Effects of Human Activity on Urban Birds

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The rapid expansion of urban areas has reduced and eliminated habitats for birds. For the purpose of this study, the goal was to evaluate how bird abundance and species richness varied from sunrise to sunset along a gradient of human activity, and how it influenced the presence of species richness and abundance of birds throughout the day.

Effects of Supplemental Feeding on Migratory and Resident Hummingbirds

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This is my Senior project where I analyzed which feeding preference hummingbirds preferred in relation to hummingbird feeders and natural flowers given equal access to the two variables. Supplemental feeding has a massive effect on foraging behavior of all species, and research on how this effects populations is needed to inform citizens on how to safely and properly partake in this popular pastime.

Electroporation of E. coli and Agar Gel Electrophoresis of FB5⍺

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Chitin is the second-most abundant polysaccharide after cellulose, and a rich source of nitrogen and reduced carbons which is currently underutilized. Chitinases have the potential to put this sustainable resource to use. In this experiment a plasmid purported to contain the ChiA endochitinase gene was extracted from FB5-alpha E. coli and transformed into BL21(DE3) E. coli. The plasmid was analyzed by agar gel electrophoresis to determine that the gene was not present in the plasmid. To confirm the lack of the gene, protein isolation will be attempted, and samples will be analyzed by SDS-PAGE

Equity Gaps in Basic Needs Security for CSU Students during COVID-19: Preparing for future pandemics and climate crises

College of Professional Studies

University students, along with programs and services that serve them have been deeply impacted by COVID-19. The goal of this study was to explore students' statuses and their ability to access campus programming and supports that helped meet their basic needs such as, food, housing, and financial supports before and during the COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate their efficacy. This study had a particular focus on the context of diverse needs of students and campuses. This research adopted a mixed-methods approach to better understand basic needs insecurity, we focused on the survey data for this report.

Evaluating the Effects of Grazed and Ungrazed Habitat on Raptor Abundance

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

I examined the effects of ungrazed and grazed habitats on two raptor species, Northern Harriers and Red-tailed Hawks. The study evaluates how raptor abundance varies between the two habitat types, as well as, how factors such as rodent abundance and perch availability influence their distributions.

Evaluation of the behavior of yttrium and lanthanum in surface seawater

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The biogeochemical cycling of trace metals in the ocean, as the name implies, is a cycle that describes the complex interplay of a broad range of physical and chemical processes that govern the behavior of metals in the ocean. Input of trace metals into surface ocean water can come from any of several sources including anthropogenic input from the continental surface, airbound particles, or upwelling from the deep ocean, among others. Metal concentrations for yttrium and lanthanum were obtained from surface Pacific Ocean water and the data sets were interpreted to evaluate the behavior of each of the two metals in the context of this cycling.

Functional impact of alternative splicing on the transcriptomic landscape and fate of multipotent skeletal stem cells and osteosarcoma

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Greater than 90% of all protein-coding genes in the human genome undergo post-translational alternative splicing (AS), giving rise to many unique isoforms from a single gene. Our work with human skeletal stem cell (hSSC) has demonstrated the need to examine AS as it relates to cancer, development, aging, skeletal regeneration and skewing of hSSCs towards non-skeletogenic lineage fates. Here we explored the relationship between AS and function of hSSCs. Using RNA microarray technology we discovered RNA-binding proteins involved in hSSC function; inhibition of these proteins prevents differentiation and formation of osteosarcoma. Our current work reveals other essential roles of AS in hSSCs.

Great Egret (Ardea alba) Abundance Between the Brackish Pond and Restored Tidal Habitat During High Tide and Low Tide

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Brackish and tidal habitats are one of many habitat types that support an extensive amount of bird populations in wetland ecosystems (Stolen et al. 2007). However, tidal fluctuations can be of an influence in abundance for Great egrets between many habitat types. The objective of this study is to understand if Great egret abundance is influenced between the brackish pond and the restored tidal habitat as well as certain tide periods of the day.

Greenwood Cemetery

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

We are creating a digital archive of the greenwood cemetery to spark interest in the community.

Growing Up On This Side Of The Mountain

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

My project contains a list of a few selected free-style poems that I've combined to make a short poetry book that discusses how literacy sponsors have affected my academic worldview, and how their influences have affected my opportunities inside different academic communities and academic fields. Also how literacy sponsors impact everyone's development inside of the academic world as well.