Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

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  Is the Adoption of Sustainability Financing an Effective Solution to Environmental Issues?

  Andrew Damas

  With the growing use of green financing, environmentally conscious banks and investors can help incentivize firms to create more sustainable business practices. This poster aims to provide insight on how effective green financing is on lessening CO2 emissions and improving the environmental and social responsibility of the firm. The results indicate how complex the issue is. While green financing certainly helps to lessen a firms environmental impact, it also lacks clear guidelines, reducing it potential benefit.

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  Racial Disparity on Holding Penalties in the NFL

  Alex Dayley, Katelyn Williams, Terrance Bankhead, and Cameron Wood

  Numerous studies have identified and analyzed the existence and impact of racial discrimination on different aspects of United States culture, including the criminal justice system and professional sporting associations. For example, in the criminal justice system, research has found that minorities are more likely to experience a search of their vehicle during a traffic stop especially if the police officer is of a different race than the motorist. This analysis of racial bias can be applied to professional sporting associations, where split-second decisions are made which allows for the possibility of racial discrimination. In the NBA, research has found that referees are more likely to call a penalty against a player of a different race than their own. Evidence of racial bias has also been found in the MLB, NCAA, and NFL. In the NFL, racial bias has been analyzed in several aspects of the association, including fines, disciplinary action, and hiring of head coaches. While several studies have been conducted in these aspects of the NFL, only a few studies have analyzed the possible existence of racial bias in regard to holding penalties. These studies found no statistically significant impacts of racial bias in holding penalties. However, there are identifiable issues with these studies including outdated data and limited sample size. This allows for the possibility of repeated research to be conducted to confirm or deny the findings of these studies and identify whether racial discrimination does exist in regard to holding penalties in the NFL.

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  Trauma: Forced Sterilizations of Latina Women in the United States

  Lisset Delgado and Wystan Hampton

  The purpose of our research is to understand the history of how American society has viewed Latina women and the oppression they have faced mainly due to forced sterilizations. Between the 1930s and 1970s, Latinos in the United States were forced to undergo sterilizations which have been a large contributor to the cause of multiple underlying mental health issues. Although the book Taína, written by Ernesto Quiñónez, is considered fiction, we understand that many of Quiñónez's stories within the book are based on actual events that took place in his life. As a result, his literary work will be utilized throughout our study. Aside from Taína, we will primarily be referring to the work of Rosie Pérez and her documentary, Yo soy boricua pa'que tú lo sepas (I'am Boricua, Just So You Know!). The documentary explores Puerto Ricans and the struggles they have endured while being under the control of the United States. In addition, Cathy Caruth's academic work provides essential information on 'Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder' (PTSD) that helps us understand the trauma Puerto Rican women endured. By evaluating the sources provided, our research seeks to understand how these sterilizations have impacted women's mental health. As well as identify the reasoning and cause as to why Puerto Rican women were chosen to undergo these life-changing procedures.

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  Beloved: Born of Sethe's Slavery and Trauma

  Sariah Dutkiewicz

  Toni Morrison’s Beloved introduces many characters who exhibit clear signs of trauma due to their past as African American slaves, however, one character in particular stands out: Sethe. Sethe’s life as a slave led her to experience and do horrendous things. The worst being the difficult and violent decision to murder her own child, Beloved, in an effort to prevent her child from being forced into slavery. Though Sethe survived her life as a slave, she was unable to focus on her future because of her past that consistently haunts her. Her trauma is portrayed in many different forms throughout the novel: trees, scars, time, and the ghost of Beloved herself. These symbols of trauma provide the reader with a glimpse of how trauma, specifically trauma created from the United States' dark history in slavery, influences Sethe from moving on, and continues to manipulate her throughout the novel. I will be analyzing these portrayals of trauma and how they affect Sethe’s character throughout the novel.

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  Entrepreneurship Processes and Success in Developing Nations

  Hayden Egley

  This research provides insights into the entrepreneurial process of small business owners (SBOs) in developing nations. Much of the existing entrepreneurship research has focused on small and medium sized businesses in developed nations such as the United States and United Kingdom; very little is known about the topic in the context of developing nations. Furthermore, while entrepreneurship is important to the economies of developing nations, entrepreneurship is often hampered in them due to lack of capital and financial innovation. This research uses the results of depth interviews of 70 SBOs in developing nations, focusing on Mongolia and the Philippines. The hour-long interviews spanned dozens of questions about the SBOs entrepreneurial journey. Initial findings of the coded data include several interesting and important insights. For example, we found that SBOs who stated they did not have mentors were significantly more unsatisfied with their level of business success (versus SBOs who did have mentors). Also, SBOs who said that profit was their number one goal also indicated profit was their measurement for success while, in contrast, SBOs who indicate other elements (different from profit) for their number one goals typically put yet other elements for their measurement of success that didn’t match up with their number one goals. Furthermore, there is a lack of correlation between the SBOs number of years in business and their satisfaction. Other additional insights on entrepreneurial processes, goals, and environmental factors such as the impact of local government were also discovered which are discussed in this research presentation.

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  Survey of Utah Onions for Bulb Rot Pathogens

  Elizabeth Hansen

  Bacterial pathogens cause an estimated $60 million in damages every year in the USA. Little information is currently known about the bacterial bulb rot pathogens found in Utah that impact the onions. Surveys of onion fields and packing sheds have been conducted over the past two years to find symptomatic leaves and bulbs. Symptomatic onions were collected and cultured to grow bacterial strains and identified using PCR and DNA sequencing of the partial 16S gene. Individual isolates went through pathogenicity testing using onion scale as well as leaf assay tests. There was a total of 191 isolates from 2019 and 2020 of over 20 different genera. Five isolates caused bulb rots in onions. This is the first survey in the state conducted to identify specific bacterial bulb rot pathogens, and growers will be able to use this information to minimize onion losses to bacterial bulb rot pathogens.

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  Art as an Educator

  Kylie Hansen

  When looking at art, eyes are often drawn to the foreground of the canvas, which can leave out many details and not tell the whole story a painting has to offer. The process of analyzing and looking deeper into works of art would be common in a perfect world; its lessons can be universal. Everyone should study art because it increases skills that can be used for many things. Art can reframe views of the world as well as condition the mind to look past quick judgments. Art teaches one to slow down and analyze situations before acting and may also teach that what is absent in a situation may be as important as what is present. My presentation will discuss these three primary skills that people can develop through looking deeper into and understanding art. While art may not appeal to everyone, skills learned through its study can be used in many facets of life.

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  Mapping the New Latinx Identity: How Native Beliefs and Magic Realism in Latinx Literature and Culture Extrapolate the Need to Develop One's Identity Through the Retention of Native Origins

  Megan Hansen

  The disparity between the yearning to belong to a society and the inability to find acceptance within it plagues Latinx immigrants as they struggle to establish a balance between their culture of origin and the need for assimilation in the United States. A partial formation of identity in both spaces leaves Latinx immigrants torn between assimilation or isolation, creating internal conflict as they strive to locate a space to belong. Using the theme of folk religion under the scope of magic realism as the canvas, Latinx authors, such as Ernesto Quiñónez in Changó´s Fire and Taína, Érika Sánchez in I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, Sandra Cisneros in The House on Mango Street, and Roberto Fernández in “Raining Backwards”, paint a vivid picture of the necessity to maintain familiarity with national and religious origins during assimilation. This analysis seeks to establish the need that Latinx immigrants have to create a new space where both assimilation into the new culture and conservation of the old can coexist to develop an amalgamated identity.

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  Pan Variant SARS-CoV-2 Common Interactions and Drug Candidates

  Kolton Hauck

  As the SARS-CoV-2 virus has spread, multiple strains have appeared. Research has investigated potential drug candidates for COVID-19, but without consideration for the multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2. A domain-based and interolog-based method were implemented to predict protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between the SARS-CoV-2 variants and human proteins. A common set (conserved among all strains) and a unique set (distinct for each strain) of interactions were made. These sets of interactions were characterized via subcellular localization, tissue expression, pathway enrichment and gene ontology. Lastly, drug candidates were identified for the common set. The combined domain and interolog methods resulted in 8963 predicted common interactions. The common interactions were characterized and major pathways and drug candidates were identified. These candidates are important because they may prove effective for all SARS-CoV-2 variants and future ones as well.

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  A Case For Greek Life

  Jett Hawk

  Since the late 19th Century, fraternities and sororities have been unique college organizations. Today however, Greek Life’s existence is being threatened by problems that it has created. Sexual assault, member harm, and destructive recruitment techniques are prevalent in the community. These are the primary issues raised by the Abolish Greek Life movement. On the other hand, Greek Life has been a great community from which individuals can build lifelong friends and develop personally and professionally, as many have experienced. My research investigated women’s, LGBTQIA+ students’, working class’s, and fraternity members’ perspectives to gain insight on problems, solutions, and the future of Greek Life. Ultimately, I found that each chapter must analyze its relationship with sexual assault, membership harm, and recruitment, incorporating the perspectives of those most affected by Greek Life. If fraternities and sororities fix their problems, this community has the potential to be a fantastic asset to campuses as well as be a key tool for social change. Fraternities and sororities are unique collegiate organizations. AGL has brought to light serious problems in Greek Life that need immediate solutions. However, abolition of the community would be a mistake. With the proper reforms, fraternities and sororities can be organizations that build strong personal relationships, develop useful professional skills, and empower their members to live better lifestyles.

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  Vape Prevention in Rural Populations: Teacher Education

  Jenna Hawks

  Background: The increased use and initiation of e-cigarette use (more commonly referred to as vape or vaping) in youth is a growing health concern. “Be Epic”, implemented in November of 2020 to May of 2021, is a multi-component e-cigarette preventative program targeting teachers, parents, and youth grades 5-12 in the Rural Southeast Utah counties of Carbon, Emery, and Grand. Methods: Be Epic teacher trainings were assessed with pre- and post- surveys measuring teachers’ knowledge, and confidence. Significance was measured utilizing aggregated sample t-tested pre- and post- survey means. Results: Participants showed an increase in knowledge and confidence pertaining to e-cigarette use, prevention, and education in youth post Be Epic teacher trainings. Conclusion: Be Epic trainings improved teacher knowledge on e-cigarettes and confidence in vape prevention among students. Participants felt better prepared to intervene and to ultimately prevent e-cigarette use and initiation among youth. Be Epic opens conversation amongst school districts on e-cigarettes and vaping.

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  Identification and Isolation of Halotolerant Endophytes in Ceanothus velutinus May Lead to Plant Health in Saline Conditions

  Katherine Hewitt

  Plant-microbe relations are integral to plant survival and crop productivity. Part of a plant’s biosphere are endophytes, microbes found between the cells of a plant. Endophytes can be beneficial to help a plant cope with abiotic stressors such as salinity. In Utah, our soils are high in salinity due to topography and climate. Climate change has increased soil salinity across the world, and water availability is becoming scarcer leading agriculture to use more saline sources to irrigate. Thus, salt is a concern for farmers. We aim to identify halotolerant endophytes from Ceanothus velutinus, Snowbrush which is native to the Intermountain West region of the United States and thrives in dry and semi-arid conditions. Roots were crushed and screened for bacterial growth on nutrient agar media with varying salt concentrations. Unique colonies were isolated using the streak plate method and identified by 16s rRNA sequencing. They were also tested for characteristics of nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and production of siderophore and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). From Literature review it has been found that many of our bacteria are known to be Plant-Growth Promoting Bacteria, or PGPB, including members from the genus Streptomycetes, Pseudomonas, Anthrobacter and Bacillus. The identified endophytes are currently being tested on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, and will soon be tested on Zea mays (maize), and Medicago sativa (alfalfa) in the greenhouse under control and saline conditions. Growth characteristics such as biomass, stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic rate, relative water content, and electrolyte leakage will be measured and compared. Identification of a plant growth benefiting halotolerant endophyte can lead to the development of biofertilizers for saline soils, and be utilized as a tool in sustainable and productive crop production for these harsh environments.

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  Gender & Social Support in Young Adults

  Sierra Howe, Amy Jensen, Kaitlin Welsh, and Jalena Warner

  The effect of social support on mental health outcomes is important in understanding how best to address mental health issues in the general population. Young adulthood is a time of extreme stress and change which can often be a trigger for mental illness to occur. Previous research indicates gender as a major determinant for mental health outcomes, especially when exploring help-seeking behaviors. While women are more likely to seek support for mental illness, men are much more likely to self-medicate rather than seek help. Trans and gender diverse individuals were much less likely to receive social support for mental illness, however, had significantly improved mental health outcomes. There are many barriers to individuals receiving help for mental illness, but stigma has a major influence. There are several holes in the available research on the types of social support that are most utilized by young adults struggling with a mental illness and whether gender affects the type of social support used.

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  Unmasked: A Comparative Glimpse Into East Asian Theatre

  Marcilene Hyer

  From the more simplistic costumes, makeup and performances of Pansori (판소리) meaning ”Gathering place” or “varying sound” from Korea to the elaborate, colorful, and vibrant costumes, makeup, and performances we see in Kabuki (歌舞伎) which means “Song-Dance Skill” or “Bizarre Theatre” from Japan and Jīngjù/Jīngxì (京剧/京戏) or Beijing/Peking Opera or “Theatre of the Capital” from China. These beloved Eastern Asian Theatres are a treasure for each country being the embodiment of aesthetic ideals, and a bridge to connect people of many different cultures. These traditional performances with similar origins in religious practices or other culture celebrations such as a bountiful harvest are enjoyed by the common people of their own country and many others. Eastern Asian theatre became a cultural heritage, bringing national unity with these precious traditions creating a way of life and economic stability for many. Being able to compare the different types of Eastern Asian Theatre specifically from China, Japan, and Korea as they relate to each other as well as western theatre gives us an important cultural glimpse into how similar and different they are and at the same time allows us to have a deeper appreciation for them, those of different cultures, and inspires us to keep learning, and growing as we celebrate each other.

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  True Grit (1969) and Feminism: How it Succeeds and Why We Should Expect Better

  Courtney Isom

  Hollywood Westerns are certainly not renowned for their contribution to feminist plots or characters, but True Grit (1969) is one of the more forward thinking movies with respect to women’s roles. However, the movie still portrays traditional power structures of patriarchy that undermine the female character’s autonomy. Looking at this film through the lens of both Critical Rhetoric and a Gender Diversity Perspective allows us to see the nuances of Mattie Ross' stand against oppressive traditional roles, while also examining the ways in which she is still dominated by discursive patriarchal practices. Celeste Condit’s gender diversity perspective encourages ditching traditional views of “male” and “female” as a way to liberate women. Mattie Ross’ character in True Grit is not classically feminine. She wears masculine clothing, drives a hard bargain, speaks her mind, and shoots people in the name of the law. By portraying these traditionally masculine characteristics while still retaining a feminine side, her character breaks free of traditional gender roles that have historically oppressed women. Raymie McKerrow’s principles of critical rhetoric, especially his critique of domination and his concerns with power, encourage the exposure of unequal power structures in order to challenge their merit. Mattie Ross disrupts typical patriarchal power structures throughout the film; she is bookkeeper for her family, chases after outlaws in the name of justice, and stands up to men in positions of authority. Though we see her strength and bravery throughout the film, in the end she is still put in a position where she must be rescued by the male hero, Rooster. So while it’s clear Mattie’s character allows for steps towards female liberation, the audience is still left with the parting image that ultimately the men prevail and save, while the women’s place is still boxed in by traditional roles. The rhetoric around us creates our cultures, identities, and even our realities. Given this fact, it is of the utmost importance to reflect on portrayals of discursive practices that can be harmful and oppressive in order to help empower dominated groups. These lenses give us an approach to critique rhetoric in order to create more realities where women are not held back by unequal distributions of power.

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  Are Laws and Regulation Necessary for Microtransactions and Loot Boxes?

  Zachary Jamison

  As more video games are advertised and released, they include more uses and forms of microtransactions and gambling. Microtransactions are where you can spend money for a virtual currency inside the game that you can then use to buy in game items and cosmetics. Through the use of advertising these skins, cosmetics, and other items, they prey on the desires of children that want something that looks “cool” or “amazing.” Indulging in these circumstances can lead into gambling problems and can even cause mental health issues. While adults can also suffer from these issues, it is more prevalent in emerging adults who have already been exposed to it. Using my own experiences and those of others, it is necessary that laws or regulations be formed around this situation so that we can help to prevent the outcomes. Other nations have already adopted laws banning forms of microtransactions and we have introduced a bill to Congress, but it did not pass. By raising awareness and demanding a change, we just might be able to save some of the youth in our world today.

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  Synthetic Hagfish Slime Mimetics: Mechanical Characterization

  Hayden Johns and Spencer Walker

  Hagfish are ancient animals that eject a slime when attacked by predators. The slime that the hagfish emit is almost entirely composed of water but protein strands within the slime cause the slime to have incredible strength. However, these protein strands will be formed synthetically for the purposes of our experiment. To defend against foes, the Navy launches plastic ropes into the propellers of enemy warships in order to decrease the thrust of the motors. In a push to find a more biodegradable solution, the utilization of hagfish slime has shown great promise in stopping propellers.While we know that the slime can stop propellers from functioning properly we hope to understand how. What specific mechanical properties allow for this phenomena? Initial data indicates slime in saltwater is stronger and has greater stretching capability, likely due to ionic crosslinking. We hope to maximize the strength of this incredible biomaterial.

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  Puzzling Failure in Life: A User's Manual/La Vie Mode d'Emploi

  William Lambert

  From its founding by the poet Raymond Queneau and writer François Le Lionnais in 1960, the French OuLiPo sought to create new literary structures through the introduction of mathematics into the writing process. Among the works generated through the OuLiPian process is La vie mode d’emploi by Georges Perec, a novel of considerable depth describing the lives of residents in an apartment in Paris and weaving throughout numerous themes and leitmotifs. In his preface to the novel, Perec implicitly invites the reader to approach its elements just as they would a puzzle, fitting them together in a ludic search for meaning. Two such elements are the theme of l’inachévable and the leitmotif of life-consuming projects. In this paper, I will investigate these two elements as a means to comprehending the novel’s approach to life, death, and the absolute. By examining on the three primary projects that lie at the center of the novel — Bartlebooth’s self-effacing world tour, Valène’s painting of the same apartment which is the novel’s setting, and Winckler’s artisan puzzles — we find a recurrent pattern. Restrictions on experience through careful aesthetic devotion will, they hope, clear the way to an absolute — or, at the very least, a “personal absolute.” However, these regimens, meant to manage reality by trimming it, merely reveal that even strictly framed experience contains more depth than an individual can know. Upon their death, all three leave behind evidence to the unachieved state of their work: evidence which then will become part of La vie mode d’emploi’s world and contribute greater depth to its reality. Through this process, Perec establishes a view of the absolute as too dense to become coherent, while also explaining this density by relating it to the human artifacts created in order to dilute it.

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  PCOS: What They Should Be Telling You

  Gracie Leavitt

  It is speculated that out of 14 million women in the United States, 70% are being affected by Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and yet it continues to be one of the most misdiagnosed or undiagnosed diseases. PCOS is a condition that stems from the endocrine system and is often determined by cysts in the ovaries, but studies have proven that that isn’t always the case nor the determining diagnostic criteria. Women aren’t given enough information when being diagnosed with PCOS, nor substantial treatment options. In a world with incredible medical advances and research happening continuously, PCOS seems to be lacking in information and treatment options for the millions of women suffering from it. Through the information that has already been provided and research that is currently being done, researchers and physicians can begin to understand the disease and be aware of it and help the women who are facing it. Patients can begin to feel understood and have treatment options available to them. Through this, women’s lives will be improved and the risk of complications later in life will substantially decrease.

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  Antisocial Personality Disorder/ Psychopathy With an Increase of Violent Crime

  Meagan Lym

  The work below is other research conducted in the same area, does having antisocial personality disorders or psychopathy make a person more violent. The study will include those who have committed a violent crime; to narrow the pool more, these individuals will be serving life sentences or be on death row. The individuals will have a rigorous interview to go through that will establish what traits they carry and if they have any specific disorders. The individuals’ files will then be analyzed. We are looking for what kind of crime, the nature of the crime, the violence used during the crime, and court transcripts from the defense looking for any mention of mental illness during the trial. Once the data is collected, it will be put through statistical software to calculate the R-value and see any statistical significance in mental health disorders and violent crimes. The study's conclusion will then be presented with an explanation of whether the hypothesis is supported or if it is not supported. The article will end with a description of the study’s limitations and questions the experiment brings up.

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  Determination of Free Fatty Acid and Triglyceride Fatty Acid of Food Fats Using a Rapid Gas Chromatographic Method

  Aubreyona Migliori

  Food fats are primarily triglycerides composed of esterified fatty acids on a glycerol backbone. To measure the fatty acid content of foods, a derivatization reaction is conducted which transfers the fatty acids from glycerol to methanol, forming a fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). FAMES are measured using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). Free fatty acids in foods are a result of a degradation reactions and are considered a defect. This decreases consumer acceptance and expedites further deterioration which decreases the value of edible oils. The goal of this study was to develop a rapid and sensitive method to simultaneously determine the free and esterified fatty acid content of soybean oil in the same GC-FID run. We were able to selectively derivatize the esterified fatty acids to methyl esters and then detect both free and esterified fatty acids using a free fatty acid phase (FFAP) column. This method was compared to traditional methods of determining acidity, such as titrations, and was verified using thin-layer chromatography. The experimental GC-FID method showed accurate proportions of the five main fatty acids of palmitic, stearic, oleic, linolenic, and linoleic acids that would be expected in soybean oil. Titration standard curves indicated that the free fatty acid content over a series of samples, measured as oleic acid, had a r2 value of 0.999. Standard curves from gas chromatography showed an r2 value of 0.998 of linoleic acid added in the sample. Though there is similarity between the methods, the GC-FID method was able to directly measure linoleic acid which was more favorable for our study. It was noted that quantities less than 0.5% were unable to be detected in this novel method. Future studies would verify that all triglycerides were converted to free fatty acids in the esterification process.

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  Scattering of Light From Periodic Conducting Nanostructures

  Wesley Mills

  Light scattered from periodic structures generates numerous fascinating phenomena, from diffraction patterns to the black patches on some butterfly wings. The simple scalar wave formulation based on Huygens principle can account for many diffraction and radiation patterns in the far field. However, when the structure dimensions are smaller than the wavelength, light polarization and structure details become important, and the vector formulation based on Maxwell's equations is necessary. I will present an analytic calculation and a numerical simulation on light scattering from two-dimensional conducting grids to model the reflectance from butterfly wings and broadband absorption structures made from carbon nanotube forests.

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  The Impact of COVID-19 on the Latinx Community in Cache Valley, Utah.

  Jasmine Morales and Virginia Hernandez

  The purpose of this investigation is to learn about the Latinx experience with Covid-19 in Cache Valley, Utah. For this research, we interviewed twelve Latinx families who explained in detail their perceived and conceived notions of Covid-19, and how they survived compounded social disadvantages such as fear of unemployment, inability to pay rent/mortgage, eviction, lack of safeguards in their jobs, worry about medical costs, isolation, and fear of deportation. After the interviews, we identified five interconnected aspects that all families shared: 1) Fears and stigma about Covid-19; 2) Economic distress and how they received support from the community and government institutions; 3) Faith and community resiliency; 4) Mental health, addictions and fears; 5) Misinformation and beliefs ingrained in social norms. Our findings suggest that during the pandemic, the Latinx community kept the economy from collapsing, sacrificing their health for their families and for this country. The community response saved many undocumented families from uncertainty and despair, helping families who otherwise would not have been able to receive any help or support.

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  Insights on the Effectiveness of the Hamburger Method

  K. Kerrin Mountcastle

  This empirical research study examined the use and effectiveness of the Hamburger Method, a writing strategy to teach organization and development similar to the famous, or perhaps infamous, Five-Paragraph Theme. This method of writing teaches students to write an introduction that includes their thesis (the top bun); three body paragraphs containing evidence (the meat and condiments); and then a conclusion that reverses the introduction and ends the essay (the bottom bun). Notably, the approach is generally introduced during elementary school as it has obvious appeal to children. The research reveals, though, in more advanced settings, secondary school English classrooms and even at times, college courses. The main goal of the study was to gain a picture of how this method is introduced and used, and how it may affect students’ writing long-term. Methods used for this study were a combination of textual analysis and ethnography by surveying current college students and interviewing secondary writing educators. What are the advantages of a convenient easy-to-follow structural guide for students to follow? Are there issues with rigid rules as students advance their education? In short, is the Hamburger Method overdone or even underdone?

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  Halotolerant Rhizosphere Bacteria: Isolation of Rhizosphere Bacteria From Native Utah Plant Ceanothus velutinus

  Alyssa Nielsen

  Increasing incidences of drought forced farmers to use the secondary, degraded water for irrigation. These water sources are rich in salt concentrations. This project has started with the hopes of finding bacteria from the rhizosphere of a native to Utah plant, Ceanothus velutinus, that helps the plant survive the saltier conditions of Utah. The rhizosphere, a layer of soil attached to the roots of a plant, contains microorganisms that may contribute to the plants' abiotic and biotic stress resistance. These microorganisms are known as Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR). The roots and rhizosphere samples were collected from Tony Grove in Logan, Utah. The samples were collected from three different elevations (1920m, 1950m, and 2289m). The rhizosphere bacteria were isolated at 37°C and 28°C on 2,4,6,8 and 10% NaCl concentration in Nutrient Agar media. Twenty colonies from the first screen at 37°C were identified by 16SrRNA sequencing and characterized for nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and siderophore production. In the second screen at 28°C three bacteria from the 6% and 8% salt concentrations were isolated. Once these bacteria will be identified and characterized, they will be tested on the plants like Arabidopsis and Medicago to see their aid in contributing to plant health at varying levels of soil salinity.