Digital Commons Network^™

Triangulating Primary Sources, Professional Judgement, And Llm-Generated Summaries: Educating Nurses In An Ai-First World, Sarah Oerther, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of The Life Cycle Of Photovoltaic Solar Technologies For Sustainable Energy Transitions: Implications For Climate Policy And Low-Carbon System Integration, Wakiang Emile Latchiba, Sebastian Waita, Robert Krueger, Julius M. Mwabora

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

The rapid expansion of photovoltaic (PV) deployment demands integrated environmental and economic evaluation of emerging technologies. This study compares crystalline silicon (c-Si), perovskite, and hybrid perovskite-silicon tandem PV systems using a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) combined with Techno-economic Analysis (TEA) to measure environmental impacts, resource efficiency, and cost performance. Environmental indicators include life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, total energy demand, water use, and overall impact, while economic performance is assessed through levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). Sensitivity analysis explores the effects of energy payback time (EPBT), material efficiency, and perovskite stability. Results show manufacturing as the main hotspot, contributing …

Allowing Unlimited Pfas Manufacturing Contradicts The Core Intention Of The European Union’S Pfas Restriction Proposal, Anna J. Miller, Amanda Rensmo, Ian Cousins, Rainer Lohmann, Gretta Goldenman, Dorte Herzke, Xenia Trier, Zhanyun Wang, Martin Scheringer

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

College Of Liberal Arts Faculty Bylaws 2026-2027, College Of Liberal Arts Faculty, Rollins College

College of Liberal Arts Bylaws

No abstract provided.

Decomposing Carbon Intensity In U.S. Imports: Trade Composition Vs. Technological Change From 2000-2019, Alyssa K. Wong

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines whether the increasing share of U.S. manufactured imports from China between 2000 and 2019 affected the carbon intensity of U.S. consumption. Bilateral trade data from BACI are combined with emissions data from the OECD Inter-Country Input-Output framework to construct a measure of carbon intensity defined as emissions embodied per dollar of imports at a country level. Changes over time are decomposed into composition effects, driven by shifts in import shares, and technique effects, driven by changes in emissions intensity within exporting countries. Carbon intensity declines substantially over the period. While increased imports from China would have raised …

The Zoom Town Effect Of Remote Work On Rural Housing Markets, Luc R. Fabing

CMC Senior Theses

I study the impact of remote work on rural housing markets, highlighting the moderating role of outdoor recreation amenities. Using panel data from the American Community Survey and Zillow (2010–2024), I employ a Two-Way Fixed Effects model and a shift-share instrumental variable strategy to estimate the effect of work-from-home (WFH) rates on home prices. I find that higher WFH rates are strongly associated with higher home prices in high-recreation counties, but that the association is weak or negative in counties lacking significant recreation amenities. These findings point to amenity migration as a key mechanism through which remote work impacts rural …

Tourism And Local Access On The Public Beaches Of Paros, Greece, Maria Kouidi

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis examines how tourism development affects public beach access on the island of Paros, Greece. In recent years, Paros has experienced significant tourism growth, which has contributed to economic development while also placing pressure on natural resources, infrastructure, and coastal spaces. Beaches are protected as public goods under the Greek constitution; however, there are concerns regarding commercialization, overcrowding, and the illegal privatization of these public spaces. This thesis uses a qualitative research approach to explore how these changes are experienced and understood by different stakeholder groups. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted in Paros in July 2025. Participants …

Heart Of Stone: Geomorphization Through Stone-Oriented Affects, Grace F. Foster

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis draws from the work of geologist Marcia Bjornerud to bring a scientific (specifically geologic) understanding of humanity’s relationship to our home planet to bear in a literary context. I employ Bjornerud’s term “geomorphization” to expand from inter-species kinship to inter-substance kinship and to establish stone as an active, lively subject without relying on anthropomorphization. Geomorphization as I define it refers to recognizing similarity between ourselves and stone/Earth on the basis of our stoniness rather than stone’s human-ness. Geomorphizing ourselves entails what Bjornerud calls “timefulness,” a geologic perspective on temporality that sees the past as continually acting in the …

An Ecology Of Small Sorrows: Small Animals And The Fragile Ecosystems Inside Us, Haley H. Yarborough

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In An Ecology of Small Sorrows, Haley Yarborough uses a series of personal essays to explore how encounters with small life shape her understanding of herself. This collection is inspired by many talented writers — Lucy Cooke’s insights into animal biology, Andy Weir’s humor and knack for explaining complicated topics, Ben Goldfarb’s insightful exploration of the overlooked, and Sabrina Embler’s beautiful, poetic reflections on the natural world.

These essays touch on how small animals serve as mirrors for us, through our experiences with illness, loss, insecurity, and survival. While a lot of modern media emphasize larger, charismatic species to tell …

Growing Agroecology: Two Case Studies From The U.S. Student Farm Movement, Amelia B. Armstrong

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Scholars and activists identify agroecology as a crucial science, practice, and movement to move towards more just, equitable, and sustainable agriculture and food systems. Yet, the exploitative industrial food system, that deepens inequalities like food insecurity (Clapp et al., 2025), reduces farmer autonomy (Rotz, 2015), and contributes to increased carbon emissions (Lin et al., 2011) and biodiversity decline (Rotz, 2015), still dominates. Understanding and mobilizing the different spaces that teach agroecology, then, is a crucial step in challenging the dominant industrial food system. Agroecology education in university settings is an important domain to investigate as potential contributors to this movement, …

The Impacts Of Wing-Flashing By Northern Mockingbirds On Foraging, Parental Care, And Reproductive Success, Anna R. Starman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Foraging efficiency may be enhanced by flashing patches of white wing and tail feathers and has been documented in several avian species. Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos, NOMO) exhibit this “wing-flashing” (WF) behavior while foraging, during displays, and in response to predators. In NOMOs, WF has been hypothesized to increase foraging success, but previous findings are inconclusive. To further investigate the biological role(s) of WF behavior in NOMOs, the ventral surface of white primary feathers of male NOMOs were artificially darkened, and the foraging and provisioning rates of undarkened (control) males and their mates were compared. While foraging, undarkened …

From Couriers To City Dwellers: The Changing Human-Pigeon Relationship, Mallory C. Peterson

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Their coos echo off the walls of skyscrapers and their wings beat faster than the cadence of footsteps. Whether dodging cars or pecking at food scraps, pigeons are a constant character of urban environments. Their unique history has allowed them to raise their young under bridges and on windowsills. Pigeons and humans are inextricably intertwined, to the joy and dismay of many. Once celebrated as couriers, pigeons carried messages of war, love, and survival across vast distances, shaping human connection and history. Today, they are more often dismissed as pests, their presence flattened into the city noise.

This narrative piece …

Learning For A Sustainable Future: Embedding Sustainability Literacy In Honors Curricula Within Higher Education, Zoe E. Belinda

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This research investigates the sustainability literacy levels of first-year Davidson Honors College (DHC) students at the University of Montana (UM) to develop a baseline for average sustainability knowledge at the beginning of students’ post-secondary education. The goals of this research are to (1) determine if there are differences in sustainability literacy scores between students in sustainability-related fields of study and their counterparts, (2) identify weaknesses in students’ current sustainability literacy, and (3) develop curriculum suggestions to improve sustainability knowledge. To address these research questions, all first-year DHC students in 2024 and 2025 were surveyed using a modified version of the …

Framing The Seascape: Coastal Visitor Narratives On Offshore Wind Development In New England, Eva Pumo

Open Access Master's Theses

When offshore wind energy projects are proposed, communities frequently raise concerns about the potential negative side effects to tourism and recreation, which would harm coastal economies and quality of life. As the number of offshore wind projects in New England increases, the concerns over the impacts on local tourism become more prevalent in the region. This research aims to bring empirical data to the claims being made behind offshore wind’s impact on tourism, including the possibility of impacting the seascape to the point of deterring tourists. Results of semi-structured intercept interviews conducted at three coastal locations in Rhode Island, including …

Exploring Community Engagement Strategies In Shellfish Aquaculture: Insights From Growers In Rhode Island And Massachusetts, Megan Hensel

Open Access Master's Theses

Shellfish aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry in North America in response to the increased demand for sustainable protein. This trend holds true for Southern New England as well, where shellfish cultivation and consumption have long been embedded in the culture. However, there is a growing disconnect between shellfish growers and the communities in which they live, which has led many researchers to explore ways that growers can enhance relationships with their local communities through community engagement. The purpose of this study is to expand upon the existing literature to understand how shellfish growers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts perceive …

Covering The Coast: Local News Frames And Journalist Perspectives On Sea Level Rise In Rhode Island, Mackensie Dupont Crowley

Open Access Master's Theses

Local news outlets are well positioned to communicate and localize sea level rise for communities facing significant risk, yet coverage of the issue remains understudied. This thesis examines coverage of sea level rise in local Rhode Island news and the factors shaping it. A mixed-methods approach was used following the collection of nearly 1,000 articles published between 2014 and 2024, including a content analysis of issue-level frames and semi-structured interviews with local journalists to contextualize coverage patterns. The analysis revealed that stories focusing on infrastructure and property, politics, governance, and law, and natural hazards dominated coverage, while stories about recreation …

At A Crossroads: Crisis, Vulnerability, And The Possibility Of Transformation Of Nature-Based Tourism In Canada, Brooklyn Rushton

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

We live in an era shaped by a global polycrisis, where climate change, pandemics, economic shocks, geopolitical tensions, and social inequities are converging to create complex, cascading, and compounding risks. For Canada’s nature-based tourism sector, situated at the nexus of social and ecological systems, the polycrisis both amplifies the vulnerabilities of tourism and highlights tourism’s role in perpetuating global risks. Recognizing this duality, this dissertation examines how crises amplify systemic vulnerabilities while also acting as leverage points for transformative change in Canada’s nature-based tourism sector, drawing on geography, systems thinking, resilience theory, regenerative tourism, and futures thinking scholarship.

The three …

Religiosity And Political Affiliation As Moderators For Climate Change Belief, Jenna L. Hiljus

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Climate change remains a polarized issue in the United States despite broad scientific consensus. The present study examined how specific variables within political ideology (social and economic conservatism) and religiosity (belief, praxis, and morality) relate to climate change belief among undergraduate students at a private Christian university. Participants (N = 130) completed measures of climate change perceptions, multidimensional religiosity, and social and economic conservatism. Correlational analyses showed medium-sized, negative relationships between climate change belief and both social and economic conservatism, with no significant difference between the two domains. This finding suggests that political conservatism may operate as a unified construct …

Iere Annual Report 2026, Erin Largo-Wight, Heather Barnes Truelove, Kelly Rhoden, Jessica Barnes, Lauren Canady, Nicole Lowe, Ruby Cox, Sydney Barrett, Kathleen Hutton

Annual Reports

2026 Annual Report of the Institute for Environmental Research and Education

Town Of Merrimack, Nh Annual Report 2025, Merrimack Town Representatives

Merrimack, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Evaluating The Factors That Contribute To Lack Of Engagement Of The People Within Community Forest Management Programs, Doraneli Ampudia Parras

Theses & ETDs

Ecosystem loss and degradation around the world are occurring at an alarming rate. This can negatively impact the people that rely on these ecosystems. Community Forest Management is a practice that has been recognized globally to help mitigate these impacts. Community Forest Management (CFM) provides a solution to restoring ecosystems and improving the quality of life of the local people. The different structures and strategies of CFM’s around the world can influence its effectiveness. Researchers have identified several factors that can hinder CFM effectiveness. A crucial factor is participation from the local people. Active participation and support from local people …

The Lost Mines Of Appalachia: How Revitalizing Abandoned Coal Mines Can Revitalize A Region, Jonathan Gharib

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

Since the decline of coal, which began in the late 1980s, Appalachia has been left with thousands of abandoned coal mines that act as a stand-in for the state of the region as a whole. This stands in not only for the economic decline of the region, but also as a stand-in for the people of the region who also perceive themselves to have been abandoned. The future status, both legal and economic, of these abandoned mines that once helped to fuel Appalachia’s growth is unclear. Despite the muddied history of both Appalachia and these mines, with the proper legal …

Electric Vehicle Industry: Japan And China, Minoo Tehrani, Yu Cui

Business Faculty Publications

This research concentrates on the electric vehicle (EV) industry in China and Japan. China is the largest and Japan the third-largest auto production country after the U.S. This study explores the current and future transition to battery electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles in Japan and China. Three Japanese auto companies, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, and BYD from China are studied in this research. Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are actively pursuing the development of hybrid electric vehicles in Japan. Meanwhile, the research examines the Chinese EV company BYD, which is a major global competitor in the EV industry. This study …

Implementation Of A 3-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Numerical Model On A Large Northern Lake, Kirin Lorente

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Climate change is impacting high latitude regions disproportionately more than those at a lower latitude. With polar lakes being highly sensitive to changes in the climate, shifts in lake ice dynamics and hydrodynamics are indicators of such changes in regional and global climates. These changes impact future seasons in a positive feedback loop, where changes in winter ice cover impact open water nutrients levels and lake thermal structure. This highlights the importance for long-term monitoring. Despite the abundance of lakes distributed across Northern Canada, there has been limited research conducted on these sentinels of climate change.

Specifically, Great Bear Lake …

Cultivating Diversity In Sustainable Food Systems: Black Farming And Lived Experience In Rural Southern Ontario, Kadeem Jerofy Morgan-Adamson Mr.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research examines the lived experiences of Black food growers in rural Southern Ontario to understand how their perspectives challenge dominant narratives of rurality and inform broader discussions on food sovereignty in Canada. Grounded in postcolonial theory, the study highlights how historical dispossession and persistent inequities shape the access of Black communities to land and resources. Using a mixed-methods approach that includes surveys, semi-structured interviews, and reflexive journaling within a community-based research framework, the study documents the barriers Black food growers face. These include limited land access, insufficient funding, inadequate training pathways, and experiences of racial isolation in rural contexts. …

Impacts Of Burn Severity On The Hydro-Physical, Chemical And Thermal Properties Of Sub-Arctic Peat, Joshua B. Meyer Mr

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Under current climate change, summer season in the boreal regions of Canada is becoming increasingly warmer and drier. This shift is driving increases in the frequency and intensity of naturally occurring wildfires and allowing access to areas not normally susceptible to fire such as wetlands. In peatland areas, these increasingly large fires can create complex burn scars, which contain a wide variety of different burn severities across different landcover types. This variety calls for a greater understanding of how varying fire intensity affects the hydro physical, chemical, and thermal characteristics of boreal peat. This study aims to deepen that understanding …

Unlocking Green Potential In Indonesian Small Medium Enterprises: Challenges And Opportunities For Sustainable Vermicelli Production, Togar W. S. Panjaitan, Karina Agustin, Prayonne Adi, Jani Rahardjo, I Nyoman Sutapa

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Due to limited initiatives and support, the transition to green manufacturing among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries remains challenging. Through a critical literature review and case study of the Indonesian vermicelli industry, this study highlights the importance of collaboration and strong policies to address this. Other findings also reveal that the energy intensity and emissions in the sector exceed best practice benchmarks, with the cooking and drying stages contributing significantly to emissions due to high energy consumption. Lack of government regulations, company awareness, and understanding of applicable practices and technologies creates challenges in green manufacturing. The study …

Lessons For Transformative Ocean Science From The Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (Imber) Project, Deborah Santos Prado, Ella-Kari Muhl, Mia Strand, Derek Armitage, Nina Bednaršek, Stephanie Brodie, Christopher Cvitanovic, John Claydon, Sam Dupont, Karen Evans, Alistar Hobday, Eileen Hofmann, Raleigh Hood, Laura Kaikkonen, Dongyan Liu, Jessica Melbourne-Thomas, Franz Mueter, Eugene Murphy, Prateep Kumar Nayak, Alice Newton, Heidi Pethybridge, Carol Robinson, Samiya Selim, Rowan Trebilco, Micaela Trimble, Fang Zuo

CCPO Publications

This paper synthesizes the key contributions and lessons learned from Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR), a large-scale global research project aimed at fostering ocean sustainability under global change for the benefit of society. The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development has catalyzed a renewed focus on the importance of transforming ocean science. IMBeR’s global activity over the past decade has focused on promoting transformative science by generating, mobilizing, and communicating the knowledge needed to support ocean governance. Key contributions from IMBeR participants include quantifying and comparing historic and present structure and functioning of linked ocean and human systems, …

Machines In The Marsh: Struggles Of Peatland Rehabilitation Following The Shutdown Of The Irish Industrial Peat Industry, Maeve Mcgroary

Student Theses 2015-Present

As the EU and the Irish government focus on shifting to green energy and becoming carbon neutral, there has been a growing concern about the use of Irish peatland. For centuries, Irish people have cut and dried peat for the purpose of burning. This would traditionally be used for heating and cooking but as electricity became increasingly popular in the 1960s, companies like Bord na Móna helped industrialize the process of harvesting peat as part of their expansion of several peat-fired electricity stations. Chapter one discusses how decades of overharvesting has caused extreme damage to peatlands and their wildlife. Chapter …

Loan-Heavy Aid: Consequences On Academic And Early-Career Outcomes, April Zhang

CMC Senior Theses

This study examines how the composition of financial aid, specifically the balance between loans and grants, shapes students’ academic performance, major selection, and early career outcomes. Using administrative data from the University of California system (2007-2019) and post-graduation records from UC Irvine, I analyze how loan reliance influences both educational trajectories and labor-market results. The key measure, loanshare, captures the fraction of total aid financed through loans rather than grants. This allows for comparisons among students with similar financial need, expected family contribution, and total aid levels. Results show that students with more loan-heavy aid packages earn significantly lower …