UVU Students and Professor Ro Showcase Research at Intermountain Engineering, Technology, and Computing Conference (i-ETC) at Utah State University

UVU Students and Professor Ro Showcase Research at Intermountain Engineering, Technology, and Computing Conference (i-ETC) at Utah State University

LOGAN, UT — May 17, 2024

Utah Valley University (UVU) architecture students and their mentor, Professor Brandon Ro, made an impressive showing at the Intermountain Engineering, Technology, and Computing Conference (i-ETC) hosted by Utah State University last week (May 13-14). The conference provided a platform for UVU students to present innovative research projects that merge architecture with cutting-edge technology and interdisciplinary exploration.

The UVU Architecture team presented the following projects:

  • Joshua Lythgoe presented a poster titled, “The Visual Attention of the Fractal Dimension.” His research explored the application of the box counting method for measuring the fractal quality of architectural facades. It offers designers a tool to objectively assess the success of their designs before they are built.

  • Thomas Cryer and Joseph Laudie collaborated on the project “Recreating the Past: A Digital Exploration of the 6th Century Basilica at Horvat Beit Loya.” Their digital reconstruction provided new insights into the architectural and cultural significance of this ancient site.

  • Rebekah Phillips contributed with her project titled “Designing Home: An Architectural Analysis of Transitional Housing for Foster Youth.” Her research focused on creating supportive environments for foster youth through thoughtful architectural design by using visual attention software.

  • Professor Brandon Ro presented his research, “Archaeoastronomy at the Byzantine Church Complex at Ḥorvat Beit Loya.” His key findings highlighted the church’s orientation towards the sunrise on April 30th which suggests a deliberate architectural alignment with the feast day of St. James the Apostle.  His study offers a deeper understanding of the relationship between architecture, astronomy, and religious practices in Byzantine Christianity. Read more here: https://brandonro.com/2024/04/15/archaeoastronomy-horvat-beit-loya-church/ 

students

Reflecting on his experience, architecture student Joshua Lythgoe, emphasized the value of mentorship in navigating complex subject matter. “Having a mentor was crucial on this project. Much of the subject matter was over my head, and if I hadn’t had a mentor to discuss with multiple times, I wouldn’t have been able to complete the project in the same way,” Lythgoe shared. “This research project helped me see that there are objective ways to analyze architecture... We need to keep going to these conferences to get our name out into academia.”

The participation of UVU’s architecture students and faculty at i-ETC 2024 exemplifies the university’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of architectural research and contributing to interdisciplinary dialogues. Their presence at the conference not only highlighted the innovative work being done at UVU but also underscored the importance of integrating architecture with broader fields of study.