The newly formed Yale Ciencia Initiative will expand access to scientific knowledge, experiences, and careers among communities or populations traditionally underrepresented in, or underserved by, the scientific enterprise, the university has announced.

Two students from the Biology Deparment at the University of Puerto Rico, Humacao Campus were awarded for their reearch presentations at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABCRMS) during November in San Antonio, Texas.

Giovani Deliz, junior in the General biology program and Raiza Reyes, junior under a Microbiology major were recognized along another 11 students among 1700 participant students. ABRCMS is one of the biggest research conference for underepresented minority students and is funded by the American Society of Microbiology under an NIH grant.

To read the entire blog, visit the Spanish version of this site. This article was published in Dialogo Digital.

2014 was a year of triumphs for Puerto Rican Julie Ann Rivera Pérez, who received a medal of honor from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and was selected to participate in a very competitive leadership program in the agency.

Rivera Perez earned the Medal of Equal Employment from NASA for promoting diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities for the Hispanic community through her initiatives as president of the Hispanic Advisory Committee for Employees (HACE) for the past two years. In addition, leadership and job performance earned her a coveted seat in the NASA First Program, whose purpose is to identify and train the future leaders of the agency.

I knew my idea was not unique, mainly because it was originated by a collective need.  Just like many others, I felt the need of having a voice and to form a space for a community that will represent the women in science of Puerto Rico. A special community dedicated to put in the spotlight Puerto Rican women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This was my personal desire, my aspiration, that I share with many other women and men who expressed their joy when the Borinqueña blog was born.