Digital Commons Network^™

From Bison To Cattle: The Ecology Of The Southern Plains 1500-1750, Jenni Tifft-Ochoa

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

Bison made their home on the Southern Plains for millennia. However, their migratory patterns began to shift in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. My research investigated what caused this drastic shift and how it had far reaching effects on the ecology of the Southern Plains. Using archives from two prominent Catholic priests, I began to piece together why the bison left the Southern Plains. Rather than focus on the Europeans as the main players, I instead focused on the Indigenous peoples, the animals, and the land as the centralized actors in this project. I discovered that the introduction …

Remote Sensing Of The Environmental Impacts Of Utility-Scale Solar Energy Plants, Mohammad Masih Edalat

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Solar energy has many environmental benefits compared with fossil fuels but solar farming can have environmental impacts especially during construction and development. Thus, in order to enhance environmental sustainability, it is imperative to understand the environmental impacts of utility-scale solar energy (USSE) plants. During recent decades, remote sensing techniques and geographic information systems have become standard techniques in environmental applications. In this study, the environmental impacts of USSE plants are investigated by analyzing changes to land surface characteristics using remote sensing. The surface characteristics studied include land cover, land surface temperature, and hydrological response whereas changes are mapped by comparing …

Sustainability Standards And Stakeholder Engagement: Lessons From Carbon Markets, Hans Rawhouser, Michael E. Cummings, Alfred Marcus

Management, Entrepreneurship and Technology Faculty Research

Stakeholders play an increasingly active role in private governance, including development of standards for measuring sustainability. Building on prior studies focused on standards and stakeholder engagement, we use an innovation management theoretical lens to compare stakeholder engagement and standards developed in two carbon markets: the Climate Action Reserve and the U.N.’s Clean Development Mechanism. We develop and test hypotheses regarding how different processes of stakeholder engagement in standard development affect the number, identity, and age of stakeholders involved, as well as the variation and quality of the resulting standards. In doing so, we contribute to the growing literature on stakeholder …

High School Gardens Program Across The Nation: Current Practices, Perceived Benefits, Barriers, And Resources, Noehealani Cierra Bareng- Antolin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

School garden programs in the United States emerged near the end of the 19th century. The use and purpose of school gardens are multifaceted and is dependent on the school and individuals involved. Current research on school garden programs suggests positive benefits for student academic achievement, nutrition knowledge, and dietary behaviors. Research on school garden programs is predominately conducted at the elementary and middle school levels. High school garden programs do exist; however, there is limited research on the current practices, perceived benefits of, barriers to, and resources necessary for high school garden programs. The purpose of this study was …

Sinatra Living: Team Las Vegas Proposal (Full Packet), University Of Nevada, Las Vegas. Solar Decathlon Team.

Sinatra Living: Competition Materials

This packet is the final proposal for the Team Las Vegas project, containing a number of project overview documents.

Study On Electrochemical Behavior Of La(Iii) And Preparation Of Al-La Intermetallic Compound Whiskers In Chloride Melt, D B. Ji, Y D. Yan, M L. Zhang, P Wang, X Yang, X Y. Jing, Y Xue, W Han, Thomas Hartmann

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

This paper exhibits a novel method to prepare the Al-La intermetallic compound whiskers on the liquid magnesium electrode at 1023 K. The electrochemical behavior of La (III) on a tungsten electrode in LiC1-KC1-MgC12-AlC13-LaC13 melts was investigated by different electrochemical measurements. The result from chronopotentiometry shows that co-deposition of Mg(II), Li(I), Al(III) and La(III) ions occurs when the current intensity more than -190 mA. Quarternary Mg-Li-Al-La alloy was prepared by galvanostatic electrolysis, and the Al4La intermetallic compound was identified via X-ray diffraction (XRD). The microstructure and micro-zone chemical analysis of Mg-Li-Al-La alloy were accomplished byscanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive …

A​ Program Evaluation Of Outside Las Vegas’ Ymca Education Program, Robin Mendoza, Kevin Schmidt, Arcelia Barajas, Branson Chun

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Today, more than ever, society needs high-quality environmental education programs that succeed in moving values and changing behaviors in the direction of sustainability and conservation. The most common definition of outdoor education comes from "education in, about, and for the outdoors" (Donaldson and Donaldson, 1958, p. 63). They described outdoor learning as taking place “in” the outdoors and the subject matter being “about” nature or the outdoors. There are a variety of studies about “outdoor learning” with a large variation of topics, activities, settings and channels of delivery. The research discussed in this paper will vary slightly to demonstrate the …

Water Balance And Moisture Dynamics Of An Arid And Semi-Arid Soil: A Weighing Lysimeter And Field Study, Jeremy E. Koonce

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Semi-arid and arid environments are characterized by low precipitation and high evapotranspiration (ET), leaving little water available for discharge into surface water bodies and groundwater recharge. For these water-limited environments, understanding the relationships between precipitation, ET, and soil moisture is critical. These relationships not only affect water resources in these increasingly populated regions but are also necessary to predict the impact of climate change on semi-arid and arid ecosystems.

The overall goal of this dissertation was to shed light on the quantitative relationships between precipitation, evaporation, ET and soil moisture dynamics in an arid and a semi-arid environment. A three-step …

Systems Of Access: A Multidisciplinary Strategy For Assessing The Social Dimensions Of Sustainability, Christopher Wolsko, Elizabeth Marino, Thomas J. Doherty, Steve Fisher, Amanda S. Green, Briana Goodwin, Ryan Reese, Andrea Wirth

Library Faculty Research

The concept of access to natural resources has been a specific concern of economists and ecologists and is a distinct component in recent models of social sustainability. Using a series of conceptual and empirical examples, this article extends the notion of access broadly to social institutions and sociocultural norms. We argue that access may be usefully construed as an analytic tool that has direct applicability to many sustainability issues as it allows for cross-disciplinary and public engagement. Here the concept of access, linked to Amartya Sen’s theory of capabilities, also makes visible the multi-scaled and interconnected social processes that influence …

Unlv 101, Unlv Communications

UNLV 101

No abstract provided.

Optimization Of The Development Process For Air Sampling Filter Standards, Rajah Marie Mena

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Air monitoring is an important analysis technique in health physics. However, creating standards which can be used to calibrate detectors used in the analysis of the filters deployed for air monitoring can be challenging. The activity of a standard should be well understood, this includes understanding how the location within the filter affects the final surface emission rate. The purpose of this research is to determine the parameters which most affect uncertainty in an air filter standard and optimize these parameters such that calibrations made with them most accurately reflect the true activity contained inside. A deposition pattern was chosen …

Educators’ Perspectives Associated With School Garden Programs In Clark County, Nevada: Practices, Resources, Benefits And Barriers., Tomomi Murakami

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

School garden programs have been utilized in the U.S. since their introduction at the end of the 19th century. The use of school gardens and the teaching style implemented in them are dependent on individual schools and teachers. Educators’ attitudes, knowledge, and motivation for a school-based gardening program are crucial to implementing comprehensive school garden programs. To move toward an expansion of garden education, it is necessary to determine the concerns, resources, benefits or barriers that educators identify regarding the utilization of gardens to teach their students. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine principals’ and teachers’ perceived …

Book Reviews, Bridger Bishop, Kelly Finnerty, Anthony Graham, John Grygo, Leslie Lewis, Hannah Robinson

Psi Sigma Siren

Paul Sabin, The Bet: Paul Ehrlich, Julian Simon, and Our Gamble over Earth's Future.

James Morton Turner, The Promise of Wilderness: American Environmental Politics Since 1964.

Adam Rome, The Genius of Earth Day: How a 1970 Teach-In Unexpectedly Made the First Green Generation.

Cindy Ott, Pumpkin: The Curious History of an American Icon

Mark Fiege, The Republic of Nature: An Environmental History of the United States.

Ted Steinberg, Gotham Unbound: The Ecological History of Greater New York

Environmental And Health Disparities In Appalachian Ohio: Perceptions And Realities, Michele Morrone, Natalie A. Kruse, Amy E. Chadwick

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background. Appalachia is a region of the United States that faces significant environmental and health disparities. Understanding these disparities and the social determinants that contribute to them will help public health practitioners make better decisions. The purpose of this research is two-fold. First, through secondary data analysis, we document environmental and health disparities as well as demographic and economic conditions that may contribute to these disparities between Appalachian and non-Appalachian Ohio. Second, we examine perceptions of environmental health practitioners about the differences in environmental conditions between Appalachian and non-Appalachian Ohio.

Methods. We gathered secondary data about economics, health, and the …

Development Of A Molecular Method For Detecting The Causative Agent Of Swimmer's Itch (Trichobilharzia) In Freshwater Ecosystems, Heidi Mcmaster

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cercarial dermatitis, commonly known as swimmer's itch, is caused by penetration of larvae of the schistosome,Trichobilharzia, into the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin. Symptoms are characterized by painful swelling and itching at the site of penetration. The normal hosts for the life cycle of the schistosome are aquatic birds and aquatic snails. The most frequently used method of detection forTrichobilharziais microscopy. With increases in the occurrence of cercarial dermatitis outbreaks in freshwater in the Southwestern United States, it is becoming increasingly important to develop and standardize a molecular method for rapid detection that can assist health professionals and …

Understanding Selenium Distribution In Lake Mead Using A Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Based Water Quality Model, Xiaolu Wei

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Shallow groundwater and surface drainages in Las Vegas Wash are known to have elevated level of selenium which mainly comes from the naturally occurring geological hotspots on the southeast side of the Las Vegas Valley. Selenium fate and transport after it enters into Lake Mead from the Las Vegas Wash are not clearly understood. An open sourced three-dimensional Environmental Fluid Dynamic Code model (EFDC), developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, was used to model movement of selenium in the Boulder Basin, Lake Mead. The model was calibrated by observed data from 2006 to 2007. The concept of Lagrangian …

Finite Difference Modeling Of Surface-~Wave Scattering For Shallow Cavity Detection, Heston Travis Norcott

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Data collection and analysis of scattering of Rayleigh-type surface waves are investigated for locating shallowly buried cavities. Surface-based seismic experiments conducted by others at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Engineering Geophysics Test Site (EGTS) demonstrate scattering of Rayleigh waves caused by buried empty barrels (essentially air-filled cavities). The interpretation of the data is complicated by factors such as the presence of a high-velocity geologic layer just below the cavity.

This research uses a finite-difference seismic wave propagation code to compute time histories for a model that represents the Engineering Geophysics Test Site. By adding cavities to a background …

Magnetotactic Bacteria From Extreme Environments, Dennis A. Bazylinski, Christopher T. Lefèvre

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) represent a diverse collection of motile prokaryotes that biomineralize intracellular, membrane-bounded, tens-of-nanometer-sized crystals of a magnetic mineral called magnetosomes. Magnetosome minerals consist of either magnetite (Fe₃O₄) or greigite (Fe₃S₄) and cause cells to align along the Earth’s geomagnetic field lines as they swim, a trait called magnetotaxis. MTB are known to mainly inhabit the oxic–anoxic interface (OAI) in water columns or sediments of aquatic habitats and it is currently thought that magnetosomes function as a means of making chemotaxis more efficient in locating and maintaining an optimal position for …

Effectiveness Of A Portable, Large-Area Ultraviolet Germicidal Device, Mark P. Buttner, Thomas Yee, Patricia Cruz, Vanessa Stevens

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Effective disinfection of the hospital environment is a key component in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. The objective of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an ultraviolet germicidal device in reducing the concentrations of culturable bacteria on indoor surfaces. The ultraviolet germicidal device was installed and operated in four experimental trials conducted in a microbiology research chamber. Agar plates inoculated with known concentrations of two test microorganisms were placed on benches inside the chamber at two distances, 1.5 meters and 3.0 meters from the machine, for exposure times of 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and 20 minutes. With test …

Estimation Of Performance Indices For The Planning Of Sustainable Transportation Systems, Alexander Paz, Pankaj Maheshwari, Pushkin Kachroo, Sajjad Ahmad

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

In the context of sustainable transportation systems, previous studies have either focused only on the transportation system or have not used a methodology that enables the treatment of incomplete, vague, and qualitative information associated with the available data. This study proposes a system of systems (SOS) and a fuzzy logic modeling approach. The SOS includes the Transportation, Activity, and Environment systems. The fuzzy logic modeling approach enables the treatment of the vagueness associated with some of the relevant data. Performance Indices (PIs) are computed for each system using a number of performance measures. The PIs illustrate the aggregated performance of …

Estimation Of Performance Indices For The Planning Of Sustainable Transportation Systems, Alexander Paz, Pankaj Maheshwari

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

In the context of sustainable transportation systems, previous studies have either focused only on the transportation systemor have not used a methodology that enables the treatment of incomplete, vague, and qualitative information associated with the available data. This study proposes a system of systems (SOS) and a fuzzy logic modeling approach. The SOS includes the Transportation, Activity, and Environment systems. The fuzzy logic modeling approach enables the treatment of the vagueness associated with some of the relevant data. Performance Indices (PIs) are computed for each system using a number of performance measures. The PIs illustrate the aggregated performance of each …

Recycling And Reuse Of Radioactive Materials, Thomas Joseph O'Dou

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Radiochemistry Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has a Radiation Protection Program that was designed to provide students with the ability to safely work with radioactive materials in quantities that are not available in other academic environments. Requirements for continuous training and supervision make this unique program capable of turning out graduates that have an understanding of contamination and dose control techniques that complement their knowledge of the elements that they work with. The Program has also adopted a radionuclide recovery and reuse program that has provided materials from other universities, government agencies, and private companies …

Research Report Unlv Highlights, Unlv Innovation Staff Writer

UNLV Innovation

- Sponsored program funding serves as one indication of research growth and sophistication

- UNLV Selected for DOE Nuclear Energy University Program

Research Briefs, Unlv Innovation Staff Writer

UNLV Innovation

- New Scorpion Species Discovered

- Medication Errors by Both Domestically and Internationally Trained Nurses Studied

- Researchers Discover Magnetic Bacteria with Potential for Emerging Biotech Industry

- Stalagmites Provide Clues on the Demise of Early Civilizations

- Anthropologist Explores the Impact of Honey on Human Evolution

- Expanding the Reach of Scholarly Communication

Prevalence And Antimicrobial Agent Susceptibility Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus In Healthy Pediatric Outpatients In Las Vegas, Echezona E. Ezeanolue, Mark P. Buttner, Patricia Cruz, Joanne L. Henry, Chad L. Cross, Linda D. Stetzenbach

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Colonization and infection by community-associated resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus are being reported in epidemic proportions. The purpose of this study was to determine the local prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in children and to characterize the MRSA isolates in the laboratory with regard to antimicrobial agent susceptibility patterns, and the presence of the mecA and the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes. Nasal swabs were collected at two pediatric clinics from a total of 505 children during health maintenance visits. A brief questionnaire was administered to collect demographic data and pertinent medical, family, and social history. Samples were cultured …

Prevalence And Antimicrobial Susceptibility Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus In Pregnant Women And Their Newborns In Las Vegas, Nevada, Mark P. Buttner, Echezona E. Ezeanolue, Patricia Cruz, Joanne L. Henry, Ineada Jack, Chad L. Cross

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Colonization and infection by resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus are being reported in epidemic proportions. The goal of this study was to determine the local prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in pregnant women in southern Nevada and how it correlates with colonization and infection of their neonates. Signed consent was obtained, and a brief questionnaire was administered by the medical staff to each pregnant woman to collect demographic data and pertinent medical, family and social history. Nasal and vaginal specimens were obtained from pregnant women at ≥35 weeks gestation, and nasal and umbilicus specimens were obtained from their …

Hrc Enews -- Fall 2012, Megan M. Iudice

Publications (HRC)

HRC eNews is an electronic newsletter to keep individuals informed about developments at the Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies, located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Special Edition: National Clean Energy Summit, Nevada Institute For Renewable Energy Commercialization (Nirec)

Nevada Newsflash

Young Professionals in Energy–Nevada recently gathered for an up-to-the-day report on renewable energy at UNLV’s LEED-certified Science and Engineering Building given by Associate Vice President for Interdisciplinary Research Tom Piechota—just hours after President Obama appeared on campus in support of higher education.

Piechota, who also heads UNLV’s Urban Sustainability Initiative (and is this author’s boss in that capacity), covered all the overlapping curriculum and research going on. Of about 400 total research projects university-wide, 142 involve clean energy, water or environmental science – some at the nexus of all three. Department of Energy remains the biggest source of funding, along …

Angular And Dynamical Properties In Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering: Case Study Of Chlorine-Containing Molecules, Renaud Guillemin, Wayne C. Stolte, Loic Journel, Stephane Carniato, Maria Novella Piancastelli, Dennis W. Lindle, Marc Simon

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Research

Polarization-dependent resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) has been shown to be a probe of molecular-field effects on the electronic structure of isolated molecules. In this experimental analysis we explain the linear dichroism observed in Cl 2p polarized RIXS following Cl 1s excitation of a series of chlorofluoromethanes (CF3Cl, CF2Cl2, CFCl3, and CCl4) as due to molecular-field effects, including singlet-triplet exchange. We present an approach to extract directly the 2p inner-shell electronic state populations from the experimental measurements. Using the angular properties of the measured KV emission we also are able to determine the value of the polarization anisotropy parameter βp …

Hrc Enews — 2012 Summer, Megan M. Iudice

Publications (HRC)

This issue contains staff accomplishments and announcements, event listings, and a "new faces" listing for new staff, affiliates, and researchers.