I am very passionate about science communication and outreach. I believe that we can create a more understanding and supportive society when we (scientists) share the importance of science and the impact it has in our world. Also, as an underrepresented minority scientist I feel the responsibility of encouraging the next generation of scientists like myself by sharing my experience while teaching them about areas that I am very passionate about, Neuroscience and Toxicology.
I have participated in many science outreach events, coordinated others and developed hands-on activities as well. Below I have summarized some of them.
I have participated in many science outreach events, coordinated others and developed hands-on activities as well. Below I have summarized some of them.
- Data Intensive Biology Summer Research Program, University of California Davis (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 8 to 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.
- MSU Middle School 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.
- Bridge to Neuroscience Workshop (Former BNW, now BPNP), Neuroscience Program, MSU, East Lansing, MI. January 2011 – 2016.
- A group of MSU graduate students, my PhD advisor 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 minorities, increase awareness of neuroscience as a career and serve as a recruitment tool for the Bridge to Neuroscience Summer Program.
- For our work with this workshop and its impact, my colleagues and myself received the Next Generation Award from the Society for Neuroscience in 2014.
- Bridge to Neuroscience Workshop (BNW) has been presented at:
- Universidad de Puerto Rico - Arecibo
- Universidad de Puerto Rico - Cayey
- Universidad de Puerto Rico - Humacao
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Universidad Interamericana de Arecibo, Puerto Rico
- Universidad del Turabo, Puerto Rico
- Bridge to the PhD in Neuroscience (BPNP) Summer Program scientific writing and professional development workshops, MSU, 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.
Other "selected" outreach activities
- Northern California Society of Toxicology (NorCal SOT) Speed Mentoring Event at UC Davis. October 2018, October 2019.
- Organized the NorCal SOT speed mentoring activity at UC Davis. This event allowed attendees to meet with mentors (ten scientists from industry, biotech, and government) in a series of short 15-minute sessions to discuss career paths and opportunities in the area of toxicology.
- Neuroscience hands-on high school workshop. San Juan High School, Sacramento, CA. May 2018.
- Designed and co-coordinated this one hour hands-on neuroscience workshop that was given to 120 sophomore 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.
- 2018 Society for Neuroscience Capitol Hill Day. Washington, DC. March 2018.
- On March 8th I was part of a group of neuroscientists, SfN members, who met with senators and representatives to advocate for a more consistent and robust increase in funding for the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF) and the BRAIN Initiative. Our visit included three senators and five representatives from California.
- UC Davis for Puerto Rico. Initiative 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. More information about this initiative can be found here and here.
- 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.
- Led and organized the GoFundMe page to fundraise for Puerto Rico as well as the local fundraising events for this initiative. More information about this initiative can be found here and here.
- Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting Undergraduate Diversity 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.
- MSU Science Festival. Lead expo volunteer. MSU, East Lansing, MI. March – April 2016.
- MSU Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP), East Lansing, MI. Summer 2014 – 2016.
- Chalk talk facilitator and writing coach. 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.
- MSU Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (MSU-AGEP) Program Capitol Hill Visit, Washington, DC. February 2016.
- I was one of eight graduate students, MSU AGEP members, who visited two Senator (Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters) and four House of Representative (John Conyers, Bill Huizenga, John Moolenaar and Debbie Dingell) offices and met with their legislative assistants to discuss the importance of funding National Science Foundation (NSF) programs such as AGEP and the impact it has on underrepresented minority scholars.
- Detroit Zoo Portal to the Public Workshop. Designed and Presented. Neuro-Talk: Synaptic Communication. Detroit Zoo, Detroit, MI. January 17th, June 6th, 2015.
- “Our nervous system at work” workshop. Marble Elementary School. East Lansing, MI. May 2013.
- Organized and Presented a hands-on neuroscience workshop to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders, focused on the structure and function of the brain.