Digital Commons Network^™

The Potential Of National Parks And Protected Areas In The Anthropocene: Emerging Incubators Of Environmental Justice And Co-Stewardship Conservation, Yolonda Youngs

Geography and Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

National parks are often praised as natural labs for physical science researchers and scholars. They are also cultural labs where ideas about public lands management, use, and access are reformulated and revised. In the Anthropocene, these sites hold special relevance. Within this context, parks can serve as active and evolving incubators of social and climate resilience guided by just conservation initiatives. Yet few studies have explored the new models of collaboration and partnerships between the U.S. National Park Service and Tribal Nations that seek to create co-stewardship conservation. This article addresses that gap with a qualitative and historical case study …

Goodnough, Loo Recognized With Umacs Sustainability Awards, Communications And Marketing

Campus News Archive

No abstract provided.

The Reciprocity Of Misfortune: The Little Tradition Of Disasters In The Philippines, Greg Bankoff, Bianca Angelien Aban Claveria, David Lozada Iii, Camille L. Silva

History Department Faculty Publications

Just as there is a great and little tradition in religion and civilization, there is a great and little tradition in disaster. This article explores the origins of community resilience in rural areas of the Philippines based on local reciprocity and cooperation and how ­ these customary practices form the basis of national disaster risk-­reduction policies. The endless strug­gle to feed and shelter a family and contend with repeated hazards, whether natu­ral or human-­induced, promotes collective action. There is a need to cooperate with neighbors, a web of dyadic and community relationships born out of necessity that constitutes a “reciprocity …

Interpersonal Elements Of Social Sustainability In Intentional Communities, Caitlyn R. Charles, Alison A. Ormsby

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Spartan Daily, October 7, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 165, Issue 19

The Educational Role Of Islamic Studies Teachers In Saudi Arabia In Developing Their Students' Awareness Of Combating Electronic Terrorism, Abdurazaq Owaied Athmali

University of Bisha Journal for Educational Sciences

The aim of the current research is to identify the educational role of teachers of Islamic studies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in developing students' awareness of combating electronic terrorism, in addition to identifying the obstacles that hinder the realization of this role from the teachers' point of view. In order to achieve this goal, the descriptive survey approach was used, and the questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. The research community was represented in all teachers of Islamic studies in Taif Governorate, and a random sample of (295) male and female teachers was selected from …

Urban Heat Islands In Mountain West Cities, 2024, Mia Tschan, Krish Sharma, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

This fact sheet presents data on Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) in six cities across five Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are derived from the 2024 Climate Central report, “Urban Heat Hot Spots in 65 Cities,” which includes data on how UHIs boost temperatures in 65 major cities across the United States. This fact sheet focuses on UHIs in six Mountain West cities: Albuquerque, NM; Denver, CO; Las Vegas, NV; Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; and Tucson, AZ.

Groundwater Quality Analyses For Irrigation Purposes In Salah Al-Din, Iraq: A Review, Noor A. Radhi, Dawood E. Sachit, Abdul-Sahib T. Al-Madhhachi

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The focus of this study is the effect of the physical and chemical characteristics of groundwaters on plants and agricultural crops, following the last studies on this matter. The results underscore the necessity for groundwater treatment before its utilization in irrigation for sustainable agricultural farming. It is also possible to identify which crop type can be grown in well-watered land, according to the characteristics of irrigation water and the yield of each crop. The study also introduces some ideas about irrigation water quality parameters such as Electrical conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), pH, Chloride (Cl^–), Sodium (Na …

Review Of How To Win Environmental Victories, By Richard S. Groover, Phd, Shalini Upadhyaya

Virginia Journal of Science

Book Review:

Groover, Richard S. 2025. How to Win Environmental Victories. Nighthawk Publication, 116 pp.

Motives And Community Energy: What Determines Participation In The U.S. And E.U., Belinda Litchtenfeld

Portugal: Sustainability and Environmental Justice

The shift to renewable energies has become a critical means of addressing the climate crisis. Community Energy (CE) has emerged as a ‘bottom-up’ transition to achieve decarbonization within a localized environment. The aim of this paper is to compare the motivations and framings of rural CE projects in the United States and European Union. The paper will compare the case of Loess Wind Farm, located in Rock Port, Missouri, with the Cedillo Solar Community in Caceres, Spain to determine how sociotechnical visions are shaped by the challenges facing communities. The elements of sociotechnical visions- meanings, knowings, doings, and organizings- as …

Fcrh Honors Program: Fall 2025 Program Highlights, Fcrh Honors Program

FCRH Honors Program Newsletters and Reports

No abstract provided.

Size Matters: Linkage Between Bromeliad Traits And The Spider Communities They Host In A Disturbed Habitat, Alesandra Fairchild

Ecuador: Comparative Ecology and Conservation

Bromeliads are a plant group that have been praised for their ability to create unique microhabitats, hosting an abundant and diverse faunal community due to their unique structural characteristics. Unfortunately, as deforestation rates rise, this plant group is at risk of decreasing in both abundance and diversity, which puts their associated organisms at risk of losing essential habitat (e.g. spiders). In this study, the effect of bromeliad structural characteristics and forest disturbance was assessed in a mature and secondary forest by classifying bromeliad abundance by forest type, characterizing forest structure, and by analyzing spider abundance and diversity based on these …

When The Student Becomes The Teacher: Learning-By-Teaching As A Tool For Conservation Career Development, Ana Dixon

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Dixon, A. (2025). When the Student Becomes the Teacher: Learning-by-Teaching as a Tool for Conservation Career Development

This study explored the research question: How do teaching-centered conservation career development programs influence participants’ science identity and self-efficacy? The literature review includes context on STEM and conservation careers, social cognitive career theory, science identity and self-efficacy, and learning-by-teaching. Participants in the Zoological Society of Milwaukee’s High School Assistant (HSA) volunteer and conservation education internship programs were given the option to complete pre- and post-surveys surrounding their participation in their respective summer program. These surveys measured individuals’ science identity, science and environmental self-efficacy, …

Chemistry And Biochemistry Affiliated Publications: Snapshot Of The Research Publications 2019-2024., Jeremy J. Smith, Lutishoor Salisbury

University Libraries Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report highlights the chemistry and biochemistry faculty publications for the period 2019-2024. It includes tables identifying the types of publications, the characteristics of the authors, inter-departmental and external cooperation, summary of the citations of the publications, and the JCR ranking of the journals in which they published.

Otterbein Towers Fall 2025, Otterbein University

Towers Magazine

Around the 'Bein; Innovative Funds; Committed to Career and Community; Faculty Excellence and Innovation; Two Years of Education for the Common Good; Homecoming and Family Weekend; Philanthropy; Alumni Matters; Class Notes.

Maternal Nutritional Status And Immune Regulation In Early Offspring Development, Caroline C. Pagan

Honors Theses

Maternal nutrition, immune function, and microbiome health work together to shape fetal development in ways that influence health across the lifespan and even into future generations. This paper synthesizes evidence from molecular biology, nutrition science, immunology, and public health to show that essential nutrients-such as omega-3 fatty acids, folate, iron, zinc, and vitamin D-directly affect fetal immune programming, neurodevelopment, placental function, and metabolic regulation. Research on the maternal microbiome further demonstrates that microbial diversity and metabolite production modify nutrient absorption, inflammatory balance, and fetal gene expression, underscoring the microbiome’s role as both a mediator and amplifier of nutritional effects. At …

Native Plants And Water Quality At Coastal Carolina University, Sarah M. Limmer

Honors Theses

Native riparian vegetation is an extremely important part of the natural world as its adaptation to  the local environment and climate offers an increased array of ecosystem services, including soil  stabilization and water filtration. Therefore, while not the only element, native plants are a key  regulator of water quality. This study used quantitative and qualitative analysis methods to  determine how the presence or lack thereof of native vegetation affects water quality in both  landscaped ponds and natural wetlands on Coastal Carolina University’s campus. It was concluded  that there is a slight correlation between the two variables, mainly being in that …

Examining The Spatial Inequities Of Urban Heat Islands And Tree Canopy In Conway, Sc, Patrick W. Da Silva

Honors Theses

This study examines spatial inequities in urban heat island (UHI) effects and urban tree canopy (UTC) distribution in Conway, South Carolina, through an interdisciplinary environmental justice framework. Integrating qualitative field observations, quantitative temperature measurements, and geospatial analysis using GIS and remote sensing techniques, the research evaluates how land surface characteristics and vegetation influence localized temperature variation across eight representative sites, including residential neighborhoods and downtown streetscapes. Results demonstrate a consistent relationship between reduced tree canopy cover, increased land surface temperatures, and elevated ambient temperatures. Areas with limited vegetation—particularly lower-income public housing communities—experienced the highest thermal burdens, while locations with established …

Public Perception And Awareness Of Shark Nets In New South Wales, Drew Rosenfeld

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Shark nets have been in use along the beaches of New South Wales since 1937, with the purpose of the nets to reduce human shark encounters near popular beaches. While the purpose of the nets is to protect personal safety, the nets also entangle and harm non target marine life. This study examined public perception and awareness of shark nets in NSW through a mixed method approach that utilized survey and interview data. In total, 201 surveys were administered on Bondi and Coogee beach. Five interviews were also carried out with key stakeholder groups. Results have shown that public perception …

What’S On The Menu? An Observational Study Of The Predatory Ecology Of Pseudochromis Fuscus, Navya Mittal

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Understanding the foraging behaviour of small reef predators is important for determining how they influence reef fish and cryptobenthic community structure. This study examined the predatory behaviour of Pseudochromis fuscus, a mesopredatory reef fish known to consume high numbers of juvenile damselfish recruits. In contrast to previous studies, no successful captures of juvenile recruits were observed, despite numerous attempted strikes. Instead, benthic invertebrates appeared to be the primary food source across all three time periods examined (full moon, mass coral spawning, and new moon). Behavioural differences were observed among periods, with significantly higher pursuit attempts during the new moon, likely …

Integrating Environmental Education: A Continuing Professional Development For Minnesota Educators In Weaving Local Indigenous Knowledge Systems And Western Science, Sarah Genet

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

As of 2021, Minnesota’s updated academic standards in science for all grade levels include local Indigenous cultures, histories, and perspectives. The Minnesota Department of Education provides limited content and professional development guiding the implementation of these requirements, leaving educators to design and update their curriculum with little formal guidance. This capstone explores integrating Indigenous and Western knowledge systems to help answer the research question: ‘What must be included in environmental education curriculum interwoven with Indigenous and Western perspectives in science to provide a holistic learning experience?’ This capstone presents continuing professional development designed for upper-level secondary science and environmental educators …

Frameworks And Life Cycle Assessment For Reinforced Concrete Bridges For Sustainability In Transportation, Yu-Fu Ko, Jessica Gonzalez

Mineta Transportation Institute

Bridge structures are critical components of California’s transportation network, with reinforced concrete (RC) bridges being among the most widely used. Extending the lifespan of these structures can lead to significant reductions in environmental impacts. However, California’s frequent seismic activity has repeatedly exposed the vulnerability of existing RC bridges, highlighting the urgent need for seismic retrofitting and maintenance to improve infrastructure resilience against earthquakes and to increase sustainability. This research used detailed computer simulations known as nonlinear finite element models, which are highly detailed computer models, incorporating section damage indices to predict damage and assess structural deficiencies in RC bridges during …

Computational Dataset Of Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium-Anion Complex Structures And Simulated Infrared Spectra, Arun K. Sharma, Owen Mcmillan

Biology, Agriculture and Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

This dataset presents computationally derived geometries and vibrational spectra of cetyl trimethyl ammonium ion pairs formed with three environmentally and chemically relevant anions: bisulfate, nitrate, and methyl sulfonate. Data were obtained using quantum chemical calculations performed using the Gaussian 16 software package, utilizing the ONIOM method at the second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) level. To account for solvent effects and electrostatic screening, calculations incorporated an implicit solvent environment via the polarizable continuum model (PCM). The dataset includes optimized geometric coordinates, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and simulated infrared (IR) spectra for each cetyl trimethyl ammonium-anion pair. Additional computational details, including input parameters, …

Examining The City Of Philadelphia’S Proposition Bill #250768 “Stop Trashing Our Air Act” By Addressing Waste Management And Environmental Justice Challenges In Chester City, Pennsylvania And The Philadelphia Region, Dylan Wascavage

Student Publications

This paper offers a policy analysis of the City of Philadelphia’s "Stop Trashing Our Air Act" by summarizing the reasoning for the bill's call to action, its legislative background, identifying key players and their strategies, and how these strategies reflect philosophies of environmental governance and the policy cycle. It seeks to inform local community members and policymakers of the implications of this bill, to highlight the lack of state and federal intervention on this issue, and to address the environmental justice and pollution concerns of the Covanta waste incinerator in Chester City and its neighboring communities. It also aims to …

Richmond Law Magazine: Autumn 2025

Richmond Law Magazine

Danielle Stokes and the energy discussion

Beyond the page

The mentorship web

Toward The Human Right To Water For Vulnerable Communities: The Effectiveness Of Stakeholder Processes To Control Regional Shallow Groundwater Contamination By Nitrates, Iris Stewart, John Dialesandro, Samantha Lei, Lilah Foster

Environmental Studies and Sciences

Nitrate contamination in shallow drinking water wells is an urgent and persistent concern for agricultural regions and disadvantaged communities worldwide. As viable options for the large-scale removal of nitrates from groundwater remain elusive, greater emphasis has been placed on stakeholder-based integrative approaches, yet few have been developed, and fewer evaluated for their effectiveness. The Central Valley in California is one of the most important intensive agricultural regions globally, where such a stakeholder-based process (CV-SALTS) has been initiated, and which is poised to serve as a model for controlling nitrate contamination elsewhere. Based on the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Program …

Wooster Magazine: Annual Report Edition 2024-25, Caitlin Paynich Stanowick

Wooster Magazine: 2021-2030

The fall Annual Report Edition 2024-25 of Wooster magazine highlights a year of meaningful progress and shared achievement across campus. The annual financial review reports on the College’s operating revenues and expenses and showcases the ways donors contributed to the ongoing success of Wooster and its students in the past year. New endowments honoring beloved professors Ralph Bangham of biology and Nancy Ditmer of music are highlighted. Members of the Class of 2025 share their new paths in graduate study, research, and fulfilling careers. Wooster’s new minors in climate studies and humanities, arts and creative computing broaden curricular opportunities, providing …

October 2025 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Plants, Land, And Ojibwe Nations In The Adult English Language Classroom, Azul Kmiecik

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

As an English language teacher in Minnesota, I have had many immigrant and refugee learners express a desire to understand the peoples, cultures, and histories of their new homes. As a settler colonist in Minnesota, I have an ethical obligation to counter the erasure of Indigenous peoples within our educational institutions and to grapple with the legacies of settler colonialism. These two threads come together in a project designed to respond to the question: How can land-based education and centering the voices of Native peoples be used to design lessons that foster adult ELLs’ reflection on Ojibwe nations’ unique relationships …

State Standards For The Outdoors: A Curriculum Guide For Middle School Life Science In An Outdoor Classroom, David Soltero

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project examines the idea, Can integrating an outdoor learning experience into every aspect of a Middle School science curriculum enhance learning outcomes? The curriculum is focused on Minnesota's 7th grade life science standards and adapts course and content requirements so that all class instruction and assessment may be done outdoors or within the outdoor classroom. Additionally, it offers examples of summative assessments that are closely aligned with Minnesota's state standards and the next generation science standards. In the literature review, strong support was found for the many benefits of spending time outdoors. The literature also discussed the importance of …