5,000+

Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico LSAMP
Interamerican University System-Metro * Interamerican University System-Bayamon *
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico * University of Puerto Rico *
University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla * University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo *
University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon * University of Puerto Rico-Cayey *
University of Puerto Rico-Humacao * University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez *
University of Puerto Rico-Piedras * University of Puerto Rico-Ponce
Dr. Agustin Diaz is a postdoctoral research
associate in Chemistry at Texas A&M
University and a 2011 Ford Foundation
Fellowship recipient. His research work is on
the surface modification of zirconium
phosphates with applications in areas such
as drug delivery, emulsion stabilizers and
fire retardant catalytic support. Agustin was
a PR-LSAMP Bridge-to-the Doctorate
Fellow Cohort I. During his Ph. D. studies Agustin mentored
over 40 undergraduate students from traditionally
underrepresented groups. He completed his PhD in Chemistry
in 2010 at University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus.
Agustin has six publications in peer review journals, two
submitted, and three manuscripts on preparation. Agustin in
junction with his mentor is filling two patents on the application
of zirconium phosphate nanoplatelets on drug delivery.
Karinel Nieves Merced graduated summa
cum laude from the University of Puerto Rico,
Río Piedras campus (UPR-RP) with a B.S.
degree in chemistry in May 2007 and received
the Merck Award, the Isodoro Alberto Colón,
and the Alumni Association medals. She
pursues a Ph. D. in the synthesis of bioactive
abeo-sterols against Mycobacterium
tuberculosis in the UPR-RP, mentored by Dr.
Abimael D. Rodríguez. She was a fellow of the Puerto Rico
Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (PR-LSAMP)
Bridge-to-the-Doctorate Cohort V. She has received the Alfred
P. Sloan Foundation, and the Research Initiative for Scientific
Enhancement (RISE) program fellowships. As an American
Chemical Society (ACS) member, she has presented scientific
posters at local and national conferences.
Griselle Hernández Cancel completed her
B.S. degree in Chemistry in 2006 from the
University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras
Campus (UPR-RP). Currently she is
pursuing a PhD degree in biochemistry.
She was selected to participate as a fellow
student in PR-LSAMP (Bridge-to-the-
Doctorate Program) Cohort IV, having the
opportunity to participate in multi-disciplinary activities. She
has worked in an innovative education program where as a
T.A. of the Department of Chemistry she has contributed in the
development of new inquiry base laboratory experiences for
the General Chemistry. She has presented her research
findings in meetings such as ACS, SERMASC and SoTL
Conferences. She has also been a NASA Space Grant Fellow.
Dr. Francisco Solá López is a former LSAMP
Bridge to the Doctorate Fellow Cohort III. He
completed his PhD degree in Chemical Physics
in four years in 2009 at the University of Puerto
Rico, Rio Piedras Campus (UPR-RP). His
research was on in-situ microscopy of carbon
and silica based nanostructures. He conducted
great part of his work at The National Center for Electron
Microscopy at Berkeley. He published seven journal articles and
one patent during his doctoral work. He was a recipient of the
ORAU award and participated in the 58 th Meeting of Nobel
Laureates in Lindau, Germany. In September 2009, Dr. Solá-
López has been working in the Structures and Materials Division at
NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH. Recently, he
demonstrated a new approach to image aerogels at the nanoscale
by scanning electron microscopy in collaboration with Carl Zeiss
Company (Nanotechnology 22, 175704, 2011).
Carlos A. Rodríguez earned a B.S. in Biology
in 2007, at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio
Piedras Campus (UPR-RP). As an
undergraduate student he participated in the
PR-LSAMP mentored undergraduate research
program that allowed him to collaborate with
research on declining frog populations in
Puerto Rico. His work was presented at Puerto
Rico Interdisciplinary Scientific Meeting
(PRISM). After graduation, Carlos began his Masters degree in
Biology at UPR-RP, and in the winter 2008 was awarded the
Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowship (Cohort V). During his pursuit
of graduate school he presented his work at the Joint Meeting of
Ichthyology and Herpetology (Portland Oregon, 2009), and has
coauthored two articles. He is currently scheduled to graduate in
December 2011.
Giomara La Quay Velázquez obtained her
B.S. in Biology from the Universidad
Metropolitana in 2010. In 2008 she had the
opportunity to participate as an exchange
student in the Universidad Estadual in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil and, in 2009 in the Sevilleta
LTER Research Experience for undergraduates
were she looked at soil nutrients dynamics.
These experiences lead her to work in Guatemala looking at
carbon pools dynamics in mountainous ecosystems. These
experiences allowed her to present their work on the Puerto Rico
Interdisciplinary Scientific Meeting (PRISM) and in the Ecological
Society of America Annual Meeting. She currently continues her
work with Dr. Restrepo while pursuing a M.S. degree in Ecology
and recently became a PR-LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate Fellow
Cohort IX at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus.
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