Volume III

THE EQUILIBRIUM Warren College Undergraduate Research JournalVolume 3 | 2017

Letter from the Provost The third issue of Earl Warren College’s interdisciplinary stu- dent-led journal exemplifies the impact of undergraduate research at UC San Diego. Therefore it’s only fitting that the undergraduate editors of The Equilibrium have devoted this issue to the theme of “Impact.” Since their ambitious second issue was published, the lead editors — who are both graduating this spring — have focused on expanding the disciplinary range of their editorial collective in order to more accurately represent the range of research tak- ing place on campus across the Divisions of Biological Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Engineering, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. Representing the greater range of disciplines at UC San Diego reflects Warren’s motto, “Toward a Life in Balance,” by pro- viding a more balanced look at our University and its students. The interim assistant director of our Warren College Writing Program, Dr. Mark Young, has been particularly crucial in lending assistance to the editorial team through this period of expansion. I would also like to thank the Warren College faculty who agreed to be interviewed for this issue, as well as the ones who took the time to mentor the student research showcased herein. Finally, I want to acknowledge once again the student leaders of The Equilibri- um for their hard work and dedication to publishing the scholarly feats and insights of their peers. I hope that you find this issue of Equilibrium as impressive as I do, and that you will be inspired to get involved in the research endeavors to be discovered all across campus. Emily Roxworthy, Ph.D. Provost of Warren College

Letter from the Editors Acting as Chief Editors of The Equilibrium has been an honor and privilege that we will never forget. Bringing the journal from the drawing board to publication is a challenging, yet rewarding, experience. We started this year with the goal of improving visibility and quality of the journal, but with a small team, we were unsure of where the future would lead us. As graduating seniors, we worried about whether the team could stand on its own after we left, or if this incredible student-run platform would simply collapse. Today, we’re proud to say that The Equilibrium will continue and flourish for years to come. Although this year started slow, we’ve seen the momentum gradually build into terrific proportions. Throughout the year, we’ve tabled at research conferences and established connections with the Warren community. In winter quarter, our humble team grew from six members to twelve. The new members brought energy and excitement, which was tempered with the careful expertise and guidance from our older editors. This year’s issue includes more research articles than before, and is the most interdisciplinary issue yet, with papers submitted from the social sciences, the humanities, and engineering departments. Our editors have worked hard to improve clarity, so that the articles can be understood by readers from any background. We’ve also attempted to make the journal more interactive and personalized, incorporating a HONY-style vibe for the student interviewers. We never would have gotten this far if not for the support and advice given by numerous Warren faculty, especially our advisors Provost Roxworthy and Ms. Kara Bayani. We’ve really enjoyed creating this issue and we hope you enjoy reading it! Roshni Ravindran Kanyanat (Natalie) Tongprasearth

CONTENTStudent Research5 Additive Manufacturing Materials and Design Considerations for Thunniform Propulsion11 Air Quality: Population Density and Transport Emissions16 Tactical Urbanism: A Plan for the Revitalization of Vacant and Decrepit Spaces A Time Series Correlation Analysis Using the Keeling Curve as an24 Alternative Evaluation Method for Carbon Emission Modeling35 The Wishes Tree Low Efficiency Upconversion Nanoparticles for High-Resolution Coalignment39 of Near-Infrared and Visible Light Paths on a Light Microscope

Professor Spotlights42 Provost Emily Roxworthy45 Professor Frank Wuerthwein48 Professor Julian ShroederResearch Programs and Scholarships50 Research Scholarship Catalogue

student research Additive Manufacturing Materials and Design Considerations for Thunniform Propulsion Thomas SpencerABSTRACT: A series of polymer fins were designed and made using additive manufacturing techniques, tobe tested byA series of polymer fins were designed and made using additive manufacturing techniques, to betested by the Human Powered Submarine team at UCSD in a wet submarine that utilizes a thunniform methodof propulsion. A 3D printer was also constructed in order to print these fins efficiently. Designs were inspiredby the shape and semi-flexible properties of fish caudal fins. Materials utilized included polylactic acid (PLA),acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), PC-ABS blends, Nylon, and thermoplastic urethane(TPU) polymers. Of these materials, polycarbonate proved most practical for this application. Factors that werequalitatively considered during the practical testing were the material properties of a specific polymer, thesurface area of the propulsive fin, and the shape of the fin. The low-cost polycarbonate processing techniquesused in this project are also applicable to the additive manufacturing field in general.Introduction Figure 1. A sample of the variety of fin shapes that were considered Thunniform swimming, one of the types of locomotionutilized by fish, potentially presents advantages over more Swimming directionconventional propeller-driven underwater locomotion,primarily in terms of greater propulsive efficiency. For the HEAD MOVEMENT HEAD MOVEMENT HEAD MOVEMENT HEAD MOVEMENTpast several years, the Human Powered Submarine team atUC San Diego, inspired by these facts as well as research into Anguilliform Subcarangiform Carangiform Thunniformthe subject performed by various institutions around the TUNASworld, has produced a series of submarines propelled by an EELS SALMONID MAKRELLoscillating hydrofoil, emulating this thunniform propulsionmethod (see Figure 1 and 2). Previously, propulsion fins Redrawn from FIsh Physiology, 1978have been handmade, typically shaped out of wood with alayer of fiberglass overlaid on top. While this has proved Figure 2. A variety of fish propulsion methods;sufficient in the past, it is limited by imperfection in shaping thunniform is illustrated on the far rightthe fins by hand, as well as the great amount of time andeffort required to produce a fin in this manner. THE EQUILIBRIUM Recently, growth of the additive manufacturingindustry has allowed for much wider access to highquality 3D printing. This greater access, as well asdevelopments of a wide variety of plastics for 3D printing,has made 3D printing a viable method of production for thepropulsion fins required for this application. The greatlyreduced production time, higher precision, and ability tochange material properties now allow for a variety of finconfigurations to be tested relatively easily. Thus for thisapplication, the significant advantage that 3D printingprovides in terms of design iteration capabilities is verybeneficial, allowing for a large degree of qualitative testing,as the huge number of variables at play makes quantitativetesting prohibitively difficult.5

student research Figure 3 shows a table with some typical mechanical Equipmentproperty values for materials considered in this project.Note that these values are for injection molded parts; 3D Printer: In order to produce the fins for this projectprinted parts are typically around 10-20% weaker than efficiently, a custom modified printer was required. Thesimilar injection molded parts due to the imperfect layer two key requirements for the printer were high workingadhesion inherent in additive manufacturing. Information temperatures to handle all consumer 3D printing plastics,comes from datasheets for some of the specific polymers as well as a large build area to reduce the amount ofobtained for use in this project. From left to right, as they separate sections required for a relatively large (aboutappear in the table, these resins are Sabic MG94, Ertalon 3 feet or 0.9 meters) fin. To meet the size requirement,66 SA, Makrolon 2458, Stratasys PC-ABS, Ingeo 4043D, and the base 3D printer that was acquired was a Folger TechElastollan C85A. FT-5 printer kit, one of the largest commercially available consumer printers with a 300x300x410 millimeter (12x12x16Biological Inspiration inch) build area. The base kit was then modified to support dual extrusion and higher processing temperatures, Thunniform swimming is characterized by a relatively with aftermarket extruders, hot ends, cooling, and buildrigid head and body, with a wide tail sweep (as opposed to platform. Additionally, a ventilated enclosure system wasan eel, for example, where the head moves as much as the constructed to limit fume emission and to maintain a highertail). This model fits well with that of the human powered ambient temperature around the items being printed.submarine team’s boat, as the rigid fiberglass hull staysrelatively stationary while propulsive thrust is generated Filament Extruder: A 3D printing filament extruderwith the sweeping of the rear boom and fin. Thus, the allowed for a cost effective means of producing largemajority of fins produced for this project were inspired quantities of filament, as well as experimenting with theby the lunate caudal fins of fish that swim in a similar composition of the filament. The filament extruding setupthunniform manner, such as tuna and marlin. These fins consisted of a modified Filastruder kit used to make theexhibit a high aspect ratio that is advantageous for high- filament, and a filament winder. As was the case withspeed tail fin oscillations.3 Additionally, the diminishing the 3D printer, the modifications to the Filastruder werearea towards the fin tips is advantageous for design necessary for the processing of thermoplastics withpurposes, as it reduces the moments imposed on the fin higher melting points, such as polycarbonate and nylon.due to the reactive stress of the water. These modifications include an upgraded power supply to reach these temperatures, a larger nozzle bore, and Another desirable biological quality of fish caudal fins a more effective filament cooling system. Advantages ofis their degree of flexibility. The composite nature of a a filament extruder over purchasing pre-made filamentfish fin, with a flexible membrane of tissue over a bone include knowledge of the specific resin (and thus thestructure that provides some rigidity, allows for semi- properties of that resin) used to make the filament, as wellflexible properties. This elasticity allows for an induced as the fact that purchasing plastic pellets is much cheapertwist along the caudal fin, with varying levels of elasticity than extruded plastic filament. Additionally, with a plasticinfluencing the degree of twist and thus the swimming shredder, it becomes possible to recycle failed prints usingspeed.4,5 This varying elasticity can be emulated in 3D a filament extruder, which is advantageous for expensiveprinting through changes in the infill and shells of printed plastics such as those with carbon fiber reinforcement.model, as well as the material with which it is made. Whiledifferent in form, it allows for biomimicry of the functionalproperties of fish fins. Property Unit ABS Nylon Values PLA TPU Transile Yield Strength MPa 45 93 PC PC-ABS 60 41 Tensile Strength at Break MPa 34 90 53 41 Tensile Modulus MPa 65 41 Notched Izod Impact kJ/m^2 2471 3550 65 41 3600 345 Flexural Strength MPa 16 33 2400 1900 5 N/A Flexural Modulus MPa 70 75 14 Glass Transition Temperature °C 178 97 68 83 7 2500 6700 2350 1900 3800 24 105 145 125 -40 70 55 Figure 3. Typical mechanical properties of polymersVOL 3 / 2017 6

student researchPrinting Procedures exceptionally high bed temperature. The most cost effective solution to attain these high temperatures was through a The production procedure of the fins varied based on 750-watt silicone heater mat affixed to an aluminum buildthe material and the shape of the fin. Initially, fins made of platform and powered via a solid-state relay. To aid withPLA and of TPU were printed vertically with the ends on the bed adhesion and combat warping, polycarbonate finsprint bed. This orientation was easiest to manufacture, as it were printed with a significant first layer brim (upwardsallowed the fins to be printed in fewer sections. However, of 15 perimeters). Additionally, a partial enclosure allowedit with other materials, warping became a problem, for higher ambient temperatures around the printedmaking such orientations difficult. Additionally, having object, in order to reduce further the problems posed bythe layers stacked along the z-axis made fins printed in warping. After compensating for these issues imposed bythis orientation more prone to shearing along print lines polycarbonate, it proved to print comparably to ABS, within response to stresses encountered in the water. Later finished parts being significantly stronger.revisions were therefore printed flat on the print bed. Figure4 shows a table containing general printing settings used Polymer Extrusion Proceduresfor the plastics in this project. After printing, fin sectionswere then fixed together, typically using Amazing Goop Essentially, the polymer extrusion process forbrand styrene-butadiene adhesive (some fins were welded producing filament consists of feeding plastic granulessuccessfully welded together, namely those made of PLA through the extruder, which melts them together into aand TPU). continuous strand. Similar to printing, different plastics required different procedures for extruding into filament. Of particular interest is the printing method for Since the process is much simpler than printing though, thepolycarbonate, as it is relatively new in consumer printing. differences in procedure are generally less complex, withPolycarbonate filament is also relatively difficult to print the major differences being the processing temperaturewith, due to issues with bed adhesion, warping, and high and the amount of cooling required. Additionally, someprocessing temperatures. Numerous bed adhesion methods plastics required pre-processing in order to removewere tried, including common 3D printing adhesive coatings moisture, which was accomplished by placing the pellets in(PVA glue stick, ABS-acetone solution, and hairspray) and a food dehydrator for several hours before extrusion. Figurevarious surfaces (painter’s tape, polyimide tape, smooth 5 shows a table with some of the processing information forglass, and sanded glass). Ultimately, the most successful plastic filament produced for this project. Some variationsurface was found to be smooth glass with Airwolf in these values occurs based on the specific resin beingWolf bite Mega, a newly developed adhesive specifically used, as well as the presence of any additives, such as dyes.for 3D printing polycarbonate, but even this required an Material Print Surface Preparation Nozzle Temp (°C) Bed Temp (°C) ABS 110 Nylon Heated glass with PVA glue stick 235 45 PC Heated glass with PVA glue stick 255 145 PC-ABS Heated glass with Wolfbite Mega adhesive 280 120 PLA Heated glass with Wolfbite Mega adhesive 265 N/A TPU Blue painter’s tape 220 50 Heated Glass with PVA glue stick 220 Figure 4. General print settings Material Processing Temp (°C) Fan speed/ cooling airflow Pre-processing ABS 185 Low None PC 250 High Dehydration PC-ABS 230 High Dehydration of PC PLA 150 Low Dehydration Figure 5. General processing settings for filament production THE EQUILIBRIUM7

student researchTesting and Design Iteration in thunniform motion. ABS, while sufficiently flexible for use as a fin, exhibited wear lines at the points of deflection after Fins for this project were designed iteratively, with some use, and cracked along these lines after continuedresults of previous tests altering the design goals of future testing. PC-ABS and pure polycarbonate performed similarlytests. The first round of tests consisted of small-scale fins, to each other, and both were found to be suitable for useto get an idea of the properties exhibited by fins made of as a propulsion fin. Ultimately, polycarbonate was chosena variety of materials. From these tests, TPU and Nylon as the material for the final fin, as it was simpler and morewere found to be too flexible, and thus were not utilized in cost effective to acquire and process. Additionally, purelater tests. Additionally, PLA was found to be too rigid and polycarbonate offers better material properties for thisbrittle for thin lunate shapes, but was found to be suitable application than those of ABS blends. The main advantagefor producing simple, straight hydrofoils. of ABS blends is easier processing, with reduced warping and lower temperatures. As there were minimal difficulties After this preliminary phase, further testing of fins processing polycarbonate, there was no reason to sacrificewas conducted underwater on the full-scale submarine, in the higher impact resistance, wear resistance, and elasticityUCSD’s Canyon View pool. This second round of testing was of polycarbonate.conducted with the aforementioned simple rigid hydrofoilsin order to determine general dimensions and cross section Conclusionthat would be suitable for testing with shapes with a greatercomplexity. Taking into account pilot feedback, a surface The final fin design combined these findings, being aarea of about 120 square inches (775 square centimeters) lunate design measuring 33 inches (838 mm) in span, withwas found to provide a suitable balance between oscillation a maximum length of 5.125 inches at the center, taperingspeed and hydrodynamic resistance imposed by the fin. down to a point at the ends (see Figure 6). An aspect ratioAdditionally, a span of about 3 feet (0.9 meters) proved to of 9.1 was calculated for the fin, and induced twist duringbe a practical length due to concerns of damaging fins on propulsion was estimated to be about 30 degrees of rotationthe bottom of the pool, and provided for a favorable aspect at the tips of the fin. The fin was printed from Makrolonratio. The cross section of the fin was chosen to be a NACA 2458 polycarbonate filament, produced on the modified0012 shape, as it was narrow enough to allow for a degree Filastruder extruder. Further variants of this fin will beof elasticity, while not narrow enough for failure under load examined with different numbers of layers and differentto be a major concern. infill patterns in order to increase durability and optimize the level of elasticity. Another further goal is to attain near- Once the general base dimensions were found, three neutral buoyancy, as this would simplify the balance thesimple lunate fins were constructed out of polycarbonate, submarine’s overall buoyancy.ABS, and a PC-ABS blend in order to test the induced twist Figure 6. A printed iteration of the final fin design. 8VOL 3 / 2017

student researchAcknowledgements Robot with Tunable Elastic Tail Fin. In: Lepora N.F., Mura A., Krapp H.G., Verschure P.F.M.J., Prescott Research project was supported by Warren College at T.J. (eds) Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems. LivingUC San Diego through the Warren College Undergraduate Machines 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, volResearch Scholarship. A special thanks to Hidenori 8064. Springer, Berlin, HeidelbergMurakami, the faculty advisor for this project, Alistair Morikawa H, Nakao S, Kobayashi S-I, Wada H. 2001.Twombly for 3D printing and general project advice, and Experimental study on oscillating wing for propulsorthe Human Powered Submarine team and UC San Diego with bending mechanism modeled on caudal muscle–for help with testing. skeletal structure of tuna. JSME Int. J. C Mech. Syst. 44: 1117-1124References Fish Swimming Styles [Photograph found in Stanford Environmental Science Investigation]. (n.d.). RetrievedHarper, K., Berkemeier, M., & Grace, S. (1998). Modeling the from https://esi.stanford.edu/exercise/exercise4.htm dynamics of spring-driven oscillating-foil propulsion. Burgess, G. (n.d.). A close-up of the lunate caudal fin IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 23(3), 285-296. [Photograph found in Xiphias gladius, Florida Museum]. doi:10.1109/48.701206 Retrieved from https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/ fish/discover/species-profiles/xiphias-gladiusPedro, G., Suleman, A., & Djilali, N. (2003). A numerical Cain, P. (n.d.). 3D Printing Infill [Photograph found in study of the propulsive efficienc of a flapping hydrofoil. Selecting optimal shell and infill parameters for International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids, FDM 3D Printing, 3D Hubs]. Retrieved from https:// 42(5), 493-526. doi:10.1002/fld.525 w w w. 3 d h u b s . c o m/ k n o w l e d g e - b a s e/s e l e c t i n g - optimal-shell-and-infill-parameters fdm-3d-printingLindsey, C.C. 1978. Form, function, and locomotory habits in fish, p. 1-100. In W.S. Hoar and D.J. Randall (eds.) Fish physiology. Vol. II. Academic Press, New York.Ziegler M., Pfeifer R. (2013) Sensory Feedback of a Fish9 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student research Thomas Spencer Aerospace Engineering Thomas Spencer is a second year aerospace engineering student at UCSD from Santa Ana, California. He is heavily involved in the Human Powered Submarine team at UCSD, for which he designs and manufactures propulsion and control systems; this involvement provided the inspiration for this particular research project. He plans to develop future iterations of the fin to improve the desgin. In addition, he volunteers in a structural engineering laboratory that studies shocks and impacts. In the coming years, he hopes to continue research in the field of 3D printing, as well as other topics of interest such as material development and electronic controls, with the ultimate goal of working in the aerospace industry. In his free time, Thomas enjoys hiking, reading, and playing video games. He looks forward to going home on breaks in order to visit his dog, two cats, turtle, chameleon, and fish.How did you get involved with research at UCSD? me throughout the entire process conducting research. I hadn’t been exposed to working at a research lab before,I know that sometimes it takes a while to find a lab position so I really had to understand and learn about the scientificon campus, especially one that aligns with your interests. method and all the various stages of conducting research.I however, got quite lucky. I received an email from theAerospace Engineering department stating there was an What’s the coolest research project project you’veavailable undergraduate research position at a lab. I decided seen/ heard of, and where did you see it?”to apply for the position since the research being doneat the lab seemed very intriguing. I was interviewed by I think the research being done on robotics is verythe PI, and fortunately, I got the position at the lab. I am fascinating. I know that there are some projects withvery grateful that my first research experience has been robotics going on in the Nanoengineering department,so enriching and has helped me acquire essential research but I’m not completely sure. I don’t know much aboutskills, and I am very glad that I decided to apply for that the research being done on robotics and other Artificialposition. Intelligence, but I do know that AI is our future and I would really love to be able to learn more, and perhapsIf you were a PI, what research would your lab focus get involved with some research about these topics.on? And why?If I were a PI, my lab would focus on material research. Iwant to learn more about the different processes makingitems with different materials. In particular, I would liketo delve deeper into 3-D printing and polymer research.What has been your greatest challenge in research?”I think my greatest challenge with research was how tokeep track of all the tiny details that are involved. Thesetiny details are very crucial, and I initially struggled withit. I received a lot of help from my mentors who guidedVOL 3 / 2017 10

STudent Research Air Quality: Population Density and Transportation Emissions Mathew SterlingABSTRACT: Air quality is still a major problem in much of the world. Greenhouse gases and other pollutantsstill continually make their way into our atmosphere. On a global scale these emissions contribute to climatechange. On a local level they contribute to air pollution which contributes to heart and lung diseases.This study looks at population density within the land-use of an area to determine if there is a negativecorrelation with transportation emissions. The goal of this study is to enrich our understanding of how wecontribute to air pollution. My hypothesis predicted that population density leads to lower average drivingdistances which in turn improves air quality.Background on average not efficient regarding fuel use or an individual rider getting from point A to point B. But this is where I Transportation is the fastest growing cause of GHG think there is an underlying reason for such problems. Itemissions and is set to soon become the economic sector is important to ask why transit ridership is low. One of thewith the highest percentage of total emissions and the most likely reasons that American cities have in commonnumber of passenger vehicles is increasing globally. (Sorrel, is because of the land- use pattern. If someone does not2016) While some researchers focus on transportation live and work in a dense area, he or she is unlikely to giveor land-use, these researchers studied how both up driving for a less convenient option.transportation and land-use policy affected air quality.Their research indicated the potential complexity for Another way of evaluating transportation systems isfuture planning. Transportation emissions were measured to recognize the differences in how developing cities willfrom different development patterns around the city when handle transportation. Car ownership is on the rise acrossweather conditions were similar. “These differences in the developing world. Right now in most of these places,the magnitude of emissions produced greater changes anything besides single occupancy vehicles are drasticallyin air quality than differences in regional development better for air quality. This is because most areas arepatterns between the four scenarios, although the effects experiencing this change at an exponential rate, and theof urbanization patterns were distinguishable.” (McDonald- road infrastructure is not ready to handle it. CongestionBuller, 2010, 28) This means that they found a greater becomes out of control as a result. For now any types ofchange in emissions related to vehicle emissions from busses, even dirty ones with terrible emissions, are still astricter federal law than that of the land-use pattern. cleaner option because they are so much more efficient per person. (Bus, 2002) In these developing cities, there is Many who research transportation emissions will an underlying land-use problem. With drastic populationfocus on what directly emits the air pollution, such as growth there is a drastic change in housing stock. It is easierpersonal vehicles, commercial trucks, and busses. The to build out when overwhelmed with new people than it isproblem lies deeper than only the vehicle technology, but to take the time to plan the right level of infrastructure toit is nonetheless an important part of the problem we face. accommodate density.While we are not yet all driving electric cars with one-hundred percent renewable electricity sources, there are Transportation emissions cannot be mitigated withoutchanges that can be made immediately to improve GHG addressing land-use policy. They are directly related. Theemissions. Some of these improvements fall on transit proximity of destinations is essential to the logistics ofoperators to implement. Many transit systems are not transportation systems. The mitigation of GHG is mainlydesigned with fuel efficiency in mind. In fact, busses can through reducing vehicle miles traveled. It is a lessbe more energy intensive per person if ridership is not high important but relevant factor that vehicles should be moreenough. (Cheng, 2016) Most transit in American cities are11 THE EQUILIBRIUM

Student researchefficient, but this is after assuming it applies to people The first factor is population density (see Map 1)already living in denser neighborhoods. There is evidence which is calculated as the number of people in the countythat supports the idea that land-use policies are effective divided by the land area of the county using U.S. Censustools for reducing transportation emissions (Song, 2016). data (Quickfacts). The connection between transportation and land-use The second factor is daily vehicle miles traveled peris recognized by many transit operators. Some such as capita (see Map 2). I obtained data from the 2010 CaliforniaMetro in Los Angeles, BART in San Francisco and VTA in Public Road Data report (2010 California Public Road Data).San Jose are adopting housing policies to complement theirtransit efforts in order to lead their cities in sustainable The third factor is PM2.5 (see Map 3). from theefforts. (Rao, 2016) California is also examining the effect of California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resourcesland-use on transportation emissions by possibly changing Board, which is a measure of fine particulate matter in thethe gas tax to vehicle miles tax. It is currently in a pilot air that is 2.5 micrometers (around 1/10,000 of an inch)program to measure if driving distance is better than gas or less in diameter. Exposure to PM2.5 contributes tousage (Dawid, 2016). death and has the largest effect on children, the elderly, and people with heart or lung disease, asthma, or chronic There is also the reverse thought that transportation illness. Engines are one of the contributors to PM2.5 inpolicy affects land-use (Rauscher, 2014). Instead of planning our atmosphere. This kind of particulate matter will be myfor growth and sustainability this means retrofitting areas measurement for air quality from each county (Air Quality:that may not be ready for the density or transportation. PM 2.5).This can lead to wasted money and an underutilized transitsystem. Fifteen of the fifty-eight counties had no data on 2010 PM2.5 State Annual Standard Designation ValueMethods measurements. This is the only factor with missing data. The State Annual Standard Designation Value for PM2.5 is I analyzed the correlation between different measurable defined as, “...the highest of three consecutive State Annualfactors: how dense a population is, driving distances and PM2.5 Averages, including the State Annual PM2.5 Averagesair pollution. The object of study was counties of California. for the listed year and the two years before then. The stateThe most recent year that all factors had data for was 2010. annual PM2.5 standard is violated when the State Annual Standard Designation Value is greater than 12 micrograms Testing correlation will be done by using linear per cubic meter” (Air Quality Trend Summaries).regression. Standardized Coefficient Beta will measurecorrelation and a regression variable plot will visualize thiscorrelation measure (Introduction to Regression). Map 1 Map 2 Map 3VOL 3 / 2017 12

student researchFindings and Analysis the only ones. That supports the viewpoint which led to my hypothesis. Any change is part of a system. This is why San Francisco was a clear outlier and was excluded from thinking through long-term decisions is so important. Thismy data analysis. The first correlation test wwas between research has traced back one of the deep rooted causes ofPopulation Density and Daily Vehicle Miles Traveled Per air pollution by going a step further than making vehiclesCapita (see Chart 1). After running a linear regression my more efficient.Standardized Coefficient Beta turned out to be -0.330.This medium correlation shows moderate support for the Conclusionfirst part of my hypothesis. When a population increases indensity, the amount of miles driven per capita decreases, This analysis found some noticeable moderate trendsjust as my hypothesis predicted. with conflicting implications. While increasing vehicle efficiency is important, it is worth going a step further by The second correlation test was between Daily examining it as part of a larger system which includes landVehicle Miles Traveled Per Capita and PM2.5 State Annual use and population density. There is a medium correlationStandard Designated Value (see Chart 2). After running a between population density and daily vehicle miles drivenlinear regression the Standard Coefficient Beta was -0.360. per capita, as well as a between vehicle miles driven perThis medium correlation shows moderate opposition to capita and air quality as measure in PM2.5 state annualthe second part of my hypothesis. Where the distances standard designated values. These measures, while not thepeople drive is greater, the amount of pollution in the air only factors, have enough correlation to be important inis actually less. studying air quality and population density. This third correlation test is between Population Alternative transportation infrastructure needs toDensity and PM2.5 State Annual Standard Designated have support when increasing density in order to handleValue (see Chart 3). After running a linear regression the the larger population. If this is not addressed with relationcorrelation coefficient was 0.154. This value is low enough to population growth and density, the benefits of shorterto mean that there is no direct correlation, positive or distances will be outweighed by the pollution fromnegative, between the two variables despite there being a congestion. Building properly dense areas should havemoderate one in the first two analyses. the right incentives to facilitate healthy urban growth. Zoning and permitting development should incentivize This research finds that areas with higher population ways to lower pollution and deter excess sprawl. Densitydensities have fewer miles driven per person. However it alone does not enhance air quality. Accompanying land-also finds that places with better air quality have longer use and infrastructure decisions, such as investment inaverage drives. The correlations are not strong, and may alternate forms of transportation, should be concurrentnot agree, but they are close enough to assume that these with manageable future growth for better air quality.measures are still factors in this equation. They just aren’t Chart 1 Chart 213 THE EQUILIBRIUM

Student research Chart 3Den N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. DeviationDVMT_PC 1.600000000000 3807.700000000000 373.50000000000006 705.239744950001300PM_SDV 57 20.834384309240 163.086185044360 37.37431937380836 26.869692812897107Valid N (listwise) 57 42 5 21 12.34 4.691 42 Descriptive StatisticsReferences (2010) “Effects of Transportation and Land Use Policies on Air Quality: A Case Study in Austin, Texas” Transportation“2010 California Public Road Data,” (Oct 2011) State of California Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/ Board, 2158, 28-35. tsip/hpms/hpmslibrary/hpmspdf/2010PRD.pdf “QuickFacts,” U.S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/ quickfacts/table/PST045216/06“Air Quality: PM2.5,” State of California Office of Environmental Rao, G., & Lieb, J. (30 Aug 2016) “A New Paradigm for California Health Hazard Assessment. http://oehha.ca.gov/ Transit: Equity, Sustainability, and Housing,” National calenviroscreen/indicator/air-quality-pm25 Housing Institute. http://www.rooflines.org/4592/a_ new_paradigm_for_california_transit_equity_sustainabi“Air Quality Trend Summaries,” California Environmental lity_and_housing/ Protection Agency: Air Resources Board. https://www.arb. Rauscher, R., C., & Momtaz, S. (2014) Sustainable Communities: A ca.gov/adam/trends/trends1.php Framework for Planning – Case Study of an Australian Outer Sydney Growth Area. Dordrecht: Springer Science+BusinessBus Systems for the Future: Achieving Sustainable Transport Media. Worldwide (Paris, 2002) http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/ Song, S., Diao, M., & Feng, C. (Oct 2016) “Individual transport energy/bus-systems-for-the-future_9789264177451-en emissions and the built environment: A structural equation modelling approach.” Transportation Research Part A:Cheng, Han, “Hierarchical Urban Transit System Design for Policy & Practice 92, 206-219. Urban Studies Abstracts, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Societal Costs” EBSCOhost. (PhD diss., University of California, Berkeley, 2016). Sorrel, C., (19 Jul 2016) “Transportation Is Now The Fastest- Growing Cause Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” FastDawid, Irvin. (30 Jan 2016) “California’s Road Usage Charge Company. https://www.fastcoexist.com/3061930/ Pilot Program to Begin on July 1,” Planetizen. http://www. transportation-is-now- the-fastest-growing-cause-of- planetizen.com/node/83510/californias-road-usage- greenhouse-gas-emissionsv charge-pilot- program-begin-july-1“Introduction to Regression with SPSS Lesson 1: Introduction to Regression,” UCLA Institute for Digital Research and Design. http://stats.idre.ucla.edu/spss/seminars/introduction- to- regression-with-spss/introreg-lesson1/McDonald-Buller, E. C., Webb, A., Kockelman, K. M., & Zhou, B.VOL 3 / 2017 14

student research Mathew Sterling Urban Studies and Planning Mathew Sterling graduated in June 2017, from Warren College with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and Planning. He is from San Diego. He will seek to work in the planning field in San Diego. He likes to walk and bicycle in good weather.What advice would you give to your freshman self? What do you remember from Warren Writing?I would tell myself to not give up and to be open to all I remember learning about Henrietta Lacks, what her cellspossibilities. I was struggling in my first major, but when contributed to science, and at what cost that ethics wereI learned about the Urban Studies and Planning major, it violated. I also remember learning about how to analyzewas a perfect fit for me. political issues which have more than one side.What excites you about the next year? How do you keep a “life in balance?”Next year, I hope to be in the middle of a planning related Always having a skeptical but open mind. I want to listen do different opinions to better understand how other peoplecareer where I can help the community. think about an issue, but follow the evidence the best that I can.15 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student research Tactical Urbanism: A Plan for theRevitalization of Vacant and Decrepit Spaces Nicklaus McGuireABSTRACT: Current research on tactical urbanism suggests that temporary buildings in vacant spaces has givenrise to more successful areas and reinvigorated sites for permanent buildings. Tactical urbanism raises threefundamental problems: risks, onsite design, and externalities. This research paper addresses these problems.Specifically, the study focuses on Quartyard in San Diego, California and relies on interviews, participantobservation, and reviewing policies. The research will contribute to the literature on tactical urbanism, butit will also be shared with private developers and city officials in the hope of temporary buildings will be usedmore frequently to revitalize abandoned spaces.Introduction This new type of development is a semi-permanent design which is easily changed and adaptable. Tactical urbanism Vacant spaces and decrepit buildings are eyesores focuses on working with the communities who have smallin many metropolitan cities. Do these spaces have the scale demands and have possibilities to become morepotential to be transformed into bustling and lively places permanent fixtures. Within the limited time frame availablefor people to meet and gather? With the human population this research project will focus on one particular projectever expanding and natural resources becoming more site: Quartyard, in San Diego, California.limited, societies need to utilize spaces that have alreadybeen developed and focus on construction within existing This research paper examines Quartyard at the humanbuilding areas. Some questions that begin to arise when scale and compares it to tactical urbanism as a whole. Thisthinking about this subject include: are these new buildings paper is divided into five sections: the literature review, theeconomically and socially feasible, does tactical urbanism research strategy, findings and analysis, the conclusion,benefit residents, how is it used, and how are these and additional appendices. The literature review focusesspaces being designed. This research question examines on tactical urbanism in a broad sense which will enable awhether tactical urbanism has a positive effect on the better understanding of successful implementations andrevitalization of cities, and if Quartyard is an example of will be divided into three subgroups: what are the socialsuccessful tactical urbanism? Many authors have looked and economic benefits, who do they benefit and how areat other tactical urbanism sites and will be discussed later they used, and how these sites are designed. The researchin this proposal. A trend gaining popularity in the design strategy is a qualitative case study that which relies onfield is the use of tactical urbanism. This term is defined multiple interview types and participant observation. Theas a collection of low-cost, temporary changes to the built findings and analysis section focuses on deciphering theenvironment, usually in cities, intended to improve local data obtained from the research section and is dividedneighborhoods and city gathering places (Pfeifer 2014). into smaller sections relating to scale of interviewsAccording to Mike Lydon, it has five characteristics (Lydon with accompanying graphs and diagrams. Finally, theand Garcia, 2015): conclusion will solidify the question regarding Quartyard as a successful application of tactical urbanism. The 1. A deliberate, phased approach to instigating change; conclusion’s predictable goal is to prove Quartyard is an 2.An offering of local ideas for local planning excellent example of tactical urbanism. challenges; Literature Review 3. Short-term commitment and realistic expectations; 4. Low-risks, with a possibly high reward; Social and Economic Benefits? The first major topic 5. The development of social capital between citizens, in this review is to discover if there are any social and economic benefits to tactical and temporary urbanism. and the building of organizational capacity between Social and economic benefits should be a cornerstone public/private institutions, nonprofit/NGOs, and their constituents.VOL 3 / 2017 16

student researchin any present-day project; however, Mara Ferreri has pop-ups in a big way. Pop-up shops selling designer brandsmade some observations within Europe and North America, and whole designer malls, such as Box Park in London’s“Many city authorities in Europe and North America that Shoreditch, are manifestations of this” (Bishop 2015, 12).are charged with the task of encouraging the revitalization Successful implementations have a problem with becomingand redevelopment of urban areas are now finding that, flooded with corporate brands which losing touch withfor the most part, they lack the resources, power and the grassroots movement and having all projects beingcontrol to implement formal masterplans” (Ferreri 2015, comprised of similar programming.183). More planners and designers are starting to tryless formal planning ideas are looking towards smaller The people who most benefit from these temporarydesigns with multiple temporary phases aimed at potential uses, according to Ferrari, are those with creative mindsof sites (Ferreri 2015). Authors Ho and Lam agree with who are trying to create urban spaces that reflectFerreri and add, “By default, a pop-up shop has a single their vision of the future. “Empty properties spoil townambition: to generate economic revenue from its products centers, destroy economic and social value, and wasteand services. A MVP (minimum viable product) approach resources that we cannot afford to leave idle” (Ferrerito urban planning would add other criteria and metrics 2015, 187). Positive community-led uses tend to bringto its objectives including the cultivation of social capital, more communities to town centers and revitalize the streeteducational values, and economic balances” (Greco 2012). and begins to promote connectivity. This connectivityThere are temporary installations that can stimulate begins to identify “spatial vacuums” produced by a loss ofmarkets, and these systems can reside in an area until a investment in an area. Flexible tactical urbanism createsmore standard use develops. Temporary urbanism has a more adaptive community life and promotes the usethe potential to reactivate areas and add value to a city of wasted space (Ferreri 2015) (Dovey 2014). This type ofwhile preventing homelessness (Ferreri 2015) (Dovey 2014). urbanism is a benefits communities by filling gaps withinMultiple authors agreed that temporary urbanism has the cities and making connections between people and spacepotential to be more beneficial economically and socially considerably more efficient.by discovering the wants and needs of the communitybefore building a large shell and hoping the filled space How Are These Sites Designed? The way in whichis successful. sites and buildings are designed weighs heavily on a specific project’s success or failure. If a project is underThe many positive social and economic benefits there are designed the public space can be underwhelming andfactors that still may not be resolved. Temporary buildings unwelcoming; conversely, if a space is over designed it canwill not fix the deep problems in a city. Partially completed be perceived as crowded and cumbersome. Joann Grecobuildings can be an “insidious form of urban blight” raising emphasizes “light, quicker, cheaper” solutions and in hermore criticism where much hope had been raised (Bishop article quotes David Alumbaugh, director of city design2015). for the San Francisco Planning Department, “We have some basic parameters about their size, their ability to be Who Do They Benefit? How Are They Used? If planners removable, and their accessibility, but the creativity weand designers want a project to be successful they need see within those parameters has been the most wonderfulto know who the newly crafted spaces will benefit. How part of the program. Not just in the sense of the actualspaces are originally intended compared to how they are structures, but in the stories behind them, their design,actually used is an important dynamic when considering and their funding” (Greco 2012). One factor that seems todesign ideas. One of temporary and tactical urbanism’s main be a common ideal is the integration of all parties, not justlong term goal is to have government help everyday people a mixing of homogenous factors. Having a variety of inputsbecome empowered within their community, and after allows for a more diverse design which makes projects morebeing empowered communities see positive development accepted by larger groups of people. Successful spaces havethat benefits residents and improves land uses (Lydon and multiple focuses in which there is a potential for residentsGarcia 2015). to coexist and meet. These spaces should not be “static”, but be dynamic and progressive (Massey 2005). Temporary urbanism can promote the uses of cityspace. It can “democratize” these areas that were to have Several scholars have agreed there should be someextended closures -- it would provide a space geared form of control, but government needs to remain flexible.towards community utilization rather private uses. These Planning Departments need to promote flexible smalltemporary sites can provide amusement and pleasure phasing plans rather than concrete plans following the ‘ifwhile permanent development progresses (Bishop 2015). we build it, the will come” ideology. They should have moreThere many benefits associated with tactical urbanism; open time frames and more strategic plans that can easilyhowever, Bishop still cautions, “But like all phenomena react to shifting communities. actical urbanism cultivatesthere can be a more sinister and cynical application. It is the “everyday” and is founded on resident relationshipsunsurprising that the corporate world has latched on to (Dovey 2014).17 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student researchThese small incisions within communities are “laboratories or negative feedback for a permanent installation?in real-scale.” They give the opportunity to learn and to 7. What effects do you think this space has on thegrow a space before a permanent solution can be built(Kossak 2012). Temporary site designs through a tactical surrounding community?urbanism model can show the potential success of a project 8. Why do you feel tactical urbanism is a strongbefore a permanent product has been built. This modelwould potentially eliminate a major loss if a product is strategy for design?unsuccessful. McFarlane explains, “The implication isthat assemblage, through its focus on description of how The questions above are specifically aimed at aeveryday relations are put together and change over time, narrow group of people for longer answers that enablereveals urban multiplicities: . . . socio-material alignments more focused research to the inner working mechanicsthrough the diverse uses and imaginaries of urban sites, of Quartyard. The set of questions below are aimed at theobjects, institutions and networks” (MacFarlane 2011, 735). program users, adjacent businesses, and residents. TheseThe authors have demonstrated the potential of tactical questions include:urbanism design ideals increasing the success of certaindevelopment potentials. 1. How far away do you live from here? 2. How often do you come here? The specific objective for this proposal is to study 3. Do you think this space is effective?the potential effects of tactical urbanism on a city. I 4. How has Quartyard affected you?expect tactical Urbanism will have a positive effect on therevitalization of cities. My research will provide insight into These questions are briefer allowing for easier accesstactical urbanisms effect by studying the development of to a much larger sample of people who are more willing toQuartyard in Downtown San Diego by researching the submit to random interview questions. These questionspotential risks, onsite design, and possible externalities. are phrased to be one or two short answers.Research Strategy The primary shortcomings associated with this project is due to a short time constraint. This research covers the The research strategy for this case study follows basics of financials, but not the hard numbers of five to tenguidelines set forth from author Mike Lydon and Anthony year land deals and the profit margins associated with aGarcia in Tactical Urbanism: Short Term Action Long Term successful business. Instead this research only covers theChange. The questions and methods for obtaining data are overall ideas of inexpensive design options to lower thebased from these characteristics given in the introduction. Quartyard’s overall bottom line for investors; however thisThe main source of data collection is from interviews case study does explore the low risk – high reward aspectbecause the Quartyard Project is a grassroots movement. associated with this site.Grassroots movements are smaller and allow for easieraccess to the designers because they are very interested Findings and Analysisin working with people for whom their projects can benefitthe most. Since tactical urbanism projects are designed for Designer Interviews and Creation: The primary sourcepeople, the best way to learn if the project is successful is of information from interviews was from the originalto interview people who were intended to use it the most. designers of Quartyard: Philip Auchettl, David Lowenstein,Finally, participant observation allows for site visits to see and Jason Grauten. The Quartyard was originally a thesishow people are interacting with the space. project from Architecture students at New School of Architecture and Design in Downtown San Diego. New The research questions are divided into two sets. School of Architecture and Design is located one blockOne question set is designed for the project Architects from where the Quartyard would finally be built. Auchettl,asking questions relating to the site’s origins through the Lowenstein, and Grauten began by looking at Downtownimplementation and deciding if the project is a success. San Diego’s lack of any public social gathering areas, butThe second set of questions are directed to the people who they did notice an abundance of void space downtown.visit Quartyard. These questions include: They noticed there was no place close to their school where they could get a beer after class, listen to music, or even 1. What were some reasons why you began this project? have a dog. They noticed a lot of vacant properties that 2. What were some of the obstacles you faced? were being held for future developments. Auchettl posed 3. Were there any particular regulations that needed the question, “how can we put something temporary in as a placeholder for that future development while creating a to be dealt with? pedestrian friendly exciting area that revitalizes the area for 4. Why do you feel the programed space is effective? that new development” (Auchettl)? The students wanted 5. Is the project being used as it was designed or has an Urban Park that had outdoor free space to capitalize on San Diego’s yearly warm days and a place that was free to it been used in new and different ways? the public. They wanted to design 6. Has there been an overwhelming amount of positiveVOL 3 / 2017 18

student research“a backyard for everyone” and activate it with things people aesthetic to the site and second the color white would helpwould want in their own backyards like a place to get BBQ the shipping containers with heat gain. The rest of thesausages, get a cold beer, play social games, and have a site is the definition of sustainability. There are a total ofsafe place for beloved pets to run and play, something that nine shipping containers, all of which are recycled. EveryDowntown San Diego desperately needed. tree is planted in recycled dumpsters which double as standing tables, the trash cans are all recycled oil drums, The project was fraught with difficulties and most and all the tables’ onsite are made from reclaimed wood Theclaimed this type of project was impossible. Numerous Quartyard project managers wanted to elicit the benefitstimes the team would be told there was no way they and beauty of sustainable materials and show the feasibilitywould get funding or permits, and that the city would of using recycled and reclaimed materials.never agree to such an endeavor. In the beginning of theproject a large majority of the time was spent outside the The team wanted Quartyard to be completelystudio and dedicated to gaining community support. The outdoors and used San Diego’s climate to their benefit.remaining thirty percent was intense design work. Being The community was really excited about having some sortgraduate students, the team had little money of their own of outdoor space where they could gather and socialize.to put forth to undertake this project and instead started a They used renderings as a marketing tool because everyoneKickstarter for the program. The Kickstarter raised $60,067 wanted to know what they were going to get, but thein donations in only thirty days. This community support original designs were quite different from what wouldshowed the students that not only were they interested eventually be built.in the project, but the community was invested too.This enabled them to approach investors and prove the The original designs had only a small expectation forcommunity backing for this project. Having gained support music. Initially the site was meant to have small gatheringsthe students met with the Mayor’s office, the City of San for music, but later the site evolved into a very music heavyDiego, Civic SD, and the city attorney. They had no legal venue. These concerts would bring upwards of 1,500 peoplerepresentation but were still able to negotiate the lease to Quartyard, and fortunately the Quartyard’s conditionalfrom the city. Originally they only asked for a small 40ft use permit covered events at this scale. Lowenstein stated,x 20ft section of the lot, but the city excitedly the city “We didn’t expect this amount much focus on music, butasked, “why not take the rest of the 25,000sq ft?” After a we just went with it. We are fine if people want to usecouple of months the project was underway, and it was be this space differently, since we designed it for the people.completed in 2014. People have brought many different ideas to use in this space that we would have never thought of ourselves and The city gave Quartyard a two year lease with an option we embrace it” (Lowenstein).to extend for a one more year. They needed to find a way tobalance community needs and still make money. Quartyardwas only planned to be there for a few years so the teamneeded to make sure the site could pay itself off. This ledto the team also having to balance financial realities againstsustainable goals.They had to strike balance in which theyhad to remain profitable while still using costly sustainablematerials. The end choice was to primarily use recycledshipping containers to build the entire venue. So everythingexcept the stage was made from shipping containers. Key Architecture and Design Elements: The use of Figure 1: Completed stage for large music venuesshipping containers has been done in many other countries Source: Radlabs SCincluding England and Australia so Quartyard was nota pioneer, but it was a pioneer in San Diego. Auchettl Community Feedback: Overall, there has been aremarked about the first time they presented this idea generous amount of positive feedback for Quartyardto the City of San Diego Engineer, he stated, “The city and there has not been much negativity associated withengineering almost fell out of his chair when we proposed the project. Nearby property owners do not mind thethis idea to him, but we brought in outside experts to temporary use space because they know the site is notassure the city the shipping containers wouldn’t fall over” permanent and are not worried about this affecting their(Auchettl). Projects that use shipping containers usuallyleave them the colors they are currently or oftentimes paintthem dark grey or black. The team decided since they hadnever seen white shipping container project they woulddo this for two reasons, first they felt it would add a clean19 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student researchproperty values. Conversely, the community had an huge split between the data which yielded some interestingoverwhelmingly positve reaction for the site. In fact, a results. As shown in Figure 3, 40% of people interviewedpetition arose and was developed to keep the Quartyard said one to two times per month, 13% claimed three toas a permanent fixture. The Save Quartyard petition praises four times per month, 11% claimed five to six times perQuartyard claiming by “focusing on sustainable design in month and 36% people noted six or more times per month.blighted areas, has become a major neighborhood gather One interesting dynamic which appeared during manyspace that now serves and average of 9,000 residents and interviews was not a question originally asked during thevisitors each month” (Vasquez). Currently the petition is at research. More than 60% of the people interviewed said it3,000 signatures. The project has been so successful that was their first time there also stated they were told to visitthe city wrote a new conditional use permit using Quartyard by friends and they would definitely be coming to Quartyardas a case study within that new permit. This new permit more often. This “word of mouth” success promotes to ashows how much of an influence this implementation of growing trend of social capital building.tactical urbanism has brought to Downtown San Diego.The benefit of temporary buildings is their ability to bemoved, Auchettl declares, “if the city decides to build ahigh rise here, we’ll pick up our shipping containers, movethem and start reactivation and rejuvenating somewhereelse” (Auchettl). Externalities and User Interviews: Next, a wider array Figure 3. Comparison of number of people vs total visits per monthof people were interviewed who use the site by examiningkey factors. These questions were asked on a Sundayafternoon from 1pm to 3pm, 50 individuals were asked fourquestions each, as stated in the research methods section.The chances of receiving much negative feedback is slim;however, from online reviews there are people who visitQuartyard and have negative feelings. Travel Time to Quartyard: The first question posed Key Trends: While doing research there was a fewwas: how many minutes did it take to travel from residents key trends that began to emerge. These trends show anhomes to Quartyard? As shown in Figure 2, the majority of increasing amount of popularity for Quartyard and thepeople stated (56%) that Quartyard was within a five minute “word of mouth” effectiveness to attract more people. Alsowalk from where they lived. 33% of people interviewed said the demographic of people who lived within five minutesthe walk took about ten minutes. Finally 11% claimed it took and visited six or more times a month also happened to15 minutes. Which was surprisingly the longest amount be dog owners. The dog park within the site is the only offof time it took anyone in the sample to arrive at the site. leash dog park in Downtown San Diego and this is where the most positivity came from the interviews. This dog park is a convenient area for dog owners to bring their dogs and allow them to socialize with other dogs. It enables them to be released from their leashes to run and play safely in an enclosed area while simultaneously allowing their owners to relax in the open air, enjoy a beer, and socialize with other dog owners from the area. Figure 2. Comparison between travel times to Quartyard Other Questions: The remaining two questions if the space was used effectively and how has the Quartyard This chart shows the key demographics of people who affected people. The majority of people interviewed allthe site was designed for and those same targeted people claimed the site was effective and they liked the opennessare easily able to access the site. of the site, the moveable furniture, the diversity of food trucks and amenities that could be brought into the site.One Visits per Month: The next question asked was how of the main appeals of the Quartyard was its dog friendlyoften people visited Quartyard per month and there was a environment that provided a place for dogs to roam free. Many people stressed how much they appreciated the dog park being enclosed which allowed their pets to run around while they were able to get something to eat. The next question asked had a resoundingly similarVOL 3 / 2017 20

student researchanswer from most people. Nearly every person interviewed a problem many large urban areas face.said Quartyard had a positive effect on the community andthe site was a beneficial asset to the Downtown area. There Some questions do remain unanswered regardingmay be a slight implication of gentrification because people the Quartyard. The research was unable to find any realare able to get a beer and walk there dog. This is a null negative effects associated with the project. No evidence viapoint due to the site already being planned for construction interviews or public documents pointed to any undesirableafter five years causing gentrification to the site which is outcomes on Downtown San Diego; however, more researchnot Quartyard’s intent. Once again the dog park had the could potentially yield some negative influences including abiggest effect on most people because this site was so near decline in profit, increased maintenance costs for materialsto their homes they were easily able to bring their pets to that are not commonly used for buildings, and expirationthe site. Many people remarked, Quartyard is the only place of the conditional use permits. More time would allow forin Downtown that allows people to bring their families, an in-depth review of Quartyard financials and explorationpets, and enjoy the sun in an urban setting. of material cost. This deep dive into records would explain how much revenue the project is able to produce comparedConclusion to construction costs providing additional potentially positive reasons for utilizing tactical urbanism. Many factors affect a successful Downtown environmentand the case of Quartyard is an examples of a strategy Further study on tactical urbanism could comparethat brings activity and involves the community. Tactical the successful case of Quartyard to other successfulurbanism studies show positive effects on revitalizations implementations of tactical urbanism across the Unitedof cities, and Quartyard is a successful implementation of States and in other countries. Another research project ontactical urbanism. Quartyard was able to answer all the a different site could be then compared to this research onguidelines laid down by Mike Lydon and Anthony Garcia in Quartyard. The comparison could uncover a valuable trendTactical Urbanism: Short Term Action Long Term Change. between these projects and would allow for a more effectiveFirst, the team behind Quartyard had a deliberate approach roadmap when creating these great spaces.and followed all the required channels to get their projectapproved legally and with the emphatic support from the AcknowledgementsCity of San Diego. Second, Quartyard had answers forthree of Downtown San Diego’s needs: a place for people Submitted in partial satisfaction of a BA in Urbanto socialize, get food and drinks, and a place safe place to Studies and Planning Program, University of California Sanbring their dogs. Third, the site initially only had a two Diego on March 6, 2017.year lease with a one year extension and although it wasa difficult and strict timeline the project still had financial Referencespotential for success. Fourth, the use of recycled materialsand semi-permanent building materials dramatically Auchettl, Philip. Interviewed by Nicklaus McGuire. Personallowered construction costs, allowing for a low-risk and Interview. RadLabs. 15 Jan 17high-reward situation. Fifth, Quartyard developed a socialcapital between residents and private institutions within Bishop, Peter. 2015. “From the Subversive to the Serious.”the area by revitalizing and reinvigorating the vacant area. Architectural Design 8-15. Having successfully answered the specific criteria Bishop, Peter, and Lesley Williams. 2012. The TemporaryQuartyard was able to become a model for tactical City. London: Routledge.urbanism. Due to the success, the City of San Diego createda new Conditional Use Permit for the city using Quartyard Castro, Julian. 2014. Office of Policy Development andas a case study for the permits foundation. The ultimate Research (PD&R). Winter. Accessed October 14, 2016.goal of Quartyard was to bring life into an otherwise vacant https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/em/and decrepit space, but the project was able to accomplish winter14/highlight4.html.much more than the team’s original goal. This case studyis important to the goal of tactical urbanism as a whole Colomb, C. 2012. “Pushing the Urban Frontier: Temporarybecause not only was the project successful, but it was Uses of Space, City Marketing, and the.” Journal ofsuccessful in a city that is usually very conservative. San Urban Affairs 131-152.Diego has a history of being very unlikely to embracechange and in the beginning did not think Quartyard Dovey, Kim. 2014. “The Temporary City.” Journal of Urbanwould have any realization because it is the definition of Design 261-263.change. Quartyard was not only a pioneer for change, butthe project is now completely embraced by the City of San Ferreri, Mara. 2015. “The seductions of temporary urbanism.”Diego and all the people who use the facilities. Quartyard Ephemera: theory & politics in organization 181-191.is a model of sustainable design and creative thinking for Greco, JoAnn. 2012. “From Pop-Up to Permanent: Small, nimble projects are adding value to public spaces.” Planning Online.21 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student researchHo, Eric, and Rik Lam. 2014. “Pop-Up Urbanism: Towards Transforming Urbanism: Concluding Reflections on incubating user-centric developments.” Rice School of Assemblage and Urban Criticality.” City 731-739. Architecture 90-97. Massey, Doreen. 2005. For Space. London: Sage. Overmeye, Klaus. 2007. Urban Pioneers. Temporary useKossak, Florian. 2012. “Temporary Urbanism: its relevance and urban development in Berlin. Berlin: Jovis Verlag. and impact on teaching urban design.” Urban Design Pfeifer, Laura. 2014. “The Planner’s Guide to Tactical Group Journal 32-33. Urbanism.” Regina Urban Ecology . October 23. Tardiveau, Armelle, and Daniel Mallo. 2014. “UnpackingLowenstein, David. Interviewed by Nicklaus McGuire. and Challenging Habitus: An Approach to Temporary Personal Interview. RadLabs. 15 Jan 17 Urbanism as a Socially Engaged Practice.” Journal of Urban Design 456-472.Lydon, Mike, and Anthony Garcia. 2015. Tactical Urbanism: Short Term Action Long Term Change. Washington D.C.: Island Press.MacFarlane, C. 2011. “Encountering, Describing andVOL 3 / 2017 22

student research Nicklaus McGuire Urban Studies and Planning Nicklaus McGuire graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and Planning. He heard about The Equilibrium when he was writing his senior research project -- which is the paper that is published here!What has been your greatest challenge in research? However, I guess I would like to study what’s the best way to redesign pre-existing buildings -- retrofit them-- andI think it would be trying to write the research paper so make them much more sustainable.that everyone can understand it. That was my ultimategoal. If my girlfriend, a biology major could understand it, What do you remember from Warren Writing?then it was good. So I had to take the transfer Warren Writing. It was theWhat excites you about grad school? Warren College Writing Transfer Class. I was taking it concurrently as I was writing this paper, so I got to ask theWell, since I’m going to grad chool, I’m really excited about teacher on advice. That was beneficial. The writing classhaving a different perspective. I think my major was been itself, it wasn’t really anything new because I’d taken threereally wide city based and architecture is going to be more writing classes before. Having the teacher’s perspectivefinite based. So what I’m really excited about is carrying was really helpful though. That’s another reason that I wasover this information that I learned here to architecture. able to make the wording easier to understand and notMy diverse background will be a good leg up in grad school. super technical.What advice would you give to your first-year self? How do you keep your life in balance?That’s hard. So I dropped out of college the first and then Being in the military, is probably the reason I’m able to dojoined the military. Then, I came back. So I guess it would so much stuff. Having that background and that trainingjust be, do your homework and don’t go to the beach all the really makes me able to focus on a bunch of this at thetime. Once I came back here, I went to Miracosta and then same time without getting overwhelmed by anything.transferred here without even knowing what was here. Itworked out really well though. Is there anything you wish you could change or do differently from the time you entered college?If you were a PI, what research would your lab focuson? Honestly, not really. Anything I’ve done has led me to where I am right now. All the experiences I’ve had haveI’ve haven’t done much research and so this research shaped into who I am.papaer that I submitted was the hardest thing I’ve written.23 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student researchA Time Series Correlation Analysis Using the Keeling Curve as anAlternative Evaluation Method for Carbon Emission Modeling Xingyu LuABSTRACT: This study uses atmospheric CO2 concentration data (the Keeling Curve) as an alternativemeasurement of anthropogenic carbon emissions to test the relationship between environmental pressure andeconomic development. Using verified detrending procedures, no significant relationship is observed betweenglobal population growth and increases in atmospheric carbon concentration. Changes in world GDP, however,have a significant effect on CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. GDP per capita is also a strong indicator of theKeeling Curve. The use of the affluence level, GDP per capita, correlates to the environmental impact when theenvironmental pressure is altered to atmospheric CO2 concentration, even though population does not correlatewith the Keeling Curve.Introduction Modern environmental economic studies on pollutionMalthusian school of thought, The Club of Rome One of the classical and well-studied counterarguments Since the late 1700’s, citizens have expressed concern is that technological progress represents a significantregarding environmental quality and resource availability positive influence on pollution abatement that is resourcedue to the explosion of population. In 1798, An Essay on conserving, pollution reducing, and growing at a rate largethe Principle of Population was published anonymously by enough to offset the impacts of population growth andThomas Robert Malthus. In this book, Malthus discussed rising affluence. This view was in opposition to the Clubresource depletion: “The power of population is indefinitely of Rome approach, in which adverse environmental impactgreater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence estimates were driven by exponential growth in the usefor man.” His main concern was that population would of resources but not technological progress (Kneese andincrease geometrically, doubling every 25 years, but Ridker, 1972).food production would only grow arithmetically. Thisdifference would result in famine and starvation unless IPAT is an established theory that uses the I=PATbirths were controlled. In 1968, a best-selling book The equation to relate environmental impact (I, typicallyPopulation Bomb earnestly warned of imminent famine emissions of a pollutant or natural resource use) todue to overpopulation during 1970’s and 80’s. The author population (P), society affluence (A, often a proxy for peradvocated immediate action to limit population growth capita income), and a technology index (T) (Arrow, 1995). In(Ehrlich, 1968). a slightly different form, IPAT is known as the Kaya Identity, which is the key theory in the Intergovernmental Panel on The Limits to Growth addressed the worries of Climate Change (IPCC) estimate of future CO2 emissions.exponential economic and population growth considering In these estimates, total CO2 emissions are a product offinite resource supplies. The original version presented population, per capita GDP, energy use per capita, and CO2a model based on five variables: world population, emissions per unit of energy consumed.industrialization, pollution, food production, andresource depletion. These variables were considered The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) providesto grow exponentially, while the ability of technology evidence that the relationship between environmentalto increase resource availability was thought to only pollution and per capita income follows an invertedbe linear. These books saw population growth coupled U-shaped pattern. It is clear that the IPAT model is simplywith growing affluence as the primary forces driving a restricted version of the EKC. The casual empiricismadverse environmental impacts (Meadows et al., 1972). An characterizing much of the early EKC literature establishedongoing idea suggests that environmental pressure can be the stylized fact that environmental quality tends to becontrolled by controlling the population, an idea that is positive, not negatively, correlated with income indiscussed throughout this paper. 24VOL 3 / 2017

student researchwealthier countries. This would suggest that the EKC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). Thespecification is a distinct improvement over the IPAT common characteristic of these data sources is that carbonmodel. However, the problem with the EKC lies with the emissions are based on estimates of energy consumptionassumption of a causal role of income growth and the reported by industrial sectors. It can be beneficial to use aninadequacy of reduced-form specifications, which presume alternative carbon accounting methodology to eliminatethat a common income-related process, conditional on human errors if the Keeling curve is properly adjusted in afixed effects for political jurisdictions and a few observable few geological factor.covariates, adequately describes the generation of thepollutant of interest. The constant debate throughout this Two possible geological variables affecting theresearch surrounds data sources and carbon accounting. Keeling Curve are volcanic activity and the El Niño–Here, the Keeling Curve is introduced as a carbon Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Volcanic activity emits CO2accounting source. and ENSO is an irregular periodical variation in winds and sea surface temperatures over the tropical Eastern PacificThe Keeling Curve: a continuous measure of Ocean.atmospheric CO2 concentration Overview The worldwide recession of 2007–2009 has beenviewed by natural scientists as a cause of the reduction Traditionally, the theories of EKC and IPAT are usedin CO2 emissions and also a likely reason for the low to test the pollution output and economic growth for2009 increase in atmospheric CO2 (Friedlingstein et al., individual countries. In this study, these theories are2010). The Keeling Curve is a continuous measurement, assessed using comprehensive data for the entire humansince March 1958, of CO2 concentrations in dry air on the population GDP and population measures use global data.Hawaiian volcano of Mauna Loa (Keeling and Whorf, 2005; Carbon emissions (representing environmental pressure)Keeling Curve Website). The Keeling Curve represents the are represented by the Keeling Curve. A correction of thelongest series of CO2 levels documenting the changing Keeling Curve due to anthropogenic activity is introducedcomposition of the atmosphere. This provides another as a variable term (ENSO activity). In this study, thesource for evaluating carbon emissions and their possibility of using the Keeling Curve for the measurementrelationship with economic development. of environmental impact, as an alternative to estimated emissions, is discussed. The viability of this alternative The Keeling Curve reveals a rising trend with a regular method is tested using correlation tests and a verifiedoscillating seasonal pattern, attributed to differences in the detrending method.ability of photosynthesis and respiration of the terrestrialbiosphere, and other CO2 sinks, to absorb the gas during The remainder of this article is organized into six mainthe annual seasonal cycle (Conway et al., 1994). Annual sections. Section II provides background information thatmean atmospheric concentrations of CO2 computed from connects this study with previous literature on the Keelingthe Mauna Loa records reveal an almost linear increase of Curve and pollution modeling. Section III presents theCO2 atmospheric levels since 1959. methodology. The empirical results are reported in section IV, along with a discussion of the results. Conclusions are The current paper uses carbon emission data from the reported in Section V.EIA (Energy Information Agency), the IEA (InternationalEnergy Administration), and the IPCC (United Nation Figure 1. The Keeling Curve. Referenced from https://scripps.ucsd.edu/programs/keelingcurve/25 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student researchLiterature Review hypothesis, which focuses on the nexus of environmentalCarbon emission modeling and forecasting pollution and economic growth. It was initially proposed by Grossman and Krueger (1991, 1995) and Selden and Although this study is not, at present, concerned Song (1995). They suggest that levels of degradation andwith evaluating emission models, it is helpful to review pollution increase at early stages of economic growth.the existing literature on pollution modeling. Here, the After a certain level of income per capita, however, theknown variables in pollution models are reviewed and their trend reverses, such that a high level of income leads torelationships with atmospheric carbon concentration are environmental improvement. Overall, the EKC hypothesistested. In this review, we focused on IPAT and EKC models. indicates that pollution rises with income up to a point andFor other models and perspectives one can refer Zhang then falls after some threshold level, forming an invertedand Cheng, 2009; Holdren, 2000 U-shape relationship. In the EKC hypothesis, the logarithm of the indicator is modeled as a quadratic function of the Specifically, the Kaya identity is a form of IPAT logarithm income. The standard EKC regression model isthat assesses the level of human impact on climate, as follows:including emissions of CO2. The Kaya identity equatesthe level of CO2 emissions to the product of population, where:GDP per capita, energy intensity, and carbon intensity E = emissionsv(Kaya, 1990). In the Kaya identity, the impact is carbon P = populationemissions, while technology is split into energy use per GDP = gross domestic productunit of GDP and carbon emissions per unit of energy ln = the natural logarithm.consumed. Most emission forecasts, including those fromthe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, are based The turning point or threshold level for maximumon the Kaya identity (IPCC, 2000; EIA, 2011): emissions is given by: where: (Grossman, 1995; Stern, 2004; Holtz-Eakin and Selden, F = global CO2 emissions from human sources 1995). P = global population G = world GDP The empirical evidence on whether a turning point for E = global energy consumption CO2 exists is mixed. Since CO2 emissions stem largely from energy use, any downturn in per capita emissions could be The first body of literature discussed here is related to due to changes in agent preferences or policies regardingthe nexus of energy consumption and output. It suggests energy consumption and production, rather than GDP perthat economic growth and energy consumption are capita (Lieb, 2004).closely related, as a higher level of economic developmentrequires greater energy consumption. The common It is also worth noting that, according to this EKC-empirical implication underlying all IPAT models is that hypothesis, environmental pressure tends to rise fasterpollution should monotonically increase with P and A and than income growth in the early stages of economicmonotonically decrease for improvements in T. Yang and development, then slows down, reaches a turning point,Schneider (1998) provide a decomposition analysis across and declines with further income growth. This last stagecountries with this assumption. Many relevant studies has been referred to as the ‘de-linking of environmentalcan be found in the IPCC special report on emission pressure from economic growth’ (Simonis, 1989).scenarios (SRES) (see IPCC 2000). The literature regardingempirical results from causality tests between energy Factors in the Keeling Curveconsumption and economic growth is mixed regarding Geological factors: ENSO activity refers to a patternthe Granger causality (which is a statistical hypothesistest for determining whether one time series is useful in of climate changes (with associated floods and droughts)forecasting another). across the tropical Pacific Ocean, which recurs at intervals of 3 to 7 years. Negative values correspond to cold years These studies are based on the IPAT/Kaya identity and (‘‘La Niña’’), and positive values to warm years (‘‘El Niño’’).use econometric tools to estimate reduced form models. ENSO activity is thought to strengthen CO2 capture byThe advantage of these econometric forecasting models the oceans during warm years (Krakauer and Randerson,is that they require fewer structural assumptions and data 2003). Research by Ciais et al. (2005) points out that ENSOpoints. The drawback of these models is that the reduced affects atmospheric CO2 levels because warmer yearsform specification does not separate the income effect increase the capture of CO2 by increasing the growth ratefrom other factors driving emissions (Arrow 1995). of trees. ENSO affects CO2 concentration by changing the net productivity, land use, etc. The direct link between CO2 A broader version of the IPAT model is the EKCVOL 3 / 2017 26

student researchconcentration and ENSO is unclear; however, it is common study aims to investigate the link between atmosphericto use a linear model to represent the relationship (Le carbon concentration and affluence level (determined byQuere 2007). economics and population growth). There are also studies on the effect of volcanic activity Methodologyon carbon concentration in the atmosphere (Kasting and Data: alternative carbon accountingWalker, 1992; Trenberth and Dai, 2007; Krakauer andRanderson, 2003; Ammann et, al 2003). Reviews and The source of carbon accounting has been a majoranalysis of volcanic activity and its relationship with difficulty in this type of research. In older publications,atmospheric carbon concentration are beyond the scope the standard data set on carbon/sulfur emissions was theof this study. The main reason is conflicting results and World Health Organization Global Environmental Monitordifficulties in quantification (because the index rating is System (WHO GEMS/AIR, further abbreviated to GEMS).non-formulated). This topic is more suited to separate However, this program was terminated in the late 1990’s dueevent studies rather than a modeling study. to funding issues. Since then, various carbon accounting methods have been used. This includes the United Nation Human Factors: The dependence of CO2 concentration Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report (IPCC),on natural phenomena explains why, for instance, the the International Energy Agency report, governmentobserved CO2 increase in the atmosphere averaged over census department or statistic department reports, andseveral years accounts for only approximately 56% of the industrial estimates of energy consumption and carbonfossil fuel input, and this despite the fact that deforestation emission, among others. In this research, the Keelingis ongoing (Hansen, 2010). The relationship between Curve is used as a substitute for the estimated carbonfossil fuels and carbon concentration is considered to be emission method (that measures energy consumptionpositively correlated. Research into this subject has mainly and cement production) to test whether existing literaturebeen performed by Le Quere and collaborators (2007; conclusions/results (using estimated emissions) still2009; 2013) and Peters et al. (2011). apply when an alternative carbon accounting method is employed. A potential problem with this approach is thatCurrent debate on carbon modeling based on economic geophysical activities (especially ENSO) have strong effectsdevelopment: problems with estimated emissions on the Keeling Curve over a short time scale. There are many investigations into how natural factors Data Sourcingaffect the short-run fluctuations in CO2 concentrations.But as yet, there have been few known attempts to connect All data used in this analysis are from open accessthe evolution of CO2 concentration with changes in the sources. Mean annual concentrations of atmosphericglobal economy. The link between estimated emissions CO2 (in parts per million by volume) are taken from theand atmospheric concentration is unclear. However, the Scripps CO2 Program (http://scrippsco2.ucsd.edu/measurement of atmospheric CO2 levels is much more data/atmospheric_co2). In particular, the average of rawaccurate and reliable than the estimation of emissions “monthly CO2 reported average” data is used as the annual(from statistics on fuel consumption, exports, imports, average. World GDP (WGDP, in trillions of 2000 constantetc.), which is subject to considerable margins of error U.S. dollars) is from the World Development Indicators(Nordhaus, 1994, p. 27; Nisbet and Weiss, 2010). database (data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/world- development-indicators) of the World Bank. The same The existing literature measures environmental source as the world population (in millions, taken from thepressure using estimated emissions (greenhouse gases United Nations Population Division). According to NY.GDP.including CO2, CH4 etc., as well as the widely studied PCAP.KD metadata, the GDP per capita is a simple divisionSO2). It is proposed that, if natural factors are accurately of constant U.S. dollar GDP (NY.GDP.MKTP.KD) over totalconsidered, focusing on atmospheric CO2 levels is a better population (SP.POP.TOTL).methodological choice than estimating anthropogeniccarbon emissions. Such estimates only involve energy A few variations in trade indicators are included (totalconsumption and cement production (see methodology trade, merchandise trade, % and $ of GDP) to determine thepart), which can cause major errors. potential cost and benefit to the environment of trading, as presented by Grossman and Krueger 1993. These data The long-term goal of this study is to replace are from World Development Indicators. Bimonthly figuresenvironmental pressure (estimated emission) in pollution for ENSO activity were taken from NOAA sources (Wolter,models with the Keeling Curve, with the addition of some 2016). The annual index of ENSO activity (AIEA) wasgeological variables. Throughout the existing literature, computed as follows: AIEA = [DECJAN + JANFEB + FEBMARthe affluence level, determined from the GDP per capita, + MARAPR + APRMAY+ MAYJUN + JUNJUL + JULAUG +is considered the cause of environmental pressure. AUGSEP + SEPOCT + lag(OCTNOV) + lag(NOVDEC)], whereBy using the same factors and alternative data, this DECJAN is the value for December–January, JANFEB is the value for January–February, etc., and lag(OCTNOV) is the value for October–November of the previous year.27 THE EQUILIBRIUM

Time series analysis using detrending student research From the literature review, there may be several Figures 4a, 4b, 4c.potential or known factors that correlate with theKeeling Curve carbon concentration. Since the relevantcorrelations are known to display lags, we examinedthese correlations at several different lags. Because theannual increase of CO2 concentration has been growingover time, detrending the series of CO2 concentrations byeither taking first differences or subtracting with a lineartrend— the two standard methods of detrending—arenot appropriate. Most common methods used in similarstudies use non-linear detrending by subtracting trendscomputed both with the Hodrick–Prescott (HP) filter andwith centered moving means (cMM). Here, the HP filterwas applied with smoothing parameters of λ = 100 andλ = 6.25, which are the extremes of the range of valuesrecommended by various authors to detrend annual dataseries (Ravn and Uhlig, 2002; Maravall and del Rio, 2007).The moving means were computed with windows of five,seven, and nine. From the literature, it seems that HP6.25and cMM7 are the preferred methods. For lags, lag +1indicates that a certain factor occurs one period (in thispaper, one year) after all other factors.ResultsCorrelation Analysis Figures 3 through 5 gives a good visual aspect of theimprovement by applying time series detrending. Figure 3a, 3b, 3c. Figure 5a, 5b, 5c.VOL 3 / 2017 28

student research If one examines Figure 3a, 4a, and 5a, all factors seems income, as with IPAT models, which define emissions usingcorrelated. But because these factors naturally increase affluence level). If human activities are the cause of changesover time, these figure does not provide information on in the Keeling Curve, the existing models should have notheir correlations. Figures 3-5 b and c are two sample difficulty changing the dependent variable from estimatedfigures that after the data has been detrand (getting rid of CO2 emissions to Keeling Curve data. In other words,the time series effect). For detailed data please see tables. using an alternative carbon accounting method should be consistent with the current state of pollution economics It is clear from Table 1 that correlations of CO2 research, and use GDP per capita. From the correlation testconcentrations with WGDP are positive and statistically of this paper, GDP and GDPPC behave similar when testingsignificant (P < 0.05) for all detrending methods, their correlation with Keeling Curve.and strongly significant (P < 0.01) for four out of fivemethods. Correlations of CO2 with world population Time series analysis methods, especially detrendingare statistically indistinguishable for all five methods of methodology, will improve substantially in the near future.detrending. Similarly, the GDPPC (GDP per capita), which Thus, a benchmark correlation measure of the detrendingis essentially GDP/WP (or Ln(GDPPC)=Ln(GDP)-Ln(WP)), method is included in Table 2. Using the existing methodshows a statistically significant (P < 0.05) correlation with (which has been used since 1970) suggests that, for allatmospheric carbon concentration for all detrending five methods, ENSO at lag+1 is very strongly significantlymethods and a strongly significant (P < 0.01) correlation correlated (P<0.001) with ENSO at lag -1. For four offor four out of five methods. This result indicates that GDP the methods, world GDP is not statistically significantlyand GDP per capita are good estimators of atmospheric correlated with world population. If using HP100, they showcarbon concentration. In conclusion, WGDP is strongly a statistically significant correlation of 0.27 (P=0.04). If thesignificant with Keeling Curve data while the world detrending methods cross-section is compared, it is clearpopulation (WP) is not, and GDPPC (GDP per capita) is a that the center moving mean (cMM) correlation increasesconsistent indicator of CO2 concentration. This result may when the window increases. There is no directionalseem counter intuitive; however, counter-neo-Malthusian correlation change from HP Lambda 6.25 to 100.theories are common (Reed, 2008). They generally arguethat population control is unnecessary and anti-human. Furthermore, identical tests were performed forThis study does not attempt to fully examine the neo- several trade indicators (total trade and merchandise tradeMalthusian theory, but the results of this paper suggest in dollars and in % GDP), and none of these indicators showthat an increase in population is not directly related to an strongly significant relationships (see Table 3). According toincrease in atmospheric carbon concentration. (Cole 2004), the manufacture share of GDP is not related to carbon emissions. The idea proposed by Cole (2004), that It should be noted that, when CO2 is represented demographic analysis using a portion (%) of the economyby estimated emissions from industrial sectors, all the is not a good indicator of environment impact, is examinedestablished EKC models, all KAYA/IPAT models, and most by analyzing total trade and merchandise trade in dollarsGEMS use GDP per capita, not world GDP (because the and in % GDP. Results show that using a portion of theEKC require the independent variable to be per capita Table 1. Correlation Analysis of the Carbon Concentration in Atmosphere (Keeling Curve) THE EQUILIBRIUM29

student research Table 2.Table 3. Correlation Analysis of the Carbon Concentration in Atmosphere (Keeling Curve)economic indicator is much weaker than using whole that this characteristic is still true when an alternativeeconomics as indicators (trade GDP vs. GDP; merchandise carbon accounting method is employed.GDP per capita vs. GDP per capita etc.). This study showsthat this characteristic is still true when an alternative Finally, the ENSO index reveals significant correlationscarbon accounting method is employed. with CO2 at lags -1 and 1, but not at lag 0 (see Table 1). This is not a new discovery, but confirms the result of Grandiose Furthermore, identical tests were performed for (2008), which used more years of data (eight data points orseveral trade indicators (total trade and merchandise trade 15% more for all detrending methods). As the correlationsin dollars and in % GDP), and none of these indicators show are negative at lag -1 and positive at lag 1, the patternstrongly significant relationships (see Table 3). According to confirms the effect of ENSO activity on natural sinks of CO2.(Cole 2004), the manufacture share of GDP is not related to In the year preceding high ENSO activity, there was highcarbon emissions. The idea proposed by Cole (2004), that sequestration of CO2 and concentrations increased belowdemographic analysis using a portion (%) of the economy the average rate, while in the year following high ENSOis not a good indicator of environment impact, is examined activity, the opposite occurred, and CO2 concentrationsby analyzing total trade and merchandise trade in dollars increased by more than the average trend.and in % GDP. Results show that using a portion of theeconomic indicator is much weaker than using whole Sample Multivariable Regression to Confirm Keyeconomics as indicators (trade GDP vs. GDP; merchandise Findings (Table 6)GDP per capita vs. GDP per capita etc.). This study shows In this section, I use multivariable regression to seeVOL 3 / 2017 30

student researchTable 6. Multivariable Regressions Keeling: ENSOP, World GDP, World Population or GDP per Capitatwo key points that was discovered in section IV-1: First, with Keeling Curve data. GDP and GDPPC behave similar inboth GDP and GDPPC are good indicators of Keeling Curve their correlation with keeling curve. This may be imply thatwhile population is not. Second, GDP and GDPPC behave these two factor can substitute each other to some degree.very similar in Keeling Curve-Economic Modeling. This Economic activity and affluent level can be interchangedresult confirm these two findings. The absent of population in carbon concentration modeling according to this result.did not affect (or even improve) the regression result. From This paper, among a few others, counter the claim in Lieb,the second and the fourth columns, regression coefficient 2004 which both mentioned early in this paper.and R-sq does not change much at all. Which indicate thatGDPPC and WGDP are similar factors in this model. From a broader aspect, the conclusion from this paper is not consistent with the Malthusian school of thought (on The coefficient parameter estimates for the effect of population as a cause for environment depredation), butWGDP on CO2 concentrations (use column two average one should read about Lambda affecting the detrendingcorrelation of GDP is 0.2 ) indicate that for each trillion result. In comparison to existing research, this methodologydollar that WGDP deviates from trend, CO2 atmospheric has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantagelevels deviate from trend, in the same direction about 0.2 of is that human carbon emissions can be measured usinga part per million (±0.1). If one focus on the fourth column. atmospheric concentration, which may be more accurateOne can see that per one thousand dollar GDP per capita than estimation methods. Geological factors that affectdeviates from trend for all humankind, CO2 atmospheric this atmospheric measurement can also easily be takenlevels deviate from trend, in the same direction about 1.4 into consideration (e.g. ENSO). The disadvantage is that theof a part per million (±0.5). Keeling Curve is an aggregate factor. There is currently no effective way to link this data to a precise demographic/Conclusion national model (e.g. Nordhaus’s DICE 2008). This therefore constitutes a topic for research in the near future. Further The goal of this research was to examine an alternative improvement could be made regarding the effect of volcaniccarbon accounting methodology. It was shown that GPD is eruptions on atmospheric carbon concentration.a strong indicator of the Keeling Curve, while populationis not. Based on an assumption that affluence level are Acknowledgementcorrelated with income level, affluence level (GDP percapita) is a consistent indicator of the Keeling Curve, which I would like to thank Professor Ross Starr for hisis a surprising result given the poor correlation between the brilliant guidelines and interesting comments. I wouldKeeling Curve and population. Trade indicators (total trade like to thank Professor Dale Squires, Profrofessor Markand merchandise trade) are relatively weak indicators of Jacobsen and Professor Richard Carson for their excellentatmospheric carbon concentration. The result that affluence long-term mentorships. All names mentioned above arelevel is a good indicator of the Keeling Curve is important faculties at UC San Diego. Any errors are the responsibilitybecause it allows atmospheric carbon concentration to of the author.be used in existing reduced form models, such as EKCmodels and CGE models, by substituting emission data31 THE EQUILIBRIUM

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A Retrospective Review,” U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC. Kasting, J.F., Walker, J.C.G., 1992. The geochemical carbon cycle and the uptake of fossil fuel CO2. AIP Conf. Proc. 247, 175–200.EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration) eds. John Conti and Paul Holtberg (2011), Keeling, C.D., Whorf, T.P., 2005. Atmospheric CO2 Records from Sites in the SIO Air Sampling Network, in Anonymous Trends:“International Energy Outlook 2011,” report number Report A Compendium of Data on Global Change. Carbon Dioxide Number: DOE/EIA- 0484(2011), U.S. Department of Energy, Information Analysis Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Washington, DC. Oak Ridge, Tenn.Ehrlich, P. 1968. The population bomb. New York: Ballentine. Kneese, A., and R. Ridker. 1972. Predicament of mankind. WashingtonEhrlich, P., and J. Holden. 1971. Impact of population growth. Post March 2, 81–82. Science 171: 1212–17. Krakauer, N.Y., Randerson, J.T., 2003. Do volcanic eruptionsFriedlingstein, P. P. Cox, R. 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student researchMeadows, D. H.; Meadows, D. L.; Randers, J.; Behrens III, W. W. growth and environmental degradation: A critique of the (1972), The Limits to Growth: a report for the Club of Rome’s environmental Kuznets curve. World Development, 24(7), project on the predicament of mankind, Universe Books, ISBN 1151−1160. 0-87663-165-0 Stern, D.I., 2004. The rise and fall of the environmental Kuznets curve. World Development 32, 1419–1439.Nisbet, E and Weiss, R. Top-Down Versus Bottom-Up. Science Selden, T. M., & Song, D. (1994). Environmental quality and 04 Jun 2010: Vol. 328, Issue 5983, pp. 1241-1243. DOI: 10.1126/ development: Is there a Kuznets curve for air pollution? science.1189936 Journal of Environmental Economics and Environmental Management, 27, 147−162.Nordhaus, William D. (2008), A Question of Balance: Weighing the Trenberth, K.E., Dai, A., 2007. Effects of Mount Pinatubo Options on Global Warming Policies, Yale University Press, volcanic eruption on the hydrological cycle as an analog New Haven, CT. of geoengineering. Geophys. Res. Lett. 34, L15702. UNEP, 2011. UNEP Year Book 2011 – Emerging Issues in our GlobalNordhaus, William D. (2012), “Economic Policy in the Face of Severe Environment. United Nation Environment Programme, Tail Events,” Journal of Public Economic Theory, 14(2): 197-219. Nairobi, Kenya. Yang, S.H. Schneider, Global carbon dioxide emissions scenarios:Peters GP, Minx JC, Weber CL, Edenhofer O, Despite the emergence sensitivity to social and technological factors in three regions, of regional climate policies, growth in global CO2 emissions Mitigation Adaptation Strategies Global Change 2 (1998) 373– has remained strong. From 1990 to 2008 CO2 emissions in 404. developed countries. Proceedings of the National Academy Wolter, Klaus. 2016. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, Earth of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 108 no. 21. System Research Laboratory, Physical Sciences Division. www. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1006388108 esrl.noaa.gov/psd/people/klaus.wolter/MEI/table.html World Bank, 2016. World development indicators. Online Database, Reed, Sarah Orleans. The Publication of Paul Ehrlich’s The World Bank. Population Bomb by the Sierra Club, 1968: Wilderness- Zhang, X.-P., Cheng, X.-M., 2009. Energy consumption, carbon Thinking, Neo-Malthusianism, and Anti-Humanism. Thesis. emissions, and economic growth in China. Ecological Wesleyan University. Middletown CT 2008. Economics 68, 2706–2712.Simonis, U.E. (1989), “Abschied von der alten Weltwirtschafts- ordnung?” in L. Franke (ed.), Wir haben nur eine Erde (Darmstadt, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft), pp. 89-103.Stern, Stern review on the economics of climate change, Technical Report, HM Treasury, 2006.Stern, D.I. (2000), “A Multivariate Cointegration Analysis of the Role of Energy in the US Economy,” Energy Economics, 22: 267-283.Stern, D. I., Common, M. S., & Barbier, E. B. (1996). Economic33 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student research Xingyu Lu Economics Xingyu “Lux” Lu recently graduated from UCSD with degrees in Economics and Biology. He is continuing his graduate study at UCSD for master in public policy where he plans to focus policies on energy and environment. He plans to pursue Ph.D. in agriculture and resource economics after his master program. Lux is an early member of the largest environmental NGO in China (Friend of Nature). He participated in movement regarding the construction of Three Gorges Dam, citing unclear evaluation of environmental impact. Lux likes to learn and play all kinds of strategy games during his spare time. He enjoys playing chess, bridge, and poker. Mr. Lu suffers from type II bipolar disorder; he did all his research related projects during his hypomanic episode. He wrote this paper in four weeks.What motivated you to get into research? What has been your greatest challenge in research?I have been influenced greatly by Neo-Malthusian thought. For me, it’s more the technical stuff- some of it is notIn particular, some early books, including The Population so easy. A lot of the methodology is divided by seriesBomb by Paul R. Ehrlich and Limit to Growth by Dennis and as an undergraduate, if you look at it and want toMeadows, Donella Meadows, Jørgen Randers, William W. use it right away it’s almost impossible. For example,Behrens II. In college, I have been heavily influenced by “A Professor X at UCSD, has the latest data; however, thereReview of the Stern Review on the Economic of Climate is a technical challenge for undergrads because the lackChange” by William Nordhaus. of cross discipline technicalities. Professors think it’s easy to grasp- they give you an abbreviation and expect theWhat do you enjoy about research? student to able to understand or perform all the stuff on the computer, but as a student you see a lot of technicalFor me, raw passion is what motivated me. I care about stuff. At the end, it’s more like learning by doing.sustainable development. Of course, sometimes theresearch, when you’re doing it, is not enjoyable, is not fun. What advice would you give to your first-year self?”It’s a lot of text and technical work. Still, research- it’s nota religion or a belief, but if my work makes a better world, Take as many math and CS classes as possible. And figureI will do it. out what you want to do for your life. For me, I strongly oppose getting the highest earning job and worrying aboutWhat does research mean to you? your life later. Finding your passion should come before any job.I always say research is reading after thoughts- afterreading papers and chapters, and generating your own How do you keep your life in balance?belief. You think, so you’re alive. The research is a transcriptof how you think, what you think. Obviously there’s other Ahh, I don’t. My life is kind of tweaked. I suggest to otherwork, like writing or reading that takes most of the time, but people: don’t do it that way. It’s true. For me, it’s thisthinking is the most important part. Reading other people’s project, next project- it never ends so you have to have athoughts and generating your own. The personal opinion lot of passion. You want to do something and your life isthat was put into some of the research is not decisive, but tweaked and you just keep doing it. You don’t try to balanceis important. it. It’s the truth.VOL 3 / 2017 34

student research The Wishes Tree Farshid Bazmandegan Ribbons, plaster, tree branches and roots 5’ 10”35 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student research Farshid Bazmandegan is a visual artist and cultural past installation, The Wishes Tree, to fulfill this new ideaproducer who works with experimental media and of protest. For his art project, protesting was as simplesculpture. His research and practice constructs as making a wish to work towards for the future. Thisphilosophical metaphors to raise awareness of socio- gesture was meant to empower people about their ownpolitical relations between people, their environment, and ability to stage a protest to make a meaningful change inthe institutions that govern their daily lives. He focuses on their own lives or in society. In a workshop called Protestcreating site specific projects that are intricately tied to the Wishes, held during Community Day, Bazmandegan askedhistory and memory of the environments they are built in. people of all ages to write down their wishes onto pieces of ribbon, which he collected. Bazmandegan uses art as a gesture of response to hisdaily life. In Spring 2015, Bazmandegan selected a tree in Bazmandegan explaining his workshop to visitors at MCASDMandeville Center and tied hundreds of ribbons onto thebranches representing his own wishes, as a response tothe proposal to repurpose the University Art Gallery (UAG)on campus. The gesture of making wishes by tying ribbonsonto trees is an old tradition Bazmandegan takes fromMiddle Eastern culture. This piece became The WishesTree. His idea was to engage with the public and showhow students can protest silently, peacefully, and playfully.He chose to display his ribbons on a tree planted in publicto allow people to access his work without the need for agallery space. A year later, Bazmandegan became the co-director of the Undergraduate Art Show, the first showheld in the UAG for a year. The Wishes Tree stayed up,engaging with the public for a year, until the piece wasfound defaced, with ribbons from the installation foundin a dumpster. Kids writing their wishes as part of the Protest Wishes workshop MCASD The Wishes Tree (in front of UAG at Mandeville Center) In the Spring of 2016, Bazmandegan had an opportunity to curate an art exhibition called Chroma , with the support In the Fall of 2016, Bazmandegan participated in an of Dean Cristina Della Coletta and the Assistant Dean Almaevent celebrating Community Day, the 75th anniversary of Palazzolo of the Division of Arts and Humanities. This showthe Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla. The theme was hosted in the administrative office of the Division ofof the show revolved around artistic workshops that Arts and Humanities, where Bazmandegan invited faculty,engaged the general public in social issues. One particular students, and alumni from the Visual Arts department toexhibition that was on display at the museum, Berkeley display their work. This show celebrated conceptual artProtest Posters , was a collection of posters made by UC practice happening on the UCSD campus.Berkeley students during the 70’s that called for an end tothe Vietnam War. Bazmandegan was struck by the intensity Bazmandegan created a piece to exhibit as part of theof the involvement of students in the past and how they show. He decided to use both the ribbons from The Wishesused widely accessible art materials to stage their protest Tree (UAG), and from his workshop, Protest Wishes, andThis show inspired Bazmandegan to engage the public in tied them onto a new tree. He anchored this tree in aa peaceful protest and encourage them to respond to the plaster cast of his head. By casting his head, Bazmandeganidea of protest differently. He drew inspiration from his was able to incorporate a literal self portrait to symbolize his own personal connection to the tree as a human form. This continuation of The Wishes Tree representsVOL 3 / 2017 36

student researchBazmandegan himself and his growth both within and philosophies and ideas on respect and hope which haveoutside of his practice as an artist within his influenced Bazmandegan’s own.community. A significant part of Bazmandegan’s continuing art Installation of The Wishes Tree at the Museum of Contemporary Art in San practice has been social engagement, which he has been Diegot, La Jolla (MCASD) practicing for the past three years within the UCSD community. Part of his community and social engagement Bazmandegan exhibited the final iteration of The practice involves turning academic administration spacesWishes Tree at the Museum of Contemporary Art in San into art galleries featuring the work of UC San Diego artistsDiego several months later, the same site where visitors to initiate a movement to foster more art in a predominantlyhad initially written their wishes onto ribbons, now STEM driven campus. He curated two group showshanging on the tree. The piece was later exhibited during following in this direction, one called Chroma, supportedthe CRASSH and CC2UCSD conferences held at UCSD, to by Dean Cristina Della Colletta, and the other called Mintshow the research efforts and engagement of visual arts , supported by Dean Kit Pogliano. He is also the founderstudents on campus. He continues to exhibit this piece and of Triton Art, a student driven arts organization for whichencourages people to continue adding their wishes onto he has organized over 50 workshops and social eventsthe tree. This piece would not have been possible without at UCSD’s arts community. In addition to this work, he hasthe support of Professor Lisa Cartwright, who shared her curated several shows at the Triton Art Gallery in support of undergraduate students and was also the Co-Director of the Undergraduate Art Show at the University Art Gallery in 2016. He received the Warren College Research Scholarship that allowed him to pursue an experimental documentary project about the San Diego Tijuana Border, where he explored the social engagement of people from both sides of the border. His current research has led him to question gender equality based off his experience as a Middle Eastern man practicing in the contemporary art environment. His final thesis solo show, Untitled II, at the UC San Diego Kamil Gallery, was a gesture to respond to this issue in the contemporary art environment. Detail of The Wishes Tree Installation of The Wishes Tree in the FHG37 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student research Farshid Bazmandegan Visual Arts Farshid Bazmandegan is an Iranian American visual artist working between experimental media and sculpture. His research and practice constructs philosophical metaphors to raise awareness of socio-political relations between people, their environment and the institutions that govern their daily lives. Bazmandegan has exhibited his work at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the University Art Gallery, the Adam D. Kamil Gallery, the ARTifact Gallery and the FHG. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts with honors from UC San Diego in June of 2017. He is currently employed by the Dean Office of the Division of Arts and Humanities at UC San Diego as an Artist and Promotions Specialist, where he supports departments, faculty, and students by promoting the highlights and achievements of the Division.What was the inspiration behind your art piece? How has your artwork evolved?I was born and raised in Iran. When I came to America After making the initial Wish Tree outside Mandeville, Ito study my passion, art, I wanted to incorporate some was invited to the Museum of Contemporary Art at La Jollaof the memories and cultures from my motherland. Iran for their 75th Anniversary. A couple hundred people of allis a country that is very different; it’s gone through a different backgrounds and ages came to this event. There Iradical revolution. This made me think about change and had a table with many ribbons, and I asked people to writethe concept of having the ability to effect change through down their wishes for a brighter future. The scene is stillprotest. fresh in my mind today, a little boy asked his mom what to write and she told him, “equality for women”. I’m veryHow did you start? Take us through the process. proud to see that my art gave people the opportunity to teach their kids about ways to participating in society andThis first piece was outside of the Mandeville center for effecting change peacefully. Two months later, the museumalmost a year. My idea was to engage with the public and asked me to come back and share the final piece.show how we can protest silently, peacefully, and playfully.Another one of my goals was to link art and protest in a Any last words?way the audience can accept and respect, in harmony withnature. I finally decided that hanging colorful ribbons on Although this piece wasn’t created in response to thea tree would be the best way. And so, I started to make a political change, I’ve found it to be a perfect match. Inwish tree. such a tense atmosphere, people want to find a way to protest, peacefully and silently. My point with this work wasWish trees actually have a long history; they can be found to remind everyone of how we protested years ago, in thein Asia, in the Middle East, and in small cities in Iran. I times of the Vietnam War, in order to introduce change, andalso thought about how this piece can represent diversity, that we have to continue to build that culture of protest.race, gender, and culture. I was hoping other people wouldeven come and add something to the art, to make it moreengaging.VOL 3 / 2017 38

student research Low Efficiency Upconversion Nanoparticles for High-Resolution Coalignment of Near-Infrared and Visible Light Paths on a Light Microscope Adrian Garcia Badaracco Sriramkumar Sundaramoorthy,† Adrian Garcia Badaracco,‡ Sophia M. Hirsch,§ Jun Hong Park,‡ Tim Davies,† Julien Dumont,¶ Mimi Shirasu-Hiza,§ Andrew C. Kummel,‡ and Julie C. Canman*, † †Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, United States ‡Section of Chemical and Materials Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States §Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, United States ¶Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, UMR 7592, University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-75205 Paris, FranceABSTRACT: One major technical barrier in working with both NIR and visible light on an optical microscope isobtaining their precise coalignment at the imaging plane position. Current techniques require complex setupsand software. Photon upconverting particles (UCPs) can bridge this gap as they are excited by NIR light but emitin the visible range. Here, two different UCPs have been identified, high-efficiency micro540-UCPs and lowerefficiency nano545-UCPs are compared, and it is found that the lower efficiency nano-UCPs were superior forprecise coalignment of the NIR beam with the visible light path consistent with limited particle-to-particleenergy transfer, superlinear power dependence for emission, and much smaller particle size.Materials and Method Material Characterization The set-up for one-step light path coalignment using Characterization of both types of UCPs is shown inUCPs is shown in Figure 1. Imaging was performed on a Figure 2. Micro540-UCPs were 2.1 ± 0.07 μm in diameterspinning disc confocal microscope, using a CCD camerafor imaging in the visible range and an IR sensitive camera and EDS analysis showed composition consistent with afor NIR light. rare-earth doped Gd2O2S crystal. Nano545-UCPs were on average 27.22 ± 0.81 nm with composition consistent with a rare-earth doped NaYF4 crystal (see Figure 2). Figure 1. Setup for one step, one camera nano-UCPs for NIR and VIS light path Figure 2. Material characterization of UCP. Size analysis via SEM (a) and EDS analysis of coalignment via UCP emissions (a) and schematic of upconversion process (b). micro540-UCPs. Size analysis via AFM (c) and elemental analysis of nano545-UCPs (d).39 THE EQUILIBRIUM

student researchModeling of Power Dep. and Broadening The effective particle size distribution in both cases takes into account the transfer of excitation between Power dependence studies were performed on both particles (see Figure 5); thus, for the purpose of fitting thetypes of UCPs. Fluorescence intensity at 525 ± 25 nm was emission profiles, the particle size distribution is broaderquantified following 1470 nm laser excitation and plotted than the physical particle size distribution.in a double-log plot (see Figure 3). Practical Application IR heating of yeast cells containing genes for heat shock element driven expression of Yellow FP is performed using either a traditional beam coalignment system or coalignment with nano538-UCPs. Then, relative intensity of emission in the visible yellow channel is used to measure coFi-guarleig5.nDmiagreamnto.f Aprasctticaatl icsomtipcaarislolyn osficgonaliigfnimceannt mt edthioffdes urseinng cIRe-LEbGeOtfowr YeFeP n coexaplriegssniomn (ae)nantd mIR-LeEtGhOoefdficsienwcyacsomfpoaurisnondbe(tpwe=en0co.0ali1g6nm1)e.nt methods (b)Figure 3. Log-log plots of emission intensity vs. laser power for nano538-UCPs Practical Applicationat low laser power (a), high laser power (b) and micro540-UCPs at low laserpower (c) and high laser power (d). IR heating of yeast cells containing genes for heat shock element driven expression of Yellow FP is performed using either a traditional beam coalignment system or coalignment with nano538-UCPs. Then, relative intensity of emission in the visible yellow channel is used to measure co-alignment. A statistically significant difference between coalignment methods was found (p = 0.0161). For micro540-UCPs, the observed decay in the power Conclusionsdependence from P0.88 to P0.85 can be attributed to a efficientsaturation of the intermediate energy states. In the case UCPs allow a one-step, one camera method to co-alignof nano538-UCPs, the power dependence is greater with a an NIR laser with the specimen plane on a light microscope.decay from from P2.17 to P1.92. Smaller, lower efficiency UCPs were shown to be superior to large more efficient particle based on a model representing To quantify beam profiles, the laser profile was scaled an effective optical particle size.by the power dependence and then convoluted with abroadening function whose characteristic width is defined Referencesas the “effective particle size” (EPS). Jaba et al. Infrared to Visible up-Conversion Study for Erbium- This analysis showed that the micro-UCP emission Doped Zinc Tellurite Glasses. J. Phys.: Condens. Matterwas best fitted using an EPS of 7.78 µm Nano545-UCPs on 2000, 12 (20), 4523.the other hand showed less beam broadening. These UCPswere best fit by an EPS of 2.33 µm (see Figure 4). Liu, G. Advances in the Theoretical Understanding of Photon Upconversion in Rare-Earth Activated Nanophosphors. Figure 4. Beam profiles from micro540-UCPs show a broad Lorentzian fit (a) while Chem. Soc. Rev. 2015, 44 (6), 1635−1652. beam profiles from nano545-UCPs show a tight Lorentzian fit (b). Prasad et al. Photopatterned Microstructures Using Lanthanide (Iii) Ion Co-Doped Nayf4 Nanoparticles with Upconversion Luminescence for Possible Applications in Security. Nanotechnology 2009, 20 (18), 185301. Pollnau et al. Power Dependence of Upconversion Luminescence in Lanthanide and Transition-Metal-Ion Systems. Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter Mater. Phys. 2000, 61 (5), 3337. Sarkar et al. Sub-5 Nm Ln(3)(+)-Doped Baluf(5) Nanocrystals: A Platform to Realize Upconversion Via Inter-particle Energy Transfer (Ipet). Adv. Mater. 2013, 25 (6), 856−60. Wang et al. Upconversion Nanoparticles in Biological Labeling, Imaging, and Therapy. Analyst 2010, 135 (8), 1839−1854. Achatz, D. E.; Ali, R Wolf beis, O. S. Luminescent Chemical Sensing, Biosensing, and Screening Using Upconverting Nanoparticles.Top. Curr. Chem. 2010, 300, 29−50.VOL 3 / 2017 40

student research Adrian Garcia Badaracco NanoEngineering Adrian Garcia Badaracco moved to the US from Argentina in 2012 and quickly developed an interest in engineering & research. He is currently a Senior in Warren college, and will be starting the MS portion of a BS/MS in Chemical Engineering the following school year. He has been working on materials science research under Dr. Kummel at UCSD for over 2 years, and has published in journals such as ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. Outside of the lab, Adrian is involved in the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, where he leads the education program, and is a member of Tau Beta Pi, foremost engineering honors society. He competes in ice/roller hockey on the school’s D2 teams, and plays soccer on the weekends. Adrian hopes to be able to reuinite with his home country and share some of the valuable knowledge he’s earned with his peers.What has been your greatest challenge in research? work, but also the value in helping others improve theirs, not only in terms of personal fulfillment but also for theI feel that my greatest challenge is remaining objective benefit and advancement of one’s own writing.and taking and remaining open to new points of view. It iseasy to get excited about results or a model and lose track How do you keep your life in balance?of inconsistencies or issues that could be fundamental tointerpreting the data. I like to exercise regularly and am an active member of several organization on campus. When time allows, I likeWhat advice would you give to your first-year self? to undertake small home projects and continually keep myself busy.Work hard and remember that things will not happenovernight. Is there anything you wish you could change or do differently from the time you entered college?What excites you about next school year? I think I am have gotten very lucky and a lot of the choicesI will be taking my last few CENG courses and I will have I made have panned out. I don’t really believe in dwellinga couple completely elective (i.e. just for units) courses to over past choices: hindsight is always 20-20. If there’s onetake, which should be fun and a good change of pace. thing I would have liked to tell myself, it’s that we had a hockey team (I did not find out until my second year).If you were a PI, what research would your lab focuson? And why? What’s the coolest research project project you’ve seen/ heard of, and where did you see it?If funding were no problem, I would focus on productionof animal products via large scale bioreactors. This is an I am always excited to hear about Kristine Khieu’s (BENG)attractive ideas because it aligns with my family’s ideals research in the Hargens lab. As a kid, I wanted to be anand I believe it has the potential to be disruptive to the astronaut, so it’s super cool to hear about all physiologicalwhole food supply industry. adaptations that the human body undergoes when exposed to conditions in space.What do you remember from Warren Writing?I remember having to learn not just how to improve my own41 THE EQUILIBRIUM

professor spotlights Emily Roxworthy Warren College Provost Department of Theatre and Dance Provost Emily Roxworthy is the sixth and current Provost of Earl Warren College. Since her appointment to the Department of Theatre and Dance in 2004, she has been an active member in several college, campus-wide, and system-wide committees. She is also an affiliate faculty member of the Department of Gender Studies and in the Critical Gender Studies program. As part of her research accomplishments, Provost Roxworthy is author of award-winning book, The Spectacle of Japanese American Trauma: Racial Performativity and World War II, and was awarded two Start-Up Awards for her 3D role-playing game DRAMA IN THE DELTA. Provost Roxworthy is also artistic director of Workplace Interactive Theatre (WIT), a company that performs customized theatre programs for organizations seeking institutional change. In 2015, she served as Acting Provost for Thurgood Marshall College and was recognized as a recipient of the 2015 Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action and Diversity Award.“Your peers and professors will almost always respect you for going beyond the conventional wisdom in order to accomplish something new.”Can you tell us about your early education? amazing. She really inspired me to become a professor and pick up an English Literature major. At the time, IAs far as I know, I was the first person in my family to was hesitant to become a professor, because I would havebe involved with theatre. Once I started theatre in middle to obtain a Ph.D. In my senior year, I went to the careerschool, I never stopped. I continued it during high school, service center to explore my other career options. “Well,where I performed in shows and competitive speech team. I have a double major in Performance Studies and EnglishI then went to Northwestern University in Illinois because Literature. I don’t want to be an actor professionally, soit had a very strong theatre program and I was keen to what else is there?” They told me: “Marketing! People likeexpand my knowledge and passion for theatre. you go into marketing.”At Northwestern, I started off as a Performance Studies For a brief period afterwards, I worked as a media plannermajor, rather than just a Theatre major. Performance in San Francisco at an advertising agency called Goldbergstudies is not just about plays and entertainment; it’s also Moser O’Neill. After confirming that I was absolutelyabout the “performance of everyday life.” It highlights miserable in the corporate world, I went back into thethe performative aspects of everyday issues that people nonprofit world and spent a few years doing marketing forencounter, such as the current political environment, and a theatre company. I finally decided to go back to graduategoes beyond the stage in its analysis. I was an untraditional school and obtain my Ph.D. in theatre.actor, because I wanted to go beyond the stage. I ended upadapting and directing pieces for the stage. Although I started graduate school at Cornell University, I completed my degree at Northwestern University. I appliedDid you always want to become a professor? and received my position in the UCSD Theatre and Dance department fresh out of graduate school, and I’ve beenDuring my junior year at Northwestern, I took a class in here ever since.medieval literature. It was a subject I had no interest ininitially, however, the professor for the class was simplyVOL 3 / 2017 42

professor spotlightsHow did you choose your area of specialization? get professors in the room to watch a representation of their own discipline and have the opportunity to talk toMy research focuses on the intersection of theatre history the characters about the politics of their profession. Theand performance studies. I am particularly interested in touring performance was a intended as a tool to openAsian and Asian American theater. conversation about diversity and inclusion throughout the UC system.When I started my doctoral studies, I picked CornellUniversity since I wanted to study Japanese theatre and How do you feel the classroom learning experiencemy chosen advisor was a renowned expert in that area. can be improved?Unfortunately, her husband passed away in the same year,and so she was away. Until then, I had been focusing on the I really believe that student interaction and competitive“Asian” experience, not the “Asian American” experience. engagement is key. There’s a book titled Minds on Fire that is about using role play games in classrooms. Role-playingMy research trajectory changed dramatically when I took is an effective tool, partly because of the competitivea class on Asian American literature. Despite having grown element. In almost all my undergraduate classes, I try toup in the midst of a large Jewish community in the Detroit incorporate performance as a competitive element.area, where the Holocaust experience was often discussed,I had never before heard about the Japanese American Before I became Provost, I regularly taught the ancientconcentration camps from World War II. In this class, I and medieval theatre class in the Theatre and Dancediscovered how stereotypes about East Asians affected the department. You can imagine that students initiallyway Americans perceived the war; partly because of their have no interest in this topic, exactly how I felt as anfamous theatrical traditions, the Japanese were depicted undergraduate. In my class, groups compete by performingas a theatrical race in how they waged war and, thus, two scenes from the same play and during Finals week, thedisingenuous and untrustworthy. class collectively votes on the top three.This topic became the basis of my dissertation. I ultimately This competition makes the class more intense andrelocated from Cornell to Northwestern in order to work interactive. I believe that we need to inject even morewith my new advisor, Dwight Conquergood. My research interaction and friendly competition into academia infocused on the Japanese internment from World War II and order to keep students engaged.how performance was utilized as a means for survival andresistance. The US government also utilized performance Do you have any advice for Warren Writing students?to sway public opinion. The media and the FBI togetherperpetuated a convincing stereotype of the Japanese Students should pinpoint the kind of writing that they love,people as inherently theatrical and thus dangerous, in emulate that author, and then gradually develop their ownorder to justify the Japanese American internment. writing style. Writing is such a crucial skill; if you want to propose a change in your workplace, you need to writeI received two grants from the National Endowment for effectively, or make a speech (but you’ll need to write itthe Humanities and directed a team to produce a video first). The key to doing well in writing classes is to have agame about this historical experience. It was based on growth mentality. Remember that writing can always betwo real internment camps in the Arkansas Delta, Jerome improved, and the process never really stops. I still cringeand Rohwer, and titled “Drama in the Delta”. In this 3D when I look back on articles that I wrote only a few yearsroleplaying game, people would be able to play an African ago!American, White, or Japanese American character andexperience how you navigate the space differently and What are some of the changes that are coming to theare treated differently as a result. The idea was to use Warren Writing program?video games as a tool to visualize the intersection of theanti-Japanese internment policy with the anti-Black Jim I’ve heard some feedback that Warren Writing can beCrow laws in the South. I led this digital humanities project strengthened with a more equitable grading scale and morethrough the prototype stage. relevant readings, and we are incorporating that feedback as we move forward with the program. I want to bringAre you still involved in theatre productions at UCSD? outside research into Warren Writing so that students are able to relate the topic to their own discipline. However,My research for the past few years has focused on plays and right now the topics are general such that people from allfilms that represent academia. To put it simply, plays about disciplines can easily relate (our current Warren Writingprofessors. For instance, I wrote a play, based on interviews 10A topic of “Happiness,” for example).with real UC faculty, that documented the experience ofwomen and people of color in the UC academic ranks. I have also implemented changes to improve the overallIt was commissioned by the UC Office of the President experience. For example, classes were conducted inand performed on all 10 UC campuses. The idea is to conference rooms in the administration building, but Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) research43 THE EQUILIBRIUM

professor spotlightsindicates that the most effective learning environment is Dean Khalfani and I came up with the idea of hosting a red-a flexible space, with large windows to the outside and carpet, Hollywood-style awards show to reward students,movable furniture. A flexible space empowers students faculty, and staff who embody these principles. UCSD’sto have a more interactive experience and allows the Principles of Community are purely aspirational. They’reinstructor to tailor the spatial arrangement to the task at not an enforceable policy. No student can be punished forhand. Therefore, we’ve recently renovated the Equality not following these principles. So why should studentsRoom at SAC to build a state-of-the-art “learning studio.” make the extra effort to follow them?Starting in Spring 2017, we startedteaching Warren Writingin this learning studio. The pomp of the BEARLS’ ceremony is meant to recognize student contributions, but more importantly it’s meantWhat does your daily life look like as Provost? to catalyze change by inspiring them. I want incoming students to say, “Wow, the trophy is beautiful - it’s ourAs Provost, I advocate for Warren College to receive Bear! I want to receive one of these trophies before Ifunding and opportunities campus-wide, and I oversee graduate! I’m going to find out what these principles areall the different departments at Warren: student affairs, and I’m going to put them into practice.”academic advising, residential life, and Warren Writing. Itry to optimize all of those areas, help them communicate Another reason for the creation of the BEARLS is to fosterwith each other, and listen to feedback from students from a sense of community. Even before my appointment asthe Provost’s Student Advisory Council (PSAC). Provost began, I received input that students wanted more distinctly-Warren traditions. So this could be our ownRecently, I was also tasked with hiring a new Director and version of Revelle’s watermelon drop!Assistant Director of the Warren Writing program. Forthese roles, I was looking for someone who will connect What do you want to say to Warren undergraduates?Warren Writing to the mission of the College, which isabout the legacy of Earl Warren, social justice, and balance. The motto of Warren College is “Toward a Life in Balance,”For the two required courses in Ethics and Society, I work but what does that mean? This year during orientation, Iwith the departments of Philosophy and Political Science spoke about the backgrounds of visionaries, role models,to make the curriculum exciting and useful to students. and industry leaders such as Steve Jobs or Indra Nooyi; it may come as a surprise that these revolutionaries haveOne of my important duties is to be the fiscal leader for very balanced backgrounds. When I was an undergraduatethe College, so I’m in charge of how money is spent. For there wasn’t such a singular focus on academics. Despiteinstance, the “learning studio” I mentioned earlier and the heavy focus on academics today, if you want to beprograms like the new Academe Awards for Principles of successful, empirical evidence indicates that students needCommunity (or “BEARLS”). I was involved in creating these to be academically, socially, and extracurricularly balanced.programs and responsible for their respective budgets. Myexperience with the videogame project has taught me that Students should realize that their professors usually don’tthere’s always money out there if you have an innovative have time to talk about their daily life in class. If they did,idea. I’ve applied this research model to Warren operations. their students would likely hear about the amount of writing that goes into grant applications or the value ofI’m also the faculty leader of the College. There are around good communication skills for presentations. One of my150 active Senate faculty assigned to Warren and I believe future goals, is to engage more professionals to speak tothat these professors should be available to Warren Warren students about the importance of balance.students, but it’s my job to nurture and develop theserelationships through programs and events. Do you have a favorite quote or idiom?A great deal of my time is spent in meetings. I attend I don’t have a specific quote in mind, but I strongly believemeetings regularly with the other five Provosts and that there’s nothing wrong with failure. For instance, weother academic leadership. In these meetings, we discuss could have spent two years planning the BEARLS perfectly,opportunities for growth and how to connect Warren but I believe that the trial run, the pilot, the prototype,College to the larger UCSD campus. afford a valuable experience. There’s some risk involved, but students should take risks during their undergraduateHow did you come up with the BEARLS? years. People who are not afraid of failing can accomplish a great deal. Sometimes, I’ll admit, it’s a total disaster!Last year, the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office However, your peers and professors will almost alwayslaunched a campus climate improvement grant respect you for going beyond the conventional wisdom incompetition. This initiative aims to build a more welcoming, order to accomplish something new.more equitable atmosphere by urging students to reallyunderstand the Principles of Community, to embody them,and to recognize them in the daily lives of others.VOL 3 / 2017 44

professor spotlights Frank Wuerthwein Professor Department of Physics Professor Frank Wuerthwein obtained his PhD in physics at Cornell University in 1995. He became a professor at UCSD in 2003 and joined the San Diego Supercomputer Center in 2015. His main research is done with a large team and with the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland, where he frequently travels to. He has done research on the God Particle and is now focused on dark matter discovery. He is particularly interested in proton collisions that have an unbalanced net momentum. In the process of doing his research, his teams have developed distributed computing methods that produce massive amounts of data that is measured in Petrabytes. He and his team expect this amount of data to grow to Exabytes by 2020! He ventured into the field of particle physics because of his interest in a thourougly mathematical and theoretical discipline.“When you have made your discoveries that rewrite the books, what they really do is they add to the current knowledge. It’s not that what you knew is wrong now.”Can you tell us about your background? computing, a field that’s very close to computer science and computer engineering. On the other side, I performI was born and raised near Heidelbach, Germany. However, data analysis of particle physics data, which encompassesI don’t have an actual degree from Germany since I never those weird, esoteric things like dark matter. Where’s thefinished my bachelor’s degree. By the time I was in my intersectfion? The amount of data that we take with ourearly to mid-twenties, I’d never left that town. I suddenly particle physics experiments is so massive, that there ispanicked. I didn’t want to die there without seeing the a lot of computing involved. So, I basically started outworld, so I applied for a one-year fellowship in the US, fully with experimental particle physics then developed apaid. That brought me to Cornell for graduate school, and second research focus in distributed computing researchI never left. So, my first degree was a Ph.D. from Cornell because I needed tools for the former. Today, I spend at-- well, technically my first degree was a master’s. least as much time in distributed computing research as on particle physics research. In fact, I employ most of theWhat led you to your current research? undergrads I work with for engineering topics rather than physics topics.I got into elementary particle physics by an accident of sorts.I thought it was really interesting that this field of science Can you tell us more about distributed computing?uses these extraordinary, intricate, technical detectionsystems to do something that is thoroughly esoteric. The experiment that we run in Geneva, Switzerland is aWhat do I mean? The science was very mathematical and collaboration of about 3,000 physicists from 180 institutionstheoretical, but the instrument to study the field was really across 40 countries. It’s really Big Science, with a capitala tour de force of engineering. I thought the combination B and a capital S. That experiment produces 50 petabyteswas very intriguing. of data annually. To give a real world approximation, if we say that the average computer has around 120 gigabytesHave you explored any other fields? of disk space, that experiment would fill roughly 500,000 computers per year!I have. In fact, you could describe my research interests asa sort of split personality. My two research groups seem tohave no obvious connections. On one side, I do distributed45 THE EQUILIBRIUM

professor spotlightsGiven that so much data is obtained, and nobody likes stuff that was interesting 20, 30, 40 years ago. And thatsending checks to Geneva, the US and several other ends up being only one in every 1000 Hz out of the 40 MHz.countries have deployed computing at home. We’ve So basically only a tiny fraction of the total data gets kept,developed mechanisms to distribute data and computing and that gets read to tape, and then that gets analyzedover the Internet so that people can exploit computing afterwards. My 50 terabytes is only a tiny fraction of theresources no matter where they are located. This is what total data volume actually being produced.I do in distributed computing. So what kind of collisions are you interested in?Distributed computing started out as a project to help carryout my research in particle physics, but it’s become a tool I am particularly interested in dark matter. We know thatthat can be utilized in all scientific fields. I have customers about 85% of all matter in the universe is visible only by it’sfrom all disciplines: life sciences, social sciences, chemistry, gravity. It doesn’t shine and you don’t see light, so the onlyphysics, biology... literally from anywhere, and part of my reason we know that that matter exists is evidence from itsfunding is to support other scientists. gravitational impact. Everything you see in the sky is only a tiny fraction of the total amount of stuff that’s out there.What kinds of problems are you aiming to solve with My hope is that in these violent collisions that we aredistributed computing research? producing in the laboratory, we will be able to produce, detect, and then reproducibly study dark matter, ratherA lot of time, it has to do with scaling up. When I started 15 than just relying on measurements from the sky. How willyears ago, it was considered state-of-the-art to maybe be we see dark matter in our detector? Well, when two protonsable to run 10,000 jobs in parallel. Today, we routinely run collide, all hell breaks loose, and so the debris from these200,000 jobs, and so we have to figure out how to to scale collisions fly all over the place, but in the long, the Bmax,up by a factor of 20. How do you develop new algorithms the transverse plane, the collision is completely symmetric.that more efficiently distribute data and accomplish more And so, if something is produced and escapes undetected,science with less computing dollars? Those are the kind of that’s a potential dark matter particle. I look for collisionsquestions that are most often the issue. that have a imbalanced net momentum; I have to measure all the things that happen during and after the collision,What kind of research do you do on dark matter? then verify that momentum is missing on one side. Then, I have to convince myself that the detector is not broken.The experiment that I referred to earlier in Geneva is one Because then it’s not an artifact of the measurement. Andof the two major experiments at the Large Hadron Collider then I have to convince myself that this is not something(LHC). The LHC is an underground, circular collider that is that we already know in nature. Because we have one type27km long. There’s a picture outside my office. I typically of particle that also escapes the detector undetected, andshow an aero photo where you can see the Geneva Lake, those are neutrinos. They’re neutral, very very light, andMonte Blanc, and the LHC fitting snugly between the also carry a significant amount of momentum. And lots ofGeneva airport and the Jura Mountains. The circle that it processes produce neutrinos.fills out is about all that fits between those two landmarks. My students try to find new and interesting techniques toHere’s how you can think about the research done with the find these “needles in haystacks.” They classify collisionsLHC. Imagine lots and lots of protons focused into a 20cm that have a missing transfer of momentum accordinglong, hair-thin spindle and they’re rotationally symmetric to the origin with the hope of finding an excess that isaround that axis. Then you have a spindle of a bunch of unexplained by any known physics. If we find something,protons that whiz at close to the speed of light around these we would go to town measuring its characteristics. We27km. So every 25x10-9 seconds, or 25 nanoseconds, two would ask, for example, if you classify the types of eventsbunches come from opposite directions and fly through that are not explained by standard phenomenon and thateach other at the center of our detector. These bunches have transferred missing momentums, what else is in theseare so collimated and dense that a bunch crossing would collisions? Does it come with electrons, neutrons, othertypically have in the neighborhood of 20 or 30 protons particles that we know of? At what rate does this matterhitting each other. So, we have a couple thousand proton get produced? What are the key mechanisms? And if weproton collisions every 25 nanoseconds, which we observe study this in detail in the laboratory, we would understandwith a detector that is about 5 stories high and has 100 what dark matter is? Given that we know that it exists, it’smillion electronic channels. Think of it as a 100 megapixel worthwhile trying to create it. And that’s what I do.camera that takes 40 million pictures a second. Since it was a major discovery for particle physics, do We record only a thousand of those collisions per you have any connection to the god particle?second. So, we have a real time system that throws awayalmost everything that is happening, and the idea is that The god particle is actually part of the research we do. Wewe then select out whatever is at current edge of physics, worked on 3 of the most prominent decay mechanismswhereas most of what is happening in these collisions isVOL 3 / 2017 46

professor spotlightsof the god particle. UCSD played a major role in the additional space dimensions. We like to describe spacediscovery. In our research now, we use the god particle as in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system,one of the signatures to look for in addition to the missing but there are hypotheses that nature has additionaltransfer of momentum. We figured that its signature may dimensions of space that we don’t see. Now, imagine ourhave something to do with the X particle. 3D space as a sheet that you can fold into a C. Then imagine that you have a way to tunnel from the top of the sheetWhat kind of applications might come out of to the bottom. If we can imagine that, then space traveldiscovering and being able to create dark matter? is not as crazy as it sounds. There was a movie about it recently: Interstellar. It had these scenes where MatthewThat’s a tough one because this is largely fundamental McConaughey travels through one of these tunnels ofscience where the objective is first and foremost to sorts. Kip Thorne, a Caltech professor, was the scientificunderstand the nature of the universe. The driving force advisor to Interstellar, and he works on this kind of stuffis less about asking how can I sell this, or how can I make for a living. So, the science in Interstellar, as far as it goes,gadgets out of this? Instead, it’s about asking what on earth is actually not completely crazy. There is, of course a lot ofsomething is! How can it be that we live in this universe and creative license in Interstellar.85% of all the matter that it’s made of is unknown? That’sintolerable for us. I mean the idea that the place we live in Are there any misconceptions about what you do?is actually not understood at the 85 percentile is sort of ashocking realization and it’s more driven by fundamental There is strange dichotomy between the two mostcuriosity and thirst for knowledge. common misconceptions about my job. It’s a common misconception that professors will know everything. YetNow, having said that, we sometimes find tools and sometimes people think that just because we don’t knowtechnologies that come about as a byproduct of research. everything, we know nothing. That’s a misconception.Distributed computing, for example. The fact that we had We know an awful lot. Take our own discussion aboutto create a computing system to handle our data means evolution or climate change. We have enormous certaintythat now everybody else can benefit from it. I find it likely that the world is warming, and that there is a real climatethat all the tools we created to gain knowledge on the change. And we have enormous certainty that evolutionparticle physics will become commercially useful, but I has happened. We have measured it in the lab and wefind it unlikely that particle physics itself will. Occasionally, can reproduce it. Nevertheless, the details could change.we make discoveries that start out for no other reason The fact that details of our understanding could very wellthan the desire to learn and they become commercially change, doesn’t mean we don’t know. Among the generalinteresting. For example, the GPS on your smartphones public, there is a common misconception that thingsis impossible to do precisely without Einstein’s general we know now will be proven wrong. That happens very,relativity. And Einstein’s general relativity, when he came very rarely. So when you have made your discoveries thatup with it, was thought to be completely useless. And voila, rewrite the books, what they really do is they add to thenow today it’s unthinkable to be without a GPS! current knowledge. It’s not that what you knew is wrong now. It’s just that you’ve added knowledge and it makes youWhat was one of your most rewarding experiences? re-evaluate new and old concepts.So anything from school, teaching, or research. Do you have any advice for undergraduates?There are lots of things. More than anything else, I lovesolving scientific puzzles. Often, it takes an awful lot of My favorite piece of advice to give to students is totime and effort to figure something out. The moment that figure out a schedule while you’re here that allows youyou know you’ve figured it out is an extraordinary rush -- I to participate in research. Pick whatever strikes yourderive an enormous amount of satisfaction from that. So fancy, because the thing that makes your tuition moneyI might even go as far as saying that the primary reason worthwhile is being able to be a part of the research here.that I’m an academic, that I’m a professor, is the rush that It’s better to think about it sooner, because you may haveI get from figuring things out. Does that makes sense? It’s to make an investment into building skills that will getthe Eureka moment that motivates me. If it was easy it you interesting work to do. Ask yourself: what might be ofwouldn’t be worth doing because the pain and agony and interest to me? What skills do I have already that will allowsuffering of not knowing the answer and hitting your head me to do something useful and sell myself as a researchagainst the wall and struggling... that’s really what makes assistant in that area? Then, figure out who do this andthe event of having to figure something out so valuable approach them. Don’t be discouraged when somebodyand so enjoyable. If everything came easy there would be says, “No.” No is the default answer, but I firmly believeno fun in it. that there are plenty of research opportunities and it often just takes a lot of asking around. Ask around early in orderWhat might your science fiction book be about? to get a sense of what it is that you’re missing. In order to make yourself marketable, think about what kind of skill setThis one’s easy to answer. One of the things that we are this person would want from you. Then figure a plan out.actually looking for in our experiments is evidence for47 THE EQUILIBRIUM

professor spotlights Julian Schroeder Distinguished Professor Department of Biology Professor Julian Schroeder is Novartis Chair and Distinguished Professor in the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of California San Diego and Co-Director of the Center for Food and Fuel for the 21st Century at UCSD. Professor Schroeder pioneered the plant ion channel characterizations, plant genes that encode their proteins, and their roles in stress tolerance. His present research has identified mechanisms and genes that allow plants to withstand drought and salinity stress, and looks into the influence of CO2 on plant responses. His work has been honored with many awards, including the Presidential Young Investigator Award from National Science Foundadtion and the Charles Albert Shull Award from the American Society of Plant Biologists, and he is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences.“I found myself drawn to UC San Diego and its special openness, pioneering, and cross-campus interactive/ collaborative atmosphere.”Are you originally from the San Diego area? biology. I returned to Germany to complete my PhD in Physics/Biophysics, then went to UCLA for postdoctoralAlthough I’ve lived here for a long time, I grew up in New research. Afterwards, I found myself drawn to UC SanJersey, outside of New York City. I was able to experience Diego and its special openness, pioneering, and cross-the dichotomy of the city nearby and the surrounding campus interactive/collaborative atmosphere.country. My parents loved New York City and they tookme through the city frequently. Even back then, we would How was the research environment different betweensee a lot of interesting things happening on the streets. the US and parts of Europe?There were always diverse things happening – street mu-sic and artists, protests and any of the colorful things you During my exchange time in France, I felt that the studiescould imagine in the 60s. When we weren’t visiting the were too organized; the students were less encouragedcity, on weekends my family and I would go hiking in the to be innovative in their activities or choices of classes.country or camping or down to the Jersey shore. What I liked most about Germany was the freedom to be creative in your studies and experience a diversity ofCan you tell us about your early education? classes. There were no GE requirements, but I even took Russian and Swedish classes. I completed my Master’sAfter New Jersey, my family moved to Germany. So when I degree and PhD at Max Planck Institute for Biophysicalstarted applying to college, I faced a difficult decision: US Chemistry in Germany. There, I met people from all overor Germany? After working as a computer programmer the world. The lab was very active and stimulating at everyin the U.S. for a year after high school, I finally decided time of the day. During these times, it never felt like work.to apply to the University of Gottingen in Germany. I I was constantly interacting with people, participating inwas very independent-minded and I liked how German research, and consulting with others about my data latecolleges don’t charge tuition. I ended up studying there in into the night. It was a dynamic atmosphere, and differentmy undergrad, and also studied in France as an exchange from the university system, which was more hierarchicalstudent. Both universities I attended were exceptional in in Germany than in the US. Recently, I think the researchstudying physics, but I was also exposed to a lot of excitingVOL 3 / 2017 48

Research Programsenterprise over there has evolved and universities have allows me to interact with a large, diverse community oftried to emulate our system. collaborators, both here and around the world.How did you get involved in the research field? What types of classes do you teach at UC San Diego?As an undergraduate student, I started becoming interested I teach BILD 2, an introductory biology class that focusesin biophysics and the biological questions that were being mainly on animal physiology and some plant physiology.addressed with it; I started volunteering in labs that did While teaching, I try to include how the basic conceptsdifferent types of biophysical research. I found that I that are taught can have real-world implications, in theenjoyed science, so I decided to do my Master’s degree fields of medicine, agriculture, the environment, etc.in this area. I also realized that the biological questionsand systems were much more complex, and that applying I encourage students to think about the unsolved problemssimple physics principles, though relevant, might not get linked to the subject matter. In the future, my studentsyou to the heart of the question as quickly. The path of how could confront and maybe even solve some of theseyou get from A to B in science is often better or just as good pressing issues. I also organize and teach in a graduate classas actually getting there. I was hooked. on plant systems biology and genomics and lab classes. On occasion, I try and give undergraduate students theWhat does your lab at UCSD currently research? opportunity to do research internships in my lab. I work out research plans with members in my lab that enableIn my laboratory, we research how plants respond to students to learn techniques, allows them to discuss theirabiotic, or environmental, stress. Specifically, we study research and questions, but also gives them an opportunitywater-linked stresses in plants. We’ve worked out some of to do experiments on their own, which I think is the waythe mechanisms and networks that are turned on in plants most people experience what science is.in response to drought. Afterwards, we can suggest howplants could be engineered to be more drought-tolerant. What mindset should undergraduates have when conducting research?Water and drought are also connected to salinity stress.Suppose you irrigate your crops on a daily or weekly basis. In research, challenges are a part of the learning process.Since many irrigation waters contain small amounts of Typically, we start a project with a topic or a question thatsalt, overtime salt levels build up in the soil as the water we find interesting. My advice to students interested inevaporates. Globally, salt buildup in agricultural irrigated a scientific career is to think often and critically aboutsoils has a very negative impact on crop yield. In my lab, the question you are addressing. Does it interest you, iswe’ve identified a unique mechanism by which plants it relevant, can it get to the heart of a bigger question,protect themselves from salt stress. Now, plant breeders is this the best way to address the question and so on.use natural variants with this mechanism to breed more Perseverance when experiments aren’t working is a goodsalt-tolerant crops. trait to have as a scientist. Every day we face challenges and obstacles, but that is what makes research excitingWe also study the effect of rising atmospheric carbon and worthwhile.dioxide on plants. Currently, carbon dioxide levels areapproximately 45% higher than they were a few years How do you spend your free time?ago in the pre-industrial revolution - and these levels arerising rapidly. It has been long established in the scientific My hobbies include a wide range of outdoor activities.community that the plant stomata, small breathing pores I like bicycling, ocean kayaking and hiking. I also enjoyconsisting of specialized guard cells, is sensitive to the playing the harmonica in my free time. I play or stand incarbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. When with a variety of different bands in some blues, R&B, Rock,levels rise, the stomata close their pores or narrow their Zydeco, and even some jazz and country.stomatal pore apertures. While investigating the exactmolecular mechanisms by which this narrowing occurs, Is there any career advice you can impart to Warrenwe’ve identified a number of steps and genes in the carbon undergraduates?dioxide signal transduction pathway. When I was younger, I did not have a clear career path inWhat do you enjoy most about your role as a professor mind. I would advise students to explore, and if you findand a researcher? something you enjoy, check it out some more. If you are enjoying it, you are doing just fine. I think that UC San DiegoI view teaching as a privilege, and I try to remind myself of is really admirable, because students can take a variety ofthis idea regularly. As a researcher, I like the idea of working classes and have a full range of experiences, including inon the unknown and building new hypotheses or drawing extracurricular activities. There are many great clubs onconclusions from new findings. I also enjoy the interactions campus. That’s certainly what I would recommend - followI have with my colleagues, particularly mentoring students your passion, even it requires some day-to-day challenges.and post-docs. Another great benefit of my job is that it49 THE EQUILIBRIUM