Fine Arts

Authors: Jessica Downs. Mentors: Alexandra Giannell. Insitution: Utah Valley University. My work is rooted in the observation of landscapes, both metaphorical and physical, internal and external, as well as the ecopsychological connection between identity and environment. Whether closely examining living organisms like root systems and trees, studying the topographies of rock formations, or reconstructing internal structures of the body, I combine these forms into abstract images that are both foreign and familiar, conveying the vast range of thought and emotion within the human experience.In investigating this human-nature connection, my work reflects these ideas through the creation of multifaceted abstract landscapes and psychological spaces. The close examination of natural materials and patterns experienced in nature allow me to form connections between environment and self, often causing natural forms to transition from external imagery to the internal topographies of the body. Utilizing multiple mediums like painting, drawing, printmaking, and digital collage, carefully rendered contours of forms and the use of colors found in nature are both observed and intuitive, built using transparent layers that are constantly added and subtracted, as a way to describe the constant evolution of nature and the search for the understanding of its connection and influence on the human psyche.I am interested in the liminal space between observation and introspection as a means of creating a repository for experiences, feelings, memories, and exploration that elicits an emotional response, seeking to expand on the perception of self and foster a healthier relationship between humans and nature that ultimately promotes overall health and economic sustainability.

Authors: Brittney Weiland. Mentors: Alexandra Giannell. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The cyanotype process is a slow time-based method that uses a chemical mixture, water, and UV light to capture instances of spacetime. Cyanotype translations of the body, whether by directly laying a body down on fabric or through the use of translated photographs inherently capture slices of spatiotemporal continuity by nature of its time-based development. Directly placing one's body on chemically treated fabric undergoes only one translation of form: body to image. However, this direct method fails to capture figural resemblance, but rather captures movement through time, leaving traces of 4th dimensional worms. This method draws a closer comparison to temporal continuity but not to recognizable figure. Photographs, long past captured, undergo a process of camera translation, digital translation, printed negative translation, and then finally cyanotype translation but more directly relates to figural recognizability than a direct capture method. However, this photographic process fails to capture more than a few spatiotemporal moments, less in tune with temporal imagery. Through a series of works, Brittney Weiland explores identity through a perdurantist view by capturing moments of body degeneration and drastic physical form changes over the last year as she has battled nearly life-ending illness through the use of cyanotype and photography.

Authors: Brittany Cowley. Mentors: Meaghan Gates. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Art, to me, is an experience, one in which an object, sound, or movement has the ability to evoke an emotion in the viewer, taking them from spectator to participant. Since the first time I laid hold of a ball of clay, I could feel its life and ability to be transformed. This organic material has the potential to become whatever someone can dream up. For the true meaning behind the art piece to come forth and pass to the viewers, a sculptor must fully understand what they are trying to convey and how to best accomplish that. Through sculpting and directing the clay, a form takes place. This is just the first step on the path of creating a sculpture that can evoke emotion in the onlooker. Gestures, textures, and glazes are all added to enhance the feelings of the creator.Franz Xaver Messerschmidt created a series of “Character Heads”. I first came across his work at the Getty Museum when I came face to face with The Vexed Man. Mesmerized by this face, I became fully aware that I had become a participant in his sculpture. The bust of this man is elegantly carved with great care yet reveals the most unusual expression. The nose is scrunched up, eyes tightly shut, and mouth drown into an almost pouty frown. On display at this museum of elite, prestigious sculptures, is a piece that at first glance seemed unsuited to occupy the space, yet through the dichotomy displayed it evoked lasting emotions within me. I have discovered a joy in portraying dichotomous relationships in my own work. This relationship is the marriage of two opposing concepts in one piece. A brightly colored, playful child in the process of self-harm or two decomposing hands embraced in a tender touch can speak emotional volumes to the viewer. The thought-provoking questions that run through their minds allow viewers to start participating in the sculptures. Working alongside my mentor, an expert in the field of emotional sculptures, Professor Gates, I seek to more fully explore the world of conflicting emotions in my sculptures. I will be looking into what dichotomies in different forms produce strong emotions when placed alongside one another. Additionally, I am exploring what glazes and textures can be added to enhance the emotional exchange between the creator and the participant. Within the world of ceramics, glazes are used to add texture, color, sheen, and durability to the fired clay. I believe they can also enhance emotions as well. Through creating sculptures that demand the viewer to stop, take a second look, and question, I hope to enable people to reflect on what they are viewing and see their reality more clearly.

Authors: Brianna Bastian. Mentors: Alexandra Giannell. Insitution: Utah Valley University. My understanding of language as a whole began to broaden when I took my first of many ASL classes almost a decade ago. It continued to deepen and grow when I spent a year and a half in an immersive Spanish-speaking program. Now as a university student studying both Speech Pathology and Art, I have found myself recognizing the validity of art as a language. Thus, my research and presentation explores the linguistics of the visual arts.

Authors: Maddalena Willis. Mentors: Alexandra Giannell. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Water is the most essential ingredient for life. In the desert, it is much more valuable. As Utah’s population rises, its high desert climate that provides beautiful scenery and fun recreational activities is running on a limited amount of water. Therefore it is vital that our reservoirs, lakes, streams and groundwater supply are in good condition, but this is impossible without our own efforts to help. As such, it is imperative that we avoid water contamination and negligent overconsumption. Displayed are the two paintings titled Churned and Drought. They are commentaries on the observable effects humans have had on the water condition in Wasatch and Utah County. The painting titled Churned uses the imagery of a boat prop agitating the picture plane of the painting. The serene blues and greens have been mangled and torn apart. The painting titled Drought uses the imagery of abstracted storm drains, pipes and fishing lures to illustrate the alterations humans have made on the waterways. It is very grid-like and inorganic. Combined, these two paintings are a reflection on the current state of our marine desert ecosystem.

Authors: Abby Hoyal. Mentors: Kristen Arnold. Insitution: Weber State University. The United States is one of the most prominent locations involved in the exchange of children in human trafficking. There are very few outlets that take in recovered children help them receive the proper aftercare and help to gain an education to integrate them back into society. Research has shown that children learn most efficiently in spaces that are modular and flexible. In research conducted for habilitation centers for children, they discovered, “Planning flexibility and variability comfort children and parents, accessibility and emotionality for children visiting [these] centers.” (Kasper, Ilvitskaya, Petrova, Shulginova, 2019). It has also been found that learning levels are highest in spaces that allow the children to learn from their surroundings rather than by just the instruction alone. “An interior shall lead children to learn concepts from working with materials, rather than by direct instruction. [Interiors] should improve cognitive learning, promote independence, curiosity, decision-making, cooperation, persistence, creativity, and problem-solving.” (Manav, 2016). One of the key elements to properly educating children, as listed previously, is to promote independence. One of the ways that research has shown independence to be achieved through design is proper wayfinding elements should be implemented so that occupants do not have to rely on any other occupant to navigate the space. Researchers examined how different colors, light temperatures, and lighting brightness can provide a natural easiness to wayfinding for occupants. Results found, that “the use of cool colors and high brightness levels help people be spatially oriented.” (Hidayetoglu, Yildirim, Akalin, 2012). The Grove will be an Aftercare center that will provide refuge and educate child survivors of human trafficking in a modular environment that educates through the use of space and materials used, with an encouraging push for independence throughout the space due to proper wayfinding elements.

Authors: Morgan Watson. Mentors: Kristen Arnold. Insitution: Weber State University. In the United States, 1 child in every 26 seconds drops out of high school. Out of the 50 million children in America, that are school age, 15 million are unsupervised after school time. With children being at greatest risk between the hours of 3pm and 6pm, these statistics raise a huge red flag. This project’s purpose is to provide peace of mind to working parents, and success for children throughout their school experience and beyond. Research has proven that afterschool program environments are a successful tool used to positively shape and increase healthy behaviors and practices among children (Huang, 2013). School design can affect student behavior, development, and academic performance (Huang, 2013). A key factor in effective school environments is the appropriate use of color. Careful color application has proven to have positive effects on behavior and cognitive learning (Heliyon, 2022). In addition, children have a better school experience when given autonomy. Autonomy improves intrinsic motivation (Ford, 2016). Research suggests that wherever possible, design for autonomy be implemented as a way to support children’s growth and development (Sorensen, 2013). This can be applied through multi-purpose learning spaces and flexible classroom furnishings. Additional spaces for collaboration and creativity are needed to meet the needs of today’s students and hold their attention. Furthermore, autonomy in the classroom environment is supported by designated areas where children can express themselves and make the space their own. Potential areas for this include cubbies and classroom bulletin boards.

Authors: Madi Hancock. Mentors: Nathan Crane. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Binder Jetting (BJ), a type of additive manufacturing (3D printing), creates parts through a multi-layered process. Particles are bound together using tiny droplets of liquid binder. Binder jetting has advantages over other additive manufacturing methods including relatively low costs, fast build rates, and a variety of possible printable materials. However, porosity defects commonly seen in BJ printed parts limit the technology's usefulness in demanding industries. There are several proposed causes of these porosity defects, including poor powder compaction in printed areas, residual carbon from the binder, and powder rearrangement due to binder droplet impact. The relative importance of these factors is poorly understood. This study will compare observations of porosity in printed and unprinted regions of Stainless Steel 316 BJ samples to better understand the possible modes of porosity defects.

Authors: Lydia Beazer, Trevor Carter, Audrey Christiansen. Mentors: Larry Howell. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Outreach is the process of deliberate engagement with a range of diverse communities. It is a vital adaptation in an increasingly digital world, acting as a vehicle to extend the impact of work done in research labs. Increased exposure can attract and inspire future engineers and lead to new opportunities for research. Previously, BYU’s CMR lab invested in consistent outreach projects and collaborated with prominent social media influencers, developing a seven-step plan to connect the public with academic research. Recently, these strategies were implemented in a new collaboration with influential YouTuber Mark Rober. In preparation for the anticipated increased visibility from this project, the lab organized a team dedicated to establishing a consistent and professional digital presence. For months, this team undertook preliminary steps that included updating outdated files, designing appealing and shareable makerspace content, and expanding the archive of publicly accessible resources. Having laid this groundwork, the lab was able to influence the impact of this high-profile collaboration, resulting in measurable increase in several metrics related to exposure and positive interaction with lab research.

Authors: Tyler Hamm, Jake Numbers, Ryan Ruth, Hunter Pitchford, David Allred, Troy Munro. Mentors: David Allred. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Molten salt reactors (MSRs) are being investigated for use in clean energy to replace the common pressurized-water nuclear reactors currently in the United States. MSRs use high-temperature, low-pressure molten salt coolant to provide safer and more efficient energy production. However, many MSRs salt compounds lack tested thermophysical properties, including thermal conductivity. Our research focuses on experimentally measuring MSR salt thermal conductivities using a modified transient hot-wire technique. We use a needle probe, equipped with a thermocouple and heating wires, immersed in molten salt compounds at temperatures running from 400–700℃. Thus far, we have tested the thermal conductivity of LiCl-NaCl (eutectic and 91%LiCl composition), NaCl-KCl (eutectic), LiCl-KCl (eutectic), LiF-NaF (eutectic), and FLiNaK. These test results indicate higher than predicted thermal conductivities and consequential further investigation into the physical properties of our probe to improve the experimental design and data evaluation. This research and improved experimental method will provide accurate and precise experimental results of MSRs molten salt thermophysical properties to populate the national database used by MSR developers which will help further the possibilities and practicalities of MSR technology.

Authors: Bronwyn Brown. Mentors: Ben Felix. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Architectural Analytique of the Thomas S. Monson Center Building with the Scamozzi Order at University of Utah

Authors: Samuel Weisler, Colton Korpi, Josh Lythgoe. Mentors: Aliki Milioti. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The Venice Project addresses the challenge of blending contemporary buildings into the well-established urban environment of Venice, a city well known for its rich architectural heritage. In a city with canals in the place of streets, where motorboats and gondolas are the main mode of transportation, seasonal flooding at high tide continues to become a greater environmental concern. The research centers on the documentation and preservation of these valued characteristics through an analytical and interpretative research approach. The primary focus is on aspects such as perception, harmony of open and enclosed space, and the seamless integration into the urban and environmental fabric.The unique design constraints were taken head on in creating the one of a kind ‘Ca’Meriggiare’, a luxury hotel that enriches Venice’s heritage. In lieu of fighting against them, the design embraces the environmental challenges posed by the periodic flooding of the city and transforms them into an integral part of the design. For instance, the flooding is harnessed to create a charming, arcaded entrance exclusive to hotel guests arriving by boat, providing a unique entry sequence unphased by rising or falling water levels.The expected result of the research is a successful fusion of a contemporary hotel with the rich historical context of the city. The innovative design allowed the periodic flooding to become an integral part of the hotel that added a charm and uniqueness to the guest experience. Ca’Meriggiare stands as a testament to the harmonious integration of historical preservation with environmental adaption that honors Venice’s heritage. This luxury hotel case study offers a holistic perspective on theoretical and design considerations, emphasizing the importance of integration within the environmental dimensions. Rather than viewed as an isolated instance, it provides an overarching framework for innovation that will apply to the evolution of contemporary architecture.

Authors: Harrison Denning, Spencer Thompson. Mentors: Jeff Hill. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Traditionally, tensegrity structures have been a subject of interest for their architectural beauty and high strength-to-weight advantage. The field of tensegrity research has since grown to include robots and more complex latticed structures. More recently, tensegrity has been used to accurately model many biological systems, such as joints and spines. Part of this modeling has involved trying to better estimate these biological systems utilizing bi-stable and multi-stiffness tensegrity structures. Our research takes a closer look at how to build and optimize bi-stable tensegrity structures with multiple stiffness modes. By optimizing tensegrity geometry or spring-cable connections between rigid members it is possible to significantly change the models’ overall equivalent stiffness between stable modes. Our research delves into how changes in the shape of rigid members create differences in overall structure geometry between stable modes and a change in stiffness between the two modes. We also discuss optimal spring cable connections and optimal individual spring constants to further increase stiffness differences between stable positions. Furtherance of this work will involve building larger and more robust models to be used on the body as wearable structures. The application of this research heads towards the development of wearable tensegrity braces with the ability to switch between higher or lower stiffnesses to cater to the needs of the wearer.

Authors: Roya Adham. Mentors: Kristen Arnold. Insitution: Weber State University. Given the frequency and severity of natural disasters and humanitarian crises, around the globe, the current refuge center at Salt Lake City faces critical challenges in providing sufficient support for its demand.Security and efficiency of indoor space are critical matters in designing a refuge center.the absence of confidentiality can lead to information leakage and compromise the security of the building. (Reinten, et al 2017). The room acoustics will impact the creation of positive communication and interaction for individuals who seek solitude and peace inside the building. Oasis Haven promised to serve as a haven to those in need, helping them to nurture and heal from their past traumas. According to recent research, organizing and laying out spaces, and putting directional signage and informational labels to guide individuals who don't know the language will effectively increase their satisfaction level with the space Jamshidi et al. (2020). Accessibility for all individuals in a space is an ultimate goal of the designers and we must ensure cohesive visual language and consistency throughout the entire design.additionally, it studied and proved the effects of color schemes on employees' task performance due to the healing effects of colors Öztürk, Yilmazer, and Ural (2012). color plays a significant role in creating a space that helps refugees feel more at home and provides a sense of belonging to them. certain colors may symbolize peace, warmth, or security in one culture, while they might have different connotations in another Öztürk, Yilmazer, and Ural (2012) we try to incorporate all those principles and get help from other elements such as natural and artificial light to create space that feels like a true home and provide a sense of stability and comfort to refugees during the times of transition and adjustment.

Authors: Jakob G Bates, Matthew B Snyder, Porter Adelman. Mentors: Christopher R Dillon. Insitution: Brigham Young University. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive medical procedure that uses ultrasound waves to heat up and destroy harmful cells such as tumors. In order to accurately perform this procedure the ultrasound waves must reach and accumulate at a specified target location. This can be difficult to predict because of the way that ultrasound waves reflect, refract, and lose energy within the human body. Tests are run using simulations in order to ensure successful targeting of the ultrasonic transducers. These simulations use data collected from human tissue samples to provide the best results. Unfortunately it is difficult to obtain real human tissue samples from histology labs of hospitals.Our objective is to create a portable measurement device that will allow us to enter histology labs and collect necessary data on site. We propose to design and build an acoustic property measurement device that integrates acoustic transducers with digital calipers. The portability of this measurement device will enable access to a greater number of tissue samples and provide more accurate property measurements. This will lead to better simulations of the HIFU therapy and therefore improve the overall safety and success of the medical procedure.

Authors: Andrea Tyler. Mentors: Kristen Arnold. Insitution: Weber State University. The golden thread that runs through this project is ART. The texture, color, shapes, movement, contrast and emphasis which exists in ART will be carried into the interiors. Through this adaptive reuse project, the interior emphasis will be on the historical architecture and will draw on the textures and details as the backdrop. By tapping into these details, the overall aesthetic will ground the visitor to the experience within the space. The ARTshare Project mission is to uplift artists, gather and unite community, and empower human beings through ART. According to research (Pilegaard, 2023) “exhibitions might be said to produce an atmosphere of its own, neither is detached from the architectural interiors’ existing atmosphere. Indeed, they are dependent on it.” Atmosphere, distance and proximity in museum spaces is how we experience space. Access to light, combined with color, improves alertness and affects the soul and spirit. Combinations of color and natural light by using different types of glass throughout the design will stimulate moods and will be incorporated into this environment. Each loop in the golden thread of this project will represent an area of commercial, hospitality, healthcare and residential. Baniyamin, 2020 says, “Researchers have shown that visual stimulation of nature, natural lighting, artwork, relaxing colours and therapeutic sound can greatly accelerate the therapeutic process”. The art therapy rooms place a high priority on privacy while providing a healing environment with light, biophilia and art. Just like artists rely on nature for inspiration, so will the residential condos. With access to views, air and light, the design will connect the resident with nature. The bistro is the air that the interior breaths, inhaling and exhaling, healing and connecting.

Authors: Mikayla Buckway. Mentors: Kristen Arnold. Insitution: Weber State University. Women represent half of the world’s population, and half of the worlds potential. Many of those women face hardships and issues with nowhere to turn for help. The adaptive reuse design build project was created in response to the non profit organization Haven and their need for a women’s center. The selected area and building are of historic beginnings and are centrally located for the best optimization of the center. The center is needed to have multiple different functions and uses. From safe temporary living spaces to counseling offices the main focus will be to cultivate healing, rejuvenation and learning in the space. Studies show that the built environment we chose to surround ourselves with impacts our wellbeing and can be the catalyst for a hastened or slowed recovery (Sternberg 2020). A range of different design elements will need to be incorporated in the space to ensure the goals of the facility are met. The use of nature, biophilia, color and acoustics in designing the physical environment has been shown to optimize health, wellbeing and performance of tenants. Utilizing these elements in the Haven women’s center will be a crucial part of creating the desired space. Using these positive stimuli will also assist in creating a less institutionalized space and more of a home for healing.

Authors: Tyler Peterson, Anna Jensen, Daniel Orr, Anton E Bowden. Mentors: Anton E Bowden. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Prior to approval for usage, spinal disc replacements undergo rigorous and costly tests to ensure that they will perform as designed once implanted. Wear testing, specifically, is one of the most important tests as any loose foreign particles can cause osteolysis of the surrounding tissue. Due to this, minimizing the wear experienced by a joint replacement is of extreme importance, however, wear testing is often done in latter stages of the design process as a functioning prototype is needed. These tests can be prohibitively expensive and adjustments to the prototype only add to the costs, thus a more accessible test to get an initial estimate of the wear is desirable. There are current methods employed to perform these preliminary test results, including the use of a Tribometer, which tests friction and wear. Benefits of using a tribometer are that it can control environmental factors that parallel the ISO testing standards, however, these devices cost thousands of dollars. In the present work, we designed a cost-effective preliminary testing apparatus that accurately recreates loadings that the implant will experience in flexion and extension, as well as lateral bending. The machine consists of a roller that can be loaded axially by compressing a spring to mimic realistic compressive loading conditions, and a motor that will move the roller to replicate spinal bending. The design incorporates a spring element to ensure that contact between the roller and the implant is preserved. Predictable, repeated motions achieved with this machine can provide early insights into the implant wear modes, which can facilitate iterative design improvements. Such knowledge early in the design process can save costs by reducing the need for major design changes in the late stages of product development.

Authors: Roya Adham. Mentors: Kristen Arnold. Insitution: Weber State University. Given the frequency and severity of natural disasters and humanitarian crises, around the globe, the current refuge center at Salt Lake City faces critical challenges in providing sufficient support for its demand.Security and efficiency of indoor space are critical matters in designing a refuge center.the absence of confidentiality can lead to information leakage and compromise the security of the building. (Reinten, et al 2017). The room acoustics will impact the creation of positive communication and interaction for individuals who seek solitude and peace inside the building. Oasis Haven promised to serve as a haven to those in need, helping them to nurture and heal from their past traumas. According to recent research, organizing and laying out spaces, and putting directional signage and informational labels to guide individuals who don't know the language will effectively increase their satisfaction level with the space Jamshidi et al. (2020). Accessibility for all individuals in a space is an ultimate goal of the designers and we must ensure cohesive visual language and consistency throughout the entire design.additionally, it studied and proved the effects of color schemes on employees' task performance due to the healing effects of colors Öztürk, Yilmazer, and Ural (2012). color plays a significant role in creating a space that helps refugees feel more at home and provides a sense of belonging to them. certain colors may symbolize peace, warmth, or security in one culture, while they might have different connotations in another Öztürk, Yilmazer, and Ural (2012) we try to incorporate all those principles and get help from other elements such as natural and artificial light to create space that feels like a true home and provide a sense of stability and comfort to refugees during the times of transition and adjustment.

Authors: Miaja Coombs, Greg Carling. Mentors: Greg Carling. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Our research delves into the intricate relationship between glaciers and Alaskan rivers. We embarked on an extensive study across Southcentral and Interior Alaska, spanning various mountain ranges, to examine how glaciers affect the water chemistry in these regions. From small cirque glaciers to expansive valley glaciers and sediment-covered glaciers, we collected data from river sites extending from glacier termini to the ocean or larger river systems. Over a span of two years, our weekly and monthly samples shed light on the complex interplay of elements, isotopes, and seasonal variations in water sources within these proglacial rivers and streams. Our findings reveal the dynamic nature of glacier-influenced watersheds, especially in the context of a changing climate.

Authors: Carolina Corrales. Mentors: James R. Allison. Insitution: Brigham Young University. This research analyzes ceramics found at the Alkali Ridge Site 13 in southeast Utah. The information generated with this research will allow us to know more about the technological choices of the Early Pueblo I people who lived at this location in the late A.D. 700s. The methodology will examine rim sherds through refiring and porosity tests. Refiring small sections of the sherds will provide initial information about the chemical composition of the clay used to create the vessels. The porosity tests should help determine the pieces' physical properties linked to different technologies. The combination of all these data will show differences in raw materials and their impact on the constitution of the vessels. The database obtained will allow us to statistically compare information from red, grey, and white wares, identifying patterns in size, shape, kind of material, and the technology used for each type.

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

Authors: Eli F Smith, Christopher Dillon, Matthew S Allen. Mentors: Matt Allen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Background: Shear wave tensiometry offers a method to measure in vivo tendon tension, crucial for inferring applied loads on tendons. However, existing equipment for this purpose is costly and lacks mobility, limiting the ability to study a larger cohort of subjects engaged in various physical activities. Goal: This research aimed to assess the viability of utilizing low-cost digital accelerometers in conjunction with an Arduino-based microcontroller for shear wave tensiometry. Approach: This work employs surface-mounted accelerometers on a custom flexible printed circuit board (PCB), so that even spacing can be maintained between the accelerometers without interfering in data collection. To test the system and verify its ability to acquire measurements at a high enough rate, the PCB was connected to a shaker driven with a known sinusoidal signal. The flexible PCB was held in place on the Achilles tendon using athletic tape with a tapper placed on the tendon to send a shear wave through the tendon. Results: The results obtained to date compare the accuracy of the proposes system relative to the current system, which uses instrument grade accelerometers. Results obtained to date on the tendon reveal the degree to which the PCB interferes with the measurements, and suggest possible modifications to improve future designs. Conclusion: To attain valid shear wave tensiometry data, further iterations of the flexible PCB design are needed. Moreover, employing more powerful microcontrollers capable of accommodating the requisite sample rates is necessary for an improved system.

Authors: Shauri Thacker. Mentors: Nicole Dib. Insitution: Southern Utah University. The representation of Black narratives within the medium of comics and graphic novels has been and continues to be sparse compared to the focus on white characters and stories. In recent years, however, a new paradigm of Black representation has been appearing in comics and comics studies. Emerging from Black Lives Matter movement discourse about police brutality and taking a new angle on the “organic black protest tradition” is Victor LaValle and Dietrich Smith’s 2017 graphic novel Destroyer. Their visual narrative follows the last descendant of Frankenstein—Dr. Josephine Baker—and her endeavors for justice after the murder of her son Akai as her plotline weaves with the original Frankenstein creature’s quest to subdue humanity (Rickford, 35). In this paper, I will perform a close reading of this work using the theoretical lens of critical race theory and its intersection with feminist theory. My reading will prove that LaValle and Smith’s comic—though it does not have the intent of treating Black women as a “unitary and monolithic entity”—increases a reader’s focus on mother and doctor Josephine Baker in order to portray her rage and grief over Akai’s death at the hands of a police offer (Nash, 8). This analysis of Dr. Baker’s character, combined with LaValle’s usage of allusions and intertextuality, subverts the stereotypically white comic narrative by portraying the lived reality and precarity of many Black individuals within the United States. Through this reading, I will demonstrate that the medium of comics allows for a multifaceted depiction of Black narratives and a new form of literary activism.

Authors: Miranda Judson. Mentors: Mike Ashfield. Insitution: Utah State University. This research explores the relationship between Latter-Day Saint views and classical Christianity through the lens of the problem of evil. More specifically, this research looks at the implications both Augustine’s theory of evil and Latter-Day Saint theology have on each other and the impact that would occur should certain aspects be accepted by Latter-Day Saints. I argue that Latter-Day Saints should accept an interpretation of doctrine through the privation theory of evil in order to avoid potential threats to God’s goodness and the Plan of Happiness. Understanding Latter-Day Saint doctrine through this lens will better situate further research in the broader context of Christianity. Furthermore, accepting this theory will allow for a deeper understanding of the premortal existence and postmortal states. This deeper understanding is beneficial for both adherents to and researchers of Latter-Day Saint teachings. Finally, I argue this interpretation does not pose a threat to the doctrine of “opposition in all things.”

Authors: Matilda Gibb. Mentors: Ami Comeford. Insitution: Utah Tech University. Prior to 1930, cannabis was used frequently in therapeutic practices and was found in many over the counter health products. However, around this time what has been dubbed the “pot panic” began infecting American citizens. It was then the film Reefer Madness came onto the scene, exacerbating the public’s trepidation over the allegedly morally degrading effects cannabis inflicted. Putting melodrama at the forefront, the film exploits societal queasiness over sex, drugs, violent crime, and immigration to push its propagandist agenda. The fear mongering rhetoric and imagery used effectively poisoned the public and altered societal perceptions of medical and recreational cannabis use. The goal of this project is to analyze the rhetorical argument presented in the film and address its broader reach and effects. Lastly, I will argue that the message presented in Reefer Madness was not based on any logical argument; it was based on folklore.

Authors: Natalya Misener, John Wolfe. Mentors: John Wolfe. Insitution: Utah Tech University. In our effort to improve education and create a more inclusive learning environment, Natalya Misener and Professor John Wolfe from Utah Tech University are exploring the experiences of neurodivergent students in classrooms. Our goal is to better understand, support, and empower these students, challenging the way things are typically done. We believe it's important to understand that these conditions come in a variety of forms and affect both students and professors in the classrooms in ways that are not currently being discussed, especially as many minorities, especially women and people of color, go undiagnosed and unaccommodated for a variety of reasons. We believe that by educating professors and students alike on how classroom environments can be more supportive of neurodivergent students, we can benefit the entire classroom, including ‘typical’ students. To make this happen, we believe it's important to rethink how we organize our classes, assignments, and interactions, so that we don't have to rely too much on services like the Disability Resource Center (DRC). We have practical suggestions, like adjusting assignments and deadlines and creating a comfortable classroom environment. It's also crucial to be clear in our expectations and listen to what the students need. We ask some important questions, like whether students should consider their instructors' limitations and how students see disabled instructors in their journey to graduation as well. We call for a shift beyond just accommodating neurodivergent students. We want to encourage educators to think about how they can better support all students in their classrooms. It's urgent that we change how we approach neurodivergent students- in order to create a more inclusive, supportive, and successful environment for us all.

Authors: Karli Kallas. Mentors: Jared Colton. Insitution: Utah State University. For this presentation, I will present a care ethics analysis of Web3 and decentralized internet, with a specific focus on privacy concerns and the increase of internet scams due to the lack of regulation and accountability. Ethics of care argues that there is moral importance in promoting the well being of care givers and receivers in a network of social relations, recognizing that all human life is co-dependent. It is important to note that care ethics was not designed to engage with such large networks of relationships, I will be expanding it to apply to the situation, so it gives us one new way of viewing the situation. I will expand on this ethical lens by including points from care ethics such as the empathy in the design of Web3, and responsibility for online communities. My research explores the intricate web of relationships and responsibilities in the decentralized environment, aiming to shed light on the vulnerabilities within internet scams in contrast to the benefits of cryptocurrency. I examine the moral dimensions of these scams, considering the impact on individuals and the broader digital community. The emphasis on care ethics demonstrates the interconnectedness of actors within Web3, as well as the need for a collective commitment to certain forms of innovation.

Authors: Alexis West Salinas. Mentors: Johnathan Chidester. Insitution: Southern Utah University. There is a growing need to further understand the psychological and physical effects of religiosity among female-identifying members within the LDS church. According to recent studies, as of June 2023, Utah has a Mormon population of 68.55%. Within these statistics, about a fifth of LDS members reported that they have or are currently taking medication for depression. The article also states that 27% of LDS women have depression compared to the 14.5% of LDS men. The church has an infamous reputation with the demonization of mental illness, especially with women. Given the history of society’s treatment of women, women are at an increased risk of suffering within the LDS church. It is important to have the best interests of LDS women in discussing the effects religiosity has on female members within Utah. This paper will analyze the well-being among women of the LDS church as well as assess the specific effects religiosity within Utah may produce surrounding the topics of purity culture, societal expectations, job opportunities, and relationships. This paper will also touch on topics relating to Utah education, LGBTQ+ women within the church, as well as compare and contrast gender roles and sociology. Composing a formulated understanding of these relationships paves the pathway forward in implementing accommodating tools for women within the LDS church in mental health and spirituality.

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

Authors: Tanner Van Orden, Dennis Shiozawa, Peter Searle, Ana Kokkonen, Paul Evans. Mentors: Paul Evans. Insitution: Brigham Young University. The Bonneville cutthroat trout (Onchorynchus clarki utah) is the only trout species native to the Northern and Southern Snake ranges in Eastern Nevada. Streams on the east side of both ranges flowed into Lake Bonneville 12,000 – 15,000 years ago when Lake Bonneville was at its maximum. As Lake Bonneville retreated, Bonneville cutthroat trout in these streams were left isolated. To better understand how Bonneville cutthroat trout in the study area are coping with a changing climate, we Investigated the genetic diversity of Bonneville cutthroat in the Northern and Southern Snake ranges and compared them to historic samples. We found highly differentiated cutthroat trout populations in close proximity to each other and a genetic diversity loss of up to 86.3% in the last 12 years.

Authors: Maren Archibald. Mentors: Jared Colton. Insitution: Utah State University. Two-factor authentication was in use as early as 1994 with a patent belonging to telecommunications company Ericsson, which described the tech as “an authentication unit which is separate from preexisting systems." Today, multifactor authentication (MFA) requires a user to prove their identity by way of their knowledge, through a password or one-time code; their possession, through a physical key; or their inherence, through biometrics like a fingerprint or an eye scan. The secure sign-in method has proliferated in recent years, but while significant time has been dedicated to refining it, little if any research has been done in relation to its ethical implications. In his scholarship on discipline, Michel Foucault writes of “examination that places individuals in a field of surveillance.” MFA is one such method of surveillance — various forms track users’ location data, common usage and login hours, and biometric information. In my presentation, I will apply Foucauldian ethics to show how MFA is uniquely situated among other forms of societal documentation because of its purpose. The very data that depersonalizes users into numbers is also meant to be so precise and personal that it is the only way to believe users are who they say they are. And beyond MFA’s treatment of individual users looms the widespread collapse of a distinction between privacy and security. These values are not incompatible, but organizations have implemented MFA in a way that requires users to sacrifice privacy in order to gain security. My research will show how MFA aggrandizes the power differential between users and tech giants and threatens the ability to simultaneously maintain privacy and digital identity.

Authors: Jacob Prescott. Mentors: Zoe Thompson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The pro-opiomelanocortin (Pomc) gene encodes POMC, which is differentially processed to produce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), beta-endorphin, and three melanocyte-stimulating hormones, among other peptides. POMC neurons are principally located in the arcuate nucleus (Arc) of the hypothalamus, where they are essential in the control of food intake, energy expenditure and body weight. Several different mutations in the POMC gene have been shown to cause early-onset obesity and adrenal cortical insufficiency in humans. We are working with a mouse model with a hypothalamic-specific POMC deficiency. These mice exhibit hyperphagia, early-onset obesity, and also seem to be infertile. We are interested in examining potential differences in pubertal development, as well as reproductive function. Specifically, we will examine day of vaginal opening, day of first estrus, and estrus cycling in juvenile female POMC-deficient mice. The estrus cycle has four stages: proestrus, estrus, metestrus and diestrus. Although hormone levels in the blood differ during the four stages, these are difficult and expensive to measure. A less invasive measurement is to take vaginal cell samples each day and examine them under the microscope. Three different types of cells are present in different ratios depending on the stage of the cycle: nucleated epithelial cells, leukocytes, and cornified epithelial cells. We will track estrus cycle changes during pubertal development and after to see if there are differences between wildtype, heterozygous, and homozygous POMC-deficient mice.Learning more about how POMC-deficiency affects reproductive function may help us understand more about the link between obesity and infertility.

Authors: Cora Rasmuson, Carly Biedul, David Herbst. Mentors: Carly Biedul. Insitution: Westminster College. Great Salt Lake (GSL) is a unique ecosystem known for its elevated saline conditions, supporting diverse biological communities. However, GSL's vital habitats for birds and invertebrates are diminishing due to climate variability and water diversions. The keystone species, Ephydra gracilis, known as brine flies, is central to this ecosystem's food web.Microbialite mounds of haloarchaea, algae, and cyanobacteria sustain E. gracilis, but receding shorelines and record-low lake levels intensify salinity, reducing food sources and brine fly survivability. This decline has far-reaching consequences, as E. gracilis accounts for over 50% of the diet for 10 million migratory birds at GSL.Ongoing research is focused on refining methods for monitoring populations of Ephydra species in response to changing salinity and elevation levels. This research is vital for the preservation of the lake's ecosystem and biodiversity.

Authors: Michaela Thackeray, Cicilee Petersen, Scott Wiltbank, Emma Newman, Enoch Thackeray. Mentors: Matt Draper. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Abstract: Unlocking Well-Being, Workplace Morale, and Employee Retention: A Tech Company’s Success Story This qualitative study, titled "Unlocking Well-Being, Workplace Morale, and Employee Retention: A Tech Company’s Success Story," explores the experiences of employees and leaders at a Utah-based tech company with an unusually low turnover rate. Motivated by the National Institute of Mental Health's call for workplace well-being focus and exacerbated mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, this research investigates the factors contributing to the company's low turnover and high employee satisfaction. The study employs a series of case studies to delve deeply into individual experiences, utilizing phenomenological methods to uncover and describe the depth and breadth of participants' experiences. The research question guiding the study is, “What experiences inform the mental health and well-being of employees and leaders at this low-turnover company individually and collectively?” Qualitative data collection involved interviews with executives, managers, and employees, facilitated through Microsoft Teams software or on-site at the company campus. The data was transcribed, blocked, and analyzed using Giorgi’s Phenomenological Method, a descriptive qualitative approach, supplemented by Nvivo 12 Plus or similar software for a broader thematic examination across participants. The study aims to provide insights into the workplace dynamics that contribute to employee well-being, satisfaction, and retention in the context of a successful tech company. We will present our findings by poster presentation and are open to presenting orally. Thank you for your consideration!

Authors: Heidi Kipp, Annika Jones, . T. Heath Ogden. Mentors: T. Heath Ogden. Insitution: Utah Valley University. The purpose of this research is to identify and document mayfly instars from a parthenogenetic population of individuals being raised in the lab. Instars are the developmental stages of an arthropod between molts. Mayflies (and other non holometabolous insects) go through incomplete metamorphosis, moving from egg to nymph stages, and then to subimago (unique to mayflies), and imago (or adult). Previous research indicates the number of instars to be between 12-45 depending on the species, and the species we studied is estimated to have around 15. During each instar, mayflies shed their exoskeleton. The difference between each instar is vital to understanding the changes in gene expression and overall life cycle of a species. Instars have subtle differences, and identifying them will help further research into which genes are involved in producing specific morphological characteristics. Defining these structures, such as the forming of eyes or wings, are of particular interest in evolutionary phylogenetics. We raised Centroptilum trianguilfer (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) in a controlled water tank, collecting and dating egg samples from mature imagos. Water is maintained with standard ion composition with 130-400 conductivity. Once the eggs hatched, we performed daily inspections and measurements using a 40x stereomicroscope microscope and Lumenera Infinity Analyze. We are using basic appearance, size and morphology) to separate instars. We will identify and photograph each instar. Samples from the different instars, subimagos, and adults will be acquired and used to generate transcriptome data. We propose that our research will aid in the investigation of mayfly evolution and their genetic mechanisms of control.

Authors: Akir Rowe, Hali Hutchinson, Kingdom Wanjoku. Mentors: Katrina Twing. Insitution: Weber State University. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic chemicals popularly used in electrical manufacturing companies from the 1930s - 1970s. PCBs, colloquially known as ‘forever chemicals’, are known to cause significant health concerns and are notoriously difficult to remove from an environment. PCBs are currently banned in the US; however, they can still be found in the environment due to improper disposal methods. This research aims to better understand ecological networks, genomic novelties, and potential bioremediation of microbes from PCB-contaminated environments. Microcosm cultures were developed to resemble the original conditions of the environmental samples, containing PCB-contaminated mud from Woods Pond, Lenox, Massachusetts, and filtered pond water with three different treatments: aerobic, anaerobic, and anaerobic with the addition of sulfate. These cultures have been growing for five months, showing signs of active microbial metabolism (e.g., rust patches in sediment gas production). The microcosms were used as inoculum for agar containing PCBs, and 30 PCB-tolerant colonies were isolated, with some belonging to known PCB-degrading taxa of Paenibacillus, Clostridium, Rhizobium, Methylversatalis, and Sphingobacteria. Future analyses will be conducted to (a) identify the microbial diversity within the microcosms via 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, (b) explore the metabolisms within the microcosms, and (c) further characterize the isolated PCB-tolerant bacteria. This data will aid further research to determine if and how these microbes metabolize PCB compounds.

Authors: Jerzee Findlay, Gina Fuller. Mentors: Katrina Twing. Insitution: Weber State University. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic chemicals which were popularly used in electrical manufacturing companies from the 1930s - 1970s and are known to cause significant health concerns for humans even today. These have also been termed “forever chemicals” due to their ability to bind to sediments and soils, which results in difficulties with removal or degradation in contaminated environments. One site of widespread PCB contamination is Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where improper disposal of industrial waste by a General Electric plant has led to chronically contaminated rivers and ponds, even decades later. The aim of this research project is to learn more about the microbial communities that coexist with these toxic forever chemicals, hoping to find evidence that they can degrade PCBs through metabolism. This specific study within the project focuses on microbial diversity of sediment samples collected from the contaminated Woods Pond, located downstream of the Pittsfield General Electric plant.: We performed DNA extractions, PCR amplification, and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing on an Oxford Nanopore MinION DNA Sequencer. Preliminary data suggest that the samples contain genera known to be associated with PCB degradation, such as Paenibacillus, Clostridium, Rhizobium, and Sphingobacteria. With this understanding, future efforts aim to evaluate the ability of these environmental bacteria to degrade PCBs.

Authors: Logan Walker, Kate Coneys, Nick Tops, Russ Bailey. Mentors: Russ Bailey. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Background: Cultural humility is an influential concept in Multicultural Orientation therapeutic research (Owen et al, 2011). Cultural humility is defined as “a lifelong process of self-reflection and self-critique whereby the individual comes to value and respect cultural diversity, recognizes his or her own biases, and is open to learning from others" (Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998, p. 117). Cultural humility practices attempt to address cultural differences in therapy. Therapy absent of cultural humility can run the risk of failing the needs of culturally diverse clients. Racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to experience premature termination (Owen et al., 2015). Premature termination is defined as when a client begins an intervention but discontinues prior to recovering from the problem that he or she sought treatment for against provider recommendations (Swift & Greenberg, 2012). Premature termination is a significant concern as those who do not complete an intervention are less likely to experience symptom relief or meet their treatment goals (Steinberg et al., 2019). hope to better understand the link between cultural humility and premature termination/treatment deterioration in therapy in college students. We hypothesize that lower therapist’s cultural humility will be associated with an increased likelihood to unilaterally terminate therapy prematurely or show treatment deterioration. Methods: Data was collected from students who participated in therapy at the Utah Valley University Student Health Services from 2021-2023. The sample size for this dataset is approximately 560 participants. We will use two different operationalizations of premature termination/treatment deterioration: 1. Clients who reported have attended therapy for at least 3 sessions, has at least 1 cultural humility datapoint, and reported feeling “worse than at intake” on an item of subjective progress during at the last attended session with no future sessions scheduled for at least 90 days. 2. Clients who scored worse or the same on well-being indictors (PHQ-9 and GAD-7) and reported feeling “the same as intake” or “worse as intake” on an item of subjective progress during the last attended session with no future sessions scheduled for at least 90 days.. Clients completed the Cultural Humility Scale (Hook, 2013) and microaggression items at the beginning of their 3rd session and then every 4 sessions (e.g., session 7, 11, etc.). Clients completed the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and subjective progress items at the beginning of every session. We will use logistic regression to see how cultural humility scores and microaggression frequency/impact predict premature termination/treatment deterioration. Results: Results from the analyses will be presented during the poster presentation Discussion: The results of the study will help us determine if therapist's cultural humility is related to client premature termination. If we find support for our hypothesis, this means that cultural humility is an important factor in therapeutic processes that has direct impact on the effectiveness for therapy interventions. However, rejecting our hypothesis may suggest that cultural humility is not an important aspect of premature termination. Limitations of this study include potential ceiling effects due to therapists striving to be cultural humble and thus limiting the variability in our sample.

Authors: Ellery White. Mentors: Yi Yin. Insitution: Utah Valley University. This study will examine the influence that parental political beliefs may have on students’ academic performance. Decades of research have formed empirical links between social- contextual factors and student academic achievement, and this paper will seek to identify whether parental political values play a role in the academic achievement of their children (Lee and Shute 2010; Yamamoto and Holloway 2010). Parental attitudes, behavior, and stylistic approaches to their child’s rearing and education have been extensively studied for how they impact educational outcomes (Pandey and Thapa 2017). This study fulfills the gap in research on the association between parental political beliefs and children’s academic performance. This adds to the academic discourse on the impact parents can have on their children in an academic setting by answering the following questions: How can the political beliefs of parents impact a students’ way of thinking and therefore ability to perform in school? Does the extremity of the parents’ political beliefs make a difference in the outcome of the child’s academic performance? A survey was distributed to a random sample of UVU students which measured their academic performance and the political beliefs of their parents. The statistical program SPSS will be used to conduct a multiple regression analysis to examine the relationship between the independent variable (parents’ political beliefs) and dependent variable (students’ academic performance) to see if there is an association between the two. I hypothesize that students with parents who have strong political beliefs are more likely to be impacted in their academic performance than students with parents who do not have strong political beliefs. Discovering the impact of parental political belief will open several important avenues of inquiry related to educational outcomes of students.

Authors: Melissa Rangel, Avery Larsen, Heath Ogden. Mentors: Heath Ogden. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Mayflies, also known as ephemeroptera, are members of the first group of insects that evolved the ability to fly(Gillott, 2005). Distinct developmental characteristics of the life stages of the mayfly are the reason that Ephemeroptera are of particular interest.The aquatic nymph stages do not have wings, but they do possess abdominal leaf-shaped gills, and in some cases gills associated to the legs. The abdominal gills can sometimes be used to help propel the insect through its environment (Eastham, 1936) in addition to performing gas exchange. Centroptilum triangulifer (family Baetidae), will be used for RNA extractions to study the developmental genetic profiles for characteristics such as wings and gills. Objectives for this research are 1). Acquire samples from different instars, subimago, and imago. 2) Perform 10 RNA extractions. 3) Use Qubit technology to ensure ≥ 20 ng/μL RNA concentration per ≥ 10 μL. 4) samples will be packaged in thermo-stable shipping boxes and sent to Novogene where samples are tested once more for quality control. 5) Once quality is confirmed, samples will be sent and processed by Novogene. 6). Using an in-house bioinformatics workflow, RNA data will be checked for quality, trimmed, aligned, and assembled. The assembled contains will be used to search for genes of interest. 7) the resulting RNA expression profiles will be compared across the installs, sub imago, and imago and to other expression profiles from other related insects.

Authors: Stephen Chamberland, Craig D. Thulin, Katherine Solorzano, Cassandra Beddes, Nathan Twitchell, Abram Caruso. Mentors: Steve Chamberland, Craig D. Thulin. Insitution: Utah Valley University. This investigative procedure is a continuation of an experiment done by UVU undergraduate student Kyra Banks and her mentor, UVU Professor of Chemistry Craig Thulin, to determine the structure of xanthommatin. Xanthommatin is one of the primary pigments found in monarch butterflies, and many other insects. Data obtained during the mass spectrometric analysis was observed to indicate a possible deamination of xanthommatin, however the quantity of deaminated xanthommatin observed was too small and so the structure could not be determined. The research investigates the precedented deamination of kynurenine as a model to develop a procedure for the deamination of 3-hydroxykynurenine, primarily due to the fact that it is cheaper in price to xanthommatin, as well as a chemical precursor that can be used for the synthesis of xanthommatin. The implications of this suggest that the deamination procedure developed for 3-hydroxykynurenine could be successfully replicated with xanthommatin. After the deamination procedure has been successfully repeated, xanthommatin will be synthesized using one of a few procedures developed by Kumar, A., et al1. Once a sufficient sample of xanthommatin has been successfully synthesized, the deamination procedure will be repeated on samples of xanthommatin to determine the structure of deaminated xanthommatin using NMR spectroscopy. The research conducted here is beneficial not only because it is a continuation of other UVU student’s and staff’s work, but also to those whose work is in the animal biology realm of science. The information that will be extracted from this research will spearhead new research pathways and questions to be explored.Xanthommatin-Based Electrochromic Displays Inspired by Nature (acs.org)Biomimetic Colorants and Coatings Designed with Cephalopod-Inspired Nanocomposites (acs.org)

Authors: Karissa Bauer, Kennedy Lewis, James Belnap, Andrew Torena, Braden Freestone, Luis Montenegro Calla. Mentors: Daniel Clark. Insitution: Weber State University. In the United States, 157 documented cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) have been recorded between 1962 and 2022. In the 60 years since the first reported case, only four patients have survived; a 97.5% fatality rate. The causative agent responsible for the highly fatal infections, is the free-living, single-celled parasite, Naegleria fowleri— or the “brain-eating amoeba.” The aquatic thermophiles are opportunistic pathogens that inhabit a wide range of environments; from poorly maintained pools, moist sediment, rivers, lakes, etc. Exposure to N. fowleri invasion is reliant on direct contact with a host’s upper nasal mucosa, and the active parasite. Rapid deterioration of neural tissues occurs shortly after infection.Today, there is no universally accepted treatment plan for treating PAM infections. The CDC has recommended an empirical approach to treatment, and suggests utilizing combination drug-therapies. Suggested drugs include Amphotericin B, Azithromycin, Fluconazole, Miltefosine, and Rifampin. To better understand and evaluate the effects of these drugs on N. fowleri, a rescue-of-infection model was applied to test the efficacy of single and combination-drug treatments, at various time points. The model utilized an immortalized HeLa cell line that was infected with the amoebae until roughly 50% cytotoxicity was observed. The rescue stage commenced with drug additions, and HeLa cell metabolism, and apoptosis levels were monitored using fluorescence viability assays and caspase-3 enzyme detection systems. Drug combinations that included Rifampin and Amphotericin B, provided the greatest protection for human Hela cells against N. fowleri infections. Data collected from this model provides deeper understanding of Naegleria fowleri pathogenicity. This knowledge will aid the development of more reliable and efficient treatments for this devastating infection.

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

Authors: Kate Coneys, Nick Top, Russ Bailey, Logan Walker, Julia Toomey. Mentors: Russ Bailey. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Background: Past literature has emphasized the importance of practicing culturally competent care and has shown that higher clinician cultural humility, as well as a lower frequency of microaggressions occurring in therapy, have been associated with more desirable therapeutic outcomes in retrospective, cross-sectional studies. However, research has also shown that patient outcomes appear to be unrelated to their therapist's experience level (Erekson et al., 2017), suggesting that more experience may not lead to being a more effective therapist, including more culturally humble. Despite the breadth of research on the significance of cultural competence, less is known about how a therapist's cultural humility changes across treatment with a particular client, or how a therapist’s cultural humility changes over an extended period. The aim of the current study is to examine this concept by analyzing both the relationship between the number of sessions spent working with a given therapist and a client’s rating of the clinician’s cultural humility, as well as the relationship between the average cultural humility rating of the therapist and time. We will also examine how the impact of microaggressions occurring in therapy changes during the course of therapy. Hypotheses: It is hypothesized that the results of this study will show a positive association between the number of sessions with the same therapist and their cultural humility, as rated by the client, as well as a negative association between the number of sessions and the impact of microaggressions reported by the client. Additionally, it is hypothesized that the therapist’s cultural humility rating over the entire course of data collection will not change to a statistically significant degree. Methods: We used archival data collected by Utah Valley University’s Student Health Services Counseling Center from August 2021 – September 2023. This archival dataset consists of 564 clients with at least one cultural humility and microaggression data point. Beginning at the third session, and occurring again every four sessions, clients were asked to rate their clinician’s cultural humility, using The Cultural Humility Scale (Hook et al., 2013), and report the frequency and impact of microaggressions that had occurred during the last four sessions. We will analyze the data using multi-level latent growth modelling. Results: Results will be presented as part of the poster presentation. Discussion: If the results of this study agree with the hypothesis, the implications may be that cultural humility improves over time with specific clients, potentially explained by growth of therapeutic alliance over time. However, it may also imply that a therapist’s cultural humility does not improve over extended time periods, showing that cultural humility appears to be static rather than dynamic. If the results do not agree with the hypothesis, this may imply that a client’s perception of their therapist’s cultural humility is static, but that over extended periods of time a therapist’s cultural humility can improve, implying that it is trainable. Sources: Erekson, D.M., Janis, R., Bailey, R.J., Cattani, K., Pedersen, T.R. (2017). A longitudinal investigation of the impact of psychotherapist training: Does training improve client outcomes? Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64(5), 514-524. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000252 Hook, J.N., Davis, D.E., Owen, J., Worthington, E.L., Utsey, S.O. (2013). Cultural humility: measuring openness to culturally diverse clients. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 60(3), 353-366. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032595

Authors: Lindsay Beekman. Mentors: Olga Kopp. Insitution: Utah Valley University. This research probes the primary historical newspapers of early 1900s Utah, providing insights into the cultural atmosphere of the time and the widespread support for the Eugenics movement throughout the state. Our findings indicate that out of 72 distinct newspaper articles discussing Eugenics in Utah between 1908 and 1938, 62 conveyed a positive perspective, 9 remained neutral, and only 1 expressed opposition. Notably, from 1947 to 1996, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints administered the ‘Indian Student Placement Program’ or ‘Lamanite Placement Program,’ aligning with many Eugenics principles. Utah, like many places worldwide, embraced Eugenics with open arms.

Authors: Lauren Silvatti.. Mentors: Zoe Thompson. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Proopiomelanocortin (Pomc) deficiency, stemming from a mutation in the Pomc gene, presents a myriad of health challenges, including extreme hyperphagia, early-onset obesity, and infertility. This study leverages a mouse model exhibiting Pomc-deficiency to delve into the root causes of infertility. While the correlation between obesity and fertility is well-established, our primary focus is to discern whether the POMC mutation independently contributes to reproductive challenges. Our investigation extends into the interplay of genetics, endocrinology, and obesity through data analysis using R, with an emphasis on deploying advanced statistical models.Video recordings of sexual behavior interactions have been analyzed manually, with independent observers marking each behavior. The frequency and duration of each behavior will be compared among three groups of pairings: wildtype-wildtype, heterozygote-heterozygote, and homozygous POMC-deficient mice. Techniques will include data cleaning, timestamp manipulation, and behavior categorization in R, a programming language commonly used for data analysis. To discern patterns and variations, our analysis will also employ statistical models such as linear mixed-effects models. We can account for potential confounding variables and significant differences in durations of previously identified important reproductive behaviors. Visualization tools, including box plots and violin plots, will provide an initial glimpse into the distribution of behavior durations. Subsequently, we plan to conduct inferential statistics, employing techniques such as Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to assess the significance of differences across multiple groups. Our investigation extends beyond descriptive statistics, with a focus on predictive modeling. Regression analyses will explore potential relationships between behavior durations and reproductive success. Machine learning algorithms will be applied to uncover complex interactions within the dataset.The anticipated results promise not only a nuanced understanding of the interplay between Pomc mutations and reproductive challenges but also the identification of potential biomarkers or predictors of successful reproduction. This comprehensive statistical approach contributes significantly to the fields of genetics, endocrinology, and obesity research, offering a robust framework for future investigations into the intricate relationship between genotype and behavior.

Authors: Heidi Blaylock, Carter Leuba, Eddie Hill, Christina Aguilar, Carla Cox, Aiden Hill. Mentors: Eddie Hill. Insitution: Weber State University. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic disease that influences all health aspects. The self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that three psychological needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness are necessary for motivation to engage in healthy behaviors. Through medical specialty camps, these needs can be met by educating campers on how to manage T1D and realize they are not alone. The volunteer-based, five-day, inaugural REACH teen/tween camp for youth with T1D was held at WSU. Camp activities were engineered around the three basic needs described by the SDT. These needs were promoted by physical and educational activities, and meeting friends. A pre and post evaluation was given. Two measures were significant with autonomy being the greatest, (M=3.93, SD= .75) to post test (M=4.49, SD= .56), with t(25) = -6.258, p= <.001), effect size r = 1.2 Blood glucose levels were collected through an online platform that allowed staff to monitor campers’ levels. The week's average blood glucose level was 152 mg/dL. This study explored the use of SDT to examine the effectiveness of a diabetes camp for youth and hopefully result in better physical and emotional health thus mitigating the risk of complications.

Authors: Brandon Rojas. Mentors: Kristen Arnold. Insitution: Weber State University. The Mountain Haven building in Salt Lake City, a mixed-use facility, offers a wide range of services, including housing, childcare, and healthcare. The Single Parent Project, a non-profit organization, is working to provide suitable housing solutions for single parents and their children. The primary challenge is creating a secure, private, and healthy living environment that supports the emotional, financial, and mental growth of single parents and their children. To address this challenge, the Mountain Haven building must be designed to meet the unique needs of single-parent families. This includes providing access to quality childcare, flexible work arrangements, and efficient household management solutions. It is also important to foster a sense of community and neighborliness and to ensure that single parents have access to affordable and safe housing in a safe neighborhood (Johnson, 1986). Additionally, the arrangement of the home should be flexible to accommodate both work and childcare responsibilities. The design of the Mountain Haven building should also consider the latest research on daycare centers, healthcare facilities, and interior design. This includes using materials that are free of harmful substances, creating spaces that promote learning and nurture children's development (Monoko, Mukurunge, Bhila, 2021), and using light and color to create a healing environment for parents and children to reduce stress and strengthen the mood, mind, and body. (Khaleghimoghaddam, 2023) By incorporating these principles into its design, the Mountain Haven building can provide single parents and their children with a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment in which to thrive.

Authors: Kennedy Parker. Mentors: Melinda Russell Stamp. Insitution: Weber State University. Role-playing is considered one of the most effective teaching strategies for training undergraduate clinical psychology students because it fosters active learning in a supportive and safe environment (Gibbs, 2019; Osborn & Costas, 2013). The literature is replete with studies that document the benefits of role-playing for clinical training. These benefits include the development of active-listening, perspective-taking, empathy, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and increased enjoyment of course material (Dawood, 2013; Gibbs, 2019; Grose-Fifer, 2017). A challenge associated with classroom role-plays involves student reluctance to participate due to feelings of self-consciousness and anxiety associated with being negatively evaluated (Mallonee, 2018). There is limited research on the effectiveness of different role-play modalities which may include classmates role-playing with one another; as well as actors and virtual avatars role-playing with students. There have been mixed findings in the literature regarding whether students are more comfortable disclosing to virtual avatars or to actors in face-to-face encounters (Rogers et al., 2022; Roster & Chen, 2016). To date, there are no research studies comparing student perceptions of role-plays with virtual avatars to face-to-face interactions with actors in undergraduate psychology classes. For the current study, 60 undergraduate Psychology students were randomly assigned to either role-play with an avatar or an actor. Following the 25-minute role-plays, students completed surveys assessing perceived utility value, self-efficacy, level of anxiety, engagement, and future interest in role-playing. This preliminary study will compare the effectiveness of avatar and actor role-play modalities which will help educators better structure training for undergraduate students in clinical psychology.