Class Projects
Dublin Core
Title
Class Projects
Description
Classes and the professors that teach them encourage learning and exploration for Vassar student. This collection houses projects and essays from different courses in Vassar's catalogue.
Creator
Office of Sustainability
Date
10/24/2024
Collection Items
Standing Biomass in Campus Trees
In this project, I am focusing on estimating the standing biomass in large campus trees due to prolonged debates about maintaining, tending, and protecting large campus trees for reasons including aesthetic values, carbon storage, other ecological…
Soil Health in Mowed vs. Unmowed Lawn Sites on Vassar Campus
In this project, we sampled soil from across Vassar's central campus to see if there was a noticeable difference in soil health. We measured the depth of OM, total depth, nitrate levels, and leaf litter presence, among other less noticeable things.
Dorm Temperature Survey
The project focuses on the efficiency of Vassar's heating system. Vassar students were surveyed about their experience with dorm heating and those responses were compared with the temperature of their rooms.
Composting in Vassar's THs and TAs
This project investigated the efficiency of the composting system in Vassar's senior housing areas by surveying residents.
Public Surveillance of Vassar's Dorm Heating System
This project investigates the efficiency of Vassar's heating system from the perspective of student residents and focusing on radiator controls.
Untangling the Invaders; I’ve Got 99 Problems and They’re All Vines: A Survey of Invasive and Problematic Vines on the Vassar College Campus
Invasive vines such as Oriental Bittersweet have proliferated across the Northeastern United States (Kurtz 2018). These vines wrap around and strangle trees, block sunlight from reaching the undercanopy, and hinder animal (including human) activity…
ENST 124 Final Report - Kloe Brown
The North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) is a keystone species that creates wetland habitats through dam construction, dramatically altering local hydrology and ecosystem composition. At the Vassar College Preserve, beaver activity has created a…
Geese Population Effects on Water Quality
Balance in ecosystems is both crucial and fragile. When one species experiences population flux, others change in response. Often, dramatic population change can lead to permanent alteration of ecosystems. Human activity is a major driving force in…
Plant Biodiversity on the Vassar College Campus in Stormwater Institutes and Lawns
We studied two areas of stormwater institutes: a rain garden and a bioretention area, as well as two grass lawns. Through exploring these two environmental types, we attempted to explore if the green stormwater infrastructure is achieving its goal of…