Library News - Research Guides at Sonoma State University Library

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Focus on: SSU Research

09/26/2025

Rita Premo

So much great scholarship this month from our SSU faculty! We're delighted to showcase the most recent publications and scholarly works coming out of the university.

Springmier, K. (2025). An Exploration of Faculty and Student Perceptions of Generative AI. Library Trends, 73(4), 426–442.

The release of generative artificial intelligence (AI) large language chatbots such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini, as well as many others, has left many questioning the implications for higher education. This article reports the results of an exploratory study intended to capture student and faculty perception and use of generative AI. At a midsize regional university, students and faculty were invited to participate in separate surveys to record their experiences with and opinions of generative AI tools. Questions probed students and faculty to detail their use or non-use of generative AI inside and outside the classroom as well as their perceptions of the technology. Results indicate that faculty are reluctant to embrace generative AI, citing concerns that generative AI enables plagiarism and is a detriment to student learning. By contrast, student respondents reported using generative AI tools to organize, structure, or proofread their work; for brainstorming or idea generation; and for clarifying complex course topics. Results indicate that the difference between student and faculty perceptions and uses of generative AI provides an opportunity for librarians, who are especially skilled at adopting, adapting, and critiquing new technologies. The article concludes with suggestions for librarians on how to support AI literacy for the academy.

Hoogendam, W. B., Jones, D. O., Ashall, C., et al. (2025). Seeing the Outer Edge of the Infant Type Ia Supernova 2024epr in the Optical and Near Infrared. The Open Journal of Astrophysics, 8.

We present optical-to-near-infrared (NIR) photometry and spectroscopy of the Type Ia supernova (SN~Ia) 2024epr, including NIR spectra observed within two days of first light. The early-time optical spectra show strong, high-velocity Ca and Si features near rarely-observed velocities at $ 0.1 c$, and the NIR spectra show a “knee.’’ Despite early-time, high-velocity features, SN~2024epr evolves into a normal SN~Ia, albeit with stronger peak-light Ca absorption than other SNe~Ia with the same light curve shape. Although we infer a normal decline rate, Δ m 15 ( B ) = 1.09 ± 0.12 ~mag, from the light-curve rise, SN~2024epr is a Branch”cool’’ object and has red early-time colors ( g − r ≈ 0.15 ~mag at − 10 ~days). The high velocities point to a density enhancement in the outer layers of the explosion, predicted by some models, but thick-shell He-detonation models do not match the smoothly rising light curve or apparent lack of He in our early-time NIR spectra. No current models (e.g., delayed detonation or thin He shell double detonation) appear to reproduce all observed properties, particularly the unusual early-time colors. Such constraints are only possible for SN~2024epr from the earliest optical and NIR observations, highlighting their importance for constraining SN~Ia models. Finally, we identify several literature SNe~Ia with intermediate mass elements at $ 30 000 k m s ^{-1}$ within days after the explosion that evolve into otherwise normal SNe~Ia at peak light, suggesting the early-time spectra of SNe~Ia may hide a broad diversity of observational characteristics.

Cortese‐Krott, M. M., Fukuto, J. M., & Ahluwalia, A. (2025). Recent innovations in targeting redox biology for therapeutics. British Journal of Pharmacology.

Redox signalling governs key physiological and pathological processes, offering diverse therapeutic targets across disease contexts. This editorial introduces a special issue of the British Journal of Pharmacology highlighting recent advances in redox biology, including novel small molecules, non‐canonical nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide pathways, epigenetic modulation and immune regulation. Together, these contributions illustrate the translational potential of redox‐targeted pharmacology and outline future directions for innovation in the field.

Hotz, S. J., Karm, R. H., Hughes, B. B., & Zippay, M. L. (2025). Effects of thermal history on the heat shock response of bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana). Botanica Marina.

In 2013, a marine heatwave called the “Blob” caused northern California bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) populations to decrease significantly. The loss of this foundation species motivated recent investigations on kelp thermal tolerance to understand how warming events might impact their physiological performance. We tested the effect of acclimation temperature on bull kelp by measuring the protein abundance of a molecular chaperone, heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). Blades were collected from two sites (Big River and Russian Gulch) and acclimated for 7-days at two temperatures (13 and 17 °C) before tissues were subjected to a 1-h heat shock (13, 17, 20, 23, and 26 °C). Results showed a significant difference between acclimation temperature with 20 % greater total Hsp70 protein abundance in bull kelp acclimated to the warm treatment, while site was only marginally different. Heat shock temperature had no effect on total Hsp70 protein abundance. This study is the first to report about the heat shock response of bull kelp and found that thermal history of an organism is an important factor in determining whether an organism can mount a heat shock response. This information can help understand bull kelp’s tolerance to future marine heatwaves.

Bell, D., Halbur, M., Elias, F., Pearson, N., Crocker, D. E., & Bentley, L. P. (2025). Assessing Umbellularia californica Basal Resprouting Response Post-Wildfire Using Field Measurements and Ground-Based LiDAR Scanning. Remote Sensing (Basel, Switzerland), 17(17), 3101.

In many hardwood forests, resprouting is a common response to disturbance and basal resprouts may represent a substantial component of the forest understory, especially post-wildfire. Despite this, resprouts are often overlooked in biomass assessments and drivers of resprouting responses in certain species are still unknown. These knowledge gaps are problematic as the contribution of resprouts to understory fuel loads are needed for wildfire risk modeling and effective forest stewardship. Here, we validated the handheld mobile laser scanning (HMLS) of basal resprout volume and field measurements of stem count and clump height as methods to estimate the mass of California Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica) basal resprouts at Pepperwood and Saddle Mountain Preserves, Sonoma County, California. In addition, we examined the role of tree size and wildfire severity in predicting post-wildfire resprouting response. Both field measurements (clump height and stem count) and remote sensing (HMLS-derived volume) effectively estimated dry mass (total, leaf and wood) of U. californica resprouts, but underestimated dry mass for a large resprout. Tree size was a significant factor determining post-wildfire resprouting response at Pepperwood Preserve, while wildfire severity significantly predicted post-wildfire resprout size at Saddle Mountain. These site differences in post-wildfire basal resprouting predictors may be related to the interactions between fire severity, tree size, tree crown topkill, and carbohydrate mobilization and point to the need for additional demographic and physiological research. Monitoring post-wildfire changes in U. californica will deepen our understanding of resprouting dynamics and help provide insights for effective forest stewardship and wildfire risk assessment in fire-prone northern California forests.

Wu, N., Fong, B., Yang, X., & Zeng, K. (2025). Hardware-Accelerated Music Transcription on the Cloud via FPGA Implementation. 2025 IEEE World AI IoT Congress (AIIoT), 0299–0308.

This paper presents a real-time, cloud-accessible music transcription service implemented on a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The system integrates a web server and chord transcription engine directly on the FPGA board, delivering a Software-As-a-Service solution for Automatic Music Transcription (AMT). By leveraging hardware acceleration, the proposed design achieves a significant reduction in processing latency-transcribing chord sequences in 680 milliseconds compared to 2.5 seconds using a conventional Python-Based approach. The architecture includes a reusable Vivado Suite Block Design Intellectual Property (IP) core, which enables efficient integration into other FPGA-based applications. Validation is performed using dedicated test benches for each subsystem, as well as full-system demonstrations via remote hardware interaction. The complete design is released as open source, providing a flexible foundation for developers to extend the AMT pipeline or integrate additional register-transfer level modules such as Discrete Fourier Transform and Pattern Matching.

The Airlie House Revisited Workforce Training Working Group, with contributions by B. Ford, A. Boutin, K.C. Head, J. Doershuk, K.C. Nolan, A. Palmiotto, et al. Aligning Education With Industry: Strategic Pathways to CRM Workforce Readiness. The SAA Archaeological Record, 25(4), 12–19.

American archaeology faces a myriad of challenges. It is easy to get lost in the immediate risks facing the disciplines, such as the loss of federal funding for academic research or the threat to laws and regulations protecting archaeological sites. Rightfully, much of the discipline's energy is focused on meeting the moment. Yet, even if we are successful in defeating some or all of these threats, there will remain a structural dilemma facing the disciplines. Put simply, “Are we training students adequately for the jobs and careers that exist now and in the future?” That question relates two interrelated problems: (1) the high demand for cultural resource management (CRM) professionals to support efficient compliance with US heritage management laws and (2) the cuts to resources for anthropology and archaeology programs within institutions of higher education. This article, an outgrowth of the “Airlie House 2.0: Visioning Future Directions in CRM Archaeology Workshop” (Banks et al. 2025), suggests that both of these problems can be addressed by creating or modifying existing education programs to be more CRM-focused, as suggested by Altschul and Klein (2022). We argue that aligning programs with professional industry needs and standards ensures that archaeologists achieve relevant competencies, broaden their informed entry into archaeological professions, and meet the spirit and intent of disciplinary ethical standards, such as the Society for American Archaeology's Principles of Archaeological Ethics. This article has two goals" (1) to arm, proponents of CRM-oriented archaeological education with an argument for why these programs are both needed within the current structure of higher education and fit university proproitoes and (2) to map various strategies to prepare students for careers in CRM.

Electrical Engineering, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Cultural Heritage and Resources Management

Focus on: SSU Research

07/29/2025

Rita Premo

SSU faculty produce consequential research relevant to the university, the North Bay, and the broader public. The library is pleased to highlight and share monthly via Focus On: SSU Research. Here is July 2025's digest of newly published research:

Sperou, E. S., Krause, D. J., Borras‐Chavez, R., Charapata, P., Costa, D. P., Crocker, D. E., Smith, K. J., Thompson, B., Best, A., Anderson, J., Goebel, M. E., Bonin, C. A., & Kienle, S. S. (2025). Individual Specialization in a Generalist Apex Predator: The Leopard Seal. Ecology and Evolution, 15(6), e71593-n/a.

Apex predators are typically considered dietary generalists, which often masks individual variability. However, individual specialization—consistent differences among individuals in resource use or ecological role—is common in apex predators. In some species, only a few specialized individuals can significantly impact prey populations. Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are apex predators important to the structure and function of the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Though broadly described as generalists, little is known about their trophic ecology at the population or individual level. We analyzed δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N profiles in whiskers (n = 46) from 34 leopard seals in the Western Antarctic Peninsula to assess trophic variation. We also evaluated individual consistency across years using repeat samples from 7 seals over 2–10 years. We compared population and individual isotopic niche space and explored drivers of intraspecific variation in leopard seal trophic ecology. We find that leopard seals have a broad trophic niche (range: 6.96%–15.21‰) and are generalists at the population level. However, most individuals are specialists (59% for δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C), with only a few generalists (13% for δ¹⁵N, 6% for δ¹³C). Individuals also specialize at different trophic levels. Most variation in trophic ecology is driven by individual specialization, but sex and mass also contribute. We also find that some seals specialize over time, consistently foraging at the same trophic level, while others switch within and between years. This suggests some seals may disproportionately impact prey, especially when specialists consistently target specific species. Long-term specialization by a few leopard seals likely contributed to the decline of the local Antarctic fur seal population. Our findings show the importance of examining individual specialization in leopard seals across their range to understand their impact on other prey populations. This approach should be applied to other apex predator populations, as a few specialists can significantly impact ecosystems.

Mangun, G. R., Liu, Y., Bengson, J. J., Fannon, S. P., DiQuattro, N. E., & Geng, J. J. (2016). Neuroimaging approaches to the study of visual attention. In Neuromethods (Vol. 119, pp. 387–417).

Selective attention is a core cognitive ability that enables organisms to effectively process and respond to relevant information while ignoring distracting events. Elucidating the neural bases of selective attention remains a key challenge for neuroscience and represents an essential goal of translational efforts to ameliorate attentional deficits in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Knowledge of the cognitive and neural mechanisms of attention is crucial for the development and refinement of brain-machine interfaces. In addition, the relevance of attention mechanisms also extends to training and education methods. A more nuanced understanding could enable the development of more effective strategies and programs, enriching the educational landscape. This chapter will examine how functional imaging methods, with a primary focus on fMRI, have deepened our understanding of core aspects of attention, such as how attention is controlled, focused on relevant inputs, and reoriented, and how this control leads to the selection of relevant information. The most relevant studies will be reviewed with a focus on fMRI methods. However, a discussion of electromagnetic recording methods used in conjunction with fMRI, including simultaneous EEG/fMRI methods, will also be included where appropriate.

Burton, B. R. (2025). Six Steps to a Successful Study Abroad Program: Case Study in Stockholm, Sweden. csuglobalaction (2)2, 1-12.

This article is meant to serve as a guide for developing a short-term (typically 2 to 3 weeks long) faculty-led study abroad program. I will focus solely on my work in Stockholm, Sweden, during summer 2023. This article will be particularly helpful to faculty members who are new to developing their own study abroad programs. I have six suggested steps for developing a successful faculty-led program. These six steps include:

thinking about what you want for students and your own career;
building on-campus partnerships;
recruiting and supporting students as early as possible;
making the program itinerary interactive and rewarding for your students;
preparing students for international travel;
reflecting at the conclusion of the program while continuing to build long-term relationships with global partners.

Bhang, C. H., Yoon, E., Alejandre, S. M., Lefebvre, E. A., & Yeh, E. Y. (2025). Resilience Among 1.5 Generation Korean American Emerging Adults. Asian American Journal of Psychology.

This qualitative study uses grounded theory to uncover cultural factors that promote resilience in 1.5 generation Korean American emerging adults. A total of 14 Korean Americans recruited from Los Angeles and surrounding areas completed demographic questionnaires and semistructured interviews ranging from 1 hr to 1.5 hr. The data were then analyzed using grounded theory, which yielded three categories and a model of cultural factors that promote resilience in 1.5 generation Korean American emerging adults. Results indicated several themes in each of the three main categories of resilience-promoting factors, cultural context, and understanding of cultural context. From the findings, we developed a conceptual model of 1.5 generation Korean Americans’ resilience process in the intersection between culture and resilience. The model involved cultural context, resilience-promoting factors, and meaning-making between culture and resilience, adding onto ecosystemic, socioecological frameworks of resilience.

Hao, B., Ahmadi, Y., Zhang, T., Chen, C., Lu, Z., Ma, H., & Kim, K.-H. (2025). Ultrathin K-doped g-C 3 N 4 /BiOBr heterojunctions with S-scheme charge transfer for efficient photodegradation of tetracycline. Journal of Environmental Management, 391, 126677.

Residual tetracycline (TC) in aquatic ecosystems poses a significant risk to the health of both flora and fauna. Advanced catalysts with strong photocatalytic capabilities have emerged as a promising solution for not only TC degradation but also water purification. Here, the photocatalytic destruction (PCD) of TC has been investigated using ultrathin potassium-doped g-C₃N₄/BiOBr heterojunctions (KCNx/By, where x and y are the percent mass ratio values of KOH/melamine and KCN/BiOBr, respectively). All PCD tests have been conducted under 300 W of illumination from a xenon lamp with a light intensity at the catalyst surface of 280 mW. The PCD efficiencies of the formulated KCN2/B3 (92.7 % within 30 min) are approximately 1.62 and 1.34-fold higher than those of KCN2 and BiOBr, respectively. KCN2/B3 achieves the strongest performance against TC in terms of removal-reaction kinetics (r: 0.209 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹) and space-time yield (5.90E-03 molecules·photon⁻¹·g⁻¹) among the common photocatalysts built by g-C₃N₄- or BiOBr. The superior photocatalytic activity of KCN2/B3 can be attributed to the S-scheme charge-transmission pathway, which efficiently preserves photogenerated electrons (B3: reduction catalyst) and holes (KCN2: oxidation photocatalyst). This newly fabricated 2D/2D nanocomposite can be used in the construction of a scalable photocatalytic system for the remediation of TC in wastewater.

Green, N., Norwood, A., Sidhe, C., Mutlow, A., Aymen, J., Stiles, R., Bushell, J., Lim, T., Culver, E., Reeder, N., Timmer, M., Connelly, F., Charbonneau, J., McCall, W., Koenig, L., Stein, M., Geist, N., Lambert, M. R., & Hernández-Gómez, O. (2025). Shell Lesion Prevalence and Bacteriome Associations in Threatened Western Pond Turtles (Actinemys marmorata and Actinemys pallida) in California, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 61(3), 574.

Bacteriome characterization studies can provide insights into the microbial ecology associated with disease. We collected western pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata and Actinemys pallida) from six San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA, ponds; assessed their shells for lesions; and collected shell swabs and keratin scrape samples to evaluate bacteriome differences between the whole shell (swabs) and the affected tissues (scrapes). We quantified shell lesion type and prevalence by using visual inspections of photographs collected of the plastron and carapace and then applied 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to characterize the associated bacteriomes of shells that observed pits, ulcerations, or no lesions. We observed shell lesions at high frequencies throughout our sites, with larger individuals (>100-mm plastron length) more likely to possess injuries. We saw no differences in alpha diversities between shells presenting with lesions and those on which we did not observe lesions; however, swab samples showed higher bacterial richness than keratin scrapes. The bacterial composition within the scrapes was influenced by pond location and then lesion presence. We observed a higher relative abundance of Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Cyanobacteria, and Deinococcota in the shell keratin microflora of turtles with shell lesions. Because western pond turtles are under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in the USA, understanding patterns of shell disease pathologies and the bacteria associated with disease is imperative for the management of current populations.

Hernandez, K. M., Clemento, A. J., Linossier, J. E., Crocker, D. E., Costa, D. P., Reichmuth, C., & Garza, J. C. (2025). Microhaplotype Methods Enable Relationship Inference in a Bottlenecked Mammalian Species. Animal Conservation.

Genetic methods provide the ability to assess key aspects of population biology. Recent advances in high‐throughput, low‐cost DNA sequencing are providing opportunities to study species with limited genetic diversity. In particular, microhaplotype genetic markers have exponentially increased our ability to elucidate kin relationships and social structure through accurate pedigree reconstruction. Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) have extraordinarily low genetic variation—among the most depauperate of any mammal species—making it challenging to discern familial relationships with genetic methods. Here, we describe the discovery of a panel of 122 microhaplotype markers for the species, validated by genotyping population samples with a standard amplicon‐sequencing approach. Additionally, we correctly assigned known mother‐offspring pairs with high confidence in the inferred relationships, successfully overcoming historical obstacles to the use of genetic tools for relationship inference in pedigree studies of northern elephant seals. This work enables key conservation questions to be addressed for this species and provides an example of how to advance understanding of the ecology, behavior, and reproduction of other mammals with very low genetic diversity.

Geckle, B., Fang, K., & Saraví, J. R. (2025). Editorial: Skateboarding and society: intersections, influences, and implications. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7, 1649479.

Over the last 75 years, skateboarding has come a long way, evolving from a niche activity among surfers in California to a global phenomenon with millions of participants worldwide. Throughout its history, the activity of skateboarding has diversified. The people who skateboard, where they ride, how they ride, and their reasons for riding have evolved as skateboarders have developed new and creative ways to participate in the activity. As the activity of skateboarding has changed, so too have skateboarders’ interactions with their surrounding communities, both physically and socially. These unique characteristics of skateboarding have attracted the attention of researchers over the last several decades. Books, theses, and articles are evidence of this research. The Research Topic presented here, entitled “Skateboarding and Society: Intersections, Influences, and Implications,” contributes to this body of literature by demonstrating how skateboarding can be a useful mechanism for negotiating power, placemaking, urban and social development, education, and change.

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Criminology & Criminal Justice Studies, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry