The Protein Data Bank (PDB) is a repository of atomic level resolution biological structures determined by researchers around the world. Protein macromolecular structures have become an essential tool for biotechnology fields. They are used to understand the chemical and biological processes in living systems and disease, and for precise drug design. Here students utilized the molecular modeling software UCSF ChimeraX to visualize 3D PDB protein structures of their choice. Students produced Quad Chart presentations and printed 3D models to allow for deep learning in protein structure.

I observed American Coots at the Arcata Marsh and Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge for 10 minutes based on foraging and vigilance in a group or individual.

This will be a poster presentation that is based on summer REU research at SETI. This REU focuses on a landing site for the Human Landing System for the NASA Artemis III mission. This poster is complete with a full abstract and pictures of two of the best candidate sites via satellite imaging from NASA and Arizona State University databases. The sites were chosen based on a list of criteria that must be met inside previously chosen landing site regions near the Lunar South Pole that we're set by NASA.

Food security has become a growing concern as we look to the future. Having a thorough understanding of plant functioning can help predict effects brought to crops under a changing climate. This study seeks to better understand the carbohydrate phloem loading mechanism in Nicotiana tobacum by intentionally downregulating the sucrose transporter gene (SUT1). The phloem loading mechanism transports sugars and amino acids from photosynthetic sites to conducting sieve tubes. Such a process is essential for plant growth, storage, and cellular function. N. tobacum resembles those of major crops, and can be used as a model species for addressing food security concerns in other favorable crops.

Multiyear time series of current data measured by two horizontal SonTek/YSI Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) placed mid-depth in the water column (~4.8m depth) at two locations in Humboldt Bay, CA, a shallow, tidally-driven estuary in northern California (USA), were analyzed to determine the contributions of the different harmonic frequencies within the bay. Spectral analysis of the time series revealed that the currents are dominated by several tidal harmonics. The three dominant frequencies include M2, K1, and O1, but their contribution varies spatially between the two station locations. Additional frequencies in the data indicate overtides and variable influences like wind.

Clouds affect terrestrial cooling by scattering solar radiation back to space. Particulate matter (PM) suspended in the air can initiate cloud seeding. This process is directly related to the relative humidity above the PM surface and water adsorption. In the initial stages of this process, PM collects sparingly small layers of water, known as monolayers. Details of water uptake at this level are still lacking in the literature and we desire to quantify water uptake on atmospheric PM to enhance literature values.

Seniors at Silvercrest are a good example of the troubling statistics for Humboldt County. Over thirty people die of suicide in this county, ages ranging from forty to sixty, each year. BMC Public Health also says that “Approximately 50% of individuals aged over 60 are at risk of social isolation and one-third will experience some degree of loneliness later in life.” The answer is intergenerational connections. Harvard has found that people ages sixty five and older have “higher levels of energy with increased connections.” They have connected this with longer lifespans, which is what we are trying to implement at Silvercrest through volunteering.

Currents can shape the structure and ecology of estuarine environments. Multiyear time series of current data measured by two Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) in Humboldt Bay, CA, one near the entrance channel and one at the Chevron Port, were analyzed to determine the contributions of the different harmonic frequencies. Spectral analysis of the time series data revealed that the flow is dominated by several tidal harmonics. The three dominant frequencies include M2, K1, and O1, but their contribution varies spatially between the two stations. Additional frequencies in the data indicate interference with topography as well as the more variable wind-induced currents.

Orchidaceae is one of the most diverse flowering plant families. Despite the worldwide popularity of Phalaenopsis for floral aesthetics, many other ecologically important species are either endangered or threatened and require elaborate cultivation strategies. Currently one of the top conservation approaches utilizes clonal propagation techniques via tissue culture, resulting in vegetative propagation in mass numbers. We present successful sterile introduction, cultivation and maintenance of Phalaenopsis seedlings with the hope that this tissue culture method can be applied to native orchid species here in Humboldt County.

This project looked at the effects of human foot traffic on the vocalization frequency of passerine birds throughout three popular trails in Arcata. Results suggest pets have a greater impact on bird vocalizations than humans and that there may be differences in predator presence between trails that birds are responding to.