As participants of the 2020 Math Modeling Contest, we modeled the outcomes of a hypothetical plastic tax. We implemented this tax to help slow the world's plastic pollution problem.

Our poster displays the research and analysis we did regarding the impact of single use plastics on the environment and future projections of how lowering our usage of single-use plastics can help slow climate change. We originally did this project for the CoMap International Mathematical Modeling Competition.

We propose and analyze a mathematical model for the interaction of T cells and tumor cells using a system of ordinary differential equations with the goal of understanding immune-mediated tumor rejection. We explore parameter sets which yield qualitatively different behavior. A major goal of this work is the determination of parameters which play a critical role in remission or clearance of the cancer in the model. In addition to our ODE model, we present an agent-based model to illustrate how naïve T cells are primed in the lymph node to fight cancer. This priming involves antigen presentation, cytokine signaling, and chemotaxis.

Research is presented on the comparison of endoparasite abundance and diversity between two herds of Roosevelt Elk; Sinkyone and Gold Bluff Beach. These groups were once part of the same herd and 17 individuals were translocated in 1984 and now are suffering from poor health. Research hypothesis is that the sick herd (Sinkyone) will have a higher diversity or abundance of endoparasite eggs that I have identified from fecal samples. Through this research, we hope to identify the health issue within the sick population and help treat the issue.

Phlox hirsuta, the Yreka Phlox, is a threatened species native to northern California. The species is restricted to five populations, all of which occur on serpentine soil. Given the small number of populations and the edaphic specialization of the species, the viability and longevity of the populations is an important area of study. Multiple factors influence the growth and germination of individual plants , and the amount of growth of an individual plant can fluctuate from year to year. One overlooked aspect of plant growth, in this species, is the soil microbiome, and examining this can shed light on the role of this underground component, in plant growth.

Overabundant populations of rodents in agricultural areas cost California farmers 5.3% to 8.8% in profits annually. Installing nest boxes to encourage the presence of rodent predators such as barn owls (Tyto alba) is a form of biocontrol that has the potential to limit rodent activity in agricultural settings. Previous works identified the spatial scales of nest box selection on vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties which are rather heterogenous agricultural landscapes. Determining at which spatial scale barn owls select nest boxes in the Central Valley can inform how nest boxes should be constructed and where they are best placed to encourage occupancy in homogenous agricultural landscapes.

Myxobacteria are a large family of bacteria, of which some have proven to contain antibacterial and antineoplasticity secondary metabolites. These bioactive secondary metabolites have been the basis for new analog drugs approved by the FDA in the treatment of different cancers. This research focuses on finding and isolating myxobacteria strains from local soil samples, fractionating these isolated samples, then determining structure and bioactivity through Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and bio-assays, respectively. This is to gain a better understanding of the conditions that spawn wild myxobacteria colonies and any possibly new bio-active compounds.

Virginity is prioritized highly in hispanics cultures. I want to navigate virginity and sex positivity in Latin cultures. Many young women are raised to think of our virginities as 'flowers' or 'gems', although some people are free to believe this way, the shame that comes after sex or not viewing it as that should be changed. It's a proposal for education that can be used in wide variety of locations and contexts.

The purpose of the research was to determine if a relationship exists between biodiversity and specific functions. Specifically, if individual organism function influences the broad function of the ecosystem. To test this, a model system was devised using fluid collected from Darlingtonia californica, chosen for having a bacterial ecosystem with the observable broad function of insect degradation. A dilution series was used to modify the biodiversity of this system, expected to alter specific organism function, and by extension influence the broad function of the system. Initial results of the experiment indicated that broad function increased as individual specific functions decreased.

In order to help inform the applicability of carbon nanotube networks for use as field effect transistors or as biosensors, we have run computer simulations in order to characterize the electrical properties of these networks, and specifically, how the resistance of these networks scales with the channel length for various amounts of metallic wires present in the networks. We find a trend that as the channel length increases, the resistance of the network increases as well. In addition, as the probability of metallic wires present in the network increases, the scaling factor of the resistance, m, increases at a larger constant rate with increasing channel length.