Sports Editor

Students and faculty were recognized for their hard work at the inaugural Research Excellence Day 2015 at CSU Bakersfield on April 16.
The event was a chance for students and CSUB professors to present all of their research that they have done and the importance of student research at CSUB.
“It’s definitely really exciting getting to show my research,” said Josh Ward, 22, who is a computer engineering major.
Ward won first place in the Student Research Competition in engineering and computer sciences with his project of a remote-controlled lawn mower.
“Last year, we had two people in my department under the Student Research Competition, and this year we have upwards of 10, which is a great gain we made in such a new department,” Ward said.
The day started off with keynote speaker Robert A. Lucas, who is the director for the Institute for Scholarly Learning. Lucas’ talk was entitled, “Pursuing Research and Scholarly Activity at a Comprehensive University.”
Afterwards, the event featured three breakout sessions with geology professor Robert A. Negrini, psychology professor Steve Suter and anthropology professor Robert Yohe.
Negrini’s session was titled “Three Decades of Published Research and Grant Procurement by Faculty and Students in a Teaching – Heavy Environment;” Suter’s was named “Doing Research with Human Subjects at CSUB;” Yohe’s presentation was titled “Prehistoric Mammoth Hunters on the Snake River Plain: New Evidence from Owl Cave in Southern Idaho.”
Negrini added that he felt that this day is very important.
“There is a lot more potential for academic research at CSUB than what happens,” he said. “I like doing my part to help promote that. I’m very much looking forward to the student poster session that will be a highlight for me because I’m used to seeing my research, so it’s good to see something new. It’s also great to see the light bulb go off in student’s eyes in terms of how validating their research was.”
The day ended with the Student Research Poster Competition.
Geology major Zachary Martindale, 34, who won first place in the competition for physical and mathematical sciences, said that this experience has been very motivating.
“It has been really good,” Martindale said. “It has been very helpful in motivating me to get the actual presentation ready because I have to defend my thesis so this has been a great preparation for it. It’s just a really good experience.”
Martindale’s research was on the possibilities of an earthquake hitting the Kern County Fault, and if it would break the
Lake Isabella Dam.
Martindale said his research proved that it was very unlikely for an earthquake big enough to break the dam would actually hit it.
“I would say a lot of people are relieved – a little skeptical but relieved as well,” Martindale said of the reactions he has received.