Architecture

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: 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 Data shows 44% of those ages 18-29 believe marriage is obsolete (Helimlich, 2011), and 40% of emerging adults are religiously unaffiliated (Pew Research Center).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: 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: Braxton Bird. Mentors: Sarah Franklin. Insitution: University of Utah. Heart disease ends the lives of nearly 700,000 people each year and has been the leading cause of death in the United States since 1950. Around this time researchers discovered that some modifications involving our genetic code could be altered to affect gene expression but leaves the DNA intact, which was later termed epigenetics. Today we’ve discovered that these epigenetic modifications, including post translational modifications (PTMS), regulate genes linked to cardiovascular disease. We recently examined the histone lysine methyltransferase SETD7, which is most prominently known for its ability to methylate histone H3K4. SETD7’s expression is upregulated in multiple types of heart disease in both humans and mice and is essential for cardiomyocyte differentiation in embryonic development. In addition to its ability to methylated H3K4, SETD7 has been shown to methylate 8 other histone residues. To further characterize the histone residues methylated by SETD7, we carried out an unbiased analysis of lysine residues methylated by SETD7 using an in vitro methyltransferase assay coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. We hypothesized that SETD7 may modify additional sites than those that have previously been identified. Our analysis determined that SETD7 monomethylates two novel residues on histone H3: lysine 36 (K36) and lysine 122 (K122). These sites of modification were also confirmed by western blotting for site specific antibodies to these methylation marks. Although our understanding of both these residues is limited, we do know that K36 methylation is linked to DNA replication and genomic stability while K122 methylation is downregulated in drug-resistant MCF-7/ADR cancer cells. These two novel methylation sites suggest that this lysine methyltransferase plays a more complex role in regulating epigenetic modifications and gene expression than previously recognized. Although the identification of this new enzymatic activity for SETD7 is important for understanding the dynamic function of methyltransferases, additional studies will be necessary to fully elucidate the role of SETD7 in cardiac physiology and gene regulation.

Authors: America Cox, Kendra Autumn , Bryn Dentinger. Mentors: Bryn Dentinger. Insitution: University of Utah. Neotropical ants of the Attini tribe evolved the innate ability to farm fungi. Agaricomycetidae contains two clades that are cultivated by ants: the lepiotaceous and pterulaceous cultivars. However, there are free-living relatives phylogenetically distributed throughout each cultivar clade. Comparison between the free-living relatives and attine system cultivars may identify the evolutionary differences caused by, or initially enabling, agricultural symbiosis. Our research compares free-living relatives and cultivars through genomic and metabolic analysis. Attines undertake significant cultivar maintenance through the regulation of pathogenic contamination of their fungal “gardens” as well as the provision of specific growth substrates, including insect frass. Noting the apparently specialized substrates cultivars receive from the ants, we conducted a pilot test for a growth media preference between a lepiotaceous cultivar, a pterulaceous cultivar, and a free-living pterulaceous relative. We placed the fungi on regular PDY media and PDY media infused with caterpillar frass, and the cultivars either changed structure or had improved growth on the frass-infused media. Following the pilot test, we will run metabolic assays on the cultivars and free-living relatives on different media types. This may indicate a media preference which gives further insight to the attine-fungal symbiotic relationship opposed to the fungal free-living relatives revealing pieces of the fungi’s evolutionary history. We performed DNA extraction, PCR testing, Sanger sequencing of the ITS region, and then whole genome sequencing on the cultivars and their free-living relatives. Sanger sequencing allowed us to build phylogenetic trees to examine the relationship between the free-living fungi and cultivars. The whole genome sequencing allowed us to use antiSMASH software to generate predicted secondary metabolite clusters in a fungi species that “escaped” cultivation, a cultivar, and a free-living relative. This preliminary data suggests a diversification of fungal secondary metabolites occurs after attine domestication. By looking at fungal metabolic and genomic data, we hope to gain insight into the fungi’s evolutionary history and agricultural symbiosis.

Authors: Dua Azhar, Alexander MacKenzie, Sophie Caron. Mentors: Sophie Caron. Insitution: University of Utah. The mushroom body of the Drosophila melanogaster is a structure in the brain that is necessary for learning, but much of how it functions remains unknown. In this model organism, D. melanogaster’s mushroom body neurons, known as Kenyon cells, and input projection neurons have connections that are random and biased—in which some projection neurons connect with Kenyon cells more than others—allowing the fly to potentially prioritize the learning of particular odors. I investigated the functional consequences and characterizations of these biases in order to understand the biological role they play for the fly using a theoretical and experimental approach. With a computational model of the D. melanogaster olfactory system, how biased connectivity to the mushroom body influences its ability to form associations with various odors and distinguish between similar odors was explored. Experimentally, the morphological features of olfactory circuits were characterized by low to high connectivity rates to the mushroom body, allowing us to see the unique features in these circuits that are beyond the different connectivity rates. Through a combination of immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy, high-quality images were generated of these different neuronal olfactory circuits and their morphological qualities, such as the number and volume of boutons they project to the mushroom body. Altogether, these findings demonstrate how neural connectivities behind learning shape the representation space in D. melanogaster and impact its learning outcomes.

Authors: Alexa N Gormick, Adam M Zahm, Justin G English. Mentors: Justin G English. Insitution: University of Utah. Recent advancements in gene therapy have pushed towards the prevention and treatment of a diverse spectrum of disorders and diseases that are caused by misregulation of gene expression programs and their transcriptional regulators. However, the profoundness of the field means that much of the mechanisms and effects of regulation are unknown and understudied. Here, we explore the limits of flexible exogenous gene expression and its potential use in optimizing efficacy and specificity in gene therapy interventions while minimizing the possible associated risks. This is made possible by exploiting the Tet-On system of inducible transcriptional regulation, which allows the expression of any target gene to be reversibly, specifically, and differentially controlled. In this system, the tetracycline repressor (TetR) binds the tetracycline operator (TetO), impeding transcription of any downstream gene embedded by the researcher; tetracycline dosing causes TetR to adopt a new conformation that removes it from TetO, inducing gene expression on command (Das et al., 2016). Because of the diverse utility of this system, we are in pursuit of developing novel TetR-TetO orthologous pairs that do not interfere with this wild-type circuit and can be used to regulate gene expression in parallel. As a first step to generating TetR-TetO orthologs, we mapped the usage of TetO by TetR in a massively parallel reporter assay (MPRA) by engineering an extensive library of mutant TetOs and quantified the resulting range of TetR regulation through reporter gene expression. From this screen, we identified candidate TetO mutants to direct the evolution of the wild-type TetR towards complementary states to those TetO mutant sequences. Our preliminary findings indicate that the engineering of distinct synthetic expression cassettes based on the TetR-TetO operon is feasible. These novel tools may ultimately allow us to build a synthetic genetic circuit to model regulatory feedback loops that can help discover malfunctions in cell growth, reproduction, and cycling that can arise from genetic disorders and can lead to disease.1. Das, A. T., Tenenbaum, L., & Berkhout, B. (2016). Tet-On Systems For Doxycycline-inducible Gene Expression. Current Gene Therapy, 16(3), 156–167. https://doi.org/10.2174/1566523216666160524144041

Authors: Cole Murphy, Andrew Blazzard, Austin Barney. Mentors: Patrick Steffen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. BackgroundHigher levels of social media use (SMU) have demonstrated associations with higher levels of self-reported stress. However, the association between SMU and physiological markers of stress, such as heart rate variability (HRV), is less understood. We hypothesize that increased time spent each day on social media will be associated with decreased baseline HRV, but only for individuals who report high rates of stress. We also hypothesize that time spent on social media will be associated with decreased baseline HRV for individuals with higher levels of neuroticism. When considered together, we hypothesize the largest association between SMU and baseline HRV for individuals with higher levels of both stress and neuroticism.MethodsUsing a sample of 165 undergraduate students, we measured baseline heart rate variability with a 3-lead ECG. We determined the average SMU using the Social Media Use Questionnaire (SMUQ). We also ascertained self-reported stress levels using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), and levels of neuroticism using the IPIP NEO Neuroticism Extraversion Openness - PR (IPIP-NEO-120). We will use multivariate regression for our analysis.ResultsResults are undergoing analysis. ConclusionsWhile the use of social media by itself may not have a clear direct association with HRV, it is important to consider the effects of social media use on people with a high emotional state of stress and/or high levels of neuroticism. As public policy continues to be developed for social media, it is important to consider how people with higher tendencies to become stressed and those with higher levels of neuroticism can be affected by social media use if unregulated.

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: Parker McKasson, Hannah Hornberger, Sydnee Bond, Olivia Heller, Josh Marchant. Mentors: Patrick Steffen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. BackgroundIntrinsic religiosity is a deeply rooted connection to one's faith. Individuals with high intrinsic religiosity find purpose and meaning through their spiritual connections. Extrinsic religiosity is primarily driven by social or other superficial factors. Individuals with high extrinsic religiosity may be more inclined to participate in religious activities and communities without having a deep connection to their faith. Intrinsic religiosity has demonstrated associations with lower self-reported stress, however, associations between intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity and baseline heart rate variability (HRV), a proxy measure of the parasympathetic nervous system, have not been studied. Such research has the ability to explain how the complex relationship between religiosity and stress affects overall well-being. We hypothesize that higher self-reported stress will be associated with lower baseline HRV, but intrinsic religiosity will serve as a buffer, such that stress will have a weaker influence on baseline HRV among individuals who are more intrinsically religious. We predict that extrinsic religiosity will have no influence on the relationship between stress and HRV. MethodsA survey and biofeedback study were conducted on a sample of 165 college students. We used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) and Intrinsic/Extrinsic Religiosity Scale (IE/R), as well as measured baseline heart rate variability (HRV) using a 3 lead ECG. We will analyze the impacts of stress on HRV across people with varying levels of intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity through a multivariate regression model.ConclusionsReligiosity is not often viewed as a direct contributor to health and wellness, however, when viewed as a protective barrier against stress, intrinsic religiosity could play an important role in an individual’s stress response and wellbeing. In the presence of stressors, we expect intrinsic religiosity to be related to healthier parasympathetic functioning as measured through HRV.

Authors: Vanessa Tuttle. Mentors: Liz McGuire. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Despite significant strides in global gender equality, women remain underrepresented in leadership roles, prompting investigation into public perceptions of women’s leadership. Our research delves into the often-overlooked aspect of female-to-female interactions and their impact on women's self-perception as leaders. We aim to identify the voices that most influence women's beliefs about their leadership abilities, contributing to the broader discourse on gender parity in leadership. Drawing on historical and cross-cultural perspectives, we theorize that women, historically designated as primary caregivers and reproducers of society, play a pivotal role in shaping individuals' beliefs. This designated role may lead women to internalize societal norms that undervalue their leadership capabilities outside the home. We examine the potential impact of empowered female role models on women's confidence in leadership roles. We employ a lab-in-field experiment conducted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Arusha and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Participants are assigned to groups with varying gender compositions, engaging in a task where success is dependent upon the leader, followed by a post-treatment survey evaluating their experience, leader, and perceptions of female leadership. Through this experiment, we contribute empirical evidence to the ongoing discussion on gender disparities in leadership and challenge existing theories, providing valuable insights into the complex dynamics that contribute to the confidence gap between men and women in leadership roles. Our preliminary findings from our ongoing research may have implications for strategies aimed at fostering gender equality in leadership, encouraging a more nuanced understanding of the factors influencing women as leaders.

Authors: Tzu Yu Weng, Isaac Teuscher. Mentors: Xinru Page. Insitution: Brigham Young University. While online technology connects people around the world, norms around privacy, appropriate interactions, and information sharing vary significantly from culture to culture. Thus, we investigate potential issues that can happen when individuals from different cultural backgrounds interact through online platforms such as social media or texting. Our study consists of interviewing participants who have recently relocated to another country. Participants were invited to share instances of how their technology usage differs from that in their country of origin. Through inductive coding, we identified patterns in how cultural differences influence technology interactions. In this presentation, we will discuss the results from the analysis including recommendations for developing tools to enhance intercultural interactions online and reduce barriers in cross-cultural exchanges.

Authors: Jens Watts. Mentors: Brian Harker. Insitution: Brigham Young University. What is a standard at its essence? Wren 2022 suggests that in jazz scholarship, undue emphasis has been placed on the analysis of the standard as a work. Instead, the standard should be understood as an archive: the sum of all relationships between different iterations of the work. I posit that further work in this mode will help to correct an antiquated philosophy of music existing on a page and direct further attention to the act of ‘musicking,’ as promoted by Christopher Small in his 1998 book.This article examines three jazz standards: “On the Sunny Side of the Street,” “Autumn Leaves,” and “On Green Dolphin Street.” These standards were chosen because of their varying interpretations in harmony and melody. My analysis of these standards is threefold: theoretical, historical, and ethnographic. I begin with an analysis of the published sheet music for each of these standards, examining unique features of their pitch content. From there, I depart to a historical analysis, examining changes in the performance of the tune over time.The bulk of my research reports on an ethnography of jazz musicians on the Utah scene. My interlocutors were asked to play the standards in question, which I recorded. I examine common features of their interpretations, as well as salient differences. Some of their thoughts on these standards in particular and the practice of learning standards in general are also presented. The resulting collection of information on my multidisciplinary approach to analyzing standards reveals important aspects of the epistemology of jazz music and the ontology of standards themselves.

Authors: Jessica Anderson. Mentors: Jennifer Kohler. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Social media, television, and Cinema all play key roles in shaping our perception of reality. This study examines stigmas and stereotypes of disabilities that are perpetuated through the media specifically through these three sources. It also examines the presence of inspiration porn and the proper representation of physical disabilities in these media sources.

Authors: Samuel Zenteno. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Evolution of Elementary School Architecture:Elementary school architecture has evolved significantly, reflecting shifts in educational philosophies, technological advancements, and societal priorities. From humble one-room schoolhouses to technologically advanced, sustainable, and inclusive learning spaces, the architectural form mirrors broader changes in education and society. What architectural form best reflects the ideal elementary school learning environment? Studying the evolution of elementary school architecture offers society several advantages:• Informed Design: By understanding the historical context and design trends, architects and educators can create more effective, engaging, and sustainable learning spaces.• Educational Enhancement: Insights from past designs can lead to environments that support modern teaching methods and foster improved student outcomes.• Equity in Education: Recognizing disparities in school facilities informs efforts to ensure all students have access to high-quality educational spaces.Research Methods:This research employs a comprehensive approach, combining historical analysis, architectural documentation, case studies, and conducting surveys with community members. Comparative studies of architectural styles, education methods, and pedagogical influences will shed light on ideal architectural forms for learning environments.Expected Results:Anticipated outcomes include a nuanced historical narrative of elementary school architecture, identification of pivotal design trends, insights into the societal forces that shaped these changes, and a repository of best practices. Ultimately, this research aims to empower architects, educators, policymakers, and communities to collaboratively shape the future of elementary school architecture, fostering equitable, innovative, and sustainable educational environments.An elementary school is the first public building that a child is called to regularly experience, be educated, find a playground, and socialize. In that sense, it is about to become a second home. By understanding the past, we can better prepare for the future of elementary school design.

Authors: Angela Gomez. Mentors: Chizu Matsubara. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Once students know their letter names and sounds, educators have them begin to learn irregular words, commonly known as sight words. These words are irregular due to them not following common patterns that make up a word. Typically, teaching irregular words is done by having students learn a set number of words through flashcards or reading them off a list. However, students who learn irregular words with flashcards or lists struggle and need help when reading those same words in a text. Action research will be used to study the hypothesis: “Will direct phonics literacy instruction help students learn and retain irregular words?” The research is being conducted in a kindergarten classroom by a preservice teacher in her practicum placement. The focus students for the research will be working with the preservice teacher in a small group setting where they will be reading decodable texts that contain irregular words within the text. The students will be able to decode the regular words they come across using their knowledge of alphabet letters and sounds. Students will be learning the irregular words of the text through direct phonics instruction to help them learn and retain their knowledge of irregular words. By using direct phonics instruction within a text, students can learn how to successfully read the irregular word while simultaneously applying it to a text. The other approach to learning irregular words is reading them on flashcards or a list and then having students transfer their knowledge of these words from a list to reading them in a text, which can become problematic for students as they cannot do so. By having students learn irregular words through direct phonics instruction, the expected result is to have students know around 50 irregular words by the deadline required by the local school district.

Authors: Soren Pearce. Mentors: Jacob Hickman. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Conversations about conspiracy theories have become prevalent in contemporary Western society, reaching through all levels of private, academic, and governmental discourse. Part of this discourse revolves around the question of what exactly conspiracy theories are and how they occur within a population; much of the recent academic treatment of conspiracy theories identifies them as a kind of propaganda whose purpose is to promote particular political agendas, especially those with apocalyptic concerns (Cassam 2019). While conspiracy theories certainly have been and continue to be used to further certain political aims, this understanding of them as totally propaganda provides only a narrow insight that fails to capture the scope of how conspiracy theories occur in the real world and how they are experienced by the people who believe in them. Philosophy and political theory can only be so informative, and they lack an ethnographic perspective to instruct on the lived reality of conspiracy theories (Hickman & Webster 2018). During my fieldwork in Belfast, Northern Ireland, I conducted ethnographic research with a group of people who could easily and accurately be labeled conspiracy theorists; my experiences with them provide insight into how conspiracy theories actually operate in the lives of living people. Contrary to popular claims, conspiracy theories—especially those that deal with the end of the world as we know it—are not experienced as primarily political phenomena. Instead, they are experienced as religious truths, and the millenarian activism that often surrounds them is enacted because of a conviction of personal obligation to the truth. Framing conspiracy theories as mere propaganda or dismissing them as the effects of cognitive dissonance incorrectly discounts the empirical reality of these beliefs for the people who have them.

Authors: Danielle Black. Mentors: Chris Anderson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric disorder diagnosed in children, characterized by impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity. It is frequently co-morbid with eating disorders, primarily bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED). Impulsivity is an important factor in increasing the risk of binge-eating and subsequent feelings of guilt, which may prompt purging behaviors. This often manifests early in childhood as loss of control while eating and can indicate future development of an eating disorder. The current project aimed to assess the link between ADHD symptoms and disordered eating in Utah Valley University alumni. After obtaining IRB approval, 265 alumni responded to an email survey containing nineteen questions regarding ADHD symptoms and three items related to disordered eating. Pearson correlations revealed a significant association between ADHD symptoms and binging (r=.22, p <.01) as well as guilt about eating (r=.17, p <.01). Limitations of the study include the absence of a clinical ADHD diagnoses, relying instead on self-report, and the homogeneous sample, restricting its generalizability. The study was bolstered by its comprehensive coverage of ADHD symptoms and an adequately large sample size to detect statistical significance. This study provides valuable information for those suffering from eating disorders and the clinicians that treat them. Future research could assess the interplay between treating ADHD and reducing the risk of eating disorders. Notably, purging and ADHD symptoms were not significantly correlated, and future research could further explore that relationship. In conclusion, the relationship between binge eating and ADHD symptoms should be acknowledged by clinicians.