THOUSAND OAKS, CA. – A record number of California Lutheran University students participated in full-time research this summer.

With funding from university grants for undergraduate research and guidance from faculty mentors, 25 students studied topics ranging from the eye mutations in flies to Facebook’s effect on student involvement. The students will present their findings at the 7th Annual Student Research Symposium from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, in Ahmanson Science Center. Most will also make presentations at professional conferences throughout the country.

The following scholars received Swenson Science Summer Research Fellowships:

Samantha Aguinaldo, a senior biology major from Saugus, and John Mussatto, a senior biology major from Osage City, Kan., conducted a project titled “Does the Extra Eye Mutation of Drosophila Upregulate the JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway?” They crossbred different genetic lines of fruit flies to study the effects of genetic mutations on the developing eyes of larvae.

Megan Ameche, a junior mathematics major from Thousand Oaks, and Alicia Costin, a senior mathematics major from Newhall, conducted a project titled ”Application of Computational Homology to Random Network Analysis.” They developed computer programs to determine how loops and holes in digital images can be collapsed.

David Brethawer, a senior biochemistry and molecular biology major from Palmdale, conducted a project titled “Comparison of Hepatitis C Virus from Patients Who Have Hemochromatosis with Hepatitis C Virus from Patients without Hemochromatosis.” He worked to sequence the DNA genome of a virus strain that is believed to cause elevated levels of iron.

Erin Cyffka, a senior biology major from Moorpark, conducted a project titled “Direct Arylation of Amino Acids and Related Biological Molecules.” She is developing chemical methods for modifying biological molecules, which could be useful in treating diseases and understanding how proteins work.

Travis Hayden, a senior exercise science major from Mission Hills, conducted a project titled “Eccentric Muscle Loading from Walking and Bone Density in Older Adults.” He investigated the effects of uphill and downhill walking versus that of flat walking on seniors’ bones.

Evelyn Ibarra, a senior environmental science major from Simi Valley, conducted a project titled “Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy System for Elucidating the Kinetics and Structure-Activity Relationships of Organochlorine Pesticide Degradation Products.” She studied the use of computer modeling to assess the amount and types of pesticide products as a result of natural degradation.

Matthew Jackson, a senior chemistry major from Martinez, conducted a project titled “Catalyst-Transfer Suzuki Coupling Methodology and Related Solar Cell Applications.” He studied a chemical reaction that can be used to make solar panels more cheaply.

Marcus McKinnon, a senior exercise science major from South Lake Tahoe, conducted a project titled “The Effects of Ground Reaction Forces and Muscle Forces on Bone Strength.” He researched how impact and muscle forces affect bone strength in male distance runners.

Ray Ostrander, a senior geology and environmental science major from Hayward, Wis., conducted a project titled “Functional Interpretation and Morphometrics of a Great Basin Agnostid Trilobite.” He researched the features that may have helped a type of arthropod that lived hundreds of millions of years ago survive mass extinction.

Tessa Page, a senior biology major from Malibu, conducted a project titled “High-Throughput Separation and Quantification of Metallothionein Isoforms by Multiplexed Capillary Electrophoresis with UV Detection.” She studied how organisms produce proteins as the result of metal contamination.

Bobby Sanders, a senior exercise science major from Houston, Texas, conducted a project titled “Fruits’ and Vegetables’ Effect on Bone Health.” She researched how the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed affects bone health.

Grace Teague, a junior bioengineering major from Camarillo, conducted a project titled “Achieving Autonomy in Gantry Robot With Sensors.” She added sensors to a manually operated robot to give it the ability to complete tasks automatically without human intervention.

Hay-Mun Win, a junior computer science major from Temple City, conducted a project titled “Microarray Data Classification.” She used computer data-mining tools to diagnose liver cancer and embryonal tumors of the central nervous system using DNA data extracted from medical doctors.

Keenan Woods, a sophomore chemistry major from Poway, conducted a project titled “Extending the Substrate Scope for Catalyst-Transfer Cross-Coupling Reactions.” He worked to optimize conditions for reactions that create a wide range of organic electronic materials such as solar cells and television screens.

The following students received Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships:

Lindsey Brittain, a senior communication major from Fallbrook, conducted a project titled “Color and Visual Communication for the 21st Century Artist.” She created watercolor paintings with color schemes designed to elicit specific emotional responses in people and then surveyed viewers’ responses to them.

Nathaniel Fernandez, a senior psychology major from Valencia, conducted a project titled “Refinement of a Resilience Program for Undergraduates Applied to First-Generation College-Bound High School Students.” He worked with high school students in the Math/Science Upward Bound program and undergraduate college students to create a program to help people cope with stress.

Kristen Keough, a junior economics and political science major from Camarillo, conducted a project titled “How Fair is Fair Trade?” She researched the impact of fair trade coffee on the overall coffee market in terms of production, demand and price.

Maura Schmitz, a senior theology and Christian leadership major from Pasadena, conducted a project titled “Understanding Appropriation: Sacred Earth and Deep Ecology. A Study of the Chumash.” She worked to understand the ways that deep ecology groups, which recognize the inherent worth of beings apart from their utility, borrow from Native American culture to change modern society’s world view.

Kimberly Southerland, a senior communication and business major from Granada Hills, conducted a project titled “Exploring CLU’s First Student-Driven Facebook Group’s Impact on Student Involvement.” She researched whether members of the “CLU Class of 2010” Facebook group were more engaged in campus activities, felt more comfortable at CLU and had higher levels of identity development than their peers who didn’t belong to the group.

The following students participated in the Pearson Scholars Summer Program:

Lulit Bereda, a junior economics major from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, conducted a project titled “Immigrant Youths and their Educational Attainment.” She studied how Ethiopian immigrant youths in Los Angeles assimilate in educational and social environments.

Kelley Fry, a political science, international studies and German major from Los Alamos, N.M., who graduated in May, conducted a project titled “Comparing the Civic Engagement of Second-Generation Immigrant Populations from South Korea and Thailand.” She studied whether there is a difference between the community involvement of immigrants from the two countries.

Tricia Johnson, a senior international studies and Spanish major from Campbell, conducted a project titled “Understanding an Immigrant’s Experiences: Challenges and Opportunities Faced by Mexican Immigrants.” She studied the services provided by day labor centers in Los Angeles.

Jessica Weaver, a French and international studies major from Ventura who graduated in May, conducted a project titled “Assessing the Impact of Language Instruction on the Cultural Identity of Korean Immigrants and Their Children.” She analyzed Korean language schools and dual-language programs in Los Angeles.