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ผลกระทบของเอทานอลต่อสภาพการละลายน้ำของสารอะโรมาติกไฮโดรคาร์บอน, อุสารัตน์ ถาวรชัยสิทธิ์, กลิ่นสุคนธ์ สุวรรณรัตน์, พัชรินทร์ วัชรสุขกิจไพศาล, ยุพดี บรรจงกิจ, สุวัฒน์ สูงเลิศส่งฟ้า Jan 2026

ผลกระทบของเอทานอลต่อสภาพการละลายน้ำของสารอะโรมาติกไฮโดรคาร์บอน, อุสารัตน์ ถาวรชัยสิทธิ์, กลิ่นสุคนธ์ สุวรรณรัตน์, พัชรินทร์ วัชรสุขกิจไพศาล, ยุพดี บรรจงกิจ, สุวัฒน์ สูงเลิศส่งฟ้า

Applied Environmental Research

งานวิจัยนี้ได้ทำการศึกษาถึงผลของเอทานอลต่อความสามารถในการละลายน้ำของสารโมโนอะโรมาติกไฮโดรคาร์บอนใน กลุ่ม BTEX ซึ่งประกอบด้วยเบนซีนโทลูอีน เอทิลเบนซีน และไซลีนทั้ง 3 ไอโซเมอร์ทำการทดลองโดยเพิ่มอัตราส่วนโดยปริมาตรของเอทานอลในสารละลายผสมระหว่างสารไฮโดรคาร์บอนบริสุทธิ์ น้ำ และ เอทานอลให้มีค่าจาก 0% เป็น 25% ตามลำดับ พบว่าความเข้มข้นของ BTEX ในชั้นน้ำมีแนวโน้มเพิ่มขึ้นเมื่อปริมาณของเอทานอลในระบบมีค่าเพิ่มขึ้นจาก 0% เป็น 25% โดยเปอร์เซ็นต์การละลายน้ำมีค่าสูงขึ้นถึง 73%, 120%, 140%, 151%, และ 166 %สำหรับเบนซีน โทลูอีน เอทิลเบนซีน ไซลีน (meta+para) และไซลีน (ortho) ตาม ลำดับ เมื่อพิจารณาเปอร์เซ็นต์การเพิ่มขึ้น ของสภาพการละลายน้ำสำหรับสารแต่ละตัวในกลุ่ม BTEX ในสภาวะที่มีเอทานอลเทียบกับสภาพการละลายน้ำในสภาวะที่ไม่มีเอทานอล พบว่าเปอร์เซ็นต์การละลายน้ำที่เพิ่มขึ้นแปรผกผันกับขนาดของ โมเลกุล ดังจะเห็นได้จากเปอร์เซนต์การเพิ่มขึ้นของค่าการละลายน้ำในสภาวะที่มีเอทานอลเป็นตัวทำละลายร่วมในระบบสำหรับไซลีนทั้งสามไอโซเมอร์และเอทิล เบนซีนมีค่าใกล้เคียงกัน แต่มีค่ามากกว่าโทลูอีนและเบนซีน ตามลำดับ ผลงานวิจัยแสดงให้เห็นว่าเอทานอลสามารถเพิ่ม ปริมาณการปนเปื้อนของ BTEX ในน้ำผิวดินและน้ำใต้ดิน ในกรณีที่มีการรั่วไหลของ แก๊สโซฮอล์หรือการรั่วไหลของเอทานอล ร่วมกับ BTEX ลงสู่น้ำผิวดินหรือน้ำใต้ดิน


Black Ecological Care: Conservation, Environmental Justice, And Sovereignty In Baltimore, Maryland, Alexandria Nicole Casteel Jan 2026

Black Ecological Care: Conservation, Environmental Justice, And Sovereignty In Baltimore, Maryland, Alexandria Nicole Casteel

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Dominant traditions of urban planning, municipal policy, and environmental science register Black urban spaces through a vocabulary of pathology, as sites of ecological deficit, contamination, and social decay. This dissertation investigates how Black communities in U.S. cities attend to the environment in ways that address legacies of environmental and social injustice while opening pathways toward different environmental futures. I gather these practices under the analytic of Black ecological care, which captures the generative labor of making and maintaining livable worlds within, alongside, and beyond histories of harm. I develop the analytic across twenty-nine months of ethnographic fieldwork in 2021 and …


Factors Affecting Diet Selection In Sheep Fed Endophyte-Infected Toxic Fescue, Jordan Thomas, Ronelson Stinfil, Kenneth P. Coffey, Christine C. Nieman, Derico Setyabrata, Shawna Weimer Jan 2026

Factors Affecting Diet Selection In Sheep Fed Endophyte-Infected Toxic Fescue, Jordan Thomas, Ronelson Stinfil, Kenneth P. Coffey, Christine C. Nieman, Derico Setyabrata, Shawna Weimer

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) S.J. Darbyshire) infected with toxin‑producing fungi can induce fescue toxicosis in grazing ruminants, reducing performance and altering forage intake. Chemical compounds in red clover (Trifolium pratense), such as biochanin A, have been proposed to mitigate these effects by improving palatability and blood vessel relaxation. This study examined whether the inclusion of ground red clover (GRC), either alone or in combination with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), affected voluntary diet selection in lambs offered toxic fescue. Thirty‑three lambs were housed individually and assigned randomly to one of four diets: (1) toxic …


Reactionary Radicals, Radical Reactionaries: A Review Of Against The Machine: On The Unmaking Of Humanity, Michael Kirby Jan 2026

Reactionary Radicals, Radical Reactionaries: A Review Of Against The Machine: On The Unmaking Of Humanity, Michael Kirby

Publications and Research

Paul Kingsnorth, in his book Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity, asserts that the ecological destruction, consumerism, and social atomization that have come to define contemporary life are the product of a malevolent force he calls the Machine. This review finds that his proposed solution to these crises, namely a return to "traditional" forms of family and community, insufficiently addresses the material and structural conditions underlying the capitalist mode of production. Kingsnorth’s dismissal of Marxism is then interrogated by juxtaposing his critique of the Machine with Marx’s analysis of estranged labor. Finally, this review concludes that the …


Principles Of Geographic Information Science (Gep 205 And Gep 505), Fall 2026 Syllabus, Shokran Rahiminezhad Jan 2026

Principles Of Geographic Information Science (Gep 205 And Gep 505), Fall 2026 Syllabus, Shokran Rahiminezhad

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus is for Principles of Geographic Information Science (GEP 205 and GEP 505) at Lehman College. The course introduces geographic information science, spatial data management, cartography, coordinate systems and projections, tabular and spatial queries, vector and raster analysis, geoprocessing, and introductory geospatial programming using ArcGIS Pro. Students complete laboratory activities and a semester-long project addressing a real-world geographic problem. The syllabus includes differentiated expectations for undergraduate and graduate students and incorporates open and freely available instructional materials.


Work Analysis And Competency Modeling In Effective Circular Economy Implementation, Katherine C. Wheeler, S. Burak Ozkum Jan 2026

Work Analysis And Competency Modeling In Effective Circular Economy Implementation, Katherine C. Wheeler, S. Burak Ozkum

Faculty Publications – Psychology

First paragraph in lieu of abstract:

In their focal article, Schilling et al. (2026) specifically illustrate how interorganizational and intraorganizational cooperation are the most critical areas through which I-O psychology can contribute to a sustainable circular economy (CE) transition. This commentary elaborates on the application of I-O psychology by highlighting how work analysis and competency modeling enable effective CE implementation through organizational cooperation. Transitioning from a linear to a CE represents a major organizational change. During this change, organizations must ensure that their systems remain aligned. Work analysis and competency modeling are crucial to this alignment.


Parks Under Pressure: Policy Threats And Advocacy Coalition Resistance In 2025, Rachel Supnick Jan 2026

Parks Under Pressure: Policy Threats And Advocacy Coalition Resistance In 2025, Rachel Supnick

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the 2025 policy changes affecting the National Park Service (NPS) and their implications for the agency’s mission and advocacy coalition. Historically a bipartisan and widely trusted agency, the NPS has evolved from a conservation-focused mandate into a complex institution balancing environmental protection, recreation, scientific research, and cultural interpretation. Recent policy actions represent not only operational disruption but an unprecedented politicization of the Park Service, reflecting a shift toward centralized executive control. These changes have constrained the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission and placed it within broader ideological conflicts over land use, historical interpretation, and federal authority. …


Decomposing Carbon Intensity In U.S. Imports: Trade Composition Vs. Technological Change From 2000-2019, Alyssa K. Wong Jan 2026

Decomposing Carbon Intensity In U.S. Imports: Trade Composition Vs. Technological Change From 2000-2019, Alyssa K. Wong

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines whether the increasing share of U.S. manufactured imports from China between 2000 and 2019 affected the carbon intensity of U.S. consumption. Bilateral trade data from BACI are combined with emissions data from the OECD Inter-Country Input-Output framework to construct a measure of carbon intensity defined as emissions embodied per dollar of imports at a country level. Changes over time are decomposed into composition effects, driven by shifts in import shares, and technique effects, driven by changes in emissions intensity within exporting countries. Carbon intensity declines substantially over the period. While increased imports from China would have raised …


The Evolution Of California Wildfire Governance Through State Bills, Regulations, And Executive Actions, Cassandra Dawn Blevins Jan 2026

The Evolution Of California Wildfire Governance Through State Bills, Regulations, And Executive Actions, Cassandra Dawn Blevins

History and Political Science | Senior Theses

California faces an escalating wildfire crisis, driven by climate change, drought, and development in fire-prone areas. Despite decades of scientific research on wildfire behavior and risk reduction, catastrophic fires since 2017 raise a critical question: to what extent have California state laws and policies kept up with the intensifying wildfire crisis? Existing scholarship provides extensive insight into wildfire ecology, land-use planning, fuel management, and community resilience, yet it lacks a comprehensive evaluation of whether California’s legislative, regulatory, and executive actions have adapted in a coordinated and evidence-informed manner. In particular, the literature offers limited analysis of how state laws integrate …


Climate Change In Gilgit-Baltistan: Satellite-Based Land Use/Land Cover Change Detection, Socio-Economic Dimensions, And Adaptation Strategies, Ali Muhammad Jan 2026

Climate Change In Gilgit-Baltistan: Satellite-Based Land Use/Land Cover Change Detection, Socio-Economic Dimensions, And Adaptation Strategies, Ali Muhammad

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Climate change is increasingly transforming the cryosphere, hydrology, and human landscape of Gilgit-Baltistan, a highly climate-sensitive mountain region in northern Pakistan. This thesis investigates these transformations through satellite-based land use/land cover (LULC) change detection in four representative tehsils of Gilgit-Baltistan—Ali Abad, Gilgit, Nagar, and Sikander Abad—selected to span a gradient of human pressure and cryospheric exposure within the region. Using summer, cloud-free (< 10%) imagery from USGS Landsat 7 (2000) and Landsat 8 (2025), it conducts a multi-temporal comparison of environmental and socio-spatial change. After atmospheric correction and band compositing, the imagery is classified in ArcGIS Pro into six classes—Water, Barren land, Vegetation, Snow, Glacier, and Built-up—using a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier, with Maximum Likelihood Classification and Random Forest also tested but found less suitable for the final workflow. The analysis detects a pronounced reduction in mapped glacier-class area alongside a comparatively stable snow class, together with built-up expansion, while examining how temperature, precipitation, tourism, and population dynamics relate to observed LULC transitions. The results reveal a pattern of cryospheric decline and urban growth, with implications for water availability, ecological stability, hazard exposure, and settlement pressure. By integrating geospatial change detection with climatic and socio-economic interpretation, the thesis moves beyond mapping to explain interacting environmental and human drivers of landscape transformation and provides a reproducible remote-sensing baseline for monitoring land-surface change in heterogeneous mountainous terrain. It recommends integrated water-resource management, climate-resilient land-use planning, watershed and glacier monitoring, and sustainable tourism governance, supporting evidence-based decision-making by the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan and organizations working on climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable regional development.


Investigating The Impact Of Winter Exposure To Natural Environments On Perceived Health And Well-Being Using Geographic Ecological Momentary Assessment: A Case Study At Arrowhead Provincial Park, Faith M. Laing Jan 2026

Investigating The Impact Of Winter Exposure To Natural Environments On Perceived Health And Well-Being Using Geographic Ecological Momentary Assessment: A Case Study At Arrowhead Provincial Park, Faith M. Laing

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study examined how winter exposure to specific natural environments influenced perceived health and well-being outcomes using Geographic Ecological Momentary Assessment (GEMA) in Arrowhead Provincial Park. Studies performed in the wintertime are limited, as is our understanding of how specific park features and/or activities impact health and well-being. To address this, GEMA was used with a video component to capture participants’ real-time experience and emotional responses in specific park locations defined by polygon boundaries. Two surveys were administered through participants mobile devices, one being an in-situ engagement survey triggered by entering a bounded location, which included a video and …


Youth Perspectives On Developing A Sustainable Food Future In Sambaa K’E Nwt., Danielle Elizabeth Bayne Ms Jan 2026

Youth Perspectives On Developing A Sustainable Food Future In Sambaa K’E Nwt., Danielle Elizabeth Bayne Ms

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Food systems in Northern Indigenous communities are shaped by complex and interconnected social, environmental, economic, and political forces that determine how food is accessed, practiced, and governed. Indigenous food systems are deeply rooted in Land-based practices and relationships that support cultural continuity and intergenerational knowledge transfer. However, these systems have been profoundly disrupted by ongoing colonial structures that restrict access to and devalue Indigenous Knowledge and alter harvesting practices. Climate change further intensifies challenges related to traditional food access by altering wildlife behaviour, shifting seasonal patterns and reducing the safety and reliability of traditional harvesting territories. In response, many Northern …


Identifying Socio-Economic Areas Of Concern Towards Inclusion In Gis Hazard Management In Detroit, Michigan., Ernestina Osei Jan 2026

Identifying Socio-Economic Areas Of Concern Towards Inclusion In Gis Hazard Management In Detroit, Michigan., Ernestina Osei

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

This study examined the spatial distribution of socio-economic vulnerability and accessibility to essential services in Detroit, Michigan, using a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based approach. The research aimed to identify areas of greatest concern by integrating socio-economic indicators, including poverty, housing vacancy, income, unemployment, and crime, with spatial measures of access to critical infrastructure such as hospitals, fire stations, police stations, and grocery stores. Both feature-based and raster-based analyses were employed, including buffer and overlay analysis, service area evaluation, Euclidean distance modeling, and multi-criteria suitability analysis.

A mixed-methods framework was adopted to combine quantitative spatial analysis with contextual understanding of urban …


Learning For A Sustainable Future: Embedding Sustainability Literacy In Honors Curricula Within Higher Education, Zoe E. Belinda Jan 2026

Learning For A Sustainable Future: Embedding Sustainability Literacy In Honors Curricula Within Higher Education, Zoe E. Belinda

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This research investigates the sustainability literacy levels of first-year Davidson Honors College (DHC) students at the University of Montana (UM) to develop a baseline for average sustainability knowledge at the beginning of students’ post-secondary education. The goals of this research are to (1) determine if there are differences in sustainability literacy scores between students in sustainability-related fields of study and their counterparts, (2) identify weaknesses in students’ current sustainability literacy, and (3) develop curriculum suggestions to improve sustainability knowledge. To address these research questions, all first-year DHC students in 2024 and 2025 were surveyed using a modified version of the …


Religiosity And Political Affiliation As Moderators For Climate Change Belief, Jenna L. Hiljus Jan 2026

Religiosity And Political Affiliation As Moderators For Climate Change Belief, Jenna L. Hiljus

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Climate change remains a polarized issue in the United States despite broad scientific consensus. The present study examined how specific variables within political ideology (social and economic conservatism) and religiosity (belief, praxis, and morality) relate to climate change belief among undergraduate students at a private Christian university. Participants (N = 130) completed measures of climate change perceptions, multidimensional religiosity, and social and economic conservatism. Correlational analyses showed medium-sized, negative relationships between climate change belief and both social and economic conservatism, with no significant difference between the two domains. This finding suggests that political conservatism may operate as a unified construct …


The Zoom Town Effect Of Remote Work On Rural Housing Markets, Luc R. Fabing Jan 2026

The Zoom Town Effect Of Remote Work On Rural Housing Markets, Luc R. Fabing

CMC Senior Theses

I study the impact of remote work on rural housing markets, highlighting the moderating role of outdoor recreation amenities. Using panel data from the American Community Survey and Zillow (2010–2024), I employ a Two-Way Fixed Effects model and a shift-share instrumental variable strategy to estimate the effect of work-from-home (WFH) rates on home prices. I find that higher WFH rates are strongly associated with higher home prices in high-recreation counties, but that the association is weak or negative in counties lacking significant recreation amenities. These findings point to amenity migration as a key mechanism through which remote work impacts rural …


Color-Blind Resilience: How Uniform Climate Standards Reproduce Environmental Inequality In The Rockaways, Aaryan M. Nair Jan 2026

Color-Blind Resilience: How Uniform Climate Standards Reproduce Environmental Inequality In The Rockaways, Aaryan M. Nair

Publications and Research

This paper examines how ostensibly uniform climate resilience standards can reproduce environmental inequality in socially uneven landscapes, using the Rockaway Peninsula in New York City as a critical case study. While flood-resistant building codes, zoning regulations, and insurance frameworks are designed to provide equal protection across flood-prone areas, this analysis argues that their “color-blind” application obscures and intensifies underlying disparities in financial capacity, housing conditions, and tenure. Drawing on environmental justice (EJ) theory, the paper identifies two key mechanisms through which inequality is reproduced. First, “code without capacity” demonstrates how uniform technical standards—such as elevation requirements under NYC Building Code …


Climate Change In An Educational Context: A Model Addressing Psychological Distance, Hope, And Concern, Brooke E. Kasl-Godley Jan 2026

Climate Change In An Educational Context: A Model Addressing Psychological Distance, Hope, And Concern, Brooke E. Kasl-Godley

Scripps Senior Theses

As the threat of climate change becomes more urgent, educators should focus on fostering climate concern and action instead of simply providing climate information. These studies present a novel model of climate education where locally-framed and action-oriented curriculum increases students’ environmental concern through the mechanisms of psychological distance and hope. This curriculum was taught over two years to sixth-grade students at a school in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. Study 1 examines students’ environmental concern and sense of responsibility before and after delivery of the curriculum. Study 2 is a proposed follow-up study, that will address limitations of Study 1 …


Doikayt And The Ethics Of Belonging: Lessons In Place-Making From The Jewish Labor Bund, Zoë L. Jacobs Jan 2026

Doikayt And The Ethics Of Belonging: Lessons In Place-Making From The Jewish Labor Bund, Zoë L. Jacobs

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis traces the evolution of doikayt—the Bundist principle of hereness—from its origins in the Jewish Labor Bund to contemporary applications in North America. Rooted in a refusal of both assimilation and nationalist escape, doikayt emphasizes cultivating safety, solidarity, and belonging through collective responsibility rather than territorial claims.

Building on this foundation, the exploration situates hereness within a settler-colonial context, where ethical dwelling is complicated by Indigenous dispossession. Drawing on Alexis Shotwell alongside Indigenous thinkers Vanessa Watts and Kyle Whyte, I examine how inhabiting place requires confronting historical injustices and ongoing relational responsibilities. Chapter 3 analyzes Linke Fligl (2016–2022) as …


Cycling For All: Designing With The "Invisible Cyclist" As A Pathway Towards Urban Sustainability And Citizenship, Eloise Heimert Jan 2026

Cycling For All: Designing With The "Invisible Cyclist" As A Pathway Towards Urban Sustainability And Citizenship, Eloise Heimert

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores the role of “invisible cyclists” in cycling networks and practices. Through an application of the “right to the city,” spatial production, and mobility justice frameworks, this paper investigates the experiences of women and disabled cyclists in London, England. By examining a city with an emerging cycling network, this thesis offers insight into measures for increasing the inclusivity and resilience of them. The argument establishes that these lines of analysis reveal important lessons in urban design and planning for a more sustainable future. Firstly, this thesis examines social barriers to cycling participation, and thus urban citizenship. In the …


Electric Vehicle Industry: Japan And China, Minoo Tehrani, Yu Cui Jan 2026

Electric Vehicle Industry: Japan And China, Minoo Tehrani, Yu Cui

Business Faculty Publications

This research concentrates on the electric vehicle (EV) industry in China and Japan. China is the largest and Japan the third-largest auto production country after the U.S. This study explores the current and future transition to battery electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles in Japan and China. Three Japanese auto companies, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, and BYD from China are studied in this research. Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are actively pursuing the development of hybrid electric vehicles in Japan. Meanwhile, the research examines the Chinese EV company BYD, which is a major global competitor in the EV industry. This study …


Public Perception Of Environmental Contamination And Its Implications For Fish And Community Health In West Bengal, India, Libia Hazra Jan 2026

Public Perception Of Environmental Contamination And Its Implications For Fish And Community Health In West Bengal, India, Libia Hazra

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In West Bengal, India, the highest fish-consuming state in the country, fish are woven into everyday life, including ceremonies of birth and marriage, prayers offered during harvesting and the cultural memory of communities whose identities are inseparable from aquatic life. However, the rivers, wetlands, and ponds that sustain these fish-human relationships are increasingly threatened by environmental contamination resulting from industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and inadequate environmental management. Understanding how communities perceive these environmental changes is essential for developing effective conservation and public health strategies.

In collaboration between the Indian Institute of Technology (ITT) Kharagpur, India, and Michigan Technological University (USA), …


Good Food In The Neighborhood: Localizing Nutritious Food Access, Joseph Pool Jan 2026

Good Food In The Neighborhood: Localizing Nutritious Food Access, Joseph Pool

Honors Program Theses

Given contemporary changes to federal budget priorities and recent challenges to federal food access funding, this research explores the potential benefits of entrusting state-level and municipal-level policymakers with food access policy. More specifically, this research suggests that “localizing” food access has the unique benefit of not just addressing the affordability of food, but the physical accessibility of it. As observed in the previous literature and expounded upon here, food provisioning requires consideration of nutrition, physical accessibility, and financial affordability. Programs that only address one of these priorities fail to adequately help people receive the food they need. Through policy analysis …


Improving Flood Risk Mapping By Incorporating Local-Scale Calibration Data Derived From Stakeholder Input, Jennifer M. Holifield, Wei Wu, Patrick D. Biber, Margo Posten, Dennis Mcgrury, Stephen C. Deal, Alexandria Hancock Jan 2026

Improving Flood Risk Mapping By Incorporating Local-Scale Calibration Data Derived From Stakeholder Input, Jennifer M. Holifield, Wei Wu, Patrick D. Biber, Margo Posten, Dennis Mcgrury, Stephen C. Deal, Alexandria Hancock

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Globally, flooding is the most frequent and costly natural hazards, disproportionately affecting populations based on environmental, social, and economic factors. Understanding the spatial variability of flood risk as well as the respective flood drivers is essential for informing cost-effective mitigation strategies and enhancing community resilience. Here we mapped flood risk that combines flood hazards and vulnerability in an under-resourced coastal community prone to compound flooding. Our approach integrates stakeholder engagement with GIS-based analysis using open-access datasets.

We first developed an initial flood hazard map using an equal-weight combination of factors commonly associated with flood occurrence/prevention, including upslope area, impervious surface …


Agency Of Different Actors In China Through The Utilization Of Community-Level Environmental Education, Matthew K. Leung Jan 2026

Agency Of Different Actors In China Through The Utilization Of Community-Level Environmental Education, Matthew K. Leung

Pitzer Senior Theses

Large national Chinese frameworks such as the Chinese Dream and Ecological Civilization currently provide frameworks for Xi Jinping’s governance of China. However, these large national frameworks have fractured into individual interpretations. Literature on Authoritarian Environmentalism and nongovernmental actors in Chinese Environmental Governance are examined to give a framework in which to view the following research. This thesis examines how these frameworks are interpreted and reinterpreted on the ground level through the lens of community level environmental education by three different actors: local government officials, individuals, and the community. Case studies are examined for each of these actors. We deflatten the …


Lake As Body: Ecofeminism And Animacy At The Great Salt Lake, Shae Barber Jan 2026

Lake As Body: Ecofeminism And Animacy At The Great Salt Lake, Shae Barber

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Water shapes cultural, social, and ecological systems. Yet, dominant economic, political, and academic frameworks often treat water as a backdrop or passive resource, ignoring it as an active participant in meaning-making and relationship-building. Viewing water as “nonliving” obscures how it participates in and co-creates relationships, limiting understanding about impacts of and responses to climate change and environmental degradation.

This thesis takes a mixed-methods and participatory approach including semi-structured interview, photovoice, and participatory mapping to examine relational practices between environmental advocates and the Great Salt Lake, a desiccating saline lake in Utah, U.S. As the lake continues to decline, dominant Western …


Framing The Seascape: Coastal Visitor Narratives On Offshore Wind Development In New England, Eva Pumo Jan 2026

Framing The Seascape: Coastal Visitor Narratives On Offshore Wind Development In New England, Eva Pumo

Open Access Master's Theses

When offshore wind energy projects are proposed, communities frequently raise concerns about the potential negative side effects to tourism and recreation, which would harm coastal economies and quality of life. As the number of offshore wind projects in New England increases, the concerns over the impacts on local tourism become more prevalent in the region. This research aims to bring empirical data to the claims being made behind offshore wind’s impact on tourism, including the possibility of impacting the seascape to the point of deterring tourists. Results of semi-structured intercept interviews conducted at three coastal locations in Rhode Island, including …


Exploring Community Engagement Strategies In Shellfish Aquaculture: Insights From Growers In Rhode Island And Massachusetts, Megan Hensel Jan 2026

Exploring Community Engagement Strategies In Shellfish Aquaculture: Insights From Growers In Rhode Island And Massachusetts, Megan Hensel

Open Access Master's Theses

Shellfish aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry in North America in response to the increased demand for sustainable protein. This trend holds true for Southern New England as well, where shellfish cultivation and consumption have long been embedded in the culture. However, there is a growing disconnect between shellfish growers and the communities in which they live, which has led many researchers to explore ways that growers can enhance relationships with their local communities through community engagement. The purpose of this study is to expand upon the existing literature to understand how shellfish growers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts perceive …


Covering The Coast: Local News Frames And Journalist Perspectives On Sea Level Rise In Rhode Island, Mackensie Dupont Crowley Jan 2026

Covering The Coast: Local News Frames And Journalist Perspectives On Sea Level Rise In Rhode Island, Mackensie Dupont Crowley

Open Access Master's Theses

Local news outlets are well positioned to communicate and localize sea level rise for communities facing significant risk, yet coverage of the issue remains understudied. This thesis examines coverage of sea level rise in local Rhode Island news and the factors shaping it. A mixed-methods approach was used following the collection of nearly 1,000 articles published between 2014 and 2024, including a content analysis of issue-level frames and semi-structured interviews with local journalists to contextualize coverage patterns. The analysis revealed that stories focusing on infrastructure and property, politics, governance, and law, and natural hazards dominated coverage, while stories about recreation …


Inequality In The Urban Forest: Modeling Tree Canopy Dynamics Through Demographics And Restoration Strategies, Eve Johansson Jan 2026

Inequality In The Urban Forest: Modeling Tree Canopy Dynamics Through Demographics And Restoration Strategies, Eve Johansson

Honors Theses

Urban tree canopies play an important role in environmental quality, public health, and neighborhood livability, yet their distribution is highly uneven and often reflects historical patterns of inequality. In Brooklyn, long-term processes such as redlining, uneven development, and demographic change have contributed to persistent disparities in access to green space.

This thesis examines how urban tree canopy evolves across space and time in Brooklyn and how different restoration strategies affect long-run outcomes. The analysis uses demographic and canopy data from 1990-2020, considering race, income, employment, and educational attainment. Among these, education is the most consistent predictor of canopy coverage, with …