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Introduction, Gioia Laura Iannilli, Ossi Naukkarinen, Enrico Glerean

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

No abstract provided.

Preserving Meaning In An Age Of Algorithms And Ai, David L. Hildebrand

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

New technologies not only surveil and collect data about us, they also change and alter the way we make or preserve meaning, including aesthetic meaning. Accordingly, the ways we consider, research, and educate aesthetics will have to adapt, at least insofar as it keeps a new range of technological dimensions in mind. To help imagine such dimensions, this paper examines the opportunities and challenges of technologies offering new ways of creating things while also nudging and “hypernudging” our actions. Such developments may initially seem trivial but they are changing our relationships with one another and with ourselves. After a brief, …

Human And Ai Perspectives On Academic Aesthetics, Gioia Laura Iannilli, Ossi Naukkarinen

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

The purpose of this article is to examine how current AI tools can be used in aesthetics research and teaching. We focus in particular on one theme: how traditional ways of describing the field of aesthetics as a whole could relate to descriptions made with the help of artificial intelligence. Describing the field and its main questions is unavoidable when we teach and research aesthetics; our question is, how can AI be used for that? Starting from a new meta-aesthetic tripartite model of aesthetics that we introduce, we raise a set of questions to pave the way to a more …

An Agent Or A Tool? Artificial Intelligence, Heidegger’S Robot And The Ignorant’S Toaster, David Holtgrave

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

Be it in art, aesthetics, or anywhere in or beyond academia, artificial intelligence, or AI, often is said to do a lot of stuff formerly done by humans. In this essay, I will argue that this line of thinking is to some extent misleading. On my account, it is still humans that do the same stuff, only by different means. Taking its employment and discussion in the arts as an example, I will set up and discuss what I call the ‘agent view’ of AI and show how, for those cases in which we typically attribute agency to AI, this …

The Mimesis Of Difference: A Deleuzian Study Of Generative Ai In Artistic Production, Jakub Mácha

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

This study uses the traditional concept of mimesis, reframed by Deleuze as a repetition of difference, to investigate art created by large language models (LLMs) or generative pretrained transformers (GPTs). The current rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is intensifying the mimetic repetition of the different. An AI system repeats carefully selected elements from its extensive training dataset. Rearranging these elements introduces differences in the mimetic repetition. Since the training dataset is updated over longer time frames, it is analogous to a static Platonic universe. Once AI can update its static elements with each repetition, it will become the true Dionysian …

Is Generative Ai In Aesthetics Really New?: The Visualist Perspective, Michalle Gal

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

The concept of AI in aesthetics is encountering interest as new algorithmic machines now generate visual works alongside philosophical discourse, sparking both enthusiasm and concern. Yet, this idea has deep roots, reflected in longstanding debates within the discipline. These discussions, which are similar to the new ones, have examined issues like the illusion of an image or object’s ontological stability; the nature of function and user control; distinctions between the natural and artificial, authenticity and forgery; the divide between handmade and mass-produced items; the challenges of readymade and indiscernibility in art; and the potential of ekphrasis. As a result, skepticism …

On Deepfakes And Dog Whistles: Thinking Aesthetically About Generative Ai, Maja Bak Herrie

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

This article focuses on the aesthetic dimensions of contemporary media created with generative AI, challenging traditional dichotomies of truth and falsehood, real and fake. It draws upon diverse examples including Samsung’s “Space Zoom” images of the moon, AI-driven political imagery, and the randomized aesthetics of Google’s Gemini. Additionally, it examines two artistic projects by Elisa Giardina Papa and Trevor Paglen. The article argues for an aesthetic analysis that goes beyond debates over authenticity, highlighting instead the inherent complexity and weirdness of these digital artifacts by exploring how AI reshapes perceptions of reality. By invoking, among other things, theories of agnotology, …

Prompting Aesthetic Ideologies Of Generative Text-To-Image Ai, Lotte Philipsen

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

In generative AI, text-to-image prompting has gained popularity, which calls for image theoretical attention. This article evokes critical image theory, developed by Norman Bryson and W. J. Thomas Mitchell in the 1980s and 1990s, which offers important, relevant nuances when analyzing contemporary AI image-tools. By investigating specific cases of text-to-image AI through this theoretical filter, the article demonstrates how certain aesthetic ideologies—especially perceptualism, the idea of natural images, and splitting and hierarchization of text and image—govern generative AI.

Beauty And The Bit: Ai-Driven Philosophical Aesthetics, Stefano De Giorgis, Aldo Gangemi

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

This paper presents a novel computational framework for formalizing and analyzing philosophical aesthetics discourse through the integration of knowledge representation techniques and large language models (LLMs). The framework introduces a structure based on four elements combining source texts, core ontology, knowledge graphs, and interpretative mappings to systematically capture both explicit content and implicit semantic relationships in aesthetics texts. Through a case study analyzing works by Dewey, Danto, and Sibley, we demonstrate how this approach enables the systematic reverse engineering of aesthetic analytical methods while maintaining semantic stability and interpretative clarity. The framework leverages human expert annotation alongside LLM capabilities to …

Appraiset: Discussions On A New Art Dataset, Thomas Şerban Von Davier, Max Van Kleek, Nigel Shadbolt Frs, Freng, Fbcs

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in the arts have gained significant attention, particularly with the advent of generative AI. Researchers have explored AI’s capability to create art autonomously or in collaboration with artists, and AI’s role in curating, classifying, and applying aesthetic metrics to artwork. However, the opaque nature of proprietary algorithms used in these applications presents challenges for understanding AI’s influence on aesthetics. To address this, open-source data and code are essential for investigating how AI can develop its own aesthetic language. This paper introduces AppraiSet, an open art dataset containing evaluative metadata designed to support the field of …

Data Mining And Ai Visualization Of Key Terms From U.S. Supreme Court Cases From 1789 To 2022, Kory Blose, Heidi Biggs, Robbie Fraleigh, Luke Meeken, Eduardo Navas

Contemporary Aesthetics (Journal Archive)

In this paper, we take on the question of the potential risks of AI in aesthetics: What kind of risks does AI pose? To engage with this question, we focus on how generative AI models’ results consist of decontextualized content that does not always correspond with its historical context. From this standpoint, bias and misinterpretation pose major challenges in academic aesthetics because AI can be used both as a tool to make research more specific and precise and also for quick results that avoid in-depth research and on the surface may appear decisive and accurate. We set out to expose …

Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes (July 14, 2025), Dmacc

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

This file contains the minutes from the Des Moines Area Community College Board meeting held on July 14, 2025.

Upcycling Of Polydicyclopentadiene (Pdcpd) Via Dynamic Bonds, Catherine Biju

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

Thermoset polymers are valued for their exceptional mechanical strength and thermal stability, but suffer from irreversibility due to permanent covalent crosslinks, limiting recyclability. Polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD), a widely used thermoset, exemplifies this limitation despite its excellent mechanical properties. In this study, we report an upcycling strategy for pDCPD through the incorporation of dynamic imine bonds. The successful integration of imine bonds was confirmed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Mechanical testing revealed that the modified pDCPD (pDCPD-imine) exhibits enhanced tensile strength and maintains its performance across multiple reprocessing cycles. Moreover, the dynamic nature of the imine bonds imparts healability to the network. This …

An Empirical Study On Lecturers’ Perceptions Of Digital Gender Equality In Malaysia.Pdf, Fung Lan Yong, Louis Yuk Su Chin

Jesselton Journal of Educators and Scholars

The purpose of this study was to examine lecturers’ perceptions of digital gender equality in Malaysia. A Likert-scale questionnaire was designed to measure perceptions of digital gender equality and was administered to 55 lecturers online. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. First, Mann-Whitney U test revealed that there were no significant gender differences in lecturers’ perceptions of digital gender equality, while Kruskal-Wallis H test indicated no significant differences in relation to age and job experience. Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that four items were significant at p < 0.05, while another eight items were significant at p < 0.001. The overall group mean showed that lecturers’ perceptions of digital gender equality were low, indicating that the majority failed to notice the impediments that women face in the digital era. Overall percentages indicated that lecturers held unrealistic views of women’s participation in the digital economy probably because they lacked knowledge on the disproportionate numbers of women who are still living in the agrarian areas. In light of the findings, several recommendations were made to increase digital gender equality in Malaysia.

Evaluating The Impact Of Teacher Evaluation And Education Incentive Systems In Universities.Pdf, Yi He, Fung Lan Yong, Louis Yuk Su Chin

Jesselton Journal of Educators and Scholars

This study investigates the effectiveness of teacher evaluation and incentive systems in China higher education, focusing on Fujian Polytechnic Normal University as a case study. Faculty performance and motivation are critical drivers of institutional success, yet existing evaluation and incentive mechanisms often face challenges related to fairness, transparency, and motivational impact. Using a quantitative research design, we collected survey responses from 107 faculty members to assess the perceived effectiveness of evaluation tools (peer reviews, student feedback, self-assessments, and administrative reviews) and incentive structures (financial rewards, professional development, promotions, and recognition awards). Findings indicate that administrative reviews and professional development opportunities …

The Influence Of Coca-Cola Brands On Consumer Purchases In The Beverage Market_ Japan_S Perspective.Pdf, Ryo Nishizaki, Desmond Cherng En Lee, Ahmad Massu Ramli

Jesselton Journal of Educators and Scholars

This study examines the impact of Coca-Cola’s branding on consumer purchasing behavior in Japan’s beverage market. Employing a thematic qualitative approach, the research investigates brand recognition, cultural influences on marketing strategies, product differentiation, and consumer attitudes shaped by cultural values. Findings reveal that Coca-Cola’s global brand awareness combined with localized marketing efforts, including culturally relevant campaigns and health-oriented products, significantly influence Japanese consumer preferences. However, challenges remain due to increasing health consciousness and competitive market dynamics. The study contributes to understanding how multinational brands adapt to culturally distinct markets and offers practical recommendations for enhancing brand engagement in Japan. These …

Digital Transformation In Japanese Companies_ Navigating Cultural Barriers, Leadership, And Innovation In The Era Of Society 5.0.Pdf, Hideto Tsuchiya, Hoong Tat Teh, Sook Han Wong

Jesselton Journal of Educators and Scholars

This article examines the impact of digital transformation in Japanese companies, analyzing how technological, cultural, and organizational factors interact to shape adoption outcomes. Drawing on qualitative thematic analysis of interviews and case studies, the study highlights that while advanced technologies such as AI, cloud computing, and IoT offer significant potential for innovation and operational gains, their integration is often hindered by entrenched hierarchical structures, cultural resistance, and a shortage of digital skills. Government policies, including Society 5.0, have provided impetus for change, particularly among large corporations, yet many small and medium-sized enterprises continue to face challenges related to legacy systems …

Leveraging New Media For Brand Promotion: The Influence Of Influencer Marketing And Personalized Advertising On Consumer Engagement And Trust.Pdf, Qize Cai, Desmond Cherng En Lee, Jiangwei Yang, Chia Seng Lee

Jesselton Journal of Educators and Scholars

This research explores the impact of new media-based commodity marketing on brand promotion. It specifically investigates how different social media content types, digital marketing channels, online advertising formats, and influencer endorsements affect consumer engagement, brand awareness, trust, and purchase intentions. Employing a quantitative methodology, data from 200 respondents were analyzed using structured surveys. Results indicated Instagram as the leading platform for consumer engagement, with visual and user-generated content most effective. Influencer marketing significantly enhanced brand credibility and trust, whereas personalized advertising notably surpassed generic advertisements in effectiveness and consumer satisfaction. The study contributes theoretically to digital marketing literature and provides …

Meteorological Characteristics Of The 10 Jan 1999 Extreme Rainfall Event Over Hinatuan, Surigao Del Sur, The Philippines, Lyndon Mark P. Olaguera

Physics Faculty Publications

The highest daily rainfall recorded in January at Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, eastern Mindanao, is about 374 mm d–1, which occurred on 10 Jan 1999. This is considered the wettest day in January from 1949–2023. This study examines the meteorological conditions that led to this extreme rainfall event, which has not been explored in previous works in detail. The results of this study revealed that the high rainfall amount on this day at Hinatuan Station was due to the combined effects of the enhanced amihan, associated with the southeastward expansion of the Siberian-Mongolian high, and a weak westward-propagating vortex near …

Hubungan Repetitive Motion, Beban Kerja, Shift Kerja, Dan Kualitas Tidur Dengan Kelelahan Kerja Pada Petugas Aviation Security, Cindy Puspita Sari, Anita Sulistyorini, Marji Marji, Erianto Fanani, Tika Dwi Tama

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

The aviation sector is one of the work areas that requires the implementation of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS). Work in the aviation sector also presents various risks, one of which can occur in work accidents caused by fatigue. Based on preliminary studies conducted on Aviation Security Officers (AVSEC), there are symptoms of work fatigue. The study aims to determine the relationship of repetitive motion, workload, work shifts, and sleep quality with job fatigue in AVSEC officers. The research used a quantitative observational study with an analytic design through a cross-sectional approach with a total of 76 AVSEC officers. The …

Faktor-Faktor Yang Berhubungan Dengan Kecelakaan Kerja Pada Operator Dump Truck Di Pt. X Kabupaten Kutai Timur, Anindya Sashi Kirana, Muhammad Sultan, Ida Lestari, Iwan Muhamad Ramdan, Dewi Novita Hardianti

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

Coal mining is one of the industries that has a high level of danger and risk of work accidents. In 2023, in PT X department Z there were 36 work accidents with the most units occurring in the dump truck unit. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with work accidents in dump truck operators at PT X East Kutai Regency in 2025. This study used a cross sectional study design with 78 respondents who were dump truck operators taken by stratified random sampling. Data collection using questionnaires and CMR (Compliance Monitoring Report) observation sheets that …

Analysis Of A Saline Dust Storm From The Aralkum Desert - Part 1: Consistency Between Multisensor Satellite Aerosol Products, Xin Xi, Jun Wang, Zhendong Lu, Andrew M. Sayer, Jaehwa Lee, Robert C. Levy, Yujie Wang, Alexei Lyapustin, Hongqing Liu, Istvan Laszlo, Changwoo Ahn, Omar Torres, Sabur Abdullaev, James Limbacher, Ralph A. Kahn

Michigan Tech Publications

The Aralkum Desert presents a challenging environment for satellite aerosol observations due to its very bright, heterogeneous, and dynamic surfaces and the lack of in situ constraints on region-specific aerosol properties. We survey current global satellite algorithms capable of detecting the presence, column burden, and elevation of airborne dust over the Aral Sea basin. Discrepancies and potential biases in retrieved UV aerosol index (UVAI), mid-visible and thermal infrared optical depth (AOD), and layer height due to different assumptions on surface and aerosol properties are assessed. The results indicate that (1) UVAI products consistently delineate dust plume extent but show large …

Large B Cell Lymphoma Microenvironment Archetype Profiles, Xubin Li, Kartik Singhal, Qing Deng, Dai Chihara, David Russler-Germain, R Andrew Harkins, Jared Henderson, Kotaro Arita, Atish Kizhakeyil, Ryan Sun, Priya Lakra, Usama Hussein, Jennifer A Foltz, Ashley Wilson, Evelyn Schmidt, Imran Nizamuddin, Tommy Dinh, Akhil Kesaraju, Mark P Hamilton, Carl Allen, Maher K Gandhi, Joshua Tobin, Aixiang Jiang, Laura Hilton, David W Scott, Francisco Vega, Christopher R Flowers, Jason R Westin, Obi L Griffith, Todd A Fehniger, Malachi Griffith, Michael R Green

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Large B cell lymphomas (LBCL) are clinically and biologically heterogeneous lymphoid malignancies with complex microenvironments that are central to disease etiology. Here we have employed single-nucleus multiome profiling of 232 tumor and control biopsies to characterize diverse cell types and subsets that are present in LBCL tumors, effectively capturing the lymphoid, myeloid, and non-hematopoietic cell compartments. Cell subsets co-occurred in stereotypical Lymphoma Microenvironment Archetype Profiles (LymphoMAPs) defined by; (i) a sparsity of T cells and high frequencies of cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor-associated macrophages [FMAC]; (ii) lymph node architectural cell types with naïve and memory T cells [LN]; or (iii) activated …

Innovation And Risk Management In High-Risk Medical Device Development_ Lessons From Japanese Venture Companies.Docx.Pdf, Seiya Shimanuki, Motohiro Kita, Desmond Cherng En Lee, Ahmad Massu Ramli

Jesselton Journal of Educators and Scholars

This article investigates the unique challenges and strategic responses associated with developing high-risk medical devices, emphasizing insights from the Japanese medical technology sector. Utilizing a comprehensive case study of Sun Medical Technology Institute, the research highlights critical strategies, including technological diversity management, simplification of device structures, adoption of low-tech solutions, and leveraging strategic external collaborations to mitigate developmental risks and resource constraints. Additionally, the study explores regulatory complexities, underscoring the importance of proactive compliance strategies in navigating stringent regulatory frameworks effectively. By integrating quantitative patent data analyses, including Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients, the findings reveal the significant impact of …

Adapting To Local Consumer Behaviour And Competitive Pressures: A Case Study Of Digital Transformation In Retail.Pdf, Ge Yan, Louis Yuk Su Chin, Changh Hao Han

Jesselton Journal of Educators and Scholars

This study examines how a multinational retail company adapted to the competitive pressures and local consumer behaviors in the Chinese market through digital transformation. By integrating e-commerce platforms, mobile payment systems, and personalized digital marketing, the company enhanced consumer engagement, optimized operational efficiency, and built a localized brand presence. The case study method draws on both primary data from internal surveys and financial reports and secondary data from reputable industry sources. Key findings reveal a substantial increase in customer satisfaction, higher adoption of mobile payment systems in urban areas, and improved inventory management through predictive analytics. The company’s omnichannel strategy, …

Navigating Your Boundaries: Transitioning From Egs To Pure4egs Without Altering Your Job Description, Jessea Young

Librarian Publications & Presentations

Loyola Marymount University’s William H. Hannon Library recently transitioned from Expert Gallery Suite (EGS) - Selected Works to Pure4EGS. Previously, EGS was managed by authors with support from the scholarly communications librarian when they deposited works into our institutional repository, Digital Commons @ LMU & LLS. EGS was a secondary, but underutilized component, of our scholarly communication services. However, the migration to Pure4EGS gave the library an opportunity to be part of the reporting workflow of research activities and publication data for administrators, faculty, and staff across campus.

Our Pure4EGS platform, Scholars @ LMU, is managed by a single librarian …

Impactor Displacement As A Predictor Of Thoraco-Abdominal Organ Injury: Comparison Of Isolated Organ To Whole Body Tests, Jack Seifert, Jared Michael Koser, Alok Shah, Lance Frazer, Frank A. Pintar, Narayan Yoganandan, Dan Nicolella, Timothy B. Bentley, Brian D. Stemper

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

Body armor is used to protect the wearer from penetrating injuries. However, when the armor defeats the projectile, it deforms at high rates into the wearer, referred to as back face deformation (BFD). This deformation can cause a variety of superficial and internal injuries and consequently should be considered when designing body armor. However, current design standards do not adequately consider the effects of BFD, and new data are necessary to inform future design thresholds for BFD. The objective of this study was to develop blunt impact injury risk curves for in vitro thoraco-abdominal organs and determine their applicability …

Flysurf: A Flying Robotic Surface With Shape Morphing And Motion Control, Kevin Aubert De Luchi Lomellini

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

This thesis introduces FlySurf, a novel flying robotic surface capable of simultaneous shape morphing and motion control. FlySurf is modeled as a mesh-based dynamic structure actuated by multiple unmanned aerial vehicles, enabling complex deformations during flight. The proposed control architecture comprises three main components. First, a state estimator to infer the robotic surface state from limited observations. Second, a shape trajectory planner that incorporates an affine deformation term to preserve surface integrity during shape transitions. Third, a surface controller to minimize the error between the desired and actual surface configurations.

The methodology is validated through realistic simulations and hardware experiments, …

Navigating The Employability Landscape: Unanswered Questions For International Students In Southeast Asia, Hengzhi Hu

Higher Learning Research Communications

As Southeast Asia becomes an increasingly popular destination for international students, important questions arise concerning the employability of graduates from this region. This comment article advocates for a comprehensive examination of how effectively Southeast Asian universities equip their international students to navigate both global and home country labor markets. Additionally, this article calls for a critical rethinking of the global recognition and value of qualifications obtained from Southeast Asian higher education providers, which often face challenges in being perceived as on par with those from more established educational hubs and underscores the necessity for comparative research to assess how the …

Integrating Belowground Recovery Into Tropical Forest Restoration Design And Monitoring, Lauren Toro, Leland K. Werden, Shalom D. Addo-Danso, Kelly M. Andersen, Sarah Batterman, Matilde M. Bragadini, Pooja Choksi, Rebecca J. Cole, Liza S. Comita, Daniela Cusack, Daisy H. Dent, Lee H. Dietterich, Joshua B. Fisher, Katrin Fleischer, Lucia Fuchslueger, Nohemi Huanca-Nunez, Janey R. Lienau, Lindsay A. Mcculloch, Ember M. Morrissey, Jennifer S. Powers, Mareli Sánchez-Juliá, Oscar Valverde-Barrantes, Anita Weissflog, Michelle Y. Wong

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

There is growing recognition that tropical forest restoration is key for sequestering carbon and enhancing ecosystem resilience. Soils, roots, and soil biota are central to ecosystem function and services, but belowground recovery is largely overlooked in restoration monitoring frameworks. Here, we outline current understanding of the links between above- and belowground recovery in tropical forests by examining how belowground properties before and after intervention influence recovery; by evaluating whether aboveground recovery can serve as a proxy for belowground dynamics; and by proposing a blueprint for monitoring dynamic soil physical (bulk density, aggregate stability), chemical (organic matter or carbon, pH), and …