Achievements

Rafael Cuevas Uribe

Fisheries Biology

Dr. Rafael Cuevas Uribe received a grant to support a collaborative project between Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San Diego State University, and Cal Poly Humboldt. The project will involve building and testing a novel technology system for developing new and profitable seaweed strains for commercial, land-based aquaculture production. The system will contribute to a more diverse domestic seaweed production and larger networks of local seaweed sources, as well as aquaculture education and training through use at education institutions.

Funding comes as a subaward from University of California, San Diego, with the original funding source being SeaGrant.

Aerin Monroe

Environmental Studies

https://newsfromnativecalifornia.com/review-sowing-seeds-racial-justice-and-the-environmental-movement/
“Sowing Seeds is a new docu-series on YouTube produced, written and hosted by Aerin Monroe (Environmental studies scholar at Cal Poly Humboldt) in partnership with Save California Salmon. Filmed and edited by Valentina Dimas, each episode offers insight into different aspects of environmental justice by centering Black and Indigenous scientists, educators, and activists all working to bring about positive change within Humboldt County.” Co-founder of Pathways and Purpose, alongside his wife, Dr. Susanne Sarley. Pathways of Purpose is an organization dedicated to empowering underserved youth and communities with “asset-based, STEAM educational and vocational programs.”

Zach Walllace, Bryan Bedrosian, Jeff Dunk, Dave LaPlante, Brian Woodbridge, et al.

Environmental Science & Management

Jeff Dunk (ESM) and colleagues recently published a paper on predicting the spatial distribution of wintering Golden Eagles in Wyoming (including parts of surrounding states).  Much of the existing work on Golden Eagles pertains to their breeding season habitat use.  A link to the manuscript is here.  

Kjirsten Wayman, Matthew Reilly, Alaina Petlewski

Chemistry

Kjirsten Wayman (Chemistry), Matthew Reilly (USDA Forest Service), and Alaina Petlewski (B.S. Botany, 2017) published a peer-reviewed article in the American Journal of Botany (2023) titled "Taxonomic insights from floral scents of western North American sessile-flowered Trillium".  The article can be found here:  https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16255

William Wood, David Largent

Chemistry

Faculty William Wood, Chemistry, and David Largent, Biological Science

Emeritus Professors William Wood and David Largent recently published an article in the Austrian Academy of Sciences journal Biosystematics and Ecology on the crustacean-like odor of the mushroom Russula xerampelina. This mushroom has a cooked shrimp odor that gives it the common name the “shrimp mushroom.” They and mycologist Darvin DeShazer of the Sonoma County Mycological Association, identified the chemicals that are responsible for this mushroom’s odor.

Contact Information

William.Wood@humboldt.edu

Phone 707 832 2931

Colton Boyd, Brianna Rennard, Cristina Portillo, Kayah Ray, Nievita Bueno Watts

Computer Science

2023 LSAMP PROUD

Outstanding Research in STEM

Please find attached the 2023 LSAMP PROUD Cal Poly Humboldt page featuring:

Cristina Portillo, Wildlife
Brianna Rennard, Zoology
Kayah Ray, Geology
Colton Boyd, Computer Science

Congratulations to these scholars and a huge thank you to their mentors.

Jim Graham

Environmental Science & Management

Dr. Jim Graham received a grant from CalTrout that will pay for a graduate student to perform GIS habitat modeling in the Eel River Watershed, and develop a subsequent Riparian Climate Refugia (RCR) data set. The data will provide information on where riparian corridors (vegetation growing near natural bodies of water) contain remaining climate refugia on the CA North Coast. Climate refugia are landscape features that provide environmental protection and can allow species to persist through climate change effects. The data will be particularly useful to land managers, who can use it to make more informed restoration and conservation decisions.

JuEun Lee and Joshua Steimel

Environmental Resources Engineering

Drs. JuEun Lee and Joshua Steimel recently published a paper in the Journal of Orthopaedics. The study examined the effect that vancomycin, tobramycin, and the combination of these two ubiquitous antibiotics can have on the compressive and tensile strength of bone cement. As the concentration of antibiotics increased there was a decrease in both the compressive and tensile mechanical performance of the bone cement. The results of this study can be utilized to guide future surgical techniques to reduce the incidence of failure of bone cement in the presence of antibiotics.

Brandon Browne

Geology

Dr. Brandon Browne and colleagues from the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, and King Saud University recently published a scientific article titled "Structure of shallow magma sources beneath Augustine Volcano (Alaska) inferred from local earthquake tomography" in the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. The article presents a 3D model of the magma storage system beneath Augustine Volcano using arrival time data from local seismicity, which is crucial information for eruption forecasting, volcanic hazard assessment efforts, and a broader understanding of the structure of magma and fluid sources beneath the active volcano. 

Eileen Cashman and Margaret Lang

Environmental Resources Engineering

Drs. Eileen Cashman and Margaret Lang received funding from Caltrans to investigate current and anticipated climate conditions on the Arcata/Eureka corridor, a roadway that’s experiencing one of the fastest rates of relative sea level rise on the entire U.S. west coast. The study will assess hazards, and evaluate adaptation options based on the best available sea level rise science. Findings will contribute to the development of a comprehensive climate adaptation plan for Highway 101, enabling Caltrans District 1 to advance planning and implement an adaptation solution.