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2024-2025 BEACoN Research Projects
The BEACoN Research Mentoring Program exists to educate, empower, and advocate for underrepresented students and provide them with funded undergraduate research opportunities working one-on-one with faculty.
Selected students will work with faculty during Winter and Spring quarters (10 hrs/week) and receive a $2,000 quarterly stipend ($4,000 total) distributed via financial aid for their time gaining research experience and participating in professional development events within the BEACoN Program. Applications are now open and being accepted until 5:00 pm on Tuesday, November 12.
Applications are now open!
Dr. Bennion is hosting an informational Q & A on Thursday, 11/7 from 11:10-noon on Zoom for any students with questions! Click here to join!
Click to view projects by college:
- CampusWide DEI Projects
- Kennedy Library Project
- College of Architecture & Environmental Design
- College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences
- College of Engineering
- College of Liberal Arts
- Bailey College of Science & MathematicS
- Orfalea College of Business
Campuswide DEI Projects
Susan Hawk
(she/her/hers)
shawk@calpoly.edu
Food Science and Nutrition
Research project Title:
Opening the Door— Exploring the Access Route for Latinx/e Students to Wellness through Nutrition and Health Services
Research Project Description:
Nationwide, there is a huge disparity amongst access to health care for Latinx/e individuals. With poor access to health services, preventative care goes unaddressed, and disease risk escalates. Given that 3 out of 4 of the leading causes of death (cardiovascular disease, cancer and stroke) are largely preventable through a lifestyle that incorporates healthy nutrition choices, this poses grave concern for populations with limited access to health care and nutrition services and places them at increased susceptibility to morbidity and mortality. To better serve the students, especially Lantinx/e students, identifying the barriers to change in food, nutrition and health care habits is pivotal. Once barriers are identified, then action plans can be implemented to promote change. Bridging the gap between nutrition and health care is essential so that we can support Latinx/e students beyond academics and into their health and wellness sphere as well so that we set them up for life-long success. This project aims to identify the barriers to healthy food choices and health services, as the institution moves closer to becoming an HSI. The information collected by the BEACoN research scholar will help the institution better support incoming students by identifying resources that can improve their intake of nutritious foods and help with access to health care and disease prevention. Using survey questionnaires, the student will collect data to help ascertain the barriers to accessing nutritious foods, eating healthy and seeking health care when needed. The student will be involved in the development of the survey questions, disbursement of the survey, and the collection and analysis of the data. The student will also assist in writing a brief communication review on the topic.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACon Research Scholar's role includes helping develop survey questionnaires and disbursement of them to Cal Poly students. The student will also help with the collection and analysis of the data/results from the surveys. The BEACoN Research Student will also write a brief communication review on the research project topic.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
BEACon Research Scholar will gain skills in survey question development, QR codes to link to survey, data collection (compiling the responses from the surveys) and use of excel spreadsheets to manage data as well as qualitatively analyze the data collected. The BEACon Research Scholar will also improve their scientific writing skills.
Required qualifications/coursework:
The student should have taken a basic science course or have an interest in science and health.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
The student would benefit from having taking an Introduction to Human Nutrition course but this is not essential
Sergio Fernando Juárez
(he/him/his)
sfjuarez@calpoly.edu
Communication Studies
Research project Title:
Exploring Latina/o/x Experiences at Cal Poly: A Counterstory Methodology
Research Project Description:
My research examines the experiences of Latina/o/x students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO), an Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Although not officially designated as an HSI, Cal Poly falls into the category of Emerging HSI, that is campuses with a Latinx student enrollment between 15% and 24%, according to Excelencia in Education. While California is home to the highest number of HSI-designated campuses in the nation, stark inequalities in higher education persist. For example, despite Latinx individuals representing 55% of the state’s population, only 14% of Latinx adults hold a bachelor’s degree, the lowest degree attainment rate of any racial/ethnic group in the state (Campaign for College, 2017). Through my research, I aim to explore how Latiné students navigate these systemic inequalities at Cal Poly SLO.
Inequality in higher education has long been a deeply embedded issue in the U.S. educational system, and despite progress, these disparities persist. Critical Race Theory (CRT) others a valuable framework for understanding and addressing these inequities, focusing on the importance of voice and experiential knowledge. A core method in CRT is counter storytelling, where marginalized groups share their experiences to challenge dominant narratives. For example, in California's higher education system, Latinx students are often underserved, and the disparity is especially evident in the student-to-faculty ratio. Research shows that while the ratio of White students to White faculty is 18 to 1, for Latinx students, this ratio is a staggering 208 to 1 (Garcia, 2019). By sharing the counterstories of Latiné students at Cal Poly SLO, my research aims to expose these structural inequalities and other insights for creating more equitable educational environments.!
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will play a centrall role in this project, taking on multiple responsibilities throughout the research process. They will start by conducting a comprehensive literature review on key topics like Counterstorytelling as a methodology and Latinx/e student experiences to ground the research. The student will also assist with participant recruitment and work closely with me to analyze the data. A key part of their role will be conducting qualitative research, gathering counterstories possibly through indepth interviews. The student will also help draft sections of conference presentations and/or peer-reviewed journal articles, contributing to the dissemination of our findings. They will have opportunities to present at academic conferences and co-author publications, gaining valuable experience in research and academic writing along the way
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will gain a variety of skills related to the development of a qualitative research project. They will begin by conducting a comprehensive literature, improving their ability to critically analyze academic sources and synthesize key findings. The scholar will also gain practical experience with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes, learning how to navigate ethical considerations, submit research proposals, and ensure compliance with research standards. They will also assist with participant recruitment, building their communication and organizational skills. In terms of data collection, the student will engage in qualitative research methods, including conducting in-depth interviews and gathering counterstories. Additionally, the student will gain valuable experience in academic writing. They will have opportunities to present at conferences and co-author publications, further developing their research communication skills and understanding of the academic dissemination process.
Required qualifications/coursework:
N/A
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
My preferred experiences is that they taken ethnic studies courses or similar like having taken the COMS 316 course on intercultural communication. Overall, I'm looking for someone interested in exploring dynamics of power and interested in learning more about the experiences of Latinê students here at Cal Poly.
Susana A. López
(she/her)
slopeza@calpoly.edu
Psychology and Child Development Department (CLA)
Leah Rachel Dolores Thomas
(she/her)
lrthomas@calpoly.edu
Psychology and Child Development Department (CLA)
Research project Title:
Share your Voice: Self-Advocacy through Video Stories to Evaluate Mental Health Disparities and Access to Care for Black and Latine/x Students
Research Project Description:
Mental health prevalence rates have continued to rise across college campuses, in particular for students of color. Despite the growing need, Black and Latine/x students are consistently part of the student groups with the lowest rates of accessing mental health services (National Healthy Minds Study, 2013-2021). With this project, we aim to document the mental health journeys and disparities of Black and Latine/x students within the context of a predominantly White institution (PWI) like Cal Poly and a predominantly White community like San Luis Obispo. The results can be used to move forward on the conversation and action of creating culturally responsive and holistic mental health treatments for Latine/x and Black students on campus. Discussion of the intersectionality of the Latine/x and Black experience will be centered (e.g collective shared experiences, unique cultural and systemic barriers for each group, and the growing intersection of AfroLatine/x individuals). We will accomplish this in a series of three steps that build upon one another:
1) Video stories: The first tier focuses on empowering Black and Latine/x students to advocate for themselves. Students will be invited to submit self-recorded videos where they reflect on their experiences with mental health and mental health care (including services available on campus and in the greater community) and identify unmet needs and barriers to care. Students will be provided with general response prompts, but the specificity of the responses will be based on each individual’s journey. This method allows students to independently share their mental health journeys in a private and convenient setting, free from the power dynamics often present between perceived experts (researchers or clinicians) and students, allowing for greater openness and accessibility. Students will also be asked to complete a set of questionnaires that gather demographics and social data.
2) Focus Groups: The second tier takes a deeper look into the mental health care disparities and needs of Black and Latine/x students and explores through focus groups how they can be addressed through conversation with key stakeholders, including Black and Latine/x students, staff from the student diversity and belonging collective (i.e., BAEC, La CASA, Multicultural Center), housing, and clinicians from Cal Poly counseling services.
3) Distribution and dissemination: Once we have collected the personal stories, survey data, and perspectives of stakeholders, we will analyze through mixed methodologies and identify the key needs that are shared and different for Black and Latine/x students and suggest an action plan. Our BEACoN scholars will present these findings to the greater community at local and national conferences, such as the BEACoN Research Symposium, and other undergraduate research conferences at nearby universities like San Jose State University (SPARC) and UCLA (PURC). If time allows, we will create a compilation of the videos and findings, with the permission of the participating students, that can be shared with the greater campus community and key stakeholders to initiate the open conversation and action that is needed.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The mentees will be expected to work on this project for the duration of their supported scholarship through the BEACoN program.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Research scholars will gain proficiency in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. They will learn survey design and interviewing techniques for data collection, utilize Qualtrics for questionnaire creation, and perform statistical analyses using SPSS. Furthermore, scholars will develop skills in synthesizing existing research to shape hypotheses and research questions. They'll also master the art of transcribing interviews, identifying themes, and conducting thematic analyses. Ultimately, they will extract valuable insights from the data to craft compelling arguments for change. This comprehensive mentoring will equip research scholars with the knowledge and tools to make a real-world impact
Required qualifications/coursework:
Students must be enthusiastic about social scientific research preferably in the field of communication and advocacy. Although students do not need to have any prior experience, coursework in empirical research methods from a CLA department is preferred. Finally, working with students who are motivated, organized, and responsible makes the research process much more enjoyable and efficient.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
We would prefer if the student is junior standing or above and has taken a few upper level electives in their respective majors, which involved researching scholarly sources or peer reviewed research articles. It would also be great if the scholar has taken a research methods course (either quantitative/ qualitative/ humanities) or statistics based course.
Perla Ramos Carranza
(she/her/hers)
pramosca@calpoly.edu
Liberal Studies & Biological Sciences
Research project Title:
The Role of Identity-Based and Cultural Organizations in the Persistence of Latinx Aspiring Teachers at Cal Poly
Research Project Description:
Research scholars and educational organizations emphasize the critical importance of recruiting and retaining a diverse population of teachers (Bireda and Chait, 2011; CarverThomas, 2018). However, teachers from ethnically minoritized populations, such as Latinx teachers, are severely underrepresented in the teacher workforce. Particularly, while Latinx students represent 28% of the K-12 student population in the U.S., Latinx teachers only represent 9% of the teacher population (National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). Latinx pre-service teachers, or students training to become teachers, often face challenges in their teacher preparation programs that deter them from persisting in the field, such as racial and ethnic discrimination from faculty and peers and a cultural mismatch between their cultural values and background and those of their program (Chávez-Moreno et al., 2022; Irizarry, 2011). Thus, it is crucial to identify and develop sources of support that can help Latinx pre-service teachers persist in their aspirations of becoming teachers, despite the challenges they may face.
Identity-based and/or cultural organizations have the potential to provide Latinx aspiring teachers with tools and resources that help them persist in their profession. At Cal Poly, specifically, organizations such as Nuestra Ciencia and Educators of Color, can promote a sense of belonging on campus and empower preservice teachers to see their cultural background and knowledge as assets for their academic and professional aspirations. For this project, we will investigate the experience of Latinx undergraduate alumni who were involved in identity-based or cultural organizations at Cal Poly, like Nuestra Ciencia and Educators of Color, and how their experience might have shaped their persistence in their aspirations to become teachers. The overarching goal is to support the creation and development of educational spaces at higher education institutions like Cal Poly that can contribute to a diverse K-12 teacher workforce where educators of color, including Latinx educators, can thrive. BEACoN Research Scholars will support this project through recruiting potential participants, conducting interviews with participants, transcribing recordings of the interviews, analyzing qualitative data from the interviews, and disseminating findings from data analysis through research papers and presentations.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The student will be expected to:
1- Attend research meetings with other undergraduate students and faculty
2- Research relevant empirical literature related to higher education, teacher education, and identity-based/cultural organizations and develop annotated bibliographies from that literature
3- Qualitative data collection: Recruit participants, conduct interviews with participants, and transcribe recordings of interviews
4- Qualitative data analysis: Assist with thematic coding of interview transcripts
5- Collaborate with other undergraduate students and faculty on research presentations and research papers
6- Present research findings through poster presentations or research talks at lab meetings and research conferences
7- Synthesize findings from data analysis in written format (i.e., helping with writing research papers for peer-reviewed publication)
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
1- Conducting literature reviews of empirical literature
2- Working knowledge of Zotero, a software for managing academic references
3- Working knowledge of MAXQDA, a software used to analyze qualitative data
4- Qualitative data methodology, including conducting interviews, transcribing recordings of interviews, and analyzing themes from interviews
5- Critical thinking for analyzing previous literature and interview data
6- Communicating and presenting research through oral presentation and written reports
7- Teamwork and collaborative skills with interdisciplinary team of undergraduate students and faculty
Required qualifications/coursework:
1- Passion for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in K-12 and higher education
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
1- Some working knowledge or personal experience with issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, K-12 education, and teacher education
2- Some previous experience researching empirical, peer reviewed research articles either through coursework or other research experiences
3- Interest in learning more about qualitative research methodology
Jared P. Van Ramshorst
(He/him/his)
jvanrams@calpoly.edu
Political Science
Research project Title:
Learning while Latina/e/o/x: Student Experiences amid the 2024 U.S. Elections
Research Project Description:
The past decade in U.S. politics has been marked by intense anti-immigrant sentiment, nationalism, and xenophobia. From campaign pledges to deport millions of "illegal aliens" to descriptions of immigrants as "criminals," "monsters," and "vile animals," the current presidential race has mobilized widespread racial anxieties and nativist fears. While such rhetoric is by no means new, it has signaled an increasingly combative and hostile environment in which Latina/e/o/x people have been explicitly targeted. How have these events affected Latina/e/o/x students on college and university campuses? What is it like to identify as Latina/e/o/x and to learn in an environment characterized by broader racial and ethnic antagonisms? How can educators better understand the challenges, concerns, and difficulties that Latina/e/o/x students face inside and outside of the classroom amid this political climate? This project gathers Latina/e/o/x experiences and voices on Cal Poly's campus to examine the 2024 U.S. elections and their impact on education and learning, especially inside of the classroom.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
In collaboration with me, students will compile and analyze a literature review on existing scholarship in the area under study. Following this, we will create, develop, and devise a research plan, including protocols to conduct interviews and focus groups with Latina/e/o/x students on campus. Under my mentorship and supervision, we will complete these interviews and focus groups together, and systematically analyze this data after collection. Finally, we will work together to author and outline deliverables such as manuscripts for presentation and publication.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Students will gain proficiency in qualitative methods and research design. They will learn how to complete a literature review, how to collect and manage data, how to develop and conduct interviews and focus groups, how to analyze data, and how to author manuscripts for presentation and publication.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Students must have strong communication skills and be excellent readers and writers. They must also be interested in the challenges, concerns, and difficulties that Latina/e/o/x students face on campus.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Completed coursework in, or experiences with, curriculum in the College of Liberal Arts, research design and methods, and some upper-level electives is strongly preferred.
Kennedy Library Project
Kyle Tanaka |
In Our Own Words: Oral Histories of Cal Poly Student Protests 2023-24 |
Kyle Tanaka
(He/him/his)
ktanak14@calpoly.edu
Kennedy Library Faculty
Research project Title:
In Our Own Words: Oral Histories of Cal Poly Student Protests 2023-24
Research Project Description:
The past academic year (2023-24) was a tumultuous and impactful one across higher education: numerous college and university campuses across the U.S. witnessed various forms of student protests. These events have had (and continue to have) significant impacts on their institutions, including university president resignations, institutional reforms, and broad conversations about the relationship between higher education and the sociopolitical contexts from which they are inextricable.
Though not as nationally prominent as protests at, e.g., Columbia University or Cal Poly Humboldt, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also witnessed numerous protests. This research project will create an oral history of these protests. Documentation will primarily take the form of oral interviews with accompanying transcriptions. In so doing, this project will articulate both the why and how of student protests, recognizing such eIorts as properly belonging to the life of the campus community, as well as providing an opportunity for participants to document their efforts in their own words
The project’s scope will focus primarily on student protestors. To give broader context about Cal Poly, interviewees may also include faculty, staff, and administrators, as well as representatives from relevant communities. In addition to the oral history recordings, the project will also create a research guide that provides an overview of (1) the events at Cal Poly (2) its coverage in student & local news outlets and (3) how Cal Poly’s protests related to national and international events.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
Student will:
1. Learn best practices in oral history creation
2. Co-create interview questions for interviewees
3. Assist in identifying interviewees of interest
4. Assist with interviewing
5. Edit written transcripts
6. Research and assemble relevant supplementary materials
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
1. Knowledge of logistical and ethical considerations in creating a historical primary source
2. Oral history project design and implementation
3. Professional/academic networking and communication skills
4. Situating research in relation to ongoing public and academic discourses
Required qualifications/coursework:
N/A
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Though none of the following are required, having at least some experience in one or more of the following areas is appreciated:
- Familiarity with oral history methods
- Familiarity with ethical issues in representing historically marginalized/underrepresented populations
- Familiarity with local and/or national protests since 2023
College of Architecture & Environmental Design (CAED)
Jaehun Woo |
Small Californian City Halls: Dinner with the Neighbors |
Jaehun Woo
(he/him/his)
jaewoo@calpoly.edu
Architecture
Research project Title:
Small Californian City Halls: Dinner with the Neighbors
Research Project Description:
This research project is composed of two parts: speculative architectural design and an exhibition with a community gathering event. The core aim is to explore how municipal structures, through developing speculative architectural design (repositioning, renovation, addition), particularly city halls in small to mid-sized cities, can evolve to address contemporary challenges such as climate change, urban migration, inequality, and systemic racism. Through collaboration with San Luis Obispo (SLO) City Hall (scheduled) and a focus on municipalities with approximately 50,000 residents in California, the project seeks to reimagine civic spaces as dynamic, inclusive hubs for public engagement. As domestic migration reshapes urban demographics, city halls must transform to meet the growing complexity of services, departments, and agencies they host. The project will culminate in an exhibition, where speculative designs by scholars will be showcased, along with a ""Dinner with the Neighbors"" event, promoting dialogue about civic architecture between SLO residents, students, and faculty. During the design of speculative project, scholars will gain insights to how to operate in the time of rapid societal change, as well as learn how to provide systemic approach in developing an architectural project. The project’s outcomes will be shared through publications, videos, and online platforms, encouraging students to consider how their designs function in the public realm. By framing the project as a prototype for small city halls across California, it seeks to inspire more inclusive and responsive civic architecture."
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will play a central role in coordinating and executing both the speculative design project and the public exhibition. Their responsibilities will include:
Weeks 1-2: Contacting venues and sponsors to ensure diverse community engagement.
Weeks 3-8: Collaborating with city government officials and community members to explore civic architecture topics. The scholar will help develop speculative designs that integrate social programs, sustainability, and civic responsibility.
Weeks 9-11: Assisting in the design of the exhibition space, ensuring that the narrative reflects the project’s themes of inclusivity and societal transformation.
Weeks 12-15: Overseeing the fabrication of exhibition materials, with an emphasis on reusability for future events.
Weeks 16-20: Preparing the exhibition space, coordinating with students, faculty, and local stakeholders, and managing the installation process.
After completing this 20-week schedule, the researcher will continue with the following responsibilities:
Researcher-Led Exhibition Preparation: This phase includes securing venues, fundraising, participant outreach, determining the exhibition theme, and coordinating with project beneficiaries. For the pilot projects, there are three primary components: fabrication, exhibition design, and publication and promotion. The researcher will focus on one area, set agendas for weekly coordination meetings, and receive faculty feedback on decisions.
Collaboration with Government and the Public: The researcher will work closely with SLO City Hall officials, exploring the structure and bureaucratic roles of civic architecture and its implications in the American democratic context. This collaboration will help shape the public engagement strategy and the exhibition's components.
Fabrication and Installation of Exhibition (Spring): The team will design and fabricate custom objects and furniture for the display of models and prints. All fabricated pieces will be designed for reuse and provided for future school use.
The Dinner Event: The "Dinner" is an open session, with catering, held at the exhibition venue. It will be heavily promoted and open to all residents of SLO. The dinner will function like an informal city hall meeting, with the researcher and faculty moderating discussions. This setting removes the formalities of regular city hall chambers to encourage more open dialogue.
Proliferation and Prototyping: The goal of the exhibition and event is to provide prototypical approaches and solutions that can be replicated in other cities across California. These solutions will be shared through publications, videos, and online platforms, with the aim of expanding the program to other small cities.
The research will require the researcher to engage in both qualitative and quantitative aspects of design and exhibition development, considering multiple angles to address the topic effectively. Additionally, the researcher will assist in retrieving relevant data from public and government sources to inform the project’s design decisions and enhance the integration of civic and social considerations into the final speculative proposals. This data collection will be critical in ensuring that the speculative designs reflect real-world conditions and challenges faced by small to mid-sized cities in California.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Critical Thinking: The scholar will learn to critically analyze civic architecture and its role in social equity, applying theoretical and practical approaches to real-world design challenges.
Ethical Conduct: The scholar will gain insight into the ethical considerations involved in community-focused design and research, emphasizing inclusivity and long-term societal impact.
Systemic and Sustainable Thinking: The scholar will understand how designers contribute to systemic change through sustainable and equitable design choices, from conceptual planning to fabrication.
Spatial and Graphic Design: The scholar will gain experience in designing both physical and digital materials, developing exhibition layouts, print materials, and other graphic elements that communicate the research findings.
Time Management and Coordination: The scholar will learn to manage multiple tasks and timelines effectively, ensuring that project milestones are met and that the exhibition is executed smoothly.
Communication Skills: By engaging with city officials, community members, and the public, the scholar will develop strong communication skills, learning to present complex ideas to diverse audiences in an accessible manner.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Collaborative Engagement: The ability to work in collaborative settings with diverse groups, including city officials and community stakeholders, is crucial for the success of this project.
Design Mindset: A strong foundation in creative and impactful design thinking, especially in speculative and civic architecture, is necessary for contributing to the project’s goals.
Proficiency in Graphic Editing Software (Optional): Knowledge of tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign is essential for editing, design, and the creation of presentation materials.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Any of them in the list below:
1 - Design and Representation: Experience in small-scale object design or stage/furniture design. Skills in large-scale drawings and poster design. Proficiency in creating visuals using Photoshop and Illustrator.
2 - Fabrication and Installation: Experience in woodshop or metalwork for fabricating exhibition materials. Familiarity with setting up exhibitions and working with large-format printing.
3 - Social Engagement and Outreach: Experience in managing social media, leading community outreach efforts, and engaging with local stakeholders. Skills in interviewing and managing collaborative meetings with multiple parties.
College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences (CAFES)
Marni Goldenberg
(she/her/hers)
mgoldenb@calpoly.edu
Experience Industry Management
Research project Title:
Neurodiversity in Agritourism Experiences: The Design & Impact of Planning for Neuroinclusion at Farmers Markets
Research Project Description:
This study investigates the outcomes of resilience rooms at farmers' markets by exploring the experiences of neurodivergent individuals and their families or supporters. This unique and first-of-its-kind study includes the creation of a resilience room at the SLO Downtown Farmers Market to offer a supportive environment for neurodivergent guests to selfregulate. Farmers markets can be lively, loud, overstimulating environments and the resilience room can help shoppers to self-regulate. Farmers market experiences should foster diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and it is important to consider neurodiversity. Driven by both genetic and environmental factors, an estimated 15-20 percent of the world's population exhibits some form of neurodivergence. That equates to one in five of our farmers market attendees/shoppers, volunteers, farmstand workers and market managers.
Research will uncover the perspectives of participants and their supporters, shedding light on the effectiveness of resilience rooms in addressing the unique needs of neurodivergent individuals in a farmers market setting. The findings will provide valuable insights and recommendations contributing to the overall well-being and inclusivity of the California agricultural industry and potentially beyond.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
Beyond regular meetings with the advisor, the student’s responsibilities in the project will be as follows:
Assist the faculty member in designing, staging, and setting up the resilience room in downtown San Luis Obispo.
Assist with promotion and recruitment of participants for the study.
Assist the faculty mentor in conducting interviews and collecting surveys in the spring of 2025.
Assist with data analysis and interpretation.
Draft conference or peer-reviewed journal with the faculty mentor.
Disseminating the research results through conference or peer-reviewed journals publications.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Master the techniques of conducting interviews and collecting surveys.
Recruit research participants.
Develop qualitative and quantitative skills.
Enhance leadership, problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills through writing and presenting research papers.
Required qualifications/coursework:
No experience/course required. Research Scholar will be expected to have a desire to learn about neurodiversity, resilience rooms, Farmer's Market, special events, and/or agritourism.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
If the BEACoN Research Scholar has experience with data collection, working with diverse populations, and data analysis, that would be preferred. However, this is not required.
Susan Hawk
(she/her/hers)
shawk@calpoly.edu
Food Science and Nutrition
Research project Title:
Opening the Door— Exploring the Access Route for Latinx/e Students to Wellness through Nutrition and Health Services
Research Project Description:
Nationwide, there is a huge disparity amongst access to health care for Latinx/e individuals. With poor access to health services, preventative care goes unaddressed, and disease risk escalates. Given that 3 out of 4 of the leading causes of death (cardiovascular disease, cancer and stroke) are largely preventable through a lifestyle that incorporates healthy nutrition choices, this poses grave concern for populations with limited access to health care and nutrition services and places them at increased susceptibility to morbidity and mortality. To better serve the students, especially Lantinx/e students, identifying the barriers to change in food, nutrition and health care habits is pivotal. Once barriers are identified, then action plans can be implemented to promote change. Bridging the gap between nutrition and health care is essential so that we can support Latinx/e students beyond academics and into their health and wellness sphere as well so that we set them up for life-long success. This project aims to identify the barriers to healthy food choices and health services, as the institution moves closer to becoming an HSI. The information collected by the BEACoN research scholar will help the institution better support incoming students by identifying resources that can improve their intake of nutritious foods and help with access to health care and disease prevention. Using survey questionnaires, the student will collect data to help ascertain the barriers to accessing nutritious foods, eating healthy and seeking health care when needed. The student will be involved in the development of the survey questions, disbursement of the survey, and the collection and analysis of the data. The student will also assist in writing a brief communication review on the topic.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACon Research Scholar's role includes helping develop survey questionnaires and disbursement of them to Cal Poly students. The student will also help with the collection and analysis of the data/results from the surveys. The BEACoN Research Student will also write a brief communication review on the research project topic.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
BEACon Research Scholar will gain skills in survey question development, QR codes to link to survey, data collection (compiling the responses from the surveys) and use of excel spreadsheets to manage data as well as qualitatively analyze the data collected. The BEACon Research Scholar will also improve their scientific writing skills.
Required qualifications/coursework:
The student should have taken a basic science course or have an interest in science and health.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
The student would benefit from having taking an Introduction to Human Nutrition course but this is not essential.
Dan Castilow
(he/him/his)
dcastilo@calpoly.edu
Ethnic Studies Department
Moses Mike
(he/him/his)
mmike@calpoly.edu
Agricultural Education and Communication
Research project Title:
Exploring Masculinities through Ethnographic Filmmaking and Leisure Culture in the Caribbean
Research Project Description:
Liming is a colloquial term in Trinidad and Tobago that loosely means hanging out or partying. It is an essential part of Trinidadian social life and an aspect of leisure culture that informs Trinidadian national identity in various ways. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is a religiously and ethnoracially diverse nation that has embraced its diversity as a strength. Our research is focused on the intersection of racialized masculinities and liming through the production of an ethnographic film. The film is not merely supplemental to the research on masculinities in Trinidad but is part of our overall research methodology. The purpose of the BEACoN study is to provide experiential expertise on documentary-style filmmaking for research purposes on this topic. At the end of this study, students will deliver a literature review on social interactions in the post-colonial Caribbean context. .
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
Students working on this project will be responsible for gathering background research related to the topic. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the project, this could include texts in history, social sciences, music, visual arts, etc. Students will also work on the production of the film. This includes working on the film's production and post-production
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Students will learn various methods in anthropology and ethnic studies, including research design, interviewing, data collection and coding, data security, and research ethics. Students will also learn all aspects of the documentary production process, from ideation to post-production and everything in between: communication, cultural immersion, video editing, video production, sound design, music, and others.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Introductory Courses in Ethnic Studies. Knowledge of the basic tenets of imagery and composition. The willingness to learn the video production process.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
ES 340 – Cultural Production and Ethnicity in the Caribbean. AGC 207- Software applications for agricultural publications.
College of Engineering
Carlos Diaz Alvarenga
(he/him/his)
cdiazalv@calpoly.edu
Computer Engineering
Ria Kajilal
(she/her/hers)
rkanjila@calpoly.edu
Computer Engineering
Research project Title:
Integrating Machine Learning for Enhanced Navigation in Mobile Robots
Research Project Description:
Navigating complex environments is a critical skill for intelligent mobile robots. Significant research and engineering eIorts have been dedicated to developing advanced navigation systems that enable robots to traverse various locations, and traditional methods have achieved notable success. Recently, there has been increasing interest in applying machine learning (ML) techniques, particularly those arising from advancements in deep learning, to address these navigation challenges. ML has the potential to enhance robustness against sensor noise and eIectively scale with larger datasets, enabling systems to improve as more training examples are introduced.
Typically, an autonomous navigation system follows a classical hierarchical planning paradigm that integrates global path planning with local motion control, all connected through a common representation of the environment. However, the question of where machine learning techniques fit within this paradigm remains unresolved: should we aim to replace the entire navigation stack with an ML model, or should we focus on integrating ML into specific subsystems of the autonomous architecture?
This project aims to develop a navigation dataset and explore deep learning techniques to create a low-level motion controller for a robot, primarily by investigating supervised learning approaches. In other words, we are interested in studying the application of an ML algorithm to a specific sub-system of the navigation stack.
Expected Outcomes:
- Develop software components for a Clearpath Turtlebot4 to enable teleoperation via joystick.
- Collect sensor data during both teleoperation and autonomous navigation modes using ROS2.
- Utilize machine learning tools to train a deep learning model that generates low-level motion commands for the robot.
- Create software to deploy the machine learning model on the robot’s computer and integrate it into the ROS2 navigation stack.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
As a Research Scholar in this project, the student will play a pivotal role in executing and contributing to all phases of the research process. Their responsibilities will include:
1) Performing Data Collection: The student will be expected to collect and curate data relevant to the project's goals, ensuring its accuracy and completeness. This may involve working with sensor data, real-world datasets, or conducting surveys and experiments, depending on the project's scope. They will also be responsible for organizing and preprocessing the data for further analysis.
2) Building a Model for Training: The student will develop and implement machine learning models, guided by the research objectives. They will be expected to explore and select appropriate algorithms, tune hyperparameters, and optimize model architecture. This phase will require the student to engage in critical thinking to ensure the model aligns with the research problem.
3) Testing the Model with Real Test Data: After training the model, the student will evaluate its performance using real-world test data. This will involve analyzing key metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, and other relevant evaluation criteria. The student will need to refine the model iteratively to improve its performance, if necessary.
4) Drafting a Project Report: Upon completing the research, the student will be responsible for writing a comprehensive draft that presents the findings of the project. This will involve articulating the research problem, methodology, results, and conclusions in a clear and organized manner. The draft may be submitted for presentation at conferences or workshops, where the student may also present the findings as a poster or an oral presentation.
This role will provide the student with valuable hands-on experience in the entire research cycle, from data collection and model development to the presentation of results, thereby equipping them with essential skills for future research endeavors.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
This project includes as an essential goal advancing undergraduate students' professional development, by introducing them to:
- Software development techniques for robots and the inner workings of an autonomous navigation stack
- Data collection and curation via both teleoperation and autonomous navigation modes using the Robot Operating System (ROS2).
- Machine learning tools and techniques that can train a deep learning model to generates low-level motion commands for the robot.
- Embedded AI approaches as the models are deployed on the robot’s computer and integrated it into the ROS2 navigation stack.
Through this project, students will gain hands-on experience with robotics and deep learning. They will learn to develop software for the robot, work with embedded systems, and utilize debugging tools for the robotics API. Additionally, students will gain valuable experience in curating and building a 'navigation' dataset that will be used to train models for navigating the robot in the future. Finally, collaborating via GitHub will enhance their ability to work as a team, while presentations will help them eIectively communicate their results and insights.
Required qualifications/coursework:
C or C++ programing
Good understanding of python programming
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
CSC 487, CPE 416
Siavash Farzan
(He/him/his)
sfarzan@calpoly.edu
Electrical Engineering
Research project Title:
Drive to Succeed: Paving the Way for Inclusive STEM Education with Autonomous Driving Technology
Research Project Description:
The "Drive to Succeed" project is an innovative initiative designed to bridge the diversity gap in engineering and autonomous vehicle technology. This research project aims to develop an engaging, hands-on curriculum that introduces autonomous driving concepts to underserved high school students, particularly those from Hispanic/Latino communities in San Luis Obispo County. Working alongside a faculty mentor, the BEACoN scholar will play a crucial role in creating robotics prototypes and educational materials that make complex engineering concepts accessible and exciting for diverse learners.
The project combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, allowing the BEACoN scholar to gain valuable experience in hardware prototyping, sensor integration, software development, and curriculum design. The scholar will help design modular learning units covering key aspects of autonomous systems, such as motion planning, control, perception, and embedded systems. Through this process, the scholar will not only enhance their own understanding of cutting-edge technology but also contribute to a larger mission of inspiring the next generation of diverse engineers. This project offers a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact on local communities while developing crucial research and professional skills in a supportive, collaborative environment.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will play a vital role in developing and implementing the "Drive to Succeed" hardware/software platform and curriculum, with responsibilities including:
1. Conducting literature reviews on autonomous vehicle technology and eIective STEM education practices for underserved communities
2. Creating hands-on activities and experiments that demonstrate principles of motion planning, control, perception, and embedded systems
3. Prototyping hardware kits for use in classroom demonstrations and student projects
4. Integrating sensors and other components into functional autonomous vehicle models
5. Developing software modules for data processing, sensor fusion, and basic autonomous functionalities, using Python programming language
6. Assisting in the design and development of modular curriculum units covering key autonomous driving concepts
7. Collaborating with faculty to ensure the curriculum meets educational standards and DEI goals
8. Participating in pilot testing of curriculum materials with focus groups of potential high school students
9. Contributing to potential publications or conference presentations related to the project
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will gain a diverse set of skills through their involvement in the project, including:
- Hardware Prototyping: Build and integrate small-scale autonomous vehicle models using various sensors and embedded systems.
- Software Development: Program autonomous functionalities and sensor fusion algorithms using Python language.
- Data Analysis and Visualization: Process and visualize data from multiple sensors to illustrate complex autonomous driving concepts.
- Project Management: Plan and execute a multi-stage research project, meeting milestones within a structured timeline.
- Technical Writing: Document research processes, create user manuals, and prepare materials for potential publications.
- Qualitative Research Methods: Conduct literature reviews, design focus group studies, and analyze feedback for curriculum improvement.
- Curriculum Development: Design and create engaging STEM educational modules tailored for diverse high school students.
- Ethical Considerations in Technology: Understand societal implications, equity issues, and safety concerns in autonomous systems.
Required qualifications/coursework:
N/A
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Familiarity with Python programming, for developing software modules, data processing, and implementing autonomous functionalities.
- Familiarity with embedded systems: Basic understanding of embedded devices like Raspberry Pi or Jetson Nano
Daniel Frishberg
(he/him/his)
dfrishbe@calpoly.edu
Computer Science and Software Engineering
Research project Title:
Neuroinclusive STEM Course and Assessment Design
Research Project Description:
This project builds on a line of research on neuroinclusive pedagogy that has included a 2024 summer undergraduate research program (SURP) project as well as ongoing work in the Fall 2024 quarter. The project will include a literature review component: this will involve background readings about neurodiversity, universal design for learning (UDL) and accessible teaching practices, and student-centered assessment design. This component will also include reading reflections on research papers that address both neuroinclusive pedagogy and also the broader topics of metacognition and self-regulated learning.
The project will include a data analysis component: this includes gathering and analyzing data on faculty practices at Cal Poly, as well as analyzing the results of a Fall 2024 survey that will ask neurodiverse students about their experiences with class activities and assessments. Relatedly, there will be a component that involves designing follow-up research in the form of a broader survey, or targeted qualitative interviews, or both.
Another key part of the project involves coordinating with internal stakeholders at Cal Poly, as our research connects with ongoing work by others to understand the state of facultypractices on equitable and neuroinclusive course design, assessment design, and grading.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The scholar will be expected to write weekly reflections on readings as mentioned in the project description. This will typically involve a 1-2 page summary as well as any thoughts on the reading. We will then discuss the reflections in person. The mentor will give feedback on the writing.
The scholar will assist the mentor---and possibly an additional student---in collating and analyzing data from an initial survey on neurodiverse students' experiences with course assessments. The patterns we identify will help us in designing a follow-up survey. Followup work may also include studying self-regulation, intrinsic motivation, and metacognition---building on the readings.
The scholar will also perform some work on gathering, scraping, and analyzing data---and will attend meetings with internal stakeholders with the mentor.
Finally, the scholar will write a research report summarizing their experiences, their work, and any experimental results on the project
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Skills the scholar will gain will include: reading, summarizing, and critically evaluating research papers; quantitative and qualitative methods in analyzing survey results; possibly also scraping and collating data on course design and outcomes; and writing a research report.
For the writing tasks---reading reflections and the final report---the scholar will receive feedback and mentorship on developing academic writing. The scholar may gain experience working with data scraping software libraries. The scholar will develop experience in survey methodologies that include coding responses and identifying patterns in data that warrant further investigation.
Required qualifications/coursework:
No particular coursework is required.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Some experience with quantitative research methods is preferred, including through coursework in behavioral or social sciences.
Some experience with Python or another programming language is also preferred, for the data scraping work.
Kun Hua
(He/him/his)
kuhua@calpoly.edu
Electrical Engineering
Research project Title:
Achieving Health Equity Through Intelligent Wearable Devices and Edge Computing
Research Project Description:
The healthcare sector is undergoing a major transformation as new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) based wearable devices, the internet of things (IoT), and edge computing are enabling more efficient, effective, and personalized care delivery. However, there are persistent inequalities in healthcare access and outcomes across different regions, populations, and socioeconomic groups. Among these underserved populations, particularly low-income and minority groups, the obstacles loom even larger. Intelligent healthcare is one of the major components of a smart urban environment. Smart healthcare was developed with the aim to improve the management of the health sector, make more efficient use of its capabilities and reduce its cost while maintaining or even enhancing its quality. In contrast, non-consumable resources are items that do not expire with time. Human resources, including physicians, pharmacists, and nurse practitioners, as well as the entire human capital involved in the medical process, constitute nonconsumable assets. Intellectual capital in the medical business is an extremely expensive resource, and using this resource effectively is a must for a fully intelligent medical system. A sophisticated healthcare system is necessary in modern society. The technologies of artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and big data, among others, are crucial to the development of a smart and intelligent healthcare system. The creation of an intelligent healthcare system not only provides diagnosis and care to a greater number of patients, but also minimizes the burden of health professionals. Smart medical systems may deliver more sophisticated and accessible services and programs as technology advances. A health disparity is a difference in health resulting from unfair socioeconomic or environmental inequality. Health disparities harm communities facing bigger social or economic issues. Regarding discrepancies in health care, race is not the only determinant. In addition, disadvantaged individuals may face other obstacles while attempting to get health care. This includes discrimination, a lack of affordable treatment options, and living far from treatment facilities. In this proposed BEACoN project, we envision a world of "Healthcare’s Equitability", where has access to cost-effective, culturally relevant healthcare irrespective of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexual orientation, Age, origin, location, and economic/social status. Together with the selected BEACoN researchers, we will endeavor to find the appropriate solution of an ideal strategy that will guarantee underprivileged individuals get equal healthcare services. the marginalized, the underserved, and the disadvantaged Teleconsultation and remote diagnostics will be able to eliminate geographical constraints and give rural populations enough access. Health professionals refer to inequalities in healthcare as health disparities. Our research team will work on establishing equity in healthcare coverage necessitates the elimination or lowering of barriers to a person’s economic and social resources that affect their health through the following efforts: (1) We will develop a model of the virtual healthcare service, through which the coverage range for the healthcare access will be greatly expanded. (2) Rising healthcare translations to promote culturally responsive care. (3) Endorsing policies that mitigate the damage done by racial injustice, misogyny, and discrimination as well as other forms of injustice, which hinder medical outcomes. (4) Investigate the socioeconomic factors of well-being which will potentially impact the health of a certain individual.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
Their roles will encompass various aspects of the initiative, including:
(1) Comprehensive Literature Review and Gap Identification: Scholars will conduct a thorough literature review to identify key research areas, such as the intersection of DEI and accessibility in healthcare application design, challenges related to healthcare disparities, the potential of Generative AI, and the impact of intelligent wearable sensor technology. They will pinpoint research gaps, particularly those focusing on DEI and accessibility considerations in healthcare.
(2) Problem Formulation and Methodology Development: Working closely with project mentors, scholars will collaboratively formulate well-defined problem statements, addressing critical areas including DEI and accessibility in healthcare virtual service design, the utilization of the Shimmer system, the integration of edge computing, the mitigation of socioeconomic factors impacting health outcomes, and the examination of racial injustice, misogyny, and discrimination.
(3) Solution Implementation and Experimentation: Scholars will actively engage in the hands-on implementation of proposed solutions, including the design and optimization of smart wearable sensor networks. They will contribute to the planning, execution, and analysis of experiments aimed at validating and refining these solutions, collecting and analyzing data to inform decision-making.
(4) Research Dissemination: Scholars will collaborate on the dissemination of research outcomes through peer-reviewed publications and develop effective communication skills to present findings to both academic and broader audiences.
(5) Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Scholars will foster collaborative efforts with peers from diverse academic backgrounds, leveraging their unique perspectives and skills to enrich the project. They will actively participate in cross-disciplinary discussions and brainstorming sessions to foster creativity and innovative problem-solving.
(6) Team Participation: Scholars will assume integral roles within the project team, actively contributing to discussions, meetings, and project milestones. They will adopt a proactive approach to address challenges and seize opportunities that may arise during the project.
(7) Skill Development: Scholars will gain practical research experience, enhancing their technical and analytical proficiencies. They will develop a deeper understanding of the intersection between technology and healthcare, with a particular focus on mitigating healthcare disparities.
(8) Commitment to DEI and Accessibility: Scholars will embrace and embed DEI principles into the project, ensuring that user interfaces are accessible to individuals from all backgrounds.
By actively participating in these roles, the BEACoN Research Scholars will not only gain valuable research experience but also play a pivotal role in advancing the project's mission to improve healthcare accessibility for underserved populations through innovative technology solutions.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Throughout the project, we will prioritize the integration of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles, particularly when designing user-friendly interfaces. By ensuring accessibility for individuals from all backgrounds, we aim to create a more equitable and inclusive healthcare environment. BEACoN Research Scholars participating in our project will acquire a wide range of transferable skills that are both specific to our research focus and broadly applicable to various academic and professional contexts. These skills will empower them to make meaningful contributions to the project and prepare them for future endeavors.
Literature Review and Research Methodology: Conduct thorough literature reviews, identify relevant sources, and understand research methodology principles.
Data Management: Acquire skills in data collection, management, and preprocessing. Data Analysis: Gain proficiency in both quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques.
Experimental Design and Implementation: Learn experimental design principles and conduct controlled experiments.
Data Visualization: Develop expertise in data visualization using tools like Python, Matlab or platforms like Shimmer.
Technical Proficiency: Acquire proficiency in relevant software tools and technologies.
Research Dissemination: Develop skills in writing research papers, reports, and presentations.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Work eIectively within diverse teams and collaborate across disciplines.
DEI and Accessibility Principles: Understand and apply DEI principles to ensure inclusive design and accessibility for all users.
By acquiring these skills, BEACoN Research Scholars will not only contribute significantly to our project but also develop a strong foundation for future academic and professional pursuits.
Required qualifications/coursework:
The researchers are expected to be familiar with Python or MATLAB programming.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
The researchers have passions for healthcare applications and research. They are also expected to have diversity and inclusion awareness
Ben Lutz
(he/him/his)
blutz@calpoly.edu
Mechanical Engineering
Amanda Emberley
(she/her/hers)
acemberl@calpoly.edu
Mechanical Engineering
Research project Title:
Exploring the Impact of Sociotechnical Modules on Student Learning and Engineering Identity
Research Project Description:
Engineering solutions have impacts beyond the technical domain and extend into social, economic, environmental, political, and other systems. Calls such as the NAE Grand Challenges and the UN Sustainable Development Goals underscore the need for engineers to engage in sociotechnical thinking. Sociotechnical thinking means the ability to consider how diIerent contextual factors shape and are shaped by engineering problems and solutions. For example, developing renewable energy infrastructure requires understanding the relevant technologies and contextual factors such as human behavior, community impact, and economic systems. These factors are interwoven in ways that shape and constrain engineering solutions. And while sociotechnical thinking is vital for effective engineering practice, most undergraduate programs are primarily comprised of engineering science courses that focus on technical knowledge and skills. Engineering curricula communicate to students what engineering is and what engineers should think about when solving problems and therefore play a significant role in how students form engineering identities. While there are notable examples of sociotechnical thinking in engineering education, there remains work to be done specifically in the engineering sciences.
Our project is driven by the following research questions:
1. How, and to what extent, do sociotechnical modules in engineering mechanics courses affect students’ sociotechnical thinking and performance on a sociotechnical design task?
2. What effect do sociotechnical modules have on students’ engineering identity, and how does this vary across student demographics (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, discipline/major)?
To address these questions, we will analyze qualitative student data from responses to sociotechnical modules developed and implemented by the mentoring team. We will use existing data collected in the spring 2024 term, which contains student responses to a sociotechnical analysis problem as well as an identity reflection based on performance, recognition, and interest. We will apply both deductive and inductive coding to better understand three main ideas:
1) Relevant sociotechnical dimensions students consider (e.g., economic, environmental, social, political)
2) Depth with which different sociotechnical dimensions are considered
3) Impact of sociotechnical modules on students' engineering identity
We will conduct our analysis and present our findings in a conference paper at the American Society of Engineering Education National Conference in 2025.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
1) Apply existing sociotechnical frameworks to qualitative data (deductive analysis)
2) Identify emergent themes in data not accounted for in existing theories or frameworks (inductive analysis)
3) Synthesize findings into a conference paper to be submitted to ASEE in the summer of 2025
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Qualitative analysis, scientific communication, and project management.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Enthusiasm and interest in non-technical dimensions of engineering.
Preferred qalifications/coursework:
Qualitative research design and implementation experience. Familiarity with Engineering Education research.
Thale Smith
(he/him/his)
tsmith50@calpoly.edu
Materials Engineering
Hyeonik Song
(he/him/his)
hsong13@calpoly.edu
Mechanical Engineering
Research project Title:
Empowering Engineering Transfer Students: Enhancing Diversity and Inclusivity in Engineering Education through Makerspaces
Research Project Description:
The convergence of low-cost, digital manufacturing tools (e.g., additive manufacturing) and distributed manufacturing capabilities (e.g., makerspaces) has been proposed as an avenue to address diversity and inclusivity in engineering. This research project will explore the role of makerspaces in supporting transfer students in engineering education through hands-on experiences, while identifying barriers and motivations that influence their engagement with these spaces. We propose developing a tailored survey tool to capture the unique challenges faced by transfer students, which have not been studied in detail in existing generalized assessments. This investigation will focus on diIerences in selfeIicacy among transfer students depending on their utilization of makerspaces, aiming to provide insights for supporting self-eIicacy within makerspaces. With these insights, heuristics may also be developed for tools in makerspaces to enhance the utilization of makerspaces by novice engineering transfer students. Such heuristics can inform advocacy eIorts to address disparities in the availability and quality of tools provided in these spaces for transfer students. This comprehensive approach seeks to realize inclusive makerspace environments that empower transfer students to thrive in their engineering education.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
Student researchers will play an integral role in advancing our understanding of how makerspaces can support transfer students in engineering. Key responsibilities include:
Literature Review: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing literature on makerspaces, engineering education, and transfer student experiences to inform the survey design and help contextualize the findings.
Survey Development and Administration: Assist in the creation of a tailored survey tool to gather data on the experiences, challenges, and motivations of transfer students in using makerspaces. This will involve brainstorming survey questions, refining the instrument, and administering the survey to participants.
Data Collection and Analysis: Collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data from survey responses and mine publicly available data on makerspaces. Researchers will use tools such as Excel, JMP, or similar software to analyze trends and diIerences in selfeIicacy among transfer students based on their engagement with makerspaces.
Collaboration: Work closely with faculty advisors and other undergraduate team members to coordinate project eIorts. This includes attending regular team meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and next steps.
Report Writing and Dissemination: Contribute to the preparation of reports, presentations, and potentially academic publications. This will involve synthesizing research findings and helping to present actionable insights on how to improve makerspaces for transfer students< br/> Design of Heuristics: Assist in developing heuristics and best practices for enhancing makerspace experiences for transfer students, based on the research findings.
This role provides an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on research experience in the field of engineering education, while contributing to eIorts aimed at fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for transfer students in engineering.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Students involved in this project will have ample professional development opportunities. They will engage in research activities that will aid in their development of practical skills in statistical data analysis, data mining, and data management. Additionally, students will have the chance to collaborate with the faculty advisors on scholarly publications and presentations, providing valuable experience in academic writing and technical communication. Furthermore, involvement in this project will enhance students' understanding of inclusivity in engineering. Developing such skills and knowledge will prepare students for future careers in the increasingly diverse, highly skilled workforce of the United States.
Required qalifications/coursework:
N/A
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
N/A
Jill Speece
(she/her/hers)
jespeece@calpoly.edu
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Mohamed Awwad
(he/him/his)
mawwad@calpoly.edu
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Research project Title:
A Holistic Process-Driven Customer Service Framework Tailored for Minority-Owned Businesses
Research Project Description:
This research project aims to expand existing customer service frameworks by addressing the unique challenges faced by women, minority, and veteran-owned small and medium businesses. Minority-owned businesses play a critical role in local economies, contributing to job creation and narrowing the racial wealth gap. For instance, in California, minorityowned businesses generate $414 billion in economic activity and support 3.6 million jobs. Despite these contributions, these businesses continue to face systemic barriers like limited access to capital and diIiculties in scaling, challenges exacerbated by the COVID19 pandemic.
This project will leverage a customer service framework developed by a Cal Poly team of researchers with the goal of tailoring it to specifically improve customer service practices in minority-owned businesses. Using real-world data from minority-owned businesses on the Central Coast, the goal is to create actionable strategies that can be applied across various industries. The specific objectives include: a) Reviewing literature on customer service challenges and best practices for minority-owned businesses. b) Collecting and analyzing data from local small and medium-sized minority-owned businesses to identify key service gaps and challenges. c) Expanding the framework to address cultural, operational, and financial needs. d) Conducting experiments to validate the framework and create tools to help businesses overcome common obstacles.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
This research project will include two BEACoN Research Scholars. Initially, both scholars will collaborate on conducting an extensive literature review focused on customer service challenges prevalent in minority-owned businesses. They will also help refine the project's objectives by integrating insights gained from the literature and preliminary data.
After the initial phase, the scholars' roles will diverge to focus on complementary aspects of the project. The first scholar's responsibilities will primarily involve quantitative tasks, such as survey design, data collection, and statistical analysis. The second scholar will focus on designing and conducting interviews and qualitative data analysis. This will involve detailed interaction with business owners to gather deeper insights into the unique challenges they face and the eIectiveness of current frameworks.
Both scholars will converge to consolidate their findings and synthesize the qualitative and quantitative data to create the customer service framework. Together, they will test and validate the framework through case studies.
Together, the scholars will synthesize their findings to help develop and refine a comprehensive customer service framework. This collaborative phase will involve both scholars working under the guidance of two experienced mentors to ensure that the framework is both practical and robust, addressing specific needs identified through their research.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will gain hands-on experience in collecting and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data, including survey design and statistical methods. They will also learn to improve customer relationship management practices and deepen their understanding of operations management while enhancing their ability to present findings in actionable ways.
Required qualifications/experience:
Analytical skills - data analysis, critical thinking, problem-solving
Communication skills - interviewing and survey design, technical writing
Project management
Observational skills
Preferred qualifications/experience:
Familiarity with customer relationship management
Understanding of Operations Management best practices
Market research
College of Liberal Arts
Farah Al-Nakib
(she/her)
falnakib@calpoly.edu
History
Research project Title:
Oral History and Social Justice: Interrogating Institutional Methods, Practices, and Archives
Research Project Description:
This project is part of an ongoing effort to create an Oral History Lab at Cal Poly, the aim of which is to provide resources and support to Cal Poly as well as SLO community members, interested in generating community oral history projects by using new ethical methodologies and standards grounded in social justice. Oral history refers to the process of carefully and intentionally seeking, recording, and preserving living people’s testimonies about their experiences, everyday lives, feelings, and ideas about the worlds they inhabit. Developed in the mid-twentieth century as a rejoinder to forms of historical research that privileged traditional archives and thereby reproduced narratives of people with power, oral history sought to recover "history from below" by attending to those voices deemed too marginal or insignificant to preserve within official records. However, while filling in gaps in historic knowledge by unveiling histories previously unacknowledged, as a methodology oral history has been no more liberatory for the communities being studied than other forms of historical research. Oral history projects are commonly initiated by historians to serve their own scholarly agendas, conducted in communities who provide the narrators, and then permanently archived in university or other institutional archives. The collections are often inaccessible to those communities whose life histories were recorded, who are also rarely involved in the interpretation of the narratives. Prevailing "best practices" of oral history tend to normalize institutionally-derived standards as the only standard for "doing" oral history. By centering academic research interests and institutional archival preservation (where narrators are expected to "release" ownership of their recorded interview to the archive), university-based oral history projects are often extractive, exploitative, and entrench existing power structures.
This project will interrogate and challenge these practices and standards and explore new methodologies that take inspiration from more recent social justice oral history work,focusing on ways that oral historians and underrepresented, marginalized, or vulnerable communities can co-create and share power and authority in oral history collection, presentation/distribution, interpretation, and preservation. We will also examine how oral history can better support and engage with community-based advocacy and activism. We will utilize this research to develop content for a comprehensive website (www.oralhistorylab.org, under construction) that will include recommended guidelines and resources for creating community oral history projects centered on social justice advocacy and activism. It will also include free oral history training modules (in text, audio, and video format) for free, derived both from the research conducted by the Research Scholar and Dr. Al-Nakib’s experience in oral history training. Modules will include guidance on topics like how to develop an ethical interview guide that centers the wellbeing and care of the narrator, and much more. We will also build of a previous collaboration with Cal Poly’s Special Collections and Archives to explore more accessible and inclusive methods for distributing oral history through the open-source Oral History Metadata Synchronizer (OHMS). We will continue testing OHMS to develop easy-to-use documentation and guidelines on how groups who create oral history collections can archive and present their interviews online, including how to set up and maintain the technical infrastructure to support such projects. The goal is to provide community members who conduct their own interviewing projects access to technical support to use the OHMS system without having to hand over their materials to the institution or hire someone to do the work for them.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The research scholar will have three main tasks. The first is to conduct a thorough review of the literature on social justice oral history, exploring both scholarly works as well as those produced by community groups and official organizations (e.g. the Oral History Association’s Social Justice Task Force). The scholar will develop a comprehensive bibliography of writing on diverse aspects of social justice oral history work, to share on the OHL website. Sample online collections will also be included to provide examples of what this kind of oral history work "looks like" in practice.
The scholar will also work with the faculty mentor to utilize this research to write our own set of ethical guidelines and practices tailored for individuals or groups interested in creating oral history projects with marginalized communities on the Central Coast of California. This will include recommendations not only on how to conduct more ethical oral history projects, but also how to collaborate with narrators and share authority in the oral history process, from project planning to implementation to dissemination. These guidelines will also be integrated into the Oral History Lab’s training and resource website. Part of this research will include identifying ways to make our own training materials and resources more equitable, accessible, and inclusive.
The third main aspect of this project will be more technical, exploring ways of using the Oral History Metadata Synchronizer to make oral history collections more accessible. The student will be required to learn how to use the OHMS application to experiment with its features and draft user guidelines that will allow non-specialists to upload their oral history recordings, transcripts, and indexes into OHMS so they can be publicly shared. Members of Cal Poly’s Special Collections and Archives have previously explored these aspects of OHMS and will provide some technical support.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Because they will need to understand the purpose behind the OHL website, the research scholar will learn the skills of conducting community-based oral history, from project conception/design to interviewing to transcribing/indexing to archiving. They will also hone their research skills through their search for and analysis of the most current literature on social justice oral history research. They will learn how to apply their research toward writing for public audiences. They will also develop some new technical skills, such as learning how to use OHMS, how to use transcription software, and how to design an accessible training website. The student will also gain a deeper understanding of more inclusive and equitable research methodologies and archival practices.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Students must have taken at least one course in history, ethnic studies, or women, gender, and queer studies, OR have had some exposure to social justice pedagogy/literacy in contexts outside the classroom. Strong writing and communication skills are also required. Preference is given to students who have had some experience conducting archival research.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Having some technical knowledge in basic website design (using a standard CMS) and/or in adapting to new web-based applications is preferred. Strong applicants who exhibit the required experiences described above but who do not have these technical skills must at least demonstrate an openness to experiment with new applications like OHMS, with proper guidance.
James Antony
(he/him)
jwantony@calpoly.edu
Psychology and Child Development
Research project Title:
Linking the Old with the New: How Background Knowledge Bolsters Learning
Research Project Description:
One of the best ways to introduce new learning material is to first tap into the prior knowledge of the student. "Start with what they know" is a phrase heard again and again in teaching certificate programs and educational theory. Indeed, a classic and robust finding in cognitive psychology and in artificial intelligence (AI) models of learning is that memory is better for new material that is related versus unrelated to prior knowledge. However, prior research has focused on background knowledge as a binary – either you know something or you do not – but the graded level of knowledge one has about a topic may be critical for new learning
Here, we will focus on this question by building on prior efforts within the Bennion-Antony Memory (BAM) Lab, which I co-run with Dr. Kelly Bennion. A prior pilot study in our laboratory measured 100 participants’ knowledge of 81 different historical events, from which we selected historical events that span the full range of participant background knowledge. Additionally, fictional vignettes related to each of these events were written to either include or exclude explicitly mentioning the events (historical context). This year, we will collect data on participants’ memory for the vignettes to see if memory performance diIers based on whether the historical context is mentioned. After data collection, the large swaths of text-based data will need to be quantified and analyzed before we can draw conclusions. This position will therefore involve (1) helping collect data by running participants and (2) learning and using computer programming -- including advancements in natural language processing algorithms resembling ChatGPT – to perform the analyses related to whether one's level of background knowledge scales with improved new learning. In sum, this project will have important educational implications for how to optimize learning.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN Scholar would be involved in the following:
(1) reading relevant literature and discussing it with me in our weekly meetings (in addition to discussing professional development topics and career goals), as to give them a strong overview of the prior work motivating this project
(2) attending Bennion-Antony Memory (BAM) Lab Meetings, which focus on professional development topics, like the peer-review and publication process, what graduate school is like, the grad school application process, open science, and more
(3) reading and learning about artificial intelligence algorithms and their various uses today
(4) data organization & entry
(5) analyzing the data, including quantifying linguistic responses and integrating this analysis with outputs from large language model analyses
(6) presenting the data at the year-end BEACoN symposium
(7) submitting an abstract for a poster presentation at a professional conference (should they be interested; this may occur after BEACoN concludes)
(8) potentially work on drafting a manuscript for publication (pending results; this may occur after BEACoN concludes)
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The scholar will gain skills in psychological research methods, data management, computer programming, and machine learning / artificial intelligence. These skills are integral in preparing them for graduate school and a variety of careers. For instance, should the BEACoN Research Scholar not continue into academia, knowing how to program and skillfully use artificial intelligence will very much open doors immediately upon graduating. Additionally, they will gain skills in thinking critically about psychological theories and how to infuse data analysis with inferences we can make about the mind. They will learn how to ask and answer questions, and communicate this information in a way that applies to daily life and across disciplines. Lastly, students will gain experience writing an abstract and creating and presenting a poster, both for the BEACoN Research Symposium and a professional psychology conference. It is also important to me that the student and I co construct their research experience such that they gain skills and experiences in aspects of the project they are most interested in. As such, the project may evolve slightly to incorporate elements that they are particularly passionate about (e.g., new analyses or future directions).
Required qualifications/coursework:
Strong time management and organizational skills
some prior computer programming experience eagerness to learn an interest in memory
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
The BEACoN Scholar would ideally have some knowledge of psychology (e.g., PSY 201/202, General Psychology, or AP Psychology from high school); other preferred courses include Cognition (PSY 357), Cognitive Neuroscience (PSY 480), Memory (PSY 440), any computer science course involving programming, and any course or general interest in recent advances in artificial intelligence.
Alexia Arani
(she/they)
aarani@calpoly.edu
Women's Gender and Queer Studies
Research project Title:
Archiving for Racial Justice: Preserving Lace Jeanine Watkin's Life and Legacy
Research Project Description:
The goal of this project is to amplify Black feminist scholarship through archiving, curation, and publication. The student researcher will work with the written and recorded texts of Lace Jeanine Watkins (1963-2023), a Black feminist writer, organizer, and theologian who dedicated her life to mitigating harms Black and brown people endure at the hands of white people and systems of white supremacy. Student researchers will work closely with Lace Jeanine Watkin’s vast archive of written and recorded work, identifying patterns across her scholarship, coding texts according to theme, and assessing curatorial possibilities. This is an opportunity for students to both strengthen their understandings of Black feminist scholarship and activism, and to gain significant professionalization and mentorship. As this research project will ultimately result in the publication of an edited volume, students will gain valuable insight into the early stages of academic editing, curation, and publication.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The student’s primary role in the research project is to generate and apply qualitative codes to the vast archive of Lace Jeanine Watkin’s online publications. This task will require careful reading, identifying key themes and topics, generating appropriate codes to tag the material, and maintaining an organized database for storing their research findings. They will be responsible for reporting back on their progress in weekly meetings, where they can refine their skills and workshop issues with the support of their faculty mentor. Students will also be invited to other their opinion and perspective on curatorial possibilities for the book project.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will refine their knowledge of qualitative coding methods, while gaining hands-on experience working with Lace Jeanine Watkin’s vast archive of written work. The coding process will require students to sharpen their reading skills, their ability to summarize key themes and arguments, recognize patterns across texts, and effectively manage the entry and organization of data on an online database. Additionally, by deeply engaging with Lace Jeanine Watkin’s archive, students will get an intimate understanding of Black feminist scholarship, racial justice organizing, and the links between individual, interpersonal, and collective transformation. These lessons in feminist pedagogy will not be limited to the archival work. Through sustained, engaged, and student-centered mentorship, students will gain the benefits of working closely with Dr. Arani, receiving training, advice, and support throughout the duration of their mentorship, and for as long as they choose to maintain a supportive, professional relationship.
Required qualifications/coursework:
- A demonstrated interest and commitment to Black feminism; racial justice; and social transformation. This can be demonstrated via relevant coursework, research projects, independent study, internships, and/or volunteer and organizing experiences.
- Strong reading, writing, and organizational skills. Must be able to succinctly summarize and synthesize the key points of both argumentative and auto-ethnographic forms of writing.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
- Majoring and/or minoring in a relevant discipline in the social sciences or humanities, such as Women’s, Gender, and Queer Studies, English, Ethnic Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, or Religion.
- Interest in archival work, curation, editing, and publishing. Experience constructing annotated bibliographies is preferred.
Junior or Senior standing.
Ryan Buyco
(he/him/his)
rbuyco@calpoly.edu
Ethnic Studies Department
Research project Title:
Pacific Detours: Toward a Decolonial Approach to Travel Writing
Research Project Description:
In recent years, scholars in the fields of Asian American and Pacific Islander studies have been appropriating the genre of travel writing for decolonial purposes. Travel writing–which is a genre that narrates a subjective experience of a journey–has played a historical role in legitimizing the western colonial project. Informed by critiques of the global tourism industry in the present day, Asian American and Pacific Islander studies scholars have been using the form of travel writing to teach readers about the ongoing circumstances of settler colonialism, US militarism, and Indigenous resurgence in such places as Hawai‘i, Okinawa, and other places throughout the Pacific. For this BEACoN project, students will explore the emergent form of decolonial travel writing and will work on constructing their own travel essays in the process. As we will learn, while travel writing has a problematic history, it also carries the capacity to cultivate decolonial forms of relationality that may help guide readers to rethink their relationships to the places that they travel.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN research scholar’s role will be assisting me with my book project tentatively titled, Island Under the Sun: Filipino American Detours in Okinawa, which is a travelogue that brings Filipinx and Asian settler colonial critiques to the colonial context of Okinawa– known widely as the "Hawai‘i of Japan." In particular, the research scholar will read scholarly critiques of travel writing as well as specific works of travel literature which we will discuss on a weekly basis. Through these discussions, the research scholar will help me conceptualize what constitutes a "decolonial" approach to this genre within a Pacific Ocean context. Additionally, the research scholar will be writing their own travel essay based on these discussions, which we will workshop throughout the mentorship period.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
In addition to learning Asian American and Pacific Islander critiques of US militarism, settler colonialism, and tourism in the Asian and the Pacific regions, the BEACoN Research scholar will also improve their skills of close reading, applying theoretical concepts to texts, as well as writing within the genre of the travel essay.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Introduction to Asian American Studies
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Any of the following courses: Cultural Production and Ethnicity: Pacific Islander Studies; Filipinx American Experience, Cultural Production and Ethnicity: Pilipino Cultural Night; students who are active in the APIDA community and invested in the humanities at Cal Poly are especially encouraged to apply
Dan Castilow
(he/him/his)
dcastilo@calpoly.edu
Ethnic Studies Department
Moses Mike
(he/him/his)
mmike@calpoly.edu
Agricultural Education and Communication
Research project Title:
Exploring Masculinities through Ethnographic Filmmaking and Leisure Culture in the Caribbean
Research Project Description:
Liming is a colloquial term in Trinidad and Tobago that loosely means hanging out or partying. It is an essential part of Trinidadian social life and an aspect of leisure culture that informs Trinidadian national identity in various ways. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is a religiously and ethnoracially diverse nation that has embraced its diversity as a strength. Our research is focused on the intersection of racialized masculinities and liming through the production of an ethnographic film. The film is not merely supplemental to the research on masculinities in Trinidad but is part of our overall research methodology. The purpose of the BEACoN study is to provide experiential expertise on documentary-style filmmaking for research purposes on this topic. At the end of this study, students will deliver a literature review on social interactions in the post-colonial Caribbean context. .
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
Students working on this project will be responsible for gathering background research related to the topic. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the project, this could include texts in history, social sciences, music, visual arts, etc. Students will also work on the production of the film. This includes working on the film's production and post-production
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Students will learn various methods in anthropology and ethnic studies, including research design, interviewing, data collection and coding, data security, and research ethics. Students will also learn all aspects of the documentary production process, from ideation to post-production and everything in between: communication, cultural immersion, video editing, video production, sound design, music, and others.
Required courses/experience:
Introductory Courses in Ethnic Studies. Knowledge of the basic tenets of imagery and composition. The willingness to learn the video production process.
Preferred courses/experience:
ES 340 – Cultural Production and Ethnicity in the Caribbean. AGC 207- Software applications for agricultural publications.
Alison Cheung
(she/her)
acheun33@calpoly.edu
Communication Studies
Research project Title:
Investigating Transnational and Panethnic Media
Research Project Description:
In recent years, interest in Asian and Asian American media production has exponentially increased both in the U.S. and around the world through. Contemporary digital platforms have allowed racial minorities to produce and distribute creative works in a way that traditional media has not. Such developments have also led to international collaborations that transcend space and time; digital media cross national borders and time zones, and exist beyond the original host platform. This study investigates transnational media collaborations by examining 88rising, a New York City-based Asian American media company that gained popularity for signing emerging Asian artists and oversaw the soundtrack for Marvel’s Shang-Chi. Using 88rising as a case study, this project draws from research on transnationalism, panethnicity, and digital media to investigate multi-sited and transnational cultural productions.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN research scholar will work with the mentor to collect, organize, and analyze information about 88rising in addition to select artists and their projects. They will create and apply concepts from a literature review by drawing from scholarship in media and Asian American studies. The scholar will also engage in critique and sharpen writing skills.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Through this project, the scholar will develop the skills to:
1) organize cultural artifacts
2)synthesize scholarly concepts and articles
3) apply a critical lens
4) strengthen their analytical skills.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Completion of GE A2 and A3
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Research interest in popular culture, media studies, and/or Asian American studies and completion of rhetoric or criticism course such as Rhetorical Studies, Media Criticism, or Rhetorical Criticism preferred.
Natasha Duell
(she/her/hers)
nduell@calpoly.edu
Psychology and Child Development
Research project Title:
Interpersonal Dynamics Study
Research Project Description:
During adolescence and early adulthood, social connections are inherently intertwined with an individual’s sense of identity development and belonging in the world. Interracial interactions (i.e., interactions between people of diIerent racial identities) can involve nuanced social dynamics such as racial and ethnic stereotypes, prejudice, or cultural diIerences. Consequently, these interactions may significantly shape adolescents’ social and emotional development by influencing how adolescents perceive themselves and others, with the potential to have lasting impacts on their attitudes towards race and ethnicity.
To this end, the present study will explore interracial interactions in a sample of young adults. Participant pairs will be invited to the lab to engage in conversation with each other and complete a computer task. Then, they will answer several survey questions. Key to this study is that throughout the experimental session, participants will also be asked to submit saliva samples. The reason for collecting saliva samples is to identify how interracial interactions influence individuals’ stress physiology and whether individuals’ physiological reactions are associated with their decision-making and various aspects of their psychological functioning
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
BEACoN scholars will be asked to assist with interviewing research participants, handling study logistics, and compiling and organizing participant data. For interviewing, scholars will be asked to schedule interviews with interested research participants and to run the interview sessions. Each session will take approximately 90 minutes. During this time, scholars lead participants through the study protocol, including consenting, meeting their co-participant, completing a computer task, answering survey questions, and submitting saliva samples. Scholars will be responsible for compiling and storing participant data securely and to make note of any issues with data quality (e.g., compromised saliva sample). After data collection has completed, scholars will have the opportunity to aggregate the data into an Excel file and begin data analysis (depending on the timing of data collection).
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
BEACoN scholars can expect to gain skills in:
(a) research study design: logistics of recruiting participants and executing an experimental research session
(b) consenting: walking research participants through the procedures of a research study and reviewing their rights as a participant
(c) collecting biospecimens: showing participants how to submit saliva samples and learning how to properly store and ship saliva samples
(d) interacting with research participants
(e) data management: compiling participant survey data into an organized excel sheet and working with data output from an experimental computer task
(f) general professional development: learning from Dr. Duell about research in psychology, how data are aggregated, analyzed, and presented (in the form of research posters or papers), and graduate school, depending on the student’s interests
Required qualifications/coursework:
- Psychology/Child Development or related major
- Completed a research methods course
- Demonstrated history of being dependable, organized, and having strong time management skills
- Comfortable communicating with other people in-person and over the phone
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
- Experience working with others (e.g., leadership role in a club, customer service, etc.)
- Experience managing data in Excel, SPSS, or other software
- Interest in pursuing research or graduate school (particularly in psychology)
- Strong writing skills (e.g., received an A grade on a class paper, particularly one requiring a scientific literature review)
Ivan A. Hernandez
(he/him/his)
iherna93@calpoly.edu
Psychology and Child Development
Research project Title:
Understanding the Culture of University Research Experiences
Research Project Description:
What does it mean to act like a scientist, think like a scientist, and be a scientist? This project examines these questions from the perspectives of faculty across Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields and the students who they mentor. Faculty and students’ responses to these questions tell us about existing scientific cultural norms and values. One aspect of this project examines the transmission of these scientific cultural norms and values within research labs to understand and predict the experiences, interests, and persistence of students from historically marginalized backgrounds in STEM (e.g., students from racially minoritized backgrounds, first-generation college students, women). A second aspect of this project investigates whether faculty researcher mentors expect student researchers from diverse backgrounds to adopt existing scientific cultural norms and values, and the implications these expectations may have for broadening participation in STEM. Together, the multiple aims of this larger project can also contribute to interventions that directly broaden authentic participation in STEM.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
BEACoN research scholars will contribute to building and managing a national database of STEM faculty, recruit study participants, read and discuss relevant empirical literature, conduct qualitative and quantitative data analyses, and can design new studies and work on IRB protocols. Student researchers will also gain experience reporting results through multiple mechanisms (e.g., data visualization, written reports) and developing research presentations.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
BEACoN research scholars will gain skills related to conducting literature reviews, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, developing hypotheses, synthesizing and reporting research, and learn about thoughtful research collaboration. Via this skill development process, students will interact with a variety of research tools and software (e.g., SPSS, Qualtrics, Excel). Students will also learn how to connect research ideas with real-world issues, and how we can translate research to action that contributes to social equity.
Required qualifications/coursework:
There are no specific course requirements. However, students who would fit in well and thrive are those who are motivated, collaborative, organized, and have effective communication skills.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Courses relevant to this research project may include Social Psychology, Cultural/Multicultural Psychology, and Research Methods, for example.
Cameron Jones
(he/him/his)
cjones18@calpoly.edu
History Department
Research project Title:
AfricanCalifornios.org: a Repository for the Lives and Family Ties of People of African Descent in Spanish and Mexican California
Research Project Description:
Scholars and the public readily accept that Afro-descendants populated Spanish and Mexican California, though little work has been done on the topic. Often cited is the 1790 census of California’s four presidios, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Francisco, and its two struggling towns, San Jose and Los Angeles, which identifies roughly 19% of their populations as being of African descent. The extent of the impact of Afrodescendants in early California, however, has been little understood and underexamined. This is because most Californians of African descent elided their origins in sacramental church records referring to themselves as "gente de razón" or people of reason. This ethnic designation was prevalent among frontier areas in Northern Mexico (now the U.S. Southwest) such as California and generally referred to those persons who lived in or near the missions, spoke Spanish, and acknowledged Catholicism, but were not under the control of the missionaries. In other words, the term gente de razón was a way for people in non-elite racial and social categories to distinguish themselves from the native population of California. For African Californios the ability to alter their race was an opportunity to raise their social position under the anonymity that distance from the centers of political power provided. They hoped that the Crown’s desire for Hispanicized settlers could overcome their perceived inferior origin that elsewhere barred them from entering the higher echelons of society
The objective of this project is to build a comprehensive website, AfricanCalifornios.org, that reconstructs the African and Afro-descendant presence in Spanish and Mexican California using data science and user-friendly visualizations. To accomplish this, we and our students have created a large database of Africans and Afro-descendants in California from 1768-1850. To make this data more approachable, we created visualizations such as maps and family trees that match children to their parents, and spouses to each other. In this way we will discover the familial and social connections between Afro-descendants in California. We are looking to expand content on the site with the help of students to write histories, add photographic, and geographic data. We are hoping this can be a model for future projects that examine traditionally understudied groups in history by turning the few datasets that scholars have, much of it from records originally created to control and commodify people of color, to reconstruct their lives and family ties.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
It is going to depend on the student’s background and previous knowledge. If the student is a history major, the student will be expanding the historical content, writing biographies of African Californios, finding pictures to match the data we have, and/or fact checking data on the site. Students with other backgrounds such as statistics, geography, data science, or graphic design would be tasked with helping to make the site more user friendly and appealing through improving existing visualizations, helping to build more visualizations, or generally making the site more aesthetically appealing for users. I am very interested that this collaboration capitalizes on the students’ existing assets in terms of experience and expertise with, of course, support from me.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Front end website creation and design, making academic topics approachable for all audiences, finding unique methods and tools to reverse historical erasure of underrepresented groups in historical narratives.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Students interested in working on historical projects through the lens of their own discipline. Students should have strong analytical and writing skills.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Basic web design, read Spanish and cursive, historical research, data analysis, working with groups outside the university on academic topics. Students in history, design, statistics, geography, anthropology, or a related field.
Sergio Fernando Juárez
(he/him)
sjfuarez@calpoly.edu
Communication Studies
Research project Title:
Exploring Latina/o/x Experiences at Cal Poly: A Counterstory Methodology
Research Project Description:
My research examines the experiences of Latina/o/x students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO), an Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Although not officially designated as an HSI, Cal Poly falls into the category of Emerging HSI, that is campuses with a Latinx student enrollment between 15% and 24%, according to Excelencia in Education. While California is home to the highest number of HSI-designated campuses in the nation, stark inequalities in higher education persist. For example, despite Latinx individuals representing 55% of the state’s population, only 14% of Latinx adults hold a bachelor’s degree, the lowest degree attainment rate of any racial/ethnic group in the state (Campaign for College, 2017). Through my research, I aim to explore how Latiné students navigate these systemic inequalities at Cal Poly SLO.
Inequality in higher education has long been a deeply embedded issue in the U.S. educational system, and despite progress, these disparities persist. Critical Race Theory (CRT) others a valuable framework for understanding and addressing these inequities, focusing on the importance of voice and experiential knowledge. A core method in CRT is counter storytelling, where marginalized groups share their experiences to challenge dominant narratives. For example, in California's higher education system, Latinx students are often underserved, and the disparity is especially evident in the student-to-faculty ratio. Research shows that while the ratio of White students to White faculty is 18 to 1, for Latinx students, this ratio is a staggering 208 to 1 (Garcia, 2019). By sharing the counterstories of Latiné students at Cal Poly SLO, my research aims to expose these structural inequalities and other insights for creating more equitable educational environments.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will play a central role in this project, taking on multiple responsibilities throughout the research process. They will start by conducting a comprehensive literature review on key topics like Counterstorytelling as a methodology and Latinx/e student experiences to ground the research. The student will also assist with participant recruitment and work closely with me to analyze the data. A key part of their role will be conducting qualitative research, gathering counterstories possibly through indepth interviews. The student will also help draft sections of conference presentations and/or peer-reviewed journal articles, contributing to the dissemination of our findings. They will have opportunities to present at academic conferences and co-author publications, gaining valuable experience in research and academic writing along the way.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will gain a variety of skills related to the development of a qualitative research project. They will begin by conducting a comprehensive literature, improving their ability to critically analyze academic sources and synthesize key findings. The scholar will also gain practical experience with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes, learning how to navigate ethical considerations, submit research proposals, and ensure compliance with research standards. They will also assist with participant recruitment, building their communication and organizational skills. In terms of data collection, the student will engage in qualitative research methods, including conducting in-depth interviews and gathering counterstories. Additionally, the student will gain valuable experience in academic writing. They will have opportunities to present at conferences and co-author publications, further developing their research communication skills and understanding of the academic dissemination process.
Required qualifications/coursework:
N/A
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
My preferred experiences is that they taken ethnic studies courses or similar like having taken the COMS 316 course on intercultural communication. Overall, I'm looking for someone interested in exploring dynamics of power and interested in learning more about the experiences of Latinê students here at Cal Poly.
Martine Lappé
(she/her)
mlapp@calpoly.edu
Social Sciences Department
Research project Title:
Exploring the Intersections of Pregnancy, Parenting, Adversity, and Resilience in the United States
Research Project Description:
This sociological project explores how people experience and understand the intersections of pregnancy, parenting, adversity, and resilience in the United States. Recently, experiences of Early-Life Adversity (ELA) and their lasting impacts on physical and mental health have become areas of increased public and scientific attention. ELA includes childhood experiences of abuse and neglect, exposure to violence, and persistent economic hardship – all of which are significantly shaped by structural inequities. This project aims to reframe ELA through a sociological lens by addressing how unequal social structures and policies influence experiences of pregnancy and parenting, and the impacts this has for children’s health. To accomplish this goal, this project includes qualitative interviews with parents, students with dependents, pediatricians, scientists, educators, child and family advocates, and service providers. In addition, the project includes review of social science scholarship and media related to gender, reproduction, adversity, resilience, pregnancy, parenting, and child health. The overall goals of this project are to address how systemic forms of oppression influence pregnancy, parenting, and child wellbeing, describe the meanings and impacts that adversity and resilience have in people's lives, and identify policies and forms of social change that can positively impact health across generations. Results from the project will inform conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications, and policy recommendations.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN Research Scholar for this project will assist in scheduling and follow up related to study recruitment, clean and analyze qualitative data, and potentially prepare and conduct qualitative interviews related to the project. They will also assist in gathering and reviewing key studies related to parenting, pregnancy, reproductive rights, early-life adversity, and health inequities and analyze peer-reviewed and popular publications related to these topics. Content analysis of media and social media related to study themes may also be part of work for this project.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will be part of a supportive research team. They will gain knowledge and skills related to feminist sociology, qualitative methods, science, technology and medicine studies, critical public health, bioethics, and experiences of pregnancy, parenting, and inequity in the United States. They will also gain writing, research, and presentation skills and receive training in the ethical conduct of human subject research, qualitative data analysis, and interdisciplinary research.
Required qualifications/coursework:
The BEACoN Research Scholar on this project must have interest in the topic of this project, be a thoughtful and critical thinker, display strong writing and communication skills, be an independent and collaborative team member, and have completed some course work in one or more of the following areas: sociology, anthropology, women's, gender, and queer studies, science, technology and society, ethnic studies, child development, public health, communications, and/or disability studies.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Preferred qualifications include experience in qualitative research methods, interviewing, cultural studies, media analysis, or as a parent, caregiver, or in the field of healthcare, reproductive rights, or family services. Successful completion of SOC 354: Qualitative Research Methods, ISLA 456: Project Based Learning in Science, Technology, or Society, or other courses related to qualitative methods and/or gender and reproductive health are also preferred but not required.
Susana A. López
(she/her)
slopeza@calpoly.edu
Psychology and Child Development Department (CLA)
Leah Rachel Dolores Thomas
(she/her)
lrthomas@calpoly.edu
Psychology and Child Development Department (CLA)
Research project Title:
Share your Voice: Self-Advocacy through Video Stories to Evaluate Mental Health Disparities and Access to Care for Black and Latine/x Students
Research Project Description:
Mental health prevalence rates have continued to rise across college campuses, in particular for students of color. Despite the growing need, Black and Latine/x students are consistently part of the student groups with the lowest rates of accessing mental health services (National Healthy Minds Study, 2013-2021). With this project, we aim to document the mental health journeys and disparities of Black and Latine/x students within the context of a predominantly White institution (PWI) like Cal Poly and a predominantly White community like San Luis Obispo. The results can be used to move forward on the conversation and action of creating culturally responsive and holistic mental health treatments for Latine/x and Black students on campus. Discussion of the intersectionality of the Latine/x and Black experience will be centered (e.g collective shared experiences, unique cultural and systemic barriers for each group, and the growing intersection of AfroLatine/x individuals). We will accomplish this in a series of three steps that build upon one another:
1) Video stories: The first tier focuses on empowering Black and Latine/x students to advocate for themselves. Students will be invited to submit self-recorded videos where they reflect on their experiences with mental health and mental health care (including services available on campus and in the greater community) and identify unmet needs and barriers to care. Students will be provided with general response prompts, but the specificity of the responses will be based on each individual’s journey. This method allows students to independently share their mental health journeys in a private and convenient setting, free from the power dynamics often present between perceived experts (researchers or clinicians) and students, allowing for greater openness and accessibility. Students will also be asked to complete a set of questionnaires that gather demographics and social data.
2) Focus Groups: The second tier takes a deeper look into the mental health care disparities and needs of Black and Latine/x students and explores through focus groups how they can be addressed through conversation with key stakeholders, including Black and Latine/x students, staff from the student diversity and belonging collective (i.e., BAEC, La CASA, Multicultural Center), housing, and clinicians from Cal Poly counseling services.
3) Distribution and dissemination: Once we have collected the personal stories, survey data, and perspectives of stakeholders, we will analyze through mixed methodologies and identify the key needs that are shared and different for Black and Latine/x students and suggest an action plan. Our BEACoN scholars will present these findings to the greater community at local and national conferences, such as the BEACoN Research Symposium, and other undergraduate research conferences at nearby universities like San Jose State University (SPARC) and UCLA (PURC). If time allows, we will create a compilation of the videos and findings, with the permission of the participating students, that can be shared with the greater campus community and key stakeholders to initiate the open conversation and action that is needed.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The mentees will be expected to work on this project for the duration of their supported scholarship through the BEACoN program.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Research scholars will gain proficiency in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. They will learn survey design and interviewing techniques for data collection, utilize Qualtrics for questionnaire creation, and perform statistical analyses using SPSS. Furthermore, scholars will develop skills in synthesizing existing research to shape hypotheses and research questions. They'll also master the art of transcribing interviews, identifying themes, and conducting thematic analyses. Ultimately, they will extract valuable insights from the data to craft compelling arguments for change. This comprehensive mentoring will equip research scholars with the knowledge and tools to make a real-world impact
Required qualifications/coursework:
Students must be enthusiastic about social scientific research preferably in the field of communication and advocacy. Although students do not need to have any prior experience, coursework in empirical research methods from a CLA department is preferred. Finally, working with students who are motivated, organized, and responsible makes the research process much more enjoyable and efficient.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
We would prefer if the student is junior standing or above and has taken a few upper level electives in their respective majors, which involved researching scholarly sources or peer reviewed research articles. It would also be great if the scholar has taken a research methods course (either quantitative/ qualitative/ humanities) or statistics based course.
Maggie Mang
(she/her)
mamang@calpoly.edu
Interdisciplinary Studies in Liberal Arts
Research project Title:
Looking for Merle: Feminist, Grassroots, and Digital Archiving
Research Project Description:
Merle Woo is a Chinese Korean Lesbian Socialist Feminist teacher and organizer who was born and raised in San Francisco, and continues to live there today. A graduate student at San Francisco State during the Third World Student Strikes of 1968, she later became one of the first generation to teach in the newly formed Ethnic Studies and Women's Studies program both at San Francisco State and UC Berkeley. She was a founding member of Unbound Feet, an Asian American feminist poetry and performance collective and an antiapartheid and gay rights activist who spoke at the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade in 1981.She was published in the canonical women of color anthology, This Bridge Called My Back, a publication that marked the beginning of a genealogy of women of color feminism in and outside of academia. As a member of Radical Women and the Freedom Socialist Party, she ran for Governor of California as an independent candidate in 1990.
This archival project focuses on the creation of a physical and digital archive of Merle’s work which include the following: speeches, essays, poems, journals, syllabi, political fliers, posters, pictures, pamphlets, court documents (relating to Merle’s two lawsuits against Berkeley) and other ephemera related to Merle’s writing and organizing. This team is made up of a group of grassroots organizers, including Merle’s child, Emily, graduate students, and academics committed to feminist practices of collaborative archival processes. The aim of this archive is to encourage political education and oIder materials that break with mainstream conventions in archiving and historiography. Although this project will also involve Merle’s physical archive, the priority will be focused on researching digital archival best practices, crafting digital archival methods, and creating a digital archive as a means of offering these materials to a wider public.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The priority for the BEACoN Research Scholar is to focus on best practices in digital archiving, especially emphasizing practices that center the knowledges, experiences, and collaborative decision-making of community organizers. The student Research Scholar is expected to:
-Research literatures, examples, and networks of people and projects related to digital archiving. Emphasis is placed upon projects and practices that align with this project’s queer, feminist, and community-based values
-Contribute to the research project’s evolving practices of collaborative decisionmaking, transparency, accountability, and feminist and inclusive praxis
-Implement digital archiving methods such as creating, formatting and organizing digital data that corresponds to papers and ephemera in the archive, including finding aids and descriptive metadata for collection management.
We anticipate the bulk of the research on best digital archiving to take place during the first quarter. After researching what currently exists in the realm of digital archiving, co innovating, and adapting these best practices to this project’s goals and values, the student will then be expected to:
-Engage "hands-on" with putting theories of digital archiving to practice. This may include taking at least one trip to San Francisco to look through Merle’s physical archive and catalog inventory. All expenses will be covered in the event of a research trip(s)
-Begin to digitally archive identified materials from Merle’s documents through the creation of a finding aid and descriptive metadata according to identified best practices, technology, and platforms
-If the student researcher is interested in publishing, they would also aid in researching journals interested in publishing open-access, process-oriented accounts of doing feminist and grassroots archiving. The student would be a co-author on a collaborative writing project aimed for publication, including the possibility of zine publication and design
This project is as much about what feminist, collaborative archiving and decision-making looks like as much as it is about the archival materials itself. We expect the student to be curious about doing research rooted in these practices and to be willing to learn, be uncomfortable, critique and shape methods, and engage in accountability.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Specific skills will include digital archival research, and creating and organizing finding aids and descriptive metadata. Digital archiving is an emerging method that preserves, documents, and manages information digitally. Contrary to traditional methods of archival work which involve storing the physical documents at a specific place, digital archival projects make information more accessible to people online, especially to people outside the university and/or those who occupy contingent positions within the university. Digital Archival projects range from highly disciplinary to hybrid and interdisciplinary. Increasingly, scholars within the Digital Humanities are engaging with innovative digital archiving methods to experiment with digital preservation and making information more accessible. Other projects curate digital archives with a specific attention to equity and justice, breaking away from dominant methods of archiving that rely upon silences, dispossession, and decision-making shaped only by those in power. We see Digital Archiving as a fruitful space to support the creation and maintenance of a grassroots archive that is led by the organizers inside and outside the academy whose experiences, knowledges, and documents form the basis of the archive in question
Researching, engaging, and practicing Digital Archiving will strengthen the student’s qualitative analysis skills. These include, but are not limited to
- Reading, analyzing, and synthesizing existing literature on Digital Archival Practices
- Innovating and adapting the existing literature and practices to be specific to the archive’s project goals and values
- Learning and practicing dynamic data management skills, which involve managing a diverse number of documents, where/how they will be stored, both physically and online, and the organization of finding aids and digital metadata
- Technological skills in potentially learning new platforms and digital tools to support the creation of a digital archive
- Exposure to the archival acquisitions process, including meeting archivists and librarians at other institutions, as well as representatives at grassroots archives, such as the Lesbian Herstory Archives in New York City
We also imagine the student to develop skills related to working on a collaborative research team that includes, but are not limited to:
- Verbal and written skills; we are expecting the students to be able to summarize their findings regarding best digital archiving experiences to the team
- Writing for publication; if the student is interested in co-publishing, the team will also provide opportunities and mentorship for writing for the goal of publication
- Self-advocacy, conflict-resolution, clear communication, and engaging in community-based processes of transparency, honesty, and accountability; these are skills we expect the student to gain through the practices of working together in open, accountable, and joyful ways
Required qualifications/coursework:
- Interest and/or experience in social movements and organizing both presently and historically; high emphasis on interest in the Third World Student Strikes and other women of-color organizing of the 1980s and beyond
- Interest in developing skills to organize with and through minoritized communities
- Basic familiarity and engagement with concepts such as racism, capitalism, imperialism, and women-of-color feminism
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
- Some experience or working familiarity with the politics of history and/or archiving
- Introductory experiences related to qualitative research methods (e.g.documentation and interviewing)
- Working familiarity and/or interest in feminist praxis and critical theory, and methods of accountability, collaborative, and horizontal decision-making
- Working familiarity with basic technological platforms, such as Zoom, Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and Adobe Acrobat
Joan Meyers
(she/they)
jomeyers@calpoly.edu
Social Sciences
Research project Title:
Inclusive Student Worker Cooperatives: Exploring Opportunities for Student Support Across Work Authorization Categories
Research Project Description:
This project seeks explore the viability and value of establishing Cal Poly student-run worker cooperative enterprises: businesses that are owned and democratically operated by student workers, and that share profits among cooperative members. The study will be conducted through qualitative interviews with members of existing student worker cooperatives and worker cooperative technical support agencies developing cooperatives across categories of work authorization, and eventually also potential partners at Cal Poly, in the local area, and across the CSU system. As an example of the scholarship of engagement, this project is a feasibility study for developing Learn By Doing enterprises that simultaneously teach and provide experience to students in combining business with democratic operations
Worker cooperatives have been enjoying a resurgence in the last 15 years. The US Federation of Worker Cooperatives reports that new US-based co-ops have more than tripled since the financial crash of 2008, and estimates there are currently 10,000 workers in 1000 US worker co-ops. Worker cooperatives may prove particularly beneficial for undocumented students and those whose DACA protections are precarious in the current political climate. This has been an area of considerable cooperative growth in the past decade, as co-ops share profits among owners rather than paying wages to employees and thus do not violate employment laws.
In this second BEACoN year, the project goal is qualitative data collection and analysis. Last year the BEACoN fellow and I gathered and analyzed the small number of academic studies and news articles about student worker cooperatives to complete a review of the literature, and established IRB authorization for interview protocols with worker cooperatives and cooperative developers to move into the initial data collection phase. This year the research project will first consist of conducting, transcribing, and analyzing semi-structured, open-ended interviews, and then will transition to developing and applying for permission to use new protocols for interviews with potential university, local, and CSU-wide partners. The final poster presentation will outline all or part of a report to Cal Poly and the CSU administration.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
•Learn and review best practices in respect to persons, beneficence, and justice in working with human research subjects
• Learn to deploy in-person and Zoom interview protocols with members of student worker cooperatives, which may include travel to visit student worker cooperatives in Massachusetts (depending on student interest, funding availability, and local conditions)
• Learn to deploy interview protocols for Zoom consultation with non-profit co-op developers regarding best practices and potential pitfalls
• Learn to transcribe and analyze interviews while maintaining confidentiality and security
• Provide support to develop interview protocols for consultation with Cal Poly and local offices such as Cal Poly’s Career Services, the Dream Center, OUDI, and the UndocuAlly group, as well as similar offices at Cuesta and Hancock, and the Central Coast Coalition for Undocumented Student Success
• Learn to systematically analyze interviews and documents to identify likely allies, barriers, and resources for a Cal Poly-centered program of inclusive student worker co-op development and support
• Help outline a report on the feasibility and value of developing inclusive student worker co-ops intended for consideration by Cal Poly and CSU administration
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
- Certification in ethics and best practices in research with human subjects
- Qualitative research methods including:
• deployment of interview protocols across multiple stakeholders
• in inclusive student coops and cooperative development agencies construction of qualitative interview protocols that include not only specific questions but best practices for asking questions and capturing answers
• mastery of Dedoose qualitative analytic software for interview analysis
- Developing and refining concise and public-facing reports that synthesize original and existing research
Required qualifications/coursework:
•Excellent communication habits
• Interest in the socioeconomic outcomes of undocumented/DACA students
• Willingness to cold-call/email strangers to solicit interviews
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
• SOC 355 or other training in qualitative social science research methods< br/> • Coursework in Sociology, Ethnic Studies, Economics, Communication, and/or Political Science
• Familiarity with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Federal policy
• Familiarity with workplace challenges faced by undocumented minors and adults
• Familiarity with California public policies regarding undocumented workers
• Solid writing skills.
John Paniagua
(he/him/his)
jpp@calpoly.edu
History
Research project Title:
Indigeneity Disavowed
Research Project Description:
Between 1879 and 1918, almost 11,000 Native Americans were sent to Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. The institution—and others like it—were designed to detribalize Indigenous peoples and forcibly assimilate them into the American nation via an "acculturation under duress" curriculum. During this period, sixty Puerto Ricans attended the institution. That any number of Caribbean peoples were sent to institutions such as Carlisle is curious considering how the Antilles have long served as the primary example of Indigenous decimation across the Americas. By the turn of the twentieth century, centuries of European colonialism had almost completely eliminated indigeneity from the Greater Antilles. However, when Spanish rule was replaced by the domination of the United States, an imperial framework that relied on identifying Indians and either assimilating them or annihilating them was imported to Puerto Rico. Indeed, after 1898, U.S. oIicials began describing Puerto Ricans as "colored people" with indeterminate amounts of African and Indigenous heritage, while the Smithsonian Institution simply referred to all Puerto Ricans as Indians during this same period.
Difficult to define, the Puerto Rican students were harder to discipline. Many fled, others dropped out or were dismissed, and only seven graduated. What connected them was their self-identification: All of them wrote "Porto Rican" in place of tribal affiliation. Nevertheless, they were treated as Indians "in spite of themselves." The project tracks their experiences and uses their disavowals to highlight that indigeneity is not an essentialist category—a thing that one has—rather, it is defined by the social reproduction of Indigenous kinship ties, and as such, it must be actively cultivated and perpetuated. How these students identified themselves demonstrates that centuries of colonialism had rendered Caribbean indigeneity seemingly impossible. In turn, how they were categorized and treated as Indians despite their protestations makes clear that indigeneity is not just a particular form of kinship, but also a logic used to justify the domination of colonized populations—no matter the validity of their "Indianness.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will be expected to aggregate, synthesize, and summarize historical data from 19th century school records and other government sources. Most of the material will be handwritten in English—but there will be portions in Spanish. The Scholar will aggregate all relevant materials for the sixty students in question using the archival management software Tropy. Then, they will read and synthesize the similarities and differences evident in the cohort. Particular attention will be paid to moments in which the students are identified as Indians or in which they disavow such heritage. Afterward, the Scholar will summarize their findings in a series of thematic research briefs (i.e. a brief on abuse, a brief on racialization, a brief on personal connections).
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will gain hands on experience with the fundamentals of historical research from an archival and analytical perspective. The Scholar will gain familiarity with a variety of digital archives ranging in complexity from major imperial and national repositories to smaller collections hosted by private colleges. They will learn how to locate relevant collections, contact appropriate archivists, access the necessary sources—and above all—how unequal archival access influences our ability to understand the past. They will hone their qualitative analysis across a range of archival sources, from accounts of student abuse to more quotidian records regarding their labor assignments. Across these disparate sources, the Scholar will gain some familiarity with the emotional toll that historical research on diIicult areas of research can have on the researcher. Likewise, they will learn something of the challenges inherent to pursuing dispassionate and objective analysis within a source base that often demands otherwise. Ultimately, the Scholar will develop fluency in the analytical methods deployed by social and cultural historians as well as skills in archival database and analysis software.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Ability to read handwriting in English
History Major or Minor
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Ability to read handwriting in Spanish
History 303/304/222
G. Aron Ramirez
(he/him/él)
arami412@calpoly.edu
History
Research project Title:
The Golden Age of Public Housing Authorities, 1949 - 1973
Research Project Description:
Today, "aIordable housing" programs generally describe privately constructed and owned housing that receive subsidies or tax breaks from the state or local government. In fact, the private sector has been the keystone of low-income housing since 1974, when Congress created the Section 8 program for rent supplements (and, later, construction assistance) for privately owned housing. Before 1974, though, "aIordable housing" generally came from public housing. The nearly 3,000 local housing authorities constructed most of the nation's 807,000 public-housing units in the years between the passage of the Housing Act of 1949 and the moratorium on federally subsidized housing in 1973.
This BEACoN project will investigate the contours of what we'll call the "Golden Age of Public Housing Authorities." We will do two kinds of research. First, we will read through academic literature to understand how historians have written about public housing authorities in the early postwar period. Second, we will analyze primary sources, particularly the Records of the Public Housing Administration and two archival collections related to the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. (The city council didn't create the Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo, a more intuitive research subject, until 1968.) I will collect the primary sources, but we will analyze them and organize them together. .
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The student or students will, with my guidance, undertake two stages of research. In the first stage, I will direct the student toward academic works that help situate the workings of public housing authorities in the selected period. This would involve me teaching students how to effectively read through a small body of academic literature and understand the outlines of that academic field. The second stage would involve the direct reading and analyzing of primary sources. The student would, with my guidance, work through the PDFs I'll compile of the archival material so that they could work through historical evidence the same way that a historian would. In doing so, I would teach the student or students how to effectively take notes and manage such a large amount of primary source material, and how to eventually organize the material into a historical narrative.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The Research Scholar would learn how to eIectively read academic literature and get a sense for how "the field" approaches a historiographic problem. The Research Scholar will also learn how to conduct historical research *after* having identified archives. The Research Scholar will learn how to manage large amounts of information and synthesize them into a cohesive historical narrative. The Research Scholar will primarily learn how to employ the methods of social history and, especially, political history
Required qualifications/coursework:
N/A
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
A student having taken HIST 303 would probably help, but that's restricted to History majors, and, as I've mentioned, I do have an interest in somebody from outside of History as well as somebody in History
Daniel Rodriguez Ramirez
(he/they)
drodrd212@calpoly.edu
Psychology & Child Development
Research project Title:
Laying the Groundwork: Exploring a Research Collaboration with Transformative Care Organizations Serving Immigrant Communities
Research Project Description:
As a new faculty at Cal Poly, the BEACoN research scholar will assist me in continuing my research in the psychology of social change area, with a focus on understanding and promoting it. My work centers on how minoritized communities drive social transformation. I learn from the expertise and strengths of these communities as they navigate, transform, and reshape systems to better serve them (Grabe, Rodriguez, & Dutt, 2020; Rodriguez et al., 2023), with a particular focus on Latinx people. In this context, I have studied how adults and youth from immigrant backgrounds come together to regain trust and a sense of safety, addressing concerns while fostering a sense of communality. They engage in collective action to improve conditions in workplaces and schools (Rodriguez et al., 2023; Rodriguez et al., in prep.). Lately, my research focuses on the strategies employed by care workers and organizers to promote fairer conditions of coexistence through concrete actions that move us toward more equitable systems (Rodriguez, 2024).
The purpose of our current project is to identify, connect with, and explore community engaged research collaborations with transformative organizations and collectives serving immigrant communities in Central Coast and Northern California. The research scholar will have the opportunity to learn about the early stages of student-engaged community initiated research and participatory action research approaches within critical and decolonial social-community psychology. This involves conducting a literature review, identifying service-providing and care-work organizations with transformative missions and visions, starting "beginning conversations," and potentially assisting with research design. Local organizations like the Community Action Partnership of SLO or Allies for Immigration Justice may serve as potential research collaborators. Applying lessons from the literature, we will initiate contact and potentially collaborate with an organization that shares our social justice values and transformative goals for serving the Latinx immigrant population. The scholar will also write weekly personal narratives reflecting on their learning experience, which may contribute to a collaborative first-person account in identifying and conducting initial meetings for community-engaged research collaborations.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
- Literature Review. Conducting a literature review on community-engaged and participatory action research with critical and decolonial approaches, to provide a strong foundation for the project.
- Organizational Research. Identifying and analyzing care organizations and collectives with transformative missions that align with the project's social justice goals.
- Outreach, Engagement, and Research Design: Assisting in outreach efforts to connect with these organizations by drafting communications, scheduling meetings, participating in initial conversations about potential research collaborations, and potentially contributing to research design.
- Reflections and Writing. Writing weekly reflections on the research process and personal learning experiences, which may be used for a collaborative first-person account of initiating community-engaged research collaborations.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
- Community-engaged Research Methods. Conducting literature reviews and applying decolonial and participatory action research approaches, particularly with qualitative methods.
- Community Engagement. Building relationships with local organizations and participating in early-stage research collaboration meetings.
- Research Design. Assisting in developing research frameworks and designing data collection tools (e.g., surveys, interviews, focus groups) tailored to community needs.
- Critical Thinking and Writing. Writing reflective narratives on the research process and contributing to collaborative writing projects.
- Project Management. Coordinating outreach efforts, scheduling meetings, and managing communication with community organizations.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Strong research and writing skills, a strong interest in social justice scholarship, and experience working alongside or in solidarity with communities facing systemic oppression are highly encouraged. Familiarity with qualitative or quantitative research methods and coursework in psychology, sociology, or related fields would also be beneficial. Experience working with non-profit organizations or in organizing is highly recommended.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Preference will be given to students from minoritized backgrounds, particularly those from immigrant and/or Latinx communities, who might not only identify with these backgrounds but also demonstrate a critical consciousness of systems of oppression, the ability to navigate them, and a commitment to dismantling them. Scholars who have taken PSY 360: Applied Social Psychology, PSY 372: Multicultural Psychology, SOC 354: Qualitative Research Methods, and PSY 323: The Helping Relationship (in order of importance) are encouraged to apply.
Jared P. Van Ramshorst
(He/him/his)
jvanrams@calpoly.edu
Political Science
Research project Title:
Learning while Latina/e/o/x: Student Experiences amid the 2024 U.S. Elections
Research Project Description:
The past decade in U.S. politics has been marked by intense anti-immigrant sentiment, nationalism, and xenophobia. From campaign pledges to deport millions of "illegal aliens" to descriptions of immigrants as "criminals," "monsters," and "vile animals," the current presidential race has mobilized widespread racial anxieties and nativist fears. While such rhetoric is by no means new, it has signaled an increasingly combative and hostile environment in which Latina/e/o/x people have been explicitly targeted. How have these events affected Latina/e/o/x students on college and university campuses? What is it like to identify as Latina/e/o/x and to learn in an environment characterized by broader racial and ethnic antagonisms? How can educators better understand the challenges, concerns, and difficulties that Latina/e/o/x students face inside and outside of the classroom amid this political climate? This project gathers Latina/e/o/x experiences and voices on Cal Poly's campus to examine the 2024 U.S. elections and their impact on education and learning, especially inside of the classroom.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
In collaboration with me, students will compile and analyze a literature review on existing scholarship in the area under study. Following this, we will create, develop, and devise a research plan, including protocols to conduct interviews and focus groups with Latina/e/o/x students on campus. Under my mentorship and supervision, we will complete these interviews and focus groups together, and systematically analyze this data after collection. Finally, we will work together to author and outline deliverables such as manuscripts for presentation and publication.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
Students will gain proficiency in qualitative methods and research design. They will learn how to complete a literature review, how to collect and manage data, how to develop and conduct interviews and focus groups, how to analyze data, and how to author manuscripts for presentation and publication.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Students must have strong communication skills and be excellent readers and writers. They must also be interested in the challenges, concerns, and difficulties that Latina/e/o/x students face on campus.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Completed coursework in, or experiences with, curriculum in the College of Liberal Arts, research design and methods, and some upper-level electives is strongly preferred.
Jean Williams
(she/her/hers)
jemwilli@calpoly.edu
Political Science
Research project Title:
How Gender and Race Shape Homelessness
Research Project Description:
This project begins with the premise that homelessness is shaped by and reflects economic inequalities based on gender and race. While there are well-documented disproportionalities in rates of homelessness based on race and gender, these disproportionalities often drop out of analyses of homelessness and the policy prescriptions for addressing it. When gender and race are ignored in interpretations about why people do not have housing, it becomes harder to link homelessness to poverty and becomes more likely that housing loss will be seen as an individual failing or crisis. This project aims to illustrate and analyze the tendency for both academic research and popular media coverage of unhoused people to under analyze — and sometimes ignore— gender and race in their discussions of homelessness.
For example, about 40% of unhoused people are families, and the National Center on Family Homelessness (2011) reported that 71% of homeless families are single-parent families headed by women. Thus, family homelessness is a significant aspect of homelessness, and most family homelessness is more precisely single-parent, femaleheaded family homelessness. In fact, the ‘typical’ unhoused family in the United States is an adult woman and two children (Williams-Arya et al, 2021: 282). However, the stereotypical representation of homelessness is a single (often white) man. Research indicates that 70% of newspaper articles about homelessness feature an unhoused man (Williams, Hopkinson, and Martinez 2024). Yet it is essential to understand that just as women who head families are more likely than men to be poor (Bassuk, 2010), so homeless families are more likely to be headed by a single woman, often a woman of color, than by a single man or by two parents.
In another example, while African Americans are about 14% of the U.S. population, they are 42% of all unhoused people (Olivet et al, 2021). In 2020, 53% of homeless people in families were Black or African American and 29% were Hispanic/Latino, while just 35% were white (Henry et al, 2021). As such, it is essential to understand homelessness in the context of racism and racialized poverty. Racial residential segregation, concentrated poverty, and gentrification, particularly of formerly red-lined neighborhoods, disproportionately affect African Americans and help to explain their large numbers among those who are unhoused (Massey and Tannen, 2015; Wagner and White, 2017). Yet many discussions about houselessness do not foreground race.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN Scholar will assist with library research to provide a thorough overview of scholarly research that addresses how homelessness is gendered and racialized. They will also contribute to an assessment of the ways that gender and race are under analyzed in the existing scholarly literature. The BEACoN Scholar will assist in developing research questions, outlining a literature review, and finalizing methodologies that will guide the project. Depending on the direction of the project, the Scholar may assist in interviewing, transcribing interviews, and/or coding data.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The BEACoN Scholar will develop and enhance skills that are essential to social science research, including exploring existing published research and creating a research design. Emphasis will be placed on ethical research that recognizes the distinct positionalities of the researchers (and possibly research subjects) and the impact of inequalities in the context of research on houselessness.
Required qualifications/coursework:
N/a
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
- Interest in and/or course work associated with poverty and homelessness.
- Interest in and/or course work associated with gender and race/ethnicity.
-Exposure to research methods in the social sciences.
Hocheol Yang
(HY)
hyang25@calpoly.edu
Graphic Communication
Research project Title:
Developing and Applying Inclusive User Experience in Interactive Graphics
Research Project Description:
As part of our commitment to promoting more inclusive User Experiences (iUX), the primary aim of this proposal is to conduct an investigation into the development and applications of iUX guidelines in various fields in UX design. This endeavor seeks to foster greater inclusivity and cultural diversity within user experiences, ultimately leading to the establishment of a comprehensive set of iUX design practices centered around the use of inclusive photographic assets. It is crucial to make thoughtful decisions in an inclusive design system, as each choice can either include or exclude users. To achieve this, involving users early and making continuous improvements is essential (Waller et al., 2015). Therefore, early user involvement is a key aspect of developing an inclusive design system, although communicating and evaluating inclusive goals can be challenging when consensus is lacking
This project will encompass a thorough examination of the current major factors of iUX, including, Inclusion, Community, Communication, and Adaptability, in user interface design principles, interaction design, and information architecture. The current factors require additional investigation to have more validity with additional evidences. The insights gleaned from this project will serve as the foundation for the more refined guideline for iUX design practices.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
As a UX designer and researcher, students will engage in the creation of online website prototypes for the selected local non-profit organizations applying inclusive UX design principles. Currently, Paso Robles Children’s Museum, Home4Slo, and UX4impact are possible organizations student could work with. Initially, students will conduct a thorough study and research phase to establish the initial guidelines for user experience (iUX). Subsequently, they will apply these guidelines to develop prototypes. Each prototype will undergo evaluation by experts to identify any necessary modifications to the initial guidelines.
Skills the BEACoN Research scholar will gain:
The student researcher will gain experience with< br/> - Inclusive UX design
- UX design principle
- UX research
- Eye-tracking data gathering and analysis (optional)
Required qualifications/coursework:
Adobe photoshop and Illustrator
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
GrC 301, 429, and 433
Bailey College of Science & Mathematics
Danielle Champney
She/her/hers
dchampne@calpoly.edu
Mathematics
Research project Title:
Creating Strengths-Based Resources for Math Students in Outside Class Time
Research Project Description:
This project seeks to better understand math students' needs for resources outside of class time, particularly video and web-based resources. There are two aspects of students' resource use that we will follow, with this line of research, both in service of creating new, strengths-based resources for students across the math curriculum
(1) Students frequently seek out videos to help fill gaps in class instruction, assist with difficult concepts, help answer homework questions, and more, and especially since instruction was temporarily transitioned to virtual modalities during the COVID pandemic, simple internet searches will produce millions of hits for students who need additional help. But what features do students look for when judging whether and how a particular resource is helpful? How does a student know if a resource has solved their problem, or if they need to continue to search? What features of videos will immediately cause a student to move on to a new resource, without watching to the end or seeing the video's punchline? Students evaluate videos on some scale from bad to good, as they try to navigate their needs, but what are their criteria? We first aim to understand, in a more robust way, how students seek out, choose, and use these resources.
(2) As we think about students' resource use, we increasingly find that such videos/resources, in an eIort to be applicable to the widest audience, assume that students who find them know "nothing," and build from the most basic introductory concepts. For students who seek out such resources, starting with the most basic concepts is often not what's needed - their instructors already did that, in class, and rather the students need a new angle, or a new way of integrating these difficult concepts into what they *already* know. Put differently, many of these videos/resources either implicitly or explicitly assume a deficit model of student thinking, and don't take into account an important facet of helping students - meeting them where they are, and capitalizing on their strengths to help incorporate the newer learning.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
In the spring quarter, the Research Scholar would turn their attention to building resources for K12 students (particularly in a middle school audience), and use what we learned from the earlier stages of the project to create complementary pieces of a middle school supplementary curriculum that are strengths-based, and satisfy some of the students' expressed needs of external resources/videos. This transition, in spring, would be more of a research-to-practice
In both quarters, the Research Scholar will read literature about student learning, teacher noticing, student noticing, deficit-language and more, in an eIort to contextualize this work, across K-16 mathematics. They will also be participating in academic writing, reading group with other Cal Poly students, and weekly research meetings aimed at progressing the team's work.
Skills the BEACoN research scholar gain:
Methods for analyzing data, which include some statistical methods as well as qualitative methods for dealing with interview data
Data management, in the context of managing and organizing a large sample of numerical survey data.
Interview skills, through conducting participant interviews to add qualitative data to the larger sample.
Creation of academic resources, in the second half of the work, which are aimed at supporting emerging mathematics learners; additionally assisting the team in ensuring that the resources are accessible to all, with an eye for focusing on issues of DEI
Required qualifications/coursework:
Comfort/fluency with mathematics and math topics through Calculus II (MATH 142)
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Some experience with statistics; interest in teaching at any level K-16; interest and willingness to work on creating *accessible* resources for wider use
Saba Gerami
(she/her/hers)
sgerami@calpoly.edu
Mathematics
Research project Title:
Unpacking Calculus Inquiry Teaching: The Role of Derivative Representations and Student Experiences in Task Design
Research Project Description:
Calculus I (or differential calculus) has long been considered a "gateway" course, critical for students pursuing STEM pathways or completing their degrees. However, inquiry-based learning teaching methods have been promoted to make the course more accessible. While research on inquiry teaching in undergraduate mathematics has primarily focused on pedagogical approaches, it has not always demonstrated positive student outcomes. Instead, I focus on the content that instructors and students engage with in these classrooms, specifically examining the instructional tasks through which they interact. The design of these tasks is known to significantly impact student learning outcomes. This project aims to contribute to our understanding of teaching calculus and implementing inquiry in undergraduate mathematics classrooms by investigating how calculus instructors design tasks related to teaching a fundamental concept: derivatives.
Specifically, the project will examine:
1) How instructors use multiple representations of derivatives when introducing the concept, as making connections among various representations enhances students' understanding of mathematical ideas.]
2) How and whether instructors consider students' real-life experiences when designing tasks for introducing derivatives. Incorporating relevant, relatable contexts into instruction can play a significant role in making the material more engaging and accessible for students.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:The< br/> Research Scholars' responsibilities will involve qualitative data management and data analysis. They will assist in developing qualitative codebooks, conducting thematic analysis, and calculating intercoder reliability to ensure consistency across multiple coders. These tasks will provide the scholar with a strong foundation in qualitative research methods. Beyond data analysis, the scholars will learn how to communicate research findings to the scholarly community. They will work closely with the mentor to co-author conference proposals and journal articles, gaining skills in writing abstracts, conducting literature reviews, and developing strong arguments for research presentations and publications.
Skills the BEACoN Research scholar will gain:
Research Scholars will gain qualitative research methods, including data cleaning and coding, thematic analysis, creating codebooks, and calculating intercoder reliability. The scholars will also gain experience in academic writing and presentation, as they aid the faculty mentor in co-authoring conference proposals and journal articles. Scholars will learn how to write abstracts, conduct literature reviews, prepare research posters for conference presentations, prepare materials for conference submissions, present at a research conference, and submit research for publication.
Required qualifications/coursework:
-Calculus 1 and 2
-Interest in STEM education
-Be able to follow instructions and complete assignments before deadlines
-Knowledge of Microsoft Office or be willing to learn quickly
-Communication and organization skills
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Writing in LaTeX
Perla Ramos Carranza
(she/her/hers)
pramosca@calpoly.edu
Liberal Studies and Biological Sciences
Research project Title:
The Role of Identity-Based and Cultural Organizations in the Persistence of Latinx Aspiring Teachers at Cal Poly
Research Project Description:
Research scholars and educational organizations emphasize the critical importance of recruiting and retaining a diverse population of teachers (Bireda and Chait, 2011; CarverThomas, 2018). However, teachers from ethnically minoritized populations, such as Latinx teachers, are severely underrepresented in the teacher workforce. Particularly, while Latinx students represent 28% of the K-12 student population in the U.S., Latinx teachers only represent 9% of the teacher population (National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). Latinx pre-service teachers, or students training to become teachers, often face challenges in their teacher preparation programs that deter them from persisting in the field, such as racial and ethnic discrimination from faculty and peers and a cultural mismatch between their cultural values and background and those of their program (Chávez-Moreno et al., 2022; Irizarry, 2011). Thus, it is crucial to identify and develop sources of support that can help Latinx pre-service teachers persist in their aspirations of becoming teachers, despite the challenges they may face.
Identity-based and/or cultural organizations have the potential to provide Latinx aspiring teachers with tools and resources that help them persist in their profession. At Cal Poly, specifically, organizations such as Nuestra Ciencia and Educators of Color, can promote a sense of belonging on campus and empower preservice teachers to see their cultural background and knowledge as assets for their academic and professional aspirations. For this project, we will investigate the experience of Latinx undergraduate alumni who were involved in identity-based or cultural organizations at Cal Poly, like Nuestra Ciencia and Educators of Color, and how their experience might have shaped their persistence in their aspirations to become teachers. The overarching goal is to support the creation and development of educational spaces at higher education institutions like Cal Poly that can contribute to a diverse K-12 teacher workforce where educators of color, including Latinx educators, can thrive. BEACoN Research Scholars will support this project through recruiting potential participants, conducting interviews with participants, transcribing recordings of the interviews, analyzing qualitative data from the interviews, and disseminating findings from data analysis through research papers and presentations. .
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
a. Attend research meetings with other undergraduate students and faculty
b. Research relevant empirical literature related to higher education, teacher education, and identity-based/cultural organizations and develop annotated bibliographies from that literature
c. Qualitative data collection: Recruit participants, conduct interviews with participants, and transcribe recordings of interviews
d. Qualitative data analysis: Assist with thematic coding of interview transcripts
e. Collaborate with other undergraduate students and faculty on research presentations and research papers
f. Present research findings through poster presentations or research talks at lab meetings and research conferences
g. Synthesize findings from data analysis in written format (i.e., helping with writing research papers for peer-reviewed publication)
Skills the BEACoN scholar will gain:
a. Conducting literature reviews of empirical literature
b. Working knowledge of Zotero, a software for managing academic references
c. Working knowledge of MAXQDA, a software used to analyze qualitative data
d. Qualitative data methodology, including conducting interviews, transcribing recordings of interviews, and analyzing themes from interviews
e. Critical thinking for analyzing previous literature and interview data
f. Communicating and presenting research through oral presentation and written reports
g. Teamwork and collaborative skills with interdisciplinary team of undergraduate students and faculty
Required qualifications/coursework:
a. Passion for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in K-12 and higher education
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
a. Some working knowledge or personal experience with issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, K-12 education, and teacher education
b. Some previous experience researching empirical, peer reviewed research articles either through coursework or other research experiences
c. Interest in learning more about qualitative research methodology
Rachel Johnson
(she/her/hers)
rjohn128@calpoly.edu
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Research project Title:
Activity- and Bioinformatic-guided Discovery of Antimicrobial Compounds from a Microbial Strain Library
Research Project Description:
Bacteria, fungi, and plants are producers of small molecules called natural products that often have therapeutic potential. In fact, the majority of antibiotic compounds used clinically are direct natural products or molecules that are closely related. The goal of this research project is to identify new antibiotic compounds and to understand how they are made in the natural producer
We have access to a library of bacterial strains that have yet to be tapped for their chemical and biosynthetic potential. We aim to screen these strains for antimicrobial activity against safe relatives of human pathogens (activity-guided discovery approach). Simultaneously, we will isolate and assess the genome sequences of these strains to search for the genes that encode the enzymatic machinery to make these compounds (bioinformatic-guided discovery). Taken together, we can begin to understand the molecules that are being made by these bacteria, and ideally isolate novel antibiotic compounds through bacterial extraction and purification methods. Additionally, we hope to characterize how these molecules are made by the enzymes involved, which may uncover unique chemistry conducted in nature.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN Scholar will gain wet-lab experiences in sterile media preparation, bacterial culturing and streaking, antimicrobial assay set-ups, bacterial extractions (both solid and liquid), compound purification using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), genomic DNA extractions, and polymerase chain reactions (PCR). In addition to wet lab skills, the researcher will gain bioinformatic experience in analyzing the DNA and protein sequences from bacteria. With mentorship, the student researcher will analyze antimicrobial assay and bioinformatic results to identify lead bacterial strains that are worth further investigation for compound isolation and biosynthetic investigations.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
From this research project, it is anticipated that the BEACoN Research Scholar will learn lab techniques that span the fields of biochemistry, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and analytical chemistry. The researcher will improve their skills in scientific communication, data organization, and scientific inquiry. The student will learn how to analyze their scientific results and develop additional project goals.
Required qualifications/coursework:
Scholars need not come with prior laboratory experience but must have an interest and curiosity in the scientific method. They must have a growth mindset, i.e. be willing to make mistakes and learn from them. Scholars must be motivated to stay organized, practice good communication, and be willing to work in a team.
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
It is preferred if the research scholar has taken at least 1 introductory chemistry and biochemistry/biology course.
Alison Ventura
(she/her/hers)
akventur@calpoly.edu
Kinesiology and Public Health
Research project Title:
The Impact of Parent Phone Use on Infant Social and Emotional Development Across Early Infancy
Research Project Description:
The goal of this study is to understand the psychological benefits versus risks of parents' smartphone use for parent-infant interactions and infant development. We are recruiting 200 parents and their 2-month-old infants. We assess parent smartphone use via an app installed on their phones and parents will complete surveys to assess responsiveness, mood, stress, guilt, and empowerment and infant diIicult behavior, negative aIect, and positive aIect. We will also conduct remote video observations of parent-infant interactions at 2 and 5 months. We hope the findings from this study will inform recommendations to guide families' technology use.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will perform the remote video observations and analysis of the videos collected. Additional duties and responsibilities will include:
-Attending weekly lab meetings and additional training/mentoring meetings with the research team
-Assisting with recruitment through activities such as creating recruitment materials, delivering recruitment materials to partner sites, etc.
-Screening potential study participants and documenting the results of screening calls
-Assisting with preparation for data collection, including making photocopies, assembling packets of study materials, taking inventory of supplies
-Assisting graduate research assistants and staI research associates with data collection
- Assisting with data entry and management, including scanning and filing hard copies of data, entering data into online databases, and cleaning data
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
The BEACoN Research Scholar will gain a number of diIerent skills related to data collection and analysis, as well as working with families with infants. Specifically, the scholar will develop the following skills:
- how to read and discuss scientific research articles
- how to carry out observational research methods
- how to conduct remote video observations in ways that produce high-quality, reliable data
- how to assess families with young infants in ways that minimize the researchers' influence on infant behavior
- infant development and parent-child relationships
- how to conduct behavioral coding of videos of mother-infant feeding interactions
- how to clean and manage data
Required qualifications/coursework:
N/A
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
- Majoring in Public Health, Child Development, Nutrition, Psychology, Sociology, Kinesiology, Biology, or a related field
- Interest in working with families and children
- Comfort with technology (e.g., Zoom) and learning new software programs
- Have taken a research methods course
Orfalea College of Business
Aniruddha Ghosh
(he/him/his)
aghosh10@calpoly.edu
Economics
Research project Title:
Heuristics, Identity, and Society: Unpacking Stereotypes and the Dynamics of Polarization
Research Project Description:
Have you ever thought about why we hold certain beliefs about each other or how stereotypes come to be? I find this topic extremely important to our times, and that's what my research focuses on. I explore heuristics—those mental shortcuts we use to make decision—and how they shape our impressions of one another. For example, how does a group reason about other groups? Do its reasoning and collective action depend on its composition and the composition of the other? How are opinions in a group aggregated? Do identities matter and if yes, which ones; cultural, religious, nationality, or economic?
Are these questions solely a matter of identities? This area of study is also gaining a lot of traction in economics because it helps us understand how these mental shortcuts can lead to the formation of stereotypes and cause divisions in beliefs among different groups and affect choices individuals make when interacting with each other.
A lot of existing research looks at average beliefs across groups, but I think it’s just as important to dig deeper into the differences within those groups. That’s where my work comes in! I’m examining a concept called the meta-contrast ratio, which helps us understand the range of beliefs that exist within groups. In another aspect of my research, I’m looking into how people learn from each other’s beliefs in diverse environments. Instead of relying solely on traditional methods of updating beliefs, I propose using an interaction matrix that helps individuals weigh each other’s beliefs. This new approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of how people learn in environments with diverse worldviews. I will explore how these belief updates work and analyze the effects of shifts in worldviews on overall beliefs. Lastly, I’m developing a framework to understand social norms—those unspoken rules that guide our behavior. I’m incorporating factors like anonymity, external influences, and how our choices can sometimes be inconsistent. By exploring these elements, I hope to shed light on how social norms are formed and maintained, which is essential for understanding how we interact with each other in society
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
I envision this project as a dynamic collaboration with the student, where they will actively participate in a range of exciting tasks:
Literature Review: Together, we will explore both foundational and cutting-edge literature in psychology, sociology, and economics, focusing on heuristics, stereotypes, and belief polarization.
Data Collection:The project will involve working with datasets from the American National Election Studies (ANES) and the Moral Foundations, allowing for engagement with real-world data.
Data Management and Statistical Analysis: The student will organize and clean the data for analysis, ensuring consistency, and conduct econometric analyses to uncover meaningful insights.
Model Development: We will collaboratively develop models based on our findings, culminating in the preparation of a paper for submission to academic journals and conferences.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
For this research project, the student should possess proficiency in statistical software such as Python, Stata, or R for effective data management and econometric analysis. A solid mathematical foundation is essential for developing and interpreting models, alongside a strong understanding of economic principles to contextualize findings. Additionally, the ability to read and synthesize literature across psychology, sociology, and economics will enhance the depth of the research. These skills will empower the student to contribute effectively and advance their analytical capabilities.
Required qualifications/coursework:
N/A
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
Econometrics
Data Science or Data Analysis
Mathematical Economics
Research Methods in Social Sciences
Behavioral Economics
Social Psychology
Advanced Topics in Econometrics or Statistical Modeling Ethics in Research
Note: These are preferred qualifications, but we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all of them. While these courses provide a strong foundation, what’s most important to me is the student’s inquisitiveness to learn and their ability to read and engage with materials across various disciplines, fostering an interdisciplinary approach to research.
Cheryl-lyn Ngoh
(she/her/hers)
cngoh@calpoly.edu
Marketing
Research project Title:
How Employee Diversity Influences Customer Perceptions and Purchase Intentions in the Context of Minority-Owned Businesses: An Aymmetrical Analysis
Research Project Description:
Over the last 10 years, minority-owned businesses (MBEs) accounted for more than 50% of two million businesses in the US (U.S. Senate Committee, n.d.). Despite the growing presence of minority-owned businesses, there is not much research that explores how employee diversity influences customer perceptions and purchase intentions of MBEs. This research takes a unique angle by focusing on how the diversity of employees—same minority, other minority, and non-minority—influence customer perceptions of inclusivity, authenticity, and loyalty in MBEs and their purchase intentions in different contexts (e.g., service, commodities, food & beverage industry). The research aims to provide practitioners with a better understanding of the dynamics of hiring diverse employees and its impact on shaping customer attitudes and business performance.
For this project, we will utilize a mixed-methods approach that includes both interviews and an experimental survey to gather data. The project will encompass data collection, analysis using statistical methods, and the presentation of results in a research report.
BEACoN Research Scholar's role in project:
The student will be involved in the project throughout and will gain invaluable experience in the application of theory and methodology approaches. The student will be using statistical softwares, such as Qualtrics, SPSS, and Microsoft Excel. The student will be expected to:
1. Conduct a comprehensive literature review and build a theoretical framework around the topic of employee diversity, consumer perceptions of inclusivity, authenticity, and loyalty, and MBEs
2. Conduct exploratory research - develop IRB protocol, develop an interview question guide, interview participants who have shopped at MBEs, and transcribe, interpret, and report interview data results
3. Conduct causal research - develop IRB protocol, develop and conduct an experimental survey design, collect and analyze data, and report the results.
Skills the BEACoN Research Scholar will gain:
This mentorship experience aims to provide students with hands-on experience in marketing research practices involving:
1. Identifying and developing appropriate research questions and hypotheses
2. Developing literature review skills to critically assess research and enhance understanding of the field.
3. Gaining proficiency in conducting qualitative (e.g., in-depth interviews) and quantitative (e.g., experimenal survey) research methods.
4. Enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Required qaulifications/coursework:
Required skills:
- exhibits foundational communication skills for successful collaboration in research and ongoing in-person/online communication with the mentor.
- self-motivated problem solver, capable of taking initiative while remaining open to guidance and support.
- active listening and proficient writing skills
- able to demonstrate strong time management capabilities
Preferred qualifications/coursework:
- The student should feel motivated and passionate about the research topic (i.e., marketing, minority-owned businesses, retailing, perceptions of inclusivity, DEI, and consumer shopping behavior).
-Although the student does not have to have prior marketing research experience, some completed coursework related to qualitative and quantitative research methods are preferred.
