Digital Commons Network^™

Water In 2026, Spencer Cox

Spring Runoff Conference

Presentation by Utah Governor Cox.

Power Approximations With Non-Normal Data In Generalized Linear Mixed Models In R Using Steep Priors On Variance Components, Carlie Prinster, John Stevens

Mathematics and Statistics Student Research and Class Projects

ENAR Spring 2026 Conference presentation on Power Approximations with Non-Normal Data in Generalized Linear Mixed Models in R Using Steep Priors on Variance Components

Comparative Assessment Of Uav-Based Tseb And Field-Calibrated Aquacrop For Evapotranspiration On The Arid Coast Of Peru, Roxana Peña-Amaro, José Huanuqueño-Murillo, Lia Ramos-Fernández, Abel Ramos-Ayala, David Quispe-Tito, Lena Cruz-Villacorta, Elizabeth Heros-Aguilar, Edwin Pino-Vargas, Alfonso Torres-Rua

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Precise estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) is essential for sustainable water management in arid agroecosystems, particularly for high-water-demand crops such as rice. This study integrated very-high-resolution UAV thermal–multispectral imagery with a Two-Source Energy Balance model (UAV–TSEB) and a field-calibrated AquaCrop model to quantify daily ET and its components under continuous flooding on the arid Peruvian coast during the 2024–2025 season. A network of 24 drainage lysimeters provided an independent observational benchmark (ET_lys); to represent the treatment-level response, lysimeter observations were aggregated as the mean across the 24 units for each UAV campaign. Thirteen UAV surveys supplied radiometric surface temperature …

Predicting Tart Cherry Stem Water Potential Using Uav Multispectral Imagery And Environmental Data Via Symbolic Regression, Anderson L. S. Safre, Alfonso Torres-Rua, Kurt Wedegaertner, Brent Black, Brennan Bean, Burdette Barker, Matt Yost

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Tart cherry is an important fruit crop in Utah, where irrigation is essential due to arid conditions. Precision irrigation requires reliable indicators of plant water status, and stem water potential (Ψ_stem), is among the most sensitive though labor-intensive and spatially limited. This study develops Ψ_stem estimation models using high-resolution multispectral Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery combined with meteorological and soil moisture data, applying Symbolic Regression (SR). Results show a stronger correlation between optical bands and Ψ_stem during the pre-harvest period. Among 85 vegetation indices, the Red Chromatic Coordinate (RCC) index performed best (R² = 0.67). …

Educational Policies Committee Agenda March 5, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - February 5, 2026
• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Center for Civic Excellence
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 4:00 pm

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda March 5, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - February 5, 2026
• R401 - Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Review
• Other Business
• Draft Graduate Certificates Policy
• Adjourn: 3:00 pm

Evaluating The Response Of Ageing Rc Bridge Piers To The 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Using Bouc-Wen Hysteretic Models, Negin Fayaz, S. Kocakaplan Sezgin, E. Ahmadi, M. M. Kashani, M. Zaker Esteghamati

Civil and Environmental Engineering Student Research

This study examines the seismic response of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers subjected to ground motion (GM) records from the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake by comparing the impact of pulse-like versus no-pulse records. A suite of 300 nonlinear Bouc-Wen hysteretic models was developed to represent piers with varying nonlinear behavior. Each Bouc-Wen model was assessed under 24 pulse-like and 28 no-pulse GMs, resulting in 15,600 nonlinear time-history simulations. Subsequently, the relationship between Bouc-Wen parameters (i.e., period and yield displacement) and seismic responses (i.e., maximum displacement, residual displacement, and maximum acceleration) was analyzed. The results show that pulse-like records produce 5 times …

Identifying Priorities To Guide Extension Water Quality Programming In Utah, Clare Entwistle, Sarah Erwin, Stephanie Vaughn

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah State University Extension water quality faculty conducted a statewide water quality needs assessment to identify priority contaminants and resource gaps. The results found that elevated nutrient levels and sedimentation were the top concerns where additional resources would be beneficial. In addition, insufficient funding for improvements and low public engagement were identified as key challenges in addressing water quality issues. Results revealed current unmet needs with regional variation to inform Extension resource allocation and programming.

On Signifiable Computability: Part Iii: A Note On Unnameable Functions On Natural Numbers, Vladimir A. Kulyukin

Computer Science Faculty and Staff Publications

A writing system 𝔚 on an alphabet 𝒜 is a tuple (ℜ,𝔐), where ℜ is a finite set of text formation rules and 𝔐 is a finite rule application mechanism that generates texts on 𝒜. A natural writing system forms natural language texts on an alphabet such as Sanskrit on Devanagari. An artificial writing system generates formal language texts on an alphabet such as Lisp on Unicode. Let ℕ ={0,1,2,…} be the set of natural numbers. A function on natural numbers 𝑓 :ℕ^𝑘 ↦ ℕ, 0 < 𝑘 ∈ ℕ, is nameable by a writing system on an alphabet if, and only if, the system can generate a text on the alphabet that names f and no other function. We show that there exist functions on natural numbers unnameable in principle in that they cannot be named by any writing system on any alphabet. Our results imply the following computability-theoretic hierarchy of functions on natural numbers: computable ⊊ partially computable ⊊ nameable ⊊ 𝔉, where 𝔉 is the set of functions on ℕ.

How A 2 To 5-Year Experimental Lake Powell And Lake Mead Release Program Tied To Reservoir Inflows Can Be A Win For Adaptive Risk Management, Brittany Fager, Anabelle Myers, Erik Porse, David Rosenberg

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Lake Powell and Lake Mead are at risk of drawdown to their minimum power and dead pools in the next few years because current and proposed shortage and release operations tied to reservoir storage and sometimes prior natural flow cannot keep pace with U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s numerous scenarios of more volatile, declining, and longer-lasting periods of low flows. One experimental program to reduce risk can instead adapt reservoir releases to monitored changes in physical reservoir inflow and reservoir evaporation. First, stabilize reservoir storage by temporarily setting reservoir release to the physical reservoir inflow minus evaporation (the available water). Second, …

We Can Track Waves In The Atmosphere From The Bear Lake Observatory And The International Space Station, Connor Waite

Research on Capitol Hill

Both space weather and tropospheric weather can create waves in Earth’s atmosphere called traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) that can: 

• Disrupt GPS navigation by several meters 
• Cause radio blackouts affecting aviation and emergency services 
• Interfere with satellite communications 
• Impact the growing space industry 

Plants Have A Chemical Defense To Protect Themselves From Herbivory, Isis Cordova

Research on Capitol Hill

All plants produce compounds for survival. My work focuses on how plants remember past attacks and whether that memory leads to stronger/faster responses.

Early Detection Of Harmful Algal Blooms (Habs) Using Qpcr And Predictive Modeling, Emily Samuels

Research on Capitol Hill

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) threaten drinking water, recreation, and public health in Utah Lake and waterbodies due to cyanotoxin production. Current monitoring methods detect toxins only after blooms are already established.

A New Tool Predicts The Risk Of Surface Damage And Subsequent Spacecraft Charging, Trace Taylor, Ashley Bahora

Research on Capitol Hill

We measured secondary electron yield (SEY), a key factor in spacecraft charging, across multiple materials under different surface conditions. SEY is a measure of how many electrons a surface releases when hit by radiation.

At Utah Lake, Large Changes In Water Level Impact The Restoration Of Native Plant Species, Mac Havens

Research on Capitol Hill

Native plant communities at Utah Lake matter for top-class recreation opportunities, migratory bird populations, June Sucker recovery efforts, and local economies.

Creating An Identity: Analyzing The Journal Of Western Archives, J. Gordon Daines Iii, Ryan K. Lee, Cory L. Nimer

Journal of Western Archives

The Journal of Western Archives was created as a "manifestation of a Western regional identity for archivists" and to "foster the continuing development of a unique regional identity for archivists working and living in the American West by promoting an improved discourse about archival work and providing another venue for the socialization of new archivists." The journal was founded with the explicit purpose to "provide a venue where archivists working in the West can highlight their unique contributions to the archival profession." The Journal of Western Archives is now fifteen years old and has established itself as an important voice …

Biological Opinion Monitoring Of Riparian Habitat And Forest Stand Resources, Peter D. Howe

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda February 17, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes January 20, 2026
• 3:05 Provost Search
• 3:20 University Business
• 3:35 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:50 Report
• Faculty Development and Educational Leadership
• Parking and Transportation
• 4:00 Information
• EPC Report - February 5, 2026
• 4:10 Old Business
• 4:15 New Business
• Special Faculty Forum
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Improving Ground Cover Crop Fractional Vegetation Mapping Via Causality-Based Deep Representation Learning, Atif Latif, Masoumeh Hashemi, Matt Yost, Somayeh Esmaeili, Xiaojun Qi

Computer Science Student Research

Semantic segmentation and deep learning methods have rarely been applied to fractional vegetation cover (FVC) segmentation tasks due to the lack of publicly available datasets for training deep learning models. FVC is a key indicator for assessing vegetation distribution, crop density, and crop responses to water availability and fertilizer application, yet conventional field-based measurement methods are time consuming, costly, labor intensive, and may lack the accuracy required for critical applications such as drought stress evaluation and water productivity. In this paper, we introduced causality-based deep learning techniques for FVC segmentation on a publicly available RGB dataset that consists of four …

Educational Policies Committee Agenda February 5, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - January 8, 2026
• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Center for Civic Excellence
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 4:00 pm

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda February 5, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - January 8, 2026
• R401 - Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business
• Sub 120 Credit Degrees
• Catalog Deadlines
• Adjourn: 3:00 pm

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes February 5, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - January 8, 2026
• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 3:00 pm

Educational Policies Committee Minutes February 5, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - January 8, 2026
• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Program Proposals
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Center for Civic Excellence
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 3:47 pm

Flaplet: A Full-Stack Web Platform For End-To-End Time Series Data Processing And Machine Learning In Solar Flare Prediction, Mohammadreza Eskandarinasab, Shah Muhammad Hamdi, Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi

Computer Science Student Research

Solar flare prediction is a central challenge in space weather forecasting, with direct implications for satellite operations, aviation safety, and power grid reliability. Machine learning has achieved state-of-the-art performance for this task, particularly when applied to photospheric magnetic field parameters. FlaPLeT is an open-source, full-stack web platform that supports end-to-end machine learning workflows for multivariate time-series–based solar flare prediction without requiring any coding expertise. Built with React, Django, Celery, and PostgreSQL, the system integrates dataset preprocessing, data augmentation, functional network (graph) construction, and machine learning model training into modular asynchronous tasks that generate downloadable datasets, trained models, and structured JSON …

Faculty Senate Agenda February 2, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes January 5, 2026
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Report
• School of Graduate Studies
• Professional Responsibilities and Procedures Committee
• Office of Research
• 4:00 Old Business
• 4:05 New Business
• 4:10 Information
• EPC Report - January 8, 2026
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Critical Student Agency In An Integrated Social Studies Unit, Bolaji Bamidele, Kristin A. Searle

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Student Research

Background: Research has highlighted the value of centering student voices and agency in classroom contexts, yet few curricula explicitly foreground critical agency in their design. This qualitative case study examines how students enact agency within an integrated curriculum that combines computer science, social studies, and Indian Education for All (IEFA) standards. The unit focused on tribal sovereignty and why treaties still matter for indigenous people today, enabling students to connect their lived experiences to broader sociopolitical contexts. Data were collected through classroom observations, student and teacher interviews, and student artifacts. Results: Analysis revealed that students performed agency in three interrelated …

Majority Of Utahns Support Keeping Bears Ears National Monument As Originally Designated, Michaelann Nelson

Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP)

Bears Ears National Monument in Southeastern Utah was established in 2016 by President Obama after a coalition of Native American petitioned for its designation. In 2017, during his first administration, President Trump reduced the size of the monument by 85%. It was subsequently restored to the original boundaries in 2021 by President Biden. In 2022, the Utah Legislature provided $5 million in funding for the Attorney General’s office to challenge the Bears Ears National Monument designation, and the State of Utah filed a lawsuit in August 2022 challenging the designation (1).

Sparc Grade 2 Integrated Coding-Math Lessons, Spatial Activities And Robot Coding (Sparc)

Spatial Activities and Robot Coding (SPARC)

SPARC-Math Grade 2 Integrated Coding-Math Lessons with related Utah Core Standards and lessons for Spatial and Programming Language and Geometry.

Compilation Of A Nationwide River Image Dataset For Identifying River Channels And River Rapids Via Deep Learning, Nicholas Brimhall, Kelvyn K. Bladen, Thomas Kerby, Carl J. Legleiter, Cameron Swapp, Hannah Fluckiger, Julie Bahr, Makenna Roberts, Kaden Hart, Christina L. Stegman, Brennan L. Bean, Kevin R. Moon

Mathematics and Statistics Student Research and Class Projects

Remote sensing enables large-scale, image-based assessments of river dynamics, offering new opportunities for hydrological monitoring. We present a publicly available dataset consisting of 281,024 satellite and aerial images of U.S. rivers, constructed using an Application Programming Interface (API) and the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Hydrography Dataset. The dataset includes images, primary keys, and ancillary geospatial information. We use a manually labeled subset of the images to train models for detecting rapids, defined as areas where high velocity and turbulence lead to a wavy, rough, or even broken water surface visible in the imagery. To demonstrate the utility of this dataset, …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda January 20, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes December 15, 2025
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:25 Report
• School of Graduate Studies
• Professional Responsibilities and Procedures Committee
• 3:45 Old Business
• 3:50 New Business
• 4:00 Information
• EPC Report - January 8, 2026
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm