Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2022, Art

This thesis paper is in correlation with the making and result of two projects named: My Hands, Your Eyes, Your Hands, Your Eyes and Broken Objects. Both projects are connected to a site and object determined process that values an open and conditional art practice. They locate themselves in the conditions of working with spaces, materials and objects that may be discarded or unnoticed as a way of reimagining of what we regard as important. This thesis paper describes the installation of My Hands Your Eyes, Your Hands, Your Eyes which was included in the 2022 Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition that occurred from February 15th to March 19th at Urban Arts Space in Columbus Ohio. This project explores the differences and ambiguities of art, design and architecture with a phenomenological and experiential installation using light, space, and reflection. It also reflects on the craft oriented and contemplative material processes of laminating cardboard, stained glasswork, and neon bending. Included are a selection of writings and photographs from Broken Objects, an on-going project where I solicit and mend objects for others. This project began by thinking about the cycle of disposal in my object making practice. It has grown into a collection of unique correspondences between myself and project participants that center around their objects in need of mending and the stories they generate. Both projects work to re-invent artistic modes and ways of making by reinvigorating objects, spaces, and conditions. I value the knowledge gained through working with one's hands by way of craft materials and processes. These projects create opportunities to work in craft and studio practices while focusing on communal and shared experiences.

Bachelor of Music, Capital University, 2022, Music

Theatre is an art form with the capacity to enact real change in our communities. Because of the wide array of topics theatre explores, it can help us to hold up a mirror to real life, critique and comment on proceedings within it, hold space for human emotion and therefore catharsis, and get viewers invested in a good story. This begs a responsibility for theatrical professionals to tie in aspects of community outreach to create a more enriching show, and harness the true power of this art form. In this project, I will be producing and directing Indecent, as well as creating opportunities for community outreach through talkbacks, service projects, and campus engagement opportunities. I will be creating a directorial concept, choosing actors, designing a rehearsal plan, finding costumes, set design elements, lighting, sound, and anything else needed to produce the show, all while organizing the opportunities for community engagement, complementary to the show's themes of LGBTQ+ rights and the history of Yiddish theatre. I have received permission also to conduct interviews and surveys of audience members directly after the show as well as check-ins to measure how the themes resonated with them, and later, how they have noticed them appear in their lives since, or any changes they have made. In the final paper in the execution semester, I will then explore these effects through the findings of this production and outreach components to demonstrate that theatre has the ability, and therefore responsibility to benefit others.

Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Science (MSP), University of Toledo, 2021, Pharmaceutical Sciences (Industrial Pharmacy)

Self-micro-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) have been proven to have improved drug stability, lower toxicity, and increase bioavailability of insoluble drugs. It is a drug delivery design that can prevent physical and chemical drug degradation. The goal of this study was to develop a solid formulation incorporating a self-micro-emulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) for the oral delivery of Monodora myristica essential oil (MMEO). MMEO was extracted from the blended seeds of Monodora myristica using the hydro-distillation method. MMEO was characterized by evaluating the physicochemical properties to ascertain the quality and purity of the essential oil by comparing with MMEO data in the literature. The design of the experiment was done by using Fusion Pro by S-Matrix (Fusion Pro Software Version 9.9.0 Build690, S-Matrix Corporation (www.smatrix.com)) to compare a combination of MMEO/Tween 80/Transcutol HP and MMEO/ Kolliphor/ Labrasol 12 formulations. MMEO (10.92%) / Tween 80 (48%) /Transcutol HP (41.8%) was predicted to be the best formulation with desirable characteristics such as a mean particle size of 112.7 nm, the zeta potential of +5.10 mv, and a transparent emulsion. The emulsion formed was stable over 90 days without any form of emulsion instability or oil precipitation. The liquid-SMEDDS was adsorbed unto Neusilin US2 to form solid-SMEDDS. The solid-SMEDDS was added to cellulose, lactose, starch, talc, magnesium stearate to directly compress type 1 and type 2 tablets while the solid-SMEDDS was directly compressed to formulate type 3 tablets. Type 3 tablets had the highest drug loading capacity unlike type 1 and type 2 tablets. Also, type 3 had the highest breaking force and longest disintegration time. Using one-way ANOVA, the P-value obtained was below 0.05 for tablet thickness, tablet breaking force, and disintegration tests. Therefore, there was a statistically significant difference between type 1, type 2, and type 3 tablets properties su (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2020, Instructional Technology (Education)

Learning never ends in the classroom. This dissertation is a mixed methods study exploring how Chinese fans continue to learn informally in cyberspace as they gain and practice knowledge of copyright via their online fan activities. Based on a large-sample online survey and in-depth qualitative interviews, this dissertation found that online fan activities have been the main channel through which Chinese fans gain copyright knowledge and have profoundly influenced their attitudes and actions towards copyright issues. Although generational differences influence the learning trajectories of fans, basic knowledge about rules for copyrights established by early fans have been disseminated and accepted as community norms. In this process, the state and the content industry policy changes have also influenced fans' attitudes about copyright issues. The findings also suggest that copyright advocacy is a fannish activity within the Chinese digital creative fandom. Chinese fans' copyright awareness, like the Chinese digital creative fandom itself, has developed under the influence of foreign culture. However, it is also driven by a natural enthusiasm for appreciating and protecting the creators in an environment where copyright infringement is rampant. Fans' multiple roles within the fandom make copyright advocacy relevant to most of the community members: they are fans of the original media products, creators of fanworks, and fans and/or friends of fanwork creators. These emotional attachments push fans to engage in copyright discussions and disputes online, which provide numerous learning opportunities for the participants. This research project investigated the nuances and heterogeneity of fans' concerns about copyright, providing new materials for discussions of copyright and fandom, as well as informal learning online. Plagiarism, as a sub-topic of copyright, is also addressed in this dissertation.

Master of Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 2019, Physics

This paper presents a survey of possible applications for the MicroZed Timekeeping and Geolocating Sensor (TGS) developed by Professor Corbin Covault of Case Western Reserve University and his team. Professor Covault prototyped the device in 1996 at the Pierre Auger Observatory as a tool to count cosmic rays in his research and he has continued to develop the device. The paper investigates possible current markets for the device and considers its patentability. Markets considered include Box Synchronization for usage in Travelling Wave (TW) Fault Detection, electric trading markets, the Smart Grid, Microgrids, potential defense applications, Aviation and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology, Internet of Things, Geofencing, Microlocation, and Microlocation of Live Rescue Personnel. Although the author concludes that the device may not be patentable, the paper offers insight and a recommended path for the professor to take should he decide to commercialize the device for use in any of the mentioned applications.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2019, Dance Studies

Since its premiere, YouTube has rapidly emerged as the most important venue shaping popular dance practitioners and consumers, introducing paradigm shifts in the ways dances are learned, practiced, and shared. YouTube is a technological platform, an economic system, and a means of social affiliation and expression. In this dissertation, I contribute to ongoing debates on the social, political, and economic effects of technological change by focusing on the bodily and emotional labor performed and archived on the site in videos, comments sections, and advertisements. In particular I look at comments and fan video as social paratexts which shape dance reception and production through policing genre, citationality, and legitimacy; position studio dance class videos as an Internet screendance genre which entextualizes the pedagogical context through creative documentation; and analyze the use of dance in online advertisements to promote identity-based consumption. Taken together, these inquiries show that YouTube perpetuates and reshapes established modes and genres of production, distribution, and consumption. These phenomena require an analysis that accounts for their multivalence and the ways the texts circulating on YouTube subvert existing categories, binaries, and hierarchies. A cyclical exchange—between perpetuation and innovation, subculture and pop culture, amateur and professional, the subversive and the neoliberal—is what defines YouTube and the investigation I undertake in this dissertation.

Master of Arts (MA), Wright State University, 2018, Educational Leadership

Due to the continuous growth of diverse student bodies on college campuses, creating accessibility for each unique student needs to be considered. Students who have a disability or disabilities are a substantial part of this growing diverse student body. Since disability resource specialists play a significant role in creating accessibility for such students, they can consider implementing practices that qualify as Universal Design. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore where disability resource specialists fall on Lewin's (1951) continuum of change and Reynold's (2009) levels of expertise in regards to implementing practices that qualify as Universal Design. Six participants were included in this study out of eight who were invited to participate. Out of those six participants, the study showed that all participants demonstrated a strong presence in the Unfreezing stage of Lewin's (1951) continuum of change. Also, the study showed that all participants showed a level of knowledge as the second tier to Reynold's (2009) levels of expertise. Limitations as well as recommendations for future research included recruiting a larger sample of participants to provide greater analysis of the study.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2017, Economics

My research concerns how governments make economic decisions and interact with other governments, to increase social welfare; in particular, my focus lies in the area of taxation and technological innovation. In a globalized economy with mobile capital, increasing interest has been paid to capital tax policy. My research is among the first to examine empirically and explain theoretically the tax competition among states in the U.S. Moreover, I also study how state governments set their tax rates using historical data and explain why the pattern observed is different from the zero-tax theory. Due to the absence of state-level average capital tax rate data, I first construct a panel dataset of average capital income tax rates at the state level for the period 1958-2007 for the capital taxation studies. In Chapter 1, I analyze the tax policy of each individual state government. Empirical evidence implies that tax rates are history-dependent. I provide an alternative explanation for nonzero capital tax rate, reexamining Ramsey's (1927) rule. With a lack of commitment power from government, households form adaptive expectations on capital tax rates. The equilibrium capital tax rate is thus history-dependent with a balanced-budget requirement on state governments. The investment decision combines income and substitution effects, and the U.S. states differ on investment sensitivity to capital tax rates. I provide empirical findings on investment sensitivity for each state, and then a structural model is applied to replicate the empirical. In Chapter 2, I analyze the pattern of strategic interaction on capital tax rates among states in the U.S. This paper is the first to apply MLE estimation of the SAR panel data model with fixed-effects to study tax competition behavior. Through a joint investigation into both tax competition behavior and capital allocation decision, I demonstrate the existence of capital tax competition among states in the South and West, but compe (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2016, English

From prompts to share, update, and retweet, social media platforms increasingly insist that creating widespread circulation is the operative goal for networked writing. In response, researchers from multiple disciplines have investigated digital circulation through a number of lenses (e.g., affect theory, transnational feminism, political economy, public sphere theory, and more). In rhetoric and writing studies, scholars have argued that writing for circulation—i.e., envisioning how one's writing may gain speed, distance, and momentum—should be a prime concern for teachers and researchers of writing (e.g., Gries, 2015; Ridolfo & DeVoss, 2009; Porter, 2009; Sheridan, Ridolfo, & Michel, 2012). Such work has suggested that circulation is a consequence of rhetorical delivery and, as such, is distinctly about futurity. While a focus on writing for circulation has been productive, I argue that that writing in circulation can be equally productive. Challenging the tendency to position circulation as an exclusive concern for delivery, this project argues that circulation is not just as an end goal for rhetorical activity but also as a viable inventional resource for writers with diverse rhetorical goals. To make this case, I construct a methodology of assemblage to retell stories of tactical rhetorics. Grounded in the cultural notion of metis (an adaptable, embodied, and wily intelligence), the framework of tactical rhetorics seeks to describe embodied practices that pull materials out of circulation, reconfigure them, and redeploy them for new, often political effects. Blending historical inquiry with case-based methods, I assemble an array of stories that include practices of critical imitation, collage, tactical media, remix, digital hijacks, and protest bots. In retelling these stories, I show how tactical approaches are inventive in their attempts to solve problems, effect change, or call out injustice. In the process, my project pushes toward a critical circul (open full item for complete abstract)

MLS, Kent State University, 2016, College of Arts and Sciences / Liberal Studies Program

The essay "Unlucky, A Student Film" details the making of a full-length feature film right here at Kent State. The essay discusses the essential steps in producing a feature film, challenges you will face, as well as tips and tricks on how to be a director.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Bowling Green State University, 2015, Creative Writing/Poetry

Free Women: Fairytales From A Lumbertown Brothel is a historically-based novel-in-verse inspired by the lives of trafficked women in the lumber camps of 1880s mid-Michigan. The poetic work pulls on the narrative traditions of Dorothy Porter and Anne Carson as well as historical records and fairytale tropes to try and make sense of senseless murders, enslavement, and violence. These poems seek to define womanhood in a dangerous time and place, give body and voice to a forgotten segment of people, and show the great strides and enormous failures society has made in the time since.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2015, East Asian Languages and Literatures

Xiaomi, founded April 2010, within 4 years has already become the king of China's smartphones and even ranks third in global smartphone sales. This current paper explores the reasons for Xiaomi's explosion of popularity from six different angles: company development history, business operations strategy, competitive advantage, competitor analysis, potential obstacles to development and domestic market prospects. Through an in-depth analysis, this paper will explore the resistances faced by Xiaomi when entering foreign markets and how they were able to maintain foreign sales and health development. Finally, it will discuss some of the valuable lessons that Chinese enterprises expanding abroad and foreign enterprises entering China can learn from Xiaomi's success.

MA, Kent State University, 2015, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Anthropology

This thesis discusses some of the main factors that have hindered Australian Aboriginal people in their efforts to use their art as a catalyst for stronger political standing and an improved standard of living. Accordingly, based on my interviews and surveys at the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, it appears that the patrons appreciate the art but do not recognize the art's inward significance and its messages about Aboriginal political struggles. This thesis focuses on a few of the main factors that affect Western (including American) interpretations of Aboriginal art. Some of these factors are: hegemonic influences and Western categorizations; visual similarities to Modern art styles; and Western thirst for “primitivism.” There were correlations in the data between understanding of the art and education, travel, and “Entering Identity.” Data also reveal crucial omissions from patrons' comments, such as the idea of corporate identity, diffusion, syncretism, haptic touch, and the impact of commercialization. I address how these exclusions are related to patron misconceptions about the art. The latter part of the thesis analyzes American characteristics including: White Privilege; class ideologies; consumerism; “polite society;” and geographical tendencies, and how these characteristics reflect patrons' responses. Finally this thesis grapples with inherent paradoxes when Aboriginal art is reviewed on the world art market, and how anthropologists can help to resolve these issues.

BA, Oberlin College, 2015, Comparative Literature

In the semi-biographical Capital Sur (2011), Spanish journalist Eduardo del Campo draws on experimental narrative techniques to portray his home city of Seville as he saw it in the 1990's: a barometer of Spain's social and economic crises. Here I compare modern translation theories to my own partial translation of this novel into English, which I place in the context of the U.S. translation publishing industry. I also show how the historical and cultural context of Seville influence the text's themes—including del Campo's critique of the hegemonic ways that countries such as the United States tend to exoticize Spain's culture.

Master of Arts, Case Western Reserve University, 2014, Cognitive Linguistics

Characters abound; in this work I will discuss several aspects of character and identity. Examples will be drawn from a variety of literature, and we will see some real world implications.

BA, Oberlin College, 2013, Politics

The popularity of intercollegiate football and men's basketball at the NCAA Division I level has become comparable to that of professional sports during the period between 1960 and 2013. This league, which is comprised of unpaid, amateur athletes enrolled as students at the various member universities, has undergone a number of changes since its formation in 1906. Although holding amateurism to be its core governing principle, the Association has changed the definition of the term from its original construct in 19th century English institutions of higher learning. The first portion of this research concerns the history of the league's definition of this term, as well as the league's relation to its athletes. Further research regarding the legal definition of the NCAA as a national governing body, its relationship to member schools and individual athletes is explored to compliment the understanding of its historical evolution. Jurisprudence and legal precedent is analyzed to describe the amateur ideal in the conception of the American public. Financial figures as well as budgeting for the Association and the university athletic departments are used to compliment the understanding of rising revenue from television and sponsor contracts. General misappropriation of funds, along with corrupt internal investigation practices are identified in conjunction with incongruences in the stated definition of student-athletes and actual practices, strongly suggesting need for reform. Finally, the Sherman Anti-trust Act and the National Labor Relations Act are used to identify avenues of reform to rectify the treatment of athletes as primarily employees, instead of students, of their universities. An alternative format for this pre-professional league is laid out in the final portion of this thesis, realigning this major portion of American labor, entertainment, and education with proper conceptions of propriety and justice.

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2012, English

THINKING AND THOBBING: USING ARCHIVAL RESEARCH IN WAC by Faydra V. Womble The use of archival research in a WAC hybrid was examined. Undergraduate students in first-year composition courses at Fayetteville State University, one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in North Carolina, examined archival texts of James Ward Seabrook for definitions of thobbing and completed two online modules for Land Grant Universities in Research Ethics (LANGURE) core courses in Writing-to-Learn (WTL) exercises. Analysis of students' written responses in focused summaries and response papers indicated they preferred instruction in documentary analysis of archival texts and cited self-preservation as a primary factor in ethical decision-making. The results indicate students are more likely to subscribe to self-taught ethics than to larger ethical systems in discourse communities across disciplines. Implications of the effects of archival research in a WAC hybrid are discussed.

PHD, Kent State University, 2011, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of History

Paul E. Werner, newspaper publisher, printer, industrialist, was as ruthless as other businessmen of Gilded Age Akron. His story and that of his company exemplifies the “Rags to Riches” American Dream. Lured by steady income from printing, Werner built his family business from a tiny concern in 1873 into a thriving multi-national company by 1894 by acquiring competitors and establishing offices in 20 cities across North America and Europe. Werner printed everything from newspapers and commercial stationary to books, magazines, art, and reference works, including the Encyclopedia Britannica (ninth edition). His once vast, multifaceted business collapsed in 1909 after Encyclopedia Britannica sued the company for copyright infringement, and disappeared by 1914. This dissertation examines the printers of Akron in the nineteenth century, particularly Paul E. Werner, and their place in the history of Akron and demonstrates how Werner is typical of printers of the Gilded Age. Second, it compares Werner to contemporary printers of Cleveland, building upon Russell Duino's 1981 dissertation and Walter Sutton's work on Cincinnati Printers. Finally, it explores intellectual property rights and international copyright infringement as it pertains to Werner's ultimate financial downfall. In an era of micro-histories, this study contributes to Akron's business history by demonstrating the economic significance of printing, and providing another perspective for understanding how industry fosters urban growth and prosperity. Werner's business incorporated, in direct competition with contemporary printers, new merchandising techniques that enticed readers to acquire his books. Secondly, a careful study of Werner's business practices will provide insight into the financial realities of late nineteenth century printers and book publishers, and will contribute to our understanding of the book in Gilded Age America. Lastly, this dissertation will set today's battles over intellectual pro (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2013, Leadership and Change

Bringing innovation to the marketplace for new products and services involves creativity, a culture in which change flourishes, and leadership that thrives on transformation and complexity. This study explored the potential for market disruption or change based on innovations involving patents granted to nonfinancial services organizations that could affect financial services, specifically consumer or retail bank products. It involved analyzing documents related to recently granted patents and completing a mixed methods survey integrating the Delphi research technique. This method required multiple iterations of a survey presented to expert panelists or industry thought leaders to attempt to gain consensus ("Consensus", 2011) or general agreement by the group (Tersine & Riggs, 1976). With this research method, the goal is to gain an understanding of initial individual perspectives. Through an iterative process, then determine if, as a group, they can move toward a common vision of what is likely to happen after viewing other's perspectives. This research was specific to two innovations for which patents have been granted: facial recognition and digital wallets. Patents can provide insights into potential new developments planned by organizations. In some cases, patents can provide insights into innovation, potential threats, opportunities, or disruptions that could change the way a market operates. The goal of this research was to select two recent patents from many that have been granted, develop theoretical insights, and, through a mixed methods survey integrating the Delphi methodology, identify when or if these patents could have an impact on financial services. This research brought together thought leaders in an anonymous, collaborative approach to assess considerations and provide their perspective on these changes. This study served to help leaders drive innovation in financial services organizations and to understand how others perceive these inn (open full item for complete abstract)