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    Identifying and Distinguishing Quenching Galaxies with Spatially Resolved Star Formation
    (University of Waterloo, 2026-07-27) Lawlor-Forsyth, Cameron
    This thesis is concerned with understanding galaxy evolution, in particular how galaxies have their star formation shut down, or "quenched." The process of quenching transforms actively star forming galaxies into passive, quiescent, or otherwise dormant galaxies with very low levels of star formation. Many physical mechanisms have been proposed to describe quenching, and can be divided into internal processes or external processes due to environment. These quenching mechanisms should result in different spatial signatures when viewing the distribution of star formation in a galaxy, but the spatial and temporal evolution of these different processes remains unclear. Therefore, spatially resolved observations of star formation are necessary to investigate quenching mechanisms, and will prove critical for understanding galaxy evolution in the next decade. The first section of this thesis is concerned with understanding galaxy quenching in simulations. Using the high-resolution IllustrisTNG simulation, quenching signatures for 361 galaxies with log(M/Msun) ⩾ 9.5 by z = 0 are investigated, and four morphological metrics that collectively describe the spatial distribution of star formation within these galaxies are developed. The evolution of the metrics is studied through the galaxy quenching episodes, relative to a control sample of normal star forming galaxies which show no evolution. Two prominent modes are found which describe the evolution of quenching, where the first is consistent with inside-out quenching, and numbers 78 galaxies, while the second is consistent with outside-in quenching, numbering 185 galaxies. Inside-out quenched galaxies are generally centrals in the field, and are more massive than outside-in quenched galaxies, which tend to be satellites in denser environments like groups and clusters. Inside-out quenched galaxies take ∼2.5 Gyr to quench, while outside-in quenched galaxies take ∼1.5 Gyr to quench, and begin quenching ∼1 Gyr after being accreted onto a more massive structure. The second section of this thesis concentrates on adapting the morphological metrics from the simulation for use with mock observations. Using the sample of simulated galaxies, high-resolution mock observations consistent with Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and UV Research (CASTOR) and Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (NGRST) imaging are produced for nearly 70,000 galaxies at z = 0.5, covering the ultraviolet to the near-infrared. These mock observations are additionally consistent with Hubble Space Telescope imaging. A flexible hybrid star formation history is used to fit the resulting spectral energy distributions from the mock photometry. Spatially resolved star formation rate and stellar mass are accurately recovered when compared with the simulation, and with observational adaptations to the morphological metrics, these parameters are likewise recovered to high fidelity. The third section of this thesis investigates galaxy quenching for observed galaxies in the Hubble Frontier Fields at z ≈ 0.4, and builds on the previous sections. The spatially resolved spectral energy distributions are fit for a sample of 1437 galaxies with log(M/Msun) ⩾ 8 and SFR ⩾ 0.001 Msun/yr, to determine star formation rate and stellar mass radial profiles. The observational morphological metrics are then calculated using these profiles, and are compared with the simulated galaxies from IllustrisTNG. A population consistent with an inside-out quenching mechanism is found, and numbers 129 galaxies, as well as a population consistent with an outside-in quenching mechanism, numbering 70 galaxies. Inside-out quenching galaxies are more massive than outside-in quenching galaxies, and are more often found in clusters, while the outside-in population often reside in the field. The inside-out population makes up ∼30% of the sample in clusters at high stellar mass [log(M/Msun) ⩾ 10.5]. Both populations show little dependence on cluster infall time, except the high mass inside-out population, which commonly has older inferred infall times. These results also suggest that the quenching prescription within simulations is incomplete, as it does not predict inside-out quenching for high-mass satellites. Collectively, this thesis highlights the need for spatially resolved observations to investigate different quenching mechanisms, in both simulations and observations, where simulations can help form a framework which can be adapted to observations. Fortunately, upcoming large-scale galaxy surveys will provide millions of galaxies suitable for spatially resolved analyses, in order to better understand galaxy quenching and evolution.
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    Methods for Estimating Bicycle Volumes at Urban Intersections and Road Segments
    (University of Waterloo, 2026-07-27) Azizisoldouz, Sina
    Accurate estimation of bicycle volumes is essential for transportation planning, safety analysis, and infrastructure design, particularly for evaluating risks faced by vulnerable road users. Bicycle exposure is commonly expressed as annual average daily bicycle (AADB) volume; however, many jurisdictions lack sufficient continuous or short-term count data to estimate AADB reliably across their transportation networks. This limitation restricts the ability of agencies to conduct comprehensive safety analyses and to make data-driven decisions regarding bicycle infrastructure investments. Consequently, there is a need for practical methods to estimate bicycle volumes under limited data availability. This thesis investigates several approaches for estimating bicycle volumes at intersections and road segments when observed count data are limited or unavailable. The research is structured as four complementary studies. The first study evaluates the spatial transferability of existing direct-demand (DD) models developed in different jurisdictions. The results demonstrate that naïvely applying these models to new jurisdictions can result in substantial estimation errors, highlighting limitations in their direct applicability. The second study examines methods to improve transferability of DD models through local calibration. The findings show that even a small number of locally observed count sites can significantly improve model performance, with regression-based calibration approaches providing notable reductions in estimation error. The third study explores the use of large language models (LLMs) as an alternative approach for estimating bicycle volume levels at intersections. The results indicate that LLMs can provide reasonable estimates of bicycle activity categories using limited input information, suggesting that they may offer a practical and accessible tool for jurisdictions lacking extensive data or modeling expertise. The fourth study investigates road segment-level bicycle volume estimation using a range of modeling approaches, including traditional regression models, machine learning techniques, LLM-based methods, and spatial regression models. The results demonstrate that incorporating spatial relationships between network elements improves estimation accuracy, emphasizing the importance of spatial dependence in modeling bicycle activity. The findings of this thesis contribute to the development and evaluation of practical methodologies for estimating bicycle exposure under limited data conditions. The results provide guidance for transportation agencies on selecting appropriate modeling approaches and highlight the potential of combining calibration, artificial intelligence, and spatial modeling techniques to improve bicycle volume estimation. These advancements support more reliable safety analyses and more informed planning decisions aimed at improving conditions for vulnerable road users.
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    Alteration of Metasedimentary Rocks Associated with Gold Mineralization at Young-Davidson Gold Mine
    (University of Waterloo, 2026-07-27) Quaye, Dinah Ayeley Wankyimah
    The Young-Davidson gold mine is situated within the southwestern part of the Abitibi greenstone belt in Northeastern Ontario. It is part of the Western Cadillac-Larder Lake region, known for its lithological complexities and hydrothermal alteration. Within the Young-Davidson gold mine, syenite hosts the majority of gold mineralization; however, the potential of gold in the metasedimentary rocks are underexplored, although gold mineralization does extend into them. This study integrated hyperspectral imaging, petrography, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and lithogeochemical data to understand the alteration and its relationship to gold mineralization in the metasedimentary rocks at Young-Davidson. Hyperspectral imaging and EPMA show that alteration-related white mica is phengitic and can be compositionally divided into two groups; one of these is associated with higher gold grades. Gold mineralization is also associated with chlorite and pyrite, with higher bulk rock Fe contents generally associated with elevated gold grades. The presence of pyrite typically increases with increasing alteration intensity and higher gold grade. A spatial association between chlorite and pyrite with anhedral biotite suggests that biotite breakdown contributed to pyrite growth, and an increased intensity of biotite alteration is indicative of gold mineralization. Both the syenite and the metasedimentary rocks have pyrite as the dominant sulfide phase however; a clear contrast in the oxide phase is noted. Overall, these findings highlight sulfidation and the availability of Fe-rich assemblages as an important control on gold mineralization in the metasedimentary rocks at Young-Davidson, and the importance of incorporating a variety of methods to understand gold mineralization, as well as the relevance of hyperspectral imaging as a recently adapted tool in mineral exploration.
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    Challenging Stigma and Enacting Citizenship Through Liberatory-Relational Songwriting with People Living with Dementia
    (University of Waterloo, 2026-07-23) Kurta, Taylor
    People living with dementia (PLwD) frequently experience stigma, social exclusion, and limited opportunities to participate in creative and collaborative processes that centre their voices and lived experiences. Dominant biomedical and tragedy narratives of dementia often emphasize decline, dependency and the total loss of self, overlooking the relational and creative capacities of PLwD. This is especially true for PLwD later in the disease progression who are written off and denied their social citizenship rights, including opportunities to contribute to their own and others’ lives. In response to these limitations, this dissertation explores how collaborative songwriting rooted in liberatory and relational processes supports the enactment of relational citizenship and challenges stigmatizing discourses of dementia. Grounded in relational and critical theoretical perspectives, including relational caring philosophy, relational citizenship, and community and music-centred approaches to music therapy, this research employed liberatory/activist arts and critical arts-based inquiry to facilitate a collaborative songwriting project with nine PLwD in a residential care home in Ontario, Canada. Over nine weeks, the songwriters engaged in a series of songwriting sessions culminating in the public release of an original song, Wisdom and Respect, and an accompanying short film. Analysis of the songwriting sessions illustrated how the liberatory, relational process created opportunities for songwriters to share their personal histories and experiences, attend to one another, negotiate creative decisions, and engage in critical dialogue, reflection, and collective meaning-making through music. Through this analysis, the Liberatory-Relational Dementia Songwriting Framework was developed, identifying key relational literacies (i.e., processes and ways of being and relating in the world that support embodied capacities and cultivate opportunities for relational connections to flourish) that supported the songwriting process. These relational literacies include relational knowledging, relational attuning, and relational decision-making. The research also demonstrated how the song and film functioned as a counter-narrative to dominant discourses of dementia by highlighting the relational, creative, and expressive capacities of the songwriters. Preliminary feedback from audience members at the community release party indicated shifts in perceptions of the capacities and personhood of PLwD, with some participants expressing intentions to change how they interact and engage with PLwD in their own lives. This research contributes theoretical, methodological, and practical insights to dementia studies, music therapy, and leisure studies. It challenges dominant biomedical conceptualizations of leisure, and specifically music in the dementia context, and instead offers a liberatory approach that recognizes and supports the continued and evolving capacities of PLwD later in the disease progression to engage in social justice projects. As both a theory and a relational practice, relational citizenship involves knowing and being known, belonging and solidarity, attunement and recognition, and the agency to act together. The Liberatory-Relational Dementia Songwriting Framework created opportunities for these dimensions to be expressed and sustained within the group. By documenting a collaborative songwriting methodology grounded in relational and liberatory arts-based approaches, this dissertation offers a framework for researchers, practitioners, and communities seeking to use participatory arts to challenge stigma and support the enactment of relational citizenship with PLwD, including those later in the disease progression.
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    Monetary policy regimes and beliefs
    (University of Waterloo, 1999-06) Andolfatto, David; Gomme, Paul
    This paper investigates the role of beliefs over monetary policy in propagating the effects of monetary policy within the context of a dynamic, stochastic general equilibrium model. In our model, monetary policy periodically switches between low and high money growth regimes. When individuals are unable to directly observe the current regime, they will assign some probability to the low money growth, low inflation regime base don observed money growth rates. We show that for an empirically relevant money growth process, beliefs evolve slowly in the wake of a regime change. As a result, our model is able to capture some of the observed persistence of real and nominal variables following such a regime change.