VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
When Kings Become Philosophers: The Late Republican Origins of Cicero's Political Philosophy

Abstract/nWhen Kings Become Philosophers:/nThe Late Republican Origins of Cicero’s Political Philosophy/nby/nGregory Douglas Smay/nDoctor of Philosophy in Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology/nUniversity of California, Berkeley/nProfessor Erich S. Gruen, Chair/nThis dissertation argues that Cicero’s de Republica is both a reflection of, and a commentary on, the era in which it was written to a degree not previously recognized in Ciceronian scholarship. Contra readings which treat the work primarily as a theoretical tract in the tradition of late Hellenistic philosophy, this study situates the work within its historical context in Late Republican Rome, and in particular within the personal experience of its author during this tumultuous period. This approach yields new insights into both the meaning and significance of the work and the outlook of the individual who is our single most important witness to the history of the last decades of the Roman Republic./nSpecifically, the dissertation argues that Cicero provides clues preserved in the extant portions of the de Republica, overlooked by modern students in the past bur clearly recognizable to readers in his own day, indicating that it was meant to be read as a work with important contemporary political resonances. Among those which are still traceable in the mangled palimpsest which is our only source for the majority of the treatise are comments on the proper apportionment of authority and governmental responsibility among senate, magistrates and populus that grew out of Cicero’s handling of the Catilinarian conspiracy and its aftermath, and reflections on the importance of political engagement, even under the adverse circumstances of the First Triumvirate, which were heavily influenced by Cicero’s own political travails in the late 60s and 50s B.C./nAs such, the de Republica represents a novel kind of literature within the Roman tradition. Living in an elite culture that privileged political action, yet unable to act politically in traditional ways under the constraints imposed by his enforced alliance with the triumvirs, Cicero attempted to forge a new kind of statesmanship, one carried out through the medium of the written word. The de Republica is thus written as a political act, a thoughtful response to contemporary conditions written by an intelligent commentator who, unable any longer to steer the ship of state by conventional means, was seeking a new way of exerting an influence on the course of events.

Advisor: Gruen, Erich S
The Pre-emption of Resistance: Occupy Oakland and the Evolution of State Power

This dissertation aims to contribute to our understanding of contemporary state strategies targeting social movements by examining the case of Occupy Oakland. Emphasizing how state strategies, both tactical and discursive, dynamically evolve through their iterative relation to movement strategies, it presents a detailed empirical account that is disaggregated into three “moments”, each of which are characterized by the predominance of a distinct state strategic repertoire. The objective is to highlight an underlying transformation through which the state’s strategies evolve from being highly reactive, indiscriminate and vulnerable to spectacularization to becoming increasingly pre-emptive, targeted and discursively buttressed./nThe first “moment” commences with the movement’s occupation of Oscar Grant Plaza. Faced with Occupy Oakland’s highly disruptive tactics and its firm rejection of any forms of negotiation or cooperation with City officials, the state resorts to a strategy of Naked Coercion (reactive, indiscriminate violence that is highly vulnerable to spectacularization) which backfires and results in an internationally televised disaster on the evening of October 25th. This creates an extraordinary window of opportunity for the movement, dramatically increasing public support and enabling it to undertake the first general strike in the U.S. since 1946. This fuels a process of adaptation as the struggle proceeds into the second “moment”, and the state shifts to a strategy of Targeted Repression that is increasingly pro-active, targeted and discursively buttressed so as to diminish the danger of its spectacularization. The new strategy succeeds in permanently dislodging the occupation of Oscar Grant Plaza, as well as criminalizing the tactic of occupation and excising it from movement’s repertoire. Still unsatisfied with the repression it had achieved, in the third and final “moment” the state introduces a strategy of Pre-emptive Neutralization that is pre-emptively oriented, targeted at high “risk” populations and discursively buttressed by powerful spectacles of “risk”. This enables a thorough incapacitation of the movement – fully neutralizing its potential for collective action by rendering Occupiers a target population that could no longer even publicly assemble without inciting highly militarized police responses that were now pre-emptively justified by the risk of “violence” they collectively posed.

Advisor: Burawoy, Michael B
Effects of insecticides on freshwater invertebrate communities of small streams in soy-production regions of South America

In this dissertation, I examined the occurrence of insecticides in streams in intensive soy production regions of South America, and their effects on invertebrate communities. Recently soy has become a major export crop in South America, and the insecticides used are highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates. I adapted the Species at Risk pesticide index (SPEARpesticides), which was developed in Europe to assess effects of pesticide contamination in agricultural streams. I then explored the relative importance of insecticides in comparison to other agricultural stressors, and the potential for riparian buffers to mitigate pesticide transport and impacts. My study sites were on small streams adjacent to agricultural fields in four soy production regions: two regions in the Argentine Pampas (La Plata-Magdalena and Arrecifes), and one region each in the Atlantic forest habitat of Brazil and Paraguay./nCommonly used insecticides were detected at high frequencies in all three countries, and pyrethroids insecticides were the most likely to occur at acutely toxic concentrations. Samples with highest toxicity were collected from streams with riparian buffer width less than 20 m, and buffer width was the most important predictor variable in explaining insecticide levels. I evaluated the toxicity of the four most commonly detected insecticides to Hyalella curvispina, a freshwater amphipod that is widespread in South America. The lowest LC50 values were found for the pyrethroid insecticides lambda-cyhalothrin and cypermethrin, followed by chlorpyrifos and alpha-endosulfan./nAfter adapting the SPEARpesticides index for local invertebrate communities in the Argentina streams, I found that SPEARpesticides was the only response metric that was significantly correlated with insecticide levels. Multiple regression showed that insecticide toxicity was the most important stressorin explaining variability in the SPEARpesticide index./nI then evaluated the relative importance of insecticides and other agricultural stressors on invertebrate communities in Atlantic Forest streams. Although buffer widths in Brazil streams were negatively correlated with insecticide concentrations, and had a moderate importance in mitigating effects on some sensitive taxa, insecticides had little importance in explaining variability in invertebrate communities. The forested riparian buffer zones are likely to have mitigated the effects of pesticides on stream invertebrate communities in these regions.

Advisor: Resh, Vincent H
Exploring the Role of Neighborhood Collective Efficacy on Resident Health and Well-Being: Implications for Public Health Research and Practice

The adverse health effects of living in under resourced neighborhoods has been well documented. While structural factors, such as concentrated poverty, have received the most investigation, research points to neighborhood social dynamics as a potential mechanism that influences health. Collective efficacy is one such social dynamic considered for its association with individual health outcomes. Collective efficacy refers to the social cohesion among residents and shared expectations that residents will come together for the good of the neighborhood. As the link between neighborhoods and health has become more established, place-based strategies are being employed to improve the health status of residents living in under-resourced neighborhoods. Collective efficacy’s unique feature of mobilizing residents to achieve neighborhood goals may be an important component of neighborhood quality and opportunity for neighborhood change./nMuch of the empirical evidence on collective efficacy comes from cross-sectional studies, therefore we do not know if collective efficacy can change and whether this change leads to improved health. In addition, we lack an understanding of how community change initiatives are attempting to promote and enhance collective efficacy as a strategy to mobilize residents toward community change. This dissertation aims to address these gaps in knowledge./nThis dissertation uses multiple methods to deepen our understanding of the role of neighborhood collective efficacy on the health and well-being of residents. The first paper is a systematic, interdisciplinary review of the literature on collective efficacy and health and is one of the first to synthesize this literature. The review aims to assess the evidence of a link between collective efficacy and health, and to provide areas for future research. The second paper is a multi-level longitudinal analysis exploring whether collective efficacy changes over time in low income communities in seven U.S. cities. This paper takes advantage of a unique data set from the Annie E Casey Foundation’s Making Connections Initiative that surveyed residents across three waves over eight years. The third paper explores how community change initiatives are promoting collective efficacy among residents in their target neighborhoods, and how residents experience this work. The research employs a case study approach with semi structured interviews and observations to illuminate the role of collective efficacy as a strategy to promote neighborhood change.

Advisor: Mujahid, Mahasin
Combinatorics of the Asymmetric Simple Exclusion Process

The Asymmetric Simple Exclusion Process (ASEP) is a process from statistical physics that describes the dynamics of interacting particles hopping right and left on a one-dimensional finite lattice with open boundaries. The ASEP is a Markov chain on $2^n$ states denoted by words of length $n$ in particles and holes with three hopping parameters $\alpha, \beta$, and $q$. Particles may enter at the left with rate $\alpha$, they may exit at the right with rate $\beta$, and in the bulk particles can hop to an empty location to the right with rate 1 and to the left with rate $q$./nA main goal in the study of the ASEP is to discover concrete formulae that compute its steady state probabilities. One can compute these probabilities as sums over combinatorial objects such as the \emph{alternative tableaux}. In Chapter 2, we give a determinantal formula for the weight generating function of these tableaux at $q=0$, and thus explicitly compute the steady state probabilities for the ASEP at $q=0$./nThe two-species ASEP is a generalization in which there are two species of particles, \emph{heavy} and \emph{light}. Only the \emph{heavy} particles are able to enter and exit at the left and right of the lattice and with rates $\alpha$ and $\beta$, respectively. If particles of two different species are adjacent, they can swap with rate 1 if the heavier particle is on the left, and rate $q$ if it is on the right. In Chapter 3, we give a combinatorial formula for the steady state probabilities of the two-species ASEP at by introducing the \emph{rhombic alternative tableaux} of Figure
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(b). We show that the weight generating function of these tableaux gives a formula for the steady state probabilities of the two-species ASEP. We give a second proof of this tableaux formula by constructing a Markov Chain on the rhombic alternative tableaux that projects to the two-species ASEP./nIn Chapter 4, we introduce a $k$-species ASEP that generalizes the two-species ASEP. We prove a Matrix Ansatz that expresses the steady state probabilities of states of this $k$-species ASEP as a certain matrix product, which generalizes an analogous result for the two-species ASEP. In this $k$-species ASEP, there are $k$ species of particles of varying heaviness. As with the two-species ASEP, only the heaviest particle is allowed to enter and exit at the boundaries of the lattice, with the same respective rates $\alpha$ and $\beta$. Moreover, adjacent particles of different species can swap with rate 1 if the heavier particle is on the left, and rate $q$ if it is on the right. Using the generalized Matrix Ansatz, we introduce tableaux called the \emph{$k$-rhombic tableaux}, which give a combinatorial formula for the probabilities of the $k$-species ASEP.

Advisor: Williams, Lauren
Improving Cloud Security using Secure Enclaves

Internet services can provide a wealth of functionality, yet their usage raises privacy, security and integrity concerns for users./nThis is caused by a lack of guarantees about what is happening on the server side./nAs a worst case scenario, the service might be subjected to an insider attack./nThis dissertation describes the \emph{unalterable secure service} concept for trustworthy cloud computing./nSecure services are a powerful abstraction that enables viewing the cloud as a true extension of local computing resources./nSecure services combine the security benefits one gets locally with the manageability and availability of the distributed cloud./nSecure services are implemented using secure enclaves./nRemote attestation of the server is used to obtain guarantees about the programming of the service./nThis dissertation addresses concerns related to using secure enclaves such as providing data freshness and distributing identity information./nCertificate Transparency is augmented to distribute information about which services exist and what they do./nAll combined, this creates a platform that allows legacy clients to obtain security guarantees about Internet services.

Advisor: Wagner, Davig
Exploring the Design Space of Deep Convolutional Neural Networks at Large Scale

In recent years, the research community has discovered that deep neural networks (DNNs) and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can yield higher accuracy than all previous solutions to a broad array of machine learning problems. To our knowledge, there is no single CNN/DNN architecture that solves all problems optimally. Instead, the “right” CNN/DNN architecture varies depending on the application at hand. CNN/DNNs comprise an enormous design space. Quantitatively, we find that a small region of the CNN design space contains 30 billion different CNN architectures./nIn this dissertation, we develop a methodology that enables systematic exploration of the design space of CNNs. Our methodology is comprised of the following four themes./n1. Judiciously choosing benchmarks and metrics./n2. Rapidly training CNN models./n3. Defining and describing the CNN design space./n4. Exploring the design space of CNN architectures./nTaken together, these four themes comprise an effective methodology for discovering the “right” CNN architectures to meet the needs of practical applications.

Advisor: Keutzer, Kurt
MAN UP: Implementing Critical Pedagogy for Social Justice in a STEM-Focused 6th-8th grade After School Program for African American Males

STEM education has been reliant on axioms and purported facts that for far too long have been delivered in a banking or absorption model that is, arguably, anti-critical. Unsurprisingly, this pedagogical approach to STEM education has failed large segments of students; and, this is especially true of African American males. This study investigated the potential inroads and vistas of a Saturday Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program, Male Aptitudes Nurtured for Unlimited Potential (MAN UP), designed to foster interest and competence in STEM subjects by middle school African American males. Critical pedagogical perspectives were central to the program’s design and implementation as was the intent to increase their STEM competency in conjunction with developing STEM identities that are informed by social justice perspectives. Data collection covered the implementation of this program with first year MAN UP students for two or three Saturdays per month for a full academic year. Data included pre and post and focus group interviews with the entire first year cohort, participant observation in a focal class, classroom observations of the cohort’s two additional STEM classes, video tapes of cohort students’ project presentations, their online reflective journals, as well as interviews with their STEM instructors along with the instructors’ online learning designs and reflections. This study significantly illuminates and documents viable approaches to increasing the interest in, competence with, and potential for socially just applications of science, technology, engineering, and math by students who are often marginalized in these subjects.

Advisor: Mahiri, Jabari
Designing Video-Based Interactive Instructions

When attempting to accomplish unfamiliar tasks, people often look for tutorials to follow instructions. While it is easy to access online instructions shared by domain experts, navigating step-by-step guidance using existing tools remains inefficient. In addition, producing high-quality instructions that are easy to follow requires authoring expertise and a significant time investment in editing. This dissertation introduces video-based recording, editing, and playback tools optimized for creating and consuming tutorials from author demonstrations. Our interactive systems capture videos and high-level events that are important to a learner. Using video and audio analysis techniques, we develop algorithms that automatically produce high-quality instructions, which dramatically reduce the effort required for amateur creators. By introducing novel tutorial formats combined with video content, these designs in turn improve viewers’ learning experience./nWe present a series of authoring tools that enable amateur authors to create effective tutorials: 1) MixT is a system that automatically generates step-by-step mixed media tutorials from software demonstrations. 2) DemoWiz is a tool that provides an increased awareness of upcoming events in a software demonstration video. 3) DemoCut is a semi-automatic video editing tool for physical tasks. 4) Kinectograph is a recording device that automatically follows an instructor for filming a physical demonstration. 5) DemoDraw is a multi-modal system to generate step-by-step motion illustrations from author’s body movements. Current authoring practices from professionals are encoded into automatic algorithms and interactive techniques. These systems are evaluated through a series of studies, which demonstrate that users can efficiently create and follow concise instructions using our tools.

Advisor: Hartmann, Bjoern
Design Roadmapping: Integrating Design Research Into Strategic Planning For New Product Development

While product and technology roadmaps have been well formalized in terms of their structures, methodologies, and frameworks, design roadmaps have not been explicitly explored nor studied from either an academic or industry practice standpoint. With increasing uncertainty, rapid change, and complexity in market environments, companies are finding that they can no longer differentiate their products and services by relying on traditional roadmapping processes that focus solely on technologies and product features. Rather, strategies that revolve around the holistic experience provided by a product or service are more likely to be successful in today’s market. This dissertation introduces a formalized design roadmapping framework to guide product planning in today’s more user-centered marketplace./nInitial exploratory research assessed the current application of roadmapping in industry through observations and semi-structured interviews of product managers, technology managers, and designers from Silicon Valley and East Coast companies. This descriptive study revealed key challenges and opportunities associated with current roadmapping processes, providing a solid foundation on which to create a more effective process./nI introduce and characterize a detailed framework for design roadmapping that focuses on desired outcomes for the user and not just product features nor technologies. It provides a mechanism to explicitly integrate customer/user research into the roadmapping process and use this research to consider appropriate projected technology choices. Similar to traditional product and technology roadmaps, the design roadmapping process presented herein aggregates design experience elements along a timeline by associating key user needs with products, services, or systems./nThe design roadmap framework was tested through active research in a large multinational corporation and a small startup, and was applied to new product development curricula at UC Berkeley. In all settings, participants found the new framework beneficial at multiple stages of the new product development process. The activities associated with design roadmapping process were also considered particularly helpful for prioritizing products for commercialization and promoting a shared vision among team members and active communication across organizations.

Advisor: Agogino, Alice M
Essays on Using the IP System to Promote Innovation and Economic Growth

One of the main purposes of the patent system is to facilitate the flow of knowledge by ensuring access to information related to inventions. In the United States, the patent applicant has a legal duty to disclose knowledge of relevant prior art in the form of citations, thus placing the innovation in context and enhancing knowledge of this prior art. However, the applicant might miss relevant prior art due to ignorance, or conceal it for strategical reasons, which could reduce the value of public information generated by the applications and also reduce the accuracy of patent grant decisions. Patent examiners can add citations not known to the applicant, because they supposedly have less barrier in accessing knowledge from different regions. The examiners, specialized in a given technical area, might also identify and add prior art that are deliberately omitted by applicants thus tend to render the patent obvious or non-novel. Prior literature generally agrees the examiner citation is more important than applicant citation as a signal of patent value or knowledge flow. Using US patents granted since 2001, I test the hypothesis that examiner citations contain more important information on patent value and knowledge flow than applicant citations. Surprisingly, on a variety of measures, I find evidence to support the contrary. I also show that the evidence supporting the current hypothesis was attained by a model mis-specification. The findings shed light on many innovation studies that rely on patent citations, and also have important policy implications regarding the operation of the patent office and in general the patent examination system.

Advisor: Wright, Brian D