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Behavioral Responses to Capital Taxation: Evidence From the Norwegian Wealth Tax
No full textTax implementations give rise to behavioral changes among taxpayers, of which tax avoidance is a critical adaptation for policymakers to understand. Using Norwegian administrative data with individual-level tax records for 2015-2022, I identify three main legal wealth tax avoidance strategies used by Norwegian taxpayers to minimize their wealth tax liability. In contrast to previous studies, focused on singular aspects of avoidance or behavioral reactions to the tax, I identify multiple avoidance methods and quantify the annual revenue losses to the government associated with each one. I estimate a total of NOK 1,754 - 2,842 million in annual wealth tax revenue, or about 18 percent of collected wealth tax revenue, is lost to legal tax avoidance techniques.Applied Mathematic
The Revolution is in the Story: Where Community Voice Meets Strategy, Change Follows
No full textStorytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful ways we communicate. Compelling stories have the ability to unite people in social movements, transform beliefs, mindsets, and behavior, and inspire action. In education, storytelling holds immense potential to shed light on the meaningful work communities are doing to support children, youth, and families. Stories can bring the transformational power of this work to life—making what is complex feel achievable rather than overwhelming. Yet, far too often, these stories go untold because communities lack the time, capacity, resources, and support to communicate their impact in ways that influence public understanding, attract funding, change practices, and inform policy.
This capstone is grounded in the work I engaged in with The EdRedesign Lab at Harvard Graduate School of Education and its efforts to formalize how it builds storytelling capacity with its Institute for Success Planning communities. While these communities are driving real outcomes, many lack formal structures to document and share their stories of progress and impact. This results in missed opportunities to secure resources, advocate for systemic change, and counter deficit-based narratives.
In response to this issue, I developed a Storytelling Toolkit and Collective Impact Public Narrative framework (adapted from Marshall Ganz’s Public Narrative) to help communities craft stories uplifting their impact. The Storytelling Toolkit includes frameworks, tools, and resources that provide guidance on developing a storytelling strategy, using data to amplify stories, building trust with storytellers, elevating youth and family voices, and creating a storytelling culture.
My strategic project revealed that while tools and resources are essential, building a robust storytelling culture requires significant professional development, trust, coaching, and a shared belief in the power of stories. Communities need structured support to make storytelling a sustainable practice embedded in their organizational culture. Just as critical, EdRedesign must strengthen its internal capacity to support this work by continuing to model authentic storytelling, building capacity for staff, and ensuring community voice is elevated across all streams of work. By providing communities with a formalized structure to more effectively share their impact, EdRedesign helps them reclaim power—positioning them to define their narratives and share their impact on their own terms.Educatio
Addressing AI-Induced Labor Market Risks Through Enhanced Individual Capital Income
No full textWhile rapid advances in generative AI (GenAI) present significant opportunities for productivity and growth, they also risk displacing workers and deepening income inequality, particularly by increasing the relative returns to capital compared to labor. In this paper, we review current policy proposals to address these risks, noting their potential benefits as well as fiscal and implementation challenges. We complement this review with simulations estimating the fiscal impact of GenAI across OECD countries, under various unemployment and growth scenarios. We then propose a complementary policy approach: enhancing individual capital income through increased household savings and targeted financial tools. We argue that this approach can help workers manage economic transitions, reduce fiscal pressures, and promote a more equitable distribution of AI-driven capital gains. Using comparative data from OECD countries, we identify nations likely to benefit most from such policies—especially those with low household savings, limited social protection, and aging populations. We also highlight key target populations, including workers with limited access to welfare, such as the self-employed in certain countries.Version of Recor
Molecular control of macroscopic forces drives formation of the vertebrate hindgut
No full textAuthors Nerurkar, Lee, and Tabin are affiliated with Harvard Medical School, while Mahadevan is affiliated with Harvard University, including the School of Engineering & Applied Science and Arts & Sciences.The embryonic gut tube is a cylindrical structure from which the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts arise 1. Despite investigations into early emergence of the endoderm as an epithelial sheet 2,3 and later morphogenesis of the definitive digestive and respiratory organs 4–6, the intervening process of gut tube formation has been severely understudied, particularly over the past 45 years 7,8. Here we investigate the molecular control of macroscopic forces underlying early morphogenesis of the gut tube in the chick embryo. The gut tube has been described as forming from two endodermal invaginations – the Anterior Intestinal Portal (AIP) towards the rostral end of the embryo and the Caudal Intestinal Portal (CIP) at the caudal end – that migrate toward one another, internalizing the endoderm until they meet at the yolk stalk (umbilicus in mammals) 1,6. Migration of the AIP to form foregut has been descriptively characterized 9,10, yet the hindgut likely forms by a distinct mechanism that has not been fully elucidated 11. We find that the hindgut forms by collective cell movements through a stationary CIP, rather than via movement of the CIP itself. Moreover, combining in vivo imaging, biophysics, and mathematical modeling with molecular and embryological approaches, we identify a contractile force gradient that drives cell movements in the hindgut-forming endoderm, permitting tissue-scale posterior extension of the forming hindgut tube. The force gradient, in turn, is established in response to a morphogenic gradient of FGF signaling. As a result, we propose that an important positive feedback arises, whereby contracting cells draw passive cells from low to high FGF levels, recruiting them to contract and pull more cells into the elongating hindgut. In addition to providing new insight into the early gut development, these findings illustrate how large-scale tissue level forces can be traced to developmental signals during vertebrate morphogenesis.Accepted Manuscrip
Molecular cellular and neuronal circuit basis of torpor regulation
No full textThe advent of endothermy is a defining feature of mammalian and avian evolution, achieved through finely tuned homeostatic regulation of body temperature and metabolism. However, when faced with food deprivation or harsh environmental conditions, many mammalian species initiate adaptive energy-conserving survival strategies, such as torpor and hibernation, during which body temperature drops far below its homeostatic setpoint. Despite their significance, the mechanisms by which homeothermic mammals initiate and regulate these extraordinary hypothermic states remain poorly understood.
In Chapter 2, we show that mouse torpor, a fasting-induced state characterized by a significantly decreased metabolic rate and body temperature as low as 20°C, is regulated by neurons in the medial and lateral preoptic area of the hypothalamus. We demonstrate that re-stimulation of neurons activated during a previous bout of torpor is sufficient to initiate key features of torpor, even in animals that are not calorically restricted. Among these neurons, we identify a population of glutamatergic Adcyap1+ cells whose activity reliably determines the timing of torpor initiation and arousal, and whose inhibition disrupts the natural process of torpor entry, maintenance, and recovery. Collectively, this work uncovers a specific neuronal population in the hypothalamus that serves as a core regulator of torpor in mice.
Next, in Chapter 3, we confirm that the Etruscan shrew, a mammalian species with the smallest body mass and an unfavorable surface-to-volume ratio, readily enters torpor upon fasting. Compared to the rat, a non-torpid species, the Etruscan shrew exhibits a relatively enlarged median preoptic area, the putative torpor-regulating region. This finding suggests that the expansion of this region in the Etruscan shrew might be a specialized adaptation to orchestrate torpor in a mammal with an exceptionally high metabolic rate.
Finally, in Chapter 4, we investigate how fasting-associated molecular changes influence avMLPA torpor-regulating neurons during the fasting-induced torpor process. Using single-nucleus multiome sequencing, we profile gene expression and chromatin accessibility changes in the anterior and ventral portions of the medial and lateral preoptic area, where torpor-regulating neurons reside in mice. Notably, the majority of fasting-induced gene expression changes prior to torpor entry occurred in non-neuronal cells rather than neurons. In astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, we identify upregulated genes associated with glucocorticoid receptor signaling. Moreover, glucocorticoid receptor-binding sites, represented by the nuclear receptor family 3 sequence motif, are among the most differentially accessible regions during fasting compared to fed states. These findings suggest that fasting-induced changes in glial cells may prime avMLPA torpor-regulating neurons for activation.
Together, this work provides a foundation for future exploration of the molecular, cellular, and neuronal mechanisms regulating extreme hypothermic and hypometabolic states. Our findings enable genetic access to monitor, initiate, and manipulate these ancient adaptations of homeothermic biology, with potential applications in developing novel therapeutic strategies, advancing critical medical care, and facilitating adaptation to long-distance space travel.Medical Science
A Fieldhouse in the City: On the Image and Form of a Civic Amenity
No full textArchitectural imagery has come to possess a certain duality within contemporary discourse. As the mode of the image as a digital output – the computer-generated visualization of an architectural response – is increasingly overwhelmed by technical availability and outsourced labor, its productive role is seemingly diminishing. But concurrently, as a second, less tangible mode of imagery – the physical form and appearance of an architectural response – is increasingly pressured to address various external priorities, its civic responsibility is seemingly expanding. This conflict of necessity between the “architectural image” and the “image of architecture” raises the question: can imagery and form more critically interact to produce a civic effect?
This thesis proposes a reciprocal method in which both the image and form of a new civic building are designed and developed recursively. It foregrounds the computer-generated visualization as a constructive instrument that rationalizes an architectural response and projects its resultant metaphysical effects – conceptually generating a civic image and form simultaneously. The proposal subverts a conventional workflow by absolving the visualization from a predetermined artifice and leveraging its productive potential instead. It considers the park district fieldhouse, once a grand symbol of pride and equality among Chicago’s culturally diverse neighborhoods, a test case for the proposed method. Here, the project challenges the presumed form and democratizes the realized image of a new, prototypical civic typology. Ultimately, the thesis seeks to re-legitimize the architectural image as a vital medium to expand architecture’s communicative agency and capacity in the public domain.Department of Architectur
Energy Security in Southeast Asia: The Philippines Amidst Rising Geopolitical Tensions
No full textThis thesis examines the path to energy security for the Philippines and the
validity of a pragmatic remolding of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO),
with the Philippines as the crux nation comprising original members of SEATO as the
country’s strongest security partners: U.S., UK, Australia, Germany, France, New
Zealand—and suggested new members Japan, Korea, and Canada. The Philippines’ role
within SEATO takes on a comparative approach with member nations of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Modern international security challenges
illustrate the struggle of the Philippines, as a small Southeast Asian nation amidst the
unilateral actions of a nuclear power like China.Extension Studie
Group Symmetries in Diffusion Models: Formulation, Generalization, and Enforcement
No full textGroup symmetries are fundamental structures in many real-world datasets, and lever- aging them is crucial for building robust and data-efficient machine learning models. Diffusion models have achieved state-of-the-art performance in generative tasks but typically rely on standard neural network architectures for score estimation. This thesis investigates whether such standard configurations enable diffusion models to implicitly learn and generalize underlying data symmetries purely from examples, particularly when data is partially observed. Drawing motivation from Neural Tangent Kernel (NTK) theory, which suggests limitations in the ability of standard supervised networks to generalize symmetries beyond local data structure, we hypothesize and empirically demonstrate that score networks in diffusion models exhibit similar constraints. Using a 2D toy dataset with inherent SO(2) rotational symmetry, we show a consistent failure of standard models trained on incomplete data (interpolation and extrapolation settings) to generalize symmetry, exhibiting significant score field distortions in unobserved regions. To address this limitation, we propose and evaluate a novel per-timestep symmetry loss that regularizes the denoising process to encourage approximate equivariance. Empirical results on both the toy dataset and higher-dimensional MNIST data confirm that this loss significantly enhances symmetry generalization even in standard architectures, yielding geometrically consistent results comparable to extensive data augmentation. This work highlights a critical limitation in standard diffusion models and underscores the importance of incorporating explicit geometric biases, via architecture or regularization, for reliable generative modeling on structured data.Computer Scienc
The Enemy Within: Radicalization, Extremism, and the Profession of Arms
No full textThere is a long history of military members engaging in acts of political extremism and the problem has grown in recent years. Because the military is responsible for carrying out violence on behalf of the state, servicemembers must undergo socialization into the military culture and train to engage in combat. With this necessary embrace of a militant culture and acquisition of combat skills, it is perhaps unsurprising that military members would be involved in political violence. This raises several questions regarding extremism and military personnel. First, what aspects of military service and culture may explain the association between military members and political extremism? Existing theories of radicalization and extremism do not sufficiently explain this correlation, requiring further exploration. Furthermore, both servicemembers’ experiences and the rates of extremism differ across and within the military branches. How do servicemembers’ unique experiences within the military help explain why some servicemembers radicalize while others do not?
To answer these questions, I introduce a novel database of instances of military extremism, the Military Extremist Database, and the Social Theory of Military Extremism, which argues the profession of arms involves many experiences associated with extremism that may increase the risk of radicalization among servicemembers; differences across and within the military branches affect the degree of impact these factors have on an individual servicemember and thus their likelihood of radicalization. First, through socialization into the hypermasculine military culture, servicemembers adopt a martial identity defined by a warrior ethos. This identity heightens perceptions of group threats, increases willingness to use violence, and is associated with extremist ideologies like white supremacy, conspiratorial thinking, and religious fundamentalism. The militant warrior ethos also imbues a sense of separation, superiority, or even supremacy relative to the civilian public. These effects are particularly strong among the Marine Corps and the Special Forces community.
Second, military culture fosters a form of “band of brothers” social cohesion which is also associated with extremism. Strong social bonds drive an in-group/out-group mentality, facilitate group deviancy, provide opportunities for connection with extremist individuals, and create avenues for recruitment into extremist organizations. This research shows Army and Air Force combat personnel are more likely to join extremist organizations and extremists from the Marine Corps are most likely to have social ties to other radicalized Marines.
Third, the government entrusts the military to carry out violence on its behalf and combat is a significant part of military culture. Training for and engaging in combat relies on dehumanization, disengagement of moral barriers, and desensitization to violence, all of which are associated with extremism. This analysis demonstrates servicemembers who train for combat are more likely to be extremists than those who train for non-combat positions, whether they engage in combat or not. Individuals who participate in combat are more likely to be extremist than non-combat servicemembers. Lastly, combat-related post-traumatic stress is associated with an increased likelihood of extremism among military personnel.
Finally, the Department of Defense cites the oath of office and its fidelity to the Constitution as a bulwark against extremist activity. The military, however, is failing to adequately educate its members on the oath, which has turned it into a liability. This is particularly true for the Navy and Marine Corps. Extremist organizations and bad actors are manipulating the oath to entice military members towards extremist activity.
To adequately combat extremism within the ranks, and after, the Department of Defense needs a multifaceted approach that addresses each of these concerns This research provides policy recommendations to tackle the problem of extremism while preserving the military’s ability to carry out is mission of national defense.Public Polic
A Biography of Ancrene Wisse
No full textIn the wider field of narrative nonfiction and the narrower genre of biography, there is a trend in recent years to write of the “life” and cultural import of inanimate objects, from spoons to sugar. This has extended to works of literature, and it is in this tradition that I am writing a biography of Ancrene Wisse (A Guide for Anchoresses), a book with 800 years of influence over a variety of audiences. A precise date for the creation of this text is difficult to pin down, but the scholarly consensus has landed on 1220–1230. It was written mainly for an audience of anchoresses, women who lived a reclusive religious life inside a cell attached to a church. Its influence in England quickly grew, and as it did, the practice of anchoritism grew as well. I argue, in this biography of the text, that the popularity of the Ancrene Wisse and the anchoresses who were its initial (but not ever exclusive) audience grew in tandem until the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century. While the practice of anchoritism all but died out, Ancrene Wisse has continued to have an active afterlife among scholars in several disciplines.Extension Studie