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The Utah Statesman, April 12th, 2021, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

The Effects Of Materials And Profiles Of Gratings On Diffraction Spectra, Brock Halling

Student Research Symposium

Diffraction patterns can be made either by transmitting or reflecting light from a grating which is an array of parallel lines (rulings) with a fixed periodicity. Elementary optical treatment of diffraction gratings only describes diffraction angles as a function of periodicity of the grating. However, we have observed that the profile and materials of the grating do affect the diffraction pattern. In this study, I will investigate the correlation between the grating profiles obtained by scanning electron microscopy and the materials of the grating (polymer and silicon dioxide) and the spectra as a function of the diffraction angle. A device …

Linearized Conformal Gravity, Noah Braeger

Student Research Symposium

We study the linearization of Weyl conformal gravity to characterize the relationship between solutions to the linearized Einstein equation and linearized conformal gravity, especially solutions with sources. While it is well known that solutions to the vacuum Einstein equation are also solutions to vacuum Weyl gravity, a few examples to the converse are known. Linearization allows us to better characterize the differences between the two theories.Presentation Time: Wednesday, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Pheonolgy And Climate Change In The Tw Daniel Experimental Forest Meadow, Elise Riley

Student Research Symposium

As the earth’s climate warms many plant species are experiencing phenological stages (the timing of their seasonal life cycle events) earlier than they previously have. Dangers of phenological stages occurring earlier in the year include a greater risk of frost kill and the possibility of the speciation of already small populations, both of which could make species more susceptible to extinction. This research focused on determining if meadow forb species within Utah State University’s TW Daniel Experimental Forest (TWDEF) have experienced earlier phenology -specifically, earlier flowering dates- over the past 52 years. Historical phenological data was obtained from journals kept …

Projectile Motion On A Rotating Earth, Ryle Briggs

Student Research Symposium

Projectile motion is often one of the first topics discussed in an introductory physics course. This research takes that foundational understanding a step further by considering the effect the Coriolis and centrifugal forces have on projectile motion. By using Newton’s laws, including his universal law of gravitation, we derived the equations of motion for a projectile on a rotating, spherical Earth without air resistance. As expected, we see that the Coriolis force deflects projectiles to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere. We also see that the centrifugal force effectively reduces the magnitude …

Landlord Perceptions Of Homelessness In The Bear River Region, Claire Wever, Alyssa Cronin, Heather Hopkins

Student Research Symposium

Homelessness has been rising at an alarming rate in the Bear River Region of Utah. Between 2017 and 2019, there has been a 400% increase in unsheltered homeless (HUD, 2019). Research indicates a lack of affordable housing is a likely cause (Lucero & Barker Tolman Shuler, 2020). Armed with the knowledge that finding housing is a key aspect to reduce homelessness, the present study set out to ascertain landlords’ awareness and attitudes of homelessness, as well as types of interventions they would support. Collaborating on a community-engaged project, USU social work students and faculty developed a survey of knowledge and …

Intelligent Management Of Constrained Links For Distributed Autonomy, Troy R. Johnson, Nathan A. Jensen

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

This paper addresses one of the main underlying obstacles overlooked when adding autonomy to a cooperative cluster of nodes working together to complete global objectives. Whether these nodes are ground, sea, air, or space vehicles, a constrained link is used to distribute information between the vehicles. The limited bandwidth of the constrained link must be shared between all nodes and becomes a pinch point for distributed autonomy. Intelligently managing the shared information and controlling how it is replicated across all nodes is vital. Lack of communication results in poor team performance. Intermittent connectivity and delayed intelligence sharing leads to the …

Conflict Between Personal Beliefs And Religious Orientation In Young Adults, Abby Palfreyman

Student Research Symposium

Religious communities are an area of intricate belief systems, varying degrees of devotion, and often controversial issues. Because of this, religious communities are often heavily stereotyped by the general public while not much work is done into looking at the belief system variations on a personal level. I am looking into potential conflicts between personal beliefs and religious orientation in young adults, and to what degree that conflict exists. I am focusing primarily on the young adult population in Logan Utah, who are currently pursuing formal post-secondary education at Utah State University, and I am examining the issue of queer …

Flutes Of The American Southwest, Adam Hardy

Student Research Symposium

Travel to any southwestern tourist destination and one image will seem to appear everywhere: that of the humpbacked flute player, commonly called “Kokopelli.” Appearing in rock art spanning at least 5 states, the image has met with many different interpretations. The oral traditions and lack of written language of ancestral people means any definitive interpretation of this image and its relation to ancient culture is problematic. There are several key points, however, that are helpful to shaping our understanding. The presence of flutes in the early Basketmaker and Pueblo cultures is well documented, and their precise tonalities suggest the presence …

Effects Of Older Siblings On Early Childhood Development In Low-Income Families, Ria Williams

Student Research Symposium

Most children have a sibling. Siblings can be important for early development. They help younger siblings learn to socialize and understand others by promoting cognitive and language development (Howe & Recchia, 2014). Siblings promote cognitive development by teaching younger siblings new concepts (Brody, 2004; Dunn,1983). Language development is nurtured by siblings directly through cooperative pretend play and conflict (Cutting & Dunn, 2006), as well as indirectly by having more opportunities to hear more pronouns and conversations between older siblings and parents (Oshima-Takane et al., 1996). The influence of having siblings may provide extra support for young children in low income …

Education In The Digital Age: Video Games In The Classroom, Jace Jones

Student Research Symposium

Video games show great potential for pedagogical use inside of high school classrooms; however, despite this video games remain underutilized. Video games can be employed to create engagement among students which shows great promise to improve the classroom experience for students. Through accessing their “power to play,” as Marc Carnes described it in his work, Minds on Fire, pedagogical practices like video games can deepen students’ understanding and retention of course materials. This project will examine how video game pedagogy is currently used, the compatibility of this pedagogy to adhere to Utah's state standards, as well as estimate the standard …

Climate Change's Destabilizing Impacts On Nigerian Economy Leaves Room For Boko Haram Expansion, Ellie Willard

Student Research Symposium

The impacts of climate change in Nigeria are extending beyond changes in the weather, leading to huge changes in the lives of individual Nigerians, the Nigerian Government and Boko Haram, a terrorist organization. The reduction of the agricultural industry and the oil industry are going to create a welcoming environment for Boko Haram to grow. Unless changes are made to the Nigerian economic sector, the immediate impacts of climate change is likely to increase Boko Haram recruits. Presentation Time: Thursday, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.Zoom link: https://usu-edu.zoom.us/j/84125172996?pwd=aDlRb3dhU3AyUzR2eXNMRytZWmF3dz09

Finding Spirituality In May Swenson's Poetry, Hannah Mayers

Student Research Symposium

May Swenson was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Logan, Utah. She eventually made the decision to to leave this church and find religion in her own poetry. Swenson explores many different religious questions in her poetry while staying secularly religious. She stays open to many different types of spirituality while relying heavily on the church she was raised in. Presentation Time: Thursday, 1-2 p.m. Zoom link: https://usu-edu.zoom.us/j/83585410381?pwd=KzdEOVc1WEhjVC9ZalpXNXVPdCtqQT09

Michigan Central Station Historic Revitalization, Courtney Price

Student Research Symposium

The revitalization of buildings that have declined due to economic downturns or social change can bring life back to a community. Renovating, restoring, and updating abandoned buildings brings new housing, retail, restaurants, and jobs. It also preserves a piece of history that would otherwise collapse and cease to exist. After the automobile industry left Detroit, Michigan, the city began to decay. The most poignant example of this rise and fall of the city is the Michigan Central Station. Designed by Warren & Wetmore of New York and Reed & Stem of St. Paul, Minnesota, the Neoclassical railroad station was the …

Bartók's String Quartet No. 5: An Analysis Of Form And Structure, Julia Stowell, Lauren Roberts, Amelia Merkley, Jules Colombel

Student Research Symposium

Bartok's String Quartet No. 5 is an experiment in the use of symmetry as an organizing force in music. The five movements of the work come together to create seven-fold symmetry on a large scale. Harmonic structure, style, and melodic themes provide the foundation for this structural symmetry. The early movements draw on a variety of cultural and aural influences, which highlight and reinforce the power of symmetry when those sounds return in the second half of the quartet. Bartok's creativity with structure and form, as demonstrated in this quartet, provides a compelling and cohesive musical experience for the listener. …

How Preservice Teachers' Awareness Of Design Features And Academic Language Features Relates To Choosing And Evaluating Digital Math Games For English Language Learners, Allison Roxburgh

Student Research Symposium

This is a proposed study that will examine how preservice teachers develop awareness of design features and academic language features when choosing and evaluating digital math games for English language learners (ELLs). Thirty elementary preservice teachers will choose three digital math games for ELLs and evaluate them based on awareness of design features and academic language features. Participants will complete a pre- and post- belief survey, a pre- and post-evaluation rubric and participate in semi-structured interviews. The setting of this study is online and participants will use their personal devices to access content. This study will employ a convergent mixed …

Radiation Survivability Of Micro-Sd Cards In A Simulated Exposure To Prolonged Low Earth Orbit Space Environments, Achal Duhoon

Student Research Symposium

The harsh space environment can cause detrimental effects on high-density electronics such as micro-SD memory cards. High-energy electrons and ionizing radiation can induce common critical failure modes for satellites, particularly for small satellites with low shielding that often use less radiation-hardened Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components. The objective of this research is to observe the impact of radiation on three different types of micro-SD cards in simulated Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space conditions. Radiation survivability was tested in the Space Survivability Test (SST) chamber at Utah State University that uses a ~90 mCi Sr90 source emitting broadband 0.2 to 2.5 MeV penetrating …

Mormons, The Transcontinental Railroad, And The Transformation Of Native Americans In Utah, Compared To The Natives In Nebraska, Michaella Whitney

Student Research Symposium

The transcontinental railroad, inspired by expansionist ideas, traversed the unexplored lands of the West with the purpose of connecting the United States via railroad. Construction began in 1863 in Omaha, Nebraska and finished at Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, 1869. The celebration of the railroad signified the creation of a system which would allow passengers, goods, and supplies to travel from one end of the United States to the other, cutting months’ worth of journey into weeks. Cutting across numerous states, the railroad left signature results that transformed the land into civilized sections, allowing newly established cities and towns …

User-Friendly Investing Apps Granting Novice Access To Stock Exchanges— Overvaluing Stocks, Sami Ahmed

Student Research Symposium

The internet and smartphones have decreased information asymmetry in the stock market. More and more 'regular' people can trade securities(stocks) at their fingertips. With their user-friendly trading platforms, apps like Robinhood let individuals buy and sell stocks with minor barriers. Increased market participation has been good for markets as prices continue to rise and more capital is available. However, most retail investors lack the proper knowledge and are far more susceptible to herding behavior fueled by internet speculators. Stocks experience artificial inflation in prices as retail investors' demand increases. Traditional investors use a wide variety of information available that most …

Effects Of Early Developmental Parenting On Later Child Language Development In Low-Income Families That Speak English As A Second Language, David Novoa

Student Research Symposium

Parenting language experiences are crucial for children’s development and understanding. Language development context is very complex, especially for families that speak English as a second language and do not have the resources to influence children’s development. Being bilingual could bring a lot of benefits to children's development if the right supports are available for families. However, if resources are not available for families who are affected by low-income status it will be difficult for children to reach their potential. The aim of this project is to determine the effect of early developmental parenting, on later language development in low-income families …

Human-Accelerated Biodiversity Loss During Climate Change Threatens Human Health & Food Security, Miles Robertson

Student Research Symposium

Humans have been the single most impactful species to the biosphere for the past few thousand years. Usually, consequences of human-caused ecological changes come about on a time scale larger than our normal cause-and-effect perception allows. However, with the onset of climate change, the effects of human-accelerated biodiversity loss are set to expose vulnerabilities in human health and food security. My research explores three arenas in which climate change is set to exacerbate the effects of biodiversity loss: zoonotic disease, US corn crops, and the Chinese fishing industry. Presentation Time: Wednesday, 1-2 p.m. Zoom link: https://usu-edu.zoom.us/j/87892002075?pwd=Ym1Tcy9NOVhaaGZWczZWY1JCL3owUT09

Determining Transfer Rates Of Chlorpyrifos From Alfalfa Leaves To Provisions In Alfalfa Leaf Cutting Bee Nests, Calvin Luu

Student Research Symposium

Alfalfa Leaf Cutting Bees (ALCBs) (Megachile rotundata) are a species of managed solitary bees that are essential pollinators for alfalfa seed crops. Understanding the threatscape for the ALCB is necessary; developing risk assessments of pesticides and understanding exposure routes for ALCBs will increase awareness of the dangers pesticides pose to both managed and wild solitary bees. One route of exposure for ALCB larvae is through ingestion of a contaminated nectar-pollen provision mass, which is the larvae’s sole food source until they pupate. The provision mass can be contaminated two ways: the nectar and pollen used to make the provisions were …

Development Of A Lethal Rodent Model Of Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Infection For Preclinical Antiviral Drug Testing, Rhett Fackrell

Student Research Symposium

Lymphocyctic Choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is an Old World arenavirus belonging to the family Arenaviridae. The natural host is the common house mouse, with about 5% of the population persistently carrying and shedding the virus. LCMV is spread to humans through the aerosolized excrements of rodents or passed from mother to fetus through the placenta. Some of these cases lead to aseptic meningitis or meningoencephalitis with permanent neurological damage possible. Studies indicate that 2-5% of people are positive for serum LCMV antibodies [1]. LCMV infection has also occurred in organ transplant recipients, with nearly all cases being fatal [2]. There are …

Malicious Applications Of Artificial Intelligence Escalate Existing Vulnerabilities To Cyberattacks, Cayden Groicher

Student Research Symposium

The democratization of artificial intelligence (AI) technology paired with existing malware technologies and social-engineering methods presents a dynamic threat that many existing cybersecurity systems are not prepared to mitigate. Malicious AI applied in cyberattacks is highly plausible in the near-term time-horizon and would be very characteristic of state and non-state actors. The subset of malware called ransomware is a likely candidate whose proliferation, when paired with AI, could have wide-reaching consequences to many individuals. NotPetya and WannaCry, are two examples of the immense financial damages that result from an effective ransomware attack. AI being used to instigate a ransomware attack …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, April 12, 2021, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC Monthly Report – April 1, 2021
• Committee on Committees on Annual Report
• Calendar Committee Annual Report
• Recruitment and Retention Annual Report
• Review Code Status | Faculty Code Rewrite
• Faculty Senate President Elect

A Computational Study Of Substituted Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs), Fiona Van Leeuwen

Student Research Symposium

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an interest of both astrochemists and environmental chemists. PAHs are of interest to astrochemists since these organic molecules can be found in a lot of different materials such as meteorites or interplanetary dust. These molecules are detected by using a range of spectra from UV to Infrared Spectroscopy, which measures the vibrations within a molecule. Since the molecules are so far away, using spectroscopy methods can help identify these molecules since gathering samples is nearly impossible with current technology. These molecules are also of concern to environmental chemists since these molecules are often formed by …

The Effects Of Low Socioeconomic Status On Parent-Child Interactions, Chelsea Dikwa

Student Research Symposium

Interactions between parents and children during infancy and childhood are some of the many key factors to facilitating proper child development (Yoshikawa et al., 2012). Children’s physical and psychological development are very much influenced by their parents (Bornstein, 2002) being able to support positive parenting interactions. In most cases these positive interactions can often be difficult for mothers of lower socioeconomic status. This can be because the work schedules of families with lower SES are ones that are set at non-standard work times which can disrupt family routines and relationships (Strazdins et al., 2004). Or the increased stress that lower …

Secondary Effects Of Stair Striping On Stair Negotiation, Travis Boman

Student Research Symposium

Stairs can be a concern for injury, with falls negatively impacting one’s health. A proposed strategy to reduce fall risk during stair negotiation involves enhancing the visual contrast of stairs, or adding clear demarcations of where the stairs begin and end. Stair negotiation walk speed (m/s), may provide insight on the visual contrast striping effects. In addition, distractions such as mobile phone use during stair negotiation could increase fall risk, and may alter handrail risk. Therefore our secondary (fall risk – primary) objectives were to determine if: (1) if staircase striping would increase walk speed, and (2) if mobile phone …

Maintenance Of Water Systems With The Bear River Health Department, Kaden Bunch

Student Research Symposium

The Bear River Health Department (BRHD) is one of the 13 local health departments that work to promote and protect the citizens of Utah. Within the department, there are dozens of divisions, one such overseeing maintenance and approval of public water systems and pools. Public water systems are prone to bacterial growth, whether caused by those that use these systems, construction, or simply an animal that slipped in. To solve this issue, BRHD and the state of Utah actively monitor these public systems to ensure the health of those that use them. This is done by measuring chlorine levels in …

An Exploration Of Reinforcement Learning In Complex Environments, Karsten Boettcher

Student Research Symposium

This research discusses the performance of artificial intelligence in completing tasks within a complex, simulated environment. The research provides an introduction into reinforcement learning and how these methods were used to train simulated vehicular agents in the video game Rocket League to perform tasks relating to common in-game objectives. Results are evaluated to consider how the agents performed and what can be learned from the results. The conclusions drawn show the bot is able to effectively complete the given tasks and shows promise for completing more difficult tasks within complex environments. Presentation Time: Thursday, 1-2 p.m. Zoom link: https://usu-edu.zoom.us/j/87293114488?pwd=QmxrWlM0TnB1RWdPbnkvRE9WZEZIZz09