Honors Theses Open Access
 
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1 Quinn, ChloeThe impact of the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River: options for the futureThe Grand Canyon and the Colorado River at its base are iconic natural features of the western United States that are revered by many. This landscape may be well known for its resplendent red canyon walls and beautiful river with huge whitewater, but it is also famous for the monstrous dams that con...2023
2 Schmutz, EmilyTransportation alternatives for little cottonwood canyon and their operational implicationsBeginning in 2017, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has worked on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which provides transportation improvement alternatives for the heavy congestion that takes place in Little Cottonwood Canyon and feeder streets during the winter ski season. U...2021
3 Draper, Mark HelzenWriting off nature: how literacy changes our relationship with the naturalThis thesis will examine how writing has changed our relationship with the natural world. Using a phenomenological methodology in combination with media theory, I will examine the costs and benefits of the revolutionary invention of alphabetic writing on that relationship to our lived-experience of ...2022
4 Green, AustinMeasuring occupancy and occurrence of medium and large mammals in Red Butte Canyon Research Natural Area using motion-activated camera trapsWith expanding urbanization and development, human encroachment on wilderness areas continues to increase. In Utah, much of the once pristine and untouched mountain ecosystems of the Wasatch Front have been developed for recreation and other human use, and this increasing human-wildlife interaction...Red Butte Canyon (Salt Lake County, Utah); Wilderness area monitoring - United States; Wildlife conservation - Utah
5 Mann, KyraMicroplastic water pollution spanning the wildland to urban gradient of red Butte Creek, Salt Lake City, UtahAnthropogenic activities contribute to the presence and abundance of microplastics in aquatic habitats. Microplastic pollution poses risks to the health of humans, wildlife, and ecosystems, acting as vectors that carry harmful toxins and disease. However, there is relatively little research on the e...2021
6 Bell, Anthony W.The expansion of pinyon-juniper woodland and the appearance of peromyscus truel in the Toiyabe range of central NevadaIn the early twentieth century field biologists from the University of California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology conducted vertebrate faunal surveys throughout the Great Basin region. Over the past several years we have been conducting resurveys of many of the localities visited by MVZ scientists. Our...Piñon mouse -- Nevada -- Toiyabe Range; Piñon mouse -- Habitat -- Nevada -- Toiyabe Range; Piñon mouse -- Climatic factors -- Nevada -- Toiyabe Range2012-05
7 Fairchild, DylanClimate change, extreme weather fluctuations and future of inhabitance and use in the Wasatch Mountain RangeAnthropogenic climate warming is occurring on a scale of exponential frequency. This climate change is a problem in and of itself as it permanently adjusts worldwide weather patterns and damages ecosystems essential to the function of our contemporary lives. This analysis will focus on the Wasatch M...2024
8 Harris, IanThe Colorado River compact: questioning the past, present, and future justificationIn recent decades, the reliability of the Colorado River to remain the main provider of water for the Intermountain West region has been called into question. Particularly under discussion is whether the Colorado River Compact (CRC) and Law of the River, first enacted in 1922 are still relevant gove...2021
9 Munn, JacksonDetermining microbial community composition and methane flux or red butte canyon sediment over timeMethane is a potent greenhouse gas that is released from the soil into the atmosphere, which contributes heavily to global warming. One potential way of reducing the amount of methane in the air is through studying methane consuming bacteria (methanotrophs) and how they interact with other microbes ...2022
10 Saifee, ZahraA value-based exploration of Zion National Park and assessment of future solutionsThis thesis is a case study which explores the development of Zion National Park. Currently, National Parks as a whole, and Zion National Park in particular, face issues of environmental degradation, lack of racial diversity, and the erasure of indigenous history. However, the most challenging part ...2022
11 Bertelsen, BrandonWord of the wildMany people value and experience what the natural world has to offer and many people do not. The opportunities that exist outdoors include recreation, education, development, and therapy. Everything I do, school, work, volunteer, and play, is to better provide outdoor experiences for people of all...Outdoor life - Psychological aspects2014-12
12 Suggs, AlexisPassive cooling strategies for buildings in UtahThis thesis explores techniques and strategies that can be used to passively cool buildings in Utah. The first portion contains a breif explannation of what passive cooling is, why Utah was chosen as the focus, a short history of air condition, and why passive cooling is important. The second part o...Air conditioning2016-05
13 Stein, SabrinaRiver Nymph, Earth Goddess: a Female Narrative on the Power of Outdoor Adventure ExperiencesThe primary focus of this thesis is to reveal aspects of the female reality in outdoor adventure experiences. An outdoor adventure experience occurs at any time where one is intentionally outside, appreciating nature often through a type of physical activity. My method is intentional introspection a...2018
14 Poma, SashaBeing latina: the crossroads of identity in U.S.-Latino literatureThis thesis focuses on issues of Latina identity in U.S.-Latino literature and my personal experience as a woman of Latin American descent. Specifically, the thesis uses Gloria Anzaldúa's groundbreaking work, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza to define and contextualize the Latina feminism i...2022
15 Feliciano, Jeppesen GarciaDevelopment of Computational Strategies for Improved Environmental Simulations of Water Energy Balances, Air Quality, and Energy UseIn the last decade, there has been more focus on urban microclimate due to concerns for inhabitants' health, water and energy resource consumption, and air quality. The Green Environmental Urban Simulations for Sustainability (GEnUSiS) project uses large computational platforms including the Quick U...2017
16 Parnell, Alycia M.Finding home: discovering place in a changing worldIn spring of 2010, I took a class called Global Environmental Issues from a professor in the biology department named Fred Montague, who had achieved a somewhat legendary status as a lecturer. He taught us science, the grim outlook of the environment, and the convoluted policies working against chan...2012-08
17 Kobe-Rundio, MayaIn Our Element: Outdoor Recreation as a Tool for Female Empowerment and Community BuildingThis research investigates the meanings of outdoor recreation in the lives of college-aged female-identified and non-binary individuals. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 16 current students and recent graduates of the University of Utah generated rich narratives on the themes of challeng...2019
18 Cheek, IsaacRights of nature for the Colorado RiverThe Colorado River is the backbone of civilization in the Western United States, and it is facing an unprecedented environmental crisis. As drought tightens its grip on the Basin, a diverse array of stakeholders and policymakers are postured to negotiate a new policy regime for the Colorado River. T...2022
19 Roberts, AshleyThe View From Our Mother's HouseThe View from Our Mother's House is a novel about a family of three women struggling to understand and accept their past, full of abandonment and manipulation, while dealing with the immediate needs of the mother dying from Alzheimer's disease. This project combines research in the field of literatu...2019
20 Quackenbush, CameronThe Great Salt Dustbowl: the Impacts of a Drying EcosystemThe Salt Lake Valley faces a dire environmental situation: the drying of the Great Salt Lake (GSL). As state and local water authorities push forward with plans to further dam and divert the single largest input to the GSL, it is crucial to acknowledge the implications of a drying lake bed for the W...2019
21 Hadfield, NicholasHuman pathways to the Great Salt LakeHow is the Great Salt Lake connected to our sense of place as residents of the Salt Lake Valley? This thesis seeks to explore the Great Salt Lake's spiritual, environmental, and economic importance to past, present, and future inhabitants of the Salt Lake Valley. To do so, the paper explores differ...City planning - Utah; Great Salt Lake (Utah)2016-04
22 Hammock, ChrisAnthropology, Ethnography, and Documentary Film: Reflecting on a Documentary JourneyA comparative analysis of underlying ethical dilemmas in anthropology and documentary work, founded on the production of a short student documentary highlighting an ethnographic anthropology research project. The documentary studies academic field, classic ethnographic documentaries, and personal ac...2018
23 Oliva, Brenden ClarkSecond hand storiesThis collection of short stories examines human behavior through the lens of biology, particularly the present-day manifestations of evolutionary history. The stories' characters exhibit behavior that appears to contradict Darwinian concepts of individual success. On the surface they are self-destru...American fiction - 21st century2012-05
24 Jensen, MadelineChanges in microbial diversity in storm-water green infrastructureIncreased urbanization has led to excess nutrients in urban ecosystems. Stormwater Green Infrastructure (SGI) is a method to capture these nutrients and prevent runoff. However, an increased understanding of ecosystem processes is needed to create more efficient SGIs. Past studies have shown that pl...2022
25 Baker, MargaretComparative morphology of chenopodium berlandieri seeds and fruits from cowboy cave, Utah: implications for cultivation and domesticationThe ancient shift from collecting and gathering native plants to the cultivation and domestication of those species was one of the most significant evolutionary transitions in human history. Due to recent advancements in archaeological techniques, the geographic occurrences of prehistoric plant cul...Plants - Utah2016-05
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