Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Transcendental Thermodynamics, Richard E. Morel, George Fleck

Kahn Institute Projects

Thermodynamics is often viewed as a narrow, introspective discipline, trapped by its origins in the 18th and 19th centuries. By dramatic contrast, we show that the Fourth Law of Thermodynamics provides explanations and interpretations of all natural events, extending across artificial boundaries of tradition- al academic disciplines. The Fourth Law of Thermodynamics states that far-from-equilibrium systems increase entropy at the maximum rate available to them. This broadly inclusive paradigm applies to systems from molecules, to organisms, to the biosphere. The Fourth Law is the Law of Evolution. All systems that communicate with their environment exhibit self-organization and self-optimization, enabling the …

Prediction Of Metal Charge-Dependent Amide Hydrogen Exchange Rates For The Proteins Rubredoxin And Azurin, Stephen Scoglio

Honors Theses

Although it has been shown that the hydrogen exchange rates between the most slowly exchanging amide protons of a protein and the solvent can be used to predict the global thermodynamic stability of a protein, the great majority of amide hydrogens along the backbone of a protein exchange from either partially or fully folded conformations, and their rate of exchange strongly depends upon the environment in that folded state. We are examining the electrostatic and conformational dependence of the hydrogen exchange kinetics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin, which can bind either the diamagnetic Cu(I) or Zn(II) in its active site and …

Combating Suburban Sprawl In The Capital District: An Outline For Regional Sustainable Development, Andrew J. Cahill

Honors Theses

Urban centers in America have commonly been plagued by high rates of pollution, decaying infrastructure, and the overall image of being undesirable places to live. Beginning in the second half of the twentieth century, masses of people vacated the cities that they called home, for literally greener pastures, settling in outlying, low-density living areas that became known as the suburbs. Suburbanization has particularly impacted the land use pattern in the Capital District of New York State, as countless suburbs developed away from the region’s urban centers of Albany, Schenectady and Troy. Recently people have moved back into the Capital District’s …

Environmental Critiques Of Nuclear Energy, William Hummel

Pomona Senior Theses

This essay identifies and evaluates the most common environmental critiques made against nuclear energy development. Environmentalists articulate four major concerns: the destructive effects and health risks of uranium mining; the dangers posed by radiation releases and meltdowns; the difficult of nuclear waste disposal; and national security concerns, including nuclear weapons proliferation and the possibility of attack or sabotage. By characterizing and describing these concerns, we are better able to decide which problems are most compelling, and suggest possible policy-driven solutions.

Sustainable Ski Resorts In The State Of Utah: Working Toward The Future, Andrew Call

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Utah State University Extension branch funded a research project designed to meet an identified need and create a baseline in knowledge of the implementation of environmentally sustainable practices among Utah ski resorts. Because of the potential impacts of climate change and unsustainable practices that negatively impact both the biophysical and human/cultural aspects of these environments, the ski resort industry is facing an uncertain future both environmentally and economically. However, very little is known about this issue, or how to address it. Collecting baseline information on the subject of environmental sustainability amongst Utah area ski resorts is crucial to ensure …

Aquculture And Deforestation In The Peruvian Amazon, Gator Halpern

Pomona Senior Theses

This study examines whether aquaculture has the potential to reduce deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon. The natural resources of the Peruvian Amazon are subject to extreme pressures due to increases in subsistence farming, cattle ranching, and logging in the region. The resulting loss of biodiversity has affected the delicate soil balance that is characteristic of the Amazon, and has contributed to water pollution as well as erosion (Guerra et al. 2001). One of the highest rates of deforestation in the Amazon basin can be found at the foothills of the eastern Andes (Lepers et al. 2005), which includes the area …

Micrometeoroids From Misse Examined To Understand The Effects Of The Space Environment On Space Suit Materials, John R. Dennison

All Physics Faculty Presentations

Samples that were part of the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) experienced varying effects whilst exposed to the space environment; perhaps the most intriguing effect was the crater created by a micrometeoroid impact into a thin film of Vapor Deposited Aluminum (VDA) coated Mylar. Approximately 180 samples of various materials used in space-component design were flown on MISSE-6 and spent 18 months suspended off the side of the International Space Station. The Utah State University SUSpECS project was a unique student experiment that allowed for pre- and post-flight analysis of these material samples which were returned in pristine condition …

The European Union Emission Trading Scheme, Marco Piovan

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

No abstract provided.

Removal Of Bisphenol A Model Compounds And Related Substances Using Octolig®, Rachael Josephine Alessio

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bisphenol A used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins is ubiquitous in the environment. The raw material is released to the environment during the manufacturing process and by leaching from consumer products. Recent studies are suggesting that low-dose amounts of Bisphenol A may have adverse health effects on humans. The possibility of removing Bisphenol A from natural water sources or from solvents used to extract the material from consumer products before they enter the market has been studied. The use of model compounds and related substances (4-isopropylphenol, 4-(t-butyl) phenol, and nitrophenols) have been used to study their …

The Steady-State Economy As A Solution To The World’S Problems: A Theoretical Examination Of The Greatest Environmental Problem Facing Human Society, Brianna L. Besch

The Macalester Review

This paper is a theoretical exploration of the questioning, if you were given a magic power to solve one, and only one, of the worlds problem outlined by a classic environmental author, which would you solve, and why? While the field of environmental studies is relatively new, since the publishing of Malthus’ An Essay on the Principles of Population environmental scholars have been debating what should be considered the greatest environmental problem facing humanity. This paper explains how the creation of a steady-state economy to replace our current economic system, as described by Herman Daly, offers a holistic solution to …

Slides: Drawing The Blueprint For A Sustainable Natural Gas Future, Mark K. Boling

Drawing the Blueprint for a Sustainable Natural Gas Future (January 18)

Presenter: Mark. K. Boling, Executive Vice-President and General Counsel, Southwestern Energy

23 slides

Soil Chemistry: Understanding Phosphorus In The Environment, Paul Milham, Warwick Dougherty, Robert John Morrison, Robert Graham Clark, Ronald Smernik, Ashlea Doolette, Lucy Burkitt, Damian Collins, Rebeca Alvarez, Andrew Thomas

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

It is an essential ingredient in food production, but poor management means bad news downstream. Understanding the way phosphorus behaves in the environment calls for soil and plant biology, and some new soil chemistry.

Engaging With The (Un)Familiar: Field Teaching In A Multi-Campus Teaching Environment, Nicholas Gill, Michael Adams, Christine Eriksen

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Field trips have long been central to geography, but have been subject to assessment of the role of the 'field' in teaching. At the same time, academics face barriers to running field trips. Distance education and enhanced educational access for non-metropolitan students represented such an obstacle at an Australian university. These obstacles were taken as an opportunity to draw on the regional nature of the students and staff to enhance teaching goals, run critically informed field trips by and manage academic workloads. We evaluate the field trips by conducting surveys and interviews with students and tutors, and as an example …

Waypoints On A Journey Of Discovery: Mental Models In Human Environment Interactions, Timothy Lynam, Raphael Mathevet, Michel Etienne, Samantha Stone-Jovicich, Anne Leitch, Nathalie Jones, Helen Ross, Derick Du Toit, Sharon Pollard, Harry Biggs, Pascal Perez

SMART Infrastructure Facility - Papers

Although the broad concept of mental models is gaining currency as a way to explore the link between how people think and interact with their world, this concept is limited by a theoretical and practical understanding of how it can be applied in the study of human-environment relationships. Tools and processes are needed to be able to elicit and analyze mental models. Because mental models are not directly observable, it is also important to understand how the application of any tools and processes affects what is measured. Equally important are the needs to be clear on the intent of the …

The Environmental And Cultural Effects On The Conquest Of Mexico, Tristan Siegel

Senior Projects Spring 2012

In this work I examine the environment and cultural attitudes of Mesoamericans, specifically the Mexica (Atzec), and how these factors played a role in the Conquest of Mexico by Hernan Cortes. I begin by examining Mesoamerican agriculture, lithic technology, and metallurgy. I conclude by examining how these factors played out in the Conquest.

Creating Environmental Leaders Through Service Learning: A Transition From Theory To Real World Application, Roslynn Brain, Robert H. Schmidt

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Celebrate Earth Day, Every Day, Humboldt State University

Conservation/Energy Alternatives

Bibliography of a display of government documents from Humboldt State University, California.

Nitrogen Biogeochemistry In A Restored Mississippi River Delta: A Modeling Approach, Benjamin Lee Branoff

LSU Master's Theses

There is evidence that significant reductions (about 50%) in surface water nitrate concentrations within coastal deltaic wetlands receiving diverted Mississippi River water can be contributed to denitrification. Yet there is also contrasting evidence that other processes could be responsible for this nitrate reduction. As Louisiana plans the implementation of major Mississippi River sediment diversions, a thorough understanding of nitrogen dynamics is necessary to reduce risks of coastal eutrophication and offshore hypoxia. A mechanistic numerical computer model has been developed to simulate nitrogen biogeochemistry within the wetlands of the prograding Wax Lake Delta. This model is calibrated to observed fluxes within …

Post-Testicular Sperm Environment And Fertility, Jean-Luc Gatti, Sandrine Castella, Francoise Dacheux, Heath Ecroyd, S Metayer, Veronique Thimon, Jean-Louis Dacheux

Heath Ecroyd

When mammalian spermatozoa exit the testis, they show a highly specialized morphology; however, they are not yet able to carry out their task: to fertilize an oocyte. This property, that includes the acquisition of motility and the ability to recognize and to fuse with the oocyte investments, is gained only after a transit through the epididymis during which the spermatozoa from the testis travel to the vas deferens. The exact molecular mechanisms that turn these cells into fertile gametes still remain mysterious, but surface-modifying events occurring in response to the external media are key steps in this process. Our laboratory …

Going Green, Dermot Kehily

Articles

No abstract provided.

Environmental Research With Undergraduates In East Asia: Collaborations In China And Japan, Gary A. Morris, Jon Schoer

Gary A. Morris

China: From 2007-2008 as part of a collaborative research project funded by the ASIANetwork, VU and the VLACD, 5 VU students (2 chemistry, 1 biology, 1 environmental science, and 1 civil engineering) spent 3 weeks in Zhejiang province, China and 7 additional weeks in northwest Indiana comparing and contrasting water quality issues and attitudes in the two regions. While in China, the students interacted with one another and graduate students, faculty, and staff from Zhejiang University and Zhejiang A &F University, and with multiple local & regional officials and residents to collect water quality data and opinions about key water …

Teaching By Showing For Automatic Assembly Through A Virtual Environment, Yan Chen, Fazel Naghdy

Professor Fazel Naghdy

No abstract provided.

Skill Acquisition From A Haptic Rendered Virtual Environment For Automatic Assembly, Yuxin Chen, Fazel Naghdy

Professor Fazel Naghdy

No abstract provided.

Simulation Of Drilling In A Virtual Environment With Force Feedback, Fazel Naghdy, Yi Chen

Professor Fazel Naghdy

No abstract provided.

Manipulation Skills Acquisition Through A Haptic Rendered Virtual Environment, Yan Chen, Fazel Naghdy

Professor Fazel Naghdy

No abstract provided.

Human-To-Robot Skill Transfer Through Haptic Rendered Environment, Yan Chen, Fazel Naghdy

Professor Fazel Naghdy

A new paradigm for programming of robotics manipulator is being studied. The teaching of the machine will begin with the necessary skills being demonstrated by the human operator in a virtual environment with tactile sensing (haptics). Position and contact force/torque data generated in the virtual environment combined with a priori knowledge about the task will be used to identify and learn the skills in the newly demonstrated tasks and then to reproduce them in the robotics system. The peg-in-hole insertion problem is used as a case study. The overall concept is described. The methodologies developed to build the virtual environment …

Reflecting On The World Environment Day, Darvesh Karim

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

No abstract provided.

Slides: Collaborative Planning And Lessons Learned, Matt Sura

Best Management Practices (BMPs): What? How? And Why? (May 26)

Presenter: Matt Sura, University of Colorado Law School

48 slides

Part I: Policy Dimensions Of Offshore Wind Energy Development, Erik Nordman Ph.D., Betty Gajewski, Paul Isely Ph.D., John Koches, Kurt Thompson, Jon Vandermolen, Yue Fan, Sara Damm, Aaron Ferguson, Ryan Gajewski, Claire Schoolmaster

Erik Edward Nordman

The deployment of thousands of wind energy facilities required to meet various renewable energy targets will bring changes to the nation’s landscapes, communities, and economies.

The intent of this integrated assessment project is to comprehensively analyze the benefits and challenges to wind energy development in one particular region of coastal West Michigan, including Oceana, Muskegon, Ottawa and Allegan counties.

By combining science and public participation, our integrated assessment will empower citizens and local governments to make informed decisions about wind energy facilities in their communities. Our project will enhance local capacity to mitigate conflicts surrounding wind energy development, and will …

Impact Of The Proposed Kimberley Lng Precinct On Customary Fishing In The Vicinity Of James Price Point, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries occasional publications

No abstract provided.