2022 Participants
The UNM/PED Research Opportunities for Science Educators (ROSE) Program held its second annual summer program for high school science teachers June 6 - July 8, 2022.
Twenty ROSE Scholars from across the state of New Mexico—Cuba, Las Cruces, Grants, Gallup, Deming, Ruidoso, Aztec, Los Lunas, Zuni, Clovis, Cochiti/Peña Blanca/Rio Rancho, Crownpoint, Raton, Bernalillo, and Albuquerque—participated in a 5-week immersive research program on the UNM Albuquerque campus, hosted by principal investigators from six Departments: Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Biology, Earth & Planetary Sciences and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, and Physics and Astronomy, and affiliations with five campus interdisciplinary Centers: Center for Biomedical Engineering, Center for Theoretical and Evolutionary Immunology, UNM Health Sciences Center, Center for Microengineered Materials, and Center for Quantum Information and Control.
The Program was co-organized by Prof. Steve Cabaniss, Prof. Jeff Rack, and Prof. Susan Atlas, with financial and administrative support from the NM Public Education Department; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Prof. Jeremy Edwards, Chair); the UNM Interdisciplinary Science Cooperative; UNM Office of the Provost and EVP for Academic Affairs; UNM Office of the Vice President for Research; and UNM College of Arts and Sciences. Program assessment was led by Dr. Cari Hushman, College of Education and Human Sciences.
As with last year's program, objectives of the Summer 2022 ROSE Program included enabling teachers to refresh their knowledge and develop new skills, while gaining a better understanding of, appreciation for, and inspiration from current scientific research, and establishing authentic relationships between UNM faculty and science educators in local and regional communities, including inspiring high school students to apply to UNM for undergraduate studies.
Thirteen UNM laboratories and Principal Investigators participated in the Summer 2022 Program, providing diverse, state-of-the-art research opportunities for the Scholars, listed here in alphabetical order:
Tyza Arenga, Raton High School, Raton, NM: "Photochemistry and Laser Spectroscopy of Molecules and Materials," PI: Prof. Jeffrey Rack
Katrina Bryant, Aztec High School, Aztec, NM: "Application of Limestone for Metal Remediation in Sites Affected by Mining Legacy," PIs: Prof. Jose Cerrato and Dr. Mehdi Ali
Daniel Delgado, Cuba High School, Cuba, NM: "Classical Molecular Dynamics Simulations of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein Variants," PI: Prof. Susan R. Atlas
Kacie deSomer, Mark Armijo Academy, Albuquerque, NM: "Modular Synthetic Tools via Click Chemistry," PI: Prof. Brian Gold
Rito Escareno, Deming High School, Deming, NM: "Making Unnatural Natural Products," PI: Prof. Mark Walker
Leah Felty, Cleveland High School, Rio Rancho, NM: "Understanding the Nature of Halide-Based Solid State Electrolytes and Solid State Batteries," PI: Prof. Dongchang Chen
Cody Hayes, Grants High School, Grants, NM: "Using Machine Learning to Enable Large-Scale Electron Density Predictions of Biological Macromolecules," PI: Prof. William Bricker
Inez Jacobs, Mark Armijo Academy, Albuquerque, NM: "Making Unnatural Natural Products," PI: Prof. Mark Walker
William Kennedy, Valencia Middle School, Los Lunas, NM: "Conversion of Natural Gas into Fuels and Chemicals," PI: Prof. Abhaya Datye
Shigang Liu, Las Cruces High School, Las Cruces, NM: "Computing Neural Network-Based Atom-in-Molecule Densities for a Quantum Force Field," PI: Prof. Susan R. Atlas
Chrysler Martinez, Chief Manuelito Middle School, Gallup, NM: "Neuroimmune Responses in the Olfactory-Brain Axis," PI: Prof. Irene Salinas
Vania Meetze, Cochiti Middle School, Cochiti/Peña Blanca/Rio Rancho,"Exploring the Structures and Dynamics of Proteins Using Computer Simulations," PI: Prof. Yi He
Vera Pape, Bernalillo Middle School, Bernalillo, NM, "Conversion of Natural Gas into Fuels and Chemicals," PI: Prof. Abhaya Datye
Scott Pavolko, Highland High School, Albuquerque, NM, "Application of Limestone for Metal Remediation in Sites Affected by Mining Legacy," PIs: Prof. Jose Cerrato and Dr. Mehdi Ali
Pamela Quezada-Grupo, Marshall Middle School, Clovis, NM, "Development of Dark and Light-Activated Antimicrobial Materials," PI: Prof. David Whitten
Vandhana Ramchandran, Ruidoso High School, Ruidoso, NM, "Using Machine Learning to Enable Large-Scale Electron Density Predictions of Biological Macromolecules," PI: Prof. William Bricker
Margarita Romero, Arrowhead Park Early College High School, Las Cruces, NM, "Photochemistry and Laser Spectroscopy of Molecules and Materials," PI: Prof. Jeffrey Rack
Petervon Tanedo, Crownpoint High School, Crownpoint, NM, "Exploring the Structures and Dynamics of Proteins Using Computer Simulations," PI: Prof. Yi He
Gay Tipgos, Zuni High School, Zuni, NM, "Molecular Basis of Niemann-Pick C1 Disease," PI: Prof. William Garver
Stormy Wright, Clovis High School, Clovis, NM, "Spectroscopic Analysis of Electron Transer to Molecular Dopants," PI: Terefe Habteyes
