bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Constraint Satisfaction Problems and Their Reduction to Directed Graphs
Authors: Mbaka Muzalal Muhanda Stella
Published: May 2021

Constraint satisfaction problems present a general framework for studying a large class of algorithmic problems such as satisfaction of Boolean formulas, solving systems of equations over finite fields, graph colourings, as well as various applied problems in artificial intelligence (scheduling, allocation of cell phone frequencies, among others.) CSP (Constraint Satisfaction Problems) bring together graph theory, complexity theory and universal algebra. It is a well known result, due to Feder and Vardi, that any constraint satisfaction problem over a finite relational structure can be reduced to the homomorphism problem for a finite oriented graph. Until recently, it was not known whether this reduction preserves the type of the algorithm which solves the original constraint satisfaction problem, so that the same algorithm solves the corresponding digraph homomorphism problem. We look at how a recent construction due to Bulin, Deli´c, Jackson, and Niven can be used to show that the polynomial solvability of a constraint satisfaction problem using Datalog, a programming language which is a weaker version of Prolog, translates from arbitrary relational structures to digraphs.
A rapid design space exploration approach for multi-objective optimization of DSP filter designs
Authors: Sharma Aakriti Tarun
Published: May 2021

The process of converting a behavioral specification of an application to its equivalent system architecture is referred to as High Level-Synthesis (HLS). A crucial stage in embedded systems design involves finding the trade off between resource utilization and performance. An exhaustive search would yield the required results, but would take a huge amount of time to arrive at the solution even for smaller designs. This would result in a high time complexity. We employ the use of Design Space Exploration (DSE) in order to reduce the complexity of the design space and to reach the desired results in less time.

In reality, there are multiple constraints defined by the user that need to be satisfied simultaneously.
Thus, the nature of the task at hand is referred to as Multi-Objective Optimization. In this thesis,
the design process of DSP benchmarks was analyzed based on user defined constraints such as power
and execution time. The analyzed outcome was compared with the existing approaches in DSE and an
optimal design solution was derived in a shorter time period.
A Method for Determining the Relationship Between Increasing Insulation and Potential Freeze Thaw Damage in Brick Masonry Walls
Authors: Johnson Braden
Published: May 2021

When considering insulation retrofits, property limit distances and setbacks make interior insulation of residential homes the only viable option. When pursuing an interior insulation retrofit the potential for brick masonry freeze thaw damage needs to be considered. Studying the impacts of an interior insulation retrofit Pre-World War 2 residential building in Toronto, Ontario, a comparison of the retrofitted building using WUFI against 8 other insulation types was completed to determine if the change of insulation affects the potential for freeze thaw damage. Based on the results of the WUFI analysis the answer would be yes. The insulation type and R value does have an impact brick masonry freeze thaw resistance. However this relationship is general and not linear. The method provided shows that if critical saturation (SCRIT) is known predictive modeling on the impacts of interior insulation on the moisture performance of the brick masonry wall can be used.
A full catalogue and analysis of Indian painted photographs at Royal Ontario Museum's South Asian photographic collection
Authors: Zotova Olga
Published: May 2021

This thesis is based on a photographic collection of Indian painted photographs from the South Asian Photographic collection at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). There are fifty-four photographic objects created by various makers and photographers with dates ranging from the 1880's to the 1990's. For the most part the objects are examples of studio portraiture. Most of them are photographic images with applied colour, however, there are some examples of paintings in this group that were executed in the tradition of photographic studio portraiture, but have no evidence of a photosensitive material underneath. The paintings, as well as the painted photographs, employ different media, such as watercolour, gouache and oil paints. The objects I investigated and catalogued fall under three categories: prints made by contact printing, by enlargement, and finally paintings produced using a photograph as a model. Tinting of photographs was a well-known Western tradition in the nineteenth century, while the process that Indian artists developed was a synthesis of their long practiced tradition of miniature painting and the newly developed technology of photography. Finally this thesis unveils the means of production of Indian painted photographs, and tries to find the reason for Indian artists employing opaque medium in their colourings.
A comparison of methyl and gaseous elemental mercury in the urban atmosphere
Authors: Cairns Elaine
Published: May 2021

This study was carried out to compare the levels of mercury species, i.e., elemental mercury (Hg°) and methyl mercury (MeHg), in indoor and outdoor air in urban areas in Canada. Offices, laboratories for undergraduate studies, and laboratories for research, in a public building located in the downtown core of the city of Toronto, were selected. Hg° was measured using an automated mercury vapour analyzer. MeHg in the air was collected using a carbotrap, and the trapped MeHg was thermally desorbed and analyzed using a CVAFS. The results showed that both indoor MeHg and Hg° levels were related to location function and air circulation. Outdoor MeHg levels were significantly elevated, ranging between 21 and 41% of total mercury (THg) levels, compared to those reported from previous studies. Outdoor Hg° fluctuations were not found to be significantly related to temperature or sunlight exposure, and outdoor MeHg levels were connected to soil and vegetation abundance. Average indoor Hg° levels were found to be between 1.4 and 15 times higher than outdoor levels, whereas MeHg indoor levels were not consistently higher than outdoor levels. Although the mercury concentrations in the indoor environment are still lower than the safety standard for Hg° and organic mercury, they are comparable to those observed near point sources. Thus, indoor air can be a source of mercury to the atmosphere.
Managing crisis and living in crisis: health & place, what separation? A holistic view of the community environment at Sherbourne and Dundas
Authors: Beausoleil Stephanie
Published: May 2021

A person’s environment greatly influences and informs their emotional health, wellbeing and ability to live with dignity and express agency. The Sherbourne and Dundas neighborhood presents a matrix of spaces entrenched with high levels of violence, incivilities and public health hazards. Currently, there are numerous institutions working within and surrounding this community all with a mandate to support the vulnerable and stigmatized who live here yet to date has not been actualized on any level at Sherbourne and Dundas. The environmental living conditions for the neighborhood and the participants of this study are quickly deteriorating putting everyone within and surrounding the area at increased risk Findings of this narrative study with three residents indicate that there to be a stronger balance between community and service user voice in developing and informing programming as well at determining who occupies space in their environment as ‘helpers ’and other structural and systemic representations which yield a great amount of power as brokers in this marginalized and vulnerable neighbourhood space. In doing so this community would be able to hold power accountable in this environment, disrupt the hybridization of institutionalization that is in effect in this space.
Estimation and equalization strategies for fiber-wireless communications in a multiuser CDMA environment
Authors: Pinter Stephen Z.
Published: May 2021

Two major issues associated with fiber-wireless technology are the nonlinear distortion of the optical link and the multipath dispersion of the wireless channel. In order to limit the effects of these distortions, estimation, and subsequently equalization of the concatenated fiber-wireless channel needs to be done. This thesis addresses three scenarios in this regard, they are: uplink estimation using pseudonoise (PN) sequences, downlink estimation using Walsh codes, and uplink equalization using a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) and series reversion, all in the presence of both wireless and optical channel noise. The training sequences used in the identification are practically feasible. These training sequences have white noise-like properties which effectively decouples the identification of the linear and nonlinear channels. Correlation analysis is then applied to identify both systems. Furthermore, we propose an algorithm to mitigate the adverse effect of multiple access interference (MAI). Numerical evaluations show a good estimation of both the linear and nonlinear systems with 10 users for the uplink and 54 users for the downlink, both with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 25 dB. Chip error rate (CER) simulations show that the proposed MAI mitigation algorithm leaves only small residual MAI.
A Comparison of Life Cycle Energy and Carbon Impacts for Passive Detached Accessory Dwelling Units and Their Design Implications
Authors: Veylan Deva Siva
Published: May 2021

Detached accessory dwelling units are a building typology that, when built to passive design standards, can help reduce GHG emissions while addressing the socioeconomic pressures facing many housing markets. Energy performance metrics like those used in passive design standards are based on per unit of floor area and lead to a size-bias against smaller housing typologies. A life cycle assessment of cost-optimal passive house sizes ranging from 230 m² (2,500 ft²) to 30 m² (300 ft²) is performed to understand their total life cycle energy use and GHG emissions implications. Additionally, an analysis using BEopt examines operational energy use for 10 cost-optimal passive house sizes ranging from 230 m² (2,500 ft²) to 30 m² (300 ft²) across all 17 climate zones and examines how cost-optimal passive design changes with house size. The results show that per-occupant energy use and GHG emissions are similar or better for small house sizes and that cost-optimal passive design does not change significantly with house size.
A Sample Book Of Late 20th And Early 21st Century Expired Silver Gelatin Photographic Papers
Authors: Guillemette Joanne R.
Published: May 2021

In this applied thesis project, a sample booklet of various expired silver gelatin papers is created. Specific information on the use of expired photographic papers by contemporary photographers is discussed as well as insights from collection caretakers (collection managers/archivists/conservators) on the possible implications that printing with expired silver gelatin papers may have for the long-term preservation of photographic works.

The major contribution of this thesis is to create and gain a better understanding of tools that can be used in the characterisation and identification of expired silver gelatin papers. It is also to demonstrate that a tactile tool such as the sample booklet can assist in identifying various deterioration events. I feel that it is important to have a hands-on source that can be used independently or collectively with other sources such as web-based visual identification tools. The booklet will be useful as an educational tool for students, collection care takers, as well as professionals in the photographic field.
When remittances become their tears : Canada's exclusionary immigration policy towards African immigrants robs Sudanese immigrants of the very money they need for settlement
Authors: Kereyo Patrick Kandi
Published: May 2021

This study examines the difficulties associated with family sponsorship from Africa to Canada and the misleading picture in the literature that remittances represent generous flows of money from developed to the developing countries. It also examines how Canada's immigration policy, due to its cultural bias, results in African immigrants being coerced to send remittances. Its findings indicate that while remittances are sent for various reasons, Canada's culturally exclusionary immigration policy inflects negative impact on African immigrants seeking family reunification.
The study examined the experiences of Sudanese immigrants in Canada. Its findings indicate that they handle racism, cultural exclusion and delays in family reunification which deteriorate their socioeconomic status. To reverse these experiences, immigration policy needs to address sponsorship inefficiencies and embrace cultural sensitive. [sic]
This qualitative study interviewed 12 key informants at various stages of the sponsorship process. This was supplemented with a literature review and secondary data analysis.
Responding to Hurricanes Irma and Maria: An Exploration of Puerto Rico Tourism's Image Repair Efforts
Authors: Wiseman Allison
Published: May 2021

Tourists’ perceived image of a destination, including perceptions of safety and risk, play important roles in deciding whether or not to visit a destination. When crises strike a tourist destination, tourism organizations must work towards restoring their images to a favourable state. In the fall of 2017, hurricanes Irma and Maria swept through the Caribbean with devastating consequences. Puerto Rico, whose tourism industry plays a vital role in its economy, was particularly devastated by the hurricanes. In the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria, Puerto Rico’s tourism sector was in a state of crisis whereby its economic health depended on tourism revenue. Since image plays a vital role in the health of Puerto Rico’s tourism industry, this Major Research Paper (MRP) seeks to analyze the use of image repair strategies employed by Puerto Rico’s official tourism organization, See Puerto Rico, across multiple online platforms and across varying stages of the hurricane crisis. Drawing from image repair theory (Benoit, 1997), texts and images found on See Puerto Rico’s website and Facebook page were analyzed by identifying the presence of denial, evading responsibility, reducing offensiveness, corrective action, and mortification strategies with the addition of informational and suffering strategies. Findings indicate that See Puerto Rico primarily employed bolstering, informational, corrective action, minimization, and suffering strategies throughout its website and Facebook page. Puerto Rico strived to restore its image by providing tourists select pieces of information regarding the status of Puerto Rico’s tourism industry and by showcasing the positive attributes of the islands. Part of See Puerto Rico’s image repair efforts involved ignoring the hurricanes and minimizing their seriousness and impacts to reassure tourists that they could still travel to Puerto Rico. The application of image repair theory in this study suggests that it can be used to help understand tourism organizations’ crisis responses to natural disasters.
I Dress For Me: A Photographic Exploration of Clothing, Age and Identity
Authors: Trach Gabrielle
Published: May 2021

For this major research project, I Dress for Me, I investigated the relationship between clothing and life narratives for senior women through interviews and documentary-style photographs of the women’s wardrobes. Based on theories of identity and everyday dress by Irving Goffman and Efrat Tseëlon; fashion and age by Julia Twigg; and the practice of wardrobe interviews by Sophie Woodward, I set out to draw upon the life experiences of participants to gain a better
understanding of how an individual’s relationship with clothing changes over time. The motivation for this project was to create a diverse representation of senior women within fashion. The result was gaining intimate accounts of women’s experiences and relationships with clothing and how they connected to life transitions, the aging body, life narratives and memory. Each woman’s relationship with clothing is complex and layered, as shown through their varied and diverse wardrobes that reflect their life narratives.
Architecture & Legitimacy: Strategies for the Development of Urban Informal Settlements
Authors: Pressick Rachel D.
Published: May 2021

Currently, 1 in 6 people live in slums, or informal settlements in cities throughout the developing world. They are built illegally and are characterized by lack of proper sanitation, unsafe housing, and crowded living conditions. Despite their appearance, informal settlements are legitimate communities; they are vibrant, with sophisticated social, economic and cultural networks that support the livelihoods of residents who call them home. These communities give the urban poor a physical place within the city, giving them access to the opportunities and advantages that the current age of the 'global city' can offer to any willing participant. As architects who see the responsibility in choosing the informal settlement as a realm for engagement, this thesis proposes that any architectural intervention be mindful of the importance of the networks contained within the streets and buildings of the informal settlement. By preserving the built-fabric of the settlement, the architect legitimizes the settlement's density and scale, while ensuring the urban poor have a physical place in the city. They have managed to develop their own communities without any investment from outside forces, any intervention should only support that autonomous development. These structures, as well as the people and activities with them, are vital to the survival of residents of informal settlements.
Shoreline changes at the regional scale in Tuktoyaktuk and the Mackenzie Delta, calculated using Landsat satellite imagery from 1985 to 2013
Authors: Ramoul Rachid
Published: May 2021

The Canadian Arctic has long been perceived by many as a vast area of barren and frozen land, sparsely populated, and of little importance to the country’s economic growth. However, today this is no longer the case. The changing environment and increased development in this region have led to numerous environmental ramifications, one of the most prominent being shoreline changes.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impacts climate change, natural mechanisms, and increased anthropogenic activity have had on the shoreline in the hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories, and the surrounding Mackenzie Delta from 1985 to 2013 using Landsat satellite imagery. Shoreline changes are quantified and given a rate and directional vector over time in order to determine the predominant trends of erosion or deposition. The results of this investigation indicate that shoreline erosion is one of the leading mechanisms of shoreline change in this region.
Personalia and women’s spatial practices in the routine office
Authors: Chalmers Lynn
Published: May 2021

Office design is a contemporary cultural discourse, where space is conceived in abstract terms. Organizations mission and purpose are translated into the spatial design of workplaces. In the most dominant sectors such as finance and banking neoliberal organizations operate around the space of flows, generated by globalization, technology and postmodernity (Castells, 2000). The space of flows is also manifest in the spatial design of the workplace shaping employees’ working identities and behaviours. The dissertation asserts that there are two classes of office workers evolving in the workplace: the professional knowledge workers who are increasingly mobile and autonomous; and the routine clerical workers who are captive in a hegemonic system that keeps them doing clerical work with little prospect of promotion. It is significant that the clerical class is composed mostly of women. Personalia and Women’s Spatial Practices In The Routine Office examines the head offices of Investors Group in Winnipeg, Canada, in terms of how the company’s offices both reflect and generate spaces of flows. Women’s participation rates have grown from being a small minority in the 1900s to approximately 70% of the clerical workforce in the 2000s. Through microanalysis of previously unexamined personalia, or personal objects at the desk, the dissertation finds work spaces are expressive of women’s lived experiences of work. By conducting interviews and photographic studies of the workspaces of 11 women at Investors Group the research uncovers the ways women use the personalia at their desks to reappropriate the everyday spaces of the office. The identification of the term personalia becomes a key concept in the work and a contribution to the study of the close environment of the office desk. Social networks with co-workers, past and present are honored in the personalia at the desk; and tactics such as repurposing office supplies as gifts, along with numerous individual and heterogeneous behaviours demonstrate that routine work spaces are not neutral spaces, but are open to the expressive practices which de Certeau calls operations. The ways that women make space for themselves and push against the hegemony of the neoliberal organization are specific and instructive. They reflect women’s values and the identities crafted for public and private consumption. The research closely examines the practices of women in the financial services industry through the filter of Lefebvre’s trialectic for the analysis of space (1991), de Certeau’s ways of operating and tactics (1998), and Franck’s interpretation of Women’s Ways of Knowing (1989; 2000). The research demonstrates how personalia in the contemporary workplace reflects women’s values, and how women’s values have influenced the design of the workplace.
Attitudes Regarding Bisexuality Among Undergraduate University Students
Authors: Bailey Helen
Published: May 2021

Attitudes regarding bisexuality are examined using an experimental design; the relationships between these attitudes and two common predictors of negative attitudes regarding lesbians and gay men (i.e., authoritarianism and social dominance) are also investigated. Participants were asked to read a vignette describing either a gay or bisexual man and provide reactions to this man via a 25-item questionnaire. The questionnaire contained items pertaining to five attitude dimensions: stability, tolerance, likeability, sexuality, and morality. When reading a vignette describing a bisexual man, participants rated him as being less stable in terms of his sexual identity than a gay man. Additionally, a relationship was found between levels of political authoritarianism and social dominance and participants' attitudes regarding bisexuality. These findings are examined in light of current theories and research examining bisexuality and attitudes regarding lesbians and gay men. Limitations and considerations for future research are also discussed.
A New Strategy for Multi- Objective Dynamic and Kinematic Optimization of Robotic Manipulators with Application in Haptic Interfaces
Authors: Alae Behrooz
Published: May 2021

There is an increasing demand for higher performance in modern robotic applications. To meet the need for more accuracy and fast dynamic response, considering inertial effects is necessary. This thesis proposes a new global multi-objective optimization strategy to tune the geometric and dynamic capabilities of a manipulator. Then, as a case study, the kinematics and dynamic behavior of a five-bar-linkage haptic interface is analyzed and a new design procedure is obtained using a new global and constrained multi-objective technique. The minimax culling algorithm was used to design parameters for optimal kinematics and dynamic dexterity measure.
Offshore vs. domestic sourcing in a retail environment : a hybrid decision model utilizing a total cost of ownership and analytic hierarchy process methodology
Authors: Jariri Iyyad
Published: May 2021

In today's fast paced society, consumers expect their demand to be satisfied instantaneously; otherwise, they will go to the competition. Selecting a strategic supplier is an imperative undertaking, especially in a retail environment, to the company's success and profitability. Retailers have been steadily increasing their offshore penetration due to the low cost of goods. Global sourcing has become an important part of a retailer's strategy to achieve a competitive advantage. However, even though low cost is an important element of improving sales margins and profitability, additional criteria must be taken into consideration when determining the optimal sourcing strategy. This project addresses the issue of strategic supplier selection in a retail environment focusing on offshore versus domestic sourcing decisions. This is accomplished by developing a hybrid decision model which utilizes a total cost of ownership (TCO) model incorporated into an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) framework. This model is comprehensive and straightforward to apply in comparison to similar models within the literature. The model is applied to ABC Company, a major Canadian retailer. The analysis carried out in this project indicates that, for ABC Company, a domestic supplier is favorable.
Investigation of integer neural networks for low cost embedded systems
Authors: Behan Thomas
Published: May 2021

Neural networks have been a topic of study for almost half a century and have become one of the predominant methods used for intelligent systems. During this time much progress has been made on improving the accuracy and expanding the capabilities of neural networks. This thesis is an investigation in a different direction, that is to reduce the computational requirements of neural networks to make them more suitable for implementation on very low end microcontrollers and DSPs. The goal is to understand the trade offs in cost, accuracy, and execution time on these low cost processors. To do this, two tests are performed. The first compares execution speed of a simple neural network on low cost hardware. This test demonstrates the advantages to using integer neural networks, and DSP operations. The second test, is a contract of the accuracy of an integer neural network and a floating-point neural network. This test uses a real world example and allows for testing multiple levels of quantization. The test results show the effects of quantization due to the use of integers, and show that there is a strong case for using integer neural networks on low cost microcontrolers, and that significant cost savings can be achieved in exchange for a very small reduction accuracy.
Keep Dreaming Kiddo!
Authors: Salim Nawal
Published: May 2021

Keep Dreaming, Kiddo! is a documentary film about my experience as a Muslim actress who wears the hijab full time. I compare my journey to two other actresses: a white woman, Rachel Salsburg and a South Asian woman, Ameena Iqbal. I use this comparison as a case study to assess how our opportunities differ in the acting industry in Toronto in 2018. I also hold a roundtable discussion with two Muslim actresses, Maryan Haye and Asil Moussa, to talk about how our limitations due to our religion could get in the way of our performance art. As well, I speak to several experts including a producer, a filmmaker, a casting director, and an acting teacher to learn how to practically integrate Muslim actresses into film and TV as the issue not only stops at acting, but extends to education, writing, casting, production, and even government policies.
Analysis on Relationship between Code Quality and Code Coverage in an XP Environment: a Case Study on the SWURV Project
Authors: Li Hua
Published: May 2021

The thesis used hypothesis testing and correlation analysis methods to explore the relationship between structural code coverage and the quality of software developed in an eXtreme Programming (XP) environment, via a case study of a commercial software product. We find that improving code coverage is helpful to detect residual defects, but it is not enough, and we also need other testing, like acceptance testing, in the process of XP software development to provide good quality software products. In addition, in order to investigate why the strength of association between code coverage and residual defect density is not as strong as that presented in prior work, a detailed defect root cause analysis is performed, showing that over 96% of bugs cannot be detected by improving code coverage. Based on the defect categories and distribution of defect root cause, six improvement actions are proposed for future XP projects.
Stories Incarnate: Designing Embodied, Interactive Storytelling Experiences For Live Audiences
Authors: Samek Marisa
Published: May 2021

Today’s audiences are no longer content to passively consume entertainment but are seeking interactive experiences where they have agency to participate more actively. While there has been substantial innovation in entertainment genres that utilize digital media, providing interactive experiences for live audiences remains an ongoing challenge. This project presents an informal evaluation of a proof-of-concept which seeks to engage a seated audience in an embodied, interactive storytelling experience during a live circus performance where the audience can experience agency and communion. Building off Beach Ball Games for Orchestra (Delapierre 2017), where the audience used a large beach ball to play a Pac-Man-style game on a screen at the front of a concert hall, we prototyped an interactive clown show where the audience’s ability to collaborate affected the ambient media, the performer, and, by extension, the outcome of the story.
Abstract ACO-EEAODR: An Ant-Swarm Inspired Energy-Efficient Ad Hoc On-Demand Routing Protocol for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Shah Waqas
Published: May 2021

As the world’s economic activities are expanding, the energy comes to the fore to the question of the sustainable growth in all technological areas, including wireless mobile networking. Energyaware routing schemes for wireless networks have spurred a great deal of recent research towards achieving this goal. Recently, an energy-aware routing protocol for MANETs (so-called energy-efficient ad hoc on-demand routing protocol (EEAODR) for MANETs was proposed, in which the energy load among nodes is balanced so that a minimum energy level is maintained and the resulting network lifetime is increased. In this paper, an Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) inspired approach to EEAODR (ACO-EEAODR) is proposed. To the best of our knowledge, no attempts have been made so far in this direction. Simulation results are provided, demonstrating that the ACO-EEAODR outperforms the EEAODR scheme in terms of energy consumed and network lifetime, chosen as performance metrics.
Discourse, difference, and dehumanization: justifying the Canadian Japanese internment, 1940-1949
Authors: Marcinkowski Alexandra
Published: May 2021

This thesis argues Canadian Members of Parliament used the December 7, 1941 attack on
Pearl Harbour as an opportunity to enforce a dominant “us versus them” narrative in order to
justify the internment of approximately 22,000 Canadians of Japanese ancestry. National and
local newspapers reinforced this narrative through uncritical and biased reporting which
negatively framed the Japanese against a more idealized and white “Canadian” identity. Critical
discourse analysis was applied on several debates in the House of Commons and news articles in
the Daily Colonist and the Globe and Mail between 1940 and 1949, to examine the articulation
of social relations – in this case, race and ethnicity – with the goal of uncovering the power
relations embedded within the discourse. The findings reveal a clear “us versus them” narrative,
whereby Canadians of Japanese ancestry were constructed as “yellow,” “bad,” and “unwanted,”
as opposed to white Canadians who were “good” and “loyal.”
Blondes have Less Fun, Actually: Depictions of Traditional Femininity in the Post-Zombie Apocalypse Metropolis
Authors: Peacock Johanna Rose
Published: May 2021

[Introduction]: "Rarely in our world, in what we believe to be “modern,” “civilized” society, is chaos considered desirable. Order is what we strive for instead: it gives us our government, the social systems upon which we rely, and shapes the structure of our daily lives. While in the abstract, chaos can seem like an exciting, even desirable departure from the status quo, in the context of a global pandemic (like the one through which we are currently living), disorder and uncertainty often prove more terrifying than the virus itself. Which stores will close, and for how long? Who exactly is at risk of infection? When will we be allowed to see our friends again? Chaos, in this context, becomes the enemy of societal survival, threatening humanity’s civilized self-image and testing communal ideals. Colson Whitehead’s Zone One and M.R. Carey’s The Girl with All the Gifts both use the pandemic setting to investigate ideas about chaos and its relationship to civilization, but their pathogen of choice is no ordinary infective. In both books, a zombie crisis is responsible for the destruction of humanity as we know it, making tangible anxieties about how we define ourselves in opposition to one another, and what it really means to be “civilized.”"
Design for the cycle
Authors: Mitchell Jeffrey
Published: May 2021

Design for the Cycle investigates, evaluates, and aligns contemporary ideas to propose a system for the design of fabric buildings that respond to social and cultural changes through the manipulation of form and materiality over time. In doing so, a building’s continued relevancy over time allows a project to reduce its need for embodied energy associated with demolition and repurposing due to premature obsolescence. This can be done through communities driving co-ownership development and tractable design strategies, enriched by the study of existing buildings that have evaded demolition and successfully been repurposed. These elements are brought together to establish a set of guidelines for designing the life-cycle of fabric buildings within an urban context. Using the guidelines, the following thesis proposes a new process for designing and constructing fabric buildings woven into the city with a foundation of resiliency and values reflecting the importance of our earth’s finite resources.
The Impact of Synchronized Tactile Stimulation on Joint Attention in 11-Month-Old Infants
Authors: Stein Rebecca
Published: May 2021

Infants explore the world through many combinations of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. A recent theory known as the “intersensory redundancy hypothesis” posits that the temporal overlap of stimulation across different sense modalities drives selective attention in infancy. Social communication typically involves visual, auditory and tactile cues for infants. Although infrequently studied, rhythmic touch is thought to be inherently rewarding; if manipulated within a social context, it may be able to reinforce joint attention. Given that joint attention is fundamental to the development of social communication, this study investigated the convergent effects of visual, auditory and tactile cues on the expression of joint attention in 10 infants between 11 to 12 months of age. The addition of synchronized (but not asynchronous) tactile stimulation to natural communication cues was associated with higher performance on a joint attention measure (i.e. more frequent responses to parental requests). Implications for autism are discussed.
The bigger picture: an examination of socially conscious art and design produced by Armando Milani and John Quigley in collaboration with the United Nations
Authors: Abbaro Azza
Published: May 2021

This thesis explores the ideology of the United Nations (UN) as manifested through external
visual communications materials which have been produced in collaboration with artists and
graphic designers since the organization’s inception in 1945. Initial research showed frequent
usage of the symbols of the dove and olive branch, which have been known to connote “peace” over time and across a variety of cultures. A detailed examination of two specific works of socially conscious art and design, Translating War Into Peace and Pablo Picasso’s Peace Dove by Palestinian Children in Jericho, shows the multilayered and more meaningful adoption of these symbols by their respective designer Armando Milani and artist John Quigley. Using the theoretical framework of visual social semiotics and the “visual grammar” outlined by Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen in their seminal work Reading Images, this paper examines how Milani and Quigley have produced compositions that represent how the UN views peace— namely, as a process that requires not just ending wars but working to continuously build peaceful infrastructures.
Climate crisis and social work: lack of climate crisis education in social work curriculum
Authors: Zaman Tasneem
Published: May 2021

This paper argues that social work curriculum ignores the pressing matter of the ongoing global climate crisis. Using the theoretical frameworks of anti-racism and anti-colonialism, I propose four ways to deal with this curricular gap in social work, which are the following: 1) to insert ethical obligations on the part of social workers to address climate change and environmental justice within the social work code of ethics, 2) to expand the person-in-environment focus to include nature and environmental justice, 3) to embrace a transformative learning paradigm, and 4) to implement a mandatory course on natural disaster management.
Canadian forces deployments: a family experience
Authors: Amirault Karla
Published: May 2021

Physical absences and deployments are a vivid reality for Canadian Forces (CF) members and their families. Whether for training, course work or overseas deployment, CF members can be absent from their families for weeks, or several months at a time as required for military service. My thesis documentary video, Canadian Forces Deployments: A Family Experience provides a glimpse of military families' experiences of deployment of a CF member to Afghanistan. The objective of this video is to provide a representation of the subgroup of military families that differs from the common mainstream media representations of soldiers fighting in Afghanistan who have been or are absent. The basis of this project is ethnographic research, conducted through interviews with spouses of Canadian Forces' members who are either currently deployed in the overseas mission in Afghanistan; who have recently returned; or who are awaiting deployment. This project provides an overview of the military lifestyle of members and their families and the general context for deployments. In comparison to past CF missions, greater concern and risk accompanies current deployments of Canadian Forces members as Canada is engaged in a combat role in the politically unstable country of Afghanistan. Through on-camera interviews with spouses of CF members, this documentary provides a representation that is different than commonly found in mainstream media where military families are often depicted solely in grief and mourning. This project stems from my personal acquaintance with the Canadian Forces and military lifestyle, growing up with my father who was an officer in the regular force. The film is supplemented by this paper, which will develop the theoretical framework and provide a synthesis of the responses of the interviewees.
Whiteout and the reproduction of (fat) white normativity :a critical discourse analysis of the presence of whiteness in fat studies literature
Authors: Zerafa Samantha
Published: May 2021

This Major Research Paper consists of a critical discourse analysis of the operation of whiteness in the field of fat studies, focusing on how it becomes invisible and consequently manifests in emergent theorizing, especially at its establishment as an academic discipline. Two fat studies readers were selected, one published then and one written more recently, with six chapters selected from each. Using a dialectical-relational approach, these texts were analyzed both individually and intertextually to look at the origin stories of the field, the use of language to obscure whiteness, and the need for critical race/intersectional approaches. Findings show that fat studies has, and predominantly continues to, find itself in a self-imposed state of ‘whiteout’, through which Black, Indigenous, and Racialized people, voices, and experiences are sanitized, marginalized, or erased altogether. To challenge this, fat studies must take up whiteness and white supremacy toward its goal of fat liberation for all.
Urban and rural children as environmental advocates : the impact of location on environmentally responsible behaviour
Authors: Godin Sylvie Suzanne Marie
Published: May 2021

This research paper is a qualitative study of how urban and rural children (6-8 years) experience the natural environment. The literature exploring how place of residence can influence environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour among children has been contradictory. This study attempted to explore this question in order to establish any differences between the two sample groups. Semi-structured interviews and drawing analyses were used to examine the children's view of the natural environment and their knowledge of environmentally responsible behaviours. The results indicate that the urban children were more knowledgeable of environmentally responsible behaviours and displayed higher levels of environmental advocacy. These findings support the use of area-specific environmental teaching strategies that may serve to promote environmental awareness and advocacy among children residing in any location.
10-bit double-segmented thermometer-coded current steering DAC
Authors: Sepehr Ali
Published: May 2021

This design describes a 10-Bit, 200-MHz Double-Segmented Thermometer-Codes Current Steering digital to analog converter. A current-sterring DAC is a power-efficient architecture, and also highly suitable for high-speed operation, but suffers from poor linearity characteristics. The problem can be prevented with a thermometer-coded technique. The DAC includes two-stage folded-cascode Op-Amp. The 10-bit DAC architecture consists of a 4 least significant bits entering to 4-bit thermometer-coded decoder and 6 most significant bits enterin 6-bit thermometer-coded decoder, driving 960 equally weighted current sources. The double-segmented architecture allows the designed DAC to reduce not only the complexity of decoding logic, but also a number of current sources. The differential non-linearity (DNL) and integral non-linearity (INL) are 0,15 and 0.3 of least significant bits, respectively. Although designed to operate well about 1 GHz, Op-Amp limited the speed of the device to a 200-MHz clock rate. Low linearity errors (DNL and INL), 200-MHz conversion rate, low glitch energy, and 1.8V from a single voltage supply by using 0.18 um CMOS technology makes this DAC suitable for graphic systems.
Zone-based active noise control for an aircraft passenger seat
Authors: Ghebreiyesus Wintta
Published: May 2021

The goal of this research is to improve zone-based local active noise control for an aircraft passenger seat using head tracking and virtual sensing methods. Broadband diffuse sound fields are analyzed in order to determine the level of attenuation around the passenger’s ears. The virtual sensing methods which were evaluated from literature include the virtual microphone technique, the forward difference prediction technique, and the adaptive LMS moving virtual microphone techniques. In addition to virtual sensing, a new methodology for integrating zone-based technologies with existing local ANC techniques has been developed. The virtual sensing simulation and head tracking measurements can be used to verify this methodology.
Pop-up non-governmental organizations: (Re)producing colonial helping relations
Authors: McFadden Elizabeth
Published: May 2021

This qualitative study engages a postcolonial lens to examine the (re)production and disruption of neocolonial, racist power relations in Pop-Up Non-Governmental Organizations’ (PUNs) transnational helping relationships. Recognizing the historical and contemporary use of representations to further colonizing, racist goals, the analysis examines the use of text-based self-representations and refugee representations. This study utilizes five critical discourse analysis tools on four PUN websites’ texts through which the PUNs self-describe, share their work, and seek support. In analyzing these websites, this research aims to identify how the four PUNs navigate the inherent power imbalance between their Northern organizations and the Southern refugees they seek to support. Ultimately, the analysis presents evidence that, although the four PUNs endeavour to disrupt colonial practices, the websites’ representational practices
(re)produce colonial, racialized helping relations. It is hoped that this research will support others working from White, Northern perspectives to reflect on their approach and consider alternatives.
Examining the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species, Bythothephes longimanus, in Inland Lakes Across Ontario
Authors: Arambulo Joseph
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this study is to is to examine the secondary spread of Bythothephes longimanus, commonly known as spiny water flea, across inland lakes in Ontario, and potentially determine predictors for the its invasion. Data for 190 inland lakes across 84 quaternary watersheds in Ontario were included in the database. Global Moran's I was used to analyze the spatial autocorrelation of the variables, and McFadden's Rho-Squared was used to determine if a variable was a predictor of invasion. Three independent variables, out of 28, were found to be good predictors of invasion: (1) mean temperature of watersheds during summer (MNTMPWSSU), (2) mean precipitation for watersheds during spring (MNPCPWSSP), and (3) mean precipitation for watersheds during summer (MNPCPWSSU). Of the three, mean precipitation for watersheds during summer was determined to be the best predictor.
Canadian environmental non-governmental organizations positions regarding nuclear power in Ontario
Authors: Wilson Jay P. D.
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this study was to determine if Canadian ENGOs are less opposed to the use of nuclear power in Ontario since 2001 and to determine if any changes are due in part to a ~ broader response to concerns over climate change. Analysis included interviews of fifteen ENGO employees from fourteen Ontario-based Canadian ENGOs and text analysis of nine ENGOs.
There is some evidence that some of the ENGOs studied have in fact softened their stance on nuclear power to become slightly less negatively disposed to the technology, but not more positively disposed. This analysis revealed evidence that two of the fourteen ENGOs may have become slightly more neutral in their references to nuclear power. However, only one of the two organizations shifted its stance due to the concerns over climate change and desire for
CO. 2 emissions reductions .