Digital Commons Network^™

Strengthening Sisters: How Latter-Day Saint Missionary Service Prepares Women For Leadership, Sara Mcphee Lafkas, Wendy Fox-Kirk, Susan R. Madsen, Robbyn T. Scribner

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Women, especially those from highly religious societies, are underrepresented in professional and civic leadership positions. Considering how women's life experiences, especially from religious volunteer opportunities, can be reframed as training for broader leadership roles could help address this disparity. The potential for women to learn leadership skills from volunteer religious service is an overlooked, but possibly important, means of transferability to larger leadership roles. The current article describes a qualitative study of women's perceptions of leadership skills gained while serving as full-time volunteer missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during young adulthood. Respondents described perceptions of …

Adapting To Sea Level Rise: Insights From A New Evaluation Framework Of Physical Design Projects, Daniella Hirschfeld, Kristina E. Hill, Ellen Plane

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Designers and engineers are developing proposals for physical projects to adapt coastal sites to future sea level rise related threats. This puts pressure on local and regional decision makers to develop strategic frameworks for prioritizing, permitting and funding such projects. However, no systematic evaluation tools exist for the full range of these innovative designs. We build on the literature to develop an evaluation framework that synthesizes two different approaches to categorize these proposals and provide insight for coastal managers and decision makers. We apply this framework to physical projects that address sea level rise in their design around the San …

Age-Related Mushroom Body Expansion In Male Sweat Bees And Bumble Bees, Mallory A. Hagadorn, Karlee Eck, Matthew Del Grosso, Xavier Haemmerle, William T. Wcislo, Karen M. Kapheim

Biology Student Research

A well-documented phenomenon among social insects is that brain changes occur prior to or at the onset of certain experiences, potentially serving to prime the brain for specific tasks. This insight comes almost exclusively from studies considering developmental maturation in females. As a result, it is unclear whether age-related brain plasticity is consistent across sexes, and to what extent developmental patterns differ. Using confocal microscopy and volumetric analyses, we investigated age-related brain changes coinciding with sexual maturation in the males of the facultatively eusocial sweat bee, Megalopta genalis, and the obligately eusocial bumble bee, Bombus impatiens. We compared volumetric …

Does Hunting Affect The Behavior Of Wild Pigs?, Oliver Keuling, Giovanna Massei

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild boar and feral swine (Sus scrofa) numbers are growing worldwide. In parallel, their severe ecological and economic impacts are also increasing and include vehicle collisions, damage to crops and amenities, reduction in plant and animal abundance and richness, and transmission of diseases, the latter causing billions of U.S. dollars in losses to the livestock industry each year. Recreational hunters are the main cause of mortality for this species, and hunting has traditionally been the main method to contain populations of wild pigs. Hunting might affect the behavior of the species, which potentially can lead to these animals …

High Tunnel Pest Management - Caterpillars, Nick Volesky, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

In Utah high tunnel production, there are various caterpillar pests (larvae of moth and butterfly species) that cause economic damage to crops. Common caterpillar pest species found in Utah include hornworms, tomato fruit worms, imported cabbage worms, diamondback moths, cabbage loopers, armyworms, and cutworms. Various weed species growing inside or outside high tunnels can attract and harbor caterpillar pests. Managing caterpillar pests in high tunnels involves various mechanical, chemical, biological, and cultural control practices.

Powdery Mildews On Vegetables, Nick Volesky, Marion Murray, Claudia Nischwitz

All Current Publications

Powdery mildew is one of the most easily recognized fungal plant diseases. It is categorized by spots or patches of white-to-gray powder-like growth on foliage, stems, or fruit. Roughly 700 species exist that infect grasses, ornamentals, weeds, fruit trees, landscape trees, shrubs, and vegetables. The closely related species of fungi that cause powdery mildew are host-specific, meaning they cannot survive without the proper host. Powdery mildew fungi spread in conditions of low rainfall and hot temperatures, making Utah’s climate the perfect environment. This fact sheet provides information on powdery mildew and its management.

Stress Response Of Stone Martens And Red Foxes In Two Different Live Traps, Friederike Gethöffer, Wolfgang Baumgärtner, Marion Schmicke, Nicole Kemper, Charlotte Lempp, Nicole Jungwirth, Joseph G. Schnitzler, Ursula Siebert

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Trapping of terrestrial animals is an important tool for harvest, pest control and research worldwide. To catch animals alive, animal welfare has to be ensured, which is reflected in different agreements on trading and trapping of animals between sovereign nations (Council Regulation [EEC] No 3254/91). The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and stone marten (Martes foina) represent important predatory animals. Their influence on protected species as well as their increasing appearance in urban areas demand responsible handling. In our study, we evaluated 2 trap systems used for trapping red foxes and stone martens in accordance with criteria stipulated in the Agreement …

Machine Learning As A Tool For Wildlife Management And Research: The Case Of Wild Pig-Related Content On Twitter, Lauren M. Jaebker, Hailey E. Mclean, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Keith M. Carlisle, Tara L. Teel, Alan D. Bright, Aaron M. Anderson

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a non-native, invasive species that cause considerable damage and transmit a variety of diseases to livestock, people, and wildlife. We explored Twitter, the most popular social media micro-blogging platform, to demonstrate how social media data can be leveraged to investigate social identity and sentiment toward wild pigs. In doing so, we employed a sophisticated machine learning approach to investigate: (1) the overall sentiment associated with the dataset, (2) online identities via user profile descriptions, and (3) the extent to which sentiment varied by online identity. Results indicated that the largest groups of online …

Toward A Cohesive Management Of Earth’S Orbital Environment: Applying Policy And Collaboration To A Design For The Present And Future, Charles Lee Mudd Jr.

Small Satellite Conference

The response to Starlink solar reflectivity by some industry leaders, scientists, and other interested actors demonstrates the ability for diverse space actors to collaborate through dialogue and innovation to solve nuanced technological problems. These efforts should be encouraged and modeled to implement a response to and prevention of future dynamics that affect Earth’s orbital environment. In a separate but related context, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) proposed and implemented new regulations regarding orbital debris. In 2021, the final regulations on orbital debris mitigation should be adopted, published, and implemented. This context suggests that the policy climate within the FCC should …

Determining The Novel Pathogen Neodothiora Populina As The Causal Agent Of The Aspen Running Canker Disease In Alaska, Loretta M. Winton, Gerard C. Adams, Roger W. Ruess

Aspen Bibliography

Neodothiora populina Crous, G.C. Adams & Winton was determined to be a new pathogen of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) growing in Alaska, based on completion of Koch’s Postulates in replicated forest and growth chamber inoculation trials. The pathogen is responsible for severe damage and widespread rapid mortality of sapling to mature aspen (≥ 80 years) in the boreal forests of interior Alaska, due to large diffuse annual (1–2 years) cankers. Isolation of the pathogen was challenging, and identification based on cultural characters was difficult. Fruiting bodies were not found on wild diseased trees, but erumpent pycnidia were found …

Nasa Science Mission Directorate Smallsat Coordination Group: State Of Nasa Science With Smallsats, Florence Tan, Natalie Khalil

Small Satellite Conference

NASA recognizes the value and impact of SmallSats, from CubeSats to ESPA-class satellites, for high-value science missions to support exploration through innovative technologies. With SmallSats, we are able to, more nimbly, perform targeted science, prove out new technologies and innovation, and educate and train our engineers and scientists for the workforce of tomorrow. Across six divisions of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), over 11 years, SMD has funded 73 CubeSat / SmallSat Missions and 56 Studies to date. Currently, SMD has 44 small spacecraft science missions (67 spacecraft) in implementation or formulation. The goal of this paper is to provide …

Moderate Plant–Soil Feedbacks Have Small Effects On The Biodiversity–Productivity Relationship: A Field Experiment, Josephine Grenzer, Andrew Kulmatiski, Leslie Forero, Anne Ebeling, Nico Eisenhauer, Jeanette Norton

Wildland Resources Student Research

Plant–soil feedback (PSF) has gained attention as a mechanism promoting plant growth and coexistence. However, most PSF research has measured monoculture growth in greenhouse conditions. Translating PSFs into effects on plant growth in field communities remains an important frontier for PSF research. Using a 4-year, factorial field experiment in Jena, Germany, we measured the growth of nine grassland species on soils conditioned by each of the target species (i.e., 72 PSFs). Plant community models were parameterized with or without these PSF effects, and model predictions were compared to plant biomass production in diversity–productivity experiments. Plants created soils that changed subsequent …

Petrel: Platform For Extra And Terrestrial Remote Examination With Lctf, Yoichi Yatsu, Kei Wantanabe, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Naoki Kawaguchi, Hiroki Hara, Noriatsu Nakamura, Shun Ogata, Kaoru Asaba, Kiyona Miyamoto, Toshihiro Chujo, Saburo Matunaga, Nobuyuki Kawai, Yuji Sakamoto, Kazuhiro Wako, Yoshihide Aoyanagi, Hiroaki Kobayashi, Masashi Uo, Toru Nakano, Takashi Yoshikawa, Eriko Kusunoki, Yu Murata, Norihide Takeyama, Akito Enokuchi, Toshihiko Kimura

Small Satellite Conference

A small satellite ”PETREL” for UV astronomy and remote sensing with ”tunable” multi-spectral cameras conducted by an academia-industrial collaboration is presented. This project was originally proposed by an astronomer who desired a satellite for exploration of explosive objects in ultraviolet. To avoid the earthshine the astronomical observations are scheduled only in the nighttime. To utilize the daytime more electively we conceived a plan of ”satellite sharing” with the industrial collaborators, that can also reduce the developing cost drastically. The daytime mission is spectroscopy that is one of the potential fields in terms of data business, because that can provide chemical …

Hyti: Thermal Infrared Spectroscopy From A 6u Platform, Robert Wright, Paul Lucey, Luke Flynn, Chiara Ferrari-Wong, Andrea Gabrieli, Miguel Nunes, Sarath Gunapala, David Ting, Sir Rafol, Alexander Soibel, Thomas George

Small Satellite Conference

The HyTI (Hyperspectral Thermal Imager) mission, funded by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office InVEST (In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies) program, will demonstrate how high spectral and spatial long-wave infrared image data can be acquired from a 6U CubeSat platform. The mission will use a spatially modulated interferometric imaging technique to produce spectro-radiometrically calibrated image cubes, with 25 channels between 8-10.7 μm, at 13 cm^-1 resolution), at a ground sample distance of ~60 m. The HyTI performance model indicates narrow band NE∆Ts of < 0.3 K. The small form factor of HyTI is made possible via the use of a no-moving-parts Fabry-Perot interferometer, and JPL’s cryogenically-cooled HOT-BIRD FPA technology. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than Fall 2021. The value of HyTI to Earth scientists will be demonstrated via on-board processing of the raw instrument data to generate L1 and L2 products, with a focus on rapid delivery of data regarding volcanic degassing, land surface temperature, and precision agriculture metrics.

In this presentation we will provide an overview of the HyTI measurement approach, the onboard data …

New Forces Influencing Savanna Conservation: Increasing Land Prices Driven By Gentrification And Speculation At The Landscape Scale, Peter Tyrrell, Robin Naidoo, David W. Macdonald, Johan T. Du Toit

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Land transformation reduces biodiversity and regional sustainability, with land price being an indicator of the opportunity cost to a landowner of resisting land conversion. However, reliable spatially explicit databases of current land prices are generally lacking in developing countries. We used tools from data science to scrape 1,487 georeferenced land prices in southern Kenya from the internet. Prices were higher for land near cities and in areas of high agricultural productivity, but also around the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Predicted land prices ranged from US$662 to US$4,618,805 per acre. Land speculation associated with expanding urbanization increases the opportunity and acquisition …

Inflight Resources Recycling And Pollution Mitigation Impacts Through The Wolfsat-1 Cubesat Mission, Paul Kiesling, Rachel Nussbaum, Alex Castronovo, Finley Strauss, Mili Mohanty, Kevin Simmons

Small Satellite Conference

Mission: A CubeSat to Monitor Enzyme Activity of Ideonella Sakaiensis in the Microgravity Environment

A Modular Hardware And Software Architecture For A Student-Designed Biocubesat Prototype Using Autonomous Operations, Mateusz Zalasiewicz, Aqeel Shamsul, Giovanni Sinclair, David Cullen, Adrien Bolliand, Amin Chabi, Miguel Martinez De Bujo, Romain Giraud, Hector Lleo, Tommaso Tonina, Nikita Shetti, Raj Panchal, Sathesh Raj, Thomas Retraint, Michael Cooke, Timothy Etheridge

Small Satellite Conference

BAMMsat-on-BEXUS is a student-led project aiming to design, manufacture, and fly a CubeSat-compatible payload on a stratospheric balloon. The payload – BAMMsat (Biology, Astrobiology, Medicine, and Materials Science on satellite) – is a modular CubeSat-format laboratory termed a bioCubeSat. The mission is realized under the bilateral REXUS/BEXUS programme run by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA), with the Swedish payload share available to students through a European Space Agency (ESA) collaboration. The core objective of the prototype payload is to perform a technology demonstration of the core bioCubeSat technology, demonstrating its capability to support …

Automated Fault-Detection For Small Satellite Pointing Control Systems Using One-Sided Learning, Yujia Huang, Philip A. Ferguson

Small Satellite Conference

In this paper, we propose a ground-based automated novelty detection system for a small satellite attitude dynamics control system using a one-sided learning algorithm: One-Class Support Vector Machine (OC-SVM) method. This fault-detection system was designed to only learn from nominal behavior of the satellite during the commissioning phase and to identify and detect anomalies when there was a subtle behavioral failure in the attitude control system. The detection system was trained by only observing the nominal attitude dynamics behavior of a small satellite for a period of time. Training data was obtained from reaction wheel outputs in a healthy attitude …

Real-Time Satellite Component Recognition With Yolo-V5, Trupti Mahendrakar, Ryan T. White, Markus Wilde, Brian Kish, Isaac Silver

Small Satellite Conference

With the increasing risk of collisions with space debris and the growing interest in on-orbit servicing, the ability to autonomously capture non-cooperative, tumbling target objects remains an unresolved challenge. To accomplish this task, characterizing and classifying satellite components is critical to the success of the mission. This paper focuses on using machine vision by a small satellite to perform image classification based on locating and identifying satellite components such as satellite bodies, solar panels or antennas. The classification and component detection approach is based on “You Only Look Once” (YOLO) V5, which uses Neural Networks to identify the satellite components. …

Heron: Demonstrating A Novel Biological Platform For Small Satellite Missions, Dylan Vogel, Avinash Mukkala, Kimberly Ren, Lorna Lan, Yong Da Li, Eric Van Velzen, Bruno Almeida, Cassandra Chanen, Adyn Miles, Ali Haydaroglu, Abdullah Gulab, Addy Bhatia, Alejandro Duque, Alireza Nickooie, Ambrose Man, Americo Barros, Amna Zulfiqar, Amy Shi, Ana Quilumbango, Andrew Uderian, Andy Xie, Arash Nourimand, Arfa Saif, Atharva Datar, Atharva Dighe, Aurora Nowicki, Avelyn Wong, Ben Kwashigah, Ben Makarchuk, Benjamin Nero, Et Al.

Small Satellite Conference

Long-duration deep space missions pose a significant health risk for both humans and their resident microorganisms. The GeneSat, PharmaSat and O/OREOS missions have previously explored biological questions regarding the effects of spaceflight on S. cerevisiase, B. subtilis, and E. coli. However, there currently exists both a knowledge and an accessibility gap in small satellite biological experiments. These payloads require precise instrumentation and complex platforms that are usually reserved for large research organizations. This makes it difficult for smaller organizations to perform biological research in low Earth orbit (LEO). To address these challenges, the University of Toronto Aerospace Team …

The Veins That Lighten Dearth: Documenting Hidden Collections In Rural California, Jillian M. Ewalt

Journal of Western Archives

This case study discusses an archival consulting project to document and preserve hidden collections in rural northern California. The paper provides an overview of the collecting institution (the Mother Lode Land Trust), the collections and their historical context, and the consulting process. The author highlights processing strategies to improve preservation and description while developing a post-custodial approach to managing collections in a rural, community-based archives setting.

Collaborative Research: L Treb: Predicting The Success Of Montane Species In An Era Of Climatic Upheaval, Zachariah Gompert

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Considering The Wide World Of Wild Pig Management, John M. Tomeček

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the letter from John M. Tomeček, associate editor for the special issue on wild pigs in Human–Wildlife Interactions.

Household Perceptions And Patterns Of Crop Loss By Wild Pigs In North India, Bivash Pandav, Lakshminarayanan Natarajan, Ankit Kumar, Ajay A. Desai, Banteibor Lyngkhoi

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Loss to cultivated crops by wild pigs (Sus scrofa) is widespread and can jeopardize low-income farmers. In India, although there is lot of political interest in the problem, efforts to understand the patterns, correlates, and underlying reasons for wild pig conflict continue to be minimal. We quantified loss of wheat (Triticum aestivum) to wild pigs and assessed the spatial patterns of damage in a forest settlement of Van Gujjar (Haridwar, India), which is a dairy-based pastoralist community. We chose a 4-km² cultivated area comprising 400 farmlands (each measuring 0.8 ha and belonging to a family) and …

Interactions Between Humans, Crocodiles, And Hippos At Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe, Ivan Marowa, Joshua Matanzima, Tamuka Nhiwatiwa

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) are on the increase due to shrinking space that results in increased competition for land, water, and other natural resources between humans and wildlife. Investigating the occurrence of HWCs is important in that the results can be used to formulate better management policies and strategies. In this paper, we describe the nature of HWCs emerging between humans and the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) and between humans and the African hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius; hippo) on Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. Lake Kariba is the second largest manmade lake by volume in the world. Conflicts involving humans …

Alfanet: A Database Of Alfalfa-Bacterial Stem Blight Protein–Protein Interactions Revealing The Molecular Features Of The Disease-Causing Bacteria, Raghav Kataria, Rakesh Kaundal

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Alfalfa has emerged as one of the most important forage crops, owing to its wide adaptation and high biomass production worldwide. In the last decade, the emergence of bacterial stem blight (caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae ALF3) in alfalfa has caused around 50% yield losses in the United States. Studies are being conducted to decipher the roles of the key genes and pathways regulating the disease, but due to the sparse knowledge about the infection mechanisms of Pseudomonas, the development of resistant cultivars is hampered. The database alfaNET is an attempt to assist researchers by providing comprehensive Pseudomonas proteome …

Utah Girls, Young Women, And Physical Activity, Kim Buesser, Rachel Myrer, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

The benefits of physical activity are well documented and improve all aspects of health and overall wellbeing. Globally, on average, 37.1% of women are insufficiently physically active while only 23.4% of men are; this trend is also found in Utah, where 19.4% of women are insufficiently physically active while only 17.6% of men are. While women often live longer than men, they are frequently in worse health. Physical inactivity contributes to the development and severity of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension. In addition to affecting physical health, physical inactivity is also associated with poor mental health. Physical …

Human Appropriation Of Net Primary Production: From A Planet To A Pixel, Suman Paudel, Gustavo A. Ovando-Montejo, Christopher L. Lant

UAES Publications

Human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) is a substantial improvement upon 20th century attempts at developing an ecological footprint indicator because of its measurability in relation to net primary production, its close relationship to other key footprint measures, such as carbon and water, and its spatial specificity. This paper explores HANPP across four geographical scales: through literature review, the planet; through reanalysis of existing data, variations among the world’s countries; and through novel analyses, U.S. counties and the 30 m pixel scale for one U.S. county. Results show that HANPP informs different sustainability narratives at different scales. At the …

Informational Signage Increases Awareness Of A Rattlesnake In A Canadian Urban Park System, Jonathan D. Choquette, Alexis V. Hand

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Human–snake conflict results in negative outcomes for people and snakes, and if left unmanaged, could undermine conservation efforts. One approach to managing conflict between people and snakes is to use signage to inform members of the public on the presence of venomous snakes and measures to prevent snakebites. To be an effective tool, however, signs must first be noticed, then read and understood by the target audience. As part of conservation efforts targeting eastern massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus) in southwestern Ontario, Canada, we tested the effectiveness of signage at increasing awareness of its presence, status and threats, and …

A Profile Of Wild Pig Hunters In Texas, Usa, Rachael L. Connally, Maureen G. Frank, Gary E. Briers, Nova J. Silvy, Keith M. Carlisle, John M. Tomeček

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a widespread exotic, invasive species that poses ecological, agricultural, and human health risks in invaded areas. Wildlife managers often manage wild pig abundance and expansion to mitigate these risks. The diversity of stakeholders involved in the issue of wild pig management complicates efforts to manage the species, and, to be successful, wildlife professionals should consider the human dimensions associated with wild pig management. The prevalence of privately owned lands in Texas, USA necessitates cooperation to enact effective management policies. In this study, we investigate the factors that affect a hunter’s likelihood to participate …