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Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 60 Number 3, Summer 2019, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

16 - PROTECTING THE HEART To grow the campus, we must care for the thing unchanging at its center—its Mission. Take a journey through the restoration of Mission Santa Clara de Asís. By Lander Eicholzer ’19.

22 - A LOBBY FOR JUSTICE What do you do when it is impossible for the innocent to prove their innocence? Change the law. The Northern California Innocence Project teamed up with state lawmakers and others to do just that. By Deborah Lohse.

26 - FINDING CENTER Outgoing Frank Sinatra Chair in the Performing Arts Taye Diggs reflects on celebrating who are you, where …

Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil Production In An Entrained Flow Reactor Pilot, Marine Peyrot, P. Castellia, C. Perret, S. Ravel, G. Vaitilingom, B. Piriou

Pyroliq 2019: Pyrolysis and Liquefaction of Biomass and Wastes

Bio-oil produced from biomass fast pyrolysis could constitute an alternative to fossil liquid fuels, especially to be combusted for local district heating. So far, only few studies have dealt with bio-oil production by biomass fast pyrolysis in an entrained flow reactor [1], yet it could constitute an alternative to the better-known fluidised bed pyrolysis process.

In the context of the BOIL project with the CCIAG Company (Grenoble district heating), a new pilot based on an entrained flow reactor concept has been designed [2]. The pilot design has been carried out on the basis of woody biomass fast pyrolysis experiments and …

Wrack Lines Volume 19, Number 1, Spring/Summer 2019, Nancy Balcom, Syma Ebbin, David Gregorio, Richard Telford, Judy Benson

Wrack Lines

Issue theme is: "Making Connections: As the Climate Changes, People and Nature Intertwine in New Ways." Articles include: "As More Roads Become Rivers, Communities Search for Solutions;" "Solving an Engineering Conundrum: As Coastal Homes Get Elevated, New Research Looks at Whether Vulnerability to Wind Damage Is Increasing;" "Along the Coast, Residents Consider How to Heed Sandy's Warning of What's to Come;" "All Rivers, All Lives Run to the Sea," about the intersection of waterways and the world of nature writer Edwin Way Teale; and "Crosscurrents: Connecticut Sea Grant's Retrospective Exhibition Makes Waves," about reaching new audiences and building bridges with …

Developing A Control System To Better Understand The Effects Of Pyruvate Decarboxylase Activity On Clostridium Thermocellum Metabolism, Nicholas Cervenka

ENGS 88 Honors Thesis (AB Students)

In order for cellulosic biofuels from Clostridium thermocellum to be commercially viable, the ethanol yield and titer of the microbe must be increased. To accomplish this, it has been suggested to introduce the Pyruvate Decarboxylase (PDC) enzyme into C. thermocellum. In order to demonstrate effects on ethanol production by PDC prior to genetic modification, a cell free system (CFS) has been developed. A purified enzyme system was developed with the CFS to function as a control. Using the purified enzyme system, PDC from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was demonstrated to be a good candidate for further testing in the CFS.

Application Of X-Ray Grating Interferometry To Polymer/Flame Retardant Blends In Additive Manufacturing, Omoefe Joy Kio

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

X-ray grating interferometry is a nondestructive tool for visualizing the internal structures of samples. Image contrast can be generated from the absorption of X-rays, the change in phase of the beam and small-angle X-ray scattering (dark-field). The attenuation and differential phase data obtained complement each other to give the internal composition of a material and large-scale structural information. The dark-field signal reveals sub-pixel structural detail usually invisible to the attenuation and phase probe, with the potential to highlight size distribution detail in a fashion faster than conventional small-angle scattering techniques. This work applies X-ray grating interferometry to the study of …

The Santa Clara, 2019-05-02, Santa Clara University

The Santa Clara

No abstract provided.

A Data-Driven Approach For Detecting Stress In Plants Using Hyperspectral Imagery, Suraj Gampa

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A phenotype is an observable characteristic of an individual and is a function of its genotype and its growth environment. Individuals with different genotypes are impacted differently by exposure to the same environment. Therefore, phenotypes are often used to understand morphological and physiological changes in plants as a function of genotype and biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Phenotypes that measure the level of stress can help mitigate the adverse impacts on the growth cycle of the plant. Image-based plant phenotyping has the potential for early stress detection by means of computing responsive phenotypes in a non-intrusive manner. A large number …

Wildfire Smoke: Trends, Challenges, Unknowns, And Human Response, Mariah Dawn Fowler

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Wildfire smoke is a growing threat to human livelihood in the Western United States. The economic and the health burden of smoke is accelerating in response to a growing fire season and escalating fire activity. This study first evaluates the trends in air quality over Boise, Idaho and the entire Northwest (and Montana) to assess the impacts of wildfire smoke in the region. The Mann-Kendall trend analysis shows that there is a statistically significant trend in the average and maximum air quality index (AQI) during the fire season (July-August-September) in the Boise area. The AQI shows a decreasing trend, although …

Emittance Spectroscopy And Broadband Thermal Remote Sensing Applied To Phosphorite And Its Utility In Geoexploration: A Study In The Parts Of Rajasthan, India, Arindam Guha, Yasushi Yamaguchi, Snehamoy Chatterjee, Komai Rani, Kumranchat Vinod Kumar

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The contrast in the emissivity spectra of phosphorite and associated carbonate rock can be used as a guide to delineate phosphorite within dolomite. The thermal emissivity spectrum of phosphorite is characterized by a strong doublet emissivity feature with their absorption minima at 9 µm and 9.5 µm; whereas, host rock dolomite has relatively subdued emissivity minima at ~9 µm. Using the contrast in the emissivity spectra of phosphorite and dolomite, data obtained by the thermal bands of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) sensor were processed to delineate phosphorite within dolomite. A decorrelation stretched ASTER radiance composite could …

Primitive Palms: A Density Study On The Impacts Of Harvesting Natural Materials For Construction Purposes On Sumak Allpa Of The Amazon Rainforest, Zachary Bull

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In an effort to better understand how rural construction techniques affect a surrounding environment, this study combines a density test of the natural building materials used in the construction of a school on Sumak Allpa island of the Orellana Province in the Amazon basin of Ecuador. The focus of the study measures the density of the bamboo species Guadua angustifolia and the Panama hat plant Carludovica palmata on the island while noting a comprehensive compilation of the techniques and materials used in the building process. Using a mix of plots and transects, a comparison of harvested material to remaining material …

Electrochemical Modification Of Granular Activated Carbon And Carbon Nanofibers To Determine Effect On Adsorption, Jose E. Martinez Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

Granular activated carbon and carbon nanofiber samples were tested as is and electrochemically modified to determine the effect on adsorption. An electrochemical cell was used to modify the carbon samples. The samples were then used in bench bottle tests with 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), brilliant blue (BB) dye, and methylene blue (MB) dye solutions and sampled over time intervals. An ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer was used to analyze the results of the bottle bench tests. The results indicated that electrochemically modified coal-based carbons’ adsorption were improved 25% over the adsorption of the as is carbon samples prior to modification. The electrochemical modification increased adsorption …

Innovative Remote Smart Home For Immersive Engagement, Kevin B. Martin, Abul Azad, Mohammed Adnan Shareef, Mrinal Roy

ASEE IL-IN Section Conference

An openly accessible, remotely operated smart home will be demonstrated as a tool for students to learn about residential energy usage and environmental impacts. Specifically, the demonstration unit provides classrooms an engaging experience that teaches students about energy efficiency technologies and how their behavior will have an impact on energy usage and the environment. It is expected that as students become aware of and understand how various energy efficiency technologies work barriers to their adoption will be lowered. The use of a web accessible, remote laboratory dramatically reduces lab setup time and equipment cost/space requirements for educators. Special attention is …

Potential Economic Impacts Of Allocating More Land For Bioenergy Biomass Production In Virginia, Thomas O. Ochuodho, Janaki R. R. Alavalapati, Pankaj Lal, Domena A. Agyeman, Bernabas Wolde, Pralhad Burli

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

The growing attention to renewable energy and rural development has created greater demand for production of biomass feedstock for bioenergy. However, forest growth rates and the amount of land in most existing forests may not be sufficient to sustainably supply the forest biomass required to support existing forest products industries and the expanding bioenergy industry. Additionally, concerns about agricultural land use competition have dampened expansion of biomass production on agricultural land base. One of the ways to meet the growing forest biomass feedstock demand for bioenergy production is by allocating currently marginal non-forested land for growing bioenergy feedstocks. In Virginia, …

Twenty-Three Unsolved Problems In Hydrology (Uph) – A Community Perspective, Günter Blöschl, Christopher M. U. Neale, A Cast Of Thousands

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This paper is the outcome of a community initiative to identify major unsolved scientific problems in hydrology motivated by a need for stronger harmonisation of research efforts. The procedure involved a public consultation through online media, followed by two workshops through which a large number of potential science questions were collated, prioritised, and synthesised. In spite of the diversity of the participants (230 scientists in total), the process revealed much about community priorities and the state of our science: a preference for continuity in research questions rather than radical departures or redirections from past and current work. Questions remain focused …

Generational Aspects Of U.S. Public Opinion On Renewable Energy And Climate Change, Lawrence C. Hamilton, Joel N. Hartter, Erin Bell

Sociology

The topics of climate change and renewable energy often are linked in policy discussions and scientific analysis, but public opinion on these topics exhibits both overlap and divergence. Although renewable energy has potentially broader acceptance than anthropogenic climate change, it can also sometimes face differently-based opposition. Analyses of U.S. and regional surveys, including time series of repeated surveys in New Hampshire (2010–2018) and northeast Oregon (2011–2018), explore the social bases of public views on both issues. Political divisions are prominent, although somewhat greater regarding climate change. Such divisions widen with education, an interaction effect documented in other studies as well. …

An Assessment Of Historical Traffic Forecast Accuracy And Sources Of Forecast Error, Jawad Mahmud Hoque

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Transportation infrastructure improvement projects are typically huge and have significant economic and environmental effects. Forecasts of demand of the facility in the form of traffic level help size the project as well as choose between several alternatives. Inaccuracy in these forecasts can thus have a great impact on the efficiency of the operational design and the benefits accrued from the project against the cost. Despite this understanding, evaluation of traffic forecast inaccuracy has been too few, especially for un-tolled roads in the United States. This study, part of a National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) funded project, bridges this gap …

Spatial Fingerprinting Of Biogenic And Anthropogenic Volatile Organic Compounds In An Arid Unsaturated Zone, Christopher T. Green, Wentai Luo, Christopher H. Conaway, Karl B. Haase, Ronald J. Baker

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Subsurface volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can pose risks to human and environmental health and mediate biological processes. Volatile organic compounds have both anthropogenic and biogenic origins, but the relative importance of these sources has not been explored in subsurface environments. This study synthesized 17 yr of VOC data from the Amargosa Desert Research Site in Nevada with the goal of improving understanding of spatial and temporal variations that distinguish sources of VOCs from a landfill and from ambient sources including biogenic VOCs (bVOCs). Gas samples were collected from 1999 to 2016 from an array of shallow sample points (0.5- and …

Environmental Policy Assessment In The Ghanaian Gold Mining Industry: Insights From Stakeholders, Francis Tuokuu

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Environmental policy assessment has been recognized by critical stakeholders (e.g., governments, local communities, academics, environmental advocacy groups, and mining companies) as an effective way of identifying and dealing with the myriad of environmental problems confronting humanity, particularly those caused by mining activities. While the gold mining sector has contributed to the economies of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa since the introduction of structural adjustment programs (SAPs) in the 1980s by the Bretton Woods institutions (the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund; IMF), the sector has also contributed to environmental degradation including water pollution, land contaminations, and generally, human health concerns …

Ignatian Pedagogy For Sustainability To Support Community-Based Projects: Client-Focused Sustainable Energy Solutions, Andrew Baruth

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Seeing the words of Laudato Si’ as a call to action, we are engaging students in Ignatian Pedagogy for Sustainability through a series of community-based projects with the goal of client-focused sustainable energy solutions and associated dialogue. We outline the development of a purpose-created Energy Technology undergraduate program housed in the College of Arts and Sciences at Creighton University, born from Ignatian Sensibilities, and highlight the role of client engagement to engross students in a client-focused design process to deliver sustainable energy initiatives that become practically feasible with student leadership. For the senior capstone of this program, students engage in …

Military Applications Of Geological Engineering, Stephen H. Tupper

Doctoral Dissertations

"This work examines the premise that military engineering and geological engineering are intellectually paired and overlapped in practice to a significant extent. Geological engineering is an established, albeit young, academic discipline that enjoys wide industry and civil demand and is supported by many professional organizations. In contrast, military engineering is an ancient, empirically derived training or "OJT" program with practice-based trade-associations that has narrow government-only utility. The premise is formed by decades-long observation of U. S. Army military engineer officers completing a Master of Science degree in geological engineering as a complement to their practice-based training in military engineering at …

Perceptions Of Vulnerability To Flooding, Hurricanes, And Climate Change On Grand Isle, Louisiana’S Only Inhabited Barrier Island, Lauren Miller

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study used in-depth interviews of permanent residents on Grand Isle, Louisiana, a remote barrier island, to better understand their perceptions of structural flood measures, non-structural responses to flooding and hurricanes, and perceptions of vulnerability to flooding, hurricanes, and climate change on a remote barrier island-Grand Isle, Louisiana. Residents' perceptions regarding the various structural measures implemented by the federal, state, and local government appeared mixed. Non-structural responses to flooding risks implemented at the household, community, state, and federal level continue to strengthen resiliency on Grand Isle. According to interviewees, aspects of environmental, rural, and economic vulnerability on Grand Isle impact …

Methods To Improve The Remediation Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs) In Aerobic And Anaerobic Environments, Brian Wartell

Dissertations

Oil spills occur regularly in terrestrial environments and crude oil can contain many compounds that are highly resistant to degradation. Among these compounds are high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are not only toxic but can also be carcinogenic and/or mutagenic. The first chapter of this dissertation includes an extensive review chapter on the variables affecting the anaerobic degradation of hydrocarbons, with a particular focus on PAHs. Electron acceptors, electron donors, temperature, salinity, pH all play key roles in determining the possibility effective of effective degradation occurring. Thus, by addressing solutions, such as biostimulation, improving environmental variables for …

2018 Fall Engr333 Project Final Report (Section A), 2018 Fall Engr333 Section A

ENGR 333

Calvin College currently spends 2.35 million dollars on energy every year. Physical Plant is under pressure to reduce the amount of energy that Calvin purchases from the electrical grid since the college is facing many budget constraints. In addition, President Le Roy signed the President’s Carbon Commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2057. With this need to save money on energy and reduce the college’s carbon footprint, the objective of this project was to determine the largest possible reduction in Calvin’s annual energy costs given a five-million-dollar investment in renewable energy.

Evaluating Future Flood Scenarios Using Cmip5 Climate Projections, Narayan Nyaupane, Balbhadra Thakur, Ajay Kalra, Sajjad Ahmad

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Frequent flooding events in recent years have been linked with the changing climate. Comprehending flooding events and their risks is the first step in flood defense and can help to mitigate flood risk. Floodplain mapping is the first step towards flood risk analysis and management. Additionally, understanding the changing pattern of flooding events would help us to develop flood mitigation strategies for the future. This study analyzes the change in streamflow under different future carbon emission scenarios and evaluates the spatial extent of floodplain for future streamflow. The study will help facility managers, design engineers, and stakeholders to mitigate future …

Understanding Electricity Bills: Guidance For Nebraska Businesses And Municipalities, Elizabeth M. Regier, Bruce I. Dvorak

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

This publication is intended to help business owners and municipal managers understand the different types of charges in their electricity bills. By understanding these charges, they may be able to identify ways to reduce their electricity costs.

Integration Of An Electrical Engineering Capstone Course With Social Justice And Global Studies, David Parent, Patricia Backer

Faculty Publications

A four course package (six units total) consisting of two general education (GE) classes and two electrical engineering capstone classes that are taught in a highly integrated manner, that not only meets university GE requirements, but also meets the new ABET criteria in which the need to address a societal need is embedded with design criteria. The prompts for the new integrated GE/capstone Assessment results are also presented, along with methods to increase student motivation for studying GE.

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 60 Number 1, Fall 2018, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

24 - FOUND IN TRANSLATION The Pulitzer for editorial cartooning recognizes the tale of two Syrian refugee families. Here’s who translated their story. By Tracy Seipel and Tina Vossugh.

26 - LEGENDS OF THE COURT A pair of Bronco hoops legends: Steve Nash ’96, welcome to the Basketball Hall of Fame! Kurt Rambis ’80, on big-time break-ins—and a fan club like no other. Words by Mark Purdy and Sam Farmer. Illustrations by Victor Juhasz.

34 - A JOURNEY THROUGH THE HOLY LAND Israel, from a hazy gray sea to the House of Bread to the Hill of the Skull. Learning …

Executive Summary_Governance For A Changing Climate: Adapting Boston’S Built Environment For Increased Flooding, Stephanie Kruel, Rebecca Herst, David Cash

Sustainable Solutions Lab

As the impacts of climate change intensify, coastal cities like Boston face increasing threats from sea level rise, extreme precipitation, and storm surges. This report, produced by the Sustainable Solutions Lab at the University of Massachusetts Boston, examines the role of governance in preparing Boston’s built environment for these evolving risks. Building upon the foundational work of the Climate Ready Boston initiative, the report outlines critical governance functions necessary for climate adaptation, including institutional coordination, regulatory reform, community engagement, and data-driven decision-making. Emphasizing a multiscalar governance approach, it analyzes the tools available at local, regional, state, and federal levels and …

Governance For A Changing Climate: Adapting Boston’S Built Environment For Increased Flooding, Stephanie Kruel, Rebecca Herst, David Cash

Sustainable Solutions Lab

As the impacts of climate change intensify, coastal cities like Boston face increasing threats from sea level rise, extreme precipitation, and storm surges. This report, produced by the Sustainable Solutions Lab at the University of Massachusetts Boston, examines the role of governance in preparing Boston’s built environment for these evolving risks. Building upon the foundational work of the Climate Ready Boston initiative, the report outlines critical governance functions necessary for climate adaptation, including institutional coordination, regulatory reform, community engagement, and data-driven decision-making. Emphasizing a multiscalar governance approach, it analyzes the tools available at local, regional, state, and federal levels and …

Formal Safety Assessment On Inland Self-Unload Carriers In The Pearl River Delta, Weijun Zhang

Maritime Safety & Environment Management Dissertations (Dalian)

No abstract provided.