Spring Thesis Proposals Part II

Alexandria Keeble

A Discourse Analysis of Stakeholder Positions Regarding Reopening the Gold Mine at Wolf Creek, Nevada County, California

In order to get a better idea of how people view the mines and other stake holders Alexandria is going to do a discourse analysis based on previously identified stake holder groups. Dresden is the primary informant for discourse theory and how Alex has designed her study. To do this  study she will use the Qtest which in general terms is to administer surveys to determine how stakeholder groups think the other group members see them and how they see themselves. This will provide insight into how the discourse is working in regards to the reopening of a mine. She will be interviewing members from various stakeholder groups and then doing analytical comparisons about how they ranked statements in interviews. From this analysis she hopes to shed light onto groups functioning opinions of others and what their opinions really are. This may make it possible for these groups to work together more closely instead of assuming they stand on different sides of the issue.

Shannon Feeny

Impacts of Anthropogenic and Natural Stressors on Southern California Eelgrass Ecosystems for Regenerative Planning and Management”

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a federally protected marine seagrass due to its importance as a fish nursery, predation refuge and food source. It is estimated that there are less than 5000 acres of eelgrass today in the Southern California area. It is protected under the Southern Caifornia Eelgrass Mitigation Policy (SCEMP) revision 11. The overarching question is how can eelgrass stressors be identified, altered and avoided in order to create sustainable eelgrass communities that promote greater biodiversity throughout Southern California coastal areas? Shannon proposes to measure the following variables – dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, conductivity, salinity, fecal coliform bacteria, turbidity, temperature, nitrates, phosphate, and pH. Data collection will be at Peters Landing Marina and Jack Dunster Marine Biological Reserve. In addition to the chemical differences she will measure the number of shoots per meter and the overall size of the beds to determine health and density. Data will be analyzed statistically to aid in her understanding.

 

Eric-Valentin Issertes-Carbonnier

Adaptive Building Envelopes:Integration of Transitional Technologies”

The subject of Eric’s research are building envelopes. Traditionally they are perceived as static and non-participatory within our active environment. Adaptive building envelopes are a concept that integrates transitional technologies, which couple building performance and the natural environment. The main objective of this research is to prototype an adaptable building envelope inspired by a combination of innovative passive and active technologies known as transitional technologies. The main research questions of this proposal are: How can transitional technologies enhance a building envelope’s affinity with the exterior and interior environment to reduce energy consumption? What are the emergent regenerative qualities of adaptable building envelopes? The testing will be completed using computer analysis and physical testing. Data loggers will be used to measure internal temperatures and automated building functions will also be tested. Integration of automated functions offer a greater capacity to improve indoor thermal comfort and reduce building energy consumption while maintaining an affinity with the natural environment.

Spring Thesis Proposals Part I

Enrique Huerta

Exploring an Environmental Impact Reports Value Sharing Process: A Case Study of a Transit Oriented Development

Enrique is proposing to analyze the practices of urban planners involved in developing the North Hollywood area at the end of the Red subway line. Transit oriented developments (TODs) are high density living and working areas. TOD tries to connect different land uses and create dense land use around transit areas. He will interview people involved in TOD approval and analyze the gap between vision goals and outcomes.

 

Rachel Camp:

California School Gardens: Structure, Funding, and Community Participation

School gardens have been a part of the modern educational movement since the mid 1800’s. These gardens teach subjects like science, nutrition, history, math, and can be literature supplements. In addition to academic subjects they are used to teach social skills, cooperation, critical thinking and reasoning. Rachel proposes to do site visits in order to determine which practices gardens are doing. These practices will be observed in person and analyzed through interviews with garden managers. Practices will be judged based on how regenerative they are, how common they are, and how successful they are. Gardens will be chosen randomly to reflect different climate zones and areas of California. All participating schools will be public institutions to insure a common base line of academic standards. A better understanding of school gardens and finding ways to encourage them is critical to a healthy future and a secure food system.

Allison Okihiro

Regenerative Design in the Field of Landscape Architecture: Theory, Impediments, Applications and Future

Over the course of the history of landscape architecture, particular design methodological theories have become prominent and in time fallen to the wayside. Regenerative design or other similar concepts have existed for several decades within the profession yet have not become fully integrated into the way we design. Allison is proposing to use discourse analysis from a grounded theory approach to analyze the elements, rules, expectations, and judgments of landscape design. To do this she will study design theories and compare them based on the elements of design, the rules of design, design outcomes, and judgments of success. By discerning the limits and restrictions set out by design theory they can be nullified and mitigated to more fully incorporate regenerative design into the landscape architecture field.

Regenerative Studies students team up with architecture students and go to Mexico City to learn about climate appropriate design

Habitat 21 is continuing its work to help provide low-cost sustainable shelter for people in developing countries through Pablo LaRoche’s spring quarter class, ARC 499: Low Cost Sustainable Housing. From June 15th through the 19th, LaRoche and students from ARC 499 traveled to Mexico City to work with architecture students and faculty from Universidad Autonoma in Mexico City on possibly adapting the Tijuana project to the city of Veracruz.

LaRoche visited Universidad Autonoma in December of 2008 as a keynote speaker in an international seminar and it was during this time that he and the faculty there decided to collaborate on low cost sustainable housing through a future project. This trip was the culmination of those plans.

During the visit, faculty in Mexico City gave Cal Poly Pomona students lectures on urban issues and climate appropriate design. Professor LaRoche lectured on energy modeling for low energy buildings. The class also toured local Barragán architecure. A visionary Mexican architect, Barragán is regarded as one of the most important architects of the 20th century. His buildings are renowned for their mastery of space and light, but Barragán was equally influential as a landscape architect and urban planner.

The ultimate goal of the trip was to experiment with the application of the students' individual research projects. A requirement of the course was that the students had to have participated in the Tijuana Project and that they be willing to participate in the design experience. The entire class worked together as a team in the design of their class projects, and this trip was unique in that it brought together both architecture students and Regenerative Studies Master’s Students for the first time. The architecture students who went on the trip were: Michael Yao, Jon Orr, Cynthy Harris, James Anderson, Yazmin Lozano. Regenerative Studies students who went were: Rael Berkowitz, Cristina Halstead, Michelle McFadden, and Eric Carbonnier.