SM 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT Table of Contents 3 Letter from the STEM Council Co-Chairs 4 Introduction to the STEM Council 5 Meet the Co-Chairs 6 Campus STEM Coordinators 7 STEM Council Members 8 STEM Partnerships 9 STEM Service Learning and Outreach 13 STEM Event Highlights 14 Undergraduate Research and Internships 16 Recognitions 19 STEM Grants 19 STEM Scholarships 20 Students Enrollment and Retention 21 STEM Awards 22 Student Success Intervention 2 Letter from the STEM Council Co-Chairs Dear San Jacinto College faculty, staff and administrators: has sponsored and supported: 30 outside speaker events for San Jacinto College students; 30 STEM outreach and The San Jacinto College STEM Council sincerely thanks you service-learning events reaching more than 6,000 pre- for your continued support. Because of you, not only are we college age students; the College’s annual Space Day event; able to bring increased awareness of STEM educational and four STEM summer camps reaching more than 150 K-12 career opportunities to our students, but we continue to students; 20 robotics events; 20 field trips; and a number provide innovative learning and research opportunities that of summer internships for San Jacinto College students at set them up for success in pursuing their educational and various prestigious institutions including Rice University, professional goals. University of Iowa, U.S. Department of Energy at the Fermi National Acceleratory Laboratory in CERN, NASA, and Two of the biggest highlights this year include Dr. Teddy Baylor College of Medicine’s Summer Program. In addition Farias joining the STEM Council as co-chair alongside Dr. to partnering with more than 70 independent school Ann Cartwright and the STEM Council receiving a second districts and individual schools, we have also supported national recognition from the American Chemical Society. eight STEM enrichment events for STEM faculty members. Dr. Farias assumed the co-chair position in August 2019, STEM scholarships from LSAMP, T-STEM, San Jacinto continuing the steadfast leadership that Dr. Alexander College departments of chemistry, biology, and the STEM Okwonna set in motion during his term as co-chair. Last Council totaled more than $192,000 for 2018-2019. year, the STEM Council was honored as the country’s top organization for STEM outreach activities, and in October As we move into a new year, perhaps our most challenging 2019, for a second consecutive year, the American Chemical to date, San Jacinto College and the STEM Council will Society Greater Houston Section named San Jacinto College continue to provide and facilitate innovative educational number one in the nation for STEM outreach to pre-college access to STEM education and opportunities. age students. Another great highlight includes the Council’s creation of an ANN CARTWRIGHT, PH.D TEDDY FARIAS, D.C. extensive collaboration between the San Jacinto College’s Professor of Chemistry Dean of Health and Natural Sciences process technology and chemistry departments in the Co-Chair of STEM Council Co-Chair of STEM Council new LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, & Technology. In addition, throughout 2018-2019, the Council ALEXANDER OKWONNA, PHARM.D. North Campus Provost Co-Chair of STEM Council 3 Introduction The STEM Council at San Jacinto College strives to increase awareness of education and career opportunities related to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The Council sponsors STEM activities throughout the College and the region, as Houston ranks among the top 10 cities for STEM careers. The Council works with community members to promote the STEM fields, while forging strong partnerships with universities and industries for further education and workforce training. About STEM education at San Jacinto College Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) THE PURPOSE OF THE STEM COUNCIL IS: education is a critical part of San Jacinto College’s academic focus. Houston’s energy, medical, and aerospace industries • To provide strong leadership to the College and the rely upon STEM graduates, and the need for STEM graduates community in advancing the role of STEM. To capitalize continues to increase. Studies in STEM areas offer students on STEM efforts already underway at San Jacinto College. opportunities to achieve careers in industries that pay well. • To serve as a recommending body to the College’s Additionally, the Texas community college funding model Strategic Leadership Team. awards Student Success Points for student success in STEM • To identify opportunities for P-16 and workforce fields. partnerships related to STEM, including expanding opportunities for internships. The STEM Council, a recommending body to the San • To identify alignment concerns and gaps in offerings. Jacinto College Strategic Leadership Team, is charged with • To recommend actions to increase student success in advancing STEM student success throughout the College and STEM programs. its community. 4 Meet the Co-Chairs DR. ANN CARTWRIGHT (co-chair 2013-2020) has taught chemistry at San Jacinto College since 1979. During that time, she has served as chair of the department of physical science and is currently serving as co-chair of the College’s STEM Council and degree task force. During her career, Dr. Cartwright has received numerous teaching awards including the NISOD Excellence Award, Chemical Manufacturing Association Catalyst Award, American Chemical Society Greater Houston Section Two-Year College Teaching Award, Minnie Stevens Piper Award and is a Distinguished Professor Level III at San Jacinto College. She is also named in Who’s Who Among American Teachers and Who’s Who Among American Women. Her main interests are the recruitment and retention of STEM students through STEM service- learning and the STEM Outreach Program at San Jacinto College. Dr. Cartwright holds a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Kansas. DR. ALEXANDER OKWONNA (co-chair 2016-2019) has served in faculty and administrative roles at San Jacinto College for more than 14 years. He currently serves as the provost at North Campus. His vision for STEM at San Jacinto College focuses on the 3 Rs: Recruit, Retain, and Reward. Active in a number of professional, health, and community organizations, Dr. Okwonna serves on the Pearland Chamber of Commerce Community Council, the Memorial Hermann Southeast Advisory Committee, and the Bay Area Alliance for Youth & Families Drug Take-Back Committee. Dr. Okwonna is currently serving a two-year term as a board member for the Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education (TABPHE) and is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Recently, Dr. Okwonna was named vice president to the Texas Association of College Technical Educators (TACTE) for a three-year term. He has received several awards including the U.S. Army Certificate of Achievement for Outstanding Performance as Class Leader, San Jacinto College’s Distinguished Faculty Award, and The League for Innovation in the Community College’s John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award. Dr. Okwonna holds a Pharm.D. from Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and is a licensed pharmacist. DR. TEDDY FARIAS (co-chair 2019-present) is the dean of health and natural sciences at the San Jacinto College North Campus. He is a chiropractor by trade and educator at heart. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Missouri, a Doctorate of Chiropractic from Logan University, and a Master of Higher Education in Administration and Leadership from Purdue University Global (formerly Kaplan University). He also maintains an active chiropractic license in the state of Texas and is a certified acupuncturist and medical assistant. Prior to his role at San Jacinto College, Dr. Farias held positions at St. Louis Community College, San Juan College, and Wichita State University and owned a private chiropractic practice in St. Louis, Missouri. In his spare time, he enjoys basketball, chess, home beer brewing, and volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters. 5 STEM Council Campus STEM Coordinators CHERYL MOTT has been teaching at San Jacinto College in the college preparatory mathematics department since 2009. Previously, she taught upper-level mathematics in the Pasadena Independent School District for six years. Mott is very involved with U.S. FIRST Robotics and has served as the Southeast Texas FTC Volunteer Coordinator since 2010. You will often find Mott helping students, working with the San Jacinto College Central Campus’ Artificial Intelligence (AI) lab activities or coordinating and participating in many STEM outreach programs. Many San Jacinto College T-STEM scholarship recipients turn to Mott for mentorship as she too is an alumna of the College. Mott holds an associate degree from San Jacinto College, a B.S. in mathematics from the University of Houston and an M.Ed. from the University of Texas at Arlington. NATHANIAL WIGGINS is a Distinguished Professor of mathematics and engineering at San Jacinto College. He holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado, an M.S. from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and is working toward a Ph.D. at Texas Tech University. Wiggins is a co-principal investigator for the National Science Foundation grant “Bridges to STEM Careers” collaborative with University of Houston-Clear Lake and maintains research in engineering education. He is a lead scientist for AI-Tech Labs at San Jacinto College and a faculty mentor through Distinguished Faculty and Men of Honor. DR. SHEEMA NASIR is an anatomy and physiology professor at San Jacinto College. She completed her undergraduate studies at St. Joseph’s College in New York and received her M.D. from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She worked as an OBGYN at her private practice for eight years before working for the Sindh Government Health Department for six years. Dr. Nasir received her lab technique certification from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) and was involved in breast cancer research studies from 2002 to 2008.