Digital Commons Network^™

Mission-Focused Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Of Tilt-Rotor Evtol Propulsion System, Tyler Critchfield, Andrew Ning

Faculty Publications

Tilt-rotor propulsion system design requires a multidisciplinary approach to tackle important challenges and competing tradeoffs between disciplines. In this paper, we model rotor aerodynamics, blade structures, vehicle drag, electric propulsion, and tonal/broadband acoustics for a tilt-rotor, electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft using low-to-mid fidelity tools. We use gradient-based design optimization with automatic differentiation and parameter sensitivity analyses to explore the design space and complex tradeoffs of tilt-rotor distributed electric propulsion systems, exploring effects of variations in payload/empty weight, battery specific energy, and blade tip speed. This framework models multiple operating points with a mission-focused objective to account for the …

Efficiently Stowed Flashers With Uniform-Thickness Panels Based On Non-Developable Origami, Larry L. Howell, Robert J. Lang, Specer P. Magleby, Davis Wing

Faculty Publications

We present the mathematical construction of a deployable flasher pattern with near-uniform nonzero thickness in the deployed form and efficient face-to-face packing in the stowed form. We demonstrate its fabrication, deployment, and stowage. The results facilitate the design and manufacture of deployable systems with panels whose substantial thickness is dictated by the end application, with particular utility for space systems.

Why Russian? Language Choice And Enrollment In U.S. Universities, Emma Calderwood, Teresa R. Bell, Jennifer Bown, Grant H. Lundberg

Russian Language Journal

Russian language enrollments at U.S. universities have declined steadily since 2009 (MLA, 2023), yet little research has examined current student motivations for studying Russian, particularly after the 2022 escalation of the Russo–Ukrainian War. This study surveyed two groups: (a) students enrolled in any 101-level language course at University X and (b) students in Russian courses at six U.S. universities. Results show that motivations for studying Russian are primarily integrative—general interest in the language, desire to converse with Russian speakers, aspirations to travel to Russian-speaking countries, and previous Russian knowledge—rather than instrumental. Students who considered but did not choose Russian most …

Variability Of Individual Learner Trajectories In A Transformative Language Program, Victoria Hasko, Anastasiya Smith

Russian Language Journal

This qualitative multiple case study investigates how individual learner differences manifest and evolve within a transformative, proficiency-oriented undergraduate Russian language program. Drawing on complexity theory and transformative approaches to language education, the study explores how learners’ motivations, identities, and professional aspirations develop in a curriculum that integrates advanced language learning with long-term career planning. Three focal participants were followed longitudinally across their undergraduate trajectories, using a combination of standardized proficiency assessments and in-depth reflective interviews. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes shaping learner development: evolving orientations toward language learning, the curriculum as a transformative scaffold, emerging professional identities, and growing …

Access To Water And Sanitation - Joni Full Issue December 2025, Erica Jensen, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Optimal Sizing Of Battery Energy Storage Systems For Peak Shaving And Demand Response Using A Degradation-Aware Bayesian Optimization-Mixed-Integer Linear Programming Framework, Jiwei Yao, Blake Billings, Tao Gao, John Hedengren, Kody M. Powell

Faculty Publications

The increasing integration of renewable energy and rising electricity demand highlight the importance of battery energy storage systems for peak shaving and demand response. Unlike prior approaches that overlook operational impacts on degradation, this study proposes a Bayesian Optimization–Mixed Integer Linear Programming framework for optimal battery energy storage system sizing. In this framework, Mixed Integer Linear Programming determines short-term scheduling while a calibrated electrochemical model iteratively evaluates degradation. The central hypothesis is that the framework can efficiently identify optimal sizes that yield realistic and economically robust outcomes. The method is tested across three scenarios: peak shaving, peak shaving with energy-reduction …

Cybernest: A Step Forward For Training Cybersecurity Professionals, Justin Mott

Theses and Dissertations

The growing complexity of cyber threats has exposed a critical gap between academic cybersecurity education and the operational demands of the workforce. This thesis presents a pilot study for a use-case of CyberNEST, a simulation-based training platform that integrates adversary emulation and threat-informed learning to create realistic, hands-on experiences for cybersecurity students.(17) The system was designed to replicate Security Operations Center (SOC) environments and incident response workflows, allowing participants to investigate, analyze, and respond to simulated attacks under authentic conditions. This pilot-study performed training simulations using the CyberNEST platform, developed by Brigham Young University, with students, collecting data from pre- …

The Role Of Dust Inputs And Sediment Phosphorus Diffusion Into Utah Lake, Utah, United States Of America, Kristen E. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Human activities have led to excessive nutrient enrichment which is greater than lake systems can naturally assimilate. This process is known as eutrophication and it is driving significant algae growth resulting in the more common release of harmful toxins. Utah Lake, located in Utah County, UT is one such water body that even after major reductions in anthropogenic phosphorus influent, continues to experience frequent, harmful algal blooms. The extent to which natural processes, like atmospheric dust deposition and sediment recycling, contribute to the lake's phosphorus budget is still poorly understood.

To address this gap of knowledge, this study quantified phosphorus …

Evaluating The Performance Of The Primary Heat Exchanger In A Sco2 Brayton Cycle While Firing Solid Fuels, Brian Jeffrey Schooff

Theses and Dissertations

The sCO2 closed-loop Brayton cycle is an alternative to the standard steam-Rankine cycle for generating electrical power from a heat source. The sCO2 Brayton cycle is advantageous because it can be more efficient, use less water, and have smaller turbomachinery than the steam-Rankine cycle. While there are several research groups advancing the technology necessary to utilize the sCO2 Brayton cycle on an industrial scale, none of these groups use solid fuel combustion as the heat source. A Brigham Young University-led project developed and tested a pilot-scale sCO2 Brayton cycle unit (1.6 MWth) using natural gas, pulverized coal, and pulverized biomass …

Programmable Acoustofluidic Engineering For Creating Gradient Biomaterials, Jujing Lu, Ye He, Jianping Xia, Mingyuan Liu, Joseph Rich, Ke Jin, Ruoyu Zhong, Kaichun Yang, Jiao Qian, Ying Chen, Ke Li, Zhiteng Ma, Tony Jun Huang

Faculty Publications

Gradient biomaterials that exhibit spatially varying physical, chemical, or biological properties can be used in various applications such as tissue engineering, organoid development, mechanobiology, and spatially controlled drug delivery. However, current fabrication methods often suffer from limited gradient precision, restricted material compatibility, and poor reproducibility. Here, we introduced gradient regulation via acoustofluidic dynamic engineering (GRADE), a programmable system to generate high-fidelity gradient biomaterials across different material systems. By incorporating focused interdigital transducers with the pulsed surface acoustic wave actuation, GRADE can achieve tunable and directional acoustic streaming (0 to 22 millimeters per second), which allows accurate regulation of the gradient …

Cavitation On Superhydrophobic Propellers, John Tyson Danby

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the impact of superhydrophobic (SH) surface treatments on the cavitation behavior of small-scale marine propellers. Cavitation, the formation of vapor cavities in liquid due to local pressure reductions, can lead to efficiency losses, noise, and structural damage in marine propulsion systems. Although SH surfaces have shown promise in reducing drag and altering nucleation behavior in static or low-speed flow contexts, their effect on cavitation onset in rapidly rotating propellers remains underexplored. To address this, eight 1-inch aluminum propellers were tested, including variations in pitch, solidity, and blade number. Each design was produced in two versions: one treated …

Cyclic Testing Of Special Moment Frame Connections With Buckling-Restrained Fuse Plates, Jeremiah John Merrell

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the development and evaluation of a new special steel moment frame connection that employs replaceable buckling-restrained fuse plates that can enhance seismic performance and post-earthquake repairability. A total of eight unique specimens were tested on two series of beam-to-column subassemblies (W36 and W24) to investigate connection behavior under cyclic loading. The experiments examined the influence of fuse plate geometry, bolt configuration, and buckling-restraints on strength, ductility, and deformation capacity. Results indicated that the buckling-restraint washers and bolts were effective at preventing out-of-plane buckling. Specimen M1.5 was successful in meeting the AISC 341-22 qualifications requirements for special moment …

Validation Of A Mesh-Based Computational Fluid Dynamics Model, The Generataion Of Reference Wake Mixing Data, And A Preliminary Comparison To A Lagrangian Vortex Based Model, Justin Don Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

Three things are accomplished in this work. First, a verified wind turbine model is developed for both turbulent and non-turbulent flows. The verified model is created using AMR-Wind, a mesh-based CFD solver which uses an actuator line model to represent the turbine blades. Second, a database of turbine forces and wake data is compiled using the verified wake model. This data is collected for simulations of two turbines operating in close proximity to one another in various configurations. When the wake of one turbine interacts with another, wake mixing occurs. Wake mixing affects turbine performance and is important for predicting …

Enhancing Fuel Performance Of Molten Salt Reactors Through Improved Thermophysical Property Data, High-Fidelity Simulation, And Advanced Control Strategies, Jackson Seth Ivory

Theses and Dissertations

The deployment of molten salt reactors (MSRs) as next-generation nuclear technology requires accurate thermophysical property data, validated system models, and advanced control strategies to ensure safe and economically competitive operation. This dissertation, Enhancing Fuel Performance of Molten Salt Reactors Through Improved Thermophysical Property Data, High-Fidelity Simulation, and Advanced Control Strategies, integrates experimental measurements, thermal hydraulic simulation, and model predictive control (MPC) to enhance understanding of MSR fuel behavior under steady state and transient conditions. New density and heat capacity measurements of UF4-FLiNaK molten salts were obtained using Archimedean and differential scanning calorimetry methods, respectively, to address critical gaps for fueled …

Utah Lake From Space: Analysis Of Sentinel 2 And Modis Data Shows Spatiotemporal Trends And Patterns In Chlorophyll-A, Turbidity, And Temperature, Kaylee Brook Tanner

Theses and Dissertations

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a serious and growing risk to waterbodies around the world. Excessive algal growth, especially when it involves cyanobacteria, impairs the functioning of aquatic ecosystems and threatens the health of humans and animals using the water. There is currently great interest in developing effective prevention and mitigation strategies for these blooms, particularly in ecologically and economically vital freshwater lakes. Such development, however, requires detailed understanding of HAB drivers and dynamics, which can be highly complex and difficult to characterize. High-frequency, high-resolution imagery from earth observation satellites provides spatially and temporally comprehensive data on global lakes--data which …

Snow Surfacing Optimized For An Animated Short Film Pipeline, Kristen Whitehouse

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Love and Gold is the BYU Center for Animation’s 2025 senior capstone short film. This ambitious film is the longest produced in the history of the animation program. It’s a love story that takes place in at least five different large environment sets. Two of these sets contain snow. This creative thesis tackles the problem of surfacing the snow within that context.

Surfacing snow required research and development of a snow generator for adding new geometry on top of objects in a scene and a snow shader to make that geometry appear like snow in the final render. Packaging the …

Intrinsic Stability Of Controlled Systems Via Gershgorin-Type Estimates, David Friedbaum

Theses and Dissertations

Time delays are an inherent feature of real-world dynamical systems, arising whenever information, matter, or energy requires non-negligible time to propagate. Even small delays can destabilize systems that are otherwise well behaved, yet most standard control designs--such as PID or LQR--do not explicitly account for them and may fail when delays are present. This thesis investigates the stability of controlled dynamical systems subject to arbitrary time delays and develops new tools to determine when such systems remain stable. Our approach builds on the notion of intrinsic stability, a strong form of global stability introduced by Webb and Bunimovich, which guaranties …

Characterizing Temperature-Dependent Properties Of Fat For Improving High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Simulations, Brian Easthope

Theses and Dissertations

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive therapeutic technique that relies on the precise delivery of acoustic energy to ablate diseased tissue. The presence of subcutaneous fat can significantly alter focal accuracy and treatment efficiency due to its distinct thermal and acoustic behavior. This study characterized the temperature-dependent thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, specific heat capacity, acoustic attenuation, and acoustic velocity of human subcutaneous fat to improve pretreatment modeling for HIFU therapies. Measurements were performed using a dual needle probe for thermal conductivity and diffusivity, differential scanning calorimetry for specific heat capacity, radiation force balance for attenuation, and through-transmission methods for …

Windkessel Parameter Estimation For Cardiovascular Feature Identification In Photoplethysmography Data, Calvin Boyce

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Features of cardiovascular health such as blood pressure, cardiac output, arterial compliance, and blood viscosity are important in evaluating heart health and disease risk, but are currently largely measured invasively and therefore only in critical settings. Here we explore the potential for Windkessel models to extract cardiovascular features from photoplethysmography (PPG) data in an attempt to evaluate heart health non-invasively. We show the capacity of a constrained Newton's method optimization scheme to estimate parameters and explore the tractability of the resulting parameters. While Newton's method is able to produce parameters that closely approximate PPG data, we found that using a …

Inelastic Behavior Of Three-Story Buildings With Concrete-Filled Composite Plate Shear Walls Subjected To Wind Loads, Joshua John Blom

Theses and Dissertations

Although elastic design of the main wind force resisting system in a building is the conventional approach it is not always desirable. In this study, nonlinear static and dynamic analyses are used to predict the inelastic behavior of a three-story building with concrete-filled composite plate shear walls subjected to wind loads. To explore the potential for inelastic design, two types of planar composite shear wall buildings are examined: individual shear walls designed using an elastic approach, and coupled shear wall pairs designed using an inelastic approach adopted from seismic design provisions. Nonlinear static "pushover" analyses are run using an assumed …

Experimental Testing Of Axially Loaded Fuse Plates Without Continuous Buckling Restraint, Rebekah Elizabeth Higgins

Theses and Dissertations

Current seismic design practice is to design structures to avoid collapse and protect life. Buildings are designed to resist seismic loading through strength and ductility. In moment frames, this ductility traditionally comes from inelastic deformation of beams. Moment frame connections move inelastic deformation away from the column and allow a plastic hinge to form in the beam. This plastic hinge prevents collapse but leaves the building difficult to repair. Some proprietary moment frame connections address this issue with replaceable fuse plate connections. These fuse plate connections move the plastic hinge out of the beam and into the replaceable fuse, allowing …

An Analysis Of Student Performance In Elementary Linear Algebra At Brigham Young University, Adrienne Irene Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates different factors that influence performance in the Elementary Linear Algebra (ELA) course taught at Brigham Young University. These factors include student characteristics such as true freshman status and college enrollment, and content-specific factors such as how performance on essential topics affects overall performance in the course. To analyze the various research questions posed in the study, I used robust linear mixed effects models with random effects controlling for the hierarchical structure of the data. The statistically significant results from these models indicate that (i) true freshmen perform better than other students on exams and in the ELA …

Measuring And Modeling Nonlinear Vibrations In Structures With Mechanical Joints, Suzanna Gilbert

Theses and Dissertations

Many assembled structures have bolted or riveted joints. Aside from providing a convenient method of assembly, mechanical joints have an important effect on the structure's dynamic response to its environment. Friction and microslip within the joints help to damp out unwanted vibration. However, the joints also introduce nonlinearity into the response. Most notably, the natural vibrational modes of the structure no longer have constant natural frequencies and damping ratios. Rather, they shift as a function of vibration amplitude. Several methods exist to characterize the dynamics of nonlinear systems, yet they are generally validated on simple benchmark structures, and many still …

Curious Contradictions: A Critical Edition Of 'The Great War In England In 1897,' By William Le Queux, Jacob D. Liljenquist

Student Works

Written by William Le Queux in 1894, The Great War in England in 1897 is a work of invasion literature, and a book full of curious contradictions. Once popular and now forgotten, its material construction belies its status as sensational literature. This critical edition of the 4th edition copy of the novel housed in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections evaluates the book's conception, creation, and reception, and provides a material bibliography of the HBLL's unique copy, all with the aim to reveal and explain the contradictions in the book as a product of imperial culture.

A New Model For Predicting Two-Zone Parameters Based On Geometric Modifications In Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations, Jason B. Metten

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to create a new and improved model for key Two-Zone modeling parameters, 𝜒 and 𝛿2𝑝. It explores how geometric changes to centrifugal compressors impact these modeling parameters. While centrifugal impellers are an important part of many systems, the flow through such impellers is inherently complex, making performance often difficult to predict. There are many approaches for modeling this complex flow environment, one method being the Two-Zone model developed by Dave Japikse. Values for 𝜒 and 𝛿2𝑝 are often determined from data obtained from test rigs or correlations. In this study high-fidelity CFD simulations …

Making Space For Learning: Textile Based Learning Resources For Material Reuse, Mary-Evelyn Mcconkie Howell

Instructional Psychology and Technology Graduate Student Projects

This paper outlines two textile-based learning resources that I created for Making Space Thrift (MST), a community-focused creative thrift store in Utah. MST expressed a need for instructional materials that promote intentional material use, support customer well-being, and strengthen ties with their community. To address these needs, I conducted interviews with stakeholders and local textile hobbyists to understand what learning resources would benefit MST. As a result, I created two projects. The first is called Making Peace with Materials, an interactive, decision-based digital experience housed on the MST website. This resource helps learners navigate the emotional, practical, and sustainable …

Power Resilience In Utah's Water Sector: A Survey Of Stakeholder Practices, Preferences And Potential, Tyler Christopher Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Drinking water and wastewater services are vulnerable to disruptions because they rely heavily on the electric grid. As a result, power outages can lead to water outages, creating cascading failures that compromise sanitation, firefighting, healthcare, and daily routines. Although an important topic, there are little to no studies of water and wastewater power resilience at a geographic or state level. In this study we investigate the extent of existing backup power and renewable energy integration as well as the motivations and barriers around their power resilience. We collect our data through semi-structured interviews with staff at 19 urban and rural …

Experimental And Theoretical Characterization Of Molten Salt Thermal Conductivity, Jacob C. Numbers

Theses and Dissertations

Molten salts form an ideal heat transfer fluid for advanced energy generation systems, including molten salt reactors (MSR). Accurate characterization of molten salt thermal conductivity is needed to confidently predict transient thermal behavior and optimize salt properties. Measurements are hindered by salts' challenging material properties, which---in the case of the needle probe device---induced unaccounted physical changes that limited its accuracy and repeatability. Sparse thermal conductivity data in general is exacerbated by a limited fundamental understanding of molecular energy transfer in liquids. This work extends the experimental capacity for compositional studies using the needle probe and proposes a theoretical model for …

From Liahona To Talk: An Inspired Method 2, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

In my previous series, Actionable Insights from the Liahona, I introduced many principles that felt like tightly cut jewels. This time, I'm changing the tempo and delivering those same principles set to a heart-stirring melody. I've set aside the rigid outlining and repackaged the principles with relatable stories and humorous metaphors that I hope will make you chuckle and think, "Oh, I know that feeling!" My wish is that this new approach helps these vital principles to gently drop anchor deep within your heart.

Liahona Project Data Set 4 Up To 2023, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

This document is a collection of highlights extracted from more than 1000 articles from the Japanese online Liahona magazines, spanning from July, 2021 to the end of 2023. Each article was individually checked to extract inspirational principles and highlights from personal experiences, serving as a resource to develop Spiritual Proficiency and build the foundation for Wits Psychology (With the Spirit Psychology). The document is 69 pages long.