August 1, 2022

Science of STEM Literacy Summer Conference

at Sul Ross State University and Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, Texas

Bringing together educators to learn about new STEM literacy approaches to teaching and learning.

NASA Goddard's Eddie Gonzales

My Path to NASA Keynote

An avid music lover and sneakerhead, Edward Gonzales has built a life walking the walk from street smart to business-savvy, first at one of Los Angeles's prestigious law firms, then to "student-whisperer" at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory working with interns and underserved, underrepresented populations. Now, as NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility lead for Heliophysics, he brings his unique blend of experience to one of NASA's most prestigious missions. Edward has been honored by many NASA awards and recognition and has made it his personal mission to ensure that the agency's future workforce is more diverse and equitable than when he started his career there two decades ago. Having lost his father as a young teen, experienced police profiling and gang violence, he can relate to the struggles that many students face as they embark on their college and career journeys. He is eager to share that all paths to NASA aren't linear and emphasizes the critical importance of creating a workforce pipeline that starts in school, leading to an exciting current project called "Permission to Dream," collaborating with Christopher Gardner (The Pursuit of Happyness) to present inspirational talks at one thousand highs schools across the United States. Edward is the consummate comeback kid -- all setbacks set you up for a comeback.

Noyce Mentor: Sul Ross State University's Dr. Michael Ortiz

Hands, Heart, Mind, Math

Michael Ortiz is an associate professor of mathematics at Sul Ross State University's Rio Grande Campuses. His interests include geometry, physics, and the ways in which a humanistic approach to teaching can make higher-level mathematics more accessible to underrepresented groups. He has served as a Noyce Mentor. Faculty Senate President and is involved in ongoing efforts to improve and assess institutional effectiveness.

Marissa Vara

Cultivating a Sense of Belonging for Marginalized Communities in STEM fields

As a young girl growing up in Uvalde, Texas, Marissa enjoyed being outdoors and being curious about how things in nature worked. In 8^th grade, she was accepted into an outreach program called GeoFORCE Texas sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin (UT). It targeted marginalized students from rural and urban areas and exposed them to geosciences. This encouraged her to receive a Bachelor of Science from the Jackson School of Geosciences at UT and a Master of Science at Louisiana State University (LSU) in paleoclimate with a minor in geology. During graduate school, Marissa’s internal passion for outreach and science education began to blossom. She left academia and became a physical scientist at the National Science Foundation working in the Directorate for Geosciences. Marissa worked with program officers who specialize in workforce development, education and diversity, global sustainability relations, and science communication and policy. This is where she gained the experience of combining science education, communication, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) work to broaden participation in STEM fields for all those who want to participate. Currently, Marissa works for the National Center for Atmospheric Research and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (NCAR|UCAR). She works with a bridge program, Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS), as the Undergraduate STEM Coordinator, mentoring students from marginalized communities to create a sense of belonging in research labs, academia, and other STEM career fields. Additionally, she is the DEI and education specialist for NCAR’s Education, Engagement, and Early-Career Development (EdEC) office, where she consults on a variety of educational programs, targeting undergraduates to early-career, to obtain the DEI lens throughout the programs and organization.

Science Mill's Jeff Wheatcraft

Equity and Inclusion in the 21st Century STEM Classroom

As a STEM teacher, Jeff Wheatcraft facilitated in-depth programming that met the needs of students of all backgrounds, while promoting 21st century skills and equity. His work at Alamo Heights Junior School developing the STEM program, where students were given real-world problems that they had to not only solve, but fabricate and test, won him numerous accolades, including being named the 2019 Texas Teacher of the Year. Recently, Jeff left the classroom and joined the Science Mill, a STEM museum in the heart of the hill country, to pursue his passion of bringing high-quality, equitable STEM education to all students in the state of Texas and beyond! He also moonlights as both scientist and engineer, where he spends the spring time storm chasing and designing hardware to capture storm data.

SWTJC STEM Success Stories

Attendees can expect keynotes, panel discussions, and a celebration of STEM literacy. SRSU/SWTJC Noyce Program attendees can also expect training and orientation into the program.

The Sul Ross State University Uvalde Campus

Let us know if you'll be attending!

For more information about our program, check out our website and social media!

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