Current Student Participants

Major/Area of Study: Anthropology: Museum Studies

Faculty Mentor: April Kamp-Whittaker

Discipline & Research Interests: My research interests focus on collaboration and equity in museums. My current research focuses on a collaborative effort to draft a collections management policy between the Museum of Anthropology and the Office of Tribal Relations. The need for such a policy became evident after the Office of Tribal Relations was gifted a large collection of Native American and indigenous art from across the Americas. The collection is intended to also be used in some part as a teaching collection in grades K-12. There is currently no existing policy to guide a partnership between the Office of Tribal Relations and the Museum of Anthropology. Our aim is to develop a culturally sensitive policy that will contain language to facilitate our partnership and hopefully to serve as a model within the CSU system for collaborative endeavors in collection management.

Major/Area of Study: Master of Science, Biological Sciences

Faculty Mentor: Kristen F. Gorman

Discipline & Research Interests: The broad goal of our research is to understand the molecular mechanisms that control posture. Specifically, we study the most prevalent postural deformity, idiopathic scoliosis, to reveal the genetic and cellular physiology of postural control. The Gorman lab uses the medaka fish that have naturally occurring (not induced) mutations causing abnormal spinal curvature that is similar to idiopathic scoliosis in humans. 

Major/Area of Study: Social Work

Faculty Mentor: Devjani Banerjee-Stevens

Discipline & Research Interests: I am a graduate student in the Master in Social Work program, and I believe my childhood experiences of struggling with ADHD, my family's value of education, as well as the use of my voice to advocate for underserved communities shaped my research interests in acculturation, family dynamics, trauma, resilience, and youth development in Latino communities. My hope through research is to help develop culturally sensitive mental health treatments and interventions and mobilize policy changes at system levels for communities of color and vulnerable populations.

Major/Area of Study: Nutrition Education

Faculty Mentor: Keiko Goto

Discipline & Research Interests: Nutrition, addiction, eating disorders, dietary habits, general dietetics

Major/Area of Study: California History

Faculty Mentor: Alisa Wade

Discipline & Research Interests: Women's history, California, and local history.