Architecture

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.

Authors: Danielle Keysaw, Michael C Rotter. Mentors: Michael C Rotter. Insitution: Utah Valley University. New botany students are faced with a long list of confusing terminology used within dense textbooks and dichotomous keys. This can be a challenge to learn all the terminology while learning how to identify plants by their various parts which may also be out of date due to the constant change within the field of Botany. The Field Manual of the Utah Valley Flora is written by students for students which results in a more user-friendly resource for learning that is up to date. Students in select botany classes are assigned a specific genus of plants that are found within the vicinity of Utah County (Utah Valley). Students use Utah Valley University’s herbarium, mapping and imaging software, as well as online databases to write descriptions for each species, creating a dichotomous key, and designing range maps. By allowing students to contribute to this field manual, not only will it be easier to read, but it also encourages engaged learning as well as a great opportunity for students to gain experience in technical writing, research methods, and current knowledge of plant terminology and nomenclature. Using the genus Veronica, I demonstrate the process in writing a full treatment for inclusion in the Field Manual of the Utah Valley Flora. First, I looked for details about each species morphology (such as the habit of the plant and the leaves, stems, roots, and flower details). These details allow me to write individual species descriptions for plants in Utah County. Herbarium records are used to describe the habitat and distribution within the greater Utah Valley Region. Next, I used a camera attached to a dissecting microscope to provide pictures of the plants for aid in identification. Lastly, I present a finished and full treatment for the genus Veronica found in Utah Valley. These plants are often considered weeds, but some have medicinal traits used by indigenous peoples as well as serve as habitat for some butterfly and moth species.

Authors: Jaycob M Russell, Sujeong Hwang, Jake A Harward, Emily R Morden, Danielle T Taylor, Devin H Taylor. Mentors: Danielle Taylor, Devin Taylor. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is estimated to cost four billion dollars per year in the United States that has a wide range of symptoms including low birth weight, microcephaly, and neurobehavioral problems (Belhorma et al., 2021). Drosophila melanogaster is a prime model organism to study FASD as they have variation in sensitivity to alcohol, metabolic and functional tolerance, and withdrawal to ethanol. We collected wild-type (WT) fly embryos and raised them in a regular diet or an antioxidant supplemented diet (acai or curcumin) both with or without ethanol exposure during development. Adult 4-8 day old fruit flies were starved for 24 hours before the conditioning paradigm. The different conditions included exposure to different odors in either an agar environment (CS-) or agar with sucrose (CS+) environment. After conditioning flies were starved again for 24 hours before testing. Y-mazes were used to test their learning and memory abilities. We hypothesized that flies reared on ethanol with the supplemented diet of antioxidants will show an increase in learning and memory performance compared to the FASD condition of flies raised in normal food without antioxidant supplementation, as flies raised in antioxidant supplemented diets will have less oxidative stress. Performance indices for Y-maze tests were calculated based on published protocols: [# No. of flies choosing (CS+) - # No. of flies choosing (CS-) ]/ Total # of flies that made a choice (Mohandasan et al., 2020).

Authors: Andrew Knowlton, Matt Olson. Mentors: Matt Olson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Snow melt is one of the most important parts of Utah’s water budget and has an impact on the Great Salt Lake (GSL) ecosystem, which hit a historic low point in 2022. One aspect contributing to water availability is an increase in dust on our snowpack which enhances snow melt and causes less water in the GSL basin. Using satellite imagery, we will calculate the increase in energy (radiative forcing) over the snowpack due to dust on snow. In previous research, I used a coarse satellite product from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to locate areas of dust hotspots on snow in the mountains surrounding the GSL. This project will use imagery with higher spatial detail (Landsat 8) using the same algorithm to measure radiative forcing over snow due to dust deposition. I will compare this data to the same algorithm using MODIS data to have a better analysis of dust in the snowpack. After performing this analysis I can better understand how spatial detail and acquisition frequency affect our accuracy at detecting radiative forcing due to dust on snow and how it changes our water budget.

Authors: Ives Hong, Grace Carsey, Tara Caplin, Hunter Mitchell, Peg Bird, Bridger Lisonbee, Maria Balaceanu, Dannelle Larsen-Rife. Mentors: Dannelle Larsen-Rife. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Attachment is fundamental to human development. The parent-child relationship impacts the physical and mental health of the child, particularly social development. The two attachment dimensions — attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance underlie the caregiver-child relationship in early childhood (Bowlby et al., 1973). Attachment anxiety and avoidance may change or persist throughout the life span. Major life transitions may influence attachment, however, people tend to revert to previous attachment trajectories after experiencing life transition (Fraley et al., 2021). Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to attachment insecurity which may have notable outcomes in adult relationships (Ross et al., 2022; Synder et al., 2023). Individuals with attachment avoidance and anxiety may have difficulty maintaining existing connections. People with high attachment anxiety and inadequate social support experience poor health outcomes (Stanton & Campbell. 2014). Lack of social support predict post-traumatic stress and thoughts of suicide (Scoglio et al., 2023). Loneliness and social isolation are associated with insecure attachment (Spence et al., 2020). Loneliness is correlated with poor mental health ratings and symptoms, and even mortality (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015; Jenkins et al., 2023). This study evaluates early attachment, health, and relationships. Approximately 200 adults will be recruited to complete the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised questionnaire (Fraley et al., 2011), Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire (Felitti et al.,1998), the Social Support Questionnaire-Short Form (SSQ6; Sarason et al. 1987), and the three-Item Loneliness Scale (Russell et al., 1980 ).We expect attachment anxiety and avoidance will be positively correlated with loneliness and negatively correlated with social support, while ACEs moderate these associations. Examining how ACEs may interact with attachment avoidance and anxiety may prompt early intervention to improve the caregiver-child relationship.

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

Authors: Lilliana Rogers. Mentors: Dannelle Larson-Rife. Insitution: Utah Tech University. One in five girls and one in twenty boys are victims of childhood sexual assault in the United States (Crimes, 2012). There is ample research on the effects and treatment of CSA on victims, however, a paucity of research on pedophiles and sexual offenders. In this social policy paper, the effects of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on victims should use neuroscience research to prevent CSA. Furthermore, attachment in childhood is pertinent in developing healthy adult relationships, however, despite having a secure attachment to parents, children still face adverse effects of CSA in intimacy in adulthood (Barnum & Perrone-McGovern, 2017). Furthermore, adults exposed to CSA face a higher risk for mental health disorders, physical health problems, and substance abuse disorders, compared with adults who have not been exposed to CSA (Herder & Redner, 1991). Four main effects of concern are addressed in CSA victims: intimacy in adulthood, mental health risks, physical health risks, and substance abuse. These main points of concern illustrate the detrimental effects of CSA, and justify the need for change. Survivors are not the root cause of childhood sex abuse; perpetrators of sexual abuse against children are, leaving perpetrators who commit CSA at risk for reoffending. Incarceration is ineffective due to short sentencing and the child has already been sexually abused (Grady et al., 2015). In addition to ineffective reprimands, little research has been conducted on why and how pedophilia occurs. However, the limited research that has been conducted, is promising, but needs further funding and research to investigate the origins of pedophilia, how to treat it and how to prevent it. In addition, current pedophilia prevention efforts are noninclusive, inaccurate, and not targeted toward caregivers (Kenny & Wurtele, 2010; Grady et al., 2015; Finkelhor, 2009). Pedophilia is not addressed and treated, only the aftermath of CSA is. By analyzing these main concerns, we examine three points of intervention by addressing sexual offenders and pedophiles through the ineffectiveness of incarceration, the lack of funded research, neuroscientific research, and inadequate prevention methods. These points of intervention can be implemented and may reduce the risk of CSA so no child ever has to experience childhood sexual assault.

Authors: Reagan Bartholomew. Mentors: Dylan Hansen. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Unveiling the Challenges Faced by Deaf and Disabled Undocumented ImmigrantsThis paper shows the overlooked challenges confronted by a particularly vulnerable group—deaf and disabled undocumented immigrants. The motivation behind this study comes from the need to address the unique hardships experienced by this marginalized population. Our research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining participant observation, policy analysis and comparative analysis. Comprehensively exploring their experiences and shed light on their daily struggles.Our finding show that access to language resources is not just a matter of practicality but a matter of preserving their cognitive abilities and preventing language loss, particularly among young immigrants. We advocate for programs and specific policy changes that can help these individuals and their families with the skills they need to communicate effectively and integrate into society.This research significantly contributes to the fields of immigration studies, disability studies, and language acquisition. It underscores the urgency of allocating resources to address the specific communication needs of deaf and disabled undocumented immigrants, preserving their linguistic development and cognitive abilities.In conclusion, this paper seeks to raise awareness and advocate for more inclusive policies and resources to facilitate language acquisition for this vulnerable population. We look forward to presenting our research at UCUR 2024 and engaging in productive discussions about this pressing issue.

Authors: Avary Fielding. Mentors: John Salmon. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Human-robot co-manipulation is a field of study that explores humans and robots collaboratively moving objects in various applications, including areas such as search and rescue or disaster response. The focus of this particular research is the coordination of a group of 2-3 human participants to maneuver a 55-lb table and execute specific tasks, in order to draw insights on effective strategies for humans-robots teams. Within each group, a leader was equipped with a virtual reality (VR) headset, providing them with a visual representation of the end goal. In contrast, one or multiple followers, who were unable to see the desired final position, had the responsibility of following the leader to complete the task. Data pertaining to forces, torques, and position was recorded for several iterations of 18 unique table movements to investigate group strategies and learning over time. One specific maneuver involving diagonal translation in the transverse plane (xy, with +y being to the left of the leader) became of special interest and led to the formation of two key hypotheses surrounding the evolution of human coordination strategies. First, it was hypothesized that participants would initially approach the task by translating forwards (in the x direction) and then sideways (in the y direction), before potentially optimizing their strategy in subsequent trials. Second, it was anticipated that, after successfully completing the task twice, participants would adapt to a more efficient method, involving direct diagonal translation. This research aims to answer whether the transition from sequential translations to diagonal movement is a learned behavior, developed over time as groups become more adept at the maneuver. Understanding how humans naturally tend to optimize large object manipulation can be invaluable in the realm of human-robot co-manipulation, as it provides a point of reference on which to base robot behavior, ultimately improving performance and efficiency in various co-manipulation scenarios.

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: Rachel Krupnek. Mentors: Jie Liu, Sazib Hasan, Vinodh Chellamuthu. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Many groups are interested in potential market indicators because more than 60% of adults in the United States have investments in the stock market. Extreme stock trading volumes can be an important indicator of unusual market events, including those that precede market crashes. Several studies utilized Extreme Value Theory (EVT) and the Generalized Pareto Distribution (GPD) to examine and model the behavior of these extreme volumes. In particular, various estimation techniques are explored within the GPD framework to best fit the stock trading volume data. The goal of this study is to utilize mathematical approaches in economics. Our results have implications in both mathematical and economic fields, providing benefits by enhancing our ability to analyze and prepare for extreme market occurrences.

Authors: Matthew Williams. Mentors: Elena Laricheva. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Protein-ligand docking is a computational method widely used in drug discovery to predict binding affinities of small molecules to target receptors. However, despite its widespread utility, the method has inherent limitations that can lead to false negative and false positive results, affecting its reliability. False positives occur when docking predicts strong binding affinities that experimental evidence does not confirm, while false negatives arise when the method fails to identify potent binders validated in experiments.Various factors contribute to these inaccuracies, including limitations in scoring functions and search algorithms, but a significant issue lies in the neglect of protein dynamics, i.e., receptor flexibility. To address this limitation, flexible docking methods, which partially account for receptor flexibility, have been developed, but they come at a considerable computational cost. In this project, we incorporated molecular dynamics simulations and k-means clustering to improve prediction of binding energies of a series of small molecules to the human dopamine 2 receptor, a crucial therapeutic target for neuropsychiatric disorders.Our findings demonstrate that sampling conformational states through molecular dynamics and clustering, followed by docking to representative clusters, offers a more accurate assessment of binding energies. Remarkably, this enhanced predictive capability is achieved with minimal additional computational expense.

Authors: Heather Smith. Mentors: Vinodh Chellamuthu, Jie Liu, MD Sazib Hasan. Insitution: Utah Tech University. The invasive species Japanese Beetle (Popillia Japonica) poses significant ecological and economic challenges in the United States, with an annual expenditure exceeding $300 million on damage repair and control efforts. The beetle's life cycle predominates as grubs in turf from late August to April, suggesting a strategic window for control interventions. We developed an individual based model of the Japanese Beetle life cycle, utilizing predator-prey models, to demonstrate the effectiveness of various control methods. Our findings would suggest that ideal timing of grub treatments within the diapause stage markedly reduces beetle populations and is a cost-effective control method. The results of this model can inform land management decisions in controlling Japanese Beetles.