As demonstrated by efforts in graphene commercialization, scalable synthesis and high-quality material availability are primary limiting factors for the realization of technologies based on two-dimensional (2D) materials. Thus, in considering the fate of emergent 2D materials such as the metal chalcogenides, the challenge of scalable synthesis is a highly relevant...
In the first chapter, I present a theory of measurement of preference intensity and use this measure as a foundation for utilitarianism. To do this, I suppose each alternative is experienced over time. An individual has preferences over such experiences. I present axioms under which preferences are represented by an...
This thesis studies social protest in colonial Korea (1910-1945). In the first two chapters, I study protest by Koreans against the Japanese colonial authority. In particular, I focus on the March First Movement in 1919, the largest anti-colonial independence movement during the colonial era, and examine its propagation (chapter 1)...
In this thesis, we study the geometry of planar shapes and their harmonic caps. Specifically, given a compact continuum $P$, we are interested in constructing a planar cap $\hat P$ such that $P$ and $\hat P$ can be glued together along their boundary to form a topological sphere with prescribed...
Many theories of categorization have included an intuitive role for our ability to detect and judge similarity. Yet, this important role of similarity processing has been disputed. This research adopts a model of similarity processing through structure mapping (Gentner, 1983) to explore its role in similarity processing and categorization. Relational...
Navigating through the world is typically a multisensory experience. Mammals are believed to navigate using a cognitive map of space stored in the hippocampus. Yet, it is unclear how and whether spatial information of different sensory modalities can contribute to this map. A major barrier to addressing this question has...
Friction modulation technology developed over the past decade now enables the creation of rich textural effects on flat haptic displays. However, an intuitive and manageably small design space for construction of such haptic textures remains an unfulfilled goal for user interface designers. In this thesis, I explore perceptually relevant features...
The thesis is concerned with the design and control of large-scaled queueing systems that are operated under heavy traffic, focusing on the following two research questions: For a given queueing system, how to find a proper heavy-traffic limit that accurately approximates various performance metrics? For multi-class queueing systems, how to...
Search engines and social media are two ubiquitous modes of accessing Web information, and they dictate what information people view, influencing their thoughts and beliefs and potentially shaping their opinions about news and facts. Network effects propagate the beliefs, often magnified, disseminating information rapidly and leaving little time for fact...
Three-dimensional (3D) imaging has been widely used in academic research and industrial applications. Compared to 2D representations, 3D imaging can yield more information about geometric structures of an object such as small surface variations that are difficult to perceive otherwise. 3D image contents provide additional information that is complementary to...