Alexander Shumway and Faculty Mentor: Mark Transtrum, Department of Physics and Astronomy Introduction Mathematical models are ubiquitous in science. Many models are nonlinear in the parameters and may have dozens to thousands of parameters and make hundreds to thousands of predictions. Analysis and application of these models is thus theoretically complicated and computationally expensive. The […]
Dual Species Calcium and Ytterbium Magneto Optical Trap
Alexander Erickson and Faculty Mentor: Scott Bergeson, Physics Department Introduction One area of particular interest in modern physics research is creating a viable fusion system for sustainable energy. Fusion occurs when a high energy plasma is manipulated in such a way that small atoms collide together, combining to create larger atoms and releasing tremendous amounts […]
Reflectometry of Aluminum Thin Films in the Vacuum Ultraviolet
Benjamin Smith and Faculty Mentor: R. Steven Turley, Department of Physics and Astronomy Introduction Vacuum Ultraviolet (VUV) is a range of light on the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding to wavelengths from 40 – 280 nm. VUV photons have too much energy to see visibly and are blocked completely by atmosphere. This wavelength range, however, shows promise […]
The Impact of Snake Creek on the Provo River Watershed Chemistry
Tucker Chapman and Faculty Mentor: Greg Carling, Department of Geology Introduction Snake Creek is a tributary to the Provo River, which is an important water source for over two million people along the Wasatch Front. Arsenic concentrations in Snake Creek exceed the EPA limit of 10 μg/L and mixing water in the Provo River exceed […]
They’ll Never Be Royals: The “Purple” Textiles of Fag el-Gamous
Bethany Jensen and Faculty Mentor: Kerry Muhlestein, Ancient Scripture Introduction: Brigham Young University began excavating in Fag el-Gamous, Egypt in 1981. This large (125 hectare) Graeco-Roman necropolis in the eastern Fayoum was in use from about the second century BCE until its decline around the eighth century CE. Within the last three decades of research […]
Skill Acquisition in the Identification of Symptoms Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders Among Three Pre-Professional Groups
Kristi Hoover and Faculty Mentor: Blake Hansen, Department of Counseling Psychology and Special Education Introduction The purpose of this study was to train three groups of pre-professional students on identification of behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorders. Johnson (2008) emphasized that “an increased awareness of early signs of autism can facilitate surveillance and enable [Professionals] […]
Motivating with Media: Early Language and Literacy Skills Through Digital Learning
Kalan Andersen and Faculty Mentor: Barbara Culatta, PhD, Communication Disorders Introduction A strong relationship exists between acquiring early literacy skills and attaining proficiency in reading (Catts, 1999, National Reading Panel, 2000). In order to create this connection with young readers, early success can be found through systematically teaching skills and motivating children’s interest in reading. […]
Trends in Grain Boundary Energy and Structure
Jonathan Priedeman and Eric Homer, Mechanical Engineering The principal purpose of materials science is to investigate the relationships between microstructure, processing, properties and performance of materials to develop enhanced materials for engineering applications. Maximizing the capabilities of a given material requires control of the microstructure: the small-scale arrangement of atoms that comprise the material. Commonly […]
2D Analysis of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Wake
Nicolas Bons and Andrew Ning, Department of Mechanical Engineering 1 Introduction Wind energy is a very promising source of renewable energy for the future. Vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) arrays could potentially offer greater power density than horizontal axis wind turbines. In order to leverage the advantages of the VAWT in certain applications with confined […]
Expanding the Genetic Code Through Compatible Sets of tRNA Synthetase
Steven Stanley and Bradley C. Bundy, Department of Chemical Engineering The genetic code, once mainly restricted to the 20 canonical amino acids, has been expanded to include many unnatural amino acids (UAAs). These new amino acids grant novel chemistries to proteins, unlocking functionalities that could be used in vaccine development and medical diagnosis methods. Unfortunately, […]