Rhetorical Genre Theory and Whiteness

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Whiteness is the foundation on which academia is built. It shapes the institutions and methods of knowledge making that form what we call education. If we hope to make radical, meaningful change to our systems of learning and knowledge, a critical step will be decentering whiteness. This project uses the work of James Baldwin to conceptualize whiteness and examines rhetorical genre theory as an example of the ways academia's systems of knowledge making are based in the assumptions of whiteness.

Rise of the Machines: The Effects of Autonomous Cars on Highway Efficiency

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

We looked at a possible macroscopic model, the LWR model, but ultimately turned to a microscopic model, the IDM. Here, autonomous vehicles were incorporated,and a Matlab simulation was run. Simulation results along with existing research was analyzed,and differing traffic densities, lane changing, and heterogeneous traffic were then taken into account which resulted in an analysis of the MOBIL model. Finally, using traffic networking schemes, and analysis of available data, a unique model was proposed, with talk of expected results and implementation on the greater Seattle Area. Existing data suggests that these added vehicles will ease traffic congestion and increase road capacity.

Risk of Concussion Based on Position in Men’s and Women’s Collegiate Soccer

Devin Hauenstein, School of Applied Health Graduate Student

College of Professional Studies

Identification of correlations between rates of concussion and soccer positions played will lead to improved safety protocols and athlete health. Improvements can be identified by understanding the minutes played per position as fatigue is a risk factor for obtaining a concussion, in training or in game conditions by men and women soccer players. PURPOSE: To determine whether a correlation exists between minutes of soccer played, soccer position played, and the incidence of concussion among men and women collegiate soccer players.

River Otter Citizen Science Project

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

River otter sightings from watercourses and coastlines in Humboldt, Del Norte, and adjacent counties are sought by citizens in order for population status to be assessed and monitored. The project is run by Professor Jeff Black and students of Humboldt State University's Wildlife Department.

Road to the Registry

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

My project describes the work put into nominating the Arcata Plaza to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a research based project which highlights the cultural importance of Plaza as it has hosted many large events over the course of its history.

Role of p38 in glioma

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Gliomas are highly malignant intracranial tumors that result in a low survival rate due to an invasive phenotype and its diffuse nature. As a result, tumorigenic stem-like glioma cells are poorly targeted by conventional therapies. MAPK kinase 3 (MKK3) has been found to be a key upstream activator of the p38 MAPK protein and is upregulated in invasive glioma cells. Recent evidence suggests that interfering with MKK3 signaling through the inhibition of p38 can inhibit tumor cell invasion in vitro (Demuth et al. 2007). We are interested in examining the role of p38 in glioma through the ability of these cells to form tumor-like colonies in soft agar with modifications in Lgl1 gene expression

Role of Recreational Trailways and Cover Objects in Relation to Terrestrial Salamanders

Anthony Gomez, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Recreational trailways are becoming an ever-present component within community forests, nature reserves and national parks, with the effects on local wildlife just beginning to be understood. Prior research holds that regular trailway maintenance increases microhabitat availability for salamanders and results in increased densities. I conducted a 3-month study in a community forest in northwestern California, and used a standardized nighttime paired-field survey technique to assess for cover objects and salamander surface activity.

Rolling with Pollies: Soil moisture effect on recovery from conglobation in the Common Pill Bug, Armadillidium vulgare

Jade Coulter, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Pill bugs roll into a ball for more reasons than to protect themselves! They may also be conserving water, thermoregulating, or it may all be up to individual boldness. My research investigated whether soil moisture would affect the amount of time it took for pill bugs to unroll. I found that there was no correlation between sex, length, soil moisture, and the amount of time they spent rolled up. However, there was a great variation among individuals.

Rooftop farming in Hong Kong

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The idea of this study is to conduct more research on farming in the city, to be specific, Hong Kong. As I grew up in Hong Kong, space is one of the biggest challenges in the city. While citizens are looking for ways to implement their lifestyle, rooftop farming can be one of the great opportunities to build up a community around the neighborhood, provide fruits and vegetables for the residents, and promote a healthy living lifestyle. While promoting the idea of rooftop farming, there are obstacles that the residents need to be overcome. Therefore, I will be analyzing the ecosystem, finance, and government policy that might help the city farmers in Hong Kong.

Rural Food Insecurity in Humboldt County

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

A wide range of environmental, social, and economic factors contribute to the issue of food insecurity. Despite being overwhelmingly agriculturally based economies, rural communities are some of the areas most at risk for high levels of food insecurity. This work addresses why the unequal distribution of food within an area of relative food abundance cannot be understood through the same lens as urban food deserts, but must be analyzed from the bottom up: following the supply chain of food throughout the social, environmental, and economic structures of the rural community.