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Working Paper No. 97, Business Sabotage In Theory And Practice, Nathan Lewis-Lusso

Working Papers in Economics

This inquiry seeks to establish that theoretical advances offered earlier on by one Karl Marx and some decades later by one Thorstein Veblen offer insights into forms of business sabotage. Drawing upon their writings, this inquiry considers how in the writings of Marx, already in the mid-nineteenth century surplus value extraction and pecuniary sabotage serve as structural features found in a market-based economy. Marx’s consideration of surplus labor and artificial scarcity reveals how private investment seeks to constrain production in order to preserve and enhance profitability. Veblen’s theory of institutional sabotage complements Marx’s view by showing how firms could delay …

Indigenous Cultural Healing In The Pacific Northwest: The Columbia River Tribes And The Potential Return Of The Falls, Cj Senn

University Honors Theses

This thesis examines the historical, cultural, and ecological significance of Celilo Falls (Wyam), a once-sacred Indigenous site on the Columbia River, and the profound impacts of its submergence by The Dalles Dam in 1957. It looks into the history of the area as well as the potential for a return of the falls in the future. Drawing from a mixed-methods approach that includes a systematic literature review and qualitative interviews with Indigenous scholars, elders, and community members, the study explores how the loss of Celilo Falls disrupted Indigenous governance, economies, and spiritual practices. It further investigates how Celilo continues to …

Consumer Choice And Indoor Air Quality, Crystal Jadach

Civil and Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Outdoor air pollution has drastically improved for everyone since the passage of the clean air act. However, indoor air quality is not monitored or enforceable in the United States. Yet, the EPA estimates that people of developed nations spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. Candles, a common ambiance setting choice for many household consumers, have been well characterized as a source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs can have a wide variety of negative effects on human health. A benchtop and pilot scale study were used to characterize the difference in the accumulation and displacement of total volatile organic …

Rationality And Discomfort: Stance In "The End Of The Altaic Controversy" And "In Defense Of The Comparative Method, Or The End Of The Vovin Controversy", Logan Mcdowall

University Honors Theses

This study will use corpus linguistics techniques and Hyland's framework for stance in academic discourse to analyze authors' discoursal roles in different framings of a famous controversy in historical linguistics: the classification of the Altaic language family. Two significant pieces of discourse in this debate include "The End of the Altaic Controversy" by A. Vovin and "In Defense of the Comparative Method, or the End of the Vovin Controversy" by A. Dybo and G. Starostin. Despite the importance of these works, no one has analyzed how these authors use stance to position themselves within it. After performing a corpus word …

Sae Baja Drivetrain Capstone 2024-2025, Leslie Alvarez Cisneros

University Honors Theses

This thesis reviews the 2024-2025 Baja SAE Drivetrain capstone project. The Baja SAE competition mimics real world engineering problems where teams of students design and build off-road vehicles that can handle tough, rough terrain. The objective of this capstone was to design a functional and reliable drivetrain system for the vehicle, within the constraints of a limited budget and the SAE competition guidelines. As part of a 12-member capstone team divided into three subgroups: frame, suspension, and drivetrain. As part of a four person drivetrain team, we picked up where the 2023-2024 team left off by relying on their past …

How Did I Get Here? A Capstone Review, Michael Koach

University Honors Theses

In this thesis, I highlight my personal and professional growth as a college student. I use structured reflection and meta-analysis to uncover insights about how I learn and develop new skills. Over the past five years, I have built a toolbox of skills, including teamwork, public speaking, navigating uncertainty, strategic thinking, and leadership. I trace the development of each of these skills back to my coursework as a business student, my role in PSU's student-run advertising agency, and my professional experience. I show how these skills culminated in my business capstone project. My communication and leadership skills allowed me to …

Intersectional Realities, Multi-Dimensional Films: Reading Julie Dash's Illusions As An Activist Text, Amelia Morrison

University Honors Theses

This paper reads Julie Dash's 1982 film Illusions as an activist text, which challenges dominant cinematic and historical narratives through its Black feminist perspective. It explores the cinematic and narrative devices that Dash uses--including the weaving of fantasy and history, the strategic use of period aesthetics, and masking--to expose and subvert the mechanisms of white supremacist and patriarchal hegemony within Hollywood. Drawing on intersectional feminist theory from scholars like Kimberlé Crenshaw, Patricia Hill Collins, and bell hooks, alongside cinematic theory, this analysis demonstrates how Illusions critiques the historical erasure of people of color from United States cinema and history. By …

Freeing The Fremont: Visions Of A Post-Automobile Portland Highway Bridge, Henry Senters

University Honors Theses

The Fremont Bridge is an iconic piece of highway transportation infrastructure in the city of Portland, Oregon. Unfortunately, it is one of only three Willamette bridges in the city that does not allow any pedestrian access, except for a single day every year during an annual bicycling event. Consider, however: what if that were to change, in a future less dependent on private automobile usage? Drawing on historical precedents of pedestrian and car-free bridges, this thesis proposes three types of pedestrian-focused programs which a car-free Fremont Bridge could host, each of which speaks to a current aspect of civic life …

Mass Timber: The Future Of Sustainable Architectural Design, Julian Nychay

University Honors Theses

The current state of Mass Timber structures is in an interesting state at the moment; Mass Timber adoption has become a recent trend that has been taking place very recently. This is due to a number of factors, mainly the technology for mass timber has grown substantially, as well as human consciousness of our negative impact on the environment has led to a deep rethinking about how we build. In this paper, I examine what exactly mass timber is, why it is being used and what are the future and current benefits and challenges facing mass timber in modern design …

Examining The Impact Of Legalized Sports Gambling On Ncaa Athletes' Welfare And Game Integrity, Reem Al Jaradi

University Honors Theses

This thesis examines the effects of legalized sports gambling on NCAA player welfare and the integrity of competition through a mixed-method analysis of NCAA reports, academic literature, and media sources. Data disclose that although the overall prevalence of gambling among student-athletes has decreased, these individuals are demonstrating more detrimental behaviors, including solitary gaming and incurring substantial losses in a single day. The emphasis on internet abuse associated with betting results has escalated, especially during prominent tournaments. The NCAA's instructional programs and data-monitoring agreements are compromised by ethical issues surrounding data monetization and varying state gambling rules. The research contends that …

The Intersection Of Education And Empowerment: How Comprehensive Sex Education Equips Adolescents To Navigate Complex Relational Dynamics, Joleigh Wood

University Honors Theses

This thesis examines the impact of comprehensive sex education (CSE) on adolescents' understanding of consent, personal boundaries, and relational competence. Drawing upon social learning theory, intersectionality, and relational-cultural theory, the study employs a multidisciplinary framework to analyze how CSE functions as both an instructional practice and a sociocultural intervention. Utilizing an integrative thematic review of empirical studies, policy analyses, and national curriculum standards, the research evaluates the extent to which CSE promotes emotional literacy, fosters ethical relationship skills, and addresses structural inequities in educational access. Findings indicate that well-implemented, inclusive CSE contributes to healthier developmental outcomes by enhancing students' emotional …

Towards A Robust Hydrologic Data Assimilation System For Hurricane-Induced River Flow Forecasting, Peyman Abbaszadeh, Fatemah Gholizadeh, Keyhan Gavahi, Hamid Moradkhani

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Hybrid Ensemble and Variational Data Assimilation framework for Environmental Systems (HEAVEN) is a method developed to enhance hydrologic model predictions while accounting for different sources of uncertainties involved in various layers of model simulations. While the effectiveness of this data assimilation in forecasting streamflow has been proven in previous studies, its potential to improve flood forecasting during extreme events remains unexplored. This study aims to demonstrate this potential by employing HEAVEN to assimilate streamflow data from United States Geological Survey (USGS) stations into a conceptual hydrologic model to enhance its capability to forecast hurricane-induced floods across multiple locations within …

A Veblenian Approach To Chaos Theory, Isaiah Henry

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

This paper provides a comparative analysis of Veblen's belief in disequilibrium, the field of chaos theory, and how these two frameworks connect. We explore the similarities and differences between Veblen's theories and the principles of chaos theory, including their shared emphasis on complexity and unpredictability. By analyzing the connections between Veblen's economic theories and chaos theory, we can gain a deeper understanding of the nature of disequilibrium and the complex forces that shape our world.

One Health Integration To Control And Prevent Zoonoses: Application Of Organizational Theory Literature, Lisset M. Dumet Poma, Sherril Gelmon, Julia M. Goodman, Seth E. O’Neal

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

Zoonoses are infectious diseases transmitted between animals and people that disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The One Health (OH) approach aims to integrate systems, incentivizing collaboration among animal, human, and environmental systems to address zoonoses and improve health. Innovative solutions for effectively and sustainably achieving systems integration are needed. Organizational theories can facilitate the study of the context of OH implementation, applying comprehensive approaches that recognize the interconnections among organisms, the environment, and social systems, including the diverse entities needing integration (e.g., policy, community, public organizations). This narrative review examines organization and systems literature to provide recommendations for …

Identifying The Drivers Behind The Decline Of Douglas-Fir And True Fir Species In Sw Oregon, Alexander Bryant Bentley

Dissertations and Theses

Increased levels of Pseudotsuga menziesii (DF) and Abies species (TF) decline throughout dry forests in the Klamath Mountains and Western Cascades ecoregions have been recorded in recent years, with preliminary evidence suggesting that factors influenced by changing climatic conditions and encroachment from fire suppression policies are primarily to blame. Yet, the physiological and environmental mechanisms of drought-driven tree decline are poorly understood across biophysical and spatial gradients. Given the complex relations that drive decline, determining the degree of influence of specific drivers is difficult, creating unique challenges for modern forest management. To elucidate the most important factors driving DF and …

Unsettling Home: Traces Of An Unrepaired Settler-Colonial Past In "Redding, California," 1846-1924, Celeste Hegy

University Honors Theses

This thesis critically reads primary documents from the settler-colonial past of "Redding, California," my hometown. In this paper, I sketch out a series of moments of historical trauma which continue to cry out for repair. Through a series of episodes from the mid-nineteenth through the early-twentieth centuries, I examine how original settler thirst for land wrought a contested hegemony in principally genocidal flows of power between the settler-state and its settler inhabitants and the pre-existing local Indigenous nations and peoples. In the first chapter, I argue for an understanding of the dispossession of the northern valley as genocidal. In the …

Temporal Modeling And Forecasting Of Blood Glucose Dynamics In Individuals With Diabetes Mellitus, Mj Ruff

University Honors Theses

People living with Diabetes Mellitus face significant health risks, including an increased likelihood of heart disease, stroke, and fluctuations in blood glucose levels. The unpredictable nature of glucose levels can lead to dangerous conditions such as ketoacidosis and hypoglycemia. This study employs advanced time series analysis tools to forecast the glucose levels for an individual diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Factors Associated With Applying To Graduate/Professional Degrees For Students Engaged In Undergraduate Research Experiences At Minority Serving Institutions, Lourdes E. Echegoyen, Kala M. Mehta, Karsten Hueffer, Jacob D. Kagey, Thomas E. Keller, Kathleen M. Morgan, Stephen B. Aley, Chi-Ah Chun, Payam Sheikhattari, Amy Wagler

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction:

This study investigates the impact of undergraduate research experiences on applications to graduate and professional programs, particularly for underrepresented minority students at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

Methods:

The study analyzes data collected at 10 MSIs participating in the NIH BUILD program to understand the relationship between research participation (in formal programs vs. informal research), student demographics, science self-efficacy, GPA, and application to advanced degree programs.

Results:

Results indicate that undergraduate research participation, especially in formal programs for extended periods of time, positively influences applications to graduate/professional programs, with similar outcomes observed across underrepresented minority and non-minority students.Discussion

Findings indicate …

Codifying Capital: Legal Power, Racial Hierarchy, And The Gendered Dynamics Of Law, Tavia Andrew

University Honors Theses

This paper analyzes how law operates as a structuring force within racial capitalism by applying Austin Turk's "law as power" framework. It explores how legal institutions not only reflect but actively reproduce racial and gender hierarchies through their functions. Drawing from foundational work by Cedric Robinson, W.E.B. Du Bois, Angela Harris, Kimberlé Crenshaw, and others, this paper defines racial capitalism as a system in which economic exploitation is inseparable from racial and gender domination. The first section contextualizes the emergence of racial capitalism and its intersection with gender, emphasizing how bodies are commodified and governed through legal regimes. The core …

From Prohibition To Prescription: Exploring Injustice, Bias, And Science-Based Solutions, Alexander Campos

University Honors Theses

This thesis critiques the war on drugs for disproportionately targeting minority communities and prioritizing systemic exploitation over public health. It examines the flawed, politically influenced DEA drug scheduling process, which neglects evidence of the medical benefits of substances like cannabis, psilocybin, LSD, DMT, and MDMA. This thesis gives a brief history of the evolution of US drug policy, which contributed to mass incarceration, reinforced racial disparities, and failed to reduce overdose deaths. It also highlights the potential mental health benefits of decriminalizing and regulating psychedelics to treat conditions like PTSD, depression, and substance abuse disorder. This thesis concludes by promoting …

Sunrise At The Salton Sea: Environmental Justice, Land Use Change, And Hydrosocial Dynamics Of Solar Energy Transitions In The Imperial Valley, California, Dustin Mulvaney, James J. A. Blair, Alida Cantor

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

California's Imperial Valley, with lithium-rich geothermal brines, extensive flat agricultural fields with abundant desert sunshine, and access to transmission lines, is a leading case to explore interconnected themes around just energy transitions. Despite being the poorest county in California and one of the smallest, Imperial already provides 15% of the state’s solar electricity, and the region as a whole represents on the order of 25% of the state’s electric power capacity. This paper brings to light frictions over solar energy development that have emerged over the history of solar power development in the southern Salton Sea region. It describes the …

Dynamics Of Urban Heat And Green Infrastructure, Yunjae Ock

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation provides a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between urban heat and green infrastructure (GI) in terms of dynamic aspects, spatiotemporal variation across various spatial scales, temporal phases, and socioeconomic contexts. By integrating a national-scale longitudinal analysis, street-level structural assessments, and neighborhood-specific resilience frameworks, this study enhances our understanding of how cities can utilize existing ecological assets to mitigate increasing heat risks while addressing systemic inequities.

Urban areas face unprecedented thermal challenges due to climate change and the urban heat island effect, with marginalized communities disproportionately affected. Although cities are increasingly adopting GI expansion for heat mitigation, significant knowledge …

Convergence Research For Microplastic Pollution At The Watershed Scale, Heejun Chang, Elise F. Granek, Amanda Gannon, Jordyn M. Wolfand, Janice Brahney

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Microplastics are found in Earth’s atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, pedosphere, and ecosphere. While there is a growing interest and need to solve this grand challenge in both the academic and policy realms, few have engaged with academics, policymakers, and community partners to co-identify the problem, co-design research, and co-produce knowledge in tackling this issue. Using a convergence research framework, we investigated the perception of microplastic pollution among different end users, delivered educational materials to K-12 teachers and practitioners, and identified key sampling points for assessing environmental microplastic concentrations in the Columbia River Basin, United States. Three community partner workshops identified regional …

Development Of A Low-Cost Electron Microscope For Educational Purposes, Christopher Halseth

Dissertations and Theses

Electron microscopy is a powerful tool for exploring microscopic world, yet its high cost and operational complexity severely limit accessibility, particularly within educational institutions. Commercial systems are often designed as opaque "black boxes," further hindering hands-on learning and experimentation. This dissertation introduces the Educational Scanning/Transmission Electron Microscope (EduSEM), a project designed to overcome these barriers by developing a low-cost, modular, and transparent electron microscope optimized for educational use.

The EduSEM achieves significant cost reduction by operating in a rough vacuum environment (1-20 mTorr), eliminating the need for expensive high-vacuum pumps. This necessitates novel component designs tolerant of higher pressures. The …

Range-Dependent Meso-Scale Geoacoustic Seabed Quantification, Tim Sonnemann, Jan Dettmer, Charles W. Holland, Stan E. Dosso

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study presents a probabilistic one-step two-dimensional (2D) inversion method of spherical-wave reflection coefficient data to estimate the range-dependent structure and geoacoustic parameters along a track. The approach of inverting such datasets independently as one-dimensional (1D) layered models and merging them to a 2D section is feasible but computationally expensive. This study demonstrates a more parsimonious 2D parametrization for active source data recorded on a towed hydrophone array. The comparison of data variance reduction for 1D- and 2D-based results clearly favors the 2D parametrization described here.

Time Synchronization For 5g And Tsn Integrated Networking, Zixiao Wang, Zonghui Li, Cheng Long, Yiming Zheng, Bo Ai, Xiaoyu Song

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Emerging industrial applications involving robotic collaborative operations and mobile robots require a more reliable and precise wireless network for deterministic data transmission. To meet this demand, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is promoting the integration of 5th Generation Mobile Communication Technology (5G) and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). Time synchronization is essential for deterministic data transmission. Based on the 3GPP’s vision of the 5G and TSN integrated networking with interoperability, we improve the time synchronization of TSN to conquer the multi-gNB competition, re-transmission, and mobility problems for the integrated 5G time synchronization. We implemented the improvement mechanisms and systematically validated the …

Distributed Energy Resources: A Systematic Literature Review, Midrar Adham, Sean Keene, Robert B. Bass

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The traditional power grid, characterized by its centralized nature and one-way power flow, has long been the backbone of electricity supply and distribution. Grid operators have historically found various ways to accurately predict demand, anticipate faults, and prepare appropri- ate responses. However, with the rapid integration of Distributed Energy Resources such as Photovoltaic, storage systems, grid-interactive generation, and flexible-load assets, energy consumption and production patterns have become less predictable, transforming the grid into a two-way power flow system. Managing the potential of these Distributed Energy Resources requires advanced management systems that provide monitoring, coordination, and aggregation capabilities to …

Synthesis Of Publications On The Anomalous June 2021 Heat Wave In The Pacific Northwest Of The United States And Canada, Erica Fleishman, David E. Rupp, Paul C. Loikith, Karin A. Bumbaco, Larry W. O'Neill

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

We synthesized more than 70 articles, most peer reviewed, that addressed the heat wave that occurred across the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada in late June 2021, breaking hundreds of daily and all-time daily maximum temperature records across the region. A persistent, extraordinarily strong ridge of high pressure was a primary driver of the heat wave. Contributing mechanisms were moisture originating in the tropical western Pacific Ocean, high solar radiation, low pressure offshore, large-scale subsidence over land, and unusually dry soils. Climate change contributed to the heat wave’s magnitude by increasing mean temperature, although it is unclear …

Increasing Soil Respiration In A Northern Hardwood Forest Indicates Symptoms Of A Changing Carbon Cycle, Angela R. Possinger, Charles T. Driscoll, Mark B. Green, Timothy J. Fahey, Chris E. Johnson, Mary Margaret K. Koppers, Lisa D. Martel, Jennifer L. Morse, Pamela H. Templer, Angelina M. Uribe, Geoffrey F. Wilson, Peter M. Groffman

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soil carbon dioxide (CO2) flux, or soil respiration, is a critical control on net ecosystem carbon (C) balance. Using long-term (2002-2020) measurements at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (New Hampshire, U.S.), we show that soil respiration rates have notably increased since ~2015. In 2020, cumulative summer respiration flux was approximately 90% higher than the average summer flux over the 2002–2015 period. The increase in soil respiration cannot be explained directly by temperature or pH change alone. We also found that heterotrophic microbial C mineralization and microbial biomass C have also increased rapidly since ~2015, pointing towards an increase in the …

Surface Temperature Analysis Report: Kellogg Creek Restoration & Community Enhancement Project, Dalton Palin

University Honors Theses

Kellogg Creek is located in the Kellogg-Mt Scott watershed which flows through downtown Milwaukie, Oregon into the Willamette River. At the confluence of Kellogg Creek and the Willamette River is the Kellogg Dam. This dam impedes salmon, steelhead, and lamprey movement up Kellogg Creek, which is known historically as a salmon and steelhead rearing and migrating habitat. A plan to remove Kellogg Dam and restore 14 acres of Kellogg Creek is in progress by North Clackamas Watersheds Council (NCWC) and partners. Water temperature studies in Kellogg Creek have been conducted for the past several years, this report analyzed thermal surface …