Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Characterizing The Charging Properties Of Lunar Dust Is Critical To Returning To The Moon, Heather Allen

Research on Capitol Hill

Reliable electron yield (EY) measurements of highly insulating granular particles have long been considered too difficult to collect due the many experimental complexities that arise from the nature of the granular materials. This has led to a critical knowledge gap for both engineering strategies and basic science issues essential for myriad important space applications. This talk will emphasize the preliminary EY measurements of highly insulating granular samples we have collected, including a range of sasmples with typical particle size ranging from ~1 μm to ~100 μm, samples with cubical, spherical and highly angular particle shapes, studies of highly angular Al2O3 …

Grinding Cocoa Changes Chocolate Properties, Joseph Cooney

Research on Capitol Hill

This research studies how the viscoelastic properties of chocolate change through the 72-hour grinding process of chocolate manufacturing. Utah State University's Aggie Chocolate Factory produces chocolate from single-origin sources, each of which has a unique flavor, and thus a unique chemistry. This research explores the effects of grinding time on the viscoelasticity of each of these origins' chocolate types, including dark, sweet dark chocolate, and milk chocolate. Chocolate is a non-Newtonian fluid and therefore the Casson model (eq. 1) was used to obtain values for viscosity and yield stress, τ^(1/2)=τ_0^(1/2)+(η_PL y' )^(1/2) (1) Where τ is the shear stress measured …

Utah's Food Processing Industry Can Manufacture Products From Cbd-Containing Lipids That Have Superior Texture And Consistency, Joseph Cooney, Isaac Hilton

Research on Capitol Hill

Sophomore Joseph is an Honors student and Undergraduate Research Fellow studying physics. Freshman Isaac, of Kaysville, studies civil and environmental engineering. Joseph and Isaac are exploring how cannabinoids impact the way that lipids function. A common way CBD is packaged is within foods, where it is frequently added to fats like cocoa butter or palm oil, and as the market for such products increase producers need to understand CBD will change the behavior of the fats they are using.In addition to this work, Joseph also volunteers for a physics lab. “Undergraduate research has let me explore fields outside my major …

Understanding The Decline In Successful Cattle Pregnancies, Andre Tu Nguyen

Research on Capitol Hill

USU junior Andre, a local Loganer, studies computer science and biology.He has been working in an animal science lab. Over time, we have seen a decline in successful dairy cattle pregnancies. This is a huge cause for concern for Utah, with milk sales at an estimated value of $405 million in 2020. Andre’s work has been in studying a certain protein in pregnant cattle; now that he has determined there is a decrease in this protein over the course of the pregnancy, he hopes to see whether that might impact its viability. Andre got involved in research in a high …

Melting Arctic Ice Exposes Possible Conflict For Us, China, Russia, Madeleine Alder

Research on Capitol Hill

USU senior Maddie, a Salt Lake City native, is an Honors student, Peak Summer Research Fellow, and USU Institute of Land, Water and Air intern. She studies Political Science. Maddie’s research dissects how rising temperatures and the resulting polar ice caps on our planet might impact international relations for the US. The opening of additional shipping lanes in previously-frozen waters could cause conflict between key actors. Maddie has been involved in research for nearly all of her undergrad degree, and says, “I love learning and I get excited to discover new connections between topics I am interested in. I like …

Can Common Carp Removal Reduce Algal Bloom Intensity In Utah Lake?, Cristina Chirvasa

Research on Capitol Hill

USU sophomore Cristina is an Honors student, Undergraduate Research Fellow, and Community Engaged Scholar studying fisheries and wildlife. Cristina theorizes that removing over-populous carp from Utah Lake will allow larger zooplankton to thrive, which in turn will consume more algae and reduce algal bloom intensity. Her tests so far have proven the first part of her theory, as zooplankton size went up when she removed carp. Next, Cristina will test if bigger zooplankton eat more algae. Cristina credits her love of nature to growing up without enough wilderness in urban Romania. She moved to Utah both for access to our …

Precipitation Is A Strong Predictor Of Airborne Ammonia Levels., Bridger Jorgensen, Casey Olson, Connor Snow

Research on Capitol Hill

USU senior Connor has lived in the Uintah Basin all his life and studies kinesiology. Senior Casey, a Cache Valley native, studies climate science and works at the Utah Climate Center. Junior Bridger, also of Cache Valley, studies nutrition science. They led and funded this project through a student grant. Casey was alarmed by the ammonia data he was collecting at the Climate Center. “I immediately began to wonder how this issue would evolve over the coming decades.” The three teamed up to take a look at how Logan’s record-breaking amount of ammonia in our air is impacting those who …

The Surface Conditions Of Spacecraft Panels May Significantly Affect Spacecraft Survivability, Trace Taylor

Research on Capitol Hill

USU junior Trace grew up in Brigham City and studies physics and electrical engineering. The majority of spacecraft failure is caused by electron charging on the outer surfaces of the craft. Additionally, contaminants on the craft can cause a film over surface panels, increasing the problem. Trace is studying how roughness on panels can mitigate this contamination as it affects the charging that can lead to craft failure. This research will help determine what optimal panel materials should be used in future spacecraft construction. Trace started research almost as soon as he came to campus in his freshman year, and …

Drones And “Ghost Guns”: Unregulated Legal Space, Tori Bodine

Research on Capitol Hill

Law enforcement agencies are fighting a two - pronged battle when it comes to emerging technologies: keeping up with new ways criminals are using technology and developing effective ways to combat these innovations, while balancing these challenges against preserving the individual liberties of law - abiding citizens. This conflict is especially apparent with regard to criminal use of commercial drones and the developing fringe market surrounding homemade untraceable firearms (“ghost guns”).

Transplanting A Bacterial Immune System: Determining The Function Of A Novel Crispr System, Riannon Smith, Melena Garrett

Research on Capitol Hill

CRISPR (Clusters of Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) loci and cas (CRISPR-associated) genes provide adaptive immunity (see panel below) in bacteria and have recently been repurposed for genome editing.

Systems are structurally and functionally diverse.

• 2 classes, 6 types, 33 subtypes
• Very few have been studied experimentally
• None of the Type IV systems have been characterized

Mathematically Predicting The Aleut Tribe Population Using Archaeological Data, Jack Conrad Kiefer Ii, Paden Allen Thompson

Research on Capitol Hill

Sanak Island, located off the southern Alaska Peninsula, was home to the native Aleut peoples for thousands of years. Their hunter-gatherer society depended heavily on the arctic and marine ecosystem for food resources.

In 2015, a team of archaeologists from Idaho State and Utah State universities went to the island and collected data about the Aleut population size and their diet.

This study constructed a dynamical model to mathematically predict the Aleut population over time in order to gain insights into how food resources affected the Aleut people’s ability to survive.

Using Accelerometer Data To Remotely Assess Predation Activity Of Arctic Wolves (Canis Lupus Arctos), Heather Shipp

Research on Capitol Hill

Arctic wolves (Canis lupus arctos) play an important role in ecosystems located in the far northern regions of the world; however, little information is available about them and their impacts on prey populations due to their remote location. Recently, there has been concern about declining caribou populations, which serve as an important food source for local Inuit peoples. As a result, there is an urgent need to better understand Arctic wolves and their influence on caribou abundance.

Dr. Dan MacNulty, a professor at Utah State University, is currently conducting research on Arctic wolves in the Fosheim Peninsula of Ellesmere Island, …

Stomatal Differences In Western Aspen And Linkage To Drought Tolerance, Brianne Palmer

Research on Capitol Hill

Aspen are the most widely distributed broadleaf tree in North America .However, aspen mortality is widespread across the Intermountain West. Researchers are attempting to determine the causes of the decline and propose future methods of management.

In order to survive, plants need to take in CO₂ through pores on their leaves called stomata. When the stomata are open, the plant takes in CO₂, however, water escapes. Therefore, stomata are important in regulating the drought response in plants. The size and the density of the stomata could influence the drought tolerance of an organism.

In Utah, there are …

Sexual Assault And The Doctrine Of Chances In The Courtroom, Ryan Wallentine

Research on Capitol Hill

Sexual assault can have devastating and long-lasting effects on victims, but many assailants get away with their crime without being prosecuted.

The doctrine of chances is a rule of evidence allowing evidences of past crimes, wrongs, or acts to show it is unlikely a defendant would be repeatedly and innocently involved in similar, suspicious circumstances.

Given that about 63.3% of assailants are repeat offenders, the doctrine of chances could effectively be used in sexual assault cases.

The main objective is to determine a precise probabilistic threshold for allowing the use of the doctrine of chances in sexual assault cases such …

Potential Regulation Of Deadly Water-Borne Shigella Bacteria Pathogenesis Through The Shigella Infection Protein Spa47, Jamie Kingsford

Research on Capitol Hill

• Shigella is a gram-negative, bacterial pathogen typically found in contaminated water sources.
• Each year, Shigella is responsible for over 90 million infections and 100,000 deaths stemming from symptoms of severe dysentery, fever, nausea and vomiting.
• A needle-like apparatus found on the surface of Shigella allows the bacterium to infect host cells.
• Each needle-apparatus has an associated ATPase, a protein that can hydrolyze ATP into ADP and P_i.
• The Shigella needle-apparatus ATPase Spa47 is predicted to provide the energy for infection.
• Spa47 has been shown to be essential for infection – without Spa47, no infection will occur.
• We were …

Conformal Symmetry: Finding New Physics In Scale Invariance, Benjamin C. Lovelady

Research on Capitol Hill

Modern physics is the study of symmetry. Everything from electromagnetism to the famed Higgs mechanism stems from fundamental symmetries. These have fancy mathematical names and even fancier math behind them, but the basic idea is the same. These are mathematical generalizations of normal transformations such as rotating. These symmetries describe fields (electric, magnetic, etc.).

Most models of unification, i.e. string theory, use "Poincare symmetry." This symmetry includes both translations and rotations. This means physics only cares about relative position, angle, velocity, etc. If I were to wake up in a windowless room that had been moved a mile north and …

Water Use Of Kentucky Bluegrass Varieties, Shawn Foster

Research on Capitol Hill

• With drought so prevalent in the West, water use on urban landscapes is being closely scrutinized with up to 60% of urban water use directed to landscape irrigation-primarily our lawns.
• Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is widely used because of its soft texture, attractive color, and ability to recover from intensive use.
• More water-efficient varieties of Kentucky bluegrass may result in less irrigation yet maintain quality and function of the turf.

Soil Organic Carbon As The Basis For Assessment Of Site Condition In Stands Of Quaking Aspen, Brian Rozick

Research on Capitol Hill

• Land managers need to be able to track site productivity changes based on past management
• Site quality assessments often extensive, expensive, specific, and confusing
• Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) = potential all encompassing indicator for site condition
• SOC central to healthy soil functions which contribute to a healthy site
• Research done in context of stands of Aspen (Populus tremuloides) on Cedar Mountain

Demographic Consequences Of Climate Change In The Uinta Ground Squirrel, Kari Norman

Research on Capitol Hill

One important impact of climate change is shifts in the timing of life events such as reproduction and flowering. Hibernators like the Uinta Ground Squirrel are especially sensitive to potential shifts because they depend on food at essential times.

Homologous Recombination, Regulation, And Breast Cancer Emergence, Elliot Corless

Research on Capitol Hill

No abstract provided.

The Game Of Thrones: A Study Of Power Networks And How They Change, Trevor Williams

Research on Capitol Hill

No abstract provided.