Walkability is desirable for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, walkability is desirable because it is the only available or affordable transportation modal choice. Urban form and transportation infrastructure can be hostile to pedestrians because cars are prioritized first, and pedestrians often face unsafe situations and a lack of pedestrian facilities. This analysis explores a spatial distribution of pedestrian access to opportunities in Austin, TX, and examines the locations of households of different income levels relative to areas of high pedestrian access to opportunities. To achieve results that are equally precise across the study area, this analysis employs GIS analysis and U.S. Census 2000 data, and analyzes the study area using a ½ square-mile grid system. High pedestrian access areas are defined as locations where residential parcels have pedestrian network access to multiple types of opportunities and above average number of opportunities. This analysis finds that low income households are more associated with high pedestrian access areas in Austin, TX, than moderate and high income households. If lower income households are consistently shown to rely more on pedestrian infrastructure than moderate or high income households, it may be important to allocate funding to high pedestrian access areas with low income populations in such a way that is socially equitable, and that will result in more use of the pedestrian facilities. / text

The American Genre Film Archive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2009 by Tim League, founder and CEO of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. With a sense of rebellion against established film archives, AGFA is dedicated to the collection of 35mm prints of exploitation films from the 1960s-1980s in order to conserve and distribute these neglected films. A confluence of issues including the history of the films in the collection, AGFA’s connection with the Alamo Drafthouse, and influences from the hipster subcultures combine to inform AGFA’s practices and mission. This thesis will explore how the American Genre Film Archive conforms to and rebels against the established archive community by means of its mission and institutional structure. Also, this thesis will explore AGFA as a hipster institution through its collecting and exhibition practices. AGFA’s roles in the wider film archive community and the hipster community converge into an unusual archive serving unusual films. / text

Smart Growth is a comprehensive approach to planning that aims to shape more compact and well-connected communities across the United States. Among its principles are leveraging existing infrastructure, developing around transit, providing a mix of housing types and price ranges, and increasing community participation in the planning process. However, research suggests the comprehensive approach at times obscures potential tensions between these principles, in particular when Smart Growth principles are applied to a specific property. This is the case in Austin, Texas’ Lamar/Justin Lane TOD, where the City of Austin is currently evaluating development scenarios for a publicly-owned 5.6 acre parcel located within the TOD area. How equity and access is addressed in Smart Growth comes to fore in conversations between the City and affluent, neighborhood residents. This report examines the history of Smart Growth, reviews its implementation in cities across the U.S., and considers how the City of Austin may learn from other cities. / text

My research trajectory focuses on creating graphic interpretations of the relationship between the urban landscape and the populations that reside within it. I use the term reading the city to indicate the process of selecting a focal point and connecting relevant information to it. By creating experimental mappings that connect the physical experience of the East Austin to relevant information contexts I seek to develop a series of design strategies that are appropriate for fostering a heightened awareness of the dynamics that shape the urban environment. In this context, graphic design functions as the primary tool for expressing these connections. This report explores the development of the reading process by summarizing conceptual precedents and eleven personal works, which were undertaken to explore the viability of the approach. / text

Greenways offer multiple social, environmental, and economic benefits to communities, which has led to their increasing popularity. Social benefits include increased recreational opportunities; alternative transportation options and connectivity; preservation of historical and cultural landmarks; and access to nature. Environmental benefits include cleaner air due to less automobile congestion; increased awareness of environmental issues; improved ecological balance; and disaster mitigation. Economic benefits include reduced natural disaster damage and costs; increased activity, tourism and business opportunities; and revitalization of the area. Implementing greenways, however, also face many challenges, such as funding, public support, land acquisition, political will, planning and maintenance. This report looks at three case study cities: Greenville, SC, Chattanooga, TN, and Austin, TX to examine their successful greenway projects and learn best practices and implementation strategies. The lessons learned from these case study cities are then used to recommend best practices to the City of Asheville, NC, as they embark on an ambitious riverfront greenway plan of their own. / text

Periodic releases from an upstream dam cause rapid stage fluctuations in the Colorado River near Austin, Texas. These daily pulses modulate fluid exchange and residence times in the hyporheic region, where biogeochemical reactions are pronounced. We installed two transects of wells perpendicular to the river to examine in detail the reactions occurring in this zone of surface-water and groundwater exchange. One well transect recorded physical water level fluctuations and allowed us to map hydraulic head gradients and fluid movement. The second transect allowed for water sample collection at three discrete depths. Samples were collected from 12 wells every 2 hours for a 24-hour period and were analyzed for nutrients, carbon, major ions, and stable isotopes. The results provide a detailed picture of biogeochemical processes in the bank environment during low flow/drought conditions in a regulated river. Findings indicate that a pulse that causes a change in river stage of approximately 16-centimeters does not cause significant mixing in the bank. Under these conditions, the two systems act independently and exhibit only slight mixing at the interface. / text

Thermal mass can be successfully implemented in the hot‐humid region of Austin, TX especially when well designed and with supplementary aids like nightcooling and day‐lighting. This study shows that in some situations thermal mass can be actually more beneficial at reducing electricity demands in hot‐humid regions than in the hot‐dry regions that are so emphasized in the literature. / text

As organizations are being confronted with the pool of people seeking employment that are increasingly diverse in terms of ethnicity (Oerlemans et al. 2008), and as job satisfaction has been one of the important drivers for work-related well-being in employees, there have been a number of studies about job satisfaction among ethnic minorities (Spector 1997). Although there is a growing body of research on job satisfaction and ethnic minorities at work, there is still a paucity of studies regarding factors impacting job satisfaction among ethnic minorities specifically. The present study explores contributing factors impacting ethnic minorities’ job satisfaction, using qualitative method based on Motivator-Hygiene Theory (Frederick 1966, 2003) and Job Characteristics Theory (Hackman and Oldham 1976). Three Hispanic/Latino Americans and three Asian Americans, all workers in construction sites in Samsung semiconductor in Austin, Texas, were individually interviewed with open-ended questions by the author in the summer of 2010. Participants reported professional development opportunities and appropriate and well-deserved compensation as the main factors impacting job satisfaction, while heavy workload, not being recognized, time constrains, and stressful work environment were reported as factors in dissatisfaction. Family, personal goals and money were the three most important personal values that participants considered when making decisions about their career paths. It is important to continue to examine other predictors of and contributing factors to job satisfaction of ethnic minority employees, so that their employers and managers in the work place can form a better understanding of these populations and work effectively with them. It is also important to educate human resources professionals about ethnic minorities’ needs and how those needs can be met for work-related well-being. / text