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Utahns’ Awareness of the Drying Up of the Great Salt Lake
Get PDFThe Great Salt Lake provides several benefits for the state of Utah. It supports industry, recreational activities, and aquaculture. It also provides wetland habitat to twelve million migratory birds.1 Due to drought induced by climate change and human water use, the lake has been shrinking rapidly in a process known as desiccation. The desiccation threatens the lake’s economic and ecological benefits while also posing other potential challenges. Dust from the dry lakebed may also cause health challenges for humans, as the dust contains harmful amounts of arsenic, lithium, copper, and other metals.2
Utah’s ability to combat desiccation of the Great Salt Lake relies heavily on the public’s awareness of the brewing ecological disaster. The cost, resources, and sacrifice required to maintain the lake may not be well received by Utahns who are not aware of the problem or its effects. The 2023 Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP) gathered data to gauge the public’s understanding of the desiccation and provide insights into what demographic groups have more or less awareness of the problem
Development and Application of Novel Apparatus for Ocean Spray in Turbulent Atmospheres
Get PDFOcean spray droplets can have significant effects including reducing surface heating from the sun, degrading air quality, and intensifying tropical cyclones. However, quantifying these effects has been challenging due to the multiscale, chaotic nature of wave breaking and turbulent flow. This research presents the development of a novel apparatus designed to combine bubble column droplet generation with synthetic jet actuators for turbulence generation. The purpose is to demonstrate reliable bubble formation and droplet generation, air turbulence effect on droplet dynamics, and quantitative measurement and analysis of these effects. The primary goals of the apparatus include optical accessibility for high-resolution imaging, turbulence generation sufficient to influence droplet dynamics, and bubble generation to replicate ocean spray conditions. This report details the completion of these goals, the final design of the apparatus, and results from each test completed
Summary of: Immersive Modeling of Water Banking Elicits Local Knowledge and Strategies to Get More Water to Great Salt Lake
Get PDFGetting more water to the declining Great Salt Lake (GSL) is difficult. Strategies must address complex water rights, competing water needs, differing stakeholder priorities, historical legacies, lack of trust, and more arid and variable hydrology. Here we used immersive online collaborative modeling to explore water banking strategies to get more water to GSL. This 2-page brief describes the immersive modeling method, a Win-Win outcome, key results, new insights collaborators took from a model session, 2 new strategies to deliver water to GSL, and 3 next steps
Irrigation Companies: Perspectives in the Great Salt Lake Basin
Get PDFIn an effort to better understand the water management practices of Utah irrigation companies within the Great Salt Lake Basin, interviews and surveys were conducted with company representatives. These discussions aimed to capture insights across a variety of key topics related to water resource management. This report describes the interview and survey efforts undertaken to assess these irrigation companies. Findings from both interviews and surveys are organized by question topic and then by theme
The Potential of Microbial Fuel Cells as a Dual Solution for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Energy Generation: A Case Study
Get PDFMicrobial fuel cells (MFCs) are bio-electrochemical systems that harness microorganisms to convert organic pollutants in wastewater directly into electricity, offering a dual solution for sustainable wastewater treatment and renewable energy generation. This paper presents a holistic techno-economic and environmental feasibility assessment of largescale MFC deployment in Dhaka’s industrial zone, Bangladesh, as a relevant case study. Here, treating 100,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily would require a capital investment of approximately USD 500 million, with a total project cost ranging between USD 307.38 million and 1.711 billion, depending on system configurations. This setup has an estimated theoretical energy recovery of 478.4 MWh/day and a realistic output of 382 MWh/day, translating to a per-unit energy cost of USD 0.2–1/kWh. MFCs show great potential for treating wastewater and addressing energy challenges. However, this paper explores remaining challenges, including high capital costs, electrode and membrane inefficiencies, and scalability issues
Beyond the Finish Line: How Mindset and Setbacks Shape Future Success of High School Sprinters
No full textHow does mindset shape sports performance? Using data from high school track and field 100- meter sprint times, I examine how exogenous psychological shocks—caused by running faster or slower than expected due to tailwinds or headwinds—influence subsequent athletic performance. By leveraging instrumental variable analysis and random wind variation, I isolate the purely psychological effects (referred to throughout this paper as “mindset effects”) of performance confidence. I parse out the sustained mindset effects, taking into account athlete-specific fixed effects, and estimate mindset-driven performance effects. In the discussion, I will explore “perceived self-efficacy” (PSE) as a potential mechanism by which these mindset effects affect an athlete’s performance. I find four main insights into how mindset effects have a sustained impact on athlete performance. First, both positive and negative mindset shocks improve subsequent performance. Second, negative mindset shocks are a stronger driver for improvement in the following race than positive shocks. Third, girls are more psychologically sensitive than boys to these shocks now and in the next race. Fourth, only girls show differential racial/ethnic subsequent performance variation due to mindset effects. In this paper, I will extricate the asymmetric differences in psychologically driven performance effects from head- vs tailwinds on athletes across race/ethnicity and gender. This research will shed light on broader psychological effects influencing athletic performance and contribute to the overarching study of behavioral psychology via econometric analysis
Stock Pitch: Robinhood Markets (Hood)
No full textThis capstone project presents an in-depth analysis and valuation of Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD). Robinhood Markets is a revolutionary fintech platform aiming to democratize finance and investing. The company was founded in 2013 in Menlo Park, California by Vladimir Tenev and Baiju Bhatt. The co-founders created an intuitive mobile trading platform and were the first to offer commission-free trading. Robinhood has opened the door to investing to a new demographic through the easy-to-use mobile app, the ability to buy and sell fractional shares (this makes purchasing shares of companies with high share prices accessible to more individuals), in-app financial education, and access to market research and data. This paper is presenting a buy on Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD) stock based on a current stock price of 86.89, and a projected upside of 103%. This recommendation is mainly based on three merits, including: (1) a large and growing online brokerage market which will likely benefit from younger individuals starting to build their wealth on the platform, (2) Robinhood expanding its platform offerings to include more financial products, educational resources, and access to market research and data, and lastly, (3) geographic expansion. These merits will be discussed in further detail later in this paper. Risks of this investment include fluctuating interest rates, uncertainty in the markets that may cause a reduction in trading volume, and geopolitical risks associated with operating and expanding into new foreign geographies. Through a discounted cash flow analysis, comparative analysis, and market research, this paper will demonstrate the quantitative and qualitative merits and risks of an investment in Robinhood Markets
Weaving Freedom: A Sustainable and Autonomous Approach to Community Development in Rural Argentina
No full textThis paper examines how culturally sensitive, inclusive, and climate-responsive design can empower weavers in Blanca Pozo, Argentina by addressing the unique social, economic, and environmental challenges of the region, fostering autonomy and community resilience through innovative housing and communal spaces. AWANAY is a boutique rug design studio that makes custom artisanal pieces in remote Northern Argentina. Home to AWANAY’s skilled artisans, Blanca Pozo faces environmental pressures, including extreme heat, flooding, and limited access to electricity and fresh water. Drawing on the history of Argentine architecture and global sustainable design principles, this project proposes solutions tailored to the local climate and culture. Inspired by ancient practices in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, the project uses passive cooling, solar orientation, and water management strategies to create climate-adaptive structures. Reintroducing native vegetation further mitigates flooding while encouraging ecological appreciation. Inclusive design principles ensure that homes and communal loom areas accommodate diverse family structures, ages, and abilities, promoting long-term living. The design aligns with cultural traditions and modern needs by integrating flexible layouts and sustainable materials. To further these efforts, the project adheres to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards, prioritizing energy efficiency, water conservation, and indoor environmental quality to create spaces that are not only sustainable but also optimized for the well-being of their occupants. This paper also explores the social and economic impact of design by addressing issues like waste management and resource scarcity and prioritizing autonomy and empowerment. AWANAY’s mission is to support dignity and provide continuous opportunity for rural weavers. The project aligns with this mission for community-centered development in rural regions. Through this approach, this design meets immediate challenges and fosters resilience and prosperity for generations of weavers to come
Training Lander for Rover Arm Testing
No full textThe purpose of this honors capstone project is to design and fabricate a training lander to support the Utah State University (USU) rover team in preparation for the University Rover Challenge (URC). The URC is an international collegiate competition featuring four missions, one of which—the Equipment Servicing Mission—demands a high level of robotic arm functionality and operator skill. Historically, USU\u27s rover teams have struggled to qualify for the URC finals, in part due to limited hands-on training opportunities with the robotic arm. To address this gap, the training lander replicates the tasks found in the URC Equipment Servicing Mission, such as operating a joystick, typing on a keyboard, and flicking switches. The lander includes modular mechanical components and interactive electronic features that simulate real mission conditions. The lander allows team members to validate arm capabilities, refine operator technique, and troubleshoot challenges before competition. Additionally, the lander serves as an outreach tool, engaging K–12 students at STEM events with a hands-on demonstration of robotic systems. This project integrates core principles from mechanical design, electronics, and systems engineering—culminating in a functional, reusable platform that will benefit both current and future USU rover teams
Discovering the True Meaning of Federalist No. 27
No full textThe Federalist Papers are widely known as they helped explain the Constitution and gather support for its ratification. However, what they mean is not always clear. This is problematic, especially when Supreme Court Justices look to the Federalist Papers to help them make decisions. A particularly fascinating example of this problem arose in the case Printz v. United States (1997). Both the majority and dissent argued that their interpretation was supported by Federalist No. 27. That leads to the question of what Federalist No. 27 actually means. By looking at the context surrounding Alexander Hamilton (the author) and previous Supreme Court usage, this question can be answered. This research finds that Federalist No. 27 started with broad powers which were trimmed down by the Supreme Court over time