RESEARCH
Advocacy, systems change, culture, connection, political ecology, geography, just transition, energy, identity, justice, sustainability, equality, liberation.
Turbine Trouble: How Commercial Wind Threatens Sustainable Development in Rural Oklahoma Kaya, Cricket E. The Undergraduate Research Journal Vol. 21, University of Oklahoma Press, 2022
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Turbine Trouble was published in the 2022 Undergraduate Research Journal, Vol.21 among nine other competitively selected essays.
Research Advisor: Dr. Emma Colven, PhD
Turbine Trouble is an archival retelling of the challenges posed by extractive corporate wind projects to my hometown's path towards a just transition. Delving into primary source historical records, I reveal the political and ecological implications that often go unnoticed amidst the promises of economic prosperity.
Through this analysis, I challenge the prevailing notion of wind energy as an unequivocal solution for sustainability, offering a nuanced perspective on the complex interactions between commercial wind ventures and our aspiration for a more equitable energy transition.
Blackouts, Borders, and Blame: Disaster Governance and Winter Storm Uri Kaya, Cricket E. IAS 4013: Environment and Society, College of International Studies, University of Oklahoma, 2022
Research Advisor: Dr. Emma Colven, PhD
In Blackouts, Borders, and Blame, I investigate the intricate political landscape behind the far-reaching power outages triggered by the 2021 winter storm Uri. Beyond the well-documented impact on Texas, my research includes the lesser-known, extensive power disruptions across Mexico.
I analyze regional media accounts in both Spanish and English to navigate a discourse of disaster governance, climate change, political ecology, and a global energy crisis.
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Confronting Environmental Displacement in Sao Paulo, Brazil's Smart Megacity Kaya, Cricket E. IAS 3003: Environmental Justice and Global Cities, College of International Studies, University of Oklahoma (2021)
Research Advisor: Dr. Emma Colven, PhD
This paper is an exploration of the relationship between "green" infrastructures and the displacement of peripheral communities within the urban landscape of Sao Paulo. With a focus on the city's history of municipal displacement, I unravel the systemic forces that have shaped the spatial dynamics of its neighborhoods and socioeconomic makeup.
A central element of my analysis is a detailed case study of the Tiete River Valley Park, a prominent example of green infrastructure development which has displaced poor communities who live alongside the river.
You can view my digital abstract below.
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The Disposition Handbook: Molding Asian American Impersonality, Kaya, Cricket E. Brainstorm X Vol. 11, University of Oklahoma Press, 2019
Research Advisor: David Long
In The Disposition Handbook, I write about a deeply personal exploration of my own identity as a hyphenated American within the complex tapestry of immigrant America. Reflecting on my family's history of incarceration during Japanese internment in World War II. I navigate the relationship between assimilation, resilience, and historical trauma.
Drawing from my intimate familial narrative, I examine the broader context of Asian American political presence in contemporary America, particularly within the discourse surrounding affirmative action.
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Carbon Offset as Restorative Sovereignty: The Yurok Tribe's Groundbreaking Approach to Climate Conservation, Kaya, Cricket E. NAS 3313: Introduction to Native Peoples and Sustainability, University of Oklahoma (2022)
Research Advisor: Dr. Gina Stuart-Richard
I explain the innovative and empowering strategies employed by the Yurok Tribe to harness the potential of carbon offset as a means of advancing their ancestral conservation efforts.
This essay aims to highlight the ways Indigenous self-determination should be used as a standard for the field of conservation, offering a testament to the Yurok Tribe's pioneering efforts in forging a new paradigm of restorative sovereignty.
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Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Abusive Eco-Gaurds in the Congo Basin: Why Conservation Should Go Local, Kaya, Cricket E. HON 3993: Africa and the Urge to Help, University of Oklahoma (2021)
Research Advisor: Dr. Andreana Prichard
I dissect the troubling narrative surrounding the WWF and its use of eco-gaurds in the Congo Basin. Through a critical lense, I open the web of imperialist tendencies that inadvertently hindered the WWF's ability to heed local voices and concerns.
I highlight the stark consequences of a paternalistic approach that silences the concerns of the communities with deep ancestral ties to the land. This analysis unravels the emergence of a militaristic presence facilitated by the WWF, underscoring the urgency of a shift in conservation paradigms.
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