Ian Tran - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers/Recommendations by Ian Tran

Deep Blue, 2020

PROPER ATTRIBUTION: This publication was chiefly led and authored by Drs. Paul Mohai and Byoung-S... more PROPER ATTRIBUTION: This publication was chiefly led and authored by Drs. Paul Mohai and Byoung-Suk Kweon + their staff/postgraduates/students/research collaborators with too many people to list here. Academia's form for uploading publications makes it ridiculous to properly attribute them without spamming inboxes with invitations while distinguishing other Task Force leaders and contributors (to which I can only accept credit as a contributor) as well.

CONTRIBUTOR'S NOTES:
I contributed with regard to stakeholder engagement and workforce development considerations as they relate to School Siting guidelines.

Unfortunately the full scope of recommendations I submitted were not included due to concerns of space and scope of the existing narrative.

When/If feasible, this post may be updated to include a link to the full recommendations and cases provided for those who may benefit from further consideration. Below you'll find a summary of recommendations.

KEY OMITTED RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Couple the siting process with community benefit agreements for more socially and economically equitable outcomes
- Include training for the public in advance of public hearings and decisions pertinent to the siting process *with intent to increase local development literacy AND workforce development*
- Establish proactive community environmental and public health and development literacy in tandem with the hearing and engagement processes

A recurring set of root barriers to effective and equitable stakeholder engagement is that the public:

suffers from inadequate literacy in the development and public health/environmental science fields
suffers from lack of transparency and understanding throughout the process by nature of having to learn in a reactionary stance
while also tending to be unprepared for taking advantage of the benefits that come with major community development projects
is hindered by institutional and procedural barriers that often actively diminishes their capacity to directly engage the development planning and stakeholder engagement process
rarely hears from the entities actively involved in the process until non-profit and other community advocates--often understaffed/underresourced and volunteer-run plus limited in their scope for genuine public engagement--disseminate key information about public hearing notices etc.

It's also essential to explicitly name the need for dedicating proactive screening entities (agencies, third party organizations) committed to consistently serve in the public interest, especially community's interest to help with navigating the stakeholders, regulatory process, and bureaucratic environments.

This is particularly essential to ensure community voices remain heeded in places where decorum and tone often dismisses information delivered under duress with urgency and nuances needed for effective multicultural accommodation.

The primary burden to bear in mind for the public comes from the effort, attention, resources, and expertise needed for residents to organize and engage the site-planning/development process as an informed public.

In communities that suffer from historical environmental racism, they are at particular disadvantage.

Concurrently, the disproportionate lack of representation from marginalized Urban and Global Majority residents in the Development, Urban/Land Planning, Architecture, and Construction industry plus elected office is also reflected by those who are typically most impacted by Environmental Injustices such as poorly-sited schools and policies that prevent it from happening.

PAPER NOTES with retrospect in 2023: This was a term paper wirtten with some pointed assertions... more PAPER NOTES with retrospect in 2023:
This was a term paper wirtten with some pointed assertions for Dr. Joseph Gaughan's upper level Ethnographic Film Course in the autumn of 2011 if I recall correctly. There are some bold assertions that I'd usually back up further with time for more intentional scholarly processing and it was done before relaying decolonial epistemologies and narratives was something I was beginning to delve into.

In essence, I highlighted that a false duality between objectivism and subjectivity exists, pointing to a Stern Review climate change report counter critique by ecofeminist economist Dr. Julie Nelson about objectivism and value judgments among economists and what she cites developmental economist Amartya Sen's concept of "Positionality", illustrate with parallels of the philosophies in land planning, and indicate that film techniques can exist on a similar spectrum or in a way that's actively engaged and integral to or perhaps even used by the community of interest.

I also challenged the exoticism associated with notions of "trance" by pointing out various states in crowd behavior and feats of intuitive athleticism and musicianship that are often described as being "in flow".

Class assignment, not the original publication or in their association

PUBLICATION NOTE in 2023: the actual article by the original authors is (if I recall correctly) p... more PUBLICATION NOTE in 2023: the actual article by the original authors is (if I recall correctly) publicly accessible here: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.uvm.edu/~pbierman/classes/gradsem/2005/papers/abbe1996.pdf&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiLnI_UhrL9AhU6D1kFHVViAvwQFnoECAkQAg&usg=AOvVaw2KD2ZcwT5NS7KVYjX46xrS

This is a summary from an upper level class assignment which I uploaded during the early days of Academia.edu to demonstrate what my writing can look like on the more terse and concise end of scholarly skills for summarizing technical papers in the according tone.

That said, a cursory review of my writing suggests I may not have articulated much about the mathematical modeling compared to what's found within the actual article.

So please do look to the original author(s') work as well, I believe it helps to have the equivalent of a book review for academic papers available to public audiences akin to what we see with book reviews on goodreads. And it should be doable without having to claim or piggyback on their credits even though the academia website forms are a but too rigid for that use case.

All said, it was an important reference work for one of my classes (probably the upper level/graduate level Watershed Analysis course with Dr. Gelderloos at UM-Dearborn).

Uploaded for sentimental purposes rather than scholarly purposes. The course and field work highl... more Uploaded for sentimental purposes rather than scholarly purposes. The course and field work highlighted a way to cultivate a sort of socioeconomic "literacy" and discrepancies just from noting grave stone markers. I was also starting to process onset CPTSD symptoms at the time so the study of generations and how they are remembered struck a particular note for me. Since it's a popular cemetery in the community, I'm keeping it up in case the information might be interesting to others despite the sub-optimal writing and narrative focus.

This was a term paper for a class called "Cemeteries of Southeastern Michigan" taught by Dr. Ronald Stockton with a handful of additional professors. It was an interesting class, not at all the best or even a good example of my scholarship or writing but the first time I really pushed myself to consider how some scholars develop what I'd call in-field historical literacy by being able to look at the formation of a graveyard, the grave stones, and other environmental+man-made characteristics to deduce more about the period and cultural values of the individuals and community. On a side-note, I was really struggling with personal challenges around this time so it also speaks to a particular period in my life and very disinterested/aversive to uploading my work online other than some basic reports and other items because I didn't really understand how the academic publishing industry works so it's also a marker for that too..

"Infographic-esque" overview of interplay between wicked problems, complex systems, risk governan... more "Infographic-esque" overview of interplay between wicked problems, complex systems, risk governance, as well as the individual's influence amid structure and agency. Roughly compiled for people working on resolving wicked problem/complex system challenges amid 4 days of very little sleep and intensive projects. I sought to bridge useful concepts with a mix of bullet points, diagrams, tables, and distilled/excerpted text to back it up.

Presented briefly to contributors of the 2013 ESDI Stem Symposium. Public access available for many sources cited. I suspect I'm missing a citation for a paper on design science principles from the MIT press which initially introduced me to the 1967 iteration of wicked problems by Rittel, but could not find it.

You (yes, you!) have my permission to use/share it, but please know it's a rough document, let me know if you use it, and provide proper attribution. Given its hacked-together inception, I'm unsatisfied with its design. Thus, despite my inclination for freely sharing information, I've put up a copyright because the "infographic"(?) needs some cleanup in its design and possibly has a loose-end in citations. I hope to make a finished version later for the creative commons use.

That said, if you substitute "wicked problems and complex systems" with "life", the theoretical content makes a profound guide for approaching any issue in our day-to-day lives.

Objectivism and disciplinarity pervade society owing to their exploitative colonial origins. Ethn... more Objectivism and disciplinarity pervade society owing to their exploitative colonial origins. Ethnography and land planning are transdisciplinary processes of design. Tools and their users can appear more objective or sensational when dissociated from intention and context, particularly when the product and its “consumption” is associated with novel realizations in culture and technology. Surveying interdisciplinary literature, ethnographic films, and action research, I compare ethnographers with land planners to explore the following errors with the notion of objectivism:

false dichotomy for understanding reality and consciousness
separation from context rejects valid experiential “subjective” insight
Objectivism beguiles people to assume “objective” tools will always yield objective results
Objectivism is disposed to using “others” for research consumptively and in some cases, exploitatively

Emerging alternative realizations for consciousness, epistemology, and ethnography suggest participatory approaches as more credible and ethical for conducting research, recording, and “consuming” information."

[Introduction and Brainstorm methodology sections for workgroup #4 narrative] Introduction: Per... more [Introduction and Brainstorm methodology sections for workgroup #4 narrative]

Introduction:

Per the guidance of the ESD Institute, one of our chief intentions was to introduce a socially equitable, free-thinking collaborative learning processes to students. We also intended to harness their insights to provide an opportunity to translate these ideas and suggestions into meaningful action.

Workgroup #4 was facilitated by four individuals who served in multiple interchanging roles: Shani Allison, Emile Lauzzana, John Sier , and Ian Tran. Approximately 32 middle school students participated in our workgroup. One to three adult chaperons, and occasionally an ESD/ESDI staff member or camera person would join us in the room to observe.

Students introduced themselves, the institutions which they represented, and shared what they appreciated about the places from which they came at the start of the session. These students hailed from STAR Academy of Dearborn, Academy of the Sacred Heart the Universal Public School Academy of Dearborn, the Detroit Edison Public School Academy, and the Detroit Public School District.

Brainstorming:

Workgroup #4 was to elicit “the how” out of the plenary session’s “what”: students in workgroup #4 gave ways to achieve the visionary student-driven themes highlighted in the preceding plenary session. From the plenary session, the following topics seeded the framework for our workgroup's discussions:

Entertainment/Attractions
Good Education
Jobs/Good Economy
Eco-Friendly/Low Pollution, Clean and Neat City
Infrastructure, buildings, and Architecture
Safety, good emergency and health care services

Threads of these remained throughout the workgroup sessions and were eventually focused and prioritized into four particular areas of insight. Interestingly, students ultimately rejected the latter category, healthcare etc., as a “top three” priority, though themes of it were found throughout discussion in the other topics:

Education
Economy/Jobs
Entertainment and Community Assets
Health care, safety, and environmental justice

Verbal student involvement was outstanding from the start, there were often more hands in the air or ideas coming forth than the facilitators could capture at once. The facilitators suggested that the students write all of their ideas down to help stem the flow of input; many of these comments and ideas were later collected and are included in Appendix A. For the few students who were particularly quiet, several facilitators made sure to invite them to participate or joined them in observing.

Partway through the morning session the group began to lull, and students were also asked to reseat themselves so as to be in the company of new acquaintances. This change in social dynamics helped to spur a resurgence of student input. Every idea contributed during our preliminary brainstorm sessions elicited insightful stories, and the workgroup quickly cohered via resonating educational experiences common to all of the students in the room.
As student suggestions accumulated, desires for particular outcomes in education transformed into subtle stepping stones for interdisciplinary implementation in the first half of the group session.

An Executive Summary Following the established process of conducting ESD Institute symposiums – w... more An Executive Summary
Following the established process of conducting ESD Institute symposiums – we are inviting a broad cross section of experts and stakeholders to present & participate in the symposium. The symposium will address the following mega question and subgroup questions to arrive at recommendations for DEPSA.
Mission

DEPSA - Detroit Edison Public School Academy exists to prepare students entrusted to our care for a future as global citizens and successful lifelong learners. Utilizing a proven research-based curriculum, academic development is achieved in a dignified and supportive environment that incorporates family, staff and community partnerships, in pursuit of educational excellence.

Planning construction of a lean green high school, with the goal of a “net zero carbon offset.”
Development in stages with eighth grade enrollment for fall 2010.
ESD – The Engineering Society of Detroit promotes and celebrates excellence, innovation, cooperation, professional growth and fellowship in the engineering, scientific and allied Communities.

Support and serve in development of plan to develop exemplary green school that utilizes member knowledge, talent and trades, to achieve showcase environment for STEM activities and hands on learning.
Develop a footprint of service and participation in the Detroit community.

Talks by Ian Tran

*Uploaded for Science Communication Purposes, not as an author to the original paper* Does us... more *Uploaded for Science Communication Purposes, not as an author to the original paper*

Does using rock salt as a common road de-icer make the invasive non-native common reed (Phragmites Australis) stronger? Ian Tran and Donald Skidmore's summary talk reviewed research for Dr. David Susko's upper level plant ecology class at the University of Michigan-Dearborn by Higley, Marsh, & Moore's 2010 field research published in Deep Blue.

.......
Academia.edu has a really rigid system and it keeps confusing me with the original authors even when I verify that it's not my paper. Hopefully this disambiguation can help.

Under premise that music is a form of communication from perceived sounds, musical participants a... more Under premise that music is a form of communication from perceived sounds, musical participants assume various roles as conceivers, performers, and audiences--within the same event and sometimes all three at once during a sonic events perceived to be musical. Three pieces were used to demonstrate these points. One an adaptation of a humpback whale motif for violin from the 1970 recordings by Roger Payne, and two original compositions to highlight the varying origins and influences of musical conception, performance, and audiencing.

Presentation of findings from field and library research on the Sheldon Cemetery in Canton, Michi... more Presentation of findings from field and library research on the Sheldon Cemetery in Canton, Michigan and its context of place and people to a public audience at UM-Dearborn.

Drafts by Ian Tran

The historical context and influence of objectivism and disciplinarity pervades society. Tools-co... more The historical context and influence of objectivism and disciplinarity pervades society. Tools-concepts and physical technologies-and their users can mislead audiences by appearing objective, particularly when the product and its "consumption" is associated with novel advancements in culture and technology. Ethnography, ethnographic film, and land planning are transdisciplinary processes of design. Surveying interdisciplinary literature, ethnographic film, and participatory action research, I compare ethnographers with land planners to explore the following errors with the notion of objectivism: 1) false dichotomy for understanding reality and consciousness 2) separation from context rejects valid experiential "subjective" insight 3) it beguiles people to assume "objective" tools will always yield objective results 4) it tends to consumptively use "others" for research without necessarily providing benefit to those used for study Emerging alternative realizations for consciousness, ethnography, and philosophies of science suggest participatory approaches are more credible and ethical for conducting research, recording, and "consuming" information.

. . .
A cross-disciplinary literary and theoretical critique that finds its center of gravity between Ethnographic Film/Anthropology and Land Planning.

This paper was written in 2011, an era before police body cameras, drone footage, and AI-informed deep fakes became widespread and popular but it remains relevant.

I welcome the opportunity to refine and submit this for publication though have little to no idea where I'd submit this paper to.

I later developed more rigorous approaches to citation and research for my senior capstone research which built on similar concepts to explore why sustainability remains so difficult for higher education institutions to implement.

Papers by Ian Tran

We would also like to thank US Representative Rashida Tlaib and State Senator Stephanie Chang for... more We would also like to thank US Representative Rashida Tlaib and State Senator Stephanie Chang for their devoted attention to developing school siting policy within the Michigan State Legislature, and for providing their expertise and perspective in the development of this work.