Digital Commons Network^™

Fabrication Of Su-8 Electrically Actuating Membranes, Tyler James Adams

Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates SU-8 polymer waveguides as a fabrication platform for integrated optical structures. Surface roughening using oxygen plasma etching is used to induce controlled optical scattering, enabling direct observation of guided modes and providing insight into waveguide behavior. Building on this, waveguide geometry is modified through an elevated scattering region (ESR) design, which reduces transition losses and improves scattering efficiency by preserving optical volume within the guiding region. In parallel, suspended SU-8 membranes are fabricated and evaluated for mechanical stability, providing a platform for integrating optical structures beyond conventional substrate-bound configurations. These membranes are further characterized under electrostatic actuation, …

Democratizing National Water Model Streamflow Forecasts Through Cross-Platform Mobile Application Development, Jerson J. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

The National Water Model (NWM) provides operational streamflow forecasts for 2.7 million stream reaches across the continental United States, yet technical barriers prevent widespread public access to this hydrological infrastructure. This paper presents RIVR (River Information Visualization and Risk), a cross-platform mobile application that transforms National Water Model forecasts into an accessible interface for non-technical users. Built with Flutter, the application deploys to iOS and Android from a single codebase and integrates NOAA forecast APIs, CIROH return-period thresholds, and interactive vector-tile mapping. Performance evaluation across six metrics: application size, startup time, memory consumption, rendering frame rates, API response times, and …

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Fingerprinting: Techniques For Attacker-In-The-Middle Proxy Detection, Evasion, And Counter-Evasion, Jensen George Wood

Theses and Dissertations

Attacker-in-the-middle (AitM) phishing toolkits have emerged as a critical threat to enterprise and individual security by enabling adversaries to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA) and compromise cloud-based accounts at scale. Traditional detection techniques--such as IP blocklists or content-based detection methods--are often ineffective against these increasingly sophisticated attacks. We propose a novel method that detects malicious proxies by identifying artifacts they introduce into HTTP request headers. To evaluate our approach, we systematically analyze traffic passed through several open-source AitM toolkits and proxies, identifying distinct modifications to header structures and content, then formalize these features as YARA rules for automated use. To validate …

Path Planning And Control For Vertical Takeoff And Landing Aircraft, Dean Benjamin Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

One of the challenging problems of unmanned aerial vehicles (uav) is controlling vertical takeoff and landing (vtol) aircraft. Vtol aircraft can take off and land without landing strips while retain the efficiency of fixed-wing airplanes for long range flight. Unfortunately, the transition from takeoff and forward flight, and from forward flight to landing, is an extremely difficult control problem. Most current controllers for transition switch between flight regimes based solely on airspeed. The trajectory for such switching transitions is a straight vertical ascension followed by a straight forward startup flight; it does not allow for the development of more complex …

Real-Time Data Collection System For Low-Cost Diesel Emissions Monitoring, Zachary Driskill

Theses and Dissertations

Diesel trucks are a major source of pollutants, including particulate matter (PM) and NO$_x$. Roadside emissions monitoring can identify high-emitting diesel vehicles, but conventional sensing systems rely on expensive, complex sensing instruments that limit widespread deployment. Low-cost sensors offer increased scalability due to their small size, low cost, and low power consumption, but they have lower accuracy and slower response time. This thesis presents the design and evaluation of a low-cost roadside emissions monitoring system, establishing the foundation for a scalable and widely deployable alternative. We apply machine learning calibration to roadside emission monitoring to improve the usability of low-cost …

Implementation And Evaluation Of Alternative Methods For Simulation Of Sidescan Sonar, Blake Paul Romrell

Theses and Dissertations

The original sonar implementation for the HoloOcean simulator was built upon a cached octree representation of the world. On first runs, building the cache was prohibitively slow, and the cache had a major memory footprint. This work presents alternative implementations for the sidescan sonar using direct raytracing on the CPU and rendering on the GPU. To evaluate and compare the implementations, timing tests on comparable parameters, as well as sweeps on resolution and range parameters, were performed. The render-based GPU implementation outperformed the others in the timing tests.

Leveraging River Forecast Center Knowledge To Improve Large-Scale Hydrologic Model Performance Through Bias Correction, Ian Mathews

Theses and Dissertations

The National Water Model (NWM) provides continental-scale streamflow predictions but exhibits bias and reduced skill in highly regulated and snow-driven basins. In contrast, River Forecast Center (RFC) models incorporate decades of local calibration and regulatory knowledge but are limited in spatial coverage to specific points of interest. This study evaluates whether hydrologic knowledge embedded in RFC-calibrated simulations can be transferred to improve NWM performance at unmonitored locations using the Streamflow Analysis for Bias Estimation and Reduction (SABER) framework. Using Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC) simulations as surrogate reference data, we applied SABER to the NWM 44-year retrospective model simulation …

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 …

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 …

Data Siloing As A Solution To Google’S Illegal Monopoly, Derek Polson, Victoria Wood

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

While the court-issued remedies prescribed in United States of America v. Google LLC (2024) aim to curb Google’s use of anticompetitive practices, they fail to address the structural mechanisms that sustain its monopoly. Antitrust remedies in the U.S. traditionally seek to (1) end anticompetitive practices and (2) reopen competitive market conditions. The court’s approach in this case does neither. By leaving intact Google’s ability to leverage significant barriers to entry and its unparalleled big data advantage, the court’s remedies preserve the very conditions that entrench Google’s dominance in the digital advertising and search engine markets. This note argues that data …

Regulating Ai, Jacob Leavitt

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

Artificial intelligence, a new phenomena embedding itself in every aspect of public life, is advancing at unprecedented rates with potentially catastrophic consequences. While fragmented and reaction regulation frameworks are currently in place, based primarily on tort cases, this paper calls for a hybrid regulatory solution that combines federal administrative law and streamlined international policy. This paper assesses proposed regulatory solutions - tort law, an industry-drafted “AI Constitution,” a Communications Decency Act-style immunity framework, a domestic federal agency, and an international regulatory body. Based on these frameworks, the authors have developed five criteria for an effective solution - expertise, enforceability, obligation, …

Faculty-Student Collaboration In Iterative Course Design, Sarah Mcdavitt

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Typically, the only way for a professor to receive feedback on their course design is through running several iterations of a class across multiple semesters. This guide aims to establish an avenue for accelerated course design testing through faculty-student collaboration before it rolls out live for enrolled students. Using the design thinking framework and other human-centered design principles, faculty members collaborating with students can iterate course design elements to discover opportunities to enhance the learning experience. As they draw evidence-based conclusions from empathy data, accurately define objectives, ideate new solutions, prototype course element ideas, and test the prototypes with a …

Software-Defined Radios In Avalanche Detection, Andrew Mcdonald

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the use of software-defined radios (SDRs) to develop a low-cost radar system for avalanche detection. Avalanches are a significant danger in mountainous locations and existing systems are often difficult or expensive to use. This research assesses if commercially available SDRs can be used to create a radar system capable of detecting moving targets and accurately measuring distance. A frequency-modulated contiuous-wave (FMCW) radar was implemented using the LimeSDR-Mini and the USRP B210. Signal generation, data collection, and processing all are performed in software, enabling easy configuration. Improvements to data transfer methods for the LimeSDR-Mini reduced sampling errors and …

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.

Enhancing Metabolic Fitness Of Car T-Cells By Removing Cd6, Nate Neyman, Alka Guar, Annie Joy-Larson, Collin Mickelson, Scott Weber

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Honorable Mention - Poster Design

CAR T-cell therapy is a highly effective cancer treatment involving engineering the patient’s T-cells to recognize and kill cancerous cells. This therapy has shown great success for blood cancers but has faced many challenges against solid tumors.

Surrounding tumor cells there is a lack of essential nutrients (oxygen, glucose) for T-cells to metabolize efficiency. Additionally, there is a buildup of excess waste products that directly impair T-cell function (1). To overcome these obstacles, scientists are working on developing longer lasting T-cells with improved metabolism to improve efficacy against cancer cells.

Discovery Of Short Antimicrobial Peptides In A Periplasmic Expression System, Joel Griffitts, Adam Dunn, Caleb Parker, Matthew Steed

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Short Antimicrobial peptides (sAMPs) have the potential to make a significant impact in the ongoing battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this project, we aim to discover new sAMPs using a novel peptide expression system in E. coli. Using this system, we have successfully identified various sAMPs by testing both rationally designed peptides and randomized peptide libraries.

Colorful Proteins: Engineering A Palette Of Novel Chromoprotein Variants, Blake Olson, Anna Bowman, Kyler Fullmer, Joel Griffitts

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

2nd Place - Poster Design

• Chromoproteins (CP) are naturally occurring proteins originating from corals or other marine invertebrates that exhibit colors determined by their chromophore region.1
• CPs have applications as biosensors, teaching tools, and agar art; therefore, there is a need for a wide variety of CPs.2
• Hypothesis: Editing amino acid residues around the chromophore will change the chromophore’s conformation, leading to a change in color.

Cd6-Knockout Car-T Cells Display Enhanced Cytotoxicity Against Lymphoma Cell Line, Annie Larson, Alka Gaur, Nate Neyman, Collin Mickelson, K. Scott Weber

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2026

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells are genetically engineered T cells that target surface antigens on cancer cells, showing remarkable effectiveness in treating blood cancers [1]. However, CAR-T cells are currently not effective in treating solid tumors, as the tumor microenvironment poses physical and metabolic barriers to effective CAR-T cell function. A notable strategy for increasing CAR-T cell cytotoxicity in a tumor microenvironment is knocking out or overexpressing some genes of the T cell.

Electrochemical Sensors And Processes In Molten Salts: Chlorine Production, Electroanalytical Chemistry, And Thin-Layer Electrodes, Tyler Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Molten salt electrochemistry has historically played a substantial role in the metallurgical industry, and this trend is only accelerating in areas of green steel, direct ore processing, and rare-earth processing. In addition, the recent surge of interest in molten salt nuclear reactors has provided an additional application for molten salt electrochemical processes, including the reprocessing of used nuclear fuels and the development of electrochemical sensors for nuclear applications. In this work, the development of a chloride volatility separation process for used nuclear fuel is advanced; electroanalytical methods are improved for identifying and quantifying unknown analytes with and without the presence …

Silicosis Evaluation Among Native Spanish-Speaking Workers: An Exploratory Pilot Survey Of Occupational Medicine Providers, Caroline Olsen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhalation of respirable silica particles. Silicosis is usually characterized by high occupational exposure to silica in industries like mining, sandblasting, construction, and stone fabrication. Recent research showing increasing rates of silicosis among native Spanish-speaking workers demonstrates the need for improved silicosis diagnosis and patient education. While research has been done to understand the epidemiological distribution of silicosis and native Spanish-speaking workers, there has been limited research evaluating occupational medicine providers’ clinical practices related to the diagnosis of silicosis among this population.

This exploratory pilot study evaluated occupational medicine providers’ experiences related to silicosis …

Generalizing Networks To Address Data Imbalance For Facial Action Unit Recognition, Andrew W. Sumsion

Theses and Dissertations

Facial action unit (AU) recognition is used in a variety of downstream applications, including sign language translation, dementia detection, pain detection, and other high-impact tasks that require understanding facial motion. Although AU recognition is a well-established field, a number of unresolved issues remain. An initial problem is the need to improve overall performance on the benchmark datasets, as measured by the average F1 score. Also, the performance across all individual AUs, not just the average F1 score, needs to be increased. Recently, the field has shifted its attention towards ensuring that AU recognition models generalize beyond the distributions represented in …

Tusqh: Topological Control Of Volume-Fraction Meshes Near Small Features And Dirty Geometry, Brian Reese Shawcroft

Theses and Dissertations

This work develops a framework to create meshes with user-specified homology from potentially dirty geometry by coupling background grids, persistent homology, and a generalization of volume fractions. For a mesh with fixed grid size, the topology of the output mesh changes predictably and monotonically as its volume-fraction threshold decreases. Topological anti-aliasing methods are introduced to resolve pinch points and disconnected regions that are artifacts of user choice of grid size and orientation, making the output meshes suitable for downstream processes including analysis. The methodology is demonstrated on geographical, mechanical, and graphics models in two-dimensions (2D) and three-dimensions (3D) using a …

Optimizing Sacrificial Core Formation In The Fabrication Of Nanopore Biosensors, Ephraim Ong

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study is part of an ongoing project to create a universal diagnostic tool using nanopore technology. Diagnosis of disease and other conditions of the body can often be linked to biomarkers such as the RNA sequence of a disease-causing virus.

The nanopore method for detecting biomarkers requires a microfluidic device designed to concentrate a large quantity of biomarker carrier beads near the detecting nanopore. Hollow channels which can conduct fluid and small particles are well used in the field of microfluidics. Many methods exist to fabricate microfluidic channels, however the nanopore method requires a channel with a thin solid-state …

Are You Listening?, Hanna H. Eyre

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the interconnection between music, religion, and a feminist lens in the form of a sixteen-song Christian album. The content of the music broaches topics specific to women’s issues including family dynamics, maternal mortality, and invisible labor while also covering more broad topics of repentance, developing a more nuanced relationship with the Savior, recognizing divinity in ourselves and others, and our Heavenly Mother. This paper includes the groundwork research and experiences that led me to write this album, the methods I took to write, record, and produce the album, and an analysis of how the music changed, and …

Beyond The Flames: A Comparative Analysis Of Wildfire Preparedness And Relief In California, Ej Smith

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Wildfires in California have devastated homes and communities, with the 2024–2025 Los Angeles fires ranking among the deadliest in state history, killing 31 people and burning more than 37,000 acres across densely populated neighborhoods. In response to these fires, fire services, municipal governments, and nongovernmental organizations coordinated immediate relief efforts across multiple jurisdictions. This research uses a multiple-case study approach to examine the Eaton, Palisades, Line, and Bridge fires to identify practices that supported life safety and response effectiveness, as well as challenges that constrained response operations. Findings indicate that when environmental conditions exceeded suppression capacity, response outcomes within responder …

Stacking Moves: How Digital Platforms Sequence Value Creation, Jonathan M. Dickson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines how large digital platform firms evolve by adding new platform types over time. Using the four-type framework developed by Bryce, Dyer, and Van Alstyne—transaction, connection, innovation, and collaboration—I trace the platform histories of seven firms: Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Tencent, and Alibaba. For each firm, I classify every qualifying platform event as a base platform, a stacking move (a new interaction that draws on an existing platform's users or architecture), or a standalone platform (a new platform that operates independently). Across seventy-plus events, four findings emerge:

1. Firms stack new platform types in predictable sequences shaped by …

Full Issue

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Personal Memories Of Nicolai Gedda, Calle Friedner

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

On 11 June, Nicolai Gedda, one of the foremost Swedish lyrical tenors after Jussi Björling, would have become 100 years old. Calle Friedner heard and met him several times and remembers him warmly.

During the 1950s, it was on the radio one generally heard a singer for the first time, particularly if you didn’t live in Stockholm, which I didn’t then. And that was the case for me concerning Nicolai Gedda.

What I heard was a radio broadcast of a performance at the Stockholm Opera of Adolph Adam’s opera comedy, Le postillon de Lonjumeau. If my memory isn’t wrong, the …

65 Years Ago, Janel E. Lundgren

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

“When Jussi Björling was suddenly taken from us on 9 September 1960, there was intense dismay and great sorrow, for he was one of the greatest singers of our time, a fact to which an enormous and always enraptured public bore witness. His audiences were to be found not only in the opera houses and concert halls of the world’s great cities, but also in Swedish amusement parks and in front of hundreds of thousands of radio sets. He was humble before the art of music and, in the truth and meticulousness of his work, a true artist, something to …