Rincon, Avril

My name is Avril Rincon and my preferred pronouns are she/her. I am a 3rd year Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology major, but I am recently switching it to Human Biology and Society. My interests in research are very broad within science, but recently, I have joined a lab and have been studying the morphogenesis of microridges. I collect embryos from zebrafish and take images of the outer layer of their cells to see how fingerprint-like protrusions, that are found on their cellular surface, develop at different stages of development. Besides this scientific research, I have delved into more interdisciplinary research this past year by studying intersections of public health and the environment. We studied particularly indoor air quality and how that relates to the built-in environment that the community lives in. We found that our surroundings have a direct impact as to how the quality of air inside our home is. Some factors include living in denser cities with more buildings and traffic, the socioeconomic demographics of an area, the type of home it is, and the type of appliances found in homes. Within our research, we did find that there are disparities within air quality conditions and outcomes, meaning more affluent areas tend to have more healthy levels of indoor air quality compared to more underprivileged areas. These findings highlight the importance of public health, in terms of better understanding the interactions between the community and underlying social determinants of health. I am pursuing a minor in Chicano Studies to better understand the history and knowledge behind Chicano culture. I am super excited to take this course as we delve into Chicano art, hopefully we'll be able to make some art project of our own! The readings look pretty interesting; I really like the ones with pictures to better visualize the art. Looking forward to the quarter!