Santa Cruz, CA —The Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) announced today the names of the five individuals to receive 2008 SACNAS Distinguished Awards, which recognize scientific achievement, teaching, and mentorship of underrepresented minority students.
The individuals to be recognized represent the highest caliber of mentoring and an established record of encouraging minority students to pursue advanced degrees in science, mathematics, and engineering. The awards will be presented by SACNAS president Aaron Velasco, Ph.D., during the opening ceremony of the organization’s annual national conference on Thursday, October 9, 2008, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
2008 SACNAS Distinguished Scientist Award Juan Meza, Ph.D., is the department head and senior scientist of the High Performance Computing Research Department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he leads a group conducting cutting-edge research involving the marriage of new algorithmic techniques and advanced computing platforms. Dr. Meza has also worked on various scientific and engineering applications including scalable methods for nanoscience and power grid reliability. In addition, Dr. Meza is extremely active nationally in addressing the underrepresentation of minorities in mathematics. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including the upcoming honor of the 2008 Blackwell-Tapia Prize.
2008 SACNAS Distinguished Undergraduate Institution Mentor Award R. Deborah Overath, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of biology in the College of Science and Technology at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi (TAMUCC). Dr. Overath has been instrumental in creating an active research presentation program at TAMUCC; as a result of her mentorship, her students have won recognitions at regional, national, and SACNAS meetings. She is the TAMUCC faculty advisor for the campus’ chapter of American Women in Science.
2008 SACNAS Distinguished Community/Tribal College Mentor Award Christine Case, Ed.D., is a microbiologist and a professor of microbiology at Skyline College in San Bruno , where she has taught for 38 years. Dr. Case founded and co-chairs Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science, an annual conference for 6th through 12th grade girls held at Skyline College . As a student research project advisor, Dr. Case’s students have published their research, presented posters, and received research awards at many scientific meetings. Since 2002, she has sent 27 student research projects to SACNAS.
2008 SACNAS Distinguished Professional Mentor Award
Sonia Ortega, Ph.D., has been involved in many committees and organizations aimed at increasing the representation of women and minorities in the sciences, including two terms on the SACNAS Board of Directors. Currently, she is a member of the Diversity Committee of Sigma-Xi, a member of the Education and Human Resources Committee of the Ecological Society of America, and a member of the Diversity Committee of the American Institute of Biological Sciences. Dr. Ortega is a program director for the Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) Program at the National Science Foundation, which supports STEM graduate students in bringing their scientific research to K-12 classrooms and in developing communication skills for sharing science with lay audiences.
2008 SACNAS Distinguished K-12 Educator Award
Wendell Gehman, M.S., is a high school science educator at Red Cloud High School on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota . He has taught for over 12 years at the school and served as chair of the science department for the last 10. Throughout his tenure, Gehman has been dedicated to the success of his students and the advancement of the science program at the school. As a result, five of Gehman’s female science students—two last summer and three this year—have participated in internships through the National Institutes of Health. Since 1997 when the SACNAS Distinguished Awards program began, the organization has recognized 42 scientists, educators, and program directors. Each of these individuals embody the spirit of the organization’s mission 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.
Contacts
Judit Camacho, Executive Director, 831-459-0171, ext 444 juditcamacho@sacnas.org
Related Websites
SACNAS Distinguished Awards program: http://www.sacnas.org/distinguishedAwards.cfm
SACNAS National Conference: http://www.sacnas.org/confnew/confclient/
SACNAS was named the “premier organization that promotes diversity in science careers (especially for underrepresented Latinos and Native Americans)” by the National Science Board and was awarded a 2004 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM).
The mission of SACNAS 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
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