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Gis And 2016 Water Quality Assessment: Summer Internship With The Massachusetts Department Of Environmental Protection, Xiaoyan Hu 3736156

Sustainability and Social Justice

My 2015 summer internship at Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection lasted for 12 weeks from June 1 to August 12. I was supervised by Juliet Swigor. As a GIS Specialist intern, I assisted staff from Division of Watershed Management, working on 2016 National Water Quality Assessment project. My responsibilities were diverse, including watershed delineation, database management, customized ArcGIS add-in tool development and mapping. I extracted sub-basins and generated land use statistic summary for all of them across the entire Massachusetts using python scripts. Also a map covers detailed distribution of watersheds was created. This paper reports information of organization description, …

Creating A Learning Laboratory For Urban Sustainability: Consulting Project For The Blackstone River Corridor Living Systems Laboratory, Jacquelyn Dayle Burmeister

Sustainability and Social Justice

The Blackstone River Corridor Living Systems Laboratory (“LSL”) is a newly formed nonprofit organization with a broad and compelling mission to engage people with local history and water so as to improve public heath though bioremediation. It has evolved from a non-centrally administrated coalition of research institutions and municipalities interested in water quality to a multidisciplinary partnership, requiring consistent coordination. The broad organizational mission with such varied stakeholders requires a stable administrative platform, as well as funds to continue development of novel model process for wastewater treatment. The purpose of this project was to provide long term administrative and project …

Global Population Distributions And The Environment : Discerning Observed Global And Regional Patterns., Jeremiah J. Nieves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Between 1990 to 2015, numerous groups used ancillary data about the environment surrounding populations to more accurately map global populations from standard census data. No comprehensive study has been undertaken to characterize the observed relationships between population density and ancillary data. Better understanding these relationships may produce more accurate population maps, focus resources on new datasets with a high probability of modelling importance, and lead to expanded end-user applications. This study examined these relationships by extracting variable importances from 36 independently run, country-specific population models from the WorldPop project’s population data. Covariate data describing urban/suburban extents were found to be …

Assessment Of Microbial And Growth Response Of Broilers Fed A Commercial Prebiotic, Sang In Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prebiotic refers to nondigestible food ingredients that enhance the health of the host by selectively promoting one or more number of beneficial bacteria. Gibson and Roberfroid (1995) initially described prebiotics as compounds that neither hydrolyzed nor absorbed in upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, selectively stimulates growth of beneficial bacteria, enhance health of the host and able to amend microorganism population to healthier states. Prebiotics are particularly attractive supplements in animal production due to their variety of effects including production of short chain fatty acids, pH amendments and suppression of pathogen colonization. In addition, prebiotics were emphasized as antibiotic alternatives …

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 …

Today And Yesterday, Vol. 40, Summer 2016, Illinois State University, Department Of History

Today and Yesterday

Newsletter of the Illinois State University Department of History

Commencement 2016 (Program And Video), Illinois Wesleyan University

Commencement Ceremonies

No abstract provided.

Exchange Patterns And Relations In Collaborative Governance., Charles Wharton Kaye-Essien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collaborative governance has received considerable attention in recent years. From environmental resource management to public safety, collaborative governance continues to play a vital role in regional problem solving. In spite of this increasing popularity previous attempts to model the political, economic, and demographic determinants of collaboration have in most cases produced inconsistent results, thereby undermining the ability to generalize from such findings. Additionally, our understanding of the relational patterns that emanate from collaborative agreements remains fairly rudimentary. The main objective of this research is to address some of the gaps in the literature and improve our understanding of collaborative governance …

Proper Dissemination Of Information To Improve People Awareness On Flood Disaster: A Case Study Of 2011 Flood In Thailand, Neelima A. Molla, Jatuwat Sangsanont, Parinda Thayanukul, Hiroaki Furumai

Applied Environmental Research

The study aims are to investigate the people perception on flood response, flood awareness and information dissemination during 2011 flood, to discuss the proper information needed for flood preparedness, and to understand drinking water preferences during emergency periods. A question-naire survey was conducted to collect information on flood awareness and preparedness from the people residing in a suburb of Bangkok that was one of the most severely affected areas. Re-sults showed that more than 90% of public realized the necessity of flood awareness. Flood risk per- ception level was positively correlated with age. There were gender differrences in priorit y …

Determination Of Spatial And Temporal Variations Of Volumetric Soil Water Content Using Ground Penetrating Radar: A Case Study In Thailand, Thanop Thitimakorn, Suppanut Kummode, Sasikan Kupongsak

Applied Environmental Research

In this research, ground penetrating radar (GPR) was used to determine the volumetric soil water content (VSWC) of a loamy soil. The GPR was set up in the ground wave fixed offset me-thod using both 400 and 900 MHz frequency antennae. By estimating the relative dielectric per-mittivity of the soils, these values were converted to the VSWC by Topp's equation. The gra-vimetrically calculated VSWC values from the soil samples at different depths were used as thereferences. In addition, the ability of the GPR method to detect variation in the VSWC over time was evaluated in three periods spanning the dry …

Examining Co-Management Of National Parks Through The Lens Of Common-Pool Resource Design Principles: A Comparative Case Study Of Liwonde And Majete In Malawi, Timothy M. Chana, Panate Manomaivibool

Applied Environmental Research

Co-management which was founded on common-pool resource design principles has been popularized in solving sustainability challenges of nat ional parks. Co-management was im-posed on all national parks in Malawi under the 2000 Wildlife Policy. However, such a top-down approach might neglect the local contexts that influenced policy implementation. The objective of this study was to examine the implementation of co-management and determine the extent of conformity to Ostrom's eight design principles. The Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework was engaged through a qualitative case study of Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve. Based on co-management documentations and key informant …

Environmental And Health Impact Of Cement Factory Production In Ibese, Ogun State, Nigeria, Olayinka O. Olasumbo, Adedeji O. Hakeem, Oresanya O. Juwon, Alabi-Thompson O. Francisca

Applied Environmental Research

This study investigated the effect of cement dust emitted from Dangote cement factory, Ibese, Ogun State, Nigeria on the environment and human health. Soil and plant samples were collected from six sampling points at different distances i.e. inside the factory kiln (IFK), the factory gate (TFG ? 50 m); Abule Oke (AOK ? 100 m), Maria (MAR ? 200 m), and Ibese (IBE ? 300m), based on the prevailing wind direction. Control samples were taken opposite the wind direction at ILA (Ilaro) about 1,000 m. Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Ni and Cd were analyzed in the samples using atomic absorption …

Establishing A Vegetative Cap For Sustainable Stabilization Of Copper Contaminated Soils In Torch Lake, Michigan, Virinder Pal Singh Sidhu

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Extensive mining activities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan have resulted in a number of contaminated sites with mine tailings. Several million metric tons of mine tailings were generated during the peak of copper (Cu) mining activities in this region. These tailings are called “stamp sands” because they were generated by crushing native Cu containing rocks, by a process known as stamping. The stamp sands were discharged into Lake Superior, other interior lakes and their shorelines, converting these areas into vast, fallow lands. The Cu contaminated stamp sands are being eroded back into …

Creating Caring Qualified Early Childhood Teachers: An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Teacher Efficacy And Learner-Centeredness Among Early Childhood Professionals In Arkansas, Mary Line

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The demand for degreed teachers for positions teaching children even younger than preschool age is increasing across the United States. Teacher qualifications vary from state to state, and there is increased emphasis on teacher credentials and education. The current study extends the current literature by examining variables that effect the development of teacher efficacy and aims to determine a relationship between trainability of characteristics of beliefs about learner-centered beliefs/developmentally appropriate practices and teacher efficacy. Participants were 175 teachers working in the state of Arkansas in early childhood programs teaching children birth to 5 years of age. A significant relationship was …

Walking In American History: How Long Distance Foot Travel Shaped Views Of Nature And Society In Early Modern America, Brian Christopher Hurley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The industrialization of transportation, first with railroads, and then with automobiles, took Americans away from foot transport, changing how Americans interacted with one another and viewed their surroundings. The dissertation traces the walking trips of five central figures in this era of mechanized transport, the personal impact of their experiences while walking through a land they were accustomed to skimming across, and the ways in which these personal revelations led to changes in the national consciousness. Walking upright was central to the development of homo sapiens as a species, and shaped the way they interacted with their environment. Certain aspects …

Mississippi College Towns: Assessing The Geography Of Collegiate Culture, Jordan Glynn Moore

Master's Theses

This study assesses the appearance of collegiate culture on the landscape of college towns in Mississippi. The research will add to the understanding of this phenomenon by contributing more focused studies of college towns not yet explored. Refining and adding to the concept of a “college town” by identifying physical and cultural factors that characterize it will open opportunities and provide options that will serve as a gateway for more pointed cross-disciplinary research. Not only are these towns havens for geographic research, but also for cross-disciplinary research pursuits due to their unique cultural characteristics. Using U.S. Census-derived maps and a …

Benefits, Challenges, And Recommendations For Implementing A Sustainability-Based Service-Learning Program At Utah State University: An Initial Assessment Of The Community Bridge Initiative, Julie Koldewyn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Service-Learning is a method of teaching that allows students to learn course content by engaging in real world applications, which can enhance student learning and benefit communities. As populations increase, many communities struggle with the corresponding issues of sustainability. A program that could use student expertise to address these concerns would be beneficial for both students and communities. This mixed-methods study explored the benefits, challenges, and recommendations for implementing a sustainability-based service-learning program, the Community Bridge Initiative (CBI), at Utah State University (USU) in relation to community needs and student responses to being in program pilot classes. Pilot classes were …

Spatial Ecology And Captive Behavior Of Rehabilitated Black Bears In Utah, Patrick J. Myers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Animal movements and space use are fundamental components of life and play integral roles in organismal fitness, population dynamics, and the ecology and evolution of species. The heterogeneous distribution of resources and the movement required to access them, results in ecology being a fundamentally spatial concept. Thus, elucidating animal-habitat relationships is a central focus of wildlife ecology and conservation. I utilized GPS technology, resource selection functions, and generalized linear mixed models, to investigate the immediate post-release movements, denning chronology, release-site fidelity, and season-delineated movements, home ranges, and resource use for six, orphaned and rehabilitated black bears (Ursus americanus). …

Now Hear This! Orientation And Behavioral Responses Of Hatchling Loggerhead Sea Turtles, Caretta Caretta, To Environmental Acoustic Cues, Bethany Holtz

Celebration

Although the visual and geologic orientation cues utilized by sea turtle hatchlings during seafinding, when they move from the nest to the sea after hatching, have been well studied, the potential for auditory stimuli to act as an orientation cue has not been well explored. Over the past several decades our knowledge of the auditory capacity of sea turtles has increased greatly, yet little is known about the biological significance of this sensory ability. To investigate whether hatchlings can use ocean sounds during seafinding, we measured the behavioral responses of hatchling loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) collected from nesting beaches …

Crafting A Campus Sustainability Action Plan: A Grassroots Approach, Jolina A. Kenney

Celebration

In recent decades, colleges and universities have taken a leadership role in developing institution-based Sustainability Action Plans (SAPs). A SAP includes a summation of past achievements, current initiatives, and the prioritized goals and implementation strategies for future action in terms of promoting environmental sustainability. These plans can also serve as pedagogical devices that teach students, staff and faculty important lessons of intentional living, global citizenship, and environmental responsibility. While many plans are adopted as top-down initiatives, there is great value in finding ways to engage the entire campus community in such endeavors at the grassroots level. This project documents a …

The Firece Green Fire: Vol. 6 Issue 24, Wofford College Environmental Studies Program

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.

2016 Science Seminar Program

Science Seminar

No abstract provided.

25th Annual Recognition Dinner, 2016, University Of Minnesota Morris. Chancellor's Office

Faculty And Staff Recognition Dinner Programs

Award winners:

Distinguished McKnight University Professorship: Michael Lackey

UMM Faculty Distinguished Research Award: Michael Lackey

Horace T. Morse-Minnesota Alumni Association Award: Heather J. Peters

President's Award for Outstanding Service: Windy Roberts

Mary Martelle Memorial Awards: Stephanie Ferrian and Bailey Stottrup

Outstanding Support Staff Awards: Lacey Fahl, Marie Hagen, and Delores Rathke

Morris Academic Staff Award: Judy Korn

Retirees: Christopher T. Cole, Nancy Erdahl, Mark Fohl, Henry Fulda, Vicki Graham, Jacqueline R. Johnson, Corrine Larson, Dale Livingston, and Tim Soderberg

The Lumberjack, April 27, 2016, The Lumberjack Staff

2016

The student newspaper of Humboldt State University

Illinois Wesleyan Celebrates Retirees, Employee Anniversaries, Kim Hill

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Spartan Daily, April 26, 2016, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2016

Volume 146, Issue 34

Clean Water For Less Integrated Planning Reduces The Cost Of Meeting Water Quality Goals In New Hampshire, Alison W. Watts, Robert Roseen, Paul E. Stacey, Renee Bourdeau, Theresa Walker

Carsey Publications

Rising populations and increased development in New Hampshire coastal communities have led to a decline in water quality in the Great Bay Estuary. Responding effectively and affordably to new federal permit requirements for treating and discharging stormwater and wastewater will require innovative solutions from communities in the area. The Water Integration for Squamscott-Exeter (WISE) project developed an integrated planning framework through which the coastal communities of Exeter, Stratham, and Newfields could significantly reduce the cost of meeting permit requirements. In this brief, authors Alison Watts, Robert Roseen, Paul Stacey, Renee Bourdeau, and Theresa Walker report that integrated planning could save …

A Plan For Pollinator Landscape Management On The Ursinus Campus, Megan N. Hanscom

Environment and Sustainability Honors Papers

Due to increased pollinator decline over the past decade, colleges and universities are developing pollinator management plans to help combat pollinator loss. Pollinators, and more specifically bees, are vital members of local ecosystems and protection efforts are greatly needed. This plan was created to address the needs of Ursinus College pollinators using relevant suggestions from pollinator research and existing protection plans. This plan includes suggestions for increased pollinator habitat on campus, ways to reduce pollinator stressors, and ways that the Ursinus community can positively impact pollinator health.

Bioaccumulation Of Iron In Gambusia Affinis In Lemna Minor Mediated Surroundings, Canaan Sutton

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Toxic Treasure Island: Finding Radium Instead Of Gold, Nicole Rejer

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

This presentation explores the Navy’s controversial use of radioactive materials in former decades on Treasure Island. It highlights the incomplete cleanup of contaminated soil and radioactive materials, and how current radiation measures are damaging to present-day residents’ health. Finally, it explains the city’s current plans for redeveloping the island, and how many public officials are ignoring the entire radiation problem, as long as other environmental issues Treasure Island residents face on a daily basis.