Titans Win Competition and Scholarships

Cal State Fullerton graduate Margarita Francesca Mendoza of Chino Hills has won the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s eighth annual Undergraduate Student Research Achievement Award Poster Competition held June 14 during the organization’s annual meeting in Boston. Mendoza, under the guidance of Christopher R. Meyer, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has conducted research into proteins and enzymes related to making starch and glycogen that have applications in agriculture and industry. She presented a poster based on her successful generation of two new proteins through the fusion of different parts of two enzymes’ DNA coding regions. Characterization of these proteins revealed a key area responsible for enzyme regulation. Mendoza competed against 78 undergraduate students, including participants from Harvard and MIT. “We are extremely proud of Francesca’s accomplishment,” said Meyer, noting that Mendoza has co-authored a number of local, national and international presentations and will be entering the master’s program in chemistry this fall.

Future teachers Christina Choi of Garden Grove; Jeffrey Geibel of Pomona; Cathleen Hallock of Costa Mesa; Du’Weena Jordon of Brea; and Carolyn Love of Yorba Linda are recipients of the 2004-05 Edison International Teachers for Tomorrow Scholarships. The Titans are among 25 CSU students to receive the $5,000 awards that are specifically designed to help students seeking teaching credentials. Edison International pledged $500,000 to the CSU in 1999 to fund 100 scholarships beginning in the 2000-01 academic year. Scholarship recipients have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average and demonstrated financial need.