Outstanding Thesis/Project Award

CSUSB Outstanding Thesis/Project Awards

The Outstanding Thesis Award is given annually to recognize those students who have shown exceptional scholarship and dedication in developing and writing their master’s thesis or project. Two awards are given annually: one student is awarded in the Humanities, Education, Business, and Social Sciences category, and one in the Math, Computer Science, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Life Sciences category. Awardees receive a cash award, a glass trophy, and are recognized at one of Graduate Studies' fall events.

Nomination Process

Each program may nominate one thesis or project for submission; submissions are judged for their originality, significance, quality, and outcomes. A call for nominations is sent to faculty during the spring term and winners are announced the following fall.

There are two categories:

• Outstanding Thesis/Project: Humanities, Social Sciences, Education, and Business
• Outstanding Thesis/Project: Biological Sciences, Computer Science and Technology, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Life Sciences.
• One student will be awarded in each category.

The 2023-2024 Nomination Deadline is July 18. Submissions are judged over the summer and awards are announced in fall semester. 

See the Call for OTA Submissions for details.

Awardee Spotlight

Annual Outstanding Thesis/Project Award Winners

Thesis, projects, and dissertations are available on CSUSB ScholarWorks.

2023-2024

Cassandra Cavazos
Master of Arts in Psychological Science
Serotonin 1A Receptor Modulation on Behavioral Flexibility in BTBR and C57BL/6J Mice

Michelle Hernandez
Master of Science in Biology
Qualitative Assessment of Human Embryonic- And Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Neural Stem Cells Under CGMP Methods

2022-2023

James Burns
Master of Science in Earth and Environmental Sciences: Geology
Late Holocene Slip History of the Central Garlock Fault, Mojave Desert, California

Raeven Jones Sanchez
Master of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Authenticity, Support, and Identity Management in the Workplace for Transgender Employees

2021-2022

Diana Ramirez
Master of Social Work
Barriers to the Use of Palliative and Hospice Care among the Latino Population

Chelsea Schweer
Master of Arts in Mathematics
Verifying Sudoku Puzzles

2020-2021

Jolon Koppmann
Master of Science in Information Systems and Technology
Overcoming the Challenges of Big Data Analytics Adoption for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Manufacturing Industry

Randy Lucio
Master of Arts in English Composition, Applied Linguistics and TESL,
Critical Period Controversies for Second Language Acquisition: Implications for Language Teaching

2019-2020

Evan Snyder
Master of Arts in Mathematics
Minimal Surfaces and The Weierstrass-Enneper Representation

Rebecca Waring-Crane
Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art
Stories I'm Telling Myself

2018-2019

Bryan Castillo
Master of Science in Earth and Environmental Sciences
Ages of Prehistoric Earthquakes on the Banning Strand of the San Andreas Fault, Near North Palm Springs, California

Alana Muller
Master of Arts in Psychological Science
Neurological Correlates of the Dunning-Kruger Effect

2017-2018

Jason Jung
Master of Science in Biology
Redescription and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Materials Assigned to the Taxon “Captorhinikos” chozaensis

Dorris Kamiya Stewart
Master of Arts in Psychology
Losing Control: The Consequences of Individual- and Group-Based Social Exclusion on Latina Women’s Self-Regulation of Unhealthy Eating

2016-2017

D'Angelo Bridges 
Master of Arts in English Composition
Revising Rhetorical Theory in My Bondage and My Freedom: Narrativizing and Theorizing a Rhetoric of Blackness 

Nelson Membreno 
Master of Science in Biology
Effects of Eggshell Removal on Embryonic Skeletal Development in the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

2015-2016

Alicia Davis 
Master of Science in Biology
Characterization of Influenza Nucleoprotein Body Domain as Antiviral Target

Daniel Gray 
Master of Arts in Education: Holistic and Integrative Education
The Creative Warrior, A Holistic Approach to Health and Longevity

2014-2015

Stacy Nerkowski 
Master of Science in Biology
Microsatellite Analysis of Population Structure in the Santa Ana Speckled Dace

Susan VanAllen
Master of Social Work
Overcoming Barriers to Mental Health Service Utilization among Justice-Involved Youth 

2013-2014

Rosyli Reveron 
Master of Science in Biology
Gliobastoma Multiforme Utilizes System Xc¯ for Survival under Oxidative Stress and Promotes Chemoresistance

Stacy Bush 
Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
Drone Effects: Structural Change in Al Qa’ida Communications

2012-2013

Stephen Anderson 
Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
International Cocaine and Heroin Drug Trafficking: A Social Network Approach

Jennifer Wacan 
Master of Arts in General Experimental Psychology
Backward and Forward Continuity as a Predictor of Wellbeing
among Mexican American Respondents: Scale Development

2011-2012

Laughing Bear Torrez Dulgeroff
Master of Science in Biology
Elucidating the Role of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins and B-Lymphocyte Maturation
Protein 1 During Primordial Germ Cell Specification

Matthew Tracy
Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
Identity Theft; A Problem of Complex Systems or Moral Panic?

2010-2011

Bronson Lim
Master of Arts in Mathematics
Symmetric Generation of M22

2009-2010

Heather Fickas
Master of Social Work
Outcome Evaluation of HIV/AIDS Outreach Project at Malmesbury
Prison in South Africa

2008-2009

Ken Noriega
Master of Science in Biology
Digital Reconstruction of a Ceratopsid PES

2007-2008

Adam Huttenlocker
Master of Science in Biology
Comparative Osteohistology of Hyperelongate Neural Spines in Basal Synapsids
(Vertebrata, Amniota): Growth and Mechanical Considerations

2006-2007

Keri Maher
Master of Science in Biology
A Geographically Constrained Molecular Phylogeny of Panamanian Aechmea Species (Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae)

2005-2006

Michael Davidson
Master of Public Administration
Institutional Structures for Equitable and Sustainable
Water Resource Management in the Middle East

2004-2005

Lucy Jun
Master of Science in Biology
Thyroid Hormone-Regulated Skeletal Muscle GLUT4 Glucose Transporter Trafficking
During Fasting in Diet-Induced Obesity and Insulin Resistance

2003-2004

Frank Marfai's
Master of Arts in Mathematics
Hyperbolic Transformations on Cubics in H2

2002-2003

Kimberly Belvedere
Master of Arts in Criminal Justice
Why do They Resist?:
Exploring Dynamics of Police-Citizen Violence During Arrest Encounters

2001-2002

Dwayne Clarke
Master of Arts in Mathematics
The Cyclic Cutwidth of Mesh Cubes

2000-2001

Anshumala Ram
Master of Social Work
Effects of Head Start Participation on Cognitive and Social Functioning
of Children in the United States