Event highlights excellence in student research

Outstanding research by CSU Monterey Bay students on topics ranging from juvenile offenders to the distribution of mammals on former Fort Ord land will be presented at a system-wide competition next month.

Five student projects were selected by a committee of CSUMB’s Faculty Senate to represent the university at the 26th annual CSU Student Research Competition at Long Beach State May 4 and 5. In Long Beach, students will make 10-minute oral presentations before juries of professional experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, colleges and universities in California. The judges also review each student’s research paper. The purpose of the competition is to focus attention on the outstanding accomplishments of students engaged in significant research and creative activity in all academic disciplines across the 23-campus CSU system.

One graduate student and four undergraduates will present their work. Those students, their degree programs, research topics and their faculty advisers are:

Graduate student: • Bart Kowalski, Coastal and Watershed Science & Policy, “Effects of landscape covariates on the distribution of mammalian carnivores on Fort Ord," faculty adviser Dr. Fred Watson

Undergraduates: • Sara Banco, psychology, “Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors of Serious Juvenile Offenders from Parental Substance Using Homes," faculty adviser Dr. Jill Yamashita

• Melissa Powell, psychology, "Familistic and Individualistic Values of Emerging Adults Across Cultures," faculty adviser Dr. Jennifer Dyer-Seymour

• Emily Roncase, biology, "Directed mutagenisis for the identification of regulatory phosphate-binding sites on the auxin transport protein ABCB19 in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana," faculty adviser Dr. Henrik Kibak

• Sarah Whiteford, kinesiology, "Effects of Isometric Squats on Vertical Jump in Male Recreational Club Athletes," faculty adviser Dr. Kent Adams