Digital Commons Network^™

A Focus On Student Education: Determining Student Attitudes Towards Transparent Autograding And Developing Artificially Intelligent Tools To Help Students Succeed, Andra Rice

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis is composed of two parts both relating to helping students succeed. First, the focus is on determining how we can help students feel more comfortable using an AI tool that can provide them immediate feedback. Second, machine learning algorithms are explored in relation to tracking student tasks to encourage healthy study habits.

The development of effective autograders is key for scaling assessment and feedback. While AI based autograding systems for open-ended response questions have been found to be beneficial for providing immediate feedback, autograders are not always liked, understood, or trusted by students. Our research tested the effect …

Temperature Effects On Fruit Doubling And Bloom Prediction In Tart Cherry, Josette M. Moon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Tart cherry (Prunus cerasus) is a key horticultural crop in Utah. Extreme summer heat and cold weather in late spring are challenges to tart cherry production causing economic losses. These problematic weather conditions are influenced by the local landscape and are exacerbated by changing climate. This research explores (1) the impact of summer heat stress on fruit deformities, and (2) the accuracy of temperature-based predictions of spring bud development. High temperatures and water stress after harvest are known to cause a deformity known as twin or double fruits, resulting in unmarketable fruit. This disorder has been studied in …

Optimization And Utilization Of Microbial Electrolysis Cells In Waste To Product Applications, Hayden Harrison

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As the world searches for cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions, turning waste into fuel is an increasingly attractive strategy. This research focuses on microbial electrolysis cells, a new technology that uses bacteria and a small amount of electricity to convert organic waste—like food scraps or wastewater—into useful gases such as hydrogen and methane. These gases can be used as energy sources to reduce dependency on more traditional fuels.

This thesis tackles two key challenges that limit the real-world use of microbial electrolysis systems. First, it introduces a simpler and more effective method to stop hydrogen losses in single-chamber cells. …

Linearized Rigid-Body Dynamics Of Asymmetric Aircraft, Troy A. Abraham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Most aircraft are symmetric about their mid-plane, which permits simplifying assumptions when modeling their aerodynamic and mass properties, as well as estimating their dynamic modes. This work considers methods for modeling asymmetric aircraft, including capturing the dynamic mode characteristics that result from their asymmetric properties. While the primary focus of this work is on the dynamic mode properties of these aircraft, a significant portion of the dissertation is dedicated to modeling their aerodynamic, mass, and trimmed flight characteristics. The linearized rigid-body aircraft equations of motion used for dynamic mode estimates are developed to include the effects of asymmetries in both …

Graph-Based Machine Learning: Higher-Order Interactions, Guided Generation, And Knowledge-Graph Tools, Thomas J. Kerby

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation brings the power of graph thinking to three key challenges in modern AI, making complex data more transparent, generative design more controllable, and scholarly exploration more intuitive. First, we introduce Local CorEx, a new machine learning technique that uncovers hidden relationships among variables, making it easier to understand complex datasets without heavy computation. Next, we show how to guide the creation of new molecules by viewing the generation process itself as a walk through a "state graph," letting researchers steer outcomes toward desired chemical properties—without any extra model training. Finally, we deliver an open-source toolkit that builds interactive …

A Provable Semi-Infinite Programming Approach For Solving Dynamic Nash Games, Tyler C. Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Many engineering problems must account for the non-cooperative decisions and actions of multiple players. These problems can be modeled within a game-theoretic framework. The approach herein is to model problems as Nash games, convert them to semi-infinite programs, and leverage provable semi-infinite algorithms to solve the original problem. A particular algorithm that leverages off-the-shelf solvers is used to solve four low-dimensional benchmark problems successfully. Two types of linear quadratic dynamic games are then investigated: ones where each player’s problem is convex and ones where at least one player’s problem is nonconvex. Within each type, variations based on information structure, communication …

Optimization Of The Root Zone In Controlled Environment Agriculture, Brendan Fatzinger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) helps grow plants in spaces where resources like water and nutrients are limited, such as deserts or spacecraft. Effective management of water in the root zone, the area where plant roots grow, is vital to keeping plants healthy, especially in closed-loop systems where water cannot be wasted, as will be necessary for long-duration space missions.

An improved automated watering system designed for use in space-like environments was developed over several trials. Early designs using suction to draw water through tubes faced problems with uneven watering and roots blocking the tubes. Switching to a system that pushed …

Evaluating The Impact Of Maximum Aero-Thermal Heating On A High-Speed Fixed-Wing Atmospheric Aircraft Optimum Trajectory, Benjamin M. Ford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study explores how extreme heating affects the flight paths of hypersonic aircraft—vehicles that travel at speeds many times faster than sound. Analyzing how to fly a high-speed aircraft without overheating it can prevent structural failure while operating at maximum possible performance. The results shown in this section indicate that it is possible to operate at very high speeds in an aircraft while keeping peak vehicle temperature below our limits while saving fuel.

Evaluating Cyanotoxins In Surface Water And Aerosols Near Utah Lake, Dylan R. Mcpeake

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Utah Lake is a freshwater lake in Utah County near Provo, Utah. It is the third- largest lake in Utah and is important for recreation and local businesses. However, from June to October, the lake often has cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (cHABs), which contain a toxin called cyanotoxin. These toxins can be dangerous to people who come into contact with the water. Government agencies regularly check for cHABs and warn people when the water is unsafe for activities like swimming. Collecting water samples to test for cHABs can be risky because it can possibly result in direct contact with the …

Analysis Of Thrust Performance And Noise Generation Of Uam Composite Propellers Fabricated Using Composite-Based Additive Manufacturing, Samiul Alam

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Urban air mobility (UAM) is an emerging transportation concept that uses lightweight, efficient aircraft for transporting goods and passengers and performing other logistical activities. One of the biggest challenges in developing UAM from a structural perspective is manufacturing strong and reliable propellers that are lightweight and durable. Traditional manufacturing methods for composite propellers are expensive, time-consuming, and difficult to scale. This study explores a new approach using Composite-Based Additive Manufacturing (CBAM) to produce high-performance propellers more efficiently. CBAM allows for the fabrication of strong, lightweight composite propellers using short manufacturing lead times. However, one challenge with this technique is that …

Optimal Distributed Energy Resource Control And Scheduling In A Microgrid Framework, Timothy M. Dodge

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As we use more renewable energy, such as solar power, and add new devices, such as electric vehicle chargers and battery storage, to our buildings, the management of electricity becomes more complex. These local energy sources and devices can form small "microgrids" that need careful coordination to work efficiently with the main power grid. The system figures out the best times to use, store or charge different devices (such as batteries and EVs) to avoid costly, high electricity demand spikes and help stabilize the main power grid, especially when asked by the utility company. A major part of this work …

The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum In Practice: A Classification Of Visitors And Sites In The Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado, Usa, Jessica Bruck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Researchers and public land managers continue to investigate what motivates visitors to recreate and how to best sustain environmental conditions to provide for these recreation demands and support conservation goals. Much recreation research has successfully identified visitor motivations at a single recreation area (spatial scale), but few studies broadly assess the manifestation of visitor motivations at an array of recreation areas that present unique recreation experience opportunities. Additionally, it is known that there are a diversity of visitor motivations and preferences, which presents a complex challenge to public land managers who must ensure that a diversity of recreation opportunities are …

A Numerical Investigation Of Erection Bridging In Double-Pitched Open-Web Steel Joists, Logan Joshua Ward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Open-web steel joists are truss members used to support roofs and floors in steel buildings. They are commonly used because they are lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture on a large scale but have a large load carrying capacity due to their depth. Because of this depth, these joists are very unstable laterally, which is addressed by adding bridging (horizontal or diagonal) members between them to resist rotation of the joists. One of the bridging types is erection bridging, which is used to prevent a joist from buckling laterally while steel erectors are traversing it during construction.

The current erection bridging …

From Supercomputers To Desktops: An Interactive And Portable System For Particle In Cell Simulation And Visualization Using Commodity Hardware, Kim Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Generating and analyzing visual representations of simulation data in real time (i.e., during execution), has become increasingly important for handling the complexity and scale of modern computational models. Traditionally, this approach has been limited to High-Performance Computing (HPC) environments, leaving some researchers, students and educators without resources to explore cutting-edge simulations and analyses. This work attempts to show that powerful scientific simulations and real-time analysis can be made available by using more easily obtained commodity hardware. This approach may enable a broader participation in the scientific computing discovery process.

In this paper, we explore how advanced simulation and visualization frameworks …

Precision Agriculture Applications In Tart Cherries: Yield Mapping Technologies And Remote Sensing For Water Stress Estimation, Anderson Luiz Dos Santos Safre

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Tart cherry is an important specialty crop in the United States, particularly in Utah where the area dedicated to tart cherry cultivation is larger than any other fruit grown in the state. However, growers face increasing challenges due to rising land prices, limited water availability, and extreme weather events. These factors make it essential to adopt new technologies that improve efficiency and sustainability. Precision agriculture, which uses data-driven tools to manage crops more effectively, can help address these challenges. However, most tart cherry orchards still rely on traditional practices due to a lack of specialized technologies for this crop. This …

Operationalizing Camera-Based Hydrologic Monitoring With Ai And Edge Computing: Towards Real-Time Water Level And Discharge Measurements, Razin Bin Issa

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Monitoring river water levels and flows is critical for managing water supplies, protecting against floods, supporting ecosystems, and informing infrastructure planning. However, traditional methods rely on sensors installed directly in rivers, which can be expensive, difficult to maintain, and vulnerable to damage—particularly in remote or hazardous locations. In many regions, limited budgets and access challenges result in large gaps in river monitoring networks.

This research explores an innovative alternative: using fixed cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor rivers from a distance. The approach allows for non-contact observation of water levels and flows by analyzing images captured by cameras installed …

Exploring Biotic And Abiotic Drivers Of Ecosystem Properties: The Influence Of Waterbirds And Photodegradation On Wetland Ecosystems, Lindsay Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wetlands provide a wide range of valuable ecosystem services: these are benefits from the environment that support human well-being, such as water filtration, fish and bird habitat, and shoreline protection. Despite their importance, wetlands are among the most threatened ecosystems, facing increasing pressure from natural and human activities. To better predict the future of wetlands and guide effective management and restoration practices, we need to understand the various forces shaping their ecological properties. In this thesis, we examined the influence of two forces: waterbirds and photodegradation (the process by which sunlight breaks down plant material). To explore each of these …

The Effects Of Effective Stress And Overconsolidation Ratio On The Undrained Shear Strength Of Soil, Gunniga Suwannawong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study investigates the effect of effective stress and overconsolidation ratio (OCR) on normalized undrained shear strength, which represents the soil deformation and soil strength from applied load. Theoretical frameworks indicate that undrained shear strength (S_u) is affected by soil parameters such as void ratio and is linked to the soil consolidation condition, stress path, and stress history. Furthermore, S_u is functionally related to the OCR. The purpose of these test are to test two hypotheses: 1) that the undrained shear strength conforms with normalized soil engineering properties, this is true if the following equation describes the …

Womanhood, Survival, And The American Revolution: The Correspondence Between John And Abigail Adams And Henry And Lucy Knox, Kristin Jaques

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The letters of Lucy and Henry Knox and Abigail and John Adams sent between 1775 and 1782 show how women stepped out of their expected gendered roles with thoughts of survival, not because they wanted to challenge the patriarchal society prevalent in the American colonies during the American Revolution.

Out Of Core And Adaptive Image Blending Approach For Large Scale Image Mosaics, Marcus Quincy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

When creating large stitched images, like those used in maps made from aerial photos, it’s important to make sure the seams between individual pictures aren’t visible. This process, known as color blending, helps smooth out differences in lighting or weather across the images. But blending very large images, such as those made from many high-resolution aerial photos, can require huge amounts of memory, making it hard to do on a typical computer.

In this work, we developed a method that breaks the problem into smaller pieces, so only a small part of the image needs to be worked on at …

Assessing Public Satisfaction And Transportation Choices During Winter Road Maintenance: A Case Study Of Utah, Shailendra Khanal

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Winter road maintenance is essential to keeping people safe and mobile during snowstorms. In Utah, where winter weather is a regular part of life, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) plays a vital role in keeping roads clear and functional. While much attention is given to how roads are plowed and managed, there has been less focus on how the public experiences these efforts—and how the decisions to travel during storms are shaped by personal circumstances and perceptions.

This research sets out to understand two things: how satisfied people are with winter road maintenance, and what influences their transportation decisions …

Population Analysis Of Cyanobacteria In Rotating Algal Biofilm Reactors, Eric H. Matthews

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Algal biofilms have numerous applications in wastewater treatment and bioproduct production. The Sustainable Waste-to-Bioproducts Engineering Center at Utah State University is working to develop rotating algal biofilm reactors (RABRs) to remove excess nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater effluent while producing biomass for downstream production.

Genetic analysis of algal biofilms on various RABRs was performed to gain improved understanding of the biofilm populations. This analysis focuses on a pilot-scale RABR and how it compares to several other RABRs. Additionally, old methods of genetic analysis filtered out important cyanobacterial populations. A new method was developed to identify the cyanobacteria within the biofilms. …

Beyond The Click: Investigating Mental Models, Targeted Attacks, And Behavioral Interventions Against Clickbait, Ankit Shrestha

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Clickbait is misleading or exaggerated content on social media that tricks people into clicking on links by making them curious. For instance, posts that use headlines such as “This is the worst day to visit a restaurant”. These clickbait posts can lead to fake news, wrong information, and even harmful websites. Even though many people know clickbait can be risky, they often still fall for it. Existing tools to stop clickbait don’t always consider how people think, the situations they are in, or their different needs. This research looks at how people understand and react to clickbait, and develops different …

Annual Maximum Snow Loads For Weather Stations Outside Of The Conterminous United States, Nicholas Brimhall, Brennan L. Bean, Marc Maguire, Bikram Bhusal, Maha Moussa

Browse all Datasets

Historical records of snow observations are critical for civil engineering, climate modeling, and risk assessment. While a robust dataset of annual maximum snow loads has been developed for the conterminous United States, a similar dataset does not exist for areas of interest in areas outside of the conterminous United States (OCONUS). This dataset contains over 280,000 annual maximum SWE values across over 7,400 OCONUS stations, both from the Global Historical Climatology-Daily (GHCND) network provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and from country-specific networks of weather stations from international meteorological agencies. This dataset will be valuable for civil …

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Companion Planting, Ruby Mohr, Kathy Cabe Trundle, Rita Hagevik

All Current Publications

Companion planting is an agricultural practice in which two or more plants are intentionally grown together to enhance mutual productivity. The special relationships that plants have with other organisms help create balanced ecosystems. Companion planting can be used to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, increase yields, and attract beneficial insects such as pollinators.

Uptake, Distribution, And Activity Of Pluronic F68 Adjuvant In Wheat And Its Endophytic Bacillus Isolate, Anthony Cartwright, Mohammad Zargaran, Anagha Wankhade, Astrid Jacobson, Joan E. Mclean, Anne J. Anderson, David W. Britt

Biological Engineering Student Research

Surfactants are widely utilized in agriculture as emulsifying, dispersing, anti-foaming, and wetting agents. In these adjuvant roles, the inherent biological activity of the surfactant is secondary to the active ingredients. Here, the hydrophilic non-ionic surface-active tri-block copolymer Pluronic^® F68 is investigated for direct biological activity in wheat. F68 binds to and inserts into lipid membranes, which may benefit crops under abiotic stress. F68’s interactions with Triticum aestivum (var Juniper) seedlings and a seed-borne Bacillus spp. endophyte are presented. At concentrations below 10 g/L, F68-primed wheat seeds exhibited unchanged emergence. Root-applied fluorescein-F68 (fF68) was internalized in root epidermal cells and …

Post-Wildfire Erosion And Sedimentation: An Escalating Threat For Utah Fisheries, Colton James, Kendall Becker, Scott Hotaling, Aish Chandrasekaran, Alex Fiedler, Timothy E. Walsworth, Patrick Belmont

All Current Publications

Wildfires are a natural part of the western U.S. landscape and provide numerous benefits, including enhanced nutrient cycling and habitat rejuvenation. Utah’s fish populations evolved with wildfire as a common disturbance. However, the increasing size and severity of wildfires, combined with Utah’s heavily engineered and fragmented stream networks, pose a contemporary risk to fish populations. This fact sheet reviews wildfire impacts on erosion and Utah's watersheds and fisheries. It outlines measures we can take to prevent post-wildfire fish die-offs.

"...Anything My Friend Shares, I Would Want To Support Them By Clicking On It": Co-Designing Story-Based Interventions Against Clickbait For Teenagers, Ankit Shrestha, Audrey Flood, Bryson Hackler, Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Computer Science Student Research

Teenagers' lack of digital sophistication and cyber hygiene makes them vulnerable to social engineering attacks, especially as they start using social media. Clickbait, one of such attacks, is primarily performed through social media to trick users into clicking on malicious links. With teenagers' increasing use of social media, clickbait poses a substantial threat to their online safety. The existing online safety measures for teens mainly focus on parental mediation, which can be perceived as restrictive and privacy-invasive. To this end, researchers recommended empowering teens to deal with online risks. In order to design such interventions for clickbait, we conducted co-design …

Bonding Ss316l And In625 Through Laser Powder Bed Fusion And Directed Energy Deposition: A Comparative Tensile Analysis, Christopher J. Bettencourt, Nadia Kouraytem

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Directed Energy Deposition (DED) was used to deposit Inconel 625 (IN625) onto 316L stainless steel (SS316L) substrates fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion. Tensile properties of the resulting multi-material specimens were compared to those of the individual alloys. Two bonding approaches were evaluated: a direct transition and a 50/50 intermediate layer formed by blending equal parts of each alloy during deposition. The multi-material specimens demonstrated higher yield strength than the single alloys. However, samples with the 50/50 transition exhibited brittle failure at the joint, whereas the direct transition behaved more ductile. Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed microcracks at the interface of …

A Review Of Automation In Small Satellite Operations, Joseph Melville, Andrew Narvaez, Lee Jasper

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

In the context of congested orbital space, the proliferation of small satellite constellations aims to enhance resilience and responsiveness in on-orbit systems. The escalating number and diversity of small satellites and the need for intersatellite coordination pose operational challenges. Chief among these challenges is that the quantity of operators needed to fully utilize these deployed systems is prohibitively large and expensive; further, operators simply may not be responsive enough to events.

Automated systems, both on-board and ground-based, offer a viable solution to streamline various operational tasks. The integration of automation mitigates the operational burden, minimizes errors originating from human intervention, …