Community Level Physiological Profiling of the Longleaf Pine Savannah Microbiome

Soil microorganisms secrete chemicals into their surroundings, which the root system will uptake and in return release root exudates, which usually consist of low-molecular-weight organic compounds. These root exudates behave as signaling molecules and substrates for microorganisms to recruit beneficial soil bacteria to the plant root system, which will provide the plants with immunity to foliar diseases and pathogen infection. Studies have shown that bacteria on the root surface can protect aerial sections of the plant by promoting induced systemic resistance, a mechanism of increasing physical or chemical barriers of the plant. The longleaf pine is an endangered species of tree that once covered ~90 million acres of land that is now estimated to only cover 3% of that. Longleaf pines are slow growing but offer better resilience to climate change driven disasters like wildfires or droughts than the faster growing pine trees. My research involved characterizing the carbon-utilization profiles of soil microbiomes from fifteen soil samples collected from a long leaf pine forest region using BIOLOGTM EcoPlates with subsequent data analysis performed in R. Our data indicates that there are significant variations in terms of microbial activity between the soil samples. By analyzing phenotypic data about compounds utilized by the microbiome we can better understand the intricate relationship between the microbiome and the above-ground plant community as well as understand the optimum growing conditions for the trees for a better chance of establishing a thriving ecosystem

Public Art In The United States By Black Artists (1980s - Present)

The purpose of this project is to do further research on public art created by Black artists and to explore how their work has created change by looking through the lens of the specific mural and sculpture exhibits. I will be specifically focusing on artworks and artists from the early 1980s to the present day. In the end, this piece offers insight into the importance of public art in our diverse communities. Public art serves as a form of representation and historically Black voices have been silenced in this arena. The stakes of increasing the amount of public art that showcases Black people and communities is crucial in a day of age where tokenism has become celebrated. My research is meant to highlight this gap by not only showcasing Black artists that have been doing the work for years (well-known & lesser-known names) but also putting them into conversation with each other. Drawing these connections will provide answers and insight to questions I have contemplated throughout my public art journey from middle school to college. Get your notebooks and pens ready as this accelerated course on public art created by Black artists filled with connections and reflections will be quite the experience

180 degrees: an extension of self in photography

180 Degrees is a conceptual body of digital photography and video that deals with self-portraiture, identity and change. Intended to serve as a form of therapy, the work analyzes who I have become over the last couple of years by illustrating issues of compulsion, obsession and insecurity. The investigation confronts unexpected and unsettling attributes of my character. Some of it is a little uncomfortable for me to reveal but if nothing else it is the truth

Conversations at the edge of play: media, communication and cultural intersections with dementia

© 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. The mean age of the global population is increasing significantly. Incidences of dementia are also predicted to rise and this will impact society as a whole as well as individuals, who will find they are primary carers for one or more family members with the disease. Dementia carries a stigma and is not openly discussed. Discourse continues to be led by bio-medical approaches that focus on the need to ‘fight’ the disease and often leaves individuals feeling ill-prepared and powerless to act. This paper reports on an innovative approach that engages with material culture production; it uses textiles as media to encourage people to share their personal experiences of dementia. The pilot project involved the general public in the making of bespoke sensory objects to promote ‘in the moment pleasure’ for people with later stage dementia, while facilitating an exchange of information about dementia both formally and informally with participants engaged in the making process. The study found that while participants’ individual knowledge and understanding of dementia varied significantly, each participant was able to contribute, share their knowledge and become empowered through activity

Digital imaging: its current and future influence upon the creative practice of textile and surface pattern design

Digital imaging: its current and future influence upon the creative practice of textile and surface pattern desig

THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF EMPLOYEES AND THE IMPACTS OF COLLABORATION

Social changes over the past several decades have led to an increase in legislation mandating public participation in public land management. Like most legislation there were no specific requirements on how to achieve this mandate which left the decision up to federal agencies. For the United States Forest Service, public participation models have not been overly successful. The conflict has affected both the public and USFS employees. The latest model of public participation is collaboration. For this study collaboration was compared to deliberative democracy. Deliberative democracy shares many of the same characteristics as collaboration and the theory was used to explain what employees believe about collaboration. For this study, twenty five in depth interviews were conducted to gain information on how USFS employees believed this latest model may have an impact. The questions were aimed at finding out about perceived barriers to collaboration as well as possible benefits. It included finding out the direct impacts of required collaboration on employees and their jobs. This study also looked at the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program that requires the USFS to work with a citizen based collaborative in implementing and monitoring forest restoration

Designing for dementia: Iterative grief and transitional objects

© 2018 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Designers increasingly are exploring how to support individuals transitioning through loss and grief and coming to terms with a loved one’s death. For people living with dementia and their families, the loss and grief they experience is iterative and ongoing. This paper discusses design research to make sensory textile objects for people with advanced dementia, intended to support positive well-being, shared experiences, and “in the moment” pleasure. It draws on theories relating to transitional and transformational objects to show how these textiles support those living with dementia as they transition into greater dependency and move toward the end of life. It shows how, after their death, the objects become memorials and symbolic representations, further supporting family members through their experience of loss