Bioculture Journal
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UAV Networks : Design Considerations
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2018Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have come a long way, from starting out as military reconnais- sance vehicles to a popular hobbyist’s tool. Significant research and development efforts from the commercial drone industry have significantly improved commercial UAVs and has got the wireless network and communications design community thinking about the possibility of realization and deployment of UAV networks. UAV networks, if realized, offer a significant edge over conventional wireless communication networks, they can be easily re-configured and re-arranged to handle varying traffic, can provide critical communication facilities in disaster hit regions etc. In this work, we explore the scenario where UAV air-to-ground communications between a low altitude platform such as a UAV flying happens over an open ground setting. An integral component of the above is to come up with a wireless channel model that depends more on physics rather than the empirical studies. Thus, this work develops a physics based wireless channel model for UAV air-ground link and validates the said model. This, to the best of the author’s knowledge has never been attempted before. The author then uses the validated model to look for rate-based optimization as a UAV flies right above a ground node in a straight line
Feminist Teacher
No full textUsing feminist pedagogical practices that incorporate student knowledge production and digital scholarship methods, a team at the University of Washington Bothell founded the online, open-access Feminist Community Archive of Washington (FCA-WA). Faculty, students, and the library partner with local feminist and gender justice organizations to develop content for the archive. As part of a core gender, women, & sexuality studies (GWSS) course, our/the assignment asks the students to collect artifacts and conduct interviews with activists that document the current work and histories of their organizations. The library has archived
these materials and made them available in an open-access, online digital collection. In an era of disappearing information
and contested stories, the FCA-WA aims to expand the archival record and serve as a permanent and open home for the histories of groups and individuals working to support social justice for women, femmes, gender-nonconforming folks, and their allies.
We contend that the assignment and archive, in addition to being a repository for potentially forgotten histories, are projects that embody intersectional feminist praxis and work toward upsetting academic structures of inequity. In the academy, marginalized peoples’ stories and research methods are rendered invisible; classes and assignments that “speak to” or are taught by minoritized students and faculty are not the norm. Similarly, archives are typically created and maintained by non-marginalized scholars, ultimately reflecting the stories of the elite, their ways of knowing, and their methods of research. Perhaps most troubling, said archives are framed as neutral receptacles, which perpetuates a false narrative that leaves power imbalances unquestioned. We maintain that the FCA-WA, and the assignment used to fill it, undermines these hierarchical logics and structures. In this paper, we seek to explain the assignment and archive in the context of intersectional feminism. We then
explain the assignment and archive, and conclude by demonstrating the potential of feminist, community-engaged, student
knowledge production and archive building to subvert academic hierarchies, and we consider directions for future research
and collaborations
Pedestrianizing Pike Street: Continuing to re-envision the right of way of Pike Street in Capitol Hill
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2018The right of way between Broadway and 12th Avenue on Pike Street un Capitol Hill has been identified as a place of interest for pedestrian-oriented design solutions by Capitol Hill community members and the city. In the summers of 2015 and 2017, the Seattle Department of Public Transportation’s Public Space Management Group has hosted temporary street closures to address issues of safety and the community’s desire to repurpose the right of way. These events were held in the evening hours. Community members have voiced concerns that the nightlife orientation of these street closures may result in the area being viewed as solely a bar scene when there exist many more uses of the site. In order to address this, this public life study looked into how the site functions throughout the day. The People Street Program Evaluation method of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation was adapted to analyze the study area. Pedestrian counts, activity scans, pedestrian intercept surveys, and business operator surveys were conducted in the study area. The results of which have led to a few recommendations. First, the city and community should continue exploring temporary street closures, as there appears to still be a debate among stakeholders on the idea. In these interim design solutions, project evaluation methods should be implemented to ensure that feedback about previous designs are heard and therefore addressed in subsequent proposals. Through multiple iterations, there may come a day when a permanent solution is agreed upon. Secondly, the next design should steer away from solely focusing on evening hours. It was found that stakeholders would like to see a more robust design and events that address the use of the space throughout the day. Thirdly, the designs should reflect the communities that have historically called Capitol Hill home and continue to. There has been an observed shift in demographics due to redevelopment and there are fears that this safe space for the LGBTQ community is vanishing. Finally, concerns over the built environments have been raised in recent history leading to urban design policies to preserve neighborhood character. Future design proposals should look to bolster and enhance the built character of the Pike/Pine corridor
Nutrient cycling and wood chemistry of sinuous Douglas-fir stands across different genetic gain levels in western Washington
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2018Stem sinuosity is a deformation which occurs in Douglas-fir and other tree species, which can be thought of as the displacement of the stem from its original direction over the total length of displacement. Nutritional deficiencies, such as those of copper, zinc, boron and calcium have been positively associated with increased stem form deformities. The objective of this study was to analyse available soil and total foliar concentrations of sinuous Douglas-fir stands, which were planted as a part of a genetic gains trial, which would give information about trends in nutrient cycling across sites and different levels of genetic gain. Increment wood cores, taken at breast height, were also analysed through FT-IR spectrophotometry and compared against sinuosity scores of the trees in order to get a more rigorous measurement of sinuosity. As the data collected was multivariate, Mantel test and PERMANOVA were used to study effects of site, genetic gain levels and pH on soil and foliar nutrients, with PCA and NMDS ordinations being used to visualize those trends. Relationships among genetic gain levels across different sites were also assessed to evaluate whether trees from a provenance suited to higher growth were better at mobilizing and sequestering nutrients in soils or needles. The stands were found to be deficient in boron and calcium, and moderately deficient with respect to zinc and nitrogen concentrations in the foliage. Trees from higher genetic gain level were able to accumulate nutrients more in their foliage, and there also seemed to be some differences with respect to available soil nutrients in the soils around them. Sinuosity was found to be negatively correlated with available soil boron, nitrogen, calcium, nitrate and foliar nitrogen while it was positively correlated to foliar sulphur, calcium, copper, zinc and available soil ammonium. Results of multivariate analyses show that site was the most important predictor which explained variation among soil nutrient concentrations. Genetic gain level explained some differences in soil/foliar nutrient concentrations, although not significantly so. Trends in that dataset and supporting data indicate the potential of proper genetic selection to reduce sinuosity while increasing growth. Absorbances obtained from wood cores taken at breast height were not found to be significant predictors of stem-form sinuosity and did not hint towards high lignin to cellulose ratios in the wood, although the principle components analysis did pinpoint a wavenumber range associated with glucosidic bonds as explaining the variation in the spectral dataset. This is encouraging and its potential for exploring differences in wood chemistry from sinuous sections of the stem would be worth investigating. The results of this study support the contention that no one single factor can explain stem-sinuosity. It is likely that sinuous growth in trees is caused by a combination of unbalanced nutrient concentrations and metal deficiencies, as were seen in this study, in addition to genetic, environmental and physiological factor
Architecture of Belonging: A Multicultural Sanctuary Center for South Park
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2018The South Park neighborhood in the city of Seattle is home to a rich and vibrant Latino and immigrant community. Yet the neighborhood lacks a multicultural center—a place where these residents can feel protected and safe—to support these groups. This thesis argues that architecture can play a role in creating a sense of belonging and refuge for people seeking sanctuary. The design of a multicultural sanctuary center seeks to demonstrate how design can empower the Latino community of South Park. The project uplifts both the local residents and vulnerable groups by dedicating spaces to fit the needs of the community. The thesis embraces the inherent dichotomy of belonging wherein exclusive and inclusive ideas work together in the design of gathering and of protection. In today’s society where immigrant communities are under increasing threat, an architecture of belonging that fosters strength in community is critically important. The resulting project demonstrates that architecture of belonging is a physical experience and a social construct that can provide a place of refuge and safety and a voice for the marginalized in today’s society
Social harms and benefits reported by HIV Vaccine Trial Network(HVTN) participants across different countries.
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2018HIV vaccine trials bring to the limelight socio-behavioral issues that extend beyond the borders of traditional vaccine trials but, there is a dearth of knowledge on these issues. This study employed a cross-protocol approach, using data from 51 closed protocols across HIV Vaccine Trial Network (HVTN) sites in thirteen countries. A total of 937 social harms were reported by 789 (7.5%) of 10,483 participants. The most common reported event was problems with personal relationship (n=704, 75.1%). Issues with insurance, education, housing, travel/immigration, and military/government agencies were minimal (<10 events). Most events (n=656, 70%) were considered resolved by the end of study. Logistic regression analysis showed that sex and age were not significantly associated with reporting a social harm, whereas region, participants’ study phase, and treatment group were significant predictors. A total of 6,562 participants reported at least one benefit at first assessment and the most common benefit reported was helping others/altruism(n=3,100). Age and treatment group were not associated with reporting at least one benefit. However, there were significant differences by regions, sex and study phase. Our study showed that the reporting of social harms was low across HVTN sites while a high number of participants reported benefit
The Public Health and Environmental Benefits of Urban Agriculture: An Analysis of Stakeholder Perspectives
No full textThe potential public health and environmental benefits of urban agricultural systems are
widely accepted to produce outcomes that can improve the overall health of individuals,
communities and the environment. However, professionals, academics, and policy makers may
disagree regarding what those potential benefits are, or they may place different values on the
importance of such benefits. There are substantial economic, political, and physical barriers that
will have a significant impact on the future development of urban agricultural systems, and the
efficacy of each individual urban and peri-urban food system is difficult to measure. Attempting
to quantify a value for healthy environments and communities versus economic activity and the
need for affordable housing is problematic. Stakeholders in the field of agriculture may provide
valuable insights into the reality of a hyper-localized food systems and offer a suitable starting
point to discuss the future policy implications. This study obtained data through qualitative
interviews that supports the idea that stakeholders in the field of urban agriculture share similar
perceptions on the potential public health and environmental benefits—while also dispelling
some previous assumptions and expanding on new research topics. Any public health or
environmental benefits that may be achievable through urban agriculture will only happen when
the political, economic and social barriers are addressed
A Passive Pediatric Exoskeleton to Improve the Walking Ability of Children with Neuromuscular Disorders
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2018Children with neuromuscular disorders, such as cerebral palsy (CP) often have walking limitations. Assistive devices for home use, such as walkers and crutches, may not provide optimal participation opportunities or lead to effective walking dosage. Even with therapy and assistive devices, children with CP get significantly less walking practice than typically developing peers. Recent research has shown that passive exotendon driven exoskeletons are effective for improving walking outcomes for adults with neurologic injury. A passive pediatric exoskeleton using exotendons was developed and evaluated for improving gait of children with CP and other forms of hemiparesis. Three typically developing (TD) children and two children with hemiparesis walked on level ground with the exoskeleton at three stiffness settings. Motion capture and electromyography data were collected to evaluate changes in joint kinematic symmetry, walking speed, and step width. The exoskeleton had no significant impact on gait outcome measures for TD participants, but for participants with hemiparesis the exoskeleton significantly improved kinematic joint symmetry at the hip or the ankle depending on the participant’s natural gait pattern. These results suggest that exotendon-based designs for passive exoskeletons may provide a novel platform to improve walking for children with neurologic injuries and support community-based gait training
The Long Shadow: The Long-Term Consequences of Armed Conflict for Population Change in Tajikistan
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2018Armed conflict creates uncertainty, endangers individual physical safety, and threatens the destruction of institutions. This dissertation examines the long-term consequences of armed conflict for educational attainment, abortion, and migration, ten years after the end of the Tajikistani civil war. Short-term disruptions in schooling during the war have ramifications for degree completion later in life for boys, while broad changes stemming from the regime change have ramifications for girls’ attainment. These differences diminish for the region where investment in education has been consistently higher, suggesting that development strategies can moderate the negative effects of armed conflict in the long run. For some cohorts of women, the likelihood of having an abortion decreased over the long run when exposed to conflict at childbearing ages, although for some women the number of abortions declined. These changes fade over the long run. Finally, exposure to conflict events fundamentally changes some features of the institutional landscape which in turn affect livelihood strategies. People in places with more exposure to conflict events were more likely to decide to migrate ten years after the end of the war, all else equal. Together, these findings suggest that when it comes to the long-term outcomes of armed conflict, it is not only individual exposure that matters, but also institutional exposure
UW Symphony and Combined UW Choirs David Alexander Rahbee and Giselle Wyers June 1, 2018
No full textConcert ProgramConcert Program for UW Symphony UW Combined Choirs David Alexander Rahbee Giselle Wyers June 1, 201