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Second Nature: Nurturing Stewardship Through Ecological Presence
Get PDFEnvironmental education is essential for preparing students to address today’s ecological challenges. However, many educational approaches focus primarily on individual behavior (e.g., personally conserving water) rather than broader systemic solutions. This research highlights that gap through a review of environmental education and introduces a new framework for designing and evaluating environmental education. This framework aims to help students explore their relationship with the environment in locally relevant and place-based ways. By applying this framework in rural Hawaii, this study examines how students perceive their roles within ecological systems and compares different curricular approaches to see how students’ understanding evolves. This work aims to shift environmental education toward a more holistic perspective to empower students to see their place in larger ecological and social systems
Dissemination Trial of Provider Training of Act-Enhanced Behavior Therapy (A-EBT) For Trichotillomania: A Waitlist Controlled Study
Get PDFTrichotillomania is a mental health disorder where individuals compulsively pull on their hair, leading to distress and life challenges. Although effective treatments like habit reversal training (HRT) and ACT-enhanced behavior therapy (A-EBT) exist, many health providers lack knowledge about these approaches. This study aimed to close that gap by training therapists in A-EBT through an online workshop and follow-up consultations. Over 100 therapists participated, and those who completed the training gained more knowledge about trichotillomania, felt more confident in their ability to treat the condition, and were more likely to promote their services, leading to more people getting the care they needed. Interestingly, many therapists also began using the skills they learned to treat other related conditions, such as skin-picking disorder and other body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). These findings suggest that training in evidence-based therapies for trichotillomania can also help therapists better treat a range of BFRBs. Future research will explore ways to expand training to address more of these behaviors, ensuring that even more people receive effective care
Leadership, Identity, And Student Voice in Secondary Schools
Get PDFMany student leadership programs in U.S. high schools operate without clear guidance, often leaving students as passive participants in systems that may not effectively prepare them for leadership roles both in school settings and elsewhere. This study explores how listening to students’ voices can improve leadership programs by better understanding how young people see themselves as leaders. Using a case study approach at one school, I observed student leaders over one school year and analyzed their experiences through leadership development theories. The findings suggest that when schools take students\u27 perspectives into account, they can create leadership programs that are more inclusive, meaningful, and effective for all students
Gone With the Flow: Flow Reduction Coincides With Reduced Metabolism and Standing Stock of Benthic Algae and Macroinvertebrates in Desert Rivers
Get PDFRiver metabolism, the measure of energy flow in a river, is driven by hydrological and physicochemical regimes (e.g., temperature, turbidity, and nutrients). However, these regimes are increasingly altered by human water demand and climate change-driven drought. These stressors alter the magnitude, timing, and duration of critical spring-snowmelt floods with poorly understood consequences on ecosystem function, particularly in desert rivers. To investigate the linkages between flow reduction, river metabolism, and basal food resource productivity (i.e., algae and aquatic invertebrates), we measured metabolism and basal resource availability in seven desert tributaries with varying degrees of flow reduction during low-flow conditions in 2023 and 2024. Flow reduction was calculated as the percent change in median annual flow from a historic 20-year period to a contemporary 20-year period. We used models to evaluate which environmental variables correlated with river metabolism and standing stock (amount) of algae and aquatic invertebrates. We found that all sites were seasonally heterotrophic (often subsidized by terrestrial carbon and CO2 producing), except for the largest river which was seasonally autotrophic (produces and stores organic carbon). Primary production increased with light availability and was reduced in rivers with more altered flow regimes. Ecosystem respiration, the amount of carbon fixed or energy consumed, did not correlate with any environmental variables. Algae and macroinvertebrate standing stock also decreased with flow reduction. These findings challenge the current understanding of how river ecosystems and food webs change in response to human alteration. As water demand increases in arid regions, understanding the linkages between flow reduction and ecosystem function will enhance our ability to conserve and protect unique desert river ecosystems
Understanding the Impact of Colloidal Calcium Phosphate on the pH Variation in Cheddar Cheese During Early Stages of Aging
Get PDFThe Cheddar cheese industry has recently observed variation in the pH of their cheese during the early stage of storage. This variation may be due to the addition of the faster acid producing thermophilic starter culture Streptococcus thermophilus which was recently introduced into the Cheddar cheese making process. This starter culture may impact the calcium buffering properties of the cheese due to more retention of the insoluble calcium (INSOL Ca) within the cheese. To investigate this problem, we studied how insoluble calcium affects cheeses with pH ranging from 4.8 to 6.6 and found that INSOL Ca was positively correlated with the protein content and pH of the cheese. After gaining an understanding of the interactions between pH, INSOL Ca, and protein, a modified acid-base titration method, which involved standardization of the samples based on protein content was tested on curd samples taken through cheese production with varying sample preservation methods (fresh, refrigerated, air-blast frozen, and frozen with liquid nitrogen). The protein acid-based titration method produced reliable results. There was no statistical difference in the amount of INSOL Ca between the fresh, air-blast frozen, and samples frozen with liquid nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen frozen samples were used to test cheese made with different amounts of thermophilic and mesophilic culture blends. The pH and INSOL Ca were tracked over a 6-week period. The cheese made with more thermophilic starter culture had a higher pH and amount of INSOL Ca making the addition of the S. thermophilus a possible cause for the increase pH seen in the Cheddar cheese industry
An Agricultural Needs Assessment in the Tri-County Area of Utah
Get PDFAn agricultural needs assessment was conducted in the Tri-County area, i.e., Uintah, Daggett, and Duchesne counties, to inform extension programming. Results showed that profitability, business development, and land use were high-priority needs. Gaps in producers’ access to information were found, highlighting the need for targeted education programs to address agricultural challenges
Transforming Care: An Academic and Community Symposium on Transgender Care and Experience
No full textBackground: Transgender experience is often excluded from education and training. An emphasis has been often placed on sexual identities instead of gender differences rendering transgender care invisible in the healthcare system (Gahagan & Colpitts 2017). Lack of education and training has created significant barriers to accessible gender-affirming care, contributing to disproportionately high levels of discrimination for transgender individuals seeking medical services (Redcay et al., 2021). Purpose: The Interprofessional Education Symposium on Transgender Care and Experience was an innovative initiative developed by the newly formed Transgender Interprofessional Care Team (TICT) at a medium-sized suburban university. This collaborative team, comprising key university and community stakeholders, was created to drive transformative change in community health. Aiming to educate current health and human service professionals while preparing the next generation of practitioners, the symposium brought together professionals and individuals with lived experiences to address barriers and deepen understanding of comprehensive gender-affirming care. This effort not only sought to enhance immediate professional competencies but also to build a foundation for a more inclusive and skilled future workforce, ensuring accessible, affirming care. Method: A post-symposium survey was distributed to attendees to assess their achievement of conference objectives, knowledge of transgender care, workforce barriers, and anticipated benefits for their future practice. Discussion: Post-symposium data revealed that while practicing professionals were committed to advancing transgender care, they faced significant barriers related to training and education. Conclusion: Data demonstrated the need for evidence-based, gender-affirming best practice education not only for current health and behavioral health professionals but also within higher education to prepare the future workforce. Identified barriers included a lack of knowledge and leadership support, as well as existing challenges with interprofessional communication and collaboration, which are essential for promoting more comprehensive care
Professional Portfolio: Collaboration to Support Inclusion of Students With Extensive Support Needs
Get PDFThis project focuses on the importance of collaboration between the special education teacher and general education teacher to better support inclusive practices for students with extensive support needs. Inclusion is an important part of education for a student with disabilities. Research has indicated several benefits of inclusion. Inclusion of students with extensive support needs requires effective collaboration between special and general education teachers. This professional portfolio includes a review of the literature about collaboration to support inclusion of students with extensive support needs, as well as two reports. Report one focuses on the collaboration between special education teacher and general education teachers to find appropriate times for students to be included in the general education classroom. Report one also includes information from general education teachers, a special education teacher, and an administrator related to their use of and perspectives about inclusive practices and collaboration. The second report focuses on collaboration between a general education teacher and a special education teacher to help support teaching of science curriculum for a student with extensive support needs. Activities for this report occurred in the special education classroom to support the student with participating more in the general education classroom with the same unit of science. The report examined whether the student’s understanding the main concepts improves based on the collaborative lessons implemented in both the special and general education settings. Professional reflections are provided as a summary of both report outcomes
The Utah Statesman, April 21, 2025
Get PDFWeekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/newspapers/2899/thumbnail.jp
Utah People and Environment Poll 2024/25 Executive Report
Get PDFUtah\u27s people and environment are currently experiencing significant changes as the population continues to grow, droughts and flooding pose threats to agriculture, air quality leads to health concerns, energy needs rise, and public lands see increased use. Action is needed to address these changes, especially given how rapidly they are occurring. Political leaders, environmental organizations, Tribal Nations, and universities play a critical role in ensuring Utah’s environment, economy, workforce, and underserved communities have a sustainable path forward. Understanding residents’ views, values, and concerns can help better craft the policy, inform infrastructure, and identify the services needed to do so. With this goal of understanding in mind, Utah State University\u27s Community & Natural Resources Institute (CANRI) launched the Utah People and Environment Poll in spring of 2023. The 2023 UPEP illuminated important insights into Utahn’s values and concerns, and the survey was repeated from November 2024 through January 2025 to continue to build a mechanism for gathering timely, relevant, and longitudinal data on issues at the intersection of people and the environment in Utah to help inform policy to address environmental issues. The following summarizes some of the notable results of the most recent survey. Results and reports of the 2023 survey can be found here: https://chass.usu.edu/canri/upep-previous