2024 Top Presenters

38th Annual Student Research Symposium Top Presenters

The 38th Annual Student Research Symposium, hosted by the Office of Graduate Studies and sponsored by Instructionally Related Activities and the Office of the Provost, was held on Tuesday, March 3. Over 80 outstanding students signed up to participate in the competition, which included three types of presentations:

• 10-Minute Presentations, where students were judged on a written summary of their work, their 10-minute presentation, and their ability to field questions from judges and audience.
• 3-Minute Presentation, where students were judged on their ability to distill their work into a very short but impactful presentation using only one static slide.
• Poster Session, where students presented their research with visually engaging posters and Q&A.

Our dedicated faculty and staff judges were impressed by the caliber of student research presentations in this year's competition, recognizing them as some of the finest they've encountered. The consistently high-quality research summaries added to the challenge and reward of selecting the top finishers in each session. Following extensive deliberations, they finalized their choices for the winners in each session (see below for their final selections).

Ten of the 10-minute Presentation winners were selected to represent Chico State as delegates at the CSU Statewide Research Competition, to be held at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on April 26 and 27. There, they will compete against the best student researchers from all 23 CSU campuses. 

We would like to thank the College of Natural Sciences for allowing us to host this event in their beautiful building. It was a wonderful treat for us and the participants, and we are truly grateful for the opportunity.

A list of all of the 2024 Student Presenters (PDF) can be found here (PDF). 

POSTER SESSION

• FIRST PLACE
  • Emmanuel Gallegos, Biochemistry, and Rene Sabala, Chemistry, Undergraduates
  • Poster Title: Synthesis of Anthelmintic Drugs with Increased Efficacy for Enhanced Parasite Control
  • Faculty Mentor: Carolynn Arpin
    
    
• SECOND PLACE
  • Carolina Garcia, Chemistry, Undergraduate
  • Poster Title: Coumarin-Carbamate as Potential Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase
  • Faculty Mentor: Carolynn Arpin
    
    
• PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD
  • Sonia Quintero, Public Administration, Graduate
  • Poster Title: Accommodation of Neurodivergence in Higher Education
  • Faculty Mentor: Charles Turner

3-MINUTE PRESENTATIONS

SESSION 1 | UNDERGRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  • Karen Contreras, Biochemistry
  • Presentation Title: The Role of Testosterone in Idiopathic Scoliosis Severity
  • Faculty Mentor: Kristen Gorman
    
    
• SECOND PLACE
  • Jessica Moody, Microbiology
  • Presentation Title: Fungal Aerobiota Diversity at Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve
  • Faculty Mentor: Gerald Cobian

SESSION 2 | GRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  • Stephanie Duarte-Amezcua, Biological Sciences
  • Presentation Title: Understanding Growth Abnormalities in Idiopathic Scoliosis
  • Faculty Mentor: Kristen Gorman
    
    
• SECOND PLACE
  • Michaela Flynn, Biological Sciences – Microbiology
  • Presentation Title: Analyzing the Role of Lcho_0618 In Leptothrix Cholodnii Sheath Production
  • Faculty Mentor: Emily Fleming

10-MINUTE PRESENTATIONS

SESSION 1 | UNDERGRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  • Isa Cook, Advanced Manufacturing and Applied Robotics
  • Presentation Title: Material Analysis of PLA-Shiitake Composite
  • Faculty Mentor: Dylan Sander
    
    
• SECOND PLACE
  • Sam Lloyd-Harry, Mechanical Engineering
  • Presentation Title: Effects of Varying PEGDA: PDMS Ratios and Polymer Concentration on the Mechanical Properties of Tissue Engineering Scaffold
  • Faculty Mentor: Ozgul Yasar

SESSION 2 | UNDERGRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  • Luke Richardson, Psychology
  • Presentation Title: The Health Implications of Using Inclusive Signals and Positive Patient-Provider Interactions for Sexual and Gender Minorities
  • Faculty Mentor: Kevin Click
    
    

• SECOND PLACE
  • Christina Caravalho, Mandy Peterson, and Daniela Schumacher, Psychology
  • Presentation Title: Failure to Launch Emotion Regulation? Without a Default Option of “Doing Nothing,” Participants Frequently Chose to Regulate Their
    Emotions Effectively
  • Faculty Mentor: Michael Ennis

SESSION 3 | GRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  • Isabella Avalos, Psychological Science
  • Presentation Title: Exposure to Illicit Substances of Abuse, Impulsivity, and Risk-Taking in Abstinent College Students
  • Faculty Mentor: Patrick Johnson
    
    
• SECOND PLACE
  • Airele Muscetta, Nutritional Science/Nutrition Education
  • Presentation Title: Caffeine and Alcohol Consumption Among Chico State University Students: Implications for Sleep Quality
  • Faculty Mentor: Keiko Goto

SESSION 4 | GRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  • Isabel Araujo, Anthropology
  • Presentation Title: Making Stewardship First: Collaboration and Collections in Museum Policy
  • Faculty Mentor: April Kamp-Whittaker
    
    
• SECOND PLACE
  • Emily Mansilla, Psychological Science
  • Presentation Title: Measuring HIV Risk Behavior in the Laboratory: A Tale of Two Tasks
  • Faculty Mentor: Patrick Johnson

SESSION 5 | GRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  • Jackson Whitlow, Kinesiology
  • Presentation Title: A Technology-Assisted MSPE Intervention with Collegiate Women's Volleyball
  • Faculty Mentor: Aubrey Newland
    
    
• SECOND PLACE
  • Allison Mego, Wildland Management Program
  • Presentation Title: A Feasibility Study: Reintroduction of Tule Elk in BCCER
  • Faculty Mentor: Don Hankins

SESSION 6 | GRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  • Letty Mejia, Social Work
  • Presentation Title: COVID-19 Lessons Learned from Latin-x Social Workers in Rural Communities
  • Faculty Mentor: Judy Vang
    
    
• SECOND PLACE
  • Rocci Vizzusi, Psychological Science
  • Presentation Title: Exploring the Mechanisms Linking Childhood Trauma to Adult Depression
  • Faculty Mentor: Alexander Wong

CSU Statewide Research Competition Delegates

The following students have been selected to represent Chico State at the 38th Annual CSU Statewide Student Research Competition, which will be held at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on April 26-27, 2024. They will compete against local winners from all 23 CSU campuses. We wish them the best of luck!

Competition Judges

A special thanks to the faculty judges for the time, care, expertise, and commitment they devote to this special student event. Without them, the Student Research Competition would not be possible.

• Kwadwo Boakye, Public Health and Health Services Administration 
• JoAna Brooks, Graduate Studies
• Kevin Buffardi, Computer Science
• Gerald Cobain, Biology
• Corey Cole, Advanced Manufacturing & Applied Robotics
• Andrew D'Lugos, Kinesiology
• Michael Ennis, Psychology
• Emily Fleming, Biology
• Andres Garcia-Penagos, Psychology
• Robert Griffin-Nolan, Biology
• Shelley Hart, Child Development
• Feng He, Kinesiology
• Cheng Tu Hsieh, Kinesiology
• Kim Jaxon, English
• Raquel Krach, Agriculture
• Kurtis Kredo, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Stephanie Machado, Public Health and Health Services Administration
• Greg Madonia, Economics
• Michele Mittman, CEMUR
• Michelle Mussuto, Meriam Library
• Ryan Perkins, Kinesiology
• Michael Pratt, Graduate Studies
• Susan Roll, Graduate Studies/Social Work
• Synthia Shin, Marketing
• Matt Thomas, Political Science
• Zanja Yudell, Philosophy
• Lori Weber, Political Science & Criminal Justice