STEAM Night

Mater Dei Catholic High School’s Academy of Science utilizes a rigorous, STEAM-focused academic track for high-achieving students designed to challenge and develop students’ skills in scientific inquiry, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communications.

The Academy’s primary goal is to encourage and foster students’ understanding of STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) by engaging them in real-world problems and allowing them to independently research topics pertaining to each students’ interests. By graduation, Academy of Science students are better prepared to succeed in a freshman-level University of California (UC) science class and lab section.

STEAM Night is the culmination of three years of Science Academy students’ hard work; students create an academic inquiry poster focused on a research topic based on their individual interests or their internship experience. Students then use their posters to create four to five-minute PowerPoint presentations to highlight the key aspects of their research and have the opportunity to field audience questions similarly to a collegiate-level academic conference.

For the 2021-2022 academic school year, 63 Science Academy Seniors will present 52 research posters at STEAM Night. The Science Academy would also like to acknowledge our six directors who have coordinated behind the scenes to make this year’s STEAM event a huge success.

Please join us in supporting our Science Academy Seniors and their efforts by logging onto the STEAM Night ZOOM link for the evening’s opening remarks at 6:00 PM and by joining the ZOOM links for the presentations you would like to watch starting at 6:20 PM.

Introduction

Directors

Ryan, Lily, Sofia, Paul, Erik, & Nathanael

Group 1: Environmental/Geo

Name(s)

Isaac Valdez & Jasmine Navarro
Eros Castaneda
Sasha Evans
Charlie Maltby
Talia Quiroga
Jacob Vasquez
Arantxa Mendiola
Vivian Wetzel
Victoria Zepeda

Poster Title

The Beginnings of Martian Agriculture
The Impact of Coal Produced Air Pollution in The United States
Tracking the Appendage Movement of Copepods During Foraging …
Tidal Prisms and Exchange in The Tijuana Estuary
The Neverending Cycle-Microplastics and their Growing Impact
How Toxic Welding Fumes Have Huge Effects on the Environment …
Discovering new low-temperature stars and brown dwarfs in deep …
Solar flares and their effects and dangers to Earth and Mars
The Colorado River Drought

Group 2: Environmental/Geo

Name(s)

Yadira Rodriguez-Diaz
Isabel Hernandez-Nowotny
Alberto Serrano & Santiago Lutteroth
Bernadette Solares
Diego Tirado
Georgia Overby
Charolette D. & Matthew M.
Jeremy & Nicholas Macchiarella
Dominic Riley & Luca Watson

Poster Title

Introducing East County Advanced Water Purification System
The Mangrove Forest Pelenes biosphere reserve Campeche, Mexico
How have Anthropogenic Activities impacted the Golden Eagle…
Impact of Textile Dye on Aquatic Environments And the Noyyal…
The Risk and Methods of Nuclear Waste Management
Galapagos Scalloped Hammerhead: Critically Endangered
Why are kiwis going extinct?
Physiological Effects of Copper on Marine Life in Southern…
The Management of Nuclear Waste at San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant

Group 3: Medical

Name(s)

Alen Serur & Carlos Mattei
Adriana Petro
Santiago Villasenor – Martinez
Orion Stephenson
Christian Mattei
Shane Cagel & Daniel Lopez
Kristiana Kara Ibanez
Daniela Muralles

Poster Title

Advancements of PKU
The Connection of Covid 19 and Preterm Labor Occurrences in 2020
How Does Parkinson’s Disease Affect the Brain?
Rupturing the Achilles tendon and Treatment Plans for..
Demeter: An online application that will combat obesity in America
Running Biomechanics & Football
Which Population Group Shows the Prevalence of Glaucoma Diagnosis…
Surfactant Dysfunction in Newborns and Children

Group 4: Medical

Name(s)

Catalina Roji
Amy Jones & Skylar Pay
Natalie Zwick
Melina Vicente
Connor Pham
Diya Patel
Mylie Dela Rosa
Gigi Figueroa & Jacob Firsht

Poster Title

Management of traumatic brain injury symptoms with acupuncture
Beta-amyloid, the Primary Biomarker in Defining Alzheimer’s…
Contributions of whole genome & exome sequencing to…
The synthesis of heterocyclic tertiary alcohols from alpha…
Cardiovascular Regeneration Treatment for Deceased Heart Tissue
SIKE Mutation and its Relation to Antiviral Responses
Measuring Aminoacylation to Develop Gene Expression Inhibitors…
How Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Caused by Chronic Bronchitis…

Group 5: Social/Political Science

Name(s)

Mark Allen Cu
Alejandro Alcocer
Gabriela Del Toro
Carolina Reynoso Torres
Andre Wichman
TBD
Melissa Esparaza-Villarreal
Erik Brenes
Isabella Sevilla

Poster Title

The Immigrant Veteran Crisis
Accessible and locally sourced solar water heater made for…
Impact of Agriculture on Food Security in Puerto Rico
Why Singapore is a tax haven
Recidivism in California
The Future of Food in an Expanding World
How do Genetically Modified Crops Affect Animal Fertility?
Combating Graffiti in Los Angeles in Youth Ages 13-22
How social media contributes to political polarization

Group 6: Technology/Engineering & Psychology

Name(s)

Brayden Daen & Patrick Rodriguez
James Walrath
Sheng Wang
Mya Hiatt
Chris Sulier
Marianne Corpuz
Haylee Hoffman
Karla Saldana & Mayela Marquez

Poster Title

Information Security Engineering and Protecting Data System…
Current Limitations of Quantum Computers
Quantum Communication Technology Ensures the Security of…
Building a Solar Powered Ping Pong Table
How the Evolution of Sail Material and Design has Improved…
How Cognitive Psychologists Can Help Those with Early Onset…
Perfectionism and its effect on the immature mind
Analysis of the causes of dental fear