The 2015-2016 Undergraduate Research Partnership Initiative (URPI) study explored students’ use of social media to engage in discussion of racial/ethnic diversity and campus climate. The purpose of the study was to better understand how students utilize social media to talk about issues of racial/ethnic diversity and campus climate to inform how UCLA might capitalize on social media use to promote a safe, welcoming and empowering campus environment. Eighteen interviews and an in-depth content analysis of student Facebook pages were used to explore the following questions: 1) How do students describe their posting behaviors and engagement with issues of racial diversity and campus climate on social media? 2) How frequently do students use social media to discuss issues of racial diversity and campus climate in either positive or negative ways? and 3) What does participant posting behavior and engagement with issues of racial diversity and campus climate on social media say about the utility of social media in promoting a positive campus climate?

The goldspotted oak borer, Agrilus auroguttatus Schaeffer, (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is an invasive wood-boring beetle that aggressively attacks native oak trees in southern California, U.S.A. Native to Arizona, this beetle was initially detected in the Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County, California in 2004, but was likely introduced accidentally several years earlier through movement of infested oak firewood. Prior to its introduction and subsequent invasiveness in southern California, A. auroguttatus was rarely collected and very little information was known about this insect. The continuing ecological and economical damage caused by A. auroguttatus in southern California has made the development of a classical biological control program for this invasive pest a high priority. However, the implementation of an effective classical biological control program for any invasive species requires the knowledge of several critical components such as the pest's biology, area of origin, natural enemies (in the home and introduced range), and life history traits. Consequently, in order to acquire the basic information needed to initiate a classical biological control program for A. auroguttatus in California, this dissertation research had the following four objectives: 1) determine the fecundity and longevity of A. auroguttatus under varying diet and mating treatments, 2) assess the dispersal capabilities of A. auroguttatus adults in the laboratory using computerized flight mills, 3) use molecular methods to identify the area of origin for the California population of A. auroguttatus, and 4) survey for natural enemies of this beetle by deploying A. auroguttatus egg masses into the native and introduced range. Findings of this work showed that a carbohydrate-enriched diet increased longevity and fecundity, and the nutritional status and body size of A. auroguttatus adults had a significant influence on overall flight performance. The area of origin was not determined conclusively, although data suggests the Dragoon Mountains in Cochise Co., Arizona as a possible source for the California population of A. auroguttatus. Additionally, the first known egg parasitoid of A. auroguttatus was collected in AZ, and identified as Trichogramma sp. using molecular techniques. The results of this dissertation research will further the management of A. auroguttatus in southern California.

In this work, we propose a computationally feasible approach todetect severe multiple contingencies. We pose a contingency analysis problem using a nonlinear optimization framework, which enables usto detect the fewest possible transmission line outages resulting ina system failure of specified severity, and the most severe system failure caused by removing a specified number of transmission lines from service. Illustrations using a three bus system and the IEEE ~;30 bus system aim to exhibit the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

In this paper we propose a two-stage screening and analysis process for identifying multiple contingencies that may result in very severe disturbances and blackouts. In a screening stage we form an optimization problem to find the minimum change in the network to move the power flow feasibility boundary to the present operating point and that will cause the system to separate with a user-specified power imbalance. The lines identified by the optimization program are used in a subsequent analysis stage to find combinations that may lead to a blackout. This approach is applied to a 30-bus system with encouraging results.