Category: Oral Presentation

The Terminator: The Forgotten Role of Thomas B. Watters in Klamath Termination, 1953-1958

Presenter: Matt Villeneuve

Mentor: Glenn May

PM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: A5 Perceptions of Cultural Change

Location: Oak Room

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

In 1953, the Klamath Indian tribe of Southern Oregon was controversially selected for termination by the US congress as a part of a new program to end the “special treatment” of Native Americans by the federal government. To carry out the details of this process, a man named Thomas B. Watters, former mayor of Klamath Falls, was tapped to serve as the middle man between congress and the Klamath as a private “management specialist.” After his arrival on the reservation and demographic research, Watters came to oppose the law he was hired to execute as he felt it was not in the best interest of the Klamath. Three years later, Watters was criticized for his stance by a contingent of the Klamath, Republican members of congress, and former Bureau of Indiana Affair officials, and eventually fired. Using materials from SCUA and the National Archives in Seattle, we will attempt to better understand Watters role in the process of termination and what his experience suggests concerning the nature of the federal program.

Wael Ghonim: Symbolic Figure vs. Representative Publicity

Presenters: Zeph Schafer, Mark Plumlee and Maia Salomon

Mentor: Vera Keller

PM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: A5 Perceptions of Cultural Change

Location: Oak Room

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

This study emerged from an honors college seminar examining how public spheres began to form throughout the premodern era. Our research was informed by works such as German sociologist, Jurgen Habermas. Habermas proposed the idea of representative publicity to discuss the relationship between symbolic individuals and an emerging publicity. Informed by Habermas’s theories, we discussed the symbolic personhood of Wael Ghonim on the Egyptian revolution. As a symbolic figure who gave a face to the revolution, his release from jail played a pivotal role in the ouster of Hosni Mubarak. We looked at news articles and videos of the Revolution, and contrasted Ghonim’s role as a symbolic figure with the role of pre-modern monarchs in public displays of their body. Ghonim’s role in the revolution showed the role of a physical body in modern democratic revolutions.

Violence and Graphic Symbols in the Arab Spring

Presenters: Kathryn Carpenter and Eva Bertoglio

Mentor: Vera Keller

PM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: A5 Perceptions of Cultural Change

Location: Oak Room

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Our research was based on ideas of the public sphere in the last five hundred years that were discussed in HC 232, “Multiple Modernities, Ottoman and Early Modern Europe 1450-present”. We chose to focus on revolutions in the Arab Spring, and the body politic concept. We decided to discuss violence in relation to the body politic, and the way violence and violent symbols were employed in the Arab Spring. Drawing upon the ideas of the German sociologist Jurgen Habermas and historian Nina Berman, we analyzed the role of the body politic since the 16th century. We used photos, diagrams, and videos to represent different aspects of the revolutions and violence within them. We found that violence was brought into play by both the governing bodies and the general public, and symbolic violence and physical violence were both used to further the platforms of both parties.

The Mekong River Commission: Indicators of Successful Regime Strengthening

Presenter: Lauren Boucher

Mentor: Ronald Mitchell

PM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: A5 Perceptions of Cultural Change

Location: Oak Room

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

International environmental regimes seek to create a sense of interdependence and community in order to solve transboundary issues of resource use and pollution. Regimes are a natural fit for transboundary water management and development. Water is a classic example of how states are forced to cooperate with each other. Shlomi Dinar argues, “When rivers and other bodies of water traverse or divide countries, transboundary externalities often produce conflict” (Dinar, 2008 1). Waterbodies respect no political boundaries and international water law and policy has emerged over hundreds of years to address the issues of water governance and transboundary conflict (Hildering, 2004 44). This conflict provides a medium for cooperation, a cooperation that almost always takes form in a treaty or regime (Dinar, 2008 1). The Mekong River Commission (MRC) is an international environmental regime that promotes regional cooperation and sustainable development in the Mekong River Basin (MRB) of Southeast Asia. My research asks what have been the effects of the organization over its 17-year history and analyzes the political and environmental impacts of those effects. My analysis uses the logic model, created by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), to track the growth and development of the MRC over time. Using the framework of the logic model, my research argues that though effects of the MRC appear marginal and information-based, the organization is following a positive trajectory toward ultimate goal realization.

Quantifying the Self

Presenter: Rachelle DiGregorio

Mentor: Deborah Morrison

PM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: A4 Identity and Progress

Location: Rogue Room

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

“Self knowledge through numbers.” This is the driving philosophy behind the Quantified Self (QS) community, a group of people who collect and reflect on their personal information. This practice is called self-tracking and is increasingly facilitated by digital tools like pedometers, mobile applications, and websites. My research explores the question: What leads to the widespread acceptance of digital self-tracking tools? I approach this question by measuring people’s awareness and perceptions of the technology as well as by deconstructing the success of popular tracking tools. I focus on tools that track fitness data because they are the most widely accepted. My investigations are supported by a thorough review of literature about technology acceptance, personal informatics systems, and behavior change. There is often a disassociation between popular tracking tools and the concept of self-tracking. Whether it is referred to as self-tracking or not, the practice is growing steadily. This is due to the ubiquity of personal data collection in our current digital environment. It is integrated into so many digital services and devices; it is more or less unavoidable. Leaders of the QS movement frame what they do as a new context for knowledge-making. It is more than just a few people’s hobby, it is a lens through which we see and create the world around us. An understanding of self-tracking is vital to our assessment of society’s digital evolution, especially as the practice continues to grow in popularity and influence.

No Man’s Land: The Herstory of Lesbian Intentional Communities as a Manifestation of the Pastoral Dream

Presenter: Phoebe Petersen

Mentor: Glenn May

PM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: A4 Identity and Progress

Location: Rogue Room

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Although not a well-known part of Oregon’s past, intentional communities, also called communes, have a long history in Oregon dating back over one hundred and fifty years. Oregon communalism reached its peak in the 1970s when there was a huge growth in lesbian intentional communities, particularly in Southern Oregon. These communities developed as a result of the back-to-the-land movement of the 1960s and the radical wing of the women’s movement. However, there was another factor at play. Besides thinking about communalism and women’s liberation, the women were also harkening back to a long-held component of American cultural mythology: the pastoral ideal. Pastoral idealism, or the idea that a better, more egalitarian, and spiritually pure life is possible in the countryside, has been a driving force in the writings of authors such as Thoreau, Frost, and Jefferson and in cultural movements such as the migration to the suburbs. Although the members of communities such as OWL Farm and Cabbage Lane were attempting to isolate themselves from the patriarchy that was American culture, their writings demonstrate continued engagement with the idea that in the countryside, it was possible for them to create a simpler, more spiritually pure, and egalitarian life. In other words, even while advocating a separatist lifestyle, they engaged with American culture. In doing so, these women inextricably linked themselves to the past and future of America and must be seen as part of America’s history of idealism, communalism and activism.

When Reaching for the Stars is Not Enough: Addressing the Misalignment of Postsecondary Expectations and Preparation of High School Students from Low-Socioeconomic Backgrounds

Presenter: Eryn Block

Mentor: Josh Snodgrass

PM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: A4 Identity and Progress

Location: Rogue Room

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

The vast majority of US high school seniors expect to graduate from college but only a small portion of these students will meet this expectation. Thus, there is a significant misalignment between students’ postsecondary preparation, expectations and attainment. Further, the expectations of low socioeconomic status (SES) students and high SES students are almost identical, but low SES students are much less likely to attain a college degree. This thesis describes a qualitative study of semi-structured interviews with low SES high school students in Eugene, Oregon that examines the underlying reasons for this misalignment. The study identifies examples of cultural and social capital that are linked with college preparedness. These examples include a student’s ability to identify barriers to postsecondary education, quality information, and college culture and vocabulary. Using case studies, this thesis illustrates that a mentor-like figure may help students overcome obstacles. As a result, Cross-age Peer Mentor Programs, in which a college-going mentor is matched with a high school mentee, may act as a partial solution to the postsecondary expectation-preparation misalignment. College students have valuable, first-hand perspectives of the college experience and can share cultural and social capital with their mentees. In conclusion, few students are likely to attend a traditional university, but all students should be prepared for success in their postsecondary endeavors.

McKenzie River Side Channel Restoration: The Enhancement of Salmon Spawning Habitat and Riparian Ecosystems

Presenter: Thomas Van Hevelingen and Ben Miller

Mentor: Peg Boulay

PM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: A3 Trends in Restoration

Location: Metolius Room

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

The 2012 Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) is divided into six teams. The Stream Stewardship Team has devoted our efforts to the restoration and enhancement of McKenzie River side-channel ecosystems. In recent years, declining salmon populations have peaked both political and social interests in the Pacific Northwest. Our restoration efforts have been focused on the rejuvenation of Coho salmon spawning grounds and surrounding habitats in the McKenzie River side channels. Habitat enhancement methods includ- ed the placement of large woody debris, propagation of native plant species, and removal of invasive vegetation. We have monitored previous ELP management in order to assess the effectiveness of riparian restoration at this site. Our results indicate a significant de- crease in invasive vegetation and a high survival rate of planted native species. Furthermore, in-stream restoration efforts have proven successful in creating pools and sediment gradients beneficial to salmon spawning habitat. Management of the McKenzie side channel site has proven largely successful and could potentially be adapted to other locations in future restoration projects.

Stomata Density of Orchids and Cloud Forest Humidity in Monteverde, Costa Rica

Presenter: Sierra Predovich

Mentor: Peg Boulay

PM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: A3 Trends in Restoration

Location: Metolius Room

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

This experiment explored stomata densities of the epiphytic Pleurothallis aristata and Maxillaria sp. orchids under experimental conditions of dry and humid environments. Pleurothallis aristata is in the sub-tribe Pleurothallidinae and lacks pseudobulbs, while Maxillaria sp. has pseudobulbs. The purpose of the experiment was to test if there was a difference in stomata densities between the two species, and if there was a difference in mean percent stomata open in humid and dry environments. Stomata impressions were taken from the leaves of twenty individuals of each species using clear nail polish peels that were examined under a compound microscope. The results show that there is a significant difference in stomata density between the Pleurothallis aristata and the Maxillaria sp. (Rank Sum Test, t=55, n1=10, n2=10, p<0.05). The results also show that both species had a higher percentage of open stomata in humid environments than in dry environments (Wilcoxon sign rank test). An explanation for these results is that Maxillaria sp. has a pseudobulb for water storage, has a larger leaf surface area, and therefore has higher stomata density. Both species would also close their stomata in drier conditions in order to reduce water loss and desiccation. This research is significant because it relates to problems such as climate change and shifting of biomes, as some species may be more likely to succeed in periods of prolonged drought or less humidity.

Increasing Native Pollinator Services through Research, Restoration, and Education

Presenters: Lauren Ward, Chelsea Johnson and Aaron Poplack

Mentor: Raj Vable

PM Session Oral Presentation

Panel Name: A3 Trends in Restoration

Location: Metolius Room

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

As the global demand for food increases, so does global food production. Approximately thirty percent of human food crops need to be pollinated by insects, but these insects must be diverse in species in order for global pollination to be effective and efficient. Unfortunately, pollinator diversity is on the decline due to habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, pesticides, invasive species, and climate change around the globe. This decline in abundance and diversity of native pollinators has brought awareness to the fact that there is a great need for more native pollinator habitat. The Sustainable Farms team, in conjunction with the Environmental Leader- ship Program (ELP), creates a conservation plan that includes an educational pollinator garden and a pollinator hedgerow for our partners at the Berggren Demonstration Farm. The Sustainable Farms team provides recommendations for the farm; identifying plants, shrubs, and habitats that encourage native pollinators to forage and nest in the area. In addition, the Sustainable Farms Team conducts research at local blueberry farms; analyzing the pollination services that native bumblebees provide for blueberry bushes. Research done at the Berggren Demonstration farm, as well as the local blueberry farms, provides information about native pollina- tor behavior, as well as how to increase pollination services in a specific area.