Assistant Professor Excellence Lecture Series (APeX)
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Item Can Animals Understand That Others Have Minds? Putting Psychology, Biology, and Philosophy Back Together Again(2017-10-25) Buckner, CameronResearchers have proposed only humans can understand that others have minds, and that this fact explains our distinctive abilities to learn language, cooperate politically, use tools and technology, and pass on a complex culture. Recently, however, experiments appeared to show that chimpanzees, dogs, dolphins, and ravens understand that others might see or know the world from a different perspective than their own. Skeptics, however, argued that these experiments can be explained in terms of associative learning mechanisms (think: Pavlov's dog). In this talk, I explain the hidden philosophical assumptions that have deadlocked this debate for almost fifteen years. I end by describing a recent experiment that collaborators and I performed on ravens to overcome the stalemate by requiring ravens to generalize from their own experience and project their knowledge onto others, suggesting that complex social cognition can evolve independently in animals with very different evolutionary history but similar social lives.Item Finding Magic Patterns in Chemistry: The Picasso Way(2018-01-31) Wu, Judy I-ChiaItem An Inside Job: Using Tiny Robot Swarms to Heal the Body(2018-09-26) Becker, Aaron T.In the Disney Movie, “Big Hero 6,” the protagonist, Hiro, offers a profound view into the future by manufacturing a swarm of 100,000 microbots. Hiro controls them to self-assemble, to build structures, and to transport goods and materials. While the “microrobots” of the film are fantasy, the ideas are rooted in reality. Today, microrobots can be produced in extremely large quantities, but due to their tiny size they have limited autonomy. Instead, today’s microbots are usually simple particles that are steered from the outside, often using magnetic fields. In my talk, I’ll offer insight on how our techniques will enable physicians to steer large numbers of simple robots from the outside, and share how we are using MRI scanners to steer particles for targeted therapy, medical interventions, and drug delivery in regions inaccessible by large robots.Item The Power of Musical Play(2018-10-24) Kastner, Julie D.When thinking about “playing” music, many often think about listening to their favorite band or performing on an instrument. However, the term can also refer to playing with music, taking a hands-on approach to create something new. Educators have long recognized the importance of play in learning, and music educators have begun including creative music play in their classrooms. This musical play can take many of forms, such as student groups making a rock mash-up; an individual creating a multi-track, split-screen music video; or musicians performing in a virtual ensemble. Engaging in music play is a more informal, vernacular approach that allows students to develop many skills valued in 21st Century society, like collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. More importantly, though, the real power of play with music is that it provides opportunities for human connection, artistry, and expression that individuals can take with them and use throughout their lives.Item Mothering as Health Security: Undocumented Mothers, Children and Medical Alienation in the United States(2019-01-30) Farfán-Santos, ElizabethOver generations of exclusion, undocumented Mexican immigrants have had to regularly confront a prohibiting health care system despite alienation, marginalization and the threat of deportation. In this talk, I discuss the impact of political exclusion and alienating discourses on the health practices and beliefs of undocumented Mexican mothers through the narrative of mothers in Houston, who find themselves at the painful intersection of political and medical alienation. These narratives reflect an analytical framework that center undocumented motherhood as a space of necessary resilience and resistance where women are forced to advocate for their children's health despite prohibitive barriers and dangerous potential consequences.Item Racial Residential Segregation, the Distribution of Health-Promoting Community Organizations, and Health Outcomes(2019-02-27) Anderson, Kathryn FreemanPrevious research demonstrates that within cities, some neighborhoods suffer from health problems at much higher rates than other areas. In my work, I propose that one reason for this disparity may be the distribution of community establishments. Organizations and service providers play an important role in a community and pattern access to resources which are vital to health and well-being. Yet, these places are not evenly distributed throughout society. In particular, I study how racial residential segregation is related to the distribution of community services across neighborhoods. Although no longer legally enforced, racial residential segregation remains a persistent feature of the American urban landscape. In an analysis of cities across the U.S., as well as specially looking at the case of Houston, I find that racially segregated communities are disproportionately less likely to have a wide variety of health-related establishments. Furthermore, this inequality has health consequences for those communities.Item From "Ew" to "Wow": the gateway bug to edible insect consumption(2019-09-25) Legendre, Tiffany S.The world cannot support current food production techniques, especially animal proteins and their detrimental effect on long-term sustainability issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, water use, land use, and feed requirements. The United Nations (U.N.) finds the key answer lies in human consumption of edible insects. They are a sustainable, nutritious, and cost-effective food source already consumed across the globe. However, the question of how to encourage Westerners to eat insects as a sustainable long-term food source remains perplexing. While research in food science has examined edible insects from a sustainability, production, and health standpoint, it has neglected to examine customer psychology and business initiatives that can break the barrier to edible insect consumption. Dr. Legendre has done significant research in this area with hope that she can see more consumers embrace edible insect-based food. She will showcase three of her recent publications and explain how to make edible insects more appealing to Western consumers, particulars what collaborative efforts are necessary for edible insect food businesses to be considered "food."Item Electroactive Polymer Artificial Muscles Enabled RoboFish(2019-10-23) Chen, ZhengAutonomous underwater robots are highly demanded in environmental monitoring, intelligent collection, and deep water exploration. Recent years have witnessed significant effort in development of bio-inspired underwater robots to mimic aquatic animals, such as robotic fish, robotic jelly fish, and robotic manta ray, to achieve high energy propulsion efficiency and maneuvering capabilities. Novel actuating materials, which are lightweight, soft, and capable of generating large flapping motion under electrical stimuli, are highly desirable to build such bio-inspired robotic fish. Electroactive polymers (EAPS) are emerging smart materials that can generate large deformations under electrical stimuli. As an important category of ionic EAPs, Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites (IPMCs) can work under wet conditions with low actuation voltages, which shows their great potential as artificial muscles in bio-inspired underwater robots. In this talk, a systems perspective is taken, from modeling, control, fabrication, and bio-inspired design, which addresses the most challenges in this research area. Three types of bio-inspired underwater robots using artificial muscles will be presented in this talk, including robotic fish, robotic manta ray, and artificial swimming bladder. Advantages and challenges of using IPMC artificial muscles in bio-inspired robots will be concluded at the end.Item From #BlackLivesMatter to #Ayotzinapa: Rethinking Domestic and Foreign Protest News Coverage on Social Media(2020-01-29) Harlow, SummerResearch suggests news media negatively portray protests that challenge the status quo—a pattern known as the protest paradigm. Such de-legitimizing coverage has been shown to turn the public against protesters and their causes. Most research, however, neglects the external and internal factors that influence journalists’ coverage, especially in this digital era. In Professor Summer Harlow’s talk she will answer research questions examining how social media users’ sharing of protest news amplifies certain narratives that marginalize some protests and legitimize others. Using a quantitative analysis of “big” data based on social media sharing of news coverage of protests throughout the U.S. and Latin America, as well as qualitative interviews with journalists and activists, Professor Harlow will reconsider the applicability of the paradigm in a digital media landscape, and connect the paradigm to a broader critique of media, protest, and power, suggesting a hierarchy of social struggle with practical and theoretical implications.Item Artificial Intelligence, Legal Change, and Separation of Powers(2020-09-23) Michaels, AndrewA number of prominent contemporary legal scholars have recently argued in favor of replacing at least some human legal decision making with Artificial Intelligence ("AI"), assuming that AI technology improves to a level these scholars deem appropriate. This article disagrees, particularly as regards Article III judges, for two main reasons. First, human judges must strike a delicate balance between stability and change; that is, between respect for precedent on the one hand, and adapting the law to unforeseen circumstances on the other, thus playing an important role in shaping the law that is not adequately considered in this literature, and that an AI judiciary may not be able to adequately replace. Second, the loss of human judges would likely lead to a loss or diminishment of the human legal community, such that fewer people would be paying attention to the law. This community of people with strong incentives to pay attention to the law is built around the Article III judiciary, and the diffusion of knowledge throughout this community may be a significant source of the judiciary's power to fulfill its role as a check on the other two branches. The potential benefits of an automated judiciary can be better achieved in other ways, and likely do not justify the risks. At the least, these concerns are not adequately addressed by those advocating for AI judges, and should be seriously considered in the context of any effort to automate parts of the judiciary.Item Preserving diverse voices on social media(2020-10-28) Johnson, OliviaAs a digital outlet, social media has transformed individual voices from a proverbial whisper to a megaphone for various ideas allowing traditionally marginalized voices to be heard. These collective voices provide both positive and negative effects to the larger community as they yield their integrative power to influence attitudes and behaviors. Some social media platforms have assumed the responsibility of protecting users from potential threats and applied policies for reporting inappropriate content or for restricting comments. Our research seeks to explore if implementing communication restrictions on social media will decrease hateful and divisive speech on Twitter or if the change will disrupt the essence of Twitter and dilute the diversity of voices. Furthermore, our research can provide preliminary insights on how or whether communication restrictions can decrease hateful and divisive speech on social media.Item Addressing tobacco-related health disparities among Latinx adults: Community engagement and intervention research(2021-01-27) Correa-Fernandez, VirmarieThis talk will focus on the process and preliminary outcomes in the implementation of a feasibility study (N=38) testing a wellness program for English-preferring Latinx adults who smoke cigarettes and experience anxiety and/or depression symptoms. The program involves the provision of nicotine patches and a video/phone-based counseling intervention grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT's objective is to assist individuals in developing psychological flexibility by identifying their core values, strengthening their ability to experience uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, and engaging in values-consistent behaviors. The intervention entails an 8-session protocol that is culturally relevant for Latinx adults. This presentation will include: the process and outputs of the intervention development, challenges and lessons learned during recruitment, community engagement efforts, and treatment delivery (including transitioning to a virtual study during the COVID-19 pandemic), and preliminary results of the study. This work is significant because it addresses tobacco-related disparities experienced by Latinx groups.Item Cellular mechanotransduction: Big impact of little things(2021-02-24) Raghunathan, VijaykrishnaEvery cell in our body is surrounded by a rich three dimensional extracellular matrix laden with a multitude of physico-chemical stimuli that dictate cell fate. Yet the most common method used for mechanistic investigations in cell culture are done one plastic or glass surfaces which lack the organization, composition, and mechanical properties of the scaffolding matrix. The biophysical stimuli encountered by cells in the eye vary with location: from surface tension and shear at the tear film interface to pressure gradient in the trabecular meshwork to compressive forces at the retina and electrical signals in the neural retina. Research from our group focuses on characterizing these fundamental properties during corneal wound repair and glaucoma, designing engineering tools to replicate the native environment for mechanistic studies. Outcomes learned will aid in the identification of novel molecular drug targets, and in the development of technologies for efficient drug-delivery and regeneration.Item Using soils of the past to reconstruct the landscapes of human evolution(2021-09-22) Beverly, EmilySoils are an integral part of our modern lives – supplying our food and controlling many global biogeochemical cycles. In my research, I study the chemistries of modern soils to better understand the biogeochemical cycles affecting modern humans, but also to understand the evolution of our species, Homo sapiens, and the evolution and extinction of our close relatives known as hominins. My research focuses on soils that are hundreds of thousands to millions of years old and have since been buried beneath the earth’s surface. These buried soils of the past – called paleosols – are where we find many hominin fossils and stone tools. We can apply what we know about modern soils to these paleosols to provide snapshots of past landscapes used by our ancestors. The geochemical data from these paleosols provide us information about past climates and environments, such as temperature, precipitation, and vegetation that we can use to reconstruct these snapshots. We know that climate changes have likely driven hominin adaptations and extinctions, but over such long time scales there is much debate over the timing and importance of events. With these soils of the past, I seek to illuminate the role of climate history in the evolution of our own species.Item Examining the cultural and community contexts to address opioid misuse and OUD in Black communities(2021-10-27) Gilbert, LaurenWhile Black Americans have similar rates of opioid misuse as national rates, Black Americans in urban areas have seen the sharpest rise in opioid drug death rates, with the biggest rise from synthetic opioids. Disparities in access, utilization, retention, and recovery outcomes for Black patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) have been well-documented. The overall goal of my research program is to improve quality and equity in the prevention strategies and access to treatment in Black communities. In order to achieve this health equity goal, I will develop a culturally centered program from the results and synthesis of multiple projects that illuminate the opioid crisis in Black communities through a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) framework. This research centers the priorities of the Black communities by engaging them in research to address and alleviate the burden of opioid misuse in a culturally responsive and respectful manner.Item Pipe organs: The most complex machines before the Industrial Revolution(2022-01-26) Robinson, DarylThere are currently two large research projects centered on new and refurbished pipe organs taking place at the University of Houston: one, an entirely new pipe organ to be installed in the Schissler Lobby of the Moores Opera House, and the rebuilding of the 1965 Reuter pipe organ housed in the University Chapel of A. D. Bruce Religion Center. The complex mechanics of a pipe organ, the challenge of enhancing architectural spaces, and the appropriate implementation of unique tonal schemes into a singular instrument will be crucial to finalize these instruments. With origins beginning in ancient Greece, the pipe organ has evolved over the centuries to utilize modern technological advancements. However, the core principle of windblown pipes sitting atop a pressurized box of air has remained from the beginning. Before and after the industrial revolution, pipe organs have represented a unique collaboration between artisans to produce complex musical machines consisting of metal and wooden pipes, intricate winding and key action systems, and opulent cases to house these systems. Situating the current UH organ projects within this history, this lecture explores the many options and the decision-making process for both.Item Sick and tired of being sick and tired: A qualitative study examining COVID-19, racism, and mental health among middle-class Black women(2022-02-23) Walton, QuenetteBlack women have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and racism. They've experienced financial and mental angst, yet many are not receiving mental health services. In this study, I sought to understand Black women's experiences with COVID-19, racism, and their mental health. Forty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted with Black women across several states. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. Women described "feeling sick and tired" and three major categories emerged: navigating COVID-19 and racism, mental health management, and my faith getting me through. The feelings of being sick and tired was central to these women's experiences with COVID-19 and racism. It is important for practitioners to create welcoming spaces for Black women to engage in services and explore what it means for them to feel sick and tired during unprecedented times.Item Trump vs. Fox News: How Elite Press Attacks Reshape the Partisan Media Landscape(2022-09-28) Archer, AllisonIndividuals seeking partisan news face a variety of options in the current media landscape, yet research provides little evidence regarding the conditions under which they become more or less open to different co-partisan outlets. I argue that elite rhetoric plays an important role in this process and focus specifically on Donald Trump’s critiques of Fox News and promotion of far-right alternatives. I first conduct a content analysis of Trump’s tweets from 2017-2020 and find that he increasingly attacked Fox News, a trend that correlates with decreases in Fox’s daytime and primetime ratings. Two survey experiments further examine how partisans respond to this rhetoric. I find Trump’s attacks significantly change partisan’s perceptions of Fox. Notably, Trump’s critiques of Fox and promotion of an extreme alternative undermine Republicans’ willingness to consume Fox vis-à-vis OANN. The results highlight the strength of individuals’ loyalty to party leader over co-partisan media and suggest elite attacks have fueled increasing partisan media competition.Item Understanding and Controlling Microbial Persisters(2022-10-26) Orman, MehmetOur bodies have trillions more microbial cells than human cells. Although most of these microorganisms are symbiotic and harmless, and play crucial roles in our health, some of them are pathogenic and can survive asymptomatically for a long time without proliferating. Due to their transient non-growing state, these pathogens can regain the ability to initiate cell growth, controlled by a phenotypic switch that is poorly understood, and establish cell populations that can cause diseases. My research group aims to characterize the microbial phenotypes that exist in a transient, growth-inhibited state. These so-called persister cells can survive high concentrations of antibiotics due to their growth-inhibited state. Antibiotic failure is a growing concern worldwide, and persister cells significantly contribute to this problem, as they can promote the emergence of antibiotic-resistant mutants and facilitate the recurrence of microbial infections. A fundamental understanding of the molecular make-up of persister cells will facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Therefore, a major goal of my research is to study their physiology: the metabolite, RNA, and protein contents that allow them to tolerate extraordinary concentrations of drugs.