The Breeze Special Edition Vol.1 Issue.1 by The Breeze Paper

DEPAR T MEN T OF EDUCATION GRANT III i3 S U M M E R I N T E R N SH I P Volume 1 Issue 1

SRO

CHAFFE Y COLLEGE A C O N N EC T E D C O M M U N I T Y

ABC

H2O

THE BREEZE MEET THE JOURNALISTS

NADINE HERNANDEZ editor - in - chief As Editor-in-Chief of The Breeze, I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with skilled and talented students and interns that covered and shared important topics regarding STEM and I3 inventions. Holding such a rewarding position continues to teach me the importance of transparency, team-building, collaborations and making diverse voices heard and seen, especially through their niche. It has been a true honor to grow with the Breeze team and to stand in the same room where creatives spark pitches and ideas that flourish into reality. The Breeze would not be the paper it is today without the writers and the staff who continuously work hard, it has been a one in a life time experience that I am eternally grateful for. Thank you to the Breeze team and contributors who have made this Summer STEM Edition of The Breeze possible, we hope you enjoy.

ERIN BUTTS

KAITLYN MCMULLIN BRODY SALAZAR copy editor

science editor

I cannot fully express how much I have

I have loved writing my whole life, writing

My favorite SRO location to write about

enjoyed my time with The Breeze. I was

and editing for the breeze over a year.

was by far the UCR physics lab. Although

challenged to go beyond what I thought I

Being the copy editor/writer for this

all of the interns were interesting and were

was capable of, and aim higher. My time

internship was an amazing, unforgettable

researching fascinating things, antimatter

with The Breeze was brief, but I will be

experience; it has taught me to have more

has always been one of my favorite topics,

taking important skills with me into the

confidence and belief within myself, to be

so being able to see antimatter in a

future. I came into journalism thinking it

more outgoing. I am looking forward to

laboratory was a dream come true.

would not be very interesting, and I left

using the many skills I have learned in both

with a new perspective on what it means

life and my future career.

lead reporter

to be a journalist.

WWW.THEBREE ZEPAPER .COM FACULTY ADVISOR

JOURNALISM PROGRAM ASST.

I3 PROFESSORS

Michelle Dowd @michelledowd2

Hector Solorzano @hectoriaaa

Michelle Dowd Dr. Mark Padilla Brian Atkinson

JOURNALISM CORDINATOR

GRANT GENERALIST

Neil Watkins

Cynthia Hoover

@neilwatkins

@THEBREEZEPAPER

SANDRA SLATTERY

KIARA JEREZ

Some of my closest friends and most

Being a part of The Breeze for three years

important opportunities have come

was an incredible experience I will never

from The Breeze. My experiences so far

forget. I was able to travel out of state and

has expanded my world view, and I can

gain the skills needed to move further in

honestly say that I am a wiser and more

my career as a journalist. Shoutout to my

thoughtful person because of my time

family, friends and colleagues for inspiring

at The Breeze. I am currently double-

me to do more and push myself in order to

majoring in journalism and health-sciences,

create projects I didn’t think I was capable

with a B.S. in Economics. I like to hike,

of doing.

science editor

camp, and produce music. I also publish original music under my pen-name.

audience engagement

The Breeze is published by the journalism students of Chaffey Community College, 5885 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91737. Telephone 652-6934/6936. Opinions expressed in this publication are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff and should not be interpreted as the position of the Chaffey College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof. Letters and guest columns for or against any position are welcome. Letters should be kept as brief as possible and are subject to nonsubstantive editing according to the guidelines established by the Associated Press. The Chaffey Breeze is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges and the California Newspaper Publishers Association.

CONTENTS Vol. 1 Issue 1 Sept 2021

i3 PROGRAM

Prioritizing Inventions by Community Needs

I3 Interns Finalize Invention Ideas

CHAFFEY COLLEGE DEBUTS INVENTION INTERNSHIP PROGRAM This summer Chaffey is introducing the Invention and Inclusion Innovation Initiative, also known as the I3 program, to its students for the first time.

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and I3 Interns Discuss Innovation and Invention

Lemelson-MIT ’s 15th Annual Eureka Fest Celebration

Engineering and Design: I3 Tests Prototypes

THE PROCESS OF INVENTION With three weeks left in the program, participants in the I3 LemelsonMIT program are entering into the early stages of development for their inventions.

DIRECTOR OF DESIGN KIARA JERE Z COVER ART BY MANNY CARBAJAL

What the I3 Program at Chaffey College Means To Me

Impacting and Teaching Invention and Innovation From Abroad

Chaffey College to Lead California Community Colleges in Addressing Student IP Policy Overhaul

Chaffey Students Begin Summer STEM Internships

SUMMER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY

SRO Research: Discovering How the Brain Maps the Environment

SRO Research Cancelled: Quino Checkerspot Butterfly

SRO Research: Studying Ulna Bone

The Imperfect Process of Positron

Decoding SRO Intern Araceli Ayala’s Passios

Aslon Christy Experiments and Studies Positronium

SRO RESEARCH: LIMBER PINE TREE ’S After the Quino checkerspot butterfly research with the U.S. Forest service was cancelled, the interns of the Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) Program were put into a different research group.

I N CLU SI V E

SUMMER 2021

INVENTION

I N N OVAT I O N

3 I

CHAFFEY COLLEGE DEBUTS INVENTION INTERNSHIP PROGRAM By Erin Butts, Kiara Jerez and Sandra Slattery

his summer Chaffey is introducing the Invention and Inclusion Innovation Initiative, also known as the I3 program, to its students for the first time. I3 was introduced to Chaffey through the Lemelson MIT program. Lemelson MIT ’s InvenTeams have tackled issues such as laundry machines for homeless people, litter on beaches and clean water in Kenya. The goal of the program is for the students to create an invention based on community needs. The following 10 students were selected out of 65 applicants and will be working as interns: Brandon Anaya, Candy Qu, Gamel Johnson, Kuo Kang Tang, Manuel Carbajal, Michael Thomas, Nicholas Charland, Vicente Morales, Xochitl Escamilla and Kahlia Wells. Michelle Dowd, Brian Atkinson and Mark Padilla are the three professors leading this program for the summer. Dr. Mark Padilla, one of the three professors leading the I3 program, envisioned a life as a wide receiver on the Chaffey College football team. After some doubt about his football dream, he realized his mathematical skills flourished as he

visited the math success center on campus. As he progressed in his math courses, he realized his passion for physics. “ This is what I’m meant to do,” says Padilla. Padilla received his Ph.D. in particle physics from the University of California, Riverside. Padilla began teaching at various college and universities in Northern California until he decided to move back to Rancho Cucamonga with a full-time job opportunity to teach at Chaffey. Padilla has been teaching for 7 years. Brian Atkinson, who works alongside Padilla received his Bachelor of Science in Music Composition and Theory from California State University, Fullerton. Not too late after, he received his Master of Business Administration from American Public University System. The interns are currently in their second week of the eight week program and with few restrictions on what they can invent, the possibilities are endless.

Students and professors of the I3 program. Not pictured Kahlia Wells.

PRIORITIZING INVENTIONS BY COMMUNITY NEEDS By Erin Butts, Kiara Jerez and Sandra Slattery

nterns in the I3 program at Chaffey College have entered into the third week of the invention internship developed in conjunction with Lemelson-MIT. The I3 Internship is funded by a USDOE Title III Grant and is intended to foster innovation and the spirit of invention.

The interns are in the development stage of the program, investigating “problems” or issues and finding meaningful and impactful solutions that could encourage growth in the community. They are tackling problems such as safety and security, infrastructure, social and energy issues. Each intern presented their ten challenges to their group and voted on which challenges would move forward while the teachers facilitated the process. The interns are in groups of five while ensuring those of similar academic disciplines were not paired together. They are currently narrowing down their challenges to the top three.

Interns brainstorm invention ideas.

Group 1: Brandon Anaya, Candy Qu, Michael Thomas, Xochitl Escamilia, Khalia Wells. Group 2: Gamel Johnson, Ken Tang, Manuel Carbajal, Nicholas Charland, Vicente Morales. The professors introduced the interns to a challenge map which helped organize challenges based on the potential impact to society, and the novelty or urgency of need. The interns will use interviewing, observational and exploration methods as the deciding factor for which of the three remaining challenges they would like to move forward with. The interns will use interviewing, observational and exploration methods as the deciding factor for which of the three remaining challenges they would like to move forward with.

Intern Manny Carbajal presents invention ideas.

Professor Mark Padilla helps interns sort invention ideas by need and novelty.

I3 INTERNS FINALIZE INVENTION IDEAS By Erin Butts, Kiara Jerez and Sandra Slattery

he I3 interns at Chaffey College are currently in their fourth week of the program and have finalized their invention ideas, narrowing down their top three challenges to their top one. Each group came up with a list of questions that they will use to interview their potential stakeholders. This will allow for the groups to receive insight on further improvements or suggestions for their inventions. Both teams discussed potential stakeholders for their invention ideas, and presented their findings to the class, while also cross-collaborating and receiving feedback and critique. Group 1: Brandon Anaya, Candy Qu, Michael Thomas, Xochitl Escamilia, Khalia Wells. Group one’s invention idea is a device designed to help a variety of people; some examples are manufacturers, cellphone users, children, etc.

Group one had the opportunity to speak with Jessie Larios, a Chaffey college police officer, and receive input on their invention idea. Larios discussed the Query Act, GPS systems and finances. Group 2: Gamel Johnson, Ken Tang, Manuel Carbajal, Nicholas Charland, Vicente Morales. Group two’s invention idea is to increase accessibility and safety in schools, grocery stores and businesses especially in regards to pandemic precautions. Mark Padilla, one of the I3 instructors, believes that there is a lot of potential with this invention. He says “ The cool thing is that it is a pandemic problem, right? So people are really going to like that.”

Khalia Wells, Candy Qu, Xochitl Escamilla discuss designs during their lunch break.

Gamel Johnson and Ken Tang listen to ideas about invention.

HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND I3 INTERNS DISCUSS INNOVATION AND INVENTION By Nadine Hernandez and Sandra Slattery

3 interns with the Lemelson MIT program at Chaffey College met with the president of the Ontario Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Armando Rodriguez. Rodriguez invited I3 interns to meet at his small business located in downtown Ontario, Pixel Vault. The I3 interns used the opportunity to ask Rodriguez and other small business owners who were also in on the conversation about potential issues or problems within Ontario that could use an invention or innovation to better support their businesses. Suzie, owner of Murrish Maintenance, a small business that handles residential and commercial maintenance repairs, shared her experience with the interns and provides insight of how a small business can benefit from inventions. Suzie also reflected on the challenges that led to the birthing of Murrish Maintenance and the importance of perseverance and learning from others along the way.

Rodriguez encouraged the interns to take risks, learn from teachers, and to keep in mind who it will benefit and how. Rodriguez says: “Everybody has a different situation… Be out there to hear other people’s experiences.” The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the B Street Business Festival on July 11 to create a networking opportunity to the community.

Everybody has a different situation… Be out there to hear other people’s experiences

Clockwise from top left: Vinny Morales, Xochitl Escamilla, Gamel Johnson, Suzie Murnish, Manny Carbajal, Candy Qu, Armando Rodriguez.

Suzie Murrish shares her experiences running a small business with her husband.

Armando Rodriguez fields questions from the interns.

LEMELSON - MIT’S 15TH ANNUAL EUREKAFAST CELEBRATION By Brody Salazar, Erin Butts and Kaitlyn McMullin

rom June 15 to 17, the Lemelson-MIT Program, funded by the Lemelson Foundation, celebrated 26 years of supporting inventors whose projects attempt to improve the world. The Lemelson-MIT Program was established in 1995 by the late Dorothy Lemelson and awards several prizes, which can be as big as $500,000 to people of varying ages for their work as inventors. To celebrate this, the 15th annual EurekaFest was held and showcased the 2021 Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams. The event occurred on Zoom over the course of three days this year as a result of the ongoing pandemic. The InvenTeams were still able to present in the digital environment. The first day of EurekaFest began with an introduction from the faculty director of the Lemelson-MIT program, Michael J. Cima. It continued with guest speaker Dr. Asegun Henry, presentations from Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams and student prize winners. Lemelson-MIT ’s InvenTeams consists of high school students from various countries who were given an InvenTeam grant and tasked with creating a functional model that solves an existing problem in their community or the world. There were four group sessions. Group one’s presentations showcased inventions related to recycling, deaf athletes, police accountability, plastic waste and eardrum repair. Group two’s presentations demonstrated inventions related to wheelchairs, wildfires, microgravity and ocean environment. Group three’s inventions discussed elderly needs, nerve injuries, mosquitoes, pregnant mothers and clean drinking water. Group four’s inventions discussed lake ice thickness, grain bins, energy efficient pumps and firefighter’s boots.

As part of their work hours, interns from the new I3 program at Chaffey College attended EurekaFest. Similar to the LemelsonMIT ’s InvenTeams showcased at EurekaFest, I3 interns will be building a working prototype with the potential of having their invention patented. Their invention will be targeted towards community needs. The Summer Research Opportunity interns (SRO) were not obligated to attend EurekaFest, but interns may still find the event useful for their field of research. The goals of the SRO program are to find solutions to demanding needs and to discover new information within the STEM community. The inventions that the IvenTeams and student prize winners presented can help keep SRO interns informed on what is currently happening in the STEM community, as well as what issues are being focused on. The goal of the Lemelson-MIT program is to inspire students and educators to creatively solve problems through invention. They say their research confirms that their invention education helps “students of all backgrounds develop interest, confidence and capabilities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).” The purpose of EurekaFest is to inspire upcoming inventors by celebrating the creation of young inventors.

The Spirit of Invention

AFF

A DOCUMENTARY

A brief look into the first class of the Inventions and Inclusive Innovation at Chaffey College which launched in 2021. Professors Mark Padilla and Brian Atkinson lead the program through a collaboration with Lemelson-MIT and the US Department of Education Title III Grant.

STEM INTERNSHIP

LLEG

Documentary by Sandra Slattery

I N V E N T I O N + I N N O VA T I O N + I N C L U S I V I T Y

CHAFFEY COLLEGE 15

THE PROCESS OF

INVENTION By Erin Butts, Kiara Jerez and Sandra Slattery

ith three weeks left in the program, participants in the I3 Lemelson-MIT program are entering into the early stages of development for their inventions. Currently, they are researching different products and design elements that they can use for their eventual prototype.

The interns are using mathematical concepts to determine how to put their invention together and began working with a combination of materials brought from home, and a toolkit provided by Lemelson-MIT. The tool kits will help with the process of bringing a possible prototype to life.

Both teams have received feedback from the community and potential stakeholders. Team members were challenged by their professors to think about issues with existing models and potential prototypes. They also discussed their devices in terms of what businesses and communities need, and what problem or issue the invention will tackle.

Intern Manuel Carbajal says, I’m really excited to begin research and development and move into prototyping.

Throughout the course, the interns have learned about the processes and mechanics of invention and innovation and the steps needed to think about solutions and problem-solving.

At first, I wasn’t too sure how all of this was going to come together, but things are happening and I’m feeling good about the program and our concept.

Suzie Murrish shares her experiences running a small business with her husband.

Manny Carbajal, Gamel Johnson and Nick Charland use tools from home.

ENGINEERING AND DESIGN: I3 TESTS PROTOTYPES By Brody Salazar, Erin Butts and Kaitlyn McMullin

ith one week remaining in the I3 invention internship, the development groups are ramping up the invention process by producing working prototypes and testing the inventions for usability and potential issues. The teams are testing different aspects of their invention designs and troubleshooting different issues that come up during production. Both teams got first-hand experience with problem-solving their designs, with Team One going as far as testing their theories on a professor’s car and using a variable voltage power supply to test their design. Team Two experienced a different setback, falling short of the amount of voltage and strength needed in the prototype. Initial estimates for the necessary amount of force their invention would need was higher than expected. Team Two retraced

their steps back to Vons, a local grocery store, to retake measurements. The team is brainstorming a more durable material and mechanism to overcome the issue.

Students in the internship are learning a lot about teamwork and are enjoying the program. One of the interns, Candy Qu, shared: “I learned a lot of things that I did not understand before... As one of the students of this program, I feel very lucky to be able to participate in this program. I really like what we are doing now... [and] may continue to develop this product.

WHAT THE I3 PROGRAM AT CHAFFEY COLLEGE MEANS TO ME By Erin Butts / @Erin23598884

rowing up, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) intrigued me. I enjoyed learning about mathematical concepts, earth science and how a product is built. As a kid one of my many dream jobs was to be a geologist. Unfortunately, my experience with math became an obstacle for me. Math is essential to a number of STEM related careers. At Chaffey College, majors such as biological sciences, computer science and geology all require that a student take calculus. Even if you do not choose a STEM related career, it is likely that somewhere in your college experience you will have to take a math class. I tried to avoid math as much as I could when I first started applying to colleges. I did not even consider majors that required too many math courses because it seemed impossible to succeed, but my mindset is changing. A new program at Chaffey College is showing me that STEM is not just for certain groups of people and that it is not too late to learn. The Invention and Inclusive Innovation (I3) initiative is a new program that is being implemented in California Community Colleges. Community colleges are partnered with Lemelson-MIT and the interns chosen to be a part of this program were given the task of building a prototype based on needs in the community. The four colleges that are currently taking part in this initiative are: Modesto

Community College, Chaffey Community College, Sierra Community College and College of the Desert.

stopped myself from exploring STEM related careers that interested me.

According to California Community Colleges, “...the program is expected to be scaled to 20 additional colleges for implementation in 2022.”

The I3 program is significant to me because when I stepped into the classroom, I saw a diverse group of people doing something that I thought I could never do, and that encourages me to not give up on my dreams.

The I3 program blends communications, business and engineering together to solve problems and build inventions that are meaningful. It is based off of LemelsonMIT InvenTeams, which focuses on young students building an invention that solves real problems in the world.

I may never become a geologist or an inventor, but the program inspires me to take big steps in small ways. I am encouraged to take math courses and learn more about STEM.

Twelve InvenTeams have patents for their work and I3 interns have an opportunity to have their work patented as well, although certain restrictions apply. As a journalism intern, I have watched I3 participants grow as individuals and in their understanding of how STEM is used to build inventions. Michael Thomas, an I3 intern whose major is mechanical engineering, was able to do hands-on work related to his field. It was his first time doing this kind of work. Manny Carbajal, another intern who has a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in marketing learned about the math behind an invention. Each intern witnessed the power of STEM regardless of their major or level of experience. I falsely believed that because I am African American, I could not be good at math, and as a result of that belief, I

The I3 interns built a prototype, but the program itself is building a model for other colleges that shows how impactful a program can be when it makes room for diversity.

IMPACTING AND TEACHING INVENTION AND INNOVATION FROM ABROAD By Nadine Hernandez / @nnadinee23

arlos Osorio is the oldest of five-siblings, a well-respected educator, engineer and speaker that highlights the best methods to teach and enable innovation. Osorio has been awarded for many achievements such as inventing a private loan program and being the first to have founded the Master in Innovation Program in Latin America. Osorio stated that his main objective is to make an impact from abroad. Beginning with an invitation as a visiting engineer at the Medialab in MIT from 2001-2002, Osorio engaged with employee personnel who guided him towards the goal of obtaining a Ph.D. with a focus on invention. While discussing the thought process amongst his early endeavor, Osorio briefly pauses and states: “My curiosity, my question was what is wrong, I mean, what is the “secret sauce” for keeping inventing and innovation [going] once and again and again and again? [...]” WFrom 2002-2004, Osorio was in the master’s program at MIT and soon after obtaining his Ph.D. in 2007, he returned to Chile as a professor at the University of Adolfo Ibañez (UAI). In Chile, Osorio worked on designing and developing innovation policy and worked closely with students whose developments were shown to Bill Gates. Osorio discovered that he had potentially found his “secret sauce,” which Osorio described as him taking what he had learned from MIT. With that, Osorio has held workshops in different parts of the world and later founded the first Master in Innovation in Latin America at UAI.

In 2015, Osorio worked on and co-founded Yuken, an impact research lab that focuses on innovation and design alongside colleague Maria Renard and created a synthetic approach for design, (defi)2. A year later, Osorio became involved with the Invention and Inclusive Innovation (I3) project at the Lemelson-MIT Program on Education for Invention. In 2019, he officially started to work with the program that is currently in collaboration with Chaffey College; the goal of this program is having interns come together to brainstorm ideas of inventions that can better help assist the community. In the end, with all of these successes comes the establishment of balance between work, family and individual needs. The question of how Osorio was able to sustain this kind of balance for himself was mentioned and Osorio said, by failing a lot. In Osorio’s Harvard Business paper that was written in Spanish, “El Arte De Fayar” The Art of Failing describes how teams will approach innovation challenges and deal with failure. According to his paper, Osorio describes that some groups view failure as loss of resources; however, Osorio argues that through failure lessons are learned.

“It is very easy to love what you do, it is very hard to establish boundaries,” Osorio added. Osorio used the example of working, which was not a problem at first, but it became one when overworking resulted in agitation towards his family. To Osorio, that is failure. Osorio was born and raised in Chile and was a second-generation college student who initially had been motivated by his father. Osorio was determined to change and better lives through the process of invention. Osorio also described certain colleagues throughout his journey as a part of a Marvel-themed universe; some people are unaware of their superpower until someone shows them or brings it out of them. Osorio encourages diversity within innovation teams because it allows a higher chance of innovation through different perspectives. With the I3 internship program set in place, Osorio hopes that the community will be inspired by Chaffey College’s ideas to solve big problems.

He discussed his rigorous schedule and Osorio explained that some humans like to push against the limits, but they more than often push back. Osorio said one option is giving up, and the other option is reflecting what has been learned.

CHAFFEY COLLEGE LEADS CALIFORNIA’S COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN ADDRESSING STUDENT IP POLICY OVERHAUL By Sandra Slattery / @SandraJSlattery

ttorneys for Chaffey College are researching state and local administrative policies as well as education codes to determine the laws and policies governing intellectual property (IP) as it relates to students. Currently, community colleges in California do not have extensive IP policies specifically designed to address material that students may create at community colleges. This is in part due to the shorter than average time spent at community colleges as well as the limited scope of research conducted at community colleges, compared to the broader research focus at universities. The IP policy at Chaffey College also extends to any interns being paid through government grants, such as participants in the Lemelson-MIT Inventions and Inclusive Innovation (I3) Internship. After learning that students participating in the I3 internship would forfeit any claim to all intellectual property generated during the program, The Breeze began investigating the IP policy. The question about IP ownership as it relates to student-generated material came as a surprise to Chaffey College. The I3 program is a paid internship introduced this year at four community colleges in California, as part of a statewide innovation initiative. Currently, the IP policy at Chaffey College is intended to address material generated by faculty at Chaffey College using Chaffey College resources.

In the current version of the IP policy, the college claims ownership to all intellectual property created by employees of the college using Chaffey College space, funding and resources. The I3 interns would be classified as Chaffey College employees due to receiving pay for the duration of the program. As of now, there is no official policy that appropriately addresses students being paid through a government sponsored internship. Thus, anything created within the I3 program falls under the domain of a paid Chaffey College employee. The I3 interns learned of the IP policy during the first weeks of the program with mixed reactions. One participant, when asked about the IP, replied that they were not surprised about the policy since the participants were being paid and were generally looking forward to the invention process. Another intern was not pleased with the news and expressed reservation. The student implied that the policy could negatively affect their performance and felt discouraged from sharing their best ideas in the program. With IP policy, there is an important distinction between ownership and protection of intellectual property. Ownership of intellectual property is legally distinct from the pursuit of IP protection in the form of a patent. Broadly speaking, the owner of the

IP would be responsible for pursuing protection of the IP in the form of a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Due to the novelty of the I3 initiative, Chaffey College is interested in supporting their students and began legal consultation upon learning of the investigation by The Breeze. The college intends to clarify where the boundaries are and where the students’ domain begins, and they expressed interest in supporting students as much as possible in the spirit of the initiative. In a recent interview, Chaffey College superintendent Laura Hope said: “It is not within the college’s interest to deny or suppress a student’s capacity to create something that could be amazing” and that the College had “previously never dealt with student IP policy issues before.” There is no current official revision to the IP policy. However, Chaffey College supports relinquishing the IP ownership to the interns. Furthermore, the superintendent stated that if the students are interested, the college is willing to negotiate sponsorship or coownership of a patent. Chaffey College is excited about the I3 program and the opportunity the internship provides for entrepreneurship, which could lead to a framework for

future business pursuits and career enrichment, and is happy to lead change. Laura Hope, speaking for Chaffey College stated “If we’re going to have a state policy discussion regarding IP, we’re happy to be the ones to surface it” suit of IP protection in the form of a patent. Broadly speaking, the owner of the IP would be responsible for pursuing protection of the IP in the form of a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Due to the novelty of the I3 initiative, Chaffey College is interested in supporting their students and began legal consultation upon learning of the investigation by The Breeze. The college intends to clarify where the boundaries are and where the students’ domain begins, and they expressed interest

in supporting students as much as possible in the spirit of the initiative. In a recent interview, Chaffey College superintendent Laura Hope said: “It is not within the college’s interest to deny or suppress a student’s capacity to create something that could be amazing” and that the College had “previously never dealt with student IP policy issues before.” There is no current official revision to the IP policy. However, Chaffey College supports relinquishing the IP ownership to the interns. Furthermore, the superintendent stated that if the students are interested, the college is willing to negotiate sponsorship or coownership of a patent. Chaffey College is excited about the I3 program and the opportunity the

internship provides for entrepreneurship, which could lead to a framework for future business pursuits and career enrichment, and is happy to lead change.

Laura Hope, speaking for Chaffey College stated “If we’re going to have a state policy discussion regarding IP, we’re happy to be the ones to surface it.

INTRODUCTION: While Pine Blister Rust is a fungus that infects its host, usually pine at higher elevation, through the stomatal openings or a wound. This fungus then grows into the twig and eventually forms spores in forms of blisters. When these spores erupt they release bright orange colored aeciospore...

METHODS:

I along with my group had several online training courses to complete in order to get familiar with maps. We learned about different maps and how to read them and which would be used in different situations. This allowed us an insight as to how the U.S Forest Service utilizes maps...

To prevent White Pine Blister Rust from killing off pines, we collect seeds and test for the gene resilient to this fungus. Thus reforesting with trees that contain that gene, improving the forest’s health and making future pines more resilient.

INTERNS OF THE SUMMER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY (SRO) PROGRAM LEARN HOW TO DISPLAY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

My group and I hiked the San Antonio hike at Mt. Baldy. We hiked to the peak of the mountain to an elevation of 10,064 ft. On the way up we identified Limper pines. These conifers are normally found at higher elevation. Once reaching to the peak we went back down the mountain.

Using the DNA extraction method we extracted DNA from stawberries and Limber pine. We used tools such as 100mm pipets, binding/washing buffers, centrifuge etc.

SUMMER

RESE ARCH

OPPORTUNITY TITLE III HSI GRANT

SUMMER 2021

CHAFFEY STUDENTS BEGIN SUMMER STEM INTERNSHIPS By Brody Salazar @Brody_DS

he Title III Grant is a five-year grant from the Department of Education awarded to learning institutions including Chaffey Community College in 2016, and much of its nearly $4 million funding is split into several programs. The funding is used for Chaffey’s Makerspace, living lab curriculum and the Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) program. The Makerspace, which is available on Chaffey’s Rancho Cucamonga campus in the Math Success Center, provides students with various resources for testing projects and learning. Resources available in the Makerspace include robotics, virtual reality, a 3D printer and kits for testing projects. The living lab curriculum is available for students to actively participate in the learning process. An example of the living lab curriculum would be activities like the Burrowing Owl Festival that Chaffey hosts for some of the more kinesthetic learners. Chaffey’s SRO program works in conjunction with several other organizations to provide paid STEM internships to Chaffey students. The SRO program starts again this summer and provides new opportunities for graduating, transferring and currently enrolled students. Some organizations that work with Chaffey College to provide internships

include University of California, Riverside; University of California, Los Angeles; the US Forest Service; Raymond M. Alf Museum and University of California, Irvine. Many of the universities have multiple internships available with different departments, such as UCR offering internships for their Physics & Astronomy, Earth & Planetary Science, and Electrical & Computer Engineering departments. Multiple interns are sent to the available locations and departments based on their prior skills and knowledge. In past years, some interns, such as Houssam Nasser and Melissa Suthar, who have spoken to The Breeze about their internships have expressed an expansion of their knowledge, skills and hands-on experience.

A scoring rubric is used to determine who is accepted into the program before ranking them. Interns pick their top three locations to intern at, and there is no guarantee anyone will work at their first choice. This can lead to some interns being dissatisfied with their internships, or lead to others learning new skills and broadening their horizons. Tasks the interns are given can vary greatly depending on the location and what each individual is capable of. In the past, some involved researching microscopic multicellular life, and others involved studying 6-million-yearold life. Now, interns are studying new subjects and researching different projects.

Other interns, like Ainaz Sharabyani and Samantha Negrete, had their research published by the end of their internship and attended a conference to present their findings. However, not every internship ends with the interns becoming published researchers or expanding necessary skill sets. Some students, like some of those who

interned at the Western Science Center in 2019, have been less satisfied with their experiences.

SRO RESEARCH: DISCOVERING HOW THE BRAIN MAPS THE ENVIRONMENT By Kaitlyn McMullin / @KDVMcMullin

t the Knudsen Hall lab at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) interns of the Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) program have been conducting experiments with the guidance of Dr. Katsushi Arisaka to learn more about the brain. Their study focuses on an electroencephalograph (EEG), which is used to study the brain waves of the participant. They are using different experiments with this method to figure out how the brain maps the space around it, even when someone’s eyes are closed. This study will allow more insight for the field of neuroscience.

From here, they use an Arduino to create a program that will make the LED lights flash one, two or three lights at a time from different angles on the circle at random. The participant will decide how many lights they saw and which angle they appeared. After about 200 trials of this experiment and collecting sufficient data, they will do another round of the first experiment.

The SRO interns are using each other as well as UCLA students in the lab as participants in their research. Their goal is to have at least ten participants, and as of July 21, 2021, they have conducted the experiment on five volunteers. The experiment contains two different portions. The participant must wear a headcap which has tiny electrodes; the headcap is connected to a cyton board which communicates with a computer program called OpenBCI. It allows them to analyze the brain waves and show the amplitude and frequency of the waves. Once the headcap is on, they begin the first experiment. The participant will close their eyes for 30 seconds, open their eyes for 30 seconds and continue that for three minutes. This will allow the interns to collect the alpha waves data. The second part of the experiment involves the same participant with the headcap to sit at a station with LED lights in the shape of a semicircle. The participants sit exactly 50cm away from the lights and keep their eyes at the center of the circle.

LED experiement with headcap. Courtesy of Alonso Lopez

Alpha Bands Plot. X-axis represents time by seconds. Y-axis represets the hertz of the alpha waves. The yellow are alpha bands. Cortesy of Alonso Lopez

The purpose of the first experiment is to help graph the alpha waves; the second experiment will help them see how strong the alpha waves were once the correct button was chosen. While the button is being clicked the alpha waves show a large peak and shifts about 200-300 milliseconds that indicates the time the button was pressed. They believe the further the light flashes from the center, the further the peak will shift, which proves the hypothesis of the alpha waves being involved in mapping the environment to most likely be correct. They are currently trying to fine tune the experiment more, since in some participants the alpha waves are not as prominent as

in others. The interns believe it is due to some people being more sensitive to the external environment. They are planning to try and use earplugs to block outside noise and help the participants to be more focused, hoping it will help the alpha waves be more prominent. There is another experiment that is about to begin in the same lab involving Virtual Reality (VR) and the SRO interns are thinking of combining the two experiments to see how brain waves will be affected while using a VR device. Currently they are bringing their work down to the basement to avoid outside noise and get more accurate results.

ERP graph representing the peak of the alpha wave during the LED experiment. Courtesy of Alonso Lopez

SRO RESEARCH: LIMBER PINE TREES By Kaitlyn McMullin / @KDVMcMullin

fter the Quino checkerspot butterfly research with the U.S. Forest service was cancelled, the interns of the Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) Program were put into a different research group. Denisse Gonzalez, an SRO intern, was transferred to a new research project

based on the endangered species of the limber pine tree. Endangered species, such as the limber tree, are important to preserve. If anything were to go extinct it would have a detrimental effect to the entire ecosystem. When any species are killed off,

other species that relied on that extinct species whether as a food source, breeding place or housing causes a chain reaction. This creates a detrimental effect on their life and could possibly cause them to be added to the endangered list.

This new research project is focused on finding which limber pine trees are resistant to a rust fungus that is traveling its way down south and killing off the limber pine tree. White pine blister rust is a species of rust fungus that infects the pine needle and works its way down the branch and into the main stem of the tree. This creates a canker which prevents the tree from being able to absorb water and necessary nutrients, ultimately killing the pine tree. If the interns can find which pine trees have resistant qualities, they can use the seedlings from the resistant tree to grow more with the same resistance genes. Their hope is to ensure the limber pine trees will survive and be taken off the endangered list. The SRO interns hiked up Mt. Baldy in the second week of July. As they travelled up, Arnaldo Ferreira, the guide with the U.S. Forest service taught the SRO interns how to tell which type of pine species were which based on the bundle of pine needles. The interns had to hike to the top of the mountain, where the limber pine trees inhabit, and there they collected samples from the tree. In total they managed to collect around 50-70 samples.

After the samples were collected, the SRO interns were taken to a lab and were allowed to do a DNA extraction on a pine needle. The extraction consisted of using a mortar and crushing the pine needle with a type of liquid to get the green extract. After which, they used a centrifuge to separate the debris from the DNA of the pine needle. Once the debris was removed, the DNA had a mucus type appearance they were able to collect the DNA from the tree. The interns were not able to participate in the process after this. However, they were able to see how it was done; after the DNA was put into another machine within a gelatin type block, a liquid was poured into it and another machine would light up red or blue to determine if the tree was positive or negative for the resistant gene. If it is positive, they would use that gene to replant more limber pine trees. Gonzalez comments how the SRO interns played “a role in helping the research come together,” Gonzalez comments. From here the interns’ work is done, but they were told they will be kept in the loop and may be able to plant their own tree down the line.

Group of interns hiking to top of Mt. Baldy to collect needle samples.

29 Guide leading interns to collect pine needle samples

SRO RESEARCH CANCELLED: QUINO CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY By Kaitlyn McMullin / @KDVMcMullin

he interns of the Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) program were involved in the U.S Forest service study of Quino checkerspot butterflies. According to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, the Quino checkerspot butterflies were listed in 1997 as an endangered species caused by “human actions that degraded, fragmented and destroyed habitat essential for this subspecies’ survival.”

The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service say they have a lifespan of 4-8 weeks as adults and are “sedentary by nature and fly close to the ground.”

The plants they were searching for --Owl’s clover, white snapdragon, wooly plantain, Chinese houses and bird’s beak-- were not growing due to it being drought season in San Dimas national forest. According to one of the interns, Denisse Gonzalez, the only plant of the five they were hoping to find was the bird’s beak plant, and although that was all they managed to find, it was too small of a size.

According to Gonzalez, the switch from one research project to another this late in the 8-week internship was a lot of work. As of July 21, 2021, with two weeks left of the internship, she still had not finished the training meant for the new project.

These plants are used as hosts for their larvae. The butterflies are immensely selective in what type of plants they will lay their eggs in and with minimal plants it decreases their options. During the breeding season these butterflies tend to be territorial. Quino checkerspot butterflies are known to be only from southern San Diego County, western Riverside County and northern Baja California, Mexico.

Gonzalez mentioned all the SRO interns involved with the Quino checkerspot butterfly research were transferred to a different group. Gonzalez was moved to one focused on an endangered species of pine trees.

There was a lot more training and learning in the new research than there was for the study of Quino checkerspot butterflies. Gonzalez mentioned hours of videos and sessions she had to undergo, learning things such as what geographic information system (GIS) mapping was, types of maps and their differences, and how to tell the different types of pine tree species apart.

It is unknown what all the interns thought of the switch from the two research projects. Gonzalez found it to be a lot of work, but she enjoyed her work with the pine trees more than her work with the butterflies. She felt that she was able to learn more with this research, and she did more work with the pine trees than she was able to with the Quino checkerspot butterflies. The U.S Forest service is still planning on continuing their study of the butterflies without the interns.

SRO RESEARCH: STUDYING ULNA BONES By Kaitlyn McMullin / @KDVMcMullin

he Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) Program at Chaffey Community College’s department of Anthropology interns have been studying bones of thousands of different species. Since the pandemic began, this summer’s interns were not able to study the bones in person. However, with a site called MorphoSource, they were able to access a limitless number of bones from the comfort of their own home and computer. With this website, the interns can see 3D images of different bones from many species all around the world from different times. The website is open for anyone who wants to upload a 3D image of a bone or for anyone who wants to look at any bone of their choosing. The interns have only met via Zoom three times a week to talk about their research. There are three SRO interns working this study and they divided up the bones each would focus on. They were divided by small mammals, big animals and primates. They have seen bones from species such as rabbits, squirrels, cougars and tigers. The interns’ focus was on the ulna-- the ulna is a bone in the arm that connects the radius to the elbow.

For the first part of the research, they studied the shaft of the ulna and are now moving on to study the olecranon. The olecranon is located at the top portion of the ulna. The ulna is what tells them how the mammal or primate lived and their lifestyle. The interns’ jobs are to study their given bone, put the bone into photoshop and adjust it. They ensure the background of the bone is black and that it is in the correct format. After, they will put the bone into the Elliptical Fourier Analysis (EFA) program. An EFA is a mathematical analysis that is used to identify a set of normal patterns in time series data. EFA has a large impact on the anthropology community. It helps them better compare different species and discover which bone belongs to which species and era.

“I think the more important part isn’t what we’re researching but the method we are using to research.” Ansari is studying to become a doctor and pursues anthropology out of enjoyment. He has hope that they may be able to use the EFA program in the field of medicine and be able to help more patients. Dr. Marc Meyer, the co-facilitator of this program and a professor of anthropology at Chaffey College, is around to ensure all the work the interns do is correct, guiding them in their research and helping explain to them what the results mean and how they will move forward. As of now they are still working on discovering the results and comparing the ulna bones to other species.

The interns apply the 3D photo of the ulna to the EFA program, retrieve the analysis and put it onto an excel sheet and compare the bones together. While this research is important to the anthropology community, one of the interns, Aamir Ansari said:

THE IMPERFECT PROCESS OF POSITRONS By Brody Salazar @Brody_DS

andling radioactive substances and studying subatomic particles arepart of a typical day at the physics laboratory in University of California, Riverside (UCR). Chaffey College student Aslon Christy spent the summer at UCR’s physics lab doing just this. Most devices in the lab were made in-house, including many of the pieces of the particle accelerator. According to Erick Membreno, a graduate student working at the lab, it looks like a “mad scientist’s lab.” “Everything here that looks, I guess, weird [is] because a lot of what we make, we make in-house,” said Membreno. “That’s why you don’t see much labels or anything because we make it ourselves. For example, every single piece of magnet here was rolled by a student either long ago or recently.” The current goal is to use the particle accelerator to generate antimatter. Their work is focused on experimenting with the antimatter equivalent to electrons, positrons. Positrons are the opposite of electrons; this means while they might share a similar size and function to electrons, they bear a positive charge while electrons bear a negative charge. In addition to this, like all antimatter, it is unstable and annihilates itself when it comes into contact with matter.

To accomplish their goal, the lab uses the radioactive isotope sodium-22. The natural decay of the isotope produces energy that cannot be controlled, so the lab moderates using the element neon, which has been cooled to about 10 Kelvin and frozen. This process thermalizes the positrons, meaning a state of thermal equilibrium is brought about in them. Once the positrons are thermalized, they can be magnetically locked and can now be guided by the solenoids — cylindrical coils of wire that function as magnets. The remaining positrons are guided by the solenoids to avoid as much annihilation before they hit a phosphor screen. When this happens, a dim light is emitted that the lab then photographs. One of the experiments the lab is focusing on is determining how the moderator material affects the polarization of the positrons. One such material they are experimenting with is argon. This argon would be used in place of the standard neon. The lab also works to collect the positrons in a gas. As positrons collide with one another in the gas, it becomes harder for them to escape. This allows them to be maintained and avoid colliding with matter and annihilating. However, it is not a perfect process. While it might prevent annihilation of many positrons, there are still plenty that are lost throughout the whole process.

With this and other ongoing experiments, Christy has a lot he is eager to learn. Despite his major being quite different, he still believes there are important lessons he can take away from the laboratory. “What I’m hoping to get out of this, which I’m already seeing, is experience, and also just broadening my horizon,” said Christy. “Even though I’m a biomedical engineer in a physics lab, it’s very eye-opening working in a lab, first of all, and also getting relevant experience and seeing possible applications for future projects I might do once I become an undergrad or grad student.”

Where most of the radioactive material is stored and encased in lead until it is needed for an experiment.

Where the potassium-22 is used in the experiment to produce the positrons.

Photo of a positron.

33 Where the potassium-22 is used in the experiment to produce the positrons.

DECODING SRO INTERN ARACELI AYALA’S PASSION By Brody Salazar @Brody_DS

haffey College student and physics major Araceli Ayala went from spending summers working at the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to participating in Chaffey’s Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) program as a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) physics department intern. Ayala is inspired by history’s great physicists and has always had a passion for research. It was because of this love of research that an EOPS counselor approached Ayala about the SRO program. “I was on my daughter’s iPad,” said Ayala on when she applied to Chaffey’s SRO program, “and as I was filling it out, it said, ‘Could you please explain to us why you would benefit [from] being a part of the program? ‘...I broke it down how inspired I am by all the physicists that I grew up knowing like Aristotle, Richard Feinman, and just so many others...” I basically explained to them if there’s something that I need to further grow and understand, that’s what I go and research.” Ayala claims her work at the Boys and Girls Clubs helped to prepare her for the work she would eventually perform as an intern.

Despite her job not including any physics or STEM related activities, her having to routinely research proved to be useful. According to Ayala, it taught her how to perform research and learn new things while in the process of working. For the Boys and Girls Clubs, this meant figuring out how to teach art to middle schoolers, but for UCLA, this meant having to learn coding programs such as Python. The physics department at UCLA is currently running experiments to discover more about the human brain and how it developed, but much of Ayala’s work is focused on building the hardware for the experiments. Much of her work also involves coding with programs she previously did not have any experience with. “Like English, I’m learning the language from the ground up, and the professor’s like, ‘You gotta learn it in four weeks,’ ” said Ayala. “So, it’s been intense, but I’ve been enjoying every minute of it because I get that hands-on experience of building that hardware.” The experience of learning as she works has been rewarding, but it is not without its frustrations. Ayala’s passion is a

double-edged sword that causes frustration when there is something that proves difficult to learn. “I think the only downside I’ve had is I’m very passionate about it, and I’m a perfectionist,” said Ayala. “So, when it doesn’t come out right, or if I mess up the coding, I am flustered... I’ve learned to back up everything, not only on the computer, but on the flash drive and in my notes.”

I’m setting them back....I told myself, ‘You know what? Until you get Python down, until you have a better understanding, you should run these experiments at home, and when you’re confident, go back to the campus.’”Ayala has since changed groups, and now works in a local group. She is now more certain of how to perform her work and what is expected of her. She also appreciates the greater understanding of coding and hardware that the internship has provided for her.

The internship has mostly been at home for Ayala as a result. She would rather do much of the coding at home until she feels she has a firmer grasp on it, so she does not risk holding back her fellow interns.

Like English, I’m learning the language from the ground up, and the professor’s like, ‘You gotta learn it in four weeks,’” said Ayala. “So, it’s been intense, but I’ve been enjoying every minute of it because I get that hands-on experience of building that hardware.

“So, I’m a lot slower paced, and I’ve realized that they’re able to get all of this in a quick manner,” said Ayala. “And I feel like

ASLON CHRISTY EXPERIMENTS AND STUDIES POSITRONIUM By Brody Salazar @Brody_DS

ntimatter is famous for annihilating itself and matter it comes into contact with, but what happens when antimatter and matter particles meet but do not annihilate? Creating an atom that consists of both antimatter and matter is one of the more important experiments performed at the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) physics laboratory. The UCR physics lab is one of the locations Chaffey College’s Summer Research Opportunity (SRO) students attend. At this location, a particle accelerator is used for multiple experiments involving positrons — key particles of antimatter that are the opposites of electrons. Performing multiple experiments at once with the particle accelerator is possible because of a process they put the positrons through, as well as technology incorporated into the accelerator. The positrons are collected in a gas, compressed and formed into a beam. This process manages to preserve as much antimatter as possible. A single instance of contact with matter will annihilate the antimatter in a burst of energy. The positrons were magnetically locked shortly after being created, which means magnets — specifically a type of magnet called solenoids — can be used to guide them. The solenoids may have a specific purpose in one experiment, but another purpose of the solenoids is to guide the positrons in different ways depending on the experiment they will be performing. This allows the lab to run multiple experiments rather than focusing on only one. The 1s 2s experiment is one such experiment that can be conducted because of this. The name of the experiment refers to the energy levels often associated with electrons. The energy level 1s is the lowest possible energy level and 2s is the energy level just above it. When positively charged positrons meet the negatively charged electrons, they often annihilate. However, when they do not annihilate, they begin to circle one another creating a new atom called positronium.

This new atom is similar to hydrogen, but it is composed of both matter and antimatter and cannot remain stable for too long as a result. Currently, the lab is attempting to study the transition from the 1s to the 2s states for positronium. The unstable nature of the atom means its lifespan is short. To extend the positronium’s lifespan, a laser is used to excite the atom and add more energy, causing a leap to the 2s state. The more energized the particles are, the further they will be able to travel. This reduces the risk of collision that would result in the annihilation of the atom. The goal is to see how well they can predict the states of positronium. “Yeah I can actually state that it would have significant applications for possibly understanding the physics field if we get the results desired, if not then oh well we tried,” said Christy. “Other results we’re hoping would be significant would be in material science. They would be able to use that data and also develop really experimental materials that are honestly kind of crazy now that I think about it.” All the technology necessary to perform these experiments results in the lab looking quite impressive to some, including Chaffey College student and SRO intern Aslon Christy. “This place was like a unicorn the first time I came in here. I wanted to learn everything about this,” said Christy. Erick Membreno a graduate student and lab worker, expanded further on this by adding his own experience first walking into the lab: “The first day that I walked into this, I thought I was in over my head... I felt like, ‘Wow, I’m in a mad scientist’s lab. This is gonna be epic!’ And it’s the first impression that I guess a lot of people have walking into this lab, and it’s fun to see people’s faces as they’re looking around...” As for the impact of the research, Christy thinks it will have many different applications, both in the physics field and in material science.

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