Behavioral flexibility of a declining songbird, the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), in suburban forests

As urbanization increases, so does the need to understand the mechanisms behind urban biodiversity loss and alternatively, population persistence, as wildlife adapt to novel ecosystems. Wildlife conservation has historically focused on relatively pristine natural areas and large tracts of contiguous habitat, and while those areas are certainly valuable, they are not alone in supporting native wildlife. Smaller, more fragmented, and disturbed natural habitats still support many native wildlife species, including birds. Globally, birds and their common prey, insects, are in decline. My dissertation sought to assess whether suburban forest fragments can support forest nesting species, focusing on the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), a declining Neotropical migrant songbird species of conservation concern. First, I investigated the invertebrate communities in forest leaf litter between suburban forest fragments and a larger contiguous forest (hereafter referred to as rural), as Wood Thrush are primarily ground-foraging insectivores. Using mixed effects models and canonical correspondence analysis, I found that suburban forest fragments have higher diversity and biomass of invertebrates than rural forests, likely due to the prevalence of non-native decomposers. In my second research chapter, I examined whether parental behavior at the nest, specifically provisioning, differed between suburban and rural forest, and found that suburban nesting Wood Thrush are provisioning their young at higher rates than their rural counterparts. In my final research chapter, I compared nestling condition between forest types using the scaled mass index method, as well as ectoparasite loads of hematophagous bird blowflies, genus Protocalliphora. Neither ectoparasitism nor urbanization influenced nestling condition. My research indicates that suburban forest fragments are indeed supporting breeding Wood Thrush, although adults nesting in suburban fragments are working harder to raise young of similar condition. Future research on the potential costs of increased provisioning on the adults themselves is necessary, as increased seasonal parental investment can impact lifetime reproductive success. In addition, dietary comparisons between forest types would further assess Wood Thrush behavioral flexibility in suburban habitats, as suburban parents may be provisioning with invertebrates of lesser nutritional quality.The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, The University of Massachusetts Graduate School Dissertation Research Grant, The Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Research Grant, The Bradford G. Blodget Scholarship Fund for Ornithological StudiesDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.

'Who Holds the Purse Strings Holds Power': Navigating the 'Complexities' and 'Realities' of Early Grade Mobile Learning Integration in Malawi

Learning through mobile devices, such as phones and tablets, has gained momentum as a potential solution to address access and academic opportunity gaps among students in many African countries. However, implementing mobile learning initiatives faces challenges in numerous African education systems, including limited infrastructure development, a heavy reliance on donor aid, and the unreliability of such learning systems in their regional contexts, widely discussed in the literature. When examining the integration of mobile learning projects in Malawi, the saying “who holds the purse strings holds power” becomes particularly relevant, especially when considering power dynamics in donor-funded educational initiatives, as those with financial resources often have more influence. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to explore the power structures and dynamics present in early-grade mobile learning interventions in Malawi by examining how government officials and representatives from funding organizations are enabled or limited in their participation. The study focused on three questions: (1) How do Malawian government officials and funding partners view their partnership when working on mobile learning projects? (2) How are power structures reflected within mobile learning initiatives in Malawi, especially concerning decision-making? (3) What factors either enable or constrain government implementers and external funders from participating equally in mobile learning initiatives in Malawi? Using the theory of Philanthropic Digital Colonialism, developed by combining the theories of philanthrocapitalism and digital colonialism, this study examines how power dynamics influence decision-making processes, particularly the shift from hierarchical ‘power over’ to ‘power to’ relationships to achieve collaborative ‘power with’ relationships. This dissertation includes three articles: A mapping study of the mobile learning research landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa. The second analysis examines two mobile learning interventions in Malawi, while the third is a phenomenological study involving eight individuals from government and funding agencies working on mobile learning initiatives in Malawi. Together, these papers provide an overview of the mobile learning landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Malawi, and address power dynamics in interventions. The findings indicate that, despite efforts to promote localization, hierarchical structures, such as direct oversight, still exist in funder-government partnerships, affecting the outputs and roles of local implementers.University of Massachusetts Amherst's Graduate School Fieldwork Grant University of Massachusetts Amherst's College of Education Dissertation ScholarshipDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)2026-09-0

Strategic Planning into the Unknown Future

Many academic libraries have strategic plans and those that don’t often feel pressure to have one. Strategic plans are a tool for communicating priorities, values, and initiatives to library staff, college and university partners, leadership and external stakeholders, such as funders and prospective employees. The process, however, can take months and even years of library staff time and resources. Too often valuable time is taken developing, promoting and reviewing surveys. Outside consultants can stretch thin budgets. Strategic planning can create unrealistic expectations – what happens if external factors make some goals impossible to achieve? This presentation by an academic library director will outline time-saving ways to develop strategic plans that position the library as an essential element of a successful institution. Attendees will learn about alternative assessment methods, such as Appreciative Inquiry, that offer valuable information in hours. They will be able to utilize existing sources of quantitative and qualitative data rather than starting from scratch. They will be able to easily incorporate the skills and knowledge of existing team members ensuring that everyone can see themselves in the plan. They will leave with practical tips for creating a plan that is actionable, achievable and agile in uncertain times

Lightning Talks: Cross Collaboration to Promote OER Expansion

Oftentimes, faculty are engaged in OER development and generate excellent OER based materials for various courses. However, it may be difficult to share this knowledge and help promote OER initiatives at a university, especially for a multi-campus university. In this Lightning Talk, I review several initiatives at Penn State University which helps foster collaboration among faculty to promote OER expansion. These initiatives are especially helpful for new faculty or adjunct faculty who might be interested in OER but don’t know how to get started. The first initiative is a university-wide survey process to collect, collate and disseminate OER resources in use across a discipline on a course by course basis. The second initiative is the development and implementation of “master OER courses” that can be deployed, especially for STEM related courses, where a complete package of course materials, assessments and ancillaries are desirable as part of the course pedagogy

INTRA-BODY POWER TRANSFER AND BACKSCATTER COMMUNICATION

In recent years, Capacitive Intra-Body Power Transfer (C-IBPT) technology has emerged as a promising solution to enable battery-free wearable sensor application. This innovative approach utilizes the human body as a conductive medium to facilitate wireless power transfer and communication via capacitive coupling. In the first part of this dissertation, I investigate the feasibility and performance of a C-IBPT system that can unobtrusively charge wearable devices while users interact with everyday objects. I design and develop a custom solution, ShaZam, that exploits the human body as a medium to transfer Radio Frequency (RF) signals from minimally instrumented daily objects to wearable devices. I focus on establishing the technical groundwork of the proposed technology by incorporating the capacitive coupling mechanism, in which the forward signal path is established through the human body, and the return path is established via capacitive coupling to the surrounding environment. Using data obtained from ten healthy individuals, the system can transfer approximately 0.5 mW of DC power to the wrist-worn device. I also investigate several design parameters that could affect the power transfer and offer design guidelines that optimize performance. The initial results suggest the potential for a new design paradigm towards completely charge-free wearable devices. Localized capacitive coupling (LCC) in intra-body power transfer (IBPT) is a promising technology that enables wearable devices to be powered by a body coupled transmitter without relying on external infrastructure. In the second part of this dissertation, I designed and developed a new wearable hardware system to measure capacitive power gains at multiple anatomical locations on ten healthy individuals. Through controlled laboratory experiments, I discovered that mean path gains range from -44 dB to -48 dB for body channel lengths of 5 cm to 12 cm. Based on these findings, I developed a batteryless ring sensor that can record finger movements and store motion data on local memory by using a capacitor. The experimental outcomes confirm the channel gain measurement accuracy and the hardware system’s potential to support ultra-low-powered wearable sensing within a short body channel. Utilizing the human body as a communication channel is an innovative alternative to traditional air-based communication methods, providing a more effective path gain for communication among wearable devices. In the final part of this dissertation, I introduce capacitive backscatter communication in the human body to enable low-powered communication for batteryless identification and sensing. The experimental results demonstrate the hardware system’s ability to interrogate 16-bit binary IDs seamlessly using 40 MHz pulsed RF carrier. In addition, I developed a modular transceiver system and intra-body channel gain emulator. This hardware system optimizes transceiver architecture and tag systems, enabling a functional intra-body backscatter system for a batteryless ring sensor.National Science Foundation (NSF) (Grant Number: 016419-00001) National Institutes of Health (NIH) (Grant Number: R01HD114147)Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.

Growing Up in the Digital Age: Perceptions of Parenting and Experiences of Online Opportunities and Risks among Urban Chinese Adolescents

This dissertation investigates the Internet use of urban Chinese adolescents, focusing on their encounters with online opportunities and risks, their negotiation of parental mediation, and the influence of socio-cultural contexts, including the Chinese concept of Guan (caring governance). Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates survey data and in-depth interviews across three empirical studies to provide a child-centered and culturally nuanced understanding of urban Chinese adolescents' digital experiences. The Internet presents a dual reality for young people: it offers significant online opportunities for learning, social connection, self-expression, and identity construction, yet simultaneously exposes them to notable online risks, such as harmful content, cyberbullying, and privacy violations. Parents employ various parental mediation strategies (e.g., restrictive rules, active discussion, co-use) to manage these experiences, practices which are deeply intertwined with broader parenting styles and cultural values. While previous research has explored these dynamics, a significant gap exists in understanding how these constructs manifest and interact within the unique socio-cultural landscape of urban China, particularly concerning indigenous parenting concepts like Guan and the balance between culturally ingrained parenting philosophies and evolving family dynamics in a rapidly changing media environment. China, with its vast population of young Internet users and specific governmental regulations shifting usage towards the home, offers a critical yet under-explored context for examining these interactions. This dissertation makes substantial scholarly contributions by advancing child-centered perspectives on digital rights, emphasizing adolescent agency in navigating the digital world. It enriches the understanding of digital childhood and parenting by providing a culturally contextualized view of urban Chinese adolescents' Internet use, particularly through the exploration of Guan. The findings offer practical implications for parents, educators, and policymakers, advocating for a move beyond simplistic views of Internet use towards fostering critical thinking, self-regulation, and digital citizenship. It calls for culturally tailored, child-centered interventions that acknowledge adolescents' needs for autonomy and participation, and for incorporating their perspectives into policy and educational program development.Dissertation Completion Fellowship granted by the Graduate School at the University of Massachusetts Amherst; Suopis Communication Graduate Fellowship granted by the Department of Communication at the University of Massachusetts Amherst; Graduate School Fieldwork Grant by the University of Massachusetts Amherst; Anca Romantan International Fieldwork Grant by the Department of Communication at the University of Massachusetts AmherstDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)2026-09-0

Assessing the Ubiquitin Code with Novel Mass Spectrometry-Based Tools

Ubiquitination is a posttranslational modification in eukaryotic cells, where ubiquitin (Ub) is covalently conjugated to a protein substrate. Ub can form different polymeric chains by attaching Ub subunits to itself through its seven lysine residues or N-terminal methionine, forming a diversity of Ub chains on a protein substrate. The type of the chain modifying a substrate is known to correlate with the biological outcome of ubiquitination. However, even with some evidence present, it still poses a significant challenge to systematically assess the structure-function relationship. A major limitation is the lack of universal methods to characterize Ub conjugates. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based approaches are widely used in the characterization of Ub conjugates. With all the advantages of available MS-based workflows, there is still a challenge in capturing Ub chains with complex topologies and establishing their connectivity with a substrate. This thesis describes the development of novel MS-based tools for analyzing intact free or substrate-conjugated Ub chains. First, the thesis discusses the application of ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) in the analysis of isomeric Ub chains. We developed an IM-MS-based deconvolution approach that enables the quantitation of the relative abundance of Ub isomers in a mixture. Additionally, by coupling IM-MS with collision-induced unfolding (CIU), we developed a deconvolution approach to assess the selectivity of deubiquitinating enzymes toward different isomeric Ub chains (DUBs) in a qualitative and time-dependent manner. Lastly, the thesis describes the application of top-down MS coupled with tandem MS (MS2) analysis in the characterization of Ub conjugates. We proposed a computational algorithm that enables the automatic annotation of MS2 fragmentation spectra and assigns probability scores for the analyzed Ub conjugates.NIH R35GM149532 NIH R01GM110543Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)2030-09-0

Fish Park Revitalization: Strengthening Social Infrastructure Through Cultural Preservation and Sustainable Design

The Fish Park Revitalization Project aims to redefine the park as a vital social infrastructure, integrating cultural heritage, community engagement, and environmental sustainability. By enhancing recreational spaces, introducing new amenities, and implementing ecological strategies, the project will transform Fish Park into an inclusive, multifunctional public space that supports social interaction, strengthens community identity, and adapts to Athol's evolving needs, including its anticipated housing growth

Breaking Barriers: A Collaborative Approach to Demystifying Social Impact in Graduate Education

This panel explores an innovative assignment designed to empower graduate students by addressing the hidden curriculum of higher education. The Social Impact Dictionary assignment was created to normalize knowledge gaps and combat imposter syndrome, particularly for first-generation, international, and new graduate students. Through this assignment, students collaborated to define and demystify complex terms and concepts encountered in their studies, fostering a supportive learning environment and increasing confidence. By engaging students as co-creators of knowledge, the assignment aligns with open pedagogy principles, encouraging transparency and inclusivity. The conversation will feature both the instructor and a student participant, sharing insights on the assignment’s development, its impact on student learning, and future potential as an open educational resource (OER). Attendees will gain practical strategies for incorporating similar assignments in their own teaching to support equity and inclusion in graduate education

Environmental Flood Resilience on Cape Cod Roads: Old King’s Highway

This project addresses the need for climate-resilient adaptations along Old King’s Highway (Route 6A) within Sandwich, in the Cape Cod region of Massachusetts. As a historical and cultural commercial corridor that is threatened by climate change in the form of sea level rise, storm surge, and frequent flooding, vulnerable low-lying infrastructure requires sustainable solutions that consider environmental and community resilience. Through looking at recent precedents and research, with context-specific site analysis, visualizing regional strategies for coastal downtown Sandwich, MA, and proposing design interventions for the most flood-prone area of a high-flood-risk road segment. Integrating nature-based solutions that complement the town’s pedestrian-bike initiative, “the Shared Path Project”, exploring ways to restore the floodplain’s connectivity, expand and fortify wetlands, and provide a climate-resilient approach to vital coastal New England infrastructure