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BUILDING SCHOLARS NEWSLETTERIssue 2NewsletterJuly 24, 2015buildingscholars.utep.eduStudent TraineesMajors and classification of our SciencesCellular 0036%Physics110024%Pre-Pharmacy010012%Are Hispanic, 4% are non-Hispanic White& 6% are of another 14%27176151100%Meet our student trainees and scholarship recipients! These51 qualified students were selected from a pool of 164applicants. Approximately 850,000 in scholarships, whichcover tuition and a living stipend, will be distributed to thestudents during the 2015–2016 academic year.Scholarship recipients pose with UTEP President Dr. Diana Natalicioand the BUILD Leadership Team in front of the newly constructedCentennial Plaza.FAST FACTSMajorABOUT OUR TRAINEES90%TotalAre female1

BUILDING SCHOLARS NEWSLETTER.WelcomeOrientationThe first class of BUILDing SCHOLARSscholarship recipients were officiallyrecognized at the BUILDing SCHOLARSWelcome Orientation held on May 30 atthe Tomás Rivera Conference Center onthe UTEP campus. Over 100 students andparents were welcomed by more than 35distinguished campus representatives,including UTEP President Dr. DianaNatalicio.“It’s important to remember this moment– that you started right here,” Dr.Natalicio said as she spoke of thestudents’ futures and of the significanceof the National Institutes of Health (NIH)funded BUILD grant at UTEP. Thestudents were gifted with embroideredBUILDing SCHOLARS laboratory coatsand escorted to the new Centennial Plazafor a group picture with the president andmembers of the UTEP BUILD team.“Dream as big as you can, then go bigger.You really can do it,” panelist AndreFernando Perez-Orozco, a recentBachelor of Science graduate and 2015UTEP Top 10 Senior, said.Other panelists included Dr. EdwardCastaneda, professor, department ofpsychology; Dr. Eva Moya, professor,department of social work; Dr. LauraO’Dell, professor of psychology; ClaireWells, UTEP doctoral student; and recentUTEP graduate Alexander Balcázar.Students and parents were briefed on theBUILD curriculum and activities by Drs.Sara Grineski and Osvaldo Morera, BUILDPrincipal Investigators (PIs), followed byencouraging words and advice from astudent-faculty panel.The orientation also included apresentation about diversity in healthorientated fields by Dr. LourdesEchegoyen, BUILD PI and director of theCampus Office of UndergraduateResearch Initiatives, and an interactiveparent-student session held both inEnglish and Spanish. The goal of thesession was to foster communication andsupport between parents and theirstudents during the college years.The event concluded with a luncheon andremarks by Associate Provost Dr. JohnWiebe. “Everything you do is going toprepare you for your next chapter inlife.”Congratulations and good luck to all ofthe BUILDing SCHOLARS awardees!2

Issue 2Supermentor Program 2015Progress ReportThis competitive program pairs UTEP and pipeline partner faculty with “all-star” faculty mentors from our research partnersin an effort to strengthen ties between institutions and build faculty’s research skills and competitiveness for externalfunding.MenteeMentorMenteeMentororDr. Munder ZagaarTexas Southern UniversityPharmacyDr. Ann StoweUT SouthwesternNeurologyDr. Zagaar applied for a grant offered by the TexasAlzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium.(Chronic and Degenerative Disease Node)MenteeDr. Veronica GonzalezEl Paso Community CollegeChemistryMentorDr. Jeoung Soo LeeClemsonBioengineeringThe team is pursuing grant opportunities for labinstrumentation. (Environmental Health Node)MenteeDr. David TorresNorthern New Mexico CollegeMath & Physical ScienceMentorDr. Binata JoddarUT El PasoBiomedical EngineeringDr. Laura SuggsUT AustinCellular & BMEDr. Jodaar submitted grant proposals to theAmerican Heart Association, the Welch Foundation,and the NIH (Score SC2).(Translational Biomedicine Node)MenteeDr. Guillermina SolisUT El PasoNursingMentorDr. Jane ChampionUT AustinNursingDr. Solis is writing a proposal for a research study toaddress fall injuries.(Chronic and Degenerative Diseases Node)Dr. Torres is continuing his work with Dr. Cannon throughthe Summer Sabbatical Program. Their ultimate objective isto write a grant proposal to the NIH (R03) or U.S. ArmyOffice Biomathematics Program.(Cancer Node)Dr. Judy CannonUniversity of New MexicoPathology3

BUILDING SCHOLARS NEWSLETTERSCALE-UP To Learn!It’s not the usual lecture setting, nor is it the traditional teaching approach – it’s SCALE-UP.SCALE-UP, which stands for Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies, isan interactive “flipped classroom” where students work in teams to discuss and investigate the content thatthey’ve learned prior to class. During class time, the instructor clarifies any questions regarding the material andhelps facilitate hands-on activities.The creator of SCALE-UP and professor of physics at North Carolina State University, Dr. Robert Beichner, visitedour state-of-the-art SCALE-UP room on June 5 to conduct a workshop titled, “SCALE-UP Innovation Space:Maximizing Use & Benefits Over Traditional Lecture Settings,” to further familiarize the BUILD team as well asthe UTEP community with the SCALE-UP approach.“It’s hard to find another SCALE-UP space with this type of technology – you’ve got the Cadillac,” Dr. Beichnersaid of the facility. The renovation of the room was funded by the BUILDing SCHOLARS grant.Research has shown that this type of learning environment improves students’ problem solving skills, attitudeand conceptual understanding, while reducing failure rates. It is no wonder why SCALE-UP is used at more than150 institutions nationwide.The BUILDing SCHOLARS research foundations and research-driven courses, BUILD-sponsored professionaldevelopment workshops, and BUILDing SCHOLARS summer boot camps will all be hosted in the SCALE-UPInnovation Space, CCSB Room G.0706A.4

Issue 2Faculty Summer SabbaticalThis fellowship matches five faculty members from UTEP and pipeline partner institutions with faculty from research partnerinstitutions to collaborate on and conduct a 10-week research project. Congratulations to this summer’s awardees!Dr. David TorresNorthern New Mexico CollegeMath & Physical ScienceDr. Yok-Fong PaatUT El PasoClinical Social workDr. Judy CannonUniversity of New MexicoPathologyDr. Christine MarkhamUTHSC-HoustonBehavioral ScienceThey are employing a genetic algorithm toidentify a set of genes that are correlatedwith the progression of acute lymphoblasticleukemia into the central nervous system.(Cancer Node)They are examining the contextual effects offamily, school, and neighborhoods on teens’risk and protective factors for sexual healthand behaviors.(Health Disparities Node)Their objective is to develop a new type ofnanoconstruct to achieve image-guidedphotothermal cancer therapy.(Cancer Node)Dr. Huan XieTexas Southern UniversityPharmacyDr. Miguel NarvaezWestern New Mexico UniversityKinesiologyDr. Xiaohong BiUT HoustonNanomedicine & BMEDr. Bijan NajafiUniversity of ArizonaBioengineeringThey are studying the incidence of sportinjuries and their long-term socio-economiceffects. As part of the collaboration, theyexpect to produce at least one publicationor presentation from this effort within ayear of completing their research.(Translational Biomedicine Node)5

BUILDING SCHOLARS NEWSLETTERThey are assessing the health literacy needsof Latinas with severe visual impairments.(Health Disparities Node)Dr. Lucas GonzalesNorthern New Mexico CollegeNursingDr. Tracie HarrisonUT AustinNursingSupermentors 2016 SelectedTwelve faculty members from UTEP and BUILDing SCHOLARS partner institutions were recently selected for the2016 BUILDing SCHOLARS Supermentor Program.bbaticalThe six pairs of mentors and mentees include mentor Louis D. Brown, University of Texas Health Science Center atHouston (UTHealth), and mentee Jennifer Sanchez, University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP); mentor William Yost,Arizona State University (ASU), and mentee Jaime Desjardins University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP); mentor KristinaMena, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC-Houston), and mentee Carolina Chianelli, ElPaso Community College (EPCC); mentor Cato T. Laurecin, University of Connecticut (UConn), and mentee BrendaLinnell, Northern New Mexico College (NNMC); mentor Mark Pagel, The University of Arizona (U of A), and menteeKarina Castillo, El Paso Community College (EPCC); and mentor Fernando Valenzuela, University of New Mexico(UNM), and mentee Ulises Ricoy, Northern New Mexico College (NNMC).ProgThis marks the second year of the BUILDing SCHOLARS Supermentor Program.Annual BUILDing SCHOLARS Consortium MeetingThe 2015 BUILDing SCHOLARS Consortium Meeting is scheduled for October 9 at the Hilton Garden Inn, locatedadjacent to the UTEP campus, to plan the upcoming year of activities with our partner institutions.Sessions include a UTEP BUILD student panel; available funding opportunities briefing; guidance on subcontractsand budgets; evaluation of BUILD programs; student and faculty recruitment; discussion of best practices forsummer programs; and a recruitment/informal reception where UTEP BUILD students, as well as other local studentsfrom STEM-focused research programs, can learn more about summer and graduate programs at research partnerinstitutions.We will cover travel and accommodations for one representative per partner institution. For more information,contact Yoliet Vela Garcia, BUILDing SCHOLARS Administrative Assistant, at yvela@utep.edu or 915-747-8717.6

BUILDING SCHOLARS NEWSLETTERIssue 2Our Partnership with NRMNWe have teamed up with the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN). NRMN is a network of professionals,supported by the NIH, committed to assisting individuals from diverse backgrounds who are pursuing biomedical,behavioral, clinical, and social science research careers (collectively termed biomedical research careers) by facilitatingmentoring relationships, as well as providing professional development opportunities during all career stages.Register here to join the NRMNet community for access to these additional resources.Get social:News & Events 2015 – 2016 Seed Funding ProgramApplications and letters of intent are now being accepted. Click [here] for detailed information and to apply online. UTEPand BUILD pipeline partner institution faculty are encouraged to apply. Travel Awards ProgramApplications are now being accepted. Click [here] for detailed information and to apply online. Affiliated UTEP faculty andpostdoctoral personnel are encouraged to apply. 2015 Annual BUILDing SCHOLARS Consortium MeetingOctober 9 Hilton Garden Inn El Paso, Texas Agenda TBA Check our website for updated information as the dateapproaches.BUILDingSCHOLARSNewsletter500 W. University DriveCCSB G. 0706El Paso, TX 79968915.747.8717buildingscholars.utep.edu7

Wells, UTEP doctoral student; and recent UTEP graduate Alexander Balcázar. The orientation also included a presentation about diversity in health-orientated fields by Dr. Lourdes Echegoyen, BUILD PI and director of the Campus Office of Undergraduate Research Initiatives, and an interactive parent-student session held both in