Summer SURF 2026 Team Project Descriptions
The faculty invited to serve as mentors for the 2026 SURF program represent a broad cross-section of academic disciplines at the University, and they represent a wide variety of paths that individuals take to pursue careers as faculty with research interests.
When submitting the application, students should address their interest in the specific project and how their qualities and experiences can aid the faculty in their research. Students may want to contact the specific faculty mentor to get acquainted with the faculty and to discuss their interests and project.
You can find an application link for each project at the end of their project descriptions listed below.
SURF Faculty Bios and Research Projects (2026)
The following faculty have been invited to mentor students in the summer 2026 SURF program.
Dr. Maricela Becerra Garc铆a is an Assistant Professor of Spanish and an urban and digital humanist. Her interdisciplinary
research examines violence, trauma, and memory in Latin America, with a focus on how
feminicides and other forms of State-sanctioned violence are represented, remembered,
and erased through cultural production. She also explores how contemporary feminist
activism intervenes to reclaim memory, visibility, and space. She has mentored undergraduate
students through all stages of the research process, including data collection, analysis,
and academic writing.
Project Title and Description -"Fighting Feminicidio Online: Social Media Activism in Contemporary Mexico"
Social media, particularly Instagram, has become a key space to denounce the disappearances
and killings of women in Mexico, where an estimated twenty women and girls disappear,
and ten are murdered every day. High-profile cases such as that of Debanhi Escobar,
whose disappearance and death circulated widely through images, hashtags, and artistic
interventions, demonstrate how digital platforms amplify visibility and pressure authorities.
As scholar Marcela Fuentes argues, hashtags function as "performance constellations"
or multiplatform patterns of collective action. Social media thus operates not only
as a tool for awareness, but as a collaborative and transnational space of feminist
resistance that complements offline activism.
This digital humanities project has developed through several phases since its inception
in 2021. Initial stages focused on large-scale data collection and coding of social
media posts related to feminicidio cases across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok,
Twitter/X, and Facebook. The most recent data collection phase, completed in 2023,
expanded the archive to over 5,000 posts, documenting patterns of engagement (such
as likes, shares, and comments), types of posts, and variables such as age, region,
and case status. Building on this empirical foundation, a subsequent theoretical phase
introduced Hermana Activism as a framework to understand these digital practices as
forms of collective care, mourning, and resistance. This was followed by a communication
phase in which the dataset was translated into visual formats, including infographics
and digital storytelling projects, to broaden the reach of the research.
The 2026 phase of the project returns to this extensive database to conduct a comparative
and longitudinal analysis of feminist social media activism in Mexico. In addition
to analyzing existing data, student researchers will actively collect and code new
posts related to recent hashtags in order to identify emerging trends. Students will
choose the hashtag cases they want to focus on based on their knowledge, lived experiences,
and interests. They will track how posts circulate, categorize different types of
content, and document key variables, contributing directly to the expansion of the
dataset. This phase will also support revisions to the existing database in order
to reflect new trends in the field and enable comparative analysis, drawing on recent
methodological approaches such as those proposed by Catherine D鈥毭劽碔gnazio in Counting
Femicide (2024). This stage emphasizes shifts in hashtag use, engagement patterns,
visual strategies, and modes of collective expression over time. By comparing earlier
data with current social media activity, the project seeks to understand how feminist
activism evolves in response to changing sociopolitical contexts and media environments.
The main goal of the 2026 SURF project is to deepen our understanding of social media
as both a digital archive and an active site of resistance. Students will work collaboratively
with the dataset to analyze trends, map patterns, and develop visual and multimedia
representations of their findings. Through this process, they will engage in data
analysis, digital humanities methodologies, and critical feminist frameworks while
contributing to an ongoing research project on digital activism and memorialization
in Mexico. This phase represents a crucial step toward building a comprehensive digital
humanities project that not only archives feminist activism but also critically analyzes
its transformations over time.
Dr. Thomas Clobes is an Assistant Professor of Health Science and Academic Program Director for the
BS Health Science Online Completion program at California State University Channel
Islands. With more than two decades of experience across clinical support, healthcare
administration, and health policy, he brings a multidisciplinary perspective to teaching,
research, and program development. Dr. Clobes holds a Ph.D. in Health Sciences from
Rutgers University and a Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Sciences and Therapeutics
from the University of Maryland. His scholarly work focuses on medical cannabis, health
policy, and equity in education, with an emphasis on understanding patient experiences
across diverse regulatory environments. He is actively engaged in professional and
community service and is committed to advancing innovation, access, and student mentorship
within the health sciences.
Project Title and Description - "Frontline Advisors in an Unregulated Space: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of Medical Cannabis Budtenders"
This project examines the role, training, and ethical responsibilities of medical cannabis dispensary workers, commonly known as "budtenders", who frequently serve as front-line advisors to patients seeking therapeutic guidance. As medical cannabis legalization has expanded across the United States, dispensary staff increasingly occupy a quasi-clinical role, despite the absence of standardized training, certification, or clear regulatory expectations. This creates potential risks for patient safety and highlights the need for research on this emerging healthcare-adjacent workforce. Building on prior quantitative research demonstrating that budtender recommendations often diverge from clinical guidance, this study uses a qualitative approach to better understand how budtenders interpret their roles and responsibilities. Specifically, the project employs Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, a method designed to explore how individuals make meaning of complex professional experiences. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with approximately 20-30 budtenders across multiple states, the study will examine how participants navigate patient interactions, ethical boundaries, and gaps in training and regulation. IRA approval has already been received. The Summer SURF phase of the project will focus on four primary activities: student training, particip- budtendersant recruitment, data collection, and initial data analysis. Students will receive structured training in human subjects research, qualitative interviewing techniques, and qualitative data analysis. Following this training, students will assist in recruiting participants through professional networks and publicly available directories. Students will participate in conducting or co-facilitating interviews, gaining hands-on experience in qualitative data collection. In addition, students will contribute to early-stage data analysis by reviewing interview transcripts and identifying preliminary themes. This process will introduce them to qualitative coding and analytic reasoning, while also allowing them to engage directly with the research questions. Throughout the program, students will work closely with the faculty mentor through regular meetings that emphasize skill development, critical reflection, and collaborative problem-solving. This project is intentionally designed as a high-impact undergraduate research experience. Students will not serve as passive assistants, but as active contributors to the creation of new knowledge. By the end of the program, students will have developed practical research skills, a deeper understanding of health policy and patient safety issues, and experience communicating research findings. These outcomes will support their academic progression and preparation for graduate study or careers in healthcare and related fields. More broadly, this research will contribute to ongoing discussions about workforce development, patient safety, and regulation in the rapidly evolving medical cannabis landscape. Findings will inform future efforts to develop evidence-based training and policy frameworks that better support both patients and the professionals who serve them.
Dr. Joshua Gold is an assistant professor of Health Science at California State University, Channel Islands. I study how social and psychological factors shape people鈥檚 health, especially when it comes to preventing chronic disease. Much of my work has focused on obesity across the lifespan and how experiences like where someone lives, their overall well-being, and stigma around weight can influence health outcomes. More recently, my research has shifted toward developing and improving programs that help people build healthier habits, particularly in underserved communities. I鈥檓 especially interested in making sure these programs are practical, effective, and actually reach the people who need them most.
Project Title and Description - "Voices of Care: Evaluating Patient and Volunteer Experiences at a Community Free Clinic"
What happens when getting sick means choosing between seeing a doctor and paying rent? For many residents of Ventura County, this is not a hypothetical, but a daily reality. Rising healthcare costs and gaps in insurance coverage leave thousands without access to basic medical services, allowing preventable conditions to escalate into serious health crises. These challenges extend beyond individuals, placing strain on families, increasing emergency room use, and widening health inequities across communities. The burden is especially pronounced in Hispanic/Latino populations, where structural barriers further limit access to timely, affordable, and culturally responsive care. Community-based organizations play a vital role in addressing these gaps. The Westminster Free Clinic (WFC) provides comprehensive, no-cost healthcare and supportive services to uninsured and low-income individuals and families throughout Ventura County. Serving over 100 patients each week and delivering more than 18,000 services annually, WFC functions as both a critical safety net and a model of community-centered care. However, sustaining and strengthening this work requires systematic evaluation to better understand patient and volunteer experiences and to guide continuous program improvement. The primary objective of this research project is to evaluate patient and volunteer staff experiences at the Westminster Free Clinic. This evaluation is essential for strengthening volunteer recruitment and retention while improving the quality and delivery of care. Using a mixed-methods, community-centered approach, student researchers will collaborate with clinic staff to develop survey instruments and qualitative interview guides grounded in the organization's priorities. Students will assist with participant recruitment and conduct in-depth interviews with approximately 100 patients and 40 volunteer staff across multiple clinic sites. Findings will be used to identify priority areas for improvement and to generate actionable, data-driven recommendations for the clinic. Students will be engaged in all phases of the research process and receive extensive training in evaluation research methods. This includes conducting interviews with diverse populations, managing and analyzing qualitative data, and synthesizing findings into cohesive, evidence-based narratives that inform decision-making and promote actionable change. Students will also contribute to dissemination efforts, including sharing results with community stakeholders, presenting at academic conferences, and co-authoring manuscripts for publication. This project offers a high-impact research experience that integrates rigorous methodology with meaningful community engagement. Students will develop advanced research and professional skills while contributing to data-driven strategies that enhance healthcare access and strengthen community health systems in Ventura County.
Dr. Ahmed Awad is a Professor of Chemistry and the Director of Student Research at 海角社区CI. He received his Ph.D. in Bioorganic Chemistry from University of Ulm in Germany, and did his postdoctoral research at Iowa State and UC Santa Barbara. His research interest is in the interface between Chemistry and Biology with focus on design and development of novel therapeutics for treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. He specializes on nucleoside analogues and nucleic acid chemistry, with particular interests in pancreatic cancer and drug-resistant bacteria.
Project Title and Description - "Design, development and evaluation of novel nucleoside analogues as therapeutics for pancreatic cancer"
Pancreas is a gland in the digestive system produces enzymes that regulate blood sugar. In pancreatic cancer, uncontrolled cell growth begins in parts of the pancreas which develop tumors that interfere with its function. Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect in its early stages, and it spreads rapidly to nearby organs such as liver. In the US over 50,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer are reported annually making it the 3rd most common cause of cancer deaths. Symptoms includes loss of appetite, weight loss, pain in the upper abdomen and in the back, fatigue and depression. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, with a mean survival rate of approximately six months. Drug resistance, and overall aggressive biology are major challenges in the treatment. Nucleosides are the building blocks of the nucleic acids, RNA and DNA. Current standard chemotherapy treatments for pancreatic cancer is gemcitabine, a nucleoside analogue that has been approved by FDA in 1997. However, its effectiveness is far from satisfactory due to cellular mechanisms limiting its transport, activation, and overall efficacy. The survival rate at 12 months was 18% for gemcitabine patients. Therefore, development of novel therapeutics is crucial. In this proposed SURF project, students will design and develop novel nucleoside analogues and investigate their efficacy for treatment of pancreatic cancer. The project plans are designed considering the possibility of carrying out some of the work in a virtual environment. The first part involves computational studies to design and optimize the proposed chemical structures. The results will be analyzed to examine the binding affinity of the proposed molecules to important enzymatic targets in pancreatic cancer. The toxicity properties will be also computationally evaluated. A widely used computational biology software that is available for 海角社区CI students, through accessing 海角社区CI Virtual Labs, will be utilized for these studies. The participating SURFers will perform literature survey on the development of such therapeutics, perform the computational studies and analyze their data, and will develop an effective and convenient methods to synthesize the developed molecules. The faculty member will introduce the synthetic methods, and will propose alternative solutions for possible problems. With the guidance of the faculty research mentor, students will collect reported protocols and will develop their synthetic schemes. Students proposals will be discussed before an efficient synthetic route is recommended. In the lab work, after intensive training provided by the faculty, students and the faculty will work on their synthetic protocols, purify the products by column chromatography, characterize new compounds by spectroscopic techniques (Mass, IR, and NMR), and analyze their data for the final conclusion. These compounds may be submitted to the National Cancer Institute for screening in their cancer cell line assay system.
As an environmental microbiologist, Dr. Becerra has worked on environmentally related projects like determining the bioavailability, fate and transport of metal contaminants in tidal systems, the natural attenuation of acid mine drainage, and changing soil carbon storage due to global climate change. Currently, her research group is interested in microbial decomposition of dead plant roots, fostering a sense of belonging in STEM courses, and the antibacterial effects of Chumash medicinal plants which will be the focus of the summer project.
Project Title and Description - "Investigating the Antibacterial Potential of Chumash Medicinal Plants"
For centuries, traditional medical systems have used plants rich in diverse antimicrobial phytochemicals to combat infections and other ailments. Certain herbal medicines are especially clinically valuable because the bioactive compounds found in plant roots, leaves, stem barks, and flowers are known to treat infection without leading to antimicrobial resistance. Recognizing that 海角社区CI is on Chumash land and that the Chumash have a rich history of using native California plants for various medical treatments, the major goal of this research study is to determine the antimicrobial effect of these native California plants. The following research objectives are to 1) test the susceptibility of medically-relevant bacteria and other model organisms to native California plant extracts and 2) test the toxicity of the plant extracts on the model organisms. Time permitting, additional objectives are to 3) determine the minimum inhibitory and microbicidal concentrations and 4) characterize the phytochemicals contained in the plant extracts. Previously, undergraduate students screened 20 plants for antibacterial activity. They tested the extractability of four different solvents and extraction techniques, focusing on the maceration method. During this summer research period, we will be evaluating a different extraction method called the Soxhlet extraction to see if the extracts produced using this method yields greater antimicrobial effect using theKirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. In previous work, students also tested these plant extracts on 8 bacterial species. This summer, we will be evaluating not only other bacterial species, but a variety of model eukaryotic organisms. We will be testing the toxicity of the plant extracts and determining the minimum inhibitory and microbicidal concentrations of the plant extracts. Students previously used colorimetric assays to screen for the presence of a suite of phytochemicals such as phenols, tannins, and flavonoids. This summer, we will expand our screening for other phytochemicals and investigate other methods for quantifying these potentially bioactive compounds such as using gas chromatography.
Dr. Brenton Spies is a faculty member in the Environmental Science and Resource Management (ESRM) Department
at 海角社区 Channel Islands. His research focuses on conservation biology, restoration
ecology, and endangered species management. He collaborates with state, federal, local,
and nonprofit partners on conservation initiatives that protect sensitive species
and habitats. Dr. Spies is dedicated to mentoring students and fostering environmental
stewardship through hands-on research, service learning, and community-based conservation
across California鈥檚 coastal and aquatic ecosystems.
Project Title and Description - "Post-Fire Recovery of Topanga Canyon Lagoon: Monitoring Ecosystem Health and Endangered Tidewater Goby Populations"
This project focuses on ecological recovery in Topanga Canyon Lagoon following the Palisades Fire (January 2025), which burned large portions of the watershed and raised concerns about sedimentation, water quality, and impacts to aquatic communities. This work builds directly on last summer's SURF project, which focused on the emergency response and rescue of endangered tidewater gobies during and immediately after the fire. The current phase shifts toward understanding recovery and longer-term management of the system. The goal of this project is to evaluate how the lagoon and watershed are responding post-fire by integrating tidewater goby population assessments, benthic invertebrate surveys, and supporting habitat and water quality data. Together, these components provide a more complete picture of how the system is recovering, from physical habitat conditions to lower trophic organisms and a sensitive, federally listed species. A large portion of the work will take place in the lab. Students will process benthic invertebrate samples collected from lagoon and stream habitats, sort and identify organisms, and enter and quality-check datasets. This work is central to the project, as these organisms are widely used as indicators of ecosystem condition and recovery. Students will also work with water quality and habitat data, helping to organize, QA/QC, and prepare datasets for analysis. Students will then use these data to explore patterns in invertebrate community composition, water quality, and goby observations, and will be involved in interpreting what those patterns suggest about post-fire recovery. In addition to lab work, students will participate in 2-3 field days at Topanga Canyon Lagoon. During these trips, they will assist with endangered tidewater goby surveys, contributing to presence/absence observations and distribution mapping, and will complete at least one full stream and habitat assessment alongside the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains. These field days provide important context for the data they are working with and give students direct experience with field-based monitoring. This project is conducted in collaboration with the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and contributes to ongoing monitoring and management of Topanga Canyon Lagoon. Student work will directly support these efforts, particularly in understanding how lower trophic communities and goby populations are responding over time. The project is designed to be accessible to students from a range of backgrounds. It combines field experience with a strong emphasis on data processing, analysis, and interpretation. By the end of the program, students will have contributed to an active recovery effort while developing practical skills in ecological monitoring, data management, and applied environmental research.
Dr. Vedang Chauhan is an Associate Professor of Mechatronics Engineering at California State University
Channel Islands with over 20 years of teaching and research experience. His expertise
includes collaborative robotics, computer vision, artificial intelligence, and intelligent
manufacturing systems. His work focuses on vision-guided robotics and ROS2-based system
integration for real-world automation. He has led industry-sponsored projects and
collaborated with academic and industrial partners. Dr. Chauhan is committed to hands-on
undergraduate research and creating inclusive learning environments that help students
build confidence in emerging technologies.
Project Title and Description - "Vision-Guided Cobot Control Using ROS2, Python, and Computer Vision"
Collaborative robots, often called "cobots", are designed to safely work alongside humans and assist with repetitive or precise tasks. A cobot arm functions similarly to a human arm, extending from shoulder to wrist to palm, allowing it to reach, grasp, and move objects. Unlike traditional industrial robots that operate inside safety cages, cobots are equipped with sensors that detect contact and automatically stop motion if they encounter a person, making them suitable for shared workspaces. In this project, a depth camera will serve as the robot's eyes enabling it to see objects and determine their distance. Without a camera, robots must be programmed to pick up parts from fixed, pre-defined locations. By adding vision, the robot gains flexibility: objects can be placed anywhere within the camera's field of view, and the robot can detect and pick them up autonomously. This project aims to develop a vision-guided collaborative robot system capable of identifying and manipulating objects using computer vision, Python programming, and the Robot Operating System (ROS2). The laboratory is equipped with a Universal Robots UR7e collaborative robot and an Intel RealSense depth camera, which will serve as the primary hardware platform. The objective is to design a system in which a user specifies one or more objects to be picked based on attributes such as size, shape, or color. The computer vision subsystem will identify the selected object within the robot's field of view and estimate its position and orientation. This information will then be converted into the robot's coordinate system and communicated to the robot controller using ROS2. The robot will move to the detected location, grasp the object, and place it at a destination specified by the user. The system will also support sequential operations, allowing multiple parts to be picked and placed in a user-defined order. Two undergraduate student researchers will play complementary roles in this project. One student will focus on robot control and system integration using ROS2 and Python, including motion planning, robot communication, and execution of pick-and-place tasks. The second student will focus on the computer vision component, developing algorithms to detect objects, determine their position and orientation using depth camera data, and transform this information into the robot's reference frame. Both students will collaborate to integrate the vision and robot control components into a unified system. Students will receive structured training resources, including Universal Robots Academy materials, ROS2 tutorials, and guided mentorship throughout the project. They will participate in weekly meetings, establish milestones, and document their progress. Through this work, students will gain hands-on experience in robotics, programming, computer vision, and interdisciplinary system integration. Successful completion of the project will result in a working prototype demonstrating an autonomous vision-guided pick-and-place system. Students will present their results at the SURF showcase and produce documentation that can support future research and instructional activities. This project provides a meaningful research experience while preparing students for careers in robotics, automation, and intelligent systems.
Dr. Ariel Vaughn is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at 海角社区CI. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry
at the University of Southern California. Her research is focused on making chemistry,
and science as a whole, more inclusive. As an Indigenous woman from a rural community,
this passion hits close to home. The Vaughn Lab focuses on designing homework assignments
that help students understand why chemistry matters to their lives and see themselves
as scientists. Dr. Vaughn strongly believes in building community in the classroom
and in her research group.
Project Title and Description - "From Placement to Possibility: How a New AI Driven Placement Exam Tool is Impacting Student Success, Motivations for Learning, and the Role Math Plays in Sciences"
Placement exams have long been used as a tool to decide what courses students should be enrolled in. Most placement exams simply provide a score that decides the students fate without providing them any feedback on what they didn鈥毭劽磘 understand. In this project, we look at the impact of a new placement exam that uses AI to develop individual study guides for students. Students enrolled in the courses on campus completed a preliminary diagnostic, study guides, and a follow-up diagnostic. Additionally, they did a pre- and post-survey before the preliminary diagnostic and immediately before the follow-up diagnostic to measure the impacts of this placement exam on students in the course. These mixed-method surveys explored students' motivations for learning, how students viewed the role of math in chemistry and in their careers, and how students view tests and growth opportunities in the classroom. Additionally, it explored the specifics of the study guides and how students felt like they impacted their success. For this SURF program, we will explore the pre- and post-survey qualitative responses to look at how students viewed and engaged with this placement exam. Researchers in the laboratory will, alongside the faculty member, explore the student survey responses and learn how to categorize data quantitatively and qualitatively. SURFers will undergo extensive NVivo 14 training, learning the necessary coding skills to analyze the student responses. To help remove any coding biases, multiple researchers will independently code the same data categories for comparison. The faculty mentor will facilitate comparison meetings to ensure that researchers agree on the coding categorizations. With the guidance of the faculty research mentor, SURFers will learn how to graphically represent this data and communicate their findings within the research group and beyond. In addition to sharing their research in regular group meetings, group meetings will be a time for SURFers to learn new skills, for example how to write abstracts. Researchers will be encouraged to apply to conferences including the SACNAS National Diversity in STEM Conference. As data collection for this project is still underway, a more complete analysis of the data will go beyond the summer and into the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters. Ideal SURF students will have interest in continuing throughout the 2026 - 2027 academic year along with participating in a future publication on the project. Outstanding SURFers interested in continuing research with the Vaughn Lab will be nominated for research and scholarship awards. Students from all disciplines are invited to apply for this program as the skills used in these types of projects are applicable for more than just STEM courses.
Dr. Jason Miller is a mathematician with backgrounds in differential topology, computer vision, and
applied statistics. He has mentored scores of undergraduates in research on topics
ranging from game theory, graph theory, image analysis, bioacoustics, and amateur
radio. He enjoys being in the backcountry, is a semi-professional singer with the
local Aret茅 vocal ensemble, and is a licensed amateur radio operator who mentors local
student clubs on the subject.
Project Title and Description -"Remote Sensing using Amateur Radio"
The proposed project will have students develop processes, procedures, and documentation for using amateur radio frequencies (through radio transceivers on Arduino microprocessors) to transmit and receive remote sensor data. Building on work done by other students mentored by me, SURF students will learn how to set up and program Arduino hardware to transmit and receive sensor data with a variety of sensors. The student team will test their hardware and software by putting sensors (e.g., a 3-axis accelerometer) into small model rockets and gathering and validating telemetry data. They will also use their knowledge of amateur radio and sensors to build, launch, and track small high-altitude balloons. After they develop skills for triangulating the source of a radio signal (e.g., through Fox Hunt exercises), they will be able to use that skill to find their rocket or balloon when it lands. This project will require students to earn a Technician Class amateur radio license, for which they will demonstrate mastery of technical, safety, and regulatory information that pertains to amateur radio. It will also require them to learn some enough about electronics to follow instructions written by previous students that will tell them how to assemble and run radio transceivers and connected sensors. Students will also learn how to operate hand transceivers as well as more powerful mobile and base stations. This and other equipment are available for student use thanks to two campus amateur radio clubs. In the course of this experience, students will explore the many facets of amateur radio and ways it can be used professionally, personally, and in service of our community.
Dr. Ronald Berkowsky is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at 海角社区CI, where he
also serves as the Community-Based Research Faculty Lead. He is committed to scholarship,
teaching, and service that promotes age-inclusiveness, utilizes an elder justice framework,
and addresses the various needs of the increasingly growing and diversifying older
adult population. In the community, he currently serves on the Advisory Council of
the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging representing and advocating on behalf of LGBT+
older adults, and he also currently serves as the co-Chair of the LGBT+ Aging Coalition
of Ventura County.
Project Title and Description -"Equine-Assisted Services for Older Adults"
Animal-assisted therapy has been shown to improve mental health and well-being, reduce stress and anxiety, and enhance social engagement across a variety of groups including older adults (aged 65+) and individuals experiencing cognitive impairment. However, most existing research on animal-assisted therapy focuses on traditional therapy animals like dogs and horses; in the case of the latter, a central limitation of most horse-based therapies is that it requires the patient to travel to the horse, which can be difficult for some treatment populations (e.g., older adults with dementia). Employing community-based research principles and in collaboration with community partners with experience in elder care and horse-based therapy services, the focus of this project will be to develop a detailed research protocol to determine the value and efficacy of equine-assisted services delivered via mini-horses transported directly to elder care facilities and community sites. Students selected to this SURF team will work closely with community partners to develop a research study to better evaluate the impacts of therapy delivered by mini-horses to older adults experiencing cognitive impairment (e.g., older adults with dementia). The mobility of this particular intervention allows for increased accessibility for patients with limited physical mobility or those with limited transportation options. Over the summer, students will regularly meet with their faculty mentor and the project's community partners to develop the research protocol, which will include: (1) outlining the research question(s), (2) determining the outcomes of interest, (3) determining the most appropriate data collection methods, (4) crafting all necessary research materials (e.g., questionnaires, surveys, etc.), and (5) determining the population of interest and navigating all applicable ethical considerations (e.g., how to gain informed consent from those experiencing cognitive decline), among others. Students will also have the opportunity to observe mini-horse therapy sessions to get a first-hand look at how these programs operate, giving them additional insight into how best to craft a research protocol around these interventions. The goal of the summer will be to develop a full research protocol and submit it for review to the 海角社区CI Institutional Review Board (IRB), with the intention of implementing the protocol during the 2026-2027 academic school year. This project is best suited for students interested in gaining experience in the development-phase of a project (although students will have the opportunity to implement their protocol in the academic year, should they choose to continue in this work). Students will gain experience in community-based approaches to research, and they will gain insight into how mini-horse therapy operates. This is an interdisciplinary project, and students from various health- or health-related majors are encouraged to apply.
Dr. Jason T. Isaacs is a professor of Computer Science at California State University, Channel Islands.
Dr. Isaacs received a Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering from the
University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012 under the supervision of Professor
Jo茫o Hespanha.
He received a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky
in 1999. Upon graduation, he spent the next six years working as a motion control
development engineer for Lexmark International Incorporated. Upon completion of his
Ph.D. in March 2012, he continued at UCSB as a postdoctoral scholar where he led a
three-year applied research project sponsored through the Institute for Collaborative
Biotechnologies. He spent a summer as a research intern in the Sensor Fusion group
at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory in 2008 and spent a summer as an Office of Naval
Research Faculty Research Fellow with the NSWC Port Hueneme Division in 2020 and 2022.
His research interests include autonomous robotic exploration and search, swarm robotics,
applied machine learning, and sensor networks. His teaching interests include introductory
programming, software engineering, embedded systems, and robotics.
Project Title and Description -"Agentic AI Driven Software Engineering of Swarm Robotics Command and Control Software"
By now we have probably all heard the term "Vibe Coding" as a pejorative describing the act of using modern AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to produce software based only on prompts with little to no understanding of how the code actually works (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibe_coding). While this coding paradigm shift has opened the door to creative problem solvers who may not have previously had the technical expertise to create working software it also creates new questions and concerns around the safety, security, and long-term maintainability of such software. Despite these questions and concerns, industry trends indicate that more and more companies are embracing the use of AI software development tools with the expectations of higher productivity and lower labor costs. This leads to the following questions. What role does a traditionally trained software engineer play in this new vibe coding world? How should universities be training the next generation of software engineers to participate in this new vibe coding world? This project seeks to explore these questions by merging two areas that I am passionate about, agile software engineering and swarm robotics. We will explore how emerging agentic AI tools can be integrated into software engineering workflows to improve productivity while maintaining safety, security, and long-term maintainability. While AI-assisted coding tools are rapidly gaining adoption, there is currently no well-defined engineering process for incorporating these tools into structured development practices such as Agile. This project aims to address that gap by designing and validating an "Agentic Agile Software Engineering" framework that augments traditional development workflows with agentic AI support. The central goal is to develop a repeatable, human-centered process that leverages agentic AI for tasks such as requirements refinement, architectural design, code generation, testing, documentation, and system validation, while preserving strong engineering controls. The proposed framework will emphasize transparency, traceability, and verification to ensure that AI-generated outputs meet professional software standards and do not introduce hidden risks. Attention will be given to security, reliability, verifiability, and maintainability. To ground this work in a realistic and high-impact context, the framework will be developed and evaluated through an example application: the design and implementation of a Command and Control (C2) software system for coordinating a swarm of robotic agents. This application domain is inherently complex, involving distributed systems, real-time decision-making, and safety-critical considerations, making it an ideal testbed for evaluating the strengths and limitations of agentic AI-assisted development. Student researchers will play a central role in all phases of the project. They will (1) investigate and benchmark existing agentic AI tools, (2) participate in the iterative design of the Agentic Agile process, (3) contribute to the development of the C2 application, and (4) evaluate system performance, usability, and code quality under AI-assisted workflows. Students will gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI technologies, modern software engineering practices, and collaborative research methods. They will also contribute to documentation, presentations, and potential publications arising from the project. This work aligns with ongoing collaboration efforts with the Future Capabilities Office (FCO) at Naval Base Point Mugu, providing students with exposure to real-world engineering challenges and potential pathways to internships and future employment. By bridging advances in artificial intelligence with established engineering principles, this project aims to produce both a practical development framework and a trained cohort of students prepared to work at the intersection of AI and software engineering.
Dr. Jacqueline Reynoso is an Associate Professor of History at 海角社区 Channel Islands. She is a spatial historian
whose research explores lived and imagined geographies. She is also interested in
supporting community-engaged and public-facing scholarship. As a Fillmore native,
she is especially excited to undertake a local history project centered on Fillmore
during the 1920s.
Project Title and Description -"The Fillmore Monorail Project"
This SURF project centers the history of Fillmore, CA in 1927, when residents of the town quite literally bought into the idea of a never-to-be-realized monorail. That spring and summer, local residents purchased shares in the Sespe Development Company, which was headed by a self-styled developer named P.S. Combs and which pitched the construction of a monorail connecting the town to the Sespe Hot Springs. The project, which seemed to promise to propel the town into the national spotlight, was quickly backed by Fillmore's Chamber of Commerce. Excitement was so great, in fact, that the town even created a baseball team named the Fillmore Monorails in honor of the promised project. However, if excitement about the monorail project was great, disappointment about it would soon be greater. By the fall of that year, it became clear that Combs had abandoned both the town and the proposed project, taking the investors, shares with him. In the wake of the scandal, an embarrassed Chamber of Commerce worked to sweep the news of the financial blunder under the rug. That attempt was fairly successful; the history of the Fillmore Monorail Project remains an understudied episode in local history. There is even less information on how this local historical event fits into the broader history of the county, the state, and the nation during the 1920s. This SURF project aims to combat that. 2027 will mark the 100-year anniversary of the ill-fated monorail project. As part of a collaborative effort with the Fillmore Historical Museum, this SURF project will aid in the development of programming related to that. Namely, our research findings will contribute to the creation of a virtual exhibit as well as to planning in-person programming at the museum. The locally focused and collaborative nature of the project supports the History Department鈥毭劽磗 commitment to promoting Public History as well as the university's dedication to supporting community-engaged work. Although the specific events that transpired in Fillmore during the summer of 1927 will be the focal point of this summer's SURF project, student researchers and I will work to place those events within the broader technological, economic, social, political, and cultural context of the time. This will entail examining the socioeconomic circumstances shaping both Fillmore specifically and Ventura County more broadly (such as the region's demographic makeup, its transportation and agricultural industries, and its political and legal structures). Connected to that, we will explore the history of the monorail in the 1920s, which was an era associated with failed and abandoned monorail designs. Throughout the eight-week project, student researchers will engage in and complete the following activities: (1) Conduct historical research by analyzing primary and secondary sources. This will include examining material from the collections of the Fillmore Historical Museum, such as their historical newspaper and personal paper collections. (2) Develop a historical timeline of key events. (3) Identify key figures, events, documents, and historical processes to highlight in museum programming. (4) Draft a research guide and a report of research findings to aid in the creation of a virtual exhibit and in planning in-person displays and events.
Dr. Geoff Dilly (Biology) is a marine ecophysiologist and a Biology Professor at Cal State University Channel
Islands. His research interests and expertise focus on organismal and ecological effects
created by natural and anthropogenic stressors including thermal challenges, desiccation,
acidification and microplastics. He has published, presented, and received grant funding
on topics of thermal tolerance, transcriptomics, proteomics, oxidative stress, ecological
monitoring, and more. He also teaches a variety of courses including Marine Biology,
Deep-Sea Biology, Animal Physiology, Bioinformatics, and an upcoming seminar course
on presentation and research skills in Biology.
Project Title and Description -"Eye in the Sky: Automating Intertidal Ecological Monitoring with Taxonomy, Machine Learning, and Drones"
My SURF 2026 project aims to combine the technology of drone imagery and machine learning to the field of marine conservation through rocky intertidal monitoring. Rocky intertidal zones are changing. Climate change brings increases in sea surface temperature, shifts in nutrients and oxygen concentration, and a rise in disruptive events like heat waves or hurricanes. Introduced species like Sargassum horneri and invasive sponges are spreading. Interactions with human population centers can lead to trampling, species removal, or marine debris. These changes can decrease biodiversity, alter community structure, or hamper species recovery rates. But we cannot track what we do not monitor. Ecological monitoring of rocky intertidal zones has its history in long term inventory of static sites: including NPS and 海角社区CI established sites on the Channel Islands. Often a painstaking process with challenges in access, training in taxonomy, and timing of tides, it is labor-intensive and most intertidal sites cannot be monitored in this detail. This leads to gaps in understanding about the health and species diversity at unmonitored sites (a majority of our coastline). Even when expert taxonomists are available to survey a site, methodological limitations coupled with short low-tide windows preclude full-site assessments. Instead, teams focus on discrete measurement techniques such as point-intercept plots at long-term sites, or vertical transects to build a larger site species grid. However, in the last decade, phototransects coupled with machine learning has become a tool used in some ecosystems, such as coral reefs and rainforest canopy surveys. My lab team has built a machine learning classifier based on 8 years of phototransect data from Santa Rosa Island sites, and our next step is to expand this classifier to test our protocols on a broad array of rocky intertidal sites in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and LA counties using both phototransects and drone imagining. Students who join my SURF research program will be involved in: 1) Literature review of machine learning photo classification and intertidal ecology; 2) Taxonomy training in rocky intertidal species identification; 3) Improving a classifier to differentiate algal, animal, and abiotic features; 4) Photo transects of rocky intertidal sites; 5) Drone imaging of rocky intertidal sites; 6) Exploring AI methods of improved identification; 7) Concluding our findings in a publication. In addition, we will hold weekly "deep dive" sessions led by students on a series of related topics: ecosystem monitoring, drone operation, machine learning, statistics, and more. I anticipate 2-3 working days/week in lab, as well as field trips to rocky intertidal sites. Access to transportation is a plus. I seek students with an interest in conservation, marine biology, field ecology, and drone operation. Specifically, anyone with drone flight certification is a priority. I welcome applications from anyone, but students from Biology, ESRM, and Computer Science are especially encouraged. Thank you for your consideration of my proposal.
Dr. Vanina Sofia Machado is an Assistant Professor of Spanish Linguistics at California State University Channel
Islands (海角社区CI) and the director of the Sociolinguistics Speech Lab. She holds a Ph.D.
in Hispanic Linguistics from the University of Toronto and specializes in sociolinguistics,
bilingualism, language contact, and speech variation. Her research explores how bilingual
speakers navigate linguistic spaces, how speech patterns evolve in multilingual communities,
and how language variation influences communication.
Dr. Catalina Medina was born and raised in Northern California and always had a passion for helping people
understand mathematics. While earning her BS in mathematics at the University of Nevada
Reno she learned about the field of statistics, a discipline where she could apply
mathematics and collaborate with scientists to investigate real world problems. This
fueled her pursuit of a PhD in statistics at the University of California Irvine.
Dr. Medina started as an assistant professor of data science in Fall 2025! Dr. Medina鈥檚
research utilizes Bayesian methodology, stochastic processes, and epidemiological
modeling of genetic data to advance public health understanding. Her work has contributed
to peer-reviewed publications on mosquito-borne disease exposure, local impacts of
COVID-19, and models that can provide a less biased understanding of infectious disease
dynamics. She is excited to work with students that are ready to challenge themselves
and learn new skills!
Project Title and Description -"Exploring the effects of delayed data on real-time infectious disease modeling"
Pathogens are microorganisms that cause and spread disease. When we want to study dynamics of a pathogen, such as COVID-19, HIV, or influenza, a common question of interest is: how many people are infected? Answering this question is nontrivial and using test data (like reported positive Covid tests) can be problematic. Test data commonly overrepresents certain individuals in our population, and underrepresents marginalized people. The basic idea of statistics is that we want to use data from a sample to infer something about a population. If individuals in our sample are not representative of the population, our results will likely over or underestimate the true number of people infected. Phylodynamics offers a methodology that can be more resilient to unrepresentative samples, because it relies on genetic data of a pathogen from an infected individual, instead of test data. The idea is that we use genetic samples to estimate evolutionary trees, called phylogenies, for how the pathogen likely mutated and spread in the population. We can then use the tree's branching process and genetic diversity to infer dynamics of the pathogen like transmission or effective population size. Ideally, we want quick and responsible modeling of diseases, so we can make better informed decisions concerning public health, like increasing staffing at hospitals, implementing a mask mandate or lock-downs. A recent major concern with phylodynamics is the time lag between when a blood sample from an infected individual is collected, and when that sample is sent to a lab, sequenced, and available for use in analyses. If the average lag for this data is a month, how are we supposed to know what is happening with this pathogen now? The effects of this reporting time lag for genetic data on phylodynamic analyses is understudied, because phylodynamics was primarily for retrospective studies prior to the pandemic. For this SURF project I am looking for students to conduct simulation studies to investigate the effect of time lags on phylodynamic analyses. They will simulate data with reporting lags under various realistic conditions, apply existing phylodynamic methods, and examine the bias of their estimates to better understand practical implications of current modeling practice. Students applying to this project should have some introductory background in probability and statistics which includes exposure to sampling procedures and distributions (such as DATA 200, MATH 201, or MATH 352), intermediate coding experience (preferably in R), and a desire to learn. Through these projects students will learn both theoretical and practical principles of statistical modeling. Their work will help by improving our understanding of these models and encourage more responsible data science for public health.
Dr. Scott Feister is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at California State University Channel
Islands (海角社区CI). He works closely with collaborators at institutions including UCLA
and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and plans to connect students in this
project with these collaborators.
Project Title and Description -"Connecting Science Facilities to the Cloud"
This project involves digitally connecting scientific equipment between UCLA, 海角社区CI, and the cloud - for real science projects in high power laser physics. I am looking for three student skill areas (regardless of major), in the following order of priority: (1) computer networks and system administration (IT), (2) software engineering / gluing elements together with Python APIs, and (3) CAD/electronics. The IT work is going to be setting up local networks at 海角社区CI, cloud virtual networks, and connecting the various networks between 海角社区CI, cloud, and UCLA. Also, the IT work will involve optimizing and troubleshooting bandwidth problems on networks related to scientific data streaming. The software engineering work will involve writing hooks (e.g. Python) that talks between devices and cloud resources. This will also involve heavy use of generative AI coding, and learning those tools. Finally, there may be some work for a student in CAD. This work will involve designing physical parts and electronics enclosures in a variety of form factors customized to the needs of 海角社区CI and UCLA. If there is interest, students will be invited to visit labs at UCLA to work with collaborators and help to implement their work.
Dr. Gareth Harris received his master's degree at Salford University/University of Manchester, UK,
where he studied the invertebrate model system, C. elegans. He then moved to the US,
to complete his PhD at the University of Toledo, Ohio, where he studied neuroscience,
using genetics, molecular, cell biology methods, and behavior to study how neurotransmitter
systems, synapses and circuits control sensory behavior and decision-making in worms.
Dr. Harris completed his postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University in neuroscience,
studying the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying how organisms are able to
sense environmental cues and how the nervous system controls decision-making behavior,
based on sensation of attractive and repulsive odors. As a professor, Gareth runs
a Molecular Neuroscience and behavior research lab where his work investigates multi-sensory
behavior and how organisms process both attractive and repulsive cues to control decision-making.
His research allows students to work with a model organism, examine behavior, use
genetics, perform mutant analysis, and molecular biology methods. Dr. Harris also
leads multiple projects that address using worms as a model system to understand neuropsychiatric
disease, different novel therapeutic compounds, and potential targeted neural mechanisms
from worms to humans.
Project Title and Description -"From Dior to Dolce: Characterizing the brain mechanisms that shape cologne perception"
Olfactory behavior, the ability to smell odor is a fundamental and essential function that humans extensively use to be able to detect their surroundings daily. In addition, a variety of neurological disorders that exhibit a variety of problems in sensation of different stimuli, can share problems in their ability to smell, discriminate between smells or even show enhanced detection of different smells that can all be detrimental to an individual's behavior and decision-making. The perfume industry reaches over 60 billion dollars in revenue annually, partially due to the numerous chemicals that allow for a cologne's highly attractive aroma. Millions of people frequently use a variety of colognes/perfumes that are generally perceived as attractive. The emphasis on use of colognes continues to grow due to factors like increasing awareness of personal grooming, production of luxury/exotic perfumes, and variation in an individual's preference. Understanding how these perfumes are sensed, processed, and generate attractive preferences is still not understood. Further, how individuals may generate differences in their preference to odors in general that originate from individuals to shape our human attraction is not fully understood. We use the model invertebrate system C. elegans to characterize the brain pathways involved in smell and decisions generated upon smelling an odor. Specifically, using a population chemotaxis assay in the worm model system, C. elegans that address olfactory behavior to cologne odors, we demonstrate strong attraction in the worm towards various oil-based colognes. Specifically, Chanel, Prada, YSL, Cartier, Sauvage/Dior and Dolce and Gabbana, are all attractive to the worm. We have begun to characterize how the brain of the worm controls these attractive behaviors to human sensed odors. Preliminary we have identified different genes and molecules that are responsible for odor-guided attraction to cologne stimuli. Our goal is to provide a platform to further understand the mechanisms brain areas that shape our odor preference to a complex human-sensed set of odors, like perfumes. In summary, SURF students under supervision of Gareth Harris aim to, 1) Determine how worms communicate cologne odor information into attraction behavior; 2) Examine how information flows through the worm's brain from detection of cologne to performing the attractive behavior; 3) Identify if worms use different brain circuits for different cologne attraction behavior. To characterize the mechanisms further per cologne and determine if there are any differences in brain circuits involved that are actually dependent on the type of cologne, students will perform reverse genetics, this means they will examine genetic mutants that knock out individual genes and pathways which will allow identification of distinct genes that are involved in the cologne attraction. The genetic mutants examined in each experiment will be compared to normal worms to determine any differences in each genetic mutants compared to normal worms. Any genetic mutant that shows disrupted cologne attraction will be potential projects to further investigate how that pathway functions in the brain. Many of the genes in the worm's genome have significant similarity to human genes providing a translatable framework between worms and humans. This work described in this proposal will help students perform experiments that will increase their hands-on experiences in the Harris lab and facilitate the more in-depth questions associated with fundamental neuroscience that we are currently pursuing in understanding olfactory behavior. Selected students for this SURF project will gain experience in hands on wet lab experimental performance, designing experiments, analyzing the role of brain mechanisms, both the practical side and the theoretical side of the neuroscience related to understanding the brain, examining behavior and understanding brain disease.
Dr. Francisco Roman Magdaleno Flores comparatively studies birdsong as a model for early speech and language development
in human infants. Originally from Oxnard, Dr. Magdaleno earned his B.S. in Psychology
with a concentration in Applied Social Psychology and a minor in Sociology from Cal
Poly, San Luis Obispo. He received his Ph.D. from Indiana University, Bloomington,
where his graduate research focused on vocal and social development in the Brown-Headed
Cowbird (Molothrus ater). He is currently working on several birdsong projects as well as studying avian
eggshells as a window into early prenatal development. For a sample of his work, see:
Project Title and Description -"The Shape of an Eggshell: Implications for Early Development"
The aim of this SURF project is to examine the interrelations of different structural features in avian eggshells. Students will use modern image analysis tools to measure different features such as egg shape. Student researchers will work as a team and: 1) Conduct an independent literature review of peer-reviewed articles on prenatal development in humans and songbirds. Because this material is heavily rooted in biology and psychology, this project will be inherently interdisciplinary. 2) Collect images from the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology's online database, which offers free and open access to pictures of complete egg clutches from hundreds of different bird species. 3) Gather measurements from the images. 4) Apply appropriate statistics to study the relationship between various structural features of the eggs. 5) Present findings at undergraduate research conferences and gain experience preparing a written manuscript for publication. My goal is to provide students with hands-on experiences conducting psychological research and inspire future scientists. A car is required and ideally students should be interested in continuing this research fall 2026 in Psy 494 - Independent Research in Psychology.
Dr. Christina Smith and Dr. Evelyn Taylor: Evelyn Taylor is the University Archivist and a Library Specialist III at California
State University Channel Islands (海角社区CI). She is also a co-author of the Arcadia Publishing
book Camarillo State Hospital, which draws extensively on archival materials from
the university鈥檚 collections. 鈥淚n this case,鈥 Evelyn explains, 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have to draw
the line between being a historian and being an archivist.鈥 Christina Smith is a
Professor of Communication and Faculty Advisor for Dolphin Radio - CI's campus radio
station. She teaches and researches at the intersection of rhetorical theory and
digital media.
Project Title and Description -"Bringing Location Archives to Life Through Podcasting"
The John Spoor Broome Library's Archives recently obtained a new collection related to the Tortilla Flats neighborhood and development. In order to expose students and community members to this history, a mechanism for engaging with archival materials is needed. Our proposed project involves developing a collection of podcasts, part of the larger "Bringing the Archives to Life" series, that highlights these materials. Using the resources of Dolphin Radio, student media producers will collaborate with Dr. Smith (Communication Department) and Evelyn Taylor (University Archives) to select materials and create a scripted podcast series that illustrates the community's unique heritage and history. The design and implementation of podcasts is an opportunity to engage in public-facing digital humanities scholarship, as such projects involve significant technology components like data analysis, qualitative research methodologies, and digital media creation. The goals of this project are two-fold: first, expose the student researchers to the variety of archival materials available, and second, allow them to create a series of podcasts related to chosen materials. 1) Interacting with archival materials. Under the direction of Library Archivist Evelyn Taylor, the student researcher will be allowed to access and explore the Library鈥毭劽磗 collection of Tortilla Flats-related materials. Ms. Taylor has published a book on the Camarillo State Hospital's history (Images of America: Camarillo State Hospital) and has extensive experience in managing archives. Additionally, Ms. Taylor has collaborated with Dolphin Radio students in a similar capacity in the past, making her an excellent mentor for the student in locating appropriate items to highlight. 2) Podcasts. Dr. Christina Smith, Professor of Communication, has experience in collaborating with students to create podcasts around a variety of campus initiatives. Most recently, she worked with students to produce "First Generation Professionals" a podcast series that explores how first-generation college students can successfully make the transition to a post-graduation career. Once materials are identified, Dr. Smith will mentor the student in finding appropriate and relevant interviewees (to demonstrate the contemporary importance of historical materials), drafting a strong interview guide that is both theoretically rigorous and correctly structured, and editing an engaging series of podcasts. Students will ultimately produce 3-4 podcasts, which will be featured on Dolphin Radio.