Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding The Connection Between Gypsum Blooms And Human Health At The Salton Sea, Isabel Ichiyama

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Salton Sea is a closed hypersaline lake in Southern California that has been receiving little input over the past few decades, leading to desiccation that is rapidly increasing every year. This large-scale evaporation of the sea has led to increased dissolved solutes, high salinity, and gypsum blooms. Gypsum blooms, the precipitation of gypsum (CaSO42H2O) in the sea, have been a prominent facet of the sea and their distribution is well known. However, much of their chemistry and potential health hazards are still undetermined. Potential health effects from gypsum salt, an atmospheric dust particle present at the sea, have known …

Commencement Program [Spring 2023], Clark University

Commencement Programs

Annual Commencement Program for graduation ceremonies at Clark University, held on May 21st, 2023.

Conflict And Coltan: Resource Extraction And Collision In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo And Venezuela, Jenna Marie Goldblatt

Senior Theses

Resource extraction has played an essential role in shaping human development and is an essential tool for technological improvement. However, resource extraction is also inherently exploitative of the environment, and therefore of people. This paper evaluates the relationship between Coltan, a mineral necessary for the creation of electronic capacitors, and the conflict it creates locally, regionally, and internationally through the case studies of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Venezuela. These case studies illustrate the relationship between export and consumption based countries and how this relationship keeps “developing” countries in a never ending cycle of development, and developed …

Interactions Between Marine Megafauna And Plastic Pollution In Southeast Asia, Lucy C.M. Omeyer, Emily Duncan, Neil Angelo S. Abreo, Jo Marie V. Acebes, Lea A. Angsinco-Jimenez, Sabiqah T. Anuar, Lemnuel V. Aragones, Gonzalo Araujo, Luis R. Carrasco, Emilyn Q. Espiritu

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

Southeast (SE) Asia is a highly biodiverse region, yet it is also estimated to cumulatively contribute a third of the total global marine plastic pollution. This threat is known to have adverse impacts on marine megafauna, however, understanding of its impacts has recently been highlighted as a priority for research in the region. To address this knowledge gap, a structured literature review was conducted for species of cartilaginous fishes, marine mammals, marine reptiles, and seabirds present in SE Asia, collating cases on a global scale to allow for comparison, coupled with a regional expert elicitation to gather additional published and …

Commencement 2023

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

The Fierce Green Fire: Vol. 13 Issue 18, Wofford College. Department Of Environmental Studies

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.

Coming To Peace In The Presence Of Wild Things: A Personal Exploration Of The Intersections Of The Environment And Faith, Hampton T. Randall

Student Scholarship

From a young age, I have felt the power that certain places have over me. Some made me feel an overwhelming sense of awe, some freedom, and some made me feel depths of peace unknown like Wendell Berry describes in the poem above. Considering my natural restlessness, a disposition that has been there since birth, the fact these places invoke a feeling of peace that washes over me speaks volumes to their power.

It wasn’t until college that I truly recognized this power of place, but since learning that fact I have sought its connection. A professor of mine gave …

Conflict And Coltan: Resource Extraction And Collision In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo And Venezuela, Jenna Marie Goldblatt

Student Theses 2015-Present

Resource extraction has played an essential role in shaping human development and is an essential tool for technological improvement. However, resource extraction is also inherently exploitative of the environment, and therefore of people. This paper evaluates the relationship between Coltan, a mineral necessary for the creation of electronic capacitors, and the conflict it creates locally, regionally, and internationally through the case studies of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Venezuela. These case studies illustrate the relationship between export and consumption based countries and how this relationship keeps “developing” countries in a never ending cycle of development, and developed …

Global Drivers Of Local Water Stresses And Global Responses To Local Water Policies In The United States, Iman Haqiqi, Laura Bowling, Sadia Jame, Uris Baldos, Jing Liu, Thomas Hertel

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

The rapid depletion of US groundwater resources and rising number of dying wells in the Western USbrings attention to the significance of groundwater governance and sustainability restrictions. However, such restrictions on groundwater withdrawals are likely to generate spillover effects causing further environmental stresses in other locations and adding to the complexity of sustainability challenges. The goal of this paper is to improve our understanding of the implications of growing global food demand for local sustainability stresses and the implications of local sustainability policies for local, regional, and global food production, land use, and prices. We employ SIMPLE-G-US (Simplified International Model …

Positive Out Of The Negative: Tracking Renewable Energy Projects In Central America, Jordan Ethan Castillo (Miner)

Master's Theses

Central America is undertaking a vast Renewable Energy (RE) transition, due to widespread investments across the region in an array of technologies. These technologies include Community Solar, Wind, and Hydroelectricity. Hydroelectricity has long been the backbone of many countries’ energy grids in the region due to the region’s long history with hydroelectricity. Ambitious climate goals coupled with diminishing hydroelectric power generation opportunities have led to an expansion of investment in Community Solar and Wind energy. The embrace of Solar and Wind has been accelerated due to declining costs for these technologies as they mature. Central America as a case study …

Tempers Rising: The Effect Of Heat On Spite, Jake C. Cosgrove

Master's Theses

The relationship between heat and harmful outcomes is well documented, with research connecting various adverse economic outcomes to the climate. In the presence of increasing global warming and climate change, understanding why the climate leads to negative economic outcomes is essential for forming peaceful institutions of the future. We study how behavioral economic outcomes change in the presence of heat through a lab experiment involving 1,110 observations conducted in five different countries. This paper specifically focuses on the social preference outcome of spite. We find that increased time exposure to the treatment effect of heat is required to elicit an …

Understanding The Drivers Of Meat Consumption In Norway: An Exploration Of Environmental And Sociocultural Factors, Paul Wilhite

Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on meat consumption in Norway and issues needed to be addressed if it is to be reduced. This thesis aims to explore the sociocultural and environmental factors influencing meat consumption in Norway, a country known for its high per capita consumption of meat. By examining the historical, cultural, and economic contexts of meat consumption in Norway as well as the environmental impacts and ethical considerations associated with meat production and consumption, this thesis seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of the drivers of meat consumption in Norway. Following a brief outline of how these issues are to …

Conquer And Prevail Issue 138 May 18 2023, Wofford College. Office Of Marketing And Communications

Conquer and Prevail Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Disrupting Cisheteronormativity In Stem Through Humanism, Meg C. Jones, Desiree Forsythe, Rachel Friedensen, Annemarie Vaccaro, Ryan A. Miller, Ezekiel Kimball, Rachael Forester

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Books and Book Chapters

Cisheteronormativity is prevalent throughout college STEM discourses and classrooms. In this paper, we present findings from a U.S. based study focused on the experiences of collegiate STEM students with minoritized identities of sexuality and gender (MIoSG) as the backdrop for discussing how current harmful ideologies in STEM perpetuate cisheteronormativity through discursive practice. We propose that humanistic classrooms and pedagogy can work to dismantle cisheteronormative D/discourses in STEM and create MIoSG inclusive STEM classrooms and programs. Our findings highlight the ways participants experienced cisheteronormative D/discourses in their collegiate STEM contexts. We discuss how these experiences might be mitigated through humanistic educational …

In Quest Of A Shared Planet: Negotiating Climate From The Global South, Naveeda Khan

Literary Studies

Based on the author’s eight years of fieldwork with the United Nations-led Conference of Parties (COP), In Quest of a Shared Planet offers an illuminating first-person ethnographic perspective on climate change negotiations. Focusing on the Paris Agreement, anthropologist Naveeda Khan introduces readers to the only existing global approach to the problem of climate change, one that took nearly thirty years to be collectively agreed upon. She shares her detailed descriptions of COP21 to COP25 and growing understanding of the intricacies of the climate negotiation process, leading her to ask why countries of the Global South invested in this slow-moving process …

Faculty Handbook Section Iii - College Of Liberal Arts Policies And Procedures - Updated 5/15/2023, All Faculty

Faculty Handbooks

No abstract provided.

No. 09: Emerging Digital Technologies And Cross-Border Food Remittances Of Zimbabwean Migrants In Cape Town, South Africa, During The Early Covid-19 Pandemic, Sean Sithole, Daniel Tevera, Mulugeta F. Dinbabo

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This paper examines the emerging unexplored synergies between digital-mobile technologies and cross-border food remittances in Southern Africa. Cell phones and apps or applications for smart mobile devices offer migrants new formal ways of sending food remittances. With large volumes of cash and non-cash items flowing through it, the South Africa-Zimbabwe remittance corridor is a priority market for these new fintech companies. However, recent discussions on digital remittances have focused largely on cash transfers. Similarly, limited attention has been paid to food remittances in the broad discussion on remittances, even though cross-border food transfers are crucial for food and nutrition security …

A Call For The Legalization Of Two Sustainable Means Of Final Disposition In Ohio, Aimee Sheetz

Cleveland State Law Review

Several states currently have laws that allow for alkaline hydrolysis as an alternative to burial or cremation. A few states also allow for the composting of human remains. People are choosing these means of disposition for themselves and their loved ones due to environmental, financial, and societal reasons. Ohio currently does not allow either of these methods to be performed within the state. There have been attempts to legalize alkaline hydrolysis in Ohio. This Note calls for the legalization of both methods of disposition by including them in the Ohio Revised Code. This would provide clarity to the Ohio Board …

The Influence Of The Built Environment On The Community Participation Of Adults Aging With Long-Term Physical Disabilities: A Mixed Methods Approach, Rachel H. Desai

WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs

Adults living with a long-term physical disability experience difficulties living independently and participating in the community as they age. A combination of personal (e.g., fatigue) and environmental (e.g., transportation accessibility) factors influence these restrictions in participation. The impact of the built environment is a key aspect to consider when understanding community participation restrictions for adults aging with long-term physical disabilities (AAwPD) because these factors are often more modifiable. However, the processes by which the built environment impacts AAwPD are not well understood. Interventions targeting these factors to address the community participation needs of AAwPD are limited.

Research informing community-based organizations …

Re-Membering The Living Earth: A Year In Rural Sri Lanka, Samuel C. King

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The following thesis tells the story of my year in rural Sri Lanka. After college, I traveled from suburban New York to the highlands of the island country with the hopes of writing an ethnography on agrarian Buddhism. I soon realized, however, that I was not just embarking on an academic project, but an inner journey to explore ways of being that had been lost in the modern culture I had known. My narrative recounts how immersion in a rice cultivating village deepened my sense for what it means to live in reciprocity with the more-than-human world—a world of plants, …

Macroproblems Require Microsolutions: The Case For Microgrids In The U.S. Energy Infrastructure, David Howie

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores the shortcomings of the modern United States Power Grid in the face of climate change and worsening climate conditions, and seeks to explore how alternative styles of power grids could be viable replacements for current designs. The power grid is one of the most fundamental aspects of modern life, without it there would be no reliable energy supply to power devices and machinery. Oftentimes when energy generation is discussed in the United States, it only focuses on the source of generation for the energy, not the transmission of the energy. The lack of complete discussion around this …

Hydropower Development In South Asia: Data Challenges, New Approaches, And Implications For Decision-Making, Thomas Hennig, Tyler Harlan, Bryan Tilt, Darrin Magee

Urban and Environmental Studies Faculty Works

In recent years scholars have advanced our understanding of the biophysical, socioeconomic, and geopolitical impacts of dams and hydropower infrastructure around the globe. Databases and maps have emerged that allow global comparisons between countries and river basins. However, reliable and freely available data do not exist for many regions. As a result, data limitations and quality issues persist, which limit the quality of analyses based on these datasets. This is particularly true in regions where hydropower infrastructure development is proceeding most rapidly, including South Asia's Third Pole region. We identify and describe serious quantitative and qualitative data dilemmas of existing …

A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Plastic Pollution From Environmental Sampling To Surveying: Quality Assurance, Freshwater Contamination, And Popular Opinions, Laura Audrey Thomasina Markley

Dissertations - ALL

Plastic pollution is a global problem impacting every environmental compartment, from the air in Mount Everest to urban freshwater supplies. The scope and magnitude of the plastic problem requires an interdisciplinary approach that addresses human and environmental dimensions. I look to inform circular economy approaches through three phases of research: 1) individual waste generation and perceptions of waste and plastic issues; 2) methods and quality control evaluation for quantification of freshwater microplastics; and 3) temporal and spatial variation in plastic particle dynamics over a 3-year period in an urban lake compared with a rural lake in Central New York. In …

The Affective Landscapes Of Herbalism In New Mexico, Samantha Angelou Stroud

Geography ETDs

Herbalism, or practices which use plants for medicinal purposes, is tied to traditions in several cultures of the American Southwest, including Indigenous herbal medicine, Mexican-American curanderismo, and Western herbal traditions. Herbalism has been steadily gaining mainstream popularity since the late 1960s, alongside counterculture, holistic health, and back-to-nature movements, introducing many newcomers to the practice. This study asks: How does herbalism create and attach meaning to plants, cultures, and place in New Mexico? What are the affective landscapes produced by herbalism in New Mexico? And, to what extent do meaningful attachments manifest in ethics and actions of care? I argue that …

The Role Of Social Media Activism In Achieving Good Water And Sanitation In Ghana, Inusah Mohammed

Communication ETDs

This thesis examined the role of social media activism in ensuring good water and sanitation in Ghana. The study conducted a thematic analysis of Facebook posts (403) from March 2020 to December 2022 and found seven themes on how social activists are presenting issues concerning water and sanitation in Ghana. The study also found outcomes of the activism and also found theoretical implications of activism on social media usage in Ghana.

Eco-Interoception: What Plants, Fungi And Protista Have Taught My Body, Sara Riley Dotterer

Art Theses and Dissertations

To me, ecology is the relational, full-body awareness that I am made up of and deeply connected to everything around me; and for better or worse, this is reciprocal. I form ecotones, an ecological transitional zone between two ecosystems, with the world around me. I use this ecotonal lens to blur binaries and dissolve boundaries between me and the world “outside my body.” During my Masters of Fine Arts at Southern Methodist University, I have continuously explored and represented the lives of various more-than-human species outside of my body, including plants, fungi and protista through an ecotonal lens. Although these …

2023 Ursinus College Commencement Progam, Ursinus College

Ursinus College Commencement Programs

This Ursinus College Commencement program from 2023 contains the list of speakers and order of events for the day.

Connecting Social And Ecological Systems In Small-Scale Fisheries In The Philippines, Sara Eisler Marriott

Dissertations

Nearly 50% of all marine fish capture in the Philippines is from artisanal fisheries, most of which is un- or under-reported. As in many emerging nations around the world, the Philippines cannot fully address overfishing by managing only half of the catch that comes from commercial fisheries. Marine reserves are a popular governance strategy for conservation and of growing interest for fisheries management. Many marine reserves in the Philippines, however, are not considered effective. In 2014, Rare, an international NGO, implemented a community-based management program to increase the effectiveness of the marine reserves, and while it found biomass increased, there …

Approaches And Tools To Solving Complex Problems In Private Land Conservation, John T. Curnyn

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The central theme throughout my four portfolio pieces is: approaches and tools that can be used to address complex problems involving private land conservation. I consider the broader human and environmental community health to be factors in successful private land conservation. The first portfolio piece examines a number of studies of conservation easements implemented to improve water quality, as well as their utility in avoiding land use conflict. My second portfolio piece is a reflective paper on my experience conducting a stakeholder assessment for the organization OneMontana. The assessment focused on creating a shared understanding of the issues related to …

A Potential Cure For Rheumatoid Arthritis: Traditional And Regenerative Medicine, Mia Calegari

Bryant University Undergraduate Journal

Poster displayed at REDay (Research and Engagement Day).