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Multisensory Integration and Neuroplasticity in Adults with Cochlear Implants
No full textCochlear implants (CIs) can restore hearing in adults with sensorineural hearing loss, yet speech recognition outcomes vary widely among users. This variability highlights the need for improved rehabilitation strategies and a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving speech recovery. This thesis examines two relatively underappreciated factors that contribute to CI outcomes: multisensory integration and neuroplasticity. Traditional assessments of CI success focus exclusively on auditory-only speech measures. However, everyday communication is inherently multisensory, and visual cues can be especially helpful when listening in noisy environments or listening with a CI. Additionally, clinical interventions for hearing loss have historically targeted the inner ear, either by amplifying sound (hearing aids) or directly stimulating the auditory nerve (CIs). Emerging research suggests that hearing loss has impacts beyond the cochlea, involving neuroplastic changes throughout the auditory pathway and extending into multisensory brain networks. Recognizing this broader framework opens novel avenues for intervention. This thesis investigates the impact of multisensory integration training on speech comprehension in both adults with typical hearing and CIs. It also explores the role of cholinergic modulation in sensory perception, culminating in a randomized controlled trial assessing the effects of donepezil on speech understanding in adults with CIs. Our preliminary findings suggest that audiovisual training and cholinergic augmentation enhance speech processing by promoting plasticity in cortical speech networks. By applying a holistic view of the auditory system and integrating multisensory rehabilitation strategies with pharmacological approaches that enhance cortical plasticity, we aim to enhance auditory rehabilitation and optimize speech outcomes for adults with CIs
A Comprehensive Study on Vision Foundation Models in Remote Sensing
No full textArtificial Intelligence (AI) technologies have profoundly transformed the field of remote sensing, revolutionizing data collection, processing, and analysis. Traditionally reliant on manual interpretation and task-specific models, remote sensing research has been significantly enhanced by the advent of foundation models—large-scale, pre-trained AI models capable of performing a wide array of tasks with unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. This paper provides a comprehensive survey of foundation models in the remote sensing domain. We categorize these models based on their architectures, pre-training datasets, and methodologies. Through detailed performance comparisons, we highlight emerging trends and the significant advancements achieved by those foundation models. Additionally, we discuss technical challenges, practical implications, and future research directions, addressing the need for high-quality data, computational resources, and improved model generalization. Our research also finds that pre-training methods, particularly self-supervised learning techniques like contrastive learning and masked autoencoders, remarkably enhance the performance and robustness of foundation models. This survey aims to serve as a resource for researchers and practitioners by providing a panorama of advances and promising pathways for continued development and application of foundation models in remote sensing
Building Bridges: Evaluating Participation in Adolescent Health Transition at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
No full textLeadership and Learning in Organizations capstone projectDespite strong programming, adolescents at Children's Hospital Los Angeles participate unevenly in Center for Healthy Adolescent Transition (CHAT) services due to unclear referral pathways and limited tailored outreach. This evaluation identified that strengthening provider training, simplifying access to CHAT services, and developing digital health literacy tools can increase participation and support equitable transitions to adult care
Photosystem I Biohybrid Devices and Reduction Catalysts for CO2
No full textThis dissertation presents the use of Photosystem I (PSI) in proof-of-concept solar redox flow battery applications and CO2 electrochemical reduction catalysts. Solar redox flow batteries are typically composed of two photoelectrodes in a two chambered cell separated by an ion exchange membrane. Light is used to charge solutions, which is pumped away for energy storage and pumped back when power is needed. Our device replaces the photoelectrode components with a photoactive PSI membrane and we show that PSI can transfer electrons between solutions, effectively charging them much like a traditional solar redox flow battery. Single channel and double channel systems are detailed.
This work also delves into applications of PSI towards CO2 catalysis. Copper (Cu) is the leading CO2 catalyst due to its propensity towards multi-carbon products, but it requires external potential. PSI has the potential necessary for electrochemical CO2 reduction but is not CO2 active. We show 3 ways of coupling PSI to Cu: 1) growing Cu by photoreduction directly from PSI 2) attaching a pre-synthesized Cu nanoparticle to PSI and 3) orienting PSI on a Cu electrode. To our knowledge, these works are the first use of PSI towards CO2 reduction and the first to couple Cu nanoparticles to PSI
Focusing on the Academic Growth of Neurodivergent Students at Hill Learning Center: Addressing Patterns in Yearly Benchmark Assessment & Faculty Perception Data
No full textLeadership and Learning in Organizations capstone projectThe primary focus of this capstone project, conducted in partnership with Hill Learning Center over a 10-month period, was the investigation of the academic achievement and growth of neurodivergent students through a five-year analysis of Woodcock-Johnson IV (WJ IV) Tests of Achievement (ACH) scores. A secondary focus was the examination of Hill faculty perceptions of the WJ IV ACH, including the alignment of its results with student academic performance seen in the classroom and the implications those results may have for teacher instruction.
Hill Learning Center is a nonprofit educational learning center that supports students with learning differences and difficulties. Hill’s Lower School program permits students in grades 1 through 8 to attend the Center for three daily classes in reading, writing, math on a half-day model, allowing these students to get the individualized attention they may need to strengthen their academic skills and self-confidence.
Guided by a conceptual framework grounded in four key factors extant literature and learning theories have shown support student school progress—individual learning needs, cognitive development, environmental influence, and instructional adaptability—a convergent mixed-methods project design was employed to collect and analyze the WJ IV ACH score data and faculty perception data needed to help Hill uncover patterns and trends to serve as actionable evidence for adapting pedagogical strategies, especially for specific groups of students.
Findings revealed consistent underperformance in reading across grade levels, strength in applied problem-solving but weakness in math calculation and fluency, even writing performance through all grades 1 to 8 despite struggles in spelling, and inconsistencies in progress for students with ADHD and other learning disabilities. Additional findings revealed moderate faculty familiarity with the WJ IV ACH but limited use of its data for instructional planning and belief in the assessment’s effectiveness in adequately measuring student ability.
Final project deliverables included a dashboard and clean database of WJ IV ACH scores and student groupings, a dashboard of faculty perception data and feedback, and a consistent coding system for labeling learning disability diagnoses. Recommendations included maintaining a uniform and centralized student data system, implementing targeted professional development, and tailoring instruction to the needs of Hill students. The work provided meaningful results meant to support data-driven decision-making for students in differentiated learning environments
Engineering Synthetically Programmed Cells for Activation with Orthogonal and Native Ligands for Regenerative Medicine
No full textIn the field of regenerative medicine, engineered cell therapies are increasingly utilized as a tool for programmed responses to environmental factors, such as growth factors and inflammatory cytokines. These therapeutic cells can be engineered with custom sensing and responding modules for rewiring native cell behaviors. Despite recent advances with synthetic receptors, however, researchers have still struggled to reliably direct therapeutic cell responses. Here, we present innovations in engineering synthetic receptors to respond to monomeric and multimeric orthogonal and native ligands. We first developed a method for activating cells with monomeric orthogonal ligands using an engineered polyethylene glycol (PEG) biomaterial surface. This system allowed for spatial control and directed therapeutic responses, such as inflammation attenuation and neuronal differentiation. We next extended this system to synthetically program cells for activation with multimeric native ligands that are implicated in disease states like Parkinson’s disease, fibrosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. We successfully engineered cells with synthetic receptors for the native ligands TNF-α, TGF-β1, and VEGF and demonstrated significant reporter activation. We then focused on the synthetic receptor for TNF-α in a specific therapeutic application. Parkinson’s disease is caused by the death of midbrain dopaminergic (mDa) neurons, and one recent approach is transplanting these vital cells into patients. However, many mDa neurons die soon after transplantation due to exposure to the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α. To address this, we successfully engineered mDa progenitors with TNF-sensitive synthetic receptors and showed reporter and therapeutic outputs, such as production of the TNF antagonist, soluble TNF receptor 1 (sTNFR1). To our knowledge, this represents the first productive attempt to engineer mDa progenitors with synthetic receptors. Our approach for synthetically programming cells allows for modular receptor domains and transgenes, meaning our system is adaptable for a variety of orthogonal and native ligands and applicable for a range of disease states. In addition, our system allows for precise, user-defined outputs, opening new avenues for reproducible control of engineered therapeutic cell responses
From Leadership Replacement Planning to Building Organizational Sustainability Through Succession Management and Technology Integration at APIAVOTE
No full textLeadership and Learning in Organizations capstone projectAsian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Its mission is to build a lasting culture of civic engagement by ensuring AAPIs have a strong and visible voice in democracy. APIAVote is entering a pivotal transition period as it prepares for the 2030 Census and the executive director’s forthcoming departure. This capstone project conducts a comprehensive program evaluation to assess the organization’s readiness for leadership succession and long-term sustainability. Drawing on principles of succession management, organizational continuity, leadership development, and systems design, the study evaluates current operational structures—including governance practices, technology utilization, human resources, and knowledge management—to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for strategic improvement. The project proposes the SUSTAIN framework, a succession management model that integrates leadership pipeline development, enhanced technological capacity, knowledge transfer mechanisms, and strengthened governance engagement. Findings highlight the need for cohesive operational systems, structured leadership development pathways, and optimized use of technology tools such as NationBuilder to support voter engagement and workflow efficiency. This project offers a strategic blueprint for ensuring organizational stability, preserving institutional knowledge, and positioning APIAVote for sustained impact in the civic engagement landscape
Crafting as Grafting‽ Investigating the Hybrid Aesthetics in Lotte Reiniger’s Films
No full textThis dissertation is an investigation into the hybrid aesthetics of the pre-exilic films of the stop-motion silhouette puppet animator, Lotte Reiniger. Recent research has posited that Reiniger was a marginalized figure who worked in isolation and in the shadow of contemporary, male animators and filmmakers like Walt Disney and others. This has resulted in a self-fulfilling prophecy, in which the myth that Reiniger was unknown in her own time is perpetuated, shifting focus from the innovations of her art to the apparently necessary rediscovery of the filmmaker. The hybridization of media and genres belies the centrality of Reiniger’s work. Most of Reiniger’s films are adaptations, grafting fairy tales, theater pieces, and operas onto film. In these adaptations, self-referential scenes that show Reiniger’s hand at work or that play with sound design reveal the possibilities and limitations of film as a medium for adaptation. The result of this experimentation is a series of hybridized films that exhibit qualities of both the source material and analog film.
Three body chapters provide examples of these hybrid films. The first is about Aschenputtel (1922), a film that thematizes the in/visibility of women’s labor. The second examines the ludic qualities of Harlekin (1931). The playful spirit of the commedia dell’arte genre is revived in the aesthetics of the film, suggesting that Reiniger’s creative process was a joyful engagement with crafting and hobbying. Finally, the third chapter discusses Papageno (1935), a film that puts the bird-catching side character in the spotlight. Together, these three films demonstrate that Reiniger was an artist who by no means worked in isolation, but rather, worked collaboratively with some of the biggest names in animation and composition of her time. In addition to this, her films demonstrate a deep awareness of the art historical context of her various sources as well as her own time. By deploying hybrid aesthetics, Reiniger participated in multiple artmaking practices and movements, which challenges present-day categories and forces researchers to think differently about the relationship between media
Examination of Associations between Social Reward Responsiveness, Social Media Use, and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Adolescents
No full textAdolescent suicide rates have surged by 52.2% in the past twenty years, necessitating targeted prevention strategies (CDC, 2021). This study explores a neurophysiological marker of social reward responsiveness derived from the electroencephalogram (EEG), specifically social reward positivity (RewP), and social media use as predictors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) in adolescents. The study included 76 participants ranging from 14-17 years old. The study examined the associations between RewP, social media, and STBs from high-risk acute psychiatric treatment and community samples. Additionally, the study aims to test social media use and social RewP as unique associations of suicidal ideation and history of suicide attempt(s). We found a significant positive association between social media coping skills and suicidal ideation severity, as well as a significant positive relationship between social RewP and social media coping skills. Moreover, we found that social RewP was not associated with STBs. These findings suggest that rather than looking at the overall use of social media, understanding how adolescents use social media to cope could be key in determining suicidal ideation. Although neural measures were not directly correlated with STBs, further consideration in larger samples is warranted.Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Sciences. I would like to acknowledge the project’s funding: National Institute of Mental Health K23MH122737 to Alex Bettis, UL1 TR000445 from NCATS/NIH, and the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
Children of the Empire: A bioarchaeological investigation of childhood and socialization in the Wari Empire (600 to 1000 CE)
No full textExamining childhood in the archaeological past is essential to understanding socialization and the reproduction of societal norms. Imperial systems shape many aspects of daily life, instilling sociopolitical expectations from childhood, which are mediated through family and community. To explore these processes, this study considers bioarchaeological evidence of developmental diseases, diet, childhood migration, and child-rearing practices—such as weaning and breastfeeding—in the pre-Hispanic highland community of Auquimarca during the Wari Empire (600–1000 CE). The dataset includes osteological analyses of human skeletal remains (N=104) and stable isotope analyses of dental carbonates (N=201) and bone collagen (N=75). Stable isotope data indicate dietary variability among adults, with most consuming a combination of C4 and C3 plants—likely maize and tubers—and terrestrial animals such as camelids, deer, and cuy. Juvenile plant consumption varied by age, with children incorporating more C4 plants, such as maize or possibly amaranth, as they grew. Overall, children appear to have consumed more C4 plants than adults. The weaning process likely began around 3 to 5 years of age, with maize as the primary weaning food. Stable isotope data reveal that while some individuals buried at Auquimarca migrated there as children or adults, most were local to the region. These findings highlight the role of child-rearing practices—such as breastfeeding, weaning, and the introduction of culturally appropriate foods—as key mechanisms of socialization, embedding children within networks of meaning, reinforcing community ties, and shaping their integration into broader imperial structures