A new species of desert tortoise has been named for the late Dr. David J. Morafka, who taught in the biology department from 1972 to 2002. The discovery was made by researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, the Royal Ontario Museum in Ontario, Canada, the California Academy of Science, the University of Arizona, and Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, after a lengthy study on the historical identification and taxonomy of the desert tortoise found in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of California, Arizona and Mexico. Since its initial discovery in 1861, the desert tortoise, also known as the Agassiz's land-tortoise or by the scientific name ... Read More
Archives for June 2011
CSU Dominguez Hills Welcomes Young Musicians on College Tour
California State University, Dominguez Hills opened its doors and dorms last week to more than 100 middle and high school students from central Texas, who are on a five-state college and performance tour, after an employee at the university - and a native of Texas - learned the students didn't have adequate accommodations while in California. “When I found out that a group of inner city high school students from Austin, Tex., was traveling all the way to the West Coast to visit local universities and sleeping on gymnasium floors, I knew that we had to do something,” said Tomás A. Aguirre, acting associate director of University Housing at CSU Dominguez Hills. “I'm lucky that I work at ... Read More
University Police Chief Sloan Retires; Campus Welcomes New Chief Velez
Chief Susan Sloan, the first female chief of University Police at California State University, Dominguez Hills, retired this month. Along with a celebration of her 22 years on campus, the swearing-in ceremony of new police chief Carlos Velez was held in the Loker Student Union on June 22. Sloan began her career at CSU Dominguez Hills in 1989 after more than three years as a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. She worked up the ranks on campus through detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain. Upon being named the first female chief of the university in 2004, she took command of a staff of 41 officers, dispatch, parking, and administrative personnel. At last ... Read More
Scott Bigney: Senior Awarded Membership in International Obsidian Studies Society
Senior Scott Bigney was selected for membership in the International Association of Obsidian Studies (IAOS) in recognition of his research on “Characterization of Obsidian from Five Late Postclassic Sites in the Soconusco Region of Chiapas, Mexico.” He presented his findings, which were co-authored by mentors Janine Gasco, associate professor of anthropology, and Dr. Hector Neff, professor of anthropology at CSU Long Beach, at Student Research Day at California State University, Dominguez Hills last February and at the annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in Sacramento last March. In addition to the two-year membership and access to IAOS's archives and materials, Bigney's ... Read More
Graduate Student Wins PICTURE Art Essay Contest
Humanities graduate student Jack C. Patterson has been named the winner of the first exhibition-related essay contest by the nonprofit PICTURE Art Foundation, which operates PICTURE Cultural Art on first floor of the new Library South wing. A graduate assistant and supplementary instructor for the College of Arts and Humanities, Patterson received $500 for “The Twilight of Renewal,” written in response to California artist Renzo's painting “Fallen Crow,” which was featured in the center's current exhibition, “On Being Human: Love, Faith, Shame, and Hope.” “We are delighted with Jack's submission,” says Mike Johnson, president, PICTURE Cultural Art. “It's thoughtful, literate, and ... Read More