Graduate Theses

Graduate Theses

2023

Cassiano, Bryce
Hadrosaurid Fossils Discovered in Wahweap Formation, Utah
Advisors: Christine Biermann, Marie Hoerner

2022

Routt, Austin
An Investigation of Intra-Annual Flow Rates of a Rock Glacier in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado
Advisor: Brandon Vogt

Hoyt, JC
Educational Inequalities in El Paso County, Colorado: A Critical Sports Studies Perspective
Advisor: Rebecca Theobald

2021

Buchheit, Joseph
Developing a Habitat Model for Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) in Colorado Using GIS: Where Should New Nesting Platforms Be Built for The Expanded Gross Reservoir?
Advisor: David Havlick 

Burkhart, Tom
An Interdisciplinary Approach for Introducing Cutthroat Trout to A Post-Wildfire Damaged Stream
Advisor: Brandon Vogt

Rodriguez, Natalie
Consequences of Conservation-Induced Displacement: A Case Study with Batwa Participants in Southwest Uganda
Advisor: David Havlick

Zito, Katharina
A Story of Drought: A Mixed Method Approach to Analyzing Impacts on Tree Growth in the Colorado Front Range
Advisor: Christine Biermann

2020

Cleland, Zach
Towards a Better Understanding of Human Caused Wildfire in Colorado with Spatial Data Mining
Advisor: Diep Dao

Joyal, Ashley
A Study of Local Media Portrayal of Undocumented Latino Immigration in Us Immigrant Gateways
Advisor: Emily Skop

Liller, Dwayne
The Impact of Competitive Congressional Districts on Compactness and Political Subdivision Splits in Colorado
Advisor: Rebecca Theobald

Maez, Eric
Evaluation of Current Flood Control Practices and Alternatives within the Fountain Creek Watershed, Colorado
Advisor: David Havlick

Pietkoski, Kaleb
Military and PFAS: The Privilege to Pollute
Advisor: David Havlick

Wright, Travis
Correlation Analysis between Gentrification and Crime in Denver, Colorado from 1990-2015
Advisor: Diep Dao

Tews, Alyssa
GIS Prediction Modeling for Grey Wolves in Colorado, USA
Advisor: Steve Jennings


2019

Ballard, Ryan
Chinese Settlements in Denver County, Colorado, Using Real Property Ownerships from 1980 to 2018
Co-Advisors: Emily Skop / Diep Dao

Greenleaf, Melissa
Transnational Mexican Foodscapes in Colorado Springs
Advisor: Emily Skop

Swan, Thaddeus
Examination of the Owens Cache in Southeastern Colorado
Advisor: Brandon Vogt


2018

Cassiday, Arielle
Challenges of Water Accessibility in Mega-Cities: A Study from Lima, Peru
Advisor: Emily Skop

Courtney, Brent
A simple risk terrain model for burglary in Colorado Springs
Advisor: John Harner

Handsome, Amarra
On the Move: The Residential Mobility of Single, Never-Married Women with College Degrees in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Advisor: Emily Skop

Valles, Ivan
Geography of Nitrate and Sulfate Atmospheric Wet Deposition in the Southern Rocky Mountains
Advisor: Curtis Holder


2017

Blais, Nicole
Evaluating the Influence of Irrigation on Groundwater in Northern Big Horn County
Advisor: Curtis Holder, Curtis

Gronewold, Rebecca
Using Human Ecology Mapping (HEM) to Explore Gender Differences in Land Use Patterns and Values in Browns Canyon National Monument (BCNM), Chaffee County, Colorado, USA
Advisor: John Harner

Madsen, Michael
On Landsurface Change Detection using Lidar Datasets of Different Spatial Resolutions : A Case Study Examining Colorado's Waldo Canyon Fire Burn Scar
Advisor: Brandon Vogt

Martell, Angela
Whose Conservation? How Land Trusts Negotiate the Relationship Between Conservation Easement Acquisition Decisions and Growth and Development Interests.
Advisor: David Havlick

Ruiz, Troy
The Future of Our National Parks: How Do Millennials Feel  about America’s Greatest Idea?
Advisor: David Havlick

Wright, Kate
Deforestation Narratives and Forest Use Realities of the Anjozorobe-Angavo Forest Corridor Protected Area, Central Madagascar
Advisor: Cerian Gibbes


2016

Cordova, Anna
Scientific Colonialism in Indigenous Spaces: A Case Study in Hawaii
Advisor: Emily Skop

Morken, Adriana
The Role of Refugee Social Networks to Navigate Transportation in Colorado Springs
Advisor: Emily Skop

Norris, Wyatt
Exploring the environmental factors influencing movements  of Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) in North America    Master's    2016-09-20    
Advisor: Somayeh Dodge

Stuart, Tyler
Effects of Snowpack on Avian Abundance and Species Richness in Sierra Nevada Forests 
Advisor: David Havlick

Thomas, Shannon
Differences in Rainfall Interception Losses for Three Tree Species Common to Colorado: Populus tremuloides, Picea engelmannii, and Pinus ponderosa
Advisor: Curtis Holder


2015

Cook, Justin
A Tale of Thirty Cities: Effects of the Great Recession on Fertility in the United States
Advisor: Emily Skop

Knaus, Dustin
Temporal Risk Terrain Modeling of Aggravated Assaults in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Advisor: John Harner

Santa Cruz, Sara
The UCCS Greenhouse and Farm: Reconnecting People, Place, and Food
Advisor: John Harner

Tredway, Jeremy
Exploring The Potential Impact of Low Impact Development (LID) Techniques on Runoff and Streamflow in the Templeton Gap Watershed
Advisor: David Havlick


2014

Benton, Shiloh
Alan Savory's Holistic Planned Grazing--Past, Present, Future
Advisor: Tom Huber

Hendrickson, Josh
An Exploration of Community Gardens and Denver Gentrification
Advisor: John Harner

Sturgis, David
Evaluating User Experience of Situational Awareness Technology in Wildfire Response
Advisor: Paddington Hodza


2013

Bellizio, Bret
Wildlife Population Estimation Utilizing Satellite Imagery
Advisor: Cerian Gibbes

Best, Brian
Taco Trucks vs. Trendy Trucks: Inequality and the Geography of Mobile Food Vendors in Austin, Texas
Advisor: Emily Skop

Hassler, Andrea
Restoration in the Hayman Burn Area: A Multi-Modal Analysis of the Integration of Social and Ecological Values and Land Cover Change in a Post-Fire Restoration Case Study
Advisor: David Havlick

Pittman, Kari M.
Between Rock Art and Graffiti: Identifying Culture Change and Ethnic Interactions in the Borderlands of Southeastern Colorado using a Customized Geospatial Typology
Advisor: Brandon Vogt

Siebert, Nate
Agents of Gentrification: Police Surveillance in the Mile-High City
Advisor: John Harner

Walke, Peter
Understanding Traditional Neighborhood Marketing: A Case Study of the Patty Jewett Neighborhood
Advisor: John Harner


2012

John, Matthew
Sehnsucht as a Construct for Understanding Attachments to Beautiful, Natural Places
Advisor: David Havlick

Martin, Sarah
Sustainability Actions and Values: the Colorado Outdoor Education Center Case
Advisor: Tom Huber

Muhlestein, Geoffrey
An Evaluation of a GIS Based Procedure for Estimating Probable Maximum Precipitation over the Piru Creek Basin
Advisor: Brandon Vogt

Winters, Scott
Spatial modeling of residential water use in Colorado Springs between 2000 and 2009
Advisor: Paddington Hodza


2011

Davis, John
Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) Nesting Sites: Snag Availability in the Sierra de las Minas, Guatemala
Advisor: Curt Holder

Gilford, Kevin
Advancing Sustainability in Higher Education: A Case Study Aligning STARS with the Values of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Advisor: John Harner

Hollamby, Ryan
The Massenerhebung Effect: Exploring Treeline Elevation Differences between the Pikes Peak Massif and the Elk Mountain Range, Colorado, USA
Advisor: Brandon Vogt

Housey, Melissa
Reducing Gap Failures in Hazard Mitigation Using State Environmental Policy Acts: The California Environmental Quality Act Approach
Advisor: David Havlick

Wooley, David
Remote Sensing Measurement of Green Vegetation Change Using the NDVI and Tasseled Cap Greenness Indices in the Department of Chiquimula, Guatemala, 1992-2005
Advisor: Curt Holder


2010

Benz, Bradley
Growth Trends of Ex-Rural Colorado and a Ranchette Case Study of La Plata County
Advisor: John Harner

Delano, Sara
Comparative Analysis of Soil Water Repellency Due to Vegetation Effects
Advisor: Curt Holder

Dukes, Andy
A GIS Analysis of Crime Hotspots and Demographics in Colorado Springs
Advisor: Paddington Hodza

Fields, Jason
Developing a Web Application for Crime Mapping to Promote Community Empowerment
Advisor: John Harner

Hagerman, Doug
Sequence of Flooding of Urban Neighborhoods as Rainstorm Size Increases
Advisor: Tom Huber

Hesse, Mark
A Plan for Managing Multiday Visitation and Camping in South Colony Lake Basin, Sangre de Cristo Wilderness
Advisor: Tom Huber

Lynn, Sheree
Effects of River Diversions on Macro Invertebrate Populations
Advisor: Steve Jennings