Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
Dr. Michael Lacourse
Special Projects Lead for Innovation
Jyl Hall Director of Public Relations
Scott Garrett
Assistant Director of University Design and Branding
Stacy Schmidt
Assistant Director of Public Relations/Publications
Sarah Shurtliff Director of Academic Budget
IN THIS REPORT
Research Report – Talking Through Disability and University Ethics
Embracing Artificial Intelligence
Talent Ready Utah Awards Over $2 Million to the College of Science, Engineering & Technology
Trailblazing Through Science
Blazing the Way for New DeserTech
State-of-the-Art LED Wall Sets Film Program Apart
Mock Trial – The Attorneys of the Future, Today
From China to Utah – Jiachun Hong and the Global Reach of Chinese Documentaries
Dance and Film Programs Take Their Studies Abroad in Brazil
Finance Research Makes Waves at National Accounting Conference
Marketing Internships Launch Students into the Real World
Institute of Politics Offers Legislative Internships
Extreme Human Performance Center Champions Student Research
From Essays to Zines – Rethinking Writing and Scholarships
National Science Grant Funds Student Research in Argentina
Students and Alumni Create Innovative ParksPass App
Benefiting Students Through the Virality Lab
Changing Lives Abroad and At Home – Students Learn Through Service
Service Saturday – Building Bonds Through Community Engagement
PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND SPECIAL RECOGNITION
New Academic Degrees and Certifcates
Ambitions to Launch: Utah Tech’s CubeSat Program
Utah Tech Launches New Special Education Program
Art Student Awarded 3rd Place in Nationwide Exhibition
Utah Tech University Adds Eight New STEM Graduate Offerings
Nancy Ross Publishes New Research on LDS Garments Student Michael Orr Represents University at Prestigious National Research Program
and Engineering Programs Gain Prestigious Recognition
Accomplishments and Accolades – Technical Writing in Practice
$1.8 Million Federal Grant Expands Student Support Services
Dental Hygiene Program Boasts 100% Pass Rate on National Board Exam
Charting a Course for the Future with Career Services
Incarcerated Youth Can Earn Degrees at Utah Tech
Individualized Studies Program Works with Students to Customize Education
Tanner Pabst Sets the Standard for the Re-established ROTC Program
UTAH TECH PATENTS, PUBLICATIONS, AND RESEARCH
NEW ACADEMIC DEGREES & CERTIFICATES
Certificates
POST GRADUATE
Health Care Administration
Nurse Educator
POST BACCALAUREATE
Applied Artificial Intelligence for Machine Learning
Machine Learning in Biomedical Sciences
UNDERGRADUATE
Automation
Design for VR/XR
Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure
Public Discourse
Interpersonal Communication
Bachelor’s Degrees
BA/BS Criminal Justice – Law Enforcement Emphasis
BA In Politics, Policy and Law
BS in Cybersecurity
RESEARCH REPORT: Talking Through Disability and University Ethics
Dr. John Wolfe, associate professor of philosophy and chair of the History, Humanities, and Modern Languages Department, is currently working on two branches of research: the philosophy of disability and university ethics. His interest in these two subjects stems from his lived experiences and commitment to making academic spaces more accessible, inclusive, and ethical.
Wolfe’s study on the philosophy of disability, which looks at social interactions surrounding individuals with underrepresented disabilities, has been in the works since 2002. The examination has affected the way he teaches in the classroom, and he often apologizes on the first day of classes: “I have two disabilities: one invisible, which is Crohn’s disease,
and the other visible, with the stiff movement in my neck.”
He has also met with various students through their class studies, teaching them how best to interact with those with both visible and invisible disabilities. From helping the dance department choreograph a dance on “the expression of self and embodiment [of neurodivergence]” with the support of previous dance faculty Jennifer Weber, to his research on medical ethics, Wolfe has consistently been hands-on.
Wolfe has also been studying medical ethics, drawing from his personal experiences as a patient. He took note of the doctor-nurse partnership and how it reflects on the patient, looking at suicide rates for nurses and individuals with disabilities, and the importance of a good doctor who
Erin Wortham, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
checks in. Wolfe’s exploration is encouraged by Utah Tech’s polytechnic mission, transitioning what is learned in the classroom to real-world application. He has worked extensively with the Dental Hygiene department, getting his teeth cleaned because they “needed someone who can’t move their neck,” and helping provide students with firsthand experience learning how best to accommodate patients with disabilities.
University ethics is Wolfe’s other research focus, which dives into institutional practices of fairness and treatment of faculty, and has been years in the making. Wolfe is not alone in his exploration, partnering with Emma Prendergast and Emily Fitzgerald, who work in his department. Together, their research revolves around the lack of support for junior faculty members at universities, which they have found to be an extensive issue. Wolfe stated that the research is “mainly addressed to university instructors and policy makers,” further explaining that “there’s a lot of anxiety and fear of maintaining job security” for junior faculty who are not “pretenure.”
Wolfe’s end goal is to reach out to those in academia. As it relates to the philosophy of disability, he wants instructors to think about their teaching styles and how they translate to different types of students. For university ethics, he strives to bring together those with shared experiences — whether
negative or positive — in the institutions’ communities to continue discussions on fairness.
Wolfe actively applies what he learns from his research in his classroom and interactions with fellow faculty members. He shared that it is “important that the community sees you as a necessary component of that community…that belonging there is more than just including you.” In Wolfe’s view, students, faculty, and community members should work together to create a positive, inclusive university environment for the benefit of all.
STATE-OF-THE-ART LED WALL SETS FILM PROGRAM APART
Kaistin Oliver, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis
Park City Film Studios donated a state-of-the-art LED wall to the Utah Tech Film Department. According to Patrick Smith, the director of the digital film program, the wall was donated to set Utah Tech’s program as the main crossroad for all film projects continuing to come through St. George. The official name for the technology is the ROE Visual Black Pearl LED Volume, referred to as “the wall,” and it functions as a virtual studio. The wall sets the University’s film program apart from all others within a 300-mile radius.
“This exact type of LED wall was used to film The Mandalorian, Westworld, and Star Trek and will be the mainstay of virtual production for Utah Tech,” Greg S. Erikson, general counsel of Park City Films, said.
This new equipment functions as a green screen and creates an encapsulating environment to surround the actor. Because of the LED lights used, the scene being featured will be ultrarealistic. Filmmakers won’t have to make adjustments in lighting to account for the green reflection of actors anymore.
Patrick Smith, director of Utah Tech’s Digital Film Program, explained that the LED wall can make backgrounds
so realistic that, “If you look in their eyes, you can see the reflection of the whole world of Mars or of the sky; whatever it is you’re putting them on.”
The film program is excited to now be training students who will use this technology to create short films with their newfound proficiency. Some of their movies debuted in Spring 2025 in front of 500 community members. Currently, the department is working to create a summer program where students can use this tech to create real feature-length movie sets with notable name actors. This type of experience and training makes film students extremely marketable and gives them a full résumé by the time they graduate.
The Utah Tech Film Program doesn’t just teach students filmmaking; it throws students on real sets to gain hands-on experience. Referring to the LED wall, Smith concludes, “I think that the thing I’m most excited about is our competitive advantage.” With the film department’s dedication to active learning, and with the help of this amazing technology, new and exciting ventures are just around the corner
AMBITIONS TO LAUNCH: Utah Tech’s CubeSat Program
Cisalee Burgess, Graduate Student, Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric Major
Utah Tech University’s CubeSat Program is in its second year and is establishing the institution’s name in the local scientific community. Entering this field has been an important opportunity to interact and learn from other schools like Utah State University and Brigham Young University, which have participated in space exploration programs for about a decade. It’s a strong step forward in strengthening Utah Tech’s reputation as a place of study for science-minded future engineers.
“The CubeSat program is a space project that prepares engineering students for future jobs. It’s the equivalent of rocket science and looks great on résumés,” Utah Tech instructor Dr. Monty Kennedy said. “The program helps establish the University as a significant presence in this field.”
The CubeSat Program focuses on developing CubeSats — small, complex satellites that are launched into the Earth’s atmosphere. These satellites are typically used to collect scientific data as they orbit, such as weather or magnetic fields. They can also be programmed with tasks like mapping regions. The goal is for the program to create several CubeSats over the next few years and then secure a rideshare service to launch them.
The current CubeSat is being constructed by engineering students as part of their capstone project, including Arick Bird, the project manager, and Braydon Phillips, the chief engineer. The 8-pound device will map the state of Utah for a year, recording and downloading temperature readings, imaging, and other data on local lakes, reservoirs, and agricultural areas.
The data will then be relayed to the state to help with water preservation and desalination projects.
Big projects like these are expensive and academically rigorous. Utah Tech’s Engineering Department competed against other universities and won a $50,000 grant from NASA and the Air Force. The students also received training from NASA and the Air Force, giving them experiential learning opportunities on CubeSat mission planning, ensuring that students identified all the mission requirements to prepare the satellite for launch.
The Washington County Water Conservancy District and the Utah Division of Water Resources provided additional funding, and their needs helped define the goals and parameters of this satellite’s mission.
The program also helps Utah Tech accomplish its polytechnic mission through community engagement efforts with local K-12 STEM programs, collaborations with Brigham Young University and Utah State University, and participation in the annual “Small Satellite Conference.” The CubeSat program not only launches satellites, but also the careers of those who work on them.
UTAH TECH LAUNCHES NEW SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
Kaistin Oliver, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis
Utah Tech will welcome its first cohort of special education majors this fall, ushering in a new era of teacher training for the University. An exciting addition to the already renowned Department of Education, the program will train students to support kids in grades K-12 with mild to moderate disabilities.
“Majoring in special education will help ensure that all students are seen, supported, and given the opportunity to succeed,” Dr. Kari Gali, the director of the special education program, said.
During the program, special education majors will take many of the same classes as elementary education majors. This will ensure that elementary education students develop a
desire to support special education teachers within the school environment. In turn, special education students will gain an understanding of what is expected of elementary education teachers, creating a brighter future of cohesion within public schools.
Utah Tech is working closely with the local school district and the Utah State Board of Education, and many education majors are graduating with multiple job offers.
In the wake of a national teaching shortage facing our country, particularly for special education teachers, Utah Tech is producing capable future teachers who will contribute to better and brighter classroom experiences for children with disabilities.
ART STUDENT AWARDED 3RD PLACE IN NATIONWIDE EXHIBITION
Gaylen Bailey, Senior, English Major, Literary Studies Emphasis
Brandon Raabe, a dedicated student in the Art Department, was awarded 3rd place in the national student competition for Oil Painters of America. His work, “Portrait of Ilaiasi,” was displayed both online and in person alongside the rest of the exhibition in Wichita, Kansas.
Raabe’s journey to become an artist has not been a straight line. He began his education at Utah Tech in the animation program, but he eventually found himself more interested in painting.
“He had a strong natural understanding of how to manipulate paint,” said his professor, McGarren Flack, who has worked with Raabe for over four years. “The thing I love most about Brandon is his tenacious desire to become a better artist.”
Raabe explained that his experience as a student at Utah Tech has not only taught him technical art skills, but more importantly, accountability as an artist. “The art department at Utah Tech is phenomenal,” said Raabe. “I attribute my growth to my mentors; the professors here have changed my life.”
UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY ADDS EIGHT NEW STEM GRADUATE OFFERINGS
Stevie Lytle, Junior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
Utah Tech University has expanded its graduate offerings, with four new graduate degrees, two new graduate emphases, and two certifications from the College of Health Sciences and the College of Science, Engineering & Technology. These additions mark an exciting step in Utah Tech’s continued growth as a polytechnic institution, providing students with more opportunities to succeed in high-demand professional fields.
In the College of Health Sciences, three new online programs are providing advanced training for healthcare and sport professionals seeking to advance their careers while maintaining flexibility.
The Master of Science in Nursing Education and Leadership program prepares nurses for faculty, educator, and leadership roles. Students benefit from flexible scheduling, affordable tuition, and faculty with doctoral-level expertise.
The Master of Science in Healthcare Administration offers a pathway for students pursuing administrative and leadership positions in healthcare organizations. Students engage in hands-on learning through internships and research initiatives, supported by close faculty mentorship. The program currently enrolls small cohorts of students for personalized instruction, but plans on growing and pursuing accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.
The Master of Science in Sport Management is now split into two available emphases in Athletic Administration and Sport Performance Management. This program trains professionals in athletic leadership, governance, and performance enhancement. Students complete a core curriculum in management, wellness, and data analysis, and then choose an emphasis, providing a focused path to success in the industry.
CSET is also introducing its two new innovative graduate pathways to meet growing demand for the technology and applied sciences fields.
The master’s degree in Software Development is a HyFlex program, offering both hybrid — partly online, partly in-person — and fully online study options. It is designed for professionals without prior programming experience, and provides the skills needed for students to transition into software development careers.
The master’s degree in User Experience Design is also a hybrid program, emphasizing digital product design, usability, and human-computer interaction. Both programs promote cross-disciplinary collaboration, mirroring real-world industry partnerships, giving students valuable professional experience.
Additionally, two CSET postbaccalaureate certificates offer targeted skill development in emerging technologies.
The Certificate in Machine Learning for Life Sciences applies data-driven methods to challenges in medical imaging, drug discovery, and genomics.
The Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning equips students to design and implement machine learning solutions across diverse industries.
These new graduate offerings strengthen Utah Tech’s position as a leader in Utah’s higher education, reinforcing the University’s commitment to providing industry-aligned education that prepares students for success in today’s fast-growing professional fields. Prospective students are encouraged to explore these new graduate pathways and take the next step toward advancing their education at Utah Tech.
EMBRACING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Alyssa Bayles, Graduate Student, Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric Major
As a response to the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and machine learning, Utah Tech University has created the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, a hub for advancing applied learning and collaboration.
CAAIML’s core purpose is to give students hands-on experience in problem-solving using AI and ML by connecting them with faculty and external partners. Curtis Larsen, associate professor of computer science, says the program helps students build strong portfolios that demonstrate their ability to apply AI and ML in meaningful ways.
“This approach directly supports Utah Tech University’s mission of ‘active learning. active life.’ by emphasizing applied problem solving and experiential learning that prepare students to use these technologies effectively andresponsibly,” Larsen said.
Planning for the CAAIML began in Fall 2023, but the center was officially recognized in Spring 2024 within the
College of Science, Engineering & Technology. Since then, the center has achieved several milestones – the approval of two postbaccalaureate certificates; the incorporation of machine learning for biomedical sciences; the launch of the first cohort of students for the Applied AI/ML certificate in Fall 2025; and the hiring of the center’s first student employees.
“So far as I’m aware, this is the only academic center within 250 miles focused on advanced technical approaches to machine learning and artificial intelligence, with an even more rare emphasis on applications in the life sciences,” Dr. Kevin Johnston, assistant professor of data science, said.
The center currently includes faculty from the computer science and mathematics departments and is expanding its collaborations with the physics, chemistry, and biology departments. These collaborations allow students networking and mentorship opportunities with faculty and industry professionals.
In addition to networking, CAAIML hosts monthly seminars and public outreach events within the broader university community. Any student can attend the monthly seminars and work with the faculty on projects.
“We typically have 20 to 25 students at each monthly seminar, and our courses and certificates provide unique opportunities for data science education in the Southern Utah area,” Johnston said. “Many center members work individually with students to develop skills and knowledge by working on dedicated research projects.”
While the center focuses on education and community engagement, it also provides opportunities for student research through hands-on experiences. Johnston says some of their current projects include a computer vision analysis of hair follicles, an analysis of the correlation between prescription drug usage and Google search trends, an analysis of the Santa Clara River water changes, and a new project involving reinforcement learning approaches to wildfire mitigation.
“Many projects have direct real-world impact, giving students the chance to contribute to areas such as wildlife conservation, robotics, and biomedical data analysis while developing the skills that will define their future careers,” Larsen said.
Larsen indicated the center allows him to combine both his passion for teaching and his interest in advancing applied AI through his involvement.
“I have always been motivated to work closely with students, and after more than 25 years as a faculty member, helping them learn and gain experience remains one of the most rewarding parts of my career,” he said.
The Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will continue to embrace the advancement of AI while creating a positive impact for Utah Tech students, the University, and the community.
MOCK TRIAL: The Attorneys of the Future, Today
Rylee Hjorth, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis
The Utah Tech University Mock Trial team is entering its second year of competition, and they are just finding their footing as they prepare for the upcoming trial tournament season. The team travels to cities across the country to compete in tournaments where students simulate legal trials and earn points for their performance.
The Mock Trial team provides a great opportunity for students interested in pursuing a law career to practice the critical thinking, argument, and evidence analysis skills that lawyers use in court. The teams must analyze and prepare for a fake court case as if they were real lawyers. Other students at the tournament will play the roles of witnesses or suspects, and the trial is conducted with the same rules and standards used in a real courtroom. These events provide effective practic for aspiring lawyers.
Susan Hunt, the team’s adviser, said they get the details of the mock case from the American Mock Trial Association.
The tournaments consist of four rounds spread across two days, and teams alternate between representing the prosecution and defense sides. Students also represent the witnesses in the case and will testify on the stand as if it were a
real court case. All aspects are scored based on the students’ performances.
The team’s first tournament took place in Tucson, Arizona, last year, and Hunt said it was a challenging experience since the team was still finding its footing. However, the tournament ended in success when the team took first place in a few rounds, with one student earning the “best witness” award during the competition. This year, Hunt hopes to expand on that success and progress through the regional rounds of competition.
Hunt also teaches criminal justice courses part-time at the University, including a class on Trial Advocacy. There, she uses her experience as a prosecuting attorney to teach students legal reasoning and argument techniques that they can use during the competition.
All students are welcome to join the team regardless of major, and must undergo a tryout process that includes giving a speech, enrolling in Trial Advocacy for one semester, and completing the English 2010: Intermediate Writing class.
FROM CHINA TO UTAH: Jiachun Hong and the Global Reach of Chinese Documentaries
Myles Hart, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
Over the past two decades, China has experienced a documentary filmmaking boom fueled by audiences seeking authentic stories and streaming platforms eager for new voices. At the heart of this movement is a desire for stories that connect across cultures — a theme Dr. Jiachun Hong knows well. Before joining Utah Tech as an assistant professor of media, Hong spent nearly 20 years working in China’s documentary industry and has also studied documentary production culture as a scholar. In August 2025, he presented his latest research at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s annual conference, a prestigious event in the communication field.
One of Hong’s latest projects, “Kuliang Stories,” aired on China Central Television in December 2024 and garnered millions of views across major platforms. It also won the Top Ten Feature Documentary Award of 2024 at the 31st China Documentary Festival & Academic Awards, one of China’s oldest and most prestigious national documentary honors.
“It was an international production,” Hong said, noting that the two-episode series was filmed in both China and the United States. The documentary follows two American families with deep historical ties to China, including one woman who travels to Kuliang — one of the first destinations
for foreign missionaries in China — to reunite with her Chinese twin sister, whom she had not seen in decades.
“Every time I watched the scene where they finally hug, it made me emotional,” Hong said. “We put a picture of them from when they were four or five years old beside their reunion. You can really feel how time flies, and how powerful human connection is.”
For Hong, the overwhelming positive response to the film revealed something larger. “People want to see beauty, peace, and love between nations — not conflict,” he said.
Hong now hopes to build more opportunities for students and filmmakers in Southern Utah. He tells his students that documentary filmmaking is an accessible way to express themselves: “You do not need complicated equipment and actors like fiction films,” he said. “You just need a cell phone and you can start filming.”
Looking ahead, Hong sees potential in bringing Utah and China closer together. “I am encouraging my friends in China to submit to documentary festivals in America,” he said. “There should be more collaborations done together.” For Hong, that spirit of collaboration extends to his work at Utah Tech — helping students tell real stories that reach beyond borders and showing how storytelling can unite communities worldwide.
TALENT READY UTAH AWARDS OVER $2 MILLION TO THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
Gaylen Bailey, Senior, English Major, Literary Studies Emphasis
Utah Tech University has seen major developments within its STEM departments in recent years as the school continues to meet the ever-evolving needs of the tech industry. Grants have been coming in from multiple sources, but one of the largest contributors is Talent Ready Utah.
Though it originally started in 2015 as an initiative to send students into the Utah aerospace industry, Talent Ready has since broadened its scope to include several of the most economically impactful industries across the state. In 2022, the Utah System of Higher Education partnered with Talent Ready, incorporating the organization into USHE itself. Now, Talent Ready works across the state to increase access to quality education. Its grants have enabled the expansion of various programs. Since 2021, Utah Tech’s College of Science, Engineering & Technology has received roughly $2.6 million in Talent Ready grants, an impressive feat for an institution of its size.
“Utah Tech is punching above its weight,” Dr. Aaron Davis, interim dean of the college, said. Though the University is
relatively small, it has been able to build out its programs quite significantly through these grants. Of the $2 million of ongoing money being offered by Talent Ready through its life sciences initiative, Utah Tech has received $700,000, a larger portion of funding than any other university.
The potential for growth has ramped up over time. In 2025 alone, CSET secured just under $1.7 million from Talent Ready grants, allowing them to expand and even create various programs, such as those for mechatronics, mechanical engineering, AI, chemistry, and biotechnology. This funding is used to hire faculty and staff, buy new equipment, and start new initiatives to improve program quality. Utah Tech is not just building a broad range of opportunities into its curriculum — the University is working hard to ensure these opportunities will have a meaningful impact on students’ futures.
One of the many major upgrades being made using grants from 2025 is the addition of a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology, which is currently in development. Utah Tech has previously offered an associate degree in biotech, but now
they can think bigger. Part of this change will be the addition of the BioLaunch program. This will be a year-long capstone class in which students will work directly with the biotech industry, doing research projects or developing products with mentorship from professionals within the field. Doug Sainsbury, the biotech program coordinator in the Biological Sciences Department, said he hopes to break down barriers to the industry by teaching undergraduate students graduatelevel skills. The BioLaunch program will work directly with local companies, fostering the growth of the biotech industry in Southern Utah alongside the growth of students.
A lot is changing around campus with the continued work of dedicated faculty in collaboration with generous organizations such as Talent Ready. As Utah Tech continues to push for improved polytechnic programs and more expansive degree options, prospective students will have plenty of exciting developments to look forward to.
NANCY ROSS PUBLISHES NEW RESEARCH ON LDS GARMENTS
Gaylen Bailey, Senior, English Major, Literary Studies Emphasis
After 12 years of research, Utah Tech’s esteemed professor Dr. Nancy Ross will be publishing her first book. Titled “Mormon Garments: Sacred and Secret,” the book analyzes over 4,500 survey responses from members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about their experiences with this misunderstood aspect of their faith.
Ross has two coauthors on the project: Jessica Finnigan and Larissa Kanno Kindred. These researchers all come from various backgrounds within the Church, and by collaborating, they hope to shed light on an issue that is underdiscussed within the community and misunderstood by nonmembers.
Understanding that the topic of garments may be offputting to some people, Ross said, “I think we do a good job in reflecting a wide range of experiences within Mormonism.” She believes that most Latter-day Saints, active or otherwise, will be able to find something that they relate to within the book.
Ross has an extensive background in art history, specifically the medieval period, so this project was not something she expected to be doing when she was earning her doctorate in the mid-2000s. The topic of Mormon garments was only of personal interest at the time she began looking into it.
Eventually, with the help of a peer who shared her curiosity, she released an online survey asking people about their personal experiences wearing garments. The internet was not so predictable back then, but the survey reached a shockingly large audience, becoming flooded with over 4,500 responses in just one week. Ross was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of data that had just fallen into her lap, so she put the project aside for a time while she figured out how to begin dealing with it.
Over a decade and two additional authors later, the work is finally ready to be seen by the public. Ross has already been asked to follow it up by writing a full-length book on garment history, which she’s excited to do. Her passion project has now turned into a significant contribution to the field of religious studies and fashion history.
“The garment study tells us a lot about how people’s reality is shaped by belief,” Ross said. “I’m pretty excited about this kind of method where we think about belief as an intersection of identity.”
“Mormon Garments: Sacred and Secret” will be published by the University of Illinois Press on March 30, 2026.
DANCE AND FILM PROGRAMS TAKE THEIR STUDIES ABROAD IN BRAZIL
Utah Tech’s Theatre, Dance, and Digital Film Department has joined its forces to take students across borders and cultures in an immersive Storytelling and Movement class. As part of the class, students traveled to Brazil, where they studied capoeira, a martial art, and the basics of film, analyzing how storytelling can be communicated through movement. Students not only benefited academically and professionally but also fostered global connections.
Dr. Jackie Beth Shilcutt, a professor in the dance program, and Jeremy Bolden, a professor in the film program, worked together to make this class a reality for students. Shilcutt has connections with friends from Brazil who are a part of a martial arts group that practices capoeira, and she shares a passion and appreciation for the art. She desired a space where her students could learn the art form and come to appreciate its cultural significance.
Bolden was preparing to teach a class on documentary filmmaking when he heard of Shilcutt’s plan. He wanted his film students to be a part of it, and the two teamed up to
create an unforgettable and rewarding experience. Because of this program, they were able to take dance students and one film student to Brazil to study capoeira with the local martial arts school. Students plan on sharing their footage from the experience with the martial arts school, providing it with highquality teaching tools.
Bolden notes that after the experience, his film student had a new level of confidence, and Shilcutt was excited to see her dancers gaining skills that spanned across cultures. Both teachers observed that the experience increased courage among their students, with Shilcutt noting how “they saw this willingness to try in each other, which gave them courage to step out of their comfort zones.”
After the trip was over, Utah Tech students were asked to reflect on their experiences, and one student used a Portuguese word they had learned, “pertenecer,” which means “to belong,” to describe the connections they built with their peers and Brazilian hosts. The program was such a success that the professors plan to go back with more students next year.
Kaistin Oliver, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis
FINANCE RESEARCH MAKES WAVES AT NATIONAL ACCOUNTING CONFERENCE
Myles Hart, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
When recent business graduate Amira Hassan coauthored a research paper with Dr. David H. Olsen and Dr. Cindy Greenman, the results turned heads. Their study analyzed nearly 20 years of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission comment letters to explore how language influences trading volume, stock prices, and investor behavior.
The paper was accepted to the prestigious American Accounting Association conference, an event that drew over 10,000 finance professionals to Chicago this year.
“Attendees from Ivy League schools were astonished that an undergraduate produced work at the level of a Ph.D. dissertation,” Olsen said. Their research sparked discussions on innovative approaches to financial communication.
Greenman expresses gratitude to Provost Michael Lacourse for funding the team’s travel and making their participation possible.
For Hassan, the experience sharpened her analytical skills, expanded her professional network, and offered a real-world glimpse into cutting-edge finance research. Her achievement underscores Utah Tech’s commitment to experiential learning, showing that even undergraduates can make a national impact in their field.
Together, Hassan, Olsen, and Greenman demonstrate how curiosity, mentorship, and institutional support can turn ambitious research into a platform for innovation — putting Utah Tech students at the forefront of academic discovery.
STUDENT MICHAEL ORR REPRESENTS UNIVERSITY AT PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAM
Stevie Lytle, Junior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
Michael Orr recently represented Utah Tech University at the Scholars Transforming Through Research Program in Washington, DC, a nationally competitive initiative organized by the Council on Undergraduate Research.
Dr. Vinodh Chellamuthu, director of the Research Office and chair of the Department of Mathematics, accompanied Orr as Utah Tech’s campus representative. He shared that STR helps participants strengthen communication and advocacy skills to effectively share the value and impact of undergraduate research.
Through the multi-month program, participants receive training in communication, advocacy, and storytelling, culminating in meetings with policymakers. Utah Tech was one of only two Utah institutions selected to participate among 60 teams nationwide.
Students are encouraged to apply for the STR program based on their engagement in research, communication skills, and interest in policy or leadership. Chellamuthu’s advice for
aspiring researchers is to start early, seek mentorship, and present their work to diverse audiences.
Orr, majoring in applied and computational mathematics, was one of only 142 undergraduate researchers participating in 2025. For undergraduates who wish to participate in research, Orr says to seek out the many opportunities that Utah Tech provides. “If one makes an effort, they may be surprised by what they discover,” he said.
MARKETING INTERNSHIPS LAUNCH STUDENTS INTO THE REAL WORLD
In the fast-moving world of marketing, what really gives students an edge? At Utah Tech University, the answer is internships.
“Internships are where concepts and theory from the classroom meet real-world application,” Dr. Kristy Grayson, associate professor of marketing and head of the University’s marketing internship program, said. “My role is to build partnerships with businesses and nonprofits, help define meaningful projects, and guide students through the process.”
From designing promotional content to managing analytics dashboards, students tackle projects that matter. Grayson recalls Joriz Mandac’s recent internship as a social media marketing intern at Jellystone Park Zion, where his TikToks pulled over a million views — each. One even hit nine million, the most watched in its category nationwide.
“What makes Joriz’s story so inspiring is how the internship helped him connect his classroom learning to real-world outcomes,” Grayson said. “He grew the park’s following across social media by 187 percent.” Mandac was later hired and promoted.
While most internships are local — offering hands-on experience with startups, nonprofits, and tourism groups in Southern Utah — others stretch across continents. Jackson
Bybee recently interned with World Lacrosse in Australia. “He documented highlights from up to four games per day and uploaded content for publication across multiple platforms,” Grayson said. “Experiences like these showcase the range of opportunities available to Utah Tech students, from local partnerships to global professional experiences.”
These are not coffee-fetching gigs. Every internship is structured and mentored. Students build campaigns, analyze real audiences, and respond to client feedback under deadline pressure. In return, businesses gain fresh insight — and sometimes new hires. “Employers often describe Utah Tech students as eager to learn, full of fresh ideas, and dependable,” Grayson added.
It is a win-win, grounded in Utah Tech’s mission: active and applied learning to advance students’ knowledge. Whether a student ends up in branding, analytics, or content creation, these internships offer something rare in undergraduate education — a test drive of the career they want, with the support to make it real.
“Internships help students fall in love with marketing as a career,” Grayson said. And sometimes, that love leads straight to the job offer.
Myles Hart, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
CHEMISTRY AND ENGINEERING PROGRAMS GAIN PRESTIGIOUS RECOGNITION
Alyssa Bayles, Graduate Student, Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric Major
After years of building and growing, the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department and the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Programs at Utah Tech University have achieved accreditation.
The Chemistry & Biochemistry Department was accredited by the American Chemical Society, a prestigious national recognition of excellence in teaching, research, and student success. Dr. Gabriela Chilom, the chair of the department, said that after the preapplication was approved, it took about a year of reports, meetings with the committee, and an on-campus visit in November before the Society approved accreditation in January of 2025.
“The committee met with all faculty — full-time and part-time — and with all our senior students, and they loved what they saw,” Chilom said. “They liked our facilities and our commitment to undergraduate research.”
The Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Similarly, it took a year of applications, meetings, and a three-day onsite visit with no negative findings for the programs to finally be accredited in September, 2025.
Dr. Russell Reid, associate professor of mechanical engineering, said the board loved the unique opportunities
in the program, such as the amount of design experience provided to freshmen through seniors. From the first day Utah Tech faculty created the programs, they had accreditation in the back of their minds.
This accreditation in both programs increases the likelihood that students in those fields can attend graduate school or achieve professional careers. Students graduating from the chemistry and biochemistry program receive a diploma from the ACS, showing they are certified in their fields, well prepared, and experienced with modern techniques and instrumentation.
“It positions us, among our peers in the state, as serious partners in rigorous programs,” Chilom said. The ABET accreditation allows engineering students unique job opportunities, such as working for the Department of Defense.
“Almost immediately after we got our accreditation, we formed a partnership with the Air Force, and we have a project going with them which wouldn’t have been possible before our accreditation,” Reid said.
Accreditation ensures that Utah Tech students will be recognized as professionals in their field of study, giving them a competitive advantage both in the workforce and in any future educational pursuits.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACCOLADES: Technical Writing in Practice
Rylee Hjorth, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis
Students in the Master of Arts in Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric degree program have a plethora of opportunities to conduct meaningful research and gain experience in their field, through service-learning projects, conference presentations, internships, and their major thesis or portfolio.
Dr. Joy McMurrin, TWDR coordinator, said a team of English faculty developed the program to allow students autonomy in their study as long as they remain tethered to TWDR theories and practices.
For instance, Chelsea Lydon developed the Holocene Heuristic framework for teaching environmental humanities for her 2022 TWDR thesis. She now works at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium as an executive business assistant, and she works with Loveland’s science partners at Utah State University to develop an active learning curriculum. She is also an adjunct professor at Salt Lake Community College, using the skills she developed as a graduate instructor at Utah Tech.
Rachel Huntsman Baldwin published her thesis on the Joseph Smith Papers Digital Archive in 2024 and recently began working for the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, Independence, Missouri, office.
“I feel fortunate every day for the professional training I received in the Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric, M.A. program at Utah Tech University,” Huntsman Baldwin said. “It was the perfect degree working at the intersection of tech, writing, teaching, and communication.”
Students are also able to share their research with others at various academic conferences throughout the state, connecting with other students and researchers in their field. Recent conference presentations and accomplishments from the program’s students and faculty include:
The 9th Digital Humanities Utah Symposium, February 2025
Cisalee Burgess, Lea Hopkinson, Michelle Pack, Devon Robinson, and Dr. Florence Bacabac: “Exploring Digital Technologies in Human Communication: Proposed Research Methods for Digital Humanities”
• Brett Stanfield: “Enhancing Critical Reading through Augmented Reality: A Case Study Exploring the Potentiality of AR Viewing Experiences in the First-Year Composition Classroom”
• Mitski Avalox: “Digital Storytelling for Social Justice: Using TPC Frameworks to Analyze Gazan Narratives in Social Media Surrounding the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza”
Merika Moffat, Dr. Lacy Hope, and Dr. Joy McMurrin presented on how cookie agreements promote complacency among online consumers
Trailblazer Research Symposium, April 2025
• Arya Jenkins: “Unmasking Deception: Analyzing Rhetorical Fallacies in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election” Hailey Peterson: “The Risks of AI in Technical Writing”
• Lynne Thew: “Joel Osteen, the Prosperity Gospel, and the Rhetoric of Self-Help”
Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication, October 2025
• Lea Hopkinson: “A Clinician-focused Study for the Development of Utah Tech’s Master of Athletic Training’s Electronic Medical Record Student Support Materials”
Mitski Avalox: “Research as Resistance: A Process of Conducting Ethical Social Justice Studies under Restrictive Laws”
In the TWDR program, graduate students gain confidence in their future in a curriculum tailored to their unique career interests. They practice their writing and presenting skills in conferences, demonstrating their expertise and finding value in sharing their research and learning with others. Overall, TWDR embodies Utah Tech’s commitment to active learning, rigorous research, and student success.
INSTITUTE OF POLITICS OFFERS LEGISLATIVE INTERNSHIPS
Kaistin Oliver, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis
Imagine getting to work with official Utah state legislators while still completing, or having just completed, an undergraduate degree. Utah Tech students Sarah Ostler, Ben Dawson, and Ashlyn Smith got to do just that as they were selected this year for prestigious internships with the Utah State Legislature.
Vince Brown, the director of the Institute of Politics and Public Affairs, explained that the interns performed a range of duties, such as running schedules and constituent services and assisting with legislative tracking, markup, and negotiations for real bills.
This exciting opportunity sets the stage for these students to pursue future careers within modern politics, providing them with valuable skill sets and experiences. As Brown
shared, it is an opportunity that “most never get to do in a lifetime.” It also fulfills an important component of the new Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Policy, and Law degree.
“I learned how to handle a massive workload. All the preparation in the world doesn’t help. You just have to hit the ground running and start to figure out what the expectations are and how to meet them,” Dawson recounted when asked what he learned and enjoyed from the internship.
For these students, the internship was the highlight of their college careers. Even though the application is a rigorous and competitive process involving interviews and recommendation letters, Dawson encourages anyone thinking of taking advantage of this incredible opportunity. “Just apply, you’ll love it,” he said.
$1.8 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT EXPANDS STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
Stevie Lytle, Junior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
Utah Tech University has been awarded a $1.8 million federal TRIO Student Support Services grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue providing academic and personal support to students with low-income backgrounds, first-generation status, or disabilities.
The University earned the funding, in part, through the SSS program’s outstanding success rates, including a 90 percent retention rate and 65 percent graduation rate for its most recent reporting year.
The program offers academic advising, tutoring, financial support, guidance, and career exploration to help participants succeed and graduate with minimal debt. Four goals guide SSS: improving retention, raising academic performance, increasing graduation rates, and encouraging disadvantaged students to continue their education at the graduate level.
The TRIO grant will fund the program over the next five years and will allow SSS to expand from a two-year to a four-year model, serving students through completion of a bachelor’s degree.
“Now that the University is awarding more bachelor’s than associate degrees, this is the logical next step for our program,” Chris Taylor, director of Student Support Services, said. “But it’s also a milestone that we expect will have a significant positive impact on the success outcomes of the bachelor’sseeking students we now get to serve.”
EXTREME HUMAN PERFORMANCE CENTER CHAMPIONS STUDENT RESEARCH
Stevie Lytle, Junior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
The Center for Endurance and Extreme Human Performance is a research hub equipping students with the skills and experiences they need to launch successful careers in health sciences, rehabilitation, fitness, and performance research.
The center studies how the human body performs under both everyday and extreme conditions, bringing together multidisciplinary scientific research and applied testing to explore the limits and possibilities of human endurance and adaptation.
Dr. Milan Pantovic, assistant professor of exercise science and director of the center, emphasizes the career-focused nature of the program. Students gain valuable, hands-on experience through internships, practicums, and research assistantships that prepare them for professional roles in their field. Many go on to present their findings at academic conferences or contribute to publications, giving these students a strong advantage when pursuing graduate studies or entering the workforce.
“I oversee our programs, research, and community testing — but the real engine of the center is our students,” Pantovic explained. “I train them to run assessments, contribute to research projects, and provide services to the community
under my mentorship. Students learn best when they are hands-on and working with real people on meaningful projects.”
Programs include DEXA body-composition scans, VO₂ max and lactate threshold testing, resting metabolic rate assessments, Wingate anaerobic power tests, and running gait and strength analyses. Nutrition consultations are also available. All are offered to both students and the broader Southern Utah community. Students also contribute to applied research, from studies on heat and altitude adaptation to motor learning in esports.
“What stands out to me is that the human body is capable of tremendous accomplishments when it is subjected to strain over a training period,” Koby Smith, a student involved with the center, said. Smith added that learning to perform and interpret DEXA scans, set up graded exercise tests, and communicate health results clearly has helped him build both technical and interpersonal skills essential for his future career.
Through its blend of rigorous research, community service, and experiential learning, the Center for Endurance and Extreme Human Performance continues to exemplify Utah Tech’s commitment to active learning and real-world student success.
TRAILBLAZING THROUGH SCIENCE
Myles Hart, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
Across the science disciplines at Utah Tech University, a curious mindset drives research that matters. From the desert to the chemistry lab, Utah Tech students collect water samples, code Geographic Information System models, test wildlife solutions, and design materials for a cleaner world. Earth and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Chemistry and Biochemistry are alive with inquiry and show us how curiosity bridges classrooms, fields, and careers.
Curiosity is central to the EES department. Chair and Associate Professor Dr. Zhenyu Jin sees research as the link between technology and community outcomes. His students help local agencies turn raw data into real-world insight.
Grace Brown, a senior majoring in information systems and analytics, joined Jin’s lab after a GIS class piqued her interest. Along with fellow student Avery Hansgen, Brown researched how different types of campus landscaping — such as asphalt, turf, and grass — impact surface temperature. Having lived in Alaska most of her life, she was struck by
how much water is used for landscaping in St. George: “We wanted to see how campus land-cover affected surface temperature.” Using GIS, they digitized the entire campus, categorized land types, and walked four miles collecting sensor data from morning until noon. They processed the data in Python, inputted the results, and produced a heatmap of the campus. Their work revealed asphalt as the hottest surface and xeriscape as the coolest, highlighting how smart landscaping can influence temperature and energy use.
Presented at the Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, the project gave Brown her first taste of being a scientist. “Doing research showed me science is more accessible than I thought,” Brown said. “With curiosity, support, and the right tools, students can create projects that actually make a difference.”
On the environmental side, Assistant Professor Dr. Christina Pondell leads long-term monitoring projects such as tracking water quality in the Santa Clara River.
Despite being “a tiny little department,” Pondell says their research is “incredibly strong.” She has mentored roughly 15 students who have presented at regional and national conferences, emphasizing that research builds critical thinking, curiosity, and leadership that students might not get through sitting in a classroom.
In the department of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor Dr. Geoffrey Smith has a similar mentoring philosophy. “If someone’s not curious, they’re not going to want to ask questions,” Smith said. Alongside curiosity, he values reliability — showing up consistently, asking the right questions, and following the work through. He believes you can do almost anything with those two qualities.
Smith’s field-based research takes full advantage of Utah Tech’s unique geography: the convergence of the Mojave Desert, the Colorado Plateau, and the Great Basin offers a living laboratory right outside campus. “You can’t kick over a rock without finding something fascinating,” he said.
In Smith’s field biology class, a student investigated scorpion populations using a depletion model. The student found an area where scorpions cross every day and repeatedly counted them, turning the data into a behavioral study, and using it to test nontoxic repellents to keep scorpions away from homes. “He’s found a few things that absolutely work,” Smith says. “If it proves effective, we might even look at patenting it.” This research reflects Smith’s key goal for his students – to transform curiosity into tangible, community-relevant outcomes.
Undergraduates regularly convert research experience into real opportunities. Some go on to medical, dental, or veterinary school, others secure seasonal or permanent roles at agencies like the Red Cliffs Reserve or the Bureau of Land Management. Smith urges students to begin research early because it can take a year just to get trained in some techniques. Starting early means time to progress through data collection, analysis, writing, and perhaps publication. His
preferred model includes fewer students, deeper mentorship, and consistent high-quality output.
Despite resource constraints, Smith sees location as one of biology’s greatest assets. “The beginning of research here is as simple as taking a walk outside and looking around,” he said. “Discovery is right in front of us.”
For the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, research is the backbone of instruction. Chair and Professor Dr. Gabriela Chilom calls it “teaching through research,” describing a mission to give undergraduates hands-on experience with real challenges in environmental chemistry, materials science, and biochemistry.
“We’ve been a trailblazer on campus in making undergraduate research a central part of our mission as a primarily undergraduate institution,” Chilom said. “Students are actively involved at every stage.”
For instance, in materials chemistry, Dr. Rico Del Sesto’s students bridge chemistry with biology, engineering, and health sciences. One group recently worked on ionic-liquidbased materials for antimicrobial coatings and wound healing,
while others developed magnetic and electronic materials for sensing and catalysis. Their projects often involve collaboration with external partners such as Red Mesa Science & Refining and Los Alamos National Laboratory. “A great recent example,” Chilom notes, “is a paper co-authored by student Kelton Hunt in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, published in the Journal of Gastroenterology.”
In biochemistry, Dr. Jennifer Meyer’s students study how oxidative stress affects vascular health and cancer therapy, discovering how redox signaling can be harnessed to improve treatment outcomes. Many have presented their findings at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research and American Chemical Society meetings. These students were able to gain confidence as scientists while sharing their work with the wider community.
“Through these experiences,” Chilom adds, “our students don’t just learn techniques like chromatography, mass spectrometry, NMR, and spectroscopy — they learn how to think like scientists: curious, collaborative, and unafraid to explore the unknown.”
There are challenges, however, as Jin notes that much of their research is self-funded or internally subsidized. A recurring challenge is resource constraints and a lack of long-term student engagement. Jin shares, “I have projects which I need students to deal with…but when they graduate, I don’t have other students to work on that. Graduation can sometimes stall the work.”
Yet despite these growing pains, the fuel is in place –mentorship, student curiosity, real-world problems, and an extraordinary backyard, St. George. Together, these elements form the foundation of research that matters.
Whether you’re a prospective student, parent, alumnus, or community partner, here’s the takeaway: At Utah Tech, science is active. Students are building tools, collecting data, presenting to professionals, and launching into careers. They are discovering solutions while still undergraduates. When you step into one of these programs, the question isn’t just “What will I learn?” but “What will I do?”
FROM ESSAYS TO ZINES: Rethinking Writing and Scholarship
Myles
Hart, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
Dr. Megan Heise, assistant professor of English at Utah Tech University, likes to focus on arts-based pedagogies and expressive forms of writing in her teaching, particularly zines. She describes zines as “small, handmade booklets that can be about anything, by anyone, and made in any way,” and she prizes them for their “imperfection, quirkiness, and human touches.”
Working with immigrant and refugee youth, undergraduates, and neurodivergent educators, Heise uses zine-making as a multimodal tool to bridge language gaps, even if zines are often excluded from traditional curricula. In her courses, students complete “remix zine” projects, transforming
formal essays into creative works for public audiences using drawing, collage, and narrative design. Thanks to a Utah Tech grant, students can prototype, peer-review, and hand-bind their creations.
Zines give students a way to push back against silences or misconceptions about their experiences, turning them from passive consumers of media into active creators. By blending creativity with rigorous scholarship, Heise exemplifies Utah Tech’s commitment to inclusive, hands-on learning — showing that when students actively make and share their ideas, they gain skills, confidence, and perspectives that extend far beyond the classroom.
DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM BOASTS 100% PASS RATE ON NATIONAL BOARD EXAM
Stevie Lytle, Junior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination is a crucial step for every aspiring dental hygienist and is required for licensure. For over two decades, Utah Tech has maintained a 100 percent pass rate for this exam.
Dental Hygiene Department Chair Brenda Armstrong attributes the program’s success to a rigorous yet attainable curriculum, dedicated faculty mentorship, and a deliberate alignment with NBDHE standards.
The dental program admits only 24 students each academic year, enabling a close learning community and highly personalized instruction. Armstrong notes that the small cohort size allows faculty to identify and assist students who need additional support early on, ensuring each student has the resources to succeed.
“Our faculty truly care about the students and serve as mentors throughout the entire program. This close mentorship means that when students struggle, they receive immediate, individualized support. The combination of excellent students and dedicated faculty working together creates an environment conducive to success on the NBDHE,” she explained.
That environment is reinforced by Utah Tech’s deliberate alignment with NBDHE standards. Faculty continually monitor exam content, incorporate test questions into coursework, and reference official textbooks — ensuring that graduates are prepared not only for the exam, but also for professional practice.
NATIONAL SCIENCE GRANT FUNDS STUDENT RESEARCH IN ARGENTINA
Stevie Lytle, Junior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
The Earth and Environmental Sciences program has received a research grant from the National Science Foundation, supporting a collaborative international study on the geologic history of the Puna Plateau in Argentina. Led by Assistant Professor Dr. Alex Tye, the project combines field mapping and laboratory analysis to better understand how large, high-elevation regions like the Puna Plateau form and evolve.
A vast region in the central Andes, the plateau averages 13,000 feet in elevation, with peaks exceeding 20,000 feet, and covers approximately 180,000 square kilometers (69,000 square miles). Tye explains that the Puna Plateau and its northern extension, the Altiplano, represent one of the world’s largest high-elevation regions, with formation processes that remain only partially understood by scientists. He adds that the plateau’s immense size not only influences South America’s regional climate but also hosts valuable mineral resources, making it a hot spot for geological analysis.
The NSF grant not only makes this project possible but also provides transformative, on-field learning opportunities for Utah Tech students. Three student researchers have traveled to Argentina for the grant, and five
more are participating through a related study abroad course.
“The students who have participated have made significant contributions and gained a lot of insight into the practice of science and professional skills,” Tye said.
Among them is Alexis Casas, a student researcher doing geochronology using uranium-lead dating of the mineral zircon — a method to determine the age and source of minerals within sedimentary deposits. Casas said the experience has reshaped her view of science and fieldwork.
“The field was better than I could have expected,” she shared. “There’s nothing quite as satisfying as analyzing your own data that you and your team have collected in a different country.”
Casas added that the mentorship and collaboration made a lasting impact. “I feel so lucky to be working with someone as great as Dr. Tye because his dedication, openness, and curiosity have led me to approach science through a new perspective.”
Through the NSF - funded project, Utah Tech students are not only contributing to groundbreaking geological research but also gaining valuable experience that will shape their futures, driving innovation, and advancing the University’s role in global scientific discovery.
CHARTING A COURSE FOR THE FUTURE WITH CAREER SERVICES
Cisalee Burgess, Graduate Student, Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric Major
Utah Tech is an institution invested in its students’ lifelong career success. Faculty members work with Career Services to weave career readiness throughout the student experience – in classroom tasks, co-curricular activities, student life, and career coaching. Students gain experience that makes them competitive candidates for employmentvia internships, clinicals, student teaching, volunteering,research opportunities, and other community engagement and global experiences.
“Utah Tech isn’t just preparing students for their first job — we’re equipping them with the mindset, skills, and tools to design fulfilling lives and navigate an ever-changing career landscape for decades to come,” Dottie Catlin, the executive director of Career Services, said. “This is higher education reimagined for the 21st century.”
With certified and award-winning staff in the Career Services department, students are coached on building professional networks, adapting to evolving job markets, and developing resilience and confidence in navigating life’s transitions. Career paths are rarely linear these days.
Professionals often have multiple careers throughout their lives, so they need to have overarching skills and goals. Life
and career design helps students examine how work will be a meaningful component of their lives. Career Services helps students of all year levels identify choices that align with their personal values, lifestyle preferences, and relationships. This helps them cultivate a vision of their ideal work-life balance and receive advice on how to achieve it.
Through self-reflection and discussions with career coaches, students can investigate what areas they need to strengthen or experiences they need to pursue to foster personal growth. When students feel more empowered, they can confidently select courses that will fulfill their goals. They better understand how their major leads to multiple pathways for success, reducing the likelihood of career regrets. They are also less likely to switch majors or drop out due to uncertainty. By realizing that employers value critica thinking, problem-solving, communication and adaptability, they can enter the workforce feeling secure in the education they received. This can translate into higher job placement rates and starting salaries.
Prospective students and the families supporting them should ask about career support during campus visits. Even students with clear goals benefit from exploring the resources that Career Services can provide.
STUDENTS AND ALUMNI CREATE INNOVATIVE PARKSPASS APP
Kaistin Oliver, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis
Utah Tech University’s “active learning. active life.” approach to education has once again rung true for local students and alumni working together with the campus’s Innovation Labs on the ParksPass App.
An app designed for Utah residents who seek adventure, ParksPass is a tool for anyone trying to access the Utah state parks and is yet another example of Utah Tech students using their education to benefit the community around them. Jason Pitts, the director of Innovation Labs, shared that the app “makes it easy for visitors to buy digital passes, check park conditions, and access real-time information from their phones.”
ParksPass started as an idea to improve the paper system for Utah parks and was made possible through the collaborative efforts and support of Utah Tech’s Innovation Labs, the Utah Division of State Parks, Southern Utah University, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, and the Legislature.
The Innovation Labs on campus is a place where students and community members merge to create impactful technologies and businesses, with the ParksPass app being a highlight of such collaborations. Students from various majors applied their learnings in digital software to help bring this app to life. It is not only a piece of technology that benefits all of
Utah but also a great project for students to add to their résumés, setting them up for real-world success beyond the classroom.
Pitts noted some highlights from the project, including getting to present at the governor’s office, and seeing visitors at Snow Canyon use the app for the first time, where it cut down wait times to nine seconds. “For our students, moments like seeing their code live in a state park or being mentioned in a governor’s briefing are unforgettable,” he said. Pitts also expressed his excitement to see the project continue to expand.
“The ParksPass project represents what happens when students, faculty, and state leaders work together toward a shared goal,” Pitts said. “It’s proof that innovation can come from the public sector, that technology can serve everyone, and that the future of outdoor recreation can be both accessible and inspiring.”
Pitts encourages students and community members alike to bring their ideas to the Atwood Innovation Plaza on the Utah Tech campus and watch them come to life, much like the ParksPass App.
ParksPass is available online at parkpass.utah.gov and for download on mobile devices.
BENEFITING STUDENTS THROUGH THE VIRALITY LAB
Alyssa Bayles, Graduate Student, Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric Major
As a collaboration between digital film, digital media, and animation, the Virality Lab was established alongside Utah Tech Creative Studios three years ago for students at Utah Tech University.
The lab is a UTCS social media initiative that allows digital film and media students a hands-on opportunity to collaborate with local businesses to create multiple versions of online video content. Dr. Nate Snow, associate professor of digital media, said that after posting the videos, the students monitor the analytics of each one to see which is more successful. “The digital film and media students then iterate on the most successful version, tweaking a few variables at a time to produce an even more successful, targeted version of the video,” Snow said.
After multiple different versions and edits, the style of the video will appeal to its target audience in the most effective way possible. Snow said they are already beginning to implement new ideas and analytic tools that help improve video success. “What we hope to produce with this lab is the processes and tools students need to make hyper-targeted content that, through intentional, data-driven iterations on creative themes, can serve as a backbone for messaging for any organization,” Snow shared.
“I have seen the Virality Lab benefit students, specifically in the digital media video practicum courses, who are already using these techniques and tools to understand the video content they produce for clients here in St. George and refine their messaging to make increasingly effective marketing and communication products,” Snow said.
But the lab benefits more than just the students. It also provides revenue to the University and real value to the organizations that choose to utilize this resource.
In addition, this lab is a resource for students wanting to gain experience in cross-disciplinary opportunities. Right now, the lab is only offered to digital film and media students, but Utah Tech hopes to soon expand its reach to other departments. Snow says the science or health departments could use these tools in the future to help spread the word about their projects and programs in a way that steadily increases viewership and engagement.
The Virality Lab is still in the early stages and just starting to explore increasing its reach and effectiveness to further benefit students.
CHANGING LIVES ABROAD AND AT HOME: Students Learn Through Service
Myles Hart, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
Utah Tech University’s commitment to active learning and real-world experience takes global form through its growing study abroad programs in the College of Health Sciences. From the islands of Honduras to clinics in Costa Rica, India, and Uganda, students gain clinical skills, empathy, and a sense of purpose.
“These experiences are life-changing,” Dr. Julie Chew, a nursing professor who leads the Costa Rica trip, said. “Students learn how to truly see and respect the whole person. They come back more compassionate, confident, and culturally aware — ready to provide individualized care in any community.”
Leah Meng, a master’s student at Utah Tech, helped lead the nursing trip to India in May 2025. “Studying abroad in nursing is Utah Tech’s motto of ‘active learning. active life.’ exemplified,” she said. Students worked in primary health centers, planted herbal medicines, and observed both public and private healthcare systems.
“Nurses in India often work independently and serve large communities,” Meng explained. “It was eye-opening to experience what it is like to be the minority culture and to understand only half of what’s said. These students will remember how to explain things slowly and with patience.”
In Honduras, Assistant Professor Kali Hunt guided dental hygiene students through an intensive, service-based trip on the island of Roatán. “We would arrive by 6:30 a.m. and there would already be 500 people waiting,” Hunt recalled. “Some had walked miles just for the chance to be seen and canceled their whole lives to stand in line.”
Students provided cleanings, anesthetics, assisted with extractions and restorations, and used silver diamine fluoride to stop decay in pediatric patients. “Unfortunately, we could only treat so many in a day and had to turn people away,” Hunt shared.
In one unforgettable instance, Hunt recalled an elderly woman who burst into tears after her first-ever dental cleaning. “She had no idea how dirty her mouth was; she was just so grateful.”
Stories like this remind us that even routine treatments can profoundly affect lives, showing the lasting difference
compassionate care can make. While many of us see checkups and cleanings as ordinary, for those without regular access, they can be transformative; a reminder not to take modern medicine for granted.
Students return with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper appreciation for both their education and the healthcare resources available in the US. “They are giving over 100 injections each, collaborating with international dentists, and learning how to adapt in low-resource settings,” Hunt said. “They come back so much more confident.”
Interest in study abroad opportunities continues to grow. Plans are underway to return to Honduras next summer for the dental hygiene program, and Meng shares hopes for nursing trips to Japan, Costa Rica, and Peru in 2026. While each journey is different, all offer the same transformative blend of service, learning, and global perspective.
For both students and faculty, these trips bring Utah Tech’s mission to life. “It is not just about practicing skills,” Hunt said. “It is using them in the real world to make a difference.”
BLAZING THE WAY FOR NEW DESERTECH
Kaistin Oliver, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis
Utah Tech University has partnered with global leaders and investors to encourage the invention of DeserTech and startup companies to address the growing challenges of desertification. Desertification is the process by which fertile land becomes arid over time due to drought, heat, deforestation, or even poor agricultural practices. With this phenomenon happening globally, populations everywhere could continue to see a decrease in resources and an increase in prices. Now more than ever, it’s essential for our world’s best minds to imagine and create solutions for an increasingly dry world.
DesertTech is any technology that can improve life in these dry climates. Examples include fertilization chemicals, water conservation, and building materials. Cheryle Caplinger, the University’s executive director of strategic partnerships, mentioned the benefits of Utah Tech’s new DeserTech collaborations, such as “partnerships that might exist for faculty and projects for students as well as working with business leaders throughout the region, the state, the country, and the world.”
This new network allows faculty, students, and community members to connect with a global network of leaders who all want to see new technologies for dry climates being developed. And Utah Tech, with its new partners, is doing just that, while following its “active learning. active life.” approach to education. The University is collaborating with entities such as Arieli Capital LLC, Frontier RNG Agroclimate Innovation Hub, Haifa Group, and World Trade Center Utah to connect inventors, investors, and leaders
with the goal of addressing the challenges of living within a world where desertification continues to change the climate. Caplinger explains that the purpose of this partnership is to connect startup companies and technologies with global businesses, schools, and investors to encourage the growth and collaboration of DeserTech.
“Our conversation started in part to explore what kind of solutions have others discovered that we could then translate to Southern Utah and leverage for our business ideas,” Caplinger said.
One event that has already resulted from the collaboration was the AgriTech Summit. This was an event where Utah Tech hosted many of these partners for in-person discussion and showcases. During this event, local and global startups had the opportunity to pitch their ideas, fueling conversations between companies and leaders. Caplinger noted that, “This past year, we had that summit, not only at Utah Tech University, where we talked about solutions around drought and energy and agriculture and all of these other pieces, but we also took that conversation to the University of Las Vegas, Nevada.”
Conversations about what could be next for this partnership are still underway, but one thing is clear. Utah Tech University is committed to contributing to a wider global conversation around solutions for desert living. This value sets a precedent for students, faculty, and community members alike to apply their knowledge and expertise to make the world a better place.
INDIVIDUALIZED STUDIES PROGRAM WORKS WITH STUDENTS TO CUSTOMIZE EDUCATION
Gaylen Bailey, Senior, English Major, Literary Studies Emphasis
Some career goals are hard to achieve in a traditional degree path, but the Individualized Studies Program at Utah Tech offers students a solution. Individualized Studies allows students to craft their own degree while still meeting the University’s requirements.
Established in 2015, the program was conceived as a way for students with nontransferable credits from multiple institutions to reach graduation. Since then, the program has evolved into an entirely new approach to higher education.
Dr. Nancy Ross, the chair of the program, said that about half of the current students are working toward careers in healthcare and counseling. They may take classes in topics
like sociology and communications in order to round out their education, preparing themselves for the social aspect of their future careers.
Students may also use this program to create a unique degree. Ross gave the example of a student who took both business and biology classes, planning to start a business to promote the conservation of snakes.
The Individualized Studies degree is exclusive to Utah Tech, and the opportunities it creates are limitless. With the personalized mentoring offered by the program, students can take a more active role in their own education.
SERVICE SATURDAY: Building Bonds Through Community Engagement
Erin Wortham, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
The 2025 to 2026 school year marks the first time Utah Tech University’s incoming students were a part of Service Saturday, a mandatory service project for students to connect with the community.
This day of service was in the works for over a year, with Dr. Erin O’Brien, director of community engaged learning, and Mark Bagwell, director of new student and family programs, both organizing the initiative.
O’Brien has experience working the annual nonprofit volunteer fair with various St. George community partners and used her connections to bring in opportunities for new Trailblazers to build friendly relationships with local agencies. She said Bagwell was “instrumental in making it happen and dealing with the logistics.” He handled much of the communication with students and faculty, keeping everybody informed.
For the project, O’Brien and Bagwell assigned on and off-campus service to over 1,800 students, choosing ones that aligned with their specific majors. Science majors were tasked with organizing a garden for Switchpoint, a local homeless shelter, while film majors used their cell phones to make short films about the St. George community.
All in all, the day was full of academically stimulating service opportunities, friendship building, and strengthened connections with the wonderful St. George community.
INCARCERATED YOUTH CAN EARN DEGREES AT UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY
Rylee Hjorth, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis
The Higher Education for Incarcerated Youth Program provides opportunities for incarcerated teenagers to earn college credits, certificates, and a handful of college degrees. Run by Utah Tech, the program expands across the state of Utah and offers eight associate degrees and 17 certificates. The program currently serves 62 students across 11 detention and secure youth centers.
Founder and Director Nathan Caplin had the idea for the program during his time as a professor at Snow College. He helped develop remote academic video courses for students living in rural areas of Utah and wanted to bring that learning format to incarcerated youth in the state. Caplin, Lowry
Snow, and Kevin Simmons pitched the idea to the University president, and the Utah State Legislature authorized the HEIY program unanimously in 2021.
“We’ve been going for about four years, and we’ve had 20 students earn their general education certificate,” Caplin said. “We have close to 10 youth earning associate degrees. We may have our first juvenile justice resident earning his bachelor’s degree this December.”
HEIY stands as a testament to Utah Tech’s dedication to providing education to all.
TANNER PABST SETS THE STANDARD FOR THE RE-ESTABLISHED ROTC PROGRAM
Stevie Lytle, Junior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis
When Cadet Tanner Pabst transferred to Utah Tech University in 2024, he wasn’t just continuing his education — he was helping to build something new. After completing his associate degree and serving as an enlisted soldier, Pabst decided to return to college and join the ROTC program at Southern Utah University.
Once Utah Tech launched its own ROTC program, he transferred to help establish it, bringing both experience and vision to the program’s founding year. At the same time, he began his MS-III year, a pivotal stage in a cadet’s career focused on leadership and preparation for Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
“Initially, it was difficult,” Pabst said, recalling the challenges of building a new program with limited funding and resources. “But we’ve grown a lot. Last year, we started with maybe a dozen cadets, and by spring we had close to thirty. There’s been a lot of growth and support.”
For Pabst, leadership has always been the driving force behind his decision to pursue a commission. Having served as a lower-ranked enlisted soldier, he saw firsthand the impact of
both strong and weak leadership. “I wanted to improve myself and become the kind of leader who makes it about the people — the troops,” he explained. “I think that’s what inspired me to join ROTC.”
His dedication paid off during CST, a rigorous, 30-day leadership evaluation that tests every aspect of a cadet’s physical, tactical, and decision-making skills. Pabst ranked 128th out of 5,500 cadets nationwide, placing him in the top 3 percent. “It was really neat to see everything I learned come together,” he said. “It showed that our program here taught me well and prepared me to perform.”
Pabst will graduate in December with a degree in Criminal Justice and commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army National Guard, branching into the Infantry. As the first commissioned officer from Utah Tech’s re-established ROTC program, he sets the bar high for those who will follow.
“It’s an honor,” Pabst added. “I hope I’m just the first of many to come.”
INNOVATION GUIDANCE AND SOLUTIONS AT UTAH TECH
Atwood Innovation Plaza is the premier entrepreneurship and innovation center for Southern Utah and provides varied resources to support business development.
The Business Resource Center offers no-cost consultations, mentorship, and incubator workspace. The Makerspace features prototyping and manufacturing equipment such as 3D printers and laser cutters. Innovation and Guidance Solutions assists with research, patents, trademarks, copyrights, and prototypes. The Startup Incubator provides workspace for new businesses. The Success Academy provides avenues for high school students to earn associate’s degrees.
ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-2025 ATWOOD INNOVATION ACTIVITIES
The STEM Outreach Center offers programs for all ages, including robotics competitions, summer camps, and field trips.
During 2024-2025, the Center managed 26 after-school classes, 17 field trips, 9 university events, 11 community events, and 16 summer camps. Over 6,000 schoolchildren participated.
ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-2025 STEM OUTREACH CENTER ACTIVITIES
GRANTS
UTAH TECH SPONSORED PROGRAMS MANAGES $14.5 MILLION IN GRANTS
Utah Tech University Sponsored Programs managed 55 grants and expended over $6.6 million during the fiscal year 2024-2025. Sponsored Programs also submitted a total of 61 new grant proposals during the year with 44% awarded and 18% pending a decision. These new grants will come into effect in the upcoming fiscal year. Overall, Sponsored Programs currently manages grants worth over $14.5 million that support academic and community projects in Southern Utah.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
ANDERSON, VERL A., Professor of Business Management – Organizational Behavior, co-authored, 2025. London: Edward Elgar Publishers; Quiet Quitting and the Leadership Challenge, co-authored, 2025. London: Edward Elgar Publishers; Quiet Quitting and Quiet Thriving - Flourishing in the Modern Organization by Caldwell, editor, 2024. New York: Nova Science Publications; Business Introduction by Ebert, 2024. Los Angeles: Sage College Publishing; Fundamentals of Human Resource Management by Talya Bauer, 2024. Los Angeles: Sage Vantage Courseware. International Business by Weng, 2024. New York: Cengage; Introduction to Business by Heidi Neck, 2024. Sage Vantage Courseware. Los Angeles; Management by C. Neck, 2024. Los Angeles: Sage College Publishing.
CLARKE, SAMUEL, Assistant Professor of Business Management – Where ideas meet industry: entrepreneurship and engagement at a polytechnic university, co-authored, 2025. GPEA Polytech Summit. UW Stout; The impact of proximity on trust restoration from an organizational apology perspective, coauthored, 2024; Risk and reward: regulatory focus orientation and the effectiveness of promotion and prevention targeted organizational apologies, co-authored, 2024; The impact of proximity on trust restoration from an organizational apology, co-authored, 2025. Management and Economic Review.
DAVIS, KATHRYN S., Associate Professor of Marketing – Navigating the fine line: Understanding students’ perceptions of legitimate and illegitimate tasks in marketing education in the age of AI, co-authored, 2025. Teaching, Learning, and Student Success Conference. Utah Tech University and Marketing Education Association 49th Annual Conference. Los Angeles; Moonlighting Madness: Mixing Student Learning with Paid Consulting, co-authored. 2024 Utah Academy Conference. U of U: Utah Academy of Sciences Arts and Letters.
GARNER, PHILLIP D., ssociate Professor of Economics – When Faculty Profit: The Ethics of Student Involvement, co-authored, 2025. Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology.
GRAYSON, KRISTY C., Associate Professor of Marketing – Crafting Employer Brands: A Polytechnic Strategy for Workforce Readiness through Applied Learning, co-authored. 2025 Polytechnic Summit. Menomonie, WI: University of Wisconsin, Stout; Transforming Undergraduate Marketing Research: Building an Industry-Driven Research Incubator, 2025. Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Annual Conference. Myrtle Beach; Transforming Undergraduate Marketing Research: Building an Industry-Driven Research Incubator Industry-Driven Research Incubator, co-authored, 2025. Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings.
GREENMAN, CINDY L., Associate Professor of Accounting – Analysis of the impact of artificial intelligence on the accounting profession, co-authored, 2024. Journal of Ethics, Accounting and Public Policy; The unexpected effect of information security policies on accounting employees’ information security violation behavior, co-authored, 2024. Journal of Forensic and Investigative Accounting; Implementing OER in the Accounting Curriculum, co-authored. Teach and Learn with OER. Virtual: Utah Academic Library Consortium - UEN; An analysis of the impact of artificial intelligence on the accounting profession, 2025. International Conference on Business Education and Human Resources. Washington D.C.: Atlantic Federation for Technical Education & Research; The Impact of SEC Comment Letters on Stock Returns: A Comprehensive Analysis, co-authored, 2025. American Accounting Association Annual Conference. Chicago.
OLSEN, DAVID HAROLD, Assistant Professor of Information Systems and Analytics – Bridging workforce skills gaps in rural America amid The Great Resignation by leveraging a triple helix collaboration, co-authored, 2024. Industry and Higher Education; Innovative
approaches to financial analytics education: Kolb’s theory in SEC IPO analysis, 2024. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education; Optimizing SEC Comment Letter Analysis with the CLARITY (Comment Letter Automated Retrieval and Intelligent Text Yielding) Process, co-authored, 2025. Journal of Information Systems.
SANDERS, KAPLAN B., Assistant Professor of Finance – Lifetime impact of the gender wage gap in family medicine, co-authored, 2025. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine: JABFM, 38; prevalence and predictors of burnout among resident family physicians, co-authored, 2025, Family Medicine, 56. The gender wage gap among early-career family physicians, 2024, Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 37.
VAYGHAN, SAEED HASANZADEH, Assistant Professor of Hotel and Resort Management – Developed new course curriculum for HOSP 1010, 1020, 2010, 2500, 3150, and 4700. Management and Marketing Department.
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
BRANDT, ADRIANA M., Associate Professor of Education – STER Interpretive Handbook, 2024. Utah Tech Department of Teacher Education; STER Rubric, 2024. Utah Teacher Education Assessment and Accreditation Council; Utah State Board of Education EPP General Teacher Competencies, 2024. Utah State Board of Education.
CHILD, ANGIE R., Professor of Education – Simply teach phonics first grade, 2025. The Simple Teachers.
CROMWELL, ALEX J., Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences –Challenging the flawed foundations of post-liberal peacebuilding scholarship, coauthored. International Studies Association 2024 Annual Convention. San Francisco; Dialoguing on liberal and post-liberal
approaches to peacebuilding. International Studies Association 2024 Annual Convention. San Francisco; Turning pain into purpose, coauthored, 2024. Tuesday’s Children Project Common Bond Event: Virtual; What does peace studies mean in 2023 and beyond? International Studies Association 2024 Annual Convention. San Francisco.
HAMMOND-TODD, MICHAEL A., Assistant Professor of Education – Power of (STEM)2 Podcast Series 5 (6 episodes), 2024; Ignite - A developmental model for ai in science education (AISE), co-authored, 2024. Trailblazer Symposium for Research, Innovation & Creativity. Utah Tech: College of Education.
KERCHENSKI, PAULA F., Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education –Building relationships with families from Elizabeth “Darling” Brown to Julieta Mardrigal how can we relate? 2025 24th Annual Southern Utah Early Childhood Conference. St. George, UT; Let’s get physical: Tools to help children get moving, co-authored 2024. Division of Early Childhood Conference. New Orleans, LA; Urban barriers to accessing inclusive preschool opportunities, co-authored, 2024. Division of Early Childhood Conference. New Orleans; Time-In: Strategies to help with our challenging stars, 2024. 23rd Annual Southern Utah Early Childhood Conference. St. George, UT.
LYMAN, RUBYDAWN ASAY, Assistant Professor of Elementary Education –Supporting your gifted child in college, 2024. Parenting for High Potential, Volume 13, pp, 16–21.
PAK, B., Assistant Professor of Education – Enhancing stem education through collaborative game nights, co-authored, 2025. In cases on informal learning for science and mathematics education. IGI Global Scientific Publishing. Onkananuwonk; Number Talks: Examining teachers’ usage of Number Talks to address fraction misconceptions. 2025 Annual AMTE Conference. Reno, NV; Examining How Prospective Elementary Teachers Support Students to Compare Multiple Strategies in
Math Classrooms, co-author. 2024 SPARK Fall Forum. St. George, UT; Are we teaching in silos? Approaches to STEM integration in methods courses, co-authored, 2024. The 15th International Congress on Mathematical Education. Syndey, Australia. Exploring how prospective elementary teachers compare multiple strategies in comparing tasks in mathematics method course, coauthored. 2025 Annual AMTE Conference. Reno, FL; Number talks: examining ways teachers uncover and respond to students’ mathematically incorrect or imprecise thinking, co-authored. 2025 Annual AMTE Conference. Reno, NV; Prospective teachers’ use of multiple teacher moves in number talks, coauthored, 2024. 46th Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Cleveland, OH; Utilize Number Talks to Share Authority in the Mathematics Classroom, co-authored, 2024. The 15th International Congress on Mathematical Education. Sydney, Australia; Preservice teachers’ use of teacher moves that provide sense-making opportunities to student when they implement number talks, co-authored, 2024. Psychology of Mathematics Education Conference PME 4. New Zealand; Approaches to integration: How are we preparing preservice teachers to teach STEM? co-authored. 2024 Annual AMTE Conference. Orlando, Florida; Go beyond reporting strategies in number talks! Comparing strategies is an answer but how? 2024 Annual AMTE Conference. Orlando, FL; Novice teachers’ number talks promoting chances of students’ sense-making, co-authored, 2024. 51st Anniversary for the RCML Annual Conference. Columbia, South Carolina; Preparing preservice teachers to teach STEM: Various Approaches to Integration, co-authored, 2024. American Educational Research Association. Teachers’ Talk Moves: How Are They Associated with CCSSM’s Standards for Mathematical Practices? co-authored. 2024 Annual AMTE Conference. Orlando, FL; Teacher Perspectives on Harnessing AI in Mathematics Classrooms, co-authored, 2024. Connections; Make Your Number Talks More Ambitious, co-authored, 2024. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and
Teaching Pre-K–12. Number talks create ownership in math learning. Principal, coauthored, 2024.
PEREIRA, EMILY L., Instructor of the Practice in Education – Constructive Interference: How Making Thinking Visible Can Change Parts into a Project, 2024. BYU Arts Partnership Leadership Meeting. Hale Theater, Orem, UT; Cultures of Thinking and Creativity in Utah Schools, co-authored, 2024. Endowed Leadership Meeting. Westminster University and Utah State Board of Education; Evaluating Integration - How can we increase integration and making thinking visible while lesson planning? 2024 SUU Arts Fusion/BTS Arts Closing Meeting; Hosted a professional development and networking event during the UMEA Annual Conference 2024.
YULE, JEFF V., Professor of Biology –Review of Amy Tan’s book The Backyard Bird Chronicles (2024). Quarterly Review of Biology; Review of Gísli Pálsson’s Last of Its Kind: The Search for the Great Auk and the Discovery of Extinction (2024). Quarterly Review of Biology. Chicago University Press/ Stony Brook University; Review of Gísli Pálsson’s Last of Its Kind: The Search for the Great Auk and the Discovery of Extinction (2024). Quarterly Review of Biology.
COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES
AHN, JIN WOO, Assistant Professor of Recreation and Sports Management – The Role of Customized Augmented Reality Broadcasting in Sport Spectatorship, 2024. North American Society for Sport Management. Minneapolis/ MN; Are Bad Calls Part of the Game? Impact of Bad Calls on the Emotional Outcome: Focusing on the Excitation Transfer Theory, co-authored, 2024. Sport Marketing Quarterly; Sport spectators’ psychological and behavioral responses toward an augmented reality (AR) broadcasting: The role of sensitization and habituation, co-authored, 2024. Journal of Sport Management.
ARMSTRONG, BRENDA L., Professor of Dental Hygiene – Pinning Talk 2024. Utah Tech Dental Hygiene Program Pinning; Day at the Capital 2024 - Change Agents. Utah Dental Hygienists’ Association Day at the Capital. Salt Lake City.
ATKINSON, JESSICA, Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene – AAP Classifications of Health, Gingivitis, Periodontitis, and Implants, 2024. Today’s RDH Virtual CE Live Event; In Our Advanced Instrumentation Era-A Swift Journey to Advanced Instrumentation, 2024. RDH Under One Roof/RDHUOR Conference. Denver, CO.
BRINGHURST, JENNIFER K., Assistant Professor of Population Health – Assessing the Types, Causes, and Levels of Radiologic Technologist Burnout During the COVID-19 Pandemic, co-authored, 2024. Radiologic Technology, 96, 143–151.
FAWNS, TRACY, Associate Professor of Nursing – Understanding Evidence-Based Practice for the Consumer of Research, 2025. San Diego: Cognella; Evidence-Based Practice & Research Methodologies, Second Edition, 2025. Pressbooks.
HUSSELBEE, GAYLE C., Associate Professor of Medical Laboratory Science – Teaching for U of U PA Program, 2024; Research posters (x3) by cohort of 2025.
HYLAND, DILLON E., Assistant Professor of Athletic Training – Utilizing Generative AI to Facilitate Literature Reviews with Healthcare Students. UT Teaching and Learning Conference. Utah Tech.
JENSEN, KIMBERLY, Professor of Dental Hygiene – Editor for varied undergraduate research papers at the 2025 Utah Tech University Undergraduate Research Symposium. St. George; Gingival description
the role of a dental hygiene professional in providing adequate documentation of patient care, 2025. DH Faculty Calibration Meeting. St. George.
LEWIS, CAROLYN, Assistant Professor of Nursing – Expanding Learning Horizons: The Benefits of Virtual Reality Across Academic Disciplines, 2025. Teaching, Learning and Student Success Conference. Utah Tech; Dive into VR: Transforming Healthcare Education with Virtual Reality and Best Practice Standards, co-authored, 2024. Unitek Learning Conference. Online. Third Cornerstone: Evaluation in Simulation: The Lasater Clinical Judgment Tool, co-authored, 2024. Utah Simulation Coalition Annual Fall Conference. Provo, UT; Transformative Training: Using Best Practice Standards to Bring VR to Nursing Programs, co-authored, 2024. CEI Simulation Conference. Idaho Falls, ID: College of Eastern Idaho; Developing Clinical Judgment Through Virtual Reality Simulation, co-authored, 2024. UbiSim Webinars; Enhancing Nursing Education: Leveraging Virtual Reality in Simulation Labs, co-authored. 2024 T4L Teaching for Learning Conference. Rexburg Idaho; Using AI Software Hiration for Nursing Career Readiness, co-authored. 2024 T4L Teaching for Learning Conference. Rexburg, Idaho; Developed NURS 6300 for MSN Nursing Program (2022 - 2024).
LOVELL, JOSEPH, Associate Professor of Recreation and Sports Management – Minor in Sport Coaching, 2024. Utah Tech; Curriculum, Internships, and Mentoring, 2024 Southern Utah Recreation and Park Association Meeting. Washington, Utah.
PANTOVIC, MILAN, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science – Center for Endurance and Extreme Human Performance. 2024 SPARK Fall Research Forum. Utah Tech; Exploring the Influence of Inter-Trial Interval on the Assessment of Short-Interval Intracortical Inhibition, 2024. Bioengineering, 19; Acute Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Motor Skill Learning in Young Adults, co-authored, 2024. UT Research Symposium. St. George.
RASMUSSEN, JOHN W., Associate Professor of Medical Laboratory Science –Varied sessions at the Utah Tech Research Symposium include two session winners: CTRL ALT CURE - Bringing AI to Healthcare and Get That Out of Your Mouth! Effectiveness of Commercial Mouthwashes on Oral Invaders.
REBER, CYNTHIA W., Associate Professor of Nursing – Student-Created Patient Case Studies for Licensure Exam Preparation and Open Educational Resource Publication: A Collaborative Project, co-authored, 2024. 8th Trailblazer Symposium for Research, Innovation, and Creativity. Utah Tech.
RIGBY, TIERA, Associate Professor of Radiography – Radiologic Science for Technologists Physics, Biology, and Protection, online program editor, 2025; Bontrager Online Workbook, 2024; IPE Activity, 2024. Utah Tech; Fostering Growth: Nurturing the StudentTechnologist Relationship, 2024. USRT.
THIBAULT, DAVID E., Assistant Professor of Nursing – Sleep Hygiene Education as a Treatment for Adolescent Depression, 2025. Presented at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, San Diego and at the Trailblazer Symposium, Utah Tech; Disconnect to Reconnect: Practical Approaches to Managing Social Media’s Impact on Pediatric Mental Health, 2025. Journal of Pediatric Health Care: Official Publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners, 39; Sleep Hygiene Education as a Treatment for Depression in Adolescents, co-authored, 2024. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 20; A Brief Discussion of Medications, coauthored, 2024. Healing connections: A community approach to childhood trauma and attachment. Association for Training on Trauma and Attachment in Children.
VICKERS, TIFFANY D., Assistant Professor of Population Health – Healthcare Quality and Safety, Management of Healthcare Organizations and Strategy, and Research Methodologies in Healthcare, 2024. Utah Tech.
WELCH, VICKI A., Assistant Professor of Nursing – MSN Orientation Modules, 2025. Nursing Department; A Descriptive Study Examining the Correlation of Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Styles to Conflict Management Styles of Nursing School Administrators, 2024. Nursing Education Perspectives, 45.
WHIPPLE, MALINDA E., Assistant Professor of Emergency Medical Services – AEMT Pilot Program: Lessons Learned, 2025. EMS Leadership Summit. Draper, UT: Utah Bureau of EMS; Looking Back, Moving Forward: Retrospective Insights into Prehospital Corticosteroid Use, co-authored, 2024. EMS World Expo. Las Vegas, NV: Prehospital Care Research Forum.
WILLIAMS, ALISSA, Professor of Radiography – Read the Room: Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace, 2024. Utah Society of Radiologic Technologists. Ogden, UT.
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES
ALLEN, GEOFF T., Assistant Professor of Political Science – Legislative Quotas, Democracy, and Post-Conflict Politics in Croatia, 2024. International Studies Association West Annual Conference. Pasadena, CA.
BACABAC, FLORENCE, Professor of English – Digital Forums, Cultural Support, and Feminist Community-Building Practices: Fostering an Inclusive and Restorative Space for Self-Care, 2025.14th Biennial International Feminism(s) and Rhetoric(s) Conference. Durham, New Hampshire; Bridging Classroom and Community: Collaborative Approaches to Technical and Professional Writing, coauthored, 2025. 90th Annual International Convention of the Association for Business Communication. Long Beach, California.
BENT, RHIANNON H., Assistant Professor of Communication – Covering student
government: Navigating drama and staying objective, co-authored, 2025. Associated Collegiate Press Spring National College Media Conference. Long Beach, CA; Covering campus death, co-authored, 2024. Associated Collegiate Press Spring National College Media Conference. La Jolla, CA; Active Learning in Media Relations: A Mock News Conference Approach, co-authored, 2025. T4L Conference. Orem, UT: UVU Office of Teaching and Learning.
CRENSHAW, CHERI R., Professor of English – OER Project: ENGL 2010 Intermediate Writing: Careers Exploration, 2025. Utah Tech; Trials and Successes: Faculty Views on Open Education Resources, 2025. 9th Annual Teaching, Learning, and Student Success Conference. Utah Tech; From QR Codes and AI Writing to Christmas Sales and Vampire Blogs: Grad Students in a Digital Create-Your-Own-Class Experience, coauthored. Computers and Writing 2024. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University; A StoryTelling Assignment for Job Searches. English Department Composition Workshop, 2024. Utah Tech.
FITZGERALD, EMILY M., Assistant Professor of Humanities – Nope - How to Refuse the Cannibalistic Culture of the Spectacle, 2024. In The Real Aftermath: How COVID-19 Changed the Way Science Fiction Is Conceived, Read, and Interpreted. Delaware: Vernon Press.
HAFOKA, MOANA P., Associate Professor of Criminal Justice – Using the Past to Guide the Future: Criminal Deportee (Re)integration in a New Homeland, 2024. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy.
HEISE, MEGAN, Assistant Professor of English – Expanding civics beyond citizenship: refugee teens crafting counterstories and counterpublics, co-authored, 2025. In L. Timmons-Long, N. Mirra, & A. Garcia (Eds.), Practicing Civic Futures in Out-ofSchool Literacy Learning Environments. NCTE; Transforming Knowledge into Skills: Multimodal Zine Making and Remixing Research for Public Audiences, co-authored,
2025; Hope through Archive: Refugee Youths’ Counternarratives in the Ritsona Kingdom Journal, 2025. Peitho, 27; Multimodality & Handcrafted Pedagogies, 2025. Teaching Writing Best Practices Workshop. Utah Tech English Department.
HONG, JIACHUN, Assistant Professor of Communication – KuLiang Stories (Documentary series), 2024. China Central Television-Documentary Channel; Where to Start? (Interview show), 2024. Tencent News-Documentary; The True Story as the Truth Factory: Media Labor and Ideological Production in Contemporary Chinese Television Documentaries, 2025. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. San Francisco.
HOPE, LACY C., Assistant Professor of English – Coalitions and Capitalism: Considering the Limitations Placed on Technical Writers as Laborers. ATTW 2024. Virtual: Association of Teachers of Technical Writing; Student as Data; Student as Commodity, 2024. Digital Humanities Utah 8. Salt Lake City.
JASMINE, RANDY JOHN, Professor of English – Being Human-Utah Tech Podcasts, on PodBean, Episode Titles: Season Three Reflection; Technology Cross-Talk with Dr. Kristin Arola; Image Curation with Brett Stanfield; 21st Century Libraries with Eva Sanchez; Interview with Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Paul Mozur; Testing the Limits of AI with Tamron Lee; Say Artificial Intelligence, Not AI; Digital Humanities with Dr. Jeremy Browne; The Future of the University Library with Emma Lanners; Considering Gender in an Examination of World War I Literature, 2025, Utah Tech CHASS Brown Bag Seminar Series. St. George, UT; The Brotherhood of Detection and Evolving Class Privilege in Dorothy L. Sayers, 2024. Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association Annual Convention. Las Vegas, NV.
JONES, JOHN T., Professor of Psychology –Effects of Perceived Parenting Style on Adult Coping Strategies, co-authored, 2024. UCUR.
UVU; When One is Loved: Attachment Security and Relationship Quality, co-authored, 2024. UCUR. UVU.
KILLEBREW, KYLE L., Instructor of the Practice in English – Informing Best Practices in Composition through Indigenous Methodologies: A Heuristic for Teaching College Writing, 2024. CCCC. Spokane, Washington.
KING, CINDY E., Professor of English –Poetry Reading at BYU, 2024; Topographical Approximations, 2024. Ninth Letter, 21; Living Room, 2024. Tar River Poetry; Celebrate Poetry: A Reading for National Poetry Month, 2024. St. George Public Library; Jennifer Sinor Reading and Q & A with Special Guest Dr. Erin O’Brien, 2024. St. George, Utah Tech; The Southern Quill Contributor Reading & Launch Party, 2024. St. George, UT.
LIBERO, ELIZABETH C., Assistant Professor of History and Social Science Education –Uncharted waters: Beaufort in the River Plate, 2024. ASECS Annual Meeting. Toronto, Ontario.
LOVELAND, JEFF A., Visiting Assistant Professor of the Practice in History –Encyclopaedias in Newspapers in British Colonial America and the Early United States. Library & Information History, 2024, 40; Mathematical Dictionaries and Heritage, 1660-1800, 2024. PatriMaths [= Mathematical Heritage]. Marseilles, France.
MCMURRIN, JOY, Associate Professor of English – Promoting a Heuristic that Improves Clarity, User Agency, and Consistency across Online Cookie Agreements, co-authored, 2025. 9th Annual Trailblazer Symposium. Utah Tech; Recipe for Change: Promoting National Standards for Cookie Agreements to Mitigate Passive Surveillance, 2025. Digital Humanities Utah 9 Conference (DHU9). Utah Tech; The Technical Writers’ Role in Identifying, Mitigating, and Challenging Dark Patterns in Digital Spaces, 2025. ENGL 3345: Technical Writing with Digitally Networked Tools and Platforms. Utah Tech.
MILES, SCOTT W., Associate Professor of English as a Second Language (ESL) – Talk the Talk: Step into Fluency, co-authored, 2025. Washington, Utah: Blue Sage Learning; Make It Stick: Spacing Effect and Testing Effect for Language Learning, 2025. Utah Foreign Language Association Conference. St. George, UT.
OLSON, KRISTINE J., Professor of Psychology – HRM for sustainability and eudaimonic wellbeing: The role of the organizational context, co-authored. Chilean Scientific Society of Psychology and Organizational Behavior Annual Conference 2025. Santiago, Chile; Paradoxical Tensions: Human Resource Manager Responses to Recruitment and Retention Shortfalls, coauthored, 2025. 22nd European Congress of Work and Organisational Psychology. Prague, Czech Republic; Sorting Jobs in the Fruit Industry: A Ground-Up Job Segmentation Analysis, co-authored, 2025. 22nd European Congress of Work and Organisational Psychology. Prague, Czech Republic; Employer Accommodation Provision and Worker Control in the Agricultural Sector, co-authored, 2024. Annual Meeting of Labor Employment Relations Association. New York; Men’s Experiences of Family Supportive Supervisor Behavior Through the Lens of Gender Role Traditionalism and Nation of Residence, coauthored, 2025. Journal of Community, Work, and Family; Labour Control via Dormitoryesque Workplace Housing in England: A Case Study, co-authored, 2024. Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Chicago.
ORTIZ, ERIN, Professor of Media Studies – Community Perspectives on Tourism: Assessing Quality of Life in a Gateway Community, 2024. Town of Springdale, UT Research.
PETERSON, MIKE K., Professor of English – The Evolving Conversation on Generative AI, co-authored, 2025, Being Human-UT Podcast. Digital Humanities Utah 9 Conference. Utah Tech; An Ethical Approach to Incorporating ChatGPT into First-Year Writing, 2024. Rocky
Mountain Modern Language Association Annual Conference. Las Vegas, NV.
PHELAN, KOREY S., Associate Professor of Criminal Justice – The Realities of Crime and the Myths of True Crime, 2024.
PRENDERGAST, EMMA R., Assistant Professor of Philosophy – Commentary on Adelle Goldenberg’s A Pro-Choice, AntiAblest Abortion Politics, 2025. American Philosophical Association-Central Division Meeting. Online; Discussion as a Teachable Skill, 2025. Teaching, Learning, & Student Success Conference. Utah Tech; Ethical and Epistemological Challenges for the OER Movement, 2024. North American Association for Philosophy and Education Annual Conference. Mundelein, IL; The Regional Purpose of Regional Public Universities, 2024. North American Association for Philosophy and Education Annual Conference. Mundelein, IL; Comments on Shaun Nichols’s Rational Rules, 2024 American Philosophical AssociationCentral Division Meeting, Association for Philosophy of Education Author-Meets-Critics Session. New Orleans, LA; Do Morally Perfect Citizens Need Political Authority? 2024. American Philosophical Association Central Division Meeting. New Orleans, LA; The How and Why of Mentoring in Undergraduate Philosophy Teaching, 2024. In The Art of Teaching Philosophy: Reflective Values and Concrete Practices. London: Bloomsbury Academic; Political Legitimacy as Grounded in the Wills of Citizens: A Reply to Peter, 2024. Journal of the American Philosophical Association, 10; Open Educational Resources for Intro to Philosophy, 2024. Utah Tech.
RANDAZZO, CHALICE, Associate Professor of English – The Exclusionary Potential of Professionalism in Hiring Situations, 2024. Technical Communication Quarterly, 33.
RAWLINS, SHELLEY SHELLEY, Assistant Professor of Communication – Chapter 2: Gender Communication and Identity, 2025. Introduction to Interpersonal Communication (OER) (Vol. 1). Pressbooks; Online Social Comparisons with Dr. Shelley Rawlins, 2025.
Red Rocks Relationships (podcast). Utah Tech; Well-Being, Risk, and Vulnerability Among Activists and Protestors, 2025. Defining Moments – Conversations About Health and Healing (podcast). Athens, OH: Health Communication journal.
SAITO, YUKIE, Assistant Professor of History – Linguists in the Pacific Theater, co-authored, 2025. Washington County Library - St. George Branch; Unveiling the Silent Warriors: Japanese American MIS Linguists and their Role in WWII Pacific Theater. UU/SLCC Asia Conference 2025. Salt Lake City; Endangering the Right to Ethnic Education: Japan’s Exclusion of Chosen Schools from the Tuition Waiver Program, coauthored 2022. (Online by Cambridge UP: 2025). Asia-Pacific Journal, 20.
SCOTT, AMANDA N., Assistant Professor of English – I Would Never Wear Heels if my Feet Were Shaped Like This: Misogyny and the Femme Aesthetic, 2024. The Vagina Project; Polygamy and Women’s Burden in The Giant Joshua, 2024. Juanita Brooks Utah History Conference. Utah Tech.
SCOTT, LISA M, Assistant Professor of Psychology – Emotion-Acceptance and Values Clarification for Empowered Living, 2024. The Vagina Project. Utah Tech; Transgender Identity and Mental Health in Children, 2024. EDUC2400: Foundations Multicultural/ESL. Utah Tech.
SNOW, NATE S., Associate Professor of Media Studies – Social Media content production for The Artist Showcase, 2024. Instagram; Posthuman Ecoscapes: Synthetic Materiality and Distributed Cognition in Southeast Asian Animation, 2024. In Posthuman Southeast Asia: Ecocritical Entanglements Across Species Boundaries. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books; Blurring the Border of Viewer and Viewed: Cinesthetic Bodies in Aardman Animations, EUPOP 2024. Tallinn, Estonia: European Popular Culture Association.
SPENCER, JASMINE R., Assistant Professor of English – Light is like water: Alchemy as
animacy in The Epic of Gilgamesh. Melammu Workshop 2024: Big and Small, High and Low, Proud and Humble: Constructing Significance in Ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean Cultures. University of Tartu; Animating mud in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Institute for World Literature colloquium on postcolonialism and world literature, 2024. University of Cyprus; Indigenous epistemologies in the Epic of Gilgamesh. GLECC 2025. Manchester, UK.
STEIN, JAMES B., Associate Professor of Communication – Using dyadic data to probe actor-partner effects of networkbased variables on relational perceptions and communication, co-authored, 2024. Yours, mine, and ours: A dyadic analysis of couples’ ego and duocentric networks, co-authored, 2024.
TAYLOR, LUCIA, Professor of Spanish – Intermediate Spanish - Span 2020, 2024. Pressbooks. OERs to help our 1st-year students (win-win situation for all), 2024. Southwest Conference on Language Teaching. Honolulu, HI; 1st year Spanish using OERs, a collaborative approach among our faculty, co-authored 2024. Teaching, Learning, and Student Success Conference. St. George, UT; Embracing Open: Faculty Perspectives on Utilizing and Creating Open Educational Resources, co-authored, 2024. Teaching, Learning, and Student Success Conference. St. George, UT.
WIGHT, SHAUNA S., Associate Professor of English – Digital Underlife in the FirstYear Composition Classroom, 2024, CCCC; Maximizing the Benefits of Digital Devices, 2025. Digital Underlife in FYC, 2024.
WOLFE, JOHN E., Associate Professor of Philosophy – How I Quit Worrying and Embraced My Inner Aristotle: Techne, Episteme, Virtue, and the Realm of Experts, 2025. 9th Annual Teaching, Learning, and Student Success Conference. St. George, UT; This Paper is Not Inspirational, 2025. 9th Annual Teaching, Learning and Student Success Conference. St George, UT; The Future of AI. Pizza and Politics, co-authored 2025. St. George, UT: Utah Tech Institute of Politics;
I Don’t Have the Guts for This: How Losing Twenty Percent of My Small Intestine Changed My Teaching, 2024. College of Humanities and Social Science Brown Bag. St George; The Killer Robots Have Arrived: The Actions and Ethics of AI in a Changed World, co-authored, 2024. Human Tech Speaker Series. St. George, Utah: College of Humanities and Social Sciences; Dance in Concert: Innervations, coauthored, 2025. Eccles Main Hall. St. George, UT; From Puppeteers to Philosopher Kings: Utilizing Chatbots in Teaching, and How Their Presence Makes Us Rethink Our Pedagogical Foundations, 2024. Curiosity: Interdisciplinary Journal of Research and Innovation, 4; Introduction to Philosophy, 2024. Utah Tech; Humanities, Philosophy, and Religious Studies Major, 2024. Utah Tech.
WREDE, THEDA, Professor of English –Across the River: Environmental Catastrophe and Social Injustice in Ito Romo’s El Puente/ The Bridge, 2025. Southwest PCAA. Albuquerque, New Mexico; The Promise of the North: Migration and Ecological Crisis in Cristina Rivera Garza’s Autobiografía del Algodón, 2024, MELUS: Multiethnic Literature of the United States. Dallas.
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
CHILOM, GABRIELA, Professor of Chemistry – Developing a New Differential Scanning Calorimeter for Heterogeneous Complex Mixtures, co-authored, 2024. UT Trailblazer Symposium. Utah Tech; Microplastics in Soil: Testing Detection Limits with FTIR and DSC, co-authored, 2025. UCUR. SUU; Uncovering Mixture Interactions through Excess Heat Capacity, co-authored, 2025. UCUR. SUU; Complex Responses of Desert Soil Properties to Organic Amendment Applications, coauthored, 2024. UCUR. UVU; Enhancing Drought Resilience in Desert Agriculture, coauthored, 2024. UT Trailblazer Symposium. Utah Tech; The Influence of Organic Amendments on the Heat Capacity of Soils, co-authored, 2024. NCUR. Long Beach, CA.
EVES, KAMERON J., Assistant Professor
of Electrical and Computer Engineering – Reference Model Design in Multiple Timescale Adaptive Control, co-authored, 2025. In SciTech Forum. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; Inlet Unstart Prevention by Adaptive Regulation Using a Nonlinear Longitudinal Timescale Model, coauthored, 2024. In SciTech Forum. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
GASPARI, MARTINA., Associate Professor of Biology – Discovering Personalized Medicine: An Active Learning Exploration of Gene Mutations and Targeted Cancer Therapies, 2024. University of Verona, Italy; Telomerase and Its Role in Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications, 2024. University of Verona, Italy; Cloning of ORC2 and ORC4 from HeLa cells, co-authored, 2024. UCUR. UVU, Orem, UT; Investigating Triplex DNA and Its Associated Proteins in Cancer, co-authored, 2024. 8th Trailblazer Symposium for Research, Innovation, and Creative Activities. Utah Tech.
GHASEMI, MARZIEH, Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering – The Way We Waste: Solid Waste Production Washington County, UT, co-authored, 2024. UCUR and UT Symposium. UVU.
HARRIS, MATT E, Associate Professor of Management Information Systems – Decision Making and Analytics - Careers in Analytics, 2025. Personal Finance Day. St George, UT; How to get started with Tableau Data Visualization, 2024. COB Faculty Workshop. St George; Opportunities Available Through the Analytics & Modeling Center, 2024. SPARK Forum. Utah Tech.
HASAN, MD SAZIB, Associate Professor of Mathematics – Fostering Inner Creativity: The Benefits and Challenges of Encouraging Student- led Projects Based on Class Curriculum. Joint Mathematics Meeting, 2024. California: American Mathematical Society.
JIANG, BING, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering –Alteration of Mastication Force via Intraoral Closed-Loop Electrical Stimulation, co-
authored, 2025. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 33; Closed-loop Wearable System with Augmented Proprioceptive Feedback for Precise in-home Squat Training, co-authored, 2025. Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation, 6 and the Joint 62nd International Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Symposium & 62nd Rocky Mountain Bioengineering Symposium. A Low-Cost, Real-Time Sleep Apnea Screening System Using Movement and Breathing Pattern Analysis, co-authored, 2025. 9th Trailblazer Symposium. St. George: Utah Tech; Better Posture: Movement and Orientation Informative Vibrotactile Feedback to Correct Poor Posture, co-authored, 2025. 9th Trailblazer Symposium. St. George: Utah Tech. Development and evaluation of a sensory feedback system for improving obstacle detection in visually impaired navigation, co-authored, 2025. The Joint 62nd International Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Symposium & 62nd Rocky Mountain Bioengineering Symposium, St. George and UCUR, Cedar City; Enhancing VR-Based Robotic Control accuracy with RealTime Haptic Feedback, co-authored, 2025. The Joint 62nd International Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Symposium & 62nd Rocky Mountain Bioengineering Symposium. Utah Tech, St. George; Integrating haptic feedback for precision and intuitive robotic control in virtual reality, co-authored, 2025, UCUR. SUU; Project Iron Man: Iron man Inspired Lightweighted Exoskeleton for enhanced Movement and Strength, co-authored, 2025. UCUR. Cedar City; Implementation of DistanceInformative Sensory Feedback for Prosthetic Devices, co-authored, 2024. 8th Trailblazer Symposium. Utah Tech; A Wearable ClosedLoop System for In-Home Squat Training Using Real-Time Augmented Proprioceptive Feedback, co-authored, 2024. 8th Trailblazer Symposium. Utah Tech; Development of a Motor-Controlled Mechanical Balance Board System for the Real-Time Personalized Physical Therapy, co-authored, 2024. In 2024 IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics-Asia. Piscataway, NJ; Development of a Real-Time Wireless Multi-Node Metal Pipeline Localization System via Bluetooth Link, co-authored 2024. In 2024 IEEE International
Conference on Consumer Electronics-Asia. Piscataway, NJ; Development of the Low-Cost Lightweight Exoskeleton System that Enables Social Interaction Activities in Quadriplegic Patients, co-authored, 2024. In 2024 IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics-Asia. Piscataway, NJ.
JOHNSTON, KEVIN GREGORY, Assistant Professor of Data Science – Single-cell spatial transcriptomics reveal distinct patterns of dysregulation in non-neuronal and neuronal cells induced by the Trem2 Alzheimer’s risk gene mutation, co-authored, 2025. Molecular Psychiatry, 30; BDNF augmentation reverses cranial radiation therapy-induced cognitive decline and neurodegenerative consequences, co-authored, 2024. Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 12; Small data methods in omics: the power of one, co-authored, 2024. Nature Methods, 21; ULV: A robust statistical method for clustered data, with applications to multi-subject, single-cell omics data, coauthored 2024. ArXiv.
KEPAS, MEGEN E., Assistant Professor of Biology – A Field Evaluation of Adrenal Sufficiency in a Toad-eating Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) with Profound Adrenal Enlargement, co-authored, 2025. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 20; Losing the Egg, Keeping the Tooth: Vestigial Egg-Tooth Retention in a Live-Bearing Snake, co-authored, 2025. UCUR. SUU and SPARK Fall Forum. Utah Tech; Iguanathon! Desert Iguana Surveys in Utah’s Mojave Desert, coauthored, 2024. Utah Tech Biology Department Spring Poster Session; Utah Herpsearch - Working with Community Scientists to Gather Information for Species of Greatest Conservation Need, 2024. In Utah Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. Salt Lake City; Ethical Empowerment: Leveraging Generative AI in Biostatistics for Enhanced Success Without Compromising Integrity, 2024. Utah Tech Teaching Learning and Student Success Conference.
MAZUMDER, MD MOTIUR., Assistant Professor of Chemistry – Design and Performance Assessment of Butyl Norbornene
Cross-Linked Anion Exchange Membranes for High-Efficiency Non-Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries, 2025; Development and Evaluation of Butyl Norbornene Based Cross-Linked Anion Exchange Membranes for Enhanced Nonaqueous Redox Flow Battery Efficiency, 2025. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces; Protocol for Evaluating Anion Exchange Membranes for Nonaqueous Redox Flow Batteries, 2024. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 16.
PONDELL, CHRISTINA, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science – Sorption of colored vs. noncolored organic matter by tidal marsh soils, co-authored, 2024. Biogeosciences, 21; Water quality monitoring in arid environments: Observations from the Santa Clara River, Utah, co-authored 2024. 8th Trailblazer Symposium. Utah Tech; Precipitation impacts on discharge of the Santa Clara River, co-authored, 2024. 8th Trailblazer Symposium. Utah Tech; Provenance of saltmarsh storm deposits in backbarrier lagoons along the Georgia Bight (southeast USA), co-authored, 2024. Ocean Sciences Meeting 2024, New Orleans, LA: American Association for Limnology and Oceanography; The Santa Clara River: A vital arid waterway under human and climate pressures, coauthored 2024. UCUR. Orem, UT: UVU.
RADAVARAM, SAI C., Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering – A LowProfile, Closely-Spaced 1 X 4 MIMO Array with Low Mutual Coupling, co-authored, 2025. In 2025 IEEE International Workshop on Antenna Technology (iWAT); Open-source 3D printed laboratory for education: illuminating optics and optoelectronics demonstrations, coauthored, 2024. Physics Education, 59.
REESE, DIANA L., Associate Professor of Chemistry – Computational Analysis of Cyclic Aminoborane Complexes, co-authored, 2024. UCUR. UVU; Orbital Analysis of B-H Bonds in Cyclic Aminoborane Complexes, co-authored, 2024. Trailblazer Symposium for Research, Innovation, and Creativity. Utah Tech.
REID, RUSSELL C., Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering – Advanced Bias-Free
Energy Harvesting Based on High-Dielectric Flexible Electrodes with Reverse Electrowettingon-Dielectric, co-authored, 2024. IEEE Sensors Journal, 24.
SCHATZBERG, WENDY E., Professor of Chemistry – How to Write a CV, 2024. Trailblazer Leadership Program; Integrating AI Learning in Technologies in Higher Education, 2024. Teaching, Learning, and Student Success Conference. Utah Tech; Empowering interdisciplinary collaboration: Evaluating the impact of NSF SSTEM INSPIRE program on science students, 2024. American Chemical Society National Meeting. Denver, Colorado; Enhancing learning and performance: metacognition in general chemistry students through survey analysis, 2024. American Chemical Society National Meeting. New Orleans, LA; Exploring students’ learning gains and collaboration skills in physical chemistry laboratory and lecture: A POGIL approach, 2024. American Chemical Society National Meeting. New Orleans, LA; Optimization of Animal Hair Preparation for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), co-authored, 2024. 30th Annual Fellowship Symposium Utah NASA Space Grant Consortium and Utah Tech Trailblazer Symposium; Blackbody Radiation: Insights from pyrometry and silicon nanowire synthesis, co-authored, 2024. Utah Tech Research and Design Day; Differences in sand quality through aeolian and fluvial erosion, co-authored 2024. Utah Tech Research and Design Day; Hair-conditioned: how hollow hair helps big game animals thermoregulate co-authored, 2024. Utah Tech Research and Design Day; Roundness, Oblongness, and Roughness coefficients of aeolian and Fluvian sand using SEM, co-authored, 2024. Utah Tech Research and Design Day.
SHIH, HUNG YU., Assistant Professor of Biology – Progress in leukodystrophies with zebrafish, co-authored, 2024. Development, growth & differentiation.
STANDER, CAROL., Instructor of the Practice in Computer Science – Enhancing Student Engagement and Instructional Effectiveness Through the GILT Tool. NCAAP 2025. Atlanta,
GA: The Pogil Project; Introducing the FIND Command in Linux, 2025. POGIL Activity Clearinghouse.
COLLEGE OF THE ARTS
ABEGG, PAUL H., Professor of Music –Clinician for the Cache Valley Youth Symphony, 2025; Faculty - Intermountain Suzuki String Institute, 2025; Performance at Black Desert, 2025. Kurt Bestor; Capriccio, 2025. University Orchestra Concert featuring Clara Schuann’s Piano Concerto in A minor and Alice Mary Smith’s Symphony in C minor; Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 - University Orchestra with Keenan Reesor, 2025; Zion Trio, 2025 – Violinist, featuring the works of Elene KatsChernin, Rachmaninov and Haydn; Canyon Trio Performance, 2024 - featuring the works of Darius Milhaud, Libby Larsen, and Peter Schickele. Utah Tech and SUU.
ASTLE, BRIAN K., Assistant Professor of Art – Oil Painters of America 33rd National Exhibition, 2024; Springville Art Museum Spring Salon, 2024; Montana Trails Gallery Holiday Small Works Show, 2024; Sears Gallery Invitational, 2024.
BOLDEN, JEREMY I., Assistant Professor of Digital Film – Sh/ft Med/a, Black Desert Resort, 2025, Commercial; Movement III, 2024.
BRUCE, BRANDON S., Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, with others, 2024-2025. Utah Tech Theatre Program; Picnic, with others, 2024. Utah Tech Theatre Program; POTUS or, Behind Every Great Dumba** Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, with others, 2024. Utah Tech Theatre; The Minutes, with others, 2024. Center for the Arts at Kayenta; BLAMED: An Established Fiction, 2024. Tumbleweed Theatre; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with others, 2024. Utah Tech Theatre Program; Coyote Tales, 2024; Innervations, with others, 2024. Utah Tech Dance Program; Miss Fancy: Queen of the Zoo, co-authored, 2024. Woodstock, IL: Dramatic Publishing Company.
CHAMBERLAIN, ALEX T., Professor of Art – I Really Wanted a Life-Sized T. rex Skull, 2024. Blender Conference. Fonf=da Theater, Los Angeles: Autotroph.
ECHEVERRIA, HENRY E., Assistant
Professor of Theatre Arts – Lighting Designer for Dance in Concert 25, POTUS, and Innervation, Utah Tech Dance Program; Lighting Technician for Dance in Concert 25, The Student Directors Festival 24 & 25, POTUS, A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, and Innervation. Utah Tech Dance and Theatre Programs; Sound Designer for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Picnic, and A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. Utah Tech Theatre Program; Sound Technician for Dance in Concert 25, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Student Director’s Festival 25, Picnic, POTUS, Innervation, and The Student Playwrights Festival 24. Utah Tech’s Dance and Theatre Programs; Technical Director for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder; Dance in Concert 25, The Student Directors Festival 24 & 25, Picnic, POTUS, A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, and Innervation. 2024-2025.
FLACK, MCGARREN, Associate Professor of Studio Art – Springville Art Museum Spring Salon Show Award of Merit, 2024.
FRANCIS, TIMOTHY, Professor of Music – From 2024-2025, over 16 individual performances including six performances with the Southwest Symphony Orchestra such as Holst’s The Planets Concert, the Majestic Harmonies Concert, The Redeemer, and a
concert. Jazz Band Performances included an Armed Forces Day Dance at the Warbird Airport Museum, the Saint George City Valentine Dance, a Saint George Jazz Festival Performance with Etienne Charles, and a Holiday Jazz Concert. Other performances included a Grand Circle Music Concert, a Grand Opening Celebration, and a Look to the Skies Concert.
GLASMANN, HANS P., Assistant Professor of Digital Film – Waves, 2024-2025. Film Festivals; Nature and Human, 2024. Music Department Presents: Our Local Environment. Eccles; The Flight of the Phoenix, 2024. Red Carpet Cinema GEMs. Electric Theater.
HALE, ROGER H., Associate Professor of Music – From 2024-2025, over 19 individual events. Full performance of Brahms Requiem; Guest clinician for children and youth choirs: Brighton, Orem, Dixie, Weber, Bell Flower, Snowflake, Kanab, Lehi, Mountain View, Timpview, Grace (ID), and Cache Valley. Guest conductor/clinician for WCSD High School Honor Choir. Adjudicator for the Region 9 Solo and Ensemble Festival at Crimson Cliffs High School and for the Utah State Junior High School Choir Festival held in Ephraim, UT, Snow College; Primary guest clinician and voice coach for Malad High School Musical Theatre; Guest choral clinician for Providence Hall Choirs.
RHODES, RHONDA L., Associate Professor of Music – Woodwind Adjudicator for Region 12 Solo & Ensemble Festival, 2025; A History
of the UMEA All-State Band, 2025. Utah Music Educators Journal, 70; A History of the UMEA All-State Choir, 2025 Utah Music Educators Journal, 70.
SHILCUTT, JB BETH, Assistant Professor of Dance – An Activist Approach to Teaching Physical Education and Physical Activity, co-authored, 2025. AIESEP International Conference. St. Petersburg, FL; Collaborating Across Disciplines, co-authored, 2024, Utah Dance Education Organization Fall Conference. St. George, UT; Weightshare: Exploring Possibilities Together. Revitalize: Breathing New Life into Your Dance Programs and Teaching Methods, co-authored, 2024. Bellevue, WA: National Dance Education Organization; What Jumps Out to You? Using Movement-Based Processing Tools in the Classroom, co-authored, 2024. Utah Tech Teaching, Learning, and Student Success Conference; gRadient, co-authored, 2025. Utah Tech Dance Program; Dance in Concert, co-authored, 2025; Humility always: Practices in capoeira pedagogy, co-authored 2024. Utah Dance Education Organization fall conference. St. George, UT; No matter what we do, it’s okay, right? Collaborating across disciplines in a dance performance experience, co-authored, 2024. Students Pursuing Active Research Knowledge Fall Forum. Utah Tech; Embedding youth voice through an Activist Approach to physical education and sport, co-authored, 2024; An Activist Approach to Physical Education and Physical Activity, coauthored, 2024. Routledge.
Halloween
SMITH, BRYANT W., Associate Professor of Music – Continuing Music Education, 2024. Utah Music Educators Journal, 69 vol 2.
TERRY, JOHN FARO, Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts – Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, 2025. Utah Tech Theatre Program.
WEBB, GLENN D., Associate Professor of Music – Never Stop Looking for Miracles, 2025. Grand Circle New Music; White Dome, 2025. Gary Bogers, Piano; Jazz drumming for Middle School Musicians, 2025. St George Jazz AllStars; Showcase Concert at the Utah Day of Percussion, 2025. St George Jazz All-Stars; Love & Fusion, 2024. St George Jazz All-Stars; Hosanna, An Easter Oratorio, 2024. Heritage Choir; The Golden Ratio in Taylor Swift’s Music, co-authored, 2025. Utah Tech Teaching and Learning Conference.
WEBER, JENNIFER Y., Associate Professor of Dance – Picnic, 2024. Theatre Program, Utah Tech; POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, 2024. Theatre Program, Utah Tech; Implicated, co-authored, 2024. New Dance Foundation for the Arts; Four Shades of Reckoning, 2024. Utah Tech Dance Program; Collaborating Across Disciplines, co-authored, 2024. Utah Dance Education Organization Fall Conference. St George, UT; Exploring the Power of Dynamic Imagery and Improvisational Play: Enhancing Belonging and Well-being, 2024. Color Country Conference. Zion: EastWest Somatics; What Jumps Out to You? Using Movement-Based Processing Tools in the Classroom, 2024. Utah Tech Annual Teaching & Learning Conference; Dynamic Imagery Offers Functionality, Relevance, and Individuality in Ballet Pedagogy, co-authored, 2025. In The Oxford Handbook of Ballet Pedagogy.
YU, KA-WAI, Associate Professor of Music – From 2024-2025, over 33 individual performances, including cello soloist with Lieto Voices! and St. George Chamber Singers, principal cellist with Innomine Chorale Chamber Orchestra, among others. Chamber Music Concerts included the Grand Circle New Music Concert, The Night of All
Nights Concert, a Castle Rock String Camp Faculty Recital, and the House Concert series, Three Elegies. Other concerts included Brahms’ German Requiem, concerts with the Southwest Symphony Orchestra, and the Salt Lake Chinese Choir. Special performances included Baroque Encounters, Cosmopolitan Baroque Concerts, and a Midtown Concert Series. Masterclasses held with the Diocesan Girls’ School in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Children’s Strings, University of Texas Rio Grand Valley, South Texas College, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Nevada School of the Arts, and University of North Alabama. Performed at the Kyungpook National University & Pohang Museum of Steel Art. Performed a Past, Present, and Future cello duet concert and research presentation.
Academic Libraries.) Librarians + ChatGPT: Helping Students, Faculty, and Community Patrons with AI, 2024. ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2024. San Diego.
LANNERS, EMMA LEIGH, Assistant Librarian – Exploring Synergies: The Interplay of OER and Generative AI Adoption in Higher Education, co-authored, 2024. Open Education Conference. Hybrid (Rhode Island & Online); Empowering OER Growth: Leveraging Grants and Local Infrastructure, co-authored, 2024. Teach and Learn with Open Education Resources: A Virtual Symposium for Utah Higher Education; Introduction to Open Education Resources, co-authored, 2024. Teach and Learn with Open Education Resources: A Virtual Symposium for Utah Higher Education; Peer Review completed for MERLOT Library & Information Services
Editorial board for Adaptation Guide — BCcampus Open Education, 2024; Peer Review for MERLOT Library & Information Services
BELL, TAVISH, Smart Tech, Smarter Nurses: A Rapid Review of AI Integration and Librarian Support in Nursing Education. 2024 SPARK (Students Pursuing Active Research Knowledge) Fall Forum. Utah Tech; Inclusion in Action: Bystander Intervention Techniques for Safer Libraries, 2024. Utah Academic Library Consortium Professional Development Retreat. Ogden, UT; Bridging AI and XR in Nursing Education: A Framework for Ethical Integration and AI Literacy, 2025. XR Southern Summit. Cedar City, Utah: SUU.
BURNS, JOHN C., Librarian – Intellectual Property Beyond Copyright & Fair Use: Discovering Patents & Trademarks, coauthored, 2025. Utah Library Association (ULA) Annual Conference. St. George, Utah. CHOICE Review of Critical Digital Art History: Interface and data politics in the post-digital era, 2025. CHOICE Review of Drawing nature: The creative process of an artist, illustrator, and naturalist, 2025. CHOICE Review of Ceramics in the Victorian Era: Meanings and Metaphors in Painting and Literature, 2024. CHOICE Review of The Beauty of the Flower: The Art and Science of Botanical Illustration, 2024. (All in Choice Magazine: Current Reviews for
Editorial board for material Library Guide: Zotero, 2024.
SANCHEZ, EVA G., Assistant Librarian – First Gen Speaker Series, 2024: Feat. Eva Sanchez. First Gen Week Events by the UT Student Resource Center. Dunford Auditorium; Laptops for Success: How Lending Programs Boost Student Retention, co-authored 2025. Trailblazer Symposium 2025. Utah Tech.
SHIPLEY, SHELBY LORENE., Assistant Librarian – Laptops for Success: How Lending Programs Boost Student Retention. 9th Trailblazer Symposium for Research, Innovation, and Creativity, co-authored, 2025; Code, Care, and Collaboration: Librarians Advancing AI Literacy in Nursing, co-authored, 2025. Intermountain Teaching for Learning Conference. UVU..
