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Coming Ashore: A Critical Kin-Connected Positioning to Land and Learning
(2026) Spotted Elk, Tleena Ree; Montgomery, Michelle; Hardison-Stevens, Dawn; French, Kristen
Indigenous knowledge systems, rooted in land and relationality, carry truths that nurture and sustain community identity, well-being, and sovereign futures. While Western educational structures have continuously attempted to erase and silence our histories, Indigenous families have consistently generated honorable spaces of reclamation and belonging. This ethnographic study asserts the power of self-determination and sovereignty in education. The purpose of this research is to examine how a Critical Kin-Connected positioning of land and learning serves as a strengths-based framework for developing identity, well-being, and belonging for Indigenous youth. Utilizing an Indigenous-centered qualitative methodology, this study integrates a Critical Family Land-based Education History through archival research, genealogy, and family story circles. Analyzed through a critical kin-connected lens, the archival records demonstrate a powerful legacy of self-determination and sovereignty. The archival findings and family stories offer a unique perspective on how our ancestors strategically navigated institutional educational systems, namely the boarding schools. The balance of a formal education as a necessity with intentional preparation for life as a S’Klallam requires knowing, practicing, and passing down our Indigenous knowledge, stories, and culture. The study shows how a Critical Land-based Education Family History (CLEFH) examines our relationship to land and learning, and who we determine or choose as our family and kin. It shows how educators can utilize this or similar family history projects to better understand themselves in relation to others, creating spaces where students are seen and feel they belong. The study can be used beyond education for those interested in social justice who want to critically examine how their family’s attitudes, beliefs, and perspectives shape their relationship to learning, which is relational.
Adaptive management possibilities: A paired analysis of drivers and actions for the Forest Practices Adaptive Management Program
(2026-07-03) Sneegas, Gretchen; Quinn, Timothy; Wilhere, George; McInturff, Alex
The Relational Origins of Rules in Online Communities
(2026-07-01) Kiene, Charles; Hwang, Sohyeon; TeBlunthuis, Nathan; Colglazier, Carl; Shaw, Aaron; Mako Hill, Banjamin
Where do rules come from in online communities? This study investigates how and why online communities adopt and change their rules. We conducted a grounded theory-based analysis of 40 in-depth interviews with community leaders from subreddits, Fandom wikis, and Fediverse servers, and identified seven processes involved in the adoption of online community rules. Our findings reveal that, beyond operational reasons like regulating behavior and solving problems, rules are also adopted and changed for relational reasons, such as signaling or reinforcing community legitimacy and identity to other communities. While rule change was often prompted by challenges during community growth or decline, change also depended on volunteer leaders' work capacity, the presence of member feedback mechanisms, and relational dynamics between leaders and members. Our findings extend prior theories from social computing and organizational research, illustrating how institutionalist and ecological explanations of the relational origins of rules complement operational accounts. Finally, we build on these explanations to offer a set of design propositions that reflect the relational aspects of rules and rulemaking across communities' lifecycles.
Rib Framework Simulation for Microtia Reconstruction
(2026-06-30) Modi, Rishi N.; Lu, G. Nina; Bhrany, Amit D.; Bly, Randall A.; Sie, Kathleen C.Y.; Zhou, MD, Sheng
Objective: Costochondral framework creation for microtia reconstruction is difficult to master, given the rarity of cases and scarcity of realistic, affordable simulation. These barriers are amplified in low-resource settings. We evaluated a simulated rib model for auricular framework creation as a training tool in multi-national, multi-specialty cohorts. Methods: Fifty-nine resident physicians from the University of Washington Departments of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery (UW-O, n=20), University of Washington Department of Plastic Surgery (UW-P, n=17), and University of Health Sciences Cambodia Department of Plastic Surgery (UHS-P, n=22) completed the simulation. Participants rated pre- and post-simulation confidence and skill, model realism and ease of use. Statistical analyses were done to identify intra- and inter-cohort differences. Results: All three cohorts improved significantly in self-reported confidence and skill (all p<.005). UHS-P entered with significantly higher baselines and showed no shift in median scores. Both UW cohorts gained significantly more confidence than UHS-P. UW-O gained significantly more skill than UHS-P (all p<.05). Post-simulation confidence and skill did not differ significantly across cohorts. Cohort did not independently predict post-simulation outcomes. Ratings were favorable for realism (median 4, IQR 3-4), ease of use (median 5, IQR 3.5-5), and satisfaction with the model as a global training tool (median 4, IQR 3-4.75). Conclusion: This accessible rib framework simulator demonstrated face validity and consistent gains in self-reported confidence and skill across otolaryngology and plastic surgery trainees in two countries. These findings support its feasibility as a training tool for microtia reconstruction.
Non-Spherical Droplet Dispersion in Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulent Flow
(2026-06-30) Lin, Yushu; Palmore, John, Jr.
Motivated by the study of spray combustion in aviation gas turbine engines, this work addresses the dispersion of nonspherical droplets in turbulence. The most popular strategy for modeling spray is using the Lagrangian particle tracking (LPT) method, which represents the spray as consisting of discrete collection of spherical particles. One limitation of this approach is that it neglects the importance of droplet deformation on the dynamics of sprays. Several past works have discussed the importance of non-sphericity in modeling real droplets including works conducted by our research group. Some of our past work has demonstrated the importance of the deformation on droplet vaporization, combustion and drag. However, those works have investigated the effect of deformation on droplets in simple configurations such as isolated droplets in uniform flows. The purpose of this work is to investigate the effect of droplet deformation on spray dynamics in a more practical configuration of droplets in turbulent flows. By utilizing an in-house code developed for multiphase flows, this work uses homogeneous isotropic turbulence (HIT) as the framework to investigate how the trajectories of non-spherical particles differ from spherical ones. The temporal Lagrangian autocorrelation of non-spherical droplet velocity is higher than that of spherical droplet, showing a better dispersion of non-spherical droplet. The mean Stokes number shows the dominance of inertia effect of droplets, and a higher mean Stokes number for non-spherical droplets indicates a weaker droplet clustering or preferential concentration.
I-90 Digital Twin Bridge Proof of Technology Evaluation: Final report to FHWA Washington Division
(2026-05-20) Treece, Barton G., III; Thonstad, Travis; Dossick, Carrie Sturts; Bernard, Timothy; Borjigin, Orgil (Ori)
The I-90 Digital Twin Proof of Technology Evaluation was a proof-of-concept initiative that evaluated the benefits, limitations, and tradeoffs of implementing Internet of Things (IoT) digital twin (DT) technologies for managing, maintaining, and operating bridge assets. Led by the University of Washington in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the collaborative project included Sound Transit, and multiple industry partners. This project’s objective was to develop and implement a functional digital twin system for critical bridge infrastructure under real-world conditions to demonstrate how IoT sensors, cloud computing platforms, and advanced analytics can improve monitoring of bridge health and operational decision making. The project was installed on the I-90 Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge in Seattle, a floating bridge that carries not only vehicles but also light rail. The project successfully demonstrated that digital twin systems can be developed and deployed in the context of real-world bridge infrastructure, delivering operational value to transportation agencies. The project revealed that successful implementation depends equally on technical integration and organizational alignment. By addressing both dimensions—establishing clear communication channels between informational and operational technology teams, securing early stakeholder buy-in, and demonstrating tangible benefits through actual data—transportation agencies can effectively adopt DT technologies to enhance asset management, safety, and operational efficiency.
Beyond Compliance: Evaluating and Enhancing the Usefulness of Hazard Mitigation Plans in Coastal Washington
(2026-06-18) Davison-Kunhardt, Kitto; Houston, Sophie; Medjo, Alaina; Monnet, Jennifer
Each coastal county in Washington State must prepare a Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) every five years to qualify for federal pre-disaster funding from FEMA. This process is resource-intensive and presents an administrative burden on county planners. Yet as climate change and rising sea levels intensify natural hazards such as flooding and coastal erosion, the pressure is mounting on Washington’s coastal communities to prepare and adapt, and the need for robust HMPs is greater than ever. To move “beyond compliance,” this report focuses on plan “usefulness,” defined as the capacity for a plan to be “used in a manner serviceable to reducing disaster loss and breaking the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repetitive damage,” rather than solely on meeting regulatory requirements. Through a literature review, content analysis of the most recent HMPs for Washington’s 15 coastal counties, and interviews with HMP planners from 10 coastal counties, we find that planning is frequently driven by FEMA compliance over local needs. As a result, HMPs are often treated as static reference documents instead of living tools for project development. We offer recommendations for making HMPs more actionable and connected to community priorities, alongside a planner-oriented HMP “cookbook” designed to make county plans easier to write, update, and use to support long-term resilience.
Model Tribal Emergency Management Code
(2026-06-18) Robert, Alden; Vetter, Kristen; Boateng, Yaa; Laoprasert, Maddy
Emergency management codes are sections of a government’s legal text that allow access to special powers or alternative procedures in order to deal with the impacts of an emergency or disaster situation. While ubiquitous amongst municipal and county governments, codified emergency management powers and procedures are far less prevalent amongst Tribal governments. This study investigates codification of emergency powers in a Tribal government context. To understand the core elements of emergency management codes, and their utility in Tribal governance structures, the authors conducted two qualitative analyses. First, an analysis of emergency management codes across Tribal, municipal, and county governments. Second, analysis of interviews conducted with Tribal emergency management practitioners. Through these analyses the study identifies five core elements of emergency management codes that are represented across each government type. These core elements include Purpose & Definitions, Continuity of Government, Declaration of Emergency, Duties of Emergency Management, and Authorized Emergency Orders. Each of these elements presents significant utility to a government through not only protecting and demonstrating sovereignty, but as a tool to clarify response procedures, powers, and coordination across jurisdiction. These findings allowed the authors to create a model emergency management code that provides implementation guidance, background information, analytical annotations, and adaptable example language for each of the five core elements of emergency management code.
Improving Econometric Forecasting: Functional Analytic Fixed Point Methods for Developing Hybridized Structural Models
(2026-06-05) Ozaki, Eliot; Wilson, Bobby
This paper is an exposition on the challenges of modern econometric modeling, and how econometric models either are too rigid or too unexplainable (Iskhakov, 2020; Kilic, 2025). We see this distinction much in the difference between traditional structural econometric models and machine learning models, where the traditional models often struggle for accuracy whereas the machine learning models struggle to output any real causal information (Iskhakov, 2020; Woloszyn & Bukowski, 2025). We develop a strong argument towards the use of hybrid models for econometric estimation rather than either option alone, models which address the weaknesses of both without developing any new major pitfalls (Buckmann et al., 2021; Lee, 2025). Within this paper, we also outline the necessary tools for the development of a type of model based on posing economic questions as inverse problems, which is well explored in Carrasco et al. (2007). This outline includes a summary of the inverse problems framework of Carrasco et al. (2007), an explanation of the Morozov Discrepancy Principle (Engl et al., 1996; Morozov, 1966, 1984) which is one of the key steps in the model, and finally an overview of our original model algorithm for recovering latent economic variables through estimation with Landweber regularization (Engl et al., 1996; Hanke et al., 1995; Landweber, 1951).
Crafting a design signature book: A student exploration grounded in design awareness
(2026-06-19) René Capella; Annie Huang; Stella Huang; Madhumitha Rajesh; Maxine Tang; Cindy Atman
This technical report documents the Design Signatures Book Design Research Group (DRG), a ten-week cohort that met in Spring 2026 at the University of Washington’s Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering. Facilitated by Cindy Atman and co-facilitated by René Capella, the DRG served both as a learning experience for the four-participant cohort and as a structured testing ground for ideas in a forthcoming public-facing book on design signatures, the characteristic patterns and commitments that distinguish an individual designer’s process. The DRG unfolded in three parts. In Weeks 1 through 3, participants oriented themselves to their own design processes through retrospective design postcards, models of design activity, design awareness questions, and an introduction to design process resilience. In Weeks 4 through 9, participants shifted from designers to readers and contributors, taking up a different lens each week the book might use to frame its content: reflection, social justice and equity, theories as frames, narrative psychology, the form and function of the book, and identity development. Week 10 returned the cohort to their evolving design signatures and a final synthesis. The report compiles weekly postcards and reflections, book-facing and personal writing, a three-part final synthesis, and curated book recommendations. It is organized in two registers: a week-by-week account of the DRG, and individual participant contributions presented in full. The DRG offered the book project an early read on how the design signature concept lands with a thoughtful audience, and surfaced patterns about audience, framing, and format that the book can carry forward. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation, the Mitchell T. and Lella Blanche Bowie Endowment and the Center for Engineering Learning & Teaching at the University of Washington. In an acknowledgment of the resources used by artificial intelligence, the authors have made a donation to a carbon offset and a clean water access organization.