By Caroline Cencer
On October 12, the School of Medicine Basic Sciences hosted the inaugural Hispanic Heritage Month Conference and Workshop, “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation,” to celebrate Hispanic and Latinx* scientists.
Co-moderated by Felysha Jenkins, program manager for diversity, equity and inclusion in Basic Sciences, and Elsie Spencer, visiting postdoctoral fellow, the event provided participants with the opportunity to engage with talented members of the Latinx research community at Vanderbilt and beyond.
The hybrid event featured a variety of speakers, including keynote Luis Fernando Santana from the University of California, Davis, and Vanderbilt’s own Mariana Byndloss, as well as an awards ceremony to honor Latinx scientists at the local and national levels. According to Jenkins, both the in-person and online audiences were engaged in the talks, making the inaugural Hispanic Heritage Month Conference and Workshop a great success.
One of the awardees, Verónica A. Segarra, thanked the organizers for their efforts and for lifting the community up in a creative way. “Thanks for this reminder that I am appreciated and that I am part of a larger community,” she said on Twitter. “I will never forget this.”
Jenkins is excited to keep revisiting this event in future years. “As we move forward, I hope our Hispanic Heritage Month Conference continues to grow and showcase the vast talent of Hispanic researchers at our institution and around the globe.”
The full list of speakers and awardees can be found below.
Speakers
Renato J. Aguilera, Ph.D., University of Texas at El Paso
Caroline Palavicino-Maggio, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School
Luis Fernando Santana, Ph.D., University of California, Davis
Dr. Mariana Xavier Byndloss, D.V.M., Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Jose A. Gomez, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Elsie Calderón Spencer, Ed.D., M.P.A., Vanderbilt University
Estevão Scudese, Ph.D., Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Steven Marañón Damo, Ph.D., Fisk University
Felysha Jenkins, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Awardees
El Premio Anciano (The Elder Award)
Renato J. Aguilera, Ph.D., The University of Texas at El Paso
Maria Elena Zavala, Ph.D., California State University, Northridge
El Premio Titán (The Titan Award)
Luis Fernando Santana, Ph.D., University of California, Davis
JoAnn Trejo, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Daniel Alfonso Colón-Ramos, Ph.D., Yale University School of Medicine
Dr. Nancy Carrasco, M.D., Vanderbilt University
Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Carlos J. Bustamante, Ph.D., University of California, Berkley; Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Premio Joven Investigador (Young Investigator Award)
David Rafael Martinez, Ph.D., University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health; Howard Hughes Medical Institute Hanna Gray Fellow
Ana Paula Arruda, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Mariana Xavier Byndloss, D.V.M., Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Valeria M. Reyes Ruiz, Vanderbilt University; Howard Hughes Medical Institute Hanna Gray Fellow
Kelly Ann Jurado, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Premios Estrella en Ascenso (Rising Star Awards)
Caroline Palavicino-Maggio, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School
Brian Aguado, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Christina Termini, Ph.D., Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Daniel Castro, Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis
Premio a la Mejor Interseccionalidad en Ciencia (Best Intersectionality Award in Science)
Luis Antonio Leyva, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Santiago Correa, Ph.D., Columbia University
Anibal J. Valentin Acevedo, Ph.D., Universidad Central del Caribe
Leadership Award
Amanda Elyssa Ruiz, Brown University
Dina Garcia, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
Mejor Mentor en Ciencia (Best Mentor in Science)
Antonio Zorzano, Ph.D., Universitat de Barcelona
Alfredo G. Torres, Ph.D., M.S., University of Texas Medical Branch
Alberto Darszon, Ph.D., Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Outstanding Research in Industry
Ivette Sandoval, Ph.D., Barrow Neurological Institute
Omar Quintero, Ph.D., University of Richmond
Michelle Juarez, Ph.D., Cold Harbor Spring Laboratory
Paule Joseph, Ph.D., National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Best Head/Chair Award
Benjamin Garcia, Ph.D., Washington University of School of Medicine
Perseverance Award
Yuriana Aguilar, Ph.D., Rush Medical College
Research Scientist Award
Mario G. Oyola, Ph.D., Parsons Corporation Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune
Victor J. Torres, Ph.D., NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Excellence in Hispanic Health Care
Dr. Bryan Leyva, M.D., University of Minnesota
Dr. Vernat Exil, M.D., MBA, Saint Louis University
Dr. Ricardo Correa, M.D., Ed.D., University of Arizona College of Medicine; Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine; Creighton University
Dr. Denise Martinez, M.D., University of Iowa
Dr. John Paul Sanchez, M.D., MPH, University of New Mexico
Allyship Award
Jose Vargas-Muñiz, Ph.D., Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Postdoc Award
Daniel Gonzales, Ph.D., Purdue University
Christopher Solís, Ph.D., University of Illinois Chicago
Raul Arturo Ramos Garcia, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Stephania Libreros, Ph.D., Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Chris Peritore-Galve, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Oscar A. Aguilar, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco
Graduate School Awards
Antonio J. Porras-Valverde, Vanderbilt University
Adonis Rubio, Stanford University School of Medicine
Jorge Rúa-Fernández, Vanderbilt University
Zachary Sanchez, Vanderbilt University
Gabriela Carolina Lopez, Northwestern University
Best Student Outreach
Mariana Jimenez, Vanderbilt University
Best Student Leadership
Azuah Gonzalez, Vanderbilt University
Jose Zepeda, Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt Faculty Leadership Award
Digna R. Velez Edwards, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Henrique Serezani, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Champions for Change
Renata Pereira, Ph.D., University of Iowa Carver Medical Center
Enrique M. De La Cruz, Ph.D., Yale University
Organizations for Change
American Society of Cell Biology
Ciencia Puerto Rico
Latina Researchers
LatinXinBME
Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science
Community of Scholars
Southern Regional Education Board
Hinton-Garza Lopez Consulting Company
Best Teacher Award
Veronica A. Segarra, Ph.D., Goucher College
Ulises Ricoy, Ph.D., University of Arizona
Jorge E. Contreras, Ph.D., University of California, Davis
Monica Galaz-Montoya, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Erika Díaz-Almeyda, Ph.D., New College of Florida
Bold Latina Award
Michelle M. Martínez Montemayor, Ph.D., Universidad Central del Caribe
Bold Latino Award
Bruno Azevedo, D.D.S., University of Louisville
Bold Latinx Award
Fátima Sancheznieto, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin–Madison
Social Activist Award
Dr. Bryan Leyva, M.D., University of Minnesota
Best Mentor in Science
Kathy Tossas, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
Research Scientist -OR- Young Investigator Award
Yamile Molina, Ph.D., University of Illinois Cancer Center
Outreach Award for Outstanding DEI
Giovanna Guerrero-Medina, Ph.D., Yale University
Graduate Student Award/Graduate Leader
Paola Figueroa-Delgado, Yale University
The Titan Award
Titilayo Omotade, Ph.D., Yale University School of Medicine
Postdoc Award
Rafael Perez, Ph.D., Yale University School of Medicine
Rising Star Award
Stephania Libreros, Ph.D., Harvard University
Rising Star -OR- Outreach Award
Robert W. Fernandez, Ph.D., Columbia University; Científico Latino
Outstanding Research in Industry
Esmeralda Ramirez-Peña, Ph.D., M.P.H., Health Innovation Capital
Science and Medicine Social Media Influencer
Arnaldo J Diaz Vazquez, Ph.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Christina Termini, Ph.D., Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Dr. Bryan Leyva, M.D., University of Minnesota
Excellence in Epidemiological Science
Enrique Beldarrain Chaple, Ph.D., Escuela Nacional de Salud Pública (Havana, Cuba)
Historian of Diseases and Public Health
Enrique Beldarrain Chaple, Ph.D., Escuela Nacional de Salud Pública (Havana, Cuba)
Legacy Award for Preserving our Latino and Latina History
Enrique Beldarrain Chaple, Ph.D., Escuela Nacional de Salud Pública (Havana, Cuba)
Vanderbilt Leadership Diversity Award for Science Philanthropy
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Burrough’s Wellcome Fund
*Although the terms Hispanic, Latino/a, and Latinx are often used interchangeably, they are not synonymous. The celebration is called “Hispanic Heritage Month,” but Hispanic refers only to people from the Americas and Spain who speak or come from communities that speak Spanish. Latino/Latina are male/female-gendered descriptors of folks from Romance language-speaking countries (including Brazil) in Latin America. To be we as inclusive as possible, we have chosen the non-gendered “Latinx” descriptor.