Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2024, Mechanical Engineering (Engineering and Technology)

In recent years, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have played an essential role in nowadays energy storage system, especially electric vehicles (EVs) and portable electronics because of its high energy density and long cycle life [1, 2]. However, one of the biggest challenges is how to guarantee their dependability and trustworthiness. In the present investigation, Acoustic Emission (AE) and Ultrasound Testing (UT) techniques are systematically employed to verify probable critical defects in the LIBs. Where AE technology is able to record the stress waves produced by the growth of the defects, UT uses high-frequency sound waves to penetrate the batteries and provide an indication of the internal voids. The performances of these approaches were systematically tested on as-received, pre-damaged and cold-soaked batteries. Different AE and UT activity patterns were shown in the results under various environmental conditions that influenced battery performance. Combining Acoustic Emission (AE) and Ultrasound Testing (UT) with clustering and outlier analysis machine learning algorithms improved defect detection effectiveness. Such research highlights that AE and UT can be robust noninvasive techniques for on-line health monitoring of LIBs that should aid in maintaining the longevity and operability of LIBs.

Committee: Brian Wisner (Advisor) Subjects: Acoustics; Mechanical Engineering

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2024, Sociology

This study examines the relationship between natural disasters and extreme weather events (ND/EWEs) and the incidence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Texas from 2018 to 2020. Utilizing a series of mixed-effects negative binomial regression models and data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the research investigates the impact of various ND/EWEs on general violence, and specifically SGBV incidents. Key findings reveal that extreme heat events are significantly associated with an increase in general violence, violence against women (VAW), and intimate partner violence (IPV), indicating that heat acts as a stressor contributing to the escalation of SGBV. Conversely, winter storms are associated with a decrease in IPV, suggesting a potential reduction in violence during these weather conditions. The study underscores the importance of incorporating environmental factors into the analysis of SGBV and suggests the need for targeted interventions and policies to mitigate the risks of violence in the aftermath of ND/EWEs. This research contributes to the understanding of the complex dynamics between environmental disasters and societal violence, with implications for public health and disaster response strategies.

Committee: Hollie Nzitatira (Committee Co-Chair); Chris Browning (Committee Member); Laura Dugan (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Criminology; Sociology

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2024, Civil Engineering

Single-use products are prevalent in the healthcare field and contribute to 5.9 million tons of waste per year to landfills located in the United States. These single-use products also account for 8% of total US carbon dioxide emissions. In the healthcare field, there is limited research available to analyze the impacts these products have on the United States. When you refine the scope to specific healthcare practices, such as dentistry, the research available is even further limited. This study analyzes three dental procedures for their single-use plastic contribution. The three procedures are a hygiene cleaning, a composite restoration, and an extraction. These three procedures were chosen due to a hygiene cleaning being recommended for preventative care every six months, and the extraction and restoration were chosen as they are procedures that can be a result for lack of preventative care. These procedures are analyzed using an environmental impact tool called Life Cycle Assessment. Life Cycle Assessments generates the impacts from a product, process or service and analyzes environmental impacts under different categories to generate units of measure to convey impacts. The data that is currently available using Life Cycle Assessments in the dental field is small and is nearly non-existent when you refine the scope to only being within the United States. Having geographical location-based information is important particularly for this study due to the differences in manufacturing and waste management systems in the United States. The results for this Life Cycle Assessment will be analyzed using midpoint and endpoint indicators as well as human health categories from different methodologies. Climate change is taking a toll on human health in the United States along with other nations. Unless greenhouse gases are reduced significantly and actions are taken, impacts will be felt on surrounding communities and human health will be impacted. Taking preventative (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jeffrey Bielicki (Advisor); Kelsea Best (Committee Member); Daniel Gingerich (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Engineering; Environmental Health

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Chemical Engineering

The growing ecological footprint of human activities and large-scale industrialization have brought Earth and its natural eco-systems to a precarious state. Progress towards a Sustainable Circular Economy (SCE) is crucial to mitigate exploitation of natural resources, curb climate change and reduce accumulation of man-made materials in the environment as pollution. An optimal ‘roadmap' to facilitate the transition to a SCE, and to limit global temperature rise in the next 30 years to 2oC needs to be found. This dissertation focuses on developing mathematical frameworks and optimization tool-kits to holistically design current and future value-chain networks of products and services for SCE. These frameworks are demonstrated for case-studies pertaining to the transition of plastic packaging networks towards SCE. Utilizing process systems engineering and data analytics along with life cycle assessment, optimal value-chain pathways are found considering the environmental, economic, and social aspects of potential alternatives. A multi-objective superstructure optimization framework is developed to quantify the trade-offs between these SCE objectives in the form of Pareto-fronts. Applied to the grocery bags' life-cycle, this framework is able to quantify the paper-plastic dilemma; explore trade-offs between climate-change and recycling; and find emission hot-spots in current value-chains. Further, a novel multi-scale framework is developed to evaluate ‘green' chemical reaction-separation networks based on their interactions with the life-cycle and economy scales, thereby providing a tool to design systemic transformations of the chemical industry towards SCE. These frameworks are combined within a rigorous screening and ranking methodology to guide emerging technologies, climate actions using multi-objective metrics, and discover novel synergies between technology and policy-action. Finally, a stochastic portfolio optimization and planning framework is developed to gene (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Bhavik Bakshi (Advisor); Joel Paulson (Committee Member); Stuart Cooper (Committee Member) Subjects: Chemical Engineering; Energy; Environmental Science; Operations Research; Sustainability; Systems Design

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2021, Chemistry

Previous investigations into the presence of benzotriazole (BTZ) and corresponding analogs done in early 2019 found elevated levels near the Wilmington Air Park in Wilmington, Ohio. The analogs detected were 4-methyl-1H-benzotriazole and 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole: known together as tolytriazole (TTZ). BTZ and TTZ are emerging environmental contaminants of concern that are often found in aircraft de-icing solutions, anti-icing solutions and detergents. The Wilmington Air Park has two facilities used to pre-treat runoff water before its subsequent release into surrounding streams. Three sites were chosen: Lytle Creek, Indian Run, and Cowan Creek. For the 2019 and 2019/2020 investigative projects, Cowan Creek was designated the control site. Eight sample days were completed from November 2019 to March 2020. The method used in this 2019/2020 sample season utilized the solid-phase extraction (SPE) method and maintained analysis by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS). Ultimately, BTZ was below limits of detection at either the Cowan Creek or Indian Run site. BTZ was detected on seven of the eight sample days at Lytle Creek. TTZ was detected all sample days at both the Lytle Creek and Indian Run sites. Recovery corrected BTZ concentrations (internal standard was 5,6-dimethylbenzotriazole) ranged from 0.148 to 3.47 µg/L at the Lytle Creek site. Recovery corrected TTZ concentration ranges were 0.725-12.0 µg/L and 0.214-5.66 µg/L for Lytle Creek and Indian Run, respectively. This would seem to indicate that the treatment facilities are not 100% effective, and that air traffic may have increased. The sample day with the highest TTZ concentrations was the coldest. Correspondingly, the lowest concentrations were days with the highest ambient temperature. Observed BTZ concentrations were within reported literature ranges, while TTZ concentrations were significantly higher than others reported. The concentrations detected would be considered below levels of acute toxi (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Audrey McGowin Ph.D. (Committee Chair); David Dolson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Eric Fossum Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Chemistry

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2020, Engineering

Using prescriptive design approaches, structures are intended to provide a life-safety level of protection that has been shown by recent natural hazard events to have limited contribution to the post-disaster resilience of a community. The performance-based engineering (PBE) methodology allows the structure to be designed to achieve any pre-defined performance objective. The structures of the future will not only aim at being structurally resilient but also sustainable to natural hazard loads. To contribute to the development of these structures, PBE requires the development of state-of-the-art numerical models for the accurate structural performance assessment and the creation of a framework that can effectively account for this performance when evaluating the environmental impacts of structures. This research has two main goals: i) to create state-of-the-art high-fidelity numerical models for the PBE of structures; and ii) to create a multidisciplinary framework for the resilient-based environmental impact assessment of structures subjected to natural hazard loads. In pursuit of this research's goals, four main objectives were conducted: High-Fidelity Numerical Modeling, PBE, Life Cycle Assessment, and Combined PBE and LCA. This research has been primarily conducted on reinforced concrete (RC) and cross laminated timber (CLT) structures, as the first is a traditional and resilient while the second is a newer and seemingly more sustainable structural alternative. However, the created approach can also be applied to other structural alternatives under natural hazard loads. The high-fidelity numerical models created have demonstrated to satisfactorily capture the structural performance of the considered building structure alternatives and the multidisciplinary framework created provides a powerful means for making science-based decisions when considering newer and seemingly more sustainable building structure alternatives while accounting for their natural hazard (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Serhan Guner (Committee Chair); Liangbo Hu (Committee Member); Luis Mata (Committee Member); Mark Pickett (Committee Member); Shiling Pei (Committee Member) Subjects: Civil Engineering; Engineering; Environmental Engineering

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2019, Geography (Arts and Sciences)

In recent years, single-use grocery bags, predominantly plastic bags, have received a great deal of negative attention. Because of the growing awareness surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use bags, many cities and states are taking action to reduce usage. This is typically in the form of a ban or fee on single-use bags. All these methods tend to be effective, they are not feasible in every community. Because of this, it is important to consider voluntary strategies to increase reusable bag usage as a means to decrease disposable bags. This study uses observations of retail environments along with retailer, resident, and student surveys to examine reusable bag use habits in Athens, Ohio and make recommendations for increasing the city's reusable bag usage. Findings from this study suggest that some demographic characteristics, as well as grocery store preference, play a role in reusable bag use habits. Motivators to increase reusable bag usage such as financial incentives and free reusable bags are popular methods to increase reusable bag usage. By exploring methods like these, and others, Athens, Ohio can experience a decrease in single-use bags.

Committee: Amy Lynch (Advisor) Subjects: Climate Change; Sustainability; Urban Planning

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2018, Civil Engineering

This dissertation explores the eco-design concepts for emerging PV cells. By conducting life cycle assessment (LCA) method, I addressed the following questions: (1) What is the environmental impact of a scalable perovskite PV cell? (2) How important are the metal emissions from the emerging thin film devices during the use phase? (3) What are the environmental impacts and costs of the materials used in emerging PVs? These questions are addressed in the analyses presented in the Chapters two, three and four, respectively. Chapter two assesses the environmental impacts of perovskites PVs that have device structures suitable for low cost manufacturing. A structure with an inorganic hole transport layer (HTL) was developed for both solution and vacuum based processes, and an HTL-free structure with printed back contact was modeled for solution-based deposition. The environmental impact of conventional Si PV technology was used as a reference point. The environmental impacts from manufacturing of perovskite solar cells were lower than that of mono-Si. However, environmental impacts from unit electricity generated were higher than all commercial PV technology mainly because of the shorter lifetime of perovskite solar cell. The HTL-free perovskite generally had the lowest environmental impacts among the three structures studied. Solution based methods used in perovskite deposition were observed to decrease the overall electricity consumption. Organic materials used for preparing the precursors for perovskite deposition were found to cause a high marine eutrophication impact. Surprisingly, the toxicity impacts of the lead used in the formation of the absorber layer were found to be negligible. Chapter three addresses the life cycle toxicity of metals (cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, tin and zinc) that are commonly used in emerging PVs. In estimating the potential metal release, a new model that incorporates field conditions (crack size, time, glass thickness) and phy (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Defne Apul (Committee Chair); Michael Heben (Committee Member); Randall Ellingson (Committee Member); Constance Schall (Committee Member); Cyndee Gruden (Committee Member); Kumar Ashok (Committee Member) Subjects: Energy; Environmental Engineering

Master of Science (M.S.), University of Dayton, 2018, Renewable and Clean Energy

The off-grid location and unreliable electricity supply to medical clinics in remote parts of India make it difficult to safely store vaccines and other medications using traditional refrigeration systems. The Engineers in Technical Humanitarian Opportunities of Service-learning (ETHOS) program at the University of Dayton, in collaboration with Solar Alternative and Associated Programmes (SAAP) of Patna India, are developing a novel refrigeration system which works on the principle of solar thermal adsorption. This refrigeration system does not require electricity for operation and uses safe, environmentally benign and locally available adsorption pair of ethanol-activated carbon. A bench -scale prototype was developed at the University of Dayton using ethanol-activated carbon as working pair which can generate evaporative temperatures between 2°C and 8°C. The existing horizontally oriented system can achieve targeted refrigeration temperatures (2 - 8°C) during the adsorption cycle and ethanol can be desorbed from the activated carbon during desorption. However, the horizontal geometry inhibited the return of liquid ethanol to the evaporation chamber. A new vertical oriented bench scale system was built to addresses the limitation of the original prototype. The effects of desorption heating temperature, desorption time duration, double activation of activated carbon on evaporative cooling, and possible decomposition of ethanol during desorption were analyzed. Experimental results suggested better desorption happens at elevated temperature (90-125°C) and most of the desorption happens in the first 1-2 hours of heating the adsorbent bed. The high pressure on the evaporator side for multiple adsorption-desorption process, and analysis of GC/MS of desorbed ethanol obtained from the analytical chemist showed possible decomposition of ethanol. The ethanol decomposition prevented multiple cycle operation of the system. The use of double activation techn (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Amy Ciric Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Jun Ki Choi Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Li Cao Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Alternative Energy; Chemical Engineering; Chemistry; Climate Change; Energy; Engineering; Environmental Science; Experiments; Materials Science; Mechanical Engineering

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2017, Industrial and Systems Engineering (Engineering and Technology)

Weather conditions affect road traffic in many ways such as traffic demand, traffic safety, and traffic flow. The influence of the weather events might cause extra cost and time if they are not considered during travel plan. The efficiency of the travel activities under different road conditions can be improved in terms of safety, mobility, and travel time saving. The aim of this study is to improve travel planning performance measures under different weather conditions. Vehicle speed data from weigh in motion traffic recorder (WIM) along with weather data have been used to obtain the vehicle speed reduction during adverse weather events. Also, vehicle speed during the events were compared with the normal vehicle speed under regular weather condition for different locations in the State of Ohio, and time durations. Results showed that heavy snow associated with low visibility have the most impacts on driver speed behavior. Then, the vehicle speed performance during the events was used to calculate the expected time throughout each event. Using probability approach on two different networks show significant results in terms of departure times and route choices. Fuzzy mathematical model was conducted to determine if there are significant differences in the satisfaction levels compared to probability approach when the snow storm hits all the links in the network. Thus, the results showed that there is not remarkable difference between the fuzzy and probability. This methodology can be used to demonstrate a predictive tool to assess departure time and route choice under snow storm events. These approaches may help decision makers to obtain the optimal path before and during adverse weather events. This concept is presented in the context of the transportation network planning performance.

Committee: Gursel Suer (Advisor); Diana Schwerha (Committee Member); Tao Yuan (Committee Member); Mohammed Bhutta (Committee Member) Subjects: Civil Engineering; Industrial Engineering; Statistics; Transportation; Transportation Planning

Master of Environmental Science, Miami University, 2017, Environmental Sciences

The internship was completed from December 16, 2013, till July 31, 2016, at the Armenian Water and Sewerage Closed Joint Stock Company (AWSC), Investment Programs Coordination Directorate, Head office, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia. The main project of the internship was “Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project - Additional Financing” funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). I was involved in the project as an Environmental and Social Impact Specialist. This report describes the tasks and assignments for which I was responsible.

Committee: Amélie Davis PhD (Advisor); Vincent Hand PhD (Committee Member); Jonathan Levy PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Management

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2017, Management

What drives business leaders to pursue greater purpose in business? What motivates them to exercise compassion and caring in the workplace? Under what conditions do business leaders transform their organizations into “positive impact companies” committed to generating prosperity for all, achieving regenerative environmental outcomes, and improving human wellbeing? This exploratory research aims to uncover common elements of those business leaders who seek to create a positive impact through their work and through their organizations. It is based on a mixed-methods approach combining findings from three studies: an initial qualitative study based on interviews with 21 business owners and senior executives from a cross-section of industries; a survey-based quantitative study with 322 respondents consisting of business owners, senior executives and middle managers from a cross-section of industries; and a third qualitative study based on an additional 21 interviews across seven case study companies. It also incorporates inferences from interviews with 48 business owners and senior executives as part of the Quantum Leadership Project at the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit. The overall findings suggest that the core of positive impact leadership resides in a shift in the mindset of leaders toward one of connectedness. Defined as a “consciousness of connectedness,” such a mindset and way of seeing the world begins with an awareness of how one's attitudes and actions impact all life on earth and future generations. The results of this study suggest that practices of connectedness - both personal and organizational – play an important role in the emergence of a consciousness of connectedness. The results also suggest a close correlation between several core indicators of a fundamental shift in consciousness about the role of business in society: shared values of human wellbeing, a common shared vision, an emphasis on collaboration and caring in (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Chris Laszlo PhD (Committee Chair); Richard Boyatzis PhD (Committee Member); Kalle Lyytinen PhD (Committee Member); Roger Saillant PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Management

MFA, Kent State University, 2017, College of the Arts / School of Art

Alluding to botanical forms and cumulative abnormalities, my work confronts the viewer by providing a surreal embellishment of possible future mutations. I establish an unsettling reality that examines how our exploitation of the natural world impacts life. Through explorations of texture and use of ceramic material my sculptures provide a visceral assessment of this impact. Consecutively, Earth's history has demonstrated its ability to adapt and survive through calamity and destruction. Like an infection or disease, human activity is the planet's biggest threat, causing repercussions detrimental to all life. I examine these ideas by creating objects afflicted with their own mutations that are both seductive and threatening, and by doing so I hope to create a moment of reflection on the impingement of our existence. I am consistently drawn to botanical species as inspiration for my work and I use them as references to create organic forms. I reference seed pods because of their seductive qualities while suggesting environmental distress through mutation. I am interested in the function of a seed pod as an inherent origin to life and the symbolic duality of the world as a seed pod for mankind. I obtain insight for rendering mutation through research and recognition of the impact of pollution and toxic waste. This is where I examine the impacts of our existence and incorporate a balance between beauty and disgust. I research visual references relating to seed pods, vegetative species, and mutation. Through a combination of slips, glazes, and numerous firings I arrange nuances of color upon a cracked and scale-like surface with foaming craters illustrating a reaction to mankind's continuous disregard to our environment. In suggesting dramatic mutations, I am carefully establishing a system of growth and existence while imagining possibilities of evolution. To emphasize this balance of a beautiful yet hazardous world, I have re-appropriated large oil (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Peter Johnson (Advisor); Janice Lessman-Moss (Committee Member); Gianna Commito (Committee Member); Brinsley Tyrrell (Committee Member) Subjects: Fine Arts

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2017, Integrated Bioscience

Biomimicry is innovation through emulation of biological forms, processes, patterns, and systems. What motivates practice is a basic understanding of natural selection as a process that favors high-performance, resource-efficient survival strategies – strategies that can be abstracted to address technical challenges from the molecular to systemic scale. Biomimicry has generated commercial solutions in diverse sectors, but industry practice is limited by a lack of clarity around quantitative / qualitative benefits and best practices. This body of work starts to unveil the different dimensions of value biomimicry can offer business, providing evidence of its potential to enhance creativity, increase rates of intellectual property generation, and inform environmentally sustainable solutions. It also details an iterative five-phase biomimicry process, validated in a corporate context, that can serve as a template for industry implementation. Perhaps most importantly, it describes how biomimicry helps us recall a fundamental truth we managed to forget: humans are a part of rather than apart from nature. Innovating from this point of view, we brighten prospects of a flourishing life on this planet.

Committee: Peter Niewiarowski PhD (Advisor); John Huss PhD (Committee Member); Bob Gray PhD (Committee Member); Steve Ash PhD (Committee Member); Ven Ochaya PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Biology; Design; Entrepreneurship; Management; Mechanical Engineering; Philosophy; Sustainability

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2016, Engineering and Applied Science: Chemical Engineering

Nanotechnology has undergone a dramatic increase in popularity in the last decade due to the unique physicochemical characteristics of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Currently, approximately a quarter of all nano-enabled consumer products contain silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). AgNPs are incorporated into a wide range of consumer products (e. g., textiles, filters, disinfectants, and washing machines) and have a wide range of medical, industrial and scientific applications. The increased application of AgNPs will inevitably lead to their release into environmental systems. Since the presumed mechanisms governing the fate, transport and toxicity of matter at the bulk scale may not directly apply to nanomaterials, the potential environmental impacts associated with the release of AgNPs must be evaluated. Furthermore, AgNPs are manufactured with a wide range of physicochemical properties that impact their fate, transport and toxicity in the environment. To this end, the impact of silver nanoparticles on the composting of municipal solid waste was evaluated. Neither the presence of AgNPs nor the presence of Ag+ had a statistically significant influence on leachate, gas and solid quality parameters, and therefore, on overall composting performance. However, AgNPs and Ag+ both changed the overall structure of the bacterial communities within the compost. Nevertheless, the functional performance of the composting process was not significantly affected due to the abundance and functional redundancy of the bacterial communities within the compost samples. While surface transformations of AgNPs to AgCl and Ag2S reduce toxicity, complexation with organic matter may also play a role. The results of this study further suggest that at relatively low concentrations of AgNPs, these organically rich waste management systems can withstand the presence of AgNPs. The microbial toxicity of silver nanoparticles stabilized with different capping agents were evaluated under anaer (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Stephen Thiel Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Thabet Tolaymat Ph.D. (Committee Member); Vadim Guliants Ph.D. (Committee Member); Vesselin Shanov Ph.D. (Committee Member); George Sorial Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Chemical Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2013, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

As civilization's collective knowledge grows, we are met with the realization that human-induced physical and biological transformations influenced by exogenous psychosocial and economic factors affect virtually every ecosystem on the planet. Despite improvements in energy generation and efficiencies, demand of material goods and energy services increases with no sign of a slowing pace. Sustainable development requires a multi-prong approach that involves reshaping demand, consumer education, sustainability-oriented policy, and supply chain management that does not serve the expansionist mentality. Thus, decision support tools are needed that inform developers, consumers, and policy-makers for short-term and long-term planning. These tools should incorporate uncertainty through quantitative methods as well as qualitatively informing the nature of the model as imperfect but necessary and adequate. A case study is presented of the manufacture and deployment of utility-scale wind turbines evaluated for a proposed change in blade manufacturing. It provides the first life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluating impact of carbon nanofibers, an emerging material, proposed for integration to wind power generation systems as blade reinforcement. Few LCAs of nanoproducts are available in scientific literature due to research and development (R&D) for applications that continues to outpace R&D for environmental, health, and safety (EHS) and life cycle impacts. LCAs of emerging technologies are crucial for informing developers of potential impacts, especially where market growth is swift and dissipative. A second case study is presented that evaluates consumer choice between disposable and reusable beverage cups. While there are a few studies that attempt to make the comparison using LCA, none adequately address uncertainty, nor are they representative for the typical American consumer. By disaggregating U.S. power generation into 26 subregional grid production mixes (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Bhavik Bakshi (Advisor); Jessica Winter (Committee Member); James Rathman (Committee Member) Subjects: Alternative Energy; Climate Change; Environmental Education; Environmental Management; Nanotechnology; Systems Science

MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2005, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning

Inspired by the island of Santorini in Greece, the purpose of this thesis is to identify the range of positive and negative impacts that tourism has on a host place. This thesis will use the range of impacts to create a framework through which a systematic assessment can be made. This is important, as tourism is the fastest growing industry in the world, and provides employment and foreign currency to the host place as well as contributing to its country's gross domestic product, or GDP. However, tourism often has negative impacts as well, but these are often overlooked in favor of the economic benefits. This study identifies major factors of tourism impacts on host places, based on a review of the literature, illustrates them based on a study of the island of Santorini in Greece, and creates a framework to assess these impacts. The study extracts factors from three main areas: economic, socio-cultural and environmental. It then organizes these factors into a framework to assess systematically the impact of tourism in order to understand the magnitude impact of tourism on the island. The study, in a “snapshot”, draws attention to the magnitude of tourism impact in a comprehensive way. It will, hopefully, also help planners and administrators elsewhere to determine what can be done to capitalize on the positive impacts of tourism and mitigate its negative impacts.

Committee: Carla Chifos (Advisor) Subjects: Urban and Regional Planning

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2004, Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics

This dissertation addresses the evaluation of impact of access to credit on two different outcomes in rural households: cultivated land (and environmental degradation through erosion) and human capital formation. Three sets of difficulties are overcome. The fungibility of funds complicates inferences about uses of loan proceeds. Theoretical predictions about the impact of credit are not unambiguous, as credit is not a homogeneous good and it plays different roles in household strategies. Empirical tests must overcome self-selection and sample selection biases. Several channels for the impact of credit are identified. Access to credit influences land use decisions through risk-coping, liquidity, and income and wealth effects. Access to credit influences schooling decisions for children from borrowing families through income, risk-management, gender, information, and child-labor demand effects. Actual observed outcomes are the net result of these effects (some of them positive and some negative). Using a household theoretical model and a switching regressions empirical model, panel data from El Salvador are used to test for impacts of credit rationing. A positive effect of access to credit on natural resource conservation (through the release of pressures on fragile land) is identified in this country. Three surveys of clients of microfinance programs in Bolivia are used to infer a net positive effect of program participation on education outcomes, measured by a schooling gap. Policy dilemmas emerge from the negative impact of microfinance on child-labor demand.

Committee: Claudio Gonzalez-Vega (Advisor) Subjects: Economics, Agricultural

Master of Technical and Scientific Communication, Miami University, 2009, English

This internship report discusses my 14-week internship as a technical writer intern with the Houston, Texas office of Golder Associates Inc. (Golder), completed from January 2009 through April 2009. My primary role at Golder was to provide technical review of the communications generated from the environmental, oil and gas, and waste management sectors served by the Houston office. The report is broken down into four chapters that reflect on my overall internship experience, my coursework in the MTSC program, and my perception of technical communication. The first chapter provides an overview of Golder, the organizational culture, and my role in the organization. The second chapter describes the various projects I worked on during my internship. The third chapter examines one large project in close detail. Finally, the fourth chapter examines the impact of the economic crisis on Golder's culture and its impact on technical communicators in similar organizations.

Committee: Katherine Durack PhD (Advisor); Michele Simmons PhD (Committee Member); Sandra Woy-Hazleton PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Engineering; Environmental Engineering; Environmental Science; Rhetoric

Master of Environmental Science, Miami University, 2004, Environmental Sciences

My internship with Balke American commenced January 5, 2004 and ended July 5, 2004. Balke American is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and is a private engineering consulting firm that specializes in the transportation sector in several states including: Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. While I worked on many different projects, I concentrated most of my efforts on the Interstate 75 and the Eastern Corridor (Eastgate) projects, located in Butler, Warren and Clermont Counties, Ohio. Over the course of my internship, I spent the majority of my time focused on ecological categorization of wetlands, woodlands, streams and riparian corridors. I also practiced another very important aspect of environmental work, report writing. My time spent at Balke American was a true hands-on education in the professional world, where I could truly apply the knowledge that I gained while I attended Miami University.

Committee: Gene Willeke (Advisor) Subjects: Environmental Sciences