02. Master's Thesis
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Item Open Access THE INFLUENCE OF POWER RELATIONSHIPS ON THE DESIGN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE CASPIAN SEA(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-05-02) Amangeldina, AidaThe thesis aims to answer the research question “How do relatively less powerful states influence the formation of institutional designs?”. Institutional designs can be defined as sets of norms, principles, decision-making procedures and rules that reflect states’ interests and expectations in a certain issue of international relations, and power relationships between states play an important role in shaping the institutional designs. While it may be expected that institutional designs reflect the interests of only powerful states, the thesis aims to demonstrate that the relatively less powerful states are also able to push their interests. The contribution of the thesis is to identify mechanisms that enhance the ability of relatively less powerful states to promote their interests in forming institutional designs. In particular, it proves that derivative and particular-intrinsic powers can boost the influence of relatively less powerful states. The results are based on the analysis of Kazakhstan’s derivative and particular-intrinsic powers during the formation of the Tehran Convention. Kazakhstan’s particular-intrinsic power in the form of energy resources and derivative power represented in multivector foreign policy enabled Kazakhstan to attract the interests of more powerful states to cooperate with Kazakhstan and take actions to promote Kazakhstan’s environmental interests in the Caspian Sea. As a result of these mechanisms, the interests of Kazakhstan were reflected in the design of the Tehran Convention.Item Open Access SPATIOTEMPORAL ORGANIZATION OF FOCAL ADHESIONS IN MIGRATING CELLS(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-24) Zhuravel, ArinaFocal adhesions (FAs) are pivotal integrin-based macromolecular assemblies that orchestrate cell migration through traction force transmission by connecting cytoskeleton to extracellular matrix (Legerstee & Houtsmuller, 2021). While substantial progress has been made in understanding of the regulation of cell motility (Merino-Casallo et al., 2022), it remains elusive how considerable FA heterogeneity correlates with regional requirements to substrate adhesions intrinsic to cell migration. To evaluate FA dynamics, we employed live cell time-lapse microscopy with high spatial and temporal resolution, tracking FA size, lifetime, and intensity in cancer A549 cell line stably expressing Vinculin-RFP. We observed numerous small, short-living adhesions at the leading edge, which had formed both at large lamellae aligning with the vector of cell body translocation and smaller lateral lamellae. That contrasted with the presence of only a few large adhesions at the trailing edge. While FA maturation at the leading edge in response to tension generated by myosin II-decorated actin stress fibers has already been described, the origin of large FAs at the trailing edge remains poorly elucidated (Choi et al., 2008). Most FAs present at the trailing edge originated within lateral protrusions and only few of them formed directly there. During retraction of the trailing cell edge, a portion of FAs has already been disassembled before retraction has reached them. However, some FAs at the trailing edge were enlarging, either through merging with neighboring FAs or gradual increase in area and intensity as they slid along with the trailing edge relative to the substrate. As a result, relatively large FAs were forcibly detached and rapidly disassembled only upon retraction edge reached them. In summary, FA formation and maturation exhibited regionally regulated dynamics, and disassembly of FAs at the rear edge before retraction was not a prerequisite to edge retraction.Item Restricted A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF SALINITY AND PH ON BIOFILM FORMATION OF HALOARCHAEA ISOLATED FROM LAKE KOBEITUZ(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-23) Khani, AinurHaloarchaea are microorganisms that thrive best in extremely salty environments. Some studies suggest that some genera of Haloarchaea are capable of forming biofilms. Although the biofilm formation process of archaea resembles a process of bacterial biofilms, the precise mechanism of this process remains poorly understood, especially concerning the impact of environmental conditions. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of varying concentrations of MgCl2, as well as changes in pH, on the formation of biofilms by Haloarchaea that have been isolated from Lake Kobeituz. The biofilms were examined using indirect quantitative (microtiter dish assay) and direct examination with a brightfield microscope. Our study postulated that salinity and pH variations had a major impact on haloarchaea biofilm formation, thereby opening a basis for modulation and a better understanding of the process. During our study, it was revealed that Haloarchaea’s response to stress and biofilm formation is species-specific. All three Haloarchaeal isolates differed in strength of surface attachment, biofilm morphology, and biofilm production. The strongest biofilm producer was Halobacterium salinarum, which demonstrated the highest biofilm growth at pH 7 and 100 mM MgCl2. Although we identified favorable conditions for haloarchaea growth, further proteomic studies should be conducted to fill the gaps in the stress response and metabolism of Haloarchaea.Item Embargo ARSENIC TRIOXIDE AND D-VITAMIN C DRUG COMBINATION INDUCES OXIDATIVE STRESS AND ALTERS ELECTRON TRANSPORT CHAIN ACTIVITY OF KRAS-MUTANT CANCER CELLS(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-19) Raish, KristinaMutation in Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) protooncogene is implicated in about 25-30% of all human cancers. It is usually associated with aggressive tumor progression and poor prognosis. Until now targeting KRAS-mutant cancer remains quite challenging even though several approaches were applied. However, all such strategies led to drug resistance which makes it even more challenging to specifically target KRAS-mutant cancer. Arsenic trioxide and D-Vitamin C (ATO/D-VC) is a novel approach to targeting KRAS-mutant cancer cells using vulnerabilities in their metabolism. These cells are highly sensitive to oxidative imbalance which makes them a perfect target for ATO/D-VC drug combination as it can trigger so-called suicidal reactive oxygen species production by mitochondria (SPRM). In the current study the molecular aspects of ATO/D-VC mechanism of action was explored. It was shown that downregulation of succinate dehydrogenase (complex II) of the electron transport chain might be the primary cause of SPRM triggered by the action of ATO/D-VC synergetic drug combination. Understanding the mechanism behind SRPM is essential for comprehending the potent cytotoxicity against KRAS-mutant cancers. ATO/D-VC oxidative drug combination showed effectiveness during Phase 1 and currently undergoes Phase 2 of clinical trials in Kazakhstan.Item Embargo ADAPTIVE NANOPORE SEQUENCING FOR INHERITED CARDIAC CONDITIONS(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-19) Gabdulkayum, AidanaInherited Cardiac Conditions pose a significant global health burden, described as heart structural or functional anomalies often inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. It is also highly contributing to the mortality rates. Early diagnosis remains challenging, as most of the individuals may have asymptomatic initial stages subsequently leading to sudden cardiac death, therefore diagnostics is of high significance, especially in younger patients. Current genetic testing methods, such as Sanger sequencing and targeted panels, offer limited insight into structural genetic variations, necessitating the exploration of more comprehensive approaches. This study aims to design and study the adaptive sampling sequencing techniques, a method for targeting specific genomic regions without DNA modifications, for future use in genetic diagnosis for individuals with inherited cardiac conditions and compare the efficiency with currently used next-generation sequencing targeted panels. Through multiple sequencing runs and subsequent analysis, our findings revealed challenges in achieving consistent target region enrichment. The short sequence length observed in our study may contribute to the failure in target enrichment, highlighting the need for longer reads to improve coverage uniformity. Variant analysis using the Epi2me labs platform and annotations revealed the absence of pathogenic variants detected by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT), in comparison with Illumina. This highlights the imperative for enhancing the variant calling algorithm’s sensitivity and specificity. Adaptive sampling sequencing exhibits promise for diagnosis implementation. However, additional optimization is required to improve target region enrichment, particularly through addressing the limitations posed by sequence length.Item Open Access RISK-SENSITIVE LQR PROBLEMS WITH EXPONENTIAL NOISE(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-26) Shortanbaiuly, OlzhasThis thesis is about optimal control of Markov Decision Processes and solving risk-sensitive cost minimization and reward maximization problems, specifically, the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) problem with Average-Value-at-Risk criteria. The problem is solved for different risk levels, different random noises (theoretical and sampled), and using different methods: analytical and approximate dynamic programming. The obtained results were analyzed and discussed for the presence of certain patterns and trends. The results show that approximate dynamic programming is a very accurate method for solving risk-sensitive LQR problems with exponential noise.Item Restricted A NEW IMPERIAL MIGRATION? PERCEPTION OF RUSSIAN EMIGRES IN KAZAKHSTAN BY LOCALS AFTER THE START OF THE WAR IN UKRAINE(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-30) Gani, AminaRussia invaded Ukraine on 24th of February 2022 that shocked the whole world. Due to the territorial proximity to Russia, Kazakhstan was involved in the consequences of conflict - being a hosting country for the emigres. Russians started migrating as soon as the war started, which is considered as the first wave, and the most massive emigration started in September when president of the Russian Federation V. Putin announced partial military mobilization. Therefore, Kazakhstan became a hosting country for the Russian emigres. This thesis aims to reveal the underlying factors that contribute to the formation of attitudes towards Russian emigres. It provides a detailed understanding of attitudes towards Russian emigres in Kazakhstan, contextualizing them within broader historical, political and cultural dynamics. By exploring the imperialist nature of Russian migration, analyzing the politics of nation-building and considering the impact of geopolitical events, the thesis offers valuable insights into the complexities of narratives of migration and identity in contemporary Kazakhstan. The main contribution of this work is shedding light on the exploration of the essences of sentiments towards Russian emigres among citizens of Kazakhstan, and discussion of feelings of belonging to the nation of Kazakhstan after the start of the migrational flows from Russia.Item Restricted THE REFLECTION OF VLADIMIR SOLOVIEV'S PHILOSOPHY IN ANDREI TARKOVSKII'S CINEMATIC NARRATIVES(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-26) Bisianova, SaniyaThe USSR has produced some of the most influential film directors in history who have created new genres and introduced new filming techniques. Many of these directors have also introduced Soviet cinema to international film festivals and audiences. Andrei Tarkovskii, influenced by the Thaw, was among the first to contribute to the establishment of the Soviet New Wave in the early 1960s. His cinema examines profound philosophical questions and deals with complex human metaphysics. Directing only seven feature films, his cinematography contains various links to different cultures. The cinematic oeuvre of Tarkovskii is characterized by a multifaceted approach to genre, scene and raised issue, which allows for a multitude of interpretations. This study concerns another prominent Russian philosopher, who is regarded as one of the most significant figures in Russian philosophy. Vladimir Soloviev is credited with establishing key concepts that have come to define Russian philosophy since the 19th century–he is the first Russian philosopher to devise a comprehensive system of thought. In the literature devoted to the works of Soloviev, it is frequently asserted that it is from his works that the concepts of All-Unity [Vseedinstvo] become the property of philosophical thought. This study employs the concepts of All-Unity [Vseedinstvo] and Theanthropism [Bogochelovechestvo] as interpretative lenses to examine the complex cinema of Andrei Tarkovskii. The purpose of this research thesis is to address the questions of Russian religious and nature symbolism expressed throughout Andrei Tarkovskii’s The Passion According to Andrei [Strasti po Andreju] (1966) and Stalker (1979). This paper focuses on the metaphors of nature and those representing the components of Vladimir Soloviev’s philosophy. A critical examination of scholarly works that examine the motives behind Tarkovskii’s cinematic narrations reveals that some scholars tend to analyze his films through the lens of his emigration, with Nostalghia [Nostal’gija] (1983) serving as a particularly illustrative example. This interpretation suggests that there is an impression of the persecuted Soviet director, whose works were released under considerable pressure. This particular research, however, will not address the issues related to Tarkovskii’s emigration and political evaluation of his works. The research will instead focus on the interpretations of profound and difficult cinematic narrations through the prism of Solovievian philosophical concepts. At some point, the research will juxtapose The Passion According to Andrei [Strasti po Andreju] and Stalker to demonstrate the multifaceted nature of both Tarkovskii and Soloviev.Item Open Access BREAKING THE MOLD: EXPLORING FEMALE FANS' ONLINE REACTIONS TO THE REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN K-DRAMAS(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-05-02) Alimbetova, AruzhanKorean dramas have gained enormous popularity throughout the world, particularly among female viewers, thanks to their compelling stories and cinematography. However, the number of research papers exclusively focusing on “Korean drama studies” remains limited, which is perhaps partly due to the relative youth of this field in English. The present thesis investigates gender dynamics, specifically the representation of women in three internationally recognized Korean dramas set in different years: Boys Over Flowers (2009), The Heirs (2013), and Business Proposal (2022). The paper aims to analyze the evolution in the portrayal of female characters, also touching on feminist activism on the Internet, known as cyberfeminism. Using the three K-dramas as the research object, the paper also explores female fan reactions to the heroines by examining fan comments on social media pages and movie websites. As a research methodology, the study employs an interpretive, contextualized, and descriptive approaches. Based on the content analysis of the comments the thesis argues that older K-dramas uphold patriarchal values and reinforce traditional gender roles which portray female characters as dependent and resilient in the face of abuse. The study highlights a contrast in contemporary K-dramas, which demonstrate progress in the representation of women and consider the fans’ opinions. The analysis of audience reception of female characters in K-dramas is conducted through the lens of Cultivation Theory, questioning susceptibility to transmitted media messages. Lastly, the paper also applies the concept of “cyborg” to address the new transformed images of female characters in contemporary K-dramas, which notably diverge from previous representations.Item Open Access HOMELAND REEMERGED: EXPLORING CHANGES IN UZBEK’S ENGAGEMENT WITH KIN STATE POLITICS AND HOST STATE LOYALTY IN SAIRAM(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-05-15) Saidikarimova, IntizorBeing cut off from Uzbekistan due to a lack of welcoming attitude and restrictive policies that overlooked the question of co-ethnics outside its borders, Uzbeks in Sairam district evolved and developed its identity separately from it during the first decades of independence. This relationship dynamic was stable until the election of the second president of Uzbekistan, Mirziyoyev, who drastically changed the state’s approach to dealing with co-ethnics abroad. Decisive steps in this direction involved the introduction of the Decree on Compatriots, the first decree defining Uzbekistan’s position towards co-ethnics abroad. This decree aimed to foster ties with Uzbeks living abroad, it redefined Uzbekistan’s political boundaries in a more flexible and inclusive definition of it, including co-ethnics living abroad. This re-emergence of national homeland and its effect on the stance of Uzbeks in Sairam is explored through Brubaker’s (1995) theoretical framework of triadic nexus which emphasized the dynamic nature of this triangular relationship between kin state, host state, and minority ethnic group. Analyzing the recent changes in Uzbekistan’s stance towards co-ethnics through this model in the context of the re-emergence of ethnic homeland after the straining of ties, it was revealed that activists in the community noticed the positive changes that resulted from the adoption of this decree. However, these changes are not part of the discussion among Uzbeks of this community, who are largely unaware of this decree and Uzbekistan’s change of stance. Instead, since the introduction of the decree went hand in hand with tightening cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the changes were largely seen as the outcome of this friendly relationship between the two states. Therefore, this community's participation in joining cultural activities and intensified cooperation were perceived not as part of building ties with the kin state, but as supporting the host state’s endeavors in establishing a friendlier relationship with a neighboring state. Therefore, the re- iv emergence of the national homeland did not affect the existing interaction model between Uzbek’s in Kazakhstan and Kazakhstan’s government.Item Restricted COMPUTABILITY OF ALGEBRAIC STRUCTURES(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-26) Tursynov, AdilIn the modern world, research areas are extremely progressive. One of them is the computability of structure within the computability theory. As the research field progressed, we got new problems. In the com- putability of structures, the actual problem was efficient. To fill this gap in the paper "Algebraic structures computable without delay", the au- thors defined fully primitive recursive structures. Then, in 2019 in the paper "Foundations of Online Structure Theory" the authors defined a new research area "online structures" and renamed the fully primitive recursive structures as punctual structures. In this work, I presented a comprehensive survey of all available articles on punctually computable structures.Item Restricted IMPROVED HARDY-SOBOLEV INEQUALITIES(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humatinies, 2024-04-29) Orazbayev, AlmatIn this thesis work, a new version of the Hardy-Sobolev inequality is obtained. It covers the recent inequality of Frank, Laptev, and Weidl derived in [4] and improves the results of Persson and Samko established in [13]. It gives new results in one dimension. We analyse radial and non-radial versions of the considered multidimensional Hardy-Sobolev inequality and as a consequence we establish some Heisenberg-Pauli-Weyl uncertainty principles.Item Restricted SELF-PERCEPTION AND MOTIVATIONS OF FEMALE BURYAT BUDDHIST ACTIVISTS(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-29) Baitanova, AizhanA rich scholarship exists on Buryat Buddhism and its history; however, it mostly provides the reader with socio-historical context, leaving a gap in understanding the role of women within the religious community. This gap is observable in Buryatia, a region with a significant Buddhist population. This research project attempts to fill this gap by studying the agency of laywomen within the Buryat Buddhist sangha by exploring their roles, contributions, and motivations. Studies on female religiosity and opportunities for women in Buddhism, such as nun ordination and Tantric practices, used to overlook the experiences and voices of secular women. Employing theories of desecularization and faith-based activism, this study aims to understand how female Buryat Buddhist activists locate themselves within the modern Buddhist sangha. Their projects can be religious or secular, yet still religiously motivated, as many activists see their efforts as a Buddhist duty or a way to collect good karma. The main research question of this study is how female Buryat Buddhist activists see themselves as Buddhist sangha members. A case study method allows us to get insights into the diverse roles and motivations of lay female religious activists in Buryatia.Item Open Access THE DISTRIBUTION OF RELATIVE CLAUSES IN KAZAKH CONVERSATIONS(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-25) Akanov, AkylIn conversation, speakers need to track the referents they introduce, establishing their identity and thereby building common ground with the hearer. This communicative need can be achieved through relative clauses (RCs), among other linguistic means. While most studies have traditionally focused on the formal syntactic properties of RCs, either in a language-specific or cross-linguistic perspective, other studies in usage-based model of language have focused on the variation of RCs in naturally occurring discourse, including conversations. These studies suggest that the distribution of RCs in naturally occurring discourse is affected by a number of linguistic, cognitive, and discourse-related factors such as word order, information flow, markedness, humanness status of the referent in the head noun phrase, and functions of RCs, among others. Under the framework of Discourse and Grammar, I focus on relative clause constructions in the Kazakh language and explore the skewed distributional patterns of RCs as influenced by a number of linguistic, cognitive, and discourse-related factors that govern communication. Through the analysis of approximately 300 minutes of naturally occurring informal conversations from the Multimedia Corpus of Modern Spoken Kazakh, I have found that the distribution of relative clauses in Kazakh conversations exhibits statistically significant skews. I argue that these skewed patterns are best predicted by the interplay of the semantic factor of Humanness, the cognitive factor of Information Status as well as the grammatical factor of Function of the RC. The findings support the view that discourse is always driven by the communicative goals of interactants, and that, consequently, grammar is a crystallization of such recurrent linguistic behavior. As such, this work corroborates the importance of studying linguistic structures in their ‘social habitat’ — everyday social interactions. Most importantly, this study contributes to a holistic representation of Kazakh, whose grammatical descriptions, as of now, are mostly based on introspection, written language, and idealized language use, with only few works analyzing spoken data from fieldwork interviews.Item Restricted EXTENSION OF TRANSITION PROBABILITY FORMULAS IN MULTI-SPECIES ASYMMETRIC SIMPLE EXCLUSION PROCESS(Nazarbayev University School of Science and Humanities, 2024-04-29) Kassymkhanov, NarimanThe Asymmetric Simple Exclusion Process (ASEP) is a mathematical model used to describe the movement of particles in a one-dimensional system. This work explores multi-species ASEP dynamics, where, in contrast to the single-species model, additional rules regulate interactions between various particle kinds. Tracy and Widom introduced a transition probability formula for single-species ASEP, with subsequent advancements by Lee. Building upon these foundations, we extend Lee’s work, presenting transition probability formulas for different initial conditions, thus expanding our knowledge of ASEP dynamics. By explaining these equations, we improve the understanding of matrix elements inside the ASEP framework, leading to deeper insights across various fields of application.Item Restricted YOUTH AND GODLESSNESS IN SOVIET KAZAKHSTAN, 1921-1933(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-05-05) Perlmutter, Sylvan CharlesThis thesis examines the changing relationship between the Komsomol and religion, both Islam and Christianity, in early Soviet Kazakhstan. It demonstrates that the marginalization of Kazakh youth in the Komsomol during the New Economic Policy (1921-1928) (NEP) was connected to their limited ability or willingness to participate in campaigns of cultural transformation, but that the reintroduction of mass political violence during collectivization allowed a cohort of Kazakh youth to achieve parity with Russians on the anti-religious front. In conditions of limited resources, poor communications, and low literacy, the legitimization of decentralized violence acted as the great equalizer. While there already exists abundant anglophone literature on the role of Russian youth in overturning the NEP consensus, the role of Kazakh and Central Asian youth is still to be thoroughly investigated. My thesis is an attempt to address this gap in the social history of Kazakhstan.Item Restricted CHARACTERIZATION OF PHYTOPLANKTON COMMUNITIES USING IMAGING FLOW CYTOMETRY ALONG THE SALINITY GRADIENT IN TENGIZ-KORGALZHYN AND ARAL LAKE SYSTEMS OF KAZAKHSTAN(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-04-24) Duisen, AiymTwo Kazakhstani saline lake systems were studied in the thesis: the Tengiz-Korgalzhyn Lake System and the Aral Lake System. The Tengiz-Korgalzhyn wetlands, lying on the main migratory routes of transitional birds, where more than a hundred protected and endemic species inhabit, are one of the important wetlands in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. In 1976, it was included in the Ramsar Convention's list and 2008 in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The second system is the Aral Lake System, initially the Aral Sea, which saw a significant shrinkage due to environmental and anthropogenic (water withdrawal, increase of agriculture) reasons in the last 60 years, which led to segregation and disappearance of some parts of it. Both systems provide strong salinity gradients, which are represented in biotic communities, specifically phytoplankton. Planktonic indicators are important for lakes ecosystem health evaluation. To accomplish this, the water samples were collected from both lake systems with the instant measurements of physico-chemical parameters. The samples were then analyzed using imaging flow cytometry (IFC) for further phytoplankton classification and counting. The phytoplankton metrics were obtained and statistically analyzed, and diversity index calculations, and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were performed. According to the IFC results, Large and Small Tengiz Lake, which had a narrow range of all environmental parameters, was characterized by a homogenous community composition in all the sites with similar phytoplankton FlowCam-based group proportions. In contrast, significant trends might be seen in changes in phytoplankton groups in small lakes of the Tengiz-Korgalzhyn Lake System that showed a wide range of salinity. In the Tengiz-Korgalzhyn Lake System, the highest phytoplankton abundance was observed mainly in the less saline waters (oligo- and mesosaline sites) and the most hypersaline areas, with the decline in total abundance in the in-between salinity zones. However, the number of phytoplankton groups saw a decline as the salinity rose. The same trend for overall phytoplankton abundance was observed in the Aral Lake System, which has a strong salinity gradient as well. In addition, the trends of phytoplankton at different salinity levels that promote the dominance of various phytoplankton groups in the lake systems were described. Moreover, it was found that along salinity gradients, most phytoplankton groups differed in response to environmental parameters between these lake systems. The significance of this research is the contribution to phytoplankton studies in two Kazakhstani lake systems and the development of classification systems for imaging analysis of phytoplanktpn suitable for IFC. These classification systems can serve as a basis for further seasonal studies of the lakes and for the development of artificial intelligence algorithms. In addition, this study may also contribute to the knowledge of algae in inland saline lakes.Item Restricted COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PT-TIO2 THIN FILMS, FABRICATED UNDER VARIOUS CONDITIONS FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL WATER SPLITTING FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION(Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Science and Humanities, 2024-04-30) Javeria, -The research investigates Pt-TiO2 thin film fabrication for electrochemical water splitting to produce hydrogen. Considering Pt's role as a benchmark catalyst, its scarcity and high cost drive the exploration of alternative approaches. Thin film technology emerges as a promising solution due to its minimal material usage and controlled deposition process. Post-deposition treatments, including intense pulsed ion beam irradiation and oven-based annealing, were employed to reduce Pt particle size and ensure uniform distribution, thereby mitigating the coffee ring effect and enhancing catalytic activity. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) analysis confirms significant enhancement of catalytic activity of prepared electrode as compared to pure Pt, with irradiated samples exhibiting slightly superior performance than oven annealed sample, attributed to smaller particle production under irradiated conditions. The superior catalytic activity of irradiated samples contributes to advancements in electrocatalysis and energy conversion technologies, presenting optimized Pt-TiO2 thin films as a viable solution for industrial-scale hydrogen production. This research addresses challenges posed by Pt scarcity,cost, particle size and unequal distribution as well as comparing the effect of different post deposition treatment, offering insights into improving electrochemical water splitting efficiency and scalability.Item Open Access THE EFFECT OF FRAMING AND EXPERT OPINION ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF PRESIDENT TOQAYEV'S POLICY AGAINST ELITE CORRUPTION(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-05-02) Ashimkhan, AruzhanThis thesis delves into Kazakhstanis’ views on President Toqayev’s measures targeting elite-level corruption in the wake of the Bloody January unrest of 2022. I examine the effects of framing and experts’ opinions on public perception of these measures, on trust/distrust and approval/disapproval of these measures. My findings from the nationwide survey experiment and three focus group interviews with residents of Astana and Shu (southern Kazakhstan) partially confirm each of the following: populism frame of Toqayev’s anti-corruption policies had a substantial impact on the level of public support for criminal prosecution and asset return initiatives, with less influence observed on constitutional reform efforts. In contrast to anticipated results, exposure to skepticism frames did not reduce public support for the anti-corruption measures. Additionally, I found that the greater social media usage reduced public trust in the successful implementation of Toqayev’s anti-corruption policies while simultaneously enhancing both skeptical interpretations of and support level for said policies. Not surprisingly, expert opinion plays some role in shaping public perception of anti-corruption policies. Two-part survey results demonstrated the increase in support for all anti-corruption policies in the presence of expert opinion. My respondents from focus groups tended to believe that experts’ educational credentials, authoritativeness, adherence to pre-existing beliefs of the respondents, and the content of expert opinion played vital roles in determining whether to trust expert opinion or not. I expected that living in rural areas in the southern region would lead to higher levels of trust and lower levels of skepticism. The results from a two-part online survey confirm this. However, findings from focus group interviews revealed mixed results in relation to this expectation. Participants from Shu doubted Toqayev’s sincerity in combatting elite-level corruption, whereas individuals from smaller southern towns who had moved to Astana exhibited stronger approval and commended President Toqayev for his efforts in combatting grand corruption. Thus, my thesis offers important contributions to the theories of political learning and political communication with insights into how citizens become critical evaluators of authoritarian regimes.Item Embargo TURNOUT DECLINE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SUB-NATIONAL VARIATIONS IN VOTER PARTICIPATION IN NIGERIA(Nazarbayev University School of Sciences and Humanities, 2024-05-02) Alegbe, Augustina OsaromiyekeVoter turnout has been declining globally. This raises concerns for democracies, especially unconsolidated democracies as it speaks to the erosion of democratic institutions within the society. Presidential democracies place great power in the hands of the citizens, in a bid to ensure that the choice of the people is duly represented. However, turnout decline signals that there are democratic challenges faced within the country, which raises an issue as turnout is essential for representative politics. This study seeks to understand the factors that lead to voter turnout decline in presidential elections. By focusing on the role of the electoral commission, poverty and lack of trust in the electoral process, it makes the argument that turnout decline in presidential elections do not arise from simple disinterest of the electorates in politics but rather an interplay of the aforementioned factors. This study identifies three major findings. Firstly, the ineffectiveness of the electoral commission inhibits voter turnout. Given the important role the electoral commission plays in the elections, failure to carry out their essential duties effectively serves as a barrier to voter turnout. Secondly, this study shows that poverty inhibits voter turnout, especially in rural communities, where the citizens have experienced issues with the electoral commission and would rather prioritize their personal gains and interest over civic engagement. Thirdly, the irregularities perceived by the electorates due to the ineffectiveness of the electoral commission, erodes the trust of the citizens in the electoral process, as they have doubts about the credibility and transparency of the elections. These findings emerge from series of interviews with political activists, party members, civil society members and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials. I carry out a comparative analysis of the selected cases utilizing a most similar systems design, where I identified these cases based on shared similarities and variations in the dependent variable at the subnational level. This study develops a theoretical framework that accounts for turnout decline in presidential elections, contributing to a deeper understanding of the challenges and factors that impede voter turnout in presidential elections.