Research Projects Overview
Evaluation of Geoscience Career Emulation Model for Improving
Geoscience educators at Utah Valley University (UVU) have developed the Geoscience Career Emulation Model for undergraduate research that shows promise at engaging and retaining undergraduates in geoscience education and career pathways and helping prepare them for a variety of careers. UVU proposes to strengthen this model through a dedicated educational study, additional efforts to facilitate career pathways, and increased efforts to recruit, retain, and graduate underrepresented students. Unlike the traditional one-student/one-professor research model, in the Career Emulation Model undergraduate research is organized in the way research is carried out by government agencies and private-sector laboratories. Students in Undergraduate Research Experiences (UREs) and/or Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) work in groups of five with a team leader who participates in a weekly meeting with the other team leaders and one or more of the professors. Each weekly meeting reviews progress for the previous week and sets team goals for the upcoming week. Team leaders
are responsible for teaching lab procedures to new team members and for preparing the next team leader. Students research issues of intense interest to state governmental agencies; they collaborate with and receive mentoring from state governmental scientists. Students are excited by this approach: “We are all interested and invested in doing our part and making this project work.”
Many UVU students with baccalaureate degrees in the geosciences or who continue to graduate degrees will find jobs with state and local government agencies, the federal government, research institutes, environmental services, and 7-12 or higher education (AGI). To help prepare them for these various fields, students participate in meaningful research that addresses current concerns by state agencies and environmental health scientists (see section B below). Project teams have worked and will continue to work with state agencies and local industries through internships with ongoing state projects, use of their facilities during training, workshops produced by state offices, job shadowing, and related activities. In the proposed project, some researchers will prepare for careers as educators by taking their research experience into the lower-division classroom. Under the supervision of the undergraduate course professor, they may lead student focus groups about their research or serve as peer-instructors for portions of a class related to their work. Previously, student researchers in URE projects have been self-selected and have not received a salary. Under the proposed project, research stipends, along with targeted recruitment, should help attract underrepresented students (low-income, first-generation, minority and women). Additionally, through the career emulation model, students will receive the emotional and intellectual support from their peers (not inherent in the one-on-one model) that will strengthen academic and retention outcomes for all students, but particularly students from underrepresented groups.
Impact of Phragmites autralis control on Utah Lake water quality
 Utah Lake Plant Sampling 4 |  Utah Lake Plant Sampling 2 |
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 Utah Lake Plant Sampling 7 |  Utah Lake Plant Sampling 6 |
 Utah Lake Plant Sampling 5 |  Utah Lake Plant Sampling 3 |
 Utah Lake Plant Sampling 1 |
The introduction of invasive perennial grass Phragmites autralis in the 1980s has dramatically impacted Utah Lake ecosystem. This invasive species has choked out native plants, reducing biodiversity and decreasing the aesthetic value of the lake. State legislators have allocated significant funding for its elimination. The current method of removal involves aerial application of glyphosate-based herbicides followed by mowing, leaving the roots in the sediment. However, studies have shown that Phragmites plants sequester trace metals in their roots. Thus, management in this fashion only recycles the contaminants back into the lake, even potentially worsening the water quality by introducing additional herbicides applied to the system. While it is important to control proliferation of P. autralis for ecosystem stability,
its removal must be done holistically and thoughtfully. This field study evaluates the impact of Phragmites spp. destruction by herbicide (with glyphosate) followed by mowing on water quality. We hypothesize that trace metal concentration in sediments and water in locations where herbicide has been applied will be increasingly higher with time due to the slow decomposition of plant biomass relative to locations where Aqua Neat has not been applied, thereby reducing water quality. In addition, in areas of the lake where trace metal content in the sediment might be elevated, if patches of Phragmites at such locations could be allowed to subsist for a period of time prior to its extraction Phragmites might be able to serve as a sink for toxic contaminants removal and help to restore the ecosystem. In this project, water and plant samples will be taken from designated sampling sites and analyzed in the lab to test our hypothesis using ICP-OES. Our results will help to determine whether it is more cost effective to manage the growth of Phragmites instead of its complete destruction. The data generated in this study will provide additional information for the effective management of Utah Lake in this matter.
General Education Environmental Research Enhancement Project
Will students in key general education courses learn better if they address problems that relate to focused, local research where they have knowledge of the research and researchers, and its importance to the local community?
To answer this question, Utah Valley University is implementing an innovative project aimed at improving teaching and learning in key general education courses through a multi-disciplinary effort to incorporate the products of upper-division undergraduate student research into lower division classrooms. The proposed project utilizes the products of research (data sets, videos about the research, virtual field trips, recorded presentations, and the experience of the researchers) generated by UVU’s Environmental Research Collaborative. In the collaborative, upper-division students engage in faculty-mentored research at the field station in Capitol Reef National Park and at other local sites. For this project, curriculum in intermediate Algebra, intermediate freshman English composition, and introductory science (earth science, physics and biology) is being modified to promote active exploration of real-world problems, student engagement, and inquiry, with the overarching goal of improving student retention and success, particularly for high-need students. Employing a quasi-experimental model with 2,500 student participants, the project is designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of intervention strategies that are scalable and replicable.
Spatial and Temporal Variations of Trace Metal Loading to Utah Lake
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Utah Lake is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the United States. It occupies
much of Utah Valley, and is used by the region as a water source. The major inflows to Utah Lake are the American Fork River, Provo River, Hobble Creek, and Spanish Fork River. Utah Lake has only one outlet, the Jordan River, which drains the lake north to the Great Salt Lake. Utah Lake has long been considered severely polluted and undesirable for water recreation. This is largely due to the fact that Utah Lake has received heavy loadings of various pollutants related to anthropogenic activities. One of water quality issues is elevated concentrations of trace metals. Mining activities since the mid-1800s have accelerated metal cycling in aquatic systems. Additionally agricultural activities around the lake worsened the water
quality through application of fertilizers, herbicides, manure, etc. These non-point pollution sources have added excessive quantities of trace metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead to Utah Lake ecosystem. Consequently, high concentrations of trace metals in the lake can interfere with physiological processes and the accumulation of trace metals in the tissues of aquatic organisms can cause adverse biological impacts in aquatic organisms. Therefore, a good understanding of trace metal spatial and temporal variability is critical for developing integrated approaches to manage non-point pollution sources and to improve water quality in Utah Lake.
In this project, we collected biweekly water samples from Utah Lake inlets and outlet, and quarterly water and floc layer sediment samples from Utah Lake (Figure 2) to investigate the fluctuations of trace metal concentrations. The objectives of this project were to 1) quantify seasonal fluctuations of trace metal levels in Utah Lake, its inlets, and its outlet; and 2) build a trace metal budget for Utah Lake. Preliminary data on sediment samples has shown that significant variations in March and July 2015 for various metals of interest. In March and July, among all investigated inlets American Fork River had highest arsenic concentrations 0.029 mg/kg and 0.036 mg/kg, respectively. The outlet Jordan River showed even higher arsenic concentrations in March (0.036 mg/kg) and July (0.043 mg/kg) than that in American Fork River. Among all river inlet sites, July samples showed higher arsenic contractions than that in March except Provo River, which showed a slight decrease in July relative to March.
Capitol Reef Environmental Undergraduate Research Cooperative (CREURC)
We propose to establish the Capitol Reef Environmental Undergraduate Research Cooperative (CREURC), which will leverage UVU’s field station at Capitol Reef National Park as an experiential learning hub. A CREURC seminar will bring together researchers in the physical, environmental, and biological sciences to examine the overlapping scientific problems related to environmental preservation in the National Park and the socio-environmental problems confronting Utah. Research will be conducted by students in faculty-mentored summer research projects and research-based courses. Science faculty will then integrate the products of this research (data sets, videos about the research, virtual field trips, recorded presentations, and the experience of the researchers) into their introductory sciences courses to enrich and vitalize these courses. Lower-division students will interact with student researchers who will participate as mentors and focus-group leaders. Upper division students will prepare for graduate school and scientific careers by preparing their research results for presentation and publication. Through this project, we aim to build evidence about the efficacy and extended application of research communities in undergraduate STEM education.
Assessment of Energy Use and Renewable Energy Growth Potentials in Utah
Increase in population and wealth in Utah will likely result in increased fossil fuel consumption. Consequently it will lead to more environmental problems, especially air quality and health issues. It is essential to further the research and assessment of renewable energy sources. The objective of this research is to compile, analyze, map and assess energy data from the Utah Geological Survey, Utah Office of Energy Development and Utah Department of Environmental Protection. Our project will give public a clear picture of air quality and energy use coupling with population and economic growth. ArcGIS maps and statistical analysis will be made using the available database. Furthermore, detailed assessments on the development potentials of different renewable energy sources (e.g. solar, wind, geothermal) in Utah will be conducted using ArcGIS.
Our preliminary data analysis on fossil fuels indicates that consumption and expenditures have grown over time with population growth. A notable fact is that when expenditures have risen rapidly, consumption tends to decline. The most recent evident periods
are during the early 1980s and in the early 2000s, when oil prices were rapidly increasing. Furthermore, the data show that air quality is closely correlated with the quantity of fossil fuel consumed, especially given Utah’s special topography (the valley effect). The data on renewable energy sources have revealed that all renewable energy sources together provide less than 1% of energy need in Utah. Although the growth and development have varied during the last half century, there is a steady growth in geothermal, solar and wind energy over the last decade. Results from ArcGIS mapping will provide useful insights on zoning and assessing potential renewable energy sources in Utah. Renewable energy is the key to our economic growth and clean air in Utah. It is essential that the transition from a primarily carbon-based energy portfolio be to one that includes a greater mix of renewable sources. Further results, analyses and maps will be presented during the meeting.
Assessment of Anthropogenic Impacts on the Utah Lake Wetlands and Fish Species
The wetlands around Utah Lake are critical for fish and wildlife resources, flood
mitigation, and recreation, but the ecosystem is under increasing stress due to urban, industrial, and agricultural runoff from an ever-expanding population that now exceeds 500,000 people in Utah Valley. Regional land use changes have been shown to affect biodiversity, sedimentation dynamics, productivity, and nutrient recycling in lakes and wetlands.
This project will investigate human impacts on Utah Lake wetlands and four popular fish
species using multiple parameters which include stable isotope and trace metal analysis,
sediment grain distribution analysis, and lead-210 and carbon-14 dating at multiple sites. In order to quantify the extent of human impacts on Utah Lake
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wetlands and fish species, we must first reconstruct historical records of nutrient and contaminant loading to determine background (i.e. natural) levels. The historical and current information can be obtained by analyzing sediment cores, water and fish tissue samples. Natural abundance of C and N isotopes, and C, N, P and trace metal concentrations in these samples provide powerful data of eutrophication, vegetation shifts, organic matter cycling, and the degree of anthropogenic alteration. Information from this project sets the stage for understanding ongoing natural- and human-related impacts to Utah Lake wetlands and fish species.
The results from this project are crucial for understanding any significant changes in the ecosystem caused by natural and/or anthropogenic forcing. More importantly, this project will provide excellent first hand learning opportunities for UVU students partnering with BYU faculty and students.
Investigating PCB and Trace Element Levels in Soil, Plant and Fish Species in Utah Lake
Introduction of the common Carp in the early 1900s along with water runoff from the
water shed and industrial discharges have caused some detrimental changes to the ecosystem of Utah Lake. Two major impacts include decreases in biodiversity (e.g. June Sucker) and the accumulation of trace metals and PCB contaminants into lake sediments and fish. In an effort to mitigate these effects, in 2009 the Department of Water Quality (DWQ) launched a carp removal program. The goal was to remove 6 million carps from Utah Lake by 2017, in hopes of improving water quality and ecosystem conditions of Utah Lake. To date, approximately 2.5 million carps have been removed. The purposed of this study is to evaluate the impact of carp removal on PBC concentration of Utah Lake soil sediments and four fish species, 2) to assess the metal and PCB concentration of plants, 3) to increase community awareness, and 4) to engage Earth Science students in the scientific investigation of a major environmental concern. One hundred twenty samples of fish (including 4 commonly consumed fish: Walleye, largemouth bass, white bass and channel catfish) will be collected at the same sites used in the DWQ study (2007). The skin, muscles, and offal parts will be analyzed for PCBs and metal content (As, Cd,
Pb, Hg) using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer. Water and
sediment samples (at three depths: surface, floc layer and at 45 cm) will be taken to determine existing water quality in the lake’s sediment. Phragmites plants roots will be collected at each location of the sediment samples and analyzed. The outcome from this project will offer valuable insights for the community and decision makers (e.g. Utah Lake Commission, DEQ, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources) to establish an integrated wetland-aquatic ecosystem management plan for Utah Lake.
Assessment of Historical Anthropogenic Impacts on the Utah Lake Ecosystem using GIS Spatial Analysis
Utah Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the United States west of the Mississippi River. Utah Lake and its surrounding wetlands are critical for fish and wildlife resources, flood mitigation, and recreation. However, the ecosystem is under increasing stress due to urban, industrial, and agricultural runoff from an expanding population that now exceeds 500,000 people in Utah Valley. Different types of land use, such as animal farming, mining, and agricultural activities, have impacted Utah Lake water quality significantly. In this project, I propose to use historical images of the Utah Lake ecosystem and available water quality data for Utah Lake to access how land use has changed over time, how these human related activities have affected water quality, and track various pollution sources to Utah Lake. The historical images will be sourced from Google Earth, Landsat imagery and high resolution LiDAR data will be used to evaluate the land use change around Utah Lake using GIS (Geographic Information System) spatial analysis techniques. In addition, water quality data from previous research projects I was involved in will be used in the mapping process to track water pollution sources to Utah Lake over time. Upon completion of this project, I will be able to:
1. Map how land use and population have changed around Utah Lake since pioneer settlement
2. Spatially assess the pollution sources to Utah Lake
3. Suggest how to change and manage the current land use around Utah Lake in order to protect Utah Lake water quality
This project will provide useful maps and visualizations of spatial information of human impacts on the Utah Lake ecosystem. Utah faces a future that includes population growth and climate change, both of which potentially influence the region’s hydrologic system and therefore can affect water availability and quality necessary for human consumption and use. This project will help us to understand how anthropogenic activities have impacted the Utah Lake ecosystem visually, and provide insights for state agencies to implement meaningful water and land-use management plans in the region.
Investigating the Environmental Impact of the Gold King Mine Spill (CO) on San Juan River and Lake Powell (UT)
The Gold King Mine spill occurred August 5th 2015 in Silverton Colorado, contaminating the Animas River, which feeds to the San Juan River and ultimately the Colorado River and Lake Powell. The spill released many harmful chemicals in to the river, such as, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, etc. This is arguably the worst mine spill in the history of the Western United States. The effects of pollutants in the water and sediment can have long term effects on the health of local populations and ecosystems. Monitoring the amount of contaminant material present in the water and sediments, the movement of sediment downstream and especially seasonal variations caused by precipitation will be valuable in mapping and tracking the long term effects of the spill on the ecosystem, and help to clean up this spill effectively, and improve mitigation practices to reduce contamination in the future.
In this research river water and sediment samples will be taken from five (5) transects along the San Juan River section in Utah over the course of a year. Six (6) samples per transect (3 water samples and 3 sediment samples) will be collected monthly. The goal of this project is to investigate the temporal and spatial variations of trace metal concentrations and its interaction between water and sediment interface. The elements of interest are copper, zinc, lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, aluminum, uranium and thorium. With the data collected from this project, we will be able to:
1) Map the rate of movement of contaminants in the San Juan River and the amount
of contaminants loaded to Lake Powell.
2) Determine if there has been any crossover contamination into the ground water.
3) Assess trace metal retention by sediments and investigate spatial and temporal
effects of the spill on the river system and Lake Powell.
Upon completion of this project, I will be able to produce a time lapse map of movement of contaminants for a year following the spill on August 5th. I will be able to show any localized contamination along the river in wells and other water sources. Additionally I could provide information on pollutant evolution pathways: flowing in water or retained in sediments. Lastly, with all information obtained in this, I will be able to provide a remediation plan to the state of Utah to clean up the pollution and offer more scientific information to the public regarding the impact of this spill in Utah.
Investigating Anthropogenic Impacts on the Utah Lake-Jordan River Transition Zone Using a Multi-proxy Approach
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This proposal describes a multidisciplinary study of the anthropogenic impacts on the geochemistry and physical characteristics of the wetlands and river at the Utah Lake—Jordan River transition zone in Utah Valley, Utah. The area has a distinct pre- and post-settlement land use history, and is experiencing rapid modern day urbanization. Therefore, the study location is uniquely situated to provide valuable record of changes in land use, nutrient enrichment, vegetation shifts, and river dynamics over time that can be used to inform current basin-scale planning and modeling efforts to prepare for a sustainable water future in the greater Salt Lake area. We will use a multi-proxy approach to identify changes in both nutrient and trace element inputs and flow dynamics at the lake-river transition zone, which begins at the only outlet of Utah Lake and extends approximately two
river kilometers downstream. We will identify changes in carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions and trace element abundances pre- and post-settlement, and we will use sediment distribution together with hydrological data to calculate changes in both channel form and flow. This data, combined with lead-210 and AMS radiocarbon dating, will enable us to establish the timing of aforementioned changes identified from the sediment cores. This will also provide background sedimentation rates against which to compare modern sediment yield data. These data not only evaluate the immediate questions concerning the magnitude and timing of historical change, but also provide information essential to understanding the impacts of those changes: How has the overall ecosystem been altered due to human activities, vegetation shifts, and river dynamics? Such data have the potential to transform the way in which we understand the long- and short-term human impacts on the water resources in the Great Salt Lake Basin. Furthermore, the outcome from this project will provide valuable insights for an integrated wetland-aquatic ecosystem management plan for Utah.