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COVID-19 Resilience in Indigenous Communities: A Community Capitals Approach
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on rural American Indian/Alaska Native communities. During our multi-year study, in-depth interview data was collected in Indigenous communities from over 160 Tribal leaders and members in Alaska, New Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. In interviews, participants shared their lived experience during the pandemic, both negative impacts and factors of resilience. This article focuses on the methodology and theoretical framework of Community Capitals Framework (CCF). Using CCF, interview data was coded and analyzed using a modified CCF model. Our study aims to better understand how Indigenous communities and leaders drew on human and socio-cultural assets to influence innovation and resilience during the pandemic
General Education Subcommittee Agenda September 4, 2025
No full textCall to Order Approval of Minutes - April 3, 2025 Course Approvals/Removals/Syllabi Approvals New Business Update on Center for Civic Excellence General Education Summit Additional Items Review of USU\u27s University Studies Requirements Adjourn: 9:30 a
Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda September 22, 2025
No full text3:00 Call to Order Approval of Minutes August 25, 2025 3:05 University Business 3:20 Faculty Senate Business 3:35 Information EPC Report - September 4, 2025 3:40 Report EPC Annual Report 4:05 Old Business 4:10 New Business Adjourn: 4:30 p
Enhancing Understanding of Breach Processes Using Computational Fluid Dynamics and Laboratory Tests
No full textAccurate prediction of dam breach processes is crucial for risk assessment and emergency response planning. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) offers a powerful tool for simulating such complex phenomena. However, the reliability of CFD models hinges on their validation against experimental data. This paper compares numerical simulations by the open-source code, OpenFOAM, to laboratory flume experiments to assess the accuracy of its predictions of dam breach overtopping processes.OpenFOAM is first being used to model the flow characteristics of two key stages of a dam breach experiment that took place in a physical laboratory setup. The two stages are the surface erosion stage and the steep faced / stepped erosion stage. The flume dimensions, bed profiles and flow conditions are replicated with the CFD numerical models. The free water surface is modelled with the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method while the flow is modelled using the Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equations. CFD flow velocity results are validated against the flume measurements. A second idealised case is also presented to show the effect of mesh resolution on bed shear stress distribution. The findings of this study provide insights into the capabilities and limitations of CFD models for predicting dam breach flows. This research contributes to the development of more accurate and reliable tools for assessing the potential impacts of dam failures. This work is ongoing, and results presented here are preliminary
Refined Hybrid Rocket Static Fire Testing with Increased Performance and Precision
No full textHybrid rocket development relies on precise sensor data to evaluate key performance parameters such as thrust, temperature, and chamber pressure. The accuracy of this data is influenced not only by instrumentation noise but also by the design and efficiency of the test infrastructure. This study presents a comprehensive upgrade of a lab-scale hybrid rocket static fire test cart, focusing on improvements in oxidizer flow capacity, system wiring, and data acquisition reliability. Key upgrades include larger-diameter piping for increased oxidizer flow, minimized flow losses, simplified and insulated high-voltage wiring, and enhanced sensor integration to reduce signal noise. Comparative testing between the legacy and upgraded test carts assesses the impact of these design changes. The previous cart exhibited significant pressure data noise (standard deviation of 5.88 psi), while the upgraded system achieved improved signal clarity (standard deviation of 0.28 psi). Additional comparisons include oxidizer flow performance, pressure drop analysis, and overall system efficiency. Multiple test configurations and flow conditions are evaluated to quantify increases in performance and precision. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of these upgrades in improving calibration accuracy and test reliability and providing insights into optimizing hybrid rocket test infrastructure for more precise and repeatable experimental data
Evaluation of Motor Planning Span in Those With History of Concussion
No full textVarying symptoms and impairments can be observed when one experiences a concussion that can last for long periods of time. Research has shown that some impairments can be seen in basic motor tasks, which could reflect impairments that could lead to another concussion or possibly a musculoskeletal injury. The ability to plan an action in sequence, defined as motor planning span, may also be impaired when one sustains a concussion. Thus, the purpose of this exploratory study was to observe those with a history of concussion during a rotational task that measured end-state comfort (MEGdiff), which is associated with efficient motor planning span. A total of 35 participants, 24 with a history of concussion and 11 without, completed the rotational task. Those with a history of concussion were divided into those who had experienced 1 concussion or 2 or more concussions from the descriptive history that was provided by each participant. The experimental group recorded their reaction time during the rotational task and via the ReacStick. For the ReacStick, participants were instructed to grasp the instrument when dropped along the shaft as quickly as possible, which recorded simple reaction time. During the rotational task, participants were asked to rotate an object with 8 arms that lit up and match the colored arm to the corresponding colored target on the table. They were instructed to only use their wrist, elbow, and shoulder to complete the trials and to position the arm to the target as flush as they could. Each trial could include a Span 1, 2, or 3 task to which the participant would have to match 1, 2, or 3 arms on the object to targets on the table. In addition to this, it could include a 0, 45, or 90-degree rotation to complete the task at the first, second, or third target. Significant differences were not seen between groups for the in MEGdiff measure. This may have been due to a limited sample size, differences in time from last concussion, or potentially history of athletic performance
Selecting Irrigated Alfalfa Varieties
No full textSelecting an alfalfa variety is one of the most important decisions an alfalfa producer can make and is the cornerstone of successful alfalfa production. Variety selection directly impacts yield potential, forage quality, stand persistence, pest and disease resistance, and environmental adaptation—all factors that can have a major economic impact. Informed decisions can be made by carefully considering the goals of your operation and adhering to the criteria outlined in this fact sheet
Data accompanying Landscape composition surrounding restoration projects modulates use by wildlife: a case study of mule deer in Utah
No full textWith mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), hereafter, deer, populations in decline, wildlife managers have increased their efforts to improve factors that limit population growth. In the State of Utah (hereafter, Utah), these efforts have included habitat restoration which is expected to improve environmental conditions for deer. Some of these efforts include pinon-juniper removal, prescribed burning, and spraying of invasive plant species. Although previous work has demonstrated the local impacts of restoration on deer populations, it is unknown how the environmental conditions in the landscape surrounding restoration treatments may modify local restoration impacts. Identifying how both local and landscape-scale conditions influence deer response to habitat restoration would ensure valid inference, and enable spatially-precise management recommendations. Our objective was to identify the scale-specific environmental drivers that influence mule deer seasonal use of 8 types of restoration projects using data from 1,936 GPS-collared deer from 2015-2021, and 813 treatment sites. Our findings showed that the abundance of collared deer on restoration sites is related to both the type of restoration treatment examined, and patterns of landcover composition surrounding restoration sites at 1, 5, 10, and 20km spatial scales. While High Elevation Fire Rehabilitation and Sagebrush Restoration treatments, and Pinyon-juniper Removal treatments had the highest relative use during summer, and winter, respectively, use of treatments during winter was greater in landscapes containing additional treatment sites. We found that during winter, relative use across all treatment types was higher when restoration projects were sited within 10-20km of Pinyon-Juniper Removal treatments with and without seeding. Restoration projects that were not sited in proximity of Aspen restoration or Low Elevation Fire Rehabilitation sites also had higher estimated use during winter. Together, our analyses can provide decision support for determining the optimal locations for future restoration treatments to strategically design landscapes expected to support the highest relative use by focal wildlife
The Impact of Transmission Thresholds Across Multiple Scales on the Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin
No full textWildlife diseases can be difficult to control once they are established. This is especially true when they spread through contact with infectious material left in the environment. One such disease is chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal illness affecting deer and related species in North America and other regions. CWD is caused by prions, misfolded proteins that can remain infectious for years after shedding by infected hosts.
Recent research shows that CWD infection does not always follow from the gradual accumulation of prions through small contact events. Rather, an individual may need to encounter a certain prion dose all at once to become infected. This thesis explores what happens when this threshold dosage phenomenon is treated as a core feature in disease models.
Using mathematical tools that model animals across space and time at the population scale, I show how infection thresholds can change the way CWD spreads through a population. One mode of spread is a pulled front, in which an infected animal passes CWD directly to more than one healthy individual on average. This may be likened to a fire spreading through dry brush; even a single ember moving to unspent fuel is enough to carry the blaze ahead. Thresholds, conversely, may lead to pushed fronts, in which enough infected animals must arrive together to overcome the threshold. This is more like fire moving through damp material, where enough burning material must accumulate to dry the wood before it can ignite. The front types behave differently across highly variable landscapes, and are affected in complex ways by the frequency and distance of juvenile dispersal.
To understand how these findings play out in the real world, I build a model of CWD in Wisconsin white-tailed deer, based on years of disease sampling data from deer taken by hunters. The findings offer a realistic ballpark estimate for how threshold-based infection may shape the geographic spread of outbreaks. These insights could inform future efforts in surveillance and control
Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes November 6, 2025
No full textApproval of Minutes - October 2, 2025 Program Proposals Semester Course Approval Reviews Other Business Adjourn: 3:00 p