Information on Poster Awards

Minorities Affairs Committee Travel Awardees and other minority scientists present their research data at the Minorities Poster Session as well as at their regularly scheduled poster session.

Committee members rate the abstract for originality, clearly stated hypothesis and rationale, appropriateness of methodology, and whether the conclusions fit well with the data obtained; posters are rated on clarity of presentation, whether the charts and figures enhance the presentation, and aesthetic attractiveness of the poster. Presenters are asked by Poster Review Committee members to then present and support their data.

The MAC Poster Session has been established to provide networking opportunities for students and their faculty advisors. MAC travel awardees are expected to present posters at the MAC Poster Session; their posters are automatically entered in the poster competition.

2023

Undergraduates

First Place: Kyle Anderson, University of California Los Angeles
First Place: Aliyah Bocachica Adorno, Universidad Centro del Caribe
Second Place: Kit Neikirk, University of Hawai’i Hilo
Third Place: Paola S. Rivera-Fuentes, Universidad Centro del Caribe

Graduate Students

First Place: Dylan Valencia, University of California Los Angeles
Second Place: Jose Cirino, Universidad Centro del Caribe
Third Place: Maria de Jesus, Auburn University
Third Place: Raven Fisher, City University of New York
Special Recognition: Ricardo Cordova, Indiana University School of Medicine
Special Recognition: Emily Gutierrez-Morton, Florida State University

Postdoctoral Fellows

First Place: Katheryn Rothenberg, University of Toronto

2022

Undergraduates

First Place: Joshua Okletey, Drexel University
Second Place: Letitia Bortey, Butler University
Third Place: Benjamin Drake Regalado Alton and Michael Anaafi, Weber State University
Special Recognition: Francisco A. Reyes-Ortiz, University of Central Del Caribe
Special Recognition: Tunahan Uygun, University of Michigan

Graduate Students

First Place: Alia Edington, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Special Recognition: Sebastian Gomez, San Francisco State University
Special Recognition: Jordan Kalai, Columbia University
Special Recognition: Tyler Ogunmowo, Johns Hopkins University Sch Med 
Special Recognition: Erica Pascetti, University of New Mexico 
Special Recognition: Jonah Rosas, University of California, Santa Barbara 
Special Recognition: Elizabeth Vargas, University of Oregon 

Postdoctoral Fellows

First Place: Chinyere Iweka, Stanford University
Special Recognition: Tracess Smalley, Moffitt Cancer Center
Special Recognition: Betsabel Chicana Romero, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Special Recognition: Sharday Ewell, Auburn University

2019

Undergraduates

First Place: Stephanie Leal, California State University, Long Beach
Second Place: Christopher Samuel Vazquez, Pomona College
Special Recognition: Benjamin Kirk, University of Iowa
Special Recognition: Amara Pang, University of California, Los Angeles
Special Recognition: Yasmarie Santana Rivera, University of Puerto Rico, Science Medical Campus

Graduate Students

First Place: Rachel Flores, University of Washington
Second Place: Nayeli G. Reyes-Nava, University of Texas at El Paso
Second Place: Antoineen White, Northwest University
Special Recognition: Ariana Sanchez, Stanford University

Postdoctoral Fellows

First Place: Victoria Balise, University of New Mexico
Special Recognition: Guillermina Ramirez-SanJuan, University of California San Francisco/Stanford University
Special Recognition: Paulo Caceres, Weill Cornell Medical College
Special Recognition: Mazvita Maziveyi, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

2018

Undergraduates

First Place: Amera Dixon, Rice University
First Place: Sahra Gabure, Tennessee State University
First Place: Camille Santiago Negron, University of Puerto Rico – Bayamon
Second Place: Nicole Rodrigues, University of California San Francisco
Special Recognition: Roberto Segura, San Francisco State University

Graduate Students

First Place: Paulina Villanueva, University of Texas at El Paso
Second Place: Gabriela Ortiz-Soto, Universidad Central del Caribe – School of Medicine
Second Place: Manuel Ruiz, University of North Texas
Second Place: Natalie Speer, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Special Recognition: Armond Franklin-Murray, University of California, Irvine
Special Recognition: Yolanda Rivera-Cuevas, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Special Recognition: Frederick Santana, San Francisco State University

Postdoctoral Fellows

First Place: Jacqueline De Lora, The University of New Mexico
First Place: Guillermina Ramirez-SanJuan, University of California San Francisco/Stanford University
Second Place: Christopher Arnette, Northwestern University
Special Recognition: Lilian Kabeche, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center

2017

Undergraduates

First Place: Erika Duell, California State University, Northridge
Second Place: Khalid Elawad, Johns Hopkins University
Special Recognition: Lisset Duran, Macaulay Honors College at John Jay College
Special Recognition: Ariana Acevedo-Díaz, Universidad Central del Caribe

Graduate Students

First Place: Elisa Frankel, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Second Place: Jorge Martinez-Marquez, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Special Recognition: Armond Franklin-Murray, University of California, Irvine
Special Recognition: Miranda Stratton, Stanford University

Postdoctoral Fellows

First Place: Lesley Weaver, Johns Hopkins University
Second Place: Damon Jacobs, University of Kansas Medical Center
Special Recognition: Guillermina Ramirez-SanJuan, University of California San Francisco/Stanford University

2016

Undergraduates

First Place: Veronica Hernandez, Central Washington University
Second Place: Second Place: Fabio Frech, Barry University
Special Recognition: Deanna Lee, High Point University
Special Recognition: Peter Rodriguez, Barry University
Special Recognition: Cayla Steemer, Prairie View A&M University
Special Recognition: George Melchor, Austin College
Special Recognition: Freda Tei, Manhattan College

Graduate Students

First Place: Michelle Levine, Johns Hopkins University
Second Place: Anthony Mangan, University of Colorado
Special Recognition: Laura Corrales-Diaz Pomatto, University of Southern California
Special Recognition: Elizabeth Calzada, Johns Hopkins University
Special Recognition: Malachia Hoover, California State University, Northridge

Postdoctoral Fellows

First Place: Andrea Ambrosio, Colorado State University
Second Place: Marbelys Rodriguez Pino, University of Miami
Special Recognition: Daiane Alves, University of Tennessee
Special Recognition: Maria Fe LanFranco, Georgetown University

2015

Undergraduates

First Place: Yismeilin Feliz-Mosquea, Inter American University of Puerto Rico
Second Place: Veronica Nagle, The College of William and Mary
Third Place: Itzel Armendariz, University of Texas of the Permian Basin
Honorable Mention: Peter Rodriguez, Barry University
Honorable Mention: Francesca Prendes, Cedar Crest College

Graduate Students

First Place: Andrea Cantu, University of California, San Francisco
Honorable Mention: Blanca Diaz-Rohrer, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston/HHMI
Honorable Mention: Anthony Mangan, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Honorable Mention: Lauren Walker, University of California, Riverside/HHMI

Postdoctoral Fellows

First Place: Crystal Rogers, Institute of Technology
Second Place: Christopher Suarez, University of Notre Dame
Third Place: Damaris Lorenzo, Duke University/HHMI

2014

Undergraduates

First Place: Rojelio Alvarado, University of Texas of the Permian Basin
Second Place: Edgar Ferrer-Lorenzo, Duke University
Third Place: Deaetta Grinnage, Delaware State University

Graduate Students

First Place: David Iaea, Weill Cornell Medical College
Second Place: Archie Taylor, Pennsylvania State University
Third Place: Yaliz Loperena, Universidad Central del Caribe, School of Medicine

Postdoctoral Fellows

First Place: Andres Perez Bay, Weill Cornell Medical College
Second Place: Damon Jacobs, University of Kansas Medical Center
Third Place: Kristopher Marjon, University of New Mexico
Honorable Mention: Damaris Lorenzo, Duke University/HHMI
Honorable Mention: Natasha Gutierrez, Yale School of Medicine

2013

Undergraduates
First Place: Jessica Ricketts, Barry University
Second Place: Diana Partida, Pomona College
Third Place: Peter Rodriguez, Barry University

Graduate Students
First Place: Angel Byrd, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University
Second Place: Tomika Moody, Georgia State University
Third Place (Tied): Paulo Caceres, Wayne State University/Henry Ford Hospital
Third Place (Tied): Lilen Uchima, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Postdoctoral Fellows
First Place: Lilian Kabeche, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Second Place: Veronica Segarra, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Third Place: Damaris Lorenzo, Duke University/HHMI

2012

Undergraduates
1st Place: Jose Rapanan, Midwestern University
2nd Place: Jovans Lorquet, Barry University
3rd Place: Jordan Harper, Fort Valley State University

Graduate Students
1st Place: Corinne Fairchild, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
2nd Place: Natasha Gutierrez, Rutgers University
3rd Place: Lilian Kabeche, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

Postdoctoral Fellows
1st Place: Damaris Lorenzo, Duke University
2nd Place: Tarsha Ward, Morehouse School of Medicine
3rd Place: Armando Varela, University of Texas at El Paso

2011

Undergraduates
1st Place: Precious de Verteuil, Barry University
2nd Place: Julia Omotade, The Catholic University of America
3rd Place: Deforest Peterson, Prairie View A&M University

Graduate Students
1st Place: Joseph Ramahi, University of California, Davis
2nd Place: Natasha Gutierrez, Rutgers University, Newark
3rd Place: Rashieda Hatcher, Baylor College of Medicine

Postdoctoral Fellows
1st Place: Anthony Beas, University of California, San Diego
2nd Place: Khameeka Kitt, Stanford University
3rd Place: Alexis Tapanes-Castillo, St. Thomas University

Faculty
1st Place: R. Claudio Aguilar, Purdue University
2nd Place: Janet Rollins, College of Mount Saint Vincent
3rd Place: Luis Vidali, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

2010

Undergraduates
1st Place: Derrius Quarles, Morehouse College
2nd Place: Sabrina Easington, Prairie View A&M University
3rd Place: David Guerrero, College of Mount Saint Vincent

Graduate Students
1st Place: Daniel Feliciano, Colorado State University
2nd Place: Charisa Cottonham, University of Massachusetts Medical School
3rd Place: Linette Castillo-Pichardo, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus

Postdoctoral Fellows
1st Place: Montrell Seay, Yale University
2nd Place: Daniele Ejzykowicz, California State University, Long Beach
3rd Place: Veronica Segarra, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

Faculty
1st Place: Santiago Di Pietro, Colorado State University
2nd Place: Ruben Aguilera, Purdue University
3rd Place: Luis Vidali, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

2009

Undergraduates
1st Place: Victoria Tate, NIH, NIAMS
2nd Place: Danjuma Quarles, Whitworth University
3rd Place: LaQuinte Brinson, Clayton State University

Graduate Students
1st Place: Timothy Raines, North Carolina A & T State University
2nd Place: Joy Agee, University of Alabama, Huntsville
3rd Place: Maisel Caliva, Univeristy of Hawaii, Manoa

Postdoctoral Fellows
1st Place: Carmelo Carmona Rivera, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH
2nd Place: Raquel Raices, City of Hope
3rd Place: Roslyn Crowder, University of Pennsylvania

Faculty
1st Place: Shanta Hinton, Hampton University
2nd Place: Ghislaine Mayer, Virginia Commonwealth University
3rd Place: Selwyn Williams, New York City College of Technology, CUNY

2008

Undergraduates
1st Place: Sasheen Pottinger-Francis, LaGuardia Community College
2nd Place: Bridget Kreger, University of Vermont
3rd Place: John Vu, University of California, Los Angeles

Graduate Students
1st Place: Alina DeLa Mota-Peynado, Universidad Central de Caribe
2nd Place: Theresa Shakespeare, Stony Brook UniverBado de Franco, University of Pittsburghsity
3rd Place: Cristy Tower, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Postdoctoral Fellows
1st Place: Raquel Raices, City of Hope
2nd Place: Raymond Jones, University of Texas, Arlington
3rd Place: Raquel Sitcheran, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Faculty
1st Place: Annette Gonzalez, Northwestern
2nd Place: Sergio Catz, The Scripps Research
3rd Place: Eduardo Martinez-Ceballos, Southern University

2007

Undergraduates
1st Place: Stephanie Valtierra, Lake Forest College
2nd Place: Sonia Singhal, Yale University
3rd Place: Karen LeGrand, California State University Northridge

Graduate Students
1st Place: Jose Barrera, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center
2nd Place: Theresa Shakespeare, Stony Brook University
3rd Place: Micaela Vargas, University of Texas at San Antonio

Postdoctoral Fellows
1st Place: Gloria Conover, University of Arizona
2nd Place: Emmanuel Preprah, Emory University
3rd Place: Luis Vidali, UMass

Faculty
1st Place: Ruben Aguilar, Purdue University
2nd Place: Cindy Jo Arrigo, New Jersey City University
3rd Place: Alexis J. Rodriguez, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

2006

Undergraduates
1st Place: Dwayne Clarke, Morgan State University
2nd Place: Evelyne Ntam, Morgan State University
3rd Place: Juan B. Rodriguez-Molina, University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
3rd Place: Sasan Salimian, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Graduate Students
1st Place: Maria del Rocio Montes de Oca, John Hopkins Medical School
1st Place: Starlette Dossou, Creighton University
2nd Place: Montrell Seay, Yale University
3rd Place: Tiana Garrett, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Postdoctoral Fellows
1st Place: Sidney Cambridge, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology
2nd Place: Armando Varela, University of Texas at El Paso
3rd Place: Alexis Rodriguez, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Faculty
Leticia R. Vega, Barry University

2005

Undergraduate Awards

First Place
Dominick Lemas, University of Vermont, Burlington

Second Place
Kiani Lopez, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez

Third Place
Dwane Clarke, Morgan State University

Graduate Awards

First Place
Sabrice Guerrier, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Second Place
Lymarie Maldonado-Baez, The Johns Hopkins University

Third Place
Mauricio Cortes, University of Chicago
Anthony Aragon, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Juan Reyes, Chicago State University

Postdoctoral Fellows

First Place
Alex Rodriguez, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Second Place
Veronica Lopez, University of California, Davis

Faculty
Omar Quintero, Franklin and Marshall College

2004

Undergraduates
Sara Herrera, Lake Forest College
Anthony Hunt, University of North Carolina, Pembroke
Joshua Wilson, Long Island University

Graduate Students
Derek Applewhite, Northwestern University
Damon Jacobs, University of North Carolina
Alissa Richmond, College of William and Mary

Postdoctoral Fellows
Noel Gerard, NIH/NIAID
Souvenir Tachado, Beth Israel Hospital/Harvard University

2003

Undergraduates
Alicia Cleveland, Tennessee State University
Honorable Mention: Jasma Rucker, University of Pittsburgh; Elisha Peterson, University of Pittsburgh and Dwane Clark, Morgan State University

Graduate Students
Elethia Woodfolk, Meharry Medical College
Honorable Mention: David Vigerust, Vanderbilt University and Mauricio Cortes, University of Chicago

Postdoc/Faculty
Annette Gonzalez, Northwestern University
Ruben Baler, National Institutes of Health (Faculty)

Honorable Mention:
Sabrice Guerrier, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Pierre Fotso, University of Arkansas for Medial Sciences; Jacqueline Jordan, Clayton College and State University (Faculty) and Vivian Navas, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez (Faculty)

2002

Undergraduates:
Jamaal Snell, Florida A & M University. Hon- orable Mention: Brent Elliott, NIH/NIDDK/ LDCB, Mario Fernandez, Minnesota State University, Morehead, Shazia Saleem, South- west Texas State University.

Graduate Students:
Tiana Garrett, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Honorable Mention: Luis Rodriguez, Cornell University, Miriam Segura- Totten, Johns Hopkins University, Melanie Van Stry, Boston University School of Medicine.

Postdocs:
Triscia Hendrickson, Emory University School of Medicine. Honorable Mention: Sidney Cambridge, Max-Planck Institute for Neuro- biology, Tracie Gibson , University of Wiscon- sin Medical School, Annette Gonzalez, Northwestern University Medical School.

2001

Undergraduate Students:
Nikkisha Prentice, University of Pittsburgh
Honorable Mention: Sabrice Guerrier, Long Island University, Terrance Vincent, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio

Master’s Students:
Josephine Allen, University of California, Northridge.
Honorable Mention: Wanda Ocana-Rivera, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguiez, Aria Miller, California State University, Dominguez Hills

Ph.D. Students:
Melissa Hubbert, Wake Forrest University School of Medicine, Irving Vega, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/Rutgers University, Madeleine DeBeer, University of Wisconsin, Madison Postdoctoral Fellows Christopher Tubbs, University of Minnesota;

Honorable Mention:
Jacqueline Jordan, Uni- versities Space Research Association

2000

Undergraduates
Calvin Williams, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Honorable Mention: Sherimay Ablan, National Cancer Institute/NIH and Roberto Ricardo, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez

Graduate Students
Alexis Rodriquez, Rutgers University
Honorable Mention: Carla Gardner, Meharry Medical College

Postdoc/Faculty
Robert Scott, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Honorable Mention:
Margaret Colden-Stanfield, Morehouse School of Medicine and Michael Garcia, University of California, San Diego

1999

Undergraduate:
Margarita Sifuentes, University of Southern Colorado

Graduate Student:
Raul E. Rojas, University of Pittsburgh

Postdoctoral Fellow:
Timothy A. Lewis, PhD, Trudeau Institute

Faculty:
Belinda Pastrana, PhD University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Campus

1998

Undergraduate Students
Arionna N. Stevenson, Morgan State University
Julissa Sosa, California State University, Northridge (Honorable Mention)

Graduate Students
Jian-Carlo Ochoa, Yale University
Sonya R. Summerour, University of California, San Diego

Postdoctoral/Faculty
Joanne Trejo, University of California, San Francisco
Ozuem Paul Mgbonyebi, Fox Chase Cancer Center

1997

Undergraduates
Andrew Medina-Marino, Swarthmore College
Jims Jean-Jacques, Boston University School of Medicine (Honorable Mention)

Graduate Students
Erika T. Brown, University of Alabama, Birmingham
D.C. Ghislaine Mayer, University of Colorado
Althea Grant, Emory University (Honorable Mention)

Postdoctoral Fellows
Jorges Gutierrez, University of California, San Francisco
Linda Johnson, University of Pennsylvania (Honorable Mention)

1996

Graduate Students
Sidney Cambridge, Carnegie Mellon University
Althea M. Grant, Emory University
Nedra Wilson, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Ahna Skop, University of Wisconsin, Madison (Honorable Mention)

Postdoctoral Fellows
Olga Cabello, Baylor College of Medicine

1995

Students
Jorge Garces, Brooklyn College, CUNY
Carmen Swalsgood, Ohio State University
Anna DePina, Dartmouth College (Honorable Mention)
Edgar Lim, University of Iowa (Honorable Mention)
Manual Osario, University of California, Santa Cruz (Honorable Mention)

Postdoctoral Fellows
Tino Unlop, University of Alabama, Birmingham
Eva McGhee, University of California, San Francisco (Honorable Mention)

1994

Daisy De Leon, Loma Linda School of Medicine
Raquel Dompenciel, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
Nancy Veyna, University of Alabama, Birmingham

1993

Wayne Duffus, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Julio Soto, University of California, Berkeley
Leda Trivinos, Northwestern University, Chicago