The effect of person order on egress time: a simulation model of evacuation from a neolithic visitor attraction.

Objective: The aim of this study was to model the egress of visitors from a Neolithic visitor attraction. Background: Tourism attracts increasing numbers of elderly and mobility-impaired visitors to our built-environment heritage sites. Some such sites have very limited and awkward access, were not designed for mass visitation, and may not be modifiable to facilitate disabled access. As a result, emergency evacuation planning must take cognizance of robust information, and in this study we aimed to establish the effect of visitor position on egress. Method: Direct observation of three tours at Maeshowe, Orkney, informed typical time of able-bodied individuals and a mobility-impaired person through the 10-m access tunnel. This observation informed the design of egress and evacuation models running on the Unity gaming platform. Results: A slow-moving person at the observed speed typically increased time to safety of 20 people by 170% and reduced the advantage offered by closer tunnel separation by 26%. Using speeds for size-specific characters of 50th, 95th, and 99th percentiles increased time to safety in emergency evacuation by 51% compared with able-bodied individuals. Conclusion: Larger individuals may slow egress times of a group; however, a single slow-moving mobility-impaired person exerts a greater influence on group egress, profoundly influencing those behind. Application: Unidirectional routes in historic buildings and other visitor attractions are vulnerable to slow-moving visitors during egress. The model presented in this study is scalable, is applicable to other buildings, and can be used as part of a risk assessment and emergency evacuation plan in future work

Growth and Migration of Benthic Habitats: A Spatial Microsimulation Approach

Spatiotemporal visualization of the impact of geomorphological changes in coastlines benthic habitats can generate insight needful in understanding the spatial ecology of seafloors and in anticipating the location, growth and migration of marine sanctuary and marine protected areas (MPAs). Such understanding has implication for effective development and conservation of these MPAs. To date, there are limited studies that have applied complex adaptive systems (CAS) to investigate the impact of geomorphological changes on the location, growth and migration of benthic habitats. Also, there is a gap in our knowledge of the marine geographical information system (marine GIS). To fill these gaps in the literature, we propose the use of the CAS theory as a lens to study the growth and migration of underwater (benthic) habitats in the Hawaii coastline using bathymetric SoNAR Multibeam data. We investigate the research question that concerns whether spatial approach helps in understanding the impact of projected geomorphological changes on patterns of growth and migration of benthic habitats of Hawaii coastlines. We develop a spatiotemporal IT antifact that engages a prediction machine to project individual data units (micro-data) to future states based on geomorphological changes using dynamic spatial microsimulation based method. The results of our study provide evidence of the contributions of spatial approach to understanding benthic habitat. The results also present research and practical implications for marine exploration and resource managers, and governments

Writing the Digital History of Nazi Germany

This book will consider how the outcomes of “doing history digitally” include different kind of sources and data, as well as new ways of researching historical questions, and innovative forms of presenting history. All contributions focus on aspects related to the history of National Socialism, World War II and the Holocaust

Flood risk perception near intermediate-sized Kansas dams

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of GeographyLisa M HarringtonKansas ranks second in the largest number of dams in the United States, behind Texas (FEMA 2015). In 2020, Kansas dams reached an average age of 52 years, with many exceeding their designed life expectancy or in need of rehabilitation. Climate change and increased urbanization projections suggest more frequent and extreme flooding in the future, requiring greater demands on current infrastructure (O’Neill et al., 2016). Researchers have explored the physical side of flood risk management to a considerable extent. Still, relatively little is known about how flood risk perception varies in areas associated with at-risk dams. Local populations near intermediate-sized dams are less likely to receive attention due to their size and remoteness but are often more susceptible to failures because of dam construction type and design, lack of knowledge or awareness of dam and reservoir conditions, and irregular maintenance. Dam selection was based on the size and age of the structure, primary purpose, and location. Specifically, dams had to be at least 50 years in age, intended mainly for flood control, and likely to experience increased frequency and more intense 24-hour rainfall totals in the future. Understanding risk perceptions now will help prepare decision-makers for communicating with residents and dealing with disaster situations in the near future. A sequential mixed methods design was applied, whereby quantitative and qualitative approaches were used successively to gain in-depth individual perspectives from selected residents and insights from water resource experts on flood risk perception near at-risk dams. The combination of individual risk evaluations and in-depth personal insights provided by this mixed methodology not only provides basic information about the status of thinking about potential dam hazards, but also may be useful for developing strategies that address risk for people living near intermediate-sized dams. Questionnaires were mailed to 1,100 randomly sampled households near ten selected dam sites in eastern Kansas Purposefully selected interviews were conducted with dam safety and water resource experts associated with the selected dams. Closed-ended data provided through questionnaire responses were analyzed through correlation and contingency analyses to explore statistical significance. Qualitative thematic analysis of interviews and open-ended responses provided depth to the close-ended material, in addition to providing another perspective of flood risk perception near aging dams from dam safety and water resource experts. The quantitative results suggested that flood risk perception was higher among residents located within flood zones, but respondents generally were not concerned with the efficacy of aging dams in their locales. The qualitative results identified and explained variations in outcomes for flood experiences, expectations of the dam in its current state and in the event of a dam failure, flood vulnerability, and risk communication. They provide insight on concerns related to dam management, recent flood events, and of how perception relates to physical risk based on location. A significant concern was the lack of accessible and accurate data for intermediate-sized dams that would contribute to local knowledge on flood risk and improved emergency preparedness for high-risk dams. Intensification of education about dams and flood risk awareness near intermediate-sized dams in Kansas appears to be needed, based on this research. It is likely that such needs also are present in other states. Follow-up research should be conducted to determine the statewide perception of aging dams and their potential to exacerbate flood risks in additional areas. Similar studies should be pursued elsewhere

Words to Live By: How Experience Shapes our Information World at Work, Play and in Everyday Life

Background: A considerable amount of effort has been spent studying information behaviours and practices associated with formal, professional contexts and documentary, tangible sources of information. Comparatively, relatively little is known about non–documentary and experience-based information found in informal, nonformal, blue collar and rural contexts. Experiences of everyday life are often neglected from a research standpoint because they are seen as common, familiar, and unremarkable. Research Question: By exploring familiar experiences of everyday life in one specific, marginalized context, my goals were to contribute to the body of interdisciplinary literature describing non–problem–based phenomena and non–documentary, experience-based sources of information; to extend our understanding of work, leisure and everyday life information practices in informal and non-professional contexts; and to elevate these less frequently studied experiences and information sources above the trivial theoretically. To address this gap, the present study asks, what is the nature of experience in the remote, rural village of Whitney, Ontario, Canada across the domains of work, leisure and maintenance activities? Method: I interviewed 24 adult residents of the village ranging in age from their early twenties to their late eighties using a semi–structured interview protocol. I also gathered data through several photo–methodologies including documentary photography, photo–voice, and photo–elicitation. Printed documentary evidence reflecting experiences in the village were obtained through environmental scanning. I analyzed data according to grounded theory from the perspective of everyday life information seeking theories, drawing support from serious leisure, lifelong learning, and experiential education theories where appropriate. Discussion: Reinforcing previous Information Behaviour theory, results show that informal information channels and interpersonal sources are frequently preferred over formal ones, and that contextual factors continue to influence information seeking and use across the domains of work, play and everyday life. More study is required to explain the characteristics and qualities that insulate small worlds like this from information poverty, as well as the effects of interruptions in the network of interpersonal sources relied on heavily in this context. This research also highlights how the social characteristics of information seeking and use add depth to discussions of leisure experiences. A working definition of experiential information is provided. Keywords: Experiential Information, Everyday Life Information Seeking (ELIS), Informal Information Behaviours, Information Poverty, Information Seeking Behaviours, Information Seeking and Use (ISU), Rural Information Seeking, Tacit Knowledge, Leisure Experience, Everyday Life Experienc

Urban Ecosystem Services and Tourism

Urban tourism depends on the place specific qualities of destinations. In many cities, climate change poses a threat to these qualities, through increasing risk of excessive heat, draught and flooding. Cities need to adapt to reduce these risks. One way of doing this is to improve their green infrastructure. Urban forests, parks, rivers and wetlands may help reduce the effects of climate change in cities. At the same time, green infrastructure provide a variety of ecosystem services to the community. In particular, cultural ecosystem services such as recreation, andesthetical values take place in urban green infrastructure; they provide value in the form of improved experiences. These mainly benefit the locals but they may also be important for tourism. Such relations between ecosystem services and tourism have in earlier literature been recognized in rural contexts but very seldom in urban. This paper reports preliminary findings from qualitative case studies in the South of Sweden and Berlin, Germany. They focus on how urban planning projects (primarily aimed at mitigating GHG emissions and adapting to climatechange) can be extended to develop places where experience values for both residents and visitors are created alongside other kinds of ecosystem services. We suggest that the need for climate change adaptation in a city may be used as a means to improve its place specific qualities as a tourist destination. By developing green infrastructure in innovative and environmentally friendly ways, the quality of ecosystem services improves, including those relevant for both visitors and residents. Protecting and building green infrastructure, therebyenhancing a city´s visible qualities and its reputation as a sustainable destination, may also be valuable in marketing the city

Catastrophes and the Role of Social Networks in Recovery: A Case Study of St. Bernard Parish, LA, Residents After Hurricane Katrina

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the experiences of St. Bernard Parish, La., residents as they coped with the impact of the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. An estimated 50,000 St. Bernard Parish residents relocated to a new home one year after Katina in 2006, and many of those residents moved again. This study examines the effects of the decisions of St. Bernard residents to relocate or to return on their social connections. The utility, adaptability and durability of social networks of these residents will be explored to enrich our knowledge about the social effects of recovery and the role that distance plays in the way residents connect to each other six years after Hurricane Katrina. It also examines the applicability of disaster theory as it relates to this case and develops a methodology for examining the impact of geographic dispersal on social networks

BEYOND LOCAL AND GLOBAL: UNPACKING THE MISSING MIDDLE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SENSING CYBERINFRASTRUCTURES

Today, when our time’s most important issues are framed as either local, global, or some combination of the two, what is the enduring importance of scale? Scholars within environmental humanities and science and technology studies have made calls to move away from local versus global dichotomies. This dissertation explores scale in infrastructures as they occur when resolving tensions between local and global, short- and long-term. Specifically, it addresses the concerns of scalar dichotomies, arguing that infrastructures entail much more than resolving tensions between the aforementioned scalar polarities. Through this dissertation, I employ ethnographic methods to illuminate the role of scale and scaling in the development of a low-power sea level sensing network on the South-Eastern coast of the United States. My research shows how infrastructures work across scalar dimensions of space, time, and human involvement. On the matter of space, I demonstrate spatial embedding as a scaling strategy where the project scales up by connecting to already existing structures, for example, when sensors are affixed to bridges and piers. Along the temporal dimension, I illustrate how linking the short- to the long-term is a form of scaling. I utilize rhythmanalysis to show how long-term rhythms such as climate change become linked to short-term issues, such as emergency response. I end by unpacking what it means to scale a human infrastructure, highlighting the contextual implications of adding another person or institution. I hope this work provides a framework through which researchers within infrastructure studies and related areas can attend to the missing middle, which contains a plurality of scales.Ph.D