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From 'Somewhere in France' to Somewhere in the Collections: Recovering Soldier Art at the Canadian War Museum
No full textWorks of art and warfare have a long and deeply entwined history. This is especially true in Canada where war art has played a role in nation-building and identity formation. Official Canadian war art, commissioned by the Canadian War Memorials Fund and the Canadian War Records during the First and Second World Wars respectively, has often been at the centre of this history, obscuring works created by individual soldiers. This dissertation discusses unofficial soldier art that has been “hidden in plain sight” in the George Metcalf Archival Collection, the Canadian War Museum’s textual archives. It explores the different kinds of soldier art to be found there, including examples that adorn the pages of letters, diaries, military training course notebooks, Great War nursing sisters’ autograph books, and Second World War POW wartime log books. The war stories this soldier art tells are personal, intimate, complex, and, at times, funny and heart wrenching. They offer us a glimpse into the experiences of ordinary Canadians who lived through the World Wars. This study argues that a national high culture bias, the quirks of the institutional histories of three Canadian national cultural institutions, the interests of professionalizing public and academic history fields, and especially the Canadian War Museum’s archival cataloguing best practices, account for soldier art having been overlooked. The vastness and variety of soldier art that exists in the textual archives at the Canadian War Museum deserves recognition, reconsideration, and, ultimately, reclassification in the catalogue record, thereby making it visible to researchers and the general public. To do this, we must engage with soldier art as art, artefact, and historical document. The implications of this research reach farther than the Canadian War Museum’s collections alone. This case study can (and should) be applied to other cultural institutions, large and small, nationally and internationally
Vehicle Dynamics Modelling and Simulation for Use in the Development of a Self-Healing Auto Cyber Security System Proof-of-Concept
No full textAll modern vehicles utilize Electric Control Units (ECUs) to control the electronics of the vehicle. This thesis introduces the foundation for the integration of a Self-Healing Auto Cyber Security System (SHACS), designed to detect and correct attacks on the vehicle’s Controller Area Network (CAN). The foundation builds upon a 10-degree-of-freedom (DOF) vehicle dynamics model with driver, sensor, and novel steer-by-wire models to represent the vehicle’s physics. The new steering mechanism was designed by using servo motors to steer each wheel independently, increasing the signals on the CAN. The model was implemented in MATLAB/Simulink, then was integrated into a set of BeagleBone Blacks for CAN and SHACS integration. A sample SHACS uses a unique detection and correction methodology that takes three time-steps to correct the system from an attack. This thesis proposes a framework for simultaneously developing vehicle dynamics and cybersecurity systems that could be integral to secure automotive technologies development
Aerodynamic Analysis of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Using Computational Fluid Dynamics
No full textA numerical study of a vertical axis wind turbine was performed using commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software ANSYS CFX. Normal and tangential force coefficients were compared to measurements for two tip speed ratios. The CFD results generally had a good agreement with the experimental results, with more discrepancies for the tangential coefficient than the normal coefficient, likely due to its lower magnitude. For the higher tip speed ratio, CFD simulations were run with both no-slip and free-slip boundary conditions on the airfoils, and were found to produce comparable results. The CFD predictions were also compared with a vortex filament method code, with which there was generally a good agreement. Overall the CFD model seemed to produce acceptable predictions for the normal and tangential force coefficients. This work could be used as a framework for future simulations in the testing of novel Darrieus wind turbine designs
Bio-Inspired Adaptive Control of Robotic Manipulators for Grasping in Orbital Space Missions
No full textThis research addresses the control problem of spaceborne manipulators for adaptive and reactive grappling of space targets for orbital missions requiring faster dynamics interactions than are currently employed. One of the major difficulties in validation of space manipulator algorithms is the challenge and expense of experimentally replicating the space environment on earth. This research’s approach to solving this problem has evolved from a bio-inspired feedforward approach to a proprioceptive reinforcement learning approach. Initially it was assumed that a bio-inspired feedforward approach could provide human-like tactility required for robustness and adaptability in space robotic manipulation. A cerebellum-inspired pre-trained neural network has been implemented as a forward model as a means of circumventing potential problems with traditional feedback controllers for space manipulators. Such problems are anticipated in sophisticated real-world applications of space manipulation such as the manipulator-mounted free-flyer spacecraft. Cerebellar-inspired forward models have thus far been demonstrated in only simple proof-of-concept problems. A novel method was developed for combining the multi-layer perceptron (MLP) with a multi-output regression tree (MORT) in a pre-trained feedforward neural network capable of predicting forward trajectories to an accuracy of 89-96% for previously unseen trajectory data. Given the similarity in form and dynamics between earth-based and space-based robotic manipulators, transfer learning of the neural network controller was explored as an avenue to address the challenges of experimental simulation of the space environment on earth and addressing the limited computation resources onboard spacecraft. This research discovered a practical limitation of such transfer learning and neural networks in general as a model of general intelligence. Consequently, alternative approaches were investigated. A reinforcement learning approach has been selected based on learning an adaptive model. This model can be applied to the space environment by leveraging rapid motor adaptation. A pre-trained feedforward model using online updates from proprioceptive data can be implemented on limited computational resources. Unlike other pre-trained forward models, it does not require online re-computation for new environments. The pre-trained forward model incorporates compliance in a force control architecture. A future task would be the experimentation of different types of payloads using some muscle-like compliant approach to make proprioceptive measurements
Essays in Macroeconomics
No full textThe central theme of the thesis is to deeply understand questions related to the interaction between household heterogeneity and the macroeconomy. For instance, How important are changes in the aggregate economy for households’ decisions? What forces determine these responses? How do policies affect the well-being and inequality among households? The objective of answering these questions is to demonstrate that individual behavior is crucial for investigating changes in the aggregate economy or evaluating various policy interventions. I use quantitative structural models calibrated with microdata and/or empirical methods to answer the research question of each chapter. In the first chapter (Chapter 2), joint with Hashmat Khan, Minjoon Lee, and Raúl Razo-García, our research is motivated by the most recent corporate tax reform in the U.S. We find three key insights from various examinations using our model. Chapter 3 investigates how housing prices affect heterogeneous household decisions in the presence of varying financial conditions. I demonstrate that housing price effects for households are dependent on the state of the aggregate financial conditions. Moreover, the effects are heterogeneous across households at different stages of their life-cycle and have important policy implications. Finally, in chapter 4, joint with Hashmat Khan, we examine whether financial shocks, in particular collateral shocks, are a dominant source of business cycle fluctuations in the U.S. We show that the evidence is not strong enough to conclude that they are
Influence of Composition and Processing Methods on the Microstructure and Properties of Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni High Entropy Alloys
No full textThis research was undertaken to evaluate potential use of high entropy alloys (HEAs) for high-temperature applications. Three HEAs – CoCrFeMnNi, Al0.5CoCrFeMnNi1.5, and Al0.5CoCrFeNi1.5 – were examined to assess the impact of Mn and Al additions and heat treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties. Additionally, preliminary development of additive manufacturing process for CoCrFeMnNi utilizing a laser powder direct energy deposition (LP-DED) system was conducted. Results showed that Al addition resulted in hardness increase by forming γ’-Ni3Al and β-NiAl phases, while Mn addition enhanced hardness but reduced phase stability and solidus temperature. The LP-DED process parameters (laser power, scanning speed, and material feed rate) all demonstrated significant impact on resulting sample dimensions. Comparative analyses revealed that sintering by hot isostatic pressing produced superior density and reduced defects compared to casting and LP-DED. This study highlights the influence of alloy composition, manufacturing techniques, and heat treatments on microstructure and performance of HEAs
Evaluating Canada’s Inclusive Trade Agenda: A Care Ethics and Intersectionality Based Policy Analysis of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement
No full textThe pursuit of international trade has been a cornerstone of global economic development and prosperity. However, current global trade systems often overlook the diverse needs and aspirations of women and marginalized communities, resulting in an uneven distribution of benefits and an exacerbation of socio-economic disparities. Economic growth through trade is central to Canada’s development, and inclusive trade agreements may be a useful tool for closing global gender gaps. In response to these challenges and building on insights gained from interviews with civil society representatives, this thesis sets forth a combined and enhanced intersectionality-based policy analysis (IBPA) and care ethics approach to inclusive trade. This enhanced approach incorporates considerations of care and a deeper intersectional approach to trade policy, where the role of care in the policy arena is often overlooked. The framework centers on adopting an enhanced IBPA-care ethics approach to understand the differentiated effects of trade on women by delving into the fundamental elements of care ethics and emphasizing the moral significance of caregiving. Thus, the approach places the well-being of individuals and communities at the forefront of policy considerations. Based on this theoretical framework, I conduct an in-depth examination of Canada’s inclusive trade policy, including an in-depth analysis of the Canada-United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (CUSMA) and examples of other attempts by Canada to incorporate a gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) approach into its trade policy. Additionally, I conduct interviews with various civil society representatives to gauge Canadian government priorities, values, and interests in relation to Canada’s progress towards a more inclusive trade policy. Based on this analysis, I argue for the need for more robust gender chapters in all Canadian trade agreements that include enforcement mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation. Lastly, I suggest that policymakers adopt an enhanced intersectionality-based policy analysis and care ethics approach that places intersectionality and care at the center of inclusive trade policy to include marginalized stakeholders in the trade policy-making process
Children of Day: Diasporic Ambivalence and Religious Revival Among Coptic Orthodox Youth in Mississauga, Ontario
No full textIn this thesis, I examine a local religious revival movement among Coptic Orthodox youth in Mississauga, Ontario, with the aim of understanding what it means for my interlocutors to seek a faith-based identity as an alternative to national belonging in the diaspora. Like many diasporic cohorts, Coptic youth in Mississauga experience what I call diasporic ambivalence. Caught between two nations and two cultures, they struggle with a prolonged sense of liminality between Canada and Egypt. Drawing primarily on the works of Saba Mahmood (2004, 2016), Carolyn Ramzy (2014; 2015; 2023), and Lara Deeb (2006), I argue that my interlocutors ameliorate their ongoing sense of diasporic ambivalence between Canada and Egypt by detaching themselves from “Earthly” cultural identities and instead understanding themselves as citizens of “Heaven.
Community, Kindness, Respect: Adaptive Reuse as a Means to Preserve Memory Le Monastere des Servantes de Jesus Marie
No full textIn the past, adaptive reuse has been a tool to economically build, preserve heritage, and develop sustainably. But what happens to the stories of the people who used the building before it was converted? How do we honour the indigenous peoples who used the land before the building was constructed? This thesis will explore how adaptive reuse could be used to preserve intangible values in addition to material values. The vacant Monastery located on the Ottawa River will serve as a case study to understand how values can inform adaptive reuse and evolve to meet the needs of modern society. The landscape plan proposes a framework rooted in two-eyed seeing for the federal government to encourage site-specific participatory design. The building and landscape proposals are routed in shared values between past and present users in an effort to maintain this essence into the future
On Physiological Exhaustion in Fish Arising from Catch-and-release Angling: Mechanisms and Potential Solutions
No full textThe physiological consequences of exhaustion in fish lead to impaired activity and, in extreme cases, death. The overarching goal of my thesis was to provide an updated perspective on the physiological mechanisms of exhaustion in fish and identify gaps in fisheries research. I conducted a comprehensive literature review that examined the physiological mechanisms of exhaustion and post-exercise mortality in fish. Several gaps in research existed, especially within the context of the applied aspects of exhaustion in recreational angling. Key directions of future research were identified as 1) understanding ecological relationship between metabolic phenotype and exercise performance, 2) characterizing measurable consequences of exhaustion related to swimming performance, 3) identify key variables that support recovery from exhaustion and 4) contextualizing these observations within the framework of ecological physiology. I explored these directions using 3 study species, barramundi (Lates calcarifer), permit (Trachinotus falcatus) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) using a combination of controlled experiments and field studies that employed emerging research methods and technology. My findings indicated metabolic phenotype significantly impacted digestion after exercise, both in duration and magnitude, suggesting that exercise fitness may be a key determinant of life history success. Fish with a higher maximum metabolic rate were more likely to eat bigger meals and had less available aerobic scope to perform exercise during digestion. This is concerning for species in complex habitats with high predator densities. My findings also indicated that site-specific predator densities threaten vulnerable permit populations at certain fishing destinations in the Florida Keys. Although permit were resilient to impairment arising from catch-and-release angling, depredation rates were elevated depending on site of capture. No significant difference in post-release swimming behaviour was observed in air-exposed fish. My final study characterized swimming performance in smallmouth bass and identified their resilience to impairment after an angling interaction. No significant difference was found in air-exposed fish or fish treated with assisted recovery techniques. Results indicated the most frequently performed behaviour was rest. Environmental factors (depth, temperature) did not influence behaviour during rest, yet the apparent necessity of this behaviour warrants further investigation. In summation, responses to exhaustion are varied and context dependent