Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

The Relationship Between Role Models, Socioeconomic Mobility Beliefs, And Academic Outcomes, Christian Koeu, Marisol Espinoza Garcia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Objective: This study aims to provide insights into the relationships between role models, socioeconomic mobility beliefs and the education outcomes of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. While previous studies highlight the positive influence of role models on academic and career aspirations, the specific relationship between role models and socioeconomic beliefs remains unexplored. Our study addresses this gap by examining whether the presence of role models relates with more optimistic socioeconomic beliefs and how these beliefs, in turn, affect academic outcomes (academic engagement, academic intentions, and grade point average [GPA]). Additionally, we investigate the influence of role model characteristics to …

Evaluating A Short Duration Relationship And Marriage Education (Rme) Event Across Time And Format: 8 Years Of Learning, Pamela B. Payne, Naomi Brower

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The COVID-19 pandemic changed how short-term relationship and marriage education (RME) reached participants for events such as the Utah Marriage Celebration Conference. This article examines participant-perceived relationship knowledge from an annual marriage conference that began prior to the pandemic and has continued through the disruption (from 2015 through 2022). Results indicate this short-duration marriage conference does improve participant-perceived knowledge across years [t(2381) = 59.84, p = .001]. Further, results indicate that online participants rate their perceived relationship knowledge as higher than in-person participants at both pre [F(1, 2752) = 153.0, p = .001] and post [F(7, 2594) = 25.14, p …

Travel-Time Disparities In Access To Proton Beam Therapy For Cancer Treatment, Todd Burus, Alexander Vanhelene, Michael Rooney, Krystle Lang Kuhs, W. Jay Christian, Christopher Mcnair, Sanjay Mishra, Arnold Paulino, Grace Smith, Steven Frank, Jeremy Warner

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Proton beam therapy is an emerging radiotherapy treatment for patients with cancer that may produce similar outcomes as traditional photon-based therapy for many cancers while delivering lower amounts of toxic radiation to surrounding tissue. Geographic proximity to a proton facility is a critical component of ensuring equitable access both for indicated diagnoses and ongoing clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the distribution of proton facilities in the US, quantify drive-time access for the population, and investigate the likelihood of long commutes for certain population subgroups.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This population-based cross-sectional study analyzed travel times to proton facilities in …

Affective Life, Mobility And Unity In U.S.-Mexico Transborder Families, Aaron A. Adame Sosa

Theses and Dissertations

There has been abundant research on transnational families and their lived realities, but most of this research focuses on analyzing family relations across long distances. This thesis examines transnational life at the borderlands and develops new frameworks for understanding family unity and separation. Using concepts from the sociology of emotions, I find that economic and opportunity inequalities structure much of transborder life and that the emotional work different family members do for the sake of their family unity is largely based on mobility privilege and the idea that the U.S. is economically better off, even as the relative poverty between …

Transit Workforce Development Challenges And Mitigation Practices, Jodi Godfrey

Mineta Transportation Institute

The objective of this research is to summarize previously conducted research related to workforce development challenges in the transit industry, detailing major findings and subsequent recommendations based on the annotated bibliography of the current atmosphere and most successful ways to mitigate those challenges to attract and retain talent in the transit industry. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. had over 10 million job openings and only 5.7 million unemployed workers in March 2023. In 2017, the Washington Post posited that there were not enough workers to fill the vacancies, as the U.S. Census Bureau announced a 17-year …

Violently Peaceful: Unpacking Portrayals Of Black Lives Matter Protests, Cynthia Tuzo

Honors College Theses

Black Lives Matter (BLM) is an international activist organization that aims to fight racial inequality and injustice in America. During the summer of 2020, many American citizens utilized their First Amendment right to protest against the killings of unarmed Black people in association with the BLM movement. BLM emphasized the use of nonviolent tactics to fight injustice. Contrary to their emphasis, the protests associated with BLM were portrayed as both violent and peaceful depending on the political beliefs of the reporter. In my research, I consider what it means for a protest to be peaceful and whether the Black Lives …

The Kids From Yesterday: An Examination Of The Motivations And Social Role Of Camping Culture In Music Fandom, Natasha Ryan

Sociology Student Papers and Posters

With the return of arena concerts after the COVID-19 pandemic and the hyper-availability of social media communities to those who were not previously inclined to be fannish, there has been increased strain on the metrics of what makes a successful concert attendance, and further, how those metrics reinforce identity as both a real fan and a member of the fan group. This research focuses specifically on the act of arduous overnight queueing for general admission shows, referred to in the populace as “Camping Culture," aiming to answer the question of what is the motivation to undergo significant effort to experience …

Humanizing The Migration Experience: The Stories And Struggles Of Unaccompanied Immigrant Children From The Northern, Stephanie Santiago

International Studies (MA) Theses

This research paper explores the migration journey of unaccompanied immigrant children (UICs) from the Northern Triangle countries of Central America to the United States, focusing on the reasons why children leave their home countries, the challenges they face during their journey, and the legal processes they undergo upon arrival in the USA. Drawing on Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), the study examines the structural inequalities and injustices that drive migration, as well as the impact of trauma and mental health issues on UICs. The paper also analyzes the policies and frameworks in place to protect …

“Think Leader, Think Alpha Male” And The Evolution Of Leader Stereotypes., Christopher Von Rueden

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Over the past few decades, the representation of women in top leadership positions has steadily increased around the world, yet remains well below gender parity. Do leader stereotypes and preferences still favor men? Based on a series of studies with U.S. participants, Wiezel, Barlev, Martos, and Kenrick (2024) argue that leaders remain stereotyped as male, which is consistent with a “think leader, think alpha-male” model. Inconsistent with the model, the authors also find that women are slightly preferred as leaders, due in part to greater association of men with dominance-based leadership. In general, Wiezel et al. (2024) provide a valuable …

A Rhetorical-Sociological Understanding Of Emotion, Amy Boone

All Dissertations

This project presents a rhetorical-sociological understanding of emotion while foregrounding the place and role of language. Born from Sara Ahmed’s work in The Cultural Politics of Emotion, it presents a simplified equation (contact + orientation = emotion) as both a prescriptive and descriptive formula for making sense of human emotional experience. Starting with an exploration of the difficult-to-understand affect system, this dissertation identifies both rhetoric and affect as energies which cannot be understood apart from their traces, the things they move, produce, and become. As a way to get at these often-invisible forces, two trace studies are conducted which explore …

Beyond The Screen: Understanding College Students’ Perspectives On Cyberstalking, Gabrielle Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research regarding the victimization of college students is primarily geared toward physical or sexual encounters. There is a limited scope of research regarding the online victimization of college students, specifically those involved in Greek life organizations. Furthermore, there is a misinterpretation of the definition of cyberstalking among college students, as many students are unaware that they have been personally victimized (Cass, 2011). This study seeks to examine college students’ perceptions of online victimization and how they may vary. The different student impressions and the prevalence of online victimization were examined using self-reported data from students enrolled in a university …

Reviving “Cult”: A Qualitative Analysis Of A Female-Led Cultic Sect, Olivia Summers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research analyzes the Word of Faith Fellowship (WOF), a female-led Evangelical church that social scientists have not yet studied. My thesis explores how a female leader operates within a patriarchal space and why WOF owns a Holocaust Museum. I conducted content analysis of the church and museum websites, Google reviews, and visited the museum in person. My research highlights the limitations of current taxonomies of religion in sociology. I address this oversight, argue for the re-introduction of “cult” as an analytical term, and propose a rubric for cult identification. I suggest that WOF is a sectarian cult with similar …

Flood Waters Rise: Hurricanes, Disaster Response, And Race Relations In Coastal Alabama, 1906 – 2006, Danielle Leonardi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

This thesis examines the changes in social relations after natural disasters, specifically hurricanes. The Hurricane of 1906 caused massive damage to Mobile due to the limited warnings. Tensions before the hurricane were already heightened from the Atlanta Race Riot and boiled over after the storm, resulting in a double lynching. Mobile received very little federal aid after the 1906 hurricane and relief heavily on their own communities and the Alabama National Guard. Hurricane Frederic in 1979 was much different because of its position in the Civil Rights Movement. The government relief was slow due to the overwhelming amount needed, and …

Queer Student Or Student Who Is Also Queer? A Mixed Methods Study Of Competing Master Statuses In Higher Education, Kayla Densberger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

People pursuing LGBTQ+ rights in the United States have faced triumphs and setbacks over time but now face equality-restricting legislation in several regions. Previous researchers have studied LGBTQ+ college students and LGBTQ+ identity as a master status, but less on how queer identity competes for salience with other identities. This study uses qualitative and quantitative secondary data on student responses to a university-wide climate survey (n=1699) conducted in the Fall semester of 2022. I analyze LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ student experiences and satisfaction with their school. The quantitative results of this research find that LGBTQ+ students have a markedly different campus …

The Disproportionate Impacts Of Certain Factors That Differentiate The Amount Of Mental Health Referrals Of School A Compared To School B, Jesus Barrientos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explores the relationship between a variety of factors the school of attendance for two schools in the Inland Empire. This research project sought to assess if there are differing rates of exposure to parental substance use, geographical location, diagnosis of anxiety, diagnosis of depression, and exposure to traumatic events based on the high school of attendance. Secondary data was acquired from a school district in the Inland Empire. Fifty assessments from school A and fifty from school B were used; a total of 100 adolescent assessments were used. The adolescent assessment explores the location of living, questions regarding …

Child Maltreatment Primary Prevention Methods In The U.S.: A Systematic Review Of Recent Studies, Maria Godoy-Murillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Child maltreatment remains a widespread issue in the United States of America, (U.S.). Identifying effective methods of preventing child maltreatment is key to reducing the prevalence of this issue. Objective: This systematic review provides an overview of contemporary primary child maltreatment prevention methods in the U.S. to investigate their effectiveness. Methods: Using the OneSearch database, the following keywords were included: (“prevention methods” and “child maltreatment”), (“parental leave” and “child maltreatment”), (“primary prevention” and “child maltreatment”), (WIC and “child maltreatment”), (“home visit” and “child maltreatment”), (“child abuse and neglect” and “primary prevention”), (“affordable housing” and prevention and “child maltreatment”), (“early …

Supporting Formerly Incarcerated Individuals In Higher Education: A Quantitative Study, Lisa Marie Jones-Wiertz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

People from various backgrounds in the United States have college aspirations. However, those with marginalized characteristics, particularly formerly incarcerated individuals, face multiple barriers in their quest for higher education. This study carries a twofold purpose: (a) determining the extent to which formerly incarcerated individuals in higher education in California feel supported and (b) determining types of support associated with educational success among formerly incarcerated individuals in higher education in California. Using the Person-in-Environment Framework, the nonprobability sampling methods of convenience and snowball, and a quantitative research design, this study surveyed 51 formerly incarcerated students enrolled across the California State University …

Cultural And Structural Barriers Of Utilizing Mental Health Services In A School-Based Setting For Latinx Populations, Silvia Lozano, Bridgette Guadalupe Calderon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative research study aimed to reduce mental health service disparities in Latinx communities and helps fill in the gap by addressing cultural and structural barriers to utilizing MHS in a school-based setting for Latinx youth. There is limited research regarding Latinx parents’ perspectives and the reservations they have on utilizing school-based mental health services (MHS) for their children. This study identified six important themes: cultural factors, trust and rapport, reservations, access and awareness, parental involvement and challenges, and school-based resources. Implications for school districts are that they can use these findings to increase early intervention mental behavioral health programs …

Machismo: The Impact It Has On Hispanic Male College Students Receiving Mental Health Services, Sara Barillas, Alexander Aguirre

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Machismo is an ideology held within the Hispanic community that endorses the expression of men’s dominance and power as well as aspects of bravery, honor, dominance, and reserved emotions. Higher rates of belief in machismo are connected to higher post-traumatic distress, stress, and depression. The goal of the study is to determine to what extent Machismo has an impact on male Hispanic college students’ beliefs about mental illness and their willingness to seek help. The following is a quantitative study. This study utilized male college students enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work programs. Additional …

The Relationship Between Blame, Maladaptive Guilt/ Shame, Couple Communication, And Relationship Satisfaction In Pornography Users, Joshua K. Otani

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In this master’s thesis, I conducted a quantitative study using data from 190 individuals in a committed couple relationship where at least one partner is dealing with problematic pornography use to better understand the relationship of blame and maladaptive guilt/ shame with couple communication patterns and couple satisfaction. All 190 individuals independently completed an online anonymous questionnaire consisting of various quantitative assessments measuring my study variables (e.g., blame, maladaptive guilt/ shame, couple communication, couple satisfaction, problematic pornography use).

I used an individual data analysis to examine how study variables related to individual outcomes. The first analysis revealed that general blame …

A Content Analysis On Emotions Presented In Preschool Children's Television, Sarah Austin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Learning about emotions is an essential aspect of early childhood. Because of the increasing access to screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic, children have more resources in their environment to learn from. However, before more can be known about whether children are learning about emotions during their screen time, it is important to know how emotions are being presented to them in their online content. Therefore, this study sought to gather data regarding how four emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, fear) are portrayed verbally and nonverbally among three types of preschool television shows (entertainment, balanced, educational). A sample of 60 preschool …

Across The Snake River Plain: Terminal Pleistocene, Early Holocene, And Early Middle Holocene Land-Use In Southeast Idaho, Jennifer Finn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The range of mobility demonstrated to overcome challenges with resource distribution is a hallmark of hunter-gatherer societies. Previous studies in southeast Idaho have investigated the possibility that precontact human movement was impacted by climatic differences. According to preliminary studies on regional obsidian toolstone conveyance, land use patterns were already changing throughout the early Holocene due to increased aridity. However, the geographical distribution of Northern Side-notched projectile points suggests a significant expansion in mobility at the early Holocene/middle Holocene transition. This thesis tests the hypothesis that precontact early middle Holocene human mobility in the study area was conditioned by environmental factors …

Nonreligious Parents' Perceptions Of The Role Religious Differences And Religious Disaffiliation Play In Family Relationships, Heather H. Kelley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The number of nonreligious Americans has steadily increased in recent years, and researchers predict that this growth will continue. Despite this growth, limited research has explored the experiences of nonreligious parents and how religious differences impact their family relationships. As such, through a qualitative analysis of 33 interviews with nonreligious couples (N=66 individuals), the current study addresses how nonreligious adults perceive the influence of religious differences on their relationships with their family of origin (i.e., parents, siblings, and extended family members) and how these religious differences impact the intergenerational relationships between nonreligious parent's family of origin and their children. Additionally, …

Wellbeing, Mental Health, And Natural Resource Dependency In Rural Utah, Kristen Rene Koci

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation examines wellbeing, mental health, and natural resource (NR) dependency in rural Utah. The following questions are asked: How do wellbeing and mental health vary throughout the state of Utah, including by rural-urban location? What concerns do applied practitioners have regarding mental health in rural parts of the state? How do chronic stress and social dislocation contribute to mental health outcomes in rural NR dependent communities in the state? Four studies were conducted to pursue these research questions.

The first two studies use data from the Utah Wellbeing Survey to explore wellbeing and mental health in Utah communities over …

Abortion Funds As Care Work: Navigating The Emotional Tolls Of The Texas Executive Order Abortion Ban And Covid-19 Pandemic, Brianna Trejo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the experiences of abortion fund staff and volunteers amidst the unprecedented challenges posed during the early months of COVID-19 and the Texas Executive Order. Through analysis of semi-structured interviews, we aimed to identify the shared experiences of staff and volunteers during this time. Four categories of experiences were identified: (1) Reproductive Justice, (2) Emotional Support, (3) Creating a Community of Care, and (4) Emotional Burnout. Our findings revealed that to navigate the uncertainties of the pandemic and Executive Order, staff and volunteers adapted a community of care model deeply rooted within the framework of reproductive justice. …

Resource Scarcity Caused By Environmental Changes: Driving Factor In Terrorism Attacks In Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Amaris Bustamante

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Climate change, resource scarcity, and terrorist attacks are ever-growing crises that disproportionately impact different states. They are crises that can impact the stability and resilience of humanity in the following decades if they are not addressed and mitigated. This study addresses the impact of resource scarcity caused by climate change that can then serve as a driving force in terrorist attacks in climate-sensitive and conflict-prone states. The objective of this mixed-methods study is to identify the correlation between climate changes that lead to resource scarcity such as rainfall and surface temperatures with terrorist attacks when taking into consideration other demographic, …

The Kids Aren’T Alright: Examining The Spatial Concentration Of Drug Crime Near Schools In Little Rock, Arkansas, Jason Neeley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the last two decades, violence and death stemming from drug activity has become a concern to communities across the country. Increasingly, policymakers and law enforcement agencies have sought to understand where drug activity is located, including in and around schools, and why some places are more susceptible to drug problems than others. The current study explores two related questions: (1) How do drug crimes spatially pattern around schools? and, in turn, (2) What are the neighborhood-level predictors of the concentration of drug crime? Focusing on Little Rock, Arkansas, I examine the spatial distribution of drug offenses and overdoses within …

Race, Severe Mental Illness, And Crime: An Intersectional Look Into Stigma And Policy Implications, Elena Therese Vaudreuil

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Criminal behavior has been a long-discussed topic in the United States and often is tied to characteristics such as race and mental illness. The presumed connection between criminal behavior and being a member of a racial minority group or having a mental illness have been researched for years, however few researchers have sought to take an intersectional approach to investigate the unique experiences of people belonging to both groups in the criminal legal system. Using the lenses of attribution and intersectionality theories, the proposed studies sought to understand the effect of race that influences policy support of justice-involved people with …

The Role Of Soft Infrastructure In Developing Sustainable Volunteer-Based Healthcare For Transient Migrants In The El Paso-Ciudad Juárez Border Region, Daniel Avitia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.