Digital Commons Network^™

The Malleability Of Disciplinary Identity, Megan E. Mericle

English

This paper tracks the progress of a beginning undergraduate writer's disciplinary becoming. Much research in disciplinary identity focuses on graduate students and advanced undergraduate writers; however, sites of disciplinary identity formation also occur early on during the required first-year writing course. These sites are crucial because they inform the student writer's entrance into the academic conversation, and reveal the extent to which early assumptions about disciplinary roles affects further disciplinary identity formation. Drawing from Ivanič's framework of writer identity, this case study reveals the ever-shifting tensions of "disciplinary becoming." The analysis captures how a writer's discursive self shifts from a …

Artificial Islands In The South China Sea, Aaron Holmes

OSRI Journal of Student Research and Innovation

The purpose of this study was to understand the value and implications of artificial islands constructed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the South China Sea. Qualitative analysis was used with the available literature, sources, and treaties of the topics concerned. The paper concludes that the PRC gains many benefits primarily within the realm of energy security and explores what effects they may

Ua42/4/3 Commencement Program, Wku Owensboro

WKU Administration Documents

Commencement program listing graduates with order of exercises for WKU Owensboro.

Extension In The City: Meeting The Challenges Of Scale, Jennifer Sarah Tiffany

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The urban share of the United States and global population has been climbing steadily since well before the inception of Extension. As of the 2010 census, more than four out of five U.S. residents lived in urban areas, with 71% of the total U.S. population living in cities with more than 50,000 residents, and 10% living in smaller urban clusters. Cornell University established Cooperative Extension offices in New York City (CUCE-NYC) well after the Extension system was developed in rural and suburban counties throughout New York State. NYC is the largest city and part of the largest metropolitan area in …

The Disappearing Wetland Act: Climate Change, Development, And Protection, Jessica P. Doughty

Student Theses 2015-Present

Wetlands are the providers of ecosystem services and important local and national economic resources. Despite the services provided by these ecosystems, the importance of wetlands are often overlooked and they are filled in to make way for development, polluted, and degraded. These habitats are further damaged by the effects of climate change. This thesis focuses on wetlands in the Northeastern United States, using the Long Island Sound as a case study to explore the devastating effects of development and climate change on wetlands. In this thesis, I use environmental history, economics, and government policy to explore the importance of wetland …

Fracking In Pennsylvania: History, Geopolitics, And Public Health, Kathryn A. Susko

Student Theses 2015-Present

Hydraulic fracturing or fracking is the extraction of natural gas from deep within the earth through invasive drilling. This thesis explores the history of fracking, the geopolitical motivations for fracking in Pennsylvania, and the health risks associated with working and living near the sites. Seen within the context of the history and availability of our nation’s natural resources, represents for energy companies an opportunity to extract large quantities of natural gas, yet these companies express contempt for citizens who suffer from the polluting effects of this industry and do not receive compensation. As for the geopolitics, there are evident geographical …

Food For Thought: Analyzing The Impacts Of Livestock Factory Farming In The United States, Mallory Russo

Student Theses 2015-Present

The practice of large scale factory farming in the United States has raised moral and ethical questions since its establishment in the mid twentieth century. Though a relatively modern development in the field of agribusiness, factory farming has already accounted for drastic damage to both public and environmental health. Factory farming requires the unsustainable use of resources, gives off toxic waste, and poses a serious threat to public health. This paper aims the further analyze those damages, as well as investigate the lack of transparency and political corruption carried out by factory farm industry leaders. Major factory farming companies have …

University Of Montana Commencement Program, 2017, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of The Registrar

University of Montana Commencement Programs, 1898-2020

Commencement program from the University of Montana.

Gravitational Study Of The Hastings Salt Dome And Associated Faults In Brazoria And Galveston Counties,Texas, Francis C. Okocha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Salt domes are important geological structures because they are potential major hydrocarbon traps and have a profound effect on overlying strata in the subsurface. Over five hundred salt domes have been located on the United States Gulf Coast region, including the Hastings Salt Dome. Hastings Oil Field is located about 40.2 km (25 miles) southeast of Houston, Texas. The Hasting oil field was discovered in 1934 and it was considered the largest oil reserve on the Gulf Coast. Its peak production of 75,000 BOPD (barrels of oil per day) was recorded in 1977 and it had a cumulative production of …

2017 Lynn University Commencement Program - Undergraduate Day Students, Lynn University

Commencement Programs

The commencement program for Lynn University's 2017 Undergraduate Day Students, held on Saturday, May 13, 2017 in the Count and Countess de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center.

The commencement speaker was Dr. Robert Watson, Professor of American Studies, College of Arts and Sciences at Lynn University.

The Firece Green Fire: Vol. 7 Issue 25, Wofford College Environmental Studies Program

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.

2017 Commencement Program, Whittier College

Commencement Programs

Whittier College's One Hundred Fourteenth Commencement, May 12, 2017

Commencement Address: Solomon D. Trujillo, Global Telecommunications, Media, and Cable Industry Executive

Illinois Wesleyan Honors Candidates For Graduation, University Communications

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Patterns Of A Sustainable Grand Valley State University, Cullin Flynn

Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Pavement Surface Distress Detection, Assessment, And Modeling Using Geospatial Techniques, Su Zhang

Civil Engineering ETDs

Roadway pavement surface distress information is essential for effective pavement asset management, and subsequently, transportation agencies at all levels dedicate a large amount of time and money to routinely collect data on pavement surface distress conditions as the core of their asset management programs. These data are used by these agencies to make maintenance and repair decisions. Current methods for pavement surface distress evaluation are time-consuming and expensive. Geospatial technologies provide new methods for evaluating pavement surface distress condition that can supplement or substitute for currently-adopted evaluation methods. However, few previous studies have explored the utility of geospatial technologies for …

The Anthropocene, Overview, Scott W. Schwartz

Open Educational Resources

This presentation offers an overview of the developing concept of The Anthropocene -- a term coined to describe our current geological epoch, in which human impact on the planet will leave a permanent trace.

Effect Of Spatial Influence On Endophyte Diversity Within Alnus Rubra, Sebastian L. Singleton

Student Research Symposium

Red alders (Alnus rubra) of the Pacific Northwest are characterized as actinorhizal dicotyledons; plants that possess that ability to form symbiotic relationships with endophytic organisms, which result in nitrogen-fixing nodules. In Alders of the order Fagales, such a symbiotic relationship with Frankia bacteria allows these plants to play crucial environmental roles as pioneer species able to colonize and enrich nutrient-deficient soils. This ability has a major impact on ecological succession by enabling other species to establish. Although inoculation with frankia bacteria is known to increase symbiotic nitrogen fixation capabilities of actinorhizal plants, whether they could confer the same benefit to …

A Four Year Study Of The Effects Of Substrate Depth On The Survival Of Different Plant Species In Portland, Or, Arjun Viray

Student Research Symposium

The changes in green roof plant species composition was observed after a four year time period. Twelve plots were planted in either native or non-native species at two different substrate depths according to a 2 by 2 factorial design. The list of original species from installation was used to identify which species survived over time in their respective plots. After four years, 9 out of 12 native species and 13 out of 14 species survived. The high survival of 26 original species must be compared to the colonization of 68 new species. With minimal maintenance, new species colonized plots. Extensive …

The Importance Of Urban Habitat Connectivity And Influence On Native Avian Species And Community Science, Kristen S. Gulick

Student Research Symposium

In what ways do small-scale urban backyards contribute to local bird abundance and biodiversity? In what ways might these yards serve as an ‘extension’ of neighboring native forest areas? This project investigates the contribution that a group of backyards, certified through the Backyard Habitat Certification Program, have in the suburb of Hillsdale, Oregon, which is adjacent to the natural area of Keller Woodland. Backyard owners functioning as citizen or community scientists assisted with conducting residential bird point-counts once a week in each backyard and the natural area. Counts were done for a total of 8 weeks during nesting season to …

Enabling And Limiting Conditions Of Coastal Adaptation: Local Governments, Land Uses, And Legal Challenges, Jesse Reiblich, Lisa M. Wedding, Eric H. Hartge

Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

Rising seas combined with battering storms necessitate swift action from local governments charged with protecting their jurisdictions and constituents. Currently, there is a wealth of scientific data and predictive modeling information available to city planners and decision-makers, but there has been limited success in proactive coastal adaptation planning and implementation “on the ground.” Furthermore, while many adaptation options for dealing with coastal changes have been identified, there remains a disconnect between many of these strategies and how they fit into an adaptation framework and long-term planning processes for specific areas, and how legally or politically feasible they are. Particularly, the …

Environmental Health, Tessa Oliaro

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

There is a very important intersection between the environment, public health, and socioeconomic factors (Braveman, 2014). These include waste disposal, water use and quality, road safety, ecosystem services, and many more. Environmental health stresses, “the health impacts of physical, chemical, and biological agents in the environment and workplace, and learns to develop strategies to measure and control major environmental health problems both locally…and in settings around the globe” (UC Berkeley School of Public Health, 2017). This overarching umbrella can have emphases in environmental epidemiology, exposure science, climate change, ergonomics, home and industrial hygiene, and molecular epidemiology. Exploring each of these …

Veganism As A Cultural Phenomenon, Emma Sanford Frawley

Honors Theses

The present research is a social science exploration into the adaptation and transition to veganism through the experiences of nineteen interviewees to interpret veganism as a cultural phenomenon. It questions the way in which societal, moral, and physical environments both shape and inform a sense of meaning and action behind an individual's decision to become vegan. Through six narratives, which describe the interviewee's social, geographical, educational, ethical, health-related, and environmental justifications for veganism, and an explanation of interviewee's transition to and perception of the barriers to veganism, this study uses idealist ethnography techniques to reflect the dynamism and intricacies of …

Man V Nature: American Fears Of The Environment, Hannah Brower

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This paper will explore how fearful Americans are about the state of the environment and how concerned they are with a plethora of environmental issues, including air pollution, water pollution, and global warming. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears data on the environment, I will examine how fearful about an environmental issue an individual is and how their age, income, education level, preferred news channel, and political party affiliation correlate with their level of fear. I expect to find strong correlations between younger people, Democrats, those who prefer liberal news providers, people with higher incomes, and people with …

In Our Time: Advancing Interfaith Studies Curricula At Catholic Colleges And Universities, Eboo Patel, Noah Silverman, Kristi Del Vecchio

Engaging Pedagogies in Catholic Higher Education (EPiCHE)

People who orient around religion differently are interacting with greater frequency than ever before. These interactions, especially in the context of college and university campuses, require young people to grapple with their own identities in ways that previous generations could more easily avoid. Conversations about religious diversity have become elevated at colleges and universities, which has led Drs. Douglas Jacobsen and Rhonda Hustedt Jacobsen to claim that religion is “no longer invisible” in the context of American higher education.

As an organization that works with hundreds of American colleges and universities every year, Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) believes that Catholic …

The Cost Of Stability: Consumption-Based Fixed Rate Billing For Water Utilities, Amy Schmidt, Lynne Lewis

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

Municipal water utilities in the United States face the challenge of balancing the potentially conflicting goals of sending signals about water scarcity and maintaining revenue stability. Times of extreme shortage such as the current extended drought in California seriously challenge and can jeopardize this delicate balance. Mandatory or voluntary conservation strategies can be detrimental to revenue stability. This study explores the ability of the Consumption-Based Fixed Rates (CBFR) pricing method to solve this dual dilemma of scarcity pricing and revenue stability in both normal times and times of drought. CBFR proposes using a proportional consumer pricing system directly based on …

Reduced Phytoplankton And Zooplankton Diversity Associated With Increased Cyanobacteria In Lake Champlain, Usa, Katelyn A. Bockwoldt, Emily R. Nodine, Timothy B. Mihuc, Angela D. Shambaugh, Jason D. Stockwell

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

Anthropogenic inputs of nutrients threaten water quality around the world, causing eutrophication and altering phytoplankton communities. In freshwater systems, certain physiochemical conditions, including high TP, low TN:TP, and warm temperatures, can lead to problematic cyanobacteria blooms. Cyanobacteria can decrease phytoplankton diversity and phytoplankton diversity has been positively linked to zooplankton diversity, suggesting that cyanobacteria may have indirect negative effects on zooplankton diversity. Using monitoring data from Lake Champlain, we tested three hypotheses: (1) cyanobacteria density and phytoplankton diversity are inversely related; (2) phytoplankton diversity and zooplankton diversity are positively related; and by extension (3) cyanobacteria density and zooplankton diversity are …

Design And Manufacturing Of High Surface Area 3d-Printed Media For Moving Bed Bioreactors For Wastewater Treatment, Olivia Elliott, Stephanie Gray, Michael Mcclay, Bakr Nassief, Ann Nunnelley, Eric Vogt, Joseph Ekong, Kamran Kardel, Ali Khoshkhoo, Gabriel Proano, David M. Blersch, Andres L. Carrano

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

The specific surface area and topology of a biofilter media carrier is one of the most important parameters that determines the performance and efficiency of the system. In this work, mathematical models and 3D printing technologies were used to design and fabricate complex media designs that provide high specific surface area and refugia to protect biofilm from premature sloughing. Several gyroid based designs were proposed with specific surface area well beyond 2300 m2/m3. However, wall thicknesses and pore sizes that are prone to clogging determined a design that yields 1168 m2/m3 (133% larger than the baseline commercial K1 Kaldnes). Several …

Commencement 2017 (Program And Video), Illinois Wesleyan University

Commencement Ceremonies

No abstract provided.

Software Development For Home Energy Audits: Reducing Energy Consumption In Harrisonburg Through Technology, Brantley E. Gilbert

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Fossil fuels play a vital role in our daily lives. Oil, natural gas, and coal powers our cars, heats our homes and water, and are used by power companies to generate the massive amounts of electricity used every day by the United States. However, this reliance on a finite source of energy is not sustainable. Fossil fuels such as these are non-renewable resources whose production will eventually be unable to keep up with the rate of consumption. Furthermore, the extraction of the stored energy in these fuels through combustion releases harmful substances into the environment, including toxins and greenhouse gases …

Feasibility Study: Tangier Island Wind Turbine Deployment, Patrick Landess

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The 2014 Virginia Energy Plan set the goal of 25% of the energy produced in the state to be derived from renewable resources by 2025. Wind energy is one of the most prominent renewable resources in the state, with a potential wind capacity of approximately 1800 MW. The Virginia Department of Mines Minerals and Energy (DMME) looks to incentivize both small-scale and commercial renewable energy projects. As a result of this policy initiative and the competitiveness of renewable energy, the Center for Wind Energy (CWE) at James Madison University established the Distributed Wind Assistance Program (DWAP).

This honors project serves …