Lichess is an online chess platform where players can play against each other in different rating brackets. Our idea was to visualize the chess opening hierarchy by experience level on the Lichess platform catered to beginner to advanced chess players. Chess openings are specific sequences of moves played by both...
Cook County has high rate of vaccination across one of the largest populations in the country. But now that vaccine uptake is beginning to stagnate, what can Cook County do to close the gap? We used unsupervised learning to cluster Cook with 480 counties across the US, then used Tableau...
My submission seeks to describe the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on civilians using recent data from the United Nations. However, my work acknowledges the fallibility and lack of granularity of data collected during armed conflict, as well as the tendency of quantification to dehumanize those it describes....
Different cancers are dependent on distinct genes for their survival. The Broad institute previously ran assays on cancer cell lines that knocked out individual genes. Cell survival was subsequently measured to discover what genes were most essential to cancer survival. This dashboard uses the “essentiality” scores produced from these assays...
In this video of simulated galaxy formation there are three panels, each showing the same scene from a different perspective. The leftmost is a view of interstellar gas, the coldest (blue) of which will eventually form into stars like the Sun. In the middle panel, which shows what the Hubble...
On February 22, 2022, I gave a talk hosted by the African Studies Program of Georgetown University. Two days later, Russian battalions were sent across Ukraine’s borders by President Vladimir Putin. In real time, viewers around the world have seen immense distress unleashed on innocent citizens. In Africa, distress has...
Attitude control in quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is traditionally managed by optimal control loops tuned to minimize errors in performance. While robust, these loops perform sub-optimally in dynamic and unpredictable environments which inspire new interest in sophisticated solution and approaches such as reinforcement learning (RL) approaches which should...
A study to investigate the role of population sex ratio in gender switching in an A. Triphyllum population along with the role of different environmental factors and management activities on plant size and population sex ratio in two different populations
This introductory chemistry textbook was compiled by Shelby Hatch at Northwestern University and is adapted from the following sources:
"Introductory Chemistry" by David W. Ball, The Saylor Foundation, Cleveland State University, is licensed
under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 and is available at https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/introductory-chemistry ; "Chemistry of Cooking" by Sorangel Rodriguez-Velazquez, American...
This thesis discussed how motifs of height and depth in Black literature highlight Black characters’ inability to form positive racial identities. The thesis uses three canonical pieces of Black literature, Passing, Native Son, and Plum Bun, to demonstrate that Black characters who try to reimagine White space are forced into...
The purpose of this research project was to highlight that there are different perspectives on mental health that stem from various experiences. All of these views should be valued and not discriminated against for any reason other than that they are different. As a child of Soviet Immigrants, I quickly...
In 2011, after just eighteen days, from January 25 to February 11, the Egyptian public overthrew the 30-year-long dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. A decade afterward, we sought to have Egyptians reflect on the collective memory of those days. What fueled the revolution? Was it successful? Did it lose its way?...
A review of the literature demonstrates that being anonymous by wearing a mask has been hypothesized to create many psychological effects, but mainly deindividuation. Numerous distinct explanations have been suggested as to why that effect has come about.
Using an ethnographical approach and open-ended interviews, this study investigates through two...
Dass Gewalt ein intrinsisches Element moderner westlicher Gesellschaften ist, wurde von vielen politischen Theoretiker*innen dargelegt. Was aber ist Gewalt? Ist die Verhinderung von Lebenschancen Gewalt? Ist Gewalt eine Struktur? Gibt es eine Gewalt der Normen? Wie verhalten sich Politik und Gewalt? Kann der Staat Schutz vor Gewalt bieten? Wie unterscheidet...
Seit einigen Jahrzehnten – und heute mit neuer Vehemenz – gibt es von feministischer, postkolonialer und rassismustheoretischer Seite Interventionen in den philosophischen Kanon und das Selbstverständnis der Philosophie. Nicht nur stecken die klassischen philosophischen Texte voller misogyner und rassistischer Anekdoten und Andeutungen, sondern auch die scheinbar neutralen Begriffe und Themen,...
Anstelle von wöchentlichen Webex-Sitzungen arbeitet dieses Seminar verstärkt mit Podcasts. Zwischen de zweiwöchentlichen Web-Sitzungen lade ich Podcasts zur jeweiligen Seminarlektüre hoch, die Sie im Anschluss auf Moodle im Forum kommentieren oder wo ie Fragen zum Text stellen.
Why did political independence not lead to economic autonomy and sustained development which were confidently predicted by many development economists and nationalists in the 1950s and 1960s. Africa will not make sustainable progress in building democratic systems and fostering economic development until the continent acquires coherent, legitimate, and effective states....
By assessing infants’ movements, our research goal was to determine if particular movement characteristics are indicators for cerebral palsy (CP), a disorder caused by a brain injury to the fetus/infant that leads to impaired development of movement. Our research may contribute to developing an earlier diagnosis for CP, and therefore...
Codable robots, small electronic devices programmed with software or apps, have become popular toys for children to play with at home. During play, children learn about coding by programming their robot to move and behave however they choose. But given the novelty of coding, children may face impasses when coding...
Now more than ever, forecasting the outcomes of U.S. elections is an important and challenging task. Traditionally, statistical or political-science methods have been employed to better understand how individuals will vote. Our approach differs in that we use mathematical modeling. Adapting methods commonly used in epidemiology to understand biological disease...
Gender-based violence (GBV) is a prevalent issue on a global scale, but the effects of such violence upon Asian/Asian American communities in the United States is compounded by their immigrant, refugee, and/or other historically marginalized identities. While current literature recognizes GBV as a public health issue of equity and social...
An action potential (AP) is a shift in the membrane voltage of a neuron generally caused by a sudden ion influx, resulting in excitation, allowing for the cell to send signals across its neural network. Spontaneous excitation can be crucial for organizing neural circuits, especially in sensory modalities. For hearing...
he mapping of the human brain is one of the most challenging but important topics among the fields of research. The delicate, intertwined networks of neurons obstruct us from taking invasive measures to explore the wonders of the brain. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a possible non-invasive technique for...
Bacteria interact intimately with humans, from “good” bacteria that live in our bodies to “bad” pathogenic bacteria that cause disease. Pathogenic bacteria express virulence genes, which help bacteria invade and attack their host. The ability to control virulence gene expression would help us treat infection more effectively. Several virulence genes...
For over a hundred years, psychologists have sought to understand the role of spirituality in human behavior and experience, and how it might relate to features of personality. This study considered personal narration of spiritual experience and how it relates to the personality traits of Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion,...
Research finds people reproduce incorrect information provided by their collaborative partners. These “social contagion” effects largely studied memory for information introduced during experiments (e.g., word lists), rather than preexisting knowledge. This study extends the effects of social contagion of memory to social contagion of knowledge: Does what people know to...
During pregnancy, mothers undergo a range of physiological changes including shifting hormone levels, modified immune function, and reduced gut motility. These changes are necessary to meet the pregnant mother’s increased energy needs and inhibit rejection of the fetus. The gut microbiota (GM) – the community of microorganisms that live in...
Much insight into infants’ neuromotor development can be gleaned from their spontaneous movements. Specifically, a greater understanding of neuromotor development is valuable for the early diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP), a neurological disorder resulting from brain injury or atypical development at an early age and is characterized by impaired movement...
Through framing, identical information can be portrayed in different ways. Existing literature finds that receiving positively framed information makes people more risk-averse than receiving negatively framed information, but disagreement remains on the strength of this effect and the conditions under which it occurs. In this study, 503 participants were surveyed...
When asked to imagine a computer scientist, males and females tend to report that they imagine a male. This perception can be detrimental for females’ computer science self-efficacy and may contribute to findings that as early as elementary school females are less interested in and less confident in their computing...
Currently, a great deal of information is conveyed through written online communication. However, this leads to a lack of important pragmatic, or contextual, cues that are present in face-to-face interaction such as body language, tone of voice, or facial expressions. One method to potentially reduce this issue is emoji usage....
This project aimed to create a well-rounded digital marketing strategy for ChangEd, a student loan repayment application. We were tasked with improving the awareness, engagement, and consideration, areas the application needed to improve on. \n\n We created a digital and social media marketing strategy using primary research we conducted with...
Media accounts report that the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement disproportionately affected Black communities and businesses, amplifying already- existing racial health and economic disparities. Black-owned small businesses experienced significant indirect and direct economic damages in Chicago, Illinois, and research literature is now striving to provide analyses...
The revitalization of endangered languages is both deeply personal and political, as language subjugation is directly linked to intentional efforts by colonizing powers to suppress and eradicate indigenous culture and dismantle local collective identity. Many studies have been conducted on how to promote endangered languages, but few evaluate the effectiveness...
There is a certain condition that exists in modern Japan that plagues people’s lives and causes their world to come to a halt. Here, the mere thought of leaving their room is unthinkable, let alone going to school or working. They fill their time with games and other mindless entertainment,...
A famous topic in mathematics involves the theoretically infinite nature of geographic coastlines. If one were to measure the perimeter of Great Britain, for example, the smaller the measuring tool, the larger and more accurate the measured perimeter would be. This phenomenon contains similar properties to the mathematical objects known...
Examining fertility knowledge and identifying knowledge gaps in those who may need to delay childbearing is essential, especially for individuals who may be pursuing higher education. Educating these individuals is also critical as prior research has confirmed that fertility awareness may modify future reproductive choices and outcomes. The primary goals...
Race is a socially constructed category firmly embedded within a system of privilege and oppression that places White people at the top and Black people at the bottom. Though this system has tangible implications in the lives of individuals, much existing literature explores race on an arguably superficial level, without...
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are heavily studied because they share a similar genetic structure to humans. The skin patterns of zebrafish are comprised of horizontal stripes of different colored pigment cells. Accurately quantifying the cell size of various pigment cells in relation to their location on the skin is a crucial...
Experts have recognized the potential for religion to shape environmental attitudes. In recent decades, the world has seen the rise of faith-based organizations in tackling issues of sustainability, particularly those following Islamic ecotheology. Embedded in Islamic scripture is an emphasis on responsibility and accountability towards the Earth; Islamic environmental organizations...
The global coronavirus pandemic has dramatically changed the way people and institutions interact with one another. In the United States, there has been an observable and documented increase in xenophobia and a breakdown of social and institutional trust. Consistent with a US history of scapegoating other populations for major crises,...
Homelessness and menstruation are constructs and processes that are plagued with stigma. For decades, academics have researched menstruation and homelessness as separately stigmatized experiences. However, in the process, scholars have overlooked the converging and intersectional nature of the stigma surrounding homeless menstruation. \\n\\nThrough library research and records, this paper analyzes...
In the English language, wh-question constructions give rise to gap positions in sentences, because the wh-phrase that corresponds with the object of the verb moves to the beginning of the sentence, leaving no word to appear in the typical object position. Typically wh-phrases are associated with just one gap, however,...
Potassium ions (K+) are one of the most abundant ions in intracellular fluid, affecting a wide variety of cellular processes in living organisms. In humans, irregularities in extracellular K+ levels contribute to pathologies including cardiovascular disease, immunological diseases, and some cancers. Despite the role of K+ ions, the detection, quantification,...
This study aims to understand how South Sudanese use Twitter to interact and share information about peace because some studies found out that social media users can engage in conversation that can facilitate open discussion on issues that can bring about peace and development. The study performed a content and...
¿Cómo funciona el concepto de paisaje en los Andes? ¿Cómo pensar lo andino por medio del paisaje? ¿De qué manera se superponen el concepto del trabajo, los discursos de la geografía, las ciencias sociales y las prácticas del extractivismo, la arqueología y la historia del arte en el paisaje andino?...
In an era where the world is plagued with environmental problems ranging from climate change to heavy metal pollution, new pathways towards environmental protection need to be implemented. Around the globe, countries have been constitutionalizing environmental rights in order to better use the law as a tool in these efforts....
Abstract The synchronization of different \gamma-rhythms arising in different brain areas has been implicated in various cognitive functions. Here, we focus on the effect of the ubiquitous neuronal heterogeneity on the synchronization of ING (interneuronal network gamma) and PING (pyramidal-interneuronal network gamma) rhythms. The synchronization properties of rhythms depends on...
Aside from Constitutional and negligence arguments, plaintiffs seeking to recover for nursing home COVID-19 related injuries or deaths have a third route: the federal and state False Claims Acts. This paper will examine the landscape of the False Claims Act (FCA) as it applies to nursing home liability in the...
This paper examines the international response to the issue of war crimes, exploring the effectiveness international institutions such as the International Criminal Court in investigating and prosecuting war crimes.
In 1994, South Africa held its first fully enfranchised election to usher in a new era and move away from the cruel Apartheid system of racial separation. This paper seeks to explain how political party-based constitutional negotiations in the final years of Apartheid influenced the country’s structure of government. I...
This dataset contains measures of the representation of women in European National Parliaments. I chose to highlight the gap between the current levels of representation and a target of 50% equal representation. The horizontal lollipop bars are meant to allude to starting points and a destination. A rule of data...
I am a long time Facebook user and decided earlier this year to use the "download your information" feature offered on the web interface. I received over 6GB of data from Facebook and Instagram and wrote python code to parse useful information. After parsing through the raw data, I was...
Astronomers are studying how young stellar objects (YSOs) develop and accrete mass. The variability of the YSO brightness can give information about the rate of accretion and the growth of these young stars. The YSOs described in this project are found in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a galaxy nearby to...
My submission is a data dashboard that depicts global trends for new and total COVID-19 cases between Jan 01, 2020 and March 08, 2021. It contains two tabs (new and total cases) with three interactive visualizations. Two maps, an original and a log-scale-filled, show the number of new COVID-19 cases...
American communities of color have shouldered a disproportionate share of the COVID-19 pandemic’s burden. For instance, at peak, Hispanic/Latino Americans experienced a weekly all-cause death burden 130.9% in excess of previous years. Not all excess deaths are directly attributable to COVID-19—there is emerging evidence that delays in care associated with...
As of March 28, 2021, the CDC's COVID-19 Vaccination Data shows the following: 1. Alaska, New Mexico, and South Dakota are leading the nation in vaccinating their populations. 2. The most populous states receive the greatest number of vaccines (ex: California). 3. The most populous states are not the most...