Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Increasing Drought Conditions Threaten Utah High-Tech Data Center Cooling Systems, Ella Devey

Research on Capitol Hill

Federal national security related data centers are increasingly threatened as drought conditions increase in Utah and Idaho. The NSA and FBI data centers in these locations process digital information that informs local and national decision makers of critical national security occurrences. Data centers use water-based cooling systems to prevent hardware failure from overheating, that, while energy efficient, consume large quantities of water. Data centers cannot operate without robust cooling mechanisms. Increasing drought conditions in Utah and Idaho may at a future point become severe enough that water restrictions to the communities that house data centers are possible. The water levels …

Improving Climate Models Can Help Ensure Better National Security Response To Drought And Extreme Weather., Chase Dean Harward

Research on Capitol Hill

USU senior Chase, a West Jordan native, is an Honors student. He studies Political Science and credits his moderate political ideology to his parents’ opposing political views. Chase’s research stems from his passion for Utah’s public lands. As a state especially vulnerable to drought, heat waves, and extreme cold weather, Utah would benefit from more accurate climate and weather forecasts. He applied machine learning to climate models, then compared these predictions to actual weather systems to test the models’ accuracy. This is Chase’s first research experience and he wishes he had started earlier. “It’s really awesome getting to apply what …

Melting Arctic Ice Exposes Possible Conflict For Us, China, Russia, Madeleine Alder

Research on Capitol Hill

USU senior Maddie, a Salt Lake City native, is an Honors student, Peak Summer Research Fellow, and USU Institute of Land, Water and Air intern. She studies Political Science. Maddie’s research dissects how rising temperatures and the resulting polar ice caps on our planet might impact international relations for the US. The opening of additional shipping lanes in previously-frozen waters could cause conflict between key actors. Maddie has been involved in research for nearly all of her undergrad degree, and says, “I love learning and I get excited to discover new connections between topics I am interested in. I like …

Fake News! Russian Disinformation Targets American Cognitive Biases Through Diverse Mediums, Spencer Sproul

Research on Capitol Hill

"Fake news” is old news, but what is it and how do we combat it? The term describes disinformation, or the tactical creation and dissemination of false information.

My research seeks to combine traditional national security studies with cybersecurity and big data analytics to gain insight into the issue of “Fake news”, particularly regarding the Russian disinformation campaign leading up to and after the 2016 US presidential election.

The project consisted of analyzing both news and academic literature on this new Russian strategy. Its target is US citizens’ cognitive decision-making shortcuts. The campaign’s goal appears to be to covertly manipulate …

Cultural Traits Of Salvadoran Gangs Offer Chance For U.S. To Weaken Ms-13, Hannah Penner

Research on Capitol Hill

MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) was founded by Salvadoran immigrants fleeing a harsh civil war in California during the 1980s. It became an international organization after deportation tactics in the LA barrios exported the threat to El Salvador.

Revolving Door Legislation: An International Comparison, Jim Porter, Josh Smith, Seth Muhlestein

Research on Capitol Hill

No abstract provided.