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If you are interested in a Master thesis in the group "Environmental Modelling in the Climate System", please contact Prof. Dr. Holger Tost directly.

• Simulations of organised convection with a cloud resolving model system This project will develop a scenario with a cloud resolving model (CM1 or SAM) in which the organisation of convection can be simulated. With the help of sensitivity simulations, conditions under which organisation occurs will be determined, such as surface temperatures, evaporation flux strength, details of cloud microphysics, etc.
• Online diagnostics of convective organisation using a superparameterised GCM. Within this project the candidate is expected to develop online-diagnostics for convective organisation of convective events simulated with a superparameterised GCM. For this purpose, these diagnostics have to be implemented into the superparameterisation and simulations analysing the degree of convective organisation shall be performed. The degree of organisation should be compared to observations from the satellite platforms.
• Satellite simulators for climate models
• Lidar / Ceilometer simulator implementation in the COSMO model and comparison with ceilometer data from the IPA Mainz.
• Chemistry climate interactions
• Chemical and microphysical modelling of aerosol particles
• Cloud chemistry

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Data Mining and Machine Learning for Environmental Systems Modelling and Analysis

--> Ayala Solares, Jose Roberto (2017) Data Mining and Machine Learning for Environmental Systems Modelling and Analysis. PhD thesis, University of Sheffield.

This thesis provides an investigation of environmental systems modelling and analysis based on system identification techniques. In particular, this work focuses on adapting and developing a new Nonlinear AutoRegressive with eXogenous inputs (NARX) framework, and its application to analyse some environmental case studies. Such a framework has proved to be very convenient to model systems with nonlinear dynamics because it builds a model using the Orthogonal Forward Regression (OFR) algorithm by recursively selecting model regressors from a pool of candidate terms. This selection is performed by means of a dependency metric, which measures the contribution of a candidate term to explain a signal of interest. For the first time, this thesis introduces a package in the R programming language for the construction of NARX models. This includes a set of features for effectively performing system identification, including model selection, parameter estimation, model validation, model visualisation and model evaluation. This package is used extensively throughout this thesis. This thesis highlights two new components of the original OFR algorithm. The first one aims to extend the deterministic notion of the NARX methodology by introducing the distance correlation metric, which can provide interpretability of nonlinear dependencies, together with the bagging method, which can provide an uncertainty analysis. This implementation produces a bootstrap distribution not only for the parameter estimates, but also for the forecasts. The biggest advantage is that it does not require the specification of prior distributions, as it is usually done in Bayesian analysis. The NARX methodology has been employed with systems where both inputs and outputs are continuous variables. Nevertheless, in real-life problems, variables can also appear in categorical form. Of special interest are systems where the output signal is binary. The second new component of the OFR algorithm is able to deal with this type of variable by finding relationships with regressors that are continuous lagged input variables. This improvement helps to identify model terms that have a key role in a classification process. Furthermore, this thesis discusses two environmental case studies: the first one on the analysis of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) anomaly, and the second one on the study of global magnetic disturbances in near-Earth space. Although the AMOC anomaly has been studied in the past, this thesis analyses it using NARX models for the first time. The task is challenging given that the sample size available is small. This requires some preprocessing steps in order to obtain a feasible model that can forecast future AMOC values, and hindcast back to January of 1980. In the second case study, magnetic disturbances in near-Earth space are studied by means of the Kp index. This index goes from 0 (very quiet) to 9 (very disturbed) in 28 levels. There is special interest in the forecast of high magnetic disturbances given their impact on terrestrial technology and astronauts' safety, but these events are rare and therefore, difficult to predict. Two approaches are analysed using the NARX methodology in order to assess the best modelling strategy. Although this phenomenon has been studied with other techniques providing very promising results, the NARX models are able to provide an insightful relationship of the Kp index to solar wind parameters, which can be useful in other geomagnetic analyses.

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• Review Article
• Published: 14 September 2020

A guide to ecosystem models and their environmental applications

• William L. Geary   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6520-689X 1 , 2 ,
• Michael Bode 3 ,
• Tim S. Doherty   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7745-0251 1   nAff10 ,
• Elizabeth A. Fulton   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5904-7917 4 , 5 ,
• Dale G. Nimmo   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9814-1009 6 ,
• Ayesha I. T. Tulloch   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5866-1923 7 ,
• Vivitskaia J. D. Tulloch   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7673-3716 8 , 9 &
• Euan G. Ritchie 1  

Nature Ecology & Evolution volume  4 ,  pages 1459–1471 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

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• Conservation biology
• Ecological modelling
• Ecological networks
• Ecosystem ecology

Applied ecology has traditionally approached management problems through a simplified, single-species lens. Repeated failures of single-species management have led us to a new paradigm — managing at the ecosystem level. Ecosystem management involves a complex array of interacting organisms, processes and scientific disciplines. Accounting for interactions, feedback loops and dependencies between ecosystem components is therefore fundamental to understanding and managing ecosystems. We provide an overview of the main types of ecosystem models and their uses, and discuss challenges related to modelling complex ecological systems. Existing modelling approaches typically attempt to do one or more of the following: describe and disentangle ecosystem components and interactions; make predictions about future ecosystem states; and inform decision making by comparing alternative strategies and identifying important uncertainties. Modelling ecosystems is challenging, particularly when balancing the desire to represent many components of an ecosystem with the limitations of available data and the modelling objective. Explicitly considering different forms of uncertainty is therefore a primary concern. We provide some recommended strategies (such as ensemble ecosystem models and multi-model approaches) to aid the explicit consideration of uncertainty while also meeting the challenges of modelling ecosystems.

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Plagányi, É. E. & Butterworth, D. S. The Scotia Sea krill fishery and its possible impacts on dependent predators: modeling localized depletion of prey. Ecol. Appl. 22 , 748–761 (2012).

Kinzey, D. & Punt, A. E. Multispecies and single‐species models of fish population dynamics: comparing parameter estimates. Nat. Resour. Model. 22 , 67–104 (2009).

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Acknowledgements

W.L.G. was supported by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Victoria, and by Parks Victoria. T.S.D. was supported by an Alfred Deakin Post-doctoral Research Fellowship. D.G.N. was supported by an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. A.I.T.T. was supported by an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Silhouettes used in the Box 1 and 2 figures are taken from Phylopic.

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Tim S. Doherty

Present address: School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia

William L. Geary, Tim S. Doherty & Euan G. Ritchie

Biodiversity Division, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

William L. Geary

School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Michael Bode

CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Elizabeth A. Fulton

Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

School of Environmental Science, Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia

Dale G. Nimmo

School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Ayesha I. T. Tulloch

Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia

Vivitskaia J. D. Tulloch

Department of Forest and Conservation Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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Contributions

W.L.G. and E.G.R. conceived the ideas for the paper. W.L.G. led the writing. V.J.D.T. wrote Box 2. M.B. constructed and ran the model for Box 3. W.L.G., M.B., T.S.D., E.A.F., D.G.N., A.I.T.T., V.J.D.T. and E.G.R. all contributed to developing schematics and writing the paper.

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Correspondence to William L. Geary .

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Supplementary Information 1, Supplementary Table 1, Supplementary Information 2, Supplementary Table 2.

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Geary, W.L., Bode, M., Doherty, T.S. et al. A guide to ecosystem models and their environmental applications. Nat Ecol Evol 4 , 1459–1471 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01298-8

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Issue Date : November 2020

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01298-8

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The aim of statistical modeling is to predict with good accuracy the variable of interest and sometimes to determine the contribution of the independent variables towards the dependent variable. Over the years, researches have always tried to produce better models in order to increase the accuracy of their predictions. This paper will discuss some statistical techniques that were used frequently in environmental research as well as recent techniques and advances in statistical modelling. The first technique that will be discussed is the multiple linear regression (MLR) models. Some other regression models will also be given. Next probability distributions will be discussed. This is to obtain statistical distributions that best fit the variable of interest. This will enable the researcher to predict the return period of an event. The application of Bayesian statistics has increased over the years. The used of least squares method in MLR and hypothesis testing is known as classical statistical techniques. The Bayesian statistics is based on the probability distributions of the prior and likelihood of the Bayes theorem. The results of using classical and Bayesian statistics will be discussed. Machine learning method will be deliberated next. Machine learning is the application of artificial intelligence that provides systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience without being programmed explicitly. Some machine learning methods that will be discussed are boosted regression trees, artificial neural networks and support vector machines. Finally, hybrid models that are the combination of two statistical models will be deliberated next. It is hoped that by combining two statistical models, a more accurate and improved model will be obtained.

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Home > Engineering & Technology > Civil & Environmental Engineering > ETDs

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Theses and dissertations published by graduate students in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Old Dominion University since Fall 2016 are available in this collection. Backfiles of all dissertations (and some theses) have also been added.

In late Fall 2023 or Spring 2024, all theses will be digitized and available here. In the meantime, consult the Library Catalog to find older items in print.

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Thesis: Evaluating Direct Filtration as an Alternative to Conventional Carbon-Based Advanced Treatment for Indirect Potable Reuse , Savannah M. Flemmer

Thesis: Biocrude Production From Lignin in Hydrothermal Medium: Effect of Rapid Heating and Short Residence Time , Kyoko Hirayama

Thesis: Adaptation of Nirtrifiers and Heterotrophs to Low Dissolved Oxygen in an Activated Sludge Biological Nutrient Removal Pilot Plant , Shashank Khatiwada

Thesis: Lithium Extraction From Aqueous Solution Using Magnesium Doped Lithium Ion-Sieve Composite , Ujjwal Pokharel

Dissertation: An Effective Model for Dynamic Properties of Local Soils and Their Influence on Seismic Response of a Typical Reinforced Concrete Building , Kaveh Zehtab

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Dissertation: Quantification of Wave Attentuation of a Marsh Sill Living Shoreline and Application of Numerical Modeling for Design Optimization and Adaptation , Maura K. Boswell

Dissertation: Effectiveness of Suspended Lead Dampers in Steel Buildings Under Localized Lateral Impact and Vertical Pulsating Load , Herish Abdullah Hussein

Dissertation: Data-Driven Framework for Understanding & Modeling Ride-Sourcing Transportation Systems , Bishoy Kelleny

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Thesis: Stability of Low Crested and Submerged Breakwaters: A Reanalysis and Model Development , Christopher P. Burgess

Dissertation: Integrated Processing of Municipal Solid Waste for Maximizing Waste Reduction, Carbon Recovery and Fuel Production , Kameron J. King

Thesis: Assessment of the Hydrograv® Adapt Variable Height Secondary Clarifier Inlet at HRSD Nansemond Treatment Plant , Matthew Poe

Dissertation: Rainfall-Runoff Mechanisms and Flood Mitigation in a Coastal Watershed with Numerous Wetlands and Ponds , Homa Jalaeian Taghadomi

Dissertation: Hydrothermal Processes for Extraction and Conversion of Biomass to Produce Biofuels and Value-Added Products , Anuj Hemant Thakkar

Dissertation: Spatiotemporal Variations of Precipitation and Climate-Resilient Structure Design in Virginia , Xiaomin Yang

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Dissertation: A Rule Based Control Algorithm for on-Ramp Merge With Connected and Automated Vehicles , Ehsan Beheshtitabar

Thesis: Lateral-Torsional Instability and Biaxial Flexure of Continuous GFRP Beams Including Warping and Shear Deformations , Waverly G. Hampton

Thesis: The Impacts of Surface Gravity Waves on Buoyant Plume Dilution , Bruce William Husselbee

Dissertation: Truck Trailer Classification Using Side-Fire Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) Data , Olcay Sahin

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Thesis: Developing Algorithms to Detect Incidents on Freeways From Loop Detector and Vehicle Re-Identification Data , Biraj Adhikari

Dissertation: Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions of Lipids , Alexander Asiedu

Dissertation: Latent Choice Models to Account for Misclassification Errors in Discrete Transportation Data , Lacramioara Elena Balan

Thesis: Spatiotemporal Downscaling Rainfall Predictions of North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program for Entire Virginia , Zhaoyi Cai

Thesis: Application of a Biodegradable and Recyclable Chelating Agent for Ash Removal from Algae , Temitope George Daramola

Dissertation: Parallel Jacobi Transformation Algorithm for Generalized Eigen-Solution With Improved Damage Detection of Truss/Bridge-Type Structures , Maryam Ehsaei

Thesis: Sidestream RAS Fermentation for Stable Bio-P Combined with Short Cut Nitrogen Removal in an A/B Process , Lindsey Elise Ferguson

Thesis: Challenges of Designing and Operating a Pilot Scale Short Residence Time Continuous Hydrothermal Flash Hydrolysis Reactor for High Slurry Load Biomass Processing , Mason James Martin

Dissertation: Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach for Lagrangian Control: Improving Freeway Bottleneck Throughput Via Variable Speed Limit , Reza Vatani Nezafat

Thesis: Variable Speed Limit Control at SAG Curves Through Connected Vehicles: Implications of Alternative Communications and Sensing Technologies , Reza Vatani Nezafat

Thesis: Measuring and Modeling Bare Desert Wind Erosion From Steppe Grassland of Northern China as Affected By Soil Moisture and Climate , Nicholas Morgan Potter

Dissertation: Adaptive Control of Base Isolation Systems Using the Transmissibility-Based Semi-Active Controller , Ramin Rabiee

Thesis: Numerical Modeling of Shoreline Response to Storm Tides and Sea Level Rise , Akash Sahu

Dissertation: Numerical Modeling and Field Investigation of Nearshore Nonlinear Wave Propagation , Elham Sharifineyestani

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Dissertation: Behavior of Piled Raft Foundation in Partially Saturated Soils , Salman Alrubaye

Dissertation: Techno-Economic and Life Cycle Assessment of Hydrothermal Processing of Microalgae for Biofuels and Co-Product Generation , Andrew P. Bessette

Thesis: The Evaluation of Enhancing Biological Phosphorus Removal and Improving Settleability Using Mainstream Hydrocyclones for External Selection , Amanda Carrie Ford

Dissertation: Value Added Products From Lignin and Biomass Derivatives , Chen Li

Dissertation: Predicting Effects of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise on Hydrologic Processes in a Mid-Atlantic Coastal Watershed , Rui Li

Thesis: Flexural Behavior and Strength of Doubly-Reinforced Concrete Beams with Hollow Plastic Spheres , Rutvik R. Patel

Thesis: Modeling Effects of Rainwater Harvesting Systems on Water Yield Increase and Non-Beneficial Evaporation Reduction to Sustain Agriculture in a Water-Scarce Region of China , Tennille Wade

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Thesis: A Comparative Study of the Effects of External Selection on Settleability and Formation of Aerobic Granular Sludge , Tyler A. Brickles

Thesis: Vulnerability Assessment of Critical Bridges in the Hampton Roads Region of Virginia to Storm Surge Flooding under Sea Level Rise , Luca Castrucci

Dissertation: Behavior and Strength of RC Spandrel Members Under Unsymmetrical Bending and Torsion Including CFRP Retrofitting , Muhammad Fahim

Dissertation: Behavior and Strength of Non-Prestressed and Prestressed Hillman Composite Beam Including CFRP Retrofitting , Wajid Khan

Thesis: Investigation and Analysis of the Fluctuating Brominated to Total Trihalomethane Ratio in the Virginia Beach Distribution System , Christopher Steven Mihalkovic

Dissertation: Investigating Physical Processes Associated With Chesapeake Bay and Changjiang Estuary , Arash Niroomandi

Dissertation: Simulated Dynamics of Soil Water and Pore Vapor in a Semi-Arid Sandy Ecosystem , Shohreh Pedram

Thesis: Quantifying Cyanide Inhibition of Nitrification and Developing Cost-Effective Treatment Processes , Germano M. Salazar-Benites

Dissertation: Efficient Algorithms for Solving Size-Shape-Topology Truss Optimization and Shortest Path Problems , Gelareh B. Sanjabi

Dissertation: Holistic Approach in Microalgae Conversion to Bioproducts and Biofuels Through Flash Hydrolysis , Ali Teymouri

Thesis: A Household Daily Non-Mandatory Activity Participation and Duration Modeling Accounting for Person Level Budget Constraints , Ivana Vukovic

Thesis: Quantifying Pollutant Removal Rates of Bioretention Basins as a Stormwater Best Management Practice , Evan Nathanial Waagen

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Dissertation: Dynamic Elasto-Plastic Behavior of Steel Building Sub-Assemblage Including CFRP Retrofitting Under Impact Load , Ali Mohammed Salih Aloosi

Dissertation: Methodologies for Estimating Traffic Flow on Freeways Using Probe Vehicle Trajectory Data , Khairul Azfi Anuar

Thesis: Impacts of Operating Parameters on Extracellular Polymeric Substances Production in a High Rate Activated Sludge System with Low Solids Retention Times , Matthew S. Elliot

Dissertation: Efficient Domain Decomposition Algorithms and Applications in Transportation and Structural Engineering , Paul W. Johnson III

Thesis: Changing Trends in Wave Heights in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Region , Hillary Lane

Thesis: Longitudinal Tidal Dispersion Coefficient Estimation and Total Suspended Solids Transport Characterization in the James River , Beatriz Eugenia Patino

Thesis: Effects of Surrounding Water Table on a Forested Wetland Habitat in East Coast of Virginia , Lane Stokes

Thesis: Investigating the Relationship Between Latent Driving Patterns and Traffic Safety Using Smartphone-Based Mobile Sensor Data , Kenneth Wynne

Thesis: Global Sensitivity Analysis of Mat Foundation Behavior by Using Finite Element Modeling , Yang Zhao

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Thesis: Experimental and Predicted Behavior of FRP Beam-Columns Including Retrofitting , Ali Al-Huazy

Thesis: Analyzing Driver Behavior and Traffic Flow Breakdowns at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel , Michelle L. Allen

Thesis: Behavior and Strength of Pultruded FRP I-Section Columns Including Uniaxial and Biaxial Bending , Emad M. Amin

Thesis: Techno-Economic Analysis of Protein Concentrate Produced by Flash Hydrolysis of Microalgae , Alexander Nana Yaw Asiedu

Thesis: Life Cycle Assessment Using Argonne GREET Model of Algae Based Biofuels Produced Using Flash Hydrolysis Process , Andrew P. Bessette

Thesis: A Modified Rank Ordered Logit Model to Analyze Injury Severity of Occupants in Multi-Vehicle Crashes , Shelley Bogue

Dissertation: Polychlorinated Biphenyl Source Identification in Fish Tissue Using a Multivariate Statistical Evaluation of Congeners and Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry , William Edward Corl III

Thesis: Adsorption-Style Activated-Sludge Is It a Practical Treatment Process in North America? , Jon DeArmond

Thesis: Impact of Limited Organic Carbon Addition on Nitrogen Removal in a Mainstream Anammox Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor , Johnnie Wayne Godwin

Dissertation: Inelastic Behavior and Strength of Steel Beam-Columns with Applied Torsion , Mamadou Konate

Dissertation: A Risk Assessment of the Impacts of Coastal Flooding and Sea Level Rise on the Existing and New Pump Stations 113, Norfolk, VA , David A. Pezza

Dissertation: Hydrothermal Catalytic Liquefaction and Deoxygenation of Biomass for Renewable Fuel Production , Sergiy Popov

Thesis: Accuracy Comparison of Numerical Integration Algorithms for Real-Time Hybrid Simulations , Ganesh Anant Reddy

Dissertation: Characterizing Queue Dynamics at Signalized Intersections From Probe Vehicle Data , Semuel Yacob Recky Rompis

Thesis: Comparing Nutrient Recovery via Rapid (Flash Hydrolysis) and Conventional Hydrothermal Liquefaction Processes for Microalgae Cultivation , Caleb Richard Talbot

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Thesis: Evaluation of the EPA SWMM Model to Simulate Low Impact Development Features in an Urban Stormwater Environment , Holly Ann Carpenter

Dissertation: Flash Hydrolysis of Microalgae Biomass for Biofuels Intermediates Production, Protein Extraction, and Nutrients Recycle , Jose Luis Garcia Moscoso

Thesis: Anammox Polishing in Mainstream Wastewater Treatment to Meet Stringent Ammonia and Total Nitrogen Limits , Rebecca Mary Holgate

Thesis: Effective CFRP Retrofitting Schemes for Prestressed Concrete Beams , Herish Abdullah Hussein

Dissertation: Feasibility of Mainstream Nitrite Oxidizing Bacteria Out-Selection and Anammox Polishing for Enhanced Nitrogen Removal , Pusker Raj Regmi

Dissertation: Stormwater Infrastructure Optimization on Conjunctive Improvements , Mohammad Hussin Shar

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Thesis: Linear Programming Algorithm with Mixed Real-Integer Variables in MATLAB Environments , Gelareh Bakhtyar

Thesis: Operation and Modification of a B-Stage for Efficient Nitrogen Removal in an A/B Process Pilot Study , Ryder Bunce

Dissertation: The Role of Proximity in Reducing Auto Travel: Using VMT to Identify Key Locations for Development, from Downtown to the Exurbs , Robert B. Case

Dissertation: Watershed-Scale Hybrid Stochastic-Deterministic Modeling Framework and Diffused Sources Superpositioning , Ruby Juvah Damalie

Thesis: Denitrification and Biological Phosphorus Removal Using Focused, Pulse-Treated, Thickened Waste Activated Sludge as an Internal Carbon Source , Holly Anne Hillard

Thesis: Evaluating Alternatives for Augmented Water Quality Improvement Utilizing Oyster Restoration as Best Management Practice (BMP) , Stephanie Roberts Long

Dissertation: An Investigation of Pavement Distress Variables on Crash Outcomes Using Hierarchical Generalized Linear Regression Modeling , Robert Alan Morgan

Thesis: Optimization of DEMON® Sidestream Treatment and Potential for Anammox Mainstream Bioaugmentation , Andrea Lauren Nifong

Dissertation: Dimensionless Criteria for Selecting Tidally-Influenced Advective-Dispersive Desalination Brine Mixing Plume Characterization Models , Alireza Shahvari

Dissertation: Exploring Travel and Activity Behavior in Transit-Oriented Developments: Insights Into Transportation Benefits and Travel Demand Modelling , Sanghoon Son

Dissertation: Thermo-Elasto-Plastic Behavior of Biaxially Loaded Steel Beam-Columns Inducing Those From World Trade Center Towers , Yanhong Zhao

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Dissertation: Evaluation of Hydraulic Conductivity of Non Aqueous Phase Liquids in Partially Saturated Soils , Chijioke Ekeleme Akamiro

Thesis: Integrating Probe Vehicles and Stationary Detector Data to Construct Accurate Cumulative Curves to Study Bottlenecks , Khairul Azfi Anuar

Dissertation: Efficient Stand-Alone Generalized Inverse Algorithms and Software for Engineering/Sciences Applications: Research and Education , Subhash Chandra Bose S V Kadiam

Thesis: Biaxial Bending and Lateral-Torsional Instability of Imperfect FRP I-Beams Including Effects of Retrofitting , Jodi Marie Knorowski

Dissertation: The Modified Coastal Storm Impulse Parameter , Sayed Gholamreza Mahmoudpour

Thesis: Demand Responsive Signal Control Strategy (DRSC) Incorporating Queue Length Information in Real-Time Signal Control , Rahul Rajbhara

Dissertation: Static and Impact Load Response of Reinforced Concrete Beams and Slabs with NSM-CFRP Retrofitting , Nakul Ramanna-Sanjeevaiah

Dissertation: Spatial Analysis of Travel Behavior and Response to Traveler Information , Xin Wang

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Environmental Studies Program

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Amazon Deforestation and Its Effects on Local Climate , Andrew Baker

Observing Wildlife in Different Urban Environments , Colleen Ballinger

AN ANALYSIS OF FACTORS AFFECTING MUNICIPAL BIOCHAR IMPLEMENTATION IN VOLUNTARY CARBON MARKETS , Jadon Basilevac

Evaluating Biophilic Design Characteristics in Lincoln Public Schools , Sarah Burr

Spatiotemporal Activity Patterns of Red Foxes and Coyotes in Wilderness Park, Lincoln, Nebraska. , Adam Carlson

Recycling attitudes and behaviors toward single-use plastics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Jadyn Chasek

Survey of Energy Literacy in Lincoln, NE Households , Bella Devney

Correlation Between Fire and Preservation in the Pacific Northwest & Most Cost-Efficient MitigationTactics , Liam Doherty-Herwitz

Analyzing the Effect of Guided Nature Walks on Human Behavior , Jake Duffy

STUDENT PERSPECTIVES OF SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION USE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS , Brynn Fuelberth

SOLAR ENERGY IMPLEMENTATION IN RURAL COMMUNITIES , Corie Gleason

State of Utah et al. v Walsh et al. , Ethan Halman Gonzalez

Regenerative Agriculture –A Pathway for Addressing Nebraska’s Water Quality and Soil Degradation Challenges , Kjersten Hyberger

Proposing Urban Agroforestry Designs for Lincoln, Nebraska: A Model From Berlin, Germany , Noah Johnson

Analyzing The Effects Of Cold Frontal Passage On The Feeding Habits Of Micropterus Salmoides (Largemouth Bass) , Ethan Lang

Turfgrass Alternatives for the Modern Yard , John Lonowski

Rails to Trails Program: Neighborhood Dynamics in Lincoln, Nebraska , Emma McCormick

ANALYZING SEA LEVEL RISE ADAPTATION & MITIGATION STRATEGIES IN LOUISIANA AND THE NETHERLANDS , Jonah McDowell

Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Nebraska State Park Visitation , Bailey Mullins

Examining the Psychology and Human Behavior of Sustainable Living: The Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Climate Change Education , Samantha Nielsen

GENDER AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: A CROSS-NATIONAL ANALYSIS ON POLITICAL REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN AND SUBSEQUENT STATE SUSTAINABILITY , Erin O'Sullivan

Perception of Nature Based on Childhood Experiences , Kaitlyn Richards

IDENTIFYING A CONSUMER-PRODUCER AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE GAP , Aspen Rittgarn

EVALUATING ECOSYSTEM HEALTH OF THE SALT CREEK BASIN THROUGH TWO-EYED SEEING , Shelby Serritella

Place-Based Pedagogies in Post-Secondary Science Education: A Scoping Literature Review , Megan Swain

The Decline of Upland Birds in Nebraska: Maximizing Limited Habitat , Hunter Tesarek

Off the Rails: Cinematic Trains as Technological Controls of the Natural World , Trinity Thompson

Roots of Passion in Environmental UNL Students , Shane Vrbicky

Physiological Distancing Affects Climate Change Through Spatial Differences , Janette Williams

Nitrates in Nebraska , Michelle Zenk

NOISE POLLUTION AND ITS EFFECTS ON HUMAN MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH , Seth Anderson

Outdoor Recreation and its Effect on our Relationship with The Environment , Martin Brannaman

HELD AT BAY: A CASE STUDY OF A LAKE COMMUNITY’S EFFORT TO PREVENT A ZEBRA MUSSEL INVASION , Benjamin Breske

ANALYZING RECYCLING OPTIONS FOR WIND TURBINE BLADE WASTE , Awinita Bunner

The Effects of Human Activity on Reintroduced Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) Populations , Justine Cherovsky

Eco-dystopian Novels Written By Women: Second, Third, and Fourth Wave Feminism , Trystyn Cox

HOW CAN STAKEHOLDERS IN FOOD SOVEREIGNTY ACHIEVE MORE POLITICAL POWER? , Micah Dierks

Supercritical Water Gasification and Pyrolysis – Cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch , Kelly L. Emery

Public Health Impacts of the Clothing Industry , Schafer Flowerday

THE ACCESSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF LOCAL FOODS: A SNAPSHOT FROM THE FOOD HUBS OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA , Tess Foxall

Agricultural Carbon Markets: How Could They Work? , Andrew Havens

APPARENT TEMPERATURE & RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN NEBRASKA: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ON WET BULB GLOBE TEMPERATURE (WBGT) TOOLS , Rachel T. Hines

The Evolution of Wildland Fire Risk Management , Matthew Holte

E-WASTE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH OF GUIYU, CHINA CITIZENS: A COMPARISON PRE AND POST CHINA’S PROHIBITION OF FOREIGN GARBAGE IMPORTS , Oliva Hultman

Climate Change Adaptation, Migration, and Promising Developments for Pacific Island States , Ashley Jonas

IDENTIFYING HOW SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCES AFFECT CHILDREN’S ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY , Quinn Kimbell

Literature Review on Water Desalination Plant Production and Brine Disposal Methods , Grace Kollars

The Impact of Interactions Among Native Grassland Species: A Study of Interactions Between Two Invasive Species (Bromus tectorum and Setaria faberi) and Two Native Species (Helianthus annuus and Rudbeckia hirta) , Nash Leef

Wildfires & Prescribed Fires: Do They Impact Soil Quality? , Kate Nelson

Eastern Redcedar Reduces Regeneration and Diversity in the Forests of the Niobrara River Valley , Abigail Ridder

Greenhouse Gas Emissions During the Usage Phase of Electric Vehicles in the United States, Now and in the Future , Zach Roza

Reintroduction of the Grey Wolf , Cody Willers

University of Nebraska Sustainability Recommendations , Kat Woerner

Land-Use and Potential Effects on the Western Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium) , Emily Zappia

Audit of Waste Collected Over One Week From Superior Dental Health of Lincoln , Bryclin Alstrom

Analysis of Drinking Water Disinfection Options , Bryce Carlen

Diversification of Angiosperms During the Cretaceous Period , Sakia Fields

Distribution of Green Spaces in Omaha, Nebraska , Sofia Gavia

The Effect of Agkistrodon contortrix and Crotalus horridus Venom Toxicity on Strike Locations With Live Prey , Chase Giese

Long-Term Impacts of 2019 Flood Experiences on Nebraskans’ Climate Change Perceptions , Caitlin Kingsley

How is Remote Sensing Being Used to Prevent Wildfires Today? , Luke Lauby

Regenerative Agriculture’s Potential Carbon Storage in Nebraska Soils , Jenna McCoy

Relationship of Land Use Categories and Water Quality for Low Order Streams , Jake McEnaney

Impact of Ethnic Markets on Food Accessibility in Lincoln, NE , Connor McFayden

Mitigation Strategies for Municipal Solid Waste Generation in Lincoln , Justine Mileski

Temporal and Spatial Interactions between Coyotes and Red Foxes along the Urban-Rural Interface , Adam Mortensen

Mental Health Incorporation in Nebraskan Recovery Plans Following the 2019 Midwestern Floods , Isabelle Murray

The Effect of Drought on the Bird Species Spiza americana , Emily Nelson

The Formatting of Science Communication and How it Affects Attraction to and Understanding of Scientific Information , Connor Nichols

Effects of Land Use in Nebraska on Insect Biodiversity and Eastern Monarch Populations , Carina Olivetti

The Relationship Between Time and Plant Diversity in Prairie Restorations Within the Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch , Elizabeth Park

Precipitation Impact on Crop Yield , Ian Ritchie

Investigating Predation Risk Experienced by Wintering Birds at a Supplied-Food Garden , Madison Smart

Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Understand the Behavioral Use of Single-Use Plastic Bags by Students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Josephine Stoessel

Sparking Awareness in Lincoln Electronic Waste Trends and Habits: A Student Behavioral Analysis , Zowie Vincent

Designing a Mobile App and Online Directory to Increase the Visibility of Environmental Organizations in a Community , Kayla Vondracek

The Effect of Urban Forests on Air Quality and Human Health , Chance Wilken

Climate Change & Grief: An Overview Of The Mental Health Effects Of Climate Change & How Biodiversity Loss In The Great Plains Affects Our Emotional Wellbeing , Luke Andersen

Lincoln, NE Composting in Restaurants , Brodie Baum

The Effect Of Wildlife Wellbeing On Environmental Concern , Laura Casne

Observing Spectral Response Differences In Freshwater Lakes Using Remote Sensing Technology , Brady Cooper

Nutritional Value of Crops affected by Elevated Carbon Dioxide Concentrations in Atmospheric Conditions , Alex Joseph Cusimano

A Comparative Analysis Of The Reception Of Laudato Si’ By Progressive And Traditional Catholics , Mikayla Dorff

PLANNING URBAN FORESTS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE , Ethan Dudden

The Role Of University Of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Biodigester On Sustainable Food Waste Reduction Within Selleck Dining Center , Jennifer Gilbert

Adventuring in the Winds: An Exploration of Water Accessibility, Keystone Species, Environmental Justice, and Forest Fires in the Wind River Range , Rhianna Giron

Environmental Factors On The Arctic Food Chain , Sydney Hansen

Incorporating Tallgrass Prairie Into Urban Environments , Daniel Hauschild

The Changing Habitat And Decline Of Ring-Necked Pheasant Populations In Otoe County, Nebraska , Jacob T. Herman

Ecological Perspectives of the Eastern Saline Wetlands Differ Between Visitors and Non-Visitors , Peter Janda

Analysis Of Trees Damaged From Flooding And Ice In Columbus, Nebraska , Alaina Kapla

The Effects Of Street Tree Site Planting Width On Canopy Width And Ability To Provide Ecosystem Services , Ryan Kendall

FUTURE IMPLICATIONS OF EXTREME HEAT ON PUBLIC HEALTH FOR THOSE LIVING IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA , Mandy Koehler

Fungal Mycelium; The Key to a Sustainable Future , Sawyer Krivanek

Growth and Feeding Response in Python regius in Ambient Temperature vs. Hot-Spot , McKenzie Martinez

The Research and Analysis of Potential Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus) Habitats and Gray Wolf Management in the U.S. , YouHan Mei

Effect of Urban Green Space on Urban Populations. , Jack Mensinger

TO WHAT EXTENT HAS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANS AND RED FOXES (VULPES VULPES) EVOLVED THROUGHOUT HISTORY? , Abigail Misfeldt

Diet Composition And Analysis Of Fish Species Consumed By The Eurasian Otter In A Marine/Costal Environment , Alexandrea Otto

The Effects of Phosphate on the Metamorphosis of Larval Western Barred Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium) , Alexis Jean Polivanov

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Oxygenated organic compounds in the atmosphere : environmental modelling studies, campus location, year of award, department, school or centre, additional institution or organisation, degree type, usage metrics.

Environmental Modelling and Data Sciences

We are living in an age of data : sensors, satellites and stations record environmental states around the world, in many systems.

Environmental Modelling and Data Science aims at equipping the students with a wide and relevant range of computer-based skills to address research and application challenges in environmental science. Ever-larger data sets from automatised data collections (remote sensing, omics) and large research and public data collections (weather stations, iNaturalist, ebird) require appropriate data science and modelling competences . As these methods are in constant flux, the profile Environmental Modelling and Data Science (EMDS) develops fundamental skills in statistics and programming and combines them with concrete studies and analyses .

Important facts about this major

Teaching form: on-campus

Pace of study: fulltime

Study location: Freiburg

Start: only in winter term

Duration: 4 Semester

Application periode:  march 1st - may 15th

ECTS: 120 ECTS (80ECTS modules, 10 ECTS Internship, 30ECTS Thesis)

Costs: 161 semester fees, 1.500€ study fees (only non-EU students!)

• Uses process models of environmental systems and statistical, data-driven approaches.
• Teaching in R and Python.
• Profile track is embedded in a Master programme of environmental topics and interests.

Program overview  pdf

Module details

1)    environmental statistics.

introductory module beyond multiple regression builds on and extends statistical knowledge and its application standard machine-learning approaches in R or Python joint module with students from other profile tracks

2)    Environmental monitoring, data analysis and visualisation

• automatised data handling
• data based setup and management
• data-wrangling and related visualisation

3)    Earth System Modelling

• formulating processes as ODEs
• simulating (coupled) (partial) DEs using R/Python
• programming (modules of) a simple ecosystem model

4)    Ecosystem Functioning

• Background knowledge on important processes in ecosystems
• overview of ecological approaches and systems
• link to other profile tracks, and to their students

5)    Remote Sensing & Geoinformatics  

• obtaining and processing remote sensing data
• using open satellite data to quantify environmental processes and states
• automatised big-data processing

6)    Applied Land Surface Modelling

• linking ecosystem models to remote sensing
• parameterisation of land-surface models
• scenario analysis with land-surface models

7)    Bioinformatics

• acquiring omics data from data bases and services
• analytical pipelines for omics data
• combining omics data to address environmental questions

8)    Modelling Environmental Systems

• handling large models for environmental systems
• sensitivity analysis and model application
• examples from agriculture and forestry

9)    Capstone Project

• practicing collaboration with applied environmental scientists
• joint project with forestry, hydrology or environmental science students
• reproducing and re-evaluating published (process or statistical) modelling studies

10)   Advanced Statistics

• generalised mixed-effect models, analysis of temporally/spatially correlated data
• opt. advanced machine learning: validation techniques, error propagation
• opt. neural network architectures and their application

Target Group

Students with a BSc in environmental or natural science or engineering, who want to develop the skills required as a modeller and data scientist in the environmental sciences. An affinity and knowledge for statistics and data should be present. Basic knowledge of R or Python is assumed. (GLM: multiple regression for non-normal data, reading in data, plotting, simple data wrangling, simple statistical analyses, key concepts and practice with raster and vector data)

Career Opportunities

Environmental data, and their link to environmental process models, are at the heart of both academic and administrative work. Geological, hydrological, biological agencies have huge difficulties in keeping up with the development of new methods and require data scientists with understanding of typical environmental data and their context.

In academia, the number of automatised data collections is continuously increasing, making data handling and analysis a central skill. While the actual scientific question comes with knowledge of the field, methods required for addressing these questions build on the content of this profile track.

Application and Requierments

Requirements 

• Degree with grade point average of at least 2.5
• 50 ECTS in natural sciences and ecology
• 20 ECTS in statistics and geomatics
• Knowledge of a higher programming language

      -> Basic knowledge of "R" is assumed!

Application periode: March 1st - May 15th

Application portal:  HISinOne

further information:  "Application"

Coordinator & Contact

Prof. Dr. Carsten Dormann

Department of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis

Studiengangkoordination

Bewerbungsmanagement

Sunniva Dalmühle//Kristin Goldbach

info-msc-umwelt[at]unr.uni-freiburg.de

Studienfachberatung

Dr. Heiko Winter

beratung-msc-umwelt[at]unr.uni-freiburg.de

Universität Freiburg Fakultät für Umwelt & Natürliche Ressourcen Tennenbacher Str. 4 D-79106 Freiburg

ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst

Home > CNS > ECO > Environmental Conservation Masters Theses Collection

Environmental Conservation Masters Theses Collection

Theses from 2024 2024.

Effects of Habitat, Density, and Climate on Moose and Winter Tick Ecology in the northeastern U.S. , Juliana Berube, Environmental Conservation

Adaptive Silviculture for Wildlife: Supporting Forest Biodiversity Through Climate Adaptation , Jahiya Clark, Environmental Conservation

Comparing Likelihood of Tree Failure Assessments Using Different Assessment Techniques , Ari Okun, Environmental Conservation

Use of Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (Drones) Based Remote Sensing to Model Platform Topography and Identify Human-made Earthen Barriers in Salt Marshes , Joshua J. Ward, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2023 2023

Modeling the Effects of Forest Management Practices on Ecohydrologic Processes in the Antalya River Watershed of Turkey , Hilal Arslan, Environmental Conservation

HYDRO-SOCIAL TERRITORIES AND OIL PALM PLANTATIONS: INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, AGRIBUSINESS, AND SAFE WATER ACCESS UNDER POWER RELATIONS IN KAIS, WEST PAPUA, INDONESIA , Briantama Asmara, Environmental Conservation

Evaluation of Acoustic Telemetry Array Performance and Fine- Scale and Broad-Scale Spatial Movement Patterns for Coral Reef Species in Culebra, Puerto Rico , Roxann Cormier, Environmental Conservation

Improving Energy Efficiency of School Buildings with Solar-Assisted Cooling for the Maldives , Ahmed Fathhee, Environmental Conservation

Pine Barrens Wildlife Management: Exploring the Impact of a Stressor and Active Management on Two Taxa at Camp Edwards , Andrew B. Gordon Jr, Environmental Conservation

Factors Affecting the Distribution of Malayan Sun Bear in Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, Northern Myanmar , Min Hein Htike, Environmental Conservation

A Multi-Regional Assessment of Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) Occupancy in Managed and Unmanaged Forests Using Autonomous Recording Units , Jeffery T. Larkin, Environmental Conservation

Climate Change Attitudes of United States Family Forest Owners and their Influence on Forest Management Practices , Logan Miller, Environmental Conservation

The Relative Effects of Functional Diversity and Structural Complexity on Carbon Dynamics in Late-Successional, Northeastern Mixed Hardwood Forests , Samantha Myers, Environmental Conservation

Factors influencing the occurrence and spread of aquatic invasive species in watershed systems , Hazel M. Ortiz, Environmental Conservation

PARTICIPATORY WETLAND GOVERNANCE IN RAMSAR – ASSESSING LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION IN INDIA , Seema Ravandale, Environmental Conservation

A REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF THE LINKED DECISIONS IN THE CONFISCATION OF ILLEGALLY TRADED TURTLES , Desiree Smith, Environmental Conservation

Effect of Alliaria petiolata management on post-eradication seed bank dynamics , Chloe Thompson, Environmental Conservation

Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) Population Dynamics and Response to Habitat Management in Massachusetts , Julia Vineyard, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2022 2022

Assessment of the Economic and Ecosystem Service Contributions of USDA Forest Service Landowner Assistance Programs in the Conterminous United States , Jacqueline S. Dias, Environmental Conservation

Exploring Urban Forestry Non-Governmental Organizations in the Temperate Forest Region of the United States , Alexander J. Elton, Environmental Conservation

Songbird-mediated Insect Pest Control in Low Intensity New England Agriculture , Samuel J. Mayne, Environmental Conservation

Perception and Value Assessment of Ecosystem Services in Rural and Urban Regions in Ecuador , Roberto S. Navarrete Arias, Environmental Conservation

Identifying New Invasives In The Face Of Climate Change: A Focus On Sleeper Populations , Ayodelé C. O'Uhuru, Environmental Conservation

A Tipping Point in the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest: Current and Future Land-Use and Climate Change Trends , Alula Shields, Environmental Conservation

Dynamics of Water Supply and Demand in the Bandama River Watershed of Cote d'Ivoire , Sarah Alima Traore, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2021 2021

Applying Ecological Theory to Amphibian Populations to Determine if Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) are Ideal and Free when Selecting Breeding Habitat , Taylor M. Braunagel, Environmental Conservation

Assessing the Impacts to Society Associated with the Use of Alternative Ammunition for Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges , Christopher Cahill, Environmental Conservation

Evaluation of Environmental Factors Influencing American Marten Distribution and Density in New Hampshire , Donovan Drummey, Environmental Conservation

Can Volunteers Learn to Prune Trees? , Ryan W. Fawcett, Environmental Conservation

The Efficacy of Habitat Conservation Assistance Programs for Family Forest Owners in Vermont , Margaret E. Harrington, Environmental Conservation

The Role of Vegetative Cover in Enhancing Resilience to Climate Change and Improving Public Health , Anastasia D. Ivanova, Environmental Conservation

Assessing the Structure and Function of Utility Forests in Massachusetts , Ryan Suttle, Environmental Conservation

Factors Influencing Stopover and Movement of Migratory Songbirds within the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge , Jessica Tatten, Environmental Conservation

Patterns and mechanisms of intraspecific trait variation across thermal gradients in a marine gastropod , Andrew R. Villeneuve, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2020 2020

Habitat Associations of Priority Bird Species and Conservation Value on Small, Diversified Farms in New England , Isabel Brofsky, Environmental Conservation

Autonomous Recording Units as an Alternative Method for Monitoring Songbirds , Lindsay Clough, Environmental Conservation

Impact of Predators on Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) in the Eastern and Western United States , Ryan Crandall, Environmental Conservation

New England’s Underutilized Seafood Species: Defining And Exploring Marketplace Potential In A Changing Climate , Amanda Davis, Environmental Conservation

Improving Growth and Survival of Cultured Yellow Lampmussel (Lampsilis cariosa) for Restoring Populations , Virginia Martell, Environmental Conservation

From Intentional Awareness to Environmental Action: The Relationship Between Mindfulness and Pro-Environmental Behaviors , Nischal Neupane, Environmental Conservation

The Ecological Value of Spruce Plantations in Massachusetts , Calvin Ritter, Environmental Conservation

In-vitro Propagation and Fish Assessments to Inform Restoration of Dwarf Wedgemussel (Alasmidonta Heterodon) , Jennifer Ryan, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2019 2019

Hydrologic Structure and Function of Vernal Pools in South Deerfield, Massachusetts , Charlotte Axthelm, Environmental Conservation

Ecological and Economic Implications of Establishing Quercus spp. in the Urban Environment , Tierney Bocsi, Environmental Conservation

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) Management Effectiveness and Plant Community Response , Erin Coates-Connor, Environmental Conservation

Defining and Addressing Interconnected Goals in Groundwater Management Planning Across the USA , Allison Gage, Environmental Conservation

Root-Driven Weathering Impacts on Mineral-Organic Associations Over Pedogenic Time Scales , Mariela Garcia Arredondo, Environmental Conservation

Using Visual Media to Empower Citizen Scientists: A Case Study of the Outsmart App , Megan E. Kierstead, Environmental Conservation

Urban Biodiversity Experience and Exposure: Intervention and Inequality at the Local and Global Scale , Evan Kuras, Environmental Conservation

Arboriculture Safety Around The World , Jamie Lim, Environmental Conservation

Ecological Considerations and Application of Urban Tree Selection in Massachusetts , Ashley McElhinney, Environmental Conservation

The Women's Action: Participation through Resistance , Michael Roberts, Environmental Conservation

Eastern Whip-poor-will Habitat Associations in Fort Drum, NY , Kimberly Spiller, Environmental Conservation

The Role of International River Basin Organizations in Facilitating Science Use in Policy , Kelsey Wentling, Environmental Conservation

An Examination of Tern Diet in a Changing Gulf of Maine , Keenan Yakola, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2018 2018

Mapping Sandbars in the Connecticut River Watershed through Aerial Images for Floodplain Conservation , Bogumila Backiel, Environmental Conservation

You Must Estimate Before You Indicate: Design and Model-Based Methods for Evaluating Utility of a Candidate Forest Indicator Species , Jillian Fleming, Environmental Conservation

Performance of Floristic Quality Assessment in Massachusetts Forested Wetlands , Carolyn Gorss, Environmental Conservation

The Impact of Intraspecific Density on Garlic Mustard Sinigrin Concentration , Mercedes Harris, Environmental Conservation

Plants, Parasites, and Pollinators: The Effects of Medicinal Pollens on a Common Gut Parasite in Bumble Bees , George LoCascio, Environmental Conservation

Human and Climate Change Influences on Black (Diceros bicornis) and White (Ceratotherium simum) Rhinos in Southern Africa , Hlelolwenkhosi S. Mamba, Environmental Conservation

Watershed-Scale Modeling for Water Resource Sustainability in the Tuul River Basin of Mongolia , Javzansuren Norvanchig, Environmental Conservation

Impacts of Small, Surface-Release Dams on Stream Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen in Massachusetts , Peter Zaidel, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2017 2017

Accounting For Biotic Variability In Streams With Low Levels of Impervious Cover: The Role of Reach- and Watershed-Scale Factors , Catherine Bentsen, Environmental Conservation

Juvenile River Herring in Freshwater Lakes: Sampling Approaches for Evaluating Growth and Survival , Matthew T. Devine, Environmental Conservation

DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS OF CLIMATE ON BIRD ABUNDANCE ALONG ELEVATION GRADIENTS IN THE NORTHERN APPALACHIANS , Timothy Duclos, Environmental Conservation

EVALUATION OF THE RECREATIONAL CATCH-AND-RELEASE FISHERY FOR GOLDEN DORADO SALMINUS BRASILIENSIS IN SALTA, ARGENTINA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT , Tyler Gagne, Environmental Conservation

Botswana’s Elephant-Back Safari Industry – Stress-Response in Working African Elephants and Analysis of their Post-Release Movements , Tanya Lama, Environmental Conservation

Factors Influencing Shrubland Bird and Native Bee Communities in Forest Openings , H. Patrick Roberts, Environmental Conservation

A Mixed-methods Study on Female Landowner Estate Planning Objectives , rebekah zimmerer, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2016 2016

Factors Influencing Household Outdoor Residential Water Use Decisions in Suburban Boston (USA) , Emily E. Argo, Environmental Conservation

Understory Plant Community Structure in Forests Invaded by Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) , Jason Aylward, Environmental Conservation

Factors Affecting Habitat Quality for Wintering Wood Thrushes in a Coffee Growing Region in Honduras , Brett A. Bailey, Environmental Conservation

Invasive Species Occurrence Frequency is not a Suitable Proxy for Abundance in the Northeast , Tyler J. Cross, Environmental Conservation

Population Genetic Analysis of Atlantic Horseshoe Crabs (Limulus polyphemus) in Coastal Massachusetts. , Katherine T. Johnson, Environmental Conservation

Modeling Historical and Future Range of Variability Scenarios in the Yuba River Watershed, Tahoe National Forest, California , Maritza Mallek, Environmental Conservation

The Life History Characteristics, Growth, and Mortality of Juvenile Alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus, in Coastal Massachusetts , Julianne Rosset, Environmental Conservation

Specific Phosphate Sorption Mechanisms of Unaltered and Altered Biochar , Kathryn D. Szerlag, Environmental Conservation

Trophic Relationships Among Caribou Calf Predators in Newfoundland , Chris Zieminski, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2015 2015

Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Assemblages in Three New York Pine Barrens and the Impacts of Hiking Trails , Grace W. Barber, Environmental Conservation

Niche-Based Modeling of Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) Using Presence-Only Information , Nathan Bush, Environmental Conservation

Assessing Mammal and Bird Biodiversity and Habitat Occupancy of Tiger Prey in the Hukaung Valley of Northern Myanmar , Hla Naing, Environmental Conservation

Generating Best Management Practices for Avian Conservation in a Land-Sparing Agriculture System, and the Habitat-Specific Survival of a Priority Migrant , Jeffrey D. Ritterson, Environmental Conservation

Experimental Test of Genetic Rescue in Isolated Populations of Brook Trout , Zachary L. Robinson, Environmental Conservation

UNDERSTANDING STAKEHOLDERS PERCEPTION TOWARDS HUMAN-WILDLIFE INTERACTION AND CONFLICT IN A TIGER LANDSCAPE-COMPLEX OF INDIA , Ronak T. Sripal, Environmental Conservation

Impacts of Land Cover and Climate Change on Water Resources in Suasco River Watershed , Ammara Talib, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2014 2014

A Comparison of American, Canadian, and European Home Energy Performance in Heating Dominated – Moist Climates Based on Building Codes , Stephanie M. Berkland, Environmental Conservation

Spatio-Temporal Factors Affecting Human-Black Bear Interactions in Great Smoky Mountains National Park , Nathan Buckhout, Environmental Conservation

Estimating the Effective Number of Breeders of Brook Trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, Over Multiple Generations in Two Stream Systems , Matthew R. Cembrola, Environmental Conservation

An Assessment of Environmental Dna as a Tool to Detect Fish Species in Headwater Streams , Stephen F. Jane, Environmental Conservation

Assessing Wild Canid Distribution Using Camera Traps in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts , Eric G. LeFlore, Environmental Conservation

Quantifying the Effect of Passive Solar Design in Traditional New England Architecture , Peter Levy, Environmental Conservation

Ecology and Conservation of Endangered Species in Sumatra: Smaller Cats and the Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) As Case Studies , Wulan Pusparini, Environmental Conservation

The Cumulative Impacts of Climate Change and Land Use Change on Water Quantity and Quality in the Narragansett Bay Watershed , Evan R. Ross, Environmental Conservation

Patterns in Trash: Factors that Drive Municipal Solid Waste Recycling , Jared Starr, Environmental Conservation

Theses from 2013 2013

Greening the Building Code: an Analysis of Large Project Review Under Boston Zoning Code Articles 37 and 80 , Sandy J. Beauregard, Environmental Conservation

Vernal Pool Vegetation and Soil Patterns Along Hydrologic Gradients in Western Massachusetts , Kasie Collins, Environmental Conservation

Implementation of Aquaponics in Education: An Assessment of Challenges, Solutions and Success , Emily Rose Hart, Environmental Conservation

Aquatic Barrier Prioritization in New England Under Climate Change Scenarios Using Fish Habitat Quantity, Thermal Habitat Quality, Aquatic Organism Passage, and Infrastructure Sustainability , Alexandra C. Jospe, Environmental Conservation

The Energy Benefits of Trees: Investigating Shading, Microclimate and Wind Shielding Effects in Worcester and Springfield, Massachusetts , Emma L. Morzuch, Environmental Conservation

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Environmental Modelling (M.Sc.)

Subject advisory service, prof. dr. thilo gross.

Phone: +49 471 4831-2526

Email: thilo.gross@hifmb.de

Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB) Ammerländer Heerstraße 231 26129 Oldenburg

Office hours: by arrangement

Course flyer

Module handbook status winter semester 2023/2024 (partly in german), introductory event 12 oct 2023 (german only), master environmental modelling, important note on the practical accounting of modules.

Modules that are not listed in the module handbook can be taken and included in the degree programme in accordance with the examination regulations. One example is modules for which special permission has been obtained from the examining board. Another, more frequent case occurs when modules from the other degree programmes of the "Environment and Sustainability" cluster are chosen for the supplementary area - the examination regulations offer this possibility.

In order to enable the digital booking of the module grade, the taking of the module must be applied for in good time so that - after approval to take the module - the registration can be carried out manually by the Examinations Office. The following procedure is necessary for this:

• You register with the Examinations Office during the registration period with all relevant data This step is necessary because self-registration is not possible.

After entering the grades, you can inform the Examinations Office by email that there is a " not yet assigned exam" in your grade account and that you wish to rebook it. The exam will then be manually assigned to your subject account .

We will simplify this procedure in the course of a planned system update, but at the moment this is the only way to avoid technical difficulties.

The assignment of modules from the various areas in the degree programme Environmental Modelling to the supplementary area is done informally by email to the Examinations Office. You can inform the Examinations Office of this yourself.

This can be done when the grade has been entered in the system or when you submit the "Declaration for the issuing of the master's degree programme certificate" (you will receive this from the Examinations Office with the notification of admission to the thesis) to the Examinations Office.

Facts and figures

The environmental modelling degree programme.

• is research-oriented
• is distinctly interdisciplinary
• offers extensive methodological and practical training
• includes current projects for independent research

Detailed description

In the Master's Programme Environmental Modelling programme, students acquire knowledge of methods and strategies for modelling and analysing environmental systems. To this end, students learn a wide range of mathematical-scientific, computer science-related and statistical methods for modelling and data analysis, management and evaluation. These are used in environmental research, environmental monitoring and environmental precaution. Due to the participation of various institutes, the research-oriented degree programme is strongly interdisciplinary, so that students learn to link environmental scientific thinking with economic approaches as well as methods of mathematics and computer science. In addition to theoretical study content, a broad practical training is offered, with a focus on computer-based work. Graduates of this degree programme are qualified to analyse concrete problems in environmental modelling and analysis. The Master's programme in Environmental Modelling is supported by the university's scientists organised in the Centre for Environmental Modelling (CEM) and is organisationally located at the ICBM. The participating lecturers come from the Institutes of Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU) , Chemistry and Biology of the Sea (ICBM) , Mathematics (IfM) , Physics (IfP ), Economics and from the Department of Computer Science. This interdisciplinary structure enables cross-disciplinary training as well as close links to ongoing research projects in different areas of environmental modelling.

Requirements

• Basic knowledge of mathematics and natural sciences
• Interest in environmental data, quantitative models and computer-aided methods
• Interest in interdisciplinary research projects
• Interest in complex contexts
• Communication skills
• Ability to work in a team
• English language skills

Qualification goals

In accordance with the objective of the research-oriented Master's degree programme Environmental Modelling, graduates possess knowledge of the development of models, data analysis methods and decision support systems in the environmental sciences. They have the competence to apply different methods of modern environmental modelling, environmental data analysis and environmental informatics across disciplines according to their specialisation for the analysis of problems in the fields of environmental systems and biodiversity, energy systems and environmental and resource economics. Graduates have a general understanding of environmental systems and their linkage with economic and social issues.

Graduates are able to gain scientific knowledge independently and in cooperation with others and to recognise its significance for society and professional practice. Their qualification is based on a balanced mixture of theory and practice. After completing their studies, they possess extensive knowledge and skills for successful professional activity in the diverse fields of activity of environmental modelling, depending on their individual specialisation.

Occupation and fields of activity

The Master's degree in Environmental Modelling qualifies students to work on complex issues in the fields of

• Environmental monitoring
• Environmental statistics
• Environmental database management
• Development of environmental information systems
• Environmental precaution, planning, monitoring
• Environmental education
• Policy advice

Possible fields of employment arise, for example, in

• Companies that model environmental data for forecasting purposes
• planning offices
• statistical offices, ministries and authorities
• Management of small and medium-sized enterprises
• research institutions

Further qualification, in the form of a doctorate, is possible with appropriate suitability.

What our graduates and students say

Milena Ossenbeck (currently writing the master thesis)

Tanja Sophia Klopper (graduation March 2021)

I decided to do the Master's programme in Environmental Modelling after I enjoyed mathematics and programming the most in my Bachelor's programme, Bioengineering. I did a semester abroad in Trondheim (Norway) after my Bachelor's and took a course on network theory there - I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to specialise in modelling. Since environmental protection has been close to my heart for years, I became aware of the Environmental Modelling degree programme. As a perspective after graduation, I could imagine working in environmental systems research, such as investigating how targeted interventions in the environment work in terms of environmental protection. That also sounded attractive to me in the context of a doctorate. With my background as an engineer, the Computational Science and Engineering programme was also a possibility for me, and I also applied to "Environmental Systems and Resource Management" in Osnabrück. In the end, environmental modelling convinced me because the degree programme offers a lot of flexibility in course selection and you are very free in your specialisation. I also really liked the city of Oldenburg during a short visit while passing through.

The aforementioned flexibility of the degree programme was a little overwhelming for me and many of my fellow students in the first semester. Many courses and specialisations are interesting, but it was sometimes difficult to avoid overlaps. However, it was possible to register for several courses in each semester and make a final decision later. I really liked the small courses and the resulting close contact with the teachers. Practical work and exercises were also an important part of most courses - including research work, developing your own models or presentations. I was able to expand my programming skills as I had hoped and learned a lot about scientific work. The degree programme includes three internships (two smaller projects and one large one), which can be completed both at the university and externally at research institutions or in companies. I really appreciated this freedom and took advantage of all three options. For example, I completed my large internship at Rifcon GmbH in the area of effect modelling and presented the results I obtained there in the form of a poster at the international SETAC conference (this was held digitally in 2020). My participation was funded by the university as part of "forschen@studium". I did another internship at the Helmholtz Centre Dresden-Rossendorf, after which I was able to complete my studies there with my Master's thesis. It was about battery simulations, which fitted in very well with my "energy systems" profile. Throughout my studies, I enjoyed very good supervision and could also count on the support of the lecturers in case of organisational difficulties.

After graduating, I have now decided to do a doctorate at the University of Karlsruhe. The topic has little to do with what I had in mind before my studies - I am now working on the design of a process for battery production and the development of a digital twin for process automation. This may not sound like "environmental modelling", but I can score points with many of the skills I have acquired - especially with my programming experience and routine in writing scientific papers.

Ievgen Vdovychenko (graduation November 2020)

My interest in environmental processes developed while I was still in Ukraine, writing a Master's thesis in another subject, information systems. My Master's thesis at the time was on the topic of "Economics - Ecological Modelling of Operational Processes", although I only touched on ecological issues in passing. Afterwards, I gained experience in an ecological direction in my hometown Dnipropetrovsk, where I organised waste disposal and processing in a company. After all, my plan was to continue my studies in a PhD programme at some point. Since my heart had been beating for the German language for a long time, Germany is generally known for good research, and there is also intensive research on renewable energies here, the preference for the country was an easy decision in the search for PhD programmes. In the course of the search, I realised that, as a career changer, I unfortunately lacked important knowledge in the field of modelling, as well as some background knowledge on environmental systems. That's why I first decided to do another Master's programme. The corresponding search yielded two options: the University of Oldenburg or the TU Cottbus. The decisive factor was that the University of Oldenburg had a good International Student Office and a preparatory language course directly at the university. That's how I ended up in Oldenburg.

After a German course and subsequent DSH exam, which prepared me for the scientific language, I was finally able to start studying for the Master's programme in "Environmental Modelling". However, there was some confusion with the study programme for me at the beginning, as university studies in Germany and Ukraine can differ greatly in many organisational nuances. At this point, the lecturers were a great help to me. They were always open, nice and willing to help with minor questions. Above all, our subject advisor (Prof. Dr. Ulrike Feudel) helped me a lot at that time to choose the profile area. I decided on "Energy Systems" because I think energy issues are essential for our future, the corresponding market is growing rapidly and the subject area already fitted in well with my university background at the time. The courses on offer were quite exciting and so I combined both compulsory internships with it.

For those who are not from here, it is good to know that Oldenburg is a "student city". There are various research groups and institutes in the city or within easy reach (with the semester ticket for the whole of Lower Saxony, as well as to Bremen and Hamburg). Research is also being conducted in the field of wind energy directly in Oldenburg. During my studies, I was able to gain some experience at the research institutes " ForWind " and " OFFIS ". I wrote my Master's thesis in industry at the company " energy & meteo systems GmbH ", with Dr. Jan Freund as my university supervisor. He had already supervised several students who had written such external papers and was therefore able to help me excellently. After the Master's thesis, I was offered a full-time position in the company and now work at " energy & meteo systems " in a research department where I model power flows in electricity networks. Looking back, I find the Master's degree in environmental modelling in Oldenburg quite suitable for this, especially because of its relation to stochastic modelling and time series analysis. I still have PhD plans for my future, but I can also imagine realising them in connection with a job in industry and even know a few colleagues who have already successfully pursued such a path.

Debbora Leip (graduation October 2020)

I have always been interested in abstract mathematics on the one hand, and in sustainability and climate protection on the other. When I chose my Bachelor's degree programme, I decided on mathematics with the aim of combining my two interests in the Master's programme. Between my Bachelor's and Master's degrees, I did two internships in a gap year to get a feel for possible fields of work and to help me choose a Master's degree programme. In the process, I worked with agricultural-economic models, which was a lot of fun. I then looked for a Master's programme that would provide me with useful basic knowledge for a career in this field on the one hand, and on the other hand would correspond to my interest in mathematical solutions to abstract problems. I chose Environmental Modelling in Oldenburg.

What particularly appealed to me about the degree programme was the wide range of options and the three planned internships. This allowed me to learn theoretical aspects of modelling (e.g. "Theory of Dynamic Systems"), as well as helpful means of data analysis (e.g. "Time Series Analysis"), and applied aspects (e.g. in the seminar "Earth System science for sustainability studies" during my semester abroad in Bergen). The internships can be completed internally at the university, but also externally at companies or research institutes. I used this opportunity to work for three months at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in the Department of Agricultural Economics, and three months at the Stockholm Resilience Centre. I had a lot of support from the university, especially in organising my internship in Madrid, as I was funded through the Erasmus+ scholarship and there were some administrative hurdles to overcome. I was also able to complete my Master's thesis externally, at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). Through the internships and the Master's thesis, I not only learned a lot in terms of content, but was also able to develop further in general and prepare myself for professional life in research.

Overall, the degree programme met my expectations quite well and I am also very satisfied with my choice in retrospect. After graduating, I successfully applied for a PhD position at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. My work there is very interesting, and through my studies in Oldenburg I feel well prepared for my current tasks.

Julian Merder (graduation December 2015)

In my Bachelor's programme BioGeo-Analysis at the University of Trier, I was mainly interested in ecological questions. In a lecture on the basis of recording methods of animals and plants in the field, formulas were already listed in the first semester of the Bachelor on how to best assess the biodiversity of a place. Graphs were shown of how lynx and hare in Canada engage in a constant battle of population sizes, a pattern-building up and down, and that this could certainly be calculated. Exactly how the striking pattern came about, which is probably shown at least once in every ecology lecture, was unfortunately not the subject of the course or the focus of the Bachelor's degree, but my interest in modelling was aroused here. I have also always had a strong interest in marine biology, not least due to a longer stay in Southeast Asia, and so I wanted to pursue this direction more closely for the Master's degree.

One of my friends in Oldenburg suggested the University of Oldenburg and the ICBM to me, so that I could combine the two and of course have a few familiar faces for a beer or two in the evening. During my research, I found the Master's programmes Marine Environmental Sciences and Environmental Modelling . After reading up on the module descriptions, I decided - admittedly more on instinct - on the Environmental Modelling programme and applied. After three weeks, I already received an acceptance letter.

Here I got both the in-depth knowledge of the background of theoretical ecology that I had missed in the Bachelor's programme, as well as more comprehensive training in data analysis with the large amounts of data that had accumulated during field exercises for courses in species knowledge in the Bachelor's programme. Special highlights for me were thus, after my specialisation in the focus on process and system-oriented modelling with the courses on population dynamics and critical states in the Earth system , also the profile module Environmental Systems and Biodiversity . I found the often manageable group sizes, which allow direct contact with the lecturers, to be pleasant. I gained practical insight into the ecology of benthic species communities through a joint course with the University of Bremen and the Alfred Wegener Institute on Helgoland.

Inspired by a modelling internship in Ireland, I then researched the differences of benthic species communities on the coasts of Ireland in my Master's thesis. My work was jointly supervised by one lecturer from the ICBM and one from the University of Galway. The close cooperation with my two supervisors also enabled me to take a first step towards a scientific career by writing a scientific article as first author. After submitting the manuscript and revising it after receiving peer reviews, I am currently preparing for resubmission and - hopefully - publication in an international journal.

I am currently working at the wind power company ENERCON on the implementation of shutdown times for bat protection. Even though I can't actually apply much from my degree programme here, the modelling focus and the Matlab skills I acquired helped me a lot during the job interview. Because I definitely want to return to research, I will stay there until I find a suitable doctoral position in the marine department.

Marcel Kuhmann (graduation March 2015)

After completing my Bachelor's degree in mathematics, I decided to give more space to my interest in ecological issues. I had my sights set on future research work at a scientific institute (e.g. the Helmholtz or Fraunhofer Society) or a possible career (e.g. nature park, environmental authority) - but I did not have a clear goal in mind.

Accordingly, I looked around for non-consecutive Master's programmes that fulfilled two requirements: they should have a firm foothold in the field of mathematical and scientific methodology with a stronger application focus, and they should also offer me the chance to gain insights into a wide variety of topics. In Germany, I came across two Master's programmes that fulfilled my desired profile: the Master's in Environmental Modelling at the University of Oldenburg and the Master's in Environmental Systems and Resource Management in Osnabrück. Both programmes convinced me:

• the participation of a wide range of disciplines in the programme and the possibilities for specialisation resulting from this and from the flexible module system
• the thematic and methodical integration in the interface area of mathematics / specialisation area of computer science
• the numerous opportunities to gain valuable insights into research and development through internships, projects and student research projects
• the good contacts of the institute and the lecturers to other research institutions in Germany and abroad as a foot in the door for a semester abroad or a research internship.

The deciding factor for my enrolment in Oldenburg was a day on site when I met with students of the programme who had offered to tell me about their experiences beforehand. After the conversations and the impressions of the campus and the city in general, I had the feeling that this Master's programme was the right fit for me and that it was also a well-rounded programme; I then quickly dropped my plans to visit Osnabrück as well.

The Master's in Environmental Modelling delivered on the promised breadth of education: I was able to deal with the application of game-theoretical methods in evolutionary genetics, was present at a discussion with a head dike judge on land use in East Frisia, took part in a tour of the wind turbine manufacturer ENERCON and a wind farm, and wrote my Master's thesis on soil physics at the Helmholtz Institute for Environmental Research in Leipzig.

As a student in the Master's programme in Environmental Modelling, you enjoy excellent teaching: the lecturers are very committed to their work and the supervision ratio is very comfortable. On the other hand, you regularly have the opportunity to experience university research up close. In my opinion, the degree programme is therefore ideal as preparation for and entry into a career in research. But graduates can also enjoy very good career opportunities in business and industry; my career entry as an actuary can certainly serve as a positive example of this. I benefit daily from both the programming skills trained in the Master's programme and the statistical methods learned. Above all, however, the co-development and application of mechanistic models for the assessment and simulation of elementary risks (earthquakes, storms/hail, flooding, heavy rain) are a home game for me as a graduate in environmental modelling.

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To Open a Clearing: Cultivating Spaces of Endurance in the Upper Amazon , Brunno de Melo Meirelles Douat

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Beside Yingzao: An Index of Chinese Building Traditions , Tianyi Hang

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Maximum Governance: Managerial Populism and Violent Infrastructures in the New India , Mila T. Samdub

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Continuous Extremes: Architecture of Uncertainty in Poland, 1945— , Cayce Davis

Space-Praxis: Towards a Feminist Politics of Design , Mary C. Overholt

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Heimat im Wartezimmer: Architecture, Identity, and Migration in a Socialist Model City , Holly Bushman

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• AN ACCUMULATION OF CATASTROPHE: A POLITICAL ECONOMY OF WILDFIRE IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES  Dockstader, Sue ( University of Oregon , 2024-03-25 ) This dissertation is an environmental sociological study of wildland fire in what is now the western United States. It examines wildfire management from roughly the 1900s to the present time employing a Marxist historical ...
• Managing Life's Future: Species Essentialism and Evolutionary Normativity in Conservation Policy, Practice, and Imaginaries  Maggiulli, Katrina ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-10 ) Folk essentialist and normative understandings of species are not only prevalent in popular layperson communities, but also end up undergirding United States conservation policy and practice due to the simplistic clarity ...
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• PALEOTEMPERATURE, VEGETATION CHANGE, FIRE HISTORY, AND LAKE PRODUCTIVITY FOR THE LAST 14,500 YEARS AT GOLD LAKE, PACIFIC NORTHWEST, USA  Baig, Jamila ( University of Oregon , 2024-01-09 ) The postglacial history of vegetation, wildfire, and climate in the Cascade Range (Oregon) is only partly understood. This study uses high-resolution analysis from a 13-meter, 14,500-year sediment core from Gold Lake to ...
• On Western Juniper Climate Relations  Reis, Schyler ( University of Oregon , 2022-10-26 ) Western juniper woodlands are highly sensitive to climate in terms of tree-ring growth, seedling establishment and range distribution. Understanding the dynamics of western juniper woodlands to changes in precipitation, ...
• Stories We Tell, Stories We Eat: Mexican Foodways, Cultural Identity, and Ideological Struggle in Netflix’s Taco Chronicles  Sanchez, Bela ( University of Oregon , 2022-10-26 ) Food is a biological necessity imbued with numerous social, cultural, and economic implications for identity production and everyday meaning-making. Food television is a unique medium for the meanings of food and foodways ...
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• Multispecies Memoir: Self, Genre, and Species Justice in Contemporary Culture  Otjen, Nathaniel ( University of Oregon , 2022-10-04 ) Liberal humanism articulates an individual, rational, autonomous, universal, and singularly human subject that possesses various rights and freedoms. Although the imagined subject at the heart of liberal humanist philosophy ...
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• Restoring What? And for Whom? Listening to Karuk Ecocultural Revitalization Practitioners and Uncovering Settler Logics in Ecological Restoration.  Worl, Sara ( University of Oregon , 2022-05-10 ) What does it mean to restore a landscape degraded by settler colonialism? How might a well intentionedprocess like ecological restoration end up causing harm from underlying settler colonial logics? This thesis explores ...
• Instigating Communities of Solidarity: An Exploration of Participatory, Informal, Temporary Urbanisms  Meier, Briana ( University of Oregon , 2021-11-23 ) This dissertationexamines the potential for participatory, informal urbanisms to buildcollaborative relations across ontological, cultural, and political difference. This research contributes to thefield of urban, environmental ...
• The Holy Oak School of Art and Ecology: A Proposal for Arts-Based Environmental Education Programming  Best, Krysta ( University of Oregon , 2021-11-23 ) The following is a proposal for arts-based environmental education programming in elementary schools, after-school programs, and day-camp programs, entitled the Holy School of Art and Ecology. Ecophenomenological, arts-based ...
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Estimating the riverine environmental water demand under climate change with data mining models

• Original Paper
• Published: 18 May 2024

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• Masoud Zanjani 1 ,
• Omid Bozorg-Haddad   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6607-9581 2 ,
• Mustafa Zanjani 1 ,
• Ali Arefinia 2 ,
• Masoud Pourgholam-Amiji 3 &
• Hugo A. Loáiciga 4  

This paper presents a statistical approach based on data mining to estimate the riverine environmental water demand (EWD). A river’s environmental water demand defines the quantity, timing, and quality of streamflow that are required to sustain riverine ecosystems and human activities. Genetic programming (GP), artificial neural network (ANN), and support vector regression (SVR) are herein applied to model the environmental demand. Input and output data for the use of GP, ANN, and SVR are the average monthly temperature and precipitation in 1995–2005 plus climate projections by the Canadian Land System Model (CanESM2) under the recommended concentration pathways RCPs 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5 in 2025–2035. A case study illustrates this paper’s methodology using temperature and precipitation data and monthly discharge of the Karaj River, Iran. The applied data mining models were evaluated with R 2 , RMSE , and the NSE criteria. This work’s results show that the largest values of R 2 and the NSE equal respectively 0.94 and 0.95, and the smallest value of the RMSE equals 0.07, which correspond to the SVR predictions. These results establish that SVR is a suitable model for the purpose of estimating the environmental water demand in comparison to GP and ANN in the study area. The SVR projections indicate that by 2035 and under the RCPs 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5 projected changes of the environmental water demand with respect to baseline conditions would be respectively 63, 118, and 126 m 3 /s. It is demonstrated in this work that under climate change conditions the correlation between the EWD index and temperature was 83%, while the said value for rainfall was estimated to be 76%.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Iran’s National Science Foundation (INSF) for its support for this research.

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Zanjani, M., Bozorg-Haddad, O., Zanjani, M. et al. Estimating the riverine environmental water demand under climate change with data mining models. Nat Hazards (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-024-06656-4

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Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

This collection contains theses and dissertations from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, collected from the Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Theses/Dissertations from 2024 2024

Structural Optimization and Aerodynamic Behavior of Double-Curvature Cable Domes , Elshaimaa A. Ahmed

Towards Improved Acoustic Emission-based Methodologies for Structural Damage Identification and Visualization , Mohamed Emhemed Barbosh

A study on the effect of swirl ratio and surface roughness on the flow dynamics of tornadoes using LES , Anant Gairola

Cladding Wind Loads on Low-Rise Buildings: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Approach , Tsinuel Nurilligne Geleta

Effect of temperature and water chemistry on the dissolution and transformation of lead (II) carbonates. , Caitlin SE Kushnir

Analyzing, modelling and simulating nonstationary non-Gaussian thunderstorm winds and their use for assessing the statistics of extreme wind pressure , Yongxu Liu

Gust effect factors of components and cladding wind loads for low-slope roofs on low-rise buildings , Jigar Mokani

An Energy-Based Method For Static Liquefaction Assessment , Kaitlyn O'Sullivan

Water Dynamics inside Applied Smoldering Processes: Water Phase Change, Water Mobility, and Local Thermal Non-equilibrium , Jiahao Wang

BIM Integrated Sustainable and Resilient Building Design Framework for the Northern Climate , Muna M.Y Younis

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Experimental and numerical analysis of laterally loaded paddled H-piles, FE and FD study , Abdelrahman Mahmoud Eldesawy Ahmed Abouzaid Mr.

Temperature-controlled partial nitrification for mainstream wastewater deammonification using batch, semi-batch and continuous systems , Niema Afroze

Autonomous 3D Urban and Complex Terrain Geometry Generation and Micro-Climate Modelling Using CFD and Deep Learning , Tewodros F. Alemayehu

Monitoring Remediation of Organic Contaminants using Electrical Resistivity and Induced Polarization Techniques , Angelos Almpanis

The Application of MICP for Strengthening of Mine Tailings and Peats , Hamed Behzadipour

Experimental Evaluation of ABL and Downburst Wind Loads on an Elevated Building , Kate Current

Determining the Variability of the As-Placed Dry Density of Gap Fill Material , Mai Elzamel

Application of the Machine Learning Tools in the Integrity Management of Pipelines Containing Dent-gouges and Corrosions , Ziming He

Framework for Modeling and Assessing the Vulnerability of Reinforced Concrete Frames During Post-Earthquake Fire Incidents , MURAD MOFTAH ILOMAME

Application of Wavelet Analysis and Random Field in Integrity Management of Pipelines Containing Dents and Corrosions , Junxiong Lin

Effects of wind turbine rotor positioning on tornado induced loads , Juan P. Lopez Ortiz

Simplified Modeling of Bonded Prestressed High Strength Concrete Girders during Fire Exposure , Yi Mao

Wind Loading Analysis of Standing Seam Metal Roofs on Low-Rise Buildings , Ellen J. Marejka

A Computational Framework for Aerodynamic and Aeroelastic Modeling of Wind Loads on Tall Buildings , Abiy Fantaye Melaku

Study of Multi-dimensional Transfer Effects in Applied Smouldering Systems , Seyed Ziaedin Miry Mr

Investigation of the growth, motility, and optical properties of microorganisms in active fluids , Zahra Samadi

Parametric Analysis and Enhancement of the Burst Capacity Model for Composite-Repaired Corroded Pipelines , Rodrigo Silva Silva-Santisteban

Towards Smart and Cost-effective Bridge Infrastructure Monitoring Systems , Premjeet Singh

Performance Assessment and Development of Prescriptive Design Standards for Wood-Frame Residential Structures Under Extreme Wind Loads , Sarah A. Stevenson

Geoelectrical Signatures of Acid-Generating Mine Waste Rock , Difan Su

Methodologies for the Integrity Assessment of Pipelines Containing Cracks , Haotian Sun

CFD and Deep Learning Based Natural Ventilation Analysis in Buildings , Matthew R. Vandewiel

Effect of land use type and stormwater control measures on non-point source phosphorus concentrations and loads in a cold climate urban subwatershed , Dillon H. Vyn

Flow mechanism and force modelling of a central-slotted bridge's self-sustained flutter , JINLIN XIA

Deep learning framework bridges lab and field scale microseismic focal mechanism , Arnold Yuxuan Xie

Waveform Similarity of Micro-seismicity at the ToC2ME Hydraulic Fracturing Experiment Site , Jin Yang

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Numerical Models and Design Loads for Wind Turbines under Downbursts , Mostafa Mohamed Mohamed Ramadan Ahmed

Flexural Behaviour of Concrete Beams with High Strength Reinforcement , Sohaib Akbar

Behavior of Hybrid and Monopile Foundation Systems for OWT: Centrifuge testing and Numerical Modelling , Yazeed A. Alsharedah

The Novel Application of Electrical Resistivity Tomography for Spatiotemporal Monitoring of Urban Stormwater Bioretention Systems , Darren Alvarenga

Seismic Site Characterization and Response in Metropolitan Vancouver , Jamal Assaf

Design of Stick-Framed Wood Roofs Under Extreme Wind Loads , Caspar Bain

An Explicit Model for Simplified Flutter Analysis of Long-span Bridges , Tibebu Hunegn Birhane

Hydrogen-Rich Syngas Derived from Smouldering Biomass and Hydrocarbon Wastes , Joshua K. Brown

Physical Investigation of Downburst Winds and Applicability to Full Scale Events , Federico Canepa

Evaluation of the Impacts of De-Icing Salts on the Performance of Bioretention Media in Retaining Phosphorus From Urban Stormwater , Brennan S. Donado Visbal

Comprehensive Study of Induced Drag Force on Integral Abutment Piles , Osama F. El Hadi Drbe

Performance and Ultimate Limit State of Large-Span Soil-Steel Structures , Kareem Embaby

Static liquefaction and critical state mechanics of gold mine tailings subjected to different stress paths , Amir reza Fotovvat

Exploring Valuable and Potentially Harmful By-Products Formed and/or Released from Smouldering Treatment of Sewage Sludge , Taryn Ashley Fournie

Evaluation of Fresh Groundwater Resources and Nitrogen Discharge to the Coastal Lagoon of an Atoll Island , James D. Gale

Self-sustaining Smouldering Combustion of Granular Activated Carbon Contaminated with Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances – Fluorine Mass Balance and Enhanced Methods of Mineralization , Brian Gerald Harrison

Simulation of non-homogeneous wind processes, comparison between numerical and experimental model of a bridge , Héctor Hernández Landero

Compound flooding analysis over the Canadian coastal regions , Farshad Jalili Pirani

Assessment of Geo-mechanical properties of lunar simulants , Devansh Joshi

Performance of Fouled Railroad Superstructure Subjected to Traversing Heavy Haul Trains , Majid Kh Touqan

A computational fluid dynamics-based surrogate wind turbine blade aerodynamic model for hybrid simulation , Eric Lalonde

Effect of Structural Nonlinearities on Flutter of Cable-Supported Bridges , Sébastien Maheux

Erosion Control of Steep Open Channels Using Articulated Concrete Blocks , MohammadOmid Marandi

Hydration Kinetics, Microstructure, and Mechanical Strength Development of Cement-based Composites Incorporating Phase Change Materials , Afshin Marani

Establishing second-generation total nitrogen removal for carbon-captured authentic wastewater using membrane biofilm reactor , Sadaf Mehrabi

Wind-Borne Debris Resistance of Façades: Identification of Alternative Impact Test Requirements , Angela Mejorin

Engineering Cooling Time and Waste Heat Recovery for Thermal Treatment Beds , Ryan B. Morales

Optimization of Advanced Building Integrated Photovoltaic and Thermal System with Dual Working Fluid , Barilelo E. Nghana

Characterizing the Concurrent Occurrence of Tornadoes and Flash Floods Across Canada , Yeu Deck Ngui

Wastewater Aeration Process Dynamic Modelling: Combined Mechanistic and Machine Learning Approach , Yuehe Pan

Spatiotemporal Changes of Lagged Compound Dry and Wet Spells in the Northwest North America Under Climate Change , Reza Rezvani

Liquefaction Susceptibility Assessment of Oil Sands Tailings , Grytan Sarkar

Improved Imaging Of Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids With Three-Dimensional Surface-To-Horizontal Borehole Electrical Resistivity Tomography (S2HB ERT) , Maxwell L. Servos

Assessment of Tropical Cyclone Wind and Wave Hazards and Their Effect on the Reliability of Wind Turbines , Chao Sheng

Effective wind area for the design of roof sheathing under wind loading , Nicole E. M. Szilagyi

Spatio-Temporal Variability of Phosphorus Near the Groundwater-Stream Interface , Meghan Vissers

Carbon Injection to Support In-Situ Smouldering Remediation , Gillian Wilton

Effects of Climate Change on the Probability of Urban Tree Failures from Wind Gusts , Samuel J. Woolsey

Modelling and Simulation of Nonstationary Non-Gaussian Wind Speed and Wind Pressure Coefficients , Minyu Xiao

Analysis of Standing Seam Metal Roofs Subjected to Extreme Wind Loads , Yuchao Xia

Phosphorus Recovery and Passivation Controls using Sacrificial Magnesium Electrodes in Anaerobic Digestor Centrate , Henry Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Implication of city growth on wind-induced loads for cladding and structural design , Hadil M. Abdallah

Behavior of Wind Turbine Towers and Blades Under Tornado Wind Fields , Mohamed AbuGazia

Guidelines for designing the overhead transmission tower foundations adjacent to cohesionless slopes , Meshel Q. Alkahtani

Machine Learning Prediction of Structural Response for Reinforced Concrete Members under Blast Loading , Monjee Almustafa

Performance of Single and Grouped Helical Piles under Strong Earthquake Shaking , Abdelrahman F.F. Aly

Experimental simulation of tornado-like vortices and their impact on high-rise buildings , Arash Ashrafi

Structural Performance of Glass Façades Exposed to Fire , Mohamed Badr

Enhanced Primary Sludge Fermentation and Anaerobic Digestion for Integrated Carbon Upgrade and Resource Recovery , Gholamreza Bahreini

Practical Issues in Floodplain Mapping Over Large Regions , James Eric Braden

Anammox process for nitrogen removal: development of sustainable gel beads and its application in fluidized bed reactors (FBRs) , Mohammad M I Chowdhury

Flow Visualization Study of Wake-Stabilized Diffusion Flames in a Crossflow: Effects of Crossflow Turbulence , Diya Cui

A Case Study on Medium and High Rise Timber Buildings , Moustafa EL-Assaly

Cellulose biodegradability and its impact on enhanced biological phosphorus removal , Moustafa Ibrahim Elbahrawi

Multi-Objective Optimization of Green Transportation Operations in Supply Chain Management , Nayera Elgharably

Full-Scale Field Study of a Geogrid-Reinforced Unpaved Road System , Abdalla El Tawati

Scaled Physical Modeling of the Dynamics of Granular Flow in Hopper Silos , Hagos Eman

New Experimental Methods For modelling Canopy Problems , Marilena Enus

Effects of the soil spatial variability on pipelines , Jose Luis Espinosa Mendez

Behaviour of Transmission Lines Subjected to Tornadoes Through Aeroelastic Testing and Numerical Modeling , Nima Ezami

Probabilistic seismic landslide mapping for western Metro Vancouver, British Columbia , Ali Fallah Yeznabad

Estimation of tropical cyclone rain hazard for sites in coastal region of mainland China , Jiyang Gu

A partial-turbulence approach to estimate peak wind loads on low-rise building roofs , Yitian Guo

Active fluids: rheological properties and response to light of suspensions of Synechocystis sp. CPCC 534 , Zahra Habibi

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ANOMALY DETECTION USING MACHINE LEARNING FORINTRUSION DETECTION

This thesis examines machine learning approaches for anomaly detection in network security, particularly focusing on intrusion detection using TCP and UDP protocols. It uses logistic regression models to effectively distinguish between normal and abnormal network actions, demonstrating a strong ability to detect possible security concerns. The study uses the UNSW-NB15 dataset for model validation, allowing a thorough evaluation of the models' capacity to detect anomalies in real-world network scenarios. The UNSW-NB15 dataset is a comprehensive network attack dataset frequently used in research to evaluate intrusion detection systems and anomaly detection algorithms because of its realistic attack scenarios and various network activities.

Further investigation is carried out using a Multi-Task Neural Network built for binary and multi-class classification tasks. This method allows for the in-depth study of network data, making it easier to identify potential threats. The model is fine-tuned during successive training epochs, focusing on validation measures to ensure its generalizability. The thesis also applied early stopping mechanisms to enhance the ML model, which helps optimize the training process, reduces the risk of overfitting, and improves the model's performance on new, unseen data.

This thesis also uses blockchain technology to track model performance indicators, a novel strategy that improves data integrity and reliability. This blockchain-based logging system keeps an immutable record of the models' performance over time, which helps to build a transparent and verifiable anomaly detection framework.

In summation, this research enhances Machine Learning approaches for network anomaly detection. It proposes scalable and effective approaches for early detection and mitigation of network intrusions, ultimately improving the security posture of network systems.

Degree Type

• Master of Science
• Computer and Information Technology

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• West Lafayette

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Additional committee member 2, additional committee member 3, usage metrics.

• Machine learning not elsewhere classified

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