Digital Commons Network^™

Women In Sustainable Leadership: A Case Study On The Perspectives, Opportunities, And Challenges Of Biologist And Conservationist Estrela Matilde, Ella Lyons

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Despite the relatively small population of 8,000 occupants and the minimal international recognition of the Island of Príncipe, located off of the Gulf of Guinea on the Western Coast of Central Africa, the region has increasingly become a leading example of sustainable practices to be taken on a global scale in the near future to combat our current climate crisis. This case study explores the sustainable practices that Príncipe has learned to embrace under the leadership of Portuguese conservation biologist and project manager for the NGO Fundação Príncipe, Estrela Matilde. Estrela integrates social, cultural, and environmental conservation to align with …

People Power & Politics: Evaluating The Impact Of The Conselho De Cidadãos De Lisboa On Climate Policy And Political Efficacy In Lisbon, Marion Linde

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the social and ecological effects of climate change intensify, governments across the globe must evaluate how best to deal with the climate crisis. Likewise, increasing citizen participation in decision-making processes has been a key strategy for dealing with such issues. Theories on the benefits of citizen participation inform real practices such as democratic mini-publics and citizens assemblies. In Lisbon, Portugal, the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa implemented the first edition of the Conselho de Cidadãos de Lisboa (CCL) in May 2022. The CCL is a citizens assembly designed to directly involve residents in city policy-making, with the first edition focusing …

Wishing For Water While Fleeing Their Farms: A Study Of Water Scarcity And Internal Migration In Tunisia, Tyler Rak

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

How does water scarcity and limited water access impact internal migration? I argue that water scarcity and limited access to water is likely to increase internal migration in Tunisia. The mechanism through which I will investigate this relationship is in the agricultural sector. In this research, I found that water scarcity does exist in Tunisia and that scarcity impacts the economy, employment, and perceptions of rural areas in Tunisia. This, in turn, likely contributes to internal migration, although my research could not conclude whether water scarcity acts a causative factor to internal migration. This topic has become more prevalent than …

Agroforestry For The Future: Motivations Behind Tasmanian Farmers Planting Trees, Josh Lipp

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Agroforestry is the act of combining farming and tree planting, and many Tasmanian farmers are starting to plant trees on their properties for multiple reasons. Through conducting 9 interviews with farmers and researchers and visiting field sites, 3 main themes were identified to answer the question: why are Tasmanian farmers planting trees, and what are the benefits and downsides to agroforestry? Interviews help us understand farmers’ perceptions of agroforestry, and field data collection will prove the benefits of agroforestry in the future. Tasmania was chosen as the location of study as it is a state in Australia that largely focuses …

Impact Of Wildlife Provisioning On Species Diversity, Relative Frequency, And Richness In New South Wales, Alanah Cohen-Tigör

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Wildlife provisioning and camera trapping are two recently evolving methods of conservation and wildlife management, aimed at protecting animals in the face of ever worsening climate change. Habitats are being destroyed by climate disruption, decreasing species diversity and abundance worldwide. It is imperative that methods of protecting species are developed to slow or reverse this era of extinction. By providing supplementary food and water to ecological communities, the hope is that species will have improved survivorship and reproduction, making them more resilient and resistant to population decline. Camera trapping is product of modern technology, allowing researchers to monitor species without …

Considerations For Solar Development: Comprehensive Assessment Of Solar Production Benefits And Consequences In Portugal, Jonathan Ramos Marcuse

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this paper, the potential for solar energy development in Portugal is explored, with a focus on the Alentejo region of Portugal. The Fernando Pessoa Photovoltaic plant that is approved for construction in the Santiago do Cacém municipality is analyzed. The size of the plant and the location are considered when studying the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the project. The possibility of a centralized solar array in Sines is also explored as an alternative, taking into account the environmental and social impacts on local communities. Additionally, the feasibility and benefits of implementing a decentralized energy grid, utilizing scattered …

Coastal Morphology And Sediment Deposition On Adjacent Coral Reefs At Misali Island, Sophia Rosati

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Terrestrial and marine ecosystems are frequently interpreted under separate lenses. On a 1 km wide island, however, these two sciences are inextricably tied. Misali Island, a small coralline island in the Indian Ocean, has been largely uninhabited for its entire history, making this coastal interface unique. In this study, Misali Island is used as a study region to demonstrate how natural processes are materializing in the Zanzibar Archipelago. Methods employed, both geological and marine, work to understand the erosional circumstances of Baobab Beach and the inherent effects on local coral reefs. Results show that Misali’s northeastern beachfront is currently under …

Could The Future Of Work Be Green? Two Plot Twists, Ghada Barsoum

Faculty Journal Articles

Given the pressures of climate change could “green” define the future of work? Why are green jobs limited and who is pushing for them to grow?

Reflections On Cop27: How Egypt And India Can Work Together, Sanjay Verma

Faculty Journal Articles

In the face of the global climate crisis, India and Egypt must continue to lead the Global South in pursuing equitable climate action and building on the outcomes of the twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties in Sharm El-Sheikh.

The Archetype Of The Ocean In Balinese Culture, Ava Hull

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

An archetype is essential for expressing an understanding of symbols and adding depth to the meaning derived from everyday life. It is a connection of source and meaning through the lens of the human experience. In the case of the ocean, people all over the world turn to the sea as a source of healing and a symbol of the murkiness of the unconscious mind. This holds true for the people of Bali as their beautiful Island is in deep connection with the force of the ocean. From the everyday contact like fishing and relaxing at the beach, to the …

Boise State Magazine, Anna Webb (Editor)

FOCUS on Boise State

No abstract provided.

All Policy Is Climate Policy, Jennie Stephens

Faculty Journal Articles

Scholar and activist Jennie Stephens discusses the future of climate policy, emphasizing a “people-first” perspective and the need for larger societal structural transformation.

A Bank Of Actions: Making Good On Losses And Damages, Arunabha Gosh

Faculty Journal Articles

In the seat of the COP27 Presidency, Egypt has the chance to reframe the Conference of the Parties as a forum for action based on accountability.

Spring 2023 Catalog, Lsu Press

LSU Press Seasonal Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Total Daily Energy Expenditure Has Declined Over The Past Three Decades Due To Declining Basal Expenditure, Not Reduced Activity Expenditure, John R. Speakman, Jasper M.A. De Jong, Srishti Sinha, Klaas R. Westerterp, Yosuke Yamada, Hiroyuki Sagayama, Philip N. Ainslie, Liam J. Anderson, Lenore Arab, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Stephane Blanc, Alberto G. Bonomi, Pascal Bovet, Soren Brage, Maciej S. Buchowski, Nancy F. Butte, Stefan G.J.A. Camps, Jamie A. Cooper, Richard Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Peter S.W. Davies, Lara R. Dugas, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W. Fudge, Melanie Gillingham, Santu Ghosh, Annelies H. Goris, Michael Gurven, Lewis G. Halsey, Catherine Hambly, Hinke H. Haisma

Faculty Publications

Obesity is caused by a prolonged positive energy balance1,2. Whether reduced energy expenditure stemming from reduced activity levels contributes is debated3,4. Here we show that in both sexes, total energy expenditure (TEE) adjusted for body composition and age declined since the late 1980s, while adjusted activity energy expenditure increased over time. We use the International Atomic Energy Agency Doubly Labelled Water database on energy expenditure of adults in the United States and Europe (n = 4,799) to explore patterns in total (TEE: n = 4,799), basal (BEE: n = 1,432) and physical activity energy expenditure (n = 1,432) over time. …

Digital Micro-Credential Efficacy And Impact On Learner Confidence, Brian Laduca, Josephine Lang, Melinda O'Halloran, Naomi Boyer, Margo Griffith

IACT Reports, Publications and Resources

This white paper details the findings of a research study conducted in 2022 over a six month period, in collaboration with a group of international cross-sector partners, as part of a Global Victoria EdTech Innovation Alliance initiative. Edalex’s Innovation Sprint aimed to increase learners’ confidence in the expression of their workplace skills by issuing a Personal Evidence Record of the skills they had developed in their studies. This evidence could then be shared with employers, sending a "signal to hire" by demonstrating workplace readiness or "signal of recognition" in the workplace of upskilling. This research validated the proof of concept …

Carbon Sequestration Capacities Of Different Land Cover Types And Climate Change, Nicole L. Melnick, Annabel Gorman, Adam F. Warren

Student Publications

Human-caused climate change creates a positive feedback loop that emits more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere instead of being sequestered in the Earth or its oceans. A major contributor to this feedback loop is deforestation in order to use land for agriculture and livestock. This study aims to investigate differences in carbon sequestration capabilities of forests, pastures, and cropland through soil and tree sampling in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The main hypothesis of this study is that forested land will be the most effective at carbon sequestration. The loss on ignition method (LOI) was used to determine the percent organic material in …

Will Populations Of Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups Survive Precipitation Changes?, Malika Gottfried, Laura Kim, Sophia Zuccala

Other Student Projects

Climate change is a pervasive issue that has the potential to have detrimental effects on many freshwater organisms and their habitats. Fluctuations in precipitation, changes in temperature, and other long-term shifts in weather patterns are just a few examples of the ways in which climate change is impacting the world around us (“What is Climate Change?” n.d.). The Mill River in Northampton, Massachusetts is an ideal location to measure some of these impacts on macroinvertebrates in various functional feeding groups. Macroinvertebrates are small organisms that lack an internal skeletal system, and their functional feeding groups refer to “the type of …

Monitoring Algal Blooms In Small Lakes Using Drones: A Case Study In Southern Illinois, Di Wu, Ruopu Li, Jia Liu, Nafeesa Khan

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) persist in many water bodies around the world and pose adverse health and economic impacts to the affected communities. Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have recently been applied as a cost-effective tool for HABs monitoring. In this study, HABs in two small lakes in Southern Illinois (Carbondale Reservoir and the Campus Lake of Southern Illinois University) were monitored using UAVs and biomass concentrations in lake waters. By analyzing vegetation indices derived from multispectral UAV images and chlorophyll- a concentrations in the two lakes, statistical regression models were established for each waterbody. The model relates spectral characteristics …

Emeriti News Spring 2023, Emeriti Council

Emeriti News

• Message from the Chair:
• Medallion Scholars
• Campus Updates from WMU News
• Wednesday II events, Spring Semester 2023
• Fall 2023: Provisional Unconfirmed Topics
• News from WMU Emeriti
• In Memory of
• New Faculty Senate Representative
• Council Scholarships
• From Your Emeriti Council

Individual-Level Responses To Rapid Climate Change In Common Terns (Sterna Hirundo) And Arctic Terns (Sterna Paradisaea), Kaiulani A. Sund

Student Publications

This study examines fine-scale environmental changes and intraspecific variation in the diet and foraging behavior of two seabirds in the Gulf of Maine, one of the fastest-warming regions of the ocean. This variation on the individual level, or behavioral plasticity, may help long-lived species to persist in rapidly changing environments. As the water warms, seabirds’ preferred prey (hake and herring) follow cooler waters deeper and farther offshore. It is unlikely that all individuals respond to changing food availability in the same way. For common terns (Sterna hirundo) and Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) breeding on Petit Manan …

The Effects Of Climate Change In Guam, Olga M. Zyzanska, Brooke R. Ashfield, Kate E. Eulberg

Student Publications

The purpose of this project is to dive into the harm that climate change has on Guam and its population. The objectives of our project are centered on highlighting the creative resistance of the CHamoru Indigenous community on Guam to established structures of colonialism and militarization during increasing climate crises. This project explores questions such as: How is Guam being impacted by climate change? Is the impact severe and/or immediate? How is the Indigenous community in Guam affected? How does US policy help or harm the island and its Indigenous population? What is being done to protect the island and …

Cub Plastic Shipping Bag Recycling Program, Samuel M. Arkin, Ethan J. Bruemmer

Student Publications

We implemented a plastic shipping bag recycling program at Gettysburg College. Recycling bags contribute towards contamination within the college's single-stream recycling or end up directly in the landfill via traditional trash collection. The production of plastic bags relies on the continued production of fossil fuel extraction. Plastic bag recycling can decrease fossil fuel extraction and waste entering landfills. To curb Gettysburg College’s generation of waste, we placed four bins in various locations throughout the Center Union Building (CUB) in order to collect plastic shipping bags over a 4.5-week period. We made three hypotheses: that our bins would collect shipping bags …

Fact Book, Academic Year 2022, Systems Intelligence & Data Analytics, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Fact Book

The Fact Book presents important campus information in data tables and charts. Included are details regarding students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Generally, data are broken out by college, rank, level, gender, age and ethnicity for both spring and fall semesters, past to present. There are a few academic year tables that include information on tuition & fees, student credit hours by program, and degrees conferred. We wish to thank the many individuals and departments at the University for their contributions to the Fact Book.

Hearing The Global South In Climate Convos, Zeinab Shaker

Faculty Journal Articles

If progress on climate change is to be made, voices from the most vulnerable Global South and African countries must be heard and included in conversations at climate conferences.

Inclusion And Implementation At Cop27: Just The Beginning, Cairo Review

Faculty Journal Articles

Achieving a COP of inclusion and implementation

Lessons From Cop27: Between Progress And Challenges, Martha Delgado

Faculty Journal Articles

While COP27 made progress in the areas of mitigation, adaptation, financing, and incorporating a gender, youth, and human rights perspective, Mexico is putting forward various initiatives to tackle remaining challenges.

Good To The Last Drop, Thomas L. Crisman, Zachary S. Winters

Faculty Journal Articles

Why nature-based solutions and adaptive management may hold the key to water conservation in the MENA region.

When Consensus Is Reached, Miguel Ruiz Cabañas

Faculty Journal Articles

The outcome of the UN climate conference in Sharm El-Sheikh gives hope for climate justice, but leaves behind many challenges for the upcoming COP28 in Dubai.

The Future Of Water In Mena Is At Stake, Malak Altaeb

Faculty Journal Articles

The MENA region, one of the driest in the world, is facing unprecedented water management challenges due to the effects of climate change.