Digital Commons Network^™

Religiosity And Feminism: Navigating Gender Constructions And Ideologies, Molly Noble

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Religious women and feminist women are large demographics around the world, but relatively little is known about women who identify as both religious and feminist. In this thesis I ask: How do religious women hold feminist ideals when religion is seen by many feminists as an inherently patriarchal and oppressive institution? How does the interplay of their feminism and religiosity affect their life decisions and how they worship? How does having a religious feminist identity affect interactions with people in their lives? To address these issues I interviewed eleven (11) religious feminist women from a small rural community in Northern …

Religion, Language, Gender, And Culture: Challenges Experienced By Saudi International Students In Humboldt County, Dafer Sahab Alqarni

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The effects of culture shock on individuals living abroad are well known. Less well known, however, are the specific experiences, needs, and challenges of Saudi Arabian students studying internationally, especially in Western nations. In this study, I used qualitative research to explore the needs and difficulties of Saudi international students in Humboldt County and at Humboldt State University (HSU). Using semi-structured interviews with eight participants, diversified by gender and marital status, I provide a holistic view of HSU Saudi international students’ experiences and challenges which could help to understand Saudi students’ experiences abroad generally, and in Humboldt County specifically. I …

Negatively Correlated Abundance Suggests Competition Between Red Abalone (Haliotis Rufescens) And Red Sea Urchins (Mesocentrotus Franciscanus) Inside And Outside Established Mpas Closed To Commercial Sea Urchin Harvest In Northern California, Johnathan Centoni

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Red abalone and sea urchins are both important herbivores that potentially compete with each other for resources like food and space along the California coast. Red abalone supported a socioeconomically important recreational fishery during this study (which was closed in 2018) and red sea urchins support an important commercial fishery. Both red sea urchins and red abalone feed on the same macroalgae (including Pterygophora californica, Laminaria setchellii, Stephanocystis osmundacea, Costaria costata, Alaria marginata, Nereocystis leutkeana), and a low abundance of this food source during the period of this project may have created a highly competitive environment for urchins and …

Hobby Preferences And Physical Activity Participation Among Children With And Without Autism Spectrum Disorder, Scott M. Russell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

BACKGROUND: Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit low physical activity levels and are at an increased risk for health problems related to sedentary behaviors. Hobby preferences have been shown to influence physical activity participation. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine the hobby preferences of children with ASD and determine if there are differences depending on the children’s physical activity level and the nature of their preferred activities. A secondary purpose is to describe the hobby preferences of children with ASD. METHODS: Participants include 98 nine-year-old children (with and without ASD) from the National Growing up …

The Entangled Student: Identity Control Theory And Student Identity, Joshua Smith

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study examines the strengths and opportunities in applying the frame of Identity Control Theory (ICT) to understanding the first-year experiences of students in higher education. Through thirty-one semi-structured interviews with undergraduate and graduate students during their first term in the program of study, different components of the ICT model are explored and tested. Results indicate ICT is modestly effective in explaining the first term experience for these students, but could be enhanced through further development in the areas of identity connectedness, identity exploration and resources/resilience. Recommendations for higher education programming and suggestions for a potential research agenda for ICT …

Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Hosting Potential Of Historic Mill Sites In Humboldt County, California, Michael Avcollie

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The adoption of Redwood Coast Energy Authority’s (RCEA’s) Community Choice Energy program in May of 2017 across Humboldt County has sparked interest in locally produced energy from solar photovoltaics (PV). RCEA has a goal of bringing 5 Megawatts (MW) of local, utility-scale, solar PV under contract by 2018 and 15 MW by 2023. Humboldt County’s former mill sites offer features that make them suitable for hosting PV development. This study performed an inventory and analysis of these sites to answer two questions: Can Humboldt County’s former mill sites provide the hosting capacity for15 MW of local, utility-scale solar PV? Which …

Impacts Of The Changes Made To Solar Net Metering By Northern California Community Choice Aggregators, Steven Benton Shoemaker

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

When Northern California Community Choice Aggregation Programs (CCAs) took over the role of sourcing electricity from the incumbent utility (Pacific Gas and Electric, or PG&E), they also made changes to how solar customers were treated. In the Humboldt, Sonoma, Marin, and San Mateo County regions, solar customers that were net exporters of electricity received an additional $0.01/kWh credit on the generation portion of their bill. This policy is inherited from one CCA to another, and, given the CCAs are projected to serve 18 million Californians by 2020 (Cal CCA, 2018), understanding its impact - on a solar customer's bottom line …

Children's Mental Health Care Needs Assessment In Six Rural Northern California Counties, Brandi L. Goodspeed

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Mental health problems affect millions of children and adolescents each year. Furthermore, the prevalence of these difficulties may be higher among children living in rural communities. Primary care providers are playing a larger role in the treatment of mental health challenges in youth. The present study examined the experiences and knowledge of rural parents and primary care providers regarding children’s mental health care.

While providers practicing in six counties were invited, all respondents (N = 19) practiced in Humboldt County. Parents were recruited through schools which agreed to distribute the survey. Ten principals in four counties agreed, including Del …

The Positive Effects On Attitude Among High School Students Towards Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mario Castillo-Urbina

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Inclusion in the classroom requires that the local education agency provide services (i.e., direct, related) to support each student’s needs. The philosophy guiding inclusion is that these services will allow each student to keep pace or catch-up with his or her typically developing peers (Elkins, Van Kraayenoord, & Jobling, 2003). Students’ attitudes towards their peers with disabilities have been researched and reported through the years however, little work has examined these attitudes in a physical education setting (Archie & Sherrill, 1989; Block & Malloy, 1998; Block & Zeman, 1996; Tripp, French, & Sherrill, 1995). Researchers have reported that individuals avoid …

We Break Our Bodies To Save Our Souls: Identity Construction Through The Participation In Flat Track Roller Derby, Torisha Stone

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

While sociology of sport has been growing steadily over the last few decades, with an increased focus on how sports participation allow for active identity construction, research on roller derby is incredibly limited. I argue that research on roller derby provides an important window for understanding gendered sports construction and participation. Derby also provides a space where identities are created through performance in addition to the creation of unique personas or in some cases primary identities. In this study, I conducted 15 semi-structured open ended interviews using non-probability and snowball sampling techniques of a rural roller derby league as well …

Using Functional Infrared Thermal Imaging To Measure Stress Responses, Julia Tenaya Kandus

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The stress response reflects a coordinated pattern of physiological changes that serves the adaptive function of increasing an organism’s ability to cope with situations that require action or defense. The changes in blood flow associated with the stress response may be detectable using the relatively new research technique of functional infrared thermal imaging (fITI). The present study was designed to determine the time-course and topography of temperature changes in human faces during the experience of a stressor. Infrared images were taken from 29 female participants while they completed the mental arithmetic component of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Continuously …

Learning From A Restoration Innovator: Building Community Capitals And Resilience Through The Restoration Economy, Marisa Formosa

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In the Mattole River Watershed of northern California, in response to a history of resource extraction, poor land-management practices, and the back-to-the-land movement, a restoration economy has emerged. This economy includes nonprofit watershed groups, individual landowners, local residents, state and federal agencies, foundations and for-profit consulting firms. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research methods, this study seeks to reveal how the 40-year community-based restoration economy in the Mattole Watershed has contributed to community well-being and local livelihoods, and how it has changed over time. Results suggest the restoration economy has contributed to a resilient and vibrant community and has enhanced …

Legacies Of Industrial Contamination: Voices Of Resistance In White Lake, Michigan, Elizabeth A. Revord

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This research presents a case study of resistance to contamination from three large chemical plants by activists in the communities of Montague and Whitehall located on White Lake, Michigan. Although clean-up efforts have met state and federal guidelines for brownfield and Superfund sites, the people and community of White Lake have continued to be vigilant regarding environmental protection and harbor many concerns regarding their future and redevelopment of sites that are likely still contaminated.

The connection to place and sense of community that the residents of White Lake honor is the foundation of their resistance. Using data collected from semi-structured …

Involvement And Campus Climate On The Academic Success Of Black College Students, Tyries Delemar

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

There has been an increasing number of Black students entering into higher education, but they continue to have disparities in academic achievement when compared to White students. An institution's campus climate has been found to influence student success. This study seeks to examine the factor of campus climate, specifically negative campus racial climate (NCRC), as it relates to the GPA and university satisfaction of Black students at a rural institution. The study adds to the literature by exploring the degree to which involvement (Faculty (FOI) and Club/Organization Involvement (COI)) may act as a moderating force within the relationship.

Three surveys …

Sex-Specific Habitat Selection Of Rough-Legged Hawks (Buteo Lagopus) Wintering In Western North America, Genevieve Christa Rozhon

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis) is one of the most under-studied raptor species in North America. As a species that exhibits reversed sexual dimorphism, sex-specific habitat preferences may exist. To investigate rough-legged hawk sex-specific habitat selection preferences, we equipped 17 rough-legged hawks (n = eight females, nine males) with GPS backpacks on their wintering grounds (n = six study areas) during the winter months of 2014 and 2015 in five states in western North America. I analyzed rough-legged hawk habitat selection in relation to sex at four spatial scales: nocturnal roosting site, 50% core range, 95% winter …

Evaluating Socioeconomic Dimensions For A Resilient Shellfish Mariculture Industry In Humboldt Bay: Assessing The Strengths, Vulnerabilities, And Potential Of Humboldt’S Expanding Industry, Wyatt G. Smith

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

For nearly 90 years the shellfish mariculture industry in Humboldt Bay has coexisted with various stakeholder groups and the Bay’s delicate ecology. Presently, the shellfish mariculture industry in Humboldt Bay is composed of six shellfish producing businesses ranging in operational size from small-scale to large-scale. Commercial shellfish production from Humboldt Bay yields over 70 percent of California’s mature, market-sized, Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and Kumamoto oysters (C. sikamea). Shellfish growers in the Bay also produce seed from Pacific oysters, Kumamoto oysters, and Manila clams (Tapes semidecussata).

As the mariculture industry in Humboldt Bay is …

Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) In A Physical Education/Physical Activity Environment: Meta Analysis, Jessica Giesige

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Researchers have reported a limited number of studies on best-practices to improve performances in the physical education setting for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; Verret, 2010). The purpose of this study was to provide an analysis of literature on the current teaching practices to improve student performance in the physical education environment for children with ADHD. The following databases SportsDiscus, PsychINFO, PsychARTICLES, PubMed/Medline, ProQuest, Child Development and Adolescent Studies, and ERIC from 1970 to 2017 were used for this literature search. Results from this investigation demonstrated no significant results in behavioral outcomes in aggression, anxiety/depression, attention, externalized/internalized problems, …

Chicana Feminist Participatory Action Research: Collaborative Environmental Justice In The Imperial Valley And The Identifying Violations Affecting Neighborhoods Community Development Project, Kristian Michelle Salgado

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In 2007 in Imperial County, a community-based organization called Comite Civico del Valle (CCV), along with the Department of Toxic Substances, and concerned residents, created the Identifying Violations Affecting Neighborhoods (IVAN). IVAN is a community-based environmental reporting and monitoring system that is built on the idea that residents are the most knowledgeable about their environment and therefore should have a place at the table alongside environmental regulation agencies. For more than a decade, this has allowed residents to better report environmental concerns. However, for many residents there is still a lack of knowledge about how to properly utilize the IVAN …

The 2016 Election: Conservative Female Voters Agentive, Adversarial And Resolutely Republican, Laura F. Benne Ms

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In the American General election of 2016, the political discourse in the popular media demonstrated a nationwide expectation that female voters and their allies would elect the first female head of state on election day. As the President and his administration assumed control, many of those who had expected a different electoral result expressed bewilderment after learning that 53% of white, female conservative women chose the Republican male candidate Donald Trump for President. Narratives critical of the voting behavior of conservative women were prevalent. This discourse was informed by a blame and shame paradigm of accusations ranging from racism, lack …

A Comparison Of Community Structure In Regulated And Unregulated Reaches In The Upper Eel River, California, Lara Stephanie Jansen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Flow regulation of rivers by impoundments and diversions can reduce hydrological variability. As a result, densities of algae and benthic macroinvertebrates often increase, but many sensitive taxa are lost, causing shifts across the food web. In Northern California, dams that reduce winter peak floods can result in the primary consumer community becoming dominated by grazers that are relatively invulnerable to predation, which can reduce the amount of energy transferred up the trophic levels. The steeper slope of the spring hydrograph recession limb downstream of a dam can also greatly impact instream diversity of periphyton, invertebrates and fish. The dam and …

Stability For A Small Historic House Museum: Drafting A Collection Management Policy For The Trinidad Museum, Alexandra Mackay Cox

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

A museum exists and is defined primarily by its collection. It is therefore important for a museum to manage its collection effectively while preserving it for long-term use. The size and scope of the museum's collection will determine the complexity of its policy. As such, all museums, including small ones, need a well-defined Collection Management Policy (CMP). This policy outlines what and how to collect, defines the development and use of the collection as well as procedures for the care of the collection, the loaning of items and removing of items from the museum's collection. The Trinidad Museum, a small …

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: An Analysis Of Household Food Waste In Arcata, California, Jennifer Michelle Domareki

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

A rising demand for healthy and sustainably grown food has become a trend of our time. However, there is dissonance in contemporary awareness about where food comes from and where it ultimately ends up. Globally, one third of all food produced is never used. In the United States alone, approximately 55 million tons of food is discarded each year (Venkat, 2012). This is problematic because food waste has environmental, economic and social costs associated with it. Organic materials accelerate anthropogenic climate changing greenhouse gas emissions by releasing methane as they decompose in landfills. In addition, unused food embodies and thus …

Treatment Wetland Remediation Via In Situ Solids Digestion Using Novel Blue Frog Circulators, Kyle T. Sipes

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

After 33 years of operation with little maintenance, the treatment wetlands at the Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility (AWTF) suffer from reduced treatment capacity and internal loading issues, leading to reduced performance in recent years. The next NPDES permit for the facility will regulate discharge ammonia concentrations, and internal ammonia loads, associated with accumulated solids in the system, may lead to future regulation violations.

To begin addressing this problem, the City of Arcata entered into a rental agreement with Absolute Aeration to install two Blue Frog circulators in Treatment Wetland 3 (TW3). The goal of this project was to determine if …

Technical And Economic Feasibility Of Utilizing Efficient Photovoltaic Systems To Power Rural Health Centres In The Federal Capital Territory (Fct) Of Nigeria, Jimento G. Aikhuele

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Delivering reliable electricity to rural health centres in Nigeria has long been a challenge. This study presents a technical and economic feasibility analysis involving a comparison between efficient solar photovoltaic systems, small gasoline generators, and the (unreliable) grid as power supply sources for rural health centres in Nigeria. Twenty-eight rural health centres were visited in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Nigeria whereupon an assessment was taken to know their energy needs and how these needs are met. Ibwa 1 Primary Health Centre (PHC), one of the health centres audited, was used as a case study for technical design and …

Habitats Of Mind: Dhamma, The World, And Mindful Activism, Michael L. Masinter

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

As a Buddhist, teacher, and a graduate student, coming to know the conflicts and misconceptions that stem from partial views and experiences, I have found it difficult to locate where to stand and how to engage. Buddhist teaching and practice (Buddhadhamma) offers a pragmatic approach to an overarching series of questions and a method of practice designed to address them: What is suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation? These are the Ariya-sacca, the four noble truths (or four ennobling realities), which can be applied to the arising of suffering anywhere in nature—whether internal (mind/culture) …

Banking For The Future: An Ethnographic Study On The Local Food Bank, Its Role On Food Justice, And Patron Perception, Edward Fernandez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Food banks are antithetical to the food justice movement because they usually rely on government commodity surplus to alleviate need and promote notions of dependence through the charity model. This research examines Food for People, the only food bank in Humboldt County, within the context of local food security and patron perception using ethnographic observation, surveys, literature review, and interviews to generate data that would allow the food bank to fulfill its mission of ending hunger. Through ethnographic approaches, this thesis focuses on food security, what affects perception and actual food security in the context of food justice and food …

Sniffing Out Decomposition: Investigating The Reliability Of Human Remains Detection Dogs, Kristen Marie Nawn

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of trained Human Remains Detection (HRD) dogs in the field. HRD dogs are trained to locate deceased individuals, typically in conjunction with law enforcement agencies, by using their enhanced olfactory systems to detect scents that humans cannot. Limited research has been conducted on both the strengths and weaknesses of these dogs and their abilities to locate human remains. This study focused on one North Carolina based organization that trains HRD dogs. Data were collected by distributing surveys and by observing regularly scheduled training exercises conducted by the organization. The collected …

Implications Of Unmanned Aircraft Systems And Sense Of Place: A Case Study In The Mono Basin, Sara Elizabeth Matthews

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This paper contributes to an understanding of the social implications of using UAS in natural resource areas; specifically, the ways in which these tools impact human constructed sense of place. This paper draws on in-depth interviews and document analysis to (a) develop an understanding of place meanings held among Mono Basin stakeholders and (b) define the ways in which increased UAS presence may interact with these visions of place.

In short, this research shows that sense of place in this rural area is influential in the way that UAS are received by local stakeholders. The changing nature of place meanings …

Listening To Our Graduate Students' Feedback: Graduate Student Exit And Alumni Surveys, Alison W. Hong-Novotney

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Student and alumni surveys have become some of the most widely-used methods of assessment of student learning in higher education. While the majority of literature on student surveys and assessment focuses on undergraduate students, this study looks specifically at why graduate student exit and alumni surveys can be valuable tools within a comprehensive assessment plan. Listening to the feedback of current and former graduate students, and then acting upon that feedback, is crucial for the engagement and success of this unique population of students who bring their particular strengths and needs to their educational experiences. This study examined how master’s …

The Effects Of Physical Activity On Sleep Patterns In Children With Developmental Disabilities, Rebecca Griffith

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Individuals with developmental disabilities should be engaged in 150 minutes of physical activity every week to experience health benefits including an increase in duration and quality of sleep. Individuals with developmental disabilities who get quality, regular sleep have a lower frequency of challenging behaviors. One way to increase physical activity engagement among individuals with disabilities is to engage their family in physical activity together. To analyze the effects of engaging in a family centered physical activity program on the duration and quality of sleep in a young adult with Down syndrome. Method: The participant engaged in the Humboldt State Fitfam …