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The Contribution of Marxist Thought in Urban Geography
No full textUrban Geography experienced a multitude of changes throughout its evolution. Since its initial separation from the man-land tradition in the 1940s, urban geographers have employed different paradigms to help reach a better understanding of the city - one being the Neo-Marxist approach. Influenced by Marx’s writings, the Neo-Marxist perspective offers a distinctive and refreshing look at the evolution of urban form. This is accomplished through a renewed understanding of the role capital accumulation plays in city building cycles. Based on an in-depth literature review, this presentation follows the evolution and contributions made by “radical” geographers to the field of urban geography. Particular attention is given to the work of David Harvey, who during the 1970s led the way toward the introduction of Marxist thoughts in the discipline
Microplastics in Your Mussels? Isolation of Microplastic Particles from the Mussel \u3cem\u3eMytilus trossulus\u3c/em\u3e from the Eastern, Southern, and Western Coasts of Vancouver Island
No full textSmall (Mytilus trossulusfrom the Eastern, Southern, and Western coasts of Vancouver Island. We wanted to find if different quantities and qualities of microplastics were present in mussels with relation to community population and coastal orientation. To do this, mussels were taken from twelve sites along the Eastern, Southern, and Western coasts of Vancouver Island. Ten mussels with shell lengths between 3-4cm were taken from each site, and each mussel’s soft tissue was digested in Nitric Acid (HNO3) using refined methodologies. Tissue digestion was done to remove organic tissue without altering any non-tissue materials (plastic). Tissue solutions were filtered through a 0.47micron filter, and the debris remaining on the filter was examined under a dissecting scope. Particles found were confirmed and recorded by type (fragment or fiber) and color (white, black, brown, red, yellow, or blue)
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Metagenome Plasmid Enrichment by Bioinformatically Comparing a Metagenome and Plasmidome from a Mine Reclamation Site
No full textMetagenomic analysis of environmental DNA tells us a great deal about the metabolic capacity of the resident microorganisms; however, assembling environmental metagenomes is time consuming, and requires a high level of sequencing commitment. In the context of tracking bacterial pathogens and monitoring antimicrobial and metal resistance genes, a more efficient method might be to enrich plasmids from metagenomes and sequence them, allowing for higher sample throughput. To put this idea to the test, metagenomic DNA isolated from samples originating from a mine reclamation site historically treated with biosolids was treated with plasmid-safe DNase to remove non-circular DNA and generate a “plasmidome”. Both the metagenome and plasmidome were sequenced using Ion Torrent S5 XL sequencing technology, generating 6.91 Gb and 5.89 Gb, respectively. Data were annotated in MG-RAST, and the proportion of antibiotic resistance, metal resistance, and pathogenesis genes in both the metagenome and plasmidome was determined. The plasmidome was found to have over 7.1 million identified protein features and over 5.8 million identified functional categories. From here, methods to assemble the plasmids from the metagenome and plasmidome will be developed to determine if small circular plasmids were in fact enriched using DNase treatments
How Dramatic! Implementing a Pan Discipline Protocol for Developing Critical Role Plays
No full textRole plays are not new activities. Many professional fields such as nursing (Jenkins & Turick-Gibson, 1999) use these techniques extensively. Language classrooms are also common places to find the implementation of role plays and simulations (Larocque, 1986; Piper, 1984). While role plays are enjoying a renewed legitimacy in student-centred classrooms, there is little evidence in the research of the significant effect these techniques can have in teaching and learning. The understanding of what constitutes a role play is broad; it can be as simple as students “pretending” to be customers in a restaurant or as complex as nursing students engaging in a mock cardiac arrest. These activities involve a degree of authentic communication, spontaneity, and lack of predictability; they “…reside in the middle ground between creative thought and real-world interaction” (Shapiro & Leopold, 2012, p.123). Shapiro and Leopold (2012) define critical role-play as requiring “students to embody voices and perspectives that may be quite different from their own” (p.123) and can therefore be cognitively challenging. In a critical role play, students may be asked to adopt a character and engage in a situation in order to demonstrate problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills. This presentation will provide a rationale for using critical role plays in a variety of disciplines from research and personal experiences. A protocol for developing critical role plays (Densky & Ramirez, 2015) will be shared and implemented through a hands-on experience that educators from all disciplines will be able to connect with
General Education at TRU
No full textFaculty and students on the General Education Taskforce would like to take the opportunity to describe their mission and the steps they have taken this past year to investigate general education for TRU. The session will include a summary of faculty feedback that they gathered through presentations to faculty councils across campus, as well as a description of the research and rich discussions that have taken place on this topic. Members of the panel will also invite questions and feedback from session attendees and look forward to a lively discussio
Reaching Towards Equity and Inclusion in Complex Times
No full textIn our complex historical time, TRU’s unique demographic composition represents an advantage, but also a challenge. While the cultural plurality of our student body, faculty, and staff is an undeniable resource for the development of a rich and cosmopolitan university experience, the increasing convergence of groups with different ethnic backgrounds also creates the potential for cultural frictions and even acts of discrimination and inequitable treatment.Moreover, the increased public presence of ethnic nationalism around the world and in Canada has sparked renewed interest in the balance between free expression and equality rights at universities. All around the world, ethnic prejudice has been emboldened, political parties and grassroots organizations of the extreme right have not only legitimized the presence of Islamophobic, anti-Semitic and old forms of racism and cultural intolerance in the public space, but have also achieved previously non-existent visibility, allowing them access to new audiences that may be susceptible to their political discourse. At the same time, there is a growing reaction against the presence and achievements of equality movements, such as feminism and LGTBQI. Influenced by the emergence of these realities, classrooms and public spaces in universities have increasingly become sites of politically and emotionally charged exchanges between groups who subscribe to deeply conflicted ideologies. During this roundtable discussion, we will review promising practices and share pedagogies that allow for the inclusion of multiple perspectives while at the same time decreasing the risk of full blown conflict or unsafe learning environments for students
Microplastics in Your Mussels? Isolation of Microplastic Particles from the Mussel \u3cem\u3eMytilus trossulus\u3c/em\u3e from the Eastern, Southern, and Western Coasts of Vancouver Island
No full textSmall (\u3c5mm) pieces of plastic, known as microplastics, were discovered in the Earth’s oceans and water systems about 15 years ago. These microplastics are in the same size class as many food particles fed on by aquatic animals. There is concern that filter-feeding organisms have the potential to consume microplastics in the place of food particles, and previous lab studies have shown that filter-feeding animals do ingest microplastics when they are present in high concentrations in the environment. The ingestion of microplastics has been shown to affect an individual’s health and overall fitness. The goal of this study was to quantify the average number of microplastics in the filter feeder Mytilus trossulus from the Eastern, Southern, and Western coasts of Vancouver Island. We wanted to find if different quantities and qualities of microplastics were present in mussels with relation to community population and coastal orientation. To do this, mussels were taken from twelve sites along the Eastern, Southern, and Western coasts of Vancouver Island. Ten mussels with shell lengths between 3-4cm were taken from each site, and each mussel’s soft tissue was digested in Nitric Acid (HNO3) using refined methodologies. Tissue digestion was done to remove organic tissue without altering any non-tissue materials (plastic). Tissue solutions were filtered through a 0.47micron filter, and the debris remaining on the filter was examined under a dissecting scope. Particles found were confirmed and recorded by type (fragment or fiber) and color (white, black, brown, red, yellow, or blue)
A Comparison of Song Structure in Island Songbirds and That of Their Mainland Relatives
No full textThe goal of this project was to examine bird song evolution on oceanic islands. To do so, I collected and analyzed the structure of songs. Over the course of this project, species lists were created for 3 families, Meliphagidae, Estrildidae, and Fringillidae, which occupy both mainland continents and islands. For each species, I collected song recordings (if recordings were available) using both Xeno-canto and the Macaulay Library. Songs were prepared and analyzed using the programs Audacity and Avi-soft. For the analysis, I chose 6 variables to measure: the number of distinct variables within the song, length of song, the number of syllables per second (Syllable rate), the maximum and minimum frequencies of the song and the total bandwidth of the song. An analysis, following phylogenetic controls and independent contrasts will be conducted to inspect for consistent divergent patterns in song structure across island species
Weather Effects on the Clutch Sex Ratio of Burrowing Owls \u3cem\u3e(Athene cunicularia)\u3c/em\u3e
No full textMany are under the impression that female animals are equally likely to produce female and male offspring, and thus have no control over the sex of an individual baby. However, there is evidence suggesting that females of many avian species can determine the sex ratio of their clutches. The sex allocation theory states that females should bias the sex of their offspring, responding to the differences in the male and females reproductive value.
This study looks at sex-determination in the western burrowing owl (Athene cuniculara hypugaea) specifically with respect to the sensitivity hypothesis, in relation to changes in temperatures. The sensitivity hypothesis reasons that in unfavourable conditions, the female will be more likely to produce the less expensive, or sensitive, sex - such as during colder times of the year, when food resources decrease as many prey species go into hibernation or decrease in quality. Data for a six-year period was collated and the average clutch sex ratio examined to see it was correlated with the mean temperature of each month during the nesting season (March-April) of the burrowing owls in Kamloops, BC.
This study was done with the cooperation of the BC Wildlife Park and their burrowing owl captive breeding program
Ajax Mine - An Environmental and Economic Assessment
No full textWhile the recent decision to deny the Ajax Mine in Kamloops has come after this project was completed, this presentation attempts to provide an overview of the socio-economic, environmental, property value and human health impacts that the Ajax Mine project would have had on the city of Kamloops, had it been approved by the federal and local governments. Research was done using environmental assessment reports as well as local and national news reports; KGHM\u27s own website offered additional information as to the scope of the project and its goals in mitigation efforts for the project. I also used a comparison model to a mine in Quebec, examining the impact of that mining operation located within close proximity to a local town and the effect on residents. Given that the lack of federal legislation can allow mining projects to go unchecked, causing widespread damage to nearby communities, recommendations to the current process the provincial and federal governments use in authorizing the operation of these types of mining projects are offered