The aviation industry is predicted to grow exponentially within the next few decades. With this growth in the industry comes a significant growth in carbon emissions; this increase will occur despite strides forward in jet engine and airline administration efficiency. With international concerns about environmental issues, it is critical that the impacts and detrimental effects of aviation usage are analyzed and mitigated. Although it is known to be environmentally damaging, many University of Washington faculty members are pressured to fly in order to develop and further their careers. Very little data has been gathered surrounding faculty members, particularly in environmental programs, and the correlation between their personal values and concrete actions. In attempts to quantify viewpoints, recent literature analyzes environmental beliefs and corresponding behavior within regular consumer populations. A majority of these studies observed and divided participants into categories depending on their behaviors. For those faculty members working in environmental and climate science fields, the question presents itself: How closely correlated are faculties flying habits and environmental beliefs? Through twenty open-ended interviews, this study will attempt to evaluate UW faculty members and their self proclaimed environmental beliefs and actions. I suspect that tensions will exist between faculty’s values and necessary career related travel. Analyzing these tensions, especially amongst those most educated in these topics, can aid in finding pathways to mitigate actions that are environmentally damaging

Within the past decade, scholarly and media attention regarding the “homelessness crisis” across the country has increased. However, recent developments in the field have problematized much of the previous research done on homeless identity, due to the fact that “homelessness” has been treated as an unambiguous defining characteristic of the individual. Past research relied on the assumption that these individuals saw themselves as homeless upon entering a state wherein they were without stable housing. Contemporary research seeks to revisit the conceptualizations of homeless identity, and this project will investigate how individuals without shelter, or at risk of being without shelter, come to define their situation and identify themselves -- as “homeless” or otherwise -- in relation to that status. This study focuses primarily on homeless identity as self-acquired, rather than ascribed, by researching an understudied group: homeless young adults. Studying identity within the dynamic frame of emerging adulthood provides a suitable environment for understanding identity development and adoption. This project utilizes ethnographic interview techniques conducted with individuals aged 18-25 with a range of time spent homeless. Analysis of these interviews seeks to examine key mechanisms in negotiation between socially-ascribed identity and self-acquired identity among homeless individuals, and to shed light on the mental reasoning that informs such a process. By determining how and why people come to see themselves as homeless, this research project will inform modes of early-intervention social service outreach while simultaneously complicating traditional lenses of viewing and researching homelessness.

 Individuals who have experienced armed conflict at some time in their life span up to the millions. Whether its domestic violence, PTSD or war. A small body of research has been conducted to understand self-image and the well-being of survivors of armed conflict. However little is known about the effects of armed conflict on social behaviors and the perception of social relationships. This research is based on interviews and ethnographic data from forty South Sudanese refugees living in Rhino camp, Uganda. Using interviews and qualitative methods this research addresses how armed conflict affects trust of others and social relationships. Key insights from this research will allow us to understand how armed conflict experiences impact one’s perception of social relations and how different genders view this same idea. This research addresses social behaviors and perceptions of social relationship which is an important aspect of health, well-being and survival.

Overdoses induced by fentanyl-laced cocaine are skyrocketing today. Meanwhile, in 2017, cocaine was reported as the fourth most prevalent substance used on college campuses. Even more alarming, research shows a modest decline in young people’s disapproval and perceived harmfulness of experimental cocaine use. Favorable depictions of cocaine use in the media contributes to these trends today: the entertainment industry continues to advertise cocaine as a drug of privilege, partying, and success. Conversely, studies investigating Adderall use found college students view cocaine use negatively. Students harshly judged their peers who exposed themselves to cocaine’s hazardous nature and high risks. This contradictory evidence makes it difficult to judge how problematic college students’ views on experimental cocaine use may be. This study aims at sorting this puzzle. The project tests the hypotheses that students think one-time use results in more benefits than risks to the individual. To assess this hypothesis, I use a web-based survey adapted from the so-called “prototype-willingness model” (PWM). The PWM is built on the idea that young people share very clear social images of risky behaviors. The favorability of these images is positively correlated with willingness to engage in risky behavior. Willingness, rather than planned intent, is the primary factor responsible for engaging in risky behaviors if presented with the opportunity. I examine the social image of experimental cocaine use and its favorability in order to predict willingness to use. Predicting how a college student may react when given the opportunity to use is crucial for future prevention planning, as cocaine use is a more pressing issue than ever.

The focus of this study is to examine the motivation behind organizing conservative and counter-conservative events and the meaning students attribute to their involvement. Furthermore, the study also addresses the extent to which such coordination is related to group influence. In other words, how do participant relations within and outside of their organization shape their decision to organize political events on campus? This study explores how students understand and interpret their actions. Data for this study will be collected by conducting structured interviews with 10 participants (n = 10). The intended population is college students from a Southern California college campus. Half the participants will identify or have identified with a conservative campus organization while the other half with a counter-conservative organization at the time of a campus political event. Convenience and snowball sampling will be used to recruit participants. This methodology follows what sociologist Max Weber (1914) referred to as,“Sociology is a science concerning itself with the interpretive understanding of social action and thereby with a causal explanation of its course and consequences.” An interpretive understanding of the meaning and drive behind the formation of these political events is crucial to developing an explanation for what triggers social action. By studying the dynamics by which the group members interact and interpret one another, we can understand the role of in-group cohesion and out-group bias in politically-related communication. My study aims to contribute to the following 1) increase our knowledge of the motivations and meanings college students place on organizing events with controversial speakers, as well as protesting them, 2) how students weigh the consequences of their actions, especially as it relates to social relations (stigma or approval), campus climate, safety and property damage, and economic costs (e.g. security, police, taxes).

Emerging adulthood is a significant developmental period where individuals aged 18-25 years do not feel that they are adults, but on the path to becoming so. Individuals may describe their experiences within this life stage differently based on their racial identity. This research project asks: “How do young people of color in college describe their experiences of emerging adulthood compared to their white peers, and is this related to their mental health in different ways?” Within this study, I compare how students of color and white students view, experience, and navigate emerging adulthood and how this affects their mental health. Through interviews with young college students across racial groups at University of Washington (UW), I examine how they make sense of the stressors in their lives. Interview questions discuss significant areas of emerging adulthood, various social forces that could affect mental health, racial issues and socialization, and access to social support. I test the hypothesis that students of color describe their sources of stress as being more impacted by structural and institutional reasons, such as racism and xenophobia, while white students focus more on social and interpersonal reasons, such as families, relationships, and work. Emerging adulthood is a relatively new field of research and it is critical to understand how people of color experience this life stage. This research will contribute to current understandings and research of racial health disparities. It will also highlight areas for additional work addressing the significance and complexity of intersectionality within the emerging adulthood developmental period.

I am studying the connection between the criminal justice system and public school education system in America. As our current system stands, students are being punished so severely through punishment and explosion that it leads to their lack of success in completing education which leads to their involvement in the criminal justice system. My research focuses on how black students are punished disproportionately greater than their white counterparts which directly correlates to the huge population of black people making up the population of prison cells in America. This is known as the school to prison pipeline, a cycle which limits a students ability to get out the system resulting them to be incarcerated. Through my research, I am looking at disciplinary methods in public school systems and how their ineffectiveness leads to more people of color, specifically black students to eventually be removed from the school system. As of today, many of these practices have led to the continuous erasure of black students from the education system by placing them in the prison system.

 In higher education, diversity has become a widespread initiative; taking the form of diversity councils, required diversity courses and campus-wide diversity statements. The aim is to be more than a physical grouping of all people, but have an inclusion of all perspectives. However, who bears the burden of these diversity initiatives? Instructors and professional staff provide resources and serve as outlets to students who are in need of space to share personal experience and themselves go through additional emotional labor. Emotional labor is the process of managing feelings/emotions to fulfill the emotional requirements of a job and often is not talked about. Research has shown that instructors teaching diversity courses experience a large amount of emotional labor, and a high demand for support from students. This project complements the existing research by understanding the emotional labor of non-teaching professionals who work directly in diversity offices, serving underrepresented groups of students. The primary research question is: how do non-teaching professionals working with underrepresented populations experience and understand emotional labor in higher education? Through interviews with non-teaching professionals working with underrepresented groups of students, this research sheds light on the behind-the-scenes work they do to support students and the personal costs and benefits of the emotional labor they provide. These findings help us more accurately assess the necessary investment institutions of higher education need to make in order to foster a truly diverse environment. This study will open up the conversation around diversity initiatives by examining how exclusionary institutions of higher education achieve inclusivity and show who is bearing the additional work to create an equitable, inclusive community for all.

Since the election of President Trump in 2017, conversations of immigration policy quickly escalated. Most conversations have stigmatized the notion of migration, specifically targeting our southern border and families. This project aims to understand the experiences of undocumented high school students in San Diego County, CA under the Trump Administration, through structure qualitative interviews. The backdrop for this study is the current anti-immigrant climate, specifically targeting Latinx undocumented immigrants. We grounded our study in a humanizing framework, where collective efforts based on dignity, care, and respect are pushing forward our work. Currently, we have conducted structure qualitative interviews with 15 undocumented high school students, ten females and five males. From these numbers, 3 identified as Central American and 12 as Mexican and ages ranged from 16-19 years of age. Through these structured interviews, some preliminary findings have been the following: (1) undocumented students struggle with identity issues, (2) they lack educational opportunities and support from their institutions, and (3) deal with many mental health issues. Overall, this research shows that educational preparation for undocumented high school students is deficient, perceived college affordability discourages college aspirations and most notably, legal status affects every aspect of their lives. This latter finding has an especially negative impact on schooling and mental health. This work is intended to bring awareness to the distressed emotions and experiences of current high school students. Implications for practice includes motivational support and training for school personnel in order to develop resources that will support undocumented students to succeed in higher education and society.

Court fines and fees, previously an overlooked part of the justice system, are much more impactful than once thought. Recent research has traced the rise of court mandated fines and fees, or legal financial obligations (LFOs), and detailed their various effects. LFOs have been shown to have significant, detrimental effects on poor and minority groups in relation to other parts of the population. The disparity of effects from LFOs exacerbates the already prevalent issue of wealth inequality within the United States. This study evaluates whether LFOs are higher in low tax counties than in high tax counties. This is accomplished by gathering county level tax and LFO data for four states: Florida, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin. I perform linear regression analysis of the data and performed t-tests on all variables included in the equation. Regression shows whether lower taxes are correlated with an increase of LFO severity. I anticipate that LFOs will be more severe in areas with lower taxes due to the increased financial strain on the county government. A correlation between revenues and LFOs could indicate that counties are essentially using LFOs as secondary to make up for lower tax revenues, rather than their intended purpose of disincentivizing criminal activity. With better information on potential consequences of lowering taxes, we will be able to draft smarter fiscal policies rather than arbitrarily increasing the financial burden on the poor.

An increasing number of American adults are participating in consensual non-monogamous practices. Within the umbrella term of consensual non-monogamy lies polyamory. Researchers in fields spanning from Sociology to Neuroscience have researched jealousy, emotional territoriality, and whether or not a person can love more than one person at the same time. Scholars have explored how jealousy and expectations are managed within polyamorous relationships and research has found that polyamorous partners use particularly constructive and honest methods of communication. Polyamorous communities contain diverse populations varying by social class, sexual identities, race, ethnicity, education level and socio-economic status. While some research has been focused on how humans manage jealousy, there is presently no research on jealousy management in people who have various socio-economic backgrounds and diverse sexual and gender identities. The literature, as it presently exists, states that all you have to do to have a 'healthy' (polyamorous) relationship is to communicate your feelings well. My study fills this gap with the following research question. In a romantic polyamorous relationship, how do participants' social experiences and backgrounds influence their expressions of jealousy and expectations in a fulfilling relationship? Through interviews, lasting one hour each, with over ten adult polyamorous individuals, answers to this research question yields a more complete understanding of polyamory. This contributes to our understanding of how intersectional identities matter in intimate relationships. 

Art can be a healthy way to express emotions and bring healing to the hurting mind. Tapping into the creative mind and using art to express oneself can provide a calm that other methods may not. Mental health disorders and substance use disorders are giants that cannot be defeated by one method alone. The safest place to be for an individual suffering in silence is outside the mind in an inclusive, creative, empathetic, and healing environment. The LWTech Lion's Pride Healing Art club is intended to help individuals safely experience and express emotions while bonding and sharing a safe space with like-minded people. To understand the effect that the healing art club has on its participants, I am conducting in-depth interviews with key students and staff. I hypothesize that participation in the healing art club helps express themselves in a therapeutic way, foster feelings of belonging to the community, and contributes to their overall health. The data collected is a helpful start in encouraging college communities to adopt similar programs and to promote positive mental health on campus.

 This poster focuses on the relationship between afterschool programs and school discipline rates. I ask how availability of and access to school social programs affects school discipline patterns across school districts in Washington. This poster describes patterns of variation in school discipline, and summarizes how afterschool programs can affect the rate of school discipline. Using publicly available data about school districts (WA Superintendent Office of Public Instruction; U.S. Census Bureau ;), I anaylyzed the rate of school discipline as well as the availability of afterschool programs in different counties in Washington. I used ARC Gis to map the prevalence of each and then compared them in order to determine that the increase in presence of afterschool programs was correlated with a lower school discipline rate. Therefore, this poster argues that school social programs affect school discipline rates.

The #MeToo movement has sparked a national conversation about what constitutes sexual consent, and a series of debates have erupted over the actions of famous men like Brett Kavanaugh, Louis C.K., and Aziz Ansari. Popular hits like Robin Thicke’s song “Blurred Lines” have also come under fire for promoting sexual violence by celebrating confusion around sexual consent. At this moment, when norms and expectations around sexual interactions seem to be changing quickly, it is especially important that we have comprehensive and systematic data on how people define sexual consent and interpret ambiguous sexual experiences. Existing studies have shown characteristics of an individual matter when it comes how they conceptualize appropriateness. However, we still do not know to what extent these characteristics matter. This study addresses this gap by answering the question: How do people of varying groups define appropriate sexual behaviors and boundaries? A Q-Method study of over 200 people will reveal how individuals of different characteristics sort scenarios of various sexual interactions into categories ranging from “most appropriate” to “most inappropriate.” Q method is similar to a rank-order techinque and allows for representation or reconstruction of perspectives concerning any given topic of interest. In addition to providing insight about how different people make sense of sexual behaviors, this study shows how Q-sorts can provide a more detailed look at sexual norms than the survey and vignette studies currently used in the field.

Sea ice, frozen ocean water, in the Arctic is declining due to climate change. This is getting more attention, since sea ice can substantially affect wildlife, ecosystems, and human society. Sea ice extent, a measure of the surface area of the ocean covered by sea ice, is used to monitor the environment. A good sea ice extent model can benefit not only studies of the Arctic but also the global economy, as many ships use the Arctic area as part of their route. There are various sea ice extent models in the science community that give good estimates of sea ice extent. However, there are instances where their predictions do not match observations. My research explores bias correction methods that help predictions to match observations and compares the performance of sea ice models after bias correction. In this analysis, I consider the performance of a sea ice model produced by the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory using boxplots and rank histograms. This work helps show the value of bias correction. I will compare the performence of the models to identify in what month and in what location models predict well. This information will support improved prediction of the Arctic going forward.