Digital Commons Network^™

The End Of Everything: The Physical And Figurative Impacts Of Landscape On American Ideology, Wyatt Alger

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Languages and Literature of Bard College.

Don’T Talk To Me Until I’Ve Had My Coffee: An Analysis Of Colombia’S Changing Coffee And Agricultural Sector In The Face Of Climate Change, Nita Vemuri

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Abstract

“With each year that passes, Atlantic and Pacific cyclone generating areas have experienced higher sea surface temperatures and increases in the intensity and duration of tropical storms.” (Sherbinin et al., 2007) While climate change remains a myth to some, it has become a reality for many, especially those whose livelihoods depend on climate-vulnerable fields and occupations. Latin American countries are especially subjected to climate change consequences because of their vast agricultural sectors and their reliance on ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) patterns, “There is a clear relationship …

Difference In The Inhibitory Effects Of Violacein On Various Yeast Isolate Strains From The Hudson Valley Region, Lilah Dorothy Blaker

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Violacein is a purple pigmented compound produced by numerous bacterial species including Janthinobacterium lividum. Studies into violacein have found it to have a multitude of medicinal properties, from antifungal, antibiotic, to antitumor activity. Research has shown that violacein significantly inhibits both tumor and fungal growth and it has been shown to have higher cyotoxicity in pathogenic or cancerous cells than in healthy ones, giving it great potential as for use as a pharmaceutical drug in humans, alongside the fact that as a bacterial compound it’s easier and faster to produce than some other drugs. Violacein has also been shown to …

Potentials Of Pleurotus: Reimagining The Relationship Between Cattle And Brewer's Spent Grain, Zoe Stojkovic

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Brewer’s spent grains (BSGs), a byproduct from beer production, are generated in excess globally. Most often, they are sold or given to proximate cattle farmers for use as feed. However, spent grain can also be used as a medium for fungal cultivation. Given that certain fungal species have the capability to degrade lignin and produce protein, the cultivation of fungi on spent grains may serve to enhance the nutritional profile of the grains for their use as cattle feed. This project is an effort to determine the compatibility of fungal cultivation with BSGs in order to both improve upon cattle …

Study Of Microbial Load In Water Samples From Hydraulic Fracturing Adjacent Streams, Anthony W. Ruocco

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Hydraulic Fracturing, also known as “fracking,” is an oil and gas extraction method in which a mix of water, sand, and chemicals are shot at high pressures into subterranean areas. This process has the potential to not only damage landscapes and impact wildlife, but also to pollute groundwater and surface water, as well as streams. Water collected near fracking sites may show the effects of hydraulic fracturing on microbial communities, and examination of bacterial growth can possibly give indication of habitat degradation or the effect of inorganic compounds introduced by the hydraulic fracturing process. Samples collected by a Jude Lab …

Relationship Between Readiness Potential And Reasoning-Initiated Movements, Bochen Li

Senior Projects Fall 2023

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing of Bard College.

Modeling Vascular Diffusion Of Oxygen In Breast Cancer, Tina Giorgadze

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Oxygen is a vital nutrient necessary for tumor cells to survive and proliferate. Oxygen is diffused from our blood vessels into the tissue, where it is consumed by our cells. This process can be modeled by partial differential equations with sinks and sources. This project focuses on adding an oxygen diffusion module to an existing 3D agent-based model of breast cancer developed in Dr. Norton’s lab. The mathematical diffusion module added to an existing agent-based model (ABM) includes deriving the 1-dimensional and multi-dimensional diffusion equations, implementing 2D and 3D oxygen diffusion models into the ABM, and numerically evaluating those equations …

The Effects Of D2 Receptor Modulation On Locomotor Development In Danio Rerio, Isaiah Thomas Mcroberts

Senior Projects Spring 2022

This study utilized a novel design to investigate the sensitivity of D2 dopamine receptors to modulating compounds through multiple exposures over early development of zebrafish larvae. Zebrafish were dosed for 30 minutes from 5-8 days post fertilization (dpf) with 16µ/mol of either a D2 antagonist, haloperidol, or a D2 agonist, quinpirole hydrochloride. Two other groups were then dosed with these compounds from 9-12dpf. The effects of D2 receptor modulation were measured by analyzing motor activity on measures of movement distance, frequency, and velocity. Results indicated that larvae dosed with haloperidol on 5dpf had increased activity after the first dosage, but …

Hidden In A Snail Shell, Zara Ana Kornfeld

Senior Projects Spring 2021

Snails are an often overlooked member of the Hudson River ecosystem, though play a critical role in supporting it. This Senior Project delves into the evolutionary history of freshwater snails as well as the roles they fulfill within their ecosystems. This project also considers the codependent nature of snails and the Hudson River and how that relationship will be impacted by Climate Change.

Possibilities & Potential Of Perennial Wheat: A Comparison Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Diversity And Abundance Between Winter Wheat And Kernza, Tess Noble Strohm

Senior Projects Spring 2021

In an effort to harness the benefits of perenniality on soil health, a perennial wheatgrass called Kernza (Thinopyrum intermedium) has been developed for commercial use at the Land Institute in Salina, Kansas. The effects of a cultivar of Kernza intended for the Hudson Valley, NY were examined in this study using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) as an indicator of soil health. AMF are an obligate symbiotic fungi known to provide physical and biological benefits to soil and plant systems. Fields containing one and four year old Kernza, as well as a field of an annual winter wheat were sampled to …

Avian Attractiveness To Vertically Polarized Light, Aurora Belle Kuczek

Senior Projects Spring 2021

It is well-known that many animal species can detect polarized light cues of water and water-like objects in the visible and ultraviolet range. However, studies investigating if birds can see polarized light in field-based settings are rare. Furthermore, no studies have yet been conducted to understand avian attractiveness to vertically polarized light, nor have studies considered other natural polarizers of light such as tree sap. I designed a choice-field experiment to investigate if birds can detect, and are attracted to vertically polarized light. First, I cut six pieces of clear vinyl into a foot by 54 inches. I painted each …

The Effects Of Priming Eruca Sativa Seeds With Short-Chain Ahl C6-Hsl At Bard Farm, Shannon M. Ryan

Senior Projects Spring 2021

Many gram-negative bacteria use quorum sensing to assess population densities and cooperate with another. The quorum sensing autoinducers N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) have been found to cause altered gene expression patterns in plants, resulting in increased root and shoot growth as well as induced pathogenic resistance in various species. Researchers have begun exploring the ways AHLs may be used in agricultural systems to reduce the use of environmentally harmful synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. In this study, the effect of priming arugula (Eruca sativa) seeds with the short-chain AHL C6-HSL was investigated at Bard Farm in Annandale-On-Hudson, New York. Leaf lengths …

Air Quality Impacts Of The 2020 West Coast Wildfire Season On Kingston, Ny, Mikala Jordan L'Hote

Senior Projects Spring 2021

Wildfires are natural events that occur in arid, dry areas throughout the world, burning surrounding vegetation and biomass and releasing massive smoke plumes into the atmosphere. These plumes can contain and variety of pollutants that can be impactful to both environmental and human health, including carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone (O3), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), and black carbon (BC) (Wu et al., 2018). With the effects of climate change on the rise, larger fires, more fire counts, and long duration burns are paired with broader and more extensive smoke plumes, many are beginning to question …

The Incorporation Of Indigenous Tradition In Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Pathway To Cultural Inclusivity Within Mental Health, Angelo Adonnis Winings

Senior Projects Spring 2021

The use of psychedelic medicine has been a part of society and the evolution of humanity since the beginning of our existence. Throughout the years, these practices were integrated into cultures around the world throughout the years, as societal structures promoted traditional practices reflective of ritual and custom. One such practice that survived the test of time is the use of psychoactive substances to promote mental states that put the user in touch with spiritual ancestors as well as with the subtleties of the world around them. These practices included tribal usage in indigenous cultures from Africa, the Americas, parts …

A Troop, A Raft, A Bed, Hanna Jane Guendel

Senior Projects Spring 2020

A Troop, a Raft, a Bed tells the interwoven fictional stories of three major animals (the mountain gorilla, the Adélie penguin, and the American eel) and four transitional animals (the white stork, the humpback whale, the common octopus, and the great white shark). The stories are told from the animals' perspectives, and are written with language that considers each animal's unique intelligence, mind, and behavior. These stories seek to communicate how animals around the world may be experiencing the various effects of climate change and global warming.

Does The Direction Of Current Flow Using Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation (Tdcs) Affect One’S Ability To Perform Motor Tasks?, Zongheng Zhang

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS), is a non-invasive, painless brain stimulation treatment that uses direct electrical currents to stimulate specific parts of the brain. This is achieved by placing two electrodes--one positive (the anode) and one negative (the cathode)--on the scalp and running current across them. Altering the cortical excitability in this manner has been associated with changes in a variety of cognitive and motor tasks, those thought to be controlled by the underlying regions. While most of the existing literature has focused on the effects of placing the anode over the target region (often benefitting the associated performance), there is …

Rezistance: Diné Grassroots Organization And Modes Of Activism, Eric Robert Dougherty

Senior Projects Spring 2020

This ethnography looks at themes of Indigeneity and activism as it exists in the everyday realities of young people living in or around the Navajo reservation in the southwest United States. Through work-related projects of hogan construction, land reclamation, watershed management, and language restoration Navajo youth are given opportunities to take control of their present circumstances and imagine a different future for themselves and their families. Besides work, youth and activism are constituted through other mediums and spaces that allow people to express who they are, what they care about, and why these things are important to them. The consistent …

From Colonial Agriculture To Community Resilience: A History Of The United States Gulf Coast, 1718-2005, Olivia Champion Johnson

Senior Projects Fall 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Assessing Food Insecurity In The Hudson Valley Through The Capabilities Lens, Nicole Grace Vascimini

Senior Projects Spring 2020

In the Hudson Valley Region in Upstate New York there is an existing conundrum in which despite all areas of the region being covered by farmland with an abundance of fresh food available in every county; there are still people going hungry and experiencing food insecurity. Low-income communities as well as low-access communities are disproportionately dealing with the inequities of the Hudson Valley food system. This project looks at past and existing frameworks towards assessing and measuring food security and discusses these approaches in relation to the methodologies being employed by local organizations to assess the prevalence of food insecurity …

"Pcb Pandemic": How Polychlorinated Biphenyls Plagued The Hudson And Why Commercial Fishermen Were Left Behind, Morgan Averill Gray

Senior Projects Fall 2020

Senior Project Submitted to The Division of Multidisciplinary Studies of Bard College

Agent Based Model Of Cavitation In Spinal Cord Injury, Rahma Ahmed

Senior Projects Spring 2019

Annually, approximately 375,000 people suffer from spinal cord injury (SCI) worldwide and many SCI patients develop secondary health conditions such as respiratory, cardiovascular, and urinary/bowel complications which negatively impact their daily lives. SCI occurs when there is damage to the spinal cord resulting in decreased motor functions, decreased sensory functions, or paralysis. Days to weeks after initial impact, the lesion (area of injury) continues to increase in size in a process called progressive cavitation which demyelinates axons and inhibits effective axonal regeneration. In an in vitro model of progressive cavitation, Fitch et al. showed that activated macrophages cause cavities to …

Potential For Human Exposure To Legionella Near Newtown Creek In Brooklyn, New York, Azlan Maqbool

Senior Projects Spring 2019

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

The air environment is known to contain a wide array of microbes. Urban coastal environment studies have shown plenty of interchange between land and sea bacteria. While there have been several studies analyzing the transfer between aquatic and terrestrial microbial communities, few have looked at the impact this transfer might have on individuals. Moreover, facilities like wastewater treatment plants situated in dense urban environments may play an important role in the proliferation of potentially pathogenic bacteria to nearby human populations. Wastewater treatment plants are known to be associated …

Herbal Supplements: Perceptions, Risks And Need For Improved Regulation, Julia Nikati Wright

Senior Projects Fall 2019

Herbal supplements have become widely used in the United States to treat a variety of ailments. Though the market for these supplements have grown since the passage of the 1994 Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act, the FDA has failed to expand its regulation over these products. Herbal supplements in the United States have been found to be contaminated, misbranded, and sold at unsafe doses. These issues can seriously affect the health and safety of consumers. The issue with the quality of these products is coupled with the lack of knowledge about herbal supplements. Scientific research is severely lacking when …

A Comparison Of Aquatic Microbial Community Structure In A Rural Stream (Sawkill In Red Hook, Ny) And An Urban Stream (Sawmill In Yonkers, Ny), Emlyn A. Ellerby

Senior Projects Spring 2019

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Where Birds Chill: An Assessment Of The Habitat Preferences Of Birds Overwintering In Hudson Valley Forests, Elizabeth Claire Axley

Senior Projects Spring 2019

Many avian species overwinter in eastern North America; however, studies on bird populations are rarely undertaken during this critical survival time, and little is known as to their habitat preferences and foraging behavior. In this observational study, we performed a survey of birds overwintering in the Hudson Valley’s temperate, primarily-deciduous forests, assessing avian populations’ habitat preferences through the vegetative structural variables surrounding overwintering birds as they forage. Our results suggest that high canopy cover is critically important to predicting overwintering bird occupancy on a microhabitat scale. Moreover, overwintering birds preferentially occupy forest plots not dominated by sugar maples, in spite …

The Fungus Among Us: The Effect Of Copper Fungicide On Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi And Implications For Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Francois J. Hartnett

Senior Projects Spring 2018

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

The Shady Persecution Of Doping: Performance Enhancement Drugs And Meaning In Sport, Tyrin Antwan Stevenson

Senior Projects Fall 2018

This project deals with the debate around performance enhancement drugs, utilizing a philosophical approach to meaning in sport to shed light on the topic.

Gene Transcription Modeling Within A Random And Tethered Environment, Carlos A. Polanco

Senior Projects Spring 2018

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing of Bard College.

I Have Never Stepped In The Same River Twice, Madison Hailey Emond

Senior Projects Spring 2018

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” – Heraclitus

I never knew that I would learn to walk the Sawkill River in moonlight, that I would come to know its contours and the depths of its waters so well. I never expected that the tree roots and rocks that lay in my path to its banks would know my gait so fully.

This project began as a reaction to the hurricanes that struck the Caribbean last fall. It felt apt to question landscape imagery and how …

Resilience Theory In Climate-Based Agriculture Development Projects: Useful Framework Or Popular Buzzword?, Rebecca Ann Chillrud

Bard Center for Environmental Policy

International development organizations are increasingly attempting to improve the resilience of the communities they serve through their projects in these communities. However, these projects often fail to address key concepts from the resilience theory literature, calling into question their ability to effectively promote resilience. This thesis attempts to locate these gaps in understanding by analyzing proposal documents from projects intending to promote agricultural resilience to climate change. A content analysis approach was used to analyze 55 projects from three international development groups—the Global Environment Facility, the World Bank, and the United Nations Development Program—proposed or completed between 2006 and 2016. …