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- Creators: Arizona Board of Regents
Wildfires are rapidly becoming one of the biggest issues that California has to face. Every year, fire season gets longer as lack of rain, high winds and faulty power lines combine in a recipe for disaster. Nearly the entire state, north to south, has been affected by at least one major firestorm since the fall of 2017. They have become the new normal, razing towns in hours and leaving nothing but wreckage in their wake. Because of this growing problem, solutions for fire-proofing existing towns and strategies for rebuilding those affected are more important than ever. Using design as a lens with which to address this problem, this thesis explores materials that have been tested and proven to be more fire-resistant, as well as outlines through case studies how communities and designers can implement these strategies to create safer communities in wildfire-prone areas. The case studies paint a variety of pictures of what fire-resistant architecture and design can be, offering a comprehensive set of guidelines for both community members and designers to move forward with building or rebuilding structures in a wildland urban interface zone. Researching homes built in both California and Australia widens the perspective of how large the problem of wildfire truly is in terms of building destruction. Solutions such as prefab modular home construction are also becoming a popular option as they are fast and inherently more fire-resistant than traditionally rebuilt homes. At the urban and regional level, research has revealed the importance of planning homes and communities in a way which integrates with the natural topography of the site and minimizes surrounding fuel loads. In addition, building materials such as concrete, straw bale and heavy timber are the most fire-resistant, especially when clad with an outer layer of tile, brick or other noncombustible material and with protected vent openings. Interior materials should minimize the usage of wood detailing, unless using certain products that have the appearance of wood but are actually created by non-combustible materials. Homes should have more compartmentalization to slow down a fire from spreading should one occur in the structure. Fire detection/suppression systems should be up to date and using the latest technology.
Breast cancer affects about 12% of women in the US. Arguably, it is one of the most advertised cancers. Mammography became a popular tool of breast cancer screening in the 1970s, and patient-geared guidelines came from the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the US Preventative Task Force (USPSTF). This research focuses on ACS guidelines, as they were the earliest as well as the most changed guidelines. Mammography guidelines changed over time due to multiple factors. This research has tracked possible causes of those changes. Research began with an extensive literature search of clinical trials, the New York Times and the Washington Post archives, systematic reviews, ACS and USPSTF archives.
Science fiction works can reflect the relationship between science and society by telling stories that are set in the future of ethical implications or social consequences of scientific advancements. This thesis investigates how the concept of reproduction is depicted in popular science fiction works.
By questioning methods of sex selection since their early development, and often discovering that they are unreliable, scientists have increased the creative and technological capacity of the field of reproductive health. The presentation of these methods to the public, via published books on timing methods and company websites for sperm sorting, increased interest in, and influence of, sex selection within the global society. The purpose of explaining the history, interest, development, and impact of various sex selection methods in the mid-twentieth century based on the information that is available on them today is to show couples which methods have failed and provide them with the knowledge necessary to make an informed decision on how they choose to go about utilizing methods of sex selection.
By demonstrating the struggle for sound standard of care for non-medical reproductive health care providers during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, this project emphasizes what the standards of reproductive health care for abortion and contraception might be like if the organizations that made them so readily available, like Planned Parenthood, were defunded or criminalized in our modern setting.