Rose Hills 2019

Rose Hills Fellows

Building on the success of four years of prior support, the new 2-year environmental science research Program supported by The Rose Hills Foundation was offered exclusively to community college students. The funds supported at least 6 students per year for 2 years and covered a portion of the associated supply costs, travel costs to one conference per year, and the time dedicated to the project by Oak Crest Faculty (i.e., mentoring and Program recruitment/evaluation). Students were recruited from Citrus CollegePasadena City College, and other San Gabriel Valley area community colleges. These Rose Hills Foundation Fellowships were based on 20 hours per week so that students concurrently enroll in classes at their home institutions without having to seek outside employment. Six Fellowships per year, each lasting 6 months, were awarded annually. The students worked in teams of two and received individualized mentoring by an Oak Crest scientist.

This program has been a huge success and a win-win situation for both the students and the research projects they worked on. It has been our experience that participation in rigorous, original research provides students with a realistic sense of how exciting a career in science can be, and builds self-confidence while offering strong motivation to continue and excel in their studies. Participants in the proposed program are more competitive in future academic (e.g., transfer to four-year schools) or professional (e.g., finding employment in a technical field) endeavors. Increasingly, Oak Crest’s community education activities are filling the growing need in academia for high-quality, hands-on laboratory experiences, as well as demand from industry for well-prepared entry-level scientists and technicians. The broad research activity at Oak Crest is reflected in the research experiences of our fellows:

  • Microbial ecology: Bacterial community composition and function will be assessed in unique biogeochemical niches, such as tar pools. These studies have implications with respect to remediation of pollution (e.g., oil spills) and life on other planets;
  • Natural products research: Screening for new therapeutics will be carried out using extracts from exotic plants housed at the Huntington Botanical Gardens. Natural products from plant sources are undeniably important in the discovery of new pharmaceutical agents;
  • Atmospheric chemistry: Light driven reactions on the surface of airborne dust particles will be carried out in the laboratory, and their significance to atmospheric processes will be determined. Nonvolatile products of such processes are thought to be implicated in atmospheric pollution and concomitant adverse health effects.
  • Origin of life
  • Drug delivery
  • Bacterial biofilms in health and disease
  • Microscopy

These activities build on the existing expertise and facilities available at Oak Crest and leverage ongoing, funded research projects.

2019

Casey Decosto

Exploring the Chemistry of the CO2 Radical Anion

Xinfei (Christina) Miao

Bacterial Biofilms on Human Vaginal Epithelial Cells

Jaime Oh

Bacterial Biofilms on Human Vaginal Epithelial Cells

Yarenni Reyes

Toxicity Testing of Plant Extracts with Medicinal Potential

Dani Rodriguez

Biomineralization and Bacteriophages

Carlos Rojas

Toxicity Testing of Plant Extracts with Medicinal Potential

Jean Sabety

Biomineralization and Bacteriophages

Aryan Tan

Exploring the Chemistry of the CO2 Radical Anion

2017-2018

Destiny Cambero

Biomineralization and Bacteriophages

Frankie Castro

Green Rust and Prebiotic Metabolism

Michelle Do

Biomineralization and Bacteriophages

Nicko Guzman

Bacterial Biofilms on Human Epithelial Cells

Julie Huynh

Green Rust and Prebiotic Metabolism

Sylvia Pere

Bacterial Multiomics

Kaori Saito

Bacterial Biofilms on Human Epithelial Cells

Ivan Villanova

Bacterial Multiomics

2015-2016

Chelsi Abaya

Isolation and Characterization of Microbicides from Rhizospheres

Edwin Chavez

Growth Characterization and Identification of Cyanobacteria

Sylvía Cruz

Isolation and Characterization of Microbicides from Rhizospheres

Joel Monroy

Measurement of Uncharacterized Pollutants in Vehicle Exhaust Emissions

Docnary Reyes

Growth Characterization and Identification of Cyanobacteria

Karla Ruiz

Bacteriophages in Pseudomonas fluorescens

Miranda Sanchez

Measurement of Uncharacterized Pollutants in Vehicle Exhaust Emissions

2014-2015

Mackenzie Anderson

Measurement of Uncharacterized Pollutants in Vehicle Exhaust Emissions

Caroline Labib

Aerobic Soil Microbes and Novel Antibiotics

Sareen Ourfalian

Aerobic Soil Microbes and Novel Antibiotics

Jerrica Sabino

Solvent Tolerance of Extremophilic Bacteria

Kayla Stepanian

Anaerobic Soil Microbes and the Next Generation of Antibiotics

Arlette Valencia

Measurement of Uncharacterized Pollutants in Vehicle Exhaust Emissions

2013-2014

Vincent Aguirre Jr.

Measurement of Amines in Vehicle Exhaust Emissions

Amalia Castonguay

Measurement of Carbonyl Compounds in Vehicle Exhaust Emissions

Taylor La Val

Metagenomics of Microorganisms in Asphalt Seeps

Ingrid Medina

Analysis of Nitrous Acid in Vehicle Exhaust Emissions

Alexander Montes

Antimalarial Properties of Compound Mixtures Extracted from Euphorbia spp.

Paul Priego

Measurement of Carboxylic Acids in Vehicle Exhaust Emissions

Andrew Rocha

Measurement of Hydrogen Cyanide in Vehicle Exhaust Emissions

Terra A. Sztain

Metagenomics of Microorganisms in Asphalt Seeps

2011-2012

Simon Chang

Metagenomics of Microorganisms in Asphalt Seeps
Bachelor of Science, Genetics, University of California, Davis, 2014
Currently applying to medical school

Cumore Denby

Metagenomics of Microorganisms in Asphalt Seeps

Gilbert Lopez

Atmospheric Photochemistry of Isoprene
Major: Physics
University of California, Berkeley (Class of 2015)

Craig Lund

Metagenomics of Microorganisms in Asphalt Seeps
Major: Chemistry
Chapman University (Class of 2016)

John Mansell

Atmospheric Photochemistry of Isoprene
Major: Chemistry
Concordia University (Class of 2015)

Madeline Mullen

Antimicrobial Properties of Compound Mixtures Extracted from Euphorbia spp.
Major: Bioengineering
University of California, Riverside (Class of 2015)

Ivy Song

Antimicrobial Properties of Compound Mixtures Extracted from Euphorbia spp.
Bachelor of Science, Molecular Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, 2012
University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy (Class of 2018)