Digital Commons Network^™

Promotion And Visibility For The Online Rebirth Of Moebius, Amanda Gonzalez

Communication Studies

An application-based senior project involving the promotion and visibility of Moebius, the College of Liberal Arts' online scholarly journal. The purpose of this project was to effectively plan and execute a public relations campaign to raise awareness of Moebius to the Cal Poly community, as well as to promote the launch of its website, aiding in the successful transition from print to web.

The Promotion & Visibility team consisted of Communication Studies Seniors Amanda Gonzalez and Lily Gonzalez (both of which using the campaign as a senior project), and Corrina Powell, sophomore Graphic Communication major.

The entire Cal Poly …

Aged 539 Graduate Internship In Agricultural Education, Amanda T. Hendrickson

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship report includes validation documents required in meeting the twelve quality criteria areas for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture at Minarets High School in O'Neals, California. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Minarets High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The internship included the planning and development of a school garden facility. The construction and growth of this area was included as part of the comprehensive program plan for the Minarets Agriculture Department as well as in the 5 year plan. Documentation in support of the Minarets …

Evaluation Of Degradation Of The Chicken Egg Over Time By Method Of Haugh Unit Score, Serena Gurley

Animal Science

The purpose of this senior project was to measure the degradation of the chicken egg over time under different treatments. 864 eggs were collected and divided into six treatment groups. The six groups of study were refrigerated: unwashed, washed, washed and oiled as well as room temperature: unwashed, washed, washed and oiled. The Haugh unit score was measured individually for one dozen eggs taken randomly from each of the six groups once a week for twelve weeks. The Haugh unit score statistical assessment of the eggs found washed and oiled eggs held in refrigeration maintain freshness longer than the other …

Effects Of Post-Castration Interval Length On Recovery Of Epididymal Sperm Of Canine And Equine Sperm, Jordan Escobar

Animal Science

No abstract provided.

The Correlation Between Veldt Grass (Ehrharta Calycina) And Reproductive Condition Of The Lompoc Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys Heermanni Arenae), Jacqueline Mae Bates

Biological Sciences

The invasive species, Veldt grass (Ehrharta calycina), has come to dominate coastal dune shrub vegetation along the Central Coast of California. Along with creating many land management obstacles, this grass has become dominant in the open habitat of Lompoc Kangaroo Rats (Dipodomys heermanni arenae). It is hypothesized that, due to a lack of suitable kangaroo rat habitat, during the breeding season months of March and April, there will be significantly fewer reproductively active females in areas of relatively high Veldt grass cover as opposed to relatively low Veldt grass cover. This study used data from a …

The Impact Of Westernization On The Fijian Birth Model, Sophia Heick

Social Sciences

Over the past 200 years a dramatic shift in the method of birth has occurred in the world and especially in the United States. Birth has been transformed from a common event overseen by a local midwife, a process that was common and largely mysterious as it lacked any scientific understanding, to an infrequent event overwhelmingly overseen by obstetricians and scientifically dissected in attempts to maximize health outcomes. Although many countries have gone through a transition similar to this, this specific transition is unique to the culture of the United States. With the impact that US Western culture is having …

Boundary Retracement Survey Of Cal Poly’S Serrano Ranch, John Lanfranki

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Thermophile Algae In Horizontal Photo-Bioreactor, Olivier Schmied

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Business Strategy For A Newly Designed Husk Fly Trap, Taylor Denney

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project discusses the analysis, evaluation and business strategy for a newly designed Husk Fly Trap from Ag Chem Wholesalers located in Yuba City, California. This prototype is designed to hold 2 to 3 weeks’ worth of Ammonium Carbonate and alleviate the hassle of monitoring the Walnut Husk Fly. This system is cost affective, able to hold the same amount, or 2 – 3 weeks, of Ammonium Carbonate as a “supercharged” trap. The Prototype Trap is easier to handle by not having to replace blown away traps or ruined sticky cards saving Pest Control Advisors time and allowing them …

Energy Conservation And Green Roofing, Michael Meskin

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Shark Sim: A Procedural Method Of Animating Leopard Sharks Based On Raw Location Data, Katherine S. Blizard

Master's Theses

Fish such as the Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciata) can be tagged on their fin, released back into the wild, and their location tracked though technologies such as autonomous robots. Timestamped location data about their target is stored. We present a way to procedurally generate an animated simulation of T. semifasciata using only these timestamped location points.

This simulation utilizes several components. Input timestamps dictate a monotonic time-space curve mapping the simulation clock to the space curve. The space curve connects all the location points as a spline without any sharp folds that are too implausible for shark traversal. We create …

Post-Fire Response Of Little Creek Watershed: Evaluation Of Change In Sediment Production And Suspended Sediment Transport, Andrew Wood Loganbill

Master's Theses

The Little Creek watershed was assessed to identify changes in event-based suspended sediment export and determine the factors contributing to sediment production the first year following the Lockheed Fire in 2009. The amount and volume of near-stream sediment sources were found to decrease, while an increase in hillslope sediment production was documented. High intensity, short duration rainfall (up to 87 mm/hr for 10 minute duration) initiated extensive rilling and minor channel-derived debris torrents originating from the upper south facing slopes. Rainfall simulations, hillslope erosion plots, and soil infiltration tests indicated that fire produced soil water repellency, the lack of ground …

Cataloging Lesson Plans Developed By Pre-Service Science Teachers During A Summer Research Experience, Robert Tollman Mclaren

Physics

This study is modeled after the senior project “Teachers Who Conduct Research and their Ability to Apply their Experience to Lesson Plans” by Cal Poly student Megan Ziegler and includes an independent analysis of the 2011 and 2012 lesson plans that participants in the STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program developed as part of their summer research experience. At the end of the STAR summer research program, STAR Fellows are required to submit lesson plans. During Spring Quarter of 2012, I had the opportunity to catalog lesson developed during Summer 2011. Later in Fall Quarter of 2012, Cal Poly undergraduates …

Exploring Children’S Conceptual Development: An Examination Of How Children Learn Astronomy From Reported Access To Related Materials, Experiences, And Conversations To Initial Understandings, Jenna Bernstein

Psychology and Child Development

No abstract provided.

Slic: Family Science Backpacks For Preschoolers, Lorin Nevius

Psychology and Child Development

In this senior project, I reviewed existing literature regarding science instruction in preschool classrooms, young children’s capabilities and interest in learning science, what science is happening at home, as well as preschool teachers’ feelings toward teaching science. I explored the possibility of bridging the gap between the school and home environment by using a prepared informal learning tool that students could take home and complete with their family.

During the years children are in preschool, they are forming their understandings of the world around them (French, 2004; Nayfield, Brenneman & Gelman, 2011; Eshach & Fried, 2005). In developing these understandings, …

Understanding The Increased Prevalence Of Autism In The United States, Jenna Marie Mendes

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

American Ball Sports: Origins And Evolutions, Kevin Rask

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Museum Signage Design And Implementation, Ali Weiss

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to identify the essential elements of design for creating exhibit signage and to understand how museum visitors interact with signs and wayfinding systems. A survey was administered to museum/art directors and signage designers to gather knowledge from experts in the field about the signage design and implementation process. The participants answered questions concerning elements of design, wayfinding, digital versus print, and future signage innovations. The results of this research can be used to assist creators and implementers of museum signage in uniquely displaying information to a large audience and developing the most successful wayfinding …

The State Of Book Publishig In A Tablet Based Society, Shannon C. Whitehill

Graphic Communication

The adaption of tablets and e-readers for publication purposes will require a lot of work and changes from a design and production team that is set up for print production. Book design in it’s classic form (a bound book printed with ink on paper) is an art form that has been perfected over many centuries. The sudden entrance of the tablet has shaken the print publishing industry.

Is Retro Packaging Making A Comeback? Is Old The New “New”?, Andrea Hodgson

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to investigate consumer perceptions of retro packaging vs. modern packaging. A survey was administered to different groups of people around Cal Poly asking participants which packages they preferred in terms of design and perceived quality. The participants indicated their preferences and then expressed their views freely with an open-ended question.

The results of this study indicated that consumers had a strikingly high favor to modern packaging design over retro in terms of design and perceived quality. There was no difference across generations.

Although retro packaging may look appealing, customers are not likely to purchase …

Animatronic Robot Development Using Pulse Width Modulation Microcontroller Programming, Laura Mcdonald

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of 2d And 3d Menus On Memory Retention In User Interface Design, Angela Michelle Muscat

Master's Theses

The increasing use of 3D user interface elements, particularly 3D menus, demonstrates the need to expand research in the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) as it pertains to 3D user interfaces. The results of this thesis contribute to the understanding of the cognitive impacts of using 3D menus. Multiple application areas for 3D menus have been identified where memory retention is a critical success factor, but little research has been done in the area of memory retention for 3D menus. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate if the use of 3D carousel menus increases retention of information …

Algorithms For Library-Based Microbial Source Tracking, Aldrin Montana

Master's Theses

Pyroprinting is a novel, library-based microbial source tracking method developed by the Biology department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. This method consists of two parts: (1) a collection of bacterial fingerprints, called pyroprints, from known host species, and (2) a method for pyroprint comparison. Currently, Cal Poly Library of Pyroprints (CPLOP), a web-based database application, provides storage and analysis of over $10000$ pyroprints. This number is quickly growing as students and researchers continue to use pyroprinting for research. Biologists conducting research using pyroprinting rely on methods for partitioning collected bacterial isolates into bacterial strains. Clustering algorithms are commonly used …

Analysis Of Protein Pre-Coatings And Their Effect On Endothelial Cell Adhesion In A Tissue Engineered Blood Vessel Mimic, Rachel Ann Gohres

Master's Theses

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in developing countries. Because thousands of people are affected by this disease, medical device companies are constantly developing new intravascular devices in attempt to cure or alleviate the symptoms of the disease. However, before these devices can be brought to market or implanted in to patients, they must complete three stages of testing to receive FDA approval. These testing stages include: in vitro testing, in vivo testing, and clinical trials. Currently, there is a large gap between in vitro and in vivo testing because it is difficult to obtain physiologic information about …

The Effects Of Age On Muscle Loss And Tissue-Specific Levels Of Nf-ĸb And Sirt6 Proteins In Rats, Tiev C. Laguire

Master's Theses

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of age on food intake, tissue and organ mass and NF-ĸB and SIRT6 levels in various tissues. The transcription factor, Nuclear Factor Kappa-B (NF-ĸB), is associated with both catabolic and anabolic pathways of muscle metabolism and may be involved in age-related muscle loss. SIRT6 is a member of the sirtuin family of proteins that function as protein lysine deacetylases and are associated with longevity in a number of organisms. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 6 months (Adult) and 21 months (Old) were fed a commercially available diet for 10-17 days. Old …

Applying Sustainability From A Systems Perspective:, Timothy Brophy

Master's Theses

Becoming sustainable is no longer an option. Current industry methods will not be able to support the necessary changes our growing society demands. In order to keep up with ever increasing demands industry will be aimed toward making major system changes toward a fully sustainable model. As of right now only basic sustainability actions have been put in place. Industry needs to make a strategic change toward resilient systems with an end goal of evolving into fully biomimic systems. This thesis covers a brief history of production leading to the Industrial Revolution which created a need for increased sustainability efforts. …

Urban Agriculture Stormwater Management In California Cities, Rachel L. Cohen

Master's Theses

Cities within California are beginning to incorporate urban agriculture into their land use designations. Prompted by residents and local organizations, cities are hoping to capture the benefits that urban agriculture provides. Research has shown that urban agriculture renews and beautifies neighborhoods, provides healthy food choices, increases public health, has the potential to help with stormwater runoff, creates jobs, and fosters community. In the last few years, several California cities have made headlines as they have adopted new zoning codes that include urban agriculture.

In reviewing these new zoning codes and exploring the topic of urban agriculture, it became evident that …

A Multiphysics Simulation Of A Coronary Artery, Garry L. Howe

Master's Theses

This thesis hypothesizes that a commercially available multiphysics simulation software package can be easily employed to characterize the fluid flow and mechanical behavior in healthy and diseased arteries. To this end, multiphysics model of a coronary artery —the LAD artery—was created in COMSOL Multiphysics®. Wall shear stresses and distension were examined to validate the model. Such a model can be adapted to guide the design of cardiovascular devices.

Getting Biologists To Drop Acid, Ryan Verdon

Master's Theses

Bioinformatics is the field of science in which biology, computer science, and information technology merge to form a single discipline. The ultimate goal of the field is to enable the discovery of new biological insights as well as to create a global perspective from which unifying principles in biology can be discerned. Bioinformatics involves the analysis of various types of data from multiple sources to create a model of a physical process found in the real world. To do the necessary modeling, data is being piled up in various different biological databases. So far this has worked relatively well. Unfortunately …

Comparison Of Biofilm Media In Reciprocating Biofilters Treating Dairy Flushwater, Kyle Keoki Tatsuo Fooks

Master's Theses

Reciprocating biofilters known as ReCip is a viable technology to manage nutrients, mainly nitrogen, problems at livestock operations such as swine farms and dairies. Past studies have demonstrated that ReCip is more adept at total nitrogen (TN) removal than traditional subsurface flow wetland systems. The traditional substrate used to attach biomass was rock aggregate; this media may be hard to obtain for some agricultural projects, so alternate substrates are tested and compared with the rock aggregate. The purpose of the study was twofold: first, different biofilm media were tested and compared in terms of treatment performance and, second, the long-term …