The scope of this research was aimed toward extracting the most possible information about Longfin Smelt, Sculpin, and Blue Herring out on Humboldt Bay. The primary research was geared toward finding out the distribution limits, abundance, habitat, and spawning limits for the three mentioned species. Work was done directly with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in which tributaries leading into Humboldt Bay of Salmon Creek, Wood Creek, Freshwater, and others were the leading areas of research. Through laboratory work and field work conducted by boat and by foot, important knowledge of Smelt, Sculpin, and Herring was gained drastically the last three months.

Eureka Ironworks, located in Old Town Eureka, was an iron manufacturing and fabrication company that was in business from the late 1800's through the 1940's. This project investigates the local economy and manufacturing process in the late 1800's through early 1900's, by focusing on the fabrication of log trailers. Through archival research in the Eureka Ironworks Historical Collection and Humboldt Room, this project aims to examine the social life of a log trailer in order to understand how this product fit into the Humboldt County economy. This research traces the log trailer from schematic, through fabrication, to its use in the local lumber industry.

This project examines the geographic movement of materials and products related to the ironworks industry in Eureka, CA during the early 20th century. Archival research was undertaken in the Eureka Ironwork's Collection and Humboldt Room at Humboldt State University. Data was analyzed using GIS in order to understand the geographic scope of business transactions.

I am participating in a service learning project through the Environmental Studies’ Spring 2017 Senior Capstone. My emphasis in community organizing has established my curiosity and passion for conflict resolution communication. Conflict is a part of life. How this inevitability takes form and is approached varies and has social ramifications. Working with Humboldt Mediation Services has informed me about the social impacts mediation theory and practice impart and has revealed the need for and power of alternative dispute resolution in personal, social, environmental, and political arenas. This project highlights my involvement with and vision for mediation theory and practice.

This project investigates the Eureka Boiler Works Collection housed at Humboldt State University’s Humboldt Room by presenting the collection within a historical context, including how it arrived at the Humboldt Room. The social and economic context of the Humboldt Boiler Works will be addressed as well as the company’s impact on Humboldt County and the surrounding Pacific Northwest. The collection includes documents ranging from the late 1800s to the 1940s, incorporating employee records, product designs, correspondence and general company records. The project provides an overview of the contents of the collection.

Friends of the Dunes is a non-profit organization in Manila, California that has various educational programs available for the community to educate younger children about the natural diversity of our beautiful area. As a part of my Service Learning Project, I felt that it was important to show younger generations the value and importance of coastal ecological restoration and the fun that can be had in the process. By showing children the importance and connection we have with the life around us, I believe they will have a better understanding of critically thinking and assessing about how to address environmental problems in the future.

Wailaki is an indigenous Northern California language within the Dene (Athabaskan) language family historically spoken in the Eel River basin. The language is categorized as a 'sleeping' language as there are no longer living first language speakers; however, there are second language learners today. This project examines translations in texts for words used in the Wailaki directional system and determines if this system is closer to river-based systems common to Northwestern California, or cardinal direction-based systems. In addition, this research discusses the extent to which geospatial references may have been preferred to relative frames of reference involving the body (left, right).

California's largest inland body of water, the Salton Sea, is suffering from decreasing water levels. Water transfers in Southern California are responsible for the current status of the Salton Sea. Addressing the responsibility of the State of California in restoration of the Salton Sea, inaction at the state level continues to perpetuate the slow violence of health issues in Imperial Valley. Analyzing the framing of the ecological devastation of the borderlands of Southern California, mainstream white environmentalism continue's to pervade the agenda to restore a shrinking sea.

My service learning project addresses the issue of food insecurity in Arcata. Through the benefits of community gardens, greater socio-economic development can be achieved. At Open Door Health and Wellness Garden, I am maintaining and managing the beds in the garden for spring harvest, for the people of Arcata, so they can have easier access to organically grown healthier foods. I am interested in support networks of community gardeners as resources to sustain locally grown organic food and the health benefits that community gardens offer.

We gathered biological materials from animals around Humboldt County and used their stable oxygen and carbon isotopic signatures to create an isotope map of the Humboldt area. Samples of bone, teeth and shell were collected in various areas of this county. Samples were processed at the HSU Biological Anthropology Research Center (BARC) and then sent to a stable isotope facility to be analyzed. This information will be distributed in a Geographic Information System (GIS) map. This project is part of an ongoing project at BARC that aims to create a map to help identify the region of origin of animal and human remains, and address ecological questions.