2024 Abstracts

Authors: Jalynn Lunceford. Mentors: Crystal Koenig, Arianna Harrington. Insitution: Southern Utah University. At Southern Utah University, the Anthropology and Mammalogy Teaching Collections were widespread and disorganized. The Anthropology Teaching Collection had not been curated yet, and only a binder of handwritten records from 2005 existed for Mammalogy. Mammalogy had over 70 specimens exhibiting dry rot, unsealed taxidermy was found to be leaking onto storage trays, and various skeletal specimens were in severely fragile states. When tasked with organizing these collections, my main goal was to create a better inventory and curation system for easier access to teaching materials and increase interdepartmental resource-sharing. Over 600 recorded hours, I created separate websites for each collection to display photos of available specimens, and specimens were inventoried using a taxonomic-based numerical barcoding system. Their housing system was reorganized and improved where possible. Over 100 specimens were cataloged in Anthropology; the majority were additive-manufactured primates with no real human remains. In Mammalogy, 1,296 specimens were cataloged; over 700 were skeletal remains and the remaining 500 were taxidermy, with one surprise discovery of undocumented human remains. The human remains were sent to the State Forensic Examiner and was determined to be a poorly prepared anatomical specimen. This project allowed me to prevent further damage to the Mammalogy specimens by effectively removing rotting and highly damaged specimens, and treating for moths. Lost materials were rediscovered, including the first known primate to the collections. Now, professors and students can effectively navigate and locate teaching/learning resources from the databases and websites I created, and better anticipate future collection needs.

Authors: Joseph Laudie. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. For an architect, choosing how simple and/or complex your designs are can be a difficult effort. It involves balancing various factors, including appearance, function, cost, time, context, etc. While one might state that a certain way is best, it can be difficult to know. For that purpose, this study will examine the question, “How does the perception of a space or structure change as it evolves from a simple to a more complex state?” The difference between these conditions may involve an increased presence of elements, such as motifs, ornaments, etc., gradually becoming more complex. These changes will be analyzed using eye-tracking software.In contemporary architecture, architects grapple with multifaceted considerations. They must combine the varied desires of clients, adapt to evolving technology's possibilities and constraints, prioritize sustainability and efficiency, adhere to budget limitations, stay attuned to cultural and aesthetic trends, meet functional programming requirements, and navigate site-specific constraints. All these factors influence the architect's decision-making process, guiding them toward either simplicity or complexity in their design approach.Because of the difficulty of this cumulative decision, the issue will be thoroughly examined to determine the true effect both simplistic and complex structures have on the everyday individual. This will be done by examining a single, 3-D-modeled room with progressively more complex states, involving more details such as windows, doors, and classical orders and elements. Photos of the respective conditions will be presented side by side and processed through eye-tracking software.It is expected that more complex spaces and conditions will draw attention more consistently. While the analyzed space will present varying states of detail, it is expected that the more complex and expressive setting will consistently demand attention. This conclusion will better inform future design decisions by architects to make spaces more appealing and conducive to the observer.

Authors: Jen Hansen. Mentors: Nicole Dib. Insitution: Southern Utah University. Toni Morrison’s contribution to Gothic horror with Beloved expands the tradition into the history of human enslavement, specifically in the context of American history. She reconceptualized ‘remembering’ as both the conscious awareness of the past and the literal reassembling of members of the body, and by extension the family and the home. Morrison coined the term “rememory” in reference to the intentional act of recollection performed by an entire community. The characters of the novel are haunted in several ways and each haunting is only exorcized or overcome through acts of communion, or rememory — many of which are symbolically religious even if not sanctioned as such. The main character is a woman named Sethe, who is haunted by the ghost of the daughter she murdered rather than allow to be taken as a slave. The ghost of Beloved represents the return of the repressed trauma of her death and the connection to Sethe’s previous life in captivity. In order to exorcize Beloved’s ghost and free themselves from her oppressive presence, Sethe and her living daughter, Denver, must re-member the broken family structure within their home, and rememory the traumatic past with the support of the community in order to heal. American Gothic traditions in literature have long been used to reflect on anxiety, discrimination, and disempowerment related to the Other. In this novel, Morrison uses that tradition to give shape to the culturally specific legacy of slavery in America. In this presentation I examine the novel’s Gothic elements and the ways the community plays the part of the exorcist as an essential advocate for the physical and emotional survival of Sethe and Denver.

Authors: Alexander Binsacca, Jackson Merriam, Brighton Stringham, Allyssa Platt. Mentors: Rajan Kochambilli. Insitution: Salt Lake Community College. Indolizines and Quinolizinium Cations are two classes of structurally related aromatic heterocycles with one Nitrogen atom at the fusion position. They form integral part of the core structure of several alkaloids and show significant therapeutic properties. Mass Spectroscopic studies of 3-substituted indolizines have shown that on ionization, Indolizines undergo rearrangement to Quinolizinium ions by ring expansion. Analogous conversion of Indolizines to Quinolizinium salts by chemical means was attempted. Results of our investigation on the ring expansion process starting with 3-substituted Indolizines to stable Quinolizinium salts will be presented.

Authors: Frankie Medina. Mentors: Joy McMurrin. Insitution: Utah Tech University. My research looks at the multifaceted extent of the lived experiences of Mexican-American women through the eyes of Chicana feminist's scholarships and social media content. The first research question considers the insights presented by Chicana feminists’ scholarship to delve into complex experiences. This will highlight their struggles, identities, and achievements. I aim to root around the fundamental theories and narratives that support the study of Mexican-American women.Second, I will examine the everyday experiences of Mexican-American women, and how it aligns with and/or deviates from the scholarship mentioned above. Through secondary research, I will examine common themes in the scholarship and compare them with the everyday experiences that I previously identified.Thirdly, I will research how contemporary Chicanas interact in formal and informal actions of protest that go against traditional norms and patriarchal systems. My research will focus on the gap between scholarly discourse and activism in real-life norms. I seek to present the different ways in which Mexican-American women delve into their own resilience and resistance in challenging existing obstacles. This qualitative research has three phases: first I will identify and synthesize common themes in Chicana feminist scholarship; second, I will code social media content, using both a priori and in vivo coding methods; third, I will write a thematic analysis of the contemporary Chicana experience. By reviewing these sources and data, I will provide an understanding of the experiences of Mexican-American women, their morale with scholarly discourse, and their roles in continued socio-cultural and political activities. The outcomes of this research hope to have regard for the complications around the Mexican-American female experience and their continuing efforts to challenge and change traditional norms and patriarchy

Authors: Allison Dahl. Mentors: Dallin Bailey. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Using members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a case study, this research explores text reformatting that may address the unmet needs of religious people with aphasia. Aphasia is a language disability that sometimes occurs after a stroke or traumatic brain injury. It can affect both expressive and receptive language, including reading ability. Several studies have already explored what text adaptations are generally preferred by or aid comprehension in this group. However, the unique regard of sacred text may elicit different needs and preferences for those experiencing aphasia. For example, although text adaptation for people with aphasia often includes text simplification, some may find inherent spiritual value in the original wording of scriptural text. Therefore, in this study, other adaptation options are explored, such as font changes and verse spacing. Passages from texts considered holy in the Church of Jesus Christ, such as the King James Bible and the Book of Mormon, have been reformatted in potentially helpful ways. Latter-day Saints with aphasia are being recruited to give feedback on these samples. They will indicate their formatting preferences on a visual scale, and their comments and feedback will also be coded qualitatively. This research will provide guidelines on what text adaptations are most appropriate and helpful for religious texts. Although the samples are specifically geared towards members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the design principles may prove useful for texts used in other faiths as well.

Authors: Auriana Dunn. Mentors: Kathryn Sokolowski. Insitution: University of Utah. Reconstructing the diet of extinct animals can help us understand how living species are suited to their environments, which can inform paleoecological and zooarchaeological research as well as modern species conservation. Seasonal variation in animals’ diets can further be used to reconstruct seasonality patterns in the past and understand how animals may vary their diet under future climate change. However, determining the diet of extinct species is challenging, and detecting seasonal changes in diet is even more so. Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) can be a tool to solve this problem. DMTA analyzes dental microwear by measuring the pits and scratches on teeth to determine what an animal consumed in the days and weeks before it died. This project examines the DMTA of modern African Bovidae species to determine if seasonal dietary changes can be observed. If a difference can be found in the dental microwear of specimens that died during different seasons, seasonal changes in diet can be inferred. Here, I gathered dental microwear data from 407 specimens across five modern studies and matched the data to the museum specimens’ date of death to determine whether it died in a wet or dry season. The analysis found that four of the Bovidae species examined in our study showed evidence of seasonal diet shifts in their DMTA data. Dental microwear can be useful in determining seasonal diets and season of death for specimens. This method can be applied to extinct Bovidae species to understand ancient ecosystems and the evolution of Bovidae dietary strategies.

Authors: Eva Driggs, Megan Cahoon, Seth Bybee. Mentors: Seth Bybee. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) exhibit diverse coloration. These vibrant colors are important for species recognition, camouflage, and mate recognition. Adult odonates emerge in late spring, mate and reproduce, and die by fall. As color and seasonality are both important aspects of the adult stage in odonates, we pose the question: Does the odonate community color composition change over the season?We hypothesize that different colors within the odonate community will peak in abundance at different times in the season. We conducted population estimates weekly at a local park in Provo and analyzed data from Utah, the Great Basin, and the West Coast (GBIF). From this data, we found that generally, blue odonates have the highest abundance throughout the season, but red odonate populations persist later in the season while blue populations decline which may be due to seasonal changes in heat and light.

Authors: Parker Johns, Chandler Warr, Gregory P Nordin, William G Pitt. Mentors: William G Pitt. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) microfluidic devices have gained prominence in various biomedical and analytical applications due to their exceptional material properties and compatibility with cell culture systems. However, the presence of residual uncrosslinked PEGDA monomers and photoinitiators within these devices can lead to cytotoxicity concerns, potentially compromising cell viability and experimental results. In this study, we present an innovative approach to reduce cytotoxicity associated with PEGDA microfluidic devices by implementing an isopropanol (IPA) washing method.Our investigation involves thoroughly characterizing the cytotoxicity of untreated PEGDA microfluidic devices and comparing it with devices subjected to the IPA washing procedure. We systematically assess cytotoxicity using cell viability assays and cell proliferation studies to quantify the impact of residual cytotoxic compounds on cells cultured within the microfluidic channels. Our results demonstrate that IPA washing significantly reduces the cytotoxic effects of PEGDA microfluidic devices, leading to improved cell viability and overall biocompatibility.Furthermore, we elucidate the mechanisms behind the reduction in cytotoxicity, shedding light on the role of IPA in effectively removing unreacted PEGDA and photoinitiators. This study provides valuable insights into the optimization of PEGDA microfluidic device fabrication processes, enhancing their biocompatibility and usability for various biological and biomedical applications.In summary, our research highlights the importance of addressing cytotoxicity concerns associated with PEGDA microfluidic devices and offers a practical solution through the implementation of an IPA washing method, ultimately expanding the potential of these devices in diverse scientific and clinical applications.

Authors: Joseph Price, Britton Davis, Alexander Jenks. Mentors: Joseph Price. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Modern data show a strong positive relationship between community-level average income and life expectancy in the United States. We compile a dataset including place of residence, lifespan, and a proxy for income for 27 million unique individuals from the 1900-1940 censuses. In contrast to the pattern in modern data, we actually find that individuals living in an enumeration district with the top quartile of our proxy for income experienced shorter lifespans than those living in the bottom quartile. We show that this negative relationship was largest in the 1900 census and slowly shrank over the next four decades showing how this negative relationship evolved to the positive relationship we see today.

Authors: Genna Howard, Cameron John. Mentors: Cameron John. Insitution: Utah Valley University. In the history of psychology, the concept of soul played a significant role informing philosophy and theory. In the late 1800’s many questioned the concept of soul in favor of measurable concepts that aligned with the scientific method, distinguished from religious classification that were deemed unworthy of pursuit. In the emergence of the science method, the concept of soul faded and the field of psychology experienced soul-loss, becoming soul-less. After nearly 150 years, there is a movement in the field advocating for soul to return to its former status by shedding light back onto the soul. For some, soul is aligned with religious thought. Religions are experiencing a loss of congregants, members engaging in faith transitions, and experiencing soul-loss. This paper will compare and contrast what happened in psychology with the experiences of some in religious organizations while looking at how the emotion of fear plays a part in both organizations. The methodology utilizes historical concepts and experiences shared by the brave souls who are challenging the current beliefs in both fields. In addition, anecdotal, informal information provided by individuals close to the authors is used to emphasize the practical application of this crisis in psychology and religions with the goal of reigniting a passion for soul.

Authors: Ryan Kunkler, Marcus Lawrence, Anna Edler, Casey Webb, Jacob Manning. Mentors: Marcus Lawrence. Insitution: Southern Utah University. Climbing is now an Olympic sport and thus the demand for understanding performance predictors to train with evidence has grown enormously. Previous climbing research has highlighted that finger strength and shoulder strength are important predictors of performance between lower level and higher level climbers. However, no study has examined the rate of force development in the upper body, and lower body strength also has not be assessed in climbing literature. PURPOSE: To determine if relationships exist between dominant and non-dominant finger RFD compared to dominant and non-dominant finger and shoulder strength as well as lower body strength. METHODS: Twenty subjects (n=8 female and n=12 male; age: 24.7±7.5 yrs; height: 177.6±7.8 cm; mass: 76.0±14.9 kg; IRCRA Sport Grade: 14.1±6.7; n=11 beginner/intermediate, n=9 advanced) completed this study. During a single session, following a standardized 3-5 min. warm-up all participants dominant and non-dominant finger strength and RFD (using a Tindeq dynamometer load cell attached via static rope to a 20mm edge) as well as shoulder strength (using the same Tindeq load cell with a static rope and olympic ring), and lower-body compound strength (isometric mid-thigh pull using G-strength dynamometer load cell attached to a straight bar with a static rope) were assessed. Three trials were done on each measurement with 1 min. between trials and 3-5 min. between tests. Pearson correlational analyses were done to determine correlation coefficients (r), with significance set at p<0.05. RESULTS: Both dominant and non-dominant RFD resulted in significant (p<0.05) large to very large positive relationships with dominant finger strength (r = 0.897 and 0.721, respectively), non-dominant finger strength (r = 0.913 and 0.757), dominant shoulder strength (r = 0.670 and 0.709), on-dominant shoulder strength (r = 0.724 and 0.744), and lower body compound strength (r = 0.645 and 0.653). CONCLUSION: Dominant and non-dominant RFD is positively related to upper and lower body strength in recreational to advanced climbers. Therefore, training finger RFD and lower body strength should be consider as important as developing finger and shoulder strength in recreational to advanced climbers.

Authors: N. Kanon Black, T. Heath Ogden, Britt Wyatt, Josh Premo, Jessica A Cusick. Mentors: Jessica A Cusick. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Religiosity plays an impactful role on the beliefs and inclinations of individuals as they relate to scientific ideas and their applications. For instance, in some populations the more religiously committed a person is, the less likely they are to believe in evolutionary theory as it is taught or to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, for some religious institutions, religiosity is linked to stronger acceptance of evolution. Therefore, continuing to assess how differences in religious affiliation and religiosity across varying populations links to acceptance of scientific ideas and their application is necessary. We tested how the religiosity of individuals interacts with their scientific beliefs and the decisions they make that are informed by those beliefs. A survey was administered to students at Utah Valley University that included questions regarding their views on scientific ideas of evolutionary theory and vaccinations, as well as questions assessing their level of commitment to religion (religiosity). We limited our analyses to students from the BIOL 1010 course, which represents the general student population because it is the most popular GE course offered at UVU. Statistical analyses were run using R software. The results of these analyses reveal the relationship between religiosity and scientific beliefs as they relate to students of this community and to some extent, may generally apply to the community that surrounds UVU.

Authors: Noah Christensen, Matt Olson. Mentors: Matt Olson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Geologic maps serve as a valuable tool with diverse applications, one of which is resource exploration. Understanding available resources in America is beneficial for enhancing energy security, environmental sustainability, and economic growth. As political discourse rises, it is crucial to address national security concerns and head towards short- and long-term goals of energy independence. Traditional geologic mapping is characterized by time-intensive and high-cost fieldwork, but through multispectral and hyperspectral remotely sensed imagery it is possible to instantly map extensive areas using unique absorption patterns of minerals in the reflected spectral signature of the electromagnetic spectrum. This study explores an intercomparison of mineral mapping using Hyperion (EO-1), ASTER, and AVIRIS imagery in the Marysvale Volcanic Field, Utah. The satellites and high-altitude aircraft were chosen due to their varying number of spectral channels, spectral ranges, and spatial resolutions, allowing for a cross-analysis of their strengths, weaknesses, and overall capabilities. While previous studies have utilized AVIRIS and ASTER imagery within the Marysvale Volcanic Field, no prior research has explored a comparison of mineralogical maps using these sensors at a specific location. All analysis will be conducted through open-source applications to promote accessibility in future research and reproducibility of image generation through the sharing of R code. This research will enhance our comprehension of the necessary spectral and spatial resolutions for generating accurate mineral identification. Published geologic maps and in-situ field samples were used to validate the generated maps. We expect to find one of two outcomes: a strong contrast in classified mineralogy depending on the image source used, pointing towards a need for higher spatial and spectral resolutions to achieve accurate mapping, or minimal variation in classification, indicative of an unnecessary number of spectral bands. Developing accurate and accessible mineral mapping tools may be the next step in strengthening our knowledge of resource availability, without the need for rigorous traditional mapping methods.

Authors: Sophie Daines, Carlos Moreno, Alka Gour, K Scott Weber. Mentors: Scott Weber. Insitution: Brigham Young University. In recent years, immunotherapies have shown promise as alternative cancer treatments. They aim to improve the immune system’s ability to target and kill cancer cells. The ability to evade the immune system is a distinctive characteristic of cancer that has many contributing factors, including creating nutrient scarce environments and expressing ligands that inhibit T cell function. CD6 is a coreceptor protein found in T cell membranes that is being investigated for its role in T cell activation and regulation. Coreceptors are needed to regulate T cell activation, and several of them inhibit T cell activity to prevent autoreactivity, including CD6. However, in the context of cancer, they suppress the anti-tumor functions of T cells. We hypothesize that removing CD6 from T cell membranes will improve their ability to function in the tumor microenvironment. Tumor cells consume greater amounts of nutrients to sustain their rapid growth, depleting the environment of glucose, amino acids, and other important nutrients which allows them to outcompete other cells. Recent research has shown that removing CD5, a similar receptor to CD6, increases metabolic rates. It is expected that removing CD6 will produce similar results, allowing the cells to be more efficient at metabolizing and therefor more competitive to the tumor cells. Using CD6 knockout mouse spleens we will measure the metabolism, proliferation, and cytokine production of CD6 negative T cells to determine their efficiency against tumor cells.

Authors: Wesley Ziegler, Spencer Maxwell, Aaron McKenzie, Talon Thornton, Alexandra Routsis, Korina Ziegler, Jae Bovell, Devin Green, Bryson Carrier, James Navalta, Setareh Star Zarei, Kaye Lavin, Jeffrey C Cowley, Amanda Hawkes, Merrill Funk, Marcus M Lawrence, Charli Aguilar. Mentors: Marcus Lawrence. Insitution: Southern Utah University. Wearable technology and strength training with free weights are two of the top 5 fitness trends worldwide. However, minimal physiological research has been conducted on the two together and none have measured the accuracy of devices measuring repetition counts across exercises. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the concurrent validity of four wrist-worn Garmin devices, Instinct (x2), Fenix 6 Pro, and Vivoactive 3, to record repetition counts while performing 4 different exercises during circuit resistance training. METHODS: Twenty participants (n=10 female, n=10 male; age: 23.2  7.7 years) completed this study. Participants completed 4 circuits of 4 exercises (front squat, reverse lunge, push-ups, and shoulder press) using dumbbells at a light intensity with 1 set of 10 repetitions per exercise and 30 seconds rest between exercises and 1-1.5 min rest between circuits. Mean absolute percent error (MAPE, ≤10%) and Lin’s Concordance Coefficient (CCC, ρ≥0.7) were used to validate the device’s repetitions counts in all exercises compared to the criterion reference manual count. Dependent T-tests determined differences (p≤0.05). RESULTS: No devices were considered valid (meeting both the threshold for MAPE and CCC) for measuring repetition counts during front squats (MAPE range: 3.0-18.5% and CCC range: 0.27-0.68, p value range: 0.00-0.94), reverse lunge (MAPE range: 44.5-67.0% and CCC range: 0.19-0.31, p value range: 0.00-0.28), push-ups (MAPE range: 12.5-67.5% and CCC range: 0.10-0.34, p value range: 0.07-0.83), and shoulder press (MAPE range: 18.0-51.0% and CCC range: 0.11-0.43, p value range: 0.00-0.79) exercises. CONCLUSION: The wearable wrist-worn devices were not considered accurate for repetition counts and thus manual counting should be utilized. People who strength train using free weights will need to wait for either improved repetition counting algorithms or increased sensitivity of devices before this measure can be obtained with confidence.

Authors: Emily Barber. Mentors: ALEXANDRA GIANNELL. Insitution: Utah Valley University. I am presenting on the process of subtraction with oil or acrylic paint. I have loved this process and have found to be impactful to me and my practice. This process can show you art in a whole new way. It's the opposite of what we are told to do. It gives you the chance to reveal something that maybe was lost or hidden. Maybe you go into the painting with an agenda, maybe not. Both ways will most likely show you more then you expected. This process creates depth, and a feeling that is very different to translate by traditional addition.I have found it exciting to use different kinds of tools to create. Instead of a pallete knife and paint brush it's rags, Q Tips, and maybe any kind of scraping object you find. Because of the nature of this process it is also fighting the clock. You must pull and drag away unwanted value before the paint dries. The timing and planning are very critical, yet when I create this way I find it calming and rewarding. Sometimes when creating you have to pull out of your normal strokes, and methods. When you can do that, it helps you focus more on concept, and feeling rather then aesthetic and style. By pulling and scraping the information away, you might have the chance to reveal the unknown.

Authors: Syrus Miner, Ryland Day, Justin LeClair, Adam Dimaio. Mentors: Randy Klabacka. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Accurate measurement of the knee joint angle is important for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. With the advancement of wearable technology the measurement of range of motion can now be measured dynamically during exercises. The primary purpose of this research project is to provide a mechanism by which physical therapy outcomes can be improved after knee replacement surgery. This will be accomplished by creating a knee brace attachment that will employ motion detecting sensors to chart the post-op and/or post-injury progression of the movement of the knee joint. It is estimated that approximately 5% of the population over the age of 50 in the United States are currently living with a knee replacement. It has been shown that knee pain has been coupled with depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders, and an overall lower satisfaction in life. Improved knee function has reduced the dissatisfaction experienced in life as daily activities are able to be retained. While physical therapy helps recovery of range of motion for patients, the incentive for patients to complete tasks at home and the lack of standardized data collection may impede patient recovery times. The desired outcome of this research is to create a device that reports the effectiveness of a patient's treatment by using off-the-shelf electronics to accurately measure knee joint range of motion and communicate it to physicians.