Digital Commons Network^™

Hidden Mechanisms Of Climate Impacts In Western Forests: Integrating Theory And Observation For Climate Adaptation, Sara J. Germain

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fire, insects, and disease are necessary components of forest ecosystems. Yet, climate change is intensifying these tree stressors and creating new interactions that threaten forest survival. This dissertation combined field observations with statistical predictions of changing disturbances in western forests to identify 1) how conventional models may underestimate future forest loss, and 2) how positive relationships between trees may be exploited by managers to prevent forest loss.

In Chapter II, I tested whether increasingly extreme weather with climate change increases Pacific yew extinction risk. I found that conventional modeling methods underestimated local extinction risk because trees were adapted to a …

Fabrication And Testing Of Catalyst-Infused Filament For 3d Printing Of Ignition-Augmented Hybrid Rocket Fuels, Kurt C. Olsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis describes and addresses the need for reliable ignition in small satellite hybrid propulsion systems using higher density oxidizers. It describes methods of creating custom 3D printing ABS plastic based filaments that contain small amounts of catalysts. These catalysts lead to a more reliable and energy-efficient ignition of a hybrid rocked propulsion system using catalyst-infused ABS and nitrous oxide and oxygen blend called Nytrox, commonly known as ”laughing gas.” The ”laughing gas” has a higher density and can therefore provide more ”miles per gallon” in a hybrid propulsion system on a small satellite when compared to gaseous oxygen (GOX). …

Initial Development And Validation Of A New Measure Of Students' Social-Emotial Competencies, Stephanie A. Vinal

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In order to support student success, schools and researchers are targeting non-academic skills, termed social-emotional learning. Social-emotional learning (SEL) represents the process by which students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, establish healthy and positive relationships, and identify as well as regulate emotions. Research shows SEL interventions are effective in decreasing student problems (e.g., anxiety, depression, low motivation; Barry et al., 2015; Corcoran, et al., 2018; Durlak et al., 2011; Weare & Nind, 2011) and increasing positive student outcomes (e.g., academic success, personal growth; Merrell, 2010; Zins et al., 2007). Although SEL is gaining popularity among practitioners and researchers, there …

A Single-Case Experimental Investigation Of Sketch And Speak Expository Intervention For Adolescents With Language-Related Learning Disabilities Via Telepractice, Amy K. Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the effects of Sketch and Speak expository language intervention for adolescent students with language-related learning disabilities (LLD). Students with LLD have trouble understanding and using academic language for reading and writing and often benefit from explicit instruction in these areas. Sketch and Speak is an expository language intervention that teaches students to take notes in two forms and to systematically use oral practice to facilitate understanding and memory of notes. First, students learn to take notes using simple sketch writing, or pictography, which allows them to focus on the ideas of the text rather than the spelling, …

Stewards And Conservationists: Merging Moral Norms And The Theory Of Planned Behavior To Understand Altruistic Conservation Behavior Among Hunters In Southwestern Utah, Jacob C. Richards

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The leading cause of mortality in California Condors (condors) is lead poisoning, which occurs when condors ingest lead-based ammunition left in carcasses. As a critically endangered species with approximately 115 individuals remaining in the American southwest, increasing the adoption of non-lead ammunition is essential to the recovery of the species. In Utah, the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) uses communication with hunters as the primary tool for increasing the adoption of non-lead ammunition in southwestern Utah. In this research, we use social science theory and data collected from a survey of hunters throughout the region to develop a strategic communication …

Natural And Experimental Slow Slip Observed Along Shallow Hematite Faults, Alexandra A. Dimonte

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fault slip relieves stress in the shallow crust by slipping suddenly during earthquakes, but some faults also slip slowly in between earthquakes. Exhumed faults, brought up to the Earth’s surface from depth, preserve a record of fault processes and slip rates informed by fault rock structures, textures, and chemistry. Hematite, a common iron oxide mineral that precipitates on fault surfaces, exhibits crystal textures that potentially indicate past slip rate. Hematite can be dated using the radioisotopic system of (U-Th)/He thermochronometry, which constrains the time when He is trapped within a crystal, a process that is a function of temperature. Exhumed …

Programming Process, Patterns And Behaviors: Insights From Keystroke Analysis Of Cs1 Students, Raj Shrestha

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

With all the experiences and knowledge, I take programming as granted. But learning to program is still difficult for a lot of introductory programming students. This is also one of the major reasons for a high attrition rate in CS1 courses. If instructors were able to identify struggling students then effective interventions can be taken to help them. This thesis is a research done on programming process data that can be collected non-intrusively from CS1 students when they are programming. The data and their findings can be leveraged in understanding students’ thought process, detecting patterns and identifying behaviors that could …

Developing Cultural Competence Among Sixth-Grade Students Through Indigenous Knowledge And Place-Based Education, Tyus Roanhorse

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is a need to develop cultural competence in educational settings. While there is a focus on training K-12 educators to be culturally competent, there is little focus on developing and examining the impact of student cultural competence training. Integrating Indigenous knowledge in an education setting is a unique way to start developing cultural competency by recognizing cross-cultural worldviews and perspectives. This can be done while using place-based education, which links the classroom to the cultural environment that has significant meaning to Indigenous peoples while enriching the learning experience for all students. The current study examines and measures the development …

Executive Orders On A Political Timeline: Examination Of Executive Orders In The Supreme Court And Stephen Skowronek's Theory Of Presidential Leadership, Alisha Rachele Urrutia

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The research performed here applies a theoretical model of the presidency by Stephen Skowronek that spans all of American history to the number of executive orders issued per president and the number of these orders argued before the Supreme Court per president. I hypothesized that presidents who have the fewest political resources available to them (disjunctive presidents) would issue the most executive orders, and presidents who transform the face of American government and politics (reconstructionists) would face the most Supreme Court cases dealing with executive orders. I created two datasets for this research and used descriptive statistics to evaluate these …

Evaluating The Use Of Inclusive Teaching Materials For Learners With Autism, Juliana Aguilar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the last decade, the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has committed to working on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The work began with call-to-action papers, empirical work on cultural accommodations, and most recently, the certifying board has changed the professional standards for board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs). An objective and measurable step that BCBAs can take to adhere to the new ethical and professional standards is to use inclusive teaching materials. Inclusive teaching materials are teaching materials that reflect the diversity of society. This study compared the rate of learning and generalization between an inclusive and non-inclusive set of …

Lentiviral Vector Production At High Cell Density By Transient Transfection Of Suspended Culture Hek Cells, Jacob G. Accordino

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Viral vectors are gene carriers that efficiently deliver therapeutic gene constructs to target cells. Viral vectors are frequently produced in suspension-growing cells of mammalian origin, referred to as packaging cells. Lentiviral vectors have become widely used as gene vectors since they were initially developed two and a half decades ago, particularly in research settings. The advantages of lentiviral vectors for treating diseases of genetic origin have driven research into their large-scale manufacture for clinical settings. Currently, three main challenges exist that limit mass production of lentiviral vectors. First, plasmid DNA used in the production process is very expensive. Second, high …

An Exploration Of System Level Dimensions Of Nutrition In Relation To Health: Interprofessional Teams And Food Insecurity, Mckenna Christy Voorhees

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many factors influence health; two such factors that warrant additional research include interdisciplinary healthcare teams and food insecurity. These factors may be particularly important among vulnerable populations such as individuals with special healthcare needs, lower income populations, and individuals with disabilities.

Interdisciplinary teamwork promotes improved, and more efficient patient care through the collaboration of healthcare providers in various professional disciplines. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) are experts in the science and application of nutrition, which plays an important role in various disease states. Despite the established need for RDNs on interdisciplinary teams, there is limited research in the interdisciplinary scholarship targeting …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Interdisciplinary Collaboration And Participation Of Students With Disabilities In Secondary Career And Technical Education, Crystal Kay Emery

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Students with disabilities have been shown to be less ready for college and career when they leave high school than students without disabilities. Secondary transition is the process of a student with disabilities moving from school to post-school settings. Research has shown that participation in career and technical education (CTE) while still in high school for improves the likelihood of meaningful employment after high school for students with disabilities. Research has also shown that collaboration between educators improves academic outcomes for students. Special education (SPED) teachers have extensive training in supporting students with disabilities throughout the education process. Collaboration between …

Conservation Genetics Of A Declining Bumble Bee In Western North America; The Influence Of Geography, Dispersal Limitation, And Anthopogenic Activity, Ashley T. Rohde

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Conservation biology addresses the problem of species loss by identifying species in need of protection. Conservation biology has subfields to address different aspects of biodiversity loss, including genetics and sociology. I used genetic approaches to assess the conservation status of western bumble bees, a bumble bee species of conservation concern.

The western bumble bee is a bumble bee species that ranges from Alaska to New Mexico and as far east as Wyoming and Colorado. This species is disappearing in some places. It may soon be listed as endangered in the United States and is already listed as endangered in parts …

Contributions To Random Forest Variable Importance With Applications In R, Kelvyn K. Bladen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A major focus in statistics is building and improving computational algorithms that can use data to predict a response. Two fundamental camps of research arise from such a goal. The first camp is researching ways to get more accurate predictions. Many sophisticated methods, collectively known as machine learning methods, have been developed for this very purpose. One such method that is widely used across industry and many other areas of investigation is called Random Forests.

The second camp of research is that of improving the interpretability of machine learning methods. This is worthy of attention when analysts desire to optimize …

Ground Station Eat, Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Ground Components

Two primary subsystems

•Ground Station(s)

•  May be your own or commercial
• Includes radio(s), antenna(s), rotor, etc.
• Heavily intertwined with satellite communications system
• Influences link budget

•Ground data system

• Your command, control, and telemetry interface
• Operator facing tools
• Front end processor
• Includes computer(s), networking equipment, displays, software tools, etc.
• Directly links to your ground station via network

•Additional ground subsystems could include:

• Payload ground (i.e. optical ground terminal)
• Space comm networks (i.e. Iridium)

Media Moguls: Finding And Using Creative Commons Media In The Classroom, Erica Finch

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Pictures, videos, music, and other types of media can help engage your class, but how do we find and use media in a way that sets a good example for students? As students navigate the confusing landscapes of copyright, citation, and media use in their course work, can we help them chart a path to success by engaging in practices they can emulate?

Creative Commons licenses make it easy to use media with confidence and avoid copyright pitfalls. This session will explore what Creative Commons licenses are, how they work, and how to find Creative Commons media. Come ready to …

Managing Stress For Agricultural Producers: Learning To "Unhook", Jacob Gossner, Beth Fauth, Tasha Howard

All Current Publications

All of us experience stress, and with it, unpleasant, uncomfortable, or distressing thoughts. Agriculture can be an especially stressful profession. Much of the time, people are able to manage the stress—we refocus on our lives and move on. At other times, however, stressful thoughts impact moods negatively. These thoughts seem to consume all attention, pulling people away from others and things they care about in a process called “getting hooked” (Harris, 2019). Unhelpful thoughts may make people act in ways they don’t feel good about. The good news is that people can learn skills to “unhook” from unhelpful thoughts and …

A Modern Two-Layer Hypothesis Helps Resolve The ‘Savanna Problem’, Andrew Kulmatiski, Karen H. Beard

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

For over a century, deep roots have been assumed to allow trees to avoid competition with grasses (i.e., the two-layer hypothesis). Yet, in part because it remains difficult to measure water uptake in the field, there has been a shift in savanna ecology away from the two-layer hypothesis and towards alternative explanations of tree-grass coexistence. Here, we combine hydrologic tracer experiments and soil water flow models to demonstrate how the distribution of active roots affects water uptake across a range of savanna conditions. Grass roots were shallower and provided pre-emptive access to enough soil water to allow nearly continuous grass …

Preparing Rural Youth For The Future Of Work Through Remote Work Education, Andrea T. Schmutz, Alison Campbell, Abbey Bean, Amanda D. Ali, Paul Hill, Emy Swadley

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

With population migration out of Utah's rural communities threatening the future workforce in small towns, Utah State University Extension recognized an opportunity to provide remote work education to rural youth to empower them to remain in their communities and seek remote employment. Teaming up with Utah's Rural Online Initiative program, Utah State University Extension created the virtual 4-H Remote Skills Camp: For College and Career Readiness.

Longitudinal Impacts Of Pandemic-Induced Disruptions On Adolescent Siblings' And Parents' Alcohol Use: A Family Life Course Perspective, Shawn D. Whiteman

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Fatherhood Education During The Pandemic, Joshua J. Turner, Brian J. Higginbotham, Kay Bradford

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

This article highlights the transition of Healthy Relationships Utah from in-person to virtual fatherhood education workshops during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, evaluation results showed no differences in program outcomes between in-person and virtual formats. Qualitative data from virtual participants illustrates the benefits and challenges of virtual program delivery.

Infusing Indigenous Knowledge Systems (Iks) Into Teaching Integrated Stem Disciplines: An Empirical Project, Iman C. Chahine

Journal of Indigenous Research

More recently, archaeological evidence collected from different cultures has unearthed numerous indigenous technologies that inherently embody specific scientific and mathematical structures, such as number systems, folk games and puzzles, kinship relations, divination systems, and symmetric strip architecture (Chahine, 2011). Building on the ingenuity of numerous indigenous cultures, such as Southeast Asian and African cultures, research has provided some opportunities to various uses of materials, which represent invaluable clues to cultural connections and continuities through space and time. While ample evidence in the literature supports the assertion that culturally relevant pedagogy can provide meaningful context for learning, there is shortage in …

Space Bioprocess Engineering On The Horizon, Aaron J. Berliner, Isaac Lipsky, Davian Ho, Jacob M. Hilzinger, Gretchen Vengerova, Georgios Makrygiorgos, Matthew J. Mcnulty, Kevin Yates, Nils J. H. Averesch, Charles S. Cockell, Tyler Wallentine, Lance C. Seefeldt, Craig S. Criddle, Somen Nandi, Karen A. Mcdonald, Amor A. Menezes, Ali Mesbah, Adam P. Arkin

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Space bioprocess engineering (SBE) is an emerging multi-disciplinary field to design, realize, and manage biologically-driven technologies specifically with the goal of supporting life on long term space missions. SBE considers synthetic biology and bioprocess engineering under the extreme constraints of the conditions of space. A coherent strategy for the long term development of this field is lacking. In this Perspective, we describe the need for an expanded mandate to explore biotechnological needs of the future missions. We then identify several key parameters—metrics, deployment, and training—which together form a pathway towards the successful development and implementation of SBE technologies of the …

Water Availability Dictates How Plant Traits Predict Demographic Rates, Alice E. Stears, Peter B. Adler, Dana M. Blumenthal, Julie A. Kray, Kevin E. Mueller, Troy W. Ocheltree, Kevin R. Wilcox, Daniel C. Laughlin

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

A major goal in ecology is to make generalizable predictions of organism responses to environmental variation based on their traits. However, straightforward relationships between traits and fitness are rare and likely to vary with environmental context. Characterizing how traits mediate demographic responses to the environment may enhance the predictions of organism responses to global change. We synthesized 15 years of demographic data and species-level traits in a shortgrass steppe to determine whether the effects of leaf and root traits on growth and survival depended on seasonal water availability. We predicted that (1) species with drought-tolerant traits, such as lower leaf …

Sexual Complexity: A Comparison Between Men And Women In A Sexual Minority Sample Of Members Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, William S. Bradshaw, John P. Dehlin, Renee V. Galliher

Psychology Faculty Publications

We report here some of the results from an online survey of 1612 LGBTQ members and former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS, Mormon). The data permitted an exploration of diversity—individual similarities and differences within and between the sexes. Men and women were compared with respect to sexual identity self-labeling and behavior (i.e., identity development, disclosure, activity), orientation change efforts, marital relationships, and psychosocial health—these variables in the context of their religious lives. More women than men self-identified in the bisexual range of the sexual attraction continuum. Both men and women had engaged in extensive …

Intermediate Help With Using Digital Devices And Online Accounts: Understanding The Needs, Expectations, And Vulnerabilities Of Young Adults, Hanieh Atashpanjeh, Arezou Behfar, Cassity Haverkamp, Maryellen Mcclain Verdoes, Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Computer Science Student Research

With the revolution in digital technologies, users face challenges to learn, understand, and use modern devices and online services. Thus, they seek intermediate help, i.e., assistance from others to avail the benefits of technological advancement. The prior studies showed that people with special needs, including the users with visual impairments, and older adults ask for help from their caregivers as they encounter problems with technology use. However, there is a gap in existing literature to systematically investigate the expectations, and challenges of users in availing help from others with using digital devices (e.g., computers, mobile phones) and online accounts. We …

Gardens, Religion And Clerical By-Employments: The Dual Careers Of Hugh Hall, Priest-Gardener Of The West Midlands, Susan M. Cogan

History Faculty Publications

Hugh Hall was a highly sought-after gardener in late sixteenth century England. He worked in the Midlands, specifically in Worcestershire, Warwickshire, and Northamptonshire, and mostly for Catholic families. Hall was a Catholic priest who resigned his parish living after the Elizabethan Religious Settlement, but continued to perform clerical duties such as saying Mass and hearing confession alongside his second vocation as a gardener. Indeed, his esteem as a gardener and, later, surveyor of works was strong enough that he attracted Protestant clients like Lord Burghley and Sir Christopher Hatton despite his adherence to Catholicism. Hall's two vocations shaped his identity: …

Pandemics & People: Designing A Virtual Epidemic Event For Immersive, Connected, And Playful Participation In An Infectious Disease Outbreak, Deborah Fields, Amanda Strawhacker, Michael Giang, Yasmin Kafai, Colby Tofel-Grehl, Tyler Hansen, Jen Sun, Mark Dinan

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

Researchers and educators have identified an urgent need for more rigorous teaching and learning about epidemiology topics and practices, such as engaging in behaviors that prevent the spread of viral disease such as COVID-19. Responding to this need, we designed a virtual epidemic as a special event hosted in a virtual world. In this paper we share the strategic, tactical, and detailed design of the SPIKEY-20 virtual epidemic and data that reflects back on the design in terms of player participation. Reflecting on the design, we ask: What kinds of players participated in the SPIKEY-20 virtual epidemic? How did players …

Impact Of Difficult Dialogues On Social Justice Attitudes During A Multicultural Psychology Course, Elizabeth Tish Hicks, María De La Caridad Alvarez, Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background Previous research shows that Multicultural Psychology courses can produce significant improvements in students’ cultural competence-related atttitudes in in-person and online courses. Objective We evaluated the impact of adding a skills-focused group assignment (i.e., Difficult Dialogues) to an online asynchronous Multicultural Psychology course. Method Undergraduate students filled out a battery of self-report measures at the beginning and end of the course. Of the 192 total students, 107 were in course sections which completed a Difficult Dialogue (DD) group project, and 85 were in the teaching as usual (TAU) section. Results Students in DD groups had significantly greater pre-to post-increases on …