1. NMSU NIH Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement
Busi ne ss Name
Desert SunRISE
Volume 1, Issue 2
Fall 2008
Inside this issue:
RISE Scholar Presentations at SACNAS
RISE Spotlights 2-3 2008 National Conference in Salt Lake City
RISE Spring Calendar 3 Bañuelos, Iliana Ruiz- graduate Poster Presenta-
Letter from RISE Director 3 Cooley, Richard Elicier, tion in Chemistry. RISE
Ivette Guzman, Aerial Sin- staff member Linda
SACNAS Presentations 4 gleton, Nabeeh Hasan, and Amezquita, who traveled
SACNAS Photos 5 Gloricelys Rivera. Under- with students and the pro-
graduate students present- gram director, character-
Fall 2008 Graduates 6
SACNAS (the Society for ers included: Yvonne Diaz, ized the conference as
RISE Program Contact Info Advancement of Chicanos Sarah Gonzalez, Jon ―eye opening,‖ saying it
and Office Staff 7 George (RISE/BRIDGES)
and Native Americans in was ―constant activity‖ and
RISE Student Advisory Science) celebrated its 35th Jaime Guerra, Kellie Ju- ―exhilarating.‖ (See p.4 for
committee and members 7 year with a conference in rado (RISE/ MARC), Tan- a list of all presentations.)
Salt Lake City, Utah. The nia Lau, Alexander Louie
national conference, run- (RISE/MARC), Amanda
ning October 9-12, was Munoz, Brianna Rios,
themed the ―International Marie Romero, Lacie
Attend Conferences!
Polar Year: Global Climate Yazzie, and Natasha
“...Many government
Change in Our Communi- Yazzie. Doctoral candidate
agencies and universities
ties.‖ A record number of Iliana Cooley won an
are there...It is an
NMSU RISE students pre- award for Best Graduate
incredible opportunity to
sented their research at the Oral Presentation in Marine
get advice on grants, or
conference. Graduate stu- Biology, while undergradu-
choosing post-docs, or for
dents who gave presenta- ate Jon George received
getting feedback...” an award for Best Under-
tions included: José
Iliana Ruiz-Cooley
Ph.D. student Iliana Ruiz-Cooley at SACNAS 2008
When Iliana Ruiz-Cooley, a tion in marine biology at the importance as a networking
Ph.D. student in the RISE conference. Her appreciation tool for students of all levels.
program, describes of the event, however, isn’t ―Many government agencies
SACNAS 2008 the word she limited to the awards she and universities are there to
uses is ―priceless.‖ Cooley’s won—or awards that her provide information about
excitement is understand- students won. Erika Villa, an their programs‖ Cooley
able, as her presentation, undergraduate senior in the points out, before adding: ―it
―Geographic Trophic Varia- same lab at NMSU as Coo- is an incredible opportunity
tion of the Jumbo Squid, ley, was awarded the distinc- to get advice on grants, or
Dosidicus Gigas, in the East- tion of best poster presenta- choosing post-docs, or for
ern Pacific Ocean: Evidence tion for an undergraduate in getting feedback from the
from Stable Isotopes,‖ was marine biology. Cooley also government agencies that
Iliana Ruiz-Cooley at SACNAS 2008 judged best oral presenta- highlights the conference’s provide funding.‖

2. Page 2 Desert SunRI SE Volume 1, Issue 2
RISE Mentor Spotlight on Dr. Kathryn Hanley
Kathryn A. Hanley, Assistant However, Hanley stresses support,‖ allowing for horizon
Professor in the Biology de- that success in academia -broadening opportunities
partment, has a long history isn’t just about having posi- like conference attendance
of mentoring students. As a tive relationships with teach- and research-related travel.
research associate studying ers and mentors—the re-
infectious diseases at the search itself is a reward.
National Institute for ―Research is,‖ she begins, More with Dr. Hanley:
Health—where she worked and then pauses, before
In a recent interview, RISE
before coming to NMSU— continuing a moment later
Hanley helped supervise the with a smile, ―it’s like to- staff caught up with Dr. Han-
post-baccalaureate bacco. It’s entirely addictive.‖ ley. Asked about stu-
―mentees‖ in her lab. But dent/mentor relationships,
Hanley’s current research on Hanley replied that “students
even in her grad-school days
the circulation of mosquito
at San Diego, Hanley was will almost inevitably rise to
born viruses directs her
Dr. Kathryn Hanley, Assistant helping younger students, the expectations you [the
across the globe to the Afri-
Professor, NMSU Department of ―nascent colleagues‖ as she mentor] set for them.” Hanley
can country of Senegal. Her
Biology aptly calls them. Hanley conceptualizes the role of the
own work is an example of
credits her long track record mentor as one of introducing
what Hanley describes as
of providing guidance to stu- students to the “larger
the ―larger world‖ of science
dents to positive interactions world...of...the community of
students too often are un-
On Research: she had with teachers as an scientists worldwide.”
aware exists beyond their
“Research is….It‟s like undergraduate herself. ―I am
classrooms. Programs like
tobacco, it‟s entirely a scientist,‖ says Hanley,
RISE are so valuable, Han-
addictive. ―because I got extensive
ley says, because they ―give
mentorship.‖
Dr. Kathryn A. Hanley,
[students] real and tangible
Assistant Professor of
Biology, NMSU
RISE Grad Spotlight on José “Leo” Bañuelos
matics and was a Crimson Lake City, UT, the GRAS
and Regent’s Plus Scholar. symposium in Las Cruces,
In 2002 he won the Marc NM, and the Gordon Re-
Miller – Velma McClelland search Conference on Wa-
On Grad School
Memorial Scholarship for ter & Aqueous Solutions in
Outstanding Laboratory Stu- Holderness, NH, among
Recently interviewed by dent at New Mexico State other events. Bañuelos
the RISE staff, “Leo” had University. Currently, stresses that the kind of
the following to say about Bañuelos’ research focuses public exposure confer-
success in grad school: on understanding intermedi- ences and poster-
“Grad school is a „molding‟ ate structures of proteins presentations generate is
experience, it challenges when they fold and unfold. essential to success as a
your will….Perseverance is
In addition to his research, graduate student. ―There
Bañuelos has been very has to be,‖ he says, ―a will-
a quality that has to be RISE graduate scholar José
active in conferences and ingness to put yourself out-
there.” Bañuelos is a Ph.D. candi-
presentations. In 2009 he side your comfort zone. Per-
date under the mentorship of
presented at the American severance is a quality that
Dr. Jacob Urquidi in the de-
José Bañuelos, Physics Physical Society March has to be there.‖
partment of physics. As an
RISE Graduate Student Meeting in Pittsburg, PA. In
undergraduate student at
2008 he presented at the
NMSU, Bañuelos studied
SACNAS conference in Salt
physics and applied mathe-

3. Desert SunRI SE Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 3
RISE Spring Calendar: From The Director:
RISE Writing Workshop, March 19 development activities in
Thursdays (5:00—6:25 URCAS abstracts due minority-serving institutions
PM) in the Business through awards from the
April 15 Minority Biomedical Re-
Complex, Room 115.
Submission of RISE stu- search Support (MBRS)
Undergraduates.
dent portfolios, including program. The goal of NIH-
RISE Study Skills, personal statement, RISE is to strengthen and
Mondays (1—5 PM), summary of research, diversify the scientific work-
Wednesdays (2—6 PM), CV, etc., due to Cathilia. force by increasing the
Fridays (11—2 PM) Our RISE (Research Initia- number of students from
April 17
Foster Hall, room 137. tive for Scientific Enhance- underrepresented groups
Undergraduate Research who complete Ph.D. de-
RISE Mentor Research and Creative Arts Sym- ment) Community at New
Mexico State University is gree programs in biomedi-
Education Colloquia, posium (URCAS). cal and biobehavioral re-
2nd Weds of Feb ,Mar,
committed to scientific re-
April 22-23 search that will promote hu- search.
& Apr.
Graduate Research & man health and reduce ill- Elba Serrano, Ph.D.,
February 12 (4—5 PM) Arts Symposium ness and disabilities. RISE is Regents Professor & RISE
Learning Styles Work- (GRAS). a National Institutes of Program Director
shop in Hardman Hall, Health (NIH)initiative that
Feb 4 supports student scientific
room 202.
RISE Advisory Board
Rise Spotlight on Undergraduate TJ Redhouse
Thurman ―TJ‖ Redhouse is a remedies and scientific medi- tifically‖ as he puts it. Eventu-
junior majoring in horticulture cine. ―I have that herbalist kind ally he hopes to get his doc-
and is in his first year in the of feel,‖ he quips, before talk- torate. He emphasizes how
RISE program. TJ explains ing in a more serious vein RISE is helping him towards
that it was his Navajo heri- about his incredible experi- these goals. ―RISE,‖ TJ says,
tage and upbringing that got ence in RISE’s summer Med- ―has helped me prepare for
him into plant science. ―I’ve Plants workshop. TJ’s future future education, like prepar-
always enjoyed what my cul- plans include more research ing for graduate school. There
ture has done with plants,‖ he on the medicinal properties of are a lot of people here to help
says, before pointing out that herbal remedies, ―what more you.‖
his particular interest lies at the plants can provide scien-
the intersection of cultural
RISE Spotlights Undergrad Alexandru Bojé
―fix it.‖ He learned from
cal engineering, is conduct- searched the scientific proper-
scratch how to use the editor
ing RISE research with Dr. ties of the silverleaf night-
Dreamweaver and how to pro-
Elba Serrano. He describes shade. His current work fo-
gram in XHTML. Alex tactfully
himself as having lived in a cuses on reconstructing three
says that ―through this experi-
―range of environments: from dimensional models from the
ence, I...learned how to tackle
metropolises to rural towns‖ histologic slices of inner ear
a project...not in my area of
and says that his ―research tissue. Alex describes his pro-
expertise.‖ Alex has since
and academic experience ject as ―trying to..model physi-
been instrumental in re-
[has been] as varied as [his] cal stresses within the inner
designing and creating web-
life.‖ Alex participated in the ear.‖ Although the work he
sites for numerous programs
Summer RISE-MBRS Medici- does in the lab is challenging,
at NMSU including the Society
Alexandru ―Alex‖ Bojé, a nal Plants (―Med-plants‖) Alex says his most difficult
of Woman Engineers.
freshman majoring in chemi- Workshop, where he re- problem was when a previous

4. Page 4 Desert SunRI SE Volume 1, Issue 2
SACNAS RISE Presentations:
RISE GRADUATE SCHOLARS:
José Bañuelos, ―Investigations on the Temperature-Induced Intermediate Structure of Ribo-
nuclease A and Other Globular Proteins by Small Angle X-Ray Scattering.‖
Iliana Cooley, ―Geographic Trophic Variation of the Jumbo Squid, Dosidicus Gigas, in the
Eastern Pacific Ocean: Evidence from Stable Isotopes and Morphometrics.‖
Richard Elicier, ―Exploring Interactions Between Mob1 and a Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier.‖
Ivette Guzman, ―Carotenogenesis of Orange Color in Capsicum Annuum Fruit.‖
Nabeeh Hasan, ―Reading Tea Leaves: Morphological and Molecular Analysis of t^é Gastro-
nol Constituents.‖
Gloricelys Rivera, ―Identification of Potential Light-Response Pathway Genes in Cryphonec-
tria Parasitica.‖
Aerial Singleton, ―The Production of Succinate in the Brain after 12 min of Global cerebral
Ischemia in Female Sprague Dawley Rats.‖
RISE UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARS:
Yvonne Diaz, ―Feed Value of Dry Distillers Grains for Feedlot Lambs.”
Jon George (a RISE/ BRIDGES student), ―Synthesis of Methoxy-S-Trityl-L-Cysteine Deriva-
tives.‖
Sarah Gonzalez, ―Synthetic Azole Nucleosides as Potential Antiviral Drugs.‖
Jaime Guerra, ―Geographic Variation in the Vocalizations of the Endangered Thick-Billed
Parrot (Rhynchopsitta
Pachyrhyncha); Implications for Conservation Strategies.‖
Kellie Jurado (a RISE/MARC student), ―Synchrony, Adrenocortical Functioning, and Learning
in Three Month-Old Infants.‖
Tannia Lau, ―Global Protein Expression in Hypovirus Infected and Uninfected Cryphonectria
Parasitica Strains Using Two-Dimensional Electrophoresis.‖
Alexander Louie (a MARC student), ―Polyamine Oxidase: A Major Contributor of Reactive
Oxygen Species during Apoptosis.‖
Amanda Munoz, ―Gene Flow in a Ground Cricket Hybrid Zone.‖
Brianna Rios, ―Development of Reagents to Study the Spindel Assembly Checkpoint in Sea
Urchin Embryos.‖
Marie Romero, ―Molecular Comparison of Undifilum Oxytropis Isolates from the Western
United States.‖
Lacie Yazzie, ―Constitutive Overexpression of Maize SPS in Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa).‖
Natasha Yazzie, ―Structural Study of Human Siderocalin and Iron Bound Siderophore, Vi-
briobactin.‖

5. Desert SunRI SE Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 5
RISE Scholar Presentations at
SACNAS 2008:

6. Desert SunRI SE Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 6
RISE Congratulates Fall 2008 graduates:
New Mexico State University
Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement - Rise to Excellence Program
Proudly recognizes the following graduating Scholars:
Nicholas Beltran, Bachelors of Science, Biology,
Yvonne Diaz, Bachelor of Science, Animal Science,
Jamie Guerra, Bachelor of Science, Biology,
&
James Moten, Bachelor of Science, Chemistry

7. Desert SunRI SE Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 7
RISE on the Web! RISE Program Staff
http://biology-web.nmsu.edu/nmsurise/index.html Cathilia Flores, Program Coordinator
Linda Amezquita, Records Specialist
M. Donohue, SunRISE Editor
Citlalin Xochime, RISE Professional Skills Facilitator
RISE Student Advisory Committee
Jesus Cuaron, RISE Graduate Representative
Yvonne Diaz, RISE Undergraduate Representative
Amanda Munoz, RISE Undergraduate Representative
Emigdio Reyes, RISE Graduate Representative
The SunRISE is a tri-annual (summer, fall, spring)
publication dedicated to showcasing RISE staff
undergraduate and graduate scholars, mentors
and staff.
RISE Spotlights Citlalin Xochime, Former SunRISE
Editor and RISE Professional Skills Facilitator
NMSU English Department’s Desert SunRISE newsletter.
Rhetoric and Professional She conducted the fall 2008
Communication program. RISE workshop series for
She teaches undergraduate undergraduate RISE Schol-
English courses, including ars. Citlalin has a diverse On Teaching
technical and scientific com- background, including a MA
munication. Citlalin states, in English and a BS in Biol-
―My teaching philosophy is ogy. She was a recipient of a “ M y Teaching Philosophy,”
to prepare college students NASA Space Grant Fellow- says Citlalin, “ is to prepare
for discourse empowerment ship for summer study at
within their professional, Kennedy Space Center, and college students discourse
personal, and social interned at the IBM Silicon
spheres.‖ She promotes a Valley Lab. Citlalin plans to empowerment within their
studious climate of writing graduate in December of
reflection, critical inquiry, 2010 and to seek a position professional, emotional, and
and technique on how to in academia or industry.
Citlalin Xochime is a former model disciplinary scholar- social spheres. ”
RISE workshop facilitator ship. During her RISE ser-
and a PhD candidate in the vice, Citlalin launched the

8. ENHANCEMENT NMSU RISE TO EXCELLENCE (NIH NIGMS GRANT #R25GM061222)
MINORITY BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH SUPPORT—RESEARCH INTITIAVE FOR SCIENTIFIC
Minority Biomedical Research Support
Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (MBRS-RISE)
New Mexico State University MBRS-RISE Program, PO Box 30001
MSC 3AF , Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001
Phone: 575-646-8040 | 575-646-7011
Email: mbrsrise@nmsu.edu