The Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) is hosting the SACNAS National Diversity in STEM Conference on October 31 – November 2, four Skyline College students presented their original scientific research alongside 800 students from University of California campuses, University of Texas, Rutgers University, Yale University, Brown University, Stanford University, several CSUs, and other institutions. The conference was held in Honolulu and sponsored by the NSA, Amazon, and University of Hawaii. Over 3,000 graduate and undergraduate students from across the country attended the conference.
Papers were selected for the conference in a competitive judging from abstracts submitted in July. Skyline College students started their research last spring with Christine Case in BIOL 230 or BIOL 695. The students spent the summer in the lab to continue and complete their research.
Stephen Fredricks worked with the students to register and prepare them for presenting at the national conference. At the conference, students were knowledgeable and professional, and represented Skyline College well.
Sokleng Kelley Leong’s presentation of her research won the Undergraduate Microbiology Award. Kelley (pictured top) now has her first publication, “Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity of Usnea Lichen.”
The other Skyline College students who presented also have their first publications:
David Dela Criz (pictured middle) and Tyler Ma’s publication is titled “In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Mimulus aurantiacus.”
Alessandro Mazzora’s (pictured bottom) publication is titled “Effects of Urbanization on the Microbiome of a Coastal Stream.”
Kelley, David, and Tyler transferred for the fall 2019 semester: Kelley is now at UC Berkeley, David is at UC Davis, and Tyler is at UC Irvine.
Article and Photos by Christine Case
