Happy Spring! March was a very busy month in the Student Research Center (SRC). On March 5th, we hosted our annual Student Research and Creative Activity Symposium with over 90 very informative presentations! Thanks again to our students for sharing their research, to their mentors for guiding that work, and to the faculty jurors for helping us determine 1st and 2nd place winners. We also hosted our annual Awards Ceremony with Provost Cameron handing out the Provost’s Award for Research Excellence certificates to more than 30 students! A big thanks for Dr. Cameron’s presence and participation.

Many of the 1st place winners will have an opportunity to compete in the 39th Annual CSU Student Research Competition taking place on April 26-27, 2025 at Cal Poly Humboldt. We are very excited that these students will represent Sacramento State and we hope the campus community will continue to support their research. We also hope that students and faculty will be inspired to engage in research and present that work at future SRC events.

The SRC is open to all student researchers and we encourage you to visit us—if you need assistance with poster or oral presentations, we can offer suggestions to enhance the dialogue between students and their faculty mentors. You can find us in Library 2026 (second floor). We value this work and look forward to supporting your research efforts!

This study investigates the impact of science communication (SciComm) on STEM students' knowledge, comprehension, and academic achievement, hypothesizing that it fosters metacognitive awareness. By analyzing student reflections and exam performance in a course at Sac State, findings suggest that SciComm enhances conceptual understanding, boosts confidence in scientific knowledge, and may improve academic performance. 

This research examines the history and evolution of Sacramento State's PRIDE Center, sparked by President Luke Wood's remark about its inadequate space during an LGBTQ+ Student Listening Session. Through archival research and rhetorical analysis, the study undercovers a counternarrative that highlights the PRIDE Center's actions and strategies of hope, rather than the dominant institutional narrative. By documenting these historical efforts, the research provides a framework for LGBTQ+ spaces and diversity centers to refine their practices and create inclusive environments even with limited resources.

This research looks into consumer preferences and perceptions of refurbished smartphones. Findings highlighted the key factors such as battery life, warranties, and environmental consciousness influenced consumer purchasing decisions. The goal of this research is to gather insights so refurbished smartphone manufacturers can increase their market share while reducing their environmental impact. 

This study examines the impact of California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) on mitigating math proficiency learning losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings suggest that while the additional funding helped reduce learning loss for economically disadvantaged and Hispanic students, it did not slow losses for Black and non-economically disadvantaged students, highlighting the need for improved oversight and targeted policy strategies.

This project implements vision-guided autonomous robot navigation using ArUco markers for real-time tracking and decentralized movement. A camera captures a static environment, translating it into a coordinate grid where an operator uses a Python-based code to communicate with the robots. A combination of the camera tracking, IR sensors, ultrasonic sensors and the code enables the robot to navigate toward targeted coordinates while self-correcting its path. The project was successful, resulting in a great foundation for indoor autonomous robots using a visual-based navigation system.

This research presents an optimized Proportional-Derivative controller to improve trajectory tracking accuracy in quadrotors under aerodynamic influences. A dynamic model was developed, and gradient-based optimization was applied to fine-tune control parameters, minimizing trajectory errors. Simulations results demonstrated effective tracking across circular, helical, and Lissajous paths, with parameter values varying by trajectory. Future work aims to develop controllers that maintain performance across diverse trajectories using a single parameter set.

The research will examine compact mergers by analyzing jet structures and energy variations along theta to better understand black hole central engines. Using the HARMPI simulation tool, the study models black holes with surrounding accretion gas. During this simulation the gravitational field and magnetic fields create relativist jets. With a combination of the HARMP files and Python codes, the researcher and mentor can examine the black hole model along with the jets, extracting data on energy and Lorentz factors.

This research seeks to use a bacterial model system to quantifiably measure the effects of UV radiation on gene amplification mutation. In order to examine the effect in both the presence and absence of essential DNA repair enzymes —RecA, RecB, and RecC an assay was conducted. The findings indicate that UV radiation intensifies amplification mutations only when the above DNA repair enzymes are present.

The purpose of this project is to explore floral nectar composition in Aquilegia species, focusing on its relation to pollinator adaption and identifying the genes involved in the floral nectar production in hopes of determining if the species, location, or independent variable has the greatest influence on metabolite expression. Previous researchers have Used High  Performance Liquid Chromatography High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS), to identify key metabolites like citrate and malate along with 77 tentative metabolites.

This study utilizes high-resolution micro-computed tomography scans to reconstruct endocasts and measure endocranial volume in rat skulls. The research tests the hypotheses that 1) endocranial volume remains similar across rat from different tempo-geographical locations and 2) the sex of the rats will influence the endocranial volume . The findings supported hypothesis 1 and a single-factor ANOVA did not support the 2nd hypothesis of endocranial volumes being a sexually dimorphic trait. 

The Population Center is hiring for a Student Interviewer position!

Interested in learning more about research?

Interested in applying your classroom lessons in a real-world setting?

English and Bilingual Speakers are welcome!

Click Apply Today and enter "Interviewer" in the search bar.

Make sure to apply to the Student Assistant-Interviewer position.

Many professors on campus conduct research and may be looking for student research assistants or mentees. To get involved, start by identifying faculty members who are currently conducting research or interested in starting a project. Attend research-related events such as symposiums, conferences, and competitions, and review the event programs to see which faculty members are participating.

You may find mentors working on topics that align with your interests or major. Building strong relationships with faculty mentors is essential, as they can provide valuable guidance, help refine your research questions, and connect you with resources or other faculty members. With summer approaching, many professors will be taking their well-deserved break, so if you are interested in becoming a research assistant next Fall, plan to reach out and discuss opportunities before finals and the end of the semester. 

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