Semivariogram Methods For Modeling Whittle-Matern Priors In Bayesian Inverse Problems, Richard David Brown

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

We present a new technique, based on semivariogram methodology, for obtaining point estimates for use in prior modeling for solving Bayesian inverse problems. This method requires a connection between Gaussian processes with covariance operators defined by the Matérn covariance function and Gaussian processes with precision (inverse-covariance) operators defined by the Green’s functions of a class of elliptic stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs). We present a detailed mathematical description of this connection. We will show that there is an equivalence between these two Gaussian processes when the domain is infinite which breaks down when the domain is finite due to the …

The Space Between Points And Their Navigational Reference, Darla Pienciak

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

“The path of self-fulfillment means “pushing oneself beyond oneself”, in a relationship with the community where generosity, giving and the search for the common good are included and cultivated in everyday life.” (Menditto, 2014)

The Space Between Points and Their Navigational Reference represents specific points in time as well as all the moments that take place between those points. Each point is a person or a specific moment in time; they are individual people or noteworthy memories which, for one reason or another, have left a significant imprint in the memory of the individual or of society. The space between …

Tending To The Tapestry: An Ecofeminist Interpretation Of Women Farmer-Artists' Stories, Aubrey Pongluelert

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

There is a disconnect in Western academia, between classroom conversations concerning the impact of environmental degradation on rural communities, and engagement with those communities whom we are discussing. Those working in environmental studies are confronted with the question of how to effectively communicate the concerns addressed by the field in ways which are accessible to, and engage broader audiences. Creative languages such as the visual arts, storytelling, and music are invaluable tools in this task because they offer accessible and culturally relevant means of conveying ideas, perspectives, and experiences. This project examines the ways in which these creative languages contribute …

Muscle Soreness And Damage During Wildland Firefighter Critical Training, Katherine Sue Christison

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Introduction: Wildland firefighters (WLFF) undergo a critical training (CT) period immediately before the firefighting season. The intensity of CT exercise could lead to muscle damage, as previously reported cases of rhabdomyolysis in WLFFs have been documented. This study established the effects of activities performed during a two-week CT period on acute markers of muscle damage in WLFFs.

Methods: 18 male and 3 female Type I Interagency Hotshot WLFFs were studied during a 14-day critical training period. Upper- (US) and lower-body (LS) muscle soreness and daily body weight (BW) scales were collected. Venous blood was collected on Days 1, 4, 8, …

A New Classification System For Analyzing Burned Human Remains, Amanda Noel Williams

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Fatal fires produce a range of physical alterations to the body that can be studied and analyzed to interpret perimortem events. Currently, the forensic community lacks a consistent, objective, and detailed scale to describe burn injuries or patterns in a variety of settings and conditions. There is a need to create a scale based on quantitative experimental data (e.g. duration and temperature of fire) that provides insight into the nature of the fire and cause of injuries contributing to the condition of the remains.

Observations from four main fire environments were used in developing a new classification system for analyzing …

Social Climatology: An Age Comparison Of Women's Sustained Commitment To Collective Action Against Climate Change, Sara A. Humphers-Ginther

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Climate activists urgently emphasize action to prevent catastrophic and apocalyptic-like damage from climate change. The foundation of the institutional change needed to combat climate change is collective action, which I study here through a collective action frame. These frames can gain traction for policy agendas: they are solution- and action-oriented. I interviewed women climate activists to understand how they frame the problems from, causes of, and solutions to climate change, as well as how they urge others to act against climate change. I compared my informants based on age because beliefs, values, and lived experiences are important in how activists …

College Athletes And Alcohol Use: The Need For Effective Prevention/Intervention Programs, Paige M. Craig

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The literature review investigates the relationship between alcohol and college athletes. College athletes are a high-risk drinking group; alcohol use amongst collegiate athletes is a major concern due to the consequences associated with use. It is important to review student-athlete behavior and influences that contribute to alcohol use in order to design a program that effectively prevents use and intervenes use when it occurs. Results from original articles were used to support the need for effective prevention/intervention programs for this population based on the severity and frequency of use, negative effects of alcohol, and lack of effective prevention/intervention programs. Coaches, …

Permutation, Ryan K. Caldwell

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Caldwell, Ryan, M.F.A, Spring 2020 Ceramics

Abstract:

Chairperson: Trey Hill

Permutation, is an exploitation of utilitarian pottery and domesticity within the gallery setting through the use of handmade tables and cabinetry. The gallery is transformed into a more comfortable environment and exhibits a casual essence. This paper explores the thoughts, interpretations, influences, reflections, and definitions of his most recent work created for his Masters of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition. Caldwell presents his work as an ongoing continuum of conceptual research and physical exploration of form and surface.

Characterizing Burn Severity Of Beetle-Killed Forest Stands Leveraging Google Earth Engine-Derived Normalized Burn Ratios, Sofronio Catalino Propios Iii

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Following numerous studies, a general consensus on burn severity in forests affected by bark beetle outbreaks has not yet been achieved. The purpose of this study is to characterize burn severities in forest stands affected by mountain pine beetle (MPB) outbreaks, especially in relation to “time since outbreak”, vegetation cover, and topographic factors. This study focuses on wildfires that occurred in the northern Rocky Mountains of Idaho and Montana during the 2012 fire season within forested areas that had previously experienced prior MPB outbreaks. Remote sensing techniques were used to quantify and compare the burn severities of MPB-outbreak stands with …

Learning From Wilderness Fire: Restoring Landscape Scale Patterns And Processes, Julia Kittleson Berkey

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wilderness areas, because they are managed to be “untrammeled by man,” often offer the best approximation of intact, undisturbed ecological patterns and processes. In the case of wildland fire, this means that wilderness areas often provide the only landscapes where fire has been managed to play an active, ecosystem role. As a result, these wilderness areas offer unique lessons both in terms of wildland fire management as well as the ecological consequences that result from this management approach. For these reasons, an in-depth history of fire management in the wilderness areas of the Northern Rocky Mountains is provided to highlight …

Protecting Biodiversity On National Forests: The Evolution And Implementation Of Forest Planning Regulations, Anna Wearn

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In 2012, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) promulgated new forest planning regulations that significantly altered national forest management. One of the most controversial and important advancements was the inclusion of what were meant to be stronger biodiversity protections. An analysis of USFS’s rationale in revising the biodiversity regulations provides insights into how to interpret the substantively and procedurally new ecosystem and species protections. Examining this regulatory history reveals three key changes to the manner in which national forests are required to manage and monitor biodiversity: 1) a greater reliance on science to inform planning, 2) a new emphasis on ecological …

Collaborative Conservation: A Philosophical Analysis Of The Efficacy And Commensurability Of Tek And Western Science, Anne M. Belldina

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis seeks to explore the similarities and differences between traditional ecological knowledge and Western science as a way to address long-held misconceptions about the efficacy of traditional ecological knowledge, or TEK. The motivation for this project arose from a deep desire to investigate the historical injustices toward Indigenous peoples in the name of conservation. The goal of this analysis is to illustrate that effective collaboration between Indigenous knowledge holders and Western scientists is not only possible, but desirable. I outline three major barriers from which I draw out three minimum criteria which much be met if collaborative conservation efforts …

Who Did You Tell? College Women’S Perceived Helpfulness Of Formal And Informal Support Sources After Victimization: Sexual Assault, Intimate Partner Violence, And Stalking, Nora G. Uhrich

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Violence against women is recognized as a serious public health concern in the United States. The prevalence and rates of victimization occurring on college campuses is problematic and has captured the attention of researchers and campus officials nation-wide. Research has shown that women ages 18 to 24 years old are at a particularly high risk of experiencing sexual assault, intimate partner violence (IPV), and stalking (Breiding et al., 2011). Despite the negative outcomes associated with victimization, many victims, particularly college students, do not seek help for these crimes. There is already a considerable body of literature that explores the reasons …

The Role Of Experiential Learning In Developing Multicultural Competence, Kaoru Allison Powell

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Although much importance has been placed on training programs to develop multiculturally competent service providers, the question remains as to when and where clinicians acquire their multicultural competence (MCC). Currently, most training programs appear to focus on the development of multicultural awareness and knowledge, without adequate focus on skills. However, experientially based learning exercises are associated with skills development in many areas, including general clinical skills development. Thus, students who engage in higher levels of experiential learning in their multicultural training may rate themselves as more competent with multicultural skills than students with less frequent experiential learning. I hypothesize that …

Ethical Eating: Overcoming Alienation In The Industrial Food System By Aligning Our Practices With Our Principles, André Kushnir

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis arose out of a moment of discord, while an environmental philosopher was eating blackberries in the middle of a blizzard in Missoula, Montana. What follows is an attempt to bridge the gap between our principles and our practices, by asking the questions: What does ethical eating look like? Is it possible within our current industrial food system? and If not, what needs to change? Responding to the publication of the 2019 EAT-Lancet report, this essay moves beyond thinking of ethical eating as “healthy” and “sustainable” and challenges the networks of suffering and labour that we take for …

Diet-Breadth Analysis In The American Southwest: Metabarcoding Method With Coprolites, Paige Nicole Plattner

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Molecular analysis of coprolites is proposed as new means of studying bio-archaeological remains that aids in the ability to capture diet breadth from past populations. This research utilizes the targeted PCR method, known as metabarcoding, to study dietary elements preserved in the coprolites from three greater Southwest sites. The Illumina MiSeq technology was used to sequence the samples after multiple rounds of targeted PCR using two primers (16s and 12s) proven successful for taxonomic identification with animal DNA and one primer specific to plant DNA (Rias et al 2011).

The sequencing data was then run through two different bioinformatics pipelines …

Electrospun Fibers With Smart Delivery Of Therapeutic Agents, Zahra Mahdieh

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Electrospinning is the most widely studied technique of producing fibers. Delivery of nanoparticles and therapeutic agents from electrospun fibers have potential uses in various fields including drug delivery, filtration, and cosmetics. However, controlling the delivery rate remains the main challenge. In the current study, core-shell structure fibers were developed with zinc oxide nanoparticles applied in the shell composition to improve the pore structure (release pathway) and mechanical stability. Fine-tuned delivery rates were achieved via loading different sizes of silver nanoparticles (Ag NP) inside the fiber core. In vitro drug release assays showed fast, slow, and intermediate delivery rates of 20 …

Creating A Conservation Corridor In Coastal Ecuador: Constraints And Opportunities For Integrative Agroforestry, Lucille M.F. Rice

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Agroforestry has the potential to address land degradation and rural livelihood concerns resulting from tropical deforestation and has therefore become a popular tool for reforestation in conservation initiatives. However, these initiatives often lack the resources to implement an integrative approach to developing site-specific agroforestry systems, leading to undesirable outcomes such as lack of community support and unmet ecological objectives. This paper presents a case study of a conservation initiative implemented by the Ceiba Foundation for Tropical Conservation (CFTC) in the Ecuadorian province of Manabí. The CFTC is working with private landowners to establish a coastal conservation corridor through reforestation and …

Down The Deer Path: Reflections On The Future Of Hunting In America, Jackie A. Bussjaeger

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This collection of chapters delves into the dramatically shifting landscape of hunting sports from a personal perspective of a young hunter. As older hunters age out of the sport, hunter-funded conservation initiatives are in danger of losing support. This work examines the nature of relationships between hunters, their prey, and their worldview, as well as the elements of hunting that appeal to new hunters, and the challenges they may face as they become the hunters of the future.

An Exploration Of Zero Waste Policies And Recommendations For Missoula, Sarah Blyth Lundquist

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

“Zero Waste” is a concept and community goal that has arisen to challenge the current consumerist economic system and offer solutions for a number of environmental issues. In adopting this goal, individuals and communities pledge to reduce and divert at least 90% of their waste in a certain number of years. These goals can be reached by employing policies, programs, and other intervention tactics which establish Zero Waste infrastructure, ensure equitable and widespread access to Zero Waste services, and provide educational outreach and resources to the community. Missoula adopted a Zero Waste goal in 2016 and created a Zero Waste …

Organizational Influence On Knowledge Co-Production, Evora Dakota Glenn

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches are needed to effectively address the challenges facing our complex social-ecological systems. To meet this need, many approaches, including co-production, have been proposed to overcome the difficult relationship between science and governance, often termed a ‘gap’, which can continue to impede natural resource problem solving. Co-production is an iterative process that engages scientists, managers, and community members in knowledge creation and problem solving. Evidence indicates that participants are more likely to view co-produced knowledge as more salient, legitimate, and credible, and that they are more likely to use it. Evidence also indicates that this iterative and …

Investigating The Coordinate Regulation Of Stem Cell Proliferation And Differentiation By Fbf Proteins, Xiaobo Wang

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Balance of stem cell proliferation and differentiation is important for maintaining tissue homeostasis, and uncovering the mechanisms regulating the balance of proliferation and differentiation of stem cells helps us understand the causative factors for ageing, cancer and various degenerative disorders. Pumilio and FBF (PUF) family RNA-binding proteins are conserved mRNA regulators controlling stem cell development in eukaryotes. FBF-1 and FBF-2, two PUF family proteins in C. elegans, are expressed in the mitotic region of the germline and are important for maintaining germline stem cells. FBF-1 and FBF-2 are very similar in primary sequence and share most of the target mRNAs, …

Measuring Multicultural Competencies With Sexual And Gender Minorities: A Study Of Therapy Dyads, Hillary Anne Powell

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Although there have been targeted efforts to improve mental health care provision to SGM individuals in the last several decades, SGM mental health consumers report ongoing barriers to therapy, including providers' poor SGM-specific multicultural competencies. The current project examines (1) differences in perceptions of SGM-specific multicultural competence between providers and their clients, and (2) how perceptions of SGM multicultural competence are predictive of variation in treatment outcomes. To this end, 73 SGM mental health consumers and 53 of their therapists were recruited to independently evaluate the mental health provider's SGM-specific multicultural competence at two time points, with respective retention rates …

Alas, Poor Yorick: A Dna Analysis Of Ancestry Using Crania, Claire Hanson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Current methods for estimating ancestry in biological profiles provided to law enforcement and forensic collections rely heavily on the use of metric and non metric methods such as FORDISC 3.1 and “trait lists.” The reliance on these methods has led to inaccurate and ambiguous ancestry estimations, as many metric and non metric methods are subjective and cannot be statistically tested for error rates. As a result, forensic collections, such as the University of Montana Forensic Collection, could potentially house remains that have been inaccurately curated. In order to test the accuracy of curation in the UMFC, DNA samples were extracted …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of An Electronic Environmental Education Curriculum With Applied Use Of Trail Camera Photographs, Lucas Martin Coccoli

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Place-based conservation education programs are continuously adapting to ever evolving technological advancements to remain effective and connected to K-12 schools and students. One response to this challenge was an inquiry based, learner centered pedagogy which teaches science-based concepts via real life images captured on trail cameras.

This paper will describe the benefits of a distance learning program which teaches students about wildlife science using trail camera photos and associated lessons. In a time when students are more disconnected from the outdoors than ever. The use of trail cameras, based on these experiences, has the potential to reconnect students to the …

Exogenous Fluid Delivery Schedule And Composition On Fluid Balance, Physiologic Strain, And Substrate Use In The Heat, Alejandro M. Rosales

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Introduction: Wildfire suppression is characterized by high total energy expenditures and water turnover rates. Hydration position stands outline hourly fluid intake rates. However, dose interval remains ambiguous. We aimed to determine the effects of micro- and bolus-dosing water (MW, BW) or carbohydrate-electrolyte (MCE, BCE) solutions on fluid balance, heat stress, and carbohydrate oxidation during extended thermal exercise. Methods: Males (n=12), in a repeated measures cross-over design, completed 4, 120-minute treadmill trials (1.3 m^.s^-1, 5% grade, 33°C, 30%RH) wearing a USFS uniform and 15kg pack. Fluid delivery approximated losses calculated from a pre-experiment familiarization …

Belonging For Dementia Caregivers, Sabrina Singh

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Adoption Of Pasture Management Practices In Rondônia, Brazil: Social Media As An Informational Influence, Cassandra Sevigny

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The welfare of rural households depends on income from agricultural production. The adoption of new agricultural practices can improve farmer welfare by increasing yield and/or lowering production costs, but farmers do not always adopt beneficial practices. I examine whether social media use influences pasture management practices among smallholder cattle farmers in Rondônia, Brazil. This Amazonian state is heavily deforested for use as farmland, especially pasture for beef and dairy cattle. Traditional pasture management degrades soil over time, requiring pasture productivity interventions or deforestation for new land. Nontraditional practices can reduce degradation. Agricultural technology adoption literature explores the influence of risk, …

Managing Forest Disturbances: Effects On Mule Deer And Plant Communities In Montana's Northern Forests, Teagan Ann Hayes

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are frequently the focus of population and habitat management in the western United States. Land and wildlife managers use disturbance to reset forests to earlier successional stages and improve the quality and quantity of forage available to mule deer. However, the effects of management practices on nutrition and selection vary widely, so the implementation of management practices raises ecological as well as management-related concerns. This work investigated how disturbance from wildfire, prescribed fire, and timber harvest influences the spatial and temporal distribution of nutritional resources in mule deer summer range, and therefore, how the …

Improving Health Literacy As A Method Of Increasing Adherence In Institutionalized Geriatric Physical Therapy Patients, Kathryn Grace Stoehr Tiemessen

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The global population of long-term care facility (LTCF) residents > 65 years of age has high rates of sedentary behavior, and is expected to increase in number in the coming years. LTCF residents benefit from physical therapy, which can increase patients’ activity levels while treating symptoms of the inevitable aging process. A novel method is needed to increase LTCF resident adherence to physical therapy programs (PTPs). Health literacy (HL), which is the ability to interpret and understand health related information, presents as one such method to increase patient adherence. The geriatric population has the lowest HL rates out of all adult …