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"Hidden" Community Capital and Farmers' Market Management and Performance in Vermont
No full textBuilding resilient food systems requires strategic integration of community-based assets and effective market management. In Vermont, where local food networks are vital, this research investigates how the social, human, political, and cultural capital support resilience while examining how management practices and resource allocation influence farmers’ market outcomes. A mixed method approach was used, including qualitative interviews, analysis of longitudinal market data, and thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses. The findings show that social capital supports collaboration across organizations, human capital provides adaptability through experience and skill, political capital helps influence policy and funding, and cultural capital informs values and workplace culture. However, the study identifies diversity gaps within organizations as a concern for long-term resilience. Quantitative results indicate that vendor fee income, the presence of market websites, and higher manager hours worked are positively associated with market revenue, while market relocation negatively affects performance. Qualitative data highlight continued challenges in customer engagement, vendor participation, and operational stability. The study offers recommendations for strengthening food systems by investing in community capital and adopting evidence-based management practicesCommunity Development and Applied EconomicsMaster of Science (MS
The fifth wave: Revising feminism and the Wave Model for sociopolitical change
No full textUndergraduateThe US feminist movement to date has failed to maintain the energy of the Second Wave and the protections many of these feminists fought for, most notably being reproductive rights and economic equality. As feminists of the day continue to fight for these protections against an increasingly conservative government and a generally individualistic public society, we ask ourselves, why and how is “feminism” as an ideology and a movement, just not enough? This is the question that guides this thesis on the shortcomings of feminism and what underscores the Fifth Wave, the newest and perhaps the last wave of feminism
The role of coregulators in TRβ-mediated tumor suppression in anaplastic thyroid cancer
No full textUndergraduateAnaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an aggressive form of dedifferentiated thyroid cancer responsible for approximately 40% of thyroid cancer-related deaths. Thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRβ), a nuclear hormone receptor, serves as a tumor suppressor in thyroid cancers and is downregulated in ATC. Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), a potential TRβ binding partner, is upregulated in ATC and acts as a tumor promoter. These findings enable the visualization of TRβ and LSD1 colocalization in thyroid cell lines through immunofluorescence and suggest how manipulating their interactions could offer new therapeutic options for ATC patients
Determining the role of R-loops in transcription-associated mutagenesis
No full textUndergraduateDNA mutations are the leading cause of cancer, arising from endogenous and exogenous sources. My research focuses on transcription-associated mutagenesis (TAM) of human DNA, an understudied cancer etiology. Our lab hypothesizes that R-loops (RNA/DNA hybrids) affect the occurrence of transcription-associated large insertion and deletion mutations by contributing to double-strand break formation. To test this hypothesis, I am generating knockouts of SETX and XPF, two genes involved in R-loop processing. By characterizing these knockouts, I will determine if TAM mutation rates increase with elevated R-loop accumulation and decrease with the loss of XPF-mediated R-loop processing as predicted
Do Social and Dolphin Watching Activities Vary in How They Influence Bottlenose Dolphin Whistle Emission and Acoustic Structure?
No full textBottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) rely on frequency modulated, narrowband whistles to establish and maintain complex interactions. As dolphins move through their environment, they encounter areas with varying acoustic properties and use them for different purposes. To explore if social and anthropogenic factors vary in the way the influence whistle emission rates and acoustic structure, I studied a small, genetically distinct population of bottlenose dolphins in Bocas del Toro, Panama. This population is isolated from other Caribbean populations and inhabits a region (Dolphin Bay) that has become a hotspot for dolphin-watching tourism. The objectives of this thesis are to determine whether (1) dolphin whistle emission rates and (2) the frequency and temporal characteristics of whistles vary in relation to behavioral activity, group composition, and the presence of boats. These factors have been investigated separately in the past; however, this study takes each into account. Acoustic and behavioral data were collected during boat surveys conducted over 31 days in 2023 and 15 days in 2024, using four-channel broadband recording systems. The results of this study show that whistle emission rates vary primarily with behavior, with dolphins increasing their whistle rate during social activities. Social activities also influenced the acoustic structure of whistles. During social interactions dolphins produced whistles with higher low frequencies, as well as higher peak frequencies. Interestingly, in contrast to previous studies in the area, the impact of dolphin-watching boats on whistle emission rates and acoustic structure was minimal. This may be due to the timing of data collection which occurred outside of peak tourism season, and this study’s inclusion of behavior as a factor. Overall, the findings suggest that when dolphin-watching boat presence is low, social behavior is the primary factory driving variation in whistle emission rates and acoustic characteristics. This study highlights the plasticity of dolphin communication across varying contexts by simultaneously examining behavior, boat presence, and group composition. It also underscores the importance of considering this flexibility when studying bottlenose dolphin populations, offering deeper insight into how they adapt their communication to a dynamic environment.BiologyMaster of Science (MS
Measuring Ecological Grief to Guide Inclusive Urban Forest Management
No full textAligning city planning decisions with inclusive and current preferences requires (re)examining urbanites' relationships with their greenery. For example, Vancouver, Canada cultivates broadleaf street trees (reflecting visions of British colonizers), but does this choice reflect current residents? Ecological grief is an increasingly widely used concept that may help indicate today’s human--forest relationships. We surveyed residents of Metro Vancouver (n= 600) and assessed how biophysical, geographical, social identity, and structural factors shape ecological grief. We used two Bayesian models and found that broadleaf and conifer declines evoke similar feelings of grief across all racial groups. We also found that birdwatching, running/walking on sidewalks, income, age, gender, and urbanness captured variations in grief. These results suggest that planting a greater variety of trees and enabling inclusive and meaningful interactions with urban forests may better serve today’s residents. Our study exemplifies how ecological grief can indicate relationships with nature and guide management.The version of record is available here: Can. J. For. Res. 55: 1–8 (2025) | dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2025-009
Mapping lithium diffusion in thin-film V2O5 using raman spectroscopy
No full textGraduateUnderstanding lateral diffusion of lithium in thin-film solid state battery (SSB) materials is critical to improving SSB performance, stability, lifespan, and architecture. Using model test structures of sputtered V2O5/W/LiPON, we use Raman spectroscopy peak shifts to map Lithium concentration in V2O5. We evaluate the diffusion of lithium from LiPON layers into thin-film V2O5, measure the impact of different sputter deposition process conditions on lateral lithium diffusion. Lastly, we will discuss the important implications of the lateral spacing limitations of clustered SSB devices due to lateral diffusion and propose architectural design rules based on this diffusion behavior for optimized device performance
Roadmap to Recovery: Enhancing Access and Awareness of Substance Use Recovery Resources in Vermont
No full textSubstance use disorder remains a pervasive public health challenge in Vermont, where access to recovery resources and stigma surrounding addiction continue to impede care. This project, Roadmap to Recovery, aimed to improve community awareness and accessibility of local recovery services through the development and distribution of an educational brochure. Designed with input from a mental health clinician and a recovery outreach worker, the brochure compiled state and regional resources while framing addiction as a medical condition rather than a moral failing. The intervention sought to empower individuals, families, and service providers with clear, compassionate information to facilitate connection to support. Feedback from community partners highlighted the value of destigmatizing language and accessible design. Future directions include formal evaluation of the brochure’s impact and expansion of outreach materials to additional Vermont communities
Inhibition of adipocyte lipolysis in lung cancer cachexia
No full textUndergraduateCancer cachexia (CC) is a wasting syndrome that occurs during lung cancer and is characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Adipose tissues store fats as triglycerides until they are needed by the body for energy during fasting. When these triglycerides are released, it is called lipolysis. Lipolysis is characterized by a decrease in adipocyte size, which can be quantified from adipose tissue sections using imaging-based techniques. My aim was to determine whether the pharmacological inhibition of lipolysis prevents decreased adipocyte size in mice with CC using data from the quantification and analysis of adipose tissue sections
Susceptibility analysis of debris flow hazard caused by climate change-induced intense rainfall in Vermont
No full textGraduateVermont has recently faced severe roadway damage due to climate-induced heavy rainfall, which has triggered uphill landslides and debris flows. The susceptibility of debris flows is influenced by slope angles, slope materials, and rainfall intensity. Simple Finite Element Method is used for slope stability analysis along with verification using data from some existing failure sites. We have implemented a GIS (Geographic Information System) based approach to map the probability of debris flow occurrence linked to empirical rainfall thresholds. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is used to monitor spatial movement of slopes before and after the hazard