- Dr. Lynn Cominsky Named AAAS Fellow
Professor Lynn Cominsky, chair of the Physics and Astronomy Department and director of SSU's NASA E/PO program, has been named as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). AAAS fellows are elected by their peers in honor of their "scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications". Lynn Cominsky has received this fellowship in recognition of her outreach work in X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy and for being an inspiration to undergraduates.
- Dr. Wendy Smith Awarded $170,000 in Song-Brown Funding
Wendy Smith, Director of the Nursing Department's Family Nurse Practitioner Program, has been awarded $170,000 in funding by the state of California’s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development’s Song-Brown Program. The
Song-Brown Program "encourages universities and primary care health professionals to provide healthcare in medically underserved areas, and provides financial support to family practice residency, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and registered nurse (RN) education programs throughout California."
- Jean Bee Chan Recognized by MAA
Dr. Jean Bee Chan, professor of mathematics, has won a Certificate of Meritorious Service from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). The award is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to the MAA at the section and national levels. Jean, along with her husband Peter Stanek, won for the Gold (Northern California) Section.
- Dr. Cushman Appointed Chief Editor of AoB PLANTS
Dr. Hall Cushman of the Biology Department has been appointed Chief Editor of AoB Plants, an international journal published by Oxford University Press. AoB Plants publishes peer-reviewed articles that focus on all aspects of basic and applied plant biology.
- Engineering Students Collaborate with Saturday Sidekicks
Every semester since the fall of 2009, students in Dr. Farid Farahmand's Introduction to Engineering 110 class are given the task of developing ways of making playground activities accessible to children of all abilities. Students in the course are asked to attend
Saturday Sidekicks throughout the semester to work with the children for whom they will be designing an electro-mechanical ball throwing machine. At the end of the semester, the engineering students unveil a working prototype of their machine. Dr. Farahmand has worked with Professor Elaine McHugh to develop the project over the years and as it has evolved, project constraints have relaxed and students' creativity has blossomed. You can also view a video of the prototypes in use on
Dr. Farahmand's blog.
- Third-Graders Celebrate National Chemistry Week at SSU with Chemistry Club
The Chemistry Club was host to the third grade class of Novato’s Lu Sutton Elementary School this Thursday, October 25, to celebrate National Chemistry Week. The Chem Club put together eight hands-on experiments for the children, all aimed at teaching core concepts like the states of matter and the effects of temperature change and other factors on substances. The overarching goal, of course, was to excite the kids about science!
- "STEMpowering the Future" Funded by Agilent
Santa Rosa Junior College and the School of Science at Technology have been awarded funding by Agilent for "STEMpowering the Future". This project-based leadership venture supports collaborations with STEM transfer students at SRJC and SST students with Agilent industry professionals and university faculty to design, organize and facilitate two Sonoma County STEM enrichment events: STEMpowering Your Future conference for students in grades 6-12, and STEM Research Academy and Research Poster Symposium for junior college and university students. Thank you, Agilent, for making this possible and for paving the way to success for Sonoma County STEM students!
- Dr. Tom Buckley Receives WATERS Collaborative Award
Tom Buckley, Biology, has received $3,000 in funding from the WATERS Collaborative for his proposal "Leaf Physiology Spot Measurement Instrument", where students will use purchased sensor components to construct instruments that measure leaf physiology in riparian vegetation. The WATERS Collaborative makes funds available in both the fall and spring semesters to support faculty that are interested in engaging their students in service-learning projects surrounding watershed management issues.
- Forty-Four Western Pond Turtles Released into the Wild
Five years ago, Dr. Nick Geist and his lab of grad students began a collaborative project rearing western pond turtles with zoo keepers at the San Francisco and Oakland zoos. Once abundant along most of the western coast of the North American continent, the western pond turtle's numbers have steeply declined over the last few decades. They are now recognized as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of nature.
For the majority of the study, eggs that were carefully collected in the field were incubated, hatched and reared by herpetologists at the zoos. This year, however, the eggs were incubated in the field, which allowed for the collection of data on environmental conditions that could affect the hatchlings specifically their gender. These hatchlings were then brought back to the zoos to be hand reared by zoo keepers trained in herpetology. By raising hatchlings in captivity, the young turtles are able to grow faster, which in turn allows for the selection of larger juveniles to be released into the wild. A larger size is a deterrent for predators, therefore increasing the survival rate of the young turtles.
This August, forty-four of the western pond turtles raised in this collaborative "headstart" program were released into the wild. The event was featured on
National Geographic's "News Watch" and the
SF Chronicle.
- Geology Major Receives Outstanding Student Award from the Association of Women Geoscientists
Jamie Bywater has been selected by SSU's Department of Geology as their 2012 Outstanding Woman Student. Each spring, the Bay Area Chapter of the Association for Women Geoscientists recognizes exceptional women undergraduate students from nine Bay Area universities. Each university is asked to select their most outstanding soon-to-be graduate studying earth sciences. Jamie Bywater, along wither her fellow nominees, will be recognized at a banquet held in their honor.
- Woodard Scholarship Recipients Announced
The Department of Geology has awarded three scholarships from the Geoffrey Davidson Woodard Fund. The scholarships are to be used towards the cost of attending a summer field course and are awarded based on a student's GPA and course performance. The recipients are: Rebekah Cesmat, who will be attending the Boise State University field camp in Sardinia, Italy; Tracie Riedel, who will be attending the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology field camp in the southern Colorado Plateau and Rocky Mountains area; and Ian Penn, who will be attending the University of Missouri field camp in the Wind River Range in Wyoming. Congratulations!
- Dr. Lynn Cominsky Named Woman Physicist of the Month
Dr. Lynn Cominsky, Professor and Chair of the Physics and Astronomy Department and Director of the Education and Public Outreach program, has been named September's Woman Physicist of the Month by the American Physical Society (APS). Each month, APS's Committee on the Status of Women in Physics highlights one exceptional female physicist who has positively impacted others. This award was given to recognize Dr. Cominsky's extensive accomplishments in research, education and public outreach, committee work, and teaching. Please visit
American Physical Society to see the full article on Dr. Cominsky.
- SHIP Student to Speak at Sonoma County Fair!
Waleed Atallah, who worked with Dr. Ali Kujoory of the Engineering Science Department this summer as part of the Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP), will be speaking at the Sonoma County Fair. Fair organizers invited Waleed to speak at their "
Greentivities" venue after learning about his summer project on solar-to-electrical energy system design. He will give his talk, "Solar Power Primer," on Tuesday, July 31 at 2 pm.
- Students Receive CSU Funding
The CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (
COAST) awarded funding to several SSU students in 2011-12:
- Three $500 travel awards were given to support Biology graduate students.
- Three $2500 internships were awarded to support students during the 2012 summer: two at Bodega Marine Laboratory with a leading California Department of Fish and Game abalone researcher, and one at PRBO Conservation Science.
- One $1500 award was given to support an undergraduate in marine science research.
- WATERS Collaborative Funded by the County of Sonoma
Dr. Claudia Luke has been awarded $48,157.00 by the County of Sonoma for her WATERS (Watershed Academics to Enhance Regional Sustainability) Collaborative. WATERS is a collaboration between SSU and the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) with the primary goals of: creating a trained and local workforce of SSU graduates with knowledge, expertise and interest in water management issues; increasing and broadening SSU students, faculty, and staff contributions to SCWA projects and programs; enhancing public awareness and understanding of water management issues; and establishing an administrative structure an SSU-SCWA partnership that can effectively and flexibly meet the goals of the collaboration. The pilot project of the collaborative will center on water management issues of the Copeland Creek Watershed.
- Sonoma State University's Research Academy
- Computer Science Secures DOE Funding
Computer Science professors Dr. Suzanne Rivoire and Dr. Ali Kooshesh have been awarded $26,433 by the Department of Energy to support undergraduate student research in collaboration with the Oak Ridge National Lab. The students' research will improve the energy efficiency of large-scale supercomputing centers.
- Agilent Technologies/BEST Fund Scholarships in Engineering
Through the generous support of Agilent Technologies and in partnership with the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce's Building Economic Success Together (BEST) program and Santa Rosa Junior College, several SSU students majoring in Electrical Engineering (EE) will be awarded scholarships for 2012-13. Three $2000 scholarships will go to freshmen majoring in EE and two other $1000 awards will go to SRJC transfer students entering the EE program at SSU. Scholarships will go to highly qualified students with distinguished records of academic performance. Scholarships recipients will also be paired with Agilent mentors in developing their understanding of the EE career and profession. Agilent Technologies is committed to help strengthen engineering education in Sonoma County through targeted funding in BEST's initiative to build a world-class workforce.
- Nursing Receives Funding for FNP
Dr. Wendy Smith has received $169,959 in Song-Brown Funding for 2012-13 to support the Family Nurse Practitioner program.
- Chemistry Professor Awarded NIH Funding
Jon Fukuto has received a $356,987 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, for his project titled "BioChem & Pharmacology of HNO". The project will run 2012-2015.
- CSUPERB Grants to SST Faculty in 2012
Two SST faculty received recent CSUPERB grants. CSUPERB (CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology) is a systemwide program supporting advancement in biotechnology across the CSU. Dr. Farid Farahmand, Engineering Science was awarded a $25,000 CSUPERB Entrepreneurial Joint Venture Matching Grant for his proposal titled "Developing a High-precision Movement Monitoring System for Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy Treatments", from CSUPERB. Dr. Michael Cohen received a $15,000 CSUPERB Research Development (RD) Grant for his project, "Generation and activity of nitro-isoprenes in plants under heat stress".
- Woodard Scholarship Recipients Announced
The Department of Geology has awarded three scholarships from the Geoffrey Davidson Woodard Fund. The scholarships are to be used towards the cost of attending a summer field course and are awarded based on a student's GPA and course performance. The recipients are: Rebekah Cesmat, who will be attending the Boise State University field camp in Sardinia, Italy; Tracie Riedel, who will be attending the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology field camp in the southern Colorado Plateau and Rocky Mountains area; and Ian Penn, who will be attending the University of Missouri field camp in the Wind River Range in Wyoming. Congratulations!
- Geology Major Receives Outstanding Student Award from the Association of Women Geoscientists
Jamie Bywater has been selected by SSU's Department of Geology as their 2012 Outstanding Woman Student. Each spring, the Bay Area Chapter of the Association for Women Geoscientists recognizes exceptional women undergraduate students from nine Bay Area universities. Each university is asked to select their most outstanding soon-to-be graduate studying earth sciences. Jamie Bywater, along wither her fellow nominees, will be recognized at a banquet held in their honor.
- Student Research Funded in Aerospace-related Fields
Lynn Cominsky, NASA E/PO and Physics & Astronomy, has received a second year of funding from the NASA Spacegrant: Improving the STEM Pipeline program. The new award is for $10,000 and will support student research experiences in aerospace related fields in addition to other student support services in STEM.
- Award goes to Chemistry Student
Chemistry student, Matt Applesmith, was awarded a CSUPERB Presidents' Commission Scholar Award for his project "Acquisition of NMR Structural Data for Membrane-Associated Antimicrobial Peptides: A Summer Research Immersion in Protein NMR."
- Nursing Club Gives Back to the Community
The SSU Nursing Club engages in a number of community volunteer activities during the year. In February they spearheaded a drive to collect a supplies for the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI) Sonoma County including bus passes, food, toiletries and clothing. In March students volunteered at Catholic Charities preparing meals. They also helped bag produce at the Empire Redwood Food Bank for distribution throughout Sonoma County. As noted on the club's webpage, "We have a great time putting our books & stethoscopes down and serving the community in a new way!"
- ES Project Helps Child With Cerebral Palsy Play Ball
Students in Professor Farid Farahmand's ES 110 class were asked to design a machine that could propel a ball using a push-button switch. As a result, Jazlyn LeClair, a child with Cerebral Palsy, is able to use the devise to play a game of kick ball with her peers. For more information about this project visit
http://www.sonoma.edu/newscenter/2012/01/post-86.html.
- Biology Professor Receives Grant
Professor Thomas Buckley has received an NSF grant for $141,078 for his proposal "Mechanisms for the decline of leaf hydraulic conductance with dehydration, and plant and environment level impacts." Professor Buckley's contribution will involve cell pressure probing and modeling. The grant includes funds to hire a Master's student, undergraduate research assistants, and pressure probe-related equipment.
- NSF EAR/IR Award to Geology
Dr. Matty Mookerjee has been awarded $122,163 for his proposal "Acquisition of Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) detector and sample preparation equipment." The EBSD will enhance the use of the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).
- CS Colloquium Speaker, Jacob Appelbaum, Gives Intriguing Talk
There was standing room only for Jacob Appelbaum's talk "Anonymity, Privacy, Security, Internet Surveillance, and Censorship" on November 17th. Appelbaum, who is an independent computer security researcher and hacker employed by the University of Washington, discussed the recent Arab Spring uprisings, the NSA wiretapping of American citizens, and practical techniques and technologies for circumvention of networked authoritarianism. Representatives from PBS, the New York Times, the Press Democrat and Wired were in attendance.
- Professor Matt James Elected Governing Member of Charles Darwin Foundation for Galapagos Islands
Matt James has been elected a Governing Member of the General Assembly of the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands (CDF), an international group of scientists, conservationists, and policy makers that provides scientific research and technical information and financial assistance to ensure the proper preservation of the Galapagos Islands.
- Safe Sleep Practices for Infants Promoted by Nursing Students
A group of 23 nursing students have spent the past year working on a "floor talker" campaign, in partnership with the Sonoma County Public Health Department, in an effort to promote safer infant sleep environments in Sonoma County. The floor talker campaign consists of large plastic decals, written in English and Spanish, to educate parents and caregivers on how to reduce the risk of suffocation and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). These decals are in 48 retail stores and agencies in southwest Santa Rosa.
- SSU NASA EPO Group Receives NSPIRES Funding
NASA's Education & Public Outreach for Earth & Space Science (EPOESS) Program has awarded funding to the SSU NASA EPO group for their proposal S4: Small Satellites for Secondary Students. SSU NASA EPO Director, Dr. Lynn Cominsky, led the successful effort to obtain funding for the proposal totaling nearly $550K over 3 years.
- Biology Grad Student Investigates Toxic Bay Area Algal Bloom
Biology master's student, Adele Paquin, in collaboration with her advisor, Dr. Karina Nielsen, is studying a recent algal bloom along the northern California coast that caused a wave of death among abalone and other sea creatures. Her work is reported on in the
SSU Newscenter and the
Point Reyes Lightpublication.
- CS Department Launches SSU Mobile App for iPhone
A team of students and faculty from the Computer Science Department have created an iPhone app with features including campus maps, directories, calendars, news, KSUN radio and student email access. Find it in the
iTunes store.
- SST Student's Art Showcased in Dean's Office
Leslie Prince, computer science and art studio double major, has created
three wonderful paintings encompassing the nine departments in SST. Her work is on display in Darwin 115.
- 100% Nursing DEMSN Graduates Pass National Exam
- 2011 Santa Rosa Excellence in Education Award to Biology Professor
Dr. Karina Nielsen has received the 2011 Santa Rosa Excellence in Education Award for 4-year universities. The award honors outstanding educators in all education levels who have been nominated for their contributions toward the education of our youth and their commitment to education. Dr. Nielsen teaches courses across the biology curriculum including engaging general education courses, advanced topics courses for graduate students, large lectures, small seminars, and laboratory-based and field-intensive experiences. Her research endeavors explore the "Science of the Salty, the Slimy & the Spineless in the Sea" and seek to better understand the fragile environment of the western coastline.
- NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Award to Chemistry
Chemistry's proposal "MRI:The Acquisition of a 400 MHz NMR Spectrometer" was recently awarded $308,454. The funding will bring a high-power nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer to SST and allow the enhanced study of the physical and chemical properties of molecules.
- NSF Collaborative Research Project Receives Funding
Dr. Karina Nielsen has been awarded $370,000 for her contributions tothe collaborative project: "The role of calcifying algae as a determinant of rocky intertidal macrophyte community structure at a meta-ecosystem scale." Total funding for the project is $1,119,999 .
- NSF Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) Award
Chemistry Professor, Carmen Works, has been awarded $129,754 over three years for her proposal "RUI: Photochemical and Kinetic Studies of Iron-Only Hydrogenase Model Compounds."
- SSU Alum Featured in National Geographic
- Chemistry Students Admitted to PhD Programs
Five soon-to-be chemistry graduates have been accepted to doctoral programs in chemistry, biochemistry, or chemical biology. Congratulations to Jenna Bernard (UC Berkeley), Samantha Carrington (UC Santa Cruz), Tyler Chavez (Johns Hopkins), Chris Bianco (Johns Hopkins) and Frankie Gonzales (UC San Diego).
- Five Graduate Students Receive COAST Awards
The CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology awarded five Biology graduate students funds to support their ongoing coastal and marine research. Summer 2011 COAST Student Awards for Marine Science Research were awarded to Joshua Cutler, Adele Paquin, Jill Stokes, Michael Tift, and Preston Malm.
- CSUPERB Awards to SST Faculty
Three SST faculty have been awarded funding from CSUPERB. CSUPERB (CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology) is a systemwide program supporting advancement in biotechnology across the CSU.
Dr. Jenn Lillig, Chemistry
CSUPERB ResearchDevelopment (RD) Grant
Proposal: "Mutagenesis and Modeling Studies of the Antimicrobial Peptide Carnobacteriocin B2"
Funding amount: $14,992.
Dr. Jon Fukuto, Chemistry
CSUPERB Entrepreneurial Joint Venture (JV) Matching Grant
Proposal: "Studies on the Biosynthesis of HNO"
Funding amount: $10,000.
Dr. Joseph Lin, Biology
CSUPERB New Investigator (NI) Grant
Proposal: "Generation of Antibodies to Characterize the Alternative Adaptive Immune Response in the Sea Lamprey, Petromyzon marinus"
Funding amount: $15,000 (contingent on campus IACUC approval)
- SST Chemistry Professor Receives Excellence in Teaching Award
Dr. Steven Farmer of the Chemistry Department has been awarded the SSU Excellence in Teaching Award for 2011-12.
- Biology Graduate Student Awarded Prestigious Fellowship
Master's student, Andy Kleinhesselink, has been awarded a three-year NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. This highly competitive and very prestigious award will support Andy's Ph.D. Studies at Utah State University.
- SST Faculty Proposals Funded
Dr. Hongtao Shi, Physics and Astronomy, and Dr. Michael Smith, Geology, have been awarded Summer 2011 Fellowships under the SSU Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Program (RSCAP). Dr. Shi's proposal is titled "Structure and Optical Properties of Mn-doped ZnS" and Dr. Smith is studying the "Modern and Ancient Rivers of the Uinta Mountains."
- SSU students present at the CSU Chancellor's Office
On January 25, two SSU students, Adele Paquin and Michael Tift, and their faculty mentor, Dr. Karina Nielsen, attended the first CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology (COAST) Faculty-Student Research Poster Reception at the Chancellor's Office in Long Beach. Student researchers and their faculty mentors from 20 CSU campuses and the marine consortia participated, showcasing the excellence and relevance of marine and coastal research throughout the CSU.
Mike and Adele's poster highlights their work.
- Geology Professor Wins Award
Dr. Matt James received the 2011 Karl Kortum Award for Maritime History for his work detailing the 1905-06 research expedition to the Galapagos Islands of a team from the California Academy of Sciences. The award is administered by the San Francisco Maritime Museum.
- Dr. Wendy Smith of the Nursing Department
received
Song-Brown funding for the maximum $170,000 to support the Master's in Nursing Program for Family Nurse Practitioners. The Song-Brown program is a workforce development program funded through the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD).
- Cryomagnetics 17 Tesla Superconducting Magnet System in SST
Physics Professor Dr. Jeremy Qualls works with students to study the frontiers of science in new magnetics research lab.
- Insectapalooza is Saturday, October 30, 9am-4pm @ Darwin Hall
Come to campus for a fun look at the world of insects. Activities, games, lectures, tours, exhibits, food and more!
- ES Student Receives Award
Engineering Science majors, Brandy Harris, is the recipient of the William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement
- Stats Students Pass Actuarial Exam
The Department of Math and Statistics is proud to announce the recent accomplishments of two of its students. This summer, August Blodow and Jill Schlichting both successfully passed the actuarial examination in probability. August Blodow earned a perfect score of 10 out of 10. They are now both currently preparing for the second examination in financial mathematics.
The Department of Math and Statistics offers a variety of options for students interested in pursuing a career in actuarial science. These options include majoring in Applied Statistics or the newly created major, Bi-Disciplinary Mathematics. Either of these programs is designed to allow a student to also major in another discipline, such Economics or Business, without having to earn as many units as are typically required to complete a double major. The Department also plans to begin offering a Minor in Actuarial Science beginning in Fall 2011. Interested students should contact Dr. Scott Nickleach to find out more.
- Biology Professor Turns Biomass into Biogas
Dr. Michael Cohen and members of his research laboratory are partnering with the City of Santa Rosa on the Fuel from Aquatic Biomass (FAB) project.
- MESA showcased in the STAR
Dr. Izabela Kanaana is the new director of the SSU MESA program.
