Latest Achievements

Dr. Paul Michael L. Atienza gave the keynote address at the First Summer Fellowship Program (FSFP) for incoming Cal State University Mellon Mays Undergraduate  fellows (MMUF) earlier in the summer. The MMUF program is a Mellon Foundation-funded two-year fellowship program designed to address the problem of underrepresentation in the academy at the professoriate level in the humanities and humanistic social sciences. The multi-day program provided the nuts and bolts of undergraduate research in the humanities and social sciences and what to expect in graduate school. Dr. Atienza spoke about their path to the professoriate, and their interdisciplinary research.

Dr. Maria Gonzalez, Higher Educational Initiatives, received a grant from the US Department of Education Title V DHSI project entitled: Caminar Juntos (Walking Together), a project that will increase retention and graduation for Hispanic, low income and other underserved students. The project will support Hispanic, low-income, and other underserved students as they develop a sense of belonging through academic support services and social integration efforts. The project will reduce retention and graduation gaps for students at Cal Poly Humboldt and transfer students from College of the Redwoods.

Laura Levy (Geology) and Rosemary Sherriff (Geography) were awarded an NSF grant "Collaborative Research: RUI: Glacier resilience during the Holocene and late Pleistocene in northern California" for $742,040. It is an interdisciplinary research project with co-PIs Dick Heermance (CSU Northridge) and Andrew Malone (University of Illinois, Chicago). The aim is to reconstruct the glacier and climate fluctuations since the last ice age in the Trinity Alps- a region that is climatologically unique in northern California.

Dr. Kerry Byrne (Associate Professor, Environmental Science and Management) was awarded a sabbatical research grant from Western SARE (Sustainable Agriculture, Research, and Education) to work with collaborator Dr. Kelly Hopping at Boise State University on a project entitled "Seeds underhoof: can the soil seed bank facilitate restoration of sheep-grazed, cheatgrass-invaded rangelands?" Details of the award can be found here: https://projects.sare.org/sare_project/sw23-944/

Lucy Kerhoulas (Forestry), Rosemary Sherriff (Geography), and Kerry Byrne (ESM) were recently awarded funds from PG&E to evaluate tree failure and environmental conditions along PG&E infrastructure throughout five counties in northwestern California. The project involves both undergraduate and graduate students during the summer and academic year for 3 years.

Lucy Kerhoulas (Forestry), Rosemary Sherriff (Geography), Erik Jules (Biology) are co-leading a new project to map the vegetation of the Klamath ecoregion along with undergraduate and graduate students, and collaborators from the California Native Plant Society and Michael Kauffmann (alum; Backcountry Press). The project involves sampling ~ 1600 locations across the 3-year project.

Dr. Justin Luong received a $520,000 grant to study how managed cattle grazing can provide benefits for wetland plant and animal communities at the Willits Bypass in Mendocino County. Managed grazing is a powerful tool for land management and has the potential to bolster biodiversity and carbon storage. Dr. Luong will work with local land agencies to assess how grazing exclusion affects special status plant species, overall plant communities, biodiversity, and soil carbon storage through traditional field study methods and aerial imagery. Collaborators include Drs. Sharon Kahara and Buddhika Madurapperuma. Funding comes from the California Bountiful Foundation.

In an effort to support equity and inclusion for young faculty and international colleagues who may struggle with financial constraints or government/travel restrictions, the International Studies Association has piloted an all-virtual conference as a permanent feature of their calendar. In August, Professor Alison Holmes (Politics) presented her paper "Subnational Diplomacy - Sovereignty at the Crossroads" on a panel that included colleagues 'live on zoom' from China, Germany, The Netherlands, Czechia, the UK and Canada. Unlike the traditional conference format and capitalizing on the new modality, all the panels were recorded and will be available to the entire ISA membership. 

Professor Emeritus Robert W. Zoellner and his former student, Tara S. Caso, have published their third peer-reviewed article, together, entitled "The DFT computational investigation of the β-sila-α-amino acids and their β-permethylsila-analogs:  Silicon-containing amino acids as a viable foundation for silicon-based life”:  T. S. Caso, R. W. Zoellner, Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research 2023, 22, 47–61.

Meenal Rana, with co-authors, Beth Phelps and Lonny Grafman, has received the SSSP Best Paper Award in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation for the paper, “Youth-Adult Partnership in Social Entrepreneurship and Community Engagement: A Case Study of Daula Village in India.” at the Society's annual conference in Philadelphia (Aug 18-20). The works adds to the literature by demonstrating ways the youth-adult partnerships can benefit the communities in their social entrepreneurship goals. The data comes from the "Rural Youth Volunteers in India", an international experiential learning project, in which Humboldt and Indian students and faculty worked for 11-weeks in two rural communities. 

Kamila Larripa was selected to participate in the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics collaborative research workshop in data science.  She worked on tensor decomposition methods for machine learning.

Dr. Jeff Kane received a grant to support restoration efforts for a rare tree species in the Plumas National Forest, the Baker Cypress, whose population was extirpated by the 2021 Dixie Fire. Currently, there are only 11 known Baker cypress populations worldwide. Under the project, Cal Poly Humboldt faculty and students will work towards re-establishing this population, collecting cones from the remaining mature stands of Baker cypress in northern California and southern Oregon. Additionally, students and faculty will be engaged with relevant research projects that can inform and improve gene conservation and restoration efforts for Baker Cypress.

Hunter Harrill (Assistant Professor) received a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service to assess the recently completed and present forest stewardship operations in western high-risk fire landscapes. The project will develop productivity models for fuel reduction operations, and make them publicly available for land managers to predict the cost of forest operations. The work will support the USFS Wildfire Crisis Strategy and is funded through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The research is also part of a larger multi-disciplinary team, collaborating with Northern Arizona University, West Virginia University, and Washington State University.

California Federation of Women’s Clubs, has announced that Andrew Olson, Crescent City resident and student at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, is the recipient of the 1st place award  in the prestigious “YOUNG MUSICIANS” state-wide competition.  Andrew entered the contest under the auspices of the local Crescent City Women’s Club.  Andrew qualified in the “Young Musicians Competition” Piano 19-24 age category.  The judges used a rubric that included many elements, including tone, technical facility, rhythm, and articulation.   The award carries great weight in honor, and proof of ability, and providing opportunity for meeting others, and provides a monetary award.  

Professor Emeritus Robert W. Zoellner and his former student, Tara S. Caso, have published their third and final peer-reviewed article entitled "The DFT computational investigation of the β-sila-α-amino acids and their β-permethylsila-analogs:  Silicon-containing amino acids as a viable foundation for silicon-based life”:  T. S Caso, R. W. Zoellner, Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research 2023, 22, 47–61.

Professors Noah Zerbe and Alison Holmes were nominated to participate in the US Navy’s Distinguished Visitors (DV) Embark Program. Designed to educate community leaders, groups are invited to experience 24 hours aboard an aircraft carrier. Zerbe and Holmes received a Command briefing at Naval Base Coronado then flew via Osprey to the USS Carl Vinson, currently engaged in maneuvers off Mexico. They toured the Nimitz-class carrier, dined with the Executive Officer(XO), Judge Advocate General(JAG) and Air Officer Assistant (MiniBoss) and stayed overnight to observe the Bridge alongside the Commanding Officer(CO) and watch night and day operations from the flight deck.

The Chancellor's Office has invited Professor Alison Holmes (Politics) to join the leadership team of the CSU International Forum. In the newly created role of Vice Chair for International Research, Holmes will help add a faculty/scholarship track to the Forum. Started in 2016, this has been a two-day, annual event, often seen as a networking and best practices professional development opportunity for CSU staff in the tracks of: Study Abroad, Incoming Exchange, International Recruitment, International Admissions and International Student Services. The Forum will now explicitly invite faculty and staff to share relevant/international research, extending its reach and impact.   

Professor Alison Holmes (Politics) was invited to be part of a team of instructors for a professional course hosted by George Washington University and supported by the European Commission. The two-day course was on subnational diplomacy with attendees from around the world. Holmes spoke on her research on California as a global actor. 

Jen Dyke (Project Director TRIO Upward Bound), received funding from the CA Dept. of Education Nutrition Services Division in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture to assist with meal costs during the TRiO Upward Bound residential summer academy at Cal Poly Humboldt.  Summer Food Service reimbursements assist the project in supplementing Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner expenses for participants, as food costs continue to rise and TRIO grants remain level funded. This collaborative effort with Humboldt Dining Services, Sponsored Programs Foundation, and the Summer Food Service Program is a big win for our TRIO UB students.

Kamila Larripa and Bori Mazzag received a California Learning Lab grant to build critical mass in data science at Cal Poly Humboldt. Project team members include Enoch Hale, Rosanna Overholser and Angela Rich. The grant activities coincide with the launch of a data science major in Fall 2023, and will help move data science into the larger campus community.

Dr. Micaela Szykman Gunther received funding from CalTrans to assess the efficacy and statewide applicability of an electronic elk detection system along a section of Highway 101. The system is designed to detect elk and activate warning signs to increase driver awareness when elk may be on or near the highway. Dr. Szykman Gunther will work with both students and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who will collar target elk, to monitor elk movement and survival. If successful, this system would increase elk movement between fragmented habitats, increase habitat permeability and survivorship, and decrease risks to passing motorists.

Dr. Hyun-Kyung You received a grant to implement two new projects under the Child Development Lab (CDL): Reflective Parenting Groups and a Family Resource Library. The parenting groups will facilitate reflective meetings between multiple groups of parents, with the aim of strengthening parenting skills and building social connections among participating families. The Family Resource Library will develop a library with materials for families aimed at increasing awareness of Adverse Childhood Experiences, and bolstering families’ capacity for positive parenting. Funding comes from the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services.

Drs. Rosemary Sherriff, Lucy Kerhoulas and Kerry Byrne received a grant from PG&E to study tree health, vegetation, and fuel characteristics in five dominant forest types throughout five counties in Northern California. Research findings will identify conditions that are commonly associated with tree mortality and breakage, which will help PG&E prioritize vegetation management efforts to vulnerable areas. Sara Hanna (Forestry) is also a key collaborator for GIS analysis, as well as two graduate and five undergraduate students.

Cal Poly Humboldt is helping the CSU connect California to the world through a new online journal - csuglobal. Professor Alison Holmes (PSCI), Kyle Morgan (Library) and Casey Vaughn (Art) worked behind the scenes to prepare the new interdisciplinary journal's first issue (launched May 5th) as part of a system-wide initiative. With editors from 13 campuses and the Chancellor's Office, csuglobal will highlight the expertise of faculty, staff and students through a discussion 'zine and two specific journals one focusing on issues relevant to CA as an increasingly important international actor and one to promote global pedagogy. Submissions welcome: calstate.edu/csuglobal 

Prof Alison Holmes (Politics) will be an invited speaker at Cal Poly Pomona's Faculty and Staff professional development Conference: "Pathways to the Future: Exploring the Intersection of Learning, Work, and the Community" (May 31- June 2). Holmes will be part of the Mentoring Track and talking about ways to scaffold career development across the curriculum as part of an overall mentoring strategy. This presentation is based on her nearly ten years as a member of Cal Poly Humboldt's career curriculum committee. 

Alexandra Gonzalez, Sheila Rocker-Heppe, and Jamie Jensen have been awarded $50,000 of grant funding through the 2022-23 CPaCE Accelerator Grants program. This will be used for funding the development of the college's new stackable certificate model in gerontology with an emphasis in rural communities. The goal is to design a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum that prepares students to serve a diverse older adult population. Future development of this program will allow students to apply units earned through the completion of these certificates toward a baccalaureate degree completion program launching at Cal Poly Humboldt in Fall 2025. 

Jacob Aguilera, Elizabeth Aparicio, Lisa Elconin, Dennis Lindelof, Jane Martinez, and Emily Shiver presented their original research in Reno, NV at the Geological Society of America Section Meeting. They participated in a pilot one-year long program integrating quantitative, field and lab-based geologic research into the Geology curriculum, led by faculty mentors Jacky Baughman and Melanie Michalak, funded by an NSF AGeS-DiG grant. They presented two posters; i) on their investigation of the effects of a 52 million year old tectonic plate shift on the northern Klamath Mountains, and ii) what the research cohort collaboration was like from their experience.

Daniel Abel, Osvaldo Bustos-Perez, Derek Cohen, Regina Khoury, Jane Martinez, Rebecca Reibel, and Giorgio Vitti co-authored and presented their original research in Reno, NV on May 17th at the Geological Society of American Cordilleran Section Meeting. Their research used statistical approaches from geochemical data to reconstruct the geologic and tectonic history of the Montgomery Creek Formation, an ancient river system that is found today in the eastern Klamath Mountains Province. The original work was incorporated into a Methods in Geochronology course taught by Melanie Michalak (Geology); students travel was supported by the Geology Moory Opportunities Fund. 

Dr. Nievita Bueno Watts, in conjunction with researchers from the Ecological Forecasting Initiative (EFI), https://ecoforecast.org/ , recently published an article "Assessing opportunities and inequities in undergraduate ecological forecasting education" in Ecology and Evolution. With lead author Alyssa M Willson of the University of Notre Dame, the project brought together co-authors from Cal Poly Humboldt, Salish Kootenai College, U New Mexico Gallup, U Notre Dame, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University College Cork to investigate patterns of ecological forecasting education available to students at the undergraduate level, disparities which exist, and possible solutions.

For over two decades, School of Engineering students have competed in the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications (COMAP) annual Mathematical Modeling Contest (MCM) and Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling (ICM).  Over 11,000 teams from thousands of universities and 21 different countries participate in the 4-day competition and produced a report summarizing their solution to one of six possible problems. The team consisting of Taylor Bell, Cortland Navarette, and Jacob J Taylor, selected a problem focused WORDLE. The team was awarded the score of Honorable Mention, with only 10% of the teams receiving a higher score. Photos  

Recently, Dr. Panta published a research article exploring the relationship between organizational capital and the readability of financial reports. Recently, his findings were published in the esteemed Finance Research Letters journal, which is ranked A by the ABDC. According to Dr. Panta's research, financial reports become more readable with increased levels of organizational capital, a crucial factor for investors. This research emphasizes the significance of intangible assets and offers valuable guidance for companies looking to enhance their financial reporting practices. The article can be accessed through this link: (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2023.103895).

Armeda Reitzel, Professor Emerita of Communication, was invited to give a presentation as a featured speaker by LibreTexts at the Open Education Week 2023 Conference. Open Education Week is an annual celebration of the people and activities that apply open practices to education around the world. Her presentation, "Engaging three student populations with a LibreTexts OER," focused on her use of an OER that she helped co-author.      

 

Dr. Aaron Gregory (Native American Studies, Science & Technology Studies) assisted in the organization of the 4th Annual Post-Capitalism Conference and Decolonizing Economies Summit as a member of the Steering Committee, opening speaker, and co-organizer of a panel on Food & Seed Sovereignty highlighting the Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab (FSL) and Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute at Cal Poly Humboldt, with contributions from Karley Rojas (FSL) and global panelists including Rowen White (Sierra Seeds; Indigenous Seedkeepers Network) Jon Jandai (Seeds for the People; Thamurakit) Alejandro Argumendo (Swift Foundation), Alfie Pulumbarit (MASIPAG; Seeds of Resistance) and Aubrey Pongluelert (Fulbright Scholar). 

On Friday, April 28th, over 100 educators and students across the university came together for the 4th Annual Teaching Excellence Symposium to reimagine what it means to be a polytechnic. A panel of educators, Heather Madar (AHSS), César Abarca (SW), and Catalina Cuellar Gempeler (BIOL), described their perspectives and experiences on how they are thinking differently about applied learning. Following, a Digital Interactive session hosted over 40 educators and students sharing their innovative, inspiring, and impactful approaches and research to participants. Enjoy the anytime/anywhere version of the Digital Interactive session on the Center for Teaching & Learning website.

Dr. Jose Marin Jarrin, Michelle Schuiteman, and Dr. Andrew Kinziger received a grant to develop a population baseline of fish communities in the lower estuary of the Klamath River. The study will ensure that changes in the Klamath River estuary due to climate change and dam removal will be measurable, and will also develop a working group that can continue to tackle coastal marine issues in Northern California, including Klamath estuary monitoring. The project will be led by the Yurok Tribe Fisheries Department, with support from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and US Fish and Wildlife Service staff.

Physics & Astronomy majors Abby Keltz and Alexandra Papesh presented research at the 2023 April Meeting of the American Physical Society (APS), held in Minneapolis, MN from April 15th - 18th. Keltz presented the talk "Testing Gravitational Interactions Below 50 Microns," while Papesh presented a poster describing a collaborative project with Indiana University-Purdue University of Indianapolis (IUPUI) entitled "Improved Measurement of the Newtonian Gravitational Constant G." Keltz was recognized as one of the "Outstanding Undergraduate Presenters" by the conference organizers. Both projects are supported by the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Gordon Ulmer has been awarded a prestigious $25,000 Wenner-Gren Post PhD Research and Dissertation Fieldwork Grant. His research project is titled, “Multispecies Encounters on the Gahwtco’ (Redwood) Coast: Landscapes of Precarity and Survivance in Times of Change”.

Kamila Larripa has been awarded a 3 year National Science Foundation Division of Mathematical Sciences grant for $307,661 to study immune cell activation using multi-scale mathematical models.  The project includes collaborating biologists at other institutions and will incorporate and train undergraduate students in interdisciplinary research techniques.

Dr. Paul Michael Leonardo Atienza, assistant professor of Asian American Studies with Dr. Kathleen Cruz Gutierrez, assistant professor of History at UC Santa Cruz co-edited a special issue of Philippine Studies: Historical & Ethnographic Viewpoints (PSHEV). Guided by the Global Asias framework, they curated nine essays that introduce one way science and technology, most especially in the Philippine postwar period, may be investigated, critiqued, and reimagined. PSHEV is an internationally refereed journal that publishes on the history of the Philippines and its people, both in the homeland and overseas.

In collaboration with his drag collaborator Maria Arte Susya Purisima Tolentino or Ma. Arte for short, Dr. Atienza performed a work-in-progress piece Binyag (Dousing with Water) as part of the 25th anniversary show of Tuesday Night Cafe in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California. Tuesday Night Cafe is an Asian American free summer public arts and performance series founded in 1999. It is the flagship of Tuesday Night Project, an Asian American grassroots organization devoted to bridging communities through artistic expression and community partnerships. Learn more at http://www.tuesdaynightproject.org/ FOLLOW Ma. Arte on Instagram and Facebook @dragMaArte

Will give a talk titled "Frobenius extensions, Artin-Schelter regular algebras and Azumaya loci" at the Spring Western Sectional Meeting of the American Mathematical Society at CSU, Fresno on Sunday, May 7, 2023. The Azumaya locus of a polynomial identity algebra is an algebraic variety that parametrizes the irreducible modules of maximal dimension. Typically the Azumaya locus is very hard to determine. Dr. Goetz will describe results from his current research project on using Frobenius extensions to compute Azumaya loci.

Julie Van Sickle received a grant to implement several projects through the Natural History Museum (NHM) that will help educate the local community and visitors on marine science and stewardship, sea level rise, and ocean acidification. This includes the addition of two new exhibits, expanding current exhibits with additional information, and building marine science teaching boxes for teachers to use in their classrooms and to be used at outreach events. These projects will be developed through the collaborative work of faculty and students, local agencies, local teacher leaders, and NHM staff.

Dr. Oscar Vargas collaborated in the assemblage and annotation of a spiral ginger genome. Authors sequenced the nuclear genome of two species of plants in the family Costaceae. The study provides a draft annotation for the genome by mapping the transcriptome (RNA, expressed DNA) of one species to its draft genome. This study provides useful genetic resources for the study of non-model organisms. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esad018

Drs. Lucy Kerhoulas and Erin Kelly were awarded a $299,000 grant to support the ongoing Redwoods Rising student apprenticeship program. The program places students within resource teams to perform seasonal tasks associated with restoration activities throughout the Redwood National and State Parks, where they develop field experience, network with resource management specialists, and contribute to ongoing land management efforts. This summer they hired 12 apprentices to work on projects related to forestry, roads, watersheds, and outreach and interpretation.This project is in collaboration with Redwood National and State Parks and the Save the Redwoods League, which also provides funding.

Dr. Oscar Vargas collaborated in the description of a new species of spiral gingers from the mountains of Costa Rica. The paper examines the possible causes of speciation by comparing the genetics and climate preference of the new species to its closest relative. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364423X16758877666039 

Leslie Keig's one minute play "The Tides of Janus" was selected for inclusion in Et tu, Brute? An Anthology of One Minute Plays (Volume 2) from Fresh Words: An International Literary Magazine. https://sites.google.com/view/freshwordsmagazine/special-anthologies

California Community College students have achieved educational and professional success at Cal Poly Humboldt’s online Bachelors Degree in Leadership Studies which is designed to accommodate students from many industry sectors. Since 2021, LDRS students have transferred from 46 different community colleges across a variety of Certificate and Associate pathways, building on their technical training and work experience. Non-traditional students can continue to work while accessing a CSU through this flexible, adult-friendly degree program as well as access financial aid (Cal Grant, Pell Grant, and federal loans). LDRS students have a 78% retention rate and 75% graduation rate! Go Lumberjacks! 

Dr. Rouhollah Aghasaleh facilitated a pre-conference (NARST 2023) workshop at the Spencer Foundation in Chicago on “Dismantling Systemic Inequalities in Indigenous STEM Education”, sponsored by Indigenous Scientific Knowledge Research Interest Group (ISK-RIG). Organizers: Sharon Nelson-Barber-WestEd, USA Rouhollah Aghasaleh- California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, CA, USA Megan Bang- Northwestern University, IL, USA Pauline Chinn- University of Hawai`i at Mānoa, HI, USA Josiah Hester- Northwestern University, IL, USA Julie Robinson- University of North Dakota, ND, USA Linda Tuhiwai Smith- Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, New Zealand Bhaskar Upadhyay- University of Minnesota, MN, USA David Zandvliet- Simon Fraser University, Canada https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/3108/session/58009

Dr. Rouhollah Aghasaleh delivered a keynote address at American Educational Research Association (AERA) Philosophical Studies in Education Special Interest Group (SIG) Business Meeting in Chicago on Friday April 14, 2023.

Regina Khoury has been selected to receive the Alistair and Judith McCrone Graduate Fellowship Award for the 2023-2024 academic year. This fellowship is given to one graduate student each year at Cal Poly Humboldt who demonstrates exceptional academic merit and significant potential for contribution to their field. Regina's MS thesis project with Professor Brandon Browne combines geologic mapping with geochemical and mineralogical analyses of lavas erupted from eight different vents within a ~200 year "flare up" of Medicine Lake volcano in the California Cascades. Her findings will advance hazard mitigation efforts at volcanoes worldwide. Congratulations Regina!