Student Chapter Shows Continued Excellence with Third Award in a Row
The University of Houston’s Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) prevails as one of the best student chapters in the country. UH SACNAS won the 2024 Outstanding Chapter Leadership in Science award during the annual conference in Phoenix.
The chapter receiving the award must show it is involved in the community, has great member participation, and implements new strategies. When selecting UH SACNAS as the winner, the national group stated the UH chapter’s efforts for the 2023-24 academic year “are exemplary of the type of accomplishments and activities that are in line with the SACNAS mission.” This award is quite an accomplishment as there are 144 chapters nationally, with more than 10,000 members.
This is the third award that UH SACNAS has received in three years at the national conference. It was awarded the Role Model Chapter in 2022 and the SACNAS Graduate/Professional Chapter of the Year in 2023.
The group is advised and co-advised by five faculty members from the University of Houston’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics: Ricardo Azevedo (professor of ecology and evolution), Greg Morrison (associate professor of physics), Martin Núñez (associate professor of ecology and evolution), Tony Frankino (associate professor of ecology and evolution), and Amy Sater (professor of cell and molecular biology).
SACNAS Shines Light on STEM Through Community Service
Members of the UH SACNAS Chapter bring awareness of different mathematics and science fields to children in communities around Houston.
“Just this year, we participated in the Latinx Initiative’s Day of Action during Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Lorissa Saiz, SACNAS president and a biology Ph.D. student. “We taught children science experiments in Spanish so they could see themselves doing science and view what their future could hold.”
Morrison said the chapter shows diversity in different STEM disciplines.
“By going out in the community, members of the SACNAS chapter hope to inspire middle school and high school students by getting them excited about STEM,” said Morrison. “They also show how people from different diverse backgrounds can be successful in STEM fields.”
Mentorship Provides Resources for First-Year Students
The UH chapter also brings support to first-year, first-generation STEM students who might not have guidance at home. The program pairs them with an upper-level mentor, which secures success for inexperienced students.
“I think it brings a sense of community,” said Saiz. “It’s a great support system. The mentors are people who you can lean on when things get tough and people who understand what you’re going through because they went through the same things.”
The chapter hosts several events that help students thrive during their first year at UH, including professional development. Events, like their First-Gen Panel, involve undergraduates, graduate students and faculty members sharing their success stories. SACNAS also offers workshops and events aimed at helping students apply for graduate school and move forward with their next steps.
It is not only about professional development and success in school. The program allows students to get out of the classroom setting and participate in fun events like visiting nature centers and hosting events for the holidays. First-year students can bond and form friendships that can help them throughout college.
- Ashley Byers, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics