Cal State LA proudly hosted the annual Student Symposium on Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities on Friday, February 28, 2025, showcasing the remarkable academic and creative endeavors of its students. This prestigious event brought together undergraduate and graduate students from diverse disciplines, allowing them to present their research findings through oral presentations and poster sessions. The symposium served as a platform for intellectual exchange, fostering a culture of innovation and scholarly excellence within the university community.
A Platform for Academic Excellence
The symposium welcomed participation from students across various colleges, each engaging in rigorous research and creative projects under the guidance of faculty mentors. This year’s event featured a diverse range of topics, from groundbreaking scientific discoveries to compelling explorations of social and cultural issues.
Students had the opportunity to present their work in two formats: 10-minute oral presentations or poster exhibits. The poster session, which was particularly engaging, allowed attendees to explore a wide array of projects while interacting directly with the student researchers. This format encouraged in-depth discussions and valuable networking opportunities among students, faculty, and industry professionals.
Recognizing Outstanding Contributions
A highlight of the symposium was the announcement of award winners, recognizing students who demonstrated exceptional research skills and innovative thinking.
Top Awards
- Samuel Groysman (B.S. Biochemistry) Sensitive Imaging of Electroactive Species in Plasmonic Electrochemical Microscopy Enabled by Electrostatic Nanoconfinement
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yixian Wang
- Hannah Calistri (M.A. Anthropology) Preservation and Contamination: Identifying Pesticides on Ethnographic Woven Materials using Portable X-Ray Fluorescence
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. Amira Ainis
Cal State LA Delegates for the 39th CSU Student Research Competition
Several outstanding students were selected to represent Cal State LA at the 39th CSU Student Research Competition at Cal Poly Humboldt:
- Drusilla Szakto (B.A. Psychology) Examining Eyewitness Decision Making Under Real-World Conditions Using the Field Simulation Paradigm
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mitchell Eisen
- Marjorie Hunt (M.A. History) The Wild and Unfree: Geographies of Nature and Slavery in Mid-Nineteenth Century Rio de Janeiro
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kittiya Lee
- Hannah Calistri (M.A. Anthropology) Preservation and Contamination: Identifying Pesticides on Ethnographic Woven Materials using Portable X-Ray Fluorescence
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. Amira Ainis
- Arwa Hammad (B.A. Philosophy, B.S. Political Science) Stretching Democracy: Third Parties and the Necessity of Democratic Elasticity
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael McLendon
- Yahan Lin (B.S. Biochemistry) Investigating the Roles of TlyA and FtsZ in Circadian Control of Cell Division in Cyanobacteria
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. Susan Cohen
- Samuel Groysman (B.S. Biochemistry) - Sensitive Imaging of Electroactive Species in Plasmonic Electrochemical Microscopy Enabled by Electrostatic Nanoconfinement
- Faculty Mentor: Yixian Wang
- Evelyn Scott (M.S. Physics) - Protostar Disk Dynamics of Oph IRS 63
- Faculty Mentor: Dr. Susan Terebey
Outstanding Presentation Awards
Several students received Outstanding Presentation Awards for their exemplary work:
- Mei Ku (M.A. Psychology) – The Contributions of Rumination, Catastrophizing, and Depression in the Associations Between Adverse Childhood Events and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in a Predominantly Hispanic/Latino Sample
- Sarena Eworonsky (B.A. Psychology) – Exploring the Role of Juror Bias on Decision-Making in a Civil Case
- Marjorie Hunt (M.A. History) - The Wild and Unfree: Geographies of Nature and Slavery in Mid-Nineteenth Century Rio de Janeiro
- Humberto Hernandez Mendez (B.A. Sociology) - Women’s Gender & Sexualities Studies Tranifesting Community Transition: On the Binary Structures of ICE, Gender-Based Violence, and the Impacts on Undocumented Gender-Variant People of Color
- Hannah Calistri (M.A. Anthropology) - Preservation and Contamination: Identifying Pesticides on Ethnographic Woven Materials using Portable X-Ray Fluorescence
- Arwa Hammad (B.A. Philosophy; B.S. Political Science) - Stretching Democracy: Third Parties and the Necessity of Democratic Elasticity
- Yahan Lin (B.S. Biochemistry) - Investigating the roles of TlyA and FtsZ in circadian control of cell division in cyanobacteria
- Rajkin Chakrobarty (B.S. Biochemistry) - Post transcriptional modifications: thermodynamic insights on the enzymatic amination reaction of Uracil to Cytosine
- Evelyn Scott (M.S. Physics) - Protostar Disk Dynamics of Oph IRS 63
Poster Session Award Winners
The poster session showcased a diverse range of studies, highlighting student excellence in research and innovation. Winners included:
- Noemi Alanis (B.A. Psychology) – Parental Perceptions of Math Language and Learning Skills in Educational YouTube Videos
- C. Kenobi Donart (M.S. Psychology) - Psychology, Stressful life events and mental health: Emotion dysregulation accounts for depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms
- Zarife Agin (B.A. Psychology) - Psychology, Stressful life events and mental health: Emotion dysregulation accounts for depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms
- Mei Ku (M.A. Psychology) - Psychology, Stressful life events and mental health: Emotion dysregulation accounts for depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms
- Lisette G. Bailey (M.S. Chemistry) - Voting Trends Among Hispanic Americans: A Comparative Study of 2016 through 2022 Was “Latinos for Trump” a real change in voting behavior or media sensationalism?
- Evelyn Mojarro-Pedroza (B.A. Psychology) - Voting Trends Among Hispanic Americans: A Comparative Study of 2016 through 2022 Was “Latinos for Trump” a real change in voting behavior or media sensationalism?
- Tshering Y. Bhutia (B.A. Psychology) – Optimizing Tissue Clearing Protocols to Investigate Three-Dimensional Circuits in Rodent Spinal Cord Following Injury
- Alfredo Gonzalez (M.S. Chemistry) - Investigating the Relationship Between Thermal Hysteresis and Ice Recrystallization Inhibition Activity in Hyperactive Insect Antifreeze Protein Mutants
- Aidan Reyes (B.S. Biological Sciences) - Investigating the Relationship Between Thermal Hysteresis and Ice Recrystallization Inhibition Activity in Hyperactive Insect Antifreeze Protein Mutants
- Jaelyn Asamoah (B.S. Biochemistry) - Investigating the Relationship Between Thermal Hysteresis and Ice Recrystallization Inhibition Activity in Hyperactive Insect Antifreeze Protein Mutants
- Parker Saikley (B.S. Microbiology) - Investigating the Role for Rbp2 in the regulation of the circadian clock in cyanobacteria
- Damian Salas (B.A. Geography) – All Burnt Up: Changes in California Wildfires and their Consequences on Air Quality
- Tommy Taing (B.S. Chemistry) – Utilization of Titanium and Indium-Based Porphyrin Metal-Organic Frameworks for Fabrication of Photovoltaic Solar Cells
- Jonathan Davidson (M.S. Mathematics) - Monochromatic Rectangles in Grids
Looking Ahead
The 2025 Student Symposium on Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities was a resounding success, demonstrating the talent and dedication of Cal State LA students. As many winners move forward to represent the university at the CSU Student Research Competition, the event continues to highlight the institution’s commitment to fostering research, scholarship, and creative excellence.
Congratulations to all the participants for their hard work and contributions to their fields.