2018 – Undergraduate Research Symposium Abstracts

Navigating Ancient Waters; An Endeavor to Describe the Historical Relationships Between the Warm Springs Reservation, Mt Hood National Forest, and BARK Forest Protectors

Presenter(s): Tyler Young − Environmental Studies

Faculty Mentor(s): Sarah Wald, Paul Guernsey

Poster 195

Research Area: Humanities

Spreading from the Cascades to the Deschutes river, the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute Native American tribes have been relocated by the U.S. Government to the Warm Springs reservation, a sovereign nation in itself which has a shaky relationship with the U.S. Government. My small team and I are researching the historical parallels, intricacies, and difficulties that exist between; The Warm Springs Reservation and its people, the Mt Hood National Forest which borders the reservation, and an organization by the name of BARK who has been a protector of the Mt Hood National Forest since 1993. These three entities have an intimate relationship with Mt. Hood and its surrounding area, and navigating those ancient waters has been challenging for the Forest Service, for BARK, and for the people of Warm Springs due to the diverse ideologies of these groups. We will be creating an introduction, and written history of these relationships for new BARK volunteers attempting to help protect the Forest. We will also be producing a short video for the BARK website which will highlight a few of these relationships. The tribe of Warm Springs, the Organization of BARK, and the U.S. Forest Service all have good intentions, but working together can sometimes be tricky, so we’re here to help!

Climate Change and Snow: How Pollutant Aerosols Impact Snow Grain and Albedo in Seasonal Snow Packs

Presenter(s): Neil Yotsuya − Architecture

Faculty Mentor(s): Dave Sutherland

Poster 194

Research Area: Physical Science

The ability for snow to reflect light, otherwise known as albedo, is plays a key role in both local and global environmental conditions. Snow grain size and snow albedo have a inverse relationship; the larger that a snow grain is, the lower its albedo will tend to be. Environmental factors that impact grain size are many and factors such as solar zenith, aerosol pollutants, time, and extreme weather must all be accounted for when understanding why snow grain changes in size. Crystal metamorphosis, the process by which ground snow increases in grain size, is susceptible to aerosol pollutants. Black Carbon (BC), in particular, is one major pollutant that can increase the speed at which snow grain undergoes metamorphosis. The exact degree to which BC and other aerosols have altered snow albedo of seasonal snowpack near urban regions is still not fully understood. Data seems to show a strong correlation between pollutant level and grain size. However, the amount of pollutants has no direct correlation with albedo. A possible conclusion may be made that, while not directly impacting snowpack albedo, BC and other aerosol pollutants do impact grain size, thereby impacting snowpack albedo. Better understanding how exactly pollution and climate change has impacted snowpack albedo through grain metamorphosis can help us to better understand the exact impact that urban pollution has on local and global environmental factors.

Why Certain Counties that Are Part of the Environmental Integrity Group (Switzerland, Mexico, and South Korea).

Presenter(s): Alexander Winkler − Political Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Ronald Mitchell

Poster 193

Research Area: Climate Change

My research question is ‘Why certain counties that are part of the Environmental Integrity Group (Switzerland, Mexico, and South Korea), although spread across different parts of the world, are together and disagree with the other negotiation groups, specifically compared to more, developed countries that surround them.’ This question is important to research because the countries in the Environmental Integrity Group make up for many different kinds of ecosystems, and are not the biggest producers of emissions on their continents. It is important to compare their beliefs to others to find common ground. I will research articles online to help bring me to a conclusion. I will examine individual CO2 emissions per country and related data that is relevant. I expect to come to a conclusion that the countries associated with the Environmental Integrity Group believe what they do because their countries are factors of more industrialized countries emitting greater amounts of CO2, and are trying to find ways to sustain their environments from their emissions and from neighboring countries.

Do Arctic Sea Ice Extent and Permafrost Temperature Co-Vary?

Presenter(s): Natalie Weaver − Math

Faculty Mentor(s): Dave Sutherland

Poster 192

Research Area: Natural Science

In recent years, many components of the cryosphere have experienced rapid decline as global temperatures continue to increase. My project will focus on two of these components: Arctic sea ice and permafrost in the Norwegian archipelago Svalbard. Using data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center and the NORPERM Permafrost Database, I will explore whether there is any correlation between Arctic sea ice extent and permafrost temperature at several locations in Svalbard. Finding a correlation, if it exists, is important because while sea ice can be measured easily by satellite, gathering data on permafrost is much more challenging. When permafrost thaws, it releases large amounts of methane into the atmosphere, which reinforces a feedback loop of global warming, endangering even more permafrost. If we can use sea ice cover as a proxy for permafrost health, we can become more aware of this global threat and take steps to prepare for its consequences.

Historical and Contemporary Relationships Between Environmental Organizations and Indigenous Peoples in Oregon

Presenter(s): Taylor Walker − Environmental Studies

Faculty Mentor(s): Sarah Wald

Poster 191

Research Area: Humanities

There is a growing concern with the security of Earth’s environment. Environmental organizations in Oregon argue that our responsibility as humans is to care for our ecological surroundings in a way that is largely based on how scientific research has determined the best way of doing so. Modern science explains many ways we can live sustainably, though there is still room to broaden and deepen our understanding of the Earth. The purpose of my research is to show how past and present relationships between environmental organizations and indigenous peoples in Oregon can help to create a more ecologically knowledgeable and engaging community. Online databases, course readings, and local institutions provided information necessary for me to understand correlations and any disconnects between the groups. Including indigenous relationships, experiences and knowledges in the ecological narrative enriches environmental organizations’ functionality, ultimately influencing the mainstream perception of how to, and who can, interact with the environment. My goal is to construct a concise report that emphasizes the importance of indigenous representation in the ecological narrative.

The Effects of Climate Change and Sea Ice Within Inuit Populations in the Arctic Region

Presenter(s): Corinne Togiai − Biology

Faculty Mentor(s): Mark Carey

Poster 190

Research Area: Humanities and Natural Sciences

Sea ice is used as a bright surface to reflect sunlight back into space to help maintain cool temperatures in polar regions and to moderate climate change. However, as sea ice melts, more sunlight penetrates the ocean surface causing the ocean to heat up and Arctic temperatures to rise. Therefore, the decline of sea ice is greatly affecting the Inuit Arctic population’s livelihood such as hunting and transportation. The purpose of this study is to bring attention to the importance of sea ice within Inuit Arctic culture that is often neglected. Hence, preservation of Inuit Arctic culture and preventing climate through the lens of scientific raw data, indigenous Arctic knowledge via story-telling and qualitative observations, and political perspectives on how to address the effects of climate change, will help this indigenous population learn to adapt, and/or preserve their land and culture.Moreover, a collection of sources about sea ice in the Arctic region, Inuit Arctic culture, and issues/questions at a national and international level of what is currently in place to address the melting sea ice and climate change will be used to draw conclusions. Research has found an appearance in new species, and an increase in sea traffic resulting in Arctic Inuit people to feel loss of control of their homeland as sea ice used to be their separation from the outside world. This research is significant because with global climate change contributing to a shift in sea levels and temperature, indigenous Arctic people are in danger.

Most Necessitous Strangers: Causes and Impact of Sea Level Rise

Presenter(s): Natalie Tichenor − Political Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Dave Sutherland

Poster 189

Research Area: Cryosphere

This project investigates the extent, causes, and impact of sea levels rising. More specifically, the project analyzes sea level rise in relation to regions that will be most devastated by sea level rise, looking at steps that could be taken in order to mitigate damages. It is clear that sea level rise is caused by two things: thermal expansion of sea water due to ocean warming and water mass input from land ice melt and land water reservoirs. Further, it is known that sea level does not rise uniformly due to currents, ocean temperature, and many other factors. The main questions I hope to answer in my research are: Which areas are predicted to be most gravely affected by sea level rise? And what sorts of steps could be taken to prevent the potential destruction of sea levels rising? The goal of this research is to create a scientific framing for understanding the increasingly prevalent issue of climate change refugees that, when applied, can either provide preventative measures for a more sustainable environment or at least offer solutions for how to handle the destruction.

The Thawing Permafrost: How Its Loss is Changing the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Presenter(s): Maya Tagwerker − Pre-business Administration

Faculty Mentor(s): Dave Sutherland

Poster 188

Research Area: Science

The world is changing around us. The change has been expertly linked to the detrimental effects of climate change. The cryosphere is the portion of the Earth with water in solid form. The understanding of the cryosphere has allowed for more in-depth discussion surrounding the implications of climate change on ecology, geology, and hydrology. Within the cryosphere lies the permafrost. The permafrost is the thick surface layer of soil that should generally remain frozen throughout the year. However, the permafrost, has been steadily melting at a rapid rate. Through research in peer-reviewed journal articles, I have come to understand the effects of a changing permafrost, the land, as well as the surrounding rivers and lakes, must to analyzed. The tremendous work provided in Geophysical Research Letters journal have shown that the thawing of permafrost caused by warmer temperature has increased groundwater contribution to annual flow. Therefore, my research question is how is the current degradation of the permafrost disrupting the hydrology of the surrounding ground surface in the Qinghai- Tibet Plateau? By understanding how the loss of permafrost not only affects the oceans, but our land and vegetation as well. The purpose of this is to have the public be more willing to learn about the dangers that will surround us if the permafrost were to completely disappear.

Buying Time: A Survey of Geoengineering Techniques to Slow Mass Loss on the Antarctic Pine Island Glacier

Presenter(s): Conrad Sproul − Political Science, Economics

Faculty Mentor(s): Dave Sutherland

Poster 186

Research Area: Natural Science

Geoengineering, or artificially modifying climate conditions, is the cutting edge of environmental science research. A range of techniques have been suggested, including the sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere, increasing Earth’s average albedo through solar radiation management (SRM) technologies, and the construction of large structures to halt or alter
the path of flowing glaciers. However, these technologies are almost always examined in terms of their effects on the global climate, with only limited investigation of how smaller scale geoengineering could be used in specific, important areas. Here we examine several different potential geoengineering methods and their potential efficacy at abating mass loss from the Pine Island Glacier (PIG) in Western Antarctica. We show that due to the basal conditions of PIG, atmospheric and surface level SRM are unlikely to be effective at preventing further ablation and destabilization of the glacier. More promising would be some combination of basal freezing/pumping to reduce flow rate, artificial structures to increase stability, and a medium scale pumping operation to redirect remaining meltwater to inland Antarctica. As the single biggest contributor to Antarctic sea level rise, and an area at high risk for destabilization in the coming decades, it is crucial that research be done now on the Pine Island Glacier to determine what can be done to slow its ongoing mass loss. These results provide specific direction for more elaborate modelling and investigation to be done on these projects in the future.

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