Via Sapientiae: The Institutional Repository at DePaul University
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Meta-SustainED Nurturing Greener Events Using the Metaverse Technology
Get PDFThe case study focuses on the integration of sustainability principles with metaverse technology in the field of event and meeting management. The primary goal is to tackle global challenges by embedding sustainable practices that align with selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, and Responsible Consumption and Production. This educational approach utilizes immersive simulations that allow students to develop and propose solutions to real-world sustainability issues. The content encourages students to understand the interconnectivity of different sustainability practices and their applications. By leveraging technology, the case study aims to enhance educational experiences and promote sustainable behaviors. The broader implications of this initiative include empowering students to become environmentally conscious global citizens and proactive agents of positive change. Additionally, it provides instructors with innovative teaching methodologies, preparing future professionals with essential skills and a sustainable mindset for managing events
A Seasonal Decomposition Comparison between Forest and Turf Habitats: Implications for Climate Change
Get PDFDecomposition is an essential ecosystem service in which microorganisms breakdown organic matter. This process improves soil health and acts as a vital step in global carbon cycles. In this study, we examined decomposition rates and associated soil properties in turf and forest habitats across summer and fall seasons in order to determine how land management practices and climate change may be altering local decomposition regimes. Our study determined that there was a statistically significant difference between decomposition rates in turf and forest ecosystems (P=0.003) and a significant difference in decomposition rate across season (
Microplastic Accumulation in the Marsh Periwinkle (Littoraria irrorata)
Get PDFContamination of oceans by microplastics (mm) currently poses a major threat to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Recent attention towards this issue has raised questions about the extent to which microplastics have accumulated in the environment, and has led to an increase in studies on the effects of microplastics in various organisms. However, levels of contamination in protected natural areas are still largely unexplored, yet can offer an important empirical perspective on the issue. In addition, little is known about the potential effects of microplastics on behavior in the field. This research was conducted within the protected ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR, South Carolina, USA). In this habitat, the marsh periwinkle (Littoraria irrorata) is a primary consumer in salt marsh and serves as an indicator of the health of the ecosystem. We examined the pattern of microplastic accumulation in the foot and intestines of marsh periwinkles (n = 60) in relation to their availability in the habitat (water column, sediment). We also examined the relationship between microplastics and behavior (microhabitat use). We found that periwinkles accumulated microplastics in a non-random manner, relative to the habitat, and that this pattern was generally consistent between the foot and intestines. Microplastic abundance was also similar for periwinkles collected on the sediment and those collected on the cordgrass, indicating that there was no obvious effect of microplastics on microhabitat use. There was no detectable relationship between microplastics and periwinkle size and no consistent effect of distance from the estuary on microplastics
Clutter and Control: A Regional Analysis of the Effect of Decluttering on Women During the Pandemic
Get PDFThe Covid pandemic impacted the whole nation, with 72% of Americans reported disruption in their everyday lives, and 45% of Americans reported negative health impacts in response to the pandemic (Kirzinger et al. 2020). However, there are some populations of citizens that are more vulnerable to the negative mental health effects of the pandemic (Czeisler et al. 2020). Fear and psychological reactance, triggered when individuals feel their freedoms are threatened, surged during the pandemic (Taylor and Asmundson, 2021; Wortman & Brehm, 1975). Yet, little research explores how decluttering projects affect this behavior.
The current study explored the impact of successful decluttering projects as a measure of regaining control to reduce Covid fear for women living in regions experiencing high levels of reactance. To examine the impact of decluttering on fear and reactance, a dataset of 156 women, recruited by the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) was utilized. Five validated psychometric scales were used: Fear of Covid-19 Scale (Ahorsu et al., 2020), Hong Psychological Reactance Scale (Hong & Faedda, 1996), Personal Project Analysis (Little, B.R. 1983), Social Desirability (Crowne & Marlowe, 1960), and Action Control Scale (Diefendorff et al. 2000). Results were mixed in support for the current study. However, when including situational control, results highlighted a notable connection: increased control through decluttering related to reduced fear and reactance. This finding holds significance, especially for women navigating societal pressures around household responsibilities.
The study highlights vital implications for community psychology. It emphasizes the need for gender-specific approaches in crisis response and intervention designs, urging attention to women\u27s mental health during crises like the pandemic. Understanding control\u27s impact, acknowledging cultural differences, and promoting decluttering initiatives are key takeaways. However, the study\u27s limitations include a non-representative sample primarily composed of educated, white women. Additionally, the data collected early in the pandemic might not fully encapsulate evolving concerns or reactions. Future research should aim for more diverse samples and consider evolving societal responses to crises
First-Generation College Students’ Sense of Belonging During COVID-19
Get PDFFirst-generation college students (FGCSs) make up one-third of all college students in the U.S. (Whitley et al., 2018). Yet, retention of FGCSs continues to fall behind that of their non-first-generation peers (Act, Research and Policy, 2012; Cataldi et al., 2018). Understanding FGCSs’ sense of belonging, and its predictors, is a key component to helping promote retention. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought many shifts and adaptations to education that impacted the overall college experience for students (Burki, 2020). This adaptation strained opportunities for social engagement, which deterred students’ abilities to feel a sense of belonging at their institution. The current study examined how institutional support services, programs for underrepresented college students, and natural mentoring relationships with faculty and staff influenced a sense of belonging throughout the pandemic. Participants were drawn from a larger multi-wave study on FGCS persistence (17-23 years old; 74.1% ethnic minority). Baseline data collection occurred the summer prior to participants’ entering their first year in college. After the baseline, participants completed four additional surveys throughout their first and fourth year in college (Times 1, 2, 3, and 4). A multilevel model was used to estimate within-person associations of use of programs for underrepresented college students, academic support services, and institutional natural mentoring relationships with a sense of belonging throughout the COVID-19 lockdown. Findings provide insight about how FGCSs experienced belongingness throughout the COVID-19 lockdown as well as how academic and support services and faculty relationships can foster a sense of belonging in underrepresented college students
Historical Trauma in Context: Perceived Effects Among Second Generation Cambodian Americans on a Personal, Family, and Community Level
Get PDFAlthough there is significant literature regarding Cambodian refugees and trauma, less is known about their U.S.-born children, many of whom are now adults. Literature suggests that second-generation youth are more susceptible to traumatic exposure and community violence compared to their White counterparts. However, there is little understanding of how second-generation Cambodian Americans contextualize the impacts of the Khmer Rouge genocide, and whether they perceive connections between historical trauma and their personal, family, and community experiences. This study utilized critical-constructivist grounded theory to explore perceived effects of historical trauma across domains of personal, family, and community. The recruitment process included e-mail and social media advertisements to Cambodian American community-based groups. Purposive sampling was used to reflect heterogeneity across ethnic identification, educational status, and gender. A total of 16 second-generation Cambodian American adults participated in 60- to 90-minute semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom from February 2023 to June 2023. Data was then analyzed for themes using consensus coding. Findings suggest that historical trauma has impacted participants in terms of (1) personal mental health and wellbeing, (2) expanded family roles, i.e., caretaking of parents and other family members, (3) ethnic identity formation, and (4) limited perception of unity across their ethnic group. Participants expressed nuanced reactions toward historical trauma impacts. As adults, second-generation Cambodian Americans addressed negative impacts through strategies of communal healing. Findings have implications for research and practice to better understand and promote community wellbeing and resilience
Stress & Self-regulation in Law Enforcement
Get PDFThis study aimed to examine the relationship between self-reported stress and self-regulation skills in a sample of 57 law enforcement officers from the Chicago Police Department (patrol officers, detectives, sergeants, lieutenants, specialized units). Participants completed an anonymous survey that included the 31-item The Short Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SSRQ) and only the stress items of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 Item (DASS-21). We hypothesized that law enforcement officers high stress job results in poor self-regulation skills. Results suggest there is a significant negative correlation between stress and self-regulation. There was no difference for officers with and without dependents
Ozone Gardens: Impacts of Air Quality on Native Plants in Chicago
Get PDFAir quality impacts are hard for the public to understand where air pollution is not visible. Visual indications of plant damage like stipples can help residents in cities with understanding how poor air quality impacts both plants and humans. This is particularly important since the effects of climate change and air pollution are difficult to observe at small temporal and spatial scales. Ozone gardens with ozone-sensitive plants are a space to visualize ozone damage on leaves of plants. They are a practical way to express these complicated scientific topics to the public, especially in heavily polluted areas like Chicago. Some plants are particularly susceptible to foliar leaf damage from ozone exposure known as stipples and that damage can be visually quantified, making them bioindicator species. Native plants that are bioindicators for ozone and snap beans with an increased sensitivity to ozone can be used as a tool for visualizing the damaging effects of ozone air pollution in ozone gardens. Three test sites were chosen to install ozone bioindicator gardens to test this phenomenon. Photosynthesis and conductance were measured at two sites while soil moisture was measured at all three sites to compare plant health throughout the experiment. Ozone concentrations and stipple counts were monitored in July and August of 2023. In ozone gardens installed in the Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (PNNM), and a residence in Highland Park, the hypothesis is that native and sensitive plant species will exhibit stipples while the resistant species will have significantly less to no stipples. Ozone concentrations and stipple percent coverage of leaves is expected to have a direct relationship. If the ozone garden is water stressed, the effect of ozone damage will be diminished, leading to both sensitive and resistant species having fewer stipples. Through generalized linear mixed models, Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) was found to have significant stipple coverage which supported its use as a native bioindicator for ozone detection. Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis) were found to not have significant stipple coverage under increased ozone, supporting their use as ozone damage resistant species. The R123 and S156 snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) variants were found to have significant stipple coverage and supports their use in ozone gardens. The R123 and S156 snap bean were found to be significantly different from each other through Tukey’s honestly significant difference test, supporting the use of R123 snap bean as a resistant species to S156 snap bean. Research is needed in more of the Chicagoland area and additional ozone gardens could help support the significance between ozone concentrations and stipple coverage
A Quantitative Study Examining the Mental Health Needs of African American Students Compared to their Counterparts in Higher Education
Get PDFAfrican American students are entering into higher education institutions at higher rates. This population has specific needs and faces various challenges entering college at predominantly white institutions compared to their counterparts of different races. While college is already a stressful time with academic pressures as well as navigating a new setting, African American students also face unique experiences that can impact their mental health. It has been found that African American students are less likely to seek out mental health services especially those that are attending predominantly White institutions (Anderson, 2018). This study will highlight African American undergraduate students\u27 perceptions of mental health concerns to assist with highlighting their needs. This study will discuss this population\u27s specific needs, barriers as well as challenges that they undergo as students attending a predominantly White institution. In addition to these barriers, it has been found that African American students are less likely to seek help and have a perceived stigma regarding mental health services (Zivin, 2009). With understanding these needs, it is imperative that higher education institutions are aware of the needs of this population to ensure services are being provided based on those perceived needs. Mental health services should be tailored to needs and not based on assumptions of students’ experiences. Using The Behavior Assessment System for Children and Adolescents, Second Edition, Self-Report of Personality, College form (BASC-SRP-COL) student responses will highlight mental health symptoms related to several categories such as anxiety, depression, hyperactivity as well as other categories that impact their academic, social, and emotional wellbeing. The study utilized T Scores from the BASC-SRP-COL to score the average responses from students who identified as African American, White, or Caucasian, Asian, or Asian American, and Bi-Racial or Multi-racial. These scores were compared and analyzed to show the if students are at risk as well as clinical significance in this population\u27s mental health needs based on their racial backgrounds. The results show that African American student experience several mental health symptoms and conditions at higher rates than their counterparts. The results study also highlights African American students higher score as it relates to atypicality, anxiety, depression, and external locus of control, sense of inadequacy as well as self-reliance