Rhea Richardson presents research at multicultural conference

2011 Oct 26

Rhea Richardson, a Topeka student at the University of Kansas studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, is one of 15 students from KU and Haskell Indian Nations University presenting research at the national conference of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science from Oct. 26 to Oct. 29 in San Jose, Calif.

Many of the students are associated with one or more National Institutes of Health-funded programs at KU and Haskell designed to encourage diversity in higher education. These programs include the KU Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP), the KU/Haskell Bridge Program, the KU Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity, the Haskell Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement and the KU/Haskell Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award Postdoctoral Training Program.

"SACNAS is a real opportunity for KU to shine and to highlight our existing partnerships with Haskell," said Jim Orr, professor of molecular biosciences and director of KU's Office of Diversity in Science Training. "We are making every effort to ensure the conference attendees from all over the country have a chance to see KU as a leading national research university."

Students and faculty in the sciences gather from across the country at SACNAS to share their research and foster the next generation of researchers.

"We are fortunate that each year KU faculty make the commitment to attend the conference, serve as faculty mentors and talk to hundreds of students about summer research, graduate education and postdoctoral training opportunities at KU, " says John Augusto, assistant dean of graduate studies.

KU faculty attending this year's conference include Estela Gavosto (mathematics); Luis Gonzalez (geology); Jay Johnson (geography); Audrey Lamb (molecular biosciences); Glen Marotz (School of Engineering) and Orr (molecular biosciences).

In addition to hosting an exhibit booth, KU is co-sponsoring a workshop on the graduate school application process for an expected 300 undergraduates from across the United States and Puerto Rico.

SACNAS is based in Santa Cruz, Calif., and was founded in 1973 with a mission "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." The group's national conference is the focal point of its activities and receives underwriting from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.