From Nietzsche’s thoughts on theatre to heart rate variability among transgender men, Cal State Long Beach’s 30th annual Student Research Competition covered it all.
The competition, which took place on Friday, provided an opportunity for 55 Long Beach graduate and undergraduate students to bring research they’ve conducted under disciplines in the humanities, sciences, administration and education to the forefront. Participants were judged on their research proposal, rigor, implications, methodology and oral presentation.
First place for any of the nine categories received a $100 cash prize and 10 of the first and second place winners will have the opportunity to present their research at Cal State Sacramento for the 32nd CSU Statewide Research Competition May 4.
Director Simon Kim, associate vice president of research and sponsored programs, was elated to be taking up the 30-year legacy of organizing the event.
Kim said this excitement comes from providing students with an opportunity to refine their research skills and find applications for their education.
“Students learn when they actually get their hands dirty,” Kim said.
Kim sees education as further developed through discovery and formulating questions outside of what is presented in lecture halls. In addition to this, he sees students presenting their findings as a way to validate their field of study.
“It’s not so important [whether] or not they win,” Kim said. “My hope is that every student on this campus is given the opportunity to conduct research.”
Kim went on to express his pride in the variety of subjects by explaining that whoever comes to the competition will be able to find a subject that is relevant and interesting to them.
“When people think of research in higher education, they assume it has to be at a level that no one else can understand, but that’s not the case,” Kim said. “We’re trying to solve everyday problems.”
Part of this learning experience is participants being encouraged to experiment with the means of presenting their research, whether it’s a powerpoint presentation on housing or demonstrations of interpretive dance
Here are some of the presenters:
Humanities and Letters
Elaine Chen, a German studies graduate student, presented her research on Friedrich Nietzsche’s thoughts on theatre and an existential approach to meaning.
Chen started by unpacking the idea that the role of theatre traditionally is to impart a specific moral or meaning, whereas Nietzsche puts forward that the purpose of theatre isn’t to impart dogma, but to encourage individuals to create their own ethical guidelines and discover what meanings are worth pursuit.
“[Nietzsche] has very ambivalent ideas of how the theatre is supposed to help people determine what their own motivations are,” Chen said.
Chen sees this as extending beyond the theatre to the college classroom, so that a student isn’t taught what to think but pursue how they want to think.
Nietzsche expressed that people leaving the theatre should be better equipped to do what it is they’re meant for; Chen sees this as just as relevant at college.
“Are we teaching people to think critically, to fight for what they believe is right, to push back against what they think is unjust or are we teaching people to be submissive,” Chen said. “We as teachers are sort of directors and actors.”
Business, Economics, and Public Administration
Research centering around the city of Long Beach was also present at the competition. Geography masters student Will Shaw focused his research on housing affordability in the city, specifically alternatives to apartments and homes, repurposing out-of-use buildings and tiny homes.
Through this research, he’s found there is no easy solution to housing in Long Beach or southern California in general, but parts of a solution, such as homeowners renting portions of their property or repurposing old buildings, are some areas that may be underutilized.
One of the main benefits Shaw got out of the research experience was working with a nonprofit and getting a look into the housing market he may be entering into.
“It was really rewarding, you get to meet lots of people throughout the interview process and I got to learn a concept I wouldn’t have really explored without it,” Shaw said.
He’s now a research analyst at City Fabrick, a Long Beach non-profit urban design studio.
Health, Nutrition, and Clinical Sciences (Including Psychology)
Tian Walker, a senior majoring in anthropology, presented and participated in research on heart rate variability and social stress among transgender men who undergo hormone therapy.
Walker started off dreading the work involved in statistic-based research and data input but slowly came to love the process through seeing the end result.
“I started knowing nothing,” Walker said. “I got to start from inputting numbers for hours to the point where we started seeing results.”
That end result is that heart rate variability increased during sleep. For Walker, this presents a need for more research to be put into minority groups undergoing social pressures and their overall health.
“Our study is in part to shine light on an experience but also to alleviate negative health outcomes,” Walker said.
Walker was also able to present these findings at the Human Biological Association.
Creative Arts and Design
Performing arts senior Kayla Manuel, presented her research and experience touring with “Flight,” a performing arts adaptation of “The Little Prince,” over last summer.
Touring from San Diego to Boulder gave Manuel the chance to work behind the scenes of in the performing arts, learning about social media promotion, rehearsal organizing and ticket sales.
“It took me out of my element,” Manuel said. “I felt like I was enlisting in the army, but in doing so it took me out of my comfort zone and made me grow.”
Out of presenting to an audience, she explained she was able to take into account what she experienced and accomplished.