Every summer, students at the University of Redlands have the opportunity to participate in the Student Science Research program, a 10-week program where students conduct research while working alongside a professor.
Elliot Sesma ’24, 谁是环境科学和历史双学位, shares his experience while working on the Student Science Research program with the Bulldog Blog. Working with his advising professor, Valerie Rountree, Elliot conducted research on the effects of residential lawn types on ambient air temperature.
牛头犬博客:你为什么决定参与学生科学研究项目?
Elliot Sesma: I decided to apply for the Student Science Research program because I was looking for my first "real" job in the field I was going to be entering after graduation. 我最近也对环境研究领域产生了兴趣, 所以我想感受一下拥有这个学位的工作是什么样的. Another reason was that I have had three classes with Professor Rountree, and I loved them all. 她对环境的热情很快变得清晰起来，这只会让我更感兴趣. She is also my advisor, so having this preexisting relationship helped me know that she would be a good boss to have, and that we could work together well. On the more fun side, 我的室友也在物理系做这个项目, 所以我想和我最亲密的朋友一起过暑假一定很有趣.
BB: 你能解释一下你的研究是什么以及你的研究目标吗?
ES: 这个夏天，朗特里教授给我们小组布置了两个主要项目. The first one was studying the short-lived climate pollutants (CH4 and CO2 mainly) originating from California landfills and analyzing California State Senate Bill 1383, aimed at reducing these pollutants by 75% by the year 2025. The goal of that project was to determine if/how cities were in compliance with the bill and whether or not it is going to make a difference. However, that was not the main project I was on. I was studying the effects of residential lawn types on the ambient air temperature around Redlands, CA. Our main goal was to determine if different landscape types lead to the formation of urban heat islands, 或者某些类型可以帮助减轻其中一种的负面影响. 我们调查的景观类型类别为绿草, brown grass, native/drought tolerant plants, hardscapes (concrete, brick, decomposed granite), dirt/dead vegetation, woodchips, and artificial turf. We wanted to see if the composition of a front yard had any impact on the surrounding temperatures, and if so, we wanted to determine how drastic the differences were.
BB: What does a typical day look like? Either in the field or on campus?
ES: 一个典型的数据收集日涉及至少3(最多6)次收集. The most common was taking temperature measurements at 9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m. 为了观察温度在一天中是如何波动的. We had selected our testing sites at the beginning of the project using stratified random sampling. At each site, we would try to test as many houses as we could in 75 minutes and try to hit our mark of collecting data from 3 houses of each landscape type. Whatever houses we collected from on our first visit of the day would be the houses we would come back to later. 在每户人家，我们都会收集院子的表面温度, the temp five feet above the yard, 然后是街道的表面温度和街道上方五英尺的温度. 如果条件允许，我们还会测试土壤温度和湿度. We inputted our data into FieldMaps by ArcGIS so each data point could be paired with a location, date, and time.
这个研究项目中你最喜欢的部分是什么?
ES: My favorite part about this program is getting to work in a smaller team of like-minded, hardworking, and creative people. My groupmates, as well as Professor Rountree, all have different skill sets and backgrounds, so having all our minds on a project made them run smoothly. 我知道大多数人一想到要做10周的治疗就会哭-long group project, but we enjoyed every step of it. 我结交了一些新朋友，同时也和一些老朋友一起工作.
BB: How will this research help you in the future as a student or in your future career?
ES: 我相信这项研究将在未来帮助更多的不仅仅是我自己. Our findings will hopefully help homeowners and landscape managers make informed decisions when addressing water scarcity and urban heat island exacerbation and help them understand the tradeoffs between the two. 作为奖励，我们希望它有助于教育公众可持续的景观实践. As far as it helps me in my professional goals, I think it is very helpful that I can enter a job with actual experience in forming answerable research questions, fine-tuning research methods, analyzing collected data, 并展示这些数据是如何与我们不断发展的社会相关的. I was given a great opportunity to earn experience and it paid off by helping me round out my skills as a researcher and teammate.
Keegan Moore ’25, a Physics major, shared his experience while working in the Student Science Research program with the Bulldog Blog. 和他的研究顾问物理教授Martín Hoecker-Martinez一起工作, Keegan is investigating how different landscapes can affect temperatures and the heat island effect around campus.
Bulldog Blog: 你为什么决定参加学生科学研究项目?
Keegan Moore: I wanted to join the program because it allows me to work during the summer on the topics that I'm interested and invested in while still being an undergraduate, rather than getting a more typical summer job somewhere.
你能解释一下你的研究是什么以及你的研究目标吗?
KM: My research involves measuring temperatures around campus to find where heat islands occur, 以及周围的景观和基础设施是如何影响这一点的. Since man-made materials like concrete and asphalt hold on to heat much more than natural materials, 在建设城市区域时，考虑到这一点是很重要的. To do that, I will be constructing and programming a cart with temperature sensors and a GPS to walk around campus with. 我还使用放置在高流量区域的六个固定传感器收集数据. I will then analyze the data using graphs done in Python, a computer programming language, and maps created in ArcGIS. 这个项目的主要目标是创建一个购物车，将用于博士. 马丁内斯即将到来的气候变化课程和任何未来的项目. I am also working on a story map that will show my work in an easy-to-digest fashion, which I hope to use to encourage the University to install more trees and other heat-mitigating practices.
BB: What does a typical day look like? Either in the field or on campus?
KM: 对我来说，一天的工作通常是在阿普尔顿做代码或电路. 当我用固定传感器收集数据时, 我将收集到的数据用Python转换成图形. 然后，我对它进行分析，以及不可避免地必须修复我的代码. When I'm working on the cart, 我正在使用Arduino接口来编程我的各种传感器, as well as messing with the circuitry I need to connect them to the microcontroller I use. Once a day, I also must check on the sensors that are out on campus to make sure they haven't been stolen and/or collect data from them.
这个研究项目中你最喜欢的部分是什么?
KM: My favorite part of the program so far has been researching heat islands and the associated city planning that causes them, 因为我对所有与城市主义和城市设计有关的事情都非常着迷. 有一个专门的空间来追求这种兴趣是很有成就感的.
BB: How will this research help you in the future as a student or in your future career?
KM: 做研究让我尝到了独立工作的滋味. I've only worked in food service and retail in the past, so having this kind of experience could help prepare me for the kind of work I'll be doing with my degree. Additionally, 这让我有时间练习编程和使用电子产品, 这两件事都可能在未来对我有用.
2023年学生科学研究项目参与者包括:
Ale Cordova, Li Almazo Garcia, Daniel Plata和Michael Ferracane(化学)
Synthesis and evaluation of opioid cyclic tetrapeptides for treatment of pain and addiction.
Jordyn Caballero, Claire Love with Jim Blauth (Biology)
Monitoring wildlife and human visitation in open space reserves in Redlands using game cameras and GIS tools. Contributing to a grassland restoration experiment through soil sample analysis and native seed collection.
Ace Trede with Dustin Vanoverbeke (Biology)
Contributing to a grassland restoration project through monitoring pollinators and ground dwelling arthropods.
Madisen Hallsten with Rebecca Lyons (Chemistry)
研究药用植物对环境污染物的吸收.
Lauren Kline with Bryce Ryan (Biology)
壬基酚对小鼠行为和生殖的影响:饮水量 Anogenital Distance, and Survival Rate.
Dan Bajda with Martin Hoecker-Martinez (Physics)
工程自动和易于访问的数据收集.
Alec Kendrick with Bryce Ryan (Biology)
C57BL6/J小鼠性别二型性鉴定.
Starla Murillo, Anafer Cardenas和Sean Wilson(药理学，法学硕士)
Para-natal lung development under low-Oxygen Conditions.
Victor Perez, Malia Miguel with Sue Blauth (Biology)
中华根瘤菌的冰川代谢和葡萄糖醛酸分解代谢.
Briza Martinez与Penelope Duerksen-Hughes(生物化学，法学硕士)
30-羟基藤黄酸(GA-OH)在HPV+和HPV-癌中显示抗癌活性 Cells.
Lucy Stiff, Grace Vogt with Lei Lani Stelle (Biology)
人类干扰对南加州海洋哺乳动物的影响分析.
Janet Rayo Celaya, Alejandro Palomares和Caryl Forristall(生物学)
Using Xenopus embryos to investigate hormonal pollutants.
格蕾丝·贝蒂、伊莱·塞斯玛和瓦莱丽·朗特里(环境研究)
住宅草坪类型对环境气温的影响.
Tyler Davies with Bryce Ryan (Biology)
壬基酚发育暴露对神经和生殖的影响 Systems of C57BL6/J Mice.
Makayla Sorenson with Julie Unternaher (Biomedical, LLU)
SNAI1 and Let-7 in Early Development and Ovarian Cancer.
Delia Carrillo with Mary Kerns-Jonkers (Biomedical, LLU)
Effects of spaceflight on heart tissue and DNA damage.
约瑟夫·乔治、席琳·拉菲和瓦莱丽·朗特里(环境研究)
Evaluating the Implementation of SB 1383: California’s Organic Waste Diversion Policy.
Keegan Moore with Martin Hoecker-Martinez (Physics)
Investigating the Heat-Island Effect on the UoR Campus.
Student science research is funded by generous donor contributions and endowment funds. The endowments include:
Steven K. Matthias Student Summer Research Fund
Herbert W. and Kathryn E. Greydanus Endowed Fund for Student Science Research
Taylor Family Summer Science Research Endowment Fund
Hunsaker Summer Science Research Endowment Fund
拉里和丽塔·塞拉特·金夏季科学研究基金
Ifft Endowed Research Fund
Steven D. and Jane R. Carmichael Student Science Research Endowment
杰瑞和阿琳·刘易斯学生科学研究基金
Summer Science Research Endowment - Mrs. Julianne F. Levings
Summer Science Research Endowment - Mr. and Mrs. Jack Dangermond
Summer Science Research Endowment - Ms. Susan M. Lea
要了解有关学生科学研究计划的更多信息，请单击 this link.
