"Environmental Times Magazine: No Better Time, Save Wisconsin" is a magazine that shares the effects climate change is having on Wisconsin. It deep dives into the direct effects climate change is having on ecological balance throughout the state. The magazine shares some ways that Wisconsin is already working on these issues and some solutions that we should consider putting into place. The goal of this magazine is to inform those who live in Wisconsin about these effects in a creative and fun way.
This project's purpose was to convince people to think twice about the pollution they may be causing to the Great Lakes. To achieve this, I researched how the pollution of water affects wildlife in the Great Lakes region. My research showed that water pollution from multiple sources has a negative impact on not only wildlife but also humans. I intended this project for people who live around or visit the Great Lakes region. I shared research about common sources of pollution and also some solutions that can help fix the problem at hand.
My infographic teaches civilians that animals feeding on the lakes are becoming contaminated and then consumed by civilians. This brings new knowledge as it opens the public’s and the government’s eyes about people who depend on sources of meat for cultural and financial reasons. In my project, I examined how to provide for lower-income families and Native Americans who are dependent on animals. I believe that the government should compensate for food costs and water costs.
This Animal Planet-style video shows how the endangerment of Lake Sturgeon impacts the Great Lakes. The Lake Sturgeon is culturally important to indigenous people as well as historically significant to the Great Lakes Region. While the Department of Natural Resources are protecting the Lake Sturgeon, I feel that their story is special and they should be a greater focus to the conservationists of the Great Lakes. This film brings awareness to how important they are to so many people, therefore we need to do more to protect them.
This multimodal public service announcement was created to raise awareness about overfishing in the Great Lakes and its impact on freshwater ecosystems. The project explores how human overexploitation disrupts ecological balance and threatens the survival of fish populations. Told from a first-person fish perspective, the project argues that overfishing harms not only individual species but also the entire ecosystem that depends on biodiversity and balance. The intended audience includes students and community members who may not realize how everyday human actions affect aquatic environments. To reach this audience, the project uses emotional storytelling, underwater visuals, and environmental research to encourage sustainable fishing practices and habitat protection.
The electric utility industry is changing fast. Tax incentives, new regulations, and rising electricity demand from AI data centers are pushing leaders to rethink sustainability. This project examines how Midwestern electric utility executives respond and whether sustainability is driven by compliance, financial incentives, or long-term strategy. Electric utilities are interested in sustainable energy, but they are restrained by complicated regulatory and economic limitations. Focusing on leadership decisions, the study connects sustainability strategy to policy shifts and emerging energy demands. Structured interviews with senior utility leaders will be analyzed by theme to reveal how sustainability fits into the business plan. Currently in the literature review phase, the project expects to find that sustainability is seen as a smart business strategy rather than just a regulatory requirement, helping utilities manage long-term risks and plan for future growth.
Low fruit and vegetable (FV) intake increases chronic disease risk, especially for low-income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households facing cost and access barriers. Nutrition incentive programs aim to make FV more affordable for SNAP participants. This study examined eight years of data (2018–2025, N = 1,071) from a Wisconsin SNAP nutrition incentive program, using descriptive and regression analyses to evaluate shopper experiences. Most participants reported eating more FV (90%), trying new foods (63%), and saving on groceries (85%). Nearly all (93%) described the market as welcoming, but barriers included transportation (18%), weather (23%), and limited hours (13%). More incentive redemption was linked to higher visit frequency with each $10 increase in incentives redeemed associated with 17% more visits (β = 0.016, p < .001). More visits also increased the odds of returning the next season by 60% (OR = 1.60, p = .011). Findings suggest that incentives boost FV affordability, which encourages more frequent market visits, supporting greater engagement and FV access for low-income households. Results highlight both the program’s strengths and remaining barriers, providing guidance for more equitable, accessible nutrition incentive strategies.
Despite the central role of fruits and vegetables (FV) in a healthy diet, cost and access remain barriers for low-income households. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) addresses food insecurity on a broad scale; however, FV consumption remains low among SNAP participants, who are also less likely than higher-income shoppers to purchase from farmers' markets. The Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market implements Market Match, a nutrition incentive program that allocates additional funds for FV purchases to SNAP households. Eight years of administrative data (2018–2025) from 2,457 unique households were analyzed to describe long-term participation patterns and economic contributions to the local food system. Descriptive statistics were used to examine annual participation, seasonal return patterns, and vendor-level SNAP redemption. More than one-third of households returned for multiple years, and over 100 participated for at least three seasons, demonstrating sustained engagement. In 2025, SNAP shoppers spent $29,082 at the market; using a conservative economic multiplier of 1.6, this spending likely generated more than $46,500 in local economic activity. Findings underscore the role of nutrition incentives in expanding farmers' market access for low-income shoppers, strengthening Wisconsin's local food economy, and providing evidence to inform a statewide nutrition incentive model.
Flushing of non-degrading waste can lead to costly blockages in wastewater treatment systems. This study investigated Eau Claire County residents’ perspectives on and habits of flushing non-degrading waste. To test our hypothesis that residents with on-site septic systems are more aware of proper flushing habits than residents whose sewage flows to the municipal wastewater treatment plant, we distributed 444 surveys in neighborhoods that were on the municipal system and others with an on-site septic system. We received 43 responses from septic and municipal residences, with response rates of 28% and 15%, respectively. Municipal residents were more likely to identify that non-flushable wipes and feminine hygiene products should not be flushed (by 19% and 9%, respectively) and they reported experiencing clogs at a significantly lower rate (-33%). We contacted three local septic service companies who all stated most septic system blockages are caused by non-woven wet wipes with some blockages caused by feminine hygiene products. These insights, combined with survey results, suggest that septic system residents are more invested in what gets flushed than municipal residents, but are less aware of proper flushing habits. This study will be used to develop an outreach program on the importance of proper flushing habits.
Interprofessional partnerships along with quality and safety are important essentials for nursing students to learn and practice. The focus of this research project is to enhance the knowledge and confidence of undergraduate nursing students when using medical packaging within a medical packaging kit. This is a vital and important skill for nurses going into the workforce. The medical packaging kit will include a variety of packaging types and supplementary materials. The emphasis of this presentation regards a literature search that is being conducted to inform the project to create supplementary materials for students enrolled in a junior level nursing course. The literature search will inform effective learning techniques in undergraduate nursing programs. The project as a whole is a collaborative partnership between members of the nursing program at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and members of the packaging program at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. The Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice and the Essentials: Core Competencies for nursing education guided the project.
Given rapid urbanization across the globe, coping with humans is an important aspect of life for most animals. Although human presence is often accompanied by human associated predators such as dogs, the effects of humans and dogs on animal physiology are rarely considered together. Here, we leverage over 4,500 measures of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), a biomarker of physiological “stress”, collected from California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) from two sites differing in human activity. Drawing from twelve years of study, we explored the effects of dispersal status, human presence, and dog activity on FGMs in adults and juveniles. Between-site dispersal revealed site-level effects on stress physiology. Whereas FGMs increased after immigrants moved to the more disturbed site, those dispersing to the less disturbed site failed to subsequently reduce FGMs. Responses to human and dog activity were age- and mass- dependent. Whereas juvenile FGMs did not covary with dog activity, juveniles trapped in areas with high human activity had elevated FGMs. In contrast, dogs represented a major stressor for adult animals, but the effects were generally shielded by human presence. These findings uncover complex relationships among anthropogenic factors, stress physiology, and habitat selection in wild animals living in a human-influenced world.
In the context of human-induced rapid environmental change, long-term data on individually recognized social mammals have the potential to offer novel insights into the extent to which animals can cope with social and ecological stressors. Long-term studies are needed to investigate the impact of climate change on the fitness of beavers, and minimally invasive measures of stress physiology offer meaningful biomarkers of these effects in the lives of free-living mammals. Here we present preliminary results of a newly established collaboration with the Norwegian Beaver Project. Glucocorticoids (GC) are steroid hormones that reflect physiological stressors. Because we are extracting GC metabolites from hair samples rather than directly from blood, species-specific validation is required. Thus, we performed an analytical validation for Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) for (i) cortisol and (ii) corticosterone to identify the predominant hormones in our samples. Our analytical validation will inform our ability to make meaningful connections between hundreds of GC samples and individual-level life-history and habitat measures collected from approximately 25 beaver families since 1997 (i.e., 25 years). Going forward, uncovering the social, ecological, and anthropogenic factors linked to this important biomarker and its associated fitness consequences will advance conservation goals.
In the context of human-induced rapid environmental change, monitoring of wildlife at different sites can offer useful information about how local fauna are responding to human presence. Here we build upon a previous study on the behavioral ecology of North American beavers (Castor canadensis), a native ecosystem engineer, through monitoring using camera traps. We surveyed various public lands and identified several active family groups of beavers in West-Central Wisconsin. Our camera trap data also captured the behavior of other local fauna based on our video analysis. Using Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors, our trail cameras detect captured video footage across each 24-hour cycle including social behaviors of river otters and beavers as well as inquisitive bears and foraging behaviors by squirrels, deer, and native birds. We also detected flying squirrels gliding down from trees at night, and bobcats transversing local habitats. Future research will focus on the extent to which vertebrate assemblages vary across sites and with human activity. The plethora of wildlife we monitored on our camera traps illustrates how beavers play a key role in shaping diverse and healthy wetland ecosystems. Our work has important implications for the management of wetlands and conservation of beaver populations in the region.
Growing awareness of hazardous chemicals in consumer textiles has intensified concerns regarding their effects on human health, environmental sustainability, and barriers to textile upcycling and recycling. These chemicals originate from manufacturing, finishing treatments, or plasticizers and adhesives used in graphics, where they can persist in fabrics and bioaccumulate over time. Recent conservation and risk assessments found that these contaminants pose a threat to human health and prevent large-scale textile reclamation. This research investigates supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a sustainable, solvent-free method for removing hazardous chemicals from textiles. With high diffusivity and complete solvent recovery without generating liquid waste, scCO2 offers a promising alternative to conventional extraction techniques. This study focuses on removing three high-priority contaminants: formaldehyde, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and bisphenol A (BPA) from textiles. Removal efficiency was evaluated across varying concentrations, reaction times, and co-solvent conditions. Gravimetric analysis, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to assess mass loss, concentration changes, and chemical signatures in extract. Results show that scCO2 can significantly reduce formaldehyde levels without damaging fabric appearance or producing solvent waste. By identifying effective processing parameters and demonstrating environmental benefits, this research supports efforts to create methods for reclaiming contaminated textiles and more sustainable use.
Understanding the cow rumen microbiome is an ongoing project with significant implications for agriculture, as the health, weight, and methane emissions of the animal are tied to the microbiome. However, knowledge of rumen microbiomes is biased towards dairy cows and geographically influenced by European breeds. Therefore, to more comprehensively understand the contributions of the microbiome to sustainable animal agriculture, there is a need to study American and beef cattle rumen microbial communities. Using metagenomic techniques, we identified 1,329 microbial genomes from beef cattle rumen fluid. Using the Blugold HPC, we compared these genomes to a database of 12,906 microbial genomes compiled from different ruminants to determine which were newly-sampled. This identified 505 rumen microbial genomes that were uniquely-recovered in our American beef cattle metagenomes. We selected a genome classified as a Prevotella, a ubiquitous rumen genus, and characterized its phylogeny, revealing it likely represents a novel species. We will characterize its metabolic potential to understand the role of this genome in rumen microbiome carbon and nitrogen cycling. This work will lead to a more thorough understanding of the rumen microbiome, informing any efforts to improve animal health, reduce methane emissions, and otherwise improve farming practices.
Major food pulses can shift the diets of wildlife over short periods, but little is known about the downstream consequences of foraging decisions on parasite loads. In the current study, we capitalized on our observations of the novel emergence of widespread hunting and carnivory of California voles (Microtus californicus) by marked individual California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) in June and July of 2024. Rodents can be definitive hosts, harboring adult tapeworms in their gut if they ingest tapeworm eggs or intermediate hosts (i.e., infected insects harboring tapeworm eggs). We predicted that sudden dietary shift towards eating other mammals may influence the prevalence of tapeworms in ground squirrels. As part of long-term study on California ground squirrels in the San Fransico Bay Area, we conducted fecal floats to quantify the prevalence of tapeworms in two study populations of ground squirrels before (2023), during (2024), and after (2025) the vole hunting year. Whereas tapeworms were prevalent in squirrel fecal samples before and after the vole boom, tapeworms were rarely present in vole-year samples. Our data is consistent with the notion that dietary shifts can radically influence the prevalence of parasites suggesting that ecological shifts can influence the health of animals.
The North American gray wolf (Canis lupus) is a native keystone predator that contributes to healthy ecosystems across Wisconsin. Despite its broad historical range, anthropogenic development caused friction between pack territories and local farming operations, ultimately leading to the species’ extirpation from the state in the late 1950s. Over the past 25 years, wolf packs have recolonized Wisconsin forests from source populations in Minnesota, and local populations have now reached saturation in the greater Eau Claire region. Our team partnered with the Timber Wolf Information Network (TWIN), an organization established in 1989 to promote wolf awareness and conservation, to support efforts aimed at reducing human-wolf conflict. We monitored wolf activity by identifying tracks in snow and mud. Observations of raised-leg urination at scent posts provided insights into pack boundaries, breeding pair presence, and estrous cycles. Camera traps were deployed within established pack territories to quantify wolf presence and behavior, allowing us to characterize pack dynamics more accurately. These in-depth behavioral surveys will inform responses to population control and maintain beneficial populations of wolves in Wisconsin. More broadly, our project is raising public awareness about the historical impacts of wolves and the ecosystem benefits of their restored presence in Wisconsin forests.
Widespread human impacts – from climate change to unprecedented rates of human visits in once relatively untouched wilderness areas – contribute to rapidly changing selective pressures on wildlife. Long-term studies on marked individuals can offer insights into population and community dynamics over time. The current research aims to reveal the demographic and behavioral patterns of California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) before and after a boom year of California voles (Microtus californicus). Our field study in California has live-trapped, marked, and released individual ground squirrels since 2013 at two study sites. We also directly observed behavioral interactions among squirrels, recorded predator sightings at landmarks, and conducted behavioral assays to assess fear responses to humans. In Summer 2024, we documented the emergence of widespread hunting and consumption of voles by ground squirrels in our two study populations. By Summer 2025, the ground squirrel population crashed, whereas predator numbers soared. We report on these patterns as well as increased fearfulness by squirrels and increased predator sightings, which exceeded numbers documented in previous years. Our findings offer insights into how periods of prosperity (e.g., boom years) and catastrophic turnover events (e.g., demographic crashes) shape wildlife populations that generate ripple effects within ecological communities.
Composting is a common method to reduce the flow of solid waste to municipal landfills by repurposing it as a rich supplement and additive to soils. However, universities often struggle to provide options to generate a compost stream that are effectively and appropriately utilized. Past research has shown that university students are more likely to compost when they feel a sense of community and like their efforts are making a difference (within their locus of control). The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Administrative and Student Offices of Sustainability (AOS, SOS) have been managing a residence hall compost and pizza box disposal program in Suites (since Spring 2024), Bridgman (Spring 2025), Oakridge (Spring 2025), and Horan Halls (Fall 2025). Data has been collected, since installation, by AOS student interns, a GEOG 178: Planet Earth – Conservation of the Environment First-Year Experience (FYE) course (AY2025-26) and a subsequent GEOG 178 class (Spring 2026). Currently, over 1,350 lbs of food waste and 1,700 pizza boxes have been extracted from the Upper Campus waste stream. These FYE students characterized and quantified composting trends, while partaking in a high-impact experience in their first year of undergraduate studies.
