Digital Commons Network^™

When Quitting Isn't An Option: Learner Perceptions Of Persistence Factors In A Faith-Based Online Global English As An International Language Course, Heather Porter Ugege

Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores the perceptions of learners in an online, global, faith-based, English as an international language (EIL) course. The course is designed to help students with limited access to educational opportunities develop English skills and prepare for enrollment in an online university. Since its launch, course enrollment, retention, engagement, and completion metrics have shown significant gains year over year. However, the number of learners in the course who have met all course completion criteria is still limited. This inquiry aims to gain a deeper understanding of the factors influencing learner persistence from the perspectives of both course completers and …

Perceptions Of Trauma-Informed Care Training For Teachers In Early Childhood Education Settings, Molly Michelle Michaels

Theses and Dissertations

The maltreatment of children is currently a global health priority (Chamberlain et al., 2019). By the age of 16, over two-thirds of children report having experienced at least one traumatic event (Toof et al., 2020). Exposure to childhood trauma can negatively impact brain development, leading to problems functioning across community, home, and school settings (Burke Harris, 2018). In response, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration developed a framework for trauma-informed care to address the significant impact of trauma on individuals (Loomis, 2018). However, few studies exist that explore the use of trauma-informed care practices in early childhood education …

Seasonal Variation In Modulus Of Cement-Treated Base Layers And Untreated Base Layers In Utah, Mason Robert Kessler Millard

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to compare the stiffness of cement-treated base (CTB) layers and untreated base course (UTBC) layers in a cold region through a typical year. The scope of work included testing of three residential pavement segments comprising CTB layers and two comparable pavement segments comprising UTBC layers in northern Utah. Design thicknesses were verified through drilling and dynamic cone penetrometer testing in September 2024. Following 3 to 15 years of service, the sites were evaluated using portable falling-weight deflectometer (PFWD) testing in May 2024, July 2024, September 2024, November 2024, January 2025, and March 2025. After …

Extracting Magnetic Exchange Interactions From Magnetic Pair Distribution Function Data Via Monte Carlo Simulations, Emma Zappala

Theses and Dissertations

The magnetic pair distribution function (mPDF) is a powerful tool used to analyze diffuse magnetic scattering data in real-space. Presently, mPDF is usually used to model real-space spin configurations of materials, offering important insights into the local magnetic structure, but not to directly probe the magnetic interactions giving rise to the magnetic structure in the first place. Using Monte Carlo simulations, a robust algorithm to simulate the magnetic structure of materials, we can connect the underlying magnetic exchange parameters to the spin configurations from experimental mPDF data. We prove this concept using a simple two-dimensional Ising model and then demonstrate …

Transcendental Formulas For The Coefficients Of Ramanujan's Mock Theta Functions, Gradin Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Ramanujan's 1920 last letter to Hardy contains seventeen examples of mock theta functions, including the famous third order function f(q), which resemble modular forms of weight 1/2. This list has since been expanded by individuals such as Gordon and McIntosh and the McKay--Thompson series arising in moonshine theory. In 1964, Andrews---improving on a result of Dragonette---gave an asymptotic formula for the coefficients of f(q) and conjectured an exact formula: a conditionally convergent series that closely resembles the Hardy--Ramanujan--Rademacher formula for the partition function. A key breakthrough came in 2001, when Zwegers wrote f(q) as the holomorphic component of a vector-valued …

Rotor Interaction Aerodynamics: Influence Of Phase And Spacing On Wake And Pressure Behavior, Nathan D. Welker

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the aerodynamic behavior and interactions in the flow-fields of dual rotor systems. The experiments used Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) combined with pressure and force measurements to characterize the flow with an emphasis on side-by-side rotor flows at small separation distances. This work is separated into six main chapters: first, the topic is introduced with a thorough literature review in Chapter 1, the methodology and details of the experiments are discussed in detail in Chapter 2; the effects of phase offset on dual-rotor rotor flows is explored in Chapter 3; the influence of separation distance on the side-by-side …

Recreation Effects On Soil Carbon, Biocrust Presence, Soil Stability, And Invasive Species In Indian Creek, Bears Ears National Monument, Elisabeth M. Currit

Theses and Dissertations

Desert ecosystems perform essential ecosystem services, including playing a crucial role in the global carbon cycle. Because of this, it is important to understand how recreational activities, common in desert environments, impacts dryland ecosystems' ability to perform ecosystem services. The growing popularity of outdoor recreation in Western US poses a threat to desert ecosystems, and unregulated activities can harm soil health, particularly the presence and functioning of biological soil crusts (biocrusts). This study uses the Indian Creek Special Recreation Management area in Bears Ears National Monument, Utah, USA, as a case study for recreation impacted desert ecosystems. It examines the …

Consequences Of The Double Empathy Problem Within The Clinical Environment: A New Model For Neuroinclusive Care, Sofia Jimenez

Theses and Dissertations

As diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rise, the neurodiversity and autistic self-advocacy movements have challenged traditional deficit-based clinical models and called for more inclusive, affirming approaches to care. Recent research disputes the long-held belief that autistic individuals have deficits in perspective-taking, revealing that miscommunication between autistic and neurotypical individuals results from mutual misunderstanding, a concept known as the double empathy problem (DEP; Milton, 2012), with the triple empathy problem (TEP) extending this framework to healthcare settings. Our study investigates the consequences of the DEP and TEP within clinical environments, focusing on interactions between neurotypical speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and adult …

Perspectives On Career Advising At A Large Private Religious Institution, Lane Toshio Muranaka

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the role of career advising at Brigham Young University (BYU), a faith-based institution where professional guidance focuses on spiritual development and purpose-driven learning. Through qualitative interviews with career advisors across various disciplines, the research explores how advisors define student success, integrate faith into their advising practices, and support students in aligning their career aspirations with personal meaning and the university's religious mission. Grounded in the belief that holistic education fosters lifelong success, BYU emphasizes the development of the "total person," including moral and spiritual dimensions. Findings reveal that student success is not solely measured by employment outcomes …

Coding For Nonstandard Channels: A Capacity-Oriented Approach, J Daniel Harman

Theses and Dissertations

This work addresses the issue of coding for non-standard channel models with an emphasis on capacity-oriented channel analysis and system design. The first channel studied is the Wyner wiretap channel. Channel sounding results were obtained to calculate the capacity for the multi-antenna case of the Wyner wiretap channel to ascertain the potential for secure communication via secrecy coding. The second channel studied is an asymmetric binary crossover erasure channel (ABCEC) with a short-blocklength constraint. The capacity for this channel was derived, and linear codes were chosen and tested. Another study was conducted on the ABCEC within a degraded wiretap channel …

Exploring Soil-Derived Antimicrobials For Inhibiting Dairy-Associated Pathogens And Spoilage Bacteria, Michael Joseph Moran

Theses and Dissertations

Spore-forming bacteria are among the most problematic contaminants in fluid milk. They can survive pasteurization, grow at refrigeration temperatures, and secrete heat-stable enzymes, making them a major cause of spoilage in both pasteurized and reconstituted milk products. Current nonthermal strategies for reducing spore counts, including microfiltration and bactofugation, are often costly and inconsistent. The increasing consumer demand for natural additives in food products has sparked interest in the use of bacterially-derived antimicrobial compounds, particularly those from generally recognized as safe (GRAS) organisms, as an alternative method of dairy preservation. This study explores the antimicrobial potential of ten soil-derived Bacillus and …

Mystical Epistemologies: Understanding Divine Love Through Ibn 'Arabi And Thomas Aquinas, Janai Wright

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper explores the epistemological role of love in the mystical frameworks of Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi and Thomas Aquinas, two significant figures of medieval philosophy and theology. Though rooted in distinct monotheistic traditions—Islamic mysticism and Christian scholasticism—both thinkers share a foundation in Aristotelian thought, from which they derive skepticism regarding the intellect's capacity to fully comprehend or relate to the divine. Instead, they elevate love as the essential means to attaining knowledge of God. By comparing Ibn ‘Arabi’s concept of the heart with Aquinas’ notion of the will, the paper elucidates how each philosopher positions love as transcending the limitations …

Opposing Roles For Iron Transport Systems In Gallium Tolerance In Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia Coli, Nagama Parveen

Theses and Dissertations

Iron is required for bacterial growth because it serves as a co-factor for enzymes involved in DNA synthesis, cellular respiration, and other processes. Disrupting bacterial iron homeostasis is an effective strategy to prevent the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and gallium (Ga³⁺) has emerged as a promising candidate due to its ability to displace iron (Fe³⁺) and prevent essential iron-dependent pathways. However, Escherichia coli are naturally less sensitive to gallium than many other bacteria, and the mechanisms that control gallium tolerance are not completely understood. To address this, we performed a genome-wide transposon sequencing (TnSeq) screen to identify genes important for …

Feasibility Of A Novel Combined Treatment For Apraxia Of Speech, Claire Evans Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

Apraxia of speech (AOS) is a disorder of articulation and prosody interrupting the spatial and temporal planning and/or programming of speech movements and commonly co-occurs with aphasia. Most AOS treatment research has used single case experimental designs (SCEDS) to document the effects of treatment. The strength of SCEDs is that they can demonstrate clear causal relations between intervention and behavior change. The most studied AOS treatment is an articulatory-kinematic treatment called Sound Production Treatment (SPT). This study was designed to examine the effects of a novel treatment, Sound Production Treatment in a Metrical- Paced Frame (SPTMF), on the speech production …

Predicting The Yield Strength Of Aluminum Alloys Based On Composition, Clinton K. Waite

Theses and Dissertations

This work describes a model to predict the yield strength of aluminum alloys, in either an annealed or T6 (peak aged) state, based solely on its composition. This is accomplished through the analyses of strengthening mechanisms common to aluminum, of which a novel semi-empirical model to predict precipitation strengthening is discussed. Solid solution strengthening and grain boundary strengthening are more simplistically considered but with significant accuracy. It is shown that by combining the strength contributions of each strengthening mechanism, the overall yield strength can be predicted by its composition in any of the 1xxx-7xxx series alloys. This allows the model …

Recent Advances In Developing Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Biosensors For Medical Diagnostics And Environmental Monitoring, Tyler P. Green, Joseph P. Talley, Bradley Charles Bundy

Faculty Publications

Cell-free biosensors harness the selectivity of cellular machinery without living cells’ constraints, offering advantages in environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and biotechnological applications. This review examines recent advances in cell-free biosensor development, highlighting their ability to detect diverse analytes including heavy metals, organic pollutants, pathogens, and clinical biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity. We analyze technological innovations in cell-free protein synthesis optimization, preservation strategies, and field deployment methods that have enhanced sensitivity, and practical applicability. The integration of synthetic biology approaches has enabled complex signal processing, multiplexed detection, and novel sensor designs including riboswitches, split reporter systems, and metabolic sensing modules. …

Full Halls, Hull Hearts: Increasing Engagement And Personal Connection In Classical Music Audiences, Katherine E. Christensen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

ABSTRACT

FULL HALLS, FULL HEARTS: INCREASING PERSONAL CONNECTION AND ENGAGEMENT AMONG CLASSICAL MUSIC AUDIENCES

Kate Christensen

Music Department

Bachelor of Music

Over the past several decades, it has been noted that numbers and attendance at classical music concerts is decreasing. Assumptions on why this is occurring point to a lack of connection and engagement between the audience and the music. This thesis seeks to find correlation between interactive techniques implemented in concert set up and audiences feeling connected to and having personal experiences with the music played. Interactive techniques, or engagement activities, are relatively recent additions to concerts, growing in …

Classification And Analysis Of Families Of Graphs With Focus On Nordhaus-Gaddum Bounds, Sibi Pranav Muthuprakash

Theses and Dissertations

Nordhaus-Gaddum type problems focus on bounding characteristics of graph and its complement. There are certain families of graphs which yield optimal upper bounds on various Nordhaus-Gaddum characteristics of graph. In this paper, we will talk about bounding combinatorial algebraic connectivity, normalized algebraic connectivity, the Cheeger constant, and the isoperimetric number of a graph and its complement. We will identify some optimal or near optimal families of graphs and conduct an analysis on these families that will help to bound these characteristics. We will also prove and conjecture some bounds that can help in formulating stronger bounds on these characteristics of …

Understanding Administrator Approaches To Trauma-Informed Care: Findings From A Mixed Methods Study, Megan Coalwell

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic events during childhood have been termed adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Experiencing traumatic events or ACEs is common for school-aged children. Research reports indicate that as many as two out of three children will experience at least one traumatic event by the time they are eighteen. The negative effects of experiencing trauma are well documented. Trauma can lead to long-term outcomes in adults such as chronic health problems, mental health problems, substance misuse, and even early death. During childhood, it can lead to internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as difficulties in school. Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is an approach to …

Flowdb: A Complete Method For Extracting Queries From Functional Programs, Koby J. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

Programmers working on database-backed applications frequently face trade-offs between designing maintainable software and efficient software due to the overhead of querying a database. We demonstrate FlowDB, an analysis for database-backed programs that can aid in program transformations that allow a program to be written in a maintainable style while still being performant. FlowDB employs demand-driven control flow analysis (DCFA) to produce a set of query sites that may be evaluated during the execution of a program. This set of query sites may then be used by a developer or compiler to cache needed results.

An Active Quasi-Circulator Ic And Technique For 1-255 Mhz Resonance-Based Spectroscopic Impedance Plethysmography, Sharisse Poff

Theses and Dissertations

Impedance measurement is a promising avenue for noninvasive glucosemonitoring. Specifically,resonance-basedimpedancemeasurements exhibit good correlation with glucose levels at excitations from tens of MHztoover 100 MHz. Additionally, plethysmographic impedance measurements are needed to separate arterial blood signals, which contain strongerglucose information, frominterstitialfluidsignals. Weanticipate that plethysmographic measurements across a range of frequencies— spectroscopic plethysmography—at excitations from tens to over 100 MHz could enable resonance-based monitoring with higher selectivity for arterial glucose than previous work. Afour-point impedance measurement circuit is designed, and its ability to measure constant and periodically time-varying impedance is demonstrated. This circuit presents high impedance to the device-undertest (DUT), which fails …

Patterns And Continuity: Documenting African American History In Carbon County, Utah, And The Roots Of Racial Terror Lynchings In American Society, Michael L. B. Forvil

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the history of African Americans in Carbon County, Utah, through the lens of racial terror lynching, community memory, and migration. Anchored in the story of Robert Marshall, a Black man lynched in Price, Utah, in 1925, the project considers how racial violence reached beyond the American South and how such acts have been neglected in public memory. Drawing on family history research, census records, historical newspapers, and the work of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), this work contextualizes Marshall’s death within broader patterns of racial terror lynchings that shaped African American migration from the South during the …

Rheumatic Heart Disease In Primary Aged Children In Samoa, Kallysta Lindquist

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a condition where the heart valves are permanently damaged by an autoimmune response to chronic strep infections. RHD remains extremely prevalent in Oceania - specifically Samoa. However, despite its prevalence, RHD is underexplored in Samoa and there are many disparities for medical care to treat RHD in Samoa. This research shifts the focus of RHD to early detection in children (5-18 years old) and provides critical insights into RHD and the geographic difference in RHD prevalence in Samoa. Our dataset was collected between 2013-2019 from the Rheumatic Relief program done by Brigham Young University. Data …

Impact Of Non-Uniform Surface Temperature On The Apparent Radiative Properties Of Cavity Receivers, Ehsan Mofidipour, Matthew R. Jones, Brian D. Iverson

Faculty Publications

Radiative surface properties play a critical role in the design, analysis and optimization of solar–thermal systems. Cavity receivers increase the efficiency of solar–thermal energy systems through the cavity effect. The cavity effect refers to increased absorption of radiation due to multiple reflections within a cavity. Apparent radiative surface properties of a cavity characterize the effective interactions of radiation passing through an imaginary surface covering the cavity aperture. In this study, we investigate the extent to which the apparent emissivity of a cavity with a non-uniform surface temperature profile may be estimated using an isothermal enclosure model. A cylindrical cavity was …

The Silent Grief Of Grandmothers After An Out-Of-Order Death—An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Jordan Robertson, Elizabeth Cutrer, Paul Caldarella, Jeremy B. Yorgason, Terrell Young, Erjola Gjini, Sarah Stuart, Savannah Tueller

Faculty Publications

This study delves into the lived experiences of grandmothers grappling with grief following the “out-of-order” death of a child, child-in-law, or grandchild, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis grounded in the Dual Process Model-Revised. With 70% of U.S. adults over 65 being grandparents, the research highlights their often-invisible role as both grievers and caregivers amid family loss. Findings reveal three key themes: navigating personal grief, intergenerational support dynamics, and reconstructing family identity. Grandmothers oscillate between loss-oriented and restoration-oriented coping, with grief intensity varying by relational proximity—most profound when losing their own child. They provide emotional and practical support to surviving grandchildren, …

The Effects Of A Tier 2 Intervention On The Behavior Of Elementary School Students Participating In Second Step: Enhancing A Schoolwide Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum, Charlotte Annalee Kennington

Theses and Dissertations

After reviewing the current research literature on the effects of social-emotional learning (SEL) on the behavior of elementary-age children, it was clear that there was limited research data on the effects of Tier 2 interventions designed to augment the effects of schoolwide SEL programs. Specifically, to what extent could a brief, group-delivered intervention improve the academic engagement, problem behavior, and socially appropriate comments of fifth-grade students receiving schoolwide SEL through Second Step in a traditional public school? Three fifth-grade students were recruited to participate in this study who all engaged in frequent problem behavior during Second Step lessons and throughout …

Hearing From Working Nurses: Incorporating Real-World Knowledge Practices Into The Framework To Better Instruct Tomorrow's Healthcare Professionals, Anne R. Diekema, Elizabeth (Betsy) S. Hopkins, Britt Fagerheim, Brandon Patterson, Nena Schvaneveldt

Faculty Publications

There is a certain duality to the role of librarians in higher education as the job requires preparing students for their current academic work, such as doing research for writing papers, while at the same time preparing students for their future professional information work. Librarians seeking guidance on teaching information literacy more comprehensively are left to study the professional standards of the targeted professional group, and find or carry out research on these practitioners. Synthesizing and translating these findings into instructional approaches while staying true to existing information literacy standards, however, can be challenging. In this chapter we demonstrate how …

Commitment And Betrayal In Intimate Relationships: A Grounded Theory Analysis, Megan Van Alfen Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Commitment and betrayal are key aspects of a relationship that have impact on the quality or health of the relationship. The purpose of this paper was to use qualitative grounded theory methods to explore how commitment and betrayal are experienced in intimate relationships and to explore the outcomes of both. The data were taken from a larger project on healthy and unhealthy relationships where participants were recruited through convenience and theoretical sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and constructivist grounded theory methods were used to code, generate, and refine prominent categories in the data. Findings revealed that commitment is experienced through …

Characterizing Host And Viral Factors Relevant To Turkey Hemorrhagic Enteritis Virus-Induced Immunosuppression, Abraham Quaye

Theses and Dissertations

Turkey hemorrhagic enteritis virus (THEV) is an adenovirus (AdV) that causes hemorrhagic enteritis (HE) in turkeys, a debilitating disease affecting predominantly 6-12-week-old turkey poults characterized by immunosuppression (IMS) and intestinal lesions leading to bloody diarrhea. Although a naturally-occurring avirulent THEV strain has been adopted as live vaccine and has proven effective at preventing HE in turkeys, it still retains its immunosuppressive ability. Thus, vaccinated birds are rendered more susceptible to opportunistic infections and death than unvaccinated cohorts, leading to substantial economic losses. This dissertation focuses on elucidating both host and viral factors mediating THEV-induced IMS in turkeys. As THEV gene …

Characterizing Gastric Cancer Tumor Immune Microenvironment Through Extracellular Vesicles, Claire Elizabeth Bruno

Theses and Dissertations

The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) critically influences cancer progression and determining therapeutic response. As immunotherapies continue to improve and reshape cancer treatments, there is a need for tools that can more efficiently and accurately assess and monitor the TIME. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), especially small EVs (sEVs), are lipid-bound nanoparticles that carry proteins, DNA, and RNA reflective of their cell of origin, offering a novel, non-invasive biomarker of the TIME. This makes them a promising candidate for immune profiling and treatment monitoring in cancer. This thesis investigates the potential of EVs as biomarkers for TIME composition and immune activity. An analysis …