Metabolic engineering of microorganisms to produce useful compounds from renewable substrates is a promising means for sustainable, on-demand production of chemicals. However, efforts to design and engineer microbial cell factories are constrained by costly and slow “build” times in which each genetic variation requires re-engineering a new strain for each...
The limits of miniaturization of electronic device components and the steady need for faster computation power have motivated the discovery and cultivation of low-dimensional materials. Among these, two-dimensional (2D) materials have exhibited a wide range of superlative optoelectronic, thermal and mechanical properties. The interest in 2D materials took-off with the...
Wind pollination has evolved from animal pollination at least 65 times in flowering plants, but the reverse transition is rare. Wind pollination is usually accompanied by the loss of traits that attract pollinators, and re-evolving them may be difficult. This dissertation examines this rare transition using Artocarpus (ca. 70 spp.,...
What follows is a strictly post-genomic dissertation. Over the past five years, I have strived to leave the nucleus behind, and even the endoplasmic reticulum and golgi apparatus. The human genome was sequenced over 15 years before the submission of this document, and the world changed somewhat less than anticipated—besides...
This dissertation develops a framework to approach musical hybridity by considering style and genre interactions as an analytical layer of combinations of identities. It engages with the structural, contextual, and perceptual aspects of music by mixing perspectives from music studies with postcolonial studies, situated cognition, and genre studies. Hybridity is...
The rodent whisker system is a widely used model to study the sense of touch. Its neuroanatomy parallels that of the human, but its mechanics are vastly simplified compared to that of the human tactile system. Just like other modalities with complex sensor accessory structures, the geometry, mechanics, and material...
In the past few years, educators have been pushing for an integration of the arts into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning to promote innovation and creativity in these fields. The present study explores the relation between creativity and STEM learning among young children in digital and non-digital contexts,...
The expanding use of nanomaterials in consumer products challenges scientists to understand the impact of these materials before their inevitable release into the environment. In the same way that the widespread use of DDT and asbestos has caused unforeseen negative impacts on both the environment and on human health, the...
Many species have lost their natural habitat due to anthropogenic land use change. Ecologists are increasingly looking at habitat in cities to bolster efforts to conserve biodiversity. Green roofs are examples of urban habitats that are becoming more common globally. Green roofs can provide resources to support life in an...
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa type III secretion system delivers effector proteins directly into target cells, allowing the bacterium to modulate host cell functions. ExoU is the most cytotoxic of the known effector proteins and has been associated with more severe infections in humans. Previous studies have shown that ExoU is a...