CSUMB UROC students and alum earn prestigious awards

By Mark C. Anderson

There’s an art to CSUMB student Taylor Trivino’s science. Two key elements to it are curiosity and community. 

“I enjoy being able to brainstorm with my peers and try out new approaches,” she says.

“Aside from the research, I have a passion for outreach and connecting with my community. I love seeing people’s faces light up with excitement when I tell them about anything science- or ocean-related.”

That motivation helped Trivino, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fellow and Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center scholar, earn a highly competitive grant this spring – the National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship Research Program Award. 

She says she can’t believe her graduate work at University of Washington in Seattle will be underwritten by such a prestigious agency.

“I never thought I would be receiving an award like this,” she said. “All of my experiences during my undergraduate years have led me on a path to pursuing the unimaginable: graduate school. I feel prepared and confident to enter this new chapter of my life – and eager to see what comes next.”

Her mentor, Associate Professor Alison Haupt, can certainly believe it. 

“Taylor has shown great perseverance throughout her life and has used that to achieve great things at CSUMB and beyond. She is an incredibly welcoming and supportive presence for other students,” Haupt said, noting Trivino’s work as a CSUMB peer mentor and student rep to the College of Science’s Diversity-Equity-Inclusion Committee. 

That reflects a big picture/greater good sensibility that also surfaces in her science.

“Taylor is really excited about the intersection of communities and science,” Haupt added. “Rather than thinking about science in isolation, she is really interested in how communities can impact projects and how the projects will impact them.”

It’s not hard to imagine Trivino leveraging her success to create more opportunities for those underrepresented in the science sphere.

“What's been most meaningful to me about receiving the NSF GRFP award is that I have come to realize that there's a place for me in marine science,” she said. “As a first-generation Hispanic woman, I am venturing into the unknown. I am beyond appreciative of my friends and family for supporting me through my journey, especially during times where I doubted myself.”

Trivino joins a raft of current and lifelong Otters who received weighty recognition this spring.

Spencer Hart Winter – a double-major in biology and human development and family science, UROC Scholar and CSU PreDoc Scholar and CSU Trustee Awardee – also received a National Science Foundation GRFP Award. 

His mentor, assistant professor of psychology, Zurine De Miguel, describes him as resilient, generous and “a fountain of fresh ideas.”

Like Trivino, he thrives in group work and research that reaches beyond narrow fields. 

“Spencer might surprise people by forging new scientific interdisciplinary connections, [with] his capacity to embrace failure as a stepping stone, and by thriving in collaborative endeavors,” De Miguel said. “I can't wait to see him in action five years from now.”

That’s a reference to the time span the fellowship covers, while providing several years of financial support at around $37,000 a year. 

According to its own language, the purpose of the GRFP is “to ensure the quality, vitality, and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States,” while seeking to “broaden participation in science and engineering of underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans.”

Three other Otter alumni also won National Science Foundation recognition and GFRP support. 

Christina M. Magana-Ramirez, who focuses her research on mathematical sciences and statistics, will conduct her work as a graduate at University of California-Irvine.

Olivia C. Boisen, who studies environmental biology, will continue her studies at Oregon State University.

Amalia Seigel, a current technician at CSUMB’s Alter Lab – which zeroes in on marine evolutionary and ecological genomics – drew a GRFP honorable mention.

Meanwhile, the lofty honors weren’t limited to the National Science Foundation. 

Ingrid Martinson, a NOAA scholar and UROC scholar, received a 2023 Goldwater Scholarship Award, a nod to what the Goldwater describes as a strong commitment to a research career in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering; effective display of intellectual intensity in the sciences, mathematics and engineering; and potential for a significant future contribution to research in their chosen field.

In her work as a writing and professional communication associate at UROC, Natasha Oehlman is familiar with many of these high-achieving Otters. She observes a remarkable combination in Trivino that’s also reflected in the others, and something the scholarship/fellowship awards prioritize. 

“She embodies the two NSF merit criteria of broader impacts and demonstrating intellectual merit,” Oehlman said. “That’s all a result of her genuine curiosity and her incredible passion for doing the science.”