2024 Abstracts

Authors: Rafael Deo. Mentors: Matthew Wilcox. Insitution: Brigham Young University. A listening test is an important method used to assess language proficiency. It can be used as placement tests, pre and post-tests, research purposes, classroom evaluations, and many more. Comparison of results of such tests can also be used to assess language gain throughout a period of time. However, to create such listening tests that can genuinely evaluate an individual's ability, audio quality plays an important role, too. This factor should be addressed because it seems trivial, even though it can affect test-takers results. Through this presentation, I will provide general guidelines and practical tools for finding, evaluating and capturing listening passages for proficiency tests.

Authors: Alyson Camacho, Camille Bryner, Bowen Houser. Mentors: William Pitt. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Current methods for the diagnosis of bacterial infections require time consuming cultures. To prevent deaths caused by sepsis, faster methods for bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility methods are urgently needed. Necessary to these faster methods is the ability to separate and concentrate bacteria. While techniques such as filtering and centrifugation have been explored for this purpose, we propose an innovative approach. Polydopamine (pDA) is a remarkably adhesive polymer that has been used to create antibacterial and anti-biofouling coatings on medical devices. In this study, however, we show how magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) coated with pDA can selectively bind and remove specific bacteria from suspensions. For these experiments, pDA- MNPs were added to suspensions of bacteria mixtures and allowed to bind for 10 minutes. The MNP/bacteria mixture was then placed on a holder with a magnet which collected the MNPs on the side of the test tube. Finally, the bacterial supernatant was carefully removed and plated. Capture efficiency of the beads was calculated and it was shown that the pDA-coated MNPs preferentially isolated S. epidermidis from a suspension of both S. epidermidis and E. coli. This approach holds great potential for separating bacteria from clinical samples like urine or blood, enabling faster and more efficient diagnosis of bacterial infections.

Authors: Aubrey Russell, Ben Paepke, Nathan Goldfarb. Mentors: Nathan Goldfarb. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Tuberculosis (TB) remains an insidious scourge of civilization. The causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is a global health crisis, and TB ranks as the second leading cause of death from an infectious disease worldwide after COVID-19. In 2021, there were approximately 1.6 million deaths reported from TB (including 187,000 people with HIV) and an estimated 10.6 million new infections. Additionally, multidrug resistant TB remains a public health crisis. An initiative of “The Global Plan to End TB” is the development of rapid, point-of-care diagnostic assays for the early diagnosis of TB.2 Here we present our initial efforts towards the goal of the development of a rapid, lateral flow assay (LFA) for the detection of Mtb.

Authors: Porter Bischoff, Kody Garrett, Clayton Rawson. Mentors: Britt Wyatt, Josh Premo. Insitution: Utah Valley University. This research delves into the underexplored territory of medical experiences and their potential impact on undergraduate students' motivation in STEM courses. While prior studies have focused on factors like gender and ethnicity in STEM, little attention has been given to the influence of medical experiences and chronic conditions on STEM students, despite evidence suggesting that students with medical conditions face unique challenges in completing their degrees.Our study specifically investigates the effects of medical experiences and chronic conditions on students enrolled in science classes at an open enrollment institution. We hypothesize that increased academic interruptions due to medical experiences may lead to decreased science motivation, reduced sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and self-determination.Data was collected from 390 students across 14 biology courses, including non-majors, at a teaching-focused institution, both before and after the courses. Surprisingly, 57% of surveyed students reported having a medical experience, and 22% reported having a chronic condition, highlighting the significance of this identity within the student population.As anticipated, students experiencing more medical interruptions exhibited a notable decrease in their sense of belonging and self-efficacy, albeit with a small effect size. Intriguingly, students with medical experiences who engaged more with science demonstrated significantly higher levels of science immersion and motivation. This suggests that medical experiences can influence student engagement with science, both positively and negatively. The impact of these interruptions on a student's academics is closely linked to their sense of belonging and self-efficacy. However, if medical experiences drive increased engagement with science, students may find themselves more motivated to explore these experiences within the context of scientific inquiry.Understanding how medical experiences can shape students' motivation is essential as science instructors adapt their course content and pedagogy to be more inclusive, embracing the diverse identities within their student population.

Authors: Kasielynn Bussard, Dakota Stringham. Mentors: Matthias Pleil. Insitution: Salt Lake Community College. We are two students from Salt Lake Community College who participated in a summer research workshop in the cleanroom at the University of New Mexico. We were taught the pressure sensor fabrication process, along with the post-production testing methods. For our research project we decided to test how using different biocompatible metals, and different combinations of said metals, for the circuit would affect the pressure sensors functionality. To test this, we prepped five 4” inch wafers and used photolithography to define the Wheatstone bridge pattern, followed by sputter metal deposition. When sputter coating, we coated each wafer in a Venn diagram pattern. This left us with two areas of a single metal on the outside edges, and an area in the middle with both metals present. We then measured the resistance of each section to determine how it changed with different metals.

Authors: Gabriela Coca. Mentors: Jocelyn Wikle. Insitution: Brigham Young University. This research project is a response to a policy gap in kinship care in the state of Utah. In conversations with Representative Watkins from Utah, I learned that there is interest among policy makers and policy influencers in improving adoption placements in Utah. There is interest in investigating the benefits and costs of prioritizing kinship care, so that better policy solutions can move forward. This project aims to provide research-based information on both benefits and costs of kinship care as well as to propose viable policy solutions that could improve outcomes for children and families touched by adoption.In the United States today, it is unfortunate to say that there are many kids that are living within homes that cannot provide them the adequate resources to succeed in life. Financial instability, substance abuse, and parents with mental health challenges are all strong predictors of being placed in kinship care (Jedwab et al., 2020; Tian et al., 2023). For these reasons, organizations such as Child Protective Services (CPS) and others are trying to find homes for these kids in which they can feel safe and still progress in life. For many countries, including the US, kinship care is at the top of the hierarchy when it comes to placement options (Jedwab et al., 2020). Kinship care is “any living arrangement in which children do not live with either of their parents and are instead cared for by a relative or someone with whom they have had a prior relationship. Many agencies include agencies beyond blood relatives such as god parents, family friends, or anyone else with a strong emotional bond to the child” (Geen, 2004, pg. 132). Kinship care has proven well in many cases because it brings a lot of stability to children (Jedwab et al., 2020; O’Brien, 2012; Hallet et al., 2023; helps them to understand their identity (O’Brien, 2012), and it allows them to stay close to the family and friends network (Clements & Birch, 2023).Although kinship care has many upsides, it also has many downsides, which is why it has been a difficult topic for many people. For example, research has found that many people who are kinship carers tend to be alone and older and in poor health (Geen, 2024; Clements & Birch, 2023; Farmer, 2009; Burke et al., 2023) compared to carers in the foster care systems. This may limit their ability to take care of children and provide them the adequate resources that they need in order to flourish. Multiple researchers recommend that state governmental institutions provide more training and financial support to kinship carers (Jedwab et al., 2023; Burke et al., 2023) so that they can at least have the abilities and resources to adequately take care of kids found in these situations. At the end of the day though, ideally it would be beneficial for precautions to take place and standards to be set forth so that children do not have to be placed in out-of-home placements in the first place (Burke et al., 2023). ReferencesBurke, S., Bouey, J., Madsen, C., Costello, L., Schmidt, G., Barkaskas, P., White, N., Alder, C., & Murium, R. (2023). Kinship care: Evaluating policy and practice. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 17(3), 647–668. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2022.2091721Clements, J., & Birch, S. (2023). Exploring risk and protective factors in kinship family environments: A systematic literature review of the views of children in kinship care. Educational Psychology in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2023.2243212Geen, R. (2004). The Evolution of Kinship Care Policy and Practice. The Future of Children, 14(1), 131–149. https://doi-org.byu.idm.oclc.org/10.2307/1602758Hallett, N., Garstang, J., & Taylor, J. (2023). Kinship care and child protection in high-income countries: A scoping review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(2), 632–645. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211036073Jedwab, M., Xu, Y., & Shaw, T. V. (2020). Kinship care first? Factors associated with placement moves in out-of-home care. Children and Youth Services Review, 115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105104O’Brien, V. (2012). The benefits and challenges of kinship care. Child Care in Practice, 18(2), 127–146. https://doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2012.657610Tian, Y., Ma, Z., & Peng, F. (2023). Positive development of orphans in kinship care: The role of family stability. Child & Family Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.13083

Authors: Cori Bailie, Arlene Majers, Katherine Judge. Mentors: Olga Kopp. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Ever since antibiotics have been in use, bacteria have been evolving to develop resistance against them. Each year, the number of people who die from previously treatable infections increases, showcasing the seriousness of this global issue. According to the CDC, facilities were overwhelmed during the 2020 pandemic, decreasing antibiotic production. By refocusing on discovering and producing new antibiotics, resistance can once again begin to be combatted. Bacteria found in soil samples were used to test for antibiotic production, using safe relatives to the ESKAPE pathogens. Starting with three master plates on Tryptic Soy Agar, 39 total bacterial colonies were studied. Colonies of interest were then PCR tested for DNA sequencing, and will be run through multiple different chemical tests for classification. Results showed that three different colonies displayed antibiotic activity. Colony 7 on master plate A produced antibiotics against Bacillus subtilis. Colonies 6 and 13 on master plate B, both produced antibiotics against Mycobacterium smegmatis, and Staphylococcus aureus. The results suggest that there are more soil bacteria to be discovered that may be able to produce antibiotics for common infections that are getting harder to treat. Further testing needs to be done to determine whether these colonies are safe for human therapy.

Authors: Spencer Paulsen. Mentors: Jeffery Tessem. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Today approximately 537 million adults are living with diabetes. This figure is expected to rise to about 640 million by the year 2030. Metabolic stress is known to drive the development of the disease. The pancreatic β-cell which is responsible for producing and secreting insulin in response to elevated blood glucose concentrations is particularly sensitive to metabolic stressors. Therefore, understanding the molecular character of β-cells is important to curing diabetes. Nkx6.1 is an important β-cell transcription factor critical for proper β-cell development and function. Our lab has shown a potential interaction between Nkx6.1 and PACS1 in β-cells. PACS1 is associated with the Trans-Golgi network and is involved in protein maturation by sending newly synthesized proteins to their intended target inside or outside the cell. We know that insulin is synthesized in the ER and sent to the Golgi for vesicle packaging. We hypothesized that PACS1 helps sort insulin in the Trans-Golgi network, and that interaction with the β-cell transcription factor Nkx6.1 is essential for this process. Therefore, the study of the interaction between Nkx6.1 and PACS1 may provide a greater understanding of diabetes and insulin secretion in β-cells. Here, we present the results of our investigation of the link between Nkx6.1, PACS1, and the Golgi apparatus. We present data validating the Nkx6.1-PACS1 interaction, the cellular location of the interaction, and the effect of changing glucose concentration on this interaction. These results will help deepen our understanding of how the Nkx6.1-PACS1 interaction works to ensure proper β-cell function.

Authors: Jacob Prescott. Mentors: Zoe Thompson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The pro-opiomelanocortin (Pomc) gene encodes POMC, which is differentially processed to produce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), beta-endorphin, and three melanocyte-stimulating hormones, among other peptides. POMC neurons are principally located in the arcuate nucleus (Arc) of the hypothalamus, where they are essential in the control of food intake, energy expenditure and body weight. Several different mutations in the POMC gene have been shown to cause early-onset obesity and adrenal cortical insufficiency in humans. We are working with a mouse model with a hypothalamic-specific POMC deficiency. These mice exhibit hyperphagia, early-onset obesity, and also seem to be infertile. We are interested in examining potential differences in pubertal development, as well as reproductive function. Specifically, we will examine day of vaginal opening, day of first estrus, and estrus cycling in juvenile female POMC-deficient mice. The estrus cycle has four stages: proestrus, estrus, metestrus and diestrus. Although hormone levels in the blood differ during the four stages, these are difficult and expensive to measure. A less invasive measurement is to take vaginal cell samples each day and examine them under the microscope. Three different types of cells are present in different ratios depending on the stage of the cycle: nucleated epithelial cells, leukocytes, and cornified epithelial cells. We will track estrus cycle changes during pubertal development and after to see if there are differences between wildtype, heterozygous, and homozygous POMC-deficient mice.Learning more about how POMC-deficiency affects reproductive function may help us understand more about the link between obesity and infertility.

Authors: Allison Perkins, Aubrey Hawks, Talia Karasov. Mentors: Talia Karasov. Insitution: University of Utah. Over the past two decades, studies have documented a 20% decline in Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) populations in western North America (Worrall et al., 2015; Stanke et al., 2021). This phenomenon has been fittingly characterized Sudden Aspen Decline (SAD), and is an increasingly pressing issue as the role of aspen as an ecologically irreplaceable keystone species impacts the health of the surrounding forests (Singer et al., 2019). SAD has been attributed to the interplay of climate change-driven drought and other biotic and abiotic factors that are less well characterized (Anderegg et al., 2013a). One potential contributor to SAD is biotic pests and pathogens (Marchetti et al., 2011; Anderegg et al., 2013a; Worrall et al., 2015). My study system includes both natural populations of aspen representing a precipitation gradient and a controlled garden experiment. The field experiments span five distinct sites across Utah & Colorado, selected and montintered by the Anderegg lab of the University of Utah. The experimental garden contains approximately 300 tree saplings subjected to various levels of drought stress, managed by the Anderegg lab on the University of Utah campus. Through the integration of both controlled and natural experiments, my research aims to comprehensively evaluate the impact of drought exposure on pathogen abundance and chemical defenses in aspen trees.Over the past two decades, studies have documented a 20% decline in Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) populations in western North America (Worrall et al., 2015; Stanke et al., 2021). This phenomenon has been fittingly characterized Sudden Aspen Decline (SAD), and is an increasingly pressing issue as the role of aspen as an ecologically irreplaceable keystone species impacts the health of the surrounding forests (Singer et al., 2019). SAD has been attributed to the interplay of climate change-driven drought and other biotic and abiotic factors that are less well characterized (Anderegg et al., 2013a). One potential contributor to SAD is biotic pests and pathogens (Marchetti et al., 2011; Anderegg et al., 2013a; Worrall et al., 2015). Recent investigations have indicated a link between SAD and specific microbial diseases, suggesting that the increasing frequency and severity of droughts due to climate change might make aspen more vulnerable to certain pathogens, even though many of the most common pathogens of aspen in general require more abundant water (Aung et al., 2018). For example, the foliar Melamspora fungal pathogens require abundant water and are not frequently observed in drought stressed trees.On the other hand, Cytospora, which causes a devastating canker disease in aspen trunks, occurs at higher frequency in plots of trees suffering damage from drought (Guyon, 1996). Lin et al. (2023) shows changes to phyllospheric microbiome in aspen during drought, but far less is known about the leaves specifically. Could drought lead to an altered microbiome in aspen leaves? If different or possibly opportunistic pathogens are better able to colonize the leaf tissue under drought stress, this may be the case.It’s known that plants with a reduced diversity of microbiomes are more susceptible to pathogens (Zheng et al., 2020), but the there is little understanding how drought may reduce microbial diversity in aspen. Aspen have two main groups of chemical defenses (SPGs and CTs) that occur in relatively high levels in the leaf (Lindroth et al., 2023). It is well established that these defend against insect herbivores and that they come with a trade-off for plant growth (Marchetti et al, 2011). There is some observational evidence that these secondary compounds have an effect on pathogens (Jacoby et al., 2021), but there are few controlled studies on this idea. Additionally, Metlen et al. 2009 describes how trees in North America produce higher rates of these metabolites under wetter conditions, attributed to possible UV protection. However, the impact of additional environmental changes have of on the abundance of these compounds is understudied. Aspen are an ideal system to study forest disease and drought because the genus’ (Populus) genomes are easily sequenced and relatively tractable, aspen generally exhibit rapid vegetative growth, their defensive chemistry is relatively well known, and most importantly, they grow in cloned groves that reduce the genetic variation in experiments (Lindroth et al., 2023, Luquez et al., 2007).

Authors: Sarah Adams, Bailey Bennion, Sara S Rocks. Mentors: Sara S Rocks. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The abundance of microplastics within Earth’s environment is of great concern to public health. Heavy toxic metals like lead and mercury concentrate on the surfaces of microplastics, and can readily enter the biosphere. This poses a risk to humans and other forms of life because of the large amount of microplastics that have been found in even the most remote locations on Earth. Not much has been studied about the origins and presence of microplastics in Utah snow. It would be beneficial to study microplastics in snow because, once the snow melts in the spring, it is a substantial source of water for Utah and communities in the American West. Preliminary data indicates increased concentrations of microplastics in snow samples that originated from ski resorts compared to snow samples in areas with little recreation. The current project further investigates the origins and quantity of microplastics in the snow at the Sundance ski resort. Snow samples from the Sundance ski resort and from a remote location with little human activity are compared. Additionally, the number of microplastics at Sundance between natural and artificial snow samples are compared to see if the plastic components within snowmaking machines generate a greater amount of microplastics in the snow. To investigate if snowboards and skis can release plastics, microplastics in fresh snow are quantified before and after snowboard contact. Because microplastics can also be shed from clothing, researchers also examined samples for fibers generated from winter garments. This project aims to shed light on the sources and number of microplastics in Utah snow, especially the effects of skiing and snowboarding.

Authors: Tage T Burnett, Jakob G Bates, Christopher R Dillon, Matthew R Jones. Mentors: Christopher R Dillon. Insitution: Brigham Young University. In recent years, modeling and simulation have become more prominent in solving heat transfer problems. The accuracy and predictive power of heat transfer simulations is limited by the quality of the thermal properties used within the model. Thus, one method for improving computational accuracy is measuring thermal properties more precisely. Additionally, increased precision of thermal properties benefits other aspects of engineering including design and analysis. This research focuses on quantifying approximation errors in the widely adopted flash method for measuring thermal diffusivity. The flash method leverages several approximations to make it simple and easy to use; however, these approximations do not reflect reality and introduce measurement errors. Understanding these errors is critical for developing high-precision thermal diffusivity measurement techniques.In the flash method, the top surface of a small, cylindrical disc of material is subjected to a short pulse from a laser or flash lamp and the time-dependent temperature at the opposite surface is recorded. The thermal diffusivity is calculated using those temperature measurements in combination with a mathematical model. The accuracy of the flash method depends upon the accuracy of the mathematical model. One common mathematical model is the Parker Model. This model assumes that all of the energy from the pulse is deposited in an infinitesimally thin layer at the surface of the material and negligible heat is lost to the environment. These assumptions simplify the model, making it easy to use, but introduce errors into the measured thermal diffusivity.Computational methods can quantify these inaccuracies. Factors including heat lost to the environment, the temporal profile of the laser pulse, and the spatial distribution of the deposited energy can be incorporated into heat transfer simulations. Higher fidelity mathematical models can also be developed to account for these complexities. This project includes these and other factors to make simulations as realistic as possible. Various mathematical models, such as the Parker Model and higher fidelity models, are then used to calculate the thermal diffusivity from the resulting time-dependent temperature profiles and their measurements are compared to the simulated material’s true thermal diffusivity. Repeating this process for several material types will allow the precision of the models to be analyzed for each case. This analysis will be summarized at the conclusion of this project, providing a framework for developing more precise thermal diffusivity measurement techniques.

Authors: Addison McClure, Marshall Christensen, Braxton Fjeldsted, Luke Howell, Cole Dunn, Kirsten Steele, Andrew Tagg, Douglas Cook. Mentors: Douglas Cook. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Stalk lodging is the event of failure just below the ear or node of a maize stalk. Brazier buckling is the most common mode of failure and consistently occurs near the node. Maize stalk lodging has been studied for several years; however, relatively little is known about the process and progression of stalk failure. The purpose of this study was to characterize tissue-level failure patterns of maize stalks. A better understanding of failure patterns could provide further insight into developing maize stalks that are less susceptible to failure. The failure region was studied using several techniques including various imaging techniques(Scanning Electron Microscopy, x-ray computed tomography, and digital image correlation), experimentation (bend tests with recordings of acoustic emissions), and quantification of cross-sectional ovalization. We found that ovalization occurs prior to stalk failure and is strongly correlated with the onset of buckling. Despite this correlation, neither ovalization nor acoustic emissions were predictive of failure. Tissue-level analysis revealed that buckling occurs at many different scales, including at the organ, tissue, cellular, and cell wall level. Based on these observations, we propose a new conceptual model for understanding stalk failure. This model states that the probability of tissue failure and the probability of buckling failure increase in a highly correlated fashion. When one mode of failure occurs, it immediately initiates the other failure mode as well. This model suggests that efforts to improve stalk strength need to address both tissue strength and buckling resistance.

Authors: Taelyn Stinson, Kaicee Postler, Racel Arocho, Julie Nelson. Mentors: Kaicee Postler. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The Stronger Families Project (SFP) is an established FLE program at Utah Valley University (UVU) that is taught by undergraduate student interns to families in the community. The current study aims to examine the efficacy of SFP among Fall 2023 participants. A pre- and post-program evaluation of survey data from participants enrolled in SFP during the Fall 2023 semester will be used to evaluate changes in communication, problem-solving skills, and general family functioning. Several subscales from the program’s own established evaluation tool (Family Wellness, 2023) and the General Functioning Subscale from the Family Assessment Device (FAD, Epstein, 1983) were used. A total of N = 25 participants completed the pre-program surveys in September 2023 and will be asked to complete post-program surveys in November 2023. Results from the pre- and post-test analysis of change will be presented. Implications for future research and Family Life Education (FLE) programs will be discussed.

Authors: Eliza Ballantyne, Maria Lizio, Anshuman Chaturvedi. Mentors: Dustin Shipp. Insitution: Utah Valley University. We evaluate techniques for enhancing performance of Raman based classifiers of lung cancer and compare them to results from immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining for fixed samples. In the United States, more patients die from lung cancer than from any other type, although it ranks as the third most common cancer. For patients with lung cancer, preserving the healthy bronchioles where cancer usually forms is vital to continued lung function. Raman spectroscopy is already a valuable asset in distinguishing between healthy tissue and many types of cancer and decreases discrepancies between diagnosis, saving medical resources and improving patient outcome. Lung cancer is especially challenging for Raman spectroscopy, in part because tar fluorescence often overpowers critical chemical features. We introduce measurement and classification approaches as the first step to overcome this challenge and create reliable Raman based classifiers for lung cancer. By working with fixed tissue sections, we avoid tar fluorescence and demonstrate the ability to detect tumors and premalignant abnormalities in lung tissue. These samples allow collaboration between adjacent sections in both H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, additional measurements of fixed sections can be acquired at any time. These advantages provide flexibility to acquire more detailed training sets, include more detail of any borderline cases, and compare Raman spectroscopy to more specialized histopathological techniques.

Authors: Cassandra DuBose Corry. Mentors: Elizabeth Vargis. Insitution: Utah State University. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is characterized by a blurring of the central vision and is one of the leading causes of vision loss in the United States. As a branch of the disease, exudative AMD is distinguished by retinal angiogenesis, when new blood vessels grow into the retina. Understanding retinal conditions that promote or discourage angiogenesis by using mathematical models can lead to improved understanding of disease progression and treatments. This discrete mathematical model presented here uses the theory of reinforced random walks to simulate the biological behavior of endothelial cells (ECs) as they leave a parent blood vessel and travel through the choroid and Bruch’s membrane towards the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) layer. Cell behavior such as number of divisions and blood vessel coverage are analyzed for comparison to experimental observations. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is included and examined for its effect on the behavior of the ECs and its ability to prevent angiogenesis. This computational model provides novel insights into exudative AMD with parameters that can be adjusted to meet different needs.

Authors: Asmaa Alsharif. Mentors: Sayeed Sajal. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Ransomware is malicious software which restricts users from accessing their computer and personal data through encryption. Ransomware attacks target a variety of victims including individuals, organizations, businesses, and governments. Attackers take control of this sensitive data and hold it hostage until a ransom is paid. Whether or not ransom is paid, the attackers’ damage can be irreparable. It includes but is not limited to exposing personal information, identity theft, blackmail, permanent deletion or corruption of valuable data, and Distributed Denial-of-service (DDos). Moreover, the financial implications of ransomware attacks are substantial. Victims face not only the direct costs of ransom payments, but also the expenses associated with system restoration and the potential fines for data protection violations. Furthermore, an ethical dilemma emerges from the response to extortion, as victims must grapple with the moral implications of potentially supporting criminal activities by paying ransoms to recover their data. This raises questions about the broader responsibility of stakeholders in cybersecurity and their duty to protect data privacy. The first ransomware attack emerged in 1989 and since then, ransomware attackers have persisted as a cybersecurity threat, striking at the core of data privacy. This paper delves into the multifaceted impact of ransomware incidents on data security, current ransomware techniques and strategies, and the ethical dilemmas they raise.Because ransomware attackers are constantly evolving their methods, it is important to routinely review the current literature to fully understand the tactics and techniques used by these cybercriminals. This research paper will review, analyze, and synthesize the existing literature about ransomware. It is crucial for individuals and organizations to be proactive, understand the nature of the threat, and take precautions to protect themselves and their data. This study encourages further research and discourse on the multifaceted impact of ransomware attacks on data privacy and the pursuit for effective countermeasures.

Authors: Nathan Jones, Carter Noh, Douglas Cook. Mentors: Douglas Cook. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Neural networks are used to identify specific objects in a picture and are often used in robotics to allow robots to identify objects through a camera. They can be used in agriculture to allow machines to identify plants to harvest and cultivate. The preparation of the neural network model involves taking thousands of pictures in a variety of situations. Networks with a large quantity of pictures in a large variety of angles, lighting, environments, etc. have a better chance of identifying plants in any situation. Our lab needed a device for rapid data collection that could be placed in a field to automate the process of taking pictures of crops. We used a gantry system that was controlled through three stepper motors, one for the x-axis and the other two for the y-axis. Two cameras were placed on the head of the gantry system and were driven through a 40” x 40” area. Each camera was connected by a double ball head arm which can point a camera in almost any direction. The camera arms were screwed into a plate with a 5 x 5 grid of bolt holes; these holes and the double ball head arms gave us control over the angle and distance of each photo to increase the variety of our data set. In October 2023, our rapid data collection device was tested in a field and was able to capture over 50,000 photographs of saffron flowers at a variety of angles, lighting, and distances. The results of our device were promising and we have some improvements that we plan on making. We anticipate that with these improvements, next saffron harvest we will be able to increase the number and variety of pictures to improve our dataset.