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NAVIGATING CRIMINAL HISTORY IDENTITY: EXPLORING CHALLENGES, STIGMA, AND ETHICS IN COMPANY HIRING PRACTICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH CRIMINAL HISTORIES
No full textIndividuals with a criminal record represent a sizable and significant population, including one-third of adults in the United States. With that in mind, this dissertation explores the challenges faced by individuals with criminal histories in securing employment despite widespread support for government-backed hiring initiatives. Through a mixed-methods approach, this work examines organizational attitudes and applicant reactions, revealing the stigmatization faced by companies that implement such initiatives. In particular, the first chapter reviews the current state of the literature, identifying seven main themes, such as a lack of employment outcome differences between those incarcerated, convicted but not incarcerated, and accused but not convicted; while also pointing out missing pieces in the current research, such as considering perspectives of multiple stakeholders like those inside and outside the hiring companies. The second chapter uses a qualitative grounded theory approach to build a model of organizational resistance to hiring individuals with criminal records, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 15 HR professionals. The third chapter utilizes an analysis of archival data and a series of behavioral experiments to explore applicants’ perspectives on reincorporation initiatives as well as interventions companies might implement to address these perspectives and solve these hiring challenges. The findings suggest that utilizing reincorporation initiatives does translate into negative stigma associations and reduced attractiveness for organizations; however, the use of moral language—in particular, inherent moral justification informed by deonance theory—emerges as a promising intervention to mitigate this stigma. By integrating stigma and ethics literatures, this work not only advances theoretical development but also offers actionable guidance for organizations promoting fair chance hiring initiative
Explicit Modularity and Moments for Certain Hypergeometric Character Sums
No full textA great deal of progress in number theory throughout history has been motivated by trying to solve equations. One of the most famous challenges is to show there are no positive integer solutions to for , posed by Fermat around 1637. Special cases, such as the and cases, can be established using various algebraic manipulations. However, a general solution was elusive until the late 1990s when the combined work of Wiles \cite{Wiles} and Taylor--Wiles \cite{TaylorWiles} give a full proof.
One of the key insights used in proving Fermat\u27s conjecture involves reducing the problem to establishing a correspondence between two seemingly unrelated objects, certain elliptic curves with coefficients in \Q, and appropriate holomorphic functions called modular forms. This correspondence between elliptic curves over \Q and modular forms typically called the modularity of elliptic curves over \Q, is one example of the far-reaching links between algebraic geometry and number theory predicted in the Langlands program.
The aims of this thesis are twofold. We study both modularity results and Sato--Tate distributions related to certain families of hypergeometric varieties. In the first part, we develop an explicit method to establish the modularity of a large class of hypergeometric varieties, including various families of elliptic curves. This method gives an explicit construction of the target modular form from hypergeometric information, which elucidates the relationship between hypergeometric character sums and modular forms in many cases.
In the second part, a new inductive method is introduced to establish Sato--Tate distributions for certain families of elliptic curves, which are examples of hypergeometric varieties. The recursions inherent in several Hecke trace formulas for particular spaces of cusp forms are linked with the recursions satisfied by the Catalan numbers. This recursive perspective allows us to establish several new examples of hypergeometric moments and leads to a further understanding of the known results in this area
Simulating Future Mean and Extreme Temperature and Precipitation Climatology across Louisiana-Mississippi using the WRF Regional Climate Model
No full textGeneral circulation models (GCMs) lack the necessary spatial resolution to accurately depict the atmospheric and land surface processes that define the regional climate of any particular location. In contrast, regional climate models (RCMs) explicitly capture the interactions between the broad-scale weather patterns simulated by global models and the specific characteristics of the local terrain. In this work, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used for high-resolution (12-km) dynamical downscaling simulations for a historical period (1996-2005) and the future (2090-2099) forced by the NCAR\u27s Community Earth System Model, version 1 (CESM1), for Louisiana and Mississippi. WRF performs more satisfactorily for temperature than precipitation when validated against atmospheric reanalysis and observations from meteorological stations. WRF shows improved performance in simulating temperature (r \u3e 0.98, RMSE \u3c 0.45 C°) and precipitation (r \u3e 0.88, RMSE \u3c 34 mm) during the transition seasons, such as fall and spring, compared to winter and summer. The lower correlation coefficient and higher RMSE observed for summer precipitation indicate the need for caution when interpreting future projections for this season. For all the meteorological seasons, the future RCM runs demonstrate significant projected increases in average and extreme temperatures overall, while precipitation changes were spatially variable and largely statistically insignificant. Despite less pronounced change in precipitation rates overall, fall season precipitation is expected to increase significantly near the Gulf of Mexico coast. Computing the differences between mean annual values of several extreme climate indices from the historical to the future simulation reveals interesting patterns of changes. The Gulf coast is projected to experience the largest increase in the frequency of extreme temperature days, while the northern climate divisions of Louisiana and central to northern Mississippi are expected to face a higher risk of prolonged extreme heat events. Contrasting trends of extreme precipitation intensity and frequency imply fewer but more intense precipitation events in the future. Analysis of the combined projected trends in extreme precipitation intensity, duration, and frequency indices suggests that, among all 19 climate divisions in the study area, the three northern climate divisions of Louisiana are likely to be the most susceptible to extreme and prolonged precipitation events by the end of the century. Insights from this work will contribute toward a comprehensive understanding of the potential impacts of climate change on the Gulf coast
Essays In Microeconomics
No full textThis dissertation contains three essays related to the field of microeconomics, with special attention to human behavior surrounding the environment, labor market decisions, the housing market, and health in the micro-economy. In the first essay, I examine the impact of industrial air pollution on Louisiana real estate market outcomes--particularly the sale price of homes and the number of homes sold. Changes in weather patterns at industrial facilities impact the transport and dispersion of pollution from those facilities from one year to another. These changes in weather provide an exogenous source of variation in pollution concentrations observed at homes over time, which is exploited through the NOAA\u27s HYSPLIT model. Examining the near universe of home sales in Louisiana from 1998-2018, results show that real estate sales decrease with increases in pollution concentration, and that those decreases in sales are concentrated among lower-valued homes, while higher-valued homes sell more.
In the second essay, my coauthor and I analyze how religious affiliation influences local labor market outcomes, marriage, and fertility choice. Exploiting quasi-random variation in historical immigration from 1850 to 2010 and origin-specific religiosity, we isolate exogenous variation in the religious composition of U.S. commuting zones for 1940-2010. We find that, relative to the religiously unaffiliated share, an exogenous increase in Protestant, Orthodox Christian, and ”Other” religious shares decrease labor force participation share--predominantly among women, while Jewish share increases the number of women who are married and working.
In the third essay, I ask whether alcohol and tobacco are complements or substitutes for U.S. youth. I use the staggered adoption of Tobacco 21 (T21) laws that raised the minimum legal sales age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21 across U.S. states in a staggered difference-in-differences approach. I find evidence that T21 decreased smoking participation among 18-to-20-year-olds, but increased alcohol consumption, including binge drinking
Machine learning approach to predict the early-age flexural strength of sensor-embedded 3D-printed structures
Get PDFThe absence of formwork in 3D-printed concrete, unlike conventional mold-cast concrete, introduces greater variability in curing conditions, posing significant challenges in accurately estimating the early-age mechanical strength. Therefore, common non-destructive techniques such as the maturity method fail to deliver a generalized predictive model for the mechanical strength of 3D-printed structures. In this study, multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms, including linear regression (LR), support vector regression (SVR), and artificial neural network (ANN), were developed to estimate the early-age flexural strength of 3D-printed beams under varying curing conditions, utilizing data collected from embedded sensors. Six input variables were employed for the ML models, including relative permittivity, internal temperature, and curing method. For model development, 144 data points were collected from an extensive experimental study, and multiple statistical metrics were employed to evaluate the proposed models. The ANN model outperformed the other models in predicting early-age strength, achieving a coefficient of determination of 95.1%. Furthermore, the input variable analysis highlighted the curing method as the most influential factor affecting the strength of 3D-printed beams
D\u27Hier à Aujourd\u27hui
No full textD’hier à aujourd’hui, on ne voit pas les choses telles qu’elles sont, mais plutôt tels que nous sommes. Et quelquefois, il faut traverser nos frontières nos us et coutumes pour comprendre qu’au-delà de notre monde et des mystères qu’il renferme, il existe d’autres mondes, d’autres systèmes de pensées et modes de vie. Etant né en Afrique, j’ai pris le temps de découvrir un continent à valeurs propres à lui-même de manière générale et de façon spécifique au Bénin, un pays aux valeurs aussi particulières. Une fois en Europe (France) je me retrouve face aux contrastes culturels. Le ‘’négligeable’’ des uns qui peut être le ‘’ pertinent’’ des autres, la ‘’folie’’ des uns qui peut être la ‘’beauté’’ des autres. Épris d’une curiosité interne, un combat entre le ‘’moi d’Afrique’’ et le ‘’moi d’Europe’’ (occident) j’ai été emporté par l’envie d’élaborer ce projet de Création de textes et de Spectacle de Slam-poésie. D’hier, à aujourd’hui est le titre du Spectacle en projet, mais d’abord, D’HIER A AUJOURD’HUI sera un recueil de textes poétiques interconnectés qui partageront les souvenirs fantasmagoriques d’un jeune Africain (béninois) qui ne connaissait l’occident qu’à travers internet et la télévision et qui aujourd’hui la découvre autrement en tant que Poète-Slameur. Ce recueil est un coeur ouvert aux continent africain et l’occident qui sortira la beauté et la laideur d’être de l’un des deux côtés. Il s’agira de partager ce qui rend ces pays incroyables sans oublier de noter ce qui les rendrait davantage plus incroyables et mieux vivables
MODELLING UNCERTAIN VOLATILITY USING QUANTUM STOCHASTIC CALCULUS: UNITARY VS NON-UNITARY TIME EVOLUTION
Get PDFA data assimilation-based method for real-time monitoring and estimation of gas influx size and distribution during gas migration in a marine drilling riser
No full textEffective well control is essential in marine drilling operations to prevent catastrophic blowouts that endanger human lives and cause severe environmental damage, including long-lasting impacts on marine ecosystems. Accurate real-time monitoring and management of well conditions after taking gas influxes are critical for maintaining safety and environmental protection during offshore drilling operations. When a gas influx becomes trapped in a closed marine drilling riser, its upward migration can result in excessively high surface pressure, presenting significant risks to offshore drilling and well control. Therefore, the accurate estimation of downhole gas influx size and distribution during gas migration events is crucial for effectively managing these situations. The complexities of wellbore two-phase flow and gas migration make direct measurements challenging, leading to potential inaccuracies in traditional modeling approaches. This study introduces a Data Assimilation (DA) technique, employing the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF), to improve the real-time estimation of gas influx rates and distribution, thereby enhancing the accuracy of two-phase flow models in marine drilling. This research utilizes full-scale gas influx migration experiments conducted at Louisiana State University, where gas was injected from the bottom of an experimental well to simulate a riser gas event in a Water-based Mud (WBM) system. Key real-time measurements, including downhole pressure gauges at multiple depths and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) data, were employed to validate the estimated gas influx size and distribution within the riser using the EnKF. The overall gas influx distribution was captured through the real-time estimation of a dimensionless distribution index (DI), offering additional insights into the spatial characteristics of the migrating gas. Additionally, a Drift Flux Model (DFM) calibrated online through DA was used to predict flow parameters such as gas void fraction profiles within the riser during migration. The validation of these predictions demonstrated a strong correlation between the estimated and measured values. The outcomes of this study underscore the effectiveness of the proposed method in estimating parameters that are otherwise difficult to measure directly, thereby improving the predictive accuracy of gas influx behavior in marine drilling risers. This method offers significant practical value by enhancing real-time decision-making and risk management in marine drilling operations that involve gas migration, contributing to the broader goals of offshore drilling safety and marine environment protection
Hydro-Social Becomings: Rescaling Energy Politics in the Shadows of Vaca Muerta, Argentina
No full textThis article explores the scalar politics around a small-scale hydropower plant on the River Nahueve in the province of Neuquen, Argentine Patagonia. We show how this is presented as discrete and spatially bounded, obscuring the networked geography of the projects in their relationship to an extractivist territoriality. Social movements known as socio-environmental assemblies seek to rescale energy politics by emphasizing the ties between community and territory. The article explores how the ideas of ‘somos cuenca’ (‘we are the watershed’) and ‘agua libre’ (‘free water’) came to shape the emergence of a broad coalition of assemblies in their work to inform themselves and the broader communities of the area about the anticipated impacts of the project. We argue that this scalar politics of the socio-environmental assemblies, which links broader geographies to intimate spaces, is conditioned by and productive of a hydro-social consciousness. Lastly, we discuss limits of these politics within the current conjuncture.
Este artículo explora las políticas de escala alrededor de una planta hidroeléctrica a pequeña escala sobre el río Nahueve, en la provincia de Neuquén, Patagonia argentina. Mostramos cómo se presenta como algo discreto y espacialmente limitado. Esto oculta la geografía enredada de los proyectos en su relación con una territorialidad extractivista. Los movimientos sociales conocidos como asambleas socioambientales buscan re-escalar la política energética, enfatizaando los lazos entre la comunidad y el territorio. El artículo explora cómo las ideas de \u27somos cuenca\u27 y \u27agua libre\u27 comenzaron a dar forma a la emergencia de una amplia coalición de asambleas en su trabajo para informarse a sí mismas y a las comunidades más amplias de la zona sobre los impactos anticipados del proyecto. Argumentamos que esta política de escala de las asambleas socioambientales, que vincula geografías más amplias con espacios íntimos, está condicionada por y produce una conciencia hidro-social. Por último, discutimos los límites de estas políticas dentro de la coyuntura actual
Afterlives of Oil: Leadership of Repair in Fluid Landscapes
No full textThis paper chronicles the emergence of a new generation of indigenous leaders in the oil-producing region of northeastern Ecuador. Over the span of almost half a century, oil exploitation and toxic waste has come to mark the landscape, everyday lives and political relations among the Siekopai people. A new generation of leaders has tacitly accepted that they will not see monetary reparations, but have to make do in a transformed landscape of leaky substances. They are entangled in oil’s material afterlife, and I show how new political subjectivities arise with experiences of living with destruction to the best of their abilities. They take inspiration from shamanic practices of repair and controlled transformation to ensure existential continuity and recompose relations between forests, bodies and territories