2022 Annual Meeting Student Awards

M. JAMES ALLEN AWARD FOR BEST ORAL PRESENTATION

Sarah Wenner, University of California, Berkeley, National Park Service
LIZARD TALES ON A LANDSCAPE SCALE: HOW HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY VARIABLES SHAPE FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY IN BLAINVILLE’S HORNED LIZARDS (PHRYNOSOMA BLAINVILLII).

BEST ORAL PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTION

Julia Teeple, California State University, Fullerton
ANALYZING FLOW USING ACCURATE MANTA ANATOMY

Kiran Reed, California State University, Northridge
MODEL APEX PREDATOR (GIANT SEA BASS) IMPACTS BEHAVIOR OF MESOPREDATORY FISHED AROUND SANTA CATALINA ISLAND, CA

Marlene Walters, University of California, Los Angeles
URBAN DARK-EYED JUNCOS WERE LESS AGGRESSIVE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN

BEST POSTER PRESENTATION

Meghan Jeffus, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
HOW MUCH SEED DO WE NEED? SUCCESS OF VARIED SEEDLING DENSITIES AND WATERING EFFORTS ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SHRUBLAND RESTORATION IN PLASTIC TREE SHELTERS

BEST POSTER PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTION

Murad Jah, University of Southern California
IS METABOLIC RATE SEX-SPECIFIC IN TIGRIOPUS CALIFORNICUS?

Shuli Wong, Occidental College
COMPARING COMMUNITY SCIENCE AND CAMERA TRAP OBSERVATIONS TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 SHUTDOWN ON URBAN WILDLIFE

2021 Annual Meeting Student Awards

M. JAMES ALLEN AWARD FOR BEST ORAL PRESENTATION

Daniel Metz, University of California, San Diego
DETECTING THE HIDDEN DYNAMICS OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION IN COLONIES USING PROJECTION MATRIX MODELS

BEST ORAL PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTION -- TIE

Jack May, California State University, Long Beach
THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS ON AGGREGATION BEHAVIOR OF THE LEAPARD SHARK (TRIAKIS SEMIFASCIATUS) AT SANTA CATALINA ISLAND, CALIFORNIA

Bruno Passarelli, University of California, Los Angeles
METAZOAN PARASITES OF THE CALIFORNIA GRUNION LEURESTHES TENUIS IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BIGHT

BEST POSTER PRESENTATION

Shereen Lam, California State University, Fullerton
A LOOK INTO VIVIPAROUS FEMALE SURFPERCH (EMBIOTOCIDAE) OVARIES AND OFFSPRING DEVELOPMENT

BEST POSTER PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTION

James Sturges, Cal Poly Pomona
USING STEREO-VIDEO SURVEYS TO ASSESS FINE-SCALE HABITAT USE PATTERNS ON THE PALOS VERDES REEF RESTORATION PROJECT

2020 Annual Meeting Student Awards

MEETING WAS CANCELLED

2019 Annual Meeting Student Awards

M. JAMES ALLEN AWARD FOR BEST ORAL PRESENTATION

Sierra Lauman, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
PROPAGULE PRESSURE AND FUNCTIONAL TRAITS: UTILIZING INVASION MECHANISMS TO PROMOTE RESTORATION

BEST ORAL PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTION

Amanda Haas, California State University, Long Beach
MODELING EFFECTS OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ON PREDATOR-PREY DYNAMICS IN THE ROCKY INTERTIDAL ZONE

BEST POSTER PRESENTATION -- TIE

Melissa Morado, Loyola Marymount University
ONTOGENETIC DISTRIBUTION OF LATE PLEISTOCENE MEGAFAUNA AT RANCHO LA BREA

Hannah Mandias, California State University, Long Beach
UTILIZING ENDO-PORTER TO DELIVER MORPHOLINO ANTI-SENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES INTO ISOLATED SKELETOGENIC CELLS OF LYTECHINUS PICTUS

BEST POSTER PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTION

Nicholas Da Silvas, California State University, Long Beach
IMPACT OF SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION ZOSTERA MARINA AND RUPPIA MARITIMA ON HABITAT PARAMETERS AND MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY COMPOSITION WITHIN AN URBANIZED COASTAL LAGOON

Racine Rangel, University of California, Irvine
LOCAL-SCALE ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY INFLUENCES THE RESPONSE OF ALASKAN TIDE POOL SPECIES TO INCREASED TEMPERATURE

2018 Annual Meeting Student Awards

M. JAMES ALLEN AWARD FOR BEST ORAL PRESENTATION -- TIE

Nicole Lopez, California State University, Long Beach
CORRELATED EVOLUTION OF ANTLERS AND TUSKS IN CERVIDS

Kathryn Scafidi, California State University, Northridge
THE IMPACTS OF AN INVASIVE ALGA, SARGASSUM HORNERI, ON THE FORAGING OF TEMPERATE ROCKY REEF FISHES

BEST ORAL PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTION

Robin Fales, California State University, Pomona
DISTRIBUTION, LONG-TERM CHANGE, AND FACTORS INFLUENCING PATCHINESS THROUGH THE GEOGRAPHIC RANGE OF THE ROCKWEED PELVETIOPSIS CALIFORNICA

BEST POSTER PRESENTATION -- TIE

Raish Lovindeer, University of California, Irvine
OCEAN IRON GRADIENTS AFFECT PIGMENTATION IN SYNECHOCOCCUS

Cindy Toscano, California State University, Pomona
ASSESSMENT OF BIOFILM FORMATION ON METAL ALLOYS USED FOR PROSTHETICS

BEST POSTER PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTION

Chelsea Williams, Occidental College
SPATIAL VARIATION IN LIFE-HISTORY CHARACTERISTICS OF A NON-FISHED POMACENTRID, HYPSYPOPS RUBICUNDUS, IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BIGHT

2017 Annual Meeting Student Awards

BEST STUDENT PRESENTATION

Emily Meese, California State University, Long Beach
DIEL MOVEMENTS AND FINE SCALE ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF THE CALIFORNIA HORN SHARK, HETERODONTUS FRANCISCI

BEST STUDENT PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTIONS

Haley Gause, California State University, Long Beach
EXPLORING NEW TRANSMISSION PATHWAYS OF TOXOPLASMOSIS IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTS: HOW VIRULENT IS THE TACHYZOITE STAGE DURING EXPOSURE TO SEAWATER CONDITIONS?

Annie Jean Rendleman, California State University, Long Beach
ENERGETICS OF LARVAL PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY IN THE SAND DOLLAR, DENDRASTER EXCENTRICUS

Racine Rangel, California State University, Long Beach
EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE ON THE METABOLIC RATE OF THE BLUEBANDED GOBY LYTHRYPNUS DALLI

BEST STUDENT POSTER

Amanda Martinez, California State University, Long Beach
RECOLONIZATION OF INVERTEBRATES IN SEDIMENT AUGMENTATION

BEST STUDENT PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTIONS

Zachary Travis, Loma Linda University
DIET AND VENOM ONTOGENY IN INSULAR AND HIGH-ALTITUDE POPULATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RATTLESNAKE CROTALUS HELLERI

Lorelay Mendoza, San Diego State University
MICROBIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ORGANIC MATTER OPTICAL PROPERTIES IN ALVARADO CREEK DURING A STORM EVENT

Stacy Sinclair, Loyola Marymount University
VALIDATING FORMULAS FOR WIND-BLOWN SAND TRANSPORT

2016 Annual Meeting Student Awards

BEST STUDENT PRESENTATION

Dorothy Horn, California State University, Channel Islands
PERVASIVE PLASTICS: A NEW CHALLENGE FOR CRABS AND OUR SANDY BEACH ECOSYSTEM.

BEST STUDENT PRESENTATION - HONORABLE MENTIONS

Carly Creley, California State University, Los Angeles
CHANGES IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL, SCIURUS CAROLINENSIS, IN CALIFORNIA FROM 1900-2014 WITH PROJECTIONS OF ITS FUTURE RANGE

Caitlin McGarigal, California State University, Long Beach
PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ANGLING AND HANDLING STRESS ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA KELP BASS, PARALABRAX CLATHRATUS.

Haley Gause, California State University, Long Beach
ASSESSING THE VIRULENCE POTENTIAL OF THE TACHYZOITE STAGE OF THE APICOMPLEXAN PARASITE, TOXOPLASMA GONDII, WHILE EXPOSED TO SEAWATER CONDITIONS

BEST STUDENT POSTER

Caitlin Sojka, California State University, Long Beach
PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY IN FEEDING STRUCTURES IN PRE-FEEDING LARVAE OF ECHINOID AND ASTEROID ECHINODERMS.

BEST STUDENT POSTER - HONORABLE MENTIONS

Hannah Munkacsi, Occidental College
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY OF ASCAROPHIS (SIMILASCAROPHIS) SP. (NEMATODA: CYSTIDICOLIDAE) FROM FISH AND CRUSTACEAN HOSTS FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, MEXICO AND CHILE.

Annie Jean Rendleman, California State University, Long Beach
ENERGETIC EFFICIENCY OF GROWTH IN MORPHOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT LARVAL SEA URCHINS.

Jessica Peria, California State University, Long Beach
SALINITY TOLERANCE OF LARVAE, JUVENILES, AND ADULTS OF THE NONINDIGENOUS ANNELID FICOPOMATUS ENIGMATICUS.

2015 Annual Meeting Student Awards

BEST STUDENT PRESENTATION

Michelle Barton, California State University, Long Beach
Nest site selection of the light-footed ridgway rail (Rallus longirostris levipes) in two southern California salt marshes.

BEST STUDENT PRESENTATION HONORABLE MENTIONS

Stephanie Benseman, California State University, Northridge
Distribution and growth estimates of young-of-the-year of giant sea bass, Stereolepis gigas, off southern California.

Christopher DeMarco, California State University, Los Angeles
Conservation of the western gray squirrel in Griffith Park through non-invasive genetic sampling with mtDNA and microsatellite analysis.

Emily Meese, California State University, Long Beach
Spatial distribution, habitat selection, and effects of temperature on resting benthic elasmobranchs at Big Fisherman's Cove, Santa Catalina Island.

Fernando Salgado, California State University, Long Beach
Assessing the functional overlap of ion homeostasis, pH regulation, and survival and infectivity in the human parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

BEST STUDENT POSTER

Joshua McKinley, California State University, Fullerton
Feeding behavior of Anthopleura elegantissima after low tide exposure.

BEST STUDENT POSTER - HONORABLE MENTIONS

Alexander Lepicier and Juan Julian (JJ) Baraja, California State University, Dominguez Hills
Do coyotes (Canis latrans) residing on the Palos Verdes Peninsula select different prey as a result of residing in a wild land-urban interface?

Arthur Barraza, California State University, Fullerton
The reproductive morphology of male black perch Embiotoca jacksoni.

Morgan Brown, California State University, Long Beach
Relationship of Sphaeroma quoyanum to native invertebrate community and sediment dynamics in a southern California salt marsh.

2014 Annual Meeting Student Awards

BEST STUDENT PRESENTATION

Parker H. House, California State University, Northridge Fishing impacts on the trophic structure of kelp forest fishes in southern California.

BEST STUDENT PRESENTATION HONORABLE MENTIONS

Jessica Y. Chen, University of Southern California Uncovering the genomic basis of Drosophila melanogaster resistance to fungal parasites.

Alyssa Leicht, California State University, Fullerton Comparison of diets and dietary sampling methods for nesting California least terns (Sternula antillarum browni) at Alameda Point in San Francisco Bay, and Purisima Point on the central California coast.

Cristy A. Rice, California State University, Fullerton Reclassification of California pipefishes (Syngnathidae).

BEST STUDENT POSTER

Aaron Cohodas, California State University, Fullerton Changes of hyperspectral reflectance and photosynthesis in Ambrosia dumosa following supplemental nitrogen additions.

BEST STUDENT POSTER - HONORABLE MENTIONS

Stephanie A. Benseman, California State University, Northridge Distribution and growth estimates of young-of-the-year giant sea bass, Stereolepis gigas, off southern California.

Derek M. Field, California Lutheran University A three dimensional comparison of ontogeny in two morphotypes of Cambrian agnostid arthropods.

Emily N. Meese, California State University, Long Beach Spatial distribution, habitat selection, and effects of temperature on elasmobranch species at Big Fisherman's Cove, Santa Catalina Island, CA.

Janessa Moreno, California State University, Channel Islands Age-based trends in habitat choice in humpback whale calves in Hawaiian waters.

2013 Annual Meeting Student Awards

2013 BEST STUDENT PAPER

***TIE***

Tania S. Asef, CSULB
Associating Genetically Diverse Tamarisk Invaders with their Impacts in a Salt Marsh Ecosystem

Adrienne B. Mora, UC Riverside
Infection with the Probolocoryphe Uca Trematode Associated with Increased Courtship Effort but not Claw Brightness in the California Fiddler Crab, Uca crenulata

2013 BEST STUDENT PAPER - HONORABLE MENTIONS

Justin E. Smith, CSUF
Divergent Species Yet Rare Lineages: Niche Modeling of 20 Endangered California Taxa and their Closest Relatives - Implications for Conservation

Brian Gray, UC Riverside
How does the Evolutionary Loss of a Sexual Signal Affect the Age Structure of Field Cricket Populations Subject to an Acoustically Orienting Parasitoid Fly?

2013 BEST STUDENT POSTERS

Martha P. Ahlstrom, CSUN
Post-Station Fire Debris Flow Analysis in the San Gabriel Mountains

Kim L. Conway, CSUF
Determinants of Bot Fly Infestation in Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrels in Colorado Shortgrass Steppe

Cristy A. Rice, CSUF
Morphological Characterization of Southern California Pipefish (Family Syngnathidae)

Caroline Opene, CSULB
The Temporal Expression of Genes Implicated in the Formation of the Embryonic Skeleton in Ophiocoma wendtii

Annual Meeting

THE 2025 SCAS ANNUAL MEETING WILL BE HOSTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE!

The meeting date has now been set for Friday, April 25, 2025. Mark your calendars!

Please check back after January 2025 for more information.