Hand in Hand, May-June 2024

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Milwaukee, WI Hand in Hand Finding Ai

Experimental Realization of the Pulse Sequencing Method for Measuring Charge Transfer Collision Cross Sections

Quantifying the probability of charge transfer collisions between hydrogen ions and lithium atoms is relevant to ongoing nuclear fusion research involving tokamaks. This probability is encased in the collision cross-section. Progress towards a new experimental method to measure the cross-section for collisions between protons and lithium atoms at energies as low as 10 eV is described in this thesis. The new method is termed the “Pulse Sequencing Method” because it entails generating and applying seven precisely coordinated voltage pulses to specific experimental equipment. With this method the proton beam is rapidly pulsed on and off exactly out of phase with an electric field that is used to sweep lithium-ion collision products to a CEM detector. The number of detected lithium ions, along with other measured quantities, can be used to infer the collision cross-section. Here I describe experiments to generate, characterize, and optimize the voltage pulses; experiments to test the performance of both the CEM detector and the oven used to generate the lithium atomic beam; and laser absorption experiments to measure the lithium beam density. These experiments finalize the preparations for measuring charge transfer collision cross-sections at previously unexplored energies

Belonging on the Hill: BIPOC Student Experiences with DEI Initiatives at Holy Cross

This thesis examines the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students at the College of the Holy Cross, considering how they cultivate a sense of belonging at a predominantly white institution. This thesis begins by establishing an understanding of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) structures in higher education and existing literature on DEI academia. Additionally, it provides a critical analysis of the College\u27s strategic plan (ASPIRE), focusing on the inclusive Excellence pillar of DEI-led initiatives to further understand how Holy Cross has interpreted DEI. Drawing on ethnographic research with BIPOC students, who have historically been marginalized from the College, the paper works to uplift the experiences of historically marginalized groups while simultaneously promoting institutional change. Ultimately, it argues that BIPOC student voices should be central to the development and implementation of effective DEI strategies in Predominantly White higher education institutions

“Beating Back the Past”: The Psychological Justifications of Violence in Toni Morrison’s Fiction

This thesis examines the traumatic experiences that consume characters’ lives and, in the absence of psychological healing efforts, manifest into violent actions in Toni Morrison’s three novels The Bluest Eye, Sula, and Beloved. I focus on the gendered experience of the female characters Pecola, Sula, Eva, and Sethe, except for the male character, Cholly in The Bluest Eye. Focusing on Morrison’s humanization of violent characters and her sharing of their full life stories, I establish the characters’ internal justifications for their violence to challenge the accepted depiction of all criminals as evil. The three chapters follow the manifestation of trauma into violence and then end with an examination of the consequences of violence for the character who commits the act and their community. Throughout the thesis, I struggle with the question: “How do we react to traumatized victims who traumatize other innocent people?” While I have concluded that there is no appropriate answer to this question, it remains throughout my three chapters as a reminder of the need to work against the institutions that perpetuate intergenerational trauma against people of color. In demonstrating how structures of violence influence characters to act with violence, I argue the necessity to teach and read these texts in American schools. The act of teaching and reading the silenced history of people of color throughout the United States serves as an effort towards communal healing needed by the characters who commit violence throughout the three texts

Organismal Effects of Tire Dust Exposure on Nematostella vectensis

Tire dust is a ubiquitous terrestrial pollutant that can permeate into coastal waters. It primarily forms from tread wear on vehicle tires and follows road run-off into adjacent waters. Chemical leachates from these particles are pollutants known to have deleterious effects on organismal function, which can subsequently impact the functioning of ecosystems, particularly those near urban environments. Building upon past toxin-exposure studies, which have revealed that tire dust can impede the processes of some species, I researched whether Nematostella vectensis, an urban, resilient, model organism, was similarly impacted. N. vectensis, the Starlet Sea anemone, is native to brackish marine environments along the eastern coast of North America, where individuals may be exposed to terrestrial pollutants. I examined the effects of exposure to varied concentrations of tire chemical leachates and tire particles in order to determine how this species responds. I assessed metabolic capacity by measuring the oxygen consumption rate of individual anemones. I also collected mass, volume, behavioral, and regeneration data over the course of the experiment to assess morphological, behavior, and regenerative effects. The results revealed that N. vectensis is negatively impacted by tire dust leachate and particles, ultimately pointing towards the severity of tire dust as a pollutant

Accessing Pyrido[1,2-α]pyrimidines through Click Chemistry

Nitrogen heterocycles are present in 59 percent of FDA approved small-molecule drugs. Efforts were made to synthesize N-Tosyl-4-imino-4H-pyrido[1,2-α]pyrimidine, a fused N-heterocycle, in two steps. This class of compounds, pyrido[1,2-α]pyrimidines, display useful properties such as antiviral and antibacterial activities, which suggests therapeutic potential. Our synthetic approach utilized click chemistry, specifically the Copper-Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC), by combining a terminal alkyne with tosyl azide to form a more reactive class of species called ketenimines. We hope to explore the synthetic utility of our methodology by testing different substrates upon successful optimization of reaction conditions