Progression of the Representation of Female Protagonists in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Genres

Broadcast television has been plagued by the misrepresentation and absence of progressive female protagonists. Contemporary television programs have begun to address issues of diversity and empowerment, but it is questionable whether substantial strides in the representation of women have truly been made. The science fiction and fantasy genres in particular are infamous for perpetuating rampant sexism and the objectification of female characters. I analyze aspects of the television shows Orphan Black and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, two broadcast television series which aired over ten years apart, to broadly evaluate whether the science fiction and fantasy genres have progressed or regressed in terms of feminist values in the past decade. The criteria by which the two series are evaluated include the presence of the postfeminist “Girl Power,” the appropriation of “masculine” heroic power in conjunction with femininity, the presence of empowered sexuality, and heteronormativity. The research reveals that, according to the above criteria, Orphan Black, which has not previously been studied academically and which is an ongoing television series, surpasses Buffy in terms of empowered sexuality and the presence of heteronormativity. However, while it is clear that the representation of female protagonists have attained a greater degree of diversity in Orphan Black, it is difficult to identity clear boundaries by which to assess the feminist value of these characters. The Girl Power motif is present in both shows, an element of its feminist potential realized with the series’ emphasis on collectivity.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1158/thumbnail.jp

Plastic Oceans: A New Way in solving Our Plastic Pollution

By 2050, the world’s oceans will have more plastic than fish with potentially catastrophic consequences on sea life and the health of the ocean. Economically, countries with coastal boundaries will be heavily impacted as plastic pollution has already generated a 13 billion dollars in monetary losses. Considering that this is an extreme problem that we are currently facing the current solution is not enough in curbing our plastic pollution. While, recycling programs have been beneficial in reclaiming some plastic our mass consumption of plastic has outpaced the capabilities of recycling efforts. If we are to find a solution in our plastic pollution problem, we must first start at the source of plastic pollution; consumers. One organization in Oahu is doing exactly that, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii for the past five years has worked within the island chain of Hawaii to educate the public through community based clean-ups and their traveling education station in order to change consumer habits away from plastic and to a more sustainable form of consumerism. The solution that Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii is trying to implement is daunting, as this paper will explore the history of plastic to understand how a product that is dangerous to the environment has become such a staple part of our society. The paper will also utilize Ulrich Beck’s “Risk Society” to explain why recycling programs were first seen as a solution to our plastic waste as well as to why we are returning back to the conversation of plastic pollution. Finally this paper explores the dangers plastic pollution has had on the oceans to explain why a model such as Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii is needed in solving our ocean plastic pollution

Aging Techniques & Population Dynamics of Blue Suckers (Cycleptus elongatus) in the Lower Wabash River

The Blue Sucker, Cycleptus elongatus, occurs in large rivers primarily in the Mississippi River basin. Their imperiled status has called attention to the need for its management and protection. Estimating age is crucial for directing management, but past studies have varied in their choice of hard structure, resulting in uncertainty regarding the basic life history of this species. Because the Wabash River Blue Sucker population may be one of few surveyable populations with high abundance and successful reproduction, their demographics can provide a benchmark against which threatened populations can be compared. We harvested Blue Suckers (n = 168) from the lower Wabash River and compared age estimations from multiple hard structures. Otoliths yielded more precise and credible age estimates than other structures. Otoliths assigned ages up to 42 years. Annual mortality was 4.5%, and growth was modeled as TL = 680.29038 ∙ (1 - e( -0.15898 ∙ Age + 5.14037)), where TL = total length (mm) and Age = otolith age (years). Fecundity averaged 110,933 eggs/female. The population length-weight regression was Log10(WT) = 3.323 ∙ Log10(TL) - 5.9592 where WT = weight (g) and TL = total length (mm). Average relative weights followed a declining trend from 2008 to 2019, and this trend was mirrored in the declining average conditions of four other benthic invertivorous fishes in the Wabash River. We suggest that Blue Suckers can serve as bioindicators for the Wabash River ecosystem and their declining relative weights should be regarded as early symptoms of community level change

Mouth Rinsing With a Pink Non-caloric, Artificially-Sweetened Solution Improves Self-Paced Running Performance and Feelings of Pleasure in Habitually Active Individuals

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether mouth rinsing with a pink non-caloric, artificially sweetened solution can improve self-selected running speed and distance covered during a 30 min running protocol. Methods: Ten healthy and habitually active individuals (six males, four females) completed two experimental trials in a randomised, single-blind, crossover design. Each experimental trial consisted of a 30 min treadmill run at a self-selected speed equivalent to 15 (hard/heavy) on the rating of perceived exertion scale. During exercise, participants mouth rinsed with either a pink or a clear non-caloric, artificially sweetened solution, with performance, perceptual and physiological measures obtained throughout. Results: Self-selected running speed (+0.4 ± 0.5 km·h−1, p = 0.024, g = 0.25) and distance covered (+213 ± 247 m, p = 0.023, g = 0.25) during the 30 min running protocol were both improved by 4.4 ± 5.1% when participants mouth rinsed with the pink solution when compared to the clear solution. Feelings of pleasure were also enhanced during the 30 min treadmill run when participants mouth rinsed with the pink solution, with ratings increased from 3.4 ± 0.7 in the clear condition to 3.8 ± 0.6 in the pink condition (+0.4 ± 0.5, p = 0.046, g = 0.54). Conclusion: Mouth rinsing with a pink non-caloric, artificially sweetened solution improved self-selected running speed, total distance covered, and feelings of pleasure obtained during a 30 min running protocol when compared to an isocaloric and taste-matched clear solution

??? to Snowbird: Education, Assimilation, and Integration of Cherokee in the Snowbird Community, 1932-1965

??? to Snowbird: Education, Assimilation, and Integration of Cherokee in the Snowbird Community, 1932-1965, explores the history of education of the Cherokees in the Snowbird Community. Beginning with a brief look at the Cherokee Boarding School and the creation of the Snowbird Day School. Exposing the effects that the Bureau of Indian Affairs assimilation policies and tactics had on this small Eastern Band of Cherokee Community. The assimilation process culminated in the integration of the Cherokee students into the Graham County school system, a process that took 11 years from 1954 to 1965. The Snowbird Community is apart of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Qualla Boundary, but it is located approximately one hour west of the main EBCI territory. This distance was key in creating the unique educational path that the community was placed on, with the adverse effects lasting for generations

Characterization of Semi-Autonomous On-Orbit Assembly CubeSat Constellation

Demand for more complex space systems is ever increasing as the scale of the future missions expands. Accordingly, much focus has been given recently to innovations in on-orbit assembly and servicing to ensure those missions are executed in a time-efficient manner. The past on-orbit servicing demonstrations have involved large satellites that were designed to dock/berth and service specific client satellites, and did not leverage the current advancements in small satellite technology. The U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) is contributing to advancing the onorbit servicing and assembly technology with a next-generation robotic arm Intelligent Space Assembly Robot (ISAR) system, which is envisioned to operate independently or as a constellation of 3U CubeSats and seeks to demonstrate semi-autonomous robotic assembly capabilities on-orbit on a nano-satellite scale. This paper will present an overview of the ISAR system, outline design, operation, and demonstration modifications for the on-orbit demonstrator, analyze the results from the ground test platform, and discuss the interfacing between existing robotic operations structures and advanced sensors. It will also focus on the analysis of cost effectiveness of the proposed mission architecture by characterizing the operation envelope of CubeSat-based assembly satellite constellations and volumetric efficiency analysis of on-orbit assembly using “Bin of Parts”