EDUCATION
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Comparative Medicine and Integrative Biology (CMIB)
Environmental Toxicology
Dual major PhD focused on Neuroscience and Environmental Toxicology
(August 2010 – December 2016)
 
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Bridge to the PhD in Neuroscience Post-Baccalaureate Research Program
(September 2009 – May 2010)

Universidad Ana G. Mendez Carolina, PR
Bachelor of Science in Microbiology
(June 2009)
 
WORK/RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
California Council on Science & Technology (CCST) Science & Technology Policy Fellow, November 2021 – Present, Sacramento, CA.
Program Officer for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), February 2022 – Present.
California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research - Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine (CIAPM).
 
Program Director
Science Communication Faculty Training Program, October 2019 – Feb 2022.
College of Biological Sciences, University of California Davis (UC Davis), Davis, CA.
Principal Investigator (PI): Dr. Rebecca M. Calisi Rodríguez.

Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, UC Davis, October 2019 – Feb 2022.
Project: “Using the Rock dove as a model organism for the characterization of amygdala changes in offspring from single parents”. Mentor: Dr. Rebecca M. Calisi Rodríguez.

Genome Center, UC Davis, January 2017 - September 2019.
Project: “Functional and genetic dissection of interconnected genes mutated in children with autism and epilepsy using zebrafish”. Mentor: Dr. Megan Y. Dennis.

Graduate Research Assistant 
Comparative Medicine and Integrative Biology Program; Environmental and Toxicological Sciences Program, August 2010 – 2016.
Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI.
Project: “Role of AMPA receptors on methylmercury-induced toxicity in spinal cord motor neurons”. Mentor: Dr. William D. Atchison. Committee members: Dr. Patricia Ganey, Dr. John Fyfe and Dr. Cynthia Jordan. 

Post-baccalaureate Research Assistant
Bridge to the PhD in the Neuroscience Program (BPNP), August 2009 – July 2010.
MSU, East Lansing, MI.
Project: “Ion channel gene transcription is affected differentially in rat cerebellum after postnatal methylmercury exposure”. Mentors: Dr. William D. Atchison and Dr. Ravindra K. Hajela.
 
Summer Intern
Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, May 2009 – December 2009. MSU, East Lansing, MI.
Project: “Expression of nerve membrane proteins in a naturally occurring Ca2+ channelopathy”. Mentors: Dr. William D. Atchison and Dr. Ravindra K. Hajela, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.
 
Undergraduate Researcher
Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement Program (MBRS-RISE), April 2008 – April 2009.
Universidad Ana G. Mendez, Carolina, PR.
Project: “Application of the quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) for a rapid detection of potential exposure to waterborne pathogens in recreational waters of Puerto Rico”. Mentor: Dr. Karlo Malavé-Llamas.  
 
Summer Intern
Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP), May 2008 – August 2008.
MSU, East Lansing, MI.
Project: “Structure – function relation of the EpsG protein of Vibrio cholerae”. 
Mentor: Michael Bagdasarian MD. PhD, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics.
 
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS   
  • Puerto Rico Science Policy Action Network (PR-SPAN), member (2020 - 2021)
  • National Science Policy Network (NSPN), member (2020 - present)
  • Association for Women in Science (AWIS), Professional member (2018 - present)
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Member (2018 - present)
  • Northern California Society of Toxicology (NorCal SOT), Member (2017 - present), Postdoctoral Representative (January 2018 - April 2021)
  • Michigan Society for Neuroscience (MI-SFN), Member (2014 -2016)
  • MSU Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) (2014 - 2016)
  • MSU College of Veterinary Medicine Committee on Diversity, Graduate student representative (May 2013 - May 2015)
  • Michigan Society of Toxicology (MISOT), Member (2013 - 2016)
  • Graduate Women in Science, Member (2012 - present)
  • Mid-Michigan Graduate Women in Science (GWIS), Member (2012 - 2016), President (May 2015 - June 2016)
  • Society for Advancement of Chicano/Latino and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), Member (2012 - present)
  • SOT Special Interest Group Hispanic Organization of Toxicologists (HOT), Member (2011- present), Postdoctoral Representative (May 2018 - 2019)
  • SOT Special Interest Group Women in Toxicology (WIT), Member (2011- present) 
  • Society of Toxicology (SOT), Member (July 2011 - present) 
  • Society for Neuroscience (SFN), Member (September 2010 - present)
 
AWARDS
  • Alan Alda’s Center for Communicating Science, Women in STEM Leadership Program. April - May 2022.
  • University of California Davis Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Diversity and Community, postdoctoral category. April 2022.
  • Finalist – AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science. April 2022.
  • California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) Science & Technology Policy Fellowship. Nov 2021.
  • 2021 Al Día Women of Merit. Award for impact on Education. March 2021. 
  • University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement, Valuing Open and Inclusive Conversation and Engagement (VOICE) Initiative award. February 2021. 
  • Leadership California: California Issues and Trends 2021 course scholarship. February 2021. 
  • Postdoc Leadership Institute. Society for Advancement of Chicano/Hispanic and Native Americans in Science 2019 Annual Meeting, Honolulu, HI. October 2019.
  • Best Poster Presentation, UC Davis Human Genomics Symposium, Sacramento, CA, November 2018.
  • SFN Science Advocacy Travel support for SFNs 2018 Capitol Hill Day visit, Washington, DC, March 2018.
  • UC Davis Professors for the Future Fellowship, Davis, CA, March 2018 – March 2019.
  • Scholarship to attend the Zebrafish Development and Genetics Course at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, August 2017.
  • MSU AGEP Science Policy and Advocacy Travel Award to attend the 2016 AGEP Capitol Hill Day visit, Washington DC, February 2016.
  • SOT Women in Toxicology Graduate Student Achievement Award, March 2015.
  • AGEP NSF Scholar Award, February 2015.
  • MSU Center for Integrative Toxicology NIEHS T32 Fellowship (T32ES007255-26), MI, 2014 - 2016.
  • Science Communication Fellowship, National Science Foundation Portal to the Public Program, Detroit Zoological Society, Detroit, MI, October 2014.
  • SFN Next Generation Award, for outstanding contributions to public outreach and neuroscience education, August 2014.
  • SFN Neuroscience Scholars Program Fellow, August 2014- July 2016.
  • SOT Hispanic Organization of Toxicologists Travel Award for the 2014 Annual SOT Meeting, Phoenix, AZ. March 2014.
  • SOT Perry J. Gehring Diversity Student Travel Award for the 2013 Annual SOT Meeting, San Antonio, TX. March 2013.
  • Honorable Mention, SOT Perry J. Gehring Diversity Student Travel Award for the 2011 Annual SOT Meeting, Washington, DC. March 2011. 
​​
ABSTRACTS/ RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS
POSTER 
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, K. Weyenberg, A. Quezada, E. Jao, J.M. Uribe Salazar, A. Sriram, P. Lein, L.E. Jao, M.Y. Dennis. Using zebrafish as a tool to study SLC7A5, a gene implicated in autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy. SFN 2019 Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. October 22, 2019. 
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, K. Burbach, E. Ferino, M. Bader, P.J. Lein, L.E. Jao, M.Y. Dennis. Using zebrafish as a tool to model patient mutations of KCNB1 and its role in epilepsy. UC Davis Human Genomics Symposium. Sacramento, CA. November 16, 2018.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, K. Burbach, E. Ferino, M. Bader, P.J. Lein, L.E. Jao, M.Y. Dennis. Using zebrafish as a tool to model patient mutations of KCNB1 and its role in epilepsy. SFN 2018 Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA. November 6, 2018.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, K. Burbach, E. Ferino, P. Lein, L.E. Jao, F. Hormozdiari, M.Y. Dennis. Using CRISPR gene editing of kcnb1 in zebrafish to understand its role in epilepsy. UC Davis Human Genomics Symposium. Sacramento, CA. November 17, 2017. 
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, K. Burbach, E. Ferino, P. Lein, L.E. Jao, M.Y. Dennis. Using zebrafish as a tool to model patient mutations of kcnb1 and its role in epilepsy. 2nd Northern California Fish Research Symposium. Davis, CA. August 22, 2017.​
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, N. Colón-Carrión, W. D. Atchison. Methylmercury alters intracellular calcium concentrations in human-induced pluripotent stem cell motor neurons in a concentration dependent manner. SOT 2017 Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. March 13, 2017.
  • A. Colón-Rodriguez, W. D. Atchison. Acute methylmercury exposure leads to alterations in AMPA and NMDA receptor expression in the motor neuron NSC34 cell line. SFN 2016 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. November 13, 2016.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, R. K. Hajela, W. D. Atchison. Contribution of AMPA receptors in methylmercury-induced cell death in the motor neuron NSC34 cell line, SOT 2016 Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. March 14, 2016.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, E. S. Rodriguez-Tapia, C. T. Tiernan, W. D. Atchison. Bridge to Neuroscience Workshop: taking neuroscience to high school and undergraduate students in Puerto Rico, SFN 2015 Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. October 17-18, 2015.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, R. K. Hajela and W. D. Atchison. In vivo methylmercury exposure alters glutamate receptor mRNA levels in rat forebrain. SOT 2015 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. March 24, 2015.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, R. K. Hajela and W. D. Atchison. Brain region-dependent effects of methylmercury on expression of ligand- & voltage-gated calcium channels in rat. SFN 2014 Annual Meeting, Washington. DC. November 16, 2014.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, Brain region dependent effects of methylmercury on expression of ligand and voltage-gated calcium channels in rat. SOT 2014 Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ. March 25, 2014.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, A. L. Perez Medina, W. D. Atchison. Postnatal methylmercury exposure alters glutamate receptor mRNA expression in rat spinal cord. SFN 2013 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. November 11, 2013.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, R. K. Hajela, W. D. Atchison. Comparative study of the effects of postnatal methylmercury exposure on the expression of ligand-gated and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels in rat cerebellum. Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms of Toxicity, Gordon Research Conference, Proctor Academy, Andover, NH. August 12-13, 2013.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, R. K. Hajela, S. Escudero, Y. Yuan, W. D. Atchison. Low dose postnatal methylmercury exposure alters mRNA levels of rat brainstem glutamate receptors and voltage gated calcium channels. SOT 2013 Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX. March 13, 2013.
  • C. T. Tiernan, A. Colón-Rodríguez, E. S. Rodríguez-Tapia, C. Dams, B. D. Hammond, C. R. Hutch, H. N. Kerver, B. M. Marrero-Rosado, W. D. Atchison. Bridge to the Ph.D. in Neuroscience: A platform to increase Hispanic representation in neuroscience research. SFN 2012 Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. October 16, 2012.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, R. K. Hajela, W. D. Atchison. Effects of chronic methylmercury exposure on mRNA expression of ligand and voltage gated ion channels in cerebellum and forebrain of adult mice. SFN 2012 Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. October 16, 2012.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, R. K. Hajela, and W. D. Atchison. Effects of chronic postnatal methylmercury exposure on the expression of GABAA receptor subunits in mouse cerebellum. SOT 2012 Annual meeting, San Francisco, CA. March 12, 2012.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, R. K. Hajela, Y. Yuan and W. D. Atchison. Ion channel gene transcription is affected differentially in rat cerebellum after postnatal methylmercury exposure. SOT 2011 Annual meeting, Washington, DC. March 8, 2011.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez, R. K. Hajela, W. D. Atchison. Expression of nerve membrane proteins in a naturally occurring Ca2+ channelopathy. Ronald E. McNair Undergraduate Research Symposium, East Lansing, MI. August 5, 2009.
 
ORAL ​ ​
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez. Neuroscience Outreach in Puerto Rico: Impact of the Next Generation Award, SFN 2015 Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. October 18, 2015.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez. Comparative effects of methylmercury on expression of ligand-gated and voltage-gated calcium channels in rat cerebellum and brainstem. NEURAL Conference, Birmingham, AL. June 25, 2015.
  • A. Colón-Rodríguez. MSU AGEP Community Meeting. Methylmercury toxicity and motor neuron degeneration. Why do we care? East Lansing, MI. September 2014.
 
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
  • Assessment of autism zebrafish mutant models using a high-throughput larval phenotyping platform. A. Colón-Rodríguez, J.M. Uribe-Salazar, KC. B. Weyenberg, A. Sriram, A. Quezada, G. Kaya, E. Jao, B. Radke, P. J. Lein, M. Y. Dennis. In Press, November 2020.
  • AMPA receptor contribution to methylmercury-mediated alteration of intracellular Ca2+ concentration in human induced pluripotent stem cell motor neurons. A. Colón-Rodríguez, N. M. Colón-Carrión, and W. D. Atchison. Neurotoxicology. In press, September 2020.
  • The next 50 years of neuroscience. C. Altimus, B. J. Marlin, N. E. Charalambakis, A. Colón-Rodríguez, et al. The Journal of Neuroscience. In press, January 2020. 
  • Bridge to Neuroscience Workshop: An effective educational tool to introduce principles of neuroscience to Hispanic students. A. Colón-Rodríguez, E. S. Rodríguez-Tapia, C. T. Tiernan, and W. D. Atchison. PLOS ONE. In press, December 2019.
  • Evaluating a gene-environment interaction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Methylmercury exposure and mutated SOD1. J. M. Bailey, A. Colón-Rodríguez, and W. D. Atchison. Current Environmental Health Reports. In press, April 2017. 
  • Effects of methylmercury on spinal cord afferents and efferents – A review. A. Colón-Rodríguez, H. E. Hannon, and W. D. Atchison. Neurotoxicology. In press, Dec 2016.

MENTORING EXPERIENCE
Since 2011 I have mentored 4 High Schoolers, 21 undergraduates, 5 veterinary medicine students, and 2 rotating graduate students in research projects that varied from 10-week summer internships to 2 years in length. In addition, my efforts to increase minorities in science has led me to seek/identify opportunities to mentor URMs which has led to 27 of my mentees being URMs. My mentees from the last two years are shown below.

​Summer 2020
*This was a virtual mentoring opportunity through the 2020 Michigan State University Bridge to Neuroscience Summer Program
  • Dariangelly Pacheco Cruz, Undergraduate student at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
  • Julienn Torres-Rodríguez, Undergraduate student at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
  • Yarimel Rosado, Undergraduate student at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico​
 
Spring 2020 – Summer 2021
  • Daniel Erenstein, Undergraduate student in neurobiology, physiology and behavior with a minor in professional writing at the University of California Davis.
  • Jaime Morales Gallardo, Undergraduate in Global Disease Biology and Chicana/o Studies at the University of California Davis.
Summer 2019 – Summer 2021
  • Alejandra Quezada, Undergraduate student in molecular biology at California State University, Sacramento, CA.​​
Summer 2019 - Spring 2020
  • KaeChandra B. Weyenberg, Dennis lab junior research specialist at the University of California Davis.
 
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
  • Co-developed and instruct - Sci Comm Training Workshops for undergraduate student interns at UC Davis Ecological and Evolutionary Response to Rapid Environmental Change (EERREC), NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program, Summer 2021.
  • Developed, coordinate and instruct - Sci Comm Faculty Training Program at UC Davis (scicomm.ucdavis.edu), College of Biological Sciences, October 2020 – February 2022.
  • Co-developed, co-coordinate and instruct - ANB290, Alt Extension: Science Communication Tools for the Modern Era, UC Davis, College of Biological Sciences, Winter quarter 2020 and 2021.
  • Instructor - NSM90, Biomedical Research Seminar, California State University- Sacramento, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Spring semester 2019, 2020 and 2021.
  • Instructor - Microbiology course, Vetward Bound Enrichment Summer Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, MSU, Summers 2012 - 2015.
  • Lecture PHM 480 Neurobiology of Disease course - Lead and neurodevelopment disorders, December 2015.
  • Lecture PHM480 Neurobiology of Disease course - Creutzfeldt Jakob disease: An infectious disease of the nervous system, December 2013.
  • Lecture PHM 480 Neurobiology of Disease course - Infectious diseases: Lyme disease and bacterial meningitis, December 2012, 2014.

SELECTED OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AND LEADERSHIP ROLES
  • Developed and coordinated - Estamos Aquí Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at UC Davis.
    • I obtained funding for this event from the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement VOICE Initiative fellowship and the Dean of the College of Biological Sciences at UC Davis.
    • This project was a virtual event that aimed to empower and celebrate the Latinx community. Composed of three workshops focused on teaching tools for culturally relevant science communication, mentoring for success, and leadership for change.
    • This event took place during Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th – October 15th) and impacted more than 80 people.
 
  • Virtual one-hour hands-on workshops in science, Boys & Girls Club, Bayamón, Puerto Rico. 
    • "​Aprendamos sobre microorganismos usando el Foldscope". January 29, 2021.
    • "La percepción y el sentido del gusto". April 16, 2021. 
    • "Aprendizaje y memoria. Tour de un laboratorio de Neurociencias (“B3 Lab”)". May 21, 2021. 
    • Virtual workshops with this chapter of B & G Club are ongoing, once a month with my initiative STEAM100X35. 
    • More than 50 boys and girls from K-12 reached for all the sessions. 
 
  • Online outreach to K-12- Nepris online education platform.  
    • What is neuroscience? An intro & virtual tour of a neuroscience laboratory (B3 Lab) to K-12 and the general public. Feb 1, 2021.
    • Neuroscience demonstration & virtual tour of the B3 Lab to elementary school students. Nov 13, 2020.
    • Animal models for neuroscience research & virtual tour of the B3 Lab for middle school students. Oct 20, 2020.
    • 230 people reached in total for the three sessions. 
 
  • Chair – Training and Development Subcommittee – Staff Diversity Administrative Advisory Committee (SDAAC) at UC Davis. September 2020 – October 2021.
 
  • Founder- STEAM100x35 LLC, an organization which mission is to promote and amplify the work of Puerto Rican woman in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) around the world. August 2020. 
    • Profiles from women in STEAM are collected using a form and shared in all of our social media platforms, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
    • STEM outreach through hands-on workshops and panels with collaborating organizations in Puerto Rico and the United States to promote women in science and encourage the next generation of diverse scholars in STEM.
    • Our forms and work can be found at www.steam100x35.com.
    • STEAM100X35 has been featured in the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Día (article is in Spanish) and Forbes Science including my postdoctoral work. 
 
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Efforts
    • COVID-19 National Scientist Volunteer Database, Social media coordinator and Spanish Translator, April 2020- March 2021.
      • I co-led the content curation of COVID-19 information for the social media platforms (Twitter and Facebook), serve as an editor and contributor to the Blog, and translate the content of social media platforms and the Blog posts into Spanish.
      • I was interviewed by Telemundo for the Spanish efforts from this initiative.
    • University of California Davis College of Biological Sciences COVID-19 Crisis TownHalls, volunteer, Davis, CA, March-May 2020.
      • I added the subtitles to the TownHall videos in Spanish and English and created pages for sharing the transcripts of these TownHalls in Spanish and English for increased accessibility and impact.
      • The TownHall videos and transcripts can be found on the B3 Lab science communication page in English and Spanish.
      • These were the only UC Davis TownHalls with subtitles in Spanish and transcripts in both languages when developed. 
 
  • Developed and coordinated - Science Outreach How to Increase the Impact of your Work Workshop, University of California Davis (UC Davis), Davis, CA. 2019.
    • Developed and coordinated this three-part workshop as part of the Professors for the Future Fellowship. The first part of the workshop included discussion of the impact of outreach for scientists, student participants, and the broader community, and tools for how to get involved. The second part of the workshop consisted of a brainstorming activity to help participants develop their own outreach activities. The last part of the workshop included examples of where and how to seek funding and resources to conduct outreach activities. This workshop was funded by the Professors for the Future Fellowship, UC Davis Graduate Studies and UC Davis Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement.
 
  • Member- SFN Professional Development Committee (PDC), Diversity and Inclusion Programs Subcommittee (DIPS) and Neuroscience Scholars Program Subcommittee (NSPS). October 2019 - 2022.
 
  • Organized and lead- Neuroscience workshops that took place at San Juan High School in Citrus Heights, CA; Sacramento Charter High School, Sacramento, CA; Montgomery Elementary School, Davis, CA; and ASPIRE after school program at Gretchen Higgins Elementary, Dixon, CA. January 2018 – September 2019.
    • Designed and co-coordinated one-hour hands-on neuroscience workshop that was given to more than 200 students. The topics covered the structure and function of the brain, genetic basis of neurological diseases such as autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy and finalized with a sheep brain dissection.
 
  • Organized and led- UC Davis for Puerto Rico which focused on coordinating hurricane María Relief Efforts at Davis, California for Puerto Rico. September 2017 - 2018.
    • Led and organized the GoFundMe page to fundraise for Puerto Rico as well as the local fundraising events for this initiative.
    • ​This fundraising effort led to the donation of $5,500 and 120 solar powered light bulbs to Casa Pueblo, a Puerto Rican community-based organization leader in solar power initiatives and hurricane María relief efforts.
    • I was part of a group of nine Puerto Rican faculty who worked with UC Davis administrators for the development of an effort that led UC Davis supporting Puerto Rican scholars to visit and work at the institution for a quarter. ​
 
  • Co-coordinated- Data Intensive Biology Summer Research Program, UC Davis, Davis, CA. 2017. 
    • ​​Dr. Phillip Brooks and I co-coordinated the Data Intensive Biology Summer Research Program at the University of California Davis. This was a 10-week research program designed by us that targeted underrepresented minority undergraduate students to train in leading edge methods for the analysis of biological sequencing data. During their participation in our 10-week residential program interns were able to 1) participate in bioinformatics training workshops for topics including introductory command line and unix, 2) engage in a mentored summer project utilizing data science methods in biomedical research, and 3) learn how to use cloud computers for data analysis that can be conducted anywhere in the world. 
    • We had three interns and they were from UC Davis, Hamilton College and Winona State University. 
 
  • Member- SFN Trainee Advisory Committee- November 2016 – November 2019. 
    • This committee’s goal is to assist SfN in supporting neuroscience trainee development and enhancing the trainee members’ experience.
  • Lead expo volunteer MSU Science Festival- March – April 2016.
  • President- Mid-Michigan Graduate Women in Science. May 2015 – June 2016. 
  • Chalk talk facilitator and writing coach- MSU Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP), East Lansing, MI. Summer 2014 – 2016.
    • For three summers, I served as a graduate student facilitator which consisted of meeting weekly with a group of ~12 summer interns and give them feedback on their research and their scientific presentations. I also served as a writing coach for these scholars and gave them feedback on their scientific paper, cv, personal statement and scientific posters. 
  • Peer mentor- SOT Undergraduate Education Program. SOT Annual Meeting. 2011– 2019.
    • I served as a peer mentor in a 3-day program for underrepresented minority undergraduate students that are in the biological sciences and would like to learn about the area of toxicology and graduate school. As peer mentors, we give advice about applying and being productive/successful in graduate school, teach about what type of careers/professions you can pursue as a toxicologist and serve as a guide in the annual meeting while teaching students the different areas of toxicology.
  • Co-Chair- Mid-Michigan Graduate Women in Science, Girls Math and Science Day, East Lansing, MI. 2015 and 2016. 
    • Girls Math and Science Day is a free half a day of hands-on math, science and engineering activities for middle school girls. I co-coordinated this event and oversaw the finance, logistics, presenters’ recruitment and advertisement of the event for two years. 
  • Designed and Presented- Portal to the Public workshop- Neuro-Talk: Synaptic Communication. Detroit Zoo, Detroit, MI. January 17th, June 6th, 2015. 
  • Student Representative- Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine Committee on Diversity, East Lansing, MI. July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2015. 
  • Organized and Presented- “Our nervous system at work” workshop at Marble Elementary School to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders, East Lansing, MI. May 2013.
  • Designed and Co-coordinate- Bridge to the PhD in Neuroscience (BPNP) Summer Program scientific writing workshop, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. May 2012- 2016.
    • I developed the written assignments and supporting materials for the BPNP Summer Program. I also coordinated professional, social events and the recruitment of graduate students and post doc facilitators that helped in the events as well as in the evaluation of students’ assignments. BPNP is an NIH, NSF funded program that brings underrepresented minorities to Michigan State University to engage in 10 weeks of summer research, professional development activities and social events. BPNP is directed by Dr. William Atchison. 
  • Designed and Co-coordinate. Bridge to Neuroscience Workshop; Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. January 2011 – 2016. 
    • A group of MSU graduate students and myself developed this one-day hands-on neuroscience workshop. This workshop is given multiple times a year in Puerto Rico and its main goal is to increase exposure of neuroscience to underrepresented minorities, increase awareness of neuroscience as a career and serve as a recruitment tool for the Bridge to Neuroscience Summer Program. For this work our team received the Next Generation Award from the Society of Neuroscience in 2014. ​  ​
 
SELECTED INVITED PRESENTATIONS
  • Keynote Speaker – “Sí se puede: cómo convertirme en científica fue de un sueño a una profesión”. Semana de las Ciencias. Universidad Ana G. Méndez, Carolina Campus. Virtual talk. April 7, 2022.
 
  • Keynote Speaker – University of Hawaii at Hilo NSF Advance Bridge Program Building Relationships to Increase Diversity and Gender Equity Workshop, Virtual presentation. “Defining and Forming Mentorship Relationships from an Intersectional Perspective”. February 4th, 2022.
 
  • Speaker/Interviewer – "Researcher to Researcher, Fireside chat with Dr. Anthony Fauci", 2021 National Health Research Forum, Straight Talk: Fighting Health Threads Faster. Research!America, Virtual talk. September 14, 2021.
 
  • Speaker – Fundación Garcia Rinaldi Puerto Rico virtual presentation. “La importancia de la mentoría y el ser un mentee receptivo para el éxito”. June 23, 2021.
 
  • Keynote Speaker – Yale Biological and Biomedical Sciences Diversity and Inclusion Collective (YBDIC), Virtual presentation. “Communicating science as a minority in STEM”. June 14, 2021.
 
  • Keynote Speaker – UC Davis Cesar Chavez Youth Leadership Conference, Virtual talk. “Our identity our strength”. May 25, 2021. 
 
  • Keynote Speaker –University of Hawaii at Hilo NSF Advance Bridge Program Building Relationships to Increase Diversity and Gender Equity Workshop, Virtual presentation. “Mentoring as a tool for retention and success”. February 5, 2021.
 
  • Speaker - Mujeres TICs Bolivia, Virtual talk. “Charla con una STEAMinist”. December 12, 2020. 
 
  • Panelist – “Life as a remote scientist during the COVID-19 pandemic”. Science Magazine Live Stream. October 2, 2020. 
 
  • Speaker - 2020 Society of Postdoctoral Scholars at the University of Kentucky Research Symposium, Virtual Symposium. "Science Communication: Increase the Impact of your work”. September 24, 2020.
 
  • Speaker - Base de Datos Nacional de Científicos Voluntarios de COVID-19. Noticias Telemundo, Video of interview can be found here. May 21, 2020.
 
  • Keynote Speaker - University of Hawaii at Hilo 2nd Annual Women In STEM Conference. "I am a minority in STEM, that is my superpower". Hilo, HI. March 2020.
 
  • Speaker - UNE URGREAT-MBRS-RISE Program end of the year event. "Conversatorio: Sí se puede". Carolina, PR. May 2018.
 
  • Panelist - Society of Toxicology Undergraduate Education Program. “What is Grad school and what can I expect? A postdoc perspective”. Baltimore, MD. March 2017.
 
  • Panelist - MSU 2015 Leadership Summit. Student leadership panel: "My experience as the president of MSU Graduate Women in Science". East Lansing, MI. November 2015.
   
  • Panelist - Society of Toxicology Undergraduate Education Program. “What is Grad school and what can I expect? A graduate student perspective”. Phoenix, AZ. March 2014.
 
  • Speaker - UNE URGREAT-MBRS-RISE Program Retreat. “Jointly advancing our commitment to scholarly pursuit: Inspiring and empowering both mentor and mentee”, Fajardo, PR. May 2013.
 
  • Speaker - University of Puerto Rico- Cayey RISE Program. “Life in Graduate School”. Cayey, PR. February 2012.
​

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND WORKSHOPS
  • Leadership California: California Issues and Trends 2021 course. February – December 2021.
  • Postdoc Leadership Institute. Society for Advancement of Chicano/Hispanic and Native Americans in Science 2019 Annual Meeting, Honolulu, HI. October 2019. Certificate.
  • EDU 398: Seminar on College Teaching Course. UC Davis, Davis, CA. Fall 2018. Certificate. 
  • Zebrafish Development and Genetics Course. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA. August 4th - 19th, 2017.
  • Short Course: Optimizing Experimental Design for High Quality Science. Society for Neuroscience, October 16th, 2015. Certificate.
  • Analyzing Next Generation Sequence Data short course. Michigan State University Kellogg Biological Station, Hickory Corners, MI, August 10 – 21st, 2015. Certificate.
  • Graduate Student Leadership Academy. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, February 26th – April 2nd, 2015. Certificate.
  • AAAS Communicating Science: Tools for Scientists. Michigan State University, MI, February 2015.
  • Write Winning Grant Proposals. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, January 8th, 2015.
  • Short Course: Advances in Brain-scale, Automated Anatomical Techniques: Neuronal Reconstruction, Tract Tracing, and Atlasing, Society for Neuroscience, November 14th, 2014. Certificate.
  • Responsible Conduct of Research. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, October 2013 – February 2014. Certificate.
  • University Graduate Certification in College Teaching Institute, East Lansing, MI, May 2013.
  • Laser Capture Microdissection: Methods for Microgenomic Analysis, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, August 3 – 6, 2010.

Contact 

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