3736 research outputs found
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Culture Change: the impact of violence prevention and education efforts on liberal arts college campuses
No full textCollege campuses are places where violence unfortunately occurs. Sexual assault is a pervasive issue not only on college campuses, but globally. College campuses have a unique opportunity to change the culture around violence through the work of violence prevention and education offices. These offices are necessary for college campuses if they’d like to see positive culture change. Violence prevention and education offices provide many opportunities to explore issues that arise in communities (e.g. racism, classism, sexism..). For the purpose of this research, liberal arts institutions were examined across the country, similar to Occidental College, then interviews with staff of and reviews of their violence prevention offices were conducted. The campuses that use these offices can change culture by creating inclusive spaces, engaging the community on a regular basis, laying out clear goals and policies, and also giving students a seat at the table. These offices have a place on college campuses and their status should be prioritized by all institutions, ensuring that they are operating at prime efficacy, impacting as many community members as possible
First Reported Occurrence of the Southern Sea Otter at California’s Santa Barbara Island Since 1940
Full text linkSustainable and Ethical Practices for the Fast Fashion Industry
No full textThis research considers the fast fashion industry which is a system where trendy clothes are created cheaply and frequently in large quantities. The research explores different issues with fast fashion such as increased pollution, waste, and mistreatment of workers. The goal is to recommend more sustainable and ethical practices in the manufacturing of garments. In addition, research is done on the relationship between fast fashion, globalization, and company and consumer awareness and responsibility. Interviews are conducted with five employees of various clothing companies: H&M, Forever 21, Abercrombie & Fitch, SiiZu, and Symbol. These interviews give insight into the practices of these companies and the steps they have or haven’t taken in being more sustainable. The results of these interviews and research reveal that companies need more transparency in their production and new models for business to become more sustainable. Practices such as releasing sustainability reports, minimizing the turnover rate of clothing, adding more information to clothing tags, reducing environmentally damaging production methods, using sustainable packaging, analyzing the factories where the garments are produced, and recycling help lead companies to a more sustainable and ethical future
Affordable Housing Meets Rooftop Farming: Feeding Los Angeles\u27 Low Income Residents
No full textThe following report seeks to answer the question, how can rooftop farming on affordable housing developments be implemented as an attainable option for increasing access to affordable local produce in the city of Los Angeles, CA? Research of existing literature found that the key challenges and barriers to implementing rooftop farms is the additional cost as well as the lack of information available to guide the development of such projects. Further, the literature also uncovered the environmental services, social, health, and mental health benefits, as well as financial incentives to developers that rooftop gardens can provide. Through interviews with affordable housing developers in Los Angeles, CA it was found that their top concerns regarding the implementation of rooftop farms were the associated cost, maintenance, and safety measures it would require. Additionally, apprehensiveness about levels of resident participation was common to nearly all of the developers interviewed. In order to tackle the concerns of developers, recommendations were made to design urban gardens as a multi-use spaces, partner with urban agriculture organizations to relieve developers of some of the planning burden, and lastly frame urban gardens as health and wellness focused to cater to current sources of funding available in Los Angeles, California
Distribution of the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) within California as of 2015
Full text linkAbstract - The goals of this study were to map the distribution of the invasive eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, in California as of 2015 and to assess range expansion since the first documented sightings within the state. Range maps exist, but the last update by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife was in 2007. An assessment of the rate of range expansion over time has not been conducted, but comparisons between the locations of initial sightings and the current distribution are included. Location data were obtained from museum specimens, wildlife rehabilitation centers, a roadkill database, and research-grade citizen observations. Range maps were produced with ArcGIS software. Populations of eastern gray squirrels are currently concentrated around Sacramento and Davis, the western side of San Francisco Bay, within as well as north and east of Santa Cruz, within Monterey, north of the Golden Gate Bridge through Marin County as well as around Santa Rosa, and around the Bellota / Stockton area. Isolated populations on the eastern side of San Francisco Bay occur around Berkeley, Hayward, and Pleasanton. Observations extend into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range from north of the American River to south of the San Antonio River. We suggest that the eastern gray squirrel might become more damaging to the two native diurnal species of tree squirrels in California (Sciurus griseus and Tamiasciurus douglasii) than the introduced eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)
Teach Me, Don’t Lose Me: How Schools in Los Angeles are Responding to an Increase in Homeless Youth
No full textIn Los Angeles County, the most vulnerable of those experiencing homelessness, youth under eighteen, number over 100,000. The negative impact of the trauma and realities of homelessness on their ability to obtain an education, while currently measured in terms of high dropout rates, expulsion, suspension, repeat of grades and other academic setbacks, cannot be fully quantified. In Los Angeles, there is finally an urgency to address the catastrophic homelessness situation. Through the passage of City and County measures, voters approved billions of dollars to combat homelessness. While it remains to be seen if these funds will be used to specifically address the education of students experiencing homelessness, the greatest barrier to homeless students’ education is the lack of a stable home. At the federal, state and school district level, policies to that protect the rights of homeless students and their access to public education have been in place for decades. This study seeks to understand how schools in Los Angeles are responding to an increase in homeless students in order to provide recommendations that will allow Los Angeles schools and organizations to provide support to homeless students. In order to answer the question, “How are Schools in Los Angeles Responding to an Increase in Homeless Youth?” 53 individuals who have direct experience with homeless youth in an educational capacity were surveyed. My research focused on identifying the challenges encountered by homeless students, teaching methods employed to overcome these challenges and resources need to allow homeless students to thrive academically. My research findings, which are consistent with the literature addressing these issues, demonstrate that teachers and administrators feel as though they are not provided with sufficient resources to properly support this vulnerable population of students. Also consistent with the literature, my recommendations reflect that teachers and schools must identify the barriers and issues the homeless students in their particular schools are facing and respond to those issues rapidly and resourcefully
A longitudinal temperature profile of the Los Angeles River from June through October 2016
Full text linkThis pilot study developed a longitudinal temperature profile of the Los Angeles River by deploying temperature loggers throughout the watershed between June and October 2016. The watershed was divided into zones based on river system component, urbanization, and channelization. Channelized sites recorded the highest temperatures, tributaries recorded the lowest, and the estuary showed the most fluctuation. Overall, temperatures were too warm to support re-introduction of native fish but currently support non-native fish species. Temperature mitigation is needed for native species to re-establish. Albeit limited in scope, this study establishes a baseline of summer/fall temperatures in the Los Angeles River
Development of Oral Structure in Salmonema emphemeridarum (Nematoda: Cystidicolidae)
Full text linkThis paper examines the development of the oral morphology of the parasite Salmonema emphemeridarum (Nematoda: Cystidicoidae) using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Larvated eggs, taken from female worms collected from brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, were fed to mayflies (Ephemeroptera) where larvae developed to the third larval stage. First stage larvae possessed an oral opening, boring tooth and secretory pore. Second stage larvae possessed a circular oral opening and amphids. Third stage larvae included all the features of adult worms include pseudolabia, submediant labia, sublabia, amphids and four oral papillae. The advanced development of oral structures of third stage larvae allows the identification of larval worms to genus and in some cases species and is consistent with the precocious reproductive development of infective larvae in the Cystidicolidae