2020 Abstracts

McDannell, Colleen; Kessler-Harris, Alice; Derr, Jill Mulvay; Schneider, Dorothy; Thistle, Susan (University of Utah)
Faculty Advisor: McDannell, Colleen (University of Utah, Humanities)

My research aims to understand and analyze the ways in which Latter-day Saint women in the 1950s justified and reconciled their participation in wage labor with their religion.
My research is based on primary source material in the Aileen H. Clyde Twentieth Century Women's Legacy Archive. This archive includes a collection of letters that were written to Ramona Cannon to be published in the "Confidentially Yours" column in the Deseret News from 1948 to 1965 and include writings of women addressing their challenges and concerns. I use this resource to analyze the experiences of individual women and specifically their understanding and justification of their involvement in wage labor. I also use secondary source material to establish women's relationship to labor in the United States.

My goal is to draw conclusions about how LDS women who were involved in wage labor justified their participation when they lived in a society heavily influenced by the LDS Church and it's on emphasis women's domestic roles. The Archive letters show a pattern of women who felt they had to justify their labor practices through extenuating circumstances that necessitated temporary participation in wage labor, including wives with sick husbands, single mothers, and a society dealing with the effects of WWII, as well as women who actively sought to participate in the workforce by selectively choosing jobs and opportunities to supplement what could be seen as extensions of the domestic roles they were expected to fill in the home.

This balancing act for women is relevant not only to the twentieth century but reflects an ongoing struggle worldwide for women. This case study of Latter-day Saint women illustrates how women in a close-knit religious community reacted to changes in labor expectations and provide an important outlook on understanding the relationship between women and wage labor.

Heftel, Christian (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Abbott, Scott (Humanities and Social Sciences, Integrated Studies)

The story of Oedipus and the Sphinx establishes man as an upright, standing creature who is defined, at least in the prime of his life, by his ability to stand and walk on two legs, having ceased using his arms for locomotion. The corollary to this is that things that cannot stand, or that have a different number of limbs, are definitionally inhuman. In "The Metamorphosis," Franz Kafka introduces a character who wakes up having gained a myriad of small, insectoid legs and having lost the ability to stand upright. Throughout the story, the author repeatedly draws attention to Gregor's new, strange limbs, emphasizing their inhumanity and their inability to support him bipedally. At the same time, the story repeatedly describes its human characters in terms of the actions of their arms and legs, the limbs which make bidepality possible.

This paper explores the contrast between Kafka's human and inhuman characters through the lens of the standing metaphor established in the Oedipus myth. It examines the points of similarity between Gregor's metamorphosis and Athanaeus's and Apollodorus's accounts of the Sphinx's riddle. In the end, it suggests that Kafka uses the notion of bipedality to emphasize not only the physical inhumanity of Gregor Samsa, but also the inhumaneness of his family.

Jones, Kelsie (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Arnold, Kristen (Engineering, Applied Science, and Technology; Interior Design)

While little research has been done on designing shelters for abused women, current data can still be used to create an evidence-based design. War veterans and abused women have been through traumatic situations, so both groups of people are at risk of suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. An article written by Lisa S. Platt, Sheila J. Bosch, and Daejin Kim (2017) analyzes how to create a person-centered mental health facilities for veterans. Through their case studies, they were able to identify design principles that aid in the healing process of those suffering from PTSD. Principles that will be incorporated into the North Star shelter include using residential-style furniture upholstered with soft, tactile fabric to create a comfortable environment. Real materials such as real wood need to be used for doors because faux-wood metal doors can be irritating to some patients. Interior color is also a crucial factor of creating person-centered facilities. Blue and violet are preferred by women and have a calming affect on occupants (Costa, 2018). In the North Star, color will be used in select applications such as pillows, cushions, blankets, and artwork so that it does not overwhelm clients. Security is another vital component when designing for patients with PTSD (Platt, Bosch, and Kim, 2017) because they have been in situations where their safety is not gaurunteed. Security can be increased by using safety glass and security cameras. Another factor that helps clients feel secure is creating private areas so that they can speak with social workers and therapists without feeling violated (Eagle, 2017). Designing person-centered facilities also requires public and private spaces. This allows patients to choose whether or not they want to engage with other people (Platt, Bosch, and Kim, 2017). Multi-use public spaces allow occupants to have flexibility in what activities they engage in, allowing them to relax however they choose. Private areas should be provided in multi-use areas so that occupants can also choose to read, watch television, or engage in other individual activities. Proxemics are another important consideration as people who suffer from PTSD may have a larger range of personal space and need to sit and stand a little further from other people (Platt, Bosch, and Kim, 2017).

Todd, Mariah (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Nigro, Jenna (Utah Valley University, History); Winans, Adrienne (Utah Valley University, History); McPherson, Kate (Utah Valley University, Honors/English)

This project is focused on anti-nuclear protests that took place in Utah surrounding the MX Missile System in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This anti-nuclear activism was especially interesting due to the diverse groups of people who were involved. Environmentalists, Native Americans, socialists, and various religious organizations, among others, all became involved in resisting the MX Missile in Utah. The purpose of this project is to analyze the ways in which these activists managed to be successful and come together behind a common cause. This will largely look at the methods or tactics employed by these activists, how religious organizations played a role, and how the political landscape of Utah allowed for or encouraged such activism to take root and become successful. These issues will be studied through analysis of primary source records from numerous activists who were directly involved in the protests. This research will showcase how activists used different methods to unify disparate groups against the MX Missile, which may include tactics such as localizing politics, garnering national attention, remaining nonpartisan, and seeking support from religious groups. This project was significant for both shedding light on an event that has been largely neglected in the field of anti-nuclear history and for contributing to the effort to localize nuclear history so as to better understand the intricacies of these events and ideas.

Bedard, Tenaya G. (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Allison, James (Brigham Young University, Anthropology); Chase, Zach (Brigham Young University, Anthropology)

This research discusses the analysis of the faunal bones excavated from Coal Bed Village and how it compares to the other Montezuma Canyon sites in southwestern Utah. During the Pueblo I-III time periods, previous analysis for Montezuma Canyon sites has found a trend of subsistence strategies that rely heavily on cottontail rabbit for Pueblo I, deer for Pueblo II, and turkey for Pueblo III. This research determines that Coal Bed Village follows these trends, but we see an unexpected increase of cottontail rabbit in the Pueblo III period. This research discusses the possible reasons for this increase and how it could change our understanding of subsistence strategies among Montezuma Canyon in the Southwest during the Puebloan eras.

Gonzalez Herrara, Cindy; Garcia, Ignacio (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Garcia, Ignacio (History)

Guillermo Balderas became the first Hispanic, Spanish speaking bishop in the United States in the 1930s. By understanding his background in serving the church, we come to understand his views of the Mormon gospel, and through him, we get a glimpse of the Hispanic Latter-day Saints living in El Paso, Texas, and indirectly others across the United States. By looking at his life, we learn about the struggles of being Latter-day Saint and Mexican on the northern side of the southern border. Guillermo was also the son of Apolinar de Jesus Balderas, the second Spanish-speaking branch president in the United States.

Guillermo's family immigrated to El Paso, Texas in 1910.2 The community he lived in was segregated and he went to school in a segregated public school system. Guillermo's life spanned a time when Mexicans and Mexican Americans were starting to find their voice within their communities, and in the larger society. While he did not participate in politics or the activism of his time, Guillermo brought an ethnically-focused perspective to his religion. Part of that perspective came from his friendship with people of the Third Convention--a Latter-day Saint insurgency against the American church in Mexico--and also he lived experiences as a brown man in American society. For this presentation, I will discuss a letter he sent to church authorities when he was released and replaced by the first white bishop of his ward, and changes were made to minimize the wards "Hispanic ways". While he was unsuccessful in lobbying for his ward members, Guillermo, nonetheless, previewed some of the "outside imposed" concepts that have hampered Hispanic wards in developing their identity. At the same time, his letter reveals some of the concepts that Hispanic leaders in the church have carried out in their ministry. Through his dedication and faithfulness in the church, we see a reflection of what many Hispanic Latter-day Saints experience during this time. Despite the challenges, he continued to become a devoted leader within the church and helped many people within his congregation. He became an advocate for those of his color while still seeking to educate his white brothers/sisters.

Christensen, Nikki (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Kinkead, Joyce (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department)

Folklore is one of the hardest subjects to define for students and professors alike. To this day, folklorists still dispute its accurate definition. The most popular contemporary definition is, "artistic communication in small groups"(Dan Ben-Amos). This research is to discover if English majors are more educated about folklore than non-English majors at Utah State University. Often, students will be immersed in folklore in their daily lives and never know it. This research is to answer how relevant folklore still is in today's society.

Averett, Ty; Peterson, Kendall (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: López González, Crescencio (College of Humanities and Scoial Sciences; Languages, Philosophy and Communication Studies Department)

The case Méndez v. Westminster in California in 1947 brought Latinx families the hope that their students would no longer be segregated. Unfortunately, although Méndez v. Westminster brought an end to de jure segregation, Latinx students' fight for equity in education was just beginning. The de facto segregation that followed remains in our system today. This research explores this de facto segregation as exemplified in Stand and Deliver by Ramón Menéndez, McFarland, USA by Niki Caro, and several other films. These films demonstrate the experience of Latinx youth with the school system. While students may still be segregated between schools due to class differences between neighborhoods, they can also be separated within schools in subtler ways. An example of this is tracking: the practice of dividing students into various levels of classes based on ability level (i.e. remedial math, grade-level math, honors math). While, in theory, this may seem to be a reliable and helpful way to teach students on their level, it can be detrimental to the progress of minority students, leaving them even further behind. Because of biases on all levels of the system, a majority of minority youth find themselves in lower classes, increasing their feelings of hopelessness and putting them on a trajectory for dropout. This analysis details the effects of tracking on Latinx students, along with suggesting solutions and alternatives as demonstrated in the films mentioned above.

Jensen, Mia (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Kinkead, Joyce (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department)

Undergraduate English majors are constantly bombarded with writing heavy assignments. Although these students are some of the most comprehensive writers in the university, several are still apprehensive about their writing assignments. Meditation (active mindful breathing), is increasingly growing traction in the mental health community as a means to lower stress. Could students utilize the calming effects of meditation to improve their apprehension towards writing? The study conducted aims to identify what relationship if any, meditation has on the journals of English majors at Utah State University. Eight English majors gathered together and wrote in a journal for ten minutes. Afterward, they listened to a ten minute guided meditation practice followed by another ten minutes of journaling. Finally, the students answered a Qualtrics survey about their experience. The research sought to answer questions like, "did their vocabulary change?", "did they feel more or less apprehensive writing the second journal?", and, "could they focus more or less on the second journal?". Could the results influence students and teachers alike to include meditation in their pre-writing rituals?

Johnson, Marian (Utah Valley University)
Faculty Advisor: Abunuwara, Kim (Utah Valley University, Integrated Studies); Dunn, Paul (Utah Valley University, Biology); Oliveira, Andre (Utah Valley University, Economics)

Current American perceptions of ecological systems are toxic to a relationship with the natural world. Human-led extinction rates are unsustainable and obliterating untold amounts of diversity which could potentially help humans. A lack of appreciation for the intrinsic value held by non-human species contributes largely to cultivating an ignorant relationship between humans and their surroundings. The value of non-human species is currently difficult to calculate. Many species are not noticed until they are threatened or extinct due to their invisibility in the context of America's heavy emphasis on monetary value. Expecting an emphasis to be placed on ecological diversity without proper education on the significant long-term ramifications will hold no weight for individuals, corporations, and policy-makers. A cultural shift must be initiated before concrete policies can be implemented. Several aspects of this cultural shift are exposing value in species who are annoying, ugly, or seemingly give nothing to humans. Invisible species are some of the quickest to be swept away in ecological ignorance, contributing heavily to loss of diversity. The focus of this thesis is to suggest potential cultural tools in making this shift. Indigenous cultures which possess a sustainable and mutualistic relationship with the natural world ought to be explored as a model for which the United States can take steps to adopt. Fragments of American culture such as social media, monetary gains, tax incentives, and new additions to the public school curriculum are potential tools in strengthening and informing a realistic ecological opinion.

Truman, Jorden (Dixie State University)
Faculty Advisor: Pilkington, Olga (Dixie State University, English)

This paper uses literary analysis and theoretical framework of Regionalism to examine Barbara Kingsolver's novel Flight Behavior. Flight Behavior features Dellarobia, an inhabitant of a poverty-stricken Appalachian town, who discovered that a hill in her backyard became home to millions of wintering Monarch Butterflies. This abnormal flight behavior of the Monarch Butterflies for many in Dellarobia's community is seen as a gift from God, but for the outsiders, it is an ominous sign of climate change. The results of my analysis show that Kingsolver, although praised for her other novels set in the Appalachias, fails to address what Regionalist novels are criticized for: preventing the reader from taking sides with the educated master narrator against the abnormal or aberrant natives. Kingsolver's pursuit of the moral imperative comes at the cost of disparaging and humiliating the communities that makeup Appalachia. The ramifications of Flight Behavior are troubling because this "if you are not with us, you are against us" style of narration is prominent in climate change activist's discourse: creating enemies instead of allies.

Witham, Arianna (Dixie State University)
Faculty Advisor: Pilkington, Olga (Dixie State University, Applied Sociology)

Two of Shakespeare's plays Much Ado About Nothing and Hamlet have plots that are largely dependent on the death of a female character. Looking at the deaths of Hero and Ophelia though the lens of feminist literary analysis shows that these deaths are transformative points. On the surface, these deaths are very different: Ophelia stays dead while Hero's death is only a ruse. However, the deaths of Hero and Ophelia transition both of them from persons to objects. In the case of Ophelia, after death all that is left is a corpse, and Hamlet and Laertes' altercation in Ophelia's grave on top of her body contradicts their sorrowful proclamations just before. After Hero re-enters society, admittedly as someone else, the only thing about her new identity that seems to matter is her physical similarity to the Hero most believe to still be dead. Considering genre prompts another comparison between these deaths. In Much Ado About Nothing, Hero's death prompts Beatrice and Benedict's confessions of love, and her return to society allows the weddings and celebration that finish the play and mark it as a comedy to happen. Tragedies are marked by the death and destruction of the characters, and Hamlet is no exception. Ophelia's death is a catalyst for events that lead to the deaths of the other characters. If she had been revived, then there would be no funeral, and the emotional stakes at the end of the play would not be as high. The deaths of both Ophelia and Hero serve to drive the plots of these plays, but at the cost of the personhood of each.

Barker, Avery (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Kinkead, Joyce (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department)

Clothing is a large part of a person's identity, it allows a consumer to express who they identify as outwardly. The demand for clothing that people identify has increased immensely over recent years. The industry is capable of producing mass amounts of clothing of all styles, yet we do not see a prominent amount of apparel that references books readily available to the consumer. That is why we will be looking at apparel that displays references to literature such as published works. By researching into this apparel, we will be able to determine what the literary apparel industry is, how it is growing, why we are seeing it now, how popular this apparel is, and how it relates to us. To answer these questions, we will be conducting surveys with English Majors here at Utah State University, interviewing professionals in industries that relate to literature apparel, and reviewing literature pertaining to apparel.

Bresee, Andrea; Abel, Emily; Adams, Roland; Ashby, Shelby; Barker, Avery; Borden, Eden; Christensen, Nikki; Eralie, Megan; Evensen, Cayenne; Haney, Cameron; Jensen, Mia; Jensen, Raychel; Julander, Alexis; Pulsipher, Chase; Roberts, Katie; Roundy, Talia; Schroeder, Janell; Wheeler, Shylee; Wood, McKenzie (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Kinkead, Joyce (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department)

Although university students who major in English studies write consistently, often the writing behaviors are taken for granted, particularly the long-term writing lives of these students. How did they develop as writers? What strategies have they developed to be successful writers? What are their preferred tools and technology, the material culture of writing? How has their various cultures influenced their writing? Autoethnography is a type of qualitative inquiry that can help construct and analyze identity through both process and product. The parts of the term indicate what it means: graphy, referring to writing, also means to graph, describe, and analyze systematically one's personal experience � the auto as in autobiography or autograph. Ethno refers to how a person is placed within a cultural experience. How is the personal experience a reflection of culture or subculture? By using an autoethnographic approach, including intensive analysis of a week's writing, surveys, and interviews, that describes and interrogates their processes and products, the researchers, who are also the subjects, develop a profile of the writing lives of upper-division English majors at a land-grant, research university.

Sorensen, Brianne (Utah State University)
Faculty Advisor: Edenfield, Avery (College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English Department)

I investigate how #burkaban is used by Twitter users to point out the compounded marginalization of Muslim women in modern Western law, particularly Denmark, through discriminatory practices in government.
Historically, Denmark has a fewer number of Muslim communities compared to other modern Western societies. I chose to research Denmark because Muslim communities are already severely marginalized socially, economically, and physically. Denmark also uses discriminatory speech in their lawmaking to intentionally discriminate against Muslim communities.
I unpack and use the framework of Crenshaw's ideas on intersectionality from "Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex," but instead of demarginalization of the intersection of sex and race, I examine how hashtag use points out the marginalization of the intersection of sex and religion. I also use Koerber's "Toward a Feminist Rhetoric of Technology" to bridge the gap between how technology research intersects with discriminatory political practices. I utilize Frost's Apparent Feminism methodology framework to analyze how hashtags are used to address political trends that are intentionally discriminatory, particularly towards Muslim women. I further utilize this methodology to look specifically at how this hashtag is used to pose an intervention of discriminatory politics.
My conclusions determine who is using the #burkaban on Twitter, whether it is Muslim women or allies of Muslim women. I argue different hashtag users deploy #burkaban towards different goals for political intervention in Denmark. I also conclude and argue that Twitter has an ethical responsibility to take action towards political intervention in Denmark.

Kaneshiro, Alma; Jordan, Adam; Crompton, Rhees; Brailsford, Samantha; Spencer, Jonathan (Weber State University)
Faculty Advisor: Clark, Daniel (Science, Microbiology Department and Neuroscience Center); Chaston, John (Life Sciences, Plant & Wildlife Sciences)

Antibiotic resistance is of great concern in the medical community, with bacterial resistance increasing proportional to their use. Staphylococcus aureus, such as methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), can cause fatal infections. Problems due to this resistance are compounded when the infecting bacteria form a biofilm, thick sticky layers of bacterial secretions, which are difficult for antibiotics to penetrate. Biofilm formation is common in hospital settings on stents, catheters, and IV lines. Biofilms make antibiotic treatment risky due to incomplete killing—the most resistant survive exposure. There is evidence that bacteriophage can break up biofilms, possibly making them more susceptible to antibiotics. We induced a S. aureus biofilm formation using chemicals that mimic a skin wound. Using bacteriophage K, we inoculated the biofilm and observed clearance. Samples of cell pellets and liquid supernatant were collected, and DNA was extracted. Real-time PCR was used to quantify the levels of bacteriophage K replication, representing clearance of the bacteria. This research can be used to find efficient ways to treat an infection caused by a S. aureus biofilm. Bacteriophage used in combination with antibiotics may be able to better clear a biofilm infection and reduce antibiotic resistance risk due to more complete infection clearance.

Townsend, Jessica; Freitas, Claudia; Weber, Scott; Cardon, Dallin (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Weber, Scott (Brigham Young University / Life Sciences, Microbiology and Molecular Biology)

The World Health Organization reported in 2016 that oral diseases affected half of the world's population. Oral diseases are due to poor oral hygiene and tobacco use which can develop into periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is caused by an immune response to microbial challenge, which initiates an invasion of lymphocytes and other single-nucleated cells to the site of inflammation in the mouth that can cause tooth loss and is a risk factor for heart and lung disease. Patients with severe periodontitis have increased auto-reactive B lymphocytes that express the CD5 co-receptor and these cells are influenced by T cells. We propose to investigate the relationship between oral inflammation, CD5, and the T helper immune response. This will be done by comparing oral inflammation in mice with and without CD5. CD5 is a T cell co-receptor that regulates T cell development and function and we hypothesize CD5 plays an important role in periodontal disease. We will test this hypothesis by co-culturing T cells expressing or lacking CD5 with oral mucosal or gingival epithelial cells that have been exposed to LPS (lipopolysaccharide, a major component of gram-negative bacteria's wall) and will exam differences in cell number, T cell subtype, and cell function.

Spruance, Lori; Augustine, Madi (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Spruance, Lori (Life Sciences, Public Health)

Youth sport programs are an opportunity to increase physical activity, but the food environment may be detrimental to improving and maintaining health. From a previous study, parents indicated that they would like guidance and direction in a top-down approach from coaches and administrators; yet, understanding the administrator experience relative to the youth sports food environment remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to understand that experience. Semi-structured qualitative interviews will take place with administrators across the state of Utah. Interviews will be recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis will be conducted to identify salient themes. A peer-reviewed publication and multiple presentations will result from the study conducted.