Unlike most undergraduate students who go to the Colorado River during the summer to camp or enjoy whitewater rafting, Alexandra Gutierrez, a biology major at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), spent much of that time processing soil samples harvested in the shallows of the river in search of Archaea microorganisms. Funded by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's Robert Noyce Scholars and the STEM Teacher and Research (STAR) programs, Gutierrez–an avid environmentalist–was tasked with searching for more diverse families of the microbe during her internship at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), along with working on campus at Stanford in the Green Earth Sciences ... Read More
College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Still Laboratory Seeks ‘Novel Lead Compound’ to Help Treat Cancer
“Does anyone have a cardiac pacemaker or medical device implants? How about keys, a mobile phone, or even a wallet? We wouldn't want anything to get damaged or erased.” These are questions Patrick Still, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), gingerly asks people who venture into the new campus Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility and approach the new JEOL 400 MHz NMR spectrometer, which the Still Lab uses for cancer research. Still uses the NMR spectrometer to conduct his research on plant extracts he procured from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Active Repository Program. The extracts were prepared from ... Read More
California colleges transform remedial courses to raise graduation rates
Before Aida Tseggai could major in biology at Cal State Dominguez Hills, she had to catch up in math. She passed a non-credit remedial math class in the fall and then was offered a new pathway - a for-credit course in college-level algebra that provided extra class time, tutoring and review of more fundamental material. Such combination classes - known as co-requisites, bridges or hybrids - are seen as a crucial tool to help hundreds of thousands of CSU students climb out of the remedial education hole in which some feel trapped. Part of a national reform movement, such courses also are aimed at helping students graduate faster. “It saved me time and money,” said Tseggai. Nervous ... Read More
Diplomas help turn tragedy into triumph at Cal State Dominguez Hills
Keisha Keller ended the worst year of her life with exceptional finesse, taking home a hard-earned diploma from Cal State Dominguez Hills' largest commencement ceremonies ever on Friday. She initially was due to graduate a year ago, but she awoke on the day of finals to find her newborn baby boy a victim of sudden infant death syndrome. It was a devastating blow that brought her world dangerously close to the brink of chaos and misery. She had already struggled to finish classes with high marks while being pregnant, a wife, and a mother to her 9-year-old son. To bear the death of her 5-week-old, Legend Aurelius Jackson, she turned to her lifelong faith in God. “I don't know ... Read More
Galaxy’s Gyasi Zardes earns college degree from Cal State Dominguez Hills
LA Galaxy forward Gyasi Zardes famously told MLS fans that his skill will blow their minds when leaving college four years ago, but on Friday he accomplished something with his own mind. The 25-year-old graduated college Friday morning, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Cal State Dominguez Hills. He attended Cal State Bakersfield for three years before leaving and signing a Homegrown Player contract prior to the 2013 season. Zardes, 25, who has appeared in six games for the Galaxy this season (starting five) was present at the morning graduation ceremony right on his home field, at StubHub Center, and picked up his diploma. He was expected to join his ... Read More
