University of Colorado Honors Journal

Depression and the Role of Perceived Stress Controllability During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2024-01-18T17:45:42-07:00

Abstract

The learned helplessness theory of depression suggests that a perceived loss of control over stressful events is associated with depression. However, little research has tested this relationship in humans, and there has been little to no discussion of the possible effect of biological sex. The present study examined the relationship between perceived stress controllability and depression in a sample of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether biological sex moderated this relationship. Participants (ages 18-38, N = 295) were university students who were enrolled in the study near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and assessed across the subsequent eight weeks. Using remote surveys, we assessed stressors the participants had experienced as well as the amount of control they felt they had over each; we also assessed anhedonic depression via surveys. At baseline, there was a significant correlation between perceived stress controllability and depression. Biological sex was not a moderator of this relationship, but planned post hoc analyses revealed baseline perceived stress controllability was significantly associated with depression in females but not in males. Across the eight weeks of the study, there was not a significant relationship between change in perceived stress controllability and change in depression, and biological sex was not a moderator. Planned post hoc analyses, however, showed that there was a significant correlation between change in perceived stress controllability and change in depression in females but not in males. These results suggest a possible relationship between perceived stress controllability and depression in females. However, our results were mixed and therefore further research is necessary to elucidate the nature of the relationship between perceived stress controllability and depression, and the extent to which this is moderated by sex. If this relationship does exist, it could suggest a potential target for therapy, particularly in females.

Lay Summary

We can locate brand new exoplanets, many light years away, without ever actually seeing them. Better yet, we can classify and learn vital information about the star and planet system from the exoplanet detection methods. One commonly used detection method is the transit method. The transit method captures the slight dimming of a star’s light as a planet crosses in front of it. This decrease in brightness is temporary and regular. Transits provide information about the composition and properties of stars. One such phenomenon is limb-darkening where the brightness of the star appears darker around its edges. Limb-darkening coefficients are calculated using a quadratic relationship between the intensity at a certain point of the star to the intensity at the center of the star. As the coefficients increase, the “limbs” or edges of the star appear darker. The wavelength in which we are measuring the transit also impacts the limb-darkening. At lower wavelengths, the darkening effect is more dramatic. Using these coefficients at different wavelengths we can create theoretical models to show what stars should look like without being able to see them.

The James Webb Telescope (JWST) is capturing numerous exoplanets through the transit method. Launched in December 2021, the JWST contains instruments capable of measuring the slightest changes in the brightness of distant stars. The transit data, collected from the JWST, are fit to infer the best limb-darkening coefficients. We also calculate theoretical coefficients using known physical properties of the star. One particular star captured by the JWST is WASP-39, located 700 light years away. WASP-39 is a dwarf star slightly smaller than our Sun. Models of WASP-39 are created using the empirical and theoretical coefficients. These stellar movies show the appearance of the star at various wavelengths and their corresponding limb-darkening coefficients. The appearances are compared to show how different actual data presents from theoretical models. Providing visual models for stars is an easy way to quantify differences, rather than numerical data.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/z890rv682.

Stellar Mapping Using Quadratic Limb-Darkening

2024-01-30T18:19:55-07:00

Abstract

In this thesis, I create useful visualizations of stars empirically from transit observations and theoretically from stellar parameters. Transit photometry has been a popular method to find exoplanets and information about star and planet systems many light-years away. Since most stars are too far away to be seen directly, creating stellar visualizations is an important tool for modeling stars. When creating visualizations, limb-darkening must be considered. Limb-darkening is the visual darkening along the outside, or limbs, of a star. This effect is more dramatic at shorter wavelengths, such as visible light, making it easier to see the darkening of limbs. A recent transit of WASP-39 captured from the James Webb Space Telescope is used to create stellar models for this star, using fitted empirical limb-darkening coefficients. Theoretical models for WASP-39 will also be created using theoretically determined coefficients. While complicated, generating empirical and theoretical limb-darkening profiles is a useful way of modeling stars too far away to observe.

Lay summary

To see the complete thesis, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/5m60qt492

Investigating ANU and ICE-6G Ice Model Relative Sea Level Misfits to Determine Viscosity Constraints since the Last Glacial Maximum

2024-01-18T17:13:45-07:00

Abstract

Glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) incorporates glacial rebound and gravitational potential to calculate sea level rise. However, many ice models struggle to accurately represent these effects in relative sea level (RSL) predictions. Two widely used ice models that incorporate GIA effects, ANU and ICE-6G, require further analysis to gauge their validity. In this thesis, we compare the model predictions of RSL of the ANU and ICE-6G models against six distinct RSL field datasets using a semi-analytic GIA model. To predict RSL, a GIA model requires an ice model and models of the Earth’s mantle viscosity, density, and elastic structure. While mantle density and elastic structures are reliably constructed from seismology studies, mantle viscosity is not well constrained. We developed 864 simulated mantle viscosity models to run with the ANU and ICE-6G ice models to obtain the predicted RSL data. We analyzed the Root Mean Square (RMS) misfits of the simulated test RSL outputs against the observed RSL field data. We showed that RMS demonstrates error quality of field data is critically important to the GIA modeling process. We also showed the strengths and weaknesses of each ice model through further RMS analysis.

Lay Summary

Sea level change is not only a critical aspect of our climate’s response, but also a novel gateway to understanding the structure of the Earth’s mantle. This understanding is made possible by studying sea level changes over long timescales, such as since the Last Glacial Maximum. The Earth’s crust responds to increased (or decreased) weight of ice on its surface by deforming (or rebounding) and reaching a new equilibrium state over thousands of years. The response time and altered geometryof the crust give information about mantle viscosity. Observations and calculations of sea level over time geospatially constrain historical ice models, creating an opportunity to determine the most appropriate viscosity. This research identified two widely used ice models (ANU and ICE-6G) to reconstruct present day sea level, combined with varying values for the Earth’s upper and lower mantle. Findings were then compared with observations to identify minimum misfits—calculations that are closest to observation values. By understanding the factors that influence these discrepancies, the researchers hope to improve the accuracy of future models and predictions of sea level changes.

For the full text and references, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/z603qz79c.

Shelving Spectroscopy and Atomic Clock Development of the Strontium 689 nm Intercombination Line

2024-01-24T10:36:40-07:00

Abstract

Precise timekeeping is crucial for a myriad of applications, including GPS, telecommunications, financial transaction time-stamping, and more [20]. The burgeoning demand for increasingly accurate clocks at a smaller scale has driven significant progress in atomic clock miniaturization over the past two decades [8][10]. Chip-scale atomic clocks have emerged by employing micro-fabricated vapor cells containing atomic species conducive to high-precision timekeeping [20][12].

Strontium has emerged as an exceptional candidate for atomic clocks, with the development of clocks exhibiting deviations of less than 1 second in 300 billion years [5]. However, a chip-scale strontium clock remains to be realized.

This paper delineates the advancements made toward the development of a strontium atomic clock utilizing a micro-fabricated vapor cell. The proposed design involves implementing a shelving spectroscopy scheme that employs the ¹S₀-³P₁transition as the clock transition. Further refinement of the shelving scheme and the associated laser lock systems is necessary prior to the establishment of a functional clock. All components of this proposed design, encompassing both optical and electrical elements, can be miniaturized to chip scale, rendering it a promising solution for a wide range of applications with stringent weight and volume constraints.

The strontium clock design outlined in this paper incorporates frequency and phase lock systems, which are critical for achieving precise resonance between the shelving and intermediate lasers with their respective transitions. This paper discusses the current limitations of these locking systems and proposes potential improvements. Once the frequency and phase locks are optimized and an additional frequency lock is employed, a clock is created by pairing a frequency counter with the laser resonant with the clock transition.

Lay Summary

I completed the work for this thesis under the supervision of Dr. Yang Li and Dr. Matthew Hummon at the Time and Frequency Division of the National Institute of Science and Technology. One of the aims of this research group is to produce increasingly precise and small clocks. High-precision timekeeping is essential to many sectors of the economy, from finance to telecommunications. However, a lot of new technology that requires the highest precision clocks does not have the space to accommodate the large atomic clocks of the past. The first atomic clocks occupied an entire laboratory. Today, the most precise atomic clocks can be as small as a dining room table. This research group hopes to make a clock that is the size of a computer chip.

My thesis documents the progress I made in the pursuit of this goal. I primarily discuss the techniques used to measure and stabilize light. Light is essential for this atomic clock because it serves as the oscillator used to measure time, just like the pendulum for a grandfather clock.

The name atomic clock comes from the use of atoms to stabilize the light. A group of atoms absorbs some of the light used for the clock. We then use a technique called shelving spectroscopy to amplify this absorption signal. This amplified absorption signal allows for better stabilization of the light through a technique called a phase lock. The phase lock prevents the frequency of the light from drifting too much, leading to a more reliable clock. My work contributes to the eventual development of a strontium-based atomic clock that is as small as a computer chip yet remains as precise as much larger clocks.

Works Cited in Abstract

[5] EurekAlert! Ultraprecise atomic clock poised for new physics discoveries, feb 2022.
[8] S. Knappe, V. Gerginov, P. D.D. Schwindt, V. Shah, H. G. Robinson, L. Hollberg, and J. Kitching. Atomic
vapor cells for chip-scale atomic clocks with improved long-term frequency stabil- ity. Opt. Lett., 30(18):2351–
2353, Sep 2005.
[10] Svenja Knappe, V Shah, Peter Schwindt, Leo Hollberg, John Kitching, Li-Anne Liew, and John Moreland.
A microfabricated atomic clock. (85), 2004-01-01 2004.
[12] Li-Anne Liew, Svenja Knappe, John Moreland, Hugh Robinson, Leo Hollberg, and John Kitching.
Microfabricated alkali atom vapor cells. Appl. Phys. Lett., 84(14):2694–2696, April 2004.
[20] Bonnie L Schmittberger and David R Scherer. A review of contemporary atomic frequency standards.
2020.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/5712m8055.

Circadian Mechanisms of Prefrontal Cortex Dependent Memory in Trace Fear Conditioning

2024-01-23T18:30:08-07:00

Abstract

Circadian rhythms are physiological and behavioral processes that follow an approximately 24-hour cycle. They arise from internal biological clocks, which are synchronized mainly by environmental light. Fear-based mental disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are associated with disruptions in circadian rhythms. Understanding this relationship is important for developing more effective treatments. In delayed fear conditioning, the most common form of fear conditioning, the presentation of a tone (conditioned stimulus) is paired with a foot shock (unconditioned stimulus), causing experimental subjects to associate tone presentation with shock delivery. In trace fear conditioning, a brief temporal gap occurs between the tone and foot shock, causing different brain circuits to get engaged. Past work in our laboratory and others has shown circadian rhythms in the extinction of delayed conditioned fear. More recent work in our laboratory has shown that the recall of trace conditioned fear similarly exhibits a rhythm, with recall being stronger during the inactive phase of the rest-activity cycle. The purpose of this experiment was to test whether stronger recall for trace fear is dependent on the time of conditioning or the time of recall. Additionally, I analyzed brain tissue to assess whether rhythms in behavior were reflected in circadian and activity-dependent gene expression in the prefrontal cortex. Rats were fear conditioned at either ZT4 (the inactive phase) or ZT16 (the active phase) and then underwent fear recall after 24 h (same time of day as training), 36 h (opposite time of day as training), and 48 h (same time of day as training). Results showed an interaction between the time of training and the interval between training and testing for trace fear conditioning. Specifically, ZT4 rats showed strong fear recall at all intervals, whereas ZT16 rats showed increased recall over a greater recall interval. The mRNA expression of Per1, a key circadian gene, showed opposite results, with the ZT4 expression decreasing over recall intervals and ZT16 expression remaining constant. For c-Fos, an immediate early gene whose expression is used to approximate recent neuronal activation, mRNA expression tended to be higher at ZT16 regardless of the time of training. Notably, however, ZT4-36 h rats showed higher c-Fos expression than ZT16-36 h rats in the infralimbic but not prelimbic prefrontal cortex, suggesting differential engagement of the prelimbic cortex during trace fear recall. These results suggest that learned fear may be consolidated more quickly during the inactive phase, leading to signs of prefrontal engagement at later recall intervals during the active phase. In turn, these findings pave the way for circadian assessments, treatments, and prevention for fear-based mental disorders in clinical settings.

Lay Summary

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/x059c890d.

Redesigning Peppers RNA Imaging System

2024-01-18T17:16:49-07:00

Abstract

RNA is a central component of biochemistry as it carries genetic information, has enzymatic activity, mediates protein biodiversity, and supports other cellular functions. Scientists are continually developing new tools for studying RNA and applying it to fields of research such as medicine and molecular biology. RNA imaging provides one avenue for characterizing RNA by looking at trafficking, localization, and lifetime in living cells. Imaging tools have been on the rise in the past 20 years, providing innovative methods for looking at this nucleic acid under a microscope. Peppers is one of these tools designed by Chen et al. at the East China University of Science and Technology. Peppers is an RNA aptamer engineered to bind a fluorescent probe in a stem loop. The 8Peppers aptamer is the optimized form of their probe and is not repeating units of one aptamer, but a long hairpin turn with eight binding spots for probe; this 8Peppers aptamer has been shown to have difficulties folding into native conformation. This paper aims to redesign Peppers RNA imaging system to produce an effective imaging system with enhanced folding capabilities. This paper looks at its in vitro capabilities by fluorescence assay of RNA binding to the probe, HBC620. The redesigned Peppers imaging system is further tested by live cell imaging to determine the efficacy of redesigning the structure, stem, and synonymization of non-consequential regions. The experiments did not show an enhanced fluorescence turn-on or folding capabilities of redesigned Peppers compared to Chen’s original Peppers imaging system. However, the original Peppers imaging tool did not have reproducible results and illustrated the need for a comprehensive and standardized characterization system for RNA imaging tools to be dependable.

Lay Summary

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is an integral part of any living organism, just like DNA, or your genetic code. RNA’s primary function is to convey genetic information from instruction to the actual product; it acts like the recipe for cells to make proteins. It has many other functions and can contribute to disease, thus it is important to develop more informative metrics of studying RNA.

Imaging RNA involves using high powered microscopes that look at cells. The RNA can be seen by tagging it with a molecule that makes it light up under certain wavelengths of light, also known as fluorescence. This allows researchers to track where a molecule of RNA is moving within a cell, how it moves, and how long it lasts. This is invaluable for better understanding the complicated, yet essential, role RNA plays in biology.

In this experiment, I set out to optimize an RNA imaging system named Peppers by redesigning the structure of the RNA into something that forms more reliably. Peppers did not have a strong fluorescence signal and it wasn’t clear if the imaging was actually showing RNA.

After testing this redesigned system in cells and in a test tube, it became clear that many RNA imaging platforms do not work as well as they boast. I found that the redesigned Peppers, original Peppers, and controls performed the same and that none of the results were statistically significant; this was consistent with other researchers’ frustrations with these tools. Thus, I call to action a more standardized system for characterizing RNA imaging as the field quickly grows. Researchers should be able to make an educated choice on which tool to use and how to analyze their data accurately.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/ms35tb04h.

An accessible review on black holes

2024-01-18T17:50:27-07:00

Black holes are among the most famous scientifically studied objects. Besides the numerous papers written about them every year, they are the subjects for much of the sci-fi genre, such as Interstellar. Furthermore, with the relatively recent imaging of two supermassive black holes, much effort has been put into explaining black holes to the public. Yet more advanced learners–such as undergraduate researchers–are caught between the limited descriptions of public-based information and the maze of complex, deeply-mathematical papers. The goal of this paper is to bridge these two areas with an accessible yet rigorous review of black holes and their accretion disks.

Effects of Sun vs Shade and Leaf Age on Leaf Morphology, Herbivory, and Physical Defenses in the Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera adansonii)

2024-01-18T17:47:08-07:00

Abstract

One important structural defense of plants is calcium oxalate crystals or raphides. In this project, I studied one species in the plant family Araceae, Monstera adansonii, a widely distributed plant in the tropics, that is known to contain raphides. Plants of this species were sampled in sun or shade locations. For each plant, three leaves were sampled, the first fully expanded leaf on a plant (leaf 1) and two more leaves below it, leaf 3 and leaf 5. For each leaf, I measured: leaf area, number of fenestrations (naturally occurring holes in the leaf), amount of herbivory, and density of raphides. I compared these measures on leaves of different ages from sun versus shade plants. Results showed that: 1) older leaves were significantly larger than younger leaves (P < 0.001), but there was no effect of light environment (P = 0.199); 2) density of raphides was not significantly affected by sun (P = 0.147) and density of raphides decreased with leaf age (P = 0.0097); 3) the number of fenestrations was significantly higher in plants in the sun (P = 0.01), but did not differ with leaf age (P = 0.702); 4) herbivory was not affected by sun exposure (P = 0.29) but was marginally significantly affected by raphide density (P = 0.06). There was a significant interaction between raphide density and light exposure on herbivory, in that in the shade there was a negative relationship where herbivory decreased as raphides increased, but in the sun, a positive relationship where herbivory increases as raphides increase (P = 0.04).

Lay Summary

Deforestation poses significant threats to the fragile ecosystem of tropical rainforests. Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest, known for its rich biodiversity, relies on canopy tree cover for habitat protection and the maintenance of ecological balance. Tree loss can have a cascading effect on the ecosystem, which may negatively affect many species. When this balance is disrupted through deforestation, understory plants, such as Monstera adansonii, or the well-known “Swiss cheese” houseplant, are exposed to direct sun and harsh environmental elements. They may be initially ill-equipped to handle these conditions, but plants can physically adapt to their surrounding environment.

To understand how plants may adapt to new conditions, I studied physical differences in Monstera adansonii between shaded understory areas and sunny exposed areas, which are created by forest clearing. I examined its physical differences, including the concentration of calcium oxalate crystals within its leaves. Among others, my results showed that the plants in the sun experienced more damage by herbivores than the plants in the shade. Through this study, I have “shed light” on the effects of deforestation and what this plant and many other understory plants may face as the rate of deforestation increases.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/d791sh621.

Identifying the RNA Binding Sites on the MeCP2 Protein by Regional Deletion

2024-01-18T17:47:58-07:00

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have been found to bind to the Methyl-CpG binding protein (MeCP2), which has been speculated to play a role in altering chromatin structure and regulating gene expression. Whether MeCP2 has other important functions related to RNA processing, the nature of the LncRNA-MeCP2 interaction and function, and how this may affect brain development is unknown. The goal of my project is to provide insight into important regions or domains of the MeCP2 protein involved in RNA binding. With this new information, a foundation for further in-depth research will be established, on the involvement of the MeCP2 protein in the pathogenesis of Rett Syndrome, through RNA binding and RNA regulation.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/mw22v689v.

Variation in population assemblage of Acanthuridae and Scaridae across human concentration levels during a bleaching event affecting the coral reefs of Guna Yala, Panama

2024-01-18T17:18:09-07:00

Abstract

Coral reefs are the ocean's most productive ecosystem, supporting a huge amount of biodiversity, and are relied upon by millions of people worldwide. As we progress into the Anthropocene, coral reef ecosystems are increasingly threatened by a swath of pressures. Of the most impactful are El-Niño Southern Oscillation-related heat pulses, which result in the bleaching and potential mortality of coral reefs. Bleaching events, in synergy with other threats, are increasing algal-dominated reefs, which impact the productiveness of coral reef ecosystems. Herbivorous fish are the prominent algal consumers and are essential in controlling algal blooms. Species from the family Acanthuridae and Scaridae are the most conspicuous of herbivorous fish on coral reefs, and through a diverse array of physiological differences compose several unique functional groups. The population distribution of Acanthuridae and Scaridae are directly correlated with coral reef characteristics and composition and can suffer from bleaching events as well. Despite their importance in maintaining reef health and improving resilience to disturbances, there is a very scarce collection of literature that describes the population assemblage of Acanthuridae and Scaridae spp. during bleaching events. This study aims to contribute to this underreported phenomenon. Visual surveys of Acanthuridae and Scaridae species were conducted to measure the average density, mean size, and biomass in terms of coral reef characteristics across a human concentration gradient in Guna Yala, Panama. Results suggest a similar overall abundance of herbivorous fish between the two reef locations, with significantly larger sizes and biomass of A. coeruelus, S. aurofrenatum, S. viride, and S. iseri in reefs further away from human concentration. This correlates with significantly higher rugosity on these reefs. The mean size of each respective species appears to be lower than previously reported across the Caribbean. Additionally, the biomass distribution was strikingly skewed by S. viride which corresponds to almost ¾ of the total biomass. This indicates that the current bleaching event is having drastic impacts on the distribution of herbivorous fish populations, which is exacerbated by proximity to human concentration. This can have very negative consequences for the recovery of these reefs following the bleaching event. Of specific concern are the coral reefs closer to humans. Data from benthic composition surveys show that macroalgae cover and overall coral bleaching are significantly higher compared to reefs far from humans. This study provides vital information that may be useful for future studies to identify coral reef resilience to bleaching events through the scope of Acanthuridae and Scaridae population distribution.

Lay Summary

The ocean is a crucial and largely unexplored part of our planet. One area that has begun to receive sufficient scientific attention is coral reefs. This is because, despite only covering less than 1% of the ocean’s surface, coral reefs support a quarter of all marine life. This rich environment provides more than a billion people with their primary source of protein and offers coastal protection to hundreds of millions of people. However, the future of coral reefs is under threat. Due to climate change and human pressures, coral reefs are facing mortality on a worldwide scale. Of the most lethal are bleaching events, when the water temperature rises past the threshold of coral, and they turn white and die. At the same time, corals face a daily threat from increasing algae coverage, which can smother and kill the coral. These threats have intensified in the recent few decades and may permanently alter the biodiversity and productivity of coral reefs. Understanding these changes is of utmost importance, and one way to do so is to study the animals that eat algae and give coral a chance to thrive—herbivorous fish. This paper analyzes the population distribution of two herbivorous fish families: Acanthuridae (surgeonfish) and Scaridae (parrotfish) during a bleaching event. Learning how a bleaching
event can impact the presence of these essential species among coral reefs has rarely been accomplished in scientific literature, so this paper offers valuable contributions to a more comprehensive understanding of reef health during bleaching events and our changing world.

My Religion

2024-02-06T18:58:21-07:00

Your Rotting Sweetheart

2024-01-18T10:41:09-07:00

Asphalt

2024-01-30T17:36:00-07:00

The poem emulates the dissociative in-between of my mother dying and me finding out. Even though my senses were telling me something terrible had happened, her death still hit me like a bus.

Mr. Worm

2024-02-13T15:00:09-07:00

This poem is based on the phrase, “Think with your head and not your heart.” I think it takes humanity out of emotion; we’re meant to feel things bigger than our brains can even comprehend (that’s part of what makes us individual and unique humans.)

Pride of Collection

2024-01-18T10:25:00-07:00

America

2024-01-18T10:27:39-07:00

Mayhem Magnified

2024-01-18T10:35:48-07:00

Sky Poem

2024-02-06T18:53:51-07:00

Holy

2024-01-30T17:39:12-07:00

Ants

2024-02-06T18:50:42-07:00

"Ants" is a place poem written as I was sitting on the front porch of my childhood home looking out at the place along the winding driveway where the ants hills have been as long as I can remember.

The Dial Keeps Spinning

2024-02-21T17:42:24-07:00

Prescience

2024-01-18T10:33:04-07:00

If This is Monastery

2024-02-16T17:05:55-07:00

Bark Means Bite

2024-02-16T17:13:10-07:00

Stranger House

2024-02-06T18:47:24-07:00

Pink Stone Seeds

2024-01-30T17:51:09-07:00

I wrote this poem on rose quartz and its presumed effects of love.

How Loving Me Feels

2024-01-18T10:38:00-07:00

Loving me is an ocean of birds and I can't name how I feel or why I can't look at myself.

The Wake

2024-01-30T17:37:41-07:00

The unspoken truths of a college student who lost a parent. What people won't tell you about grief: it is lonely. Talking about the truths helps a little.

The blank stares of rotting fruit

2024-01-16T13:46:28-07:00

Meditations on Asphalt

2024-01-30T18:00:54-07:00

octo~pie

2024-01-18T10:34:37-07:00

Where Have the Women Been Sleeping?

2024-02-06T18:54:53-07:00

Thrownness

2024-02-13T15:11:20-07:00

They Will Burn It All

2024-02-19T09:19:29-07:00

"They Will Burn It All" is an ekphrastic poem written about Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night.

Spider Legs, Rabbit Feet

2024-01-30T17:52:26-07:00

The Rave Panic

2024-01-18T17:21:32-07:00

This thesis examines the "Rave Panic": a moral panic surrounding rave culture during the 1990s and early 2000s. It argues that, while the backlash against rave culture was not solely due to the use of so-called “club drugs,” War on Drugs rhetoric, fiercely promulgated in the decades prior, fostered a political environment in which the novelty of both the rave scene and Ecstasy were seen as a threat to American youth culture, fueling a massive social and political uproar. In addition, this thesis examines how electronic music ultimately survived the Rave Panic, becoming the global phenomenon that it is today. With the recent discussion of drug use shifting toward the importance of rehabilitation and harm reduction, as well as the increasing legalization of drugs such as marijuana and psylocibin across the country, the War on Drugs now seems to have lost its luster. This thesis argues that the Rave Panic represented one of the last gasps of the drug war, and, largely due to shifting social attitudes toward drug use, the electronic music community ultimately survived. The American rave scene contracted significantly following the passage of anti-rave federal legislation, however, the popularization of European electronic music, combined with the widespread shift in thinking about drug use, allowed its resurgence during the early 2010s.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/736666315.

Old Myths through New Eyes

2024-02-23T16:50:08-07:00

Even though the common reader may not be familiar with Ovid’s Metamorphoses, over centuries of circulation, this epic poem has woven itself into the very fabric of our present-day culture. In my thesis, I will analyze three of its most popular myths, searching for new feminist meanings in these ancient, male-dominated texts. In my introduction, “The Metamorphosis of the Metamorphoses: A Brief History,” I examine the epic’s history of translation and explore the ethos of retelling and reinterpreting stories about rape and female subordination. In my first chapter, “From Beheld to Beheaded: Medusa and the Male Gaze,” I show how Medusa’s gaze symbolizes the belief that to truly see and appreciate the woman would result in a man’s loss of identity. In Chapter II, “Modern Arachne and Ancient Webs of Female Misogyny,” I explain how Arachne’s myth exposes the patriarchy’s reliance on rivalry between women to maintain male dominance. Lastly, in “Pygmalion’s Womb Envy: The Male Suppression and Appropriation of the Female Procreative Life Force,” I prove that Pygmalion sculpts his perfect woman not only to use her as an object of sexual gratification but also as one of reproduction. Drawing inspiration from feminist theorists such as Laura Mulvey, Simone de Beauvoir, Susan Bordo, and Karen Horney—and depending exclusively on Stephanie McCarter’s translations—I analyze how the patriarchy uses stories to inculcate and perpetuate its ideology.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/bc386k55n.

Saigon Roots, American Soil

2024-02-12T13:30:28-07:00

Imperial Influence and Innovation: The Good Emperors and The Bronze Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius

2024-01-23T17:39:39-07:00

Roman portraiture provides insight into the ways in which political and social ideologies of the imperial dynasties manifested in imagery. Such iconography legitimized emperors' authority by simultaneously cultivating a visual connection to past leaders and promoting the agenda of the contemporary dynasty. While drawing upon the symbolism of previous sovereigns and establishing iconographic elements materialized within dynastic imagery, it is also evident in the representations of individual emperors. This paper explores the presence of influence and innovation within the imperial representation of the Good Emperors and focuses on examining the Bronze Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius. It highlights the evolution of imperial portraiture within the adoptive succession of the Good Emperors and how such imagery successfully perpetuated values of social welfare, military dominance, and intellectual growth and served to reinforce the continuity of this dynasty. Moreover, through a comprehensive analysis of the sculpture of Marcus Aurelius, it seeks to understand the symbolic significance of the monument with respect to the gestures, garb, and notable facial features associated with this emperor. This representation of Marcus Aurelius embodies the essence of influence and innovation as he is depicted in a manner congruent with that of his predecessors and revolutionizes the incorporation of insight into the psychological state of a Caesar.

“Prowd, Humorous, Dreamying Fellos”

2024-01-18T17:19:25-07:00

The English East India Company established a trading outpost (called "factories") at Hirado, Japan, in 1613, thirteen years after the Company's creation. At the head of the factory was an eccentric, "blabbering," wildly emotional man named Richard Cocks. His ineptitude as a head merchant was certainly a factor in the factory's eventual dissolution at Hirado in 1623. But why did the English trade ultimately fail in Japan, aside from Cocks' obvious incompetence? To what extent was the Company itself responsible for the failure of its factory? Was anything learned from the Hirado factory’s failure? This paper argues that the Hirado factory failed mainly due to overwhelming competition from the Dutch and Iberians, both militarily and economically. Second, this paper argues that the English did not enjoy stable, mutually beneficial relations with the Shogunate or the Matsuura daimyo of Hirado. Third, the English were unable to procure enough stores of silk from the other Company factories for Japanese markets, and were thus unable to procure silver from Japanese merchants, a metal that was incredibly valuable in Southeast Asian economies. Furthermore, the Hirado factory also was failed by the Company itself, as the Hirado venture was created out of a Joint-Stock voyage, whose investors discouraged long-term investments and expected quick profit returns. The lack of a strong country trade, that is, a port-to-port trade between the Company’s factories, also contributed to the Hirado factory’s demise. The final section of this paper will discuss what exactly was learned from the failure at Hirado, and how that failure manifested itself in policy and structural changes within the Company and within its factory system in the East Indies both before and after the factory’s closure in 1623.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/tb09j715k.

¡Raza Sí! ¡Guerra No!

2024-02-19T09:29:27-07:00

On August 29, 1970, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Los Angeles to protest the Vietnam war as part of the National Chicano Moratorium. In response to highly disproportionate numbers of Chicano casualties listed among the wounded, protestors from all factions of the Chicano Movement marched to demand an end to the war. By the end of the day, the police had killed three protestors while dozens more were critically injured. The massacre at the Chicano Moratorium was a low point in the civil rights history of the United States, but it is also clear evidence of how numerous actors, institutions, and events unified the Chicano movement towards one goal during the Vietnam War. Its violent suppression by the Los Angeles Police Department also situates the event in a larger history of government supported violence against minorities and civil rights groups. This paper tracks the development of the Chicano identity, civil rights movement, and the development of anti-war sentiment from the early twentieth century up to the 1970 moratorium.

“Now Designed to the Worst”

2024-01-18T17:24:16-07:00

In 1659 Parliament heard a petition alleging that 72 Englishmen arrested for participating in the Salisbury Rising had been enslaved in Barbados. These allegations were made and heard in the context of increased amounts of captive labor flooding into the Caribbean, some of it state sanctioned, and popular rhetorical use of ‘slavery’ to mean political oppression during the English Civil War. The petition was both shocking to the English nation, and made its claims using language the English would have already been very familiar with. By examining the development of norms of captivity for enslaved people on Barbados, analyzing the 1659 petition, and tracing the further development of norms of captivity after the Interregnum, this thesis will demonstrate how the instability of the Interregnum contributed to an unstable definition of ‘slavery’ in England in the seventeenth century.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/r207tq82t.

A Nietzschean Analysis of Othello

2024-01-23T17:35:12-07:00

Do Androids Dream of Sonata in C?

2024-02-28T16:11:43-07:00

The recent advent of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has led to discussions around the role of technology within creative fields. One field of particular interest is music, which artificial intelligence researchers have been attempting to emulate for decades. Music has long been characterized as a precise and logical algorithmic endeavor, a view exemplified by the field of music theory; however, it also carries a spiritual and emotional history as a core element of the human experience. This dual nature makes music a perfect case study for examining the relationship between artificial intelligence and traditional art forms. This article explores the roles of both human cognition and mathematical logic in music composition to construct an understanding of how generative artificial intelligence interacts with traditional art forms. Ultimately, while generative technologies are now capable of producing and perhaps even enhancing musical compositions, they continue to fundamentally lack the emotional nuance necessary to produce truly moving works of art.

A Revolution in Sustainable Development

2024-01-18T17:30:31-07:00

The way we are currently developing our building structures is unsustainable, with a large amount of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions being a direct result of the production and implementation of the materials used in our buildings.

The purpose of this honors thesis is to better understand the potential and feasibility of hemp biocomposite materials in construction. A case study will be examined, where a house plan will be taken, and utilized in two homes, one being constructed with conventional materials such as lumber, while the other with hemp biocomposites. Because the same house plan is used in both homes, we can objectively quantify the carbon footprint and monetary cost of both dwellings, and directly compare them. This side by side analysis can allow developers, architects, and hemp-based construction material companies to see the difference in cost and carbon footprint associated with switching to hemp biobased materials.

Using professional journals, peer reviewed literature, and interviews with hemp companies, a building product analysis was conducted. This section shows the advantages and potential drawbacks of current building materials, and what are the benefits and drawbacks of transitioning towards hemp biocomposites. Through the building analysis and case study, this thesis is an extensive tool that shows the potential of hemp in future residential home construction.

The carbon sequestered through hemp biocomposites is nearly double its conventional counterparts, and its higher cost can be justified as its benefits could be argued to outweigh the difference in total cost when it comes to the price of the home.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/rx913r48x.

We Put the “UN” in FUN: The Mathematical Guide to Saving the World

2024-01-18T17:33:03-07:00

Imagine a world without hunger, without poverty, with equality and education. Could this ever truly be a worldwide possibility? While some of these goals may appear distant, the United Nations (UN), with their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aims to create change across seventeen different categories by 2030. These goals focus on various contemporary challenges that can improve the quality of life for people across the globe. However, with such a broad range of topics and the short time frame, it becomes necessary to prioritize some goals over others in order to have the greatest chance of success and impact.

In searching for a method to prioritize a subsection of the seventeen different goals, our team used a weighted graph model with nodes and edges as a method to represent some set of elements and relationships between them. For our model, we constructed a network of connections with each node representing one of the SDGs. The edges between the nodes are weighted, representing the positive or negative impact correlation between two goals. Each node is connected to every other node in the graph. To determine the proper weighting between each node, we analyzed data from a 2017 study which utilized Spearman’s correlation ranking to determine interactions between different goals [Pradhan et al., 2017]. Another popular metric for measuring correlation between SDGs is the 7-point scale, where correlations are ranked from -3 to +3, where -3 represents the most negative correlation and +3 represents the most positive (Pradhan et al., 2017). However, there are no current global values measured with this scale, so we combined both approaches to scale the Spearman's correlation rankings and the 7-point scale to create our scale, which ranges from -1 to +1.

As a metric to model the synergy between the SDGs, we used an achievement score, a value between 0 and 1, where 1 indicates complete achievement and 0 indicates no progress. The achievement scores can be propagated through the network as a function of the weights and distance from the parent vertex. Using our model, we experimented with various connection weights and initial achievement values to determine the most interconnected and most influential goals. From this analysis, we determined that SDG 1: No Poverty holds the highest positive priority, while SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production holds the greatest negative priority. This indicates that SDG 1 holds the most positive correlations with the other goals and SDG 12 holds the most negative correlations. This model was also used as a foundation for what we might expect to be accomplished in 10 years if actions based on our priorities were enacted. We believe that while focusing on SDG 1 would allow the UN to better meet the holistic needs of people worldwide, the initial value for SDG 1 is not high enough to expect completion by 2030.

We also included constant multipliers within each node to represent the probable impact that certain worldwide events could have on the achievement level of each goal. Constant multipliers represent a percentage change in the achievement levels of each of the SDGs and are calculated for each potential event separately. The COVID-19 pandemic, which erased four years’ worth of progress towards ending poverty, is one example (United Nations, 2015). Statistics like this impacted the relative values of our multipliers for war, technological advancements, pandemics, climate change, and refugee movements. From implementing the multipliers, we determined that SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Infrastructure would be most impacted by a variety of possible future events.

449th Day in Hospice

2024-01-17T15:08:18-07:00

Drosophila

2024-01-17T16:06:18-07:00

The Last Vice of Viktor Mikolnikov

2024-02-25T13:14:48-07:00

A Brief Paralysis

2024-01-17T15:31:08-07:00

Woe Betide, Doe Eyes

2024-01-17T15:52:14-07:00

Fiend

2024-01-17T16:13:03-07:00

INVITaTiON

2024-01-17T15:37:24-07:00

The Dagger

2024-01-17T15:55:06-07:00

This is an allegory about how matrilineal suffering is passed down through generations between mothers and daughters. I was influenced by the feminist horror genre while writing this piece, specifically the works of Shirley Jackson, Margaret Atwood, and Julia Armfield. I also wrote this story in acknowledgement of the strength that my sister, mother and grandmothers embody each day.

strawberries

2024-01-17T15:27:15-07:00

Finally, Somebody

2024-01-17T15:44:50-07:00

An Office Building in Yokohama

2024-01-23T18:08:00-07:00

After a long day exploring Yokohama, My friends and I were heading to the station to catch the train that would bring us back to Tokyo. Weary and sick of walking, my friends elected to pay for a taxi instead of walking the two miles back to the station whilst I chose to go alone and on foot, and I am really glad I did. The lifeless, dark office buildings that had clouded the skyline during the day were lit up, now providing a fluorescent glow that often even overpowered the street lamps. Seeing these fifty-story monoliths act as moonlight towers for the surrounding area gave off such a surreal, almost cyberpunk feeling. Captured during my solitary two-mile stroll, this photograph showcases the awe-inspiring spectacle of a towering office building and the lambent light it produces.

Digital Photography

Discussions

2024-01-23T17:49:56-07:00

Ink and marker on 9"x12" paper

Hidden Reflections

2024-01-23T18:08:59-07:00

During the 11th century, the Baths of Doña María de Padilla of the Alcazar in Seville, Spain were built with intricate details surrounding every corner and inch of its territory for the Muslim government. While Muslim ancestors ruled at this time, the unique and different influences of rich culture were embedded in the etched patterns, silky streams and even in the wild gardens.

At the Palace of Alcazar, everything left me with a feeling of amazement as I had never seen anything like it; however I had yet to take a photo with my camera. Nothing just felt right. It was walking through the winding insides of the buildings that I came upon these baths. With no words to put to the feeling, everything felt so silent yet so loud within the never-ending details of the reflection. Just as these baths were meant for a community to escape the blistering Sevilla sun they were meant for stories and legends of mistresses and whispers between families.

There is so much hidden meaning that travel and worldliness is able to share with each of us through open arms. Every place has something to offer that can’t be seen quite the same anywhere else. The unexplainable feelings of this image where people once all shared together inspires me to embrace the wonderful differences between cultures every day. We have so much to learn from each other, why not start learning now.

Digital photography

Power

2024-01-23T18:11:55-07:00

This piece is a collage of images I gathered from various magazines and advertisements. I believe that advertisements in the modern world seek to promote consumerism by tapping into our more animalistic traits. Advertisements play on themes of magic, sex, and otherworldly science fiction elements to give their product the magical ability to conquer our primal desires. In the collage itself, there are several images I felt demonstrated this idea. One ad for clothing featured a traditional oil painting of an upper-class woman ripped and covered to wear the brand's clothing instead. This image likely sought to demonstrate to the viewer that their clothes were modern and sophisticated. Another ad for a razor company featured a man being beamed up by a flying saucer, claiming that their razors could provide an “out of this world” experience. This ad likely sought to associate their product, a mundane razor, with a magical science-fiction adventure, playing on the viewer’s wish for excitement in their mundane routines. Another ad claimed “Awareness is Power” about a technology company’s innovations. I found this to be ironic as my collage was based on bringing more awareness to the advertisement strategies used to promote consumerism. With the awareness of how these products appeal to us, we can stop focusing on buying empty objects and instead seek more permanent ways to fulfill our desires.

Summer Wanderlust

2024-01-23T18:19:38-07:00

A floral collage of plants collected from nature in Black Forest, CO (my hometown), South Bend, IN (the location of the college I transferred from), Boulder, CO, and the plants I grow indoors. Each location I've lived in has given me unique experiences I rely on to create a beautiful whole. This art piece is a representation of the value and beauty of diversity within my life experiences.

Included: orchid, daisy, forget-me-not, harebell, bleeding heart, pansy, catmint, and more

Broken Dishes

2024-01-23T17:53:46-07:00

Many people view things such as sewing, quilting, knitting, and other crafts to be inferior to art and only for old ladies. In America, due to a combination of misogyny and industrialization, traditional crafting typically done by women has for a prolonged time been looked down upon and neglected to be passed along to younger generations. I want to bring these art forms attention and help younger generations learn and appreciate the essential tools our ancestors couldn’t have survived without. In the piece titled “Broken Dishes”, I based most of the carving on an antique quilt from the 19^th century, which follows the broken dishes pattern. I chose to imitate this particular pattern because I felt the name broken dishes is reminiscent of the broken tradition of passing crafting down to children, and dishes alluding to another traditional woman’s job of preparing and cleaning up after meals. Quilts such as these were handcrafted, typically with scraps from clothes. These were an art form as much as they were a necessity. Currently, I am working on making a quilt with scraps of fabric from my mother’s and grandmother’s childhoods, including scraps from as early as the 1920s. This is the first quilt I have ever made, and it has been extremely meaningful to sort through pieces of family history and imagine what my great-grandmother and grandmother made out of the fabric. In the making of any quilt, an insane amount of time is put into all of the details, and I wanted my carving to be proportionally detailed. I intentionally made the triangles very small because with scrap quilts you are often forced to work with very small pieces. I chose not to use color for the prints because I felt no one color could do justice to the amazing combination of colors and patterns in scrap quilts.

Media Type: Relief

Dimensions: 10" x 12"

Poise

2024-01-23T17:54:48-07:00

In this piece, I wished to capture the effortless elegance and cutting silhouette of my muse, with her features bathed in cool light. To give the drawing a soft and smooth feel, I shaded it using a digital brush that mimics the finish of oil paint. Inspired by my love of vintage comics, I then applied a halftone overlay to the piece to achieve a more captivating texture. I also used a gritty halftone brush to add subtle highlights to my muse’s eyelid, urging viewers to focus on her downcast gaze. The dramatic lighting I implemented in this piece highlights a small scar along my subject’s cheekbone, a minute imperfection that fails to detract from her beauty and poise.

Digital drawing, 1620px x 2150px

skin

2024-01-23T17:50:46-07:00

The basis of this piece is the rush you feel through your veins and onto your skin as you become more anxious—the idea that you can feel and visualize every molecule in your body as it rushes to its designated location.

Colored pencil on 9"x12" paper.

Nature's Own Static

2024-01-23T17:58:33-07:00

I created this piece after returning to a poem I had written on the fixed motion of the world around us. There is subtle motion filling the spaces between us as humans; it only stops moving when we catch sight of it. The swaying of pine tree branches, the miniscule ripples of rain drops on a lake, moths fluttering from tree to tree. The only way to experience these things is to stop focusing and explore the periphery. I had the conception of fashioning a piece that embodies this feeling; little beauties ubiquitous but imperceptible to the analytical eye.

Fairy Tales at CU Boulder Banner 1

2024-01-23T18:04:29-07:00

This piece of digital media, one out of a series, is made by me as part of a UROP effort alongside the Rare and Distinctive Collections at Norlin Library to make a vast fairy tale collection accessible to the public. Pictured in the banners are a variety of illustrations—taken from different books that were being entered into an online database—combined to create a fantastical scene, highlighting parts of little-known tales across cultures. The illustrations for collage No. 1 are taken from the following sources housed on campus: From Edmund Dulac's Fairy Book: “The Hind of the Wood.” In Powder & Crinoline: “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” From The Hungarian Fairy Book: “The Miraculous Stag.” From The Book of Elves and Fairies: “At the Court of Fairyland.” From The Fairy Book: “The Juniper-tree.” This collage also contains images from the Silver Bells from Hiroshima (Courtesy of Re-Envisioning Japan), along with illustrations by fairy tale illustrator Milo Winter.

A Rainy Night in Shinjuku

2024-01-23T18:07:08-07:00

Shinjuku’s desolate yet cramped alleyways and backstreets are often kept alive by the neon lights of shops and stores. This is true of all of Tokyo’s wards, but, to me, Shinjuku felt more real. With few exceptions, Shinjuku lacks the tourist-centric commercialism that is heavily present in more famous areas like Shibuya, Ginza, and Roppongi, and because of that, every experience there felt more genuine. I took this photograph whilst walking around and exploring Shin-Okubo, one of Shinjuku’s many neighborhoods, with my friend. I’m not sure why, but at that moment, I felt like I was living in Japan for the first time when, before, I had still felt like a tourist.

Digital Photography

Rest

2024-01-23T17:49:01-07:00

Ink on 9"x12" paper

Behind the Shadows

2024-01-23T18:15:48-07:00

Charcoal, colored pencil, burlap

The Cycle of Wisdom

2024-01-23T17:59:32-07:00

My mother’s voice lives within me, just as her mother’s lives within her. The beautiful, sometimes cruel words linger all the same.

Just one of many feminine hardships.

The cycle of wisdom is infinite, I learned from them, as they learn from me. Eventually, understanding, forgiving, but not forgetting.

It is our choice to decide what to do with the burden and blessing of being different from our mothers.

These three elaborate, expressive pots along with the layered centerpiece, are hand built fully functional vessels. Teapots are a ritualistic object; they provide, they carry, they keep warm. I utilized this idea of giving and holding, to translate a tea set into a conversation between women. The pots are placed in a circle, representing grandmother, mother, and daughter, and the conversations, both beautiful and difficult, that they share and hold forever.

Coil-Built porcelain pots are decorated with beautiful high fire chun and crater glazes to emphasize both their beauty and their grotesque nature as well. The crater glaze appears almost as a lace, but it is far from delicate, while the chun runs and changes beautifully with the light and texture of the pots. Details of ruffle slabs of clay and pearls attached to the pots reflect both the feminine form as well as classic feminine items, just as the ones surrounding the place set.

Porcelain, glaze, glass, jewelry, womanly items

Fairy Tales at CU Boulder Banner 3

2024-01-23T18:26:27-07:00

This piece of digital media, one out of a series, is made by me as part of a UROP effort alongside the Rare and Distinctive Collections at Norlin to make a vast fairy tale collection accessible to the public. Pictured in the banner are a variety of illustrations taken from different books being entered into an online database to create a fantastical scene, highlighting parts of little-known tales across cultures. The illustration for this college are taken from the following sources housed on campus: From Europa’s Fairy Book: “A Dozen at a Blow,” “The Unseen Bridegroom,” “The Dancing Water, the Singing Apple, and the Speaking Bird,” “The Language of Animals,” and “The Master-Maid”. From The Green Fairy Book: “The Enchanted Snake,” From The Book of Fables and Folk Stories: “Puss in Boots,” From The Yellow Fairy Book: “The Six Swans,” From The Brown Fairy Book: “The Bunyip,” and From The Pink Fairy Book: “Esben and the Witch,” “The Snow-Queen”.

Consumed by Flames

2024-01-23T17:55:40-07:00

From the quiet and melancholic facial expression to the dozens of eyes in the background, I wanted this piece to be haunting. It represents determination fading to the hollow acceptance of one’s powerlessness.

Digital drawing, 1695px x 1616px

Humanity

2024-01-23T17:51:38-07:00

Grasping the concept of humanity is difficult, and it often feels as though its slipping through your fingers. This is the feeling I was attempting to convey in this piece. The absurdity of life and its disillusionment of normalcy is captivated by the floating orbs and geometric lines throughout this piece, things the hands are never fully able to grasp.

Charcoal and pen on 9"x12" paper

Acadia National Park Collage

2024-01-23T18:18:45-07:00

Artist's Statement: I usually opt to draw or paint but I knew I couldn't capture the beauty of a national park with only flat colors, so I chose to construct a collage full of texture and life.

Media Type: Collage

Dimensions: 8"x11"

Grilled Cheese in Michigan

2024-01-17T18:14:47-07:00

A Collection of You

2024-01-17T18:23:46-07:00

Valuing Water in a Changing World

2024-01-17T17:28:19-07:00

This piece highlights the historic hydrological development of the American Southwest by highlighting the rapid growth of water infrastructure, present and future struggles with drought and climate change, and proactive adaptation in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Rock Skipping With Arms

2024-01-17T17:47:53-07:00

A short story/poem written about a day spent in Washington on a tiny beach with a person who I love very much.

Colors of a Childhood

2024-01-17T18:20:51-07:00

Is Fear the Hunter, Or Am I?

2024-01-17T18:09:43-07:00

The Self Diagnosis

2024-02-29T15:04:35-07:00

Big Sky of the West

2024-01-17T18:11:52-07:00

Growing into your person is circular; never ending and somehow always back where you started. New places and people are shiny until they're not. The fact is, "new" is relative—there is only growth, decay, and familiarity. Finding where you sit tallest in the world will require a journey to the furthest corners of yourself and back again.

The Decolonial Options in CRAZYWISE

2024-02-23T13:44:24-07:00

Kevin Tomilson and Phil Borges’s documentary CRAZYWISE explores how spiritual practices should be considered medical alternatives to healing people’s mental health. By examining primarily through the adversities of two individuals—Adam, a white American, and Ekhaya, a Black woman—and other interviewees, Tomilson and Borges’s documentation comments on how Western medicine can have deleterious effects precisely because there are always alternative approaches to reconciling with mental health crisis. Despite the documentary being accessible and consumable, it is precisely because of those qualities that CRAZYWISE offers a lens and introduces decolonial conversations, alternatives, and practices. By documenting not only the violence that occurs in the juxtaposing perspectives in medicine but also the individual experiences that have been given the opportunity to explore their cosmological mapping, Tomilson and Borges’s CRAZYWISE incentivizes ‘interculturality’ as a way of decolonial theory and praxis. As defined by Abya Yala, Catherine Walsh articulates how “[i]nterculturality […] signifies more than an interrelation or dialogue among cultures. More critically, it points toward the building of radically different societies, of an ‘other’ social ordering, and of structural economic, social, political, and cultural transformations” (Mignolo & Walsh 57). When Tomilson and Borges’s examines how Adam and Ekhaya’s journeys, despite their different cultural backgrounds, come to reconcile and heal from their grief and trauma through their own ways, the directors intentionally put these two individuals’ experiences together to create the intercultural discourse necessary for viewers to consider decolonial paths from Western coloniality. In reviewing Tomilson and Borges’s documentary, then, I will be arguing how CRAZYWISE can be ethnographic in revealing how colonial and modern facets like Western medicine can perpetuate the oppression of individuals precisely because of its totalizing and positivistic nature. To recognize how coloniality permeates within the documentary, then, I first ground the essay by delving into Ana Durazo’s chapter on the “Medical Violence Against People of Color and the Medicalization of Domestic Violence” to contextualize the medical violence that Adam and Ekhaya’s underwent when trying to understand their identities and the world they belonged in. From there, I will be putting Durazo’s articulations on medical violence in conversation with decolonial thinkers such as Walter Mignolo, Catherine Walsh, and Linda Tuhiwai Smith, and other scholars to read more closely on how Tomilson and Borges’s documentary alludes to how Western coloniality and modernity occupy Western medicine and its epistemology. Afterwards, I will be discussing the kinds of decolonial interventions that CRAZYWISE offers by delineating how its interweaving of voices throughout the documentary on Western medicine only opens a discourse for decolonial options.

Un análisis de los programas de asistencia para varones que han ejercido violencia de género en la Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (AMBA)

2024-02-29T09:49:01-07:00

La violencia de género es una forma de opresión que tiene graves consecuencias tanto en Argentina como en el resto del mundo. Históricamente, las iniciativas de prevención en este tema se han centrado en la asistencia destinada a las víctimas de situaciones de violencia, incluyendo apoyo económico y legal. Sin embargo, el hecho de que casi todos los casos de violencia están cometidos por varones ha iniciado una nueva discusión en las últimas décadas sobre los vínculos entre la masculinidad hegemónica y la violencia, junto con estrategias preventivas con el objetivo de acortar el ciclo de violencia a las raíces, principalmente, las socializaciones del patriarcado sobre distintas temáticas de género. Una de esas estrategias es la implementación de los espacios o programas de asistencia para varones que han ejercido violencia. Debido a la novedad relativa de tales iniciativas, no existen muchas investigaciones sobre la efectividad de estos espacios. El presente estudio pretende caracterizar las funciones y los efectos percibidos de varios programas de asistencia en el Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires desde las perspectivas de cuatro profesionales que están involucrados en estas intervenciones. Se realizaron entrevistas virtuales y se organizaron los datos recogidos en un análisis cualitativo con cinco códigos que abordan los objetivos de investigación.

Los resultados de la investigación indican similitudes en las experiencias de los profesionales que trabajan con varones que han ejercido violencia de género, especialmente con respecto a la estructura de los espacios, la coordinación de los grupos y la implementación de estrategias multidisciplinares. Asimismo, se reportaron algunas diferencias, especialmente, entre las organizaciones gubernamentales y las organizaciones de la sociedad civil, en los temas de financiamiento y acceso a los recursos. Todos los espacios utilizan un abordaje integral que considera los complejos factores que motivan comportamientos y actitudes violentas en todos los niveles de socialización, desde la cultura y las comunidades hasta las historias de vida de un individuo. A través de una variedad de métodos y actividades, los profesionales facilitan un intercambio entre los participantes para trabajar y sensibilizar temas de género como la identidad masculina, las relaciones interpersonales y la regulación de las emociones en situaciones de conflicto. Aunque ha habido mucho progreso en el fortalecimiento de los espacios que trabajan con varones que ejercen violencia, todavía los equipos enfrentan desafíos con el acceso a recursos económicos y humanos y la promoción del trabajo para aumentar la visibilización del público. Podemos concluir que a pesar de esas limitaciones los programas de asistencia son un aspecto muy importante en la prevención de violencia de género, por su capacidad única de abordar las complejidades de violencia de manera transdisciplinaria y multidimensional para reducir los comportamientos y actitudes agresivos en varones y acortar el ciclo de violencia desde la raíz.

Gender-based violence is a form of oppression that has profound consequences, both in Argentina and around the world. Historically, prevention initiatives in this area have focused on assistance for victims of gender violence, including economic and legal support. However, the fact that almost all cases of violence are committed by men has sparked new discussions in recent decades regarding the links between hegemonic masculinity and violence, along with preventive strategies aimed at addressing the root causes, including the socializations of patriarchy on various gender-related issues. One such strategy is the implementation of assistance programs for men who have perpetrated violence. Due to the relative novelty of such initiatives, there are few previous studies on the effectiveness of these spaces. This study aims to characterize the functions and perceived effects of various assistance programs in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires from the perspectives of four professionals directly involved in the interventions. Virtual interviews were conducted and the collected data was organized into a qualitative analysis with five emerging themes that address the research objectives.

The results of this study indicate similarities in the experiences of professionals working with men who have perpetrated gender-based violence, especially regarding the structure of the spaces, coordination of the groups, and the implementation of multidisciplinary strategies. Some differences were also reported, particularly between governmental organizations and civil society organizations, regarding funding and access to resources. All spaces use a comprehensive approach that considers the complex factors that motivate violent behaviors and attitudes at all levels of socialization, from a macro perspective of culture and communities to the micro level of an individual's life experiences. Through a variety of methods and activities, professionals facilitate an exchange among participants to work on and raise awareness of gender-related issues such as male identity, interpersonal relationships, and the regulation of emotions in conflict situations. Although progress has been made in strengthening such spaces that work with men who commit gender violence, teams still face challenges with access to economic and human resources and promotion of the work to increase public visibility. The study concludes that despite these limitations, assistance programs for men are a crucial aspect of gender-based violence prevention, given their unique ability to address the complexities of violence in a transdisciplinary and multidimensional manner to reduce aggressive behaviors and attitudes in men and break the cycle of violence at its roots.

Refractions

2024-01-30T17:24:56-07:00

A collection of poems and illustrations, this text expresses and reconciles with the identity and intergenerational trauma of being Vietnamese American. It traces both the physical and affective forms of violence that are created by war, displacement, and oppression. In doing so, this text intends to reflect on American racial politics through an illustrative memoir.

Genomic Structural Equation Modeling Offers Insight Into Expressive Differences Between Childhood and Late-Diagnosed ADHD

2024-02-06T18:31:03-07:00

Recent literature on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has identified differences in the genetic influence of age at first diagnosis. In particular, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have found that childhood, persistent, and late-diagnosed categories of ADHD exhibit divergent comorbidity patterns. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that there would be significant differences in genetic risk sharing across childhood and late-diagnosed ADHD with other external traits. The traits selected for analysis included 3 dimensions of risk-taking behavior, Automobile Speeding Propensity, Drinks Per Week, and Number of Sexual Partners, and 4 dimensions of diet-related behavior, Protein Intake, Fat Intake, Carb Intake, and Sugar Intake. Results from Genomic SEM applied to investigate differences in genetic risk sharing with these external traits and the two ADHD subgroups revealed significant differences for number of sexual partners (p = 0.003) and automobile speeding propensity (p = 0.001). Practical implications of these findings are discussed and offer reason to reevaluate the current treatment of ADHD.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/ng451j94g.

Advocacy Letter

2024-02-06T18:20:10-07:00

Support for Social Movements

2024-01-18T17:35:01-07:00

The factors that contribute to support for social movements and penalizing extreme protest actions are not well understood; this study aims to identify those factors. We tested three hypotheses in this study. Hypothesis 1 expects that support for the goal of the movement will go down when presented with more extreme protest actions. Hypothesis 2 predicts that the size of the extremity penalty will depend on the framing of the movement (group versus goal of the movement). Hypothesis 3 predicts that the effect of framing on the size of extremity penalty will depend on the described morality of the movement. One pilot study and two experimental studies were conducted, with a 2x2 manipulation and ratings of ten protest actions. Data were collected via an online survey (consisting of 336 undergraduate students) and were analyzed using multilevel models. Results showed that as protest actions became more extreme, support for the movement decreased. Study 1A found larger extremity penalties when the framing of the movement was focused on the group compared to the goal of the movement. Additionally, morality moderated the interaction of framing and extremity. Study 1B found larger extremity penalties when the group was perceived as highly moral. This study identified that extremity levels, framings of the movement and perceived morality act as factors influencing extremity penalties. Identifying these factors encourages a better understanding of how social movements can become more effective.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/pv63g1800.

The Importance of Viewing a Racially Marginalized Role Model for Racially Marginalized Women Students in Video Media

2024-01-18T17:36:02-07:00

The current study was in hopes of expanding research to lessen the gap of racially marginalized women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). I analyzed students’ inspiration to pursue STEM interests, careers, and/or environments after watching the documentary Picture a Scientist, which featured women scientists, including a racially marginalized women scientist. I specifically analyzed whether students from marginalized racial groups were inspired by the Black woman scientist (and potential role model), in comparison to the two White women scientists, and whether feeling inspired by the scientists in the film influenced viewers’ career aspirations in STEM. To answer my research questions, I analyzed data from a large survey completed by viewers of Picture a Scientist. Viewers completed the first survey immediately after viewing the film (time 1, n = 814) and a follow-up survey six weeks later (time 2, n = 453). For my analyses, I specifically focused on the film’s impact on students’ level of inspiration to pursue STEM. I found that Black/Latine/Indigenous students (i.e., students with racially minoritized identities) were more inspired by the Black women scientist compared to the two White scientists featured in the film. Moreover, women students were generally more inspired by the scientists than men students. Finally, feeling inspired by the scientists at time 1 predicted changes in STEM career aspirations at time 2. The current research provides initial evidence for the effectiveness of using video media to introduce racially marginalized women students to the most beneficial role models to increase their representation in STEM.

For the full text, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/9k41zg029.

The Effect of a Mental Health Intervention on Health Behaviors among Cancer Survivors

2024-01-18T17:38:17-07:00

Background: Adherence to health behavior guidelines (i.e., limiting alcohol use, remaining physically active, maintaining a healthy diet, quitting smoking) for cancer survivors can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence, improve survival rates, and improve quality of life (QOL; WCRF/AICR, 2007; Demark et al., 2015; Wang et al., 2020). Adherence to health behavior guidelines among patients with cancer is low, ranging from 7-40% across health behaviors (Tollosa, 2019).

Methods: The present study evaluated the effectiveness of an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) group intervention (Valued Living; VL) delivered by social workers in community oncology clinics designed to target anxiety, to improve health behaviors relative to enhanced usual care (EUC). One hundred thirty-five cancer survivors with moderate to high anxiety were randomized 1:1 to Valued Living (VL; a 7-session ACT-informed group) or EUC (usual onsite supportive care plus an emailed list of resources). Participants self-reported health behaviors (i.e., tobacco use, alcohol use, dietary risk behavior, and physical activity) at baseline, and 1-week post-intervention.

Results: There was no statistically significant effect of treatment on health behaviors. Alcohol and tobacco use were not significantly correlated at baseline; physical activity was weakly, negatively correlated with fast food, snacks, or pizza consumption and moderately, positively correlate fruit and vegetable consumption. Fruit and vegetable consumption was weakly, negatively correlated with fast food, snacks and pizza consumption. Binge drinking was moderately positively correlated with soda and sweetened drink intake. Participant health behavior rates were: 9.02% reported tobacco use in the last 30 days; 20.30% binge alcohol use; 46.90% exercised 150 minutes or more each week. Conclusions: Interventions that integrate mental and behavioral health, and/or medical referrals for participants that struggle with health behaviors are needed to improve study beneficence and utiliae a critical opportunity to provide care to people that need it.

For the full text and references, please visit https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/xk81jm90q.

Feeding Our Food; Starving Our Environment

2024-02-16T16:59:38-07:00

For thousands of years, farmers have utilized organic soil additives to enhance their crop yields and livelihoods. Today, modern agriculture largely relies on synthetic fertilizers to produce enough crops to supply our global population and its competitive markets. While these fertilizers successfully increase crop production, previous research has proven that they perpetuate long-term environmental and human health risks. My goal is to examine how human-environment relationships with fertilizers have changed over time and how capitalism influences the socio-environmental impact of synthetic fertilizers on our world today. Through the Institutions and Commons lens, I examine how fertilizer-related pollution and limited fertilizer regulations pose significant risks to the environmental commons of society and to the health of communities. Additionally, I utilize the Political Economy perspective to examine how capitalistic greed in the fertilizer industry has significantly contributed to global warming, overproduction of resources, and an altered human perception of nature as a whole. While there are advantages of synthetic soil-enhancement technologies, it is clear that more stringent agricultural regulations and responsibility measures are needed to minimize the negative long-term consequences of synthetic fertilizer use in modern farming practices.

The Imagined Geography of Mount Everest

2024-02-21T17:22:02-07:00

Mount Everest, also called by the Tibetan name Qomolangma and Nepali name Sagarmatha among others, is located within the Himalayan mountain range on the border of China and Nepal, is the highest point on Earth, at 8,848.86 meters above sea level. On May 29, 1953, Sir Edmund Percival Hillary of New Zealand and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first confirmed climbers to summit Mount Everest, initiating a worldwide interest in Mount Everest expeditions and a formation of culture surrounding the accomplishment of climbing to the top of the world. Mt. Everest, as a landscape and symbol, illustrates the physical manifestations of shifting power and imagined geography through both the visible landscape of the mountain, and the physical pursuit of its summit. An analysis of Mt. Everest as both a place and culture reveals hidden labor within the landscape, and friction of power exertion between indigenous Himalayan people, companies capitalizing on the landscape, consumers of culture, and nature itself.

Climate Change in the West

2024-01-30T17:30:54-07:00

This piece documents climate change by exploring the historic development, present beauty, and threatened future of the Western United States through landscape photography. The website links to by photography, exploration, and personal research with climactic and spatial modeling techniques to visualize the impact of cliamte change on the uniquely vulnerable communities, cultures, and landscapes of the Western United States.

See the full website: https://storymaps.com/stories/674559d093ad4c938f0861a55ec9dc52