The University will welcome more than 200 student researchers from across the CSU’s 23 campuses on April 25-26, for the system-wide event.
Each year, the CSU Student Research Competition brings together outstanding undergraduate and graduate scholars and recent alumni to present research across a broad range of academic disciplines. Participants compete in 10 distinct categories—from Physical and Mathematical Sciences to Education—vying for top honors and cash prizes awarded by a panel of judges.
Cal Poly Humboldt student competitors and their research projects include:
- Julian Jensen, Forestry—“Prescribed Fire as a Potential Mitigation Strategy for Phytophthora ramorum and Field Accuracy Assessment of Identification”
- Cheyenne Ty, Abigail Penland, John Gerving, Martin Mendoza-Ceja, & Megan Pratt, Mathematics—“Agent-based Modeling of Microglia Metabolic Pathways: Implications in Alzheimer's Disease”
- Will Streich, Economics—“Have Institutional Investors Entered the Humboldt County Housing Market?”
- Ben Hung and Zane Husome, Engineering—“Offshore Wind Secondary Entanglement”
- David Schmitz, Priscilla Gamez, and Rafael Bernard, Chemistry—“Preparation and Evaluation of Polylactic Acid-Quinoa Composites”
- Rosa Cox, Environmental Science & Management—“Aquatic Food Web Responses to the Largest Dam Removal in History: Implications for Salmonid Prey Availability in the Klamath River”
- Isabel Perez-Zoghibi, Chemistry—“Examining the Potential Interference of Scandium on Iron Uptake Mechanisms in Phytoplankton, through the lens of Nutrient Consumption”
- Harmony Switzer-Tryon, Psychology—“Emotional Intelligence Scores of Adult Children of Narcissistic Mothers”
- Garrett Kitchen, Sociology—“First Responders: Strain, Coping, and Camaraderie in Municipal Firefighting”
- Kamar Little, Film—“California Winter”
“Hosting this competition is an honor and a testament to the caliber of research, creativity, and innovation happening here at Cal Poly Humboldt,” said Kacie Flynn, the University’s Associate Vice President for Research. “Hosting this event for the first time in our University’s history is an incredible opportunity to showcase the talent across the CSU system, and the distinctive spirit of Cal Poly Humboldt—where hands-on learning, collaboration, and meaningful impact are at the core of what we do.”
This year’s event is more than a showcase of student research—it’s a celebration of student-driven design, from innovative ideas to the artistic details that bring the competition to life.
Last semester, students in Engineering 205: Introduction to Design devoted thousands of hours to crafting 20 custom-designed trophies—two for each of the competition’s ten categories—all created in the University’s makerspace. They also created plaques for second-place winners and coasters for honorable mentions. The students worked in close collaboration with the Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation, as well as faculty and peers, to develop the designs.
The results are as imaginative as they are symbolic. For instance, the trophy for the Behavioral, Social Sciences & Public Administration category features a “Tree of Unity” with a globe at its center, reflecting the themes of growth, global impact, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
In addition to the trophies, Cal Poly Humboldt student Mariah Kirkpatrick designed a custom logo to be featured on tote bags and various swag distributed at the event.
Kirkpatrick says it was gratifying to create something that embodies discovery and innovation, while also reflecting the essence of Humboldt. Her design incorporates the region’s natural elements—like trees and the ocean—alongside subtle nods to the research process itself.
“I wanted to represent the quieter parts of research—the moments of reading, reflecting, and growing your mind on your own,” she explains. “It’s that internal work that fuels collaboration and leads to bigger discoveries, both individually and together.”
“It feels special to make art outside of a void for once. The art we surround ourselves with can shape how we think and act. I hope people feel that this design reflects the energy of the competition—and maybe even inspires them a little.”
For more information about the competition, including a full schedule of events, visit humboldt.edu/student-research-competition/event-presentation-schedule