Pacific McGeorge School of Law
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Iron Roots
No full textOver the past four years I’ve discovered that what excites me most is creating designs for branding campaigns. Today, I’m presenting one of my projects — Iron Roots. “Iron Roots” is a branding campaign built on metaphor, exploring themes of strength, health and continuity through visual storytelling. This project is inspired by the image of strong tree roots and the strength and power of metal — symbols of resilience, endurance, and inner support for the human body and spirit. The Iron Roots campaign is aimed at an adult audience of 55-65 years old, for those who have spent most of their lives working and building themselves and their families, and now seek to improve their health and care for the future. The main metaphor – “iron roots” – shows a strength that goes back far beyond generations. I express this through the design of the vitamin packaging: the textures of bark and iron create a sense of reliability, strength, naturalness and longevity. The product line includes a jar of magnesium as well as a jar of omega-3, emphasizing the importance and care of the major organs of the human body. The project is expanding in space as well – the poster I made for the overall campaign presentation echoes the core message, “Where strength takes root”. “Iron Roots” is not just a pack of vitamins. It is the idea that strength does not disappear with age, but goes deeper, becomes wiser and stronger. And healthy vitamins can help a person make that journey more comfortable, easier and more joyful, even at this age. For me, this project is a way to show how a strong and robust human story can be told through design and metaphor.
Tanky
No full textThis garment, created through the deconstruction and reconstruction of old clothing, serves as an artistic exploration of the limits of free speech. Most of the visual elements were generated through AI models I trained and fine-tuned, reflecting both the possibilities and constraints of technology in creative expression. Before coming to the United States, I believed that freedom of expression here was absolute. However, my experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic challenged that assumption. I noticed that certain online opinions—whether expressing a positive view of China or questioning mainstream public health policies—were often met with hostility, algorithmic downranking, or even content removal. Social media platforms, while promoting openness, often enforce inconsistent rules. Some hate speech is swiftly deleted, yet racially charged or extreme content can persist on certain platforms. Additionally, political views are not always moderated equally; critiques of government policies may be suppressed more than pro-government narratives. These experiences have made me question what “freedom of speech” truly means in the digital era. In a world where algorithms shape discourse, corporate interests influence visibility, and information is selectively presented, are we truly free to express ourselves? Another layer of influence on this work comes from Cold War–era ideological polarization. Many who lived through communist regimes view capitalism as morally corrupt, while others raised in the West see communism as inherently evil. But is any system so black-and-white? This piece, caught between destruction and reconstruction, reflects the blurred lines between restriction and expression, and invites reflection on the evolving meaning of freedom
Breaking Down Financial Aid For High Schoolers
No full textThis workshop is designed to equip members of the Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) Brotherhood with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is a critical step for securing federal financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and work-study opportunities, which play an essential role in making higher education accessible and affordable. The IYT program serves to motivate high school students to attend higher education, and this presentation will help the students start thinking about the financial aspect of going to college. The session will provide a comprehensive overview of the FAFSA application process, including eligibility requirements, key deadlines, and step-by-step guidance on accurately completing the form. Participants will also learn how to avoid common mistakes, maximize their financial aid packages, and understand the significance of maintaining financial aid eligibility throughout college. Through interactive exercises and real-time assistance, IYT participants will gain confidence in navigating the financial aid system and ensuring they receive the necessary support to achieve their academic goals. The workshop will conclude with a Q&A session, allowing participants to clarify doubts and address any concerns related to their financial aid journey
Donation Drive for St. Mary\u27s Community Services
No full textIn Stockton, local organizations such as St. Mary’s Community Services work to combat homelessness by addressing challenges and improving their clients’ unique circumstances. Donations from the community are one of the most fundamental elements at St. Mary’s, as they help ensure clients receive adequate resources. However, the hygiene departments often experience deficiencies in essential items. These items include sports bras, tank tops, underwear, and belts. The goal of my donation drive was to reduce the deficiency of these frequently requested items
Ansel Adams Math Machines
No full textDuring Bridge, which is the after-school program at Ansel Adams Elementary School, a K-6 school, there is an hour when students have time to do their work. Many of the students attending Bridge struggle in math and have a hard time doing their homework during the hour. As a baseline of measurement, we gave the students an appropriate mathematical assessment to identify areas of improvement and tracked their scores. As fellows at this site, we combined fun games with math to help with academic motivation and improve the students\u27 math skills. After incorporating the math games we implemented into Bridge, we administered the same assessment again to determine whether our games effectively helped the students and showed signs of improvement. Our initiative within this project is designed to allow students to have a better experience with math and be rewarded for their improvements. We strove to foster an engaging learning environment within Bridge to allow students to grow and have the tools to succeed at Ansel Adams as well as when moving on to the next grades. We intended this project to empower Bridge students to strive to do the best they can in school and shape math into a more enjoyable experience
Antibacterial Screening of Aquatic Fungal Isolates
No full textFungi have played a significant role in human history and continue to hold immense potential in producing new medicines. A recent large-scale analysis of fungal genomes revealed 12,000 previously uncharacterized biosynthetic gene cluster families, indicating that fungi are a rich, largely untapped resource for novel bioactive compounds (Robey et al., PNAS 2021). The Carlson Lab Fungal Library consists of 100 unique fungal isolates collected from diverse aquatic environments, characterized by their morphology, growth rates, and spore coverage patterns. We aim to explore the antibacterial properties of these aquatic fungal strains. Fungi are isolated by serial plating on potato dextrose agarose (PDA) to obtain single morphology isolate plates. The fungi is then inoculated in 25 mL of potato dextrose broth (PDB), before being placed on the rotary shaker at 80 rpm for 3–7 days. The hyphae is weighed and lysed with liquid nitrogen and undergoes genomic DNA extraction using the Qiagen DNeasy Plant Pro kit. Ethyl acetate is added to the remaining culture media and shaken overnight. The extract is then dried using a rotary evaporator, diluted with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to 10 mg/mL, and added to the chemical fungi library. The fungal library is then characterized by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) to generate chemical profiles. Our goal is to explore the antibacterial potential of fungal isolates, ultimately contributing to the broader understanding of fungi as a potential source for novel antimicrobial agents
Balancing Accessibility and History: A Visual Case Study of Historical Buildings in Madrid
No full textHow do we balance the preservation of the rich past with the ever-changing evolution of an inclusive future? How can we include people of differing abilities in the exploration of artistic and historical sites, without changing or defacing the physical nature of these sites? As the world becomes more connected, and people of all abilities are allowed the capacity to engage in global tourism, it is important to document how urban areas with historic sites are adjusting. While the United States has legislation in place such as the Americans with Disabilities Act to require and guide physical accommodations to preexisting architecture, there is no international requirement that historical sites be made accessible to people with disabilities. Scholars in the fields of Disability Studies, Urban Planning, and Architecture, all attempt to juggle the question: How do we balance accessibility for all and the preservation of history? This is a complicated question – however, this does not mean that it cannot be answered through first-hand experience and documentation of historic sites. This project will delve into a possible addition to the conversation by observing and documenting historic buildings in Madrid, Spain. This documentation will manifest as a visual case study which utilizes photography and detailed drawings of accommodations, focused particularly on the additions made to historic buildings to increase their physical accessibility. This documentation will be paired with journalistic commentary which describes my first-hand experience assessing these accommodations, with the hope that this creative project may act as a resource and guide to future students with disabilities wishing to study abroad
Respecting Autonomy and Dignity in Adults with Disabilities: A Review of Preference Assessments and Social Validity
No full textBehavior analysts have been discussing ways to ensure that respect for autonomy, dignity, and compassion are present when working with adults with disabilities. A focus on dignity within human and legal rights, specifically for this population, could inform an essential need for understanding the social validity of procedures used by behavior analysts. A foundational part of behavior-analytic practice is identifying preferences of the individuals we serve. A preference assessment is an essential tool used by behavior analysts to predict stimuli that may function as reinforcers. To understand acceptability of these procedures by individuals whose preference is assessed, collecting social validity data of preference assessment procedures can inform practices that respect individuals’ choice and dignity. This study reviews and summarizes the literature on preference assessment and its social validity in adults with disabilities from 2013 to 2023 in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. We reviewed 11 studies, of which only one reported social validity data. We discuss implications and future direction
Physiology and Food: How Does Diet Influence Tolerance to Oxidative Stress and Heat?
No full textDiet may hold the key to animals’ ability to tolerate increasingly prevalent stressors, such as heat and oxidative stress (OS). Certain macronutrients—particularly, dietary proteins—are critical for producing antioxidative enzymes and heat shock proteins, which help mitigate physiological stress. In addition, exposure to one stressor can improve (or impair) an animal’s tolerance to a different stressor, meaning that OS may provide cross-protection (or cross-susceptibility) to heat stress. Thus, fitness-related traits and the stress response may be determined by diet and stress history. In this study, we examined how three isocaloric diets (balanced carbohydrate and protein vs. high-carbohydrate vs. high-protein) influenced tolerance to paraquat (PQ)-induced oxidative stress and heat stress, as well as the effect of PQ on heat tolerance. In the first week of adulthood, we injected long-winged female variable field crickets (Gryllus lineaticeps) three times with control (saline) or PQ solutions. We then measured (1) consumption of calories, carbohydrates, and protein, (2) investment into self-maintenance (amount of somatic mass gained), (3) reproductive investment (amount of ovary mass gained), (4) flight capacity (functional status of flight muscle), and (5) heat tolerance (duration to knock-down at 45°C). We hypothesized that individuals fed a high-protein diet would be less affected by OS and have higher heat tolerance. We further hypothesized that PQ-exposed individuals would exhibit greater heat tolerance due to their chronic upregulation of antioxidant defenses. This investigation clarifies the fundamental role of nutrition in mediating organisms’ physiological resilience to their changing environments
Development of HDACi Derivatives with Coordination Sites to Connect Pt
No full textCancer remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Due to the constant evolution of cancer, it is crucial for scientists to search for better treatment by developing new anticancer drug with higher potency, lower side-effect, and overcoming cross resistance. One promising approach involves concurrently targeting two biological sites, such as histone deacetylases (HDACs) and DNA. Incorporation of HDAC inhibitors onto a platinum (Pt) core as a non-leaving group may improve the potency and selectivity of both anticancer drugs and maintain the synergistic effect. The synthesis of HDACi derivatives involves connecting three parts, protein-recognition, linker and zinc-bonding domains, in a stepwise fashion. One or two amine groups were installed onto the aromatic ring in the protein recognition domain to build monodentate or bidental coordination sites to incorporate Pt. All organic precursors and derivatives were successfully synthesized and fully characterized using mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The purity was confirmed by analytical HPLC. Molecular docking studies revealed strong binding affinity of the inhibitors towards the HDAC enzymes. Future study is focusing on the metalation and bioactivities of the HDACi derivatives and Pt complexes