Digital Commons Network^™

Focus On Boise State University, Sherry Squires (Editor)

FOCUS on Boise State

No abstract provided.

Citizens, Town Councils, And Landowners: The Complex Web Of Rights And Decision-Making In Shale Oil And Gas Development, Heidi Gorovitz Robertson

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

Robertson's piece focuses on the role of local governments operating within a larger legal system and how they might control or influence shale oil and gas activities within their communities.

Lawrence, Spring 2017, Lawrence University

Alumni Magazines

No abstract provided.

Abalone Aquaculture In Western Australia, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

Principles and considerations relating to management of abalone aquaculture in Western Australia

Usage Of Green Spaces At The University Of Cape Coast By Non-African Foreign Students, Yaw Asamoah, Ishmael Mensah, Osman Adams, Paul Baidoo, Akosua B. Ameyaw-Akumfi, Collins Adjei Mensah Dr.

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

Universities all over the world have green spaces (GS) as an integral part of their campuses because of the significant benefits derived from them. Aside enhancing the image of universities, GS influence the academic performance of students by reducing stress. This paper examines the preferences and uses of green spaces on UCC campus by Non-African foreign students (NAFS). Data was collected through in-depth interviews, observations and by the use of Arc-GIS 10.1 software. Sixteen NAFS were interviewed during the second semester of the 2013/2014 academic year. It was found out that the usage of GS was influenced by factors such …

Geography 2017 Apr Self-Study & Documents, University Of New Mexico

UNM Academic Program Review

UNM Geography APR self-study report, review team report, response to review report, and initial action plan for Spring 2017, fulfilling requirements of the Higher Learning Commission.

A Case Study Of Motivating Factors Related To Recycling In The Workplace, Erika Roan

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Improving recycling behavior in the workplace can reduce environmental problems by significantly cutting down on waste being sent to the landfill. A new ordinance in Lincoln, Nebraska that bans cardboard from the landfill beginning April 2018 presents serious challenges to workplaces’ current waste management, including the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s. The key to successfully transitioning to comply with this new ordinance is employee participation in recycling programs. To change employees’ current recycling behavior and encourage more recycling in the workplace, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of what motivates employees to recycle. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was …

Can A Biogas Production Company Feasibly Exist In Lincoln Nebraska?, Tucker Bonow

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

With a changing energy market and increasing renewable energy ideals, biogas regeneration could rapidly increase to cut costs and increase efficiently. Lincoln, Nebraska could be a prime location for a business to start producing biogas from food waste around the city and sell the resultant product. Through the process of anaerobic digestion, food waste is broken down and turning into methane gas which then can be used to heat homes, power cars or be converted to electricity. For the government of Lincoln, they are trying to find a way to cut cost and prolong the Bluff Road landfill and this …

Assessment Of Painted Turtle Size And Age From Long-Term Pond Study, Ellen Dolph

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

In recent years there has been a decline in herpetofauna, sparking an interest in inventory and monitoring of these declining species. Climate and drought affect population dynamics. Growth rates can be indicators of healthy individuals, populations or habitats (Moldowan et. al, 2015; Armstrong and Brooks, 2013), however, growth rates can be hard to obtain for long-lived species with individuals of unknown age, and long-term studies are rare. Mark-recapture sampling techniques can provide growth information from individuals of unknown age (Armstrong and Brooks, 2013). Though painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) are not currently a species of conservation concern and have …

A Climate Change Risk Assessment Of Northern Great Plains Reservations, Matthew Jensby

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Climate change is expected to have varied effects on cultural groups across the United States, with Native American communities considered the most vulnerable due to economic disadvantages. There are more Indian Reservations (21) in the northern Great Plains than in any other region, where water resources are vital to community health and stability. However, climate change stands to directly impact available water resources by altering aquatic ecosystems and degrading the quality of accessible water. As such, the primary aim of this study was to develop a hierarchical vulnerability assessment to compare all 21 reservations by potential water resource alteration as …

The Effects Of Music And Media On Littering Behaviors, Emily Hauck

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The effects of music and images on littering behavior were studied at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and on Facebook. This study investigated emotional responses to music as a stimulus and how a video impacted likelihood of change of littering behaviors. Because music and images can reach a large number of people quickly, this study can extend to other parts of the world because music and images cut across language barriers. This study can also help create effective and powerful commercials. Littering is an expensive and harmful problem, and music can affect emotions and empathy which can inspire behavior change in …

Public Perception Of Leadership In The Municipal Solid Waste Sector, Allison Creeger

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

The Involvement Of Arabidopsis Calmodulin In Plant Immunity Against Pseudomonas Syringae, Katherine Lagerstrom

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein present in all eukaryotic cells and is essential for many cellular functions. Calcium-specific binding to CaM induces a conformational change in CaM that affects its interaction with different target proteins, influencing the activity of proteins that bind it. Through calcium signal transduction, CaM mediates a variety of important cellular processes, including plant immunity. The Arabidopsis genome encodes 7 CaM genes that are highly conserved and homologous. While the involvement of CaMs in several eukaryotic processes is known, many of their biological functions in Arabidopsis remain largely unknown. Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 is pathogenic …

The Relationship Between Change In Stress Level Due To Nature Exposure And An Individual's Nature Appreciation, Madeleine Schwinghammer

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Plant Diversity On Pollinator Abundance, Kendra Nelson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

Saving Money While Participating In Urban Agriculture, Jill Wieneke

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

With more and more people pouring into urban areas, many have become unattached to where their food comes from and are disengaged with local food systems. Urban agriculture (UA) can bring people closer to healthy foods and be a potential savings. This will bring more resilience to a community and amend food insecurities Through this case study at the Hawley Hamlet Neighborhood Garden, urban gardeners can understand the capabilities of UA and the effects of food affordability into urban settings. This case study is an example of vegetable outputs and cost savings that can be obtained at a community garden …

Developmental Factors Leading To Pro Environmental Attitudes, Adam Fenton

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Human personality is a complex formation of attributes that comprise an individual. These personality traits maintain links to personal attitudes or beliefs about objects, people, and issues that are encountered throughout life. It is a long-standing goal of social research to understand not only personality traits and attitudes, but also the linkage between the two. This research uses survey questionnaires administered to University of Nebraska-Lincoln students to assess the modifying factors of elementary school activity levels, average city/state/national park attendance, and environmental education on personality traits and pro environmental attitudes. Each respondent answered a Big 5 short form personality assessment …

Land Use As An Indicator Of Stream Habitat Quality In Salt Creek, Lexus Wellman, Adam Brown, Arden Cornwell

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This study sought to quantify land use types in Lancaster County and identify which, if any, environmental parameters were significantly influencing fish and invertebrate distribution in the Salt Creek basin. Historical sampling data were obtained from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. Watershed land cover maps were created and the percentages of urban/developed, forested, row crop, and grassland use were calculated. This data was combined with NDEQ water quality parameter, fish, and invertebrate sampling data to conduct nonmetric multidimensional scaling. This analysis did not provide significant conclusions about the driving force of fish and invertebrate distribution in this region because …

Sediment Associated Arsenic In Stream And Aquifer Sediments, Christopher N. Elofson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Arsenic (As) is an element commonly associated with aquifer sediment, with a global concentration 1.7 mg/kg, and can be subsequently released into groundwater. In recent times, increased anthropogenic inputs have contributed to geochemical changes in the subsurface that affect the mobilization of arsenic into subsurface water resources. Concentrations above the EPA’s maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 µg/L have recently been reported in many areas across the United States, including Nebraska. The health risk of prolonged exposure to high arsenic concentrations are skin ailments, like hyper pigmentation and keratosis, and cancer. Furthermore, many rural communities, especially in western Nebraska, lack …

The Environmental Impacts Of Fracking, Nick Nardone

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Hydraulic Fracturing or commonly known as fracking has helped the oil and gas industry making it easier for us to extract oil and gas from the ground. While we have benefited economically from this boom, the process of injecting high amounts of water and chemicals deep into the earth’s surface at extremely high pressures puts an negative effect on the environment. The purpose of my study is to identify and understand the environmental impacts associated with fracking. Analyzing the environmental impacts will give us the needed information and knowledge to help reduce the environmental harm associated with Fracking. The public …

The Relationship Between Urbanization And Eutrophication In Lake Dianchi Watershed In Kunming, China, Xiaoyu Yin

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Due to the rapid economic growth in China, urban area in the City of Kunming has expanded overwhelmingly since 1970s along with dramatic population growth in Kunming. However, the source of drinking water that people of Kunming has depended on, Lake Dianchi, has been seriously polluted since 1990s. I looked at peer-reviewed literature and categorized them based on type of research method. After collecting and analyzing data from literature, the reverse relationship between urbanization and water quality in Lake Dianchi was concluded; the sources of phosphorus load to Lake Dianchi were mainly from human and agricultural activities.

Environmental Studies Discipline Pslo's 2017, Environmental Studies Discipline

Assessment of Student Learning Reports

No abstract provided.

Building Capacity: How A Local Government Agency Can Support Partners In Offering Environmental Education For Youth, Alisa Reckinger

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This project addressed the research question: what are the most effective strategies for a local government agency to support partner organizations in implementing environmental education for youth? Environmental education partners from a large county in Minnesota participated in group conversations to explore questions related to the definition of, benefits of, barriers to and strategies for environmental education. Additional research methods included a pre-questionnaire to learn more about the group conversation participants and an online survey to get broader participations and prioritize the goals, key elements, topics, benefits, barriers and strategies for environmental education. The project results were compared to information …

Student Engagement With Nature When Using Nature Journals And Ipads, Xeng Jasiczek

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone is a collection of lessons to teach nature journals while using iPads in the

elementary classroom from first grade through fifth grade. This curriculum is cross- curricular and includes teaching lessons in art and science, and work on students being

reflective of their work either verbally or written. This curriculum is supported by research done about outdoor learning, the use of modern technology and free play. All these things contribute to a better mental and physical health of children into adulthood. The use of technology in the classroom is changing how teachers teach and how students learn. This …

Connecting Environmental Stewardship, Youth Development, And Community Engagement, Through A Student-Centered Pollinator Curriculum, Elizabeth Huerta Ortiz

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this capstone was to find the means to engage inner city youth in outdoor experiences that would help them form a deep connection to nature. The research question that I focused on was: how can national parks, native plant nurseries, and school districts work together to inspire inner city youth to become active stewards of the natural world? The analysis of the literature review guided me to find one possible answer, which is to develop and implement a student-centered pollinator curriculum in partnership with the national parks, native plant nurseries, and school districts. The pollinator curriculum is …

Student-­Led Farmers Market: Engaging, Real-­World Experience And Nutrition Education That Prepares Students For A Successful Professional Life After High School, Rebecca A. Hennessey

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

School gardens are becoming an increasingly popular tool for environmental education. Learning in a school garden offers many benefits, from first­hand experience in applying information learned in school, to nutrition education, to growing in character. School garden curriculum is readily available for students at the elementary level, but is difficult to find at the high school level. This capstone includes curriculum that is easily adaptable and supports a student­led farmers market program, providing garden and nutrition education to students at the high school level through the context of a fully­functioning farmers market that is completely run by students.

How Do You Empower At Risk Students To Become Active Citizens About The Environment, Through The Design And Implementation Of An Urban Environmental Science Curriculum Within An Alternative Education Setting?, Stephen N. Szczodroski

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

At-risk students come with a history of failure in school. The mainstream classroom setting has not worked for them in the past; therefore, educators must think outside the box and get students doing as many hands-on, experiential lessons as possible. Generally, these students do not have the opportunity to experience many experiential activities. This new curriculum helped students get outside learning new skills, and lured them away from chalkboard lessons. A major component with the curriculum was coordinating with the local parks and recreational system, to create a program where students are involved in using and maintaining local natural areas …

In Creative Problem Solving Does Projection Influence The Press?, Eugene Ravenell

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

In Creative Problem Solving, Does Projection Influence the Press? What this project aims to achieve is using creative problem tools with the notion that Projection (in relation to circumstances in our environment) causes us to push against our press. Using Projection (mental images), can we find solutions to problems efficiently? Samples of CPS tools and their uses will be explained. "Projection" meaning and inner-works of our brain function will show an illustration that will be clarified as to how individual's cognitive functions react to stimuluses'. Projection is a simulation of a scene, place, and time. It is reasonable to ask …

A Proposal For Geothermal Heating & Cooling At The University Of Richmond, Zachary Snelling, Coleman Harris, Chelsea Wilson

Geography and the Environment Capstone Projects

Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) offer a more efficient and environmentally responsible alternative to traditional heating and cooling systems. Using the earth’s constant subsurface ground temperatures to generate heating and cooling, GSHPs allow for a decrease in fossil fuel dependence and greenhouse gas emissions. Higher education institutions, such as the University of Richmond, have a responsibility to model sustainability for their students when expanding and developing their campuses. Environmental, educational, and economic factors must be evaluated when considering new and replacement heat and energy installations. The viability of a GSHP installation on the University of Richmond’s campus should weigh current …

Yale Medicine : Alumni Bulletin Of The School Of Medicine, Spring 2017, Yale University. School Of Medicine

Yale Medicine Magazine - alumni bulletin and magazine

This is the Spring 2017 issue of Yale Medicine: alumni bulletin of the School of Medicine, v. 51, no. 3. Prepared in cooperation with the alumni and development offices at the School of Medicine. Earlier volumes are called Yale School of Medicine alumni bulletins, dating from v.1 (1953) through v.13 (1965).