Syracuse University
Syracuse University Research Facility and Collaborative EnvironmentNot a member yet
20376 research outputs found
Sort by
Understanding the Spatial Characteristics of Urban Morphology and Its Application
Get PDFRapid urbanization due to the population boom in urban areas changes the physical layout and structures of cities including buildings, streets, open spaces, and amenities, which are collectively defined as urban morphology. Microclimate dynamics of urban environments, such as airflow, heat retention, and pollution dispersion, are profoundly affected by urban morphology. Although the roles of urban morphology at small spatial scales (e.g., single buildings, building complexes, or buildings within a block) in microclimate dynamics have been extensively studied, the scale-up effect of buildings at the city scale on microclimate dynamics is still not fully understood. In this thesis, I examined the spatial characteristics (distributions and patterns) of urban morphology in Syracuse with reference to the existing zoning design. The urban morphology is embodied in six representative parameters that are most relevant to microclimate dynamics, namely Porosity, Rugosity, Occlusivity, Sinuosity, Compacity, and Mineralization. Each parameter is calculated at a relatively large spatial scale, census block group (CBG), and the city has a total of 133 CBGs. The first part of my thesis concerned calculations of the six parameters and their spatial distributions across the city. Based on the definitions of these parameters, I manually calculated their values in all 133 CBGs and analyzed their geographic distributions in terms of the associated city zoning designations. Porosity is mainly dominated by open spaces (OS). CBGs with high Porosity values tend to be designed as OS districts and located in the northwestern part of the city. Higher values of Rugosity, Sinuosity, Compacity, and Mineralization exist in CBGs concentrated in the geographic center of the city, which is designed as the urban core and business district (MX-4 and MX-5). Values of Occlusivity are randomly distributed across Syracuse, indicating this spatial characteristic is not relevant to any type of zoning design. The second part of my thesis dealt with the geospatial patterns of these six parameters based on four distinct geostatistical techniques: central features and standard distance for measuring central tendency, Global Moran’s I for determining global spatial pattern, and hot spot analysis for identifying local clusters. The central features of the six parameters do not share the same CBG and their corresponding standard distances show different orientations and sizes, suggesting that buildings in Syracuse have different spatial centers and degrees of compactness and orientations for different spatial characteristics. Only four parameters- Rugosity, Sinuosity, Compacity, and Mineralization- demonstrate cluster patterns over the city, but to varying degrees of the cluster. All of the six parameters exhibit local cluster with high values concentrated in different neighborhoods of the city. CBGs with high values of Rugosity, Occlusivity, Compacity, and Mineralization tend to be packed in the city center, and those with high Sinuosity values present in the mixed-use districts, indicating that these areas have relatively straight and regularly arranged streets. The third part of my thesis tackled the issue of linking urban morphology to two aspects of microclimate dynamics, urban heat islands (UHIs) and ventilation potential (VP), through the lens of large-scale spatial characteristics. Based on the existing knowledge of the relevance between each parameter and UHIs and VP, respectively, I created a comprehensive index by combining Rugosity, Compacity, and Mineralization for UHIs and another one for VP by using all but compacity. By revealing the spatial patterns of these two indices, I revealed that the high values of the first index are concentrated in the urban core (MX-4) and central business district (MX-5), representing the potential hot spots of UHIs, while those of the second index are distributed along the outskirts of the city, indicating the focused areas of ventilation. These linkages suggest that at the city scale, tall, densely located buildings in the city center enhance the UHIs effect, whereas low and identical residential houses around the city periphery promote ventilation. These findings provide a solid benchmark for future studies of the roles of urban morphology in microclimate dynamics at the city scale
Developing Art Resources to Reduce Stress and Increase Well-Being for Healthcare Professionals
Get PDFThis study explored how art-based wellness resources can support healthcare professionals who provide direct patient care in hospital settings. A focus group of these providers shared their experiences with stress and burnout, identifying key challenges and needs. Based on their feedback, a Mini Wellness Manual was developed with practical, research-based art activities designed to help reduce stress and promote well-being. In a second focus group, participants reviewed the manual and provided feedback on its usefulness and accessibility. Findings showed that self-care interventions often place the burden on individuals rather than addressing the larger systemic issues that contribute to burnout, highlighting the need for organizational support alongside wellness initiatives. This research emphasizes the importance of workplace-wide solutions while also providing healthcare professionals with creative, accessible tools to manage stress in high-pressure environments
In Remembrance of Culture and Heritage: An Examination of Taino and West African Cultures As It Pertains to Puerto Rico
Get PDFThe Caribbean is made up of many different cultures and peoples, and Puerto Rico is specifically influenced by history, culture, and legacy from the Taínos, West Africans, and Spanish. Throughout history, Spanish heritage was more highly valued, while the Taíno and African heritage, integral to the culture of Puerto Rico, were undervalued. The focus of this research is an examination of the cultural landscape of Puerto Rico and its origins, extending back to the indigenous Taínos who first lived on the island, to the enslaved West Africans who were forcibly brought across the Atlantic Ocean to replace the dwindling Taíno population, which was decimated by the Europeans. Analysis of the combination of both peoples and how their cultures and artistry evolved together through generations will be a central point of my research. What were instances of Taíno and African cultural amalgamation as a direct result of the years of colonization from the 16th to 20th centuries? How did this combination of cultures present itself in the art and artifacts produced? After centuries of colonization and slavery, the Taíno and African populations were greatly reduced, the Tainos were labeled as extinct, and the remaining peoples assimilated into Spanish civilization on the island. The amalgamation of indigenous and West African cultures had a profound impact on modern-day Puerto Rican culture through art, language, mythology, symbols, and music. And their legacies, no matter how much was attempted to be devalued, suppressed, or erased by history, will be honored and recognized in the scope of this project. This multicultural examination will be conducted through various modern-day Puerto Rican art, religious artifacts, and music, such as Vejigante masks, santos tallados, and bomba music, among others
THE ROLE OF CAUSAL STRUCTURE IN ROMANTIC STAY-LEAVE JUDGMENTS
Get PDFI report on one between-subjects experiment exploring the impact of causal structures on decisions regarding staying in relationships. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a first-person perspective or a third-person perspective. In each condition, subjects encountered several relationship scenarios that instantiated one of five distinct causal structures: (a) common cause, (b) common effect, (c) causal chain, (d) positive feedback loop, and (e) negative feedback loop. Within these scenarios, subjects were asked to make causal attribution judgments by evaluating how each event described in the scenario would influence the decision to stay in the relationship. Additionally, subjects rated their own likelihood of remaining in the relationship. Valence was manipulated as a within-subjects variable to examine how positive versus negative valence scenarios might alter subjects’ causal attributions and decisions. The results suggest that causal attribution judgments in relationships are shaped by a combination of event order, underlying causal structure, emotional valence, and narrative perspective
Reckoning with an Icon: Exploring the Activism of Mĩcere Githae Mũgo
Get PDFThis thesis examines the activism of Mĩcere Gīthae Mũgo, a distinguished Kenyan literary scholar, playwright, and feminist, whose works remain a vital part of twentieth and twenty-first century liberational struggles across Africa and the diaspora. Through a critical analysis of her literary projects, academic work, and political engagements, this study explores how Mũgo’s intellectual interventions challenged colonial, postcolonial, and patriarchal structures. It draws on feminist, Pan-Africanist, and decolonial theoretical frameworks, to situate career struggles for intellectual freedom, gender justice, and cultural reclamation. The thesis investigates foundational elements of Mugo activism, employing a multi-method qualitative approach: that includes textual analysis, oral history interviews, formal and informal conversation. It interrogates her role in the push for decolonized education, academic freedom, and human rights, particularly within the historical contexts of Kenya and the broader Pan-African world. The study also traces the evolution of Mũgo’s intellectual contributions, from her engagement with orature as a tool for cultural preservation and resistance to her radical feminist critiques of oppressive structures. Mũgo’s work not only reclaims indigenous knowledge systems but also redefines the role of African women in political and cultural discourse, establishing her significance for ongoing struggles for liberation, feminist thoughts, and the decolonization of African intellectual traditions. The research contributes to the growing body of scholarship that foregrounds African women intellectuals as architects of social transformation, securing Mũgo’s significance as a pioneering force in the fight for justice and self-determination
AN ANALYSIS OF FEMALE HERO IMAGERY IN TANG CHUANQI
Get PDFThis paper aims to analyze the characteristics and narrative structures of female hero characters in Tang Dynasty chuanqi stories, using renowned works from Chinese literature, such as Nie Yinniang, Hongxian, and The Biography of Xie Xiaoe as examples. It also explores the literary development and historical context that contributed to the formation of these figures. Furthermore, this study examines the connections between the female heroes in Tang chuanqi and the contemporary social environment. It investigates how the political landscape and women\u27s status during the Tang Dynasty influenced the actions of these female heroes and how these stories, in turn, reflect the historical context of their time. This paper also incorporates modern feminist perspectives to analyze these characters and discusses the visual adaptations inspired by these narratives. It can thus be argued that, while these figures break away from traditional female roles and gender stereotypes, their narratives still reflect the constraints of the feudal order. This phenomenon highlights the early conceptualization of gender representation and female heroism in Chinese classical literature. Finally, the author has created a comic featuring a female hero as the protagonist, attempting to reinterpret and reshape the classic image of Tang chuanqi female heroes from a modern perspective
