With the help of CAHNRS for All and the CAHNRS Office of Research, WSU student presentations rocked the SACNAS conference in Portland, Oregon. Two students were recognized with awards for their outstanding work (pictured below). In the area of Psychology & Social Sciences, Mariah Brigman was acknowledged for the Native American and Indigenous Research Award with her research on the effects of Covid-19 on housing among American Indian and Alaska native adults. Miguel Angel Rosas won the Oral Graduate Award for his research on linking nitrate and root hairs development in the grass species Brachypodium distachyon in the area of Animal Sciences/Zoology, Plant Sciences/Botany, and Biology. These students exemplified promising research and an unwavering passion for advancing diversity in STEM.
Presentations by students in the chapter included:
Areli Orozco – undergraduate poster presentation, Pullman
Miguel Rosas (our SACNAS chapter Treasurer) – graduate oral presentation, Pullman
Tosha Big Eagle – graduate poster presentation, Vancouver
Sara Mills – graduate poster presentation, Vancouver
Anaderi Iniguez – graduate poster presentation, Pullman
Mariah Brigman – WSU PRISM staff – and a current EWU graduate student – graduate poster presentation
Meenakshi Richardson (our SACNAS chapter President) – graduate poster presentation, Vancouver
Some specific examples of research included ‘Experiences of Belongingness for Native American Students in Higher Education,’ ‘Factors Associated with Latinx and Non-Latinx White Adolescents Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Intake Recommendations,’ and ‘Empowering Latinx Mothers: Confronting Healthcare Barriers in Rural Communities.’
Also featured at the conference were incredible sharing of culture and attendee participation opportunities that celebrated the impact both the past and the present have on the future generations. Indigenous cultures were honored through the SACNAS programming, which highlighted and served tribute to the accomplishments of Native American and Indigenous communities and recognized the lands on which we are guests. By coming together in celebration, we can celebrate the past and the researchers and bright minds that constitute the future of STEM.
The participation in this event was made possible by the coordination and engagement of students through the SACNAS Chapter at WSU, the funding support of WSU’s CAHNRS for All program, and by Dr. Scot Hulbert and the Office of Research.
To get involved with the SACNAS chapter and learn more about events and programming throughout the WSU system, please email wsusacnas@gmail.com or follow the Instagram page at @wsusacnas.