College of Natural Sciences

2016-2017

Dr. Kristen Kaczynski (Environmental Sciences) won the prestigious Paul Persons Award at this year's Chico State "This Way to Sustainability" Conference held on March 23rd. This annual award recognizes a faculty member who contributes strongly to involving students in sustainability initiatives at the university.

Undergraduate researcher Linda Drobatz received a $1250 COAST grant from Council on Ocean Affairs Science and Technology, to fund research she is completing.

Nick Balfour, a Biology research student of professor Amanda Banet, was awarded a $2500 scholarship to attend a 5-week summer program at Friday Harbor Laboratories that provides rigorous training in fish swimming physiology and kinematics.

Dylan Stompe, a Biology research student of professor Amanda Banet, was awarded a $12,000 scholarship from the Northern California Water Association that funds his thesis work "Sacramento River predation rates among native and non-native predatory species."

Biology graduate student Badri Ghimire presented a research poster, Does deer browsing affect Tamalia galling aphid populations on manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.) host plants? At The Wildlife Society-Western Section Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (with Donald G. Miller)

Biology student Irene Lona presented a research poster, Landing rate of the walnut twig beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis, on two western North American walnut species, Juglans californica and J. major, at The Wildlife Society-Western Section Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (with Donald G. Miller, Colleen Hatfield, Richard C. Rosecrance, and Steven J. Seybold).

Candice Sawyer presented a research poster, Brood Parasitism in Anas platyrhynchos in agricultural nesting sites, at The Wildlife Society-Western Section Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (with Raymond J. Bogiatto, David M. Keller, and Donald G. Miller).

Students and staff at Los Molinos High School have been recognized for their collaboration with the Center for Healthy Communities (CHC), the North State Food Bank, Tehama County Public Health, and other community partners, for the successful launch of February's Los Molinos Full and Complete Food Drive. Students filled Champions for Change gift bags with donated lentils, rice, quinoa, and cranberry beans. The filled food bags were stored at Tom Jones' farm—enough food to meet basic community needs for about one year. Los Molinos students hope the food drive will help establish a permanent local food pantry. Read the Chico E-R Meeting basic community needs(opens in new window) article, for more information.

Chico State nursing students team up with Butte County Public Health and Red Cross, to volunteer at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds and Neighborhood Church during the required Oroville evacuation. For more information, read the full Chico ER article on Butte College, Chico State mobilized to help evacuees(opens in new window).

Check out the video below regarding the collaboration between Professor Mandy Banet's Aquatic Ecology class and FISHBIO, an environmental consulting firm. For full details read Fishbio's blog on Snorkel School: Diving into Big Chico Creek with Chico State(opens in new window).

Recent graduate Brandon Thacker was named as the recipient of an AAPT-ALPhA Award(opens in new window). This national award is given to recognize exceptional work by a student in building an experiment for the advanced laboratory program at their institution. While developing an experiment for the advanced laboratory is a difficult endeavor, this award is only conferred after a rigorous selection process if the selection committee believes the work is of exceptional quality, worthy of a national award. Brandon was selected for work done under the guidance of Dr. Eric Ayars, where he developed a mechanical chaotic oscillator. Brandon will be awarded a plaque, travel expenses to the American Association of Physics Teachers National Meeting where he will present this apparatus, and a cash honorarium of $4000.

The ACS Committee on Education has selected the CSU Chico Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society (SAACS) to receive a Commendable award for activities conducted during the last academic year. This award places SAACS in the top 30% of all chapters nationally. CSU Chico SAACS will be honored at the ACS National meeting in San Francisco on Sunday, April 2, 2017. Read the November/December 2016 issue of inChemistry magazine (PDF) for more information on student chapter award winners.

Professors in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry aim to improve student access(opens in new window).

Dawn Clifford was awarded the College of Health and Human Sciences Emerging Alumna Award from Colorado State University. This award recognizes recent graduates of the College for accomplishments made in the areas of career, service, and/or volunteer efforts that have brought honor to the individual and to the College/University.

Robin Magalis, Maria Giovanni and Kathryn Silliman published the article "Whole grains foods: is sensory liking related to knowledge, attitude or intake"(opens in new window)in Nutrition and Food Science 2016; 46(4): 488-503.

Keiko Goto and Nancy Anderson published the book "Global Food and Nutrition"(opens in new window)by Kona Publishing and Media Group 2016. This book is being used in Chico State's NFSC 310 course - Ecology of Human Nutrition, a general education course in the food studies and the global development studies pathways.