Digital Commons Network^™

Conservation Laws For Asymptotically Perfect Fluid Spacetimes, Lyle Arnett Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In physics, conservation laws, like those for energy or momentum, are powerful tools that help us understand how systems evolve and interact. In general relativity, where spacetime itself is curved by matter and energy, defining such conservation laws becomes especially subtle and complex. Traditional methods rely on idealized conditions like empty space or special symmetries, which limit their usefulness in more realistic, dynamic settings such as an expanding universe.

This dissertation explores a modern mathematical framework, developed by Iyer and Wald, that allows conservation laws to be derived directly from the equations governing spacetime. Using this approach, I examine not …

Near-Earth Object (Neo) Surveyor Development: Challenges And Opportunities In Support Of Planetary Defense, G. Loftus, B. Carlsen, P. Scott, S. Backlund, L. Reinhart, T. Martin, T. Hoenes, R. Burgon, S. Ashby, J. Peterson, B. Lamborn, J. Bowman

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission is a key element in our future planetary defense portfolio, which will survey our solar system in the infrared to discover and characterize asteroids and comets.

The mission is designed to detect, track, and characterize small bodies throughout our solar system. By United States Congress mandate, NASA must discover more than 90% of all asteroids and comets that are larger than 140 meters in diameter and could potentially impact Earth. NEO Surveyor will provide critical decision support for stakeholders who must assess the risks of NEO impacts to Earth and identify potential mitigation strategies. …

A Systematic Review: Learning Emotion Regulation With Virtual Reality, David Boyd Bobo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This systematic review explored how immersive virtual reality (IVR) can help people manage emotions like stress and anxiety by analyzing existing studies. It highlighted therapies such as mindfulness, compassion therapy, and exposure therapy, showing how IVR can teach effective emotion-regulation skills. Researchers also identified innovative tools, like biofeedback, which uses physical signals such as heart rate to help people understand and control their emotional responses.

Interactive and gamified approaches, like Stressjam and Deep, demonstrated practical uses of IVR for mental health support. While the review confirmed IVR's potential in therapy, it also revealed gaps in research, particularly in applying …

On The Multi-Modal Psychological Experience Of Competence In Youth Sport, Liam O'Neil

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Over the past half century, beliefs about athleticism (i.e., sport competence) have been thought of as central to motivation for youth sport. In this time, however, these competence beliefs have been narrowly studied which has limited their value in explaining youth sport participation. To expand our understanding of competence beliefs and their motivational significance in youth sport, the three studies of this dissertation tested a longstanding but understudied idea that competence beliefs encompass both judgments of, and emotions about, competence. In Study One, existing research on judgments of competence in youth sport was reviewed. This study showed that many personal …

Agrichemical Surfactant And Pathogen Impacts On The Blue Orchard Bee (Osmia Lignaria Say, Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Mary-Kate F. Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Pathogens that infect commercially reared bee species, such as honey bees and bumble bees, have been extensively studied within the last several years, and studies that explore pathogen impacts on solitary bee health are significantly fewer. Consistent pesticide exposure methods are limited to honey bees and do not outline exposure routes to solitary bees, including how to test chemical impacts on immature stages. My research investigated blue orchard bee survival, development, and immune response following pathogen exposure while simultaneously studying organosilicone surfactant (OSS) exposure and possible synergisms between these two stressors. In my first research chapter (Chapter 2), I define …

Attachment, Emotional Experiencing, And Physiological Response During Couple Interaction, Kyla Iverson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In this master’s thesis, I conducted a study using data from 63 hetereosexual couples from a previous research study done by Dr. Ryan Seedall. These couples participated in a micro-intervention where each partner discussed personal issues for three to four minutes while the other received guidance on supportive responses, promoting open communication. Using this data, I conducted a coding project studying the relationship between attachment styles and emotional experiencing, specifically how attachment styles intersect with emotional experiences, moment-to-moment feelings, and physiological arousal. This coding project involved utilizing the Emotional Experiencing Scale (EXP) by Klein and colleagues (1986) to observe couple …

Calculation Of Aerodynamic Surface Sensitivities Using The Adjoint Method In A Subsonic/Supersonic Panel Code, Nathan H. Hoch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

An aircraft’s shape has a direct impact on the lift and drag it produces. In the early stages of designing an aircraft on a computer, engineers work to improve aircraft performance and efficiency by considering various shapes and configurations. Engineers use computer programs to analyze different designs and predict how each would perform in real-world conditions. Once an approximate aircraft shape is selected, adjustments to the shape can further improve the aircraft’s lift and drag characteristics. Engineers calculate a set of values called sensitivities that indicate which parts of the geometry should be changed to increase lift or reduce drag. …

Contrastive Representation Learning For Highly Imbalanced Multivariate Time Series With Extreme Instance Strategy, Onur Vural

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Time series data refers to a sequence of data points collected or recorded at regular time intervals. In many fields including space weather, healthcare, and finance, predicting events from such data is crucial because these predictions can help protect infrastructures, improve healthcare outcomes, and forecast financial trends. However, one challenge in working with time series data is the presence of rare events, which are often underrepresented in the data. This imbalance makes it difficult for traditional prediction methods to provide accurate results, as they tend to focus more on the more frequent events and overlook the rare ones. To tackle …

Disentangling Factors Contributing To Population Performance Of Zion Bighorn Sheep, Ian Montgomery

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Bighorn sheep populations across the western United States face increasing challenges from habitat loss, disease, and predation. In Zion National Park and surrounding areas, survey-based estimates indicate that the desert bighorn sheep population declined from over 800 individuals in 2018 to fewer than 500 in 2021. Understanding what drives these population changes is critical for effective wildlife management and conservation. This research examined key factors influencing population growth and individual survival to inform strategies for recovery in this bighorn population.

First, we analyzed which vital rates contributed most to population trends by estimating survival and reproduction rates from ground and …

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 …

Selected Projects: Set Design And Projection Design, Audrey Kearl Coleman

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Theatrical scenic and projection design for the stage.

Water Use By Irrigated Turfgrass And Connections To Climate And Biophysical Processes, Karem Meza

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Urbanization and limited water supply and storage result in imbalanced urban water budgets. Quantification of water use becomes important in urban landscapes because urban turfgrass requires a significant amount of water and competes with other urban requirements. Evapotranspiration (ET) plays a crucial role in determining irrigation needs. Credible measurements and spatial estimates of urban turfgrass ET are needed for urban water management. However, these have not been addressed in urban landscapes in arid and semiarid regions. Despite estimating spatial urban turfgrass ET, turfgrass quality linked to ET has not been widely evaluated. Due to different environmental conditions, the driving forces …

Laboratory Earthquakes In Heterogeneous, Meter-Scale Faults: Collaborative Research With Utah State University, And University Of Texas At Austin, Srisharan Shreedharan

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Building Connections: Enhancing Primary Source Literacy And Student Success Through Canvas Modules, Darcy Pumphrey, Katie Strand, Sarah Berry, Jen Kirk

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

This presentation outlines how Utah State University has used Canvas modules and multi-discipline workshops to promote primary source literacy and organizational skills to students and instructors. Collaborations beyond Special Collections have led to the creation of online modules that guide students in using finding aids and digital repositories while strengthening their research habits. Archivists from various institutions will gain practical strategies for building similar resources and forming cross-department partnerships. The session highlights how these efforts enhance student confidence and create deeper connections between archives and other academic disciplines.

Climate Prediction As An Adaptive Force-Multiplier: Reasons For Hope In A Rapidly Changing World, Matthew D. Laplante

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

It's not unreasonable to feel pessimistic about our future under climate change. But "believing the science" doesn't require you to accept that we are headed toward apocalypse. It is true that human-caused climate change is real, it is underway, and our societies face many increased risks because of it. But that's just part of what climate science tells us about our future world. This same field is responsible for the recent and rapid development of tools and techniques that permit the identification of patterns in our oceans and atmosphere that will aid us in making increasingly accurate predictions about climate—the …

High-Throughput Phenotyping Of Early Generation Small Grains Breeding Lines To Indirectly Select For Grain Yield, Dalton Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In small grains breeding programs, breeders aim to develop better varieties by selecting for important traits like grain yield. However, it takes many years before yield can be measured because several generations of selection are required to fix lines and increase sufficient seed for yield measurements. This process can be slow and expensive

High-throughput phenotyping (HTP) is a modern approach that can increase breeding efficiency by leveraging technology to quickly measure secondary traits which can be used to indirectly select for important traits in crop plants. For example, researchers can use cameras on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, i.e., drones) to …

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 …

Exploring The Utilization Of Benefits And Participation Experiences Among Immigrants And Refugees In Wic Program: A Mixed-Method Study, Melissa Murillo Timoschenco

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Food insecurity is a critical issue globally and in the United States. The USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) aims to address this by improving the nutrition of low-income pregnant women and children. However, immigrants and refugees, who are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity, often encounter barriers to accessing WIC benefits. This study aimed to: i) evaluate how immigrant and refugee families in Utah utilize WIC benefits, and ii) explore their experiences, challenges, and suggestions for improving the program. This mixed-method study combined surveys with 116 participants and in-depth interviews with 25 participants. Surveys were …

Strategies For Writing Synthesis To Learn: A Case Study Among Sixth-Grade Social Studies Students, Kalie A. Chamberlain

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Writing instruction that emphasizes strategy use helps students become better writers, especially when tackling difficult writing tasks, such as writing from sources or writing syntheses. Strategic writing instruction also supports student learning in content areas like social studies. This project examined whether Strategies for Writing Synthesis to Learn (SWSL), a mode of strategic writing instruction developed by researchers in Spain, would be effective in a new context. It also sought to understand how SWSL was perceived by students and teachers. A mixed-methods case study was used to explore both quantitative (e.g., student growth) data and qualitative (e.g., student and teacher …

Describing Functionality In Natural Language May Improve Decomposition Behaviors, Matthew R. Burns

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Problem decomposition—the ability to break complex problems into simpler parts—is a critical skill for computer programming that many beginning students struggle to develop. This research examines how using natural language to describe program functionality can help students develop better problem-solving approaches.

We created a tool called ”Natural Language Functions” (NLFs) that allows students to write descriptions of what they want their code to do in plain English, which then generates working Python functions. We studied how students used this tool compared to students who solved programming problems in traditional ways.

Our findings show that students who used the NLFs tool …

Advancing Multi-Agent Robotics Simulations Through Heterogeneous Reinforcement Learning In Isaaclab, Jacob R. Haight

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Robots increasingly operate in collaborative teams across domains such as search-and- rescue, warehouse automation, and autonomous driving—scenarios that demand advanced coordination strategies enabled by multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL). However, existing simulation frameworks often struggle to balance realism, speed, and scalability, especially when supporting diverse, heterogeneous robot teams. This research extends Isaac Lab, a high-performance robotics simulator, by integrating heterogeneous-agent reinforcement learning (HARL) capabilities. The result is a flexible and GPU-accelerated platform for training both homogeneous and heterogeneous robot teams in complex, physics-based environments. These enhancements significantly narrow the gap between simulation and real-world deployment for multi-robot systems.

Motherhood Within The Patriarchal Family: An Analysis Of “Frankenstein” And “The Scarlet Letter”, Yasamin Osqueezadeh

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Being a pivotal period in Western feminist history, the literary community in the 18^th century introduced pioneering feminists, the most famous of which is Mary Wollstonecraft, who called for a feminist revolution with A Vindication of the Rights of Women. Following the publication of A Vindication of the Rights of Women and other subsequent feminist papers, are Mary Shelley’s 1818 Frankenstein and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 The Scarlet Letter, two renowned pieces of Gothic literature. Although the two novels may seem disconnected, both Frankenstein and The Scarlet Letter engage in feminist arguments and critiques of the patriarchy in …

Impacts Of Reef Fish Length On Foraging Radius: Exploring Behavioral Patterns Within A Patch Reef Ecosystem, Kilia Brawand

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Reef fish exhibit various behaviors upon the Great Barrier Reef. One of these behaviors includes that of limiting their grazing distances from a patch reef refuge to a certain maximum distance in order to avoid predators. This is defined as a ‘foraging radius’ or ‘margin of safety’. This ‘foraging radius’ varies among fish due to many factors- including species, morphology, ontogenesis, habitat complexity, and importantly: speed. Quicker fish can outswim predators to safety more efficiently than slower fish, and can therefore afford to travel farther distances to forage. Speed varies among fish for a number of reasons, including fish size …

“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 …

"Once Our Land Is Gone, It's Gone": Farmer Perspectives On Growth, Embeddedness, And The Future Of Food In The Great Salt Lake Basin, Bryn Noelle Watkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Great Salt Lake Basin hosts a knot of intensifying pressures on agriculturalists—including economic constraints, as even arable land is increasingly valuable for development, and ecological constraints, as aridification and climate change affect the conditions in which food can grow. Given the unique relationship farmers have with the land as its modern-day stewards, their perspectives on the nature and consequences of these pressures offer profound insights into how the region might responsibly navigate its resource management and food systems moving through the future. In the first paper, I draw upon 15 interviews with commodity farmers to understand their experiences with …

An Evaluation Of Using Linked Digital Activity Schedules To Teach Sociodramatic Play, Nicholas Lindgren

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Individuals with ASD often have difficulties communicating with peers and navigating social interactions (APA, 2022). Building these skills may help these individuals interact with peers, siblings, and others in the community. One area where individuals with ASD may need support is engaging in play. Specifically, in engaging in sociodramatic play (i.e., pretend play that involves role-playing aspects of real life). Traditionally, applied behavior analysis (ABA) and activity schedules are evidence-based approaches that have been used to teach play behaviors to individuals with ASD. However, few researchers have evaluated how a linked digital activity schedule can increase the sociodramatic play responding …

A Laboratory Study Of Local Scour And Driftwood Effects At A Type A Piano Key Weir, Manisha Panthi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Piano key weirs are a unique weir designed to increase the amount of flow that passes over it via its zig-zag shape (similar to the rectangular shape of keys of a piano). With its relatively small footprint, they are becoming more popular to upgrade existing water management projects and are also being used in new construction works. However, there is little information available regarding how these weirs handle sediment and driftwood. Additional information will help researchers and designers to understand the challenges of upstream sediment buildup, driftwood accumulation, and the effects of floods on downstream scour with viable protection measures. …

Development Of Saddlepoint Methodologies For Sparse Sample Multiple Parameter Generalized Linear Models And Correlated Data Scenarios, Christopher Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Parameter estimation using maximum likelihood techniques may be biased when sample sizes are small, event rates are low, or otherwise sparse counts exist in a parametric model. This in turn may lead researchers to draw invalid statistical conclusions when conventional methods are utilized. The saddlepoint approximation has potential to lessen the degree of bias in sparse data conditions through its use of moments beyond the mean and variance, which allows for more accurate approximations using a smaller number of observations. We propose two novel saddlepoint methods for use in practical analysis scenarios, as an alternative to maximum likelihood estimation. First, …