The concept of epistemic infringement marks a novel entry into the social epistemology literature concerning epistemic misconduct. Epistemic infringement constitutively involves the systematic contravention of social and epistemic norms, particularly in a manner that serves to erode epistemic agency. This dissertation identifies epistemic infringement as a useful theoretical tool for...
We have a remarkable ability to perform complex, coordinated movements without much conscious effort. In addition to the computations required to generate commands for muscles, a key aspect of coordinated motor control is incorporating sensory feedback about the movement. One of the most important feedback routes is through proprioception, the...
Electrostatic interactions mediated by ionic environments play a central role in physical processes across materials science, chemistry and biology. Key biological phenomena, such as the condensation and packaging of DNA, ion transport across cellular membranes and the enzymatic action of proteins, rely on the complex interplay between nanoscale electrostatic, osmotic...
Standard-based accountability policies have profoundly shaped the landscape of public education in the United States. At the heart of these policies are standardized assessments, administered annually, which are used to evaluate schools and, at times, teachers. While always controversial, opposition to these policies increased following the widespread adoption of the...
The term blowback originated from the American intelligence community to indicate the unexpected consequences of American foreign policy. In my dissertation, I give an account of how blowback results from these security policies. Blowback shows the cases that security policies create more harm than good to the enacting country due...
This research especially helps for the design of concrete structures which has to last at least for 100 years such as bridges. The research aims to give a better prediction of long-term deformations of concrete and improve the structure design based on these predictions. The accurate prediction helps in capturing...
Sleep is affected by social relationships and institutions, but much research has studied sleep within an individualized framework. In this dissertation, I analyze sleep in a series of specific social contexts to examine how these contexts shape gender and socioeconomic differences in sleep. Given prior findings suggesting the importance of...
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of highly modular materials with welldefined three-dimensional architectures, permanent porosity, and diverse chemical functionalities, which show promise for a wide range of applications, including gas storage and separation, drug delivery, chemical sensing, and catalysis. Nanoparticle forms of MOFs have similar properties but are dispersible...
Colloidal crystal engineering with DNA offers new opportunities for materials scientists to build and program the structures of superlattices beyond what can be accomplished in Nature with atomic crystal lattices. Thus far, such materials primarily have been studied for their optical properties due to the insulating nature of the DNA...
This dissertation elucidates the contemporary dance studio and stage in twenty-first century Senegal as privileged sites of knowledge production about gender and sexuality. Entangled within local and global dance lineages, funding structures, and modes of circulation, contemporary choreographers perform their bodies in ways that challenge predominant narratives, both those imagined...