Digital Commons Network^™

Empowering Graphics: A Distributed Rendering Architecture For Inclusive Access To Modern Gpu Capabilities, Taylor Anderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Modern rendering software requires powerful GPUs with the latest hardware features in order to utilize all of the newest rendering techniques. Many users do not have access to this hardware, and rely on remote server farms or reduced performance to achieve usable results. In this thesis, the software is designed and created to allow for a user to share the resources of their computer with another, modeling a split-screen setup like was common in the past, but without requiring users to be in the same location.

By designing the software from the ground up to support this, instead of adding …

Drama: A Burlesque And Melodramatic Frame Analysis Of The January 6Th Committee Final Report, Makayla Chadwick Lindsay

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

On January 6^th, 2021, former president Donald Trump stated "...if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore". Following his speech thousands of Trump supporters marched to the United States capitol under the belief that they were stopping nationwide voter fraud. In the months following, the U.S. congress created The Select Committee to Investigate the January 6^th Attack on the United States Capitol with the goal to investigate those responsible for the insurrection that took place at the U.S. capitol. This paper examines the committee's communication as they attempted to hold Trump …

Investigating The Impact Of Pre-Professional Organization Participation On Undergraduate Technology And Engineering Education Student Retention And Interest In Teaching, Emily Yoshikawa-Ruesch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The field of Technology and Engineering Education (TEE) has evolved in name and content throughout its existence. Throughout these evolutions, the number of TEE programs across the United States have decreased along with a decrease in the number of students graduating from undergraduate TEE programs. Previous investigations into the recruitment of TEE students have identified social interactions with TEE program faculty and technology and engineering educators as influential in students' interest in teaching technology and engineering at the secondary level. This study sought to investigate how social interactions through participation in Technology and Engineering Educators Association (TEECA), as a community …

Wellbeing, Mental Health, And Natural Resource Dependency In Rural Utah, Kristen Rene Koci

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation examines wellbeing, mental health, and natural resource (NR) dependency in rural Utah. The following questions are asked: How do wellbeing and mental health vary throughout the state of Utah, including by rural-urban location? What concerns do applied practitioners have regarding mental health in rural parts of the state? How do chronic stress and social dislocation contribute to mental health outcomes in rural NR dependent communities in the state? Four studies were conducted to pursue these research questions.

The first two studies use data from the Utah Wellbeing Survey to explore wellbeing and mental health in Utah communities over …

Role Of Proneurotrophin-P75ntr Signaling In A Mouse Model Of Depression, Kirsten Hodgson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Major depressive disorder, or depression, is among the leading causes of disability globally. Despite being a large public health challenge, depression remains difficult to treat as the underlying biology is still unknown and the currently available treatments are limited in effectiveness. This experiment was to test the efficacy of the drug LM11A-31, which works on the signaling pathway of proneurotrophin-p75NTR, a pathway that is not targeted by any currently used antidepressants. Male mice underwent a repeated forced swim, with all the mice receiving saline the first two days and then half the mice receiving saline and half receiving LM11A-31 before …

Oxider To Fuel Ratio Shift Compensation Via Vortex Strength Control In Hybrid Rocket Motors, Max W. Francom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Hybrid motors have existed as a hypothetical propulsion system for decades in a wide range of upper stage rocket motors due to their simple, robust, non-toxic, and versatile nature. However, inherent to hybrids is Oxidizer to Fuel ratio (O/F) shift over time, which results in performance losses for the majority of the rocket’s lifetime. The purpose of this study is to develop a hybrid rocket motor capable of manipulating O/F at will, resulting in an engine which eliminates the undesirable effects of O/F shift. By developing and refining a numerical simulation, a novel injector system, and an open-loop control scheme, …

An Investigation Of The Essential Nature Of Advanced Placement Students' Psychological Safety And Participation In Mathematics Class Discourse, Vicki A. Lyons

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

All students need to feel that their classes are safe spaces where they can explore and discuss their ideas. When students do not feel free to share their reasoning or understandings without fear of negative personal or social consequences, they may intentionally limit their participation in discussions. This study investigated the relationship between Advanced Placement Calculus students' perceived feelings of psychological safety and their professed level of participation in class mathematics discourse, as well as the reasons why they would choose their particular level of participation. Findings indicated that these students generally liked to share their ideas because they wanted …

Causes And Consequences Of Space-Use Behavior Under Predation Risk In A Free-Living System, Brian J. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Predators can have important ecological effects through killing and eating their prey, the so-called consumptive effect, but predators can also have a nonconsumptive effect (NCE) on their prey – this happens when the risk of predation itself causes prey to alter their behaviors or other traits and these alterations ultimately reduce prey survival, reproduction, or population size. While scientists understand the consumptive effects of predators well, we are still unsure whether NCEs are important in free-living systems. In this dissertation, I sought to better understand the potential NCEs of predators (wolves and cougars) on elk in northern Yellowstone National Park …

Development, Modeling, Identification, And Control Of Tilt-Rotor Evtol Aircraft, Clayton T. Spencer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis includes the development, modeling, identification, and control of an electric-Vertical-Take-Off-and-Landing (eVTOL) aircraft with tiltable rotors. The front two rotors have tilting capability for transition flight from vertical-take-off to forward-level flight. This work details the development of an eVTOL aircraft and the selection of sub components such as electric motors, batteries, and controllers. After the aircraft build, mathematical model is derived to describe the motion of the aircraft. Unknown parameters in the mathematical model are identified using a Least-Squares-regression (LSR) method that can handle parameter constraints. This is done using real flight data collected from the aircraft. Lastly, this …

Environmental Factors Associated With Triploid Aspen Occurrence In Intermountain West Landscapes, James A. Walton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Polyploidy is common among plants and can contribute to physiological and morphological differences, altering how plants respond to environmental changes, promoting genetic diversification and even species radiation. Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), a keystone species associated with high plant and animal diversity is frequently found in mixed diploid/triploid populations in the Intermountain West. Triploid aspen carries an extra chromosomal copy, whereas the diploid type contains two chromosomal copies. High mortality rates and widespread population declines in aspen are of increasing concern in the Intermountain West, and often ascribed to changing climates and drought stress events. The goal of this …

Protein Residue Analysis In Archaeology: A Geological Contamination Experiment, Theresa Popp

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Protein residue analysis has been used by archaeologists for decades to explore ancient diets and hunting behaviors based on proteins deposited on tools and artifacts, however, protein contamination of buried artifacts has been assumed but lacked formal study. Through a contamination experiment testing different geological contexts (e.g. water movement and freeze-thaw), possible routes of protein contamination within soil were identified, adversely impacting protein residue analysis conducted on buried artifacts. Protein was found to move through soil in large enough concentrations to elicit positive protein residue results on sterile artifacts that never made direct contact with the protein source used in …

Evaluating 1d And 2d Small-Strain Ground Response Analyses At The I-15 Downhole Array Using Recorded Aftershocks From The M5.7 2020 Magna, Utah Earthquake, Tyler S. Jackson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As earthquake waves exit rock and travel up through softer subsurface strata on their way to the surface, the intensity of ground shaking is significantly influenced by the subsurface soil layering and often increases in areas with deeper, softer soil deposits. The soft soils present in Utah’s valleys, deposited during the era of Lake Bonneville, tend to amplify the energy and intensity of ground motion felt by people and structures alike. Thus, the first step to designing earthquake resilient infrastructure in Utah is understanding how the subsurface soil layers amplify and/or attenuate ground motions induced by an earthquake. Methods used …

Public Cyberattack Attribution And Domestic Political Considerations: An Analysis Of State Decision Making, Ella M. Devey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

When a country is targeted with a cyberattack, what compels its government to publicly attribute the perpetrators of the attack rather than keep their attribution private? Cyberattacks are an increasingly utilized weapon of international conflict by governments, groups, and individuals. Following a cyberattack, the target of the attack may investigate the origin of the attack and may choose to share their findings with the public; alternatively, they may choose not to publicly share their findings.

While we know that forensic capabilities and international political factors contribute to the decision of governments to make public cyberattack attribution, domestic political circumstances may …

Survival And Cause-Specific Mortality Of Mule Deer In The Eastern Sierra Nevada, California, Usa, Glenden Taylor

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Survival of adult females is a key driver of population dynamics for ungulate species such as mule deer. Accurate survival estimates are therefore critical knowledge for managers trying to maintain ungulate populations. Additionally, understanding causes of mortality and their effects on populations is vitally important to enacting meaningful and appropriate management decisions. For this project, we estimated annual survival rates of six mule deer herds in the eastern Sierra Nevada, California, USA, and calculated rates of mortality for different causes to better understand factors affecting survival of mule deer in this region.

We estimated baseline annual survival using Cox proportional …

Coming Out Experiences Related To Improved Well-Being Among Religious Sexual And Gender Minorities, Samuel Skidmore

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Sexual and gender minorities (SGMs; individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and/or who do not identify as cisgender and heterosexual) often come out to others as a way to improve their connections, feel more authentic, and improve their mental health. However, coming out is often a frightening and stress-inducing process, and SGMs’ overall well-being may depend on how they approach these conversations and how others respond. In an effort to better understand these experiences and to provide a scientifically-validated “guide” to SGMs and those to whom they come out, we conducted three studies that examine when coming out goes well and …

The Last Days Of Elder Mitchell, Jack Bylund

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Last Days of Elder Mitchell is a novella following the eponymous Latter-Day Saint missionary as he narrates the miracles performed by his colleague, Elder Gibson, as well as his personal grappling with his queer identity as he serves a high-demand religion that condemns people like him. The narrative explores the intersection of queerness and faith, the form of the novella, and the healing nature of autobiographical fiction.

How Relational Instruction And Caring Learning Environments Relate To Mathematics Self-Concept: A Multilevel Investigation Of The High School Longitudinal Study Of Data, Sandra J. Miles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The purpose of this research is to look for ways mathematics teachers can increase their students' mathematics self-concept (i.e., achievement, confidence, and interest). Many students avoid taking upper-level mathematics classes or pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). However, the need for STEM professionals in the workforce will increase in future years and there is a projected shortage of students who will be trained to fill the demand. This research proposes that mathematics teachers can actively work to improve their students' self-concept by providing a caring and emotionally supportive learning environment as well as providing instruction that builds …

Dismantling Barriers To Publishing: Identifying Types Of Negative Review Experiences And Strategies For Mitigating Them, Hannah L. Stevens

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation research focuses on academic publishing, particularly the peer review process, investigating gaps between journal guidelines and guidelines of inclusive publishing policy and processes. This project investigates the potential for supplementation of policy documents to cultivate a positive publishing experience. Moreover, this research continues the work of cultivating connections among authors, reviewers, editors, etc., in the drive to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of the publication process.

Design And Implementation Of An Accelerated Lifetime Testing Platform For Silicon Carbide Mosfets, Conner Deppe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In the last several years, the United States has seen a significant increase in sales of electric vehicles. The increase of electric vehicles brings the need for increased availability of public charging stations. In the last two years, satisfaction levels for public chargers have fallen significantly due to unreliability, which is raising concerns for new potential electric vehicle owners. To mitigate the reliability concerns, chargers must be physically understood so they can be consistently monitored to assess their health status. To understand the electric vehicle charging reliability, electrical components must first be understood. In the cutting-edge charging technology, the relatively …

Movement Behavior And Habitat Selection Of Juvenile Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor) During Three Behavioral States Of Dispersal, John F. Randolph

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Juvenile dispersal, the act of moving from their natal range to the place where they eventually reproduce and establish an adult home range is hazardous. Juveniles must travel and find food across unfamiliar landscapes, where they must also cross roads, avoid harvest, and navigate developed landscapes. Despite the inherent dangers of dispersal, this demographic process is important for finding suitable mates and reducing inbreeding depression. Wildlife conservation concerns arise when individuals are unable to disperse due to a loss of connectivity, as this can negatively impact population demographics and genetic diversity. We explored the effects of hunting and human-developed landscapes …

Determining The Sap Yield Of Three Maple Species And The Viability Of A Maple Syrup Industry In Northern Utah, Jesse Mathews

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Maple syrup is an agricultural product produced from the sap exuded by maple trees. All maples can produce sap, and in Utah, the maples include the two native species bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum) and boxelder (Acer negundo), and the introduced species Norway maple (Acer platanoides). Little is known about the sap production of these species, and this research aims to examine the volume of sap yield and sugar content of these maples, evaluate the performance of bucket and tubing collection systems, and explore the potential economics of a maple industry in the state. Research …

The Coordination Of Multiple Mathematical Representations For Algebraic Functions In Secondary Mathematics Textbooks: A Content Analysis, Jet Viehweg Warr

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Utilizing mathematical representations makes mathematical processes and thinking visible for the observer as well as the individual doing the mathematics. Mathematical representations have multifaceted meaning and is a critical area of research in mathematics education because of its role in conceptual understanding. Specifically, the Coordination of Multiple Mathematical Representations (CMMR) incorporates the mathematical practices and reasoning and communication skills. This study used content analysis to investigate CMMR for the study of algebraic functions in secondary mathematics textbooks during five eras of mathematics education in the U.S. from 1896 through 2016: Pre-New Math, New Math, Back-to-Basics, Standards Based Math/No Child Left …

Decentralized Unknown Building Exploration By Frontier Incentivization And Voronoi Segmentation In A Communication Restricted Domain, Huzeyfe M. Kocabas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Exploring unknown environments using multiple robots poses a complex challenge, particularly in situations where communication between robots is either impossible or limited. Existing exploration techniques exhibit research gaps due to unrealistic communication assumptions or the computational complexities associated with exploration strategies in unfamiliar domains. In our investigation of multi-robot exploration in unknown areas, we employed various exploration and coordination techniques, evaluating their performance in terms of robustness and efficiency across different levels of environmental complexity.

Our research is centered on optimizing the exploration process through strategic agent distribution. We initially address the challenge of city roadway coverage, aiming to minimize …

The Effect Of Seed Mix Density And Composition On Wetland Plant Community Assembly In The Great Salt Lake Watershed, Elana Feldman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wetlands provide important ecosystem services to society but are in danger across the globe partly due to the spread of invasive species (species that harm humans, the environment, or the economy). One species, Phragmites australis, is a widespread invader across the country, including in the wetlands of the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake. Phragmites australis spreads widely and quickly outcompetes native species. In places where P. australis has already been removed, seeding wetlands helps block P. australis from returning. Native plants’ ability to prevent invasive species from entering the community is affected by many factors, but two that …

Pedestrian Pathing Prediction Using Complex Contextual Behavioral Data In High Foot Traffic Settings, Laurel Bingham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Ensuring the safe integration of autonomous vehicles into real-world environments requires a comprehensive understanding of pedestrian behavior. This study addresses the challenge of predicting the movement and crossing intentions of pedestrians, a crucial aspect in the development of fully autonomous vehicles.

The research focuses on leveraging Honda's TITAN dataset, comprising 700 unique clips captured by moving vehicles in high-foot-traffic areas of Tokyo, Japan. Each clip provides detailed contextual information, including human-labeled tags for individuals and vehicles, encompassing attributes such as age, motion status, and communicative actions. Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks were employed and trained on various combinations of contextual …

Divergence-Free Tensor Densities In Two Dimensions, Tyler Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In physics, a common method for exploring the way a physical system changes over time is to look at the system’s energy. Roughly speaking, the energy in these systems are either motion-based (kinetic energy, a bullet in flight) or position-based (potential energy, a rock sitting at the top of a hill). The difference between the system’s total kinetic and potential energies is quantified by an expression called the Lagrangian. Using a special procedure, this Lagrangian is massaged to produce a group of equations called the Euler-Lagrange equations; if the initial configuration of the system is provided, the solution to these …

Field Flow Measurements For Pipe Installations With Non-Ideal Conditions, Jake Douglas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Accurate flow measurement data is necessary to effectively manage water resources. The purpose of this research is to investigate options to improve field flow measurement by investigating alternatives for calibrating flow meters installed in non-ideal piping. Typically, to accurately measure a flow rate using most types of flow meters, it is recommended that a straight section of pipe be installed immediately upstream and downstream of the flow meter to avoid flow fluctuations at the meter location. However, in many cases, flow disturbances upstream of the meter are unavoidable.

The performance of field flow measurements in non-ideal piping scenarios were studied …

Generative Ai In Education From The Perspective Of Students, Educators, And Administrators, Aashish Ghimire

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This research explores how advanced artificial intelligence (AI), like the technology that powers tools such as ChatGPT, is changing the way we teach and learn in schools and universities. Imagine AI helping to summarize thick legal documents into something you can read over a coffee break or helping students learn how to code by offering personalized guidance. We looked into how teachers feel about using these AI tools in their classrooms, what kind of rules schools have about them, and how they can make learning programming easier for students. We found that most teachers are excited about the possibilities but …

Resilience Of Birds To Habitat Change: Identification Of Interspecific Variation In Avian Resilience And Its Possible Mechanisms, Amanda L. Hayes-Puttfarcken

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Humans have been changing landscape features that are important to birds for many years. This is a problem because 3 billion birds have been lost since 1970 and this affects our lives every day, since birds help us by pollinating our crops and controlling pests, among other services. It is critical that we understand which birds are most susceptible to a changing landscape so that we can slow their decline. Understanding birds’ resilience to these habitat changes can help wildlife managers make better informed decisions for birds living in a changing world. We looked at which bird species are present …

Revegetation Strategies For Native Wetland Plant Restoration In The Face Of Phragmites Australis Reinvasion And Hydrologic Extremes, Maddie Houde

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Reestablishing native plant communities in degraded habitats through seeding or planting ("revegetation") is a necessary step to restore ecosystems and their functions (e.g., supporting biodiversity, nutrient cycling, etc.). Globally, wetlands have suffered high rates of degradation and also experience numerous invasions. Invasive species are those that cause environmental, economic, or societal harm. Phragmites australis is a widespread invasive species that outcompetes native plants and reduces habitat diversity. Reestablishing native plant communities can limit P. australis invasion, yet effective methods to do so remain somewhat untested in wetlands. Additionally, stressful environmental conditions can increase plant mortality in revegetation efforts. In semi-arid …