Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Leadership and Change

The ambitious United Nations-adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require the concentrated effort of governments, the business sector, and other key stakeholders, including women and youth, for its success. Effective leadership will be essential for different sectors to integrate these development goals into strategic plans and operational activities in the service of realizing this agenda by 2030. Unfortunately for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the COVID-19 pandemic caused the worst economic outcomes in 30 years. For this group of countries, the pandemic has negatively influenced efforts to eradicate poverty and improve social outcomes. This setback makes achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 a more distant prospect for LDCs, which include 20% of the world's youth. Although governments need to take the lead, additional stakeholders, such as non-profit organizations, including youth-focused organizations, are vital to achieving the SDGs. Therefore, this research study focused on the work of a youth organization operating in Haiti, and its alignment with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Using action research, this dissertation aimed to provide support for the prioritization of youth outcomes in the developmental goals of countries. The findings of this action research study underscored existing opportunities to improve youth outcomes in Haiti. The study participants agreed that previous volunteer opportunities, available to active and engaged members of the organization HAITI5, allowed the youths to get training regarded as work experience. Hence, the study participants designed an intervention to expand volunteer opportunities, and to provide more youths with professional experiences that could be leveraged in the recruitment process for employment. Also, the study participants considered the youth-focused organization invaluable to the professional and personal development of members and agreed that HAITI5's comm (open full item for complete abstract)

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

Early experiences with nature lead to an array of developmental benefits and learning across multiple domains. Such learning fosters an early connection to nature and the seedlings for environmental stewardship. This retrospective designed study investigates the relationship between nature-based early learning (NBEL) experiences and a developing sustainable mindset during preadolescence; a time when children form their identity, develop 21st century skills, make meaningful connections to place and community, and construct environmental literacy. Measurable outcomes include preadolescents' connection to nature and proenvironmental behavioral intentions. These two outcomes reflect developing sustainable mindsets appropriate for this age group. A combination of surveys with preadolescents and their parents were used to collect data to demonstrate the complexities of NBEL experiences, parental influence, and these factors' relationship with preadolescents' developing sustainable mindsets. Results found that across the nuanced NBEL experience groups, both parents and preadolescents reported high values of nature and concerns for the environments. Additionally, regardless of NBEL group membership, family responses indicated participants came from similar demographic backgrounds in terms of income and parental education level. Discussion of these findings suggest the importance of access to nature and SES when considering NBEL experiences and how these factors may be assessed in the future.

Master of Science (M.S.), University of Dayton, 2014, Mechanical Engineering

Economic Input-output analysis (EIOA) is a powerful technique for studying the economic behavior of a policy. Using this technique, one can study the consequences of applying a policy in a society from economic, social, and environmental perspectives. Chapters one through five of the study capture the economic impacts of recycling used dry cell batteries collected as a result of effective recycling policies at the higher education institutions (HEI) of the United States. Applied methodology modifies intermediate transactions of the input-output tables. The results show an $11,522 decrease in the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States by applying strong recycling policies at HEI. These results support effective tax or credit incentive budget allocations in favor of recycling as the most environmentally friendly end-of-life option. Chapter 6 designs a set of policies that aim to improve quality of the environment as well as the economic growth. A framework for analyzing the EIOA results regarding implementation of the proposed policies is developed. The developed framework applies Design and Analysis of Experiments techniques and provides reasonable insight into the selection of the most effective policies, which increases the GDP as well as the quality of environment.

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2010, Geography

This thesis is informed by the literature on sustainable tourism development and homestay projects in various countries worldwide. The research problem in Dominica is that remote portions of the island that are far from the island's cruise ship ports are not receiving significant tourism income. This thesis examines the establishment, operation and successes to date of a community-based homestay project of which I was a key organizer in the remote village of Grand Fond. This homestay project acts to counter the inaccessibility to cruise tourism money while offering tourists a culturally authentic experience. The research is informed by an analysis of participant feedback from both hosts and visitors. Results show that the Grand Fond homestay project, while still in its infancy and fragile, is resilient, culturally positive, and brings tourism money into the village. It has also inspired homestay projects elsewhere on the island, and therefore helps to contribute much-needed funds to remote portions of Dominica.

PHD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of History

Based on a critical reading of colonial archives and extensive use of oral sources, this dissertation argues that indigenous custodians of the landscape in semi-arid regions of the Zimbabwean Lowveld have a longstanding experience of harnessing their environmental literacy and detailed knowledge of nature to combat climate change. Starting with colonial encounters and contested boundaries of knowledge in Southern Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe) since the early twentieth century, I demonstrate that oral traditions survived the onslaught of colonialism and offered new generations ways of responding to climate change. I use empirical examples to demonstrate that indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) have been obscured under the veneer of colonial historiography, hence, the importance of recovering African cultural achievements and indigenous agency to the historical record. This dissertation examines the adoption of various coping strategies and sustainable agricultural practices initiated by indigenous people to promote climate smart agriculture and identifies the factors that influence adoption of certain adaptive practices. Water has been a central and defining factor of Africa's development trajectory. A growing body of literature has demonstrated that agricultural yields have been declining in developing countries, including Zimbabwe, due to the impacts of climate change. Indigenous experiences, conceptions and perceptions have played a vital role in the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. Indigenous farmers are at peace with modernity and modernization, but in the absence of modern technologies and state support, they have been going back to traditional forms of development. The interrelated objectives of climate change mitigation, adaptation and food security were simultaneously sustained through the hybrid integration of indigenous and modern farming practices in agricultural production and sustainable development planning. Indigenous knowledge sys (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Agricultural, Environmental and Developmental Economics

Sustainability assessment is increasingly important due to concerns over increasing carbon damages and declining natural capital stocks. However, regional assessment is difficult due to lack of data and measurement, as well as theoretical issues due to how people and resources flow across space. The Inclusive Wealth (IW) framework offers a comprehensive approach to measuring the components of regional social welfare as the aggregate value of all capital assets in the region, and non-declining social welfare proxied by non-declining IW is defined as weak sustainability. In my three essays, I expand on the IW literature by creating novel regional estimates using the ideas of spatial equilibrium to estimate human capital, include population change within IW, and explain the spatial inequality of IW. Chapter 1 lays the groundwork for subsequent chapters by generating new regional measurements of human and health human capital by separating out the effect of health on productivity and increased well-being. I account for the inter-relationship between education and health, control for local amenities and sorting, and account for the impact of ecosystem services and social capital on health quality. I find that 47\% of counties are declining in total human capital from 2010-2017, the primary component of these declines is declining health quality which gets capitalized into productivity. These results emphasize urban-rural differences in human capital investment because a similar proportion of urban and rural counties are declining in health quality, but urban counties are able to compensate with increases in education to offset declines in health quality for productivity. Chapter 2 builds on Chapter 1 and creates an expanded IW regional framework which accounts for endogenous population and the interdependence of population and capital stock flows. I then empirically implement this approach to estimate the impact of exogenous population growth through agglomeratio (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

To adequately address the unprecedented challenges that our global society faces, the next generation of scientists and engineers must learn to navigate and collaborate with an understanding of the complex ways in which technical and social aspects are intertwined. In recent years, programs centered around Engineering for Sustainable Development, community engagement, and humanitarian engineering have been developed to provide students with opportunities that build essential skill sets known as Global Sociotechnical Competency. This work investigated the impact on intercultural competence of students engaging with globally focused courses and projects offered at The Ohio State University that are part of the Humanitarian Engineering program. Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies including the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), focus groups, surveys, and narrative analysis, were utilized to assess the student learning outcomes associated with these experiential learning opportunities. Findings from this work indicate that engineering students are able to simultaneously develop both technical and sociotechnical skill sets, which will more effectively prepare STEM graduates for their professional careers. This study detailed the impacts relating to intercultural competence for students enrolled in a Global Capstone course, a COIL Community Engaged Learning engineering course, and pathways of completion of the Humanitarian Engineering Minor. The Global Capstone series demonstrated meaningful impact on students interculture competence while achieving the desired technical learning outcomes of a traditional engineering capstone. The mean IDI Development Orientation (DO) gain was 12.89, (n=23, p <0.002). With students reaching as high as the Adaptation orientation. In terms of mindset shifts, the post – IDI survey indicated that 87% of the class achieved a non-ethnocentric perspective (intercultural mindset) as opposed to 57% at the beginning of t (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, Consumer Sciences

Sustainable tourism has been considered a great solution for women empowerment in developing countries with several positive changes to the women's lives participating in these projects (Cicek et al.,2017). However, women are still facing issues of inequality in terms of socioeconomic opportunities, gender gap, and advancement openings (UNWTO, 2019). This study examined women empowerment through sustainable tourism industry and how it affects the lives of female participants as the lack of models that focus on women empowerment in tourism reduces the understanding of these issues. The study follows a mixed method approach; qualitative (interview techniques) and quantitative (survey). the findings were validated in the US context as it was found that women empowerment has a significant direct positive impact on economic changes, attuited changes, satisfaction with life, and a significant indirect effect on satisfaction with life through economic changes.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, Chemical Engineering

The growing strain on natural resources to meet the increasing global demand for energy and chemicals has been a challenge for several decades. This has motivated the emergence of several alternative technologies that provide effective and sustainable solutions while being economically feasible. Chemical looping is one such technology that utilizes the redox gas-solid reaction chemistries to inherently change the reaction mechanism, thus providing new and efficient pathways to produce the desired product. This gives rise to a platform that has higher degrees of freedom as compared to the traditional catalytic systems, which can be leveraged to create economically and environmentally sustainable processes. Several catalytic applications have been investigated as chemical looping alternatives and are given as follows: Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM): OCM refers to the reaction where two CH4 molecules couple to form hydrocarbon products such as ethane/ethylene in the presence of oxygen species. The chemical looping OCM technology uses a catalytic oxygen carrier to provide the oxygen species for CH4 coupling, consequently reducing the oxygen carrier. The lattice oxygen of this reduced oxygen carrier is replenished by air in a separate reactor which feeds the oxidized oxygen carrier back into the first reactor, thus completing the loop. Traditionally, O2 is co-fed with CH4 over a catalyst bed to produce these hydrocarbon products. The use of lattice oxygen as compared to O2 improves the selectivity of the desired products by eliminating the undesired gas-phase combustion reactions. Additionally, the use of an oxygen carrier expands the product slate up to C7 hydrocarbons, which has not been reported for the catalytic O2 co-feed system. However, developing an active oxygen carrier has been challenging due to the tradeoff between product selectivity and CH4 conversion. Thus, parametric tests have been conducted in a fixed bed reactor with the goal of understanding (open full item for complete abstract)

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Ohio University, 2017, Business Administration

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the relationship between youth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and social entrepreneurship. Specifically, this study looks at their interest in becoming social entrepreneurs, and at their perception on the impact of social entrepreneurship. This research contributes to the social entrepreneurship literature by exploring how youth can leverage social enterprise to contribute to the development of countries in the MENA developing region. A quantitative methodology with 77 survey respondents revealed that understanding the meaning of social entrepreneurship and being aware of the impact that social enterprises can enable youth interest in this field. This study concludes by recommending for social entrepreneurship education and institutional support from the government, private sector, and financial institutions to promote social entrepreneurial efforts among youth.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2014, EDU Policy and Leadership

Abstract This study will explore how science self-efficacy among college students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in Nigeria predicts their innovation. Several reports on African development argue that science, technology and innovation underpin targets for dramatically reducing poverty in its many dimensions--;income poverty, hunger, disease, exclusion, lack of infrastructure and shelter--while promoting gender equality, education, health, and environmental sustainability (UN Millennium Project, 2005). If African countries in general, including Nigeria, are to move from the exploitation of natural resources to technological innovation as the foundation for development, stakeholders in these countries must encourage development of individual ability to innovate products, services and work processes in crucial organizations (DeJong & DenHartog, 2010). The common denominator in the scientific and technological development of any country or organization is the individuals that make up these entities. An individual's engagement is the foundation for group motivation, innovation and improvement. These ideas inform the purpose of this study: to investigate how science self-efficacy among college students in various engineering fields in Nigeria predicts self-reported innovative behavior (IB), also referred to as Innovative Work Behavior (IWB). IB involves initiating new and useful ideas, processes, products or procedures, as well as the process of implementing these ideas (Farr & Ford, 1990; Scott & Bruce, 1994). The general findings of this study align with the dictates of social cognitive theory. Specifically, research indicates self-efficacy has the most predictive power for performance when it is measured at a level specific to the expected task (Bandura, 1997; Pajares, 1996). The findings from the hierarchical multiple regressions confirm that individuals' perceived science efficacy plays an important role in their perceived se (open full item for complete abstract)

MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2009, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning

As urban residents throughout the United States moved to the suburbs in the mid twentieth century, many urban cities and their neighborhoods lost population, jobs and a sense of community as public services were reduced and the physical conditions of buildings deteriorated. Many scholars and practitioners claim that sustainable development can aid in revitalizing declining urban neighborhoods (Devuyst et al. 2001; Chiras and Wann 2003; Crowe 2003; Been and Voicu 2006; Erickson 2006; Kemp 2006; Pennsylvania Horticultural Society 2006; Wiland and Bell 2006). Sustainable development represents the coexistence between economic development and the environment as it promotes economic growth at minimal expense to the environment or to future generations. Sustainable communities are therefore introduced when deciding how a city or neighborhood should be planned to meet economic needs of the present without compromising future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment and Development 1987). These communities recognize that they must offer an ecologically sound, economically viable and socially responsible environment for its residents. This thesis focuses on determining how sustainable development can serve as a tool for urban revitalization by exploring the projects that cities are currently implementing throughout the United States. It consists of a data set designed to analyze cases throughout the United States that have used different sustainable development techniques to revitalize their urban neighborhoods.

MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2007, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning

A holistic perspective of LID principles in land use planning is a topic that has not been explored greatly, forming the basis for my thesis project. The integration of LID principles in land use planning process, results in a much clearer understanding of the concept of site-specific sustainability, as well as a better grasp of how to steer the conventional development procedure closer to more sustainable site development practices. This thesis will explore the issues related to conventional land use planning and zoning by investigating the impact of on-going suburban growth pressures that has been brought about by the conventional growth pattern. In Such situations LID plays a vital role in promoting environmental stewardship and protecting the available natural resources which otherwise would vanish soon in the conventional development process. It uses the land use planning perspective to evaluate LID principles as a better site sustainability option for the available study area, Grailville in Miami Township, Clermont County, OH.

MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2006, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning

The islands of Santorini, Greece, experience a shortage in sustainable water supply due to an arid climate and tourist economy. Current conditions include saltwater intrusion in groundwater, reliance on imported water for drinking, a lack of widespread seawater desalination, inequitable pricing, and decreasing use of rainwater harvesting. Santorini has a sustainable water supply estimated at just over 1 million m3/year and an estimated demand of 2.4 million m3/year, leaving a deficit of 1.4 million m3/year produce in a sustainable manner. A large implementation of reverse osmosis seawater desalination can provide for Santorini a more sustainable supply. Two scenarios for implementation are presented, both with an additional capacity of 1.8 million m3/year, installation of storage tanks for backup supply, and a suitable pricing system. The second of these would also use wind energy and an advanced desalination technology that also produces salt to lower environmental impact.

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2004, Environmental Studies (Arts and Sciences)

Man's ability to alter his environment to achieve perceived goals has undoubtedly made an enormous contribution to his economic and social well-being. Unfortunately, this ability to alter the environment often outstrips man's ingenuity to foresee the negative effects these may bring to present and future generations. This study examined the environmental issues in the Atebubu District in the Brong Ahafo Region in Ghana. It investigated the social distribution of environmental benefits in the district. It further examined the weaknesses and threats to the sound environmental management in the area. In anticipation of the realities that will emerge from the field experience, the research used primary qualitative methods, secondary sources and questionnaire survey to gather data for analysis. The study provided an environmental management framework that would enable the district to initiate, plan and implement its environmental policies in a way that would enable it to achieve its sustainable rural development goals.

MS, Kent State University, 2023, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Geography

The concept of water insecurity suggests that inadequate safe water access is not only about people lacking enough clean water sources. It also includes when people face social, emotional, political, and environmental issues in relation to water. Knowledge of this concept is limited to household contexts. We know very little about how it manifests in other settings such as schools, healthcare facilities, and workplaces. This thesis deploys embodiment theory and the capability approach to explore the everyday experiences and well-being implications of water insecurity in an urban Ghanaian girls' boarding school. Based on interviews with recent graduates, the study uncovers that girls experienced water insecurity in boarding school by internalizing water-related physical burdens, emotional distress, and social problems. These embodied experiences were underpinned by perennial water shortage and the rules, social norms, and geography of the school. The study also finds that participants felt more water secure at home than in school due to their relatively high socioeconomic class, urban residence, and families' support. Finally, it unpacks that water insecurity in boarding schools impacted girls' well-being by limiting their physical and mental health, education, and other capabilities. These findings have implications for enhancing efforts aimed at improving water access in schools and other non-household settings, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Media and Communication

The conceptualization of feminism and rise of feminist individuals and groups in Ghana have evolved within the Fourth Republic era (from 1992 to the present), leading to growing misunderstanding about the nature, role, and scope of the feminist activism in Ghana. This thesis examines how individuals who uphold feminist thought and practice, and gender equity nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Ghana use social media to advocate for women's and children's health and well-being, women's participation in politics and media, and elimination of crises, including rape culture and gender-based violence (GBV). The thesis analyzes how Ghanaian feminists and gender equity NGOs contribute to principles of UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5): Gender Equality and ascertains how social media is used for gender equity advocacy efforts. In-depth interviews with self-identified Ghanaian feminists and leaders of gender equity NGOs were conducted. Interview data was analyzed using grounded theory. The result of Research Question (RQ1), on how Ghanaian feminist activism has evolved, indicates growing acceptance of feminism during the latter half of the current Republic era. Findings for RQ2, on how feminist and gender equity NGOs use digital platforms to advocate for Ghanaian women and children, indicate digital platforms are used for training women on leadership and entrepreneurship, defending themselves and their children against GBV, and amplifying women's and children's interests. Findings for RQ3, on how Ghanaian feminists and NGOs contribute to UN SDG 5, reveal productive efforts to educate on gender equity, collaborate with women celebrities to take leadership roles on gender equality to broader publics, and advocate for women's representation in Ghanaian institutions. Finally, RQ4, on roles Ghanaian social media play in amplifying Ghanaian feminists, digital platforms are vital to enable collaboration, support change in public policies negatively affecting women, an (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2023, Sociology (Arts and Sciences)

In recent years, social entrepreneurship has become increasingly popular as a strategy for tackling social concerns and reducing poverty. The purpose of this study was to investigate the rise of social entrepreneurship in Ghana and how it affected efforts to fight poverty. The research supports the beneficial impact of social entrepreneurship in reducing poverty by drawing on pertinent literature and theoretical frameworks. To develop a comprehensive picture of the social entrepreneurship community's influence on poverty, the study also conducts in-depth content analyses of five social entrepreneurship groups in Ghana. I further based the results on a thematic analysis of the data that was gathered. The results of the study showed social entrepreneurship's effectiveness in combating poverty by focusing on grassroot approach to poverty alleviation in providing customized solutions targeted at specific populations. It also offers insights into how social entrepreneurship may be used to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a collaborative effort with the government of Ghana as poverty reduction strategies by the government have proven to be either inefficient or insufficient.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, City and Regional Planning

Communities experience substantial changes in daily travel through rapidly evolving mobility systems. Although smart infrastructure and data-driven innovations have the potential to enhance citizens' lives, they may also contribute to deepening socio-economic divides and inequitable access to opportunities. To designate strategies that can contribute to improving the quality of life of our communities, urban planners and sustainability researchers need to revisit well-known planning tools related to sustainable development and mobility. Comprised of three essays, this dissertation delves into different dimensions of sustainable development with an emphasis on sustainability assessment methods, the adoption of emerging mobility technologies, and the effects of COVID-19 on travel behavior and health outcomes. The first essay conducts a critical review of sustainability assessment literature and presents an index of key indicators of sustainability. The second essay explores the factors affecting e-scooter use and pro-e-scooter attitudes using a campus transportation survey. The third essay analyzes the impacts of built environment characteristics on infection risk perception while traveling and subjective well-being during the pandemic. The results present policy implications that can help address contemporary sustainable development challenges, integrate rapidly evolving urban mobility technologies, and design pandemic resilient cities in the post-COVID era. This dissertation highlights the importance of developing novel sustainable planning practices, suggesting that urban planning should be more dynamic to reflect to the needs of our rapidly evolving cities.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2022, Engineering

One-third of food waste is wasted worldwide and this is a growing concern for environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The waste management industry faces the greatest challenges in diverting food waste from landfill. The improper and inefficient strategies in the disposal of food waste can lead to grave environmental, economic, and social consequences. Furthermore, one of the most notable barriers to effective proper food waste management is the high economic cost associated with their treatment facilities. This study aims to use the optimization modeling approach for a sustainable food waste management system in order to arrive at a mothet efficient and effective method which can be adopted in order to streamline food waste management. The factors are then aggregated and integrated in order to arrive at formulas and cost metrics which are needed for evaluating the efficacy of the entire food waste management system. Furthermore, this study would also investigate the problems currently faced by the food waste management in general, and how these problems can be related to the objectives of the study. It is the aim of this study to arrange an effective method which policymakers and business entities can use in order to find the optimum location for a food waste collection location which will help improve regional or even global food waste management processes as well as keep the overall cost associated with such processes at a minimum. The optimization model that was formulated in this study includes the various factors that are considered important in food waste management. The said optimized model was applied to resolve the problems faced by the solid waste management district in Lucas County, Ohio, which resulted in reduced cost and greater efficiency.