37200 research outputs found
Sort by
Beavers Beyond Boundaries: Perceptions of beaver-related restoration
Get PDFThis urban-focused research explores the multifaceted aspects of Beaver-Related Restoration (BRR) within the Tualatin River watershed, using a hydrosociological framework to understand the interconnectedness of water, ecological systems, and societal perceptions. Analyzing social and cultural dimensions associated with BRR, including stakeholder attitudes and potential conflicts, we conducted a voluntary survey at three Tualatin urban watershed study sites (Fanno Creek, Chicken Creek, Springville) during the summer of 2022.
Insights from residents\u27 attitudes, perceived impacts, and preferred management strategies revealed a spectrum of opinions. While a majority acknowledged positive beaver impacts on water quality and habitat diversity, some expressed concerns about urban property damage. Notably, support for non-lethal strategies like habitat restoration and education initiatives exceeded that for lethal control methods. Survey data showed a significant correlation between proximity to study sites and positive perceptions, indicating residents closer to sites viewed BRR more favorably. Duration of residency in the study area did not significantly influence perceptions, suggesting factors beyond familiarity shape attitudes in urban contexts. This data provides a foundation for understanding the social landscape around BRR, informing management strategies and identifying challenges and opportunities. These preliminary findings highlight the complexity of human-beaver interactions and the need for comprehensive management strategies that address diverse stakeholder perspectives. By integrating ecological and social perspectives, this research aims to inform sustainable and equitable management strategies that promote harmonious coexistence between humans and beavers in urbanized landscapes
An Index of Biotic Integrity for Macroinvertebrate Stream Bioassessment Conducted by Community Scientists
Get PDFCommunity science bioassessment has great potential to inform comprehensive stream management plans, but regional analytical tools are needed to evaluate macroinvertebrate data collected through community science programs. To this end, we modified a pre-existing professional index of biotic integrity (IBI) to create a community science IBI (CS-IBI), designed for stream macroinvertebrate data collected by community scientists with minimal training. We used data collected by both professional and community scientists to develop, calibrate, and validate the CS-IBI at 76 streamsites in the Puget Lowland andWillamette Valley ecoregions of the PacificNorthwest in theUnited States. Community science data were taxonomically coarser andmore variable than data generated by professionals; however, IBI scores and assemblage data were statistically similar between community science and professional data. Stream impairment categories classified by family-level CS-IBI scores matched genus-level professional classifications 65% of the time and never diverged by \u3e1 category. CS-IBI scores were negatively related to the percentage of agriculture and land development in the watershed, although this relationship was weaker than for professional IBI scores. Despite increased variability in data generated by community scientists, our findings suggest the CS-IBI performs similarly to a professional IBI across a gradient of human influence. Although we do not advocate using the CS-IBI in regulatory settings, we believe the development of community science IBIs enhances, expands, and strengthens public partnerships, thereby supporting environmental managers’ efforts to monitor and restore degraded streams and rapidly respond to pollution events. Our hope is that the CS-IBI will improve the applicability of community science bioassessment data and serve as a model for how agencies can develop regionalized macroinvertebrate IBIs for use in comprehensive watershed management plans.
Key words: citizen science, community science, stream macroinvertebrates, stream bioassessment, index of biotic integrity, watershed stressor
Choose Your Own Research Adventure: An Asynchronous Tutorial to Address “Research as Inquiry”
Get PDFThe Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education posits that the practice of asking questions in order to deepen inquiry and understanding is a key element of information literacy. While the “Research as Inquiry” frame is teachable in library instruction, it can be difficult to scale. Popular instructional design software tends to present information in linear formats that can limit how students understand the iterative nature of research. This article presents an attempt at an asynchronous tutorial that overcomes this limitation of medium and that presents “Research as Inquiry” through an iterative and question-based online game. We discuss the development, implementation, and assessment of the tutorial, as well as issues of sustainability and scale
Review of Information Literacy Through Theory
Get PDFReview of Hicks, A., Lloyd, A., & Pilerot, O. (Eds.). (2023). Information literacy through theory. Facet Publishing
Jewish Immigrants in Argentina: The Bund as a Transnational Connection
Get PDFBetween 1881 and 1948, thousands of Eastern European Jews immigrated to Argentina, escaping subjugation and seeking economic opportunities. These Jewish immigrants initially worked in the agricultural colonies of the Pampas before settling primarily in Buenos Aires, drawn to the benefits of living in a densely populated city. Jewish socialism abounded, connected with the Bund in Russia and Poland while still existing independently. This paper examines the organization Avangard, the first representation of Bundism in Argentina, and its economic and cultural aims, before exploring Bundist schools in Argentina. I also analyze the secular Jewish schooling movement in Poland in order to provide context and comparison for the Argentinian movement. Finally, this paper provides an investigation of multiple factors that led to the decline of local Bundist organizations in 1948. This paper argues that the presence of Bundism in Buenos Aires demonstrated the transnational identity of Eastern European Jewish immigrants in Argentina. I utilize research on migration, Jewish socialism, Yiddish, and specifically the scholarship of Frank Wolff to establish this transnational connection. Through Bundist organizations, Jewish immigrants retained a relationship with their home, language, and socialist beliefs, despite the distance.
Keywords: Jewish Labor Bund, Immigration, Transnationalism, Socialism, Secular Schools, Yiddish, Buenos Aires
Part of the Panel: Cross Cultural NarrativesModerator: Professor David Horowit
Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations and Its Interpretation With Christian Contemporary Thought
Get PDFOften regarded as one of the key Stoic works, Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations is a demonstration of the importance of self-reflection and Stoic ideals. His life was one of war and turmoil that influenced his possibly autobiographical writings over the years during his time campaigning during the Marcomannic wars. Since his death, the manuscripts remaining have been altered and interpreted in various ways. I speculate that Meditations being framed in the Christian lens is one of the most significant ways it\u27s relevant today as it demonstrates the way contemporary ideas are imprinted onto classical work. Translators and readers of Meditations such as Wilhelm Xylander and Meric Casaubon understood Marcus’ ideas with a Christian lens in the era of Scholasticism where ancient text was interpreted through the lens of Christianity as a way to attempt to reconcile theology with ancient philosophy. Additionally, Neostoicism, the emergence of Stoicism during theEnlightenment has been intertwined with Christian ideals. Alongside Christianity, historians also speculate that Marcus’ writing is an early example of the understanding of self and individualism that came from the late Roman and Greek era of the city-state. Meditations is also a demonstration of the human understanding of the unity of the world and the relationship people have with others, which can be seen in the connection between ancient philosophy and modern theology.
Keywords: Stoicism, Neostoicism, Scholasticism, Neoscholasticism, Christianity, Religion, Philosophy, Translations, Unity, Theology
Part of the panel: Preserving the Past through Contemporary BeliefsModerator: Professor John Ot
At the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Mass Shootings: A Qualitative Analysis of the Relationship Between IPV and Gun Violence
Get PDFThe intersectional study of domestic violence and mass shootings has only recently been the subject of inquiry within the psychology field. Within the past ten years research has been developed to examine the relationship between these two epidemics. What authors have found is that DV does play a role in shooting perpetration. This study aimed to identify domestic violence as a risk factor to predict, and subsequently intervene before future instances of shootings. 112 shootings were analyzed between the years of 2020 and 2023--they were then categorized as DV-related, non-DV related, and/or History of DV. The tested hypothesis was that DV-related and history of domestic violence cases were correlated with higher fatality rates than cases that were not DV-related. Despite 53.6% of the cases being DV related, no relationship was found between the number of fatalities and the DV-relation of a case. However, the suicidality of the perpetrator is highly affected by the DV-relation of the case (33% of cases had perpetrator suicide). Domestic violence cases were more likely to have the perpetrator commit suicide afterwards compared to non-DV related cases. Further research must be done that widens the definition of mass shootings with a larger sample size to better test the relationship between DV and mass shootings
Henna Chatbot Capstone Review
Get PDFThis thesis reviews the development of the Henna Chatbot, an AI-powered DEI consultant designed to provide personalized feedback to organizations. Sponsored by DEI consultant Arsh Haque, the project aims to address gaps in current DEI software, which often lacks team-specific feedback. The Henna Chatbot leverages GPT-3.5 Turbo to create an affordable SaaS platform where organizations can train Henna with their DEI values, and Henna will help organizations stay aligned with those values. The project spanned twenty weeks and was completed by a team of eight computer science students at Portland State University. The development process followed Agile methodologies, emphasizing effective communication, collaboration, and the integration of feedback. The initial pilot program of users shows that Henna is good at high-level tasks of feedback but can still grow in its technical skills that could highly benefit teams
Inclusive Postsecondary Education\u27s Effect on Individuals with IDD: A Systematic Literature Review
Get PDFWith the purpose of evaluating the impact of Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IPSE) effects on those experiencing intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), a systematic literature review was conducted. Proponents of the expansion of these programs often cite participant growth in academic-related skills, socialization, and competitive integrated employment. While several studies document these benefits, few studies present and discuss all the data collectively. This review aims to both locate the data that shows how IPSE programs affect the students within them as well as to provide a location in which all the data can be accessed. A thorough conducting of the research found that IPSE students receive all three benefits detailed above. The authors of this review hope that it can promote further research, understanding, and development of IPSE programs to the benefit of those with disabilities. Providing information regarding these programs and the benefits they provide participants serves to increase access to these programs, thereby promoting opportunities for quality education
Edward\u27s New Welsh: The Foundations of English Colonialism, 1282-1343
Get PDFThis thesis, Edward’s New Welsh: The Foundations of English Colonialism, 1282-1343, examines the tumultuous period following the English conquest of the last independent Welsh kingdom, focusing on the English Crown\u27s efforts under King Edward I to integrate Wales administratively and culturally. By reevaluating the appropriation of the Prince of Wales title, the study highlights the creation of a \u27New Welsh\u27 identity aligned with English interests. Key legal acts, such as the Statute of Rhuddlan and the establishment of English-style boroughs and castles, are analyzed to reveal the Crown\u27s strategic embedding of English governance and suppression of native Welsh resistance.
The roles of native Welsh collaborators, including Sir Gruffydd Llwyd and Tudur Hen, are explored alongside the impact of English settlements on Welsh society. Through examining administrative changes, land policies, and cultural shifts, this thesis argues that the Edwardian conquest laid the groundwork for future British colonial practices. The integration of Welsh customary laws with English legal frameworks and the development of a new Welsh aristocracy were crucial in redefining Welsh identity and ensuring long-term English dominance.
This study contributes to the broader understanding of medieval colonialism and identity formation, emphasizing the complexities of English-Welsh relations in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. It underscores the significance of the Edwardian conquest as a foundational period in British imperial history, arguing for the inclusion of Wales into the broader historiography of English colonialism