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Legal and Community Input in the Record of Decision for the Bluegrass Army Depot
Get PDFThe Bluegrass Army Depot of Richmond, Kentucky is owned and operated by the United States Army to demilitarize the chemical weapons stockpile facility. The citizens of Richmond filed a civil suit against the Army for wanting to incinerate the stored chemical weapons. This research compiles an overview of the history of chemical weapons, current laws and legislation regarding the facility, political implications, public opinions surrounding the installation, facility stockpiles and ammunition, chemical weapons dissemination methods, and specific analysis and research dedicated to the Bluegrass Army Depot’s project stages, destruction technologies, and public involvement. The central purpose is to compile a unique overview of all relevant information because the topic of chemical weapons stockpile and dissemination is seemingly taboo with little literature published on these installations. This research contains a literature review of Warren et al.’s document “Chemical Weapons Destruction: Advantages and Disadvantages of Alternatives to Incineration,” provoking key questions about dissemination methodology and technology. The study not only details incineration and alternative chemical weapons disposal technologies, but specifically tailors these details to the nine United States chemical weapons storage facilities. The final results of this study outline the Bluegrass Army Depot’s remaining ammunition, dissemination processes, and public outreach
Peeling Off the Proof: Using Peel-Away Polymer Technology in the Collection of Ignitable Liquids During Arson Investigations
Get PDFDistributing Resources Regarding Gender-Based Violence
No full textThis research focuses on understanding how the distribution of materials regarding gender-based violence is occurring on university campuses. Gender-based violence is a prevalent issue on campuses but there are limitations depending on certain aspects like the political climate and the campus environment. The most discussed gender-based violence crime is rape and sexual assault. Yet, there are other crimes that students face like stalking and domestic violence. Common trends that were assessed that may have an impact on why are reporting patterns, federal protections, university resources, and campus environment. These trends impact students daily since their campuses may choose how they want to distribute the information. A pamphlet was created that focuses on addressing the current gaps of limitations when it comes to inclusivity and accessing the information. It discusses the resources within the campus and the surrounding community. The goal is to create a method that is preventative intervention. Creating a discussion surrounding the accessibility of information and the presentation is important to ensure that students are aware of what they have access to as a college student as they may already feel overwhelmed during an already challenging time
Exploring the Ethics of Human Space Travel: Navigating the Challenges and Implications of Missions Past, Present, and Future
Get PDFThis comprehensive exploration delves into the multifaceted landscape of human space travel, spanning physiological challenges, astronaut training, spacecraft manufacturing, ethical considerations, societal influences, and technological frontiers. The study elucidates the physiological impacts of microgravity on astronauts, emphasizing the necessity of personalized interventions and rigorous exercise protocols. Psychological dimensions, including isolation, interpersonal dynamics, and support systems, emerge as critical considerations. Astronaut training is dissected, encompassing physical conditioning, systems proficiency, and cultural competence. The paper delves into spacecraft manufacturing, emphasizing adherence to stringent standards, quality control measures, and the integration of additive manufacturing. Space governance challenges, the role of the private sector, and environmental impacts are scrutinized. Cultural and societal dimensions, including the influence of science fiction and ethical considerations, are explored. The study advocates for adaptive ethical frameworks, public engagement, and responsible governance. Technological frontiers such as ion propulsion, AI integration, solar power harvesting, and quantum communication are assessed for their transformative potential and ethical implications. This interdisciplinary examination provides a holistic perspective on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of human space travel. It advocates for a balanced integration of physiological, psychological, ethical, technological, and societal considerations, emphasizing the imperative of responsible and sustainable practices as humanity ventures further into the cosmos
Differences in Acceptance of Refugees among College Students
No full textThere are many refugees coming into the United States from a variety of countries, but it is unclear if Kentuckians perceive them differently based on the country of origin. The purpose of the current study was to examine how college students in Kentucky differentially perceive refugees from African, Middle Eastern and European countries. Participants were 148 undergraduate students, who responded to several questions about how receptive they are to refugees from the Congo, from Syria, and from Ukraine. Results showed that participants were willing to accept refugees from all three countries, but there was a split between whether they thought the refugees should be accepted with a strict legal process or not. This proposed legal requirement was most pronounced for Syrian refugees. These results carry implications for policies regarding how strict the legal process should be for refugees entering the United States, and how well they would be accepted by young voters.https://encompass.eku.edu/swps_undergraduategallery/1335/thumbnail.jp
Parks and Recreation Programs Changing The Lives Of At-risk Youth
No full textParks and Recreation programs have helped support and improve the overall well-being of at-risk youth. Most at-risk youth reside urban neighborhoods that has issues of gang-violence, drugs, and other negative influence on youth. According to an article Youth at risk, most youth at risk have a greater deal of behavior issues with substance abuse, school failure and dropout, juvenile delinquency, and multiple types of mental health disorder like depression or anxiety. With national recreation programs like the Boys and Girls club of America, at-risk get to have the necessary access they have to after school recreation activities, summer camps, and mental health services. Due to various barriers at- risk youth have become less involved in parks and recreation activities resulting in hindering their well-being. It’s imperative that parks and recreation agencies continue working toward creating more opportunities for at-risk youth across all low-income communities year-round. With the on-going support of parks and recreation programs youth have more opportunities to gain necessary life-skills, build relationships, and have positive experiences beyond their communities nationwide. Implementing the correct programing and creating more out-reach opportunities will improve the decline of current at-risk youth’s involvement in parks and recreation programs. This research will investigate the on-going support and need for at risk youth engagement in parks and recreation organizations. Keywords: Park and Recreation, communities, at-risk, youth, organization
Methods to Reduce Ecological Impacts of Nature-Based Tourism and Recreation
No full textNatural areas provide biodiversity conservation for many organisms and an opportunity for visitors to experience the flora, fauna, and other features of geological interest. Protected areas are popular destinations for outdoor recreation activities and tourism. Visitor use of these areas can result in benefits including social and economic revenue; however, visitor use can also result in many negative ecological impacts. Increased practice of nature-based tourism and recreation can cause great danger to the natural environment including damaging vegetation, introduction of invasive species, reduction in soil properties, and pollution of waterways. This study works to evaluate the impact of outdoor recreation on natural areas as well as the measures necessary to minimize negative impacts. Leave No Trace practices along with polices and new management approaches will be assessed to help minimize human impact when recreating in the outdoors
The Use of Ground Penetrating Radar for Archaeology at White Hall State Historic Site
No full textWhite Hall State Historic Site, the former home of prominent abolitionist Cassius Marcellus Clay, is an important historical landmark in Madison County, Kentucky. Before Cassius Clay and his wife, Mary Jane Warfield Clay, built White Hall, Clermont stood in its place. Cassius Clay’s Father, Green Clay built Clermont in the late 1700s. The 2,000 acre estate included not only the house but all the facilities needed to be self-reliant. Cassius Clay inherited the mansion when Green Clay passed away in 1828. While much is known about the Clay family history, little is known about the 100+ enslaved people the Clay family owned including where their living quarters and burial sites were located.
We will review high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs), infrared imagery (IR), and current maps to look for anomalies on the surface that may suggest the location of a feature such as the foundation of a building that is no longer there. When suspect locations are identified, we will utilize a technique in Geophysics called ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to identify any subsurface structures. This non-invasive tool is ideal for this type of work because it will not disrupt the site. GPR data can be collected for a large area in a relatively short amount of time compared to invasive archaeological methods. We will make educated interpretations of the anomalies found when using the GPR. The research may be useful for future investigations at the site by EKU archaeologists, geophysicists, and possibly historians
Do Foreign Accents Influence the Perceived Difficulty of a Sentence?
No full textEveryone has an accent. Accents that are perceived as foreign can influence listeners’ ease of understanding and empathy. We examined whether a speaker\u27s accent influenced the perceived difficulty of a sentence. In particular, whether sentences spoken by foreign-accented speakers were perceived as more difficult to understand. Our results indicated that, when listeners rate the difficulty of the sentence, they are influenced by the speaker’s accent. Listeners consistently rated sentences spoken by a foreign speaker as more difficult than sentences spoken by a native speaker, despite asking them to focus on the difficulty of the sentence itself. These results point to the conclusion that listeners are unable to discern between difficulties they are experiencing due to the speaker and difficulties they are experiencing due to the sentence. Implications of these findings can inform how diverse speakers are perceived in different settings like the classroom and the workplace
Pathways to Educational Attainment for Latinx Students
No full textThe achievement gap for the educational attainment of underrepresented populations has been the subject of study for decades. According to the Kentucky School Report Card data for school year 2018-2019, the Latinx community has an achievement gap rate of 42.0% with differences of -19.1% compared to White (non-Hispanic) students. Therefore, it is essential to find pathways to close the educational attainment gap and achieve equity. In this poster, I will research best practices for improving diverse student performance and educational opportunities, including the recruitment and retention of diverse educators and staff. A research report by the Learning Policy Institute states that students of color have better academic performance, improved graduation rates, and are more likely to attend post-secondary education when taught by an educator of color. In addition, according to the report, students also feel academically challenged and cared for by those educators. Another significant factor is the experience of the educators that serve Latinx youth. Diverse students and students of low-income backgrounds are more likely to be placed in classrooms with inexperienced educators compared to White (non-Hispanic) students. Diverse students\u27 critical learning opportunities are affected by this as a result of inequity. I will analyze evidence-based strategies for re-evaluating teacher preparation programs and making the appropriate or necessary curricular changes to better prepare culturally competent teachers. The goal is to offer insights on what are the needs in the preparation of teachers in the state so that we can better recruit and retain teachers to empower the next generations of Kentuckians