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Exploring shared experiences as citizen sport diplomats: a collaborative self-ethnography
No full textResearch purpose: This study was a critical analysis of the lived experiences of three American university professors who served as volunteer citizen diplomats in a bi-lateral U.S. State Department sport exchange program with North Macedonian volleyball coaches.
Research methods: With the aim of capturing the experience of serving as citizen sport diplomats and making sense of it to inform future practice, this research utilized a collaborative self-ethnography approach. This reflexive approach brings together: (a) analytic autoethnography as individuals themselves are engaged in the ethnography and study, and (b) collective ethnography as a team collects and makes sense of shared data regarding the same context and phenomena.
Results and Findings: During the outbound exchange, we each created journal entries about our experiences, followed by daily discussion of entries, and highlighting possible emerging themes. This process was repeated nine times. The discussions were recorded and transcribed and we used a reflexive thematic approach to uncover the first three teams of Odyssey, Border Straddling, and Throwing Seeds/Planting Rows. Representative quotes for Brush Sets, the fourth theme, were identified using a deductive thematic analysis approach.
Implications: Our findings revealed the need for future research to understand how planning, preparation, and resource allocation impacts the long-term success and sustainability of sport diplomacy exchanges. From a practical standpoint, each theme provides a framework for the required mental and physical resources of a sport diplomatic exchange and highlights that deep levels of transformational learning can occur during these programs
Artificial Fiction Imagining Literary Possibility Beyond the Human
No full textArtificial Fiction: Imagining Literary Possibility Beyond the Human dreams boldly about literary possibility in this moment of AI’s technological and social immaturity. Through the wishful image of artificial fiction, this book explores the potential of new realisms, new modernisms and new genres that present new epistemologies, new ontologies and new pleasures and experiences for readers. While helping us to recognise and reimagine human-centredness in literary theory and practice, this book also \u27looks back\u27 at human fiction as a genre to consider what is distinctive and valuable about it, demonstrating that human fiction and artificial fiction have roles to play in imagining and learning to respect lives and experiences of every variety.https://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/mono/1200/thumbnail.jp
Allyship and Social Support Networks: Examining Feelings of Safety and Confidence Among LGBTQ+ Sports Officials
No full textFor LGBTQ+ employees, research has indicated they feel othered, isolated, and unwelcome within their work communities. In other settings, social networks have been shown to provide stability and a sense of belonging that increases factors associated with mental health, such as self-care, stress moderation, and increased coping behaviors. Because of this, we examined the social networks of self-identified LGBTQ+ sports officials utilizing egocentric network analysis to better understand the influence of LGBTQ+ officials’ social networks on their feelings of safety and confidence and decisions to continue officiating. Participants responded to questions about people (alters) they considered to be allies in their role as a sports official. These responses yielded an egocentric network for each LGBTQ+ sports official. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine alter (Level 1) and ego (Level 2) attributes that explained variance in feelings of safety and confidence. Initial results indicate feelings of safety and confidence are explained by factors at both the alter (i.e., ally) and ego (i.e., individual) levels, highlighting the value of multilevel analyses to study sports officials’ experiences. Implications for helping sports administrators better understand the variables and impact allies can have on factors associated with the mental health and retention of LGBTQ+ sports officials are discussed
NIRSA Student Referees: Exploring the Connection between Sense of Community and Positive Health and Well-Being Outcomes
Full text linkDespite working in complex environments, which require managing antagonistic and abusive relationships, sport referees are essential to ensure fair and safe competition. Evidence suggests officiating can positively impact well-being and officiating communities provide social support. Despite those positives, there remains a shortage of qualified officials, which is compounded by aging referee populations. These concerns emphasize the need to attract young people and examine well-being benefits resulting from involvement in officiating communities. As such, the aim of this study is to help NIRSA professionals better understand how the community or social networks made through officiating intramural sports could better support student employee well-being. Semi-structured interviews with 44 referees aged, 18-23, revealed themes describing the relationship between sense of community and well-being. Details about the three major themes, individual well-being, community well-being, and importance of campus recreation, and seven subthemes will be discussed. Practical implications to help campus recreation professionals understand factors impacting retention, feelings of community, and student referees’ well-being will be presented
A Modern Approach to Searching for Late-time X-Ray Emission in Type Ib/c Supernovae
No full textI present the progress both scientific and infrastructural that I have made while working on this search for late-time circumstellar interaction in type Ib/c supernovae. We see no evidence of Hydrogen in type Ib/c supernovae at the time of explosion, despite hydrogen being the most abundant element in stars. If the hydrogen were cast off, either in a stellar wind or through impulsive ejections of material, we expect that after some time, the shock waves produced by the supernova catch up to this hydrogen ejecta, leading to interaction that can produce X-rays, as well as Hα emission. We search the Chandra X-Ray Observatory for observations which serendipitously have these supernovae within the field of view of the telescope. For those that do, we use CIAO to extract spectra and response files. We use Sherpa to fit an absorbed thermal bremsstrahlung model to measure or place limits on the X-ray flux from the site of the supernova. We have also conducted several observing runs at McDonald Observatory, using DIAFI Hα filters on the Harlan J. Smith Telescope to complement our X-Ray search. We have also been able to trim down the time it takes to put Chandra observations through our analysis pipeline by automating many steps. Finally, we have updated and modernized our automation scripts to use Python within Jupyter notebooks in order to create the most accessible version of this research project for its next student
Bioengineering Selective Synaptic Destruction: An Approach with a Chimeric Protein with Binding and Repulsion Properties
No full textCurrent tools for studying and manipulating synaptic connectivity often lack the specificity needed to target individual microcircuits without affecting neighboring connections. To address this, we developed CadPlexin, a bioengineered chimeric protein that enables selective synaptic elimination by combining the extracellular domain of Drosophila DE-Cadherin with the transmembrane and intracellular domains M. musculus Plexin-B2. CadPlexin is designed to mimic semaphorin-triggered Plexin activation through cadherin-mediated binding, initiating repulsive signaling and cytoskeletal remodeling.
We validated CadPlexin in Cos7 cells using co-plating and antibody clustering assays. Co-plating CadPlexin cells demonstrated characteristic cell-cell isolation and confocal imaging and phalloidin quantification confirmed actin filament formation characteristic of Plexin signaling. Additional experiments showed CadPlexin can bind DE-Cadherin heterophilically, though this does not induce repulsion, underscoring its signaling specificity.
CadPlexin was then introduced into primary cultured hippocampal neurons, where full-length expression, proper localization, and robust neurite outgrowth were observed—marking a key milestone in demonstrating its viability in a physiologically relevant system. The construct successfully integrated into post-mitotic neurons, co-localizing with both DE-Cadherin and Plexin-B2 domains. While no overt repulsive phenotype was detected under current conditions, these results validate CadPlexin’s structural stability and expression in neurons and lay the foundation for further functional testing. A modest reduction in CadPlexin-positive cell density suggests a possible role in modulating neuronal viability or synaptic engagement, highlighting new directions for future investigation.
To enhance translational potential, a lentiviral version of CadPlexin is under development for in vivo use. One application involves targeting glutamatergic projections from the Pedunculopontine Nucleus (PPN) to dopaminergic neurons in the Substantia Nigra pars compacta (SNc), enabling precise synapse-specific disconnection in addiction-related circuits.
This thesis establishes CadPlexin as a modular, genetically encoded tool for selective synaptic destruction. Its precision and adaptability make it a promising asset for manipulating neural circuits in both research and disease models
Final Project Report: Custom Rocket Motor
Full text linkThis report outlines the design, fabrication, testing, and evaluation of a custom composite-propellant rocket motor developed by the Custom Rocket Motor Team. The primary goal of this design project was to overcome the limitations of off-the-shelf rocket motors by creating a system capable of delivering tailored impulse and burn profiles within a highly constrained geometry. Specifically, the team targeted a motor with a 3.125-inch diameter and a total impulse between 3,000 and 5,120 N-s, aligning with Tripoli High-Power Rocketry Level 2 requirements while allowing for improved control over rocket altitude.
The final design successfully met or exceeded all core objectives. A custom pressure vessel and nozzle assembly were developed and validated using analytical calculations and finite element analysis (FEA), ensuring a minimum structural safety factor of 2.0 across all components. The nozzle featured a bell-shaped contour optimized for isentropic flow, designed using MATLAB tools and OpenMotor simulations. The team also formulated and cast their own composite propellant, based on the “Reliant Robin” Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Propellant (APCP) formulation. This process included multi-stage mixing, vacuum degassing, and a controlled curing process to ensure consistency and safety.
To manage extreme thermal conditions, the team implemented a phenolic liner, which was selected due to challenges in achieving uniform results across the full motor length while spin-casting. Additionally, a simple relay ignition system was developed to ensure safe and reliable motor ignition.
The full-scale static fire test, conducted at the Law family ranch in Pipe Creek, TX, served as the project’s primary test. The motor was mounted on a modified test stand equipped with a 500 kg load cell and a 2500 psi-rated pressure transducer. A remote ignition system with a 300-foot safety zone and 100-foot DAQ clearance distance was implemented to ensure safety for the team and equipment. During the test, the motor delivered an estimated 5,250 N-s of total impulse, exceeding the targeted performance range and technically qualifying the motor at Level 3 (L-3). Comparing this impulse to the mass of propellant suggested a delivered specific impulse of 251.2 seconds, substantially higher than the initially predicted 236.6 seconds. This performance increase is attributed to high chamber pressures and beneficial erosion-chamber pressure relationships during the burn in the nozzle.
While the pressure transducer failed to record data during the test, likely due to thermal or wiring issues, chamber pressures were estimated indirectly through the load cell data, visual indicators, and CEA. These methods suggested average internal pressures between 1600 and 2000 psi, significantly above the design target of 1250 psi. The nozzle showed measurable erosion, with a 17% increase in exit diameter and 8% increase in throat diameter, validating the material choices made during the design. Thermal protection systems functioned effectively, as evidenced by external case and nozzle temperatures remaining below the 200°C limit for 6061-T6 aluminum.
All essential objectives of the project were met in addition to one optional objective. This project clearly demonstrated the team’s ability to design, build, and validate a high-performance solid rocket motor. Possible improvements include, but are not limited to, increasing the design pressure, refinements to the manufacturability of motor components, and higher aluminum content propellant. Future iterations of this project could improve upon it by mixing and spin-casting a custom thermal liner and by acquiring pressure transducer data during a static fire test. Farther into the future, teams may be able to improve manufacturability of both hardware and propellant, as well as redesign the nozzle to be optimized at the higher chamber pressures
Record of the Late Jurassic Cordilleran margin from detrital zircon analysis of the Galice and Mariposa Formations, California and Oregon
No full textDetails of the Late Jurassic tectonic evolution of the North American continental margin remain controversial, but a clear understanding of Late Jurassic tectonics is essential for understanding subsequent terrane accretion and displacement. Upper Jurassic strata of the Galice Formation in the western Klamath Mountains province and the Mariposa Formation in the Western Sierra Nevada metamorphic province were deposited along the margin of North America during this critical time. The Galice and Mariposa Formations have long been correlated, and these strata are the youngest rocks deformed during Late Jurassic Nevadan deformation in Oregon and California. Published and new detrital zircon age and εHf data sets from the Galice Formation (N = 30; n-age = 7287; n-Hf = 876) and Mariposa Formation (N = 13; n-age = 3656; n-Hf = 484) confirm previous correlations between Galice and Mariposa strata and require that abundant continentally derived zircon reached both basins with the onset of turbidite deposition ca. 159 Ma. However, subtle differences between the pre-Mesozoic age distributions and Mesozoic zircon εHf values compiled for each basin reveal nuances in provenance that can be directly related to the location of each basin relative to sediment sources within the magmatic arc and retroarc region. Mixture modeling indicates that the relative latitudinal position of the Galice and Mariposa basins with respect to their source regions can account for the differences in source contributions to each basin, and our results indicate \u3c 200 km of post-Jurassic dextral displacement within the Sierra Nevada magmatic arc. These geochemical and age-based provenance results, combined with depositional age constraints for each basin, are most consistent with models for the Late Jurassic Nevadan orogeny that call on changing plate kinematics during eastward subduction that resulted in periods of transtension and transpression along the margin, rather than westward subduction of the North American plate beneath an island archipelago or double subduction of the Mezcalero plate
Sociedade sob risco: monetarização, beleza e a economia íntima do dom entre os Rikbaktsa da Amazônia brasileira
No full textNa virada do século XXI, salários, programas e políticas previdenciárias com aporte renda, voltados ao bem-estar social, começam a atingir povos indígenas brasileiros. Os poucos estudos etnográficos acerca da monetarização concordam sobre possíveis efeitos (deletérios) do dinheiro nas economias alimentares indígenas e relações entre parentes, sem enfatizá-los analiticamente, discussão central neste artigo. Minha análise parte do ano de 2000, quando o dinheiro timidamente adentrava a vida dos Rikbaktsa (Marco-Jê) do sudoeste amazônico, chegando à circulação contemporânea de quantias consideráveis no cotidiano de suas aldeias. A metodologia etnográfica se soma a um survey para estimar a dispersão do dinheiro, em contraste com uma compreensão nativa sobre critérios de cálculo e as magnitudes transacionadas entre os indígenas e sua conceitualização acerca dessas operações. Como analiso, o dinheiro, mercadorias e suas “comidas de verdade” (mydisahawy babata) são impelidos a circular em uma práxis orientada pelas noções de beleza e de risco, como denominadores paradigmáticos da calculabilidade das formas de valor transacionadas entre parentes e além. Em operações concebidas como ajudas, a comida dos brancos e o dinheiro são associados a uma ética relacional que envolve diferentes seres e domínios do cosmos e estimula, de maneira talvez inédita, a produção, o compartilhamento e a redistribuição de recursos vários. Acontecendo no intervalo entre a beleza e o risco e de maneira não prevista na epistemologia de programas centrados no dinheiro, essa intensa circulação e redistribuição de recursos vem impactando o balanço das relações e, em um exercício especulativo, da própria sociedade Rikbaktsa
EDUC 3410/ENVI 3410: The Natural Environment and Well-Being
Full text linkCourse Description
The course introduces students to the benefits of natural environments on human health and well-being. Topics of study include the historical and cultural traditions of human’s connections to nature, theoretical frameworks and mechanisms of human/nature connections, implementation of interdisciplinary research agendas, as well as implications for education, diversity, health policy, and urban planning. A significant portion of the course will take place in the field, where students will explore local and regional parks, nature-based educational settings, and the practice of forest therapy. While most field work will take place during the 3-hour course time frame, there will be one full-day field trip