Access to clean water is an issue that abounds in many areas across the world. It is estimated that over 770 million people lack access to improved sources of water. However, the lack of access to clean water does not just affect people's health; it is a problem that affects three major areas. Because people do not have clean drinking water, millions of school days are missed per year due to water-related disease or children being forced to procure clean water. Also, gender inequalities result from women bearing the majority of the responsibility of walking long distances to find a source of potable water. Therefore, lack of access to clean water affects people's health, their education, and gender equality. The problem is not that there is a lack of technologies to provide clean water; the problem is that these technologies are not being implemented sustainably in the areas that need them most. To bring better access of clean water to people in developing nations, 33 Buckets has designed a distribution platform that uses schools as the central point for water distribution to local communities. A sustainable filtration system will be installed at the school to provide clean water for the people at the school. People in the nearby community will also be able to get free water if they bring their own containers to the school. To maintain the filter and provide it with any repairs that are necessary, water will be sold to nearby businesses lower than the current market prices. These profits will be used to ensure the quality of the filtration system and also to provide educational improvements to the school. An advisory committee made up of men and women will be assembled to run the filtration business and handle the finances. A pilot project to implement this model has been identified as the Rahima Hoque Girls School in rural Bangladesh. The team will travel to Bangladesh in Summer 2014 to install a filter at the school, purchase water testing supplies and containers, and meet with the advisory committee to go over final logistical details. Financial projections show that if the filter operates at 50% of its expected frequency and water is sold 5 days a week for 52 weeks, the school will generate $33,532.31. These profits are more than enough to maintain the system and pay for educational improvements to the school. Once implementation of the site is completed, the project will be monitored to track how the water selling business is operating. If the model is shown to be successful, it can then be scaled to other nearby schools or other countries with water contamination problems.

I. Executive Summary Projectors are used in more and more live and corporate events and theatrical productions. In these environments, they are subject to a myriad of conditions. These can include extreme temperatures, atmospheric effects and contaminates, shipping and rough handling, and power issues. The goal is to find ways to extend the reliable and economical lifespan of these machines increasing companies ROI and decreasing environmental damage from more frequent production, repair and disposal. The first area studied was the effect removing the covers has on the projector performance. This is important knowledge for both the research protocols followed in this research and in normal use during maintenance and repair. Testing demonstrated that the removal of covers on small consumer projectors has a profound impact on internal temperatures and can even cause overheating due to the covers being used as air ducting. The main focus of this project was finding effective pre-filters for use around haze, fog and other airborne contaminates. This was successful with two material being demonstrated to be cost effective, filter far superior to factory filters alone, and produce acceptable impacts on projector cooling in several models and types of projector. These filters cost typically less than $1 per filter and reduce the ingress of contaminates by 60-80%. Additionally the effects of improper shutdown versus the manufacturers specified shutdown process were tested. It was determined that the projectors where power was unplugged or turned off had components exceed both operating temperatures and temperatures during the normal shutdown. This shows that following the correct shutdown process keeps components cooler leading to a longer component life and therefore longer projector life and decreased repairs.

"Seventy five percent of the world's poor live in rural areas of developing countries, where most people's livelihoods rely directly on agriculture." (USAid, 2014) Reduced levels of crop production and the accompanying problems of malnourishment exist all over the world. In rural Peru, for example, 11 percent of the population is malnourished. (Global Healthfacts.org, 2012) Since the success in agriculture relies importantly on the fertility of the soil, it is imperative that any efforts at reversing this trend be primarily directed at improving the existing soils. This, in turn, will increase crop yields, and if done properly, will also conserve natural resources and maximize profits for farmers. In order to improve the lives of those at the bottom of the pyramid through agriculture, certain tools and knowledge must be provided in order to empower such persons to help themselves. An ancient method of soil improvement, known as Terra Preta do Indio (Indian dark earth), was discovered by Anthropologists in the 1800's. These dark, carbon-rich, soils are notable for their high fertility, high amounts of plant available nutrients, and their high moisture retention rates. The key to their long-lasting fertility and durability is the presence of high levels of biochar, a highly stable organic carbon \u2014 produced when organic matter (crop residues, food waste, manure, etc.) is burned at low temperatures in the absence of oxygen. Research has shown that when charcoal (biochar) and fertilizers are combined, it can yield as much as 880 percent more than when fertilizers are used by themselves. (Steiner, University of Bayreuth, 2004)

This Honors thesis is analyzing the Jaipur Prosthetic Foot; we are using a foot from Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) to test the durability of the foot and where the critical fatigue points are located. Our testing design will be based off of computer simulation to point out the critical points that the test machinery should accentuate. The machine will be set to sample and save data at interval times throughout the accentuated walking cycle in order to record the point where the foot begins to show wear.

This project is a web development effort to improve the web presence of GlobalResolve. Established in 2006, GlobalResolve has directly improved the lives of underprivileged people locally and in underdeveloped nations throughout the world. This social entrepreneurship program at Arizona State University has enhanced the educational experience of students and faculty by involving them in real world projects that have shown direct results. The initiative goes beyond the traditional model of philanthropy but works to establish successful business ventures of solutions to provide sustainable economic development to the underserved communities they work with. GlobalResolve: A Digital Story is a website that was proposed to help improve the current GlobalResolve website and make a more compelling presentation of the program in hopes of attracting new funding for new projects and also student to be involved as problem solvers. The problems seen in the current website are: lack of student testimonials, sense of up keeping, context in the use of multimedia, and best web design practices. The resulting objectives for the new site were: build a product that would assist in publicizing the GlobalResolve program and tell its story to future students and prospects and potential donors. The new website solved these issues by: incorporating student experiences, embedding social media widgets regarding current projects, details of multimedia elements to provide context, and researching and implementing best design practices. The new website was developed to be an interactive experience, delivering the story of the initiative from its beginnings to it current state. The information is presented on a website with data maps, digital timelines, and short video clips, to give a thorough, interesting, and an explanation of GlobalResolve. With the incorporation of photos and graphics to assist, the website was designed to tell a compelling, composing informative yet engaging digital media. This was confirmed by doing a beta test of the website. This project evolved in many ways as an effective ways of relating information. Ultimately, the goal of this thesis was to make a digital case statement for the initiative, in order to create a clear message to prospects and potential donors. The case statement represents GlobalResolve's digital needs and how those needs can be achieved. Using digital tools and marketing, the website was approached as a strategic business plan and meant to deliver a more effective representation of the program, while setting up a template to be used for future use to allow updates that can show the progressive success of GlobalResolve.

Education abroad participants worldwide are often positively transformed by their experiences and, as a result, gain a great deal of knowledge, resources, ideas, and high levels of inspiration which can positively impact the individual, and local and global communities—contributing to global development. However, education abroad participants face challenges and are often not prepared for making lasting positive change in their local and global communities post-education abroad, known as the reentry phase. Moreover, they do not fully understand the potential positive impacts they can have on society as a result of their education abroad experiences. This is of significant importance for a world that continues to rapidly globalize, advance technologically faster than ever before, and faces challenges and opportunities that require globally experienced people. Through surveys and interviews with 156 participants from 32 countries, this transformative mixed methods research provides strong evidence for the high levels of benefits participants gain, and how they are positively transformed and motivated to make local and global impacts after their education abroad experiences. The data provides insights into participant perceptions, ideas, opportunities, and challenges surrounding these topics, and identifies differences and similarities in participant and program types that best prepare, support, and enable participants during the re-entry phase. It also provides insights on how stakeholders (e.g. educational, public, private, non-governmental, civil society, and personal support systems) can transform current research, models, and policies to be able to support participants in becoming social entrepreneur change agents, and forge a more holistic approach towards global education mobility and global development. The more than 4.5 million people that currently engage in education abroad annually is a population projected to increase to more than 8 million participants by 2025. They represent only 0.06% of the world’s 7 billion population from almost all countries, including developing, emerging, and highly developed. Therefore, this unique population of highly educated and globally exposed future world leaders and decision-makers represents a comparatively uniquely privileged group that have the potential (and responsibility) to make important global development impacts after their education abroad experiences.

Microalgae represent a potential sustainable alternative for the enhancement and protection of agricultural crops. The dry biomass and cellular extracts of Scenedesmus dimorphus were applied as a biofertilizer, a foliar spray, and a seed primer to evaluate seed germination, plant growth, and crop yield of Roma tomato plants. The dry biomass was applied as a biofertilizer at 50 g and 100 g per plant, to evaluate its effects on plant development and crop yield. Biofertilizer treatments enhanced plant growth and led to greater crop (fruit) production. Timing of biofertilizer application proved to be of importance - earlier 50 g biofertilizer application resulted in greater plant growth. Scenedesmus dimorphus culture, growth medium, and different concentrations (1%, 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%) of aqueous cell extracts were used as seed primers to determine effects on germination. Seeds treated with Scenedesmus dimorphus culture and with extract concentrations higher than 50 % (0.75 g ml-1) triggered faster germination - 2 days earlier than the control group. Extract foliar sprays of 50 ml and 100 ml, were obtained and applied to tomato plants at various extract concentrations (10%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%). Plant height, flower development and number of branches were significantly enhanced with 50 % (7.5 g ml-1) extracts. Higher concentration sprays led to a decrease in growth. The extracts were further screened to assess potential antimicrobial activity against the bacterium Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, the fungi Candida albicans ATCC 90028 and Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 16404. No antimicrobial activity was observed from the microalga extracts on the selected microorganisms.

The object of this study was a 26 year old residential Photovoltaic (PV) monocrystalline silicon (c-Si) power plant, called Solar One, built by developer John F. Long in Phoenix, Arizona (a hot-dry field condition). The task for Arizona State University Photovoltaic Reliability Laboratory (ASU-PRL) graduate students was to evaluate the power plant through visual inspection, electrical performance, and infrared thermography. The purpose of this evaluation was to measure and understand the extent of degradation to the system along with the identification of the failure modes in this hot-dry climatic condition. This 4000 module bipolar system was originally installed with a 200 kW DC output of PV array (17 degree fixed tilt) and an AC output of 175 kVA. The system was shown to degrade approximately at a rate of 2.3% per year with no apparent potential induced degradation (PID) effect. The power plant is made of two arrays, the north array and the south array. Due to a limited time frame to execute this large project, this work was performed by two masters students (Jonathan Belmont and Kolapo Olakonu) and the test results are presented in two masters theses. This thesis presents the results obtained on the north array and the other thesis presents the results obtained on the south array. The resulting study showed that PV module design, array configuration, vandalism, installation methods and Arizona environmental conditions have had an effect on this system's longevity and reliability. Ultimately, encapsulation browning, higher series resistance (potentially due to solder bond fatigue) and non-cell interconnect ribbon breakages outside the modules were determined to be the primary causes for the power loss.

While the implementation of both mild hybrid and start-stop technology is widespread as a factory option in newer vehicles, the adaptation of hybrid technology to older or unequipped vehicles has not been fully realized. As such, a straight forward hybrid conversion system that is easily adapted to different vehicles regardless of drivetrain configuration, has been developed and applied to a test vehicle for less than $2,000. System performance was recorded both before and after hybridization using real world drive cycle tracking charts. The vehicle established a fuel economy baseline of 22.93 mpg, and achieved 26.58 mpg after the conversion. This corresponds to a 15.92% increase in fuel economy. Accounting for initial system costs and annual fuel saving, this corresponds to a 6-year payback period. Based on these results, it can be concluded that an inexpensive aftermarket hybrid system is both feasible and effective at improving fuel economy.

Haiti has witnessed high deforestation rates in recent decades, caused largely by the fuel needs of a growing population. The resulting soil loss is estimated to have contributed towards a decline in agricultural productivity of 0.5% -1.2% per year since 1997. Recent studies show the potential of biochar use through pyrolysis technology to increase crop yields and improve soil health. However, the appropriateness of this technology in the context of Haiti remains unexplored. The three objectives of this research were to identify agricultural- and fuel-use-related needs and gaps in rural Haitian communities; determine the appropriateness of biochar pyrolyzer technology, used to convert agricultural biomass into a carbon-rich charcoal; and develop an action-oriented plan for use by development organizations, communities, and governmental institutions to increase the likelihood of adoption. Data were collected using participatory rural appraisal techniques involving 30 individual interviews and three focus-group discussions in the villages of Cinquantin and La Boule in the La Coupe region of central Haiti. Topics discussed include agricultural practices and assets, fuel use and needs, technology use and adoption, and social management practices. The Sustainable Livelihoods framework was used to examine the assets of households and the livelihood strategies being employed. Individual and focus group interviews were analyzed to identify specific needs and gaps. E.M. Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations theory was used to develop potential strategies for the introduction of pyrolysis technology. Preliminary results indicate biochar pyrolysis has potential to address agricultural and fuel needs in rural Haiti. Probable early adopters of biochar technology include households that have adopted new agricultural techniques in the past, and those with livestock. Education about biochar, and a variety of pyrolysis technology options from which villagers may select, are important factors in successful adoption of biochar use. A grain mill as an example in one of the study villages provides a model of ownership and use of pyrolysis technology that may increase its likelihood of successful adoption. Additionally, women represent a group that may be well suited to control a new local biochar enterprise, potentially benefiting the community.