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Miniature Carnation Cut Flower Production in Utah
Get PDFCarnation is one of the most popular cut flowers worldwide and has been grown for centuries. The delicate, fringed petals of miniature carnation have a spicy, clove-like scent and are often used commercially in potpourri and perfume. Florists value the scent, versatility in both large and small design work, long vase life, and broad range of colors, which include yellow, orange, pink, white, red, and purple. While traditionally grown under cover in regions like Colombia and Ecuador, carnation may be a viable cut flower for U.S. Intermountain West growers, as plants tolerate frost and grow well in both cool and warm seasons. In Utah State University trials, miniature carnation also reliably produced blooms with limited water and nutrients but was sensitive to weed pressure
Creating a STAT2 Knock-Out Rat With CRISPR/Cas9 Using i-GONAD
No full textThrough the use of genetically modified animals, a more holistic understanding of physiologic responses to various diseases and pathologies can be obtained7,19. The STAT2 gene encodes a protein called Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 2 and is an excellent target for genetic manipulation due to its essential role in type I and III interferon signaling pathways11. A member of the STAT family of transcription factors, this protein is directly involved in mediating cellular responses to various cytokines and growth factors, particularly those related to the innate immune response11. While the STAT2 signaling pathway is frequently studied, no verifiable creation of a rat STAT2 knock-out (KO) has been observed in the literature. By establishing an effective procedure for creating STAT2 KO rats, these organisms can be used for refined disease testing of serious human ailments such as Lupus, Polio, Herpes, RSV, and even cancer1,3,9,11,12,20. In this paper, we, the Wang Lab in the department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences at Utah State University illustrate a protocol for creation of the first ever STAT2 KO Dawley Rat using CRISPR/Cas9 and i-GONAD techniques. Through highly specific sgRNA design, detailed tracking of estrus cycles for optimal timing of i-GONAD, and numerous genotyping procedures such as PCR-RFLP and TA cloning, successful STAT2 homozygous KO rats were generated. The development of these gene edited animals will have a significant positive impact on the ability to study immune related diseases as well as increase the translational ability of application study results for human consideration
Domestic Challenges, Cultural Factors Driving Ecuador\u27s Authoritarianism Acceleration
Get PDFUsing the Cultural Topography (CTops) methodology, this paper provides insight to US policymakers into the cultural factors, combined with current domestic challenges, that are driving Ecuadorians toward authoritarianism. The CTops methodology requires practitioners to conduct primary research on a specific group, which is the population of Ecuador in this paper. To conduct this research, cultural texts and artifacts such as newspaper articles, monuments honoring national heroes, websites and blog posts, and many others were analyzed. Secondary research and an evaluation of current operational realities were also used to inform this paper. Once considered an “Island of Peace,” Ecuador is in the midst of an internal armed conflict with gangs that murder, extort, and traffic drugs. As a result, Ecuadorians have increasingly turned to authoritarian-styled leaders. Additional domestic challenges take the form of a stagnating economy and blackouts across Ecuador’s hydroelectric-dependent grid. This paper highlights that beyond current domestic challenges underlying cultural tendencies exist, referred to as Critical Cultural Factors (CCFs), that also contribute to the ongoing authoritarian drift. The cultural factors of consideration include a widely held perception of government ineffectiveness in Ecuador and a shared value of striving to make progress toward a better future. Additional cultural factors such as the shared norm of respecting people who have earned positions of power and rank as well as the cultural identity to be socially responsible offer insight into the ways which the United States may more effectively engage with Ecuador. To conclude, this paper offers potential recommendations, based on the cultural insights gained from using the CTops methodology, for US policymakers to consider moving forward
The Stem Gender Gap: Can it be Closed?
No full textDespite increasing gender parity in many professional fields, women remain underrepresented in STEM industries, particularly in math-intensive areas such as engineering, computer science, and physics. This report explores the persistent gender gap in STEM through analysis of two data sources: gendered differences in the US national Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) performance and post-graduate employment patterns among scientists and engineers. The first portion of the analysis examines SAT score data from 2018 to 2024, with a focus on high-performing test-takers. Using Python and R, data was extracted and visualized to compare male and female performance on the Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) sections. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model was used to assess whether gender remained a significant predictor of SAT math performance over time. The results showed that while both male and female scores declined post-2021, males consistently outperformed females in math, with the gap being most prominent among top scorers. In contrast, females outperformed males in ERW across all years. The findings suggest that even among high performers, females may exhibit more balanced verbal and quantitative abilities, while males tend to excel more exclusively in math—potentially influencing career trajectories. The second portion of the study analyzes 2021 data from the National Survey of Recent College Graduates. It reveals stark differences in post-graduate employment-seeking behavior by gender. Across nearly all age groups, unemployed female scientists and engineers are significantly less likely to be actively seeking employment compared to their male counterparts. For women aged 30–49—a common age range for childrearing—over 64% were not seeking employment. This contrasts sharply with male scientists, most of whom remained active job seekers across all ages. Together, these findings highlight how both cognitive factors (relative performance in math vs. verbal skills) and sociocultural factors (like domestic labor expectations) may contribute to women’s underrepresentation and interest in STEM. This report advocates for future longitudinal studies that follow high-achieving students across disciplines to better understand how skill profiles and gender norms influence career choices and persistence in STEM fields
Detumbling Analysis and Attitude Stabilization of SPICEsat: A Closed-Loop Control Verification Framework
No full textThis study investigates the detumbling capabilities of SPICEsat following an initial angular disturbance imparted by the deployer. SPICEsat, which stands for Sloshing Platform for In Orbit Controller Experimentation, is a 6U CubeSat developed by Rutgers University to investigate the effects of fuel sloshing on spacecraft stability and control. Top level, this research’s objective is to confirm SPICEsat\u27s ability to reduce angular momentum, thereby achieving a stabilized post-deployment attitude. This is referred to as detumbling, or the process of reducing a satellite’s rotational rates following deployment. The system-level focus centers on assessing the control authority of the Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT) XACT-50 unit\u27s torque rods to counteract the angular momentum arising from both the satellite and its internal slosh fluid dynamics. A closed-loop simulation, developed in OpenFOAM, serves as the primary tool for low-level verification. The satellite is modeled as a rigid body subjected to a uniform magnetic field, with simulations conducted under conditions reflecting the maximum and minimum magnetic field strengths encountered in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Initial conditions incorporate predefined angular momentum for the satellite body and specific fluid dynamics parameters. The control system actuates the satellite attitude through torque rods, with applied torques calculated based on magnetic field interactions. To underscore the necessity of closed-loop control, an open-loop simulation is initially presented, wherein a predetermined torque impulse is applied to counteract the initial angular momentum. The inherent limitations of this approach highlight the advantages of closed-loop control mechanisms. Subsequent simulations demonstrate closed-loop controllers utilizing two distinct methodologies: (1) a state vector-based approach assuming a uniform magnetic field and (2) a B-Dot control strategy accounting for temporal variations in the magnetic field. The outcomes validate SPICEsat\u27s detumbling proficiency and confirm the BCT XACT-50 torque rods\u27 efficacy in maintaining satellite attitude stability in LEO environments
Efficiency Starts With Lifecycle Planning, Management, and Right-Sizing Process
Get PDFWhen a program starts, there\u27s a tendency for management or leadership to want to get things moving, to get going, to start doing things. It makes a lot of sense to push forward, but only if everybody understands what doing things means. A lot of the time, there\u27s a lack of initial process or clarity about where in a specific process we\u27re starting. Sometimes goals, expectations, and processes don’t reach every member of the team.
In a time when efficiency is being leveraged as a weapon to defund existing efforts, all programs are immediately operating at risk. Programs desperately require a clear vision of their current state, their end goals, and a path that takes them there with minimal detours. The mantra of new space is heard across the industry, but it\u27s currently being used as a shield to do less of the detailed work and hope more. This isn\u27t the answer. Given the historical tools at our disposal, there is an opportunity to avoid reinventing the wheel while encouraging the kind of innovation that is driving new development in this industry.
The systems engineering lifecycle is often considered a paper exercise. Programs throw less experienced engineers at the requirements lifecycle, then wonder why requirements are hard to design or develop against. Verification takes a standing army. Organizations develop standards that are thrust upon programs without context or a clear understanding of what needs to be done from within those standards. These are choices optimizing for the nearest milestone, but they don\u27t serve the lifecycle of the program, the organization\u27s long-term goals, or our customers\u27 needs.
There are no shortcuts for repeatable success. There are no magic bullets to solve hard problems. The secret is that we don\u27t need shortcuts or magic bullets. We have processes that can be scaled up or down based on programmatic resources and risk posture. The underlying approach doesn\u27t change regardless of the cost profile of a given satellite or constellation. The lifecycle and definitions don\u27t change, even if their scale does. Hard problems still demand effort, but a consistent lifecycle framework enables teams to do amazing things.
Engineering leadership needs to provide clear definition and guidance across the board. Management needs to support the team and encourage the use of best practices. Establishing a clear path without reinventing the wheel should be step one for any program that hasn\u27t already done so. This paper discusses actionable lessons learned across the entire systems engineering lifecycle from clear initial requirements elaboration and decomposition, through design, development, integration, verification, and operations. It is meant to serve as a reference
ChantSat-1: A First-Time University\u27s Experience in Small Satellite Development
No full textChantSat-1, Coastal Carolina University (CCU) High Altitude Nadir-pointing Satellite-1, is the first smallsat mission envisioned by our primarily undergraduate university. Capacity development to support mission planning over 18 months has integrated a range of interdisciplinary stakeholders while capturing the attention and imagination of students. The mission’s primary payload will be a multispectral camera for remote sensing of South Carolina’s coastal blackwater rivers, estuaries, and adjacent ocean shelf waters. The resulting coastal habitat mosaic supports ecologically important food webs and related economic and cultural engines of regional growth, while being uniquely vulnerable to the combination of natural episodic climate-related events combined with increasing anthropogenic pressures. These relatively shallow coastal environments are characterized by highly variable concentrations of chlorophyll, suspended solids, and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and have a distinctive optical signature as they interact with coastal ocean waters. Remote sensing data from ChantSat-1 will enhance our understanding of these complex coastal dynamics and complement existing remote sensing satellite coverage by providing new capacity for high temporal resolution at small spatial scales. We’ve performed detailed orbit simulations and sensor coverage analyses, converging on an approach that will provide imagery of the South Carolina coast and adjacent shelf habitats for 6-7 consecutive days every 14 days. This revisit schedule has been strategically timed to help fill gaps in current satellite data sets. This temporal coverage will allow us to characterize coastal watershed dynamics as well as responses to episodic or extreme climate events to support emerging coastal resilience and sustainable management strategies.
CCU\u27s ChantSat-1 team embraces a commitment to broadening participation in space exploration. The mission includes a selfie camera payload that has become an access point for community stakeholders as well as a popular tool to increase student interest and engagement across the University. Students from engineering, computer science, visual arts, and intelligence degree programs are working together to design, document, and fabricate a functional camera for deployment when ChantSat-1 reaches orbit. Additionally, these students work as “knowledge hubs” broadening the understanding of satellite technologies in learning cohorts that traditionally have little exposure in STEM. A preliminary ground station was prioritized and built in parallel with mission development to support observing existing satellites, communicate with CubeSat simulators, and provide experiential learning opportunities related to satellite technology and design. Our ground station will also serve as a cornerstone for outreach to underresourced K-12 schools, SC-NASA Space Grant partners and 2-year technical colleges and introduce students to satellite technology when they might have otherwise needed to leave the state to participate in space-related learning opportunities. Operating a functional ground station early helps CCU build student skills in radio/satellite operations, and enhanced our efforts to retain existing students and recruit new students, as we work towards critical mass to support the ChantSat-1 mission planned for 2027-28
Water Efficient Landscaping at Utah State University: Evaluating the True Value of the Landscape Resiliency and Drought Plan
Get PDFUtah faces serious water challenges due to its dry climate, growing population, and inefficient water use. While most water conservation efforts focus on homes, businesses, and farms, state institutions like universities also play a role. As Utah’s land-grant university, Utah State University (USU) uses about 260 million gallons of water each year to irrigate its 180 acres of green space, with 92% of that water being used to irrigate grass landscapes. To promote sustainability and meet state water conservation policies, USU developed the Landscape Resiliency and Drought Plan (LR&DP) to create more drought-resistant landscapes. However, implementing water-saving strategies at state institutions can be challenging due to obstacles like outdated irrigation systems, lack of funding, and institutional resistance to change.
This research evaluates the potential impact of the LR&DP on water savings, financial costs, and environmental benefits at USU. The findings from studying three campus locations suggest that implementing water-efficient landscapes could reduce outdoor water use by 72%. Currently, USU spends about 230,000 per year, without improvements. Adopting the LR&DP could significantly lower these costs while also providing environmental benefits—such as improved water quality and biodiversity—which in turn enhance the aesthetic and educational value of USU’s Logan campus.
This study highlights the important role that universities can play in addressing water conservation challenges. By demonstrating the value of investing in sustainable landscapes, USU has the potential to serve as a model for other institutions across the state. These findings support ongoing efforts to create more resilient, water-efficient campuses that contribute to Utah’s longterm sustainability
LEOPARD: Demonstrating CubeSat Technologies for Light Scattering Observations and Satellite Positioning in LEO for Future University-Based Lunar Missions
No full textThe LEOPARD (Light intensity Experiment with On-orbit Positioning and satellite Ranging Demonstration) satellite is a 3-unit (3U) CubeSat platform to demonstrate several technologies and payloads in low Earth orbit (LEO) prior to future lunar CubeSat missions. After deployment from the International Space Station (ISS), it plans to perform the following missions, including onboard processing of Earth-origin one-way radio ranging signals (OPERA), multispectral imaging to monitor light scattering above the horizon (MSC), single event latch-up detection (SEL), solar panel deployment using shape memory alloy (SMA), and ambient magnetic field measurements. First, the OPERA mission will validate critical steps towards deep-space positioning technology, and it will use one-way ranging method with S-band signal transmitted from mobile ground stations. In addition, it uses a genetic algorithm to determine the satellite position, velocity vectors and range. Second, the MSC payload will capture images during post-sunset conditions to monitor the light scattering by atmospheric molecules and aerosol particles analyzed through Rayleigh scattering. Third, the SEL mission will investigate the radiation protection technology for the satellite electronics against single event effects. While the SMA mission will deploy two solar panels controlled by a heater-based mechanism, the two magnetometers will perform measurements at the edges of the deployed solar panels in addition to the other magnetometers in the satellite main body. These measurements will be used with independent component analysis to detect stray magnetic fields and various geomagnetic disturbances during storm events. Currently, the LEOPARD flight model is scheduled for delivery to JAXA in mid-2025, with operations expected to begin in late 2025 in ISS orbit
Breaking Up in the Digital Age: Examining the Relational Dissolution Model on Instagram
Get PDFBreakups can be an emotional time as individuals experience breakup distress and begin to explore the options and potential actions that are associated with relational dissolution on social media. This study seeks to explore how certain online behaviors, as they relate to stages of relational dissolution, affect breakup distress, relational uncertainty, social media engagement, and overall attitudes towards singlehood. Findings suggest that social media engagement plays a key role in exploring the phases of relational dissolution. Higher social media intensity linked breakup distress and behaviors of the social phase, or when individuals share information about a potential breakup. Grave-dressing behaviors were connected to high levels of social media intensity, because this phase emphasizes impression management and account modification. Resurrection behaviors, or the transition into singlehood, were positively linked to positive attitudes about singlehood. Finally, this study explored the influence of an ex-partner continuing to maintain connection with our participants, finding that it increases relational uncertainty but not breakup distress levels. These results offer insight into how young adults navigate breakups through Instagram and how these digital behaviors connect to broader emotional patterns and social media habits