Recruiting College Student Volunteers for Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester ReStore

The Habitat for Humanity Worcester ReStore collects and sells donated housing materials. Proceeds are used to eliminate poverty housing. A reliable and sustainable volunteer base is vital for ReStore’s success. Potential volunteers are abundant on the college campuses in the region. This project delivered a directory of each school’s connections that expressed interest in assisting ReStore. Completion of this project required survey collections and interviews of ReStore staff and college student volunteers. Data analysis was conducted on surveys and interviews, and recommendations were made based on the findings. The recommendations consist of approaching schools differently for marketing materials, creating incentives for volunteers, and utilizing the directory for connection management

Boston Children's Hospital Construction Management Plan

The Major Qualifying Project was completed for Stantec. The project analyzed the construction plans for the Boston Children's Hospital Addition in Brookline, Massachusetts and designed possible alternatives for these plans. Cut-and-fill calculations were completed that considered the contaminated soils on site. Three alternative plans were developed that altered duration, costs, soil reuse, and phasing start dates. These plans were then evaluated using a weighted decision matrix. The provided recommendation focused on maximizing efficiency of project cost and time

CdGAP Controls FA Size and Regulates FA Dynamics in a Rigidity-Dependent Manner.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Immunofluorescence of focal adhesions on soft versus hard PDMS. Merged images are of actin (red), and paxillin (green). Insets show pseudo-colored masks of different sized focal adhesions, with adhesions from 0.1–1 μm² (Red), and adhesions >1–10 μm² (Green). (<b>B</b>) Quantification of average adhesion area (μm²) in control versus cdGAP siRNA-treated cells plated on substrates of varying rigidity. Control cells expressing cdGAP undergo a significant increase in average adhesion size when plated onto rigid PDMS, whereas cdGAP-depleted cells maintain mostly small, peripheral adhesions on both soft and hard PDMS. (<b>C</b>) Cells expressing vinculin-YFP and treated with control or cdGAP siRNA were imaged on soft versus hard PDMS matrices to quantify their adhesion dynamics and montages of images at the indicated timepoints were generated from live-cell movies. (<b>D</b>) Adhesion lifetime was shortened dramatically in cdGAP-depleted cells on both soft and hard matrices, whereas control cells exhibited a significant decrease in adhesion lifetime when comparing cells plated on soft versus hard matrix. P-values represent student's t-test on the pooled data from two experiments using vinculin-YFP as an adhesion marker and one experiment using zyxin-GFP. Adhesion size analysis was performed on ∼1,000 total FAs from 20–30 cells from three independent experiments. For lifetime analysis, ∼100 total FAs from 3–6 cells were evaluated per experimental condition.</p

CdGAP Regulates Cell Morphology, Motility, and Membrane Dynamics in a Matrix Rigidity-Dependent Manner.

<p>(<b>A</b>) U2OS cells treated with control and two independent cdGAP siRNAs were plated on soft and hard PDMS substrates coated with fibronectin. Cells were stained for F-actin and masks created of the thresholded actin images. (<b>B</b>) Transfection of two independent cdGAP siRNAs efficiently suppressed cdGAP protein expression in U2OS cells. (<b>C</b>) Control siRNA-treated cells increased their aspect ratio (long:short axis of the cell) significantly in response to hard substrates, whereas cdGAP siRNA-treated cells maintained an exaggerated crescent morphology with a higher aspect ratio than controls and did not change their aspect ratio as a function of matrix rigidity. (<b>D</b>) U2OS cells were transfected with control or cdGAP siRNA and plated onto soft or hard PDMS coated coverslips and individual cells tracked over the course of 16 hour movies to determine cell migration velocity. (<b>E</b>) Control siRNA-treated cells migrated at a higher velocity on hard substrates, whereas the migration of cdGAP siRNA-treated cells was substantially elevated above that of control cells on both soft and hard substrates. (<b>F</b>) Control siRNA-treated and cdGAP-depleted cells were imaged at high magnification and montages of membrane dynamics were compiled over 20 minute periods using the Quimp11 plugin for ImageJ. (<b>G</b>) Overall membrane protrusion and retraction velocity for control and cdGAP siRNA-treated cells, demonstrating that control siRNA-treated cell membranes are more dynamic on a hard substrate, whereas cdGAP siRNA caused cells to have equally dynamic membranes on soft and hard substrates and rapid membrane movement as compared to control cells. For spread area, aspect ratio, and cell migration analysis, a total of 15–30 cells from three independent experiments were analyzed. For Quimp11 analysis averages represent 3–6 cells from three independent experiments over a 20 minute period.</p

CdGAP is Necessary for Durotaxis.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Cell durotaxis was measured across a glass-soft PDMS interface, (see materials and methods) (<b>B</b>) Representative tracks of control and cdGAP siRNA-treated cells plated into durotaxis chambers tracked over the course of 16 hours. (<b>C</b>) CdGAP siRNA-treated cells that crossed the rigidity interface moved with less directionality than control cells crossing the rigidity boundary. (<b>D</b>) Control siRNA-treated cells crossed onto the glass coverslip preferentially, where they typically remained for the duration of each experiment. In contrast, cdGAP siRNA treatment resulted in equivalent numbers of cells crossing from soft to hard and hard to soft, diminishing the ability of migratory cells to differentiate between soft and rigid substrates. (<b>E</b>) Control siRNA-treated cells typically crossed the rigidity interface only once, whereas cdGAP siRNA treatment promoted multiple crossings of migrating cells in either direction. Crossing data represent a minimum of 150 total cell crossings for each experimental condition from three independent experiments.</p

Peaks of Identity in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains

The glaciated ranges of southwestern Colorado constituting the San Juan Mountains are culturally significant to residents and visitors. As certain mountains are imbued with meaning, they become "peaks of identity," tangible and towering symbolic landscapes representing a distinctive set of community and cultural ideals. This paper explores the symbols and themes of San Juan peaks of identity, with a focus on the mountain amenity town of Lake City and nearby Uncompahgre Peak. Uncompahgre's icon dominates mountain representations in Lake City and instantly identifies the community; its symbolism embodies aesthetics of form and elevation and the sanctity of hallowed ground. Mountain symbolism in the San Juans is mainly projected through land use and the display of icons and names on signs and government seals. Although the San Juans are sacred to the Utes and Navajos and represent a rich mining heritage, they also symbolize idealized natural scenery, landmarks of home, recreation opportunities, and spiritual renewal. Many San Juan communities identify with mountains in a generic sense, but this article focuses on the traits, variability, and depth of meaning of the mountains that are landscape signatures of community identity