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Advancing Methods To Quantify Actual Evapotranspiration In Stony Soil Ecosystems, Kshitij Parajuli

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water is undeniably among the most important natural resources and the most critical in semi-arid regions like the Intermountain West of the United States. Such regions are characterized by low precipitation, the majority of which is transferred to the atmosphere from the soil and vegetation as evapotranspiration (ET). Quantification of ET is thus crucial for understanding the balance of water within the region, which is important for efficiently planning the available water resources. This study was motivated towards advancing the estimation of actual ET (ET_A) in mountain ecosystems, where the variation in different types of vegetation and non-uniformity …

Weaving A Religious Community: Monasticism, Authority, And Theology In Gujarat, 1830-1905, Kirtan Patel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis demonstrates the intersection of caste, doctrine, religious authority and monasticism in the Swaminarayan sampradāy, a Hindu devotional tradition founded by Sahajānand Svāmī. Religious traditions affected indirectly or minimally by colonialism or the nationalist struggle have seldom been rigorously studied. This thesis brings attention to the Swaminarayan sampradāy to highlight how pervasive societal discourses like that of caste and internal doctrinal developments, impacted religious developments concerning authority, hierarchy, and power. The reification of a doctrine and the creation of a theological office, coupled with the deification of a monk, Guṇātītānand Svāmī, and his low-caste disciple Prāgjī manifested a …

Effects Of Livestock Grazing Management Practices On Greater Sage-Grouse Nest And Female Survival, Seth J. Dettenmaier

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The decline in greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) populations across western North America has been primarily attributed to loss and fragmentation of their sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats. This habitat loss is largely the result of increased human activities, with grazing by domestic livestock as the most predominant land use across the sagebrush ecosystem in North America. The goal of my research was to increase our understanding of the effects of livestock on sage-grouse populations. I reviewed the peer-reviewed literature for all published studies that reported potential effects of grazing on grouse species worldwide. I found that there …

Application Aware Reconfigurable Antennas And Arrays For 5g And Beyond Wireless Communication Systems, Md Asaduzzaman Towfiq

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Antennas enable wireless communication by transmission and reception of electromagnetic (EM) signals, which carry information in space. Signal reception and hence the quality of service depends significantly on the antenna properties, e.g. radiation pattern, operational frequency, and polarization. Legacy antennas, with their fixed properties, fail to adapt to the changing environment and degrade signal quality. Reconfigurable antennas (RAs) capable of changing their properties dynamically increase the capacity and data rate of wireless systems while offering a compact design. However, these advantages come at the cost of increased complexity compared to legacy antennas. Therefore it is important to design RAs with …

Development And Fitness Consequences Of Onshore Behavior Among Polar Bears In The Southern Beaufort Sea Subpopulation, Kate M. Lillie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are experiencing rapid and substantial changes to their environment due to global climate change. Polar bears of the southern Beaufort Sea (SB) have historically spent most of the year on the sea ice. However, recent reports from Alaska indicate that the proportion of the SB subpopulation observed onshore during late summer and early fall has increased considerably. Previous research suggests that the number of polar bears onshore is linked to sea ice conditions and the availability of subsistence-harvested whale carcasses, which are referred to as bone piles. My objectives were to determine the development …

Development And Characterization Of Aqueous-Based Recombinant Spider Silk Protein Biomaterials With Investigations Into Potential Applications, Thomas I. Harris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Spider silks are incredible natural materials that possess desirable combinations of strength, elasticity, weight, and robustness. Other properties such as biocompatibility and biodegradability further increase the worth of these materials. The possibility of farming spiders is impractical due to spiders’ natural behaviors. Modern biotechnologies have allowed for recombinant spider silk proteins (rSSps) to be produced without the use of spiders. However, the features responsible for spider silks impressive properties can cause difficulties with producing silk materials. A recently developed water-based and biomimetic solvation method has provided a solution to such difficulties and has also led to novel silk biomaterials. Most …

Nonstandard Employment And The Risk Of Divorce In South Korea, Donghyun Kim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite a persistent increase in South Korea’s divorce rate, our understanding of the economic determinants of divorce in South Korea is very limited. In particular, the relationship between nonstandard employment and divorce has received little attention, even though the number of nonstandard employees has rapidly increased in recent years. This paper examines the extent to which one’s employment type is associated with marital dissolution in South Korea, using nationally representative longitudinal data (the Korea Welfare Panel Study from 2007 to 2013). Results from discrete-time hazard models show that for men, the odds of divorce of nonstandard workers are estimated to …

Enhancing Spider-Silk Protein Materials Through Continuous Electrospinning And Photo-Initiated Cross-Linking, Dan Gil

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Spider-silk is known as one of the stronger natural materials, unfortunately it is impossible to farm spiders due to their territorial and cannibalistic nature. To address this issue, researchers have studied spider-silk to discover how it is produced in nature. From their results, spider-silk is composed of large sized proteins produced in two different cell types. Using this knowledge, researchers created transgenic organisms capable of producing spider-silk proteins in large quantities. Using these proteins, several groups have created fibers, films, hydrogels, and adhesives with robust and versatile properties.

Wet-spinning is a technique commonly used to create fibers from spider-silk proteins. …

Culture Matters: Career And Life Expectations And Outcomes Among Business School Alumni, Ace Beorchia

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Women have made great strides in narrowing the gender gap in professional fields. However, women are still significantly underrepresented and face substantial challenges in reaching top professional positions in business. Recently, in its Life and Leadership After HBS study, the Harvard Business School surveyed its graduate school alumni to better understand “gendered dimensions of life and career that [are] crucial to advancing women leaders” (Harvard Business School 2013). This groundbreaking study found that both men and women have similar career aspirations and expectations upon graduating from HBS, yet men are more likely than women to achieve their career goals.

My …

Uncertainty Quantification And Sensitivity Analysis Of Multiphysics Environments For Application In Pressurized Water Reactor Design, Cole David Blakely

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The most common design among U.S. nuclear power plants is the pressurized water reactor (PWR). The three primary design disciplines of these plants are system analysis (which includes thermal hydraulics), neutronics, and fuel performance. The nuclear industry has developed a variety of codes over the course of forty years, each with an emphasis within a specific discipline. Perhaps the greatest difficulty in mathematically modeling a nuclear reactor, is choosing which specific phenomena need to be modeled, and to what detail.

A multiphysics computational environment provides a means of advancing simulations of nuclear plants. Put simply, users are able to combine …

The Effects Of Cultural Diplomacy On Public Perception In Asia, Joseph R. Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many states use their cultures to promote a positive image of themselves abroad. Some scholars argue that this can provide states with international benefits. However, other scholars point to cases where a foreign state’s cultural influence has led to nationalist backlashes and negative public reactions. In this paper, I examine how two common types of cultural diplomacy programs can influence how states are perceived abroad.

I first look at the promotion of pop culture products, such as books, movies, and music. Using survey data from 12 Asian countries, I find that an increase in cultural product imports from Japan, South …

Promoting Sociodramatic Play Between Children With Autism And Their Typically Developing Peers Using Activity Schedules, Azure J. Pellegrino

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate behavioral deficits and excesses that can adversely affect their play skills. Teaching children with ASD to use activity schedules with embedded scripts have led to increased appropriate game play with other children with autism and typically developing peers; however, there is sparse research on promoting more dynamic social play in children with ASD. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of teaching the use of activity schedules with embedded scripts on the sociodramatic play of preschoolers with ASD with their typically developing peers. We also examined the extent to …

Water Entry Cavity Dynamics, Nathan B. Speirs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

When a sphere or a stream of water hits the surface of a pool of water and enters a crater or air cavity often forms. This topic has been studied, both formally and informally, for a long time. This dissertation investigates four areas of water impact that are still poorly understood using high-speed photography. First, it examines a stream of droplets impacting on a pool of water, similar to a faucet drizzling into a full bucket. For these types of impacts we predict the depth, diameter, velocity, and shape of the cavities that the droplet stream forms. Second, it examines …

Attracting Secondary Students To Stem Using A Summer Engineering Camp, Murad Mahmoud

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research was to study the benefits of having middle school students attend a summer camp focused on the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). A lot of research funding is being used in such camps to help get more students into STEM fields as there is a lack of graduates in those fields. Therefore, it is important to understand the benefits and effectiveness of such camps.

Students, teachers and parents were involved in this research. Students and teachers attended a one-week engineering camp at Utah State University while parents were involved via a blog …

Three Essays On The Economics Of Controlling Mobile-Source Episodic Air Pollution, Ramjee Acharya

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cache County and the Wasatch Front, Utah have persistently experienced some of the nation’s worst air quality over the past decade. Elevated PM2.5 concentrations during wintertime “red air day” episodes frequently exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). We investigate the possible effects of two different economic policies in controlling these regional problems. Adapting a model originally developed to calculate the social investment necessary to control nationwide disease outbreaks, we estimate an optimal preventative capital stock (for example, investment in public transportation) of between $4.1 million and $14.1 million to control red air day episodes in Cache County, and …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd) And Positive And Negative Social Support As Components Of The Interpersonal Psychological Theory Of Suicide In The United States Military Veterans, Jordan M. Kugler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Veterans are at a greater risk for suicide compared to the general population. Suicide risk further increases for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS) states that a combination of higher perceived burden and lower thwarted belonging increases risk for suicidal ideation (SI), and when SI is present, higher acquired capability for suicide (ACFS) increases risk for suicide attempt. The IPTS is well supported in samples of the general population, but understudied in military samples. The current study tested the IPTS, using PTSD severity in place of perceived burden, and bothersomeness of negative social …

Comparison Of Stimulus Delivery Methods Via An Ipad To Teach The Expressive Labeling Of Action Verbs To Children With Autism, Amy M. Heaps

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Delays in communication are one of the defining characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Educators have begun using technology to teach students with ASD to label different items. However, more research needs to be conducted with technology (such as iPads and other tablets) to find the most effective teaching procedures. We wanted to find the most effective way to teach children with ASD age-appropriate action verbs, such as drawing and painting. Five preschool-aged students with ASD participated in this study. We taught these participants to label action verbs using pictures and short video clips, to test which method was the …

Growth Characteristics Of Lactobacillus Wasatchensis And Its Detection And Enumeration Using Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, Isaac Brockbank Bowen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There are numerous challenges encountered during the manufacturing and storage of cheese by both the large-scale and artesian producers. One such challenge has been the formation of late gassy defect, which occurs when gas is produced by certain lactic acid bacteria found in the cheese block during storage and aging over a three month time period. Negative consequences of late gas production are slits and cracks in the cheese block and puffy cheese packaging, which cause significant financial losses for manufacturers along with poor consumer acceptance.

Lactobacillus wasatchensis is one such lactic acid bacterium shown to produce gas during cheese …

Contextual Factors In The Identity Development Of Native American And Latinx Undergraduates In Stem Fields, Angela Marie Enno

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study includes two papers that aimed to provide insights into the experiences of high-achieving Latinx and Native American college students studying science. We wanted to better understand factors that influence these students’ ability to develop a sense of identity that weaves together their hoped-for careers as scientists as well as their cultural identities. We looked at how they feel about working with mentors in science fields who were like them in a variety of ways. We found that many students (especially those with a stronger sense of cultural identity) valued working with mentors who were similar to them in …

The Effects Of Noncontingent Reinforcement With Signals On Problem Behavior In The Classroom Setting, Jannica Pozulos

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research has shown noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) to be an effective intervention in reducing inappropriate behavior (i.e., problem behavior) when implemented prior to its occurrence in both clinical and applied settings. Some research suggests problem behavior of teenagers and adults with disabilities may be reduced at greater rates when NCR is implemented in combination with signals (e.g., visual timers). Additional research is warranted to investigate if the positive effects of NCR can be enhanced using signals when working with young children with autism. This study evaluated the effects of NCR when implemented with and without a visual timer on the problem …

Homeless Social Service Workers As Street-Level Bureaucrats, Curtis Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Social service outreach workers serving homeless populations exemplify what Michael Lipsky calls street-level bureaucrats (SLBs) who exercise discretionary power in the performance of their professional roles. This dissertation draws on over 200 hours of ethnographic fieldwork in an urban center in the Mountain West to examine the challenges faced by homeless outreach workers and case managers in serving the needs of homeless clients and the practices they use to manage those challenges. Using a grounded theory analysis of participant observation and interview data, this dissertation focuses on what is termed “aggressive advocacy” in which social service SLBs creatively and actively …

A Modern Plague: U.S. Racial And Ethnic Vaccination Disparities During The 2009 H1n1 Influenza Pandemic, Andrew E. Burger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

On June 11, 2009 the World Health Organization announced that a novel strain of H1N1 influenza was being classified a Phase 6 pandemic, the highest level of alarm indicating that the disease was present worldwide and its spread was inevitable. While seasonal influenza epidemics occur annually, the 2009 H1N1 strain was the first novel pandemic influenza since the 1968 Hong Kong flu. The 2009 H1N1 pandemic provides a case study of how the U.S. population responded to an emergent and potentially lethal infectious disease. The richness and variety of public health data presents an opportunity to examine predictors of vaccination …

Evaluation Of Therapeutics For An Enterovirus 71 Infection In An Ag129 Mouse Model, Christopher Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Discovered in 1969 in California, enterovirus 71 (EV-71) is a serious cause of disease in young children. It is one of the major causative agents of hand, food, and mouth disease (HFMD), and can produce neurological complications, such as meningitis, encephalitis, and an acute flaccid paralysis. For serious cases, the fatality rate can be up to 26%, almost exclusively in young children.

While the virus was initially discovered in the United States, it was soon detected in the Eastern hemisphere, causing outbreaks in Europe and Asia. The largest outbreak occurred in Taiwan in 2008, with approximately 490,000 cases and 128 …

Silage Corn Hybrid Response To Row Width And Plant Density In The Intermountain West, Mark A. Pieper

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Corn (Zea mays L.) hectarage has increased rapidly in Utah and Idaho in recent years due to expansion of the dairy industry, but little is known about corn production practices that optimize yield and quality of silage corn in semi-arid irrigated cropping systems. The objective of this study was to determine the dry matter yield and quality effects of corn hybrids grown in different plant densities and row widths in the Intermountain West. Field experiments were conducted under irrigation in 2015 and 2016 at locations near North Logan, Utah and Jerome, Idaho. The experimental design was a randomized complete …

Influence Of Global Atmospheric Circulation Variations On Weather And Climate Extremes, Yen-Heng Lin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Global warming and climate change deeply influence weather and climate extremes, causing substantial property damage and loss every year around the world. Given the importance of heating differences between low-latitude and Arctic regions, which produce heat sources and cold sources that each influence global circulations, we investigate three extreme weather events in different regions in order to better understand the possible connections between extreme events and global circulation changes.

This study begins with climate variations in the low-latitude western North Pacific. In early summer, the timing of the wet season has shifted from late May to early June since 1979. …

Towards The Prediction Of Climate Extremes With Attribution Analysis Through Climate Diagnostics And Modeling: Cases From Asia To North America, Boniface Opoku Fosu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This project summarizes the findings of research organized in two parts. The first involved the characterization of changes in the variability of climate that lead to extreme events. The second focused on the predictability of extreme climate on time-scales ranging from short forecast lead-times to long-lead climate predictions exceeding a year.

Initial studies focused on three interrelated, yet regionally unique extreme climate phenomena. First, the relationship between increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and particulate matter (PM) concentration in basin terrain was investigated. Next, we evaluated changes in large-scale atmospheric circulation associated with two climate phenomena at either extreme side of …

Characterization Of Carbon Nanostructured Composite Film Using Photothermal Measurement Technique, Kurt E. Harris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Graphene is a form of carbon with unique thermal and structural properties, giving it high potential in many applications, from electronics to driveway heating. Advanced fabrication techniques putting small, graphene-like structures in a polymer matrix could allow for incorporation of some of the benefits of graphene into very lightweight materials, and allow for broader commercialization. Measuring the thermal properties of these thin-film samples is a technical capability in need of development for use with the specific specimens used in this study. Relating those thermal properties to the microstructural composition was the focus of this work.

Several conclusions could be drawn …

Characterization Of Lactose Fatty Acid Esters For Their Microbial Growth Inhibitory Activity And Emulsification Properties, Seung-Min Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sugar esters, substances made from bonding fatty acid tails to a sugar head, can play a number of key roles in food systems from antimicrobial agents to emulsifiers. These unique and very useful properties result from their water-loving and water-avoiding ends. Lactose, a sugar found in milk, based esters are important, as they are environmentally friendly and inexpensive, however, they are not very well understood. I created four different types of lactose esters: lactose monooctanoate (LMO), lactose monodecanoate (LMD), lactose monolaurate (LML) and lactose monomyristate (LMM), and then compared them to each other to see which would be the best …

Desorption Of Trace Inorganic Contaminants From Solids In Drinking Water Distribution Systems, Tiana W. Hammer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In order to maintain high quality safe drinking water, we need to understand what happens after the water has been cleaned at the drinking water plant and before it gets to the consumer’s house. Even if low concentrations of toxic contaminants enter the drinking water distribution system (DWDS) there is potential for contaminants to accumulate and be released by changes in flow or water conditions in high concentrations at the tap. For this study, we collected solid material from Park City, Utah that accumulated within the DWDS, along with a year of monthly monitoring of the DWDS. These solids were …

Evaluation Of 'Structure-From-Motion' From A Pole-Mounted Camera For Monitoring Geomorphic Change, Rebecca K. Rossi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Emerging "Structure-from-Motion" (SfM) photogrammetry techniques encourage faster, cheaper, and more accessible field methods for accurately reconstructing 3D topography. The SfM method consists of collecting sets of overlapping images of the ground surface with a point and shoot camera, and reconstructing surface topography from the images with developed software programs. This research develops and implements a SfM image acquisition method and post-processing workflow as a supplemental technique to the traditional total-station method to aid in monitoring sandbar change in Marble and Grand Canyons along the Colorado River in Arizona. Due to permitting in Grand Canyon National Park, a 4.9 m pole-mounted …