14 Geographers in the Field, continued Undergraduate Research Figure 3. This platform on top of a hill, an island of former Lake Texcoco, is a ceremonial ground, still used by the local inhabitants to mark the passage of the sun through the zenith in midMay and mid-August. The place is visited even by tribes residing in the US. Drs. Saber Brasher and Peter Crank participated in the CAS program, Advancing Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (AURCA) this year. They proposed research projects and sought undergraduate students interested in a mentored research experience. Both students presented the results of their research at the OSU Undergraduate Research Symposium this spring. Drake Geeteh worked with Dr. Crank and gave a poster presentation titled, “Urban Heat Island (UHI) in Oklahoma: An Exploratory Analysis of the UHI in Tulsa.” His research incorporated weather and land cover data. He gained skills in data analysis and data visualization. Abby Livingston presented her and Dr. Brasher’s research, “Linkages Between Oklahoma Water Availability and Irrigated Agriculture.” Drought conditions, specifically within the summer months (June – August) have increased in length and severity in Oklahoma creating a need to better understand the relationships between water availability, irrigation, and crop coverage. Her work aimed to explore two primary questions, both of which are still undergoing investigation: What is the relationship between corn and cotton (two of the most water demanding OK crops), irrigation, and climate (precipitation and temperature)? How has drought impacted cotton and corn production in Oklahoma, specifically in Spring and Summer?
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