Digital Commons Network^™

2024 Summer Proceedings Teuscher Lab, Teuscher Group, Christof Teuscher, Chelsea Ogbede, Lauren Sanday, Sofia Vargas, Artem Arefev

altREU Projects

How will computation evolve in the coming years? What problems can be tackled using artificial intelligence, in a world increasingly driven by data? And how can that data be used to better inform our decisions as a society? In this unique collection of research projects, each chapter represents a distinct work undertaken by a single individual or a group of students as part of the altREU program led by Christof Teuscher. The projects, rooted in applications of artificial intelligence and innovative computation techniques, examine impactful solutions to numerous pressing challenges affecting communities around the world.

Matrix-Free High-Performance Saddle-Point Solvers For High-Order Problems In H (Div), Will Pazner, Tzanio Kolev, Panayot S. Vassilevski

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

This work describes the development of matrix-free GPU-accelerated solvers for high-order finite element problems in . The solvers are applicable to grad-div and Darcy problems in saddle-point formulation, and have applications in radiation diffusion and porous media flow problems, among others. Using the interpolation–histopolation basis (cf. [W. Pazner, T. Kolev, and C. R. Dohrmann, SIAM J. Sci. Comput., 45 (2023), pp. A675–A702]), efficient matrix-free preconditioners can be constructed for the -block and Schur complement of the block system. With these approximations, block-preconditioned MINRES converges in a number of iterations that is independent of the mesh size and polynomial degree. The …

How Can Dei Training Change The Culture Of An Organization To Achieve Belonging And Retain Diverse Employees?, Kaisa S. Holt

University Honors Theses

Studies show the need for innovation and higher productivity yields can be best achieved through workforce heterogeneity. Creating effective DEI training frameworks is crucial for belonging, sustainable social well-being and enacting real change. This is key to proactively shifting our current system from one that responds to the need for DEI on a surface level to something that is regenerative. The aim of this review is to evaluate characteristics and enhancements added to evidence-based DEI training between 2020 and 2024. Studies were identified using the Portland State advanced database of academic journals on the DEI training and impacts of the …

The Experience Of Homelessness And Its Effects On Gut Eubiosis, Kamerin Villagomez

University Honors Theses

Microorganisms which populate the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) have a profound effect on overall human health. The relationship between host health and eubiosis, or balance, of the GIT microbiome is symbiotic and can have reciprocal relationships with quality of sleep, quality of diet, stress and mental health, and the experience of pain. These specific aspects of health are unique in populations experiencing homelessness due to the multi-dimensional and complex nature of their lived experience. Very few studies explore populations experiencing homelessness, with even fewer investigating the intersection between this population and the human GIT microbiome. It is important to do …

Social Media And Perceptions Of Supreme Court Legitimacy, Ryan Stadler

University Honors Theses

This thesis observed how information sources may have a polarizing effect on perceptions of Supreme Court legitimacy. The focus of the study was to measure whether social media had a stronger effect on peoples' perception of Supreme Court legitimacy when compared to other forms information sources. This study may significantly determine how support for the Supreme Court can fluctuate depending on both the platform of information distribution and the content of the information. This study used an anonymous survey to canvas sentiment about the Supreme Court in the Portland Metro Area. The initial findings suggest that those who use social …

Lsp Needs Analysis In The Context Of International Minor League Baseball, Julia Moore

University Honors Theses

Examining the language and cultural needs of international minor league baseball players through the lens of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) this study utilizes applied linguistics and sports sociology and aims to inform player development strategies to enhance on- and off-field communication. Survey data was gathered on language use preferences, focusing on players' attitudes and behaviors in professional settings. Ethical considerations included surveys in English and Spanish and voluntary participation, with data collected at the Oakland Athletics Complex in Mesa, Arizona, from 18 out of 20 players.

Findings reveal that players recognize the importance of English proficiency for effective gameplay …

Ronald E. Mcnair Scholars Program Profiles And Abstracts 2024, Mcnair Scholars Program

McNair Symposium

This is the complete event program and provides presentation abstracts and biographies of McNair scholars and their mentors.

Agnotology Of The E-Cigarette Industry: How The E-Cigarette Industry Continues The Tobacco Industry's Legacy Of Creating Controversy And Confusion Within The Scientific Community And The General Population, Calvin Lewis

University Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which the e-cigarette industry follows in the footsteps of the tobacco industry's attempts to disrupt science and cause controversy. Four tactics are described that the tobacco industry uses to disrupt science: funding research that is designed to show results that support their position, criticizing and suppressing research that goes against their position, changing risk assessment and scientific research standards to fit their aims, and spreading data created by their interest groups to politicians and the nonacademic press. Evidence is found to show that both the tobacco industry and e-cigarette …

Participatory Democracy: The Potential For Civic Transformation Understanding Participants' Learning In The Milwaukie Citizens Jury, Amanda Grace Hudson

Dissertations and Theses

Faced with unresponsive government institutions and the limitations of representative democracy, participatory and deliberative democrats have created alternative models for robust democratic participation such as civic juries, civic assemblies and participatory budgeting. Advocates claim that these methods create better citizens and better outcomes and they claim these forums act as a school of democracy. The schools of democracy theory describes participation as a virtuous circle--that doing democracy will make people more democratic. While these processes often produce enthusiastic supporters and encouraging results, there has been very little research to date that attempts to explain how and why people learn and …

Uproar, Alcuzas And Espadrilles: Arabisms In The Inquisitorial Case Of Lucrecia De Leon, 16th Century, Eva Nunez Mendez

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

Based on Lucrecia de León’s oneiric records, this study focuses on three words of Arab origin in the Inquisition manuscripts of her persecution and imprisonment. The written documents of this young woman’s dreams, collected and conserved by scribes and inquisitors at the end of the sixteenth century, comprises 415 narrative fragments, dated between 1587 and 1590. The main goal of this article is to analyze the following three Arabisms: alboroto, alcuzas and alpargatas, as examples of the Arabic influence on the Castilian vocabulary of the time.

Covid-19 Safety: Perspectives From Dental Students, Man Hung, Daniel Yevseyevich, Amir Mohajeri, Nicole Hablitzel, Sharon Su, Martin S. Lipsky

Institute on Aging Publications

Background: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic created challenges for healthcare providers, especially dental professionals in practices and universities. This study investigated dental students’ concerns about COVID-19 and whether institutional communication influenced pandemic-related stressors. Methods: An online survey designed to elicit dental students’ concerns about COVID-19 was distributed to all dental students enrolled at a private non-profit academic institution in the Western United States from 26 April 2021 to 25 August 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the respondents, and Chi-square test and z-test analyses were used to compare students’ experiences. Results: A total of 92 dental students answered the survey. …

Predicting Hurricane Evacuation Behavior Synthesizing Data From Travel Surveys And Social Media, Tanmoy Bhowmik, Naveen Eluru, Samiul Hasan, Aron Culotta, Kamol Chandra Roy

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Evacuation behavior models estimated using post-disaster surveys are not adequate to predict real-time dynamic population response as a hurricane unfolds. With the emergence of ubiquitous technology and devices in recent times, social media data with its higher spatio-temporal coverage has become a potential alternative for understanding evacuation behaviour during hurricanes. However, these data are often associated with selection bias and population representativeness issues. To that extent, the current study proposes a novel data fusion algorithm to combine heterogeneous data sources from transportation systems and social media, in a unified framework to understand and predict real-time population response during hurricanes. Specifically, …

Five Pivotal Practices For Leaders To Cultivate Empathy Within Virtual Scrum Teams, Dahm Mongkol Hongchai, Charles M. Weber

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the digital and global economy, business leaders need more than just business and technology competencies; they also require empathy. However, there is a notable scarcity of research on empathy in Scrum for product development. This study aims to uncover critical insights into how leaders can foster empathy within virtual Scrum teams. Accordingly, this paper proposes five pivotal themes leaders can employ: Scrum fundamentals, meditation, self- and other-analysis, healthy interactions, and informal connections. These vital strategies offer actionable methods for leaders seeking to enhance empathy within their virtual Scrum teams.

Strengthening Capacity In Industrial Revolution 4.0 (Ir 4.0): A Case Study On Training Product-Service Systems Between The Us And Vietnam, Man Hang Yip, Ana Sofia Castellanos Santarnaria, Julia J. Babcock

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

This case study analyzes how value is created in the development process of a collaborative training product-service system (PSS) designed for provincial government officials in Vietnam. This initiative, part of the USAID Strengthening Provincial Capacity (USAID SPC) project, encapsulates a series of training solutions designed to empower officials with key skills in engineering and technology management, including the knowledge to improve global value chains, upgrade technology infrastructure and sustainable production models. A primary driver for the “four-day course delivery”, the PSS analyzed in this study, was to bolster economic competitiveness at the provincial level in the context of Industrial Revolution …

The Presence Of Diversity Initiatives Leads To Increased Pro-White Hiring Decisions Among Conservatives, Zeinab A. Hachem, Tessa L. Dover

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite the push and pull between pro-diversity advocates and conservative resistance, most organizations have implemented diversity initiatives in an effort to promote equitable and fair organizational practices. Past work has shown that these diversity initiatives may not be as effective as expected and may instead result in unintended negative consequences for the very individuals they are meant to support. In three novel experiments (total N = 3,664), we investigated whether and when the presence of pro-diversity messages in organizational job recruitment materials might facilitate versus hinder the hiring of underrepresented racial minorities. Participant race and political ideology were also investigated …

Itagaki Paru's Animalized Japan, Adoria Shanelle Walker

Dissertations and Theses

In the earlier works of manga artist and author Itagaki Paru, animal characters are used to prompt a discussion of the uchi/soto ("in-group"/"out-group") dynamic present in Japanese society. Throughout her most popular work, Beastars, and its supplemental short story collection Beast Complex, Itagaki tackles binary thinking and in-group versus out-group social politics using a blatantly obvious, yet nuanced and subtle herbivore-versus-carnivore, predator-versus-prey metaphor. The world she depicts in these works is full of misunderstandings caused by hastily made assumptions, sometimes instinctually quick. With her animalized characters, she explores human stigmatization and the poor treatment of those who do not want …

Digital Trace Data And Demographic Forecasting: How Well Did Google Predict The Us Covid-19 Baby Bust?, Joshua Wilde, Wei Chen, Sophie Lohmann, Jasmin Abdel Ghany

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

At the onset of the first wave of COVID-19 in the United States, the pandemic's effect on future birthrates was unknown. In this paper, we assess whether digital trace data—often touted as a panacea for traditional data scarcity—held the potential to accurately predict fertility change caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Specifically, we produced state-level, dynamic future predictions of the pandemic's effect on birthrates in the United States using pregnancy-related Google search data. Importantly, these predictions were made in October 2020 (and revised in February 2021), well before the birth effect of the pandemic could have possibly …

Ultrasonic Cigarettes: Chemicals And Cytotoxicity Are Similar To Heated-Coil Pod-Style Electronic Cigarettes., Esther E. Omaiye, Wentai Luo, Kevin J. Mcwhirter, Prue Talbot

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Our purpose was to test the hypothesis that ultrasonic cigarettes (u-cigarettes), which operate at relatively low temperatures, produce aerosols that are less harmful than heated-coil pod-style electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). The major chemicals in SURGE u-cigarette fluids and aerosols were quantified, their cytotoxicity and cellular effects were assessed, and a Margin of Exposure risk assessment was performed on chemicals in SURGE fluids. Four SURGE u-cigarette flavor variants ("Blueberry Ice," "Watermelon Ice," "Green Mint," and "Polar Mint") were evaluated. Flavor chemicals were quantified in fluids and aerosols using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Cytotoxicity and cell dynamics were assessed using the MTT assay, live-cell …

Conchas, Coloring Books, And Oxnard: Using Critical Race Counterstorytelling As A Framework To Create A Social Justice Coloring Book, Martín Alberto Gonzalez

Chicano/Latino Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

I am from Oxnard, California, a predominantly Latinx city that is stereotyped as “too hood”, “too ghetto”, or “crime-infested” because of its low-income Brown people. Such negative narratives are so commonplace that they become believable, but we can challenge these oppressive narratives using critical race counterstorytelling. There are multiple ways to tell a story, and I pride myself in producing counterstories that are accessible and enjoyable to mi gente. So, to encourage stay-at-home practices and empower my own community during the COVID-19 pandemic, I created a social justice coloring book with the help of artistic friends and local Oxnard Latinx …

Toward Queer Potentialities In Child And Youth Care, Bobbi Ali Zaman, Ben Anderson-Nathe

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Arguably, from the invention of adolescence at the beginning of the 20th century, developmental theory has served as the foundation of disciplinary study and professional practice with children and youth across the global West. Despite their founders’ assertions that development is culturally constructed, in educational and youth work practice contexts stage-based trajectories of normative human growth are largely erroneously accepted as ahistorical, apolitical, naturally occurring, and universally applicable. This paper presents critiques of developmentalism from historical, reconceptualist, and queer perspectives, calling into question the underlying principles of normalcy and abnormality that run through the developmental project. We pay particular attention …

Toxicity Of Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: The Role Of Flavors, Sweeteners, Humectants, And Charcoal, Nada O F Kassem, Robert M. Strongin, Andrea M. Stroup, Marielle C. Brinkman, Ahmad El-Hellani, Hanno C. Erythropel, Arash Etemadi, Maciej L. Goniewicz, Eleanore G. Hansen, Noura O. Kassem, Multiple Additional Authors

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Waterpipe tobacco (WPT) smoking is a public health concern, particularly among youth and young adults. The global spread of WPT use has surged since the introduction of pre-packaged flavored and sweetened WPT, which is widely marketed as a safer tobacco alternative. Besides flavorants and sugars, WPT additives include humectants, which enhance the moisture and sweetness of WPT, act as solvents for flavors, and impart smoothness to the smoke, thus increasing appeal to users. In the United States (U.S.), unlike cigarette tobacco flavoring (with the exception of menthol), there is no FDA product standard or policy in place prohibiting sales of …

Water Throughout The Green Energy Transition: Hydrosocial Dimensions Of Coal, Natural Gas, And Lithium, Joshua J. Cousins, Alida Cantor, Bethani Turley

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Energy transitions are reshaping hydrosocial relations. How they will be reshaped, however, depends on location and water's material relationship to other resources and industrial activities embedded within energy transitions. To highlight this, we focus on three different resources—coal, natural gas, and lithium—to signal how the water–energy nexus will be reworked in a transition away from fossil fuels. We examine the water–coal nexus as an example of a resource relationship that is transitioning out, or that is being moved away from in the green energy transition. Natural gas represents the “bridge fuel” used through the transition. Lithium illustrates a resource inside …

The Integration Of Social Work Values And Principles In Police Work, Dasha Rhodes, Taylor Geyton, Jam Ost

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Persisting social inequities and injustices were spotlighted in the United States in 2020 after the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. A particular focus on the interactions of police officers and non-violent community members rallied a call to reallocate funds to social services better equipped to handle such situations, aptly named #defundthepolice. Many called for the need and placement of social workers in police agencies to curtail the negative interactions witnessed between police officers and communities of color, specifically with Black Americans. Across the nation, social workers are not always employed or readily available in police organizations. Therefore, instilling …

Developing And Testing Low-Cost Air Cleaners For Safer Spaces During Wildfires, Brett W. Stinson, Elliott T. Gall

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Air cleaning reduces indoor exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during wildfire smoke events. However, resource and cost constraints may limit access to air cleaning during such an event, as both commercial devices and the higher-rated MERV filters that do-it-yourself (DIY) assemblies typically rely upon tend to be expensive and in short supply. With these constraints in mind, we developed and evaluated several configurations of a novel, DIY air cleaner that uses common household fabrics as filtration media. Clean air delivery rates (CADRs) of the devices were experimentally evaluated in two ways: first, with independent measurements of flowrates and single …

Seguir Adelante: A Qualitative Exploration Of Latino Farmworkers' Work And Non-Work Resources, Faviola Robles Saenz

Dissertations and Theses

Precarious work sectors within the United States have relied on Black and Brown labor for many decades. More specifically, Latino immigrant workers have been an exploited community within many dangerous workforces but especially within the agricultural industry. They are a crucial population for the labor and economy of the U.S., yet Latino farmworkers report feeling expendable, being discriminated against, and being exposed to hazardous working conditions. Due to these experiences, scholars have explored the role non-work resources have in providing support for this community, their social networks being especially beneficial for them. However, research on the links between their work …

Synthesis And Computational Studies Of Α- And Δ-Substituted Macrocyclic Europium And Ytterbium Complexes, Delainey Amara Winder

Dissertations and Theses

The uses of macrocyclic lanthanide complexes are vast, with many targeted MRI contrast agents at the forefront of the field. Many of these are ParaCEST agents, which require exchangeable protons accessible on the macrocycle and the slow exchange of coordinated water molecules. The substitution at both the α- and δ-carbon on the amide pendant arm of these macrocyclic lanthanide complexes can lock bulky groups on the δ-carbon to a pseudo-axial position. When the α- and δ-carbons have the same chirality, the bulky group will be pseudo-equatorial, and when the chirality is opposed, the bulky group will be pseudo-axial. By performing …

Predation Of Appendicularians On Prochlorococcus, Carey Sweeney

Dissertations and Theses

Prochlorococcus is the most abundant photosynthetic cell on Earth. This picocyanobacterium is critical to primary productivity and biogeochemical cycles of the open ocean. While abiotic environmental factors that influence Prochlorococcus are relatively well-understood, biotic controls are less well known. Appendicularians are ubiquitous gelatinous zooplankton that feed on marine microorganisms including Prochlorococcus. However, the details of this feeding interaction are extremely understudied relative to its potential importance. In this study, I characterized the relationship between appendicularians and Prochlorococcus with laboratory experiments. I showed that feeding on Prochlorococcus changes with the life stage of the appendicularians and concentration of prey. I …

The Influence Of Eyewitnesses And Police Tip Line Reports: An Exploratory Case Study Of A 2005 Homicide, Abigail Rose Torres

Dissertations and Theses

Public tip lines provide the public to provide information to the police when there is an ongoing investigation. These public tip lines could increase investigations where the public is being made aware of the investigation, increasing the amount of information being brought forward. Research focuses on how tips reporting is similar to eyewitnesses in that individuals recall information. The literature illustrates how the media can influence the tips. The study is an exploratory content analysis looking at potential themes or patterns that emerged from analyzing the tips and patterns of the tip line and media files related to an Illinois …

When Overextended Surface Allocation Turns To Groundwater: A Q Methodology Of Well Users In Oregon’S High Desert, Melissa Haeffner, Janet Cowal, Brandy Walker, Clare Mcclellan

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

As legal battles over surface water allocation in Klamath County, Oregon, USA have gained national attention, earning the name “Water Wars,” authorities have been increasingly turning to groundwater to compensate for water shortfalls. This case study aims to identify the nuanced perspectives of household groundwater well users who are affected by groundwater extraction. Using Q methodology, we uncover groundwater well users’ perceptions and to what extent they think water problems are dealt with fairly. We identify four water perspectives that differ in the degree to which respondents prioritize clean water accessibility, industry accountability, individual responsibility for water management, and trust …

Unbalanced Or Absent: Assessing Indigenous Representation In Interpretive Materials At Government Administered Heritage Sites In Cascadia And Hawai‘I, Leah Marie Rosenkranz, Jeremy Spoon, Douglas Deur

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Unbalanced or absent Indigenous representation in interpretive materials at government administered heritage sites in settler colonial contexts can create contention and perpetuate a misinformed or one-dimensional visitor experience and historical narrative. This research therefore examines representation in interpretive materials accessible in 2019 at heritage sites with Indigenous ancestral connections in settler-colonial contexts. This study uses 10 U.S. case study heritage sites and two supplementary sites in Washington, Idaho, and Hawai‘i. Researchers utilized participant observation and systematic photography during two 2019 research phases to document interpretive materials. Quantification generated 731 analytic units which were subsequently assessed for the presence of inductively …