TopThe BPRI funds research projects in topic areas consistent with its mission. Each autumn, a "Call for Projects" is circulated at WWU, with submissions typically due in late November. Funding decisions are announced at year's end. Additionally, the BPRI entertains proposals involving collaboration between WWU faculty and co-investigators at other institutions. Finally, the BPRI sponsors Thesis Fellows each year. Applications for a fellowship may be submitted at any time - see the link below.
Download the Thesis Fellowship Announcement.
James Helfield, Ph.D. Dr. Helfield is researching the effects of water quality on the distribution of Salish Sucker within a transboundary stream. His project should reveal linkages between water quality and land-use practices, thereby aiding government officials charged with preservation of the Salish Sucker.
Troy Abel, Ph.D. Dr. Abel and a team of students developed a case study of wildlife management and conservation efforts in the binational Cascades region, focusing particularly on evolving opportunities and barriers to regional cooperation. This work illuminated government policies that inhibit or foster cross-border ecosystem management.
Paul Storer, Ph.D., and Steve Globerman, Ph.D. This project investigated whether differences in shipping costs are significant along the span of the 49th parallel, when examined at the port-level and the commodity-level. They provide evidence that post-9/11 border-security regimes have "thickened" the border, and that there are regional differences in the degree of thickening. The project results are available in Research Report No. 9.
Don Alper, Ph.D. Utilizing long interviews, this study garnered constructive criticism from regional border stakeholders about the functioning of the Canada-US border. The principal goals of the study were to: 1) seek out the best thinking at the local and regional level about border management processes; 2) identify best practices and the conditions which make them possible; 3) determine if there are areas of agreement among stakeholder sectors (e.g., business groups, NGOs, agency officials, etc.); 4) cross compare the views of stakeholders on both sides of the border. The project results are available in Research Report No. 8.
David Davidson, M.P.A. Mr. Davidson collaborated with the Whatcom Council of Governments to collect field data regarding detailed movements of trucks through the Cascade Gateway ports. The data is being used to evaluate efficacy of existing programs (e-manifest, FAST) and explore possible program revisions. One product of the project is the Fall 2009 edition of the Border Policy Brief, titled "Issues with Efficacy of FAST at the Cascade Gateway."
Paul Storer, Ph.D. Dr. Storer examined the benefits that might accrue to exporters in the State of Washington if certain NAFTA tariffs were eliminated or modified. His research also revealed the extent to which individual tariffs affect the competitiveness of regional companies. He identified groups of tariff schedule items that are most amenable to "streamlining" in a manner beneficial to the region. Project results are presented in Working Paper No. 3.
Ruth Harper, Ph.D. This project involved the collection of water samples and water quality data from streams tributary to the Columbia River. Water samples were assessed for toxicity in laboratory experiments, and the observed toxicities were compared to the toxicities predicted by a computer model (Biotic Ligand Model) used within the US for regulatory purposes. In this manner, the utility of the model was evaluated with respect to the Columbia River. Project results are presented in Research Report No. 7.
Anne Goodchild, Ph.D. (University of Washington). Four data sets were analyzed in order to build a profile of the commodities crossing the border along the I-5 corridor, as well as the delay encountered at the border. The causes and consequences of border-delay were also investigated. Project results are presented in Research Report No. 6.
Hugh Conroy, Melissa Miller, David Davidson. Over 15,000 drivers were interviewed as they crossed north- and south-bound through the four ports-of-entry serving the I-5 corridor. The resulting database provides information about trip purposes, frequencies, durations, origins, and destinations. The database is the main product of the effort, but summary results are presented in a Final Report.
James Hundley, M.A. Mr. Hundley explored the application of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI, the so-called "passport law") to Native Americans, who have right of passage across the Canada/US border pursuant to terms of treaties. The research results are presented within Mr. Hundley's thesis.
Wayne Landis, Ph.D. A risk-evaluation model was used to identify invasive species transported across the BC-Washington border and to estimate the relative ecologic harm posed by such species. Project results are presented in Research Report No. 2.
Steven Globerman, Ph.D., and Paul Storer, Ph.D. A time-series dataset characterizing cross-border trade was analyzed with an econometric model, leading to insights about the effects of post-9/11 security measures upon commodity trade flows at major Canada-US ports of entry. Project results are presented in Research Report No. 1, as well as in a 2008 book from the University of Toronto Press titled "The Impact of 9/11 on Canada-US Trade."
Hart Hodges, Ph.D. An econometric model was used to analyze a multi-year record of the number of southbound automobiles at ports-of-entry in the I-5 corridor, seeking explanatory variables that could account for the observed pattern of crossings. Project results are presented in Research Note No. 1.
Brian Morgans, M.B.A. Morgans performed interviews of Canadian-owned businesses located in Washington State and of US-owned businesses in British Columbia with the aim of discovering the obstacles and incentives encountered by companies conducting cross-border business. He also gauged the importance of such cross-border investment to the economy of Whatcom County, Washington. Project results are presented in Research Report No. 5.
Matthew Roelofs, Ph.D., and Mark Springer, Ph.D. A queuing model was used to predict the effects of the deployment of a variable congestion-based toll for commercial traffic entering the US at the Pacific Highway Crossing in Blaine, Washington. Project results are presented in Research Report No. 4.
Anne Goodchild, Ph.D. (University of Washington). Various data sets were analyzed in order to statistically characterize the amount of delay and the variability of delay encountered by trucks crossing the border in Blaine, WA. The mechanisms used by businesses to cope with variability were also explored. Project results are presented in Research Report No. 3.
Ken Casavant, Ph.D., and Eric Jessup, Ph.D. (Washington State University). Two distinct methods were employed to generate forecasts of the amount of commercial traffic likely to enter Washington from BC. Project results are presented in Working Paper No. 1.