2019 Honors Convocation and Recognition of Student Excellence
On March 22, 2019, the college hosted its annual event honoring students on the Dean’s List with Distinction - undergraduates who earned a grade point average of 3.9 or higher in 12 or more units of graded coursework in 2018. Veronica Flores , chief executive officer of Community Health Councils and NSS alum, served as the keynote speaker at the ceremony. In her address, Flores implored students to follow their passion, create positive change in the world, and expand their network as a strategy to achieve their career goals. 

At the ceremony, graduate students Audrey Kishishita and Serena Zadoorian were named the Natural Science recipient and Social Science recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Student Awards respectively. The students were nominated and selected to receive the honor based on their outstanding academic achievement in their graduate studies.

A separate event honoring students on the Dean’s List – those who have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or higher – is scheduled for May 3, 2019. 

For more photos of the Honors Convocation, visit our flickr page.
23 rd Annual Lloyd N. Ferguson Distinguished Lecture 
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry hosted the 23 rd Annual Lloyd N. Ferguson Distinguished Lecture with guest speaker, Jason K. Sello, professor of chemistry at Brown University. The annual event honors the legacy of the late Lloyd N. Ferguson, a Cal State LA professor emeritus of chemistry, and recognizes undergraduate students who are recipients of the Lloyd N. Ferguson Scholarship Fund. 

The event began with a video produced by Bill Wimberley of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry that highlighted the life and legacy of Ferguson. President Covino welcomed attendees including family members of the late professor, and stressed the indelible mark left on the university by Ferguson. This includes the establishment of major research and student support efforts such as the Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) program. To date, the program has propelled hundreds of Cal State LA alumni to successful careers in research and academia.

Sello delivered his keynote lecture, “The Past, Present and Future of Antibiotics,” to an audience of more than 100 Cal State LA students, faculty, staff and alumni. He detailed the discovery of antibiotics, its overuse, and research needed for its proliferation in the future.

Alison McCurdy, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, delivered the closing remarks thanking Sello for his presentation. She encouraged students in attendance to carry on the legacy of Ferguson by positively impacting the world through research and mentorship. 

Welcome the new Director of Student Success and Academic Advising 
Lavona Thomas has been named the Director of Student Success and Academic Advising for the College of Natural and Social Sciences. Thomas received her Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Prior to joining NSS, she served as an academic advisor in the College of Arts and Letters.

Thomas is committed to student retention and has over 15 years of higher education experience in various areas including advising, working with at-risk students, registration, admissions, teaching, orientation, staff development programs, and first and second year retention projects. Her approach to advising is heavily influenced by Jennifer Bloom’s Appreciative Advising model. The model allows for collaboration between the advisor and the student by using open ended questions, which helps students to “optimize their educational experiences and achieve their dreams, goals and potentials.” 

Thomas began her tenure at NSS on April 8, 2019. 
Chemistry & Biochemistry Alumni Industry Panel 
The Chemistry and Biochemistry Club welcomed four alumni back to the university campus for a panel discussion on industry jobs available to students aspiring to establish a career in the chemistry and biochemistry fields. The panelists represented various sectors of the chemistry industry including manufacturing, cosmetics, and analytical chemistry. The panelists offered interview and resume building tips as well as insights into their chosen careers.  
Elementary and Middle School Students visit Cal State LA 
The college welcomed students from Pacoima Middle School and Bradoaks Elementary School in March for a day of learning and exploration. The students participated in activities organized by the Physics & Astronomy Club, and graduate students from the anthropology, chemistry, geology and physics departments.

3 rd Annual NSS Faculty Retreat
The NSS Steering Committee is calling for proposals for the 3 rd Annual NSS College-wide Retreat titled, “ Agents of Change: Promoting Equity-mindedness through Teaching and Research .” The committee invites proposals that showcase the innovative ways in which faculty members engage students in research and practice that promotes equity and/or understanding of civic responsibility. All tenured, tenure-track and lecturer faculty are welcome to participate.

For interested presenters, please to submit a brief abstract (150 words) by April 10, 2019.

The retreat will be held on May 10, 2019. More details to follow. 
NSS Strategic Plan Townhall (Date Changed to April 30)
The NSS Steering Committee invites you to a townhall meeting on April 30, 2019 to offer feedback on the NSS Strategic Plan. Feel free to submit comments or questions ahead of time through the RSVP link below. The event will begin at 3:00 p.m. at MUS 149.

 
Faculty Focus
Dolores Delgado Bernal , chair of the Chicana(o) and Latina(o) Studies department was selected to receive the Saber es Poder Academic Excellence Award in Mexican American Studies from the University of Arizona. The award recognizes a distinguished scholar whose work has demonstrated sustained excellence and long-term commitment to advancing the understanding of Mexican Americans and Mexican immigrant populations in the United States.

Jessica Bodoh-Creed , presented the NSS Big Data grant at the Society Applied Anthropology on a panel called “Collaborating with Cities” in Portland, Oregon. 

Eileen Ford was recently appointed as a Duncan Gleason California Maritime History Fellow and an E. Peter Maulk, Jr. / Doyce B. Nunis, Jr. Fellow at The Huntington for her work in support of her work on William Wrigley Jr. in Southern California .

Silvia Heubach was featured on the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast where she discusses mindset, metacognition, and math.


Michael McLendon was featured in an op-ed for New Statesman America about meritocracy and the recent college admission scandal.

Marla Parker has been invited to give a lecture on cultural competency research at the Evans School of Policy and Governance at the University of Washington.
Upcoming Events
Exhibit Opening – The LA River: The Past, the Present, and the Future

The opening reception of The LA River: The Past, the Present, and the Future will be held on April 10, 2019 at the Library North A Level. The art exhibit will feature original photographs of the LA River from the Los Angeles Times Archives spanning a hundred years.

Event begins at 5:30 p.m. with Mark Wild, chair of the history department, providing a brief overview of the history of the LA River. Light snacks and refreshments will be served. 

2019 Social Innovation Prize

The 2019 Social Innovation Prize presented by the Civic and Social Innovation Group (CaSIG) will be held on April 11, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The campus wide event celebrates the innovative minds and compassion of students wanting to transform their community. The event will be held at the University Library North, Room B131.


Physics Alumni Lecture and Dinner

The alumni group of the Department of Physics and Astronomy will be holding its fourth annual lecture and dinner on April 16, 2019 . Cal State LA professor of physics, Mohammad Pourhomayoun, will deliver the lecture titled “Artificial Intelligence: From Science Fiction to Real Life.” The lecture begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Golden Eagle Ballroom with dinner to follow. The event is free and open to all members of the academic community.


25 Years of Zapatismo Across Time and Space

Save the date for an Encuentro (gathering) celebrating 25 years of Zapatismo, continuing the Dialogo and learning from experience. The event will take place from April 26 - 27, 2019 on the university campus, Floricanto Community Center, and Eastside Cafe.

The Latin American Studies program invites proposals for papers, panels, roundtables, workshops, art projects, performances, installations, booths, dialogues, and other activities related to the Zapatista movement and to movements and organizations that are inspired by it. To participate, please submit a short description of your proposal to las@calstatela.edu and write “Encuentro” in the subject line.
More Events
NSS Alumni Panel

Mark your calendars for the NSS Alumni Panel followed by a catered networking reception. The event is sponsored by the Associated Students, Inc. More details on panelists to follow.

April 24, 2019
6:00 p.m.
University –Student Union Theatre
Western Psychological Association Annual Meeting 

Join fellow NSS faculty and students as Cal State LA hosts this year's Western Psychological Association Annual Meeting. The event is a large regional meeting for scholars, teachers, and students in psychology.

April 25 - 28, 2019
9:00 a.m. daily
Pasadena Convention Center
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