Student Researchers Represent CSU Dominguez Hills at Statewide Event

Among the record number 167 students who presented their research projects earlier this year at the 4th annual California State University, Dominguez Hills Student Research Day 11 were chosen to represent the university in the 23rd annual CSU Student Research Competition. The system-wide competition, which was held May 2-3 on the CSU Los Angeles campus, gave undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to showcase their research in front of representatives of academia, the corporate sector and public agencies. History major Clara Weston took the second place award with her project, “Street Vendors: Compelling voices on the pathway to social justice and acceptance,” which she researched with Ericka Verba, assistant professor of history.

“A good proportion of our graduates are being accepted into first-tier graduate programs around the country and the chance to present their research at Student Research Day represents an important part of the training and socialization that is needed for them to be successful,” says Mohammad Eyadat, assistant professor of computer information systems, and chair of the CSU Dominguez Hills Student Research Day since its inception in 1995. “Student Research Day is a critical way of promoting enrollment and retention of students by showcasing the high caliber of academic accomplishment that is characteristic of our campus.”

The research projects of the 11 CSUDH students chosen to represent the university earlier this month spanned the spectrum of the system-wide competition’s academic categories: business administration; physical and mathematical sciences; health, nutrition and clinical sciences; biological and agricultural sciences; and humanities and letter.

Business administration was represented by Ryan Moody and John Grimes, who presented “The Impact of Integration Issues on IS Development.” Their faculty mentor was Myron Sheu, professor of information systems and operations management. The behavioral and social sciences were represented by Edward Smith, anthropology undergraduate, and Chaka Dodson, a graduate student in psychology. Smith was mentored by department chair Jerry Moore while researching “Applying Ceramic Theory and Counting Methodology Towards the Investigation of Public Feasting in South America.” Dodson, who worked with associate professor of psychology Karen Mason, presented her research titled, “Does Knowing Someone with AHI/AIDS Affect Attitudes and Sexual Behaviors of Urban College Students?”

The physical and mathematical sciences were represented with work by students in computer science and physics. Mark Lohmann presented “The Search for Neutron Oscillations,” as aided by his faculty mentor Ken Ganezer, professor of physics. Eric Flior and Damian Alvillar focused on “Using PHP for Data Transformation between SNORT IDS Databases and See5 Flat Files” with computer science department chair Mohsen Beheshti.

Two presentations by graduate students in health, nutrition and clinical science were both mentored by Claudia Peyton, director of the occupational therapy program. “Living with a Sibling with Non-Ambulatory Cerebral Palsy: A Phenomenological Study” was presented by Julie Alvestad, Tim Bruesehoff, Wendy Butler, and Jessica Dungan. Kate Chiverton, Ju-chin Chou, Kristen Hara, and Sandy Kim did their research on “Play and the Highly Scheduled Child: A Qualitative Research Study.”

Biological and agricultural sciences were presented by Thania Bogarin, an undergraduate in biology, whose mentor Helen Chun, assistant professor of biology, assisted her with “Effects of Okadaic Acid on Irradiated Normal Lymphoblastoid Cells.” Cory Tague, a graduate student of education, presented “Collaboratively Designing and Implementing an Intervention Program: Implications for Moral Leadership” with the aid of Anthony Normore, associate professor of graduate education.

Lastly, in humanities and letters, was second-place finisher Weston, and Margaret Manning, a graduate student in the Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peace Building Program, presented “Morocco: How does increasing democratization impact terrorism?.” Her faculty mentor was Vici Taus.

Laura Robles, dean of Graduate Studies and Research, who was among the founders of the CSUDH research day, is pleased with the record participation this year and says the event has taken on “a life of its own.”

“The students seem to know more about the day [every year] and the support from Associated Students, Inc., faculty, staff, the bookstore and the administration is overwhelming,” she says.

Robles, who also serves as director for the Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) - Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) program at CSU Dominguez Hills, says she thinks that, “Our celebration of faculty-student research is above and beyond what any other campus does.

“When I was a faculty member I thought the administration should sponsor such an event for the faculty and students,” says Robles. “At the department and college level, we struggled to have [events where] students could present their research. When I became an administrator, I was determined to establish an event such as Student Research Day, which has become that event.”

- Joanie Harmon