S Y N A P S EA n n u a l p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e U V U C o l l e g e o f S c i e n c e 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 1 9

WelcomeThis annual publication celebrates the recent accomplishments of the

students, faculty, and staff of the UVU College of Science. Our college includes nearly 3000 students majoring in the sciences, who are taught by 119 full-time faculty members and assisted by 42 staff. Preparing our students to be the science leaders of tomorrow requires that we do more than teach them about science ... we must also actively engage them in scientific research. Toward this goal, we make sure that our students are involved with the scientific process in the classroom, in the lab, in our community and across the globe. The activities and achievements summarized in this magazine represent just a small percentage of the great work that is done in our college.

Table of ContentsDean’s Message4

Funding Top-Quality Education5

Engaged Learning7

Student Presentations14

Outstanding Students16

Ways to Give19

Outreach6

Deans Awards17

On the cover: UVU President Astrid Tuminez stargazing at the Capitol Reef Field Station

Front Cover Photo: August Miller

Back Cover Photo: Richard Bird

Capitol Reef Field Station13

DEAN’S MESSAGEThe Best Scientists Make the Best Teachers

Students in the UVU College

of Science not only learn about science, they also learn to “do” science. This means that our students engage in true scientific inquiry, both in the classroom and through involvement in faculty-mentored original research. To

provide these hands-on learning opportunities, our faculty members must be world-class researchers. Fortunately for our students, there are many such researchers who prefer to work at a university, like UVU, that focuses on undergraduate education. The nine faculty members who were new to UVU this past year perfectly exemplify our ability to attract some of the best scientists in the world. Every one of these new faculty members completed a Ph.D. at a prestigious research university. For example, Dr. Kristen De Nesnera at the University of California – Santa Cruz, Dr. Shane Draper at Kent State University, and Dr. Skyler Simmons at BYU. Many of our new faculty members also participated in prestigious post-doctoral research projects, such as Dr. Nathan Goldfarb at the University of Florida, Dr. Lauren Brooks at the University of California – Merced, and Dr. Paul Dunn at the Max

Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Germany. Some have worked as applied scientists, including Dr. Justin White working as a biogeographic field researcher in Ecuador with the Peregrine Fund, Dr. Anthony Ciccone as a lab director at the Human Performance laboratory at California State University – Fullerton, and Dr. Dustin Shipp developing medical devices with the Biophotonics Group at the University of Nottingham in the UK.

Our newest faculty members join the rest of the faculty in the College of Science who have similarly exceptional qualifications, in a college that already has established an impressive record of innovative teaching and faculty-mentored student research. In the past year, at least 50 different College of Science faculty members have mentored more than 200 students in research projects. Faculty members in the College of Science currently have more than $4 million in external research grants from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and others, along with generous support from the university, that provide funding to support student research. At least 56 of our students have presented their research findings at local, national, and international scientific conferences, some of them highlighted throughout this year’s issue of the Synapse.

Thanks to these research experiences, our graduates have great success in gaining admission to graduate programs or professional schools, such as medical, dental, and pharmacy schools, or in gaining rewarding employment immediately after receiving their UVU degrees. We are proud of all of our graduates, and we consider it the highest honor to have helped them to develop satisfying and productive careers.

Dean Daniel J. Fairbanks

Roots of Knowledge in UVU's Bingham Gallery, located on the 1st floor of the Fulton Library. (See 'Science and the Roots of Knowledge' on page 12)

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Student Support Funds from the National Science Foundation

The College of Science has received two major grants from the National Science Foundation to support student

success.

In 2017 the departments of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Science were awarded a $1,000,000 grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in recognition of our outstanding record of graduate accomplishments and student achievements. The NSF “Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” (S-STEM) grant will provide funds to nearly 50 students over five years. These funds will provide the students with tuition scholarships, and will also provide money for student research and travel. Each S-STEM scholar signs a contract with a faculty member, who mentors the student in a research project and helps the student develop presentation skills. Among the research being conducted by S-STEM scholars are: projects measuring distances to other galaxies, developing new pain drugs, antibiotics, and cancer treatment, studying the long-term behavior of the Wasatch fault, and many more.

In March 2019 the Department of Biology was awarded its own S-STEM grant, to benefit students majoring in Biology, Biotechnology, and Botany. This award totals more than $970,000 and will fund 31 full-tuition scholarships per year for 5 years. In addition to tuition funds, the Biology S-STEM scholarship provides $2,000 per student for research and travel.

College of Science Funds Extracurricular Education

As mentioned in the Message from the Dean, the College of Science places a high priority on providing opportunity for our students to conduct original research. We do much more than pay lip service to this priority – we pay money. During the past academic year, the College has provided over $250,000 to support student research. These funds have benefitted more than 200 students working with over 50 different faculty research mentors. Thanks to this research experience, our graduates are being accepted to top-tier graduate programs, medical schools, pharmacy schools, dental schools, physical therapy programs, or walking right in to well-paid jobs as professional scientists.

FUNDING TOP-QUALITY EDUCATION

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OUTREACH

The College of Science has been actively engaged in many outreach activities on campus, within our

local community and throughout the state. These efforts touched thousands of lives during this past academic year, helping establish UVU and the College of Science as caring community partners, enthusiastic mentors, and leaders in the promotion of STEM education.

Outreach highlights included providing hands-on science educational activities at UVU Homecoming, Sustainability Day, Dean’s Day, STEM Fest, Empowering Your Tomorrows, UVUSA Department Days, Craft Lake City DIY Festival & STEM Expo, Darwin Day, SheTech, Expanding Your Horizons, Math Girls Rock!, Arbor Day, Science Palooza, Google Fiber STEM Nights, Chemistry Magic Shows, STEM Like a Girl, Raspberry Pi, and the San Juan County Career Fair. Outreach presentations at these events and many others were supported by hundreds of UVU students, faculty, and staff representing the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Exercise Science, Mathematics, and Physics.

Math Girls Rock!Navajo Nation - San Juan County

UVU Alumni Homecoming Fair Sustainability Wall Ribbon Cutting

Expanding Your Horizons

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ENGAGED LEARNING“Skunk Works”, UVU Atmospheric Physics Research Group

The Skunk Works laboratory at UVU is named for a famed lab at Lockheed Martin aerospace

company. UVU’s Skunk Works group is designing and constructing low-cost instruments to explore dynamics in the Earth’s upper atmosphere and space environments. These instruments are being developed and deployed as part of a student-driven collaboration with University of Electro Communication (UEC) in Tokyo.

This past year, Skunk Works fine-tuned their imaging system, which is capable of measuring extremely faint light emissions originating from heights of about 60 miles in the atmosphere. These emissions are known as airglow, and the Skunk Works instrument reveals a variety of atmospheric waves that are important to understanding the energy transport throughout earth’s atmosphere and near-space

environment. This past year, colleagues from Japan visited UVU to participate in a workshop on space dynamics held at the Capitol Reef Field Station. Two Japanese students stayed afterwards and worked with UVU students to complete an imaging system, which is now deployed in Japan.

A second instrument currently being built by UVU Skunk Works students is a Schumann Resonance Detector. This instrument will detect extreme low frequency electromagnetic wave resonances that are generated by lightning strikes, and propagate along the Earth’s magnetic field lines, bouncing between the surface and the ionosphere. It has recently been postulated that small perturbations in the Earth’s surface can be detected through these resonances. The

team is now constructing a receiver system specifically designed to measure variations due to pre-cursor perturbations of major earthquakes.

Designing Nanotechnology Laboratories for a New UVU Course

Physics student Scott Kaiser has been at the forefront of developing laboratories

for a new nanotechnology course that will be offered at UVU in Fall 2019. Nanotechnology and thin film physics are at the core of all computers, cell phones, and personal electronic devices. Working with Physics professor Dr. Paul Weber and faculty in the Computer Engineering department, Scott produced modules to teach students about best practices in nanotechnology, operation of the electron microscope, and advanced topics such as microfluidics, quantum dots, and carbon materials such as graphene. Dr. Weber said “Scott’s dedicated work, and his drive to achieve results with new methods has been essential to the success of this project.” The instructional modules that are being assembled for the UVU course will also become part of an online resource available to instructors of nanotechnology across the globe. This work is part of a 3-year, $706,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.

Scott Kaiser operating a plasma etching unit (LEFT), which chemically prepares surfaces with ionized oxygen (pink glow in the chamber) in preparation for attaching microfluid channels formed with PDMS elastomer. These channels are tested (RIGHT) and refinements are developed to allow smaller feature sizes. The structures may one day become part of single-cell flow channels for cancer detection.

Scott has presented this work at conferences of the American Society for Engineering Education. He will continue his education in an applied physics graduate program at the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

From Left: Daisuke Komatsu and Ryo Tozu from UEC working with Drake Hansen and Bianca Durrant on the airglow imaging system.

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Thermal Imaging Tracking

Dr. Justin White and his Earth Science students are developing methods to track wildlife using cameras

mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles (aka “drones”). An especially effective method of tracking mammals is to work at night using thermal infrared cameras, because the warm bodies show up in stark contrast with the cold surroundings. The group has been testing different thermal imaging systems to determine which work best.

Botany Program

The botany program at UVU provides students with a solid background in biology, chemistry, math, and

physics, alongside specialized training in courses such as plant anatomy, plant ecology, and plant physiology. Students are well prepared for jobs in botany or acceptance into graduate programs. Botany students often participate in undergraduate research with faculty mentors and share their work through publications and presentations.

Student Eliza Ballantyne working with the Raman spectrometer

Applications of Physics to Human Health

Two research groups in the Department of Physics are developing new tools to assess human health.

Student researchers in the Center for Imaging and Biophotonics Experiments Advancing Medicine (CIBEAM), working with physics professor Dustin Shipp, have built a microscope to acquire images of cells and tissue using “Raman spectroscopy.” Raman images display a chemical map of cells and tissues without affecting the sample in any way. CIBEAM students are studying a variety of applications of this technology. Bianca Durrant is developing a method to diagnose bacterial infections. Lance Buck is studying different types of cancer cells, while Jessica Jones identifies these cancer cells in larger tissues. Eliza Ballantyne acquires images of immune cell

interactions. All of these studies are aided by automated imaging algorithms developed by Matt Trappett. Each of these studies could have significant impact on medical or biological fields, all stemming from a student-built apparatus.

Meanwhile, students in Dr. Hart’s lab have been using artificial intelligence to classify cancer cell types and identify the borders of tumors in CT and MR images. Below, Duncan Reeves (a Junior in the physics program) works with the code for a convolutional neural network, a type of machine learning algorithm that identifies patterns in images. This algorithm was developed by UVU students over the past year and runs on an ultra-fast GPU machine housed in the Medical Physics Research Lab at UVU.

Duncan Reeves working on neural networks.

Levi Chronis and Justus Thomas test thermal imager Botany student Whitney Weinberg working in the UVU greenhouse

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Earth Science Students Finding Faults

Work by UVU students and faculty has propelled the department of Earth Science to the forefront

of earthquake geology research. In the past year this work has focused on two earthquake faults in Utah (the Thousand Lake fault near Capitol Reef National Park and the Topliff fault west of Utah Lake) and the San Andreas fault in California. For each of these faults, the researchers seek to learn about the timing and sizes of prehistoric earthquakes, in order for nearby emergency planners to be better prepared for future quakes. These projects have been presented at regional, national, and international geologic meetings, and they have resulted in a better understanding of earthquake hazards in Utah and in improved methods for locating active faults.

Two branches of the Thousand Lake fault (on the edge of the white rock in the distance) exposed in a hillside east of Bicknell.

UVU Earth Science students inspect a research trench dug across the San Andreas fault south of San Francisco. The fault lies at the foot of the hill that crosses the photo.

The San Andreas fault revealed as a series of aligned, linear topographic features running between the arrows. This 3-D photographic model of the fault zone was created by Earth Science students and faculty via computer manipulation of aerial photographs taken from drone aircraft.

Vibration Analysis Project

Scott Olsen and Scott Kaiser did an interesting acoustics project for their upper division acoustics

class. They were studying rifle barrel vibrations to improve the accuracy for marksmen. They used complicated wave models for transverse modes of vibrating cylinders to estimate the resonant modes. Then they used a laser vibrometer to measure the vibrations at the end of the barrel with various masses attached.

They wrote a successful research funding proposal, worked out the mathematical model, collected and analyzed the data, wrote a paper, and gave a presentation for the class. This project illustrates the effectiveness of having students participate in research as part of a class.

Launching a VASIMR Plasma Rocket at UVU

Graduating senior James Loveless spent the last days of his UVU career measuring luminosity profiles

to determine plasma density in a unique type of rocket that may eventually pave the way to regular space-service to Mars. Professors Ray Perkins and Phil Matheson are working with Loveless and students Michael Burt and Joshua Baum to build and study the characteristics of a VASIMR rocket. The acronym stands for “Variable Specific Impulse Magnetohydrodynamic Rocket”. The group recently presented their work at the Utah Academy of Science Arts and Letters. A rocket of this type can only be used in space. It has the advantage of being able to supply a higher thrust than current generations of ion-engines that are the mainstay of unmanned exploration spacecraft. It is anticipated that the project will continue for several years, training many students in the fundamentals of plasma physics. Loveless will continue his physics education as a doctoral student at North Carolina State next fall.

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The Science of Performance

Students and faculty in UVU’s Department of Exercise Science perform cutting-edge research on people

participating in athletic activities, with the goal of learning how to maximize performance while minimizing risk of injury. These research projects include analyses of running and walking in different types of shoes and in different conditions, bicycling in different conditions, and biomechanics of golfing and ballet dancing.

The students conducting this research gain valuable scientific skills and knowledge, and build exceptional resume’s that help them gain employment and/or acceptance to graduate programs in science and health fields. The research subjects benefit by learning how to safely increase levels of performance. The general population also benefits from this work, as we all learn more about staying healthy and happy.

In addition to the exercise science program, students majoring in Outdoor Recreation learn leadership skills through recreation theory, experiential education, risk management, program planning and outdoor leadership. This program teaches and trains students for both graduate school and careers in the outdoor fields.

Under the supervision of Dr. Tyler Standifird and Dr. Andrew Creer, Exercise Science student Bryson Carrier (left) investigates metabolic and biomechanical variables during inclined and declined walking in the Human Performance Lab at UVU. This data has been collected in collaborations with researchers at the University of Memphis in Tennessee.

Under the supervision of Dr. Tyler Standifird, Dr. Shane Draper, and Dr. Andrew Creer, Exercise Science students Melina Glock and Sierra Starley (right), investigate metabolic and biomechanical variables during single leg cycling.

Exercise Science students Brett Holmes and Shawn Cudworth collect data with Dr. Tyler Standifird (pictured) on the biomechanics of the golf swing.

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Students Alex Frahm and Jacob Pete with the atmospheric sampler that they designed, built, and installed. This device will be used to measure micro-plastic air pollution in Utah Valley.

Student Phil Rich testing a device to harvest algae from Utah Lake.

Utah Valley Health Check

Several research groups at UVU are evaluating aspects of the environmental health of Utah Valley, and devising

methods to improve that health.Drs. Weihong Wang and Eddy Cadet, in the Department of Earth Science, are working with groups of students to assess and remediate pollution of soil and water in and around Utah Lake. These studies have documented some of the sources of phosphorous in Utah Lake, which leads to dangerous blooms of toxic algae. Identifying these sources is the first step in avoiding the blooms. The group has also documented unhealthy levels of metals contamination of soil along the lakeshore, and found evidence that efforts to remove invasive plant species from the lake may result in greater mobilization of those metals within the ecosystem.While most people are familiar with air pollution resulting from automobiles and other combustion processes, Chemistry professor Dr. Sally Rocks and her students are assessing an entirely different sort of pollution: airborne microplastics. These plastic particles, less than 5mm in size, come from water treatment plants, industrial plants, and breakdown of plastic items exposed in landfills or anywhere in the community. Microplastics are a health concern because many toxic materials (metals, organic molecules, and others) adhere to the plastics and can thus be transported to our lungs, drinking water, and food. Dr. Rocks’ project is the first study of microplastic air pollution in Utah.Chemistry professor Dr. Kevin Shurtleff and his students are working on systems that could remove the toxic algae from Utah Lake and clean the valley air during winter inversions. The group is developing a barge-mounted device that could filter algae from the water. Part of the energy needed to run the device would be recovered by converting the algae into fuel. The group is also developing a system to reduce air pollution by filtering the air within updraft towers. Upward flow of the air would be achieved via a solar heating system, with no required energy input.

Tyler Johnson measuring the flow rate through the filter system during an algae harvesting run.

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Science and the Roots of Knowledge

The Roots of Knowledge gallery at UVU, an

artistic representation of the history of the earth and the history of human thought and accomplishment, is one of the great works of art in our state. Housed in the Fulton Library, Roots of Knowledge features 80 panels of stained-glass artwork (totaling about 2000 square feet of stained glass), with each panel focusing on a different theme or time period. As is detailed in the gallery’s web site, the gallery includes major inventions such as the Mayan Calendar and the printing press; important figures such as Joan of Arc and the Kangxi Emperor; major world events, such as Scotland’s Declaration of Arbroath and the American Civil Rights Movement; and thousands of other historical figures, tools, and events. Altogether, Roots of Knowledge incorporates thousands of pieces of glass, as well as actual rock, fossils, coins, meteorite, petrified wood, and coral.

While the public is encouraged to visit during any of the library’s open hours, an especially great time to visit is during one of the frequent Roots of Knowledge Lectures (see the web site for a schedule). Each of these lectures investigates some aspect of learning or human achievement, with ties to artistic elements that are featured in the windows. During the past year, members of the UVU College of Science delivered three of the Roots of

Dr. Hilary Hungerford talking about the importance of water at a Roots of Knowledge lecture.

Knowledge Lectures. In October 2018, geographer Dr. Hilary Hungerford delivered a talk titled All Roots Need Water (an examination of the importance of water across the globe). In January, Mathematics Department Chair Bob Palais spoke about Measuring the Earth, Measuring the Universe: Geometry in the Roots of Knowledge. Finally, in March Associate Dean Daniel Horns discussed the development of plate tectonic theory in a talk titled I Feel the Earth Move: Evolving Thoughts on the Dynamic Planet.

We encourage you to visit Roots of Knowledge, to attend a future Roots of Knowledge Lecture, and to watch past lectures on the Roots of Knowledge web page. (https://www.uvu.edu/rootsofknowledge/)

UVUSA Senator and Representatives

Utah Valley University Student Association’s (UVUSA) Department Representatives and Senator in the College of Science meet regularly with college faculty and administration to relay student concerns and collaborate to better

the programs for the students and university as a whole. During the past academic year these students spent over 500 hours talking with fellow students, performing survey polls, participating in outreach events both on and off campus, and conducting focus groups. Additional accomplishments included working with student computing to install a much needed web enabled printer in the Science Building and helping students become more involved with faculty mentored research. The students who performed these services for our college included Shane Gunnerson – UVUSA Senator, Aurora Hansen – Exercise Science & Outdoor Recreation, Emily Vander Werff – Biology, Clayton Rawson – Chemistry, and Rachel Richards – Earth Science.

College of Science Internships

Internships in the College of Science offer our students the opportunity to get hands-on, real world experience with the supervision and training of an experienced professional. Some internships are paid while others are unpaid, but

the main focus of an internship is on experience. An internship includes learning goals that connect concepts learned in the classroom to real world scenarios in order to gain practical experience and help interns accomplish their career goals. Internships are important because they offer a variety of benefits to both students and employers. The College of Science had more than 170 students participate in internships with local, regional, and national companies and organizations over the past year.

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The Capitol Reef Field Station (CRFS) is a world-class education and research facility located within

Capitol Reef National Park. The College of Science is one of the major sources of visitors to CRFS. The field station is operated as a partnership between Utah Valley University and Capitol Reef National Park. There are only nine other universities in the United States that have similar partnerships with national parks. Faculty, staff, and students from the College of Science support the field station’s mission of engaged learning, research, and conservation through activities representing a range of disciplines such as astronomy, biology, botany, geology, physics, outdoor recreation, and zoology.

This academic year, CRFS celebrated its 10th anniversary, and just opened a new classroom building. The 1,400 sqft building will enhance field station operations by providing dedicated space for teaching and learning. The classroom building includes digital projection, whiteboards, sinks, cabinets, and ample work surfaces. The building's classroom opens onto a covered patio with additional teaching space outside and spectacular views of the Henry Mountains. The building also features a telescope storage

room with an adjacent observation platform, a space for research instruments, and two restrooms accessible from the outside. The new building enhances the field station experience for all visitors and increases the ability to support the missions of both Utah Valley University and Capitol Reef National Park.

Ribbon cutting at new CRFS Classroom Building, April 27, 2019

Covered patio of the newly completed CRFS Classroom Building

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STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

Exercise Science Student Lauren Williams presents data at the Southwest American College of Sports Medicine.

Students in the College of Science presented their

research work at some of the most prestigious scientific conferences in the world. During the 2018-2019 academic year, more than 50 of our students presented their research at scientific conferences around the globe. At these events, students showed their research and also networked with future employers and graduate school advisors.

Following is chronological list of many of the student presentations at scientific conferences over the past year.

International Mycological Association 11th Congress, San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 16-22, 2018. Presenter Joseph Jimenez.

Botanical Society of America Meeting, Rochester, Minnesota, July 21-25, 2018. Presenters Alyson DeNittis, Sydney Houghton, Natalie Blain.

American Chemical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, August 19 - 23, 2018. Presenter Joshua Balmforth.

American College of Medicine Southwestern Conference, Costa Mesa, California, October 25-27, 2018. Presenters Lauren Williams, Bryson Carter, Jonathan Crimm, Steven McCuch, Justin Ethington, Marshall Brown, Caitlyn Stainbrook.

International Academy of Dance Medicine and Science, Helsinki, Finland, October 25-28, 2018. Presenter Alise Borne.

Geological Society of America annual conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, November 4-7, 2018. Presenters Nicholas D. Udy, Serena Smith, Michael Andrews, McKenzie Ranney.

Entomological Society of America annual meeting, Vancouver, Canada, November 11-14, 2018. Presenter CaBri Montano.

American Physical Society annual meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, March 4-8, 2019. Presenters Gunnar Jensen, Mason Acree.

Utah Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters annual meeting, Ogden, Utah, March 23, 2019. Presenters Garrett Matthews, Tyler Thornton, Austin Sherwin, Jake Nymeyer, Nate Roundy, Hunter Brittain, Jonathan Wasden.

American Chemical Society spring meeting, Orlando, Florida, March 31- April 4, 2019. Presenters Joshua Taylor, Clara Carbajal, Matthew Rittmanic, Cody Cowley, Brendan Truman, Tyler Johnson.

American Association of Geographers annual meeting, Washington D.C., April 3-7, 2019. Presenters Derek McGovern, Erin Call, Sophia Garrido, William Pacheco.

American Society of Biomechanics Rocky Mountain meeting, Estes Park, Colorado, April 5-6, 2019. Presenters Keegan Taylor, Melina Glock, Austin Kropshek, Jay Hinton.

American Physical Society spring meeting, Denver, Colorado, April 13-16, 2019. Presenter Eli Atkin.

International Society for Medical Shockwave Treatment Congresses, Beijing, China, May 23-26, 2019. Presenter Tyson Hillock.

American College of Sports Medicine annual conference, Orlando, Florida, May 28-June 1, 2019. Presenters Brayden Jolley, Lauren Williams, Bryson Carrier.

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Exercise Science student Alise Borne had an opportunity to present her award-winning research on ballroom dance biomechanics at an international conference in Finland.

Exercise Science students Caitlyn Stainbrook & Jonathan Crimm present data at the Southwest American College of Sports Medicine.

Exercise Science student Bryson Carrier presenting data detailing fitness tracker validation data at the Southwest Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine meeting held in Costa Mesa, CA.

Tegan Parks at 255th American Chemical Society.

Alan Parry, Eli Atkin and Ryan Bevan at Baltimore National Joint Math Meetings

Physics student, and NSF scholar, Melania Pena presents her astronomy research work on the atmospheres of brown dwarf stars at the Four Corners American Physical Society held in Salt Lake. Listening intently is dual physics-chemistry major Alvaro Lizarbe. Pena works with Prof. Jacqueline Radigan-Hofmann. She has previously presented her work at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Washington DC along with fellow NSF scholar, Caitlin Murphy.

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OUTSTANDING STUDENTS OF 2019

The students listed below are recognized as among the best in the College of Science. They were selected

through nomination and voting by the faculty members in each department. Those ultimately recognized as Outstanding Students have performed exceptionally well in their classes and made other significant contributions. Some of the students have participated in research projects of regional or international importance, while others played key roles in

service learning projects. Many played leadership roles within their departments, helping classmates with assignments and mentoring other students.

As a group, these Outstanding Students have raised the academic bar at UVU, helped the College of Science be more engaged with our community, and made UVU an even more prestigious institution.

Earth Science

McKinsey Nielsen Nick Udy

Physics

Mason Acree Eli T. Atkin

Biology

CaBri Montano Jordan Clawson

Exercise Science & Outdoor Recreation

Kimberly Miller Jonathan Crimm

Chemistry

Clara Carbajal Rawlings Lyle

Mathematics

Justin Meiners Addison Adams

FACULTY AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONEddy Cadet (Earth Science) Michaela Gazdik-Stofer (Biology) Alan Parry (Mathematics) Steve Revelli (Chemistry)Craig Thulin (Chemistry) Jessica Wagner (Biology) Weihong Wang (Earth Science) Heather Wilson-Ashworth (Biology)

Board of Trustees Award of ExcellenceFaculty Senate Award of ExcellenceFaculty Senate Award of ExcellenceFaculty Senate Adjunct Award of ExcellenceAlumni Outstanding Educator of the YearFaculty Senate Adjunct Award of ExcellenceFaculty Senate Award of ExcellenceOTL Award for Online Course Design, and Student Advocate Award

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DEAN’S AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

Currently the Faculty Senate president, Craig Dan Thulin earned a bachelor’s degree in cell biology from the University of Utah, and a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Washington.

Professionally, Thulin has been a postdoctoral fellow at the Vollum Institute for Advanced Biomedi-cal Research; adjunct Instructor at UVSC's department of life sciences; postdoctoral fellow, research associate, assistant professor at BYU; and an adjunct assistant professor at the U of U's School of Medicine, department of obstetrics and gynecology. At UVU, he has been recipient of the Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Award for Research and the Outstanding Educator Award for the College of Science. “Our students are amazing,” Thulin says. “So many of them are wonderful examples of determination despite difficulties in becoming their best selves. They inspire me and give me hope."Craig Thulin

Service

Tyler Standifird earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of Utah, a master’s at Brigham Young University in exercise physiology, and his doctorate from the Universi-

ty of Tennessee, Knoxville, in kinesiology/biomechanics. He received the UVU Honors Thesis Mentor of the Year Award in 2018, and a UVU Alumni Outstanding Educator of the Year Award for the Col-lege of Science in 2017. Standifird says he loves watching his students shine, rather than faculty. “I love that I get to let my students be the very brightest stars. At UVU it is not about padding my resume,” he says, “it is about helping my students to gain experiences that will open doors to their future. I love that all of the research we do in our labs is first authored and presented by UVU students.”

Tyler StandifirdScholarship

Originally from Verona, Italy, Zanazzi earned his bachelor’s degree in geology from University of Padua, Italy, his master’s degree in geology from Iowa State University, and his doctorate degree

in geology from the University of South Carolina. Prior to his UVU experience, he was a post-doctoral associate at Yale University and a full-time temporary assistant professor at Eastern Connecticut State University. Zanazzi was awarded a Socrates-Erasmus Fellowship at the University of Padua; the Aldo Gini Fellowship, University of Padua; a Taber Award for Outstanding Ph.D. Research, University of South Carolina; Bateman Fellowship, Yale University; and a UVU Presidential Fellowship, Utah Valley University. He says he finds a “very friendly, supporting, and welcoming environment” at UVU. Alessandro Zanazzi

Teaching

Eric Domyan is an assistant professor who holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Ohio State University, a master’s degree in science education from OSU, and a doctorate in genetics from the

University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to coming to UVU, Domyan was a high school teacher in Ohio for five years, and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Utah for four years. He is the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships, including the UVU College of Science SAC Grant, the UVU Office of Engaged Learning GEL Grant, National Institutes of Health NRSA Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. “Students at UVU have an incredible amount of energy and enthusiasm,” Domyan says.Eric Domyan

Scholarship

Brandi Leigh Pacchiega was raised in St. George, Utah, and holds an associate degree from Di-xie College. She then earned a bachelor’s degree in history at Southern Utah University, and a

master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. Pacchiega has 17 years of working in higher education, including 14 years at the Dixie State University Bookstore, starting as an assistant AP/AR clerk and ending as the manager of the off-campus store. She is a member of Alpha Chi and Phi Alpha Theta. She enjoys exploring the red rock trails of the desert. She met her husband at a college bookstore conference and the couple is about to celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary.

Brandi PacchiegaStaff

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Dean: Daniel J. Fairbanks

Associate Dean: Danny HornsAssociate Dean: Jason SlackAssistant Dean: Jim Murphy

Assistant to the Dean: Kerri HowlettAdministrative Support: Jamie WinnOffice Assistant: Savannah CragunMultimedia Services: Mike BirdAdvising Manager: Kristine FarnsworthInternship Coordinator: James McCoy

Area IT Director: Tony NwabubaArea Technician: Ryan Jensen

DEAN'S OFFICE

As you have read in this publication the UVU College of Science offers many learning opportunities inside and outside of the classroom. Your financial support will make such opportunities available to more students by

helping to provide additional scholarships, academic programs, internships and research. Because 87% of UVU graduates remain in the state, an investment in the College of Science is not just an investment in our students -- it's an investment in Utah's future.

Gifts of Cash: An easy way to give to the College of Science is to make a gift online by going to http://www.uvu.edu/cos/ and clicking on the MAKE A GIFT tab. You may also make a gift by check, made payable to UVU College of Science.

Annual Fund: The UVU Annual Fund is made up of gifts from alumni, parents, students, faculty members, and community members. The Annual Fund currently provides over $200,000 each year for scholarships to deserving UVU students and vital departmental needs such as laboratory equipment, student research and increased course offerings. Without this crucial support, UVU would not be able to provide such a high-quality education to so many diverse students.

Memorial Gifts: A memorial gift to the College of Science is an opportunity to honour the memory of a loved one or to pay tribute to a revered professor or mentor. A memorial gift celebrates the life of an individual by linking that person's name with a College of Science project about which you feel passionate.

Scholarships: UVU is committed to meeting the higher education needs of the region and to providing every student with an outstanding educational experience. You can help support students in the College of Science by establishing a new scholarship fund or by making a donation of any size to the following private scholarships:

Ways to give to the College of Science

H. Clyde Davis Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund Grant H. and Pauline C. Elliott Endowed Scholarship Lawrence J. Gray ScholarshipThe Kimball T. Harper Endowed Botany FundJohn Keith and Lillian Y. Hayes Endowed Scholarship Robert K. & Anne S. Peper Endowed Scholarship Fund

Rudolph P. and Edna Reese Family Endowed Scholarship FundSam Rushforth Endowed ScholarshipRichard G. Scott Science Scholarship Lucille T. Stoddard Endowed Scholarship Lerue W. Winget Memorial Math and Sciences Scholarship First Generation Completion Initiative

Student Research: In the current academic year, the College of Science has provided over $250,000 in research support, which has helped over 300 students get invaluable hands-on experience conducting cutting-edge scientific research.

Matching Gifts: Many companies have matching gift programs that match, double, or even triple the contributions of their employees. If your employer offers matching gifts, please submit the appropriate form with your donation. If you are unsure whether your company has a matching gift program, please contact your company's human resource office.

For more information on these and other ways to support UVU's College of Science, please contact:

Jim Murphy, Assistant DeanPhone: 801-863-5511Email: jmurphy@uvu.edu