The majority of low-rise residential structures in the U.S. are constructed with wood. Wood-based composites are primary building materials in these structures, used as structural sheathing, joists, and beam components. Wood composites are susceptible to degradation upon exposure to high levels of moisture. Moisture durability is routinely assessed with accelerated...
Knot Theory: In Imitation of Lewis Thomas is a collection of 14, 1200-word essays written in the style of Lewis Thomas, a physician who regularly contributed to The New England Journal of Medicine. His 1200-word column, "Notes of a Biology Watcher," ran from 1971 - 1980. The resulting compilations collectively...
The complexity of human/riverine systems has led to an increasing focus on land
use patterns and policy. My goal is to understand the dynamics of a coupled human and
natural system. The central question is how people in the community of Scio, Oregon
perceive flooding, water quality, and riparian habitat....
Understanding the impact of humans on the environment has long been a topic of scholarly interest and debate. As environmental problems mount, accounts of historic ecological conditions and the factors of change become increasingly useful. This study considers competing schools of interpretation about human impacts on ecological landscapes and develops...
My thesis, entitled "Fantastic Histories: How Malory's Morte Darthur
Influenced Tolkien's The Silmarillion," argues that J.R.R. Tolkien's Silmarillion
shares distinct similarities in style and content with Sir Thomas Malory's Morte
Darthur, primarily in the lack of detail in the descriptions of characters and events, as
each attempts to create a...
Surface water and groundwater are intimately connected by a two-way flux between the stream and the underlying aquifers; a complicated yet crucial relationship to represent in models. However, the National Water Model currently only considers a one-way flux, where groundwater can enter a stream but cannot return to the aquifer....
Cyprinid herpesvirus 1 (CyHV1) infects all scaled and color varieties of common carp Cyprinus carpio, including koi. While it is most often associated with unsightly growths known as ‘carp pox,’ the underlying lesion (epidermal hyperplasia) can arise from a variety of disease processes. CyHV1-induced epidermal hyperplasia may occur transiently in...
Glycosides are natural molecules found in many plants and hold potential to release new flavors and aromas into alcoholic beverages, particularly beer and wine. One way to free these flavors and aromas is by enzymatic hydrolysis catalyzed by βglucosidase. The activities of β-glucosidase are strain and species dependent in yeast...
Autobiography is usually categorized with essays and other technical writings, and rarely considered creative or artistic literature in the public eye. This project explores the elements of autobiography and two authors who break the barriers of conventional practices to create works that also function as creative and artistic literature. Maya...