Bullet-proof origami: folding Kevlar shield designed by #BYU mechanical engineers Brigham Young University 2017-02-16 | BYU mechanical engineers have created an origami-inspired, lightweight bulletproof shield that can protect law enforcement from gunfire. The new ballistic barrier can be folded compactly when not in use, making it easier to transport and deploy. When expanded — which takes only five seconds — it can provide cover for officers and stop bullets from several types of handguns.“We worked with a federal special agent to understand what their needs were, as well as SWAT teams, police officers and law enforcement, and found that the current solutions are often too heavy and not as portable as they would like,” said Larry Howell, professor of mechanical engineering at #BYU. “We wanted to create something that was compact, portable, lightweight and worked really well to protect them.”In working with law enforcement, BYU researchers learned much of what is currently used hasn’t evolved much from medieval times: shields that are mostly flat, awkward plates that cover only one person. Current barriers are so heavy and cumbersome they make it difficult for officers to move into position.The barrier Howell and his colleagues designed is made of 12 layers of bulletproof Kevlar and weighs only 55 pounds (many of the steel-based barriers in current use approach 100 pounds). The BYU-built barrier uses a Yoshimura origami crease pattern to expand around an officer, providing protection on the side in addition to protecting them in the front.In testing, the barrier successfully stopped bullets from 9 mm, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum pistols.“Those are significant handguns with power,” Howell said. “We suspected that something as large as a .44 Magnum would actually tip it over, but that didn’t happen. The barrier is very stable, even with large bullets hitting it.”The researchers constructed the barrier prototypes to be extremely stiff and protective throughout, while also maintaining the flexible qualities of Kevlar fabric so they can be folded compactly. Since Kevlar fabric is subject to fraying, abrasion and is sensitive to sunlight and water, the team also made a concentrated effort to reinforce it against the environment.“It goes from a very compact state that you can carry around in the trunk of a car to something you can take with you, open up and take cover behind to be safe from bullets,” said Terri Bateman, BYU adjunct professor of engineering and research team member. “Then you can easily fold it up and move it if you need to advance your position.”In addition to protecting police officers, researchers believe the barrier could be used to protect children in a school or a wounded person in an emergency situation. Although the ballistic barrier is now just in prototype form and not currently in use by any law enforcement agencies, Howell and Bateman have tested it with officers on site. The response has been positive so far.“There are a lot of risks to law personnel and we feel like this particular product can really make a difference and save a lot of lives,” Bateman said. “It makes us feel like we’re really making a difference in the world.”
A Perfect Night to Light the Y Brigham Young University 2024-10-11 | On a perfect fall night in Provo, Utah, BYU students hike to the Y and light it up for Homecoming. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Y lighting tradition. Learn more about Y Mountain's history at byucougars.com/y-mountainVideo and drone photography by BYU Video and BYU Photo
BYU Office of Belonging Promotes Connection and Unity Brigham Young University 2024-09-23 | "We are all connected to each other through the family of God. Each of us have the light of Christ within us." The Office of Belonging was created in 2021 to assist BYU in constructing "a community of belonging composed of students, faculty, and staff whose hearts are knit together in love" and to teach the world how to use gospel principles to create unified communities. Learn more about events, campus resources and how to help build belonging on campus at belonging.byu.edu
True Blue Vibes Brigham Young University 2024-09-16 | BYU students enjoy a True Blue tradition on a giant blue foam-covered slip and slide. Video and drone shots by BYU Video (Adam Sanders, Matt Mitchell, Solomon Ermatinger, Ella Revill)
BYUs New Class is a Game-Changer for Students Brigham Young University 2024-09-05 | Beginning this fall semester, all incoming BYU students will take a game-changing new course that connects them to the university's inspired mission and to campus resources to help them succeed. With an experienced faculty member and peer mentor as their guides, students in the 25-member class are given tools and support they need to thrive during their first year at BYU. Read more in Y Magazine: https://magazine.byu.edu/article/univ-101-byu-foundations/
3 Tips for Success at BYU from Sarah Sun, BYU Student Body President Brigham Young University 2024-09-04 | Sarah Sun, BYU Student Body President, shares advice and encouragement for BYU students. "BYU is truly a place where you can become or achieve anything, and there are so many people here who are eager to help you achieve your dreams."
Go Forth to Serve in Nepal: BYU Students Research Human Impact of Air Pollution Brigham Young University 2024-09-02 | As part of BYU's Inspiring Learning Initiative, students from three BYU colleges traveled to Nepal to document how air pollution is impacting the health of workers. This 60-second BYU institutional message, produced for broadcast during BYU games, features this important, life-changing project.An interdisciplinary research team from BYU included public health, cell biology, nursing and engineering students, who are working with local Nepali leadership, as well as colleagues from the University of Utah, Kathmandu University and the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences."You can change the lives of other people for the better, if you're just willing to use the gifts and experiences, which God has blessed you with. My education, the ways in which I try to treat people,it matters, and it has ripple effects, even 8,000 miles away in Nepal," says Symbria Lewis, a BYU nursing student.See BYU News for more information about the BYU-Nepal project: tinyurl.com/BYU-Nepal
You Are the Y - Welcome BYU Incoming Class of 2024! Brigham Young University 2024-08-30 | BYU incoming class of 2024, you are the Y! Welcome and go Cougs!
Photographer Seeks Healing Through Art Brigham Young University 2024-08-26 | BYU alum’s project brings Native American traditions to the forefrontFueled by a connection to his ancestors and culture, recent BYU grad Eugene Tapahe is on a mission to heal hearts through Native American dance. Tapahe, an award-winning photographer and member of the Diné Navajo nation, says he was inspired to launch a new project during the pandemic – a time of uncertainty for many people around the globe. His newly created project, Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project, was based off a Native American traditional dance of healing. With his daughters Dion and Erin as dancers, Tapahe traveled to significant indigenous sites to photograph the dance. Each dancer’s clothing was lined with small metal cones that created harmony and energy as the dance was performed. Since 2020, the ethereal chimes of the jingle dress—each sound symbolizing a prayer—have resonated throughout 150 locations including national parks, universities, and communities. Tapahe says the experience has been rejuvenating and he’s been inspired by the way audiences have received his work and shown interest in learning about Native American traditions and current issues. “When you're trying to make a difference, I've realized that the more I can touch people's hearts and be able to change hearts, that will also change minds too,” said Tapahe. After graduating from BYU in 1992 with a degree in graphic design, Tapahe was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, thanks in part to the examples of friends he developed during his time as a student. “I wanted my daughters to have more than what I could give them,” he said. “I wanted them to have that spiritual feeling in their lives.” Tapahe returned to BYU and received a master's degree in fine arts from BYU last April. To learn more, follow The Jingle Dress Project on Instagram.
Jimmer Fredette: Choose Kindness Brigham Young University 2024-07-26 | "Life is all about trying to give back, being kind, being respectful." Jimmer Fredette (2024 Olympian, BYU Graduate)As a spokesman for an anti-bullying initiative, Jimmer Fredette has presented at dozens of schools, teaching kids to "make kindness cool." (see jimmerosity.org)Shortly after graduating from BYU, where Jimmer Fredette was National Player of the Year, he founded The Fredette Family Foundation to address needs of children and families. Working with community partners like the Choose Kindness Initiative, Jimmer has presented dozens of anti-bullying presentations in schools and communities. Now a member of the U.S. Olympic team, Jimmer continues to inspire children and adults to choose kindness and to cultivate respect in their communities. For more information, see jimmerosity.org.
Sharing Native Voices; BYU Student Interns Support Native American Curriculum Initiative Brigham Young University 2024-06-28 | From a young age, BYU student Naloni Felix cherished her heritage. She fondly remembers learning Native American traditions from her grandmother and watching her grandfather meticulously hand-craft beautiful Native American jewelry.Felix, a member of the Lumbee and Navajo tribe, grew up with cultural traditions deeply embedded in her community. However, as her family moved across the country, she noticed a significant lack of accurate representation of Native American history in school curriculums.“Some stories that were told offered a very generalized explanation of Native American history,” recalls Felix.Now a public health student at BYU, Felix is determined to address these education shortcomings. She’s worked as an intern with the BYU ARTS Partnership Native American Curriculum Initiative (NACI), a program that collaborates with Utah tribes to create arts-integrated lesson plans and education resources for Utah teachers.“The Native American Curriculum Initiative makes sure that native voices and stories are told throughout the classroom,” she says. “We work really hard to find the right resources and have primary sources for lesson plans and make sure we provide information from the right tribal sources if tribal information is being taught.”Felix has presented her work at the Utah State Capitol on multiple occasions and had the opportunity to speak with government leaders and policymakers about Native American history – inspiring learning opportunities that have been an influential part of her BYU experience.“One of the most rewarding parts of working with NACI is seeing it happen in real time. When we’re able to transport the lesson plans to the classroom and see kids soak in this information and be excited about it, I think that’s one of the most rewarding parts.”After earning her master’s degree in public health, Felix envisions a career in hospital administration, potentially on a reservation, to give back to the community and culture that have profoundly shaped her life.To learn more about the BYU ARTS Partnership effort to bring Native American art to Utah elementary school curriculum, click here.ription)Writer: Tyler Stahle, BYU University CommunicationsVideo produced by BYU Video
I Love To See The (Lego) Temple: Brick Upon Brick Exhibit at BYU (Exhibit now closed) Brigham Young University 2024-06-12 | Lego brick artists share their unique and artistic designs -- all with a gospel tie -- in an exhibit at BYU's Harold B. Lee Library. From Lego recreations of paintings of the Savior to model replicas of LDS temples, the "Brick upon Brick: Creativity in the Making" exhibit is a tribute to creativity and faith. Located in the Special Collections O.C. Tanner gallery area on the first floor of the Lee Library, the free, interactive exhibit runs through July 20, 2024. This exhibit is now closed.Facts about the Lego exhibit: - A replica of the Washington D.C. Temple has spires that reach more than 5 feet tall- The exhibit features an artful Lego mosaic of Harry Anderson’s beloved Gospel Library painting, "The Second Coming"- Dave Jungheim’s highly detailed model of the Salt Lake Temple, is made up of roughly 25,000 bricks- A Lego Salt Lake Tabernacle took 1,200 hours to build and is made up of 24,000 bricks- The first known set of Latter-day Saint missionary minifigures — both named “Elder Smith” -- make an appearance- A Joseph Smith Memorial Building took 2 years to research, design and build and includes 97,000 Lego bricks- Jen Raine Smart’s 2023 “Image of Christ” Lego mosaic was built in five weeks using 11,000 bricks“For the last 50 years, one of the most accessible and universally understood means of creation has been the Lego or plastic brick,” said exhibit curator Trevor Alvord, an associate librarian at BYU. “Latter-day Saints’ use of Lego and building brick toys as an artistic medium keeps increasing, mirroring the same growth and popularity of the toy manufacturers.”For exhibit hours, see BYU Special Collections https://lib.byu.edu/special-collections/#hours
Savoring Spring on BYU Campus Brigham Young University 2024-05-15 | As Spring blossoms on the Brigham Young University campus, enjoy this relaxing video of the most hopeful season.Nestled at the foot of the towering Wasatch Mountains in Provo, Utah, BYU’s 738-acre campus is home to more than 35,000 students from 105 countries. During Spring and Summer terms, students can take part in the visiting students program and take BYU classes, even though they have not been admitted to BYU. See details at visitingstudents.byu.edu/homeBYU is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is one of the largest private universities in the United States. (See www.byu.edu for more information).
An Inspiring Song of Ruth by BYU Womens Chorus Brigham Young University 2024-05-10 | Based on the Biblical story of faithfulness and devotion, "Song of Ruth," is performed by BYU's Women's Chorus, prior to the group's 2024 tour. In this rehearsal video, the chorus performs in the lobby of the newly constructed Music Building on the BYU campus.Arrangement by David N. ChildsLicensed through Santa Barbara Music PublishingBYU Women's ChorusDirector, Sonja PoulterConducted by David Kime, graduate student in choral conductingAccompanied by Avery GunnelThanks to:BYU School of MusicCollege of Fine Arts & CommunicationsUniversity Communications Produced by BYU Video
BYU Graduates Begin a Joyful Journey Brigham Young University 2024-04-26 | Congratulations to the BYU Class of 2024
Witchs Cat Wins Student Emmy for BYU Animation Brigham Young University 2024-04-18 | BYU Animation's "The Witch's Cat," a whimsical, visually stunning tale about a scarf-knitting witch, a mischievous dragon-cat and the witch's lovestruck boyfriend, took top honors during the College Television Awards April 13, 2024. This is the 20th Student Emmy for BYU's Center for Animation, an interdisciplinary collaboration between the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications and the College of Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences.See the "Witch's Cat" youtu.be/1ioFskl2Xpg?si=RuGykWXSiDtalZvJSee other award-winning animated films including recent winners "Cenote" and "Stowaway," on BYU Animation's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/channel/UCthN_7rU0ltnwdFwCYUG0wA
Cougarettes Win 26th National Championship Brigham Young University 2024-04-15 | The 26-time national champion BYU Cougarettes share their winning Jazz routine from the 2024 NDA College Cheer and Dance Championships. The Cougarettes also claimed the NDA national championship in the Hip Hop category.This video of the Cougarettes' Jazz performance was filmed on the BYU campus during the team sendoff, prior to the competition.
Rad New Planet: A BYU Scientists Astronomical Honor Brigham Young University 2024-04-05 | Honored for her research in planetary science, including a role on the science team for NASA's upcoming Dragonfly mission, BYU professor Jani Radebaugh has received an astronomical honor: a minor planet was named after her. The asteroid/minor planet, which was identified in 2000, is now named "45690janiradebaugh," on official NASA/JPL websites. Radebaugh's minor planet, which is classified as a planet because it orbits the sun, is located in the asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter. Patrick Wiggins, a NASA Solar System Ambassador from Utah, nominated Radebaugh for the honor because of her contributions to planetary science. Only two other Utahns have had minor planets named for them previously.
Ghost Army Medal Designed by BYU Illustrator Brigham Young University 2024-04-04 | Decades after their service on a top-secret World War II project, U.S. soldiers who deceived the Nazis as part of the "Ghost Army" were honored during a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. Justin Kunz, a BYU associate professor of illustration, was selected by the U.S. Mint to design the Ghost Army Medal. (Video produced by BYU Video/BYU University Communications.)Read more from BYU News:BYU professor’s designs featured on new Congressional Gold MedalA new Congressional Gold Medal featuring the designs of BYU design professor Justin Kunz was unveiled recently at a ceremony held at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C.Kunz’s work adorns both sides of a new Congressional Gold Medal that was presented to living members of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133 Signal Service Company, known collectively as the “Ghost Army” for their remarkable contributions during World War II. The Ghost Army, comprised of approximately 1,000 men, used innovative tactics like inflatable tanks, sound effects and radio trickery to mislead German troops on European battlefields during WWII. Their efforts preserved thousands of American lives and helped win the war. Details regarding the Ghost Army and its tactics were classified for fifty years following the war but are now coming to light after Congress authorized the medal on February 1, 2022.“It was a great honor to use my artwork to honor these people who really haven't had proper recognition, because their mission was secret, and it continued to be secret after World War II for decades,” said Kunz. “It’s wonderful to be able to be part of remembering them and giving the kind of honor that they deserve for their service.”Kunz’s designs on the medal capture the essence of the Ghost Army’s deceptive tactics. On one side, soldiers engage in the craft of deception – tapping out Morse code and sewing fabricated patches onto uniforms. In the background, a soldier stands beside a half-track equipped with a loudspeaker, while others handle an inflatable tank, symbolizing the Ghost Army’s strategic prowess.The reverse side features Kunz’s portrayal of the emblems of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133 Signal Service Company, with a memorial inscription listing the locations where they served.“In honor of the 23rd Headquarter Special Troops and the 3133rd Signal Service Company – AKA the Ghost Army – for great courage, ingenuity – in Normandy, Northern France, Central Europe, Ardennes-Alsace, the Rhineland, Po Valley,” it reads.It isn’t Kunz’s first venture into commemorative designs; his previous work includes designs for the Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Fame commemorative coins in 2020. As a long-standing member of the United States Mint artistic infusion program, his expertise is well-established. But his contribution holds special significance, marking the first time his designs have been featured on both sides of a Congressional Gold Medal. Reflecting on his creative process, Kunz emphasized the importance of thorough research and understanding the subject matter before diving into sketches and illustrations. “The creative process really is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration because it takes hours and hours,” said Kunz, who noted he spent hours reading books about the Ghost Army and its members to represent its work in his designs. “I was honored and thrilled to find out that the representatives of the Ghost Army were so happy with the designs that they recommended both of them,” said Kunz, who noted that the Secretary of Treasury ultimately selected the designs. “It’s always fun to learn about these historical subjects, and I really related to the Ghost Army because so many of them were artists. They were creative people, and they went on to have careers in design and fashion. This is a great example of a real service that creative people performed to save lives during a war.” (Writer: Tyler Stahle, BYU University Communications)
Were You There? BYU Mens Chorus Brigham Young University 2024-03-22 | Sharing the spirit of the Easter season, BYU Men’s Chorus has released new music about the life, sacrifice and grace of Jesus Christ. In this solemn hymn, “Were You There?” the chorus, conducted by Brent Wells, evokes the depths of Christ’s sacrifice, and His triumphant rise from the tomb. "Were You There," arranged by Jamey Ray, originated as an African-American spiritual, and carries a message of hope and redemption. A new Men's Chorus EP, "He Sent His Son," includes four new songs for streaming/download. See links at byurecords.lnk.to/mc-HeSentHisSonID"Were You There?" Arranged by Jamey Ray, Published by Alfred Music Publishing Co.Performed by BYU Men's ChorusDr. Brent Wells, Conductor Special thanks to BYU School of Music and College of Fine Arts & CommunicationsVideo produced by BYU Video/BYU University Communications
Celebrating 20 Years of the CougarTail Brigham Young University 2024-03-09 | Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the CougarTail, every BYU fan's favorite confection, this video features mouth-watering views of the 16-inch maple bar, and a special cameo by its most enthusiastic fan (the CougarTail kid).The equivalent of four maple bars (perfect for sharing), the CougarTail has been named the number one unique concessions food item in the U.S. by ESPN 3 times. It's sold only at BYU sporting events.More at dining.byu.edu/concessions/cougar-tail-history
Life and Breath: BYU-Nepali Team Studies Air Pollutions Human Impact Brigham Young University 2024-02-23 | With each breath, brick workers in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley inhale dangerous particulates. From hazardous aerosols released during the brickmaking process and indoor cooking to emissions from vehicles and factories that seep into their homes, air pollution in the region is inescapable.Concerned about the effects of these exposures, an interdisciplinary BYU team recently came together to conduct a research study in Nepal, aiming to measure brick workers’ exposure to pollutants and to assess their respiratory health. The eventual goal is to determine what information, technology and strategies they can develop with the Nepali people to help them improve their well-being.Air pollution “lives with them every day, at the brick kiln, when they’re awake, when they’re asleep, when they’re working, when they’re home," said BYU public health professor Jim Johnston, who led the group of more than two dozen researchers. The researchers were particularly concerned by brick workers’ exposure to PM2.5, particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, small enough to bypass the respiratory system’s defenses and get into the gas-exchange region of the lungs. The team also wanted to determine workers’ exposure to silica dust, another respiratory hazard, at the brick kilns. To get the information they needed, the BYU group drew from their many areas of expertise, as well as that of their collaborators from the University of Utah, Kathmandu University and the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, and local Nepali leadership. BYU faculty and students in nutrition, dietetics and food sciences performed health assessments for the 50 or so brick workers that participated in the study, examining their vitals, diet and lung function. The nursing team collected saliva and blood samples and used a novel method of pulmonary ultrasound to look for evidence of inflammation in the lungs. To get information about each worker’s exposure to PM2.5 and silica-containing dust as they moved throughout the day — previous research has used only stationary monitoring of an area — the public health group fitted the workers with air pollution monitors they wore for 24 hours.Cell biologists in the group analyzed blood serum to determine how PM2.5 and silica exposures impacted inflammatory responses among the workers. Meanwhile, BYU engineers assessed community development challenges, looking at infrastructure, housing, farming practices, community leadership structures and the quality of water, soil and air in the region.“We all have a common goal, and our unique ways of learning are creating this big-picture effect,” said nursing student Symbria Lewis.BYU faculty and students anticipate future trips to Nepal to continue the research, which promises to be beneficial for BYU as well as the Nepali people.“I’m enthusiastic and very happy to work with BYU,” added Seshananda Sanjel, a professor at the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences in Nepal. “The Nepali government doesn’t have the funding [we need] for research, [so] with this collaboration we can do many more things, and I expect this collaboration will go for many years.”“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen my students so happy and so engaged in learning,” Johnston said. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to just sit back and listen to them talk about the experiences they’re having here, their love for the people, their desire to use the science to make the world a better place. It’s like the lights have come on.” Read full story about the Nepal project from Christie Allen, BYU University Communications: https://news.byu.edu/byu-team-of-nursing-public-health-engineering-students-faculty-travels-to-nepal-to-study-health-effects-of-air-pollutionVideo Produced by BYU Video (University Communications)Directed/Edited by Adam SandersProduced by Adam Sanders, Jaren Wilkey, Julie WalkerShot by Matt Mitchell and Adam SandersAssistant editing by Matt MitchellSpecial thanks to the faculty, students and collaborators on the Nepal research project: BYU Faculty & Students: Jim Johnston, James LeCheminant, Paul Reynolds, Juan Arroyo, Neil Peterson, Andrew South, Clifton Farnsworth, John Beard, Cambrie Ball, Alexander Black, Garret Braiden, Spencer Burgon, Katrina Curtis, Camille Eddington, Amanda Fleming, Broderick Fleming, Gerardo Fong, Taylor Heath, Brooke Kasteler, Piper Kidd, Lindsey Layton, Symbria Lewis, James Lu, Kailynn Miller, Alisandra Olivares, Marli Shaw, Mariah Taylor, Nathan Thompson, Matthew Tibbitts. Many thanks to Tricia Donaldson from the BYU Kennedy Center. University of Utah Faculty & Students: Scott Collingwood, Nathaniel Baxter Special thanks to our Nepali friends and collaborators:Dr. Seshananda Sanjel, Jagat Lama, Nima Lama, Rabi Pudasaini, Ramesh Neupane, and Monica Shrestha, Phobe Barahi, Aakriti Kayastha, Sulabh Yadav, Sangina Dongol
A Blue-Letter Day at BYU Brigham Young University 2024-02-20 | A giant new BYU logo was permanently installed on central campus Feb. 16, providing a photo-worthy backdrop for freshmen first-days, graduation gatherings, and other happy occasions for years to come. The new 8-foot-tall logo is located north of the Wilkinson Student Center, with Y Mountain in the background.
Faith, Hope and Resilience: Honoring Black Stories of Life Brigham Young University 2024-02-13 | As part of Black History Month commemorations, @BYUCougars and @MarriottSchool hosted a Stories of Life event to celebrate inspiring Black leaders and historical figures and their perseverance, vision and faith.
A BYU Professors Unusual Honor Brigham Young University 2024-02-08 | One of Byron Adams' former students bestows an honor on his friend and mentor: naming a new species after him.Newly discovered (tiny) animal species carries the name of a BYU professorHow undergraduate student mentoring led to the discovery and the designationNot many people would ever say the words, “I’m super honored that you named this worm after me,” and mean it. Then again, not many people are BYU biology professor Byron Adams.He really is wriggling with delight that an insect-killing nematode now carries his name. Adams loves all nematodes, the microscopic roundworms that live everywhere on Earth and are tiny enough you could fit six of them across the width of a human hair. They’re some of the oldest animals on Earth, and they are also the most abundant animal on the planet. Some 20 years ago, Adams became fascinated with the creatures and decided he wanted to study them for the rest of his career. But Adams isn’t crazy; he’s brilliant. Nematodes are extremely diverse and resilient little squirmies and can survive just about any conditions. This makes them a particularly useful animal for studying how climate change affects biological diversity, and coincidentally, leads to a lot of field work in places like Nunavut and Antarctica.As he’s inched along his academic trail, Adams has introduced many students to his love of nematodes and found ways to get as many of them as possible — more than 100 — to carry out field work collecting the worms and lab work analyzing and studying the creatures. One particular student, an undergraduate named Adler Dillman (class of 2006), learned to love nematodes too. Which brings us to the point of this story: Dillman, now a full-time professor at the University of California, Riverside, has discovered a brand-new species of nematode, and he’s decided to name it after his BYU mentor, Byron J. Adams.“If there’s somebody who loves nematodes more than Byron, I haven’t met them yet,” said Dillman, who is also the chair of the Department of Nematology within the Center for Infectious Disease and Vector Research at UC-Riverside. “It was fitting that it would be named after him.”So, meet the newest nematode to be discovered on Earth: Steinernema adamsi. It’s not cute or cuddly, but it’s part of a special group of nematodes considered beneficial to humans because it can infect and kill insect pests (fleas/gnats/grubs/weevils). Steinernema adamsi is an entomopathogenic nematode that crawls inside of an insect, defecates highly pathogenic bacteria into its blood and then combines with that bacteria to kill the insect host.It sounds pretty gross, but it’s an important and useful function, and people can actually buy these types of nematodes on Amazon or at Home Depot for pest control. “Apply with watering can, pump sprayer, hose end sprayer or Nema-jet sprayer,” say the instructions on one listing for beneficial nematodes. “Enough for all your indoor plants or a couple of raised beds.” Only $36.99 for 5 million of the worms. You can get 100 million for $104.99.Dillman discovered the newest Steinernema nematode during field research in Thailand. He doesn’t yet know its specific insect hosts, but believes the discovery adds another insect-killing nematode that can be useful and teach us new and interesting biology. BYU’s Adams couldn’t be more pleased. And honored. “You could name it after anything in the world, and you want to name it after me? That’s an incredible honor,” Adams said. “What’s cool about this animal is that it has an incredible ability to sniff out, detect and find insects that live in the soil and then kill those insects very rapidly. It has great potential as a biological control organism for pest insects.” Dillman’s honoring of Adams is a clear manifestation of the impact professors at BYU have on undergraduate students as they provide them with experiential learning opportunities and mentor them in the lab and in the field. In fact, Dillman says the mentoring Adams offered him changed the entire trajectory of his career. And now he’s adopted the same approach of including students in the work at his own lab at UC-Riverside.“I love seeing my former students on all of these other campuses everywhere else where they can be a force for good in students’ lives,” Adams said. “Adler is an ambassador of the BYU way, everywhere he goes.”Writer: Todd Hollingshead, BYU University Communications
Frosty Flight over BYU Campus Brigham Young University 2024-01-19 | A drone POV of the beautiful BYU campus, blanketed in snow. Located in Provo, Utah, at the base of the Wasatch Mountain range, BYU is just 20 minutes from Sundance Ski Resort, a perfect location for winter sports enthusiasts.
Walk of Life Honors Dr. Kings Legacy Brigham Young University 2024-01-19 | Inspired by the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., hundreds of BYU students and community members gathered on campus this week to commemorate King's life with a day of service, speeches, and a candlelit Walk of Life.
The First Noel, 550 BYU Musicians Celebrate Christmas Brigham Young University 2023-12-17 | Singing “praises to our heavenly Lord,” more than 550 Brigham Young University musicians filled the concert hall with strains of “The First Noel,” as the finale number from the Celebration of Christmas concert. Held for the first time in the new BYU Music Building, the annual School of Music Christmas concert featured BYU Concert Choir, the BYU Singers, Men’s Chorus, Women’s Chorus, and the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra. Conducted by Sonja Poulter Special thanks to the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications, the BYU School of Music and conductors Andrew Crane (BYU Singers), Sonja Poulter (Women's Chorus), Brent Wells (Concert Choir and Men's Chorus), and Nathan Haines (BYU Philharmonic Orchestra) Arrangement by Dwight Bigler Published by Hinshaw Music Video produced by BYU Video/University CommunicationsThis choral arrangement and orchestration are available at:hinshawmusic.com/product/the-first-noel-satb-divisiCelebration of Christmas: Angels Singbyurecords.lnk.to/cc-angelssingIDTHE FIRST NOEL (SATB DIVISI) Traditional English Carol, Arranged by Dwight Bigler © Copyright 2003 by Hinshaw Music (administered worldwide by the Fred Bock Publishing Group) All rights reserved. Used by Permission.
BYU Nativity Art Project with Artist Jorge Cocco Brings Students Closer to Christ Brigham Young University 2023-12-07 | BYU students had a rare opportunity to experience the Nativity in a personal way, and to contemplate the Savior's birth, as part of a "Your Mark on the Masterpiece" art collaboration with the BYU Office of Belonging and renowned Argentine artist Jorge Cocco.The Office of Belonging was created in 2021 to assist BYU in constructing "a community of belonging composed of students, faculty, and staff whose hearts are knit together in love" and to teach the world how to use gospel principles to create unified communities. Learn more about campus resources and how to help build belonging on campus at belonging.byu.edu. "We are all connected to each other through the family of God."
BYU Engineers Create Affordable Prosthetics for Ecuador Brigham Young University 2023-11-16 | Making Strides, Changing Lives in EcuadorBYU and Prótesis Imbabura work to make more affordable prosthetics for people in EcuadorWorking with Prótesis Imbabura, a prosthetics clinic in Ibarra, Ecuador, BYU engineering students have designed an innovative process for making lower-cost prosthetics for those in need. In the future, rather than importing expensive products from the U.S., the clinic can use this new molding process, created as part of a BYU Capstone/Global Engineering Outreach project, to pour custom foot shells and liners on-site, providing them directly to patients within days.Prótesis Imbabura, which was founded by prosthetist/orthotist Robert Frank and occupational therapist Kit Frank, makes high-quality prosthetics and orthotics accessible to hundreds of people throughout Ecuador. BYU engineering and nursing students continue to work with the clinic and its staff on outreach and humanitarian projects that improve life for individuals and their families.Read more from Mike Walker, Y Magazine: magazine.byu.edu/article/making-strides/
Mountain views and fall colors at BYU Brigham Young University 2023-10-23 | At the base of the majestic Wasatch Mountain range, the BYU campus celebrates fall with some of Utah's most spectacular autumn views. In this beautiful BYU Video production, see the BYU campus, Y Mountain, neighboring Provo Canyon, Bridal Veil Falls, and snow-capped Mount Timpanogos.Video by Adam Sanders, Matt Mitchell, Barret Schoenrock
Lighting the Y Brigham Young University 2023-10-19 | BYU students and alumni, along with President Shane Reese, make the traditional fall hike to light the Y for Homecoming.Music: "Angels" by The National Parks (@TheNationalParksBand)New orchestral arrangement by composer Samuel Clawson (BYU '23)Recorded by the BYU Philharmonic (2023)BYU School of Music
Cosmo: Worlds Coolest Mascot Brigham Young University 2023-10-13 | BYU's Cosmo the Cougar is the coolest mascot ever. As Cosmo celebrates his 70th birthday, see some of his most outrageous stunts. Learn more about Cosmo in Y Magazine: https://magazine.byu.edu/article/history-cosmos/Special thanks to @CosmoCougar and @BYUCougars Edited by Matt Mitchell and Adam Sanders (BYU Video)Thumbnail by Jaren Wilkey (BYU Photo)
Out of the Ashes: Recovering the Lost Library of Herculaneum (2003) Brigham Young University 2023-10-13 | Twenty years ago, Brigham Young University engineers and classical scholars pioneered the use of multispectral imaging technologies to read ancient documents, including the charred and fragile Herculaneum papyri. In the case of the Herculaneum papyri, which were carbonized and buried by the same eruption that destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii in AD 79, the BYU team had miraculous results. Black ink on blackened pages of papyri suddenly became readable, to the amazement of scholars. The BYU images would lead to dozens of new publications and forever changed the world of papyrology. Out of the Ashes: Recovering the Lost Library of Herculaneum, produced in 2003, tells the story of the only library ever recovered from antiquity, and efforts by a worldwide team of scholars to unroll, read and preserve the fragile scrolls. The documentary was produced by Brigham Young University/KBYU Television for American Public Television. Special thanks to Roger Macfarlane, BYU associate professor of comparative arts and letters, Giovanni Tata, and to Biblioteca Nationale "Vittorio Emanuele III" in Naples, Italy. In 2023, engineers at the University of Kentucky announced exciting new advancements that will allow the Herculaneum papyri to be read without unrolling them and to decipher the texts using AI. The announcement has sparked a renewed interest in the original Herculaneum documentary, and in BYU's groundbreaking work using technology to study ancient papyri.
Mark Robers tiny Nerf blaster created by BYU engineers Brigham Young University 2023-09-30 | In engineer Mark Rober’s latest viral video, he pursues an epic journey to make the world’s tiniest Nerf nano-blaster. That journey to a world record leads the YouTube star straight to his alma mater: Brigham Young University. Creating such a working device on a nanoscale was a gargantuan task for BYU engineers, who pushed the limits of compliant mechanisms technology to make it happen. Rober, who already holds the world record for the largest Nerf blaster, issued the challenge to BYU engineers nearly a year ago. The resulting blaster, highlighted in Rober's Sept. 30 YouTube video "World's Smallest Nerf Gun Shoots an Ant," is so small it can only be fired using a micro-manipulator (that's used in surgery).Since the proposed blaster was too small to be built with springs and screws (like a traditional Nerf gun), Rober sought help from BYU's Compliant Mechanisms Research Group, which has designed everything from giant folding solar arrays for NASA to tiny medical devices. Since compliant mechanisms are generally made with one piece of material, and can be scaled up or down and maintain their function, BYU researchers were able to design a one-piece blaster prototype and then scale it down, using carbon nanotubes to fabricate the smallest devices. Rober, who graduated from BYU in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, collaborated with his former professor, Larry Howell, on the Nerf blaster project. Howell, author of the most cited engineering book on compliant mechanisms, and his research team are known for origami-inspired mechanisms that bend and fold in unique ways and have broad engineering applications.The final result of the BYU collaboration, shared with more than 25 million @MarkRober subscribers, is a microscopic Nerf blaster suitable for an ant or a ladybug Nerf battle. But, as BYU students learned, the insects show little interest in the technology.For free maker files of the Nerf blaster and other devices, see https://compliantmechanisms.byu.edu/maker-resourcesSee rdcu.be/dnHx0 for an article in Nature Communications about how and why they share these engineering resources.
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing BYU Inauguration Combined Choirs and Orchestra Brigham Young University 2023-09-21 | BYU's combined choirs, with the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra, perform "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" during the inauguration of President C. Shane Reese Sept. 19, 2023. “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”Lyrics by Robert RobinsonMelody from Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred MusicArranged by Mack WilbergConducted by R. Andrew CraneSpecial thanks to the BYU School of Music'Come, thou fount of every blessing' (no. 4 of 'Four American Folk Hymns') arranged by Mack Wilberg © Oxford University Press Inc. 1998. Assigned to Oxford University Press 2010. Licensed by Oxford University Press All rights reserved.Video provided by BYU Broadcasting and BYU University Communications (BYU Video)
Inauguration and Celebration: Shane Reese Installed as BYU President Brigham Young University 2023-09-21 | The BYU campus community, with leaders from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gathered to celebrate the inauguration of President C. Shane Reese on Sept. 19, 2023.
True Blue Foam Fun at BYU Brigham Young University 2023-09-16 | BYU students enjoy the traditional True Blue Foam party on campus.Video and drone shots by BYU Video (Adam Sanders, Matt Mitchell, Barret Schoenrock)
BYU Educators and Native American Leaders Collaborate on Teaching Curriculum Brigham Young University 2023-09-15 | "We are still here." That's the message Native American leaders want school children to know about the state's indigenous populations. Faculty and students from the BYU ARTS Partnership worked with tribal leaders to create materials to help Utah school teachers develop accurate and culturally sensitive Native American history lesson plans. See free NACI lesson plans on the BYU ARTS Partnership webpage at education.byu.edu/arts/lessonsRead More From Christie Allen (BYU News): BYU educators, Native Americans collaborate on Utah elementary arts curriculumWithin Utah, there are eight sovereign Native American nations, each with a vibrant culture. And yet, on her past visits to Utah elementary classrooms, BYU ARTS Partnership facilitatorBrenda Beyal would routinely hear teachers express their reluctance to teach Native American materials, fearing to inappropriately portray native cultures.Now, Beyal, her colleagues and BYU students are seeking to address teachers’ concerns through the Native American Curriculum Initiative (NACI). In an unprecedented approach, the NACI team works directly with Utah tribes to produce sample arts lesson plans, cultivate a list of Native American artists who can visit elementary classrooms and craft principles for culturally sensitive pedagogy.The NACI’s strength comes from the relationships Beyal’s group has developed with Utah’s Native American tribal leaders. “It was important for us to go to each of the eight sovereign nations here in Utah, and we asked them, ‘What would you like the children of Utah to know about your tribe?’” Beyal said. “Every tribal nation said, ‘That we are still here.’”To emphasize that Native Americans are not just historical people but are living today, the NACI helps arrange for current Native American artists to visit Utah classrooms, drawing on recommendations from the tribes.“What better way to amplify native voices than through storytelling through the arts?” Beyal said. “Students get to rub shoulders with Native American artists. We tell stories, we have intergenerational connections, there’s laughter, there is just that feeling of inclusion.”Tribal leaders also wanted teachers to know that although there are five tribal groups in Utah — the Navajo, Paiute, Ute, Goshute and Shoshone — they are divided among eight distinct nations, each recognized by the federal government. “Each has their own songs, their own dances, their own stories,” said Beyal. “A person from the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, by the Nevada border, will not identify as a member of the Skull Valley band of Goshute.”Every NACI lesson plan is carefully crafted to reflect the cultures of these specific nations. For example, the group spent nearly two years working with the Northwestern Tribe of the Shoshone Nation to select the right native vocabulary for a dramatic adaptation of a Shoshone story in one lesson plan. The group has also partnered with BYU’s Living Legends to develop lesson plans that give greater context to the cultural dances students and teachers see performed.Because of these painstaking efforts, 16 of the 26 Native American lesson plans the NACI has so far developed have the tribes’ official stamp of approval. Knowing that the tribal nations have reviewed the lesson plans word by word gives teachers confidence that they are sharing accurate information.“I think it really helps kids connect with the stories and the history that native people have,” said BYU public health student Naloni Felix. The NACI began in 2018, after Beyal helped present a few lesson plans on Native American culture at Art’s Express, the ARTS Partnership’s annual summer workshop, which about 500 teachers attend each year. The enthusiastic response prompted the ARTS Partnership to expand the lesson plans into a bigger program to promote culturally sensitive arts teaching, in collaboration with the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. In 2021, the NACI’s efforts were recognized by a prestigious National Endowment for the Arts grant, which awarded the group $20,000 a year to continue their work.The team decided to begin with Native American cultures because they saw a need to model for teachers how to approach sensitive materials. For instance, they suggest providing a video showing the sacred Mountain Sheep Dance rather than having children re-enact the dance themselves. “You don’t change schools just with lesson plans — you change schools by teaching faculty philosophies of empathy and understanding,” said BYU ARTS Partnership director Cally Flox. “Professional development for teachers is a huge part of our program because it will help teachers navigate any cultural materials they bring into the classroom.”The work the NACI is doing is “unprecedented everywhere,” Flox added. “Our commitment to partnering with Native Americans to ensure their voices are truly heard is resulting in improved relationships, improved content and improved practices.”
Go Forth to Serve: BYU Engineers Design Low-Cost Prosthetics for Ecuador Brigham Young University 2023-09-08 | Working with Prótesis Imbabura, a prosthetics clinic in Ecuador, BYU engineering students have designed an innovative process for making lower-cost prosthetics for those in need. In the future, rather than importing expensive products from the U.S., the clinic can use this new molding process, created as part of a BYU Capstone/Global Engineering Outreach project, to pour custom foot shells and liners on-site, providing them directly to patients within days.Prótesis Imbabura, which was founded by prosthetist/orthotist Robert Frank and occupational therapist Kit Frank, makes high-quality prosthetics and orthotics accessible to hundreds of people throughout Ecuador. BYU engineering and nursing students continue to work with the clinic and its staff on outreach and humanitarian projects that improve life for individuals and their families.
Mark Rober Gives Advice to BYU Students Brigham Young University 2023-09-05 | YouTube star and engineer Mark Rober, a BYU mechanical engineering graduate, gives advice to BYU students at the beginning of a new semester.
You Are the Y 2023 Drone Version Welcome BYU Incoming Class of 2023 Brigham Young University 2023-09-01 | On a beautiful August night in Provo, Utah, BYU's incoming class of 2023 begins its journey. Welcome to BYU! Go Cougs!
2023 BYU Campus Construction Update Brigham Young University 2023-07-26 | The BYU campus is undergoing improvements with the construction of a new arts building and library renovations. See the latest views from campus summer 2023.
Bee waggle dance: BYU computer scientists decode bee communication Brigham Young University 2023-07-20 | BYU computer scientists are using artificial intelligence to decode the bee "waggle dance," to not only learn how bees communicate but also to talk back to them. When a bee enters a hive after foraging, it performs a very precise waggle dance to show enthusiasm for a food source and, with the precision of GPS, how other bees can find the best nectar. In the future, the BYU team hopes to build an artificial bee that will communicate and direct bees in a hive to specific places, which would be useful in commercial agriculture.Video produced by BYU Video (Julie Walker, Adam Sanders, Matt Mitchell, Barret Schoenrock)More from BYU News (writer Tyler Stahle)Buzzworthy breakthrough: BYU students utilize technology to decipher the ‘language of the bees’Over 120 languages are spoken on the BYU campus, and it might BEE time to add one more: the bee waggle language.For years, scientists have buzzed about the bee waggle – the groovy dance honeybees do by shaking their abdomen upon returning to the hive. This waggle tells other bees where to fly to find delicious nectar. Now, a team of BYU computer science students is abuzz to decode the secret language of the hive. Armed with a hum-dinger of a research project and cutting-edge technology, these students are translating the bee waggle in real time.“Bees will do this dance on a vertical surface and they’ll kind of waggle or shake in a line, and the angle of that line has to do with the angle of the sun that the bees need to fly from the hive to go to the food source,” said BYU computer science professor and project advisor Sean Warnick. “There’s a surprising amount of sophistication going on between these creatures that we just think of as insects.”The project team, comprised of students across disciplines such as computer science and business, are creating a computer program that tracks bee waggles and interprets them in real time on a computer screen. To capture the waggle dances, students constructed an observation hive with plexiglass siding in the BYU greenhouse. A camera records the waggle dances, and algorithms created by the students measure, annotate, and interpret the movements.While the project may sound un-bee-lievable, the students themselves admit that they’re learning more about bees than they ever anticipated. Nonetheless, they find inspiration in seeing the practical application of their classroom knowledge in real-world situations.“As a computer scientist I definitely spend a lot of time staring at screens and data, but it’s been really cool to go out and actually work with the bees,” says Caelen Miller, a BYU computer science student working on the project. “I want to have it as a hobby for the rest of my life and honestly I’d love to keep studying them because they’re fascinating creatures.”Because of BYU’s unique emphasis on undergraduate research, Warnick says he’s excited about the future application of this research and he’s impressed by the level of care BYU students bring to the project.“Students here at BYU tend to be very focused on doing good in the world and building something amazing. They care very much about the way they’re going to use their education,” he said.The lasting impact of the project could be far-reaching, especially for the agriculture industry, which relies on efficient pollination. With the ability to better understand and interpret beewaggle communications, farmers may optimize pollination strategies and plan more systematically, ultimately enhancing agricultural productivity and ecosystem health.
New BYU study shows 25% of Pacific Islanders have Alzheimers genetic marker Brigham Young University 2023-07-18 | A Brigham Young University genetics team has released a significant new finding about Pacific Islanders and elevated risk for Alzheimer's disease. The team reported, at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, that 25% of Pacific Islanders in their study carry the APOE ε4 genetic trait, often associated with increased risk for developing the disease. While this is the highest rate among any population group, it's unknown if APOE ε4 has the same implications for Pacific Islanders, since studies have primarily been conducted in Caucasians.With a consortium of scientists that make up Natives Engaged in Alzheimer's research, BYU has collected more than 700 genetic samples as part of a landmark study of Pacific Islanders and brain health. The study is unique because many of the researchers themselves are Pacific Islanders, working to provide better research and health care for their native communities.Read more from Christie Allen, BYU News: BYU study: Pacific Islanders have much higher rates of Alzheimer's genetic markerNative Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are vastly underrepresented in genetic research on dementia. Of the 45,000 participants in U.S. Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers, for example, just 17 are from this cohort.Partnered with the Natives Engaged in Alzheimer’s Research project, a $14.6-million endeavor to expand research and treatment on Alzheimer’s and dementia, BYU researchers are filling that gap. So far, they’ve collected over 700 DNA samples from Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and examined them for the APOE ε4 gene, which is known to increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in Caucasians.They found that 25% of their sample had the APOE ε4 allele, a far higher rate than any other group. For comparison, the frequency among African Americans is about 12% and among European Americans, 6%. The team presented their findings July 17, 2023, at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam.“We don’t know for sure what the implications of this finding will be — genetic risk factors can have different effects in different populations,” said project co-leader John “Keoni” Kauwe, a BYU professor of biology and the president of BYU–Hawaii. “There’s potential that these increased rates come from a genetic factor that might teach us something important about the disease.”Studying the unique genetic risk factors for dementia in each population is critical for equitably treating the disease.“A genetic marker may provide insights into the physiology, what’s actually happening in the body,” said BYU biology professor Perry Ridge. “When a drug company develops a treatment, they’re saying, ‘Can we change this effect that we see caused by this mutation?’ So when we only use data from Caucasians to develop treatments, there’s a real possibility that those treatments won’t be effective in other populations.”The researchers’ work is just beginning: they have thousands of DNA samples still to collect and analyze. In addition to further investigating APOE ε4 and other genes, the team is implementing programs to better diagnose dementia among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and to educate the community about the disease.Previously, there were no clinical tools to diagnose Alzheimer’s in Samoan and Tongan languages, leaving these groups relatively neglected in dementia care, despite anecdotally high rates of the disease among the population. As part of the initiative, BYU Ph.D. student Justina Tavana — who, like Kauwe, is from the communities the researchers are studying — translated and developed culturally appropriate exams for use in these groups.Tavana recruited BYU and BYU–Hawaii students from the native communities to assist at their “brain health fairs,” at which they’ve screened individuals for dementia, taught hundreds of people about the disease and collected additional DNA samples for future research.“When the participants see all of these native scientists there who can speak their language and who are from their communities, it’s opened a lot of doors,” Tavana said.“These communities are excited to see someone care about them, to see somebody try to make Alzheimer’s diagnosis and information accessible to them,” Kauwe added. “We’ve felt a lot of love and warmth, brotherhood and sisterhood as we’ve done this work.”
BYU Pacific Islanders bring Alzheimers tools to their communities Brigham Young University 2023-06-30 | Although Pacific Islander and native Hawaiian populations are thought to have a higher than average incidence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, the actual rate of disease is unknown because the communities are under-represented in health research. In a national Alzheimer's DNA database, only 17 DNA samples out of 45,000 were from these populations. Studying the disease was also difficult because diagnostic tools and educational materials had never been translated or adapted for Samoan, Tongan and other languages.BYU Hawaii President John "Keoni" Kauwe, with BYU PhD candidate Justina Tavana, are part of a team -- many of whom are Pacific Islanders themselves -- that is developing improved diagnostic tools and further DNA research in these communities. At brain health events held in the U.S. and American Samoa, BYU and BYU Hawaii students, along with colleagues in the Natives Engaged in Alzheimer's Research project, have now collected nearly 800 DNA samples from Pacific Islander populations. They hope to collect 3,000+ as part of a multi-year study funded by the National Institute on Aging.Natives Engaged in Alzheimer's Research is a collaborative project led by President John S. Kauwe, Dr. Dedra Buchwald, a professor in Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and the director of the Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH), and Dr. James Galvin, professor of neurology and director of the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health University of Miami. See near.byu.eduAdditional footage provided by BYU Hawaii, Wakeful State Productions and Alby Molina. Learn more: news.byu.edu/byu-major-partner-in-project-to-combat-alzheimers-dementia-in-native-pacific-islander-communities
No Place Like Dome: BYU Students Design and Build Futuristic Home Brigham Young University 2023-06-15 | For the first time ever, BYU will be a stop on the Utah Valley Parade of Homes. BYU students have designed, engineered and built a truly one-of-a-kind, zero-energy, sustainable, transportable, affordable home — right on campus. Nicknamed the “Triple Dome Home” because it consists of three interconnected monolithic concrete domes, the two-bedroom, two-bathroom home is (temporarily) nestled in a plot of land behind BYU’s Snell Building.The zero-energy, 850-square-foot house was built completely by students as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. It is designed to reduce its carbon footprint, decrease water consumption and maintain a constant temperature through cold winters and hot summers almost effortlessly. To top it off, the home is transportable and can be taken anywhere a crane can be placed. In fact, the home will be uprooted and moved to California in the fall to be sold.“Our goal was to build a home entirely outside the traditional status quo,” said student Ally Atchley. “It’s clear that no home like this is readily available in the market today.”A few unique engineering approaches to the Triple Dome Home include using fiberglass instead of rebar as the primary material to reinforce the concrete structure; applying a PVC membrane to the entire exterior of the walls to create an insulating, water-proof envelope; and berming the home with soil, rocks and plants covering portions of the exterior walls. The home is powered by 34 double-sided solar panels built into a carport and a pergola directly adjacent to the structure. Because of its concrete dome structure, the home is windproof, fireproof and resistant to extreme temperatures. It also has triple-paned windows for added energy efficiency.The project has stretched the skills, both physical and mental, of the more than 20 students involved in the design, engineering and construction.“As students, we learn a lot of book smarts, but this project at BYU has given us a lot of hands-on, real-life experience,” said Andy Rodriguez, a civil engineering major who helped lead the interior design. “That experience is not just from the physical process of building a home, but it’s with the emotional element as well — putting our time and energy into this with a group of people working for a common cause."BYU is one of 15 universities from the U.S., Canada and India that competed in the Solar Decathlon Build Challenge. The BYU team and their Triple Dome Home will also compete in the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon later this year.
Conserving Molokais Coral Reefs, with BYU and ‘Āina Momona Brigham Young University 2023-06-01 | BYU biologists and engineers partner with ‘Āina Momona to help save Molokai’s fringing reef On the Hawaiian island of Molokai, a fragile reef is at risk, buried by sediment that is washing down from the land, smothering corals and killing fish. For generations, the reef has fed and protected residents of Molokai, who understand and revere the connections between the land (mauka) and ocean (makai). Faced with sediment-covered beaches, invasive species and bleached and dying coral reefs, they reached out to Brigham Young University biologists to gather data and propose solutions.Working in partnership with the native Hawaiian organization ‘Āina Momona, BYU biologists and engineers are developing new technologies to create 3D maps of Molokai’s fragile reef, and to provide baseline data for conservation efforts. In addition to completing land-based surveys of problem areas on the island, BYU engineers developed an autonomous rover to image portions of the reef and to collect GPS coordinates and water quality data.Oahu native and BYU biology graduate student Kalai Ellis, the lead student researcher on the reef imaging project, has family ties on the island of Molokai, where his great grandmother Mary Lee was a community activist and wise kupuna (elder). He also shares a special connection with Walter Ritte, a noted Molokai activist and founder of ‘Āina Momona. As a young man, Uncle Walter was taught by Ellis’s great grandmother who, during a formative time in his life, gave him critical advice about how to preserve Molokai’s indigenous lands and culture. Read more at magazine.byu.edu/article/mauka-to-makai/See kaainamomona.org to learn about ‘Āina Momona and its conservation work on the island of Molokai
2023 Cougarettes D1A National Championship Jazz Routine Brigham Young University 2023-05-05 | Performing to Piano Man by Billy Joel, the BYU Cougarettes share the routine that won them the Jazz National Championship in the D1A division of the 2023 NDA College Cheer and Dance Championships. The Cougarettes also claimed the national championship in the Hip Hop category.This video of the Cougarettes' Jazz performance was filmed on the BYU campus during the team sendoff, prior to the competition.
Congratulations BYU Class of 2023 Brigham Young University 2023-05-02 | More than 6,800 Brigham Young University students received degrees during BYU commencement ceremonies on April 27, 2023. President Kevin J Worthen delivered his final address as BYU president and was honored with a prolonged standing ovation for his service to the university and its students.“We joyfully celebrate and admire your accomplishments, with the assurance that, because of Christ, the best is yet to come. May that truth resonate with, and elevate, your spirit on this day of exclamation,” President Worthen told new graduates. Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expressed his appreciation to the Worthens. “Kevin and Peggy, you have made us proud, and we wish you Godspeed and the Lord’s continuing blessings in the endeavors of the future,” he said.Reverend Dr. Andrew Teal received an honorary doctorate during the ceremony and shared his admiration for BYU’s unique educational environment. “We are so blessed today to become part of the life and history of this amazing, world-class University with its distinguished and distinctive character,” he said. “BYU models a rare and particular dimension of profound and exacting excellence, which stands back from conventional attitudes and judgments and explores the truth in all its wonder, beauty, complexity and unity.”See speeches.byu.edu for the full video and text of commencement speeches.
Farewell to the HFAC on BYU campus Brigham Young University 2023-04-20 | Making way for a new arts building, the beloved Harris Fine Arts Center on the Brigham Young University campus was torn down in early 2023.See tributes to the HFAC and learn more about plans for the new building from BYU's College of Fine Arts and CommunicationsDemo: cfac.byu.edu/hfac-demolitionMemories: hfac.byu.eduNew Arts Building: artsbuilding.byu.edu
