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In Mohawk Watershed Symposium, Abstracts and program

Abstract

The 12th Mohawk Watershed Symposium was cancelled due to Covid-19. This abstract volume, which was essentially complete at the time of cancellation, is the record of the meeting that did not happen. Over the years this Symposium has taken on an important role in unifying and galvanizing stakeholders in the watershed. A coalition of invested stakeholders allows us as a group to tackle important issues that affect water quality, recreation opportunities, flood mitigation, and other basin-wide issues. By all measures, 2019 was a big year in the watershed. The historic 2019 Halloween Storm caused significant damage in the upper part of the watershed, especially in the West Canada Creek, East Canada Creek, and a number of smaller tributaries. Aid from FEMA for individual assistance was denied and this has caused considerable distress for those with damaged homes. A major effort this year was the work of the Reimagine the Canal task force. This task force took on a number of issues related to the entire Erie Canal, which was divided into Western, Central, and Mohawk sections. Issues included water for irrigation, invasive species, flooding, and ice jamming. The Mohawk was perhaps the most complicated because the Canal and the main stem of the Mohawk need to co-exist despite change in the watershed. The task force effort included the Mohawk Flood Assessment aimed at evaluating benefits from a number of flood mitigation strategies along the length of the River. It also acted on a separate report on ice jamming in the Schenectady Pool in front of the Vischer Ferry Dam, at Lock E7. The Vischer Ferry Dam (VFD) on the lower Mohawk has been under the spotlight for years - in part for its suspected role in causing ice jams that then can flood the Stockade of Schenectady. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license is coming up, so NYPA, the dam owner, started the renewal process last year for both the VFD and the Crescent Dam, just downstream. The FERC review process can force significant environmental review of the ways in which dams integrate into the local ecosystem and relate to river hydrology. Meanwhile, the City of Schenectady continues formulating its ambitious plan to use FEMA funds to mitigate flooding in Stockade. The plan moving forward may involve elevating or perhaps moving homes in a managed retreat. This plan is intertwined with mitigation efforts for ice jamming at the VFD because jamming causes back-up flooding that can affect the Stockade. Water quality remains a central issue in the watershed and a growing number of stakeholders are involved in this effort. For a healthy and vibrant ecosystem we need clean water. The health of our waters can only be assessed from hundreds of measurements taken across the watershed by students, educators, and dedicated professionals from SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Polytechnic in Utica, Union College, Cornell, Schoharie River Center, Riverkeeper, DEC, USGS, and others who have been addressing water quality through research. These critical measurements include quantifying the distribution, source, and fate of environmental contaminants including fecal bacterial, microplastics, nitrogen, phosphorus, and others. Stewardship and education are a critical piece of effective watershed management. Stakeholder meetings such as the Mohawk Watershed Symposium, and local water advocates (including West Canada Creek Alliance, Riverkeeper, and Dam Concerned Citizens) play a key role in identifying problems, educating the public, and effecting change where it is most needed. Youth education programs centered on water quality and ecosystem health, such as the Environmental Study Teams at both the Schoharie River Center and Fort Plain High School, insure that all our waterways pass into the hands of the next generation of active, engaged, and knowledgeable stewards. The meeting this year would have featured approximately 30 presentations covering a wide range of topics. We were delighted to see so many familiar names and we welcome those new to the Mohawk Watershed Symposium. We will be back as soon as possible. Abstracts include: Reimagining the Erie Canal / Mohawk River as flood risk mitigation resource K. Avery, B. Juza . S. 6893 Flood Buyout Bill M. Buttenschon, J. Griffo Detection, quantification and identification of enteric bacteria in the upper Hudson River - a pilot study J. Cohen, N. Geier, K. Songao, O. Spencer, A. LoBue, W. Quidort Algal community dynamics in the lower Mohawk River A. Conine, M. Schnore Relating microbial diversity to nitrogen cycling in the Mohawk River and diverse freshwater ecosystems J. Damashek, A. Dautovic, C. Garrett Stockade resilience: adaptive preservation on the Mohawk River, Schenectady, New York K. Diotte Increasing fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) counts in the Mohawk River and elsewhere in the Hudson watershed since 2015 J. Epstein, B. Brabetz, A. Juhl, C. Knudsen, N. Law, J. Lipscomb, G. O'Mullan, S. Pillitteri, C. Rodak, D. Shapley Notes from a Watershed - The Mohawk River J. Garver The Halloween flood of 2019 in the Mohawk River watershed C. Gazoorian Streamflow capture along the Mohawk River: determining transit time to municipal well-field J. Gehring, M. Stahl, D. Gillikin, A. Verheyden-Gillikin Eastward expansion of invasive Round Goby towards the Hudson River S. George, B. Baldigo, C. Rees, M. Bartron Pervious concrete offers a prospective solution to contaminated runoff threatening water quality A. Ghaly The swinging environmental pendulum: how policies and attitudes shift with changes in US administration A. Ghaly eDNA methods help reveal barriers to American Eel (Anguilla rostrate) migration into the Mohawk River, New York H. Green, M. Wilder, H. Miraly, C. Nack, K. Limburg Naturalizing the Mohawk River: navigating the political challenges of change S. Gruskin Plastic Pollution: Nurdles and the Coleco Connection" Utilizing digital storytelling by youth to educate the public about emergent environmental concerns in their community K. Hensley F. Staley C. Cherizard A. Francisco L. English D. Carlson P. Munson J. McKeeby S. Hadam E. McHale Numerical modeling of breakup ice dynamics in the lower Mohawk River F. Huang H. Shen J. Garver A five-year series of snap-shots: Data and observations of Enterococci and Escherichia coli levels from a Mohawk River water quality project as it enters Year Six of a longitudinal study N. Law B. Brabetz K. Boulet A. Giacinto C. Rodak J. Epstein J. Lipscomb D. Shapley A flood insurance analysis of Schenectady's Stockade district W. Nechamen Potential opportunities for tributary reconnections within the Erie Canal and Mohawk River A. Peck K. France R. Shirer Exploring baseline water quality conditions in the Mohawk River: Observations of fecal indicator bacteria during the Fall of 2018 and Summer of 2019 C. Rodak E. Haddad Mohawk River watershed modeling in SWAT M. Schnore A. Conine Microplastic pollution in Mohawk River tributaries: likely sources and potential implications for the Mohawk Watershed J. Smith E. Caruso N. Wright Is there a Corps of Engineer/State Flood Control role in the Mohawk Basin? R. Wege Climate related discoveries 62 years of daily CO2 measurements and the Keeling Curve F. Wicks Enterococci levels in the Hans Groot Kill and Mohawk River Schenectady NY E. Willard-Bauer J. Smith J. Garver D. Goldman B. Newcomer Incorporating ice jam flooding into regulatory base flood elevations at the historic Schenectady Stockade J. Woidt J. Rocks"

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DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

In Alumni Files

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DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

In 2021 Honors Economics Posters

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This paper explores the relationship between Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings and their effects on performance as well as corporate green bond issuance. In 2019, the United Nations declared that there is only 11 years left to act before there is irreversible damage from climate change. Even though ESG scores have been around for decades, they have only recently become a popular investing subject. However, there is a downfall from there being no clear scoring equation like there is in the rest of finance, GAAP Accounting for example. Companies like MSCI, Refinitiv, and Bloomberg have emerged as leaders in this space to provide data and weighted scores for each of the Environmental, Social, and Governance spaces, and combining them all into one ESG score for a company. Green bonds on the other hand started in around 2007. This market has grown substantially within the past decade. Roughly $157 billion worth of bonds labeled as "green were issued in 2019. Since sustainable investing is a relatively new subject, there is a lack of literature and previous studies done on the topic. However, there have been some studies that have looked into ESG and green bonds' impact on performance and pricing. For example, Buallay (2017) looks into ESG scores and their impact on performance with a focus on the European banking sector. Buallay defines performance by using the Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), and Tobin's Q (TQ). In her study, she finds that ESG is in fact related to positive performance of the banks. Other studies on the green bond market have also looked into the pricing and ownership of green bonds relative to conventional ones. Baker et al. (2018) finds that green bond ownership is very concentrated and investors are paying a premium. This means that investors are giving up returns for better social performances. This paper will analyze if ESG ratings are associated with performance for public companies within the United States and will also look into the impact that ESG rating has on corporate green bond issuance with a focus on the past decade.

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DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

In 2021 Honors Economics Posters

Abstract

Throughout the past two decades, e-commerce has exploded in the United States, with Amazon leading the way. Following criticism from the media and politicians, Amazon instituted a nationwide minimum wage of $15 per hour for all employees at the end of 2018. Since Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers employ approximately twenty percent of all warehouse employees in the United States, one must ask whether or not their recent institution of a $15 minimum wage in 2018 has improved overall local warehousing wages in counties with Amazon warehouses present. This paper will answer this question by conducting a quarterly county-level analysis on the American warehousing industry from 2016 to 2020 using QCEW data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, comparing counties with Amazon warehouse to counties without them. This paper finds that Amazon's minimum wage increase in 2018 resulted in lower overall warehouse wages for counties with an Amazon warehouse present due to the increase in lower-level employees in the industry. Moreover, this paper will consider the spillover effects of the minimum wage change onto both employment in the warehousing industry as well as the retail industry. Lastly, the spillover effects of Amazon Air on air travel costs at the airports served by Amazon will be analyzed.

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DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

In ARL Publications

Abstract

The Adirondack Chronology is intended to be a useful resource for researchers and others interested in the Adirondacks and Adirondack history.

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DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The palatial structures of the Middle and Late Bronze Age (1900-1450 BCE) on the island of Crete have been the subject of archaeological research for over a century, but the broader social dynamics that caused dramatic changes in Minoan society are still not understood. Computer simulation offers a novel method to tackle this long-standing issue. This simulation analyzes how shifts in agricultural and economic policies affect the resilience of Minoan society when faced with both internal and external stress factors. With this model, I evaluate the impact of different agricultural strategies, land distribution schemes, and socio-economic models on the population sustainability, population density, and agricultural surplus of these Bronze Age communities. This is done as an effort to determine which social dynamics, in general, drive society to be more resilient and less vulnerable to collapse.

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VideoObject

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In Steinmetz Symposium

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Over the past few decades, animal agriculture has shifted from small family owned farms to large corporate owned mega-farms called Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Although these CAFOs, which confine hundreds to tens of thousands of animals in buildings, are economically efficient in producing eggs, milk, and meat, they present a range of risks associated with environmental, human health, and animal welfare issues. A major concern associated with CAFOs is the large amounts of waste produced that goes untreated and its environmental effects. As humans are subject to managing and treating our own waste, the same does not apply for animal byproducts. Animal waste pollution is subject to federal regulation through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) Permits under the Clean Water Act, however, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has delegated its authority to states to monitor and implement the NPDES program. Some states have taken action beyond federal regulation to regulate CAFO waste while others remain ineffective in implementing federal regulation. In this paper I examine the state regulation and its effectiveness in regulating CAFO waste under the Clean Water Act in three states: New York, Iowa, and North Carolina. The regulation in each of these states differ and are greatly influenced by environmental groups, industry groups, and state legislatures.

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VideoObject

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the extent to which the Chinese have expanded their global presence in the international system through the implementation of their "going global" strategy dubbed "The Belt and Road Initiative." In particular, the BRI utilizes Chinese established banks, political institutions, and new alliance networks to recreate the global economic trading cycle with an Eastern orientation. In establishing a complex network of trade systems across the globe, the Chinese have increased their global presence and have stimulated heightened national growth by increasing the extent to which under developed nations increasingly turn to the Chinese for help in developing infrastructural networks and transforming national institutions with the hope of solving important widespread problems within their countries. As this paper argues, however, the BRI has allowed Chinese entrepreneurs, state owned enterprises, and private businesses with the ability to increase the extent to which Chinese goods and services have flooded foreign markets. In doing so, the Chinese have grown their global brand and continue to dominate the political and economic networks of numerous regions across the globe. This paper analyzes a specific element of this new strategy, primarily the implementation of Special Economic Zones in Africa, which are essentially enclave spaces for Chinese companies to operate out of themselves in these foreign nations. This paper ultimately analyzes the ways that this new BRI has the potential to alter the nature and characteristics of the international order and discusses the challenges that American leaders now face as a result of renewed Chinese global power.

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VideoObject

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

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The technological industry and the large portion of the global economy that it encompasses, have relied heavily on the production and innovation of semiconductors. Once a crude sketch in the minds of a few, Jack Kilby, most famously, the semiconductor is present in the vast majority of products and has proved to make some individuals and companies rich and successful beyond their wildest dreams. The first part of this paper will discuss the history of the semiconductor, how it functions, and has improved over the years. The second part will discuss four of the major players in this industry and the successful strategies they used in regard to semiconductor production and the establishment of alliances and business deals, to maximize profits and grow exponentially.

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VideoObject

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In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

My senior thesis discusses and analyzes American foreign policy through the scope of the Realist theory of international relations. With the works of Realists like Kenneth Waltz and Stephen Walt in mind, I analyze this theory and then explore its implications on United States foreign policy in relation to three specific case studies. The case studies I examined are the contentions surrounding the post-Cold War NATO existence, the ongoing civil conflict in Syria, and the post-Soviet existence of Ukraine. All of which I have viewed as Cold War proxy wars between the United States and Russia. In the post-Cold War landscape, the United States appeared as the unipolar, dominant power in what was previously a bipolar world. In this role, the United States embarked on a number of military interventions where American interests were arguably not at stake. Oftentimes, the United States intervened in states that posed no strategic, economic, or militaristic benefit. It was in these instances that the United States claimed to be acting on humanitarian concerns and often sought to transform the local political atmosphere and leadership in these countries. In the contemporary post-post Cold War era, we can observe the global landscape shifting to become increasingly multipolar. As the Realist theory purports, states are self-interested, therefore seeking alliances and actions that bolster their interests. Accordingly, it is advantageous to look at the current state of affairs through a realist lens in which we observe every actor, including the United States, protect their interests and security in a self-serving manner. While policymakers in the United States follow the realist framework, we often judge other actors behaving alike as aggressive or forbidding. My senior thesis highlights this hypocrisy through the three case studies and in light of the dynamic between the United States and Russia as they battle to assert their influence in the respective spheres. Looking to the future, I assert that in order to maintain the dominant role as the unipolar power, the United States should act with more restraint as to not threaten the other actors on the world stage.

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VideoObject

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

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Applying Robert Jervis's theory set forth in his book, Perception and Misperception in International Politics, to NATO and Russian intervention in the Baltics, Georgia, and Ukraine, to gain a more complete understanding of how Russia and NATO members see one another and themselves. According to Jervis, actors often misperceive the actions of other actors and, as a result, an actor's intentions are in turn misinterpreted; this leads to unintended and undesirable consequences. Using Jervis's realist theory, it becomes clear that both Russia and NATO have inaccurate images of themselves and of each other. However, because of the imbalance of power in the Russia-NATO relationship, Russia's concerns about NATO expansion are more reality-based than NATO's concerns about Russian power. The ability of political actors and decision-makers in Western governments to negotiate with foreign powers and resolve conflicts would be enhanced by considering military and economic power dynamics between countries.

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Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

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At its roots, feminicide is the extreme form of violence at the endpoint of a scale of aggression against women. To discuss feminicide, then, is to discuss violence against women and the patriarchal system that traps women in discriminatory practices and roles. However, feminicide is a multidimensional problem where political, economic, cultural, and social factors make the crime almost impossible to end. While feminicide is a global issue, Latin Americans were the first to show the political courage to fight for justice, visibility, and to end the rampant impunity surrounding the crime. This Senior Thesis explores the universe of feminicide as made visible in women's struggles in Latin America through three case studies: Mexico, Argentina, and the viral Chilean protest intervention, "Un Violador En Tu Camino." My choice of Mexico as a case study acknowledges the roots of the movement to end impunity in Ciudad Juarez. Argentina, in turn, houses significant initiatives to document feminicides and the Ni Una Menos movement. Lastly, the protest performance starting in Chile went viral regionally and quickly internationally, bringing to the forefront the issue of gender violence on a global scale through social media. The analysis of the rise of feminicide as a main political issue across the three countries will help understand feminicides in context, through an interdisciplinary perspective that considers their underlying structural and immediate causes.

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In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

When the proposal for the Adirondack Northway, a north-south superhighway from Albany to the Canadian border, was announced in 1957, New York conservation activists deployed a multi-pronged strategy designed to prevent the project from doing irreparable environmental damage to the state Forest Preserve and the greater Adirondack region. Through influencing the state government, unleashing a concerted media campaign, and reaching out directly to the state electorate, a statewide opposition movement emerged that attempted to stop the highway from being built through the central Adirondacks and instead suggested an alternate route on the periphery of New York's vast northern wilderness. As the proposal progressed through multiple stages of the state policy process, including a public referendum, conservationists were repeatedly unsuccessful at preventing the highway's construction. Although the Northway opposition movement failed to alter the decision of the Governor, was not endorsed by the state Legislature, and was insufficient to sway a majority of New York's voters, the debate during this period raised many concerns about the long term impact of industrial and economic development on both state and private lands in the Adirondack Park. While the Northway was eventually authorized and its construction from 1959 to 1967 destroyed protected acres of Forest Preserve, the influence of conservationists in the policy process improved the project from a conservation standpoint and lessened its impact on wild acreage. Moreover, the Northway debate was the first widespread discussion of Adirondack development pressures and was a major reason that unwanted modification of nature, particularly on private land, became a focal point of New York conservation. The Northway controversy began discussions about state policy toward damaging wilderness development. These concerns would grow throughout the 1960s and eventually cause the state to enact comprehensive policy changes to protect not just the Forest Preserve, but the wild character of the entire Adirondack Park.

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VideoObject

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In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Marginal Revenue Product and the Effect of Teammates on Player Productivity in the NHL - This paper creates a process for estimating the marginal revenue products (MRPs) of players in the National Hockey League (NHL). Since hockey is a team sport, where a given player's output depends on the abilities of his surrounding teammates, I wanted to include the effect of a player's teammates in my estimates, which previous MRP calculations for hockey players lack. Using detailed play-by-play data from the NHL's real time scoring system (RTSS), I obtained the total number of goals for and goals against for each combination of players on the ice at a time (five skaters and a goalie). I then estimated several linear OLS regressions to create production equations that explore the impact of each individual players' dummy variable on the goals for and goals against per 60 minutes of ice time for every player combination. Afterwards, I estimated a linear OLS regression, examining how a team's cumulative goals for and goals against impacted its revenue. Taking the dummy variable coefficients from the production equations and the goals for and goals against coefficients from the revenue equation, I created MRP estimates for every NHL player. Ultimately, I created very noisy MRP estimates, partly because the large degree of multicollinearity among the dummy variables in the production equations created imprecise coefficient estimates. While my estimates do not include the impact of a players' teammates, they pave the way for incorporating it in the future by including player pair dummy variables that examine how a player's production changes with different teammates.; How are Trade Policies Affecting Stock Prices of US Multinational Corporations? Evidence from the US-China Trade Dispute - This project studies the US-China trade war consequences in the financial market. Specifically, it evaluates the impact of the trade frictions on US multinational corporation (MNC) stock prices and examines the differentials between corporations that produce tradable goods and corporations that provide services. The Chinese government has been depreciating its currency as a retaliation measure against the continuously rising tariff rates set by the United States. Rather than tariff rates, which has been used in previous literature, this paper uses the China-US exchange rate as a measure of trade frictions. I find that on average, stock prices of US MNCs that produce tradable goods are affected negatively by the devaluating Chinese Yuan. This correlation is especially prominent for MNCs in the automotive and machinery industry.; ASEAN in Global Value Chains: The Effects of Deep Trade Agreements on Value-Added Trade - This thesis investigates the role of trade agreements on global value chains (GVCs) in the context of ASEAN countries. Trade in value added is considered as a close proxy for the extent of trade taking place within the GVCs. In this thesis, three distinct measures of value-added trade at the sectoral level are used: domestic value added (DVA) in gross exports, DVA in intermediates exports, and DVA in final goods exports. In terms of trade agreements, I explicitly address the heterogeneity in their design by computing a series of depth indices based on coverage and legal enforceability. I estimate an augmented gravity equation to investigate whether the composition of trade agreements is relevant for ASEAN’s integration in GVCs. The results suggest that adding policy areas to a trade agreement increase GVCs-related trade among participating countries. More specifically, the effect is driven by value-added in intermediates rather than traditional final goods trade. The content of the trade agreements also matters to trade and varies by WTO membership status of trading partners. Legally enforceable provisions that are under the current scope of WTO mandate have a stronger impact on trade than those beyond WTO regulation. The positive impact of deep trade agreements on ASEAN trade is subject to phase-in effects of up to 10 years after the agreement is enforced.

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VideoObject

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The Beauty of Kintsugi - Kintsugi is a centuries-old Japanese technique of repairing broken or imperfect pottery with gold in order to highlight the flaws. The term comes from the Japanese words "kin", which means "golden", and "tsugi", which means "joinery". It is a unique tradition that celebrates the imperfect; cracks and missing pieces are viewed as beautiful. I have spent my time at Union College majoring in Art History with a specific focus on Asian art. Several years ago my family and I took a trip to Japan where we hiked from Kyoto to Tokyo and fully immersed ourselves in the culture around us. It was on this trip that I truly began to develop a love for Japan and the vast history full of traditions that it had to offer. After sitting in a traditional tea ceremony and witnessing first hand the unique process that had seemingly been instilled in the man performing it, I remember holding the teabowl between both hands, feeling the warmth of the tea and noticing the flawed, yet beautiful way in which it was made. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about the art behind these ceramics. Here at Union, I utilized my Sophomore Research Seminar in order to further study this very topic. I spent the term researching the centrality of pottery bowls to the Momoyama period (1568-1600) tea ceremony, particularly the ways in which the bowls' form, style, and aesthetic encapsulate many of the ideal philosophical dimensions. I was able to do this by analyzing a teabowl from within Union's collection that had kintsugi repairs. I have spent several terms now studying Asian Art, the Japanese culture and history. I was able to further my understanding of the unique technique of Kintsugi as I created my own interpretation of this tradition by breaking up old, thrifted tea sets and pieced them together with epoxy resin and gold powder to produce new, organic forms, as inspired by artist, Yeesookyung. Yeesookyung assembles discarded shards of porcelain by fusing them together with gold leaf to create new forms. The switch to online learning for the final term of my Senior year, has caused me to think about the great importance of digitization, especially in terms of ancient Asian ceramics. I utilized photogrammetry in order to virtually model selected works from Union College's Permanent Collection of Asian ceramics in order to preserve the art and for students to utilize in their studies. I will discuss the history of Kintsugi and the process in which I used to make my own works; through the manipulation of broken, thrifted ceramics and the arrangement of data to create 3D virtual models.; Nomads -The inspiration for my Studio Art thesis came from talks I had with some of my closest friends and family members who are from Myanmar and studying in the United States. Most of them plan to leave Myanmar and settle in the United States due to social, economic and political issues back in Myanmar. My series of large scale oil paintings shares their intimate stories, presenting viewers with their struggles and experiences of living in-between cultures and finding a place to belong.

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VideoObject

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Alliances and Multilateral Organizations - In a world with nationalism and far-right political parties on the rise, there is growing level of disenfranchisement and anger directed towards the globalization that occurred during the later half od the 20th century. These sentiments have the potential to undermine the current liberal world order and are a major cause for concern. It is crucial that global intuitions, trade deals, and strategic alliances continue to be strong an effective. At the SCUSA Conference we discussed many of these alliances and organizations that deal with a multitude of issues from economic power to martial strength and cultural influences. NATO is a prominent example of a current alliance that is under threat. The alliance which once helped end the Cold War is now a struggling contingent of disagreeing states. Russia's power is on the rise ad it is essential that the U.S. and its NATO allies work together to minimize Putin's influence and land holdings in Eastern Europe. While the conference addresses the benefits of having alliances and being part of multilateral organizations. These reasons are fairly straightforward and include economic benefits, military allies, and allows countries to stay relevant in a globalized world with only a few superpowers. However, we also discussed the surrounding being a member of either. Many organizations do not have equal representation, do not form plans with unanimous support, and at times suffer economically from certain trade deals. We need to ensure that all this reorganizations from the WTO to the UN are fair, impartial, and equitable to all the countries represented.; West Point SCUSA Conference - I was lucky enough to attend the US Military Academy's Student Conference on US Affairs in the fall of 2019 as a representative of Union College. I was assigned to the Trade, Jobs, and Globalization roundtable where we ultimately formulated a foreign policy recommendation to be sent to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. It was a unique and enlightening experience to negotiate with other students from different universities, backgrounds, and even nationalities. We were eventually successful in creating a strategy to further global efforts in renewable energy and technological innovation strategies by creating a quasi-TPP system. Our ultimate goals were multifaceted which included the creation of a clean energy and innovative-friendly free-trade agreement, seeking to incentivize nations to reform their economic structures in order to gain accession, typically through pro-market and neoliberal adjustments. The result of such an agreement would further deepen the integration of global value chains, resulting in mutually beneficial outcomes and socioeconomic development worldwide, as well as the popularization and institutionalization of economic values including reciprocity, multilateralism, and free-trade.; Student Conference on Foreign Affairs at West Point - I participated in a conference at West Point that focused on different aspects of US foreign policy. The purpose of the conference was to have both civilian and military perspectives on how the US should deal with future US foreign policy. I was selected to participate in the trade team where we were tasked with looking at the intersection of domestic and global policy as it pertains to trade, jobs, and globalization. As a group, we wrote a memo that argued for less confrontation with China economically and creating an institutional framework that allowed for global innovation with clean energy. Our group, along with every other group, gave keynotes to all of the attendees of the conference. Some of the attendees also included high-ranking members on the West Point campus. One of the best parts of this conference was interacting with the cadets. We all got to stay in the barracks with the cadets for the nights and I got to have great conversations with the roommates that I was staying with. We got to see all of the routines that the cadets go through each day. We got to listen to several panels that featured high-ranking members of the military and got to hear their perspectives on foreign policy and some of the implications of what the Trump administration is currently working on in regards to the Middle East. The current ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison, was one of the speakers at our conference.

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VideoObject

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

House Resolution 109 (H. Res. 109), legislation presented in 2019 by New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Massachucettes Senator Ed Markey, proposes for the creation of a Green New Deal (GND). This proposal is a set of principles that defines problems that must be addressed to reach a more sustainable U.S., effectively creating a conversation around pressing environmental, economic, and social challenges. The revolutionary nature of this legislation is commonly analyzed with regards to urban spaces in America. Rural and impoverished communities in America are often ignored in the climate conversation, making it necessary to address the needs of such communities in future policies. This thesis explores the potential of implementing Green New Deal policies in the Adirondack Park while attempting to understand how to address social and ecological issues in an equitable manner. It does so by looking at the history of political consciousness in the region through a combination of archival and ethnographic methodologies. Specifically, the thesis reconstructs the tensions that have pitted local residents and environmental activism against one another in struggles to determine the future of the Adirondack Park. The research has the potential to address larger questions of how to bridge common gaps in environmental justice and how politics and economics shape human interaction with nature.

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DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

This presentation aims to showcase my analysis of the current tensions in the South China Sea. My main argument is that China's recent actions in the South China Sea represent their shift to becoming a major regional power. Over the past decade, China has developed artificial islands in the China Sea by pumping sand into coral reefs. These islands have given them strategic leverage in the region from both a military and economic standpoint. Militarily, the islands allow them to have further reach with their naval and sea assets. From an economic standpoint, the vast resources available in the South China Sea are easier to access with these artificial islands. China's actions threaten several competing countries in the region. However, China grounds their claims in what they call the Nine-Dash Line, a historical proposal that gives them majority control of the sea. The presentation will start with theoretical analysis to assess how China's actions can be framed in the context of international relations. The presentation will also review a landmark international law case between China and the Philippines, where an international body settles the dispute regarding China's actions in the South China Sea. Another essential aspect of my presentation will be analyzing the United States and China relationship regarding this conflict. This is essential as China is attempting to push the United States out of the region and assert its dominance. The concluding part of my presentation will discuss where this conflict is present and where it is headed in the future. The ultimate aim is to argue that China's actions in the South China Sea make them a regional power aiming to become a world power.

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VideoObject

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Clinical research requires an understanding of how schools are providing resources for children with mental health needs, lack of peer contact, economic distress, and reduced in-person opportunities during the Covid-19 pandemic (Forget et al, 2020). Prior to the pandemic, 90% of school psychologists reported experiencing burnout during their careers (Schilling et al, 2019). Burnout increases the risk of feelings of stress, emotional strain, and negative perceptions of work-life. This study aimed to investigate symptoms of anxiety and depression among school-based mental health providers before and during the pandemic. This research evaluated changes in occupational duties, students' experiences, and stress self-management among interveners. Fifty-six school psychologists, counselors, and social workers completed an online questionnaire to assess symptoms of anxiety and depression, occupational impact on stress, involvement in planning services, and perceived adequacy of services provided to students. Eight participants were interviewed to expand on methods of providing care, challenges, and experienced stress. A significant increase in anxiety and depression scores was found from before to after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Results suggested that the pandemic led to an increase in symptoms of anxiety and depression. From the survey, participants indicated that scores of anxiety and depression were related to age, occupation, and lack of involvement in planning services. Interviews revealed difficulties faced with the uncertainty of day-to-day tasks, new responsibilities, Covid-19 protocols, concerns for students' exposure to interpersonal experiences, and addressed coping strategies for providers' stress. This study was limited by the population sample and should expand to a more representative sample including participants outside of New York State. For future research, interveners should be surveyed after the Covid-19 pandemic to explore areas of trauma, stress, and anxiety. Research should investigate the emotional preparation in mental health training and supports provided by schools for the well-being of mental health professionals. To ameliorate levels of stress among interveners today, it is hoped that results would encourage school-based professionals to implement, develop, or gain inspiration from interventions and strategies indicated by respondents. The implementation of social support groups for interveners would allow for gaining mental health support and a line of communication with more mental health school-based providers within the school system or district.

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Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

For decades, concerns over a rise of a powerful China have dominated mainstream media. China's unprecedented economic ascent, growing voice in global decisions, and publicized industrial plans like Made in China 2025, have propelled the nation to the center of the world stage. In my thesis, I break down this subject to examine how China is attempting to increase its structural power and create new interdependencies through the buildup of certain networked technologies. Guided by foundational international political economy literature regarding structural power and interdependence, I explore the implications of two technological advancements: China's digital yuan (DCEP), and the BeiDou satellite system on global interdependency structures. Although faced with limitations regarding international buy-in, China's use of both the BeiDou satellite system and the DCEP systems poses credible threats to the postwar power systems dominated by the United States and could redistribute global power.

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Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

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Fascism and the radical right are on the rise in Europe in ways that haven't been seen since the Second World War. Understanding the reason for this phenomenon is imperative to democracy's defense. Europe is the birthplace of democracy and political liberalism, and the continent is a model of these ideals for the rest of the world to strive to follow. European democracy's future is in peril with the resurgence of fascism and the radical right, fueled by growing Islamophobia, xenophobia, racism, economic issues, and the overall disillusionment of democratic institutions. The new wave of conservatism and the far right shares many similarities with historical fascism, yet is altogether something different. Understanding this new mold of the radical right is vital to democracy's survival, as it is fundamentally changing the European political landscape. In this oral presentation, I plan to discuss my senior thesis, which examines this resurgence of the radical right in Europe.

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Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

"It is the false shame of fools to try to conceal wounds that have not healed"- Roman poet Horace said. The scar of white supremacy has never fully healed on the body of the United States. White supremacy is the belief that white people are genetically superior, should dominate over others, and live in a "whites-only" society. While the presence of white supremacy dates back the nation's founding, as of 2019, there were 199 identified white supremacist groups in the United States, just as the Department of Homeland Security, reported domestic violent extremism as the most "persistent and lethal threat" in the nation. In the first eight months of 2020 alone, white supremacists were responsible for 41 out of 62 terrorist attacks.My presentation outlines the ideological basis for far-right extremists and the lack of an effective legal framework for prosecuting white supremacist terrorism in the U.S. With the enactment of the USA PATRIOT Act (2001), surveillance and counter extremism strategies were ramped up. For almost two decades, the U.S. spearheaded a global War on Terror with militarized counterterrorism efforts around the world, which appropriated $6.4 trillion between 2001 and 2020. Meanwhile, the nation, remained vulnerable to its own domestic white supremacist terrorism, strengthened with the rise of militia movements and domestic extremists in the 1990s and 2008. The historical and contemporary premises for white nationalism lie in an assortment of economic, social, and political anxieties. James Waterman Wise, lecturer and author who warned against Nazism, described the potential rise of American fascism as "wrapped up in the American flag and heralded as a plea for liberty and preservation of the constitution." The constitutional limitations for preventing another attack are not synonymous with inaction. Existing barriers are the starting point for understanding how to meet individuals halfway before they can commit to extremist groups. My presentation analyzes the literature and legal ramifications of domestic terrorism. The reactionary nature of many of these laws and resolutions are compelling in and of themselves. When technology outruns the law, and counter extremism measures do not acknowledge citizens, preventing homegrown terrorism becomes arduous.

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Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Home gardeners face yearly issues with frost damage to their plants, which can reduce crop yield or even kill the plants when they are young. Measures such as frost blankets (sheets of fabric or plastic covering crops) can mitigate the effects of overnight frost damage by keeping plants warmer than they would otherwise be, but these measures must be taken before a freeze begins, and blankets must be lifted first thing in the morning. Since government-issued freeze warnings are not always accurate, if an unpredicted freeze occurs and a home gardener has not covered their plants overnight they are liable to suffer crop damage. This leads to both an economic loss for the home gardener as well as an environmental loss to society, since home gardens confer benefits to local insect and bird populations and are a more productive use of space than lawns. This project aims to develop an inexpensive, open source Internet of Things (IoT) system that enables home gardeners to track the temperature and humidity in their garden and receive automatic alerts when an incoming freeze is likely. This is achieved using an outdoor temperature and humidity sensor connected to a microcontroller that relays the sensor readings to the internet. These components are stored in a waterproof enclosure that can be easily mounted to a post in a home garden. A cloud service is used to take in sensor readings and process them to determine the likelihood of a freeze in the near future. When a freeze is determined to be incoming, the cloud service sends a push notification to a mobile app on the gardener's phone alerting them aboutthe likely freeze so that they have time to cover their crops. Gardeners can also check the current temperature and humidity in their garden at any time by opening the app. Code has been written, tested, and finalized for the microcontroller and most cloud components of this project, and the endpoint has been shown in testing to reliably sense current ambient conditions. The mobile application is under development for use with iOS devices, along with the push notification and user authentication functions of the cloud service. Once the iOS application is finished, future developments could include using machine learning to improve freeze prediction accuracy, as well as the development of software for systems other than iOS to handle the frost warning notifications, including Android, web, and embedded applications.

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Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Supreme is one of today's popular designer streetwear clothing brands. However, one of the largest differences between Supreme and other mainstream designer brands is that Supreme has only been around for just over 25 years. Within the past 10 years, Supreme's unconventional marketing techniques have helped the brand skyrocket to unprecedented success (Huddleston 2020). Part 1 of thispaper presents a case study examining the history and marketing tactics responsible for Supreme's growth. In Part 2, I developed an empirical study to analyze conspicuous consumers and their likelihood to purchase from a fictitious brand that, in one condition, marketed itself as scarce and limited its supply (Real Scarcity), or, in another condition, marketed itself as scarce and did not limit its supply (Fake Scarcity). I predicted that participants higher in conspicuousness would be less likely to purchase from a fictitious brand under the Fake Scarcity condition than the Real Scarcity condition, and that there would be no differences between the conditions for participants lower in conspicuousness. The results showed no differences between the conditions for neither of the conspicuousness level.

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Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

In the last few decades, there has been an increase in Chinese investment and migration in West Africa and Africa more broadly. The Chinese government has been working closely to produce trade agreements and infrastructure projects with these countries, stating it to be a "win-win" solution, sparking development in some stagnant African states and stimulating each others' economies. However, politicians, journalists, political pundits, and global activists have wondered if this relationship is neocolonial and if China is creating an opening for Africa's dependency, taking its natural resources and not creating enough opportunities for its population. By surveying modernization theory, dependency theory, and world-systems theory, my thesis gets to the theoretical root as to why relationships between a state like China and West Africa can become one of dependence quickly. The poor institutions West Africa harbor due to colonization and international institutions like the World Bank are the reason for dependency becoming a more likely result. But, there may be instances that could prove beneficial to Africa, in particular, if the government effectively puts restrictions on Chinese operations in their countries and if China is seriously creating work opportunities. Through the creation of my comic entitled Jigawa, which essentially surveys the impact the relationship between China and West Africa (Nigeria in particular) has on its citizens, alongside the theoretical framework outlined, the answer to whether the relationship is advantageous or disadvantageous is constructed.

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