Students Gain Experience in Research, Presenting at Conference

Students and faculty from the Huntley College of Agriculture presented their findings from various research projects in November to an annual undergraduate conference.

The Southern California Conferences for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR) held its Fall 2017 Conference on Nov. 18 on the Cal Poly Pomona campus.

More than 800 faculty and students from about 80 colleges and universities across Southern California made presentations on research in fields such as biological sciences, engineering and computer sciences, physical sciences, performing arts and social sciences.

Huntley College of Agriculture research projects included:

• “Assessing the Efficacy of Laser Photomodulation in Laboratory Mice Wound Healing” by students Benjamin Clock and Andrea H. Watson, and Animal and Veterinary Science Assistant Professor Cord M. Brundage.
• “Observing the sensitivity of topical Melaleuca alternifolia on the epidermis of swine,” by students Brianna Kelley, Susie Glore, Hanna Jung, Steven Orrick, Emily Sanchez, Christina Tao, and Tarryn Wagstaff, and Assistant Professor Cord Brundage.
• “Impact of temperature and precipitation on Arabian foal development,” by student Irene Ngo and Assistant Professor Cord Brundage.
• “Dermestid Beetles,” by students Mariana Munoz, Brayan Osorio, and Anellie Rodriguez, and Assistant Professor Cord Brundage.
• “Trazodone hydrochloride improves laboratory rabbit tractability,” by students Kierra C. Kuhlman, Yumiko Jin, Courtney Fukushima, and Assistant Professor Cord Brundage.
• “Monitoring of Pathogenic E. coli on Petting Zoo Animals at California State University Polytechnic – Pomona” by students Vu Luu, Rebecca Rosas, and Michelle Douglas, and Animal and Veterinary Science Professors Shelton Murinda and Broc Sandelin.
• “Determination of the Prevalence of major Mastitis-Causing Pathogens in California Dairy Farms Using Polymerase Chain Reaction,” by students Patricia Galvan and Leo Little Dog, and Professor Shelton Murinda.
• “Detection of Cyanobacteria and Their Toxins Using PCR for Safe Algae-based Feed Operations,” by students Fatimah Ansari and Joe McHugh, and Professor Shelton Murinda.
• “Proximate Composition of Algae Biomass to Access Nutritional Value as a Feed Supplement,” by students Alejandra Avila, Kristen Bush, Lesly Palacios, Amera Kchech, and Professor Shelton Murinda and Assistant Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Greg Barding.
• “Utilizing Orange Pomace for Food and Packaging Applications,” by students Jonathan Guo, Helene Mecate, Jamie lam, Carolina Maksudi, Thanh Nguyen, Human Nutrition & Food Science Associate Professor Olive Li, and Biological Sciences Professor Wei-Jin Lin.
• “The Use of Pruning, Cytokinin Application and Fertilizer Application to Increase Flush in Murraya koenigii ((L.) (Rutaceae)) and Subsequent Egg Laying by ACP (Diaphorina citri, Kuwayama) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae),” by student Kat D. Nuñez, Plant Science Assistant Professor Anna Soper, Plant Science Professor Valerie Mellano, and Agribusiness & Food Industry Management/Agricultural Science Lecturer Ben Lehan.
• “Maillard Conjugation with the use of Pea Protein and Dextran for the Stabilization of Multilayered Nanoemulsions,” by student Viral Shukla and Human Nutrition & Food Science Assistant Professor Gabriel Davidov-Pardo.
• “Standardization of an In Vitro Simulated Digestion Method to Assess the Stability of Emulsions and Release of Free Fatty Acids,” by student Dena Jones and Human Nutrition & Food Science Assistant Professor Gabriel Davidov-Pardo.

The presentations ranged from poster form, in 12-minute presentations to panels of faculty members, performances, or exemplary presentations that were given to the full conference.

The orange pomace project was one of five selected for the honor of presenting to the full conference at the closing ceremony.

SCCUR is an organization of Southern California faculty, administrators, and interested members of the community who share the common goal of improving education for college and university students through hands-on experiences of undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity.

The organization supports inquiry-based education, in which students learn while doing, working closely with faculty mentors on significant academic projects and presenting their results to audiences in a professional manner.