Allen Pope Interview, School of Medicine, Wright State University

Oris Amos interviewed Allen Pope of the School of Medicine at Wright State University. In the interview Pope discussed his career prior to Wright State, his position as Director of Minority Programs and Financial Aid in the School of Medicine, his time at Wright State, and more

Mesolithic and late neolithic/Bronze Age activity on the site of the American Express Community Stadium, Falmer, East Sussex

Excavations on the site of the American Express Community Stadium, Falmer, East Sussex have revealed evidence for over 7,000 years of human activity. The earliest occupation was a mesolithic camp, where the production of flint tools (microliths) was carried out, on a scale unprecedented in East Sussex. There was little recognisable human activity in the early and middle neolithic but geoarchaeological investigations have shown that the landscape continued to change, with probable deforestation causing colluvial deposition within the river valley to the west. In the late neolithic/Early Bronze Age, a series of three ring ditches were dug, close to the location of the mesolithic pits. There are a number of possibilities as to what these ring ditches represent, but the most likely explanation is a group of barrows or other type of ceremonial ring ditch. Whatever their function, the structures were re-visited later in prehistory, a testament to the continued topographic importance of the site. Finally the site became the focus of Anglo-Saxon habitation, including a sunken-featured building, perhaps an outlying part of the precursor to Falmer village

Unraveling the pedestrian environments of high-speed rail station areas : a comparative case study from Japan and lessons for America's urban walkability

This professional report presents a comparative case study analysis of walkable environments in high-speed rail station areas, focusing on the lessons that Japan can offer for urban development in America. Walkability has emerged as a crucial aspect of sustainable urban planning, promoting active transportation, reducing congestion, and fostering vibrant communities. By examining high-speed rail station areas in Japan, renowned for their efficient and pedestrian-friendly designs, this research aims to unravel the key factors that contribute to their success. The study utilizes primarily site observations as a means to break apart the various elements contributing to walkability within the station area, such as connectivity, accessibility, design, and amenities. The findings highlight the significance of comprehensive planning, integrated transportation networks, pedestrian-oriented infrastructure, and the incorporation of public spaces in creating walkable environments. Drawing lessons from the Japanese model, this research provides valuable insights and recommendations for enhancing walkability in American urban development, ultimately striving towards more sustainable and livable cities.Community and Regional Plannin

Multispectral classification and reflectance of glaciers: in situ data collection, satellite data algorithm development, and application in Iceland & Svalbard

Glaciers and ice caps (GIC) are central parts of the hydrological cycle, are key to understanding regional and global climate change, and are important contributors to global sea level rise, regional water resources and local biodiversity. Multispectral (visible and near-infrared) remote sensing has been used for studying GIC and their changing characteristics for several decades. Glacier surfaces can be classified into a range of facies, or zones, which can be used as proxies for annual mass balance and also play a significant role in understanding glacier energy balance. However, multispectral sensors were not designed explicitly for snow and ice observation, so it is not self-evident that they should be optimal for remote sensing of glaciers. There are no universal techniques for glacier surface classification which have been optimized with in situ reflectance spectra. Therefore, the roles that the various spectral, spatial, and radiometric properties of each sensor play in the success and output of resulting classifications remain largely unknown. Therefore, this study approaches the problem from an inverse perspective. Starting with in situ reflectance spectra from the full range of surfaces measured on two glaciers at the end of the melt season in order to capture the largest range of facies (Midtre Lovénbreen, Svalbard & Langjökull, Iceland), optimal wavelengths for glacier facies identification are investigated with principal component analysis. Two linear combinations are produced which capture the vast majority of variance in the data; the first highlights broadband albedo while the second emphasizes the difference in reflectance between blue and near-infrared wavelengths for glacier surface classification. The results confirm previous work which limited distinction to snow, slush, and ice facies. Based on these in situ data, a simple, and more importantly completely transferrable, classification scheme for glacier surfaces is presented for a range of satellite multispectral sensors. Again starting with in situ data, application of relative response functions, scaling factors, and calibration coefficients shows that almost all simulated multispectral sensors (at certain gain settings) are qualified to classify glacier accumulation and ablation areas but confuse classification of partly ash-covered glacier surfaces. In order to consider the spatial as well as the spectral properties of multispectral sensors, airborne data are spatially degraded to emulate satellite imagery; while medium-resolution sensors (~20-60 m) successfully reproduce high-resolution (2 m) observations, low-resolution sensors (i.e. 250 m+) are unable to do so. These results give confidence in results from current sensors such as ASTER and Landsat ETM+ as well as ESA’s upcoming Sentinel-2 and NASA’s recently launched LDCM. In addition, images from the Landsat data archive are used to classify glacier facies and calculate the albedo of glaciers on the Brøgger Peninsula, Svalbard. The time series is used to observe seasonal and interannual trends and investigate the role of melt-albedo feedback in thinning of Svalbard glaciers. The dissertation concludes with recommendations for glacier surface classification over a range of current and future multispectral sensors. Application of the classification schemes suggested should help to improve the understanding of recent and continuing change to GIC around the world.My doctoral studies were supported by a graduate studentship from Trinity College, Cambridge as well as by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Programme under Grant No. DGE-1038596. Further research support came from UK Natural Environment Research Council’s Field Spectroscopy Facility, ARCFAC (the European Centre for Arctic Environmental Research), Trinity College Cambridge, Sigma Xi, the Norwegian Marshall Fund, the Explorers Club, the National Geographic Society Young Explorers Program, the Scott Polar Research Institute, the Cambridge University Geography Department, the Cambridge University Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Studies, and the Cambridge University Worts Fund

Recent Changes to Langjökull Icecap, Iceland: An investigation integrating airborne LiDAR and satellite imagery

Langjökull, Iceland’s second largest icecap (~950 km$^{2}$), was the subject of an incomplete airborne LiDAR survey in August 2007. This study investigates and evaluates the application of photoclinometry, which employs visible light imagery (here, Landsat ETM+ band 4) to interpolate unmeasured sections of this fragmented data set. A complete digital elevation model (DEM) of Langjökull was produced, and photoclinometry was determined to be a satisfactory and robust technique for topographic interpolation (RMS error = 3.4 m over a 3 km section). Future applications of photoclinometry can ensure optimal results by focusing on the consistent ability of their imager to accurately represent low contrast surfaces; also, consideration of setting characteristic such as solar azimuth, solar elevation, and moderate surface slope will make photoclinometric interpolation more effective. Photoclinometry it is proven to be a current and valuable technique, it is confirmed as a secondary rather than primary tool, and other possible applications of photoclinometry are considered. Using the completed DEM of Langjökull for summer 2007 and a previously prepared corresponding 1997 data set, Langjökull was found to have a specific annual mass balance of -0.99$\pm$0.1 meters per year of water equivalence (m yr$^{-1}$ w.e.), a number which confirms published predictions that Langjökull will likely disappear in the next 200 years. Comparison of remotely-sensed mass balance values and traditional $\textit{in situ}$ measurements revealed a possible systematic disparity; it is hypothesized that field measurements may not be sufficiently constraining behavior of interior areas and that the signal from strongly receding outlet glaciers may be skewing the $\textit{in situ}$ mass balance value calculated for the entire icecap. An additional DEM of outlet Hagafellsjökull Vestari allowed for calculation of specific mass balances of -2.28 m yr$^{-1}$ w.e. for 1997-2001, -3.86 m yr$^{-1}$ w.e. for 2001-2007, and -3.23 m yr$^{-1}$ w.e. for 1997-2007. Similarly, visual inspection and tracing of Landsat images showed a recession of -3.42.5 km$^{2}$ yr$^{-1}$ from 1994 to 2007. The new 2007 DEM allowed for clear visualization of strong recession on several Langjökull outlets as well as interior mass loss and terminus advance witnessing to the 1998 surge event of outlet Hagafellsjökull Eystri. In addition, slight interior elevation increase and anti-correlated mass loss and terminal retreat potentially indicate a future surge of outlet Hagafellsjökull Vestari. In sum, the technological and glaciological information put forward in this study provides a method for innovative cryospheric research, presents a much needed benchmark and update on the state of Langjökull, and ultimately facilitates and encourages continued monitoring of highly important smaller glaciers and icecaps

Adaptive management for ecosystem services

Management of natural resources for the production of ecosystem services, which are vital for human well-being, is necessary even when there is uncertainty regarding system response to management action. This uncertainty is the result of incomplete controllability, complex internal feedbacks, and nonlinearity that often interferes with desired management outcomes, and insufficient understanding of nature and people. Adaptive management was developed to reduce such uncertainty. We present a framework for the application of adaptive management for ecosystem services that explicitly accounts for cross-scale tradeoffs in the production of ecosystem services. Our framework focuses on identifying key spatiotemporal scales (plot, patch, ecosystem, landscape, and region) that encompass dominant structures and processes in the system, and includes within- and cross-scale dynamics, ecosystem service tradeoffs, and management controllability within and across scales. Resilience theory recognizes that a limited set of ecological processes in a given system regulate ecosystem services, yet our understanding of these processes is poorly understood. If management actions erode or remove these processes, the system may shift into an alternative state unlikely to support the production of desired services. Adaptive management provides a process to assess the underlying within and cross-scale tradeoffs associated with production of ecosystem services while proceeding with management designed to meet the demands of a growing human population