While recalling her experiences of growing up in rural environments across the United States, Cathy Jacobs says that her career as an educator was inspired by a childhood spent outdoors. “I've been a naturalist since I could remember,” she says. “I was always catching snakes and wading in ponds, catching tadpoles. When I was a kid, I used to watch the salmon spawn in the riffles of the Sacramento River. You used to see all these dorsal fins in the river at night, and I remember watching this enormous sturgeon - it must have been about six or seven feet long - come up to the surface and go back under.” Jacobs, who has won the Excellence in Service Award at California State ... Read More
College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
L. Mark Carrier: Multitasking Expert Keeps Focus on Students
Despite a research specialty on multitasking, Dr. L. Mark Carrier tends to keep his focus on one common goal: the success of his students and faculty. As a third-time chair of the psychology department, he works to give his colleagues the support that he has received in being nominating and winning the California State University, Dominguez Hills 2011 Presidential Outstanding Professor Award. “I try to stay faculty-centered,” he says. “I support them and give them what they want because I know that will ensure student and departmental success.” Carrier says that he uses an interactive approach with his students as well, giving them a chance to share with him the best ways for them ... Read More
Terry McGlynn: Biology Professor Seeks the Social Creature in Insects
Through his work with ant societies in the rainforest, associate professor of biology Dr. Terry McGlynn has been able to show students the benefits of altruism within a species, in the hopes of teaching them about more than just insect behavior. “In a way, social insects are the pinnacle of evolution,” says McGlynn, who is this year's winner of the Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Award. “There's this popular image that in insect colonies, individuals sacrifice themselves for the whole. But social insects are animals, just like we are. It is more often that it is in their [individual] interest to work for the benefit of the group. “In social insect ... Read More
Herman J. Loether (1930-2011): Sociologist Established Tradition and Campus Research
Dr. Herman J. Loether, emeritus professor and founding faculty member of the sociology department at California State University, Dominguez Hills, died of cancer on March 25. During his 30 years at the university, Loether established the Social Systems Research Center (now known as the Urban Community Research Center) and is the only CSU faculty member to be honored as a CSU Outstanding Professor Award nominee at two different campuses; at CSU Los Angeles in 1965, and at CSU Dominguez Hills in 1973 and 1984. Upon arriving at CSU Dominguez Hills in 1967, Loether established the campus's Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD) chapter. He had served as advisor for the AKD chapter at CSU Los Angeles, and ... Read More
Thomas Landefeld: Preparing Students to Tackle Health Disparities in the South
Professor of biology Thomas Landefeld presented, “Careers in the Sciences for Minority Students: How to Make the Right Choice and Then How to Be a Competitive Applicant” to students at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University, Bennett College for Women, and Albany State University in Georgia last month. The students are members of National Institute of General Medical Sciences Minority Opportunities in Research (NIGMS MORE) programs. Landefeld notes that students in the South face similar health disparities in the medical field as the rest of the nation. However, these are more severe due to fewer educational opportunities and lower income levels. “Overall, the ... Read More
