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Spartan Daily, December 4, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 41

Spartan Daily, December 3, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 40

Classroom To Console, Ashton Headley

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

In an era where technology is continuously growing and intertwined into daily life, the field of education has seen drastic changes and innovation. Including changes we see today, with the ability to connect to class online, procter tests, submit assignments etc. And amongst these innovations, educational games have surfaced as a resource for helping learners across various age groups. By merging entertainment/gamification with educational content, these games offer an interactive and entertaining approach to acquiring knowledge and learning essential or non-essential skills. Whether it is implemented in classrooms, workplaces, or home settings, educational games are transforming the educational environment effectively …

Ethics And Environmental Impact Of Video Games, Anushka Chokshi

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

As video games grow in popularity, concerns regarding their ethical and environmental implications are brought up. While once, topics like their impact on child development or harm to Earth might have been considered minor or irrelevant, these concerns are now voiced in numerous articles across the internet, amplifying the urgency to develop games in an ethical context before matters are blown out of proportion. For the purposes of exploring both past and present views, this work draws from older and newer sources surrounding many topics on the idea of game development in the video game industry. Essentially, video game development …

Consistent Vmt Mapping And Modeling In California: How Can We Better Assess The Vmt Impacts Of State And Local Transportation Projects?, Serena E. Alexander, Shams Tanvir, Syed Tanvir Ahmed, Annie Jones

Mineta Transportation Institute

Despite California’s ambitious target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, the state is not reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from personal vehicle travel, and per capita Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and GHG emissions continue to increase. One central challenge of climate planning facing California is the lack of consistent methods to measure the VMT impacts of transportation projects. Using both qualitative and quantitative data, this research answers the question: “What are the advantages and limitations of existing VMT calculators to determine the climate impacts of transportation projects to help meet California’s climate goals?” Research methods included: (1) a quantitative analysis …

Pixels Of Passion: The Revolutionary Impact Of Indie Games, Sharanya Udupa

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

In the dynamic world of video game development, a powerful revolution has been quietly transforming how interactive experiences are created. Independent game developers, or "indie" game creators, have emerged as innovative storytellers and design pioneers, challenging traditional gaming paradigms and offering players unique, personal experiences that transcend mainstream entertainment.

Unlike mainstream games developed by large corporations with multi-million dollar budgets, indie games are typically created by small teams or even individual developers driven by artistic vision rather than pure commercial interests. These creators prioritize innovative gameplay mechanics, compelling narratives, and unique aesthetic experiences over conventional market formulas. Platforms like Steam …

Strategies For Competitive Advantage In Libraries And Information Centers, De-Graft Johnson Dei, Linda Anane-Donkor

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Libraries and information centers keep experiencing sluggish growth due to the absence of an integrated and coherent strategy that can be deployed to enable them to be competitive, have a competitive advantage, and gain market position. This study, therefore, sought to assess the strategies for competition in libraries and information centers and develop a framework that can be deployed in libraries and information centers for competitive advantage. The study adopted a conceptual and qualitative approach to research. Based on the review and analysis, the researcher developed a framework that suggests that technology (infrastructure, social media systems, gamification, and artificial intelligence) …

Developing An Roi Assessment Model For Employee Development Programs Implemented By California Transit Agencies, Tyler Reeb, Susan Gallagher

Mineta Transportation Institute

The objective of this research is to determine the extent to which transit agencies in California are implementing Return on Investment (ROI) assessments or otherwise evaluating the value and effectiveness of the employee development programs they administer, what cost and performance data they collect and track, and what resources or support are needed to support ROI assessment efforts. Transit agencies will necessarily incur expenses in efforts to improve the recruitment, retention, and morale of employees, but will struggle to solicit adequate funding unless they are able to demonstrate the value of such efforts to a broader audience. Thus, developing and …

The Indirect Benefits Of A Transit Apprenticeship And Its Potential Value As A Flexible Postsecondary Pathway, Kathleen F. Mcconnell, Priya Raman

Mineta Transportation Institute

The transit sector has begun to embrace apprenticeships as a worthwhile training model. Apprenticeships may also address young people’s interest in career advancement opportunities, an additional benefit to the transit sector as it replaces an aging workforce and resolves other recruitment challenges. Apprenticeships that emphasize both technical and soft skills invest in career advancement by offering employees the chance to develop “cross-cutting competencies.” A highly developed model of this approach is found in the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Joint Workforce Initiative (JWI), which formally recognizes skills acquisition with accredited certificates. Further development of this model would find support in …

An Assessment Of The Viva Callesj Event In San Jose, Richard Kos, Adam Cohen

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report evaluates the Viva CalleSJ event held in San Jose, California, on September 8, 2024. As a celebrated open-streets initiative, Viva CalleSJ temporarily transformed six miles of city streets into car-free zones to encourage active transportation, foster community engagement, and support local businesses. This assessment employed a mixed-methods approach, including participant surveys, interviews with stakeholders, and observational analysis. Key findings highlighted the event’s success in attracting a diverse audience, promoting physical activity, and driving economic benefits. Over 50% of attendees arrived by bicycle, and 77.7% planned to spend money at the event, averaging $54.23 per participant. Community-building impacts were …

Deep Subseafloor Sediments In Guaymas Basin Harbor Cosmopolitan Microbiota And Traces Of Hydrothermal Populations, Paraskevi Mara, David Beaudoin, Ivano Aiello, Yuki Morono, David Geller-Mcgrath, Virginia P. Edgcomb, Andreas Teske

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Environmental factors shape subsurface microbial ecosystems, and well-characterized sites are ideal for determining how environmental parameters shape sediment communities. Sediments from eight geologically and thermally distinct sites were drilled during International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 385 in Guaymas Basin, an expedition focused on the hydrothermal deep biosphere. Using high-throughput 16S ribosomal nucleic acid sequencing, cell counts, phylogenetics, metatranscriptomics, and mineralogical/elemental X-ray spectroscopy, we examine linkages and feedbacks between mineral composition, temperature, geochemistry, and microbial populations. We show subsurface life is dominated by heterotrophic, cosmopolitan prokaryotes that thrive within a range of sediments and temperature conditions across Guaymas Basin. Hydrothermally-affiliated lineages …

Workplace Support For Physicians During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Did It Affect Burnout?, Joy Melnikow, Guibo Xing, Marykate E. Miller, Sabrina Loureiro, Andrew J. Padovani, Robin Whitney, Richard L. Kravitz

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background: A concern before 2020, physician burnout worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Little empirical data are available on pandemic workplace support interventions or their influence on burnout. We surveyed a national sample of frontline physicians on burnout and workplace support during the pandemic. Methods: We surveyed a stratified random sample of 12,833 US physicians most likely to care for adult COVID-19 patients from the comprehensive AMA Physician Professional Data ™ file. The sample included 6722 primary care physicians (3331 family physicians, 3391 internists), 880 hospitalists, 1783 critical care physicians (894 critical care physicians, 889 pulmonary intensivists), 2548 emergency medicine physicians, …

Spartan Daily, November 26,2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 39

Operating Room First Case On-Time Start Improvement Through Physician Behavioral Modification Aimed At Physician Arrival Times, Ozell E. Diaz

Doctoral Projects

The project aimed to improve first-case on-time starts (FCOTS) for surgical procedures in an acute care hospital by addressing surgeon tardiness, the main contributor to delays. Current policies lacked accountability measures and incentives, leading to routine late arrivals by physicians, with anesthesiology teams also refusing early starts. To address this, the operating room start time was adjusted from 7:30 to 8:00 AM, and physicians were notified of upcoming cases and documentation requirements the evening before surgery. Performance data was shared with surgeons, and those meeting a minimum FCOTS improvement rate were granted priority scheduling. Weekly data reviews, monthly department meetings, …

Spartan Daily, November 21, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 38

Spartan Daily, November 20, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 37

Spartan Daily, November 19, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 36

Spartan Daily, November 14, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 35

Exploring Community Adaptation To Public Safety Power Shutoff Events: Findings From Two Case Studies Of Unincorporated Mountain Communities In Southern California, Ramiro M. Brown

Master's Theses

As aging electrical infrastructure in the US continues to succumb to unyielding weather patterns brought on by climate change, there is an urgency among Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs) to reduce the likelihood of their equipment sparking a wildfire. Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) – the intentional de-energization of the electrical grid on high fire weather danger days – have become a staple in IOU Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMPs) since 2018 as one way to avoid wildfire ignitions via electrical infrastructure. One criticism of PSPS events is that they create their own hazard by cutting off power to thousands – sometimes millions-of …

Enhancing Cross-Cultural Communication In Low-Resource Language Conversational Agents, Hardi V. Trivedi

Master's Theses

Recent advancements in natural language processing (NLP) and large language models (LLMs) have facilitated the development of systems capable of generating human-like responses across a wide range of tasks. However, the majority of research has focused predominantly on English, overlooking the vast linguistic diversity globally. For true global inclusivity, extending research to other languages is crucial, particularly as it can significantly benefit various sectors such as business, healthcare, government, and education. A major challenge in this expansion is the scarcity of digital data available and the limited number of pre-trained models for low-resource languages. Our research specifically addresses these challenges …

Information About A Racial Demographic Shift May Influence Tolerance For Outgroup Contact, Yvonne N. Phan

Master's Theses

When exposed to information about a demographic shift towards a non-White majority in America, White individuals tend to prefer interactions and settings within their own ethnic group over minority ethnic groups. This behavior may suggest that future inter-racial dynamics in the U.S. could be characterized by resistance from White individuals. To understand how other racial groups respond to information about a racial demographic shift, I collected data on three measures of outgroup tolerance from a multiracial sample of students from San Jose State University’s participant database after exposing them to information about a racial demographic shift driven by a Hispanic …

A Novel Reinforcement Learning Method For Efficient Cross-Training Between Real And Simulated Robots, Zhonglin Liang

Master's Theses

Training reinforcement learning policy in a simulated environment can be a go-to choice for many research topics, as a simulated environment provides flexibility and costs less than building a physical environment for training. However, policy trained in a simulated environment often fails to transfer to the real environment for problems that have a more complex dynamics. As the solution, Sim2Real was proposed and it categorizes techniques that improve the performance of the transfer from simulation to reality. Sim2Real is an area of study that focuses on utilizing simulation data to train models that can apply to real world environment. It …

An Assessment Of Anthropogenic Injuries On White Sharks (Carcharodon Carcharias) In Central California, Kaitlyn Yee

Master's Theses

As human activities increasingly impact marine ecosystems, understanding the effects of anthropogenic activity on white sharks is important for their continued conservation. Human-induced injuries are observed in many shark species. Such injuries have been found to have physiological and ecological impacts. Four sites in Central California off the coasts of Aptos, Año Nuevo Island, Southeast Farallon Island, and Point Reyes are all known areas of white shark aggregation with varying levels of human use and protection. Utilizing a vast video database, this study evaluated the effects of natural and non-natural anthropogenic shark injury types across all locations, age classes, and …

Spartan Daily, November 13, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 34

An Exploration Into Why There Is An Overrepresentation Of Bame People In Missing Person Cases, Phoebe Sleigh-Johnson, Fiona Gabbert Dr., Adrian J. Scott

International Journal of Missing Persons

The overrepresentation of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people in missing person cases is an issue that is not understood within society and has largely been neglected within academic literature to date. This study, therefore, aims to explore why this overrepresentation might exist by obtaining the views and opinions of 24 professionals (including police officers) working within the field of missing people. The study used a qualitative, exploratory method and an anonymous online survey containing a series of open-ended questions. Thematic analysis was performed on the data, and three main themes were identified; the first related to the idea …

Racial Bias In Risk Allocation And Resource Utilisation: A Contributing Factor To Ethnic Minority Overrepresentation In Missing Person Investigations?, Amy Van Langeraad, Fiona Gabbert, Adrian J. Scott

International Journal of Missing Persons

Statistics from the National Crime Agency reveal that people from ethnic minority backgrounds are over-represented within the missing population in the United Kingdom, and previous archival studies have shown there is a discrepancy in the recovery of ethnic minority missing persons compared to White missing persons. A wider body of research shows that racial bias is prevalent in the criminal justice system and law enforcement, resulting in different outcomes for victims depending on their racial background. Such outcomes have yet to be examined in the context of missing persons. Therefore, this study tries to address this gap in the literature …

Gait Measurement Descriptions Of Human Tracks, Robert Speiden

International Journal of Missing Persons

Search and rescue missions use a variety of tools to find missing persons, one of which can be visual tracking. Trackers detect, interpret and document information about human contact with the ground. Humans typically move on two feet at various speeds. Movement as an obligate biped leaves a series of footprints that alternates from one side to the other. This pattern of footfalls is rather simple, and the footfalls can be easily divided into descriptive dimensions.

This work summarized published measurements of bipedal gait ground contact points in 70 resources. Four resource types were surveyed including 33 biomechanical gait analysis …

Spartan Daily, November 7, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 33

Spartan Daily, November 6, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 32

Spartan Daily, November 5, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 31