set of given requirements. The main requirements include a maximum bridge weight, minimum load to be supported, and a minimum height that the bridge must raise to utilizing an electric motor.
To meet the objective of the project, a series of engineering analyses were completed to determine suitable dimensions and geometry for each component of the bridge and articulation structure. Before conducting analyses for the bridge, a few different truss structures were considered including a Pratt truss, Warren truss, and K truss. The final bridge design consists of two modified Warren Trusses. The design analyses conducted utilize many principles of mechanical engineering including but not limited to structural analysis, mechanics of materials, and mechanical design.
The bridge was successfully designed and constructed to meet all requirements. All structural components of the bridge and articulation structure are constructed of balsa wood and glue. Mechanical components for the articulation structure were created using 3-D Printing. The bridge supported a load greater than the 20 Kilogram minimum requirement while weighing less than the required 85 gram maximum. The bridge was also successful in raising to a height of 140mm measured from the surface of the abutments to the midpoint of the bridge
RC BAJA: STEERING and SUSPENSION
Full text linkStudents attending Central Washington University teamed up to manufacture an RC car to compete against peers in the RC Baja competition events as a senior project. The project was split between the two individuals, Rogelio was responsible for the steering and suspension, while Roberto was responsible for the chassis and drivetrain. The team collaborated to brainstorm ideas that would fit the requirements applied.
The RC was built with 3D printed parts and designed using engineering methods such as mechanics of materials, dynamics, and statics to successfully compete in the BAJA events and meet requirements. Before it was ready for competition, the RC underwent various tests, and the team was able to gather data to compare it to the calculated data. The slalom competition and straight-line sprint race reflected the performance of the RC’s drivetrain, suspension, and steering as it worked in unison with the chassis. The final competition put the entire project to the test against the rest of the competitors.
The suspension was expected to compress 0.5,” but it only compressed 0.25.” The steering radius was expected to be 4 feet, but it was recorded as 6 feet. In addition, the steering range was expected to be 60 degrees and the team recorded 70 degrees of range. The 3D printed components were required to not bend more than 0.1” and they were recorded to bend 0.07”. Instruments and manufactured jigs were used to take measurements.
Keywords: RC, suspension, drivetrain, 3D printe
Quantifying the Ecological Effects of Salix fragilis on Riparian Habitat in Kittitas County, Washington
Full text linkInvasive species threaten plant community structure and function globally. Riparian areas, the zone near streams where water influences vegetation, are especially sensitive to invasive species colonization, suffering large-scale shifts in community composition. Salix fragilis (crack willow) is a nonnative riparian species abundant in the lower elevation tributaries of central Washington. Some speculate whether this willow should be listed as invasive in Washington, despite a lack of regional supporting evidence. I studied riparian communities dominated by either S. fragilis or native species in the Kittitas Valley and measured biodiversity, quantified differences in solar attenuation, and compared leaf decomposition rates to learn how S. fragilis alters riparian zone structure and function. I found riparian communities with S. fragilis had lower plant diversity, but no difference in solar attenuation between riparian forests with and without S. fragilis. I also found a significant interaction between the presence of S. fragilis and in-stream leaf decomposition rates such that leaves decomposed faster in streams dominated by the nonnative willow. Although S. fragilis alters the structure and function of riparian areas, significantly changing the ecology of riparian forests in the Kittitas Valley, additional data are required to make a final management decision regarding listing S. fragilis as an invasive species in Washington
LGBTQ+ Heritage in Kittitas County, Washington
Full text linkWe know that LGBTQ+ people lived, loved, worked, and made history in Kittitas County—but you would never know that if you visited a local historical site or museum. LGBTQ+ histories exist, yet they are not always visible within the landscape, and this is particularly true for rural communities like Kittitas County. Meanwhile, representation of marginalized communities within local history can contribute to a sense of belonging, of knowing one’s place and the people who came before. This thesis addresses this gap in LGBTQ+ history by conducting archival and ethnohistorical research for the purposes of documenting LGBTQ+ history. Utilizing input from the LGBTQ+ community via interviews and focus groups, a museum exhibit which documents and explores the realities of LGBTQ+ existence in Kittitas County throughout history was created
Height Location and Behavior in Eastern Black-and-White Colobus (Colobus guereza) Associated with Zoo Visitor Characteristics
No full textVisitors are a nearly continual aspect of the zoo environment and may have different impacts on zoo animals’ behaviors. Little primate research focuses on visitors influencing the behavior of arboreal primates housed in zoos. I examined whether number, noise, and activity level of zoo visitors impacted the height location and behaviors of zoo-housed Eastern black-and-white colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza). I collected 224 10-minute observational samples at the Fort Worth Zoo, Texas, from four adult monkeys, one male and three females. I recorded height location and frequency of three behavior categories (i.e., positive engagement, neutral, and stress-vigilance behaviors). Results revealed that, despite individual variation, overall, the monkeys primarily used the high canopy for resting and the lower half of the enclosure for locomoting and feeding. Visitor variables were not associated with height location in the adult females; for the adult male, there was a positive correlation between visitor number and the number of scans he spent in the low canopy. Increased visitor number and noise were each significantly correlated with decreased resting behavior in three of the individuals. The current findings support the prediction that the frequency of behaviors of colobus monkeys differs based on enclosure height location. The prediction that there would be an association between colobus monkey height and visitor number was supported only for the adult male. This work demonstrates the importance of verticality in enclosures for arboreal primates and underscores the behavioral impact that zoo visitors can have on Eastern black-and-white colobus monkeys