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Articles 91 - 120 of 1855

Full-Text Articles in Geography

Constructing A State: Canals And The Transformation Of The Economy, Politics, And Finance In Nineteenth-Century New York, Youwei Xing Aug 2025

Constructing A State: Canals And The Transformation Of The Economy, Politics, And Finance In Nineteenth-Century New York, Youwei Xing

All Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three essays in economic history, unified by a focus on one of America's earliest transportation infrastructures, the canal system, in nineteenth-century New York. Each chapter explores a different aspect of the state's transformation: its economy, politics, and finance, each of which helped construct New York as the Empire State.

The first chapter studies the economic impact of canals on economic modernization from three aspects: sectoral transition, urbanization, and banking development. Contrary to much of the modern literature finds transportation infrastructure leads to decentralization, I find the opposite-evidence of centralization. Specially: (1) canal towns experienced a transition …


Hybrid Geographies And Nature In The City: A Tale Of Two Greenspaces In Louisville, Ky., Rebecca Dixon Aug 2025

Hybrid Geographies And Nature In The City: A Tale Of Two Greenspaces In Louisville, Ky., Rebecca Dixon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many conservation initiatives position nature and the urban as opposing constructions, which means the possibilities where cities can work with nature are often overlooked. This study uses the lens of relational geographies to examine nature in the city by comparing two greenspaces in the Beargrass Creek watershed in Louisville, Kentucky: Waterfront Botanical Gardens and the Louisville Nature Center. The two organizations are compared by using a combination of content analysis, discourse analysis, and GIS flood analysis methods to determine how their geographical location and history affect the ways in which the dynamic between nature and culture is reproduced. Results show …


Remotely-Sensed Urbanization And Local Perceptions Of Change From 1985-2024 In Southern Indiana., Marlea Ferber Aug 2025

Remotely-Sensed Urbanization And Local Perceptions Of Change From 1985-2024 In Southern Indiana., Marlea Ferber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is focused on the land cover change of non-built land cover being transformed into built land cover in two counties in Southern Indiana using mixed methods. Remote sensing was used to identify and quantify land cover change, and interviews were used to understand local perceptions of the physical land cover changes. The study area is situated along the rural-urban continuum with Louisville, Kentucky across the Ohio River. It is important to quantify the amount of land change conversion to built settlement as patterns and rate of urbanization help us to better manage transitions along the rural-urban continuum, but …


The Dynamics Of Urbanization And Changes In Ekistics Elements: A Case Study Of Surakarta City, Sarah Astita Jul 2025

The Dynamics Of Urbanization And Changes In Ekistics Elements: A Case Study Of Surakarta City, Sarah Astita

Cities and Urban Development Journal

Urbanization has become a driving force behind significant spatial, environmental, and socio-economic transformations in urban areas, including Surakarta, the most densely populated city in Central Java. The rapid increase in population and urban expansion has led to drastic changes in land use and the structure of human settlements. This study aims to analyze the impact of urbanization on the ekistic elements of Surakarta (nature, humans, society, space/shells, and networks) and how these changes manifest spatially over time. A descriptive qualitative approach is employed using literature analysis and the interpretation of Landsat satellite imagery from 2011 and 2022. The findings show …


Advancing Interactive Web Cartography Through Designing And Developing An Open-Source, Data-Driven Framework For Accessible Geovisualization Of Geospatial (Big) Data, Sarigai Sarigai Jul 2025

Advancing Interactive Web Cartography Through Designing And Developing An Open-Source, Data-Driven Framework For Accessible Geovisualization Of Geospatial (Big) Data, Sarigai Sarigai

Geography ETDs

The growth of geospatial big data has intensified the demand for open-source, accessible tools for interactive spatial exploration. This dissertation introduces a modular web mapping framework and details its design, extension, and evaluation to advance geovisualization through user-centered, transferable design. The first study presents the original framework, named dciWebMapper, establishing foundational cartographic and information visualization principles, with a focus on modularity and extensibility. The second study extends dciWebMapper with advanced capabilities—such as diverse map types, bivariate visualizations, temporal filtering, spatial querying, and hotspot analysis—and demonstrates its broad transferability across domains. The third study offers a structured usability evaluation of …


Toxicological And Environmental Assessment Of Trace And Heavy Metals In Harnoi Coal Deposits, Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, Muhammad Sajid, Shaukat Khan, Muhammad Kashif, Khan Amir Khan, Muhammad Junaid Jul 2025

Toxicological And Environmental Assessment Of Trace And Heavy Metals In Harnoi Coal Deposits, Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, Muhammad Sajid, Shaukat Khan, Muhammad Kashif, Khan Amir Khan, Muhammad Junaid

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

Mining and burning of coal release various toxic substances that can contaminate both surface and groundwater, thereby posing significant risks to human health, especially for households located near mines, coal deposits, or coal-fired power stations. This research examines the environmental effects of coal mining in the Harnoi Region of Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Four mining sites were randomly selected within the study area, and eight coal samples were collected and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry to determine the concentrations of trace and heavy metals. The findings indicate that Harnoi coal contains elevated concentrations of arsenic, zinc, lead, cadmium, nickel, cobalt, …


Citizen Science Helps Monitor Urban Biodiversity: An Interactive, Data-Driven, And Open-Source Perspective, Katie Slack Jul 2025

Citizen Science Helps Monitor Urban Biodiversity: An Interactive, Data-Driven, And Open-Source Perspective, Katie Slack

Geography ETDs

Story maps, a powerful tool for communicating environmental narratives, are often commercial and lack many interactive functions. We integrate a data-driven and interactive geovisualization within an open-source story map created from high-attribute citizen science datasets. This story map creates a backend programming infrastructure for accessible, open-source science communication tools. Our story map intuitively communicates the findings from our web map application (app) portion of the story map to the public and helps reveal findings from the iNaturalist datasets. Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States is a demonstrative case study, but our tools can be flexibly adapted to other cities. Geovisualizations revealed …


Protecting Cultural Heritage In A Changing Climate: A Risk Assessment Model For Galleries, Libraries, Archives, And Museums In Florida, United States, Emily E. Fisher Jul 2025

Protecting Cultural Heritage In A Changing Climate: A Risk Assessment Model For Galleries, Libraries, Archives, And Museums In Florida, United States, Emily E. Fisher

LSU Master's Theses

The aim of this research is to develop a climate threat risk assessment scale for galleries, libraries, archives, and museums within the State of Florida. Current research neglects the localized impact of tropical cyclones, inland flash flooding, and exposure to SLR on cultural institutions. Tropical cyclone events bring in flooding, intense wind speeds, and power outages which affect these institutions. Tropical cyclone data from the National Hurricane Center are used to represent historical wind occurrence. Finally, flash flood warning data are used to represent the flooding likelihood in each county. Each threat is assessed individually across Florida counties. The range …


Analyzing Environmental Health: Air Pollution And Human Health Using Geospatial Data Science, Yanhong Huang Jul 2025

Analyzing Environmental Health: Air Pollution And Human Health Using Geospatial Data Science, Yanhong Huang

Geography ETDs

Air pollution from industrial emissions and wildfire smoke poses growing threats to public health. This dissertation employs geospatial data science to examine these challenges through three interrelated studies. The first study investigates the relationship between maternal residential exposure to industrial pollutants and low birth weight, identifying five chemicals as significant risk factors. The second study assesses the impact of industrial air pollution on lung and bronchus cancer survival, finding that exposure to 1,1,1-trichloroethane and cobalt is associated with reduced survival. The third study explores disparities in wildfire smoke PM2.5 exposure and its association with asthma exacerbations. Results show disparities …


Du Undergraduate Showcase Abstracts: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Kabe Aberle, Nadia Kako, Kateri Mcrae, Brooke Agulnek, Sky Palmon, Yasmine Ramirez, Francisca Aguirre Beltran, Ashley Juarez, Bridget Kim, Tessa Appel, Sterling Kerr, Spencer Ingley, Gabe Meyer, Robin Tinghitella, Dale Broder, Lily Baeza, Chloe Beers, Julia Coakley, Whitney Kelsey, Sydney Gainforth, Gabi Wing, Audrey Martin, Aaliyah Amore Berry, Brooke Watley, Kiruthika Venkatesan, Rachel Bienstock, Annabella Brotherston, Madison Bryant, Mia Burgener, Emma P. Lieb, Rachel A. Johnson, Jennifer L. Hoffman, Kania Campbell, Kiena Campbell, Courtney Cassidy, Sage Krzyzkowski, Maddox Jones, Skylar Abookire, Luke Hawkins, Sunnah Yoon, Andrea Chu, Yan Qin, Nyah Cubbison, Brian Gearity, Daniel Mcintosh, Mariely Cruz, Edward Garrido, Grady Dionne, Nicole Doris, Lyndsie Salvagio, Ann-Charlotte Granholm-Bentley, Anna Dymov, Hannah Eckert, Gabrielle Welsh, Erica Larson, Charlie Ernst, Anna Zhou, Sarah Watamura, Larissa Fedorovich-Klein, Georgie Fields, Kimberly A. Guevara, Aven Mccall, Ben Peltier, Feruz Yahia, Patrick Flores, Jadyn Floyd, Sophia Forcier, J. Von R. Monteza, Peter Sokol-Hessner, Gwendolyn Geiger, Scott Nichols, Camryn Gunter, Kendal Hengst, Charlie Bednarz, Issy Garside, Addison Baker, Rachel Mina, Brooke Hermanson, Amanda Klingler, William Highfill, Sydney Jaques, Kerstin Lewey, Allison Grossery, Daniel Linseman, Ethan Lim, Jagger Livengood, Owen Mantelli, Gabby Pappas, Abby Mcdonald, Madeleine Dierking, Eve Miller, Emma Loeber, Anna Marlow, Michael Kerwin, Ella Mathews, Hillary Hamann, Khadija Mohamed, Vivian Nguyen, Gabri Notov, Ifunayachi Ogbonna-Ukuku, Sunil Kumar, Charles Baysah, Sarah Olson, Don Sullivan, Anna Paradiso, Jay Parrish, Mira Pronobis, Alisha Pravasi, Kerstin Haring, Diego Ramirez, Christopher Reardon, Juliana Ramirez, Casey Doherty, Ella Kestner, Teagan Weindel, Cate Billings, Pablo Torre-Walter, Lucy Rand, Samantha Reynolds, Mark Siemens, Khadeeja Rashid, Laine Satterlee, Piper Heilbronner, Lily Pound, Ben Whitehurst, Anna Respet, Lizzie Lesoing, Sydney Hertel, Aya Saad-Masri, Brooke Ballenger, Max Proske, Hannah Rosenberg, Ellia Nakahara, Sophia Espinoza, Ivan Woolhouse, Simon Ruland, Gorkem Er, Timothy Sweeny, Melaku Saketa, Michela Schenk, Maren Lynch, Madi Hamm, Grace Schroeder, Michelle Rozenman, Rana Seif, Jackson Hall, Marisela Simental, Daniel Paredes, Aaron Mena, Preston Spaan, Evelyn Stovin, David Andrew Swartz, Anh Tran, Daniel Pittman, Luke Farchione, Emily Boyer, Ukari Verner, Lacey Conrad, Jonathan Velotta, James Weiner, Jagger Gossett, Noah Sherry, Sam Proud, Ben Block, Avi Narayana, Zoey Weiss, Alyssa Wilson, Gabrielle Walsh, David Zonana, Keely Wright, Kena Riveria, Lillybelle Deer, Jena Doom, Elysia Davis, Isabelle Yaremenko, Caitlyn Young Jul 2025

Du Undergraduate Showcase Abstracts: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Kabe Aberle, Nadia Kako, Kateri Mcrae, Brooke Agulnek, Sky Palmon, Yasmine Ramirez, Francisca Aguirre Beltran, Ashley Juarez, Bridget Kim, Tessa Appel, Sterling Kerr, Spencer Ingley, Gabe Meyer, Robin Tinghitella, Dale Broder, Lily Baeza, Chloe Beers, Julia Coakley, Whitney Kelsey, Sydney Gainforth, Gabi Wing, Audrey Martin, Aaliyah Amore Berry, Brooke Watley, Kiruthika Venkatesan, Rachel Bienstock, Annabella Brotherston, Madison Bryant, Mia Burgener, Emma P. Lieb, Rachel A. Johnson, Jennifer L. Hoffman, Kania Campbell, Kiena Campbell, Courtney Cassidy, Sage Krzyzkowski, Maddox Jones, Skylar Abookire, Luke Hawkins, Sunnah Yoon, Andrea Chu, Yan Qin, Nyah Cubbison, Brian Gearity, Daniel Mcintosh, Mariely Cruz, Edward Garrido, Grady Dionne, Nicole Doris, Lyndsie Salvagio, Ann-Charlotte Granholm-Bentley, Anna Dymov, Hannah Eckert, Gabrielle Welsh, Erica Larson, Charlie Ernst, Anna Zhou, Sarah Watamura, Larissa Fedorovich-Klein, Georgie Fields, Kimberly A. Guevara, Aven Mccall, Ben Peltier, Feruz Yahia, Patrick Flores, Jadyn Floyd, Sophia Forcier, J. Von R. Monteza, Peter Sokol-Hessner, Gwendolyn Geiger, Scott Nichols, Camryn Gunter, Kendal Hengst, Charlie Bednarz, Issy Garside, Addison Baker, Rachel Mina, Brooke Hermanson, Amanda Klingler, William Highfill, Sydney Jaques, Kerstin Lewey, Allison Grossery, Daniel Linseman, Ethan Lim, Jagger Livengood, Owen Mantelli, Gabby Pappas, Abby Mcdonald, Madeleine Dierking, Eve Miller, Emma Loeber, Anna Marlow, Michael Kerwin, Ella Mathews, Hillary Hamann, Khadija Mohamed, Vivian Nguyen, Gabri Notov, Ifunayachi Ogbonna-Ukuku, Sunil Kumar, Charles Baysah, Sarah Olson, Don Sullivan, Anna Paradiso, Jay Parrish, Mira Pronobis, Alisha Pravasi, Kerstin Haring, Diego Ramirez, Christopher Reardon, Juliana Ramirez, Casey Doherty, Ella Kestner, Teagan Weindel, Cate Billings, Pablo Torre-Walter, Lucy Rand, Samantha Reynolds, Mark Siemens, Khadeeja Rashid, Laine Satterlee, Piper Heilbronner, Lily Pound, Ben Whitehurst, Anna Respet, Lizzie Lesoing, Sydney Hertel, Aya Saad-Masri, Brooke Ballenger, Max Proske, Hannah Rosenberg, Ellia Nakahara, Sophia Espinoza, Ivan Woolhouse, Simon Ruland, Gorkem Er, Timothy Sweeny, Melaku Saketa, Michela Schenk, Maren Lynch, Madi Hamm, Grace Schroeder, Michelle Rozenman, Rana Seif, Jackson Hall, Marisela Simental, Daniel Paredes, Aaron Mena, Preston Spaan, Evelyn Stovin, David Andrew Swartz, Anh Tran, Daniel Pittman, Luke Farchione, Emily Boyer, Ukari Verner, Lacey Conrad, Jonathan Velotta, James Weiner, Jagger Gossett, Noah Sherry, Sam Proud, Ben Block, Avi Narayana, Zoey Weiss, Alyssa Wilson, Gabrielle Walsh, David Zonana, Keely Wright, Kena Riveria, Lillybelle Deer, Jena Doom, Elysia Davis, Isabelle Yaremenko, Caitlyn Young

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Abstracts from the DU Undergraduate Research Showcase.


The Sulu Sea Mandate: A Diplomatic And Military Initiative To Ensure Freedom Of The Seas, John Cheney Jul 2025

The Sulu Sea Mandate: A Diplomatic And Military Initiative To Ensure Freedom Of The Seas, John Cheney

Theses

This thesis advocates the establishment of an official US government diplomatic policy, and recommends specific means for its implementation. By combining a written narrative with a unique and highly detailed Geographic Information System (GIS,) this thesis argues that securing the Philippines archipelago from further Chinese annexations is a US strategic imperative. To that end, US military forces and capabilities- particularly those of the US Marine Corps (USMC)- would be integrated into the revamped defense of the Philippines.

Utilizing a variety of datasets, the thesis GIS depicts such features as geopolitical boundaries, conflict zones, maritime trade routes, bathymetry, navigational hazards, undersea …


Analysis Of The Development Potential And Strategy Of The Kauman Batik Village In Surakarta Using Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (Qspm) Approach, Fauzi Syani Prananto, Edi Kurniawan, Satya Budi Nugraha Jun 2025

Analysis Of The Development Potential And Strategy Of The Kauman Batik Village In Surakarta Using Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (Qspm) Approach, Fauzi Syani Prananto, Edi Kurniawan, Satya Budi Nugraha

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

The increasing development of other leading destinations in Surakarta City, there are many challenges that must be faced by Kauman Surakarta Batik Village. The activation of tourism potential that has not been fully managed optimally shows that the existence of the village is starting to be threatened. The purpose of this research is to identify tourism potential that needs to be developed and to analyze the development strategy of Kampung Batik Kauman Surakarta tourist attraction by looking at the potential it has. The method used in this research is quantitative with data collection techniques, namely observation, interviews and questionnaires. Data …


Flash Flood Modelling In The Brantas Hulu Sub-Watershed, Batu City, Indonesia, Listyo Yudha Irawan, Vischawafiq Azizah, Siti Nur Farihah, Luisa Fernanda Medina, Puspita Indra Wardhani, Nanda Regita Cahyaning Putri, Mellinia Regina Heni Prastiwi, Mohammad Rendra Magandhi Arizal Jun 2025

Flash Flood Modelling In The Brantas Hulu Sub-Watershed, Batu City, Indonesia, Listyo Yudha Irawan, Vischawafiq Azizah, Siti Nur Farihah, Luisa Fernanda Medina, Puspita Indra Wardhani, Nanda Regita Cahyaning Putri, Mellinia Regina Heni Prastiwi, Mohammad Rendra Magandhi Arizal

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

Flash floods are especially hazardous hydrological phenomena, noted for their abrupt occurrence and capacity to inflict severe damage on infrastructure, farmlands, and residential zones, often leading to substantial socio-economic upheaval and fatalities. A flash flood struck the Upper Brantas watershed on November 4, 2021, at 14:00, precipitated by intense rainfall over a short duration, leading to significant hydrological impacts. The event manifested at six critical points within Batu City, with Sambong Hamlet and Beru Hamlet experiencing severe inundation. The flash floods disrupted residential areas and severely affected agricultural lands through debris flows. Preliminary assessments indicated that approximately 35 houses were …


Urban Sprawl On Agricultural Lands In Marj Ibn Amer Plain (1973-2022) - Palestine (Using Modern Geographical Techniques), Mustafa Jarrar Jun 2025

Urban Sprawl On Agricultural Lands In Marj Ibn Amer Plain (1973-2022) - Palestine (Using Modern Geographical Techniques), Mustafa Jarrar

Journal of the Arab American University مجلة الجامعة العربية الامريكية للبحوث

This study aims at the spatial analysis of urban expansion in the plain of Marj Ibn Amer at the expense of agricultural lands in the period between 1973 to 2022, using geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing RS, Depending on the Landsat satellite image, which were processed, improved, classified and analyzed, and then quantitative calculations were made for urban expansion , It has been shown by the results obtained that the volume of urban sprawl on agricultural lands in the Marj Ibn Amer plain has evolved from 53.59 km2 in 1973 to 164.22 km2 in 2022 , and the …


Mapping Responsible Workflows For Geospatial Data Science: Developing The I-Guide Data Ethics Toolkit, Peter T. Darch, Kyra M. Abrams, Ivan Y M Kong Jun 2025

Mapping Responsible Workflows For Geospatial Data Science: Developing The I-Guide Data Ethics Toolkit, Peter T. Darch, Kyra M. Abrams, Ivan Y M Kong

I-GUIDE Forum

AI workflows in geospatial data science offer significant societal benefits but raise ethical, transparency, and reproducibility challenges. Current ethical frameworks and tools are often hard to integrate into daily research practice. This paper introduces the I-GUIDE Data Ethics Toolkit (DET), a lightweight suite designed for users of the NSF-funded Institute for Geospatial Understanding through an Integrative Discovery Environment (I-GUIDE). Based on a longitudinal mixed-methods study, including surveys, interviews, and observations, we identified five design priorities: usability, anticipatory planning, distributed responsibility, comprehensive coverage, and policy compliance. We integrated existing AI and data research lifecycles into an eight-stage I-GUIDE Research Lifecycle, serving …


Evaluating The Evaluation Matrices: Integrating Spatial Assessment In Geospatial Ai Model Training And Evaluation, Fangzheng Lyu Jun 2025

Evaluating The Evaluation Matrices: Integrating Spatial Assessment In Geospatial Ai Model Training And Evaluation, Fangzheng Lyu

I-GUIDE Forum

This paper examines the limitations of current evaluation metrics in GeoAI. Through two case studies on deep learning models—a building detection classification problem and a remote sensing image fusion regression problem—this paper demonstrates how traditional statistical evaluation matrices alone can be misleading in geospatial problems. The findings indicate that traditional metrics (e.g., RMSE, MAE) used in current GeoAI models can have difficulty capturing the spatial dimensions inherent to geospatial problems. This paper suggests that the model evaluation process in GeoAI should move beyond traditional evaluation matrices by integrating spatial thinking throughout the modeling pipeline—not only incorporating spatial accuracy in model …


Expanding Access To Cybergis-Compute Through Support For Heterogeneous Workflows, Alexander C. Michels, Ian Zhang, Anand Padmanabhan, John Speaks, Rebecca Vandewalle, Shaowen Wang Jun 2025

Expanding Access To Cybergis-Compute Through Support For Heterogeneous Workflows, Alexander C. Michels, Ian Zhang, Anand Padmanabhan, John Speaks, Rebecca Vandewalle, Shaowen Wang

I-GUIDE Forum

CyberGIS-Compute is a geospatial middleware tool designed to lower technical barriers to High-Performance Computing (HPC) resources. It provides end-users with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for submitting models to HPC and allows model developers to contribute their workflows by adding a manifest to their repositories. However, the simplification of the user interface and streamlining of model contribution have unintentionally limited the scope of models that could be run on CyberGIS-Compute. In this paper, we discuss recent developments to the CyberGIS-Compute project that are aimed at supporting a wider variety of workflows including performance enhancements, supporting additional configuration options for jobs, …


Assessing Vulnerabilities Associated With High-Risk Dams In Utah, Courtney Flint Dr., Michael Englert, Upmanu Lall Dr. Jun 2025

Assessing Vulnerabilities Associated With High-Risk Dams In Utah, Courtney Flint Dr., Michael Englert, Upmanu Lall Dr.

I-GUIDE Forum

Across the United States, the age of dam infrastructure presents a substantial threat. The potential for structural failure associated with these aging dams is exacerbated by increased climate uncertainty and the threat of dam overtopping due to extreme and prolonged precipitation events. These compound threats place downstream areas at pronounced risk. These downstream areas vary widely. Some are relatively free of vulnerable elements, while others have a complex mix of infrastructure, populations, and ecologically important elements. This paper highlights the risk situation associated with aging dams and hydroclimatic extremes, the methodological and geospatial challenges and opportunities associated with mapping the …


Pilgrimage, Trade And Empire: A Gis Investigation Of Pre-Hispanic Roads In The Ocoña And Chorunga Valleys Of Peru, Geri Evilla Jun 2025

Pilgrimage, Trade And Empire: A Gis Investigation Of Pre-Hispanic Roads In The Ocoña And Chorunga Valleys Of Peru, Geri Evilla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examines Inca imperial expansion into the Ocoña and Chorunga Valleys, through an investigation of precolonial roads and trails. It focuses on the Middle to Late Horizons (700 BCE-1534 CE), with specific attention to the last 100 years, when the region was occupied by the Inca state and experienced a rapid increase in population and architectural development. Data collected in excavations, and pedestrian, and drone surveys were used in geographic information systems, to map pre-Hispanic road systems. A combination of Least Cost Path and viewshed analyses were used to investigate land use patterns and tie this region into the …


Toward Sustainable Human Well-Being: A Multidimensional Assessment In Colorado, Uma Umut Baysal Jun 2025

Toward Sustainable Human Well-Being: A Multidimensional Assessment In Colorado, Uma Umut Baysal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evaluating progress in human well-being is essential for guiding effective policy and promoting sustainable development. Traditional approaches often emphasize economic and social dimensions while overlooking ecological indicators critical to long-term sustainability. This research addresses that gap by proposing a layered, scalable local framework for county-level analysis and bottom-up decision-making, integrating multiple objective indicators to assess and compare well-being outcomes across regions.

The first goal of this dissertation is to measure human well-being in Colorado counties by developing a Human Well-Being Index (HWBI). This index combines a newly developed Built Environment Index (BEI) comprising five sub-indices: accessibility, housing affordability, transportation, …


Archaeological, Pxrf, And Gis Analyses At The Trestle Bridge Site (8ja186), Northwest Florida, Victoria Marie Freitas May 2025

Archaeological, Pxrf, And Gis Analyses At The Trestle Bridge Site (8ja186), Northwest Florida, Victoria Marie Freitas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Trestle Bridge Site (8JA186), located on an eroding riverbank of the upper Apalachicola River in northwest Florida, represents a significant multi-component precontact site with occupations that date from the Early Woodland (~800 B.C.–A.D. 300) and the Fort Walton periods (A.D. 1000-1500). Previous research has broadly classified the site based on ceramic and lithic assemblages, but a detailed investigation into pottery production and environmental changes over time at the site remains unexplored in the understudied Apalachicola valley region. There also appears to be over a thousand-year gap in occupation at the site, as no Middle or Late Woodland ceramic or …


Analyzing Land Cover And Use In Bichi, Kano, Nigeria With Google Earth Data, Kabiru Abdullahi Abdulhamid, Adi Wibowo, Muhammad Junaid May 2025

Analyzing Land Cover And Use In Bichi, Kano, Nigeria With Google Earth Data, Kabiru Abdullahi Abdulhamid, Adi Wibowo, Muhammad Junaid

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

The research investigates land cover and land use change trends in Bichi, Kano State, Nigeria, between 2003 and 2023, with a focus on the impacts of agricultural expansion and urbanization. Google Earth Pro's high-resolution satellite imagery was used to assess trends in agricultural land, forest cover, and settlement areas. The findings reveal a drastic reduction in agricultural land from 60 hectares in 2003 to 40 hectares in 2023 and the decline of forest cover from 30 hectares to 20 hectares. On the other hand, built-up settlement areas increased from 10 hectares to 40 hectares. All these processes have resulted in …


Cannabis Impacts On Native Lands: On The Need For Inclusion Of Native Perspectives In Extension Work, Jeremy Sorgen, Seth Larosa, Jennifer Sowerwine, Van Butsic, Peter Nelson, Melanie Mccavour, Shasta Gaughen, Anna Starkey May 2025

Cannabis Impacts On Native Lands: On The Need For Inclusion Of Native Perspectives In Extension Work, Jeremy Sorgen, Seth Larosa, Jennifer Sowerwine, Van Butsic, Peter Nelson, Melanie Mccavour, Shasta Gaughen, Anna Starkey

Journal of Extension

This article highlights the need for Cooperative Extension to increase awareness of Tribal concerns around activities that impact land, natural resources, and water. A research team at UC Berkeley worked with a Tribal Advisory Committee to conduct a survey of Tribal representatives’ perceptions of cannabis impacts on Native lands and cultural resources. The results show that there is widespread concern among Native communities about the environmental impacts of cannabis cultivation, especially to water quality, access, and availability. These concerns underscore the need to include Native communities in Extension’s agricultural and natural resource activities across all regions and sectors.


Gis And The 1944 U.S.–Mexico Treaty: Rethinking Transboundary Governance Under Climate And Demographic Stress, Pedro L. Sarabia May 2025

Gis And The 1944 U.S.–Mexico Treaty: Rethinking Transboundary Governance Under Climate And Demographic Stress, Pedro L. Sarabia

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the structural limitations of the 1944 U.S.–Mexico Water Treaty in the context of intensifying climate stress and growing population demand. Using GIS-based raster analysis of precipitation from 1981 to 2024, it maps hydrological trends in treaty-bound basins—particularly the Rio Grande and Lower Colorado—which exhibit persistently low and variable precipitation. These conditions, coupled with institutional rigidity, threaten the sustainability of binational water management. In addition to quantitative analysis, the study includes a qualitative assessment of transboundary governance dynamics, highlighting how institutional fragmentation and policy contention impede adaptive responses. The Treaty’s current surface-water-only framework excludes groundwater management, real-time data …


Who Owns The Wind: The Absence Of Community Wind Farms In California, Sky Berry-Weiss May 2025

Who Owns The Wind: The Absence Of Community Wind Farms In California, Sky Berry-Weiss

Master's Projects and Capstones

Community ownership structures for wind farms have been around for decades, particularly in European countries, due to high socioeconomic benefits. Given these significant benefits, one might expect community wind to thrive in the United States—especially in a state like California, which prides itself on progressive climate policy and renewable energy leadership. Yet utility-scale community wind remains largely absent from research on California’s energy system, raising questions about its existence in the state. To pinpoint how many utility-scale community owned wind farms are in California, this study surveys every operational wind turbine in the state. After classifying each wind farm by …


Framing The Future: A Community Health Analysis Of The Pee Dee Region, Stephen Borders, Jean Anton, Rian Fontaine, Donielle Phillips, Treyton Ringer, Jessica Robinson, Caitlin Thompkins May 2025

Framing The Future: A Community Health Analysis Of The Pee Dee Region, Stephen Borders, Jean Anton, Rian Fontaine, Donielle Phillips, Treyton Ringer, Jessica Robinson, Caitlin Thompkins

Public Health

This report presents a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of community health across South Carolina’s Pee Dee region, encompassing Florence, Darlington, Chesterfield, Marlboro, Marion, and Dillon Counties. Using tract-level data from CDC PLACES, the U.S. Census, and the National Provider Identifier registry, it assesses chronic health conditions, health behaviors, and social determinants of health. The analysis incorporates the South Carolina Healthy Communities Index (SCHCI) and a Suitability Analysis to identify the region’s most disadvantaged communities. The findings highlight persistent disparities, particularly in rural counties, where high rates of poverty, chronic disease, and unmet basic needs intersect with limited access to care. Despite …


Passive Envelope Retrofits As Climate Justice Infrastructure Against Extreme Heat: A Gis-Guided Approach For Outdated Single-Family Homes In Urban California, Mert Oztekin Mr. May 2025

Passive Envelope Retrofits As Climate Justice Infrastructure Against Extreme Heat: A Gis-Guided Approach For Outdated Single-Family Homes In Urban California, Mert Oztekin Mr.

Master's Projects and Capstones

I examined the opportunities to enhance equity in energy performance, climate resilience, and environmental adaptation through climate-resilient envelope retrofitting and spatially guided implementation strategies (via mappings of the Urban Heat Island -UHI- and socio-economic vulnerability indicators). Passive envelope retrofits of attic insulation; high-performance windows; cool roofs; and green roofs / walls, are examined across multiple climate zones of California' aged single-family housing stock, focusing on the Disadvantaged Communities (DACs). Through spatial analysis, strong overlap between Urban Heat Island(UHI) exposure; pre-1980 housing; socioeconomic disadvantage, and thus the need for spatially-directed action is underlined. The policy landscape analysis provides confirmation of the …


School Choice And Spatial Equity: A Comparative Analysis Of Public And Private K-12 School Enrollment In Three American Metropolitan Areas, John A. Schumacher May 2025

School Choice And Spatial Equity: A Comparative Analysis Of Public And Private K-12 School Enrollment In Three American Metropolitan Areas, John A. Schumacher

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the factors influencing school choice and enrollment patterns in three Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs): Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI; Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN; and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell. It explores the role of socioeconomic and spatial variables, including income levels, racial composition, and educational attainment, political fragmentation, and urbanicity in shaping enrollment decisions across public and private schools. Using spatial analysis and multiple regression techniques, the study examines how these factors contribute to variations in school enrollment within the selected MSAs. The results reveal that income level and racial composition significantly affect enrollment patterns while other factors such as urbanicity had minimal impact. …


Climate Change And Social Vulnerability: A Case Study Of The Mexico Lerma-Cutzamala Region, Monica Munoz Miranda, Milagros Becerra May 2025

Climate Change And Social Vulnerability: A Case Study Of The Mexico Lerma-Cutzamala Region, Monica Munoz Miranda, Milagros Becerra

Sustainability and Social Justice

Climate change is reshaping precipitation patterns in Mexico, with significant regional and seasonal variations, leading to notable impacts on different components of the hydrological cycle for the whole country. The project focuses on assessing climate change and social vulnerability in the Mexico-Lerma Cutzamala hydrological region, an area that plays a critical role in the water supply to the Mexico City Metropolitan Area and has faced water scarcity issues for years. The analysis was conducted at a municipal level through a study area of 210 municipalities, extended on approximately 31,305 sq.km, with a population of over 23 million people. Using geospatial …


Improving Nutrition Outcomes Through Enhanced Allocative Efficiency Of Investments In 24 High Risk Counties In Kenya: An Optima Nutrition Modelling Study, Morris Ogero, Nick Scott, Veronica Kirogo, Anthony Ngugi May 2025

Improving Nutrition Outcomes Through Enhanced Allocative Efficiency Of Investments In 24 High Risk Counties In Kenya: An Optima Nutrition Modelling Study, Morris Ogero, Nick Scott, Veronica Kirogo, Anthony Ngugi

Population Health, East Africa

Introduction ;Undernutrition remains a significant global challenge, severely impacting children’s development and growth. To address this, the Sustainable Development Goals target a substantial reduction in stunting and wasting by 2025. Achieving these goals requires scaling up evidence-based nutritional interventions; however, limited budgets pose challenges in funding all necessary programs. To assist policymakers in making informed decisions, the World Bank developed the Optima Nutrition Modelling tool, which optimizes the allocation of nutrition investments. Kenya, with its high prevalence of stunting, was the focus of this study. Using the Optima Nutrition model, we aimed to (1) assess the impact of scaling up …