Digital Commons Network^™

An Applied Mental Health Course And Student Well-Being, Alison Nicole Anglen

Theses and Dissertations

Addressing mental health concerns and promoting well-being is imperative for university students to function optimally and to succeed academically. The demand for mental health care is exceeding the capacity of traditional counseling center resources at universities, suggesting the need for innovative interventions that can serve a broader scope of students. There is emerging evidence suggesting that mental health can be addressed, and well-being improved through psychoeducation and applied skills taught in classroom settings. Objectives: To examine a Mental Health and Well-Being course at a large, private religious university and its relationship to students’ well-being. This will be measured by assessing …

High School Sport Participation: Effects On Students' Grit And Resilience, Rory Kekoa-Israel Waldman

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is a time of transition, growth, and identity exploration. Often this great time for growth is accompanied with an increase in stressors that can be detrimental to success and health, without the necessary coping mechanisms. It is a period of life where resilience and grit are extremely important. A post-traumatic growth definition for resilience allows for the possibility of a steeling effect, in which the resilience of an adolescent can grow and develop. Sport provides an ideal environment for the development of both grit and resilience by providing a safe environment for adversity to occur without detrimental consequences. In …

Takiri Ake Nga Haeata: Lighting A Path To Increased Indigenous Leadership In Aotearoa, Kaylee Ihimaera

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the underrepresentation of indigenous Māori people in leadership positions and pursues the need to develop a Māori leadership framework aimed at empowering the next generation of indigenous people. Several frameworks have attempted to exhibit Māori leadership dynamics, each offering unique insights into the cultural and relational aspects of Māori leadership. However, existing frameworks often exhibit limitations in fully encapsulating the breadth of Māori leadership values and practices, necessitating the development of a comprehensive Māori leadership model independent of Western frameworks. Through an extensive review of existing literature and engaging with Māori experts, I synthesized key insights to …

Exploring The Effects Of Delayed Auditory Feedback On Speech Kinematics: A Comparative Analysis Of Monologue Speech And Tongue Twisters, Abbey Corinne Persons

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of delayed auditory feedback (DAF) on speech kinematics during tongue twisters and monologues. Participants were 20 adults (10 men, 10 women) aged 18-29 with typical speech and hearing abilities. A smartphone app provided DAF latencies of 50 ms, 100 ms, and 150 ms. Kinematic measures were made of peak speed, stroke distance, and hull area for the tongue front, jaw, and lower lip under typical and the three DAF conditions. Results indicated that DAF significantly reduced peak speed and stroke distance for all articulators during tongue twisters (p < .01), with the effect magnitude increasing with longer delays. No significant DAF effects were observed in monologues (p > .05). Sex differences were noted, with women …

Strong Gelfand Pairs Of Some Finite Groups, Joseph E. Marrow

Theses and Dissertations

Strong Gelfand pairs describe a relation between a group and a subgroup, using a relation between inner products of their characters. We find all strong Gelfand pairs of the dihedral and dicyclic groups, and several of the sporadic groups. We provide some results for the strong Gelfand pairs of the affine linear groups, in addition to the exceptional classical groups $\mathrm{Sp}_4(q)$ for $q$ a power of $2$.

Information Geometric Approaches To Optimal Experimental Design And Reduced-Order Modeling In Ocean Acoustics, Jay C. Spendlove

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis demonstrates the application of information geometry to problems in underwater acoustics. Information geometry combines the fields of information theory and differential geometry by interpreting a multiparameter model as a Riemannian manifold in an ambient data space. Information geometry tools are especially powerful in context of problems of experimental design and model selection in ocean acoustics. The application area specifically considered in this research is geoacoustic inversion, where seabed parameter values are inferred from acoustical data. Chapter 2 contains a paper submitted to the Journal of Theoretical and Computational Acoustics, which introduces information geometry tools such as the model …

Sex Influences Of Age Of Onset And Duration Of Illness On Patterns Of Cortical Thickness In Individuals With Schizophrenia, Rachael Olivia Slate

Theses and Dissertations

Given that the manifestation of schizophrenia varies by sex, it is hypothesized that the interaction between diagnosis and sex significantly influences brain structure and is believed to be a crucial factor in understanding the neurobiology of schizophrenia. While much is known about cortical thickness mapping of the condition, there is currently no work that has assessed how changes to the cortical mantle relate to important clinical features of schizophrenia that vary by sex, such as age of illness onset (AOO) or duration of illness (DOI). This study utilized a sex-wise approach to examining cortical thickness alterations in men and women …

Documentation Of Norm Negotiation In A Secondary Mathematics Classroom, Michelle R. Bagley

Theses and Dissertations

While previous mathematics education research has shown that norms can change in mathematics classrooms, little research has closely documented the struggles, concessions, and compromises involved in the negotiation process. Negotiating norms is a complex process entailing deliberate teacher moves intended to promote norms, often met with misunderstandings or resistance from students. This thesis documented the negotiation process that occurred when a teacher attempted to require conceptual explanations from students who had not previously been accustomed to doing so. I recorded six days of instruction in a 9th grade algebra unit, transcribed the class discussions, and inferred norms "at play" for …

Chilled Classrooms: Educator Identity And Responses To "Divisive Issues"-Related Challenges To Professionalism, Hannah Katherine Dixon Everett

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, the United States has seen a notable increase in controversy and legislation regarding "divisive" concepts and issues in education. These divisive issues include Critical Race Theory, Social Emotional Learning, book censorship, and other race and gender topics. Legislation and media coverage regarding these issues contributes to a larger trend of challenges to teacher professionalism. I build on recent literature exploring how educators experience divisive issues legislation, putting these experiences in conversation with educator identity formation and the development of a professional sense of self. I interviewed 18 secondary school teachers throughout Utah's Wasatch Front to explore (1) how teachers …

Six Connotations Of Sustainability In Civil And Construction Engineering: A Corpus Linguistics Study, Xiaomei Wang, Andrew South, Brett James Hashimoto, Clifton Farnsworth

Faculty Publications

This research explores the historic use of the concept of sustainability in civil engineering academic literature and identifies its conceptual evolution and connotative treatment over the last 40 years. We find that academic research addressing sustainability is exponentially increasing and that the focus on sustainability is enlarging from a primarily environmental perspective to include more social elements. Additionally, we propose a set of six connotations of sustainability: assessment, progress, permanence, abstractness, multidimensional, and intersectional. These connotations provide conceptual clarity for academics and practitioners in better-defining sustainability objectives and measuring outcomes. These connotations also promote more efficient collaboration with other necessary …

Assessing Medical Adherence In A Volunteer Community Health Clinic, Jessica Clark, Matthew Anderson, Janelle L. B. Macintosh, Corinna Trujillo Tanner, Kristen Erekson

Student Works

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to identify the rates of and reasons for nonadherence in medical follow-up care among patients who utilize the Volunteer Care Clinic (VCC).

Background: The VCC is a free outpatient care center for acute medical conditions. The VCC serves uninsured, low socioeconomic residents of Utah County, and many of the patients who come to the clinic primarily speak Spanish. The director of the VCC expressed concern that patients who were assigned medical follow-up care to complete after their visit were not completing these assignments. Nonadherence is associated with increased costs, more hospitalizations, and worse …

Ready, Set, Grow: From Micelles To Giant Vesicles Via Biocatalytic Activation, Nicholas P. Bair, Qinyu Zhu, Bryon A. Staynings, Douglas R. Tree, Walter F. Paxton

Faculty Publications

Controlling physicochemical processes that drive changes in supramolecular aggregates is an important objective toward creating artificial soft micro- and nanomachines. Previous research explored the morphology control of membrane-based materials subjected to externally imposed chemical stimuli. Here, we modulate the microscale morphology of pH-responsive assemblies by using biocatalysis to internally generate changes in global pH. Catalytic reactions offer flexibility in the mechanism and rate at which stimuli are introduced to responsive assemblies, ultimately enabling precision and control over size and morphology. We observed, by dynamic light scattering and fluorescence microscopy, substantial microscale differences between assemblies subjected to manually titrated pH changes …

Membrane Hinges For Deployable Systems, C. Mitchel Skinner

Theses and Dissertations

Origami-inspired and deployable technology has become increasingly common in a variety of applications including satellite and antenna designs for space applications. The drive to utilize ultra-thin materials in the design of these deployable space structures has led to the development of membrane hinges. Membrane hinges show promise as an effective surrogate fold because of their potential advantages including requiring minimal volume and mass, allowing for small bending radii, and functioning without lubricant. Two challenges associated with membrane hinges include reliability after repeated cyclic loading and predictability of a large deployable with radially-unconstrained membrane hinges. The research presented includes the cyclic …

A Systematic Review Of Implementation Fidelity Interventions For School-Based Behavior Supports In Special Education Settings, Paige C. Mesui

Theses and Dissertations

Problem behavior has been increasing in classrooms and has significantly contributed to teacher burnout. Students in special education settings have been found to demonstrate problem behaviors more than their general education peers. Schools have a responsibility to implement evidence-based behavioral support to assist students with their behavioral needs, decrease problem behavior, and increase desired behavior in the classroom. There is a relationship between the level of implementation fidelity and the effectiveness of an intervention. If there are not high levels of fidelity, the results are not expected to mimic what has been found in the research. The purpose of this …

The Role Of Language In Identity And Mediating Connection For Fijian College Students, Grace Taito Tora

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the role of language in constructing identity and promoting belonging for seventeen Fijian college students at one U.S. based university in the Pacific Rim. Focus group interviews were analyzed for how students described the role that language played in constructing student identity and mediating connection. Analysis was grounded in post-structural perspectives of identity alongside vā – the Oceanic notion that encompasses identity and belonging. Students described themes of native language proficiency in reinforcing kinship relationships and in participating in cultural traditions and practices. They also expressed other ways of maintaining vā without proficiency in their native languages. …

Characterizing And Manipulating Intra-Die Performance Variation Of Fpgas And Its Application In Security, Hayden C. Cook

Theses and Dissertations

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are reconfigurable, high-performing devices that are often used in critical applications. However, like all semiconductors, FPGAs experience transistor aging that can lower performance and lead to device failures. Additionally, device aging also has several security implications. Therefore, understanding the aging mechanisms behind transistor aging is necessary to ensure the reliability of FPGAs. However, current aging studies either rely on simulation alone or are unable to isolate aging effects on specific elements within the FPGA. This dissertation uses the reconfigurability of FPGAs to develop novel aging techniques that allow for the targeted aging of specific areas …

Facets Of Neuroticism As Predictors Of Heart Rate Variability And Psychological Distress, Mikel Cressman

Theses and Dissertations

Heart rate variability (HRV) and personality are related to both physical and mental health outcomes. Previous research has found a relationship between neuroticism and distress while the findings on the relationship between neuroticism and HRV are mixed. Studying the facets of neuroticism may provide a more nuanced view of the effects of personality on HRV and distress. Previous research has suggested that the vulnerability facet of neuroticism appears to be uniquely related to the cardiovascular response to stress. This study's first hypothesis is that individuals with higher scores on the vulnerability facet will have lower heart rate variability. The second …

Drop Dynamics And Heat Transfer During Dropwise Condensation On Superhydrophobic Surfaces, Shaur Humayun

Theses and Dissertations

As we seek to address the escalating demand for energy and water, superhydrophobic surfaces have gained the attention of researchers due to their potential to boost condensation heat transfer rates and improve efficiency across various applications. One way to significantly improve dropwise condensation heat transfer rate is to improve drop mobility. Water-repelling properties of superhydrophobic surfaces can help in reducing the size of condensed drops as they depart the surface, thus increasing drop refresh rates by increasing drop mobility. Accurate models of retention forces between drops and superhydrophobic surfaces are needed for predicting drop dynamics including drop mobility. Once drop …

Library Internal Reviews For Value Description And Strategic Planning, Holt Zaugg

Faculty Publications

In between university level assessments, the BYU Library conducts internal reviews of each library department, describing its value to the library and university, and providing recommendations for improvement. The process used a team of library employees in departments not under review and an external reviewer to conduct the internal review. Using a case-study approach, the development of an internal review system, its meta-evaluation at the end of its first cycle, and the on-going efforts to improve the internal review process are described. Using a graduate level evaluation class followed by a task force, changes were made to the internal review …

Unveiling Trends, Terminology, And Teaching Competencies Of Blended Courses In Higher Education, Jennifer Lynn Ramsey

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation has been written in a three-article journal-ready format and centers on competencies for blended teaching in higher education. I use the PRISMA process and thematic coding to analyze 34 articles from 2002 to 2022, highlighting strategic combination, learner-centered approaches, and additional support. I also use the Google Search API and content analysis to suggest that blended, digital, and flexible may be post-secondary institutions' most frequently used terminology to describe contexts incorporating online and in-person components. I also gather qualitative data from interviews with faculty to highlight the context and nuances surrounding blended teaching competencies, including creative innovation, technology …

Rigorous Verification Of Stability Of Ideal Gas Layers, Damian Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis we develop tools for carrying out computer assisted proof of the stability of traveling wave solutions of the spatially one-dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes equations with an ideal gas equation of state. In particular, we obtain rigorous, tight error bounds on a high-accuracy numerical approximation of the traveling wave profile for parameters corresponding to air, and we obtain rigorous representations in a neighborhood of positive and negative infinity of the solution to the first order ODE associated with linearizing the PDE equations about the traveling wave solution. We also develop supporting tools for rigorous verification of wave stability.

Barriers To Family Planning For Women In West Africa, Emma Gunn

Ballard Brief

In West Africa, access to family planning remains a pressing issue with far-reaching implications for women's health, education, and economic empowerment. Despite global efforts to promote reproductive rights and expand contraceptive access, significant barriers persist, hindering women's ability to make informed choices about their reproductive health. According to recent data, only 13% of married women aged 15-49 in West Africa use any form of family planning method, These low utilization rates are compounded by an unmet need for family planning among 26% of women in the region. Factors contributing to these barriers include limited access to accurate information, fear of …

The Aridification Of The Great Salt Lake, David Thompson

Ballard Brief

Throughout Nepal, brick kilns employ thousands of families annually for the seasonal work of crafting and shipping bricks. As families migrate between work in brick factories and agricultural work at home, more factors block their children from a complete and quality education. The open invitation to begin working with their parents and to help provide for the family becomes a strong temptation that causes many children to give up on school. In addition, Nepal's lack of law enforcement frequently allows children to drop out of school early without consequence. Their parents do not attempt to stop them either, making little …

The Role Of Nr4a Transcription Factors In The Body And Their Effects In The Pancreatic Beta Cell, Jacob A. Herring

Theses and Dissertations

A central aspect of type 1 and type 2 diabetes is decreased functional β-cell mass which leads to systemic glucose dysregulation. Functional β-cell mass takes into account β-cell insulin secretion, β-cell proliferation, and β-cell survival. Several treatments are currently used to help maintain glucose levels in individuals with diabetes. However, cures for these diseases are not available due to inability to expand functional β-cell mass. Transcription factors control expression of target genes critical for various functions, and transcription factors that control β-cell function, proliferation and survival play a significant role in β-cell development and function. A more thorough examination of …

Cultivating A Digital Environment To Support Primary Source Instruction, Lindsey Memory, Rebecca A. Wiederhold, Abby Beazer, Gregory K. Seppi

Faculty Publications

Primary source literacy continues to be a priority for academic institutions. A growing subtopic is digital primary sources and their unique role in pedagogy. Digital primary sources have the capacity to represent more diverse voices, and their digital nature provides greater accessibility to new and existing user populations who cannot always come to the reading room. Digital primary sources can better meet a variety of needs through ADA-compliant transcription, 24/7 access, portability, and extensibility. With that vision in mind, these projects and materials present their own challenges to archivists, librarians, and other instructors seeking to expand these items’ curricular use. …

Cameras For Girls: Nonprofit Spotlight, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Full Issue: Artificial Intelligence And Data For Nonprofit Organizations, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Machine Learning For Nonprofit Organizations, Justin Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Nonprofit organizations are often looking for ways to increase efficiency while operating with limited resources. With data more readily available than in the recent past, machine learning provides powerful tools for unlocking valuable insights and enabling nonprofits to do more with limited resources. This paper explores various machine learning techniques to enhance nonprofit operations with an overview of machine learning approaches, including supervised, unsupervised, semi-supervised, and reinforcement learning, and their potential benefits for nonprofit organizations. A practical use-case of donor prediction for fundraising is presented to demonstrate how supervised learning can be employed to identify potential repeat donors. The neural …

Enhancing Nonprofit Efficiency And Productivity Through Ai: Applications Of Chatgpt, Sam R. Calhoun, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article explores how nonprofit organizations can leverage AI to enhance efficiency and productivity. Key areas of impact include automating routine inquiries, supporting fundraising efforts, streamlining administrative tasks, aiding in program delivery, facilitating research and analysis, improving internal communication, and providing professional development. By integrating AI, nonprofits can optimize operations and focus more on their core mission, leading to greater social impact.

At-A-Glance Chart: How Nonprofits Can Use Ai/Chatgpt, Sam Calhoun, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.