The Off-Season: Masculinities, Rurality, & Family Ties in Alaska Commercial Fishermen

The purpose of this study is to explore the intersections of masculinity, rurality, the family, and economics through the experiences of commercial fishermen in Alaska. Understanding masculinity as plural and the rural space as a sphere in which individuals operate, this study examines the relationship between the masculine rural and the rural masculine and how it pertains to commercial fishermen. I focus on the discourse already present about Alaska and commercial fishermen and combine this approach with notions of cultural and economic capital, as well as the local ecological knowledge (LEK). The fishermen describe their experiences in the industry as ones that are rooted in family influence and economic gain, while also believing that, in order to make money, a “true fisherman” needs to be able to learn fast and endure what the industry throws at them. This study adds to the body of knowledge already put forth about rural masculinities and offers a different approach to understanding a subculture that is rarely looked at today

Ponte Las Pilas: Hidden Narratives and Latinidad at Macalester College

Latinxs in higher education, while numerous, still lag behind all major racial groups in terms of graduation. Why is that? It is society’s hope that education will provide equal opportunity and a path out of poverty, but are schools really providing equal opportunities for attainment or are they simply reproducing inequalities in society? To what extent does this idea, if at all, exist even at liberal and multiculturally focused institutions like Macalester? I ask first generation Latinx alumni to recount their college experiences at Mac in order understand how their narratives compared to those promoted in college advertisements on the official website and Youtube account. What emerges from interviews with alumni are intense feelings of isolation based on not only racial but also class differences. It seems that colleges and universities do a lot to bring racial and economic minorities onto their campuses but often lack a community to support them. Now the question is, what needs to change in order for higher education to become truly accessible

A redshift survey towards the CMB Cold Spot

We have carried out a redshift survey using the VIMOS spectrograph on the VLT towards the Cosmic Microwave Background cold spot. A possible cause of the cold spot is the Integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect imprinted by an extremely large void (hundreds of Mpc in linear dimension) at intermediate or low redshifts. The redshift distribution of over seven hundred z<1 emission-line galaxies drawn from an I-band flux limited sample of galaxies in the direction of the cold spot shows no evidence of a gap on scales of Delta-z> 0.05 as would be expected if such a void existed at 0.35<z<1. There are troughs in the redshift distribution on smaller scales (Delta-z ~0.01) indicating that smaller scale voids may connect regions separated by several degrees towards the cold spot. A comparison of this distribution with that generated from similarly-sized subsamples drawn from widely-spaced pointings of the VVDS survey does not indicate that the redshift distribution towards the cold spot is anomalous or that these small gaps can be uniquely attributed to real voids.Comment: MNRAS in press, 6 page

The 6C** Sample and the Highest Redshift Radio Galaxies

We present a new radio sample, 6C** designed to find radio galaxies at z > 4 and discuss some of its near-infrared imaging follow-up results.Comment: 2 pages, 2 figures, to appear in proceedings of 'Multi-wavelength AGN surveys', Cozumel, 200

Nurbsters

The Nurbsters series is the term given to ongoing design research investigations by Colletti and Cruz, both of whom contribute 50% each to the project, as part of their work as marcosandmarjan architects. Nurbsters comprise an innovative series of models and full-size prototypes which have been designed and built over the last 4 years, most of them being conceived for exhibitions and installations. The most important Nurbsters exhibition as yet was at the 2004 Venice Biennale. Chronologically, however, they consist of Nurbster I – a prototype wall (London 2003, Prague 2004); Nurbster II – a desk (Venice, Lisbon, Aveiro, São Paulo 2004-05); Nurbster III – exhibition islets (Prague, Bratislava, Kosice 2004-05); Nurbster IV – a seat (Taiwan, 2005); Nurbster V – another seat (2005); Nurbster VI – a generic structure (2005); Nurbster VII – a house design (Lisbon, Badajoz, Mérida, Cáceres 2005); Nurbster VIII – a winter garden (Badajoz, Madrid 2006). In all these cases, both the design and manufacturing processes are completely computerised, with the construction relying on the use of MDF, plywood or metal boards. The underlying intention of the Nurbsters series is to develop various typologies for interior design and urban furniture through complex double-curved forms and the latest building technologies. A series of notched sections create a complex object to fit the programmatic, structural, ergonomic requisites. In this it reinterprets the traditional Chinese wooden cut-joint fitting technique and is thus ideal for quick assembly and disassembly. In research terms, the issue is how to develop new software-related aesthetics and forms by means of using 2D and 3D software, computer numerically controlled (CNC), and rapid prototyping technologies. All the Nurbsters projects have been extensively exhibited and reviewed, and they have attracted a number of international grants and sponsorship for design and manufacturing to date, totalling approximately £38,000

Xiyuan Entertainment Complex

This design by Colletti and Cruz was the winning proposal in an invited international competition for an 180,000m² entertainment complex to be located in front of the Yiheyuan Royal Summer Palace in Beijing, one of China’s most important cultural sites. The project was designed equally – 50% each – through their practice, marcosandmarjan architects. Its primary research investigation was to look at how innovative CAD/CAM design and manufacturing techniques might be used to generate a new contemporary architectural identity amidst the rapid development now taking place in China. Hence the scheme sought to draw together innovative design solutions in terms of its building technology, typological layout and architectural language. The project’s proximity to a World Heritage Site and the consequent height restrictions triggered a more contextual and low-density proposal, as opposed to the more pervasive western-style impositions of high-density commercial buildings which are sprouting up in Chinese cities. There are four major aspects of the design: a new version of the traditional upturned tiled roof; a multiple-use programmatic element; some contextualisation in the building’s forms; and the use of digital prefabrication to make the steel structure, stone cladding and wood detailing. This project for the Xiyuan Entertainment Compex was exhibited at the Venice Biennale (2004); Feng Chia University in Taiwan (2005); Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London (2005); Metaflux in São Paulo, Lisbon and Aveiro (2005); etc. A major article was published on the project in Time+Architecture (2006), plus there were positive reviews in international magazines: 2G Dossier (2005); Ponto Final (2005); Construir (2004). The scheme was also illustrated in the RIBA Journal (2005), East of Eros catalogue (2005); Metaflux catalogue (2005); L’ARCA magazine (2005); etc. A broadcast on the scheme was also aired, along with a discussion of other contemporary architectural work by Rem Koolhaas and others, by CCTV-China