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As-863-19 Resolution On Endorsing The Strategic Priorities, Goals, And Implementation Plan Of Cal Poly's Draft Strategic Plan, Academic Senate Budget & Long-Range Planning Committee

Academic Senate Resolutions

The current draft of the strategic plan does not have a set of key performance indicators and metrics developed and finalized; therefore, be it that the Academic Senate endorse the seven Strategic Priorities and accompanying goals of the current draft plan, and be it further that the Academic Senate endorse the Strategic Implementation Plan in the current draft plan, and be it further that the Academic Senate encourage the Administration to allocate 50 adequate funding to achieve the plan and its targeted goals, and be it further that the committee for each priority should include student, staff, and faculty representatives …

Executive Committee - Meeting Minutes, 1/08/2019, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Tidal Elevation On The Recruitment And Survival Of Balanus And Chthamalus, Evie Borchard, Hasan Demirci

STAR Program Research Presentations

Balanus and Chthamalus species of barnacles are sessile arthropods native and abundant in the intertidal zone along the California coast. Due to environmental and physiological factors, barnacles have variable survivability at different tidal elevations. Urosalpinx cinerea, the Atlantic oyster drill, is an invasive species whose predation patterns can manipulate the zonation of native populations causing substantial local impacts. The effects of tidal elevation on Ostrea lurida (the Olympia oyster) predation by drills is a well-studied example. Drills killed about 60% of adult oysters at +7.0cm MLLW within 2 months while oysters at +37cm were not preyed upon (Kiriakopolos et al. …

Heat Inactivation Of Embedded Bacterial Spores, Berenice Badillo, Wayne Shubert

STAR Program Research Presentations

Bacterial spores embedded in a polymer matrix may be up to 10 times more resilient than spores found on the surface of a material. The resiliency of these spores could result in lower than expected microbial reduction using current standards. The goals of planetary protection are to measure, control, and reduce spacecraft microbial contamination in the attempt to minimize the chances of contaminating other worlds with Earth lifeforms or vice versa. The primary method used to microbially reduce spacecraft materials is heat microbial reduction, or HMR. In order to determine the minimum effective times and temperatures to inactivate particularly resistant …

Carbon And Nitrogen Changes Due To Soil Warming, Dana Coppernoll-Houston, Chris Potter

STAR Program Research Presentations

Carbon and nitrogen in soils varies worldwide, but concerns are being raised about the release rates of these nutrients due to global warming. It has been hypothesized in previous studies that carbon is released as the soils warms and microorganisms respire more. Similarly, aspects of the nitrogen cycle may also speed up due to increased metabolism from bacteria. If large amounts of carbon are released from soil storages, it could cause large feedback loops in the climate cycle. Most soil warming experiments heat the soil 1-5 degrees C warmer over a period of years, to simulate global warming. Our study …

Links Between Environmental Conditions And Whole Body Regeneration Of A Colonial Ascidian, Cecilia Hernandez, Sarah Cohen

STAR Program Research Presentations

Botrylloides diegensis is among the most common colonial ascidian invaders with the ability to undergo whole body regeneration (WBR), as do other botryllid ascidians. This phenomenon allows entire adult zooids to arise from minute fragments of vascular tissue including single ampullae. With the global spread and unknown environmental range of B. diegensis this study focuses on the ecological component in the process of WBR, particularly the influences of temperature and salinity on the rate of regeneration. Six adult colonies were collected and clonal replicates were established allow comparison of regeneration at a variable field site (16-19 ¬∞C;28-31 salinity) and a …

Testing And Comparing Precipitation Algorithms, David Jimenez, Scott Landolt, Kent Goodrich

STAR Program Research Presentations

An algorithm (Alg. 2) was created to calculate precipitation rates and to predict weather events using raw data from a weather event simulator for the duration of two months. The Alg. 2’s results from the simulation were compared to the results of the algorithm that currently produces the data for the Marshall Field Site Webplots (Alg. 1) using a Pierce Skill Score(PSS) as a performance comparison. The two algorithms were also compared using the precipitation accumulation data, acquired from the Tall Double Fence Intercomparison Reference(DFIR) shielded GEONOR gauge in the Marshall field site, 1 April – 30 April 2017. The …

Water Infiltration In Different Soil Types On Santa Rosa Island, Patrick Costa, Kathryn Mceachern, Ken Niessen, Robyn Shea

STAR Program Research Presentations

Research on the Cloud Forest Restoration Project at Soledad Ridge, Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park, aims to understand the properties of soil water infiltration, specifically field‚Äêsaturated soil hydraulic conductivity (Kfs). Measuring the soil water infiltration rate allows us to calculate potential water reaching plant root systems, the amount of water remaining on the surface, and potential water runoff. The soil types on Soledad Ridge have different organic matter origins including: Island oak trees (Quercus tomentella), annual grasses (eg. Bromus spp., Avena spp), and coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis). In some areas historic non-native herbivore overgrazing resulted in erosion …

Top-Down Engineering Design Process, Joshua E. Katz, Paulo Younse

STAR Program Research Presentations

One of the main focuses of the Mars 2020 project is to return samples from Mars to Earth. By bringing specimens back, it can reveal if there is or was additional life in the universe. The goal of the internship is to utilize top-down educational and instructional objectives, approaches and the details of manufacturing a component of the capture system. Throughout the project, we have been following a system architecture methodology to think in a top-down fashion. The purpose of this method is to create new innovative ideas for our particular components of the project. As manufacturing is tasked, research …

Effects Of Tidal Elevation On Recruitment And Survival Of Barnacles, Jason Thomas, Andrew Chang, Chela Zabin

STAR Program Research Presentations

Conservation and restoration of natural habitats ensures the establishment of species diversity and richness. In the San Francisco Bay, local efforts have been enacted to replenish the Olympia oyster population (Ostrea lurida) whose numbers are dwindling due to the presence of an invasive, non-native whelk, the Atlantic oyster drill (Urosalpinx cinerea). The goal of this study is to better understand the effects of the oyster drill on the local marine population in Richardson Bay by examining the recruitment and survival of the Olympia oyster. The initial absence of oyster recruits required the use of the local barnacle species (Balanus and …

Results Of The Magnetorquer Wrapping, Ricardo Wells, Ali Guarneros Luna

STAR Program Research Presentations

This summer I had worked with a team of engineers on a life-changing research project that is important to the well-being of living. This project has also afforded me the opportunity to develop a lesson plan around the research that I conducted about satellites, not only will this lesson plan contain research done by myself but by other researchers as well. The first step of my research consisted of me learning about satellites and all their capabilities. Once I had gained new knowledge about satellites I was then tasked to learn about a specific satellite known as Technological and Educational …

Epitope-Targeted Peptide Inhibitors Of Myc-Max Dimerization, Ana M. Oliviera Gomes, Matt Idso

STAR Program Research Presentations

Myc is a popular transcription factor that is found in about 30% of human cancers. Along with being present in many cancers, it is also a potent oncogenic driver. Myc dimerizes with Max in order to promote transcription of genes that are associated with cellular proliferation, differentiation, and survival. In cancers that are Myc-driven, the Myc concentrations are higher than in healthy cells. Developing drugs in which impede Myc-Max dimerization has been difficult because there are many interactions that occur over large interfaces. This project hypothesizes that using molecular peptide ligands that adsorb to Myc at the Myc-Max dimer interface …

Monitoring Spectral Lines To Calibrate Ligo Data, Joseph Milliano, Greg Mendell

STAR Program Research Presentations

LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory) utilizes twin 4-km arm Fabry-Pérot Michelson interferometers to detect distortions in spacetime due to the passing of a gravitational wave. Sources of LIGO-observed gravitational waves include the inspiral of binary black hole and binary neutron star systems. Instrument calibration is key to understanding astrophysical parameters of the sources of these gravitational waves. One calibration tool, the photon calibrator, displaces the end test masses of the interferometer using radiation pressure from a laser of known frequency, power, and angle of incidence. By measuring the detector’s response to this known signal, we can later compute …

Identification Of Insight 2016 And 2018 Bacterial Isolates, Jamie N. Lehnen, Arman Seuylemezian

STAR Program Research Presentations

The Committee on Space Research is the international body that puts forth planetary protection policy to prevent the forward contamination of other planetary bodies. The Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group (BPPG) at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory strictly abides by these policies to minimize forward contamination by implementing microbial reduction procedures. In conjunction with microbial reduction, BPPG also routinely samples spacecraft and associated surfaces throughout assembly, testing, and launch operations to ensure that spacecraft bioburden is below an acceptable threshold. The NASA Standard Assay requires organisms collected from the spacecraft to be processed using sonication, heat shock, and subsequent growth …

Cosmic Ray Secondary Exposure Model For Low Background Detectors, Casey Flynn

STAR Program Research Presentations

Based on current observations of distant galaxies and galaxy clusters, it is estimated that 85% of the matter in the universe is actually dark matter. Dark matter is thought to exist due to observed gravitational effects in other galaxies and is possibly composed of undiscovered subatomic particles. Several experiments are being conducted for the direct detection of dark matter. These ultra-low background experiments operated deep underground, including the Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (SuperCDMS), are becoming increasingly sensitive to trace levels of radioactivity in the detector construction materials. Cosmic ray secondaries (produced by cosmic ray collisions with particles in the …

The Effect Hydrogen Has On Polymers Used As Seals And Liners In The Hydrogen Infrastructure, Michael Chance, Bernice Mills

STAR Program Research Presentations

This study is dedicated to determining the effect pressurized hydrogen gas has on polymer seals and liners used in the hydrogen infrastructure. The polymers tested in this study are nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). Each polymer was made with four formulations consisting of: filler and plasticizer, no filler and plasticizer, filler and no plasticizer, and no filler and no plasticizer. All samples also included ZnO particles which does not count as filler. X-ray computed tomography was used to take non-destructive interior 3D images of the samples. Samples were tested before and after exposure to hydrogen; …

Do Aggression Levels In Male Betta Splendens Increase In The Presence Of A Female Audience?, Katherine Johnson, Ron Coleman

STAR Program Research Presentations

The purpose of this experiment was to study fighting behavior in male Betta splendens. The study looked at how the aggression level of male Bettas would change in the presence of a female. Five pairs of male bettas were tested ten times: five times with a female present and five times with a female absent. During each test, the males were exposed to each other for three minutes and the number of flares were counted. A one-tailed paired t-test showed that aggression levels of each male betta increased in the presence of a female.

An Albino Mutant In Brassica Rapa Maps To The Pdx2 Locus On Chromosome 10, Beatriz M. Garcia

STAR Program Research Presentations

We have identified an albino mutant in the plant Brassica rapa. This recessive mutation could provide insights into the photosynthetic pathways of all plants. Previously the mutation was mapped to chromosome 10 of Brassica rapa. To narrow down the chromosomal region containing the albino mutation, we grew a segregating population of plants. DNA was extracted from albino and wildtype (green) plants and genotyped using PCR markers on chromosome 10. The genotype detected using the INDEL2 marker perfectly predicted whether a plant was albino or WT. This indicates that the INDEL2 marker is tightly linked to the albino mutation. INDEL2 is …

Low Cost Timing System For High Precision Particle Detection, Eric Madrigal, Sasha Dolgashev, Vi Tran

STAR Program Research Presentations

The project goal was to find a way to make a low-cost high precision timing system. High precision timing systems are already on the market, however, at a high cost. Various particle research projects need a large number of timers, so a substantial budget is required. In order to bypass the need for a large enough budget, commercially available parts were used and tested. The timing system consisted of multiple parts with different low-cost microchips and counters. In order for the project to meet its goal, the timers need to work under 50 picoseconds. Although some tests showed the timers …

An Albino Mutant In Brassica Rapa Maps To The Pdx2 Locus On Chromosome 10, Cezar L. Sanchez, Beatriz M. Garcia, Edward Himelblau, Nick Diaz

STAR Program Research Presentations

We have identified an albino mutant in the plant Brassica rapa. This recessive mutation could provide insights into the photosynthetic pathways of all plants. Previously the mutation was mapped to chromosome 10 of Brassica rapa. To narrow down the chromosomal region containing the albino mutation, we grew a segregating population of plants. DNA was extracted from albino and wildtype (green) plants and genotyped using PCR markers on chromosome 10. The genotype detected using the INDEL2 marker perfectly predicted whether a plant was albino or WT. This indicates that the INDEL2 marker is tightly linked to the albino mutation. INDEL2 is …

Ultra-Fast X-Ray Diffraction Of Metastable Structures During Hydrogen Crystallization, Andrew Pham

STAR Program Research Presentations

Big discoveries can come from small element, and hydrogen is the simplest element in the universe, but its property has been intensely studied in recent years. Hydrogen has a notably complex phase diagram, and its application is important to many scientific fields, such as fundamental physics, inertial confinement fusion, planetary sciences, etc. While sophisticated static observations have probed its structure at extremely high pressures, the higher-temperature studies applying dynamic compression is confined to optical measurement methods. In this project over the summer, I will present spectrally resolved x-ray scattering assessment from plasmons in dynamic compressed deuterium. Collaborating Compton scattering and …

Dosi Xchange: A Modern Solution To A Laborious Easter Egg Hunt, Helen B. Choi

STAR Program Research Presentations

In order for researchers at SLAC to develop their globally-recognized work on particle accelerators and such, they must adhere to the regulations outlined in the Occupational Radiation Protection Program (10 CFR 835) by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environment, Health, Safety, & Security. One of these requirements is to monitor areas that are or may be exposed to radiation. To do so, SLAC’s Radiation Protection Department is tasked with managing dosimeters (pictured below) at over 700 locations across the SLAC campus. Managing area dosimeters at SLAC is no simple feat. Because of the difficulty of locating a single …

Cichlid Size Vs Flow Rate, Amy E. Naumovski

STAR Program Research Presentations

Cichlids are a diverse group of fish that are known for their prenatal and postnatal care of their eggs and frys (baby fish). This unique characteristic creates a limitation on the amount of eggs a cichlid can lay and protect, which is particulalry effected by the size of the eggs. Cichlids have a large variance in their egg size, which correlates to a large variance in their fry size. This project explores the trade offs cichlids make in egg size and fry size by specifically testing the ability of varying sized cichlids to swim in different flow rates. This could …

Computing Homology Of Hypergraphs, Jackson Earl

STAR Program Research Presentations

In the modern age of data science, the necessity for efficient and insightful analytical tools that enable us to interpret large data structures inherently presents itself. With the increasing utility of metrics offered by the mathematics of hypergraph theory and algebraic topology, we are able to explore multi-way relational datasets and actively develop such tools. Throughout this research endeavor, one of the primary goals has been to contribute to the development of computational algorithms pertaining to the homology of hypergraphs. More specifically, coding in python to compute the homology groups of a given hypergraph, as well as their Betti numbers …

Comparing Orientation Behavior And Prey Preference Of Leptasterias Spp. Between Microhabitats, Jenna C. Sanders, Margaret W. Johnson, C Sarah Cohen

STAR Program Research Presentations

Leptasterias spp. is a species complex of small, six rayed, predatory sea stars that inhabit rocky intertidal communities along the Pacific coast of North America. A developmental mode of brooding their young, rather than broadcasting for planktonic development, limits dispersal away from the natal area, and may also result in fine scale local adaptation of populations. Local adaptation may lead to morphological and behavioral differences among populations, specifically towards the most available prey. Within the rocky intertidalthere are zones of high and low wave impact which create microhabitats with their own selective forces. In areas of high wave impact, stars …

Economy: Life In Paradise, Ali Chen, Killian Angell

Research

This poster describes significant aspects of Paradise’s economy, primarily statistics about income and income sources, as well as major employers in the town.

On the positive side, the cost of living in Paradise is approximately a third less than in California as a whole, housing prices are about half ($200,000 versus $400,000), and the rate of owner-occupied housing is higher (nearly 70% versus 54%). On the negative side, however, Paradise residents earn less than California and US residents: average household incomes are some $15,000 less than the state’s, and $7,000 less than the country’s. One part of this income disparity …

Infrastructure: Life In Paradise, Khoa Le, Sabrina Yerena

Research

This poster presents information about the town’s infrastructure, including the many town facilities before the fire: one police station, four fire stations, and Feather River Hospital. There is also information about public services, including transportation, water, gas, sewer, and waste management. Of these, the issues of transportation and sewage treatment are most significant for the future development of the town.

Given the low-density development that prevails in Paradise, public transportation before the fire was severely limited; there were only two bus routes, one along Skyway and the other along Clark Road. Most people had long walks to bus stops, and …

Climate: Life In Paradise, Benjamin Campbell, Natalie Giombi

Research

This poster provides information on climate in Paradise, as well as some passive strategies for heating and cooling buildings given that climate.

Typical of most of California, Paradise’s climate is characterized by wet winters and dry summers but is generally rather benign: residents like to say that the town is located “above the fog line, but below the snow line.” Passive strategies for building design include shading devices to regulate solar heat gain, evaporative cooling to enable venting of hot air within buildings, thermal insulation to trap heat, and south-facing glass to allow heat gain.

History: Life In Paradise, Emma Puryear, Gabrielle Icardo

Research

This poster presents information about the history of Paradise.

In the mid-19th Century, three Native-American tribes, known collectively as the Maidu, inhabited the area around Paradise. Estimates of their pre-contact population hover around 9,000 people. With the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848, the history of modern Paradise begins – with an influx of white settlers and the subsequent near-obliteration of the Native-American people. By 1930, the Maidu numbered less than one hundred.

Other than this calamity, the town’s growth was slow and steady over the course of the next hundred and fifty years – the noteworthy events …

Culture & Education: Life In Paradise, Christian Bernard, Arielle Eleazar, Ryan M. Huddlestun

Research

This poster describes cultural and community life in Paradise before the fire, noting the locations and types of schools, churches, and other civic institutions. The poster also describes several cultural events the town held each year, most of them festivals celebrating its history (Gold Nugget Days) or cuisine (Chocolate Fest).