After almost a decade studying and researching the evolution of snakes, CSUDH Biology Professor Sonal Singhal has come to one undeniable conclusion. “Snakes are so cool!” Since 2014, Singhal has been one of the leaders of a project attempting to discover why snakes have been so successful in evolving traits that allow them to survive and thrive almost anywhere in the world. Their findings were published as the cover story of the February 24 issue of Science magazine. “Snakes are actually lizards if you use a technical definition,” says Singhal. “But if you look at them from an evolutionary perspective and how aspects of their biology are changing —what they eat, what they look like, ... Read More
Faculty
Faculty Highlights: March 2024
Our faculty members participate in conferences around the world, conduct groundbreaking research, and publish books and journal papers that contribute to their field and highlight their expertise. We feature those accomplishments and more in this section. To share faculty news, email lmckibbin@csudh.edu. College of Arts and Humanities College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Associate Professor of Physics Ximena Cid and Assistant Professor of Physics Miguel Rodriguez, along with others, co-authored "Racial Equity in Physics Education Research" for Nature Physics, a monthly journal that publishes the highest standard of research. The article outlines the inequities ... Read More
Toro Men’s Basketball Earns NCAA Tournament Berth
For the first time since the 2010-2011 season, the CSUDH men’s basketball team is headed to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The team’s strong 22-7 overall record and 17-5 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) conference record earned them an at-large berth in the tournament. The Toros will start their quest for a national championship on Friday, March 15, against Central Washington University at 7:30 p.m. Their first- and second-round games will be played at Cal State L.A., the number one seed in the eight-team regional round. CSUDH is the fourth seed in the regional. The weekend brought more exciting news for the Toros when the CCAA announced its awards for the 2023-2024 ... Read More
Mental Health Takes Center Stage at Town Hall
CSUDH welcomed U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and the Born This Way Foundation (BTW) to campus on Feb. 22 for a Gen Now Youth Town Hall on mental health. The event brought together youth mental health advocates, students, faculty, and administrators for a panel discussion on ways to better identify the mental health needs of young people and improve the quality and availability of services in the spaces where they’re most needed. Butler was appointed to the Senate in October 2023 by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the seat left vacant after the death of Dianne Feinstein. Since her appointment, she has conducted listening sessions with young people across the state on ... Read More
Frequent Flyer: Toro Commutes From DC to Complete His Degree
CSUDH graduate student Esmond Epuna isn’t someone who lets obstacles or challenges stand in his way – whether it’s a school abruptly closing its doors or the daunting task of a cross-country commute. Currently pursuing a master’s in cybersecurity, Epuna hasn’t let anything distract him from his dreams. Epuna graduated from high school in 2013, then started taking courses at El Camino College. He soon transferred to the for-profit technical college ITT Technical Institute. Within a few years, his studies were almost complete – but then ITT went out of business with no warning in 2016. “Right before I finished, I lost all my credits,” recalls Epuna. “ITT had to close down. I ended up ... Read More
