Digital Divides: Exploring Narrative within the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict through X

Social media has become deeply embedded in global culture, serving not just as a source of entertainment, but also as a widely trusted news outlet. The interaction on existing posts and the creation of new content by individuals foster a &ldquo;community&rdquo; where users can engage with each other and shape or amplify narratives and biases based on the content shared. This thesis examines social media, specifically X, as both a news source and a tool for mass communication in the context of international civil conflict, using the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a case study. The goal is to understand how individual biases in posts about the conflict align with or differ from the narratives and biases expressed by news organizations on X. To achieve this, I will address the question: &ldquo;Do the demonstrated narratives and biases surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on X differ between individual users and news organizations?&rdquo;</p

Danish Newspaper Coverage of Climate Change or Global Warming, 2004-2025 - February 2025

The Media and Climate Change Observatory Data monitors 131 sources (across newspapers, radio and TV) in 59 countries in seven different regions around the world. Data is assembled by accessing archives through the Lexis Nexis, Proquest and Factiva databases via the University of Colorado libraries. More information may be found at: http://mecco.colorado.edu.</p

Russian Newspaper Coverage of Climate Change or Global Warming, 2000-2025 - February 2025

The Media and Climate Change Observatory Data monitors 131 sources (across newspapers, radio and TV) in 59 countries in seven different regions around the world. Data is assembled by accessing archives through the Lexis Nexis, Proquest and Factiva databases via the University of Colorado libraries. More information may be found at: http://mecco.colorado.edu.</p

European Newspaper Coverage of Climate Change or Global Warming, 2004-2025 - February 2025

The Media and Climate Change Observatory Data monitors 131 sources (across newspapers, radio and TV) in 59 countries in seven different regions around the world. Data is assembled by accessing archives through the Lexis Nexis, Proquest and Factiva databases via the University of Colorado libraries. More information may be found at: http://mecco.colorado.edu.</p

Gaussian Graphical Models: An Exploration and Application of Learning Conditional Independence

This paper is an application and exploration of how precision matrices signify conditional independence between Gaussian random variables, and what this conditional independence means for the simplification of probabilistic graphical models. We worked with atmospheric data from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (Skamarock, William C., et al., 2012) to determine conditional independence between Gaussian mean variables. We also generated variables from an ordinary differential equation system and looked at the resulting precision matrices. This research details one potential avenue to create precision matrices and probabilistic graphical models from a set of Gaussian random variables, then determine conditional independence. It also explores the setup for a problem relating precision matrices to an oscillating system of ordinary differential equations, and potential applications of this method.</p

Emerging Jets: Current Insights and Future Directions in Up-Type Quarks

This thesis reviews progress in the search for dark matter through the Emerging jets (EMJ) theory, which postulates a hidden sector governed by a dark strong force analogous to the Standard Model&rsquo;s strong force. This sector rarely interacts with the Standard Model, potentially via a heavy mediator, the Higgs boson, or a Z&rsquo; boson. Such interactions produce unique jet structures detectable at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). While recent studies have focused on down-type couplings, up-type couplings and the Higgs mediator remain promising avenues for exploration. This thesis explores the scenario in which the dark sector couples to the up-type quarks.</p

Regional Variation in Nitrate Content of Rock Glacier Outflow

&nbsp; As alpine ecosystems undergo widespread deglaciation, rock glaciers and periglacial features are becoming an increasingly critical water reservoir in headwater ecosystems. Thus, rock glacier outlet water chemistry has critical implications for ecosystem resiliency and downstream water quality under accelerating global change. These waters have been observed to contain extremely high nitrate concentrations, among the highest ever recorded in high elevation ecosystems. This has the potential to influence biogeochemical cycling in headwater systems. Despite these potentially significant impacts, sources of reactive nitrogen species in rock glacier outflow remain unknown. We compare concentrations and stable isotopes of nitrate in rock glacier outflow to surface water, groundwater, and snow samples. We examine variations in nitrate loading between the San Juan Mountains and the Front Range, as well as variation across regions globally. Nitrate concentrations in rock glacier outflow are highest in the Front Range but are consistent across regions once normalized to reference stream concentrations. We suggest phase change concentration as a possible mechanism behind elevated [NO3-] in rock glacier outflows. Potential nitrate sources include nitrification and atmospheric deposition of nitrates. </p

An Optimized Protocol for Volatile Suspended Solids Quantification by Loss on Ignition at 550°C and Extraction of Biofilm Extracellular Polymeric Substances using Cation Exchange Resin

This thesis provides a refined method utilizing loss on ignition (LOI) at 550 Celsius to accurately measure Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS), Fixed Suspended Solids (FSS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), and Total Organic Carbon (TOC). A 2001 Draft EPA Method 1684 was referenced and revised using positive control experiments and current studies. The method reporting and detection limits were determined following Environmental Protection Agency Guidelines. LOI at 550&deg;C can be used for soil organic carbon, sludge, sediment analysis, wastewater treatment plant monitoring, and water quality assessment. A sample collection method was developed for periphyton algae samples from Boulder Creek, Boulder, CO for LOI 550&deg;C. Periphyton is primarily made up of diatom algae cells, which produce a microbial extracellular film called biofilm to survive harsh conditions. Environmental biofilms can be used as bioindicators for contaminants in the water and provide potential degradation pathways for toxins. Biofilm is composed of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that can be separated into colloidal EPS and bound EPS, consisting of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and divalent metals such as Ca2+ and Mg2+. The second section of this thesis optimizes an EPS extraction method of biofilms utilizing CER (cation exchange resin) by introducing lab-grown biofilm Bacillus Subtilis as a standardized control, allowing reproducibility across labs. Currently, there are no standard controls used between EPS extraction methods.&nbsp;</p

The Bridges from Home

A bridge connects two places. My personal bridge connects my path from Taiwan to the United States, broadens my world, and helps me become who I am. My bridge also connects two different musical styles. The recording starts with arrangements of folk songs, in which the audience can easily approach and understand the character and the style. From this starting point, the audience can notice the Taiwanese musical color and elements that will occur in the piano trio pieces which are written in more complicated form. By blending Taiwanese musical language with Western culture, Ching-Ju Shih, Deh-Ho Lai, and Su-Ti Chen create a bridge between tradition and innovation. Being educated in both Taiwan and Western countries, these three composers&rsquo; music is influenced by both. The beauty of the integration between Western and Eastern cultures.</p

Everything, Everywhere, All at Once: Boethian Eternality, Synchronic Contingency, and the Problem of Divine Foreknowledge

The writings of Boethius (480-524) were deeply influential in the development of latermedieval thought. His most influential contribution was his work on the problem of free will anddivine foreknowledge. Boethius explored these ideas in his two commentaries on Aristotle's DeInterpretatione 9 and in his later work The Consolation of Philosophy. His proposed solution,divine eternality, continues to be a prevalent view in contemporary arguments surroundingforeknowledge. But his proposed model for divine foreknowledge runs into certain puzzles that itdoes not have the tools to answer. Thus, many people have rejected his solution in favor ofalternative views. I hope to show that a revised model of divine foreknowledge can answer theseobjections. In order to do this, it will be necessary to take a foray into the work of a much latermedieval author, John Duns Scotus (1265-1308), who was a pivotal figure in the history of thefree will debate. Scotus&rsquo; own solution to the problem of divine foreknowledge, which I will referto as the synchronic model, faces problems similarly definitive to Boethius. But, he makessubstantial progress in explaining human and divine freedom. In this thesis I will argue that ahybrid Synchronic-Eternality model offers a compelling way forward in resolving the puzzle ofdivine foreknowledge and free will. This thesis will first trace out Boethius own view, drawing on both his earlycommentaries and the consolation, in order to show the space that Boethius carves out forcontingency. Then, this thesis will explore certain definitive problems facing Boethius&rsquo; account.Next, it will then explore Scotus&rsquo; own work on contingency and freedom, before surveying theproblems with his solution. Finally, the paper will conclude by proposing an alternative modelfor divine foreknowledge, the Synchronic-Eternality model, which relies on the contributions ofboth Scotus and Boethius, and exploring potential objections to the view</p