Institutional Repository
The UDSpace Institutional Repository collects and disseminates research material from the University of Delaware.
- Faculty, staff, and graduate students can deposit their research material directly into UDSpace. Faculty may use UDSpace to fulfill the University of Delaware Faculty Senate Open Access Resolution, and in many cases may use it to fulfill open access requirements from grant funding agencies.
- Departments can use UDSpace to publish or distribute their working papers, technical reports, or other research material.
- UDSpace also includes all doctoral dissertations from winter 2014 forward, and all master's theses from fall 2009 forward.
To learn more about UDSpace, and how you can make your research openly accessible to the public, visit our UDSpace Policies website.
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Recent Submissions
Energy Service Security for Public Health Resilience: Perception and Concerns in Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan
(Rural Sociology, 2024-10-07) Tiwari, Shardul; Ketola, Zoē; Schelly, Chelsea; Boyer-Cole, Eric
The Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan includes six rural counties and one Tribal Nation. The region is characterized by long winters, legacies of the extractive mining economy, and the infrastructural features of extreme rurality, including aging housing and low health service density. The region also faces exceptionally high electricity prices. There is limited research on the public health implications of energy service disruption in rural regions resulting from the increasing intensity and frequency of weather events caused by climate change. This article presents research findings examining the readiness of health facilities in this area to manage the rising intensity, severity, and frequency of severe weather that could disrupt energy services. The study also considers how this knowledge can guide decision-making to improve energy service access and maintain resilient public health services in the region. This exploratory study utilized a qualitative approach that combines semi-structured interviews with public health stakeholders and a short survey to triangulate the findings from health facilities. Given the pivotal role of dependable energy services in community health, these findings underscore the community's perception of self-reliance as both an asset and a hurdle. This perception aligns with the realities of rural communities at the “end of the line” regarding critical infrastructure, which also serves as a formidable barrier to social organization and infrastructure access during energy service disruptions that can severely impact public health.
Practitioner Points
1. People living in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan perceive themselves as self-reliant, which can hinder socially organized responses to disasters.
2. Energy access is a key component for providing public health services, and the perception of self-reliance may limit proactive planning for infrastructure access to support public health needs during a disruption.
3. Focusing on energy services in rural communities is critical to developing resilience.
InP-based strain engineered InAs(Sb)/InAsPSb multiple quantum wells with tunable emission and high internal quantum efficiency enabled by Sb incorporation
(APL Materials, 2024-10-07) Nguyen, P. D.; Kim, D.; Jung, H. J.; Kang, T. I.; Park, S.; Kim, J. S.; Chun, B. S.; Lee, S. J.
A type I InAs(Sb)/InAsPSb strain engineered multiple quantum wells light emitting diodes system has been demonstrated. Tensile InAsPSb quantum barriers with a high degree of band offset (∆EC = 116–123 meV, ∆EV = 193–250 meV) were used to compensate for the high compressive strain of the InAs(Sb) quantum wells. The structure was grown on the n+-InAsxP1−x metamorphic buffer with a high degree of relaxation (98%), low surface roughness (0.69 nm), and low dislocation density. Through careful strain engineering design, the compressive strain of InAs(Sb) reaches 0.57%–1.52% without strain relaxation. The incorporation of Sb into the multiple quantum wells not only reduces the bandgap but also improves the interface quality by acting as an effective surfactant. Structural analysis reveals superior quality in InAsSb/InAsPSb multiple quantum wells compared to InAs/InAsPSb multiple quantum wells, demonstrating significantly reduced interface roughness and suppression of the Stranski–Krastanov growth mode. Room temperature electroluminescence measurements show a tunable emission wavelength ranging from 2.7 to 3.3 μm, accompanied by a narrow full width at half maximum value of 45 meV. Photoluminescence analysis indicates that the internal quantum efficiency of InAsSb/InAsPSb multiple quantum wells is 5.5%, which is 7 times higher than that of InAs/InAsPSb.
High-Resolution Modeling and Projecting Local Dynamics of Differential Vulnerability to Urban Heat Stress
(Earth's Future, 2024-10-06) Marginean, I.; Cuaresma, J. Crespo; Hoffmann, R.; Muttarak, R.; Gao, J.; Daloz, Anne Sophie
Climate change-induced heat stress has significant effects on human health, and is influenced by a wide variety of factors. Most assessments of future heat-related risks however are based on coarse resolution projections of heat hazards and overlook the contribution of relevant factors other than climate change to the negative impacts on health. Research highlights sociodemographic disparities related to heat stress vulnerability, especially among older adults, women and individuals with low socioeconomic status, leading to higher morbidity and mortality rates. There is thus an urgent need for detailed, local information on demographic characteristics underlying vulnerability with refined spatial resolution. This study aims to address the research gaps by presenting a new population projection exercise at high-resolution based on the Bayesian modeling framework for the case study of Madrid, using demographic data under the scenarios compatible with the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways. We examine the spatial and temporal distribution of population subgroups at the intra-urban level within Madrid. Our findings reveal a concentration of vulnerable populations, as measured by their age, sex and educational attainment level in some of the city's most disadvantaged neighborhoods. These vulnerable clusters are projected to widen in the future unless a sustainable trajectory is realized, driving vulnerability dynamics toward a more uniform and resilient change. These results can guide local adaptation efforts and support climate justice initiatives to protect vulnerable communities in urban environments.
Key Points
- Population projections by age, sex and education at small-area levels allow for high-resolution heat vulnerability modeling
- Vulnerability to heat stress can vary widely between different areas in a city, and even within a single neighborhood
- Areas that are vulnerable today are projected to become even more vulnerable in all Shared Socioeconomic Pathway scenarios except for that assuming a sustainable development narrative
Plain Language Summary
Heat stress is a major risk factor for human health, especially in cities where more people are exposed to increasingly higher temperatures in summer. Cities are usually hotter than their surrounding rural areas due to the predominance of dark, impervious surfaces which absorb more heat. Assessing heat risks for public health requires measurements of the hazard, such as a prolonged period with high temperatures, the population exposed to the hazard and characteristics of populations that make them more vulnerable to heat related diseases or even death. Various approaches and tools for risk assessment have been developed, but most of them focus on the hazard and exposure components. In this paper, we measure and project vulnerability to heat stress in alternative scenarios, using different population characteristics, such as age, sex and education. Our results show that there are compelling differences between areas within the city of Madrid and that areas that are vulnerable today will become even more vulnerable unless we follow a path of sustainable development. Detailed assessments of the spatial distribution of vulnerability within a city are relevant for developing adaptation solutions that target vulnerable populations and are thus more effective in reducing heat-related risks.
Smart connected farms and networked farmers to improve crop production, sustainability and profitability
(Frontiers in Agronomy, 2024-08-08) Singh, Asheesh K.; Balabaygloo, Behzad J.; Bekee, Barituka; Blair, Samuel W.; Fey, Suzanne; Fotouhi, Fateme; Gupta, Ashish; Jha, Amit; Martinez-Palomares, Jorge C.; Menke, Kevin; Prestholt, Aaron; Tanwar, Vishesh K.; Tao, Xu; Vangala, Anusha; Carroll, Matthew E.; Das, Sajal K.; DePaula, Guilherme; Kyveryga, Peter; Sarkar, Soumik; Segovia, Michelle; Silvestri, Simone; Valdivia, Corinne
To meet the grand challenges of agricultural production including climate change impacts on crop production, a tight integration of social science, technology and agriculture experts including farmers are needed. Rapid advances in information and communication technology, precision agriculture and data analytics, are creating a perfect opportunity for the creation of smart connected farms (SCFs) and networked farmers. A network and coordinated farmer network provides unique advantages to farmers to enhance farm production and profitability, while tackling adverse climate events. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in SCF including the advances in engineering, computer sciences, data sciences, social sciences and economics including data privacy, sharing and technology adoption. More specifically, we provide a comprehensive review of key components of SCFs and crucial elements necessary for its success. It includes, high-speed connections, sensors for data collection, and edge, fog and cloud computing along with innovative wireless technologies to enable cyber agricultural system. We also cover the topic of adoption of these technologies that involves important considerations around data analysis, privacy, and the sharing of data on platforms. From a social science and economics perspective, we examine the net-benefits and potential barriers to data-sharing within agricultural communities, and the behavioral factors influencing the adoption of SCF technologies. The focus of this review is to cover the state-of-the-art in smart connected farms with sufficient technological infrastructure; however, the information included herein can be utilized in geographies and farming systems that are witnessing digital technologies and want to develop SCF. Overall, taking a holistic view that spans technical, social and economic dimensions is key to understanding the impacts and future trajectory of Smart and Connected Farms.
LGBTQ+ Youth Identity Disclosure Processes: A Systematic Review
(Adolescent Research Review, 2024-06-07) Mousavi, Mohammad; Chong, Norman; Earnshaw, Valerie A.; Layland, Eric K.
Disclosure, as a complex social process, profoundly influences the well-being of LGBTQ + youth. This study, guided by the disclosure process model, systematically reviews and synthesizes LGBTQ + youth disclosure literature, considering it as a developmental, multi-component process across various contexts. After screening 5,433 articles, 29 studies were identified, focusing on identity-disclosure processes among LGBTQ + youth aged 26 or younger. These studies were scrutinized for disclosure process components, individual and contextual factors shaping disclosure, and potential bias. Findings reveal a predominant focus on avoidance goals (e.g., fear of rejection, LGBTQ + stigma) rather than approach goals (e.g., seeking belonging, authenticity) in studies examining the disclosure decision-making process. Reactions to disclosures were often mixed, initially leaning negative but evolving positively over time. Mental health emerged as the most studied outcome of disclosure. Additionally, disclosure processes were shaped by disclosure recipients, social context, and cultural beliefs. In conclusion, research on LGBTQ + youth disclosure is advancing and evolving, with increasing attention to disclosure goals and outcomes. Rather than viewing disclosure as a singular event, this review underscores LGBTQ + youth identity disclosure as a complex, developmental process extending over time and across diverse contexts.