190504 Not Only New Offline but Also New Online: Technology to Support Immigrant Access to Social Capital and Adaptation

Title:
Not Only New Offline but Also New Online: Technology to Support Immigrant Access to Social Capital and Adaptation

Speaker:
蕭喬尹 (Joey Chiao-Yin Hsiao), PhD candidate, University of Michigan

Time:
05/04 (Sat.) 5 pm PDT, 6 pm MDT, 7 pm CDT, 8 pm EDT
05/05 (Sun.) 8 am Taiwan

Keywords:
Information Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer-Supported Cooperative Work, Immigrant Adaptation, Social Capital, Newcomer

Abstract:
The key to successful adaptation for immigrants in a new country is their social capital, or those resources embedded in their social networks. Research suggests that information and communication technologies (ICTs) foster immigrants’ social capital and facilitate their adaptation. However, it is unclear how recent immigrants use ICTs to develop social capital and how this supports their adaptation needs. We performed semi-structured interviews with thirteen recent immigrants and five long-term immigrants. We found that ICTs and technology-mediated connections: (1) easily addressed immigrants’ settlement needs, (2) minimally addressed their financial and cultural needs, and (3) were not used to address their emotional needs. To support recent immigrants’ adaptation, we suggest ways for ICTs to (1) reduce uncertainty about meeting local-born populations, (2) foster reciprocity among immigrant communities, and (3) facilitate safe resource exchanges.

190427 Photoelectrochemical Solar Fuel Production -- Progress and Prospect

Title:
Photoelectrochemical Solar Fuel Production -- Progress and Prospect

Speaker:
姜昌明 (Chang-Ming Jiang), PhD, Technical University of Munich

Time:
04/27 (Sat.) 8 pm PDT, 9 pm MDT, 10 pm CDT, 11 pm EDT
04/28 (Sun.) 11 am Taiwan

Keywords:
Physical chemistry, Semiconductor physics, Photochemistry

Abstract:
Transition metal oxide semiconductors are actively investigated as efficient, durable, and scalable photoelectrodes for direct conversion of solar energy to chemical fuels. However, efficiencies of many newly discovered ternary oxides fall far short of the thermodynamic limits. Optical excitation and carrier transport mechanisms in these open d-shell metal oxide systems are typically complicated by on-site electron correlation. Furthermore, the events governing overall efficiency occur over a broad range of time scales and are affected by a variety of material properties that can be difficult to disentangle in a single compound. Here, a series of copper vanadate photoanodes acts as a platform for analyzing key photoelectrochemical characteristics. As a starting point, we use X-ray and optical spectroscopies to provide a comprehensive portrait of electronic structure. Building on these results, we compare the efficiencies of light absorption, charge separation, and heterogeneous electron transfer as a function of composition. Specific strategies are then identified for improving performance of emerging transition metal oxide photoelectrodes.

190420 Advanced Network Analysis of Resting-State Functional Connectivity to Probe Executive Function In Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis

Title:
Advanced Network Analysis of Resting-State Functional Connectivity to Probe Executive Function In Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis

Speaker:
林素堇 (Sue-Jin Lin), PhD, University of British Columbia

Time:
04/20 (Sat.) 5 pm PDT, 6 pm MDT, 7 pm CDT, 8 pm EDT
04/21 (Sun.) 8 am Taiwan

Keywords:
Neuroscience, Neuroimaging, Neurology, Cognitive Network Neuroscience

Abstract:
Cognitive deficits are a very troubling symptom for people with neurological disease. Understanding cognitive deficits has been difficult because there does not seem to be a simple relationship between damages to one part of the brain and the deficits. It seems that disease effects over widespread brain areas are more associated with cognitive deficits. In this research, we investigated functional connectivity (FC), i.e. how brain regions communicate through information transfer, and its relations to cognitive deficits in two diseases showing similar cognitive impairments: Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. Novel analyses with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were used to examine FC and advanced statistical methods were used to link FC and cognitive function. In both diseases, we found robust associations between network level descriptions of FC and performance on cognitive tests. Determining the networks associated with cognitive performance is a first step towards targeted therapy attempting to reduce deficits.

190413 Studying the Recharge Cycle of Old Faithful Geyser with Dense Seismic Arrays

Title:
Studying the Recharge Cycle of Old Faithful Geyser with Dense Seismic Arrays

Speaker:
吳欣玫 (Sin-Mei Wu), PhD student, The University of Utah

Time:
04/13 (Sat.) 5 pm PDT, 6 pm MDT, 7 pm CDT, 8 pm EDT
04/14 (Sun.) 8 am Taiwan

Keywords:
Geophysics, Hydrothermal system, Old Faithful geyser, Seismic imaging

 

Note: 

Please refer to the updated research results here.

Abstract:
Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park is the most well-known hydrothermal feature in the world. Despite abundant geophysical and geochemical studies, the detailed geometry of the plumbing system controlling the hydrothermal fluid flow of its regular eruption cycle remains elusive. In this presentation, I introduce how do we apply state-of-the-art seismic methods to illuminate Old Faithful's plumbing geometry, and reveal the water recharge evolution throughout its periodic eruption cycles.