This study utilizes design research to explore how storytelling informs the design, usage, and knowledge production of a digital archive repository housing digitized memory objects. Ranging from ao dai to math booklets, these memory objects are grounded by narratives of Vietnamese diasporic identity and experiences shared by community researchers as part of Sarah Nguyen’s Sharing Stories, Sharing Trust (SSST) workshop series. To understand how story-driven approaches translate and transform digital archive design, I draw upon multiple methodologies such as case study analysis of existing community-based applications of digital archives and thematic analysis of SSST workshop discussions (formatted as observational memos). I also draw from user interviews with community researchers using a semi-structured, narrative-driven protocol. These analyses inform the design of a digital repository prototype that foregrounds story-driven design whilst exploring possibilities for the preservation and sharing of Vietnamese diasporic experiences.

Our brains have evolved to navigate survival and respond to danger, but trauma dysregulates these systems, causing the brain to misinterpret everyday experiences as threats. This dysregulation results in hypervigilance, which can manifest as panic attacks, dissociation, and other debilitating symptoms. Current treatment options for trauma often focus on symptom management, overlooking the physiological impacts of trauma. These treatments can be expensive, inaccessible, and may have side effects. This literature review examines holistic, non-pharmaceutical, neuroplasticity-based (NPNB) approaches, such as breathwork, nutrition, exercise, and sleep, to challenge traditional methods and advocate for integrating holistic interventions into mainstream trauma care, emphasizing accessibility and autonomy for trauma survivors. As we explore the increasing need for mental health care, we look at the interplay between psychological trauma and physical health by exploring the mind-body connection and trauma-induced inflammation. Additionally, this exploration aims to understand how these treatments can reshape neural pathways, improve emotional regulation, and enhance psychological and physiological well-being. It also examines potential paradigm shifts in trauma care and advocates for increased accessibility to alternative treatments, particularly for individuals who cannot access conventional therapies. We expect to find that NPNB treatments are underutilized in the treatment of trauma and, if expanded upon, would have the potential to improve accessibility, reduce or eliminate side effects, and help survivors regain a sense of autonomy.

During neonatal transport, specialized pediatric transport teams closely monitor the status of critically ill newborns. Hyperspectral imaging, a method of manipulating light for medical imaging, can be used for remote monitoring using video of the patient’s physical appearance and to measure vital signs. Appropriate light intensity is critical for clear visibility of the newborn and hyperspectral imaging accuracy, but this must be balanced with safety for sensitive eyes. My previous studies have determined the minimum range of light needed to accurately view the neonate in a transport incubator. My current research is focused on developing a novel method for vital sign analysis by using hyperspectral imaging. A smartphone camera will be used to take RGB photos of a calibration chart and a short video of the wrist of study participants. After taking the RGB photographs, custom MATLAB code will be used to extract physiological data such as hemoglobin and bilirubin content from the skin. Data analysis will compare the vital sign data collected using hyperspectral imaging and using a pulse oximeter to understand the feasibility of hyperspectral imaging for vital sign extraction. The expected result of this study is that the heart rate and blood oxygen levels measured using light and a pulse oximeter will be highly correlated. In conclusion, this research will demonstrate the potential application of hyperspectral imaging to pediatric transport.

Humpback whales exhibit exceptional maneuverability in water, a trait attributed to the unique scalloped structures (tubercles) on the leading edges of their flippers. This study investigates the influence of such varied tubercles on the aerodynamic performance of wings, using both wind tunnel testing and computational methods. CAD models of the rigid wings were designed for 3D printing. These addressed three variations of the fin morphology, a smoothed base model, one with leading-edge tubercles, and one with tubercles on the trailing edge as well. The fin models feature a swept wing configuration with a concave region before the wing tip, both properties of humpback whale fins. The result of wind tunnel tests at constant, turbulent, wind speeds (Re=10^5) produced plots of the lift and drag coefficients for a varying angle of attack. The experimental results showed that leading-edge tubercles increase the maximum lift and increase the maximum angle of attack before stall occurs at the cost of some additional drag. The addition of trailing-edge scallops reduced drag and raised the overall efficiency to just below the baseline. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations comparable to the wind tunnel environment and in more turbulent aquatic conditions (Re>10^6) reveal the fluid flow. The tubercles and concave region influence the fluid, reducing span wise flow and the buildup of large tip vortices. The effect of tubercles has already been employed for its influence on stall angle, notably on the rudders of some racing yachts. The studied effect's ability to manage vortices across the wing span may have applications in particle separation, though significant work would need to be done to streamline the necessary manufacturing processes.

Courts are often assumed to be neutral bodies far removed from the political sphere. International courts even more so given their distance from domestic politics and policymaking. Yet over the last sixty years, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has profoundly shaped law and policies across Europe and it is increasingly the site of political and legal mobilization by a wide array of interests. In this project, we examine how and why interest organizations have accessed the ECtHR and how this has affected the development of human rights in Europe. To study this dynamic, we utilize judgment data from the European Court of Human Rights database (ECHRdb) covering the time period 1960-2022. Utilizing the ECHRdb data and Court policy documents, we then created an original data set for a comparative case study of two areas of law: environmental protection and work/business. Conducting exploratory analyses using R, Python, and Tableau, we examined general trends in organization participation in the cases, as well as variation across the two policy areas. Historical case law analyses also enabled us to identify key judgments that have been critical to the development of European law. Through our analyses, we identified repeat players (organizations who strategically use the court over time), longitudinal change in the court’s policy impact cases and change in violation rates. Our findings highlight that the Court has a direct impact on domestic policy and serves as a forum for political mobilization. Our data also suggests that “learning” both by the Court and repeat interest organization players shapes the degree the Court expands the law and the success of organizations in important cases. These findings may also help answer larger questions on the impact of international courts in sensitive areas of domestic policy including climate change and worker’s rights.

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy characterized by the overproduction of malignant B-lymphoblasts in the bone marrow. It is the most common pediatric cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among children. Standard therapies, including drugs such as dexamethasone and vincristine, achieve remission in approximately 90% of cases, but 10% of patients exhibit resistance. Furthermore, standard therapies result in significant short- and long-term toxicities. Thus, alternative treatment strategies are needed. FHD-286, a BRG1/BRM ATPase inhibitor currently in clinical trials for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), is a potential candidate for improving B-ALL therapy by targeting chromatin remodeling dependencies and reducing reliance on less tolerable chemotherapies. Our study evaluates the efficacy of FHD-286 in combination with dexamethasone and vincristine, hypothesizing that the combination may overcome treatment resistance in B-ALL. We tested these combinations across genetically diverse B-ALL cell lines. We treated the cell lines with varying doses of each drug alone and in combination and, after 3 to 5 days, assessed cell counts and apoptosis using Annexin V staining. Compared to vincristine or dexamethasone alone, when combined with FHD-286, we observed an increase in apoptosis. After three days of treatment, we detected a significant decrease in cell count, while after five days, cell viability dropped, suggesting that the drug combination may induce both cell cycle arrest and followed by apoptosis over time. Notably, FHD-286 demonstrated effectiveness in KMT2A-rearranged B-ALL, a high-risk subtype prone to relapse, while also demonstrating potent effects in non-KMT2A-rearranged B-ALL. Our findings suggest that FHD-286 enhances therapeutic efficacy in B-ALL when combined with current standard treatments, offering a potential strategy to overcome resistance and reduce chemotherapy toxicity across multiple leukemia subtypes.

Spoken, written, and body language are the media through which we interact with our social world. Formalized in the 20th century and owing to the work of anthropologists like Franz Boas, Edward Sapir, and Benjamin Whorf, the theory of linguistic relativity posits that the language we use influences our thoughts and our perception of the world. Linguistic practices like code-switching point toward an intricate relationship between language use and social setting. As new technologies proliferate alongside evolving patterns of migration around the globe, it is likely that multilingual ability will increase. However, a knowledge gap exists regarding the role of bi- or multilingualism (hereafter encompassing bilingualism) within linguistic anthropology. Given the cultural origin of identity and the interlinked nature of culture and language, my research question asks if multilingualism can grant individuals greater latitude in the expression of their discrete identities. This literature review examined multilingualism in diverse contexts, including psychotherapy, postcolonialism, and stand-up comedy, to better understand how linguistic flexibility affects our interpersonal lives and intrapersonal conceptions. Despite the aforementioned knowledge gap, a broad scope of answers from the literature suggests that multilingual ability uniquely shapes how people interact with the world around them. Multilingualism provides benefits to both multilingual individuals and the communities and social networks in which they live. The ability to communicate in one more than one language or dialect can afford a more complete sense of identity, maintain connections to cultural roots, and open new avenues for self-perception. As political rhetoric veers towards xenophobic and jingoist tendencies, the question of how people who live and communicate at the intersection of two or more cultures becomes more relevant, both for the self-conception of those at the margins and for the perception of this population by the dominant culture.

Exoplanetary studies suggest that massive outer planets, such as Jupiter in our Solar System, play a crucial role in shielding inner planets from excessive asteroid bombardment, thereby contributing to long-term orbital stability. The Kepler-11 system is a tightly packed configuration of six planets that lacks a known massive outer planet protector. In this project I investigated the stability of Kepler-11 planets under varying levels of asteroid impact modeled using a combination of n-body simulations in 10,000-year segments, Monte Carlo methods, and statistical extrapolation. These results were then further extrapolated using Poisson statistics to estimate the system’s long-term evolution over millions of years. I ran simulations as the system is currently known and with a Jupiter-like planet to assess its role in deflecting or capturing incoming objects. Preliminary findings suggest that in the absence of a massive outer planet, asteroid impacts on the inner planets increase significantly, leading to cumulative orbital drift and potential long-term destabilization. These results highlight the importance of massive planets in preserving planetary system stability and suggest the possible existence of an undetected distant massive planet or a densely packed outer system that has maintained Kepler-11’s current planetary configuration.

California’s Universal Meal Program (UMP) provides free meals to all public school students, reducing household food expenses and potentially freeing up time previously allocated to meal preparation. This study investigates the program’s impact on household resource allocation, analyzing shifts in income use and time management through a difference-in-differences approach. Using data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) and the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES), the research examines variations across socioeconomic groups to determine whether the UMP influences financial decisions, work-life balance, and food-related behaviors. By exploring these downstream effects, the study aims to provide insights into the broader implications of universal meal programs beyond food security, offering evidence to inform future policy decisions on their expansion and effectiveness. 

The root cause of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's and dementia is protein misfolding which leads to toxic aggregations in the brain, causing neuron death. At the molecular level, these diseases are offset by chaperone proteins, which have the task of stopping toxic aggregation events which directly causes onset of many neurodegenerative diseases. Understanding interactions between small heat shock proteins (sHSP), which are a class of chaperone proteins, and their client proteins, such as those involved in neurodegeneration is key for preventing these diseases. The sHSPs are a class of chaperone proteins which have the purpose of preventing other proteins from misfolding. The formation of toxic aggregates plays a factor in the first steps to pathology. Prevention of these aggregates and thus the toxic events that follow means understanding the protective mechanism that exists to stop aggregation. The challenge of these mechanisms is their immense complexity and there are not many methods in which small changes in the proteins can be detected. One possible technique that allows these small changes to be detected is Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), which is a highly sensitive distance-dependent physical process. Fundamentally, energy is transferred non-radiatively via an excited molecular fluorophore (the donor) to another fluorophore (the acceptor). The goal of my work is to incorporate the FRET pairs into sHSP oligomers to probe changes in these oligomers. These changes could be the binding of another protein, such as a client protein, or another sHSP. These changes in the FRET signal will be indicative of how the probes are orientated relative to each other, allowing us to gauge what interactions are happening. My work validates the use of FRET to gauge how sHSP are interacting on a molecular level.