Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center

The Effects of Dive Behavior on the Heart Rates of Northern Elephant Seals

Rebecca Alisandratos* (1) & Dr. Gitte McDonald (2)

(1) Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College (2) Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

The organization of the nervous system in a Hemichordate species, Saccoglossus kowalevskii

Nicholas Anaya-Licea* (1) & Dr. Chris Lowe

(1) California State University, Dominguez Hills (2) Hopkins Marine Station

Implications of purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) population dynamics on giant kelp forests in southern California

Morganne Borsh* (1) & Dr. Alison Haupt (2)

(1) University of Northern Iowa (2) California State University, Monterey Bay

Testing for Water and Sediment Contamination in the Monterey Peninsula & Salinas Watershed for Select Persistent Organic Pollutants

Samantha Champ* (1) & Dr. Arlene Haffa

(1) Monterey Peninsula College (2) California State University, Monterey Bay

Wave Energy Reflection at a Rocky Coast

Lucero Dorantes* (1) & Dr. Jamie MacMahan (2)

(1) Cornell University (2) Naval Postgraduate School

Predicting Wildfire Favorable Conditions in California at Sub Seasonal Lead Times Using Remote Predictors

Ciara Dorsay* (1) & Dr. Tom Murphree (2)

(1) University of California, Berkeley (2) Naval Postgraduate School

Life history patterns & spatio-temporal shifts in the diets of albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) from a global literature analysis

Cindy Matuch* (1) & Dr. Larry Crowder (2)

(1) Orange Coast College (2) Hopkins Marine Station

The effect of predator presence and environmental conditions on the metabolic rate of red abalone, Haliotis Rufescens.

Kelsey Nichols* (1), Dr. Jim Barry (2), & Dr. Steve Litvin (2)

(1) University of Hawai'i at Manoa (2) Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

The Physics of Whale Movement: Drag and Thrust Calculations to Measure Whale Efficiency

Hayden Smith* (1) & Dr. Jeremy Goldbogen (2)

(1) Southwestern University (2) Hopkins Marine Station

Munidopsis Density Relating to Particulate Organic Carbon Flux Events before & after a shift in community composition (09-12v14-17)

Norman Sween* (1), Dr. Ken Smith (2), & Dr. Crissy Huffard (2)

(1) Santa Rosa Junior College (2) Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Detection of Harmful Algal Bloom Species On Site Through Optimal DNA Extraction Methodology Coupled with qPCR

Cami Wilson* (1) & Dr. Holly Bowers (2)

(1) University of South Florida (2) Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

You belong here: How Latinx college students use Community Cultural Wealth

Juan Pacheco Marcial*, Matthew Murphy, & Dr. Mrinal Sinha

Department of Psychology, California State University, Monterey Bay

This project’s objective is to examine Yosso’s (2005) theoretical framework of Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) with Latinx students at CSUMB. CCW is composed of 6 forms of capital: Aspirational, Linguistic, Familial, Social, Navigational, and Resistant. Previous literature argues that, through pedagogies of the home, household knowledge and expectations derived from family become important factors shaping success in college (Delgado-Bernal, 2001; Yosso, 2005). Through this literature, we examine the following research question: What forms of community cultural wealth do Latinx students bring to CSUMB? We analyzed 15 in-depth qualitative interviews derived from an existing data set. The participants were senior-level, Latinx students, all of whom were first-generation college students. Interviews addressed participants’ family context, neighborhood context, educational and professional aspirations, and social identity and consciousness. Results indicated Aspirational, Linguistic, Social, Resistant, and Familial capital were forms of CCW that were important to participants’ educational success. Discussion of findings highlight the implications of CCW in helping Latinx students complete college, resist oppression, and contribute to social justice in their communities.

The Latina Task Force. A Lost Piece of U.S. History

Sonia Olmos* (1), Andrea-Teresa Arenas (2), Eloisa Gómez (2), Yolanda Garza (2), & Paul Hedges (2)

(1)School of Humanities & Communication, California State University, Monterey Bay (2) Wisconsin Historical Society and Chican@/Latin@ Studies Program

The Women’s and Chicano Movement, are two civil rights movements in the United States (U.S.) that forged a collective mobilization by minority groups to organize around political issues to create radical social changes. However, historians focusing primarily on the male-dominated accounts of the Chicano Movement and the linear “wave” model of feminist history, has erased the contributions from the “lost generation” of Chicana/ Latina feminism. In “Chicana Movidas: New Narratives of Activism and Feminism in the Movement Era” by Dionne Espinoza, et al., illustrate how Chicanas created their own movidas “...outside of the specular range of large-scale political and social relations. Enacted in back rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and kitchens...” (2018), which is why it has been overlooked by historians. The Somos Latinas state-based and Chicana Por Mi Raza (CPMR) national-based qualitative oral history projects, have recuperated history like the Latina Task Force (LTF). LTF was a Latina-led advocacy group in the early 1980s in the Southside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They utilized “Circle of Gathering” and “Chisme” as grassroots movidas to create social change for low-income Latinas and their families. Therefore, these findings restore a lost piece of U.S. history that provides an interdisciplinary perspective for scholarly activists.

Demeter: A Closer Look at the History of Lesbian Feminism on the Monterey Peninsula

Bryant Taylor* & David Reichard

School of Humanities & Communications, California State University, Monterey Bay

As an extension of the LGBTQ History of Monterey County Archiving Project, which seeks to discover, recover, and record lost and hidden artifacts and narratives of marginalized individuals in Monterey County’s LGBTQ+ community, this research project focuses on the women who worked on the feminist paper, Demeter, between 1979-1985. Rooted in close reading of available issues of Demeter present in CSUMB’s LGBTQ+ archive and oral histories, the project explores the intersection of lesbian feminism with racial, gender, and class identities, how those intersections shaped views and experiences of Demeter’s creators, and the impact of Demeter on the community. The project particularly explores marginalized voices within the local feminist movement suggesting that, while Demeter played a crucial role in building a lesbian feminist community on the Monterey Peninsula, there were communities (women of color, trans women, bi-women) that were not given adequate visibility in their periodical.

Social Media Use of Mothers in India: Empowering Mother’s Spending on Children’s Education

Sarah A. Ricks* (1) & Meng-Hsien (Jenny) Lin (2)

(1) College of Business, California State University, Monterey Bay (2) College of Business, Marketing Department, California State University, Monterey Bay

This paper analyzes relationships between social media usage and empowerment of Indian mothers, while considering how empowerment impacts resource allocation on children’s education. Research reveals positive effects of social media use on empowerment levels and mothers’ autonomy positively influencing child survival, nutrition, and school enrollment rates. Previous studies have also linked empowerment to autonomy. However, little research discusses the role social media plays in empowering mothers or its impact on education spending. This paper bridges the gap by focusing on: How active versus passive social media usage influences two components of Indian mothers’ psychological empowerment (intrapersonal and interactional) and how these components of empowerment impact those mothers’ allocation of household income towards education. Intrapersonal empowerment was determined by levels of self-efficacy, perceived competence, and control. Interactional empowerment was measured by collective action and interpersonal relationships. Through 301 surveys of Indian mothers, we found active usage of WhatsApp, the most popular social media among respondents, is positively related to both components of psychological empowerment. Results show a positive relationship between empowerment and education spending. This paper examines how the relationships between social media, empowerment and education spending impact the welfare of future generations. Implications for marketers and policymakers are discussed.

What Should I Do? : A Look Into the Discourse of Morality from Contemporary Americans

Sebastian Mireles* & Mridula Mascarenhas

Department of Humanities and Communication, California State University, Monterey Bay

Rhetoric and ethics are traditionally seen as two distinct fields of study. Rhetoric can generally be thought of as the study or practice of persuasion, while ethics is the study of how one should act in a given situation. The discourse of ethics can provide insight into the ways contemporary individuals utilize moral language. This in turn can be analyzed rhetorically for patterns and used to predict how an individual may approach an ethical dilemma. I predicted that people would use a utilitarian approach when prescribing advice for others, while adhering to a deontological approach for their own actions. In an analysis of 15 letters to a professional ethicist in the New York Times, 15 responses by The Ethicist, and 300 public comments, I concluded that people invoke a conglomerate of virtue ethics, deontology, and teleology. An emotivist theory of ethics may be the most appropriate to interpret the findings and patterns. Ultimately, when ethics is discussed, it possesses elements of persuasion, and follows philosopher C. L. Stevenson’s features of moral discourse.

An exploratory analysis of socioeconomic, environmental and behavioral factors affecting infant mortality

Kayla Chapman* (1), Jessica Turner (2), Dr. Lopez-Littleton (1), & Dr. John Olson (2)

(1) Health, Human Services & Public Policy, California State University, Monterey Bay (2) School of Natural Sciences, California State University, Monterey Bay

Infant mortality is a key indicator of the health of the community. One of the more troubling facts about infant mortality is the gap between white and black infants. While a wide variety of factors contribute to the disparity gap, none of the known factors fully account for the variation. This exploratory study examines socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral factors known to impact income. Using data acquired from KidsData, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Louisiana Bureau of Health Informatics, this study examined the relationship between infant mortality and median income, toxic release, and smoking. Geographical Information’s Mapping (GIS) and Excel were used to map and analyze the data. Researchers hypothesize that environmental factors will have a higher degree of correlation to infant mortality than socioeconomic or environmental factors. The implications of our findings will assist researchers in the development of latent variables for further study and analysis.

Variable Microhabitat Associations and Body Orientations of Kelp Rockfish (Sebastes atrovirens) Along The Reef-sand Interface At Central Californian Reefs

Kameron Strickland* & James Lindholm

California State University, Monterey Bay

Kelp rockfish (Sebastes atrovirens) are a semi-demersal rockfish species which occupy habitats from rocky reef to kelp forest canopy in central California kelp forests. Literature suggests S. atrovirens habitat associations vary seasonally, with more kelp associations during the summer months. Questions remain as to precisely how individual fish utilize microhabitats within the kelp forest complex. We conducted SCUBA surveys over 15 months to record associations between the adjacent microhabitats of S. atrovirens and other fishes in the vicinity. Data on fish total length, microhabitat, and body orientation were collected via underwater visual census (UVC) as well as extracted from diver operated stereoscopic video (DOV). Observations suggest considerable daily variation in S. atrovirens abundance and significant differences between microhabitat associations, with 75% remaining motionless with kelp. Individuals observed in association with kelp were twice as likely to be facing the surface rather than the substratum. Our data suggest that individuals are limited to the kelp stipes until reaching adult sizes, when they can then move to other microhabitats. A greater understanding of where S. atrovirens are and why will lead to more informed management of California’s kelp forest communities.

Microhabitat associations of post-settlement juvenile rockfishes: Utilization of transient drift kelp extending from the kelp forest boundary

Megan Salomonson* & James Lindholm

Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, California State University, Monterey Bay

The importance of kelp forests providing habitat and refuge to temperate reef fishes is well-established, including ontogenetic shifts in how kelp is utilized across life histories. It is also known that detached kelp can be clustered at the surface, in deep sea canyons, or on the beach where less is known about the role of transient drift kelp on the seafloor adjacent to the reefs in relation to fish habitats. This study aims to evaluate (1) the change of drift kelp density over time and space, (2) the effect of drift kelp density on its respective utilization by juvenile rockfishes, and (3) the extent to which the drift kelp contributes to the halo of suitable habitat around the reef. Microhabitat utilization of juvenile rockfishes is documented through transects on SCUBA extending out 20 meters from the reef-sand interface and 12-18 meters in depth in Carmel, CA. Data are collected through five minute underwater visual census (UVC) surveys and recorded imagery through diver-operated stereo video (DOV). Preliminary results show that 54% of observed juvenile rockfishes are utilizing drift kelp at an average of 3.18 meters from the kelp forest boundary. Other microhabitats are utilized by 20% or less of observed rockfish with distances varying from 0.13 meters to 4.48 meters. This suggests that drift kelp is the most utilized habitat beyond the reef-sand interface and may be a contributing factor in the halo of productivity surrounding the reef.

Workshop in Methodology in Training Undergraduates in Electrochemistry

Elya Kandahari*, Parker J. Smith, & John C. Goeltz

School of Natural Science, California State University, Monterey Bay

With its broad applications and interdisciplinary nature, electrochemical analysis has become a powerful tool in high impact research in STEM fields that include energy storage and biotechnology. However, undergraduate laboratory-based learning in electrochemistry research lacks connection between material learned in class and execution in laboratory settings, especially in a research environment. To address such shortcomings, we propose a framework for training undergraduates in cyclic voltammetry (CV). An introductory CV training module was developed on the basis of the framework. The training module includes supportive information (content), utility value (context), formative and summative assessments, and laboratory CV experiments that can be implemented with modest operational costs and allow undergraduate students to acquire research skills necessary for electrochemical analysis. The laboratory protocol described herein was conducted in groups of 10-20 students in a 2-4 hour laboratory period, and the effectiveness of the module was assessed through analysis of formative and summative surveys. We project that the CV experiments based on the framework provided may alleviate some of the educational challenges in undergraduate electrochemistry research training.

Let’s shed some light on the situation: Assessing the effectiveness of net illumination as a bycatch reduction solution for sustainable fisheries

Marisa Thompson* (1,2) & Wendy Morrison (2)

(1) Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center, CSU Monterey Bay (2) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Bycatch—the incidental capture of non-target species in a fishery—threatens the sustainability of fisheries, species populations, and population recovery. The Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP) has funded 116 projects since 2012 to support the development of innovative solutions to mitigate the impacts of bycatch, including the use of artificial lights on fishing nets. Artificial lights reduce bycatch pre- and post-entrainment by highlighting escape routes, increasing perception of fishing gear, and serving as visual deterrents to induce avoidance behavior. I conducted a review of BREP reports and peer-reviewed studies to assess the effectiveness of net illumination as a potential solution for bycatch reduction efforts. The effects of net illumination can vary by taxon, size of species, fishing gear, light color, placement of lights on gear, and other factors. This summary indicates that net illumination is an effective strategy for some fisheries, but highlights the need to test net illumination at a fishery-specific level before broad application in other fisheries. For example, in 2018 the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife recognized the effectiveness of this technology and implemented regulations that require ocean shrimp fisheries to use artificial lights on the footrope of trawls to further reduce eulachon bycatch. The National Marine Fisheries Service will use the results of this study to make informed decisions about which BREP projects to fund in the future.

Synthesis and Characterization of Bulk Boron Nitride Nanoplatelets

Andrew Reyes* (1) & Dr. Andrew Nieto (2)

(1) Hartnell College (2) Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dept., Naval Postgraduate School

Improving The Conductivity of Carbon Nanotubes and Synthesizing Graphene Foam For Use in Supercapacitors

Patrick Aceves* (1), Nathalie Daoud* (2), David Cardenas (3), Dr. Claudia Luhrs (4), & Dr. Richa Agrawal (4)

(1) University of Delaware (2) Monterey Peninsula College (3) Hartnell Community College (4) Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dept., Naval Postgraduate School

Application of Poker AI to Military Mission Strategy and a Novel Method for Detection of Unknown Unknowns Therein

Erik Skalnes* (1) & Dr. Neil Rowe (2)

(2) Columbia University (2) Computer Science Dept, Naval Postgraduate School

Space Systems Academic Group: High Altitude Balloon and Satellite Communication Systems

Yousef Al-Shinnawi* (1), Felix Fagan* (2), Cathy Hsu* (3), & Dr. James Newman (4)

(1) University of California, Berkeley (2) University of California, San Diego (3) California State University, Monterey Bay (4) Space Systems Academic Group, Naval Postgraduate School