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Drought Assessments and Numerical Models of Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport: Applications to Groundwater Management and International Policy
No full textHumanity relied on groundwater for centuries to cover some of its water needs. In 2015 groundwater accounted for 50% of total consumptive water use worldwide, of which 69% was used for irrigation and 18% for public supply. The growing reliance on groundwater use triggers concerns about groundwater depletion, quality threats, and sustainability. This work explains three approaches to address these concerns. First, assessing droughts using satellite products and drought indexes to forecast short-term weather conditions for small regions and apply this method to the Allende-Piedras Negras (APN) aquifer in Mexico-Texas of USA border. My main finding is that winters with temperatures slightly below the annual mean or ���mild winters��� are predecessors of harsh summers. Second, quantifying available groundwater volumes across political borders by developing the Transboundary Flow Balance Index (TFBI), which targets the critical sectors where groundwater pumping is sufficient to cause groundwater flow direction changes in the neighboring political border areas. I have applied this index to the APN aquifer and find that the TFBI favors the U.S. in the northern sector of the aquifer, and Mexico in the southern sector. I also find that it is not necessary to have high pumping rates to cause the groundwater flows to move across political borders, but land slope is the controlling factor. Third, forecasting the rate of increase in total dissolved solids (TDS) within the Simsboro aquifer, which covers the water needs of the cities of College Station-Bryan; this aquifer is a long-term source of sustainable freshwater, but the water levels in the aquifer are decreasing while the salinity (TDS) increases due to overpumping. modify the numerical model of groundwater flow from the Texas Water Development Board and include transport to forecast the TDS increase rate under three scenarios (projected steady, projected, 10% over the projected demand) until 2100. I find that the actual pumping rates on the Simsboro are unsustainable, and that the TDS will slightly increase under the projected pumping scenario at the Bryan���College Station area. These approaches are useful for developing groundwater strategies that support policymaking, challenges accompanying a growing population, and agriculture development, the region's main economic activity
Soil Testing Following Flooding, Overland Flow of Waste Waters and Other Fresh Water Related Disasters
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Examining LGBTQ+ Individuals��� Experience of Self-Esteem Through the SAFE Model
No full textAccording to the State Authenticity Fit to Environment (SAFE) conceptual framework, the environment signals fit for people with advantaged social identities, and they then experience greater state authenticity than those with devalued social identities. Those with devalued social identities are hypothesized to experience a decrease in state authenticity and display a drive to avoid similar environments in the future. Given the strong positive link between state authenticity and self-esteem, it could be the case that those who are in environments that fit also experience increased levels of self-esteem while those who are in environments that do not fit experience decreased levels of self-esteem. One experiment was conducted to test whether LGBTQ+ individuals experience increased self-esteem in environments that convey social fit as opposed to environments that do not. LGBTQ+ individuals were hypothesized to demonstrate higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of self-alienation in the social fit condition. To examine whether the SAFE model can explain the intricacies of self-esteem among LGBTQ+ individuals, social fit was manipulated. LGBTQ+ participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: social fit and social non-fit. Each participant was asked to engage in a mock interview with a confederate who was blind to the conditions. The only difference between conditions is that the confederate either had a laptop with a rainbow pride sticker (social fit condition) or a ���Traditional Values Matter��� sticker (social non-fit condition). Self-esteem and self-alienation were measured once participants completed the online survey after the interview. Results did not reveal any significant differences between conditions for either self-esteem or self-alienation. This is most likely due to the size and demographics of the sample size, the believability of manipulation, and individual differences in outness and comfort levels and acceptance of one���s sexual identity. However, there was a significant correlation between self-esteem and self-alienation when controlling for sexual identity disclosure. It is crucial to note that these findings are not generalizable and do not imply that social fit and environment have no impact on the self-esteem or self-alienation of LGBTQ+ individuals. Future research should continue to utilize the SAFE model to continue to explore social psychological variances in LGBTQ+ populations, as they are an underrepresented group in psychological research
Fueling the mind, feeding the world: COM 01 - Asking effective questions
No full textFall 2024 version
Note on accessibility: users must upload the zipped SCORM folder into a learning management system (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard, etc.) to view its contents.
Created at Texas A&M University as part of a grant sponsored by the USDA.This packet contains instructional materials and online modules prepared for Fueling the mind, feeding the world: COM 01 - Asking effective questions. It includes curriculum, PowerPoint slides, activities, handouts, grading considerations, and notes for instructors. These materials were created as part of the USDA Grant entitled "Fueling the Mind, Feeding the World: Enhancing Communication and Decision-Making Skills of Secondary Agricultural Education Students."
MODULE OVERVIEW: In the workplace, people must know when and how to ask questions because asking effective questions solves difficult problems, increases productivity, and lessens confusion. Employees also must be able to ask good questions about tasks that need to be completed. Asking questions can offer clarity, increase interest, and encourage further thought on a topic. This content provides students with an overview of how to ask effective questions with examples from agriculture.Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom (SPECA) Challenge Grants Program no. 2019-38414-30265 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Three Essays on Money in Politics
No full textThis dissertation consists of three self-standing chapters on the role of money in politics. The unifying theme of this dissertation is to study how businesses find allies among elected officials.
The chapter "Who is My Ally?: Policy Capacity and Interest Group Strategies in the U.S. States" studies how interest groups��� ability to find legislative allies is conditioned by the institutional arrangement of the legislatures. Specifically, I show that PAC donors broaden their outreach in U.S. state legislatures, both in terms of the number of contacts and the ideological diversity of those they connect with, when the legislature lacks resources to conduct policymaking.
The chapter "Revolving Door and Public Procurement: Evidence from Procurement Auctions in Japan" studies whether firms derive benefits through exchange with government officials, and if so, how. I consider this question in the context of the so-called "revolving door" hiring and procurement auctions in Japan. I show that acquiring human connections improves the employer���s chance of winning in auctions.
Finally, the chapter "Stock Investments as a Political Signal: Stock Trading in U.S. Congress, 2004-2014" turns to what elected officials do to cement political relationships with firms. I study the role of stock investment among the members of U.S. Congress, and find that elected officials tend to invest in donors and local firms, particularly when their industry is a large employer in their district
Clothing As Shelter
No full textFast Fashion is a modern phrase referring to the quick production of impulse fashion trends. Originating from the mass production of garments from recent popular brands, the term has evolved from the overproduction of clothing since the 1800s. Fast fashion has not only had an environmental impact but has contributed to the mass production of buildings that are shortly abandoned. The overproduction of these temporarily used buildings is not a new phenomenon, it has been a common occurrence throughout the fashion industry that started during the Industrial Revolution. Textile factories dominated cities' urban landscapes, growing faster than the consumption needed. Today this overproduction has led to landfills and buildings filled with unused clothes, resulting in waste of clothing, and building materials. This subject relates to the field of architecture alone, as seen in the rise of abandoned buildings that are left neglected and begin to create ���poorly developed neighborhoods���. This generated the investigation of how an adaptive reuse project intertwined with fashion ideas could aid those with limited resources. To revive the cultural impact of a neglected community in Bridgeport, Connecticut, a clothing factory is being transformed into a fashion institute intertwined with a business aspect to address social challenges. Fashion and architecture provide impactful design resolutions that are utilized daily but often overlooked. Designs are compositions that organize and portray an idea that aims to provide a solution to a problem. For the majority, buildings and clothing are seen as two separate basic amenities that serve two separate functions, seeming to be two very distinct elements. Taking a closer look, their parallels are evident through the creative process, functionality, and synesthesia, creating a perception that both entities address similar challenges through their distinct approaches. Despite these fields being able to stand independently, fashion and architecture derive from the same human impulse for protection and shelter. The project Clothing as Shelter is an investigation that highlights the capabilities of architecture to capture the attention of an observer the same way fashion gives attention to the person wearing a piece of clothing