Monitoring Air Quality Post-Environmental Disasters Using Remote Sensing

East Palestine Ohio, is a small town that recently suffered from a train derailment carrying a toxic chemical known as vincyl chloride. In addition to the release of this chemical, particulate matter was ejected into the atmosphere following a controlled explosion of the train. Air pollution a major envirnmental hazard that affects human and non-human life, and so the monitoring pollution is extremely important. Remote sensing may be a viable way to monitor, by using readily available satellite data

The Impact of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women on Ecuador\u27s Domestic Policy

In 1979, Ecuador became one of the first Latin American countries to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In this paper, I use Ecuador as a case study for analyzing the effectiveness of international human rights treaties on the countries that ratify them, looking specifically into the impact the CEDAW had on Ecuador’s domestic policies and action it has taken to expand women’s rights since 1979. I begin by giving a historical basis for the culture and political organization of the country due to colonization. I then articulate Ecuador as a leader in women’s rights for much of Latin America during the first half of the twentieth century, then examine the transition since the ratification of the CEDAW. I analyze not only the creation of the new Ecuadorian constitution in 2008 but also the strength of institutions intended to uphold the constitution and implement measures to protect women’s rights. I examine correspondence between the government of Ecuador and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. To further support my study, I analyze statistical data on women’s safety and ability to navigate society without barriers, such as education, employment, healthcare, ownership of property, economic stability, etc. Finally, I examine the role of political activism within Ecuador to determine if organizations and lobbying groups have progressed their political goals since 1979. [Poster not supplied by author.

Parasite Communities in Sunfish (Centrarchidae) from the Olentangy River

Parasites are common in freshwater fishes, and sunfish (Family Centrarchidae) in particular have been found to have diverse parasite communities in North America. We have been studying parasite communities that are found in sunfish (Family Centrarchidae) in three different localities (Delaware Run, River Run Park, and William Street Bridge) along the Olentangy River in Delaware, Ohio. The presence of multiple species of sunfish in the Delaware Run and nearby Olentangy River has given us an opportunity to compare parasites among them. A total of 212 fish were collected August 2022 through April 2023 and examined for parasites. We found a total of seven species of parasites overall, with bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) having a larger abundance of parasites than green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). Other species such as rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris), orange-spotted sunfish (Lepomis humilis), northern sunfish (Lepomis peltastes), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), and redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) were also investigated and found to have fewer parasites. Metacercariae (flukes) and Spinitectus sp. (nematodes) were the most common parasites recovered. Preliminary results indicate that the parasite community was more diverse in the most rural collection site (River Run Park) than the more urban collection sites (Delaware Run and William Street Bridge). This calls for the need to investigate factors that are affecting parasites in the urban portion of the river

Ohio Wesleyan Bacillus Collection Student Research

This semester students in BIOL 328 Bacterial Physiology lab worked in teams on a laboratory project that they devised, developed, and conducted. Each group met weekly with Dr. Tuhela-Reuning and Maddy Russell during the first third of the semester to develop a research project that involved the Bacillus culture collection at OWU. The Bacillus collection contains over 3000 isolates of Bacillus obtained from wild songbirds in Ohio, Arizona, and Washington, and many of these isolates degrade feathers. Student projects involved quantification of bird feather degradation by several Bacillus isolates, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of biofilms and feather, possible correlation of biofilm production with speed of feather degradation, ability of Bacillus isolates to produce antibiotics effective against Gram positive and negative bacteria, and the ability to transform Bacillus isolates with pigment-producing plasmids. Students experienced the actual research process by troubleshooting problems, coordinating their lab work schedules, analyzing complex results, and working as a team. The final results of the projects will be presented by each team in oral and written formats

The Modern Relationship Between Music and Political Preferences

Music and politics have been interconnected for centuries, and it is difficult to explain a political event without mentioning the contemporary music creation and vice versa; examples include anti-war music during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, a shift to country music with patriotic undertones after 9/11, and so on. Preliminary research suggests that there could be a connection between political ideologies and liking genres of music, but it is relatively outdated (Fox and Williams 1974). There is research surrounding how political polarization contributes to opposing attitudes and preferences (Sears and Valentino 1997, Prinz 2021), and how music has different origins and patterns (Moore 2001), but there is no concrete knowledge of a direct relationship between political polarization and musical genres that have stark sonic differences. This research intends to modernize the limited findings and discover trends between political parties, orientations, and genres of music. It is important to establish this relationship in order to DO NOT DISTRIBUTE better understand the emotionality behind politics and the effects they have on, in this case, average listeners and voters. [Full text available in May 2033 with all rights reserved by the author.

How Global Urban Food Systems Can Combat Climate Change and Environmental Racism, Simultaneously: A Case Study

Urban food systems have become an innovative way for modern cities, farmers, and community members to shift the way we often think about food, and where it comes from, and how it can play a role in both battling the effects of climate change, and environmental racism. In order to further explore the role of urban food systems in addressing these challenges, I used a case study approach to examine these issues both in the United States, and Internationally. The first case study was conducted during the Summer of 2022 when I completed an internship at Nãm Urban Mushroom Farm, located in Lisbon, Portugal. Nãm’s mission is to create a more sustainable community by reducing the amount of waste produced in cities like Lisbon, and create a completely new product through the use of a circular economy. Nãm transforms used coffee grounds into a substrate to locally grow mushrooms, and sell them back to consumers within the city. As a consequence, Nam contributes to reducing the effects of climate change. A second case study of an urban farm system, Franklinton Farms in Columbus, Ohio revealed that urban farms can also be used to combat environmental racism. By transforming abandoned land plots in a neglected area of Columbus, Ohio, Franklinton Farms provides community members with a way to access healthy foods at a low cost, while also supporting the growth of their community. A third case study, the Spice Kitchen in Cleveland, Ohio, examines the importance of education surrounding the growth and use of healthy foods for children who often struggle with food insecurity, to help make this a lasting change within their lives. Through this case study approach, I was able to show how the type of mission, goal and structure of urban food systems determine their role in helping to solve important societal problems such as climate change and environmental racism. These case studies reveal how nonprofit and for-profit organizations can create innovative solutions to these complex societal problems that affect millions of people around the world

Swimming beneath the Sahara: The Thermal Biology of Scincus scincus, the Sand-swimming Skink

Little is known about the natural history of the sandfish skink (Scincus scincus), despite its range spanning two continents. In deserts across North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, these lizards spend up to 90% of their day beneath sand and are uniquely adapted to this environment. However, much about the basic biology of this species remains unknown. With this study, we compiled a robust suite of thermal biology parameters to assess within-individual patterns in sandfish skinks. We first quantified thermal preferences and the use of sand horizons to thermoregulate. We monitored individual lizard body temperatures day and night for one week in an environment where they had the ability to select their ideal temperature. Additionally, we quantified the thermal dependence of performance by recording sprinting speed and diving speed, important for prey capture and predator avoidance, across a range of temperatures. Finally we measured the critical thermal minimum and maximum, allowing us to build a complete thermal performance curve. This then allowed us to test the hypothesis that thermal preferences and the optimal temperature for diving and sprinting performance are correlated. Overall, these data provide understanding of how this unique ectotherm survives in the extreme thermal conditions it inhabits

The Perennial March: Britain\u27s Road to Afghanistan

The Great Game describes British and Russian imperial expansion in Central Asia as the two powers competed to spread their influence in the region. Historians point to 1830 as the start of British paranoia regarding Russian advances towards India. This neglects to mention British actions during the Greek War of Independence, which saw the nation retreat from the Concert of Europe as well as the growth of anti-Russian sentiment. This paper examines the role of Britain in starting the Great Game, focusing on its self-fulfilling prophecy of Russian expansion in Central Asia, examining how Britain’s exit from the European Congress System limited its response to resist Russian expansion. I propose that this exit, and the inability to contain Russia with either European or Eurasian allies, prevented Britain from being effective at countering Russian influence. Unlike some interpretations, which place Britain as a grand architect of policy regarding Central Asia, British policy often disunited and countermanded from ministry to ministry. The main instance when Britain looked to expand – the First Anglo-Afghan War – the British were woefully unprepared and suffered from the aggressive foreign policy proposed by Lord Palmerston and Lord Auckland in the 1830s. When the British finally achieved their objective of placing Shah Shujah, they realized that they were woefully unprepared to control and maintain Afghanistan. This study is based on published materials and will include archival materials from the India Office Archives at the British Library

Estimating Supraglacial Melt Lake Volume Changes in West Central Greenland Using Multiple Remote Sensing Methods

The Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is losing ice mass as the climate warms. Supraglacial melt lakes (SGLs), which are present in the ablation (melt) zone of the GrIS are found to be responsive - and reinforce - changes in glaciological and climatological dynamics. Developing a spatiotemporal model to monitor lake volume change throughout the melt season (late-April through September) can enhance our understanding of subsequent GrIS changes. Supraglacial melt lakes accumulate in volume and in some cases drain to the ice sheet base during the melting season. In this study we utilize Landsat satellite imagery paired with high resolution digital elevation model data (DEMs) to estimate melt lake depth (per satellite pixel) and derive melt lake volume during the 2021 melt season. We further explore a meteorologically-driven lake-filling method by modeling surface melt across the melt lake watershed, and route meltwater to the lake basin. With expected increase in temperature in the Arctic region, we hypothesize that melt lakes will move further inland, and be larger in area, on the GrIS, which could be a positive feedback to increased ice mass discharge

The First-Generation Student Experience; Why Building Solidarity is Vital

First-generation college students (i.e students whose parents or guardians do not have a 4-year college degree) face a unique set of challenges. Psychological, academic, financial, and social barriers all pose a threat to a first-gen student\u27s success. Despite this, first-gen students possess unique strengths and resiliency that if recognized, can function as assets. This presentation highlights and addresses these elements while focusing on my experiences as the First-Generation Program Coordinator at OWU. The position creates, promotes, and evaluates first-gen programming. It serves as a student representative on the First-Gen Advisory Board, a group of faculty, staff, and students that strives to foster and deepen institutional support for first-generation students at OWU. Through the advocacy of first-gen students, working-class students, and low-income students, our programming is focused on raising awareness for first-gen student experiences and celebrating the unique perspectives of first-gens. An example of some of our programming included “First-gen Celebration Week,” a series of social events dedicated to understanding the first-gen identity. One of these events included a panel of students, faculty, and staff discussing their experiences as first-gen students as well as how they navigated through the adversities they faced. Through programming like this, we can continue to spread awareness and ensure that students not only succeed but thrive on campus