Arts and Humanities Commons^™

“Mary Is Now To Be The Sower”: The Rebellious Proselytizing In Mary Sturlaugson’S Memoirs, Jennifer Duqué, Dr. Rachel Cope

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My project focuses on Mary Sturlaugson’s memoirs, and discusses how the memoir genre allowed Sturlaugson to both faithfully and subversively voice her position on the LDS Church’s denial of salvational ordinances to Black people. The ORCA grant has generously subsidized my research, providing the financial assistance that allowed me to focus on my project during my last year at BYU. My mentor, Dr. Rachel Cope, and I have carefully inspected Sturlaugson’s memoirs and historically contextualized them using primary sources and existing literature regarding Black Mormon history. I anticipate submitting the manuscript to A|B: Autobiography Studies, the Journal of Mormon History, …

Eight Figurines From Fag El-Gamous, Egypt Interpreting Style And Function In Relation To The Culture Of The Graeco-Roman Fayoum, Aubrye Young, Dr. David Whitchurch

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Ongoing archaeological evidence provides scholars new opportunities to glean information to better understand the history of Roman Egypt. In 1981, Brigham Young University began excavating a site in Egypt locally referred to as Fag el-Gamous (“Way of the Water Buffalo”) which, to date, has resulted in the exhumation of hundreds of mummies. Artifacts collected with these burials provide a unique opportunity to examine firsthand these artifacts within the cultural context of Roman Egypt.

Prophetic Harmony: Bringing Together The Disparate Voices Of Isaiah, David B. Ridge, Dr. Shon Hopkin

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the academic year 2012–2013 I received an ORCA Grant from BYU. Under the mentorship of Dr. Shon Hopkin of the Department of Ancient Scripture, I began working on a project to create a textual harmony of four different versions of the Book of Isaiah; the King James Version, the Joseph Smith Translation, the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon, and the various manuscripts of Isaiah among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Our intention was to create a manuscript of this textual harmony suitable for publication as a textbook for classes on the Book of Isaiah.

Dürer’S Window: The Renaissance Problem Of Seeing The Word Through Perspective-Colored Glasses, Laura Hatch, Dr. Matt Ancell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I organized this research project in order to better understand the philosophical implications of linear perspective in Western Renaissance art. Artists and theorists have long understood linear perspective as a specific artistic technique, but my research was an exploration of what linear perspective represents in terms of how human beings construct and represent knowledge. By performing a phenomenological reading of German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer’s woodcut Draughtsman Drawing a Recumbent Woman (1525),1 it was my initial hope to show how this ubiquitous image could be read as a recognition of and exposure of linear perspective’s failure to capture and truly …

Buffalo Bill’S Wild West And Cultural Ambassadorship, Robert Polo, Dr. Frank Christianson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

On Thursday, March 31, 1887, William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody left New York aboard “The State of Nebraska.” He headed for England along with the Wild West, a band of “more than two hundred men and animals, consisting of Indians, cowboys…Mexican wild riders, celebrated rifle shots,” and various forms of livestock (Cody 18). This voyage to the motherland represented a new chapter in the showman’s life. His alleged triumphs as Colonel William Frederick Cody, guide and scout, did not compare to the potential victories on the new frontier of his career: England.

Reader Self-Perception And Mobile Technology, T. Jace Brown, Dr. Dawan Coombs

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The rate of technological advancement can seem dizzying, particularly for teachers who feel tasked with helping students learn about this technology. As technologies like the personal computer, the Internet and, now, smart phones and tablets, have become more powerful and more affordable, teachers have felt increasing pressure to incorporate these devices into classrooms as a way of preparing students for the future workplace.

Women Unafraid Of Criticism: An Annotated Bibliography Of Women Journalists Of The Neue Freie Presse 1920-1933, Carl Hayden, Dr. Robert Mcfarland

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Though women may have hidden behind masculine façade’s as indicated by Ann Tizia Leitich’s chastising remark, they definitely were not remaining as quite as they once did. Compared to the late 1800’s where one would be lucky to find five articles written by women in a given month, one can easily find about thirty in a given month during the 1920’s. Women expressed not only views about fashion in these articles, but also critiqued Freud, submitted literary analyses, created wonderful allegories and shaped the views of the United States of America and Japan. Through Professor Robert McFarland’s and my efforts, …

Germans & The Wild West: A Cinematic Reinvention Of German National Identity In The Cold-War Period, Romy Franks

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A few weeks ago, I was in my office with my younger sister, Maya, as she looked over our International Cinema poster. To my astonishment, I heard her say, “What? There’s a German film about Indians? Weird!” I think my disbelief stemmed from the fact that I had just returned from a research trip in Germany to study this very topic. It dawned on me in that moment that if my own sister was unaware of the Germans’ love for cowboys and Indians, then how in tarnation would the general American public be expected to know about this?

The Folk Heroine Elise Von Der Recke: Her Life And The Fictions Surrounding It, Nathan Conder, Dr. Michelle James

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the late 18th century Count Cagliostro, an occult figure and magician, traveled across Europe preaching that he was able to contact the dead, and gaining many followers. In 1787 Elisa von der Recke, a woman with close connections to Cagliostro, wrote a book denouncing him as a fraud and warning others to not be taken in by him. Elisa von der Recke’s book was a huge sensation, first because it denounced one of Europe’s most notorious persons, and second, because it was written by a woman, and at that time women simply did not write these kinds of works. …

The Russian Fatalist Mentality: A Study Of The Protestant Ethic Among Russian Latter-Day Saint Converts, Daniel Cardoza, Dr. Tony Brown

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The traditional Russian mentality views life with an optimistic fatalism and passivity. This ideology is so inherently Russian that even grammar has adopted passive tendencies with phrases like mne prikhoditsia or mne nuzhno (“to me is necessitated,” or “to me is needed”), as opposed to standard English, constructions, “I must” or “I need” (with emphasis on the I as the agent of action). Typically, Russians see life as something that happens to them rather than something in which they participate. This mindset differs radically from the way in which Westerners view their place in the world.

Mercadante Etude Studies, Nicole Okeson, David Day

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I began my ORCA research studying the a book of etudes written by the composer Saverio Mercadante. We had done research and found that this particular book of etudes had not been published and felt that it would be a valuable book to publish. In studying the manuscript I became acquainted with Mercadante’s writing style and also gained insight into the workings of the Classical Flute, which is vastly different from today’s modern flute in mechanism and agility.

The Greatdivorce: An Experience Together — How Relationships In A Company Affect The Relationship Between Actors And Audience In Performance, Isaac Walter, Rodger Sorensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Both Peter Brook1 and Jerzy Grotowski,2 two of the most important theatre directors and theoreticians of this century, have stated that the basis for all theatre is the actor/audience relationship. It is what makes theatre a unique art form. Without this relationship you may have another art form, such as film, but the real power of theatre comes from actors and audience communing with one another.

Joseph Smith As A Student Of Languages, Stephen Owen Smoot, Dr. Stephen D. Ricks

Journal of Undergraduate Research

During his prophetic career, Joseph Smith spent considerable time and effort towards the study of both modern and ancient languages. Historical evidence indicates that Joseph studied, or at least expressed interest in studying, Hebrew, Greek, Egyptian, Latin, and German. Although his study of these languages was evidently limited, and although he never became proficient in these languages, Joseph Smith nevertheless employed his understanding of these languages in his doctrinal discourses that in many instances led him to formulate creative theological innovations. Although he wasn’t a skilled linguist, and his understanding of some of these languages (particularly Hebrew and Egyptian) was …

Comparing Gains In German Vowel Production Across Three Learning Environments, Anna Katharina Burton, Dr. Laura C. Smith

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This study sought to compare pronunciation gains in German in three learning environments, focusing especially on the umlauted vowels, e.g., /ø:/ as in Schönheit ‘beauty’ and /y:/ as in üben ‘to practice.’ Our research aimed to answer the following questions: 1. In which learning environment do students make more improvement in vowel production during an 11-week period: on a Berlin Study Abroad (SA), living in the German House, or while taking German classes? And 2. To what extent do problems with production of umlauted vowels impact the way native speakers rate the pronunciation of learners’ vowels?

Likewise Folio: A New Journal Of Contemporary American Poetry, Kylan Rice, Conner Bassett, Dr. Susan Howe

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In a socially mediated age marked by competing identity politics, fractured and proliferating interests, and streamlined global connectivity, networking and community-building have become invaluable components of any venture /career goal. This is as true for lawyers or politicians as it is for poets and artists. The old adage, “it’s who you know,” is continuously validated and proven in job markets, in graduate schools, and in other sectors of the career-oriented world. To this end, Conner Bassett and I have used the funding provided us by an ORCA grant not only to expand the reach of our small online poetry journal, …

Progressive Vowel Nasalization In Brazilian Portuguese, N. Douglas Porter, Dr. Willis Fails

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This study examines the nature of nasalized vowels in Brazilian Portuguese and specifically looks at data regarding progressive nasalization, which occurs when a nasal consonant (like /m/ or /n/) affects how nasal the vowel is that follows it (as in the word mito or minto).

Building The Unsinkable Understanding: Margaret ‘Molly’ Brown And Her Legacy Through Architecture, Adam Lloyd, Dr. Kerry Soper

Journal of Undergraduate Research

On a visit to Denver, Colorado in November 2011, my girlfriend requested that we visit the Molly Brown House Museum as she had grown up watching the musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown. As we toured the museum, the architecture and interior design of the house caught my attention as it reminded me of the Gilded Age cottages in New England that I had learned about in my American Humanities class. My project was originally intended to explore the Gilded Age homes of Mining Age Colorado but, as I visited Denver in the summer of 2013, I was intrigued by the …

Putting The Muse To Music: German Composers And Elisa Von Der Recke, Aubrey Hatch, Dr. Michelle James, Cindy Brewer

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Some artists create music directly, while other artists—like Elisa von der Recke—inspire others to create music. Elisa von der Recke was a literary phenomenon in her era, a woman whose writing was taken seriously by male readers, thinkers, and, very importantly, by male composers. At the height of her popularity and shortly after her death, several of Germany’s best composers put Recke’s poetry to music. Unfortunately, for all of their popularity during the German Romantic period, Recke’s poems—as well as their musical accompaniments—have all but disappeared1. The purpose of this project was to both compile and transcribe music that was …

Sculpting Bombay Under The British Raj: Decorative Sculpture And The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Nicole Ashley Vance, Dr. Heather Belnap Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The seaport of Bombay is often referred to India’s “Gothic City.” Reminders of the British Raj are seen throughout South Bombay, embodied in Victorian architecture and sculpture. In the heart of the Bombay lies the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a massive, towering railway station blending neo-gothic and vernacular architectures of the nineteenth-century (fig. 1). The terminus is evidence of the unique relationship between the British, Parsees, and indigenous peoples during the rule of the British Raj, as European architects worked with Indian craftsmen to create a symbol of ‘progress’ in Colonial India. In keeping with the traditions of gothic revival architecture, …

Emerging From The Archives: Uncovering The Photographs Of Helen Post, Carlyle Schmollinger, Dr. James Swensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

For various reasons, Helen Post has largely been ignored in art history, yet her contributions to photography are significant, particularly during the 1930’s and 40’s. In her work she beautifully combined the emotional gravity of typically candid poses with an attention to design reminiscent of fine art. Her passionate commitment to photographing individuals typically passed over by most can engender confidence in any artist—or person for that matter. It is time Post received her due recognition.

Wet-Nurses In Victorian England, Abbie Black, Dr. Amy Harris

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Wet-nursing, or the occupation of a woman breast-feeding another woman’s child for money, was a common practice in England for most of the country’s history. Today, the practice is much less wide-spread and has a negative stigma attached. Since the mid-eighteenth century, there have been countless critical writings against wet-nursing, critiquing the practice morally and medically as a respectable profession. This continued until the practice disappeared from social convention in the late-nineteenth century due to advances in synthetic feeding practices. With this surge of critical texts, recent scholarship reflects the negative rhetoric that was prevalent for the past two centuries. …

Images Of Rail: An Exercise In Writing For Niche Media, Emma Penrod, Dr. Quint Randle

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Beginning in 1908, the Tooele Valley Railroad played a key role in bringing this dusty desert community up to speed with the Industrial Revolution. A collection of mining companies in the Bingham area, known then as Utah Consolidated, incorporated the railroad company and funded the construction of its six-mile-long line to connect the International Smelter to larger railroad lines including, among others, the Union Pacific. Vine Street happened to be the shortest route between the two points, so Utah Consolidated built its railway down the middle of the town’s main east-to-west thoroughfare. Before long, the railroad became a local icon. …

Successful Choral Rehearsal Strategies: A Systematic Approach, Christopher Machado, Dr. Ronald Staheli

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The collection of choral rehearsal strategies used in the choirs at BYU has been an enlightening project. I have discovered and documented many effective pedagogical tools, methods, buzzwords, imageries, and vocalises. New possibilities for the project have opened up as well, which will allow me to carry the research forward into the coming years.

Foundation: Live Electronic Music Exploring The Harmonic Series, Andrew Jensen, Dr. Steven Ricks

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The harmonic series is one of the most fundamental or foundational elements of musical harmony. The relationships between elements in this series explain why certain chords appeal to the human ear while others do not. My ORCA project involved creating a software synthesizer that uses the tones in the harmonic series to create improvised electronic music on a laptop computer. I performed in concert with the instrument at the Utah CrossTalk concert at the University of Utah on December 3, 2013. I copied the source code onto the computer in BYU’s Electronic Music Studio for composition faculty and students to …

The Dinner Guest A Film Exploration Of Motherhood, Kenneth Merrill, Jeff Parkin

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project began as a poorly-written draft of a script about a woman struggling against the strict social pressures of the 1950’s. I took on the task of turning it into a film because I liked the setting, the action, the tight dialogue, and I really thought that it could go some very interesting places. Of course, as the script got better, with the help of Martha Rallison (the writer), it breached the wall of generalities and evolved into a personal story about Hazel and her love for a wayward son, Allen, and the mad moments that every single one …

Children’S Expressions: Using The Creative Process Of Theatre To Instruct And Inspire Children In The Community, Danielle Peterson, Dr. Megan Sanborn Jones

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Most children’s theatre involves adults putting on plays for kids. Rarely are the children given the opportunity to sit in the creative seat. With this particular project, I attempted to shift the paradigm of “children’s theatre.” Working with the local Boys and Girls Club, I had the opportunity to allow children to design, plan and produce a brand new play. Children have vivid imaginations and are a vibrant sources of creativity. It is rare that they get this kind of opportunity but it is experiences like these that will always be cherished.

When Science Meets Art: Understanding The Results And . Methods Of The American Sagger Process, Jason Palmer, Brian Christensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The aims and purposes of this ORCA funded research project were two fold; first the funds would be used to renovate a heavily used kiln in the ceramics department to allow for greater atmospheric control, operator’s ease of use, and general safety. Second we would begin an investigation into the underlying forces that caused the characteristic color patterns inherent in the American Sagger process in an attempt to replicate these patterns in a more precise, controllable, and visually appealing way. Our hope was that through using rigorous scientific methods and controlled experimentation we would not only gain an understanding of …

Planning And Executing Concise And Powerful Imagery To Further The Cause Of India’S Top Small Ngo, Logan Havens, Paul Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This experience has been one of the most beneficial I have had in my education at Brigham Young University.

I worked with my mentor, Paul Adams, to learn from a new experience. Because I have been given so much, I wanted to learn to give back. I have always tried to volunteer at home and abroad, but I often found my services negligible compared to what I have to offer. I have picked weeds in Russia, played with children in Mexico, sung hymns in a mental institution in Lithuania, and more. During all of my service I had never been …

The Security Of Archaeological Museums In The Republic Of Turkey, Aaron Haines, Dr. James Swensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many countries throughout the world do not have adequate museum facilities to store and protect their antiquities. This is especially true of the Republic of Turkey which has a vast collection of antiquities, but outdated museum facilities and security. This has come to the attention of the international community because of Turkey’s aggressive efforts to recover antiquities from foreign museums. Turkey claims that these museums obtained these artifacts illegally and has demanded for their return. Turkey has been successful in recovering many of these antiquities from renowned international museums, but the preservation and security of these recovered antiquities is jeopardized …

Visual Storytelling In A Digital World: Creating An Interactive, Multi-Ending Ebook, Alyssa Scott, Robert Barrett

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project was to explore some of the new possibilities artists have to display artwork and tell stories by creating an interactive, multi-ending ebook. With new technology becoming more accessible every day, the digital medium has become a relevant way to get quality art and messages into people’s hands. By using this technology, I sought to create a type of story that the reader could interact with and give readers the opportunity to choose their own path and explore different storylines.