Digital Commons Network^™

Presence Without Exposure: Feminist Pedagogy In The Home-As-Classroom, Kristy Kelly

Feminist Pedagogy

This commentary reflects on teaching during and after COVID-era remote instruction, when the classroom moved into students’ homes and “presence” became equated with visibility. Drawing from a course-based study conducted with students, I describe how patterned differences in men’s and women’s experiences of online participation illuminated the unequal costs of being seen—costs shaped by privacy, domestic constraints, and the risks of interpretation. I argue that feminist pedagogy requires decoupling engagement from visual exposure and designing participation around those most vulnerable to surveillance and stigma in online spaces. The essay outlines practical shifts—camera-optional norms, modality-equivalent participation, structured breaks, and low-stakes entry …

Water Scarcity On Arizona’S Navajo Nation, As An Environmental Justice Issue, Chenoa Marks

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

For the Navajo–or Diné, meaning ‘the people’ in Diné Bizaad (Navajo language)–water is not only a resource. It is life, story, and relationship. It is tied to origin, movement, and balance within the natural and spiritual world. Water exists not only in rivers and rainfall, but in teachings, ceremonies, and the way knowledge is passed down from one generation to the next. In this sense, water is both physical and cultural, shaping how people live, understand the land, and connect to one another.

At the same time, water on the Navajo Nation–known by the Diné as Diné Bikéyah, also translated …

Food Systems Transformation Would Reshape Global Agriculture, Matthew Gibson, Marina Sundiang, Daniel Mason-D’Croz, Thais Diniz Oliveira, Felicitas Beier, Lauren Benavidez-Brouk, Astrid Bos, Maksym Chepeliev, Jonathan Doelman, Shahnila Dunston, Shinichiro Fujimori, Tomoko Hasegawa, Petr Havlik, Jordan Hristov, Jonas Jägermeyr, Marta Kozicka, Marijke Kuiper, Page Kyle, Thijs De Lange, Benjamin Leon Bodirsky, Hermann Lotze-Campen, Hermen Luchtenbelt, David Meng-Chuen Chen, Abhijeet Mishra, Christoph Müller, Gerald Nelson, Amanda Palazzo, Ignacio Perez Dominguez, Alexander Popp, Ronald Sands, Marco Springman, Elke Stehfest, Timothy B. Sulser, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Gianmaria Tassinari, Ferike Thom, Philip Thornton, Kazuaki Tsuchiya, Willem-Jan Van Zeist, Hans Van Meijl, Dominique Van Der Mensbrugghe, Detlef Van Vuuren, Hannah H.E. Van Zanten, Isabelle Weindl, Keith Wiebe, Xin Zhao, Mario Herrero

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Food systems are a major contributor to exceeding planetary boundaries1,2,3 and poor quality diets are a key mortality risk globally4. Projected population and income growth could exacerbate these challenges5. In response, there are calls for transformation towards healthy and sustainable food systems6,7,8. However, the scale and distribution of the impacts of this transformation on agriculture are underexplored. Here we show that, by 2050, the transformation of food systems towards healthy diets (adoption of the EAT–Lancet reference diet), improved productivity and halving of food waste results in a fundamental restructuring of global agriculture, aspects of which break with historical trends. Scenario …

Clearing The Air: Tracking Spatial And Temporal Pm2.5 Variability Along A Biking Transect In Chicago, Beau R. Rass

DePaul Discoveries

Fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) poses significant risks to human health and disproportionately affects marginalized communities in urban environments (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021; Tessum et al., 2021). Using low-cost mobile sensors, this study explored spatiotemporal PM₂.₅ concentration patterns along a north–south transect of Halsted Street in Chicago. A 2B Technologies Portable Aerosol Monitor (PAM) mounted on a bicycle was used to continuously record PM₂.₅ concentrations with associated GPS coordinates at approximately two-second intervals during 16 sampling events between 08-12-2025 and 10-05-2025. PM₂.₅ concentrations did not differ significantly among the South Side, West Loop, and North Side regions, contrary to the …

Scheduled Coal Plant Retirements In The Mountain West, 2022-2031, Kerima Awol, Sophia Booth, Ty Tan, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

This fact sheet presents data on publicly announced coal-fired power plant retirements in five Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, between 2022 and 2031. The Visual Capitalist’s 2021 report, “Road to Decarbonization: U.S. Coal Plant Closures,” includes information on the location, retirement year, and electricity generation capacity of coal-fired power plants scheduled for retirement across the United States.

Scraping The Earth: Testing Ndvi As An Indicator Of Military Ground Maneuver Within The Israeli Invasion Of The Gaza Strip, Thomas A. Bergeron

LSU Master's Theses

The advancement of open-source (OSINT) and geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) has allowed independent researchers to study human conflict in new ways, with tools that were previously reserved only for state intelligence agencies. In order to advance methodologies, researchers must continue to evaluate new tools to study war.  Valued for its accessibility and moderate spatial resolution, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is one such tool that has not been widely systematically tested for its use in an open-source GEOINT investigation of modern conflict. This study tests NDVI as an indicator of military maneuver by leveraging a mixed-method approach against open-source kinetic …

Aligning Horizon Scanning Approaches With Differing Needs And Topics At The Science–Policy Interface On Chemicals, Waste, And Pollution, Gabriel Sigmund, Ricardo O. Barra, Michael G. Bertram, Miriam L. Diamond, Alex T. Ford, İPek İMamoğLu, Jinhui Li, Rainer Lohmann, Andreas SchäFfer, Martin Scheringer, KateřIna ŠEbková, Maria Clara V. M. Starling, Noriyuki Suzuki, Penny Vlahos, Roland Weber, Bryan W. Brooks

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Knowledge on chemicals, waste, and pollution is shaped by geographical, financial, and disciplinary biases, which can cause blind spots for key emerging issues, including those relevant to low income countries and vulnerable communities. Scientists, practitioners, affected communities, and policy makers working in the areas of the newly established Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution (ISP-CWP) have interest in identifying issues of potential and emerging relevance that currently escape their attention. Horizon scanning offers a critical tool to identify such issues. Here, we provide guidance on aligning horizon scanning approaches with differing objectives, audiences, and thematic scopes. We structure …

Blue Economy In Madura: Research Trends And Structural Change, Herry Yulistiyono, Aditya Tri Prasetyo, Ari Warokka

Jurnal Ekonomi dan Studi Pembangunan

This study examines the development of the blue economy in Madura through bibliometric analysis, focusing on research trends and economic structural changes from 2020 to 2024, as well as analyzing gaps and potential areas for future research. The methodology employed is a quantitative approach utilizing bibliometric methods. Data were obtained from scientific publications and analyzed using metrics that measure the ratio of citations to publications.

The results indicate a significant increase in the number of publications on the blue economy in Madura, peaking in 2023 with 29 researchers focusing on diverse topics. Performance metrics analysis revealed Marine Policy as the …

A Quantitative Content Analysis Of Media Framing Of Illegal Mining In Ghana, Ebenezer Ato Kwamena Aidoo, Patrick Ansah, Fredrick Daoyenikye, Maame Aba Afful

Faculty Scholarship

Illegal mining in Ghana has attracted considerable public and policy attention due to its far-reaching environmental, social, and health consequences. Our study examines how Ghanaian news media frame illegal mining, the tone of media coverage, and the stakeholders represented in news narratives. Using a quantitative content analysis, 800 news articles were sampled from six widely read media outlets, Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times, TV3 Ghana, GTV, Joy FM, and Citi Newsroom. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was employed to examine differences in framing, tone, and stakeholder representation across outlets. Findings indicate that news organizations emphasize distinct frames, resulting in varied …

Strengthening Your Ai Fluency: Building Community Resilience In An Era Of Climate Change, Suzanne Loui

Generative AI Teaching Activities

Through guided use of two AI platforms, Notebook LM and Gemini, the student will generate, analyze and evaluate ideas for implementing Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation and Community Resilience in a location of your choice.

Uav-Based Estimation Of Fuel Structure And Dynamics In A California Canyon Fire Experiment, Xiangyu Ren, David Benterou, Jannike Allen, Katherine M. Wilkin, Henri Brillon, Craig B. Clements, Bo Yang

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Wildfires in California increasingly threaten communities and ecosystems. However, comprehensive estimation of fire dynamics and fuel structure remains limited. Recent advances in Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology and high-spatial-resolution mapping have provided increasingly important tools for estimating wildfire fuel-height loss across fuel types. This study used a one-year Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) time series to quantify fuel-height loss and vegetation regrowth associated with a prescribed upslope canyon fire near Salinas, California, USA. Multispectral, infrared, and visible UAV imagery collected before, during, and after burning was used to generate orthomosaic, digital surface models (DSMs), fuel-type classifications, and surface-volume estimates. To enable …

Conservation Education And The Cultivation Of Environmental Responsibility: Case Studies From Sri Lanka, Jody Miller, Pasindu Dilshan Abegunawardhana

International Journal on Responsibility

Conservation education encompasses effective pedagogical practices that enhance knowledge of the environment and foster responsible environmental actions. In addition to building an informed citizenry, conservation education is shaped by theoretical stances about the components necessary to cultivate environmental responsibility among participants and their communities. Highlighting three of our own conservation education projects in Sri Lanka as case studies, we draw from research and debates about environmental responsibility to illustrate the incorporation of environmental engagement and responsibility into these efforts, and the difficulties that arise in doing so. Sri Lanka is one of eight global biodiversity hotspots prioritized for conservation intervention. …

The Coupled Hydrology–Human Activity Information (Chhai) Dataset: A Global Benchmark Dataset For Model Comparison And Evaluation, Azara Boschee, Aneseh Alborzi, Augustina Clara Alexander, Berit Arheimer, Salsebil Bel Hadj Ali, Günter Blöschl, Andrea Castelletti, Xi Chen, Aniya Dogra, Erhu Du, Jesse Duku, Aldo Fiori, Margaret Garcia, Salvatore Grimaldi, Naota Hanasaki, Yeonjoo Kim, Heidi Kreibich, Chenyuan Li, Ali Mehran, For Full Author List, See Comments Below

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

To enhance hydrologic modeling, the hydrology community has developed benchmark datasets (e.g. Model Parameter Estimation Experiment, MOPEX), providing standardized data for model evaluation and parameter estimation. However, these datasets primarily focus on modeling natural hydrologic processes, leaving a critical gap in understanding the role of human influences. Here, we introduce the Coupled Hydrology-Human Activity Information (CHHAI) dataset, a benchmark dataset that integrates coupled human–water data from regions across all continents, excluding Antarctica. CHHAI incorporates data from 25 regions that cover various human impacts such as reservoir management, flood protection, river management policies, land use changes, and water use. Each basin …

Gender-Based Analysis Of Critical Thinking Skills Through The Problem-Based Learning Model Assisted By Instagram Greenpeaceid, Nabila Nirwasita Chairunnisa, Sumarmi Sumarmi, Tuti Mutia, Ilham Adenan Hidayatullah

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Environmental degradation requires students to possess critical thinking skills. However, the prevalence of conventional teaching methods is considered ineffective in honing these skills. Furthermore, gender differences that influence students’ learning styles are often not adequately accommodated. This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the impact of the Problem-Based Learning model assisted by the Instagram account Greenpeaceid on students’ critical thinking skills based on gender. The present study employs a quasi-experimental method using a posttest-only control group design implemented as a 2×2 treatment-by-level design. Data were collected via written tests and analyzed using a Two-Way ANOVA. The results of …

Measuring The Economic Effectiveness Of Climate Smart Agriculture In U.S. Rice Production Systems, Adriana Dimas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation evaluates the economic performance and adoption potential of climate-smart irrigation practices in Louisiana rice production systems, with particular emphasis on Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD). Rice producers in the U.S. Mid-South face increasing challenges associated with rising input costs, water management constraints, and climate variability, creating interest in production practices that improve resilience and resource-use efficiency.

The first component of this study analyzes the profitability and risk efficiency of alternative irrigation systems using stochastic simulation and Stochastic Efficiency with Respect to a Function (SERF). Results indicate that Hybrid AWD systems in Morehouse Parish consistently generated the highest risk-adjusted …

การดูดซับตะกั่วจากน้ำเสียสังเคราะห์โดยใช้ซิลิกาเจลเคลือบด้วยโพลีเอทธิลีนไอมีน, จุรีรัตน์ ทองทาย, เขมรัฐ โอสถาพันธุ์, สุธา ขาวเชียร

Applied Environmental Research

การวิจัยครั้งนี้ศึกษาความสามารถในการดูดซับตะกั่วในน้ำเสียสังเคราะห์ของ ซิลิกาเจลที่เคลือบด้วยโพลีเอทธิลีนไอมีน (Polyethyleneimine หรือ PEI) ซึ่งทำการศึกษาที่ความเข้มข้นต่ำ โดยได้ทดลองเตรียมซิลิกาเจลเคลือบด้วยโพลีเอทธิลีนไอมีน (Sil/PEI) และหาอัตราส่วนในการเคลือบที่เหมาะสม แล้วนำมาทดลองกำจัดน้ำเสียสังเคราะห์ตะกั่วโดยการทดลองแบบแบตซ์ ที่พีเอชช่วง 4-7 และศึกษาผลของความแรงไอออน (Ionic strength) ต่อความสามารถในการดูดซับ แล้วเลือกพีเอช ที่เหมาะสมเพื่อนำไปศึกษาความสามารถในการดูดซับโดยใช้การทดลองแบบคอลัมน์
จากการทดลองเตรียมซิลิกาเจลเคลือบด้วยโพลีเอทธิลีนไอมีนพบว่าการเตรียมด้วยวิธี ชิมแพรกเนชั่นแบบแห้ง (Dry Impregnation) ในอัตราส่วนการเคลือบร้อยละ 5 โดยน้ำหนักต่อปริมาตรของสารละลายโพสีเอทธิสีนไอมีนในเมทานอล เป็นวิธีที่เหมาะสมที่สุด และผลการทดลองความสามารถในการดูดซับตะกั่วโดยการทดลองแบบแบตซ์ พบว่าที่พีเอช 4 และ 5 ไม่สามารถกำจัดตะกั่วได้ และความสามารถในการดูดซับตะกั่วจะมีประสิทธิภาพเพิ่มขึ้นมากที่สุดเมื่อเทียบกับซิสิกาเจลที่พีเอช 6 โดยผลของการดูดซับตะกั่วที่ความเข้มข้นเริ่มต้น 5 มิลลิกรัมต่อลิตร ซิลิกาเจลเคลือบด้วยโพลีเอทธิลีนไอมีนสามารถดูดซับตะกั่วได้ 6.72 มิลลิกรัมต่อตัวกลาง 1 กรัม คิดเป็นร้อยละ 59.18 และซิลิกาเจลสามารถดูดซับตะกั่วได้ 3.02 มิลลิกรัมต่อคัวกลาง 1 กรัม คิดเป็นร้อยละ 26.71 และความสามารถในการดูดซับจะเพิ่มขึ้นเมื่อความเข้มข้นเริ่มต้นเพิ่มขึ้น ส่วนที่พีเอช 7 ในช่วงความเข้มข้นเริ่มต้นต่ำกว่า 10 มิลลิกรัมต่อลิตร ซิลิกาเจลเคลือบด้วยโพลีเอทธิลีนไอมีนมีความสามารถใน การดูดซับใกล้เคียงกับซิลิกาเจล ผลการศึกษาผลของความแรงไอออนพบว่า ความแรงไอออนไม่มีผลต่อความสามารถในการดูดซับตะกั่ว และผลการศึกษาแบบคอลัมน์ พบว่าความสามารถในการดูดซับตะกั่วของ ซิลิกาเจลเคลือบด้วยโพลีเอทธิลีนไอมีนมี ค่ามากกว่าซิลิกาเจสอย่างชัดเจน และที่ อัตราการไหล 5 มิลลิลิตรต่อนาที และ 10 มิลลิลิตรต่อนาที พบว่ามีความสามารถใน การดูดซับใกล้เคียงกัน

การกระจายอำนาจในการส่งเสริมและรักษาคุณภาพสิ่งแวดล้อมแก่องค์กรปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่น, สุนีย์ มัลลิกะมาลย์

Applied Environmental Research

บทบาท อำนาจ และหน้าที่ขององค์กร ปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่น ในการพิทักษ์รักษา ทรัพยากรธรรมชาติและสิ่งแวดล้อมของไทย นั้นเป็นไปตามหลักการการกระจายอำนาจ ซึ่งมีกฎหมายรองรับที่สำคัญ 2 ฉบับคือ รัฐธรรมนูญแห่งราชอาณาจักรไทย พุทธศักราช 2540 มาตรา 290 และพระราชบัญญัติกำหนดแผนและขั้นตอนการกระจายอำนาจให้แก่องค์กรปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่น พ.ศ. 2542 และหลักการนี้ในประเทศสหรัฐอเมริกาและญี่ปุ่นก็มีความคล้ายคลึงกับของไทย ที่ยอมรับว่า การปกครองระบอบประชาธิปไตยที่สมบูรณ์แบบนั้นจำเป็นต้องมีการกระจายอำนาจจากราชการส่วนกลางสู่ส่วนท้องถิ่น โดยเฉพาะการพิทักษ์รักษาทรัพยากรธรรมชาติ และสิ่งแวดล้อมที่มีความเกี่ยวพันโดยตรง กับองค์กรปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่น
จากการวิจัยพบว่า อำนาจหน้าที่ขององค์กรปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่นด้านการพิทักษ์รักษาทรัพยากรธรรมชาติและสิ่งแวดล้อมนั้น อยู่ภายใต้กฎหมายเกี่ยวกับสิ่งแวดล้อม 2 กลุ่มคือ กลุ่มกฎหมายที่มีบทบัญญัติกระจายอำนาจให้แก่องค์กรปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่นแล้ว กับกลุ่มกฎหมายที่ยังไม่ได้มีการกระจายอำนาจให้แด่องค์กรปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่น ซึ่งเป็นปัญหาและอุปสรรคด้านการถ่ายโอนภารกิจด้านนี้แก่องค์กรปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่นอยู่ ดังนั้นการวิจัยจึงได้มีข้อเสนอให้ปรับปรุงแก้ไขภายใต้แนวทาง ดังนี้
1. แนวทางการดำเนินการปรับปรุง แก้ไขกฎหมาย โดยกำหนดให้องค์กรปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่นมีบทบาทในการจัดการด้านสิ่งแวดล้อมอย่างเข้มแข็งเป็นรูปธรรม เช่น การจัดทำแผนจัดการคุณภาพสิ่งแวดล้อมในเขตพื้นที่ปกครอง การเข้าร่วมพิจารณาให้ความเห็นชอบเกี่ยวกับการริเริ่มโครงการหรือกิจการการมีอำนาจบังคับใช้กฎหมาย เป็นต้น
2. แนวทางการปรับปรุงแก้ไขแผนปฏิบัติการกำหนดขั้นตอนการกระจายอำนาจให้แก่องค์กรปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่น พ.ศ. 2545 โดยการปรับปรุงแก้ไขภารกิจเพียงเท่าที่มีอยู่ และหากจะเพิ่มภารกิจใหม่ ก็ให้สอดคล้องกับอำนาจหน้าที่ด้านการ ส่งเสริมและรักษาคุณภาพสิ่งแวดล้อม
3. แนวทางการเพิ่มพูนความรู้ด้านกฎหมายสิ่งแวดล้อมแก่บุคลากรองค์กร ปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่น โดยการจัดทำหลักสูตรอบรมความรู้ด้านการบังคับใช้กฎหมายสิ่งแวดล้อมแก่ผู้บริหารระดับนโยบาย และผู้ปฏิบัติงานขององค์กร ปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่น

Summer 2026, Augustana College, Rock Island Illinois

Augustana Magazine

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Carbon Credits As Revenue Enhancers In Blended Adaptation Finance For Nature-Based Resilience Solutions Across Emerging Economies, U.L. Narasimha Rao

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

Emerging economies face an annual adaptation finance gap of $300–$500 billion. Nature-based resilience solutions (NbRS) such as mangroves and agroforestry remain critically underfunded despite their cost-effective climate benefits. Carbon credits have been examined mainly in mitigation contexts; their role as revenue enhancers in blended adaptation finance for NbRS is untested. This study had three objectives: quantifying revenue uplift from credits, evaluating how certification reduces investor risk, and forecasting scalability under different blend ratios. A qualitative comparative case study was applied to 12 NbRS projects across emerging economies. Eight cases were from India; the rest came from Kenya and Indonesia. Data …

Elemental Analysis Of Upper Devonian To Lower Mississippian Organic-Rich Mudstone Cores From Kentucky By Portable X-Ray Fluorescence (Pxrf), Alex M. Washburn

KGS Research Data Set

This dataset contains high-density portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) elemental analyses of 1,867 m (6,125 ft) of Upper Devonian to Lower Mississippian organic-rich mudstone cores from Kentucky. Analyses were collected from cores across the Illinois Basin, Cincinnati Arch, and Appalachian Basin to support regional evaluation of elemental variability, chemostratigraphy, and redox-sensitive trace-metal enrichment in Devonian–Mississippian mudstone successions. All measurements were conducted using a Bruker Tracer 5 pXRF analyzer with the factory “Mudrock Air” calibration, using analytical settings optimized for both low-atomic-number elements and transition metals/redox-sensitive trace elements. Reference materials SARM-41 and SGR-1 were analyzed throughout the analytical sequence to monitor instrument …

Advocacy For Inclusive Play In South Dallas: Expanding Access For Children In Underserved Areas, Aryanna Fellows, Mary Jan Greer

Summer 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project aimed to advocate for more inclusive and accessible playgrounds for children of all abilities in underserved communities in South Dallas. Guided by the Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEOP) Model, the project evaluated playground accessibility and identified environmental barriers that limit participation for children with disabilities. Methods included a community needs assessment, playground observations using a standardized accessibility assessment tool, surveys, and stakeholder collaboration. Participants included community members, caregivers, organizational stakeholders, and children who utilize local playgrounds. Findings were synthesized to develop evidence-based recommendations and educational resources to support future playground improvements. The expected outcomes included increased awareness of inclusive playground …

How Can Bison Conservation And Reintroduction Onto Native Prairie Habitat Increase Land Health And Restore Indigenous Cultural Importance?, Malaney Peterson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

For millenia, bison roamed the native prairie by the millions, stretching from the rain shadow of the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River, and from Canada down to Texas. This once thriving ecosystem quickly went from thriving to near extinction within a few decades after the arrival of Europeans in North America. The downfall of the bison was a strategic plan devised not only to eliminate bison, but also indigenous peoples and the prairie on which they lived. According to research, both bison and the native prairie are considered to be ecologically extinct, meaning they will never be able to …

Learning Across Landscapes: An Interactive Minnesota Ecology Book, Blake Berney

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project focused on the development of an educational book introducing elementary-aged readers to Minnesota’s native trees and the biomes in which they may be found. The project was influenced by teachings from the Dakota, Ojibwe, and current work from the Minnesota DNR. The book explores Minnesota’s major biomes and highlights native trees through accessible descriptions, photographs, activities, and connections to the landscapes and communities where these species are found. Information was then adapted for an elementary-school audience and organized into a cohesive educational resource. Design work included creating the book’s layout, incorporating original photographs and interactive activities, and …

Rooted In Wonder: Cultivating A Connection To The Environment Through Nature-Based Learning In Central Mexico, Mikaela Tennis

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Children are spending less time outdoors and feeling increasingly disconnected from the natural world. This reduced exposure and lack of interaction limits opportunities to form early connections with nature, which have lasting benefits into adulthood. Nature-based learning approaches have been proven to increase a sense of nature connectedness, which in turn strengthens one’s environmental attitudes and behaviors while supporting mental health and well-being. To address limited access to nature-based learning experiences in Central Mexico, this capstone draws from research on nature connectedness, nature-based learning, and nature center design to answer the question, How can a nature-based learning center be designed …

Encouraging Pollinator Friendly Behaviors Among Urban Residents, Addison Motta

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Pollinator decline is a significant issue which threatens biodiversity, global food systems, and the stability of ecosystems. There are numerous resources available that address pollinator friendly behaviors, but many assume that the audience has access to private land in a suburban or rural area. The recommendations in these resources may be inaccessible to apartment dwellers, renters, and other urban residents with limited control over outdoor spaces. This capstone explores the guiding question: how can an interactive pollinator education kit increase awareness and encourage pollinator-friendly behaviors among urban residents. A review of literature related to pollinator ecology, urban ecosystems, environmental education, …

Teaching Environmental Justice In Middle School: A Unit Plan For Middle School, Aiesha Osman

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project focuses on the different environmental justice challenges faced by different communities. Many middle school students learn about environmental concepts without specifically learning about different environmental benefits and risks. This capstone project involves developing a curriculum unit for middle school students which introduces environmental justice concepts and helps students recognize that environmental benefits and burdens are not evenly distributed. This project was influenced by environmental justice theory, culturally responsive teaching, socioscientific issues, place-based learning and Understanding by Design. This unit design uses a backward design approach where the outcomes are identified first, then followed by goals based on …

Financing Global Public Goods: ‘Green Capitalism’ Vs Foreign Aid In Zambia’S Luangwa Valley, Kathleen Bergs

Southern African Journal of Policy and Development

Financing climate and biodiversity conservation amid persistent poverty has intensified debate over the ethics and effectiveness of market-based approaches relative to foreign aid. This article examines whether the form of finance shapes financial sustainability and ecological justice in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley. Guided by political ecology, it compares the commercially oriented Luangwa Community Forests Project in the South Luangwa landscape with the donor-dependent North Luangwa Conservation Programme. The analysis draws on 57 semi-structured interviews, 15 focus group discussions, participant observation and documentary review, triangulated with existing household surveys. The findings reveal convergence in governance challenges and stakeholder support for sustainable revenue …

Upper Mora River Corridor Plan. Path To Social And Economic Recovery. A Working Paper, José A. Rivera Ph.D

Faculty Publications

The Working Paper outlines a plan for the Upper Mora River Corridor as a path to the social and economic recovery of the watershed and its communities in the Mora Valley of New Mexico in the aftermath of the year 2022 wildfires. The first section of the plan includes an historical overview of the traditional gristmills of northern New Mexico and places where a few of them are preserved and still standing. The next section goes into detail as to the early commercial mills situated along the upper Mora River Corridor with a focus on the four remaining mills: the …

Micro-Topographic Control On Soil Moisture And Ph Dynamics In A Northern Peatland Ecosystem: A Case Study From Saco Heath, Maine, Henry Mahoney

Student Publications

Peatland ecosystems are characterized by complex structural microtopography, prominently featuring elevated hummocks and depressed hollows that establish critical micro-environmental and ecohydrological gradients. This study investigates the influence of micro-topographic positioning on soil moisture and pH dynamics at the Saco Heath Preserve; a raised acid bog located in southern Maine. Data collection was focused entirely within Sphagnum moss, which serve as the dominant vegetative component across multiple structural hummocks and hollows. Using a systematic temporal framework and a robust spatial sampling strategy (n = 100 per micro-habitat) between July 16 and August 16, we quantified physical moisture contents and chemical pH …

Mitigating Negative Consequences Of New Urban Growth In Disadvantaged Communities, Shishir Mathur, Christopher E. Ferrell, Cindy Adrian

Mineta Transportation Institute

New housing and development in California are often planned in communities that already face economic hardship, environmental burdens, and limited access to reliable transportation. Recent research finds specifically that in the San Francisco (S.F.) Bay Area and Southern California (SoCal) metropolitan regions, there is a high propensity to plan new urban development in socially, economically, and environmentally disadvantaged communities (DACs) with poor transit accessibility and limited personal mobility. This project first reviews the literature to identify potential unintended negative impacts of high concentrations of new urban growth in DACs across social, economic, educational, environmental, and transportation dimensions. It then identifies …