Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating A Stakeholder-Centric Approach Into Dynamic Adaptation Policy Pathways For Equitable Coastal Flood Risk Management In East Boston, Shailee M. Desai

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This research aims to illustrate a methodology incorporating diverse stakeholder values in adaptation planning to promote equitable outcomes using a hypothetical case study of the Lower Border Street area in East Boston, using the Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP) framework for managing coastal flood risk. It offers three significant contributions to the field of adaptation planning: (i) It demonstrates how to integrate a stakeholder-specific assessment within the DAPP framework and illustrates individual impacts to a variety of stakeholders, including high- and low-income residents, commercial actors, government actors, and coastal landowners hoping that the planning process remains transparent and motivates local …

Biogenic Synthesis Of Metallic And Bimetallic Oxide Nanoparticles For Water Treatment Applications, Gunarani G.I

Theses and Dissertations

Access to clean water is a quality-of-life indicator. The availability of clean water apart from water scarcity is marred due to contamination by heavy metals and synthetic dyes, posing a grave environmental and public health challenge. This necessitates the implementation of advanced and sustainable treatment solutions towards water remediation. This research work focusses on the fabrication and application of biogenic and chemically synthesized metallic and bimetallic nanoparticles for the efficient removal of uranium, chromium, and toxic dyes from aqueous environments. The study particularly focuses on zero-valent (C-Fe and B-Fe) and bimetallic (C-NiFe and B-NiFe) nanoparticles, evaluating their adsorption capabilities and …

Community Wastewater Treatment Resilience Assessment, Tristan Veal

All Theses

With the rising threat of climate change and cascading impacts from infrastructure failure there is a growing need to strengthen community resilience. Theoretical and practical resilience frameworks are available, but they vary in aim and scope; there is no standard tool to assess resilience. This research expands on the resilience matrix (RM) application methods of previous research completed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Clemson University. That work focused on drinking water treatment systems and developed a few dozen specific indicators, or metrics, to quantify resilience. This research adds wastewater infrastructure with the aim of identifying …

Integrating Standards For Infrastructure Improvement And Resilience In University Curricula, Lisa Greenwood, Jennifer Schneider, Sumita Mishra, Yewande S. Abraham, Shriram Karpoora Sundara Pandian

Articles

In today’s ever-changing world, we are increasingly vulnerable to shocks and stresses that disrupt industry and society. Persistent threats from natural and manmade hazards require our communities and infrastructure to be resilient despite possible disruption. Creating robust infrastructures is founded on operational and physical standards to withstand and respond to threats such as environmental exposures, climate change, and informational security breaches. The significant U.S. investment in infrastructure projects through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has amplified the need for professionals in engineering and related fields who – in addition to technical knowledge - possess the necessary knowledge and skill …

Turning Farm Waste Into Energy: Pragmatic Approaches For Cleaner Midwestern American Communities, Rebecca Gaisie

Selected or Submitted Student Research Papers/Projects

Mismanagement of farm waste in the Midwest of the United States has resulted in significant methane emissions, water contamination, and public health concerns. The present manure management rules are still inconsistent, underfunded, and insufficient to motivate individuals to behave in a way that benefits the environment, despite increasing concerns about the environment. This policy study investigates anaerobic digestion as a potential means to convert waste into energy that could support rural and environmental development. Some of the problems with the federal and state legislation examined in this study under an EPI framework are a lack of incentives, inadequate technical support, …

Closing The Loop: Solar-Powered Vermicomposter, Isabela Ibrahim , '25, Lindsey Turner , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

Organic waste is oftentimes poorly managed and directed to landfill and incineration, as more sustainable alternatives such as traditional composting are not always accessible. Swarthmore College has a robust composting partnership offsite, however, it does not leverage avenues for waste stream circularity on campus to its full potential. Vermicomposting, composting that incorporates earthworms (Eisenia fetida), consists of a method to achieve small-scale and accessible composting. The goal of this project was to create an on-campus, low-maintenance, replicable, and sustainable vermicomposter to efficiently repurpose food waste from Swarthmore’s dining hall into nutrient-rich soil amendments for the adjacent Our Food Garden. …

Modeling The Impacts Of Disruptive Events On Driving Behaviors, Transportation Safety, And Equity: Advanced Statistical Insights From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Xiaomeng Dong

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation aims to understand how disruptive events —particularly the COVID-19 pandemic—affect driving behaviors, transportation safety and equity by leveraging advanced statistical modeling techniques and data from Virginia. This research pursues three overarching objectives. First, it employs multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) to uncover the complex interrelationships among risky driving behaviors, injury severity, and pandemic-related factors, delineating the mechanisms through which COVID-19 has impacted crash outcomes via changing risky driving behaviors. Second, it leverages hidden Markov models to trace shifts in safety states over the pre-, during-, and post-pandemic periods, determining whether and when safety conditions return to pre-pandemic norms. …

Bayesian Network-Based Framework To Uncover Social Inequities In Flood Risk: Application To East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Fuad Hasan

LSU Master's Theses

Regional flood risk assessment requires understanding the complex interplay of sociodemographic, socioeconomic, hydrogeologic, built environment, and climatic variables that impact flood vulnerability. Traditional studies often focus on large-scale units, overlooking localized variations and disproportionate exposure within populations. To address these gaps, a methodological framework of flood risk assessment using the Bayesian network was proposed and applied to East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, for the August 2016 flood event to identify relationships between flood risk variables at the housing unit level. Flood exposure representativeness (FER) was determined using the Bayesian network's inference capabilities to identify over- or under-represented groups. This study …

Immersive Modeling To Communicate And Manage Risks Of Water Shortages, David Rosenberg, Erki Porse

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Our project goal is to use immersive online collaborative modeling as a tool for active learning to communicate and manage users conflicting risks of water shortages because decisions now to manage risk effect future risk. State-of-the art river basin forecasting tools provide probabilistic estimates of streamflow at hourly to annual scales. Water resource models quantify tradeoffs and risk across hundreds or thousands of scenarios of inflow and demand forecast out decades. Our project objectives are: 1) Formulate extreme scenarios for reservoir inflows without probabilities one to three years out that pose imminent risk of water shortages. 2) Hold immersive model …

Nh Stormwater Manual 2025, Unh Stormwater Center, Comprehensive Environmental Inc., Nh Department Of Environmental Services

UNH Stormwater Center

No abstract provided.

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Computing Science: Culture Is The Key, Curriculum Contributes, Giulia Toti, Peggy Lindner, Alice Gao, Ouldooz Baghban Karimi, Rutwa Engineer, Jinyoung Hur, Fiona Mcneill, Shanon Reckinger, Rebecca Robinson, Anna Sollazzo, Richard Wicentowski

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Undergraduate computer science programs worldwide struggle to attract and retain underrepresented students for many reasons. Culture, stereotype threats, uneven gender and racial representations, lack of role models, and uncertain career prospects for minority groups are among the many reasons behind this situation. Many computer science programs are trying to change course through strategies to foster equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), aimed at improving outreach, recruitment, admissions, and retention of underrepresented students. EDI approaches may also include modifications to the undergraduate computer science curriculum. However, if not properly planned, these modifications risk amplifying existing stereotypes rather than producing positive change [38]. …

Lessons In Low-Tech: A Handbook For Sustainable Education, Ceri Almrott, Loann Astorino, Sébastien Bette, Benoit Delinchant, Philippe Fortemps, Ulysse Girard, Paul Hendrick, Sacha Hodencq, Fabian Lecron, Julie Lhuissier, Kévin Loesle, Luis Miguel Lopez Santiago, Santiago Perez Rodriguez, Gauthier Renard, Tatiana Reyes, Virginie Vandenbulcke, John Walsh

Other resources

LT4SUSTAIN, an Erasmus+ funded transnational project, is at the forefront of responding to the increasing awareness of environmental and climate challenges. This awareness, particularly among youth, has led to a demand for social justice. With the coordinated work among six institutions, ranging from higher education institutions to private companies and associations, LT4SUSTAIN aims to raise awareness of Lowtech across society.

LT4SUSTAIN is pioneering a unique approach to technology design. By developing “hackathons” and other “hands-on” events, we are engaging students and industry in a way that improves inclusiveness. Our objective is to equip individuals with the skills to embark on …

Ene 262 - 004, Hm2: Intro To Environmental Engr, Paul Schorr

Civil and Environmental Engineering Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Ene 465 - 101: Sustainable Env Infrastructure, William Pennock

Civil and Environmental Engineering Syllabi

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of The Possibility And Effectiveness Of Renewable Energy In Container Terminal At Jinhae New Port, Min-Seop Sim, Yul-Seong Kim, Chang-Hee Lee

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The international goals of combating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are driving container terminal operators to adopt renewable energy solutions. This study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of introducing renewable energy and eco-fuels for energy independence at the Jinhae New Port Container Terminal, South Korea. Using portfolio analysis, eight renewable energy technologies (solar power, solar thermal energy, wind energy, hydropower, marine energy, geothermal energy, bioenergy, and waste-to-energy) and seven eco-friendly fuels (electricity, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen fuel cells, ammonia fuel cells, bioenergy, and hybrid systems) were assessed. Survey data from stakeholders identified solar, wind, and …

Geospatial Analysis For Urban Resilience: Green Space, Flood Susceptibility, And Wetland Restoration Potential, Jessica Lareaux

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Through the integration of high-resolution geospatial data, hydrologic modeling, and spatial statistics, this research addresses three interrelated topics that are critical to sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient urban planning. The overall objective of this dissertation is to provide data-driven and machine learning-based geospatial analysis frameworks that enhance our understanding of environmental inequities, flood exposure, and the potential for wetland restoration, with a focus on urban contexts. The study presented in Chapter Two examines the distribution and accessibility of urban green spaces in Detroit, Michigan, using high-resolution geospatial data and geospatial analysis methods, including geographically weighted regression (GWR) and network-based analyses. This …

Investigating Spatial And Temporal Changes In Vegetation Via Remote Sensing Indicators And Revealing Their Trends In The Central Desert Of Iran, Peyman Akbarzadeh, Shima Nikoo, Mehran Akbarzadeh

Applied Environmental Research

Vegetation changes can significantly affect the conditions and productivity of ecosystems. Consequently, studying vegetation dynamics across various temporal and spatial scales has emerged as a critical environmental concern. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in vegetation cover via vegetation indices, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), ratio vegetation index (RVI), soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and difference vegetation index (DVI), derived from multitemporal Landsat 5, 7, and 8 satellite images processed via the Google Earth Engine. The study area is located in the Damghan arid and desert watershed, which represents the central desert of Iran. Furthermore, …

Quantifying Subsurface Pavement Temperatures Subject To Future Climates And Implications For Pavement Resilience, Austin Michael Jarrell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Assessment of anthropogenic climate change impacts in pavement design and analysis remains limited within engineering practice, despite growing recognition of the need for climate-resilient roadway infrastructure. Research efforts have increasingly focused on integrating future climate projections into mechanistic-empirical pavement design, which represents the leading edge of the state of practice. However, a lack of consensus persists regarding the optimal methods for incorporating climate projections, particularly in the selection of downscaling techniques and global climate models (GCMs) to ensure accuracy and applicability for pavement performance analysis. This research investigates the impact of statistical downscaling methodologies and GCM selection routines on subsurface …

Mobile Air Quality Assessment Using Public Transportation: A Community-Focused Study In The Capital Region, Allen Pronith Reddy Yeddula

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The monitoring of air quality plays a crucial role in establishment of concentrations of air pollutants over space and time in relation to human health, urban planning, and environmental conservation. This research offers a new strategy of monitoring the air quality in the Capital Region of New York State utilizing public transit buses as air quality moving sampling platforms. To assess the level of pollutants, a Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) bus network was used across the urban, suburban, and rural areas thus filling a research gap where public transit has most of the time been disregarded as a mobile …

The Impact Of Student Engagement Activities On Future Climate Change Adaptation: The Case Of Student Simulation Models, Bassel Mostafa Elkalaf

Future Journal of Social Science

This paper explores the critical role of student engagement in addressing the growing challenges of climate change, with a focus on the Model United Nations (MUN) as a case study. As climate-related security threats increase globally, educational platforms that prepare youth for effective leadership in climate politics are more essential than ever. MUN, a widely practiced student activity simulating global policy-making, provides a valuable opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the interconnectedness between climate change, peace, and security. By participating in MUN simulations, students engage in debates, develop innovative solutions, and practice diplomatic skills, all while exploring the …

Cultivating Coastal Communities: An Exploration Of Synergies And Tradeoffs To The Colocation Of Stormwater Ponds And Urban Agriculture In Tampa Bay, Estenia Ortiz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cultivating resilience in coastal communities such as Tampa Bay is becoming increasingly important as urbanization continues to fuel complex environmental and social challenges further exacerbated by sea level rise, habitat degradation, and more intense storm events. Food and water systems are particularly vulnerable under these circumstances, jeopardizing residents’ quality of life. This research explored the nexus of stormwater detention ponds and urban agriculture, namely community and residential gardens, this research reveals factors to consider in the colocation of these systems to build local community resilience and protect waterways.

Focusing on East Tampa, a historic Black community in Florida, and the …

Transportation Policies, Programs And History, Ivonne Audirac, Amber B. Raley, Jenifer Reiner, Soheil Sharifi-Asl

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

Transportation Policies, Programs and History is a text intended for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in urban and transportation planning. Contents by chapter include:

1. Brief history of U.S. transportation policy and traffic congestion: A persistent transportation planning issue.
2. Transportation planning and modeling.
3. Transportation programming and evaluation.
4. Equity in transportation planning
5. Mobility modes.
6. Transportation, accessibility, and the built environment.
7. Transit and transit-oriented development.
8. Transportation and new technologies.
9. Sustainable transportation.
10. Transportation in the Global South.

This textbook is part of a six-volume series produced under the grant OERTransport: Enabling Transportation Planning Professional Advancement awarded to the University of Texas-Arlington (UTA) …

Green Cities And Transportation, Ariadna Reyes-Sanchez, Soheil Sharifi-Asl, Ladan Mozaffarian

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

Green Cities and Transportation examines the significance of sustainable transportation projects for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while supporting transportation equity for vulnerable commuters. The book examines insightful case studies from around the world that can serve as a reference for sustainable transportation initiatives in the U.S. It is organized into three sections: 1) Sustainability, Transportation Equity, and Planning, 2) Case Studies and Lessons from the North and South, and 3) Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Cities, and Mobility.

Common Ground Newsletter Fall 2024, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

Common Ground

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Sustainable Mobility, Shams Tanvir

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

This textbook and OER material cover tools and basic knowledge required to prepare transportation engineers and planners to contribute towards a carbon-neutral mobility future. The goal of the textbook is to train engineering students on existing tools and policy levers that can be used to incorporate emerging transportation technologies in a sustainable, equitable, and efficient manner.

Demand Side Management Through Integrated Water Distribution Systems And Smart Irrigation Controllers, Nathan T. Lunstad

Theses and Dissertations

The innovation of electrical utilities in creating smart electrical grids has superseded that of water utilities in analogous efforts. While many water utilities are now using smart water technologies, they lack the virtual command center that allows for two-way communication for more effective forecasting, load balancing, preventive methods, emergency and master planning, and level of service delivery while ensuring environmental justice and enhancing the responsible use of resources. In this dissertation, I propose the idea of the Integrated Water Distribution System (IWDS) to overcome this challenge. IWDS coordinates management of water supply and demand in a way that benefits both …

Moving Towards The Electrification Of Medium- And Heavy-Duty Vehicles In The Inland Empire, Kimberly Collins, Raffi Der Wartanian, Francisca Beer, Yunfei Hou

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report investigates the transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MDHD) within California’s Inland Empire (IE), emphasizing the significance of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and opportunity charging strategies in facilitating sustainable transportation. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach that combines a systematic literature review, geospatial and big data analytics, and thematic analysis of expert interviews, the study explores the multifaceted challenges and opportunities of electrification. The literature review assesses policies at various governance levels, while geospatial analysis identifies regional traffic patterns and infrastructure needs. Big data analytics examine vehicle movements, complemented by insights from interviews with 16 regional experts, offering a …

Public Realm For Enhanced Quality Of Life :Interactive Spaces Combating Climate Change, Amal M . El- Ellithy , Mohamed M. Yossef , And Mai W. Madkour

Journal of Engineering Research

Currently, facing climate change stands as a crucial focus within architecture, urban planning and design .Urban design is constructive endeavor aimed at benefiting the public. The public realm that creates the environment for individuals and communities to effectively, safely, meaningfully and permanently lead their lives .For a prolonged duration the public realm have been formulated to accommodate severe climatic conditions .the reality persists that the essence of a signification public realm continue to be widely disregarded . The aim is to clarify how exceptional quality, effectively designed, and well-managed approaches can be beneficial to implement as a strategy for climate …

Advancing Understanding Of Opinions, Perceptions, And Knowledge In Underrepresented Communities In The El Paso Region To Promote Electric Vehicles And Electrified Infrastructure Use To Reduce Environmental Impacts, Liliana Lozada-Medellin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As the transportation and automotive industries continue growing, environmental and human health impacts remain a growing concern for planners, policy-makers, constructors, and the public as well (Krause et al., 2013; Larson et al., 2014). Although Electric Vehicles (EVs) are entering the market as a green technology solution to counteract greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), there are still barriers that need to be overcome for widespread diffusion and adoption as the best solution. These include disseminating basic information about the technology for public awareness, considering equity concerns, and ensuring equitable access to infrastructure for all (L. …

Nautilus: Deep Sea Dexterity, Quinn Bates, Saunder Salazar, Morgan Watts, Davis Robertson, Sarah Abruzzo, Ian Staff, Nick Aguilar

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

Global warming and climate change are prevalent issues in today's society. As a result, research in the ocean, earth's biggest ecosystem, is imperative in efforts to protect the environment. Santa Clara University's Robotic Systems Lab contributes to this field through work and development on remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Nautilus was built to support geologists and other researchers, primarily in the Lake Tahoe and Monterey Bay area. Thus far the ROV s sole scientific instrument has been its onboard camera, though partner geologists desire the ability to collect physical samples using a robotic arm attachment at depths up to 100 meters. …