Education Commons^™

Exploration Of Student Biodiversity Knowledge And Decision-Making For A Wildlife Conservation Socioscientific Issue, Ashley R. Alred

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Global biodiversity, a foundation for ecosystem function, is diminishing at a rate unprecedented in the last 50 years. Biodiversity loss and ecosystem services deterioration is linked to increased food insecurity, reduced water quality and availability, decreased energy security, higher economic losses and human suffering (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005). Consequently, educators should invest in supporting students in their development of ecological understanding and formal decision-making skills so they are equipped with meaningful tools they can use as scientifically literate citizens. To contribute to that mission, this study seeks to explore student 1) comprehension and explanation of biodiversity concepts and 2) decision-making …

Antimicrobial Interventions Applied To Beef Sub-Primals For The Control Of Escherichia Coli And Their Impact On Ground Beef Quality, Kelly Ann Mccarty

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Due to their severe health implications, seven shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotypes were declared adulterants by USDA-FSIS in raw, non-intact beef products. Small business beef processing facilities are being asked to implement an intervention on the beef sub-primals and trim they receive for ground beef production. This study evaluates the efficacy of reducing rifampicin-resistant E. coli (E. coli^Rif) using 4.5% lactic acid (LA), 2.5% Beefxide™ (BX), and 380 ppm peroxyacetic acid (PAA) when applied by dip, spray or electrostatic spray (ESS) to the mostly fat lateral surface and mostly lean medial surface of beef shoulder clods …

Housing In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: Perceptions Of Supply And Condition: 2016 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

Conclusion

Most rural Nebraskans own their home. And, when asked about housing programs or priorities they would support in their community, most rural Nebraskans support programs that help seniors age in their homes, programs that would help upgrade the condition of existing homes and providing affordable rental housing. They are less likely to support organizing volunteer efforts to maintain existing housing stock, but still one-half support this option as well.

Support for one of the programs differs by community size. Persons living in or near larger communities are more likely than persons living in or near smaller communities to support …

Community Satisfaction And Marketing In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2016 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

Conclusion

By many different measures, rural Nebraskans are positive about their community. Many rural Nebraskans rate their community favorably on its social dimensions: as friendly, trusting and supportive. Most rural Nebraskans say it would be difficult to leave their community. And, most rural Nebraskans disagree that their community is powerless to control its future.

Across all years of this study, rural Nebraskans’ views about the change in their community have generally been positive. The proportion believing their community has changed for the better during the past year has usually been greater than the proportion believing it has changed for the …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 28, No. 4, October 2016

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Content: Welcome New Students - Congratulations - ESA National Meeting//ICE Meeting News - Faculty News - Publications - Grants - Meet Buddy Roper, an Online Student - Student News - BugFest 2016

Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans’ Perceptions Of Local Schools: 2016 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, L.J. Mcelravy, Jeanne Lorraine Surface

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

Conclusion

Most rural Nebraskans have elementary, middle and high schools in their community or nearest community. Most of the schools available are public but many rural Nebraskans report having both public and private schools of each grade level. Persons living in or near larger communities are more likely than persons living in or near smaller communities to have each level of school in their community. And, persons living in or near the larger communities are more likely than persons living in or near smaller communities to have both public and private schools available.

When asked about priorities for their local …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 28, No. 3, July 2016

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Content: Welcome New Faculty - ESA-NCB Award Winners - Student Award Winners - Grants - Congratulations! - Student News - Publications - Travel - Meet Airene Millsap, an Online Student - Beekeeping Workshops

Establishing Students’ Abilities To Reason With Relationships In The Context Of Cellular Respiration, Sinan F. Akkoseoglu, Joseph Dauer, Heather E. Bergan-Roller

UCARE Research Products

This study aims to establish the level at which University of Nebraska-Lincoln students reason with simple relationships in the context of cellular respiration at the levels of glycolysis, Krebs cycle, and electron transport chain. These processes are component processes of cellular respiration and each has multiple inputs and outputs. 633 student consented for this study, from which 18 student models were randomly selected, processed, and analyzed. Classroom observations were used to determine structures and relationships that were inputs and outputs to the three processes. In their models, students did not include different numbers of input or outputs when describing glycolysis, …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 28, No. 2, May 2016

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Contents: Welcome - Congratulations - Publications - Faculty News - Grants - Student News - Travel

Program And Proceedings, The Nebraska Academy Of Sciences (1880-2016) Including The Nebraska Association Of Teachers Of Science (Nats) Division, Nebraska Junior Academy Of Sciences (Njas) Division, And Affiliated Societies: 136th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Twenty-Sixth Annual Meeting., Cecelia Dorn

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

PROGRAM

FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016

7:30 a.m.

REGISTRATION FOR ACADEMY, Lobby of Lecture wing, Olin Hall

8:00

Aeronautics and Space Science, Session A, Olin 249

Aeronautics and Space Science, Session B, Olin 224

Chemistry and Physics, Section A, Chemistry, Olin A

Collegiate Academy, Biology Session A, Olin B

8:10

Earth Science, Olin 325 8:15

Chemistry and Physics, Section B, Physics, Planetarium

8:30

Biological and Medical Sciences, Session A, Olin 112

Biological and Medical Sciences, Session B, Smith Callen Conference Center

9:00

Anthropology, Olin 111

Collegiate Academy, Chemistry and Physics, Session A, Olin 324

Environmental Sciences, Olin 325

9:10

Aeronautics and …

Assessing Student Comprehension In Introductory Biology: A Comparison Of Free-Response And Multiple-True/False Exam Formats, Macy A. Potts, Brian Couch, Joanna K. Hubbard

UCARE Research Products

Question format is an important consideration when designing instruments to gauge student comprehension. In many lecture-style courses, instructors must decide how to effectively test a large group of students. Two common types of question formats used for introductory biology exams are free-response (FR) and multiple-true/false (MTF). FR questions include a question prompt which students respond to with essay-style answers. Conversely, MTF questions include an opening question stem with accompanying statements to be marked as either true or false. The goal of this study was to determine the advantages and disadvantages of FR and MTF question formats for assessing student comprehension …

Computational Modeling Intervention: Using Dynamical Models To Teach Complex Biological Processes, Audrey J. Crowther, Tomáš Helikar, Nicholas Galt, Joseph Dauer, Heather Berganr, Bryan Kowal

UCARE Research Products

The Unites States, while being one of the richest countries in the world, ranks 17th in science proficiency out of 31 countries. New techniques for teaching are needed if the US wants to keep up with increasing global competition. Often the problem with traditional methods for teaching biological processes is that they present the material as linear or causal, when in fact there is a much wider network at play. For example, cellular respiration is often represented as a linear process that always starts with glucose and always ends with ATP and water. However, there are several entry and exit …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 28, No. 1, March 2016

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Content: Welcome - Congratulations - Publications - Strategic Pest Control Theme Runs Strong at UPM Conference - Grants - Faculty News - Meet an Off-Campus Student - Travel - Student News - Students Swarm to UNL Entomologist for Class Project - Bruner Club's International Dinner

"My Paintings Would Be No Different Than A Picture In A Biology Textbook", Andi Kur

UReCA: The NCHC Journal of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity

I find that there are innate balances in life, universal dichotomies that permeate our understanding of the world. My paintings are about a duality such as this that exists between art and science. We are told from youth that these subjects are poles in constant strain, as miscible as oil in water. I spent thirteen years in school believing that I must choose between the two, that it is unnecessary to carry both with me. Drawn between a distinct love of each, I realized how vehemently I disagreed. Everything: every rock to every tree to every person is suspended between …

Zur Erinnerung An Den Mongolischen Säugetierforscher Namshil Chotolchuu (1935-1990) – Im Gedenken An Die Wiederkehr Seines 80. Geburtstages 2015, Michael Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Namshil Chotolchuu wurde am 20.01.1935 in Ulaanbaatar geboren. Sein Vater war in den 60er und 70er Jahren ein bekannter Schachmeister der Mongolei. Mit Chotolchuu verbinden uns sehr erfolgreiche und prägende gemeinsame Mongolisch-Deutsche Biologische Expeditionen und daraus resultierende Publikationen sowie eine lange Freundschaft.

Mit diesem Nachruf wollen wir an ein langes Kapitel der deutsch-mongolischen Zusammenarbeit mit Kollegen der Mongolischen Akademie der Wissenschaften und an einen Pionier der eigenständigen mongolischen Säugetierforschung erinnern, der in der internationalen Kooperation, im Team der Mongolisch-Deutschen Biologischen Expeditionen und im Schrifttum sowie ganz persönlich unvergessen bleibt.

Agro/Hort 403/803: Scientific Writing And Communication—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Inquiry Portfolio, Brian M. Waters

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

Scientific writing is a skill that is useful for science students, since many of them will write about their research in a thesis, dissertation, or in journal articles. The goal of my course is to provide students with practice and training in scientific writing so that after they take the course they are confident and ready to write drafts independently. The class uses many learning activities, such as reading, writing, peer reviewing, revising, and class discussions. However, the first two iterations of the course did not have built-in ways to practice sentence and paragraph editing, or to gauge quality of …

Plpt 496/892: Disease Dynamics & Evolution—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Sydney E. Everhart

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark course portfolio was developed as a component of the University of Nebraska Peer Review of Teaching. The course selected for this portfolio was a new course developed and taught as an Independent Study PLPT 496/892. The working title for the course was Disease Dynamics and Evolution. This course was designed to cover core concepts of disease ecology and pathogen emergence/evolution. Concepts were organism-agnostic and important for understanding infectious diseases of humans, animals, and plants. The course format was lecture-based and inquiry driven, using primary literature as case studies. The goal of this course was to use interesting and …

Bois 412/812: Human Genetics—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Colin D. Meiklejohn

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio focuses on Human Genetics, an upper-division course taken primarily by biology majors to fulfill elective credit in their degree. This course studies the genetic basis for human variation, with the goal of placing this variation in the context of human evolutionary history and the consequences of this variation for medical understanding and treatments. In Human Genetics, students complete an original synthetic research paper on a human genetic disorder. Through writing this paper, students are expected to learn how to navigate electronic databases and online resources on human genetic diseases, and to read and synthesize the primary scientific literature. …

Broadband And Mobile Internet Services In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska, Rebecca Vogt, Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

A recent Pew Research Center survey revealed that home broadband adoption has plateaued in the United States. In addition, there has been an increase in adults who use a smartphone to access the Internet but do not have traditional broadband service in their home. Given these national trends, how do rural Nebraskans access the Internet? Are they accessing the Internet from their cell phones? Are they subscribing to high-speed Internet services at home? How satisfied are they with their Internet services? How important do they feel Internet access is for various items? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these …

Evolutionary Explanation For Invasive Abilities Of Centaurea Stoebe (Spotted Knapweed) In Introduced Areas, Erin Koren

UReCA: The NCHC Journal of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity

Since every invasion and every exotic species presents a new challenge with novel invasion strategies, the invasion of Centaurea stoebe (synonymously referred to as C. maculosa) into North America will be used as a case study to deeply examine invasion strategies. Centaurea stoebe is a short-lived (approximately 3 years) perennial member of the aster family (Broz et al., 2007). It occurs in two different cytotypes, or with two different chromosomal factors. In its home range, it exists in both diploid and tetraploid cytotypes, but only the tetraploid version is present in introduced ranges in North America (See Figure 1; Treier …

Addendum To Encomia And Reflections, Clyde Jones (1935-2015): Encomium, Robert J. Baker, Carleton J. Phillips, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

This is the authors' collective attempt to provide an encomium (an honest song of praise) for Clyde Jones. After some urging from the editors of this volume, the authors conspired to share some memories of Clyde.

Editors’ note: Due to various factors, this encomium was submitted too late to be included in the published memorial volume. However, in consideration of the relationship of the authors to Clyde Jones, we agreed to make this encomium available via electronic format as a supplement to the printed volume.

Combined Iron Deficiency And Low Aerobic Fitness Doubly Burden Academic Performance Among Women Attending University, Samuel P. Scott, Mary Jane Desouza, Karsten Koehler, Laura E. Murray-Kolb

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Academic success is a key determinant of future prospects for students. Cognitive functioning has been related to nutritional and physical factors. Here, we focus on iron status and aerobic fitness in young-adult female students given the high rate of iron deficiency and declines in fitness reported in this population. Objectives: We sought to explore the combined effects of iron status and fitness on academic success and to determine whether these associations are mediated by cognitive performance.

Methods: Women (n = 105) aged 18–35 y were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Data were obtained for iron biomarkers, peak oxygen …