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The technical project in this portfolio covers an experience I had conducting research for the University of Virginia drama department, working on a robot project that seeks to create a robot to automate the movement of scenery in the theater arts, allowing directors to greatly improve the quality of set design and operation. With my technical project, other University of Virginia students and I integrated the scenery robot into the theater arts while thoroughly considering the perspectives of the stakeholders most closely involved with managing productions. Heavy input was taken from the Technical Director of the Drama department along with stage managers at UVA and results were also taken to the United States Institute for Theater Technology (USITT) to involve more individuals with expertise in the field. The advancement associated with this project does not come without potential detriment: those who are doing the jobs in setting up and managing scenery may have their skills become obsolete. It might seem obvious in this case that having a robot move a few pieces of a set is not jeopardizing the careers of members of the stage crew. Yet, replacing or diminishing a person’s job — however trivial it may seem — does raise the question, how do we toe the line between making technological progress and decreasing human quality of life? Thus, in my STS research project, I have consider the adverse effects of both automation and innovation under capitalism as they pertain to employment by observing and analyzing the history of labor movements, technological advancement, and their effect on each other in the United States. Specifically, my research project entails leveraging Sheila Jasanoff’s theory of co-production along with Karl Marx’s work in Grundrisse and Das Kapital to draw conclusions on major technological events since the beginning of the 20th century. From Henry Ford’s introduction of the assembly line until the present time with the continued development and increasing pervasiveness of artificial intelligence, each of these major events have had a profound impact on labor in the US. As such, the impact of these innovations are directly mapped to protests and class struggles such as the ongoing Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) strike that is occurring in the summer of 2023. Through this investigation, I have articulated specific recommendations for both the federal legislature and for working class people consistent with co-production and the critiques of capitalism I introduce.

Ziel ist die Erstellung der ersten Version einer digital gestützten Konstruktionsmethodik für die Produktentwicklung in einer Kreislaufwirtschaft. Diese wird entlang des Produktentstehungsprozesses (PEP) entwickelt. Dabei werden Einflüsse aus dem Bereich der Recyclingtechnik und relevante Einflüsse aus dem Bereich der Wirtschaft berücksichtigt. Konsistent zum PEP werden die Einflüsse nach Möglichkeit auf einer universellen Metaebene eingebettet. Nach Darstellung monetärer und ökologischer Motivationen für die Kreislaufwirtschaft werden die Kreislaufansätze Reuse, Repair, Remanufacturing und Recycling aus dem internationalen Kontext mit dem deutschsprachigen Verständnis verglichen, abgegrenzt und definiert – dabei wird bereits Bezug zur Konstruktion genommen. Weiterhin wird die Konfliktsituation zwischen dem Produkt- und Materialrecycling in Verbindung mit zukünftigen Innovationen aufgezeigt. Grundlagen aus den drei Bereichen Konstruktion, Recycling und Wirtschaft werden dargestellt und an wesentlichen Punkten universell, auf Metaebene, in den Bezug zur Kreislaufwirtschaft gesetzt. Prägnante Kurzbeispiele dienen dabei der besseren Verständlichkeit und Einordnung unabhängig von der Metaebene. Die gelegten Grundlagen werden anschließend miteinander verknüpft und dabei die jeweiligen Zusammenhänge herausgearbeitet. Zusätzlich dazu werden die erkannten Schnittstellen zwischen den Schwerpunkten für eine automatisierte Auswertung aufbereitet, was die Einbettung in die Konstruktionsmethodik ermöglicht. Dabei werden gezielt Zusammenhänge und Abhängigkeiten strukturiert, welche maßgeblichen Einfluss auf die Konstruktion nehmen. Weiterhin wird eine Darstellungsweise für ein visuelles Feedback für Konstruierende entwickelt. Die erarbeiteten Zusammenhänge werden in einer Datenbank hinterlegt und anschließend in einer Programmstruktur gebündelt. Damit wird Konstruierenden die umfangreiche Datenmenge, zur Unterstützung im Entwicklungsprozess, direkt als Informationen zur Verfügung gestellt. Die definierte Einordnung der Daten sowie die Programmstruktur werden erläutert und anschließend die Bedienung der Weboberfläche, in Verbindung mit einer notwendigen minimalen Eingabe durch Konstruierende, präsentiert. Die offen entwickelte Programmstruktur wird genutzt, um im Ausblick weitere zusätzliche Datenanbindungsmöglichkeiten vorzustellen und tiefgreifende potentielle Erweiterungen in jede der vorher aufgegriffenen Richtungen zu diskutieren. Abschließend wird der potentielle Einfluss auf die Kreislaufwirtschaft der entwickelten Konstruktionsmethodik dargestellt und neue, weiterführende Forschungsfragen definiert. The aim of this thesis is to provide a digital supported design methodology for the engineering design within a circular economy – based on and aligned with the product development process. Within the development, influences originating from recycling techniques and economics are taken into account. As well as the product development process, the methodology is located on a meta level. After discussing monetary and ecological motivations for a circular economy, four international known circular design approaches, namely Reuse, Repair, Remanufacturing and Recycling, will be compared, delimited and defined for the use within the German economic environment – along this process, the engineering design is already considered. Furthermore, the conflict between product and material recycling in conjunction with future innovation is presented. Basics out of the three fields engineering design, recycling and economics will be presented and essential contents will be universally connected to the circular economy on a meta level. Concise examples shall aid a better understanding and positioning of the discussed matter, independently to the meta level. Afterwards, the build content foundation will be connected towards each other and the dependencies will be presented. Additionally, the identified interfaces between the three fields will also be prepared for automatic analysis within the design methodology. Specifically, the most influential interfaces will be structured and a visual feedback method for design engineers will also be developed. The explored dependencies will be gathered in a database and subsequently bundled within the program structure. This shall aid the design engineers by providing the vast data as information within the design process. The classification of the data as well as the structure of the program will be presented followed by the explanation of the web interface together with the minimal needed input by design engineers. The deliberately open program structure will be used to assess further development and expansion of the program concerning the former presented fields. To conclude, the potential influence of the developed methodology towards the circular economy will be discussed and emerging research topics defined.

Neuromorphic computing, referred to as brain-inspired computing for big-data processing and accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) computation, has received a significant boost from the emergence of memristors and associated computing algorithms over the past decade. Recent advancements in memristive systems have enabled the integration of sensing and computing on a chip, known as in-sensor computing, leveraging the memory and dynamic processing capabilities associated with synaptic long-term and short-term plasticity. Among the senses, vision plays a pivotal role in information processing, enabling remote sensing for navigation, learning, and communication. While current neuromorphic systems utilizing advanced memristors have primarily focused on two-dimensional (2D) vision applications, akin to human visual perception, three-dimensional (3D) vision is also vital for machines to tackle more complex tasks by obtaining additional depth information. In this dissertation, we present a comprehensive approach to neuromorphic vision computing that encompasses both 2D and 3D information processing in conjunction with artificial vision dynamics. We demonstrate one III-V photodiode and one nonvolatile memristor (1P1R) array capable of visual sensing, memory, and computing functions. This enables in-sensor computing protocols such as in-situ visual classification and encoding, referred to as 2D neuromorphic vision computing. We also introduce a bio-inspired 3D sensing technique utilizing nonvolatile memristors, known as the resistive time-of-flight (RToF) principle, enabling unprecedented 3D neuromorphic vision computing. we lastly achieve dynamic bio-inspired vision by integrating conventional high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) with emerging 2D ferroelectric materials that emulate synaptic plasticity, potentially enabling mixed 2D/3D neuromorphic vision. This multidimensional approach to neuromorphic vision computing paves the way for empowering advanced computer vision and augmented reality applications.

Modeling and simulation tools are described and implemented in a single workflow to develop a means of simulating a ship wake followed by simulated synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and infra-red (IR) images of these ship wakes. A parametric study across several different ocean environments and simulated remote sensing platforms is conducted to generate a preliminary data set that is used for training and testing neural network--based ship wake detection models. Several different model architectures are trained and tested, which are able to provide a high degree of accuracy in classifying whether input SAR images contain a persistent ship wake. Several data fusion models are explored to understand how fusing data from different SAR bands may improve ship wake detection, with some combinations of neural networks and data fusion models achieving perfect or near-perfect performance. Finally, an outline for a future study into multi-physics data fusion across multiple sensor modalities is created and discussed. Doctor of Philosophy This dissertation focuses on using computer simulations to first simulate the wakes of ships on the ocean surface, and then simulate airborne or satellite-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and infra-red (IR) images of these ship wakes. These images are used to train machine learning models that can be given a SAR or IR image of the ocean and determine whether or not the image contains a ship wake. The testing shows good preliminary results and some models are able to detect ship wakes in simulated SAR images with a high degree of accuracy. Data fusion models are then created which seeks to fuse data sources together in order to improve ship wake detection. These data fusion models are tested using the simulated SAR images, and some of these data fusion models show a positive impact on ship wake detection. Next steps for future research are documented, such as data fusion of SAR and IR data in order to study how fusion of these sensors impacts ship wake detection compared to just a single SAR sensor or multiple SAR sensors fused together.

The burial activity of terrestrial bioturbators influences the microtopography, surface roughness, and physical properties of the soil. By reworking sediments, bioturbators increase soil permeability and porosity, which has implications for infiltration and erosion rates. The construction of underground tunnels distributes and concentrates nutrients and has a particularly positive effect on carbon storage in the soil. Previous studies have left several research gaps. The studies focused only on the habitat preferences of individual species and did not consider the varying amount of excavated sediment and the building density of individual species. It remains unclear which environmental parameters within the catchment area are primarily associated with the high density and distribution of all existing bioturbator structures. Furthermore, the previous authors did not address the daily sediment excavation dynamics by the animal, whether and how it is related to sediment redistribution driven by catchment-wide precipitation, and how much sediment the bioturbators transport to the surface throughout the year. My dissertation was part of the EarthShape consortium with the overarching research question of how microorganisms, animals, and plants influence the shape and development of the Earth's surface. The study was conducted at four study sites along the Chilean coastal cordillera: arid Pan de Azúcar, semi-arid Santa Gracia, Mediterranean La Campana, and humid Nahuelbuta. The workflow consisted of three work packages with the ultimate goal of determining the catchment-wide effects of bioturbation. Within the first work package, I tested whether the density of burrows and the distribution of structures can be predicted by vegetation patterns calculated from UAV and WorldView-2 data. Then I used the best model for catchment-wide prediction. Within the second work package, I tested whether bioturbator-driven sediment redistribution depends on precipitation-driven sediment redistribution. For this purpose, I deployed several time-of-flight-based cameras to monitor sediment redistribution on the trench surface and around the trench. In the third work package, I integrated bioturbation into a soil erosion model. Then I determined the influence of bioturbators on sediment distribution and the environmental parameters that determine the extent of this influence. My results showed that the distribution of structures created by bioturbating animals depends on vegetation patterns. The density of burrows created by bioturbating animals was best predicted by in-situ measured vegetation cover as well as the diameter and height of shrubs. In the arid and semi-arid zones, cactus height and cover were important predictors, while in the humid zone, tree trunk diameter and cover were selected by the model. However, plant species diversity was important in all climatic zones. When predicting burrow density using UAV images, indices of vegetation heterogeneity were also important. The density of structures increased with shrub, herb, and cactus cover in all climatic zones and decreased with tree canopy cover in the humid climate zone. The density of invertebrate structures was higher in rockier areas with less vegetation at all sites. Finally, a vegetation index describing high leaf area index was an important predictor. The distribution of structures throughout the catchment area was best predicted by the WorldView-2 NIR band and NDVI, as well as individual vegetation land cover classes. Topographic features derived from LiDAR data were not selected as important predictors, except for aspect. Secondly, the results showed that sediment redistribution triggered by bioturbators depends on rainfall-triggered redistribution. Immediately after rainfall events in the Mediterranean climate zone, increased sediment export by the animals was observed: the animals were observed reconstructing their structures after the rains and simultaneously excavating more additional sediment to the surface. In contrast, in the arid climate zone, sediment export was mostly not preceded by rainfall events. The results confirmed that the environment determines the extent of the impact of bioturbation on rainfall-induced sediment redistribution throughout the catchment area. The results showed that the key environmental parameters were elevation, surface roughness, slope, and vegetation cover derived from NDVI. Bioturbation increased sediment erosion in areas where erosion processes dominate (steep slopes, strong gradients, low surface roughness, low vegetation cover), and similarly increased sediment accumulation in areas with natural sediment deposition (high surface roughness, high vegetation cover, low slope). The model output demonstrated that bioturbation intensifies sediment erosion. Bioturbation amplified sediment erosion in all climatic zones except the humid zone. Monitoring the structures showed an increase in erosion of over 300% compared to the areas where the structures were embedded. According to the results of the soil erosion model, bioturbation had the strongest impact on erosion in the Mediterranean zone, followed by the arid and semi-arid zones. The effects of bioturbation were not significant in the humid zone. To assess long-term impacts, bioturbation needs to be integrated into landscape development models. However, these models have assumed a uniform distribution and spatial and temporal effects of bioturbation. My results demonstrated that the effects of bioturbation on sediment redistribution are not temporally and spatially consistent, and the distribution of bioturbation is not uniformly associated with vegetation. To realistically predict the long-term effects of bioturbation, the estimated spatial and temporal variations from this study need to be considered.

The focus of this thesis is the impact of governance arrangements on ecosystem services in the field of agriculture. EU farming is considered as a multi-scale Social-ecological system (SES), with a focus on the main institutional framework governing it, the Common agricultural policy (CAP). The governance of resource use in agriculture is analysed from different angles and at different levels. These ‘snapshots’ can elucidate system attributes that affect interactions in each observation. This dictated the use of multiple disciplinary approaches. To analyse which factors stimulate collective action to preserve High Nature Value farming in post-transitional settings, participatory action research was employed. To conceptualise agri-environmental discourses under the CAP, EU- and national-/regional-level policy documents were analysed to assess differences in the understanding of the relationship between the environment and farming. To assess the potential for a paradigm shift and the possible extent of a green shift in the CAP 2021-2027 proposal, the content of the proposed reform for the period 2021-2027 was analysed, along with the responses of key actors. In a study collating the knowledge of 300 experts, authors sought to create recommendations for the implementation phase of the new CAP with regard to measures for biodiversity conservation. The key conclusion that emerges from all the ‘snapshots’ is that in governance arrangements aiming to stimulate more environmentally sustainable management, local conditions must be given more consideration. Local knowledge should be tempered with science-based analyses and greater freedom in the selection of priorities and design of policy interventions should be accompanied by appropriate accountability mechanisms. Measures should therefore be carefully co-designed with users on the ground. At the same time, dialogue and communication must be stimulated, as results of the discourse analysis show that there are very different mental models present in the understanding of the interactions between agriculture and the environment. Namen disertacije je proučevati vpliv pravil upravljanja na zagotavljanje ekosistemskih storitev v kmetijstvu. Kmetijstvo EU je obravnavano kot večravenski socio-ekološki sistem (SES) in s fokusom na osrednjem institucionalnem okvirju, ki ga ureja, Skupni kmetijski politiki (SKP). Upravljanje rabe virov v kmetijstvu je analizirano z različnih zornih kotov in na različnih ravneh. Ti 'posnetki' lahko razjasnijo različne lastnosti sistema, ki vplivajo na interakcije v vsakem primeru opazovanja. Zato je uporabljenih več disciplinarnih pristopov. Za analizo dejavnikov, ki najbolje spodbujajo skupno delovanje za ohranitev kmetijstva visoke naravne vrednosti v posttranzicijskih okoljih, je bilo uporabljeno participativno akcijsko raziskovanje. Za konceptualizacijo kmetijsko-okoljskih diskurzov v okviru SKP so bili analizirani politični dokumenti na EU in nacionalni/regionalni ravni, da bi ocenili razlike v razumevanju odnosa med okoljem in kmetijstvom. Za oceno možnosti za spremembo paradigme in možnega obsega okoljskega premika v predlogu SKP 2021–2027 je bila analizirana vsebina predlagane reforme, skupaj z odgovori ključnih deležnikov. V študiji, ki združuje znanje 300 strokovnjakov, so bila oblikovana priporočila za fazo izvajanja nove SKP za ukrepe za ohranjanje biotske raznovrstnosti. Ključna ugotovitev, ki izhaja iz vseh 'posnetkov', je, da je treba pri upravljanju za doseganje večje okoljske trajnosti bolj upoštevati lokalne razmere, a obenem lokalno znanje dopolniti z znanstveno utemeljenimi analizami, večjo svobodo pri izbiri prioritet in oblikovanju ukrepov bi morali spremljati ustrezni mehanizmi odgovornosti. Ukrepe je zato treba skrbno sooblikovati z uporabniki na terenu. Hkrati je treba spodbujati dialog in komunikacijo, saj rezultati diskurzivne analize kažejo, da obstajajo na presečišču kmetijstva in okolja močno različni miselni okviri.

In recent years the number of Internet-connected devices (aka as Internet of Things (IoT)) has increased dramatically. IoT Manufacturers have launched into the market a variety of IoT products to make a profit, while users buy them for the convenience of the technology. Despite IoT technology’s benefits to society, infected IoT devices with malicious software (malware) are a serious security concern. For instance, in 2016, we witnessed one of the largest Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks facilitated by IoT devices. This attack disrupted major well-known websites, including Twitter, Spotify, Github, and others.Infected IoT devices cause negative externalities. A negative externality is the cost that third parties, who are neither the seller nor the buyer of IoT devices, must incur to protect themselves against DDoS attacks.In the traditional personal computer world, compromised machines can be remedied with self-service solutions like antivirus. However, there is a lack of such tools to help users remove malicious software once it has taken hold for the wide variety of IoT devices. This, in turn, creates usability issues for users in the IoT space. To remediate infected IoT devices, users may need to take different actions. These actions depend on the device type, its manufacturer, patches or software updates available, and available settings of the device.Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) (referred interchangeably as intermediaries in this dissertation) have undertaken the task of notifying users about infected IoT devices in their home network. These types of notifications can aid the threat detection mechanisms of infected IoT devices for users.Considering that the IoT technology has certain limitations, and users will have to deal with infected IoT devices, and the aforementioned actors are involved, we set ourselves to answer the following research question: How can users mitigate infected IoT devices? And what role can manufacturers and intermediaries play in supporting them? To answer this question in short users require information and actionable advice to take appropriate actions. Manufacturers need to improve security practices, such as removing default credentials from the setup process of IoT devices. ISPs can facilitate threat detection through notifications and DNS-based prevention. The results of this dissertation, suggest that governments should incentivize intermediaries and manufacturers to address this issues, and collaboration among stakeholders is essential since users alone cannot mitigate infected IoT devices even though they are motivated.

In recent years the number of Internet-connected devices (aka as Internet of Things (IoT)) has increased dramatically. IoT Manufacturers have launched into the market a variety of IoT products to make a profit, while users buy them for the convenience of the technology. Despite IoT technology’s benefits to society, infected IoT devices with malicious software (malware) are a serious security concern. For instance, in 2016, we witnessed one of the largest Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks facilitated by IoT devices. This attack disrupted major well-known websites, including Twitter, Spotify, Github, and others.Infected IoT devices cause negative externalities. A negative externality is the cost that third parties, who are neither the seller nor the buyer of IoT devices, must incur to protect themselves against DDoS attacks.In the traditional personal computer world, compromised machines can be remedied with self-service solutions like antivirus. However, there is a lack of such tools to help users remove malicious software once it has taken hold for the wide variety of IoT devices. This, in turn, creates usability issues for users in the IoT space. To remediate infected IoT devices, users may need to take different actions. These actions depend on the device type, its manufacturer, patches or software updates available, and available settings of the device.Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) (referred interchangeably as intermediaries in this dissertation) have undertaken the task of notifying users about infected IoT devices in their home network. These types of notifications can aid the threat detection mechanisms of infected IoT devices for users.Considering that the IoT technology has certain limitations, and users will have to deal with infected IoT devices, and the aforementioned actors are involved, we set ourselves to answer the following research question: How can users mitigate infected IoT devices? And what role can manufacturers and intermediaries play in supporting them? To answer this question in short users require information and actionable advice to take appropriate actions. Manufacturers need to improve security practices, such as removing default credentials from the setup process of IoT devices. ISPs can facilitate threat detection through notifications and DNS-based prevention. The results of this dissertation, suggest that governments should incentivize intermediaries and manufacturers to address this issues, and collaboration among stakeholders is essential since users alone cannot mitigate infected IoT devices even though they are motivated.