During the academy, students heard from cybersecurity experts, participated in cybersecurity skills workshops, had tours of the CSUSM Instructional and Information Technology Services department and cybersecurity firms, and connected with professionals during a networking and showcasing event for their final projects.

Facilitated by Howard Chan, learning experience designer for the Innovation Hub, the program was created to connect students to emerging industries like cybersecurity, biotechnology and AI through hands-on learning and real-world engagement.

The Innovation Hub’s blend of education and application – as well as support from industry sponsors Extreme Networks, Halcyon, SHI, SentinelOne, VectorUSA and Guidepoint Security – gave students the ability to explore the field of digital defense and gain valuable experience. Thanks to a generous donation from Haiku, students also had access to the learning platform that empowers individuals to master cybersecurity through an immersive and engaging experience.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Hosted by Math and Science Teacher Initiative (MSTI) and the CSUSM Noyce Teacher Scholars Program, the event reinforced the shared commitment to preparing and empowering STEM educators.

“The STEM Teacher Celebration had guest speakers who provided invaluable insights and teaching strategies that greatly benefited the teacher candidates,” student Sunny Naidu said. “The seasoned educators highlighted successful case studies and provided examples of how these strategies can be implemented in the classroom to foster collaboration, critical thinking and creativity among students.

“The interactive nature of the small-group presentations allowed the teacher candidates to ask questions, share their experiences and participate in discussions, leading to a rich exchange of ideas. Many teacher candidates left the celebration feeling inspired and equipped with new strategies that they could immediately apply in their future classrooms.”

Some 40 STEM teacher candidates, MSTI Cougar Mathematics and Science Teacher Scholarship Program recipients, Noyce Scholars, undergraduate Students of Promise, practicing STEM teachers, and faculty and administrators attended this year’s event at the McMahan House on campus.

Through engaging roundtable discussions, participants explored practical strategies for implementing California mathematics and science curriculum frameworks. The event highlighted the importance of ongoing professional learning and support in advancing effective STEM teaching and learning.

“As a teacher candidate, I appreciated the roundtable discussions at the STEM Teacher Celebration,” student Courtney Wilson said. “It was a unique opportunity to hear real teachers share innovative and practical approaches to teaching – and the food was great, too!”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

These are just a few of the more than 100 hands-on, interactive activities and demonstrations that will engage thousands of attendees at Super STEM Saturday on March 8 at Cal State San Marcos. This rain-or-shine science festival is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Children of all ages are invited to attend.  

“What we take away from our childhood is really meaningful to what we decide to do as adults,” said Simon Kuo, vice president of corporate quality for Viasat, one of the lead sponsors of Super STEM Saturday. “That’s why we believe it’s really important to expose kids to science and technology so that it can help them better appreciate it and perhaps even choose a career in STEM.”  

“Super STEM Saturday is a powerful event,” said Jackie Trischman, dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics at CSUSM. “I want our community to see someone who looks like them having fun doing science. It’s also an opportunity to bring our community together and celebrate what science does for us on a daily basis.”  

“We are proud to collaborate with the community to inspire the next generation of innovators at Super STEM Saturday,” said Kurtis Indorf, CEO of The Classical Academies. “We’re excited to see students and families come together to explore the endless possibilities of STEM.”

The sponsors of Super STEM Saturday include Viasat; the County of San Diego; ASML; Bristol Myers Squibb; General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation; Grifols; the Issa Family Foundation; Pacific Premier Bank; Qualcomm; Cox Communications; DigiKey; ESET; Hologic; RBC Capital Markets; Young, Minney & Corr, LLP; Calsense; Hilbers, Inc.; Keenan; North Island Credit Union; San Diego Foundation; San Marcos Community Foundation; and Stradling.

What: Super STEM Saturday, a free interactive science festival for all ages 

When: Saturday, March 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

Where: Cal State San Marcos, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road, San Marcos  

Parking: Free in lots E, F and H

More information: www.csusm.edu/superstem 

About The Classical Academies  

The Classical Academies is an organization of award-winning, tuition-free, California Public Charter Schools serving North San Diego County since 1999. With seven campus locations and over 5,200 students in grades TK-12, the schools are making a tremendous impact as they reinvent public education.  

The right place at the right time.  

But perhaps it was serendipitous for another reason. For how do you explain a random meeting between an American national security expert and a music professor that would eventually become a lifelong connection? 

The most unlikely but accurate answer is art and compassion – two areas that both Goldberg and Easterly said are essential to showing a human side to cybersecurity. 

Easterly, the Director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and Lisa Einstein, the Executive Director of CISA’s Advisory Committee, came to Cal State San Marcos earlier this month for a day-long series of events with students and faculty to discuss the role of art and compassion in the highly classified and technical world of cybersecurity. 

“The opportunity to have our students engage with Jen Easterly and Lisa Einstein on the human side of cybersecurity, including how the arts, empathy and imagination matter, was absolutely wonderful,” said Goldberg, who in addition to her role as music professor is executive director of Center ARTES on campus. “Even more so, having our computer science majors, music majors, future teachers, STEM and STEAM ambassadors and cybersecurity club members all gather and decide to work together on future projects is exactly what we hope for in a learning environment.” 

The event, which was tabbed as the intersection of art and cybersecurity, began with an interactive class session with CSUSM students led by Einstein that included music and dance. The topic of the class was integrating art in cybersecurity, and it actively kicked off the visit with a positive tone of what can sometimes be a dry and serious subject. 

Next up was a panel discussion on arts, empathy and cybersecurity that was bookended by creative and inspirational musical performances. Liora Gubkin, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences, introduced the panel and discussed the importance of working together across disciplines. 

“What most impresses me about the learning opportunity before us is the recognition that complex, technical challenges aren't just tech challenges,” Gubkin told the crowd. “We have to work across the disciplines that often separate our knowledge spaces to successfully confront the challenges we face. And that regardless of the particularity of the problem, a mindset that accesses our creativity and foregrounds our empathy is essential.” 

 Einstein is the picture of this integration. She attended performing arts school from grades 4-9 in Canada. She studied physics at Princeton and then danced professionally. She was also Stanford’s first recipient of a dual master’s degree in computer science and international policy.  

Einstein introduced the original song “Just a Girl Risin’ ” that she wrote while serving in the Peace Corps following a situation where a young boy explained to her that his sister couldn’t do math and science because girls weren’t good at those subjects. 

“It's genuinely how I learned since I was a kid,” she said. “I've written songs to learn stuff. When I moved from Canada to the U.S., I wrote a song about the amendments to learn all of them. I've always engaged creatively with learning. And so if I want to remember something, I tried to write a song about it. And if that resonates, that’s even better.” 

The panel also included CSUSM art, media and design associate professor Lucy HG Solomon and Ranjeeta Basu, a professor of economics and faculty director of the Center for Contemplative Practices on campus. 

It concluded with a three-song set – “The Bugs, They Are A-Changin’ ” written by Einstein to the tune of Bob Dylan’s “The Times, They Are A-Changin’ ” about the need to perform regular updates to our mobile phones; a number with Goldberg playing the soprano saxophone and music department chair Ching-Ming Cheng on piano; and a rendition of the Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine”. Music assistant professor Aaron Humble lent his vocal talents to all three songs. 

The link throughout the songs was Goldberg, first playing a drum then a saxophone. Easterly was quick to credit her close friend with keeping empathy and mindfulness at the forefront in whatever one does. 

She was impressed but not shocked at Goldberg’s overwhelming popularity at RSA. 

“Meryl is such a force for positive energy,” said Easterly, who was confirmed as Director by the U.S. Senate on July 21, 2021. “You know, she immediately has a way of just connecting and was so kind and really explained her story there. And then I read about her because they did a story afterwards. It was actually the most popular talk at RSA.” 

As the newest agency in the federal government, CISA is continuing to build its culture through core principles focused on four themes – imagination, empathy, honest feedback and communication. 

The most important thing to Easterly is to create a culture and continue to build that culture around these core principles. 

“I'm just a big believer that empathy is a human skill that all of us need to embrace,” said Easterly, who lost her younger brother to suicide. “Because fundamentally, being able to create trust and high-performing teams, and being an effective leader, is about imagining yourself in the shoes of others so that you can feel their experiences and create compassion for who they are.” 

In 2019, the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security designated CSUSM as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education for the M.S. Cybersecurity program. A bachelor of science and a master of science in cybersecurity are both offered online through Extended Learning.  

Easterly was impressed in her first visit to campus with the culture of care that exists. 

“From my short experience here, I've been totally energized by everything about this campus,” said Easterly, whose dad was a speech writer while her mom was an English teacher who focused on poetry. “The physical beauty of it, the diversity of it. But really, mostly because of the people. From the minute I arrived and met with some of the representatives to meeting the faculty, a lot of the deans and heads of departments and then getting a chance to spend time with the students – both students of arts and music and students of computer science and cybersecurity – it's been a totally electrifying experience.” 

The President Biden nominee said she’s always grateful when she’s able to get out of Washington, D.C., particularly when she has the opportunity to spend time talking about the things she’s most passionate about.  

At the top of that list is ensuring everybody has a deep appreciation for what they need to do to stay safe online.  

“A lot of getting that across effectively is being able to communicate,” she said. “And so I love this morning's discussion about the value of communication, feedback, imagination and empathy because empathy is just a way to connect with people. If you're able to connect with people, then you're able to create that trust. If you're able to create that trust, then communication around the things that you need to do to stay safe online becomes more natural.” 

The day continued with a fireside chat at the Innovation Hub and a student engagement event with STEM and STEAM ambassadors through the Center for Research and Engagement in STEM Education (CRESE). It concluded with a BBQ and jam session at Goldberg’s nearby home. 

An event that took years to put together and more than six months to plan logistically ended like it should have – with Goldberg, Easterly, Einstein and others making impromptu music. 

“Embracing different backgrounds and ways of thinking to solve challenges and problems will no doubt move us forward in many arenas,” Goldberg said. “I could not have been more honored to have the CISA team here with our students and faculty, and I could not be more honored to watch our students shine with them.” 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Do I belong here? Is this really for me?

That self-doubt started to dissipate as Sanders became enmeshed in the lab of biology professor Elinne Becket, doing research on the impact of antibiotic pollution of coastal microbiomes. And it was all but chased away last year when she was chosen as a peer mentor in Summer Scholars, a 10-week program that prepares students for graduate school and careers in STEM through hands-on research and networking opportunities.  

“Summer Scholars really impacted my development as a scientist,” Sanders said. “It exposed me to the collaborative nature of research, and I realized what was missing in my graduate school experience – human interaction. I’ve gained a lot of confidence since doing the program.”

So much confidence that she decided to pursue a doctorate. This fall, she will begin a Ph.D. program in molecular biology at Princeton University.

Sanders’ story of success is exceptional, and yet it’s illustrative of the impact that Summers Scholars has been having on students for more than a decade. Now, the program’s reach will be even broader and deeper.

CSUSM has received a $110,250 grant from Hologic, a Massachusetts-based global medical technology company that has a major presence in San Diego, to launch the Hologic Pathway to Success in STEM. The new program will expand Summer Scholars to serve STEM students throughout their college path, from their first year to graduation.

The pathway program is building upon Summer Scholars in three ways. First, it provides rising sophomores who are first-generation college students, low income, from underrepresented groups in STEM or academically struggling with exposure to Summer Scholars programming, lab shadowing and peer mentorship.

“Those students are our apprentices who learn from the students in our Summer Scholars program,” said Julie Jameson, who coordinates Summer Scholars with fellow biological sciences professor Betsy Read.

Second, the Hologic Pathway to Success in STEM supports six current Summer Scholars (who are anywhere between their sophomore and senior year) and five graduate-level peer mentors to do research and receive career development and professional mentoring.

Third, it’s sponsoring three high-achieving Summer Scholars to continue their research into the fall and spring semesters, turning a seasonal program into a year-round one.

“When we track our students and we look at the alumni, we see the success that they have from being in Summer Scholars,” Jameson said. “So having the ability to support this many students in this large of a wraparound program, I know what it will do for them and I know it will change their lives. And that is extremely rewarding to see happen.”

CSUSM first approached Hologic about supporting Summer Scholars two years ago, and the company heartily consented because it has a strong focus on increasing representation of underrepresented minorities in STEM (61% of STEM majors at CSUSM are from such groups). Hologic broadened its funding last year to include the peer mentoring piece that Sanders participated in.

Earlier this year, Jameson, Read and Christine Anderson (CSUSM’s director of corporate and foundation relations) shared a report from the 2021 edition of Summer Scholars with Hologic's philanthropy committee. Suitably impressed, Damon Getman, Hologic’s scientific director, presented Jameson with a thrilling hypothetical:

What would you do if money weren’t a limitation, if you could dream about doing something really special?

The CSUSM team drew up a proposal, which became the Hologic Pathway to Success in STEM.

“I’ve been with the company for 23 years, and I’ve stayed for so long because here we have the chance to dream about how we can use science and engineering to help patients in the most effective way,” Getman said. “As scientists and engineers, it’s a rare privilege and honor to have that opportunity, and we want to afford that opportunity to all students from every walk of life who aspire to do something great, something that is bigger than themselves. We recognized years ago that the faculty and staff at CSUSM shared that vision with us; we are kindred spirits in a sense. We can’t wait to see how the young scholars in the program exceed their own expectations.”

Jameson can’t wait, either.

“We've seen students who really didn't think that they belonged in the STEM field become Ph.D. candidates,” she said. “We've seen them go into industry and become leaders. Watching our students come and give back to our programs, it shows how much it means to them. The growth and development is, for me, the most rewarding aspect of this program.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

When the associate professor of educational technology and learning sciences came to Cal State San Marcos in 2014, she set out to change the way her students approached technology as well as teaching science and math to their future primary and secondary students.

When she took over the Education 422 course (Technology Tools for Teaching and Learning), she changed the curriculum and developed a service-learning component where students are actually learning technological tools and creative techniques for teaching STEM topics to children.

And when that learning component – a maker-based STEM afterschool program that relies on hands-on collaborative learning experiences as a method for solving real problems – was in danger because the local school districts it serves began the fall semester with distance learning, she simply created a way to execute the program remotely.

Every change is a challenge.

“Oceanside and Escondido (school districts) wanted to continue the program, so we were able to run a virtual maker-based STEM afterschool program across 25 schools serving grades fourth through eighth,” said Siyahhan, who is also associate director of the Center for Research and Engagement in STEM Education and co-director of the CSUSM-UCSD joint doctoral program in Educational Leadership.

 “We have Zoom meetings, Education 422 students work in groups of three to five people, and then they’re assigned to a school site where they work with kids during an assigned date and time.”

The iTeach STEM program started four years ago with six schools in Oceanside and has grown to more than two dozen across the aforementioned school districts that coincidentally serve both ends of Highway 78.

The CSUSM undergrads learn the STEM activities in class with an instructor. The following week, they teach these activities to kids, usually in 60- to 90-minute sessions. The six-week program is a sprint, Siyahhan says, and the most recent session was wrapping up the second week of November.

The program has significant benefits from both ends. It introduces STEM activities to students at ages when interest in science, technology and math usually plunges. At the same time, it gives much-needed experience working with children to candidates for the teacher credential program as well as STEM majors who may someday become single-subject teachers.

“Most of them have never worked in a classroom,” Siyahhan said. “Most of them want to be K-8 teachers and they may not have confidence teaching STEM. So the purpose is for them to build up confidence teaching STEM, gain confidence in teaching and also to learn these technological tools where they’re actually using it in the real world.”

Not only is the focus on actual applications in the classroom, or in this case after school, that real-world approach is evident in the curriculum as well.

The nucleus of the material is on solving real-world problems. One focal point this session was on the United Nations and how that organization pushes important subjects like zero hunger, taking care of the environment and promoting clean oceans.

“We created these activities we call design challenges where students actually create an artifact that solves a real-world problem using technology,” said Siyahhan, who directed one of the first activities this fall to be raising awareness around mask wearing. “What we do is take the UN themes and then turn them into problems to be solved by undergraduate students and kids participating in the afterschool program.

“The kids are learning something not because someone is telling them it’s a good thing to learn, but actually learning because they’re trying to solve a problem they care about. It makes what they’re learning, whether it is the content or the technology tool, meaningful and connected to their world.”

Juan Vazquez is in his final semester at CSUSM as an undergrad in mathematics. Upon graduation, he plans on staying on campus and entering the credential program beginning in fall 2021.

He wants to become a math teacher, perhaps at the local middle school he attended. Amazing is the adjective he chose to describe his experience in the iTeach STEM program.

“Being able to still continue our field experience from home while working with the students has been great,” Vazquez said. “I've learned a lot about what it takes to facilitate a group involving students, how to adapt to on-the-spot changes and benefit from being able to make a student's day when working with the programs online.”

Christian Cozine is also in her final undergrad semester at CSUSM. The kinesiology major is currently studying for the CBEST and CSETs with plans to stay on campus after applying for a spot in the teaching credential program.

She hopes to teach a STEAM subject at the high school or college level.

“I can definitely say that one of the highlights of my experience is making connections with these kids during these unprecedented times,” Cozine said. “I think this program is amazing because I am learning alongside these children about the technology tools that we are trying to use to help evolve their STEM skills such as problem-solving.”

When she was growing up in Istanbul, Turkey, all Siyahhan wanted to do was write novels. Her bachelor’s degree is in comparative literature. Despite being the child of a medical physicist (mom) and oncology doctor (dad), she had no interest in pursuing science as a career.

She published short stories as an undergrad, and then started teaching English as a second language in a low-income neighborhood on the side. That experience changed her perspective so she earned a teaching credential in Turkey before moving to the United States to get a master’s degree and teach.

She quickly realized she didn’t want to be in the classroom but instead wanted to be involved in systemic change.

There’s that word again. If the same old thinking produces the same old results, change is not only desired, it’s mandatory.

“My vision is to transform classroom teaching,” said Siyahhan, who in addition to education majors also recruits STEM majors called learning assistants to work together with teacher education students. “These ideas are not just applicable to afterschool contexts. One of the things I care about personally is to inspire future teachers to re-envision education. If you have 90 minutes (for a class period), you have a choice how you want to frame that 90 minutes. You can definitely do a lecture and worksheets or whatever traditional practices you have. But you can also use that 90 minutes in a different way. Think about how every content is connected to the real world.

“So why not engage kids in those terms? Why not transform your curriculum or present the content to be learned in terms of real-world problems from the get-go so kids are actually more engaged? It’s all about inspiring people. That’s what education is.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

For David Falconer, it quite simply changed his life.

“It means everything,” said Falconer, a Cal State San Marcos junior. “When I got the money, what it was used for, it didn’t just go to me. It went to my entire family. That scholarship helped us move out of a bad neighborhood and get us into a good neighborhood so I can concentrate on school and my son can concentrate on kindergarten. It meant everything.”

Falconer was one of four recipients from CSUSM to earn a 2019 Veteran Student of the Year Academic Scholarship awarded by the San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) Foundation. The scholarship for veterans of military service is intended to bridge the tuition gap between the time when GI Bill benefits expire and the amount of time it takes to complete an undergraduate degree in the science, technology, math and engineering (STEM) fields.

Falconer served five years in the Marine Corps and three more in the Marine Corps Reserves as an Aviation Logistics Information Management System and Support Specialist. He is majoring in computer science and information systems and expects to graduate in spring 2021.

Three other CSUSM students were also honored with the scholarship, all of whom are veterans of the Marines. Jeff Foertsch and Michael Tobin are both majoring in computer science and information systems, and Jason Burley is pursuing a bachelor’s in biochemistry with a minor in Spanish.

Falconer grew up in New York and spent the first 19 years of his life there before enlisting. While he knew college was always going to be in his future, he decided to delay that plan for an unselfish reason.

“I joined the Marine Corps because I love my parents so much,” Falconer said. “I didn’t want to burden them with having to pay for me to go to college. I felt like the military, especially the Marine Corps, was a way to take care of myself and be able to make money while I was doing that. As soon as I left home, they didn’t have to pay a cent for me.”

In his eight years of active and reserves duty, the 27-year-old Falconer was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and saw duty in places such as Japan, Hawaii, South Korea, and Guam, where he met his wife Kelyann, who is currently serving in the Army. They have two children: a son, 5, and a daughter, 1½.

While on terminal leave from active duty in December 2015, he got a position at Viasat as a network security representative, where he helps maintain closed-area government programs. By February 2016, he was working full time at Viasat while also joining the reserves.

Falconer eventually added full-time student to his résumé when he enrolled at CSUSM in spring 2018. Going to school full time while also working in the STEM field full time and serving in the reserves has been quite the challenge.

“This past year and a half has probably been the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, including going to boot camp,” Falconer said. “Every single day when I wake up, I have to be 100 percent on my ‘A’ game for every aspect of the day. Wake up on time, make sure I produce at work, and then get to school and make sure I’m ready to soak up information and then apply that information. Then come home and make sure I’m loving and open and receptive to my family after a long day.

“It’s a 12-hour day at minimum, and that’s not including homework. Hands down it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

Falconer makes it clear there’s only one reason he survived that first semester and has thrived since: support. He felt it the moment he stepped on campus.

“As soon as I got there, they had a transitioning class for veterans, which helped me get settled right in,” Falconer said. “I’m 100 percent sure I’d be lost without the veteran programs. I still go to those organizations and ask for guidance today. They’re crucial to everything Cal State San Marcos is.”

Three members of the CSUSM community in particular stood out when Falconer has needed help: recently retired Director of Veterans Services Patricia Reily, who nominated him for the scholarship last year, Veterans Retention Counselor and alumnus Moses Maddox (’12) and Chrystal Hady, a senior academic adviser.

“While we have only had the chance to sit down a couple of times, Moses has been an example of someone that I would like to emulate,” Falconer said. “He’s a Marine as well and has had straight conversations with me. (Hady) is an amazing adviser. She has helped plan my journey every step of the way at CSUSM. She has helped me balance out classes with my busy work schedule. When I first came to CSUSM I was in line to get four transfer credits for my time in the service. She helped me track down leaders of each department to plead my case and have my time in the military equate to 14 credits.”

While he plans to grow at Viasat, Falconer’s long-term goal is to return to CSUSM to get a degree in business and open his own company in web design marketing.

His story is one of not only reaching out for help and accepting it from various sources, but also paying it back by sharing wisdom with students who are about to embark on the same journey he began years ago.

“Reach out to people,” Falconer said of the advice he would give. “Talk to people. Learn people. If people see that you’re motivated and want to succeed, they’ll reach out a helping hand and take care of you. That’s what my journey has been. I’ve had countless people take care of me and show me the way, show me the path. That’s the only reason I’m here and able to take care of my family. Keep those around you that you know are good and cherish them.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Jameson, an associate professor of biology at CSUSM, and fellow biology professor Betsy Read direct the program, which provides students an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on research experience while developing strong bonds with a faculty mentor.

The College of Science and Mathematics program also exposes students to new career possibilities.

“The Summer Scholars Program helps students determine which career path might be appropriate for them and it opens their eyes to a world of careers out there that they didn’t know existed,” Jameson said.

The 10-week program concludes each year with the Summer Scholars Showcase where participants share with the community the methods, results and interpretation of the work they have done over the summer.

This year’s Showcase is from 9 a.m.-noon on Wednesday, Aug. 9 in the University Student Union Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public.

The Summer Scholars Program integrates research and education for undergraduate students. They are able to work closely with a faculty member as they formulate hypotheses, design and carry out experiments, collect data, analyze results and draw meaningful conclusions from their work.

There are also field trips and weekly seminars that provide additional learning and networking opportunities.

The program has received generous support from The San Diego Foundation, ViaSat, CalFire and Genentech.

What: Summer Scholars Showcase, hosted by CSUSM’s College of Science and Mathematics

When: 9 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017

Where: University Student Union Ballroom on campus of Cal State San Marcos

Cost: Free

Parking: Free parking will be available in the University Parking Structure

The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

CSUSM’s College of Science and Mathematics hosts the Summer Scholars Program each year to actively engage undergraduates in STEM research. Working closely with faculty mentors, students gain hands-on experience in highly interdisciplinary projects and learn to apply new instrumental techniques and analytical methods.

“The Summer Scholars Program helps students determine which career path might be appropriate for them and it opens their eyes to a world of careers out there that they didn’t know existed,” said Julie Jameson, an associate professor of biology at CSUSM who co-directs the program with fellow biology professor Betsy Read.

The 10-week program concludes each year with the Summer Scholars Showcase where participants share with the community the methods, results and interpretation of the work they have done over the summer.

Funding for the Summer Scholars Program was provided by The San Diego Foundation, ViaSat, CalFire and Genentech.

What: Summer Scholars Showcase, hosted by CSUSM’s College of Science and Mathematics

When: 9 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017

Where: University Student Union Ballroom on campus of Cal State San Marcos

Cost: Free

Parking: Free parking will be available in the University Parking Structure

About California State University San Marcos

Building on an innovative 27-year history, California State University San Marcos is a forward-focused institution, dedicated to preparing future leaders, building great communities and solving critical issues. Located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the City of San Marcos, it is the only public four-year comprehensive university serving North San Diego, Southwest Riverside and South Orange Counties.

The University enrolls over 15,000 students. With approximately 2,000 employees, the institution is a Great College to Work For® (The Chronicle of Higher Education). As a recipient of the annual HEED Award since 2014—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—CSUSM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment.

-- Dr. Casey Mueller

Dr. Casey Mueller has been intrigued with animals since she was a little girl growing up on a farm stocked with sheep and cattle in Australia. After being the first generation of her family to attend college, Mueller is now an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Cal State San Marcos, where her lab explores concepts in developmental physiology with a focus on environmental changes.

Since arriving at CSUSM two years ago, Mueller has provided research opportunities for five undergraduate students, organized symposia on developmental physiology, and been invited to conferences throughout the country and Europe.

“I am fascinated by how physiological systems develop and respond to the environment, and how developmental physiology influences animals later in life,” she said.

Mueller studies local species of frogs and fish.

“We are the first lab to study developmental physiology of the relatively abundant Baja California chorus frog,” she said. “Our research will help to understand how this frog continues to be successful, while so many other species of amphibians are in worldwide decline.”

Mueller moved to CSUSM in the fall of 2015 to teach physiology after earning her Ph.D. at the University of Adelaide, Australia, and completing postdoctoral work at the University of North Texas and McMaster University in Canada. She couldn’t be happier.

“CSUSM is providing a center for learning and discovery in North San Diego County,” she said. “Most of the students are local, and for dedicated students, CSUSM can serve as a platform to go on to even greater things. Helping them in this process, is very rewarding.”

The event is part of CSUSM’s spring Arts & Lectures series and is being held in conjunction with a week of activities to mark the 20th anniversary of CSUSM’s César E. Chávez Statue.

Villa-Komaroff was the third Mexican-American woman in the United States to get a doctorate in science and was a key member of the team that showed for the first time that bacteria could be induced to produce insulin. She is also one of six women scientists featured in the PBS series “Discovering Women,” one of 11 women scientists profiled on the White House Office of Science and Technology website and a founding member of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).

All attendees must purchase or reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website. The event is co-sponsored by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, CSUSM’s Office of Diversity, Educational Equity and Inclusion & Ombuds, OTRES and the San Marcos Foundation.

What: Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff, a renowned molecular biologist, executive and diversity advocate, presents “From the Mexican Revolution to Biological Revolutions: My Life in Science”

When: Thursday, March 30, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Where: University Student Union Ballroom, California State University San Marcos

Cost: Free for CSUSM students; $6 for CSUSM faculty, staff and alumni; $12 for community members

Parking: For driving directions, campus map and parking fees, visit the CSUSM Parking Guide.

Tickets and information: Visit the Arts & Lectures website or click here to purchase tickets.

About California State University San Marcos

Building on an innovative 27-year history, California State University San Marcos is a forward-focused institution, dedicated to preparing future leaders, building great communities and solving critical issues. Located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the City of San Marcos, it is the only public four-year comprehensive university serving North San Diego, Southwest Riverside and South Orange Counties.

The University enrolls over 15,000 students. With approximately 2,000 employees, the institution is a Great College to Work For® (The Chronicle of Higher Education). As a recipient of the annual HEED Award since 2014—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—CSUSM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment.

The biannual family-friendly event is hosted by Cal State San Marcos’ College of Science and Mathematics in partnership with Wavelength Brewery and the Biocom Institute to celebrate science with hands-on experiments and interactive presentations. The event is free and open to the public.

CSUSM faculty and students from biochemistry, biology, biotechnology, chemistry and physics, as well as STEM Ambassadors, will be in attendance to help facilitate experiments and interactive presentations.

Activities and booths will include a solar telescope, physics demonstrations, stomp rockets, quicksand magic, sugar rainbows, playing video games with bananas, and fun with roly-polys.

CSUSM students will run the booths with assistance from professors Jackie Trischman, Robert Iafe, Justin Perron, Stephen Tsui, Debbie De Roma and Bob Gill.

STEM In Your Backyard: Vista Village began in spring 2016 as a precursor to Super STEM Saturday. The event was so popular that Hans Haas, owner of Wavelength Brewery, and Amanda Coates, education and program manager for the San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering, approached Laurie Schmelzer, Director of Student Services & Programming in CSUSM's College of Science and Mathematics, about holding the event twice a year.

This year’s Super STEM Saturday event is on March 11 at CSUSM.

What: STEM In Your Backyard: Vista Village, a biannual family-friendly event to celebrate science with hands-on experiments and interactive presentations.

When: 1-5 p.m. Sunday, March 5

Where: Vista Village in the Main Street parking lot across from Wavelength Brewery. Parking is available in the dirt lot on North Indiana Avenue, off Vista Village Drive.

Cost: Free

Held in partnership by The Classical Academies and CSUSM, Super STEM Saturday draws more than 8,000 science enthusiasts each year. The popular event exposes and engages children of all ages and their families in the STEM disciplines -- science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Super STEM Saturday closes the Biocom Institute Festival of Science and Engineering, the largest celebration of innovation and science education in Southern California.

There will be more than 100 activities to choose from, including hands-on experiments, demonstrations, scientist chats and contests.

Super STEM Saturday is free and open to the public from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. It will be held rain or shine. Complimentary parking is available in Lots E, F and H. Food will be available for purchase at the event or guests are welcome to bring lunch or snacks with them.

What: Super STEM Saturday

When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 11

Where: Cal State San Marcos

Cost: Free

Parking: Free in Lots E, F, and H

Information: Visit CSUSM’s College of Science and Mathematics website

In conjunction with Super STEM Saturday, CSUSM’s College of Science and Mathematics is hosting a variety of related free events throughout the week. Additionally, Associated Students Inc. will be hosting “Geek Week” activities on campus. However, please note that “Geek Week” activities are open only to the campus community.

Here’s a closer look at events throughout the week:

Sunday, March 5

STEM In Your Backyard

A biannual family-friendly event held in partnership with Wavelength Brewery and the Biocom Institute to celebrate science with hands-on experiments and interactive presentations. CSUSM faculty and students from physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biological sciences as well as STEM Ambassadors will be in attendance to help facilitate experiments and interactive presentations.

Where: Vista Village in the Main Street parking lot across from Wavelength Brewery. Parking is available in the dirt lot on North Indiana Avenue, off Vista Village Drive.

When: 1-5 p.m.

Monday, March 6

CSM Student Organization Tabling

As part of “Geek Week,” learn more about College of Science and Mathematics student organizations.

When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: CSUSM’s Library Plaza

Tuesday, March 7

Liquid Nitrogen Demo

Part of “Geek Week,” there will be a liquid nitrogen demonstration, an opportunity to walk across a pool of goo and a variety of student organizations participating in STEM demonstrations.

When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: CSUSM’s Library Plaza

Distinguished Physics Lecture

Dr. Summer Ash, Director of Outreach for Columbia University’s Department of Astronomy, will be presenting, “The Invisible University: seeing what our eyes can’t.”

When: 5:30-7 p.m.

Where: USU Ballroom

Wednesday, March 8

CSM Student Organization Tabling

As part of “Geek Week,” learn more about College of Science and Mathematics student organizations.

When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: CSUSM’s Library Plaza

STEM Career Connection

Learn all about the industries and careers in STEM! Dress professionally and bring your resume. Hosted by the Career Center. Students should RSVP for this event and check back frequently for updates to the employer list.

When: 3-5 p.m.

Where: USU Ballroom

Two Cybersecurity Experts Walk Into a Bar

Dr. Teresa Macklin, Associate Dean and Chief Information Security Officer of Instructional and Information Technology Services, and Dr. Rika Yoshii, professor in the Department of Computer Science & Information Systems, will be the featured speakers discussing cybersecurity, IoT and nanomachines.

When: 6-8 p.m.

Where: Wavelength Brewery, 236 Main St., Vista

Thursday, March 9

Egg Drop

Part of “Geek Week” activities, come join student organizations in demos and try out an egg drop.

When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: USU

Reid Lecture Series

Sponsored by Librarian Emeritus Marion Reid and Professor Emeritus K. Brooks Reid and hosted by CSUSM’s Mathematics Department, this free event features a lecture by UC Irvine professor Alice Silverberg titled “Cryptography: Using Mathematics to Keep a Secret.” It will delve into the surprising solutions that mathematicians and cryptographers have developed to resolve the problem of computing on encrypted data.

When: 5:30-7 p.m.

Where: USU Ballroom

For more information

Friday, March 10

CougarCon

“Geek Week” continues with a TUK Talk, Cosplay Contest and Geek Fashion show by Orions Originals. There will also be video games, board games, a geek photo booth and geek-themed snacks. Please note, this event is limited to CSUSM students.

When: 8-10 p.m.

Where: USU Ballroom

Saturday, March 11

Super STEM Saturday

Held in partnership by The Classical Academies and CSUSM, Super STEM Saturday draws more than 8,000 science enthusiasts each year. The popular event exposes and engages children of all ages and their families in the STEM disciplines -- science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Where: CSUSM

For more information

Held in partnership by The Classical Academies and CSUSM, Super STEM Saturday has grown into a popular North County event that draws 8,000 science enthusiasts each year to the University campus.

“Super STEM Saturday’s purpose is to develop in everyone who attends an appreciation and understanding of the role science and engineering plays in our daily lives and how its practical applications solve critical problems and real-world issues.” said CSUSM Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics Katherine Kantardjieff.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, employment in STEM jobs is expected to grow to more than 9 million by 2022. An estimated 1.2 million jobs in science, technology, engineering and math will be unfilled by 2018.

“What we take away from our childhood is really meaningful to what we decide to do as adults,” said Simon Kuo, Vice President of Quality Management at ViaSat. “That’s why we believe it’s really important to expose kids to science and technology so that it can help them better appreciate it and perhaps even choose a career in STEM.”

“Jean-Jacques Rousseau once shared, ‘We should not teach children the sciences; but give them a taste for them,’ ” said Cameron Curry, Executive Director for The Classical Academies. “I am so pleased that we provide the community of North County a day and festival focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The culmination of educators, organizations and professionals working together allow us to inspire minds, ignite passions and expose students and our community to what is possible with STEM.”

CSUSM and The Classical Academies thank Super STEM Saturday’s Gold level sponsor ViaSat. Other community sponsors making this event possible include: Genentech, County Board of Supervisors, Medtronic, X3, Northrop Grumman, Waxie Management Services Inc., LegoLand, Chemical Education Foundation and the San Diego Business Journal.

For more details about Super STEM Saturday, visit www.csusm.edu/superstem.

What: Super STEM Saturday, a free interactive science festival for all ages

When: Saturday, March 11, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: California State University San Marcos

333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road, San Marcos

Complimentary parking in Lot F

About California State University San Marcos

Building on an innovative 27-year history, California State University San Marcos is a forward-focused institution, dedicated to preparing future leaders, building great communities and solving critical issues. Located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the City of San Marcos, it is the only public four-year comprehensive university serving North San Diego, Southwest Riverside and South Orange Counties.

The University enrolls over 15,000 students. With approximately 2,000 employees, the institution is a Great College to Work For® (The Chronicle of Higher Education). As a recipient of the annual HEED Award since 2014—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—CSUSM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment.

About The Classical Academies

The Classical Academies is an organization of award-winning, tuition-free, Certified California Public Charter Schools serving North San Diego County since 1999. With seven campus locations and over 4,300 students in grades TK-12, the schools are making a tremendous impact as they reinvent public education.

The Classical Academies offer a flexible, personalized educational environment that blends the best of independent study and the traditional classroom experience. With rigorous academics, small class sizes, and an acclaimed character education program, students reach their maximum potential of becoming thinkers, communicators, and achievers.

Trujillo has trained scores of first-generation college students in his psychopharmacology laboratory at Cal State San Marcos, with more than half of them transitioning to Ph.D. programs at some of the most prestigious universities in the country. He mentors scientists from disadvantaged groups nationwide as co-director and principal investigator of a prestigious National Institute of Mental Health summer program at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts. And he serves as director of the CSUSM Office for Training, Research and Education in the Sciences (OTRES), which has recruited, trained and mentored more than 600 students in STEM fields over the past decade.

All of which contributed to Trujillo being recognized with the prestigious 2017 Wang Family Excellence Award in the category of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Public Service. The California State University’s Board of Trustees honored Trujillo at its Jan. 31 meeting in Long Beach.

“It’s an incredible honor,” Trujillo said. “I work with some extraordinary people here at Cal State San Marcos and in the entire California State University system, and this award could have gone to any number of people who are deserving. So, I feel this is more of a recognition of the work we all do, rather than an individual award.”

The annual Wang Family Excellence Award recognizes four outstanding faculty members and one outstanding staff member who, through extraordinary commitment and dedication, have distinguished themselves by exemplary contributions and achievements. Their activities advance the California State University’s mission and enhance excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. Each recipient is given a $20,000 award.

The Wang Family Excellence Award is the latest in a long list of honors for Trujillo. In 2001, he earned CSUSM’s President’s Award for Scholarly and Creative Activity. Among the numerous recognitions since then is the National Award of Excellence in Mentorship from the National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse; the Award for Education in Neuroscience from the Society of Neuroscience; and the National Award for Research from the National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse.

His areas of specialization are psychopharmacology and neuroscience, and his current research focuses on the behavioral and neurobiological effects of psychoactive drugs.

Trujillo grew up in the Northern California hamlet of Red Bluff.

“My father was a junior high school teacher, and making ends meet for a family of seven was often quite difficult,” he said, noting how his parents were his role models for the value of hard work.

Trujillo’s first stop on his higher education journey was Shasta Community College, then Cal State Chico, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, psychology and chemistry. After serving as a research volunteer at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Md., Trujillo went on to earn his Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology from UC Irvine, and conducted his postdoctoral research at the Mental Health Research Institute at the University of Michigan. He arrived at CSUSM as an assistant professor in 1994.

“I came here when it was a brand, spanking new campus, and it was an exciting time to be involved in developing from the ground up what you knew was going to become an amazing university,” he said.

He also was sold on CSUSM’s commitment to diversity. Trujillo himself has generated $12 million in grants related to mentoring and increasing diversity in science and academia, helping hundreds of scholars at CSUSM and across the nation find their way to careers in research.

“Professor Trujillo is an outstanding teacher and researcher. But what makes him exceptional is his leadership in mentoring underrepresented minorities to enter careers in science, and his success in winning grant monies to support these efforts,” wrote Dr. Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall, a CSUSM professor of history, in a nomination letter for Trujillo for the Wang Family Excellence Award.

Current and former students agree.

“Dr. Trujillo is a master at fostering a love for learning and a yearning for scientific discovery,” wrote Dr. Angelica Rocha, a former protégé of Trujillo who now serves as Assistant Director of Student Support for OTRES and is a research associate on campus. “It was as an undergraduate student in his courses, and later in his research laboratory, that I fell in love with scientific inquiry and, for the first time, felt that I belonged among scholars… I can say with certainty that I would not have sought a doctoral degree without his mentorship and guidance.”

While there are other engineering programs in Southern California, the study highlighted how CSUSM is in a prime position to draw from existing curricula and faculty expertise while appealing to the hiring needs and goals of local industry.

“It will increase the professional and education opportunities for the residents of North County and the broader area served by CSUSM,” said Gerardo Dominguez, a CSUSM associate professor of physics and project director for a $6 million grant the University received in September that is providing foundational funding for the engineering program.

The feasibility study was conducted by the Educational Advisory Board and supported by a collaborative grant with MiraCosta College. The study was structured with guidance from the College of Science and Mathematics Engineering Feasibility Task Force, which included executives from ViaSat, Northrop Grumman and General Atomics, in addition to representatives from CSUSM and MiraCosta College.

“As a proud supporter of CSUSM, ViaSat has watched the University make significant progress towards establishing a world-class engineering program, from getting the requisite university approvals and securing the facilities and funding to building a program that fosters engineering excellence,” said Simon Kuo, ViaSat’s vice president corporate quality.

CSUSM’s program will start with software and electrical engineering. Initial preparation of the program structures, curriculum, course descriptions and student learning outcomes is approaching completion, and documentation is moving forward this spring as part of the institutional approval process.

“Engineering proliferates nearly every aspect of modern life and San Diego embodies how engineering is intertwined with daily life,” said Greg McKee, president and chief executive officer of CONNECT. “With so many brilliant minds gathered in one place, it’s essential to provide the means to nurture and excel each one, regardless of gender, ethnicity or income.

“Cal State University San Marcos is primed to support equitable student success through its engineering program and we at CONNECT are excited to see what the future holds as a more diverse round of innovators contribute to our local economy.”

The University is one step closer to achieving that goal thanks to a recently awarded grant.

The U.S. Department of Education awarded CSUSM a nearly $6 million grant under the Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM Program, providing foundational funding for an engineering program.

The five-year grant will provide nearly $1.2 million each year beginning Oct. 1, 2016.

“This grant is a significant first step toward launching our engineering program,” CSUSM President Karen Haynes said. “Over the next several months we will be working to secure the necessary private sector funding that will allow us to bring the program to reality.”

Gerardo Dominguez, an associate professor of physics at CSUSM, is the project director for the grant, which is titled “Si Se Puede!” to Close the Equity Gap in Engineering Degree Completion.

“I’m thrilled that this proposal has been chosen and I am excited about the possibilities that this brings to the campus community,” Dominguez said. “It will increase the professional and education opportunities for the residents of North County and the broader area served by CSU San Marcos. I am particularly excited that the funding provided by this grant will allow CSU San Marcos to start offering engineering options for our students in the near future.”

The purpose of the grant is to develop and carry out activities to improve and expand CSUSM’s capacity to serve Hispanic and low-income students.

The project’s goals include developing innovative degree programs in software engineering and electrical engineering; developing the engineering curriculum and transfer pathway between community college partners and CSUSM; and building and supporting an educational ecosystem focused on equitable student success and completion through best practices.

By Sept. 30, 2021, CSUSM expects to increase the percentage of Hispanic and low-income students at community-college partner institutions who transfer successfully to a four-year institution in an engineering field; increase the percentage of Hispanic and low-income students who have completed a STEM degree or credential; and reduce any equity gaps between Hispanic and general population students that exist in the performance measures.

The grant proposal also includes four additional objectives:

• Approximately 240 Hispanic and low-income students will have participated in grant-funded student support programs or services;

• increase the percentage of Hispanic and low-income first-time, full-time degree-seeking students who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and remain enrolled in the engineering pathway the following year;

• increase the percentage of Hispanic and low-income students in the engineering pathway who successfully complete gateway courses within two years;

• increase the percentage of Hispanic and low-income students in the engineering pathway who complete 30 units within two years.

“I’m excited to be working with Ed Price in physics and Youwen Ouyang in computer science on this project, and I am confident that with humility, careful planning and support from the broader community we can achieve the goals set forth in the proposal,” Dominguez said.

The five-year grant will provide nearly $1.2 million each year beginning Oct. 1, 2016.

“This grant is a significant first step toward launching our engineering program,” CSUSM President Karen Haynes said. “Over the next several months we will be working to secure the necessary private sector funding that will allow us to bring the program to reality.”

Dr. Gerardo Dominguez, an associate professor of physics at CSUSM, is the project director for the grant, which is titled “Si Se Puede!” to Close the Equity Gap in Engineering Degree Completion.

“I’m thrilled that this proposal has been chosen and I am excited about the possibilities that this brings to the campus community,” Dominguez said. “It will increase the professional and education opportunities for the residents of North County and the broader area served by CSU San Marcos. I am particularly excited that the funding provided by this grant will allow CSU San Marcos to start offering engineering options for our students in the near future.”

The goal of the grant is to develop and carry out activities to improve and expand CSUSM’s capacity to serve Hispanic and low-income students.

The project’s goals include developing innovative degree programs in software engineering and electrical engineering; developing the engineering curriculum and transfer pathway between community college partners and CSUSM; and building and supporting an educational ecosystem focused on equitable student success and completion through best practices.

“I’m excited to be working with Ed Price in physics and Youwen Ouyang in computer science on this project, and I am confident that with humility, careful planning and support from the broader community we can achieve the goals set forth in the proposal,” Dominguez said.

About California State University San Marcos

Building on an innovative 26-year history, California State University San Marcos is a forward-focused institution, dedicated to preparing future leaders, building great communities and solving critical issues. Located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the City of San Marcos, it is the only public four-year comprehensive university serving North San Diego, Southwest Riverside and South Orange Counties.

The University enrolls over 15,000 students. With approximately 2,000 employees, the institution is a Great College to Work For® (The Chronicle of Higher Education). As a recipient of the annual HEED Award since 2014—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—CSUSM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment.

Jameson, an assistant professor of biology at CSUSM, and fellow biology professor Betsy Read direct the program, which provides students an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on research experience while developing strong bonds with a faculty mentor.

The College of Science and Mathematics program also exposes students to career possibilities they may never have considered.

“Our students realize there’s more things out there than what they thought,” Jameson said. “The summer research programs help them figure out which career might be appropriate for them and it opens their eyes to a world of careers out there that they didn’t know existed.”

The annual 10-week program has received generous support from local companies, including Carlsbad-based ViaSat Inc. and Oceanside-based Genentech.

“These are wonderful examples of companies within the community investing in our students’ futures,” Jameson said.

The program recently received another boost as the recipient of a $75,000 Blasker Science & Technology Grant from the San Diego Foundation. The funds will help students receive increased pay next year so that they can focus solely on the program without worrying about a second summer job to make ends meet.

“It will allow us to put into place assessment, which we haven’t been able to do thoroughly yet, an alumni system where we can track our students over time and see where they end up,” Jameson said. “All of these will come into place thanks to this San Diego Foundation grant, which is going to really be amazing for the students.”

The program integrates research and education for undergraduate students. They are able to work closely with a faculty member as they formulate hypotheses, design and carry out experiments, collect data, analyze results and draw meaningful conclusions from their work.

There are also field trips and weekly seminars that provide additional learning and networking opportunities.

“I loved it,” said Karen Lopez, who participated in the program in 2015 and graduated from CSUSM in May with a degree in biotechnology. “If I could do it again I would.”

Jameson said the number of students selected each summer depends on funding, but it’s usually around 20.

This year’s participants kicked off the summer with a trip to ViaSat.

“It was a great tour,” Jameson said. “They have all these new buildings at ViaSat. All the students were just wide-eyed, so excited. This is a real job. This is where you could be in another year when you graduate.”

As a recent graduate herself, Lopez is starting to examine job possibilities. Read was her faculty mentor in the summer of 2015 and the two have maintained a strong bond. Read helped Lopez secure an internship last spring with a local biotechnology firm and sends Lopez leads on potential jobs.

Lopez said the ability to network and develop a stronger relationship with a faculty member through STEM Summer Scholars proved invaluable.

“When you’re in lab in class, you do something once for a week and that’s it,” Lopez said. “You hope you get it done and understand it. With the internship, you do something until you master it, in a sense. You have to do it well in order to continue to the next step.”

Each year, the STEM Summer Scholars Program concludes with a Student Showcase poster presentation that shows the methods, results and interpretation of the work they have done over the summer. This year’s Student Showcase, which is open to the public, is Aug. 10 at Jazzman’s Café & Bakery on campus.

Lopez said the poster presentation was a great way to close out her summer in the program and it was inspiring to see the work done by her fellow participants.

Jameson tells students at the beginning of the summer that their résumé will look completely different by the end of the 10 weeks because they will have so many accomplishments to add.

And the experience gained often leads to a pleasant dilemma as Lopez found out from her time as a STEM Summer Scholar. Before participating, Lopez was convinced that she would work on the business side of biotechnology, partly because she was unsure of her ability on the lab side. But working closely with Read showed her that she has options.

“Now I see that I can do either one,” Lopez said. “That’s what I gained from the internship, more confidence in my ability in lab. I felt like, ‘I want to go to the business side because I can’t do the science side.’ Now I’m like, ‘Yeah, I can do the science side.’ ”

But Wavelength Brewing Co. isn’t any local brew house. It’s the social hub for people interested in science. The brewery’s slogan, “Craft beer so good it Hz,” says it all. Hosting public science outreach events is standard fair at this Main Street establishment.

Held in conjunction with the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering, and hosted by the largest celebration of innovation and science education in Southern California, this event, free and open to the public, invites attendees to enjoy a beer and good scientific conversation.

Meet the Mathematician: Dr. Amber Puha

Presentation topic: From Queueing Theory to Modern Stochastic Network Models—A Mathematician's Perspective

Through probabilistic modeling, Professor of Mathematics Amber Puha studies the behavior of networks that people interact with daily. These include customer service systems such as call centers, computer and communication systems such as the Internet, transportation networks, hi-tech manufacturing operations, and even some cellular biological processes.

In her presentation, she will discuss how these networks feature queueing, inherent randomness and complex interactions, which can combine to impact the aggregate performance in unexpected ways. Puha, who aims to describe the behavior of such networks and determine optimal control protocols, will also discuss the complexities of modern applications which often require the development of new mathematical tools and techniques to achieve results. Her work is grant supported by the National Science Foundation Division of Mathematical Sciences.

Meet the Scientist: Dr. Bianca Mothé

Presentation topic: Vaccinology 101: Why Don’t We Have Successful Vaccines against Specific Pathogens?

Professor of Biological Sciences and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies Bianca Mothé’s areas of specialization are immunology and virology with research interests in designing novel vaccines for rapidly mutating pathogens.

In her presentation, she will discuss aspects of vaccine development, focusing on chronic diseases, including HIV and Tuberculosis, as well as how “new” pathogens derail paradigms of vaccine development, such as Zika. Her work is supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Held in partnership by The Classical Academies and CSUSM, Super STEM Saturday has grown into a popular North County event that draws 6,000 science enthusiasts each year to the university campus.

“We share the value with The Classical Academies that it’s not the job of teachers but it’s everyone’s job to develop that sustained excitement in science that drives our students into career paths in science, technology, engineering and math,” said CSUSM Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics Katherine Kantardjieff.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, employment in STEM jobs is expected to grow to more than 9 million by 2022. An estimated 1.2 million jobs in science, technology, engineering and math will be unfulfilled by 2018.

“What we take away from our childhood is really meaningful to what we decide to do as adults,” said Simon Kuo, vice president of Quality Management at ViaSat. “That’s why we believe it’s really important to expose kids to science and technology so that it can help them better appreciate it and perhaps even choose a career in STEM.”

“Jean-Jacques Rousseau once shared, ‘We should not teach children the sciences; but give them a taste for them,’” said Cameron Curry, executive director for The Classical Academies. “I am so pleased that we provide the community of North County a day and festival focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The culmination of educators, organizations and professionals working together allows us to inspire minds, ignite passions and expose students and our community to what is possible with STEM. This annual event for Cal State San Marcos has become the springboard for many to experience what is possible as they plan their futures and continued education. Our tasting opportunity translates into action by many and this speaks to our success.”

CSUSM and The Classical Academies thank Super STEM Saturday’s Gold-level and community sponsors that are making this event possible, including: ViaSat, Northrop Grumman, Genentech, Supervisor Dave Roberts, Palomar Health, Medtronic, X/3 Management Services, San Diego County District Five Supervisor Bill Horn, the San Diego Business Journal and Nordson.

For more details about Super STEM Saturday, visit www.csusm.edu/superstem.

Additional STEM Events

In addition to Super STEM Saturday, CSUSM is partnering with the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering on three other free events that are open to the public, including:

STEM in Your Backyard – Vista

Sunday, March 6 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Main Street parking lot (next to the Avo Playhouse)

Celebrate science…in your own backyard! This event, held in collaboration with Wavelength Brewing Co., features a mini Expo day and will include hands-on experiments and interactive presentations.

21+ Science Series – A Scientist and a Mathematician Walk into a Bar: Women in STEM

Tuesday, March 8 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Wavelength Brewing Co., Vista

In honor of International Women’s Day 2016, two female CSUSM professors, Drs. Amber Puha and Bianca Mothé, will walk into a bar—Wavelength Brewing Co. in Vista—to present topics related to their research. 

For more information about the professors and the event, visit the event news webpage.

The Mathematics of Voting

Thursday, March 10 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Cal State San Marcos, University Student Union ballroom

When does a majority exist in approval voting? How does the geometry of the political spectrum influence the outcome? And what does mathematics have to say about how people behave? All of these questions and many more will be addressed by Dr. Francis Edward Su, president of the Mathematical Association of America and Benediktsson-Karwa professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, in the second annual Reid Lecture, “Voting in Agreeable Societies.”

For more information, visit the event news webpage or view the event flyer.

According to Veterans Services Director Patricia Reily, the purpose of the grant is to assist ONR’s mission to drive Navy and Marine Corps installations to net-zero energy while providing veterans with training, education and opportunities to become part of the future energy workforce.

“There is a big push in the country to get students to study STEM,” said Reily. “There is also a need to have them within the Department of Defense.”

Starting in the spring of 2016 they expect to hire between 15 and 20 interns a year as part of the three-year initiative. The internships vary in length and depend on the needs of the requestor. The grant will also pay for a coordinator who will work with veteran students as a professional development advisor.

“Engineers will develop job descriptions with specific needs and submit them to the ESTEP coordinator,” said Reily. “Then we will target the veteran population within the Cal State University system as well as at other universities in the areas where the projects are located.”

Internships are not exclusive to CSUSM, but the student must be a veteran to qualify. Finalists are interviewed to ensure they are a good fit for the position and follow ups are conducted regularly.

CSUSM student veteran Brian Pierce, an ESTEP management intern, has already gained a valuable experience since his hire in September.

“I am very happy with my experience,” said Pierce, a U.S. Navy veteran. “The construction of a business plan from scratch is the thing I am most proud of so far, especially because I had zero experience doing this before.”

According to Pierce, the idea behind ESTEP is that veterans will be able to take their technical experience and back it up with a good education and then be placed in government positions where they can put their combined knowledge to work.

Reily defines success of the initiative as having the interns hired rapidly after graduation and ultimately working for the Department of Defense or in other STEM careers.

“Our veterans don’t realize how much they really know,” said Reily. “This is a great opportunity for them to build confidence, enhance their resumes and gain mentors that will give them a huge advantage and cutting edge in the workforce.”

Veteran students will learn about ESTEP during orientation and will receive e-mails periodically about internship openings. Students interested in acquiring about internship availability should contact Veterans Professional Development and ESTEP Coordinator Erica Korb at ekorb@csusm.edu.

This work relates to Department of Navy grant N00014-15-1-2525 issued by the Office of Naval Research. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of Naval Research.

Sponsored by ViaSat, Northrop Grumman, Genentech and Palomar Health, Super STEM Saturday is designed to expose and engage kids of all ages and their families to the diverse and exciting fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as the STEM disciplines. The brainchild of The Classical Academies and held in partnership with CSUSM, Super STEM Saturday is a signature event for the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering.

A special (and tasty) treat this year, the festival landed on Pi Day (3.1415 = 03/14/15). Attendees marked the occasion with a slice of pie, a customary tradition among math fanatics.

Save the date for Super STEM Saturday next year: March 12, 2016

Sponsored by ViaSat, Northrop Grumman and Palomar Health, Super STEM Saturday is designed to expose and engage kids of all ages and their families to the diverse and exciting fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as the STEM disciplines. The brainchild of The Classical Academies and held in partnership with CSUSM, Super STEM Saturday has grown into a popular North County event that draws over 5,000 science enthusiasts each year to the university campus.

To a mathematician's delight, this year’s festival lands on Pi Day. Pi is the mathematical symbol representing the ratio of a circumference of a circle to its diameter, which is approximately 3.1415. Worldwide, March 14 is recognized as Pi Day. In honor of the special occasion and in celebration of mathematics, Super STEM Saturday festivities will provide an opportunity for guests to enjoy a slice of pie, a customary tradition among math fanatics.

Highlights of this year’s festival include:

• Solar Telescopes: View the surface of the sun through special filtered solar telescopes
• Build-a-Robot: Build your own robot using recycled materials
• The World of Plasma: Enter the Plasma Chamber and watch illuminating demonstrations
• Rockets: Build and launch your own rocket
• Bones: Get up-close and touch real fossils
• Native Garden: Plant native seeds in CSUSM's Ethnobotany Garden
• Electrify Me: Discover the power of static electricity in a hair-raising and hands-on way
• Scientist Chats: Meet local scientists and hear about their fascinating research
• Explore the World of Play: Little ones can visit the Children’s Museum booth to explore STEM activities designed for toddlers and preschoolers
• Math Bowl: Participate and show off your math skills in a fast-paced math competition
• Rubik's Cube Tournament: Cheer on and be amazed as you watch Rubik's athletes complete the cube…some in under a minute! Meet the competitors and learn first-hand how you too can solve the cube.

For more information about Super STEM Saturday, visit www.csusm.edu/superstem.

Despite delaying her graduation by several months, Rhianna is convinced that switching majors was the right decision."You have to be passionate about what you do,” she told a group of students during a recent outreach event at Vista High School. "My [science] classes are more difficult, but it’s worth it!"

The Science Technology Engineering and Math program at CSUSM (STEM @ CSUSM) hopes that Rhianna's story, and those of other science and math majors, will convince local high school students to pursue STEM-related degrees at CSUSM.

STEM @ CSUSM is an education and outreach program funded by the National Science Foundation’s STEM Talent Expansion Program, the American Physical Society’s PhysTEC project, and the CSU Mathematics and Science Teacher Initiative. Their goals are to foster excitement and interest in STEM education through CSUSM science and math programs, the STEM tutoring center and other support services, K-14 outreach activities, and STEM teacher preparation efforts.

 After a 2011 research study revealed a lack of awareness of the University's science and math programs, CSUSM launched the STEM Ambassador program, which connects undergraduates with local high school and community college students. By interacting with these students during after-school clubs, field trips, classroom demonstrations and other events, the ambassadors increase students’ familiarity with research opportunities at CSUSM and raise the University's STEM profile.

This past spring, the STEM program also added a series of informal lunchtime programs called STEM Cafes to the menu of outreach offerings. Each month, teams of five or six ambassadors visit Vista and San Marcos high schools to engage small groups of students in discussions about undergraduate research, college life and career opportunities. Turnout at both locations has been even greater than expected, and the feedback from students and teachers indicates a significant need for the program.

Deanna Gifford, a physics teacher at San Marcos High School believes the STEM Cafes provide students with critical information about local options for postsecondary education. “We need to do a better job of connecting students [with local universities] and changing the perception that you need to go far away to get a quality education,” she said. “Why should you overlook great opportunities in your own backyard?”

If the fall 2013 admission numbers are any indication, more local students are getting the message. Overall, the number of students admitted to the College of Science and Mathematics increased by over 13 percent from 2012, and the number of incoming freshman in STEM majors from Vista and San Marcos high schools increased by 68 percent and 61 percent respectively.

While there's no direct evidence linking the STEM Cafes to these increases, Rhianna and the other ambassadors would like to believe their conversations influenced some of the students' decisions. They hope today's high school students are better informed about STEM careers than they were when they graduated from high school.

CSUSM biology major Josephine Gonzalez wants to communicate how important it is to get students thinking about STEM college and careers. “It’s the kind of thing I wish someone would have done for me when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life,” she said.