Jaeger, Corinne

7 EWU McNair Scholars Participate in Gabriel E. Gallardo Research, Student Leadership, and Advocacy Symposium

04/29/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

EWU McNair Scholars Rachael Pentico, Lizeth Bañuelos, and Malachi Chukwu presented last week at the virtual Gabriel E. Gallardo Research, Student Leadership & Advocacy Symposium hosted by the University of Washington. Four other EWU McNair Scholars attended: Alexandria Coronado, Wendolyn Martinez, Christina Hudson, and Aulane Mpouli. This was the first annual Gabriel E. Gallardo Research, Student Leadership & Advocacy Symposium (GEG Symposium) hosted by the University of Washington’s Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (UW OMA&D). This builds on UW McNair’s 28-year legacy of hosting a Pacific Northwest Undergraduate Research Conference and is intended to honor the legacy of Dr. Gabriel E. Gallardo who passed away last year after a lifetime of service to educational equity, particularly on behalf on TRIO McNair, TRIO-SSS, and CAMP students. This symposium provides an amazing opportunity for undergraduate researchers to meet other scholars and to share their research in a unique, exciting and supportive environment. A huge thank you to EWU McNair Faculty Mentors for encouraging and supporting scholars with their research and presentations! Below are some quotes from our scholars about the value of the experience.

On Attending the Conference:

Attending the conference was such an enriching experience for me. I had the opportunity to meet professors doing work in my area of interest at UW and to make important connections. I would recommend attending conferences to other students because it is an invaluable opportunity to ask questions and do some important networking."

- Christina Hudson, 2021 EWU McNair Scholar

Attending the conference was an insightful and meaningful. I attended: Finding Your Community, Imposter Syndrome, the Student Leadership Panel, Meditation and Stretching, Mental Health in Graduate School, Building Positive Mentoring Relationships, Self-Advocacy and Speaking Up for Yourself, and the Networking Fireside chat with Graduate Students from social sciences. These provided such honesty and great advice to successfully building relationships, your community, and taking care of your mental health."

- Lizeth Bañuelos, 2020 EWU McNair Scholar

On Presenting:

This was the first time that I pre-recorded a poster experience and it was such a great experience. It calmed the nerves I would have had if I presented live. I enjoyed familiarizing myself with this process. Take advantage of these opportunities, they are worth it. The nerves are worth it."

-Lizeth Banuelos

Check out Our Scholar's Presentations!

EWU McNair Scholar Presentations at the UW Conference:

To watch Lizeth's presentation on the experience of first-generation Latinx students and the role of institutional supports during the pandemic, click here!

Click here to see Malachi and Rachael's research posters!

EWU McNair Encourages Scholar Presentations at Conferences

This year, to ensure our scholars have this opportunity, EWU McNair is partnering with CSTEM at EWU to host a symposium on June 2nd. The symposium will begin with a Social Justice in Research Panel with EWU McNair Alumni at 9 am. Check back on the McNair Website to find out how to register in advance to attend this secured Zoom event.

Green back drop (lime to jade), with title of article, names of scholars and an image of each

EWU McNair Scholars Lucia Roussa and Mori Williams Present at NCUR

By Jaeger, Corinne | 04/27/2021

EWU McNair Scholars Present at Murdock College Science Research Conference 2020

By Jaeger, Corinne | 01/27/2021

Nine EWU McNair Scholars Present at Baylor McNair Research Conference

By Jaeger, Corinne | 10/09/2020

18 EWU McNair Scholars Present at EWU Virtual Symposium

By Jaeger, Corinne | 06/10/2020

Darlene Gilroy, EWU McNair Scholar and Environmental Geology major, attends prestigious Murdock College Science Research Conference in Vancouver, WA

By Patolo, Najeda | 11/14/2019

Abdu Mohammed Visiting Congressional Reps

Abdulrazik Mohammed Travels to DC to Attend the 7th Annual International Symposium on Women and Genocide in the 21st Century: The Case of Darfur

By jlittleton1 | 12/04/2018

The EWU McNair staff are proud of all of our scholars for the hard work they've put into their research and sharing that research with the broader community.

EWU McNair Scholar Darlene Gilroy Accepted by Geology Masters Program at San Jose State University

04/29/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Darlene Gilroy Graduate School Acceptances 2021 SJSU

Congratulations EWU McNair Scholar Darlene Gilroy! Darlene was accepted by San Jose State University's Geology Masters program with funding. She was also accepted by Portland State University. Darlene has completed two summer internships with EWU McNair. Her research focuses on the chemical weathering of volcanic sediments under the mentorship of Dr. Carmen Nezat. Darlene has presented on her research at the 2019 Murdock College Science Research Conference in Tacoma WA, the 2020 WE-STEM conference at EWU, and the EWU Virtual Symposium. More recently she presented Chemical Weathering of Deposits from the 1980 Mount St. Helens Eruption and its Effect on Stream Water Chemistry at the virtual Baylor McNair Research Conference and to EWU's own Geology Department. Many thanks to Dr. Nezat for her outstanding mentorship.

In addition to being awarded two McNair Summer Research Internships here at Eastern. Darlene has also been recognized for her excellence with grants and scholarships. Last spring Darlene was awarded the Penelope A. Jones Scholarship and the HOME Program Scholarship. This fall, Eastern's Geology Department awarded Darlene the Fall 2020 Alumni-Funded Undergraduate Research Grant, to assist with her McNair research.

Keep up the amazing work Darlene! EWU McNair is confident that you will succeed in graduate school and have a great impact on our world. Read more about Darlene's research on her EWU McNair webpage!

EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez Accepted by Fourth Masters Program

04/29/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Wendolyn Martinez Graduate School Acceptances 2021 AU

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Wendolyn Martinez!

Wendolyn has been accepted by the Masters of International Affairs program at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, a graduate college at Texas A&M American University. They awarded Wendolyn a competitive scholarship and instate tuition for her first year. This is in addition to being accepted by the Masters in Public Policy program at Pepperdine University with a full tuition scholarship, the International Relations Masters program at American University, and by the dual Masters degree from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and Moscow State Institute of International Relations where she also received a substantial scholarship rewarding her excellent academic background and specialization in the field. Wendolyn has decided to attend the Bush School where she will focus on nuclear security.

Wendolyn is double majoring in Political Science and International Affairs at Eastern and is dedicated to following her family's tradition of serving their country. In her case, she plans to go into foreign service where she hopes to decrease nuclear proliferation and increase peace and security in the world. In her 2019 EWU McNair Summer Research Internship, under the mentorship of Dr. Dorothy Zielser-Vralsted, Wendolyn studied interwar propaganda within the US and USSR relating to public works projects. Then in the fall of 2019 she studied abroad, with the help of the Gilman International Scholarship, at the prestigious Moscow State University in Moscow, Russia where she studied Russian language, history, and political economy. In the summer of 2020 she participated in the Public Policy & International Affairs Junior Summer Internship (PPIA JSI) through the University of Michigan.

The EWU McNair staff are so excited for Wendolyn and we know she'll do amazing things in graduate school and beyond! Click here to read more about Wendolyn or her research.

EWU McNair Scholars Lucia Roussa and Mori Williams Present at NCUR

04/27/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams and Lucia Roussa presented last week at the virtual National Council on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) Conference. NCUR promotes undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity in all fields of study through their conference for students. It celebrates undergraduate student achievement and hopes to help improve the state of undergraduate education. Each conference hosts 3,500 to 4,000 students from across the globe, presenting their research through posters, oral presentations, visual arts, and performances. This year the conference took place completely online.

Mori and Lucia both worked with mentor Dr. Camille McNeely on research at the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. Mori presented on cyanobacteria in the refuge by creating a video and then was available for questions during the conference. Lucia presented her project investigating the relationship between freshwater algal abundance and diversity through analyzing the eutrophication of these wetlands. Lucia's presentation was live during the conference. Here are some of Lucia's thoughts about presenting:

Presenting was much different than I had initially thought it was going to be. I really did not know what to expect, or how many people would be watching my presentation. Since the conference was online in a Zoom format it felt similar to a presentation you would give in class. There was only three students and one professor who watched me present live, so that made things a bit easier. I learned that presenting at a conference was not as scary as I had imagined! Maybe if it was in person I would feel differently, but all together it was a great experience."

I think my greatest take away from presenting at a conference is the importance of practicing your material out loud and being well prepared. I gave this presentation to my housemates more times than they probably wanted, but becoming completely comfortable with your slides and memorizing your information is key to a smooth and professional presentation."

I recommend that all students just go for it! I feel like there is such a stigma around the difficulty of these kinds of presentations/conferences. Personally, I have a huge fear of public speaking, especially in front of faculty and peers who are extremely knowledgeable! I was given great advice from one of my professors who said that you (the presenter) know the most about your topic, so be confident in what you are talking about! That really stuck with me and gave me so much confidence when it came my time to speak."

EWU McNair Encourages Scholar Presentations at Conferences

EWU McNair encourages all of its scholars to present at conferences such as NCUR to build confidence, experience, and to strengthen Curriculum Vitae's (CV) for applying to graduate school. This school year scholars presented at the Baylor McNair Research Conferenc,the Murdock College Science Research Conference, and last week at the Gabriel E. Gallardo Research, Student Leadership & Advocacy Symposium hosted by the University of Washington. Typically most EWU McNair Scholars also present at the EWU Symposium. Last year we may have set a record with 18 scholars presenting last spring! This year, to ensure our scholars have this opportunity, EWU McNair is partnering with CSTEM at EWU to host a symposium on June 2nd. The symposium will begin with a Social Justice in Research Panel with EWU McNair Alumni at 9 am. Check back on the McNair Website to find out how to register in advance to attend this secured Zoom event.

EWU McNair Scholars Present at Murdock College Science Research Conference 2020

By Jaeger, Corinne | 01/27/2021

Nine EWU McNair Scholars Present at Baylor McNair Research Conference

By Jaeger, Corinne | 10/09/2020

18 EWU McNair Scholars Present at EWU Virtual Symposium

By Jaeger, Corinne | 06/10/2020

Darlene Gilroy, EWU McNair Scholar and Environmental Geology major, attends prestigious Murdock College Science Research Conference in Vancouver, WA

By Patolo, Najeda | 11/14/2019

Abdulrazik Mohammed Travels to DC to Attend the 7th Annual International Symposium on Women and Genocide in the 21st Century: The Case of Darfur

By jlittleton1 | 12/04/2018

More about the 2021 NCUR Presenters

Lucia is finishing a dual Environmental Science and Biology major at Eastern Washington University. Lucia's research interests include phycology, marine microbiology, and conservation science in coastal marine ecosystems. Recently Lucia was selected as summer research intern by Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Sciences (CICOES) at UW. She will research whether jellyfish populations can be used as markers of health in the Puget Sound with mentor Dr. Julie Keister.

Mori is majoring in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Chemistry and a minor in Japanese. He has worked in an Organic Chemistry lab at Eastern Washington University, which involves saponification, NMR readings, and reflux methods. He is interested in finding types of toxins in bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, and the ocean to find solutions for reducing those toxins. This spring he was accepted by the Toxicology PhD program at Oregon State University.

The EWU McNair staff are proud of Mori and Lucia and we're excited to see what they'll do next!

EWU McNair Scholar Aulane Mpouli Awarded Sloan Scholarship at Duke

04/22/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Aulane Mpouli Sloan Scholarship Award 2021

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Aulane Mpouli. Aulane was selected to receive a Sloan Scholarship, an award offered jointly by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Duke University Center of Exemplary Mentoring (UCEM). Sloan Scholarships are extended to a highly selective group of admitted graduate students. The Sloan Foundation was created in 1934 by industrialist Alfred P. Sloan Jr. and is a not-for-profit grantmaking institution that supports high quality, impartial scientific research; fosters a robust, diverse scientific workforce; strengthens public understanding and engagement with science; and promotes the health of the institutions of scientific endeavor. This scholarship is in addition to the standard Duke stipend already awarded to Aulane. As a Sloan Scholar, she will have access to resources and opportunities to enhance her academic and professional development, beginning with the Early Start Research Immersion Program. In addition to this five-week experience in the summer before the first year of graduate school, designed to help smooth the transition to Duke, the Sloan Scholarship also includes a series of workshops, symposia, lunches, and periodic check-ins throughout Aulane's time at Duke.

Aulane is an outstanding scholar. She has been accepted by the Chemistry PhD Programs at the University of California San Diego, Duke University, Ohio State University, and the University of Utah, all with full funding! Aulane is majoring in Chemistry and plans on specializing in Analytical Chemistry. Her research interests include analytics, biological chemistry, and catalysis. Last summer Aulane was accepted into a Summer Research Program by Ohio State University, and while they were unable to continue due to COVID-19, she continued to participate in a series of online seminars provided by OSU. Additionally, Aulane completed a McNair Summer Research Internship here at EWU under the mentorshop of Dr. Yao Houndonougbo. Her research, Molecular Docking Study of ITPA Protein Substrate Complex, relates to analyzing the successful ways in which the substrate Inosine Triphosphate (ITP) binds to the enzyme Inosine Triphosphatase in order for it to perform its enzymatic function and prevent the accumulation and over concentration of ITP, an intermediate in the formation of Purines which help make up DNA. The accumulation of ITP could cause mutations in the DNA causing cancers and other detrimental effects to the body. She has continued this research throughout the 2020-2021 school year. Aulane also works as a Teacher’s Assistant for the Quantitative Analysis, BioChem for Health Sciences, and General Chemistry courses where she grades lab reports, prepares unknowns for students, and helps with calculations and clarifications.

The EWU McNair staff are so excited for Aulane and we know she'll do amazing at Duke and beyond! Click here to read more about Aulane or her research.

EWU McNair Scholar Malachi Chukwu Awarded Theodore A. LeGros Fellowship at WSU

04/22/2021 by Jaeger, Corinne Leave a Comment

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Malachi Chukwu! Malachi has been selected by Washington State University's (WSU) College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Political Science, Philosophy and Public Affairs for the Theodore A. LeGros Graduae Recruitment Fellowship. This fellowship comes through an endowment by the same name established by Jean Baumgarten LeGros in honor of her husband. Theodore graduated from WSU in 1942 in political science and, among many accomplishments, went on to be a lawyer and was president of the Japan-America Society of Seattle in 1976.

Malachi Chukwu is an International Affairs and Political Science major at Eastern Washington University with an emphasis on global security. He is interested in researching the effects of development on Sub-Saharan Africa, the connections between development, environmental degradation, and conflict in this region, and potential policy and implementation solutions. Malachi completed his 2019 summer research Economic development in the Global South: A case study of Niger Delta, Nigeria under the mentorship of Dr. Majid Sharifi. In 2020, Malachi participated in the Laney Graduate School Summer Opportunity for Academic Research (LGS-SOAR) Program at Emory University under the mentorship of Dr. Emily Gade at the Oppressions and Resistance Lab. Click here to read more about Malachi or his research.

Malachi has been accepted by the International Relations PhD program at Florida International University with funding, the Political Science PhD Program at the University of Oregon, and the Political Science PhD program at Washington State University with full funding plus now this additional award. Malachi plans to attend WSU in the fall of 2022.

The EWU McNair staff are so proud of Malachi and all of his hard work. We're excited to see all the amazing things he will bring to his field and his communities.