Attempts to unify the Standard Model and General Relativity often include features that violate the Weak Equivalence Principle (WEP) and/or the gravitational Inverse-Square Law (ISL). A violation would question our understanding of gravity. To further understand this, undergraduate researchers and faculty at Humboldt are experimenting to measure gravitational interactions below 50 microns. The experiment uses a composition dipole torsion pendulum next to an oscillating mass. This creates torque on the pendulum, the magnitude of which may provide evidence for deviations in the WEP or ISL.

This study researches how urbanization affects the spatial and temporal behavior of mesocarnivore species in the small city of Arcata, California. Specifically, the study tests whether different levels of urban development influence spatio-temporal interactions and the co-occurrence (or lack thereof) of two or more mesocarnivore species, and how habitat characteristics mediate these effects. By analyzing the correlation between habitat features and co-detection events, this research aims to shed light on the dynamics of mesocarnivore coexistence in urban and rural environments, and inform strategies to mitigate the impacts of urbanization on wildlife.

A camera trap study of mesopredator trail use in relation to moonlight in the Arcata Community Forest.

This study serves to address the question: Is there a correlation between water quality and antibiotic resistance in microbes isolated from rainwater throughout varying coastal environments? We hypothesize that there is a correlation between water quality and incidence of antibiotic resistance in rainwater isolates, measured by directly comparing fecal coliform concentration to the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of each rainwater isolate. We additionally expect to see higher concentrations of fecal coliforms in the rainwater than is safe to ingest as established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards.

Clouds are a critical component of the atmosphere, which predominantly cools the planet by scattering solar radiation back to space. Particulate matter (PM) are small solids suspended in the air that can initiate the seeding process for cloud formation, where environmental metal oxides (EMO) are one of the dominate types of PM. This process is directly related to the relative humidity (RH) above the PM surface and how much water it absorbs. PM collects sparingly small molecular layers of water before undergoing bulk scale water uptake. Details of water uptake at this level are still lacking in the literature, and we desire to quantify water uptake on atmospheric PM to enhance climate models.

In this study, we used motion-sensing camera traps to track deer’s habitat use in and out of urban areas, measuring key explanatory abiotic factors influencing their occurrence. The study took place in the public parks and community forest in Arcata, California.

The McKinleyville Land Trust’s Dow’s Prairie Educational Wetland is a 2.55-acre endangered coastal prairie wetland in California, conserved in 2009. Restoration efforts with the Wiyot Tribe and U.S. Fish & Wildlife removed invasives and reintroduced native plants, but coincided with declining California quail (Callipepla californica) populations. This study establishes the first baseline conditions, using wildlife cameras and botanical surveys to assess quail habitat suitability, examining invasive removal, predation, and fragmentation impacts. Findings will guide adaptive management to balance biodiversity and restoration, while honoring the Baduwa’t Wiyot’s ancestral homeland.

Headwaters Forest Reserve, located in Southern Eureka, protects over 7,400 acres of old-growth and second-growth redwood forest, sensitive riparian habitat, and threatened species. As recreation use increases, managing the impacts of pets — especially dogs — has become a growing challenge for both resource protection and visitor experience. In partnership with the College Corps program, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) launched the B.A.R.K. Ranger Program at Headwaters following a successful student pitch that won funding. This national visitor education initiative promotes responsible pet recreation through positive messaging and public engagement.

Predators play a crucial role in ecosystem processes within various habitat types. My study aimed to analyze the impact of habitat edges on predators in the Arcata Community Forest by using remote camera traps to document predator presence in edge versus interior habitat sites. I also conducted supplemental vegetation surveys to compare the mean vegetation density at edge versus interior habitat sites. I predicted that if predator presence is influenced by habitat type and vegetation density, then predator presence would be higher at edge habitat sites than interior habitat sites, and there would be a negative correlation between predator presence and vegetation density.

In cooperation with Indiana University (formerly IUPUI), the Cal Poly Humboldt (formerly Humboldt State University) Gravity Lab is undertaking a project to more accurately measure the value of the Universal Gravitational Constant in terms of SI base units. Gravitational modifications to the torque on the pendulum will be obtained via two methods through sequential experiments with a common apparatus, with the goal to provide a window into the cause of previous discrepancies between the two methods of measurement, resulting in a more accurate determined value for G.