Digital Commons Network^™

Mental Gymnastics: How Misconceptions Drive Unstable Forms Of Scientific And Religious Reconciliation, Jamie Jensen, Jade Sorensen, Andrea Phillips, Mackay Strong, Isaac A. Woolley, Spencer M. Johanseon, Afton Fillmore, Luke N. Noakes

ScholarsArchive Data

Interview transcripts of introductory biology students attempting to reconcile evolutionary science with religious faith.

Metonymy In Sound: A Neurolinguistic Study Of Al-Mullalah Soundscape Using Fnirs, Rand Naser Muflih

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis offers an interdisciplinary exploration of the semantic and neurolinguistic development of Al-Mullalah, a traditional Palestinian "coded" song type. By combining metonymy, soundscape analysis, and functional neuroimaging, the study traces the evolution of Al-Mullalah from a localized, covert means of communication tied to historical struggle to a globally recognized auditory symbol of collective resilience. The research uses a multi-method approach. First, soundscape analysis demonstrates how Al-Mullalah functions within Palestinian aural counterpublics, strengthening communal memory through various uses. Second, a qualitative analysis of semantics and themes examines how the text's metonymic structures change over time. Lastly, a Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy …

Tracing Microplastics From Polymer-Coated Urea: Urban To Agricultural Pathways And Environmental Fate, Caden Joseph Seely

Theses and Dissertations

Polymer-coated urea (PCU) is widely used as a slow-release nitrogen (N) fertilizer because it improves N use efficiency and reduces losses through leaching, denitrification, and volatilization. However, the polymer coating raises concerns about potential microplastic (MP) transport to surface waters following fertilizer application. This thesis evaluates the off-site transport of MPs and associated nutrient and sediment losses from PCU in both urban landscape and agricultural systems. In the urban landscape study, treatments included sod, mulched beds, and water-efficient ground cover receiving uncoated urea, PCU, or liquid slow-release N at 225 kg N ha⁻¹ (with reduced rates for beds and ground …

Optimizing Seedling Emergence In Sagebrush-Steppe Restoration: The Role Of Sowing Depth, Seed Coatings, And Microsite Amendments, John Thomas Stromberg

Theses and Dissertations

Seedling survival of fall-sown seeds over the winter and subsequent emergence in spring is a major demographic bottleneck limiting recruitment in dryland restoration. Deeper sowing can place seeds in a more favorable soil environment with more stable moisture and moderated temperatures, but emergence from these depths is often constrained by the greater distance seedlings must grow to reach the surface and by mechanical resistance in the upper soil layer. In the first chapter of this thesis, we evaluated the use of a slow-release gibberellic acid (GA₃) polymer seed coating to aid in seedling emergence from deeper sowing depths. We compared …

Toward Human-Like Robot Behavior In Co-Manipulation: Learning From Human Dyad Performance, Adam Kenneth Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Co-manipulation requires two or more agents to coordinate through a shared object while exchanging information through motion and force. Although this capability is routine for humans, robotic systems still struggle to participate in such interaction naturally and effectively. This thesis addresses that gap by studying human co-manipulation behavior, developing methods to quantify performance, collecting a leader-follower dataset that isolates haptic communication, and training data-driven controllers from human demonstrations. First, cumulative and real-time metrics were developed to quantify human dyad performance. In particular, the behavioral modes "quickly" and "smoothly" were formulated as measurable performance objectives using completion time and squared jerk. …

Nature Nearby: Use Of Green Spaces Mediating The Relationship Between Access To Green Spaces And Health, Sydney P. Goodson

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Access to green spaces has been consistently linked to improved physical and mental health, yet the mechanisms driving this relationship remain underexplored, particularly in the United States. Using data from the 2018 General Social Survey (N = 1,045), this study examines whether time spent in natural environments mediates the relationship between access to green spaces and self‑rated physical and mental health. Linear regression models with robust standard errors reveal that time spent in natural environments mediates the relationship between access to green spaces and both health outcomes. These findings suggest that proximity to green spaces alone is insufficient to produce …

Family Processes As A Protective Factor Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Adolescent Delinquency, Tessa Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores whether family processes (i.e., parental attachment and parental discipline/monitoring) serve as protective factors between the relationship of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adolescent delinquency. Prior research has established an association between ACEs and many negative life outcomes, including delinquent behavior, while strong parental attachment and parental discipline/monitoring are linked to lower rates of delinquency. However, the interplay of these three factors has been understudied. Drawing on data from the 2024 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS) (N=22,016), this study examines the relationship between ACEs, family processes, and delinquency using negative binomial regression models. Results indicate that parental …

Hybrid Bermudagrass Dormancy Management In A Cool-Season Climate, Clarissa H. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt Davy) (HBG) is a water efficient warm-season turfgrass increasingly adopted in cool-season and semi-arid regions due to climate change and the demand for reduced irrigation inputs. However, prolonged winter dormancy limits its visual quality (verdure) and seasonal performance. This thesis evaluated multiple management strategies to modify dormancy dynamics and improve off-season turf quality in a cool-season environment. Field experiments assessed the effects of growth covers, fertilizers, colorants, surfactants, organic acids, and overseeding with cool-season species on HBG dormancy over two seasons. Dormancy responses were quantified using normalized difference vegetation index …

Advancing Cyclic Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry For Structural Characterization, Isomer Discrimination And Gas-Phase Ion Chemistry, Sudam Shivaji Mane

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the development and application of high-resolution ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) methodologies for gas-phase separation and structural characterization of small molecules, with particular emphasis on epimers, positional isomers, and protomers. In addition to structural separations, this work investigates fundamental aspects of gas-phase ion chemistry using IMS-MS in combination with collision-induced ion activation and dissociation techniques. Advanced separations were performed using cyclic traveling-wave ion mobility spectrometry (cyclic TWIMS), implemented in a commercial cyclic ion mobility-mass spectrometry (cIMS) platform, to systematically evaluate both the capabilities and limitations of high-resolution IMS in resolving subtle structural differences. Initial studies demonstrated that, …

Redox Reprogramming In Neurogenesis: Candidate Developmental Switches And Targets Of Oxidative Toxicity In The Redox Proteome, Ryan Jacob Summerhays

Theses and Dissertations

Neurogenic differentiation requires coordinated redox regulation, yet how reversible cysteine oxidation is remodeled at proteome scale during this process remains poorly defined. Here, we asked whether differentiation is associated with selective, site-specific changes in reversible cysteine oxidation and whether oxidative stress reveals developmentally conditioned vulnerabilities within this redox landscape. To address this, we applied a discovery-oriented, proteome-scale redox profiling strategy that quantifies condition-dependent changes in reversible cysteine oxidation using CysPAT labeling, phosphopeptide enrichment, and multiplexed TMT mass spectrometry. Neurogenic differentiation was characterized by reproducible, bidirectional, and highly site-specific remodeling of reversible cysteine oxidation at discrete regulatory nodes, as well as …

Practical, Scalable, And Cost-Effective Nanolc-Ms Workflow For Single-Cell Proteomics, Siqi Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Single-cell proteomics provides a novel research strategy for decoding cellular heterogeneity, revealing the molecular mechanisms of rare cell subpopulations, and studying the dynamic responses of cells to external stimuli. However, compared to transcriptomics, single-cell proteomics faces even more challenging technical challenges: extremely low protein amount in single cells, wide dynamic range, significant adsorptive losses during sample preparation, and the complex matrix and trace sample injection demanding extremely high stability and sensitivity from the separation and detection systems. Mass spectrometry-based bottom-up proteomics has become an important tool for analyzing complex biological systems, and nano-flow liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS) exhibits unique advantages …

Differentials As Models: Constructing A Differentials-Within-Limits Framework For First-Year Calculus And Examining Students' Understanding Of Limits, Differentials, And Derivatives Within It, Alexander A. Swindler

Theses and Dissertations

Work in first-year calculus has clearly shown the power that treating differentials (such as dx) as tiny quantities affords for first-year calculus learning, yet a traditional limits-based approach leaves no room for them. While some researchers have loosely described informal differentials and limits within the same paradigm, their actual conceptual definitions and relationships have not been explicitly constructed. Continued progress in this area could benefit from theoretical consideration of (a) providing clearer intuitive definitions for differentials inside a limits-based approach to calculus, and (b) defining more exactly the relationships between differentials and limits. In this study, I propose a theoretical …

Community Religious Adherence Is A Poor Predictor Of Poverty Rates– Except In Utah And Idaho, Connor B. Biser

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Fourth Place Becoming BYU - BYU 150 category, Mary Lou Fulton Mentored Student Research Conference 2026

Previous research has shown variable correlations between religious adherence and socioeconomic standing at the family and individual scales. Utah and Idaho are predominantly LDS—a faith which emphasizes and enables education and self-sufficiency through educational and material resources made available to the membership. We assessed the correlation between poverty rates and religious adherence rates at the county-level and compared national trends to those present in Utah and Idaho. We found a weak positive correlation between poverty and religious adherence rates nationally, but a moderate negative …

Finding Belonging In A Religious Dominant Society: Religion Among African Migrants In Türkiye, Garrett L. Wride, Stacey A. Shaw

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

As global migration increases each year, so does the need to understand the crossroads between inclusion, wellbeing, and religion. The experience of African migrants living in Türkiye presents itself as a unique case to study migrant wellbeing. Using quantitative and qualitative analysis, this study shows that African migrants in Türkiye belonging to the religious minority have lower scores of wellbeing and social support. Findings point to the need for policy makers and mental health practitioners to ensure migrants can access their religious communities.

Transcriptomic Analysis Of Xeroderma Pigmentosum Group C Skin Samples, Austen N. Gleave

Theses and Dissertations

Xeroderma Pigmentosum is a rare genetic disorder caused by defective DNA damage repair enzymes. This condition results in an increased risk of developing skin cancer and other symptoms in those affected. In this thesis, we examined the effects of Xeroderma Pigmentosum on gene expression in patient skin biopsy samples. To accomplish this, we utilized statistical analysis of spatial transcriptomic and single-cell RNA sequencing techniques to discover differences between patient and heterozygous carrier skin samples. We found that the skin samples from Xeroderma Pigmentosum patients showed elevated levels of inflammation, immune activation, and cellular stress, while the carrier skin samples leaned …

Variable Responses To Surface Washing Methods Used On Euplatypus Compositus (Curculionidae: Platypodinae) Prior To Fungal Isolation, Connor Biser, Jiri Hulcr, Miranda Barnes, Seth Bybee

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Ambrosia beetles (Platypodinae and Scolytinae) are a group of weevils that burrow into the xylem of trees and inoculate symbiotic fungi. These fungi grow in the walls of their galleries and serves as the beetles’ food source.1 [Fig. 1] This system of symbiotic interaction is highly convergent, and some beetles carry plant pathogens.2 Understanding the community of fungi associated with ambrosia beetles can help us assess forest risks and describe evolutionary patterns. When isolating fungi from beetles, researchers often include a preliminary surface washing step to limit superficial contaminants from the surface of the beetle. There have been no comparisons …

Unlikely Relationships: Plant Growth Promotion With Fish Waste Microbes, Thomas W. Scharf, Brad Geary

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

1st Place - Open House Presentation

• Aiding plant growth is becoming more important as climate conditions continue changing in key wildlands and farmlands.
• Future Fresh Farms has created a product from fish waste, addressing this need.
• This study aimed to compare the outcomes of plants grown with MicroRevive, derived from fish waste, against plants grown with other growth promoting bacteria (PGPB).

Uncovering The Roles Of Environment And Phylogeny In The Expression Of A Shared Morphological Trait In Squamates, Austin Rejcek, Dylan Mcmullen, Logan Gren, Randy L. Klabacka

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Addressing the roles of adaptive and nonadaptive processes in trait evolution is a major focus of evolutionary biology

Recently, we observed an undescribed morphological trait on the eyelids of squamate lizards - AKA ''Palpebral combs'' (See photos)

This trait appears to be widespread within lguania, although there is consistent morphological variation between species of varying ecologies

The Role Of Nmda And Mglur5 Receptors On Hippocampal Depotentiation, J.H. Cummings, E. Sandberg, J.G. Edwards

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Depotentiation of LTP, the cellular mechanism of learning and memory, is thought to be the primary mechanism of forgetting.

Prior research in our lab investigated metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) and its role in depotentiation and noted differences between males and females.

Preliminary data on NMDA receptors using AP5 (an antagonist) identified interesting findings, though n values are too low currently to draw conclusions.

Species Dynamics And Potential Invasion In The Restored Streams Of East Maui, Hannah Breinholt, Isabelle Hunter, Sarah Cole, Seth M. Bybee, Rachel L. Wood

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

100+ years of water diversions in East Maui disrupted this connectivity, threatening native species and their habitat

In 2018, stream flow was restored to 22 streams

Endemic amphidromous fish in East Maui streams depend on intact flow from mountains to sea (mauka-to-makai) and are especially vulnerable to habitat disruption and isolation [1]

Has stream restoration enabled native fish species to recolonize or has it created openings for non-native species?

Shoot Apical Meristem Size And Inflorescence Morphology In Gilia, Madeleine Glover, Clinton Whipple

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Gilia, a genus of wildflower native to the western United States, is a promising new model for evolutionary developmental biology. Two closely related Gilia species, G. capitata and G. yorkii, are able to produce a fertile hybrid, though they differ in many morphological features, including inflorescence architecture. G. capitata has a tight capitate inflorescence with a high solitary flower number, while G. yorkii has a much more open inflorescence, with a solitary flower number of one. Analysis of shoot apical meristem (SAM) size in relationship with solitary flower number (SFN) will provide a deeper understanding of the evolution of this …

Self-Reported Longest-Held Occupation Type In Relation To Epilepsy In Late Life: A Pooled Cohort Analysis Of Incidence And Prevalence, Daniel Guerrero Gutierrez, Sofia Pelagalli Maia, Hyunmi Choi, Jose Gutierrez, Natalie Bello, Mary L. Biggs, Emily M. Briceño, James F. Burke, Lisandro D. Colantonio, Mitchell S.V. Elkind, Annette L. Fitzpatrick, Christopher Gonzalez, Alden L. Gross, Lei Huang, Emily L. Johnson, W. Craig Johnson, Cheng-Shiun Leu, Deborah A. Levine, Minghua Liu, W.T. Longstreth Jr., Richard P. Mayeux, Sylwia Misiewicz, Dolly Reyes-Dumeyer, Tatjana Rundek, Danurys Sanchez, Steven J. Shea, Tian Wang, Carolyn W. Shu, Evan L. Thacker

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Epilepsy in late life is influenced by biological, behavioral, social and environmental factors

Lifetime occupation type may capture socioeconomic, environmental, and long-term physical exposures relevant to brain health (e.g., manual labor, stress levels, neurotoxic exposures) that could influence neurological aging

Seizure Propagation And How Ketones May Help Mitigate Harmful Effects, Jacob Wassmer, Melissa L. Blotter, Isaac Stubbs, R. Ryley Parrish

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Status epilepticus (SE) is a seizure state characterized by continuous ictal activity lasting over 5 minutes. SE frequently becomes unresponsive to frontline antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), resulting in refractory status epilepticus (RSE), a neurological medical emergency with a mortality rate as high as 38% in some studies. To assess how SE develops over time, we have characterized an ex vivo brain slice SE model using a high-resolution multi-electrode recording system. The system contains over 4000 electrodes with less than 60μM of space in between each electrode. With this unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution, we have identified key features of SE that …

Research Process Toward The Creation Of Transgenic Beetles, Abraham B. Alton, Nathan Dauk, Jonah Jex, Brian D. Jensen, Sandra Hope

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Honorable Mention - Poster Design

Create a generalizable, reliable, and efficient procedure for insect genetic modification.

Insects born parasitic diseases such as malaria cause hundreds of millions of deaths each year. Many of these diseases could be eliminated if we had a reliable method for genetically modifying insects.

Potential Role Of Atr In Slower Aids Progression Associated With Hiv-1 Vpr Mutant R77q, Ava Wilstead, Sidney T. Sithole, Bradford K. Berges

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

HIV-1 typically induces necrotic T cell death, resulting in chronic inflammation that drives Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) progression. However, mutations in viral protein R (Vpr) are associated with altered disease outcomes. The HIV-1 Vpr mutant R77Q is linked to individuals that do not progress to AIDS without treatment, termed a longterm non-progressor (LTNP). The Berges lab has shown that R77Q infection results in reduced overall cell death compared to wild-type (WT) virus, while inducing increased apoptotic cell death.

Muscle Transplants: Science Fiction Or Modern Medicine?, Erastus Evans, Mason Kephart, Benjamin Long, Jake Sorensen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

The loss of skeletal muscle from trauma or surgery results in limited regeneration and long-term dysfunction. Muscle transplants replenish lost cellular and structural tissue to improve healing and recovery of strength. Juvenile tissue offers a promising alternative to adult tissue due to the increased satellite cell and myofiber content.

Meta Analysis Of The Riverine Barrier Hypothesis In Mainland Southeast Asia, Gavin Kohl, Christian Furness, Eleanor Savage, Perry Van Wagoner, Randy Klabacka

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Understanding the drivers of biodiversification is an important objective in evolutionary biology

Yet much is still unknown regarding the mechanisms that drive biodiversity in species

Identifying barriers between lineages is a viable approach to discovering potential drivers

Iron Nutrition In Hydroponically Grown Quinoa, Ezra A. Larsen, Daniel L. Lamb, Shannon V. Nelson, Geneva M. Bell, Bryan G. Hopkins

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

• Iron (Fe) deficiency is a global health challenge
• Fe is an essential plant nutrient and limiting factor for many food crops
• Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), a nutrient dense pseudocereal, is of growing importance for food security
• Quinoa is often grown in alkaline soil, where Fe is particularly limiting
• An improved understanding of how Fe affects quinoa growth could improve yields and help increase dietary iron intake

Investigating The Role Of Tnf In Hiv-1 Infected Cell Death, Brennan B. Wells, Sidney Sithole, Bradford Berges

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

HIV-1 is the causative agent of the terminal disease AIDS. Clinical studies have determined that patients infected with a mutant of HIV-1, Vpr-R77Q, do not progress towards AIDS. Subsequently, our lab has discovered two notable differences between the Vpr- R77Q variant and WT HIV-1: increased levels of apoptosis in infected cells (which is thought to contribute to the lack of AIDS progression), and decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines, namely Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF). The purpose of this ongoing experiment is to investigate the potential inverse correlation between TNF levels and apoptosis levels through the introduction of additional TNF cytokines to …

Investigating The Mechanisms Of Yersinia Ruckeri Inhibition By A New Strain Of Pseudomonas Fjordensis, Kyler Linton, David Erickson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Pacific freshwater fish are less likely than Atlantic freshwater fish to exhibit Enteric Redmouth Disease (ERM), or Yersiniosis as caused by Yersinia ruckeri. Based on the hypothesis that these fish may harbor commensal bacteria that inhibit Y. ruckeri growth, I isolated many kinds of commensal bacteria from fish intestines collected from Alaska and local streams. In previous studies, I have isolated novel bacteria capable of expressing inhibitory activity against Y. ruckeri via co-culture experiments. One of these bacteria is a strain of Pseudomonas fjordensis. Through genome-wide mutagenesis techniques, a possible gene has been unveiled that may be contributing to this …