Below are theses and dissertations completed by graduates of the University of Nevada Las Vegas Public Policy and Leadership (beginning in Summer 2016). This collection also includes theses and dissertations of graduates of the Environmental and Public Affairs Program (through Spring 2016).
For the entire collection of UNLV theses and dissertations, visit UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Theses/Dissertations from 2013
Driving Forces: Factors Affecting Police Officer Injuries in Motor Vehicle Incidents in the United States, Carol Servino
Theses/Dissertations from 2012
Understanding Urban Sustainability and Quality of Life: A System Dynamics Approach, Abby Elizabeth Beck
Identity and Intersectionality for Big City Mayors: A Phenomenological Analysis of Black Women, Constance J. Brooks
Restoration of Biological Soil Crust on Disturbed Gypsiferous Soils in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Eastern Mojave Desert, Lindsay P. Chiquoine
State Juvenile Justice Spending Decisions: The Effects of Federal Aid, Race, Politics, and Other Socioeconomic Factors, Willie B. Coleman Smith
A Phenomenological Study on the Leadership Development of African American Women Executives in Academia and Business, Deanna Rachelle Davis
Public Corruption for Gain in America: The Costly Consequences of Violating Public Trust, Yvonne Atkinson Gates
A Flower Blooms in the Desert: Managing for Collaboration, Josphine Gatti Schafer
Northern STARS Safety Village: Program Evaluation, Gawain Guedry, Marcie Jackson, and JoAnne Witter
Exploring the Seed Bank Dynamics of Red Brome: Longevity, Density, and Relationship to Fire, Benjamin S. Jurand
The New American Conservation Movement: New Strategies, Focus and Organizations for the 21st Century, Amy Deanna Northrup
Investigating three decades of vegetation change in a Mojave Desert mountain range, Chris Lee Roberts
Measuring Spillover Effects of Residential Amenity Improvements Using Spatial Hedonic Approach, Shruti Bishan Tandon
"CHOICES" Florida's Version of Obamacare, Jason Lamarr Wasden
Theses/Dissertations from 2011
Independent living program evaluation for Rebuilding All Goals Efficiently, Patricia Armour, Debra Moulton, and Araceli Pruett
Identifying and reducing lead exposure associated with the use of cultural practices in southern Nevada Hispanic communities, Maria Castillo-Couch
HELP of Southern Nevada analysis project, Lauren Cella, Carly Dunlap, Jonathon Nunes, and Anna Vaillancourt
NevadaGIVES.org: Building website capacity for data collection, Snezhanka V. Christy and Lisa E. Stamanis
Relationships of exotic plant invasions with biological soil crust, desert pavement, and soil carbon in the eastern Mojave Desert, Adria DeCorte
Assessing a combined theories approach to climate change communication, Ted Greenhalgh
Climate and vegetation change in the Newberry mountains, Southern Clark County, Nevada, Ross Joseph Guida
Public Utilities Commission of Nevada: A research design for data collection, Mario Heresi, Jamie Stout, Brandy Davis, and Cheyenne Pasquale
Telework within the Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region office, Theresa Lee, Lynne Arnold, John Wagner, Elias Samorano, and Anita Morgan
Evaluation of mentoring in southern Nevada, Andrew Merz and Glen Leavitt
Ready for Life — An evaluation: Factors relating to truancy and promising practices, Clayton Nichols, Shenita Harper, Maria Thomas, Mikaela Louve, and Christina Vela
Environmental impact of the Three Kids Mine tailings, Henderson, NV, Ji Hye Park
Evaluation of interim sessions in state legislatures, Laurie Erin Russell
Climate change in rural Nevada: The influence of vulnerability on risk perception and environmental behavior, Ahmad Safi
Program evaluation: Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Region business lines and focus areas “Water Drop” project, Adriana VanBuskirk, Marion Biron, Kris Kirby, and Theodore Anderson
Estimating wildfire potential on a Mojave Desert landscape using remote sensing and field sampling, Peter F. Van Linn III
Theses/Dissertations from 2010
City of Las Vegas, Department of Building and Safety: Valuation based fee schedule analysis, Darcy Adelbai-Hurd, Vicki L. Brown, Josh Turley, and Mary Ann Weidner
Centennial Hills Active Adult Center business plan, K. C. Brekken, Jeff Buchanan, David Gordon, and Doug Guild
The Impact of individual decision making on campus sustainability initiatives, Aurali Ella Dade
The Case for increased cross-agency data sharing in the State of Nevada, Richard Entringer, Tina Jara, Alysia Peters, and Steve Price
Volunteer Management Analysis for the City of Las Vegas, Robert Fash, Jose Rodriguez, Bertral Washington, and Heather Whitesides
Perception of ecological risk to water environments and how it affects water consumption and water resource management in southern Nevada, Tanju Kiriscioglu
Adaptive management of complex environmental problems – Comparison of national nuclear waste management policies, Carmel Letourneau
Assessing the effect of simulation models on systems learning in an introductory environmental science course, Heather J. Skaza
Theses/Dissertations from 2009
Nonprofits in crisis: How to retain employees in the nonprofit sector, Liz Armstrong, Jocelyn Bluitt-Fisher, Lori Lopez-Newman, Diana R. Paul, and Keith R. Paul
The Use of policy analysis in southern Nevada planning and development departments, Dawn Barlow, Shane Dillon, Lynn Hunsinger, Ted Lendis, Neo Vidal, and Wendy Yada
City of Las Vegas Detention and Enforcement accreditation evaluation program, Daniel Bennett
Flowing Toward Sustainability: Two Stream Adjudications Analyzed Under the IAD Framework, Nancye Lou Bethurem
Getting on track: Consolidating and streamlining positions at Clark County, Elaina Bhattacharyya, Kevin Cerny, Craig Christiansen, and Elizabeth Muto
The Role of tuition in financing higher education, Jay Craddock, Amjad Kisswani, Krista Kurvers, Hillery Leslie, Kumiko Primm, and Abigal Sills
Program evaluation of help Las Vegas Genesis Apartments, Shauna Davis, Bristol Ellington, Alexis Mussi, and Jason LaMarr Wasden
HopeLink: A program evaluation, Cheryl Edwards, Telma Lopez, Bryan Osborne, and Erik Pappa
City of Las Vegas Detention and Enforcement commission on accreditation of law enforcement accreditation program evaluation report, Karen Kelly, Cecelia McNeely, and Sandy Seda
The Effectiveness and adoption of market-based state health care expansion programs, Nathan Gregory Myers
Desert varnish as an indicator of modern-day air pollution in southern Nevada, Piotr Nowinski
Analysis of Boys Hope Girls Hope of Nevada, Andrea Sundberg, Brad Giles, Cedric Pittman, Imelda DeLatorre, and Rebbeca Morris Fridley
Theses/Dissertations from 2008
The Environmental and economic benefits of highway access management: A multivariate analysis using system dynamics, Dan Andersen
Understanding the motivations of rock climbers: A social worlds study, Amy Miller Ansari
Modeling natural resources scarcity and proverty effects on fertility in Honduras, Nepal, and Tanzania, Ayoub Shaban Ayoub
An Economic development plan for Boulder City, Mel Barosay, Amber Z. Cunningham, Dollinda Fields, and Silas Prince
Urban corruption policy analysis, Michael Buttars, John Devaney, Jared Gerber, and Kevin Sansom
Boulder City, Nevada revenue generating analysis, Mayra A. Castro, Dolores P. Leyva, Arnetta M. Meagher, and Wade Zimmerman
Recruit training academy Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, Kristin Cooper, Christine Dudas, Torrell Huber, Stephanie Jordan, and Darryl Martin
Policy analysis: Compressed workweek, Rick Crosby, Matt Richardson, Stephen Nowicki, and Ly Doan
Clark County town advisory boards and citizens advisory councils: Participation rates, Lucy Greger, Jason Hafen, Aaron Mueller, Heather Rosich, and Rebecca Saoud
City of Las Vegas human resources promotional selection process program evaluation, Rik Holman, Cecil Johnson, April Thomas, and Steve Weber
Increasing the recycling rate in Clark County, Nevada, Emerald Laija
Theses/Dissertations from 2007
Urban sustainability through green building, Andrea Anzalone, Virginia Sawyer, and Robert Woolsey
The Textbook adoption process in the state of Nevada: The teacher's perspective, Dwight Bellard, Rebecca Coates, and Tamara Hicks
Nevada's textbook adoption process: The state perspective, Mitch Bishop, Katie Bliven, and Scott Hess
City of Las Vegas municipal court house arrest program evaluation, Karen Coyne, Michele Hornstein, and Timothy Shattler
Nevada's textbook adoption policy: The role and influence of parents and interest groups, Brady Dehn, David Hood, Barry Michaels, and Harry Williams
Program evaluation report for: Nevada Child Seekers, Nori Evans, Raymond Keeler, and Lisa Pletz
City of Boulder City Parks and Recreation Department revenue policy and user fee analysis, Karla Fritchman, Jayne Harkins, and Cheryl Rodriguez
Harry Reid Center of Environmental Studies: Quality assurance program evaluation, Michael G. Herenick, Stephanie C. Hill, Tya R. Mathis, and Greg Troutman
Proposing measures for assessing systems thinking interventions, Megan Aline Hopper
Nuclear waste cooperative agreement collaborative study for the Nevada System of Higher Education, Betty Taylor, Renee Martinez, Rolanda Smith, and Emmit Lamb
Theses/Dissertations from 2006
Department of Family Services: Adoption program evaluation, Bonnie Abramson, Kristy Amasaki, Michael N. Johnson, and James Padgett
Mercury concentrations in the muscles of the North American Bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), Jarrod Connell
Policy analysis of the Victim Offender Restitution Program, Veronica Damon, Marie Bostick, and LaMont McGary
Clark County Parks and Recreation, Daniel Davis, Josh Martinez, and Steven Schyman
Anaerobic digester use in dairy farms in the United States, Shaun Elsasser
The Contribution of environmental variables on small mammal species richness and relative abundance in Eastern Nevada, Stephanie Harris
Odonates at the Clark County Wetlands Nature Preserve: A look at habitat and relative abundance, Erin Jolley
The Fate and transport of nitrogen (N) and the effect of emergent plants on natural treatment of N-species at Las Vegas Wash, Nevada, Tanju Kiriscioglu
A Study of environmental justice in relation to air pollution and income, Christian A. Malveaux
Population trends of wintering bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada, Deanna Morrell
Clark County outreach assistance to the chronically homeless, Sandy von Wolffradt, Kirk Medina, and Tony Vibabul
Theses/Dissertations from 2005
A Comparison of population sizes and number of captures for the Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) in two microhabitats in the Las Vegas Wash, Nevada, Jayson Barangan
Streamlining the National Environmental Policy Act reporting requirements: A hard look at the healthy forests initiative, Jeffrey Alan Geller
Public safety communications center staffing: Do we have an emergency?, Steven L. Herrin
Examining the basis for change in Clark County non-conforming zone change process, was it needed?, Maria D. Kaseko
Assessing the relationships between the spatial variation in land-use spatial patterns and surface water quality, Majed A. Khater
Total suspended solids in Las Vegas Wash, Mika Koponen
Analyzing the effects of various sign types used by the Bureau of Land Management for desert cleanup and restoration projects, Christopher Linehan
Using a systems dynamics approach to determine what can be done to minimize ozone production, Jusdi McDonald
The Benefits Improvement and Protection Act (BIPA) and its impact on the stability of provider networks in medicare + choice managed care organizations (MCOs), Frances R. Nelson
Valuing wildfire risk mitigation in Kyle Canyon, Nevada, James P. O'Brien
Observed omnivory in the herbivorous Blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus), Stephen M. Oliveira Jr.
Probation violators: An examination of felony male adult probation violators in the state of Nevada, Stefanie Wilson Palacio
Charitable gambling in Nevada, J. Thomas Rainwater
Impacts of the tax shift of 1981: An examination of Nevada local governments, Philip F. Stoeckinger