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Assessing The Effectiveness Of Aging Techniques On Cloning Fpga-Based Configurable Ring Oscillator Pufs, Jonathan Thompson Apr 2025

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Aging Techniques On Cloning Fpga-Based Configurable Ring Oscillator Pufs, Jonathan Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are reconfigurable devices that are used in industries that often require increased security. Physically unclonable functions (PUFs) are a security primitive used on FPGAs for device authentication and key generation. However, the output of a PUF can be susceptible to changes in the environment, such as voltage and temperature, as well as changes in device performance that occur due to transistor aging. Previous work has shown that it is possible to induce targeted accelerated aging in order to intentionally change a PUF response, even to the point of cloning one PUF to behave like another. …


Organismal Classification And The Phylogenetic Tree: Improving Its Teaching Using Decision-Based Learning, Melissa Cavan Apr 2025

Organismal Classification And The Phylogenetic Tree: Improving Its Teaching Using Decision-Based Learning, Melissa Cavan

Theses and Dissertations

For a lot of students, learning biology is like learning a new language. There are new terms and concepts that a lot of new students have never heard of. Evolution is the cornerstone for understanding biology, yet it is one of the more misunderstood topics. In combination with learning new terms and concepts some students come in with preconceived ideas about evolution or misunderstandings about how evolution and the phylogenetic tree work. The research indicates instructors attempting active learning techniques to increase understanding of the phylogenetic tree with mixed results, where there appears to be some improvement but nothing significant. …


Longitudinal Analysis Of Evergreen Forest Cover Dynamics In The Great Salt Lake Basin: A Landsat-Based Stochastic Classification Approach And Comparative Assessment With The National Land Cover Dataset, Kaleb Markert Apr 2025

Longitudinal Analysis Of Evergreen Forest Cover Dynamics In The Great Salt Lake Basin: A Landsat-Based Stochastic Classification Approach And Comparative Assessment With The National Land Cover Dataset, Kaleb Markert

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents an investigation into the changes of evergreen forest cover within the Great Salt Lake Basin and its implications for regional water resources. Utilizing a Random Forest Classifier (RFC) model trained on Landsat imagery, this research developed a methodology to map and track changes in evergreen forest coverage over the period from 1984 to 2019. The initial phase of this study focused on the development of model trained within the Bear Lake sub-basin, demonstrating the feasibility of the method for analysis of coniferous coverage. The model incorporated summer and winter Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to enhance the …


The Value Of Alternative Credentials To Earners And Employers, Daniel O. Young Apr 2025

The Value Of Alternative Credentials To Earners And Employers, Daniel O. Young

Theses and Dissertations

Between the rising cost of education and the oft-mentioned skills gap, current and potential students are pursuing alternatives to expensive 4-year degrees. This has contributed to the rapid rise of alternative credentials over the past 10 years. However, these alternatives still struggle with public awareness, questions of validity, and familiarity and acceptance by employers. This dissertation focuses on understanding the research surrounding alternative credentials and specifically looks at whether those credentials have perceived or actual value for gaining or improving an individual's career. To better understand this topic, I looked to the literature for context, and used data gathered from …


A Novel Approach To Detect Shapes Of Constant Width, Ian D. Monk Apr 2025

A Novel Approach To Detect Shapes Of Constant Width, Ian D. Monk

Theses and Dissertations

Bodies of constant width have been studied mathematically since Euler and have found various applications in engineering and other areas. In this paper, we seek to develop novel tools to gain deeper insights into these shapes and to better be able to analyze them. The idea which motivates the development in this paper is as follows: a body has constant width if and only if the chord connecting the intersections of the boundary of the body with each pair of parallel hyper planes which lie tangent to a body lies perpendicular to the hyper planes.This is a known fact and …


Frost Heave Of Clayey Soils Treated With Cement Or Lime, Ammon K. Hymas Apr 2025

Frost Heave Of Clayey Soils Treated With Cement Or Lime, Ammon K. Hymas

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to measure and compare the effects of portland cement and lime at low, medium, and high concentrations on the frost-heave susceptibility of multiple clayey soils with varying plasticity indices. The scope of work included laboratory frost-heave testing of three clayey soils sampled from Monticello, Utah; Bloomington, Indiana; and San Antonio, Texas. Each soil was tested with two stabilizers, cement or lime, at three concentrations, as well as with no treatment. Two replicate samples were prepared for each combination, for a total of 42 specimens. The frost-heave testing procedures for this research involved preparing specimen …


Hydrologic Decision Support In The Nile Basin: Creating Status And Outlook Products From The Geoglows Hydrologic Model, Rachel Huber Apr 2025

Hydrologic Decision Support In The Nile Basin: Creating Status And Outlook Products From The Geoglows Hydrologic Model, Rachel Huber

Theses and Dissertations

Decision makers and stakeholders need information about current and future streamflow to make informed decisions and we show how the GEOGLOWS Hydrologic Model, known as River Forecast System (RFS), can be used to provide hydrologic status and outlook products to inform these decisions. We examine a specific use case of RFS in the Nile River Basin and how RFS is used to provide users with hydrologic status products. We work with stakeholders at the Nile Basin Initiative to assess their needs for this information. We use basic low flow calculations to compute the Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI) and the 95th …


Systematic Analysis On The Applications Of Infrastructure Asset Management In Utah, Kelvin Kozakevitch Apr 2025

Systematic Analysis On The Applications Of Infrastructure Asset Management In Utah, Kelvin Kozakevitch

Theses and Dissertations

Public infrastructure is essential to a region’s economic stability and quality of life, especially its rural infrastructure where most consumable and essential goods derive from. Given the high capital investment required for infrastructure development and maintenance, asset management plans (IAM) are critical. Even though academic research exists on the problems rural infrastructure management face, little is known about the actual state, barriers and causes for the challenges IAM faces in rural Utah. This study examines the current challenges and barriers in IAM among rural communities in Utah. Employing a grounded theory approach, data was collected through a two-phase methodology: phase …


The Crystal Ball Is Cloudy: Teacher Preparation Programs' Challenges In Predicting Effective Teaching From Teacher Characteristics, Benjamin Pacini Apr 2025

The Crystal Ball Is Cloudy: Teacher Preparation Programs' Challenges In Predicting Effective Teaching From Teacher Characteristics, Benjamin Pacini

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher preparation programs (TPPs) stand to benefit if they can reliably link pre-service teacher characteristics with later teaching quality--for example, by better supporting underperformers and spotting high-potential candidates early. In this study, I use data from a university in the Mountain West to analyze the relationships between pre-college student characteristics and teaching evaluation scores during student teaching, as scored on Danielson's Framework for Teaching (FFT) rubric. My findings suggest that no significant relationship exists between FFT scores and demographic characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, or poverty. Pre-college academic variables (i.e., GPA and standardized test scores) show small but …


Enabling Next-Generation Microfluidics Through Advances In High-Resolution 3d Printing, Matthew S. Viglione Apr 2025

Enabling Next-Generation Microfluidics Through Advances In High-Resolution 3d Printing, Matthew S. Viglione

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation advances the field of microfluidic device fabrication through the development and application of high-resolution 3D printing technologies. The convergence of stereolithography (SLA) with digital light processing (DLP) has created unprecedented opportunities for microfluidic device fabrication, enabling truly three-dimensional structures with feature sizes approaching the single-micron scale. Building upon foundational work in custom 3D printer development, this research addresses critical limitations in 3D printing that have historically constrained microfluidic innovation, spanning multiple generations of custom 3D printers and technical innovations that have enabled the fabrication of increasingly complex microfluidic devices while enhancing resolution, repeatability, speed, and accessibility. A comprehensive …


A Low-Cost Micro Actuator Driven By Electrowetting-On-Dielectric, Behzad Parsi Apr 2025

A Low-Cost Micro Actuator Driven By Electrowetting-On-Dielectric, Behzad Parsi

Theses and Dissertations

Microfluidic techniques have been shown to address limitations of reconfigurable radio frequency (RF) antennas and filters in efficiency, power handling capability, cost, and frequency tuning. However, the current devices suffer from significant integration challenges associated with packaging, actuation, and control. Recent advances in reconfigurable microfluidics that utilize the motion of a selectively metalized plate (SMP) for RF tuning have demonstrated promising RF capabilities but have exposed a need for an accurate fluid actuation model. This research presents models for the dynamics of plate actuation under multiple scenarios. In the first phase, the mechanical motion of a moving plate (e.g. SMP) …


Heavy Ion Testing Of Versal Acap Ai Engines, Caleb S. Price Apr 2025

Heavy Ion Testing Of Versal Acap Ai Engines, Caleb S. Price

Theses and Dissertations

With recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI), there has been an ever increasing need for computation power in space. These AI models are traditionally implemented on GPUs. However, these units come at a high cost in terms of weight and power usage. Due to these limitations, many organizations are turning to the Versal ACAP device, a system on chip (SOC) with hundreds of AI engines. This option delivers more computation per watt than a traditional GPU. The desire to use Versal ACAP in space has created a need to perform radiation testing on the device. Extensive testing has been performed …


Gnss-Denied Navigation Using Lte Signals Of Opportunity On Low-Cost, Low-Swap Hardware, Tyler Sweat Apr 2025

Gnss-Denied Navigation Using Lte Signals Of Opportunity On Low-Cost, Low-Swap Hardware, Tyler Sweat

Theses and Dissertations

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) navigation is crucial in the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). GNSS signals are susceptible to jamming, spoofing, multipath, and urban canyons and may provide incorrect position information or may not be available at all. For autonomous missions, a backup for GNSS is desirable in the event that it is unavailable. Terrestrial cellular signals are a promising option for navigation because they are continuously transmitted at higher power levels. Optimizing hardware size, weight, and power (SWaP) is critical for UAVs to maximize endurance, payload capacity, and operational efficiency. We present a system that uses long-term …


Measuring The Effects Of The Leaves On Stalk Strength And Dynamic Response In Maize, Grant C. Ogilvie Apr 2025

Measuring The Effects Of The Leaves On Stalk Strength And Dynamic Response In Maize, Grant C. Ogilvie

Theses and Dissertations

Maize is one of the most widely cultivated grains in the world, making it crucial to world food security and important economically. One major problem in maize production is stalk lodging (greensnap), which results in billions of dollars in lost harvests annually for maize farmers in the US alone. Understanding the mechanical properties of maize plants is crucial to addressing this problem. Previous studies have suggested that the leaf blades and leaf sheaths affect maize mechanical properties. The objectives of this thesis are twofold: to present measurement techniques for the stalk bending strength, damping ratio, and natural frequency of maize …


A Novel Wrench Decomposition And Development Of A Large-Scale Soft Robot For Displacement-Based Human-Robot Collaborative Manipulation, Dallin Cordon Apr 2025

A Novel Wrench Decomposition And Development Of A Large-Scale Soft Robot For Displacement-Based Human-Robot Collaborative Manipulation, Dallin Cordon

Theses and Dissertations

This work represents an examination of various facets of physical human-robot collaborative manipulation and the implementation of compliant, soft-robotic manipulators. A survey of physical human-human interaction and haptic communication is presented, alongside an investigation into the decomposition of force and torque components that enable effective human-robot collaboration. To address the inconsistent terminology found in previous literature, a standardized framework for force decomposition is proposed. A new taxonomy is introduced to categorize the force components involved in collaborative manipulation tasks. This taxonomy clarifies the role of each component in an agent's applied force during task execution and provides a structured framework …


Testing And Modeling Of Nonlinearities In Riveted And Bolted Structures, Joshua E. Blackham Apr 2025

Testing And Modeling Of Nonlinearities In Riveted And Bolted Structures, Joshua E. Blackham

Theses and Dissertations

Joints are difficult to model because of various small-scale and nonlinear features, such as local geometry, preload, friction and contact. These features cause a local change in stiffness and energy dissipation which result in changes in the effective natural frequency and damping of the whole structure. Past studies have found good success using nonlinear Iwan elements as whole joint models for bolted joints in a few different structures. In Chapter 3, a similar approach is proposed for modeling riveted joints, which seeks to capture the vibrational response of a test structure including changes in the effective modal frequency and damping …


Wind Collapse Risk And Serviceability Drift Of Steel Concentrically Braced Frame Buildings, Sarah Corrinne Partington Cluff Apr 2025

Wind Collapse Risk And Serviceability Drift Of Steel Concentrically Braced Frame Buildings, Sarah Corrinne Partington Cluff

Theses and Dissertations

Seismic design provisions use the ductility and reserve strength of the lateral structural system to reduce the loads used in design, making the structural design more economical while maintaining life safety. In contrast, current wind design provisions do not. Conventional wind design relies primarily on elastic behavior. The objective of this study is to determine a wind response modification factor for steel concentrically braced frames that could be applied to reduce wind design loads based on ductility and reserve strength, while still meeting drift requirements for serviceability of the structure. To achieve the objective, three types of ductile braced frames …


Steps Towards Effective Human-Robot Co-Manipulation Through Real-Time Modus Detection And Effects Of Stiffness Variation For Human-Soft-Robot Dyads, Shaden Moss Apr 2025

Steps Towards Effective Human-Robot Co-Manipulation Through Real-Time Modus Detection And Effects Of Stiffness Variation For Human-Soft-Robot Dyads, Shaden Moss

Theses and Dissertations

A group of individuals can coordinate very easily to carry a large or heavy object together. This act of collaborative carrying is called co-manipulation. Unlike human teammates, robots cannot easily detect and respond to the intent of human partners during co-manipulation tasks. This shortcoming can be compensated for via the physical design and the software design of robots. This work treats software design with a neural net that detects human modus (or the manner in which a team moves an object together) in real time. This work treats physical design with the use of a soft robot in human-robot co-manipulation, …


Improving Devices To Measure The Thermal Conductivity Of Molten Halide Salts, Ryan J. Ruth Apr 2025

Improving Devices To Measure The Thermal Conductivity Of Molten Halide Salts, Ryan J. Ruth

Theses and Dissertations

Molten salts are of high interest for use in nuclear reactors, though their thermophysical properties are notoriously hard to measure due to the extreme conditions created by them. Significant gaps remain in thermal conductivity and heat capacity data, which this work seeks to fill by improving the Needle Probe-a modified transient hot wire probe originally used by Merritt et al to measure the thermal conductivity of FLiNaK- measuring two new salts, and exploring new materials for use with molten salts. Improvements made to the Needle Probe include automation to reduce human error, more accurate heat generation modeling, a more thorough …


Strength And Ductility Of Rod-Braced Diaphragms In Metal Building Systems Subjected To Earthquake Ground Motions, James Niedens Apr 2025

Strength And Ductility Of Rod-Braced Diaphragms In Metal Building Systems Subjected To Earthquake Ground Motions, James Niedens

Theses and Dissertations

Metal building systems are a common form of construction but the behavior of roof diaphragms in metal buildings that are subjected to earthquake ground motions is not entirely understood. In this study, the strength and ductility of rod-braced diaphragms with hillside washer connections or rod-pad connections was determined using experimental tests and computer simulation. Tensile tests of rods were used to determine the effect of the type of rod on strength and ductility. Two types of rods were tested, full-body rods with cut threads at each end of the rod and bracing rods with rolled threads. Three rod sizes (5/8 …


Integrating Temperature-Dependent Tissue Properties Into Hifu Computational Models For Enhanced Treatment Planning, Christian Kevin Valencia Narva Apr 2025

Integrating Temperature-Dependent Tissue Properties Into Hifu Computational Models For Enhanced Treatment Planning, Christian Kevin Valencia Narva

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive therapy that ablates diseased tissues with high precision. Computational simulations using the Pennes Bioheat Transfer Equation (PBTE) can guide HIFU treatment by predicting temperature distributions and thermal dose volumes. Traditional simulations assume constant thermal and acoustic properties, which may oversimplify tissue behavior. Methods: This study evaluates the impact of integrating temperature-dependent thermal properties (thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and perfusion) in finite-difference time-domain HIFU simulations. Three scenarios were simulated: (1) a homogeneous liver with both high- and low-power sonications, (2) a rabbit thigh muscle validated against preclinical MRTI data, and (3) an …


Development Of A Qualitative Spot Assay For Zinc Detection In Fortified Cereal Grain Matrices, Ashley L. Lamborn Apr 2025

Development Of A Qualitative Spot Assay For Zinc Detection In Fortified Cereal Grain Matrices, Ashley L. Lamborn

Theses and Dissertations

The present thesis is a compilation of a literature review, journal manuscript, and two standard operating procedures (SOP) on the qualitative determination of zinc in fortified cereal grain products and matrices. The literature review addresses the premise of the research as well as potential solutions for the development of a rapid qualitative spot assay for zinc determination. Quality assurance assays affirm the presence of micronutrients in food fortification initiatives, but no rapid qualitative spot methods for the assessment of zinc currently exist. Chromogenic reagents that may perform a key role in the rapid determination of zinc are identified. The journal …


Development And Evaluation Of Canbench: A Testbed For Assessing The Security Of Automotive Can Buses, Trevor S. Mcclellan Apr 2025

Development And Evaluation Of Canbench: A Testbed For Assessing The Security Of Automotive Can Buses, Trevor S. Mcclellan

Theses and Dissertations

Modern vehicles rely heavily on electronic control units (ECUs) that communicate via the controller area network (CAN) bus, a protocol developed in the 1980s with minimal security considerations. The growing number of ECUs has heightened the risk of cyberattacks on vehicles. Although CAN bus security has been extensively researched, the CAN standard still lacks built-in security measures. Furthermore, testing proposed security mechanisms is challenging due to the proprietary nature of automotive systems. To address this, an open-source physical testbed was developed using inexpensive, off-the-shelf components to support automotive CAN bus security research. The testbed provides a controlled environment for simulating …


The Psychological Effects Of Ice Conditions In Long-Term Space Travel, Jamen W. Barker Apr 2025

The Psychological Effects Of Ice Conditions In Long-Term Space Travel, Jamen W. Barker

Student Works

The psychological effects of long durations spent in space remain largely unexplored, as do potential treatments for these effects. This review compiled data from 19 articles found via searches on the APAPsychInfo and Google Scholar databases, as well as a few ancillary sources. These studies are relevant to the study of the psychological effects of space travel and isolated, confined, or extreme (ICE) environments, and research into means of addressing them, as well as limitations in current literature on the topic. Studies found sleep deprivation, largely due to microgravity, to be a contributing factor to increased stress in space. Social …


Analysis Of Nitrogen Accumulation And Gene Expression In Hydroponically-Grown Chenopodium Genotypes, Teal Kalt Apr 2025

Analysis Of Nitrogen Accumulation And Gene Expression In Hydroponically-Grown Chenopodium Genotypes, Teal Kalt

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient required by all plants to complete their life cycles. Inefficient N uptake contributes to over fertilization and subsequent environmental and sustainability issues resulting in the need for improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Chenopodium quinoa is a resilient pseudocereal crop that is relatively adapted to N-deficient soils. Previous studies have uncovered the unique genetic structure of quinoa and its physiological responses to N availability; however, gaps remain in understanding its molecular mechanisms for NUE. This study investigates four quinoa genotypes (Real-1, 0654, KU-2, and QQ74) hydroponically grown in N-deficient conditions. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis identified …


Aesthetics In Instructional Design, Dennis M. West Apr 2025

Aesthetics In Instructional Design, Dennis M. West

Theses and Dissertations

This multi-article dissertation examines how aesthetics enhances instructional design to foster engaging, transformative learning experiences. Despite its potential, aesthetics is often granted a secondary status in design practice, being seen as less important than functionality. The first article explores philosopher Monroe Beardsley's five aesthetic criteria--object-directedness, felt freedom, detached affect, active discovery, and wholeness--through a theoretical literature review, proposing their application to elevate learner engagement and interest. The second article, a qualitative investigation, analyzed the Cybermatics Playable Case Study (PCS; a cybersecurity simulation) from the perspective of Beardsley's aesthetic criteria. This investigation involved four students and two designers interviewed hermeneutically over …


Analysis Of Radial Inlet Distortion On Transonic Fan Performance, Tyler M. Reedy Apr 2025

Analysis Of Radial Inlet Distortion On Transonic Fan Performance, Tyler M. Reedy

Theses and Dissertations

Improving fan design and performance prediction requires an understanding of the impacts of inlet distortions. Inlet distortion describes any non-uniform distribution in the flow, usually referring to deviations in pressure and temperature. Using full annulus Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (URANS) simulations, the effects of both hub and tip radial distortions on the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) Rotor 4 fan are analyzed. Overall performance, total pressure (Pt) distortion transfer, and total temperature (Tt) distortion generation are presented and compared for three operating points: near-stall, design, and choke. Hub radial inlet distortion magnitudes of 15% and 20%, and a tip radial …


Using Human Computation And Harmonic Expansions For Characterization And Design Of Grain Boundary Networks, Christopher W. Adair Apr 2025

Using Human Computation And Harmonic Expansions For Characterization And Design Of Grain Boundary Networks, Christopher W. Adair

Theses and Dissertations

Grain Boundary Networks (GBNs) are a high-dimensional feature in polycrystalline microstructural materials that are formed from the crystallographic degrees of freedom. This feature affects multiple material properties such as diffusivity, fracture, elasticity, heat transfer, and others. The link between the crystallography and the material properties is called the structure-property linkage, and allows for simulation and design of materials. While it is possible to use the structure-property linkage to design materials for better performance, the high-dimensional nature of the interconnected grain boundaries preclude the use of many common optimization algorithms for efficiency or local minima considerations. This work shows how the …


An Analysis Of The Encryption Algorithms Proposed For The Mqtt Protocol On Resource Constrained Iot Devices, John Joseph Keenan Apr 2025

An Analysis Of The Encryption Algorithms Proposed For The Mqtt Protocol On Resource Constrained Iot Devices, John Joseph Keenan

Theses and Dissertations

As more IoT devices are used to gather data and automate devices throughout the world, more security solutions are needed to keep these devices and the data they transmit secure. Many of these devices use the MQTT protocol, which does not encrypt the transferred data by default. The TLS/SSL protocols are the standard proposed solution for encrypting this traffic, but many resource constrained IoT devices do not have enough resources to run these protocols efficiently. Because of this, many other encryption algorithms have been proposed or designed for resource constrained IoT devices running the MQTT protocol, but very limited research …


The Development Of Electroanalytical Methods For Molten Salt Mixtures Under Static And Flowing Conditions, Ranon Fuller Apr 2025

The Development Of Electroanalytical Methods For Molten Salt Mixtures Under Static And Flowing Conditions, Ranon Fuller

Theses and Dissertations

Electroanalytical methods have the potential to characterize molten salt systems in situ, determine physical properties such as diffusion coefficients and standard potentials, and measure kinetic and corrosion rates. Due to experimental difficulties of working with molten salts including high temperatures and high natural convection, transport, kinetic, and corrosion rates, many precise, consistent methods have yet to be established. In this work, we describe methods to precisely calculate standard reduction potentials, characterize molten salt solutions containing multiple lanthanides by reduction potentials and metal deposition mechanisms, calculate the number of electrons exchanged in metal deposition using SWV, calculate diffusion coefficients using CV, …