Have you ever wondered how much dopamine your brain releases when you hug your dog? Or how extensive your addiction to caffeine is? Recent advances in brain imaging have allowed us to begin answering such questions, and many more, without the need to insert probes into a person’s head. The use of Electroencephalography (EEG) is one method of measuring brain activity, which is both high in temporal resolution (it’s fast) and possibly the next big fashion trend. This project examines the efficacy of using EEG to measure regional neurotransmitter concentrations, brain-activity pathways, in addition to the feasibility of making such technology aesthetically attractive to wear.

This study examines knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata) germination success from stratification to transplanting into a common garden at the Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm. Seeds were sown in containers in the greenhouse after three week of cold stratification and transplanted to garden beds a month later. Of 840 seeds sown, 538 were germinated (64%). 256 seedlings were outplanted and 192 of these survived (75%±15). The seedlings grew to an average height of 7.5 cm ± 2 cm. Our findings are part of a larger study to understand the water requirements for the survival of tree germinants in a Mediterranean climate.

This project examined the food preferences of backyard birds in Siskiyou County, California in Spring 2024. We used Nature’s Way CWF3 Cedar Platform Tray Bird Feeders at eight different locations. For each trial, feeders presented two food types: nut n' berry mix and sunflower seeds. Feeders were left out for 72 hours. We recorded the weather conditions (i.e. cloudy, windy, rainy, sunny), as well as the minimum and maximum temperature, and feeder height. A combination of direct observation and game cameras was used to determine bird species present. We predicted that birds, on average, will prefer the nut and berry mix due to the higher fat content relative to sunflower seeds.

The membrane protein Anabaena Sensory Rhodopsin (ASR) is a prokaryotic retinal containing photoactive protein, from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, undergoes a conformational change upon absorption of light. This causes the release of an associated so-called transducer protein ASRT. It has been proposed that this protein complex directly controls transcription of the cpc genes. The goal of this project is to study photo-induced transcriptional regulation properties of ASR and ASRT. To do this we will assemble ASR nanolipoprotein particles or ASR-NLPs. NLPs are unique in that they allow for a membrane protein to be solubilized while still allowing both ends of the membrane protein to be accessed.

In this service learning experience I worked along side the students at the Eel River Community School in Fortuna. Here, I led students in creating murals throughout their facility. When I began most had admitted to never having engaged in some sort of arts and crafts activity. I observed how impactful artistic expression is to the youth and helps aid in stages of development. Having an interdisciplinary education I was able to consider a variety of lenses that play into the importance of creative outlets in the youth. Knowing this, I focused my attention to point out that at risk youth do not receive these crucial oppurtunities and how that perpetuates inequality issues from a young age.

This research attempts to observe the effects organic decomposition has on the soil pH and aims to determine if pH levels are altered when remains are frozen opposed to unfrozen. Weekly qualitative observations and soil tests were conducted on six naturally decomposing swine limbs. We hypothesized that there would be a slight delay in the cycling of pH levels for frozen remains.Three frozen and three control limbs were deposited atop of undisturbed soil and observed for five consecutive weeks at the Simulated Archaeology Site at HSU. This research intends to address the correlation between pH levels and decomposition, which can be beneficial for future taphonomic research.

Landslides are a destructive geological process that can destroy infrastructure, homes, and cause human fatalities. Over recent years there have been many damaging landslides along the California coast. Analyzing areas of high landslide risk potential can allow for preventative measures before the economic hardship of a massive repair or worst case scenario loss of life. This study aims to address the need of accurate predictive maps of landslide vulnerability in the Monterey County, CA. Weight of evidence based on prior landslides and selected triggering factors will be modeled within the MaxEnt software package to create landslide susceptibility maps.

Many trace metals are essential micronutrients for phytoplankton, and despite their low concentrations in seawater, trace metals can have large impacts on biological processes. Also due to their low concentrations, the measurement of trace metal concentrations requires precise analytical techniques. One common method utilizes expensive instrumentation that we do not have at HSU. In this research project, we adapted published methods to use the Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, an instrument in the HSU Chemistry Department. Results show successful adaptation of the method for zinc and manganese. Current work streamlines the method to allow for 8-fold faster sample preparation.

The current research focuses on producing hydrogels from chitosan, a bio-renewable bio-compatible and bio-degradable polymer. Hydrogels are used as contact lenses, drug delivery systems, and biomedical applications such as tissue engineering. Chitosan is the deacetylated form of chitin, an abundant biopolymer found in the exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects. Amino acid coupling, using 1-Ethyl-3-(3- dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC), is employed to covalently attach trans-cinnamic acid to the free amine of chitosan. Modified chitosan is then cross-linked under UV irradiation to produce hydrogels. The swelling capacity and sterilizability are currently under investigation.

Physical processes regarding gravity are well understood on the scale of planetary distances but pose challenges in measurements at very short distances. Theories such as the Inverse Square Law (ISL) and Einstein’s Weak Equivalence Principle (WEP) of General Relativity have been tested over distance scales from 1 cm to infinity [1]. Reliable measurements of gravitational forces at scales smaller than a centimeter carry significant challenges. The non-gravitational forces that are generally negligible at the scale of everyday objects have a much more substantial effect in the sub-centimeter regime. Our experiment seeks to measure gravity at these close distances.