Digital Commons Network^™

Tiktok Triumph: Unpacking Duolingo's Marketing Success, Kylee Malcolm

Student Research Symposium

Duolingo, a language learning app, has an infamous social media presence across many platforms. Recently, they took their risky humor to the next level by killing their mascot (don’t worry, there’s a happy ending!)

Their platform on TikTok typically receives more engagement from users and brands, because that is where they first went viral for their ‘threats” against users.

Martha Stewart's Enduring Legacy: A Social Media Case Study, Holly Asay

Student Research Symposium

Martha Stewart gained fame in the 1990s and, at 83 years old, remained culturally relevant on her personal Instagram account. Despite early criticism, she had 2.6M followers and high engagement in 2025.

The Digital Dairy Diary: Exploring The Emotional Responses Of Utah Social Media Users To Dairy Content, Patryce Eldredge

Student Research Symposium

Social media is powerful in distributing information and helping society to develop perceptions and sentiments. Social media can be a useful tool in community agriculture. However, without an understanding of the emotions held by social media users concerning the dairy content on social media, ag educators can’t effectively use social media as an educational tool.

Through The Lens: Analyzing Apple's 'Shot On Iphone' Social Media Marketing Campaign, Awsumb Hardy

Student Research Symposium

While promoting the iPhone 6s, Apple launched the #ShotOniPhone campaign. It encouraged iPhone users to share photos under the tag #ShotOniPhone.

• Was the campaign a success? Why?
• Did the campaign increase iPhone sales?
• What can we learn from #ShotOniPhone?

Racism On Social Media, Britton Larsen

Student Research Symposium

For centuries, racism has been an issue in society; however, the emergence of social media has drastically altered the landscape of the vulgarity and encounter of racist content. Social media has become a crucial communication, advocacy, and information battleground. While these platforms have provided a voice through which underprivileged populations become equal in terms of advocating for equality and justice, the same platforms have nurtured the breeding ground for hate messages and discriminatory ideologies. This research will look to explore the relationship between social media and racism, doing so to look at how these social media platforms amplify racist content …

The Apple Effect: Unveiling The Power Of Social Media Marketing In Apple's Advertising Mastery, Annie Ploehn

Student Research Symposium

This research dives into the top marketing strategies shown by Apple on their Instagram page. Five main themes have been identified: Creativity, people, nature, emotion, and technique. Through each of these themes we see how Apple fosters a sense of belonging and uses this marketing strategy to encourage continued company growth.

Unveiling The Success: Analyzing The Social Media Marketing Of Hailey Bieber's Rhode Skin 'Lip Shape' Campaign, Kensington Clements

Student Research Symposium

For this project, I’m looking at Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Skin Lip Shape campaign and how it was marketed on social media. I decided to focus on Instagram because Hailey is the most active there.

Farmstead Therapy: Intergenerational Connection And Sense Of Place Via Equine Therapy, Kaleb Griffeth

Student Research Symposium

Therapy has become a crucial element within society. It has offered relief, understanding, and hope for a changed future to hundreds of millions of people just in the last five years (SAMHSA, 2004).

On another front, division between generations seems to be growing by the month. Political, social, and economic differences between generations “X”, “Z”, Alpha, and Baby Boomers make it appear that there is no connection whatsoever across age gaps.

Because equine therapy has proven a succesful branch, especially for those of a younger demographic, Farmstead Therapy was a project designed to bring together the skills of the older …

Establishing Mixed-Biofilm Systems: To Transform Waste Into Value-Added Products, Jessica Silva Cuero

Student Research Symposium

The bioeconomy, which leverages biological agents such as microbes to convert waste (e.g., agricultural waste, wastewater, etc.) into valuable resources (Fig 1.), offers a sustainable solution to global waste challenges while generating new economic opportunities.

Xbox's Social Media Ads: Themes, Reactions, And Engagement With Game Pass Promotions, Talmage Robertson

Student Research Symposium

Subscription based entertainment has broken into the video game industry. Xbox Game Pass has set the trend for the future of subscriptions in gaming, but how does the marketing of Game Pass rope players to subscribe?

Social Media Health Campaign: Combating Rsv In Infants Through Education And Advocacy, Kyndie Jorgensen

Student Research Symposium

Education and awareness surrounding RSV has made people more aware of how it is spread and what it is. Less communication campaign work has been done to help people understand the symptoms of RSV in healthy adults who may pass it to infants and to support parents in advocating for their child's safety.

The Effectiveness Of Social Media Campaigns In Promoting Agricultural Education And Careers, Regan Christensen

Student Research Symposium

72% of adults in the US are now using at least one social media site, according to a PEW Research Study.

Glowing Engagement: Analyzing Social Media Reactions To Rhode Skincare's Ad Campaigns, Jetta Van Brocklin

Student Research Symposium

Context & Relevance: Analyzing social media reactions to Rhode Skincare’s ad campaigns offers insights into consumer behavior, brand perception, and marketing effectiveness, which are crucial for businesses in the influencer-driven beauty industry.

Why it matters: Social media can shape a brand's reputation, impacting sales, loyalty, and image. Brands like Rhode Skincare must understand audience reactions to refine campaigns and boost ROI.

Primary Goal:

• To assess how social media reaction to Rhode Skincare's ads influence consumer perception and brand loyalty. Hypothesis:

• Positive social media reactions to Rhode Skincare's ad campaigns correlate with increased consumer trust and purchase intent, …

Breaking Bad, Breaking Ads: A Super Bowl Social Media Case Study, Aliyah Walker

Student Research Symposium

This study examines PopCorners' 2023 Super Bowl ad featuring Breaking Bad characters and its impact on digital engagement. The campaign was selected due to its nostalgic appeal and strategic use of humor to captivate audiences. This research focuses on Instagram Reels as the primary platform for analysis.

Unmasking The Threat: Utilization Of Digital Health Communication Techniques In Addressing Smoking And Vaping-Induced Lung Cancer Amongst Youth, Emily Wells

Student Research Symposium

The correlation between cigarette sales and lung cancer mortality in the United States is going down. However, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer- related deaths globally, with high mortality rates among both men and women. The research will explore the direct and indirect causes of lung cancer, emphasizing early intervention to prevent the onset of the disease.

Indian Education And Computing For All: A Case Study Of Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Computer Science, Waqas Ahmad

Student Research Symposium

Research shows that integrating computer science (CS) into other disciplines leads to more equitable participation for all students.

Connecting CS learning to students’ families, communities, and interests leads to increased student engagement.

We designed a middle school social studies unit that integrated CS to teach about why treaties still matter through the lens of food sovereignty.

Cultivating Connections: How @Sigmaalphasorority Strengthens Sisterhood Through Social Media, Sheridan Brown

Student Research Symposium

My topic explores how Sigma Alpha uses social media to cultivate sisterhood and community across its chapters

Comparative Analysis Of An Aquatic And Dry-Land Catching And Throwing Exercise On Reaction Time And Inhibitory Executive Function, Haein Choi

Student Research Symposium

Fast and accurate reactions are crucial for fall prevention. The ReacStick measures reaction accuracy by requiring immediate motor responses without delay. This study compared the effects of aquatic and land-based catching and throwing exercise on reaction accuracy to explore effective fall prevention training methods.

Automatic Aurora Detection, Cameron Eggleston

Student Research Symposium

Aurorae happen when particles in the earth’s magnetosphere become excited and emit visible light. Below is a picture that shows this process more meaningfully:

The colors of each aurora is determined by these electrons as well. Below is a diagram showing where the different colors of aurora come from. In addition to being nice to look at, aurorae can be caused by Coronal Mass Ejections(CMEs). CMEs can affect radio communication, power grids, GPS systems, and more.

Qualitative Findings From A Pilot Study Of A Single Session Digital Mental Health Intervention For Adults With A Recent Dementia Diagnosis, Sharon Benson, Shanna Peterson, Lindy Strand

Student Research Symposium

Dementia and Mental Health

• A dementia diagnosis significantly impacts life, leading to higher rates of mental health issues like depression and anxiety (Leung, 2021), and reducing well-being and quality of life (Martyr , 2018).

• Most Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions for individuals with dementia (IwD) are designed for in-person completion and typically range from 6 to 50 sessions. The length and extensive resource requirements can pose barriers for IwD.

• Digital, online interventions can address these barriers.

Tiny Fixers, Big Impact: Can This Bacteria Replace Your Fertilizer?, Jocelynn Burton, Abby Feragen, Tyler Miller, Landen Winder

Student Research Symposium

If cultured on a media lacking available nitrogen, then our isolated bacteria will continue to proliferate through the assimilation of nitrogen available in the air.

Slam Dunks And Social Media: The Rise Of Usu Men's Basketball On The Court And Online, Isabel Howell

Student Research Symposium

Branding is everything in the world of sports. A large part of a team’s success comes from their branding, and an essential part of that is social media. The USU men’s basketball team has had an eventful and memorable season, but that’s not just due to their success on the court. The Aggies have been very active on social media, engaging students, fans and viewers across the country. Since January, the team’s Instagram handle has shared hundreds of different posts, from post-game highlights, event and game promotion, and behind-the-scenes of the beloved players. This research dives into some of the …

Wishes In The Digital Age: How Make-A-Wish Transforms Lives Through Social Media, Haleigh Deming

Student Research Symposium

Make-A-Wish is an inspiring nonprofit organization whose mission is to create life changing experiences by granting wishes to children with critical illnesses. Along with countless donations and volunteers, Make-A-Wish uplifts families by spreading the word and promoting wishes throughout multiple social media platforms.

How Does Salinity Affect Antibiotic Production?, Alec Backus, Madelyn Peel, Anika Shaw, Alexander Van Hamme

Student Research Symposium

Antibiotic production by microorganisms can be heavily influenced by environmental factors, such as salinity. In this experiment we investigated how varying environmental salinity affected antibody production of the isolate SP25-MRP-11, which was obtained from a filtrate of soil from the Dr. Gene Miller Life Science Garden.

How Has Lgbtq+ Representation In Media Influenced The Perceptions And Identities Among Both Lgbtq+ And Non-Lgbtq+ Individuals Ages 18-24?, Miki Beckstrom

Student Research Symposium

The modern era has allowed for a new age of storytelling. As our society continues to diversify, the question we must ask ourselves, how is the media we consume reflective of our society? Internet discourse surrounding representation of race, sexuality, and gender have continued to infiltrate our community and be a topic of contention. This study hopes to explore both the positive and adverse effects that LGBTQ+ representation in media can have.

Bacterial Treatment Enhanced Root Growth In Acidic And Neutral Conditions, But Limited Arabidopsis Thaliana Leaf Development, Taylor Brenchley, Ryan Colqui, Alexis Tueller

Student Research Symposium

• Soil bacteria help plants tolerate pH stress, extreme pH (too acidic or basic) limits plant growth, including Arabidopsis thaliana.
• Some bacteria improve plant resilience, but their role in pH tolerance is unclear, we aim to bridge this knowledge gap further.
• Soil acidification from pollution threatens global food security.
• This study tests whether a bacterial isolate from acidic soil helps A. thaliana grow in different pH conditions, which can be used in agriculture.

2017 Seasonal Variation Of Atmospheric Gravity Waves Above Rothera Station, Antarctica, Elijah Kroeber, Zhao Yucheng, Pautet Dominique, Taylor Michael

Student Research Symposium

As a part of the international Antarctic Gravity Wave Instrument Network (ANGWIN), Utah State University operates an infrared (IR) all-sky imager at the British Rothera Station in Antarctica (67°34’S, 68°07’W) which observes several hydroxyl (OH) emission bands.

Connections Around The Globe: Duolingo's Unique Approach To Expanding Its Target Audience Through K-Pop, Savanna Seal

Student Research Symposium

In the contemporary marketing landscape, brands must forge genuine connections with their target audiences to cultivate engagement and loyalty.

Ion-Induced Electron Yield Database Development Through Data Mining For Exploratory Data Analysis And Predictive Analytics, Trace Taylor

Student Research Symposium

• What is ion yield and what affects it?

• Why create a database?

• Status of the database

• Ion yield data comparisons

• Conclusions

• Future work

Impact Of Social Media On Interpersonal Communication Skills, Kenadie Jackson

Student Research Symposium

There is fear of social media enhancing a communications crutch which allows space to withdraw from important social cues and interactions.