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Fresno State RISE Program

Scholars

Sixth Cohort (2024-2026)

Abelino Garza

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Kalyani Maitra

Aneisha Goodlow

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. David Lent

Brianna Martinez

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. Paul Price

 

Emily Rocha

Major: Biology

Mentor:  Dr. Morgan Hawker

Izabella Lopez

Major: Animal Science

Mentor:  Dr. Masaki Uchida

Jocelyn Velasquez

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Cynthia Hsu

 

Kassandra Gracia Monjaraz

Major: Biology; Minor: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. Michael Botwin

Mariah Sadeddin

Major: Chemistry

Mentor: Dr. Hubert Muchalski

Melanie Dominguez

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. Christine Edmond

 

Melanie Zepeda-Esquivel

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Masaki Uchida

Naylene Velasquez

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Morgan Hawker 

Zoie Gavel

Major: Human Nutrition Science

Mentor: Dr. Alejandro Caleron-Urrea

 

Fifth Cohort (2023-2025)

student smiling with trees in background

Angelia Leggett

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Hubert Muchalski

Project Title: Rate-Accelerated Effects of Gallium(III) Triflate Lewis Acid on Transition Evaluation of  Metal-Catalyzed Reactions

chaeson smiling

Chaeson Sears, II

Major: Engineering

Mentor: Dr. The Nguyen

Project Title: Affordable prosthetic arm

 

student with light blue cardigan smiling

Danica Belman

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Ulrike Muller

Project Title: How bladderworts catch their prey: functional response models applied to an aquatic carnivorous plant

student with long dark straight hair smiling

Jessica Perez

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Martin Shapiro

Project Title: Exploring Teachers' Perspectives on Drug Harms and Disciplinary Actions: Insight into Fresno, Clovis, and Madera Unified School Districts.

student smiling

Ian Heu

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Masaki Uchida

Project Title: Designing Dec based on computational Dec mutants

Melissa in front of Fresno State Library

Melissa Jauregui

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Alejandro Calderon-Urrea

Project Title: Exposing Caenorhaditis Elegans to flourscent chalcones to identify specific targeted anatomical regions 

Xavier Martinez smilingXavier Martinez

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Martin Shapiro

Project Title: The effects of energy drinks on the autonomic nervous system and risky decision-making (with a reward framed as a gain)

female student in front of reflective windows

Arcana O'Regan

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Morgan Hawker

Project Title: Allylamine plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition to enhance amine content of PTFE for heart patches

student in front of reflective windowsIvan Soto

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Cynthia Hsu

Project Title: Light drives an increase in sleep through
oxidative stress

Male student smiling

Richard Campos-Luna

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Martin Shapiro

Project Title: The effects of energy drinks on the autonomic nervous system and risky decision-making (with a reward framed as a loss). 

 

 

Fourth Cohort (2022-2024)

student with curly hair

Andy Cabrera

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Joel Slade

Project Title: Leukocyte profiles and bloodborne parasites as a predictor of condition in a songbird

student smiling

Benjamin Awad

Major: Physics

Mentor: Dr. Mihai Gherase

Project Title: Microdistribution of major and trace elements in baby teeth slices using a microbeam 2D XRF raster scanning technique 

Smiling student in navy blue button up shirt

Fabiola Amaya Reyes

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. David Lent 

Project Title: The effects of sleep dystregulation on the progression of Alzheimer's disease in a fruit fly model

student smiling in teal and black checkered button-up

Jacob Caraccilo

Major: Mathematics

Mentor:  Dr. Mario Banuelos

Project Title: Modeling Environmental Factors Effects on Valley Fever Incidence Rates

student smiling with navy blue button-up

John Gutierrez

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Masaki Uchida

Project Title: Encapsulation of Gold Nanoparticles into Protein Cages Through Genetically Modified Viral Proteins

student smiling wearing pink blouse

Mai Her

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. David Lent

Project Title: Assessing the effects of luteolin on reducing zinc-induced hyperphosphorylation of tau and its impacts on behavior in a fruit fly model of Alzheimer’s Disease

student smiling wearing white top

Sydney Rivera

Major: Engineering

Mentor: Dr. The Nguyen

Project Title: Affordable prosthetic arm

 

student with long dark hair in light blue blazer

Wendy Hernandez

Major: Animal Sciences

Mentor: Dr. David Lent

Project Title: Investigating the Effectiveness of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors in Reducing Visuomotor Planning Deficits of Alzheimer's Disease in Drosophila melanogaster

Yazmine Bedolla

Yazmine Bedolla

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Cory L. Brooks

Project Title: Structural Insight Into an Anti-tumor Antibody Bound to a MUC1 Peptide

 

Keyara Piri

Keyara Piri

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Qiao-Hong Chen 

Project Title: Development of dehydroabietylamine derivatives is potential prostate cancer therapeutics

student smiling with  trees in the background

Karen Medina

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Hubert Muchalski

Project Title: Metal-Catalyzed Preparation Fluorine-Tagged Peroxyesters of 4-Aryl-3-Butenoic Acids

Isabella Garcia

Isabella Garcia

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Hubert Muchalski

Project Title: Robustness Screen of Palladium-Catalyzed Tandem Sonogashira Cross Coupling-Cyclization

Third Cohort (2021-2023)

Sierra Lopez - RISE Student

Sierra Lopez

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. David Lent

 

Ashley Keobounnan - RISE Student

Ashley Keobounnan

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Morgan Hawker

Kelly Kepler - RISE Student

Kelly Kepler

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Kristi Closser

Elizabeth Uriostegui - RISE Student

Elizabeth Uriostegui

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. Rosa Toro

 

Jasmine Hang - RISE Student

Jasmine Hang

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Qiao-Hong Chen

Summer Herrera - RISE Student

Summer Herrera

Major: Psychology

Mentor:  Dr. Rosa Toro

Kirubel Mamo - RISE Student

Kirubel Mamo

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Hubert Muchalski

 

Khamyl Cooksey - RISE Student

Khamyl Cooksey

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Qiao-Hong Chen

Andrew Cardenas - RISE Student

Andrew Cardenas

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Katherine Waselkov

smiling student in plum top

Paulina Medina

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. Masaki Uchida

student smiling in black Fresno State jacket

Zachary Padilla

Major: Animal Sciences

Mentor: Dr. Joel Slade

 

 

 

 

 

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Sandra Carranza

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Alija Mujic

Second Cohort (2020-2022)

Sophie Jimenez - RISE Student

Sophie Jimenez

Mentor: Dr. Masaki Uchida

Stan Gomez - RISE Student

Stan Gomez

Mentor: Dr. Qiao-Hong Chen

 

Kiana Crisosto - RISE Student

Kiana Crisosto

Mentor: Dr. Paul Price

Kathryn Ramirez - RISE Student

Kathryn Ramirez

Mentor: Dr. Rory Telemeco

 

Tong Lee - RISE Student

Tong Lee

Mentor: Dr. Qiao-Hong Chen

Esveidy Nava Oceguera - RISE Student

Esveidy Nava Oceguera

Mentor: Dr. Qiao-Hong Chen

Elinore Alms - RISE Student

Elinore Alms

Mentor: Dr. David Lent

 

Emily Nieman - RISE Student

Emily Nieman

Mentor: Dr. David Lent

Juan Pablo Hernandez - RISE Student

Juan Pablo Hernandez

Mentor: Dr. Ellen Woo

First Cohort (2019-2021)

Ana Chavez

Ana Chavez 

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Alija Mujic

 

angel rojas

Angel Rojas

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Hubert Muchalski

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Celine Jimenez

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Ellen Woo

Daisy Xiong

Daisy Xiong 

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Alejandro Calderon-Urrea

 

delilah lucatero

Delilah Lucatero

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. Paul Price

elena ramos

Elena Ramos

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Joy Goto

guadalupe cervantes chavez

Guadalupe Cervantes Chavez

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. Karl Oswald

 

nicholas olveda

Nicholas Olveda

Major: Biochemistry

Mentor: Dr. Qiao-Hong Chen

sebastian flores

Sebastian Flores

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. Paul Price

Souvixada Somsacksy

Souvixada Somsacksy

Major: Biology

Mentor: Dr. Jason Bush

yaritza reyes

Yaritza Reyes

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. Rosa Toro

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Courtney Hill 

Major: Psychology

Mentor: Dr. Chris Miller