Principal Investigator
Rae E. McNeish, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
9001 Stockdale Hwy
Mailstop 61 SCI 1
Bakersfield, CA 93311
Email: rae.mcneish@gmail.com
Office: Science I Rm: 118
Telephone: 661.654.2568
Explore CV, Research, Teaching, and Publications for more information.
You can find me on Research Gate and Twitter via @RaeMcNeish.
Current and interested students should check out the Opportunities and Resources pages!
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
9001 Stockdale Hwy
Mailstop 61 SCI 1
Bakersfield, CA 93311
Email: rae.mcneish@gmail.com
Office: Science I Rm: 118
Telephone: 661.654.2568
Explore CV, Research, Teaching, and Publications for more information.
You can find me on Research Gate and Twitter via @RaeMcNeish.
Current and interested students should check out the Opportunities and Resources pages!
Graduate Students
Amy Fetters
Amy is working towards her M.S. in Biology at CSUB and is expected to defend her thesis in Summer 2022. She came to us after finishing her B.S. in Biology at Loyola University Chicago. Her research is focused on understanding the pathways of anthropogenic litter and microplastic transport and associated fate across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Her research activities were funded by CSU COAST Graduate Student Research Award and CSUB Student Research Scholarship programs. After graduating with her M.S., Amy is interested in gaining practical work experience in water quality monitoring and water resource management at a private or government regulatory agency.
Links: CV
Amy is working towards her M.S. in Biology at CSUB and is expected to defend her thesis in Summer 2022. She came to us after finishing her B.S. in Biology at Loyola University Chicago. Her research is focused on understanding the pathways of anthropogenic litter and microplastic transport and associated fate across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Her research activities were funded by CSU COAST Graduate Student Research Award and CSUB Student Research Scholarship programs. After graduating with her M.S., Amy is interested in gaining practical work experience in water quality monitoring and water resource management at a private or government regulatory agency.
Links: CV
Undergraduate Students
Kaitlin Macaranas
Kaitlin is working towards her B.S. in Biology at CSUB. She is interested in learning more about aquatic ecology and has a biomedical interest. Kaitlin is currently conducting research to understand environmental factors that impact atmospheric deposition of microplastics. Her research activities were funded by the CSU COAST Undergraduate Research and NSF Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation programs. She also volunteers at Wind Wolves Preserve to help remove invasive plants and monitor species populations in Bakersfield.
Links: CV
Kaitlin is working towards her B.S. in Biology at CSUB. She is interested in learning more about aquatic ecology and has a biomedical interest. Kaitlin is currently conducting research to understand environmental factors that impact atmospheric deposition of microplastics. Her research activities were funded by the CSU COAST Undergraduate Research and NSF Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation programs. She also volunteers at Wind Wolves Preserve to help remove invasive plants and monitor species populations in Bakersfield.
Links: CV
Natalie Nunez
Natalie is a first-generation college student working on her B.S. in Biology at CSUB. Natalie is interested in learning about and researching the effects that microplastics have on the environment and wildlife. One of the biggest reasons why Natalie decided to join the McNeish lab was because we love to do research and its interesting! Natalie wants to branch out into research while at CSUB, and use her research skills as a foundation for her future career goals that include getting her Masters after graduation.
Natalie is a first-generation college student working on her B.S. in Biology at CSUB. Natalie is interested in learning about and researching the effects that microplastics have on the environment and wildlife. One of the biggest reasons why Natalie decided to join the McNeish lab was because we love to do research and its interesting! Natalie wants to branch out into research while at CSUB, and use her research skills as a foundation for her future career goals that include getting her Masters after graduation.
Magaly Avalos
Magaly is working on her B.S in Biology at CSUB. Biology has always interested her, even more so now considering the impacts that climate change is having on all forms of life on Earth. Magaly joined this lab in hopes to learn more about the effects that microplastic has on aquatic life, as well as gain more knowledge on lab ethics.
Magaly is working on her B.S in Biology at CSUB. Biology has always interested her, even more so now considering the impacts that climate change is having on all forms of life on Earth. Magaly joined this lab in hopes to learn more about the effects that microplastic has on aquatic life, as well as gain more knowledge on lab ethics.
Former Lab Members
Karina Perez
Karina is working towards her B.S. in Biology at CSUB. She is interested in learning more about plastic pollution and solutions to reducing plastic use. She is currently working on a research project to understand how food consumption is linked to microplastics. Her research activities were funded by the Sigma Xi Grants in Aid Research, NSF Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, and CSUB Student Research Scholarship programs.
Karina is working towards her B.S. in Biology at CSUB. She is interested in learning more about plastic pollution and solutions to reducing plastic use. She is currently working on a research project to understand how food consumption is linked to microplastics. Her research activities were funded by the Sigma Xi Grants in Aid Research, NSF Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, and CSUB Student Research Scholarship programs.
Alyson Gil
Alyson is pursued her B.S. in Biology at CSUB. She assisted with research projects that focus on the impacts plastic pollution has on freshwater habitats. Alyson is interested in learning more about conservation biology and climate change. She has also volunteered at CALM and Wind Wolves Preserve.
Alyson is pursued her B.S. in Biology at CSUB. She assisted with research projects that focus on the impacts plastic pollution has on freshwater habitats. Alyson is interested in learning more about conservation biology and climate change. She has also volunteered at CALM and Wind Wolves Preserve.
Reina De Leon
Reina is worked towards her B.A. in Human Biological Sciences at CSUB. She is interested in microplastics, plastic pollution, and ecology. Additionally, Reina is interested in healthcare and has a Medical Assistant certification. Currently, she is assisting on research projects involving microplastics in freshwater habitats.
Reina is worked towards her B.A. in Human Biological Sciences at CSUB. She is interested in microplastics, plastic pollution, and ecology. Additionally, Reina is interested in healthcare and has a Medical Assistant certification. Currently, she is assisting on research projects involving microplastics in freshwater habitats.
Dwight Ortiz
Dwight worked towards his B.S. in Engineering Sciences at CSUB. His research was focused on understanding the connections between fish species traits and microplastic abundance in fish communities. His research activities were funded by the Sigma Xi Grants in Aid Research, NSF Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, and CSUB Student Research Scholarship programs.
Dwight worked towards his B.S. in Engineering Sciences at CSUB. His research was focused on understanding the connections between fish species traits and microplastic abundance in fish communities. His research activities were funded by the Sigma Xi Grants in Aid Research, NSF Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, and CSUB Student Research Scholarship programs.
Antonio Mateiro
Antonio worked towards his B.S. in Biology at CSUB. His interests centered on ecology and anthropogenic pollution. Antonio primarily assisted fellow lab members on research projects focused on anthropogenic litter in rivers and atmospheric deposition of microplastics.
Antonio worked towards his B.S. in Biology at CSUB. His interests centered on ecology and anthropogenic pollution. Antonio primarily assisted fellow lab members on research projects focused on anthropogenic litter in rivers and atmospheric deposition of microplastics.
Dulce Sepulveda
Dulce is pursued her B.S. in Biology at CSUB focused on Clinical Laboratory Sciences. She is interested in being involved in ecology and is part of one of the first cohorts at CSUB to be part of the NSME STEM Pathways program. While part of the lab, Dulce is worked on research projects to identify microplastic abundance in freshwater and terrestrial habitats.
Dulce is pursued her B.S. in Biology at CSUB focused on Clinical Laboratory Sciences. She is interested in being involved in ecology and is part of one of the first cohorts at CSUB to be part of the NSME STEM Pathways program. While part of the lab, Dulce is worked on research projects to identify microplastic abundance in freshwater and terrestrial habitats.
Emma Gillian
Emma switched her undergraduate major to Biology at CSUB. While part of the lab, Emma worked on a microplastic project to understand microplastic abundance in rivers during rain events. She also volunteered at Adventist Health Bakersfield and Rio Bravo Cancer Center.
Emma switched her undergraduate major to Biology at CSUB. While part of the lab, Emma worked on a microplastic project to understand microplastic abundance in rivers during rain events. She also volunteered at Adventist Health Bakersfield and Rio Bravo Cancer Center.
