Education

I received my Bachelor of Science from the University of Oklahoma (O.U.) in 1996, and my Master of Science (also from O.U.) in 1999. As an undergraduate I worked on maximizing the growth of large-scale yeast cultures, and performing protocols to extract specific proteins from the stationary growth phase of these cultures. During this time I was acknowledged for technical assistance in the paper, Characterization of the Components of Reconstituted Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA Polymerase I Transcription Complexes authored by Riggs, D.L., et. al, and published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, March, 1995.

My decision to continue at O.U. for my M.S. was based upon my interests. Botany is my field of expertise, with a special interest in plant physiology. I also have great concern for how human activities impact the environment. The major professor that I studied under for my M.S. is a researcher in plant physiology. One of the focuses of his laboratory is how plant systems can be used to remediate toxic wastes in a process called phytoremediation. My Master's research investigated Common White Sweetclover as a potential phytoremediation plant and is titled, "Influence of Plant Development and Season on the Concentration, Distribution, and Amount of Total Coumarin in Melilotus alba (Common White Sweetclover)."

Employment

After earning my M.S. I moved to Edinburg, to begin teaching at UTPA in September of 1999. I am very pleased to teach a variety of courses, as they each have a particular interest to me. My courses at UTPA have included General Biology Lectures 1401 and 1402, General Biology Laboratory 1402, Medical Microbiology Laboratory 3403, Plant Morphology Lecture and Laboratory 3408, Environmental Biology Lecture and Laboratory 2305, and Biological Writing 3302. I developed a new course, Principles of Plant Systems 2405 to be offered for the first time in the spring semester of 2007. I was also excited to participate in an on-line course for the Premedical Honors College over the summer of 2001. My contribution to the project was to develop and teach an on-line Applied Science course geared toward high school students matriculating into college.

Honors, Awards, Professional Service and Membership

2006 Peer Review Research Proposal submitted to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

2006 Guest Speaker, Roma Intermediate School.

2005 Present. Member, American Indian Science and Engineering Society.

2004 Presented Environmental Science Basics lecture to Pre-Ap Middle School Science Teachers at the 2004 UTPA Advanced Placement Summer Institute.

2004 Taught workshop for the 16th Annual Rio Grande Valley Science Association; workshop title, "The Scientific Process as the Basis of Inquiry."

2003 Awarded two Title III Student Retention Mini-Grants.

2002 Volunteer Instructor, Youth Conservation Corps through Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge Alamo, Texas.

2002, 2005 Who's Who Among America's Teachers.

2001 Organized UTPA Biology Team for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Our students came in second in Edinburg for the amount of money raised for this event.

2000 Received recognition in the Valley Morning Star newspaper for work done by my Introductory Biology students at the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, Alamo, TX, Fall, 2000 (UTPA)

1998, 1999 Guest Speaker for Prairies-to-Peaks program, Oklahoma City University

1997 Awarded the Lois Pfiester Women in Science Scholarship (O.U.)

1995, 1998 Awarded the George Lynn Cross Scholarship (O.U.)

1994 Panel Member, Graduate Assistant English Language Skills Teach Tests (O.U.)

1993 Awarded the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Grant from the National Institute of Health (O.U.)

1992, 1993 Honor's Student (O.U.)

1991 President's Honor Roll (O.U.)