Arts and Humanities Commons^™

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.

Reproduction Of An Original Edith Head Design, Rebekah Jackson, Dr. Mary Farahnakian

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project has been an involved approach to studying the history of costume design both through conventional research and the more tactile, construction process. While Edith Head is a renowned costume designer with many books and articles on her life work, less has been done to understand how her designs functioned and evolved from idea to costume. This process is essential to understanding her career’s success and is exactly what my project is meant to explore. Studying how her design for The Great Race (1965) was changed from concept to construction gives valuable insight to how Head thought as a …

Martial Arts In Modern Dance, Kaitlin Fayles, Dr. Jiamin Huang

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of my ORCA project was to learn the history and basic techniques of Chinese martial arts and incorporate these movements into a modern dance piece that I, as a dance major (and martial arts student), would choreograph for my senior project.

Modern Method For Guitar, Brady Bills, Dr. Larry Green

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Over the last semester and summer I have been developing a modern guitar method book. I have been consulting with Larry Green (my faculty mentor) as well as reading many different guitar method books. I came to find that the reason why many of the method books were failing was due to a lack of attractive content and a early focus on chords rather than single notes. I developed my method based upon single notes then progessively moving into small chords (2 or 3 notes only) and gradually move into full chords (4,5 and 6 notes).

Three Animated Stories That Will Change The World, William Day, Dr. Justin Kunz

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project sought to teach basic life, moral, and gospel lessons in a direct and compelling manner. Working closely with my mentor, other faculty, and artistically minded peers, the project succeeded in reaching a new world audience and sharing life changing content.

The Children’S Literacy Project: Classic Literature As A Graphic Novel, Joshua Talbot, Robert Barrett

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the fall of 2011, my fellow classmates and I decided to create a graphic novel anthology of classic literature as an encouragement for young children to read great, time-tested writing (I decided on Treasure Island). The following is my continued experience on this project, the project’s outcomes and how this project has affected me as an artist, group member and visual communicator.

Béla Kondor And The Transatlanticism Of The Faux-Naïve Tradition, Kev Nemelka, Dr. James Swensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In preparation for my capstone/thesis project, I researched the life and works of Béla Kondor, a Hungarian Faux-Naïve Symbolist artist of the mid-twentieth century, and how his works are comparable to Utah Faux-Naïvists Andrew Ballstaedt, Fidalis Buehler, and Brian Kershisnik. Before I arrived in Budapest I arranged interviews and tours with the Contemporary Art Curator at the Hungarian Museum of Fine Art, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Gábor Kogárt Art Foundation, the Contemporary Art Curator for the Miskolc Museum of Art, and one of the lead Hungarian scholars on Kondor’s oeuvre. I also hired a translator …

Website To Preserve Unique Information On German Composer Luise Greger, Camila Trujillo Medina, Dr. Michelle Scott James

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The endeavor to preserve the memory of German composer Luise Greger (1862-1944) has taken me and my mentor, Dr. Michelle James, head of the German and Slavic Department, into the almost unexplored topic of early 20th century German music. Since very little effort has been devoted to Greger’s music, there have been but few sources we could turn to as we have gathered contextual information to frame Greger’s significance in history. As a result, we have been able to delve into an exciting area of knowledge, breaking ground where barely anyone else had been.

The Savior In Lds Sermons, Joseph R. Stuart, Dr. J Spencer Fluhman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My research concerned the apostolic teachings in the General Conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-­‐day Saints from 1951-­‐2007. Specifically, I was searching for evidence that the Church has always been Christ-­‐centric in its official teachings. Christ was certainly in present, in every talk, but theological discussions were few and far between. In reading the words of prophets, seers, and revelators, I was able to grasp where the Church has come from, and perhaps where it is going in the future.

Elaine Cannon Papers, Melissa Kotter, Dr. Mary Jane Woodger

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Elaine Cannon Papers project involved deep research through primary sources (Elaine Cannon’s journals and papers) about Elaine Cannon’s life. Once the research is completed, a proposal for a biography appearing in Richard Turley’s Women of Faith in the Latter Days volumes will be written. The Women of Faith in the Latter Days volume featuring modern-day women will not be ready for a few years (this biography would appear in volume 6), so the Elaine Cannon biography will not be published until a few years later. However, the proposal for the biography will be submitted once the deep-research is finished.

Preserving Byu’S Ancient Papyri, Parchments, And Ostraca, Joseph Trevor Antley, Dr. Lincoln Blumell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Currently approximately 80% of the hundreds of ancient papyrus, parchment, and ostracon fragments contained in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections of BYU’s Harold B. Lee Library have been successfully preserved by myself and the others who worked on this project with me, ensuring that these valuable pieces will survive in-tact for many more years in BYU’s collection. The remaining 20%, mostly consisting of very small fragments, will be preserved by us over the coming year.

Kirtland School House, Caitlin Daniels, Dr. Dennis Wright

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Kirtland school house restored by the LDS Church was built by studying the building’s history using historical records and research. However, little research was done into how the school operated during its time. Throughout the project, we collected and analyzed primary and secondary research concerning the school, including the educational practices and laws of the time. This information was composed into an organized report divided into specialized sections which allow the reader to easily identify different aspects of the school house and how it was run.

The Use Of Diacritical Marks In Our Earliest New Testament Papyri, Alan Taylor Farnes, Dr. Thomas Wayment

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I unfortunately was not able to complete this specific research project on diacritical marks but rather applied these funds to my honors thesis. Therefore, my report will focus on the results and experiences of my honors thesis which also had a substantial mentoring element from Dr. Wayment.

The Savior In Lds Sermons, Joseph R. Stuart, Dr. J. Spencer Fluhman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My research concerned the apostolic teachings in the General Conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-­‐day Saints from 1951-­‐2007. Specifically, I was searching for evidence that the Church has always been Christ-­‐centric in its official teachings. Christ was certainly in present, in every talk, but theological discussions were few and far between. In reading the words of prophets, seers, and revelators, I was able to grasp where the Church has come from, and perhaps where it is going in the future.

The Failure Of The Kirtland Safety Society And Its Effect On The Faith Of The Latter-Day Saints, Jordan Bell, Dr. Richard Bennett

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our research suggests that though the late Kirtland period was very difficult for the faith of the Latter-Day Saints, a large majority continued to identify with the Church through the Nauvoo period. Significant numbers eventually gathered with the Saints in Utah.1

From Acorn To Oak Tree: The Beginnings Of The Remarkable Growth Of The Church In Brazil, Frederick G. Williams

Faculty Publications

This presentation talks about the beginnings of LDS Church growth in Brazil.

Women’S Writing: An Annotated Reader, Alexander Smith, Dr. Michelle James

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Before beginning this project I was aware of the vast variety of literature available in both English and German language. Having been fortunate enough to work with Dr. James already on the Sophie Project, an undertaking of the Department of Germanic and Slavic here at BYU, I was also aware of the number of German-language literature pieces that Dr. James has collected over the past years. However, I was not aware of the impact that this literature can have and the insights that it can provide.

A Matter Of Perspective British Education On The American Revolution, Devon Zimmerman, Dr. Eric Dursteler

Journal of Undergraduate Research

While history attempts to be factual, history is primarily about perspective, which can sometimes lead to very biased information. Perspective causes countries to have significantly different accounts of the same events, especially wars. In the case of the American Revolution, England and the United States have very different historical accounts of the war. Americans are proud of this event because it represents the birth of their nation and the triumph of common people. While it is said that history is written by the victors, the vanquished certainly have a story of their own. However, little insight is given to what …

The Earliest Mormon Understanding Of God, Benjamin Brown, Dr. David L. Paulsen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My research for this project was supportive of a larger project already underway by Dr. Paulsen and Ari Bruening. The project investigates claims by certain scholars concerning the teachings of the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (hereafter LDS Church) relative to the nature of God. The final product was a manuscript submitted to Koffard Books for subsequent publication. In addition to my research role, I also extensively edited the document, proposed and implemented major changes, and managed a research staff of a size varying from six to twelve people in their research, editing, fact checking, and writing …

The Greek And Sanskrit Grammarians: A Comparative Analysis, Randall Craig Meister, Dr. Polyxeni Strolonga

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The ancient grammarians of Greece and India followed an informatively comparable methodology in the light of modern-day ancient language pedagogy. This study examined the ancient texts of the Ashtadhyayi by Panini, Techne Grammike by Dionysius Thrax, and Peri Syntaxeos by Apollonius Dyscolus in terms of structure, potential application, and the reality of modern-day application within educational settings. Such an analysis yielded invaluable information concerning a number of common trends and principles among two of the central civilizations to influence the indo-european tradition of language teaching throughout the ages.

“Never In History Did Ill-Breeding Contribute So Much Towards The Dissolution Of Empire”: Cultural Attitudes In A Passage To India, Leigh Meister, Dr. Francesca Lawson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I can honestly say that this ORCA-sponsored research has turned out to be one of the most valuable aspects of my undergraduate career. While several elements of my finished project did not meet my initial expectations, this research opportunity taught me to be adaptable and observant. My ORCA research is the foundation for my Honors thesis, which will be submitted in its final form in the upcoming months for graduation with University Honors in April 2012. This completed thesis will be available in the Harold B. Lee Library for reference by future library patrons.

2010-2011 Orca Grant Final Report, Barret Daniel Lybbert, Dr. Brian Roberts

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This past summer I was able to travel to New York City from 5 July to 12 July. My initial plan was to stay a few days in a hotel and a few in a student hostel. However, I saved money by networking with a few of my father’s contacts and found an LDS family (BYU alumni) to host me while I was staying in the city. It was very helpful to have a New Yorker to guide me through my first few days in the city. I spent the first day navigating the library and acquiring and completing the …

Exploring The Everyday Phenomena Of Post-Genocide Rwanda Through Ethnographic Creative Nonfiction Writing, Danielle Leavitt, Dr. Leonard Tourney

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Despite often being esteemed for its remarkable recovery after the complete devastation that occurred in the 1994 genocide, Rwanda is still portrayed as a dangerously plundered society and remains recognized in the West as an un-safe, chaotic area. These incorrect perceptions are rife with contradictory assertions and images and a discrepancy between image and reality.1 Post-genocide Rwanda—only seventeen years after its historically brutal genocide—is listed as one of the safest and most orderly countries in Africa. Additionally, sexually, physically, and emotionally abused and neglected Rwandan women, who made up 70% of Rwanda’s living population following the catastrophe in 1994, have …

The Accessions Of Jane, Mary, And Elizabeth: Redefining Royal, Religious, And Sexual Power In History And Literature, Averyl Dietering, Dr. Brandie Siegfried

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The object of my ORCA grant project was to show the changing views toward royalty/power, religion, and gender which occurred in English culture and literature as direct results of the reigns of Lady Jane Grey, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. I focused specifically on the accessions of these three women, since a monarch’s accession (the time after the previous monarch’s death and the new monarch’s coronation) is a critical period for establishing the monarch’s style and methods of rule. To understand the effect which these monarchs had on English literature, I researched and analyzed three seventeenth-century English plays, each of …