For many college students, summer is a time for relaxing and putting their studies behind them for a few months. But for three talented recipients of the 2022 Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, summertime meant conducting in-depth research that helped them prepare for graduate school. “The Mellon Mays Fellowship allows arts and humanities students from underrepresented backgrounds or who are studying underrepresented aspects of research to apply for funding to help get them to go to graduate school,” says Andrea Johnson, an assistant professor of history and faculty coordinator for the program. “We prepare them for what life will be like in the academy as they continue on with their ... Read More
Awards
Physics Student Wins 2022 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement
When CSUDH physics major Jeisson Pulido was a child growing up in Las Cruces, an impoverished neighborhood in Bogotá, Colombia, he used to stare up at the stars in wonder. He never imagined that he would one day be working with the European Space Agency (ESA), helping to create a cutting-edge research satellite. “The resources in my neighborhood schools were very low,” he remembers. “I didn't receive a lot of education in math or physics, just the basics. I was never able to see myself studying in college or pursuing a science degree, because of the lack of funding in my schools. I was very good at math, but I didn't even know that subjects like astronomy or physics existed.” After ... Read More
CSUDH Alum’s Student Film Becomes Award-Winning Documentary
When Johnny Gonzales was a student in CSUDH's Television Arts program, the topic for his student film was an easy choice. An aspiring water photographer, he decided to focus his lens on his intrepid colleagues who spent their days in the ocean, shooting action shots of surfers and bodyboarders. “I really wanted to tell their story,” says Gonzales. “Most people don't quite get it–they have no idea what goes into getting great surf photos, and what it takes to get the perfect shot. I feel like water photographers are the unsung heroes of the surfing world.” The resulting 9-minute student film, “Surf Photography: The Watermen,” produced with fellow students Jon Domingo and Cynthia ... Read More
Jessica Ramirez Named Jumpstart Site Manager of the Year
CSUDH Jumpstart Site Manager Jessica Ramirez has been named the inaugural winner of their national Site Manager of the Year Award. The award recognizes Ramirez' work in guiding the office at CSUDH in their partnerships with local schools, providing language, literacy, and social-emotional programming for preschool children in the local community. Jumpstart is a national early education organization with branches in 15 states and Washington, DC. The CSUDH office partners with Compton Headstart, offering assistance and programming in eight classrooms in three local preschools. “We bring in language and literacy development tools, curriculum, and activities that we work with or provide to ... Read More
Award Program Helps Students Continue Research Through Summer
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) selected 21 Toro students for its Summer 2022 Research Award program. Undergraduate applicants who were conducting research with CSUDH faculty and maintained a 2.7 or higher GPA were eligible for the program, which has been held since 2020. Each of the students received up to $2,500 to help sustain their research through summer. The selected student researchers represent a wide range of disciplines, from chemistry and biology to English and dance. “During the academic year, student research is usually limited by hefty academic obligations. But during the summer, they can devote a greater amount of time to fully engage in faculty-mentored ... Read More