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The Effect of Nailing Patterns on Mechanically Laminated Built-Up Columns
No full textThis research examines the structural capacity of 2x lumber built-up columns, focusing on the impact of nailing patterns. Current standards allow significant variation in nail spacing and quantity. Additional nails may introduce localized deformations in individual plies, potentially reducing overall column strength. To evaluate this effect, built-up columns will be tested under different nailing patterns to quantify capacity reductions due to additional nails and tighter spacing. The findings aim to improve strength predictions for built-up columns, enhancing building safety, optimizing material use, and refining structural engineering guidelines
The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health
No full textThis study examines gender-based differences in social media habits and their impact on coping mechanisms, procrastination, and mental health. Using an online survey distributed via Qualtrics, data were collected from 242 participants aged 18 to 65, with a majority in the 18–24 age group. Descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests were conducted using SPSS to identify behavioral and psychological trends by gender.
Results indicate that women are significantly more likely than men to use social media to cope with stress and to procrastinate. They also report greater difficulty reducing usage and perceive more mental health benefits from taking breaks. In contrast, men tend to engage with social media more casually and show less emotional dependence. Despite these differences, no significant gender differences were found in daily usage time or self-reported overall mental health.
These findings suggest that social media plays a more emotionally significant role in women’s lives, whereas men approach it with less psychological investment. The study highlights the importance of considering gender when assessing the mental health impacts of social media use
The Language of Appliances: Ethnographic Insights Into Workplace Interactions
No full textIn this poster I present an ethnographic study of a local high end appliance company that looks at the linguistic and social interaction between both workers and the company’s customers. An ethnography uses qualitative methods that look at people and culture utilizing observations and participation. This type of research aims to understand social activities, beliefs, and certain interactions that take place in everyday life providing deep and holisitc insights. For my project, I spent 4-5 hours per week observing and participating in the company’s daily activities, spending time mostly within the front end and sales team. Several patterns emerged from my observations such as the different attitudes that the sales team exhibit within the range of their clientele, and the interactional differences between those that are veterans of the company compared to those who are newer. These two patterns help to shed light on how this appliance company operates both externally to customers and internally between its employees. Furthermore, using ethnographic methods enabled me to collect these types of data to better understand the larger cultural and societal framework that such companies exist in
The Club No One Wants to Join: Human Universal Experiences of Loss and Grief
No full textAt one time or another, all humans experience loss and subsequently grieve those losses. The emotions, behaviors, and expression of this grief often emerge in varying ways (Schut & Stroebe, 2010). Nonetheless, these experiences are universal. In an everchanging and divergent society, it is important to highlight commonalities among humans through research that is positive and strengths-based.
Our methodology includes analyses’ of two sets of undergraduate students’ autobiographies (N = 80). In upper-division courses, students were asked to share important developmental experiences and events in their life to date. These experiences are analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. For example, we record the number of times loss or grief is mentioned and through thematic content analysis, we search for common themes among students’ lived experiences of loss and grief. Additionally, direct quotes from the select papers will be showcased.
This research is in its secondary stage and has been approved by the IRB. The findings from our research can provide helpful insight to educators, researchers, and general audiences about the universality of loss and grief among humans regardless of perceived differences.
Schut, H., & Stroebe, M. (2010). The Dual Process Model of coping with bereavement: A decade later. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying, 61(4), 269–271. https://doi.org/10.2190/om.61.4.
Space-Based Solar Power with Wireless Power Transmission
No full textSpace-Based Solar Power (SBSP) with Wireless Power Transmission (WPT) is an emerging green energy technology source / method that involves collecting solar energy in space using satellites and then transmitting it wirelessly to Earth via microwave and / or laser beams. Unlike ground-based solar energy systems, SBSP operates independently of weather, daylight, and atmospheric interference, which allows for a consistent and potentially* unlimited energy supply, which would be game changing in the industry. As the global demand for clean and renewable energy steadily increases in the face of climate change and fossil fuel supplies decreasing, SBSP presents a potentially transformative opportunity to decarbonize power generation at a planetary scale, which has never been done before. Our research explores the technology, scientific advancements, and feasibility of SBSP in whole, with an emphasis on wireless power transmission mechanisms specifically. Recent peer-reviewed research and experimental validations, such as Caltech’s in-orbit power beaming demonstration and innovations in omnidirectional transmission, highlight the viability and growing improvements within the realm of SBSP. We will also address the technical, environmental, and policy-related challenges that must be resolved for large-scale deployment. Overall, SBSP with WPT represents a massive step towards sustainable, uninterrupted, and scalable energy solutions for future generations of which we’ve never attempted before
Tutor and Student Relations: How to Make a Welcoming Environment
No full textThis ethnographic study examines the role of a welcoming environment in the educational experiences of adult multinational students at a nonprofit learning lab offering English and GED instruction. The research is informative for second-language teachers who seek to promote student conversation, participation, and language improvement in the target language classroom. In applied linguistics, research typically focuses on second language mastery and pedagogy; this study, however, centers on the concept of belonging.
Through observations of tutor-student interactions and volunteer engagement, the study explores how personalized tutoring, communal activities, and open conversations contribute to positive learning experiences. It identifies how providing refreshments, encouraging social interactions, and creating opportunities for students to share personal life experiences and culture fosters a sense of belonging and comfort. These factors facilitate language development and student engagement while reducing anxiety and promoting consistent attendance and active participation.
Ultimately, this research emphasizes the significance of cultivating a supportive and inclusive environment for second-language learners—one where students feel respected, valued, and motivated to continue their education. Classroom participation is essential for improvement in the target language, and students are more likely to engage if they feel welcomed and comfortable sharing in the classroom
Lithium-Ion Battery Future Challenges and Alternatives
No full textIn the early 1990s, lithium-ion batteries became commercially accessible and quickly grew in popularity as an ideal rechargeable battery for a large variety of applications. However, lithium-ion batteries have many disadvantages. They deteriorate over time and can be hazardous. The gathering of materials used in their manufacturing have caused substantial amounts of social, geopolitical, and environmental unrest. These issues and more have resulted in the need for alternative battery solutions. This poster focuses on three unique alternatives, zinc-air, sodium-ion, and supercapacitors, that with further development could be useful in the effort to shift away from lithium batteries. The lifetime and power capabilities of zinc-air batteries are comparable to lithium; they are also safer and more cost-efficient. They can also be used in combination with other types of batteries to increase performance. Sodium is an abundant material which makes it cheaper to source and manufacture. Sodium-ion batteries are less harmful to the environment, and pose less safety hazards. Super capacitors are diverse in manufacturing applications and have a higher range of operating temperatures. They also have better cycle-lives than lithium batteries. Each alternative battery type possesses promising attributes that will hopefully aid in the effort to lessen the demand and harmful impacts of manufacturing lithium batteries
Access to Oral Healthcare Impacts Overall Health
No full textThis study aims to highlight the correlation between access to oral healthcare and overall health. The research question we aim to answer is how does access to oral healthcare impact overall health. We plan to collect data from previous research studies on access to oral health care and its influence on oral health. We will utilize Boise State’s Albertsons Library database to research oral health. We expect to find that a lack of access to oral health care results in multiple systemic complications. We also expect to find that individuals living in rural communities have less access to oral healthcare. This is an important topic because there is a direct link between oral health care and whole body health. Our poster will present the findings on data of oral health disparities and the prevalence of disparity in differing populations. We aim to improve knowledge of why access to oral health care is important in rural areas
The Impact of Social Media Engagement on Trust and Influence
No full textObjective: Social media plays a significant role in shaping consumer behavior, with platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter (X), Facebook, and Snapchat influencing consumer behavior. This study aims to explore how social media influencers impact daily habits and perceptions of gender and age groups differently. As social media (and influencers) serve as a primary source of information for many users, and therefore understanding their effects is essential in its influence on consumer attitudes and behaviors.
Methodology: This study uses a cross-sectional, quantitative survey methodology. All respondents voluntarily provided answers to the survey through the survey design platform, Qualtrics.
Sample: We received completed surveys from 220 respondents. 56.8% of our respondents were between the ages of 18 and 34, but our respondents’ ages varied from 18-65+. Additionally, 60% of our respondents were women and 31.4% were males, 34.5% of our respondents were married and 53.6% were single. Regarding education, 27.7% of respondents had a higher education (a completed college degree or higher), and 64.1% had lower education levels (some college or less).
Analysis: We analyzed the data using SPSS statistical software and conducted Independent Samples T-tests.
Key Findings: Our results suggest significant relationships between social media usage behaviors, trust, and influencer interactions across demographic groups. All results were statistically significant. Marital Status: Single individuals spend more time on social media per day and interact with more influencers compared to married individuals. Single individuals also trust influencers more and are more likely to have their perceptions changed by influencer promotions. Married individuals perceive their feeds to be more biased. Education Level: Higher-educated respondents seek more sources outside social media for news, perceive their feeds as more biased, and engage with fewer influencers per day. Lower-educated individuals spend more time on social media per day and rely more on social media for information. Age: Older respondents are more skeptical of social media and are more likely to seek external sources. Younger respondents engage with more influencers. Gender: Women spend more time on social media per day and interact with more influences. Women believe influencers are honest but trust them less than men do. However, women are more influenced by influencer promotions than men. This contradiction suggests that women approach social media with more caution but can balance skepticism and susceptibility to influencer persuasion. This indicates women have a more complex relationship with social media. Time Spent on Social Media: Increased social media usage correlates with higher engagement with influencers. This reinforces the expected pattern that more time spent on social media leads to greater exposure to influencer-driven content.
These findings highlight demographic differences in social media usage, which emphasize the role of age, gender, marital status, and education in shaping these behaviors while following logical trends of media consumption and trust dynamics
Testing the Use of Zircon Chemistry to Infer Crustal Thickness in the Gangdese Arc, Southern Tibet
No full textThe Gangdese Arc spans the ~2000 km-long southern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and was formed between ~50 and 150 million years ago (Ma), when the Indian plate subducted beneath the Asian plate. Recent work (Tang et al., 2021; Geology) near Lhasa, Tibet, in the East-central part of the arc has used rare-earth element chemistry of zircon crystals in modern sediments to infer crustal thickness changes through time. They infer major pulses of magmatism at ~45-50 and ~65-90 Ma, and increases in crustal thickness between ~75-100 Ma and ~30-55 Ma. We tested Tang et al.’s interpretations by measuring zircon age and chemistry in sands collected near Lhasa and in an area ~1000 km to the west. All data show a major pulse of magmatism at ~45-50 Ma, but the older 75-100 Ma pulse is absent in the west. We find no consistent trends in zircon rare-earth element chemistry through time, rather (a) different magmatic centers have different zircon compositions, and (b) some zircon compositions correlate with Ti content, which is temperature-sensitive. Evidently, zircon chemistry depends on factors other than crustal thickness, including temperature