Digital Commons Network^™

An Architectural Query Of Anthropocene Era: Planned Obsolescence, H.Gül Aydın, Emel Birer

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

After Modernity, the human has become the subject, and the world redefined by the human has turned into a painting. However, the efforts of human subjectivity to reveal the world in the Anthropocene Era, with negative practices such as the “planned obsolescence theory,” which is the research subject, even prepares for the end of its existence. According to the research hypothesis evaluated through the theory’s effect on architectural problems, “secular- ization should take place against planned obsolete architecture.” The research aims to show that positive feedback can be provided in society and ecology by reversing architectural consump- tion. It is …

Evaluation Of Concrete Pavers Affected By Manavgat Wildfires, Mustafa Altuğ Peker

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

In recent years, wildfires have devastated many regions in many countries, especially in Turkey. In addition to the loss of human lives, villages and business facilities have been destroyed, livestock and domestic animals have perished, and forests and natural assets have burned. The wildfires have affected tourism and agriculture, which account for a large part of economic activity and employment in many of the affected areas. There was also significant destruction of local infrastructure, including roads, power, telecommunications, and community facilities. Some of the paving stones on the roads affected by the Manavgat wildfires were also burnt. The replacement of …

A Statistical Evaluation Of Housing Preference In Istanbul Urban Transformation, İsmail Yılmaz

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

With its rapidly growing population in the last 50 years, Istanbul is one of the cities where skewed urbanization has developed widely. The fact that crooked urbanization is an important threat that causes loss of life and property in disasters such as earthquake, flood, erosion, fire etc., paved the way for the implementation of urban transformations in accordance with modern urbanism in this city. It is also very important to meet the demands and needs of those living in areas where urban transformations are applied. In this study, a housing preference survey was conducted for residents in an urban transformation …

Physical Characterization And Optimization Of Fineness Moduli Of Natural Sand From The North Region Of Cameroon Used In Construction, Bertin Kagonbé

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This paper deals with the physical characterization and the optimization of fineness moduli of some natural sand samples for their appropriate valorization in construction in North Cameroon. Five sands samples (SN5, SB1, SB2, SB3 and SB4) were selected from various locations. Tests conducted include Particle size analysis, Organic impurities, Sand Equivalent and Bulk density. Fineness Modulus (FM), Mean grain, Sorting index (Si), Skewedness index and Uniformity coefficient have been deducted mathematically. Results shown that the particle size distribution curves of the studied sands have an "S" shape. The sand equivalent values vary between 91.1 and 96.8 %, characteristic of very …

Infrastructure Projects In Turkey And Innovative Implementations In Project Management, İskender Eyüp Ekiz, Mehmet Fatih Altan

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

In Turkey, transportation investments have taken the first number on the agenda on the last decades. Tremendeus projects like Kanalistanbul is mnetioned beside many airport projects in Anatolian cities that are existing many urban railway system projects in Istanbul and any other major cities beside high speed railway projects that connects the cities of Turkey by west to east and by south to north. Turkey continues the period of infrastructural establishment and renowation rapidly as a developing country which aims to being one of the biggest economy all over the world. Because of these, project management, management notions, usage of …

Investigating High-Speed Railways In Terms Of The Economy For Our Country And The Region, Onur Şahin, Mehmet Fatih Altan

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

High-speed railways have a history of more than 40 years. Railways continued to be popular especially in various parts of Eastern Europe and Asia until the end of the 1980s. As of today, we can talk about a high-speed railway that continues to develop in the continents of Africa, Asia and the Americas around the world. At this point, one of the most significant factors in railways, in particular high-speed railways, is planning. Planning determines the effect of the railway on the economy, as well. Within this scope, with the proper planning of transportation investments, our country and the region …

Evaluation Of Urban Transport With International Examples, Zeynel Doğru, Mehmet Fatih Altan

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The story of urbanization and transportation is as ancient as human history. Throughout history, people have been established their habitats near rivers, intersection points of roads and trade routes in alignment with strategical, cultural points or martial policies. Almost all of these are directly or indirect transportation elements. One needs to evaluate samples from different geographies comparatively to realize planning improvement. In this context, Turkey’s cities, especially major of them such as Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, and Bursa do not manifest uniform topographies and characteristics. Hence, it is beneficial to evaluate cities in other locations which resemble Turkey's cities to obtain …

Comparative Evaluation Of The Development, Current Situation And Investment Plans Of High Speed Railways On National, Regional And International Basis, Mehmet Fatih Altan, Mehmet Çağrı Kızıltaş

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Various investigations are aimed at creating more modern and efficient automobile and aircraft modes instead of railway passenger transport investments. However, the modal choice has an active role in social trends as well as technical developments. If the social system innovations can be applied and developed to the railway system, HSR can play a major role in the modern transportation system. There are many reasons to promote such a policy. The steel tyred rail system has a great effect. High-speed train technology has proven itself and is loved by the customer. It is available in a wide network of standard …

Mapping And Analyzing Urban Growth In The Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Using Geospatial Technologies Integrated With Machine Learning, Hamsa Mohamed Yusuf

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Urbanization is happening at a rate twice the increase in population on a worldwide scale. This has great environmental and social impacts, along with large impacts on regional climate and one of the reasons for this is the ever-continuous change of land use and land cover. The availability of high-resolution satellite imagery in addition to the advancements in geospatial technology allow mapping of LULC changes to be done accurately, efficiently and covering wide areas.
This thesis studies the urban Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC) that happened in Abu Dhabi city for the last 3 decades by utilizing geospatial …

Empowering Mental Support Health Through Ai Chatbot, Anish Ilapaka

ATU Scholars Symposium

The growing prevalence of mental health concerns worldwide underscores the urgent need for accessible, scalable, and supportive solutions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising tool in this domain, capable of delivering immediate and empathetic interactions to complement traditional methods of mental health care. This project introduces a conversational AI system to assist individuals experiencing mental health challenges. The proposed system is built on a LLaMA model fine-tuned with a dataset of 10,000 mental health-related dialogues; the system leverages advanced natural language processing and machine learning techniques for meaningful engagement. The core functionality of this tool lies in its …

The Tax Redistribution Gap, Eric Baudry

Fellow, Adjunct, Lecturer, and Research Scholar Works

The tax revenue gap—the difference between how much the IRS collects in tax revenue and how much it should collect based on the text of the Internal Revenue Code—is both well-defined and well-studied. But raising revenue is just one purpose of taxation; the tax code also operates to redistribute wealth. Drawing from the tax revenue gap and redistribution literatures, this article coins a parallel concept, the tax redistribution gap, to map the extent to which the tax system falls short of its redistributive goals.

Introducing a tax redistribution gap measure challenges background assumptions in current tax discourse: first, it would …

Effect Of A Digital Health Exercise Program On The Intention For Spinal Surgery In Adult Spinal Deformity: Exploratory Cross-Sectional Survey, Marsalis Christian Brown, Christopher Quincy Lin, Christopher Jin, Matthew Rohde, Brett Rocos, Jonathan Belding, Barrett I. Woods, Stacey J. Ackerman

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is a prevalent condition estimated at 38%. Symptomatic ASD is associated with substantial health care costs. The role of nonoperative interventions in the management of ASD remains elusive. The National Scoliosis Clinic's (NSC) scoliosis realignment therapy (SRT) is a personalized digital health exercise program for the nonoperative management of ASD.

OBJECTIVE: This exploratory study had two objectives: (1) to evaluate the effect of the SRT program on users' intention of having spinal fusion; and (2) from a US payer perspective, to estimate the annual cost savings per 100,000 beneficiaries by averting spinal surgery.

METHODS: Individuals …

Trump And The Us Energy Transition, Conor M. Harrison

Faculty Publications

The US electricity grid has seen a rapid increase in the amount of renewable energy over the last decade, with many renewable advocates viewing the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 as the catalyst to move the grid towards 100% clean energy. The 2024 elections, however, have significantly muddied the path. In this commentary, I posit what the Trump administration—and related Republican control of both houses of the US Congress—means for the US electricity system. I begin by briefly outlining the contours of federal and state electricity governance, the design of Inflation Reduction Act, the existing drivers of renewable energy growth …

The Dialectic Of Place And Space In The Short Story Collection: "Fathers Are Running" By Linda Husein, Sana Al Jamali

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

This research examines selected stories from the first part of Linda Husein's short story collection, “Fathers are Running”, titled “Almost Everything Is Fine”. It applies the new historicism approach within the framework of cultural studies, focusing on the portrayal of place and narrative space. The analysis establishes connections between these literary elements and the changes and developments experienced by the characters. To achieve this, the study draws upon narrative theories, such as Seymour Chatman's theory of narrative discourse, as well as the perspectives of Franco Moretti and Joseph McLaughlin regarding the depiction of literary texts in relation to place and …

Research Handbook On The Green Economy: Edited By Andrew Jones And Patrik Ström Edward Elgar, 2024., Ian Bailey

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Towards An Explicit Understanding Of Network Governance In Urban Forestry Management: A Case Study Of Portland (Or), Usa, Quadri Olatunbosun Taiwo, Vivek Shandas

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

As the climate continues to warm, and municipal leaders look for cost-effective and timely approaches to urban sustainability, one increasingly sought-out approach is the use of tree canopy to cool neighborhoods. Despite widespread efforts to expand tree canopy in cities, an overwhelming body of evidence suggests that urban green space is declining across the U.S., yet little is known about the factors that propel these changes. Understanding the institutional and governance systems can help identify the opportunities for slow consistent declines. Using social network analysis (SNA) metrics, we examined stakeholder roles in power structures and decision-making processes within Portland, Oregon’s …

“Pricing Transparency In U.S. Healthcare: Assessment And Recommendations.”, Ingrid Diaz

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

The concept of pricing transparency has become increasingly vital across industries, yet healthcare remains a sector where pricing remains highly variable. Unlike other industries where consumers can easily compare prices, healthcare costs are influenced by a complex web of factors including insurance contracts, government programs, and individualized care plans. Patients often encounter unclear billing, medical jargon, and hidden fees, making it difficult to make informed decisions about their care. This chapter explores the roots of healthcare’s pricing opacity, the consequences for patients and providers, and the growing movement toward greater transparency, including significant policy efforts like the U.S. Price Transparency …

Media Quiteracy: Why Digital Disconnection Belongs In The Media Literacy Curriculum, Katie Day Good

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

In this essay, we introduce media quiteracy, which we use to conceptualize and describe the valuable learning that can happen through the refusal to take up new media or the act of pausing or ceasing its use. We see media quiteracy as an active and generative approach to learning and argue for its inclusion in the media literacy curriculum. We trace the history of critical engagement with technologies within education and then articulate what media quiteracy can look like in practice. We surface and discuss three potential obstacles to teaching media quiteracy, which include the ways in which it problematizes …

Deportations And Latino Segregation: The Residential Impacts Of Interior Immigration Enforcement, Matthew Hall, Jacob S. Rugh, Hao Liang

Faculty Publications

The shift of immigration enforcement to local jurisdictions has intensified localized patterns of anti-immigrant sentiment, enabling the system of mass deportation to expand at an unprecedented scale. This study examines the effects of 287 (g) agreements, which empower local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws, on Latino residential segregation. Using a quasi-experimental design that compares counties implementing 287 (g) with those that applied but did not implement, we find that these policies significantly slowed declines in Hispanic-white segregation, particularly in early-adopting Southern counties where enforcement was most aggressive. We find no evidence that the program altered patterns of segregation for …

Vers Une Pédagogie Immersive : Exploration Du Métavers En Éducation Towards Immersive Pedagogy: Exploring Metavers In Education, Adil El Madhi, Issam Laamri, Jamaleddine Khouna

Dirassat

Incorporating the framework of immersive pedagogical innovation, this article explores the growing importance of the metaverse in creating innovative and relevant learning experiences. Emerging as a crucial component of contemporary educational innovations, immersive pedagogy aims to fully engage learners in the process of acquiring knowledge and skills. Historically linked to participatory methods, such as project-based learning, this pedagogy has flourished with the advent of digital technologies, notably the metaverse. The latter, defined as a convergence of online virtual environments, offers revolutionary potential for education by transcending physical boundaries and enabling immersive and collaborative experiences. This study, focusing on the exploration …

A Crucial Western Foothold: Uyghur-Americans In The Fairfax-D.C. Metro Area, Jake C. Mccauley

Young Historians Conference

Since the 1980s, the Uyghur people of East Turkestan, now known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, have migrated from their ancestral homeland in China in search of a better life. As an ethnically, linguistically, and religiously distinct group, the Uyghurs face severe oppression, with the Chinese state targeting them economically, socially, and physically. Since 2017, mass internment efforts have escalated, leading to the establishment of labor camps that claim to transition Uyghur labor from agricultural to industrial sectors but also serve as sites of ideological indoctrination, torture, and death. As a result of these human rights violations and other …

The Roots Of Ethno-Political Strife In Ceylon: The Dividing Power Of British Colonialism, Audrey Francioch

Young Historians Conference

A bloody civil war has rocked Sri Lanka for decades, as the Sinhalese and Tamil populations fight each other for recognition, access, and control. Since the 1950s, each group has feared domination by the other, resulting in bitter battles on the ballots and in the streets to assert or retain power and subjugate the culture of the other. Each conflict perpetuates the vicious circle of retaliation and retribution through the generations, and the roots of this divide can be directly traced to the colonial occupation of the island in the 1800s. What began with the Dutch and became refined by …

Those Who Did Teach, Mary Hedengren

Journal of Creative Writing Studies

Review of Writers and Their Teachers. Ed. Dale Salwak. Bloomsbury, 2023. 137 pages.

The Color Of Society: A History Of Textile Dyes, Tess L. Nestel

Young Historians Conference

This paper will examine how textile dyes have been linked to cultural status and hierarchy throughout history. The colors of clothing have long served as outward expressions of wealth and power due to the rarity of natural dyes. With a limited range of colors, each hue became symbolic and took on specific meanings. In China, a strict color code was enforced, with the emperor wearing the most important color; in the Byzantine Empire tyrian purple became the hallmark of royalty and power. Beginning in the 15th century, colonization opened up extensive trade routes that introduced American cochineal and created a …

Addressing Violent Extremism And Implicit Bias: Mindbridge’S Neuroscientific And Psychological Approach, Adriana Lovric, Sarah Lockridge

Thinking Matters Symposium

Violence has long been embedded in American culture and history, often linked to ideological struggles, racial oppression, and religious conflicts (Mayer et al.,2024). In recent years, violent extremism—characterized by the use or threat of violence to advance ideological, political, or social agendas—has surged, particularly in attacks on government institutions, infrastructure, and marginalized communities (Mayer et al.,2024). At the same time, implicit biases—unconscious prejudices—continue to reinforce societal inequalities across race, gender, and class, often manifesting as micro-inequities that have a cumulative impact (Brennan,2014). According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program (2020), 138 law enforcement agencies reported 8,263 hate crime …

Simulated Recovery: Measuring The Impact Of Structural Adjustment On Economic Development In Latin America, Daniel Espinal

Business and Economics Honors Papers

This paper uses synthetic control analysis to assess the long-term effects of structural adjustment policies on economic development. Focusing on Mexico as a case study, the findings indicate that these policies may have contributed to economic stagnation and widening inequality. By comparing actual outcomes with a synthetic counterfactual, the analysis reveals a notable divergence in performance over time. Reforms intended to stabilize the economy and promote growth—such as austerity, liberalization, and privatization—often led to reduced public investment, weakened institutions, and increased social vulnerability. The results support broader critiques of structural adjustment, suggesting that the costs of such interventions can outweigh …

Border Restrictions In The Rise Of Anti-Immigration Politics, Katherine Hein

Politics Honors Papers

As anti-immigration sentiments have increased across the world, border restrictions have come under the spotlight from extremist right parties (ERPs). In a number of countries, ERPs are gaining support from their immigration rhetoric, which calls for heavily restricting or sometimes closing borders. This thesis examines the impact of restrictive border policies on support for anti-immigration platforms and ERPs. Using the Dataset of World Refugee and Asylum Policies Index and voting records of ERPs over time, a relationship between anti-immigration parties and border restrictions is hypothesized to produce one of three results: the more restrictive a border, the more likely an …

Quantifying The Rates Of Coastal Change Along Smith Island, Maryland, Sarah Lacy, Ravi Sankar

Longwood Senior Thesis Proposal

As increased climate variability continues to alter the environment, coastal landscapes are becoming increasingly vulnerable to geomorphic change. Coastal erosion, driven by rising sea levels, land subsidence, more intense storm events and human-induced activities poses a serious threat to the sustainability and resilience of island environments like Smith Island, a small marsh island located in the Chesapeake Bay. This study investigates the impacts of recent shoreline change along selected alongshore segments of the island’s coast. Using a combination of aerial imagery, field surveying techniques, and novel geospatial analyses, the project aims to identify areas at highest risk of erosion and …

Edra 56: Bibliography, Tamara Karr

Bibliographies

EDRA 56: Designing Communities for Climate Action and Resilience

“I Think Even In Challenging Times We Can Still Be Uplifting”: Indigenous Women’S Experiences Of Resilience To The Covid-19 Pandemic In Alaska, Marya Rozanova-Smith, Charlene Apok, Andrey N. Petrov

Faculty Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alaska communities faced an extremely challenging situation given their socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic characteristics, as well as issues related to remoteness and colonial legacy. This paper seeks to advance the understanding of the gendered impacts and implications of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous women in Alaskan urban and rural communities through a resilience lens. The paper addresses two primary research questions: (1) What are the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous women in urban and rural Alaska, and specifically what are the gendered implications in the personal, sociocultural, and economic domains? (2) What …