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Modeling And Simulation Of Tensegrity Structures With Continuous Cables, Austin R. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a novel approach for modeling and simulating tensegrity structures with continuous cables. A Python-based simulation framework package was developed to address limitations in existing tensegrity modeling software, particularly the inability to model cables passing through multiple nodes. The framework utilizes virtual work methods to solve for equilibrium configurations of 2D, 2.5D and 3D tensegrity systems. Key features include: • A YAML-based input system for easy definition of tensegrity topologies. • Algorithms for handling continuous cables spanning multiple nodes. • Optimization techniques to find stable equilibrium states. • Capability to simulate 2.5D structures wrapped around cylindrical surfaces. • …

Semitic Root Encoding: Tokenization Based On The Templatic Morphology Of Semitic Languages In Nmt, Brendan T. Hatch

Theses and Dissertations

The morphological structure of Semitic languages like Arabic and Hebrew is based on non-concatenative roots and templates. This complex word structure used by humans is obscured to neural models that use traditional tokenization algorithms. In this work, I present and evaluate Semitic Root Encoding (SRE), a tokenization method that represents Semitic words with distinct root and template stem tokens, and apply it to neural machine translation (NMT). I evaluate whether tokenization with the SRE method leads to increases in translation quality, whether it allows NMT models to hypothesize unseen word forms needed at inference, and how impervious resulting NMT models …

Across Generations Of Time: Institutional Memory And Individual Memory Of The Kwangju Uprising Regarding The Hong Family, Seung Hong

Undergraduate Honors Theses

On May 18, 1980, the Kwangju Uprising took place in Kwangju, a city in the Chŏlla province of South Korea. Though it was initially a student demonstration against Chun Doo Hwan’s martial law, it grew to involve thousands of Kwangju civilians who united to fight against vicious paratroopers and Chun’s unjust rule. After nine days, state troops recaptured Kwangju and arrested the remaining demonstrators. Years later, as a response to popular demand, the South Korean government compensated victims and began celebrating May 18 as a turning point for democracy in the nation. The institutional memory of the Kwangju Uprising has …

Building And Demonstrating A Framework And Guide For Human-Centered Threat Modeling, Warda Usman

Theses and Dissertations

As researchers increasingly seek to understand threats faced by people rather than systems, there remains little consensus on how to study these threats in ways that are grounded in human experience. Traditional approaches to threat modeling are often designed for system vulnerabilities and offer limited guidance for eliciting or analyzing threats as understood by individuals in their social and cultural contexts. This dissertation addresses this gap by advancing human-centered threat modeling (HCTM) in security and privacy research as both a conceptual framework and through a set of empirical studies. The dissertation employs a mixed set of qualitative methods across four …

Simulating And Designing Pyro Fx To Communicate A Hostile And Magical Environment, Rebekah L. Tran

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis aims to document the fire FX work completed on this year’s senior capstone film, Love & Gold, for the BYU Center of Animation. The story of the film is brought to life with many different types of effects including snow, sparks, lava, rock shattering, magic, hair, cloth, and the topic of this thesis, fire. The film has three main fire simulation needs: torches, braziers, and fire traps. The FX team on the film created these with Pyro simulations. Pyro simulations are a common type of simulation supported by Houdini FX, the software program that BYU Animation primarily uses …

Refinement And Application Of The Absorption Cross-Section Of Molecular Bromine With Relevance To Atmospheric Chemistry, Callum Flowerday, Ryan Thalman, Jaron C. Hansen, Eric T. Sevy, Jason J. Sorensen, Matthew C. Asplund

ScholarsArchive Data

Defined Br2 XS - is the defined absorption cross-section using the UVvis spectrophotometer.

BBCEAS - This is raw absorption data measured using the BBCEAS (see article for details).

UVvis raw - This is the raw absorption data measured using the UVvis spectrophotometer.

Sisyphus Smiles: Essays On Living Well In The Face Of Absurdity, Brooke N. Smith

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this thesis, I explore questions regarding the nature of meaningfulness and living well in the face of absurdity. Socrates famously stated, “The unexamined life is not worth living,” therefore, in the following essays I delve into these fundamental questions by reflecting on my own life and analyzing it in light of various philosophical notions. The two essays center around an analysis of Albert Camus’s “The Myth of Sisyphus,” ultimately highlighting the distinction between Sisyphus’s situation and our own as human beings. The first essay largely examines Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s theory of embodiment, how his conception of embodiment plays out in …

Implementing Exercise Is Medicine At Byu, Destiny Rose H. Romero

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Exercise has been proven for millennia to have significant health benefits, both preventative and curative. Many modern diseases and ailments can be prevented, alleviated, or even cured with increased physical activity. Unfortunately, the United States health system has yet to effectively integrate exercise into mainstream medical models. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is working to solve this disconnect through their global health initiative Exercise is Medicine (EIM). Most relevant to BYU is their EIM-On Campus program, which incorporates principles of exercise medicine into colleges and universities. This thesis first explores the dynamics of the health system that inhibit …

Untying The Knot: All Of Us Strangers And The Transgressive Encounter, Luka Romney

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Trauma is a perennial human problem that has only recently received sustained attention from the academic community. Within the interdisciplinary field of memory studies, there has been a significant push to not only identify and theorize trauma but also map out and propose ways to move through and beyond the constraints of trauma. This article will use Andrew Haigh’s 2023 film All of Us Strangers to theorize an experience that forms a redemptive foil to trauma that I term encounter. These redemptive encounters are sticky and unwieldy, and they require a variety of critical frames to draw out their ultimate …

Strivers, Ambivalence, And The Implications Of Wholeheartedness, Kaia K. Hathaway

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this thesis, I examine Harry Frankfurt’s account of the will and its implications for ambivalence, particularly in the context of moral striving. I begin by outlining Frankfurt’s hierarchical model of desires and his view that ambivalence represents a failure of agency. I then explore his proposed solution—wholeheartedness—which aims to resolve inner conflict by rejecting incompatible desires. Drawing on David Velleman and Justin Coates, I argue that Frankfurt’s view faces both agential and ethical challenges, especially for individuals engaged in upward mobility, or “strivers.” I suggest that the experiences of strivers—those who must navigate competing ethical commitments—pose a unique challenge …

Female Religiosity In The United Farm Workers Movement, Keylla Ortega

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines female religiosity in the United Farm Workers movement. Using primarily a collection of essays written by UFW volunteers, this thesis highlights key moments in UFW history when women added to the religious direction of the UFW through innovative ideas and their personal faith. This thesis adds to recent scholarship dedicated to highlighting the stories of rank-and-file members of the UFW. It also adds to the Chicana scholarship that has recognized the consistent leadership of women in the UFW by demonstrating women’s religious and spiritual leadership in the UFW.

The Development Of The Disclosed Reasons Of Partners' Premature Discontinuation In Couple Therapy Questionnaire (Dropped-Ct), Luca Codeca'

Theses and Dissertations

Premature discontinuation from couple therapy presents a substantial challenge for clients, therapists, and society. Inconsistent data on the frequency and reasons for premature discontinuation may be attributed to a lack of methodological rigor in assessing the phenomenon. This study addresses this gap by developing the Disclosed Reasons Of PrEmature Discontinuation in Couple Therapy Questionnaire (DROPPED-CT), a comprehensive instrument designed to assess the reasons why couples prematurely discontinue therapy. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, the DROPPED-CT was developed through the integration of qualitative and quantitative data. The questionnaire demonstrates strong potential for enhancing the consistency of construct operationalization and improving the comparability …

University Counseling Center Therapists' Perspectives Of Counseling About Nutrition, Ana Lucia Pacheco

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined university counseling center therapists' perspectives on discussing nutrition in therapy. Despite the established link between nutrition and mental health, minimal research has explored how therapists approach these discussions. This study used interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to analyze semi-structured interviews with 10 university counseling center therapists from the Mountain West region. Four overarching themes emerged: a deficit view of nutrition, perceived utility, ethical practice, and holistic care. Therapists unanimously recognized the connection between nutrition and mental health and primarily discussed nutrition with clients presenting with eating disorders or disordered eating, those who express interest, or as part of …

Behavioral Skills Training: Comparing Parent Implementation To Registered Behavior Technician Implementation, Jessica Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Behavioral Skills Training (BST) is an evidence-based practice appropriate for practitioners, parents, clients, and other populations. It is frequently used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to support and augment skill development. Parent training in ABA has been found to be beneficial, and often critical, in the progress of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While BST is a popular method of parent training, it is unclear how effective this type of training is in comparison to the training given to a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT). This study took place in conjunction with an ABA clinic providing in home therapy. …

The Influence Of Father Involvement On Early Childhood Outcome In China, Shuiyan Guo

Theses and Dissertations

Using a sample from China, this study examined the influence of father involvement on child outcome in early childhood in areas of internalizing problems, externalizing problems and prosocial behaviors. The participants were drawn from the larger PACIFIC project, a cross-cultural study of family processes in Asia. 479 families with a preschool or kindergarten child living in Beijing and Dalian, China were included in this study. Using multiple regression analysis, result indicated that father involvement was not significantly associated with child’s internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and prosocial behaviors. Moderation analysis was also conducted and found that the effect of father involvement …

Therapist Experience As A Moderator Of Therapeutic Alliance Across The Course Of Couple Therapy, Julia K. Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

Therapeutic alliance is a key predictor of successful couple therapy outcomes. Little research has explored how therapist experience may predict its development. This study was designed to examine whether initial therapeutic alliance scores differ between couple clients of training clinics versus couple clients of community clinics, and whether the rate of change in alliance across sessions varies between these groups. Additionally, I controlled for initial relationship distress. Using dyadic therapy process data for at least one partner of 1,330 couples, a multilevel growth curve model with therapist experience as a moderator was fit to determine the difference in initial therapeutic …

Exploring The Figured Worlds And Identity Of Religious Women In Mathematics-Related Majors, Rachel K. Reynolds

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis investigates how religious women in mathematics construct and navigate their identities within the intersecting figured worlds of gender, religion, and mathematics. Drawing on Holland et al.’s (1998) theory of figured worlds and informed by identity theory, this study examines how these women experience, negotiate, and position their identities within these figured worlds. Through interviews with women who are simultaneously committed to religious life and mathematical scholarship, the research reveals that rather than perceiving conflict between these domains, participants often find points of integration and mutual reinforcement. Their narratives illuminate how identity is shaped through cultural contexts, institutional expectations, …

Reactivity To Environmental And Social Demands In Autistic And Neurotypical Children: More Alike Than Different?, Sarah-Ann Louder James

Theses and Dissertations

Research has increasingly recognized that empathy difficulties between autistic and neurotypical individuals are mutual. As empathy depends on shared understanding, identifying common ground between autistic and neurotypical children is important to foster greater empathy. This study examined reactivity patterns in autistic and neurotypical children to explore how similarities in reactivity might promote empathy across neurodiverse groups. Using a quantitative, survey-based design, parents of 56 children (19 autistic, 37 neurotypical; ages 5-11) completed a novel measure developed for this study, the Reactivity to Scenarios of Differing Intensity (RSDI), which measures children's reactivity to various social and environmental scenarios of differing intensity. …

Latent Profiles Of Couples' Marital Power And Gender Ideologies: Associations With Physical Intimate Partner Violence, Rylie Speirs

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to identify couple typologies regarding gender ideologies and marital power, and investigate how couple typologies relate to sociodemographic characteristics as well as rates of physical intimate partner violence (IPV). Several theoretical approaches connect marital power and gender ideologies to IPV but emphasize different couple typologies. For example, family violence perspectives suggest gender ideology mismatch is a stressor that increases the likelihood of either spouse reporting low power or engaging in physical IPV. Feminist theories add that men may use IPV to maintain patriarchal power dynamics when women deviate from traditional gender norms, emphasizing the risk of IPV …

The Blue Division In The Soviet Union: Cultural Exchange Through The Lens Of Art, Abigail Beus

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the cultural encounters and artistic interactions between Spanish Blue Division volunteers and the Soviet Union during World War II. While scholarship has long focused on the grand-scale looting conducted by the Nazis, Spain’s role—particularly that of the Blue Division—in wartime art theft and cultural exchange has been significantly underexplored. Sent by Franco’s fascist regime to support Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union, the Blue Division served not only as military auxiliaries but also as cultural intermediaries. Drawing on memoirs, letters, and the Blue Division’s own newspaper Hoja de Campaña, this study analyzes how Spanish soldiers encountered, …

Delaunay Keyer For Colorspace-Local Matte Extraction And Spill Suppression, Isaac J. Criddle

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Keying is a fundamental, common, and expensive problem in visual effects. It consists of two subtasks: matte extraction and screen spill removal. Today’s standard keyers often fall short on edge cases including unevenly lit screens, fine detail, and sky replacements. As a result, keying continues to be a laborious process requiring highly trained compositors and complex bespoke setups. Our method does not assume one single saturated screen color, allowing for more versatile workflows. The keyer functions by interpolating over a Delaunay tetrahedralization of user-given sample colors. We evaluate our method relative to the visual effects industry’s standard keyers on a …

The Play's The Thing: Using Game-Based Learning To Teach Romeo And Juliet And Critical Media Literacy As An Aspect Of Civic Engagment, Lucy A. Winkel

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this capstone thesis project, a simulation unit on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is used to combine the teaching of literature with the teaching of critical media literacy. Research encompassing the need for teaching literature and media literacy, media literacy as an essential component of citizenship, and Generation Alpha’s challenges and needs in the classroom precedes a literature review on gamified and game-based learning. The challenges of teaching Generation Alpha in a post-pandemic world make gamified and game-based learning an important topic in the field of education. Today’s students struggle with traditional learning styles, but multiple studies show that they …

The Effect Of Family Communication On Adolescent Sexual Behaviors And Attitudes, Jonathan Young

Family Perspectives

Unhealthy sexual behaviors among adolescents, such as engaging with multiple partners or neglecting contraceptive use, can lead to significant physical, psychological, and relational consequences. This literature review explores the influence of family communication on adolescent sexual behaviors and attitudes, emphasizing the role of parent-adolescent discussions in promoting healthier sexual practices and reshaping sexual values. Research indicates that open, reciprocal family communication is associated with reduced sexual risk-taking, fewer sexual partners, delayed sexual debut, and increased contraceptive use. Moreover, conversations centered on positive sexual norms, such as love and respect, facilitate adolescents’ adoption of healthier sexual values. Effective family communication also …

Unseen Burdens: Exploring Gender Disparities In Infertility Experience And Depressive Symptoms, Khiara Cardoza Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how experiences with infertility relate to mental health outcomes among newly married U.S. couples, emphasizing gender differences and the potential moderating role of gender attitudes. Using data from 3,137 individuals in a nationally representative sample, three Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were estimated: first assessing actor and partner effects of infertility on depressive symptoms and subsequently incorporating gender attitudes as moderators. Results indicated a significant actor effect for wives, where infertility was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, and this association was significantly stronger for wives than for husbands. No significant effects were found for husbands' infertility and …

The Case For Visual Art In Overcoming The Double Empathy Problem, Katelyn Milea Rose Nilson

Theses and Dissertations

A person's cognitive environment--made up of their thoughts, experiences, and tendencies--can affect how they empathize with others. Those with significantly different cognitive environments, such as autistic and neurotypical individuals, may have a difficult time empathizing with one another. This study aimed to facilitate empathy between the two groups by aligning their cognitive environments through discussion about visual art. Five autistic neurotypical dyads completed three discussion sessions where they observed and journaled about a piece of art, discussed their thoughts with each other, and filled out a questionnaire about their experience. All participants also completed a post-study interview. Data from questionnaires, …

Perceptions Of Spirituality And Of God: A Psychological Qualitative Study, Christopher E. Peck, Timothy B. Smith, Jamila Mastny

Faculty Publications

The majority of people living in the U.S. report that spirituality is an important part of their life that is influential to their well-being. However, individuals vary widely in how they conceptualize spirituality, which often stems from and overlaps with their conceptualizations of God or so-called “God image”. Examination of people’s experiences of spirituality and conceptualization of God can enable psychologists to improve their understanding of individuals’ core personal experiences. This study evaluates both spirituality and God image, as well as the relationship between these two constructs, using qualitative hermeneutic analysis of interviews with 63 adults (51% women, 49% men, …

New Definitions Of Library Use: Experimentation, Discovery, And Creation (Edc) Within A Library, Holt Zaugg

Faculty Publications

Why did you do this activity, project, or research?

Over the last decade, libraries have shifted from being primarily repositories for information and resources to active learning centers. Physical resources (e.g., books, journals, manuscripts) have moved to online access. Librarian roles have adjusted how they help patrons find and access resources in their local library and beyond, resulting in impactful input on research, learning, and scholarly endeavors. Additionally, due to a reduced need for storing materials, libraries have developed collaborative and innovative spaces to meet patrons’ needs. These spaces include group study rooms, experiential studios, makerspaces, green rooms, and podcast …

How A Swiss Person Bought A Part Of The Russian Empire In California: Revisiting Johann August Sutter’S Purchase Of Fort Ross In 1841, David Aragai

Swiss American Historical Society Review

Today, Fort Ross is a State Historic Park along California’s Highway Number 1. It is about one hundred miles north of San Francisco on the wild, beautiful, and wind torn Sonoma Coast. Founded in 1812, Fort Ross was originally an outpost of the Russian Empire; the southernmost on the American continent and the one farthest away from the imperial capital, St. Petersburg. It was built with the intent to help feed the Alaskan colony, as well as to extract sea otters and other mammals from the surrounding waters due to their valuable fur.

Unwarranted Warrants?: An Empirical Analysis Of Judicial Review In Search And Seizure, Brett James Hashimoto, Miguel F.P. De Figueiredo, Dane Thorley

Faculty Publications

Every year, police perform searches governed by the Fourth Amendment on hundreds of thousands of individuals and their property throughout the United States. Many of the academy’s most decorated scholars have focused on the genesis and jurisprudential nature of the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement. Surprisingly, we know almost nothing about how the Fourth Amendment regulates searches and how searches actually work in practice.

In this Article, we pull back the curtain on the search and seizure process by presenting the largest quantitative study of warrants of any kind. We analyze over 33,000 warrant applications filed through Utah’s “e-Warrants” system over …

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Swiss American Historical Society Review

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