<b>A MIXED-METHODS INVESTIGATION OF CAMPUS OUTDOOR FOUNTAIN FEATURES AND STUDENT WELL-BEING: </b><b>URBAN ARTIFICIAL BLUE SPACE USAGE, EXPERIENCES, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RESTORATION AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY</b>

<p dir="ltr">Blue space has been studied far less frequently than green space in relation to human health and well-being, despite emerging evidence suggesting potentially greater salutogenic (i.e., health-promoting) effects. As recent social contexts such as the COVID-19 pandemic intensified student mental health and well-being concerns, artificial or constructed urban blue space, such as outdoor fountains, may offer feasible campus infrastructure solutions to promote university student health and well-being in increasingly urbanized environments. This thesis investigates whether outdoor artificial urban blue space in a university campus setting supports student well-being and explores whether fountain design characteristics contribute to observed outcomes. </p><p dir="ltr">Data were triangulated across (1) a 10–15-minute online survey of Purdue University students (N = 89) employing validated measures, (2) on-site post-occupancy evaluations (POE 1.0), and (3) social media post-occupancy evaluations (POE 2.0), to assess student usage, experiences, and psychological restoration associated with three outdoor fountains at Purdue University: the Engineering Fountain, Loeb Fountain, and Sinninger Pond Fountain. Incorporating a human health and well-being Ecosystem Services (ESS) framework proposed by Bratman et al. (2019), this research examines the following dimensions of campus artificial blue space: (1) natural and environmental features, (2) student fountain exposure, (3) student fountain experiences, and (4) student well-being effects. Research findings corroborate and extend existing conceptual blue space frameworks, with outdoor campus fountain benefits primarily categorized as restorative, instorative, and mitigative.</p><p dir="ltr">Results suggest that the Purdue University fountains support student well-being, facilitating desired solitary and social activities, cultivating students’ sense of place (e.g., place attachment, place identity, and place dependence), regulating heat during warmer months, and buffering nearby noise. Regression analyses reveal that trait connection to nature (CNS-7) significantly predicts student psychological restoration outcomes (ROS-6) across all three fountains (p < .05), with additional factor significance for frequency of visitation at Sinninger Pond Fountain and duration of visitation at the Engineering Fountain. This thesis offers evidence-based implications and recommendations at the personal, local, and societal levels, and further applied research is encouraged to deepen current understanding of student health and well-being outcomes related to artificial urban blue space in other campus contexts.</p>