Enid T. Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Courses | Research Interests | Community Service & Outreach |
Contact Information |
|
| Title: | Asst. Professor of Biological Sciences |
| Office Hours: |
M/W 10-11:30 AM or by appointment 211F Humboldt Hall |
| E-mail: | etgonzal@csus.edu |
| Office Phone: |
(916) 278-6438 |
| Mailing Address: |
Sacramento State University 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819-6077 |
Courses and Course Information
- Fall 2009 --BIO 139 General Microbiology
- Fall 2009 BIO 139 Syllabus
- SacCT Link for BIO 139
- The Microbe Minute
Research Interests
My interests lie in the ways bacteria interact with their environment, plant hosts, and each other. More specifically my current research interests lie in the field of molecular plant-bacterial interactions, both beneficial and pathogenic. These intricate relationships are formed on the basis of environmental and molecular cues produced both by the bacterium and the plant host. Using a variety of post-genomic techniques and more classical genetic approaches in the laboratory, we can begin to elucidate at the genetic level the molecular factors in bacteria that allow these relationships to form. A better understanding of how both pathogenic and beneficial relationships form between bacteria and plants will help to achieve the following goals: 1) Develop new strategies for disease management by preventing pathogenic relationships from forming; and 2) Exploit traits displayed by beneficial bacteria to increase plant health, crop yield and disease protection while reducing the use of chemical pesticides.
Community Service & Outreach
Science Education for Underserved Youth: 4-H On the Wild Side
The 4-H On the Wild Side (OTWS) program is a collaborative effort between adults and high school youth that brings environmental science and outdoor education experiences to grade-school children with limited access to these activities. The lessons, ranging from water microbe ecology to environmental awareness, take place in a weekend sleep away camp setting in the Foothills near Nevada City.
Preparation for the two weekends of OTWS takes place eight to nine months prior to the camp dates (the first two weekends in June), and primarily involves the development of youth-adult partnerships. During this critical planning time teens are paired with adult coaches who assist with the planning and execution of the lessons. Lessons are taken from curricula developed for the 4-H programs and teen teachers play a large role in selecting the lessons they deliver at camp. Topics for lessons include, but are not limited to, the following topics: water ecology, salmon life cycle, pollination, worms, seed dispersal, trees, migration, and predation, to name a few. The lessons are delivered as a series of activities such as games, arts and crafts, imagination exercises, and role play. If you are interested in becoming an adult coach or learning more about the program please e-mail me or click on the link 4-H On the Wild Side link above.
