88 students earn honors for research as SACNAS conference concludes

Eighty-eight students from colleges and universities around the United States were honored Saturday for their research efforts during the SACNAS awards dinner at the Dallas Sheraton Hotel. The 88 students shared $24,000 in prize money donated by corporations and professional societies. The event was the culmination of the four-day SACNAS national conference held for the first time in Dallas.

A panel of judges selected from colleges, universities and professional societies and national laboratories selected the 88 winners from more than 800 student presentations on research presented during the conference.

The mission of SACNAS is to encourage Chicano/Latino and Native American students to pursue graduate education and obtain the advanced degrees necessary for science research, leadership, and teaching careers at all levels. A national non-profit organization, SACNAS has led the nation in diversifying the scientific workforce for 36 years.

This year’s conference drew 2,874 registrants with more than 1,700 students among the attendees along with professors and teachers. More than 280 colleges and universities, national laboratories, professional societies and corporations were present as well, offering attendees an opportunity to educate themselves on graduate-level degree opportunities and job opportunities. The University of North Texas was the premier sponsor of the event.

In addition to research presentations and visiting with potential graduate schools and job professionals, attendees also had the opportunity to attend workshops and panel discussions ranging from applying to graduate schools to developing support networks.

A feature of this year’s conference was that it was one of the first carbon-neutral conventions ever staged. SACNAS donates $10 from each registration fee to NativeEnergy, to purchase carbon offsets. NativeEnergy, which has significant Native American ownership, is a leader in the U.S. carbon market offering services that reduce carbon emissions to fight global warming.

This year’s SACNAS contribution will go toward construction of the new Greensburg, Kan., wind farm. On May 4, 2007, a massive tornado leveled Greensburg, destroying 95 percent of the town and leaving a path of devastation nearly two miles wide. Eleven of the town’s 1,400 residents died in the disaster. In the wake of the tornado, the people of Greensburg agreed to rebuild their town, and in the process, make it the greenest town in the U.S.

As part of that rebuilding effort, NativeEnergy is building the new Greensburg Wind Farm, which will generate enough energy to power 4,000 homes – enough electricity for every home, business, and municipal facility in Greensburg.

“Treating the earth with respect is a tradition among Native Americans,” said Judit Camacho, executive director of SACNAS. “We take that tradition seriously and strive to be as green as possible in everything SACNAS is involved with.”

Also Saturday night, the 2009 SACNAS Distinguished Awards were presented to three individuals to commend their exemplary scientific achievement, teaching, and mentorship of underrepresented minority students.  Among those honored were:

• Jorge Gardea-Torresdey, PhD, chair of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso;
• Frank T. Bayliss, PhD, professor of biology at San Francisco State University;
• Maria F. Lima, PhD, a lifetime member of SACNAS and dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research (SOGSR) at Meharry Medical College.

Next year’s SACNAS conference will be held in Anaheim, Calif.

For more information about the annual conference or SACNAS programs, please see the SACNAS website at http://www.sacnas.org.

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