Utah Farmers Market Consumer Preferences for Local Cut Flowers

In this fact sheet, we review the results of a 2024 study examining consumer preferences for local cut flowers at Utah farmers markets. Study data were collected in person via Qualtrics at six farmers markets across northern Utah, with 51 total responses. We discuss farmers market consumer purchasing preferences, familiarity with labeling programs, and preferred flower colors and varieties. Additionally, the factors influencing consumer decisions when purchasing cut flowers, as well as the product information they rely on, are discussed. Overall, the information in this fact sheet will assist cut flower growers in making informed decisions regarding production methods and marketing strategies

A Comparison of Principal Motivational Orientation and the Orientation of Principal Actions to Motivate Teachers

This study was planned and conducted to evaluate the correlation between a principal’s dominant motivation type (intrinsic or extrinsic) related to their dominant method to motivate others (intrinsic or extrinsic). The study included nine elementary school principals who led schools to high levels of academic performance. Three participating principals were selected from a school with high poverty rates. Three other principals were selected from schools with medium poverty rates, and three more were selected from schools with low poverty rates. The researcher collected information from the nine participating principals regarding factors that motivate them to improve student learning at their respective schools. Data were collected from these participants through a survey tool to evaluate the level of intrinsic or extrinsic motivation the respondents had for their work. Additional information regarding sources of motivation was gathered through one-on-one interviews. The responses from each collection method (survey and interview) were reviewed to classify each participant as either intrinsically or extrinsically motivated in their work to improve student learning. Further information was gathered from each participant regarding the actions they use to motivate teachers at their schools. These responses were then analyzed to identify each principal’s dominant motivation style as either more intrinsic or extrinsic. Finally, the principals’ own motivation orientation and the motivational style they used to motivate teachers were compared. Findings revealed that principals’ own identified motivation orientation and the actions they took to motivate teachers often were not the same

UV-A Light and Heat-Activated Antimicrobial and Biodegradable Materials for Food Packaging and Preservation

Current food packaging materials are often non-biodegradable and harmful for ingestion, which poses a threat to the environment and public health. Thus far, the dangers of microbial contamination of food on human health have outweighed the risks associated with using these conventional packaging plastics. A possible solution to these issues is to use a combination of innovative materials and microbial inactivation methods that can potentially both reduce plastic waste and combat harmful microorganisms. In this study, two antimicrobial, biodegradable composites were developed and tested for their ability to inactivate two types of bacterium, Escherichia coli K12 and Listeria innocua, in apple juice in combination with either mild heat or ultraviolet light exposure. Efficacy of each composite was evaluated alone and in combination with either mild heat (50 °C) or ultraviolet (UV-A) light. The partially biodegradable composite reduced L. innocua by over 99.998% when used with either mild heat or UV-A, and reduced E. coli by up to 99.8% and 99.99%, for UV-A and mild heat, respectively. Surface analyses confirmed that the composite remained physically and chemically stable despite these treatments. The fully biodegradable composite reduced E. coli populations by up to 99.8% under UV-A and 99.9% with mild heat, while L. innocua decreased by more than 99.998% for both. Water vapor permeability and mechanical testing showed this material had properties comparable to conventional plastics, however, its oxygen permeability was higher which may affect its usefulness in some practical food packaging applications. It exhibited lower thermal property values compared to the commonly used biodegradable plastic, PLA, which indicates lower temperatures required for processing of the material, reducing energy requirement and cost. These findings demonstrate the potential of combining biodegradable antimicrobial materials with other preservation techniques to improve food safety while reducing negative environmental impact

Illuminating Inclusivity: Celebrating Trans Joy and Liberation in K-12 Education

With the ongoing emphasis on damage-centered research (Holloway, 2023) prevalent in queer and trans studies, the inclusivity and resilience of trans youth can become overlooked. While raising awareness is crucial for change, positive and inclusive voices need more representation in educational research to offer a more comprehensive view of the trans experience. Utilizing the 2015 US Trans Survey, this mixed-methods study explored trans students’ retrospective positive experiences and support from classmates in K-12 settings to highlight trans joy. For this study, trans joy is defined as happiness liberated from gender constraints. Quantitative findings indicate that the mean classmate support score for those who were out as trans in K-12 was significantly lower than that for those who were not out. A notable difference in classmate support scores based on gender identity and sexual orientation was identified, but not for race/ethnicity. Qualitative findings emphasize that most respondents who articulated their experiences of trans joy in K-12 settings were aged 18-21. The alignment of quantitative and qualitative findings illustrates which races, gender identities, and sexual orientations wrote about their experiences of trans joy. Future research should shift from damage-centered narratives to investigate the liberation and advocacy of trans students in K-12 educational environments

An Invitation to Language: Fostering Critical Language Awareness Through Assignment Design

First-year composition (FYC) instructors are often required to teach institution-issued course outcomes alongside their personal values. The author proposes a pedagogy to identify how teachers can invite rhetorical and linguistic agency in student writers and teach toward institutional objectives. To do so, the author shares her approach for revising existing and creating new FYC assignments that invite students to use their multiple codes and languagings (ways of communicating) in their writing. The assignments are driven by translanguaging approaches in writing instruction, specifically code-meshing and Critical Language Awareness (CLA), a theoretical framework coined by Shapiro, and integrate three settings in which languaging occurs naturally: family, music, and social media. The author revised or created an assignment that involves those settings to invite students to use their multiple languages and explains her pedagogical reasons for making those changes. The author argues for the importance of finding actionable ways to teach languaging through a rhetorical lens and extends an invitation to teachers of writers to use their agency to create a safe space for diverse student writers

Sensitivity Analysis of a High-Power Wireless Power Transfer Charging Pad for Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles to Inform Thermal Management

As the world shifts to net zero carbon emissions, many challenges lie ahead. Currently, heavy-duty vehicles produce a large amount of pollutants that are released into the air, affecting air quality in small and large cities. Transitioning heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks and buses, into electric vehicles can help resolve this problem. Electric vehicles and the infrastructure to support them are becoming a viable solution to combating climate change. By no means is electrification perfect yet. Concerns like range anxiety have made the transition to electrifying transportation a slow process. However, implementing Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) charging pads is a viable solution. These systems can charge an EV wirelessly. It is as simple as driving an EV over the charging pad. The charging pad can be placed in garages, parking lots, or roads. In the case of heavy-duty EVs, these WPT systems will need to produce a large amount of power to quickly charge the EV. With increased power comes increased heat. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate a megawatt WPT charging pad. Computer simulations calculated the temperature of certain components in the charging pad. Then, different parameters such as the power level were varied to see what affect those parameters had on the temperature of the pad. A program was created in which a design engineer could enter certain parameter information and the program would calculate the temperatures of certain components in the charging pad

Making Peace Among the People: The Development of Brigham Young\u27s Political Thought and Activity, 1838-1846

Brigham Young assumed the role as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1838, as the Church began to face extreme persecutions by the state of Missouri. Although he was a mostly apolitical individual preceding his new role, over the next eight years Young would hold political office and help the Church navigate challenging relationships with local, state, and federal governments. By the time he led the Latter-day Saints to the Great Basin and became president of the Church in 1847, Young had gained significant experience over several years of tense political conflict. This thesis is a historical study of Brigham Young’s development as a political leader and thinker from 1838-1846. Over these years he led the Saints out of Missouri as they sought refuge in Illinois, grew increasingly frustrated by the federal government’s unwillingness to provide redress for the Saints, advocated for the city’s poorest residents as a member of the Nauvoo City Council, served as a political missionary for Joseph Smith’s 1844 presidential campaign, and participated as an active member of the Council of Fifty. I argue that the traumatic experiences of state-sanctioned violence against the Latter-day Saints in Missouri and Illinois radicalized Young from mainstream American republicanism and nationalism and made him a staunch advocate for what the Latter-day Saints called “theodemocracy.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda February 18, 2025

3:00 Call to Order Approval of Minutes 3:05 University Business 3:20 Faculty Senate Business 3:35 Information EPC Report Emergency/Risk Survey 3:40 Report Professional Responsibilities and Procedures Committee School of Graduate Studies Parking Committee Old Business New Business Adjourn 4:3

General Education Subcommittee Minutes January 02, 2025

Call to Order Approval of Minutes Course Approvals/Removals/Syllabi Approvals New Business Additional Items Adjourn: 9:30a