The large-scale production of fossil-based plastics and its lack of biodegradability pose a significant threat to the environment, calling for the fabrication of sustainable polymer alternatives. Recent developments have been made in designing bio-based materials derived from plant and algae cells and tissues, transforming biological matter into compostable engineering materials. Despite these advancements, the effects of macromolecular composition and chemical binding patterns in shaping the mechanical properties of these bioplastics are still not fully understood. Therefore, this project aims to explore how the removal of macromolecules, specifically proteins, from various algae alters the microstructure and macroscopic properties of the resulting bioplastics. To explore this process, we performed two extraction procedures, extracting larger groups of molecules or targeting proteins specifically, on six different algae species: Ulva species, Gracilaria parvispora, Halymenia hawaiiana, Caulerpa lentillifera, Spirulina, and Ulva expansa. The extraction residues were mechanically tested and further characterized through FTIR, BCA assay, and SDS-PAGE. The water-extracted residues produced bioplastics with decreased strength, indicating the extracted material is essential to structural binding of the bioplastics. The BCA assay of the residues after protein extraction show that protein is successfully removed from the studied species, and the FTIR spectra confirm the expectation that the extraction is incomplete. Future experiments include optimizing the protein extraction and performing a large-scale extraction for mechanical testing. These findings open the door to a deeper understanding of the processes governing bioplastic properties and allow for the optimization of these materials based on their chemical composition.

As our relationship with public space continues to grow, pedestrianization remains an important tool for reclaiming our space for public social function. Pedestrianization of The Ave is both academically and statistically supported, yet there remains little movement in its favor. Through the lens of placemaking, this project examines the best practices for campaigning the pedestrianization of The Ave in a way that fosters community ownership. Incorporating insight from historical reviews and stakeholder surveys, this research identifies preferred engagement strategies for community stakeholders. Utilizing these findings this research conducts a pilot study and creative visioning that centers community culture. This will result in concepts of a pedestrianization that will best gain public support and feelings of community ownership. These strategies and materials will be compiled as a “campaign” that has the potential to be implemented in the near future. As community planning in the University District seems to be very disconnected from its stakeholders, this project is rooted in community empowerment, seeking to connect people to systems.

The northeastern quadrant of Washington State is an area of vast public lands. It includes 2-3 National Forests, three State Forests, three Indian Reservations, five Wildlife Areas, and 28 Sno-Parks that contain a wide variety of recreational amenities, including kayaking, rafting, horseback riding, snowshoeing, skiing, camping, and backpacking, among others. This area is also part of the Okanogan Dry Forest and Canadian Rockies Mountains ecoregions, which are characterized by dense coniferous forests that are easily ignitable. As a result, the region is regularly impacted by devastating wildfires, which are accompanied by heavy smoke and pose significant threats to local air quality, small town economies, and natural resources. The purpose of this project is to understand how smoke and fire impact two important resources serving tourists in the area: outdoor recreational amenities, and the production of apples and wine. To investigate these impacts, I reviewed data on recent fires that caused damage to orchard and vineyard land, tribal land, recreational land, and private real estate, looking at the cost of this damage in terms of lives and property lost and the particular impacts of smoke hazards. This data was augmented with interviews of local real estate agents, business owners, and members of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. The final results I'm expecting from this research is on how recreational amenties are impacted by mega-fires that causes devestating damage towards the forest, recreation amenties, local tribes, people lives,property, public health and the community. By doing this reserch it help me get better understanding how we should managed fire on recreational areas in the Okanogan Highlands area by following proper fire suppression tactics and resources. The results of this project help us better understand the growing effects of fire and smoke on this region in general, and on recreational and tourist activity in particular.

As the climate changes, we are beginning to see the impacts on a global scale. In order to understand how our landscapes will change with future warming, we can look back to see how landscapes were impacted by past warm, variable climates. This project looks to understand how climate variability in the Middle Miocene is expressed in terrestrial sedimentary records. Using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, we created a high-resolution elemental geochemical profile of sediment samples from Clarkia, ID (~16 Ma). From XRF, elemental concentrations for a host of elements, including Ca, Fe, K, Mn, Sr, Ti, Zn, and Zr, were calculated. Some elements, notably Ca, showed long-term trends but also sections of shorter-term cyclic variability. It is possible that this variability reflects changes in basin weathering rates of Ca-bearing minerals as a function of climate change occurring on timescales of tens to hundreds of thousands of years. Alternatively, Ca concentrations may reflect changes to precipitation of Ca-bearing minerals within the ancient lake, responding to algal productivity. These hypotheses are tested using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify minerals and their crystalline structures as well as characterizing the elemental trends from an additional site, Clarkia’s P-40. Understanding the depositional history of the Clarkia lakebeds aids our understanding in how climate impacts Miocene landscapes.