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Earth, Society, and Justice: An Annotated Syllabus for a Political Geology Course Informed by Decolonial, Radical, and Environmental Justice Theories
No full textabstract: Geology and its tangential studies, collectively known and referred to in this thesis as geosciences, have been paramount to the transformation and advancement of society, fundamentally changing the way we view, interact and live with the surrounding natural and built environment. It is important to recognize the value and importance of this interdisciplinary scientific field while reconciling its ties to imperial and colonizing extractive systems which have led to harmful and invasive endeavors. This intersection among geosciences, (environmental) justice studies, and decolonization is intended to promote inclusive pedagogical models through just and equitable methodologies and frameworks as to prevent further injustices and promote recognition and healing of old wounds. By utilizing decolonial frameworks and highlighting the voices of peoples from colonized and exploited landscapes, this annotated syllabus tackles the issues previously described while proposing solutions involving place-based education and the recentering of land within geoscience pedagogical models. (abstract
An Analysis of Phoenix Area Freeway Traffic During the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textabstract: The historical landscape of 2020 and 2021 was characterized by the massive social, cultural, and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in wide scale changes in human travel throughout metropolitan Phoenix. Hourly traffic volumes in Central Phoenix at six locations were analyzed to identify impacts on daily volumes and volumes during the peak travel periods. During the initial response to the pandemic, traffic volumes fell by about a third, AM and PM peak period volumes fell at a slower rate and made up a larger percent of overall traffic, and the time of the AM peak hour trended about two hours earlier in the day
Peoria Community Forestry Program
No full textabstract: The City of Peoria, AZ approached Project Cities and the 2021 MSUS cohort for research on the feasibility, and challenges, of adopting a Community Forestry Program (CFP). The team was asked to evaluate Peoria’s potential for canopy growth and plan adoption by researching forestry or shade programs in cities with similar climates, as well as by conducting citizen outreach to determine the community mandate for a CFP. This process includes identifying the specific barriers and opportunities regarding implementation. Research is being conducted through peer reviewed articles and interviews with shade or forestry program officials; citizen outreach is being conducted through surveys and focus groups. These results will be compiled and presented to the City of Peoria to provide recommendations moving forward. Peoria will likely benefit from a comprehensive CFP, and this program will help reduce inequalities within the city, enhance urban form, promote walkability, and increase biodiversity within the urban area. This will also highlight that Peoria is dedicated to becoming a forerunner in the arena of urban planning, the intersection of social and environmental sustainability, and human health. Through their efforts in this sphere, Peoria can emerge as an example, and provide motivation, for other cities that are interested in pursuing a similar program. If implemented, the CFP will influence the development of Peoria for years to come
Compass Portal
No full textabstract: COMPASS portal features tools that help teachers, psychologists, behavioral Specialists gain insights on students’ performance through activities they have completed. (abstract
3D Printed Device for Mechanical Fatigue Testing and Analysis of Li-ion Batteries and Electrodes
No full textabstract: In the last several years, there has been interest in the development of flexible batteries as a substitute for traditional Li-ion batteries. Flexible batteries can fold, bend, and twist; studies have shown that mechanical stresses and fatigue may decrease battery performance and cause defects. In this paper, the viability of producing a mechanical fatigue-testing device from 3D printed and other off-the-shelf components was explored. The device was made using a servomotor and LCD screen controlled by a programmed Arduino board, and successfully met the expectations to be cheap, easily reproducible, versatile, and applicable to the testing of battery components. In a proof-of-concept test, the device was used to perform repeated folding tests on lithium cobalt oxide cathodes in different configurations, which were then characterized using a laser microscope. 3D topographical renderings suggested that bending at acute angles induces defects on the surface of the electrode where the electrode is creased. In future work, the device will be used to further explore the effect of mechanical fatigue on Li-ion battery components. (abstract
Basketball Shooting in Rhythm Reliability of View Judgment and Player Accuracy
No full textabstract: When a sports performance is at its peak, it is akin to a musical performance in the sense that each player seems to perform their part effortlessly, creating a rhythmic flow of counterparts all moving as one. Rhythm and timing are vital elements in sports like basketball in which syncopated passing and shooting appear to facilitate accuracy. This study tests if shooting baskets “in rhythm,� as measured by the catch-to-release time, reliably enhances shooting accuracy. It then tests if an “in rhythm� timing is commonly detected and agreed upon by observers, and if observer timing ratings are related to shooting accuracy. Experiment 1 tests the shooting accuracy of two amateur basketball players after different delays between catching a pass and shooting the ball. Shots were taken from the three-point line (180 shots). All shots were recorded and analyzed for accuracy as a function of delay time, and the recordings were used to select stimuli varying in timing intervals for observers to view in Experiment 2. In Experiment 2, 24 observers each reviewed 17 video clips of the shots to test visual judgment of shooting-in-rhythm. The delay times ranged from 0.3 to 3.2 seconds, with a goal of having some of the shots taken too fast, some close to in rhythm, and some too slow. Observers rated if each shot occurs too fast, in rhythm slightly fast, in rhythm slightly slow, or too slow. In Experiment 1, shooters exhibited a significant cubic fit with better shooting performance in the middle of the timing distribution (1.2 sec optimal delay) between catching a pass and shooting. In Experiment, 2 observers reliably judged shots to be in rhythm centered at 1.1 ± 0.2 seconds, which matched the delay that leads to optimal performance for the shooters found in Experiment 1. The pattern of findings confirms and validates that there is a common “in rhythm� catch-to-shoot delay time of a little over 1 second that both optimizes shooter accuracy and is reliably recognized by observers. (abstract
University Housing: Using Information Systems to Manage ASU's Community Assistant Resources and Streamline Processes
No full textabstract: This thesis paper contains all the information, processes, and scripts used to create the final SQL database and website for use by University Housing at Arizona State University. This project aims to resolve problems currently facing University Housing's Community Assistants with their resource distribution and processes. (abstract
Formally Conformed: Examining Nonconformity and Success
No full textabstract: This podcast discusses three nonconformists from throughout history and analyzes what made them successful, as well as how we can apply lessons learned from them to our own lives. (abstract
A Bayesian Approach to Single-Photon Single-Molecule FRET data
No full textabstract: Single molecule FRET experiments are important for studying processes that happen on the molecular scale. By using pulsed illumination and collecting single photons, it is possible to use information gained from the fluorescence lifetime of the chromophores in the FRET pair to gain more accurate estimates of the underlying FRET rate which is used to determine information about the distance between the chromophores of the FRET pair. In this paper, we outline a method that utilizes Bayesian inference to learn parameter values for a model informed by the physics of a immobilized single-molecule FRET experiment. This method is unique in that it combines a rigorous look at the photophysics of the FRET pair and a nonparametric treatment of the molecular conformational statespace, allowing the method to learn not just relevant photophysical rates (such as relaxation rates and FRET rates), but also the number of molecular conformational states. (abstract