Digital Commons Network^™

Analysis Ready Aerospace Wing Assembly Reconstruction Using Parameterization, Brian Shawcroft, Kendrick Shepherd

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Accurate analysis of structures in the design process are often labor intensive and computationally expensive. Isogeometric analysis (IGA) provides potential to better connect the design through analysis process and converge to accurate results more quickly. Here, methods are proposed to help in the goal of automating the process of converting design geometry to an analysis suitable model for IGA. This is done by using tools previously built in combination with a motorcycle graph algorithm to extract quadrilateral layouts of the intended geometry. This method will be demonstrated by reconstructing and analyzing an airplane structure.

Women’S Evolving Roles: Gender, Authority, And The History Of Latter-Day Saint Patriarchy, Zachary Brady

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This project aims to further understand contemporary women’s issues within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by answering three questions. 1) What social and doctrinal factors have influenced the development of patriarchal structures within the LDS Church, and how have these factors evolved? 2) What are the current leadership and decision-making roles available to LDS women, and how does church membership feel about them? 3) What ideas exist for progress in gender equality and women’s leadership? This discussion provides relevant historical context, outlines current issues regarding LDS women’s authority challenges and theological interpretations, and numerous proposed solutions from …

Discovering The True Meaning Of Federalist No. 27, Mckenzie Pedersen-Campbell

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The Federalist Papers are widely known as they helped explain the Constitution and gather support for its ratification. However, what they mean is not always clear. This is problematic, especially when Supreme Court Justices look to the Federalist Papers to help them make decisions. A particularly fascinating example of this problem arose in the case Printz v. United States (1997). Both the majority and dissent argued that their interpretation was supported by Federalist No. 27. That leads to the question of what Federalist No. 27 actually means. By looking at the context surrounding Alexander Hamilton (the author) and previous Supreme …

On The Challenges Posed By Non-Machian Solutions To Relationalism In General Relativity, Zachary Matthew Zito

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The relationship between Mach’s Principle and solutions to Einstein’s field equations is examined, with special attention to Friedmann-Lematre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) cosmology. Mach’s Principle is outlined, and the extent to which general relativity fulfills Machs vision is assessed. It is argued that several important solutions to Einsteins equations, particularly the FLRW cosmological models, embody key Machian features. In order to elucidate the FLRW cosmological model, the associated energy-momentum tensor for a perfect fluid under the assumptions of large-scale homogeneity and isotropy is derived and used to obtain the Friedmann equations that govern cosmic expansion. It is shown that FLRW cosmology can be …

Declining Democracy Amid Historical Legacies: Democratization Across The Maghreb, Jacob Sagers

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Institutions and security forces are vital in determining democratization’s success or failure, but how do they interact with civilians to counteract, or support, existing regimes? Hopes for a fourth wave of democratization were dismantled over the past decade as the Arab uprisings have had inconclusive results, posing a threat to the ideological basis for U.S. foreign policy and Western states' legitimacy. Broad economic and Western foreign policies applied worldwide over the past few decades have also been ineffective at supporting this process and producing sustainable democratic transitions. But what specifically about these factors in the Maghreb gave way to Tunisia’s …

Ethical Concerns And Implications Of Expanded Carrier Screening, Emily Andres

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The rapid evolution in the field of genetics is often met with uncertainty and skepticism. With the advancements in genetic technologies, expanded carrier screening (ECS) has emerged as a powerful tool in reproductive medicine. Traditionally, carrier screening was provided less broadly, often relying on ethnic-based approaches. However, further advancements have deemed this practice no longer equitable or widely accepted. While ECS provides prospective parents with insight into their genetic risk and may prevent severe genetic conditions, it also raises serious ethical questions for many. These concerns span medical, political, and societal facets including medicalization, defining severity, abortion, legislation, insurability, the …

Domestic Challenges, Cultural Factors Driving Ecuador's Authoritarianism Acceleration, Benjamin F. Berlin

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Using the Cultural Topography (CTops) methodology, this paper provides insight to US policymakers into the cultural factors, combined with current domestic challenges, that are driving Ecuadorians toward authoritarianism. The CTops methodology requires practitioners to conduct primary research on a specific group, which is the population of Ecuador in this paper. To conduct this research, cultural texts and artifacts such as newspaper articles, monuments honoring national heroes, websites and blog posts, and many others were analyzed. Secondary research and an evaluation of current operational realities were also used to inform this paper. Once considered an “Island of Peace,” Ecuador is in …

Reflections On Teaching Language And Culture In The French Dual Language Immersion Classroom, Aminata Sylla

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This portfolio is representative of the author’s work in the Masters in Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program and classroom experience. The reflection paper explores teaching French in the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) and Bridge secondary education context and evaluates specific examples of innovative teaching. The aims of this reflection are twofold: first, to reflect on how the author improved her teaching effectiveness through this experience and through the USU MSLT program; second, to suggest best practices in the French DLI classroom. Both practical and theoretical, the reflection focuses on the author’s own experiences teaching Bridge program intermediate and advanced-proficiency level …

Tax Increment Financing: A History And Analysis Of Its Success And Failure, Justin Cederlof

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Tax increment financing (TIF) is used by cities and towns to subsidize projects within their jurisdictions. The name derives from the growth in the tax base that a (re)development is theoretically responsible for. The increase in tax revenue is directed to funds to pay for the project. TIF is used in 49 U.S. states and each state has unique legislation for its use of it, though there are large similarities between states on how it’s implemented. Research suggests mixed results with whether or not the increase in the tax base is enough to pay off how much money went toward …

How Does Fiscal Decentralization Shape Corruption?, Sharandy G. Appiah

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

In this paper, I offer a comprehensive review of the impact of fiscal decentralization on corruption. Corruption has been a big hindrance to development, it undermines the inflow of foreign direct investment and even affects education. The literature on fiscal decentralization and corruption has conventionally argued that fiscal autonomy for local officials lowers corruption whereas most recent papers have found that fiscal decentralization increases corruption. I identify four possible pathways through which fiscal decentralization affects corruption and address possible reasons for the difference in findings in the literature. Understanding the mechanisms through which fiscal decentralization shapes corruption at the national …

“Gang, We Have A Mystery On Our Hands!”: A Folkloristic Approach To Conspiracy Thinking In Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Sydney K. Brooks

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

In this thesis I examined how the 2010 children’s television show Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated both utilizes and critiques conspiracy, embedded within its mystery-solving structure. Through a close analysis of the members of the gang—Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo—I broke down their individual behaviors, interactions, and contributions to conspiratorial belief. I then transitioned into a case study of the episode “Where Stalks the Scarebear,” showcasing its connection to larger real-world conspiracy narratives, particularly those related to corporate and environmental cover-ups. Finally, I examined the show as a complete narrative, reflecting on its complex, serial exploration of conspiracy through the framework …

"Death Is The Fifth [Season], And Master Of All": Necropolitical Violence And/As Environmental Violence In The Fifth Season, Mason T. Goodrich

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

While many scholars have already described N.K. Jemisin’s Hugo Award-winning speculative novel The Fifth Season as one that highlights intersections between race, settler-colonialism, neoliberalism, and, most frequently, climate change, I apply a necropolitical lens to The Fifth Season in order evaluate a relationship that exists between systemic violence and environmental degradation. The Fifth Season depicts a socially inscribed relationship between an othered race of humans, called orogenes, and the land, anthropomorphized as “Father” Earth. Orogenes have a paradoxical social status: they are simultaneously feared and revered for their ability to control the Earth. This paradox is the impetus for many …

Gravity Wave Breaking Over Northern Utah With An Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper And Sodium Lidar, Eric Davis

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Considerable progress has been made in recent decades in the understanding of gravity wave (GW) dynamics. However, there remain important aspects and effects that are poorly understood. In particular, the coupling and deposition of their energy and momentum into the mesosphere lower thermosphere (MLT) region and the interaction and instability dynamics that are directly associated with GW breaking. Using an Advanced Mesosphere Temperature Mapper (AMTM) several strong wave breaking events were observed in the summer of 2015 at USU’s BLO research station. These events have exhibited high momentum fluxes and associated strong wave breaking, prompting detailed data analyses. Rossby waves, …

A Voice For Unity: The 1947 Freedom Train And Collective Memory Of The American Revolution, Joseph Lewis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

One element of American Revolution memory is how united the colonists were during the Revolution. Many subsequent political groups, such as the American Heritage Foundation (AHF), utilized this idealistic collective memory to advocate for unity and legitimize their agendas. Through the 1947 Freedom Train, the AHF shaped and reinforced a unified, idealistic, national heritage to unite Americans against the perceived threats of communism, disloyalty, and disunity at home, partially by framing the American Revolution as a united endeavor. Some Utahns and Americans at large, while supporting the pro-capitalist message embedded in the train, applied its message to support the protection …

Forging Resilient Futures: The Role Of Community Organizations In Addressing Environmental Injustices Faced By Immigrants Along The Wasatch Front, Utah, Nowrin Fatema

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Utah’s Wasatch Front is an urban area with a growing population that faces looming environmental challenges, such as the desiccation of the Great Salt Lake, worsening air quality, water scarcity, and the impacts of urban sprawl. If not prevented, the lake’s desiccation or other environmental challenges could result in dangerous air pollution, biodiversity loss, and disruptions to local economies. Immigrant populations may be uniquely vulnerable to these environmental changes because of economic, social, and political marginalization. For example, 50% of Salt Lake City’s foreign-born residents live on the City’s westside—the area on the frontline of the lake’s toxic dust. My …

Learning Intentions, Success Criteria, And Metacognition: The Influence Of A Professional Development For Grades Three To Five Teachers, Jason Hart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Formative assessment is a strategy that teachers use to improve student learning. This study explored how professional development focused on assessment for learning practices (AFL), with the main emphasis on learning intentions and success criteria, influences teacher use of those strategies and changes in teacher and student metacognition. The overarching research question was: How does professional development on AFL practices influence teachers' reported use of AFL practices and teacher and student metacognition? This study utilized a mixes-methods research design and provided professional development on AFL practices to 16 in-service elementary mathematics teachers and measured changes to their AFL practices and …

Understanding The Impact Of Colloidal Calcium Phosphate On The Ph Variation In Cheddar Cheese During Early Stages Of Aging, Rachel Lindstrom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Cheddar cheese industry has recently observed variation in the pH of their cheese during the early stage of storage. This variation may be due to the addition of the faster acid producing thermophilic starter culture Streptococcus thermophilus which was recently introduced into the Cheddar cheese making process. This starter culture may impact the calcium buffering properties of the cheese due to more retention of the insoluble calcium (INSOL Ca) within the cheese. To investigate this problem, we studied how insoluble calcium affects cheeses with pH ranging from 4.8 to 6.6 and found that INSOL Ca was positively correlated with …

Talkin’ Bout A Revolution: A Comparative Analysis Between Hannah Arendt And Frantz Fanon, Nicholas Gleed

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

What is the role of freedom and violence in revolution? This thesis involves a comparative analysis of how two major political theorists – Hannah Arendt and Frantz Fanon – understood and conceptualized the role of violence and freedom in relation to revolution. Due to their differing theoretical frameworks and perspectives, they often come to different conclusions on these points of comparison. However, by placing these two thinkers in conversation with each other, we can better understand the core of their arguments on freedom, violence, and revolution and how they might be similar and different in various ways. For Arendt, violence …

The Impact Of Absolute Education On Young Voter Turnout, Reagan Roark

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

American civic education continually proves to need attention and reform. This research evaluates whether implementing specific teaching strategies at the high school level impacts a student's future political participation; specifically, to more clearly outline whether a high school level civics curriculum directly impacts a student's likelihood to cast a voting ballot in midterm and presidential elections within six years of graduation. This paper aims to understand better if teaching and/or education reform is effective in helping future generations and the democratic fate of our country. In this study, we measure the current state civic graduation requirements compared with the state's …

Leadership, Identity, And Student Voice In Secondary Schools, Gordon S. Geddes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Many student leadership programs in U.S. high schools operate without clear guidance, often leaving students as passive participants in systems that may not effectively prepare them for leadership roles both in school settings and elsewhere. This study explores how listening to students’ voices can improve leadership programs by better understanding how young people see themselves as leaders. Using a case study approach at one school, I observed student leaders over one school year and analyzed their experiences through leadership development theories. The findings suggest that when schools take students' perspectives into account, they can create leadership programs that are more …

Critically Assessing Normative Methods And Their Limitations In Managing Crowding Within Parks And Protected Areas, Glendon R. Vansandt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Visitor experiences in parks and protected areas are shaped by a variety of environmental, managerial, and social factors. To ensure that visitors enjoy their time in these spaces, management agencies often adopt guidelines to establish acceptable levels for different aspects of these experiences. One of the most selected factors is perceived crowding, which reflects how crowded visitors feel in a given area. When perceived crowding exceeds desired levels, it can significantly diminish visitor satisfaction.

This thesis presents two studies aimed at identifying the shortcomings of the management of perceived crowding. The first study conducts a comprehensive literature review that identifies …

Investigating Stability Of Cone-Derived Hypersonic Waverider Vehicles Via Design Space Exploration, Adam S. Weaver

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

It may come as no surprise that man-made objects flying at 5, 10, or even 25 the speed of sound (termed hypersonic) are difficult to design, inefficient in flight, and expensive to deploy. Most hypersonic vehicles are effectuated in ballistics, which simplify aerodynamic considerations owing to their fixed trajectory. However, maneuverable hypersonic vehicles can revolutionize commercial flight, national defense, and space travel. One candidate for such missions are waverider vehicles. Waverider vehicles cruise on a cushion of air generated by its own shock wave, essentially enjoying extra lift without any extra drag penalties (which are usually inherent to extra …

Influence Of Physical Properties Of Fat On Product Quality, Shelf-Life And Consumer Acceptance Of Chocolate-Coated Products, Audrey Lidgard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In chocolate-coated products, oil migration in fats can lead to chocolate softening, filling hardening, discoloration, and lower consumer acceptance. This study examined three different fats (soy- palm-, and palm-kernel (PK) based), crystallized under different conditions (cooling rate and use of high intensity ultrasound (HIU)) to examine how the crystallization conditions impact the physical properties of confectionery products. These conditions produced fats with high and low oil binding capacities (OBCs); the ability of crystal networks to entrap liquid oil. Model systems were created to examine measurable quality degradation and consumer acceptance of chocolates placed in contact with the fats; one with …

Making Peace Among The People: The Development Of Brigham Young's Political Thought And Activity, 1838-1846, Garrett R. Elkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Brigham Young assumed the role as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1838, as the Church began to face extreme persecutions by the state of Missouri. Although he was a mostly apolitical individual preceding his new role, over the next eight years Young would hold political office and help the Church navigate challenging relationships with local, state, and federal governments. By the time he led the Latter-day Saints to the Great Basin and became president of the Church in 1847, Young had gained significant experience over several years …

“Floptok Is Not A Trend. It’S A Lifestyle”: Camp, Performativity, And Community Dynamics In An Adolescent Tiktok Subculture, Drake Hansen

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Floptok is an online meme-sharing community or subculture that began to take shape in 2021, united by a particular sensibility and set of memetic materials. To outsiders, Floptok is seen as a loud, brash, and often abrasive community whose memes, characterized by low-quality audio and video, often feature “icons”—a range of invented characters and real people—and audio of pop songs heavily edited to feature hypersexual lyrics from the rapper CupcakKe, as well as portions of the 2019 Chinese pop song “Yěhuāxiāng.” This thesis built on scholarship in digital and young people’s folklore in an ethnographic case study of Floptok’s humor …

Dove: An Interdisciplinary Framework For College Composition Instructors, Audrey Hansen

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

In this thesis, I merged personal narrative and interdisciplinary knowledge to develop a composition pedagogy framework for my fellow college composition instructors by applying an understanding of the psychological theory of attachment styles to our understanding of diversity and behavior in the classroom. I presented a personal narrative describing how I discovered a connection between attachment theory, behavior psychology, and college composition classrooms. The framework developed guides instructors step-by-step how to apply interdisciplinary psychology knowledge to the field of composition. The goal is for the theory to create more accepting and encouraging classroom environments through DOVE. D: detaching from negative …

Exploring The Potential Of Exit Tickets As Formative Assessments Of Student Affect, Umar Shehzad, Mimi Recker, Jody Clarke-Midura

Publications

This study investigates the use of exit tickets as formative assessments in math-integrated computer science (CS) lessons for grade 5 students. Exit tickets are brief surveys administered immediately after instructional activities. Using structural equation modelling (SEM), we analysed data from 1,067 students to examine the reliability and validity of exit tickets in predicting summative pre/post survey results. The study found that the exit ticket responses consistently assessed student affect at two administration points, meeting strict measurement invariance criteria (χ2(21) = 1.34, p = 1.00). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that exit tickets predicted student self-efficacy and interest in CS, which are …

A Model Of Changeover Behavior In Concurrent Schedules Of Reinforcement, Matias A. Avellaneda

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Animals in the wild have access to a variety of food sources, and they must allocate their time between them in an efficient manner. This requires deciding when to depart from the source currently being exploited to travel to a different one. A general model of this decision process can be derived from three assumptions well supported by the learning literature. The first one is the so-called matching law, which says that the proportion of time allocated to any one behavior equals the proportion of total value obtained from that option. The second one is that the dwell times (i.e., …

Scheduling Charging For Fleets Of Battery Electric Vehicles: Techniques For Modeling And Real-Time Operation, Justin J. Whitaker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

While electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular and can provide cost, maintenance, and environmental benefits, they present unique challenges for regular operation, especially in fleets of vehicles. The limited range, long charging times, and high power requirements of EVs complicate the operations of fleets comprised of EVs. Additionally, the charging costs of EVs can be complex, depending on the time of charging, the energy charged, and the power level of the charging session. These complex charging costs can be significantly affected by the presence of uncontrolled loads. These challenges are further complicated by the inevitable variations in the real …

Aerobic Biodegradation Of Algae-Derived Bioplastics Under Controlled Composting Conditions, Clayton J. Lords

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Plastics are versatile polymers that have become critically important materials in many industries. Although plastics are important and useful materials, they account for vast amounts of environmental pollution and climate change contribution. Sustainable bioproducts are becoming increasingly important in the effort to mitigate the impacts of pollution and climate change. The scale of environmental damage caused by plastic pollution highlights the need to implement sustainably sourced biodegradable plastics within the global economy. Bioplastics are materials that may be manufactured from biological materials or can biodegrade under certain conditions. Algae are microorganisms that can be grown using nutrient-rich municipal wastewater; the …