Honors students listed by term with title and committee members. Copies of student theses are available for review in the Environmental Studies Office: IBS 5, Suite 10.

Undergraduate Theses Submitted Prior to 2011

Spring 2013

April Andujar
White, Black, and Grey: The Role of Human Perception in Grasshopper Management Strategies
Cesar Nufio, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Herbert Covert, Anthropology

Jennifer Coimbra
Fracking and Federalism: Analyzing Produced Water in Colorado, Texas, and Federal Entities
Steven Vanderheiden, Environmental Studies/Political Science (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; William Boyd, Environmental Studies/Law

Danielle Cluckey
Multiple Disturbance Effects on Snowmelt and Summer Microenvironment in a Subalpine Conifer Forest
Carol Wessman, Environmental Studies/Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Noah Molotch, Geography

Andrew Creighton
Sustainability Assessment: First Steps for Shoshoni Yoga Retreat
Dale Miller, Environmental Studies (Chair); Dave Newport, Environmental Studies/Environmental Center; Jill Harrison, Sociology

William Currier
How Does Sexual Selection and Breeding Biology Play a Role in the Conservation of the Threatened Xenotoca eiseni?
Alexander Cruz, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Andrew Martin, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Genevieve Dabrowski
The Fuel Chain: An Analysis of the Relative Sustainability of the Standard American Diet Versus Vegan, Organic, and Local Diets
Nancy Billica, Political Science (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Leslie Irvine, Sociology

Evan Healey
A Sigh of Relief: Respiratory Illness in Areas Recently Affected By Hurricanes
Darin Toohey, Environmental Studies/Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (Chair); Jill Litt, Environmental Studies; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Kelsey Hewitt
Water Usage Efficiency in Agriculture: Evaluating the Use of Allocated Water in Food Production
Paul Lander, Geography, (Chair); Mark Williams, Geography; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Angie Hollister
Atmospheric Ethane-Methane Relationship and Implications for the Arctic
Detlev Helmig, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Darin Toohey, Environmental Studies/Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

Shannon Katsos
Short-Term Benthic Macroinvertebrate Response to Fire and Hydrologic Event-Induced Changes in Stream Bed Sediment in the Colorado Front Range
Carol Wessman, Environmental Studies/Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (Chair); Mark Williams, Geography; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Kelly King
Climate Change and Disease-Vectors: The Range Expansion of A. Americanum
Yuri Springer, National Ecological Observatory Network (Chair); Andrew Martin, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Amy Meyer
A New Approach to Climate Change and Development: The Future of the Green Climate Fund
Maxwell Boykoff, Environmental Studies (Chair); Lakshman Guruswamy, Law; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Matthew Olivier
Impacts of Urban Prairie Dogs on Soils in Boulder, Colorado
Timothy Seastedt, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (Chair); Nichole Barger, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Gwendolyn Ricco
Overcoming Over-Exploitation of Fisheries: Creating a More Sustainable Fishing Industry along the Gulf of Mexico Coast
Nancy Billica, Political Science (Chair); Sam Fitch, Environmental Studies/Political Science; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Kayla Schick
Green Development and Investments in Science and Technology Policy: A Comparative Analysis of Developing Countries
Krister Andersson, Environmental Studies/Political Science (Chair); Steven Vanderheiden, Environmental Studies/Political Science; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Alexandra Todorovic-Jones
The Relationship Between Engelmann Spruce Radial Growth and Spruce Beetle Infestation in Northwestern Colorado
Thomas Veblen, Geography (Chair); Mark Williams, Geography; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Mackenzie White
Exploring the Barriers Within the Local Food Movement: A Case Study of Boulder County, Colorado
Victoria Derr, Environmental Design (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Abby Hickcox, Honors Program

Fall 2012

Anna Balzer
Sustainability of the Composting Toilet
Rita Klees, Environmental Studies/Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; David Youkey, Philosophy

Christina Gosnell
Consumer Awareness and Corporate Environmental Policy in the Aluminum Industry
Deserai Crow, Environmental Studies/Center for Science and Technology Policy Research (Chair); Keith Stockton, Leeds School of Business/Center for Education on Social Responsibility; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Christopher Heckman Springs of Gordon Gulch: A Source Analysis
Suzanne Anderson, Geography (Chair); Holly Barnard, Geography; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Emily Hetzler
The Interconnection of Environment and Poverty: Prospects for Sustainable Development
Dale Miller, Environmental Studies (Chair); Joyce Nielsen, Sociology; Michael Zimmerman, Environmental Studies/Philosophy

Richard Martoglio
Constraints to Racial/Ethnic Minority Participation in the U.S. National Park System: An Analysis of Recreation Behavior and Attitudes in Essex County, New Jersey
Dale Miller, Environmental Studies (Chair); Emily Yeh, Geography; Patricia Limerick, Environmental Studies/History

Kristen Nowakowski
Gauging the Reliability of Costa Rica's Certification for Sustainable Tourism
Dave Newport, Environmental Studies/Environmental Center (Chair); Mark Williams, Environmental Studies/Geography; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Garrett Rue Acid Rock Drainage in the Upper Snake River: The Presence of Heavy Metals in a Mineralized Watershed
Diane McKnight, Environmental Studies/Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering (Chair); Mark Williams, Geography/Institute of Arctic & Alpine Research; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Spring 2012

Adam Albright
The Spread of Western Balsam Bark Beetle Infestation in Supalpine Fir Near Brainard Lake and the CU Mountain Research Station
Thomas Veblen, Geography (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Timothy Seastedt, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Davis Backer
Consuming the Intangible: An Appeal to Simplify Our Lives
David Youkey, Philosophy (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Michael Haffey, Sociology

Kali Basman
Money's Role in the Ecological Crisis: The Ills of Positive Interest Economics
Ben Hale, Environmental Studies/Philosophy (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Najeeb Jan, Geography

Kristina Marie Berg
Corporate Social Responsibility in the Oil and Natural Gas Industry: A Focused Look at Offshore Drilling Endeavors
Keith Stockton, Leeds School of Business (Chair); David Payne, Leeds School of Business; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Emelia Samora Coppage
The Quinoa Dilemma: A Critical Look at Food Sovereignty in the Case of Bolivian Peasant Farmers
Joe Bryan, Geography (Chair); Caroline Conzelman, Global Studies Residential Academic Program; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Rachel Dingman
Oil Shale Mining and the Demands on Colorado's Water Systems
Douglas Kenney, University of Colorado Law (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Steven Vanderheiden, Environmental Studies/Political Science

Jesse Kyle Fife
The Triple Bottom Line of American Professional Sports: Sustainability Issues and America's Pastimes
Maxwell Boykoff, Environmental Studies (Chair); Lisa Barlow, Natural Environmental Sciences Residential Academic Program/Environmental Studies; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Karmen Lee Franklin
A Ditch Runs Through It: The Development of Dynamic Hydraulic Societies
Ben Hale, Environmental Studies/Philosophy (Chair); Patricia Limerick, Center of the American West/History; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Taylor Garrett
Power to the (Indigenous) People: Re-Orienting the Ethic of Environmental Conservation Outside of the Nature-Society Dichotomy and Within the Framework of Indigenous Rights and Values
Ben Hale, Environmental Studies/Philosophy (Chair); Doreen Martinez, Ethnic Studies; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Victoria Childs Kraft
Distribution and Abundance of Cibotium, Angiopteris, & Sphaeropteris Tree Fern Species in the Ko'olau Mountains on the Island of O'ahu
Susan Beatty, CLAS Dean, Portland State University (Chair); Stefan Leyk, Geography; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Ally Krantz
Cultural Impediments to "Improved" Water and Sanitation, and the Importance of Female Involvement in Project Planning
Celeste Montoya, Women's Studies (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Susan Clarke, Political Science

Chris Martin
The Development of a Sustainable South American Energy Sector: An Analysis of National Energy Profiles, National Energy Politics, and Regional Leadership Strategies for Energy Integration
Angela Thieman-Dino, The Presidents Leadership Institute/University of Colorado Law Center for Energy and Environmental Security Visiting Fellow (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Colleen Scanlan Lyons, Anthropology

Alex Morris
The Role of Certification in Promoting Sustainable Golfing
Krister Andersson, Political Science/Environmental Studies (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; James White, Environmental Studies/Geological Sciences

Kevin Rechkoff
The Earth Strong Prototype Project: A Feasibility Study of a Community Vertical Farm
Charles Chase, Landscape Architect (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Jules Kaplan, Economics

Grace Seigle
Maji ya kunywa a Salama: Education, Culture, and Water Health in Sub-Saharan Africa
Rita Klees, Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering (Chair); Terrence McCabe, Anthropology; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Colleen Smith
The Political Ecology of Cholera in Peru
Joseph Bryan, Geography (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Elisabeth Root, Geography

Sara Torres
Fishery Institutions of Puerto Alegría, Peru: A Scarcity Analysis
Krister Andersson, Political Science/Environmental Studies (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Mara Goldman, Geography

Anna Triebel
The National Landscape Conservation System: Current State and Future Management
Patricia Limerick, Center of the American West/History (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Steven Vanderheiden, Environmental Studies/Political Science

Vivian Underhill
The Chuckchi Ice Belt: A Wind- and Current-Driven Ice Feature from 1917 to 2008
Mark Serreze, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (Chair); Timothy Kittel, Institute of Arctic & Alpine Research; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Fall 2011

Kallie L. Barnes
Carbon Analysis of a Bioenergy and Forest Thinning Demonstration Project
Jason Neff, Environmental Studies/Geological Sciences (Chair); Jana Milford, Mechanical Engineering; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

James O'Connor
Bromus Tectorum Soil Conditioning
Timothy Seastedt, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; William Bowman, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Justin Ptasnik
Impacts of Black Mesa Coal Development on Traditional Navajo and Hopi Religions
Patricia Limerick, History/Environmental Studies (Chair); Greg Johnson, Religious Studies; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Spring 2011

Ashley Babcock
Water Use in the U.S. Southwest: Integrating Land, Water and Human Systems
Paul Lander, Geography (Chair); Dale Miller, Environmental Studies; Mark Williams, Geography; James White, Environmental Studies/Geological Sciences

Victoria Breeze
A Critique of China’s Commitment to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
Emily Yeh, Geography (Chair); Amy Liu, Political Science; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

John M. Busch
Sustainable Operations Strategies: Differing Responses to Environmental Constraints
Max Boykoff, Environmental Studies (Chair); Donna Sockell, Leeds School of Business; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Charles Cohn
Should Glen Canyon Dam be Removed?
Charles Wilkinson, University of Colorado Law (Chair); Patricia Limerick, History/Environmental Studies; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Chelsea Gifford
Colony Collapse Disorder: The Vanishing Honeybee (Apis Mellifera)
Michael Breed, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (Chair); Diana Oliveras, Natural Environmental Sciences Residential Academic Program; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Jeff Jennings
Sustaining Economy, Society & Environment: The Role of Working for Water Programme in the Development of South Africa
Jana Milford, Environmental Studies/Mechanical Engineering (Chair); Lisa Dilling, Environmental Studies/Center for Science and Technology Policy Research; Dale Miller, Environmental Studies

Tim Mullin
An Analysis of Global Chondrichthyan Species Decline: Insight into Management Issues and Potential Solutions to Reverse the Effects of Shark “Finning,” Bycatch, and Habitat Destruction
Dale Miller, Environmental Studies (Chair); Daniel Sturgis, Philosophy; Alexander Cruz, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Bruce Maj Pelz
The Environmental Views of Children Across Cultures and Scoioeconomic Class
Dale Miller, Environmental Studies (Chair); Susan Strife, Environmental Studies; Daniel Sturgis, Philosophy

James A.L. Tyson
An Assessment of Feed-In Tariffs in Colorado
Dale Miller, Environmental Studies (Chair); no other advisors designated on thesis

Scot Woolley
Economic, Environmental, and Societal Barriers to Renewable Energy Technology Adoption
Dale Miller, Environmental Studies (Chair); no other advisors designated on thesis

Undergrad Program: