10274 research outputs found
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The Role of Motivated Reasoning in Maintaining Democracy
No full textPolitical polarization and ideological extremism have become increasingly common in the United States. Voter turnout is low, and political discourse is extremely partisan. This podcast seeks to ascertain what the philosophical ideal of democracy should be, juxtaposed to the current patterns of voting, and reasoning in society. Through a comprehensive literature review on the concept of motivated reasoning, and sifting through political discourse, the solution is a complex one, but has a basis in grassroots movement, and the power of the local vote in changing perceptions and changing worlds
Tapestry/Unraveling
No full textTapestry/Unraveling collects and weaves webs, describes and defies. As an anthology preoccupied with and invested in the nostalgia and wonder associated with summer camp, it mobilizes evidence of tangible witness. The author, building on her histories as camper, adolescent, leader, and educator, utilizes associative thought and methodological collision to question what it means for one life stage to become another, one person to become another, one form to become another. She asks: How are anthologies our pasts, presents, and futures? How do we destabilize our understandings of nostalgia, inherited power, and intergenerational care?
Tapestry/Unraveling is not a summer camp guidebook. Nor does it reflect on the histories of summer camp. It illustrates camp as a personal process of change. Both summer and camp have been abstracted into agents of transformation. Anthology is the medium and scaffolding
A Chemotaxis Assay Using 1% Benzaldehyde in a C. elegans Model of Alzheimer\u27s Disease
No full textExposure to 100% benzaldehyde has been previously shown to cause avoidance of 1% benzaldehyde in C. elegans. Previous work in our lab investigated the effects of ferulic acid on learning behavior in a C. elegans model of Alzheimer’s disease. In that associative conditioning assay, 100% benzaldehyde was used during conditioning and 1% benzaldehyde was used during testing. Here, a chemotaxis assay following associative conditioning was employed to investigate whether CL2355 (human Aβ expression) C. elegans show a learning deficit compared to CL2122 (WT background) C. elegans. To investigate the legitimacy of the learned avoidance previously seen following pairing of two aversive stimuli, the effects of using 1% benzaldehyde during both conditioning and testing were investigated. Videos of the testing periods were captured using the WormLab® Imaging System. Chemotaxis indexes were calculated using WormLab® prior to statistical analysis via a two-way ANOVA in R. Here, CL2355 (human Aβ expression) C. elegans were found to show no learning deficit compared to CL2122 (WT background) C. elegans
Evolution of the Functional Morphology of Feeding in Rasborine Fishes
No full textFunctional morphology plays a crucial role in shaping ecological diversification among fishes. This study investigates the evolution of feeding mechanics within the Rasborinae, a diverse subfamily of freshwater fishes in South and Southeast Asia, by quantifying interspecific variation in suction-feeding kinematics. We collected high-speed videos of eight Rasborinae species during prey capture and measured fourteen performance variables that describe jaw protrusion, gape, and hyoid depression dynamics. Our results reveal marked divergence in strike duration, timing, and extent of feeding motions among species, with Trigonostigma hengeli exhibiting extreme values for gape and hyoid motion. Conversely, species such as Trigonostigma espei and Boraras merah displayed shorter strike durations and smaller jaw protrusion distances. Phylogenetic mapping highlighted lineage-specific trait evolution, including rapid divergence in hyoid depression and jaw protrusion within the Trigonostigma clade, and possible convergence between distantly related species like Brevibora dorsiocellata and Rasbora rubrodorsalis. Comparative analyses with prior work on danionids indicate that the timing of jaw protrusion has evolved considerably within this lineage. Future work with the zebrafish model can be used to determine the developmental factors that have shaped trophic diversification within the Danioinidae
May I Have Your Attention Please?: A Series of Educational Videos on the Topic of Natural Language Processing
No full textNatural Language Processing (NLP) is the computational study of human languages. With roots in both linguistics and machine learning, it has had a long history, beginning as computational linguistics which focuses more on understanding languages using computing tools, to now natural language processing which has a focus on having computers mimic and then apply human language onto interesting problems and tasks. The popularity and development of NLP has grown rapidly in recent years. As such, many people are interested in learning about the topic. Current popular natural language processing videos either give a very light overview of NLP topics or an in-depth slice of NLP that seem to favor those with a stronger machine learning background. Through taking computing education classes, the author found that video learning materials might be best suited as supplementary content to a course. As such, this project consists of 10 educational videos on the topic of natural language processing to be paired as supplementary material to go alongside a natural language processing course.
[Accessible transcripts to the videos are included with this listing as supplementary files.
Ecoprinting! An introductory creative workshop on natural fabric dyeing methods
No full textThe fast fashion and textile industry is one of the most wasteful on the planet, driving a culture of overconsumption and waste in pursuit of the newest trends. This workshop is designed to reconnect people with the natural world through art, while offering a creative response to the harms of fast fashion. Using leaves, flowers, and other foraged materials, participants explored plant-based dyeing techniques. This process aimed to inspire a slower, more mindful approach to making and upcycling, prioritizing sustainability, creativity, and a connection to place. Through learning and experimenting with two natural fabric dye methods, this workshop encourages participants to engage playfully with nature while learning about the environmental impact of synthetic dyes and the textile industry. Ecoprinting! - created space for playfulness, reflection, community, and more conscious ways of living and creating
Dancing Through Life: Practicing Creative Movement with Seniors
No full textThe intention of this research was to explore the range of benefits that practicing creative movement on a regular basis can have for the senior population. It is widely recognized that regular participation in both creativity and movement-based activities can drastically improve quality of life on behalf of senior citizens due to their contribution to improved functioning of the mind and body. Perception of music has also been found to greatly improve the cognitive functioning of an aging brain. Due to the consensus that activities fostering engagement with music, movement, and/or creativity have a net positive effect on aging minds and bodies, I hypothesized that upon completing this six-week creative movement series for seniors at Solstice Senior Living, participants would report a general improvement in quality of life. Each of the six weekly classes began with a warm-up inspired by the developmental movement patterns outlined by Irmgard Bartenieff’s movement fundamentals, followed by a social game based in movement improvisation, and closed with guided breathwork and meditation. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire during both the first and last class of the series addressing their expectations for and experience with the class. Though many participants were unable to complete the entire six-week series, those who were able reported both fulfillment of their initial movement-based goals and expectations, and an overall improvement in quality of life, supporting my initial hypothesis. Upon finding that regular creative movement classes greatly benefit residents and Solstice Senior Living, I have decided to continue teaching weekly classes indefinitely in hopes of improving the quality of life of assisted living residents
A review of large marine animal tracking methodologies, discoveries, and applications
No full textMany marine species spend the majority of their lives far from shore, making it challenging to study them. The advent of satellite tracking tags and subsequent technological improvements in the field has provided a means of gathering high resolution data on the movement, behavior, and environmental conditions of a number of large marine animal species. This literature review analyzes ten marine animal tracking studies. The goal of this review was to answer the following question: “What research questions can tracking studies answer, and how can the data from such studies be applied to marine conservation efforts?” First discussed are an array of tracking methods, the limitations of those methods, and innovations that have resulted from those limits. Next, I share several discoveries made with the data from these studies, including migration routes, seasonal habits, and behavior in response to human presence. Lastly, this review breaks down how data from marine animal tracking studies can shape and inform future research and policy, including its application to a pressing local conservation issue in the Salish Sea. Marine wildlife tracking enables the gathering of diverse data on a large number of species, while reducing the human impact of marine research efforts. As such, it is an incredibly valuable tool to the field of marine biology
From Policy to Practice: A Qualitative Study of Stakeholder Views on the Effectiveness of Teacher Evaluation in Washington State
No full textWashington State’s Teacher Principal Evaluation Program (TPEP) was established to support both educator accountability and professional growth through a structured evaluation process. Since its statewide implementation, TPEP has required educators to be assessed on eight criteria, incorporate student growth goals, and be evaluated through one of three state-approved instructional frameworks. While the policy framework is intended to standardize and elevate evaluation practices, its application has proven to be inconsistent across districts and even between schools within the same district. Teachers and principals often experience varying levels of support, feedback, and expectations depending on the evaluation framework in use and the leadership style of the building principal.
This qualitative study explores stakeholder perceptions of TPEP’s effectiveness through semi-structured interviews with 18 participants across six school districts in Washington. Using a multiple case study design, the research identifies key themes including rater reliability, the burden of evidence collection, principal workload, and the influence of differing evaluation models. Findings indicate that while TPEP is indeed a powerful tool for instructional growth, its impact is significantly shaped by local implementation practices. Participants consistently highlighted the need for stronger evaluator training and more time for meaningful observation and feedback. Additionally, a key recommendation emerging from the study is the adoption of a single, statewide instructional framework to reduce variability and promote consistency in teacher evaluations. By addressing these implementation challenges, the state can more effectively leverage TPEP as a system that supports both teacher development and improved student learning outcomes
The Immensity of Minutiae: Using Bryophytes to Test an Ice Age Refugium Model in the North Cascades
No full textIce age refugia have long functioned as hotspots of biodiversity throughout the Pleistocene glaciations, serving as centers of speciation and retainers of relictual and endemic taxa. Numerous ice age refugia in North America have been identified, yet many remain undetected. However, these biologically novel places are at risk due to the projected changes in precipitation and temperature regimes for western North America. This study takes a comparative bryophyte floristics approach to test for an ice age refugium within the vicinity of Barlow Pass, located in the northern Cascade Mountains of Washington State. First, I conducted a geomorphological survey to determine if the Barlow Pass Study Area (BPSA) was ice free during the early through mid-Fraser Glaciation. Second, using herbaria data and conducting field surveys, I developed the bryophyte flora for BPSA, and compared it with bryophyte floras in adjacent areas that were glaciated during the same glacial period. Next, I introduced a novel statistical model (the ‘Relictual Model’) to evaluate putative ice age refugia based on empirical trends of relictual taxa, then tested it on the BPSA. My inventories yielded new records of disjunct arctic and sub-arctic bryophytes that were found within the BPSA while absent from similar sites previously glaciated. The combined geomorphological evidence, regional floristics comparisons and predictions from the Relictual Model suggest that the BPSA functioned as an ice age refugium. This study provides a novel statistical approach to identifying potential refugia and highlights the importance of similar, unstudied areas that remained unglaciated during the last glaciation for maintaining biodiversity