TY - JOUR
T1 - From folklore to molecular pharmacophores
T2 - Cultivating STEM students among young, first-generation female Mexican-Americans
AU - Jessica, Gardea J.
AU - Laura, Rios L.
AU - Pal, Rituraj
AU - Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L.
AU - Narayan, Mahesh
PY - 2011/1/1
Y1 - 2011/1/1
N2 - The Research and Engineering Apprenticeship Program of the Academy of Applied Science has funded several high school student summer internships to work within the Department of Chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso. Over the last nine years, young Mexican-American scholars have been recruited into STEM-specific (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) laboratories to cultivate and nurture their interest in research. This commentary describes vignettes from a successful program in which coauthoring students are paired with a graduate student to advance a molecular-level understanding of biomedical intervention by traditional phytoremedials (plant-based remedies) in neurodegenerative disease processes. Considering that the selected phytoremedials originate from Mexico, Latin America, and the Indian subcontinent and are familiar folklore (kitchen theraceuticals) to the participating Hispanic and Indian scholars, the research project provides an enhanced sense of importance, ownership, and enthusiasm. Eventually, it cements the bridge to a future STEM-related college education, engages in the nation's STEM capacity-building mission, and contributes to the nation's Hispanic science and technology workforce of tomorrow.
AB - The Research and Engineering Apprenticeship Program of the Academy of Applied Science has funded several high school student summer internships to work within the Department of Chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso. Over the last nine years, young Mexican-American scholars have been recruited into STEM-specific (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) laboratories to cultivate and nurture their interest in research. This commentary describes vignettes from a successful program in which coauthoring students are paired with a graduate student to advance a molecular-level understanding of biomedical intervention by traditional phytoremedials (plant-based remedies) in neurodegenerative disease processes. Considering that the selected phytoremedials originate from Mexico, Latin America, and the Indian subcontinent and are familiar folklore (kitchen theraceuticals) to the participating Hispanic and Indian scholars, the research project provides an enhanced sense of importance, ownership, and enthusiasm. Eventually, it cements the bridge to a future STEM-related college education, engages in the nation's STEM capacity-building mission, and contributes to the nation's Hispanic science and technology workforce of tomorrow.
KW - Bioanalytical Chemistry
KW - Biochemistry
KW - Biophysical Chemistry
KW - CLIC
KW - Collaborative/Cooperative Learning
KW - First-Year Undergraduate/General
KW - General Public
KW - High School/Introductory Chemistry
KW - Public Understanding/Outreach
KW - Women in Chemistry
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78650663274&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/ed100557u
DO - 10.1021/ed100557u
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:78650663274
SN - 0021-9584
VL - 88
SP - 41
EP - 43
JO - Journal of Chemical Education
JF - Journal of Chemical Education
IS - 1
ER -