Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating Stability Of Cone-Derived Hypersonic Waverider Vehicles Via Design Space Exploration, Adam S. Weaver

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

It may come as no surprise that man-made objects flying at 5, 10, or even 25 the speed of sound (termed hypersonic) are difficult to design, inefficient in flight, and expensive to deploy. Most hypersonic vehicles are effectuated in ballistics, which simplify aerodynamic considerations owing to their fixed trajectory. However, maneuverable hypersonic vehicles can revolutionize commercial flight, national defense, and space travel. One candidate for such missions are waverider vehicles. Waverider vehicles cruise on a cushion of air generated by its own shock wave, essentially enjoying extra lift without any extra drag penalties (which are usually inherent to extra …

Increasing The Spatial Resolution Of Snow Hydrology Data And Augmenting Existing Hydrology Monitoring Networks Using Low-Cost Snow Sensing Stations, Braedon Dority

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Snow is a crucial part of the water cycle, especially in mountainous regions where melting snow provides water for millions of people. However, accurately measuring how much water is stored in snow is challenging. Current monitoring networks, such as the snowpack telemetry (SNOTEL) network in the western United States, provide valuable data, but have gaps in coverage and are expensive to operate and expand. This research explores a more affordable way to improve snow measurements by designing and testing low-cost snow sensing stations. These stations use open-source datalogger and software technology along with research-grade sensors to measure important snow variables. …

Surface Vortex Mitigation At Submerged Intakes, Camren Todd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Surface vortices at submerged intakes entrain air, convey debris, and reduce efficiency. This research investigates the effect of lid geometry on mitigation of surface vortices at submerged intakes in the context of still reservoirs. Six lid geometries were evaluated: three solid lids of increasing diameter, two lids with perforations, and one lid fitted with a downward curtain. Vortex severity was measured by Alden’s vortex type rating scale, surface-dimple diameter, and qualitative video analysis.

The perforated lid extension and the curtain configurations were most effective at mitigating vortices. The curtain configuration negated all surface swirling by redirecting a portion of the …

Blind Construction Of A Party Check Matrix For Arbitrary Linear Block Codes, Aaron J. Womack

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Communication systems are systems in which a transmitter sends data across a channel to a receiver. In any modern communication system, Forward Error Correction (FEC) is used to detect and correct errors that occur during transmission. As communication systems have developed over the years, many FEC algorithms have been proposed. Each FEC algorithm has parameters that can be selected based on the needs of the communication system. Typically, the transmitter and receiver are both aware of the FEC parameters, but in some cases the receiver may not know how the transmitter encoded its message. In this case, the receiver must …

Conservation Laws For Asymptotically Perfect Fluid Spacetimes, Lyle Arnett Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In physics, conservation laws, like those for energy or momentum, are powerful tools that help us understand how systems evolve and interact. In general relativity, where spacetime itself is curved by matter and energy, defining such conservation laws becomes especially subtle and complex. Traditional methods rely on idealized conditions like empty space or special symmetries, which limit their usefulness in more realistic, dynamic settings such as an expanding universe.

This dissertation explores a modern mathematical framework, developed by Iyer and Wald, that allows conservation laws to be derived directly from the equations governing spacetime. Using this approach, I examine not …

Estimation Of Breach Hydrograph Resulting From Dam Embankment Failure Due To Internal Erosion Or Overtopping: Comparison Of Simplified Methods With Real-Case Failure Data And Recommendations, Laurent Del Gatto, Jean-Robert Courivaud

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

The opening of a breach in an embankment dam, whether due to overtopping or internal erosion, is a critical failure mode for these structures. Estimating the resulting breach hydrograph is essential for assessing downstream risks. While no universal physical model covers all dam types, empirical formulas are commonly used. EDF analyzed 14 such formulas, comparing them with rupture data from 32 embankment dam failures. The best formulas - Froehlich 1995, Xu & Zhang 2009, and CLF 2020 - yield a “best estimate” for peak flow. However, due to variability, results should be interpreted cautiously. Consider estimating breach characteristics like width …

Utah State University Commencement, 2025 – Blanding Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2025 Commencement Ceremony for the Blanding Campus of Utah State University.

Proceedings Of The 5th International Seminar On Dam Protections Against Overtopping, Protections 2025

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Editors: Sherry Hunt, Bryan Heiner, Tony Wahl, Brian Crookston

Measuring Small Currents At Fast Speeds Using A 2nd Generation Electrometer, Donna Metcalf

Physics Capstone Projects

This project presents the development of a second-generation electrometer designed to measure extremely low currents with improved speed and sensitivity. Based on the foundational architecture developed by Vladimir Zavylov, this iteration focuses on enhancing performance through optimized circuit components, modular configuration, and a custom-designed, battery- powered power supply that enables high-voltage floating measurements. The work encompasses the complete design cycle—creating a full schematic, developing a tailored power delivery system, assembling printed circuit boards (PCBs), constructing wiring harnesses, and integrating components into a protective housing.

One Size Doesn’T Fit All: Towards Design And Evaluation Of Developmentally Appropriate Parental Control Tool, Prakriti Dumaru, Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Computer Science Student Research

As children progress through developmental stages, they undergo substantial biological, cognitive, and social changes, creating unique needs for online safety across different age groups (e.g., young children, tweens, teens). The existing parental control tools fail to account for these differences, leaving a notable gap in the literature on parental mediation. To this end, we conducted 10 focus group sessions with a total of 20 parents to understand their preferences for age-appropriate design components that promote self-regulation and open communication, followed by an ideation workshop with four UX design experts to translate these preferences into customized features. We then evaluated these …

Integrating Human-Centered Design Into Undergraduate Stem Capstone Courses: A Food Product Development Case Study, Saadeddine Shehab, Dawn Bohn, Lucas O'Bryan, Luettamae Lawrence, Mike Tissenbaum

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This study examines the integration of human-centered design (HCD) in a Food Science capstone course and explores its impact on students’ learning outcomes and skill development. This case study investigated how 42 undergraduate students engaged with HCD processes—including understanding, synthesizing, ideating, prototyping, and implementing—to develop innovative food products. Through pre- and post-surveys, interaction analysis, and performance assessments, the findings revealed that HCD activities significantly enhanced students’ knowledge, collaboration, creativity, and metacognitive skills. Additionally, students demonstrated improved food science competencies, such as product formulation and sensory evaluation. This study highlights the benefits of embedding HCD within STEM curricula to foster authentic, …

Young Professionals, Zachary Gibson

Journal Articles

Like many of us, I have attended numerous panels, seminars, and workshops geared toward helping young professionals and students. The more senior professionals are gathered for us to question and tap them for wisdom and anecdotes. One such question that inevitably comes up in one form or another is, “How did you get to where you are?” A thinly veiled question intending to ask how can one get to the same or similar position. The response often begins with a soft chuckle and a “well … ” Their answers are caveated by “my path was not the typical path.”

Diverse Dust Sources And Warming Trigger Cyanobacteria Abundance In Freshwater Ecosystems In The Western United States, Juan Manuel González-Olalla, Janice Brahney

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

The rise in global temperature and the increase in atmospheric transport and deposition of dust linked to greater aridity, land abandonment, and wildfires, are placing significant stress on freshwater microbial communities. Temperature increases and the nutrients contained in the dust may independently and together alter the metabolism and structure of these communities. However, dust chemistry is widely variable, and pre-existing lake conditions will likely influence the response of the algal and microbial communities to added nutrients and temperature stress. To fill this gap of knowledge, we tested the metabolic and structural response of phytoplankton in two aquatic ecosystems in the …

Developing A Hypothetical Learning Trajectory For Loops In Integrated Math-Cs Lessons (Poster 27), Anahita Ashineh, Jody E. Clarke-Midura, Deborah Silvis, Jessica F. Shumway, Joseph S. Kozlowski, Camille M. Lund

Spatial Activities and Robot Coding (SPARC)

https://aera25-aera.ipostersessions.com/Default.aspx?s=37-77-1B-1F-D5-4D-5A-16-54-EC-62-88-D3-40-E9-03

"We Had An Amazing Idea, But Then Someone Already Had It": Norming "Novelty" In Early Childhood Computer Science (Poster 31), Deborah Silvis, Ana Ashineh, Jody Clarke-Midura, Jessica Shumway

Spatial Activities and Robot Coding (SPARC)

https://aera25-aera.ipostersessions.com/Default.aspx?s=BF-36-33-8A-0D-DF-81-2C-B8-C6-4F-C6-21-5F-A2-FC

Rapid Flips Between Warm And Cold Extremes In A Warming World, Sijia Wu, Ming Luo, Gabriel Ngar-Cheung Lau, Wei Zhang, Lin Wang, Zhen Liu, Lijie Lin, Yijing Wang, Erjia Ge, Jianfeng Li, Yuanchao Fan, Yimin Chen, Weilin Liao, Xiaoyu Wang, Xiaocong Xu, Zhixin Qi, Ziwei Huang, Faith Ka Shun Chan, David Yongqin Chen, Xiaoping Liu, Tao Pei

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Rapid temperature flips are sudden shifts from extreme warm to cold or vice versa–both challenge humans and ecosystems by leaving a very short time to mitigate two contrasting extremes, but are yet to be understood. Here, we provide a global assessment of rapid temperature flips from 1961 to 2100. Warm-to-cold flips favorably follow wetter and cloudier conditions, while cold-to-warm flips exhibit an opposite feature. Of the global areas defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, over 60% have experienced more frequent, intense, and rapid flips since 1961, and this trend will expand to most areas in the future. During …

Effective Mathematics Instruction In High-Poverty Middle Schools: What Are The "Best" Teachers Doing?, Tye G. Campbell, Jordan Green

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

While there is much literature devoted to mathematics teaching practices, most research does not consider the perspectives of effective teachers in high-poverty schools. This study offers unprecedented access into the teaching practices of the most effective middle school teachers who teach in high-poverty schools. By accessing a state-wide database of thousands of teachers in Utah (USA), we identified middle school teachers whose students consistently showed high growth on standardized assessments compared to other teachers in Utah and taught in high-poverty schools. Our analysis identified seven teachers. We invited these teachers to participate in interviews regarding their teaching practices, and all …

James Buttle Review: Bed, Banks And Beyond: River Flood Dynamics, Ellen Wohl, Julianne Scamardo, Ryan R. Morrison

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Floods are amplified and attenuated by features and processes across spatial scales, defined here as flood dynamics. We review and synthesise these influences at the catchment, river network and reach scales as a means of integrating understanding of controls on flood dynamics and identifying key questions that arise because of differences in techniques of investigation and disciplinary emphases between spatial scales. Catchment-scale influences include catchment area, topography, lithology, land cover, precipitation, antecedent conditions and human alterations such as changing land cover. Network-scale influences on flood dynamics include network topology, longitudinal variations in the geometry of successive river corridor reaches, lakes …

Using Trail Cameras To Detect Small Mammals, S. Nicole Frey

All Current Publications

Traditional methods to detect wildlife, including nuisance animals, are not often successful at detecting small mammals. By modifying the deployment of trail cameras, including using a portable tunnel, we have successfully developed a "small mammal method" that has been used to inventory animals at Zion National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument. We provide details on how to modify simple trail camera deployment. We also provide detailed instructions on how to create a portable small mammal tunnel to improve species detection and identification.

To Bee Or Not To Bee: Investigating Pesticide Behavior Inside And Outside Semi-Field Cages, Mallory Bingham

Student Research Symposium

Background

Pesticides are vital in preventing crop damage from pests but are cited as a key factor in decreasing bee populations.¹ The alfalfa leaf cutting bee is essential in alfalfa seed production in the Western US.² Current research seeks to examine the effects of pesticides on these solitary bees to maintain healthy populations while controlling pests.³

One research tool commonly used to examine pesticide effects on bees is field-cages. Field cages are thought to simulate agroecosystem conditions while restricting bees to plots that have been sprayed with pesticides.^1,4

However, environmental conditions can be different inside and …

Data Science For Engineers, Heidi Moulton

Student Research Symposium

30% of USU undergraduate students participate in some sort of research, and for engineering students this often means generating large amounts of data.

Data Science for Engineers is a series of four modules that introduce students to data processing, visualization, and graphing in the Python programming language using Pandas DataFrames and Juypter Notebooks.

The modules are intended for students with a basic understanding of programming in Python, specifically those who have taken CS 1400 Introduction to Computer Science.

Inconsistencies With The Drumian Carbon Isotope Excursion (Dice) In West-Central Utah, Michelle Norman

Student Research Symposium

Geologic Setting

• During the Cambrian Period (539-485.4Ma), the western US was submerged by a shallow ocean
• Carbon cycle fluctuations in stable carbon were preserved in marine sediments
• One such period of geologic time, the Drumian Age (500Ma), is defined by the first appearance of a deepwater trilobite, P. atavus, in west-central Utah
• Researchers have hypothesized we can find Drumian-aged rocks without the fossils using carbon cycle fluctuations preserved in limestone
• the Drumian Carbon Isotope Excursion (DICE) is defined as a -2.5‰ fluctuation in global carbon-bearing rocks

The Stem Gender Gap: Can It Be Closed?, Makenna Roberts

Student Research Symposium

Introduction

While many industries have achieved gender parity, women remain underrepresented in STEM fields, with participation stagnating between 32% and 35% from 2011 to 2021. Research suggests this gap is influenced by relative cognitive strengths and social/societal factors. This study analyzes two datasets: (1) SAT score report data from the National College Board and (2) employment data from the 2021 NCSES Survey of Recent College Graduates. Findings highlight disparities at the highest percentiles and lower workforce participation among female STEM graduates.

Measuring Small Currents At Fast Speeds Using A 2Nd Generation Electrometer, Donna Metcalf

Student Research Symposium

The Electron Emission Test (EET) chamber in the Utah State University Materials Physics Group (MPG) is used to determine the electron yield of highly insulating materials. An electrometer is employed alongside the EET chamber to measure the output current of 10-6 to 10-14 pulses of 10-7 seconds to DC duration. In previous years, a first- generation electrometer was used for these measurements. However, the introduction of a new electrometer presents an opportunity to achieve faster measurement speeds and improved sensitivity to smaller current values.

Effect Of Geomagnetic Activity On Radio Propagation In The 14 And 18 Mhz Range, Stuart Barney

Student Research Symposium

The purpose of this experiment was to discover if the magnitude of a geomagnetic event has a notable effect on the reliability of the reception of a radio transmission given the location of origin.

Earthquakes In Creeping Fault Zones? Mineralogic And Grain Size Controls On Frictional Behavior, Ainsley Macdonald

Student Research Symposium

1. Motivation

• Faults can creep or be locked to produce earthquakes.

• This behavior may be influenced by minerology and grain size

• Serpentine minerals and clay are known to promote creep along faults

• Does mineralogy promote creep along the Bartlett Springs Fault, CA?

Does Exercising With A Romantic Partner Improve Physical, Emotional, And Relational Well-Being?, Abbie Whitehead

Student Research Symposium

While exercise is known to benefit both physical and mental health, working out with a partner may amplify those benefits. Could exercising with a romantic partner further enhance these outcomes---while also improving relationship quality?

Automatic Aurora Detection, Cameron Eggleston

Student Research Symposium

Aurorae happen when particles in the earth’s magnetosphere become excited and emit visible light. Below is a picture that shows this process more meaningfully:

The colors of each aurora is determined by these electrons as well. Below is a diagram showing where the different colors of aurora come from. In addition to being nice to look at, aurorae can be caused by Coronal Mass Ejections(CMEs). CMEs can affect radio communication, power grids, GPS systems, and more.

Expressing And Purifying Homologs Of Crispr Systems, Gabe Parrish

Student Research Symposium

CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Palindromic Repeat)-Cas (CRISPR- associated) is a protein-nucleic acid adaptive immune system in Bacterial and Archaeal organisms that defends against invading foreign genetic material.

2017 Seasonal Variation Of Atmospheric Gravity Waves Above Rothera Station, Antarctica, Elijah Kroeber, Zhao Yucheng, Pautet Dominique, Taylor Michael

Student Research Symposium

As a part of the international Antarctic Gravity Wave Instrument Network (ANGWIN), Utah State University operates an infrared (IR) all-sky imager at the British Rothera Station in Antarctica (67°34’S, 68°07’W) which observes several hydroxyl (OH) emission bands.