Digital Commons Network^™

An Analysis Of Factors Affecting Municipal Biochar Implementation In Voluntary Carbon Markets, Jadon Basilevac

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This paper serves as a review article and incorporates elements of survey research in order to identify and address factors inhibiting biochar availability from municipal sequestration projects in voluntary carbon marketplaces. In determining which barriers exist, and devising strategies for solving them, this study can help to expand the role of biochar in mitigating emissions contributing to climate change, and encourage project developers to support municipal biochar projects that provide various co-benefits. To do so, this study addresses how the pyrolysis production process might be made more efficient, economically viable, and see improved public image, the various urban sectors to …

Analyzing The Effects Of Cold Frontal Passage On The Feeding Habits Of Micropterus Salmoides (Largemouth Bass), Ethan Lang

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

For many decades, it has been theorized as to what happens to the feeding habits of largemouth bass (Micropterus Salmoides) when a significant short term weather change occurs. Here in the midwest and all throughout the United States cold front boundaries are a weather phenomenon that occur on a regular basis. They can occur on a very large or small scale and have a rapid effect on the weather locally. These cold front systems have been looked at as one of the main drivers to having an effect on the feeding habits of largemouth. However, up until this point, any …

Physiological Distancing Affects Climate Change Through Spatial Differences, Janette Williams

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Psychological distancing is best described as the human ability to separate ourselves socially, temporally, and spatial and use it to manipulate our perspectives. It is the belief that in order to perceive or understand the information, you have to be within a spatial range(Harvard Business Review,2015). Psychological distancing has been linked to climate change perspectives based on spatial differences. People who are closely affected by climate change and experience more are going to have more ideas and be proactive. The reduced distance by spatial differences correlated with perceptions of climate change. People who are farther from the coast and experience …

Roots Of Passion In Environmental Unl Students, Shane Vrbicky

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

“Passion” is an elusive idea - a simple word invented by man - able to depict vastly different realities and meanings dependent entirely on the user. Highly influential in nature, the simple thought of a passion within human beings can evoke a wide spectrum of strong emotions from pure joy and satisfaction to utter desperation and dread. Sometimes people have never known a life without their passion, guided by a headstrong feeling towards a path they have always dreamed of. Sometimes people can never seem to find passion, not knowing where to look and yet constantly chasing after it. Sometimes …

Listening For Common Ground In High School And Early Collegiate Mathematics, Gail Burrill, Henry Cohn, Yvonne Lai, Dev P. Sinha, Ji Y. Son, Katherine F. Stevenson

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

Solutions to pressing and complex social challenges require that we reach for common ground. Only through cooperation among people with a broad range of backgrounds and expertise can progress be made on issues as challenging as improving student success in mathematics. In this spirit, the AMS Committee on Education held a forum in May 2022 entitled The Evolving Curriculum in High School and Early Undergraduate Mathematical Sciences Education.¹ This article is a report on that forum by the authors listed above, who were among the organizers and presenters.

Analyzing The Effect Of Guided Nature Walks On Human Behavior, Jake Duffy

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Several studies have identified a gap in the understanding of what guided nature walks does for the individual person, and the extent to which guided nature walks and interpretive signs improves individual pro-environmental behavior and attitudes. This study surveyed over 300 people on their reactions to certain types of signs and the influence that those signs had on the individuals’ desire to return outdoors. Our results showed an overwhelmingly positive reaction to signs with ecological or systems-based information that could be utilized on their walk, while signs that taught an environmental or historical feature of that area were not appreciated …

Perception Of Nature Based On Childhood Experiences, Kaitlyn Richards

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

It is essential that humans view themselves as a part of nature rather than viewing themselves as separate from it. Especially with issues on the rise such as climate change, habitat destruction, and the degradation of natural resources. Childhood experiences with nature are critical in developing pro-environmental behaviors (Duzenli, 2019). Pro-environmental behaviors are defined as attitudes and actions that focus on the improvement of environmental conditions, while also being vigilant of ways to reduce negative impacts on the environment (Tian, 2022).

Gender And Environmental Sustainability: A Cross-National Analysis On Political Representation Of Women And Subsequent State Sustainability, Erin O'Sullivan

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The literature focusing on the relationship between gender and environmental sustainability is vast. Research has focused on how gender relates to pro-sustainable behavior but fails to analyze this beyond individual action. Research has also found positive correlations between women’s representation at a state’s political level and different factors of state sustainability. However, literature has fallen short on analyzing if there is a causal effect between these factors. This study aimed to fill this gap in the literature and analyzes how the ratio of women in parliament in a state affects the state’s environmental sustainability. Although the results showed no statistically …

Examining The Psychology And Human Behavior Of Sustainable Living: The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Climate Change Education, Samantha Nielsen

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Climate change education has become increasingly important as the world faces the challenges of a rapidly changing environment. However, not all individuals have equal access to this education, and socioeconomic status has been identified as a barrier to climate change knowledge. This thesis explores the impact of socioeconomic status on climate change education through a survey-based approach, using the Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey to investigate the relationship between income and degree of education with climate change concern and community interaction. The study finds a significant correlation between higher levels of education and climate change concern, as well as greater …

Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Nebraska State Park Visitation, Bailey Mullins

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The Covid-19 virus was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020 by the World Health Organization. Since then the outdoor recreation habits of the general public have changed due to the constraints and risks of the virus. The first case of Covid-19 in Nebraska was reported in March of 2020. One of the most popular places for recreation in the state of Nebraska is to visit our state parks and recreation areas. The purpose of this research is to determine how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted visitation at Nebraska state parks and recreation areas. To do this, the Nebraska Game …

Rails To Trails Program: Neighborhood Dynamics In Lincoln, Nebraska, Emma Mccormick

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

As cities increasingly move towards creating sustainable, equitable, climate-forward communities, city planners, advocates, and policymakers have begun to focus increasingly on improving access to greenspaces. Studies around the globe have documented the importance of greenspace for multiple individual, group, and community level outcomes. Simultaneously, extant research suggests that access to greenspaces frequently reflects social inequality in urban spaces, stratifying such access by race and socioeconomic composition of neighborhoods. However, few research projects have examined potential unintended consequences, such as contemporary housing issues like gentrification, that greenspaces can create for community infrastructure here in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Evaluating Ecosystem Health Of The Salt Creek Basin Through Two-Eyed Seeing, Shelby Serritella

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Few instances of prior research into socio-ecological health have brought together both Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Western science, especially in Nebraska. This study attempts to fill this gap in Lancaster County, Nebraska by using “Two-Eyed Seeing”. This equitably combines both Indigenous Knowledge Systems (qualitative data), obtained through oral interviews with Indigenous community members, and Western science (quantitative data), obtained through USGS, UNL, and U.S. Drought Monitor databases, to assess ecosystem health. Changes to the Salt Creek Basin were collected and analyzed through this Two-Eyed Seeing framework. Results found that there are high levels of consensus between both knowledge systems regarding …

The Decline Of Upland Birds In Nebraska: Maximizing Limited Habitat, Hunter Tesarek

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Ring-necked Pheasants were introduced into the United States around 150 years ago and since then have become an important species both culturally and economically. There population health is of growing concern as upland bird populations in much of the United States have been declining rapidly throughout the latter half of the last century. In Nebraska millions of acres have been transformed from habitat that benefits upland birds into row crop agriculture, mostly in the form of corn and soybeans. Rural Mail Carrier Surveys conducted for pheasants from 1960 through 2020 in comparison to change in acres harvested depict the relationship …

Identifying A Consumer–Producer Agricultural Knowledge Gap, Aspen Rittgarn

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The purpose of this paper and online survey was to see if an agricultural knowledge gap between consumers and producers be found. Low agricultural literacy rates can lead to misconceptions of the agriculture industry, unhealthy food choices, environmentally unfriendly product choices, food waste, etc. The hypothesis for this thesis is that those born in the mid1960s to early 1980s (Generation X) will be the start of an increased knowledge gap. The survey was compiled of both qualitative and quantitative questions and questions were inspired by American Farm Bureau’s AITC Benchmarks. Responses were analyzed and the results revealed that my participants …

A Multi-Case Examination Of Leadership Development Programs For Emerging Educational Leaders In K–12 School Districts, Jason Thomsen

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In recent years, a greater emphasis has been placed on leadership development programs across a wide array of sectors in an effort to improve organizations. A growing body of research indicates that strong educational leadership practices have the ability to impact virtually all aspects of a school system. What is less evident in the research is how K-12 school districts utilize leadership development programs and make decisions regarding the implementation of those programs in order to cultivate educational leaders. The purpose of this multi-case study was to examine how K-12 school districts utilize leadership development programs and the role that …

Point Heat Source Correlation To Microstructural Evolution In Advanced Manufacturing, Mark Anderson

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Although there are different ways that advanced manufacturing can be performed, the use of single-point heat sources has become the standard to control a final product’s properties. It is imperative to understand how the heat source used in the different advanced manufacturing processes affect the microstructure of interest. The intimate relationship between the heat source and microstructure allows for controlling and tailoring a part’s properties. Utilizing different microstructural analysis, the cross-correlation of various point heat sources to developed microstructure was conducted in this dissertation.

Laser powder bed fusion allows for unique print-to-part protocols, but the dynamics of the process makes …

Assessment Of Bridge Pier Response To Fire, Vehicle Impact, And Air Blast, Chen Fang, Qusai Alomari, Daniel G. Linzell

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Highway bridges exposed to intentional or unintentional fire followed by combined vehicle impact and air blast are at risk of significant damage and, possibly, collapse. Limited studies examining the complex effects of these extreme demands on bridge support elements and parametrizing their response and damage are found in the open literature. Research that is presented is part of an ongoing numerical investigation examining round, multi-column, reinforced concrete (RC), bridge pier behavior subject to multi-hazard scenarios involving fire, vehicle impact, and air blast. Detailed nonlinear finite element analysis models of single columns and multi-column piers supported by a pile foundation system …

Intrinsic Tame Filling Functions And Other Refinements Of Diameter Functions, Andrew Quaisley

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Tame filling functions are quasi-isometry invariants that are refinements of the diameter function of a group. Although tame filling functions were defined in part to provide a proper refinement of the diameter function, we show that every finite presentation of a group has an intrinsic tame filling function that is equivalent to its intrinsic diameter function. We then introduce some alternative filling functions—based on concepts similar to those used to define intrinsic tame filling functions—that are potential proper refinements of the intrinsic diameter function.

Adviser: Susan Hermiller and Mark Brittenham

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2023, 143rd Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Thirty-Third Annual Meeting, April 21, 2023

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Humans Past and Present

Applied Science and Technology Section

Biology

Biomedical Sciences

Chemistry

Earth Sciences

Environmental Science

Physics

Science Education

2023 Maiben Lecture: Jason Bartz

2023 Friend of Science Award: Ray Ward and Jim Lewis

Correlation Between Fire And Preservation In The Pacific Northwest And Most Cost-Efficient Mitigation Tactics, Liam Doherty-Herwitz

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study was conducted entirely online with occasional help from advisors and editors on zoom meetings. I completed the research in Lincoln, Nebraska. A meta analysis of online data has been conducted to form the answers to my hypotheses and research questions. I used specific keywords and phrases in research databases, and search engines such as google scholar to point me towards the answers I was looking for. The keywords and phrases were split up into four different categories which are mitigation techniques, ecosystems, fire severity: PNW, and fire season: PNW. The reason the topics land preservation and fire science …

Spatiotemporal Activity Patterns Of Red Foxes And Coyotes In Wilderness Park, Lincoln, Nebraska, Adam Carlson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Wildlife species that share a landscape may vary their use of time, space, and resources, thereby enabling sympatry between species. Interspecific relationships among sympatric canids are often inferred through temporal and spatial activity patterns. Body size is an important influence on interspecific relationships, as it affects competition, access to prey, resources, and vulnerability to predation. Coyotes and red foxes are canids that differ in body size and occur sympatrically in Wilderness Park, which suggests that they interact and could imply competition. In and around Lincoln, the number of coyote sightings has increased in recent years, Although the ecology of both …

Observing Wildlife In Different Urban Environments, Colleen Ballinger

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

My project was about comparing ecological communities in different locations. As many of us Natural Resource studiers know, urbanization has become a prime factor in ecosystems and landscapes of the modern world. Numerous studies from the Urban Ecology field have shown us that urbanization is on an unstable trajectory for the future (Wu 2014). My research will be to find out where and what species of wildlife live in varying levels of urbanization. This topic is important to me because of how impactful habitat loss is to wildlife. Habitat loss is the number one cause of wildlife death here in …

Solar Energy Implementation In Rural Communities, Corie Gleason

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This thematic analysis was completed in Nebraska, as it looked at how the state’s rural communities react to solar energy projects. Due to their strong sense of social and community identity, members of rural communities are often resistant to change and may have difficulty supporting new projects such as solar farms in their communities. However, these rural communities provide the necessary space for solar farms while still being in close proximity to the users of the energy that the farms produce. This study aims to explore what factors have made past solar projects successful and the ways in which those …

Student Perspectives Of Sustainable Transportation Use On A College Campus, Brynn Fuelberth

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

As climate change grows in relevance in society, attention has often been turned to large universities to look at what solutions can help minimize the impacts contributing to the devastation. Sustainable transportation is an alternative that can help combat these issues. This study specifically focuses on what sustainable transportation looks like at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), and what barriers and motivations are present in the undergraduate students’ eyes. This was investigated through an open-ended qualitative survey administered to the undergraduate population of the UNL. This study asks how students make their mode decisions in relation to sustainable transportation methods, …

Genomic Selection For Yield And Seed Composition Stability In An Applied Soybean Breeding Program, Benjamin Mark Harms

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Stability traits are of primary importance in plant breeding to ensure consistency in phenotype across a range of environments. However, selection efficiency and accuracy for stability traits can be hindered due to the requirement of obtaining phenotype data across multiple years and environments for proper stability analysis. Genomic selection is a method that allows prediction of a phenotype prior to observation in the field using genome-wide marker data and phenotype data from a training population. To assess prediction of stability traits, two elite-yielding soybean populations developed three years apart in the same breeding program were used. The individuals in each …

How To Do Quantcrit: A Reflexive Account Of Applying Critical Quantitative Methods To A Study Of Black Women In Stem, Elizabeth Collins

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

There has been extensive research into the underrepresentation of minoritized students in STEM disciplines since the 1990s with limited success in improving the representation of Black women in math-intensive STEM fields. This dissertation aims to address how the guiding tenets of critical quantitative (QuantCrit) methods work when used with publicly available datasets and commonly used statistical approaches. Additionally, this dissertation provides a framework for how to apply reflexivity as a method while utilizing a QuantCrit approach. The publicly available HSLS:09 dataset is used as part of a reflexive study to demonstrate how the tenets of Critical Race Theory (CRT) map …

The Examination Of Nonparametric Person-Fit Statistics As Appropriate Measures Of Response Bias In Ordered Polytomous Items, Mark F. Beck

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Survey research is ubiquitous within the social sciences; however, surveys are vulnerable to response biases. Response biases introduce construct-irrelevant variance into survey responses, which degrades the accuracy of conclusions drawn through the use of surveys. Nonparametric person-fit statistics have been shown to accurately identify response biases in dichotomous response data but are not well studied in polytomous response data. This study examines the accuracy of nonparametric person-fit statistics in polytomous response data. A 6 x 4 x 4 x 2 simulation study was conducted, with type of aberrancy (6), number of response options (4), dimensionality (4), and test length (2) …

The Last Drought Frontier: Building A Drought Index For The State Of Alaska, Olivia Campbell

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Drought is characterized by periods of below average precipitation. There are five major types of drought recognized in the literature: meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, socioeconomic, and ecological. A relatively new concept in the drought literature is “snow drought.” A key part of the definition of drought is that it is not always accompanied by extreme heat. This means drought can occur even in cold climates, cold seasons, and higher latitudes and altitudes, like Alaska. Drought is a natural part of climate variability, but Alaska’s climate is changing faster than any other state in the United States. Alaska is no stranger to …

The Role Of Gender And Curiosity On Transformational Leadership: A Mixed-Methods Study, Brooke Colleen Mott

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Environmental leaders are tasked with finding innovative solutions to dynamic environmental challenges. Leaders must gain and use new knowledge and experiences that motivate resolving gaps in one’s knowledge (i.e., curiosity) and thereby find forward-thinking solutions. Although curiosity is an integral part of human existence, it may be experienced in various ways. Studies have shown that men and women may possess different leadership styles. Nevertheless, the influence of curiosity on leadership between genders has not been as readily explored. Women exhibit unique characteristics for successful leadership in many contexts, but they are often underrepresented in natural resource management overall. Characteristics of …

Examining The Effect Of Word Embeddings And Preprocessing Methods On Fake News Detection, Jessica Hauschild

Department of Statistics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The words people choose to use hold a lot of power, whether that be in spreading truth or deception. As listeners and readers, we do our best to understand how words are being used. There are many current methods in computer science literature attempting to embed words into numerical information for statistical analyses. Some of these embedding methods, such as Bag of Words, treat words as independent, while others, such as Word2Vec, attempt to gain information about the context of words. It is of interest to compare how well these various methods of translating text into numerical data work specifically …