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| 1 | +Writing a thesis can often feel like a solitary experience. Despite appearances, |
| 2 | +such an endeavor is only possible through the collective support of mentors, |
| 3 | +colleagues, friends, and family (and those friends who became family). |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +I am profoundly indebted to my advisor and mentor, Professor Kathryn D. Huff, |
| 6 | +who set me on this path. Her uncompromising standards for excellence are matched |
| 7 | +only by the care and attention she affords her students. I only hope I can live |
| 8 | +up to her example. I would also like to thank my co-advisor, Professor Madicken |
| 9 | +Munk, for encouraging me to pursue my curiosity, which led to this sprawling |
| 10 | +multi-disciplinary work. |
| 11 | + |
| 12 | +I thank the other members of my committee, James Stubbins, Clifford Singer, |
| 13 | +McKenzie Johnson, and Denia Djoki\'c. I am particularly grateful to Professor |
| 14 | +Johnson for her patience and humor while mentoring me through the nuances of |
| 15 | +interacting with and writing about real people (gasp!). I am also deeply |
| 16 | +appreciative of the time and effort Dr. Djoki\'c put into guiding myself and |
| 17 | +Haley Williams (UC Berkeley) through the philosophy of science literature in |
| 18 | +weekly meetings of the ``Nuclear Contextualizers." |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | +Of course, I thank my colleagues, past and present, from the Advanced Reactors |
| 21 | +and Fuel Cycles (ARFC) group: Gwendolyn Chee, Sun Myung Park, Amanda Bachmann, |
| 22 | +Nathan Ryan, Olek Yardas, Zo\"e Richter, and Luke Seifert. Their feedback and |
| 23 | +code reviews were indispensable. |
| 24 | + |
| 25 | +I would like to extend a special thanks to the following people. Shannon |
| 26 | +Anderson, thank you for helping me navigate the challenges of social science and |
| 27 | +engaging with the energy justice literature. Roberto Fairhurst, thanks for being |
| 28 | +a great friend and roommate. I miss interrupting you at work (and I appreciate |
| 29 | +your patience with my interruptions). Jeremy Mettler, although I credit |
| 30 | +Professor Huff with officially starting my journey, I truly would not be here |
| 31 | +without your persistent, friendly nudges. Thank you for always inviting me, for |
| 32 | +being a trusted confidant, and a dear friend. Nataly Panczyk, I adore your |
| 33 | +curiosity, kindness, and infectious enthusiasm. I am perpetually in awe of you. |
| 34 | + |
| 35 | +I would also like to acknowledge the many incredible professors at the |
| 36 | +University of Illinois and at the College of Lake County. In particular, I |
| 37 | +acknowledge Drs. Ryan Stock, Ana Mazilu, Josephine Faulk, Kristi Dameron, and |
| 38 | +Steve Chamberlin for encouraging me to pursue graduate studies. |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | +Finally, I received financial support for this work from the Nuclear Regulatory |
| 41 | +Commission Fellowship Program, the Felix T. Adler Fellowship from the NPRE |
| 42 | +Department at UIUC, and the Union of Concerned Scientists Professional |
| 43 | +Development Fund. |
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