Digital Commons Network^™

“Your Neighbors Are New Every Week”: Short-Term Rentals, Housing, And Community Wellbeing In High-Amenity Rural Places, Alexander Theophilus, Jessica Ulrich-Schad

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Student Research

Amenity driven in-migration, seasonal home ownership, and tourism are long standing processes impacting housing affordability and community wellbeing in high natural amenity rural communities. Short-term rental (STR) accommodations, such as Airbnb and Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO), are a relatively new phenomenon that can further limit housing options for full-time residents and members of the seasonal workforce. There is tremendous variation across communities in their efforts to regulate STRs. To assess the impacts of STRs on housing affordability and community wellbeing in a high-amenity rural place, we analyze and discuss interviews with 28 residents of the Bear Lake area in …

Changes To Utah State University's Open Access Fund, David Advent, Yassin Nacer

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Utah State University (USU) Libraries established an open access (OA) fund in 2012 with the goal of helping USU authors offset the costs of publishing OA articles. The fund proved to be enormously popular, and funds were expended quickly each year—most recently being exhausted in less than 72 hours. In recognition of this unsustainability, as well as concerns about the rapidly changing role of OA and copyright in scholarly publishing, USU Libraries initiated significant changes to the fund. This lightning talk will share how we identified and assessed challenges with the existing OA fund, the modifications we implemented, our plans …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda October 20, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes September 22, 2025
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Information
• EPC Report - October 2, 2025
• 3:40 Report
• Athletics Council Annual Report
• Library Advisory Council Annual Report
• Academic Freedom and Tenure Annual Report
• 4:05 Old Business
• 4:10 New Business
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Academic Standards Subcommittee Agenda October 16, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Welcome and approval of September 18, 2025 minutes
• New Topics:
• Academic Grievance Policy process
• Potential Topics for 2025-2026 Academic Standard Subcommittee

Academic Standards Subcommittee Minutes October 16, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Welcome and approval of September 18, 2025 minutes
• New Topic:
• Academic Grievance Policy process
• Discussion
• Action Items

Reliability Targeted Snow Loads And Winter Wind Parameters For Locations Outside Of The Conterminous United States, Brennan L. Bean, Nicholas Brimhall, Bikram Bhusal, Marc Maguire, Maha Moussa

Browse all Datasets

The national building standard ASCE 7 moved to reliability-targeted snow loads (RTSLs) in the 2022 version. This necessitates the development of RTSLs for international locations. This repository contains the data and code needed to produce RTSLs and Winter Wind Parameters for locations outside of the Conterminous United States (OCONUS). It relies on annual maximum snow loads provided in a separate data release (see Brimhall et al. 2025).

Electron Yields Of Lunar Regolith Simulant Layers, Christopher Vega, Matthew Robertson, Thomas Keaton, Heather Allen, Jr Dennison

Journal Articles

The charging of bulk lunar regolith has been recognized since the Apollo era as an immediate and critical issue facing our return to the moon. Accurate electron yield (EY) measurements of bulk highly insulating granular materials—which largely determine how such particles charge through interactions with space environments—are lacking due to many experimental complexities that have led to a critical knowledge gap. Such knowledge is essential for addressing fundamental science and myriad important lunar applications and simulations related to lunar dust and regolith electrostatic charging. The few prior EY studies of lunar dust were limited due to severe charging effects and …

Cloud Seeding: Enhancing Winter Snowpack To Bolster Utah's Water Supply, Lily Lambert, Kendall Becker, Binod Pokharel, Scott Hotaling

All Current Publications

As Utah’s climate warms, the state is working to combat the decline in winter snowpack caused by rising temperatures. Cloud seeding is a safe technology that, under the right conditions, can boost snowfall. In this fact sheet, we describe what cloud seeding is, where it is currently used in Utah, and the safety measures and management practices that ensure its responsible use.

Eutrophication, Hope Northagen, Sarah Erwin, Ethan Gilliam

All Current Publications

Eutrophication refers to the ecological state of a water body after excessive nutrient pollution. The external introduction of nutrients (primarily nitrogen and phosphorus) accelerates the growth and reproduction of plants, algae, and microbes. This fact sheet explains where eutrophication comes from, its impacts, how it is treated, and what you can do to help restore and protect our lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Flawed Analysis Invalidates Claim Of A Strong Yellowstone Trophic Cascade After Wolf Reintroduction: A Comment On Ripple Et Al. (2025), Dan R. Macnulty, David Cooper, Michael Procko, T.J. Clark-Wolf

Aspen Bibliography

Ripple et al. (2025) recently argued that large carnivore recovery in Yellowstone National Park triggered one of the world’s strongest trophic cascades, citing a ∼1500 % increase in willow crown volume derived from plant height data. In this comment, we show that their conclusion is invalid due to fundamental methodological flaws. These include use of a tautological volume model, violations of key modeling assumptions, comparisons across unmatched plots, and the misapplication of equilibrium-based metrics in a non-equilibrium system. Additionally, Ripple et al. rely on selectively framed photographic evidence and omit critical drivers such as human hunting in their causal attribution. …

Assessing Riparian Evapotranspiration Dynamics In A Water Conflict Region In Nebraska, Usa, Ivo Z. Gonçalves, Burdette Barker, Christopher M. U. Neale, Derrel L. Martin, Sammy Z. Akasheh

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The escalating pressure on water resources in agricultural regions has become a catalyst for water conflicts. The adoption of innovative approaches to estimate actual evapotranspiration (ETa) offers potential solutions to mitigate conflicts related to water usage. This research presents the application of a remote sensing-based methodology for estimating actual evapotranspiration (ETa) based on a two-source energy balance model (TSEB) for riparian vegetation in Nebraska, US using the Spatial EvapoTranspiration Modeling Interface (SETMI). Estimated results through SETMI and field data using the eddy covariance system (EC) considering the period 2008–2013 were used to validate the energy balance components and ETa. Modeled …

Managing Chickens From Chicks To Peak Egg Production, Joseph Okoh, Essence Perry

All Current Publications

Chickens were first domesticated for cultural purposes, but selective breeding has focused on egg production. Choosing the right breeds and good management practices are essential for farmers to maximize egg yield, quality, and safety. This fact sheet covers poultry history, top egg-laying breeds, egg anatomy, nutrition, and practical tips to help farmers improve productivity and run successful egg production ventures.

A Farmer's Guide To Egg Quality, Safety, And Flock Health, Joseph Okoh, Essence Perry

All Current Publications

Eggs are a valuable source of nutrition and income for many backyard and smallholder farmers. To ensure a steady supply of high-quality eggs, it's essential to understand the key factors that influence hens’ health and productivity. From proper nutrition to effective lighting and disease prevention, each decision you make affects your flock’s performance. This guide offers practical advice to help you raise resilient, high-laying hens and build a successful small-scale egg production system, no matter your level of experience.

Improved Streamflow Forecasting Through Swe-Augmented Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Networks, Akhila Akkala, Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi, Shah Muhammad Hamdi, Pouya Hosseinzadeh, Ayman Nassar

Computer Science Student Research

Streamflow forecasting in snowmelt-dominated basins is essential for water resource planning, flood mitigation, and ecological sustainability. This study presents a comparative evaluation of statistical, machine learning (Random Forest), and deep learning models (Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), and Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Network (STGNN)) using 30 years of data from 20 monitoring stations across the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). We assess the impact of integrating meteorological variables—particularly, the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)—and spatial dependencies on predictive performance. Among all models, the Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Network (STGNN) achieved the highest accuracy, with a Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of 0.84 …

Interface Catalysts Of In Situ-Grown Tio2/Mxenes For High-Faraday-Efficiency Co2 Reduction, Shaun Debow, Zichen Shen, Arjun Sathyan Kulathuvayal, Fuzhan Song, Tong Zhang, Haley Fisher, Jesse B. Brown, Yuqin Qian, Zhi-Chao Huang-Fu, Hui Wang, Zachary Zander, Mark S. Mirotznik, Robert L. Opila, Yanqing Su, Yi Rao

Chemistry and Biochemistry Student Research

Climate change and the global energy crisis have led to an increasing need for greenhouse gas remediation and clean energy sources. The electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) is a promising solution for both issues as it harvests waste CO₂ and chemically reduces it to more useful forms. However, the high overpotential required for the reaction makes it electrochemically unfavorable. Here, we fabricate a novel electrode composed of TiO₂ nanoparticles grown in situ on MXene charge acceptor 2D sheets with excellent CO₂RR characteristics. A straightforward solvothermal method was used to grow the nanoparticles on …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Versus Progressive Relaxation Training For Misophonia: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Michael P. Twohig, Karen Muñoz, Julie M. Petersen, Mercedes G. Woolley, Emily M. Bowers, Marissa L. Donahue, Doris Velasquez, Diana Ortiz, Leila K. Capel, Guadalupe G. San Miguel

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: To date, no in-person-delivered psychotherapies for adults with misophonia have been tested against active control conditions. The purpose of this study was to test the preliminary efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), supplemented with audiologically informed behavioral strategies (e.g., functional adaptations to manage exposure to misophonic sounds), versus education and progressive relaxation training (PRT) for adults with misophonia.

Method: In a well-controlled randomized trial, 60 adults were randomized to ACT or PRT and each received 12, one-hour sessions of individualized psychotherapy for misophonia. Audiological and psychological assessments were conducted at baseline to assess for eligibility and severity of …

Honey, I Shrunk The Pk Weir: A Case Study Of Burton Pond Dam, David Bisio

4th International Workshop on Labyrinth and Piano Key Weirs

Between a low-head tidal environment, razor-thin hydraulic margins, and a long list of site restrictions, the Burton Pond Dam Rehabilitation project offered the chance to pursue a one-of-a-kind solution: a miniature stainless steel piano key weir as part of a new mixed active-passive spillway. This case study will explore how established hydraulic designs were modified specifically for the site and verified with computational flow dynamics; how the innovative cantilevered geometry was analyzed structurally with finite element modeling; and how detailing, fabrication and constructability were considered throughout the design process. From conceptual-level design submissions to the final construction walkthrough, the whole …

Time-Dependent Radiation Induced Conductivity Of Polyimide: Effects Of Dose Rate And Temperature On Dynamic Ric, Tyler Heggenes, Jenny R. Whiteley, Jodie Gillespie, Jr Dennison

Journal Articles

Radiation induced conductivity (RIC) can impact charge dissipation within highly insulating materials used in spacecraft in harsh space plasma environments. Previous Utah State University (USU) research analyzed only the equilibrium portions of an extensive RIC database for polymeric materials, including Kapton HN (Trademark). This confirmed that equilibrium RIC follows a standard theoretical model that is temperature and dose rate dependent. The current study provides a new analysis of RIC’s time-dependent behavior of the Kapton HN data from this database. With the onset of radiation, the material response is characterized by an exponential increase in conductivity, while a hyperbolic inverse time-dependent …

Western Ranch Management Institute, David Secrist

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

A Preliminary, Photography-Based Assessment Of Bee Diversity At The Finca Botánica Organic Farm In The Central Pacific Coast Of Ecuador, Joseph S. Wilson, Tyler M. Wilson, Chris Packer, Orlando Pacheco

Biology Faculty Publications

Understanding wild bee diversity is critical for pollinator conservation, particularly in understudied tropical regions like coastal Ecuador. This preliminary study provides a photography-based assessment of bee diversity at Finca Botánica, an organic and regenerative farm on Ecuador’s central Pacific coast. Over a 10-day survey in December 2024, researchers documented 51 bee species across four families, with Apidae being the most represented. The study highlights a predominance of solitary, ground-nesting bees and a lower-than-expected diversity of Meliponini (stingless bees) and Euglossini (orchid bees) compared to other regions of Ecuador. Many species were found in forest patches, ecological corridors, and cover-cropped maize …

Faculty Senate Agenda October 6, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - September 8, 2025
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Information
• EPC Report - September 4, 2025
• 3:45 Report
• EPC Annual Report
• 4:10 Old Business
• 4:15 New Business
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Faculty Senate Minutes October 6, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - September 8, 2025
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Information
• EPC Report - September 4, 2025
• Report
• EPC Annual Report
• Old Business
• New Business
• Adjourn - 4:30 pm

Covid-19 Resilience In Indigenous Communities: A Community Capitals Approach, Kristin A. Drexler, Michelle Watts, Casey Skvorc, Bridget Kimsey

Journal of Indigenous Research

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on rural American Indian/Alaska Native communities. During our multi-year study, in-depth interview data was collected in Indigenous communities from over 160 Tribal leaders and members in Alaska, New Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. In interviews, participants shared their lived experience during the pandemic, both negative impacts and factors of resilience. This article focuses on the methodology and theoretical framework of Community Capitals Framework (CCF). Using CCF, interview data was coded and analyzed using a modified CCF model. Our study aims to better understand how Indigenous communities and leaders drew on human and socio-cultural …

General Education Subcommittee Agenda October 2, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - September 4, 2025
• Course Approvals/Removals/Syllabi Approvals
• New Business
• Additional Items
• Adjourn: 9:30 am

Educational Policies Committee Agenda October 2, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - September 4, 2025
• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 4:00 pm

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes October 2, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - September 4, 2025
• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 3:00 pm

General Education Subcommittee Minutes October 2, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - September 4, 2025
• Course Approvals/Removals/Syllabi Approvals
• New Business
• Depth Discussion
• Additional Items
• Adjourn: 9:25 am

General Education Subcommittee Minutes September 4, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - April 3, 2025
• Course Approvals/Removals/Syllabi Approvals
• New Business
• Update on Center for Civic Excellence
• Additional Items
• Review of USU's University Studies Requirements
• Adjourn: 9:30 am

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda October 2, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - September 4, 2025
• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business
• Program Reminders
• Adjourn: 3:00 pm

Educational Policies Committee Minutes October 2, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - September 4, 2025
• Subcommittee Reports:
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 3:38 pm