College of Arts & Sciences Good News – Natural Science Division Edition
October-December 2024
Student News
This year for the second year in a row, our Computer Science students participated in the annual ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) competition. ICPC is the OLYMPICS of Coding . The event was held on Saturday, November 16, 2024 from 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM at Riverside Community College District . This year, we had 2 coaches and 5 students participated – Christopher Burket-Thoene; Wendy Catalanlopez; Kenneth Lam; Adel Ozdem, Reiniery Villalta.
Dr. Whitby would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Heng Wu for organizing and preparing the students.
June-September 2024
Faculty News
Dr. Tatiana V. Tatarinova (Biology) and Biology Alumni, Shanaya Dias – Class of 2018, has shared the publication of a paper they co-authored with others in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD)! This paper explored hair loss conditions that primarily impact African Americans. Additionally, they developed a predictive model to help better understand and manage these challenges.
Grimes, Pearl E., Shanaya Dias, Angela Kyei, Tatiana V. Tatarinova, Andrew Alexis, Nada Elbuluk, Lynn Drake, and Jerry Shapiro. “A retrospective clinical and laboratory analysis including vitamin D and antinuclear antibodies in central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia and nonscarring alopecia in African Americans.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (2024).
Discover their research letter here: A retrospective clinical and laboratory analysis including vitamin D and antinuclear antibodies in central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia and nonscarring alopecia in African Americans.
JEDI in STEM
Dr. Yousef Daneshbod and Dr. Nixon Mwebi in the yearlong JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion) in STEM Program, a professional learning program centered around cultural competence and equity-mindedness. The program helped faculty develop skills to meet their changing roles that increasingly require faculty to adopt a holistic approach to supporting student success, beyond the traditional focus on the cognitive domain of learning. Faculty participated in professional activities, reflecting on their teaching through reading and writing, discussion of Culturally Sustaining Practices (CSP), learning about inclusive pedagogies, and revising curriculum in faculty learning communities.
The Certification of Completion Awards were presented at the NSD Fall Welcome Back Reception on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Alumni News
Mark Garcia won the 2024 Los Angeles largest Gen AI Hackathon! Mark Garcia is class of 2024. He graduated from ULV as an E-Commerce major with Information Science Concentration. Currently, Mark is enrolled in ULV Master’s in Data Analytics (MDA) Program.
Congratulations Mark! You make us very proud!
April-March 2024
Faculty News
Victor Carmona (Biology) participated in the Mini Maker Fair & Innovation Block Party with his presentation: Integrating Virtual Reality and Drones in Environmental Education.
Yousef Daneshbod (Mathematics) participated in the Mini Maker Fair & Innovation Block Party with his presentation: Low Tech vs. High Tech Approach.
Administration & Staff News
Natural Science Division had its first STEM Career Fair with representatives from graduate school programs, paid internships, pharmaceutical companies, environmental consulting, public health, and medical fields. There was a large student turnout and the NSD is hoping to repeat the event in the fall!
NSD Career Fair 2024 Photo Gallery by NSD Office (Ameren Roberts)
Natural Science Division also hosted the Robert & Mary Neher Global Sustainability Lecture featuring Dr. Jane Zelikova. The topic of Dr. Zelikova’s presentation was “Climate Solutions, Justice, and the Rise of a Trillion Dollar Industry.
Enjoy the video of Dr. Zelikova’s lecture: here, brought to you by La Verne Community Television on YouTube.
Neher Sustainability Lecture 2024 Photo Gallery by NSD Office (Ameren Roberts)
Student & Alumni News
Christy Sanchez (Physics and TIII Research Scholar) has been accepted in the Master’s Program in Optics at the University of Oregon.
Daniel Oliva (Physics and TIII Research Scholar) has been accepted in the Master’s Program in Electrical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, as part of the La Verne WashU Dual Degree Program.
Gabrial Palacios Paz (Physics) has been selected as a 2024 Spirit of La Verne Honoree.
Nadeen Mohammad (Biology) has been selected as a 2024 Spirit of La Verne Honoree.
Tristan Tippett (Biology Alum) was accepted into CSULA for their CGMBS training program and matched with Kaiser Permanente as his clinical site.
February-March 2024
Faculty News
Natural Science Division had a Welcome Back Reception sponsored by the JEDI in STEM Project on February 7. A great turnout of sixty-five students, faculty and staff attended.
Welcome Back Reception 2024 Photo Gallery by NSD Office (Ameren Roberts)
Student & Alumni News
Allison Pari (Mathematics) has received acceptance into the Master of Mathematics Program at Flagstaff Mountain, AZ.
Nancy Jaramillo (Mathematics) received acceptance into two graduate school programs: Data Science Master’s Program at Loyola University (Chicago, IL) and Master of Science in Sports Business Management at the University of Monaco, Monaco.
Antonio Flores (Computer Science/Internet Programming), along with faculty member Jozef Goetz, published two papers entitled “Web Framework” and “Certificate Management Application” in the Journal on Engineering, Science, and Technology.
(IJonEST), Vol 5, No 4, 2023, 353-375 https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonest.190
and Vol 5, No 3, 2023, 191-211
https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonest.165
Christopher Grime (Computer Science/Internet Programming) along with faculty member Jozef Goetz, published a paper entitled “Course and Faculty Management System” in the International Journal on Engineering, Science, and Technology (1JonEST), Vol 5, No 2, 2023, 138-160. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonest.163
December 2023-January 2024
Faculty News
Jozef Goetz (Computer Science) has achieved a significant milestone for his department by publishing three peer-reviewed papers in the International Journal on Engineering, Science, and Technology (IJonEST). The papers were published in volume 5, issues 2, 3, and 4, and spanned pages 138-160, 191-211, and 353-375, respectively. The papers were co-authored by two of his Internet Programming students, Cristopher Crime and Antonio Flores Marquez.