This thesis aims to address barriers that K-5 educators face when implementing environmental education in classrooms. An in-depth study of the history of environmental education in the United States identifies primary barriers and issues. Focusing specifically on garden education programs, six lesson plans for K-5 were created to address the...
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted disparities in land access and food security. Research has shown that access to gardening reduces financial burdens on low-income households. Compared to homeowners, individuals and families in rental housing face added barriers to vegetable gardening and growing food. These barriers include rental housing regulations and the...
The electrical output of solar panels is reduced when dust covers the panels, but the air movement produced by a flying drone can be used to remove this debris. This research project will study the effectiveness of a quadcopter drone in dusting a solar panel. A solar panel was covered...
A DC distribution system targeted for residential settings has been designed and
simulated. The system features the ability to draw power from both the utility and
photovoltaic arrays. In times of surplus solar energy, the system is able to supply power
back to the utility to facilitate net metering. The...
Electricity is at the center of attention as today many essential systems (water, gas, communications, and the internet for example) and infrastructures depend on its continuity for their smooth functioning. On the other hand, electricity power networks have developed and became large, and highly complex technical systems, geographically extended, requiring...
This design of a Grid Friendly Electric Hot Water Heater Thermostat was built for the Electrical and Computer Engineering Senior Design course, ECE44x. The design enables hot water heaters to respond to imbalances in the grid seen through deviations from standard grid frequency by varying the power output to the...
Climate change is occurring at an increasingly rapid rate, with impacts heightened in the cold regions of the world including the Arctic. Warming effects are widespread, with one impacted process – freeze-thaw cycles – increasing in frequency and potentially triggering additional changes in permafrost soils that have previously acted as...
Type-2 diabetes (T2D) has become a pandemic. The main impairment in T2D is skeletal muscle insulin resistance (IR) and is often associated with obesity. Despite decades of study, the mechanisms of IR have not been fully resolved. Evidence has implicated mitochondrial dysfunction as a potential cause and/or consequence of IR....
Heightened cortisol levels are a typical physiological response to stress. The many responsibilities of animal shelter workers can lead to increased stress levels and negative effects on their job satisfaction and overall wellness. As a result, workers are subject to burnout and compassion fatigue. While working in shelter environments may...