Ernesto works with faculty mentor Danielle Zacherl studying metal loads in Kellet's whelk (Kelletia kelletii) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometery (ICP-MS). His study will help identify the tissues where metabolism occurs in this southern California gastropod. Ernesto participates in the long-tem monitoring oflarval settlement of the native oyster (Ostrea conchaphila) in Newport Bay, CA. He presented results from the SCERP summer research on the effects of trampling on the aquatic invertebrate community in a southern California creek at the 2008 Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science conference in Salt Lake City, UT.
Shannon works with faculty mentor Danielle Zacherl studying oyster restoration techniques on the native Olympia oyster ("Ostrea lurida") populations in Newport Bay, Ca. Her study will assess the oysters' impact on local biodiversity and water qulity and will also help to further develop oyster restoration efforts of this native species. Shannon also will present results from the SCERP summer research on plant water relations of riparian and coastal sage scrub communities at the 2009 Society ofr the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science conference in Dallas, TX.
Allyson works with faculty mentors Steven Murray and Jayson Smith exploring energetic performances of southern California's marine herbivores. She studies native and non-native macroalgal nutritional content and feeding patterns of native invertebrate consumers when fed native or non-indigenous kelp. Allyson gave an oral presentation at the CSUF NSM Inter-Club Council Sixth annual symposium on the effects of delayed hatching on development of the California grunion in 2009. She also presented a poster on delayed hatching in grunion at the Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research at Pomona, CA in 2008. Allyson was awarded the CSUF Rachel Carson Conservation Scholarship in 2009. She is founder of the Society of Multidisciplinary Researchers of Tomorrow (SMRT) club at CSUF. She is a transfer student from Saddleback Community College where she earned an Associates Degree in Environmental Studies. Allyson was chosen by the faculty of the Environmental Studies Department to represent the department at the 2007 Dean's List Reception.
Patricia works with faculty mentor Jennifer Burnaford. She is interested in marine biology and is currently investigating the effects of temperature and salinity on respiration and filtration rates in the native and non-native oysters in Newport Bay, California. She is also interested in testing the accuracy of temperature loggers by comparing recorded data with actual oyster body temperatures. She will present a poster on oyster filtration rates at the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science conference in Dallas, Texas in 2009.
Elizabeth works with faculty mentor Jochen Schenk studying embolism repair within two chaparral plant species, Malosma laurina and Ceanothus crassifolius. She is interested in determining whether embolism repair is affected by diurnal and seasonality changes. Elizabeth presented results from the SCERP summer research on honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) at the Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research in Pomona, CA in 2008. She was also awarded an educational scholarship from the Orange County Chapter Association of Environmental Professionals in 2009. Elizabeth was the Coordinating Chair for the CSUF Environmental Advocacy Committee, and is currently an active officer in the Society of Multidisciplinary Researchers of Tomorrow. She is also a part of the Finish-In-Four advising Program and is earning a minor in chemistry.
Daisha works with faculty mentor Jochen Schenk comparing water relations of two halophytic desert shrubs, Atriplex hymenelytra(desert holly), and Isocoma acradenia (alkali goldenbush). Both shrubs differ in their photosynthetic pathways, Atriplex being C4 and Isocoma being C3 which allows us to test if their pathways have any effect on the way these plants use water. Water use can play a role in the existance of embolism resistance and repair in these two species. Because embolisms are air bubbles in plant vessels that obstruct the transport of water, it is of interest to examine whether these two species have coping mechanisms to avoid becoming embolized. She presented the results of the SCERP summer research on water relations in Atriplex and Isocoma at the annual SACNAS meeting in Kansas City, MO. She presented reslts of her independent research at the 2008 SACNAS meeting in Salt Lake City, UT. She won the CSUF Judith Presch Memorial Scholarship in 2007.
Sara works with faculty mentor Danielle Zacherl. Sara's research focuses on the only native oyster to the west coast of the U.S., Ostrea lurida. This oyster was abundant in the 1900s, but due to over-harvesting and pollution, oyster populations dropped dramatically. Currently, there are many groups in Washington, Oregon, and northern Califonia who are researching how to restore this oyster to the west coast. However, not much is known about settlement factors. This has become an interest because controlling settlement dynamics can lead to natural settlement that may aid in restoration of this species. Sara continues a 5-year project addressing natural settlement. For the past year she has been monitoring settlement at six sites in Newport Bay, CA.
Elaine works with faculty mentor Bill Hoese. She is investigating the acoustic dynamics of a chaparral environment and the after-effects of fire on the propagation of sound. She is particularly interested in the differences in sound degradation of native songbird songs in the region. She will present the results of this research in the 2009 SACNAS conference in Dallas, TX. She was a recipient of the ASI Student Research Grant and the Faculty Student Creative Activity Grant in 2008 for her research. Elaine presented results from the SCERP summer research on honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) at the 2008 SACNAS conference in Salt Lake City, UT. Elaine participated in the 2009 NSF-REU program at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. In Alaska, she worked in the anadromous waters in the Bristol Bay region and was part of an EPA funded survey of the Yukon River. Her individual REU research project involved investigating at lake sediment cores to investigate historical abundances of a nuisance diatom, "Didymosphenia geminata" in the Brooks River. She is also a CSUF President's Scholar.
Tracie works with faculty mentor Kathy Dickson. She is currently investigating the effects of delayed hatching on larval development and swimming speed of California grunion. Specifically, she is researching red and white muscle and skeletal development by comparing 14 and 30 days post-fertilization larvae. She is particularly interested in conservation biology and ecology. She is a Student Instructor in a biology major class. She has been employed at an avian borading facility for over two and a half years. She was awarded a student research/creative activity grant in 2007. She presented at the Biology Seminar at CSUF and presented a poster at the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science conference in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2008. She presented the results of her grunion work at the Southern California Academy of Sciences and the southern California Chapter of the Graduate Women In Science conference in 2009.
