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Coding Manual for “Wilder Interaction with Nature Predicts Deeper Presence: Toward a Human-Centered Sustainability Indicator Beyond Exposure”
(2026-10-18) Batra, Arshia; Romera, Mayes Robertson; Schoenfeld, Drew; Sparks, Gillian; Kahn, Peter H. Jr.
The coding manual in this report codes two separate dimensions of people’s accounts of an experience in nature: the depth of Presence they experienced, and the wildness of their interaction with nature. We developed it in a study of 44 adults interviewed about an experience of Presence in nature. Presence is a state of being in which conditioned thinking subsides and the mind becomes open, aware, non-reactive, and still (Kahn et al., 2026). The first part, Presence Levels Coding, describes ten ordered Levels of Presence, from thought-immersed distraction (Level 1) to states described in contemplative traditions (Levels 9 and 10), with definitions, prototypical examples, vignettes, explanatory factors, and a coder cheat-sheet. The second part, Wildness Levels Coding, specifies two measures grounded in the Interaction Pattern approach: the wildness of interaction an environment affords (Maximum IP Wildness) and the wildness of interaction a participant actually enacted (Enacted IP Wildness), together with contextual factors, decision rules, and exemplar cases. A final section explains how to construct the synthesis blocks, the narrative summaries of interview transcripts on which coding was based. Our goal is to make these methods available so that others can use, test, adapt, and build on them.
Light Upon Obfuscation: Russia's Kinetic Grey War Against NATO and Its Implications for Global Hostilities
(2026) Desira, Christian; Radnitz, Scott
Since the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Federation has embarked on a heightened campaign of kinetic grey zone warfare against NATO member states. This campaign began most ostensibly in response to Western support for Ukraine, but also to advance Russian security interests. Incidents of sabotage, cyber warfare, drone incursions, and border violations have accelerated dramatically in NATO territory. Incidents like these are the substance of Grey Zone warfare, defined as the employment of coercive actions by one power against another through covert, deniable, or ambiguous means and outcomes. Random events of a disruptive or destructive nature appear to continue to occur, but with little official recognition of the totality of the looming threat. Kinetic grey zone operations specifically are those that cause physical harm, destruction, or coercion. These incidents have co-occurred with blatantly hostile rhetoric and military provocations by Russia against NATO allies. While the intentions and motivations behind these operations are, by nature, difficult to surmise, analysts have identified key themes behind these kinetic grey-zone provocations and attacks. With truth often found in old historical patterns and modern security interests, the evidence points to an effort to coerce and destabilize NATO. The deterrence of providing further aid to Ukraine, the redirection of policy, and the sowing of fear and confusion within alliance member states all appear to be likely objectives. This analysis begins by defining grey zone warfare, what it looks like, and how powers may employ it as a subtler means of coercion. It then examines Russian history and the motivations behind the modern Russian campaign of imperial aggression. It then assesses the tools Russia uses, how they work together to facilitate operational success, and how defenders can confront and counter them. Grey zone operations are relevant beyond the European security context, and this analysis ends by touching on how Russian activities have contributed to a more dangerous global security environment. All information and analysis were current as of June 1st, 2026.
String-stable constant-spacing platoons without communication
(2026-10-15) Chang, Henry; Lin, Yudong; Devasia, Santosh
This work considers string instability in constant-spacing-policy (CSP) platoons without communication. It is well known that platoons will have string instability without communication with CSP if the vehicle dynamics has at least two poles at the origin. This work considers a modification of the vehicle dynamics, using input-output feedback linearization along with stable-pole zero cancellations, to retain only one pole at the origin. As a result, it is possible to design CSP that is string stable without communication. A disadvantage, with the reduction to only one pole at the origin, is that there is non-zero steady-state error for a constant platoon-speed. However, it is shown that a Taylor-approximation-based, delayed-self-reinforcement (Taylor-approximated DSR) approach can substantially reduce the overall (transient and steady-state) spacing errors while avoiding string instability. Comparative simulations using a benchmark vehicle model show that the proposed Taylor-approximated DSR can reduce the overall error substantially (by 95%) when compared to the standard predecessor-following CSP platoons. Moreover, the resulting steady-state spacing deviation is more than 2 orders of magnitude less when compared to other string-stable approaches such as the constant-time-headway (CTH) policy.
The Effect of Temperature on the Regenerative Abilities of Pleurobrachia bachei
(2026-07) Thompson, Carter
The sea gooseberry (Pleurobranchia bachei) is a common sight at the surface of the waters around Friday Harbor, WA. As comb jellies of the phylum Ctenophora, their small bodies are fragile and vulnerable to exterior damage (van Paridon, 2024). Fortunately, they have also evolved extremely fast regenerative capabilities, with some species even able to fully regenerate up to 75% of their body mass from just a small portion in under 48 hours (van Paridon, 2024). The extent of P. bachei’s ability to regenerate is not as well documented, so I wanted to examine how these regenerative abilities are tested against increased stress from environments more extreme than what they’re used to. Over the course of several days, I looked at how well P. bachei regenerates its tissue while under a drastic increase in ambient water temperature.
Case Study: Is Laying Roe Friend or Foe? Investigating the relationship between Phyllaplysia taylori and Zostera marina in False Bay, San Juan Islands, WA
(2026-07) Rankin, Coral; Ong, Ella; Monterola, Sophie; Hynes, Marli; Lord, Sophie
Estuarine ecosystems, similar to that of False Bay in the San Juan Islands of WA, are indispensable and therefore high priority in conservation efforts due to their highly specialized and endemic inhabitants. Anthropogenic influences on estuarine ecosystems (dredging, trawling, coastal development, eutrophication, compound effects of climate change) damage subtidal and intertidal estuaries. The eelgrass species, Zostera marina , is prevalent in both East and West Coast estuaries. Eelgrasses require approximately 24% more photosynthetic light than other angiosperms, making them more vulnerable to environmental change, such as rising sea surface temperatures (Orth et. al. 2006). This study examines the relationship between facilitative sea hare grazers, Phyllaplysia taylori , and their respective substrate of choice, Zostera marina . We investigated the abundance of P. taylori in False Bay and found a linear relationship between surface and subsurface egg mass abundance. In the field, data was collected on the characteristics of where egg masses were laid. The analyses revealed that height location on the blade was a significant factor for egg mass laying, but the epiphyte coverage surrounding the egg mass was not. Additionally, we ran a series of manipulative experiments to get a better understanding of the multivariable relationship between P. taylori and Z. marina . While P. taylori keeps the eelgrass blades relatively clean as a grazer, their eggmasses can block up to 69% of light to the eelgrass plant. Here we offer a case study of False Bay to further understand the symbiosis between Z. marina and P. taylori , which can help to inform the ecological conditions needed to support shrinking Z. marina beds.
The Limpet Pivot: Microhabitat Use by Intertidal Limpets on Natural and Artificial Substrates at Friday Harbor Laboratories
(2026-07) Kluck, Holly
Habitat structure strongly influences the distribution and behavior of intertidal gastropods. To examine how microhabitat availability shapes limpet behavior, I conducted a comparative field survey of limpets (Lottia spp.) on a natural rocky beach and an adjacent artificial dock environment at Friday Harbor Laboratories (FHL), Washington, USA. Limpets were quantified across microhabitat categories including refuge, exposed, and submerged positions. Limpets were more abundant on the beach (n = 24) than on the dock (n = 10). Beach limpets were disproportionately exposed (67%), whereas dock limpets exhibited a more even distribution across exposed and refuge positions. These results suggest that natural rocky substrates provide more diverse microhabitats, enabling limpets to occupy shaded and moisture-retaining refuges, while artificial structures constrain microhabitat choice. The findings highlight how anthropogenic substrates alter small-scale habitat availability and may influence limpet distribution and behavior.
Completion Rates and the Time It Takes to Earn a Degree in Community College Bachelor's Programs
(2026-10-08) Meza, Elizabeth; Vo, Davis
One of the intents of a community college bachelor’s degree (CCB) program is to smooth the pathway to a bachelor’s degree and into the workforce for community college students, reducing the time it takes these students to earn a degree and, as a result, lowering the overall cost. However, there is limited research on the extent to which these goals are achieved, and for whom. Using a comprehensive dataset from Washington, this brief examines the completion rates, time to degree, and, by extension, affordability of CCB programs. Findings include: -- After two years, about half of CCB students graduate with a bachelor’s degree (46%). The three-year completion rates jump by 14% percentage points to 60% and steadily grow to 64%, 67%, and 71% by four, five, and six years after entry, respectively. -- CCB students consistently had higher completion rates within two-, four-, and six years relative to community-college-to-traditional-university transfer students. This was true across nearly every gender, race/ethnicity, and age group examined. -- CCB students took, on average, a little over two years to complete their degrees. With a shortened time to degree and a lower cost, CCB programs are well-positioned to expand access to and achievement of the bachelor’s degree for traditionally underserved students.
The Politics of Justice Reform in Washington State
(2026) Zsiros, Felicia
In recent years, Washington State has attempted criminal justice reform, but public backlash often forces it to be rolled back. From police pursuits to drug possession laws, prioritizing public safety with punitive approaches is the status quo, despite the growing evidence that supports more efficient methods. This creates a challenging environment to enact reform. This study assesses the feasibility of correctional reform in Washington State and investigates how policymakers and criminal justice professionals perceive the factors that hinder or facilitate reform. The study used a qualitative case study design based on five semi-structured interviews with participants from various political and professional backgrounds, allowing the study to explore areas of disagreement and consensus. Three main themes were identified from the interviews.
User Rights Without Remedies: Transparency, Redress, and the Structural Limits of U.S. Data Privacy Governance
(2026) Templeton, Anna
This capstone examines whether the U.S. sectoral approach to data privacy provides users with genuine transparency, control, and redress over personal data, using the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as a comparative benchmark. A convergent mixed-methods design combines secondary analysis of the Pew Research Center's 2023 American Trends Panel (N = 5,101) with semi-structured interviews with five professionals in data governance, privacy consulting, and corporate technology. Quantitative results show that perceived personal agency over data is positively associated with trust in companies, while concern about data misuse is negatively associated with it. Interview findings show that consent functions as a compliance exercise rather than a substantive protection, that trust tracks a company's business model more than its stated policies, and that redress remains structurally inaccessible even to professionals with direct expertise in the field. The study concludes that U.S. procedural protections exist on paper but are difficult to interpret, exercise, or enforce in practice, and proposes federal legislation modeled on the GDPR.
Dimensions of Meaning-Making Among Serious Mental Illness to Inform Mental Health Services, Clinical Practice and Public Policy Approaches in the United States
(2025) Singh, Sonia
Aim The aim of this study is to examine how contemporary scholarship conceptualizes meaning-making among individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), with particular attention to schizophrenia. The study seeks to identify how meaning making is described, facilitated, and operationalized within therapeutic frameworks, and to analyze gaps in the literature that hold implications for recovery-oriented systems of care and public policy in the United States. Background Recovery has become the central organizing framework in U.S. mental health policy, formalized through SAMHSA’s Ten Principles of Recovery and its Four Dimensions of Recovery. Despite similar recovery models across high-income countries, meaning-making remains inconsistently defined across clinical and academic literature. Historical shifts in mental health care, including deinstitutionalization and neoliberal policy reforms, further shape the structural context in which meaning-making occurs. Methods A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were performed through the University of Washington Libraries using the terms “schizophrenia and meaning making”, and filtered for peer-reviewed English-language articles published between 2016 and 2026. Fifty-three articles were identified; after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, focusing on studies involving insight into illness, existential distress, and therapeutic engagement, and ten articles were retained for full review. Articles from low-income countries were excluded to maintain policy comparability across high-income nations with established disability systems. Results Four central themes emerged. 1) therapeutic approaches such as Dignity Therapy, Humanistic Psychiatry, and Open Dialogue Therapy support meaning-making by centering narrative identity, existential reflection, and relational dialogue; 2) meaning-making is nonlinear and deeply shaped by extrinsic supports; familial connection consistently facilitated recovery, while loneliness, stigma, and economic precarity hindered it; 3) studies rarely incorporated recovery policy or structural determinants such as poverty or downward economic mobility despite their documented influence on recovery trajectories; and 4) post-traumatic growth and identity reconstruction were common outcomes, with hospitalization and psychosis often described as traumatic events that disrupted but also reshaped self-understanding. Across studies, recovery was characterized not as symptom reduction but as an existential, social, and narrative process requiring dignity, agency, and opportunities for meaning-making. Policy recommendations rest on best practices for a holistic, integrated study and view of intrinsic and extrinsic support, alongside standardized definitions for what characterizes and facilitates recovery for a more comparable view and for pathways towards policy advocacy.