Awards

Sonoma State University is participating in a grant sponsored by the Irvine Foundation with five other California State University campuses that are Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) to support the use of chatbots to increase retention, engagement, and career exploration for CSU students, particularly under-represented minority and Pell-eligible students.

This project will expand the existing Peer Mentor program to serve more students, reaching more broadly into our underrepresented student population. An additional four Peer Mentors will allow us to engage 1,000 students each year. It will also provide us the opportunity to recruit and train Peer Mentors starting this summer, with the expanded Peer Mentor program to commence with the 2019-2020 school year.

The Anthropological Studies Center (ASC) will conduct resources studies at Bouverie Preserve, Cypress Grove Preserve, Tom’s Point Preserve, and Martin Griffin Preserve in Sonoma and Marin counties. This project involves a cultural resources review and field study of each preserve and recordation of any resources identified.

Sonoma State University has a Basic Needs Program that includes integrated support for students who are food insecure. Included in our program is support for students in accessing CalFresh subsidies. Our CalFresh team will be overseen by a health educator/case worker and will include student interns. In collaboration with community partners, this team will do outreach to inform the student community of CalFresh through public events, social media, educational class presentations, and referrals from faculty, staff and other students.

The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) is an NSF sponsored program designed to broaden participation in science, mathematics, engineering and technology (STEM) disciplines and contribute to the national agenda to increase the number of Underrepresented Minorities (URM) receiving baccalaureate degrees, and ultimately Ph.D.s, in STEM disciplines.  The CSU-LSAMP program at SSU provides:

          • Reimbursement for required STEM textbooks and materials

The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) is an NSF sponsored program designed to broaden participation in science, mathematics, engineering and technology (STEM) disciplines and contribute to the national agenda to increase the number of Underrepresented Minorities (URM) receiving baccalaureate degrees, and ultimately Ph.D.s, in STEM disciplines.  The CSU-LSAMP program at SSU provides:

          • Reimbursement for required STEM textbooks and materials

The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) is an NSF sponsored program designed to broaden participation in science, mathematics, engineering and technology (STEM) disciplines and contribute to the national agenda to increase the number of Underrepresented Minorities (URM) receiving baccalaureate degrees, and ultimately Ph.D.s, in STEM disciplines.  The CSU-LSAMP program at SSU provides:

          • Reimbursement for required STEM textbooks and materials

 The seven (7) TRiO Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math & Science Programs at Sonoma State University serve 493 pre-college (9th – 12th grade) students who attend targeted high schools in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, and Lake Counties.  Participants attend a rigorous Saturday Academy and six-week Summer/STEM Academy along with participating in test preparation, financial aid, and college application workshops.  Students also attend numerous college campus tours and frequent social and cultural field trips.  Participants are prepared to enroll, persist, and graduate from t

There is a growing understanding that adipose tissue releases hormones (adipokines) that help regulate metabolism, immune function and reproduction. This study examines changes in blubber gene expression and blood concentrations of adipokines in naturally fasting elephant seals, examines their relationship to immune markers and reproductive hormones, and will provide novel information on how body condition influences health and reproduction in wildlife.

Working with Project Management at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, SSU personnel will support press communications, outreach events and scientific illustrations on behalf of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory scientific missions. Dr. Cominsky is a scientific Co-Investigator for both missions, and also serves as press officer. Aurore Simonnet's illustrations of previous Fermi and Swift high-energy discoveries have included covers of two issues of Science magazine, and one issue of Nature.