31544 research outputs found
Sort by
The Relationship between Mindful Awareness and Acculturative Stress for International Undergraduate Students in America
No full textThis study examines mindful awareness and its role in acculturative stress experienced by international undergraduate students in American colleges. Data from 101 students from 37 countries attending 35 colleges revealed a significant negative correlation between mindful awareness and acculturative stress (r[99] = -0.51, p \u3c 0.001). Higher mindful awareness predicted lower general acculturative stress and specific subdomains. These findings aim to refine cultural adaptation frameworks and inform evidence-based support systems for international students
The “Problem of Motherhood”: Early Soviet Maternity Policy and Reality, 1917 - 1936
No full textAfter the October Revolution of 1917, the new Bolshevik regime sought to reshape the lives of women to fit the new socialist future. In line with Marxist thought, they attempted to draw mothers out of the home and into the public sphere. Through legal reforms and social services, the Communist Party worked to relieve mothers of the double burden which tied women between work and the home. This research focuses on the various methods used by the Bolsheviks in their attempt to reform motherhood in the decade after the revolution. Most importantly, it helps to uncover the impact it had on the women who were the victims this socialist experiment. Using legal documents, theoretical writings, Soviet publications, and personal writings, this project researched the policies and the realities faced by mothers in the early Soviet Union. While the lives of mothers improved in some areas such as legal protections, labor laws, and access to state services. Yet, the nation’s economic conditions, the urban and rural divide, and women’s own opposition left many mothers out of this vision of new Soviet motherhood
Webcams at Zoos and Aquariums in the United States: Perceptions of Their Function and Utility by Staff
No full textModern technological advancements have created new ways for zoos and aquariums to achieve their goals. Webcams are a valuable tool for connecting with the public. To understand the current landscape of webcams in the United States, this research investigated the websites of all zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), as of March 2024. Of these 226 institutions, 61 had active live webcams. This thesis also explored staff perspectives on webcams by surveying the same AZA accredited institutions. Fifty-six responses were collected across 15 unique institutions. Respondents were asked about their general use of webcams; Likert scale-based questions concerning benefits, limitations, and future webcam use; qualitative, open-ended questions about webcam use; and respondent and institution demographics. Principal component analysis conducted on Likert scale responses to items on the benefits and limitations of webcams revealed the presence of four distinct components: Community facing benefits of webcams, costs of webcams to the provider, animal behavior, and environmental complications. In addition, 11 themes were identified among responses to the short qualitative questions concerning the limitations and benefits of webcams. Among these themes, a lack of access to a reliable Wi-Fi connection was frequently mentioned as a prohibiting factor to the use of webcams. A frequently discussed benefit of webcams was the remote monitoring of animal health and behavior. Three longer qualitative questions were also explored using content analysis which revealed themes relating to the popularity of different species, future uses of technology in zoos, and facets of webcam use that have been previously missing from the research literature. From these findings, it appears that while there are factors stopping the implementation of webcams for some institutions, many find the benefits to be worth the cost
USING SIMULATED CASCADIA FAKEQUAKES TO INTERPRET PALEOTSUNAMI PATTERNS
No full textThis study uses GeoClaw to simulate 8 instantaneous rupture test earthquakes and 48 stochastic earthquakes (Fakequakes) along the Cascadia Subduction Zone to better understand tsunami generation and propagation. The primary goal is to evaluate how variations in Fakequake rupture patterns affect tsunami heights at coastal sites in the Pacific Northwest. The study focused on comparing inner and outer coast wave heights and impacts to understand how the Olympic Peninsula provides a barrier of protection to inner coast sites from southern-generated tsunamis, and implications for tsunami hazard at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI).
Test earthquakes show increased amounts of slip with varying earthquake magnitudes lead to increased amounts of positive displacement, which produces larger wave heights than having a set magnitude and variable slip. The displacement concentration of Fakequakes directly influences both the wave height and spatial pattern of tsunamis. Fakequakes with high amounts of displacement offshore from, or near, a gauge site generally created higher wave heights at that site while sites farther away from the peak displacement concentrations often experienced smaller wave heights. The Olympic Peninsula generally prevents large wave heights in the Salish Sea from southern-rupture scenarios. When Fakequake inundation at gauge sites was compared to observed paleotsunami evidence, few Fakequakes were found to be a strong match for future comparison. Only four of the 48 Fakequakes inundated at NASWI, suggesting that NASWI is generally not vulnerable to tsunamis except in certain severe earthquake scenarios.
These findings highlight the importance of using multiple rupture scenarios in tsunami hazard assessments rather than relying on a single model. Additionally, paleotsunami records can be difficult to match to simulated scenarios unless a margin of error in matching the sites is introduced. This research suggests that slip distribution patterns are key to understanding tsunami hazard risk at coastal sites, and should be a major consideration in emergency planning, risk mapping, and coastal hazard mitigation strategies
Frida Kahlo: More Than the Unibrow, a Cultural Feminist Analysis
No full textProject Mentor(s): Erika Pazian
Frida Kahlo has been a common name in the art historical canon – one that reinvented Surrealism, despite not identifying with the style, and challenged conventional norms in artistic practices. Many of her works are discussed in Mexican art historical settings, however, the research of this paper will point the bulk of its focus directly onto The Two Fridas, offering additional discussion on how it connects to feminist theory. Kahlo was a deeply complicated woman, reduced to her bus incident, or tumultuous relationship with muralist Diego Rivera. The materials used as sources in this paper will give a bigger insight into various outside perspectives and an intimate vision of Kahlo’s mentality and personal identity, which proved to be conflicting. The research will thoroughly examine Kahlo’s womanhood and personhood as an artist in 20th-century Mexico. Each segment will deconstruct The Two Fridas and Frida Kahlo herself. Ultimately, the question answered will be: what was Kahlo attempting to communicate, and why has it been simplified via popular media? Why has Kahlo, herself, been a victim of simplification? Feminist theory suggests how she performed gender norms intersected with her race and sexuality, ultimately becoming defined by these characteristics, in a simplified manner. Who Kahlo was and how her most celebrated piece communicates her ideals, values, and sense of self is what this academic paper will dissect; to not only better understand the artist and her work, but also the application of feminist theory to The Two Fridas
Dependency in Romantic Relationships: Bloom’s Other in Ulysses
No full textProject Mentor(s): Christopher Schedler, PhD
James Joyce’s Ulysses explores themes of love, grief, religion, culture, and identity while following the journey of Leopold Bloom, a husband and father who has a problematic sense of Self. Bloom’s difficulty to find himself is prominently shown through his relationship with his wife, Molly, with whom he no longer has a healthy romantic relationship. Bloom reminisces on several memories with Molly which expose the reason for his lack of Self – his dependence on Molly. This presentation applies Jacques Lacan’s concept of “The Mirror Stage” to Bloom’s nostalgic memories of Molly in Ulysses. “The Mirror Stage” addresses the Self, the Other, and the Self’s dependence on the Other to establish one’s own being. In this case, Molly is Bloom’s Other, and therefore, he relies on her for a whole sense of Self. The nostalgic episodes that Bloom has throughout the novel are not an escape to a more pleasurable time in his life, but rather a longing for a time where he had a firm sense of Self due to the conscious gaze of the Other, Molly. By the end of the novel Bloom has begun to detach himself from Molly and consequently regain a whole sense of Self without her consistent gaze. Exploring Molly as Bloom’s mirror emphasizes that self-identity becomes problematic when there is excessive dependency in a romantic relationship
Examine Supreme Court Decisions That Have Influenced the Gender Salary Gap
No full textProject Mentor(s): Rodrigo Murataya, PhD
Despite significant advancements in gender equality policies and legal frameworks, women consistently earn less than men across various industries and job positions (Blau & Khan, 2017). As of 2023, median weekly wages of full-time women are 83.6 percent of the median weekly wages of men, an increase of just three percentage points since 2004 (BLS 2024). This stalled convergence in the gender gap in wages has led to a large and vibrant research literature that seeks to understand why change has been so slow (England 2010). This paper explores the impact of legislative acts such as the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 and Supreme Court decisions which affect the gender salary gap. The major goal of this research is to understand how legislation and supreme court rulings have impacted the gender salary gap. The findings suggest that although legislative policies and Supreme court rulings have laid a foundation and have impacted the gender salary gap, they have not been sufficient to eliminate the gender salary gap entirely
Origins and Mechanisms of Mobility of Geogenic Arsenic Contamination in Toutle and Silver Lake, WA, USA
No full textArsenic (As), a common contaminant in groundwater, is toxic to human health and has a maximum contaminant level of 10 ppb set by both the World Health Organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (ATSDR, 2007). In Toutle, WA, USA (30 km west of Mount Saint Helens), a private well, labelled TOU1, was previously identified with ~670 ppb of As and was the impetus of this study. This study targeted private wells in the vicinity of TOU1 to identify the extent of the arsenic contamination, identify the aquifer(s) of concern, and identify the mechanism(s) of mobility.
The wells were screened in Mount St. Helens lahar deposits (Qsl), the Wilkes Formation (Tw), the Toutle Formation (Tto), and a basaltic andesite flow interfingering Tto (Ttob). 17 wells drilled in Tto and Ttob, all within 3.4 km of TOU1, had moderate to high As concentrations (11.0-610 ppb), 5 wells in the Qsl had low to moderate arsenic (2.1-15.4 ppb), and 7 wells in the Tw had low arsenic (\u3c 1 ppb) The majority of the groundwaters were magnesium-bicarbonate type waters and have major ion compositions that indicate recharge from precipitation as the dominant influence. In addition, there are two sodium-bicarbonate type groundwaters (including TOU1) and one intermediate composition whose major ion composition is dominated by basic ion exchange. Stable oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions and the major ion chemistry suggest the wells in this region tap small aquifers within the units with significant barriers to flow between adjacent wells. In general, the wells were circumneutral to slightly alkaline, low SO42-, and high Fe; low arsenic wells were either in Tw or were under oxic conditions while moderate to high arsenic wells were under reducing conditions and in Tto/Ttob or Qsl, which were determined to be the aquifers of concern. Based on pH and redox conditions, the mechanism of mobility was reductive dissolution of Fe-oxides. The role of sulfate reducing bacteria and possible enrichment mechanisms in lignite and associated high alumina clay in the Tto should be explored as possible explanations of the distribution of SO42-, iron, and arsenic in the study area
Envisioning the Virgin’s Assumption in Renaissance Florence: Reflections of Religious and Private Patronage
No full textThis study examines religious artistic works by Renaissance Florentine masters in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, employed as instruments of spiritual inspiration and devices of persuasion in the Republic. Through their depictions of Old and New Testament stories, artists portrayed significant biblical characters and ideals to both enlighten and influence. Not surprisingly, the life of the Virgin Mary was a popular subject of such pieces. However, one important event commonly illustrated was never definitively described in the Bible: that of the Virgin’s Assumption into Heaven. Earlier studies have considered patron influence in fifteenth-century Italian Renaissance interpretations of religious narratives; however, the impact of artists and their patrons on the evolution of Assumption images in Florence from this period has remained essentially unexplored. This paper asserts that an analysis of compositions by Domenico Ghirlandaio, Rosso Fiorentino, and Andrea del Sarto demonstrates a progression from the theme’s traditional portrayal to those innovatively reimagined to impart personal and distinctive statements. Further, it reveals the Virgin’s Assumption to be a subject transformed by profound Marian devotion and humanistic ideals. An exploration of selected works by prominent Florentine artists depicting the Assumption of Mary demonstrates varying methods of composition and style directly related to the spiritual, political, and social motivations of their religious and private sponsors. In doing so, this inquiry also provides significant insight into the evolution of the theme’s artistic representation and the intended motives of its varied patrons