Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Effect Of Agrivoltaics On Irrigation Water Consumption In Central California, London Camba

Undergraduate Theses

An agricultural system where solar energy generation and agricultural systems are used together for mutual benefit, agrivoltaics reduces loss of water due to evaporation, particularly in drylands. Central California has faced extreme droughts, and water has become a scarce resource. However, the wide-scale use of agrivoltaics has been limited due to lack of knowledge about agrivoltaics and also the lack of funding for start-up agrivoltaics projects. Therefore, this research investigated the potential for agrivoltaics in Central California to reduce irrigation water consumption using a review of multiple crop studies using agrivoltaics to determine an optimal crop for agrivoltaics and a …

Implications Of The 2023 Flood On The Lower Diamond Fork River, Ut, Christian J. Stewart

Watershed Sciences Student Research

The lower Diamond Fork River is located on publicly accessible land owned by the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission and the United States Forest Service. It is located a 30 minute drive away from the Provo-Orem Metropolitan Area and the stream runs parallel to the Diamond Fork Road, giving anglers convenient access to several miles of publicly fishable stream. The focus of this study is the lower Diamond Fork River between US Highway 6 and the Diamond Fork Campground, UT (Figure 1).

Investigating The Impact Of Human-Centered Interface Design On The User Experience Of Mobile Device Users, Ruchir Gupta

Theses and Dissertations

In order to investigate the intricate interaction between interface design, user technological proficiency, and other components of the user experience, this research study used a mixed-method approach. The beginner user group—those with little experience or expertise with technology - were the main target audience. The important discovery emphasizes the substantial influence that careful design can have on improving the effectiveness and usability of interfaces for non-tech-savvy individuals. When using the suggested Interface B instead of the current Interface A, beginner participants' task completion times significantly improved, according to the user study. This underlines the significance of creating with the needs …

Humanity Amid Innovation: Exploring Our Relationship To Technology, Sarah Durkee

Senior Theses and Projects

This thesis examines the impacts of technology on fundamental aspects of human nature and experience. Drawing on the works from Kant, Turing, Arendt, Benjamin, and Freud, it explores how rapid technological change is redefining human reason, intelligence, and creativity in the digital age. The first chapter analyzes whether modern online communication platforms realize or undermine Kant's vision of an enlightened public sphere fostering free discourse and critique. It argues that prioritizing engagement over substantive debate, these digital realms corrode the depth of interaction essential for cultivating human reason. The second chapter explores the pursuit of artificial intelligence as a reproduction …

Modeling Sex-Specific Changes In Myocardial Fibrosis, Grace Martin

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Heart disease the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Cardiac fibrosis, or accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins in the heart, can occur after a heart attack and increase the risk for further complications. Current treatments for heart disease do not include extracellular matrix regulators, partly due to the complicated signaling network responsible for the production of these proteins. By using a computational model of the signaling network in cardia fibroblasts, the relationship between particular molecules and downstream extracellular matrix production can be examined.

Biological sex is an important factor for cardiac health and …

Synthesis Of Gold Nanoparticles Via Pulsed Liquid Ablation For Use In The Photodynamic Therapy Of Bacteria, Justice Ben Yosef

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

With the ever-increasing threat of antibiotic resistant bacteria, alternative treatment methods have been developed including photodynamic therapy (PDT). Within the PDT process, photosensitizers are used to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and facilitate the cell termination process. This work lays the conceptual foundation for the functionalization of the photosensitizer methylene blue (MB) with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and INF-55 as a potential inhibitor of the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump to enhance the effectivity of the PDT process.

AuNPs were synthesized using pulsed laser ablation in an aqueous citrate solution. Both nanosecond and picosecond pulse durations, as well as both 532 nm and …

Multi-Script Handwriting Identification By Fragmenting Strokes, Joshua Jude Thomas

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

This study tests the effectiveness of Multi-Script Handwriting Identification after simplifying character strokes, by segmenting them into sub-parts. Character simplification is performed through splitting the character by branching-points and end-points, a process called stroke fragmentation in this study. The resulting sub-parts of the character are called stroke fragments and are evaluated individually to identify the writer. This process shares similarities with the concept of stroke decomposition in Optical Character Recognition which attempts to recognize characters through the writing strokes that make them up. The main idea of this study is that the characters of different writing‑scripts (English, Chinese, etc.) may …

The Impact Of Ai On Ux: Challenges And Opportunities, Susan Stephanie Wells

Theses

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in user experience (UX) design is reshaping the field of UX, offering new opportunities and challenges for designers. This thesis project explores the multifaceted relationship between AI and UX design, focusing on the challenges, opportunities, and skills demanded of UX designers in the age of AI. Through a review of academic research and real-world experiences, this project studies the impact of AI on web design processes, UX testing, and data analysis. Key findings highlight the transformative potential of AI in enhancing user experiences, from suggesting website structures to facilitating UX testing and data analysis.

Comparative analysis …

White Cell Support Application For Expo Ops Tactical Wargame System, Zackery Joseph Milder

Theses

The purpose of this project was to create a support application for a tabletop wargame currently used for training and scenario simulation by the United States Marine Corps. The EXPO OPS Companion is meant to enhance the capabilities of the White Cell/table director, the unbiased third party responsible for running adjudication for the EXPO OPS Tactical Wargames System. EXPO OPS TWS is “…a table top wargame covering contemporary and future conflict at the platoon, company and battalion level. It is a wargame toolkit that enables wargaming scenarios in the 2020 to 2030 timeframe. The design centers on plans and decisions …

Greening The Green: Examining The Resource Use Of Golf Courses With Suggestions On How To Improve Their Sustainability, Kaelan Addison Lestock '24

Honor Scholar Theses

Golf is a journey full of challenges, requiring each player to strive for precision, rather than merely a game of getting a small, dimpled ball in a cup hundreds of yards away in the fewest strokes possible The game is both physical and mental; it tests one’s focus, decision making, and resilience. Those who play competitively rarely feel as though they are competing against another player, instead their opponent is the course. And for those who play recreationally, the game can be a time to reconnect with nature, foster both old and new friendships, or enjoy the pursuit for perfection. …

A Chemical And Historical Analysis Of Beer: Discovering Brewing Styles And Beer Stages, Alexander Taylor '24

Honor Scholar Theses

This interdisciplinary project is designed to explore both the compositional qualities of beer during the brewing process and its impact on society from a cultural, economic, and social viewpoint. Comparing various styles of beer against each other in a historical, societal, and chemical lens allows for a deeper understanding of what creates a beer’s identity, and what makes it different from other styles. Here we analyzed two different styles of beer, a bock lager and a saison ale, in order to determine their chemical composition through their developmental stages to their final product. Based on previously published research and extended …

Improving The Scalability Of Neural Network Surface Code Decoders, Kevin Wu

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Quantum computers have recently gained significant recognition due to their ability to solve problems intractable to classical computers. However, due to difficulties in building actual quantum computers, they have large error rates. Thus, advancements in quantum error correction are urgently needed to improve both their reliability and scalability. Here, we first present a type of topological quantum error correction code called the surface code, and we discuss recent developments and challenges of creating neural network decoders for surface codes. In particular, the amount of training data needed to reach the performance of algorithmic decoders grows exponentially with the size of …

Code Syntax Understanding In Large Language Models, Cole Granger

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In recent years, tasks for automated software engineering have been achieved using Large Language Models trained on source code, such as Seq2Seq, LSTM, GPT, T5, BART and BERT. The inherent textual nature of source code allows it to be represented as a sequence of sub-words (or tokens), drawing parallels to prior work in NLP. Although these models have shown promising results according to established metrics (e.g., BLEU, CODEBLEU), there remains a deeper question about the extent of syntax knowledge they truly grasp when trained and fine-tuned for specific tasks.

To address this question, this thesis introduces a taxonomy of syntax …

Evaluating Large Language Model Performance On Haskell, Andrew Chen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

I introduce HaskellEval, a Haskell evaluation benchmark for Large Language Models. HaskellEval’s curation leverages a novel synthetic generation framework, streamlining the process of dataset curation by minimizing manual intervention. The core of this research is an extensive analysis of the trustworthiness of synthetic generations, ensuring accuracy, realism, and diversity. Additional, I provide a comprehensive evaluation of existing open-source models on HaskellEval.

Security And Interpretability In Large Language Models, Lydia Danas

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Large Language Models (LLMs) have the capability to model long-term dependencies in sequences of tokens, and are consequently often utilized to generate text through language modeling. These capabilities are increasingly being used for code generation tasks; however, LLM-powered code generation tools such as GitHub's Copilot have been generating insecure code and thus pose a cybersecurity risk. To generate secure code we must first understand why LLMs are generating insecure code. This non-trivial task can be realized through interpretability methods, which investigate the hidden state of a neural network to explain model outputs. A new interpretability method is rationales, which obtains …

Modeling The Neutral Densities Of Sparc Using A Python Version Of Kn1d, Gwendolyn R. Galleher

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Currently, neutral recycling is a crucial contributor to fueling the plasma within tokamaks. However, Commonwealth Fusion System’s SPARC Tokamak is expected to be more opaque to neutrals. Thus, we anticipate that the role of neutral recycling in fueling will decrease. Since SPARC is predicted to have a groundbreaking fusion power gain ratio of Q ≈ 10, we must have a concrete understanding of the opacity
and whether or not alternative fueling practices must be included. To develop said understanding, we produced neutral density profiles via KN1DPy, a 1D kinetic neutral transport code for atomic and molecular hydrogen in an ionizing …

Dimensionlessly Comparing Hydrogen And Helium Plasmas At Lapd, Lela Creamer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This project compares the hydrogen and helium gas puff plasmas created at the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) using dimensionless numbers to determine the extent to which the turbulence pattern can be explained by plasma physics. Since turbu- lence tends to dissipate energy and particles in a plasma, it can cause problems for fusion reactors by reducing their efficiency. With a better understanding of turbu- lence’s causes and behavior, some of this energy loss could potentially be avoided. In recent experiments at LAPD, an unexpectedly high amount of turbulence was de- tected when helium was used to create the plasma, which …

Identifying Transitions In Plasma With Topological Data Analysis Of Noisy Turbulence, Julius Kiewel

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cross-field transport and heat loss in a magnetically confined plasma is determined by turbulence driven by perpendicular (to the magnetic field) pressure gradients. The heat losses from turbulence can make it difficult to maintain the energy density required to reach and maintain the conditions necessary for fusion. Self-organization of turbulence into intermediate scale so-called zonal flows can reduce the radial heat losses, however identifying when the transition occurs and any precursors to the transition is still a challenge. Topological Data Analysis (TDA) is a mathematical method which is used to extract topological features from point cloud and digital data to …

Mathematical Modeling And Examination Into Existing And Emerging Parkinson’S Disease Treatments: Levodopa And Ketamine, Gabrielle Riddlemoser

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease across the world, affecting over 6 million people worldwide. This disorder is characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) due to the aggregation of α-synuclein within the brain. Patients with PD develop motor symptoms such as tremors, bradykinesia, and postural instability, as well as a host of non-motor symptoms such as behavioral changes, sleep difficulties, and fatigue. The reduction of dopamine within the brain is the primary cause of these symptoms. The main form of treatment for PD is levodopa, a precursor …

Process Modeling The Neuroprotective Effects Of A Plant-Based Diet On Parkinson's Disease, Julia Mitchell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms such as tremors, bradykinesia, rigidity, and postural instability. Recent research suggests an avenue for potential neuroprotection through dietary intervention, specifically the adoption of a plant-based diet. A plant-based diet predominantly comprises foods derived from plants, emphasizing fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts while minimizing or excluding animal products. This thesis aims to explore the biochemical pathways implicated in PD progression and the potential impact of dietary choices on these pathways. The investigation focuses on several key pathways: alpha-synuclein aggregation, the blood-brain barrier crossing of levodopa, oxidative stress, ferroptosis, …

Use Of Molecular Logic Gates For The Tuning Of Chemosensor Dynamic Range, Orhan Acikgoz

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The first molecular logic gates were created in the 1990s; integrating such logic gates into fluorescent chemosensors allowed for the detection of different types of ions in solution. In this study, we have developed a new use of molecular logic gates by having two of the same type of binding site. The two binding sites on a fluorophore that both detect Na⁺ ions led to an increase in the detection limit compared with the chemosensor with a single binding site. Since the two sodium binding sites create an AND logic gate, two sodium ions are needed to generate a …

Modeling Group 3 Medulloblastoma: Describing The Interconnected Pathway Of The Most Common Pediatric Brain Cancer, Amber Cantú

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Group 3 medulloblastoma is one of the most common pediatric brain cancers. Affecting infants and children, this cancer has the worst prognosis of the medulloblastoma group. Current treatments use surgical resection, radiation, and chemotherapy to afflict the cancer, however no cure has been found. This project aims to model one of the many pathways being investigated in Group 3 medulloblastoma which may be used to synthesize future treatments. Specifically, showing the interconnections between various precursors of BCL-xL, an antiapoptotic protein, and how these factors influence the progression of the disease. Scientific databases were used to find previous research articles which …

Survival Of Methanogens Desiccated On Mars Soil Simulants: Implications For Life On Mars, Lanee Knight

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Because of Mars’s chemical features, it can be studied in the search for life and is a significant figure in the study of astrobiology (McKay, 2010). Dr. Kral’s laboratory studies methanogens, microorganisms in the domain Archaea, as possible life forms on Mars. Since some methanogens can withstand harsh environmental conditions and emit methane as a waste product, the growth of these microorganisms can be used as an indicator of potential life in the Mars subsurface (Kral et al., 1998). In this research, four methanogens, Methanothermobacter wolfeii, Methanobacterium formicicum, Methanosarcina barkeri, and Methanococcus maripaludi were desiccated in the …

A Laser Ultrasound System To Non-Invasively Measure Compression Waves In Granular Ice Mixes, J. Chris Mccaslin, T. Dylan Mikesell, Hans-Peter Marshall

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Accurate knowledge of snow mechanical properties, including Young's modulus, shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, and density, is critical to many areas of snow science and to snow-related engineering problems. To facilitate the assessment of these properties, an innovative non-contacting laser ultrasound system (LUS) has been developed. This system acquires ultrasound waveform data at frequencies ranging from tens to hundreds of kHz in a controlled cold-lab environment. Two different LUS devices were compared in this study to determine which recorded more robust ultrasound in granular ice mix samples. We validated the ultrasound observations with poro-elastic traveltime modeling based on physical and empirical …

Impact Of Property Covariance On Cluster Weak Lensing Scaling Relations, Zhuowen Zhang, Arya Farahi, Daisuke Nagai, Erwin T. Lau, Joshua Frieman, Marina Ricci, Anja Von Der Linden, Hao-Yi Wu, Lsst Dark Energy Science Collaboration

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present an investigation into a hitherto unexplored systematic that affects the accuracy of galaxy cluster mass estimates with weak gravitational lensing. Specifically, we study the covariance between the weak lensing signal, ΔΣ, and the ‘true’ cluster galaxy number count, N_gal, as measured within a spherical volume that is void of projection effects. By quantifying the impact of this covariance on mass calibration, this work reveals a significant source of systematic uncertainty. Using the MDPL2 simulation with galaxies traced by the SAGE semi-analytic model, we measure the intrinsic property covariance between these observables within the three-dimensional vicinity of …

Using Empathy To Shift Climate Change Attitudes., Carson Haller

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

It has shifted from a hunch to an existential threat, it is a harbinger of disaster and bankruptcy, backed by science, and yet a considerable portion of Americans still believe that climate change is a hoax. It is becoming increasingly imperative to convince this portion to join the fight. It has been found that empathy is an effective method of persuasion, prompting the question of whether empathy could be used shift climate change attitudes. The hypothesis of this study was that if a person feels empathy for somebody harmed by the effects of climate change, they will be more willing …

Utah Growing Water Smart: The Water-Land Use Integration Guidebook For Northern Utah, Kelly Kopp, Joanna Endter-Wada

Utah Growing Water Smart

Utah faces a formidable challenge. We have the distinction of being among the most arid states in the nation and one of the fastest growing. At the convergence of these two realities lies the challenge of providing a secure water supply for our growing population — projected to reach approximately 6 million by 2065¹ — while maintaining environmental health, economic vibrancy, and agricultural productivity.

Grey Relational Analysis And Canonical Correlation Analysis Of Air Pollution In Three Kentucky Counties, Sarah Hartman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Air pollution is a crucial factor that affects both the environment and public health. Various methods are available for assessing air quality and pollution levels, such as regression models, principal component analysis, and factor analysis tools. However, some of these methods present issues in multicollinearity and the nature of collected data. It is important to recognize that air pollution data is often uncertain, incomplete, and contains limited valid data points. Weather conditions and economic activities are also factors that can affect air pollution. With growing communities in Kentucky (KY), it is essential to address these factors as the state has …

Encapsulated 2d Materials And The Potential For 1d Electrical Contacts, Sarah Wittenburg

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

The utilization of two-dimensional materials and heterostructures, particularly graphene and hexagonal boron nitride, have garnered significant attention in the realm of nanoelectronics due to their unique properties and versatile functionalities. This study focuses on the synthesis and fabrication processes of monolayer graphene encapsulated between layers of hBN, aiming to explore the potential of these heterostructures for various electronic applications. The encapsulation of graphene within hBN layers not only enhances device performance but also shields graphene from environmental contaminants, ensuring long-term stability. Experimental techniques, including mechanical exfoliation and stamp-assisted transfer, are employed to construct three-layer stacks comprising hBN-graphene-hBN. The fabrication process …

A Central Limit Theorem For The Number Of Excursion Set Components Of Gaussian Fields, Dmitry Beliaev, Michael Mcauley, Stephen Muirhead

Articles

For a smooth stationary Gaussian field f on R^d and level ℓ ∈ R, we consider the number of connected components of the excursion set {f ≥ ℓ} (or level set {f = ℓ}) contained in large domains. The mean of this quantity is known to scale like the volume of the domain under general assumptions on the field. We prove that, assuming sufficient decay of correlations (e.g. the Bargmann-Fock field), a central limit theorem holds with volume-order scaling. Previously such a result had only been established for ‘additive’ geometric functionals of the excursion/level sets (e.g. the volume or …