Shorebird Abundance in Response to Human Disturbance within Protected and Non-protected Beaches

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

My study focused on shorebird abundance in response to human disturbance within beaches that are protected or non protected by the county in Humboldt County, California.

Shorebird Displacement in Response to Recreational Human Disturbance along the Humboldt County Coastline

Cindy Chavez, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This project focuses on the interaction between recreational use of local coastal beaches and shorebird disturbance patterns. Flight initiation distances and alert behaviors in relation to the proximity of humans, dogs, or other natural disturbances are observed to approximate recreational impact on shorebird foraging.

Shorebird Vigilance from Biological Influences

Ryan Abdilla, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

My research project involves researching two different species of wild shorebirds, Marbled Godwits and Eurasian Whimbrels, and studying which biological factors like predator abundance, tide height, foraging rates, and time of day play a role in vigilant behavior in these two shorebird species. We are looking to see how these rates and their factors differ between 5 different areas across the Arcata Marsh and if there are noteworthy changes in any of the listed factors between the two species and which ones play the biggest role in shorebird vigilance and which do not.

Short and Long Term Effects of Antibiotic Treatment on Mitochondrial Membrane Potential and Proliferation of HEK293 Cells

Rhiannon Red Bird, Biological Sciences Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Antibiotics are commonly used in modern-day cell culture to prevent the loss of valuable data and cells- useful for protecting valuable cells during long-term studies. Cells are cultured in nutrient rich media, causing rapid proliferation of unwanted contaminants (i.e. viruses/ bacteria). We know that short term treatment negatively affects cell differentiation, proliferation, regulation and metabolism- yet, are still commonly used in cell culture. In this study, we cross-examined the effects of short term antibiotic treatments (96 hours) and long term antibiotic treatments (192 hours) on human embryonic kidney cell proliferation, mitochondrial membrane potential, and protein expression.

Should Democracy be Constrained to Address Climate Change?

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

My research analyzes the implications that climate change has for democracy. Recognizing that climate change presents unique challenges to our political system, I search for a healthy balance between democratic means and necessary, urgent ends. To do so, I compare the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of democracy, i.e., representative versus deliberative, ultimately concluding with the need for more research and collaboration.

Should MDMA Be Used as Treatment for Psychological Disorders

Ashley Erbeck, Psychology Undergraduate Student

Other

Our presentation is on whether or not MDMA should be used as a therapeutic tool in psychological disorders. If so are they beneficial? Are they dangerous and pose potential risks, etc. We compiled 15 separate articles to produce our findings and conclusions.

Showcasely: An Art Showcase

College of Professional Studies

Showcasely is an art show that promotes inclusivity, self-expression and struggling artists. I wanted to have an art show with these key points because they play a crucial role in my life, our community, and in art work. Inclusivity was a key part of Showcasely because we wanted people of all backgrounds and experiences to be apart of our role. Art is a demonstration of self expression. I wanted to promote the reality of struggling artist because there are many misconceptions of their lifestyle.

Silent Struggles: Addressing Postpartum Depression in Rural Public Health

Jamie Gormly, School of Applied Health Undergraduate Student

College of Professional Studies

Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common mental health condition affecting birthing persons and is more prevalent in rural communities with limited behavioral health services. This quality improvement project uses the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice to reduce the impact of PPD in rural public health communities. Interventions include integrating social support into treatment plans, expanding home visiting programs, and implementing universal screening. Evaluation measures include increased service engagement and overall symptom reduction. Target goals include a ≥20% decrease in depressive symptoms and a ≥25% increase in screenings among Medicaid-insured individuals.

Silicon Photomultiplier Characterization

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Silicon Photo Multiples (SiPM's) are relatively new photon detectors. They offer many advantages compared to photo multiplier tubes (PMT's) such as insensitivity to magnetic field, robustness at varying lighting levels, and low cost. The SiPM output wave forms are poorly understood. The experiment conducted collected waveforms of responses of Hamamatsu SiPM to incident laser pulse at varying temperatures and bias voltages. Ambient noise was characterized at all temperatures and bias voltages by averaging the waveforms. Pulse shape of the SiPM response was determined under different operating conditions

SINKING MICROFIBERS ON THE NEW ENGLAND CONTINENTAL SHELF BREAK

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

In June 2016, the water column abundance and vertical flux profile of microfibers was examined using Niskin bottle collection and a vertical array of surface-tethered sediment traps at the continental shelf break south of Rhode Island. Fibers were extracted and analyzed on a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer to determine the type of materials present. Sinking rates of the fibers were estimated through three independent approaches: theoretical, field-based, and lab-based. In general, the field-based approach indicated roughly 8x slower sinking speeds than those observed in the lab or predicted by theory.