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Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science

Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science

Introduction

The mission of SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) is to encourage Chicano/Latino and Native American students to pursue graduate education and obtain the advanced degrees necessary for science research, leadership, and teaching careers at all levels.

Video

SACNAS Advancing Latinos and Native Americans in Science

Announcements

Biographies

2010 SACNAS Distinguished Professional Mentor Award

George Perry, PhD, is dean of the College of Sciences and professor of biology at The University of Texas at San Antonio . In 1982, Dr. Perry joined the faculty of Case Western Reserve University , where he currently holds an adjunct appointment. He is distinguished as one of the top Alzheimer's disease researchers with over 800 publications, one of the top 100 most-cited scientists in neuroscience and behavior and one of the top 25 scientists in free radical research. Most recently he has been named a Foreign Correspondent Member of the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences.

2010 SACNAS Distinguished STEM Education Award

Maria Eguia-Vera, MS, has taught Biology and Environmental Science for over 20 years at Luis Pales Matos High School in Bayamon, Puerto Rico . She has been dedicated to initiate and develop the science program in her school and has served as an instructional leader for her peers. With her participation in Puerto Rico 's Statewide Systemic Initiative in Science & Mathematics (PR-SSI) she has developed innovative approaches in areas including technology integration across the curriculum. Mrs. Eguia-Vera has been dedicated to the success of her students and as a result, she has helped and motivated many students to love and pursue a science major. Many have already experienced undergraduate summer internships thanks to the information she brings from SACNAS.

2010 SACNAS Distinguished Undergraduate Institution Mentor Award

Ricardo Cortez, PhD, is currently the Pendergraft William Larkin Duren Professor in the Mathematics Department and Director of the Center for Computational Science at Tulane University in New Orleans . Dr. Cortez has been involved in summer research programs for minority undergraduates since he was a graduate student. In the summer of 2002, he led a research seminar at the Summer Institute in Mathematics for Undergraduates (SIMU). Since then, he has run his own summer research program at Tulane University . In 2007, the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute Undergraduate Program (MSRI-UP) was founded under his leadership.

2010 SACNAS Distinguished Scientist Award

Ramon Lopez, PhD, is currently a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at Arlington . Dr. Lopez' current research focuses on solar wind-magnetosphere coupling and the role of spatial intelligence and visual cognition in science education. He is the author or coauthor of over 120 publications, including the popular science book "Storms from the Sun." From 1994 - 1999, Dr. Lopez was the Director of Education and Outreach for the American Physical Society (APS), and in 2005 he was Chair of the APS Forum on Education.