Below are descriptions and bios for each presentation.

Jahkara Smith (she/her/hers)

1. Presentation Description: This presentation is an examination of capitalist culture and how it is a direct reflection of our anxiety surrounding death and our desperate attempts to provide ourselves with a false-sense of power instead of doing the work of acquainting ourselves with death and the necessity of beginnings and endings.

2. Speaker Bio: Jahkara Smith is a veteran, writer, actress and student attending
GCC with an ultimate goal of obtaining degrees in both psychology and biology. With a concerted focus on biopsychology, her hope is to push research concerning the genetic and neurological components of psychological well-being and making resources for mental health not only accessible for lower-income populations but a necessity considered in universal healthcare and wellness.

Gohar Boroyan (she/her/hers), Ani Mkhitaryan (she/her/hers), Nithila Balasubramanian (she/her/hers), & Leo Andonian (he/him/his)

1. Presentation Description: This presentation focuses on research on the influence of personality traits on career satisfaction and is a study probing the connections between personality traits and career satisfaction among two groups: college/high school students who are still choosing their major and potential career path and professionals who have worked in their field for a
while and enjoy it. Presenters have conducted a survey gathering information about high school and college students' personality traits using questions with a linear scale from 1 to 5. Additionally, professionals from diverse fields have undergone interviews with similar questions. The data has been compared for patterns.

2. Speaker Bio: Gohar Boroyan is a second-year Business Economics major at GCC transferring this year. She hopes to minor in Data Science and work in a related field. As she focuses on major-required subjects, she also finds interest in Psychology and English, which led to her involvement in this research.

3. Speaker Bio: Ani Mkhitaryan is a Sociology major who is currently a first-year student at GCC. She found a passion for career satisfaction and personality trait correlation while at GCC and conducted research on those topics.

4. Speaker Bio: Nithila Balasubramanian is a first-year student majoring in cognitive science and is hoping to transfer with an associates in Psychology. She hopes to transfer to UCLA and pursue a career in Data Analysis. She was born in India but moved to Burbank California when she was 6 years old.

5. Speaker Bio: Leo Andonian is a first-year scholar as student who majors in Psychology, with hopes to transfer to UCLA in order to practice therapy at a clinical level with adults, though he currently works with children with autism using ABA therapy. Leo is an Armenian student with a small Persian background.
 

Eden Amanios (she/her/hers), Syuzanna Abrahamyan (she/her/hers), & Shyamini Rivera (she/her/hers)

1. Presentation Description: Go Baby Go! Is a program aimed to provide children with disabilities mobility solutions. It was founded by Dr. Cole Galloway in 2006 and has spread throughout colleges and universities across the nation. In this presentation, Eden Amanios, Shyamini Rivera, and Syuzanna Abrahamyan will be speaking about their experience as student interns in the Go Baby Go! Team Internship at GCC. They will discuss the research they conducted to build, design and modify a mini ride-on car for their special needs client, and the importance of accessibility for children.

2. Speaker Bio: Eden Amanios is a pre-pharmacy student at Glendale Community College. She graduated from UC Irvine in 2022 with a Bachelors in Biological Sciences and a minor in Spanish. She is currently taking a gap year to fulfill prerequisite courses and will be attending UC Irvine School of Pharmacy in the fall. Eden is passionate about improving access to healthcare services for individuals in underserved communities.

3. Speaker Bio: Shyamini Rivera is a mechanical engineering student specializing in marine engineering. She will be transferring to Cal Maritime Academy in pursuit of a USCG license along with an engineering degree. Her passion lies in oceanic and Arctic exploration, and is dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions for the preservation and sustainable management of marine ecosystems. Through this journey, she committed to making a meaningful impact in the fields of oceanography and environmental conservation.

4. Speaker Bio: Syuzanna Abrahamyan is a dedicated Computer Science student at GCC, actively contributing to her educational journey through campus involvement, STEM clubs, and volunteering. With a passion for technology, she aims to transfer to UCLA to delve deeper into data science and master AI. Outside of her major, Syuzanna is an enthusiastic artist, indulging in hobbies such as playing guitar, painting, drawing, and photography, finding balance and inspiration in both the technical and creative realms.

Adam Keshishian (he/him/his)

1. Presentation Description: Designed initially for a Speech 101 course, this persuasive presentation on the California High-Speed Rail Project, will include a comprehensive overview and compelling arguments in favor of supporting this initiative.

2. Speaker Bio: Adam is a driven political science major with aspirations of attending law school. Born in Bakersfield, he has called Glendale home since the age of three, fostering a deep connection to his community. Beyond academics, Adam finds solace and expression through music, showcasing his talent as a guitarist in a Jazz combo at GCC.

Tedrik Markarian & Erik Balians 
1. Presentation Description: This presentation explores the impact of unmethylated MGMT promoters on glioblastoma multiforme prognosis for patients prescribed with radical alkylating chemotherapy drugs such as temozolomide (Temodar).

Benjamin Kraus (he/him/his) & Kasey Schiavone

1. Presentation Description: Along the West Coast of North America, a number of marine snails have woefully understudied genetic and taxonomic information. According to contemporary knowledge, the species of Armina californica, Phyllaplysia taylori, and Tylodina fungina are all the same species across the geographic range from Mexico to Canada, despite the isolation of these populations from each other. Using specimens collected off the coast of California and from the collection at the Natural History Museum, we collected preliminary genetic data in order to test our hypothesis that there are multiple species of marine snails within their range as they are currently understood.

2. Speaker Bio: Benjamin Kraus is a Marine Biology major at Glendale Community College. He has been fascinated by the ocean his whole life, which inspired him to pursue Marine Biology as a career, and to seek out the many opportunities in this field provided by GCC. Benjamin participated in the 50th anniversary of GCC’s Baja program, where he was able to get a rigorous and hands-on approach to the study of Marine Biology. Most recently, he has been working on genetic analysis of marine snails at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County with Dr. Vendetti and fellow interns.

3. Speaker Bio: Kasey Schiavone is a working professional artist and guild member in the animation industry. As recently as last year, Kasey began studying at Glendale Community College with goals of transferring into a Marine Biology master's program. Passionate about species conservation, sustainable fishing and ichthyology, and ocean ecology, and how we can protect our important marine ecosystems. Kasey has been lucky enough to have some fantastic experiences both in the Winter 2024 Baja program and now as an intern in the Malacology Department at the Natural History Museum under the supervision of Dr. Vendetti.

4. Project contributors: Janice Lee, Sara Deriquito, Maria Serikova, and Tadeh Peroomian.

Robert Tarango (he/him/his)

1. Presentation Description: Robert will be presenting his research using CT- scanning, Keyence and electron microscopy, plus clear and staining techniques to study comparative anatomy within the biological sciences.

2. Speaker Bio: Robert is a dedicated student whose passion for natural history has been cultivated through mentorship under the guidance of Dr. Gago, with invaluable support from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Ichthyology and Malacology departments

Scarlet Lastrapes (she/her/hers) 

1. Presentation Description: Scarlet Lastrapes will share a song she wrote and co-produced called “Glint,” the second original song she’s recorded. She will give a brief oral presentation about how she recorded it, and then a lyric video will accompany the song so that the audience may read the lyrics as it plays.

2. Speaker Bio: Born into a musical family in the San Fernando Valley, 19-year-old singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer Scarlet Lastrapes specializes in off- kilter pop. Enamored with harmony, she loves layering vocals and any other sounds she can get her hands on. Her main instrument is the baritone ukulele, but she is currently deepening her longstanding love of brass by learning the cornet and trumpet. Her goals are transferring as a Music Industry Studies major as well as beginning to establish her discography as a recording artist. Her first single “Shady Little Lady” is out now on Eye Knee Records!

Theo Dawson

1. Presentation Description: An examination of dehumanization in medicine, how it arises, the systems that support it, its benefits and consequences, and how we can build a more compassionate medical system.

2. Speaker Bio: Theo Dawson has spent much of their life hospitalized and in medical settings, and is now hoping to build a career in the medical field. Theo's major is currently undeclared (they like everything), but their focus is very clear: supporting others through advocacy and empowerment.
 

10:45 - 11:00 am

Eden Amanios (she/her/hers), Syuzanna Abrahamyan (she/her/hers), &

Shyamini Rivera (she/her/hers)

“When College Students and Accessibility Meet: Being a Part of Go Baby Go!”

1. Presentation Description: Go Baby Go! Is a program aimed to provide children with disabilities mobility solutions. It was founded by Dr. Cole Galloway in 2006 and has spread throughout colleges and universities across the nation. In this presentation, Eden Amanios, Shyamini Rivera, and Syuzanna Abrahamyan will be speaking about their experience as student interns in the Go Baby Go! Team Internship at GCC. They will discuss the research they conducted to build, design and modify a mini ride-on car for their special needs client, and the importance of accessibility for children.
2. Speaker Bio: Eden Amanios is a pre-pharmacy student at Glendale Community College. She graduated from UC Irvine in 2022 with a Bachelors in Biological Sciences and a minor in Spanish. She is currently taking a gap year to fulfill prerequisite courses and will be attending UC Irvine School of Pharmacy in the fall. Eden is passionate about improving access to healthcare services for individuals in underserved communities.
3. Speaker Bio: Shyamini Rivera is a mechanical engineering student specializing in marine engineering. She will be transferring to Cal Maritime Academy in pursuit of a USCG license along with an engineering degree. Her passion lies in oceanic and Arctic exploration, and is dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions for the preservation and sustainable management of marine ecosystems. Through this journey, she committed to making a meaningful impact in the fields of oceanography and environmental conservation.
4. Speaker Bio: Syuzanna Abrahamyan is a dedicated Computer Science student at GCC, actively contributing to her educational journey through campus involvement, STEM clubs, and volunteering. With a passion for technology, she aims to transfer to UCLA to delve deeper into data science and master AI. Outside of her major, Syuzanna is an enthusiastic artist, indulging in hobbies such as playing guitar, painting, drawing, and photography, finding balance and inspiration in both the technical and creative realms.

11:00 - 11:15 am

Adam Keshishian (he/him/his) “California High Speed Rail”

1. Presentation Description: Designed initially for a Speech 101 course, this persuasive presentation on the California High-Speed Rail Project, will include a comprehensive overview and compelling arguments in favor of supporting this initiative.
2. Speaker Bio: Adam is a driven political science major with aspirations of attending law school. Born in Bakersfield, he has called Glendale home since the age of three, fostering a deep connection to his community. Beyond academics, Adam finds solace and expression through music, showcasing his talent as a guitarist in a Jazz combo at GCC.

 

Certificate presentation and Break

11:50 am - 12:05 pm

Tedrik Markarian & Erik Balians “The Impact of Unmethylated MGMT Promoters on Glioblastoma Multiforme Prognosis”

1. Presentation Description: This presentation explores the impact of unmethylated MGMT promoters on glioblastoma multiforme prognosis for patients prescribed with radical alkylating chemotherapy drugs such as temozolomide (Temodar).

12:05 - 12:20 pm

Benjamin Kraus (he/him/his) & Kasey Schiavone “Preliminary Genetic

Analysis of Armina californica, Phyllaplysia taylori, and Tylodina fungina to Determine Potential New Species”

1. Presentation Description: Along the West Coast of North America, a number of marine snails have woefully understudied genetic and taxonomic information. According to contemporary knowledge, the species of Armina californica, Phyllaplysia taylori, and Tylodina fungina are all the same species across the geographic range from Mexico to Canada, despite the isolation of these populations from each other. Using specimens collected off the coast of California and from the collection at the Natural History Museum, we collected preliminary genetic data in order to test our hypothesis that there are multiple species of marine snails within their range as they are currently understood.
2. Speaker Bio: Benjamin Kraus is a Marine Biology major at Glendale Community College. He has been fascinated by the ocean his whole life, which inspired him to pursue Marine Biology as a career, and to seek out the many opportunities in this field provided by GCC. Benjamin participated in the 50th anniversary of GCC’s Baja program, where he was able to get a rigorous and hands-on approach to the study of Marine Biology. Most recently, he has been working on genetic analysis of marine snails at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County with Dr. Vendetti and fellow interns.
3. Speaker Bio: Kasey Schiavone is a working professional artist and guild member in the animation industry. As recently as last year, Kasey began studying at Glendale Community College with goals of transferring into a Marine Biology master's program. Passionate about species conservation, sustainable fishing and ichthyology, and ocean ecology, and how we can protect our important marine ecosystems. Kasey has been lucky enough to have some fantastic experiences both in the Winter 2024 Baja program and now as an intern in the Malacology Department at the Natural History Museum under the supervision of Dr. Vendetti.
4. Project contributors: Janice Lee, Sara Deriquito, Maria Serikova, and Tadeh

Peroomian.

10:45 - 11:00 am

Eden Amanios (she/her/hers), Syuzanna Abrahamyan (she/her/hers), &

Shyamini Rivera (she/her/hers)

“When College Students and Accessibility Meet: Being a Part of Go Baby Go!”

1. Presentation Description: Go Baby Go! Is a program aimed to provide children with disabilities mobility solutions. It was founded by Dr. Cole Galloway in 2006 and has spread throughout colleges and universities across the nation. In this presentation, Eden Amanios, Shyamini Rivera, and Syuzanna Abrahamyan will be speaking about their experience as student interns in the Go Baby Go! Team Internship at GCC. They will discuss the research they conducted to build, design and modify a mini ride-on car for their special needs client, and the importance of accessibility for children.
2. Speaker Bio: Eden Amanios is a pre-pharmacy student at Glendale Community College. She graduated from UC Irvine in 2022 with a Bachelors in Biological Sciences and a minor in Spanish. She is currently taking a gap year to fulfill prerequisite courses and will be attending UC Irvine School of Pharmacy in the fall. Eden is passionate about improving access to healthcare services for individuals in underserved communities.
3. Speaker Bio: Shyamini Rivera is a mechanical engineering student specializing in marine engineering. She will be transferring to Cal Maritime Academy in pursuit of a USCG license along with an engineering degree. Her passion lies in oceanic and Arctic exploration, and is dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions for the preservation and sustainable management of marine ecosystems. Through this journey, she committed to making a meaningful impact in the fields of oceanography and environmental conservation.
4. Speaker Bio: Syuzanna Abrahamyan is a dedicated Computer Science student at GCC, actively contributing to her educational journey through campus involvement, STEM clubs, and volunteering. With a passion for technology, she aims to transfer to UCLA to delve deeper into data science and master AI. Outside of her major, Syuzanna is an enthusiastic artist, indulging in hobbies such as playing guitar, painting, drawing, and photography, finding balance and inspiration in both the technical and creative realms.

11:00 - 11:15 am

Adam Keshishian (he/him/his) “California High Speed Rail”

1. Presentation Description: Designed initially for a Speech 101 course, this persuasive presentation on the California High-Speed Rail Project, will include a comprehensive overview and compelling arguments in favor of supporting this initiative.
2. Speaker Bio: Adam is a driven political science major with aspirations of attending law school. Born in Bakersfield, he has called Glendale home since the age of three, fostering a deep connection to his community. Beyond academics, Adam finds solace and expression through music, showcasing his talent as a guitarist in a Jazz combo at GCC.

 

Certificate presentation and Break

11:50 am - 12:05 pm

Tedrik Markarian & Erik Balians “The Impact of Unmethylated MGMT Promoters on Glioblastoma Multiforme Prognosis”

1. Presentation Description: This presentation explores the impact of unmethylated MGMT promoters on glioblastoma multiforme prognosis for patients prescribed with radical alkylating chemotherapy drugs such as temozolomide (Temodar).

12:05 - 12:20 pm

Benjamin Kraus (he/him/his) & Kasey Schiavone “Preliminary Genetic

Analysis of Armina californica, Phyllaplysia taylori, and Tylodina fungina to Determine Potential New Species”

1. Presentation Description: Along the West Coast of North America, a number of marine snails have woefully understudied genetic and taxonomic information. According to contemporary knowledge, the species of Armina californica, Phyllaplysia taylori, and Tylodina fungina are all the same species across the geographic range from Mexico to Canada, despite the isolation of these populations from each other. Using specimens collected off the coast of California and from the collection at the Natural History Museum, we collected preliminary genetic data in order to test our hypothesis that there are multiple species of marine snails within their range as they are currently understood.
2. Speaker Bio: Benjamin Kraus is a Marine Biology major at Glendale Community College. He has been fascinated by the ocean his whole life, which inspired him to pursue Marine Biology as a career, and to seek out the many opportunities in this field provided by GCC. Benjamin participated in the 50th anniversary of GCC’s Baja program, where he was able to get a rigorous and hands-on approach to the study of Marine Biology. Most recently, he has been working on genetic analysis of marine snails at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County with Dr. Vendetti and fellow interns.
3. Speaker Bio: Kasey Schiavone is a working professional artist and guild member in the animation industry. As recently as last year, Kasey began studying at Glendale Community College with goals of transferring into a Marine Biology master's program. Passionate about species conservation, sustainable fishing and ichthyology, and ocean ecology, and how we can protect our important marine ecosystems. Kasey has been lucky enough to have some fantastic experiences both in the Winter 2024 Baja program and now as an intern in the Malacology Department at the Natural History Museum under the supervision of Dr. Vendetti.
4. Project contributors: Janice Lee, Sara Deriquito, Maria Serikova, and Tadeh

Peroomian.

Keilani Pak (she/her/hers)

1. Presentation Description: In her women's history class, Kelani Pak was highly interested in the roles Indigenous women had compared to that of white women in Colonial America. Indigenous women were regarded as the leaders or Goddesses of their tribes, while white women in Colonial America were considered morally inferior to men. Kelani wanted to know how those roles of Indigenous women changed because of colonization. Throughout her research, she found that these women's roles were dramatically changed to match the roles of white women in Colonial America. From losing their leader status to then being forcibly changed just to remain human, Indigenous women in the United States faced the consequences of colonization.

2. Speaker Bio: Currently a photography major, but planning on switching to creative writing. Kelani is a first year student at GCC eager to learn more about her creativity and where it can lead in the future.
 

Mirren Edwards (she/her/hers) 

CONTENT WARNING: This essay contains discussion of sexual assault, restriction of abortion rights, incarceration, homophobia, misogyny, and other politically-charged topics.

1. Presentation Description: This essay analyzes the rhetorical strategy, main arguments, and transgressive themes present in Pussy Riot’s “Make America Great Again” (2016) through an objective, feminist lens. Pussy Riot, a Russian punk-pop band and activist group, created “Make America Great Again” (the song and music video) as persuasive pieces of art, tools that encouraged voters in America to reject Donald Trump as President in 2016. Given the upcoming presidential election this November, in which Donald Trump is yet again running as a candidate, it’s important to bring Pussy Riot’s argument to the forefront once more and discuss their visual, lyrical, and cultural impact beyond the borders of their own country.

2. Speaker Bio: Mirren Jane Edwards is currently a dual-enrolled, homeschooled high school student attending Glendale Community College. A passionate writer and thinker, she enjoys discussing and debating provocative ideas, as well as analyzing the art she consumes, especially world cinema. She’s considering studying philosophy, rhetoric, and journalism when she enters
college full-time. In addition, Mirren plans on sending her essay on “Make America Great Again” to Nadya Tolokonnikova, lead singer of Pussy Riot.