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Gini Index Research In Cambodia, Angelica Hagman, Dr. Donald Holsinger Sep 2013

Gini Index Research In Cambodia, Angelica Hagman, Dr. Donald Holsinger

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The main objective of this research project, spearheaded by Dr. Donald Holsinger, was to calculate the Gini Index of Education for Cambodia. Simply put, the Gini Index is a measurement of equality; the higher the quantitative score, the greater the inequality and vice versa. The Gini Index, or coefficient, of education is a measure of equality in educational attainment, or in other words a measure of the distribution of education. High educational inequality is undesirable in many aspects; among other things, high educational inequality in a country hinders its economic development.

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Untitled, Daniel Young Sep 2013

Untitled, Daniel Young

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Although the drainage history of intermountain western North America has been studied extensively, traditional geological and paleontological approaches have slowed in deciphering that history because most Miocene and Pliocene evidence is buried by Pleistocene and other recent alluvial sediments. To fill this void, phylogeography has emerged as a novel approach to the study of drainage history. By using genetic analysis to examine the evolutionary relationships among various populations of a given species, especially an aquatic organism, researchers can construct genetic-based distribution patterns that ostensibly reflect historic inter-basin connections. This approach can potentially fill in some of the gaps left by …

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Speciation By Reproductive Isolation, Ian Dawson, Dr. Jerry Johnson Sep 2013

Speciation By Reproductive Isolation, Ian Dawson, Dr. Jerry Johnson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Ecological Speciation Hypothesis is a controversial explanation for how new species form. Although the idea is gaining momentum, there have been very few empirical tests of this model. Hence, our research is very timely and addresses what could be a common process by which new species form. Our research will address the effect of differences in predation pressure on the evolution of mating behavior. It will be one of only three studies to examine if predation can lead to reproductive isolation.

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Dendrochronology: Exploring Land Use In Montezuma Canyon, Julia Matheny, Dr. Matthew Bekker Sep 2013

Dendrochronology: Exploring Land Use In Montezuma Canyon, Julia Matheny, Dr. Matthew Bekker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Montezuma Canyon, of San Juan County, Utah has a long and rich history of human occupation with land use by various peoples. The Anasazi occupied the area from 200 to 1300 A.D., at which time the area was abandoned. Euroamerican pioneers came into the canyon in the 1880’s and introduced domestic cattle, which promoted grazing into the area. Since the time of Euroamerican settlement, the landscape of Montezuma Canyon has undergone dramatic changes due to erosion. Grazing, along with various other land uses involved in ranching and farming, have been suggested as possible causes of erosion, loss of viable soils …

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Reducing The Cost Of Soil Mapping In Precision Agriculture, Elizabeth Gillins, Dr. Ruth Kerry Sep 2013

Reducing The Cost Of Soil Mapping In Precision Agriculture, Elizabeth Gillins, Dr. Ruth Kerry

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Using electrical conductivity data (ECa) in soil survey is related to several soil properties. Particular use has been made of ECa data in precision agriculture because it is related to properties that could affect crop yield. Although theoretically sound reasons exist to explain these relationships, they vary spatially, making ECa data interpretation difficult, even within fields.

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Christian Hand-Bells In Celtic Lands, Adam Crandell, Dr. E. Harrison Powley Sep 2013

Christian Hand-Bells In Celtic Lands, Adam Crandell, Dr. E. Harrison Powley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The zealous Christian missionary Patrick arrived in Ireland in 432 A.D., laboring to introduce to the Celtic tribes there the gospel and monasticism. He used bells, among other clerical instruments, for this purpose. Bells were employed to sundry ends, from the mundane gathering of the missionaries to the more miraculous effecting of curses. His followers, both members of the church and fellow missionaries, revered the bells that Patrick used. Accordingly, his bells would become treated as relics, passed down from cleric to cleric as a divine investiture. Other later missionaries like Columba, Columbanus, and Ninian would also adopt the use …

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Quantifying Human Impact On Wetland Landscapes In Utah Valley The Meadows, American Fork, Utah, Benjamin Sykes, Dr. Matthew Bekker Sep 2013

Quantifying Human Impact On Wetland Landscapes In Utah Valley The Meadows, American Fork, Utah, Benjamin Sykes, Dr. Matthew Bekker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This Research Project involved the use of Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing Images, Fragstats, GIS Data layers obtained from Utah County, and database programs to quantify change to the natural landscape following human development in the area commonly known as “The Meadows” Shopping Center, located in American Fork, Utah.

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The Corporate Role In Economic Development, Ben Lewis, Dr. Paul Godfrey Sep 2013

The Corporate Role In Economic Development, Ben Lewis, Dr. Paul Godfrey

Journal of Undergraduate Research

According to the World Bank, approximately 3 billion people, almost half of the earth’s inhabitants live in poverty (World Bank, 2008). Although substantial progress in the war against poverty has been made, the need for economic development is pressing and real. Over the past year, my mentor and I have sought to identify the role that corporations play in creating meaningful and sustainable economic around the world. In particular, we examine and define the ways that these multi-national companies can increase the level of institutional capital in their areas of operation.

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Innovation: Defining, Identifying, And Leveraging Sources Of Advantageous Innovation, Nathan Lord, Dr. Jeff Dyer Sep 2013

Innovation: Defining, Identifying, And Leveraging Sources Of Advantageous Innovation, Nathan Lord, Dr. Jeff Dyer

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Innovation is a topic that keeps business leaders up at night. The current competitive landscape of corporate America has become a place in which companies must constantly renew their products, services, and identities. According to a survey by the Boston Consulting Group, an overwhelming majority of business leaders set innovation as a top priority. This same majority also admits its dissatisfaction with its innovation efforts thus far. Clearly these leaders are in need of better tools to identify and leverage sources of innovation both within and without their firms.

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A Statistical Report Of Byu Premedical Students From 2002-2007, Daniel Chan, David Kaiser Sep 2013

A Statistical Report Of Byu Premedical Students From 2002-2007, Daniel Chan, David Kaiser

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In 2006 the average number of BYU medical school applications for any one applicant was 17. With the chance of matriculation per application only 3.8%, yet the cost of each application running as high as $700 each, it is important for BYU premedical students to make informed decisions when choosing to which of 142 medical schools to apply.

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Uncertainty Analysis Of The Large Zone Economic Module (Lzem) Of The Se3m Model Of Land Use And Transportation, Alex Norr, Dr. Michael Clay Sep 2013

Uncertainty Analysis Of The Large Zone Economic Module (Lzem) Of The Se3m Model Of Land Use And Transportation, Alex Norr, Dr. Michael Clay

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Integrated land use and transportation forecasting models are used to assist decision makers in the policy analysis and infrastructure capital improvements selection process (1, 2, and 3). These models are typically given precise, point-estimate inputs that are mathematically linked, through a series of submodels, to forecasted model outputs (4 and 5). These point-estimate inputs represent an unrealistic level of precision and a growing body of research is focusing on statistical techniques to model uncertainty in model inputs and parameters and tracking the effects of this uncertainty through the various submodels to the model outputs (see 4, 6, and 7 and …

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Dendroarcheology: William Hawk’S Cabin And The Human History Of Utah, J. Joseph Naylor, Dr. Matthew Bekker Sep 2013

Dendroarcheology: William Hawk’S Cabin And The Human History Of Utah, J. Joseph Naylor, Dr. Matthew Bekker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Dendrochronology is the process by which tree rings are measured and compared with others to determine the age and growth rates of trees. It has a variety of emphasis that allow for the extensive use of tree rings in studying many different fields. Some of these include; dendroclimatology, the study of climate patterns, dendromorphology, the study of natural hazard events (earthquakes, avalanches, mass movements), and dendroarcheology, the study of old wooden structures to determine cutting dates and construction practices.

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Examining Links Between The Lds Faith And Cervical Cancer Mortality Rates Of The American West, Austin Parker, Dr. Ruth Kerry Sep 2013

Examining Links Between The Lds Faith And Cervical Cancer Mortality Rates Of The American West, Austin Parker, Dr. Ruth Kerry

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Several medical geography studies have identified Utah as an outlier in terms of various illnesses with far lower rates than other states in the country. Gooaverts (2009) noticed small clusters of low cervical cancer rates in Utah compared to other states, although he wasn’t specifically studying the heavy LDS influence on Utah’s population. Lower cervical cancer rates in Utah could be attributed to the LDS “Law of Chastity”, which discourages sexual relationships outside of marriage as up to 99% of cases of cervical cancer have been linked to the human papilloma virus, a sexually transmitted disease (http://www.cancerrecovery.org.uk/cervical-cancer). A goal of …

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A Propane Oven For The Uros Islands, Jeffrey Perry, Dr. Randy Lewis Sep 2013

A Propane Oven For The Uros Islands, Jeffrey Perry, Dr. Randy Lewis

Journal of Undergraduate Research

High in the Andes Mountains lives a group of Peruvians who spend their lives on the Uros Islands of Lake Titicaca. To purchase supplies at the nearest city, Puno, islanders must take a 20 minute motorboat trip and 10 minute taxi ride. Because trips to the city are infrequent, islanders rarely have the opportunity throughout the week to eat fresh baked breads, meats and desserts. The oven building team from the Global Engineering Outreach Class (GEO) at Brigham Young University decided to design, build and implement a portable oven, heated by propane that could be easily used and manufactured by …

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Correlation Of Hyperspectral Bands From Remotely Sensed Imagery And Urban Leaf Area Index, Derek Farnes, Dr. Ryan Jensen Sep 2013

Correlation Of Hyperspectral Bands From Remotely Sensed Imagery And Urban Leaf Area Index, Derek Farnes, Dr. Ryan Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As the world’s urban population continues to grow, more and more attention is being given to the environment in which humans live – urban areas. Unfortunately, urban expansion often leads to considerable loss of urban forest and its associated amenities. When studying the urban forest, a critical biophysical variable to consider is leaf area index (LAI) which is defined as the ratio of leaf surface area divided by ground area. Due to the importance of this variable, efficient methods have been sought for estimating LAI in urban areas. Potential has been found in measuring LAI with a hyperspectral sensor using …

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Using Dendrochronology To Identify An Unknown Earthquake, Douglas Metcalf, Dr. Matthew Bekker Aug 2013

Using Dendrochronology To Identify An Unknown Earthquake, Douglas Metcalf, Dr. Matthew Bekker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Geologists use various dating techniques to determine the ages of geologic phenomena. Dendrochronology- the analysis of annual growth-rings in trees- is one of these methods (Stoffel and Bollschwieler, 2008). Unlike other dating procedures, it can determine the exact years in which various events occurred. Such events include earthquakes, which produce distinct responses in tree-ring growth patterns (Jacoby, 1997).

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Local Ordinances That Promote Physical Activity A Survey Of Municipal Policies In Utah, Trenton Robertson, Dr. Shuanna K. Burbidge Aug 2013

Local Ordinances That Promote Physical Activity A Survey Of Municipal Policies In Utah, Trenton Robertson, Dr. Shuanna K. Burbidge

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Utah Department of Health revisited a study published in 2003 in the American Journal of Public Health because they desire to understand how Utah cities are using local laws to encourage or discourage physical activity of residents. Since 2003 only Hawaii has conducted a similar study. We have had the chance and opportunity to refine and perfect methods previously used to research and analyze issues that many other states may use in the next decade.

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Dendroarchaology: Using Tree Rings To Document Utah’S Historic Pioneer Structures, Robert Karl, Dr. Matthew Bekker Aug 2013

Dendroarchaology: Using Tree Rings To Document Utah’S Historic Pioneer Structures, Robert Karl, Dr. Matthew Bekker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Pioneer history is a heritage of Utah. Utah was founded on the premise of pioneers venturing from the east and settling throughout Utah. Very few of these historic pioneer structures have been dated in the state of Utah and for many of these structures there exists only a rough idea of when they were built. Other structures have been dated but the information is unpublished and therefore unavailable to the general public and the scientific community. And, though the use of tree rings in archaeology has a rich history in the southwestern United States , most research has focused on …

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Trends In The Spatial Distribution And Characteristics Of Korean-Americans, Megan Knowles, Dr. J. Matthew Shumway, Ruth Kerry Aug 2013

Trends In The Spatial Distribution And Characteristics Of Korean-Americans, Megan Knowles, Dr. J. Matthew Shumway, Ruth Kerry

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In Human Geography minimal research has been done regarding the immigration and spatial distribution of Korean-Americans. Historically there has been a detectable relationship between the degree of spatial concentration of a specific population and their degree of social assimilation. Few studies have been conducted regarding Korean-Americans as a separate ethnic group, and these studies most often focus on economic, health, and cultural aspects of the community and tend to be more local in scale.

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Thomas Hardy, Christian Bryner, John Bennion Aug 2013

Thomas Hardy, Christian Bryner, John Bennion

Journal of Undergraduate Research

For Professor Bennion’s Thomas Hardy project, I used my alloted 80 hours to research cultural and geographical information from five different novels: Jude the Obscure, The Return of the Native, The Mayor of Casterville, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, and Under the Greenwood Tree. With each of the novels, I jotted down the page number of any reference to geographical locations, place names, descriptions of local history, references to local customs, songs, buildings, furniture, local plant and animal life, and clothing.

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Engineering, Production And Optimization Of A Bench Scale Tce Bioreactor, David Schlesinger, Dr. Alan R. Harker Aug 2013

Engineering, Production And Optimization Of A Bench Scale Tce Bioreactor, David Schlesinger, Dr. Alan R. Harker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Trichloroethylene (better known as TCE) has been used for decades as a solvent for fats, waxes, oils, paints, varnishes, and rubber. This characteristic of TCE has made it useful in industry for cleaning and degreasing; hence, its wide use at airports, and military installations.

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Autonomous Soaring Using Real-Time Wind Estimation, Mark J. Cutler, Dr. Timothy Mclain Aug 2013

Autonomous Soaring Using Real-Time Wind Estimation, Mark J. Cutler, Dr. Timothy Mclain

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are obtaining increasing utilization in many applications. Their small size (0.5-4m wingspan) allows them to fly close to the ground, providing useful observation and tracking data. This small size, however, comes at the expense of flight time. As UAV size decreases, the amount of stored energy (electrical or chemical) the UAV is able to carry also decreases. If long flight times are to be obtained with a small UAV, other energy sources must be exploited. Naturally occurring atmospheric phenomena provide one such potential energy source.

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Modeling Urban Forest Biomass Using Aisa+ Hyperspectral Data, Brian Bunker, Dr. Ryan Jensen Aug 2013

Modeling Urban Forest Biomass Using Aisa+ Hyperspectral Data, Brian Bunker, Dr. Ryan Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Urban forests are trees and other woody vegetation growing in an urban environment. Urban forests have been shown to have economic, aesthetic, and ecological benefits (Gatrell & Jensen, 2002; Nowak & Crane, 2002). Monitoring the health of Urban Forests is important to maintain a healthy environment for humans in their principal habitat. Our research focused on developing methods to monitor urban forest biomass using remote sensing data.

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Habitat Interaction Between Two Species Of Chipmunk In The Basin And Range Province Of Nevada, Christopher Lowrey, Kathleen Longshore Jul 2013

Habitat Interaction Between Two Species Of Chipmunk In The Basin And Range Province Of Nevada, Christopher Lowrey, Kathleen Longshore

Western North American Naturalist

Interspecies interactions can affect how species are distributed, put constraints on habitat expansion, and reduce the fundamental niche of the affected species. Using logistic regression, we analyzed and compared 174 Tamias palmeri and 94 Tamias panamintinus within an isolated mountain range of the Basin and Range Province of southern Nevada. Tamias panamintinus was more likely to use pinyon/ponderosa/fir mixed forests than pinyon alone, compared to random sites. In the presence of T. palmeri, however, interaction analyses indicated T. panamintinus was less likely to occupy the mixed forests and more likely near large rocks on southern aspects. This species-by-habitat interaction data …

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Biogeography And Evolution Of Neotropical Small Mammals, With Emphasis On Hystricognath Spiny Rats Of The Genus Proechimys (Family Echimyidae), Rafael Do Nascimento Leite Jul 2013

Biogeography And Evolution Of Neotropical Small Mammals, With Emphasis On Hystricognath Spiny Rats Of The Genus Proechimys (Family Echimyidae), Rafael Do Nascimento Leite

Theses and Dissertations

The Neotropical region is the most biologically diverse region on the planet. The region encompasses a variety of ecosystems and has long been the target of researchers interested in patterns of species diversity and distribution. More recently, molecular data have been incorporated into methods for reconstructing the historical relationships among geographical areas and their biotas. Molecular phylogenetics has provided insights into diversification patterns and the influence of Late Cenozoic events on the evolutionary history of the region. Nevertheless, considering the vast extent and complexity of the region, more studies are needed to fully appreciate the patterns of biogeography and the …

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Parowan Valley Potting Communities: Examining Technological Style In Fremont Snake Valley Corrugated Pottery, Scott M. Ure Jul 2013

Parowan Valley Potting Communities: Examining Technological Style In Fremont Snake Valley Corrugated Pottery, Scott M. Ure

Theses and Dissertations

Defining the Fremont archaeological culture has challenged archaeologists for decades. There is still considerable debate about the origins of the Fremont, their eventual demise, their genetic relationship to modern Native American tribes, and myriad other issues. In nearly a century of Fremont research, socio-political, economic, and religious complexity remain elusive subjects. Examining technological style, the manifestation of socially influenced choices during each step of production as a means of passive communication, is one useful avenue to examine Fremont material culture to uncover the social patterns they may, or may not contain. I examine whether or not technological style in Fremont …

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Low Mitochondrial Dna Sequence Variation In The Microendemic Cuatro Ciénegas Platyfish Xiphophorus Gordoni, Evan W. Carson, Hector Espinosa-Pérez, Valeria Souza Jul 2013

Low Mitochondrial Dna Sequence Variation In The Microendemic Cuatro Ciénegas Platyfish Xiphophorus Gordoni, Evan W. Carson, Hector Espinosa-Pérez, Valeria Souza

Western North American Naturalist

The desert spring ecosystem of the Cuatro Ciénegas basin, Mexico, hosts an extraordinary but increasingly imperiled assemblage of native and endemic aquatic organisms. Among the more vulnerable to extinction is the microendemic Cuatro Ciénegas platyfish Xiphophorus gordoni, which is at particular risk due to its highly restricted distribution and small population size. Given the growing demands on water resources in this arid region, we conducted a survey of mitochondrial DNA sequence variation in the cytochrome b gene to establish a baseline for long-term genetic monitoring of this endangered species. Fifty-eight specimens were collected from the 2 subpopulations known to persist, …

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Discovery Of The Rare Freshwater Brown Alga Pleurocladia Lacustris (Ectocarpales, Phaeophyceae) In California Streams, John D. Wehr, Rosalina Stancheva, Kam Truhn, Robert G. Sheath Jul 2013

Discovery Of The Rare Freshwater Brown Alga Pleurocladia Lacustris (Ectocarpales, Phaeophyceae) In California Streams, John D. Wehr, Rosalina Stancheva, Kam Truhn, Robert G. Sheath

Western North American Naturalist

Pleurocladia lacustris A. Braun is a freshwater member of the Phaeophyceae, a class of algae that occurs almost entirely in marine waters. It has previously been reported from only about 13 freshwater locations worldwide, just 2 of which are in North America. Outside of North America, P. lacustris has been listed as a threatened species on several European red lists. In this paper, we report the discovery of P. lacustris in 3 calcareous streams draining the Santa Lucia Mountains in coastal California, sites that are more than 1200 km from the nearest known population. Pleurocladia lacustris is a filamentous, benthic …

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Acts 17: Paul Before The Areopagus, Michael R. Preece Jul 2013

Acts 17: Paul Before The Areopagus, Michael R. Preece

Theses and Dissertations

Luke's record of Paul in Athens is among the most interesting and widely studied topics in the life of the Apostle Paul. Luke recorded that Paul taught in the Athenian marketplace, where he was asked to present his doctrines before the Areopagus. Many have commented on the controversial aspects of Paul's speech before the council as recounted by Luke. Much of this scholarly commentary has been centered on the speech itself and the historical authenticity of the account. The purpose of this thesis is to reexamine the context and the setting of the speech as recorded by Luke in the …

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Avalanche Chronology Of The Maple Mountain/Spanish Fork Peak Avalanche Paths, Kimball Hansen, Dr. Matthew Bekker Jun 2013

Avalanche Chronology Of The Maple Mountain/Spanish Fork Peak Avalanche Paths, Kimball Hansen, Dr. Matthew Bekker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I began planning my project of the avalanche chronology of the Maple Mountain/Spanish Fork Peak Avalanche Paths in 2009 while applying for the ORCA grant. I was currently wrapping up a similar project of an avalanche chronology of Loafer Mountain near Woodland Hills Peak. This later project helped form a basis for the new avalanche path near Spanish Fork Peak. Since the two paths are relatively close to each other in the Wasatch Mountain Range, I can use the chronology found from Loafer Mountain avalanche path with the new path I will be researching and correlate the data and help …

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