| Ana Mercedes | Lysandra Castro |
| Angel Candelario Mejía | Melissa Solivan |
| Jannette Cruz | Melody Taveras |
| Juan Santiago | Mónica Vázquez |
| Karina Rodríguez | Richard Jiménez |
| Katty Jiménez | Yamitza Aponte |
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Major: Chemistry Ana Mercedes is from the Dominican Republic, although she now lives in Puerto Rico. She was born on October 5, 1978. She loves to read, listen to music, and paint. She is active in church groups and participates in community service. In the summer of 2000, she participated in a bioinorganic research in the Collaborative Summer Research Program (CSPRO) in Chemistry and Biology at Texas A & M University. She has also worked for two years on the synthesis and characterization of zirconium phosphates, which she presented as “Intercalation of Polyaromatic Cations in the Synthesis of Zirconium Phosphates” in the 2001 Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium at Universidad Metropolitana. |
She participated in a
chemistry program (REU) at the University of Rochester in New York on “pH-Dependence
of the Thermal Unfolding of Thermophilic Hydrogenobacter Thermophilius Cytochrome
C-552 and Pseudomonas auriginosa Cytochrome C-551” which she presented at
the XII Undergraduate Research Symposium at UMET. In the fall of 2001 she worked
in the synthesis of metal complexes. She has attended various conferences including
the Annual MIE Conference at El Paso, and the 2002 University of Texas Medical
Branch 16th Undergraduate Research Symposium in Galveston. |
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Major: Biology Angel was born on June 26, 1975. He likes the movies, music, and video games. He always liked science because he was always curious with his surroundings and wanted further answers to his questions than those he obtained. He belongs to Tri-Beta, the biology student association at Universidad Metropolitana. He conducted research on “Isolation of denitrifying bacteria from different Puerto Rican environmental samples” which he presented at the Spring 2002 Undergraduate Research Symposium at Universidad Metropolitana. In the future, he wants to complete a doctorate in Bio-genetics and work with the genetic code of bacteria. |
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Major: Chemistry Janette likes science because she sees it as a way of helping people through research, which is something she enjoys doing. As a researcher, she would like to find the medication that could fight diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Janette was born on April 16, 1979 in Rio Piedras, although she lives in Guaynabo. She likes to draw, paint, roller skate, read, work, and write dramas for her church. She was a member of the National Honor Society at the Margarita Janer Palacios High School, and graduated with honors. She entered Universidad Metropolitana in 1998. She has been in the Excellence List for two years, and she has been a tutor in mathematics, specifically in Algebra. She has conducted research on “Removal of Heavy Metal Cations from Aqueous Solutions Using Zirconium Phosphate Layered Materials”. |
She presented it at the
American Chemical Society Meeting in Washington in August of 2000. In January
of 2001, she attended the National Institute of Health (NIH) training on “Recombinant
DNA Methodology and Special Topics in Biotechnology” in Maryland. She is
a member of the American Chemical Society and of the UMET Chemistry Association.
For her, the MIE Project has been important. She says, “It has meant an
opportunity full of challenges that has helped me shape my character as a student
and has been the key that has opened many doors that will be important in my future.”
She is the first student from UMET to be admitted to the University of Puerto
Rico School of Pharmacy to complete a PhD. |
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Major: Cellular and Molecular Biology Juan was born on March 18, 1976, in Puerto Rico. He likes to go to the beach, watch movies, and sky dive. He studied at Antilles Military Academy in Trujillo Alto. He started his university life at Purdue University in Indiana, where he was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society and was in the Dean’s List. He has worked as a volunteer in the Lafayette Reading Academy and in a homeless shelter. He conducted the research “Analysis of PKC in Different Aquatic Mammals Using the Western Blot” trying to measure the levels of the PKC protein in seals, manatees and dolphins in captivity. |
He says that, “The
MIE Project has given me the opportunity of becoming part of the scientific world,
of conducting research, and of travelling. All of these experiences have molded
me into the person that I am.” He loves research and would like to complete
an MD/PhD in Immunology. |
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Major: Biology Katty was born in the Dominican Republic and is the oldest of six children. Ever since she was a child, she was very interested in science. She was the first in her family to enroll in a university. In the summer of 1999, she attended the Biosphere 2 Center in Oracle, Arizona, to train on plants, animals and rocks. In the year 2000, she attended the 5th Annual MIE Conference in Atlanta. In 2000, she visited Minnesota and conducted research on “Twelve-Year Change in Cardiovascular Risk Factors in African-Americans: The Minnesota Heart Survey, 1985-1997” under the LSSURP Program. This research was presented at the XI Undergraduate Research Symposium in October of 2000 at Universidad Metropolitana. She has conducted research with Zamia portoricensis Urban for the last four years. She has worked with “Biology of Reproduction and Phenology of Zamia portoricensis Urban.” This was presented at NCUR in 2001 in Kentucky and at UMET at the Spring 2001 Undergraduate Research Symposium. |
She presented the research
“Seed Germination of Zamia portoricensis Urban” which she presented
at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in April of 2002 in
Wisconsin. Katty has received the San Juan Scholarship for four years given by
the Municipality of San Juan. She also received the Hispanic Scholarship Fund
(HSF) during the year 2000-2001. She has been a tutor for calculus, physics, Spanish,
and English. One of her dreams is to serve people. She feels that studying at
UMET has been a great experience for her. She comments about the MIE Project,
“It has been very significant for me and for my family. It has been a very
important piece of the puzzle in my career. Many of my dreams have become true
thanks to the support that I have received, not only in the scientific and financial
areas, but also in the personal and the spiritual areas as well.” She wants
to complete an MD/PhD in the future. |
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Major: Cellular and Molecular Biology When the news came in March 2002 that Lysandra had won First Place Award for her research presentation in Texas, we were ecstatic! She had gone to the University of Texas Medical Branch Undergraduate Science Symposium at Galveston, Texas, and had won from among many other undergraduate research scholars at a very competitive activity. Lysandra was born on June 5, 1980 in San Juan. Her special ability is painting, and she has held art exhibits in different art galleries in San Juan, where she has sold her paintings. She studied at Central de Artes Visuales in Santurce and entered the Bachelor’s Degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology at UMET in 1998. She conducted research at UMET on “Northern Blot Analysis of Protein Kinase C in Normal and Galactosemic Lens Epithelial Cells in Culture.” In the summer of 2001, she had the opportunity to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program at the University of California in San Francisco. The title of her research was “Y Chromosome Deletion Analysis.” |
She presented this research
at the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science
Conference in September of 2001 in Phoenix, Arizona, at the XII Undergraduate
Research Symposium in October of 2001 at UMET, and in Galveston, Texas where she
won first place. She presented the research “Organic Chem-2-Chem: A Peer-led
Team Learning Mentoring/tutoring Program in Organic Chemistry at Universidad Metropolitana,”
which she presented at the Spring 2002 Undergraduate Research Symposium at UMET.
Lysandra has been in the MIE Excellence List at UMET. She has also been a tutor
for Organic Chemistry. Through the MIE Project, she had the opportunity of traveling
to the University of Minnesota in April of 2001 to attend the Computational Neuroscience
Conference. Her goal is to complete a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology and
work in the area of research. She also wants to dedicate part of her time to science
illustrations. |
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Major: Chemistry Melissa was born on January 29, 1972 in Puerto Rico. Her hobbies include listening to music, and going shopping. She already has an associate degree as a pharmacy technician, which she obtained with a Magna Cum Laude. Last year, she conducted research and isolated a new bacterial strain. The title for her research was “Isolation of a Bacterial Strain from a Superfund Site: Bioremediation Studies.” She presented this research at the XI Undergraduate Research Symposium in October of 2000 at Universidad Metropolitana. In the fall of 2001, she conducted research studying water and fish contaminated with cyanide. The research was “Validation of the Spectrophometric Method According to the EPA Method: 335.2.” |
She conducted research
at UMET, which she presented at the Spring 2002 Undergraduate Research Symposium
in May. The research was “Determination of Cyanide in Coastal Water.”
Melissa wants to learn how to create new drugs for the treatment of different
diseases such as AIDS and cancer. She will go to graduate school and specialize
in Medicinal Chemistry. |
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Major: Cellular and Molecular Biology Melody was born on December 25 in Santurce, and lives in Rio Grande, specifically in El Yunque area. She has one brother, and has always tried to be a model for him. Her parents have been her main source of support and her greatest fans. She arrived at UMET from Angel Pedro Millán High School in Carolina. When she graduated from high school, she had already taken all advanced courses. She was given the Citizenship Medal and the College Board Medal for her GPA of 4.00 throughout high school. As a high school student, she had been in the Summer Bridge Program sponsored by the MIE Project. She became involved in research, and she worked in it with much dedication. In the summer of 2000, she participated in the Life Science Summer Undergraduate Research Program (LSSURP) at the University of Minnesota where she studied “The Influence of Endothelial Cells Over Keratocyte Wound Healing.” She also worked on the research “Seed Setting and Abortion Rate in Zamia portoricensis Urban,” which she presented in the 2001 Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium at UMET. |
In the summer of 2001
she worked on a research at the University of San Francisco in the Department
of Radiation Oncology, “Statistical Analysis of the Geometrical Treatment
Planning and Inverse Planning (IPSA) on High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy.”
Her latest research on Zamia portoricensis Urban was presented at NCUR in April
of 2002 in Wisconsin. In May of 2002 she presented the research “Why so
few Plantelets? A Three-Year Study of Seed Setting and Abortion Rate in Zamia
portorricensis Urban,” which she presented at the Spring 2002 Undergraduate
Research Symposium at Universidad Metropolitana. Her academic preparation and
her research experiences have helped her define her study area at a graduate level.
Of her MIE Project experience she says, “For me, being part of the MIE Project
has been a great opportunity to expand my skills and knowledge. I have grown as
a student, a professional, and a person, and I’m very proud to say that
I am a product of this program.” She will attend the University of Georgia
at Athens and will pursue a PhD in Genetics. |
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Major: Chemistry Mónica nació el 18 de diciembre de 1976 en Santurce y creció en Trujillo Alto. Bailó ballet hasta los 17 años y estuvo en gimnasia por cinco años. Hace trabajo de comunidad como voluntaria con niños deambulantes, ayuda los enfermos y le provee apoyo a sus familias. Tiene un grado asociado en Tecnología Radiológica. Ha trabajado como asistente de quiropráctico, secretaria contable para una firma privada y también ha trabajado como recepcionista. Ha recibido la Beca Hispana y el Premio de Honor Armando Cobas como estudiante de radiología tecnológica.. Está activa en la Asociación de Química y en la de Microbiología. Ha trabajado en investigación en el Bosque Seco en Guánica en los tipos de bacteria que se encuentran en el suelo. También ha trabajado en la investigación y validación de PCBs en el Lago Carraízo en Puerto Rico, con las nuevas técnicas de conversión enzimática de celulosa a etanol, y con la investigación sobre biomasa. |
Esta última fue
presentada en el XI Simposio de Investigación Subgraduada del 2000. Trabajó
en la investigación “A Study of the Growth Curve of C. xerosis bacteria
in Medium Containing Nanometric Silicon Particles,” la cual presentó
en el XII Simposio de Investigación Subgraduada de 2001 en UMET. Mónica
dice que, “el Proyecto MIE ha contribuido en mi desarrollo como estudiante
y como investigadora. Me ha ayudado a desarrollar mis habilidades en investigación
y a adquirir conocimientos que han sido muy importantes para mi formación.”
Interesa estudios graduados en Bioquímica.. |
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Major: Chemistry Yamitza Aponte was born in Bayamón and was raised in Toa Alta. She has been a member of her church since she was a child. Through her church, she has traveled to Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, and the Dominican Republic on mission trips. She started studying at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, but transferred to UMET. She has worked in the Saturday Academy in the Chemistry area. She has been a tutor for Organic Chemistry, although there was a time when she was asked to do tutoring and she was afraid she could not teach well. She is now proud of her work, for the students she has tutored have done well in their classes. Yamitza has the Bill Gates Scholarship, which has been a great help in her studies. She has conducted research with Dr. Batiz on “Development of SPME Techniques for the Analysis of PCBs in |
Water, Land, and Plants,”
which she presented as a poster at the XI Undergraduate Research Symposium in
October of 2000 at Universidad Metropolitana. In the year 2002, she conducted
the research, “Organic Chem-2-Chem: A peer-led team learning mentoring/tutoring
program in organic chemistry at Universidad Metropolitana,” which she presented
at the Spring 2002 Undergraduate Research Symposium at UMET. According to Yamitza,
the MIE Project has been for her, “A great opportunity that I never thought
I would have. It has helped me in my development as a person and as a student,
in my personal and in my professional life.” She plans to continue graduate
studies in Organic Chemistry. |
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