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Tracing the Thread: Untangling Colonialism and Ableism from Material Culture Education
No full textThis thesis weaves together storytelling, personal reflections, poetry, and critical analysis to examine, critique, and document the colonial and ableist practices embedded within pedagogical approaches to material culture from the perspective of a Pinoy/Filipino and Pangasinan settler/immigrant on stolen indigenous lands. Grounding my personal history with textiles and a relearning of pinoy and Pangasinan languages, this document aims to archive the ways Western academic operations invalidate and erase diverse systems of knowledges from the university, while simultaneously creating the knowledges that validates its own existence as an institution. All the while, this thesis serves as a personal process to unravel the colonial and ableist threads within my own practice while embodying kapwa.
Structured in four parts, this document first situates my relationship to textiles within broader conversations around oppressive pedagogies, epistemicide, Indigenous Research Methodologies, storytelling as resistance, and relational accountability. Part 2 is grounded in my own discomfort navigating graduate school: I critique how citation mechanics, disciplinary boundaries, and academic notions of “rigour” work to exclude systems of knowledges. By connecting these everyday academic operations that sustains the university, I aim to shed light on how epistemicide and further systems of oppression persist within university walls and are continually reproduced on stolen Indigenous lands. Part 3 moves outward. I collect stories, reflections, and pieces that continue to untangle colonialism and ableism from the knowing of our shared material worlds, while practicing and telling stories of alternatives to dominant practices. Finally, Part 4 extends these discussions beyond the university, asserting that true liberatory change must emerge through collective, community-based efforts rather than institutional reform alone.
By centering my lived experience and location, alongside rigorous critique, this thesis challenges the authority of academic objectivity and empiricism, advocating instead for an approach that honours embodied knowledge, storytelling, and relationality as legitimate and necessary modes of inquiry that will move us towards a critical consciousness for liberation and self-determination. Through this work, I offer a cautionary tale of how universities can distract us from our own knowledge, while also affirming the possibilities of resisting and reimagining knowledge beyond colonial frameworks and ableist practices. For myself, I continue to hold hope throughout this document. Sometimes in the university, but always on the ground
A Qualitative Examination of the Impact of the 2021 Floods and Fires: Experiences, Emotions, and Future Uncertainties among Youth in Merritt, British Columbia
No full textGlobal warming is expected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme events, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, with youth at heightened risk of climate-related psychological stress. However, research on young people in climate emotions literature is underrepresented. Understanding youth climate emotions is crucial for helping them develop effective coping strategies and fostering a sense of hope, which can lead them towards pro-environmental behaviors. With young people constituting approximately one-fifth of the world’s population, their involvement in climate action is critical. The main objective of this qualitative study is to explore the impact of the floods and fires of 2021 among youth in Merritt, British Columbia. In-person and remote interviews were conducted with five youth aged 17 to 29, two secondary school instructors, and four parents. Through thematic analysis within a social constructivist framework, data from the interviews were coded according to three overarching themes: Extreme Event Experiences, Climate Emotions, and Future Uncertainties. The analysis revealed several key insights. First, municipalities may be inadequately prepared for extreme events, resulting in significant disruptions to daily life for community members. Second, extreme events and climate change can intensify future uncertainties and evoke strong climate emotions, including eco-anxiety, grief, and loss. Third, community connectedness emerged as a crucial emotional coping mechanism for youth. The findings also highlight that youth participants advocate for enhanced climate change adaptation efforts in Merritt and across Canada, specifically calling for expanded climate change education and a more inclusive approach to climate governance that incorporates the voices of youth, rural, and Indigenous populations
CFD-BASED MODELLING OF FLOW-ASSISTED DEMULSIFICATION TO ENHANCE REMOVAL OF WATER DROPS AND FINE SOLIDS
No full textThis work numerically analyzes the effect of a flat constricted microchannel on water droplet interaction in bitumen. A parametric study of droplet size, positioning, channel and
nozzle widths, and inlet Reynolds number is included. Droplets are tracked using Navier- Stokes and VOF equations with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) in Ansys Fluent 20R2.
The model is validated against experimental data, showing good agreement. Results indicate that bulk flow velocity primarily affects coalescence, with a critical velocity threshold above which coalescence does not occur, corresponding to Ca < 0:5 and Re < 0:1. Image processing estimates show a significant increase in mean droplet size due to late-stage coalescence in wider constrictions.
The work is next extended to consider a 3D constricting channel. The dynamics of 7-μm water droplets in bitumen within an 40-μm channel are explored using a 3D and 2D
coupled level-set and VOF (CLSVOF) approach. The interfacial region is resolved down to 28 nm using an AMR technique. A new population balance model (PBM) incorporated into
an Eulerian-Eulerian method is also developed to predict geometry-driven coalescence and breakup in the laminar flow field. For various capillary numbers (0:1 < Ca < 3), similar
droplet behaviour between Eulerian-Eulerian PBM and CLSVOF results is observed. This new PBM model can be efficiently applied to macro-scale devices. The effect of microchannel curvature on water droplet interaction in bitumen is explored.
The dynamics of 10-μm diameter droplets in U-shaped tubes with square cross-sections and width of h = 40 μm are simulated using the CLSVOF approach, complemented with the AMR technique. Different geometries are compared using one-dimensional (1D) diagrams for integral flow characteristics and 3D visualizations of the liquid-liquid interface. Flows near the convex and concave walls control droplet deformation and breakup patterns. Differently positioned droplets for each Reynolds number, bend radius, and interfacial tension case are assessed individually. A droplet behaviour map is developed based on local capillary and Reynolds numbers.
In water purification, removing oil attached to fine solid particles is a challenging technical, economic, and ecological problem. The remaining parts of the thesis focus on a numerical study of the shear effect on bitumen that contains a 100-μm-diameter sand particle in a water medium. To ensure accurate interface resolution, the CLSVOF method is combined with AMR. First, a 2D axisymmetrical domain is considered for lower particle Reynolds numbers (Rep = 2 - 200) and for four oil film thicknesses (5%, 10%, 20%, and 40% of the particle diameter). Four coating behaviour scenarios are revealed: deformation, tail formation, partial separation, and full separation. The oil film negligibly deforms at Rep < 5. At higher Rep and thicker films, separation occurs in full or partial regimes. A thinner film forms a tail that periodically fluctuates. The analysis shows that these fluctuations uniquely reshape the bitumen tail at each time period. Next, a bitumen-coated sand particle moving in a stream of water is investigated at a particle Reynolds number of 500. The transient dynamics of separation processes are simulated using the 3D domain. The particle, 100 μm in diameter, is coated with a 10% thickness of bitumen. Simulation results show that about 20% of the bitumen is removed at the onset of water flow around the particle. The remaining bitumen layer transforms into a tail containing 77% of the original bitumen volume
Delivering Culturally Appropriate Palliative Care to Chinese Immigrants in Alberta: Insights from Healthcare Providers in a Qualitative Case Study
No full textIntroduction: Culture significantly influences how individuals perceive, make decisions about, and cope with life-limiting illnesses. For immigrants, the blending of their original cultural beliefs with the values of their host countries often results in unique perspectives on dying and death. However, disparities in healthcare persist due to insufficient attention and resources allocated to culturally appropriate palliative care services. While some studies have examined culturally related care, research specifically focusing on Chinese immigrants in palliative care settings remains limited. This study aims to explore how healthcare providers deliver palliative care services to Chinese immigrants in Alberta, Canada.
Methods: This study employed a qualitative case study design across four palliative care contexts: palliative care units in hospitals, long-term care centers, palliative home care, and hospices. Data were collected through the review of documents on Canadian culturally related palliative care and individual semi-structured interviews with multidisciplinary providers in each setting. The interview questions were based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to explore how providers deliver culturally appropriate palliative care for Chinese immigrants. The Rainbow Model of Cultural Humility and Critical Race Theory are theoretical foundations. The analysis followed the six steps of inductive thematic analysis—familiarization with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the final report. These steps were applied within a structured coding scheme specific to case study research. This scheme involved an in-depth exploration of each case's context and description, followed by within-case thematic analysis to identify themes unique to each setting. A cross-case analysis was conducted to compare similarities and differences across the cases. Finally, assertions and generalizations were developed to synthesize the findings from both within-case and cross-case analyses and document review. This approach enabled a nuanced understanding of the specific challenges and broader patterns in delivering palliative care to Chinese immigrants across diverse care settings.
Results: A total of 30 documents were reviewed, and 38 participants were interviewed, including nine from hospices, nine from hospitals, 13 from palliative home care, and seven from long-term care centres. Five main themes emerged from the data. Theme 1 described specific Chinese beliefs and cultural practices in the context of palliative care. Theme 2 focused on providers' values and beliefs that shape their practice and are influenced by the (Alberta and Federal Government) medical system's policies, regulations, guidelines and resources. Theme 3 captured the tensions arising when providers and Chinese immigrants navigate power dynamics, address cultural needs, and confront mutual biases and misunderstandings. In response to these tensions, Theme 4 highlighted the role of communication as a tool for facilitating understanding and managing conflicts. Finally, Theme 5 described providers' current practices and therapeutic relationships as existing along a continuum, ranging from a provider-driven, non-accommodating, and habitual practice to a client-centred, fully accommodating, and reflective practice. While these overarching themes were consistent across the four case contexts, certain sub-themes were more valued in specific contexts of practice.
Discussion: While communication can help address tensions between Chinese immigrants and healthcare providers, there is limited systemic support for implementing culturally appropriate care. These findings highlight the need for institutional policies and education programs that promote cultural sensitivity and humility, equipping providers to deliver more equitable, culturally appropriate palliative care. This study underscores the complexity of providing palliative care in an intercultural context, emphasizing how providers must balance cultural sensitivity and humility with clinical and ethical standards. By illuminating the unique challenges faced by Chinese immigrants, this research raises awareness of healthcare disparities among minority groups in palliative care, offering valuable insights to promote more culturally appropriate and equitable care for these communities in Canada
Crowded by Your Absence
No full textBeyond the threshold of the large rolling doors is a gateway - in lies a trove of treasures: cases of can tabs, binders filled with antique coins, and wardrobes crowded with family mementos, hand written archives and obsolete technology. Each item had been deemed precious, meticulously stored to preserve its original, ideal state. But as the dust settles, the burden (and pleasures) of her late father’s storage unit come into focus. How is she going to deal with it all?
Crowded by your Absence is about processing and transforming family archives – simultaneously treasured collections and hoarded trash – to wrestle with the phenomenon of object attachment as a coping mechanism. This body of work explores notions of human attachment to objects that hold both physical and emotional space, and how these occupy memory, identity, and grief. On a much more personal level, through her father’s archive, Deedman questions what objects can tell us about coping with embodied trauma. Positioning the work in conversation with her father’s belongings to explore how one “recognizes the embedded vulnerabilities of memory, inhibition, human existence, the precariousness of home, and the politics of belonging.” Through inherited objects. Navigating both her father’s absence and the surplus of his objects, Deedman explores how these items materialize relationships within domestic spaces. More importantly, considering how they mark endurance, trauma, and coping mechanisms; every collected item is a signifier and a reminder of her father’s addiction and substance abuse
Exploring the role of Non-Covalent Interaction in Shaping Chiral Molecule/Complexes Using Rotational Spectroscopy
No full textIn this thesis, I explore the influence of non-covalent interactions (NCIs) on chiral molecules and molecular complexes, focusing on how chirality and chiral recognition impact molecular structure and interactions. By using broadband rotational spectroscopy, I investigate the role of NCIs in shaping the conformational landscapes of a variety of chiral systems. The research spans from intramolecular to intermolecular hydrogen bonding, as well as the transition from monomers to more complex molecular aggregates. Through a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches, I uncover how these interactions dictate structural preferences in chiral environments. The experimental work is grounded in the use of the CP-FTMW instrument at the University of Alberta (2-6 GHz), as well as two newly introduced high-frequency setups (8-12 GHz and 8-16 GHz). With the combination of conformational search, quantum chemistry calculation, and many non-covalent interaction analysis tools, this method provides the foundation for detailed conformational analysis and enhance our understanding of the interplay between NCIs, molecular chirality, and chirality recognition.
In particular, I investigate the transiently chiral fluoroalcohols, 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol and 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropanol, focusing on the OH tunneling motions that drive interconversion between non-superimposable mirror images. This study demonstrates the significant influence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding on the tunneling potential energy surface. Further, the conformational behavior of cis-cyclohexanediol, a model cyclic vicinal diol, is studied to enhance understanding of carbohydrate recognition processes. By investigating its structure and intramolecular hydrogen bonding, I extend the donor C-O shortening phenomenon to other vicinal diols by structural comparison of gas-phase experimental data. I report the intrinsic C-O bond differences caused by intramolecular H-bond in vicinal diols. Additionally, I explore weak intermolecular interactions, particularly the C-H…π interactions in the furan…hexane binary complex, through rotational spectroscopy. These weak interactions, while challenging to model theoretically, are essential in chemical and biological processes. My findings provide valuable insights into the structure and behavior of such weakly bound systems.
The study of methyl lactate as a model for chiral self-recognition further reveals the symmetry properties arising from chirality, examined through hyperfine rotational transitions and nuclear spin statistics. This work deepens our understanding of how molecular shape and interaction are influenced by chiral recognition. Lastly, I investigate the intricate hydrogen bonding networks within glycerol dimers and trimers, highlighting their similarities to water clusters. These studies not only illuminate the interesting and diverse hydrogen bonding loops in glycerol dimers and trimer but also address the complexities involved in predicting global minimum structures in systems with rich hydrogen bonding.
The thesis concludes with a summary of the significant findings and suggestions for future work. Through a detailed investigation of several complexes systems, this research advances our understanding of the relationship between chirality, molecular recognition, and non-covalent interactions
Conversion of barley straw and shrimp shell to value-added hydrogels and aerogels using environmentally friendly technologies: Pressurized fluid, high intensity ultrasound, and supercritical CO2 drying
No full textUpcycling refers to the process of transforming low value biomass to new materials of higher quality, price, or functionality. Barley straw, an agricultural biomass mainly composed of cellulose (30-40%), hemicellulose (20-25%) and lignin (15-17%), and shrimp shell, an animal biomass composed of chitin (15-22%) and protein (41-49%), are underutilized by-products with low market value. The main objective of this thesis was to use pressurized fluids (PF) to fractionate barley straw and shrimp shell, and then bleach and nanofibrillate the obtained cellulose fiber via high-intensity ultrasound (HIUS) to produce self-assembled scaffolds. Specifically, barley straw and shrimp shell were first upcycled to obtain cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and chitosan (CS), respectively. In addition, CS, a natural cross-linker, was used to produce composite scaffolds with CNF, which were loaded with collagen peptide (COLP) that can be potentially used as scaffolds for tissue engineering.
The first two studies investigated the catalytic effect of aqueous ethanol and carboxylic acid at subcritical water (sCW) conditions on the hydrolysis of barley straw (180-220°C, 50-200 bar, flow rate of 5 mL/min for 40 min, 0-100% v/v ethanol) and shrimp shell (140-260oC, 50 bar, 5 mL/min for 10-60 min, 0-10 wt.% citric and malic acid). The maximum amount of hemicellulose sugars was removed from barley straw after sCW treatment at 200°C/40 min, resulting in a cellulose-rich residue (purity 68.43%). Pressurized aqueous ethanol (PAE 60%) at 220oC removed more phenolic compounds (75.38 mg GAE/g straw) and lignin (63.77%). On the other hand, sCW treatment of shrimp shell at 260oC for 60 min resulted in the highest chitin yield of 26.39%, with deproteinization degree of 58.05%, and deacetylation degree of 66.29%. The sCW + malic acid (10 wt.%) treatment at 260oC/60 min improved amino acid removal to 140.11 mg/g shrimp shell. These results indicated that PAE and sCW + carboxylic acid can catalyze the delignification and deproteinization of barley straw and shrimp shell, respectively.
The third and fourth studies investigated the effect of HIUS treatment on delignification and nanofibrillation of the obtained cellulose-rich residue. Three different bleaching processes (acidic sodium chlorite bleaching, alkaline hydrogen peroxide bleaching, and HIUS-assisted bleaching) at 75-80°C for 2-6 h were investigated, resulting in cellulose fiber with purity of 91%, and diameter of 3-5 μm. Then, cellulose fiber was nanofibrillated using the HIUS treatment (24-72 kJ/g) to obtain CNF hydrogels with a maximum fibrillation yield of 62 wt.% at 72 kJ/g. After, hydrogels were supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) dried to form aerogels. The addition of shrimp shell CS improved aerogel stiffness to 3.2 bar, which is good for scaffolds.
The last study loaded COLP (1-10 wt.%) in CNF + CS composite hydrogels using a HIUS treatment and freeze-dried to form aerogels. The cumulative release of COLP from CNF + CS aerogels followed a biphasic pattern, where 15.90 and 35.49% of COLP were released within 1 and 48 h, respectively.
In summary, the results suggested that PF treatment followed by HIUS and SC-CO2 or freeze drying is a promising strategy for biorefining barley straw and shrimp shell towards nanofiber and potential tissue engineering scaffold production
