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Ascertion: Middleware for Content Moderation
No full textThe Internet is dominated by a handful of social media platforms that disproportionately control content curation and moderation. As a result, it is increasingly difficult for users to discern verified and credible information from misinformation and disinformation. Middleware is a specialized software with mechanisms to decentralize platform power and reinstate users with autonomy over their online experiences. We propose middleware that gives users the autonomy to create and consume authentic and trusted content. We achieved a proof of concept for a middleware with mechanisms for verifiable content posting and authentication. Our solution is implemented as a Chrome plug-in that provides users with the means to sign and verify content. The plug-in is not yet ready for deployment, so we recommend further development and testing before publication to the Chrome Web Store
Cross-Cultural Inspiration Coach
No full textPersonal inspiration and motivation are fundamental drivers of well-being and growth, yet current digital wellness solutions predominantly reflect Western perspectives, failing to address the diverse cultural contexts through which inspiration manifests globally. This thesis presents the development of an Inspirational Coach platform that leverages artificial intelligence to deliver culturally-adaptive personal development content. The system employs a fine-tuned Llama 3.1 8B model using Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA) techniques to generate personalized motivational content that incorporates users’ cultural backgrounds, personal themes, and individual preferences.
The platform integrates four core features within a comprehensive React-based web application: guided journaling with mood tracking, goal setting and progress monitoring, culturally-adapted daily affirmations, and AI-generated personalized inspirational content. The system architecture combines a Next.js frontend with Firebase for real-time data management and user authentication, while a FastAPI server hosts the fine-tuned language model for content generation. Extensive user research informed the design process, ensuring cultural sensitivity and accessibility across diverse demographic groups.
Evaluation results demonstrate the platform’s e↵ectiveness in delivering culturally-relevant inspirational content. The fine-tuned model successfully adapts content to incorporate cultural wisdom, proverbs, and perspectives while maintaining authenticity and avoiding stereotypical representations. This work contributes to the emerging field of culturally-inclusive AI applications and establishes a framework for responsible development of AI-powered personal development tools that respect and celebrate cultural diversity
Online Hyperparameter Tuning for LLM Optimization
No full textLarge Language Models (LLMs) are becoming increasingly popular in modern society. However, despite their popularity, the deployment of LLMs in real-world scenarios is extremely challenging due to substantial computational costs and memory constraints. Edge devices, like smartphones and IoT devices, lack resources needed to run these models locally, instead offloading computations for cloud computing. Cloud computing requires users to send their data over the internet leading to numerous privacy and security concerns. In some domains, such as health and finances, sending such sensitive information is not an option. Existing solutions to compress or increase inference speed include Small Language Models (SLMs), model compression techniques, and inference optimization strategies. However, all of these techniques require extensive human effort and manual tuning to find the optimal settings for increased speed without significant degradation of the quality of output. We propose an online hyperparameter finetuning method that autonomously discovers the optimal settings based on tangible metrics during inference. Our approach monitors performance metrics in real-time and dynamically adjusts any tunable parameter without human intervention. We demonstrate this framework on dynamic sparsity prediction, achieving 1.67÷ speedup while maintaining accuracy, but the method generalizes to any tunable parameters
The Aerodynamics of Swept, Canted, and Slotted Winglets
No full textWinglets have been used to improve the aerodynamic performance of wings. They do this by decreasing the lift induced drag that is experienced by the wing. The winglet modifies the wingtip vortex generated by adjusting both its size, location and strength. Motivated by previous research on the manipulation of wake vorticity through the use of a forward or backward sweep discovered originally when investigating crescent wings, the presented work investigates the role of sweep, cant and slots on winglets. Sweep was first applied to positive and negative canted wings with a symmetric airfoil, the ONERA M6. The wing flows were solved using the CFD solver ANSYS Fluent, at a Reynolds Number of 5.55 ⇤ 106, and some surface visualizations were compared to wind tunnel experiments. Forward swept winglets with positive or negative cant experienced a decrease in lift at most angles of attack, AOA. Backward swept winglets increased lift at low AOA but only increased lift at high AOA for positively canted wings. Drag was more dependent on the cant angle, with positive canted winglets decreasing drag, while negative canted winglets increased drag at low AOA but decreased it at high AOA. Additionally, sweep alters the behavior of wing shear stress and change the shed vorticity. Specifically, forward swept winglets produce more negative curl than positive swept cases. To enhance the differences observed in flow behavior and wing performance a cambered wing was then investigated, using the NACA 4412 airfoil. This showed positive cant decreasing the lift induced drag factor, k, by 4.4% when compared to a wing with no winglet. Several fence type winglets were investigated using forward and backward slots to manipulate the shed vorticity. While the best performing winglet was an un-slotted full airfoil profile fence, decreasing the lift induced drag factor by 12.2%, slots were seen to help manipulate the shed vorticity. Specifically, backward slots shift the vortex core but increased its strength, while the forward slots decreased its strength but did not shift its position as much. The backward slot designs outperformed the forward slots, when measured by the change in the lift induced drag factor. The best performing slotted designs were the semi slotted winglets with slots only located on the upper half of the winglet and a flat plate on the bottom, while fully slotted winglets showed the best wake vortex manipulation
Peer-Led Sexual and Reproductive HealthEducation Programs at Universities
No full textThis applied research explores the accessibility, visibility, and comprehensiveness of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education and services at universities, with a specific focus on contraceptive risk awareness. Recognizing college students as particularly vulnerable to misinformation regarding hormonal contraceptives, unintended pregnancy, and STI exposure, the study examines the role of university-provided SRH resources in mitigating these risks.
A mixed-methods content analysis was conducted on the SRH publicly-available web pages of four Northern California universities—Stanford University, San Francisco State University, Santa Clara University, and the University of California, Berkeley, chosen for their diversity in institutional identity. The research assessed each university’s online SRH resources for accessibility, thematic comprehensiveness, and adherence to best practices. The findings reveal notable disparities among institutions, with UC Berkeley offering the most comprehensive resources, including robust peer-led education and extensive service integration. Stanford provided strong clinical care supported by the presence of the university-affiliated hospital, but lacked visible peer education programs. San Francisco State largely relied on community-based resources, while Santa Clara University demonstrated critical gaps in SRH education and offerings in line with religious restrictions and few references to resources in the broader community. Across all institutions, information on hormonal contraceptive risks was inconsistently addressed, often lacking depth or clarity. The research supports peer-led education as a best practice for improving SRH knowledge retention and behavioral outcomes. Recommendations include enhancing the digital visibility of services offered, improving resource depth and accessibility to maintain best practices in SRH education, and integrating SRH counseling in non-clinical campus settings to foster informed decision-making and reduce stigma
El Peso Que Cargamos Por Dentro (The Weight We Carry Inside): A Plática-Based Study on Mental Health, Cultural Identity, and Support Systems Among First-Generation Latiné College Students
No full textThis study explores the mental health and well-being experiences of First-Generation Latiné college students as it relates to the impacts of college stressors, implementation of coping strategies, and reliance on support systems. Additionally, this study aims to explore the existing cultural, structural, and institutional barriers affecting student access to mental health and wellbeing resources. Furthermore, this research serves as insight for how institutions can incorporate more culturally sustaining campus practices when it comes to supporting First-Generation Latiné college student mental health.
This research is guided by Critical Race Theory (CRT), Latinx Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), Community Cultural Wealth (CCW), and familismo. These frameworks serve as a foundation in understanding how First-Generation Latiné college students are affected within systems of oppression. Through the lens of CRT and LatCrit, this study centers student counterstories and elevates student voices and their lived experiences in an effort to challenge the dominant narrative. CCW provides an asset-based framework to understand how participants draw strength from familial, social, and resistant capital while navigating college challenges. Additionally, familismo provides a cultural lens rooted in the value of family to understand the duality of the role in family as a source of stress and support when navigating institutional challenges.
This study utilized a qualitative research design in the form of both one-on-one and communal pláticas with 12 First-Generation Latiné college students entering their junior and senior year at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) in California. The use of pláticas allows for the collection of rich conversations that feel both culturally familiar and relational. One-on-one and communal pláticas allow for spaces of reflection, meaning-making, and healing that feel authentic to both the participants and researcher.
Audio-recordings and transcriptions from one-on-one and communal pláticas were the main source of data collection. In addition, field notes, participant interest forms, and demographic information provided further context, along with institutional data highlighting the emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) status of the institution.
Findings reveal that First-Generation Latiné college students carry the emotional weight of academic stress, financial strain, familial duties, cultural expectations, imposter syndrome, and the impacts of a predominantly white campus climate. Though students experience a number of barriers to accessing mental health resources, like cultural stigma, time constraints, and lack of culturally competent providers, they demonstrate strength drawn from their familial, peer, and community networks. Supportive relationships with faculty and staff further affirm their identities and contribute to a sense of bellowing and overall well-being.
This study highlights the importance of using pláticas as a methodological tool that is culturally grounded, relational, and healing. It also contributes to a growing body of literature centering First-Generation Latiné college students and the need for more culturally responsive mental health services and institutional practices that seek to affirm students’ identities and lived experiences. The findings from this research offers valuable insights for student affairs professionals and institutions looking to further address the equity gaps that remain when addressing the mental health and well-being needs of First-Generation Latiné college students
Straddling Worlds: Culture, Disability, and the Myth of Academic Perfection: The Experiences of Asian Indian Students in U.S. Education
No full textThis qualitative phenomenological study explores the educational experiences of Asian Indian students with disabilities through the lenses of Disability Studies (DS) and Critical Disability Theory (CDT). It addresses two research questions: (1) How do Asian Indian students with disabilities describe the way the model minority myth shaped their educational experiences? and (2) In what ways do K–12 educational experiences with self-advocacy shape their transition to four-year colleges?
Participants described intense academic and career pressures stemming from cultural expectations and the model minority myth, which portrays Asian Indian communities as innately high-achieving, hard-working, and academically-oriented. These pressures, combined with disability stigma in the Asian Indian community, created significant challenges in identity development and access to support. Many participants struggled with internalized stigma, social isolation, and disbelief from educators when academic difficulties surfaced.
Three key themes emerged: Academic and Career Pressures, Social and Academic Challenges, and Self-Advocacy and College Transition. Participants who developed an understanding of their disabilities and practiced self-advocacy in K–12 settings reported smoother transitions to college. Accepting their disability identity was critical in allowing them to practice self-advocacy during their transition to a four-year college.
This study contributes to a limited body of research on Asian Indian students with disabilities by highlighting how intersecting identities of race, culture, and disability impact educational experiences. The findings suggest a need for culturally responsive practices in educational spaces that acknowledge and address the unique challenges faced by this understudied population