College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

🔬🔭🤖🐾 Mark your calendars for another exciting day of STEAM activities at our 2027 Super STEM Saturday on the Cal State San Marcos campus ! Fun for all ages from 10AM-4PM. 🚀🧪⚗️🦉

Recent Software Engineering graduate Havana Robbins created her path to success by taking advantage of opportunities provided by Computer Science & Engineering faculty and mentors. As she states, “Find something you truly care about and put in the time to bring it to life.”

Thank you, Havanna, for your involvement and neverending enthusiasm in classes, your leadership with Harmony Hacks, and showing up at any number of our outreach events. We wish you the very best!

🥼 A small initiative started by biochemistry student Tracey Ta during the spring of 2025 led to a successful collaboration to provide free lab coats to currently enrolled CSUSM students with Safety, Health & Sustainability (SHS), the University Library, and the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. The Student Lab Coat Checkout Program allows students to borrow coats from the library for free for up to 16 weeks, with the items available on a first-come, first-served basis. The program served 241 students during the Spring 2026 semester! 🐾💙

Tracey was awarded the CSTEM Community Engaged Scholar at our Celebration of Achievement in May. As Dean Trischman noted, “Tracey developed a lab coat donation and redistribution program that reduces financial barriers for students while promoting laboratory safety and sustainability. By collaborating with Safety, Health & Sustainability, she created a lasting solution that benefits both students and the broader campus. Her work highlights the impact of combining academic knowledge with community engagement to create meaningful change.”

SHS was recently recognized for this program at the annual conference of the Campus Safety, Health and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA) in Austin, Texas (visit the NewsCenter to read more). Based in Wisconsin, CSHEMA is the pre-eminent leadership organization representing the environmental health and safety (EHS) profession in campus environments. Congratulations! 🎉

Keep an eye out for donation bins in Science Halls 1 and 2 at the end of each semester….if you no longer need your lab coat, help us continue to grow this program!

A passion for service. We frequently forget that STEM degrees impact communities and so learning how to engage and support those we serve is a valuable part of the journey. Lead STEM Ambassador and Biological Sciences major, Allison Carroll, has discovered how important these skills are as she prepares to become a dentist in the future. Thank you for inspiring us, Allison!

Center for Research & Engagment in STEM Education @ CSUSM

Looking for a fun 1-unit class? Register for CHEM 497, in the Community! This class is open to ALL CSTEM students who have completed their lower division degree requirements.

Partner with STEM Ambassadors from the Center for Research & Engagement in STEM ( ) and participate in one of their after school programs, attend CHEM Expo (Super STEM Saturday in the spring), and any extra events as they occur.

Outreach programming always look good on your resume and graduate school applications. More importantly, it gives you an opportunity to communicate STEM principles with others. Do you remember who inspired you to pursue your degree program? Be that someone for the next generation!

Center for Research & Engagment in STEM Education @ CSUSM

Did you know California has an official state slug? It's the banana slug! In 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation that gave one of the slowest (and some might say - unfairly - the slimiest) of creatures this title. 👑

While those who have traversed the redwoods of northern California may be familiar with this particular gastropod mollusk (it's the mascot at UC Santa Cruz), it's a recent discovery here in San Diego County. And the Nigenda Lab is part of that breakthrough research! 🎉

Read about the fieldwork they've been conducting and their collaborations with the San Diego Natural History Museum, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the Research Experiences for Southern California Undergraduate Ecologists network (RESCUE-Net) at the CSUSM NewsCenter. Then learn even more by visiting the links posted in the comments to watch the Fox 5 San Diego/KUSI News segment and the "That's So Wild" podcast with Dr. Sergio Nigenda Morales and biological sciences student Cassandra Jordan.

When you have two momentous occasions to attend on the same day, what do you choose?

The high road! 🗻

Jaedon Spurlock decided to skip Commencement in May and instead climb Mt. Whitney to celebrate with his Dad. You can read more about Jaedon’s journey and what this Software Engineering graduate has planned next at the NewsCenter link.

Congratulations, Jaedon! 🎉🎓

For Recent Grad, Climbing Mountain Is Peak Experience If you had a choice to climb the highest mountain in the lower United States or walk across a stage to get your college degree, which would you choose?For Cal State San Marcos alumnus Jaedon Spurlock, the decision was simple.During commencement weekend last month, he and his dad, Jared Spurlock, ele...

✈️Help Send CSUSM Students to the Global iGEM Competition!🌎

The CSTEM iGEMS team is raising funds to participate in the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition, the world's premier synthetic competition. This experience gives our students the opportunity to apply cutting-edge , collaborate across disciplines, and develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges on an international stage.

Your support helps provide critical resources for research, project development, competition registration, and travel expenses. Every contribution—no matter the size—directly invests in student innovation, hands-on learning, and the next generation of leaders.

🌟 Join us in supporting our talented students as they represent and showcase the impact of STEM education beyond the classroom.

🔗 Donate and learn more: https://connect.csusm.edu/g/cstem-igems-competition.

Please consider sharing this opportunity with your network.

CSTEM iGEMs Competition - California State University San Marcos

Finding confidence in uncomfortable situations. Biological Sciences graduate student Elizabeth De Moya took a leap of faith and applied for an externship at the San Diego Humane Society. She is finding that between her coursework and the experiences she is actively engaged in at their facilities, she is more prepared than ever to pursue her career goal of becoming a veterinarian! 🐈🐥🐕

🔥The summer of research and scholarly activities has begun! 🔥

Summer Scholars started yesterday with an opening program that included remarks from Dean Jackie Trischman and an inspiring and insightful conversation with Dr. Jose Romero-Mariona, Director of Innovation at Leidos, about innovation, career pathways, and leadership.

Welcome to a summer of scientific exploration, new discoveries, networking, collaboration, and an opportunity to define your future!
🔬🐍🥼🧪🌿🐾💻🚀