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Integrating Cover Crop as a Strategy to Restore Soil Carbon and Nitrogen in Sandy Soils
No full textHistoric intensive cultivation, in addition to the warm and humid climate, has resulted in low soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) concentrations in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain soils. Restoring SOC is key to ensuring sustainable production in these soils. This study aimed to evaluate cover cropping as a management strategy to improve soil C and N in this region. Specifically, it investigated how cover crops contribute to SOC stabilization and N availability in the form of living plants and dead residues. Three cover crops (cereal rye, hairy vetch, crimson clover) were tested in the field and laboratory incubations, either individually or in a mixture. The distribution, transformation and fates of root-derived (Chapters 2 and 4.2) and residue-derived C and N (Chapters 3 and 4.1) were quantified along with the soil C and N stocks in the soil profile (Chapter 5). Root-derived C was a significant source of SOC. Notably, cereal rye contributed relatively more assimilated C to subsoil (15-30 cm), whereas hairy vetch retained a greater portion in the topsoil (0-15cm), reflecting species-specific differences in belowground C distribution. Following termination, cover crop residue decomposition was largely governed by their C-to-N ratio and air temperatures, with legumes being decomposed more rapidly. Incorporations of vetch residues and their mixture with cereal rye reduced microbial decomposition of the native SOC but did not stimulate cumulative CO2 and N2O emissions during the main crop seasons. However, such impacts can be modified by mineral N additions, in which N addition enhanced N2O emissions when added together with cover crop residues. Despite their significant contributions to soil C dynamics, integrating various winter cover crops for six years did not increase total soil C and N stocks at one meter depth. However, when integrated with conservation tillage, they did promote C accumulation in the topsoil (0-15 cm) but caused C depletion in the subsurface. This study highlights the importance of complementary management practices to cover cropping in restoring SOC in sandy soils to enhance its productivity and sustainability
Investigation of Solid-State Reactive Sintering and Rapid Laser Reactive Sintering for Al-Doped Li7La3Zr2O12 Solid-State Electrolyte
Get PDFAs a society, we’ve exhausted an extreme amount of fossil fuels and put an overwhelming strain on Earth’s natural resources. From this, it is critical to think about the successful future of our planet and ourselves by developing energy devices such as all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSLIBs). These devices offer a greener and more efficient alternative to power our daily lives, such as electric vehicles (EVs), portable electronics, medical devices, grid-scale energy storage, and aerospace/aviation. ASSLIBs are an excellent alternative to liquid-state batteries, which pose dangerous safety concerns (e.g., flammability, electrolyte leakage, etc.). These ASSLIBs are known to have generally high energy densities, making them a viable option for use in almost any application. Each battery contains at least three components, i.e., a cathode, electrolyte, and anode. While cathodes and anodes facilitate the transfer of electrons from one to the other, the electrolyte is probably the most important component, which helps ionic species move from cathode to anode (and vice versa). The ease with which these ions move back and forth is determined primarily by the electrolyte itself. One promising option for solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) is Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO), which has been known to achieve high ionic conductivity (~10-3 S⸱cm-1) and high energy densities. And one promising option for a sintering aid and conductivity enhancer is Al3+, which will help to substitute for Li sites of LLZO and reach its full potential. However, to even begin approaching these high performances, the material processing conditions must be optimized and improved to meet the ever-growing needs of society.
Herein, the current work will dive into the effect of sintering conditions of LLZO SSE, namely solid-state reactive sintering (SSRS). Similar to the solid-state sintering (SSS) method, which uses a programmable furnace to heat up ceramic materials and cause densification and coarsening to take place, the SSRS method uses this same method to heat up a material, additionally inducing chemical reactions within said material (combines both sintering and reactions into one step). By altering the SSRS processing conditions (i.e., dwell time and dwell temperature), we can gather a suite of material properties (pure/impure phase transitions, microstructural evolutions, and geometrical changes) to ensure an optimization of reaction and sintering procedures. In the context of LLZO, sintering in a normal air environment is challenging and causes several unwanted phases/impurities, which ultimately damage the ionic conductivity, which is the ultimate material property to achieve for this ASSLIB application. Therefore, an inert atmosphere of Ar gas was passed into the furnace chamber to limit the interaction of LLZO with air during SSRS and improve sintering conditions. Altering these conditions can also inform future experiments that involve material property optimization for any material system.
Alternatively, a potentially more efficient method to SSRS is its laser counterpart, rapid laser reactive sintering (RLRS). Analogous to SSS, rapid laser sintering (RLS) is the process of using a laser (in this work, a CO2 laser) to improve densification and coarsening for already-pure components. The RLRS method has been used for other energy materials, including solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs), and, therefore, shows promise in its capability as a quick, energy-efficient, and effective reactive sintering method. The work in this dissertation explores RLRS’s effect on Al-doped LLZO, like SSRS’s impact on the same material. Instead of changing key parameters such as dwell time and dwell temperature for SSRS, there are several for RLRS, such as power, scan speed, and defocus distance, which creates an even more complex terrain for sintering Al-doped LLZO with a relatively nascent technological method. Here, the discussion will be dominated by a microstructural roadmap with some crystallographic analysis of varying parameters to more accurately define this material’s compatibility with RLRS
How Young People Mobilize Social Capital Within Youth-Serving Organizations
Get PDFYouth-serving practitioners can incorporate organizational and programmatic approaches to support young people in strengthening their social capital. Through a robust network of support, young people can successfully transition to postsecondary education and obtain meaningful career opportunities. One way practitioners can support young people’s social capital is by leveraging their social-capital mobilization (i.e., the way relationships and resources are accessed and used to accomplish goals). Informed by an adapted version of the institutional space framework, the current study draws on insights from qualitative focus groups centered around social-capital mobilization within six education and workforce development programs. Data come from the perspectives of program participants, past program participants (i.e., alumni), and practitioners. Findings illustrate how young people mobilize their social capital and the role that youth-serving organizations and practitioners play in supporting this process
JYD Fall 2025 Issue Published
No full textThe Journal of Youth Development (JYD) has published its latest issue (20.3) at https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/jyd.https://open.clemson.edu/jyd_announcements/1010/thumbnail.jp
Item 4: Assignment: Understanding Polls: A Hands-On Survey Activity
Get PDFThis activity demystifies opinion polls. It addresses the question, “Why are polls often wrong?” by guiding students to create and analyze a flawed survey. Students conduct a survey with common flaws and analyze results to understand how shortcomings skew results. The project explores the concepts of margin of error, sample size, bias, and framing
Item 1: SOC 1100 - Introduction to Sociology (civic engagement emphasis) Syllabus
Get PDFThis is an Introduction to Sociology course syllabus with a civic engagement emphasis. Sociology is one of the most well-suited disciplines to address civic issues and civic engagement. Sociology examines social life, social problems, and civic issues from “private troubles” to “public issues” and how these are interconnected (see C. Wright Mills). Social activism, which is a form of civic engagement, is one of sociology’s core commitments
Reimagining Learning Outdoors: How Active Outdoor Play-Based Learning (AOPL) Supports Student Growth and Academic Success - A Policy Brief for District Leaders and Educational Policymakers
Get PDFActive Outdoor Play-Based Learning (AOPL) is an evidence-based educational approach that integrates active play, outdoor environments, and academic goals. It supports not only curricular learning but also students’ physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. This brief presents practical insights from a systematic review of 21 empirical studies (2008–2024) on AOPL implementation in formal school settings, offering guidance for systems-level investment and policy alignment.
AOPL is a pedagogical strategy that uses play and the outdoors as meaningful contexts for learning. When embedded into school culture, AOPL offers a scalable and cost-effective way to advance curricular goals while also supporting whole-child development. Teachers who implement AOPL build connections between mandated curriculum and students’ natural curiosity while leveraging the benefits of being outside1.
This paper highlights actionable strategies and compelling outcomes that can inform policy, funding priorities, and district-wide implementation
Determining the Impact of Surface Roughness on Disinfection Efficacy of Commercial Products Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus Wet Surface Biofilms
No full textBiofilms are resistant to many stressors including disinfectant treatments. Disinfection may be further complicated by biofilms formed on damaged surfaces, as the damaged parts provide bacteria a better place to attach and grow. To better understand the risks, a new method to standardize surface scratching, to emulate worn surfaces via surface roughness changes was developed. These surfaces were used to grow biofilms with an adapted standardized EPA method to determine disinfection efficacy differences on scratched and non-scratched high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and stainless steel (SS) coupons treated with commercial disinfectants [hypochlorite (CL)-based, hydrogen peroxide (HP)-based, and quaternary ammonium (QA)-based]. Post-80 grit sandpaper scratching, average surface roughness of SS and HDPE increased by 0.82 µm and 12.69 µm, respectively. Early-phase biofilms were more pronounced on 80 grit-scratched surfaces versus smooth surfaces; no significant difference for mature biofilms was detected. Disinfection treatments achieved biofilm log reductions/coupon ranging from 3.23 to 6.22 (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and 2.92 to 5.62 (Staphylococcus aureus). Biocide comparisons revealed HP and CL disinfectants performed significantly better than QA on HDPE. CL and QA performed significantly better than HP on SS against P. aeruginosa. The desired 6 log/coupon reduction was only achieved against P. aeruginosa grown on a non-scratched HDPE coupon treated with CL. Overall, bacteria, surface material, roughness, and disinfectants affected the biofilm disinfection
Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) Movement and Habitat Selection in the Edisto River, South Carolina
Get PDFStriped Bass (Morone saxatilis) are a commercially and recreationally important fish native to the Atlantic Coast of the United States. They possess a diversity of life history strategies, with northern populations tending to be anadromous and southern populations being primarily river residents. In general, southern populations are less studied, posing challenges for effective management. Between 2019 and 2024, we tagged 37 Striped Bass with acoustic telemetry transmitters in order to study seasonal migration patterns and summer habitat selection. We estimated migration probability for both the spring and fall Striped Bass migrations using data from an array of passive acoustic receivers within the Edisto River and with generalized linear mixed models. We also manually tracked 14 Striped Bass on the Edisto River between June and August of 2024, collecting used and available microhabitat data in a discrete choice framework. . Our analysis found that warming water temperatures are the primary environmental factor cuing spring migrations, and that increases in river discharge can have a moderating effect on migration probability even when temperatures are otherwise warm enough to cue an upstream migration. Our results also indicated that the upstream forks of the Edisto River represent critical summer habitat for Striped Bass, and that preservation of these habitat areas is likely to be a focus of future management of the populatio
Improving Retention of Students With Disabilities in Stem Through Math-Based Type Science Readiness
Get PDFAbstract
This Dissertation in Practice examined the impact of a Math for Science Readiness (MSR) intervention on the science course planning behaviors of Students with Disabilities (SWD) in College Preparatory Basic (CPB) Chemistry, with the aim of increasing enrollment into Physics 1 College Placed Academic (CPA). Using an approach grounded in sociocultural theory and strength-based practices, the intervention implemented 16 short modules connecting chemistry and physics through shared math themes to reinforce math concepts across disciplines.
Data collected included physics interest surveys, common assessment exam scores, enrollment data, and counselor feedback to evaluate whether targeted math support could promote progression into more rigorous science and STEM pathways. Results showed a statistically significant increase in exam scores for students who received the MSR intervention compared to those from the previous year who did not. Additionally, Likert-scale data indicated a positive correlation between student confidence and familiarity with the themed topics as the intervention progressed, although participation declined over time.
Although Physics enrollment remained low, there was a measurable increase in SWD enrollment in other advanced classes, including Anatomy & Physiology and AP Environmental Science. Follow-through enrollment from teacher recommendations also improved, suggesting the intervention positively influenced the counseling process.
These results highlight the potential for refining and expanding the intervention to strengthen both student preparedness and counselor involvement, ultimately creating a clearer pathway to STEM success and retention of CPB students beyond their three-year compulsory science commitment.
Keywords: Advanced Placement (AP), College Prep (CP), Individualized Education Plan (IEP), 504, Inquiry Based Learning, Learning Disability (LD), Math for Science Readiness (MSR), New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science (NJSLS-S), students with disabilities (SWD), science technology engineering math (STEM), socio-culture theory, strength based practices, theme-based learning