UROC July/August Newsletter

Undergraduate Research

Opportunities Center

N e w s l e t t e r |

J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 2 3

Welcome Back!!

From the Desk of Buck

It seems like I say this every summer, but our 10th Annual Summer Research Symposium, which is growing, now ranks as our largest to date! Nearly 140 students, representing a range of diverse academic disciplines, disseminated research in early August further solidifying the Summer Research Symposium as the largest regional event celebrating undergraduate research and scholarship. This degree of focused, intensive research could not be accomplished without the support of the 50+ research mentors committed to engaging students at the highest levels. To mentors, we say Thank You!

I want to recognize that the Summer Symposium program represented 14, mostly grant-funded, programs:

Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
AG Research Experimental Learning Program
Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human (FAHN) Sciences Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Regional Pipeline Program
GENENTECH-Foundation Sponsored Academic Inspiration Network (GAIN) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU Program
Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) DNA Micro Internship
Motivational Attitudes in Statistics and Data Science Education Research (MASDER) Program
National Institutes OF Health (NIH) Genome Research Experiences to Attract Talented Undergraduates into the Genomics Field to Enhance Diversity (GREAT) Program
National Science Foundation Geo-Bridge Program
UROC Researchers Program
Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program
Apple Scholars HSI Initiative Program
Koret Scholars Foundation
iCARE: Introductory College Apprentice Research Experience

Lastly, I want to acknowledge the 10 Outstanding Research Poster Award recipients, in particular, the CSUMB student athletes. As a lifelong sports fan, it can seem as if students have to choose between one or the other extra-curricular endeavor: research or sports. Three award recipients , members of the Men’s Soccer team and Women’s Cross Country / Track & Field, have demonstrated that not only can you do both, but you can do both– really well.

Welcome back to campus, Otters! We wish you all a fantastic fall semester and look forward to seeing you around campus.

Go Otters!

John “Buck” Banks, Ph.D.

UROC Director

• • •

2023 Summer Research Symposium

All student research poster presenters were evaluated on six different categories, including organization/appearance and professionalism. Congratulations to the following 10 students/teams on being awarded Outstanding Research Poster Awards:

Lisa Irvine, Environmental Science, Technology, and Policy
Research Mentor: James Guilinger, CSUMB
Joseph Garcia, Agricultural Plant and Soil Science
Research Mentors: Harold Hickey and JP Dundore-Arias, CSUMB
Denisse Emeterio, Biology
Research Mentors: Mary Snook and Nathaniel Jue, CSUMB
Matthias Milton, Marine Science
Research Mentors: Dailyn Jones and Cheryl Logan, CSUMB
Jonathan Ingan, Kinesiology
Research Mentor: Maria Bellumori, CSUMB
Riley Moulton and Paola Cabezas, Marine Science and Biology
Research Mentor: Frank Macabenta, CSUMB
Josie Wrinkle, Marine Science
Research Mentor: Alison Haupt
Elise Vasquez, Biology
Research Mentor: Arlene Haffa
Mackenzie K. Caprino, Marine Science
Research Mentors: Katrina Giambertone and Cheryl Logan, CSUMB
Sarina Regis and Katelyn Huie, Biology
Research Mentor: McKenzie Floyd, CSUMB

Thank you to our group of judges from around the Monterey Peninsula, including CSUMB, for volunteering their time to support student research:

Doug Smith, Ph.D., Interim Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, CSU Monterey Bay
Sam Robinson, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Academic Senate Chair, CSU Monterey Bay
Kathlene Hanson, Librarian, CSU Monterey
Judith Canner, Ph.D., Professor, CSU Monterey Bay
Rob Drezner, Ph.D., Retired Clinical Psychologist and Adjunct Faculty, Monterey Peninsula College
Bruce Delgado, Mayor of Marina and Botanist, Bureau of Land Management
Fernando DePaolis, Ph.D., Dean of Academic Operations and Integration, Middlebury College
Nina Alcaraz, Director of Policy, Advocacy, and Communications, First Five Monterey County
Alicia Khuon, Wildlife Biologist, Environmental Services Agency
Celia Jimenez, Staff Writer, Monterey County Weekly
Sarah Hulick, Faculty and Program Chair, Cabrillo College
Korina McKinley, Master's in Social Work Graduate Student, CSU Monterey Bay
Manny Ezcurra, Curator of Fish and Invertebrates, Monterey Bay Aquarium

Hope to see you next summer!

*image of Lisa Irvine, Mackenzie Caprino, Matthias Milton, Denisse Emeterio, Paola Cabeza, Riley Moulton, Sarina Regis, and Katelyn Huie

• • •

Meet the Newest McNair Scholars!

Please join us in welcoming 6 new students to the McNair Scholars Program! These students, representing Applied Environmental Science, Marine Science, Biology & Chemistry, and Psychology, will continue working with faculty research mentors to secure summer research positions at CSUMB and other institutions across the country; present research at academic conferences; and explore leadership opportunities to support their career and graduate school goals. In addition, we would like to welcome Dr. James Guilinger, Department of Applied Environmental Science, as our newest McNair faculty mentor. Thanks, Jimmy!

The Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, prepares academically-talented and motivated undergraduates for doctoral studies, by providing research funding and other opportunities for scholarly advancement.

Connor Quiroz, Environmental Science, Technology, and Policy

Faculty Mentor: Dr. John Olson

Karla Buitrago-Yepes, Marine Science

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Cheryl Logan

Marlenne Ortega, Environmental Science, Technology, and Policy

Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Guilinger

Sarina Regis, Biology

Faculty Mentor: McKenzie Floyd

Milo Ramos, Psychology

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Dyer-Seymour

Moncerat Navarro Carpio, Psychology

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Christine Rosales

• • •

Mark your Calendars: Fall Events

UROC is excited to host the 9th Annual Fall Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, & Creative Activity Competition on Wednesday, November 8, 2:30 - 6:00 p.m. at the Alumni & Visitor Center!

Applications for the Fall Research Competition are now open! Due: September 15th at 3pm. Students with research projects in any discipline are encouraged to submit their abstract for consideration. A maximum of 10 students will be selected to present at this event. Winning presenters will be encouraged to apply for the statewide CSU Student Research Competition hosted by one of the sister CSUs (to be announced in December) in spring of 2024.

We hope to see you there!

• • •

MyRaft

All UROC events and workshops will be available on MyRaft. While most of our fall offerings will be virtual, several workshops and events will be in-person for the fall. Be sure to register in advance if you’re interested in joining us for any of them.

Costa Rica Winter Research Training Expedition

Sept 6th, 11:30am-12:30pm

UROC Scholars and McNair Scholars Info Sessions

Fit and Match: Finding your Graduate Programs & Funding Graduate School

Sept 7th, 1-2pm

Fellowship Friday (and Scholarships, too!): Goldwater Scholarship

Sept 8th, 12-1pm