Earth's biodiversity has been profoundly shaped by global climate change for eons, and researchers expect the current ongoing and rapid changes to have as great an effect, especially on the evolution of plants, says Kathryn Theiss, assistant professor of biology at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). Theiss is fascinated by the evolution of plant reproduction and how reproductive strategies are affected by conservation issues, especially global climate change. She tends to focus on rare plants, favoring moth-pollinated species such as Evening Primroses, the plant group she is currently studying. “Evening primroses are generally not considered rare yet, but could ... Read More
College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
’60 Minutes’ Taps Professors’ Expertise on Smartphone Behavior, Anxiety
Anderson Cooper, television personality and correspondent for “60 Minutes,” the nation's longest-running television newsmagazine, visited California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) to interview communications professor Nancy Cheever and psychology professor Larry Rosen for a story about the effects of habit-forming smartphone applications on people's behaviors and lives. The “60 Minutes” story, which aired April 9, featured former Google product manager Tristan Harris, who since leaving the tech giant has spoken out nationally about the development of smartphone apps–some of which he helped design–that he claims are purposefully designed by software companies to be addictive. ... Read More
In Search of Diversity in the World of Physics
While Ximena Cid was growing up, her family marched alongside Cesar Chavez and farm workers advocating for Chicano civil rights. “My parents raised us in a very social-activist family,” says Cid, whose mother is Chicana and Native-American Yaqui, and her father was born in Mexico. When Cid embarked on an education in the sciences, she was keenly aware of her ethnic difference; there were not many people of color pursuing physics, and there were certainly very few women of color in her classes. She was the first person of Latin-American or Native-American decent to graduate with a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Texas, Arlington. In the decade since, Cid, an assistant professor ... Read More
Professor Jerry Moore Shares Life in the Field in Latest Book ‘Incidence of Travel’
Jerry Moore, professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), has authored the book “Incidence of Travel: Recent Journeys in Ancient South America.” (University Press of Colorado, March 2017). In telling his stories, the award-winning author relives personal experiences and archaeological studies throughout South America to provide an understanding of the ways “traditional peoples” carved dynamic cultural landscapes in the region. Moore's rich narration vividly acquaints readers with a variety of archaeological sites and remains as he reflects on what these places might have been like in the past. Moore's other books include ... Read More
Human Services Student Asia Watkins Aspires to Help Incarcerated Women
Motivated by the dramatic psychological changes her mother went through before and after serving time in prison, California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) human services major Asia Watkins aspires to work with women of color and their families experiencing the same challenges. “When she came home from prison my mom just wasn't the same. She suffered from depression, anxiety, and personality disorder,” said Watkins, a Carson resident who has a certificate in mental health recovery, and is expected to graduate with her bachelor's degree from CSUDH in May 2017. “So it's personal to me. I want to go into the prison system and specifically target women of color, starting with ... Read More
