Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Hafekasi: The History, Identity & Cultural Perspectives Of Multi-Ethnic Tongans, Katrina Nt Tu'akoi

Master's Projects and Capstones

Tongans are a Polynesian people similar in identity to their close cousins in neighboring Samoa, Hawai’i, New Zealand, and Tahiti. Tonga is the last surviving Polynesian kingdom in the Pacific. It is a nation comprised of over 170 islands which are both coral and volcanic. The islands were also called “The Friendly Islands” by British Captain James Cook in the 1700s because of their warm and welcoming people. Tongans have intermarried for many centuries, more so than ever before in recent decades. They have intermarried amongst other Polynesians like Samoans. The first official mixing across racial lines occurred with Fijians …

Exploring And Assessing Sustainable Flood Mitigation Strategies In Response To Rising Sea Levels In Boston, Elizavyeta Dmitrieva

Master's Projects and Capstones

With projections indicating up to a 30 cm rise in sea level along the US coastline by 2050, flooding emerges as a critical hazard for coastal communities. Boston, a pivotal urban center, anticipates experiencing 50-70 flood days per year by 2050. Addressing the inevitability of these events necessitates the implementation of robust and equitable flood mitigation strategies to alleviate stress on the city and its residents. This paper delves into the causes of sea level rise, flooding projections for Boston, and the City’s plans to mitigate these risks. Concentrating on the two neighborhoods most vulnerable to flooding—East Boston and South …

Impacts Of Atmospheric Rivers On Communities In Northern California: Comparative Analysis Of Sonoma County Hazard Mitigation Plans, Cristina Vance

Master's Projects and Capstones

Climate change increases the frequency of extreme weather events and affects California’s hydroclimate, thereby increasing flood vulnerability of all communities in Sonoma County. An example of extreme weather phenomena is atmospheric rivers (ARs), which are long narrow water vapor transported by winds across the Pacific Ocean. ARs have a history of causing major flood events that have swept through Sonoma County and negatively impacted cities along the lower Russian River, such as the unincorporated town of Guerneville, California. Major floods cause detrimental impacts to the economy. Social inequalities become evident when unincorporated communities located along floodplains are more vulnerable to …

From Pixels To Plants: Remote Sensing Of California Invasive Plants, Kenneth Rangel

Master's Projects and Capstones

Invasive plants cause significant impacts to ecosystems, the economy, and human health. California has experienced significant plant invasions and is well suited to future invasion because of its Mediterranean climate and human disturbance. Eradication or control of invasive plant species requires a detailed understanding of their spatial distribution, which typically involves on the ground surveys that can be expensive or inconsistent. Remote sensing offers a potential alternative or supplement to in-person invasive plant mapping. This study performed a comparative analysis of 41 remote sensing studies that mapped the distribution of California invasive plants. I found that while high spectral resolution …

Best Practices To Manage Nitrate Contamination Of Groundwater In Agricultural Zones: A Comparative Analysis Of Farming Impacts On Areas Of Central Valley And High Plains Aquifers, Rekha Duthulur

Master's Projects and Capstones

Nitrate is one of the most common contaminants in groundwater and causes multiple health impacts when consumed. Contamination is most significant in agricultural areas and has increased steadily since the 1950s with the introduction of nitrogen fertilizers. The depth of an aquifer, sediment type, hydrogeology, redox conditions, microbe activity, fertilizer application, natural nitrogen deposits, and well construction influence the degree of nitrate contamination of an aquifer. The sources of nitrate pollution are fertilizer, manure, concentrated feeding lots, natural nitrogen deposits, atmospheric deposition, septic systems, wastewater treatment plants, and industrial activities. Nitrogen compounds applied on the surface are stored in the …

“Am I Light Enough?”: Mercury Poisoning Due To Skin-Lightening Products, A Policy, And A Culturally Competent Solution, Raven Joyce Redaniel Uayan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Introduction: This paper aims to declare skin-lightening products containing mercury as a public health issue that deserves recognition in health and attention in health policy reforms.

Background and Literature Review: The public health issue analyzed with research and literature review encompasses worldwide mercury poisoning cases, databases of illegal skin-lightening creams, cosmetic safety laws, and policies on online selling platforms. The literature review addresses the existing knowledge regarding mercury in skin-lightening products and identifies the gaps in health policy and awareness surrounding this issue.

Methods: The paper includes many articles analyzing the issue from a global perspective, utilizing …

Irs-Sanctioned Secrecy For Religious Nonprofits: Stepstone Or Stumbling Block?, Mark W. Smith

Master's Projects and Capstones

Internal Revenue Service code automatically confers 501(c)3 nonprofit charity status on religious nonprofits which appear to be “A church, convention of churches, or association of churches described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(i),” as labeled in the IRS Form 990. Additionally, religious charities functioning as a part of a church have no requirement to report any financial information or policies to the IRS or anyone else. This acquiescence to secrecy keeps most of the data on these nonprofit organizations unavailable for research or to inform legislative action or agency policies. This automatic status may also lead to complacency in organizations in financial accountability, …

Indigenous Water Rights: Navigating Sovereign Waters, Cynthia N. Pina

Master's Projects and Capstones

The issue of Native American water rights and the sovereignty of their land on reservations is gaining increasing prominence, making it the focal point of this thesis as an environmental justice concern. Native Americans face disproportionate public health challenges related to water accessibility, contamination, sanitation, outdated infrastructure, and other social determinants of health. The legal framework that governs the coexistence of Native Americans in the United States is rooted in a settler colonial perspective. Consequently, this has created a dependent relationship between Native Americans and the United States federal government. Despite the long-standing advocacy of Tribes for sovereignty since the …

Equal Access To All: Under Usage Of Adult Day Care Services For Adults With Alzheimer's And Related Dementias In The Hispanic/Latino Community, Jezabel Galvan

Master's Projects and Capstones

The goal for many older adults suffering from Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and related dementias, is to be able to age in the comfort of their own home and with familiar faces. One of the services many older adults suffering from AD and their families opt for to make this possible are Adult Day Care Programs (ADCP). ADCP offer support to caregivers and are a good alternative to long-term care placement. ADCP provides clients with health monitoring by health professionals, as well as socialization opportunities and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) (Oliver et. al., 2013). Although ADCP are a …

Meet Me In The Middle: A Scoping Review On Understanding Adolescent Needs In Climate Communication, Gwendolyn Monica Hoff Anderson

Master's Projects and Capstones

The greatest effects of climate change are likely to be felt by youth. Young people are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their critical developmental stage and lack of power, and they experience both higher severity and prevalence of mental health issues related to climate change. Strong emotions have long been recognized as potential catalysts for action, or they may lead to paralyzing feelings of being overwhelmed. Climate communication is a critical tool to spark climate concern and encourage action. Activism, in turn, may help youth manage their anxiety about climate change. This scoping review examines emerging evidence on …

A Public Health Educational Campaign For Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (Suid) Intervention, Elia G. Peralta Landeros

Master's Projects and Capstones

Purpose: The rate of infant mortality serves as a crucial indicator of the overall health of society (CDC, 2022). The five leading causes of infant mortality are birth defects, preterm birth, sudden infant death syndrome, injuries, and maternal pregnancy complications. The prevalence of infant mortality varies across states, with eastern states and minority-ethnicity infants having higher prevalence. This thesis proposes utilizing the Safe to Sleep framework to introduce Giving Breath, a public health education campaign that introduced breastfeeding as an intervention to Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).

Methods:

1. Analyze current and new policies' impact on women's rights to breastfeed …

Improving The Land Trust Model’S Impact On Environmental Conservation In Northern California, Peter Talbot

Master's Projects and Capstones

For years, the land trust sector of California and much of the United States has operated with a dollars and acres mentality that has prioritized fundraising as a result of acreage protected. Within California, nearly 5.8 million acres of land have been protected by 132 land trusts throughout the state. To accommodate for the diverse cross-section of land and the many needs of the population, land trusts take on numerous shapes and sizes. A unique aspect of this diversity is the rich agricultural and natural spaces found throughout the state. This mix of land and variety of land uses has …

Investment Without Displacement: A Study Of The Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors Initiative In East Oakland, Jeremy Mack

Master's Projects and Capstones

This Capstone interrogates the teleology of neoliberal community development – does investment in historically disinvested working-class urban neighborhoods inevitably lead to gentrification? Learning from the Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors Initiative (BNSN) in Deep East Oakland as a case study, the Capstone uses a Transformative Justice (TJ) framework to make the case for an ethical approach to community development: one in which working-class urban residents are the authors and architects of their own neighborhood’s future, community needs are centered, and long-term residents are able to continue to age-in place. This approach utilizes the lens of Black-centered community development, integrating an understanding …

A New Pipeline: Building A Transformative Leadership Pipeline For Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Jackie Aguilar

Master's Projects and Capstones

While developing leadership roles for employers is critical to running an effective organization, building a bridge for those who have directly lived experiences regarding its mission is critical. Bringing back community members you have served to your organization is highly recommended and essential. This capstone research report will focus on building a leadership pipeline for formerly incarcerated individuals within the nonprofit sector. Returning community members can often be tokenized and are never given the tools and resources to develop as a leader. This report will outline the barriers formerly incarcerated individuals face while providing a foundation on the importance of …

Carbon Free Colorado: An Integrated Resource Plan For The Public Service Company Of Colorado 2020-2050, Vignesh Devaki Murugesan, Adam Lokar

Master's Projects and Capstones

This Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) outlines the Public Service Company of Colorado’s (PSCo) strategy to accommodate the growing energy demand of its customers while transitioning to renewable energy. The IRP attempts to quantify the impact of Colorado’s clean energy and climate policy by comparing three different scenarios:

1. Reference Scenario. New capacity is met with the lowest cost of generation ignoring Colorado Renewable Energy Standard.

2. 100% Carbon Free by 2050. Additional capacity is met with lowest cost mix of renewables sufficient to meet Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard.

3. High Electrification. Adheres to Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard while also accommodating …

Creating Systemic Support: Cross-Sector Partnerships As A Catalyst To Institutional Transformation For Southeast Asian Student Support, Brianna Lourdes Edoria Pascua

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper investigates the potential impact of cross-sector partnerships between nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and universities on the educational attainment of Southeast Asian American (SEAA) students, particularly those from disenfranchised or nontraditional backgrounds. Guided by the research question, "Can cross-sector partnerships between NPOs and universities contribute to increased educational attainment among SEAA students?", the study seeks to comprehensively explore SEAA student experiences, challenge the Model Minority Stereotype, enrich SEAA higher educational achievement literature, underline the significance of disaggregated data and cross-sector collaborations, and create an adaptable framework for other communities. By adopting an Asian Critical Race Theory (AsianCrit) lens, the research …

Addressing Funding Disparities In Women Of Color-Led Organizations, Christy J. Thomas

Master's Projects and Capstones

Women of color who are founders and/or leaders of nonprofit organizations typically come from the communities they serve. While their experience within their communities gives them an edge on service delivery and impact, these leaders face funding disparities compared to other organizations. This report highlights the stories and experiences of three women of color founders and nonprofit leaders to provide insight into the funding barriers and how to mitigate these barriers. Suggestions for improvement include Trust based philanthropy, listening sessions, and Women of color-leader development circles.

Fighting For The Heart Of The Mission District: Multiracial Community Organizing And Anti-Displacement Movements, Anachristina Arana

Master's Projects and Capstones

My research discusses the history of gentrification and displacement in San Francisco, which has been created through a legacy of intentional policymaking, city planning, and land-use decision-making across the city and state. This study centers the collective power and expertise of multiracial, multicultural community-based organizations and coalitions dedicated to the work of tackling these systemic issues in the Mission District of San Francisco. To learn about the impact of multiracial community organizing, I pose the following research question: How do multiracial community-based organizations work to disrupt gentrification and displacement, and create meaningful change to support impacted community members in the …

Ambigú Trashumante Barra De Café Ambulante Ambigú Trashumante Barra De Café Ambulante, Augusto Martin Rivero

Master's Projects and Capstones

Ambigú Trashumante Barra de Café Ambulante is an applied research project which took shape over the course of a calendar year from May 2022-2023. A six-person team evolved including the personified project itself, united as one communal entity in collaboration. The project entailed creation of a bicicargo, or cargo bike–useful art becoming a mobile coffee bar and literal vehicle embodying justice through coffee offered freely in México, as facilitated through decolonized ethnography and Mesoamerican Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR). The project’s theoretical framework centers on Bruguera’s (2012) arte útil conceptualization. Five core patterns emerged, including the right to thrive in …

Beyond Carceral "Solutions": Using Transformative Human Rights Education In Domestic Violence Prevention, Alli E. Rios

Master's Projects and Capstones

Domestic violence is a choice a person makes to gain and exert absolute power and control over another person. Unfortunately, the predominant structure for addressing domestic violence - the criminal justice system - is rife with problematic social and structural constructs, like patriarchy, white supremacy, and neoliberalism, which are themselves rooted in issues of power and control (Acheson, 2022). The influence of these factors, which are largely defined by exploitative hierarchies, helps to explain why domestic violence remains prevalent. To more effectively address and prevent domestic violence, research suggests that comprehensive policy and curricular reform are necessary on multiple levels …

Caring For Rural Hispanic/Latinx Foster Youth: Cultural Competency And Providers Of Foster Youth Mental Health Services, Vidal Salgado Gonzalez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Hispanic/Latinx cultural competency is desperately needed in our child welfare system. Hispanic/Latinx is the largest population in the California foster care system, 48.6% of California’s total foster care population (Population Reference Bureau 2021). There is a lack of cultural competency in the workforce available to address their specific mental health needs. A particular need and opportunity for improvement in the foster care system would be a commitment by public providers to make cultural competency a foundational workforce requirement. In this capstone thesis paper, I have investigated how public providers can recruit and retain a diverse and culturally competent workforce and …

The Use Of Therapeutic Gardening In Addiction Recovery, Sophia Agne

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Numerous recent studies have emerged detailing the benefits of horticultural therapy on mental health and wellness. Despite this, substance use disorder treatment facilities rarely include an outdoor component in their programming. The project seeks to examine the advantages of incorporating therapeutic gardening as a complementary part of addiction treatment.

Context: The microsystem where the study was conducted was at a 32-bed residential substance abuse treatment facility for adult men who have previously been involved in the criminal justice system. The treatment approach employed at the facility aligns with the Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT) curriculum, which emphasizes mental health-informed …

Therapeutic Gardening For Mental Health In Substance Use Recovery, Stephanie E. Schafer

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

As the clinical nurse leader (CNL) in this project, I used the “[CNL]

Essential 1: Background for Practice from Sciences and Humanities” (Competencies and Curricular Expectations for Clinical Nurse Leader Education and Practice, 2013) and its competencies to focus on designing nursing care for a clinical or community-focused population based on biopsychosocial, public health, nursing, and organizational sciences and to synthesize evidence for practice to determine appropriate application of interventions across diverse populations. With the help of the CNL competencies and collaboration with the healthcare team, we created and implemented a therapeutic garden for residents in a substance use …

Building Sustainable Environmental Activism Programs For Youth, Aminah Habib

Master's Projects and Capstones

As the negative impacts of climate change become more and more common across the United States, many youth are experiencing eco-anxiety or other negative mental health impacts due to the state of the environment. Engaging with activism has been named as a potential mitigator of the negative impacts of climate change among youth, but the relationship between activism and youth well-being is an emerging area of research. To explore this relationship, this scoping review explored and synthesized available literature to inform the next steps. In addition to the community-level and society-level contributions that come from youth activism, there are also …

Explore The Power Of Children: Understanding Nonprofit Organization’S Roles In Reinforcing Youth Character Education, Pei-Jen Hsu

Master's Projects and Capstones

Over the past two years, the pandemic has drastically changed how children interact with media and real people. With many children spending more time at home, their media use has increased, and this has had a significant impact on their mental, physical, and emotional development. However, amidst this challenging time, character education can play a vital role in supporting children’s growth and development. Character education can help children navigate the complexities of our changing world and become more resilient in the face of adversity by providing the tools they need to make sound decisions and behave well. Through their mission …

Energy Efficiency Retrofit And Decarbonization Of Old And Historic Buildings In California, Daria Nikolaeva

Master's Projects and Capstones

Buildings are responsible for almost 40% of total global greenhouse gas emissions and the retrofitting of existing buildings is an essential part of solving the problem. About 75% of buildings in Californian were constructed before the first energy-efficiency building code was adopted in 1978. Old buildings are inefficient, responsible for large carbon footprints and must be retrofitted to stay on track with the state's climate targets. However, current policies do not require substantial changes and tend to favor historic preservation over energy efficiency, missing improvement opportunities. Recognizing the significance of carbon intensity, the 2019 California Energy Efficiency Action Plan shifted …

Wildfire Smoke Exposure In California: Public Health Impacts And Mitigation Strategies, Jiaxi Hou

Master's Projects and Capstones

Climate change projections show that wildfires are becoming more severe and frequent over the next few decades. In California, as a leader in environmental protection and resilience planning, there are still concerns about the impacts of wildfire. Several places such as Napa Valley, Los Angeles forests, and Yosemite National Park have been exposed to long-lasting wildfire damage. Wildfire smoke contains toxic pollutants such as particulate matter 2.5 (PM_2.5) that can cause negative health impacts on the public. It has been proved that these public health impacts are cumulative, and wildfire PM_2.5 can exacerbate pre-existing conditions. Therefore, there …

Healthcare Worker Burnout: An Impending Crisis Or An Opportunity For Organizational Posttraumatic Growth, Isabella Stofberg

Master's Projects and Capstones

Healthcare Worker Burnout (HCWB) has become a global and national phenomenon. Amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, and further exacerbated by the healthcare worker shortage, healthcare institutions and policy makers find themselves in a unique position to incorporate creative solutions to address this seemingly monumental issue. The World Health Organization classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon due to its causes being rooted in the work environment, rather than the individual. Caused by chronic workplace stress, burnout is characterized by mental exhaustion, feeling depleted, having mental distance from the job at hand, feeling negative or cynical as well as experiencing decreased professional …

Behind Closed Doors: A Look Into Access To Supportive Resources And Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv), Ashley Lauren Holloway

Master's Projects and Capstones

Introduction Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a preventable health disparity that remains an underrepresented health issue due to survivors' comfortability in reporting violence within their most intimate relationships; in addition to providers' comfortability in addressing intimate partner violence. The high prevalence of IPV-related incidents highlights the importance of early intervention to prevent victims from experiencing violence again and dying.

Methods A systematic review was conducted to look into intimate partner violence against women. Key words such as intimate partner violence or domestic violence, women, utilization of care services or services, socioecological model were searched through pubmed and other scholarly search …

Youth Climate Change Activism: How Activism In Youth Can Be Encouraged To Help Combat Climate Change And Reduce Youth Health Impacts, Lorely M. Ruiz

Master's Projects and Capstones

While the effects of climate change are already affecting populations throughout the world, youth will have to deal with the full array of consequences due to the inaction of people in power and environmental regulation failures. Climate change is an issue that needs to be dealt with urgently due to the disproportionate burden it has on youth and future generations. A scoping literature review was conducted to analyze existing literature on climate change activism among youth throughout the globe. Research, practice, and policy recommendations were made to help address gaps in existing literature such as limited research on youth climate …