Engendering the Past: An Archaeological Examination of the Precontact Lifeways of Women at Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park

This thesis examines three lines of evidence within the precontact archaeological record around Yellowstone Lake, focusing on elucidating female-specific lifeways. This work is undertaken as a means to explore concepts of gender within precontact archaeological contexts. This aim is accomplished using statistical analysis of lithic tool distribution patterns, ethnohistoric information on plants found through archaeobotanical assays and the microspatial examination of cultural fire features. Variation in the use of obsidian and chert for unifacial tool manufacture indicates potential restrictions on the manufacture of gender specific tools as these stone resources become less available. In addition, a frame-of-reference is built by associating archaeobotanical remains with their ethnohistoric uses, including unique female-specific uses for pregnancy, menstruation and spiritual purposes. Finally, a microspatial analysis of cultural fire features reveals intentional creation of roasting and/or boiling pits, which indicates the processing of plant foods. Because these types of features require a greater investment of time and energy, and the processing of plants is typically a female-specific domain, the inference is that these were female-specific activity areas. The focus of this research is novel, in that it is the only work focused specifically on questions of gender and gender dynamics in precontact Yellowstone. Because gender is often overlooked or deemed too ephemeral to be gleaned from the archaeological record of hunter-gatherer societies, the implications of these findings are three-fold. First, there is a clear demonstration of the effective use of common methodological approaches in archaeology (statistical, ethnography, spatial analysis) in order to answer a question that is not commonly asked: “where are the women?” Second, the importance of understanding the lifeways of precontact people in the social context of group relations not only provides more nuanced understanding, but also breathes life into chronically depersonalized archaeological interpretations. Third, this work demonstrates the importance of utilizing previously collected archaeological data in order to build upon past research interpretations, which is in the interest of the sustainability of the archaeological enterprise

The ultrafast laser inscription of photonic devices for integrated optical applications

A study of some key areas in which ultrafast laser inscription may usefully be employed is presented. The thesis includes waveguide inscription in a variety of substrates including passive glass, doped glass and a nonlinear crystal. The work contained can be split into three studies, with some overlap between them. Firstly fused silica glass is used, both in planar substrates and as flat fibre, for the inscription of two sensing elements. The planar substrate is used for a device similar in design to a side-polished fibre and the flat fibre is used for the fabrication of a Bragg grating waveguide array. In the second study, waveguides are inscribed in the nonlinear crystal monoclinic bismuth borate, and used for guided mode second harmonic generation. A novel waveguide design is employed to increase overlap between the pump and second harmonic waveguide modes. The remainder of the thesis investigates the applicability of ultrafast laser inscription to the fabrication of compact modelocked lasers. Lasing is demonstrated, both continuous wave and modelocked, using a laser inscribed erbium doped bismuthate glass waveguide as the gain element. A study is then undertaken into methods of integrating carbon nanotubes, used as saturable absorbers to modelock lasers, into laser inscribed waveguides

Direct ultrafast laser written C-band waveguide amplifier in Er-doped chalcogenide glass

This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of an ultrafast laser written Er-doped chalcogenide glass buried waveguide amplifier; Er-doped GeGaS glass has been synthesized by the vacuum sealed melt quenching technique. Waveguides have been fabricated inside the 4 mm long sample by direct ultrafast laser writing. The total passive fiber-to-fiber insertion loss is 2.58 +/- 0.02 dB at 1600 nm, including a propagation loss of 1.6 +/- 0.3 dB. Active characterization shows a relative gain of 2.524 +/- 0.002 dB/cm and 1.359 +/- 0.005 dB/cm at 1541 nm and 1550 nm respectively, for a pump power of 500 mW at a wavelength of 980 nm. (C) 2012 Optical Society of Americ

An Exploratory Evaluation of a Treatment Mall at a State Psychiatric Hospital

The Treatment Mall is a model of inpatient psychosocial treatment provided to adults with severe mental illness to deliver recovery-oriented, evidenced-based treatment and has been implemented in state mental hospitals across the United States. The present study is an exploratory evaluation of a recently implemented Treatment Mall in a state mental hospital. To evaluate this program, the experiences of clients (N=28), staff (N=32), and administrators (N=5) were compiled using a quantitative questionnaire and focused on empowerment, skill development, and satisfaction. Additionally, data from the hospital database (N=183) were extracted and analyzed by comparing frequencies of occurrence 90 days before and 90 days after Treatment Mall implementation. The findings indicate that clients reported learning skills and were satisfied with how they were treated at the Treatment Mall. Female clients and staff viewed independent living and recovery possibilities significantly more positively than male clients and staff. Hospital performance indicators showed no significant changes pre to post implementation.