Digital Commons Network^™

Cooking, Colonialism, & Color, Vibi S. Bakshi

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

My project is decolonial, exploring how colonization applies to non-human animals. Engaging animal philosophy, philosophy of culinary authenticity, and philosophy of race, I will create vegan cooking tutorials aimed at communities of color. While there is significant literature exploring ourselves as primarily bodily beings before being individuals with personhood, it is often situated in an ecofeminist lens. My contribution builds on existing efforts to reveal the implicit bias within veganism and work to counteract it by applying how colonization of non-human animals and people can be resisted through cooking. A goal of this community engagement project is reducing environmental injustice …

Matthew's Professional Portfolio, Matthew James Feth

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

A comprehensive summary of my experiences thus far and my mastery of the core competencies of the social work profession.

Social Work - Acting In Love, Dawn Rain Lyga

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The Environmental Craftsfolk: Making Things In A World Full Of Stuff, Zoey Ballard

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This Civic Engagement Project (CEP) proposes a transformative approach to addressing the complex challenges of environmental degradation and disconnection from nature through the establishment of the Eco-Craft Cabal in Missoula, Montana. The project seeks to reframe environmental consciousness through the lens of craft, fostering improved connections with the local environment and promoting community resilience. By repurposing both natural and artificial materials in inclusive, accessible crafting activities, the Eco-Craft Cabal aims to empower participants to confront feelings of despair and hopelessness with tangible, meaningful actions.

And Food Justice For All: Advancing Access To Just And Sustainable Food Systems, Makenna Grace Landry

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

A collection of work exploring food justice and food access programming in Western Montana, as well as a critique of the Bayer-Monsanto merger.

Corporate Environmental Responsibility: Navigating Policy, Impact, And Equity, Tyler Halligan

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This master's portfolio, "Corporate Environmental Responsibility: Navigating Policy, Impact, and Equity," explores the profound impact of corporations on environmental degradation. It comprises three key pieces:

The first piece, "Understanding Factors Shaping Corporate Environmental and Social Responsibility: Navigating a Path Towards Greater Accountability," examines seven critical areas influencing corporate conduct: legal frameworks, global trade, multilateral development banks, international investment laws and agreements, corporate lobbying, transparency and environmental accountability, and economic growth priorities. The analysis covers historical contexts and contemporary challenges, advocating for robust regulatory measures and ethical business practices.

The second piece, "Treatment as a State (TAS) under the Clean Air …

Autonomy, Compassion, And Connection: Msw Portfolio, Lucy Elizabeth Chadwick

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Msw Portfolio, Mallory Phillips

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Solar Energy Industries Association V. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Brandy Keesee

Public Land & Resources Law Review

In Solar Energy Industries Association v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“Solar Energy”), the court grappled with a complex web of regulatory and environmental considerations. The overall dispute was the promulgation and implementation of Order 872, a directive issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or “Commission”), and its alignment with the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (“PURPA”) and the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”). The dispute in Solar Energy is about FERC’s interpretation and application of PURPA in managing qualifying facilities (“QFs”). The crux of the contention was whether FERC’s 2020 rule revisions set forth in Order 872 …

Idaho School Readiness Project: Year 1 Program Performance Evaluation Report, Evaluation Services

Education

The Idaho School Readiness Project (ISRP) is a system capacity building initiative funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and implemented by Idaho State University (ISU) with the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children (IDAEYC). ISU and IDAEYC work with various public and private partners, including Idaho’s 25 Early Learning Collaboratives (ELCs), to implement project activities. The ISRP aims to advance Idaho's Early Childhood Care and Education Strategic Plan by focusing on locally controlled, high-quality, and family-focused services. The ISRP Year 1 Evaluation Report provides a comprehensive overview of the evaluation findings from the first year …

Reverence, Emma Parten

The Oval

No abstract provided.

Excavation, Loran Schneiter

The Oval

No abstract provided.

Liquefying The Gulf Coast: A Cumulative Impact Assessment Of Lng Buildout In Louisiana And Texas, Robin K. Saha, Robert D. Bullard, Liza T. Powers

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

This report represents a substantial endeavor aimed at providing a critical examination of the complex interplay between fossil fuel development, environmental justice, and climate justice in a region of the United States that has an enduring legacy of economic injustice and environmental racism. In recent years, the rapid expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure along the Gulf Coast has raised significant concerns regarding the environmental and social consequences.

America At A Glance: Travel Patterns By Disability And Rurality, Luke Santore, Andrew Myers, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

RTC:Rural researchers use 2022 National Household Transportation Survey (NHTS) data to assess differences in travel behavior across disability status and rurality.

Montana Voices Amplified: My Perspective: Tell People What You Need! We’Re All In This Together, Maclaen R. Burningham, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

It can be difficult to let others know that you are struggling, but it's important to talk openly and share your needs with others. Maclean R. Birmingham, a person with Prader-Willi Syndrome who is a self-advocate and serves on the Rural Institute’s Consumer Advisory Council, explains the benefits in starting that conversation yourself and finding freedom and success in openly asking others for their assistance.

University Sound, Maxwell Teodor Barton

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This civic engagement project (CEP) is varied in its explorations. Philosophically, this paper uses Waltonian aesthetics to critique the concept of "soundscape.". Practically, this paper examines and details my methods for bringing awareness about soundscapes (as both worthy of aesthetic and ethical consideration) to the community of Missoula, Montana. Utilizing a scaffold of Anglo-American analytic aesthetics, philosophy of animals, and environmental aesthetics, I show (1) that the University of Montana soundscape has been neglected in many serious ways (2) why it should be considered as an aesthetic object worthy of aesthetic engagement and (3) how to engage with it in …

Griz Give-And-Get: Understanding The Context, Philosophy, And Logistics Behind A Project To Reduce Waste At The University Of Montana, Sam Sullivan

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Griz Give-and-Get is an online platform at the University of Montana that aims to reduce consumer waste. It attempts to do this by providing students and staff with a place to give away their used items. The first objective of this essay is to describe the process behind Griz Give-and-Get’s early development. The second objective is to relate concepts from environmental philosophy to Griz Give-and-Get’s mission. Although part of Griz Give-and-Get’s mission is to build community and to mitigate the effects of student poverty, this essay will narrow its focus to explore the first issue that Griz Give-and-Get concerns itself …

May 2024 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Parental Controlling Behaviors And The Well-Being Of Adult Children, Audrey Greene, Elle Lundgren, Lindsay Story, Finn Anderson, Liam Johnson

Communication Studies Student Scholarship

Parental psychological control (PPC) can drastically influence a child’s development and multiple dimensions of their young adult lives, including their sense of self-efficacy and ability to regulate their emotions. This study examines the impact of PPC on adult children between the ages of 18 – 26. Sixty-four volunteers responded to a social media announcement for an online survey including measures of perceived parental psychological control, self-efficacy, and emotional dysregulation. The results indicated that as parents were perceived as engaging in higher levels of psychologically controlling behaviors, participants also reported significantly lower levels of self-efficacy and higher levels of emotional dysregulation. …

Montana Kaimin, April 25, 2024, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Fireworks: Mark Kreider, Piano (Program), Mark R. Kreider

Wilderness Institute Student Publications

This program is from a recital at the University of Montana, featuring fire-inspired piano pieces by historic and living composers. The program explored the music and ecology of fire, including the importance of fire as an ecosystem process and how we as societies respond to and grieve the impacts of extreme wildfires. View the video performance.

The Montana Supreme Court – The Statistics, Jak Hamilton, Andrew Mcintyre

Montana Law Review

No abstract provided.

Contemporary Mythology: Poems Of Creatures And Grievances, Zane G. Segal

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Urban legends and modern folklore have never been popular subjects in the canon of serious poetry, despite their more ancient counterparts being frequently coveted content. In a post-science world, the uncanny hearsay of yesteryear has lost its star power, and the act of believing in such myths has been relegated to an embarrassing pastime of drunk uncles and gullible dimwits. However, Contemporary Mythology is a collection of poems which are not afraid to be embarrassed. By entertaining the lovable qualities of unlovable monsters, these poems seek the resonance which keep urban legends comfortably lodged in the backlogs of American culture. …

Dispossession Of Ancestral Land: Effect Of Displacement On Indigenous Peoples' Life Satifaction, Kaitlyn Bird, Hailey Shangin, Alana Smutz, Julisa Lopez, Adam Farero, Stephanie Fryberg

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

North America's history of forced displacement and relocation of Indigenous tribes continues to affect contemporary Indigenous peoples (Wolfe, 2006). As climate change, socioeconomic disparities, and industry encroachment shape displacement, Indigenous people continue to be negatively impacted (Covey, 2021). The current work explores how displacement impacts life satisfaction for Indigenous Peoples, and whether cultural embeddedness modifies this relationship. Using the Indigenous Climate Justice survey (N=282), regression analysis illustrates that those who have not been displaced generally report higher life satisfaction than those who have been displaced (β=-0.255, SE= 0.108 p= 0.019). Lower reported life satisfaction is especially prevalent when those displaced …

The Effect Of Livestock Grazing On Sharp-Tailed Grouse Nesting, Abigail I. League

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This past summer, I worked for Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks on the first reintroduction effort of sharp-tailed grouse to western Montana following their extirpation from the region in the late 2000s. I was monitoring nest success, specifically in the Blackfoot Valley, and it was apparent that the nest survival rate was considerably low. Researchers do not know the exact reason sharp-tailed grouse were originally extirpated from the region. However, it has been hypothesized that the use of proper livestock grazing practices could be an important factor in increasing the probability of successfully establishing a population. For this project, I …

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience Factors And Academic Performance In College Students, Marie Baird

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experience and Resilience Factors on Academic Performance in College Students

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to many different chronic illnesses and mental health issues. Previous research suggests that resilience factors may mitigate negative outcomes associated with ACEs. The purpose of this project is to investigate the impact of ACEs and resilience on academic performance in college students. Participants completed an online survey consisting of questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Module, the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), and questions assessing grade point average and age. Correlation analysis …

Understanding The Role Of Maternal-Fetal Tissue Communication In The Evolution Of Genomic Imprinting And Disruption Of Placental Development, Ashlin K. Slanger

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Understanding the role of maternal-fetal tissue communication in the evolution of genomic imprinting and disruption of placental development

Ashlin Slanger¹, John Statz¹, Fernando Rodriguez¹, Jeff Good¹

¹Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana

The placenta is a fast-evolving organ in mammals and has been hypothesized to be a hotspot for the evolution of genomic imprinting. Imprinted expression is a form of gene regulation by which some genes show parent-of-origin dependent allelic expression bias and is critical for successful mammalian development. Studies of placental gene expression in hybridizations between mouse species have shown disruption of placental expression in several genes including …

The Youth Forest Monitoring Program: Informing High School Students, Prescribed Fire Management, And The Broader Community, Caitlyn Sena, Elizabeth Burke

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The purpose of this project is to explore whether citizen science can fill important prescribed burn research gaps as well as helping local communities better understand prescribed burning in general. The project proposes looking at the Youth Forest Monitoring Program (YFMP)—a high school citizen science program out of the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest—and the data that has been collected on prescribed burn impacts by the program as a case study. The YFMP provides learning experiences to high school students in ecological data collection through commonly applied methods outlined in the Rapid Forest Assessment (RFA). RFA is a relatively …

Drought-Defying Blooms: Mt. Jumbo Wildflowers Accelerate Flowering In Response To Climate Change, Delia Schmidt, Peter Lesica, Meredith Zettlemoyer

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

As our planet undergoes unprecedented climatic shifts, we are beginning to see profound impacts on ecological processes. For example, in western Montana, we expect warming temperatures, altered precipitation, and increasing drought. Both warmer and drier conditions can affect phenology, or the timing of biological events (e.g., flowering). Indeed, earlier flowering is a well-documented consequence of warming temperatures. However, evidence for phenological shifts in response to changing precipitation remains scarce. Using a 29-year dataset on flowering time in a wildflower community on Mt. Jumbo, Missoula, MT, we examined the impacts of warming temperatures and drought conditions on flowering time in species …

The Climate Crisis: Mental Health Providers' Beliefs About Responsibility And Professional Relevance, Mackenzie Raiman, Marci Olsen

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Climate change is a global phenomenon that poses an existential threat to individuals worldwide. Research has shown that climate change can negatively impact mental health. However, it is unclear if, and how, mental health providers are engaging with this unique stressor, how much of a personal and professional responsibility they feel regarding the impacts of climate change, and how relevant they feel it is to their profession. 150 mental health professionals across the United States completed a measure of nature connectedness (NR-6), a measure of professional identity (PISC), and several questions assessing their sense of personal and professional responsibility to …