Architecture

Authors: Samuel Weisler. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Contemporary architecture and design increasingly prioritize sustainable, healthy, and aesthetically pleasing indoor environments, acknowledging the fact that we spend most of our lives inside buildings. However, this research brings up a critical question: are we undervaluing the inherent beauty of the outdoors within our built environment? While the concept of beauty is a subject of heavy debate, the universal beauty of nature remains a constant. This study aims to substantiate the superiority of outdoor spaces over their indoor counterparts by comparing the visual appeal of AI-generated images. Specifically, it will create image pairs for five different activity categories: contemplation, recreation, social interaction, education, and creativity. Each image in the pair must embody essential elements: sunlight, biophilic components, and privacy. For each activity category, AI will be instructed to generate an outdoor space image and an indoor equivalent. Next, visual eye-tracking software will analyze these images, enabling us to quantitatively gauge their visual appeal. The analysis will provide insight into whether outdoor spaces surpass their indoor counterparts in aesthetics. Anticipating that outdoor spaces will exhibit greater visual appeal, this research carries valuable implications for the architectural and design industries. In a world increasingly focused on enhancing the human experience, these findings will advocate for the greater incorporation and prioritization of outdoor spaces in built environments. Increasing our access to outdoor living spaces will undoubtedly improve the quality of human experiences.

Authors: Colton Korpi. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Background: The apparent design shift and style of LDS temples has changed over time moving from a traditional style into a modern era. The ornamentation and architectural style of these sacred spaces play a role in shaping the user's spiritual experience by creating a profound sense of connection to religious tradition. Insights into the evolutionary link between human perception and ornamentation inform this exploration. Architecture, initially rooted in shelter and protection, has evolved into an art form, encompassing subjectivity, creativity, and aesthetics. The effects of architecture on our psychological well-being, makes it an ideal venue to understand its influence on spiritual experiences.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how the presence of ornamentation and architectural style influences the experience of sacred ordinances within LDS temples.Method: A comprehensive study method combining surveys and Visual Attention Software (VAS) to investigate the effects of temple design on user experiences. Surveys will present participants ranging in age, race, and religious beliefs with questions and visual comparisons of diverse temple styles, form, levels of ornamentation, and site design. Complementing this, VAS will offer a technological perspective by analyzing visual attention patterns. The research includes a selection of LDS temples with varying architectural styles distributed geographically to minimize regional biases.Results: The primary hypothesis is that architectural styles and factors of LDS temples impact the emotional and spiritual experiences of visitors. These results could influence and impact the process and overall thought of designing sacred spaces Conclusion: By utilizing both traditional survey methods and VAS technology, this research aims to provide an understanding of how temple architecture shapes the spiritual journey of visitors. The outcomes could have broader implications for architectural design in sacred spaces and offer valuable insights into the evolving role of architecture in spiritual well-being in a contemporary context.

Authors: Arawyn Walter. Mentors: Alexandra Giannell. Insitution: Utah Valley University. “Breaking Boundaries” is an abstract self portrait that describes the duality of distancing myself from relationships, juxtaposed to being entangled in the complex connections I have with family and friends. Boundaries, in my sense of the word, are barriers/rules that are set to make an individual feel comfortable, however these barriers can be complicated and are different from person to person. This piece explores my own personal struggle when it comes to setting boundaries for myself and being able to understand the boundaries of others. The two figures resting in the center of the piece expressing two versions of myself, one in action and one in rest revealing two mental states that portray the emotions showing two extremes of what relationships feel like to me. Parts of the work physically emerges from the canvas from my hands that are tangled up in string. The distance of the tangled and strained strings from the canvas comments on my state now and the physical distance I have put between myself and past relationships in order to feel a sense of freedom from the pressures they put on me and I put on myself.

Authors: Nathaniel Stucki. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. In the field of architectural design, the invention of artificial Intelligence or (AI) has sparked incredible amounts of curiosity and debate in regard to its potential impact on classical design principles. For this Project I will dive into the relationship between AI and classical Architecture and aim to determine whether AI can Measure up to the educated experts of classical architecture and how we can use AI as a tool for design.The project will unravel in three separate phases (1-3). Phase 1 will explore the interior and exterior images provided by AI when describing a building akin to the Pantheon because it is considered to be the pinnacle of beauty. The incremental process of refining the text prompt is essential to obtain quality images to continue into the subsequent phases.In phase 2, the VAS by 3M, will be used to assess which of the AI images are the most captivating for both the exterior images and the interior images. The winning interior image and the winning exterior image will then move on to phase 3.Phase 3 will take these AI images and compare them to photographs of the Pantheon VAS 3M. This phase will evaluate the extent that AI can pull attention and will offer insights into the potential utility for architects or designers to use in the design process during the conceptual phase.In conclusion, I expect findings will show VAS attention percentages are slightly skewed in favor of human design and, while AI can enhance the efficiency in the design process, it cannot replace years of classical training. Architects would be wise to, instead of resisting change, fully embrace AI as a tool for design enhancement. This study emphasizes the importance of collaboration between “man and machine” in shaping the future for architecture.

Authors: Josh Lythgoe. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Is the average American content with their home? If not, why are they discontent? One study suggests that how one perceives their home has more impact on them than the actual physical makeup of their home. This research will be added to by determining how the average homeowner perceives their home, and whether or not they are content with their current home. This research will be executed via a survey with a target sample size of at least one-hundred individuals. Factors such as race, socioeconomics, gender, and education will be studied to see what correlations exist between these factors and contentment in each category. Participants will be gathered by posting the survey on various forms of social media, as well as distributing flyers in public locations and randomly selected neighborhoods. Homeowners will be directed to rate various aspects of their home in the following areas: aesthetics and beauty, layout and flow, spaciousness and comfort, timelessness and longevity, maintenance and upkeep, and neighborhood and location. An average will be taken from each category to assess homeowners contentment by topic. The expected results are that on average homeowners will be more discontent than content in each of the above mentioned categories. A statistical analysis will be conducted to look for correlations between who designed the home and contentment. There is an expected positive correlation between contentment with one's home if they were involved in the design process. Similarly, there is an anticipated positive correlation with contentment if an architect designed the home. This research will be used to help guide design professionals to know how they can improve owner contentment with homes being newly constructed and renovated. The findings will help raise awareness of whether or not the current method of designing and constructing houses is meeting the homeowner’s needs, and expectations.

Authors: Sadie Stutz. Mentors: Ben Felix. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The Pagoda is a World War I memorial located in Memory Grove Park in Salt Lake City Utah. This structure was designed by Slack Winburn who was a WWI veteran and local architect in Salt Lake City. It was built in 1925 and is placed to the right after the entry gates of this park. The structure is built out of marble and has simple but intricate detail around the top of the entablature. The pedestal and urn placed in the middle of the structure was added in later years. As you walk around this pedestal you are able to read the names of those in Utah who have passed on and have fought for our country. This memorial is a very elegant and peaceful structure to pay tribute to those who have passed on. The purpose of this project was to study and research this structure. I went to the structure and measured the different details, I composed this analytique to show the beauty in this structure. This composition is done with pencil and watercolor. I have shown an enlarged Doric column, entablature, and pedestal. There is a flower motif of a forget-me-not flower that is repeated through the ornamentation on the entablature and on the pedestal. I have shown the floor plan and floor details with the broken pieces of colored marble which focuses your attention on the pedestal in the middle to remember these men who fought. In the center of the composition is an elevation of the entire structure, surrounded by rose bushes. file:///C:/Users/sadst/Downloads/Sadie%20Stutz%20-%20Pagoda%20Analytique.pdf

Authors: Gabe Snow, Joseph Ward. Mentors: Cammy Peterson. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Unmanned aerial system (UAS) research is fast becoming an important area of development in commercial and military applications. As UAS become more prevalent commercially and recreationally, there is a growing need to accurately track large numbers of these aircraft. This is particularly important in compact urban environments where potential flight paths are limited. Our research team at BYU is developing the Local Air Traffic Information System (LATIS), allowing multiple radar ground stations to communicate and track UAS across multiple fields of view. One major component of this system is Recursive Random Sample Consensus (R-RANSAC)---an algorithm used to correlate and combine the data from multiple sources. The process a ground station uses for calibration is to collect Real-Time Kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK GPS) coordinates of a friendly UAS as it passes through the field of view of a station's radar. R-RANSAC is then used to a) filter noise from the raw radar data, and b) identify "tracks," or paths which UAS have followed, using temporal and spatial proximity. The Orthogonal Procrustes Problem then provides a method to rotate data from the local radar frame to the global frame. These steps can be done live or with recorded data. Following this, the calibrated radar uses R-RANSAC to filter data and identify passing UAS with high accuracy. Our contributions to the project are developing communication software, refining R-RANSAC, and helping to implement the whole system in flight experiments. We are continuing to work on analyzing the data taken from flight tests and publish the improvements of this system compared to existing methods.

Authors: Lais Oliveira, Corinne Jackson. Mentors: Spencer Magleby. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Space applications, such as LiDAR telescopes and reflectarray antennas, often need large arrays that deploy to meet specific mission requirements. These deployable arrays transform from a compact stowed volume to a large deployed surface area, and it is crucial for them to be light and compact with a high functional area. In this project we are improving the ratio with research in deployment by investigating the deployment of various array designs developed by the Compliant Mechanisms Research lab, intended for space applications. We obtain relative metrics, including the deployment energy curves for each design, so designs can be compared for specific applications. Specifically, we aim to assess each design’s compatibility with the aim to minimize volume and maximize surface area. This research will allow us to determine which deployment techniques can be combined, or design for external structures to aid in deployment, if needed, to create an efficient deployable array.

Authors: Davis Wing. Mentors: Larry Howell. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Origami-based mechanisms provide the opportunity for constructing highly compact systems for deployment in space and other applications. One pattern that shows great promise in this field is the flasher pattern, which unfurls a flat, rotationally symmetric arrangement of panels from a cylindrical spiral. The fold pattern is complex, and in attempting to better understand how it can be made from non-zero-thickness materials, and desiring a model which could be easily 3D printed, the following research was developed.As a result of this research, a flasher model was constructed which folds out to a deployed state that has almost triple the projected area of the stowed state. The idealized flasher was designed using Tessellatica, a program developed by Dr. Robert Lang. Turning the two-dimensional output from Tessellatica into a structure suitable for 3D printing required beginning with the stowed form of the flasher and thickening it across all panels. Fold lines were preserved at zero-thickness to ensure correct kinematics, and the bottom face of the model was constrained to be flat. Initial attempts at fulfilling these design requirements made apparent the need for more constraints, such as constraining the thicknesses of different panel sections to be proportional to their distance from the center and ensuring that the final unfolded state involved no overhangs.The final step in designing the model involved the implementation of living hinges. In a 3D printed design, living hinges offer mobility without assembly at the cost of being potential failure points, depending on print line orientations. Any hinge built from paths running in line with that hinge would immediately fail upon bending. The solution to this problem of parallelism was to use two layers with 0.1mm thickness on the bottom of the model, at 90° angles to one another. This allowed for all of the hinges, regardless of orientation, to be able to have the strength necessary to form a workable part.This research advances the manufacturability of zero-thickness origami patterns by providing models capable of being conveniently manufactured by anyone with a 3D printer. Specifically, it demonstrates a method for developing a zero-thickness model into a foldable structure of non-negligible thickness, and how to use default 3D slicer settings to build robust living hinges. The models have been uploaded on two popular file-sharing websites, Thingiverse and Printables, and have been downloaded hundreds of times.

Authors: Joseph Moore. Mentors: Jeff Hill. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Shape memory alloys are extensively utilized in many industries due to their ability to return to a predefined shape when heated. For medical applications, Nitinol, a nickel-titanium shape memory alloy, holds significant favor due to its biocompatibility and super elasticity. Since its discovery in the early 1960s, Nitinol has been the subject of ongoing research and fresh insights into how this alloy operates are of great importance to the industry.Nitinol wires sourced from manufacturers exhibit substantial uncertainty in their actuation temperature, also known as the austenite finish temperature. This study aims to investigate a heat-treatment method that can reduce these uncertainties, ultimately narrowing down the precise and consistent austenite finish temperature for two types of Nitinol wire: a single wire and a coiled variant.To achieve this, Nitinol samples were subjected to heat treatment in a furnace, with temperature and time parameters ranging from 500 to 650 °C and 5 minutes to 2 hours. Subsequently, the austenite finish temperature was triggered and recorded by immersing the heat-treated samples in degassed and deionized water at a controlled temperature.This research defines a straightforward yet effective approach that produces dependable results under controlled conditions. This method has the potential to streamline the determination of austenite finish temperatures, making future research more efficient. It may also open doors for innovative and efficient methods investigating the impact of heat treatment on Nitinol wires.

Authors: Benjamin Merrell. Mentors: Preston Manwaring. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Stage 1 and 2 labor is often characterized by manual examination of the maternal pelvis for fetal position and continuous monitoring by fetal cardiotocography. This practice has not changed in decades despite newer technology becoming available. Manual pelvic examinations have wide inter-examiner variability. Newer technology requires education and training. Unfortunately, both the decades old standard of care and newer technologies target Western markets with high reimbursements. Our lab is seeking to develop simple, robust, reliable, and low-cost technologies for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that don’t require the extensive education and training of modern western medical technologies. To facilitate this development, we, in collaboration with obstetric professionals, have created a 3D-printed test jig with a movable carriage that follows the normal path of fetal head delivery to test various stage 1 and 2 labor technologies in both dry and aqueous environments. Device requirements include: 1) delivery path must be representative of normal nulliparous and multiparous fetal head trajectories; 2) device must not utilize electronics or metal that could interfere with various tracking technologies; 3) device must provide a repeatable path for inter-technology evaluations; 4) device should allow for later expansion for higher-fidelity simulations. This presentation represents our early development work and initial outcomes.

Authors: Jennifer Mortensen, Melissa Lee, Jessica C Hill. Mentors: Jessica C Hill. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The prevailing assumption in academia has been that outstanding researchers would naturally be outstanding teachers. However, this notion began to face scrutiny in the late 1950s and early 1960s (Cruz et al., 2023). The societal upheavals of the 1960s had a profound impact on American colleges and universities, leading to students demanding and obtaining a more significant role in campus life. One notable change was the introduction of student evaluations of teaching, which were virtually non-existent before the 1960s but became standard practice by the late 1970s. In response to these shifts and faculty requests for support to enhance teaching, Centers for Teaching Excellence (CTEs) were born, with the inaugural centers established at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University (Bakutes, 1998; Miller, 2002). This marked the beginning of a nationwide initiative to strengthen teaching in higher education, culminating in the formation of over 1,000 such centers by the mid-1970s and general coverage across the United States by 2020 (Wright, 2023). In today's academic landscape, CTEs play an instrumental, mission-driven role in enhancing learning and teaching. The primary mission of most CTEs is to improve student learning, support faculty, encourage innovation, and support scholarly and creative work (Wright, 2023). While there is a wealth of literature on CTE organization, function, and impact, there is a noticeable gap in knowledge regarding the most frequently utilized programming and services offered by CTEs. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the educational landscape has undergone significant changes, necessitating a shift in the learning and teaching needs of students and faculty. This research seeks to address this evolving dynamic within Utah by examining the prevalent programming and services provided by CTEs across the state. The findings from this research will provide valuable insights into these changing needs and will inform future programming and strategic directions for CTEs in Utah. Bakutes, A. P. (1998). An examination of faculty development centers. Contemporary Education, 69(3), 168-171.Cruz, L., Parker, M. A., Smentkowski, B., & Smitherman, M. (2023). Taking flight: Making your center for teaching and learning soar (2nd ed.). Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. Murray, J. P. (2002). The current state of faculty development in two-year colleges. New Directions for Community Colleges, 118, 89–98.Wright, M. C. (2023). Centers for teaching and learning: The new landscape in higher education. Johns Hopkins University Press.

Authors: Derek Wolfgramm. Mentors: Kaicee Postler. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Since 2008, Utah Valley University has taught community classes through the Family Life Education curriculum called the "Stronger Families Project". Previous research has demonstrated the importance of evidence-based family life education (FLE) programs in strengthening families (e.g., Myers-Walls et al, 2011). This study investigates the efficacy of the Stronger Families Project (SFP) by employing a pre- and post-test analysis of change for participants enrolled in the program in Spring 2023 and analyzing qualitative satisfaction data.

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: Lauren Hammond, Hailey White, McKayla Pittman. Mentors: Brandon Burr. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Public opinion has largely moved away from traditional notions of marriage and religion, particularly for emerging adults (Gubernskaya, 2010; Pew Research Center, 2019). Data shows 44% of those ages 18-29 believe marriage is obsolete (Helimlich, 2011), and 40% of emerging adults are religiously unaffiliated (Pew Research Center). Emerging adults are more likely to explore diversity in relationships and express more openness to various relationship arrangements such as cohabitation and polyamory (Levine, 2020; Trask & Koivunen, 2007; U.S. Census Bureau, 2020), and many emerging adults may not find the structure and rules of organized religion agreeable with their perspectives and chosen lifestyle (Drewelies et al., 2018). Various reports also show strong connections between relationship health and physical and emotional health (e.g., Kiecolt-Glaser & Newton, 2001; Miller et al., 2013), with some connections between religiosity and health (Weaver et al., 2006), but very little information exists on how relationship and religion trend perspectives affect various aspects of health and well-being. Marital paradigms theory suggests that marriage attitudes are shaped by varying “marital contexts,” including religious beliefs, socioeconomic factors, public opinion, and changes in attitudes and beliefs over time (Willoughby et al., 2013). Thus, current relationship, marriage, and religiosity facets are likely interrelated and likely influence health aspects, perspectives, attitudes, and practices. This study extends the current literature exploring how various relationship and religion perspectives connect with various aspects of well-being (e.g., emotional and physical health, self-esteem, stress, general happiness), and how these connections may differ by demographic factors such as age. References Drewelies, J., Agrigoroaei, S., Lachman, M. E., & Gerstorf, D. (2018). Age variations in cohort differences in the United States: Older adults report fewer constraints nowadays than those 18 years ago, but mastery beliefs are diminished among younger adults. Developmental Psychology, 54(8), 1408–1425. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000527 Gubernskaya, Z. (2010). Changing attitudes toward marriage and children in six countries. Sociological Perspectives, 53(2), 179–200. https://doi.org/10.1525/sop.2010.53.2.179 Heimlich, R. (2011). Marriage is obsolete. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2011/01/06/marriage-is-obsolete/ Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. & Newton, T. L. (2001). Marriage and health: His and hers. Psychological Bulletin, 127, 472–503. Levine, N. (2020). This is how many young people are open to a polyamorous relationship. Retrieved from https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/young-people-polyamorous-relationship-study Miller, R. B., Hollist, C. S., Olsen, J., & Law, D. (2013). Marital quality and health over 20 years: A growth curve analysis. Journal of Marriage and Family, 75, 667-680. doi: 10.111/jomf.12025 Pew Research Center. (2019, October 17). In the U.S. decline of Christianity continues at rapid pace. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/ Trask, B. S., & Koivunen, J. (2007). Trends in marriage and cohabitation in culturally diverse families. In B. S. Trask & R. Hamon (Eds.), Cultural diversity and families: Expanding perspectives. Sage Publications. U.S. Census Bureau. (2019). Estimated median age at first marriage, by sex: 1890 to the present (Historical Marital Status Tables, Table MS-2). Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/families/marital.html Weaver, A. J., Pargament, K. I., Flannelly, K. J., & Oppenheimer, J. E. (2006). Trends in The Scientific Study of Religion, Spirituality, and Health: 1965-2000. Journal of Religion and Health, 45(2), 208–214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-006-9011-3 Willoughby, B. J., Hall, S. S., & Luczak, H. P. (2013). Marital paradigms: A conceptual framework for marital attitudes, values, and beliefs. Journal of Family Issues, 20, 1-24.

Authors: Anna Trollmann. Mentors: Chris Anderson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Past research has found positive correlations between childhood abuse and the likelihood of developing eating disorders later in life. Much of the research previously composed primarily focuses on specific categories of abuse, including sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and witnessing domestic violence. Feelings of loneliness are often studied in relation to eating disorder behaviors, specifically binge eating disorder (BED). Scarcely any research delivers studies of former college students with a specific focus on introspection regarding feelings of being unloved. The goal of this research project is to understand the correlation between feeling unloved and neglected with eating disorder behaviors. This UVU IRB-approved study (IRB Protocol #939) will use data from 6,000 randomly selected UVU current and former College of Humanities and Social Science (2014-2021) that were sent an email with a survey link. The survey assessed the past Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) related to feeling loved in childhood and their eating habits. The large sample size of this study will help support any findings in this research. Using former Utah college students in this study creates limitations as they are likely to be higher educated and younger than the general population. The results of this research could be relevant to the treatment of eating disorders, the detection of children at risk of eating disorders, and the consequences of feeling unloved in childhood.

Authors: Megan Frisby, Alma Laney, Geoff Zahn. Mentors: Alma Laney. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The oil-bearing species, Hyssopus officinalis (hyssop) and Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) are important ecological, ornamental, and agriculturally cultivated plants in the state of Utah, playing a central role in the state’s major essential oils industry, and thus economic climate. However, little is known about the virological agents infecting Utah plant species. A project was initiated to identify the viruses infecting symptomatic H. officinalis and L. angustifolia specimens obtained from Utah. Tissues collected from plants of both species exhibited viral associated symptoms of stunting and chlorosis, while collected hyssop specimens displayed additional leaf curling and mottling. Initial MinION sequencing was conducted on cDNA libraries synthesized from lavender and hyssop samples which were multiplexed with that of other species using the cDNA PCR barcoding kit and chip v 9.4.1. The primary run yielded contigs for a novel single-stranded negative-sense RNA nucleorhabdovirus in both specimens, a sequence closest to tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) in hyssop, and an ilarvirus related to tobacco streak virus in lavender. However, additional, exclusive MinION runs consistently failed to yield quality results in attempts to obtain the complete the genomes of these viruses. DNA and RNA extractions were once again performed on hyssop and lavender samples, and RNA from 2020 and 2023 were sent out of lab for RNAseq using the Illumina Novaseq. Once complete genomes are achieved further research will be conducted to characterize these novel viral agents, determine the identity of their associated vectors and calculate host ranges. The results of this project will help to advance the limited virological knowledge of Utah plants as well as that of the nation and world, and aid in developing future scientifically-sound pathogen management strategies.

Authors: Brian Seamons. Mentors: . Insitution: Utah Valley University. We compare the atmospheric compositions of WASP-39b and WASP-178b, as well as the different observing modes and analysis techniques for both observations. While both objects are gas giants, WASP-178b’s short-period orbit around its A-type host star leads to an equilibrium temperature more than double that of WASP-39b. WASP-39b was the one of the first exoplanets to be studied by JWST, and subsequently gave astronomers the first insights into JWST’s unprecedented exoplanet characterization capabilities. The data was collected using the NIRSpec PRISM observing mode, which provides broad-wavelength observations typically between 0.5 and 5.5 microns. Our intent was to use the publicly released data files and independently confirm the findings of the Early Release Science team while simultaneously validating our own data analysis pipeline. Our custom methods produced satisfactory results, ultimately yielding a transmission spectra that was consistent with that of the ERS team. Following this, we turned our attention to our second planet, WASP-178b, using data from the Cycle 1 program JWST-GO- 2055 (PI Lothringer). Using the G395H NIRSpec observing mode, which provides narrower wavelength coverage (~3-5 microns) with higher-resolution (R~3000), we constrained atmospheric conditions and molecular abundances, specifically H2O and CO. Though these two gas giants are quite unique, we present the results of each study side-by-side to highlight similarities and differences of both planetary atmospheric composition and the JWST observation modes which provided the data.