Robotic System for Cepheid/ δ-Scuti Photometry

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Adam Bugg and Dr. Eric Hintz, Department of Physics and Astronomy Cepheids and δ-Scuti stars are two kinds of pulsating variable stars. Variable stars are so called because their brightness in the sky changes with time, following a regular period. In astronomy, variable star research is often done using a method called photometry, in which […]

Periodic Variability of Mrk 501 in Optical Light

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Joe Rivest, McKay Osborne, and Dr. Joseph Moody, Department of Physics and Astronomy Introduction We’ve studied the light curve of the blazar object, Markarian 501 (Mrk 501). This project is important because it helps refine the still developing standard model of a galactic nucleus and could aid the search for binary black holes. Blazars are […]

Time evolution study of viscous conservation laws

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David Todd and Dr. Blake Barker, Department of Mathematics Introduction The goal of this project was to create code for a generic numerical solver utilizing a finite difference scheme. Prior to the creation of this code, those wishing to study the evolution of traveling waves in STABLAB, a MATLAB based program specifically designed for studying […]

Secondary Atomization during Droplet Impingement of Water-Glycerol Admixtures on Heated Superhydrophobic Surfaces

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Alexander White and Dr. Julie Crockett, Mechanical Engineering Department The purpose of the given document is to remind the reader of goals initially set in conjunction with the ORCA Grant project proposal in October 2016, to present experimental findings obtained during the grant period, and to discuss the results of the work and their implications […]

Estimating Seasonal Onsets and Peaks of Bronchiolitis with Temporally Uncertain Data

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Sierra Pugh and Dr. Matthew Heaton, Department of Statistics Introduction Bronchiolitis (an acute lower respiratory tract viral infection in infants) is the most common cause of infant hospitalizations in the United States. The only preventative intervention currently available is monthly injections of immunoprophylaxis. However, this treatment is expensive and needs to be administered simultaneously with […]

Validating Remote Sensing Temperatures for Scientific Use

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Gavin Collins and Dr. Matthew Heaton, Department of Statistics Introduction Satellite remote-sensing is often used to collect atmospheric data, providing insight into climate variability over large regions of the earth. Common issues with such data include (i) missing information due to cloud cover at the time of a satellite passing, and (ii) large blocks of […]

The Women of Guernica: A Compilation of Interpretations

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Heidi Herrera and Faculty Mentor: Dr. Heather Belnap-Jensen, Art History and Curatorial Studies Introduction Although there is a wealth of scholarship on Picasso’s Guernica (1937) (Fig. 1), until recently there has been a distinct lack of analyses completed through feminist methods, an approach essential to a holistic understanding of Guernica. Conducting on-site research at the […]

Hildegard von Bingen: A Work of Virtues

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Gina Fowler and Faculty Mentor: Rob McFarland, Department of German Researchers seeking historical primary and secondary source documents in a foreign language must often overcome the challenge of finding those resources without actually travelling to their country of origin. The Sophie Digital Library is an online database that was created by BYU faculty to address […]

Exploration of the Feminist and Judaic Components in the Art of Bracha L. Ettinger

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Hannah Sandorf and Faculty Mentor: Heather Jensen, Department of Comparative Arts and Letters Bracha L. Ettinger is considered by many contemporary art scholars as one of the most important living artists of our day that addresses cultural trauma transferal. The child of Jewish immigrants who escaped the Lodz Ghetto, Ettinger grew in Israel, becoming interested […]

Orthodoxy and Temple Ritual

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Nathan Astel and Faculty Mentor: Michael Mackay, Church History and Doctrine My research was initially aimed at researching the locations and implementation of the temple endowment in Nauvoo. As I began my research concerning the temple endowment, I realized that I was more interested in the theological implications of the endowment and how the endowment […]