Scholarly Works

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Open Access
Marion Dean Ross / Pacific Northwest Chapter Officers' Handbook (2005 edition)
(Marion Dean Ross / Pacific Northwest Chapter, September 2005)
Open Access
Fostering STEP Community: Project Summary
(National Science Foundation (U.S.), October 2011) Udovic, Daniel
A summary of the project 'Fostering Community in the STEM Talent Enhancement Program: Annual Meetings, a Community Website, and On-Line Activities.'
Open Access
Using STEPcentral.net
(National Science Foundation (U.S.), October 2011) Udovic, Daniel
An introduction to joining and participating in the STEPcentral.net online community.
Open Access
STEP Leadership Workshop: Draft Agenda
(National Science Foundation (U.S.), October 2011) Udovic, Daniel; Hulpke, Kate; STEP Leadership Workshop (2011 : University of Oregon)
Agenda of the National Science Foundation STEP Leadership Workshop, October 16-17, 2011, University of Oregon. (STEP = Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math Talent Expansion Program.)
Open Access
Communities of practice: A brief introduction
(National Science Foundation (U.S.), October 2011) Wenger, Etienne
The term "community of practice" is of relatively recent coinage, even though the phenomenon it refers to is age-old. The concept has turned out to provide a useful perspective on knowing and learning. A growing number of people and organizations in various sectors are now focusing on communities of practice as a key to improving their performance. This brief and general introduction examines what communities of practice are and why researchers and practitioners in so many different contexts find them useful as an approach to knowing and learning.
Open Access
Pump Up Salem
(University of Oregon, 2024-12) Schillinger, Attila; Bullentini, Kaitlyn; Clifford, Avery; Duda, Nicole; Horvath, Michael; Norton, Ella; Knight, Kayleigh; Plumley, Madison
Students were tasked with the opportunity to design a campaign to educate Salem residents on heat pumps and their benefits to support the city’s sustainability initiatives. The overarching goal of the campaign was to increase awareness of heat pumps and an understanding of their benefits in Salem. To achieve this goal, students developed a strategy broken up into two parts: a storytelling community approach and enabling residents to overcome common barriers. Part one focuses on highlighting early adopters of heat pumps within the Salem community and using peer-to-peer communication with simple language to help educate others on the benefits of heat pumps. Part two focuses on overcoming common barriers in heat pump adoption, such as cost, by using action-oriented language and establishing relationships with potential partners like local banks.
Open Access
Performance guide on two Chinese contemporary piano solo works "The Willows are New" by Chou Wen-Chung and "Numa Ame" by Zhang Zhao”
(University of Oregon, 2024-11) Shi, ChangQing;
This lecture document examines two contemporary Chinese piano works: Chou Wen-chung’s The Willows Are New and Zhang Zhao’s Numa Ame. The Willows Are New draws inspiration from Guqin and Wang Wei’s farewell poem 'Yang Kuan", blending pentatonic scales and dynamic nuances to evoke traditional aesthetics. Numa Ame explores the cultural heritage of the Hani people, incorporating their folk music and traditions. Both works demonstrate a synthesis of cultural inspiration and innovative compositional techniques.
Open Access
Data, images, and R programming language code for age-depth modeling a lake sediment record
(2024-10-14) Gavin, Daniel G.
Langlois Lake in western Washington contains evidence of overbank flows (floods) onto an alluvial fan surface from the adjacent Tolt River. A six-meter sediment core from the lake, and a freeze core of the surface sediments, reveals the timing of these overbank flows as distinct silt units in the sediment. Radiocarbon dates and Pb-210 measurements provide a basis for aging these layers. However, due to the very different rates of sedimentation of the silt vs organic segments of the core, there is a complicated relationship between depth in the sediment and age of the sediment. Typical methods have simply removed the "slumps" of the rapidly-deposited material; this is a subjective step and difficult to apply for long cores with many such events. The method used here, originally used in two papers (Colombaroli and Gavin 2010, Colombaroli et al. 2018), uses an estimate of the fluvial silt component of sediment (from color or density) as a proxy for sedimentation rate. The R code (R programming language) and data sets here accompany an application of this method to Langlois Lake. We also provide image files of the sediment record which this method depends. Colombaroli, D., & Gavin, D. G. (2010). Highly episodic fire and erosion regime over the past 2,000 y in the Siskiyou Mountains, Oregon. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 107(44), 18909–18914. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1007692107 Colombaroli, D., Gavin, D. G., Morey, A. E., & Thorndycraft, V. R. (2018). High resolution lake sediment record reveals self-organized criticality in erosion processes regulated by internal feedbacks. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 43(10), 2181–2192. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4383)
Open Access
Re-evaluating hypertragulid diversity in the John Day basin, Oregon, USA
(Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 2024-09-25) Famoso, Nicholas; Jewell, Lana K.
Despite their relative abundance, members of the family Hypertragulidae (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) have proved a conundrum regarding species diversity in the Turtle Cove Member (Oligocene) of the John Day Formation, located in central and eastern Oregon. Three species and two separate genera are described in the area, but previous research lacks statistical support for this level of variation. We use coefficients of variation (V) on measurements of dentition and astragali of hypertragulid specimens designated Hypertragulus hesperius, Hypertragulus minutus, and Nanotragulus planiceps as a metric for determining whether there were multiple species present in the population. Asymptotic and modified signed-likelihood ratio V equality tests show that V values of anterior-posterior molar length and transverse molar width vary significantly when comparing single species of modern ecological analogs (Muntiacus muntjak, Muntiacus reevesi, and Tragulus javanicus) to groupings of a combined population. However, the V equality tests on dental and postcranial measurements yield almost no significant results when comparing variation in the extinct John Day hypertragulids to an extant population comprised of a single species. Similar comparisons between astragali measurements of hypertragulids and T. javanicus express no significant difference in the level of variation from the combined population to a modern single species. The low level of variation in the hypertragulids and the lack of differentiation between dental characters of individuals does not statistically support the hypothesis that there were multiple species present in the population, suggesting either that cryptic species may be present but impossible to identify without soft tissue remains, or there may have been taxonomic over-splitting of a single hypertragulid species in the John Day region.
Open Access
Esports buffs: the perceived role of fans and fandoms in U.S. collegiate programs
(Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2024-09-11) Cote, Amanda C.; Rahman, Md Waseq Ur; Foxman, Maxwell; Wilson, Andrew; Harris, Brandon C.; Can, Onder; Hansen, Jared C.
Introduction: Collegiate esports—organized competitive gaming—has expanded rapidly in the United States, drawing in student players, broadcasters, and support staff, as well as university employees. Universities have invested financially in esports, hoping to capitalize on gaming fandom to attract prospective students and enhance campus community integration. Little research, however, addresses collegiate esports fandom in depth. Methods: Drawing on thirty-one in-depth interviews with collegiate esports players, student workers, program directors, and administrators, this article investigates how collegiate esports participants perceive and discuss their fans. Results: We identify three central themes related to fans in the dataset: discussions of fans’ role in the collegiate esports environment, comparisons between esports and traditional sports fans, and concerns about the underutilization of fans within collegiate esports spaces. Subsequently, we theorize these themes through existing research on professional esports and traditional collegiate sports fandoms, as well as through the concept of “fan labor,” or how the productive work of fans provides value to the nascent industry. Discussion: This article thus not only specifically explores how collegiate esports programs are normalizing fan labor as an essential part of their practices, but also questions who benefits from this relationship and how. Investigating collegiate esports fans as an under-researched group additionally provides a new perspective on how fan labor integrates with media industries more broadly.
Open Access
REDESIGNING CAMPUS DINING TO IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
(University of Oregon, 2024-09) Merrill, Maya; Selek, Hale; McWhorter, Brian
Universities across the United States, including the University of Oregon, have shifted to promote sustainable thinking and living. However, these large institutions also produce an incredible amount of food and packaging waste every day—two of the largest categories contributing to municipal solid waste in the United States. As universities shape future generations of leaders, it is important that they implement systems and products which uphold sustainable living practices and reduce their environmental impact. My research and design aims to provide strategies, system and product redesigns that will reduce the significant amount of food and packaging waste produced by thousands of consumers at UO Dining halls every day. I provide a multi-pronged approach which includes reusable and biodegradable products, educational campaigns, peer support, food waste diversion strategies and additional key steps, informed by research, observations and case studies. In addition to a dining system redesign plan, I propose three food container design solutions: a reusable lid for existing dining hall receptacles, an organic and biodegradable single use container and a complete reusable container design.
Embargo
AN ARCHAEOBOTANICAL GUIDE TO THE NORTHERN GREAT BASIN
(University of Oregon, 2024-09) Di Fiore, Sofia; Kennedy, Jaime; Gallagher, Daphne
Archaeobotany—the study of plants recovered from archaeological sites—is a discipline that offers one the opportunity to peer into the past and look at what the lives of humans looked like in times we will never experience. Archaeobotanical investigations are particularly important to the understanding of how human populations adapt to changing environments, as changes in botanical resources due to climactic shifts necessitate changes in traditional lifeways, shaping human cultures. This thesis reviews the archaeobotanical research history of the Northern Great Basin, a unique and isolated part of the intermountain west with an extensive history of human occupation that makes it an important locus of archaeological study, providing the opportunity for researchers to gain a deep time view of how humans interact with their environment. This project details ten of likely hundreds of plant species represented in the area’s archaeological record, drawing inspiration from traditional plant guides to create a proof-of concept look into the human-environmental connection in this region.
Open Access
GRASS ROOTS: A CASE STUDY OF JOHN SAYLES’ LONE STAR AND UTILIZING RURALITY IN CINEMA AS A CATALYST FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
(University of Oregon, 2024-09) DiStasio, Anthony; Purnama, Ari; Rovak, Angela
This thesis investigates the portrayals of American rural life in film, examining the historical context, commonly found themes and qualities, and cultural implications involved with them. Ultimately, the argument made is that films set in rural environments can influence social change by reshaping the image of American history and identity, pieces of the national fabric in which the image of rurality plays a large role. To argue this, the thesis will first track the relationship between rurality, film, and the United States through time, pointing out important shifts in each subject and the development of the genre and thematic associations now related to rurality in film. Next, the general image of the rural United States will be crafted through compiling the common themes and features found among rural-set films. From there, a case study of John Sayles’ 1996 film Lone Star will demonstrate how a film can utilize those features to provide commentary and reflect on the national image through a rural lens. Overall, the thesis aims to show rurality in film as more than a backdrop, but a lens through which films can address the cultural foundations of the United States in order to serve as a catalyst for redefining the way history, national identity, and rural traditional life is perceived.
Open Access
Visibility for Indigenous Students and Their Languages: Analysis of Home Language Data in Federal Reports across Seven U.S. States
(Social Sciences, 2024-08-16) Perez Baez, Gabriela; Zyskind, Karen; Dorman, Meagan; Medina, Yessenia
There is an increasing number of children in the U.S. classified as English Learners (ELs). Accurately identifying and supporting ELs in their academic settings entails understanding their non- English language experiences. This study presents findings from language reporting practices from seven U.S. states by examining how states account for the linguistic diversity of Indigenous Mesoamerican languages. Our findings reveal varied state approaches and underscore the limitations of current federal guidance, which limits the recognition of students’ non-English language experiences. We advocate for updating language identification practices and policies and propose a new framework for accurate language identification and continuous monitoring of student linguistic diversity.
Embargo
The Ru-volution will be Televised: Unveiling the Commercialization of Drag in RuPaul's Drag Race through Bourdieu's Theory of Practice
(University of Oregon, 2024-08-07) Guzman, John; Chávez, Christopher
This dissertation explores the commodification of drag by exploring the reality competition series RuPaul’s Drag Race. Using Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice, the show draws its data from the first fourteen seasons of the show, as well as the first season seasons of RuPaul’s Drag: All-Stars, and the show’s behind-the-scenes series Untucked, as case studies to examine the impact of the show’s major sponsors. As a third case study, this project also focuses on RuPaul’s Drag Con, the show’s official drag convention. In using these case studies, I argue that although initially the show’s sponsors had a major impact in how drag was performed within the show, these corporate demands of drag became embedded within the program and became self-regulating. Such, the show’s popularity and the sponsor’s impact ultimately changed the field of drag and made it more palatable for a mainstream audience and advertisers. Further, since Drag Race is seen as the apex of what drag is, the show becomes a gatekeeper for those who wish to make a career out of the art form, thereby demanding people conform to the show’s limited interpretation of drag.
Open Access
Principal Leadership Through Pandemic Recovery: The Influence of Leadership, Self-Efficacy, and Experience on Student Rebound
(University of Oregon, 2024-08-07) FERRUA, KOURTNEY; Alonzo, Julie
The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between principal self-efficacy, principal experience, and pandemic rebound rates to better understand the attributes of school principals who are leading schools at different rates of rebounding following the global pandemic in Oregon. In the 2022-2023 school year ODE used the calculation of Average Gap Score Change to compare student achievement results in English language arts from 2018-2019 to the assessments following the pandemic. This study placed principals into performance groups by this state data. For this study, 327 principals serving in schools with poverty rates of 50% or higher within mid-sized school districts were identified using data from the Oregon Department of Education (ODE). All 327 were invited to participate in the study, and 75 principals accepted the invitation. Participants were given a demographic survey and the Principals’ Sense of Efficacy Scale, a tool that measures principals’ beliefs about their leadership using a full-scale score, and three subscales of instructional leadership, moral leadership, and managerial leadership. No statistically significant differences were noted between the performance groups for experience or self-efficacy. These findings reinforce the complexity and dynamic nature of school leadership when studying school administrators and illustrate the need for comprehensive and nuanced approaches to research on leadership and practices. Further research is needed to explore principal leadership in the post-pandemic era of education to identify the characteristics of strong leaders to promote the replication of success.
Open Access
Melt Generation and Evolution of Magmatic Systems in Extensional Settings on Venus: A Semi-Analytical Modeling Approach
(University of Oregon, 2024-08-07) Lien, Rudi; Dufek, Josef
The planet Venus appears to be the only geologically active planet in the solar system at present, aside from Earth. This long-sustained activity is reflected by globally distributed tectonic and volcanic features and evidence for ongoing volcanism. Here, I investigate magma production in the interior of Venus to better understand what thermal conditions are required to source active volcano-tectonic interactions. I developed a two-dimensional semi-analytical model to quantify melt production rates and the thermal evolution of the Venusian interior due to thinning of the lithosphere. Results indicate that large-scale melting (10^-5–10^-2 m^3/m^2/yr) is possible under present-day Venusian conditions for a broad range of parameters, although the melt production rates are consistently lower (by at least one order of magnitude) than those at similar geologic settings on Earth. This work characterizes the interior processes that may drive magmatism, volcanism, and tectonism on Venus, which has greater implications for planet evolution.This thesis includes unpublished co-authored material.
Open Access
Remote Sensing of Lake Ice Dynamics in the Lower Kuskokwim River Basin, AK
(University of Oregon, 2024-08-07) Pletcher, Addison; Cooley, Sarah
The formation and breakup of lake ice plays a critical role in the hydrology, ecology, and subsistence activities of Arctic regions. However, little research has examined ice phenology in small water bodies and complex deltaic environments, areas that are particularly responsive to climate changes and could provide early indicators of broader environmental shifts. This study uses Sentinel-2 optical imagery to map the timing of lake ice breakup in the Lower Kuskokwim River Basin in southwest Alaska from 2018 to 2023. We detect ice breakup timing in 145,955 lakes, as small as 0.001 km2, filling a gap in our understanding of finer scale lake ice dynamics. Our results indicate that the average ice breakup date across the study period is May 14, with a standard deviation of 9.6 days. Breakup timing shows significant interannual variability, with the earliest mean breakup occurring on May 6 in 2019 and the latest on May 27 in 2023. The standard deviation in breakup timing also varies, with certain years exhibiting wider variability (e.g., 2019 and 2023) compared to others (e.g., 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022). Temperature is a primary driver of breakup timing; we identify a statistically significant positive correlation between the date of the 0°C isotherm and breakup timing. Smaller lakes (defined as lakes < 1 km2) tend to break up earlier than larger lakes (6 days earlier on average), demonstrating a faster thermal response to climatic conditions. We find that the lag interval between the 0°C isotherm and breakup date averages 8.4 days, with smaller lakes exhibiting shorter lag intervals compared to larger lakes. Our analysis of 145,955 lakes over six years demonstrates the utility of Sentinel-2 imagery in accurately detecting ice breakup, typically within 2.8 days of observed dates, despite challenges such as cloud cover, sensor resolution, and temporal gaps. The significant interannual variability, along with notable differences in breakup timing between smaller and larger lakes, underscores the responsiveness of small lakes to temperature fluctuations. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating high-resolution satellite imagery to capture rapid environmental changes, providing a more nuanced understanding of climatic impacts across diverse lake types.
Open Access
Disrupting Colonial Binaries: Gender and Masculinity on the Northwestern Frontier of New Spain, 1540-1780
(University of Oregon, 2024-08-07) Austin, Zahran; Heinz, Annelise
The overall goal of this thesis is to expand the understanding of the role of gender in theSpanish colonization of the margins of northwestern New Spain as well as the historiographical conceptions which have previously restricted some aspects of this field of study. My sources include both published and unpublished documents, primarily centered around Hernando de Alarcón, Juan de Oñate, Pedro Fages, and Francisco Palóu. The main argument of the thesis is that the proper performance of masculinity was so important to the colonizing Spanish, including missionaries, settlers, and soldiers, that it shaped what they considered good governance, reasonable conduct, appropriate clothing, marriage practices, and sexual behavior. They used the actions of Indigenous people as a rhetorical foil both to make their own masculinity appear stronger and to mark Indigenous people as inferior and other on the grounds of their improper performance of Spanish gender norms.
Open Access
Investigating Content Multidimensionality in a Large-scale Science Assessment: A Mixed Methods Approach
(University of Oregon, 2024-08-07) Malcom, Cassandra; Scalise, Kathleen
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills are increasingly required of students to be successful in higher education and the workforce. Therefore, modeling assessment outcomes accurately, often using more types of student data to get a complete picture of student learning, is increasingly relevant. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is promoted as a summative assessment opportunity that includes a science framework. As with many science assessments, the framework includes Life, Physical, and Earth science, which alone seems to imply multidimensionality, and also there are other sources of dimensionality that seem to be described conceptually in the framework. Using data from the 2015 PISA science assessment, a multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) model was fit to see how a multidimensional model operates with the data. Before developing the MIRT model, a qualitative review of the framework for multidimensionality took place and exploratory analyses were implemented for the quantitative data, including a data science technique to explore multidimensionality and some factor analysis techniques. After fitting the MIRT model, it was compared to several unidimensional IRT (UIRT) models to determine the model that explains the most variation. The qualitative analyses generated evidence of multidimensional science content domains in the 2015 PISA science framework, which should require a MIRT model, but quantitative analyses indicate a unidimensional model is more practically significant. Once quantitative results were triangulated with the qualitative review of the framework for multidimensionality, the implications on equity and history of harm with regards to science assessments were discussed. Findings from the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the study were used to generate recommendations for different stakeholders.