Method for Direct Catalytic Spectrophotometric Determination of Iron by Flow Injection Analysis

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

A sensitive flow injection (FI) system for determining dissolved iron concentrations involved a complex manifold: peristaltic pump, two electronically actuated 6-port, 2-postion injection valves, UV-Vis spectrophotometer and a desktop computer controlled by a software program for data acquisition. The FI method allows for direct preconcentration of iron in samples at trace metal nanomolar concentrations using the catalytic colorimetric indicator N, N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride. Toyopearl AF-Chelate-650M chelating resin is used to remove the need for sample treatments before preconcentrating and eliminate interferences from iron binding to organic ligands in the sample matrix

Methodology for in situ DRIFTS Measurements of Atmospheric Heterogeneous Processes

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) is a form of infrared spectroscopy specific to analyzing powder solids. The DRIFTS apparatus contains a controlled environment in vacuum or atmospheric pressure conditions. Heterogeneous interactions of gas-solid samples in the DRIFTS cell allow for in situ measurements under a variety of environmental conditions to characterize functional groups and structural evolution during the process of a chemical reaction. Experiments studied the effect of acetone adsorption on Titanium dioxide (TiO2) surface for oxidation reactions on the surface.

MICP Bio-cementation for Uniform Improvement of Heterogenous Sands

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) is an environmentally-conscious bio-cementation ground improvement technology. In the process, microorganisms containing active urease enzymes are utilized to induce the precipitation of calcite on soil particle surfaces and contacts. MICP can be utilized for; strengthening soils to support structures, mitigation of earthquake-induced liquefaction, prevention of soil erosion, improvement of slope stability, and immobilization of divalent cation contaminants.

Micrographic insights of etiological agents in Pacific oysters

Victoria Cifelli, Biological Sciences Graduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

A comparison of the topography and microbial community of oyster gills with and without OsHV-1.

Microhabitat Use in the Wandering Salamander

Noah Morales, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

An evaluation of characteristics of tree stumps that make them conducive for the presence of the Wandering Salamander (Aneides vagrans). I looked at stump diameter, the relative abundance of cracks on the stumps, and the amount of surface and canopy cover around the stumps to determine if wandering salamander abundance is correlated with any of those variables.

Mindfulness: A physiological examination of mediation and alternate states of conciousness

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

From Tibetan monks to college students in the U.S., meditation is a practice that has transcended cultural barriers and has been in existence for thousands of years. In addition to waking, dreaming, and non-dreaming, Davidson (1976) describes the practice of transcendental meditation (TM) as a fourth state of consciousness (as cited in Kanellakos & Lukas, 1974). This is due to the studies with brain wave lengths and EEGs that show what areas of the mind are being activated during meditation. My study will be a literature review of: the physiological changes during meditation, brain activity during meditation, and current clinical applications.

Modeling Environments of the Ancients

Daniel Hodges, Computer Science Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Modeling environment probability map of ancient settlements using Geospatial computer software

Modeling Peak Photosynthesis in The Great Smoky Mountains

Crystal Diaz, Environmental Science & Management Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This study examines how climate change is affecting plant phenology—the timing of seasonal growth—in the Great Smoky Mountains (GSM), a deciduous forest located between North Carolina and Tennessee. The research focuses on how variations in spring temperature and winter precipitation influence the timing of peak vegetation growth, measured using the Green Chromatic Coordinate (GCC). GCC is a spectral index that tracks the greenness of vegetation from RGB images, indicating leaf development and peak photosynthesis. Using data from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), the project aims to predict when peak GCC occurs each year.

Modeling Pregnant Elk Presence in Alberta, Canada

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The aim of this research is to better understand pregnant Cervus elaphus relationship to climatic and topographic elements.

Modification of Turbulent Pipe Flow Equations to Estimate the Vertical Velocity Profiles Under Woody Debris Jams

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Large woody debris (LWD) in rivers can increase fish and macroinvertebrate habitat, but also increases the risk of flooding and reduces channel navigability. This research aims to better understand the river hydraulics associated with LWD in order to find a balance between the beneficial and detrimental effects. By modifying equations of turbulent pipe flow, we attempt to estimate the vertical velocity profile of flow under LWD jams and compare the estimated profile to measured profiles from flume-simulated LWD jams.