Women’s Faculty Association President Earlanda Williams, Ph.D., (far right) congratulates UT Health Science Center student award winners from each school. They are (left to right) Lauren Gambill, School of Medicine; Yael Edrey, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Christina Nava, School of Nursing; Tiffany Saenz Neal, School of Health Professions; and Lourdes Willhite, Dental School.
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The Women’s Faculty Association (WFA) hosted its annual Student Leadership Awards ceremony on May 15. The WFA honored an outstanding female student from each of the five schools at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, presented awards to six young scientists for their outstanding science projects and announced the winner of the Dr. Margaret (Sue) Keir Hoppe Research Ethics Award.

The ceremony began with a presentation by guest speaker Nicquet Blake, Ph.D., who discussed three important qualities needed to be a great leader. She is assistant dean for graduate student recruitment in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Dr. Blake said, “Your engagement and excellence in science at this point in your careers positions you to be leaders. I encourage you to begin cultivating the habits of great leaders, not just someone in charge. “These include:

• Identifying something you are passionate about and creating a vision for how you can positively impact the lives of others;
  
• Learning to look for potential in people, not necessarily greatness; and
  
• Leaving a legacy by designing a mentoring plan to develop that potential into greatness.

Student Leadership Awards
Each year, the WFA recognizes a female student from each of the five Health Science Center schools. The students are selected based on leadership skills, academic performance, professional affiliations and activities, community service and teaching activities. This year’s recipients include:

• Yael Edrey, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences;
  
• Lauren Gambill, School of Medicine;
  
• Christina Nava, School of Nursing;
  
• Tiffany Saenz Neal, School of Health Professions; and
  
• Lourdes Willhite, Dental School.

Rose Trevino (center) accepts the Dr. Sue Hoppe Research Ethics Award from Alina Maloyan, Ph.D., chair of the Essay Committee (left), and WFA President Earlanda Williams.

Dr. Margaret (Sue) Keir Hoppe Research Ethics Award
The second annual Dr. Margaret (Sue) Keir Hoppe Research Ethics Award was presented to Rose Annie Trevino, a research area specialist-intermediate in the Institute for Health Promotion Research, part of the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics. Trevino’s essay is titled “Exercise Stress Testing in Cancer Survivors: A Responsible Conduct of Research Perspective.”

Science fair winners recognized
For a number of years, the WFA has recognized outstanding middle school and high school students participating in the Alamo Regional Science Fair. The girls compete in two divisions: the Senior Division for high school students and the Junior Division for middle-school students.

All of the girls who won awards in the Senior Division went on to the national science fair competition. They include:

• First place – Valerie Briell, “The effectiveness of HSCAS to bind aflatoxin in a simulated corn-to-ethanol process;”
  
• Second place – Trisha Mulamreddy, “The effect of nanoparticles and antibiotics on E. coli;” and
  
• Third place – Junelyn Gamao, “Anti-transpirant — To spray or not to spray.”

Student winners from the Junior Division are as follows:

• Third place – Grace Garcia-Ranft, “Going Green;”
  
• Second place – Madeline Nichols, “The antibacterial properties of honey;” and
  
• First place – Kathleen Ran, “The level of unsaturated fat on the quality of biofuel.”

WFA member recognitions
The WFA also presented Service Recognition Awards to two of its members.

Shamim Mustafa, Ph.D., associate professor of pediatrics, was recognized for organizing the judging of the science fair projects over the last five years. Dr. Mustafa is director of neonatal research in the Division of Neonatology.

Cara B. Gonzales, D.D.S., Ph.D., assistant professor of comprehensive dentistry, was honored for her five years of service as a member of the executive committee and as the WFA Leadership Awards co-chair.