Digital Commons Network^™

Towards An Ecodramatherapy: Drama Therapy For Climate Grief & Climate Activism, Emilie Slotine

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

As governments and social organizations fail to sufficiently address the rapidly warming climate, psychological responses such as grief, anxiety, anger, guilt and shame increase, with young people disproportionately affected. This capstone thesis reviewed current literature on climate-change related mental health issues, considered the lack of literature within the field of drama therapy, and engaged in preliminary ecodramatherapeutic work through textual analysis. Seven plays about climate change were coded using qualitative data analysis for shared themes of therapeutic relevance. Emergent themes included The Paradoxical Power/Powerlessness of Humanity, Lost Connection to Nature or Spirit or Culture, Art as Activism and Intergenerational Responsibility. …

An Inventory Of Tidal Marsh Restoration Opportunities In Humboldt Bay And Their Impact On Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Nicholas Rowlands

Master's Projects and Capstones

Blue carbon ecosystems like tidal marshes, mangroves, and seagrass are efficient carbon sinks that release minimal methane under saline conditions. However, coastal wetlands globally are under threat, and on the U.S. West Coast some 85% of historic tidal wetlands have been lost. As such, there is increasing interest in their restoration as a necessary climate mitigation strategy. This GIS analysis identifies potential tidal marsh restoration sites in Humboldt Bay, California, and estimates the post-restoration greenhouse gas benefits. An elevation-based model of Humboldt Bay’s full estuary extent developed by West Coast researchers was combined with data from the California Aquatic Resources …

Land Use Intensification And Bio-Resource Utilisation In The South Pacific Islands, David Lopez Cornelio

International Journal of Islands Research

The long and gradual colonisation of the Pacific islands created settlements of cohesive social networks that fused or were displaced by western ways of life, trade and governance through the centuries. In this paper, a historical review of the processes of island discovery, plants domestication, and of land use practices are discussed alongside the main socioeconomic drivers of land cover change. The native trees of the South Pacific constitute an invaluable resource for sustainable development; they were used and domesticated for thousands of years but logging, commercial agriculture, mining, the introduction of exotic species and urban expansion are threatening them …

An Examination Of The Ways In Which Transdisciplinary Research Could Be Used To Incentivize Local Communities To Combat The Illegal Wildlife Trade, Jessica Rios

FIU Undergraduate Research Journal

The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is currently one of the most critical conservation concerns, given its direct impact on biodiversity loss, endangering local ecosystems, and adding pressure to all species at a point when they face dangers like deforestation and mass extinctions. This industry also significantly impacts local communities, many of which are compelled to engage in it as a result of their precarious socioeconomic conditions. While effective countermeasures to this global issue have been identified, successful implementation of these countermeasures require diverse disciplines and collaborators. This paper argues that a transdisciplinary approach that converges knowledge and skills from social …

A Comprehensive Business Plan And Sustainability Model For A Student-Led Pro-Bono Clinic Enriching Students And Community Well-Being, Kelsey T. Days

Occupational Therapy Capstone Projects

Student-led pro-bono clinics are often established to address the growing concerns of access to healthcare services, especially in underserved areas. Additionally, student-led pro-bono clinics are initiated to guide student learning and prepare students for future clinical experiences. However, many pro-bono clinics face issues with sustainability and funding, which could impact service delivery. It is important to establish a solid foundation during the development phase of a pro-bono clinic. This includes development of a comprehensive business plan and sustainability model to ensure the longevity of the clinic and a method of verifying success towards goals and objectives. Despite issues affecting sustainability, …

Spending Money In The Neighborhood? Trinity College, The Hartford Economy, And The Spending Habits Of College Students, Jack Godin

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Lds Women And The Teton Dam Disaster Of 1976, Emily Willis

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

June 5, 1976, started like any other spring day in southeastern Idaho. After the cold winter, most of the residents of the numerous farming towns that lie throughout the Upper Snake River Valley found the beautiful Saturday ideal for farm work, gardening, or spring cleaning. About twenty miles northeast of Rexburg, the largest town in the area, the Teton Dam neared completion. A Bureau of Reclamation project, the dam promised to stop the annual flooding that so often decimated portions of farmers' fields along the Teton River. Around 11 o'clock that morning, however, came a terrifying report: the Teton Dam …

Shakespeare’S Economies Of Hospitality: Broken Comedies, Bad Hosts, And Troublesome Guests, John Henry Sauls

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Examining four Shakespeare plays for moments of hospitality and inhospitality, the question must be asked, “Is hosting and guesting necessary to maintain strong community?” In this exploration, hospitality is examined in four of Shakespeare’s plays, tracing its effects on the communities within those plays, showing that without hospitable performance, community falters and may eventually break apart. Such exploration of what goes well and not so well with hospitality offers a wealth of insight into cultural studies. Specific characters from these four plays are crucial to this study, as they provide concrete examples of human interactions gone awry and then …

From Counterspaces To Community:A Qualitative Case Study Analysis Of Black Community Making At A Pwi, Charles Watkins

Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how Black college students build and maintain a sense of community at a predominantly white institution (PWI). Informed by relational sociological methodology and the conceptual framework of Black placemaking, this study foregrounded the nuanced process of community building, focusing on the interplay between Black students and the spaces—physical and digital—they cocreate collectively. This study particularly emphasized the significance of the Black Student Union (BSU) as a foundational Black student organization at PWIs. The following lines of inquiry guided this study: (a) How do Black undergraduate students at a PWI define the Black community? (b) What …

The Role Of Nonprofit Organizations In The Context Of Increased Living Costs In Ontario, Hashem Al-Dimashki

Major Papers

This research highlights the crucial role of non-profit organization in supporting the well-being of local communities in Ontario, particularly amidst increased cost of living. The increased cost of living has led to a higher CPI, negatively impacting the quality of life for many Ontarians and Canadians. While the vulnerable population become increasingly uncertain about the future, the role of non-profit organizations becomes prominent as effective community leaders. This research will illustrate how non-profit organizations address the most significant challenges the vulnerable population face today in terms of their quality of life, which are: housing insecurity, food insecurity, and transportation. The …

Stepping Towards Sustainability: Analyzing Walkability In Urban Environments, Elli Lewis

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines path walkability in the urban environment and its various impact levels on different neighborhoods. One of the most accessible forms of sustainability is walking, as it produces zero carbon emissions and can harvest a greater sense of care for the human environment. In a growing urbanized world, providing citizens easy access to clean and safe sidewalks, parks, grocery stores, local restaurants, and religious organizations is essential. Accessible walking routes are vital in large, urban cities. The first chapter analyzes the need for walkable cities concerning ecosystem services and their functions. A brief history of New York’s urban …

An Environmental Justice Framework For Transportation Equity, Alex Kay Depinho

Student Theses 2015-Present

In 2021, transportation accounted for 29% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, making it the largest contributor by sector, and 58% of these emissions came from the use of passenger cars and light-duty trucks. Electrification of personal vehicles and promotion of sustainable transit options is often centered in environmental discourse and policymaking, but many discussions neglect pertinent issues of social inequity at play. The transit-reliant urban poor, isolated in city centers by suburban sprawl, live in communities with not only a reduced access to jobs, healthcare, education and public resources, but an increased exposure to pollution, especially …

Bibliometric Review Of The Landscape And Thematic Structure Of Research On Sustainable Mining In Asean, 1942–2022, Nathatai Janjirawatna, Sirisuhk Rakthin, Philip Hallinger

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This bibliometric review addressed the lack of consolidated information on the current state of sustainable mining in the ASEAN region. The review analyzed bibliographic data associated with 539 Scopus-indexed documents on sustainable mining in ASEAN nations published through the end of 2022. Descriptive statistics identified a great disparity in the scope of research on sustainable mining practices across the ASEAN countries. Surprisingly, a significant portion of the extant research on sustainable mining in the region has been authored by scholars from outside of ASEAN. Keyword analyses highlighted several emerging research topics including life cycle assessment, conservation of natural resources, climate …

From Silence To Thriving: Architecture As A Voice For The Wayuu Tribe, Angie Son Pulido

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This research explores how stories, music, and patterns intersect to shape the built environment, with an emphasis on spotlighting the Wayuu tribe, a resilient culture facing extinction in the arid desert of La Guajira, Colombia. The Wayuu people have endured centuries of adversity, including colonialism, exploitation, drug trafficking, and internal conflict. In this place, water and food are scarce, and child mortality rates are very high. Despite hardships, they preserve a culture of resilience thanks to their tradition of oral storytelling. Drawing from the tradition of storytelling, the works of writer Gabriel García Márquez, particularly his Magical Realism, serve as …

Revitalizing Sweet Auburn, Georgia: A Foodcentric Biophilic Inspired Solution, Cason Lott

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Revitalizing Sweet Auburn, Georgia: A Foodcentric Biophilic Inspired Solution addresses the critical issue of food deserts and the challenges of maintaining a healthy balance in densely populated urban environments. It underscores the importance of easy access to essential resources like food for community well-being and highlights the strain on individuals. The thesis emphasizes the potential for sustainable solutions to improve urban living conditions, promoting both physical and mental health while ensuring stability and community. Furthermore, the thesis explores the integration of urban farming, community education, and sustainability with biophilic design’s natural elements to create an enriching community center that acts …

[Re]Mapping Resilience: Reimagining Urban Waterfronts In The Face Of Climate Change, Brandon Bernard

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

By the year 2100, southern-Florida is projected to experience a 1-2 meter rise in sea level, resulting in the lower portion of the state becoming almost completely submerged under a new watertable.[14] During the 19th and 20th centuries, the city of Miami developed rapidly and the community and economy inevitably became intertwined with the water and its ecology. Due to the growing population and economy, urban developments soared and led to low-lying areas being filled in, open space along waterways were claimed for commercial and residential buildings, and man-made islands such as the venetian islands were constructed. As a result, …

Rock To Renewal - Depleted Quarry Revitalization, Daija Laney

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Healing the wounds of the earth and its people through the revitalization of depleted quarries Revitalizing depleted quarries is essential for healing both the scars on the earth's landscape and the adverse effects on local communities. Despite their necessity for construction, quarries often leave lasting negative impacts, diminishing the quality of life for nearby residents and harming the environment repeatedly. This thesis advocates for a comprehensive approach to revitalizing the depleted quarries by, integrating ecological restoration, economic redevelopment, and community engagement through an architectural lens. By implementing these restoration techniques and incorporating architectural design principles driven by ecological, social, and …

Assessing The Impact Of Tourism On Housing Price Dynamics: Evidence From Hawaii Highlighting Directional Causality And Vacation Rentals, Micaiah Ocalvey

Economics Student Theses and Capstone Projects

Tourism has been shown to impact housing prices and residents’ ability to afford housing in a host community as well as impacting several other aspects of the host community. This study uses Hawaii as a case study to examine how tourism impacts housing price dynamics and whether there is a different distribution of effects across the different islands due to tourism levels including an aspect about short-term rentals and housing prices. Compiled datasets spanning from 2000 to 2023 of monthly data and from 2019 to 2023 (short-term rentals) OLS and 2SLS regression methodologies were employed to analyze the relationship between …

Strengthening Families Affected By Intimate Partner Violence: A Pilot Evaluation Of A Rural Extension Program, Pamela B. Payne, Jill Baker-Tingey

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Heart and Hope (H&H) was designed to provide parenting education and social-emotional skills to children and parents exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in rural Nevada. The goal was to evaluate IPV efforts by measuring parent (N = 47) and children’s (N =100) knowledge and behavior change around building healthy relationships and improved parenting practices following exposure to IPV and the H&H curriculum. Results indicated significant increases in both perceived knowledge and behavior change, suggesting that the program is effective in strengthening family relationships, improving parenting practices, developing emotional competency, and helping families envision a positive future. One of the …

What Is This Place: Encountering The Body Of Christ In Prison And Church Through Sacrament And Ritual Musicking, Bryan Black

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

Churches in the United States have faced institutional decline due in part to an unprecedented half-century of intense cultural shift and digital acceleration. Many leaders responded to this disorientation with technical fixes that have exacerbated divisiveness rather than addressing the underlying crisis of alienation and loneliness. Driven by fear of decline, communities of faith have forsaken their alterity of purpose and become lost in the marketplace as a “purveyor of religious goods and services” (George Hunsberger). This thesis considers the imagery of Huub Oosterhuis’s hymn “What Is This Place?” in theological dialogue with the Voices of Hope—a choir of female …

Downtowns & Trails 5 Year Evaluation Report, Shannon H. Rogers Ph.D., Michael Polizzotti, Jada Lindblom, Patricia Prescott

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

The State Of Transportation Access In East Cleveland, Cormac Apostolides, Aaron Rucker, Trevor Wood

Case Western Reserve University Journal Of Economics

No abstract provided.

Reclaiming Housing For Sustainable And Equitable Development, Ethan Harner, Gabrielle Fraizer, Bradley Wilson

Undergraduate Scholarship

Across West Virginia, Appalachia, the South, and other regions which have borne the historic brunt of extraction, capital flight, and systemic lack of opportunity, cooperative and community-based solutions to economic challenges have historically and presently been found in and amongst marginalized communities. As a critical component of community wellbeing, development, and prosperity, we situate housing as a necessary component to the understanding of cooperative, grassroots, and solidarity forms of economic organization. In this we explore the ways community-based housing solutions contribute to senses of community and solidarity both within housing structures and the broader community. We place these findings in …

Kenyon Collegian - April 25, 2024

The Kenyon Collegian

No abstract provided.

Addressing The Physical Demands Of Caregiving Or Children With Disabilities In Nicaragua: A Quality Improvement Collaboration With Fne International, Grace Price

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Many caregivers of children with disabilities experience chronic pain and related symptoms of cumulative physical trauma. This type of phenomenon is particularly prevalent in developing, low-income countries where environmental accommodations may not be as accessible. A quality improvement program, was conducted as a doctoral capstone project to create resources addressing the physical needs of caregivers of children with disabilities in Nicaragua. Program participants included teachers at a school for children with disabilities and special needs in Nicaragua. The primary project deliverable consisted of conducting an in-person workshop to train the teachers with evidence-based methods for preventing chronic pain and other …

From Pantry To Palate: An International Cookbook Unveiling Cultural Comforts Amidst Food Insecurity On Campus, Victoria M. Main

Master of Arts in Media and Communication Plan II Graduate Projects

Food insecurity among international students in higher education is a pressing issue often overlooked by universities. This project addresses this gap by exploring food insecurity among international students at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) through participant narratives, cultural connections, and recipes collected via interviews. Diverse international students were purposively sampled, reflecting various academic disciplines, nationalities, and cultural backgrounds. Semi-structured interviews facilitated the sharing of personal stories and cherished recipes, which were analyzed to identify recurring themes and cultural commonalities.

The project resulted in the creation of the Falcon Food Pantry International Cookbook, compiling culturally resonant recipes to empower students and …

2024 Student Symposium Program And Book Of Abstracts, Center For Undergraduate Research

General University of Maine Publications

The mission of the UMaine Student Symposium is to give graduate and undergraduate students from UMaine and UMaine Machias the opportunity to showcase their work, research, and creative activities to the greater community, fostering conversations and collaborations that will benefit the future of Maine and beyond.

Innovation At A Crossroads: The Supreme Court's Influence On Pharmaceuticals, Trade Policies, And Public Health, Beau Reeves

DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Building A Strategic Framework With A Sustainability Lens At Wcu, Stefanie Schwalm

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Dr. Stefanie Schwalm, WCU Associate Provost for Accreditation, SRPS Spring '24 4/17: "Building a Strategic Framework with a Sustainability Lens at WCU."

The Chipko Movement: Gandhian Philosophy In Action

Stander Symposium Projects

What is nonviolence — a concept, a mode of protest, a practice for modern living? This poster explores the ways in which nonviolence has been historically interpreted as "ahimsa," "beloved community," and as a way for practical and ethical thinking in our modern lives. We highlight the role of nonviolence as method and practice in historical and contemporary global instances that range from the farm workers movement, anti-nuclear protests, environmental green politics, and Dalit and Black actions towards representation.