Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Airborne Radar To Map Glacier Elevations In Alpine Terrain Including Estimated Glacier Volume Change, Bryce Allen Glenn

Dissertations and Theses

Alpine glaciers and perennial snowfields (G&PS) are important hydrologically and ecologically, providing meltwater during the hottest and driest summer periods. Climate warming shrinks these natural reservoirs while temporarily providing increased streamflow. To assess regional changes in glacier volume, from which contribution to streamflow can be estimated, I used NASA's Airborne Glacier and Ice Surface Topography Interferometer (GLISTIN). This instrument mapped the surface topography of alpine glaciers; differencing these elevations from historic elevations derived from topographic maps, volume change is calculated. GLISTIN was flown over the glacier-populated mountain ranges of the western U.S. Of the 3289 glaciers and perennial snowfields with …

Examining Bicycle And Motorized Vehicle Speeds And Their Relationships In The Context Of Urban Roadways, Jaclyn Sue Schaefer

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis presents a compilation of papers exploring passenger car and bicycle speeds through their interactions with each other and with urban roadway factors.

First, following a concern raised in part of the traffic literature that a large mode shift toward bicycling may cause travel time delays and potentially exacerbate congestion instead of alleviate it unless bicycle lanes are installed, an empirical study detailing how the presence of bicycles on urban roads without bicycle lanes may affect passenger car speeds is presented. Pneumatic tube data from six predominantly low speed, low volume roads in Portland, Oregon were utilized to identify …

A Historical Ecology Of Aridland Springs In Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Nuwu/Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute/Chemehuevi) Ancestral Territory, Nevada, Yarrow Sarah Valentine Geggus

Dissertations and Theses

Aridland springs are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world. Vital to desert ecologies and Indigenous cultures, these complex and individualistic ecosystems have layered histories. To inform management in the changing landscape of Desert National Wildlife Refuge, a 1.6 million acre protected area in Southern Nevada, I conducted a historical ecology study of a sample of ten upland springs. Through a six-part interdisciplinary methodology including interviews, archaeological survey, botanical survey, and archival research, I summarize findings into three broad eras: the Nuwu/Nuwuvi pre-Contact Era, the Settler Era, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Era.

For millennia, Nuwu/Nuwuvi drank …

The Electronic Hardware Music Subculture In Portland, Oregon, James Andrew Hickey

Dissertations and Theses

Music is relatively understudied as a geographic phenomenon, but recently there has been a shift in academic literature to understand the social, cultural and economic factors that determine music and its development in specific places. The purpose of this study is to examine the Electronic Hardware Music Subculture (EHMS) in Portland, why it thrives, and how it is linked to the local cultural economy. To do this, I used semi-structured, long form interviews with key members of the EHMS. These interviews, and my own observations, gave insight into what factors affect the success of members of the EHMS, and how …

Racial Gatekeeping In Country & Hip-Hop Music, Cervanté Pope

University Honors Theses

In mass communication, gatekeeping refers to how information is edited, shaped and controlled in efforts to construct a "social reality." One way it presents itself is in regard to racial inclusion and equality, and despite the headway we’ve seemingly made as a society, we are still lightyears away from where we need to be. Because of this, the concept of cultural property has become even more paramount, as a means for keeping one's cultural history and identity-preserved. Blacks and whites similarly attempt to protect or preserve facets of their culture they feel belong to them. What’s different for both of …

Human Energy In The Workplace: An Investigation Of Daily Energy Management Strategies, Job Stressors And Employee Outcomes, Morgan Rose Taylor

Dissertations and Theses

Recent research has pointed to the benefits associated with the use of work-related energy management strategies for employee outcomes. Using the Conservation of Resources Theory and the Challenge and Hindrance Stressor Framework, the current study extends the energy management literature by examining day-level relationships between work-related energy management strategies (e.g., organizing, meaning-making, and prosocial strategies) and employee outcomes, namely, goal progress, work engagement, and relational energy respectively. Further, challenge and hindrance stressors are tested as day-level moderators of these relationships. Using experience sampling methods across 10 workdays, results showed that day-level organizing strategy use was related to higher goal progress …

Aligning Food Environments With Institutional Values: A Mixed Methods Study Of Oregon Health Care Organizations, Elizaveta Walker

Dissertations and Theses

A major driver of the obesity epidemic is obesogenic food environments, characterized by nutrient-poor and energy-dense foods that saturate the collective physical, economic and sociocultural conditions that influence nutritional status. Food environments in organizations such as hospitals and public health agencies warrant special consideration given their health-focused mission. Improving food environments within health care settings has been highlighted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as one of seven key strategies to prevent obesity. However, most of the refereed literature examining healthy food environment policies (HFEPs) within hospitals focuses on the inpatient dietary environment, leaving a paucity of …

Smoking Behaviors In Patients Offered Lung Cancer Screening, Sara Elizabeth Golden

Dissertations and Theses

In the United States, smoking causes preventable diseases, including lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer deaths. Improving smoking cessation rates is important to decrease lung cancer deaths. Health care visits with a discussion about lung cancer screening (LCS) may help in increasing prevalence of smoking cessation. Importantly, insurers now require clinicians to have a shared decision-making discussion with patients that includes discussion of smoking abstinence before they can receive an LCS scan (i.e., a low-dose computed tomography scan). This discussion may represent a unique opportunity to encourage smoking cessation since it may prompt positive smoking behavior change. …

Methodologies To Quantify Transit Performance Metrics At The System-Level Using High-Resolution Gps, Stop-Level, And Gtfs Archived Transit Data, Travis Bradley Glick

Dissertations and Theses

Performance metrics have typically focused at two main scales: a microscopic scale that focuses on specific locations, time-periods, and trips; and, a macroscopic scale that averages metrics over longer times, entire routes, and networks. When applied to entire transit systems, microscopic methodologies often have computational limitations while macroscopic methodologies ascribe artificial uniformity to non-uniform analysis areas. These limitations highlight the need for a middle approach.

This dissertation presents a mesoscopic analysis based around timepoint-segments, which are a novel application of an existing system for many transit agencies. For this research, routes are divided into a consecutive group of bus stops …

Six Feet Of Distance Between Belonging: Expansions And Maintenance Of Citizenship During Covid-19, Johnathon Daniel Vargas

University Honors Theses

Citizenship is the dominant 'political regime of belonging' that is coupled with rights and access to necessary material resources. This paper reviews the dimensions of citizenship, its connection to the nation-state, and analytical approaches to belonging. The review of literature is then applied to an analysis of how COVID-19 has challenged notions of citizenship by revealing maintenance strategies and enactments of belonging in Portland, Oregon and the surrounding region. This paper uses qualitative research to analyze events, communication, activities, and conditions of those who lack citizenship, mediated through local media. Data collected from the first 3 months of the COVID-19 …

Importance Of Interpersonal Relationships In Cbgt, Alexxa Badley

University Honors Theses

A literature review was conducted to answer the question, can CBGT, and its emphasis on interpersonal relationships bolster the treatment of depression in adolescents? Adolescents were defined as anyone between the ages of 13-17, and depression was diagnosed by the DSM-V. It was found that CBGT had strong effectiveness in the treatment of depression, lowering symptoms across the board. Teens found solidarity in having others that could relate to them and their personal experiences. Potential downfalls were the fact that time management was crucial to better treatment, making sure everyone had a chance to speak, as well as strong communication …

The Impact Of Paternal Caregivers For Youth Who Commit Sexual Offenses, Miranda Hope Sitney

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation presents three manuscripts exploring the impact of caregivers, particularly male caregivers, on the development of juvenile sexual offending behavior. The first manuscript investigated the role of disrupted caregiving for juvenile sexual offenders compared to non-offending juveniles and youth who committed non-sexual crimes. The results indicated that juvenile sexual offenders have particularly poor relationships with their primary caregivers, especially if their primary caregiver was male. The second manuscript is a systematic literature review that explored the pathways through which male caregivers may influence the sexually aggressive behavior of their sons. A total of thirty-four articles describing three pathways (i.e., …

Home Resources Supporting Workplace Resources: An Investigation Of Moderated Intervention Effects From The Study For Employment Retention Of Veterans (Serve), Sarah Nielsen Haverly

Dissertations and Theses

Social support directly impacts psychological outcomes both within the home and work domains. Hammer and colleagues suggest that social support at work from supervisors is related to a number of positive workplace outcomes. Kossek et al. elaborated that social support from supervisors is additionally effective when it is tailored to the unique needs of workers (i.e., role demands). The Veteran Supportive Supervisor Training (VSST) educates supervisors how to better support former service-members employed within the civilian workplace. Additional sources of social support are also key to positive outcomes for workers. Research shows that support from a partner or spouse can …

History And Memory In The Intersectionality Of Heritage Sites And Cultural Centers In The Pacific Northwest And Hawai'i, Leah Marie Rosenkranz

Dissertations and Theses

While working to maintain contemporary and future relationships with stakeholders, heritage sites and cultural centers across the United States attempt to tell the history and experiences of the land and people who were once there, are there in the present, and will be there in the future. Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is one of these heritage places. This study is a response to current management needs identified for the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. Through an internship with the ongoing Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Traditional Use Study, my research examines how heritage sites and cultural centers fulfill the …

Determinants Of Green Purchase Intentions Of Saudi Consumers, Amani Mohammed Kaadoor

Dissertations and Theses

Much of the research on how and why consumers engage in pro-environmental consumption has occurred in the wealthy countries of the West, where green markets are increasingly well established. Research in other economic and cultural context is sparse and points to large regional differences that cause some researchers to call key theoretical foundations, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior, into question. In response, this study investigates the factors that predict green purchase intention for food and personal care products in Saudi Arabia, a wealthy country with a rapidly growing population, severe environmental challenges, and a nascent green consumer market …

Trail Impact Monitoring In Forest Park, James Mitchell

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Forest Park is an appropriately named 5,200 acre natural area located in northwest Portland, Oregon. A recent study estimated park usage near half a million annual visits and found "trails" to be the park’s most highly valued feature. Unfortunately, many trails were not designed for such traffic as evidenced by slipping hazards, erosion and other ecological impacts. In response to these observations, I partnered with Portland Parks & Recreation to conduct an objective trail impact assessment prescribed by the Forest Park Natural Resource Management Plan. I modified methods from past studies to expand on a recently completed trail condition class …

Greening Inequality: How Urban Sustainable Development Fails Under Neoliberalism, Josie R. Allison

University Honors Theses

Despite its banner of common-good altruism, urban sustainable development becomes a branding scheme for municipalities when it operates under and prioritizes a neoliberal agenda. Neoliberalism is the dominant economic philosophy within the United States, and other western economies, that emphasizes extreme economic liberalism and open markets with public fiscal austerity and the diminished role of governments. This has transferred a great portion of power and funding once held by the public sector into the hands of the private sector. Under neoliberalism, city governments function with stripped federal funding and limited budgets, while leaning on private companies for public operations, like …

An Equity Focused Study On The Trip Temporal Distributions Of Vulnerable Road Users, Santiago Espinosa Wild

Civil and Environmental Engineering Master's Project Reports

The United States is a megadiverse nation with a transportation system that, for decades, was designed to serve primarily able-bodied, white, male motorists. This legacy creates a situation in which varying socio-demographic groups experience the transportation system differently with contrasting safety, accessibility, and convenience outcomes. This project introduces descriptive statistics and binary logistic models that provide transportation professionals and policy makers with a quantitative understanding on how, why, and when certain socio-demographic groups are more likely to engage in a trip. This project provides tools to measure and understand the equity implications of a wide array of transportation policy decisions. …

Exploratory Study Of Obesogenic Commercial School Food Environments In The Portland Metropolitan Area, Sruthi Eapen

University Honors Theses

Objective

The purpose of this exploratory research was to study commercial food environments around high schools in the Portland metropolitan area to explore the question: How do the economic, geographic, and racial demographics of public high schools in the Portland metropolitan area affect the prevalence and make-up of obesogenic commercial food environments surrounding these schools?

Methods

Commercial food environments within a 1 km radius of 35 public high schools in the Portland metropolitan area were surveyed. The “healthiness” of the environment was calculated by establishing a “Food Environment Score.” This score was correlated with economic, geographic, and racial demographics obtained …

Interests And Priorities In Sockeye Salmon Management: How Are Policies Enacted And Interpreted On Three Alaskan Rivers?, Jake P. Palazzi

University Honors Theses

The large export abundance of Alaskan salmon is well documented, and many studies have been performed to assess the economic and environmental viability of the industry and its management. Less research has been done to characterize how state intentions regarding fisheries allocation are conceived of by management or perceived by vulnerable groups in the user pool. This study seeks to qualitatively characterize the disconnect between state and Native Alaskan perceptions of management effectiveness, public interest, and Native Alaskan involvement using interviews. Results showed that Native Alaskan and state manager respondents had very different perceptions of management effectiveness and equity. When …

Nurse Can't Even: The Immediate Impact Of Incivility On Affect, Well-Being, And Behavior, Katharine Lucille Mcmahon

Dissertations and Theses

Interest in researching incivility has increased over the past two decades, as it is recognized as a pervasive issue in the workplace. Certain industries, such as healthcare, pose a higher risk for the aggressive encounters. Low intensity aggression, namely incivility, has a dangerous combination of high prevalence and invisibility that demands an understanding of the target's subsequent reaction process. Following rationale based on the Personality Systems Interaction (PSI) theory, this study proposes that the affective shift directly mediates the relationships between incivility exposure by coworkers and presumed behavioral and well-being outcomes at the day level in a daily diary design. …

An Investigation Of The Temporal Relationship Between Agitation And Sleep Disturbances, Emily Catherine Denning

Dissertations and Theses

Suicide rates in the United States have increased almost 30% since 1999, making it the tenth leading cause of death in the country. This problem is especially prominent for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, as veterans comprise 8.5% of the U.S. population, yet they account for 18% of all deaths by suicide. These increasing rates have spurred the need for a better understanding of suicide risk, especially for this high-risk group. Previous research has focused mostly on chronic risk factors, which are useful for identifying who from a population may be more likely to engage in suicidal behaviors, but …

Variation In Female And Male Dialogue In Buffy The Vampire Slayer: A Multi-Dimensional Analysis, Amber Morgan Sanchez

Dissertations and Theses

Media representations of gender often reflect normative societal beliefs about gender and have the ability to both reinforce and subvert those beliefs. The current study examines the linguistic characterization of male and female characters on the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a series with an overt feminist message. Previous studies of gender variation in dramatic dialogue have found that female characters tend to be portrayed as using more linguistic features associated with an interpersonal and emotional focus (involvement), while male characters are portrayed as using more features centered on the transfer of information. Previous research has also found …

A Daily Examination Of Anger And Alcohol Use Among Post-9/11 Veterans, James David Lee

Dissertations and Theses

Anger problems have been commonly reported among military service-connected individuals. Current estimates of self-reported anger issues among post-9/11 veterans are around 57%. Alarmingly, it's been reported that anger does not decrease over the course of the post-deployment period; left unmanaged, it has been associated with a higher risk for suicide, post-traumatic stress, and hazardous alcohol use. Heavy drinking within military-connected samples has also been a well-documented phenomenon. Recent findings suggest that service-connected individuals may cope with adversity and regulate emotions through alcohol use, which may put them at risk for developing alcohol use disorders. While some evidence has observed a …

Waste Management In The Global South: An Inquiry On The Patterns Of Plastic And Waste Material Flows In Colombo, Sri Lanka, Katie Ann Conlon

Dissertations and Theses

Global plastic production continues to increase at an exponential pace, and global waste projections show waste generation rising by 70% by 2050. Plastic waste connects to all social processes, especially within the context of urbanization and development; urban planning and land management; GHG emissions; labor; social equity; public health; rural-to-urban migration; increasing population; increasing consumption; climate change; etc. The focus of this dissertation is an analysis of waste management practices in Sri Lanka using a grounded theory based methodology, with a goal to better understand the social and ecological impacts of plastic waste in Sri Lanka. This research fills a …

Transitioning Into Conventional Housing: Narratives Of Houseless Individuals, Joyce La Belle Mcnair

Dissertations and Theses

Past research has shown that it is possible for individuals to exit houselessness. However, it does little to provide insights into the types of experiences and events that facilitate these moves towards housing stability. This study explores indepth interviews, utilizing an interview guide with 12 individuals who exited houselessness in Portland, Oregon. This research project seeks to understand the conditions that influence successful exits out of houselessness from the perspective of the lived experiences of once houseless individuals. This study utilizes two theoretical frameworks, the theory of Habitus (Bourdieu, 1977 & Wacquant, 1998) and the networking theory of Strong and …

The Investor-State Dispute Settlement (Isds) Debate: Do Savings Provisions Influence Arbitration Outcomes?, Ryan Manning Moore

Dissertations and Theses

Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), an instrument of international trade and investment law, today leads perceptions regarding the integrity of international dispute resolution and its administration. If confidence in international economic institutions to render judgements which are impartial to political influences become suspect, then their durability will erode. This inquiry investigates whether or not power imbalances are reflected inordinately within ISDS arbitration outcomes between host nations and their foreign investors. Although there have been clear instances which question any observer's view of ISDS impartiality, these outcomes have also served to distort a complicated fabric of case results that have changed and …

Engaging Communities In Archaeology On Private Property In An Urban Neighborhood: The Search For The First (1825-1829) Fort Vancouver, Vancouver, Washington, Amy Carolyn Clearman

Dissertations and Theses

Current archaeological literature calls for archaeology to become increasingly relevant in the modern world. Involvement in archaeological research can enhance the relevancy of archaeology for participants of public archaeology projects by strengthening personal connections with heritage and history. To investigate the impact of direct involvement in archaeological research on residents in Vancouver, Washington, I recruited members of two neighborhoods associated with Fort Vancouver National Historic Site to participate in the archaeological search for material remains of the first (1825-1829) Fort Vancouver. I asked the question: How does involvement in a public archaeology project affect participants' feelings about heritage, archaeology, and …

Outsiders Within Inequality Regimes: A Sociological Framework To Advance The Lives Of Women Veterans, Sarah Louise Aktepy

Dissertations and Theses

This three-paper dissertation examines pervasive gender inequalities across two institutions: the US military and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The first paper, "'Don't Rock the Boat:' Experiences and Perceptions of Gender-Based Violence in the U.S. Military" uses qualitative interviews to better understand the experiences of gendered harassment and violence of women veterans in the US military. The second paper, "First Do No Harm: Assessing Veterans Affairs Screening for Military Sexual Abuse among our Nations Veterans" uses survey data and qualitative interviews to identify factors that contribute to inaccurate results of clinical screening for veterans with military sexual violence histories within …

Social Media Use, Social Comparison, And Loneliness, Jordan Elena Johnson

Dissertations and Theses

Since its invention, the use of Instagram and its psychological effect on users has been a topic of conversation for researchers. To achieve a better understanding of Instagram's effect on loneliness, it's important to isolate different behaviors on Instagram because of its different attributes as a social media app. Drawing on literature on the emotional effects of social media use and social comparison orientation (SCO), this study takes a closer look at specific Instagram behaviors: broadcasting, interacting, and browsing as well as SCO's relationship with loneliness. A total of 147 undergraduate students attending a university in the Pacific Northwest completed …