Life Sciences

Presenters: Bryson Edwards, College of Science, Biology

Presenter: Holly Thelin, College of Life Sciences, Biology

Presenter: Jeremy Jensen, College of Science, Department of Biology

Presenter: Ernie Vilela, College of Science, Biology

Presenter: Tabitha Weir, College of Science, Biology

Presenter: David Suisse, College of Humanities and Social Science, Communication Studies

Presenters: Preston Carroll, Utah Valley University, Biology

Presenters: Jake Reed, College of Science, Biology

Presenters: Landry Batis, College of Science, Zoology

Presenter: Kate Sorensen, College of Science, Microbiology

Presenters: Clayton Rawson, College of Science, Biology

Presenter: Dallin Leatham, College of Science, Microbiology

Maxwell Beers; Jace Pulsipher, Brigham Young University

Courtney Smith, Brigham Young University

Laurel Fortun, University of Utah

John Capitanio; Elizabeth Wood; Alexander Baxter; Ashley Cameron, Brigham Young University

Aaron Leifer; Jasmine Banner; Collin Christensen; Trevor Lloyd; Kenneth Call, Brigham Young University

Brooke Smyth; Moroni Lopez; Mimi Ross; Luaren Manwaring; Mathew Austin, Brigham Young University

Monika Lakk; Derek Young, University of Utah

Jeremy Anderson, Brigham Young University

Bo Price; Kaylynn Ashby; Marianne Maughan, Utah State University Apomixis is an asexual reproductive process that omits the reducing step of meiosis (apomeiosis) thereby producing unreduced eggs that will develop into embryos without the need of gamete fusion (parthenogenesis). The lack of reduced gametes leads to progenies that have identical genomes, i.e., diversification by egg and sperm fertilization is prevented, from generation to generation. Facultative apomixis is the ability to switch from apomixis to sexual reproduction by completing the meiosis divisions to produce reduced haploid gametes. It is understood that the switch to sexual meiosis in facultative apomixis is triggered by environmental stress signals. Sexual reproduction is induced by stress to create a competitive advantage by allowing genetic diversity to increase the possibility of species adaptability and survival. Boechera is a genus of flowering angiosperms that has multiple facultative apomictic species. To understand the molecular cascade that is triggered to cause apomixis to switch to sexual reproduction, Boechera facultative apomictic ovaries were treated exogenously with hydrogen peroxide to induce oxidative stress. RNAseq is being used to identify gene expression differences between apomictic and sex-induced ovary development as a first step toward elucidating the molecular switch from apomeiosis to meiosis.

Brian Jensen; Phillip Ng, Brigham Young University The purpose of this project is to invent a device capable of filtrating oil from fracking waste using a system of Carbon Infiltrated Carbon Nanotubes (CI-CNT) and its passive filtration properties. Fracking produces harmful waste material that pollutes clean water. A large-scale CI-CNT device that can filter large amounts of the microscopic oil particles from the waste will offer drilling companies a viable option to reuse the fracking mixture collected from after the fracking process instead of burying their unusable waste material underground, thereby causing less environmental damage. Pyrolytic CI-CNT’s can isolate water and oil molecules due to their superhydrophobic and oleophilic properties, unique cylindrical nanostructure, and functional groups. The CI-CNT’s will be grown on a stainless steel substrate that will give us the robustness and material properties needed to withstand the forces from fluid flow. We have designed a long channel with unique mechanical features that we anticipate will effectively separate oil from fracking waste as it interacts with it by splashing, rolling, and flowing across its surface.

Dallin Hilton; Siera Theobald; Janessa Bassett, Dixie State University

Brooke Smyth; Lauren Manwaring; Moroni Lopez, Brigham Young University

Matt Austin; Brooke Smyth; Lauren Manwaring; Moroni Lopez, Brigham Young University

Neil Duncan, Dixie State University

Craig Schoenberger; Nathan Van Katwyk; Jens Griffin; Insu Kim, Brigham Young University

Parker Booren; Talon Aitken; Samuel Grover; Nathan Jensen; Jackie Crabree, Brigham Young University

Michelle George, Dixie State University

Matthew Bradley, Brigham Young University

Matt Austin; Brooke Smyth; Lauren Manwaring; Moroni Lopez, Brigham Young University

Timothy VanZeben, Salt Lake Community College

Aaron Leifer; Jasmine Banner; Collin Christensen; Trevor Lloyd; Kenneth Call, Brigham Young University

Morgan Abbott, Utah Valley University

Parker Booren; Talon Aitken; Samuel Grover; Nathan Jensen; Jackie Crabtree, Brigham Young University

Matt Austin; Brooke Smyth; Lauren Manwaring; Moroni Lopez, Brigham Young University

Parker Booren, Brigham Young University

Parker Booren; Nathanael Jensen; Talon Aitken; Samuel Grover; Jackie Crabree, Brigham Young University

Aaron Leifer; Jasmine Banner; Collin Christensen; Trevor Lloyd; Kenneth Call, Brigham Young University

Rosanise Odell, Westminster College

Zachary Luscher, University of Utah

Gemma Clark, University of Utah

Dominique Pablito, University of Utah

Bess Bauer, Weber State University

Jacob Delano, Utah Valley University

Jess Breda; William Kristan; Kathleen French, Westminster College

Maile Marriott; Laura Lupi, University of Utah

Sophie Overbeck, Weber State University

David Coffman; Carson Cole, Weber State University

Charlotte Brickwood-Figgins, University of Utah