The Upscaling of Direct Contact Membrane Distillation for Direct Potable Reuse of Wastewater

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Direct contact membrane distillation is a thermally driven separation process that can be used for treating wastewater. A solution of hot water and a solution of cold water are placed in direct contact on opposite sides of a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane, causing the contents to separate into distilled water and brine. Due to these properties, DCMD has potential to be used on a larger scale, transforming impaired water bodies into viable sources of drinking water. This particular project is a bench-scale DCMD system and will be used to treat leachate from a landfill in Eureka, before being sent to University of Nevada-Reno to be coupled with a membrane bioreactor.

The Use of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Yellowstone Park

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Throughout history, indigenous tribes have used traditional ecological knowledge, TEK, to utilize natural resources while simultaneously tending to the environment. In our presentation, we will examine how incorporating these ideas of TEK will be a positive addition to the ecosystem and aid in conservation. We will focus specifically on the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone Park and explain how this is an example of TEK. By adding a predator to the ecosystem, they will benefit it by keeping prey populations under control to restore the natural balance of the land

The Yurok Tribe and The California Condor

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

We will be presenting the connection between the California Condor and the Yurok tribe. Focusing on the reintroduction of the California Condor into Northern California and Humboldt county. We will be presenting information on the history of the California Condor and the problems it has faced in the past.

There's not a lot of cool chicks out there: A regional study of climate change on passerine morphology over time

Tabitha Page, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Wildlife have been responding to climate change in many ways, and I decided to focus on if warming temperatures are influencing avian morphology by using museum specimens from the Cal Poly Humboldt Wildlife Museum. This study focused on passerine birds collected from the 1880's up until 2022.

Through The Eyes of Liberian Americans: The Post-Civil War Consequences on Liberia

Joy Mehn , Politics Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The research will focus on the experiences of Liberian Americans while fleeing the civil war. This displacement is shaped by the policies made by the Liberian Government and the United States government. The relevance of this study is the placement of value on the experiences of those who experienced displacement. More often than not, the focus of migration in the global south is the economic factors and how those factors affect the Western world. This research is a way to project the stories of those who are often not heard, the Liberian people.

Time Activity Budgets of Ruddy Ducks at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary

Amanda Bautista, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) are among the many waterfowl that migrate south from their wintering locations in search for warmer climates.With Humboldt Bay located on the Pacific Flyway, Arcata Marsh is a primary stop-over site for the ducks’ journey. Time activity budgets will help to infer if females require additional nutrients for their fat storage before migration and the start of egg production. A prediction was made that females will spend more time foraging underwater in preparation for breeding and laying periods. Finding that there was no significant difference between foraging behavior of female and male ruddy ducks.

Time Series Analysis of Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler in Humboldt Bay

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The OCN 499 extended independent study is a time series analysis of an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) in Humboldt Bay in collaboration with NOAA's Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) project.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Application to the Klamath River

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The application of TEK to the klamath river and the Yurok tribe. How to intertwine the scientific methods with the original knowledge of the native people. Mainly focusing on how pacific lamprey and salmon are effected and ways to apply the old and new techniques to help the current populations recover and grow, such as better ways to monitor and take care of the river and what live in the river ecosystem.

Traditionally Driven & Community Based Health Services

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

At Humboldt State University, I study Cellular and Molecular Biology and have minors in Chemistry and Spanish. After I graduate with my Behavioral Science Degree, I plan to go to the College of the Redwoods to become a Registered Nurse. Going into the medical field to me means helping others and making a difference in the community I grew up in. My hope is to become a Registered Nurse and have the opportunity to work or volunteer with United Indian Health Services at Potawot Health Village or the Eureka Health Center. Being a part of an organization that focuses on health, sustainability, and Indigenous sovereignty would allow me to make real change in my community.

Transmission Electron Micrographs of Human Embryonic Kidney Cells Post Drug Treatment

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Applying data collected during lab in BIOL 410, we treated human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells to trigger the autophagy pathway. After treating the cells in standard growth conditions and nutrient deprived conditions, we used transmission electron micrioscopy to visualize these cells in hopes of imaging the formation of autophagosomes.