Who we are

Sonal Singhal

I have been a professor at CSU Dominguez Hills since Fall 2017. I came to CSUDH via Ohio, with numerous stops for schooling and training along the way. My research uses genetics to reconstruct the evolutionary history of natural populations. Although I enjoy all aspects of research, my favorite part is data analysis. My teaching interests include genetics, ecology & evolution, and practical computing. Outside of school, you can find me reading books, trying to do a pull-up, sewing quilts, and spending time with my family & pups.

Andrew Fairclough

I am a current senior at CSUDH, majoring in Ecology and Environmental Biology. I love learning about how organisms interact with their environment and the evolution of different species. Doing research has been a big part of my journey at Dominguez Hills. Outside of class I love taking care of fish, creating aquascapes, sketching dinosaurs, and going on bike rides with friends.

Catherine Giles

I am currently a sophomore at CSUDH working on my B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology. I am highly interested in Genetics and the effects that it has over the fitness of an organism and the evolution of the species. As a First Generation student, I always try to find mentors and learn from other’s experiences regarding academics and lifestyle balance so I can navigate new things on my own as well. Outside of school I usually try to play some tennis, go to the beach, watch some TV shows, and listen to a variety of music!

Austin Martinez

I’m a senior at CSUDH majoring in Ecology and Environmental Biology and minoring in Asian Pacific Studies. My rural upbringing helped me gain a deep appreciation for nature. I spent my life running around the forest catching bugs, lizards, and anything else I could get my hands on. My interests are in fisheries, water resources, sustainability, and environmental planning. I’ve seen habitat loss, wildlife population loss, and the negative effects of mankind on the environment firsthand, and would like to help find ways for us to coexist with nature. In my free time, I love to fish, aquascape, raise/breed freshwater marine organisms, and go camping.

Alan Santana Hernandez

I am a currently a graduate student here at CSUDH and happy to be a returning Toro. I graduated with my B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from CSUDH, and I am now working towards getting my M.S. in Biology. As a DACA student, learning to navigate through the struggles of being an immigrant and a first generation college student was tough. I say this because, if you can relate, I want to tell you, “sí se puede”. Outside of school you can find me spending time with my beautiful wife and puppy, lifting at my powerlifting gym, working at my newly started career, watching anime, or becoming an Elden Lord.

Kimberly Velazquez

I am a Junior at CSU Dominguez Hills pursuing an Ecology and Environmental Biology major as a first-generation college student. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. Some of my biology field interests are ecology, botany, genetics and molecular biology. Outside of school I like to travel, visit new places and spend time outdoors which led to my interest in Biology.

Alumni

• Natalya Cardona: Natalya spent two years in the lab as an undergraduate student & studied niche evolution in Encelia. She is currently pursuing a PhD in immunology at The Lundquist Institute.
• Micah Castrillo: Micah spent 1.5 years in the lab as an undergraduate student & studied rare species in Encelia. She is currently working at a conservation non-profit.
• George Contreras: George spent one year in the lab studying the species delimitation of Notoscincus ornatus.
• Josh De Vera: Josh spent two years in the lab studying the evolution of the PRDM9 gene in lizards and snakes. Josh is currently working as a COVID19 safety officer.
• Melissa Diaz: Melissa was a biology undergraduate student & studied lizard behavior. She graduated in December 2018 and is currently working as instructional support while pursuing her Masters in education.
• Andrea Hernandez: Andrea spent two years in the lab studying rarity in the desert plants Encelia. Andrea is currently a graduate student pursuing her PhD on fungi & global change at UC Irvine.
• Aracely Herrera: Aracely spent a year in the lab as a NSF REPS student based with the Leaché Lab at University of Washington, studying morphological divergence among Sceloporus populations.
• Itzel Ixta: Itzel spent two years in the lab studying the species delimitation of Notoscincus ornatus.
• Chandra Jones: Chandra spent two years in the lab studying the black-yellow polymorphism in Encelia farinosa. She currently is helping manage a grocery store while she prepares to apply to graduate school.
• Susana Lopez Ignacio: Susana spent two years in the lab studying rare species in Encelia. During her time in the lab, she was supported by the NIH RISE program. Susana is currently pursuing her PhD at CU Boulder.
• Mayra Padilla Flores: Mayra spent nearly three years in the lab studying hybridization in the desert plants Encelia. Mayra is currently a Process Biologist working in food safety.
• Nicole Roberts: Nicole completed her Masters in the lab studying ecological niche modelling in bats. She is currently working as an intern with the DEVELOP program at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and as a research analyst with the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy. You can find her code base and projects here
• Liz Solis: Liz spent nearly three years in the lab studying hybridization in the desert plants Encelia and the species status of the lizard Ctenotus zastictus. Liz graduated with her Masters in Biology from University of New Mexico, and she now is working as a union organizer in New Mexico.
• Alexis Widmann: Alexis spent two years in the lab studying the black-yellow polymorphism in Encelia farinosa. Alexis is currently working as an emergency medical technician.
• John Wrath: John spent nearly three years in the lab studying the central-marginal hypothesis in Australian lizards. John is currently working as a citizen journalist.