Inside Cal State Fullerton's 2022 Science and Math Symposium
For young scientists, presenting research can be as daunting as it is thrilling. At Cal State Fullerton's 16th Annual NSM-ICC Science and Mathematics Symposium, student researchers transformed anxiety into achievement. Organized by the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Inter-Club Council (NSM-ICC), this campus event served as a critical launchpad for students to share discoveries, hone presentation skills, and "give back" to the university that funded their work. More than just an academic requirement, the symposium embodied a rite of passage—where future microbiologists, mathematicians, and molecular biologists took their first steps into the scientific spotlight 1 3 .
Annual Event
Projects with Bioinformatics
Address Global Challenges
Student Participation
The NSM-ICC, one of Cal State Fullerton's eight academic councils, designed the symposium with a clear mission: empower students to translate complex research into compelling narratives. Representatives from science clubs across the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) coordinated the event.
For many participants, this symposium was a rehearsal for larger stages like the American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting or the SIAM Conference on Imaging Sciences 1 .
Among the standout projects of the 2022 symposium was the work of Joshua Fonbuena, a molecular biology senior. His investigation into the deadly parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (which causes Chagas disease) exemplified the symposium's blend of rigor and accessibility 5 .
Fonbuena's team asked: How does the TcMscS gene influence the parasite's survival? To find out, they executed a meticulous 4-phase experiment:
Using CRISPR-Cas9, they deactivated the TcMscS gene in a parasite group.
TRIzol reagent extracted RNA from modified and unmodified parasites.
Quantitative PCR (qPCR) measured gene activity differences.
Algorithms like BLAST identified functional impacts of expression changes 5 .
| Phase | Tool/Reagent | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Gene Editing | CRISPR-Cas9 | Precisely disables target genes |
| RNA Extraction | TRIzol | Isolates pure RNA for analysis |
| Amplification | qPCR Master Mix | Copies DNA segments for detection |
| Data Analysis | BLAST | Compares sequences to genetic databases |
Fonbuena's data revealed that parasites without TcMscS showed 40% reduced proliferation in host cells. Bioinformatics further linked the gene to ion channel regulation—a potential vulnerability for drug targeting. This discovery highlighted new paths for treating a neglected tropical disease affecting millions 5 .
| Parasite Group | Proliferation Rate | Key Downregulated Pathways |
|---|---|---|
| Wild-Type | 100% (baseline) | N/A |
| TcMscS-Knockout | 60% | Ion transport, Metabolism |
Molecular biology breakthroughs hinge on specialized reagents. Here's what powered Fonbuena's experiment:
| Reagent | Function | Role in Experiment |
|---|---|---|
| TRIzol® | RNA isolation | Extracts undegraded RNA from parasites |
| DNase I | DNA removal | Prevents genomic DNA contamination |
| Reverse Transcriptase | Converts RNA to cDNA | Enables PCR amplification |
| SYBR® Green Master Mix | qPCR detection | Binds to DNA for fluorescence measurement |
| CRISPR-Cas9 System | Gene editing | Knocks out TcMscS gene |
The NSM-ICC symposium's impact extended far beyond a single day. For students like Fonbuena, it provided critical peer review before presenting at national conferences like the Southern California American Society for Microbiology meeting 1 5 . For the university, it fulfilled a core mandate: transforming funded research into communal knowledge.
"Defending my work to campus peers sharpened my ability to explain science to non-specialists—a skill that later impressed my grad school interviewers."
The 2022 symposium also spotlighted emerging trends:
30% of projects integrated computational tools
Microbiologists partnered with data scientists
Over half addressed global challenges
Cal State Fullerton's symposium embodies a microcosm of scientific progress—where curiosity meets rigor, and students evolve into scholars. As NSM-ICC continues to fund and showcase undergraduate research, it reinforces a truth often lost in high-stakes academia: every groundbreaking discovery begins with a first presentation. For the students of 2022, that first step happened among mentors and peers, in a room buzzing with the electric promise of science taking flight 1 3 5 .
Research Skills
Presentation Experience
Professional Networking