TRIO Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

Eastern Washington University

Summer Research

EWU McNair Scholar Shawn Dufrene Completes Summer Research Internship

by Leave a Comment

Photo of Shawn Dufrene next to text congratulating her with red textured border.

Congratulations Eastern Washington University student Shawn Dufrene! Shawn has completed her summer research internship. Shawn is a senior majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies focusing on Africana Studies with a minor in History. She is studying African American History as well as what it means to be white in America. Her goal is to become a professor of African American Studies. In 2019 she presented historical research for the Phi Alpha Theta regional conference and the EWU Symposium. She is a volunteer docent at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture and an officer in EWU’s Black Student Union. For her 2020 EWU McNair Summer Research Internship, Shawn researched Malcolm X’s racial identity development under Dr. Okera Nsombi, Assistant Professor of Africana Studies.

Representation Matters: McNair Chemistry Research Intern Aulane Mpouli

by Leave a Comment

Aulane and Yao 10_26_20

Aulane Mpouli understands from experience why representation matters in STEM fields. As an EWU McNair Scholar and Chemistry and Biochemistry major, Aulane is currently applying to chemistry PhD programs with the goal of conducting bench to bedside translational cancer research. Interested in mechanisms to evaluate protein-ligand interactions, as well as chemical biology, and enzyme dynamics in disease prevention, she also seeks to deepen her understanding of proteomics and drug designs. Her ultimate goal is to contribute to a team that furthers knowledge about the detection and prevention of cancers. She wants to use her education to make the world a better place as well as to be a role model for others. And to think we almost missed her.

 

STEM disciplines have not always been the most welcoming and inclusive, and there was a time in high school when Aulane could not imagine herself belonging to the world of science. Chemistry or biochemistry was not within her realm of possible futures. That is, until a chemistry teacher who looked like her expanded her perceived possibilities by demonstrating first hand that minority excellence in STEM was possible. This commitment to STEM excellence and inclusion gave her a sense of belonging and a dream. It made all the difference.

 

After that shift in mindset, Aulane began to seek out opportunities to develop her scientific skills and experiences through research, collaboration and dedicated scholarly engagement. She came to Eastern Washington University from the western side of the state on a track scholarship to compete as a Heptathlete, and determined to major in chemistry.

Reflecting on what is lost when we neglect broad inclusion, Aulane states: I believe not only do STEM fields, but many other high-impact fields of study miss out on the potential that people of color could and would bring to the progression of said field due to a lack of representation. In the year of 2020 it blows my mind that there are people of color who are still achieving titles such as  "The first black man to…" and "The first Latina woman to..."

The federal TRIO Programs provide services to support students who come from backgrounds where they might have lacked opportunities to pursue higher education. As part of TRIO, Eastern's McNair program promotes a broadly welcoming future through education as we provide research and other scholarly activities to prepare our scholars for doctoral programs. Participating in a faculty-mentored research internship is key to the EWU McNair experience. So when EWU and the McNair summer research internships had to move on-line due to the pandemic, we worked hard to find creative ways to continue our McNair summer program workshops, seminars, and research projects virtually. Many students moved home for the summer, including Aulane, who conducted her McNair summer 2020 research internship totally in the virtual world.

 

While attending McNair Zoom workshops and seminars throughout the summer with the other fourteen McNair rearch interns, McNair staff and guest presenters, she also worked on-line with her McNair faculty research mentor Dr. Yao Houndonougbo, who recently was promoted to full professor in EWU's Chemistry & Biochemistry Department. She completed her 2020 McNair summer research internship with a project titled: Molecular Docking Study of ITPA Protein Substrate Complex. The project is an extension of work that Dr. Houndonougbo has been doing to apply computational chemistry methods to study protein–ligand interactions and the property structure relationships in materials. These research projects have been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As part of the NIH funded research and in collaboration with Dr. Nicholas Burgis, chair of EWU's Chemistry, Biochemistry & Physics Department, they have recently reported the study of the effect of mutation on the structure and dynamic properties of the inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase (ITPA) protein.

 

You can read more about this research in an article that was recently published in the Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics: Structural dynamics of inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase (ITPA) protein and two clinically relevant mutants: molecular dynamics simulations

 

Aulane Mpouli’s McNair summer research continues this study by using computational docking to explore bound conformation and energy in the binding of ITP to ITPA protein, seeking to better understand the mechanism of ITPA binding. The importance of this research pertains to visualizing operative configurations of a protein-ligand complex that will cleanse nucleotide pools and repair damaged DNA. She recently presented her project along with nine other EWU McNair scholars at the Baylor University Virtual Research Conference and Graduate School Fair, which virtually brought together over 350 students, staff, and faculty from McNair programs across the country to present their research.

 

You can view a poster that covers the information in that oral presentation at this link to the EWU Digital Commons McNair Collection website:

Aulane Mpouli: Molecular Docking Study of ITPA Protein Substrate Complex

 

Aulane's research required learning to use the Autodock program to create models of molecules to test potential reactions. The pictures below illustrate a comparison between an ideal configuration, and one that would yield lower success

Lowest RMSD

Macromolecule-Lowest RMSD: the ideal configuration using Autodock to predict

Macromolecule

Macromolecule-Run 1 is a configuration that would work in galvanizing the desired reaction, but would yield lower success compared to Macromolecule-Lowest RMSD)

 

Aulane's mother has told her to follow her dreams, because they know the way. She knows it's not always easy to be the positive change you want to see in the world, but is determined to do so in spite of the difficulties: I share the pain of young scholars of color who have a passion but are deterred from pursuing it with a perception that they will have no chance due to lack of representation. With the help and support of the McNair Scholars’ Program, I know I will become a figure of representation for those young scholars.

 

Please check back on our McNair website as we will keep you updated on Aulane Mpouli as she applies to PhD programs and continues on her journey, which she makes to follow her dreams, for our shared future, and for those who will continue after her as she shows them what might be possible.

EWU McNair Scholar Alexis Guizar-Diaz Awarded Orlinda H. Luiten Scholarship

by Leave a Comment

Alexis Guizar-Diaz Scholarship Announcements 2020

Congratulations EWU McNair Scholar Alexis Guizar-Diaz! Alexis has been awarded the Orlinda H. (Rogel) Luiten Scholarship. This scholarship was awarded by Eastern Washington University in recognition of Alexis' academic excellence. Currently Alexis is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Philosophy. His key research interests are political economy, rural & agrarian communities, and Latina/o/x populations. He is a recipient of a 2020 Eastern Washington University McNair Summer Research Internship through which he is conducting research in Washington’s Columbia Basin under the mentorship of Dr. Edwin Elias from the Department of Race and Culture Studies.

 

We're so proud of Alexis and excited to see his hard work recognized!

EWU McNair Scholar Rachael Pentico Awarded Terzieff Scholarship

by Leave a Comment

Rachael Pentico Scholarship Announcements 2020 2nd

Congratulations EWU McNair Scholar Rachael Pentico! Rachael has been awarded the Martin and Helen Terzieff Scholarship. This comes from an endowment established by Martin Jordan Terzieff and Helen Urquhart Terzieff. Martin had a career in education while Helen was a nurse and both were hard working and valued higher education. This is Rachael's second scholarship for 2020. She was previously selected by the Spokane Regional Council of Beta Sigma Phi to receive scholarships funded by the Lucille Wood Memorial and the Frances Ida Fourtner Campbell Memorial. 

 

Rachael is majoring in Biology. Her interests and research focus on ecology and how invasive species and anthropogenic climate change will affect different ecosystems. She is a research assistant in Dr. Rebecca Brown's lab that is focused on restoring a section of the Palouse Prairie. She hopes to obtain a Ph.D. and mentor students. 

 

We're so proud of Rachael and excited to see her hard work recognized!

Shawn Dufrene selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

by Leave a Comment

Photo of Shawn Dufrene next to text congratulating her with red textured border.

Congratulations Eastern Washington University student Shawn Dufrene! Shawn has been selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and awarded a summer research internship. McNair Scholars must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and are first generation college students and low-income and/or underrepresented students. They are selected for their promise as scholars and commitment towards attaining a PhD.

 

Shawn is a senior majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies focusing on Africana Studies with a minor in History. She is studying African American History as well as what it means to be white in America. Her goal is to become a professor of African American Studies. In 2019 she presented historical research for the Phi Alpha Theta regional conference and the EWU Symposium. She is a volunteer docent at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture and an officer in EWU’s Black Student Union. For her 2020 EWU McNair Summer Research Internship, Shawn will research Malcolm X’s racial identity development under Dr. Okera Nsombi, Assistant Professor of Africana Studies.

 

We're so excited to have Shawn join us at EWU McNair!

Mori Williams selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship

by Leave a Comment

Mori Williams McNair Acceptance Announcements 2020

Congratulations Eastern Washington University student Mori Williams! Mori has been selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and awarded a summer research internship. McNair Scholars must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and are first generation college students and low-income and/or underrepresented students. They are selected for their promise as scholars and commitment towards attaining a PhD.

 

Mori Williams is a senior majoring in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Chemistry. He is interested in studying the chemical aspects of water pollution and researching ways to remove or reduce toxins in water. Mori will complete a 2020 EWU McNair Summer Research Institute under the mentorship of Dr. Camille McNeely, Professor in the EWU Biology Department.

 

We’re so excited to have Mori join us at EWU McNair!