Theses and Dissertations from UMD
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2
New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.
Browse
114 results
Search Results
Item Razing the Bar: Coastal Resilience and Community Cohesion through Ecological Design(2024) Nivison, Erin Hamilton; Kelly, Brian; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Separated by iron fences, dense trees and drastic changes in elevation, two seemingly close communities are divided by economic greed, a lack of urban planning and community engagement. Over the last two decades the shoreline along National Harbor, Maryland has transformed from abandoned plantation land to a revitalized urban center. Now home to the MGM Casino, Gaylord Convention Center, Tanger Outlet Malls, the iconic Capital Wheel, and million-dollar townhouses, National Harbor’s master plan has been realized into a dense economic hub. While it has grown extensively, it lacks connectivity to the surrounding suburbs of Fort Washington on a multitude of scales. On a macro scale, it is one of the few suburbs of DC that isn’t serviced by a metro line and on a micro scale it lacks porosity to neighboring developments. Iron fences aren’t the only issue Fort Washington is facing, with the continued effects of climate change, sea levels are expected to rise an additional two feet by 2100 and commercial and residential developments will be put at risk. While the Potomac River is finally showing signs of improvement after half a century of pollution from sewage, agricultural runoff and sediment runoff, how can we protect both the natural and built environments harmoniously?Item ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCES ON BOTTOM-UP AND TOP-DOWN REGULATION OF ANIMAL DISTRIBUTIONS, POPULATIONS, AND BEHAVIORS IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS(2024) Herrera, Daniel Joseph; Gallo, Travis; Environmental Science and Technology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Animal populations are simultaneously governed by both bottom-up (e.g., habitat availability) and top-down (e.g., predation) regulation. While ecologists historically sought to differentiate the roles of bottom-up and top-down regulation on ecosystems, the two are not so easily defined in urban ecosystems due to the immense influence humans have on ecological processes in cities. In Chapter One, I present this argument from a philosophical perspective and comment on how this philosophy has shaped my worldview. In Chapter Two, I examine the legacy of historical park planning on urban bird assemblages using archived municipal maps and historical bird data. My analysis found a positive correlation between percent park area and both species richness and functional richness of birds. Additionally, I found the effect size of park area was larger than the effect of certain life history traits thought to facilitate urban exploitation. These results indicate that landscape features and life history traits are equally responsible for the success of synurbic species. Chapter Three explores the effect of urbanization on animal behavior by analyzing anti-predator behavior of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in relation to ambient light, noise, and human activity. Despite negligible predation risk in my study area, deer expressed higher vigilance behavior in dark and noisy conditions, and increased their foraging group size during noisy conditions. These results suggest that anti-predator behaviors are a response to the perception of predation risk rather than a response to the actual presence of predators. Although predation of deer is rare in urban ecosystems, predation of smaller wildlife species by mesopredators, such as non-native domestic cats (Felis catus) is common. Chapter Four examines the potential for predation and zoonotic disease transmission between cats and eight native mammals by estimating the spatial and temporal overlap between species. I found that cat distribution was largely driven by anthropogenic features, whereas native wildlife was generally deterred by anthropogenic features and instead occupied forested areas. I also found that cats, as a species, were active on the landscape during the full 24-hour cycle. As a result, while spatial overlap between cats and wildlife varied across the study area, temporal overlap was possible anywhere cats and wildlife co-occurred. Chapter Five expands on Chapter Four and investigates predation directly by using observations of cats carrying prey documented by motion-activated cameras. I found that predation by cats was higher in areas where supplemental cat food was prevalent, but declined near forested areas. Additionally, my results indicate that cats within 250 meters of a forest edge predominantly preyed on native wildlife, whereas cats generally preyed on non-native rats (Rattus norvegicus) when greater than 250 meters from a forest edge. Each chapter provides applied recommendations to the management and conservation of urban wildlife, but together, my work demonstrates the entanglement of bottom-up, top-down, and anthropogenic forces in urban ecosystems. In light of these findings, I advocate for a more nuanced understanding of ecosystem regulation through a socio-ecological lens.Item Urban Sprawl & Critter Crawl: Imagining a More-Than-Human Way of Living(2024) Islam, Ramisa Maisha; Williams, Brittany; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Over half of the world’s population lives in urban areas and that number is projected to double by 2050. Cities and urban transects have an important role in addressing climate change. As urban population and development grows, we also see a decline in biodiversity. Humans are not the only species being displaced. Native species lose their natural habitats due to development and seek refuge in urban areas. The complexity of cities allows for urban biodiversity to find a home, but these urban habitats are still human centered, forcing species to fit within a human designed environment. This thesis explores the balance between human living and urban biodiversity to integrate into our cities. Implementing urban biodiversity strategies and more than human design in urban neighborhoods can help to restore biodiversity and strengthen human relationships with the natural environment. Combining these concepts can reimagine the city as a shared ecosystem that serves all species. An ideal shared ecosystem can support urban living, embrace coexistence, and foster a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature.Item FOOD SERVICE: CULTIVATING FOOD EQUITY & RESILIENCE IN THE HEART OF IVY CITY(2024) Tram, Judy; Curry, Daniel; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Food is fuel for the body and mind, a bridge for social connection, and a lens into culture and identity. Food is a human right, yet food insecurity in the U.S is a prominent issue that affects millions of individuals and families each year. Despite the nation's affluence, a significant percentage of the population still struggle to access consistent and nutritious meals. The relationships that people experience with food are deeply intertwined in and reflective of the country’s social, economic, political, and environmental attitudes. Due to a lack of equity in existing U.S food systems, the need for food aid rises. Nonprofit organizations are increasingly becoming a major asset to public aid and health, working to ensure that underserved communities have direct access to essential resources and services, particularly food. This foundation of service provides a pathway for nonprofit organizations to facilitate a localized shift in the way communities interact with food. This thesis seeks to reshape the experience of underserved communities with food to support a more sustainable and equitable food system.Item DO INTERIOR PRIVATELY OWNED PUBLIC SPACES FOSTER URBAN PUBLIC LIFE? A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF FOUR NYC PUBLIC SPACE TYPOLOGIES(2024) Donahue, Alex; Simon, Madlen; Urban and Regional Planning and Design; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation focuses on a specific kind of public space—privately owned and mandated for public use and enjoyment. In exchange, the property owner receives bonus floor area or waivers. The arrangement provides a unique dilemma: how can a space provide ideal benefits to the public while recognizing the individual rights associated with a privately owned space? The primary inquiry of this research is to compare Interior Privately Owned Public Spaces (IPOPS) with three other space typologies: Privately Owned, Restricted to Public Space (PORPS), Privately Owned, Publicly Available Space (POPAS), and Urban Street (URBS) to discover how successfully the physical characteristics of IPOPS foster urban public life, focusing on aspects of (a) sociability; (b) inclusion; (c) wayfinding; (d) ownership; (e) well-being; and (f) community. The six themes comprise the Hexa-model for assessing ideal space, a tool the researcher developed for this study. I use the following methods to understand better the connection between the built environment, human use, and interaction: (a) architectural analysis; (b) signage analysis; (c) behavioral observation; and (d) archival analysis. I focus on four case study sites within New York City, each including all four typologies: (a) along Maiden Lane from Water Street to South Street; (b) on East 42nd Street and Park Avenue; (c) around 3rd Avenue and East 49th Street; and (d) along 45th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. The findings illustrate that while the IPOPS included free-of-charge access to secure, sheltered, and climate-controlled seating, tables, natural light, bathrooms, and plants, there was a relative lack of urban public life. The IPOPS demonstrated a lack of urban public life in limited occupancy and activity when compared to the other spatial typologies and a lack of public space legibility, a generic identity with little sense of place, impromptu closures, a fortress-like aesthetic, and rules that conscribe and exclude the types of uses that are allowed to occur within the space. This research illustrates that in the sample of spaces studied, and compared with other spatial typologies, IPOPS lacked several normative criteria outlined in the Hexa-model. As a consequence, the public is currently not receiving the full benefit of public space as outlined in the agreements made with the city of New York. I recommend that further study be conducted at a larger scale, covering more locations and at various times of day and year to confirm the present study’s findings and promote policy changes to improve the public nature of IPOPS.Item Persisting Social Vulnerability, Stormwater Infrastructure, and Planning for Flooding and Resilience in Washington D.C.(2024) Park, Minkyu; Hendricks, Marccus D; Urban Studies and Planning; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)While Green Infrastructure (GI) has gained prominence in addressing climate change, particularly in flood prevention and other associated benefits. Limited empirical studies have explored its spatial distribution and temporal changes in relation to the whole stormwater infrastructure. This dissertation investigates the intersection of stormwater infrastructure, social vulnerability, and urban flood management strategies in Washington, D.C. The dissertation is composed of three studies. The first study employs geospatial exploration to assess the equitable allocation of stormwater infrastructure, considering historical discriminatory sewage services. Regression models reveal significant disparities in stormwater infrastructure distribution among communities with varying levels of social vulnerability, highlighting the inequitable distribution within urban areas. The study contributes valuable insights for stormwater management planning in the context of climate-related challenges.The second quantitative study focuses on the spatial and temporal evolution of GI distribution in Washington, D.C., utilizing spatial panel data analysis. Unlike previous cross-sectional snapshots, this study captures temporal trends in GI distribution in relation to social vulnerability. The findings, with potential implications for evidence-based policies, shed light on the evolving patterns of discriminatory distribution of GI and its relation to persistent social vulnerability. The third study employs an Environmental Justice (EJ) framework to critically analyze the urban flood management initiatives in Washington, D.C., specifically examining the Flood Task Force (FTF) action plan. The study uncovers limitations and potential exacerbations of place vulnerabilities within current plans through qualitative coding. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on achieving more equitable and resilient urban flood management in the city, emphasizing the need for environmental justice considerations. The thorough examination of stormwater infrastructure, social vulnerability, and the initiatives of the DC Flood Task Force uncovers a tripartite phenomenon: 1) uneven distribution of stormwater infrastructure is influenced by social vulnerability, 2) temporally widening the gap in infrastructure among communities, and 3) overlooking social vulnerability and the unfair allocation of stormwater infrastructure in planning or policies could intensify place vulnerability.Item EQUITY ISSUES IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE ADOPTION AND PLANNING FOR CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE(2024) Ugwu, Nneoma; Niemeier, Deb; Civil Engineering; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Electric Vehicles (EVs) offer a sustainable solution to fossil fuel dependency and environmentalpollution from conventional vehicles, crucial for mitigating climate change. However, low market penetration among minority and low-income communities raises equity and environmental justice concerns. This dissertation examines EV adoption and charging station access disparities in Maryland, focusing on sociodemographic factors such as race and income. To address the lack of minority representation in existing EV research surveys, we conducted anonline survey targeting people of color (POC) and low-to-moderate-income households. We received 542 complete responses. Ordinal regression models were used to analyze factors influencing EV interest. We then performed a cumulative accessibility study of EV infrastructure in Maryland. Pearson correlation analysis was used to show the relationship between charging station accessibility and sociodemographics. Population density showed a strong positive correlation (0.87) with charging deployment. We found that Baltimore City, had the highest population density and the highest concentration of EV charging in Maryland. We conducted a case study of Baltimore City’s EV infrastructure investments and policy efforts. Charging stations were categorized based on speed, network, access, and facility type. Spatial analysis andZero-Inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression models at the block group level were employed to investigate the disparities in EV charging infrastructure distribution within the City across minority and non-minority communities. Our findings show substantial disparities in EV perceptions between POC and Whitecommunities. The survey revealed that POC were more than twice more likely than White respondents to indicate that the availability of charging stations affects their interest in EV adoption, while the case studies revealed that POC populations are less likely to have access to EV infrastructure, necessitating targeted investment in charging options and subsidies in these communities. Our study also found the need for policies fostering residential charging station deployment, particularly in minority communities. To ensure equitable EV adoption, strategic investments in economically disadvantaged and rural areas beyond centralized regions are vital. This study informs evidence-based policies prioritizing accessibility, equity, and inclusivity in promoting a cleaner and sustainable transportation landscape.Item Popular Theatre in Iran: Critical Perspectives on The Historiography of Lalehzari Theatre(2024) Haeri, Q-mars Mazandarani; Hildy, Franklin J.; Theatre; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)By the mid-1950s a class of performers occupied the theatres, concert halls, and nightclubs of the Lalehzar entertainment district in Tehran. Many of these performers had abandoned their lives in small villages in faraway provinces. Many had come from poor neighborhoods in Tehran to pursue their dreams for theatre, dance, and music. Their diverse and varied performances known as “Lalehzari” (adjectival form) made deep and affective connections to the audience in the Lalehzar district. For the first time, a great population of Tehran’s spectators, who were often characterized as “uncultured” by various scholars, had finally found a body of performances that they could relate to, those that could speak to their struggles and sorrows, and that responded to political and social issues within their society.This dissertation considers the “Lalehzari” performances of the 1950s and 1960, the ways in which these performances originated in the 1940s, the ways in which they subverted the status quo, and the ways in which they have been described, theorized, and historicized in Iranian historical studies of theatre. Major theatre histories have been written with a Marxist lens by writers who had a relationship with the Tudeh communist party. As a result, such histories tend to emphasize, admire, and affirm so-called “committed theatre” and dismiss, denounce, and stigmatize Lalehzari popular theatre. Hence, there is a major gap in the available literature that represents Iranian modern cultural history as one-sided and political. This is not to deny that culture is always political but at a time when knowledge of Middle Eastern cultures in the US is limited to political discourse alone, an academic endeavor of the cultural history of Iran is crucial for understanding this multifaceted society. This dissertation addresses fundamental questions about how notions like immigration and class challenge the ways in which we think about culture and how cultural history may be written without erasures. To reconstruct the history of Lalehzari theatre, I am organizing my dissertation into these chapters: Lalehzar’s unique geographic location in Tehran and the history of its theatre houses (chapter 1), the improvisatory popular performers of the 1940s and how they gained access to Lalehzar (chapter 2), the stigmatization of Lalehzar (chapter 3), Racial depiction in performances in the district (chapter 4). Each of these chapters has a historical part that explains the cause and effect of events, the continuation and changes of performance styles, and the operation of theatre houses. Each chapter also offers a close reading and analysis of a few artists whose lives and performances reflect the class tensions between the Lalehzar district and the outside theatre scene. I am looking at the ways in which history unfolded and also how it affects us today, therefore, the dissertation addresses the preservation quest for Lalehzar theatres (chapter 5) and how lasting narratives about Lalehzar shaped the Iranian culture today (conclusion).Item IMPROVING TREE CANOPY COVER WITHIN SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL FRONT YARDS AND THE CASE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD TREES CASE STUDY: GALWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT(2023) Bentley, Daniel; Myers, David DM; Plant Science and Landscape Architecture (PSLA); Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Trees contribute to many social and health benefits for citizens when trees areplanted appropriately and maintained into maturity. A healthy tree canopy cover layer should be enjoyed by all residents no matter their location or income level. While many communities and organizations have developed robust tree program and provide free trees, homeowners have difficulty imagining what mature trees might look like and what the benefits of the trees would be to them. This thesis strives to develop design methods to support homeowner decision-making for tree planting . A case study focused on the selected front yards of residential homes in the Galway Elementary School walk zone will be used to document these methods. The research is focused on how to demonstrate tree placement to homeowners, tree benefits and but also bring to their attention the opportunities offered to make the process simple and rewarding for the future of their children and the neighborhood.Item SOCIAL URBANISM IN MEDELLIN – INTEGRATION OF LANDSCAPE, LIFE, AND CULTURE(2023) Farieta, Maria Fernanda; Matthews, Georgeanne; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Over the last 50 years, the city of Medellín, Colombia has experienced a drastic urban transformation. The drug war and armed conflict in the late 20th century expedited urbanization as people were forced to leave their rural homes and seek shelter in major cities. However, the infrastructural capacity of larger cities has been unable to accommodate the basic needs of the growing population. As a result, people had to build habitats in the peripheries of the cities. These “informal settlements” were born out of necessity, with limited resources, and often under unsafe conditions. Nonetheless, these self-built neighborhoods are “the most common form of urbanization on the planet,” and as such, the processes behind “informal city making” are key to understanding the potential for development, innovation, and integration of a city. This paradigm shift regarding informality intends to bring visibility to the perseverance and creativity of migrants under limited resources, to challenge policies that shape urbanization and to explore alternative methods to address population growth.