Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Sustainability In The Fashion Industry: Environmental Effects & Analyzing Innovative Approaches To Reducing Environmental Impact While Maintaining Profitability And Effectiveness, Haley Castillo Rebollar

Senior Honors Theses

The fast-fashion business model has several severe environmental impacts, including resource overconsumption, chemical pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and solid waste consumption. Hence, the sustainable fashion alternative is questioned as to whether it can be applied with recoverable economic value and limited consequential impact when considering novel approaches in business model innovation, supply chain transformation, and the adoption of digital technologies. Evidence suggests that sustainability and profitability need not be mutually exclusive when strategic intervening actions are effectively managed. The set of principles of the circular economy, sustainable enterprise architecture frameworks, green supply chain management, advanced systems of forecasting, and three-dimensional …

The Cobalt Curse: Cobalt’S Role And Risks, Marley Jackowitz

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines the hidden environmental, geopolitical, economic, and social costs of the cobalt supply chain. Fueled by the demand for battery technology and electric vehicles, cobalt has become an essential element to the green energy transition. With the largest share of global cobalt deposits, the Democratic Republic of the Congo bears a disproportionate share of the industry’s harms. Cobalt mining in the DRC is marked by environmentally degrading practices and inhumane working conditions, compromising Congolese health, safety, and well-being. Chapter 1 discusses the environmental impacts of DRC cobalt mining and its adverse effects on public health. Environmentally degrading mining …

Environmental Sustainability Assessment Of Field Phosphate Monitoring Methods For Creeks, Quintino Medi

All Theses

Creeks serve as conduits for water, nutrients, and contaminants to larger water bodies such as rivers and lakes, and their health is a key indicator of overall watershed water quality condition. Unlike rivers, creeks are under-monitored due to their small size, hydrological variability, and limited accessibility. Many technologies exist for monitoring phosphorus in surface waters. Technologies may be classified into two general categories: i) proxy real-time sensors, which record generic water quality parameters, and ii) chemical reagent-based assays, which quantify soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in batch samples. There is a lack of studies that compare the features and benefits of …

At The Intersection Of Science And Sustainability: A Qualitative Study Of Food Scientists' Personal And Professional Perspectives, Srushti Parikh

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Sustainable food systems require not only technological innovation but a more profound understanding of the professionals involved in the field. Even though the topic of sustainability is currently gaining importance throughout the food industry, the real expertise of food scientists is under-researched. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore food scientists' perspectives on sustainability, how these perceptions influence the way they pursue their careers, and how they view their impact in the larger sustainability agenda of the food industry. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This study captured detailed insights of 22 food scientists’ perspectives through qualitative methods. Food scientists in …

Evaluating The Rural/Urban Divide In Conservation: Methods Of Improvement In Conservation Programming Across Kentucky, Lauren Tackett

Honors College Theses

Kentucky’s lands and waterways have always defined the state. Our unique karst landscape, combined with the Appalachian Mountains and Ohio River, help characterize the state and its identity. However, across Kentucky conservation efforts within recent years have been under attack. Through legislation changes and policy challenges, various bills have sought to repeal Kentucky’s conservation efforts regarding water, soil, and land use. Furthermore, there has been a rise in environmental disasters within the state that cause long term issues for both rural and urban communities to contend with. The responsibility of land stewardship falls on a variety of entities but weighs …

Open Space Management Planning: A Framework And Case Study From Eagle Mountain City, Utah, Nathan K. Shumway

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Open Space Management Plans (OSMPs) are increasingly used by municipalities to guide the long-term stewardship of natural lands; however, little formal guidance exists regarding how these plans are structured, developed, or organized in practice. While numerous OSMPs are publicly available, their compositional logic, procedural workflows, and thematic priorities remain largely undocumented within academic literature. This study addresses that gap through a qualitative document analysis of fifteen publicly accessible OSMPs from the western United States, published between 2015 and 2024.

Using manual matrix-based coding in Microsoft Excel, each plan was analyzed through three lenses: structural composition, procedural development, and thematic content. …

Assessment Of Mississippi Landfill Capacity In Relation To Waste Generation And Land-Use Constraints, Jason C. Anderson

Master's Theses

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management presents a growing challenge in Mississippi as population trends, socioeconomic change and regional development continue to place pressure on existing landfill capacity. This thesis examines waste generation and disposal patterns from 2000 through 2022 across Mississippi counties, with projections extending to 2050. Historical landfill tonnage data was gathered and compiled from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and analyzed using regression models in Excel and RStudio, with forecasts generated for both in-state and out-of-state waste flow. Results highlight significant variations among landfills, including differing closure timelines, changing county service areas and notable shifts in …

Redeveloping Mississippi: A Case Study On Brownfields In Central & Southern Mississippi, Sahrah R. Yeroozedek

Master's Theses

Brownfields, or properties that are or possibly are contaminated with dangerous materials, represent a common obstacle for communities in Mississippi. The real or potential presence of contaminants at these sites often deters investors due to costly cleanup requirements (EPA, n.d. -b). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through its Brownfield Revitalization Program, implemented guidelines for covering the costs and labor associated with the remediation of these properties. The EPA is not, however, responsible for redevelopment that supports long-term environmental and economic sustainability. Although the EPA maintains inventories of all Brownfields, there is also no comprehensive database of Brownfields and their current …

Resilience By Living With The Land And Community: A Case Study Of A Local Food Forest, Olivia Beck

Honors Theses

Imagine a public space where food, leisure, outdoor activity, and community engagement occur in one place, all in an urban forest ecosystem. For many, this is a hopeful vision of the future, and that is exactly what the idea of an urban food forest provides. In agroecology, a food forest or forest garden consists of planting diverse edible plants and mimicking the patterns of natural ecosystems. The intricate planning and design ensure the forest is self-sustaining, much like a natural forest, making it very resilient once established. However, they face many challenges and take time to grow and develop to …

Growing Change: A Gis Spatial Analysis To Plan Urban Gardens In Chattanooga, Carson A. Chalk

Honors Theses

Food insecurity and limited access to fresh nutritious food in Chattanooga is a prevalent issue, primarily among lower socioeconomic households, and can put strain on overall well-being. This study aimed to identify suitable vacant parcels in Chattanooga where urban gardens could be developed using a GIS-based spatial analysis. Spatial data involving vacant parcels, slope, zoning, and proximity to grocery stores was cross referenced with socioeconomic data focused on poverty rates, vehicle ownership, and mean household income to identify the most suitable sites in areas of greatest need. Sites identified as suitable through GIS were then visited to verify their suitability. …

Feasibility Study Of Transitioning From Thick Plates (0.250”) Mounted On 30-Point Pvc Carriers To Thinner Plate Technologies Mounted On Recyclable Foam And Pet (0.155”) For Post-Print Corrugated, Nathaniel J. Poole

All Theses

In the United States, the most common press configuration for brown-box printing is a 0.280” undercut press. These press configurations have long relied on thick 0.250” plates mounted on 0.030” PVC sheets to print onto corrugated substrates. Each year, around twenty million pounds of waste are produced by the printing industry, through paper waste, plate waste, among other materials. One large factor of that waste is flexographic plate waste, which either ends its life in a landfill or is repurposed into other products. This study establishes a comparison between traditionally used 0.250” plates on 30pt PVC versus 0.155” plates mounted …

Ecological Responses To Living Shoreline Restoration, Aaron S. Bland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Coastal built communities and natural coastal ecosystems face similar and interrelated hazards: shoreline sediment erosion, shoreline retreat, and worsening storms, each of which is exacerbated by relative sea level rise. Living shorelines are coastal defense projects that incorporate natural habitats to provide more sustainable shoreline defense and improve the coastal ecosystem. Living shorelines have been widely adopted, but their performance has been highly variable, and the mechanisms of project success and failure are unclear. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to better understand the ecosystem responses to coastal restoration, focusing on the primary habitats of coastal salt marsh and …

Barriers To Climate Change And Sustainability Action: Nursing Education And Practice, Dawn Marie Smith

Dissertations

Climate change is one of the most pressing public health emergencies of our time and nurses can have a great impact in their current practice and in the education of future nurses (The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, n.d.; American Nurses Association, 2023; Health Care without Harm, 2025). Deaths due to rising temperatures, vector-borne illness, and food insecurity related to drought and extreme weather are on the rise (WHO, 2024). It has been estimated that globally over 250,000 additional deaths will be attributed to climate related effects between 2030 and 2050 (Watts et al., 2020; WHO, 2023).

A primary …

The Impact Of Label Material On Perceived Value And Environmental-Friendliness Of Beverages In Returnable Glass Bottles Versus Actual Environmental Impact Via Life Cycle Assessment, Toni Sharp

All Dissertations

With guidance from the EPA to reduce virgin packaging use and alternatively increase reuse, the concept of reusable packaging has re-emerged as a potential sustainable alternative to single-use and recyclable packaging. For businesses, an understanding of the potential environmental benefits of switching from single-use packaging to reusable packaging, along with consumer willingness to pay for sustainable packaging are paramount. Existing literature on willingness to pay (WTP) for ethical or sustainable products typically relies on consumers’ stated preferences found through surveys using hypothetical products and prices. It has been revealed that sustainability claims printed on the label or products in glass …

Integrating Incentive Design And Spatial Prioritization For Climate-Smart Forestry Adoption In South Carolina, United States, Miah Maye Pormon

All Dissertations

Forests provide essential ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, water regulation, timber production, and habitat provision. However, increasing development pressures and land-use changes threaten forest persistence and long-run ecosystem service provision. Climate-smart forestry (CSF) practices, such as improved forest management and extended rotation, offer opportunities to enhance carbon storage, forest resilience, and economic livelihoods. The effectiveness of these practices depends on forest owners’ participation and the strategic allocation of financial resources or incentives. This dissertation develops an integrated framework that combines behavioral economic analysis and mapping to improve the design of current incentive programs. The first chapter employs the Contingent Valuation …

Geospatial Assessment Of Agrivoltaic Opportunities And Land Use Requirements In Nigeria, Ifeoluwa Ezekiel Babarinde, Bashir Salisu, Jude A. Benavides, Engil Pereira, Steven M. Grodsky, Rafael M. Almeida

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Agrivoltaics, the co-location of agriculture and solar photovoltaic (PV) infrastructure, can deliver co-benefits like reduced plant drought stress and improved yields of shade-tolerant crops, particularly in water-scarce regions. Despite growing global interest, the technical potential and opportunities for agrivoltaics remain poorly understood in many regions facing both food and energy insecurity, such as sub-Saharan Africa. Here we provide a spatial assessment of agrivoltaic opportunities in Nigeria by integrating cropland distribution, solar resources, and water stress. We find that northern states—where cropland is abundant and water-stressed, solar irradiance is high, and electricity access remains low—offer the greatest potential for agrivoltaic systems …

Strategic Layout And Optimization Paths Of The Standard System For The Exploration And Exploitation Of Deep Coalbed Methane, Chen Xinjun, Liu Zengqin, Shen Baojian, Zhao Shihu, Ye Jincheng, Zhang Jiaqi, Wang Tianyun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective In China, the deep coalbed methane (CBM) industry has emerged as a key sector for the reserve growth and production addition of natural gas. However, the current CBM technical standard system, which was developed based on shallow CBM practices, is incompatible with the demands for the exploration and development of deep CBM. To address this challenge, this study proposes the optimization paths of the current standard system, aiming to provide standardization support for large-scale exploitation of deep CBM.Methods Deep CBM reservoirs exhibit complex geological conditions of high temperature, pressure, and in-situ stress, as well as the CBM occurrence …

Parameter Optimization And Field Application Of Roof Volume Fracturing Using Horizontal Wells For Coalbed Methane Extraction From Broken-Soft Coal Seams, Zhang Qingli, Sun Siqing, Li Haozhe, Wu Xiaoxuan, Yang Fan, Zheng Yuqi, Li Wenbo

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Method To achieve rapid coalbed methane (CBM) extraction from broken-soft coal seams using surface horizontal wells, this study proposed a volume fracturing technology for coal seam roof using horizontal wells. Focusing coal seam 4-1 in a mining area, this study established a numerical model using finite element analysis (FEA) software Abaqus Using this model, the impacts of in-situ stress on the cross-layer propagation characteristics of multiple fractures were investigated. Through true triaxial hydraulic fracturing experiments, the multi-fracture propagation patterns under varying injection rates of fracturing fluids, perforation cluster numbers, and cluster spacings were analyzed. Using 3D fracturing design …

Structural Design And Parameter Optimization Of A Vibration Absorber For Rescue Casing-While-Drilling Rigs, Liu Pu, Yao Ningping, Zou Zujie, Fan Dong, Wei Hongchao, He Binjie

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Rescue drilling rigs undergo intense vibration at borehole mouths when operating in a confined underground space of coal mines. To address this issue, this study designed a compact multi-directional, passive dynamic vibration absorber, aiming to improve the operational stability and safety of the rigs. Methods Based on the spring-mass-damping system theory, a stepwise optimization design method was proposed for the longitudinal and transverse dynamic models of the vibration absorber. For the longitudinal vibration model, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm was applied for multi-objective parameter optimization. In contrast, for the transverse vibration model, the fixed point theory was employed …

Exploring The Vertical Heterogeneity Of Extremely Thick Aquifers In Coal Mines Through Layered Fine-Scale Pumping Tests, Guo Xiaoming

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Extremely thick aquifers in mining areas typically exhibit strong heterogeneity and high water yield. Therefore, they are prone to cause severe water inflow in mines and induce water disasters, representing a major factor affecting the mining safety of numerous mines in China. However, the vertical heterogeneity of these aquifers remains poorly understood, emerging as a primary bottleneck in the prevention and control of such water hazards. Methods To scientifically reveal the vertical heterogeneity characteristics of extremely thick aquifers, this study investigated the extremely thick Luohe Formation aquifer in a coal seam roof of a representative coal mine in the …

Optical Mechanisms Behind Vitrinite Reflectance Suppression Caused By Strong Anisotropy: A Case Study Of Contact Metamorphic Coals, An Yanfei, He Shuyang, Chen Kaixin, Gao Junhan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective For vitrinite with weak anisotropy, which proves uniaxial and optically negative, replacing random vitrinite reflectance (R_ran) with the maximum vitrinite reflectance (R_max) allows for the accurate correction of vitrinite reflectance suppression induced by anisotropy. However, as its anisotropy intensifies, vitrinite exhibits increasingly complex optical properties, rendering it challenging to reflect the thermal metamorphic temperature of vitrinite using R_max. Methods This study investigated the strongly anisotropic vitrinite in coals and natural coke subjected to magma intrusion in the Shitai coal mine, Huaibei City, Anhui Province. Using a reflected-polarized light microscope (R-PLM), an …

Mechanisms Behind Thermal Evolution Of The Structural Alignment Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Coals: Implications For Structural Transition Of Coal Macromolecules, Song Yu, Jiang Bo, Cheng Guoxi, Zheng Sijian, Li Ming, Ge Yao, Dai Yan, Wang Qian, Feng Guangjun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Coals are highly sensitive to variations in temperature and pressure conditions. The structural evolution of coal macromolecules, driven by tectono-thermal processes, is the key to understanding coal rank transition and geological evolution. The structural alignment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coals represents a critical indicator for characterizing coal rank transition and geological evolution. However, due to limited studies, there is a lack of systematic experimental demonstration and theoretical support for the structural alignment and microstructural characteristics of PAHs in coals, as well as their intrinsic relationships with the structural transition of coal macromolecules, during pyrolysis. Methods This study …

Sedimentary Characteristics And Coal Accumulation Patterns Of The Permian Shallow-Water Deltas In Shandong And Its Adjacent Regions, Feng Kai, Li Zengxue, Li Ying, Li Xuchao, Zhang Hui, Zhou Xiaojuan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The Shanxi Formation, deposited during the critical transitional period from the sedimentary filling of epicontinental sea basins to the sedimentation of continental basins, exhibits well-developed shallow-water delta systems and significant coal-forming processes. This study aims to reveal the characteristics of sedimentary environment transformation during the late stage of sedimentary filling of epicontinental sea basins in North China. To this end, the Early Permian shallow-water delta systems in Shandong and its adjacent regions during that period was investigated, including their primary sedimentary characteristics, the predominant bases of sedimentary transformation, and the lithofacies paleogeographic characteristics of coal-forming processes.Methods Based on …

Geological Characteristics And Enrichment-Accumulation Patterns Of Coalbed Methane Within The Jurassic Strata In The Miquan Area Along The Southern Margin Of The Junggar Basin, Wu Luofei, Yang Kangjun, Zhang Jie, Shi Yongxia, Fu Haijiao, Yang Shuguang, Wang Gang, Liu Mengmeng, Li Yueguo, Wang Xiaoming

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The southern margin of the Junggar Basin (also referred to as the southern Junggar) possesses abundant medium- to low-rank coalbed methane (CBM) resources, with significant progress achieved in CBM exploration and production. However, there remains a lack of systematic understanding of the genetic mechanisms of CBM within the Middle-Lower Jurassic strata, along with its accumulation and evolution laws, in the Miquan area, southern Junggar. This absence restricts the commercial development of CBM in these strata.Method Focusing on CBM within the Middle-Lower Jurassic Xishanyao and Badaowan formations in the Miquan area, this study further identified the CBM origins and …

Exploring Water Migration Patterns In Reconstructed Soil Layers For Waste Dumps Of Open-Pit Coal Mines Based On Ct Scanning, Fan Tingyu, Zhang Xinghui, Lu Akang, Yang Changde, Wang Shun, Wang Xingming, Sun Xueliang, Ji Quancai

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective In the arid regions of western China, the ecological restoration of waste dumps within open-pit coal mines plays a key role in green mine construction, while creating a suitable soil profile structure serves as a prerequisite for the ecological restoration.Methods This study investigated the reconstructed soils with a three-layer sponge-like structure consisting of the topsoil, sandy-soil, and mudstone layers for the waste dump of the Hongshaquan open-pit coal mine in Xinjiang. Using computed tomography (CT) scanning, a three-dimensional (3D) pore network model (PNM), and water migration simulation, this study systematically analyzed the pore structures and water migration characteristics …

Technologies For Controlling Water Inrushes From Coal Seam Floors Under Flowing Water And Their Water Plugging Performance, Yang Zhibin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Limestone water hazards in coal seam floors represent one of the two primary categories of mine water hazards in China. Limestone aquifers are generally characterized by abundant static water reserves and considerable dynamic water recharge. To reduce economic losses and casualties caused by water inrushes from limestone aquifers, post-disaster emergency rescue through grouting for water plugging is frequently carried out under flowing water.Methods Based on numerous cases of water inrush control under flowing water in China and the fundamental requirements for control scheme design, this study presents a systematic review of existing technologies for water inrush control under …

Joint Inversion For Heat Transfer Parameters Of Porous Media With Geothermal-Seepage Coupling Based On A Physics-Informed Neural Network, Zhang Xiao, Yang Duoxing, Cong Lin, Cheng Yimei, Zhang Lianzhong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The thermal diffusivity and vertical seepage velocity of porous media are critical to characterizing the mechanisms underlying subsurface heat transfer. These two parameters are typically determined through inversion using temperature data since they are difficult to measure directly. Fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS) can yield high-resolution, continuous temperature profiles, providing data for parameter identification. However, conventional numerical inversion suffers from limitations such as mesh dependency and sensitivity to initial values when used to process continuous monitoring data. Methods This study proposed a joint geothermal parameter inversion method that integrates FO-DTS data with a physics-informed neural network (PINN). Specifically, the …

Joint Inversion Of Borehole-Surface Direct-Current Resistivity Data, Xu Kaijun, Jin Heran, Cao Danping, Mou Bin, Hu Zuzhi

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The conventional inversion of surface direct-current (DC) resistivity data faces challenges such as limited exploration accuracy and depth. This study aims to enhance the accuracy and reliability of exploration in complex engineering and geological settings through the joint inversion of borehole-surface DC resistivity data. Methods First, different geoelectric models were constructed through three-dimensional (3D) forward modeling of full-space DC resistivity. Then, the potential response characteristics under surface and borehole observation methods were systematically analyzed to determine the differences in detection sensitivity between surface and borehole observations. Accordingly, a joint 3D inversion technique for borehole-surface DC resistivity data was developed …

Oil-Based Mud Electrical Imaging Logging Responses Of Carbonate Strata, Wu Yuyu, Lai Qiang, Pan Feng, Zhao Zuo’An, Wang Xiaoxing, Wang Yue, Cheng Lu, Wang Zeyu, Yin Rong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objectives This study aims to characterize the oil-based mud (OBM) electrical imaging logging responses of carbonate strata, highlighting the response characteristics of dissolution vugs, fractures, stratigraphical structures, and special minerals. Methods Tests were conducted on logging data acquisition of a drilled well within the Dengying Formation in the Sichuan Basin before and after OBM was replaced with water-based mud (WBM). Based on the fine-scale core-to-log (CTL) calibration, this study compared the WBM and OBM electrical imaging logging responses of different geological and pore structures. Furthermore, the characteristics of OBM electrical imaging logging responses were further discussed from the measurement principles …

A Cutting Trajectory Planning Technology Driven By Coal Seam Data In A Comprehensive Mining Face, Guo Yifeng, Xue Xusheng, Ma Hongwei, Zhang Guangming, Su Hao, Qi Ailing, Nie Zhen, Ma Kexiang, Wu Xuefei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Currently, the insufficient full-element digitization and the prevalence of “data silos” in fully mechanized mining faces (FMMF) result in poor cutting precision and operational instability of shearers under complex undulating and abrupt geological conditions. These factors pose significant challenges to high-precision proactive trajectory planning. Methods Guided by the academic philosophy that “mining is data acquisition”, this paper proposes a coal seam data-driven cutting trajectory planning method for FMMFs. It elaborates on three core technologies: high-precision digital coal seam modeling, generative model updating and digital twin construction, and data-driven trajectory planning.To address low modeling precision, an intelligent interpolation-based digital coal …