2025 Top Presenters

39th Annual Student Research Symposium Top Presenters

The 39th Annual Student Research Symposium, hosted by the Office of Graduate Studies, brought together some of the university’s brightest minds for a dynamic showcase of academic excellence. Sponsored by Instructionally Related Activities and the Office of the Provost, the event saw record participation, with 110 submissions, 117 student presenters, and nearly 200 audience members!

The competition featured three distinct presentation formats:

• 10-Minute Presentation: Participants submitted a written summary, delivered a formal research presentation, and engaged in a Q&A session with judges and audience members.
• 3-Minute Presentation: A fast-paced challenge requiring students to distill their research into a concise, engaging talk using only a single static slide.
• Poster Session: A visually compelling format where students presented their work and answered questions from attendees.

Faculty and staff judges, many of whom have been involved in the symposium for years, remarked on the impressive quality of this year’s research. Selecting the top two finishers in each session proved to be a difficult task, as presentations showcased a remarkable depth of knowledge, creativity, and critical thinking.

Following extensive deliberations, ten students from the 10-Minute Presentations were selected to advance to the CSU Statewide Research Competition, set to take place at Cal Poly Humboldt on April 25–26. These students will compete against top researchers from across the 23-campus CSU system.

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.

With such a strong showing, the symposium continues to grow as a cornerstone event for student research at Chico State. Congratulations to all who participated, and best of luck to those advancing to the statewide competition!

List of all 2025 Student Presenters (PDF)

POSTER SESSION

• FIRST PLACE
  Hana Consterdine, Environmental Science, Undergraduate
  Exploring Nitrate Transport in Surface and Soil Water Across Agricultural Practices
  Faculty Mentor: Sandrine Matiasek

• SECOND PLACE
  Maggie Farlow, History, Graduate
  Investing in the Frontier: Butte County Women’s Community, Agriculture, and Business Development, 1850–1910
  Faculty Mentor: Alisa Wade

3-MINUTE PRESENTATIONS

SESSION 1 | UNDERGRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  Sophia Benitez, Animal Science
  Evaluating the Impact of Excell on Nursing Lambs Transitioning Through Weaning
  Faculty Mentor: Celina Phillips
   
• SECOND PLACE
  Jessica Moody, Microbiology
  Tracking Fungal Community Composition from Green Leaves in Quercus lobata and Alnus rhombifolia
  Faculty Mentor: Gerald Cobian

SESSION 2 | GRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  Maredith Berdeja, Biological Sciences
  Fire Intensity Effects on Soil Microbes & Ectomycorrhizal Fungi in Blue Oak Woodlands
  Faculty Mentor: Gerald Cobian
  
  

• SECOND PLACE
  Jessica Silveira, Biological Sciences
  The Effects of Developmental Nicotine Exposure on the Brain
  Faculty Mentor: Kodeeswaran Parameshwaran

10-MINUTE PRESENTATIONS

SESSION 1 | UNDERGRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  Enrique Borgzinner, Mechanical Engineering
  Tesla-Type Valve to Reduce Dynamic Pressure Waves in Rocket Ascent
  Faculty Mentor: Dennis O'Connor

• SECOND PLACE
  Elizabeth Rodriguez and Shalom Mwiti, Computer Science
  Ears in the Wild: Machine Learning Powered Sensor Fusion for Elephant Protection
  Faculty Mentor: Samual Siewert

SESSION 2 | UNDERGRADUATE

SESSION 3 | UNDERGRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  Lindsay Wilken, History
  From Fascism to American Academia: How a Hungarian Jewish Agent Navigated the Cold War
  Faculty Mentor: Shawn Schwaller

• SECOND PLACE
  Elena Reznik, Psychology
  Better Together? Exploring Interactions Between Pet Attachment, Pet-Related Stress, and Loneliness
  Faculty Mentor: Patrick Johnson

SESSION 4 | UNDERGRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  Karen Contreras, Biochemistry
  Testosterone as a Protective Agent in Idiopathic-Type Scoliosis
  Faculty Mentor: Kristen Gorman

• SECOND PLACE
  Isabella Olivarez, Psychology
  Effects of Opioids and Benzodiazepines on Adolescent Behavior and Brain Activity
  Faculty Mentor: Shawn Bates

SESSION 5 | GRADUATE

SESSION 6 | GRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  Matthew Towne, Geology
  Lateral Copper Emplacement in California’s Largest Unmined Copper District; Insights from Copper Isotopes
  Faculty Mentor: Hannah Aird

• SECOND PLACE
  Claire Monahan, Environmental Sciences
  Influence of Prescribed Fire on Blue Oak Survivorship 2-months Post-Wildfire
  Faculty Mentor: Kristen Kaczynski

SESSION 7 | GRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  Alexander Young, Kinesiology
  Effects of Rating of Perceived Exertion-Based Deadlift Training on Muscle Performance: A Practical Approach to Program Design
  Faculty Mentor: Ryan Perkins

• SECOND PLACE
  Sangyup Lee, Kinesiology
  Comparison of Gait Characteristics Between Older Adults and Young Adults While Wearing AR Glasses
  Faculty Mentor: ChengTu Hsieh

SESSION 8 | GRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  Dulshi Fernando, Psychological Sciences
  "What am I doing in STEM?":  An Exploration of Parental Expectation Fulfillment & Intrinsic Motivativation in Asin College Students' STEM Motivation
  Faculty Mentor: Marie Lippmann

• SECOND PLACE
  Joel David Nguiffo, MBA
  Non-Destructive Method to Identify Defects in a Metal 3D Printed Beam Using Modal Analysis
  Faculty Mentor: Dennis O'Connor

SESSION 9 | GRADUATE

• FIRST PLACE
  Aurora Barkley, Psychological Sciences
  Increased Morphine Reward and Withdrawal in Adult Mice Following Exposure to Binge Eating in Adolescence
  Faculty Mentor: Shawn Bates

• SECOND PLACE
  Grace Bronson, Psychological Sciences
  Are Delayed Rewards Risky, Too? Evaluating the Contribution of Implicit Risk to Delay Discounting of Money
  Faculty Mentor: Patrick Johnson

SESSION 10 | GRADUATE

CSU Statewide Research Competition Delegates

The following students have been selected to represent Chico State at the 39th Annual Statewide CSU Student Research Competition, which will be held at Cal Poly Humboldt on April 25-26, 2025. They will compete against local winners from all 23 CSU campuses. We wish them the best of luck!

Student Delegates

Symposium 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
• Jennifer Brundidge, Communication Studies
• Michael Coons, Math
• Andreas Garcia-Penagos, Psychology
• Kristen Gorman, Biology
• Robert Griffin-Nolan, Biology
• Shelley Hart, Child Development
• Feng He, Kinesiology
• Joanna Herrera, McNair/Grad Studies
• ChengTu Hsieh, Kinesiology
• Lijiao Hu, Agriculture
• Kim Jaxon, English
• Kristen Kaczynkski, Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Raquel Krach, Agriculture
• Mingli Li, Biology
• Italo Lima, Animal Science
• John Lind, Math
• Greg Madonia, Economics
• Stephanie Machado, Public Health
• Melissa Mache, Kinesiology
• Jennifer Malkowski, Communication Studies
• Sandrine Matiasek, Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Michelle Mittman, CEMUR Program Jessica Toombs, Agriculture
• Michelle Mussuto, Library
• Lindsey Nenadal, Child Development
• Celina Phillips, Animal Science
• Michal Pratt, MPA/Grad Studies
• Parsa Saffarinia, Biology
• Dylan Sanders, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
• Russell Shapiro, Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Jodi Shepherd, Library
• Synthia Shin, Marketing
• Janine Stone, Economics
• Mahendra Thapa, Physics
• Matt Thomas, Political Science and Criminal Justice
• Maris Thompson, Education
• Robert Tinkler, History
• Zhaohong Wang, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Lori Weber, Political Science and Criminal Justice
• Ozgul Yasar-Inceoglu, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
• Jinsong Zhang, Chemistry