My dissertation examines group dynamics of minority populations during times of violent conflict. By applying a comparative analysis to case studies drawn from the conflicts in Lebanon and Syria, I shed light on how and why minority groups decide to join a conflict, stay on the sidelines, go it alone,...
Mid-infrared lasers, emitting in the spectral region of 3-12 µm that contain strong characteristic vibrational transitions of many important molecules and two atmospheric transmission windows, are highly desirable for spectroscopy sensing, infrared countermeasures, and free space communications. Previously, single-element quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have been demonstrated with up to watt-level...
Inflammasomes are signaling complexes that link the recognition of pathogen and danger associated molecular patterns (PAMPs and DAMPs) by cytosolic pattern-recognition receptors (PPRs) to the activation of Caspase-1, leading to the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-18, and the induction of pyroptosis. In addition to the canonical...
Oxidation is an important process in synthesizing a broad range of useful products such as polymers, pharmaceuticals, and fine chemicals. While H2O2 is a highly attractive oxidant for oxidative chemistry due to its high percentage of oxygen and environmentally friendly water byproduct, it is often used in excess due to...
In knowledge-intensive work such as data analysis or emergency medicine, learning and collaboration is integral to the effective “production” process. Uncovering the mechanisms, benefits and costs of learning and collaboration is crucial for the design and operation of a successful process. My Ph.D. research centers on empirically investigating the ways...
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a gas-phase synthesis technique employed to manufacture thin films and metallic nanoparticles of various compositions and sizes, as well as individual, isolated species on various supports. An understanding of the dynamic surface chemistry that takes place during various ALD processes is vitally important for achieving...
This dissertation theorizes and examines the revival of interest in figure painting (renwuhua) in Republican China (1911–49). I argue that, in this period, figure painting assumed a central role to painters who sought to reform Chinese art, which was commonly understood as “declining.” This investigation will focus on the achievements...
Understanding and controlling microbial community assembly is critical to developing novel bioprocesses for nutrient and energy recovery from wastewater and preparing for global climate change. As molecular biology tools and DNA sequencing improve, microbial ecologists can progress from answering qualitative questions about “who is there, and what are they doing?”...
SAMDI-MS (Self-Assembled Monolayers for MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry) couples the use of chemically-defined self-assembled monolayers of alkane thiolates on gold surfaces with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for rapid characterization of the surfaces. Reactions performed on the surfaces can be quantified directly by detection of the reaction substrates and products. This rapid detection...
Epigenetics is the study of chromatin-based events that regulate gene expression without the change of DNA sequence, including DNA methylation, histone modification and chromatin remodeling. Epigenetic regulators are encoded to modify chromatin in a highly regulated and dynamic manner. A growing number of studies have suggested the dysregulation of epigenetic...