Partial list of research projects completed by GEP and NRSD students. (updated Feb 2009)

 

Agriculture

Edge, Joshua (2007)

Groundwater Irrigation and the Food Supply: The Case of the Ogallala Aquifer

 

Follett, Jeff (2007)

Who Will Take the Lead? Social Movements and Strategic Alliances for an Alternative Food System in the United States


 

Hunt, Suzanne (2004)

The Future of Agriculture: Certification and Ecolabeling

 

Ostfeld, Jacqueline (2006)

Cultivating a Sustainable Agricultural Sector: Policy Tools for the 2007 Farm Bill

 

Newbold, Elizabeth (2008)

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Manure Production & Pollution on Water Systems

 

Dodge, Kris (2008)

Agribusiness of the Global Monoculture: Durable Alternatives for the Rural Philippines

 

Dozoretz, Lindsay (2008)

Will Corporatization Kill the Soul of Organics?:  The Implications of the Organic Movement's Engagement with Big Business and What it Means for the Future of Food

 

Climate Change

Arakelian, Lynda, (2003)

Clean Development Mechanism Baselines, Costa Rica

 

Baker, Leah (2007)

Congress & Sustainability Pivot Points: A Case for Incorporating Tougher Metrics into the Unfolding U.S. Climate Regime

 

Hodum, Ryan (2007)

Advancing Action to Avoid Additional Anthropogenic Activity in Asia's Atmosphere:The Potential Promise and Peril of Chinese Capitalists Combating Climate Change

 

King, Ashley (2006)

Modeling Vehicle Miles Traveled:  Implications for Local Climate Change Policy in Portland,Oregon 

 

Lubetsky, Jonathan (2003)

Adaptation and Climate Change

 

McMahon, Sean (2007)

Reframing Climate Change: Morality, Human Health, and National Security

 

 

Rinnerberger, Nina (2006)

Drowning Islands: Social Justice Through Litigation?

 

Vizzier, Kirk (2007)

The Creation of a Global ETS: Expanding the market for international emissions trading through system linkages

 

Keller, Stephanie (2008)

The Post-2012 Climate Change Agreement: A Role for the European Union

 

Matter, Julie (2008)

Renewable Energy: Mitigating Climate Change

 

Conservation

Makihara, Sei

The Giant Panda Program

 

Tourville, Sarah (2006)

Debt-for-Nature Swaps: Trading External Debt for Environmental Conservation in the Developing World

 

Rowell, Toby (2008)

Perceptions of Protected Areas, Wildlife, and Hunting: A Case Study of the Coto Brus Area in the Southwest Talamanca Mountain Range of Costa Rica

 

Witkowski, Kelly (2008)

Guanacaste National Park and Roaring Creek: Assessment of the Relationship Between a National Park and a Buffer Community

 

Environmental Economics

Ash, Kyle (2006)

The Political Economics of Population Decrescendo in Wealthy Countries

 

Environmentalism

MacLane, Daniel (2005)

Connecting to Nature in Leopold, Abbey, and Carson

 

Guitar, Christine (2005)

Valuing Values: Going Back to the Fundamentals

 

Perry, Dana (2007)

The Human-Nature Disconnect: Understanding the Causes, Investigating Solutions

 

Simpson, Summer (2005)

Environmentalism for the South

 

Slavin, Michelle (2007)

Creating Environmental Literacy: The Role of Local Knowledge in Environmental Education Programs

 

Van Horn, Meredith (2007)

Checking the Pulse of Environmentalism: Finding Varying Shades of Green

 

Environmental Justice and Pollution

Bredehoeft, Chris (2003)

Brownfields: An Economic Case Study of Virginia’s Program Initiative

 

da Costa, Alexandra (2005)

Raiding the Village Pharmacy: the Integration of Equity into International Environmental Agreements

 

Hong, Udom (2007)

Persistent Organic Pollutants: Comparing American and European Chemical Management Policies

 

McIlmoil, Rory (2007)

One Step Back Toward “Almost Heaven”: A Production-Based Proposal for the Elimination of Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining in West Virginia

 

Stanley, April (2007)

Tar Creek: A Case Study in the Limitations of the Superfund Program

 

Environmental Security

Caras, Dean (2000)

Global Environmental Problems & U.S. National Security

 

Green Building

Falk, Elizabeth (2006)

Edible Roof Gardens and Rainwater Capture: A Proposal to Enhance Justice of the School of International Service

 

Joldersma, Bretton (2005)

Green Roofs: A Sustainable Development Tool for the United States

 

Forest Issues

Budiansky, Ethan (2007)

Forests and Conflict: The Relationship Between Forest Decentralization and Social Conflict

 

Medeiros, Michelle (2004)

Logging in Liberia:  The US Role

 

Norikane, Adam (2007)

Restructuring Community Forestry: A Look at Tenure, Institutions and Gender in The Gambia

 

Tararan, Samuel (2005)

Agroforestry and Payment for Environmental Services

 

Yadrick, Michael (2006)

Peacemaking through Forest Conservation: Conflict Transformation in The Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala

 

Zoll Deidre (2008)

FSC and the Global Timber Trade: Solution or Stop-loss

 

Marine Issues

Cunningham, Leda (2006)

Fish for the Future: The Quota System as a Model for Managing the Global Fishing Commons

 

Marks, Jacqueline (2007)

Sustainable Seafood: The role of Eco-certification in Marine Fisheries Management

 

Marrs, Alicia (2007)

Environmental Protection Mechanisms of the International Maritime Organization (IMO): Can International Shipping Really Help Protect the World’s Oceans?

 

McKinney, Vanessa (2007)

Epistemic Communities – Their Composition, Research and Policy Role

 

Mumbauer, Kyra (2005)

Beyond Consultations and Regulations: Meaningful Engagement of Small-Scale Fishers in Marine and Fishery Management

 

Renewable Energy

Jiang, Lian (2006)

The Promise of Solar Energy: Exploring Policy Innovation in Technology Dissemination in China

 

Kaiser, Paul (2005)

Wind Power and California’s Energy Future

 

Lee, Jacqueline (2005)

Comparative Wind Energy Policy in Denmark and California

 

Linnett, Tobias (2005)

A Case for Renewable Energy in the United States

 

Madeira, Lindsay (2006)

From the Poorest to the Globe: Harvesting the Sun for a Just, Green, and Sustainable Future

 

Morey, Jessie (2006)

Clean Power in Costa Rica: Strategies for a Fossil Fuel Free Power Sector in 2020

 

Sustainable Business

Hillis, E. Nicole (2006)

Focusing on Small Enterprises to Reduce Environmental Impact: Small Lithographic Printers in the United States

 

Hogan, Elizabeth (2007)

Corporate Social Responsibility: Incentives, Trends & Strategic Evolution

 

Mahl, Bonnie (2008)

Greening of Music Festivals

 

Arnold, Emily (2008)

"Can Business Green AND Grow?"- A Case Study Looking at WalMart's Sustainability Campaign

 

Zielke, Emily (2008)

Stopping Large Agribusinesses from Getting Fat on Prison Food Contracts

 

Sustainable Development

Coley, Derrick (2003)

Cuba’s Tourism Industry: Past and Future Implications for Sustainable Development

 

Mathews, Mason (2004)

Community-based Natural Resources Management  

 

Pineda, Mariel

The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor and the PPP

 

Shriver, Jefferson (2004)

Reaping Profits while Restoring the Environment: Lessons from Central America

 

Soden, Robert (2007)

Unnatural Disasters: The Role of Hazard Risk Reduction in Sustainable Development

 

Vaswani, Rahul (2003)

How are Rural Communities in Developing Countries Trying to Live Sustainably?

 

Negley Jr., Paul (2008)

Sustainable Tourism: Strategy for the University for Peace in Costa Rica

 

Henderson, Candy (2008)

Stakeholder involvement in land management in Costa Rica

 

Bringhurst, Sam (2008)

USAID Funded Multiconsortium Conservation Projects With Specific Focus on "Bolivia Landscape Project"

 

Toomey, Anne Helen (2008)

A Transition to Sustainable Development: Empowerment And Disempowerment in a Nicaraguan Community

 

Merchant, Alefia (2008)

Deconstructing Sustainable Tourism in Practice: A Comparative Case Study from Costa Rica and Egypt

 

Urban Issues

Delfs, Christopher (2004)

Redesigning the American Dream: Searching for Community in America

 

Lynch, Brian (2006)

Urban Poverty Alleviation in Developing Countries: Using G.I.S. to Improve the Lives of Slum Dwellers 

 

Paul, Alana(2007)

Rebuilding A Sustainable New Orleans: Coastal Restoration, Urban Planning and Ecocity Design Solutions to Global Climate Change

 

Williamson, Douglas (2006)

Not a Distant Beast

 

Water Issues

Mergler, Holly (2008)

A Dying River: The Social Impacts and A Community's Response

 

Dougherty, Shannon (2007)

Public Participation and Marginalization on the U.S. -Mexico Border: Investigating Colonias and Water Service Provision in Ambos Nogales

 

Elinewinga, Helena (2002)

Root Causes of Water Scarcity in Developing Countries: South Africa and Tanzania

 

Keino, Stella (2002)

Water Management among the Nile River Basin Countries

 

Sagna, Cheikh (2007)

Diplomacy and Transboundary Water Challenges in West Africa : Conflicts, Co-operation and Peace-building Efforts in the Senegal River Basin (Mauritania, Senegal, Mali & Guinea)

 

Vertrees, Marisa (2004)

Politics of Water in Central America