Master of City and Regional Planning, The Ohio State University, 2019, City and Regional Planning

Metropolitan regions across the United States have witnessed significant changes in recent decades. Evidence suggests that among these changes, suburban decline and poverty are social phenomena creating new challenges for metropolitan areas. While suburbs are often portrayed as places with few problems and places of prosperity, recent findings suggest otherwise (Hanlon, 2010; Kneebone and Nadeau, 2015). Lucy and Phillips (2000) coined this new suburban reality the era of suburban decline. The new challenges as a result of the social changes that have occurred in the era of suburban decline demand innovative policy responses. To explore these changes, a case study of Whitehall, Ohio was conducted. Whitehall, an inner-ring suburb in the Columbus metropolitan area has undergone significant changes including increasing poverty rates, growth of its foreign-born population, and population fluctuations. Using mixed methods and semi-structured interviews with public officials, this case study explores the changes that have occurred in Whitehall over the past 18 years, identifies the community's existing challenges and opportunities, and discusses policy recommendations to address suburban change and decline. The findings of this study suggest that it may be necessary to reframe suburban poverty and decline and view inner-ring suburbs from a new perspective that reflects the demographic shifts occurring in metropolitan areas across the country.

Committee: Bernadette Hanlon Dr. (Advisor); Jason Reece Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Urban Planning

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2024, Earth and Environmental Sciences

This study investigates the distribution of water pollutants in the urban and suburban watershed (Beavercreek Sub-watershed (BCS) and Little Beavercreek Sub-watershed (LBS)) of Dayton, Ohio USA focusing on the relationship between water quality and land use types based on 2021 land use maps obtained from MRLC. These watersheds are home for aquatic life and regulate the flow of surface water and recharge groundwater so, it is crucial to maintain good water quality by balancing urbanization and farmland within these two watersheds. We analyzed chloride, nitrate, and sulfate using ion chromatography (IC) and orthophosphate using UV/Vis Spectrophotometry. Additionally, three pesticides (Atrazine, Diazinon, and Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)) were selected and identified by analytical methodology using solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) temporally. The chloride is dominant in both watersheds followed by sulfate, nitrate, and orthophosphate. 2,4-D was most common with higher concentrations in BCS (51%) than in LBS (35%). The impact of agricultural runoff on water quality is seen in the streams of LBS which correspond to higher levels of nitrate, sulfate, and orthophosphate. There were significant differences between BCS and LBS for 2,4-D (p-value 0.03 <0.05) and atrazine, diazinon showed no significant differences (p-value > 0.05 in both watersheds.

Committee: Steven R. Higgins Ph.D. (Advisor); Lindsay Starr Ph.D. (Committee Member); Chia-Yu Wu Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Chemistry; Environmental Science

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day, established in 2022 and celebrated on February 15th, provides a focal point for exploring the role of School Resource Officers (SROs) in Midwestern school districts. Through qualitative research involving interviews with 10 administrators, this study examined how districts decide to add, eliminate, or maintain SROs. Triangulated data, including interviews and policy reviews, offered comprehensive insights into the decision-making processes and key factors involved. Findings revealed the significant influence of student safety, emotional triggers, and budget considerations on administrators' choices regarding SRO presence. Utilizing the constant comparative method, data analysis identified distinct categories, enhancing our understanding of influencing factors. This study contributes valuable insights into the changing aspects surrounding SROs in Midwestern school districts, emphasizing the importance of future research-informed decision-making.

Committee: Nate Myers Ph.D. (Advisor); Victoria Kress Ph.D. (Committee Member); Charles Jeffords Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: School Administration

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2024, College of Education

This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of induction programs from the perspectives of new teachers in urban and suburban school districts. The research uses a phenomenological qualitative research design. The theoretical frameworks for this research are the Motivation Theory and Self-Efficacy Theory. There are eight participants, four from urban schools and four from suburban schools. The study focuses on understanding how new teachers' perceptions of their induction programs influence their decisions to stay in the teaching profession. Data collection involves qualitative research methods, specifically semi-structured interviews, designed to capture participant accounts and insights. The Thematic analysis of the data revealed four key themes: Mentorship and Support, Work-Life Balance, Professional Development, and Institutional Support. These themes highlight the complexities of new teachers' experiences and shed light on the effectiveness of induction programs in different school environments. The research findings revealed significant implications for shaping educational policies and practices in teacher induction programs. Policymakers are encouraged to use this knowledge to make evidence-based induction initiatives. The study emphasizes the need for a positive school culture that prioritizes personalized support for mentors, collaboration, open communication, and mutual respect among all members of the educational community. Adding these insights into policy frameworks can enhance the overall education system and reduce teacher turnover in urban and suburban school districts.

Committee: Peter Ghazarian Ed.D. (Committee Member); Pat Farrenkopf Ed.D. (Committee Member); Judy Alston Ph.D. (Advisor) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Teacher Education

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

This study examines architecture's role in human behavior and, more specifically, mental health. Due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are beginning to place more importance on mental health and stability. This paper seeks to utilize this momentum to provide people who live with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with adequate resources to help themselves, especially within city centers. Architects need to consider utilizing strategies such as: 1. Controlling stimuli 2. Using biophilic design and natural materials 3. Implementing Therapeutic Zones for well-being 4. Utilizing passive energy sources This study demonstrates how architecture can positively affect mental health. Several buildings provide precedents to show this positive effect. Society has pushed behavioral health centers out of urban centers into the suburbs. This study provides evidence to support using a mixed-use typology within the Findlay Market area in Cincinnati, Ohio, to give urban dwellers respite and independent healthcare options. The study further utilizes architecture to juxtapose the current typology and its surrounding context.

Committee: Elizabeth Riorden M.Arch. (Committee Member); Rebecca Williamson Ph.D. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Architecture

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2022, Educational Administration (Education)

When President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law in 2015 it was intended to advance education equity by upholding key protections for America's most marginalized and high-need students. Local school districts, in the wake ESSA responded with local initiatives and policies aimed at addressing inequities in achievement, academic rigor, and allocation of resources. Because suburban school districts continue to employ predominantly White leaders and teachers while Black student populations grow equal to or beyond the White student population, a critical study of how school districts address race and equity is necessary. The purpose of this study was to understand the policy making process including the creation, adoption and implementation of education equity policies adopted by Cleveland Heights-University Heights, and Shaker Heights City School Districts, two suburban school districts in the inner-ring of Cleveland, Ohio where district leaders and the Board of Education have committed to systematically removing barriers to education, achievement, and opportunities for historically marginalized students. Because critical race theory is a useful framework from which to discuss and research the prominence of race and racism in public policy, the researcher analyzed each policy with a critical race theory lens to understand how school districts attempt to address systemic inequities through policy. The policies were compared to one another based on the quadrangulational comparison including sameness (similarity), sameniqueness (similarity, with particularity), uniquesameness (distinction with similarity), and uniqueness (distinction) between each of them. This research is both timely and beneficial to education leaders, teachers and policymakers who value a critical lens to understand the development of equity policy development at the local level of educational governance.

Committee: Charles Lowery (Committee Chair); Lisa Harrison (Committee Member); Emmanuel Jean-Francois (Committee Member); Dwan Robinson (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2022, Educational Leadership

This qualitative study explores the lessons learned by suburban superintendents as they led through the crisis of the COVID-19 global pandemic. As our world experienced the most disruptive and unprecedented event in our generation within the context of racial tensions and a volatile, divisive presidential campaign and election, superintendents were faced with leading school districts and communities through some tremendously difficult moments. The lessons learned during this time are unpacked through five vignettes that were constructed from data gathered through interviews, and connections are drawn between those lessons and the construct of authentic leadership in order to deepen our understanding of the role of authentic leadership in leading through crisis. Five common themes emerged: know and grow your core beliefs, live well to lead well, lead with transparency and vulnerability, slow down decision making in order to consider diverse perspectives, and lean into the support of a trusted team and strong network. Each vignette expands the roles themes played as superintendents grew in their authentic leadership while leading through the pandemic. Recommendations that came out of this study center on the environmental conditions and relationships needed for a leader to lead authentically, the practices of preparation that allow leaders to proactively grow and develop the core dimensions of authentic leadership, and the health/wellness support we are providing for superintendents, their teams, and their families. The participating superintendents found that authentic leadership was not simply a style, but it became a necessity as they led through the pandemic. The overarching lesson learned was that the core dimensions of authentic leadership became the very essence of their leadership that was needed in order to lead communities through the pandemic and beyond.

Committee: Lucian Szlizewski (Committee Co-Chair); Kate Rousmaniere (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Educational Leadership

PHD, Kent State University, 2021, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Geography

Studies of city and suburban relationships have yielded mixed conclusions regarding their interdependence. What makes a city function cannot be fully understood without exploring this interaction spatially. How a central city affects its surrounding suburbs is the purpose of this paper. Using quantitative methods, this study proposes a way of modeling trajectories in cities and suburbs across the United States by using change in population, change in median house values, and change in median income as determinants of a suburb's trajectory (success or failure-decline). These three determinants will be based on the trajectory of the central city, proximity to the central city, any present niches (or specializations), and area attributes. The study then uses case studies to delve deeper into twelve specific areas for further ground investigation in hopes of filling gaps that planners may have missed regarding making their suburb thrive.

Committee: David Kaplan PHD (Advisor); Scott Sheridan PHD (Committee Member); Clare Stacey PHD (Committee Member); Steven Rugare (Committee Member); He Yin PHD (Committee Member) Subjects: Geography

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2021, Leadership and Change

The intent of this qualitative critical incident study was to explore the interpretation of equity by White equity-trained suburban educators (WETSE) and minoritized parents (MP) in a Midwestern suburban school district to address and change inequitable student outcomes. WETSE and MP participated independently in focus groups. The research design used critical incident technique (CIT) as the methodology; focus groups as the data collection tool; and thematic analysis (TA) as the analytical tool. Zones of Mediation (ZONE) and Transformative Leadership Theory (TLT) were used to distill and categorize the research findings. WETSE and MP established an agreement on four themes thought to represent impediments to achieving equity in schools (implicit bias, White privilege, diversity, and power). Two divergent themes (WETSE—deficit thinking and MP—stereotyping) and one emergent theme (Equity Training) were generated. The singular stand-alone theme, assimilation, was a complete outlier, and it was generated by MP. All themes were categorized as “normative” or “political” elements of ZONE, demonstrating that technical changes are disconnected from WETSE and MP equity perspectives. Transformative leadership theory (TLT) is composed of eight tenets. WETSE and MP prioritized two of the eight tenets as essential to achieving equity. These findings indicate that changing mindsets (tenet #2) and redistributing power in more equitable ways (tenet #3) are central to achieving equitable school conditions. This study contributes to existing, albeit minimal, literature detailing longitudinal equity training's effectiveness at deconstructing beliefs and ideologies of White equity-trained suburban teachers and comparing them to minoritized parents' interpretation of equity using critical incidents. There is a disconnect between this study's findings and what researchers and practitioners are doing to achieve equitable school outcomes. This dissertation is available in open access at AUR (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Donna Ladkin Ph.D (Committee Chair); Laurien Alexandre Ph.D (Committee Member); Carolyn M. Shields Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Education History; Education Philosophy; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory

Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, 2021, Communication

This thesis examines the representation of women in the first season of the popular HBO television show Big Little Lies. Viewed through the lens of feminist ideological criticism, the show presents hegemonic ideologies about gender and women, and then erodes this hegemony in an indirectly feminist way. Four hegemonic forces or ideas are particularly relevant to the themes of the story: women as essentialized, women as catty, women as mothers, and representations of women as victims of domestic abuse. The show maintains roots in the genres of Suburban Gothic, Female Gothic, and Domestic Noir, but also seems to challenge and upset the conventions of these genres in some ways. Although the show does not completely discard stereotypes to challenge audience understandings of women, it does erode them and invites viewers to renegotiate ideas about women and how they relate to one another.

Committee: Sheryl Cunningham (Advisor); Catherine Waggoner (Committee Member); Darin Keesing (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Film Studies; Gender Studies; Mass Media; Womens Studies

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2021, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

An exurb is a district beyond the suburbs and well beyond the city center that can be characterized as a transitional zone from the urban fringe to the rural pastoral, fitting somewhere in between. The American exurbs originally emerged as growth centers that were the outcome of decades of suburban sprawl and the shift towards the aesthetic of the pastoral as people and corporations moved to the urban fringes. Exurbia displays settlement patterns and landscapes that at first glance seem very much a part of the city, but in actuality exist entirely car dependent and devoid of any central business district, making them distinct from their urban predecessors. Exurbia generally consists of architecture that is placeless, lacking any significant markers that make it specific to its site, location, or landscape. This placeless architecture that could exist anywhere in the U.S. is reflective of the global age of consumerism, seen in cookie cutter housing developments, big box retail stores, strip malls, warehouses, condo-block developments and more. Few building typologies have had as much of an impact on the American exurban landscape and American mind than the big box store. The big box typology first emerged in the early 1970s, and when it did advocates of postmodernism saw the confluence of signage set against the facade as an opportunity to challenge its signifying potential. Through deformation, this thesis seeks to push back against the monotony of form, materiality and organization of the big box store as a provocation of exurbia. The project seeks to challenge the existing form of the big box and present it as a productive element through its deformation and interaction with its surrounding topography to present a novel reading of its possible architectural expression of a non-place.

Committee: Joss Kiely Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Vincent Sansalone M.Arch. (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture

Bachelor of Science, Wittenberg University, 2020, Biology

In utilizing native plant species, communities can maintain a healthy ecosystem and biodiversity, as well as formulating a cost effective method of landscaping that, over time, can be relatively self-sufficient. College campuses, allowing for small, condensed garden areas, are prime locations for native plant populations to form and grow. While forming such populations can be costly at first, this study aims to analyze the best methods for minimizing cost by utilizing already present resources on campuses. Taking place at Wittenberg University, the study explores germination techniques on varied plant species to determine best practices for growing native plants from preexisting generations.

Committee: Amber Burgett (Advisor); Sheryl Cunningham (Committee Member); Richard Phillips (Committee Member) Subjects: Biology; Botany; Ecology; Environmental Science; Landscaping; Plant Biology; Plant Propagation; Plant Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2020, American Culture Studies

Roughly 62% of Americans identify as middle-class but do not meet the middle-class characteristics long depicted in the national imagination: homeownership, savings, disposable income, and a comfortable retirement. Forty percent say they cannot cover an unexpected bill of $400. Because relying on objective characteristics like median family income, profession, and homeownership often ignore the nuances of class consciousness, this project hypothesizes a correlation existing between class and the physical environment, specifically that of post-industrial and residential landscapes. This project seeks to answer, “how does the built environment influence class identity?” Using the neighborhood of Canaryville, Chicago as a case study, this project uses an interdisciplinary methodology, historical and visual analysis, ethnography, and landscape theory, to examine the landscape's influence on class identity. It determines that a new identifiable landscape, defined as an urban suburb, can exist. An urban suburb is a densely populated urban area that alters its landscape to masquerade as suburban for class and racial identity affirmation. Urban Suburb demonstrates the performativity of landscapes. By looking at stereotypical attributes of suburban landscapes, Urban Suburb argues the transposition of those stereotypes is not confined by geographical location. Furthermore, performing the stereotypical suburban landscape is a subtle way to demonstrate both class and racial identity. Identification of the urban suburb adds to the growing body of research of understanding how race is reflected in the built environment, the performative nature of suburban landscapes, and the influence the built environment has on class identity.

Committee: Timothy Messer-Kruse (Advisor); Carolyn Tompsett (Other); Benjamin Greene (Committee Member); Rebecca Kinney (Committee Member) Subjects: American History; American Studies; Architectural; Ethnic Studies; Geography; History

Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, 2020, School Psychology

Parent involvement can affect children in and of the school setting. Previous research related to parent involvement in schools has focused mostly on urban school district populations. There is a gap in research examining parent involvement within suburban school districts. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate what hinders and promotes parent involvement, as well as what parents define as best practices for parents. This study followed the constructivism interview approach through the use of a semi-structured interview protocol. Ten parents were recruited to participate from Southwestern Ohio suburban school districts. Participants were parents of children enrolled in grades kindergarten through twelfth during the 2018-19 school year. Parent participants reported five major components that defined best practices of parent involvement: regular open communication with both educators and students, supporting extracurriculars, assisting with schoolwork (i.e., homework, monitoring grades, and enrichment), presence in the school, and promoting healthy trajectory. Participants reported four major barriers that hindered parent involvement: time constraints due to working outside the home and inflexible work schedules, lack of communication from both educators and their children, an unwelcoming environment, and lack of volunteer opportunities provided by the schools. Parent participants reported four major facilitators that promoted parent involvement: being offered a variety of involvement opportunities, receiving more individualized communication as well as more organized and consistent communication from the school, a welcoming environment, and establishing a sense of connectedness through technology. The findings from this study can inform strategies to enhance parent involvement in suburban schools.

Committee: Susan Davies Ed.D. (Committee Chair); Sawyer Hunley Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jim Ayers Ed.S. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2020, Educational Leadership

This qualitative case study explored and described one school district's response to the rise in death by suicide among adolescents. The purpose of this study is to critically examine the design, implementation, and evaluation of a mental health program by a U.S. school district to address rising suicide rates among adolescents. Therefore, the guiding question for this single case study was: How has the current rise in death by suicide among adolescents led to the development of evidence-based practices and programming within a U.S. middle school curriculum to address mental health issues? To address this question, data was collected through triangulated research, by gathering information from various collections of data and through multiple sources. This was achieved by semi-structured interviews with multiple district and building staff with various job titles and responsibilities. At the district level, interviews were conducted with administrators. Within the middle school, administrators and mental health professionals were interviewed. A thorough literature review of relevant information and the theoretical framework lens was used within this study. Interactive Systems Framework (ISF) is a theoretical framework developed to bridge the gap between evidence-based research to practice. This study specifically focused on one school district's response to the rise in death by suicide among adolescents at the middle school grades. Results for the research, collected through interviews and at the district level with the administrators, and interviews at the middle school building level with administrators and mental health professionals servicing the middle school, are provided in Chapter 4. The conclusion of the paper provides the findings and implications of the study and possible future research, policy and practices recommendations. The significance of this research was twofold. First, by providing an historical review of how one district responded to (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lucian Szlizewski Dr. (Committee Co-Chair); Kathleen Knight Abowitz Dr. (Committee Co-Chair); Adam Beissel Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2020, Arts and Sciences: History

Farming Scenery: Growing Support for Agricultural Land Preservation, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1930-1990 analyzes the evolving support for farm preservation initiatives in the face of metropolitan expansion. Conflicts between country and city, farmer and non-farmer, abound at the rural-urban fringe. However, groups in opposition can form alliances to address certain issues. In Bucks County, agricultural land preservation was one of these instances. This case study reveals the ways in which the interests of diverse groups of farmers, estate owners, and suburban residents aligned in favor of efforts to maintain the viability of local family farms in the late twentieth century. In the early twentieth century, the county's family farms faced challenging economic times and were increasingly sold to wealthy non-farmers for country estates. Concurrently, the automobile-enabled middle-class of nearby cities looked to Bucks County as a place for recreation and suburban living. Campaigns to preserve family farms through collective action, agricultural soils through conservation practices, and pastoral scenery through local planning and zoning failed to achieve widespread support in the 1930s. However, advocates for these same goals, working with activists wishing to place limits on suburban growth, found common ground in the late twentieth century, when local residents and officials embraced the ethos of agricultural land preservation. By presenting the story of suburban growth and planning through the lens of agricultural history, this dissertation expands the scope of urban historiography, as well as that of agricultural history, by purposefully including farmers' perspectives in the story of suburbanization and concurrent efforts to preserve open spaces and farmland. It uncovers the shifting conflicts and alliances among rural and suburban constituencies as they debated and implemented land use planning and development regulations at the metropolitan fringe. It reveal (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: David Stradling Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Matthew Booker Ph.D. (Committee Member); Mark Raider Ph.D. (Committee Member); Tracy Teslow Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: History

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2019, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

Suburban poverty has significantly increased over the past decade, creating new challenges for teachers in suburban school districts. These challenges include teachers working with children who have housing and food insecurities or are homeless, family instability, chronic stressors, social and emotional struggles, lack of attachment or positive relationships, and lack school readiness skills. Poverty is one of the most significant factors affecting student learning and achievement; yet, despite increases in students from low-income families and the negative effects of poverty on student learning, there is very little research regarding suburban poverty. The purpose of this study was to expand the research related to suburban teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and efficacy regarding their students in poverty. This quantitative, descriptive survey study examined the knowledge, beliefs, and efficacy of teachers in seven northeast Ohio suburban school districts experiencing shifting demographics. The findings of this study suggest that teachers in suburban school districts have inadequate knowledge about poverty, may hold negative beliefs about poverty, and are least efficacious in engaging students in poverty. These results have substantial implications for professional development and hiring practices in suburban school districts that strive to provide a quality and equitable education for all students.

Committee: Jane Beese Ed.D. (Committee Chair); Charles Vergon J.D. (Committee Member); Xin Liang Ph.D. (Committee Member); Kathleen Budge Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Teacher Education; Teaching

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2019, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

Urban sprawl is an often-unloved urban condition that can be found in nearly every city and town within the United States. Crafted out of many of the ideals espoused by some of the brightest minds of the post-war period of the late 1940's to the 1960's, the modern American city was designed and built around the automobile, and with it came millions of acres of roads, highways, parking lots. New and fashionable typologies emerged such as the indoor shopping mall, and outlet strip mall. For much of the last sixty years, these programs have defined and shaped the American urban landscape, but new emerging technologies such as online shopping and delivery have challenged this status quo. Now shopping malls across the country are on their way out, but their large footprints remain. Large superblocks of pavement and abandoned retail space that is going completely underused, often within urban areas with increasing prices of real estate. These sites have fallen from grace, and are generally abhorred by the public. Their immense size also makes them difficult to redevelop or parcel into smaller lots or zones, which leads to many of these sites sitting vacant for a decade or more, and their ubiquity means they can be found almost anywhere in the country. In a time where costs of living and housing continue to increase in most US cities, it seems wasteful to use so much of our land in cities for purposes such as surface parking lots. People today demand a more holistic approach to their communities and their urban policy. Things such as increased walkability and public green space are a much higher priority than they were even twenty years ago. Much of what people despise about these sites, may be an advantage moving forward. Being generally unloved areas of our cities makes them great candidates for significant change. Very few would protest the redevelopment of a suburban mall parking lot or abandoned mall. Rather than replacing these existing conditions with somethi (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Aarati Kanekar Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Michael McInturf M.Arch. (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2019, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

The problem of the shopping mall continues to remain a growing dilemma within the suburban communities. Since the inception of the mall, the lack of civic and public functions has left the mall disconnected and estranged from the community. Now with the social-economical changes associated with e-commerce and the change in how people experience shopping, these anachronisms of the past are being abandoned and left to decay within the suburb in which they reside. Now the next generation has begun to mimic the trends of generations gone before and are migrating to the suburbs in anticipation of the quintessential suburban family life. The obligation of dealing with failing malls and retail spaces can become an opportunity to redefine how these archaic and devoid spaces can benefit the suburban communities. This thesis demonstrates an example of how these vacant and dying structures can be re-developed to become a positive influence within the suburban community's urban fabric through a specific case-study of the Indian Mound Mall in Heath, Ohio.

Committee: Aarati Kanekar Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Michael McInturf M.Arch. (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2018, Environment and Natural Resources

Wildlife have responded to urbanization in a variety of ways. While some species have been displaced from developed areas, others have learned to tolerate and even thrive in anthropogenic landscapes. Even within a single species, there are inter-individual variations in behavior. Such variations are sometimes attributed to the presence of behavioral syndromes (i.e., suites of correlated behaviors in response to a common stimuli). Behavioral syndromes imply that while a population may contain variations in behavior, each individual has a limited amount of behavioral plasticity. If individuals consistently respond to stressors in a particular manner and some responses are more beneficial than others, the environment may influence which behavioral tendencies dominate in a given location. One commonly-studied set of behavioral syndromes are those associated with the bold-shy spectrum. Bolder individuals are typically defined as being more risk-prone, more exploratory, less neophobic, and less sensitive to stressors. In urban environments, high levels of disturbance, increased human activity, and large quantities of novel items may favor bolder, less anxious individuals over shy individuals. If that is the case, one would expect to find a greater proportion of bold individuals in areas with increased development. Using the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area as a case study location, we conducted flight initiation distance (FID) tests (n= 78) and novel object tests (n=50) on free-ranging coyotes from 2015-2017. Additionally, hair cortisol concentrations (n= 198) were measured from coyote hair samples that were collected from 2014-2018. We found that coyotes in more developed locations tended to have lower FIDs, behave less cautiously around novel objects, and show slightly higher hair cortisol concentrations than coyotes in more natural settings. Flight initiation distances were consistent across trials for individuals who were tested more than once (n= 18) and coyote resp (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Stanley Gehrt Dr. (Advisor); Stephen Matthews Dr. (Committee Member); Jeremy Bruskotter Dr. (Committee Member); Hamilton Ian Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Animals; Ecology; Wildlife Management