Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Brooklyn Trash Problems, Christina Diaz

Capstones

Walk through the streets of New York and at some point you’ll inevitably pass by a wafting smell of garbage, but residents of North Brooklyn are handling more than their share of the smelly load and they’re tired of getting dumped on.

A newly formed coalition of neighbors and environmental activists has begun a turf war against Brooklyn Transfer LLC, a waste transfer station located on Thames Street in East Williamsburg, which handles private commercial waste through ­­­­­­­­­­­­­Five Star Carting.

Link to Map: https://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=1769408

Spatial 2015, Werner Kuhn, Matt Duckham, Marcia Castro

Journal of Spatial Information Science

This report summarizes the first in a new series of interdisciplinary unconferences, called SPATIAL. SPATIAL 2015 was focused on applying spatial information to human health, and was held at the Center for Spatial Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, 9-11 December 2015.

Spatial Refinement As Collection Order Relations, Zhong Zhao

Journal of Spatial Information Science

An abstract examination of refinement (and conversely, coarsening) with respect to the involved spatial relations gives rise to formulated order relations between spatial coverings, which are defined as complete-coverage representations composed of regional granules. Coverings, which generalize partitions by allowing granules to overlap, enhance hierarchical geocomputations in several ways. Refinement between spatial coverings has underlying patterns with respect to inclusion—formalized as binary topological relations—between their granules. The patterns are captured by collection relations of inclusion, which are obtained by constraining relevant topological relations with cardinality properties such as uniqueness and totality. Conjoining relevant collection relations of equality and proper inclusion …

Routes Visualization: Automated Placement Of Multiple Route Symbols Along A Physical Network Infrastructure, Jules Teulade-Denantes, Adrien Maudet, Cécile Duchêne

Journal of Spatial Information Science

This paper tackles the representation of routes carried by a physical network infrastructure on a map. In particular, the paper examines the case where each route is represented by a separate colored linear symbol offset from the physical network segments and from other routes---as on public transit maps with bus routes offset from roads. In this study, the objective is to automate the placement of such route symbols while maximizing their legibility, especially at junctions. The problem is modeled as a constraint optimization problem. Legibility criteria are identified and formalized as constraints to optimize, while focusing on the case of …

Invariant Spatial Information In Sketch Maps — A Study Of Survey Sketch Maps Of Urban Areas, Jia Wang, Angela Schwering

Journal of Spatial Information Science

It is commonly recognized that free-hand sketch maps are influenced by cognitive impacts and therefore sketch maps are incomplete, distorted, and schematized. This makes it difficult to achieve a one-to-one alignment between a sketch map and its corresponding geo-referenced metric map. Nevertheless, sketch maps are still useful to communicate spatial knowledge, indicating that sketch maps contain certain spatial information that is robust to cognitive impacts. In existing studies, sketch maps are used frequently to measure cognitive maps. However, little work has been done on invariant spatial information in sketch maps, which is the information of spatial configurations representing correctly the …

Development And Evaluation Of A Geographic Information Retrieval System Using Fine Grained Toponyms, Damien Palacio, Curdin Derungs, Ross S. Purves

Journal of Spatial Information Science

Geographic information retrieval (GIR) is concerned with returning information in response to an information need, typically expressed in terms of a thematic and spatial component linked by a spatial relationship. However, evaluation initiatives have often failed to show significant differences between simple text baselines and more complex spatially enabled GIR approaches. We explore the effectiveness of three systems (a text baseline, spatial query expansion, and a full GIR system utilizing both text and spatial indexes) at retrieving documents from a corpus describing mountaineering expeditions, centred around fine grained toponyms. To allow evaluation, we use user generated content (UGC) in the …

Pre-Mission Input Requirements To Enable Successful Sample Collection By A Remote Field/Eva Team, Barbara A. Cohen, Darlene S. S. Lim, Kelsey E. Young, Anna Brunner, Richard C. Elphic, Audrey Horne, Mary C. Kerrigan, Gordon O. Osinski, John R. Skok, Steven W. Squyres, David Saint-Jacques, Jennifer L. Heldmann

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

We used a field excursion to the West Clearwater Lake Impact structure as an opportunity to test factors that contribute to the decisions a remote field team (for example, astronauts conducting extravehicular activities (EVA) on planetary surfaces) makes while collecting samples for return to Earth. We found that detailed background on the analytical purpose of the samples, provided to the field team, enables them to identify and collect samples that meet specific analytical objectives. However, such samples are not always identifiable during field reconnaissance activities, and may only be recognized after outcrop characterization and interpretation by crew and/or science team …

Los Morteros: Early Monumentality And Environmental Change In The Lower Chao Valley, Northern Peruvian Coast, Ana Cecilia Mauricio Llonto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This doctoral dissertation presents the results of archaeological and geoarchaeological studies carried out at the site of Los Morteros and the Archaeological Complex of Pampa de las Salinas, lower Chao Valley, North Coast of Peru, between September 2012 and July 2014. This research focuses on the study of the mound-shaped site of Los Morteros and the environmental contexts in which this site developed. Previous excavations at the site considered Los Morteros as a “stabilized dune” whose top was used as cemetery for pre-pottery people around cal. 5000 B.P (Cardenas 1995, 1999). However, geo-radar explorations of the mound in 2006 and …

Restoring The Mississippi River Delta In Louisiana Ecological Tradeoffs And Barriers To Action, Alison Maulhardt

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the Louisiana 2012 Coastal Master Plan’s ability to reconcile conflicting economic and ecological demands on coastal resources. The Louisiana Coastal Master Plan was unique in combining flood control and coastal restoration under one authority. However, the objectives of flood control and coastal restoration can be in conflict. The plan was also unique in its approach of restoration from a working coast perspective. However, the objectives of ecological restoration and economic productivity do not always agree. By conducting semi-structured interviews with major coastal stakeholders, this research will explore how the planning process has accommodated the views and values …

The Role Of The State, Multinational Oil Companies, International Law & The International Community: Intersection Of Human Rights & Environmental Degradation Climate Change In The 21st Century Caused By Traditional Extractive Practices, The Amazon Rainforest, Indigenous People And Universal Jurisdiction To Resolve The Accountability Issue, Marcela Cabrera Luna

Master's Theses

Local, national and international conventions that protect indigenous sovereignty and their territories, where many of the resources are extracted from by multinational corporations (MNCs) particularly oil, the number one commodity of the world and cause of climate change, continue to be jeopardized because of the lack of a clear international legal framework that can protect them and potentially hold multinationals accountable for their actions. These practices are causing not only environmental issues to the indigenous and surrounding communities, but climate change is in fact, the real human rights issue of the 21^st century and it affects everyone. By using …

Data To Decisions For Cyberspace Operations, Steve Stone

Military Cyber Affairs

In 2011, the United States (U.S.) Department of Defense (DOD) named cyberspace a new operational domain. The U.S. Cyber Command and the Military Services are working to make the cyberspace environment a suitable place for achieving national objectives and enabling military command and control (C2). To effectively conduct cyberspace operations, DOD requires data and analysis of the Mission, Network, and Adversary. However, the DOD’s current data processing and analysis capabilities do not meet mission needs within critical operational timelines. This paper presents a summary of the data processing and analytics necessary to effectively conduct cyberspace operations.

Needs Assessment: A Report On Seven Focus Groups In Ohio, Kevin O'Brien, Daniel Baracskay, Wendy Kellogg, Michael Mcgoun, Claudette Robey, Michael Tevesz, Kirstin Toth

Michael J. Tevesz

A series of seven focus groups were conducted in various locations throughout northern Ohio to identify and assess coastal resources management training needs across the Ohio Great Lakes basin. The focus groups were comprised of a cross-section of professionals who make decisions affecting watershed areas or Lake Erie coastal areas. Six of the focus groups included decision-makers considered previous and potential users of coastal resources management training (non-providers). A seventh focus group included decision-makers who provide training in coastal resources management (providers).

Holocene Climatic Change And Past Irish Societal Response, David Brown, M. Baillie, J. Palmer, Christian Turney

David C. Brown

No abstract provided.

Coastal Resources Management Training Needs Assessment: Strategies And Opportunities, Kevin O'Brien, Claudette Robey, Wendy Kellogg, Michael Tevesz

Michael J. Tevesz

The Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve (OWC), Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Coastal Management Program (ODNRCMP), and Ohio Sea Grant College Program engaged the Great Lakes Environmental Finance Center (GLEFC) to aid them in developing a coastal resources management training initiative for Ohio coastal decision-makers. Coastal decision-maker professionals are expected to formulate effective strategies and apply interdisciplinary approaches to solving problems and policy issues that affect the environments of coastal regions. There are a number of professionals in a variety of occupations who make decisions regarding coastal and environmental policy issues. These individuals include those within the coastal resources …

Trends Analysis Of Coastal Training Programs In The National Estuarine Research Reserve System: Executive Summary, Claudette Robey, Kevin O'Brien, Kirstin Toth, Dan Baracksay, Michael Mcgoun, Wendy Kellogg, Michael Tevesz

Michael J. Tevesz

No abstract provided.

Characterizing The Performance And Behaviors Of Runners Using Twitter, Qian He, Emmanuel Agu, Diane Strong, Bengisu Tulu, Peder Pedersen

Emmanuel O. Agu

Running is a popular physical activity that improves physical and mental wellbeing. Unfortunately, up-to- date information about runners’ performance and psychological wellbeing is limited. Many questions remain unanswered, such as how far and how fast runners typically run, their preferred running times and frequencies, how long new runners persist before dropping out, and what factors cause runners to quit. Without hard data, establishing patterns of runner behavior and mitigating the challenges they face are difficult. Collecting data manually from large numbers of runners for research studies is costly and time consuming. Emerging Social Networking Services (SNS) and fitness tracking devices …

Coastal Training Market Analysis: Final Report, Kevin O'Brien, Claudette Robey, Daniel Barasckay, Wendy Kellogg, Michael Tevesz

Michael J. Tevesz

A market is emerging for policy makers in the area of coastal resources management. Individuals, as professionals or private citizens, are frequently called upon to make decisions regarding coastal environmental issues. The context in which they do so varies considerably; thus education and training in this topic area serves to heighten and expand the knowledge base of the coastal decision-maker.

Trends Analysis Of Coastal Training Programs In The National Estuarine Research Reserve System, Claudette Robey, Kevin O'Brien, Kirstin Toth, Daniel Baracksay, Michael Mcgoun, Wendy Kellogg, Michael Tevesz

Michael J. Tevesz

The National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRS) Coastal Training Program (CTP) is a system-wide training program that aims to increase informed decision-making related to coastal resource management at local and regional levels. The CTP serves as the NERRS flagship program for knowledge and information transfer, and provides an effective vehicle to ensure that science-based knowledge and skills get into the hands and minds of those individuals making decisions about the coast on a regular basis in a professional or volunteer capacity. At the local level, Reserve staff conducts intensive planning to develop targeted training programs that complement other training efforts within …

An Assessment Of The Coastal Training Program Needs Of The Anerr Region, Claudette Robey, Kevin O'Brien, Kevin O'Brien, Michael Mcgoun, Michael Tevesz

Michael J. Tevesz

A series of focus groups were conducted throughout northwest Florida to obtain input from coastal decision-makers into the design and development of a coastal resources management training program for the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR). The focus groups were comprised of a cross section of coastal and environmental professionals who make decisions affecting coastal and watershed areas. The focus group decision-makers were primarily employed in the public sector (federal, state, local, governmental, nonprofit, or academic), with nearly half of the participants having between six and 15 years of professional experience.

An Analysis Of The Anerr Coastal Resources Management Training Market, Claudette Robey, Kevin O'Brien, Daniel Baracskay, Michael Mcgoun, Michael Tevesz

Michael J. Tevesz

The market analysis for the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve revealed that there is a diverse body of coastal resources management training providers who offer training in the Florida Panhandle. These organizations are primarily either governmental agencies, or institutions of higher education. Most of them offer this training to various audiences as part of their missions, although a select few offer it as the sole purpose of their organizations.

A Context-Aware Activity Recommendation Smartphone Application To Mitigate Sedentary Lifestyles, Qian He, Emmanuel Agu

Emmanuel O. Agu

A sedentary lifestyle involves irregular or no physical activity. In this kind of lifestyle, people’s activities do not increase their energy expenditure substantially above resting levels. Long periods of sitting, lying, watching television, playing video games, and using the computer are typical examples. Energy expenditures at 1.0-1.5 Metabolic Equivalent Units (METs) are considered sedentary behaviors. A recent study of sedentary lifestyles found that the length of sedentary times is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. In this study, we developed a smartphone application called “On11”, which continuously tracks and informs the user …

Needs Assessment: A Report On Seven Focus Groups In Ohio: Report Summary, Kevin O'Brien, Daniel Baracskay, Wendy Kellogg, Michael Mcgoun, Claudette Robey, Michael Tevesz, Kirstin Toth

Michael J. Tevesz

Coastal decision-makers and training providers in the Ohio Lake Erie basin participated in seven focus groups to generate information on coastal resources knowledge and training needs. Six of the focus groups were comprised of a cross-section of professionals who make decisions affecting watershed areas or Lake Erie coastal areas (non-providers); the seventh was comprised of training providers (providers). Discussions centered on two main areas: core knowledge needs and training needs.

Climate Change In The Dead Heart Of Australia, Joshua Larsen, Gerald C. Nanson, Timothy J. Cohen, Brian G. Jones, John D. Jansen, Jan-Hendrik May

Timothy Cohen

Despite the absence of large-scale glaciation, the Australian continent has experienced substantial environmental change throughout the Quaternary period. This is especially pronounced in central Australia, where one seventh of the continent is drained internally to the depocentre, and lowest point in Australia, Lake Eyre (Figure 1). Research has shown that at one time, large sandy braided and meandering rivers carried water through dunefields to a large freshwater lake system. Today, the rivers are hostage to the dunefield, and floodwaters might only reach Lake Eyre once every ten years or so. In order to understand the development of this arid desert …

Parcel Subdivision Automation For Agent-Based Land Use Modelling, Rohan Wickramasuriya, Laurie Chisholm, Marji Puotinen, Nicholas Gill, Peter Klepeis

Nicholas J Gill

To a significant extent rural Australia is transforming into multifunctional landscapes. Amenity migration (i.e. movement of people from metropolitan to rural settings) is a major driving force of this transition in many areas. However, the effects of amenity migration on the receiving landscapes are not yet fully understood. Agent-based land use modelling helps unravel the complex spatio-temporal relationships that affect landscape response to change from amenity migration. A land subdivision module is essential for a complete agent-based land use model developed for these landscapes because the land sold to in-migrants are lots that are subdivided from much larger tracts. In …

Parcel Subdivision Automation For Agent-Based Land Use Modelling, Rohan Wickramasuriya, Laurie Chisholm, Marji Puotinen, Nicholas Gill, Peter Klepeis

Nicholas J Gill

To a significant extent rural Australia is transforming into multifunctional landscapes. Amenity migration (i.e. movement of people from metropolitan to rural settings) is a major driving force of this transition in many areas. However, the effects of amenity migration on the receiving landscapes are not yet fully understood. Agent-based land use modelling helps unravel the complex spatio-temporal relationships that affect landscape response to change from amenity migration. A land subdivision module is essential for a complete agent-based land use model developed for these landscapes because the land sold to in-migrants are lots that are subdivided from much larger tracts. In …

Describing Images Using A Multilayer Framework Based On Qualitative Spatial Models, Tao Wang, Hui Shi

Baltic International Yearbook of Cognition, Logic and Communication

To date most research in image processing has been based on quantitative representations of image features using pixel values, however, humans often use abstract and semantic knowledge to describe and analyze images. To enhance cognitive adequacy and tractability, we here present a multilayer framework based on qualitative spatial models. The layout features of segmented images are defined by qualitative spatial models which we introduce, and represented as a set of qualitative spatial constraints. Assigned different semantic and context knowledge, the image segments and the qualitative spatial constraints are interpreted from different perspectives. Finally, the knowledge layer of the framework enables …

Evaluation Of Animal Model Research, Kenneth J. Shapiro

Kenneth J. Shapiro, PhD

It is argued that a concept of evaluation of animal models that is broader and more useful than validation is available. Productive generativity refers to the degree to which a model furthers understanding and leads to more-effective treatment interventions. Results of the application of this novel evaluative frame to several animal models of eating disorders show that this animal-based research has not been productive. The question of the relation between clinic and animal laboratory is discussed.

Is It The Typeset Or The Type Of Statistics? Disfluent Font And Self-Disclosure, Rebecca Balebako, Eyal Peer, Laura Brandimarte, Lorrie Faith Cranor, Alessandro Acquisti

Lorrie F Cranor

Background. The security and privacy communities have become increasingly interested in results from behavioral economics and psychology to help frame decisions so that users can make better privacy and security choices. One such result in the literature suggests that cognitive disfluency (presenting questions in a hard-to-read font) reduces self-disclosure. (A. L. Alter and D. M. Oppenheimer. Suppressing secrecy through metacognitive ease cognitive fluency encourages self-disclosure. Psychological science, 20(11):1414-1420, 2009) Aim. To examine the replicability and reliability of the effect of disfluency on self-disclosure, in order to test whether such approaches might be used to promote safer security and privacy behaviors. …

A Field Trial Of Privacy Nudges For Facebook, Yang Wang, Pedro Giovanni Leon, Alessandro Acquisti, Lorrie Faith Cranor, Alain Forget, Norman Sadeh

Lorrie F Cranor

Anecdotal evidence and scholarly research have shown that Internet users may regret some of their online disclosures. To help individuals avoid such regrets, we designed two modifications to the Facebook web interface that nudge users to consider the content and audience of their online disclosures more carefully. We implemented and evaluated these two nudges in a 6-week field trial with 28 Facebook users. We analyzed participants' interactions with the nudges, the content of their posts, and opinions collected through surveys. We found that reminders about the audience of posts can prevent unintended disclosures without major burden; however, introducing a time …

From Facebook Regrets To Facebook Privacy Nudges, Yang Wang, Pedro Giovanni Leon, Xiaoxuan Chen, Saranga Komanduri, Gregory Norcie, Alessandro Acquisti, Lorrie Faith Cranor, Norman Sadeh

Lorrie F Cranor

As social networking sites (SNSs) gain in popularity, instances of regrets following online (over)sharing continue to be reported. In June 2010, a pierogi mascot for the Pittsburgh Pirates was fired because he posted disparaging comments about the team on his Facebook page. More recently, a high school teacher was forced to resign because she posted a picture on Facebook in which she was holding a glass of wine and a mug of beer. These incidents illustrate how, in addition to fostering socialization and interaction between friends and strangers, the ease and immediacy of communication that SNSs make possible can sometimes …