Is ‘Populism’ or the ‘Neoliberal Project’ Challenging Liberal Democratic Norms & Institutions?

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Conventional wisdom in academia and media often paint recent challenges to liberal democratic  norms and institutions as a a result of “populism”. In this lenses, the anti-pluralistic, and tribalistic  tendencies of the demos, or people, of a political community challenge the ‘liberal’ element of  liberal democracy. In this project I challenge this conventional wisdom, and argue that such an  analysis does not take into account the ​causes​ of the what is referred to as ‘populism’’. To  understand the causes, I argue that we must take a look at the cultural, political and economic  changes that have been unfolding since the late seventies.

Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism, and Other Forms of Religious Prejudice in Humboldt County

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

In Fall, 2018, Religious Studies senior Michael Howell wrote a research paper for RS 332 "Introduction to Islam" on Islamophobia in Humboldt County. Professor Biondo encouraged Michael to expand the scope to examine religious prejudice more broadly. To help him interview twelve Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders in Humboldt County and to publish his findings, Michael was awarded an Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Award from the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Does Humboldt contain an ideology or worldview (such as libertarianism, secularism, spirituality, or naturalism) that prevents violence or promotes civic engagement?

Island Biogeography: Invasive Species and Eradication Programs

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

For this project, a masters list of introduced mammals was provided. The masters list consisted of several different species of mammals who were classified by family, genus, species, and common names. Each species was accompanied by islands they were introduced too. Using the “Database of Island Invasive Species Eradication,” each animal on the list was searched for to see if they were successfully eradicated. If these animals had been eradicated, then the date and method of eradication were recorded. If these species didn’t show up on the database, then they were search for using various different search engines. If animals still remain of these islands the question becomes why?

Isolation & Nanodisc Assembly of Submitochondrial Particles

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The mitochondrion is a subcellular location for varied metabolic processes and pathways relevant to undergraduate biochemistry courses at Cal Poly Humboldt. At the core of such pathways are integral membrane proteins (IMPs) whose structure and enzymatic activity can be examined to better understand not only their overall function, but also the role of specific subunits. One such enzyme is cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV). Nanodiscs are invaluable tools for examining IMPs. In this experiment, we isolated mitochondria and submitochondrial particles for incorporation into nanodiscs. Future work will include purification and selection for nanodiscs containing only cytochrome c oxidase.

Isolation and Initial characterization of antibiotic-producing bacteria from Northern California's Redwood Forest

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

In order to fight the increasing antibiotic crisis, an experimental lab isolated bacteria from the Redwood Forest. From soil and air, 47 isolates were extracted from the Redwood Forest and tested for inhibition against the six deadly ESKAPE pathogens. We sequenced the 16s rRNA gene to identify the bacterial species. Isolates that had identical 16s rRNA genes inhibited different pathogens, possibly leading to the discovery of a novel antibiotic producing bacteria.

It Gets Better: Policy Changes Predict Implicit Bias Against Homosexuality

College of Professional Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of policy changes on people's implicit biases about gay people. Participants completed an online IAT task that measures implicit favoritism for gay vs. straight people. A time series analysis indicates that the average monthly implicit favoritism score (for straight over gay people) decreased following the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. This suggests reduced favoritism for heterosexuals over gay and lesbian people, b = - 0.83, t(164) = -18.74, p < .001. As predicted, people exhibited less implicit bias against homosexuality after the legalization of gay marriage.

It's like, I have to feel guilty cuz I'm white' : Fear and Frenzy around Critical Race Theory in K12

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Since 2020, Critical Race Theory in schools has become a controversial topic nationwide, particularly among conservatives. Despite this, most public schools are not teaching or talking about CRT - So, where does this misinformation originate? This presentation explores the origin of this issue, common narratives of opposition and their sources, and examines who the people opposed to CRT are - behind the Facebook comments. This presentation expands on the roots of resistance to CRT to understand obstacles to implementing future liberatory, anti-racist curricula in predominantly conservative communities and learning environments.

James' Fabulous Mobile Dog Food Pantry: A Grassroots Initiative!

James Brother, Social Work Graduate Student

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

I developed a mobile dog food pantry to meet the needs of unsheltered pets across Humboldt County. Using donations from various sources and implementing similar models used by local nonprofits, I developed access to pet food in areas with an unmet need.

Jefferson Community Center: Making Progress Where People Matter

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Jefferson Community Center is a non-profit organization located in Eureka, CA. This project will focus on their dedication to food insecurity and how they teach their youth programs about sustainable food practices. It will also show other services such as their sustainable garden plots in which they grow their own food but also plant native plants for wildlife conservation. My poster will show the variety of services I've helped with during my time there.

Jefferson Community Center: Working Together for the Greater Eureka Community

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

The Jefferson Community Center is dedicated to fostering a sense of working together by increasing recreational, educational and vocational opportunities to the needs of the community. The excitement builds as our community shows its commitment to a clean, safe neighborhood full of activities for all ages. This project will summarize my service learning at Jefferson, primarily working with the youth programs. I will describe a few other programs and services offered at Jefferson, supported by photos of events and activities. I will provide contact information and opportunities to get involved. Join us with your ideas, projects and energy!