The basis of our research is to assess why learning gains are low within introductory astronomy courses and how scores can be improved. Examining pre and post scores from an Astronomical Diagnostics Test we were able to examine learning gains of fifty-six students. We used Hake’s normalized gain formula to quantify learning gains. The average learning gain found was 0.20 and the highest gains fell among questions such as phases and position of the moon, eclipses, and seasons on Earth, with gains between 0.5-.64. Because Hake’s normalized gain formula is biased, we are looking into other methods of quantifying our data.

I served 27 months as an elementary EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher on the island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia and found that rote memorization was the dominant teaching strategy. Pohnpeian teachers wanted interactive classrooms that engaged students creatively, but they often lacked the resources or training to create such an environment. The presented activities are the product of collaborative efforts with 4th-through 8th-grade Pohnpeian teachers over a two-year period. Activities could be modified for a range of second-language learning contexts and environments.

This research project was a the capstone project for my Wildife degree, in which I researched the impact short-wave UV light reflection by flowers affects pollinator behavior. Insects can see into the ultraviolet light spectrum, and plants are known to reflect these light wavelengths for aiding pollinators. I studied the correlation between pollinator visitation frequency and the proportion of flower surface area that is reflective of UV light. I focused on 3 main pollinator groups: bumble bees, native bees and flower flies. I found that pollinators are significantly more likley to visit flowers with high UV light reflection than flowers with low amounts of UV light reflection.

Coast redwood-Douglas-fir forest hold important economic, ecological, and cultural values which will likely be threatened by changing climate and increased drought stress. Restoration thinning has been used by forest managers with the goals of decreasing stand competition and accelerating maturation to old-growth conditions. However, uncertainty still remains on whether restoration treatments provide forests with increased resiliency to disturbances such as severe drought. The aim of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of different restoration treatments in improving second-growth forest resiliency to drought stress in coast redwood-Douglas-fir forests of Redwood NP.

The states bordering the US and Mexico are very diverse. California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas each have different factors influencing the way they continue to advance. The past 50 years have experienced a large shift in technology as well as accessibility to renewable energy. In this project, we constructed energy profiles for each state, along with analysis based off of their unique aspects. Based on this analysis, we determined the state with the best quality profile and provided predictions for their energy usage in the years 2025 and 2050.

Ceramics and incense are used in cultures all around the world for ritual purposes. In Costa Rica, Potosi Variety ceramics used hollow jaguar and crocodile effigies to diffuse incense smoke as an offering. Potosi Variety vessels have not been subject to much research within the field of archaeology; throughout my project, I will be studying these vessels through experimental archaeology and ethnoarchaeology. In my recreation, I will be using similar materials, methods of ceramic shaping that are or have been used in Costa Rica, and photos of Potosi Variety vessels to inform my process. My methodology will then be compared and contrasted with other possible methods of production.

Our research project focuses on encouraging HSU students to become more physically active, while immersing themselves in the Arcata community. Our Wayfinder project includes a map of trails that will be highlighted by semi-permanent signage, to increase walkability and integrate HSU students into the community. With the results from a previous survey, the trails in this project preview a variety of popular places in the Arcata community to promote Arcata-HSU relations and influence students to explore their new home. In our video, we will share the trails, how we created the trails, and our plans for future engagement.

The bright red cloak and fearsome white bonnet featured in The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood has been internationally recognized as a symbol for protest. Bruce Miller’s Hulu adaptation of the novel propelled this new wave of activism. I argue that the costume functions as a metonym, reacting to larger issues concerning women’s rights. This study examines whether the uniform is a viable protest image or is it being co-opted to get people to buy into a certain social and political system?

In Fall, 2018, Religious Studies senior Michael Howell wrote a research paper for RS 332 "Introduction to Islam" on Islamophobia in Humboldt County. Professor Biondo encouraged Michael to expand the scope to examine religious prejudice more broadly. To help him interview twelve Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders in Humboldt County and to publish his findings, Michael was awarded an Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Award from the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Does Humboldt contain an ideology or worldview (such as libertarianism, secularism, spirituality, or naturalism) that prevents violence or promotes civic engagement?

We looked at a possible macroscopic model, the LWR model, but ultimately turned to a microscopic model, the IDM. Here, autonomous vehicles were incorporated,and a Matlab simulation was run. Simulation results along with existing research was analyzed,and differing traffic densities, lane changing, and heterogeneous traffic were then taken into account which resulted in an analysis of the MOBIL model. Finally, using traffic networking schemes, and analysis of available data, a unique model was proposed, with talk of expected results and implementation on the greater Seattle Area. Existing data suggests that these added vehicles will ease traffic congestion and increase road capacity.