Digital Commons Network^™

Advancing Management Strategies For Two Promising Mason Bee Species (Osmia Ribifloris And Osmia Bruneri) For Berry Pollination, Miranda L. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Bee management can broadly refer to human manipulation of one or multiple parts of a bee’s lifecycle. Managing honey bees, commonly referred to as beekeeping, is responsible for providing most pollination for global food crops. However, using more than one bee species for crop pollination can have many benefits. Benefits include better crop pollination and insurance in case one bee species underperforms or its population collapses. Some bees within the genus Osmia are already widely managed for crop pollination because their developmental lifecycle allows bee managers to readily deploy pollinating bees in sync with varying crop blooms, and for certain …

Using A Prerequisite Skills Assessment To Identify Effective Communication Modalities For Mand Training, Christine White

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) need support to learn how to communicate their wants and needs. This study examined three different ways to teach children to request preferred items or activities: using sign language, exchanging pictures, and speaking. We compared how three children learned each communication method to determine whether their existing skills influenced which method was most effective. No clear relationship was found between children's existing abilities and how well they learned each communication method. These findings suggest that selecting the most effective communication approach may require considering each child's individual strengths and learning history rather than …

Toward Risk-Informed Design Of Supercooling Heat Exchangers: Statistical Inference And Experimental Investigation Of Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation, Daniel B. Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Ice-based cooling storage systems can reduce electricity costs and grid strain by making ice during off-peak hours and using it for air conditioning during the day. One promising design works by chilling water below its freezing point as it flows through a heat exchanger, then allowing it to freeze in a separate storage tank. The challenge is that the chilled water can freeze prematurely inside the heat exchanger itself, blocking the flow and shutting the system down. Preventing this unwanted freezing requires understanding how and where ice begins to form on surfaces, a process called nucleation.

This dissertation investigates ice …

Integrating Space Use And Demography To Support Management Of An Endangered Alpine Ungulate, Danielle J. Berger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The places animals choose to live affect the food they find, the dangers they face, and the weather conditions they experience. These experiences influence whether individual animals survive and reproduce, which in turn affects the size and health of animal populations. Although scientists have long believed that animal movements play an important role in population trends, there has been limited real-world evidence showing this connection. Advances in GPS tracking technology now allow researchers to follow animals over long periods and better understand how movement influences survival. Using 20 years of GPS tracking data from the endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep …

Method Validation Of The Cdc Bottle Bioassay And A Historical Record Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Glacier National Park, Evah F. Peard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Certain contaminants can persist in the environment for long periods of time, build up within living tissues, travel far from their origin, and harm both ecosystems and organisms. This thesis focuses on two types of contaminants: insecticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Insecticides are manufactured to control pests while PAHs are found in oil and gas products and can be produced by industry, vehicle engines, and wildfires. Understanding how harmful these contaminants are and where they end up in the environment is critical for protecting environmental health.

First, I evaluated a widely used test developed by the Centers for Disease …

Improving Teacher Adherence To Greeting And Attendance Routines Through Performance And Graphed Feedback, Caitlin Huppi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Schools establish expectations for teachers to create safe, organized, and welcoming environments, but teachers may not consistently follow these expectations throughout the school year. This study examined whether brief feedback could help four high school teachers more consistently greet students and scan IDs for attendance during passing periods. Teachers received graphs showing their performance and brief weekly feedback. All four teachers increased greeting behavior, and three increased attendance scanning. Teachers also rated the intervention as acceptable, feasible, and helpful. These findings suggest that brief feedback may be a practical way for school leaders to support consistent teacher implementation of school-wide …

Carbon Cycling, Salinization, And Long-Term Water Quality Trends In Rocky Mountain Streams, Allyson J. Marrs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Humans have greatly affected streams and rivers worldwide through urbanization, agriculture, and water use. The purpose of my dissertation is to increase our understanding of various human impacts on rivers. In chapter two, I aim to determine whether there are differences in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between a natural river and manmade canals. I did this by measuring the emissions and dissolved concentrations of three of the most prevalent GHGs, carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O). I found that most of the sites I studied were emitting CO₂ and CH …

Integrated Soil-Water Processes And Irrigation Management For Agricultural Water Optimization In Semi-Arid Regions, Tejinder Singh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Water is one of the most important resources for agriculture in the western United States. In semi-arid regions, farmers depend on irrigation to grow crops, but water supplies are becoming less reliable because of drought, declining snowpack, groundwater depletion, and increasing competition for limited water. Improving agricultural water use is therefore not simply about applying less water. It also requires understanding where water goes after it enters a field, how long it remains available to crops, and how farmers can use that information to make better irrigation decisions. This dissertation follows water through irrigated agricultural systems to better understand how …

Applications Of Machine Learning To Gas Plume Analysis In Longwave Infrared Hyperspectral Images, Scout C. Jarman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Each pixel from a hyperspectral camera measures the intensity of light over a continuous range of wavelengths, which is in contrast to traditional color cameras, which just measure the intensity of red, green, and blue wavelengths of light. Longwave infrared hyperspectral images can be used to detect gases from a distance by measuring how different materials emit and absorb heat. This makes them useful for applications such as monitoring industrial emissions or locating hazardous gas leaks. In practice, however, gas signatures in these hyperspectral images are often weak and easily obscured by variations in the background scene, making reliable identification …

Assessing Ecological Integrity Of Streams Across The Western U.S., Jennifer L. Courtwright

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Large-scale assessments of stream health (ecological integrity) are required by policies such as the U.S. Clean Water Act and provide critical information needed to properly manage public lands. Our ability to quantify the ecological condition of streams in the western U.S. and identify the causes of degraded conditions has previously been impeded by a lack of standardized large-scale datasets, high natural temporal and spatial variability of ecological attributes, and poor-quality land use data. I compiled large-scale monitoring datasets and built models to predict the values of ecological attributes (metrics) at a given site in the absence of human impacts. In …

The Role Of Heterogeneity In Earthquake Rupture Dynamics: Insights From Friction Experiments On A 1-Meter Laboratory Fault, Alejandro Aguilar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Tectonic faults are made of many kinds of rocks and minerals, creating natural weak and strong zones along faults where earthquakes occur. These differences can affect how faults move, including whether slip occurs slowly and quietly or suddenly and destructively during an earthquake. However, it is not fully understood how these variations influence when earthquakes start, how fast they spread, and whether they stop or grow into large ruptures. This research studies how different fault materials interact during earthquake slip. Using a large laboratory machine that simulates fault movement under realistic conditions, we recreate earthquake processes and closely measure how …

Bridging The Gap: Exploring The Development Of Science Self-Efficacy Among Students With Learning Disabilities, Aria Hadley-Hulet

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Students with learning disabilities are often overlooked in efforts to broaden participation in STEM. This multi-paper dissertation investigates science self-efficacy among this population through the lenses of the social model of disability and self-efficacy theory. An integrative review reveals consistently lower academic self-efficacy among students with learning disabilities and a lack of research examining their science self-efficacy specifically. Quantitative analysis of national data shows lower science self-efficacy overall, yet no differences among students enrolled in advanced science courses. A mixed-methods study further demonstrates that in inclusive school environments characterized by asset-based teacher beliefs and normalized accommodations, science self-efficacy differences disappear. …

Visibility Assessment In Urban Areas: Exploring Measures And Approaches For Viewing Green Space, Doo Hong Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Urban greenery is often used to understand the quality of living conditions in cities. However, measuring greenery is not always simple. Some methods show how much vegetation exists from above, while others try to show what people actually see while walking or moving through streets. These are different ways of understanding green space. This dissertation focuses on visible greenness, or the greenery that people can see from eye level in everyday urban environments.

This research addresses a practical problem. Many existing methods for measuring visible greenness require large image datasets, advanced computing, or commercial street-view images. These requirements can make …

Investigation Of Yy Production Methods For Invasive Channel Catfish Ictalurus Punctatus Population Management, Andrew M. Wisniewski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Aquatic invasive species are one of the leading causes of native fish declines in the Southwestern United States. Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus were introduced into the Colorado River Basin, including the San Juan River, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah for fishery enhancement during the 20th century. This introduction has contributed to the decline of native species and despite intensive mechanical removal efforts, the Channel Catfish population has persisted in the San Juan River. The Trojan Sex Chromosome approach is a promising eradication strategy that proposes the production and release of Trojan sex chromosome carriers (YY) to skew a targeted population’s …

Understanding And Predicting Precipitation Characteristics In The United States Through Machine Learning, Numerical Modeling And Measurements, Cody Luther Ratterman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Precipitation is one of the most important yet uncertain variables in the climate system. It varies dramatically in terms of timing, accumulation, rate, and phase, depending on location, season, circulation patterns, and atmospheric conditions. Precipitation forecasts, especially snowfall, are essential to supporting drought mitigation and water management in the Intermountain West. Because rainfall and snowfall lead to opposite effects on snowpack, accurately partitioning rain and snow is important to estimate snowpack levels, winter recreation, mountain ecosystems and runoff. The research findings in this dissertation have advanced the understanding and prediction of precipitation and snowpack in the U.S. by addressing the …

Strain Monitoring And Site Characterization At Birds Landing From Transmission Tower Implosions Recorded Using Das And Nodal Stations, Prajwal Panthi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

When two old electrical transmission towers in the Sacramento River Delta in California were demolished by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Utah State University saw an opportunity hiding inside the demolition. Because one of the towers stood close to the Sacramento River and its protective levee, they used the controlled collapse not only to monitor strains in the levee and surrounding ground, but also to learn what lied beneath the ground surface.

To capture this event, the researchers buried a 1.4-kilometer fiber optic cable along the ground and connected it to a system called Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), which can …

The Role Of Individual Specialization In Migration Phenology And How Restored Habits Are Used By Native And Nonnative Fishes, Austin Garner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Native fish species around the world have declined due to habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and the spread of non-native species. Because these problems often happen at the same time and interact, recovery efforts can stall unless they address all of the factors limiting a species' comeback. The June sucker (Chasmistes liorus), native only to Utah Lake, UT, has declined for many of these reasons, though its recovery effort has made significant progress due in large part to a successful hatchery program. Yet, the recovery efforts have not yet been able to establish a self-sustaining population in Utah Lake, …

Microbes In Pollination Systems: Effects On Pollinator Health, Floral Traits, Nectar Robbing, And Plant Fitness, Valerie Nicole Martin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Flowers produce nectar to attract pollinators, but nectar is also a habitat for yeasts and bacteria that arrive via pollinators, robbers, and other visitors. These microbes consume nectar sugars and release byproducts that change the smell and taste of nectar. Whether these changes affect how pollinators find and choose flowers, and whether they ultimately affect how many seeds a plant produces, is not well understood. In this dissertation, I studied how a common nectar yeast and a plant-associated bacterium affect the scent of wildflowers, the behavior of bumble bees and hummingbirds, and plant reproduction in montane meadows in central Colorado. …

Quaking Aspen On Cedar Mountain, Utah: Status And Update, Jaycee Cappaert, Larissa L. Yocom, Paul C. Rogers, Darren J. Mcavoy, R. Justin Derose

Wildland Resources Student Research

Quaking aspen forests are important communities in the western United States where they provide preferential food and habitat for animals, limit wildfires from spreading, and have favorable aesthetics, among other things. Their putative decline is an issue for ecology and management. We remeasured the aspen population on Cedar Mountain, Utah, to assess changes to its condition since it was originally measured in 2008 and laid the groundwork for continued aspen monitoring on Cedar Mountain. Our objectives were to compare current metrics of stand structure and composition, mortality, crown dieback, bole damage, regeneration, and recruitment, to those of the original inventory. …

A Laboratory Investigation Of Energy Dissipators At Embankment Dams, Nathan L. Young

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Dams play a critical role in protecting communities from flooding and providing reliable water supplies. When large amounts of water pass through a dam’s spillway during floods, the discharge can travel at high speeds and carry potentially destructive kinetic energy that can damage the dam or erode downstream channels if that energy is not properly controlled. To reduce this risk, engineers commonly use hydraulic structures called energy dissipators that slow spillway discharge and safely release it downstream.

Commonly used energy dissipators at embankment dams include stilling basins that rely on a hydraulic jump – a sudden rise in water depth …

'Fast' And 'Slow' Water Handling Strategies Explain Pinyon Pine Decline And Juniper Expansion, M. Faraz Rehman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Across the western United States, pinyon and juniper woodlands are changing with pinyon pine trees dying back while juniper becoming more abundant. Previous studies suggested that pinyon may lose more water during drier periods. But water loss is only part of the story. Water inputs, or how plants absorb water, are also likely to be important, but rarely well understood. To better understand this, we measured how pinyon and juniper absorb water from different soil depths and how actively they lose water through their leaves. Measurements were made over two years at three sites that ranged from more dry to …

Magnetic Properties And Ultrafast Spin Dynamics In Quantum Materials, Trung Kien Mac

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Modern electronics mostly work by moving electric charge, which generates heat and hence wastes energy, especially as devices become smaller and faster. An alternative is to use the spin of electrons (a tiny magnetic property) and related “valley” states in certain atomically thin materials to store and process information more efficiently. This thesis explores how magnetism and spin behavior can be created and measured in a family of ultra-thin materials known as van der Waals quantum materials. Three kinds of materials are studied. First, atomically thin semiconductors are shaped into narrow nanoribbons. Because of their narrow size, their edges can …

The Legacy, Importance, & Impact Of Lend: Evidence And Personal Stories, Emily Zalimeni, Emma Stone, Alexa Fortier, Leia Getchell, Nataliya Kloyzner, Asha Abdullahi, Elizabeth Barkoudah, Meghan Chapman, Meredith Close, Heather Engholm, Melissa Levin, Aanchal Sharma, Sarah Sparks, Patricia Rissmiller, Amy Szarkowski, Jason M. Fogler

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) programs offer an interdisciplinary/interprofessional training opportunity for medical and allied health professionals, and individuals impacted by disability, including family members and self-advocates. Toward the aim of advocating for the enduring need of LEND and similar training programs, this article centers the voices of a subset of our alumni who have advanced the rights and improved the lives of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These stories are intended to illustrate the key lessons and principles of LEND training, including attending to disability issues in education, growing skills within and between individuals working …

The Role Of Social Emotional Learning In Utah’S Implementation Of Essa, Sharon Walles

Transforming Communities

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), as a policy, offers an additional tool to address the escalating adolescent mental health crisis. By acknowledging the critical link between student well-being, academic success, and evidence-based practices, this policy analysis explores how funding from ESSA can be leveraged to integrate Social Emotional Learning (SEL) within Utah’s schools. Experts, educators, and parents can be voices to combat misinformation surrounding the recent politicization of SEL and its implementation. This analysis connects Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory, which highlights the interconnectedness of the environment, with the importance of prioritizing mental health within schools to help adolescents with issues …

Assessing A Fourth Trimester Support Group Using An Adapted Ripple Effects Mapping, Kayleigh Gregory, Aubrey Jones, Isabel Paulk, Krysten Munn, Karli Adams, Diana Frankenburger

Transforming Communities

Purpose: Maternal mental health disparities warrant attention, particularly as rural communities face substantial barriers to timely screening and treatment. The Fourth Trimester group at the University of Kentucky was established in April 2022 to address the need for additional postpartum support. This qualitative study examined participants’ perspectives on the group.

Method: Participants included 8 mothers who engaged in the online fourth-trimester social support group. Data were collected using an adapted ripple effects mapping via semi-structured interviews.

Findings: Results of the thematic content analysis revealed six key themes: (1) Community and Belonging, (2) Circle of Wisdom, (3) Empowerment, (4) Practical Support, …

Lameness In Dairy Cattle: A Practical Overview, Drew Swartz, Kalen Taylor, Jacob Hadfield, Justin Wyatt Clawson

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of lameness in dairy cattle, including what it is, why it matters, and how to recognize and manage it. Information is geared toward producers, consultants, and educators.

Three Common Hoof Problems In Dairy Cows: What To Look For And How To Prevent Them, Drew Swartz, Kalen Taylor, Jacob Hadfield, Justin Wyatt Clawson

All Current Publications

This fact sheet covers the three most common hoof lesions in dairy cows and explains why they matter and how to prevent them on your farm.

Digital Dermatitis, Sole Ulcers, And White Line Disease In Dairy Cattle: Pathogens, Diagnosis, And Treatment, Drew Swartz, Kalen Taylor, Jacob Hadfield, Justin Wyatt Clawson

All Current Publications

This fact sheet focuses on three common hoof lesions in dairy cattle: digital dermatitis, sole ulcers, and white line disease, and describes how differences in pathogenesis and risk factors influence diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

Career: New Insights Into The Ancient Carbon Cycle From Siliceous Deep-Sea Sediments, Donald Penman

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Mechanistic Determination Of Host Environmental Impacts On Shigella Virulence, Nicholas E. Dickenson

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.