Master of Science in Engineering, Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Civil/Environmental and Chemical Engineering

The 108-mile-long Mahoning River, historically one of the most contaminated rivers in the U.S., contains metals above the EPA aquatic criteria. This study identifies the contamination levels, spatiotemporal patterns, sources, speciation, and bioaccessibility of metals (As, Ba, Fe, Pb, Ni, Zn) in the water and sediment of the lower Mahoning River. Sediment analysis showed that all metals exceeded the Sediment Reference Value, except for Ba. Regression analysis showed a significant decrease of Pb and Fe (p < 0.05) in water from 1993-2021, suggests that the water quality of the river with respect to Pb and Fe is improving comparatively in the past three decades. The contamination factor indicated that metals in water were uncontaminated (< 1), while metals in sediment were moderately to highly polluted (3-15). Inverse distance weighting in sediments illustrated decreasing concentrations towards downstream for Ni, while increasing concentrations towards downstream for As, Ba, Fe, Pb, and Zn in sediment. The inverse distance weighting patterns may be associated with land use, as the river traversed the agricultural region upstream, the urbanized region downstream, and mixed-land areas in the last stretch. Speciation analysis revealed metals in water and sediments were in divalent forms (HM2+), except Pb (PbOH+, PbCO3), indicating high bioaccessibility and potential plant uptake in the aquatic environment.

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2024, Education

This study investigates the effect of introducing an environmental education (EE) in three classrooms (C1, C2, C3) using three different pedagogy methods and if student's personalities determine how the information is perceived. A teacher-focused classroom (C1), a student-focused classroom (C2), and a third classroom used labs and hands-on activities (C3) to identify changes in the students' perception and behavior toward the environment. A pre- and post-survey was used to identify changes in student environmental perception. An unpaired t-test was performed for each class, showing different pedagogical approaches did not significantly impact students' environmental perceptions. The student's behavior was measured by pulling recyclables out of a recycle bin and the trash daily for the duration of five weeks. Both C2 and C3 showed an increase in the students' recycling habits. The second question, “How does a high school student's locus of control affect their relationship with the environment?” was answered by comparing a locus of control survey and the post-environmental perception survey. A t-test and correlation test were performed, and no significant difference was found between the two survey means. A correlation test was also performed, and a positive, very weak correlation was found. The third question, “Does the students' locus of control correlate with their ecocentric or anthropocentric environmental worldview?”. A locus of control survey and a worldview survey were used to answer the third question. A Pearson's Correlation Coefficient test was performed and showed a moderate correlation between the two scores.

MA, Kent State University, 2024, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The purpose of this thesis is to explore why schools ought to educate for sustainability in response to the climate emergency. Moreover, the author explores why the elementary school is an appropriate place to begin such education as well as how such education can be implemented in the field of music education, specifically elementary music education. The research questions for this thesis are as follows: (1) Why should schools educate for sustainability? (2) Why is elementary school an appropriate place to begin education for sustainability (EfS)? (3) Why is the general music classroom a worthy space for EfS? The author uses social and educational theory, philosophy, and findings from other research to answer these questions. This thesis reviews and synthesizes research, theory, and philosophy from various foundational disciplines. This thesis concludes that EfS ought to be included in the school and begin at the elementary level. Every subject and teacher ought to consider how their subject might help attune students to nature and its protection for the sake of our love for the world, our subjects, and teaching. This thesis specifically explores and argues for EfS in the general music classroom, but practitioners in every field ought to consider EfS in their subject's context.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Biological Sciences

West Nile virus (WNV) is an arbo-Orthoflavivirus belonging to the Japanese Encephalitis Complex that was first discovered in a febrile woman of the Uganda district in Africa. Following its initial discovery WNV has been detected on every major continent, except Antarctica, officially being detected in the Western hemisphere in the fall of 1999 in the Queens District of New York City. Since entering the western hemisphere 25 years ago, WNV has been reported in over 300 different avian species. In addition to avian cases, WNV has been detected in humans within all 50 states totaling 58,981 cases (both neuroinvasive and non-neuroinvasive) and 2,776 deaths. An RT-PCR protocol was developed and optimized to reproducibly generate cDNA for sequence analysis. Forty cDNA sequences were assembled from RT-PCR products of WNV origin, and the corresponding amino acid sequences predicted. Sequence variations at the nucleotide level were evident as 173 polymorphic sites; when translated these polymorphisms resulted in 18 polymorphic amino acid residues relative to the original New York reference strain. There were 42 total (36 different sites) instances where nucleotides present were ambiguous, suggesting that some of the samples analyzed contained material from more than one virion. Predicted polypeptide sequences indicated high conservation of specific envelop protein regions. These conserved regions were concentrated in envelope domain II, a region recognized to be essential for productive infection of host cells. My results suggest the number of WNV genomes recovered for analysis varied relative to local weather conditions during the 2018 collection season. Together these observations support the contention that environmental conditions have the potential to select variant genotypes of WNV.

Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.), University of Dayton, 2024, Early Childhood Education

In this qualitative study, we examined the effects of augmented reality (AR) and physical-digital interaction in educational applications on preschoolers' engagement, skill development, and collaborative learning in the classroom. Drawing on Creswell's (2018) systematic method, the research design included immersive participant observation and semi-structured interviews to document the lived experiences of young learners using the Osmo Genius Kit. The study, conducted across three varied preschool classrooms affiliated with a Midwestern university, included a representative sample of children aged 3 to 5 years, allowing for a thorough examination of AR's complex influence in early childhood education. This methodology allows us to address the research questions and gain a thorough grasp of how AR technology can be used to improve education in preschool settings.

Bachelor of Science of Journalism (BSJ), Ohio University, 2024, Journalism

The scientific and psychological communities have started to recognize ecological anxiety (also known as eco-anxiety or climate anxiety), an emotional response to climate change and environmental destruction, as a growing mental health phenomenon. There has been an increased focus on how psychologists and other mental health professionals can best support those who are experiencing negative mental health effects due to climate change, including increased anxiety. In turn, mainstream media outlets have increased their coverage of eco- anxiety and other related mental health impacts of climate change. This paper discusses how eco- anxiety has been framed by mainstream media outlets, specifically newspapers with large readership. Articles from eight different American newspapers that included the words “eco- anxiety”, “climate anxiety”, or referenced the phenomenon were compiled. These articles were coded to reveal the specific frames utilized, including master, generic, and issue-specific frames. The focus of this research was to provide a better understanding of how mainstream media frames the topic of eco-anxiety and if that framing reflects the current scientific understanding of eco-anxiety.

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2024, Education

Farmed animal sanctuaries provide lifelong care to formerly farmed animals. Many strive to educate their community about farmed animals and promote more compassionate lifestyles, such as veganism. Important to this is cultivating empathy and concern for the well-being of individual farmed animals. Essential to well-being is agency, which is the capacity of a living being to engage with their environments and to make choices for themselves. Farmed animals outside of sanctuaries have had their agency systematically suppressed and denied. Sanctuary educators can bring awareness to this and inspire alternative, agency-centered relationships with not only farmed animals but all living beings. To aid in this endeavor, this practice-based dissertation included the development of a resource guide for sanctuary staff and volunteers about recognizing, supporting, and teaching about the agency of farmed animals in sanctuary education. Following Stephen Brookfield's (2021) Materials Development Dissertation outline, this paper describes the inspirations for creating these materials and the development process in detail. This process included inviting scholars and practitioners to review the materials and offer feedback, which is shared in this paper. This paper also reports on how the materials will be disseminated to have the most impact on the field. There is also discussion on the broader implications of this work in countering oppression and facilitating more equitable and compassionate ways of coexisting with all beings. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Ohio University, 2024, Environmental Studies

Given the precarious state of the planet, countries have approached environmental protection uniquely by codifying environmental rights in their constitutions. Using the theoretical concept of legal consciousness, this manuscript investigates how Colombia, Ecuador, and the United States address the environment in their respective constitutions. I find that in the U.S., individual states establish environmental provisions, while Colombia and Ecuador take a more explicit approach enshrining environmental rights in their national constitutions. More specifically, Colombia frames environmental protection as a duty of the state, while Ecuador views it as necessity, in that the environment has inherent rights. The decision to include or exclude environmental provisions in constitutions presents possibilities for future legal work on environmental rights.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Anthropology

Collaborative approaches to biodiversity conservation and management are increasing across the Pacific and are often pushed for by Pacific Islanders as a method for increasing their sovereignty in environmental governance. Simultaneously, collaborative approaches to conservation and management have been critiqued for prioritizing scientific knowledges and for burdening Indigenous and other marginalized populations. In Kanaky/New Caledonia, a southwestern Pacific archipelago, the Indigenous Kanak have also pushed for collaborative approaches to conservation and management. Kanaky/New Caledonia was officially colonized by France in 1853 and remains a French Overseas Territory. Yet, the territory has had an ongoing Indigenous decolonization movement for decades, resulting in increasing levels of political autonomy from France. In this dissertation, I examine the interface between Indigenous sovereignty and collaborative biodiversity conservation/management in Kanaky/New Caledonia based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in 2022 through three interconnected body chapters written as standalone journal articles. The introduction and conclusion of the dissertation describe the major themes present across the chapters. In the introduction, which constitutes the first chapter, I draw on an experience snorkeling in the lagoon to consider how my own relationality influences my approach to my research, while also describing some of the major social dynamics surrounding conservation and management practices in the territory. Chapter two argues that the French military has always been invested in social-ecological management and explores how their relationship with the Kanak has shifted over 170 years from one of violent conflict to environmental governance partnerships. In chapter three, I analyze five co-management plans from the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kanaky/New Caledonia's lagoons, using both discourse analysis and content analysis to examine how different actors invo (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 0, Leadership and Change

This dissertation explores the lived experience of nature-based educators in Duluth, Minnesota. Portraiture served as the methodological framework for learning about how teachers in Duluth got into teaching and why they remain on the job. Teacher turnover and attrition is a national problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, teachers who perceive better working conditions are less likely to leave the profession. In addition, nature-based education has positive influences on students. Past research in nature-based education has looked at students rather than teachers. This study's findings offer key lessons in the stories of educators who stay in teaching and experience joy. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA, https://aura.antioch.edu/, and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch New England: Environmental Studies

We know that when children feel a sense-of-relation within local natural environments, they are more prone to feel concern for them, while nurturing well-being and resilience in themselves and in lands/waters they inhabit. Positive environmental behaviors often follow into adulthood. Our human capacities for creating sustainable solutions in response to growing repercussions of global warming and climate change may grow if more children feel a sense of belonging in the wild natural world. As educators, if we listen to and learn from students' voices about how they engage in nature, we can create pedagogical experiences directly relevant to their lives. Activities that relate to learners' lives inspire motivation, curiosity, and furthers understanding. Behaviors supporting environmental stewardship, environmental justice, and participation in citizen science and phenology are more probable when children feel concern for ecological landscapes. Internationally, some educators are free to encourage a sense-of -relation by bringing students into natural places. Yet, there are many educators who are constrained from doing so by strict local, state, and national education policies and accountability measures. Overcoming restrictions requires creative, relevant, and enjoyable learner-centered opportunities. Research shows that virtual nature experiences can provide for beneficial connections with(in) nature for children and adults. It is best to bring children outside. When this is not possible, a sense of wonder may be encouraged in the classroom. Our exploratory collaborative digital landscape-lore project makes this possible. We expand awareness about how we, educators, and children alike, are engaged within the landscapes and waterscapes significant to us. The term landscape-lore articulates the primacy of the places we find meaningful. Our intercultural investigations took place in collaborative public schools in colonized landscapes. New Hampshire and New Zealand, k (open full item for complete abstract)

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2023, Education

Action towards planetary well-being requires more than environmental awareness, acquisition of knowledge, or technological fixes; it necessitates a sacred connection, recognizing interdependence, and an ethic that maintains dignity for all non-human beings. It requires a shift in our ecological consciousness from the dominator and exploitative (I-it) view to the connected and participatory (I-thou) view which is best facilitated by an emerging paradigm called ecospirituality. For the next generation to adopt this paradigm, teachers must first adopt it. The research goal was to to transform teachers' relationship with the natural world by enlisting ecospirituality as central in supporting teacher wellness, as an intervening variable for pro-environmental behaviors, and in developing robust ecological identities among teachers and correspondingly their students. The literature review focused on several intersecting but distinct theoretical approaches including; holistic learning theory, spiritual identity development, nature-based education, the indigenous worldview, and ecospirituality. For this dissertation, an immersive, spiritually enhanced, eco-curriculum called More than mindfulness: A teacher fellowship in ecospirituality was developed. It was then implemented in order to cultivate ecospiritual mindsets among the participants. The research sample drew from a 28 member, preschool-8th grade teaching faculty employed by a private, holistic school. The study was a convergent parallel mixed methods design and utilized a focus group technique where participant reflection was the source of qualitative data and pre and post surveys yield both quantitative and qualitative data. The research suggests that ecospirituality serves as a uniquely transformative paradigm for educators. The teacher fellowship changed the way the educators situate themselves in relation to the natural world as the data showed a significant increase in participant connectedness to na (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch New England: Environmental Studies

Previous research has demonstrated that practicing forest bathing has significant positive effects on well-being. However, few studies have investigated whether forest bathing increases adolescent well-being despite the growing adolescent mental health crisis in the United States. Similarly, few studies have explored forest bathing's impacts on connectedness to nature. Considering the ongoing environmental crisis, determining if forest bathing increases connectedness to nature is a critical expansion of forest bathing research, as connectedness to nature is linked to environmental care and concern. This study investigated the possibility that forest bathing, a nature-based mindfulness practice, could increase adolescent mental well-being and connectedness to nature and sought to determine participants' experiences of practicing forest bathing. This study used a convergent parallel mixed-methods design that was partially co-created with 24 participants aged 16-18 as part of a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project where participants practiced forest bathing three times over three weeks. After practicing forest bathing, participants' mental well-being increased significantly, as measured by the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale. Connectedness to nature also increased significantly as measured by the Connectedness to Nature Scale. Participants described reduced stress and increased feelings of relaxation, peace, and happiness as well as increased connection to nature, gratitude for nature, concern for nature, and desire to care for nature. Although this is one of the first studies to examine forest bathing impacts on participants' connectedness to nature, these findings correlate with other studies showing that spending time outside in nature increases connectedness to nature and care and concern for the environment. People working with adolescents could consider forest bathing as a practice that increases connectedness to nature while also incr (open full item for complete abstract)

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

Environmental concerns continue to increase daily, leaving many wondering what they might do to minimize their impact on the planet. As a result, it is critical to educate the general public, particularly secondary school students, about embracing more sustainable practices. As these students will become our society's future designers and consumers, it is crucial to equip them with the necessary tools and knowledge to foster a more responsible future for our environment and climate. This starts with smart, responsible design. As the Ellen MacArthur Foundation says, “Waste and pollution does not exist by accident, it is the result of design decisions” (2021). To adequately equip our future decision-makers, it is crucial to educate them on the importance of Circular Design (CD), a way of designing products that fit into the Circular Economy (CE). The CE is an environmentally sustainable “system of closed loops, where nothing becomes waste, and everything has value” (Foundation, 2021). However, CD is rarely integrated into the curricula of public schools, with sustainable education predominantly offered within Montessori environments or at the university level. This usually means that public school students are left out of this important equation. There is little evidence to support that CD is currently widely taught in many schooling environments. This research study aims to understand how we might best educate Gen Z public school students on the foundations of CD. Additionally, it seeks to determine whether an elevated level of content regarding CD can influence these students to become more conscientious about their role in the world and how they can apply these practices to their daily lives. Through three phases of applied research methods, this study explores how we might dress this gap. The first phase relies on a literature review to create CD learning tools for students and teachers, which were then refined with Montessori educators in (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Biological Sciences

Environmental degradation has led to a number of environmental issues including, but not limited to, habitat loss, plastic pollution, harmful algal blooms, and climate change. While many of those environmental issues are driven by human actions, there are also numerous environmentally positive, or pro-environmental, behaviors that individuals can adopt to help mitigate negative impacts on the environment. Several theories have aimed to uncover what encourages individuals to change their environmental behavior, such as connection to nature and Theory of Planned Behavior, however, the exact influence and interaction of these theoretical factors, as they encourage pro-environmental behavior adoption specifically, is still unclear. Yet, understanding the factors that influence pro-environmental behavior adoption is critical for environmental educators communicating environmental issues and solutions with the intention of raising awareness and changing behaviors. In this research, I explore the factors that influence pro-environmental behavior adoption in the Lake Erie region through examining the environmental identity of the author through autoethnography, the pro-environmental behaviors of individuals that attend environmental education events, and the influence of social circles on environmental mindedness. Using a mixed method approach, I have uncovered how individuals may be influenced by experiences, education, family, and friends. This information can be used to improve environmentally based communication and encourage more individuals to adopt pro-environmental behaviors.

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2023, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Estimating sediment thickness and bedrock surface geometry is critical for many hydrogeologic studies. The horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR), a passive seismic method is a unique, non-invasive technique for speedily estimating bedrock depth. To record ambient seismic noise, the H/V method employs a single broadband three-component seismometer. A field assessment was conducted on the Wright State University Campus in Dayton, Ohio, to determine the depth (z) and elevation of the bedrock. Data were collected at 60 different locations. A known value for the depth of bedrock on campus was determined using the log from a local water well available from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Using this depth and the observed fundamental resonant frequency (f0) the shear wave velocity (Vs) of the glacial drift above bedrock was calculated, which was then used to determine the depth of bedrock and its elevation in relation to the fundamental resonant frequency (f0). The HVSR results generally produced distinct, easily discernible resonance frequency peaks which together with the Vs constrained at the local borehole allowed the depth to bedrock and thereby bedrock elevation to be mapped across campus. The interpreted depth and elevation of the bedrock surface are comparable with previous surveys on campus.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2023, Foundations of Education

Critical peace education sets forth a process-oriented pedagogy with key tenets that include inquiry, reflection, dialogue, critical value-assessment, and empowerment. Empowerment as tenet is unique because, when viewed comprehensively, it is recognized as an integral element required for the actualization of all other tenets within CPE. Although empowerment may take on many forms within the CPE framework, this work seeks to establish that its foundational component rests upon three distinct elements which include: the ability to establish and maintain authentic inner unification with peace (through the development of an integrated state of nonviolence), the ability to offer valid normative justifications for one's claims, and an ongoing commitment and willingness to reconstruct the conception of peace in pursuit of justice and fairness in a diverse biosphere. The prevalence of violence (specifically structural violence experienced as dehumanization, marginalization, and oppression) coupled with the rise of societal polarization, ingroup bias, and groupthink, highlight the need for a greater focus on and understanding of empowerment in CPE. This work seeks to emphasize that empowerment is a matter of justice which necessitates normative presuppositions for the validation of claims as well as ongoing reflection and praxis in the pursuit of justice as peace; however, without authentic commitment to external as well as internal obligations to peace, empowerment efforts in all forms will remain insufficient. This assertion underscores the need for a three angle approach to dynamic empowerment in CPE.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2022, Curriculum and Instruction

As Environmental Education (EE) is one of the most important subjects in the field of education that need further investigation, the current study explores one issue related to EE. Teachers' beliefs about EE are the subject addressed in this research, with a focus on four different variables related to their beliefs about: their understanding of EE, their experiences with EE, EE as offered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the ideal EE program. Many studies have confirmed the role EE plays in developing students' cognitive skills, critical thinking, awareness, and motivation towards maintaining the environment (Osman & Meerah, 2010; Al-Otaibi, 2014; Volk & Cheak, 2003; Powers, 2004; Eames & Birdsall, 2019). Therefore, it seems to be important to explore what teachers think about EE as an academic content in many subjects taught in Saudi elementary schools. To analyze the answers to the main question raised in this dissertation (MRQ) and the four sub-research questions (SRQ1, SRQ2, SRQ3, and SRQ4) related to its four variables, a questionnaire was first developed. The questionnaire was used to collect data from male teachers of boys' elementary schools in Qurtuba district, Riyadh, KSA. In the analysis of the data descriptive statistics were used, and the data are analyzed numerically using SPSS. The data was analyzed through the calculation of percentages, means, and standard deviations as well as through thematic analysis for the open-ended questions. The analysis reveals that teachers have different beliefs depending on the variable and the question proposed. However, they in general strongly agreed about their beliefs about an ideal EE with both a high percentage (94.1%) and mean (M = 1.61). Teachers also agreed that they believed they understand EE, with a general mean of (M= 1.75). While they also mostly agreed about their beliefs about their experience with EE, the mean here decreased to (M= 2.14). The mean of their beliefs about EE as offered in KSA educa (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2022, Environment and Natural Resources

Complex interactions among biophysical and social systems present challenges for environmental problem-solving. Addressing climate change is a prime example. Climate change can be described as a systems problem characterized by a highly interconnected system structure that produces undesirable outcomes. This complexity highlights the importance of employing systems thinking. Systems thinking departs from the traditional approach of breaking down a system into its separate components, and instead accounts for the complex and dynamic interactions between them, enabling the evaluation of outcomes of decisions and interventions at multiple scales. Accordingly, higher educational institutions are increasingly incorporating systems thinking in their curriculum and pedagogy to produce a qualified cadre of systems thinkers capable of addressing the complex problems they will encounter in their careers. More specifically, systems thinking has been identified as a fundamental element of environmental education as it trains students to integrate information across multiple scales, allowing them to develop effective solutions for today's multidimensional environmental challenges. However, there are still significant knowledge gaps on how to promote and assess systems thinking in formal educational settings. This thesis contributes to the literature in several ways. In chapter two, I apply a systems approach to identify network-derived indicators of systems thinking by analyzing 35 cognitive maps of university students. The key contribution of this work is the development of a novel conceptual framework that integrates three fundamental dimensions of systems thinking – system components, system structure, and system function. Using hierarchical clustering, I identify and distinguish between simple versus complex systems thinking based on how cognitive maps with similar results cluster together. Subsequently in chapter three, I examine how different factors pertaining to a stude (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2022, Educational Leadership

This dissertation in practice examines the absence of an advocacy framework for Black placemakers in southwest Springfield neighborhoods seeking to transform vacant spaces into vibrant pocket parks, green spaces, and community gardens. This critical community-based participatory research addresses inadequate public policies, resources, and technical assistance to create and sustain neighborhood sites for endurance, belonging, and resistance. Thematic findings indicated that systemic issues, street-level organizing, and sustainability are primary barriers and opportunities. An action intervention and change process was developed to establish the Springfield Park and Green Space Ecosystem (SPGE). The action plan focuses on a community coalition of power building, a community benefits agreement, zoning revisions, and public-private partnerships with results-based accountability.