By Wyahee Tucrkile The Department of Psychology is getting a clearer picture of how the mind reacts to different tasks and stimuli thanks to a new piece of equipment called the functional near-infrared spectroscopy, also known as the fNIR. The department showcased its new acquisition during an open house at the George Marsh Applied Cognition (GMAC) Laboratory on Nov. 19. “This is a relatively new optical brain imaging technique that allows for real time recordings of brain activity in the cortical areas of the prefrontal cortex,” says Aimee Miller, a second-year clinical psychology graduate student at CSU Dominguez Hills. “The advantages of fNIR is that it is relatively inexpensive ... Read More
College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
MARC USTAR Scholar Cesar Deleon Discovers his Passion for Chemistry
As many a student can attest, sometimes life gets in the way of school, thwarting goals and altering paths. This was certainly the case for Cesar Deleon. He faced circumstances that could have jeopardized his education altogether, but instead he met those challenges head on, and with the help of the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (USTAR) program the senior chemistry major at California State University, Dominguez Hills is preparing for graduate school, where he plans to specialize in organic chemistry with the goal of developing new medicine. Although a bright kid, Deleon was not all that dedicated to his school work. An ... Read More
Exemplary Achievement Awardee Salvador Valdez Finds his Calling in Advisement
Like so many children, as a boy Salvador Valdez (Class of '09, B.S., health science, community health; '12 M.A., education, counseling) wanted to become a doctor when he grew up. Intending to go to medical school, he began his freshman year at California State University, Dominguez Hills, majoring in biology. He also volunteered at UCLA-Harbor Medical Center and at a community medical clinic in Bell Gardens. He was on the right path to achieving his goal, but then he caught a bug. The teaching bug. “Teaching or education itself kind of always called my name,” Valdez said. As a university student, he was beginning to seriously evaluate his life's priorities, and after ... Read More
McNair Scholar Gabriel Jones: In his Element in Environmental Research
It would be fair to say Gabriel Jones wants to help save the world. But he's not doing it wearing a cape. The senior majoring in anthropology with a minor in geography at California State University, Dominguez Hills is working toward making positive changes in environmental justice and policy based on research. A lofty goal to be sure, but with the opportunities that being a scholar in the Ronald E. McNair Program at CSU Dominguez Hills provides him, he is well on his way to the education he will need to ensure his ability to attain that goal. Named after the late African-American physicist who perished in the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, the post-baccalaureate ... Read More
Jenny Greer: Volunteerism Started while Student Results in Award
Recent CSU Dominguez Hills alumna Jenny Greer ('13, B.S. geology; environmental science) was honored as Outstanding Volunteer by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC), which since 1988 has successfully preserved 1,600 acres of open space on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The award was presented at the PVPLC's annual Volunteer Appreciation luncheon in July. "I had no idea I was going to be given an award," Greer said. "Cris Sarbia, the stewardship manager, surprised me when he went in front of the crowd and proceeded to explain some of the various projects I had been working on throughout the year. I was embarrassed but thrilled that I was being acknowledged for doing what I ... Read More
