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From Clusters to Frameworks: Synthesis, Engineering, and Application of Sub-2-Nanometer Nanoclusters and Microporous Covalent Organic Frameworks
No full textIn this dissertation, we have investigated the complex interplay of atomic composition, structural modifications in covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and atomic-level designs in bimetallic chiral nanoclusters (NCs). By synthesizing COFs and bimetallic NCs, we elucidated how these elements govern their exceptional catalytic, optical, and electronic properties. Our work demonstrates that precise atomic adjustments, tailored pore engineering in COFs, and the strategic use of chiral ligands in NCs enable fine-tuned reactivity and stability. These advancements were applied to enhance photocatalytic performance, optimize iodine adsorption, and facilitate asymmetric A3 coupling reactions, laying a robust foundation for practical applications and future innovations in materials science
The Miserly Message of \u3cem\u3eGrants Pass\u3c/em\u3e
No full textThe Supreme Court’s recent opinion in Grants Pass v. Johnson condoned states’ attempts to police homeless encampments. This was a significant blow to unhoused individuals and their allies. But the Court’s opinion also continued its march away from the longstanding evolving-standards-of-decency approach in Eighth Amendment cases. Grants Pass was something of an odd case in which to grant certiorari, but it served as an opportunity for the Court to send a quiet message that it would continue narrowing the Eighth Amendment’s scope. As in other recent cases, the Court applied a more historical approach than the one traditionally used in Eighth Amendment cases, focusing on the original meanings of “cruel and unusual” and “punishments.” Further, the Court surreptitiously narrowed the definition of “cruel” to require governmental intent and raised significant questions about the meaning of “punishments.” This is yet another case in which the Court has shown its intent to continue whittling away at defendants’ Eighth Amendment protections
My Time with the Fusion Industry Association (“FIA”): Future-Focused Policy for a Fusion-Powered America
No full textA Critique of Findings on Gun Ownership, Use, and Imagined Use From the 2021 National Firearms Survey: Response to William English
No full textFor a paper that has not yet been through peer review or even been formally published, William English’s “2021 National Firearms Survey” has been remarkably prominent in gun rights advocacy and scholarship. As of December 2024, it has been cited in roughly sixty-five briefs, invoked at oral argument in the Supreme Court and multiple courts of appeals, and regularly cited in public writings and published academic work.
This response is offered in the spirit of a peer review. Our focus is on methodological issues, questionable statistical results, and problematic conclusions. Because of serious methodological issues, English’s draft fails to provide a reliable estimate of the number of annual defensive gun uses, the stock of AR-15s, or the actual protective value of or frequency with which AR-15 type firearms have been used. The paper should not be used as an authoritative source.
This version of our paper has been updated to account for the response that Prof. English posted on October 23, 2024
Felon-in-Possession Laws After \u3cem\u3eBruen\u3c/em\u3e and the War on Drugs
No full textThe legal landscape surrounding firearm possession is evolving rapidly. In 2022, the Supreme Court accelerated its expansion of the individual right to bear arms under the Second Amendment in New York Rifle & Pistol Ass’n v. Bruen. Since Bruen, courts around the country have struck down nearly all types of firearm regulations, with a notable exception: felon-in-possession laws. This Article examines the implications of a legal landscape where those who have prior felony convictions, and especially prior drug convictions, are punished harshly for the same behavior—possession of a firearm—that is constitutionally protected for nearly everyone else. I argue that as the Second Amendment expands to protect more and more firearm possession, a dichotomy has arisen in which those who live in the communities most heavily targeted by the War on Drugs of the 1980s and 1990s are increasingly becoming virtually the only Americans for whom firearm possession is illegal. I examine the history and development of felon-in-possession statutes to show that they were not enacted with a clear purpose and are not narrowly tailored to criminalize the most dangerous behavior. Further, I show how existing federal enforcement priorities and the structure of the United States Sentencing Guidelines compound the harms of the War on Drugs by punishing individuals with prior drug offenses most harshly, even when there is limited evidence to suggest that they pose the greatest danger from firearm possession. The Supreme Court recently confirmed that the Second Amendment permits individuals who pose a danger to the community to be disarmed in United States v. Rahimi. The question of how to determine who poses such a danger will be the next threshold of Second Amendment jurisprudence. I argue that as our understanding of the Second Amendment evolves, prosecutors and legislators must be cognizant of the lasting effects of the War on Drugs and question the assumption that any prior felony conviction is an accurate proxy for dangerousness
Inverse Kinematics and Physics-Based Animation for a Mech Simulation VR Game
No full textThis thesis explores the integration of procedural animation, inverse kinematics (IK), and physics simulation to replicate the gameplay mechanics of Underdogs within a virtual reality (VR) environment. Leveraging the capabilities of OpenXR for cross-platform VR support and Nvidia PhysX for realistic physics interactions, the project demonstrates how immersive and responsive mech simulation can be achieved in modern VR games. With a focus on blending animation and physics-driven systems in real time, this document presents a detailed technical specification of the project, including architectural UML diagrams, interaction flowcharts, and implementation strategies. The work is built upon my custom C++ game engine, aiming to provide insight into the development pipeline of physics-enhanced VR experiences and the practical application of OpenXR in contemporary XR game development
Meshlet Rendering using D3D12 Mesh Shading Pipeline
No full textModern video games must render scenes with increasingly complex geometry. Technologies like Nanite in Unreal Engine 5 enable the handling of scenes with significantly higher object and triangle counts than ever before. This project draws inspiration from Nanite by operating on triangle clusters, allowing artists to focus solely on creating high-poly meshes. The primary objective is to implement fine-grained culling techniques on meshlets, combined with efficient meshlet instancing, to reduce render time and memory usage.
Meshlet instancing plays a crucial role in optimizing rendering performance by allowing multiple objects sharing the same geometry to be rendered efficiently. Instead of duplicating geometry data for every instance, meshlet instancing reuses meshlet data while applying different transformations, significantly reducing memory overhead and draw calls. This approach is particularly beneficial in scenes with a high number of repeated objects, such as forests or urban environments.
Unlike mesh-level culling, which requires the entire mesh to be out of view, these techniques can discard clusters even when parts of the mesh remain visible. While triangle-level culling offers the finest granularity, it involves a trade-off between the time spent on additional culling computations and the actual performance gains. Meshlet culling strikes a balance between the coarser granularity of meshes and the finer detail of triangle-level culling, while meshlet instancing ensures that shared geometry can be rendered efficiently at scale
Inter-temporal Scope and the Synergy Life Cycle
No full textWe investigate intertemporal scope in acquisitions. The intertemporal scope entails the redeployment of a capability that has been used up and then reactivated. The capability we examine is a commercial bank\u27s ability to restructure troubled debt. We study the capability\u27s redeployment when capable acquirers buy target banks with a high percentage of bad loans. We argue that smaller banks are more able to redeploy the capability because their smaller size facilitates retrieving the knowledge underlying it. Also, a capable acquirer\u27s improvement in the target\u27s debt should follow a synergy life cycle as the target\u27s bad loans are restructured. Using a triple-differences (DDD) methodology, we find support for our hypotheses and discuss their relevance to research on intertemporal scope and the synergy life cycle
The Effectiveness of The Hague Convention in Addressing International Child Abduction
No full textParental child abduction is a growing concern fueled by immigration, cross-cultural marriages, evolving family dynamics, and gaps in the implementation and enforcement of developed international frameworks. This study examines the effectiveness of and challenges to the enforcement of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (HCCA), which was developed to address this problem. Specifically, the goal of this research is to assess the effect the HCCA has had on parental kidnapping, analyze its effectiveness in resolving international custody disputes, and identify the legal and practical obstacles that inhibit implementation. While the prevalence of parental kidnapping continues to increase, this study’s significance emanates from its illumination of inconsistencies in the HCCA’s enforcement and its recommendations for reforms. The study employs a qualitative research approach that analyzes cases from 2007-2016, legal texts, and scholarly literature to evaluate how cross-border parental kidnapping cases are handled across jurisdictions. This analysis allowed the researcher to explore Shariah law perspectives on parental abduction to understand why most Islamic states are reluctant to ratify the Convention. The findings reveal that while the HCCA has streamlined the legal process for returning abducted children, enforcement challenges remain due to non-compliance by member states, conflicts between international and domestic laws, and cultural and religious barriers. Other challenges that member states must address to make the treaty more effective include discrepancies in legal definitions, procedural delays, and lack of enforcement mechanisms in non-member states. The research also highlights the social, financial, and psychological impact on children and left-behind parents, showing the need for reforms to make the convention more effective. Thus, this study contributes to international legal discourse by highlighting practical,theoretical, and social implications that must be addressed to improve the HCCA and mitigate parental kidnapping. While practically it advocates for stronger international enforcement mechanisms and legal reforms to enhance the Hague Convention’s effectiveness, theoretically, it contributes to discussions on the intersection of international law, human rights, and child welfare. Socially, the study illuminates the adverse psychological and emotional consequences and advocates for policy changes that prioritize the well-being of children across national borders. Thus, this study is important because it illuminates challenges hindering the effective implementation of international frameworks aimed at curbing parental kidnapping and advocates for stronger legal reforms to enhance their effectiveness