Outstanding research by CSU Monterey Bay students on topics ranging from bat foraging to visitor engagement at museums was presented at a competition in late April at CSU Bakersfield.

The CSU Student Research Competition is held each spring to promote excellence in undergraduate and graduate scholarly research and creative activity by recognizing outstanding student accomplishments across the 23 CSU campuses.

Marine biology student Madison Heard took second place with her research on the impacts of ocean acidification on abalone. She started the work last summer as part of CSUMB’s 10-week Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program funded by the National Science Foundation. Student projects were selected by a committee of CSUMB’s Faculty Senate. At the competition, students made 10-minute oral presentations before juries of experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, colleges and universities. The judges also reviewed each student’s research paper. One graduate student and nine undergraduates from CSUMB were among the 200 students who presented their work in 20 categories.

CSUMB students, their degree programs, research topics and their faculty advisers:

Undergraduates

Briana Bercerra, environmental science, technology and policy, “Productivity of Juniper and Pinyon Woodlands in La Joya, New Mexico,” faculty mentor: Dr. Suzy Worcester

Jordan Collignon, mathematics, “Simulating the Reintroduction of the Extinct Passenger Pigeon,” faculty mentor: Dr. Lipika Deka

Jesirae Collins, marine science, “Impact of seafloor structure on adominant marine organism of the sandy habitat,” faculty mentor: Dr. Corey Garza

Gina Dabbah, biology, “Field observation of ascospore discharge ofmonilinia vaccinii-corymbosi in northern highbush blueberries,” faculty mentor: Dr. Tim Miles

Charlie Farber and Carl Thacker, biology, “Utilization of in vivo Plasmid Assembly in the Transformation of S. Cerevisiae,” faculty mentor: Dr. Aparna Sreenivasan

Madison Heard, marine science, “Effects of Climate Change on the Larval Development of Haliotis rufescens (red abalone),” faculty mentor: Dr. Corey Garza

Elizabeth Hensley, human communication, “Stop the press: A case study using critical race theory to unpack and challenge the barrier of whiteness in newspapers,” faculty mentor: Dr. Sam Robinson

• Bethany Schulze, environmental science, technology and policy, “Modeling and mapping habitat suitability for bat foraging activity,” faculty mentor: Dr. Fred Watson

Graduate student

• Jewel Sean Gentry, Master of Arts in Education, “Measuring visitor engagement in the mission museums,” faculty adviser: Dr. Kerrie Chitwood