Digital Commons Network^™

Erodibility Parameters Derived From Jet And Flume Erosion Tests On Root-Permeated Soils, Bailey Mcnichol, Kayla Kassa, Garey Fox, Ron Miller, Lucie Guertault

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

Flume tests and in situ jet erosion tests (JETs) allow for the process-based quantification of erodibility parameters of cohesive soils. In the excess shear stress model used to predict soil detachment, the critical shear stress (τc) corresponds to the stress at which fluvial forces can detach soil particles or aggregates and the erodibility coefficient (kd) governs the rate at which detachment occurs when the imposed shear exceeds τc. The primary objective of this research was to derive and compare erodibility parameters from flume tests and JETs on various root-permeated soil samples. Based on statistical analysis, erodibility coefficients from the flume …

Pedagogy Of Accomplice: Navigating Complicity In Pedagogies Aimed Toward Social Justice, Robyn Stout Sheridan

Dissertations

In this study, I introduce and analyze the role of complicity in discussions of social justice pedagogies to determine how teachers, who teach social justice oriented courses, navigate complicity. Through an in-depth review of social justice education literature, I show that teacher/scholars rely upon four context-dependent discourses of complicity: (1) responsibility, (2) consciousness-awareness, (3) relation to world, self and others, and (4) inevitability and implicature. In order to understand how these discourses impact pedagogies that seek to make connections between people and social systems, I selected teacher/scholars who are widely published, read, and assigned in social justice oriented fields. I …

The Legal Context Of Medicine: Looking At Healthcare Through A Bicultural Lens, Annamarie Beckmeyer

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Neoliberal Environmentalism In The War On Poverty: A Case Study Of Carbondale, Illinois, Gregory Matthew Carter

Theses

The following thesis examines the city of Carbondale, Illinois, during the tumultuous years between 1965 and 1975. Carbondale was the recipient of large amounts of funding from the Model Cities program, part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. During that time, Carbondale experienced violent anti-war protests and community-wide unrest. At the same time as Model Cities projects began, the modern environmentalism movement surrounding the first observance of Earth Day, April 22, 1970, also occurred. Within four years, environmental groups comprised mostly of white citizens were pitted against African-American community activists working to improve Carbondale’s segregated Northeast neighborhood and the …

Modeling Naturally Occurring Wildfires Across The Us Using Niche Modeling, Brandon Polk

Theses

Wildfires can cause significant damage to an area by destroying forested and agricultural areas, homes, businesses, and leading to the potential loss of life. Climate change may further increase the frequency of wildfires. Thus, developing a quick, simple, and accurate method for identifying key drivers that cause wildfires and modeling and predicting their occurrence becomes very important and urgent. Various modeling methods have been developed and applied for this purpose. The objective of this study was to identify key drivers and search for an appropriate method for modeling and predicting natural wildfire occurrence for the United States. In this thesis, …

Comparative Assessment Of Agricultural Literacy In Selected K-5 Classrooms Employing Agriculture In The Classroom Methodologies: A Solomon Four-Group Analysis, Mary Margaret Fischer

Dissertations

The significance of agriculture to future generations is unparalleled. The United Nations projects the global population to swell to 9.75 billion people by 2050, and to proliferate to 11.2 billion by 2100. The non-agricultural population has little to no understanding or comprehension of the complexities of sustaining a viable agricultural system. Agricultural literacy is an area often unseen and rarely discussed outside specific agricultural disciplines. Society does not view agriculture as being important, yet it is important that society be properly educated on issues in order to reach well-informed decisions and render prudent choices that impact the world around them. …

Reviewing Biochar Research And Introducing A Possible Classification System, Patricia G. Burns

Research Papers

Biochar is the product of burning biomass, such as hardwood, rice hulls, bamboo, or even chicken litter, in a low- to no-oxygen environment. The result is a black carbon skeletal-like structure of the original biomass.

Research into biochar as a soil amendment has been influenced by the study of anthropogenic dark, richly fertile soils found in the Amazon rainforest where the native forest soil is acidic and low in fertility. Biochar research for amending agricultural soils is relatively new but there are strong indications that this practice can decrease the need for additional fertilizer and water inputs.

Biochar products will …

A Literature Review Of Climate Change And Urban Sustainability, Julia L. Sanabria

Research Papers

Cities are vulnerable to climate change, but they are also uniquely positioned to lead the way in both mitigating and adapting to it. While there is no single solution to climate change, cities have a responsibility to transition toward a more sustainable future. This paper examines current literature in climate change and sustainability in urban areas through a discussion of the urban heat island effect, human health, natural hazards, urbanization trends, socioeconomic factors, urban energy, water and wastewater, public transportation, waste management, green infrastructure and governance. The paper has three key goals: (1) to examine how climate change is affecting …

Community Gardens And Ecological Citizenship: Their Potential And Limitations In Fostering Environmentalism, Michael J. Kennedy

Research Papers

Mainstream agricultural and food production methods are a major source of environmental degradation, which has not been addressed by large-scale and global initiatives. Alternatively, grassroots and local initiatives may be more effective at alleviating the causes of environmental degradation associated with food and agriculture. Specifically, community gardens are an important local greenspace that can be used to address and educate individuals about the importance of food and the environment. However, certain barriers need to be overcome and addressed before community gardens are successfully implement. The participation and interaction at community gardens may provide a pathway to long-term commitment to sustainability, …

The Enviromental Impact On Volunteer Soilders In The Mexican American War, Jean M. Hurst

Research Papers

The Mexican-American War is largely overshadowed by historians of the War of 1812 and the Civil War. This conflict demands an in-depth examination as a unique historical event. Scholars of the Mexican-American War have largely limited their approach to underscore how social and political relations, among American military and political elite, shaped the conflict as a causeway to the American Civil War. To better understand the Mexican-American war it is necessary to understand it through the experiences of those volunteer solders living during this conflict. In addition, understanding the role the environment played in shaping the social and political relations …

Crime Mapping On National Forest Lands: A Case Study In The Shawnee National Forest, Kristyn M. Stauber

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Israeli Practices Towards The Palestinian People And The Question Of Apartheid, Richard Falk, Virginia Q. Tilley

Publications

This report concludes that Israel has established an apartheid regime that dominates the Palestinian people as a whole. Available evidence establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that Israel is guilty of policies and practices that constitute the crime of apartheid as legally defined in international law.

The Presidential Election In Illinois: 2016 Compared To 2012 And 2008., John Jackson

The Simon Review (Occasional Papers of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute)

This paper describes and analyzes the 2016 general election results in Illinois and compares those results to the 2012 and 2008 presidential elections. The primary unit of analysis in this paper is the 102 counties in Illinois and the aggregate vote results at the state and county level. Those aggregate data voting returns are supplemented with statewide survey data taken from the Paul Simon Institute’s periodic polls which allows an individual voter level of analysis to add to the aggregate data.

An Analysis Of Academic Library 3d Printing Libguides, Jennifer J. Horton

Articles

3D Printing is increasingly becoming a popular service provided by academic libraries throughout the United States. Many patrons have little or no awareness of this subject matter, so library staff have created LibGuides to promote resources. One hundred LibGuides from academic libraries were analyzed to find which types of resources and which specific titles are being promoted surrounding the subject of 3D printing. Three types of resources emerged in this study: 3D printing and 3D modeling software titles, 3D model repositories, and books related to 3D printing. This article lists and analyzes 3D printing resources.

American Nationalism And The “Curse Of Rurality”: Urban-Rural Differences And The Notion Of National Belonging, Milos Djeric

Research Papers

Relationship between nationalism and urban or rural environment is not one that is often studied, apart from traditional historical interpretation of it being a modern, urban phenomenon, characterized by imagery and discourse of rurality. Yet it seems that, in the last several decades, not only have nationalist conflicts mostly been rooted within the countryside and nationalist agendas won on elections in them, but that there is a more fundamental connection between nationalism and rurality. While briefly addressing this issue, this paper focuses on the analysis of 2014 GSS data, exploring the relationship between the place of living and the notion …

Factors Influencing Illinois Soybean Yield Increase, Sydney Bollinger

Research Papers

Soybean productivity is among many important topics currently in Illinois agriculture. With corn prices being so low the last few years, many people are relying on their soybean crop to produce very well. Also, with the increasing disapproval of genetically modified crops, it is important to recognize if these crops making a difference in production. It is obvious that weather plays a huge role in crop productivity. This research is intended to identify other specific variables that influence soybean yield in a given year. Much research has been done in the past identifying the weather variables that are most important …

Vol. 13, No. 1, Fall/Winter 2016, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Cornerstone

No abstract provided.

Multilevel Governance In European River Basins: Challenges In The Integration Of Adaptation, Disaster Response, And Resilience, Shanna N. Mcclain

Dissertations

This dissertation examines some of the strengths and weaknesses in basin level governance particularly as it relates to three current policy priorities: adaptive governance, international frameworks for response to natural and man-made disasters, and resilience in integrated water resources management. While these priorities are well-established in the academic and policy literature, in practice the ability to implement them at multiple levels has proven challenging. Though my dissertation highlights these challenges using case studies of European river basins, the observations and lessons for improving integrated management at multiple levels of governance, in multiple sectors, and among various actors are more broadly …

Designing Sustainable Communities For Automated Transit Networks, Shannon S. Mcdonald

ASA Multidisciplinary Research Symposium

Automated Transit Networks have the potential of changing the design of communities. Transportation is one of the key aspects for structuring our built environment. Now that Automated Transit Networks are being re-examined, early studies integrating them into the built environment can provide insight into their potential applications.

The Illinois Veterans Treatment Court Mandate: From Concept To Success, John Adams, Jaye Hobart, Mark Rosenberg

The Simon Review (Occasional Papers of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute)

Veteran Treatment Courts in Illinois - The VTC Mandate In Illinois, several VTCs already exist. These courts have seemingly been successful in achieving the outcomes that matter to veterans and communities. Because of the preliminary success of these courts, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed House Bill 5003 (HB 5003) into law on August 14, 2016, which amends the Veterans and Servicemembers Court Treatment Act of 2010 by providing that each judicial circuit shall—rather than may—implement a VTC by January of 2018 (Public Act 099-0807). In addition to this legislation, in November of 2015, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts …

Water And Society: Interdisciplinary Education In Natural Resources, Laszlo J. Kulcsar, Joseph A. Aistrup, Thomas Bulatewicz, Jeffrey M. Peterson, Stephen M. Welch, David R. Steward

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

Natural resource management and education must account for both the natural and human components of a complex system, yet examples of such interdisciplinary approaches are still relatively rare, especially in education. This study discusses a graduate seminar on water management, developed from an interdisciplinary National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. The seminar applied constructivist pedagogy which is not only best suited for interdisciplinary work, but also allows flexibility to redesign the course components and deliverables after each evaluation cycle. While the seminar was a successful experiment, several challenges remain when implementing such courses. These challenges include not only the organization and …

Institutional Constraints To Collaborative Ecosystem Management Within A Wetlands Conservation Partnership, Jennifer A. Behnken, John W. Groninger, Kofi Akamani

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

Recent decades have seen an evolution in resource management paradigms from the multiple use and sustained yield toward ecosystem management. This ongoing paradigm shift has generated interest in collaborative decision-making as a more promising alternative to conventional top down institutions. While a collaborative approach to ecosystem management promises several benefits, including equity, efficiency, and sustainability, institutional constraints often impede the success of these initiatives. Using the Cache River Joint Venture Partnership in southern Illinois, USA as a case study, this study employed a qualitative research approach to understand how various institutional attributes influence prospects for conflict and cooperation in collaborative …

The Effect Of Stereoscopic Three-Dimensional Images On Recall Of Second Language Vocabulary, Regina Kaplan-Rakowski

Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of stereoscopic three-dimensional (S3D) images on productive and receptive recall of foreign language vocabulary. S3D images are highly-realistic and differ from non-stereoscopic three-dimensional (NS3D) images in that they provide the impression of the added third dimension of depth. This within-subject study exposed the participants (N = 82) in a controlled setting to a series of carefully designed and randomly distributed NS3D and S3D images. The subjects were then given immediate productive and receptive tests of foreign language vocabulary items that were represented by NS3D and S3D images. Quantitative data …

Assessing National Data On The Relationship Between Science Education And Environmental Performance, Cami Lynn Sockow

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Siu Alumni, Siu Alumni Association

SIU Alumni Magazine

No abstract provided.

Explaining Variance In Party System Stability In Lithuania And Latvia, Liucija Balciunaite

Research Papers

This comparative research contributes to the further understanding of party system stability in ethnically divided societies. It looks at the extent of party system institutionalization in Lithuania and Latvia by paying attention to the variance of party system stability over time. Differences in party system stability over time are a consequence of the extent of the ideological balance within the party system and the success of coalition governments. The salience of ethnicization of the party system and the design of the electoral system matter. This is because both heavily influence the effectiveness of both the existence of ideological balancers and …

The Climate Of Opinion In Illinois 2008- 2016: Roots Of Gridlock, John Jackson, Charles W. Leonard, Shiloh L. Deitz

The Simon Review (Occasional Papers of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute)

Since January 1, 2015, Illinois has been frozen in a governmental and political gridlock that has dominated the state’s political discourse, consumed the energies of all involved, and created chaos in governmental and non-profit agencies that normally deliver state services. It has also created untold hardship and suffering among those who are most dependent on state services. The conflict has especially threatened to drastically reduce the quality and missions of the institutions of public higher education in Illinois, a state system that was widely recognized as one of the best in the nation and the world.

A Succinct, Holistic Look At Climate Change Legislation, Chris Henry

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

The legislative process in the United States moves slowly, and any legislation that does become law is still subject to change along with the partisan makeup of Congress. Due to the time-sensitive nature of climate change, climate change activists should look to alternate ways to implement policies or try to circumvent the legislative process entirely. First, this article provides the basics of climate change legislation, and discusses the unique problems facing climate change activists. Then, this article describes the history of climate change legislation in the United States. Next, this article explores ways to change climate change policies without resorting …

Domestic Tranquility: The Goals Of Home Protection, Burke Bindbeutel

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

This Article proposes an explanation for the special place of the home by surveying the development of privacy jurisprudence and grounding that development in our political tradition. Our earliest conception of rights began with a kind of home protection. But then there was a crucial shift into the abstract realm of privacy. Legal home protection has evolved beyond a ceasefire between state and citizen. Where before it was enough to stay the government’s intrusion into the home, there is today a recognition of the value of the intimate association of free individuals and the trust in government which arises from …

What Influences Do Age, Gender And Race/Ethnicity Have On The Overall Health Consequences Of Excess Lead In Children?, Jessica J. Smith

Research Papers

After Flint, Michigan governmental authorities introduced a more corrosive water source into an already aging water system without adequate corrosion control, the percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels increased, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. The main objective of this research paper is to clarify influences of age, gender and race, ethnicity have on the overall health consequences of excess lead in children. There are studies that focus on the short and long term effects of neurological, hypertension, renal, and developmental on children. However, since specific demographic evidence is still limited, future research is still needed to implement a …