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Evaluating the Refugee Training Program at 1951 Coffee Company
Get PDFThe goal of this research project at 1951 Coffee is to assess the impact of the 1951 Coffee Company refugee training program. Data was gathered through a series of interviews with 30 participants who had completed the barista training program within the past x months. Interviews included questions related to demographic details, experiences with refugee resettlement, and the potential benefits achieved through the training program, such as increased employment opportunities following program participation. Data was collected over four weeks and included interviews with refugees currently working at the 1951 Coffee shop / facility as well as those who had moved on to pursue other opportunities. Analysis of the data revealed that the program has several strengths, including teaching a new skill that would be important for employment at the 1951 Coffee Shop, providing refugees with a sense of community, introduction to the English language, and an information center for refugees to find out about resources available to them and re-employment in other future jobs. As for the optimization of the program, analysis of the research data revealed opportunities to strengthen the training program ranging from x to x.. The research supports 1951’s mission by identifying positive impacts of the barista training program and offering suggestions to improve the program for future participants. After analyzing the refugee training program, we offer conclusions that will benefit other social enterprises serving vulnerable populations, especially those who provide vocational training
Nuerogen: EEG and Near-Infared Stimulation Control System
Get PDFPeople suffering from neurodegenerative diseases need a viable option to help slow the progression of their symptoms and improve remaining cognitive function because brain problems can greatly limit basic body function such as balance, movement, talking, breathing, and heart function which steadily declines quality of life. Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) is an experimental treatment that has shown promise in helping slow or stop the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
This year, we were able to extend the preliminary exploratory work of the senior design groups from the past two years and build upon it to make a more flexible and reliable research device for studying how different variables such as frequency, duty cycle, and light stimulation pattern affect the results of transcranial photobiomodulation on the brain. We redesigned the LED boards and simplified the equipment on the headworn device by eliminating fans, heat sinks, and excessive wiring and boards. Our focus was centered around the implementation of 850 and 1070 nanometer (nm) near-infrared (NIR) light emitting diodes (LEDs) on boards placed around the inside of the device to study the effects of stimulation through electroencephologram (EEG) readings.
For future research purposes, a closed loop system would be an ideal solution, however, we need to understand how tPBM works and affects the human brain at a low level before a control system can be defined. This year, our focus was to create a system that could accurately and effectively measure the brain\u27s response to stimulation and create a tool that could inform future groups on how to proceed with the implementation of a closed loop system
Structure, status, and span: gender differences in co-authorship networks across 16 region-subject pairs (2009–2013)
Get PDFGlobal and team science approaches are on the rise, as is attention to the network underpinnings of gender disparities in scientific collaboration. Many network studies of men’s and women’s collaboration rely on bounded case studies of single disciplines and/or single countries and limited measures related to the collaborative process. We deploy network analysis on the scholarly database Scopus to gain insight into gender inequity across regions and subject areas and to better understand contextual underpinnings of stagnancy. Using a dataset of over 1.2 million authors and 144 million collaborative relationships, we capture international and unbounded co-authorship networks that include intra- and inter-disciplinary co-authorship ties across time (2009–2013). We describe how gender informs structural features and status differences in network relationships, focusing on men and women authors in 16 region-subject pairs. We pay particular attention to how connected authors are (first- and second-order degree centrality), attributes of authors’ collaborative relationships (including the “quality” and other characteristics of these ties), tendencies towards gender homophily (proportion of same-gender ties), and the nature of men’s and women’s interdisciplinary and international reach. Men have more advantageous first-order connections, yet second-order collaborative profiles look more similar. Men and women exhibit homophilous attachment to authors of the same gender, consistent over time. There is notable variation in the level of gender disparity within subjects across countries. We discuss this variation in the context of global trends in men’s and women’s scientific participation and cultural- and country-level influences on the organization and production of science
Solar Sister Apprenticeship Program Evaluation
Get PDFSolar Sister is a social enterprise operating in Tanzania, Nigeria, and Kenya that aims to eradicate energy poverty through the economic empowerment of women. Solar Sister has had great success establishing sales networks of women in last-mile communities and has recently expanded its business model to include urban communities. For over x years, Solar Sister has advanced women’s economic power with training and employment opportunities focused on the sales and distribution of solar powered devices. More recently, Solar Sister has piloted a new training program geared toward expanding the business within an untapped age demographic. The new “Apprenticeship Program” (AP) supports men and women in urban Kenya aged 18-35 seeking jobs in the clean energy sector and has been piloted in Kenya for the past two years. Apprentices receive business training and support from SS’s more seasoned Business Development Associates (BDAs) and are connected to SS’s clean energy product pipeline as they become essential clean energy distributors. The research study in this report draws on a variety of data sources, including recorded interviews with BDAs and Solar Sister employees, focus groups with Apprentices, and feedback from written worksheets to gauge the effectiveness of Solar Sister’s Apprenticeship Program. A total of 9 Apprentices and SSEs were interviewed, 9 individuals completed surveys, and 15 participated in focus groups. The findings highlight the program’s success in building confidence, financial literacy, and self-reliance among participants—many of whom expressed feeling empowered to set goals, manage money, and act as role models in their communities. However, challenges such as high transportation costs, limited access to branded materials, difficulty gathering end-user data, and schedule challenges hinder program effectiveness. To address these issues, we recommend that Solar Sister consider investing in high-visibility gear such as branded reflector vests, shifting toward more hands-on and flexible field-based training models, and partnering with microloan providers to reduce financial stress on participants. These adjustments would not only improve retention and daily operations for Apprentices but also strengthen Solar Sister’s long-term impact in advancing clean energy access and economic opportunity across urban Kenya
Digital image correlation guided wearable sensor design and fabrication of novel microfluidic pump for human movement classification using machine learning models
Get PDFWearable technologies are transforming healthcare and enabling physicians to customize treatments through continuous non-invasive data acquisition. Microfluidic sensors have been gaining attention due to their flexibility and ability to conform to the human skin. However, individual variations in skin properties necessitate personalized sensor designs. This thesis presents a novel approach for designing and fabricating wearable microfluidic sensors, leveraging digital image correlation (DIC) to guide the development of a microfluidic pump for human movement classification. An open-source DIC platform Ncorr was utilized for 2D and 3D DIC analysis of human skin strain. The results were used to guide the design of a novel skin-strain-actuated microfluidic pump (SAMP) that employs asymmetric aspect ratio channels to record human activity in the fluidic domain. The passive image-based data readout method eliminates the need for electronics. An analytical model was established describing the SAMP’s operation mechanism as a wearable microfluidic device. A series of benchtop experiments established SAMP’s capability of measuring hundreds of strain cycles. Human experiments confirmed proof-of-concept by quantifying simple wrist flexion and distinguishing between complex shoulder movements. Finally, a theoretical method for improving the movement classification by utilizing machine learning models was discussed
Enhancing Cycling Access in Santa Clara: Uncovering Residents’ Motivations and Reducing Inequities
No full textTo increase cycling in Santa Clara, it is critical to understand the current motivations of Santa Clara residents and what prevents citizens from using current resources. This effort will increase current infrastructure usage and optimize the implementation of high-quality infrastructure.
Community members of the City of Santa Clara voiced three opportunity areas for improvement, which could increase cycling rates and improve public health:
1.Respondents’ main concerns relate to safety, both when riding and bike thefts when parked
2.Respondents want more on-street cycling paths separated from car traffic by parked cars or a curb
3.Respondents see major opportunities for improvements along and near El Camino Real and Pruneridge Ave
These have been areas of interest in previous development projects, such as the Bicycle Master Plan (2018), the El Camino Real Specific Plan, and the Pruneridge Avenue Complete Street Plan. They demonstrate long-term community interest in change and support many initiatives the city has taken steps toward.
The city would enhance safety, connectivity, and bicycle friendliness by implementing infrastructure geared toward “Interested, but concerned” cyclists. This group typically represents 50-60% of a population across research. Changes in daily habits would further advance the climate and equity goals of the city
Southeast Asian American Tongues: The Sustainability and Growth of a Vietnamese Dual Language Immersion Program in the Wake of California’s Proposition 58, a Qualitative Study
No full textThis dissertation investigates the sustainability and growth of a VDLI program in Silicon Valley. The program was established in response to the 2016 passage of California’s Proposition 58, which reversed restrictions that inhibited the implementation of K12 bilingual programs. The study explored concepts related to the initial diaspora, linguistic experience, cultivation of an identity fostering a bilingual love of language, and community linguistic networks that sustained the bilingualism for research participants. Participants revealed their personal stories leading them to the VDLI from their own independent journeys in sheltering, preserving, and maintaining their linguistic heritage. The VDLI stands as a testament to the demand for multiculturalism, multilingualism, and schooling environments that affirm language diversity and counter the historically subordinating approaches to minority languages in the English dominant public schooling system. It investigates the school program experience and frames guidance for VDLI implementation with strong considerations for the implementation of Southeast Asian languages in California public schools. Theoretical frameworks that inform the study include raciolingustics (Flores & Rosa, 2015), AsianCrit (Museus & Iftikar, 2013) and the asset-oriented frames provided by Tara Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth model. This research comes at a critical time in California history, where geopolitical dynamics are shifting, transpacific cultures have emerged to connect diasporic minority groups through digital ties to the homeland, and there is a desire for a schooling system that has a more inclusive linguistic and cultural disposition
“Are they into each other?” What drinking alcohol and leaving a party together signal to college students about sexual intent
No full textObjective: Misperception of sexual intent is linked to incidence of sexual assault. The present study tested the effects of gender, alcohol consumption, and leaving a party together, in isolation and in interaction, on perceptions of sexual intent. Participants: Undergraduates (N = 438) completed an online survey between Winter 2017 and Winter 2018. Methods: Participants read one of eight versions of a vignette about a social interaction between male and female college-aged acquaintances and rated the targets’ sexual interest in each other. Who was consuming alcohol (both targets, female only, male only, or neither) and whether the targets left together were manipulated. Results: Alcohol consumption and leaving together interacted. Leaving together signified to participants that both targets had greater sexual intent. When targets left separately, participants viewed both targets as less sexually interested in each other when only the female was drinking. Conclusions: Implications for sexual assault on college campuses are discussed