Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationAtravesada: the traveler, the scholar inside and outside research, inside and outside the academy; an identity taken up to survive the contradictions associated with research. Drawing from Chicana/Latina feminist, anticolonial, and queer of color thought, this study examines the testimonios/pláticas of eight Chicana/Latina feminist education scholars who actively disrupt research methods. The testimonios/pláticas alongside a review of key texts shed light on the problems that can occur while conducting research in academic spaces. The problems identified and theorized through the testimonios/pláticas include: construction of knowledge, modes of representation, issues of voice, and researcher roles. While these issues are familiar, the testimonios/pláticas exposed feelings and emotions associated critical research practices. These feelings-including passion, fear, and pain-allow and support reimagining of research through alternative forms of mentorship practices, community-based research, and accessibility that support processes of healing and critical reflexivity in research. Data are displayed through thick textual narratives and narrative reflections of the author. This study adds nuance to a growing body of research on Chicana/Latina epistemologies and methodologies and contributes to critical qualitative research discussions by raising challenges to data analysis and representation and reimagining researcher subjectivity

Optical detection and modulation at 2µm-2.5µm in silicon

Recently the 2µm wavelength region has emerged as an exciting prospect for the next generation of telecommunications. In this paper we experimentally characterise silicon based plasma dispersion effect optical modulation and defect based photodetection in the 2-2.5µm wavelength range. It is shown that the effectiveness of the plasma dispersion effect is dramatically increased in this wavelength window as compared to the traditional telecommunications wavelengths of 1.3µm and 1.55µm. Experimental results from the defect based photodetectors show that detection is achieved in the 2-2.5µm wavelength range, however the responsivity is reduced as the wavelength is increased away from 1.55µm

El proceso de duelo en las personas que viven con el Virus de Inmunodeficiencia Humana (VIH) desde la perspectiva de los psicoterapeutas

Este documento consiste en una investigación acerca de cómo es el proceso psicoterapéutico del duelo de aquellas personas que han contraído el Virus de Inmunodeficiencia Humana (VIH) según los psicoterapeutas que las han atendido

Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode detectors: design, modeling, fabrication, and characterization at wavelengths 1310 and 1550 nm

The design, modeling, fabrication, and characterization of single-photon avalanche diode detectors with an epitaxial Ge absorption region grown directly on Si are presented. At 100 K, a single-photon detection efficiency of 4% at 1310 nm wavelength was measured with a dark count rate of ~ 6 megacounts/s, resulting in the lowest reported noise-equivalent power for a Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode detector (1×10-14 WHz-1/2). The first report of 1550 nm wavelength detection efficiency measurements with such a device is presented. A jitter of 300 ps was measured, and preliminary tests on after-pulsing showed only a small increase (a factor of 2) in the normalized dark count rate when the gating frequency was increased from 1 kHz to 1 MHz. These initial results suggest that optimized devices integrated on Si substrates could potentially provide performance comparable to or better than that of many commercially available discrete technologies

Comparing Llama-2 and GPT-3 LLMs for HPC kernels generation

We evaluate the use of the open-source Llama-2 model for generating well-known, high-performance computing kernels (e.g., AXPY, GEMV, GEMM) on different parallel programming models and languages (e.g., C++: OpenMP, OpenMP Offload, OpenACC, CUDA, HIP; Fortran: OpenMP, OpenMP Offload, OpenACC; Python: numpy, Numba, pyCUDA, cuPy; and Julia: Threads, CUDA.jl, AMDGPU.jl). We built upon our previous work that is based on the OpenAI Codex, which is a descendant of GPT-3, to generate similar kernels with simple prompts via GitHub Copilot. Our goal is to compare the accuracy of Llama-2 and our original GPT-3 baseline by using a similar metric. Llama-2 has a simplified model that shows competitive or even superior accuracy. We also report on the differences between these foundational large language models as generative AI continues to redefine human-computer interactions. Overall, Copilot generates codes that are more reliable but less optimized, whereas codes generated by Llama-2 are less reliable but more optimized when correct.Comment: Accepted at LCPC 2023, The 36th International Workshop on Languages and Compilers for Parallel Computing http://www.lcpcworkshop.org/LCPC23/ . 13 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl

General Criteria for Optimal Site Selection for the Installation of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Plants in the Mexican Pacific

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an assessment of the resource potential for ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) in the Mexican Pacific Ocean (MPO). Research methodology adopted in this study is a combination of geographic information system (GIS), to identify the most promising site in the MPO for OTEC deployment. Site selection criteria rely on conditions such as distance to cold water pumping, bathymetry, thermal difference (not less than 20°C), and social and environmental aspects. Finally we concluded that sites located in the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca have the highest potential of the entire MPO, although there are other areas in the states of Baja California Sur, Nayarit, or Michoacan that might have some interest for OTEC technology

Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Humanized Mice Infected with HIV-1

Co-infection with HIV increases the morbidity and mortality associated with tuberculosis due to multiple factors including a poorly understood microbial synergy. We developed a novel small animal model of co-infection in the humanized mouse to investigate how HIV infection disrupts pulmonary containment of Mtb. Following dual infection, HIV-infected cells were localized to sites of Mtb-driven inflammation and mycobacterial replication in the lung. Consistent with disease in human subjects, we observed increased mycobacterial burden, loss of granuloma structure, and increased progression of TB disease, due to HIV co-infection. Importantly, we observed an HIV-dependent pro-inflammatory cytokine signature (IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and IL-8), neutrophil accumulation, and greater lung pathology in the Mtb-co-infected lung. These results suggest that in the early stages of acute co-infection in the humanized mouse, infection with HIV exacerbates the pro-inflammatory response to pulmonary Mtb, leading to poorly formed granulomas, more severe lung pathology, and increased mycobacterial burden and dissemination

Diseño e Implementación de Kits para la Experimentación de Biotecnología en el Hogar (HomeLab)

[EN] With the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, professors had to accelerate their adaptation to the use of digital and remote media to continue with the education of students. Online teaching lab courses present great challenges, as many lab courses are designed to learn from hands-on and real-world exploration. Laboratory courses generally focus on deepening understanding of content and developing skills in experimental techniques. Added to this, the possibility of providing the experience of executing protocols and manipulating equipment, can hardly be achieved with a completely digital model. To promote better learning of laboratory subjects, kits were developed by professors to conduct laboratory practices at home. The students had the opportunity to execute biotechnology protocols following instructions and remote guidance from their professors. Conducting experiments at home,had a high acceptance rate as an efficient tool to learn various skills compared to digital tools.[ES] Con la situación de la pandemia COVID-19, la educación tuvo que acelerar su adaptación al uso de medios digitales y remotos para continuar con la educación de los estudiantes. Los cursos de laboratorio de enseñanza en línea presentan grandes desafíos, ya que están diseñados para aprender de la exploración práctica y del mundo real. Sumado a esto, la posibilidad de brindar la experiencia de ejecutar protocolos y manipular equipos, difícilmente se puede lograr con un modelo completamente digital. Para promover un mejor aprendizaje y asegurar la adquisición de competencias de desarrollo de habilidades en técnicas experimentales a distancia, los profesores desarrollaron kits para la realización de prácticas de laboratorio en casa. Los estudiantes tuvieron la oportunidad de ejecutar protocolos de biotecnología siguiendo instrucciones y guía a distancia por parte de sus profesores. La realización de experimentos en casa tuvo un alto porcentaje de aceptación como una herramienta eficiente para aprender diversas competencias en comparación con herramientas digitales.Antonio Pérez, A.; Torres Huerta, A.; Acata Gómez, R.; Delgado Duran, R.; Jaime Rodríguez, M.; García Díaz, C.; García Huante, Y.... (2021). Diseño e Implementación de Kits para la Experimentación de Biotecnología en el Hogar (HomeLab). En IN-RED 2021: VII Congreso de Innovación Edicativa y Docencia en Red. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1605-1618. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2021.2021.13809OCS1605161