Data Science and related fields like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Statistics provide indispensable research methods for understanding a wide variety of phenomena from large datasets. However, as methodical and empirical as these methods aim to be, there are many subjective and discretionary choices that the data scientist must make...
Understanding associative memory is fundamental for a variety of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, however, a large proportion of this research has excluded female subjects due to unsubstantiated bias. By including intact females, ovariectomized females and males in the study of associative memory, clear sex differences in acquisition emerged. Female mice...
Economic growth in contexts of state weakness presents a puzzle. If the state’s provision of property rights is necessary for financial investment and related pro-growth behaviors, then why do we observe private investment and commercial transactions in settings where state institutions are far from reliable property guarantors? This study addresses...
Directed energy deposition (DED) has pushed the frontiers of manufacturability by enabling the creation of multi-material, functionally graded components, the repair or modification of existing components, and the addition of wear resistant coatings. This additive manufacturing method creates a 3D object by depositing powder directly into a small molten pool...
As social media are intricately woven into the fabric of everyday life, people are increasingly expressing their emotions, feelings, and thoughts on these platforms. Particularly, social media have become an outlet for sharing negative emotions and stressful experiences. This dissertation examines factors that influence how and why people share negative...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...