Congratulations to all students who presented their research at the 90^th annual meeting of the Pacific Division. The presentations were of consistantly high quality and a pleasure to listen to or view.

Special congratulations go to those students who won Awards of Excellence. Their names and awards are listed below.

BEST POSTER AWARD
Amitkamur Patel (University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA) "Estrogen Signaling Modulates Cisplatin Resistance in the Treatment of Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells."


GERALDINE K. LINDSAY AWARD IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES
Genevieve K. Walden (Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA) "Phylogenetic Analysis of Relationships within Phacelia (Boraginaceae) Inferred from Chloroplast Sequence Data."


PRESIDENTS' AWARD
Sarine Shahmirian (Chaminade College Preparaqtory High School, West Hills, CA) "Propargyl Methyl Ethers: Novel Precursors to Cobalt-Complexed Propargyl Cations."


AAAS: ROBERT I. LARUS TRAVEL AWARD
Genevieve K. Walden (Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA) "Phylogenetic Analysis of Relationships within Phacelia (Boraginaceae) Inferred from Chloroplast Sequence Data."

Combined Sections of AGRICULTURE/HORTICULTURAL SCIENCES and
ECOLOGY, ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY and ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
First Place: Genevieve K. Walden (Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA) "Phylogenetic Analysis of Relationships within Phacelia (Boraginaceae) Inferred from Chloroplast Sequence Data."

Second Place: Gavin Archbald (Romberg Tiburon Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA) "Evaluating the Potential for Spread of an Invasive Forb, Limonium ramosissimum, in San Francisco Bay Salt Marshes."

Third Place: Renata Eberl (Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA) "Pattern of Symbiont Distribution in Two Intertidal Isopods (Ligia pallasii and L. occidentalis) Along the Eastern Pacific."

Honorable Mention: Felicia King (Pacific Collegiate School, Santa Cruz, CA) "Agricultural Proximity and Cattle Access to Freshwater Ponds Increase Trematode Prevalence within First Intermediate Snail Hosts."



CELL and MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
First Place: Tony Martinez (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Boise State University, Boise, ID) "Evaluation of MTA/SAH Nucleosidase Inhibitors as B. burgdorferi Antibiotics and Biofilm Suppressors."

Second Place: Tenzin Bhutia (Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA) "Ectoderm-derived Sphingomyelin Signals Regulate Somitogenesis and Primary Myotome Formation in Chicken Embryos."

Third Place: Laura Mendoza and Roth Ea (Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA) "Determination of the Neurotransmitter that Inhibits the CNS During Ecdysis in the Hornworm, Manduca sexta."

Honorable Mention: Louie Ramos (Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA) "Ionizing Irradiation Produces a Delay in pupation in the Hornworm, Manduca sexta."

Honorable Mention: Ashfaq Sial (Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Tree Fruit and Extension Center, Wenatchee, WA) "Resistance Risk Assessment for Novel Reduced-Risk Insecticides in Obliquebanded Leafroller, Choristoneura rosaceana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)."



Combined Sections of CHEMISTRY/BIOCHEMISTRY, TECHNOLOGY/INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE
and PHYSICS/MATERIALS SCIENCE
First Place: Sarine Shahmirian (Chaminade College Preparaqtory High School, West Hills, CA) "Propargyl Methyl Ethers: Novel Precursors to Cobalt-Complexed Propargyl Cations."

Second Place: Gaurav Chatterjee (Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ) "Biogenic Silica Incorporated Bio Sensors for Ultra Sensitive Protein Detection."



Combined Sections of GENERAL/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
and HISTORY/PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
First Place: Alison Meadow (Department of Anthropology, University of Alaska — Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK) "Evaluating and Designing Urban Food Systems: The Role of Local Initiatives."

Honorable Mention: Barbara Yablon Maida (Department of Geography, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA) "Darwin's Orchids: Cross-Pollination from Two or Three Perspectives."

Honorable Mention: Darryl Brock (Department of History, Fordham University, Bronx, NY) "Darwin and the Dragon: Evolution's Influence on John Dewey and China."



HEALTH SCIENCES
First Place: Amitkamur Patel (University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA) "Estrogen Signaling Modulates Cisplatin Resistance in the Treatment of Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells."

Second Place: Krystle Holford and Thien Do (School of Dentistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA) "Factors Associated with Severe Periodontal Bone Loss in a National Probability Sample of Diabetics and Non-Diabetics in the United States."



PSYCHOLOGY
First Place: Justin Matthews (School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts, University of California Merced, Merced, CA) "Effects of Facial Prominence on Predicted Job Performance…..A Gender Disparity in Predicted Negative Behavior."



SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
First Place: Megan Morikawa (High-Tech High, San Diego, CA) "Monitoring African Bushmeat in the Classroom: Global Conservation Education."

Second Place: Raynelle Rino (Department of Biology, Stanford University, ) "Critical Science Outreach: Implementing an Ecology Education Program into a California Alternative High School."

Third Place: Victoria Minnich (Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA ) "Environmental Metaphors in Science and Society: Workflow of the Case Study "The Elephant and the Oak Tree"."