Stress and the Oral Microbiome

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

The microbiome is many single celled organisms, which play an essential role in protecting the body against pathogens. Studies show that stress decreases microbial diversity, and thus negatively impact the body’s immune defenses. This study explored relationships between stress, cortisol levels, and the oral microbiome. Daily questionnaires and biweekly salivary tests assessed stress levels and microbial diversity. Data collection was conducted the first and second week of December 2018. Stress plays a significant role in the experience of college students. Understanding how stress impacts what microbes are in the mouth could lead to the development of better stress management strategies.

Structural Determination of the Olfactory Epithelium in Terrestrial Adult Rough-Skinned Newts (Taricha granulosa)

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Taricha granulosa (rough-skinned newt) uses olfaction for feeding, migration, and mate choice. In this study, we are examining the olfactory epithelium with scanning and transmission electron microscopy to determine whether variation in cellular morphology exists amongst seasonally terrestrial adults and aquatic larvae.

Student Satisfaction with Technology

College of Professional Studies

The purpose of this research is to assess HSU students’ satisfaction with the various services provided by the Information Technology Services department. The services that are being assessed are computers labs, on-campus printing, technology in the classroom, on-campus wi-fi, myHumboldt, HSU Gmail accounts, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Canvas, ITS Support, online classroom scheduling (via 25live), and the virtual labs (vlab.humboldt.edu). After completion of the survey, we hope to use the data to implement changes within the department in order to increase student satisfaction with the services mentioned above.

Supporting Social Workers: A Manual Promoting Sustainability & Wellness in Social Work

College of Professional Studies

The community project will consist of a manual that addresses the wellness and sustainability of social workers. Our community partner is Liora Levenbach and the finished project will be applicable to all social workers and supervisors, regardless of placement or role in the community. We are looking at how to decrease burnout and improve retention rates of social workers. We would like to take a strengths based approach by researching the effects of resiliency on social workers and their organizations.

Surface Ocean Distribution of Trace Metals in the California Current System During a Year of Anomalously Low Upwelling

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Upwelling in the California Current System (CCS) brings nutrient rich water to the continental shelf. Included with these nutrients are some trace metals. Trace iron (Fe) has been shown to be a control on primary productivity in the CCS. 2014 marked a year of low upwelling along the CA coast. This anomaly provides an opportunity to assess annual variability in processes affecting micronutrient distributions here. In 2014, the IRNBRU research cruise measured surface macronutrient and trace metal distributions in the CCS. Their results show lower nutrient concentrations than found in previous studies, and suggest an unusual uptake ratio of macronutrients by microorganisms in the area.

Taphonomic Bone Shrinkage: A Study on the Effects of Wet and Dry Climates on Postmortem Bone Shrinkage

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

In forensics, stature estimation is a key component of the assessment of skeletal remains. Estimating stature involves extrapolation from the length of long bones. Previous research has indicated environment can result in postmortem shrinkage of bone, and therefore affect stature estimates. This research project examines the extent of bone shrinkage that occurs when bones are exposed to the elements, dried out in a fume hood and submerged underwater. Measurements of bone length were taken at regular intervals. Preliminary analysis indicates a relationship between precipitation and postmortem shrinkage. This study has the potential to aid in assessing the accuracy of stature calculations.

Tattoos as Rhetoric

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

American tattoos are no longer considered counter-culture. Dominant ideologies that once reserved tattoos for bikers, criminals, and sailors now consider tattoos as highly popularized and commonplace. This prospectus will not look at the history of tattooing so much as it will explore the acts of getting, maintaining, and displaying tattoos as rhetoric. I explore the relationship between modern body art and rhetoric and argue that tattoos are persuasive and contextually meaningful. Tattoos function as a personal narrative and a social artifact fixed in time.

Ten Plus

Other

This is a video showcase by students in ITS Media Production called "Ten Plus." Ten Plus means that more than one in ten students on the HSU campus has a disability and requires some form of accommodation. These videos aim to build awareness as to what is currently being done and what steps we need to take in order to create accessibility on this campus through the use of Universal Design, accessible documents and more. It includes interviews by faculty, students and staff who are familiar with these issues and work with them everyday. This project is funded through the GI 2025. Its purpose is to "remove obstacles and support innovation to increase student success in graduating on time!

Ten Tribes Partnership and the Colorado River Basin

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

My project will discuss the role and influence the Ten tribes Partnership plays in the Colorado River Basin's water management and policy and how it affects the communities of it's member tribes as well as their surrounding non-native communities.

The Anti-Violence and Comics Project

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

The project presents a strategy to address the question of how to best support marginalized survivors. Through translating academic and practical knowledge into a visual resource, “(in)difference to survivors”. It brings marginalized voices up front without putting them at risk. It is the ultimate hope that the project influences policy makers, Title IX professionals, applied anthropologists, and survivor support organizations. This is a project by and for survivors of sexualized violence.