Laurel Garrett

Lewis and Clark Environmental Studies

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April 29, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Cloud Radars

This extra tidbit of research responds to Jessica’s feedback about how I overstate the usefulness of the TSI and need to explore how other instruments measure cloud properties. It is important to consider how other types of instruments measure cloud properties. Cloud radars provide a different perspective of the sky than visual observations from sky […]

Filed Under: Thesis

April 19, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Growth in Academia and Writing

My personal and academic growth is hard to measure. I often feel like my accomplishments have been achieved by sacrificing growth in other areas of my life. I feel unbalanced, like I have only worked out my right arm for the past four years and now have to switch to my left. I worry about […]

Filed Under: Thesis

March 28, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

“Am I making myself crazy?” and other important questions

WE ARE GETTING DOWN TO THE WIRE AND ALL I CAN DO IS WRITE IN CAPS LOCK. false alarm. deep breathes. Alrighty… so I have literally no time and a million things to do still. Here I am going to digest some of Jim’s feedback and write a few clear goals to address the suggestions. […]

Filed Under: Thesis

March 23, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Have I created “uncomfortable knowledge”?

I was feeling the need for another source to flesh out my discussion and relate back to my main points. I think I found just the one! The text deals with “uncomfortable knowledge,” which is what I feel like I have created with this automatic classifier. I have simplified and reduced the sky and weather to […]

Filed Under: Thesis

March 17, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Snail’s Pace Revisions

I feel like my thesis is finally coming to together as a cohesive document! I cut out the social network methodology because I felt like it wasn’t adding anything to my argument. I cut out a substantial chunk of my top of the hourglass and clarified and streamlined my arguments. I also added reflection/production process […]

Filed Under: Thesis

March 9, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

A brand new abstract!

Abstract Clouds are an integral component of our atmosphere and are involved in complex interactions that regulate the climate of our Earth. It is necessary to have a comprehensive observational record of both cloud type and cloud cover in order to look at trends, better understand atmospheric processes, and to compare with models.  Unfortunately, there […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

March 3, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Refocusing Recentering Rethinking

It has been four days since I turned in my honors draft and four days since I last looked at my thesis. This is the longest I have gone without it in 2 months. I felt a lot of relief after turning the draft in and I am genuinely excited to get feedback and begin […]

Filed Under: Thesis

February 17, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Where to next? and all the Doubt…

I am finishing up the sections that I have put off until the end. This means that they are not as well researched, not fun to write, and very much procrastinated on. Specifically, I have neglected to research data communication. I thought have more articles than I really do. Luckily, this section does not have […]

Filed Under: Thesis

February 13, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Thesis Rubric

I find it helpful to refer back to the rubric once and I while, but I spend way too long looking for it everytime! https://moodle.lclark.edu/pluginfile.php/352846/mod_resource/content/1/SituatedRubric-Fall2015.pdf

Filed Under: Thesis

February 13, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Instrument Comparison

I have definitely been putting off writing this comparison because it required me to do a bit more research. That being said, I think it was really helpful to help me see the direction that my conclusion if going to take. I want to emphasize how different instruments observe clouds differently and that there is […]

Filed Under: Thesis, Uncategorized

February 11, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Starting from the beginning…

Okay. So maybe this was obvious, but I met with the head of the writing center and he recommended that I write my introduction. I just wrote up a draft, which I will definitely edit as I go, but it ended up being incredibly  illuminating. It gave me a chance to refocus and attempt to […]

Filed Under: Thesis

February 4, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

An Exercise on Scaling Methodologies

My current methodology is two-fold. I am investigating the network of prominent authors as well as their institutional affiliation. I am also investigating the forces that influence my research like the algorithms and programs. In addition, I am evaluating the validity of the how well these algorithms classify cloud type. I feel like my methodology […]

Filed Under: Thesis

February 3, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Extra Classifier Research

Extra Classifier Research

Interestingly, though I researched and learned how to use these classifiers, I never actually took the time to investigate how they actually worked or where they came from. I am sort of struggling to decide how much detail to go into. There are a lot of parts of these classifiers and details of pre-processing that I […]

Filed Under: Thesis

February 3, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Reflecting on Transformation

Reflecting on Transformation

The following was written for a collaborative effort between the Environmental Action LLC and the ENVS department. This post is inspired by the work I have been immersed in for the past 48 hours. This work has seemingly nothing to do with hourglasses, situating, the nature/culture hybridity, or any other ENVSy concepts. It’s an epic […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 27, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Updates and Reflections for Week Two

Updates and Reflections for Week Two

Now that we are a little more than a week into school, it is time to update my schedule and reflect on my work habits. So far I have mostly stuck to my weekly goals and I have found that having daily goals helps a lot as well. While my work time on my thesis […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 21, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Models!

Models!

Gerrit Lohmann describes the role of models well in the context of Earth System Science, he says that they “provide the perspective beyond the local information from observations/reconstructions and show that spatial and temporal patterns are fundamental to understanding Earth systems and processes”(Lohmann 28). Climate change can be an especially polarizing topic, with much disagreement centered around the use of […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 20, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Intro to Scientific Networks

As resources for scientists have increased, single author papers have decreased substantially. With the practice of “big science” in tandem with increased funding, working in teams is often necessary. Better communication methods and ease of mobility have helped collaboration intra-institution as well as internationally. Wolfgang Glänzel and András Schubert are critical of representing scientific networks through […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 19, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

The World Meteorological Organization

So I finally checked out a source that I have had for a while but haven’t gotten a chance to read. It is the 60 year report from the World Meteorological Organization. It outlines the history of their organization, their goals, and what kinds of projects they are working one. I pulled out some interesting […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 15, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

On my ever expanding reading list

I am trying to focus science studies specifically on meteorology, although I should look for some climate ones too. Here is my reading list for the weekend! Majdik, Zoltan P., Carrie Anne Platt, and Mark Meister. 2011. “Calculating the Weather: Deductive Reasoning and Disciplinary Telos in Cleveland Abbe’s Rhetorical Transformation of Meteorology.” Quarterly Journal of […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 15, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

The history of cloud research

The history of cloud research

I am gathering information on the history of meteorology and the conception of cloud research. The following are the books I am using to help inform this background. When I find an interesting case, I plan on finding primary documents so I m not simply using someone else’s synthesis. I know one of these cases […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 15, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Long term thesis goals!

Here we go! I recently realized how little time I have and how I really need to start writing. I have written up a quick list of weekly writing and research goals. Hopefully I can stick to them and write and research concurrently. The goals follow sections in my outline although they are in in […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 12, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Thesis Goals for 01/15/16

I am trying something new by publishing my thesis goals. I think it will help keep me motivated and organized by publicly announcing my short-term goals. By Friday I will: re-upload my outline update my site with new information from my outline skim cloud history book and write a post research Thomas Kuhn and the […]

Filed Under: Thesis, Uncategorized

January 12, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Entangling Weather and Climate with Hulme

I recently encountered an article which helped me think about my research in a more environmental studies way. In Hulme’s Cosmopolitan Climates Hybridity, Foresight and Meaning, he talks about how local/global and nature/culture are evident in the discipline of meteorology and climatology. One really cool thing about this article is the section of the entanglement of […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 5, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Questions are key?

I met with Jessica about my thesis this morning and am processing the conversation with this post. We mainly talked about how to situate and frame more clearly. I think all the pieces of my thesis are there and will largely remain the same, but it comes down to asking and wording the right questions […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 4, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Rethinking questions

I am processing my thesis outline feedback and I think one of the most important things I can do is rewrite my framing and focus questions because these questions should convey the hourglass shape and lead into a clear situated context. How did atmospheric science develop and how has its technology and observations shaped our […]

Filed Under: Thesis

January 4, 2016 By Laurel Garrett

Helpful tidbits from Jankovic

I am working my way through Reading the Skies: A Cultural History of English Weather, 1650-1820 by Vladimir Jankovic and finding it very rewarding. Even though I am only through the introduction and first chapter, I wanted to mark down some passages that I think are interesting for framing my research. I think the history […]

Filed Under: Thesis, Uncategorized

December 4, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Talking History with Andy

I went in to talk to Andy Bernstein because I am looking at historical documents for the background of this thesis and needed some guidance. I found one of his papers really illuminating. It was about a couple, the Nonakas, who planned to spent the winter on Mt Fuji and take meteorological data. It was […]

Filed Under: Thesis

December 3, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Continuing thoughts on background and situating

In fitting with my broad framework of how scientific instruments have shaped human understanding of the natural world, I would like to explore various contexts where technology had played a significant role in advancing human understanding. I think it would be interesting to discover historic perspectives of the natural world, especially in relation to the […]

Filed Under: Thesis, Uncategorized

November 19, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

History of Cloud Classification

“We must, however, warn the young student of meteorology … against limiting his conceptions of the Modifications to the particular forms here represented; A correct comprehension of the subject is only to be obtained by a habitual observation of nature.” (Howard viii) Luke Howard (1772-1864) was  a meteorologist who applied the linnaean classification to clouds […]

Filed Under: Thesis

November 6, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Zotpress

Filed Under: Uncategorized

November 4, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

New Inspiration for Interdisciplinary connections!

New Inspiration for Interdisciplinary connections!

If you have been following my thesis thoughts and struggles, you will know that I have been in no mans land for a long time now. It is pretty awesome what a 10 minute conversation with someone with a new perspective will do! I have focused so much on this little mirror and camera device […]

Filed Under: Thesis

October 29, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Satellites… of love?

Satellites… of love?

(please refer to Satellite of Love by Lou Reed while reading this post) I am currently changing direction from my research this summer. It makes more sense for me to be looking at satellite cloud observations instead of just small scale ground based observations because I want to tie this research back to something more applicable. I […]

Filed Under: Thesis

October 29, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

The Woes of Studying Global Phenomena

I am currently grappling with situating a global phenomenon like clouds and atmosphere. This brought me to the difficulties in actually collecting these kinds of measurements. There are all sorts of gaps both spatially and temporally which complicates taking averages and looking at trends. Studying the Science of Global Atmospheric Research There are many problematic […]

Filed Under: Thesis

October 29, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Where I came from- On Clouds and Climate

Where I came from- On Clouds and Climate

I have written up some broad background on my cloud research during the summer. I am hoping to use some of the knowledge I gained. I would also like to connect cloud processes to human activities. During the summer, we used images taken from an automated ground based camera. Continuing my research, I will use […]

Filed Under: Thesis

May 7, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Proposal #3- Waste and Consumer Habits

Waste Not: Consumer Habits and Waste Management in Ho Chi Minh City Questions How do consumer habits in Vietnam affect waste patterns and management? What are consumer waste habits in Vietnam? What is the waste management system in Vietnam? Background Like many other developing countries, Vietnam faces environmental degradation due to its rapid economic growth. […]

Filed Under: ENVS 330

May 7, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Proposal #2- Water and Development

Braving the Rain: Managing Development and Flooding in Ho Chi Minh City Questions How do new urban developments in Ho Chi Minh City affect surface water management? How is surface water managed in Vietnam? Background Like many other developing countries, Vietnam faces environmental degradation due to its rapid urbanization and lax environmental regulations. One major […]

Filed Under: ENVS 330

May 7, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Proposal #1- Migration and Land Use/Cover Change

Moving to the city: Patterns of Migration and Land Use/Cover Change How do patterns of migration in Vietnam affect land /use cover? What are the patterns of migration in Vietnam? What motivates people to migrate to Ho Chi Minh City? How have land use/cover patterns changed in the Saigon River Watershed? Background As Eric F. […]

Filed Under: ENVS 330

April 9, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Carbon Tax Case Studies (Ireland and Chile)

Carbon Tax Case Studies (Ireland and Chile)

Below I have discussed and compared Ireland’s and Chile’s carbon tax plans. This is part of a larger research project that looks at whether Portland should implement a carbon tax. Convery, F. J., L. Dunne and D. Joyce (2013), “Ireland’s Carbon Tax and the Fiscal Crisis: Issues in Fiscal Adjustment, Environmental Effectiveness, Competitiveness, Leakage and […]

Filed Under: ENVS 330, Portland Carbon Tax

March 30, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Willapa Bay Bathymetry and Tidal Fluxes

Willapa Bay Bathymetry and Tidal Fluxes

Map and Text by Laurel Garrett and Jhana Valentine   The map above shows the bathymetry of Willapa Bay in Washington State. The area has been under scrutiny lately as the massive chemical eradication of Spartina alterniflora, an invasive cordgrass, is winding up. Many oysters farmers working in Willapa Bay claim the bay is the […]

Filed Under: ENVS 330 Tagged With: envs330

March 30, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Willapa Bay Benthic Habitat Survey

Willapa Bay Benthic Habitat Survey

Map and Text By Laurel Garrett and Jhana Valentine This benthic habitat survey (1995) has been completed by the Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Oregon State University, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Transportation, Marine Resources Consultations Inc., University of Washington, and the United States Geological Survey. The […]

Filed Under: ENVS 330, Uncategorized Tagged With: envs330

March 29, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

Concentration Review and Next Steps

Concentration Review and Next Steps

Since the Fall of 2013 when I wrote my concentration, I have had the good fortune to travel to both the places I mention in my summary case studies, the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. The ability to experience the conditions that I describe and studied for writing my concentration […]

Filed Under: ENVS 330, Uncategorized

January 26, 2015 By Laurel Garrett

A 3-minute TEDtalk

A 3-minute TEDtalk

My concentration is on river management in monsoon regions. This concentration developed  partially because I decided to go abroad to Vietnam and because also because I was interested in how we interact with water and how these interactions change water systems. So I went to Vietnam. Along with other research on waste management and environmental […]

Filed Under: ENVS 330, Uncategorized

November 6, 2014 By Laurel Garrett

When it Rains it Pours: Observing Drainage Problems in Newly Developed Zones

When it Rains it Pours: Observing Drainage Problems in Newly Developed Zones

On November 3, 2014 we went on a driving tour of housing developments in Ho Chi Minh City. In outlying districts we looked at new neighborhoods marketed toward expats and high-income families. We also saw what happens when housing projects are discontinued and neglected because of funding issues. Here is a map of where we […]

Filed Under: Vietnam Study Abroad

October 16, 2014 By Laurel Garrett

Working Out Park Culture and Democracy in Hoan Kiem

Working Out Park Culture and Democracy in Hoan Kiem

Early morning is the only time you can go to Hoan Kiem Lake and not see tourists. At 6am the park is packed with Vietnamese exercising and socializing. Parks are hubs of activity for children, teens, and adults alike. However, if you want to exercise, before work and before the day gets hot is the […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Vietnam Study Abroad

September 10, 2014 By Laurel Garrett

Farming, Fertilizers, and Feed: Observations from the Mekong Delta

Farming, Fertilizers, and Feed: Observations from the Mekong Delta

Observation Post 2- Mekong Delta This past weekend, we all went to the Mekong Delta where we observed many facets of rural life and what life on the delta was like. Since this was the first time we had gotten out of the city, I was very curious about farming practices. However, I didn’t know […]

Filed Under: Vietnam Study Abroad

September 4, 2014 By Laurel Garrett

Sussing out Sales Tactics of Vietnamese Market Vendors

Sussing out Sales Tactics of Vietnamese Market Vendors

I studied the different tactics of vendors in Chợ Tân Định market and Chợ Thị Nghè market. I want to see if the tactics were different depending on what goods the vendor was selling. I thought that vendors that were selling non-necessary goods would push their goods harder since often their sales may reflect impulse buys instead […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Vietnam Study Abroad

August 23, 2014 By Laurel Garrett

Crossing the Street in Ho Chi Minh City

Crossing the Street in Ho Chi Minh City

A common problem between these two articles was urban transport in rapidly growing cities. Traffic, specifically motorbike traffic, is very prevalent in Ho Chi Minh City and I am a little bit concerned for my safety. I will probably find myself avoiding crossing streets at busy intersections and I expect to be completely confused by […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Vietnam Study Abroad Tagged With: motorbikes

I am a senior at Lewis & Clark college studying environmental studies and math. I enjoy biking, hiking, reading, making/eating food, and traveling. I studied abroad in Vietnam, did research on clouds, and am finishing up the thesis process this semester!

Here’s what I’ve been up to lately

  • Cloud Radars April 29, 2016
  • Growth in Academia and Writing April 19, 2016
  • “Am I making myself crazy?” and other important questions March 28, 2016
  • Have I created “uncomfortable knowledge”? March 23, 2016
  • Snail’s Pace Revisions March 17, 2016

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