May 2, 2025
Reception & Presentations 2pm to 5pm
Cal Poly Humboldt Library
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Presenters & Abstracts: Search
It's like, I have to feel guilty cuz I'm white' : Fear and Frenzy around Critical Race Theory in K12
Daniela Tierra
Sociology
Graduate Student
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Since 2020, Critical Race Theory in schools has become a controversial topic nationwide, particularly among conservatives. Despite this, most public schools are not teaching or talking about CRT - So, where does this misinformation originate? This presentation explores the origin of this issue, common narratives of opposition and their sources, and examines who the people opposed to CRT are - behind the Facebook comments. This presentation expands on the roots of resistance to CRT to understand obstacles to implementing future liberatory, anti-racist curricula in predominantly conservative communities and learning environments.
Fort Humboldt: The Development of Redwood Logging in Humboldt, 1878-1950
Qasim
Naqvi
Anthropology
Undergraduate Student
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
In this poster, I describe the process by which we inventoried items and analyze how technology evolved in concert with broader shifts in the Redwood timber industry. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how archival research and data collection processes are conducted within the realm of historical archaeology and also reflects Humboldt County's independence. The material analysis presented in this project will showcase logging technology’s environmental, cultural and economic impacts on the landscape and lifestyles of the region’s inhabitants.
Using the California Mussel as a Bioindicator for the Presence of Heavy Metals on the Humboldt County Coastline
Emily
Curry
Biological Sciences
Undergraduate Student
Dana
Johnstun
Biological Sciences
Graduate Student
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
The Humboldt coastline has a long history of industrial development and heavy disturbance. In 1999, the California State Water Resources Board surveyed Humboldt Bay, classifying it as a toxic hot spot. Clean-up efforts have been ongoing since the release of this report. Utilizing California mussels as bioindicators, we can quantify the levels of toxins found in the waters on our coasts with the help of Flame AA and correlate with the visual health of gill tissues. Using this new data, we can better understand the pollution problem and aid in the clean-up efforts.
Analyzing Variation in Taphonomic Processes within Artificial Substrates
Carolyn Hinson
Anthropology
Undergraduate Student
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
This study aims increase understanding of the taphonomic processes associated with the decomposition of nonhuman mammalian remains (as a proxy for human remains) in human altered substrates. Most prior taphonomic research has been restricted to regional studies focusing on the decomposition in environments outside of direct human interaction. This study will focus on temperature, weight, and organic matter fluctuations between the various artificial substrates in the beginning and termination of the decomposition process in order to better understand the effects substrates have on taphonomic processes.
Environmental Justice & Public Health: Bilingualism in Community Outreach Efforts
Noemi Pacheco- Ramirez
Environmental Studies
Undergraduate Student
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
As a bilingual Environmental Studies student, I am committed to applying my education to address environmental issues and advance environmental justice in Spanish speaking communities. Through my service learning position with the local non-profit, Redwood Community Action Agency, I will utilize my Spanish speaking ability to the RCAA's community outreach efforts aimed at the Latino/a community of Humboldt County.
Testing the Variable-Density Retention Silvicultural System as a Tool for Restoration of Conifer Dominance
Alexander Gorman
Forestry and Wildland Resources
Undergraduate Student
Pascal Berrill
Forestry and Wildland Resources
Faculty
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
After harvesting the merchantable conifers decades ago, many secondary forests in northern California regenerated naturally and are now fully stocked with low value hardwoods intermingled with conifers. Partial harvesting to reduce hardwood densities and release conifers is expected to enhance tree vigor and reduce risk of stand-replacing wildfire. Planting a new cohort of merchantable conifers in the understory would enhance structural complexity and future value. A flexible new forest restoration treatment called variable-density retention (VDR) was designed to achieve these objectives.
Keeping it Glassy: Skeletal Analysis of Ancient Mesoamerican Obsidian Weapons
Taylor Picard
Anthropology
Undergraduate Student
Jordyn Winters
Anthropology
Baylor Greene
Anthropology
Undergraduate Student
Philip Pantages
Anthropology
Undergraduate Student
Natalie Wells
Anthropology
Undergraduate Student
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
The project examined the damage caused to skeletal remains by ancient Mesoamerican weapons, due to the lack of research into this topic. The project focused on macuahuitls, wooden clubs lined with obsidian blades, which were produced through a combination of ancient and modern techniques. These weapons were then tested on animal crania acquired from a local butcher. The preliminary results show that the weapons left similar patterns of damage to the skeletal remains while having unique characteristics reflective of the individual weapon. These results show potential for future research in the area that could be compiled into a database similar to those used today for modern forensic cases.
Growing Up On This Side Of The Mountain
Jacob D. Imlay
English First-Year Writing Program
Undergraduate Student
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
My project contains a list of a few selected free-style poems that I've combined to make a short poetry book that discusses how literacy sponsors have affected my academic worldview, and how their influences have affected my opportunities inside different academic communities and academic fields. Also how literacy sponsors impact everyone's development inside of the academic world as well.
Does Having Siblings Affect The Recognition of Children’s Emotional Displays?
Nathan
Boone
Psychology
Graduate Student
Andrew
Greely
Psychology
Graduate Student
Amanda
Hahn
Psychology
Faculty
College of Professional Studies
The present study investigated the relationship between sibling caretaking experience and the ability to recognize emotions in children’s faces. Accuracy for recognizing emotional displays in children's faces was compared among individuals with younger siblings, older siblings, and no siblings. We did not find any evidence that having siblings impacts sensitivity to emotional displays in children's faces. We did, however, find evidence that some emotions are more easily assessed than others regardless of sibling status.
Examining the Roles of Body-Esteem, Health-Efficacy, and Perfectionism on the Eating Patterns of Male and Female College Students
Joshua Paul Barnard
Psychology
Undergraduate Student
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
This research explored the roles of health-efficacy, body-esteem, and perfectionism on the eating patterns of male and female psychology major college students in Northern California, and found that college students with low body-esteem and high levels of perfectionism tended to have a higher risk for abnormal eating patterns, R2=.60, F(3,61)=11.39, p<.001. Health-efficacy and perfectionism where not found to significantly influence eating patterns, R2=.03, F(2,62)=1.10, p=.34. Body-esteem was found to be the most significant contributor to abnormal eating patterns, b*=.58, t=5.56, p<.001, suggesting body-esteem is an important factor in examining eating patterns in college students.