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Williams, Jennifer M. An Application of Digital Video Recording and Off-Grid
Technology to Burrowing Owl Conservation Research. Master of Science (Electrical
Engineering), August 2014, 100 pp., 14 tables, 63 illustrations, bibliography, 98 titles.
Through this research, engineering students and conservation biologists
constructed an off-grid video system for observing western burrowing owls in El Paso,
Texas. The burrowing owl has a declining population and their range decreasing, driving
scientists' interest to see inside the den for observing critical nesting behavior. Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists wanted videos from inside the dark,
isolated hillside owl burrows. This research yielded a replicable multi-camera prototype,
empowering others to explore applications of engineering and wildlife monitoring. The
remote station used an off-the-shelf video recording system, solar panels, charge
controller, and lead acid batteries. Four local K-12 science educators participated in
system testing at Lake Ray Roberts State Park through the Research Experiences for
Teachers (RET, NSF #1132585) program, as well as four undergraduate engineering
students as senior design research.