Freshwater is one of the most valuable resources in Washington State. In recent decades, water supply has been affected due to climate change and population growth. Understanding changes in water supply and demand is crucial for ensuring an abundance of water for residential, economic, and industrial needs. The proposed research analyzes changes in the streamflow regime of the Cedar and Tolt Rivers which provide drinking water for the greater Seattle area. The main goal is to calculate the water budgets for the Cedar and Tolt watersheds and estimate how the inputs and outputs to these budgets change over the 21st century. An existing ensemble of streamflow projections for the Cedar and Tolt Rivers are used to analyze changes in water supply. The mean streamflow for each month is compared between a 30-year control period (water years 1971-2000) and a 30-year future period (water years 2031-2060). For each of these periods, I determine “optimistic” and “pessimistic” scenarios for the streamflow. For the “drought” month the highest streamflow value is considered as “optimistic”, and the lowest as “pessimistic” since the goal is to assess potential shortages. I use existing monthly demand values provided by Seattle Public Utilities and create different future scenarios, based on the predictions of population and employment growth. Supply and demand values are compared to evaluate (1) the potential for water shortage and (2) water management and conservation methods to satisfy the unmet demand. One potential water management method is the construction of a new reservoir. The results of the research are aimed at helping to inform society and water managers about the potential changes in the water system. Based on this information, they might be able to introduce changes in their future plans to accommodate the predicted needs.

Multiple studies have demonstrated an association between a long-term exposure to air pollutants and health outcomes in area of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. However, there is suggestive, but insufficient, evidence linking the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and mental health outcomes, such as depression. In South Korea, a nationwide population-based, cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and mental health status. The study of 124,205 participants found a positive associations between Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5 ), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), and Carbon Monoxide (CO) exposures and mental health status. The goal of this study is to determine whether the air pollution-depression relationship holds true in the ACT (Adult Changes in Thought) cohort by conducting a similar study to the cross-sectional study conducted in South Korea. In this study, I will consider air pollutants (PM2.5 and PM10) as exposure and depression as a measure of health outcome. The central working hypothesis of this study is that higher levels of PM2.5 and PM10 will be associated with an increase in CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression) score. Participants from the ACT cohort (members of the Kaiser Permanente in Seattle, Washington) who had an ACT study visit between 11/1/2000-4/1/2003 will be the study population. The primary analysis aims to evaluate the association between PM (PM2.5 and PM10) and CES-D scores using linear regression model after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, income, education, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease. The secondary analysis aims to evaluate the effect modification of age, alcohol history and early vs. late onset of depression has on this association. It is hoped that the results from this study will expand our understanding of the relationship between air pollution and depression.

This work replicates previous research used to criticize the use of principle component (PCA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Factor analysis is often used when research is being conducted in a new area and there is limited background knowledge about what one might expect to find. It’s useful because of its ability to reduce the number of variables in a dataset by examining the correlations between items and identifying latent dimensions that account for measured item variance and covariation. A criticism of this method is that it detects patterns in random data where there is no underlying structure. We tested this criticism by replicating the methods in a 1981 paper by Robert Vierra and David Carlson. We generated random data in R Studio and looked at the variance accounted for by the factors identified by EFA and PCA. We also examined the Type I error rate in sample correlation matrices tested with Bartlett's test. Additionally, we have begun a literature review looking at the modern methods similar to exploratory factor analysis, including machine learning, in order to understand how these criticisms have been addressed by these modern approaches.

Metal catalysts exhibit greater catalytic activity as nanoparticles rather than bulk-like particles. Metal oxide supports can promote the activity and stability of metal catalysts due to the strong metal-support interaction, which can change the electronic properties and structure of metal nanoparticles. Metal-on-oxide-support systems are important for fundamental research and applications in heterogeneous catalysis. Nickel-based catalysts are widely used in industrial purposes such as carbon monoxide oxidation for industrial exhaust cleaning. However, nickel can rapidly deactivate due to solid carbonaceous material (coke) formation and nanoparticle coalescence (sintering) on the surface during a catalytic reaction. Metal oxide supports, such as ceria (CeO₂), improve metal catalytic performance by preventing coke formation and sintering, and in particular, ceria has a high oxygen storage and release capacity during catalytic reactions. Here, the adsorption energies, growth morphology, and charge transfer of adsorbed nickel on stoichiometric ceria (CeO₂(111)) and reduced ceria (CeO_1.8(111)) thin films at 300 K and 100 K are studied using single-crystal adsorption calorimetry (SCAC) in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) and surface sensitive techniques such as low-energy He⁺ ion scattering spectroscopy (LEIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). The initial heat of adsorption of nickel atoms on stoichiometric ceria was ~45 kJ/mol greater at 300 K than at 100 K and ~65 kJ/mol greater than reduced ceria at 300 K. The calorimetry results indicate that nickel prefers step edges over terraces and binds stronger to stoichiometric ceria than reduced ceria due to nickel's oxophilicity. LEIS growth mode measurements indicate that nickel grows as 3D nanoparticles. XPS charge transfer experiments show that adsorbed nickel transfers electron charge to ceria below a coverage of 2 monolayers. These results encourage additional study of the adsorption energetics of other group 8 transition metals on ceria supports.

 I am an enrolled member of the Nor Rel Muk Wintu Nation located in Hayfork, California. My tribe has been fighting for federal recognition since 1986, leaving many of us in precarious situations without our sovereignty recognized by the federal government. Many tribes in California are seeking federal recognition due to the restrictions of services accessible, which hinders our access to beneficial federal policies such as the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA). I understand the issues surrounding tribes that lack federal recognition and the problematic issues that arise without our sovereignty recognized, rendering our communities’ invisible. Due to this invisibility, my research focuses on the absence of knowledge pertaining to non-federally recognized tribes in California, such as the Nor Rel Muk Wintu, and our continued fight to utilize these policies, such as ICWA, while we remain sovereign with or without federal recognition. For my project, my methodology is a critical analysis of historical and contemporary policy; also examining the statistical data surrounding ICWA. Using statistical data gives me a framework to focus on the inclusivity of non-recognized tribal communities in California. Setting the foundation of settler-colonialism and Federal Indian Policy is essential to understand the precarious situations found in communities that lack federal recognition as these laws create barriers for tribal people. The ICWA as a federal law inhibits the help associated with non-federally recognized communities and leaves these children unprotected from historical known Indian child removal as an attempt to assimilate American Indian and Alaskan Native peoples into white society. As programs and research focus on the ICWA law, I have examined if they are inclusive of tribal communities that are not federally recognized. My preliminary results thus far have not included tribal Nations that lack federal recognition within their data.

We present optical and infrared photometry of the T Tauri binary KH 15D acquired in the 2017/2018 observing season. The data were obtained from the A Novel Dual Imaging CAMera (ANDICAM) instrument on the 1.3m telescope operated by the Small Moderate Aperture Research Telescope System (SMARTS) at the Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO). KH 15D includes two young stars (A and B, with 0.72 and 0.74 solar masses, respectively) orbiting their common center of mass, surrounded by an inclined precessing circumbinary disk. The recent data reveals Star B gradually emerging from the trailing “fuzzy” edge of the disk and is now in a stage that is completely unocculted for the first time since the system’s discovery in 1995. We use time-series photometry, or light curves, to probe the composition of the disk, derive parameters of Star B, and demonstrate the overall mechanics of the system. Recent data also shows reddening during the egress of the last eclipse, proving that the trailing edge of the disk is transparent and consists of dust-sized particles. Additionally, the most recent data displays Star B at a brighter magnitude than ever than before, allowing us to calculate an apparent I magnitude of 14.079, which is 12% brighter than previously computed.

Measurement in Psychology usually assumes continuous dimensions. Correspondingly, theoretical constructs are typically conceptualized as dimensions, meaning that observations differ in degree. However, theoretical constructs may also be categorical, i.e., rather than differing by degree, differing qualitatively. Different construct operationalization’s may lead to different scientific conclusions. Self esteem has long been of interest in Psychology. It has been conceptualized in various different ways, but always dimensional. Some self-esteem measures (for example, the The Rosenberg Self Esteem scale) seek to measure globally how much one values themselves as a person, without focusing on specific domains. On the other hand, other self-esteem measures (for example, the State self esteem scale) focus on perceived capabilities in specific domains, such as performance, social, and appearance. In the National Survey of Youth, participants rated themselves in specific areas, and then again as they would like to be. Using these data, we examined how different operationalization’s of self-esteem are associated with a few psychologically interesting outcomes such as drug use and crime. Specifically, we compared continuous and categorical representations of self-esteem. By examining the assumption of continuous latent variables, we shed light on how scientific conclusions differ based on construct operationalization.
 

High psychological resilience has been significantly linked to better medical recoveries, psychological recoveries, and resistance to psychological deterioration. Currently, many African American grandmothers are engaged in emergent childcare due to serious family trauma. I have identified key aspects of the lives of these women which are relevant to their resilience through a literature review, personal cultural experience, and focused interviews. This preliminary research informed my creation of a theoretical model relating resilience to faith, music, and justice. Utilizing thoroughly tested psychological measures which correspond to each aspect of my theoretical model, I am performing a pilot study to determine the strength of the relationships between all four of these constructs. More frequent, and deeply shared, music experience within a family is anticipated to covary with higher scores of resilience. This is due to shared emotional experiences fostering positive attachment amongst the family members. Also, stronger perceptions of injustice as well as doubt in one’s faith are both expected to negatively correlate to one’s resilience. If a person expects the world to unjustly not return their efforts or expects their personal coping techniques to fail, they will be less likely to utilize these avenues. Immediately, I am returning my findings to support groups for grandmothers and, under the guidance of a psychiatric professor, also sharing general information about resilience. Findings from this pilot study will guide future experiments to determine how best to support grandmothers, concerning resilience. Information yielded by larger scale research of this type will inform the development of fast, inexpensive, culturally appropriate, and non-invasive techniques for detecting individuals with low resilience.

Latent class models are frequently used to classify observations into homogeneous albeit qualitatively different sub-groups. Typically, these models are unrestricted, meaning there is no a priori structure or restrictions on model estimates. This approach is similar to many cluster analysis approaches. The study examines modeling conclusions when an unrestricted model is applied to data generated from a highly restrictive population model through a simulation study. We expect that a researcher will conclude fewer classes than the true number specified in the population. Simulated data for this work is based on a substance use example identified in other research. The population was generated based on six classes, but with a within class error rate fixed to 5%. Preliminary analyses indicate that commonly employed model selection criteria indicate that models with fewer than six classes are preferable. This is important because most analysts using latent class models use unrestricted models with little apparent consideration to what realistic error rates may be. In research domains where smaller error rates may be plausible, restrictive models of the sort used to generate the data for this study may be worth considering.

Drepanosauromorpha is an extinct group of reptiles known from the Middle to Late Triassic (237–212 MA). The clade currently includes seven genera (Avicranium, Dolabrosaurus, Drepanosaurus, Hypuronector, Kyrgzsaurus, Megalancosaurus, and Vallesaurus) that are known from fossils collected in Europe (Italy, UK), North America (Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey), and Asia (Kyrgyzstan). The first described drepanosauromorph, Drepanosaurus unguicaudatus, was based on a flattened holotype preserving most of a complete skeleton. Subsequently described drepanosauromorphs display the following diagnostic features: the length of the chevrons (ventral spines below the tail vertebrae) is substantially longer than corresponding tail neural spines, the cervical (neck) vertebrae are heterocoelous (saddle-shaped articular surface), the cervical ribs are absent as distinct ossifications, and the chevrons are fused to their respective centra. In recent years, both three-dimensionally preserved partial skeletons and isolated material of drepanosauromorphs have been found across both Europe and North America. These discoveries have helped shape our understanding of the biology and diversity of drepanosauromorphs. However, comparing isolated, three dimensionally preserved specimens to the more complete, yet two dimensionally preserved articulated specimens is difficult due to differences in preservation. Here, we describe a new drepanosauromorph species from the Chinle Formation in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona based on the left second manual ungual (claw) . Some of the characteristics that distinguish this claw from those of most drepanosauromorphs is its size. It differs significantly from all known Drepanosaurus specimens (like the Italian holotype and the Hayden Quarry Drepanosaurus) because of the ventral placement of the cotyle (articulation surface), the height of the claw, the lack of compression along the pre-axial/post-axial plane, and a furrow along the midline. This new taxon not only highlights unsuspected morphological variation within Drepanosauromorpha, but also helps sheds light on the evolutionary history of smaller-bodied reptiles within Late Triassic ecosystems.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is the latest treatment option available for those suffering from certain forms of cancer such as lymphoma and leukemia. These engineered cells are able to recognize specific proteins found in tumors, and subsequently induce CAR-T cell proliferation, cytokine secretion, and lysis of the cancerous cells. Despite its promise, a percentage of patients who receive this treatment develop a range of neurotoxic symptoms. My research project tests the hypothesis that endothelial activation of vascular tissue in the brain, which would allow for increased permeability of immune cells through the blood-brain barrier, is contributing to the development of these clinical symptoms. Using a technique called immunohistochemistry, I used the antibodies claudin-5 and cd31 to fluorescently label tight-junction proteins and adhesion molecules of endothelial cells from brain tissue harvested from a developed mouse model. This mouse model received CAR-T cell injections and underwent behavioral testing to confirm the presence of neurotoxicity symptoms. I then used microscopy skills to visualize the labeling of the endothelial cells and proteins. If my hypothesis is correct, I expect to see a quantifiable decrease in the number of cerebral tight-junction proteins connecting endothelial cells along the blood-brain barrier, as compared to negative control tissue that received no CAR-T cell injections. In order to make these comparisons, I will use a software program such as Image-Pro Premier software (Media Cybernetics) to help me quantify the positive fluorescence labeling of endothelial cell proteins and adhesion molecules in both the control and experimental tissue. Tissue with less tight-junction proteins and adhesion molecules would permit the influx of foreign particles into the CNS. Understanding the cause of CAR T-cell related neurotoxicity will be first step in promoting prevention and increasing the effectiveness of this new cancer immunotherapy.

With the rise of social media numerous nationally publicized incidents of large groups of people harassing a private party over the internet have taken place. A review of current research points to several possible causes. One body of research suggests certain patterns in neural activity which could be encouraging individuals to harass total strangers online - a phenomena which may be partially to blame. These patterns may be anthropological artifacts evolved to protect humans in primitive tribal groups which provide neurological rewards for actors who punish detrimental behavior in bad actors. These reward structures are now manifesting in the online environment due to its unique low-risk nearly anonymous nature and/or lack of tangible repercussions that would normally inhibit this behavior. Other researchers suggest these attacks may be a form of virtue signaling to let peers know the harasser is not like the perceived bad actor. (e.g. harassing a perceived racist signals to others that one is not racist). The issue is so new there is no strong scientific agreement in the psychological community as to what is really taking place, or in some cases even what terminology applies. Research in this topic may lead to better understanding of human machine interaction, and cyber-psychology.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative illness affecting millions of individuals in the United States and represents the leading cause of dementia worldwide. AD is pathologically defined by abnormal accumulation of interneuronal plaques composed of amyloid beta protein and intraneuronal tangles composed of tau protein. The focus of our current research involves understanding how tau protein homeostasis is restored using the model organism C. elegans. One process by which protein homeostasis is modulated is through the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (UPRER), which is composed of three signaling branches. Initially, the UPRER acts to restore normal protein folding, but if restoration is impossible, it triggers apoptosis. Our lab became interested in this signaling pathway after we identified the UPRER master transcription factor XBP-1s as a modifier of tau pathology (tauopathy). Specifically, XBP-1s overexpression protects against tauopathy in our C. elegans model. Previous RNA sequencing (RNAseq) analysis identified several downstream target genes upregulated with XBP-1s overexpression in our pathological tau C. elegans model. To follow up, I am working on understanding the molecular basis of XBP-1s-mediated tauopathy suppression by generating C. elegans models containing target genes of interest. Assessment of the effect on tauopathy phenotypes includes behavioral analysis by performing a liquid thrashing assay and tau protein analysis via the Western blot technique. Using the microinjection technique, I have generated a transgenic C. elegans model overexpressing hsp-4, an upregulated XBP-1s target gene identified by RNAseq that potentially modulates tauopathy. We are currently determining whether overexpression of hsp-4 can ameliorate tauopathy similar to XBP-1s overexpression. Gaining further information about the role of these XBP-1s target genes in tauopathy using the model organism C. elegans is valuable for future translational studies in mammals, along with being integral to research for neuroprotective therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as AD.

Cranial elaboration, in the form of domes, horns, and bony bosses, has evolved multiple times in vertebrate history, including in non-mammalian synapsids, the extinct ancestors of mammals. The lack of similarly thickened skulls in living animals has meant that very little can be inferred about how these features developed or why they evolved. Here we use comparative bone histology to describe the microanatomy of Oudenodon, a 255-million-year-old synapsid with distinctive nasal bosses. We compared thin-sections from the thickened portions of Oudenodon to the non-thickened skull of its relative, Diictodon, in order to better understand how cranial elaboration developed in synapsids. We took thin sections from the thick nasal bosses as well as non-thickened regions of Oudenodon to capture changes in tissue microstructure. Then, we compared these thin-sections to similar regions of the skull in Diictodon, which lacks cranial elaboration. In the bone tissue of both Oudenodon and Diictodon, we observed a cancellous, spongey interior sandwiched between two layers of compact cortical bone. This pattern of bone is typical in many modern skulls but the thickness of the cancellous region in Oudenodon is strikingly thicker, even in regions away from the boss. We hypothesize that increased cranial thickness in Oudenodon is due to this middle expansion of spongey, cancellous tissue. As a result of the increased bone thickness, sutures in Oudenodon are deep, wide, and convoluted when compared to the relatively simple interdigitated sutures in Diictodon. These and other histologic comparisons with distantly related taxa allow us to interpret the growth and construction of cranial elaboration in synapsids, adding to our understanding of how these thickened skulls evolved. Future work can also explore the possible soft tissue covering of these bosses and domes, which may have been used for intraspecific display or combat. 

Research has shown that positive outcome expectancy (i.e., anticipated positive consequences as a result of engaging in a behavior) and positive affective responses to exercise play an important role in predicting exercise behavior as well as future exercise intentions. Unlike most research in which the valence (i.e., positive - negative) of outcome expectancy and affective responses are typically assessed through survey items whose valence is predetermined, the current study used a spontaneous word association test (WAT) to examine the subjective meaning of exercise-related outcome expectancy and mood before exercise, and how they are related to exercise intentions and behaviors. One-hundred and eleven undergraduate and graduate students (74 females; 64 undergraduate students) performed an exercise-related WAT in which they were asked to write down the first word or a short phrase that comes to mind when they thought of (a) things that might happen from exercising and (b) their mood right before exercising. Subsequently, they were instructed to rate their subjective valence (i.e., positive-negative) to each of their responses to the WAT. They also completed a series of online self-report surveys that included assessments of exercise intentions and past exercise behavior. Path analyses will be conducted to test our hypotheses that the subjective valence of their mood right before exercising is expected to be directly associated with exercise behavior whereas the subjective valence of outcome expectancy is expected to be indirectly associated with exercise behavior through exercise intentions. This study examines the potential value and usefulness of a spontaneous word association procedure to more accurately measure affective evaluations of an individual’s feelings and thoughts toward exercise behavior.

Through the use of virtual and augmented reality technology, we want to record clinical interactions within the respective environments on acute stroke patients to help us design more acceptable gaming technologies for a wide range of ages and backgrounds in future studies. With the combined efforts of the computer science and electrical engineering team, we were able to produce two games; "Dolphin Days" for the augmented reality environment and "Apollo" for the virtual reality environment. "Apollo" will be available for play during the duration of the symposium. The purpose of exposing patients to these environments is to promote neuroplasticity in the recovery process. Neuroplasticity is when the brain can reform or grow new nerve endings to reconnect with the affected areas in order to accomplish a function. Clinically, our experience has been that patient motivation is key to obtaining good clinical outcomes. Stroke rehabilitation therapies can often be tedious and difficult to maintain interest in. These types of interventions, by incorporating the desired exercises into a motivating and game-like environment, could potentially address this issue. Additionally, these systems offer the potential advantage of not requiring the immediate presence of a skilled occupational and physical therapist. Cost and insurance limitations often mean patients get a limited number of skilled therapy sessions. Therapists skilled in the rehabilitation of stroke are often less available in rural regions and patients often struggle to travel to therapy appointments. All of these factors limit the patient’s overall access to skilled therapeutic interventions. Our results found the overall patient census enjoying the environments while also having them engaged with the technologies. We believe using these technologies would further motivate patients undergoing stroke therapy to continue participation and ultimately reach a state where the patient feels confident physically and mentally to resume their daily tasks pre-stroke.

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by muscular rigidity, slow movement of the limbs and resting tremor. The onset and progression of PD is attributed to the combined effect of environmental and genetic risk factors, with several specific disease-causing genes having been identified. PD onset is determined by the loss of more than 80% of dopamine-synthesizing neurons from the substantia nigra as well as formation of α-synuclein protein aggregates, called Lewy Bodies. Recent research has identified several potential pathogenic variants in the LRP10 gene on chromosome 14, suggesting that LRP10 may be a novel PD causative gene. It has been shown that the LRP10 protein is implicated in vesicular transport and that it may regulate α-synuclein aggregation, intracellular trafficking, and cell-to-cell transmission. The goal of my project was to analyze the association between LRP10 and PD by sequencing the regions on LRP10 that harbor these variants described in other families and check for co-segregation in the relatives of mutation carriers. DNA samples from 188 PD familial patients were sequenced. LRP10 regions of interest that were examined included exons 1-7 (protein coding regions) and intron 5 (a non-protein coding region). These LRP10 regions in patient DNA were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced subsequently using Sanger Sequencing. Relatives of LRP10 mutation carriers were then analyzed for co-segregation between the variant and PD. It was expected that certain LRP10 variants would be found to segregate with the disease in inheritance or increase the likelihood of its onset. The molecular function of both the normal and mutated LRP10 protein are still largely unknown and future research into their mechanisms will provide valuable insight into their specific role in Lewy Body formation and dopaminergic neuronal loss.

Many communities of color have been disenfranchised as a result of interactions with the criminal legal system. While many studies have shown that access to higher education reduces recidivism and encourages upward mobility, a very small percentage of this impacted population are actually able to access institutions of higher education. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to address the disparate representation of system-impacted individuals in higher education. This project aims to answer and begin to respond to the following questions: 1) What are the challenges and outright barriers for system-impacted students who wish to continue their education at UW? 2) What can UW do to make it a feasible destination for students who are system-impacted? This research project includes: the collection and analysis of existing data on system-impacted individuals and access to higher education; interviews with UW administrative offices that may play a role in the access to higher education for system-impacted individuals. Thereafter, a working group consisting of: system-impacted individuals; system-impacted students; students interested in criminal justice reform; and UW faculty interested in criminal justice reform; will form and implement strategies on how to lower institutional barriers and create clearer pathways to the UW for system impacted-individuals. By building partnering strategies with the UW community, the goal of the Pathways to UW project is to develop more clearer and transparent pathways for individuals who have been system-impacted to enroll on UW campuses. I want to ultimately build a community and a working network on campus that supports access and welcomes individuals impacted by the criminal and immigration system. Currently, there is no system in place on campus that supports such a marginalized population. To have such a system in place would address many racial and class disparities among the marginalized communities these impacted individuals traditionally come from.

Race is a social construct that was originally developed to differentiate between superior and inferior human beings. Race has been primarily studied from a monoracial perspective, which prohibits multiracial individuals to express themselves because their racial identity does not fit into the neatly, pre-established monoracial categories. Multiracial is used as an umbrella term to describe an individual whose identity is comprised of multiple races or ethnicities (multi-ethnic). Previous research has found that multiracial students experience life in ways that are unique compared to their monoracial peers. Multiracial students are often required to conform to socially constructed monoracial boxes, and often have negative experiences from microaggressions, monoracial family member comments, and lack of demographic categorization. Additional studies have found that the denial of multiracial identities have the potential to cause lower levels of self-esteem along with decreased motivation. The multiracial population in America is steadily growing and, if current trends continue, will only continue to do so. As a result, an increased number of multiracial students on college campuses are expected. This paper explores multiracial student identities within higher education at a public university in the Pacific Northwest and aims to learn about racial identity beyond a monoracial paradigm. The knowledge gained from this research will contribute to higher education administration, faculty, and staff to inform them of the ways in which they can validate multiracial students’ identities on their college campuses.

Black phosphorus, an allotrope of phosphorus with a unique layered structure, can be exfoliated to form a few layer variant called phosphorene.  Phosphorene has recently emerged in the field of 2D materials as a promising candidate for use in novel electronic and optical devices.  Phosphorene's Achilles' heel, however, is its air-sensitivity.  When exposed to air, phosphorene is rapidly oxidized, losing its valuable optoelectronic properties.  Herein, we propose Lewis acids such as GaCl3, AlCl3, and AlBr3 as effective reagents for protecting phosphorene.  This Lewis acid-based strategy has advantages over previous methods because it is reversible and leaves phosphorene optically and electronically accessible.  A Lewis acid can act as an electron acceptor for the lone electons pairs on the surface of black phosphorus.  By sterically blocking oxygen's access to these lone pairs, ambient degradation in phosphorene is drastically slowed.

Crucial processes in clean energy research, such as the splitting of water into H₂ and O₂ and the reduction of CO₂, require multi-electron redox events throughout a catalytic cycle. Noble metals such as iridium and platinum prefer such events, while more abundant and consequently cheaper base metals prefer single-electron events. Redox-active ligands offer the potential of enabling noble metal behavior in base metals by combining a single-electron transformation at both the metal and the ligand to create an overall two-electron process. While redox non-innocent ligands are typically comprised of organic components, cobalt selenide clusters offer an attractive alternative given their wide variety of accessible oxidation states. Here, I present the synthesis of heteroleptic cobalt selenide clusters [cis-Co₆Se₈(PEt₃)₄(RNHP(C₆H₅)₂)₂ Et = ethyl, R = alkyl, aryl] containing ditopic aminophosphine ligands. The cluster was then metallated using copper(II) triflate and the product was fully characterized by multi-nuclear nuclear magnetic resonance, ultraviolet-visible, and infrared spectroscopies. Further analysis was performed using cyclic voltammetry and the solid-state structure has been solved via single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Upon spectroscopic analysis, it appears that copper(II) is reduced to copper(I) by the cluster. This result is encouraging, as using clusters as redox-active ligands would require facile electron transfer between the metal atom and the cluster core.

Everyone dying at home requires help from a care partner (CP). For most people, these CPs are family members and friends who help their loved ones with daily tasks, medications, and comfort measures. Those who engage hospice services also benefit from the support of experienced medical/social service teams. By definition, the focus of hospice care is on a family unit, although currently there are no broadly disseminated systematic methods for assessing the needs of CPs or offering preventative interventions. My mentors, Dr. Sadak's team, conducted a pragmatic trial of assessing CP needs in hospice by adapting "Managing Your Loved One's Health" (MYLOH), a 29-item self-report measure of CP activation: readiness, knowledge, skills for meeting their care recipient's healthcare needs and maintain personal wellness for use in hospice. I reviewed and thematically coded: 1. Video interviews with RN case managers and administrators, 2. Researcher's field notes, and 3. All other documented communication between the research and the hospice teams; created a timeline and documented the rationale for adaptations that were made in MYLOH. Methods: A Sample of N=50 CP of people receiving hospice care; N=14 RN Case Managers; N=6 Hospice Administrators. MYLOH and several other brief CP assessment measures were administered by RN case managers to CPs on baseline, week 4, and week 12. Measures were used as a guide for conducting CP/Patient needs assessment, and to plan and assess effectiveness of interventions. Case managers took process notes and offered feedback via video-recorded interviews with the research team. Adaptations to MYLOH were made based on this iterative feedback. MYLOH-Hospice is a 12-item measure that is a useful tool for guiding assessment and interventions for CPs in hospice, it has strong face validity and acceptability, but is found to be too long for iterative routine use.

Becoming a mother can be an incredibly beautiful process, but it can also become overwhelming and extremely stressful, especially when lacking support and resources. The chronic and significant stress that low-income, pregnant women experience put them at greater risk for adverse health outcomes and their infant at risk for poor developmental outcomes. At the University of Washington’s Center for Child and Family Well-Being, our research team has developed mindfulness-based interventions to help new moms adjust to their new life. Our goal is to examine the effects of stress on the mother-infant dyad and to evaluate whether these programs are beneficial for moms and their babies. Expecting mothers are randomly assigned to attend one mindfulness-based program that focuses on preparing for childbirth, reducing postpartum stress, or developing parenting skills. Administration of extensive questionnaires to the mother and recordings of the mother and baby completing various tasks, before and after the program, measure the pair’s socioemotional development. We also collect cortisol, a stress hormone, and measure heart rate and breathing during a stress-reactivity paradigm to inform us of the physiological effects of stress. We hypothesize that mothers who exhibit high levels of mindfulness are more likely to engage in consistent, warm, and responsive parenting skills. As a result, these mothers' infants will display better self-regulation and focus. We also predict that mothers and babies who participate in these mindfulness interventions are more likely to show a decrease in cortisol production and have controlled cardiovascular reactivity. Recommendations for future research include establishing a systematic way of identifying mothers at risk so that we may prevent further harms caused by stress. Implications of the findings can be used to advocate for equitable, accessible mental health programs and implementation of public health policy centered around protecting and empowering vulnerable women and children in our community.

The recent large number of world-wide disasters has catapulted disaster research to a highly important endeavor. 2017 was the most expensive on record with 16 U.S. climate events’ losses totaling $306 billion. Research suggests the costliest effects may result from emotional and psychosocial health. Those who are: seniors, distressed, and/or experience early-life vulnerabilities are at increased risk for negative health responses. This study addresses the need to reduce vulnerability and increase preparedness by evaluating how older adults perceive/prepare for disasters, including psychological factors that may influence their motivation to prepare. Literature review results from 26 references indicate older adults are: (1) among our most vulnerable populations for natural disasters, (2) underprepared, though resources are available, and (3) preparing close friends/family before themselves. The Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST) posits that as we age, our time perceptions become constrained, motivations shift, and we prefer positive over negative information. Therefore, I asked: (1) if older adults are intuitively resistant to negative information, such as impending disasters, how might we reframe it to be congruent with their desire for positive information? (2) If we approach older adults through more positive experiences, will they be receptive and motivated to prepare? I employed a model, namely: disaster preparedness behavior (PB) is a function of vulnerability (V) and resilience (R). To test this, a survey was developed to assess how factors of V and R would interact and influence PB. I will pilot test this survey through the evaluation of community-living older adults. PB is expected to be negatively related to V, positively related to R. This study extends disaster research by using psychological variables to predict preparedness and evaluating motivation to prepare using SST as a guiding framework. Results should increase knowledge about older adults’ perceptions of disaster preparedness and factors to mitigate increased preparedness.

Dementia impacts 4+ million older adults in the United States. The majority of patients with dementia (PWD) are cared for at home by family/friend care partners (CP). While this caregiving role can be highly meaningful, it is also a demanding responsibility. Resilience, or the ability to recover from stressful situations, has been shown to be protective for CP of PWD. There are three major models of resilience, describing resilience as: 1) an outcome, 2) a trait or 3) a process. Currently, there is no consensus on the best way to operationalize and measure resilience in the context of dementia caregiving. My project focuses on addressing this gap. My hypothesis is that: 1. Resilience in the context of dementia caregiving has specific characteristics, reflecting the complexity of caregiving; 2. CP likely over-estimate their resilience; 3. Resilience is a dynamic process related to positive functioning that fluctuates across time and situation, rather than a personality trait or outcome. 4. Optimal assessment will combine CP self-report with more objective, observable, or CP-reported behaviors. Our initial focus was understanding different approaches of defining and measuring resilience in CP of PWD. We used two data sources to code behaviors linked with resilience: 1. relevant literature; 2. 30 semi-structured interviews with CP of PWD evaluating resilience-related behaviors. We identified relevant behaviors and organized data from both sources using thematic coding. We used key identified behaviors to create a behavior-based model of CP resilience–Care Partner Resilience (CPR). Our hypotheses were confirmed. Our next steps are to validate CRP. Dementia is one of the major health conditions faced by the geriatric population, and CP burden from dementia can take a devastating toll the capacity to continue providing care. Thus, an accurate operational definition of resilience is essential in targeting interventions and developing long-term support tools for CP.

Analysis of plant foods and medicines is a growing field within archaeological research. However, few scholars have examined plant foods among Native American communities in colonial settings. This project combined archival and archaeological data to better understand plant use within the Grand Ronde community during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Field Methods in Indigenous Archaeology (FMIA), a community-based research partnership between UW and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Historic Preservation Office, has collected macrobotanical remains from the Grand Ronde Reservation in northwestern Oregon. I explored how and why these remains were used within the community. Knowing this information will provide a better sense of local environmental contexts and cultural lifeways. To study this question, I selected ten plants that have been recovered during FMIA’s excavations and examined ethnographic, archaeological, and documentary sources from the region to understand each plant’s cultural context. I found that most plants found on the reservation were used as food sources, though some also had medicinal and spiritual significance. This work sheds new light on the relationships between Native communities and plants in the Pacific Northwest over the past two centuries, helping us understand how people navigated the challenges and opportunities introduced by colonialism.

Archaeologists are increasingly concerned with the long-term preservation and accessibility of research data. However, few have explored the challenges and opportunities of data management in the context of community-based research with Native communities. This project focuses on the data management practices of Field Methods of Indigenous Archaeology (FMIA), a community-based research partnership between UW and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Historic Preservation Office. It examines how these practices take on special importance when working with Native communities, including how they help bridge gaps between archaeologists’ interpretations of Grand Ronde history and those maintained by the tribal community. To explore this question, I photographed artifacts, digitized field and lab data, and assessed FMIA’s approach to data curation and accessibility. This archive of photographs and digital data ensures that project data remain usable to future researchers and the Grand Ronde community in investigations of tribal history. Thinking through archaeological data management thus facilitates better organization of research data and fosters increased community collaboration.

Many of the world’s most important countries are experiencing large increases in their populations of older adults (e.g. Japan, China, Italy, Germany). Such longevity is requiring a greater need for long term care. However, societies can not afford to pay for formal care, so informal (unpaid family) caregivers (CGs) are becoming increasingly important. Unfortunately, many CGs are at high-risk for psychosocial/health problems. Moreover, caregivers with pre-existing health problems are particular risk. Our goal is to examine factors that may make cancer caregivers vulnerable. We used a vulnerability (have a cancer history or not) by exposure (being a caregiver or not) model, and stratified our participants into four groups: Cancer Caregivers, Non-Cancer Caregivers, Cancer Non-Caregivers, and Non-Cancer Non-Caregivers. At baseline and 15-18 months later, we measured indicators of life quality and caregiver demands: satisfaction with support, well-being, perceived support, loneliness, and hours spent caregiving. Cancer Caregivers reported poorer social supports and more time caregiving. This is important because previous work has shown that Cancer Caregivers have more negative and fewer positive life experiences and that these are related to the ability to fight tumor growth. Despite innovations, this study only included white Americans. Also, to increase participation among persons with cancer, we only included those who were not treated for at least one year and who had not suffered from serious forms of cancer. Our results would probably have been stronger had we included persons with more serious cancers, but such individuals might not have participated or been able to be caregivers. Given the rapid rise of cancer in China, we suggest that research examine cancer and caregiving in China and that cross-cultural research be done in the U.S. and China. To understand the dynamics of caregiving, health and well-being, one needs to study these processes cross-culturally.

Chemically induced dimerization (CID), in which two proteins dimerize only in the presence of a small molecule, has been widely used to control cell signaling, regulatory, and metabolic pathways, and used as logic gates for biological computation in living mammalian cells. However, few naturally occuring CID systems and their derivatives are currently available. Creating a CID system with desired affinity and specificity for any given small molecule remains an unsolved problem for computational design and other protein engineering approaches. To address this challenge, we have used a novel strategy to select CID binders from a vastly diverse combinatorial nanobody library. We have created new CID systems that can sense cholecalciferol and artemisinin. We are validating CID biosensors by a yeast three-hybrid system and built structural models to understand the small molecule-induced dimerization. Our work is a proof-of-concept that can be generalized to create CID systems for many applications.

Archaeologists increasingly use three-dimensional modeling to analyze artifact attributes and document in situ relationships. Less attention has been paid to modeling’s potential in strengthening connections between descendant communities and their cultural heritage. In collaboration with the Grand Ronde Historic Preservation Office, we created three-dimensional models of excavation units and belongings associated with the Molalla Encampment, a late nineteenth and early twentieth century settlement area on the Grand Ronde Reservation in northwestern Oregon. This work proceeded in two steps. First, we established a modeling methodology applicable to a variety of excavation contexts and artifact types. This required defining proper artifact handling techniques and modeling procedures, including optimal camera settings and software workflow. Second, we used this methodology to capture hundreds of artifacts photos in order to build each model. Photogrammetry provides an alternative approach to heritage curation, allowing us to share interactive, three-dimensional models of historic belongings within the Grand Ronde community. This not only lends additional transparency to our research process, it can also initiate conversations with tribal members about the functions and meanings of belongings in historic reservation lifeways. Photogrammetry can thus play an important role in the development of community-based research practices.

Analysis of faunal remains provides crucial insight into the subsistence patterns of past groups. This is particularly important for the Grand Ronde community in northwestern Oregon, where past and present populations have balanced traditional practices and lifeways with imposed colonial assimilation pressures and economies. This research examines faunal remains found at the Molalla Encampment and Grand Ronde Agency Schoolhouse, two nineteenth and early twentieth century archaeological sites on the Grand Ronde Reservation. Our research focuses on documenting and analyzing faunal remain attributes such as degree of fragmentation, taxonomic presence, and bone modification at the two sites. In addition to comparative faunal analysis, our research takes a step further by looking into the implications of observed bone modifications. Aided by archival and primary sources, we reconstructed the taphonomic pathways of these remains, determining whether they have been altered by either humans or animals. For example, our analysis of cut marks revealed if meat was butchered commercially at the site, what meat cuts were consumed, and meat prices at Grande Ronde during the early 1900s. Comparing these data by site and stratigraphic level paints a better picture of life at Grand Ronde across space and time. This research provides insight into subsistence patterns within the Grand Ronde community and how they navigated the challenges and opportunities of life on the reservation.

 Within archaeology, little research has focused on Native American lithic traditions in colonial contexts, especially over the last two centuries. This project analyzes lithic material from the Molalla encampment, a nineteenth and twentieth century habitation area on the Grande Ronde Reservation in northwestern Oregon. Research teams associated with Field Methods in Indigenous Archaeology, a community-based research project between the UW and confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde Historic Preservation Office, collected the lithics over three field seasons, from 2016-2018. By using methodologies such as macroscopic attribute description analysis and geochemical obsidian sourcing, this research investigates how colonialism impacted the Grande Ronde community’s relationship to lithic traditions, raw material acquisition, and tool manufacturing and use. The care taken to create tools that acted as a central part of community connection during the hardships of the colonial era reflects an effort to stay connected to place and practice despite forced relocation and assimilation pressures. This project expands on research on the analysis of lithic traditions, showing that long-important practices remained features of Native cultural lifeways in colonial contexts.

Alzheimer's disease has been labeled the disease of the 21st Century. Societies around the world have not properly prepared for the expected massive increase in cases projected for the next 30 years. It is unclear who will care for the increase in numbers of people who will not be able to care for themselves.  At present, the vast majority of care is provided in the home by family members. Spouses represent a sizable percent of these family members. Research on spouse caregivers (CGs) has focused mostly on Whites, with relatively little research on minorities.  Research that has examined minorities has mostly examined self-rated measures, with little work on biological indices. The current study compares four groups of spouses: Black CGs (n = 7), Black Non-Caregivers (NCGs) (n = 8), White CGs (n = 115) and White NCGs (n = 108).  We observe differences in perceived stress, coping, burden/distress and physiological measures. The outcome of our research recommends interventions that could be used to mitigate health problems in caregivers that may allow them and their care-recipients to remain in their homes and live independently.

The identification and characterization of natural and artificial protein-protein interactions are fundamental to science and engineering. Although many technologies have been established to expedite research in this area, all can hardly meet the need to analyze vastly diverse protein-interactome networks, dynamics, evolution, and druggability. To develop a high-throughput quantitative interaction profiling technology, multimeric protein interaction sequencing (mPI-seq), we performed a 20×20-plex binding assay in a single aqueous solution using a set of de novo designed heterodimeric pairs. First, we barcoded the proteins with DNAs by ribosome and mRNA display. Then, barcoded proteins were assayed en masse in aqueous solution and immobilized into an ultrathin polyacrylamide gel layer attached to glass surface for in situ sequencing. DNA barcodes were amplified into discrete DNA clusters (polymerase colonies or polonies) and then sequenced using sequencing by synthesis. Finally, the protein-protein interactions were measured on the basis of the statistics of colocalized polonies arising from barcoding DNAs of interacting proteins. Through this project, we aim to establish a robust quantitative method to measure protein binding affinity massively in parallel and to use the large-scale functional data set to guide computational protein design.

Imidacloprid (IMI), a neonicotinoid insecticide, is being sought by shellfish growers to control burrowing shrimp (ghost shrimp, Neotropea californiensis) in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor, Washington. The shrimp destabilize sediments resulting in poor survival and low yields of the commercially harvested Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), threatening the local shellfish industry. A permit for the use of IMI has been denied by the State, Pacific County has declared an economic emergency, and the outcome of an appeal by the growers remains uncertain. We have undertaken studies to determine if un-iodized table salt may be an alternative to IMI, specifically targeting juvenile shrimp (recruits) inhabiting the upper 10-15 cm of the sediment. Studies in 2018 indicated that a 2-3-fold increase in salinity resulted in 100% mortality when juveniles were exposed in artificial seawater. In 2019, we exposed juveniles (3 replicates, 5 shrimp each) within 10 cm of native sediment to five different salt solutions to achieve sediment pore water salinities of 25 (ambient, control), 35, 50, 70, and 100 ppt. Salt solutions were prepared with native seawater, added on top of the sediment (depth = 2 cm), and allowed to percolate through the sediment column for 6 h (low tide). At 6 h, 2 cm of ambient seawater (25 ppt) were added to simulate tidal inundation and allowed to remain on the surface for 12 h (low-high + high low tide) with two subsequent drawdowns and tidal inundations at 25 ppt (total test duration = 48 h). The sediment was then sieved to remove the shrimp and determine mortality. Average survival of controls (25 ppt) was 73.3% whereas none of the shrimp exposed to elevated salinities survived. Additional tests are underway to examine different exposure scenarios. Results to date suggest table salt may be a viable and greener alternative to IMI.

Sea ice, frozen ocean water, in the Arctic is declining due to climate change. This is getting more attention, since sea ice can substantially affect wildlife, ecosystems, and human society. Sea ice extent, a measure of the surface area of the ocean covered by sea ice, is used to monitor the environment. A good sea ice extent model can benefit not only studies of the Arctic but also the global economy, as many ships use the Arctic area as part of their route. There are various sea ice extent models in the science community that give good estimates of sea ice extent. However, there are instances where their predictions do not match observations. My research explores bias correction methods that help predictions to match observations and compares the performance of sea ice models after bias correction. In this analysis, I consider the performance of a sea ice model produced by the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory using boxplots and rank histograms. This work helps show the value of bias correction. I will compare the performence of the models to identify in what month and in what location models predict well. This information will support improved prediction of the Arctic going forward. 

Could women’s strength of gender identity direct them predominantly to awards open only to women, leaving other awards less gender-diverse? We examined whether women’s awards could steer women away from more lucrative all-gender awards and if women’s strength of gender identity moderates this decision. Undergraduate women (N=169) decided between two fictional scholarships valued at $2500 and $5000. In the control condition, both awards were open to all genders. In the experimental condition, the $2500 award was only open to women. A chi-square test showed that in the control condition, women were more likely to pick the $5000 all-gender award, while in the experimental condition they were more likely to pick the $2500 women’s award. Women’s likelihood to apply to the $2500 award in both conditions was not moderated by identification with their gender. This indicates that women’s identification with their gender was not driving their tendency to select an award targeted to women. Low-value women’s awards may decrease the number of women applying for higher value all-gender awards, potentially contributing to higher proportions of male applicants and winners to those awards.

A national organization named 2-1-1 provides assistance to populations with basic needs, mainly informing and answering questions, and researching resources covering 50 states. Not only is the demand for information growing, but also the complexity of calls is increasing. For example, a person may need information on shelters, medical issues, legal assistance, debt management and other services. Consequently, calls are taking longer, and with limited resources, wait times are increasing and even critical calls are sometimes abandoned. Assigning more staff to a call center is not realistic under limited budgets. Hence, an efficient call center system must be designed. Our research seeks to address the efficiency of the WA 2-1-1 call center system, in Washington State. We hypothesize that the application of call prioritization and skill-based routing can reduce the holding-call time, and eliminate call abandonment for those with urgent needs. We will identify classifications of calls, and evaluate how automation can be used to navigate or direct callers to a correct resource and expedite the whole process. Appropriate classification of calls and prioritization may not only decrease the waiting time but also help training operators with an appropriate skill set. We will apply the concept of operations research to forecast seasonal demand using available data within Washington State, and will estimate the number and allocation of resources the organization should provide. The anticipated result of the research is a call center design that will decrease the number of abandoned calls, provide an immediate response to an urgent call, decrease waiting time, and assign calls to available operators to exploit the limited resources. The WA 2-1-1 call center is important to provide assistance to efficiently serve populations in need. Increasing the efficiency of call centers with limited resources will enable WA 2-1-1 to reach more people in need.