Digital Commons Network^™

We Are Gullah: A Community Approach To Preserving Gullah Geechee Historical Sites Of Significance, Peter Gaytan

All Theses

The National Register of Historic Places is an inventory established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 that identifies architectural and archaeological sites significant to American history. The National Register was created to encourage the documentation, evaluation, and protection of America’s historic resources. Over 96,000 historic properties, sites, and structures are currently listed on the National Register. Despite the number of historic places listed on the National Register there is still an overwhelmingly low number of sites listed on the National Register relating to underrepresented communities. This thesis assessed the definition of significance laid out in the National Register …

Unidentified Deceased Persons: Who Are At-Risk?, Sarah Duncan

All Theses

This study explores the silent mass disaster of unidentified deceased persons that is occurring across the United States and identifies the individual and community level characteristics that make a person “at-risk” of becoming an unidentified deceased person within the United States. This study identifies trends-based hotspots by using data reported on the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) and comparing those trends to the gender United States population. It finds that males, and age of death between 20-64 are overrepresented and White persons are underrepresented in the unidentified deceased person sample when compared the general population. Social and human …

Reproducibility And Replicability In Unmanned Aircraft Systems And Geographic Information Science, Cassandra Howe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multiple scientific disciplines face a so-called crisis of reproducibility and replicability (R&R) in which the validity of methodologies is questioned due to an inability to confirm experimental results. Trust in information technology (IT)-intensive workflows within geographic information science (GIScience), remote sensing, and photogrammetry depends on solutions to R&R challenges affecting multiple computationally driven disciplines. To date, there have only been very limited efforts to overcome R&R-related issues in remote sensing workflows in general, let alone those tied to disruptive technologies such as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and machine learning (ML). To accelerate an understanding of this crisis, a review was …

Geographic Object-Based Image Analysis For Archaeological Site Detection: A Case Study For The Chicama Valley, Peru, Cesca Craig

Anthropology Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study represents a first attempt at applying geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) for the detection of extant archaeological sites in the Chicama River Valley located in northern coastal Peru. This region is characterized by the presence of mound-like archaeological sites dispersed throughout large-scale agricultural fields. High-resolution multispectral imagery from Planet Labs was used in this study because of its high spatial and temporal resolution and availability at no cost through Planet’s Education and Research Program. The main goal for this study was to explore GEOBIA as an approach to archaeological site detection and assess the feasibility of developing exportable …

Systematic Barriers To Success: The Impact Of Redlining On Modern Educational Outcomes In Omaha Public Schools, Sarah Sedivy

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The systemic denial of mortgages, loans, and other financial services to specific neighborhoods on the basis of race, a practice known as redlining, has continued to have a disproportionately negative effect on communities of color since its inception in the 1930s. The contemporary impacts of redlining can be seen in ongoing disparities in household income, property values, generational wealth, and more. This paper uses a three-pronged approach to extensively examine the history, application, and implications of redlining, with an emphasis on how the practice affects modern educational outcomes in Omaha public schools. The paper analyzes statistical data from the Nebraska …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, March - May 2023, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 4, Issue 2

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2-7 Awards and Recognition
Page 8 March 3rd Corothers Seminar
Page 9 54th Geography Convention
Page 10 Spring 2023 Day of Scholars
Page 11 2023 URSCAD Snaps
Page 12-14 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 15 Open PRAIRIE Data

Climate Change And Coastal Megacities: Adapting Through Mobility, Susan S. Ekoh, Lemir Teron, Idowu Ajibade

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Climate change poses threats to individuals, communities, and cities globally. Global conversations and scholarly debates have explored ways people adapt to the impacts of climate change including through migration and relocation. This study uses Lagos, Nigeria as a case study to examine the relationship between flooding events, migration intentions as a preferred adaptation, and the destination choices for affected residents. The study draws on a mixed-methods approach which involved a survey of 352 residents and semi-structured interviews with 21 residents. We use a capability approach to analyze mobility decisions following major or repetitive flood events. We found that the majority …

A Healthier Community For Generations To Come: Creating Resilient And Equitable Development On Lower 9th Ward Corridors, Sarah Bechdel, Dov Block, Bailey Bullock, Ellis Combes, Laura Harris, Samuel Mercier, Maya Struhar

Planning and Urban Studies Reports and Presentations

The Healthier Community for Generations to Come report provides Sankofa Community Development Corporation with programmatic recommendations to assist in the revitalization of the Lower Ninth Ward (LNW). This report draws on extensive research in urban planning best practices to propose strategies that promote economic revitalization, housing sustainability, community health, and environmental resilience. The research was guided by an Urban Land Institute (ULI) Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) which engaged the LNW community to inform recommendations. Sustainability analysis, equity planning, resilience planning, market analysis, and GIS analysis methodologies were employed to create the report. The final report recommendations included a site SWOT, …

Pandemic Produce: Impacts Of Covid-19 On Florida's Fruit And Vegetable Industries, Christa D. Court, David Outerbridge, Lauri Baker, Laura Birou, Catherine Campbell, Gigi Digiacomo, Sebastian Galindo, John Lai, Alexandre Magnier, Michelle Miller, Gustavo De L.T. Oliveira, Eyrika Orlando, Hikaru Hanawa Peterson, Xiaohui Qiao, Fritz Roka, Andrew Ropicki, Bijeta Bijen Saha, Andrew W. Stevens, Li Zhang

Geography

Florida has one of the most diverse agricultural economies in the United States, producing several dozen types of fruits and vegetables that are consumed within the state, across the country, and around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting policy responses occurred during the peak of spring harvest season for many crops in Florida, abruptly removing market demand from the food service industry and shifting consumer purchasing habits, which enabled insights into several aspects of the fruit and vegetable supply chain. This article examines how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted fruit and vegetable industries in Florida, how these industries responded to …

Gentrification And Crime In The Twin Cities: Insights And Challenges Through A Statistical Lens, Erin G. Franke

Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Honors Projects

Gentrification is a complex process of urban redevelopment that typically involves an in-migration of educated people to neighborhoods experiencing a period of disinvestment. While gentrification is widely regarded for its potential to displace long-time businesses and residents of the neighborhood, its impact on crime is highly controversial. There is not a consensus on the relationship between gentrification and crime across criminological theory and past statistical studies have also shown contradictory results. Measuring gentrification on the tract level with census data, we seek to understand gentrification’s relationship with violent crime and theft in the Twin Cities. Using a Poisson model with …

Modeling The Impacts Of Sea Level Rise In Coastal Virginia At Multiple Scales, George Murray Mcleod Iv

OES Theses and Dissertations

Relative sea level is increasing along the Mid-Atlantic coast of the United States and the rate of relative sea level rise (ΔRSL) for Coastal Virginia is approximately double the rate of global sea level rise (ΔSLRG)(1). The potential impacts posed to communities by ΔRSL are best understood by examining the spatial relationship between the upper limits of ocean-connected waters and the geographic positioning of critical natural and societal assets. This research examines this problem at three spatial scales to quantify the impacts of ΔRSL and storm flooding events on (i) structural and transportation infrastructure for the tide-influenced coastal zone of …

Limited Evidence Of Cumulative Effects From Recurrent Droughts In Vegetation Responses To Australia's Millennium Drought, Tong Jiao, Christopher A. Williams, Martin De Kauwe, Belinda E. Medlyn

Geography

Drought-induced vegetation declines have been reported across the globe and may have widespread implications for ecosystem composition, structure, and functions. Thus, it is critical to maximizing our understanding of how vegetation has responded to recent drought extremes. To date, most drought assessments emphasized the importance of drought intensity for vegetation responses. However, drought timing, duration, and repeat exposure all may be important aspects of ecosystem response with the potential for non-linear effects. Cumulative effects are one such phenomenon, representing the additional decline due to repeated exposure to drought, and indicating gradual loss of ecosystem resistance. This study quantifies the frequency …

Land Tenure And The Urban Institutional Politics Of Sustainability: How Sustainability "Lands" In The Relationships Between Global North And South Contexts., Lindsey Connors

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sustainability is not simply a moral concept but is essential for human survival, and the tensions inherent in sustainable development bear repercussions that are increasingly placed onto the poor and powerless (Redclift 1987). While sustainability has become a relevant concept for urban knowledge and research especially in the global South, much of our urban sustainability knowledge is shaped by research and typologies from the global North (Nagendra et al. 2018; Parnell & Robinson 2017; Roy 2005). This dissertation considers the spatial transferability of sustainability knowledge from a relational perspective (Massey 2002). Sustainable development can be understood from this perspective as …

A Geospatial Assessment Of Turkey’S Military Campaigns Against The Autonomous Administration Of North And East Syria, Steven Lucas Escalante

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In addition to hosting more Syrian refugees than any other nation, Turkey has played a significant role in the dynamics of the Syrian civil war since 2011 under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. As the dynamics in the war shifted, so did Ankara’s focus towards the preferred ground forces of the Global Coalition for the fight against the Islamic State, who Ankara views as an extension of the PKK. In turn, this PYD-led de-facto Autonomous Administration has faced multiple Turkish ground invasions since 2016 and a continuing series of aerial attacks. A geospatial assessment of the Turkish-Syrian Democratic Forces border conflict …

An Examination Of Destination And Business Place Identity Along The Wild Atlantic Way (Ireland) Tourism Route, Ziene Mottiar, Theresa Ryan

Conference papers

An examination of the layers of business place identities resulting from the creation of a road tourism route: an exploration of the Wild Atlantic Way

Proposal and originality (500 characters)

This paper is focussed on the Wild Atlantic Way (WAW) in Ireland and explores the concept of entrepreneurial place identity in terms of tourism routes. Place identity has been shown to be important for tourism entrepreneurs as it affects their self- efficacy (Haller, Assaker and Lee, 2013) and their strategies (Mottiar, 2016). This paper seeks to explore how tourism businesses have altered their identity as a result of the WAW. …

Cartographic Analysis Of Earth-Sun Relationships In Ancient Amazonia, Jackson Bennett Critser

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The alignments of ancient man-made earthworks across the Amazon Basin, known as geoglyphs, have recently been discovered to predate early societal dates. Although much research indicated that the Amazon was uninhabitable until the last 1000 years (Meggers 1971), new evidence suggests this is not the case. The application of advanced cartographic and GIS technologies were implemented to link solar ‘marker’ days (e.g. solstices, equinoxes) with the alignment of geoglyphs, megaliths, stone architecture, and broader city forms to discover and analyze previously unknown Earth-Sun relationships across the Amazon Basin to conceivably sophisticated urban and architectural plans. The study of these geoglyphs …

The Terroir Of Swiss Cheese: A Temporal And Geomorphological Investigation Of The Martian Co2 Sublimation Pits, Racine D. Cleveland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Observations by NASA Mars Global Surveyor showed evidence of rough topography on the South Pole of Mars. The topography is the result of CO2 sublimation processes that occur through the changing seasons on the red planet. These sublimation areas are known to scientists as Swiss Cheese Features (SCF). SCF are erosional degradation pits that have been studied for over two decades. Studies show that these SCF increase in area over time, but these values are collected by hand on a per feature basis. Models for the pit evolution have also played a part in understanding these SCF. This work is …

The Manito Topos Project: Place Naming And Toponymic Silencing In The Sierras Of Northern Nuevo México And Southern Colorado, Len N. Beké

Spanish and Portuguese ETDs

This dissertation reports on documentary research on vernacular toponymies in Manito communities in Nuevo México and Colorado. These toponymies are erased, obscured and delegitimized in official maps. Within the study area, vernacular antecedents for 49.5% of official names for natural features were documented, along with 280 previously unmapped names. These data were compared to the state-sanctioned toponymy to determine a typology of linguistic mechanisms of toponymic silencing. While a majority of official toponyms are based on Manito oral tradition, only 15.4% of the labels for natural features represent unaltered versions of names in that tradition. This dissertation theorizes the conceptual …

Geological Mapping Of Ferric And Ferrous Irons In The Apache Hills, New Mexico: Applying Landsat 8 (Oli), Spectrometry, And Geographic Information System (Gis) Methods, Sergio Gerardo Macias

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Mineral discoveries are typically tangible on surface studies. Previous research describes mineral deposits of ferric and ferrous irons in the lithology, structures, and alluvial fans in the Apache Hills in southwest New Mexico. The research for this thesis combines and models four methods for validating and mapping the presence of Ferric and Ferrous Irons developed in weathered zones above mineral deposits. A beneficial steppingstone before exploration and discovery begins with extensive research. This study began with data acquisition and reviewing previous research and was essential for the project methods. The study combines four techniques: spectral geology (e.g., remote sensing and …

Kearifan Lokal Dan Upaya Pelestarian Lingkungan Air: Studi Etnografi Masyarakat Adat Manggarai, Flores, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Erna Mena Niman, Marianus Mantovani Tapung, Zepisius Rudiyanto Eso Ntelok, Hieronimus Canggung Darong -

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The efforts and conservation actions are needed to obtain a clean water for consumption. One of such efforts is interpreting the traditions of indigenous peoples, which are directly related to the concept of nature conservation. This study aims to identify and describe the meaning and geographical aspects of the barong wae ritual practice of the Manggarai indigenous people in the context of preserving the water environment. This research was a qualitative descriptive study with an ethnographic approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and documentation. Results show that local wisdom in the form of the barong wae ritual …

Improving Nasa’S Earth Satellite And Model Data Discoverability For Interdisciplinary Research, Applications, And Education, Zhong Liu, Chung-Lin Shie, Suhung Shen, James Acker, Angela Li, Jennifer C. Wei, David J. Meyer

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

Since the Internet era began, numerous earth science data services have been developed to facilitate data discovery (for example, data sources, documents, facts, visualization, opinions) and data access for research and application activities. For example, a large collection of NASA’s earth science data has been made searchable and freely downloadable over the Internet. Some value-added services even allow users to analyze and visualize many variables online (for example, 2,000+ in NASA Giovanni) without downloading data and software.

However, finding and discovering suitable datasets and information for interdisciplinary research (involving two or more scientific disciplines), applications, education, and other emerging activities …

Saint John's Prep Navigation Map, Alec Otte

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This map was a project commissioned by Jill Pauly, Director of Communications at St. John’s Prep School. The intended purpose of the map is to assist new students and first-time visitors with finding buildings and fields. Places such as Tower Field, Sexton Commons, and Thomas Hall/Life Safety were desired focuses as they are further from the main prep school building and thus more difficult to find without guidance.

A Stable Isotopic Profile Of Atmospheric River Precipitation Impacting Northern California, Erika Clarise Ornouski

LSU Master's Theses

Atmospheric river (AR) storms are an integral part of California’s hydrologic cycle, providing 30–50% of the state’s annual precipitation. However, “too much of a good thing” can swell

rivers beyond capacity leading to widespread flooding, erosion, and environmental damage. Northern California’s steep topography coupled with its seasonal Sierra Nevada snowpack puts this region at risk for floods and extreme weather hazards that can be triggered by strong ARs. Identifying AR contributions in the water cycle is crucial for informing water resource and emergency management decisions Stable isotope analysis provides a means to understand the movement of precipitation based on fractionation …

China's Public Diplomacy Philosophy, Logan Webb

ATU Scholars Symposium

China has become a giant in the globalized world in such a short period of time. This led me to the research question, “What is China’s public diplomacy philosophy?” Using a textual analysis of major geopolitical events that China is involved in (The Belt and Road Initiative, the South China Sea dispute, Uyghur imprisonment, and the Hong Kong government takeover) and the history of China since the Chinese Civil War, it becomes apparent that the country uses the concept of hard and soft power for its public diplomacy. If a country is not receptive to China or its intended actions, …

A Feasibility Study To Determine The Most Optimal Location For A Ski/Mountain Bike Resort In Greater Northwest Arkansas, Timothy Constantino

ATU Scholars Symposium

This project was completed by the author with some assistance and consulting from his faculty mentor, Dr. Patrick Hagge. In order to answer the fundamental study questions concerning the feasibility of a mountain bike and ski resort being established in Arkansas, ArcGIS Pro mapping software was utilized. Some data was collected from outside sources, including NOAA and the Arkansas GIS Office. Other data was either interpolated from the aforementioned sources or created by the author. For regionwide suitability, four broad factors were considered. Those included aspect, slope, temperature, and snowfall. Ten specific resort sites were chosen and then ranked considering …

Community Resilience: Conducting A Tornado Risk Assessment For Oklahoma City, Oklahoma​, Chanice Brown

Symposium of Student Scholars

On May 20th, 2013, the Newcastle-Moore tornado carved a 14-mile-long path of destruction through Oklahoma City, McClain, and Cleveland Counties. This event led to the deaths of 24 people, more than 200 injuries, and at least 2 billion dollars in damages. Tornadoes like the Newcastle-Moore are sporadic and technological advances have provided an extra layer of protection against them. However, researchers have found that one of the best methods for bolstering the safety of a community when facing such severe weather threats is developing a hazard mitigation plan. As such, the focus of this particular project was to identify the …

Lidar Buoy Detection For Autonomous Marine Vessel Using Pointnet Classification, Christopher Adolphi, Dorothy Dorie Parry, Yaohang Li, Masha Sosonkina, Ahmet Saglam, Yiannis E. Papelis

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

Maritime autonomy, specifically the use of autonomous and semi-autonomous maritime vessels, is a key enabling technology supporting a set of diverse and critical research areas, including coastal and environmental resilience, assessment of waterway health, ecosystem/asset monitoring and maritime port security. Critical to the safe, efficient and reliable operation of an autonomous maritime vessel is its ability to perceive on-the-fly the external environment through onboard sensors. In this paper, buoy detection for LiDAR images is explored by using several tools and techniques: machine learning methods, Unity Game Engine (herein referred to as Unity) simulation, and traditional image processing. The Unity Game …

No. 08: Young People’S Mobilities, Farming Aspirations And Engagements In Northern Ghana, Siera Vercillo, Bruce Frayne

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Development policies targeting young people and African agriculture tend to focus on their abandonment of the sector and the need to attract new generations to agricultural activities through its commercialization. This paper points to potential gaps in such interventions by investigating the diverse mobilities, aspirations, and engagements of young people in farming, through a qualitative case study in rural northern Ghana. Our study also challenges the prevalent assumption of African farmers’ movements from rural to rural areas, from rural to urban areas, and out of farming altogether, as we found evidence of young people migrating from urban to rural areas. …

Perceptions Of Tourism And Quality Of Life: A Case Study In Savannah, Georgia, Marissa J. Renee

Honors College Theses

The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that Travel and Tourism accounted for 10.3% of the world economy in 2019 and ¼ of all net new jobs over the past five years. Savannah, Georgia has experienced huge growth in the last decade due to tourism, with visitor spending on lodging alone increasing from $466 million in 2009 to $1 billion in 2019. The current study examined differences in perceived impact of tourism on quality of life using established predictors of tourism sentiments. An online community survey was conducted in Chatham County, Georgia (N = 94) using the Tourism Quality of …

Climate Change, Site Formation, And Indigenous Use Of Coastlines In Barbuda, Isabel C. Rivera-Collazo, Sophia Perdikaris

School of Global Integrative Studies: Faculty Publications

This article explores the landscape dynamics at the island of Barbuda in the context of changing climate to understand (1) the environmental setting of indigenous settlements; (2) the impacts of current coastal processes; and (3) the potential threats moving forward toward increasing pressure of climate change. Focusing on the site of Seaview, on the east coast of Barbuda, we use geoarchaeological methods to reconstruct the ancient geomorphological setting, investigate changes post-abandonment, and identify the hazards faced under future sea-level projections. Our study shows that (1) sea level stabilization after the Mid-Holocene allowed the formation of coral reefs, seagrass beds and …