How is one university doing in regards to teaching sex, gender, and reproduction topics inclusively? LGBTQ+ students respond.

Faculty Advisor: A. Kelly LaneCompared to their peers, LGBTQ+ students have lower persistence in STEM majors. This issue is, in part, due to exposure to topics that do not align with LGBTQ+ students’ lived experiences, reinforcing the theory of gender essentialism: the thought that gender and gender roles are natural and biologically driven based on sex. These topics are especially prevalent in biology courses where, commonly, sex is defined as binary, sex and gender are incorrectly conflated, and only heterosexual sex is presented making LGBTQ+ students feel erased. We investigate how LGBTQ+ students would alter the way sex and gender topics are addressed in their biology courses at one university. We investigated the following research question: How are biology lessons on sex and gender viewed as inclusive or exclusive by LGBTQ+ students? To conduct this research, we conducted focus group interviews with students who identify as LGBTQ+ and took undergraduate biology classes at one university. We followed focus group best practices. To analyze the focus group interviews, three researchers used iterative directed content analysis to create themes, coming to consensus. Participants were generally impressed with the inclusive teaching approaches in their biology classes, however, students noted potential areas of improvement, including creating safe spaces to use pronouns, providing disclaimers for potentially exclusive terminology (e.g., male and female), and managing the intricacies of active learning practices, such as negative student peer interactions in group work. We suggest several recommendations for instructors to establish a higher standard for inclusivity for LGBTQ+ students, including respecting students' pronouns, implementing a no-tolerance policy for discrimination, and using disclaimers to explain their language choices. Incorporating these recommendations into instruction has the potential to address LGBTQ+ student attrition in STEM majors, increasing persistence through the creation of more inclusive environments.This project was approved by the University of Minnesota IRB (Study #00017850. This work was funded by the CBS Microgrant.Hammerstrom, Emma M.; Kivett, Abbi; Driessen, Emily P.; Malmquist, Sarah. (2024). How is one university doing in regards to teaching sex, gender, and reproduction topics inclusively? LGBTQ+ students respond.. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/262608

Dockets: Board of Regents Litigation Review Committee Special Meeting: January 19, 2024

University of Minnesota Board of Regents. (2024). Dockets: Board of Regents Litigation Review Committee Special Meeting: January 19, 2024. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/261610

Using Water Budgets and Isotope Analysis to Explore Water Availability in Low Flow Conditions: Hartley Pond Case Study

University of Minnesota M.S. thesis. 2024. Major: Earth Sciences. Advisors: Karen Gran, John Swenson. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 67 pages.Quantifying seasonal changes to the volume and timing of water flowing through a reservoir provides valuable information for responsible resource management. Hartley Pond is a reservoir in Duluth, Minnesota, that is formed by a dam on Tischer Creek. Solar forcing to the reservoir elevates the summer water temperature to a level that is unhealthy for native Brook Trout. One option to address this impairment involves decoupling the stream from the pond. Tischer Creek would flow alongside the pond and maintain a natural water temperature while Hartley Pond would be fed by groundwater and excess streamflow during storm events. For this to work, water inputs from these sources must be high enough to sustain the pond without stream inputs under low flow conditions. To answer questions about the volume and sources of water discharge into and out of Hartley Pond, I built water budgets during low flow conditions in late summer. Streamflow, groundwater, precipitation, evaporation, runoff, and pond volume data were collected to build monthly water budgets for June, July, and August 2023. Accompanying stable isotope analysis of stream, pond, and groundwater samples refined elements of the water budget. Results from the water budget show that inputs into Hartley Pond are dominated by streamflow. Isotope analysis supports the finding that evaporation outputs are greater than groundwater inputs. Therefore, the plan to disconnect the stream from the pond may not be viable because the hydrologic integrity of the pond cannot be maintained through low flow conditions without streamflow inputs. Information gained from the water budget will help local resource managers create a feasible restoration project for Hartley Pond that meets community and environmental needs.Olbertz, Madison. (2024). Using Water Budgets and Isotope Analysis to Explore Water Availability in Low Flow Conditions: Hartley Pond Case Study. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/265098

Interaction Of Afferent Renal Nerve Activity And Il-1R Signaling In Hypertension

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. April 2024. Major: Integrative Biology and Physiology. Advisor: John Osborn. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 114 pages.Renal denervation was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of hypertension, but the mechanism by which it reduces blood pressure is unclear. Studies of patients who have received the treatment have shown a variety of off-target improvements in conditions associated with sympathetic overactivity. One explanation is that these effects are due to ablation of sympathoexcitatory afferent renal nerves, which are overactive under conditions of renal inflammation. Renal interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β) is elevated in many cases of hypertension, as well as the DOCA-salt model of hypertension, and its activity may be responsible for the elevation in afferent renal nerve activity and arterial pressure. IL-1R activation increases the activity of afferent sensory nerves in other contexts. In these studies, I sought to determine if IL-1R activity was responsible for the increased afferent renal nerve activity characteristic of DOCA-salt hypertension. First, I characterized a mouse model of DOCA-salt hypertension and found that ablation of the afferent renal nerves attenuates hypertension in this model. Next, I used this model in combination with two methods of IL-1R disruption: genetic IL-1R knockout and pharmacological IL-1R antagonism. These methods attenuated hypertension in this model system. Further, combining either method with afferent renal denervation produced no additional attenuation of hypertension, and an acute depressor response to delivery of the IL-1R antagonist was observed only in animals with intact renal afferent nerves, indicating a common mechanism of action. In combination, these findings suggest that IL-1R activation is partially responsible for the elevated afferent renal nerve activity which stimulates central sympathetic outflow to renal and non-renal targets to drive DOCA-salt hypertension.Baumann, Daniel. (2024). Interaction Of Afferent Renal Nerve Activity And Il-1R Signaling In Hypertension. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/263696

Advancing LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in the Twin Cities Theater Arts Nonprofit Sector

University of Minnesota Capstone in partial fulfillment of the MPS in Arts and Cultural Leadership. Advisor Margo Gray. Director of Graduate Studies Thomas Borrup. Spring 2024. Degree: Master of Professional Studies in Arts and Cultural Leadership. 1 digital file (pdf).This research explores LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the Twin Cities theater arts nonprofit sector. It delves into how HR policies impact LGBTQIA+ workers and suggests recommendations for improvement. Through personal narratives and organizational insights, it highlights the challenges and commitments to inclusivity. Ultimately, the study, through phenomenological research, includes interviews with LGBTQIA+ people in theater organizations and surveys of theater organizations regarding their HR policies and practices; aims to foster diversity and equity, building upon the historical legacy of social progress within the arts community.McLaughlin, Meghan “Mac”. (2024). Advancing LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in the Twin Cities Theater Arts Nonprofit Sector. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/263054

Episode 206 - How do the cows and Brad survive outside at -40 Degrees F?

Runtime 22:43Brad and Emily discuss how Brad and the cows survive when the temps drop to extremely low temps with wind chills making it even worse.Heins, Brad; Krekelberg, Emily. (2024). Episode 206 - How do the cows and Brad survive outside at -40 Degrees F?. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/260897

A Risk-Release Assessment Of Aquatic Invasive Species Using Protist Surrogates In Mesocosm Studies

University of Minnesota M.S. thesis. April 2024. Major: Water Resources Science. Advisor: Euan Reavie. 1 computer file (PDF); v, 46 pages.Untreated ballast water discharge is considered responsible for nearly thirty percent of aquatic invasive species (AIS) introductions in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Currently, the ballast discharge standard for organisms between 10 and 50 µm in size is 10 cells/mL, implying introductions of live protists below this density in released ballast water are allowable. However, data are lacking on protist risk-release relationships; i.e., the level of propagule pressure that results in non-native species establishment. This research investigates the risk-release relationships for various non-native protist taxa under varying water conditions using mesocosms. To mimic ballast discharge events, protist densities of 0 - 100 cells/mL were inoculated into mesocosms filled with Duluth-Superior Harbor (western Lake Superior) water and sampled over 4 weeks. Experiments evaluated four surrogate “invaders”: Haematococcus pluvialis, Trachelomonas abrupta, Chrysosphaerella sp., and Melosira varians. Logistic models predicted the minimum surrogate protist densities resulting in establishment ranged from 11 to 127 cells/mL for non-native species, thereby providing information on risk-release relationships relative to the discharge standard. We also noted how seasonality (e.g., varying ambient water conditions) influences establishment success. Though there are limitations of the mesocosm method in invasive species studies, our successful application of mesocosms to study non-native, risk-release relationships supports the potential use of this method in other locations (e.g., other harbors, ports) and with additional taxa.Latanich, Abigail. (2024). A Risk-Release Assessment Of Aquatic Invasive Species Using Protist Surrogates In Mesocosm Studies. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/263683

Duluth Property Condition Scorecard and Resource Guide

Report, presentation, and resource guide completed by students enrolled in PA 8081: Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone, taught by Dr. Nichola Lowe in spring 2024.This project was completed through a partnership between the City of Duluth and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to investigate the use of residential property condition scorecards in other communities, develop a standard metric to score residential properties in Duluth, and pilot the scorecard to begin identifying and mapping properties in poor condition that are at risk of deterioration and demolition, and that might benefit from City investments in infrastructure, housing assistance, and targeted services. City of Duluth project lead Jon Otis collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Nichola Lowe’s course PA 8081 to complete a literature review, conduct case study analyses, and develop and pilot a residential property scorecard. A final student report, presentation, and resource guide from the project are available.This project was supported by the Resilient Communities Project (RCP), a program at the University of Minnesota whose mission is to connect communities in Minnesota with U of MN faculty and students to advance community resilience, equity, and sustainability through collaborative, course-based projects. RCP is a program of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA). Funding was provided by the City of Duluth. More information at https://rcp.umn.edu/Kohler, Elizabeth; Sindelar, Danielle Elizabeth Dorothy; Vanagas, Eve. (2024). Duluth Property Condition Scorecard and Resource Guide. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/263569

New Spaces: On Territoriality in an Expansive Era

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. 2024. Major: Political Science. Advisor: Tanisha Fazal. 1 computer file (PDF); viii, 268 pages.New Spaces: On Territoriality in an Expansive Era introduces the concept of a territorial supply shock to the study of international relations (IR). The field of IR has long operated under the notion that the amount of space that international actors have to interact with and in is static. This assumption of fixed territorial supply ignores three significant additions to the supply of territory in the world: the Earth’s poles, the deep oceans, and Earth orbit. New Spaces conducts basic research into how the general notion that territorial supply is dynamic, and the three new spaces impact the study of international relations. Using an innovative combination of computer simulation and historical case study, New Spaces uncovers the counterintuitive notion that interstate cooperation rather than competition is the modal political outcome in these new spaces. The findings present in new spaces have potential to significantly impact IR theory in areas of territorial conflict, conceptualizing the state, and international cooperation. Additionally, the insight gained from the addition of the study of the poles, the oceans, and outer space adds significant new data to the archive used to test theories of international relations. Finally, the methodology employed in New Spaces provides two innovations. The first is to offer a demonstration of multimethod research built around a generative approach to social science that has much to offer those handling complex and new questions for IR. The second is a more thorough treatment of the international system as a complex socio-environmental system, knitting together aspects of IR that are often studied separately.Graefe, Carl. (2024). New Spaces: On Territoriality in an Expansive Era. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/265130

Early Decay Mechanisms of Brown Rot Wood-Degrading Fungi: Transcriptome Patterns, Cation Dynamics, and Substrate Chemistry Effects

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. May 2024. Major: Bioproducts/Biosystems Science Engineering and Management. Advisor: Jonathan Schilling. 1 computer file (PDF); viii, 71 pages.Fungi gained the capacity to degrade lignocellulose approximately 295 million years ago when they adapted oxidative enzymes to metabolize lignin – a mechanism still used by white rot fungi. Since then, brown rot fungi have evolved a carbohydrate-selective mechanism that uses reactive oxygen species (ROS) to cause extensive, nonspecific depolymerization in plant cell walls, thus solubilizing the carbohydrates and avoiding lignin removal. Brown rot fungi differentially express genes to create a sequence of decay starting with lignocellulose oxidation via ROS, followed by hemicellulose side chain cleavage and main chain degradation, then cellulose degradation via endoglucanases. It is still unclear how brown rot fungi regulate this elaborate mechanism and avoid subjecting their own enzymes and hyphae to ROS damage. Specifically, the process that turns ROS pathways on at the beginning of brown rot decay has not yet been identified, despite assumptions of an inducible mechanism. Many studies have suggested that the presence of either lignin or hemicellulose may initiate brown rot decay, but this has not been clearly shown experimentally.To address this knowledge gap, I captured the earliest stages of brown rot decay by Rhodonia placenta and analyzed the whole transcriptome at the incipient stage of decay to confirm delayed upregulation of the lignocellulose oxidation genes involved in ROS generation. I also examined the interactions between R. placenta and its lignocellulose substrate in two ways. First, I created a fine-resolution map of the cation translocation dynamics in R. placenta and white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus for comparison. Second, to examine the effects of lignin and hemicellulose on brown rot gene expression, I used mutant strains of model plant Arabidopsis thaliana with changes in cell wall chemistry as a substrate for R. placenta and examined the whole transcriptome response of the fungus to these modified lignocellulose substrates. This dissertation contributes more clarity to the transcriptomic details of early brown rot as well as the effects of substrate chemistry on brown rot decay. Understanding brown rot decay mechanisms offers potential to harness these pathways for biotechnology applications as well as to make better predictions about the fate of carbon stored in wood.Anderson, Claire. (2024). Early Decay Mechanisms of Brown Rot Wood-Degrading Fungi: Transcriptome Patterns, Cation Dynamics, and Substrate Chemistry Effects. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/264296