In America’s polarized politics, the language that congresspeople use matters. This thesis examines the use of bipartisan communications—in tweets and press releases—of members of the US House of Representatives as an electoral strategy for representatives in districts of varying competitiveness. A linear regression was conducted to analyze the relationship between...
Investigating the insectivorous diet of the Trowbridge’s shrew (Sorex trowbridgii) across forest types can illustrate how forest management affects biotic communities. I used DNA metabarcoding methods with ANML primers to identify stomach and intestines contents from shrews caught in pitfall traps in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest (HJA) and Willamette...
Non-destructive testing is a methodology to inspect production and operational parts for potential flaws, defects, or damages. The present work is based on pulsed wave thermography, a thermal imaging method based on heat conduction to identify surface and subsurface defects potentially present in a component. Pulsed wave thermography applies a...
Physical activity and social emotional health among children have become increasingly important for children’s overall development. Recess is a time during the school day for students to have access to physical activity opportunities as well as socialize and interact with their peers. A quality recess, that is age and developmentally...
Genetic counseling, a healthcare profession centered on communicating genetic information to patients and helping them understand it, has been rapidly evolving with the development of genetic sequencing and editing technology over the past decades. Consequently, future and current genetic counselors must address societal and ethical implications, as well as historical...
Water fluoridation is considered one of the top ten greatest health achievements of the twentieth century due to its effectiveness in reducing the prevalence of dental caries. However, despite extensive research on the subject, there is little information currently available about how the constituents of drinking water affect the uptake...
Tightness-looseness (TL) is a cultural construct that measures the level of social norms present in a community, and the level of scrutiny of deviance from these norms. This construct offers a unique foundation for investigating how norms influence behavioral processes. Research in TL is relatively young, creating a frontier of...
According to a 2017 Pew Research Study, 44% of adults in America say that they do not feel informed enough about science to understand news and new discoveries discussed on the media (Funk et al. 2019). This is concerning, because adults are not just passive consumers of media; among other...
Marine primary production can be modeled and estimated using remotely-observable physiological signatures such as chlorophyll and carbon. Current models are based on strict physiological relationships based on photoautotrophic phytoplankton, and discrepancies between modeled and in situ data may stem from unaccounted-for physiological deviations from photoautotrophy. Mixotrophic phytoplankton can obtain energy...
Low-Income urban African American (LIU-AA) youth are at high risk for HIV/STIs and adolescent pregnancy. Sexual health websites (SHWs) offer an inexpensive, easy-to-disseminate, and potentially highly-accessible method of improving sexual health knowledge, awareness, and help-seeking. The present study examined engagement regarding sexual health websites for at-risk, LIU-AA youth. We conducted...
In this thesis, I created a short film to immerse and connect, or reconnect, Oregonians to Outdoor School and its impact on youth. Outdoor School (ODS) is an experiential outdoor education program for 5th and 6th graders, that recently became funded statewide in Oregon through voters’ approval of Measure 99....
The United States is a global leader in agricultural productivity. Much of its productivity growth can be attributed to public investments in agricultural research and development, starting in the 19th century and continuing until today. Past studies have shown high returns to agricultural research investments, but publicly funded agricultural research...
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited genetic disease caused by a single gene mutation in the CFTR protein. Affecting 70,000 people worldwide, this disease is debilitating to patients, resulting in persistent lung infections and decreased quality of life. Due to the various mutation types, there is not currently a single drug...
Fashion bloggers have become a changing force of the retail industry over the past decade, redefining where consumers look for fashion inspiration, product reviews, and brand credibility. Despite the widespread popularity of fashion bloggers, there is little industry consensus as to what characteristics make a fashion blogger successful and to...
The goal of my thesis is to (a) help reveal to the Corvallis community who comprises this local population and (b) to share with local resource agencies what potential gaps are present from the perspectives of the homeless individuals who call Corvallis home. We interviewed eight (8) individuals who have...
A recipe as a piece of text can tell a variety of stories as well as any other. Using a feminist rhetorical analysis, I read my grandmother’s personal recipe journal to show that her writings contain valuable information about women’s lives in twentieth century Poland. Through the close examination of...
Pollen, the male product of the flower, is a crucial component in plant reproduction, as it transmits the sperm cells to the female structures, enabling fertilization and subsequent seed production. A major transition of the pollen life cycle, triggered upon pollination of female floral tissue, is from a dormant pollen...
This study seeks to examine the participation and representation of stakeholders involved in the Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force during their first year, culminating in the publishing of their Year One Report and Recommendations for actions with the goal of moving the Southern Resident killer whales toward recovery. This...
Sex education plays a critical role in the development of youth sexual health and wellbeing. An ideal program is taught with honesty in an inclusive and respectful environment where students learn strategies to lower their risk of unwanted sexual outcomes, communication skills to build and navigate relationships, and necessary knowledge...
In this thesis, I aim to bring two ancient spiritual guides into dialogue with each other and with modern psychology: the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra by Śāntideva of the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition and The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus of the Christian tradition. I draw from Tibetan Buddhist commentaries on...