Current Scholars

Ginnie Headshot

Gwendolyn Pickett

Ginnie's project looks at the stink bug Moromorpha tetra and what each stage of its life looks like. Currently there is not much information on the species, so she will be collecting ... them to take pictures of and compare the different instars. After NMSU, she hopes to get a graduate's degree in behavioral entomology.

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Angelica Mann

My name is Angelica "Gel" Mann and I am a senior majoring in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology. I am originally from San Antonio, TX but have not been back since 2004 when I enlisted in the Air ... Force. Now that I am retired, I have the opportunity to really dive deep into my studies while working with the amazing staff, faculty, and fellow students at NMSU. I am a member of the Behavioral Ecology and Bat Organismal Physiology (BEBOP) lab in the biology department under the guidance of Dr. Teri Orr. My project is focused on the milk composition of Mexican free-tailed bats at Radium Springs, NM. These bats occupy a critical role in our ecosystem as an insectivorous hunter. Lactation is a demanding physiological process for these flying mammals and analyzing milk composition may reflect maternal health, environmental stressors, and dietary resources. This analysis will provide vital information on the development of pups, contributing to the knowledge of bat reproductive physiology, and the health of these bat populations.

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Noah

My project examines deformation mechanisms in oceanic lithosphere using samples from IODP Expeditions 173 (Iberian Margin) and 305 (Atlantis Massif). I will be analyzing microstructures, ... magnetic properties, and geochemical data to identify evidence of seismic deformation and quantify strain rates. Notably, we will reexamine a possible pseudotachylyte in the Iberian Margin—potentially the only one reported outside subduction zones in over 55 years of ocean drilling.

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Cade Borner

My name is Cade Borner, I am an undergraduate sociology major from Roswell, New Mexico. I am spearheading a project that focuses on using sociological theories of cultural taste, ... classification, and gender performativity to understand how and the extent to which metal music communicates patriarchal themes in lyrical content and how these themes and their prevalence varies across time and subgenre. I am using web scraping techniques to put together a novel longitudinal dataset of metal music lyrics and discographic information which I will analyze using word embedding methods and other data analytics methods.

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Lacey Yates

Hello my name is Lacey Yates. I am Majoring in Human development and family sciences and minoring in Agriculture business, Counseling, and psychology. I am a first-generation ... student I am from Aztec, New Mexico. I love animals and reading and hope to become a school psychologist and run an equine therapy practice.

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Isabella Fugate

Isabella Fugate

I am currently an undergraduate Geology student working with Dr. Eric Ferre to decipher hydrogen potential in mantle peridotites from the Lherz Massif (French Pyrenees). My project uses ... petrophysical and geochemical methods to analyze the degree of serpentinization and determine the possibility of available clean energy resources.

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Ana Peinado

I am a Geology major, minoring in Nuclear Chemical Engineering. This project investigates the deep magnetic sources responsible for long wavelength magnetic anomalies (LWMA) in the ... lithosphere. While previous models suggested the mantle couldn't be magnetic due to high temperatures, recent research reveal that some areas of the mantle, under certain tectonic settings, are cool enough to retain magnetism, with magnetite in the spinel-facies contributing to LWMA. However, some anomalies point to deeper sources beyond the spinel-facies, prompting an exploration of ferromagnetic minerals in garnet-facies mantle peridotites and ultra-high-pressure rocks like eclogites. New findings show that hematite can retain magnetization at extreme pressures and temperatures, offering further potential sources for these anomalies. By studying unaltered mantle xenoliths, this project aims to uncover new insights into the magnetic properties of the deep lithosphere and improve our understanding of the Earth's interior.

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Jade Collins

I am a 4th year undergraduate dual majoring in Biology and Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction and a minor in Genetics and Biotechnology. I am a member ... of the Bailey Lab and my project is on the evolutionary history of mimosine production in mimosoid plants. I hope to go into UX design/research, animal genetics/bioinformatics, or wildlife biology.

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Jon Art

Jon Art

I am currently in the process of earning my bachelor's degree in psychology with minors in biochemistry and human biology. Upon completion, I plan to pursue a PhD in neuroscience and a research ... focused career. Under the guidance of Dr Hout, my project will investigate how the timing of visual stimuli - as well as the consistency of that timing from trial to trial - influences performance in attentional tasks. By comparing participant performance between consistent and inconsistent timing conditions, we will investigate how timing affects attentional processing. Outside of my academics, I enjoy playing video games, golfing, and watching movies.

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Sarah Trujillo

Sarah Trujillo

My name's Sarrah and I am currently double majoring in anthropology and sociology with a minor in archaeology. My project is about informing and implementing CEA (controlled ... environment agriculture) systems onto the tribal reservations. The tribe I am working with is the Navajo in and around Farmington NM which is great because that is where I grew up. I love learning about different cultures and playing music both in marching and concert band. I also love nature and seeing the beauty in everything.

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Marian Galaviz

I am a first-generation college student from Albuquerque, New Mexico, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Social Work with a minor in Psychology. My Mexican family background inspires my ... commitment to advancing mental health equity for Hispanic/Latinx communities. My current project explores how cultural and familial stigma influence Hispanic/Latinx college students' willingness to seek mental health support, with a focus on colorism and generational status.

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