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Evaluation and Refinement of the Violent Behavior Vignette Questionnaire (VBVQ)
No full textObjective: The current research sought to explore the dimensionality, optimization, and construct validity of the Violent Behavior Vignette Questionnaire (VBVQ; Nunes et al., 2021). Method: Secondary data analyses were conducted on three samples (N = 1,339) with data on the VBVQ, the Violent Behaviour Scale (VBS; Nunes et al., 2015), and the Physical Aggression Scale of the Aggression Questionnaire (PA-AQ; Buss & Perry, 1992). Results: The CFA results indicated a one-factor model. Findings from the hierarchical regressions support the current configuration of the VBVQ. Correlations between some alternative versions of the VBVQ and PA-AQ/VBS total scores were comparable to those of the current version, suggesting that certain vignettes may be suitable for removal. The results demonstrate the VBVQ’s ability to differentiate by the known group of younger/older, but not single/married. Conclusion: The current research supports the VBVQ’s unidimensional structure, current scoring, and ability to differentiate by age
Reconstructing the Evolution of North American Gomphotheres (Mammalia, Proboscidea) through Craniomandibular Characters
Get PDFThe family Gomphotheriidae is the “waste basket” of proboscidean groups. Widely accepted as paraphyletic, gomphotheres are characterized by bunolophodont molars and extreme morphological variability. In this thesis, I attempt to resolve the phylogenetic relationships among gomphotheres and other proboscidean lineages by employing a craniomandibular character matrix that excludes characters pertaining to the most variable part of proboscidean skulls, their teeth. Using a combined-evidence Fossilized Birth-Death model, I use morphological, molecular, and stratigraphic range data to generate a phylogenetic hypothesis of proboscidean evolutionary history. The resulting tree topology largely agrees with the results of craniodental trees on the organization of proboscidean families, including the paraphyletic nature of the Gomphotheriidae. I also find evidence that the “shovel tusked” Amebelodontidae may be polyphyletic and that some of the morphological variability attributed to the species Gomphotherium productum is the result of misidentification and ignorance of independent North American lineages
The Limits of Existential Freedom: An Exploration of the Efficacy of Philosophical Literature in Existentialism
Get PDFThis thesis project argues that literature is a meaningful form of philosophizing. In Chapter 1, I outline the relationship between the reader and author in literary works. In Chapter 2, I establish that genre is an important aspect of philosophy and argue that literature is a genre that is interrelated with philosophy, as embodied by the existentialist tradition. In Chapter 3, I explain the importance of the literary genre for Nietzsche, Sartre, and Beauvoir in the conveyance of their philosophies. In Chapter 4, I provide an explanation of the key concepts of existential literature that make it uniquely suited to the expression of existential freedom. In Chapter 5, I look to examples of expository and literary works by the existentialists, arguing that literature emphasizes the importance of community for the existentialist project. Finally, I conclude that philosophy should reconsider genre and incorporate literature into an understanding of existential philosophy
Existence as Resistance: Examining Israeli Efforts to Eliminate the Native Palestinian Child Through a Discussion on Settler Colonialism, Securitization, and Genocide
Get PDFBy exploring the three themes of settler colonialism, securitization, and genocide, I analyze the ongoing Israeli genocidal assault on Gaza through a multidisciplinary theoretical lens whereby I essentially argue that the genocide Israel is perpetuating was always intentional in that it stems from the logic of elimination (Wolfe, 2006) which is inherent within the settler colonial nature of its state formation (and even earlier, with the emergence of Zionism in the late 19th century). I further argue that Israel seeks, in particular, to target the native Palestinian child through a sub-logic of limiting future possibilities, or in other words, the elimination of futurity. According to this logic, existence is resistance for the Indigenous in Indigenous lands, whereby survival serves as the ultimate testament to resilience in the face of settler colonial violence and erasure (Veracini, 2011)
Three Essays on Monetary Economics in Canada
Get PDFIn chapter one, I form a new series of monetary policy shocks in Canada using a high-frequency identification approach of a market-based interest rate to capture a monetary policy shock. I then form a monthly series of monetary policy shocks with a 30-day moving average approach consistent with the literature. Applying this as an external instrument in a vector autoregression, the effects of a policy shock are larger than those of previous approaches and there is no price puzzle in the initial impulse response. In chapter two, I examine the non-monetary news component that may exist in Canada’s high-frequency policy surprises. This is important to remove effects contrary to a monetary policy shock. The key to identifying non-monetary news in Canadian policy surprises is considering the monetary process leading into announcements. This suggests splitting announcements into two types to properly account for non-monetary news allowing a robust examination of the non-monetary news in the policy surprises. I focus on the information channel and the response to news channels as explanations of non-monetary news. I find evidence supporting the response to news channel, bolstered by the split announcement type. I form a new series of monetary policy shocks and show that there are no monetary puzzles in the initial impulse responses following a policy shock. I show how this aligns with response to news channel through an illustrative model. This is the first evidence of a response to news channel in monetary policy surprises outside the US. In chapter three, co-authored with Hashmat Khan and Jeremy Kronick, we create a measure of Canada’s neutral rate. We expand beyond the standard short neutral rate and create a neutral rate yield curve, allowing us to discuss the stance of monetary policy in Canada beyond the standard short-term rate. This provides a better discussion about the stance of monetary policy, as monetary policy includes unconventional policy action such as forward guidance, Quantitative Easing and other unconventional methods that target interest rates beyond the short rate on the yield curve. In our original release (October 2024), we suggest Canada continue cutting the key interest rate
Adaptive Reuse from Below: Co-Designing the Morrison Gardens Portable for Community Place-Keeping
Get PDFThe Morrison Gardens Portable has long been a vital hub for community programming in the west of Ottawa, as the only indoor public space in the neighborhood. Yet, structural deterioration slated it for demolition without community consultation, highlighting broader issues of sustainability, heritage, and social justice. Through community partnerships, fundraising, and architectural activism, this beloved portable will be renovated and returned to the community. I propose a theory and practice of adaptive reuse that prioritizes communality. In underserved communities, demolition often results in the erasure of memory and infrastructure; this thesis proposes adaptive reuse as an act of advocacy to protect the right to public space. Through a co-produced design intervention, this project challenges dominant redevelopment narratives in both theory and practice and will be built as part of the Architecture Action Lab’s design-build program in Summer 2025. Through architectural activism, this work affirms that community memory matters
From Slip Estimation to Collaborative Localization of Multi-Robot Systems Using Multi-Sensor Networks
Get PDFAutonomous operation of mobile robots, especially in complex environments, demands precise mobility analysis, robust localization, and real-time fault and anomaly detection to ensure mission success and operational safety. This thesis investigates localization algorithms in multi-robot, multi-sensor robotic systems. The first part explores how the sensors and components of a robotic platform can be modeled as a sensor network to estimate slip anomalies which is an essential step for correcting wheel odometry. The second part focuses on fault-tolerant multi-modal localization within a network of multiple robotic platforms. A key theoretical aspect of the research is dedicated to track (pose) fusion methods, particularly addressing the nonlinearity and correlation challenges for systems over vector spaces which use the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) frameworks. We extend this approach for multi-robot systems by developing sequential fusion techniques within multi-sensor networks. By leveraging Statistical Linearization Regression (SLR) and the recursive propagation of cross-covariance matrices, the proposed fusion methods demonstrate superior performance in terms of consistency, accuracy, and computational efficiency compared to existing techniques. The developed technique is then applied to estimate wheel slip in a six-wheel rover, where each wheel functions as an agent within a network. A further significant focus of this thesis is the geometric pose estimation and fusion for mobile robots. By adopting matrix Lie groups, we establish a framework for propagation of correlations and consistent fusion of correlated pose estimates, which is essential for reliable navigation tasks in uncertain environments. We further develop stochastic operations on matrix Lie groups, including composition, differencing, inversion, averaging, and constrained fusion for both correlated and uncorrelated members. These operations are used to propose a comprehensive multi-modal localization framework for cooperative multirobot systems represented. The system integrates inertial and velocity sensors with pose measurements through a networked EKF, enabling scalable and reliable localization across multi-robot systems. Fault-tolerant capabilities are embedded through squared Mahalonobis distance metric, ensuring the reliability and accuracy of localization estimates, even in the presence of sensor failures and anomalies. Experiments conducted on a network of wheeled mobile robots validate the effectiveness of the proposed methodologies. The results demonstrate that the proposed methods are accurate, fast, and cost-effective, significantly improving the performance and resilience of multi-robot systems
Strained Systems, Escalating Needs: Service Provider Perspectives on the Rural Landscape of Sexual- and Gender-based Violence in the Five-years post-COVID
Get PDFThis preprint has not undergone any post-submission improvements or corrections. The Version of Record of this article is published in Journal of Family Violence and is available online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-025-00947-5Purpose With the recent 5-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, rural communities continue to grapple with the profound and lasting impacts on rates and severity of sexual and gender-based violence. Rural areas, home to 16% of Canada’s population, account for 38% of femicides, with disproportionately higher rates of severe violence and emergency interventions compared to urban centres. Despite this, research on the pandemic’s long-term effects on sexual and gender-based violence in rural regions remains limited, hindered by underreporting and administrative data constraints. This qualitative study addresses this gap by exploring service provider perspectives on the enduring impacts of COVID-19 on sexual and gender-based violence in rural Ontario, a Canadian province where over 100 municipalities have declared intimate partner violence an epidemic. Methods This study explored service provider perspectives in service delivery, rising demand, and operational challenges in rural Ontario in the 5-years post COVID-19, with specific attention to how geographic isolation intersects with race, gender, immigration status, and other structural factors shaping access to care. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and sociodemographic surveys with 18 service providers with clients in rural Ontario, recruited via purposive and snowball sampling. Results Reflexive thematic analysis, conducted using NVivo15, identified three key themes: (1) escalating violence and unmet needs, (2) strain on rural services, and (3) shifting community dynamics and intersectional considerations. Findings highlight the urgent need for adaptable, culturally competent service models to address the evolving needs of rural populations. Conclusions This study underscores the urgent need for sustained investment, community-driven infrastructure, and responsive policymaking to address the enduring impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural SGBV service delivery. Strengthening support for community-based organizations, including adequate funding, culturally safe programming, and workforce development, is critical to equipping service providers with the resources needed to meet rising demand and deliver comprehensive, survivor-centered care