The Evolution of Queer Representation in the Young Adult Genre

Beginning in 1969, the queer young adult fiction genre has attracted an increasing number of readers. Many critics, however, have noted large problems in the genre, fueled by themes of homophobia and fear, which hindered rather than advanced normalized queer representation. Since the late 1990s, a growing number of books have worked to eradicate these stereotypes and offer a greater range of possibilities for diversity and celebration of queer identities. This thesis will examine three novels that made large contributions to the advancement of queer representation across the young adult genre. The works are discussed in historical and critical contexts—particularly queer theory— and through my own experiences as a gay man and student of literature. Although these novels are not perfect, I believe each book has made a significant positive contribution to the portrayal of LGBTQ+ identities across young adult literature

Cosmos, culture and landscape : documenting, learning and sharing Aboriginal astronomical knowledge in contemporary society

Contemporary Australian Aboriginal astronomical knowledge, its documentation, sharing and communication is investigated, primarily from three Western Australian locations (1) Murchison region (associated with Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory), (2) East Kimberley (Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater) and (3) the South West of Western Australia. Astronomical knowledge is examined via three surveys and in-depth interviews with 27 participants. Digital imaging (360° & timelapse) is applied to create new and original Aboriginal astronomy resources (virtual tour and exhibition videos)

A Combinatorial Premotor Neural Code: Transformation Of Sensory Information Into Meaningful Rhythmic Motor Output By A Network Of Heterogeneous Modulatory Neurons

The goal of the following research was to investigate the contributions of neural networks in selecting distinct variants of rhythmic motor activity. We used the premotor commissural ganglion (CoG) in the stomatogastric nervous system of the Jonah crab to understand how this network effectively controls the rhythms produced in downstream motor circuits. Prior research determined that individual CoG neurons are necessary to mediate sensory-induced variation in the effected motor patterns. However, single premotor neuron inputs to the STG are not sufficient to recreate the patterns induced by the selective activation of sensory pathways. Thus, it was hypothesized that the CoG-mediated effects on these sensorimotor transformations must be explained at the level of CoG population activity. We embraced the exploratory nature of this study by approaching it in three phases. First, we established voltage-sensitive dye imaging in the stomatogastric nervous system, as a technique that reports the simultaneous activity of many neurons with single-neuron resolution. In short, this form of imaging was effective at reporting both slow and fast changes in membrane potential, and provided an effective means of staining fine neural structures through neural sheaths, structures that often act as barriers to many substances. Then, we characterized the distribution of somata in the CoG, and found that soma location was not fixed in its location from animal to animal, but that clustering of CoG somata did occur near their different nerve pathway origins. Finally, we used the voltage-sensitive dye-imaging technique to investigate the CoG population under many different sensory conditions, and found that two different sensory modalities, one chemosensory and one mechanosensory pathway, differentially affected the balance of excited and inhibited (network activation) neurons found in the CoGs. Moreover, differences in the composition of CoG participants between modalities was not extremely robust. However, it differed enough so that both CoG participation and activation were drivers of the observed changes in the downstream pyloric motor network, providing support for a premotor combinatorial code for motor pattern selection

Promotion Techniques for Park and Recreation Administrators

A well-conceived promotion plan is based on carefully-targeted promotion goals and objectives and a promotion strategy tailor-made to meet those goals. There is an expansive shopping list of publicity, advertising, personal contact, and special promotion techniques available. Your job, as a park and recreation administrator, is to pick and choose those methods appropriate to your particular situation. This article discusses the propriety of promoting your agency and its facilities and services, it provides a quick overview of the promotion planning process, and it offers a brief introduction to the basics of publicity, advertising, personal contact, and special promotions