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The case of Zulima: Supporting global equity in documentary heritage with a free, minimal computing solution for creating sustainable and accessible digital exhibitions
No full textThe Global South’s documentary heritage is less online than the Global North’s and tools and methods are needed for enhancing the discoverability of collections where resources are constrained. The Zulima collection, late 19th- and early 20th-century documents pertaining to an important female Venezuelan author and playwright is a collection at risk of being lost as there are currently no memory institutions in Venezuela that can safely keep it. This project proposes a way to expand on existing metadata management software, SWALLOW, minimal web templates, a data export to Wikidata, and free asset hosting, to make this collection available online and accessible for future researchers
Mechano-Pneumatic Wheel: Feasibility Analysis of the Concept and Parametric Optimization
Full text linkThis research thesis presents the development and analysis of a novel Mechano-Pneumatic Wheel (MPW) by integrating the strengths of both pneumatic and non-pneumatic wheels. While pneumatic tires provide excellent comfort and traction, they are prone to punctures and require frequent maintenance. In contrast, non-pneumatic tires are durable and require low maintenance but often fall short in ride quality and versatility. The proposed MPW concept bridges this gap by integrating air springs arranged radially within a structural shear band. This study explores several MPW configurations, focusing on different air spring coupling methods, to optimize load sharing and road contact pressure distribution. A quasi-static model was subsequently developed to predict the wheel’s deflection and load-bearing behaviour and validated using Finite Element Analysis and MATLAB simulations. A parametric investigation was conducted to study the influences of important design variables such as air spring size, configuration, and charge pressure on vertical stiffness. Optimization techniques, including genetic algorithms were applied to identify the optimal design parameters, achieving a target vertical stiffness of 190 kN/m while minimizing fluctuations in load distribution. The research study also incorporates a composite shear band which is modeled as a curved Timoshenko beam to improve its performance. A 3 mm reduction in the wheel’s contact patch deflection was achieved with the addition of the shear band. By combining the best features of pneumatic and non-pneumatic wheel technologies, the present research introduces a versatile and innovative wheel concept with promising applications in automotive, aerospace, and off-road mobility
Development of pH-responsive hydrogel films encapsulated with PEG-VEGF165 bioconjugates for wound dressings
Full text linkProtein-based wound dressings have emerged as a topic of interest in chronic wound healing owing to their distinct physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Growth factor proteins, such as platelet-derived growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), play a pivotal role in wound healing by mediating angiogenic responses and promoting the formation of new blood vessels, thereby accelerating recovery. However, protein delivery faces several challenges that can be addressed through the bioconjugation of proteins with macromolecules, which enhances their stability, solubility, bioactivity, and half-life. Over the years, various chemical strategies have been developed to conjugate synthetic polymers onto proteins effectively. One such approach is the "grafting to" strategy, which involves the covalent attachment of pre-formed poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to target molecules like proteins or other macromolecules. This method improves the solubility, stability, and bioavailability of the target molecules.
Various formulations including foams, fibers, and hydrogel films have been explored for safe delivery of proteins and protein bioconjugates. Among these, polymeric hydrogel films have gained significant attention due to their non-cytotoxic nature, versatility, biocompatibility, and ability to provide a moist environment conducive to healing.
My MSc research project focuses on developing hydrogel films crosslinked with boronic ester bonds that encapsulate PEG-VEGF165 bioconjugates to promote the healing process in chronic wounds. The bioconjugates were characterized using techniques such as gel electrophoresis and dynamic light scattering. Additionally, hydrogel films were fabricated with biocompatible poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) crosslinked with tetrahydroxydiboronic (THDB), a diboronic acid crosslinker, ensuring dimensional stability and effective encapsulation of the bioconjugates. These hydrogels degraded in response to acidic and alkali pHs, hydrogen peroxide, and glucose, which could be found in wounds, leading to enhanced release of encapsulated PEG-VEGF bioconjugates.
These results, combined with antimicrobial properties, suggest that the developed THDB-PVA/bioconjugate crosslinked films possess great potential for designing dermal wound healing systems
Foreign Direct Investment Incentive Strategy in a Limited Resource Setting
Full text linkThis paper explores incentive strategies that regions use to attract foreign direct investment
(FDI) amid resource constraints and competition. It analyzes how regions can effectively allocate
limited resources to enhance FDI incentives, focusing on financial aspects such as tax
rates, corruption, and the overall investment climate.
Using theoretical scenarios, the paper identifies successful strategies for incentivizing FDI,
taking into account priority sectors, proximity to competing regions, and level of information
available. The findings reveal that distant regions should always act based on their true preference
while regions within commutable distance should strategize based on the other region’s
interest, incentive package, and level of information available.
Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of managing limited resources and aligning
incentives with regional strengths. It also discusses reasons why regions may opt not to
incentivize certain projects despite their interest when full information is available and regions
are within commutable distance. This research contributes valuable insights on optimizing resource
allocation for attracting FDI and suggests areas for future investigation regarding the
long-term impacts of various incentive types on regional development.
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Remembering, (Re)-forgetting, and Revisionism: Corporate Marketing and the Rhetoric of Progressivism in Tate Modern’s 2017 Fahrelnissa Zeid Retrospective
Full text linkThis thesis addresses the perennial problem of exceptionalism in exhibiting women artists and examines such exceptionalism as a product of the institutional political and economic agendas imposed by corporate and state investors in art museums. Using the 2017 retrospective exhibition of Fahrelnissa Zeid’s oeuvre, which concluded the four-year International Arts Partnership between Tate Modern and its sponsor Deutsche Bank, I interrogate Tate’s characterization of Fahrelnissa Zeid as an artist ignored because of her gender and international origin who was “saved” by the Deutsche Bank International Arts Partnership. I demonstrate that both institutions manipulate the art histories and exhibition promotion they produce by relying on a rhetoric of neoliberal feminism and performative progressivism to achieve their political and financial goals.I also expose the extent of corporate and state intervention in the cultural field and explain the deleterious results for the independence and critical potential of bank-sanctioned arts initiatives. By identifying the causes of historiographic and promotional manipulation in the Tate Modern/Deutsche Bank retrospective, I re-examine Zeid’s history to provide evidence contrary to the reductive institutional history which Tate and Deutsche Bank produced
Somewhere in Mérida
No full textSomewhere in Mérida is a collection of interwoven short stories set in the Mexican town of Mérida and centered on a young woman’s upcoming wedding. The collection attempts to explore the ways in which women betray parts of themselves to fit into what is expected of them, and what it takes to break away from those expectations. Each piece focuses on a different female character trying to navigate a challenging relationship, romantic or otherwise, and having to decide what kind of life she wants to lead. From young queer love to the grief of losing one’s life partner, these stories touch on themes of attraction, loneliness, and immigration
Engaging Communities in Newfoundland and Labrador Journalism: A Case Study of News Coverage of Project Nujio’qonik in Port au Port.
Full text linkIn Newfoundland and Labrador, the decline of local news is problematic for rural communities and democracy. Considering this decline, this thesis focuses on the rural community of the Port au Port Peninsula, as it faces the introduction of a massive wind farm project (Project Nujio’Qonik). This thesis explores the evolution of journalism from traditional concepts such as watchdog journalism, to engaged and community-centered journalism. This thesis seeks to answer three research questions: How do community members in Port au Port feel about journalism efforts and news reporting in the context of a news shortage? How can journalism adapt to address the loss of local news in the province to better engage communities in the face of significant developments like Project Nujio’Qonik? What perspectives on the wind farm are most prominent in Newfoundland and Labrador news coverage, and to what extent are community voices represented?
Qualitative interviews with community members from Port au Port were used to answer the first two research questions, and a basic analysis of the voices quoted across the wind farm project’s news coverage from August 2023 to August 2024 was conducted to answer the third question. This thesis finds that community members are not content with reporting efforts, due to perceived bias and not enough local news. Community members shared that they want more factual, unbiased reporting, that involves the community more in the process. They also want more local journalism physically present in the community. The analysis also found that government and corporate voices were quoted significantly more than community voices. Therefore, this thesis suggests that engaged and community-centered journalism techniques, by involving the community more in the reporting process, could work to restore community members' satisfaction with reporting
Reimagining Organizational Learning in the AI Era: A Conceptual Synthesis of Argyris & Schön, March, and Senge
Full text linkAs organizations increasingly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance efficiency and decision-making, a critical question arises: How does AI shape the deeper processes of organizational learning? Drawing on Argyris and Schön’s (1978) distinction between single- and double-loop learning, March’s (1991) exploration-exploitation framework, and Senge’s (1990) systems thinking, this thesis develops a conceptual model that illuminates AI’s potential to both streamline surface-level corrections and catalyze more profound, transformative change.
A literature review spanning human resource development, knowledge management, and organizational behavior reveals that while AI often yields short-term productivity gains, scholars rarely connect these implementations to fundamental learning dynamics such as reflective inquiry, strategic balancing of efficiency and innovation, or system-wide adaptation. Moreover, existing research underscores an array of moderating factors – including leadership style, organizational culture, ethics, and digital maturity – as pivotal in determining whether AI fosters genuine adaptation or merely reinforces existing norms.
By synthesizing classical learning theories with four key AI applications – machine learning/automated decision-making, human-AI collaboration, big data/real-time analytics, and algorithmic feedback – this thesis provides an integrated framework. The model details how AI can facilitate deeper reflection, sustain ambidexterity, and strengthen systemic feedback loops, contingent on contextual moderators and boundary conditions. In so doing, it aims to offer a more holistic lens for scholars and practitioners