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Choose Your Own Research Adventure: Developing A Technical Services-Based Research Project., Liz Woolcott, Jeremy Myntti

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Utah Statesman, May 2017, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Caffeine And Acetaminophen Concentration And Other Water Quality Parameters Along The Middle To Lower Bear River, Autumn Slade

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Various water quality parameters were measured at seven sites along the Middle to Lower Bear River and compared across the sites, to past data and to set standards in Utah and Idaho. Much of the data was comparable to past data with most state standards being met. However, nitrate was above indicator level for half of the sites, and turbidity is a problem at the last two sites. Also, chloride and unionized ammonia are at high levels by the last site. Overall, the river tended to decrease in water quality as it moved downstream, with dams like at Cutler Reservoir …

Telephone Polls And Pps Sampling: A Potential Boon To The Polling Industry, Jade Mckay Burt

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In the wake of the 2016 election, the polling industry has no shortage of critics. While these are difficult times for the industry as a whole, there are exciting innovations happening that will serve to benefit and revitalize the industry for years. One of these exciting innovations is Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) sampling. I will elaborate on what PPS sampling is and provide a mathematical foundation for its use in polling. I also discuss what some of the myriad of issues plaguing the polling industry are and then show how PPS sampling can be used to remedy many of …

Cia Or Ceo: Who Will Be Responsible For Helping Protect National Security?, Jamie Elizabeth Crandal

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

As technology advances businesses are being called upon to take an active role in helping protect national security. A variety of different companies and industries within the private sector, which are at the forefront of encryption and hacking technologies, have the option to aid or subvert the intelligence community by sharing breakthrough technology in the interest of helping ensure domestic tranquility.

Many industries and companies within the private sector argue that while they are not actively trying to subvert efforts to protect national security it is not in their best interest, or the best interest of their customers, to hand …

Murder Becomes Her: Media Representations Of Murderous Women In America From 1890-1920, Emily M. Crumpton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis explores the relationship between the media, murderous women, and the concept of separate spheres. Murderous women challenged established gender norms. They did not conform to the societal expectations of their gender, therefore, they were not considered “normal.” As such, women like Alice Mitchell, Jane Toppan, and Amy Archer Gilligan became objects of media, medical, and public curiosity. As defined by medical science and society, newspapers policed the boundaries of “normality” by sensationalizing the lives, actions, and trials of deadly damsels. Newspaper coverage of murderous women reminded the public of the consequences of “abnormality” and non-conformity. This thesis argues …

Sclerocactus Wetlandicus: Habitat Characterization, Seed Germination And Mycorrhizal Analysis, Kourtney T. Harding

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Uinta Basin hookless cactus (Sclerocactus wetlandicus) is a threatened species native to Eastern Utah. The cactus is found in a landscape highly disturbed by non-renewable energy production. To understand the environmental conditions that support natural growth of this cactus, we asked what types of plants were present in the same areas as the cactus, and if the types of plants were different in environments that were disturbed. From our assessment, we determined that the types of plants present in disturbed areas were drastically different from those present in undisturbed locations. Areas previously used for energy production are …

The Inevitable Fusion: A Mixed-Methods Sociological Approach To Comprehensive Kodiak Bear Viewing Management, Jacqueline M. Keating

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge is home to one of the highest concentrations of brown bears in Alaska. As the public demand for bear viewing opportunities continues to increase, managers are faced with the challenge of accommodating this new kind of visitor use on a refuge that was traditionally managed for the sustainable hunting of bears. To inform the public use management planning process, the Kodiak Refuge allocated funding to support social science research that objectively assessed the current nature of bear viewing opportunities and the factors that influence the quality of those opportunities. Ecologist Aldo Leopold claimed that the …

Foreign Fighter Recruitment Messaging And The ‘Islamic State’, Jacob M. Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The so called ‘Islamic State,’ an Islamic extremist organization which currently controls large swaths of territory in the Middle East, has attracted foreign fighters to its insurgency in tens of thousands. Until just recently, foreign fighters were not well researched or understood separately from local fighters. David Malet (2013) argues that insurgencies recruit foreign fighters by persuading them to defend a ‘common group’ against a threatening enemy. This ‘defensive mobilization,’ he believed, was critical to recruiting foreign fighters throughout history. After preliminary analysis, the Islamic State presented evidence contrary to this theory, and it seemed dubious that they would use …

Comparison Of Beef Flavor Compounds From Steaks And Ground Patties Of Three Usda Quality Grades And Varied Degrees Of Doneness, Kourtney Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this study was to determine how quality grade (Prime, Low Choice, and Standard) and degree of doneness (4, 25, 55, 60, 71, and 77°C) influence the development of the flavor-producing compounds in beef whole muscle and ground patties. The content and type of many compounds influence beef flavor, including: proximate composition, pH, neutral and polar lipid fatty acids, free and total amino acids, reducing sugars, and volatile compounds, in addition to cooking duration. The important proximate components include fat, moisture, and protein content. Amino acids and reducing sugars alone contribute to the five basic tastes, but they …

Spatial And Temporal Study Of Heat Transport Of Hydrothermal Features In Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Ruba A. M. Mohamed

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Monitoring thermal activity in Yellowstone National Park is required by the United States Congress to maintain the safety of the visitors and park service personnel and to protect the integrity of the park. This dissertation is part of a study initiated in the early 2000s to monitor the thermal activity in the park with focus on Norris Geyser Basin, the hottest geyser basin in the park. The study is considered the first multiple-year study in the basin which took place between August 2008 and October 2013. In this study, at least one thermal infrared image was acquired every year using …

Increasing Student Engagement And Knowledge Retention In An Entry-Level General Nutrition Course With Technology And Innovative Use Of A Graduate-Level Teaching Assistant, Minhee Kang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Blended-design courses integrate both face-to-face and online learning. This thesis discusses the use of three teaching innovations and their effect on student engagement and course satisfaction in a blended-design nutrition course. The three teaching innovations include 1) a web-based learning platform, called Connect (published by McGraw-Hill Education) 2) other easily accessible technological tools (such as Google+), and 3) higher-level use of a graduate-level teaching assistant.

Another form of web-based learning platform, Mastering, published by Pearson Education, was use previously in the course. However, students, especially those earning the highest grades in the course, did not see value in completing these …

The Effects Of Previous Concussions On The Physiological Complexity Of Motor Output During A Continuous Isometric Visual-Motor Tracking Task, Adam C. Raikes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The long-term ramifications of single and multiple concussions are unclear, though they exist in the forefront of present social and scientific inquiry. While suicides linked to concussion histories by prominent current and former athletes sensationalize the issue, questions abound as to the safe and timely return to work, sport, and active military duty following a concussive event in addition to the link between concussion history and neurological disorders. As such, identifying lingering or persistent alterations in function following concussion is essential.

Nonlinear characteristics of visual-motor task performance, including the complexity of the performance, provide an avenue for quantifying visual processing, …

Perceived Entitlement Among Amillenials Versus Baby Boomers: A Cross-Generational Examination, Eliza Comer

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

As the Millennial workforce grows, understanding how Millennials are viewed- specifically in terms of entitlement-is an issue that merits attention, since perceived entitlement could negatively impact the extent to which an individual's contributions are valued in the workplace. While prior research suggests that Millennials are entitled (Allen 2015; Fisk 2010; Myers 2010), it neglects how perceptions of entitlement may differ across generations. We aim to address this gap by examining whether Baby Boomers and Millennials differ in their perceptions of what constitutes entitled behavior. Specifically, we test whether an individual's age, together with situational factors, may influence the extent to …

Paws And Breathe: How Pet Therapy Thrives In An Academic Library, Pamela N. Martin, Andrea Krebs, William Rozum

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Since the spring of 2014, the Merrill-Cazier library has offered stress-relieving activities during finals week to help students cope with their heavy workloads. The most popular activity offered (by far) is pet therapy. In the past, the library offered two sessions during finals week, but because of positive feedback and the huge student turnout at these sessions, the library has started to make pet therapy a weekly occurrence. Thanks to the kindness of our volunteer handlers, the therapy dogs have started to come to the library every Tuesday, and the feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive.

Pet therapy does …

Symbolic Versus Sustainable: Tracking The Apparel Industry’S Response To Crisis Over Time, Sadell R. Crabb

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In this study I investigate the impact different director types have on firm commitments to voluntary labor regulation. Using an author-constructed dataset of eight focal firm’s boards of directors for a nineteen-year period, I examine the impacts of gender and racial diversity, as well as the inclusion of independent interlocking board members on firm commitments to voluntary labor regulation following a legitimacy crisis in the 1990s. Framing firms’ responses within a chronological approach to institutional theory, I test how trends for these three director types varied for firms most and least committed to voluntary labor regulation, as well as for …

Mountain Bike Use On The Tahoe Rim Trail: An Analysis Of Management Practices In Restricted Use Areas, Christopher M. Binder

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This project presents research into the historic and contemporary use of mountain bikes in restricted use areas on the Tahoe Rim Trail and examines management approaches to increase compliance with existing regulations and advisories. Data from geomagnetic trail counters is utilized to gain insight into where and when such use occurs, while archival and contemporary sources of information are consulted to establish the context of mountain bike use on the trail. The project concludes with specific, actionable recommendations for trail managers, with information regarding likely outcomes and costs included in the analysis.

Effects Of Alternate Sustainable Soil Amendments On Organic Dryland Wheat Systems, Crista Sorenson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Organic winter wheat production in northern Utah is faced with several limitations, such as water and available soil nutrients. This study explored the possibility of adding a cover crop in the rotation to improve grain yield. There was also a replication of a large on-farm compost treatment of 18 Mg/ha (dry) for comparison.

Cover crops were selected based on a fall-planted study. Treatments included birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) with inoculants planted at 20 kg/ha, Austrian winter peas (Pisum sativum subsp. arvense) with inoculants planted at 36 kg/ha, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) with inoculants planted at …

Cia Or Ceo: Who Will Be Responsible For Helping Protect National Security?, Jamie Elizabeth Crandal

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As technology advances businesses are being called upon to take an active role in helping protect national security. A variety of different companies and industries within the private sector, which are at the forefront of encryption and hacking technologies, have the option to aid or subvert the intelligence community by sharing breakthrough technology in the interest of helping ensure domestic tranquility.

Many industries and companies within the private sector argue that while they are not actively trying to subvert efforts to protect national security it is not in their best interest, or the best interest of their customers, to hand …

First-Row Transition Metal Sulfides And Phosphides As Competent Electrocatalysts For Water Splitting, Nan Jiang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Solar energy is a carbon-neutral and renewable energy resource. Its nature of intermittence and unequal distribution requires efficient solar energy capture, conversion, and storage. Solar-driven water splitting to produce hydrogen and oxygen is widely considered as an appealing approach to meet this goal, in which hydrogen acts as a green energy carrier. Water splitting consists of two redox half reactions: hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Both reactions involve the transfer of multiple electrons and protons and possess high energy barriers to proceed at appreciable rates, hence catalysts are needed.

A large number of HER and OER …

Detecting Malicious Campaigns In Crowdsourcing Platforms, Hongkyu Choi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Crowdsourcing sites such as Mechanical Turk and Crowdflower provide a marketplace where requesters create tasks and recruit workers, who may perform certain tasks in order to get financial compensation. Anyone in the world can be a requester and/or a worker as long as he/she has the Internet connection. Crowdsourcing creates a new way to solve various tasks by using “human computation power”. However, crowdsourcing has been misused by malicious requesters and unethical workers for account generation, search engine optimization, content and link generation, ad posting and spam mailing, and social network linking. It creates new threats to the Web system. …

Increasing Knowledge And Detection Of Racial And Ethnic Microaggressions In White College Students, Christina A. Patterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Scholars have strongly suggested that to combat microaggressions and their impact on persons of color, there needs to be an increased awareness and ability to detect microaggressions when they occur. There is limited research on how to practically address these concerns. This study examined the efficacy of a multimedia intervention aimed at increasing White individuals’ ability to accurately detect microaggressions. The high-exposure intervention was compared against two other conditions, low-exposure and control, at pre-, post-, and 1-week follow-up from intervention.

Undergraduate university students were recruited from two predominantly white universities (PWU). Participants watched a series of videos to determine if …

Extension Of Behavioral Momentum Theory To Conditions With Changing Reinforcer Rates, Andrew R. Craig

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Behavior is more likely to persist when disrupted in some way in the presence of stimuli correlated with frequent delivery of reward than in the presence of stimuli correlated with infrequent rewards. In laboratory investigations, the correlation between reward rates and specific stimuli are almost always held constant before testing for persistence. In the real world, however, how often rewards are encountered is likely to vary substantially over time. The major goal of the work described in this dissertation was to explore effects of reward rates that change over time on persistence of behavior in controlled laboratory settings using pigeon …

A Pattern Language For Designing Application-Level Communication Protocols And The Improvement Of Computer Science Education Through Cloud Computing, Jorge Edison Lascano

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Enterprises that develop software use current technology because of its proven advantages and to accelerate and improve the software development process. Nevertheless, it is difficult to be up-to-date for most professionals in the area. Although students from higher academic institutions need to learn these new tools, and their main purpose is to learn how learn; colleges still need to prepare students for modern enterprise requirements, so they teach new technologies to improve students’ skills. Ubiquitous computing is software and services available everywhere, for example in mobile devices, in different locations, in different networks. This computing requires good communication protocols so …

Assessment Of The Impact Of The Premarital Interpersonal Choices And Knowledge (Pick) Program On Adolescents, Raquel R. Boehme

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was conducted to determine if the information from the Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) program How to Avoid Falling for a Jerk/ette helped positively change adolescents’ attitudes about relationships. The program was taught to 9,130 high school students (ages 14 -18) from 35 different high schools in a Western state.

Surveys were given at the beginning of the first class (pretest) and at the end of the final class (posttest). In addition to demographic information, students rated (1) their attitudes about what it takes to get to know a potential partner, (2) their belief that love alone …

Participation In Dual Language Immersion Programs: Using Theory Of Planned Behavior To Predict Enrollment, Andrea Call

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many theories have been developed to help explain and predict human behavior. Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) holds that behavior is based on behavioral intention, as well as attitudes, subjective (or social) norms, and perceived behavioral control. According to the TPB mode, perceived behavioral control moderates (or influences) the effect of behavioral intentions on behavior. Previous research has focused on the application of TPB to health behaviors, although some research has been done in educational situations. In addition, dual language immersion (DLI) programs are increasing in popularity, particularly in Utah. The Utah model begins in first grade, and follows …

Utah Elementary School Principals’ Preparation As Technology Leaders, Nathan L. Esplin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The rapidly expanding use of technology in education has brought about the need for principals to be prepared as technology leaders. Although, there is a need for principals to be prepared as technology leaders, many currently are not prepared for this role. It is crucial that principals are prepared in order ability to lead their school in successful technology integration. The primary purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the perceived level of technology leadership preparation of Utah elementary principals using the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Administrators.

In addition to the study’s primary purpose, …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Utah Farm Field Days, Paige Wray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah farm field day events seek to increase agricultural literacy among elementary students. Although these events are occurring statewide, no formal evaluation has been conducted to determine student increases in agricultural literacy related to these events. The purpose of this study was to evaluate two such events to see what students knew about agriculture before they attended the farm field day, what they wanted to learn about concerning agriculture, and what they learned after attending the event. Results showed that these children were below average for expected grade level understandings or agricultural awareness before the event. However, after the event, …

Pharmaceuticals And Personal Care Products In An Effluent-Dominated Stream: Seasonal Variability And Downstream Fate, Bradley R. Buswell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) consist of a large group of compounds including medicines, lotions, soaps, shampoos, and even flame retardants and insect repellants. After use, PPCPs often enter waste streams that are directed to municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Due to inefficient removals in conventional wastewater treatment processes, WWTP discharges into streams and rivers are a major source of PPCPs to the environment.

The East Canyon Water Reclamation Facility (ECWRF) is a WWTP in Park City, Utah. After treatment, the ECWRF effluent is discharged into a small constructed wetland area before it enters East Canyon Creek. Due to …

Public Opinion On Renewable Energy: The Nexus Of Climate, Politics, And Economy, Shawn K. Olson-Hazboun

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation research examines the factors underlying public opinion toward renewable energy in the United States. U.S. citizens in general support the continued development of renewable energy, yet opposition has been widely observed toward a variety of renewable energy facilities at the local level. Previous research on public responses to renewable energy has focused on one or a small number of communities experiencing renewable energy development. In this research I examine public views more broadly, in communities with and without renewable energy development, and also using nationally representative opinion data. I ask the following questions:

What local experiences influence how …