U A T
CAL POLY BAILEY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
SPRING 2025 / ISSUE 3
Í
Ñ
Astronomy in the
Bailey College
ARTÍCULO EN
LA PÁGINA 14
SPECIAL
FEATURED STORY
IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH
DEAN/EXECUTIVE EDITOR
BAILEY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
Dean E. Wendt
Ofice of the Dean: 805-756-2226
ADVANCEMENT AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Morgen Marshall
mnmarsha@calpoly.edu
CONNECT
cosam.calpoly.edu
calpolyscience
calpolybcsm
calpolybcsm
alumni-info@calpoly.edu
(e-newsletter mailing list)
WEB PUBLISHING TEAM: Derrick Phan*, Jacob Ponce*
UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH
ONLINE
cosam.calpoly.edu/research-magazine
This image titled, “Black Holes: Monsters in Space Artist Concept” illustrates
a supermassive black hole with millions to billions times the mass of our sun.
Supermassive black holes are enormously dense objects buried at the hearts of
galaxies. See Page 14 to learn about Cal Poly astronomy researchers studying black
holes and other cosmological mysteries. Image by NASA/JPL-Caltech
COVER
LEARN
BY DOING
Asterisked contributors denote Cal Poly students or recent alumni.
This issue of Undergraduate Research
was made possible by the generous support of
Dick Bradshaw (Mathematics, ’70) and Peggy Bradshaw.
MANAGING EDITOR/
ART DIRECTOR/
DESIGNER
Eileen Odanaka Vavra
PHOTOGRAPHY
Alexis Kovacevic*
Joe Johnston
Sarah Davenport*
CONTENT EDITOR/WRITER
Nick Wilson
CONTRIBUTORS
Angelina Benyamin Rodriguez*
Ruzena Brar
FACT-CHECKING
Karl Saunders
Derek Gragson
SPANISH LANGUAGE EDITORS
Profesora Lizvette Villafaña
Rosalba Maria Torres
This edition was conceived, designed,
produced and written by Cal Poly
staf, students and administrators.
U N D E R G R A D U A T E
CAL POLY BAILEY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS / SPRING 2025 / ISSUE 3
PUBLISHED
RESEARCH
To read or download the published research articles related to the
students, faculty and research groups featured in this issue, scan
this code or visit cosam.calpoly.edu/published.
Raptors Fall Prey to
Microplastics
Cal Poly researchers examined deceased
local birds and found microplastics in
each animal's digestive tract.
CALIFORNIA IMPACT
10
Looking Deep into
Never Explored
Granite for
Groundwater
A geophysics professor and student researchers
use specialized resistivity equipment to detect
groundwater nearly 1,000 feet below the earth's
surface on the Central Coast.
CALIFORNIA IMPACT
12
Triving vs. Surviving
Wildlife researchers study elk and pronghorn
in Carrizo Plain to determine why one species
rebounds while the other struggles.
CALIFORNIA IMPACT
14
Why is the Universe
So Big?
Astronomy researchers have made it their
mission to explore this question and other
cosmological mysteries.
EXPLORATION & INNOVATION
¿Por qué es tan grande
el universo?
Los investigadores de astronomía se han
dedicado a explorar esta pregunta y otros
misterios cosmológicos por generaciones.
EXPLORACIÓN E INNOVACIÓN
From the Dean
Dean Wendt reflects on how research
has impacted his life and all lives.
A View of Tis Issue
Preview what you'll find in this issue
and the imaginary journey you'll take.
IN THIS ISSUE
Ñ
BAILEY
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
AND MATHEMATICS
FACULTAD BAILEY DE
CIENCIAS Y
MATEMÁTICAS
24
Pub and Rec
Researchers in the Bailey College have been
busy and noticed. See condensed notes on their
publications and recognitions.
25
Conferences and Events
An annual event showcases student research,
faculty talks and alumni mentor sessions while
a first-time event drew hundreds of attendees
from near and far.
26
BCSM Spaces
Not all of our research happens in labs. This
special edition highlights unique locations for
undergraduate research in the Bailey College
impacting California and beyond.
27
Cool Tool
It doesn't get more cool than lasers and
cutting-edge equipment. Our photo gallery
spotlights exciting new instruments
used by physics researchers.
18
Everyone Wins with
Funded Fellowships
Generously funded fellowships
advance research and create impactful
Teacher-Scholar outcomes.
TEACHER-SCHOLAR IMPACT
20
Ignored Inequities
Cal Poly researchers study rarely
discussed factors afecting
Black students’ experiences
in developmental mathematics.
EDUCATION & SOCIETY
22
Performance Psychology:
Mind and Matter
Kinesiology research students and faculty use
debriefing to help clients maximize physical
performance in sports and other activities.
HEALTH & MEDICINE
28
Funded and Focused
Meet some of our undergraduate stars
making excellent use of research funding.
32
Research Briefs
A quick look at the who, what, why,
what's next and the wow of research by
our students and faculty.
34
Facts and Figures
See standout data contributing
to our well-earned reputation for
undergraduate research.
IN THIS ISSUE
The disciplines of science, mathematics and education
are among humanity's most noble endeavors. Their
collective impact on society is undeniable, enriching
the lives of individuals from all backgrounds and
communities. The Bailey College embraces the ideals,
values and practices of scholarly research. Our work is
essential for advancements in human health, wellness,
natural resource management, climate change response
and children's education, as well as for understanding the
fundamentals of nature. This foundational knowledge
enables disciplines such as engineering, business
and agriculture to tackle global challenges and drive
innovative solutions that touch every aspect of our lives.
Another fundamental reason for engaging in research is
its profound impact on student learning and growth. As
students confront complex problems without immediate
answers, the act of conducting research — one of the
most efective forms of Learn by Doing in the Bailey
College — transforms their professional trajectories and
empowers them to become problem solvers and pioneers
of new knowledge.
I experienced this firsthand as a student researcher at
Cal Poly 35 years ago, and countless alumni and current
students have shared similar sentiments. Recently, I
visited Bill and Linda Frost in Montana; Bill conveyed
that engaging in research as an undergrad at Cal Poly
was crucial to his career success and that his research
experience inspired the Frosts’ significant investment in
student learning in the Bailey College.
Throughout my three decades of federally funded
research, I have observed that today's discoveries ofen
become tomorrow's solutions. It's not always clear how
foundational knowledge will lead to meaningful impact.
The scientific method is one of humanity's greatest
inventions, generating incremental new knowledge that
can ultimately enhance our daily lives. A prime example
from my experience is the 1981 discovery of symbiotic
bacteria in larvae of a bryozoan, an obscure marine
invertebrate, that was shown to produce bioactive
compounds known as bryostatin. A decade later, it was
hypothesized that these symbiotic bacteria might be
responsible for producing bryostatins. In 2001, it was
confirmed that the bacteria are indeed the source of
bryostatin, a compound shown to have potential as an
anti-cancer agent and promising therapeutic potential
for neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease. This
progression of knowledge illustrates that the significance
of scientific investment ofen becomes evident only many
years afer fundamental discoveries.
The Bailey College afirms and champions the pursuit of
both basic and applied research in science, mathematics
and education. Our work distinguishes us as one of the nation's
premier institutions for undergraduate research. Unforeseen
discoveries in specialized studies demonstrate that even the most
obscure research can lead to transformative advancements. While
we cannot always predict where the next breakthrough will arise, the
process of exploration inherent to research fosters extraordinary
innovation.
I am proud of our collective eforts to advance knowledge and
improve the lives of individuals in our community, our nation and
worldwide. This remarkable impact stems from our commitment to
helping students learn and connect with our disciplines and the Bailey
College community through research. I invite you to enjoy this edition
of Undergraduate Research, which celebrates the power of Learn by
Doing and the contributions of our faculty, staf and students to the
betterment of our world.
Sincerely,
Dean E. Wendt
Dean, Bailey College of Science and Mathematics
FROM THE DEAN
Dean Wendt reflects on
the impacts of research
TO OUR ALUMNI:
Share Your Impactful Research Story!
Do you have a personal undergraduate research story that
would interest our readers? Use this short online form to share
your compelling, surprising or impactful research experience
from your time in Cal Poly’s Bailey College of Science and
Mathematics.
SUBMIT YOUR STORY ONLINE:
Scan this QR code
or visit
cosam.calpoly.edu/share
6 BAILEY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS: SPRING 2025
FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR
U A T
CAL POLY BAILEY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
SPRING 2025 / ISSUE 3
Í
Ñ
Astronomy in the
Bailey College
ARTÍCULO EN
LA PÁGINA 14
SPECIAL
FEATURED STORY
IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH
Imagine a vertical line.
Or better yet, imagine a vertical field of energy that begins far below the Earth’s
surface and stretches up, way up, to stratospheric heights — up to a monster
black hole in another galaxy.
As you explore that imaginary vertical field from 300 meters downward to 1,500
light-years upward and outward, you’ll cross paths with the stories in this issue
of Undergraduate Research.
First will be deep underground electrical resistivity tomography currents
sourcing subsurface groundwater; then you’ll pass by California elk, pronghorn
and raptors studied by Cal Poly conservation researchers. Next, you’ll step
out of the wilderness and into classrooms as kinesiology researchers dabble
in performance psychology and education researchers shed light on teaching
inequities for Black students. And finally, you may approach the center of a
supermassive black hole that intrigues astronomy researchers in the Bailey
College.
Much of the work in the Bailey College shares a common thread of place
and connectivity. Here and there. Us and them. Research by students and
faculty here at Cal Poly ofen has meaning out there in nearby communities
or far beyond any line that we can imagine. This work connects us with
them, benefiting scholarly knowledge or societal gain. And, in the spirit of
connectivity and community, we ofer our cover story on astronomy in both
English and Spanish, aiming to reach a broader audience as a prospective
Hispanic-Serving Institution.
With a focus on discovery and dedication, undergraduate research can reach
depths and heights that instruct, impact and illuminate. It’s an exciting
adventure of Learn by Doing as well as learning by adversity — both important
elements of innovation and growth.
The paths to learning, innovation and progress are rarely linear. There are ups
and downs, ons and ofs, starts and stops. Successes, missteps and everything
in between are useful with research and the scientific method that Dean Wendt
lauds in his introduction. Sometimes the
finding shared is “Eureka!” And other times
it’s, “Dead end, not a through street. Use a
diferent route.”
The Bailey College strives to provide a
supportive environment where students
and faculty see hitches, glitches and misses
as unique opportunities to problem-solve.
From this mindset grows a type of efort and
determination that ofen leads to creative
solutions, exciting concepts and well-earned
wins — some of which are highlighted in this
magazine. We appreciate and applaud their
work and determination to move research
and knowledge upward and outward, and
hope you do as well.
WATCH OUR VIDEO
About Undergraduate Research in the Bailey College
See and hear our students and faculty share their exciting and
impactful firsthand experiences with undergraduate research in
a short video titled “Bailey College: A Premier Institution for
Undergraduate Research.”
TO WATCH THE 3-MINUTE VIDEO:
Scan this QR code
or visit
cosam.calpoly.edu/research
An upward and outward view
of this issue
By Eileen Odanaka Vavra
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH 7
CAL POLY RESEARCHERS
FIND MICROPLASTICS IN
EACH CENTRAL COAST
BIRD THEY EXAMINED
By Nick Wilson
8 BAILEY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS: SPRING 2025
Raptors
Fall Prey
to Microplastics
ABOVE: Alexis Leviner searches for microscopic evidence of ingested microplastics in a deceased
raptor. INSET: Evidence of microbeads found in the system of a raptor during examination.
Courtesy photos
OPPOSITE: A Red-Tailed Hawk at Dixon Lake, California. Photo by Shea Vavra
of the examined
raptors' digestive
tracts contained
microplastics.
Scan the QR code on page 2 to view this
group's research. publication.
CALIFORNIA IMPACT
Research supported by: The William and Linda Frost Fund,
Pacific Wildlife Care
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH 9
Looking
Deep
into Never Explored
Granite for Groundwater
A GEOPHYSICS PROFESSOR AND STUDENT
RESEARCHERS USE SPECIALIZED
RESISTIVITY EQUIPMENT TO DETECT DEEP
GROUNDWATER ON THE CENTRAL COAST
By Nick Wilson
On a rural ranch in Paso Robles, California, one might
not wonder about what lies deep down under the soil.
Cal Poly researchers captivated by the question are
going to great lengths to answer it.
The ranch owner wants to drill a water well, but the
property sits atop a site not usually associated with
water above a subsurface of granite weathered and
fractured by millions of years of geological movement
from seismic fault activity.
Physics Professor John Jasbinsek and students
went to work searching for the best place to drill for
water and explore a bigger question concerning the
fascinating subsurface hydrogeology associated with
fragmented Salinian Block granite.
Jasbinsek, who teaches courses in geology and
geophysics, said the rock is special for how it has
come to be exposed on California’s Central Coast.
“This granite has been transported, over the course
of millions of years, from the western Mojave Desert
along faults related to the formation of the San
Andrea Fault plate boundary,” Jasbinsek said. “This
Paso Robles ranch is an interesting site, because it’s
not a typical aquifer site, which tends to be sediment.
Weathered and fractured granitic rock, where
groundwater might be found, underlies a lot of this
property.”
Alluvial aquifers, from which groundwater is typically
drawn, come from formations of sand and gravel. But
hard rock — granite that is an intrusive igneous rock
formed from magma that cooled slowly deep within
the Earth’s crust — hasn’t frequently been explored
for water. Jasbinsek said Salinian Block granite
in California has never been searched with geophysical methods for groundwater
resources.
As governing agencies, farmers, vineyard operators and landowners grapple with
managing water resources strained by overdrafing and the efects of climate
change, identifying ways to diversify water resources has become a growing concern,
along with conservation and recycling eforts through multi-faceted groundwater
management programs.
Many of Jasbinsek’s students have gone on to jobs using hydrogeology because of
the demand in the field, including work involving geophysical surveys — non-invasive
ways to gather information about subsurface land areas.
The ongoing study in Paso Robles allows students to explore aquifers, develop skills in
geologic mapping and acquisition, and analysis of near-surface geophysical data. They
did so with the help of electrical resistivity tomography, which uses electrical currents
to measure variation in subsurface resistivity in areas of groundwater interest. The
team uses equipment such as the AGI SuperSting R8 Multi-Electrode Resistivity
System purchased with Frost funding.
“Patterns and variations in subsurface resistivity values can indicate areas of
groundwater,” the professor said. “Because resistivity values also depend on
characteristics of the geologic medium the groundwater is hosted in, such as
composition and permeability, it can be counterintuitive that zones of relatively higher
resistivity are the water-bearing regions. Therefore, understanding the local geology
as much as possible is fundamental to interpretation of the geophysical data.”
Using surveys to explore sites from 100 to 300 meters below ground, Cal Poly
researchers identified areas in the Paso Robles field site with low resistance to
electrical flow. They also used seismic refraction tomography, a prospecting
technique using seismic waves, to study subsurface conditions.
“The research in Paso Robles was interesting in that it was a unique case study,” said
former student Addison Burke (Environmental Earth and Soil Sciences, ’24), physics
minor who received a Cal Poly Teacher-Scholar Mini Grant supporting experiential
learning. “It was a complex system that we were working with. I was also able to see
the project all the way through, which was very rewarding. The landowner recently
drilled at our site recommendation and found water that is suficient for a well.”
10 BAILEY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS: SPRING 2025