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The Utah Statesman, February 5, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Faculty Senate Agenda February 5, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:45 Call to Order
• 3:50 University Business
• 4:05 Faculty Senate Business
• 4:10 Information
• 4:25 Reports
• 4:45 Old Business
• 4:50 New Business
• Adjourn: 5:00 pm

Tremblings, February 2024, Western Aspen Alliance

Tremblings

Do aspen smother or stoke the flames?

Kristin Nesbit

Perhaps you’ve heard of—or seen—fires decreasing in intensity (or extinguishing altogether) when they encounter an aspen stand. For a long time, firefighters, managers, and ecologists have characterized aspen forests as being low flammability, fire-resistant, “firebreak” forest types after observations of crown fires in conifer forests suddenly dropping down to surface fires upon entering adjacent aspen stands. However, high-intensity fires do spread through aspen-dominated forests, and aspen is known to regenerate vigorously after fire. For my M.S. research at Utah State University, I sought to explore this apparent paradox of aspen’s relationship …

Generalized Linear Targeting For Cislunar Flight, David Geller, Brayden Barton, David Woffinden

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

An important element of Artemis and NASA’s campaign to explore the Moon is the autonomous onboard two-level targeter (TLT) used during all cislunar flight phases. The function of the TLT is to autonomously recompute the burn targets for the upcoming burn (or multiple burns) in response to navigation and vehicle dispersion providing a solution that meets all trajectory constraints. Although the TLT has been utilized previously as a ground-based planning tool, and flown onboard during the Artemis I mission, it’s complexity and iterative nature make is difficult to incorporate into and support rapid analyses such as robust optimal trajectory design …

The Utah Statesman, January 29, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

The Utah Statesman, January 22, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda January 22, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:30 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - December 11, 2023
• 3:35 University Business
• 3:50 Faculty Senate Business
• 4:00 Information
• Education Policies Committee
• Policy 200: Executive Summary
• Policy 382: Time and Attendance
• Policy 326
• 4:25 Reports
• Honorary Degrees and Awards
• Office of Research Annual Report
• PRPC Annual Report
• School of Graduate Studies Annual Report
• 4:45 Old Business
• 4:50 New Business
• Adjourn: 5:00 pm

Microbes From Native Plants Show Drought Tolerance Potential, Ty Wilson

Research on Capitol Hill

Climate-induced environmental stresses, and the increased use of fertilizers, significantly threaten food production and soil health. In natural soils, microbes perform a vital function of restoring the soil and assisting native plants’ growth.

Background & Methods: Research Summary, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

During the fall of 2023, Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) researchers conducted a statewide study to establish a baseline of public perceptions related to the awareness, understanding, and attitudes around challenges that Utah women and girls face. It focused on the following areas: education (finance, higher education attainment, and K-12 initiatives); community engagement (political representation, boards and commissions, and civic engagement/advocacy); safety and security (child sexual abuse, domestic violence, poverty and homelessness, sexual assault, and sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination); health and wellbeing (health across the lifespan and home and family); and workplace (childcare/pre-K programs, entrepreneurship, gender pay gap, …

Gender Pay Gap: Research Summary, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

During the fall of 2023, Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) researchers conducted a statewide study to establish a baseline for public perceptions related to the awareness, understanding, and attitudes about challenges that Utah women and girls face (see Background & Methods for details). The study was created to support the work of 18 areas of focus (spokes) within the movement called A Bolder Way Forward, which is dedicated to helping more Utah girls and women thrive. One of the 18 areas of focus is the gender pay gap, and this summary shares findings that illuminate present perspectives and establishes …

The Utah Statesman, January 15, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

The Utah Statesman, January 8, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Faculty Senate Agenda January 8, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:30 Information

• 3:35 Reports

• 4:00 Old Business

• 4:05 New Business

• Adjourn: 4:30

Different Substrate Selectivity And Product Patterns Of Immobilized Thermophilic Lipases From Geobacillus Stearothermophilus, Anoxybacillus Flavithermus, And Thermomyces Lanuginosus For Glyceryl Decanoate Synthesis, Teif A. Najm, Marie K. Walsh, Namhyeon Park

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Lipases can catalyze synthesis reactions in a micro aqueous system, producing useful partial glycerides (mono- and diglycerides), and these compounds are commonly utilized in different products as surfactants. Depending on the microbial sources for lipases, immobilization conditions, and starting substrates for synthesis reaction, the composition and yields of the resulting partial glycerides could be variable. These differences could lead to the final efficacy of partial glycerides as surfactants in targeted products. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a group of immobilized lipases from different microbial sources with information about substrate specificity to produce effective partial glycerides for various product types. …

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda January 4, 2024, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews

• College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
• Caine College of the Arts
• Jon M. Huntsman School of Business
• Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services
• College of Engineering
• College of Humanities and Social Sciences
• S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources
• College of Science
• College of Veterinary Medicine
• USU Courses
• Other Business

Educational Policies Committee Agenda January 4, 2024, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee (Chad Simon)
• Program Proposals
• Academic Standards Subcommittee (Renee Galliher)
• General Education Subcommittee (Matt Sanders)

Faculty Senate Committee Agenda January 8, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - November 27, 2023
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• Board of Education Meeting
• 3:30 Information
• Educational Policies Committee Report
• 3:35 Reports
• Council on Teacher Education Annual Report
• Faculty Evaluation Committee Annual Report
• Library Advisory Council Annual Report
• Scholarship Annual Report
• USUSA Annual Report
• 4:00 Old Business
• 4:05 New Business
• Adjourn: 4:30

2024 Report To The Governor And Legislature On Utah's Land Water & Air, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute For Land, Water & Air

Reports

This report serves as a 2024 snapshot of key issues and concerns with Utah’s shared resources. It highlights a collection of data that is available to provide context to these issues and identifies areas where more study is needed. Addressing these challenges will enable Utah policymakers to make informed decisions for the future. Under the authorship of 52 researchers and with the support of 47 advisory board members, this report includes 6 chapters (Land, Water, Air, Forests and Rangelands, Bear Lake, and Metrics) that address the focus areas of the report.

Table Of Contents, Beth Buyserie, Travis N. Thurston

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

No abstract provided.

Contributors, Beth Buyserie, Travis N. Thurston

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

No abstract provided.

33. Chatgpt Assistance In Creating Chemistry Practice Problems: Pitfalls, Positives, And Possibilities, Michael A. Christiansen

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

ChatGPT, a relatively new Large Language Model (LLM) artificial intelligence (Al) chatbot, has gained significant attention as the most downloaded software app, accruing over 100 million users within two months of its release. This software can generate quick, articulate responses to virtually any textual query. Many educators are concerned about its potential for enabling student cheating. However, it currently suffers significant limitations in solving chemistry problems-documented through peer-reviewed articles and from the author's experience suggesting that chemistry students will perform far better, on average, by studying than by relying on ChatGPT. This is particularly true of math-centric problems, which the …

31. Collaborative Writing And Ai: A Research Assignment For An Undergraduate Professional Communication Course, Beth Buyserie

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

This chapter contextualizes and describes a collaborative Al research assignment for an in-person 2000-level Professional Communication general education course. This "Collaborative Writing and Al" assignment asks teams of students to 1) conduct their own secondary research on a specific topic connected to Al, 2) conduct primary research using Al itself, and 3) make recommendations to their peers and future colleagues in the profession or community on how to navigate and respond to a range of interdisciplinary conversations and perspectives on the technology. Within this chapter, the author provides a rationale for the assignment, includes suggestions for background readings included in …

25. Using The Ai Explainpaper To Help Students Better Understand Journal Articles, Erin Jensen, Daniel Hutchinson

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

We have students use the Al Explainpaper to be able to read and understand journal articles as this is a common assignment in many core classes. In our experiences, students often struggle to understand the content of journal articles and then struggle to use the journal article as a source in their writing. The Al Explainpaper provides an opportunity for students to use the bot to better understand the journal article and have an opportunity to ask the program additional questions about the article. We have found Explainpaper to provide help to students in being able to read and understand …

24. Revisioning A Bibliography Assignment To Center Discovery And Critical Source Engagement, Lillian Campbell, Jenna Green, Nicole Bungert

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

This chapter shares context, assignment details, and impact of revisions of a research journal assignment in our first-year writing program at a mid-sized private university in the Midwest. With the rise of access to large language processing models like ChatGPT in Spring 2023, we reviewed our curriculum to consider what assignments might be most vulnerable to Al-generated writing. Our bibliography assignment was an obvious contender, since it focused on summary of individual sources. Thus, we worked with our research librarian liaison to reimagine this assignment, guided by a conversation about learning goals. After reviewing relevant scholarship on source use and …

Teaching And Generative Ai: Pedagogical Possibilities And Productive Tensions, Beth Buyserie, Travis N. Thurston, Adena Rivera-Dundas, Ali Söken, Belinda 'Ofakihevahanoa Fotu, Breanne K. Litts, Catherine J. Denial, Chris Mayer, Clancy Ratliff, Cora Alward, Daniel Frank, Daniel Hutchinson, Dory Rosenberg, Emma Mecham, Erin Jensen, Franziska Tsufim, Ha Nguyen, J. Kaleo Alladin, Jacob Morris, Jacob Taylor, Jenna Green, Jennifer Grewe, Jennifer K. Johnson, John Paul Tassoni, Josh Vogeler, Julia M. Gossard, Kolby Sanders, Kysa Nygreen, Lainie Pomerleau, Laura Dumin, Lillian Campbell, Lydia Peach, Lydia Wilkes, Maha Bali, Marc Watkins, Mary Lourdes Silva, Megan Hamilton, Melissa Tehee, Michael A. Christiansen, Mudasir Mustafa, Nicole Bungert, Parker Routt, Reba Wissner, Reed Hepler, Ritamarie Hensley, Rogelio E. Cardona-Rivera, Rosa Thornley, Ruth Li, Samantha K. Yoder, Susan Codone, Veronica Pulley, Walker P. Smith, Tazin Daniels

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

With the rapid development of generative AI, teachers are experiencing a new pedagogical challenge, one that promises to forever change the way we approach teaching and learning. As a response to this unprecedented teaching context, this collection—Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions—provides interdisciplinary teachers, librarians, and instructional designers with practical and thoughtful pedagogical resources for navigating the possibilities and challenges of teaching in an AI era. Because our goal with this edited collection is to present nuanced discussions of AI technologies across disciplines, the chapters collectively acknowledge or explore both possibilities and tensions—including the strengths, …

22. Examining Ways Of Using Ai To Better Support Teaching Faculty, Mitigate Burnout, And Increase Teaching Creativity, Jennifer Grewe

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

Faculty burnout is a concern within academics particularly for the most student-centered teaching faculty. In attempts to support students, faculty can sometimes do so at the expense of their own time and energy that over time can become overwhelming. There exist many concerns within academia on the use of Al and yet this is a tool that could be helpful to teaching loads if utilized properly. This chapter explores ways in which Al might help alleviate some of the workload that teaching faculty experience, which is a start to addressing burnout issues. Ideas are shared in this chapter surrounding Al's …

21. My Summer With Chatgpt, Mary Lourdes Silva

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

Out of necessity, I first used ChatGPT to process mentally and emotionally two major injuries. Trapped at home for the entire summer, I learned to write with ChatGPT to complete a large-scale research project. The anthropomorphizing experience left me feeling less alone. For nearly a year, news about Al-generated writing software sparked nationwide concern about the future of traditional essays. As an early adopter of most digital technologies and the type of person who welcomes chaos, I chose to learn everything | could about ChatGPT, which meant I needed to learn how to "cheat" with ChatGPT. Inspired by similar assignments …

9. Uses, Benefits, And Limitations Of Ai Chatbots: Implementing Chatgpt In The First-Year Writing Classroom, Walker Smith, Cora Alward, Jacob Morris, Lydia Peach, Veronica Pulley, Parker Routt, Kolby Sanders, Josh Vogeler

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

This essay shares the findings of a Spring 2023 honors composition course in which students conducted their own primary research project to investigate the uses and limitations of ChatGPT for first-year writers. By experimenting with integrating ChatGPT into various stages of their writing and revision processes, the students identified the strengths and weaknesses of the writing tool. Then, they observed and interviewed faculty as they graded different versions of essay drafts with varying levels of ChatGPT assistance. Ultimately, they found that ChatGPT was incredibly useful for certain small-scale tasks, but posed significant risks, especially for students with less experience in …

3. Empowering Educators In The Age Of Generative Ai: A Critical Media Literacy Approach, Ali Söken, Kysa Nygreen

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

This chapter draws from the authors' experience teaching an undergraduate course in the context of Generative Al (GenAl), and shares three instructional innovations we are implementing in response: 1) establishing an appropriate tone; 2) designing in-class activities to engage critically with GenAl; and 3) revising assessment and grading policies. These adaptations are informed by the framework of Critical Media Literacy (CML), which grounds the course. They aim to strike a balanced view that acknowledges both challenges and potentials of GenAl. This chapter aims to furnish a contextual framework for fellow educators to critically engage with the realm of GenAl. Core …

2. Some Ethical Considerations For Teaching And Generative Ai In Higher Education, Lydia Wilkes

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

The chapter discusses some ethical considerations for teaching and generative Al in higher education with a focus on large language models like ChatGPT. These considerations include generative Al's effects on the environment and labor, its reliance on data and tendency to violate privacy, the biases encoded in it, and the digital divide. As more sophisticated generative Al is integrated into word processors, these ethical concerns will become more difficult to perceive and the ethics of using Al more difficult to parse. This chapter concludes with a note on power and justice.