Digital Commons Network^™

Speed-Ups And Slowdowns: Insights Into Velocity Variations Measured From 2009-2011 On Yahtse Glacier, Alaska, Jessica Zimmerman Mejia

Geosciences

Water at the bed of a glacier can alter the basal stress distribution that governs basal motion and is responsible for short-term velocity variations. Accelerated basal motion has lead to increased ice discharge on tidewater glaciers, influencing the glacial contribution to sea level rise. The development of a temporally high-resolution model requires understanding the dynamic elements of the subglacial drainage system that govern short-term velocity variations. Here, we use global positioning system (GPS) observations to document the relationship between basal motion and widely variable water inputs on Yahtse Glacier over three years. Yahtse Glacier is a temperate, grounded, tidewater glacier …

Applying A Model Of Orographic Precipitation To Improve Mass Balance Modeling Of The Juneau Icefield, Aurora Roth

Geosciences

Mass loss from glaciers in Southeast Alaska is expected to alter downstream environmental conditions such as streamflow patterns, riverine and coastal ecological systems, and ocean properties. To investigate these potential changes under future climate scenarios, accurate climate data are needed to drive glacier mass balance models. However, assessing and modeling precipitation in mountainous regions remains a major challenge in glacier mass balance modeling. We have used a linear theory of orographic precipitation model (LT model) to downscale precipitation from both the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the European Centre for Medium-RangeWeather Forecasts interim reanalysis (ERA-Interim) to the Juneau …

Estimation Of Full Moment Tensors, Including Uncertainties, For Earthquakes, Volcanic Events, And Nuclear Explosions, Celso R. Alvizuri

Geosciences

We present a catalog of full seismic moment tensors for 63 events from Uturuncu volcano in Bolivia. The events were recorded during 2011-2012 in the PLUTONS seismic array of 24 broadband stations. Most events had magnitudes between 0.5 and 2.0 and did not generate discernible surface waves; the largest event was Mw 2.8. For each event we computed the misfit between observed and synthetic waveforms, and we used first-motion polarity measurements to reduce the number of possible solutions. Each moment tensor solution was obtained using a grid search over the six-dimensional space of moment tensors. For each event we show …

Compositional Characteristics And Ages Of Plutons In The Central Ruby Batholith, Alaska: Implications For Rare-Earth-Element Resources, Amy L. Tuzzolino

Geosciences

The central Ruby batholith, comprising much of the Ray Mountains in central Alaska, consists of at least ten, largely monzogranitic plutons, some of which have been defined as a result of this thesis. The general age of the batholith is estimated at 111 Ma, yet recent ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar muscovite and ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb zircon data suggests greater variability in ages than previously known, with ages now spanning 90 to 112 Ma. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios for the area show a general increase from northeast (minimum of 0.706) to southwest (maximum of 0.727). There are two characteristic mineral assemblages distinguishing the plutons: The northern plutons …

Speciation, Transport And Mobility Of Metals In Pristine Watersheds And Contaminated Soil Systems In Alaska, Amanda J. Barker

Chemistry and Biochemistry

The fate of metal(loid)s in the environment depends on a variety of physical and geochemical factors. Assessing metal(loid) transport in soil solution and surface water requires detailed knowledge of the speciation, which can often control mobility, toxicity and bioavailability of a given element. The present study details the geochemical analyses of two end member types of systems: a 'pristine' Arctic watershed and a military shooting range with an overall focus on understanding lead (Pb) and antimony (Sb) mobility in shooting range soils. The project uses bulk speciation analyses coupled with micro-scale methods to quantify variations in metal(loid) concentration as a …

Highlighting School Of Education Successes To Build Community, V. Janene Mcmahan

Education

The project is a WordPress site to showcase faculty and students. This site is a companion piece to the redesigned University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Education website. It is intended to provide a visual resource to be used by faculty and staff to promote the uniqueness of current and recent developments in the School o f Education. The site should serve as a space where staff and faculty may promote opportunities for current and recent graduates. It will also include graduate students’ experiences via research, projects, career stories and testimonials provided by students. These materials will be linked in …

If Hindsight Is 20/20, Our Justice System Should Not Be Blind To New Evidence Of Innocence: A Survey Of Post-Conviction New Evidence Statutes And A Proposed Model, Paige Kaneb

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Equitable Identification Of El Students For Special Education By All Teachers, Hanna Winkelman

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project is: How do teachers refer EL students for special education services and how can the process be more equitable for students? The motivating factor for this research was one teacher’s frustration in referring EL students for special education services at a large urban school. The teacher felt as though the process was disorganized, inequitable and did not support EL students with the highest needs. The author interviews ESL, special education teachers and a bilingual educational assistant at one urban school to identify their perspective of the process and frustrations that arise from it. …

Linay'sdulkaas De': Let's Start Sewing, Sondra Shaginoff-Stuart, Kaggos Ts'akae

Linguistics

This paper proposes Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT) as a teaching method for Ahtna language learners. TBLT focuses on engaging learners in meaningful activities or tasks which they accomplish through using the target language, learning Ahtna in the process. TBLT incorporates deeper understandings and meaning by teaching students the language in a cultural context. For this paper, the focus activity will be making a beaded necklace. Beading has been an important activity for me, from the time of learning about my culture and people from my Aunt Katie Wade. The website accompanying the project and be found at: http://www.ourlanguagecameback.com/.

An Examination Of The Keyboard Technique Of Bach, Haydn, Chopin, Scriabin And Prokofiev, Jonathan K. Hays

Music

In this research paper, I will explore the keyboard technique of each composer presented in my recital: J.S. Bach, Franz Joseph Haydn, Frederic Chopin, Alexander Scriabin and Sergei Prokofiev. I hope to elucidate the physical approach used by each composer, and show in turn how that same approach influenced the music of each composer by analyzing the pieces performed in my recital. To understand the distinct technique of the composers, it is important to know some context. The instrument each composer wrote for necessarily influenced their technique and resulting composition. However, the instrument cannot explain every facet of technique, and …

The Application Of Local And Traditional Knowledge For Disaster Mitigation In Flood-Prone Areas Of Rural Thailand, Lacey L. Shoemaker

Rural Development

This project focuses around the development of a workshop on disaster preparedness and response for a village in rural Thailand. The workshop goals were concentrated around the investigation of solutions to alleviate or lessen the vulnerability of the village toward reoccurring flood events. The objectives were completed through inclusion of stakeholders and outside experts and focused on bringing a conversation to community leaders in regard to their implementation of pre- and post-disaster strategies. The primary audience for this research project is those working within rural communities that are prone to annual or frequent natural disasters. The tools and knowledge gained …

Colonization Experiences Of Alaskan IñUpiat And Model For Decolonization, Ukallaysaaq Thomas Okleasik

Rural Development

This project explores a potential method for examining American, Alaskan and Iñupiaq colonization with a process for decolonization to help restore authentic community self governance that addresses modern socioeconomic challenges and opportunities on terms that will best work in indigenous villages sustainably and effectively. The focus is on Iñupiaq peoples; however, it can be adapted for use by other indigenous peoples. The six-step decolonization process begins with building awareness and understanding the many layers of colonization - both from the colonizer’s perspective and perspective of those subjected to colonization. The decolonization process continues by encompassing healing, revitalization, vision, strategy and …

Motivating The African American Patient: What Can Healthcare Leaders Learn About Motivating Type 2 Diabetic Patients To Adhere To Their Treatment Plan?, Yolonda Freeman-Hildreth

Student Scholarship

The purpose of this research is to understand the gap between recommended diabetic treatment adherence and what motivates African American patients to adhere to long-term behavioral change. We examine the literature and existing approaches to understanding motivation and treatment adherence, and then present our proposition for increasing the accuracy of the motivational factors related to treatment adherence, followed by our contribution through findings and implications for research. We conducted a qualitative study to understand the factors that motivate African American diabetic patients to adhere to their recommended treatment plan. Our sample was 30 African Americans over the age of 18 …

Sagavanirktok River Spring Breakup Observations 2016, H. Toniolo, K.D. Tape, T. Tschetter, J.W. Homan, E.K. Youcha, D. Vas, R.E. Gieck, J. Keech, G. Upton

WERC Project Reports

In 2015, spring breakup on the Sagavanirktok River near Deadhorse was characterized by high flows that destroyed extensive sections of the Dalton Highway, closing the road for nearly 3 weeks. This unprecedented flood also damaged infrastructure that supports the trans-Alaska pipeline, though the pipeline itself was not damaged. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) and the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company made emergency repairs to their respective infrastructure. In December 2015, aufeis accumulation was observed by ADOT&PF personnel. In January 2016, a research team with the University of Alaska Fairbanks began monitoring and researching the aufeis and local …

Scenarios In Social-Ecological Systems: Co-Producing Futures In Arctic Alaska, A. L. Lovecraft, H. Eicken

Research Posters

Scenarios are used to think ahead in rapidly changing, complex, and competitive environments, and make crucial decisions in absence of complete information about the future. Currently, at many regional scales of governance, there is a growing need for legitimate tools that enable the actors (e.g., governments, corporations, organized interests) at local-scales to address pressing concerns in the midst of uncertainty. This is particularly true of areas experiencing rapidly changing environments (e.g., drought, floods, diminishing sea ice, erosion) and complex social problems (e.g., remote communities, resource extraction, threatened cultures). Scenario exercises produce neither forecasts of what is to come nor are …

Bonding Theatre And Chemistry: An Educational Exploration, Matthew Gurniak

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This paper analyzes the educational aspects of theatre and music and the impact that they have on an audience. The goal was to begin a new conversation about science and theatre and how the two can learn and gain unique insight from each other. To examine how these two antithetical fields can interact, I composed a new, innovative musical that tells the love story between two professors through the use of concepts from general chemistry. The results and responses from the performance of the play were overwhelmingly positive from members of both disciplines. They have inspired continued interest in this …

Compliment-Blame Relation And Responses, Israa Hasan Ajeel

Uruk Journal of Human Sciences

Compliment and blame are rhetorical devices that people use to evaluate other people's behaviors as well as to motivate and educate them to act according to the moral norms of their society. Yet, these acts speech can be used to express someone’s attitudes towards the addressee. While compliment is implemented to denote admiration and approval, blame is used to denote disapproval and criticism. The main objective of this study is to study these two speech acts and to show how one of them can be expressed by means of the other because a lot of studies have been done on …

Observations And Light Curve Analysis Of Transiting Extra-Solar Planets, Clark M. Holcomb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to perform the procedures to study transiting exoplanets in their entirety, from the data collection process to determining physical characteristics and orbital properties. The research was conducted with two telescopes of different sizes (16” and 12”) at multiple sites in order to refine the detection process. Both Maxim DL and Mira Pro x64 software were used to process the resulting images. The PHOEBE program was used to model the data to determine the properties of the exoplanets, which were then compared to the results obtained by other astronomers. The data collection process as well …

Tobacco Use, Cessation, And Locus Of Control Among College Students, Bernard Ambe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to (a) determine the locus of control among American college students (b) determine if tobacco use or cessation correlate with any demographic variables to better understand the efficacy of tobacco interventions and help design an intervention most effective in the prominent LOC of college students.

The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) was modified for the purposes of this study and used to determine demographic factors and tobacco usage status. The modified GATS survey also included the LOC questionnaire which yielded the data. Seventy-four responses were recorded. The mean locus of control scores were …

Effect Of Reproductive Efficiency In Regards To Workload On Peripheral Circulations Of Blood Cortisol And Leptin In The Open Mare, Michaelle K. Coker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Effect of Reproductive Efficiency in Regards to Workload on Peripheral Circulations of Blood Cortisol and Leptin in the Open Mare

(December, 2016)

Michaelle Kathleen Coker, B.S., Texas A&M University

Thesis Director: Dr. John Michael Mehaffey

Quarter and Paint horse mares (n= 9) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups after being blocked based by expected conception date. Groups consist of mares on no work (NW), light work (LW), and moderate work (MW). Blood was taken weekly via jugular venipuncture prior to first heat cycle from each mare. Additionally, blood was taken at time of ovulation and then weekly …

Forecasting Stock-Specific Upriver Migration Timing Of Chinook Salmon In The Yukon River, Bryce Douglas Mecum

Fisheries

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are an economically and culturally important genus of fishes endemic to the North Pacific. Their sustainable management depends on an understanding of the drivers of their abundance and migration dynamics. In many instances, statistical models are employed to predict abundance and run timing before harvest takes place to more effectively meet management objectives. In this thesis, I created a general-purpose predictive model of run timing that can be applied to many salmon populations. I then applied it to Yukon River Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) by generating pre-season predictions of inriver run timing, which I then compared …

Material Characterization Of Alaskan Asphalt Mixtures Containing Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (Rap), Beaux M. Kemp

Engineering

Recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) material has been combined with hot-mix asphalt (HMA) paving for several decades to reduce construction costs and environmental impacts. In Alaska, the HMA specification allows up to 15% RAP for Type-II A mixes (typically used in wearing courses) and 25% for Type II-B mixes (used in wearing or base courses). Highway construction projects statewide are expected to see an increase in the use of RAP in future mix designs. Pavement engineers use mechanistic procedures (e.g. Alaska Flexible Pavement Design software and Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide) to develop flexible pavement design alternatives. These procedures require material engineering …

Using Superdarn To Predict Polar Irregularities That Cause Gps Scintillation, Michelle R. Simon

Engineering

High levels of scintillation caused by strong magnetic storms can cause GPS devices to lose connection with the necessary satellites. Current research has shown a correlation between major magnetic storms and higher levels of the recorded Total Electron Content (TEC) seen in GPS receivers. The research presented in this thesis examines the idea that observations from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) can be used to predict scintillation levels in GPS receivers at polar latitudes by using GPS scintillation values σφ and S4 that were collected from January, 2013 till November, 2015. These values were gathered from Poker Flat, …

Event Based Modeling Studying Three Sub-Basins In The Kenai River Watershed, Brett M. Wells

Engineering

Streams in the Kenai River watershed are characterized by a fish-rich environment, with competing interests between commercial industry and recreational users. Resource managers strive to balance the needs of both these user groups while maintaining the sustainability of the resource. The ability to estimate future river conditions could help maintain the resource, and a strong, sustainable economy on the Kenai Peninsula. This research used the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrological Modeling System (HMS), which transforms rainfall to river discharge. The main goal was to define a set of parameters that were calibrated using an event based strategy, and concurrent …

Launch Environment Data Logger Design And Implementation For Cubesats, Morgan Johnson

Engineering

Designing to the CubeSat standard has allowed many universities the ability to launch satellites missions to space. These small satellites are secondary, or even tertiary, payloads on launch vehicles. In fact, these ride-share payloads are frequently used as ballast for weight and balance of the launch vehicle and are often mounted near the engines. The environment experienced by these CubeSats is not well known. The Launch Environment Data Logger was designed to measure temperature and vibrations of the launch vehicle to better understand what kind of environment these small satellites must survive on their ride to space. Through this thesis …

Recovery Of Rare Earth Elements From Alaskan Coal And Coal Combustion Products, Tushar Gupta

Engineering

Owing to the monopolistic supply and rapid demand growth of Rare Earth Elements (REEs), cost effective and eco-friendly technologies for extraction of REEs from coal and coal byproducts are being widely explored. Physical separation tests, like magnetic separation, float-sink and froth flotation, were conducted at a laboratory scale, for identification and characterization of REEs in two Alaskan coal samples. The studies revealed that the samples are enriched in critical REEs, and have elevated REE concentrations as compared to average world coal estimates. The selected coal samples from Healy and Wishbone Hill regions were found to possess an overall concentration of …

Geologic And Geochemical Characterization Of Cross-Communication Potential Within The Northern Edwards Aquifer System, Texas, Ingrid J. Eckhoff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Edwards Aquifer is a large, complex groundwater system located throughout Central Texas in association with the Balcones Fault Zone. The San Antonio and Barton Spring segments of the Edwards Aquifer have been extensively studied in the past because they provide groundwater resources to the largely urbanized areas of San Antonio and Austin, respectively, and smaller communities along the Interstate 35 corridor. Previous research has been conducted on these southern and central portions of the Edwards Aquifer system, which have characterized the structural, hydrogeological and geochemical variations within the highly karsted region. However, the Northern Segment of the Edwards Aquifer …

“Welcome To The Real World” Inclusive Research With People With Learning Disabilities: A Doctoral Journey, Shirley Durell

The Qualitative Report

Many people with learning disabilities have been and are still been excluded from an active involvement in research. In the UK, this position has been challenged by people with learning disabilities, their supporters and academic allies, through the advancement of inclusive research. But calls have been made for a clarification of the roles that can be played by these research supporters and researchers, to expose asymmetrical relations and to advance existing practices, as well as to develop a better understanding of quality in inclusive research. In response to these matters, this paper offers an account of the experiences of a …

Defining “Justice” In Post-Conflict Societies By Exploring The Case Of The Armenian Genocide., Narek Ghazaryan

Master's Theses

This study examines the many different approaches towards justice in post-conflict societies. It analysis the two main theories of justice and uses the Armenian Genocide as a case study to comprehend what constitutes justice in the aftermath of a humanitarian crisis. This study aims to define “justice” by the Armenian population in forms of surveys and expert interviews. It is the community who is directly impacted by the crisis can indeed identify what justice mean to them. For a society to heal in the aftermath of conflict justice needs to be served in order to restore peace and harmony. For …

Illinois State University, One Hundred And Fifty-Seventh Annual Commencement, December 17, 2016, Illinois State University

Commencement Programs

Illinois State University
One Hundred and Fifty-Seventh Annual Commencement
December 17, 2016