HIV/AIDS infection is a serious threat to the health and welfare of India. HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STI) are primarily propagated through heterosexual intercourse in India. Sex workers having multiple partners are considered to be conduits of virus transmission. Hence interventions targeting sex workers form a significant part of India's effort to curb the HIV/AIDS pandemic within its borders. The Sonagachi Project is a HIV/AIDS intervention program in India that targets sex workers. The initiative is being undertaken in a red light district of Calcutta, India. The district, which houses more than 50,000 sex workers, is the largest of its kind in South and South-East Asia. The project is spearheaded by the sex workers themselves, who act as peer outreach workers, and there are no external organizations involved. Statistics from UNAIDS show a significant drop in HIV/AIDS prevalence rate and significant increase in condom usage in Sonagachi after the project was implemented. The project achieved results like unionization of the sex workers, and formation of micro-credit societies and vocational training centers. The different facets of the Sonagachi Project were examined in the current dissertation. The articulation of trafficking and sex work in the formulation of global HIV/AIDS policy documents was assessed to understand the relationship between trafficking and sex work. The Sonagachi Project's stance on redefining sex work, legalization of sex work and rejection of rehabilitation propositions was explored. Environmental and structural barriers to health were analyzed and the impact of the contextualization of sexual health behavior on HIV/AIDS intervention initiatives studied by examining the case of the Sonagachi Project. The application of community mobilization as a strategic intervention method in HIV/AIDS harm reduction and awareness was explored by assessing the strategies of the Sonagachi Project. Finally the participatory framing of health discourse and practice in the Sonagachi Project was analyzed. For my dissertation I performed in-depth interviews of 37 sex workers and 5 project workers in Sonagachi. I reviewed policy documents of global aid organizations and project documentation from the Sonagachi Project such as research papers, internal project reports and unpublished manuscripts produced by the sex workers' union, and results of surveys performed by the sex workers' union and non-governmental organizations. The implications of the dissertation findings will extend beyond the red light district of Calcutta and provide a useful paradigm of sustainable intervention among historically marginalized populations. / Mass Media and Communication

This thesis will explore the relationship between war crimes trials and communication for development by utilising the Gibril Massaquoi trial as a case study. Mr Massaquoi, a Sierra Leonean national accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the Second Liberian Civil War, was residing in Finland, and therefore tried by Finnish authorities under universal jurisdiction. The growing importance of universal jurisdiction - the practice that allows States to prosecute individuals accused of international crimes independently from nationality and the location where the crimes were committed – raises important questions of process ownership, localisation, and social change.  Universal jurisdiction cases are often prosecuted in temporally and geographically distant countries from where the alleged crimes were committed. Whilst they are extensively debated in legal studies, this thesis will analyse the matter through a communication development lens.  With a focus on those few selected journalists that had the opportunity to witness the trial for its Liberian stretch, I will use their experiences to draw lessons learned and future avenues to explore for cases of this nature from a communication for development approach.

The world is facing significant challenges as a result of societal practices. Many of those challenges are agricultural in nature and include worldwide food insecurity, intensified greenhouse gas emissions resulting in climate change, major losses in biodiversity, substantial pressure on natural resources, and increasingly antimicrobial-resistant pests and diseases. To address these challenges, the workforce of the agricultural system must continue improving, collaborating, innovating, and transforming at a global scale. The diversity of agricultural challenges calls for a diverse workforce with science skills as well as cultural competencies. Agricultural educators and practitioners are consistently concerned with strengthening the relationship of youth and agricultural career choice. The field of agricultural education is also working to ensure that youth who choose agriculture have the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to address agricultural challenges. However, youth have steadily chosen careers outside of agriculture, leaving thousands of jobs available. Researchers have explored many reasons why youth may not choose agriculture, though few have considered aspects of identity or have explored factors that impact perceptions and thoughts of agriculture in depth. The overall purpose of this research was to explore how aspects of identity, including occupational identity status, inform agricultural career interest and choice; and to understand youth perceptions and thoughts of agriculture within a four-week agricultural education program. The purpose was achieved using research questions and objectives for each individual study. Data were collected using inventories, surveys, group interviews, and blog post assignments to describe participants. Data analysis included thematic analysis and descriptive statistical analysis. Findings show that the participants often had a more negative perception of agriculture prior to the program and expanded their view of agriculture after learning more about the industry. There are many factors that shape perceptions of agriculture, including identity characteristics, learning experiences, and contextual factors. The findings have implications for the field of agricultural education and the entire agricultural industry. At the conclusion of each study within this research, recommendations for agricultural educators, practitioners, and researchers were made. The recommendations include developing and implementing agricultural education programs that serve underrepresented populations in agriculture and conducting research to investigate ill-explored areas that emerged as findings from the research. / Doctor of Philosophy / The world is facing many problems in the agricultural industry. These problems relate to food, land, and climate – amongst others. These problems must be addressed; and to do so, there must be a workforce in the agriculture industry that is skilled and competent. Agricultural educators and practitioners are tasked with preparing the agricultural workforce and have a continuous mission to encourage youth to choose agricultural careers. A problem is that youth are largely not choosing agricultural careers, and many jobs in agriculture go unfilled. Researchers have explored reasons why youth largely choose careers in other industries; the reasons include different factors such as opinions of parents and the exposure to agricultural careers. This research explores additional reasons why youth may not choose a career in agriculture and explores previously known reasons in the context of the 2019 Virginia's Governor's School for Agriculture program. The overall purpose of this research is to explore additional reasons for career choice in agriculture, including aspects of identity. The overall purpose of this research was also to explore youths' perceptions and thoughts of agriculture in-depth. The purpose was achieved by asking a series of research questions and by stating a series of objectives. The research questions and objectives were addressed using data collection methods of group interviews, blog post assignments, inventories, and surveys. The data that was collected was analyzed using thematic analysis and descriptive statistical analysis. The findings from this research show that there are many reasons why youth who were participants of the 2019 Virginia's Governor's School for Agriculture program think about and perceive agriculture. The reasons relate to identity characteristics, learning experiences, and contextual factors. These reasons also influence how youth choose to be involved in agriculture. The findings have implications for the field of agricultural education and the entire agricultural industry. For each article within this research, recommendations for agricultural educators, practitioners, and researchers were made. These include expanding the reach of agricultural education and further exploring findings that emerged from the research.

Human disturbance is a serious threat facing shorebirds, and reducing disturbance presents a significant conservation challenge. It requires an understanding of the complex factors that influence both shorebird biology and human behavior related to shorebirds and coastal environments. This thesis used information from ecological and social science fields, along with the applied knowledge of conservation practitioners to build a more holistic understanding of human-shorebird interactions, specifically related to human disturbance of migrating shorebirds. Further, this research provides practical solutions for better managing these interactions. To accomplish this, we used the Delphi technique, an iterative group communication process, to bring scientists and managers together to develop a shared definition of "human disturbance to shorebirds" and a list of priority disturbance categories that affect migratory shorebirds. Next, we collated and synthesized literature on human disturbance during migration and drivers of human behavior related to disturbance or potential management actions. Then, through manager interviews, we examined how shorebird management decisions are made during migration and explored how managers balance the needs of shorebirds and public use of their sites. The disturbance definition and priority disturbance categories, literature synthesis, and manager interviews were used to create a best practices guidance document for reducing human disturbance to migratory shorebirds in the Northeastern U.S. Finally, we conducted a survey of beachgoers to evaluate a shorebird conservation outreach campaign and examined the factors that influence pro-shorebird behavior change. This research demonstrates how integrating social and ecological information and expert opinion can inform conservation and management. / M. S. / Recreational use of beaches and other coastal environments may negatively impact beach wildlife, such as shorebirds. Reducing the impacts of these potential human disturbances presents a significant challenge to shorebird conservation. This thesis used information from ecological and social science fields, along with the applied knowledge of conservation practitioners to build a more complete understanding of human-shorebird interactions, specifically related to migrating shorebirds. Further, this research provides practical solutions for better managing these interactions. To accomplish this, we used the Delphi technique, an iterative social science method, to bring scientists and managers together to develop a shared definition of “human disturbance to shorebirds” and a list of significant human activities that may negatively affect migrating shorebirds. Next, we collected and synthesized information on human disturbance during migration and aspects of human behavior related to disturbance or potential management actions. Then, through interviews with land managers, we examined how shorebird management decisions are made during migration and explored how managers balance the needs of shorebirds and public use of their sites. The disturbance definition, literature synthesis, and manager interviews were then used to create a management guidance document for reducing human disturbance to migrating shorebirds in the Northeastern U.S. Finally, we conducted a survey with beachgoers to evaluate a shorebird outreach campaign and examined the factors that influence people to adopt more pro-shorebird behaviors. This research demonstrates how integrating social and ecological information and guidance from experts can contribute to shorebird conservation.

Hokie BugFest is an annual free event designed by the Entomology Department at Virginia Tech to translate the importance of entomology to the public. The event has grown from 2,000 attendees in 2011 to over 8,000 attendees in 2017. Entomology faculty, staff, graduate students and alumni partner with Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia 4-H, and other entities to provide an educational experience to the public. The goal of this outreach event is to showcase entomological research, increase public awareness, elevate the appreciation of entomology, develop better public perceptions of insects and other arthropods, and educate participants about pesticide safety and pest management practices. Although many institutions host entomology outreach events like Hokie BugFest (Frazier, 2002; Hamm and Rayor, 2007; Hvenegaard et al., 2013), little research has been conducted to compare the impact of these activities. Whether these events impact public attitudes toward insects and other arthropods is also lacking (Pitt and Shockley, 2014). Several studies have been conducted in other states to investigate public attitudes toward arthropods and pesticides (Baldwin et al., 2008; Byrne et al., 1984; Frankie and Levenson, 1978; Hahn and Ascerno, 1991; Potter and Bessin, 1998); however, research is missing in Virginia. In order to contribute to this literature, three surveys were developed. One survey focused on investigating entomology outreach events similar to Hokie BugFest. Results revealed that event structure, attendance, funding sources, and popular exhibits impact the hosting institution and the surrounding communities. The other two surveys focused on gauging the impacts Hokie BugFest has on youth and adult attendees. Results indicated the event has a positive impact on attendee perceptions of insects, other arthropods, and pesticides. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Each year, the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech hosts Hokie BugFest, a free event designed to emphasize the importance of entomology to the public. The event began in 2011 and has grown from 2,000 attendees to over 8,000 attendees in 2017. Hokie BugFest is collaboratively organized by Entomology faculty, staff, graduate students and alumni who partner with Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia 4-H, and other entities to provide an educational experience to the public. The goal of this outreach event is to showcase entomological research, increase public awareness and appreciation of entomology, and educate attendees about pesticide safety and pest management practices. Although many institutions host entomology outreach events like Hokie BugFest, little is known of the impact of these activities and how they influence public attitudes toward entomology. Information is available for other states concerning public attitudes toward arthropods and pesticides, however is lacking in Virginia. In order to contribute to this body of work, this study focused on investigating entomology outreach events similar to Hokie BugFest. Results revealed information on event structure, attendance, funding sources, popular exhibits, and impacts on the hosting institution and surrounding communities. This study also focused on gauging the impacts of Hokie BugFest on youth and adult attendees. Results indicated the event has a positive impact on attendee perceptions of insects, other arthropods, and pesticides.

Yes / The abstract nature of physical chemistry and spectroscopy makes the subject difficult to comprehend for many students. However, bridging arts and science has the potential to provide innovative learning methods and to facilitate the understanding of abstract concepts. Herein, we present a high-school project based on the conversion of selected infrared absorbances of well-known molecules into audible frequencies. This process offered students a unique insight into the way molecules and chemical bonds vibrate, as well as an opportunity to develop their creativity by producing musical pieces related to the molecules they synthesized. We believe that experiencing chemistry from an alternative viewpoint opens up new perspectives not only for student learning but also for the decompartmentalization of scientific and artistic disciplines. / This project was supported by the Royal Society (Partnership Grant no. PG\170122 to NPEB and NG and University Research Fellowship no. UF150295 to NPEB) and the Academy of Medical Sciences/the Wellcome Trust/the Government Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy/the British Heart Foundation springboard Award [SBF003\1170 to NPEB].

Yes / Alternative forms of information dissemination have always been a crucial part of many radical forms of activism and organization. Arguably the most famous is the ‘zine - popularized in the punk/anarchist subculture of the 1980’s and 90’s, ‘zines were the antithesis of mainstream magazines, journals, and periodicals. They were an extension of the D.I.Y. (do-it-yourself) attitude that flourished within the subculture, reflecting a more informal and individualistic approach to the dissemination of information and ideas without the rigid formalities of mainstream literature. With the emergence of a new countercultural led by millennials, ‘zines have once again found popularity, taking advantage of the Internet to spread information even further than before through digital means. Although all ‘zines are different due to the individualistic and free nature of the format, most are often educational texts that also incorporate other forms of writing and media to help engage its audience with its content in a more exciting and entertaining way. Unfortunately, it appears that ‘zines have yet to find a foothold in academia as they have in social justice and activist groups – this is a shame, as there is a wealth of possibilities for the application of a ‘zine format for the dissemination of information to non-specialist audiences. This paper explores the idea of utilizing ‘zines as an alternative approach to public outreach in archaeology. This will include documenting and reflecting on the current progress of a ‘zine being developed by myself and other archaeologists about anarchist approaches to archaeological theory and practice. I will examine how practical it is to adopt this method for outreach, compare it to the more "traditional" methods of dissemination (journals, conferences, etc.), and reflect on my personal experiences with creating an archaeological 'zine of my own.

This study assessed effectiveness of the Dunn-Seiler Museum's Omeka Virtual Platform by comparing student learning after virtual and hands-on informal outreach activities. The research, conducted in two Mississippi middle schools, focused on students’ (N=99) content gains and affective responses when engaging with fossil specimens that illustrate shifts in sea levels in Mississippi’s geological past. Data were categorized into three sections: content, affective response, and drawing portion. This mixed-methods research encompassed scoring student tests, coding student drawings, and identifying stable themes through teacher interviews. Analysis of pre-and post-tests for Control (hands-on) and Experimental (virtual specimens) groups revealed no significant differences in content gain or affective response when the data were aggregated for Control versus Experimental groups. Five themes emerged from qualitative analysis of teacher interviews, including teachers’ perceived importance of classroom novelty. Findings indicate that virtual fossil specimens offer a comparable experience to hands-on specimens in the context of museum outreach.

This thesis will explore the relationship between war crimes trials and communication for development by utilising the Gibril Massaquoi trial as a case study. Mr Massaquoi, a Sierra Leonean national accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the Second Liberian Civil War, was residing in Finland, and therefore tried by Finnish authorities under universal jurisdiction. The growing importance of universal jurisdiction - the practice that allows States to prosecute individuals accused of international crimes independently from nationality and the location where the crimes were committed –raises important questions of process ownership, localisation, and social change.Universal jurisdiction cases are often prosecuted in temporally and geographically distant countries from where the alleged crimes were committed. Whilst they are extensively debated in legal studies, this thesis will analyse the matter through a communication development lens.With a focus on those few selected journalists that had the opportunity to witness the trial for its Liberian stretch, I will use their experiences to draw lessons learned and future avenues to explore for cases of this nature from a communication for development approach.

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are instrumental in providing top tier healthcare and other resources to underserved populations. Whether they administer services in house or refer patients to other providers, FQHCs aim to provide comprehensive primary and preventative care services to people of all ages. They offer a range of services, from doctor and dental appointments to mental health and substance abuse counseling, regardless of a patient’s insurance status. To receive funding, FQHCs must follow the regulations and quality standards set forth by groups like the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). A variety of barriers prevent young adults (18-24), particularly from underserved communities, from accessing resources available at community health centers (CHCs). Encouraging more people to utilize the preventative care resources provided by community health centers will increase quality of life for underserved populations, reduce the future burden on the healthcare system, and allow CHCs to access more funding. Strategies to reach this currently hard-to-reach population were developed through interviews with health educators, analysis of existing patient data, benchmarking FQHCs across the United States, and surveying the target population. Barriers to utilizing preventative care resources were collected and current patient outreach strategies were assessed. New strategies were proposed and evaluated by current patient educators at FQHCs. This research will outline a cohesive set of effective patient outreach strategies for FQHCs to increase their young adult patient base, particularly regarding preventative care.