James Madison University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

The following is an example a of relevant project:

"Using Residential Location to Assess the Environmental Value-Action Gap of Students at James Madison University," by Emma Martin (Geographic Science major). "This study focuses on the environmental value-action gap of students at James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia. An environmental value-action gap occurs when a person has pro-environmental beliefs but does not have congruent actions. Over 1,000 JMU students completed a survey of their residence location, environmental values, and environmental actions...The results of this study can help enhance green initiatives at JMU and other universities." James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal, Volume 6, Issue 1, 2018-2019.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1042&context=jmurj.

The following is an example of a relevant project:

"Harrisonburg Greenway Systems 2.0," by Keefer Hensel-Smith, Julia Hutchens, Kevin Partlow, Bradley Ritchie, George Shumeyko majors with Dr. Heather Kirkvold (Engineering). "Harrisonburg lacks infrastructure for students to bike or walk to school safely, especially around lower socio-economic class communities. Skyline Middle School, in particular, is surrounded by major arterial streets, many without connecting sidewalks or paths for students in surrounding communities to use. With these students and two other stakeholders in mind, a shared-use path is being designed to connect Skyline Middle School and the surrounding communities, specifically Spotswood Homes Trailer Park and Reherd Acres. The stakeholders include New Community Project, a non-profit in the City of Harrisonburg, along with the City’s Department of Public Works. Shared-use paths have the ability to create social, economic, and environmental sustainability in the communities in which they are built. The shared-use path system designed around Skyline Middle School will allow students to travel to school safely, as well as provide an opportunity for alternate methods of transportation and recreation to the broader Harrisonburg community. Ultimately, the city wants to see a full shared-use system to connect throughout Harrisonburg, with a route to Skyline Middle School included." https://www.jmu.edu/cise/engineering/documents/made-xchange-book-2019.pdf.

The following is an example of a relevant project:

"The Biochar Impacts on Soil Nutrient and Carbon Content in the ISAT Meadow," by Johnathan Brittel and Grant Rabalais (Integrated Science and Technology Majors). The data established a baseline for future studies and provide a snapshot of the current state of soils in the hillside meadow. The scope of research included a biomass survey, soil nutrient content, organic carbon content, as well as soil testing done by Waypoint Laboratories. https://www.jmu.edu/sis/_files/sis-symposium-book-2019.pdf.

The following is an example of a relevant project:

"Analyzing the Impact of Karst Formations on Engeo," by Madison Gilmore Kyle Inocco, Isabel Ledesma, Kathryn Nielsen, and Clement Poole (Engineering Majors). This project developed a risk assessment report for the ISAT/CS/EnGeo/PhysChem building complex and the adjacent fields by examining land subsidence due to karst formations. The purpose of the project was to ensure the safety of the public, maintain the longevity of the buildings, and create a baseline of the subsurface conditions for any future construction in the area. https://www.jmu.edu/cise/engineering/documents/made-xchange-book-2019.pdf.

The following is an example of a relevant project:

"Project Aelous" by Carver Johnson, Lawrence Marfo, Robert McFaddin, and Emerson Youtsey (Engineering Majors). Their capstone project aims to develop an outdoor public space on East Campus that features a functioning vertical axis microturbine (VAM). This endeavor will simultaneously demonstrate how underutilized physical spaces can be optimized to provide for multi-functional purposes and how renewable energy sources such as vertical axis wind turbines are advantageous in urban settings. https://www.jmu.edu/cise/engineering/documents/made-xchange-book-2019.pdf.

"Feasibility Study of Photovoltaic from JMU Warsaw Parking Deck," by Conner Saunders (Integrated Science and Technology). the purpose of this capstone project was to assess the feasibility of a 30-kW photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation system on the rooftop of Warsaw Parking
Deck on James Madison University’s (JMU) campus in Harrisonburg, Virginia. https://www.jmu.edu/sis/_files/sis-symposium-book-2019.pdf.

"CURE-all: Large Scale Implementation of Authentic DNA Barcoding Research into First-Year Biology Curriculum", by Dr. Oliver Hyman et al, 2019. "The Department of Biology at JMU has developed a cost-effective, scalable, and transferable semester-long (14-week) course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) designed for large enrollment introductory biology labs. In this series of labs, first-year students use DNA barcoding to engage in authentic research practices drawn from the fields of ecology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics. These labs enable students to identify local species of plants, fungi, and invertebrates using student-generated DNA barcode sequences, which are then shared through a public database. Since their implementation at JMU in 2016, students in these labs have created and shared over 1,500 unique DNA barcode sequences and documented over 300 local species of plants, fungi, and invertebrates. These data are being used in an ongoing project comparing the biodiversity of forest edge versus forest interior habitats, but the labs are adaptable to almost any habitat or taxonomic group. In this article, we provide detailed descriptions of the content, logistics, and implementation of this 14-week series of labs. To our knowledge, this is among the largest-enrollment CUREs being offered to first-year undergraduates in the United States, and we hope that it can be useful to other institutions interested in documenting biodiversity and engaging introductory biology students in authentic research...

The term-long barcoding project is centered on exploring the natural diversity of the JMU Arboretum. These sorts of natural habitats can often be unfamiliar to students, so we make great efforts to make them accessible to all students regardless of their familiarity or comfort with nature. Thus, these labs provide an opportunity for all students to learn about the organisms and habitats in their own proverbial backyard."

Citation
Hyman, O.J., Doyle, E.A., Harsh, J., Mott, J., Pesce, A., Rasoul, B., Seifert, K., and Enke, R.A. 2019. CURE-all: Large Scale Implementation of Authentic DNA Barcoding Research into First-Year Biology Curriculum. CourseSource. https://doi.org/10.24918/cs.2019.10
https://qubeshub.org/community/groups/coursesource/publications?id=2625&v=1

No projects were identified for this category, but there may have been projects.

The following is an example of a relevant project:

"A Political Ecology of 'High Impact Learning' Through Study Abroad," by Maja Jankowska, Jackie Pickford, Richard Selamaj, and Julia Wood (Integrated Science and Technology Majors). This project focused on participation in specific study abroad programs to quantify per capita environmental impacts of JMU international study and compare to the impact of studying in the United States for an equal amount of time. Three students studied abroad in three different JMU programs—one in Laos and Thailand, one in Malta, and one in Tanzania—while the fourth student remained in Virginia. During these weeks and using a mixed methods approach, each student measured and recorded quantitative and qualitative data that were then used to draw conclusions about the environmental impact of international studies. https://www.jmu.edu/sis/_files/sis-symposium-book-2019.pdf.

No projects were identified for this category, but there may have been projects.

The following is an example of a relevant project:

"Urban Stream Restoration: An Evaluation of Material Processing and Conveyance Channels," by Madeline Berg (MS in Biology). Due to the recent interest in stream restoration as a tool to help the health of the Chesapeake Bay, this study was undertaken to evaluate the in-stream effectiveness of two restoration practices: conveyance channels and material processing channels. Ten streams [one of which was the restored stream in JMU's Edith J. Carrier Arboretum], five of each restoration practice, were evaluated in terms of organic retention and macroinvertebrates. The upper and lower reaches of each stream were sampled with transects to measure organic retention percent cover and sampled with two methods for macroinvertebrates. Spring 2019. https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/master201019/625/

"JMU Campus Inclusivity Video Project" Meredith Grace Browder (Educational Foundations and Exceptionalities Major). "After experiencing a general lack of knowledge at James Madison University (JMU) regarding inclusivity of students with varying abilities, I decided to find the best way to educate the JMU community on how to be more accommodating on campus. I surveyed students served by the Office of Disability Services in order to assess their concerns and needs. My survey data indicated that the students on campus with disabilities have felt isolated at JMU because of multiple factors including both student and faculty ignorance. After researching the significant role played by videos and social media in shaping public opinion, I used the data I collected from the survey and created a video to promote sensitivity and inclusion among the JMU population. This video was created to be effective in both educating and influencing the JMU campus. After sharing this video on multiple social media platforms, my next step is to propose the video to the JMU orientation office in the hope that all incoming freshman will be able to be educated on contributing to a more inclusive and welcoming campus for all students." Spring 2019. https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors201019/653/.

No projects were identified for this category, but there may have been projects.

"CampusPartner: An Assistive Technology for Pedestrians with Mobility Impairments," Senior Honors Project by Cynthia Zastudil (Computer Science Major). CampusPartner is an assistive mobile application that was designed with the purpose of supporting people with mobility impairments in planning and previewing their walking routes. By viewing routes in advance, users can see an overview and detailed information about them as well as turn-by-turn instructions. CampusPartner integrates existing services, GraphHopper, OpenStreetMap, and Mapbox, to provide navigation functionality. Users are able to create a profile upon opening the app, which will include information such as obstacles and road types to avoid, as well as their bookmarked or most commonly used routes. For example, if someone was looking for a route from one side of campus to the other and they couldn’t take stairs due to a mobility impairment, this app would assist them in determining the best route to take or notify them if they should look for an alternative form of transportation, such as a bus. Additionally, users are able to correct missing or inaccurate information, such as the absence of stairs on the map or temporary obstacles. 2020. https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors202029/44/.

Student project summaries available from JMU websites and the JMU Libraries were reviewed.

Completed by Essa Paterson, ISNW, November 18, 2021.