On Aug. 21, Ximena Cid was standing with family and friends in Idaho on the “path of totality,” watching the bright morning sky dim to a twilight hue and feeling the air temperature steadily drop while the moon gradually blocked the sun's light from reaching Earth. Cid, an assistant professor of physics at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), was far from alone during her observation of the “Great American Total Solar Eclipse.” She joined millions of awe-struck Americans on the path's 70-mile wide swath of land stretching from Oregon to South Carolina from which the total eclipse of the sun was visible. “We tried to go to Oregon, but all along the path the hotels ... Read More
STEM
Alexandra Gutierrez Spends Summer Seeking Early-Earth Microbes
Unlike most undergraduate students who go to the Colorado River during the summer to camp or enjoy whitewater rafting, Alexandra Gutierrez, a biology major at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), spent much of that time processing soil samples harvested in the shallows of the river in search of Archaea microorganisms. Funded by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's Robert Noyce Scholars and the STEM Teacher and Research (STAR) programs, Gutierrez–an avid environmentalist–was tasked with searching for more diverse families of the microbe during her internship at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), along with working on campus at Stanford in the Green Earth Sciences ... Read More
Excessive cellphone use may cause anxiety, experts warn
Spending too much time on your phone may be causing you to feel stress and anxiety, experts are warning. "The more people use their phone," Dr. Nancy Cheever, who spearheaded research on the relationship between cellphone use and anxiety at California State University, Dominguez Hills, told ABC News, "the more anxious they are about using their phone." Cheever's research suggests that phone-induced anxiety operates on a positive feedback loop, saying that phones keep us in a persistent state of anxiety and the only relief from this anxiety is to look at our phones. She warns that there is little known about the long-term effects that phone-induced anxiety can have on your overall ... Read More
STEM in Action Conference Provides Inner-City Youth Knowledge and Fun
California State University, Dominguez Hills' (CSUDH) 3rd Annual “STEM in Action: A Kids Conference” on April 28 will provide close to 1,000 inner-city students the opportunity to participate in interactive science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities that will help inspire them to become lifelong learners. 'STEM in Action' will take place Friday, April 28, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the North Lawn. Designed around this year's theme, “Step into the World of STEM Careers,” the conference provides a festive and inviting environment for underserved students from the region with fun and imaginative learning opportunities. Students will be challenged and engaged in such ... Read More
LA Times: Cal State Dominguez Hills is building a new science center, thanks to a $4-million grant from Toyota
The Toyota USA Foundation is giving Cal State Dominguez Hills $4 million to build a science center focused on preparing students for careers in technology, engineering and math. The Toyota Center for Innovation in STEM Education will include a fabrication lab, high-tech classrooms, collaborative workspaces and labs for K-12 teacher training, according to a joint announcement this week. Groundbreaking is scheduled for next fall ... (more, Los Angeles Times) ... Read More
