Aligning Eye Care Provider Beliefs with Behaviors: Exploring and Improving Ocular Surface Disease Decision-making in a Cataract Surgery Clinic

Millions of cataract surgeries are performed every year in the United States, yet both surgeon reports and patient reports indicate that practices are not utilizing the diagnostic tests and treatments that are advocated in the medical literature to identify and manage ocular surface disease prior to surgery. As a result, patients risk suffering several significant consequences with regard to their vision, comfort and safety. Personal observations from my 25 years of experience working with ophthalmologists and optometrists led to curiosity regarding the root cause of undertreatment of ocular surface disease. Specifically, I had the impression that eye care providers held strongly to the belief that ocular surface disease should be managed preoperatively, yet this belief was not reflected in their behavior. The overall aim of this dissertation is to ascertain the validity of my unscientific observations and to provide a customized tool that can be used in a single cataract surgery clinic to increase goal-congruent behavior among eye care providers. Phase One involved interviews with 42 ophthalmologists and optometrists on preoperative ocular surface disease management in cataract surgery patients. Using the Health Belief Model (Rosenstock, 1966) as a guide, these results helped characterize the misalignment between beliefs and behaviors while establishing the ethical imperative to proceed in the direction of intervention development. Phase Two was a rigorous case study of a high-volume cataract surgery care center. This included observations, a review of artifacts, and interviews with seven doctors, three staff members and five patients. Using Nudge Theory (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008) as a guide, these results elucidated decision-making processes and elements of the practice’s choice architecture that either limit or support preoperative ocular surface disease management in cataract surgery patients. Finally, Phase Three presents theory-driven recommendations in the form of a practical and easy-to-read intervention guide. Six action items are presented as strategies to help the doctors and staff overcome the specific challenges that lead to the undertreatment of ocular surface disease

“Elegy for a Flower” - Remote Orchestral Session/Score-focused Film

Within the many aspects of a film exists the epicenter that is visual storytelling. Music production within film always becomes a point of discussion after the fact, as composers will use their musical expertise to aid the established vision of the filmmaker. Despite music technology having evolved to recreate the sound of an orchestra, the role of music remains the same. However, what if the roles were reversed? Through this endeavor, I sought out to find the impact of a multimedia work when music becomes the primary focus of storytelling. Explored in the past by Disney\u27s Fantasia and Phillip Glass\u27 Koyaanisquatsi , I decided to create an experimental film of my own. After writing a symphonic piece for orchestra, I utilized the fluidity within the music to begin storytelling. Gathering fellow peers and faculty from Dodge College, we embarked on adding visual/sound elements that complemented the ebb and flow of the music. These visuals consisted of beautiful closeup and landscape drone shots, as well as sound design to enhance the immersion of the shots. On the music side, to create a demo, I made use of \u27sample libraries\u27 — pre-recorded audio replicas of instruments. However, for music to create emotion, there had to be authentic emotion behind the performance. Thus, I contracted \u27Budapest Scoring\u27, a Hungary based orchestra that specializes in recording music for film. It would be an understatement not to mention that their performance brought my composition to new heights. Working virtually with an orchestra of such magnitude required meticulous sheet music preparation, as well as professionalism to steer the ship of the session. To be a professional film composer, it is my responsibility to not only know the entire process of bringing music to life, but also telling a story. In the end, the collaborative/filmmaking process allowed me to answer my question. In the end, creating an innovative take on cinematic storytelling granted me further enlightenment as a musical narrator

Navigating Islamophobia: Exploring Attitudes Towards Muslim Immigration and Policing

Since the September 11th terrorist attacks, Islamophobic dispositions in the United States have surged within its political and societal arenas. In this paper, I will examine two specific dimensions of Islamophobia such as ceasing immigration from Muslim countries and increased police presence in Muslim neighborhoods and how those behaviors may be influenced by political affiliation and different ways news is consumed using social media and cable news. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults completed a forty-question survey in which I tested the above independent variables to see their individual effects on the two dimensions of Islamophobia being researched. Among the interesting findings were that many respondents who identified as Republicans agreed that there should be increased police presence in Muslim neighborhoods and the United States should cease all immigration from Muslim countries, proving a noticeable correlation between the political affiliation and Islamophobia. It was also discovered that cable news and news derived from social media may not have as big of a factor on influencing Islamophobia as I had expected. Understanding Islamophobia, the role it plays in American politics and society, and the major influencers of this hateful behavior are crucial towards preserving the freedom and equality of all individuals in the United States

Self Immolation of the Gifted Child

A vertical 24 x 20-inch at 200 DPI image containing a background of the sun and space, a middle ground of icy plains, and a foreground of a desert. The collage also contains images of burning candles, dead flowers, eyes, a hand, a candle person, a star, and a statue of two figures. The candles stand on the platform of the statue, while the dead flowers cover both the faces of the two statutes with the hand pointing at the statue; the candle person stares directly at the statue. This piece is about a gifted child and the process of burning out due to high standards and changes in their environment. Often, the gifted child thrives in k-12 school, easily earning As and appeasing their parents and teachers, becoming a star but over time they begin to burn themselves on the self and imposed, constantly rising standards and begin to have a difficult time and cannot keep up. It is very common for a gifted child to arrive at higher education and be unable to succeed because they never learned how to study in class leading them to drop out or fail desperately. The metaphor I\u27ve placed is that the gifted child is much like a candle, burning until it is exhausted and is then discarded as trash because it can no longer provide a service. For creating the collage I chose a lot of candles to convey that metaphor, I also chose the genre of the Pieta position for the statue because I wanted to show a relationship between the parent and the gifted (Madonna and child), to demonstrate how high standards also come from parents. I included a picture of the fallen angel and a falling star to illustrate how they fall from the graces of society once they no longer astonish people with their intelligence and skill

3rd Place Research Paper: Cultural Attitudes Towards Ethnic Cuisine in Italy

Italy has become a common “landing country” for many European and Asian immigrants, creating a perception of invasion that has led to cultural reactionism masked in the reinforcement of “traditional cuisine.” For so-called traditional foods to endure, they must continually be reinvented, bearing different meanings and social values throughout time and space while accumulating rich, cultural baggage that serves as a powerful marker of identity in a given society. This paper explores the role of traditional cuisine in Italian national identity and pride, and the subsequent historical culinary antagonism maintained in widespread attitudes toward ethnic cuisine in Italy. Through an analysis of primary and secondary literature, complemented by qualitative field observations in the Italian cities of Perugia and Modena, several instances of culinary discrimination are discussed within the political, social, cultural, and historical complexities of preserving tradition while also accommodating diversity, highlighting an interplay between nostalgia and xenophobia that we can almost taste. Key factors such as food legislation, the tourism industry, and evolving attitudes among young generations are considered to yield a dynamic picture of the current perceptions of ethnic cuisine in Italy. Despite lingering biases, there is hope for a future of culinary coexistence and integrative celebration of non-Italian foods in Italian culture, driven by young individuals’ openness to diverse tastes and traditions

Nobody Inside: Toni Morrison\u27s Recitatif : An Analysis on Whole/Incomplete Bodies, The Maggie Thing and Sick and Dancing Mothers

This project examines Toni Morrison’s short story “Recitatif.” The aim of this thesis is to analyze the ways in which the characters of Twyla and Roberta remain fixated on the question of Maggie, a disabled character, and their mothers. Drawing on the work of disability studies specialist Lennard J. Davis, this thesis explores how the binary “normal/abnormal” functions in the story and shapes Twyla’s and Roberta’s understandings of their pasts and identities. The White/Black binary also shapes Twyla’s and Roberta’s experiences—and understanding of Maggie. At a time when the category of “White” stood as a default universal or norm, Maggie’s possible Blackness increases her perceived vulnerability and raises the stakes of the question posed in the narrative, “What the hell happened to Maggie”

Simulating the Global Effect of Transformative AI: Growth, Welfare, Economic Power, and Policy Responses

The development of AI technologies and their economic impact are highly uncertain. Some, though, predict the imminent, ubiquitous deployment of powerful technologies that automate human labor in a variety of fields. Whatever the likelihood of this outcome, it is crucial to start preparing for this possibility immediately. Scenario analysis, even if the relative likelihood of scenarios remains unknown, is possible and wise. To quantitatively assess the impact of advanced AI, we1 developed a large-scale, multi-region computable general equilibrium, overlapping generations (OLG) model of the global economy focused on the international, distributional, and government fiscal impacts of new technologies. This model allows us to simulate different technological and policy scenarios, and see how they connect to political and economic goals. For additional details, our Stanford Digital Economy Lab working paper, Simulating Endogenous Global Automation, is the most complete summary of our model.

Fostering Inclusivity and Innovation: Transformative Practices in Business Librarianship

In the realm of academic librarianship, the role of business librarians is undergoing a significant evolution, expanding to include a holistic approach that integrates diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles, fosters collaborative partnerships, leverages advanced technology, and employs innovative strategies to boost educational quality and prepare students for the complexities of the global economy. At Chapman University, this evolution is exemplified by a series of groundbreaking initiatives that seamlessly blend business artificial intelligence, data and information literacy, and DEI practices into the core library services and programming. A focal point of these initiatives is the creation of specialized information literacy rubrics, particularly designed for students in fields such as economics, accounting, and marketing. These rubrics aim to refine students\u27 analytical and decision-making prowess. Moreover, the university has significantly broadened access to pivotal business databases, enriching both research capabilities and literacy. An illustration of this commitment is the successful acquisition of a notable grant for the Accelerate California: Inclusive Innovation Hub initiative, demonstrating a steadfast dedication to utilizing DEI as a catalyst for entrepreneurship and economic prosperity, with a focus on uplifting underrepresented communities. Among the notable projects are the implementation of an AI-powered data analytics tool that enhances students\u27 ability to interpret complex datasets, and a partnership with local businesses to integrate real-world case studies into the curriculum, providing practical experience and exposure to current industry challenges. These efforts are complemented by a series of workshops and seminars designed to address societal issues, thereby affirming the library\u27s pivotal role as a force for social change and a champion of embedded librarianship.This presentation will delve into the array of strategies and initiatives that highlight the pivotal role of business librarianship in fostering inclusive innovation, driving economic growth, and empowering diverse communities within the academic landscape

Exploring Community College Faculty and Administrators Work Providing Educational Opportunities for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD): An Integral Framework for Inclusive Postsecondary Education

There is a growing number of inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs and scholarship in higher education. Providing a spectrum of educational opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in higher education plays a pivotal role in creating inclusive and meaningful access to postsecondary education. However, little is known about the ways in which the faculty and administrators who are integral stakeholders on campus perceive their work developing and supporting higher education as a socially valued experience for students with IDD. Utilizing constructivist grounded theory, this study examines the ways in which community college faculty and administrators working in programs that provide educational opportunities for students with IDD understand and undertake their work. The study also explores the ways in which faculty and administrators think about and understand disability as a component of diversity, the actions that faculty and administrators take in working with students with IDD, and the advocacy they implore in fostering a sense of belongingness and inclusivity efforts for students with IDD as a campus-wide integral approach. The findings indicate that there are connections between faculty and administrators as individuals (Belongingness and Inclusivity Mindset), the practices they engage in (Disability Knowledge), the community space they work in (Campus Community), and the larger systems found in community colleges (Postsecondary Education Environment). In addition, the findings propose that these connections create an Integral Framework for Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IFvii IPSE) which is defined as a campus-wide, intentional approach of individual and collective action that challenges ableism, advocates for belongingness and inclusivity, and creates educational opportunities for students with IDD. Suggestions are provided for ways to better support faculty and administrators as they navigate community college structures and systems and work toward accessibility, belongingness, and inclusivity for students with IDD