The Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex (DFW) serves as a diverse resettlement location for globally displaced refugees. While research examines how the nation impacts refugee resettlement, studies that examine the role of the city and community in placemaking are still lacking. In city resettlement investigations, research often focuses broadly on advocacy and political movements rather than the impacts of local-level structures and policies. In this paper, I develop an evaluation model using Jenny Phillimore's categories for successful refugee resettlement that examines how structural barriers, community interactions, and resource accessibility affect space and place for refugee populations. Through an ethnography of Chin and Rohingya refugee communities in DFW, I explore the differences between community-settled and state-settled refugee groups and the idea of an integrated resettlement program. Additionally, I argue that refugees who choose their settlement location in the United States are empowered and thus have a stronger connection to their host community than state-settled refugees. For example, in interviews, the Chin emphasized their ownership of Lewisville and feelings of home, while the Rohingya expressed feelings of placelessness and dispossession in Dallas. As governments push towards an entirely privatized system of refugee resettlement, this research argues for an integrated method that draws upon federal resources and community connections. Through the experiences of Lewisville's Chin community, this research demonstrates the potential of such a program in the United States.

Land use regulations are typically established as a response to development activity. For effective growth management and habitat preservation, the opposite should occur. This study considers tree preservation ordinances of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area as a means of evaluating development regulation in a metropolitan context. It documents the impact urban cores have on regulations and policies throughout their region, demonstrating that the same urban-rural gradient used to describe physical components of our metropolitan areas also holds true in terms of policy formation. Although sophistication of land use regulation generally dissipates as one moves away from an urban core, native habitat is more pristine at the outer edges. To more effectively protect native habitat, regional preservation measures are recommended.

The problem of this study was to review within Dallas and Tarrant Counties the relationship between an "influenza-like" illness within six months prior to contracting Mycobacterium kansasii disease. An interview instrument was developed and used during personal interviews to collect data. Additional data of case rates and reported cases was compiled from local and national governmental public health agencies. Analysis of the data indicated no significant difference between an individual contracting an "influenzalike" illness within six months prior to the acquiring of Mycobacterium kansasii disease. Therefore, there is no relationship between having had influenza-like symptoms within six months of contracting Mycobacteria kansasii.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is practiced primarily in many African countries as well as some in Asia and the Arab Peninsula; however, it also takes place elsewhere around the globe among those who migrate from countries to which it is indigenous. This study was designed (a) to investigate the prevalence of FGM among the Igbo women in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area in Texas and (b) to understand the factors that support the continuation of the practice and the effects on women's sexual health. Using a quantitative approach to examine a variety of social variables aligning with the ecological framework, survey data obtained from a sample of 139 Igbo women living in the DFW area were analyzed using a multivariate analysis. Results of the study demonstrated a decreasing prevalence of FGM from maternal incidence (46%), to second generation incidence (31.3%), and future intention for FGM (25%). Nearly half of the responding participants felt the practice was required by their religion, but over 65% felt the practice should be discontinued. Results supported a high incidence of dangerous complications to women's sexual health with the continued practice of FGM. Significant social influences associated with future intention for FGM among the population were found at the micro- and exosystem ecological levels. The findings of this research provide important information on current prevalence and health effects of FGM in Igbo women living in the DFW area. Understanding the reasons behind the culture of FGM will assist public health professionals in designing appropriate culturally-specific intervention strategies that will help to eliminate inappropriate and unsafe practices associated with FGM.

The effects of humanity's actions on the environment have been a viral topic for many years. The efficiency of refining raw materials is crucial in reducing these effects. This thesis was thereby tasked with improving the assembly efficiency of Rottne Industri AB:s harvester cabin. Various theories were utilized to improve the design, with Design for Excellence being the most notable. By implementing a seven-step product development process, concepts could be generated and later scored based on the customer's comments and discovered issues. The authors selected the idea with the highest score and developed it until they achieved a concept meeting the product's objectives. The concept was then validated by performing simulations and calculations related to its assembly efficiency, environmental impact, and cost. The redesign resulted in an idea possessing a design efficiency 135% higher than the original, a 72% shorter assembly time, 13% less weight, a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and a 41% reduction in assembly and material costs.

This study consists of two parts, the completed videotape production and the production book. The videotape explores the history, organizational structure, and training requirements of the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Department of Public Safety. A copy of the videotape is shelved in the North Texas State University Media Center Library. The production book describes background preproduction, production, and postproduction of the videotape. Problems, their effects, and solutions are described. The study concludes that an effective videotape can be produced in-house with limited time, equipment, and personnel, at a cost far less than commercially produced films. The study makes specific recommendations for guidelines and planning of future productions.

Conventional sources of emissions have been a prime target for policymakers in designing pollution control strategies. However, the evolution of shale gas activities is a growing concern over the impact of unconventional sources on urban and regional air quality. Owing to the development of Barnett Shale production, the fast-growing Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex has encountered both types of these emissions. Oil and gas activities result in emissions of ozone precursors, notably volatile organic compounds (VOC). The major objective of this study was to evaluate the spatio-temporal distribution of VOC in order to highlight the influence of unconventional emissions. The study utilized measurements from automated gas chromatography (AutoGC) monitors to analyze the patterns of the total non-methane organic compounds (TNMOC) and relative contributions from marker species of traffic versus oil and gas activities. In this study, data from 2001-2014 was obtained from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for fifteen monitoring sites within the North Texas region. With over a thousand wells in a 10 mile radius, two of the rural sites measured twice as much TNMOC as compared to the urban site in Dallas. Source apportionment analysis was conducted using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) technique. The target site located in the urban zone resolved an eight factor model. Natural gas signature was the dominant source of emission with a 52% contribution followed by 31% from two separate traffic-related sources. Considering ethane to be the dominant species in oil and gas emissions, it was observed that the rising ethane/NOx ratio correlated with increasing annual average ozone post-2007. In this period, higher concentration of ozone was found to be associated with stronger winds from the Barnett Shale area – a region that did not seem to contribute to high ozone during 2001-2007. With traffic emissions having flattened over the years, the recent increase in oil- and gas-related emissions has a negative impact on the air quality in this area. Results indicate that the area has failed to observe a declining trend in ozone despite effective reductions in NOx and traffic-related VOC emissions. The findings of the study would be helpful in proper evaluation of the ozone-forming potential of unconventional VOC emissions. Although these emissions may not be strong enough to cause harm through direct exposure, underestimating their potential towards ozone formation could hinder the progress in ozone attainment in growing urban areas. After all, a major portion of the study area continues to be in nonattainment of the EPA designated ozone standards. The study therefore draws the attention of policymakers towards the new influx of emissions that have emerged as a powerful source within the DFW metropolitan area.