Marine fisheries are a globally significant source of economic and food security, however high bycatch rates can threaten marine biodiversity putting both ecosystems and fisheries at risk for degradation. Although bycatch reduction technologies exist that can reduce the uptake of bycatch without significantly impacting target catch, bycatch rates remain high. To understand the factors that affect fishers’ change readiness we reviewed 15 interview-based studies assessing fishers perspectives on bycatch and bycatch reduction strategies. In sum, the perspectives of 1,991 fishers were assessed in these studies across 10 different countries from 2006-2023. One key finding that arose was the potential importance of agency. This factor closely relates to change readiness and was identified as an essential component for effective bycatch reduction. Additionally, it was discovered that the kind of proposed strategy is important. Bycatch reduction methods that are equally effective in capturing target catch while reducing non-target catch and are accessible are more likely to have favorable responses from fishers. Agency and change readiness are interconnected and may be influenced by a variety of factors such as income, education, experience, and beliefs/values. Incentives and education/engagement programs may be useful in fostering fishers’ willingness for change and improving the efficacy of bycatch reduction strategies.

Nitrate (NO3-) pollution in surface and groundwater, worsened by nitrogen-rich fertilizers in agriculture, poses a significant challenge. Conventional methods remove NO3- physically, yielding concentrated reject water needing further treatment. Electrochemical processes use electrons to convert NO3- into ammonia (NH3) or dinitrogen (N2). This project explores photoelectrocatalysis, enhancing selectivity for NH3 as an added-value product using a photocathode based on tri-layers. Titanium oxide (TiO2) nanorods modified with Ag and CuOx nanoparticles that exhibit high NO3- conversion rates and exceptional NH3 selectivity. Mechanism evaluation reveals additive effects between photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, surpassing individual performances. This approach offers promising solution for NO3- pollution remediation and sustainable resource recovery in agriculture.

International organizations customarily receive immunities from national jurisdictions so that they may execute their specified mandates and functions without undue interference. However, this immunity results in inherent limitations on access to justice for victims of wrongdoing perpetrated by international organizations. The case of Rodriguez et al. v Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) in the United States exemplifies such limitations, as the claimants who were allegedly trafficked by the PAHO only received limited justice under the American system of immunities. However, other national jurisdictions provide for exceptions to immunities based on a concern for claimants' human rights and access to justice, with the possibility that cases like Rodriguez et al. v PAHO would have starkly different outcomes for legal recourse available to victims. This possibility is especially promising in jurisdictions with strong human rights regimes, with Europe being a prime example of such a jurisdiction. This paper examines the predicted outcomes for the case model provided by Rodriguez et al. v PAHO under two different European national jurisdictions - Belgium and the Netherlands - and their respective systems of exceptions to international organizations' immunities. The outcomes are analyzed with particular attention paid to their implications for the human rights of the claimants and the insights gained into the legal mechanisms and structures that are most crucial for and most harmful towards the human rights of claimants.

This project is a collaboration between Arizona State University Project Cities, The Design School, and the City of Phoenix’s Water Services Department. The thesis is an exploration and analysis of feedback from Phoenix residents used to create an educational resource, which is intended to give Phoenix homeowners inspiration on how to successfully modify their front yard using xeriscape and rainwater harvesting methods intended to help them save water and keep their landscape drought resilient.

Extreme heat is an increasingly major issue for urban areas worldwide due to the effects of climate change. There are a variety of actions that can be taken to combat this heat, with the most beneficial being sustainable heat actions. These actions address extreme heat, and also aim to be long-lasting, equitable and just for people and nature. Teaching future generations of professionals about extreme heat issues and solutions approaches to address them prepares these individuals for their future roles in society. To teach these solutions to future professionals, a two week long study abroad program focusing on urban heat adaptation and sustainable solutions has been created for students at Arizona State University. The city of study used for this curriculum is Freiburg, Germany, a city well-known for its sustainable actions and policy. This curriculum is broken down into pre-course modules and abroad modules. The pre-course modules occur online prior to the course while the abroad modules take place in Freiburg. There are 23 modules included in this curriculum in total. These modules give students an introduction to the city, introduce types of heat actions, provide examples of sustainable heat solutions, and culminate with a final presentation comparing the city of Freiburg, Germany with students' home city, Tempe, Arizona. This curriculum can be used by schools and universities worldwide to study sustainable heat solutions in the context of Freiburg, Germany. Due to the ease with which Tempe-based sections can be switched out, the course is adaptable to multiple learning scenarios. The curriculum is highly place-based in relation to the city of Freiburg and the course is an untested program intended to act as a two week course, providing some limiting factors and considerations. A final learning reflection highlights the main findings from the curriculum writing process.

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) are on the rise in the United States as an alternative to heavily-polluting Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEV). However, BEV greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are influenced by the electricity mix that the vehicle is produced in and operated in. This study uses Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to model the variability of BEV emissions across eleven different U.S. regions to determine which energy resources contribute the most to BEV lifetime emissions and in which lifecycle stages these emissions are most prevalent. Results suggest that BEV emissions are correlated with the share of highly emission-intensive resources (coal and residual oil), meaning that regions with the highest shares of coal and residual oil have the highest BEV emissions. With the Biden Administration’s aggressive BEV adoption goals and implementation of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, it is crucial that government resources are allocated to regions with higher emissions-intense resources to encourage the reduction of GHG emissions nationwide.

Racial categorization of individuals and White-passing phenotypes have carried complex implications throughout U.S. history, and represent the continuation of the European colonial project and mindset. This study was performed in order to research the cultural experiences of White-passing individuals of color, and how affluence, liminal identity, and language proficiency impact one’s feelings of cultural belonging. Individuals who self-identified as having White-passing appearances, but belonging to distinct non-White cultural groups, were interviewed in order to study their experiences. It was found that affluence and language ability had the most profound impacts on one’s feelings of cultural belonging and connection.

The term "Latinx" has emerged as a gender-neutral alternative to the gendered "Latino/Latina" label, sparking debates within the Latino community. However, the implications of creating a new label extend far beyond the minority group it aims to represent. This study investigates the differing perspectives of individuals within and outside of the Latino community regarding the term and its meaning. It provides additional literature that explores how people's identification with labels affects their support for political candidates and advocacy groups. Specifically, the survey experiment examines how candidates’ use of these labels influences their political support.

Life on a college campus can get incredibly busy between classes, work, and a social life. Because of this, it can be easy to completely forget to grab those essential items on the way out the door. The goal of LifeSaver’s Lane is to remedy the need to remember to grab those items by creating a small, easily accessible kit of essential items that can be thrown in a backpack or purse to keep near at all times. Through our research and interactions with the ASU community, we collected data regarding expressed interest, what our target market defines as a daily "essential item," and the products we should include in our bags. The research results showed a need for our product and intentions of a reusable on-the-go kit to ensure daily life runs smoothly.