May 2, 2025
Reception & Presentations 2pm to 5pm
Cal Poly Humboldt Library
Search Presenters & Abstracts
Presenters & Abstracts: Search
An Evaluation of the Blue Lake Biomass Plant Emissions: Air Quality and Health Impact on the Blue Lake Rancheria
Suzanne Garrett
Social Work
Graduate Student
College of Professional Studies
The Blue Lake Rancheria community has had visibly polluted air and matter emitted from the local biomass plant over the recent past. The Rancheria is concerned about the negative health impact the biomass plant could be having on the environment and community. This literary review hopes to establish an understanding of the impact of the Blue Lake biomass energy plant’s impact on air quality, determine standards of emissions which it operates and examine the gaps between current healthy standards of emission and that of the Blue Lake biomass plant. The findings will inform the Blue Lake Rancheria and will raise public awareness of the air quality and health impact of the biomass energy plant.
Effects of Ladder Training on Sprint and Change of Direction Performance
Trevor Short
Kinesiology
Graduate Student
College of Professional Studies
Ladder training is a form of multidirectional lower limb plyometric training utilized by coaches and athletes in a variety of sports. Researchers have not examined how ladder training improves sprint and COD performance. The addition of 4 weeks of LT to a conventional pre-season strength and conditioning program seems to represent a time-efficient stimulus for improvement in sprint performance, stride frequency, and ground contact time. LT should be implemented as a warm up or neural priming exercise. These findings offer practitioners and athletes the ability to improve performance and induce kinematic adaptations at a desired period within the macrocycle.
Environmental Impacts of the Homeless Population in Humboldt County
Jennifer Mara Arvizu
Political Science
Undergraduate Student
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
There are many attempts to “solve” the homelessness problem in Humboldt County, but most have been unsuccessful, and they have not properly assessed the environmental impact that has been a result of human habitation in urban areas, particularly within riparian zones. Because homeless individuals are not considered within the traditional census boundaries, there isn’t reliable population statistics and the estimates vary widely. Within this research, I will examine environmental and socio-economic relationships within homeless population, including societal cost and environmental destruction.
Black bears in suburban areas consume more anthropogenic foods
Alexander Arroyo
Wildlife Department
Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Consumption of human food by black bears (Ursus americanus) is a common and challenging problem for wildlife managers dealing with the species, because bears will readily use human-associated foods as an easily attainable energy source, especially when natural food sources are scarce .The result of human expansion is increased rates of encounters between humans and bears, particularly if bears are being forced to search farther and wider outside their home ranges for food. In this study I assessed variation in anthropocentric foods in bear diets. To accomplish this, I compared scat samples collected in Humboldt, CA from suburban and rural areas.
Burnout Syndrome an Occupational Hazard for Nurses
Erika
Sterling
School of Applied Health
Undergraduate Student
College of Professional Studies
Burnout syndrome is an occupational hazard that can affect healthcare professionals, especially bedside nurses that work in a hospital setting. It is comprised of three main components; emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced professional efficacy. It occurs when healthcare workers experience chronic stress. It can lead to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and PTSD. It negatively affects patient outcomes and patient satisfaction. It also increases nurse turnover which results in understaffing, therefore affecting patient safety. Improving working conditions for nurses, education and quality leadership will help decrease the prevalence of burnout syndrome.
Humboldt County GIS Data Archive
Liam
del Aguila
Computer Science
Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
This project is a webpage and potentially touch-screen kiosk which displays GIS datasets currently held by the school. This includes student and faculty projects concerning a variety of geographic data about Humboldt County. The Alpha version of this website is currently in development in coordination with the library and geospatial faculty at Cal Poly Humboldt.
Mesocarnivore Temporal Niche Partitioning in Response to Anthropogenic Presence in Northern California
Anna
Schwecke
Wildlife
Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
The study is aimed to determine (1) If mesocarnivores use temporal niche partitioning to reduce resource conflict, then interspecific species will have minimal activity overlap and (2) If anthropogenic presence alters temporal niche partitioning among mesocarnivores at my study site, then mesocarnivores will display circadian overlap where it typically does not occur.
Morning Fuel: How Breakfast Timing and Composition Influence Cognitive Performance and Critical Thinking in College Students
Tyler
Ruys
School of Applied Health
Undergraduate Student
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
This project explores how the timing and nutritional content of breakfast impacts cognitive performance in college students, with a focus on critical thinking and memory. Findings suggest that eating a balanced, protein-rich breakfast within 1–2 hours of waking significantly enhances mental clarity and task performance.
Income inequality in the U.S. 1922-2012
William O'Neill
economics
Undergraduate Student
College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Data and historically significant factors which are thought as primary. The poster also considers comparison internationally in recent time. I'm writing this on my cell, but have put a lot of thought and work into presenting on this and look forward to it. If you would like more info please e-mail me, thank you, Bill O'Neill
Creating a Gift for the Future: Digitization Utilizing Omeka.net
Victoria Bruner
Social Work
Undergraduate Student
Cathlyn Garibay
Anthropology
Undergraduate Student
KayCie Voigt
History
Undergraduate Student
Blanca Drapeau
History
Undergraduate Student
Allie Jones
Journalism and Geography
Undergraduate Student
Nikki Martensen
Anthropology
Graduate Student
K Bromley
Anthropology
Graduate Student
Library
The Library Scholar Internship team is digitizing historically significant objects from the library’s Special Collections. This process involves more than scanning objects, but publishing to a broader research community using Omeka.net to create digital exhibits. In this poster we discuss our process creating metadata, scanning procedures, researching the collections and publicizing our work. Our goal is to encourage students and faculty to use the library’s resources such as Collaboration Stations, SkillShops, librarians, computer labs, #mondopad and peers to improve and publish their research. The library is a dynamic space for students to work on innovative and collaborative projects.