UT Academic Report 2025

Academic Report 2025

UTAH TECH ACADEMIC REPORT Editor-in-Chief Dr. Cheri Crenshaw Editor Arya Jenkins Lead Designer Gabby Gonzales Photography Matt Black Jeremy Bolden Henryk Conley Scott Garrett Dustin Merrill Kensington Owens Alex Santiago

PUBLICATION BOARD Chris Guymon 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

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IN THIS REPORT FEATURE STORIES 4 10 14 24 34

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

ACTIVE LEARNING. ACTIVE LIFE. 6 12 13 17 18 19 22 23 28 29 31 32 33 36

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 3 7 8 8 9 16 18 20 21 22 28 30 36 35 37

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 Chemistry 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 38 39 40

Innovation Guidance and Solutions at Utah Tech Utah Tech Sponsored Programs Scholarly Achievements

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University

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NEW ACADEMIC DEGREES & CERTIFICATES Certificates POST GRADUATE

Bachelor’s Degrees BA/BS Criminal Justice – Law Enforcement Emphasis

Health Care Administration

BA In Politics, Policy and Law

Nurse Educator

BS in Cybersecurity

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

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University

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RESEARCH REPORT: Talking Through Disability and University Ethics Erin Wortham, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis

Dr. John Wolfe, associate professor of philosophy and chair of the History, Humanities, and Modern Languages

and the other visible, with the stiff movement in my neck.”

He has also met with various students through their

Department, is currently working on two branches of research:

class studies, teaching them how best to interact with those

the philosophy of disability and university ethics. His interest

with both visible and invisible disabilities. From helping the

in these two subjects stems from his lived experiences and

dance department choreograph a dance on “the expression of

commitment to making academic spaces more accessible,

self and embodiment [of neurodivergence]” with the support

inclusive, and ethical.

of previous dance faculty Jennifer Weber, to his research on

Wolfe’s study on the philosophy of disability, which looks at social interactions surrounding individuals with

medical ethics, Wolfe has consistently been hands-on.

Wolfe has also been studying medical ethics, drawing

underrepresented disabilities, has been in the works since

from his personal experiences as a patient. He took note

2002. The examination has affected the way he teaches in the

of the doctor-nurse partnership and how it reflects on the

classroom, and he often apologizes on the first day of classes:

patient, looking at suicide rates for nurses and individuals

“I have two disabilities: one invisible, which is Crohn’s disease,

with disabilities, and the importance of a good doctor who

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checks in. Wolfe’s exploration is encouraged by Utah Tech’s

negative or positive — in the institutions’ communities to

polytechnic mission, transitioning what is learned in the

continue discussions on fairness.

classroom to real-world application. He has worked extensively

Wolfe actively applies what he learns from his research in

with the Dental Hygiene department, getting his teeth cleaned

his classroom and interactions with fellow faculty members.

because they “needed someone who can’t move their neck,”

He shared that it is “important that the community sees

and helping provide students with firsthand experience

you as a necessary component of that community…that

learning how best to accommodate patients with disabilities.

belonging there is more than just including you.” In Wolfe’s

University ethics is Wolfe’s other research focus, which

view, students, faculty, and community members should work

dives into institutional practices of fairness and treatment of

together to create a positive, inclusive university environment

faculty, and has been years in the making. Wolfe is not alone

for the benefit of all.

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

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University

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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

so realistic that, “If you look in their eyes, you can see the

wall to the Utah Tech Film Department. According to Patrick

reflection of the whole world of Mars or of the sky; whatever it

Smith, the director of the digital film program, the wall was

is you’re putting them on.”

donated to set Utah Tech’s program as the main crossroad for

The film program is excited to now be training students

all film projects continuing to come through St. George. The

who will use this technology to create short films with their

official name for the technology is the ROE Visual Black Pearl

newfound proficiency. Some of their movies debuted in Spring

LED Volume, referred to as “the wall,” and it functions as a

2025 in front of 500 community members. Currently, the

virtual studio. The wall sets the University’s film program apart

department is working to create a summer program where

from all others within a 300-mile radius.

students can use this tech to create real feature-length movie

“This exact type of LED wall was used to film The

sets with notable name actors. This type of experience and

Mandalorian, Westworld, and Star Trek and will be the

training makes film students extremely marketable and gives

mainstay of virtual production for Utah Tech,” Greg S. Erikson,

them a full résumé by the time they graduate.

general counsel of Park City Films, said.

The Utah Tech Film Program doesn’t just teach students

This new equipment functions as a green screen and

filmmaking; it throws students on real sets to gain hands-on

creates an encapsulating environment to surround the actor.

experience. Referring to the LED wall, Smith concludes, “I

Because of the LED lights used, the scene being featured

think that the thing I’m most excited about is our competitive

will be ultrarealistic. Filmmakers won’t have to make

advantage.” With the film department’s dedication to active

adjustments in lighting to account for the green reflection

learning, and with the help of this amazing technology, new

of actors anymore.

and exciting ventures are just around the corner

Patrick Smith, director of Utah Tech’s Digital Film Program, explained that the LED wall can make backgrounds

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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

The data will then be relayed to the state to help with water

atmosphere. These satellites are typically used to collect

preservation and desalination projects.

scientific data as they orbit, such as weather or magnetic fields.

Big projects like these are expensive and academically

They can also be programmed with tasks like mapping

rigorous. Utah Tech’s Engineering Department competed

regions. The goal is for the program to create several CubeSats

against other universities and won a $50,000 grant from NASA

over the next few years and then secure a rideshare service

and the Air Force. The students also received training from

to launch them.

NASA and the Air Force, giving them experiential learning

The current CubeSat is being constructed by engineering

opportunities on CubeSat mission planning, ensuring that

students as part of their capstone project, including Arick Bird,

students identified all the mission requirements to prepare the

the project manager, and Braydon Phillips, the chief engineer.

satellite for launch.

The 8-pound device will map the state of Utah for a year,

The Washington County Water Conservancy District

recording and downloading temperature readings, imaging,

and the Utah Division of Water Resources provided additional

and other data on local lakes, reservoirs, and agricultural areas.

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.

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University

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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

desire to support special education teachers within the

education majors this fall, ushering in a new era of teacher

school environment. In turn, special education students

training for the University. An exciting addition to the already

will gain an understanding of what is expected of elementary

renowned Department of Education, the program will train

education teachers, creating a brighter future of cohesion

students to support kids in grades K-12 with mild to

within public schools.

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

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

many of the same classes as elementary education majors.

to better and brighter classroom experiences for children

This will ensure that elementary education students develop a

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.”

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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,

CSET is also introducing its two new innovative graduate

with four new graduate degrees, two new graduate emphases,

pathways to meet growing demand for the technology and

and two certifications from the College of Health Sciences

applied sciences fields.

and the College of Science, Engineering & Technology. These

The master’s degree in Software Development is a HyFlex

additions mark an exciting step in Utah Tech’s continued

program, offering both hybrid — partly online, partly in-person

growth as a polytechnic institution, providing students

— and fully online study options. It is designed for professionals

with more opportunities to succeed in high-demand

without prior programming experience, and provides the

professional fields.

skills needed for students to transition into software

In the College of Health Sciences, three new online programs are providing advanced training for healthcare and

development careers.

The master’s degree in User Experience Design is also a

sport professionals seeking to advance their careers while

hybrid program, emphasizing digital product design, usability,

maintaining flexibility.

and human-computer interaction. Both programs promote

The Master of Science in Nursing Education and Leadership program prepares nurses for faculty, educator, and

cross-disciplinary collaboration, mirroring real-world industry partnerships, giving students valuable professional experience.

leadership roles. Students benefit from flexible scheduling,

Additionally, two CSET postbaccalaureate certificates

affordable tuition, and faculty with doctoral-level expertise.

offer targeted skill development in emerging technologies.

The Master of Science in Healthcare Administration

The Certificate in Machine Learning for Life Sciences

offers a pathway for students pursuing administrative and

applies data-driven methods to challenges in medical imaging,

leadership positions in healthcare organizations. Students

drug discovery, and genomics.

engage in hands-on learning through internships and

The Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence and

research initiatives, supported by close faculty mentorship.

Machine Learning equips students to design and implement

The program currently enrolls small cohorts of students for

machine learning solutions across diverse industries.

personalized instruction, but plans on growing and pursuing

These new graduate offerings strengthen Utah Tech’s

accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of

position as a leader in Utah’s higher education, reinforcing

Healthcare Management Education.

the University’s commitment to providing industry-aligned

The Master of Science in Sport Management is now

education that prepares students for success in today’s

split into two available emphases in Athletic Administration

fast-growing professional fields. Prospective students are

and Sport Performance Management. This program trains

encouraged to explore these new graduate pathways and take

professionals in athletic leadership, governance, and

the next step toward advancing their education at Utah Tech.

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.

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University

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EMBRACING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Alyssa Bayles, Graduate Student, Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric Major

As a response to the rapid growth of artificial

College of Science, Engineering & Technology. Since then, the

intelligence and machine learning, Utah Tech University has

center has achieved several milestones – the approval of two

created the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence and

postbaccalaureate certificates; the incorporation of machine

Machine Learning, a hub for advancing applied learning

learning for biomedical sciences; the launch of the first cohort

and collaboration.

of students for the Applied AI/ML certificate in Fall 2025; and

CAAIML’s core purpose is to give students hands-on experience in problem-solving using AI and ML by connecting

the hiring of the center’s first student employees.

“So far as I’m aware, this is the only academic center

them with faculty and external partners. Curtis Larsen,

within 250 miles focused on advanced technical approaches to

associate professor of computer science, says the program

machine learning and artificial intelligence, with an even more

helps students build strong portfolios that demonstrate their

rare emphasis on applications in the life sciences,” Dr. Kevin

ability to apply AI and ML in meaningful ways.

Johnston, assistant professor of data science, said.

“This approach directly supports Utah Tech University’s

The center currently includes faculty from the computer

mission of ‘active learning. active life.’ by emphasizing applied

science and mathematics departments and is expanding

problem solving and experiential learning that prepare

its collaborations with the physics, chemistry, and biology

students to use these technologies effectively andresponsibly,”

departments. These collaborations allow students

Larsen said.

networking and mentorship opportunities with faculty

Planning for the CAAIML began in Fall 2023, but the center was officially recognized in Spring 2024 within the

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and industry professionals.

In addition to networking, CAAIML hosts monthly

“Many projects have direct real-world impact, giving

seminars and public outreach events within the broader

students the chance to contribute to areas such as wildlife

university community. Any student can attend the monthly

conservation, robotics, and biomedical data analysis while

seminars and work with the faculty on projects.

developing the skills that will define their future careers,”

“We typically have 20 to 25 students at each monthly seminar, and our courses and certificates provide unique

Larsen said.

Larsen indicated the center allows him to combine both

opportunities for data science education in the Southern Utah

his passion for teaching and his interest in advancing applied

area,” Johnston said. “Many center members work individually

AI through his involvement.

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

“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.

through hands-on experiences. Johnston says some of their

The Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence and

current projects include a computer vision analysis of hair

Machine Learning will continue to embrace the advancement

follicles, an analysis of the correlation between prescription

of AI while creating a positive impact for Utah Tech students,

drug usage and Google search trends, an analysis of the

the University, and the community.

Santa Clara River water changes, and a new project involving reinforcement learning approaches to wildfire mitigation.

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 11

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

real court case. All aspects are scored based on the students’ performances.

The team’s first tournament took place in Tucson,

season. The team travels to cities across the country to

Arizona, last year, and Hunt said it was a challenging

compete in tournaments where students simulate legal trials

experience since the team was still finding its footing. However,

and earn points for their performance.

the tournament ended in success when the team took first

The Mock Trial team provides a great opportunity for

place in a few rounds, with one student earning the “best

students interested in pursuing a law career to practice the

witness” award during the competition. This year, Hunt hopes

critical thinking, argument, and evidence analysis skills that

to expand on that success and progress through the regional

lawyers use in court. The teams must analyze and prepare for

rounds of competition.

a fake court case as if they were real lawyers. Other students

Hunt also teaches criminal justice courses part-time at

at the tournament will play the roles of witnesses or suspects,

the University, including a class on Trial Advocacy. There, she

and the trial is conducted with the same rules and standards

uses her experience as a prosecuting attorney to teach students

used in a real courtroom. These events provide effective

legal reasoning and argument techniques that they can use

practic for aspiring lawyers.

during the competition.

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

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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

for foreign missionaries in China — to reunite with her Chinese twin sister, whom she had not seen in decades.

authentic stories and streaming platforms eager for new

“Every time I watched the scene where they finally

voices. At the heart of this movement is a desire for stories

hug, it made me emotional,” Hong said. “We put a picture of

that connect across cultures — a theme Dr. Jiachun Hong

them from when they were four or five years old beside their

knows well. Before joining Utah Tech as an assistant professor

reunion. You can really feel how time flies, and how powerful

of media, Hong spent nearly 20 years working in China’s

human connection is.”

documentary industry and has also studied documentary

For Hong, the overwhelming positive response to the film

production culture as a scholar. In August 2025, he presented

revealed something larger. “People want to see beauty, peace,

his latest research at the Association for Education in

and love between nations — not conflict,” he said.

Journalism and Mass Communication’s annual conference, a prestigious event in the communication field.

Hong now hopes to build more opportunities for students and filmmakers in Southern Utah. He tells his students that

One of Hong’s latest projects, “Kuliang Stories,” aired

documentary filmmaking is an accessible way to express

on China Central Television in December 2024 and garnered

themselves: “You do not need complicated equipment and

millions of views across major platforms. It also won the Top

actors like fiction films,” he said. “You just need a cell phone

Ten Feature Documentary Award of 2024 at the 31st China

and you can start filming.”

Documentary Festival & Academic Awards, one of China’s

Looking ahead, Hong sees potential in bringing Utah and

oldest and most prestigious national documentary honors.

China closer together. “I am encouraging my friends in China

“It was an international production,” Hong said, noting

to submit to documentary festivals in America,” he said. “There

that the two-episode series was filmed in both China and

should be more collaborations done together.” For Hong, that

the United States. The documentary follows two American

spirit of collaboration extends to his work at Utah Tech —

families with deep historical ties to China, including one

helping students tell real stories that reach beyond borders and

woman who travels to Kuliang — one of the first destinations

showing how storytelling can unite communities worldwide.

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 13

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

relatively small, it has been able to build out its programs quite

within its STEM departments in recent years as the school

significantly through these grants. Of the $2 million of ongoing

continues to meet the ever-evolving needs of the tech industry.

money being offered by Talent Ready through its life sciences

Grants have been coming in from multiple sources, but one of

initiative, Utah Tech has received $700,000, a larger portion of

the largest contributors is Talent Ready Utah.

funding than any other university.

Though it originally started in 2015 as an initiative to

The potential for growth has ramped up over time. In

send students into the Utah aerospace industry, Talent Ready

2025 alone, CSET secured just under $1.7 million from Talent

has since broadened its scope to include several of the most

Ready grants, allowing them to expand and even create

economically impactful industries across the state. In 2022,

various programs, such as those for mechatronics, mechanical

the Utah System of Higher Education partnered with Talent

engineering, AI, chemistry, and biotechnology. This funding

Ready, incorporating the organization into USHE itself.

is used to hire faculty and staff, buy new equipment, and start

Now, Talent Ready works across the state to increase access

new initiatives to improve program quality. Utah Tech is not

to quality education. Its grants have enabled the expansion

just building a broad range of opportunities into its curriculum

of various programs. Since 2021, Utah Tech’s College of

— the University is working hard to ensure these opportunities

Science, Engineering & Technology has received roughly

will have a meaningful impact on students’ futures.

$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

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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.

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 15

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

Eventually, with the help of a peer who shared her

Dr. Nancy Ross will be publishing her first book. Titled

curiosity, she released an online survey asking people about

“Mormon Garments: Sacred and Secret,” the book analyzes

their personal experiences wearing garments. The internet

over 4,500 survey responses from members of The Church of

was not so predictable back then, but the survey reached a

Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about their experiences with

shockingly large audience, becoming flooded with over 4,500

this misunderstood aspect of their faith.

responses in just one week. Ross was overwhelmed by the

Ross has two coauthors on the project: Jessica Finnigan

sheer amount of data that had just fallen into her lap, so she

and Larissa Kanno Kindred. These researchers all come from

put the project aside for a time while she figured out how to

various backgrounds within the Church, and by collaborating,

begin dealing with it.

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 off-

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

putting to some people, Ross said, “I think we do a good

history, which she’s excited to do. Her passion project has now

job in reflecting a wide range of experiences within

turned into a significant contribution to the field of religious

Mormonism.” She believes that most Latter-day Saints,

studies and fashion history.

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.

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“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 Kaistin Oliver, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis

Utah Tech’s Theatre, Dance, and Digital Film Department

create an unforgettable and rewarding experience. Because of

has joined its forces to take students across borders and

this program, they were able to take dance students and one

cultures in an immersive Storytelling and Movement class.

film student to Brazil to study capoeira with the local martial

As part of the class, students traveled to Brazil, where they

arts school. Students plan on sharing their footage from the

studied capoeira, a martial art, and the basics of film, analyzing

experience with the martial arts school, providing it with high-

how storytelling can be communicated through movement.

quality teaching tools.

Students not only benefited academically and professionally but also fostered global connections.

Dr. Jackie Beth Shilcutt, a professor in the dance program,

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.

and Jeremy Bolden, a professor in the film program, worked

Both teachers observed that the experience increased courage

together to make this class a reality for students. Shilcutt

among their students, with Shilcutt noting how “they saw this

has connections with friends from Brazil who are a part of a

willingness to try in each other, which gave them courage to

martial arts group that practices capoeira, and she shares a

step out of their comfort zones.”

passion and appreciation for the art. She desired a space where

After the trip was over, Utah Tech students were asked to

her students could learn the art form and come to appreciate

reflect on their experiences, and one student used a Portuguese

its cultural significance.

word they had learned, “pertenecer,” which means “to belong,”

Bolden was preparing to teach a class on documentary

to describe the connections they built with their peers and

filmmaking when he heard of Shilcutt’s plan. He wanted

Brazilian hosts. The program was such a success that the

his film students to be a part of it, and the two teamed up to

professors plan to go back with more students next year.

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 17

FINANCE RESEARCH MAKES WAVES AT NATIONAL ACCOUNTING CONFERENCE Myles Hart, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis When recent business graduate Amira Hassan co-

Greenman expresses gratitude to Provost Michael

authored a research paper with Dr. David H. Olsen and

Lacourse for funding the team’s travel and making their

Dr. Cindy Greenman, the results turned heads. Their study

participation possible.

analyzed nearly 20 years of U.S. Securities and Exchange

For Hassan, the experience sharpened her analytical

Commission comment letters to explore how language

skills, expanded her professional network, and offered a

influences trading volume, stock prices, and investor behavior.

real-world glimpse into cutting-edge finance research. Her

The paper was accepted to the prestigious American

achievement underscores Utah Tech’s commitment to

Accounting Association conference, an event that drew over

experiential learning, showing that even undergraduates can

10,000 finance professionals to Chicago this year.

make a national impact in their field.

“Attendees from Ivy League schools were astonished

Together, Hassan, Olsen, and Greenman demonstrate

that an undergraduate produced work at the level of a Ph.D.

how curiosity, mentorship, and institutional support can turn

dissertation,” Olsen said. Their research sparked discussions on

ambitious research into a platform for innovation — putting

innovative approaches to financial communication.

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

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,

and chair of the Department of Mathematics, accompanied

Orr says to seek out the many opportunities that Utah Tech

Orr as Utah Tech’s campus representative. He shared that

provides. “If one makes an effort, they may be surprised by

STR helps participants strengthen communication and

what they discover,” he said.

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

18 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

MARKETING INTERNSHIPS LAUNCH STUDENTS INTO THE REAL WORLD Myles Hart, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis

In the fast-moving world of marketing, what really

Bybee recently interned with World Lacrosse in Australia.

gives students an edge? At Utah Tech University, the

“He documented highlights from up to four games per day and

answer is internships.

uploaded content for publication across multiple platforms,”

“Internships are where concepts and theory from the

Grayson said. “Experiences like these showcase the range

classroom meet real-world application,” Dr. Kristy Grayson,

of opportunities available to Utah Tech students, from local

associate professor of marketing and head of the University’s

partnerships to global professional experiences.”

marketing internship program, said. “My role is to build

These are not coffee-fetching gigs. Every internship is

partnerships with businesses and nonprofits, help define

structured and mentored. Students build campaigns, analyze

meaningful projects, and guide students through the process.”

real audiences, and respond to client feedback under deadline

From designing promotional content to managing

pressure. In return, businesses gain fresh insight — and

analytics dashboards, students tackle projects that matter.

sometimes new hires. “Employers often describe Utah Tech

Grayson recalls Joriz Mandac’s recent internship as a social

students as eager to learn, full of fresh ideas, and dependable,”

media marketing intern at Jellystone Park Zion, where his

Grayson added.

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

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,

internship helped him connect his classroom learning to

these internships offer something rare in undergraduate

real-world outcomes,” Grayson said. “He grew the park’s

education — a test drive of the career they want, with the

following across social media by 187 percent.” Mandac was

support to make it real.

later hired and promoted.

While most internships are local — offering hands-on experience with startups, nonprofits, and tourism groups in

“Internships help students fall in love with marketing as a career,” Grayson said. And sometimes, that love leads straight to the job offer.

Southern Utah — others stretch across continents. Jackson Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 19

CHEMISTRY AND ENGINEERING PROGRAMS GAIN PRESTIGIOUS RECOGNITION Alyssa Bayles, Graduate Student, Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric Major

After years of building and growing, the Chemistry &

in the program, such as the amount of design experience

Biochemistry Department and the Mechanical and

provided to freshmen through seniors. From the first day Utah

Electrical Engineering Programs at Utah Tech University

Tech faculty created the programs, they had accreditation in

have achieved accreditation.

the back of their minds.

The Chemistry & Biochemistry Department was

This accreditation in both programs increases the

accredited by the American Chemical Society, a prestigious

likelihood that students in those fields can attend graduate

national recognition of excellence in teaching, research,

school or achieve professional careers. Students graduating

and student success. Dr. Gabriela Chilom, the chair of the

from the chemistry and biochemistry program receive a

department, said that after the preapplication was approved, it

diploma from the ACS, showing they are certified in their

took about a year of reports, meetings with the committee, and

fields, well prepared, and experienced with modern

an on-campus visit in November before the Society approved

techniques and instrumentation.

accreditation in January of 2025.

“It positions us, among our peers in the state, as

“The committee met with all faculty — full-time and

serious partners in rigorous programs,” Chilom said. The

part-time — and with all our senior students, and they loved

ABET accreditation allows engineering students unique job

what they saw,” Chilom said. “They liked our facilities and our

opportunities, such as working for the Department of Defense.

commitment to undergraduate research.”

“Almost immediately after we got our accreditation, we

The Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Programs

formed a partnership with the Air Force, and we have a project

are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and

going with them which wouldn’t have been possible before our

Technology. Similarly, it took a year of applications, meetings,

accreditation,” Reid said.

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

20 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

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

• Brett Stanfield: “Enhancing Critical Reading through

& Digital Rhetoric degree program have a plethora of

Augmented Reality: A Case Study Exploring the

opportunities to conduct meaningful research and gain

Potentiality of AR Viewing Experiences in the First-Year

experience in their field, through service-learning projects,

Composition Classroom”

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

• 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

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

Trailblazer Research Symposium, April 2025 • Arya Jenkins: “Unmasking Deception: Analyzing Rhetorical Fallacies in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election”

University to develop an active learning curriculum. She is also

• Hailey Peterson: “The Risks of AI in Technical Writing”

an adjunct professor at Salt Lake Community College, using the

• Lynne Thew: “Joel Osteen, the Prosperity Gospel, and the

skills she developed as a graduate instructor at Utah Tech.

Rhetoric of Self-Help”

Rachel Huntsman Baldwin published her thesis on the Joseph Smith Papers Digital Archive in 2024 and recently

Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific

began working for the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion,

Communication, October 2025

Independence, Missouri, office.

“I feel fortunate every day for the professional training I received in the Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric, M.A.

• Lea Hopkinson: “A Clinician-focused Study for the Development of Utah Tech’s Master of Athletic Training’s Electronic Medical Record Student Support Materials”

program at Utah Tech University,” Huntsman Baldwin said.

• Mitski Avalox: “Research as Resistance: A Process

“It was the perfect degree working at the intersection of tech,

of Conducting Ethical Social Justice Studies under

writing, teaching, and communication.”

Restrictive Laws”

Students are also able to share their research with others at various academic conferences throughout the state,

In the TWDR program, graduate students gain confidence

connecting with other students and researchers in their field.

in their future in a curriculum tailored to their unique career

Recent conference presentations and accomplishments from

interests. They practice their writing and presenting skills in

the program’s students and faculty include:

conferences, demonstrating their expertise and finding value in sharing their research and learning with others. Overall,

The 9th Digital Humanities Utah Symposium,

TWDR embodies Utah Tech’s commitment to active learning,

February 2025

rigorous research, and student success.

• Cisalee Burgess, Lea Hopkinson, Michelle Pack, Devon Robinson, and Dr. Florence Bacabac: “Exploring Digital Technologies in Human Communication: Proposed Research Methods for Digital Humanities”

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 21

INSTITUTE OF POLITICS OFFERS LEGISLATIVE INTERNSHIPS Kaistin Oliver, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis Imagine getting to work with official Utah state

shared, it is an opportunity that “most never get to do in a

legislators while still completing, or having just completed, an

lifetime.” It also fulfills an important component of the new

undergraduate degree. Utah Tech students Sarah Ostler, Ben

Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Policy, and Law degree.

Dawson, and Ashlyn Smith got to do just that as they were

“I learned how to handle a massive workload. All the

selected this year for prestigious internships with the Utah

preparation in the world doesn’t help. You just have to hit the

State Legislature.

ground running and start to figure out what the expectations

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

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

services and assisting with legislative tracking, markup, and

of their college careers. Even though the application is a

negotiations for real bills.

rigorous and competitive process involving interviews and

This exciting opportunity sets the stage for these students

recommendation letters, Dawson encourages anyone thinking

to pursue future careers within modern politics, providing

of taking advantage of this incredible opportunity. “Just apply,

them with valuable skill sets and experiences. As Brown

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

“Now that the University is awarding more bachelor’s than

federal TRIO Student Support Services grant from the U.S.

associate degrees, this is the logical next step for our program,”

Department of Education to continue providing academic and

Chris Taylor, director of Student Support Services, said. “But

personal support to students with low-income backgrounds,

it’s also a milestone that we expect will have a significant

first-generation status, or disabilities.

positive impact on the success outcomes of the bachelor’s-

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.

22 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

seeking 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

under my mentorship. Students learn best

Performance is a research hub equipping students with the

when they are hands-on and working with real people

skills and experiences they need to launch successful

on meaningful projects.”

careers in health sciences, rehabilitation, fitness, and performance research.

The center studies how the human body performs under

Programs include DEXA body-composition scans, VO₂ max and lactate threshold testing, resting metabolic rate assessments, Wingate anaerobic power tests, and running

both everyday and extreme conditions, bringing together

gait and strength analyses. Nutrition consultations are also

multidisciplinary scientific research and applied testing

available. All are offered to both students and the broader

to explore the limits and possibilities of human endurance

Southern Utah community. Students also contribute to applied

and adaptation.

research, from studies on heat and altitude adaptation to

Dr. Milan Pantovic, assistant professor of exercise science and director of the center, emphasizes the career-focused

motor learning in esports.

“What stands out to me is that the human body is capable

nature of the program. Students gain valuable, hands-on

of tremendous accomplishments when it is subjected to

experience through internships, practicums, and research

strain over a training period,” Koby Smith, a student involved

assistantships that prepare them for professional roles in

with the center, said. Smith added that learning to perform

their field. Many go on to present their findings at academic

and interpret DEXA scans, set up graded exercise tests, and

conferences or contribute to publications, giving these

communicate health results clearly has helped him build both

students a strong advantage when pursuing graduate studies or

technical and interpersonal skills essential for his future career.

entering the workforce.

“I oversee our programs, research, and community testing

Through its blend of rigorous research, community service, and experiential learning, the Center for Endurance

— but the real engine of the center is our students,” Pantovic

and Extreme Human Performance continues to exemplify

explained. “I train them to run assessments, contribute to

Utah Tech’s commitment to active learning and real-world

research projects, and provide services to the community

student success.

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 23

TRAILBLAZING THROUGH SCIENCE Myles Hart, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis Across the science disciplines at Utah Tech University, a

how much water is used for landscaping in St. George: “We

curious mindset drives research that matters. From the desert

wanted to see how campus land-cover affected surface

to the chemistry lab, Utah Tech students collect water samples,

temperature.” Using GIS, they digitized the entire campus,

code Geographic Information System models, test wildlife

categorized land types, and walked four miles collecting sensor

solutions, and design materials for a cleaner world. Earth and

data from morning until noon. They processed the data in

Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Chemistry

Python, inputted the results, and produced a heatmap of the

and Biochemistry are alive with inquiry and show us how

campus. Their work revealed asphalt as the hottest surface and

curiosity bridges classrooms, fields, and careers.

xeriscape as the coolest, highlighting how smart landscaping

Curiosity is central to the EES department. Chair and Associate Professor Dr. Zhenyu Jin sees research as the link

can influence temperature and energy use.

Presented at the Utah Conference on Undergraduate

between technology and community outcomes. His students

Research, the project gave Brown her first taste of being

help local agencies turn raw data into real-world insight.

a scientist. “Doing research showed me science is more

Grace Brown, a senior majoring in information systems

accessible than I thought,” Brown said. “With curiosity,

and analytics, joined Jin’s lab after a GIS class piqued her

support, and the right tools, students can create projects that

interest. Along with fellow student Avery Hansgen, Brown

actually make a difference.”

researched how different types of campus landscaping — such

On the environmental side, Assistant Professor Dr.

as asphalt, turf, and grass — impact surface temperature.

Christina Pondell leads long-term monitoring projects

Having lived in Alaska most of her life, she was struck by

such as tracking water quality in the Santa Clara River.

24 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

Despite being “a tiny little department,” Pondell says their

In Smith’s field biology class, a student investigated

research is “incredibly strong.” She has mentored roughly

scorpion populations using a depletion model. The student

15 students who have presented at regional and national

found an area where scorpions cross every day and repeatedly

conferences, emphasizing that research builds critical

counted them, turning the data into a behavioral study, and

thinking, curiosity, and leadership that students might

using it to test nontoxic repellents to keep scorpions away

not get through sitting in a classroom.

from homes. “He’s found a few things that absolutely work,”

In the department of Biological Sciences, Associate

Smith says. “If it proves effective, we might even look at

Professor Dr. Geoffrey Smith has a similar mentoring

patenting it.” This research reflects Smith’s key goal for

philosophy. “If someone’s not curious, they’re not going to

his students – to transform curiosity into tangible,

want to ask questions,” Smith said. Alongside curiosity, he

community-relevant outcomes.

values reliability — showing up consistently, asking the right

Undergraduates regularly convert research experience

questions, and following the work through. He believes you can

into real opportunities. Some go on to medical, dental, or

do almost anything with those two qualities.

veterinary school, others secure seasonal or permanent

Smith’s field-based research takes full advantage of Utah

roles at agencies like the Red Cliffs Reserve or the Bureau of

Tech’s unique geography: the convergence of the Mojave

Land Management. Smith urges students to begin research

Desert, the Colorado Plateau, and the Great Basin offers a

early because it can take a year just to get trained in some

living laboratory right outside campus. “You can’t kick over a

techniques. Starting early means time to progress through

rock without finding something fascinating,” he said.

data collection, analysis, writing, and perhaps publication. His

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 25

preferred model includes fewer students, deeper mentorship,

while others developed magnetic and electronic materials for

and consistent high-quality output.

sensing and catalysis. Their projects often involve collaboration

Despite resource constraints, Smith sees location as one

with external partners such as Red Mesa Science & Refining

of biology’s greatest assets. “The beginning of research here is

and Los Alamos National Laboratory. “A great recent example,”

as simple as taking a walk outside and looking around,” he said.

Chilom notes, “is a paper co-authored by student Kelton Hunt

“Discovery is right in front of us.”

in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, published in

For the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, research is the backbone of instruction. Chair and Professor Dr.

the Journal of Gastroenterology.”

In biochemistry, Dr. Jennifer Meyer’s students study how

Gabriela Chilom calls it “teaching through research,” describing

oxidative stress affects vascular health and cancer therapy,

a mission to give undergraduates hands-on experience with

discovering how redox signaling can be harnessed to improve

real challenges in environmental chemistry, materials science,

treatment outcomes. Many have presented their findings at

and biochemistry.

the National Conference on Undergraduate Research and

“We’ve been a trailblazer on campus in making

American Chemical Society meetings. These students were

undergraduate research a central part of our mission as a

able to gain confidence as scientists while sharing their work

primarily undergraduate institution,” Chilom said. “Students

with the wider community.

are actively involved at every stage.”

For instance, in materials chemistry, Dr. Rico Del Sesto’s

“Through these experiences,” Chilom adds, “our students don’t just learn techniques like chromatography, mass

students bridge chemistry with biology, engineering, and

spectrometry, NMR, and spectroscopy — they learn how to

health sciences. One group recently worked on ionic-liquid-

think like scientists: curious, collaborative, and unafraid to

based materials for antimicrobial coatings and wound healing,

explore the unknown.”

26 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

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?”

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 27

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

formal essays into creative works for public audiences using

Tech University, likes to focus on arts-based pedagogies and

drawing, collage, and narrative design. Thanks to a Utah Tech

expressive forms of writing in her teaching, particularly

grant, students can prototype, peer-review, and hand-bind

zines. She describes zines as “small, handmade booklets that

their creations.

can be about anything, by anyone, and made in any way,”

Zines give students a way to push back against silences or

and she prizes them for their “imperfection, quirkiness,

misconceptions about their experiences, turning them from

and human touches.”

passive consumers of media into active creators. By blending

Working with immigrant and refugee youth,

creativity with rigorous scholarship, Heise exemplifies Utah

undergraduates, and neurodivergent educators, Heise uses

Tech’s commitment to inclusive, hands-on learning — showing

zine-making as a multimodal tool to bridge language gaps, even

that when students actively make and share their ideas,

if zines are often excluded from traditional curricula. In her

they gain skills, confidence, and perspectives that extend far

courses, students complete “remix zine” projects, transforming

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

That environment is reinforced by Utah Tech’s deliberate

crucial step for every aspiring dental hygienist and is required

alignment with NBDHE standards. Faculty continually

for licensure. For over two decades, Utah Tech has maintained

monitor exam content, incorporate test questions into

a 100 percent pass rate for this exam.

coursework, and reference official textbooks — ensuring that

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.

28 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

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

more are participating through a related study abroad course.

has received a research grant from the National Science

“The students who have participated have made

Foundation, supporting a collaborative international study on

significant contributions and gained a lot of insight into the

the geologic history of the Puna Plateau in Argentina. Led by

practice of science and professional skills,” Tye said.

Assistant Professor Dr. Alex Tye, the project combines field

Among them is Alexis Casas, a student researcher doing

mapping and laboratory analysis to better understand

geochronology using uranium-lead dating of the mineral zircon

how large, high-elevation regions like the Puna Plateau

— a method to determine the age and source of minerals within

form and evolve.

sedimentary deposits. Casas said the experience has reshaped

A vast region in the central Andes, the plateau averages 13,000 feet in elevation, with peaks exceeding 20,000 feet,

her view of science and fieldwork.

“The field was better than I could have expected,” she

and covers approximately 180,000 square kilometers (69,000

shared. “There’s nothing quite as satisfying as analyzing

square miles). Tye explains that the Puna Plateau and its

your own data that you and your team have collected in

northern extension, the Altiplano, represent one of the world’s

a different country.”

largest high-elevation regions, with formation processes that

Casas added that the mentorship and collaboration made

remain only partially understood by scientists. He adds that

a lasting impact. “I feel so lucky to be working with someone as

the plateau’s immense size not only influences South America’s

great as Dr. Tye because his dedication, openness, and curiosity

regional climate but also hosts valuable mineral resources,

have led me to approach science through a new perspective.”

making it a hot spot for geological analysis.

The NSF grant not only makes this project

Through the NSF - funded project, Utah Tech students are not only contributing to groundbreaking geological research

possible but also provides transformative, on-field learning

but also gaining valuable experience that will shape their

opportunities for Utah Tech students. Three student

futures, driving innovation, and advancing the University’s role

researchers have traveled to Argentina for the grant, and five

in global scientific discovery.

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 29

CHARTING A COURSE FOR THE FUTURE WITH CAREER SERVICES Cisalee Burgess, Graduate Student, Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric Major

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, Utah Tech is an institution invested in its students’

they can enter the workforce feeling secure in the education

lifelong career success. Faculty members work with Career

they received. This can translate into higher job placement

Services to weave career readiness throughout the student

rates and starting salaries.

experience – in classroom tasks, co-curricular activities,

Prospective students and the families supporting them

student life, and career coaching. Students gain experience

should ask about career support during campus visits. Even

that makes them competitive candidates for employmentvia

students with clear goals benefit from exploring the resources

internships, clinicals, student teaching, volunteering,research

that Career Services can provide.

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

30 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

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.”

Utah but also a great project for students to add to

approach to education has once again rung true for local

their résumés, setting them up for real-world success

students and alumni working together with the campus’s

beyond the classroom.

Innovation Labs on the ParksPass App. An app designed for Utah residents who seek adventure,

Pitts noted some highlights from the project, including getting to present at the governor’s office, and seeing visitors

ParksPass is a tool for anyone trying to access the Utah state

at Snow Canyon use the app for the first time, where it cut

parks and is yet another example of Utah Tech students

down wait times to nine seconds. “For our students, moments

using their education to benefit the community around

like seeing their code live in a state park or being mentioned

them. Jason Pitts, the director of Innovation Labs, shared

in a governor’s briefing are unforgettable,” he said. Pitts

that the app “makes it easy for visitors to buy digital passes,

also expressed his excitement to see the project continue

check park conditions, and access real-time information

to expand.

from their phones.”

“The ParksPass project represents what happens when

ParksPass started as an idea to improve the paper

students, faculty, and state leaders work together toward a

system for Utah parks and was made possible through the

shared goal,” Pitts said. “It’s proof that innovation can come

collaborative efforts and support of Utah Tech’s Innovation

from the public sector, that technology can serve everyone,

Labs, the Utah Division of State Parks, Southern Utah

and that the future of outdoor recreation can be both

University, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity,

accessible and inspiring.”

and the Legislature.

Pitts encourages students and community members alike

The Innovation Labs on campus is a place where

to bring their ideas to the Atwood Innovation Plaza on the

students and community members merge to create impactful

Utah Tech campus and watch them come to life, much like

technologies and businesses, with the ParksPass app being a

the ParksPass App.

highlight of such collaborations. Students from various majors applied their learnings in digital software to help bring this app

ParksPass is available online at parkpass.utah.gov and for download on mobile devices.

to life. It is not only a piece of technology that benefits all of

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 31

BENEFITING STUDENTS THROUGH THE VIRALITY LAB Alyssa Bayles, Graduate Student, Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric Major As a collaboration between digital film, digital media, and

“I have seen the Virality Lab benefit students, specifically

animation, the Virality Lab was established alongside Utah

in the digital media video practicum courses, who are already

Tech Creative Studios three years ago for students at Utah

using these techniques and tools to understand the video

Tech University.

content they produce for clients here in St. George and refine

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

their messaging to make increasingly effective marketing and communication products,” Snow said.

But the lab benefits more than just the students. It also

of online video content. Dr. Nate Snow, associate professor of

provides revenue to the University and real value to the

digital media, said that after posting the videos, the students

organizations that choose to utilize this resource.

monitor the analytics of each one to see which is more

In addition, this lab is a resource for students wanting

successful. “The digital film and media students then iterate on

to gain experience in cross-disciplinary opportunities. Right

the most successful version, tweaking a few variables at a time

now, the lab is only offered to digital film and media students,

to produce an even more successful, targeted version of the

but Utah Tech hopes to soon expand its reach to other

video,” Snow said.

departments. Snow says the science or health departments

After multiple different versions and edits, the style

could use these tools in the future to help spread the word

of the video will appeal to its target audience in the most

about their projects and programs in a way that steadily

effective way possible. Snow said they are already beginning

increases viewership

to implement new ideas and analytic tools that help improve

and engagement.

video success. “What we hope to produce with this lab is the

The Virality Lab is still in the early stages and just starting

processes and tools students need to make hyper-targeted

to explore increasing its reach and effectiveness to further

content that, through intentional, data-driven iterations on

benefit students.

creative themes, can serve as a backbone for messaging for any organization,” Snow shared.

32 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

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

compassionate care can make. While many of us see checkups

and real-world experience takes global form through its

and cleanings as ordinary, for those without regular access,

growing study abroad programs in the College of Health

they can be transformative; a reminder not to take modern

Sciences. From the islands of Honduras to clinics in Costa Rica,

medicine for granted.

India, and Uganda, students gain clinical skills, empathy, and a sense of purpose.

Students return with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper appreciation for both their education and the

“These experiences are life-changing,” Dr. Julie Chew, a

healthcare resources available in the US. “They are giving over

nursing professor who leads the Costa Rica trip, said. “Students

100 injections each, collaborating with international dentists,

learn how to truly see and respect the whole person. They

and learning how to adapt in low-resource settings,” Hunt said.

come back more compassionate, confident,

“They come back so much more confident.”

and culturally aware — ready to provide individualized care in any community.”

Leah Meng, a master’s student at Utah Tech, helped

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

lead the nursing trip to India in May 2025. “Studying abroad

trips to Japan, Costa Rica, and Peru in 2026. While each journey

in nursing is Utah Tech’s motto of ‘active learning. active life.’

is different, all offer the same transformative blend of service,

exemplified,” she said. Students worked in primary health

learning, and global perspective.

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

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.”

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 Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 33

BLAZING THE WAY FOR NEW DESERTECH Kaistin Oliver, Senior, English Major, Professional and Technical Writing Emphasis

Utah Tech University has partnered with global leaders

with the goal of addressing the challenges of living within a

and investors to encourage the invention of DeserTech

world where desertification continues to change the climate.

and startup companies to address the growing challenges

Caplinger explains that the purpose of this partnership is

of desertification. Desertification is the process by which

to connect startup companies and technologies with global

fertile land becomes arid over time due to drought, heat,

businesses, schools, and investors to encourage the growth and

deforestation, or even poor agricultural practices. With this

collaboration of DeserTech.

phenomenon happening globally, populations everywhere

“Our conversation started in part to explore what kind of

could continue to see a decrease in resources and an

solutions have others discovered that we could then translate

increase in prices. Now more than ever, it’s essential for our

to Southern Utah and leverage for our business

world’s best minds to imagine and create solutions for an

ideas,” Caplinger said.

increasingly dry world.

One event that has already resulted from the

DesertTech is any technology that can improve life in

collaboration was the AgriTech Summit. This was an event

these dry climates. Examples include fertilization chemicals,

where Utah Tech hosted many of these partners for in-person

water conservation, and building materials. Cheryle Caplinger,

discussion and showcases. During this event, local and global

the University’s executive director of strategic partnerships,

startups had the opportunity to pitch their ideas, fueling

mentioned the benefits of Utah Tech’s new DeserTech

conversations between companies and leaders. Caplinger

collaborations, such as “partnerships that might exist for

noted that, “This past year, we had that summit, not only at

faculty and projects for students as well as working with

Utah Tech University, where we talked about solutions around

business leaders throughout the region, the state, the country,

drought and energy and agriculture and all of these other

and the world.”

pieces, but we also took that conversation to the University of

This new network allows faculty, students, and community members to connect with a global network of

Las Vegas, Nevada.”

Conversations about what could be next for this

leaders who all want to see new technologies for dry climates

partnership are still underway, but one thing is clear. Utah

being developed. And Utah Tech, with its new partners, is

Tech University is committed to contributing to a wider global

doing just that, while following its “active learning. active

conversation around solutions for desert living. This value sets

life.” approach to education. The University is collaborating

a precedent for students, faculty, and community members

with entities such as Arieli Capital LLC, Frontier RNG Agro-

alike to apply their knowledge and expertise to make the world

climate Innovation Hub, Haifa Group, and World Trade

a better place.

Center Utah to connect inventors, investors, and leaders

34 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

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

like sociology and communications in order to round out their

degree path, but the Individualized Studies Program at Utah

education, preparing themselves for the social aspect of their

Tech offers students a solution. Individualized Studies allows

future careers.

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

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.

healthcare and counseling. They may take classes in topics

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 35

SERVICE SATURDAY: Building Bonds Through Community Engagement Erin Wortham, Senior, English Major, Creative Writing Emphasis 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 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

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.

Mark Bagwell, director of new student and family programs, both organizing the initiative.

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

Snow, and Kevin Simmons pitched the idea to the University

provides opportunities for incarcerated teenagers to earn

president, and the Utah State Legislature authorized the HEIY

college credits, certificates, and a handful of college degrees.

program unanimously in 2021.

Run by Utah Tech, the program expands across the state of

“We’ve been going for about four years, and we’ve had 20

Utah and offers eight associate degrees and 17 certificates. The

students earn their general education certificate,” Caplin said.

program currently serves 62 students across 11 detention and

“We have close to 10 youth earning associate degrees. We may

secure youth centers.

have our first juvenile justice resident earning his bachelor’s

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

36 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

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

both strong and weak leadership. “I wanted to improve myself

University in 2024, he wasn’t just continuing his education

and become the kind of leader who makes it about the people

— he was helping to build something new. After completing

— the troops,” he explained. “I think that’s what inspired me to

his associate degree and serving as an enlisted soldier, Pabst

join ROTC.”

decided to return to college and join the ROTC program at Southern Utah University.

His dedication paid off during CST, a rigorous, 30-day leadership evaluation that tests every aspect of a cadet’s

Once Utah Tech launched its own ROTC program, he

physical, tactical, and decision-making skills. Pabst ranked

transferred to help establish it, bringing both experience and

128th out of 5,500 cadets nationwide, placing him in the top 3

vision to the program’s founding year. At the same time, he

percent. “It was really neat to see everything I learned come

began his MS-III year, a pivotal stage in a cadet’s career focused

together,” he said. “It showed that our program here taught me

on leadership and preparation for Cadet Summer Training at

well and prepared me to perform.”

Fort Knox, Kentucky.

“Initially, it was difficult,” Pabst said, recalling the

Pabst will graduate in December with a degree in Criminal Justice and commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army

challenges of building a new program with limited funding and

National Guard, branching into the Infantry. As the first

resources. “But we’ve grown a lot. Last year, we started with

commissioned officer from Utah Tech’s re-established ROTC

maybe a dozen cadets, and by spring we had close to thirty.

program, he sets the bar high for those who will follow.

There’s been a lot of growth and support.”

For Pabst, leadership has always been the driving force

“It’s an honor,” Pabst added. “I hope I’m just the first of many to come.”

behind his decision to pursue a commission. Having served as a lower-ranked enlisted soldier, he saw firsthand the impact of

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 37

INNOVATION GUIDANCE AND SOLUTIONS AT UTAH TECH Atwood Innovation Plaza is the premier entrepreneurship

The STEM Outreach Center offers programs for all

and innovation center for Southern Utah and provides varied

ages, including robotics competitions, summer camps, and

resources to support business development.

field trips.

The Business Resource Center offers no-cost consultations,

During 2024-2025, the Center managed 26 after-school classes,

mentorship, and incubator workspace. The Makerspace

17 field trips, 9 university events, 11 community events, and 16

features prototyping and manufacturing equipment such as 3D

summer camps. Over 6,000 schoolchildren participated.

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

ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-2025 STEM OUTREACH CENTER ACTIVITIES

Total Visits

791

Grade Level

Participants

New Clients

145

K-5

3924

Patent Applications

48

6-8

1521

Copyright Applications

7

9-12

726

Trademark Applications

33

Total

6171

38 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

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.

Grant Sponsor

Purpose of Award

Principal Investigator(s)

College/ Department

Total Award Amount

Washington County RAP Tax

Tumbleweed Theater

Brandon Bruce & Jeff Jarvis

Arts

$3,000.00

Art Works For Kids Foundation

Art Works For Kids Grant

Emily Pereira

Education

$13,000.00

Gene Haas Foundation

Gene Haas Foundation Grant

Andrew Schiller

SET

$8,000.00

IHC Health

Functional Zebrafish Collaboration

Hung-Yu Shih

SET

$100,000.00

SET

$5,000.00

SET

$34,573.00

MAA (Mathematical Association of America)

Dolciani Mathematics Enruchment Vinodh Chellamuthu

MAA (Mathematical Association of America)

NREUP - UT EAGER Program

NSF (National Science Foundation)

Tectonics

Alex Tye

SET

$371,000.00

SUBAWARD - NSF - Troy Univeristy

Multiphysics Grant

Sai Radavaram

SET

$49,409.00

SUBAWARD - University of Utah

NASA Grant

Samuel Tobbler

SET

$10,000.00

SUBAWARD - University of Utah

CubeSat NASA Grant

SET

$12,000.00

SET

$50,000.00

Davide Christensent & Monty Kennedy

Utah State University Space

Feasibility Study of Thermal IR

Dynamic Labratory

Whiskbrook Camera for 3U Cubesat

Utah STEM Foundation

BioMADE Grant

Jeremy Bakler

SET

$4,080.00

Southwest Behavioral Health Center

Southwest Behavioral Health

Jamy Sahle

Student Affairs

$55,000.00

U.S. Dept. of Education

TRIO Student Support Services

Chris Taylor

University College

$382,911.00

U.S. Dept. of Education

TRIO Talent Search

University College

$475,977.00

U.S. Dept. of Education

TRIO Upward Bound

University College

$433,739.00

Craig Harter

Total FY25 New Award Dollars: $2,007,689.00

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 39

SCHOLARLY & CREATIVE ACTIVITIES FALL 2024 - SUMMER 2025 COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ANDERSON, VERL A., Professor of Business

GARNER, PHILLIP D., ssociate Professor

approaches to financial analytics education:

of Economics – When Faculty Profit: The

Kolb’s theory in SEC IPO analysis, 2024.

Ethics of Student Involvement, co-authored,

Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative

2025. Mountain Plains Journal of Business

Education; Optimizing SEC Comment Letter

and Technology.

Analysis with the CLARITY (Comment Letter

Management – Organizational Behavior,

Automated Retrieval and Intelligent Text

co-authored, 2025. London: Edward Elgar

GRAYSON, KRISTY C., Associate Professor

Yielding) Process, co-authored, 2025. Journal

Publishers; Quiet Quitting and the Leadership

of Marketing – Crafting Employer Brands: A

of Information Systems.

Challenge, co-authored, 2025. London:

Polytechnic Strategy for Workforce Readiness

Edward Elgar Publishers; Quiet Quitting and

through Applied Learning, co-authored.

SANDERS, KAPLAN B., Assistant Professor

Quiet Thriving - Flourishing in the Modern

2025 Polytechnic Summit. Menomonie, WI:

of Finance – Lifetime impact of the gender

Organization by Caldwell, editor, 2024. New

University of Wisconsin, Stout; Transforming

wage gap in family medicine, co-authored,

York: Nova Science Publications; Business

Undergraduate Marketing Research: Building

2025. Journal of the American Board of

Introduction by Ebert, 2024. Los Angeles:

an Industry-Driven Research Incubator,

Family Medicine: JABFM, 38; prevalence

Sage College Publishing; Fundamentals of

2025. Association of Marketing Theory and

and predictors of burnout among resident

Human Resource Management by Talya Bauer,

Practice Annual Conference. Myrtle Beach;

family physicians, co-authored, 2025, Family

2024. Los Angeles: Sage Vantage Courseware.

Transforming Undergraduate Marketing

Medicine, 56. The gender wage gap among

International Business by Weng, 2024. New

Research: Building an Industry-Driven Research

early-career family physicians, 2024, Journal

York: Cengage; Introduction to Business by

Incubator Industry-Driven Research Incubator,

of the American Board of Family Medicine, 37.

Heidi Neck, 2024. Sage Vantage Courseware.

co-authored, 2025. Association of Marketing

Los Angeles; Management by C. Neck, 2024.

Theory and Practice Proceedings.

Los Angeles: Sage College Publishing.

VAYGHAN, SAEED HASANZADEH, Assistant Professor of Hotel and Resort

GREENMAN, CINDY L., Associate Professor

Management – Developed new course

CLARKE, SAMUEL, Assistant Professor of

of Accounting – Analysis of the impact of

curriculum for HOSP 1010, 1020, 2010, 2500,

Business Management – Where ideas meet

artificial intelligence on the accounting

3150, and 4700. Management and Marketing

industry: entrepreneurship and engagement

profession, co-authored, 2024. Journal of

Department.

at a polytechnic university​, co-authored,

Ethics, Accounting and Public Policy; The

2025. GPEA Polytech Summit. UW Stout; The

unexpected effect of information security

impact of proximity on trust restoration from

policies on accounting employees’ information

an organizational apology perspective, co-

security violation behavior, co-authored,

authored, 2024; Risk and reward: regulatory

2024. Journal of Forensic and Investigative

focus orientation and the effectiveness of

Accounting; Implementing OER in the

BRANDT, ADRIANA M., Associate Professor

promotion

targeted

Accounting Curriculum, co-authored. Teach

of Education – STER Interpretive Handbook,

organizational apologies, co-authored, 2024;

and Learn with OER. Virtual: Utah Academic

2024. Utah Tech Department of Teacher

The impact of proximity on trust restoration

Library Consortium - UEN; An analysis of

Education; STER Rubric, 2024. Utah Teacher

from an organizational apology, co-authored,

the impact of artificial intelligence on the

Education Assessment and Accreditation

2025. Management and Economic Review.

accounting profession, 2025. International

Council; Utah State Board of Education EPP

Conference on Business Education and

General Teacher Competencies, 2024. Utah

DAVIS, KATHRYN S., Associate Professor

Human Resources. Washington D.C.: Atlantic

State Board of Education.

of Marketing – Navigating the fine line:

Federation for Technical Education & Research;

Understanding students’ perceptions of

The Impact of SEC Comment Letters on

CHILD, ANGIE R., Professor of Education

legitimate and illegitimate tasks in marketing

Stock Returns: A Comprehensive Analysis,

– Simply teach phonics first grade, 2025. The

education in the age of AI, co-authored,

co-authored, 2025. American Accounting

Simple Teachers.

2025. Teaching, Learning, and Student

Association Annual Conference. Chicago.

and

prevention

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

CROMWELL, ALEX J., Assistant Professor

Success Conference. Utah Tech University and Marketing Education Association 49th

OLSEN, DAVID HAROLD, Assistant

of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences –

Annual Conference. Los Angeles; Moonlighting

Professor of Information Systems and Analytics

Challenging the flawed foundations of

Madness: Mixing Student Learning with Paid

– Bridging workforce skills gaps in rural America

post-liberal peacebuilding scholarship, co-

Consulting, co-authored. 2024 Utah Academy

amid The Great Resignation by leveraging a

authored. International Studies Association

Conference. U of U: Utah Academy of Sciences

triple helix collaboration, co-authored, 2024.

2024 Annual Convention. San Francisco;

Arts and Letters.

Industry and Higher Education; Innovative

Dialoguing on liberal and post-liberal

40 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

approaches to peacebuilding. International

Math Classrooms, co-author. 2024 SPARK

Teaching Pre-K–12. Number talks create

Studies Association 2024 Annual Convention.

Fall Forum. St. George, UT; Are we teaching

ownership in math learning. Principal, co-

San Francisco; Turning pain into purpose, co-

in silos? Approaches to STEM integration in

authored, 2024.

authored, 2024. Tuesday’s Children Project

methods courses, co-authored, 2024. The

Common Bond Event: Virtual; What does

15th International Congress on Mathematical

PEREIRA, EMILY L., Instructor of the

peace studies mean in 2023 and beyond?

Education. Syndey, Australia. Exploring

Practice in Education – Constructive

International Studies Association 2024 Annual

how prospective elementary teachers

Interference: How Making Thinking Visible

Convention. San Francisco.

compare multiple strategies in comparing

Can Change Parts into a Project, 2024. BYU

tasks in mathematics method course, co-

Arts Partnership Leadership Meeting. Hale

A.,

authored. 2025 Annual AMTE Conference.

Theater, Orem, UT; Cultures of Thinking and

Assistant Professor of Education – Power

Reno, FL; Number talks: examining ways

Creativity in Utah Schools, co-authored, 2024.

of (STEM)2 Podcast Series 5 (6 episodes),

teachers uncover and respond to students’

Endowed Leadership Meeting. Westminster

2024; Ignite - A developmental model for ai

mathematically incorrect or imprecise thinking,

University and Utah State Board of Education;

in science education (AISE), co-authored,

co-authored. 2025 Annual AMTE Conference.

Evaluating Integration - How can we increase

2024. Trailblazer Symposium for Research,

Reno, NV; Prospective teachers’ use of

integration and making thinking visible while

Innovation & Creativity. Utah Tech: College

multiple teacher moves in number talks, co-

lesson planning? 2024 SUU Arts Fusion/BTS

of Education.

authored, 2024. 46th Annual Meeting of the

Arts Closing Meeting; Hosted a professional

North American Chapter of the International

development and networking event during the

KERCHENSKI, PAULA F., Assistant

Group for the Psychology of Mathematics

UMEA Annual Conference 2024.

Professor of Early Childhood Education –

Education. Cleveland, OH; Utilize Number

HAMMOND-TODD,

MICHAEL

YULE, JEFF V., Professor of Biology –

Building relationships with families from

Talks to Share Authority in the Mathematics

Elizabeth “Darling” Brown to Julieta Mardrigal

Classroom, co-authored, 2024. The 15th

Review of Amy Tan’s book The Backyard

how can we relate? 2025 24th Annual Southern

International Congress on Mathematical

Bird Chronicles (2024). Quarterly Review of

Utah Early Childhood Conference. St. George,

Education. Sydney, Australia; Preservice

Biology; Review of Gísli Pálsson’s Last of Its

UT; Let’s get physical: Tools to help children

teachers’ use of teacher moves that provide

Kind: The Search for the Great Auk and the

get moving, co-authored 2024. Division of

sense-making opportunities to student when

Discovery of Extinction (2024). Quarterly

Early Childhood Conference. New Orleans, LA;

they implement number talks, co-authored,

Review of Biology. Chicago University Press/

Urban barriers to accessing inclusive preschool

2024. Psychology of Mathematics Education

Stony Brook University; Review of Gísli

opportunities, co-authored, 2024. Division of

Conference PME 4. New Zealand; Approaches

Pálsson’s Last of Its Kind: The Search for the

Early Childhood Conference. New Orleans;

to integration: How are we preparing preservice

Great Auk and the Discovery of Extinction

Time-In: Strategies to help with our challenging

teachers to teach STEM? co-authored. 2024

(2024). Quarterly Review of Biology.

stars, 2024. 23rd Annual Southern Utah Early

Annual AMTE Conference. Orlando, Florida;

Childhood Conference. St. George, UT.

Go beyond reporting strategies in number talks! Comparing strategies is an answer

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

LYMAN, RUBYDAWN ASAY, Assistant

but how? 2024 Annual AMTE Conference.

Professor of Elementary Education –

Orlando, FL; Novice teachers’ number talks

Supporting your gifted child in college, 2024.

promoting chances of students’ sense-making,

AHN, JIN WOO, Assistant Professor of

Parenting for High Potential, Volume 13, pp,

co-authored, 2024. 51st Anniversary for the

Recreation and Sports Management – The Role

16–21.

RCML Annual Conference. Columbia, South

of Customized Augmented Reality Broadcasting

Carolina; Preparing preservice teachers

in Sport Spectatorship, 2024. North American

PAK, B., Assistant Professor of Education

to teach STEM: Various Approaches to

Society for Sport Management. Minneapolis/

– Enhancing stem education through

Integration, co-authored, 2024. American

MN; Are Bad Calls Part of the Game? Impact

collaborative game nights, co-authored, 2025.

Educational Research Association. Teachers’

of Bad Calls on the Emotional Outcome:

In cases on informal learning for science and

Talk Moves: How Are They Associated with

Focusing on the Excitation Transfer Theory,

mathematics education. IGI Global Scientific

CCSSM’s Standards for Mathematical

co-authored, 2024. Sport Marketing Quarterly;

Publishing. Onkananuwonk; Number Talks:

Practices? co-authored. 2024 Annual AMTE

Sport spectators’ psychological and behavioral

Examining teachers’ usage of Number Talks to

Conference. Orlando, FL; Teacher Perspectives

responses toward an augmented reality (AR)

address fraction misconceptions. 2025 Annual

on Harnessing AI in Mathematics Classrooms,

broadcasting: The role of sensitization and

AMTE Conference. Reno, NV; Examining How

co-authored, 2024. Connections; Make Your

habituation, co-authored, 2024. Journal of

Prospective Elementary Teachers Support

Number Talks More Ambitious, co-authored,

Sport Management.

Students to Compare Multiple Strategies in

2024. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 41

SCHOLARLY & CREATIVE ACTIVITIES FALL 2024 - SUMMER 2025 ARMSTRONG, BRENDA L., Professor of

the role of a dental hygiene professional in

RASMUSSEN, JOHN W., Associate

Dental Hygiene – Pinning Talk 2024. Utah Tech

providing adequate documentation of patient

Professor of Medical Laboratory Science –

Dental Hygiene Program Pinning; Day at the

care, 2025. DH Faculty Calibration Meeting.

Varied sessions at the Utah Tech Research

Capital 2024 - Change Agents. Utah Dental

St. George.

Lake City.

Symposium include two session winners: CTRL ALT CURE - Bringing AI to Healthcare

Hygienists’ Association Day at the Capital. Salt

LEWIS, CAROLYN, Assistant Professor of

and Get That Out of Your Mouth! Effectiveness

Nursing – Expanding Learning Horizons: The

of Commercial Mouthwashes on Oral Invaders.

ATKINSON, JESSICA, Associate Professor

Benefits of Virtual Reality Across Academic

of Dental Hygiene – AAP Classifications of

Disciplines, 2025. Teaching, Learning and

REBER, CYNTHIA W., Associate Professor

Health, Gingivitis, Periodontitis, and Implants,

Student Success Conference. Utah Tech;

of Nursing – Student-Created Patient Case

2024. Today’s RDH Virtual CE Live Event; In

Dive into VR: Transforming Healthcare

Studies for Licensure Exam Preparation and

Our Advanced Instrumentation Era-A Swift

Education with Virtual Reality and Best Practice

Open Educational Resource Publication: A

Journey to Advanced Instrumentation, 2024.

Standards, co-authored, 2024. Unitek Learning

Collaborative Project, co-authored, 2024.

RDH Under One Roof/RDHUOR Conference.

Conference. Online. Third Cornerstone:

8th Trailblazer Symposium for Research,

Denver, CO.

Evaluation in Simulation: The Lasater Clinical

Innovation, and Creativity. Utah Tech.

Judgment Tool, co-authored, 2024. Utah

RIGBY, TIERA, Associate Professor of

BRINGHURST, JENNIFER K., Assistant

Simulation Coalition Annual Fall Conference.

Professor of Population Health – Assessing

Provo, UT; Transformative Training: Using

Radiography – Radiologic Science for

the Types, Causes, and Levels of Radiologic

Best Practice Standards to Bring VR to Nursing

Technologists Physics, Biology, and Protection,

Technologist Burnout During the COVID-19

Programs, co-authored, 2024. CEI Simulation

online program editor, 2025; Bontrager Online

Pandemic, co-authored, 2024. Radiologic

Conference. Idaho Falls, ID: College of Eastern

Workbook, 2024; IPE Activity, 2024. Utah Tech;

Technology, 96, 143–151.

Idaho; Developing Clinical Judgment Through

Fostering Growth: Nurturing the Student-

Virtual Reality Simulation, co-authored,

Technologist Relationship, 2024. USRT.

CATON, SUSAN BETH., Assistant Professor

2024. UbiSim Webinars; Enhancing Nursing

of the Practice in Dental Hygiene – Dental

Education: Leveraging Virtual Reality in

THIBAULT, DAVID E., Assistant Professor

Hygiene Grading Workbook©. United States

Simulation Labs, co-authored. 2024 T4L

of Nursing – Sleep Hygiene Education as a

Copyright Office.

Teaching for Learning Conference. Rexburg

Treatment for Adolescent Depression, 2025.

Idaho; Using AI Software Hiration for Nursing

Presented at the American Association of Nurse

FAWNS, TRACY, Associate Professor of

Career Readiness, co-authored. 2024 T4L

Practitioners, San Diego and at the Trailblazer

Nursing – Understanding Evidence-Based

Teaching for Learning Conference. Rexburg,

Symposium, Utah Tech; Disconnect to

Practice for the Consumer of Research, 2025.

Idaho; Developed NURS 6300 for MSN Nursing

Reconnect: Practical Approaches to Managing

San Diego: Cognella; Evidence-Based Practice

Program (2022 - 2024).

Social Media’s Impact on Pediatric Mental Health, 2025. Journal of Pediatric Health Care:

& Research Methodologies, Second Edition,

LOVELL, JOSEPH, Associate Professor of

Official Publication of National Association

Recreation and Sports Management – Minor in

of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners,

HUSSELBEE, GAYLE C., Associate Professor

Sport Coaching, 2024. Utah Tech; Curriculum,

39; Sleep Hygiene Education as a Treatment

of Medical Laboratory Science – Teaching for U

Internships, and Mentoring, 2024 Southern

for Depression in Adolescents, co-authored,

of U PA Program, 2024; Research posters (x3)

Utah Recreation and Park Association Meeting.

2024. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners,

by cohort of 2025.

Washington, Utah.

20; A Brief Discussion of Medications, co-

HYLAND, DILLON E., Assistant Professor

PANTOVIC, MILAN, Assistant Professor of

community approach to childhood trauma

of Athletic Training – Utilizing Generative AI

Exercise Science – Center for Endurance and

and attachment. Association for Training on

to Facilitate Literature Reviews with Healthcare

Extreme Human Performance. 2024 SPARK

Trauma and Attachment in Children.

Students. UT Teaching and Learning

Fall Research Forum. Utah Tech; Exploring

Conference. Utah Tech.

the Influence of Inter-Trial Interval on the

VICKERS, TIFFANY D., Assistant Professor

Assessment of Short-Interval Intracortical

of Population Health – Healthcare Quality

JENSEN, KIMBERLY, Professor of Dental

Inhibition, 2024. Bioengineering, 19; Acute

and Safety, Management of Healthcare

Hygiene – Editor for varied undergraduate

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current

Organizations and Strategy, and Research

research papers at the 2025 Utah Tech

Stimulation on Motor Skill Learning in Young

Methodologies in Healthcare, 2024. Utah Tech.

University

Adults, co-authored, 2024. UT Research

2025. Pressbooks.

authored, 2024. Healing connections: A

Undergraduate

Research

Symposium. St. George; Gingival description

Symposium. St. George.

42 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

WELCH, VICKI A., Assistant Professor of

government: Navigating drama and staying

2025; Hope through Archive: Refugee Youths’

Nursing – MSN Orientation Modules, 2025.

objective, co-authored, 2025. Associated

Counternarratives in the Ritsona Kingdom

Nursing Department; A Descriptive Study

Collegiate Press Spring National College

Journal, 2025. Peitho, 27; Multimodality &

Examining the Correlation of Emotional

Media Conference. Long Beach, CA; Covering

Handcrafted Pedagogies, 2025. Teaching

Intelligence and Leadership Styles to Conflict

campus death, co-authored, 2024. Associated

Writing Best Practices Workshop. Utah Tech

Management Styles of Nursing School

Collegiate Press Spring National College Media

English Department.

Administrators, 2024. Nursing Education

Conference. La Jolla, CA; Active Learning in

Perspectives, 45.

Media Relations: A Mock News Conference

HONG, JIACHUN, Assistant Professor

Approach, co-authored, 2025. T4L Conference.

of Communication – KuLiang Stories

WHIPPLE, MALINDA E., Assistant Professor

Orem, UT: UVU Office of Teaching and

(Documentary series), 2024. China Central

of Emergency Medical Services – AEMT Pilot

Learning.

Television-Documentary Channel; Where to Start? (Interview show), 2024. Tencent

Program: Lessons Learned, 2025. EMS Leadership Summit. Draper, UT: Utah Bureau

CRENSHAW, CHERI R., Professor of English

News-Documentary; The True Story as the

of EMS; Looking Back, Moving Forward:

– OER Project: ENGL 2010 Intermediate

Truth Factory: Media Labor and Ideological

Retrospective Insights into Prehospital

Writing: Careers Exploration, 2025. Utah

Production in Contemporary Chinese

Corticosteroid Use, co-authored, 2024. EMS

Tech; Trials and Successes: Faculty Views

Television Documentaries, 2025. Association

World Expo. Las Vegas, NV: Prehospital Care

on Open Education Resources, 2025. 9th

for Education in Journalism and Mass

Research Forum.

Annual Teaching, Learning, and Student

Communication. San Francisco.

Success Conference. Utah Tech; From QR

ALISSA, Professor of

Codes and AI Writing to Christmas Sales and

HOPE, LACY C., Assistant Professor of English

Radiography – Read the Room: Emotional

Vampire Blogs: Grad Students in a Digital

– Coalitions and Capitalism: Considering the

Intelligence in the Workplace, 2024. Utah

Create-Your-Own-Class Experience, co-

Limitations Placed on Technical Writers as

Society of Radiologic Technologists. Ogden,

authored. Computers and Writing 2024. Fort

Laborers. ATTW 2024. Virtual: Association

UT.

Worth: Texas Christian University; A Story-

of Teachers of Technical Writing; Student as

Telling Assignment for Job Searches. English

Data; Student as Commodity, 2024. Digital

Department Composition Workshop, 2024.

Humanities Utah 8. Salt Lake City.

WILLIAMS,

COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES

Utah Tech.

JASMINE, RANDY JOHN, Professor of FITZGERALD, EMILY M., Assistant Professor

English – Being Human-Utah Tech Podcasts,

ALLEN, GEOFF T., Assistant Professor

of Humanities – Nope - How to Refuse the

on PodBean, Episode Titles: Season Three

of Political Science – Legislative Quotas,

Cannibalistic Culture of the Spectacle, 2024.

Reflection; Technology Cross-Talk with

Democracy, and Post-Conflict Politics

In The Real Aftermath: How COVID-19 Changed

Dr. Kristin Arola; Image Curation with Brett

in Croatia, 2024. International Studies

the Way Science Fiction Is Conceived, Read,

Stanfield; 21st Century Libraries with Eva

Association West Annual Conference.

and Interpreted. Delaware: Vernon Press.

Sanchez; Interview with Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Paul Mozur; Testing the Limits of

Pasadena, CA.

HAFOKA, MOANA P., Associate Professor

AI with Tamron Lee; Say Artificial Intelligence,

BACABAC, FLORENCE, Professor of

of Criminal Justice – Using the Past to Guide

Not AI; Digital Humanities with Dr. Jeremy

English – Digital Forums, Cultural Support,

the Future: Criminal Deportee (Re)integration in

Browne; The Future of the University Library

and Feminist Community-Building Practices:

a New Homeland, 2024. International Journal

with Emma Lanners; Considering Gender in an

Fostering an Inclusive and Restorative Space

for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy.

Examination of World War I Literature, 2025, Utah Tech CHASS Brown Bag Seminar Series.

for Self-Care, 2025.14th Biennial International Feminism(s) and Rhetoric(s) Conference.

HEISE, MEGAN, Assistant Professor of

St. George, UT; The Brotherhood of Detection

Durham, New Hampshire; Bridging Classroom

English – Expanding civics beyond citizenship:

and Evolving Class Privilege in Dorothy L.

and Community: Collaborative Approaches

refugee teens crafting counterstories and

Sayers, 2024. Rocky Mountain Modern

to Technical and Professional Writing, co-

counterpublics, co-authored, 2025. In

Language Association Annual Convention.

authored, 2025. 90th Annual International

L. Timmons-Long, N. Mirra, & A. Garcia

Las Vegas, NV.

Convention of the Association for Business

(Eds.), Practicing Civic Futures in Out-of-

Communication. Long Beach, California.

School Literacy Learning Environments.

JONES, JOHN T., Professor of Psychology –

NCTE; Transforming Knowledge into Skills:

Effects of Perceived Parenting Style on Adult

BENT, RHIANNON H., Assistant Professor

Multimodal Zine Making and Remixing

Coping Strategies, co-authored, 2024. UCUR.

of Communication – Covering student

Research for Public Audiences, co-authored,

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 43

SCHOLARLY & CREATIVE ACTIVITIES FALL 2024 - SUMMER 2025 UVU; When One is Loved: Attachment Security

MILES, SCOTT W., Associate Professor of

Mountain Modern Language Association

and Relationship Quality, co-authored, 2024.

English as a Second Language (ESL) – Talk the

Annual Conference. Las Vegas, NV.

UCUR. UVU.

Talk: Step into Fluency, co-authored, 2025.

Washington, Utah: Blue Sage Learning; Make

PHELAN, KOREY S., Associate Professor of

KILLEBREW, KYLE L., Instructor of

It Stick: Spacing Effect and Testing Effect

Criminal Justice – The Realities of Crime and

the Practice in English – Informing Best

for Language Learning, 2025. Utah Foreign

the Myths of True Crime, 2024.

Practices in Composition through Indigenous

Language Association Conference. St. George,

Methodologies: A Heuristic for Teaching College

UT.

PRENDERGAST, EMMA R., Assistant Professor of Philosophy – Commentary on

Writing, 2024. CCCC. Spokane, Washington.

OLSON, KRISTINE J., Professor of

Adelle Goldenberg’s A Pro-Choice, Anti-

KING, CINDY E., Professor of English –

Psychology – HRM for sustainability and

Ablest Abortion Politics, 2025. American

Poetry Reading at BYU, 2024; Topographical

eudaimonic wellbeing: The role of the

Philosophical Association-Central Division

Approximations, 2024. Ninth Letter, 21; Living

organizational

co-authored.

Meeting. Online; Discussion as a Teachable

Room, 2024. Tar River Poetry; Celebrate Poetry:

Chilean Scientific Society of Psychology and

Skill, 2025. Teaching, Learning, & Student

A Reading for National Poetry Month, 2024. St.

Organizational Behavior Annual Conference

Success Conference. Utah Tech; Ethical

George Public Library; Jennifer Sinor Reading

2025. Santiago, Chile; Paradoxical Tensions:

and Epistemological Challenges for the OER

and Q & A with Special Guest Dr. Erin O’Brien,

Human Resource Manager Responses to

Movement, 2024. North American Association

2024. St. George, Utah Tech; The Southern

Recruitment and Retention Shortfalls, co-

for Philosophy and Education Annual

Quill Contributor Reading & Launch Party,

authored, 2025. 22nd European Congress

Conference. Mundelein, IL; The Regional

2024. St. George, UT.

of Work and Organisational Psychology.

Purpose of Regional Public Universities, 2024.

Prague, Czech Republic; Sorting Jobs in the

North American Association for Philosophy and

LIBERO, ELIZABETH C., Assistant Professor

Fruit Industry: A Ground-Up Job Segmentation

Education Annual Conference. Mundelein, IL;

of History and Social Science Education

Analysis, co-authored, 2025. 22nd European

Comments on Shaun Nichols’s Rational Rules,

–Uncharted waters: Beaufort in the River

Congress of Work and Organisational

2024 American Philosophical Association-

Plate, 2024. ASECS Annual Meeting. Toronto,

Psychology. Prague, Czech Republic; Employer

Central Division Meeting, Association for

Ontario.

Accommodation Provision and Worker Control

Philosophy of Education Author-Meets-Critics

in the Agricultural Sector, co-authored,

Session. New Orleans, LA; Do Morally Perfect

LOVELAND, JEFF A., Visiting Assistant

2024. Annual Meeting of Labor Employment

Citizens Need Political Authority? 2024.

Professor of the Practice in History –

Relations Association. New York; Men’s

American Philosophical Association Central

Encyclopaedias in Newspapers in British

Experiences of Family Supportive Supervisor

Division Meeting. New Orleans, LA; The How

Colonial America and the Early United

Behavior Through the Lens of Gender Role

and Why of Mentoring in Undergraduate

States. Library & Information History, 2024,

Traditionalism and Nation of Residence, co-

Philosophy Teaching, 2024. In The Art of

40; Mathematical Dictionaries and Heritage,

authored, 2025. Journal of Community, Work,

Teaching Philosophy: Reflective Values and

1660-1800, 2024. PatriMaths [= Mathematical

and Family; Labour Control via Dormitory-

Concrete Practices. London: Bloomsbury

Heritage]. Marseilles, France.

esque Workplace Housing in England: A Case

Academic; Political Legitimacy as Grounded

Study, co-authored, 2024. Annual Conference

in the Wills of Citizens: A Reply to Peter,

MCMURRIN, JOY, Associate Professor of

of the Society for Industrial and Organizational

2024. Journal of the American Philosophical

English – Promoting a Heuristic that Improves

Psychology. Chicago.

Association, 10; Open Educational Resources

context,

Clarity, User Agency, and Consistency across

for Intro to Philosophy, 2024. Utah Tech.

Online Cookie Agreements, co-authored,

ORTIZ, ERIN, Professor of Media Studies

2025. 9th Annual Trailblazer Symposium.

– Community Perspectives on Tourism:

RANDAZZO, CHALICE, Associate Professor

Utah Tech; Recipe for Change: Promoting

Assessing Quality of Life in a Gateway

of English – The Exclusionary Potential of

National Standards for Cookie Agreements

Community, 2024. Town of Springdale, UT

Professionalism in Hiring Situations, 2024.

to Mitigate Passive Surveillance, 2025. Digital

Research.

Technical Communication Quarterly, 33.

Tech; The Technical Writers’ Role in Identifying,

PETERSON, MIKE K., Professor of English

RAWLINS, SHELLEY SHELLEY, Assistant

Mitigating, and Challenging Dark Patterns in

– The Evolving Conversation on Generative AI,

Professor of Communication – Chapter 2:

Digital Spaces, 2025. ENGL 3345: Technical

co-authored, 2025, Being Human-UT Podcast.

Gender Communication and Identity, 2025.

Writing with Digitally Networked Tools and

Digital Humanities Utah 9 Conference. Utah

Introduction to Interpersonal Communication

Platforms. Utah Tech.

Tech; An Ethical Approach to Incorporating

(OER) (Vol. 1). Pressbooks; Online Social

ChatGPT into First-Year Writing, 2024. Rocky

Comparisons with Dr. Shelley Rawlins, 2025.

Humanities Utah 9 Conference (DHU9). Utah

44 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

Red Rocks Relationships (podcast). Utah Tech;

animacy in The Epic of Gilgamesh. Melammu

I Don’t Have the Guts for This: How Losing

Well-Being, Risk, and Vulnerability Among

Workshop 2024: Big and Small, High and Low,

Twenty Percent of My Small Intestine Changed

Activists and Protestors, 2025. Defining

Proud and Humble: Constructing Significance

My Teaching, 2024. College of Humanities

Moments – Conversations About Health

in Ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean

and Social Science Brown Bag. St George; The

and Healing (podcast). Athens, OH: Health

Cultures. University of Tartu; Animating mud

Killer Robots Have Arrived: The Actions and

Communication journal.

in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Institute for World

Ethics of AI in a Changed World, co-authored,

Literature colloquium on postcolonialism and

2024. Human Tech Speaker Series. St. George,

SAITO, YUKIE, Assistant Professor of History

world literature, 2024. University of Cyprus;

Utah: College of Humanities and Social

– Linguists in the Pacific Theater, co-authored,

Indigenous epistemologies in the Epic of

Sciences; Dance in Concert: Innervations, co-

2025. Washington County Library - St. George

Gilgamesh. GLECC 2025. Manchester, UK.

authored, 2025. Eccles Main Hall. St. George,

Branch; Unveiling the Silent Warriors: Japanese

UT; From Puppeteers to Philosopher Kings:

American MIS Linguists and their Role in WWII

STEIN, JAMES B., Associate Professor

Utilizing Chatbots in Teaching, and How Their

Pacific Theater. UU/SLCC Asia Conference

of Communication – Using dyadic data

Presence Makes Us Rethink Our Pedagogical

2025. Salt Lake City; Endangering the Right to

to probe actor-partner effects of network-

Foundations, 2024. Curiosity: Interdisciplinary

Ethnic Education: Japan’s Exclusion of Chosen

based variables on relational perceptions and

Journal of Research and Innovation, 4;

Schools from the Tuition Waiver Program, co-

communication, co-authored, 2024. Yours,

Introduction to Philosophy, 2024. Utah Tech;

authored 2022. (Online by Cambridge UP:

mine, and ours: A dyadic analysis of couples’

Humanities, Philosophy, and Religious Studies

2025). Asia-Pacific Journal, 20.

ego and duocentric networks, co-authored,

Major, 2024. Utah Tech.

2024.

SCOTT, AMANDA N., Assistant Professor

WREDE, THEDA, Professor of English –

of English – I Would Never Wear Heels if my

TAYLOR, LUCIA, Professor of Spanish

Across the River: Environmental Catastrophe

Feet Were Shaped Like This: Misogyny and the

– Intermediate Spanish - Span 2020, 2024.

and Social Injustice in Ito Romo’s El Puente/ The

Femme Aesthetic, 2024. The Vagina Project;

Pressbooks. OERs to help our 1st-year students

Bridge, 2025. Southwest PCAA. Albuquerque,

Polygamy and Women’s Burden in The Giant

(win-win situation for all), 2024. Southwest

New Mexico; The Promise of the North:

Joshua, 2024. Juanita Brooks Utah History

Conference on Language Teaching. Honolulu,

Migration and Ecological Crisis in Cristina

Conference. Utah Tech.

HI; 1st year Spanish using OERs, a collaborative

Rivera Garza’s Autobiografía del Algodón, 2024,

approach among our faculty, co-authored

MELUS: Multiethnic Literature of the United

SCOTT, LISA M, Assistant Professor of

2024. Teaching, Learning, and Student Success

States. Dallas.

Psychology – Emotion-Acceptance and Values

Conference. St. George, UT; Embracing Open:

Clarification for Empowered Living, 2024.

Faculty Perspectives on Utilizing and Creating

The Vagina Project. Utah Tech; Transgender

Open Educational Resources, co-authored,

Identity and Mental Health in Children, 2024.

2024. Teaching, Learning, and Student Success

EDUC2400: Foundations Multicultural/ESL.

Conference. St. George, UT.

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY CHILOM, GABRIELA, Professor of Chemistry

Utah Tech.

– Developing a New Differential Scanning

WIGHT, SHAUNA S., Associate Professor

Calorimeter for Heterogeneous Complex

SNOW, NATE S., Associate Professor

of English – Digital Underlife in the First-

Mixtures, co-authored, 2024. UT Trailblazer

of Media Studies – Social Media content

Year Composition Classroom, 2024, CCCC;

Symposium. Utah Tech; Microplastics in Soil:

production for The Artist Showcase, 2024.

Maximizing the Benefits of Digital Devices,

Testing Detection Limits with FTIR and DSC,

Instagram; Posthuman Ecoscapes: Synthetic

2025. Digital Underlife in FYC, 2024.

co-authored, 2025. UCUR. SUU; Uncovering

Materiality and Distributed Cognition

Mixture Interactions through Excess Heat

in Southeast Asian Animation, 2024. In

WOLFE, JOHN E., Associate Professor

Capacity, co-authored, 2025. UCUR. SUU;

Posthuman Southeast Asia: Ecocritical

of Philosophy – How I Quit Worrying and

Complex Responses of Desert Soil Properties

Entanglements Across Species Boundaries.

Embraced My Inner Aristotle: Techne,

to Organic Amendment Applications, co-

Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books; Blurring

Episteme, Virtue, and the Realm of Experts,

authored, 2024. UCUR. UVU; Enhancing

the Border of Viewer and Viewed: Cinesthetic

2025. 9th Annual Teaching, Learning, and

Drought Resilience in Desert Agriculture, co-

Bodies in Aardman Animations, EUPOP 2024.

Student Success Conference. St. George,

authored, 2024. UT Trailblazer Symposium.

Tallinn, Estonia: European Popular Culture

UT; This Paper is Not Inspirational, 2025.

Utah Tech; The Influence of Organic

Association.

9th Annual Teaching, Learning and Student

Amendments on the Heat Capacity of Soils,

Success Conference. St George, UT; The Future

co-authored, 2024. NCUR. Long Beach, CA.

SPENCER, JASMINE R., Assistant Professor

of AI. Pizza and Politics, co-authored 2025.

of English – Light is like water: Alchemy as

St. George, UT: Utah Tech Institute of Politics;

EVES, KAMERON J., Assistant Professor

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 45

SCHOLARLY & CREATIVE ACTIVITIES FALL 2024 - SUMMER 2025 of Electrical and Computer Engineering

authored, 2025. IEEE Transactions on Neural

Conference on Consumer Electronics-Asia.

– Reference Model Design in Multiple

Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 33;

Piscataway, NJ; Development of the Low-Cost

Timescale Adaptive Control, co-authored,

Closed-loop Wearable System with Augmented

Lightweight Exoskeleton System that Enables

2025. In SciTech Forum. American Institute

Proprioceptive Feedback for Precise in-home

Social Interaction Activities in Quadriplegic

of Aeronautics and Astronautics; Inlet Unstart

Squat Training, co-authored, 2025. Biomedical

Patients, co-authored, 2024. In 2024 IEEE

Prevention by Adaptive Regulation Using a

Sciences Instrumentation, 6 and the Joint

International Conference on Consumer

Nonlinear Longitudinal Timescale Model, co-

62nd International Biomedical Sciences

Electronics-Asia. Piscataway, NJ.

authored, 2024. In SciTech Forum. American

Instrumentation Symposium & 62nd Rocky

Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Mountain Bioengineering Symposium. A

JOHNSTON, KEVIN GREGORY, Assistant

Low-Cost, Real-Time Sleep Apnea Screening

Professor of Data Science – Single-cell spatial

GASPARI, MARTINA., Associate Professor

System Using Movement and Breathing Pattern

transcriptomics reveal distinct patterns of

of Biology – Discovering Personalized Medicine:

Analysis, co-authored, 2025. 9th Trailblazer

dysregulation in non-neuronal and neuronal

An Active Learning Exploration of Gene

Symposium. St. George: Utah Tech; Better

cells induced by the Trem2 Alzheimer’s risk

Mutations and Targeted Cancer Therapies,

Posture: Movement and Orientation Informative

gene mutation, co-authored, 2025. Molecular

2024. University of Verona, Italy; Telomerase

Vibrotactile Feedback to Correct Poor Posture,

Psychiatry, 30; BDNF augmentation reverses

and Its Role in Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms

co-authored, 2025. 9th Trailblazer Symposium.

cranial radiation therapy-induced cognitive

and Therapeutic Implications, 2024. University

St. George: Utah Tech. Development and

decline and neurodegenerative consequences,

of Verona, Italy; Cloning of ORC2 and ORC4

evaluation of a sensory feedback system

co-authored, 2024. Acta Neuropathologica

from HeLa cells, co-authored, 2024. UCUR.

for improving obstacle detection in visually

Communications, 12; Small data methods in

UVU, Orem, UT; Investigating Triplex DNA and

impaired navigation, co-authored, 2025. The

omics: the power of one, co-authored, 2024.

Its Associated Proteins in Cancer, co-authored,

Joint 62nd International Biomedical Sciences

Nature Methods, 21; ULV: A robust statistical

2024. 8th Trailblazer Symposium for Research,

Instrumentation Symposium & 62nd Rocky

method for clustered data, with applications

Innovation, and Creative Activities. Utah Tech.

Mountain Bioengineering Symposium, St.

to multi-subject, single-cell omics data, co-

George and UCUR, Cedar City; Enhancing

authored 2024. ArXiv.

GHASEMI, MARZIEH, Associate Professor

VR-Based Robotic Control accuracy with Real-

of Environmental Engineering – The Way We

Time Haptic Feedback, co-authored, 2025. The

KEPAS, MEGEN E., Assistant Professor

Waste: Solid Waste Production Washington

Joint 62nd International Biomedical Sciences

of Biology – A Field Evaluation of

County, UT, co-authored, 2024. UCUR and UT

Instrumentation Symposium & 62nd Rocky

Adrenal Sufficiency in a Toad-eating

Symposium. UVU.

Mountain Bioengineering Symposium. Utah

Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) with Profound

Tech, St. George; Integrating haptic feedback

Adrenal Enlargement, co-authored, 2025.

HARRIS, MATT E, Associate Professor of

for precision and intuitive robotic control

Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 20;

Management Information Systems – Decision

in virtual reality, co-authored, 2025, UCUR.

Losing the Egg, Keeping the Tooth: Vestigial

Making and Analytics - Careers in Analytics,

SUU; Project Iron Man: Iron man Inspired

Egg-Tooth Retention in a Live-Bearing Snake,

2025. Personal Finance Day. St George,

Lightweighted Exoskeleton for enhanced

co-authored, 2025. UCUR. SUU and SPARK

UT; How to get started with Tableau Data

Movement and Strength, co-authored, 2025.

Fall Forum. Utah Tech; Iguanathon! Desert

Visualization, 2024. COB Faculty Workshop.

UCUR. Cedar City; Implementation of Distance-

Iguana Surveys in Utah’s Mojave Desert, co-

St George; Opportunities Available Through

Informative Sensory Feedback for Prosthetic

authored, 2024. Utah Tech Biology Department

the Analytics & Modeling Center, 2024. SPARK

Devices, co-authored, 2024. 8th Trailblazer

Spring Poster Session; Utah Herpsearch

Forum. Utah Tech.

Symposium. Utah Tech; A Wearable Closed-

- Working with Community Scientists to

Loop System for In-Home Squat Training

Gather Information for Species of Greatest

HASAN, MD SAZIB, Associate Professor

Using Real-Time Augmented Proprioceptive

Conservation Need, 2024. In Utah Chapter

of Mathematics – Fostering Inner Creativity:

Feedback, co-authored, 2024. 8th Trailblazer

of the American Fisheries Society Annual

The Benefits and Challenges of Encouraging

Symposium. Utah Tech; Development of

Meeting. Salt Lake City; Ethical Empowerment:

Student- led Projects Based on Class

a Motor-Controlled Mechanical Balance

Leveraging Generative AI in Biostatistics for

Curriculum. Joint Mathematics Meeting, 2024.

Board System for the Real-Time Personalized

Enhanced Success Without Compromising

California: American Mathematical Society.

Physical Therapy, co-authored, 2024. In 2024

Integrity, 2024. Utah Tech Teaching Learning

IEEE International Conference on Consumer

and Student Success Conference.

JIANG, BING, Assistant Professor of

Electronics-Asia. Piscataway, NJ; Development

MAZUMDER, MD MOTIUR., Assistant

Electrical and Computer Engineering –

of a Real-Time Wireless Multi-Node Metal

Alteration of Mastication Force via Intraoral

Pipeline Localization System via Bluetooth Link,

Professor of Chemistry – Design and

Closed-Loop Electrical Stimulation, co-

co-authored 2024. In 2024 IEEE International

Performance Assessment of Butyl Norbornene

46 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

Cross-Linked Anion Exchange Membranes

Energy Harvesting Based on High-Dielectric

GA: The Pogil Project; Introducing the FIND

for High-Efficiency Non-Aqueous Redox Flow

Flexible Electrodes with Reverse Electrowetting-

Command in Linux, 2025. POGIL Activity

Batteries, 2025; Development and Evaluation

on-Dielectric, co-authored, 2024. IEEE Sensors

Clearinghouse.

of Butyl Norbornene Based Cross-Linked

Journal, 24.

Anion Exchange Membranes for Enhanced

COLLEGE OF THE ARTS

Nonaqueous Redox Flow Battery Efficiency,

SCHATZBERG, WENDY E., Professor

2025. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces;

of Chemistry – How to Write a CV, 2024.

Protocol for Evaluating Anion Exchange

Trailblazer Leadership Program; Integrating AI

ABEGG, PAUL H., Professor of Music –

Membranes for Nonaqueous Redox Flow

Learning in Technologies in Higher Education,

Clinician for the Cache Valley Youth Symphony,

Batteries, 2024. ACS Applied Materials &

2024. Teaching, Learning, and Student

2025; Faculty - Intermountain Suzuki String

Interfaces, 16.

Success Conference. Utah Tech; Empowering

Institute, 2025; Performance at Black Desert,

interdisciplinary collaboration: Evaluating the

2025. Kurt Bestor; Capriccio, 2025. University

PONDELL, CHRISTINA, Assistant Professor

impact of NSF SSTEM INSPIRE program on

Orchestra Concert featuring Clara Schuann’s

of Environmental Science – Sorption of colored

science students, 2024. American Chemical

Piano Concerto in A minor and Alice Mary

vs. noncolored organic matter by tidal marsh

Society National Meeting. Denver, Colorado;

Smith’s Symphony in C minor; Rachmaninov

soils, co-authored, 2024. Biogeosciences, 21;

Enhancing learning and performance:

Piano Concerto No. 3 - University Orchestra

Water quality monitoring in arid environments:

metacognition in general chemistry students

with Keenan Reesor, 2025; Zion Trio, 2025

Observations from the Santa Clara River, Utah,

through survey analysis, 2024. American

– Violinist, featuring the works of Elene Kats-

co-authored 2024. 8th Trailblazer Symposium.

Chemical Society National Meeting. New

Chernin, Rachmaninov and Haydn; Canyon

Utah Tech; Precipitation impacts on discharge

Orleans, LA; Exploring students’ learning gains

Trio Performance, 2024 - featuring the works

of the Santa Clara River, co-authored, 2024. 8th

and collaboration skills in physical chemistry

of Darius Milhaud, Libby Larsen, and Peter

Trailblazer Symposium. Utah Tech; Provenance

laboratory and lecture: A POGIL approach,

Schickele. Utah Tech and SUU.

of saltmarsh storm deposits in backbarrier

2024. American Chemical Society National

lagoons along the Georgia Bight (southeast

Meeting. New Orleans, LA; Optimization of

ASTLE, BRIAN K., Assistant Professor of

USA), co-authored, 2024. Ocean Sciences

Animal Hair Preparation for Scanning Electron

Art – Oil Painters of America 33rd National

Meeting 2024, New Orleans, LA: American

Microscopy (SEM), co-authored, 2024. 30th

Exhibition, 2024; Springville Art Museum

Association for Limnology and Oceanography;

Annual Fellowship Symposium Utah NASA

Spring Salon, 2024; Montana Trails Gallery

The Santa Clara River: A vital arid waterway

Space Grant Consortium and Utah Tech

Holiday Small Works Show, 2024; Sears Gallery

under human and climate pressures, co-

Trailblazer Symposium; Blackbody Radiation:

Invitational, 2024.

authored 2024. UCUR. Orem, UT: UVU.

Insights from pyrometry and silicon nanowire synthesis, co-authored, 2024. Utah Tech

BOLDEN, JEREMY I., Assistant Professor of

RADAVARAM, SAI C., Assistant Professor of

Research and Design Day; Differences in sand

Digital Film – Sh/ft Med/a, Black Desert Resort,

Electrical and Computer Engineering – A Low-

quality through aeolian and fluvial erosion,

2025, Commercial; Movement III, 2024.

Profile, Closely-Spaced 1 X 4 MIMO Array with

co-authored 2024. Utah Tech Research and

Low Mutual Coupling, co-authored, 2025. In

Design Day; Hair-conditioned: how hollow

BRUCE, BRANDON S., Assistant Professor

2025 IEEE International Workshop on Antenna

hair helps big game animals thermoregulate

of Theatre Arts – A Gentleman’s Guide to

Technology (iWAT); Open-source 3D printed

co-authored, 2024. Utah Tech Research and

Love & Murder, with others, 2024-2025. Utah

laboratory for education: illuminating optics

Design Day; Roundness, Oblongness, and

Tech Theatre Program; Picnic, with others,

and optoelectronics demonstrations, co-

Roughness coefficients of aeolian and Fluvian

2024. Utah Tech Theatre Program; POTUS

authored, 2024. Physics Education, 59.

sand using SEM, co-authored, 2024. Utah Tech

or, Behind Every Great Dumba** Are Seven

Research and Design Day.

Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, with others,

REESE, DIANA L., Associate Professor of

2024. Utah Tech Theatre; The Minutes, with

Chemistry – Computational Analysis of Cyclic

SHIH, HUNG YU., Assistant Professor of

others, 2024. Center for the Arts at Kayenta;

Aminoborane Complexes, co-authored, 2024.

Biology – Progress in leukodystrophies with

BLAMED: An Established Fiction, 2024.

UCUR. UVU; Orbital Analysis of B-H Bonds in

zebrafish, co-authored, 2024. Development,

Tumbleweed Theatre; A Midsummer Night’s

Cyclic Aminoborane Complexes, co-authored,

growth & differentiation.

Dream, with others, 2024. Utah Tech Theatre

2024. Trailblazer Symposium for Research,

Program; Coyote Tales, 2024; Innervations,

STANDER, CAROL., Instructor of the Practice

with others, 2024. Utah Tech Dance Program;

in Computer Science – Enhancing Student

Miss Fancy: Queen of the Zoo, co-authored,

REID, RUSSELL C., Associate Professor of

Engagement and Instructional Effectiveness

2024. Woodstock, IL: Dramatic Publishing

Mechanical Engineering – Advanced Bias-Free

Through the GILT Tool. NCAAP 2025. Atlanta,

Company.

Innovation, and Creativity. Utah Tech.

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 47

SCHOLARLY & CREATIVE ACTIVITIES FALL 2024 - SUMMER 2025

CHAMBERLAIN, ALEX T., Professor of

Halloween concert. Jazz Band Performances

of the UMEA All-State Band, 2025. Utah Music

Art – I Really Wanted a Life-Sized T. rex Skull,

included an Armed Forces Day Dance at the

Educators Journal, 70; A History of the UMEA

2024. Blender Conference. Fonf=da Theater,

Warbird Airport Museum, the Saint George

All-State Choir, 2025 Utah Music Educators

Los Angeles: Autotroph.

City Valentine Dance, a Saint George Jazz

Journal, 70.

Festival Performance with Etienne Charles, and

ECHEVERRIA, HENRY E., Assistant

a Holiday Jazz Concert. Other performances

SHILCUTT, JB BETH, Assistant Professor

Professor of Theatre Arts – Lighting Designer for

included a Grand Circle Music Concert, a Grand

of Dance – An Activist Approach to Teaching

Dance in Concert 25, POTUS, and Innervation,

Opening Celebration, and a Look to the Skies

Physical Education and Physical Activity,

Utah Tech Dance Program; Lighting Technician

Concert.

co-authored, 2025. AIESEP International Conference. St. Petersburg, FL; Collaborating

for Dance in Concert 25, The Student Directors Festival 24 & 25, POTUS, A Midsummer’s

GLASMANN, HANS P., Assistant Professor

Across Disciplines, co-authored, 2024,

Night’s Dream, and Innervation. Utah Tech

of Digital Film – Waves, 2024-2025. Film

Utah Dance Education Organization Fall

Dance and Theatre Programs; Sound Designer

Festivals; Nature and Human, 2024. Music

Conference. St. George, UT; Weightshare:

for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,

Department Presents: Our Local Environment.

Exploring Possibilities Together. Revitalize:

Picnic, and A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream.

Eccles; The Flight of the Phoenix, 2024. Red

Breathing New Life into Your Dance Programs

Utah Tech Theatre Program; Sound Technician

Carpet Cinema GEMs. Electric Theater.

and Teaching Methods, co-authored, 2024.

Bellevue, WA: National Dance Education

for Dance in Concert 25, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Student Director’s

HALE, ROGER H., Associate Professor of

Organization; What Jumps Out to You? Using

Festival 25, Picnic, POTUS, Innervation, and

Music – From 2024-2025, over 19 individual

Movement-Based Processing Tools in the

The Student Playwrights Festival 24. Utah

events. Full performance of Brahms Requiem;

Classroom, co-authored, 2024. Utah Tech

Tech’s Dance and Theatre Programs; Technical

Guest clinician for children and youth choirs:

Teaching, Learning, and Student Success

Director for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and

Brighton, Orem, Dixie, Weber, Bell Flower,

Conference; gRadient, co-authored, 2025.

Murder; Dance in Concert 25, The Student

Snowflake, Kanab, Lehi, Mountain View,

Utah Tech Dance Program; Dance in Concert,

Directors Festival 24 & 25, Picnic, POTUS, A

Timpview, Grace (ID), and Cache Valley. Guest

co-authored, 2025; Humility always: Practices

Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, and Innervation.

conductor/clinician for WCSD High School

in capoeira pedagogy, co-authored 2024.

2024-2025.

Honor Choir. Adjudicator for the Region 9

Utah Dance Education Organization fall

Solo and Ensemble Festival at Crimson Cliffs

conference. St. George, UT; No matter what

FLACK, MCGARREN, Associate Professor

High School and for the Utah State Junior

we do, it’s okay, right? Collaborating across

of Studio Art – Springville Art Museum Spring

High School Choir Festival held in Ephraim,

disciplines in a dance performance experience,

Salon Show Award of Merit, 2024.

UT, Snow College; Primary guest clinician and

co-authored, 2024. Students Pursuing Active

voice coach for Malad High School Musical

Research Knowledge Fall Forum. Utah Tech;

FRANCIS, TIMOTHY, Professor of Music

Theatre; Guest choral clinician for Providence

Embedding youth voice through an Activist

– From 2024-2025, over 16 individual

Hall Choirs.

Approach to physical education and sport, co-authored, 2024; An Activist Approach to

performances including six performances with the Southwest Symphony Orchestra such

RHODES, RHONDA L., Associate Professor

Physical Education and Physical Activity, co-

as Holst’s The Planets Concert, the Majestic

of Music – Woodwind Adjudicator for Region

authored, 2024. Routledge.

Harmonies Concert, The Redeemer, and a

12 Solo & Ensemble Festival, 2025; A History

48 utahtech.edu | active learning. active life.

SMITH, BRYANT W., Associate Professor of

Nights Concert, a Castle Rock String Camp

Academic Libraries.) Librarians + ChatGPT:

Music – Continuing Music Education, 2024.

Faculty Recital, and the House Concert

Helping Students, Faculty, and Community

Utah Music Educators Journal, 69 vol 2.

series, Three Elegies. Other concerts included

Patrons with AI, 2024. ALA Annual Conference

Brahms’ German Requiem, concerts with the

and Exhibition 2024. San Diego.

TERRY, JOHN FARO, Assistant Professor of

Southwest Symphony Orchestra, and the Salt

Theatre Arts – Gentleman’s Guide to Love and

Lake Chinese Choir. Special performances

LANNERS, EMMA LEIGH, Assistant

Murder, 2025. Utah Tech Theatre Program.

included Baroque Encounters, Cosmopolitan

Librarian – Exploring Synergies: The

Baroque Concerts, and a Midtown Concert

Interplay of OER and Generative AI Adoption

WEBB, GLENN D., Associate Professor of

Series. Masterclasses held with the Diocesan

in Higher Education, co-authored, 2024.

Music – Never Stop Looking for Miracles, 2025.

Girls’ School in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong

Open Education Conference. Hybrid (Rhode

Grand Circle New Music; White Dome, 2025.

Children’s Strings, University of Texas Rio Grand

Island & Online); Empowering OER Growth:

Gary Bogers, Piano; Jazz drumming for Middle

Valley, South Texas College, Indiana University

Leveraging Grants and Local Infrastructure,

School Musicians, 2025. St George Jazz All-

Jacobs School of Music, Nevada School of the

co-authored, 2024. Teach and Learn with Open

Stars; Showcase Concert at the Utah Day of

Arts, and University of North Alabama.

Education Resources: A Virtual Symposium

Percussion, 2025. St George Jazz All-Stars;

Performed at the Kyungpook National

for Utah Higher Education; Introduction to

Love & Fusion, 2024. St George Jazz All-Stars;

University & Pohang Museum of Steel Art.

Open Education Resources, co-authored,

Hosanna, An Easter Oratorio, 2024. Heritage

Performed a Past, Present, and Future cello

2024. Teach and Learn with Open Education

Choir; The Golden Ratio in Taylor Swift’s Music,

duet concert and research presentation.

Resources: A Virtual Symposium for Utah Higher Education; Peer Review completed

co-authored, 2025. Utah Tech Teaching and Learning Conference.

for MERLOT Library & Information Services

LIBRARY

Editorial board for Adaptation Guide —

WEBER, JENNIFER Y., Associate Professor

BCcampus Open Education, 2024; Peer Review for MERLOT Library & Information Services

of Dance – Picnic, 2024. Theatre Program, Utah Tech; POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass

BELL, TAVISH, Smart Tech, Smarter

Editorial board for material Library Guide:

Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive,

Nurses: A Rapid Review of AI Integration and

Zotero, 2024.

2024. Theatre Program, Utah Tech; Implicated,

Librarian Support in Nursing Education. 2024

co-authored, 2024. New Dance Foundation for

SPARK (Students Pursuing Active Research

SANCHEZ, EVA G., Assistant Librarian

the Arts; Four Shades of Reckoning, 2024. Utah

Knowledge) Fall Forum. Utah Tech; Inclusion in

– First Gen Speaker Series, 2024: Feat. Eva

Tech Dance Program; Collaborating Across

Action: Bystander Intervention Techniques for

Sanchez. First Gen Week Events by the UT

Disciplines, co-authored, 2024. Utah Dance

Safer Libraries, 2024. Utah Academic Library

Student Resource Center. Dunford Auditorium;

Education Organization Fall Conference. St

Consortium Professional Development Retreat.

Laptops for Success: How Lending Programs

George, UT; Exploring the Power of Dynamic

Ogden, UT; Bridging AI and XR in Nursing

Boost Student Retention, co-authored 2025.

Imagery and Improvisational Play: Enhancing

Education: A Framework for Ethical Integration

Trailblazer Symposium 2025. Utah Tech.

Belonging and Well-being, 2024. Color Country

and AI Literacy, 2025. XR Southern Summit.

Conference. Zion: EastWest Somatics; What

Cedar City, Utah: SUU.

SHIPLEY, SHELBY LORENE., Assistant

Processing Tools in the Classroom, 2024. Utah

BURNS, JOHN C., Librarian – Intellectual

Lending Programs Boost Student Retention.

Tech Annual Teaching & Learning Conference;

Property Beyond Copyright & Fair Use:

9th Trailblazer Symposium for Research,

Dynamic Imagery Offers Functionality,

Discovering Patents & Trademarks, co-

Innovation, and Creativity, co-authored, 2025;

Relevance, and Individuality in Ballet Pedagogy,

authored, 2025. Utah Library Association (ULA)

Code, Care, and Collaboration: Librarians

co-authored, 2025. In The Oxford Handbook

Annual Conference. St. George, Utah. CHOICE

Advancing AI Literacy in Nursing, co-authored,

of Ballet Pedagogy.

Review of Critical Digital Art History: Interface

2025. Intermountain Teaching for Learning

and data politics in the post-digital era, 2025.

Conference. UVU..

Librarian – Laptops for Success: How

Jumps Out to You? Using Movement-Based

YU, KA-WAI, Associate Professor of

CHOICE Review of Drawing nature: The

Music – From 2024-2025, over 33 individual

creative process of an artist, illustrator, and

performances, including cello soloist with

naturalist, 2025. CHOICE Review of Ceramics

Lieto Voices! and St. George Chamber

in the Victorian Era: Meanings and Metaphors

Singers, principal cellist with Innomine

in Painting and Literature, 2024. CHOICE

Chorale Chamber Orchestra, among others.

Review of The Beauty of the Flower: The Art

Chamber Music Concerts included the Grand

and Science of Botanical Illustration, 2024.

Circle New Music Concert, The Night of All

(All in Choice Magazine: Current Reviews for

Academic Report 2025 | Utah Tech University 49

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