In Photosystem II of plants, the proton motive force that is essential for life is generated partly by the water oxidation process where the tyrosine and histidine 190 (hydrogen bonded) amino acids play an important role. The proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) process involving these two molecules has been replicated using a benzimidazole-phenol (BIP) construct as an artificial model of both the intramolecular hydrogen bond interaction and the associated PCET process. BIP is a nearly planar molecule and features a strong intramolecular hydrogen bond between the phenol and the nitrogen of the benzimidazole. When the molecule is oxidized electrochemically, the phenolic proton is transferred to the nitrogen of the benzimidazole moiety in a PCET mechanism. Herein the design, synthesis, and physicochemical characterization of a new BIP derivative is described. By introducing a methyl group in the new design, we intentionally increase the dihedral angle between the benzimidazole and phenol rings. The presence of the methyl group affects the ground-state PCET and the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer processes as well. The break in the coplanarity weakens the strength of the intramolecular hydrogen bond, decreases the chemical reversibility, and quenches the emission from the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer state. The findings contribute to understanding the importance of having a nearly planar structure in bioinspired artificial photosynthetic systems.

This project aims to incorporate the aspect of sentiment analysis into traditional stock analysis to enhance stock rating predictions by applying a reliance on the opinion of various stocks from the Internet. Headlines from eight major news publications and conversations from Yahoo! Finance’s “Conversations” feature were parsed through the Valence Aware Dictionary for Sentiment Reasoning (VADER) natural language processing package to determine numerical polarities which represented positivity or negativity for a given stock ticker. These generated polarities were paired with stock metrics typically observed by stock analysts as the feature set for a Logistic Regression machine learning model. The model was trained on roughly 1500 major stocks to determine a binary classification between a “Buy” or “Not Buy” rating for each stock, and the results of the model were inserted into the back-end of the Agora Web UI which emulates search engine behavior specifically for stocks found in NYSE and NASDAQ. The model reported an accuracy of 82.5% and for most major stocks, the model’s prediction correlated with stock analysts’ ratings. Given the volatility of the stock market and the propensity for hive-mind behavior in online forums, the performance of the Logistic Regression model would benefit from incorporating historical stock data and more sources of opinion to balance any subjectivity in the model.

This qualitative project will begin with a general literature review on the topic of social-emotional readiness in the transition to college, with a specific lens on gifted students. Once that is completed, using first-person interviews of teachers and surveys of current students this project will seek to find out if students graduating from HYSA feel prepared socially and emotionally for the rigors of college.

Thermophotovoltaic energy conversion is seen as a viable option for efficiently converting heat to electricity. There are three key components to a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system: a heat source, a heat emitter and a photovoltaic (PV) cell. A heat source heats up the emitter which causes the emitter to release thermal radiation. The photons are absorbed by a PV cell when they are acting above the bandgap energy. The PV cell then generates electricity from this thermal radiation. In theory, efficiency of a TPV system can be well above 50%. In order for TPV to reach large-scale adaptation, an efficiency at or above 20% is needed. In this project, a high-temperature heater capable of reaching 1000K was developed. The heater involved a copper block machined to hold two cartridge heaters, as well as two thermocouples. It has an accompanying copper lid that can be screwed tight to the main block, with an emitter in between. There is an aperture to allow radiation through the casing towards the PV cell. Preliminary thermal analysis showed that the heater provides uniform temperature distribution across the emitter, which is necessary for proper radiation. A mounting system was also designed to implement the heater into the overall TPV system. Current work is being done to lower the radiation loss from the heater and mounting system, as well as implementation of all auxiliary components to begin testing. The maximum temperature of the heater, radiation heat flux received by the cell, and overall power output and efficiency of the system will be tested.

In this paper, I propose that taking an embodied approach to music performance can allow for better gestural control over the live sound produced and greater connection between the performer and their audience. I examine the many possibilities of live electronic manipulation of the voice such as those employed by past and current vocalists who specialize in live electronic sound manipulation and improvisation. Through extensive research and instrument design, I have sought to produce something that will benefit me in my performances as a vocalist and help me step out from the boundaries of traditional music performance. I will discuss the techniques used for the creation of my gestural instrument through the lens of my experiences as a performer using these tools. I believe that, through use of movement and gesture in the creation and control of sound, it is more than possible to step away from conventional ideas of live vocal performance and create something new and unique, especially through the inclusion of improvisation.

I examine trends in hate crime incidents in the U.S. during the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump. In addition, I examine overall hate crime incidents, as well as single-bias motivations for hate crimes such as race/ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation. Lastly, I test whether there were differences in hate crime trends across the two presidents. My results find that hate crime trends were overall lower during Obama’s presidency and higher in Trump’s. To add on, I conclude that various legislations and the rhetoric used by the former presidents can affect the rate of hate crimes.

For most women, pregnancy is the period in which they will have more interaction with the healthcare field than any other period in their lives. The quality and accessibility of obstetric care varies greatly throughout the United States, and health disparities in this field have the largest impact on African American women. Black mothers in the U.S. are three to four times more likely than white mothers to die as a result of pregnancy related complications. The increased risk of maternal morbidity and mortality seen in the African American population is largely due to preventable causes. This thesis project includes three case studies which analyze the most prevalent and preventable sources of health disparity affecting Black mothers: preeclampsia, hemorrhage, and cesarean section. Possible solutions to each of these disparities are explored on an individual, institutional, and societal scale.