title: Clarifying metacognition through computational modelling

abstract: This thesis presents a novel method of modelling metacognition computationally. Metacognition is commonly described as cognition acting on itself, and is correlated with enhanced performance in memory, emotional regulation, motor skills, and reasoning. How it produces these effects remains unclear. Understanding metacognition requires overcoming two main barriers: its high abstraction and disputed terminology. To overcome these obstacles, this thesis employs a cognitive architecture to define the base units of cognition, and how they come to act on themselves to form metacognitive processes. These computational forms of metacognition are then connected back to the research literature. Finally, these forms of metacognition are built into working models within the cognitive architecture ACT-R. These working models serve as evidence of their theoretical viability and functionality. The intention of this thesis is to help clarify the inner mechanisms of metacognition, and its implications for advancing a unified theory of metacognition.


title: Ecological response of a shallow mesotrophic lake to multiple environmental stressors:  a paleolimnological assessment of White Lake, Ontario

abstract: White Lake, located in Eastern Ontario, Canada is a large (surface area 56.08 km2), shallow (mean depth = 3.1 m), recreational lake that has a recent history of poor water quality due to water level changes, nutrient loading and invasive species. With monitoring data only extending to 2015, lake managers lack the long-term data needed to make informed decisions regarding lake management strategies. A paleolimnological study was conducted to assess historical water quality change in White Lake using diatoms as indicators of water quality. The recent introduction of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) has lowered nutrient levels and greatly reduced turbidity with Secchi depth reading jumping from 1.8 m to 7.5 m depth. However, the largest single change in the diatom assemblage of White Lake likely relates to water level changes through the damming of the lake in 1845 and subsequent changes to the water level management plan for the lake.


title: A Parent-Child Password Manager

abstract: Many studies reflect that today's younger generation spends a considerable amount of time online whether for doing their homework or playing games. However, the authentication schemes for this user group has received negligible attention. When exploring alternate authentication mechanisms for children, we decided to reduce the password burden and involve parents in the authentication decision. We chose to explore whether a parent-child password manager was a good choice for achieving this goal. We started with our 'Keep A Secret' prototype, a parent-managed password manager for children. On the next iteration, we designed 'KinderSurf', a parental consent mechanism based on the OpenID concept. We conducted two user studies for evaluating the prototypes. These user studies revealed areas for improvements, but overall both parents and children like the idea of using parental consent to log in.


title: Metabolism and fate of organophosphate ester (OPE) contaminants in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) using in vitro lab-based studies

abstract: Due to ubiquitous use of organophosphate esters (OPEs) as flame retardants and plasticizers, they have been found at high concentrations in a variety of environmental media while having low or non-detectable levels in biota, including fish. The exposure and fate of OPEs in fish depends on understanding the toxicokinetics, though studies on OPE metabolism are lacking. A model in vitro microsomal-based metabolism assay for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was utilized to investigate OPE metabolism. Metabolic depletion was only noted for 2 alkyl OPEs and formation of corresponding diester metabolites was low, indicating other unidentified metabolites were formed. Comparison with avian and mammalian models showed fish generally had slower and less complete metabolism, illustrating species-specific differences in biotransformation. Structure also influenced OPE metabolism in that bulky, aryl OPEs were not metabolized. These results provide important information of toxicokinetic processes that can affect the exposure and fate of OPEs in rainbow trout.


title: Examining the effects of rater characteristics and gender biases on ratings of psychopathic traits for women

abstract: The construct of psychopathy among women is not fully understood though research suggests females differ from males in prevalence and manifestation. The etiology of these differences is unknown. The current study aimed to establish if varying client presentation is responsible for differences observed. A sample of 1,054 participants completed prototypicality ratings of psychopathy symptoms using the Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality (CAPP; Cooke, Hart, Logan, & Michie, 2012). The participants then rated symptom severity in one of six randomly assigned conditions with vignettes varying by client gender and gender role typical/atypical behaviour. Most of the CAPP items and domains were rated more prototypical of male than female psychopathy. However, there were no differences found for symptom severity ratings between the six vignettes. Gender and behavioural presentation of the client did not affect symptom ratings. The current results suggest that gender biases do not have an influence on ratings of psychopathy.


title: Boycotts and Backlash: Canadian Opposition to Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movements from South Africa to Israel

abstract: This dissertation explores the struggle in Canada over international boycott campaigns, providing a comparative analysis of Canadian solidarity movements which deploy economic practices of boycott, divestment, and sanctions (known collectively as "BDS") to target the policies of foreign country, specifically focusing on campaigns against apartheid South Africa and contemporary Israel. In particular, this study looks closely at the organized backlash to these campaigns, including the role of domestic lobbies and state-led propaganda campaigns, in an attempt to explain why the boycott campaign against South Africa appeared to be so successful, while the campaign against Israel has struggled to become popular. This analysis relies on original archival research, as well as interviews with both supporters and opponents of these boycott movements. It also provides a new theorization of BDS in terms of its political economic character, exploring the limits and possibilities of these forms of activism, both in terms of material economic impact (as per Marx) and their role in ideological struggle (as per Gramsci and Hall). This study identifies a number of factors which distinguish the pro-South Africa and pro-Israel lobbies, which have affected the ability of each lobby to articulate to common sense and build popular and state support. While the pro-South Africa lobby ultimately failed to counter the anti-apartheid movement, Israel's support within Canadian society has allowed its defenders to go further and deploy coercive measures against boycott supporters, narrowing the space for pro-Palestinian solidarity activism.


title: Design Method to Enhance Empathy for User-Centered Design: Improving the Imagination of the User Experience

abstract: There is consensus around the importance of empathy in user-centered design and gaining empathy for users. Many empathic methods were developed to aid designers in understanding their users. This study aims to develop a tool that facilitates the use of the pause-predict-ponder method (PPP) by Ogan et al. (2008) in design, challenging current approaches to user research methods. Applying this method allows design students to step into and out of the user's life without having direct contact with the users. It is argued that empathy in design is misguided in terms of how empathy operates. This research examines the construct and mechanisms underlying empathy and how it functions in design based on a review of cognitive science literature. Furthermore, this study employs qualitative research methods developing four steps for improving design students' empathy and interpersonal skills; (1) Recognize False Assumptions, (2) Identifying Contextual Differences, (3) Building Connections, and (4) Suggesting Ideas.


title: Improving the Protein-Protein Interaction Prediction Engine (PIPE) with Protein Physicochemical Properties

abstract: Protein-protein interactions (PPI) serve an important role in both protein and cell function. They are difficult and time consuming to determine experimentally and thus benefit from in silico prediction methods. This thesis improves a high throughput, sequence-based protein-protein interaction prediction method called the protein-protein interaction engine (PIPE). A Python implementation of the scoring of PIPE was developed. Subsequently, a sequence-based solvent accessibility approach was integrated with PIPE, improving PPI prediction recall by 0.9% at 90% precision. Finally, 166 different sequence-based physicochemical properties were generated using the ProtDCal software tool and were integrated with PIPE using the framework developed in this thesis. The best of these properties improved the recall of PIPE by 2% at 90% precision. This improvement was shown to be statistically significant and was confirmed on a larger test set including 10,000 protein pairs known to interact and 10,000 randomly selected pairs, assumed not to interact.


title: The effect of pH and alkalinity on drinking water biofiltration performance

abstract: Two bench-scale biofiltration columns were monitored to examine the influence of water-quality parameters, including pH and alkalinity to enhance drinking water biofiltration efficiency. The biofilters were operated at four pH values with low and high alkalinity levels. Applying a higher pH level of 7.5 compared to 6.0 led to similar total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency. Raising the pH to 10.0 resulted in a significantly lower TOC removal efficiency. Increasing pH was also observed to influence ammonia removal significantly such that ammonia removal efficiency improved from 13% at pH 6.0 to 93% at pH 10.0; however, the higher pH was no longer attributed to biological removal but ammonia stripping. The assessment of theoretical oxygen demand revealed that dissolved oxygen (DO) availability was an influential factor in nitrification efficiency. No direct correlation was observed between adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and TOC removal. Overall, pH 7.5 demonstrated optimal biofilter conditions.


title: Oxidation Resistance of Additively Manufactured Inconel 718 for Gas Turbine Applications

abstract: This research investigates the oxidation behaviours of an additively manufactured (AM) superalloy Inconel 718 and to compare its oxidation performance to that of wrought Inconel 718. A plasma arc additive manufacturing process was utilized to manufacture the AM samples. All samples were exposed at 800°C and 900°C. The oxidized samples were analysed using SEM and EDS. Both surface and cross-section microstructure were examined, in addition to microstructure changes in the substrate. The results showed the two alloys had similar weight changes up to 400 hours. The thickness of the chromia oxide scale formed on AM Inconel 718 was thinner than on the wrought samples. There was also more internal oxidation on the AM samples. In addition, the formation of a subscale Nb-rich layer was observed between outer chromia and substrate. Based on the preliminary results, it was concluded that the AM material had slightly inferior oxidation performance than wrought alloy.


title: Magnetic and electromagnetic surveying of lava tubes at Lava Beds National Monument, California

abstract: Lava tubes are targets for future manned missions on Mars because they offer protection from ultraviolet radiation and meteor impacts. As a contribution to the Astrobiology Training in Lava Tubes project, this project aimed on the characterization and detection of lava tubes at Lava Beds National Monument (LBNM) using electromagnetic (EM) induction and magnetic techniques. Interior EM surveys were successful in characterizing cave floors with different conductivity signatures. The EM data was inverted in 1D to reveal structures in the basaltic bedrock. Forward modelling of magnetic showed that the signature associated with a lava tube is a magnetic low slightly offset from the axis of symmetry. Visual inspection of surface magnetic data did not identify this signature. Inversion of magnetic data showed good fit over the area of influence of a lava tube with one passage. Inversion also identified susceptibility and remanence signatures that could be related to eruption sequence.


title: Testing Natural Products for Toxicity against Agricultural Pests and Pathogens

abstract: In a constant race to overcome pesticide resistance by pests and pathogens, this research aimed to discover bioactive inhibitory compounds from natural products. I tested extracts from 10 different fungal isolates that were previously shown to have antifungal activity, and 5 commercially available natural products. Assays were developed to test natural products for antibiotic activities against model pathogens and pests including fungi, insects, and molluscs. The objectives of this research were to develop and determine the effectiveness of bioassays, and to identify potentially interesting natural products. Of the 10 fungal isolates tested, reconstituted broths of Penicillium virgatum, Ramularia vizellae, and Trichoderma sp. showed pronounced anti-fungal activity. Further, P. virgatum and Trichoderma sp. shows anti-insect activity while broths of Ramularia vizellae and Trichoderma sp. exhibited anti-mollusc activity. A preliminary metabolomic study identified potentially interesting metabolites that requires further investigation to determine the chemical structure(s), mode of action, and other attributes.


title: La Ceinture d’Ahmed Abodehman: réincarner l’âme des lieux dans un texte-village

abstract: The present research studies La Ceinture of Ahmed Abodehman as a text incarnating the village. Its main focus is the text and the author, and it is divided into three chapters. The first chapter examines the production and the critical reception of La Ceinture. The second presents the theoretical context and the analysis methodology used to read the characteristics of the text. The last chapter analyzes theses characteristics which represent the village. The study ends with a conclusion explaining how La Ceinture preserves the village, shares it and reinvents the world.


title: The Relations Among Affect-Related Personality Traits, Mood, Temptation and Academic Procrastination in Everyday Life

abstract: The current research study made use of daily diaries and personality assessment to examine academic procrastination behaviour in the everyday lives of university students. Undergraduate students (n = 84) completed self-report measures on trait affect intensity, distress tolerance and emotion regulation difficulties before engaging in ten days of daily diaries. Multilevel regression analyses were used to examine whether within-person variations in the intensity of experienced negative moods and temptations predicted levels of self-reported procrastination behaviour, and whether these relations were moderated by individual differences in affect-related personality traits. As hypothesized, at the day-level of analysis, both the extent of negative affect and the strength of experienced temptations positively predicted levels of academic procrastination behaviour. Contrary to what was hypothesized, none of the affect-related personality traits directly or indirectly predicted procrastination behaviour, except for trait levels of emotion regulation difficulties which positively predicted average levels of daily procrastination behaviour.


title: An Investigation of the Relationship Between Acculturation, Follower Identity and Organizational Climate with Leadership Effectiveness

abstract:
Increasing international migration has resulted in globalization of the workplace. This study was focused on investigating factors that are potentially related to an immigrant leader's effectiveness in the host nation workforce. Such factors included the state of an immigrant's adaptation to the host nation culture; group members' perceptions of leader group prototypicality and leader stereotypicality; effects of group ethnic diversity; and moderating influence of an organizational climate that is inclusive or otherwise.
The data for this quantitative study came from 51 groups, ranging in size from 4 to 9 members, within diverse work settings in the Canadian workplace. The group leaders were first generation South Asians. Using a convenience sample and a cross sectional design, this multilevel data was analysed using mixed model analysis with R.
The results indicated that immigrant leaders unanimously chose to fully integrate with host nation culture. Leader group prototypicality and leader stereotypicality were found to be important factors which contributed significantly to individual and group level perceptions of a leader's effectiveness. However, group demographic diversity was not found to be related to follower perceptions of leadership effectiveness. Another significant finding was that perceptions of leader effectiveness were not biased by leader gender. While majority of leaders found organizational climate as being inclusive, this factor was not found to significantly moderate the relationship between follower perceptions of leadership and follower ratings of leadership effectiveness.
These findings have important implications for academic scholarship, business landscape, and policy makers. Specifically, this study provides empirical evidence that if immigrants are guided and encouraged to accept and absorb the host nation culture and values, they are a potential resource that can significantly contribute to the human capital of the host nation. Similarly, the negative effects of diversity are minimized in inclusive work environments. Furthermore, the finding that dissimilar leaders in ethnically diverse groups were perceived as group prototypical seems to suggest that the concept of group prototypicality itself has different connotations in varied settings.
Keywords: Leadership, Diversity, Relational demography, Organizational climate, Leader prototypicality


title: Low Power Wireless CMOS System-On-Chip X-Ray Dosimeter

abstract:
Blood sterilization systems irradiate blood with Gamma or X-ray radiation to prevent transfusion-associated graft versus host diseases (TA-GvHD).
Present day irradiators use tags applied to the blood bags which change color when exposed to radiation of 25 to 50 Gy. This method is neither accurate nor efficient and results in considerable blood wastage.
This thesis investigates alternative solutions that are low power, easy to handle, compact and efficient. A floating-gate (FG) metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) is studied for its application as a radiation sensor. FG MOSFETs have been employed for this application, but never using an RF-CMOS 0.13μm process suitable for RF-ID wireless readout. This work studies device optimization for best possible performance in radiation dosimetry. Devices are fabricated with different layer configurations to see how these affect sensitivity, linearity and power consumption. The final sensor measurements demonstrate a sensitivity of 6.5μA/Gy-1 with a maximum power consumption of 37μW.
This work also explores novel sub-threshold operation of FG MOSFET sensors for this application. This technique is shown to reduce the power consumption of such sensors, hence improving their figure of merit. Additionally, FG MOSFET devices are configured as an inverter, rather than a stand-alone transistor, to work as radiation sensors. This provides great reduction in the power requirements and is completely novel. These sensors are seen to consume channel current in the range of nA in comparison to μA consumed by the single MOSFET, while providing acceptable sensitivity values. Furthermore, the thesis explores photodiodes as X-ray power harvesting devices which could be provided with the sensor chip itself for a battery-less solution.
Finally, an e-fuse RF-CMOS based non-volatile (NVM) memory is realized for tag identification and control in a multi-sensor context. The memory has been tested under irradiated conditions to show its operation in the proposed environment. The results demonstrate the system-on-chip implementation of key components of an electronic blood irradiator system in a small form factor, with ultra-low power consumption. The proposed solution can improve dosimeter accuracy, allow automation of the process, and reduce blood wastage.


title: Diatoms in Lake Sediments as Proxies of Climatic Variation Throughout the Latest Holocene

abstract: This thesis is composed of manuscripts investigating the impact of climate events throughout the past ~2800 years on conditions within the lacustrine environment of Pocket Lake as reflected in changes of diatom assemblage. The first manuscript presented in chapter 2 is composed of a broad, paleoclimatic reconstruction at a resolution of ~20-30 years per sample based on changes in diatom assemblage integrated with geochemical and particle size datasets from the same core. In the second chapter a high-resolution investigation into the impact of the deposition of airfall tephra into Pocket Lake is presented. Together, these studies provide insight into the impact of broader decadal scale climate cycles and instantaneous, episodic events allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of their impact on lakes in sensitive, northern locations. These reconstructions will help inform predications regarding the potential impact of 21st century climate change.


title: User Understanding of Internet Data Breaches

abstract: Data breaches happen when information is accessed by an unauthorized party. They are growing rapidly and becoming a high-impact problem that raises concerns for individuals as well as companies. We explored users understanding of Internet data breaches. We studied 20 participants to explore users' mental models of Internet data breaches, and we analyzed different documents for data breach notifications and news. We found that companies use crisis communication strategies to reduce their reputational damage as well as financial loss. We next conducted a quantitative study of 100 participants in an online. We found that the extracted mental models from our first study cannot be generalized to a bigger public. Our findings of this study regarding the influence of the communication strategies was in line with our second study, and suggest that it affects the users' perception of victimization, attitudes in data protection, and responsibility.


title: Campesino Organizations and Public Policies in Ecuador: From Neoliberal to Post-Neoliberal Rural Development, 2006-2016

abstract: Food sovereignty is a concept that has been popularized by the international coalition family-farmer and peasant organizations, La Via Campesina, or peasant way in English, since the organization was founded in the 1990s. The concept proposes agricultural production and agri-food economies controlled by small producers, understood as family farmers or "peasants", as an alternative to the consolidation of agricultural production. This study analyzes the impacts of the institutionalization of food sovereignty in Ecuador on public policies for agriculture and rural development during the "postneoliberal" government of Rafael Correa between 2006-2016. Drawing on the work of Peter Evans and others on the developmental state, I proposed that in order for this program to be implemented successfully policies for food sovereignty would necessitate the construction of what Evans calls "embedded autonomy" between organizations of smallholder agricultural producers and public institutions. In order to evaluate whether this dynamic emerged under the Correa government I analyze national-level policies and political dynamics and compare three cases of producer organizations at the sub-national level and the impacts of the post-neoliberal government's policies. In each case I analyze the relationship between the organization, national government programs, local governments and the politics of policy implementation considering whether the postneoliberal turn strengthened or hindered these organizations and their respective via campesina strategies. I argue that the Correa government transformed the neoliberal model of rural development interventions dominated by non-governmental organizations through increased public investment and new national programs for agricultural production. However, for the most part, these new post-neoliberal programs undermined the space in which embeddedness between state interventions and rural social organizations could have emerged. The government's rural development policies largely favored conventional agriculture and domestic agri-business firms which incorporated smallholders to produce agricultural commodities. I conclude that the gap between the policy framework for food sovereignty in Ecuador and the actual policies implemented by the Correa government reflect unresolved contradictions within food sovereignty.


title: Statistical Assessment of Soccer Players

abstract: This thesis examines the use of neural network modelling and ordinal logistic regression on a single season of data (2015-16) to score or rank soccer players. These scores and ranks are then compared with ones from FIFA EASports. We also demonstrate the use of association rule mining on one team's data to identify players that are associated with winning (or not winning) a match. Analyses are based on data from the Italian Serie A League 2015-2016 season.


title: From A Tool For Making To A Tool For Thinking:  Investigation of the Potential of 3D Printing in Meaning-Making

abstract: The advances in 3D printing technology have an enormous potential to impact how designers learn and develop practical knowledge during the design process. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the potential of 3D printing as a tool for meaningful making. Through investigation of handmade objects and their qualities, this study set out to determine how designers can invent 3D printed objects that make sense to stand alongside handmade objects. Data for the study was obtained using both ethnographic and design research methods, including: an observation, experimental studies and a survey. Results showed that 3D printing has a potential not only to develop meaningful outcomes, but also to drive design processes that make sense to designers. Through engagement and understanding of 3D printing machine, designers can develop not only practical knowledge, but also an understanding of the meaning of their making.


title: Three Essays on Understanding Consumer Engagement with Brand Posts on Social Media

abstract: The rapid proliferation of social media over the last ten years has revolutionized the way that brands and consumers connect, communicate, and interact with each other. Nowadays, approaching creative brand posts in a way that maximizes consumer engagement has become a growing challenge to social media marketers. This thesis addresses this challenge and aims to understand how to enhance consumer engagement with brand posts on social media through the lens of linguistics. To achieve this goal, three independent but related papers were conducted to 1) investigate how the linguistic styles of brand social media posts influence consumer engagement; 2) examine the interactive impacts of consumer comment valence and brand response language style on consumers' evaluation of brand and their intention for future engagement with the brand; and 3) explore whether and how incorporating emojis in brand social media posts affects consumer engagement with the posts. The findings of this thesis indicate that, for brands, using proper language when communicating with consumers on social media can improve consumers' perceptions of brands and enhance their engagement with brands. The results of this thesis deepen our understanding of the role that brand language plays in influencing consumer engagement on social media as well as provide many practical guidelines for social media marketers regarding the language they use in communicating with consumers on social media.


title: Lesion Synthesis Toolbox: Development and Validation of Dedicated Software for Synthesis of Lesions in Raw PET and CT Patient Images

abstract:
PET is one of the most sensitive clinical tools for early detections of small tumours, but its performance is dependent on multiple factors including image quality and human perception. Current methods relying on physical and numerical image quality phantoms are inadequate for evaluating clinical task-based performance, such as limits of lesion detection, due to lack of physiologic realism of the images.
In this work, we describe development and validation of the Lesion Synthesis Toolbox, an easy-to-use software to synthetize well-characterized, user-defined lesions in real patient PET data prior to image reconstruction and in corresponding CT images on GE Discovery line of PET/CT scanners.


title: How can World Design Capital (WDC) programme better incorporate United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal  11 (SDG 11) in future strategies?

abstract: The research study investigates the ways World Design Organization's (WDO) World Design Capital (WDC) programme can improve in incorporating United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11): Sustainable Cities and Communities as part of its design agenda which can help in the sustainable development of cities.


title: La Cuna: Hospice Care, Death and Memory

abstract: Despite the growing interest in end-of-life care in Colombia, the concept of hospice care is still relatively new. It is an emerging topic that is controversial and debated due to cultural and societal traditions. The study seeks to find common ground relative to life and death as it tries to redefine and change the perception of death in Colombian society. This thesis is an evolving exploration into conceptualizing and designing a transitional place with spaces that allow for end-of-life care and the acknowledgement of death as a way of generating embodied memories in the city of Medellín. As a guiding principle, the project examines these ideas through elements that are part of the local culture, social construct, and the aesthetic of both the natural and built environment.


title: Diaspora’s Dialect: Cultural Exchange and the Transformation of Jamaican Patois in the Greater Toronto Area

abstract:
Patois, the unofficial language of Jamaica, has been hybridized since its inception due to the slavery, violence, and subversion that took place during colonialism. It is thus influenced by various cultures, styles, and identities. Over time, its significance surpassed the Caribbean and influenced localities such as the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which has incorporated many aspects of Jamaican culture and language. As such, this project asks, in what ways is Patois, a language long used to define Jamaican culture, now contributing to cultures in locations abroad, through various processes and connections?
Using an online survey and interviews, this empirical project weaves postcolonial thought with cultural studies and personal narratives to provide new insights on Patois' connection to the Toronto community, and what it means for a language to transform significantly throughout space and time. This research contributes a fresh perspective to the wider discourse on modern social and cultural exchange.


title: Functional Applications of Systems Biology Tools: Identification of Novel DNA Repair Factors and Peptide Design

abstract: The highly annotated budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has emerged as the primary model for systems biology, the study of how individual cellular components function within the context of a dynamic cellular system. Several genome/proteome-scale tools developed using the S. cerevisiae model have produced extensive information on gene function and interaction networks that is stored in publicly accessible databases. Bioinformatic tools can exploit these databases to infer novel biological activity but these predictions must be tested in functioning cellular systems to assess the effectiveness of any method. The work herein uses systems-based computational tools to make predictions on novel protein/gene function that are tested using yeast functional genomic approaches. This thesis describes the development and validation of a new tool to design synthetic binding proteins that bind to and inhibit targeted yeast proteins Psk1 and Pin4 as well as the identification and functional analysis of three yeast DNA repair genes, PSK1, ARP6, and DEF1. The in-silico protein synthesizer, InSiPS successfully engineered two synthetic proteins known as anti-Psk1 and anti-Pin4. This demonstrated the ability of our approach to translate from computational prediction, to a specific biological interaction and importantly, a functionally significant phenotype. Chemical-genetic interaction analysis showed that cells expressing α-Psk1 and α-Pin4 phenocopy Δpsk1 and Δpin4 mutants and yeast-two-hybrid confirmed binary interactions in vivo while in vitro assays verify that binding is occurring at predicted loci. Further analysis of the anti-Psk1/Psk1 interaction motif showed strong, specific binding. Psk1 was inferred to participate in yeast non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair of double-strand breaks (DSB), an essential DNA repair pathway. Our functional genetic analysis showed that PSK1 is an important novel NHEJ gene that contributes to repair fidelity while appearing to function through RAD27 activity. We also report that ARP6, affects NHEJ through the RSC chromatin remodeling complex. Lastly, we identify new properties of the Def1 DNA repair protein in yeast NHEJ and a physical and genetic interaction between Yku80 and Def1. Together, these findings demonstrate the ability to predict novel gene/protein function using computational tools and expand our understanding of eukaryotic DSB repair.


title: Development of Preheating and Power Inverting Systems for Lithium-Ion Batteries

abstract: A novel short-circuit self-heating (SCSH) control system was developed in this thesis to achieve the preheating of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries operated in extremely cold weather (< -30°C). The proposed system relies on the internal resistance of batteries and the short circuit current to heat up batteries using Joule heating. Experiments show that the SCSH control system can heat up the commercial Panasonic 18650 Li-ion batteries from -30°C to 0°C in 43 seconds, with less than 5 percent of the battery capacity consumed. The proposed heating system outperformed both external convective air heating and alternating current (AC) heating, in terms of heating time and energy consumption. Furthermore, a DC to AC battery power inverter was developed to implement the AC heating and to make the battery pack available for household appliances.


title: Eyewitness Identification Accuracy: The Influence of Olfactory Stimuli Used as a Form of Context Reinstatement

abstract: The purpose of the current study was to examine the influence of olfactory stimuli used as a form of context reinstatement (CR) on eyewitness identification and recall accuracy. Participants (N = 184) attended two sessions. In session one, participants viewed a crime video and then completed the recall task. Participants returned for session two one week later where they completed the recall and lineup task. In each session, participants were randomly assigned to either the scent or no scent condition. A trend was found for a higher correct identification rate and a higher correct rejection rate when encoding and retrieval sessions matched versus mismatched. Scent did not influence the number of descriptors or proportion of accurate descriptors recalled. Overall, the results from the current study suggest that scent may have a minimal influence on eyewitness accuracy when used as a form of CR. Implications and future directions are discussed.


title: Numerical and Experimental Investigations of Solidification in an Initially Emptied Horizontal Turbulent Pipe Flow

abstract: In a reactor core meltdown under postulated severe accidents, the molten material (corium) could be ejected or relocated through existing vessel penetrations (cooling pipe connections). There exists, however, a potential for plugging of melt flow due to its complete solidification, providing the availability of an adequate heat sink. Therefore, a numerical model was created to simulate the flow of corium through an initially empty horizontal pipe. The numerical model was verified using a previously developed analytical model and validated with experimental tests with gallium. Simulations were updated for corium to conduct a sensitivity study on the Reynolds number, thermal conductivity, inlet temperature, and diameter. The study provided insight into the lower bound of the penetration distance, which was found to be 0.384 m, and the upper bound was 1.148 m when predicting the potential penetration length of corium in horizontal pipes.


title: Kinetic Fabric Samples as a New Approach to Interactive Fashion Arts

abstract:
As technology is integrated into all aspects of our lives, researchers are working to explore emerging technologies—such as the creation of functional apparel—in the field of fashion design. The substantial growth in the field of functional apparel design—such as the use of smart textiles—encourages researchers and fashion designers to incorporate technology within their designs.
Literature shows that the field of interactive fashion design is new and requires interdisciplinary knowledge such as electrical engineering and computer science to be successful. Therefore, we created ready-to-use kinetic fabric samples for designers, to assess how convenient it could be for designers to implement emerging technologies into their designs. We explored this research gap through two preliminary user studies with seven experienced designers. The information gathered from this study could be used to identify design guidelines for kinetic fabric samples that would assist designers incorporating technology in their design.


title: The Role of Game-based Learning in Newcomer Children’s Cultural Adjustment

abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the role of educational computer games as a tool to help newcomer children adjust socially. One of the tense conditions which the newcomer children face is experiencing difficulties in understanding the right behaviour in the new place of living. We have developed an educational game called New Beginning that sought to help newcomer tweens learn more about selected behavioural issues. The game includes social behaviour advice. The participating children were assigned either to play the computer game or to read a brochure related to the topic. Analyzing the pre and post questionnaires for both game group and brochure group showed that while the brochure found to be easy to read, children found the digital game more useful and enjoyable than the brochure. As such, the study confirmed the potential value of educational games in enhancing newcomer children's social adjustment compared to conventional methods.


title: A Radio-Propagation-Measurement-Based Study of the Capacity of Multi-User Distributed-MIMO Indoor Channels at 18 and 28 GHz

abstract:
This thesis had the objective of determining whether indoor SHF wireless systems can provide the same or greater system capacities as current 2 GHz systems. In the interest of avoiding obstruction losses, the focus was on the use of directive antennas at frequencies above 2 GHz to receive radio signals from reflectors and scatterers that could be stronger than those received over direct Tx-to-Rx antenna paths. Models for indirect path transmission loss, spatial variations, shadowing, and temporal fading were derived from propagation measurements conducted in the 2-30 GHz bands.
As a final step, models derived from the propagation measurements were used in multi-user conventional and distributed MIMO system capacity simulations. It was shown that with currently achievable transmit powers and antenna gains and beamwidths, narrow band systems at 18 and 28 GHz can be designed to offer the same or greater capacity as those operating in the 2 GHz band.


title: Cartilage Biomechanical and Mechanobiological Response to Sliding Contact

abstract:
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability, worldwide. OA leads to breakdown of the articular cartilage (AC), the highly structured tissue that lines the end of bones of the synovial joints. The cartilage cells synthesize and maintain the homeostasis of articular cartilage, a function that is largely influenced by mechanical forces.
Mechanobiological studies of cartilage are conducted toward a better understanding of osteoarthritis pathological mechanism. However, the typically applied loading protocols omit the relative surface motion that is essential for cartilage tribological function. Therefore, this work aimed to examine the effects of a more physiological loading mode on cartilage mechanobiological function.
Finite element analysis (FEA) was performed to investigate the biomechanical response of cartilage to loading regimes that permits migrating contact area compared to uniaxial cyclic compression. Interstitial fluid pressure was maintained high under sliding contact while it reduced by 20% in cyclic compression model. Also, maximum fluid flow was reduced by 44% in uniaxial cyclic compression where fluid imbibition was limited to a small region near the lateral periphery. Cartilage surface curvature may contribute to cartilage Mechanobiological function by increasing tissue rehydration.
Motivated by FE results, two low-cost mechanical testing devices were designed and constructed to allow for in vitro mechanobiological experimentation of cartilage. Healthy and degenerated human cartilage samples were subjected to two types of intermittent loading, load-controlled sliding and displacement-controlled unconfined cyclic compression. Changes in biochemical signals that are believed to control chondrocytes functionality were measured. The level of growth factor (TGF-β) was significantly higher in specimen subjected to sliding contact compared to cyclic compression. Also, the level of all measured cytokines and TIMPs was always lower in sliding contact loading mode, although not statistically significant. These results suggest that the sliding contact loading mode does influence chondrocytes anabolic activities.
Results obtained from this thesis demonstrate the importance of incorporating realistic loading conditions in in vitro mechanobiological testing of cartilage. Findings of this work should contribute to the ongoing research on the role of chondrocytes in OA onset and progression toward developing therapeutic interventions and tissue engineering approaches for OA.


title: Can Police Officers Foresee the Future? Predicting Outcomes from Thin Slices of Police-Public Encounters

abstract: Thin slice studies are studies that examine judgments based on brief exposure to expressive behaviours or still images. One previous study has examined the prediction of outcomes within a law enforcement context from thin slices of a police-public encounter (Suss & Ward, 2012). The present study extends this research by examining how variables - including operational years of experience, training, familiarity with the encounter, confidence in the prediction, and thin slice length - impact prediction accuracy. Participants were asked to predict whether the subject would harm/attempt to harm the officer(s) after each video they viewed. My results demonstrated that more training, greater familiarity, and greater confidence in one's predictions was associated with greater odds of providing an accurate response. Most of these variables' relationships with accuracy disappeared when examining longer thin slices. Finally, specialized police training, years of experience, and familiarity were found to predict greater confidence in one's predictions.


title: An Investigation of Jordanian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers' Perceptions of and Practices in Classroom Assessment

abstract: This study investigated the purposes and methods of classroom-based assessment (CBA) used by Jordanian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in secondary schools and explored their perceptions about assessment for learning. Data were collected through an online questionnaire (n=54) and semi-structured interviews (n=3). The study found that 1) teachers used classroom assessment to achieve various purposes, primarily those related to students' learning; and 2) although teachers used a variety of methods to assess students in reading, writing, listening and speaking, tests were the most frequently used methods. The findings suggest that although teachers were favorably inclined towards assessment for learning, their perceptions might not be aligned with their reported assessment practices. It is hoped that the findings from this study will help raise awareness among Jordanian EFL teachers and educational policy makers about the importance of CBA and the need to develop teacher preparation and professional development programs.


title: Being Alone with Others: A Unique Form of Social Contact and Its Impact on Momentary Positive Affect

abstract: Social relationships are essential to human well-being. Although people receive the most benefit from interactions with others who are close to them (Reis, Sheldon, Gable, Roscoe, & Ryan, 2000), the need for human contact can also be satisfied through minimal interactions with others (Sandstrom & Dunn, 2014a, 2014b). This dissertation extended the research regarding the benefits of contact with acquaintances by proposing that being alone with others, i.e. being around others without verbally interacting with them, could be an alternative way of satisfying the need for social contact and improving positive affect. In an experience sampling study (N = 453), being alone with others was associated with similar positive (PA) and negative affect (NA), and lower sense of belonging, than being completely alone. Additional results supported existing research associating the best affective outcomes with interactions with close others, and higher positive affect after talking to acquaintances than not talking to them (Sandstrom & Dunn, 2014a). A second study was designed to test: whether merely sharing a space with others produces a higher sense of belonging; whether this belongingness could explain better outcomes of being alone with others compared to being alone; whether effects depend on performing the same task as others. Participants (N = 265) were randomly assigned to watch a pleasant video: alone, together with a confederate, or alone when a confederate was doing something else. I found no differences in the amplification of PA and sense of belonging, or in reduction of NA between the social conditions; however, these outcomes were also not different in the alone condition. Sharing a space with others, regardless of simultaneously performing a task together, did not lead to better outcomes than being alone. Trait introversion-extraversion was also explored, and two main trends were found in both studies: extraverts reported higher PA and sense of belonging than introverts in all situations, and introverts and extraverts reported similar amplifications of affective states in different social and experimental conditions. Overall, both studies revealed that being alone with others was worse for people's affective outcomes and sense of belonging than being completely alone, contrary to hypotheses.


title: Determining the uncertainty of areal mean surface elevation measured with a terrestrial laser scanner and with a total station in permafrost environments near Lac de Gras, NWT, Canada

abstract: Quantifying topographic change in permafrost environments is important because it can provide insight about the loss of excess ice. Ground-based methods that detect change in surface elevation are often applied at individual points rather than over an area, giving rise to questions about their representativeness. Remote sensing methods can overcome this problem, although confounding signals may arise from changing vegetation and microtopography. This study examines the uncertainty of mean elevation measured with a terrestrial laser scanner and with a total station on 28 plots with different surface characteristics in a tundra environment. Observations from terrestrial laser scanning and surveying with a total station are analyzed statistically to reveal confidence intervals for the derived mean elevations. On average, terrestrial laser scanning can detect vertical movements in the centimeter range and the total station method in the low decimeter range.


title: Effects of Early-Life Stress on AMPA Receptors in the Auditory Cortex

abstract: Critical period (CP) plasticity in the auditory cortex (A1) is critical for functional brain development and cognitive function. Impaired A1 development during the CP has been implicated in neurological disorders of learning and memory. Here, we explored the effects of early-life stress (ELS) on α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) functioning during this CP. ELS was induced at P3-15 in a c-Fos based transgenic mouse model. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, we recorded pyramidal cells in A1 to measure AMPAR function. We found that AMPAR functional maturation is highly correlated to the opening of the A1 CP during normal development. We further identified that ELS selectively activated a subpopulation of A1 pyramidal neurons as evidenced by selective activity-dependent green fluorescent protein tagging. We observed that ELS activated neurons showed enhanced AMPAR functioning compared to non-activated neurons. These results provide a potential synaptic mechanism following exposure to a stressor during a CP of neurodevelopment.


title: The Role of Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 in Energy Balance and Metabolism

abstract: Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is exclusively expressed by astrocytes and has hypophagic and weight reducing effects. The objective of this study is to further elucidate the role of FGF2 on feeding and energy balance using FGF2 KO animals. Mice were exposed to regular chow or a 60% high fat diet over the course of 6 weeks. We hypothesized FGF2KO animals would exhibit hyperphagia and weight gain, and that this would augment in the presence of a high fat diet. Results demonstrated both WT and FGF2KO animals gained weight similarly and had similar caloric intake when ingesting high fat diet. Carbohydrate expenditure was increased in male KO's and female KO's had increased ambulatory counts during the night phase. Future studies should investigate the effects of stressed FGF2KO animals on HFD and should continue to explore the circuitry involved in energy balance and regulation.


title: Settler-Colonialism and Indigenous Women’s Rights: A Comparative Analysis of the Socioeconomic  Impact endured by Indigenous women within 'Canada', and Indigenous Palestinian women within 'Israel'

abstract: This research compares the socioeconomic realities of indigenous women resisting settler colonialism, such as Palestinian women resisting Israel, and women of varying indigenous nations resisting Canada. The purpose of the research aims to address the socio-economic impact of settler-colonialism on indigenous women as a causal relationship. In doing so, the research addresses factors such as indigenous relationships to land, genocide, and continued mechanisms of systemic oppression and discrimination. This comparative analysis, uses lenses of anti-colonial feminism and marxism, while relying on the academic work of indigenous authors as well as statistical data indicating various measures of socio-economic welfare. The observed outcomes situate the rights of indigenous women at the heart of liberation from settler colonialism, and inversely address settler-colonialism as a key mechanism oppressing the rights of indigenous women.


title: The impacts of century-old, arsenic-rich, mine tailings on multitrophic level biological assemblages in lakes from the Cobalt, Ontario, Canada region

abstract: The combination of silver mining and lack of environmental regulations in the early 1900s resulted in a legacy of century-old, arsenic-rich mine tailings around Cobalt, Ontario, Canada. In order to examine the impacts that arsenic has had on aquatic ecosystems in the region, diatom, cladoceran, chironomid, and zooplankton assemblages from lakes along a gradient of surface water arsenic contamination (0.4 - 1,113 µg/L) were sampled. Our results show that present-day arsenic concentration is not a significant driver of biotic community change across the study lakes, suggesting that other variables are more important in the structuring of the biological community in this region. These results suggest that while legacy contamination has greatly increased arsenic concentration beyond the acceptable guideline for aquatic life (5 µg/L), variability in lake morphometry among the study lakes and other environmental factors appear more influential in the structuring of aquatic ecosystems in Cobalt, Ontario, Canada.


title: Carrying Disaster Lightly: Assessment of Resilience in Two Populations with Psychopathic Features

abstract: Psychopathic traits are typically associated with antisocial and offending outcomes. In contrast, resilience (adaptive functioning despite risks) has been found helpful for pursuing positive outcomes (e.g., desistance). To determine the relationship between psychopathy, resilience, and antisocial or offending outcomes, two studies were conducted using two diverse samples: young-adult university students (N = 488) and youth offenders (N = 1,354). In the student young-adult sample, resilience mediated the relationship between psychopathy and antisocial behaviour. In the criminal youth sample, psychopathy had a stable relationship (i.e., consistent predictive validity) with offending over time; resilience was dynamic, its effect deteriorating over longer periods. Agency-related (internal) resilience was found to be more prevalent in females than males and significantly predicted desistance. This runs counter to relational-cultural theory, given that Social-related (external) resilience did not predict desistance in females. Future research should continue to examine gendered effects of internal and external resilience traits.


title: A Data Driven Priority Scheduling technique for a Stream Processing Platform

abstract: Big data processing has become essential for businesses in recent years as it enables organizations to gather insights from streaming data in near real-time and capitalize on business opportunities. One drawback of stream processing engines is the lack of support for priority scheduling. There are cases where businesses need to ensure that important input data items are processed with low latencies thus avoiding a missed business opportunity. This thesis proposes a technique that enables users to prioritize important input data so that they are processed in time even when the system is under high or bursty input load. Using a prototype this thesis demonstrates the efficacy of the proposed technique. Performance analysis demonstrates that there is a significant latency improvement for high priority data over low priority data especially when there is high system contention.


title: Effects of Ultrasonication on the Antioxidant and Anti-diabetic Properties of Hydrolyzed Oat Proteins

abstract: Ultrasonic treatments can be used to enhance protein extraction yields from foods. The objective of this work was to determine how the treatment of oat brans with ultrasounds affects the functionality and the physical properties of the hydrolyzed proteins. Oat brans were treated with ultrasonic cleaner bath and high-powered ultrasonication, after which, the proteins were extracted and hydrolyzed using three different proteases (Flavourzyme, Papain, and Alcalase). The effect of ultrasonication of brans had a minimal effect on the secondary structure, free thiol, zeta potential, and hydrophobicity of hydrolysates. Ultrasonic treatments did cause the release of two proteins not found in the control, specifically vromindoline and tryptophanin. The hydrolysis of protein isolates with proteases produced hydrolysates with notable antidiabetic activity (DPP-4 and alpha-amylase inhibition) but this was not influenced by the difference in polypeptide compositions.


title: The Effect of Dietary Folic Acid Supplementation on Female Germ Cell Aneuploidy

abstract: Aneuploidy refers to cells with an abnormal number of chromosomes. In female germ cells, aneuploidy originates primarily during the first meiotic division of oogenesis as a result of chromosome segregation errors. Aneuploidy can lead to pregnancy loss and genetic defects in newborns. The incidence of aneuploidy in oocytes increases with advanced maternal age. There is evidence suggesting that dietary intervention can mitigate the effect of maternal age on oocyte aneuploidy. Folic acid, an essential B vitamin, is required for DNA synthesis, chromosome stability, methylation reactions, and proper gene expression; these processes are fundamental for female reproductive physiology. The major hypothesis is that folic acid supplementation will reduce the incidence of oocyte aneuploidy associated with advanced maternal aging. Here, I examined the effect of dietary folic acid supplementation on maternal age-induced oocyte aneuploidy using Bub1-heterozygous mice, a transgenic mouse model of aging-associated oocyte aneuploidy. Results showed that old female mice (24 weeks on a diet) fed a folic acid supplemented diet (8 mg/kg) had significantly more (2-fold) normal oocytes compared to the control group (2 mg/kg). Second, I examined the effect of dietary folic acid deficiency, adequacy and supplementation on colchicine-induced oocyte aneuploidy, as a model for studying age- induced oocyte aneuploidy. Results showed that colchicine treatment arrested a high proportion of oocytes (68%) in meiosis I leaving only 32% of meiosis II oocytes for analysis. No differences among the diet groups were observed. These preliminary results indicate that a larger sample size of mice would be required to determine whether diet has an effect on colchicne-induced oocyte aneuploidy and/or the use of a lower colchcine dose or mouse strain may prove more efficient. My data suggest that folic acid supplementation might mitigate the effect of aging on oocyte aneuploidy and that folate may play a causal role in the development of oocyte aneuploidies. These data, if replicated, suggest that women, especially older women, may benefit from consuming a folic acid supplement in the pre-conception period to avoid aneuploidy-affected pregnancies such as miscarriage and trisomy syndromes.


title: A comprehensive topic-model based hybrid sentiment analysis system

abstract: Nowadays, Twitter sentiment analysis is drawing a lot of attention due to its potential to drive decision making in a variety of domains. However, the trend that publicly available training datasets are becoming less available, the difficulty in determining topic numbers for topic model-based approach, and a lack of data level discussion about how to utilize the proposed models day-to-day to drive applications are still the remained concerns. To solve these problems, we firstly offer a new method to collect and build Twitter training dataset based on noisy labels; In addition, we proposed a topic-model based hybrid sentiment classification model by using our self-collected tweets, which utilizes three different topic models and coherence score to choose the best topic model in an automated way; Last but not least, a use case is illustrated to show how to apply our pipeline in a daily basis to solve real business problems.


title: Sparse Stereo Visual Odometry with Local Non-Linear Least-Squares Optimization for Navigation of Autonomous Vehicles

abstract: In this thesis, the author presents a Sparse Stereo Visual Odometry system for navigation of autonomous vehicles. The proposed system has the capability to estimate the camera's pose based on its surrounding environment. In contrast to other Visual Odometry systems with Bundle Adjustment optimization, the system proposed in here differs in four main aspects: (1) it utilizes both stereo frames to track features between frames; (2) it does not require a bootstrap step to initialize the algorithm; (3) it performs a local optimization at every increment frame instead of perform a windowed optimization; and (4) it consider the both stereo images inside the optimization instead of just one side of the stereo system. The system was tested on the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KITTI) Vision Benchmark Suit, as well as with a set of video sequences recorded with commercial stereo cameras on the roads of the city of Ottawa, Ontario.


title: The Canadian War Museum's 1812:  A Question of Perspective

abstract: This thesis focuses on the "Four Wars of 1812," or simply 1812, exhibit produced by the Canadian War Museum (CWM) in Ottawa, open to the general public from 13 June 2012 to 6 January 2013.  An investigation of museum documents, academic literature and news media, viewer feedback, and interviews with museum staff involved with the project has been conducted. Examined here are exhibit development, approach, and content, as well as public responses to the exhibit, government policy, museum practice, and a national conversation about war and peace in the context of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. The thesis concludes that the CWM successfully walked a tightrope, aware of but avoiding politics and controversy while appealing to a wide audience and fulfilling the museum's responsibilities to stakeholders and scholarship.


title: The Space Between: Transformative Public Space

abstract: What is transformative space? What constitutes an interesting or uninteresting public space? Why do we see the term 'transformative' when reflecting on cities and public space? To situate the characteristics and value of transformative practice, this thesis will define and carry out a project to research six public spaces in Ottawa, chosen to represent six different spatial conditions. Are these locations just transitional 'in between' space, and if so, in between what? Whether located near civic buildings or within residential neighborhoods, what is the narrative we expect from a public space or wish to insert into it? These public spaces are constantly in transition. This thesis will explore the tensions between spaces by examining the adaptive and transformative qualities. The project, integrated within the thesis, will offer spatial strategies and interventions that explore the potential for spatial change as urban situations and human needs evolve.


title: A Framework for Traffic Collision Prediction Using Historical Accident Information and Real-Time Sensor Data: A Case Study for the City of Ottawa

abstract: According to recent studies, beyond being a major worldwide problem with huge economic impact, traffic collisions are poised to become as well one of the most important leading causes of death. Proactive traffic enforcement and intervention should be based on a thorough analysis on the collision data available to identify leading causes of accidents, the most prone locations as well as to predict the conditions for collision occurrence. This thesis presents a novel framework for collision prediction that takes into consideration historical and real-time factors, such as weather, geospatial information and social event data that can be obtained with existing sensor technology. A prototype is proposed, implemented and evaluated for the city of Ottawa, Canada, to predict: (1) accident frequency (collision vs no-collisions) and (2) accident severity (in terms of fatal, injury and property damage only accidents). The best performance was achieved using gradient boosted trees in both cases.


title: Regulation of Antioxidant Defenses, DNA Damage Repair, the Immune Response, and Neuroprotection During Hibernation in the Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel

abstract: Hibernation is a fascinating survival adaptation that allows animals to transition into a torpid state to survive winter by coordinating a strong suppression of metabolic rate, conservation of energy, and reduction of body temperature. This strategy permits thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) and other hibernating mammals to endure the winter season when there is little access to food. Many energy-expensive cellular processes are suppressed, including gene transcription and protein synthesis/turnover, but are reactivated rapidly when animals arouse back to euthermia. Both torpor and arousal can have damaging consequences; for example, during arousal, reactive oxygen species flood the cell causing oxidative damage to numerous cellular components. Therefore, hibernation requires many pro-survival mechanisms to mitigate multiple types of damage: e.g. from oxidative damage, DNA damage, and pathogen attack, among others. The research reported in this thesis on damage control processes in hibernators shows that antioxidant enzymes such as PRDXs are upregulated in key tissues but in an isoform- and time-specific manner over the torpor-arousal cycle. PRDX isoforms were found to be significantly upregulated in specific tissues. Similarly, DNA damage repair is initiated during torpor and is characterized by the binding of repair proteins such as Ku80 and the MRN complex to the site of breaks, but ligation (with XLF) reactions to fully repair DNA do not appear to occur until arousal. Pro-inflammatory mechanisms are also used to deal with pathogens; these remain active at basal levels in a tissue-specific manner during torpor, but are up-regulated in the final stages just before arousal or only during arousal depending on the tissue, such as the induction of CCL5, a recruiter of monocytes. A cyto/neuro-protective mitochondrial peptide, s-humanin, was also identified that is induced in a tissue-specific manner, helping to protect key organs such as the brain cortex and adipose tissues. The results show that hibernation is a complex, multi-faceted process that employs specific adaptations of damage prevention/repair pathways to protect squirrel tissues from damage not only during prolonged torpor but over the transitional states to/from torpor and does so expertly while conserving energy until such a time that repair mechanisms may be fully initiated.


title: Large Angle Washout Algorithms for Flight Simulators

abstract: This thesis presents modifications to classical washout algorithms to allow for large angular motion. This allows flight simulators with large angular motion envelopes to more effectively produce the motion cues for edge-of-envelope aircraft manoeuvres for pilot training. Classical washout is implemented and the implementation is validated using numeric metrics, normalized Pearson correlation, integral of the error, and maximum error; and plots of the modelled vestibular response. This implementation is then used as a performance baseline for two proposed modifications. Large-angle washout uses quaternions and eliminates the small-angle approximations present in classical washout. Unrestricted angular washout allows for unbounded rotation about all axes. For manoeuvres with small angular motion cues, the original classical washout algorithm designed for small angles performs best, and unrestricted angular washout has comparable performance. For manoeuvres with large angular motion cues, unbounded angular washout performs best.


title: Me, Myself, and ID: Towards Usable, Privacy-Preserving, Fraud-Resistant Digital Identity Services for Smartphone Users

abstract:
Between easy-to-counterfeit physical IDs, the poor adoption of some digital alternatives, and the weak security of others, the need for better identity solutions becomes apparent. As such, this thesis explores how digital identity services can be designed in a usable, secure, and privacy-preserving manner.
Our first user study examines the discoverability of participants' personally identifiable information (PII) to determine what information is suitable for identity proofing. We found that many different types of PII could be obtained by an imposter and that individuals significantly underestimate the risk of said information being available.
Our second user study explores the usability of a prototype digital identity service for smartphone users. We identify and categorize users' perceptions, opinions, and concerns over using this type of service. Our findings highlight the need to support users in developing accurate mental models to avoid usability issues.


title: Life After the Scandal: Thalidomide, Family, and Rehabilitation in Modern Canada, 1958-1990

abstract: In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the drug thalidomide was prescribed to pregnant women around the world as a sedative to combat morning sickness. Instead of being "completely safe," as advertisements had promised, thalidomide caused "deformities" in children born to mothers who took the drug. In Canada thalidomide was licensed for prescription use on April 1, 1961 and remained on the market until the spring of 1962, despite knowledge of the possible connection between the medication and birth defects in newborns. This dissertation focuses on thalidomers' lives after the scandal. It argues that in Canada, thalidomiders' experiences in the aftermath of the tragedy demonstrate that their disabled bodies remained political and public bodies, even in the most intimate and private aspects of their lives. Drawing on disability history and medical history, this dissertation extends the approach of patient histories to include thalidomiders' social lives and disability as a lived experience. Because disability is always political, this case study of thalidomiders in Canada builds on the feminist critique of a public/private dichotomy and suggests that people living with disabilities do not simply blur but always transgress the public/private divide. Through an examination of rehabilitation, school, families, sexuality and reproduction, this dissertation demonstrates that thalidomiders' lives were political as they, both inadvertently and intentionally, confronted notions of normality and engendered the limits of socially-prescribed norms. In addition, their very existence challenged ideas of humanness and belonging, and their lives were defined by their conscious and subconscious resistance to notions of abject bodies. Canadian thalidomiders have challenged the cultural importance of physical "normality" in Canada through everyday performances, and counteracted deep-seated fears of difference and "the abnormal" through their presence in communities. This dissertation is the first study to use oral history methodology to bring the voices of Canadian thalidomiders to the attention of scholars.


title: Safety Analysis of SysML Models in the Context of Model-Driven Engineering

abstract:
Safety Critical Systems (SCS) must operate inside of their prescribed specifications, otherwise, they can cause harm to the user(s) and/or the environment. These systems are used in various domains, such as aerospace, automotive, railway and healthcare. Safety Analysis (SA) is performed on SCS to ensure that they are safe enough to be operational. Many SA techniques already exist and had proven their effectiveness; hence their use is recommended and, in some cases mandated, by industry standards and certification authorities.
This thesis aims to develop a methodology termed Model-Driven Safety Engineering (MDSE) for integrating well-established SA methods with standard and well-known tools and techniques within the Model Driven Engineering (MDE) system development process. The proposed methodology can be applied with minimal learning effort. It brings multiple benefits, such as increasing the safety and confidence level of SCS, reducing the costs in various aspects and enhancing the communication between all stakeholders.
The proposed approach follows the MDE process by modeling the system under development with the System Modeling Language (SysML), an Object Management Group (OMG) standard. The SysML model is extended with safety annotations using another OMG standard, the UML Profile for Modeling and Analysis of Real-Time Embedded Systems (MARTE), and its dependability extension, the Dependability Analysis and Modeling (DAM) profile. We propose a multi-step automatic model transformation, where a SysML model annotated with safety information is transformed into models for Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). To guide the synthesis of fault tree models, we propose a set of failure mapping patterns, which show how model elements representing failure in the source model are mapped to the target model. The first step transforms the annotated SysML model into Component-based Fault Trees (CFT) models (one CFT per component). A second transformation composes CFTs, producing System-level Fault Trees (SFT). A third transformation feeds back the quantitative results obtained by solving the CFTs and SFTs models to the SysML model. A final transformation synthesizes an FMEA model from the system SysML model and the generated FTs, to keep the FT and FMEA models synchronized.


title: Going North:  A Reflection on Lines at the First Canadian Road to the Arctic Coast

abstract: The experience of the first Canadian Road to the Arctic Coas informed the trajectory of this thesis which investigates "the line" as a tool that explores and describes spatial understandings: whether as a physical artifact in space (the road), in making (maps, notations, models and drawings), in storylines (with their material consequences) or physical perspectives (as lines of sight); all of which inform thinking and acting in and toward the site of study. A line doesn't necessarily manifest as "the dot that went for a walk", but often as an inclination, a thought pattern, a habit of spatial engagement, an assumption, or a physical act. The lines we draw and imagine, order our spatial and social practices and write the stories of our understandings. Through a series of reflective exercises this thesis looks for ways in which we might begin destabilizing our patterns of seeing, thinking and making.


title: Advances towards Multi-hazard Analysis by Hybrid Simulation of Buildings in Fire and Fire Following Earthquake

abstract: Hybrid simulation is an innovative testing technique which takes both advantages the efficiency in numerical modelling and accuracy of physical test. This research presents a framework for assessing the risks of large-scale structures in fire and fire following earthquake through hybrid simulation. Full interactions between the thermal and mechanical behaviour of the structures are considered in the assessment. In the proposed framework, the element of the prototype structure that is exposed to the sequence of fire loads is selected as physical domain for physical test while the remainder structure as numerical domain is numerically modelled. An illustrative example of the building exposed to fire hazard is presented to demonstrate the hybrid fire simulation methodology. For the multi-hazard risk, a numerical study on the performance of a 4-storey steel moment resisting frame subjected to fire following earthquake is also presented in this research.


title: "To Bring a Little Bit of the Land": Tanya Tagaq Performing at the Intersection of Decolonization and Ecocriticism

abstract: Two needs that have grown increasingly critical in Canada throughout the twenty-first century are the reduction of global warming and the decolonization of lands, social institutions, and collectivities. Rather than operating independently, decolonization and environmentalism intersect as Indigenous actors contest Western assumptions about "nature" by asserting their own ecological frameworks. In this thesis, I explore Inuk vocalist Tanya Tagaq's artistic contributions to these efforts by analysing her musical commentaries on "nature" in light of Indigenous scholarship on "decolonization". I argue that Tanya Tagaq performs decolonized environmental values by evoking Inuit ecology and embodying Inuit ecologically-rooted ontology on stage. I further contend that Tagaq's musical practices demonstrate a decolonized approach to eco-activism by foregrounding Inuit experiences and discourses, and advocating for environmental issues by mobilizing Inuit worldviews. Throughout this thesis, I demonstrate that Tagaq's environmentally-themed output challenges Western constructions of Inuit and the Arctic while asserting Inuit perspectives in public spaces.


title: Food for Thought: Metaphor in Communication and Cognition

abstract:
Metaphors are undoubtedly contextual phenomena. We often creatively employ them to say one thing and mean another by exploiting the literal meaning of the words used. However, metaphors are not simply parasitic on literal meaning. Rather, they pull from ways interlocutors, readers, and audiences understand context, and they tap into our shared knowledge of the world and one another's mutual beliefs.
In this thesis, I propose a pragmatic account of metaphor that treats metaphorical meaning as the result of recovering the speaker's intended meaning. I defend a broadly Gricean account of metaphorical content from more recent accounts that take metaphorical meaning to be directly, explicitly, and automatically interpreted by an audience. A related concern with my view is whether metaphors are distinctively unique from other forms of linguistic communication. According to recent philosophers of language, metaphors and their literal counterparts exploit the same basic cognitive processes. I disagree with this conclusion.
I promote a position that treats metaphor on par with poetic imaginings that exploit characterizations (roughly, stereotypes) to novel ends. This makes my treatment of metaphor importantly different from contemporary treatments of it that reduce metaphor to 'literally loose' talk. I develop a framework of metaphoric communication that is based on Korta and Perry's (2011b) framework developed at length in "Critical Pragmatics". The theoretical utility offered by Korta and Perry's framework is made explicit throughout, but becomes especially important in Part II where I undertake to show how their framework allows me to subsume the nuances of communicating metaphorically within a broader theory of communication.


title: Correlates of Denial: Exploring the Function of Denial Among Men Who Commit Sexual Offences Against Children

abstract: Men who commit sexual offences against children may engage in denial and minimization that relates to an increased risk to reoffend or as an adaptive response in an adversarial environment. To better understand how and when denial may be related to risk, its function must first be understood. The current study examined the association between denial and factors indicating denial as a risk factor or as an adaptive response among 29 adult men who had committed a sexual offence against a child. Contrary to hypotheses, denial was negatively related to callous-interpersonal traits of psychopathy, and largely unrelated to self-esteem. In line with hypotheses, denial was negatively related to self-identification as a sexual offender and negatively related with attitudes towards sexual offenders. The current study's findings may be consistent with an adaptive use of denial, which has implications for treatment and management decisions.


title: Lee Mingwei: The Art Must Go On

abstract: Versatile in time, location and form, Lee Mingwei's works are characterized by themes of transience, temporality and transmission. Lee often orchestrates one-on-one situations that produce ephemeral relationships with his audiences, where he offers a small service or gift in exchange for their participation and trust. By being both relational and participatory, his works are meant to inspire introspection regarding relationships, our own and others. Although his projects are deceptively simple in appearance, often portrayed as familiar everyday actions of eating, sleeping, conversing, mending or gifting in company, there lies great psychological and spiritual depth to them. Therefore, as a method to unpack the rich underlying concepts behind his works, this study will relate Lee Mingwei's projects to prevalent concepts of Relational Aesthetics, Zen Buddhism and gift-giving tendencies.


title: Fabrication of Long Range Surface Plasmon Polariton Biosensors incorporating Optical Waveguides and Encapsulated Microfluidic Channels via Wafer Bonding"

abstract: A microfabricated structure incorporating optical waveguides and closed microfluidic channels is an essential component in realizing a practical long range surface plasmon polariton (LRSPP) biosensor. This has been achieved through advances in fabrication processes to realize reliable optical waveguides, and by development of a reliable wafer bonding process to create closed fluid channels. An existing process for fabrication of gold waveguides was modified by introducing ultra-shallow trenches to recess waveguides and present a planar surface for bonding. An improved fluidic channel etching process was characterized and successfully employed, yielding very smooth channel surfaces free from curtaining and grass issues. Optical performance of the complete bonded chips was demonstrated and verified using a cutback measurement method, producing an attenuation loss of 4.92 dB/mm. An alternative hot embossing process for formation of microfluidic channels on a TOPAS substrate was investigated.


title: Basic Psychological Needs and Passion: Exploring Predictors of Problematic Video Gaming Behaviours

abstract: Problematic video gaming is a growing concern across the world. Critically, when video gaming interferes with the pursuit of life goals or begins to negatively affect other life domains (e.g., work, school, relationships), they are described as problematic gaming behaviours. Researchers have linked problematic gaming behaviours to negative outcomes in a variety of contexts, such as university performance and mental illness. However, research is only beginning to examine why problematic gaming develops. I explored possible relations between psychological needs frustration, obsessive passion, and problematic gaming behaviours. A direct model and a mediation model were explored across 2 studies. Study 1 found a small effect of psychological needs frustration, and a large effect of obsessive passion, whereas the indirect effect was not statistically significant. Study 2 recruited a larger sample targeted towards gamers and replicated the direct effects of study 1 and found a significant indirect effect in the mediation model.


title: Feasibility Study for Measuring Drell-Yan Angular Coefficients in the Atlas Detector Using Low-Pileup Data Sets

abstract: W and Z bosons are the mediators of the fundamental weak force and are some of the particles produced using proton-proton collisions with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Proton-proton interactions producing Z bosons, which subsequently decay into leptonic particles, like electrons, are known as the Drell-Yan process. Its differential cross-section expresses the probability for this process to occur depending on the Z bosons' and decay products' kinematic variables. It can be separated into eight spin-related ratios, known as the Drell-Yan angular coefficients. This thesis is a feasibility study to explore if there is sufficient statistical sensitivity to measure the coefficients with special data sets. Taken with the ATLAS detector, these sets have a lower average number of interactions per proton bunch crossing. This thesis includes predictions of the coefficients and comparisons of MC simulations to the data; this is the first look at these data sets.


title: Computations and Measurements of the Effects of Trailing-Edge Geometry on the Wake of Bluff Bodies

abstract: This study has aimed to shed further light on the wake dynamics of a bluff body with a streamlined fore body and a rectangular blunt base through experiments and numerical analysis. Specifically, the study was designed to establish the role of instability modes and small-scale turbulence in shaping the wake dynamics, and the effect of boat tails including lobed geometries on the wake structure. In the absence of small-scale turbulence, the near wake of the body is dominated by the effects of two instability modes that promote larger-scale transient motions. Small-scale turbulence is found to have a significant suppressing effect on these motions. Presence of a straight tail or a lobed tail is observed to alter the relative roles of the instability modes affecting the wake and the resultant streamwise mixing rates.


title: To Swerve and Neglect:  De-Policing Throughout Today’s Front-Line Police Work

abstract:
This mixed methods study investigates how American and Canadian front-line police officers are responding to policing's new visibility, which implicates citizen-generated mobile device and CCTV footage and concomitant online interconnectivity and social media discourse, and to intensified scrutiny of officers' actions by a more critical public audience. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected from 3,660 rank-and-file officers at 23 police agencies across Canada and throughout the State of New York.
This study finds that a substantial majority of today's rank-and-file officers in the 23 jurisdictions across both countries (72%) are intentionally reducing, or eliminating, proactive interactions in the community, in response to officers' perceptions that such discretionary initiatives are unnecessarily risky. Little variation was found across location and agency variables (country, region, and police agency size) or across individual officers' demographic variables (gender and race/ethnicity). For individual officers, the decision to practice de-policing and any subsequent intensification in an officer's de-policing practices, is associated with the accumulation of negative police-citizen interactions over an officer's years of front-line police service. Influence from the rank-and-file police subculture also plays a significant role in contributing to these widespread risk-averse practices.
For many officers, de-policing is connected with attitudes toward, and avoidance of, individuals perceived as presenting with mental health issues and/or a 'non-traditional' sexual orientation, and, even more strongly, in relation to persons perceived by front-line officers as visible racialized minorities. Implications of the methodology and findings are discussed, including those in relation to the author's role as a 'pracademic' researcher, to the current and future situation of policing in North America, and to the author's efforts to enter into public debates regarding today's policing.


title: An ERP Study to Investigate Age-Related Differences in Sensory Gating and Auditory Processing

abstract: Sensory gating is a mechanism that inhibits neurological responses to redundant information. Although studied within clinical populations, sensory gating has rarely been investigated with respect to aging. The present research investigated age-related changes in auditory sensory gating using electroencephalography and quantified the effect of age on adaptive gating responses for oddball stimuli. Age-related differences in sensory gating and oddball responses were observed in late-stage auditory processing, where older adults exhibited weaker sensory gating. An attenuated P200 for first and second clicks seen in the aging group may explain the weaker sensory gating ratio seen in older participants. Furthermore, replacing the second click with oddball stimuli attenuated, but did not eliminate sensory gating, indicating that sensory gating is a dynamic mechanism. Findings suggest that sensory gating is diminished for older adults and may transform from an adaptive mechanism under executive control to a pre-attentive limiter of auditory processing.


title: Dynamic Model-Based Dose Calculations of Permanent Implant Prostate Brachytherapy

abstract: This thesis presents the development of a framework for performing dynamic model-based dose calculations in target organs exhibiting geometry changes during permanent implant brachytherapy. The framework is applied to investigate the dosimetric effect of edema during 125I prostate brachytherapy. Dynamic dose distributions are accumulated from mapped dose distributions calculated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations on treatment geometries predicted from post-implant images and clinically-observed models of edema. Ten unique edema resolution models are implemented for 120 patients. Clinical AAPM TG-43 and static MC dose calculations overestimate D90 values compared to dynamically-calculated dose distributions; these overestimations range from 5 to >30% depending on edema model and patient parameters, e.g., the presence of intraprostatic calcifications. Edema should be considered for accurate dose calculations of permanent implant prostate brachytherapy treatments.


title: The Implications of Sustainable Design Considerations for an Effective Learning Environment in Industrial Design Studios

abstract: Design studios are the central part of the learning environment in industrial design schools, and the incorporation of sustainable design considerations are essential for the optimization of the learning spaces for design students in our current times. These studio spaces can play a salient role in facilitating collaboration among students and promoting creativity. Recently, the School of Industrial Design's studios at Carleton University have been redesigned with an effort to resolve interior design challenges such as Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and sense of space. Through semi-structured interviews and extensive field notes, this study sought to obtain feedback from end-users (students and faculty members) on their overall experience using the new design studios. This study also pinpoints problematic areas that need to be addressed, based on emerging themes. Preliminary directions and guidelines have been proposed that can be implemented in order to improve the studios in the School of Industrial Design


title: The internal cranial anatomy of Champsosaurus lindoei and its functional implications

abstract: Although Champsosaurus is well-known in Late Cretaceous and Paleocene deposits of North America, their cranial anatomy is poorly understood. Here, a well-preserved skull of Champsosaurus lindoei is described in detail using high-resolution micro-CT scanning. This confirms the presence of the putative neomorphic bone, which may be homologous with the pre-existing stapes, or developed through incomplete fusion of dermatocranial ossification centres. The ventral openings on the skull of Champsosaurus relate to the fenestrae ovales, an unusual configuration that may be convergent with other aquatic reptiles. Overall, the endocranial anatomy of Champsosaurus is typical for a basal diapsid. The morphology of the pars inferior of the inner ear suggests that Champsosaurus were capable of detecting sound underwater, and geometric morphometric analyses of the semicircular canals suggests that they were specialized for detecting head movements in an aquatic environment. Taken together, these results suggest that Champsosaurus were well adapted for an aquatic lifestyle.


title: Finite Element Modelling of Anchorage to Concrete Systems at Different Strain Rates

abstract:
Demand for flexibility in design and faster construction times has resulted in the increasing use of fasteners in a variety of concrete structures. These structures are exposed to static and dynamic loading conditions. Furthermore, these structures can be exposed to high strain rate loading such as encountered in impact and blast loads. Thus, anchorage systems used to fasten elements to concrete structures are also exposed to the high strain rates of loading which can be tensile and shear loads. If not adequately designed and constructed, anchorages can fail in a catastrophic manner and pose significant threat to building safety and the life of building occupants.
Behaviour of anchors embedded into concrete and subjected to static load has been widely investigated experimentally. However, despite the fact that many structures that contain anchorage systems are exposed to dynamic loads, the research in this vital area is limited. Currently, no guidance is available in design codes for the anchorage response under high strain rate loading. The American Concrete Institute and Concrete Capacity Design methods are recommended for anchorage system subjected to static and low cycle dynamic loading only. Hence, there is a need to develop a design method to predict the anchorage response and capacity under impact and blast loading.
The project presented in this thesis aims to investigate the tensile and shear behaviour of cast-in-place, adhesive and undercut anchors subjected to different strain rates using LS-DYNA software. Numerical models of the anchorage systems with different design parameters were developed and mesh sensitivity analyses were carried out to determine mesh sizes that best simulated the experimental results obtained from the literature. The ultimate static capacity results were verified with the design methods. Effect of strain rate, embedment depth, and anchor diameter on the tensile and shear failure loads was investigated. Failure modes for the anchorage systems were also examined at different strain rates. Concrete cone breakout diameter and failure cone angles were investigated. A relation between the ultimate loads and the strain rates was investigated and dynamic increase factors (DIF) for design were determined. Regression analysis was performed to predict a relation that accurately represents the finite element results.Results of the tensile and shear loading of the anchorage to concrete systems show that anchorage to concrete system capacity increases with an increase in the strain rates. The failure mode of the anchorage systems is influenced by the strain rate. Maximum DIFs of 1.74, 1.13and 1.58were obtained for the cast-in-place, adhesive and undercut anchors under tensile load respectivelywhere concrete cone breakout failure mode was observed. Maximum DIFs of 1.17, 1.13 and 1.44 respectively were obtained for the cast-in-place, adhesive and undercut anchors exhibited steel failure mode. The maximum DIFs were 1.15, 1.18 and 1.45respectively for the anchors subjected to shear loadwhere steel failure was observed.


title: The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls:  A Counter-Archive

abstract: The National Inquiry into MMIWG signals a larger moment in Canadian politics in which the State seeks on some level to recognize and remedy injustices committed against Indigenous peoples. This political momentum is marked by a proliferation of commissions and inquiries whose capacity to unsettle existing structures of power and to enact transformative social justice is highly debatable. This research examines the bureaucratic and archiving processes of the Inquiry in order to uncover both how it materializes on an everyday level, and how members of the settler public engage with it. Understanding how the public engages with the National Inquiry may make legible why it both succeeds and fails, and by consequence how the lives of Indigenous peoples are impacted. This research works to reveal some of the logics behind bureaucratic and archiving practices, and how non-Indigenous members of the public engage with a public inquiry of such monumental importance.


title: Genome-wide association study of Pseudomonas aeruginosa adaptations to the cystic fibrosis lung

abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that chronically infects the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis. We know that these bacteria evolve within the lung environment, and have an idea of some of the changes that occur. I performed a genome-wide association study in P. aeruginosa using a variety of analysis methods and several datasets of gene and SNP presence/absence. I determined that the machine learning algorithms random forest and support vector machines performed well on gene presence/absence and core SNP datasets, respectively, when compared with current methods (PLINK and treeWAS). Genes and SNPs already associated with adaptation to the CF lung environment, such as mucA, gyrA, and mex genes, were found with these methods. Some hypothetical and probable proteins were also recovered, and are good candidates for future research.


title: Stories of Madness: Exploring Resistance, Conformity, Resiliency, Agency, and Disengagement in Mental Health Narratives

abstract: Old and present mental health systems tend to emphasize mental health service users as passive recipients of psychiatric care, which suppresses the idea that people who experience serious mental illness are able to comprehend their own sickness and recovery and therefore engage psychiatric experts about their care. This dissertation seriously interrogates the ways in which those who experience serious mental illness become agential, resist some of the control mechanisms, relationships of power, and infantilizing rituals found within the Canadian mental health system, and survive abject circumstances. Drawing on my own autoethnographic experiences with psychosis and psychiatric hospitalization, as well as 10 interviews with mental health service users, I argue that narrative approaches to inquiry and a post-anarchist praxis can reveal and liberate our agential capacities to recover and live through madness that otherwise become less known through biomedical approaches to mental health research. I identify some of the porous boundaries between the livable and unlivable forms of madness, and explore the complex relationships between service users and their caregivers whose penultimate goal is to help us live a manageable life. I conclude by discussing the contributions of this dissertation and reflect on some of the practical needs of the current mental health system.