Digital Commons Network^™

Advancing Best Practices For Aversion Conditioning (Humane Hazing) To Mitigate Human–Coyote Conflicts In Urban Areas, Lesley Sampson, Lauren Van Patter

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are now recognized as a permanent feature in urban environments across much of North America. Behavioral aversion conditioning, or humane hazing, is increasingly advocated as an effective and compassionate alternative to wildlife management strategies, such as trap and removal. Given a growing public interest in humane hazing, there is a need to synthesize the science regarding methods, outcomes, efficacy, and other relevant considerations to better manage human–coyote conflicts in urban areas. This paper was prepared as an outcome of a workshop held in July 2019 by Coyote Watch Canada (CWC) to synthesize the literature on …

Faculty Senate Agenda, October 5, 2020, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

Call to Order

• Approval of Minutes

University Business

Information

• EPC Monthly Report

Reports

• Educational Policies Committee Annual Report
• Honors Program Annual Report

Old Business

• Code 403 - Academic Freedom

The Utah Statesman, October 5, 2020, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan

Remote Hiring Innovation During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Melanie D. Jewkes, Jonathan J. Swinton, Shannon Cromwell, David G. Schramm, Naomi Brower

Human Development and Family Studies Faculty Publications

Extension's in-person hiring processes have been complicated in 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent delays in hiring for three vacant county faculty positions, our search committee conducted remote interviews using a variety of innovative techniques, such as a live "we're hiring" webinar, an icebreaker session, and live and recorded candidate presentations. The results of our innovative efforts included a larger pool of applicants, relaxed web-based video interviews, and savings in time and expenses. These strategies could be considered as new and effective approaches and practices to hiring and interviewing in Extension as the pandemic continues and into the future.

Titan: Uncovering The Paradigm Shift In Security Vulnerability At Near-Threshold Computing, Prabal Basu, Pramesh Pandey, Aatreyi Bal, Chidhambaranathan Rajamanikkam, Koushik Chakraborty, Sanghamitra Roy

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In this paper, we investigate the emerging security threats at Near-Threshold Computing (NTC) that are poised to jeopardize the trustworthy operation of future low-power electronic devices. A substantial research effort over the last decade has bolstered energy efficient operation in low-power computing. However, innovation in low-power security has received only marginal attention, thwarting a ubiquitous adoption of critical Internet of Things applications, such as wearable gadgets. Using a cross-layer methodology, we demonstrate that the timing fault vulnerability of a circuit rapidly increases as the operating conditions of the transistor devices shift from super-threshold to near-threshold values. Exploiting this vulnerability, we …

Rethinking Behavior - Fall 2020, Midwest Symposium For Leadership In Behavior Disorders

ReThinking Behavior Magazine

A magazine for professionals serving children and youth with behavioral needs.

Fall 2018, Volume 4, Issue 1

The Utah Statesman, September 28, 2020, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan

Encouraging Snap Shopper Participation At Utah Farmers Markets, A Best Practices Guide, Kelsey Hall, Alicia Meiners

All Current Publications

This guide’s steps were compiled during background research for advertising acceptance of SNAP benefits using Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards and the Double Up Food Bucks (Double Up) program offered at farmers markets throughout Utah. Information in this guide will expand marketing campaigns across Utah to promote farmers markets already accepting SNAP benefits, especially to minority and low-income populations. The information, however, may be generalized to other health/food programs and to populations with low incomes in other states.

Beyond Books 2: Cataloging Archival Materials, Nicole Lewis, Allison Mccormack, Becky Skeen, Rebecca A. Wiederhold

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Academic libraries aren’t the only institutions that care for archival materials. These unique items can often be found in public libraries, historical societies, and other cultural heritage organizations, many of which may not have trained special collections catalogers on staff. In this workshop, participants will learn how to catalog archival materials, including manuscripts, photographs, and audiovisual materials, so they can be discovered in online catalogs and databases. Both item and collection-level cataloging will be discussed, and participants will learn when and how to apply relevant metadata standards like RDA and DACS. They will then practice cataloging with examples provided by …

Iiwalaawiiloxhbakaa (How We Lived): The Grant Bulltail Absáalooke (Crow Nation) Stories Collection, Nick Gittins, Andrea Payant

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

About Me & Why I Was Selected

• Trained in Classical History with emphasis on the oral tradition, theater, and storytelling in the ancient world • Folklore student of Grant Bulltail

• History of excellence at the Merrill-Cazier Library and interest in the Fife Folklore Archive and Special Collections

• Given an opportunity to intern in SCA beginning in the Summer of 2019 during which Randy Williams mentioned a collection of oral histories provided by Grant Bulltail, I jumped at the opportunity

• Little did any of us realize the immense size and scope of this amazing collection

Covid-19, Politics, And Science In Utah: Executive Summary Of Research Findings, Jessica Ulrich-Schad, Jennifer E. Givens

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Daily life in the United States and Utah has changed considerably since the global outbreak of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. On March 6th, 2020, Gary R. Herbert, Governor of the State of Utah, declared a “State of Emergency” in response to pandemic. On March 27th the Governor then issued the “Stay Safe, Stay Home” Directive, which was much less strict than the shelter in place orders seen in other states as it simply urged residents to leave home infrequently, stay 6 feet away from others outside the home, and banned private gatherings larger than 20. At the end of April, …

The Utah Statesman, September 21, 2020, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, September 21, 2020, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

Call to Order

• Approval of Minutes- August 24, 2020

University Business

Information

• EPC Monthly Report - September 3, 2020

Reports

• Educational Policies Committee Annual Report
• Honors Program Annual Report

Old Business

• Code 403 - Academic Freedom and Professional Responsibility

Generative Generations: Adapting Culturally Rooted Science Ideas To Video Game Design, Elizabeth Lapensee, Christie Poitra, Angela Kolonich, Estrella Torrez

Journal of Indigenous Research

Generative Generations is a workshop kit to facilitate Indigenous youth in designing games that include culturally rooted science ideas. As an extension of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM), the workshop kit interweaves Indigenous pedagogical practices with paper game prototyping to support engaging, hands-on, collaborative, and culturally relevant ideation of games. During a pilot study held during a summer camp with the Indigenous Youth Empowerment Program, youth integrated their own culturally rooted science ideas inspired by prompts from the kit. The pilot study demonstrated a need for additional support in expanding knowledge, which informs future modifications to the workshop …

Role Of Farmer Knowledge In Agroecosystem Science: Rice Farming And Amphibians In The Philippines, Catherine R. Propper, Lisa J. Hardy, Brittni D. Howard, Rica Joy B. Flor, Grant R. Singleton

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Rice (Oryza sativa) agriculture provides food and economic security for nearly half of the world’s population. Rice agriculture is intensive in both land and agrochemical use. However, rice fields also provide aquatic resources for wildlife, including amphibians. In turn, some species may provide ecosystem services back to the farmers working in the rice agroecosystem. The foundation for understanding the complexity of agroecosystem–human relationships requires garnering information regarding human perceptions and knowledge of the role of biodiversity in these rice agroecosystems. Understanding farmer knowledge and perceptions of the ecosystem services provided by wildlife in their fields, along with their …

Do Urban Red Foxes Attack People? An Exploratory Study And Review Of Incidents In Britain, Bethany Bridge, Stephen Harris

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Human–wildlife interactions are believed to be increasing worldwide, and a number of studies have analyzed the risks posed by larger carnivores. However, people can also perceive smaller species of carnivores as threatening, particularly in urban areas. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) started to colonize British cities in the 1930s, and there is growing public concern about foxes biting people, particularly babies. These events are generally described in the press as attacks and generate intense media coverage and speculation that foxes view human infants as potential prey. Because foxes rely primarily on auditory cues for hunting, we conducted acoustic playback …

Assessing Vulture Translocation As A Management Tool To Mitigate Airport Bird Strikes, Weber Galvão Novaes, Tarcísio Lyra Dos Santos Abreu, Rafael Soave Guerta

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Collisions between wildlife and aircraft are a major safety concern for international aviation. In the Americas, vultures (Cathartidae) are considered to be one of the most hazardous bird species to airport operations. In this study, we evaluated the use of translocations as a management technique to reduce vulture abundance near the Manaus International Airport (MAO), Manaus, Brazil. The MAO is one of the busiest and most strategically important airports in South America, often referred to as the gateway to the Brazilian Amazon. We captured, wing-tagged, and translocated 98 vultures between August and October 2013 and between January and April 2014. …

The Utah Statesman, September 14, 2020, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Review Of Defining A Discipline: Archival Research And Practice In The Twenty-First Century: Essays In Honor Of Richard J. Cox, Dylan Mcdonald

Journal of Western Archives

Review of Defining a Discipline: Archival Research and Practice in the Twenty-First Century: Essays in Honor of Richard J. Cox.

The Utah Statesman, September 8, 2020, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Drought- Conditioning Of Quaking Aspen (Populus Tremuloides Michx.) Seedlings During Nursery Production Modifies Seedling Anatomy And Physiology, Joshua L. Sloan, Owen T. Burney, Jeremiah R. Pinto

Aspen Bibliography

In the western US, quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) regenerates primarily by root suckers after disturbances such as low to moderate severity fires. Planting aspen seedlings grown from seed may provide a mechanism to improve restoration success and genetic diversity on severely disturbed sites. However, few studies have examined the use of container-grown aspen seedlings for restoration purposes from both the outplanting and nursery production perspective. Thus, the purpose of this novel study was to examine how alterations in irrigation levels during nursery production across three seed sources would impact seedling performance attributes on harsh, dry outplanting sites. Irrigation …

An Experimentally Evaluated Thermodynamic Approach To Estimate Growth Of Photoheterotrophic Purple Non-Sulfur Bacteria, Anna Doloman, Lance C. Seefeldt

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Distribution of energy during the growth and formation of useful chemicals by microorganisms can define the overall performance of a biotechnological system. However, to date, this distribution has not been used to reliably predict growth characteristics of phototrophic microorganisms. The presented research addresses this application by estimating the photon-associated Gibbs energy delivered for the photoheterotrophic growth of purple non-sulfur bacteria and production of dihydrogen. The approach is successfully evaluated with the data from a fed-batch growth of Rhodopseudomonas palustris nifA∗ fixing N2 gas in phototrophic conditions and a reliable prediction of growth characteristics is demonstrated. Additionally, literature-available experimental data is …

Leveraging Local Resources And Contexts For Inclusive Computer Science Classrooms: Reflections From Experienced High School Teachers Implementing Electronic Textiles, Mia S. Shaw, Deborah A. Fields, Yasmin B. Kafai

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Background and context

Promoting open-ended projects presents new opportunities and challenges for inclusive teaching in CS classrooms. While efforts have been made to develop inclusive curricula, little research has focused on ways teachers apply curricula in their classrooms to promote inclusion.

Objective

To understand the challenges faced in facilitating an open-ended unit and the pedagogical strategies enacted to address those challenges, we analyze the self-reported teaching practices that experienced teachers developed in their implementation of a constructionist electronic textiles unit in Exploring Computer Science.

Method

We inductively analyzed and coded 17 experienced teachers’ weekly surveys and post-interviews.

Findings

Teachers …

Utah State University - University Libraries Metadata Application Profile For Contentdm Digital Collections, Version 2.0, Andrea Payant, Melanie Shaw, Anna-Maria Arnljots, Liz Woolcott

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

The Utah State University Libraries Digital Collections Application Profile outlines the metadata fields, mappings, definitions, and resources used to assign metadata for digital collections in the USU CONTENTdm repository. Utah State University is a collection partner of the Mountain West Digital Library (MWDL). Therefore, this profile pulls substantially from the MWDL application profile 3.0, which is available at this URL: https://github.com/mountainwestdl/mwdl-map/wiki/MWDL-Metadata-Application-Profile

“Scientists Can’T Really Talk To People”: Unpacking Students’ Metacommentary On The Racialized And Gendered Science Nerd Trope, Sarah K. Braden

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

Mass-media representations of the stereotypical science nerd position scientists as white, male, and largely English-speaking. Teachers and students who state a desire to work in equitable science learning communities may nonetheless reproduce inequities through their classroom practices which either embody or validate the science nerd stereotype. This study compares secondary students’ metacommentary on the science nerd trope in a mass-media representation to their metacommentary on their own and their peers’ classroom practices and sheds light on design elements for Critical Race Media Literacy (Yosso, 2002) tasks that may promote equity in science education spaces.

The Utah Statesman, August 31, 2020, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Small Differences In Root Distributions Allow Resource Niche Partitioning, Andrew Kulmatiski, Karen H. Beard, Martin C. Holdrege, Edmund C. February

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

1. Deep roots have long been thought to allow trees to coexist with shallow-rooted grasses. However, data demonstrating how root distributions affect water uptake and niche partitioning are uncommon.

2. We describe tree and grass root distributions using a depth-specific tracer experiment six times over two years in a subtropical savanna, Kruger National Park, South Africa. These point-in-time measurements were then used in a soil water flow model to simulate continuous water uptake by depth and plant growth form (trees and grasses) across two growing seasons. This allowed estimates of the total amount of water a root distribution could absorb as well …

What Do Nci Data Tell Us About The Characteristics And Outcomes Of Older Adults With Idd?, Valerie J. Bradley, Dorothy Hiersteiner, Henan Li, Alexandra Bonardi, Laura Vegas

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The number of older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is growing and will continue to expand as the baby boom generation moves into older adulthood. This descriptive analysis provides information on the characteristics and outcomes of a subsample of individuals with IDD aged 55 and over in the 2018-2019 National Core Indicators In Person Survey. Selected findings are compared to characteristics of the general population as measured by the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Findings suggest the older adults with IDD are more isolated, have smaller social networks than their younger peers, and have less access to transportation …

Welcome To The College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

My name is Jagath Kaluarachchi, and I’m the Dean of the College of Engineering. We’re excited to welcome our first- year and returning Aggies back to campus.

Spectral Light-Reflection Data Dimensionality Reduction For Timely Detection Of Yellow Rust, Ran Aharoni, Valentyna Klymiuk, Benny Sarusi, Sierra N. Young, Tzion Fahima, Barak Fishbain, Shai Kendler

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Yellow rust (YR) wheat disease is one of the major threats to worldwide wheat production, and it often spreads rapidly to new and unexpected geographic locations. To cope with this threat, integrated pathogen management strategies combine disease-resistant plants, sensors monitoring technologies, and fungicides either preventively or curatively, which come with their associated monetary and environmental costs. This work presents a methodology for timely detection of YR that cuts down on hardware and computational requirements. It enables frequent detailed monitoring of the spread of YR, hence providing the opportunity to better target mitigation efforts which is critical for successful integrated disease …