Digital Commons Network^™

Engaging Ecological Narratives: An Inquiry Into Place-Based Knowledge And Disaster Risk Reduction In Gozo, Malta, Ella S. Richmond

University Honors Theses

This paper utilizes fieldwork on the island of Gozo, Malta as a case study in understanding place-based environmental relationships. I employ a mixed methodology ethnographic approach to explore the disconnect between local narratives of hazard risk and those of larger institutional actors including the Maltese government, the EU, and the World Risk Index. This study reveals themes of: 1) language shaping climate discourse; 2) place-based oral histories and lore as impacting how risk is perceived; 3) tension between tradition and modernity in the realm of risk reduction; and 4) conflicting climate narratives characterizing the nature of preventative action. I argue …

Constructing A Contemporary Mythology: Zardulu's Viral Art In The Post-Truth Age, Grace Wolfe

University Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes the artistic processes of Zardulu the Mythmaker, an anonymous internet figure whose viral art expands upon the language of online hoaxes and media sensationalism to create mythologies that encapsulate the present. Recent scholarship has proposed a shift away from "the contemporary" in art, as its constant efforts toward innovation and detachment from discipline perpetuates the current culture of anxiety. Zardulu's art practice offers a unique separation from the boundaries of contemporary art, which is examined in this thesis through her use of ancient myth-making techniques and the medium of internet virality. Furthermore, this thesis presents Zardulu's methodology …

Our Peer The Pigeon: Impacts Of The Covid-19 "Anthropause" On Psu Campus Urban Foragers, Audrey Douglass

University Honors Theses

The 2020 COVID Pandemic presented a paradigm shift dubbed, by some scholars, the 'Anthropause', an ecological epoch in which humans faded from the public sphere. As was the case for many urban species that depend on the foraging of food waste, this meant a fundamental disruption to their food systems and to the entire urban eco-web. The PSU Campus Park Blocks presents a unique opportunity to observe animal behavior, while also a succinct microcosm to study food waste flow changes, and compare species layout to other urban parks in the METRO area. Decreased food waste output from proximal …

"Memories Of A Family" (2021): A Reflection On My Process As An Interviewer And Filmmaker, Kyle Day

University Honors Theses

"Memories of a Family" is a short essay film that communicates the complicated dynamic between personal and familial memory. With an experimental approach in editing, Kyle Day uses his family's home videos as a materialized form of familial memory that he deconstructs and reconstructs based on his and his family members' personal memories and subjective views of the family.

Noise As Music: Effects Of Physical And Digital Noise In One's Life, Juliana Bigelow

University Honors Theses

Sound is something to be thought about critically. It is not just a part of our world, but it helps define it. This thesis follows the development of five short sonic compositions created from field recordings of the researcher's environments between June 2020 and March 2021. Through techniques such as granular synthesis, soundwalking, and text scores, the compositions demonstrate how noise in both physical and digital sonic environments can impact one's identities, relationships, health, transitions, and ideas of music. Critically thinking about sound can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves and others and allows us to begin creating …

Building A Leader's Identity On Social Media, Morningstar Dickson

University Honors Theses

How can leaders use social media effectively to shape their identity as a leader? Based on previous scholarship, this paper argues that using an authentic leadership approach to social media usage, would balance a leader’s true identity as well as maintaining their relationship with their followers. Which would allow the leaders’ influence to be more effective. This paper consists of a literature review on authentic leadership, and trust, and then builds a conceptual model that will break down how a leader should build and present their identity on online formats. The model shows how identity on social media is a …

Colorful, Weird, And Wonderful: The Influences Of Subculture On The Fashion Of The 1960s, Gianna M. Zanzi

University Honors Theses

In this paper, I attempt to examine the fashion of three dominant subcultures within the American Counterculture movement of the 1960s--the Youthquakers, Mods, and Hippies--before discussing my project that was synthesized from this research; three outfits, one representing each subculture, that I had sewn using vintage and vintage-inspired patterns, fabrics, and notions. While I myself was not alive during the 1960s, my interest in the aesthetics associated with the decade were my motivation for trying my hand at creating period-accurate clothing using techniques and materials that would have also been used at this time. This essay is the documentation of …

Should Synergy Alone Be Accepted As Justification For Premia Paid In M&A?, Sebastian Araguas

University Honors Theses

Synergy is often used by management as justification to pay, and oftentimes overpay, for acquisitions. This paper explores the phenomenon of synergy being used as justification for overpayment in various M&A transactions, and the impact it has on value for shareholders. Current methods of valuation are compiled, summarized, and examined for potential areas of conflict, challenges with post merger integration are explored, and real world examples of improper integration and overpayment are examined. We find that the current methods of valuation leave room for error based on hubris and personal interest, that the realization of synergy is often much more …

Happy ��, Sad ��Or Pizza ��: A Review Of Emoji Effects On Reading Times And Their Relation To Mood, Fetheya Alattar

University Honors Theses

With recent advancements in technology, emoji are continuously changing the way that people communicate and process language. Their use continues to evolve as a mechanism to counter the loss of the rich nonverbal cues of face-to-face communication. Subsequently, the need for research examining how emoji are processed and how they affect language and communication has become more important. This research specifically examines the scholarship on emoji effects on sentence reading times (RT) and how this relates to mood. Results on the effects of emoji on sentence RT are mixed. In some instances, emoji slowed RT and in others, they sped …

The Community Case For Violence: Toward A Materialist Perspective On Community Work, Aven Handley-Merk

University Honors Theses

This paper examines and synthesizes existing critiques of contemporary community work in the United States. These critiques are substantiated and developed by a discussion of nonprofit history and formal structure, establishing the premise that contemporary community work is constrained both by its powerlessness and its collaboration with government. It is constrained to an extent that it cannot meaningfully address or remedy community problems. Theorists often see the root of this problem in the birth of neoliberalism in the 1970s, but this paper argues that it arises instead from liberal philosophy, and is rooted much more deeply in Western history and …

Fostering Connectedness Amidst Crisis: Lgbtq Communities In 2020, Daniel Leister-Gray

University Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate LGBTQ communities’ responses to the global and national crises that took place in 2020. To accomplish this, the thesis ties together and summarizes relevant multidisciplinary constructs, and highlights specific examples of the actions taken by LGBTQ communities in 2020. The secondary goal was to tell an anecdote providing ecological validity for relevant empirical data. The thesis is informed by LGBTQ psychology, medical sociology, LGBTQ history, modern events, neuroendocrinology, and neuroscience. The paper concludes that LGBTQ communities used activism, internet, and music to embody resilience and solidarity during 2020. The paper aims to …

North American Expatriates In Mexico: A Discourse Analysis Of Facebook Groups, Liliana Carolina Brock

University Honors Theses

North American expatriates in Mexico often live in enclaves or affluent communities at a fraction of what it would cost in the US or Canada. Despite living in Mexico for years, many expatriates are poorly integrated into Mexican culture and society. This integration is made more difficult because many are unable to speak Spanish fluently. Instead, expatriates rely on English language Facebook groups to help them navigate life in Mexico. While scholars have explored the intersections of communication and interculturalism in expatriate communities, comparatively few have explored how the internet and the presentation of self on social media (specifically Facebook) …

The Meghan Markle Effect: An Analysis Of A 21st Century Celebrity Through A Veblenian Perspective, Lucy Jensen

University Honors Theses

Following her engagement and subsequent marriage to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle has emerged as a global figure and fashion icon. Her ability to influence fashion trends has been labelled the "Meghan effect" by the news media. This thesis research applies the theories of Thorstein Veblen, an economist and author of the extremely influential Theory of the Leisure Class (1899). The thesis has the aim of clarifying how Veblen’s thinking can be applied to Markle or comparable high-profile women. What this inquiry ultimately finds is that Veblen was indeed correct in his assumption that high-profile, wealthy people such as Markle can …

2021 Commencement Program, Rukaiyah Adams, Brett Bigham, Frank A. Franklin, Avel Gordly, Kali Thorne Ladd, Jill Murfin, George Yoshio Nakata, Mario Milosevic, William Parnell

Commencement Archives 2020-29

The Spring 2021 Commencement ceremonies for each College and School at Portland State University were held as separate virtual events with speakers for each. These ceremonies honored graduates who received their degrees in Fall 2020-Spring 2021.

Understanding Ransomware Trajectory To Create An Informed Prediction, J. D. Klusnick

University Honors Theses

Ransomware is a form of extortion in which digital files are rendered inaccessible until a ransom payment is made. Modern ransomware emerged in 2006 and its destructive influence has been expanding ever since. In recent years cybercriminals have evolved who they target, what computer systems they target, and how they infect those systems. Meanwhile, cybersecurity experts have modelled ransomware methods allowing them to innovate their defense techniques across three paradigms: recovery, detection, and prevention. Ultimately either ransomware attackers or ransomware defenders will dominate this ongoing conflict. A review of the literature indicates that the ransomware crime wave will likely be …

Covid-19 Lockdowns And Air Quality In The United States, Ashlyn B. Cenicola

Economics Masters Project Research Papers

Using a difference-in-differences approach, I test whether the U.S. COVID-19 lockdowns influenced air pollution levels. I hypothesize that the halt in human mobility stemming from lockdowns caused transportation sector activity to decrease, leading to a reduction in related pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, and NO2. I investigate whether counties with strict lockdown policies experienced greater improvements in air pollution relative to before the lockdowns than counties with lenient lockdown policies. I use lockdown stringency data from the University of Oxford to identify strict versus lenient counties, and data from the Environmental Protection Agency to capture air pollution outcomes. The main …

Next Generation Sequencing Identifies Population Structure And Signatures Of Local Adaptation In Red Alder (Alnus Rubra Bong.), Jacob Brent Loveless

Dissertations and Theses

Red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) is the dominant hardwood tree species in the Pacific Northwest. Red alders are only found in western North America, generally within 200 km of the coast and below 1000 m in elevation--although there are several disjunct populations in the northern Rocky Mountains in Idaho. Commonly a riparian species, the shade intolerant red alder generates most of the leaf litter in the streams and rivers it occupies which has been shown to greatly influence the decomposer communities. This, in turn, has a cascading effect throughout the entire riparian ecosystem greatly influencing multiple levels of the …

Open Crime Maps: How Are Police Departments Doing So Far?, Khaing Sandee Lynn

Dissertations and Theses

In recent years, some police departments have started providing open crime maps depicting select crime-related data. However, there has been no studies so far evaluating map delivery sources, the type of maps delivered, and why agencies might be doing so. Using a random, stratified sample of 1,677 police departments from the 2013 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey, the current study examines how many police departments provide access to online crime maps as well as how they are delivered (externally or internally) and prevalent map types (dot, density, choropleth, etc.). Furthermore, whether or not agencies provided a justification(s) …

Numerical Techniques And Simulations For Studying Various High Power Optical Fiber Amplifiers, Particularly For Ytterbium (Yb+3), And Thulium (Tm+3) Doped Fibers, Tathagata Goswami

Dissertations and Theses

In this dissertation we present a simplified scalar numerical model, derived from Maxwell's field equations, for the fiber laser amplifier simulations. Maxwell's equations are reduced using a technique called Coupled Mode Theory (CMT).

The reduced model is made more efficient through a new scale model, referred to as an equivalent short fiber, which captures some of the essential characteristics of a longer fiber. The equivalent short fiber can be viewed as a fiber made using artificial (nonphysical) material properties that in some sense compensates for its reduced length. The computations can be accelerated by a factor approximately equal to the …

Towards A Theory Of Informal Supply Networks: An Exploratory Case Study Of The Za'atari Refugee Camp, Ismail Abushaikha, Zhaohui Wu, Theodore A. Khoury

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Studies of humanitarian supply chain operations contribute to efficient system designs for the delivery of goods and services to disaster- and conflict-stricken regions. However, our understanding of what happens to these relief goods and services after they are delivered is quite limited. Using a case study of the Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan, we develop a theory of informal supply networks, whereby we uncover how refugee-led, informal supply networks emerge in the camp. We find that these supply networks are an aggregate of predominantly illicit—yet legitimate—channels and social relationships that support the economic exchange of goods and services between distinct …

Tellurorhodamine Photocatalysts In Aerobic Oxidation Reactions: Development Of Synthetic Methods And Reaction Mechanisms, Irving D. Rettig

Dissertations and Theses

Aerobic oxidation photocatalysis involves the use of oxygen as an oxidant species, coupled to a light driven catalyst to achieve useful chemical transformations. Catalytic aerobic oxidation reactions can be defined as either oxidase-like, in which O₂ acts as an electron donor/acceptor but is not incorporated into the reaction products, or oxygenase-like where O₂ acts as an electron donor/acceptor and is incorporated into the reaction products. A multitude of inorganic catalysts have been developed that can achieve a wide scope of oxidase-like or oxygenase-like reactivity, however, it is rare for a catalyst to be capable of both. We report …

A Community Of Fear: Emotion And The Hydro-Social Cycle In East Porterville, Michael Egge

Geography Masters Research Papers

Broader governance challenges driving water insecurity globally are well documented in the literature, however the power-laden relationships and emotions that shape water access at the household and community levels are yet to be fully investigated, especially in the context of water consolidation projects. In this article, we examine the role of emotions in mediating access to water and in the production of resource struggles among marginalized communities existing outside of conventional regulatory frameworks. We bring together two relational approaches – the hydro-social cycle and emotional political ecology – to examine water insecurity and how it manifests in the historically disadvantaged …

Adaptive Routing Behavior With Real-Time Information Under Multiple Travel Objectives, Ravi Venkatraman, Stephen D. Boyles, Rachel James, Avinash Unnikrishnan, Priyadarshan N. Patil

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Real-time information about traffic conditions is becoming widely available through various media and connected-vehicle technology. In such conditions, travelers have better knowledge about the system and adapt as the system evolves dynamically during their travel. Drivers may change routes during their travel in order to optimize their own objective of travel. Various travel objectives are captured in mathematical models via disutility functions. The focus of this research was to study the behavior of travelers with multiple trip objectives when they are provided real-time information, and assess their ability to determine “optimal” routing policies, compared to exact solutions based on the …

Perceived Value Of Technology Product Features By Crowdfunding Backers: The Case Of 3d Printing Technology On Kickstarter Platform, Nina Chaichi

Dissertations and Theses

Crowdfunding is an activity that gathers funds by drawing on a relatively small contribution from a relatively large number of individuals using the internet. One of the crowdfunding purposes is to fund entrepreneurial ventures. Modern crowdfunding activities--that utilize the internet--go back to 1997 and gained popularity in the music and video community. However, the most common platforms for entrepreneurial activities, including Kickstarter and IndieGoGo, have been established as recently as 2008. Thus the understanding of crowdfunding's dynamic is in its infancy.

Crowdfunding has been studied from various perspectives, primarily focusing on the factors that increase the platform's participation and determinants …

The Digital Divide And Health: Examining Digital Access As A Social Determinant Of Health, Elizabeth Melissa Withers

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation is comprised of three papers that consider ways in which one's level of digital access may impact self-rated health. Data are from multiple years of three separate nationally representative cross-sectional surveys: National Health Interview Survey, General Social Survey, and Health Information National Trends Survey to address the primary overarching research question: Is there an association between digital access and health? The examination of the relationship between digital access and health is situated within a social determinants of health perspective and draws on van Dijk's (2005) causal and sequential model of digital access. Education, income, race and ethnicity, work …

Assembly Tv 2021, Portland State University Art And Social Practice

Assembly

This year our annual conference is presented as a television station dedicated to art and social practice. “Tune in” online and join us for discussions, workshops, interactive experiences, and participatory events. Programs include a houseplant show-and-tell with People’s Plant Museum, personal landmark making with Sign Club, an exploration of the speaking arts, sheep sounds, a showcase of $100 Projects, and a brain dive from our in-house stuntman.

Multilevel Hierarchical Decomposition Of Finite Element White Noise With Application To Multilevel Markov Chain Monte Carlo, Hillary R. Fairbanks, Umberto E. Villa, Panayot S. Vassilevski

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this work we develop a new hierarchical multilevel approach to generate Gaussian random field realizations in an algorithmically scalable manner that is well suited to incorporating into multilevel Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms. This approach builds off of other partial differential equation (PDE) approaches for generating Gaussian random field realizations; in particular, a single field realization may be formed by solving a reaction-diffusion PDE with a spatial white noise source function as the right-hand side. While these approaches have been explored to accelerate forward uncertainty quantification tasks, e.g., multilevel Monte Carlo, the previous constructions are not directly applicable …

Investigation Of The Validity Evidence Of The Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale (Ilses) Among Undergraduate Students, Max Sommer, Angela M. Kohnen, Albert D. Ritzhaupt, John Hampton

Communications in Information Literacy

The purpose of this research was to provide validity evidence for the Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale (ILSES), a widely used instrument that was constructed in 2006. The researchers were interested in investigating the validity of this instrument due to the evolution of the information environment that has taken place since the scale’s original development, mostly as a result of the prominence of the Internet. Data were collected from N = 253 undergraduate students participating in a broader information literacy research study. Data were subjected to descriptive analyses, internal consistency reliability, and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). After evaluating three different …

“This Is Just What We Do”: Phd Students On Becoming Scholars In A Community Of Practice, Linds Roberts

Communications in Information Literacy

Increasingly librarians are interested in how the Community of Practice (CoP) framework can provide a more complete picture of how information literacy practices are influenced by situated and social learning. Doctoral students are socialized into the practices of the academy and gradually take on the identity and work of a scholar in their field. As an illustration of the CoP framework among doctoral students, the author shares data from a qualitative study with a small group of early-career education PhD students who are developing their information literacy skills within their disciplinary and social contexts, using the CoP as a source …

The Library Language Game: Information Literacy Through The Lens Of Wittgenstein's Language Games, Kathleen A. Langan

Communications in Information Literacy

Labeling information is a precarious and risky enterprise. Catalogers have the task of fitting unique concepts within established and rigid language frameworks while also minimizing personal bias. The way information literacy librarians interact with labeled information also influences how users interact with information. Labeling moves beyond the role of categorizing, it also contributes to meaning making and knowledge building. Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations serves as a philosophical footing to illustrate how the labeling of things, in this case information, shapes the way we give things meaning. Critical librarianship and philosophy of information theory add to the discussion by considering how personal …