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The Jordanian-Palestinian Identity Conflict: The Economic Impact on the Political Power
No full textNational identity is a cornerstone in shaping a nation's social fabric and political and economic stability, providing individuals with a sense of belonging. For decades, the Jordanian national identity has faced many challenges due to regional conflicts and sociocultural and geopolitical transformations. The influx of Palestinian refugees in 1948 and its political, economic, and demographic consequences have contributed to strained relations between both communities – Palestinian and Trans-Jordanian.
Despite the Palestinian dominance of the private sector in Jordan, Trans-Jordanians control the governmental sector, military, and major government institutions and organizations. This rivalry has led to ongoing communal tensions, political, and economic instability.
In this thesis, I present a narrative of the evolution of Jordanian identity to understand how we got to where we are today. I also examine the economic impact of Palestinians in Jordan and its impact on their political presence by conducting a comparative study of the economic landscape in Jordan in the years 1996 and 2024.Extension Studie
What should the UK learn from “Bidenomics”?
No full textExecutive Summary
A little over a year ago, “Bidenomics” was hailed as a policy success: overseeing the fastest growth in the developed world in the aftermath of the pandemic; delivering a “soft landing” despite fears of stagflation; and pioneering, according to advocates, a new paradigm in economic policymaking that the world could learn from. In the UK, then-Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she would “embrace the insights of an emergent economic consensus”.
After the Democratic Party lost the 2024 presidential election, by contrast, many commentators sought to pin the blame on the outgoing administration’s economic policy. According to critics, the stimulus was too big, hitting capacity constraints rather than boosting growth. Policy focused on marginal sectors or concerns, making them ineffective or irrelevant to most Americans. And inflation eroded the benefits for most workers: median real incomes seeing one of their worst performances over the four years in decades. Unsurprisingly, enthusiasts for Bidenomics – in the UK or in the EU – are now much more muted.
Bidenomics had four objectives: worker empowerment; supporting “left behind” places; advancing economic competitiveness in strategic industries; and achieving national security goals. Jared Bernstein, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under Biden, gave us the elevator pitch: “if you’re helping bake the pie, you ought to get a fair slice.” Building on interviews with senior US economic policy makers inside and outside of the Biden administration, we set out our view of the lessons the UK can draw from the US economy under Biden.
To what extent did Biden’s policies drive US economic performance? Was America’s economic success inevitable in an era of technological innovation and geopolitical rivalry? And does Biden’s electoral defeat – or the fundamental differences between the US and UK economies – imply that Britain has little to learn from Bidenomics?Version of Recor
Structure of the Southern Canadian Rocky Mountain Foreland and Western San Joaquin Basin Fold-and-Thrust Belts
No full textThis thesis investigates the geometry and kinematic evolution of fold-and-thrust belts from tectonic to human timescales in the Front Ranges of the Southern Canadian Rocky Mountains and the South-Central San Joaquin Valley of California. Findings advance the field’s capabilities for developing internally consistent 2D and 3D models of both ancient and active fold and thrust belts and have important implications for earthquake hazards in California.
In chapter one, we investigate the geometry and kinematic evolution of the Southern Front Ranges of the Canadian Rockies, and orogen that formed over tens of millions of years associated with subduction of the Pacific Plate and accretion of tectonic terrains to western North America. Due to its spectacular field exposures, this mountain belt has long served as a prototypical example of a thin-skinned fold-and-thrust belt. Nevertheless, many questions remain unanswered regarding its detailed structure and kinematic evolution. In conjunction with 10 m and 1 m/pixel digital elevation models, high-resolution satellite imagery enables unparalleled quantitative definition of the fold geometry and bedding-fault relationships in the Front Ranges. Using these fundamental quantitative relationships, we develop a series of new, kinematically viable cross sections and 3D models that both reinforce, and in some cases overturn, previous paradigms about this fold and thrust belt. Traditionally, the region is thought to contain a single basal detachment and develop through a break forward sequence of thrusting. Our analysis shows that this fold and thrust belt is underlain by multiple basal detachments and developed through a complex sequence of thrusting that fundamentally controls the map patterns expressed within the Front Ranges. The methods we develop for remote data collection and analysis can be applied to develop and refine interpretations of fold and thrust belts worldwide.
Chapters two and three investigate the geometry and seismic hazards associated with Central California's active Southern San Joaquin Fold and Thrust Belt. In Chapter 2, we develop an internally consistent structural model for the system of blind-thrust faults and their overlying, en-echelon anticlines. Portions of these faults generated a series of Mw 5.5-6.5 earthquakes in the 1980s, yet the activity and earthquake potential of along-strike and down dip segments of the system remain uncertain. Our model reveals that the fold changes along strike from a structural wedge to a composite growth fault-bend fold. The wedge locally consumes much of the slip on the underlying blind thrust fault, whereas the fault-bend folds send slip eastward into the basin on an upper detachment surface. Consistent with this, we observe distinct variations in the eastern extent of deformation in the basin. Specifically, slip into the basin on the upper detachment is manifest in both fault-related folds and additional thrust ramps. To the west and at depth, these fault segments sole to two primary basal detachment levels that extend beneath the Temblor Ranges.
In chapter three, we couple the structural model from chapter two with groundwater wells to determine the activity of various segments of the Southern San Joaquin Fold and Thrust Belt. We find that sediments of late Pleistocene age are folded through active axial surfaces above each of the major blind-thrust segments. Our observation indicates that the entire system of ramps and detachments in this fold and thrust belt are active. Based on the size of the fault system, it is capable of generating Mw ≈7.7 earthquakes. We additionally identify new active thrust faults in the basin that have the potential to generate damaging earthquakes.Earth and Planetary Science
Anti-DAPT: A “One-Pot” Multi-Omics Assay for Antibody-Directed DNA, RNA, and Protein Tagging
No full textThe role of epigenetic modifications in gene regulation is well established, with mechanisms such as histone modification and DNA methylation playing pivotal roles in gene expression and cellular identity. Elucidating the molecular compositions and local environments at these epigenetic markers may uncover new mechanisms and therapeutic targets in diseases ranging from cancer to neurodegeneration. While recent methods such as CUT&Tag can efficiently identify the DNA sequences associated with such epigenetic features, there remains a lack of robust methodologies that allow simultaneous profiling of local protein and RNA environments that are also compatible with clinical specimens. Here, we present Antibody-directed DNA And Protein Tagging (Anti-DAPT), a novel epigenomic profiling assay that extends our previous iDAPT technology. Anti-DAPT employs an antibody-tethered protein A–Tn5 transposase–APEX2 peroxidase (pA-Tn5-APX) fusion protein to simultaneously tag DNA, RNA, and protein molecules proximal to epigenetic features of interest. As proof of concept, we demonstrate that all three protein domains of the pA-Tn5-APX fusion protein are appropriately functional for the purposes of the assay. Future application of the Anti-DAPT assay to various chromatin features, cell types, and tissues will enable unprecedentedly comprehensive and multi-omic mapping of the regulatory microenvironments that shape gene expression and drive human disease.Biomedical Engineering A
Path to Protein Dynamics: Advancing Crystallographic Data Analysis via Deep Generative Models
No full textArtificial neural networks and machine learning methods have transformed numerous scientific research paradigms. A milestone in this transformation was the release of AlphaFold2 in 2021, DeepMind's machine learning model for protein structure prediction. By delivering an accurate and accessible computational solution for predicting static protein structures from sequence and coevolutionary data, AlphaFold2 marked a new era for structural biology. This breakthrough, beyond its technical wizardry, owes much of its success to the availability of extensive protein structure databases built over decades of community effort, particularly the Protein Data Bank. This underscores a boarder lesson: foundation models thrive on large, well-curated data. In structural biology, the next frontier is to understand protein dynamics, their responses to perturbations such as binding and mutations, and their interactions with biomolecules like nucleic acids. While deep learning approaches hold promise, they are limited by the scarcity of large, high-quality datasets that capture this complexity. At the same time, advancements in hardware and techniques have greatly increased the throughput of raw data reporting on protein dynamics and conformational heterogeneity across modalities such as X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM. However, inherent pathologies and noise in biophysical data, as well as the inherently rugged nature of protein (free) energy landscapes, continue to make model building a major bottleneck, limiting our ability to interpret these datasets with confidence and efficiency. Significant human effort and intuition are still required. This dissertation presents new methods to expedite automated model constructions with experimental data under Bayes' principle. First, I introduce SFCalculator, a GPU-accelerated, differentiable function for calculating atomic model agreement with crystallographic data, bridging crystallographic data analysis and machine learning techniques. Second, I describe how this interface can aid in interpreting crystallographic data by incorporating priors from molecular mechanics or pretrained predictive models, while using experimental data to guide generative models for improved accuracy. I then introduce VAE-Assisted Ligand Discovery (VALDO), a method aimed at boosting the signal-to-noise ratio in crystallographic fragment screening for drug discovery. Collectively, these developments demonstrate how generative models can be applied to advance crystallography data analysis in a principled manner. Finally, I offer insights into the importance and potential pathways for inferring protein dynamics by integrating experimental data from diverse modalities.Engineering and Applied Sciences - Applied Physic
Communities of Practice: Supporting School Leader Collaboration and Professional Development With and For Deeper Learning
No full textThis capstone examines a strategic effort to strengthen school leader collaboration and professional learning in Revere Public Schools (RPS), a diverse urban district committed to advancing equitable outcomes through deeper learning. During my 10-month residency with the RPS superintendent, two pressing needs among principals and assistant principals were identified: more opportunities to collaborate and share practices, and greater support in developing the capacity to lead for deeper learning. While RPS has strong, progressive structures for developing instruction and supporting teacher growth, a need remains to develop supports specific to the demands of the school leader role.
The school leader role has grown increasingly complex in recent decades, with mounting responsibilities, high stress, and increasing rates of turnover (Levin, Leung, Edgerton, and Scott, 2020). Recent literature underscores that peer collaboration and networks of professional learning are effective in supporting school leaders—yet such systems are often underdeveloped and underutilized in many school systems (Grissom, Egalite, and Lindsay, 2021). In response, I designed and implemented a Community of Practice (CoP) for RPS school leaders, focused on leadership for deeper learning. By grounding the effort in research literature on professional learning, social learning theory, and change leadership, the CoP provided a collaborative, job-embedded, and participant-driven model for growth. Through the CoP, participating school leaders formed practice groups, co-designed leadership activities aligned to deeper learning traits, and engaged in cycles of implementation and reflection. This model prioritized agency, collaboration, and alignment to district vision—important attributes of both deeper learning and effective professional development.
This capstone’s resulting implications explore how professional learning models like CoPs can be adapted to meet the distinct needs of the school leader role, and how leadership for deeper learning can be more intentionally developed across the education sector. This work demonstrates the power of embedding adult learning in structures that mirror the pedagogy we expect in classrooms—collaborative, creative, and student (or leader)-centered. It contributes a scalable model for leadership development and offers practical insights for designing professional learning that is participant-centered, aligned with district strategy, and sustains school leader growth.Educatio
A Poly(UG) RNA Modifying Complex Mediates Viral Immunity in C. elegans
No full textRNA interference (RNAi) is a major component of innate immune systems in many eukaryotes, including C. elegans. During RNAi in C. elegans, dsRNA triggers the production of small RNAs via the nucleotidyltransferase RDE-3 which modifies the 3’ termini of mRNAs with polyUG (pUG) tails to generate RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase (RdRP) templates to drive gene silencing. During normal growth and development, RDE-3 pUGylates transposon RNAs to silence transposons and protect genomic integrity. How C. elegans identifies specific RNAs for pUGylation and whether the pUGylation system has tissue-specific functions is not known.
In Chapter 2, I show that RNA pUGylation contributes to antiviral immunity in the soma of C. elegans. I present evidence that RDE-8, NYN-1/2, MUT-15, and the pUGylase RDE-3 form an RNA modifying complex that we term the pUGasome. During infection of C. elegans with Orsay virus, the pUGasome adds pUG tails to viral RNAs which convert these RNAs into RdRP templates for antiviral siRNA production, limiting viral replication. The data show that pUGylation contributes to antiviral immunity in C. elegans and suggest that RDE-3 is part of a four-protein complex, which provides molecular insights into how C. elegans identifies and neutralizes its internal and external parasitic threats in the soma.
In Chapter 3, I show that piRNAs are necessary and sufficient for the production of the majority of endogenous pUG RNAs in C. elegans germ cells.
Interestingly, piRNA-initiated pUG RNAs often possess short non-templated oligoA tails preceding their pUG tails, which I termed oligoA::pUG tails. I present evidence that the oligoA::pUG tailed RNAs are likely generated via piRNA-directed CCR4/NOT-based deadenylation of mRNAs followed by RDE-3-based pUGylation, suggesting that piRNA-directed mRNA deadenylation, which has been described previously in mice and flies, is conserved in C. elegans.
Finally, in the appendix of the dissertation, I describe the discovery of another class of pUG RNA, termed the U(pUG) RNAs, which are produced during Orsay virus infection as the result of sequential terminal uridylation and then terminal pUGylation of full-length viral RNAs.
In summary, the dissertation provides novel insights into mechanisms of tissue-specific RNA pUGylation, which protect C. elegans from internal and external nucleic acid parasites.Biological and Biomedical Science
Paradise in the Periphery: Martial Law, Occupation and American Empire in Hawaii, 1941-1950
No full textThis thesis argues that Hawaii’s years under martial law from 1941 to 1944—extended until 1945—should be historiographically understood as a military occupation by situating Hawaii within amongst other occupations, including the French in Algeria, Japan in the Aleutians, the British in Scotland, the Boers in Southern Africa, Russia in Donbas, and Israel in Sinai. This study demonstrates how Hawaii's experience aligns with broader historical patterns of occupation. It contends that occupation is best understood through structural and material realities rather than legal recognition alone.
While the military government justified martial law as a wartime necessity, this argument, based on Ex Parte Milligan, was only legally sound in the immediate aftermath of December 7, 1941. However, political rhetoric extended necessity beyond its legal limits, persisting even after the U.S. victory at Midway rendered the justification obsolete. The thesis explores how military occupations avoid classification as such when sovereignty is ambiguous, as seen in Hawaii, the Philippines, and Scotland where territories are framed as internal matters rather than sites of belligerent confrontation. Recognizing Hawaii’s martial law years as an occupation challenges existing scholarship, particularly on statehood, where its influence has been overlooked.
Hawaii’s transition from democracy to authoritarian rule under martial law catalyzed a shift in political consciousness, fueling demands for self-determination in response to the suppression of civil liberties and military overreach. This study highlights key acts of resistance, including labor activism, Japanese American veterans' advocacy, and political actors who contested the legal foundations of martial law. In doing so, it advances our understanding of Hawaii’s trajectory toward statehood.
Ultimately, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the American Empire and its racialized imperialism by framing Hawaii’s martial law period within the historiography of occupation. In doing so, it not only recontextualizes Hawaii’s path to statehood and complications the discussions of military rule, sovereignty, and U.S. expansionism.Extension Studie