Dr. Greetchen Díaz is the Director of the Science Education Program and Community Partnerships of Ciencia Puerto Rico (CienciaPR). For more than 10 years, Díaz was a volunteer, part of the administrative team of CienciaPR. At CienciaPR, she participated in numerous projects in science communication, science outreach and science education. She is the founder and coordinator of CienciaPR's "Borinqueña," the bilingual blog for Hispanic and Puerto Rican Women in science and technology. Also, Díaz is founder and coordinator of the photoblog "Ciencia a tu alrededor." In 2015, she was the coordinator of "Semillas de Triunfo" (Seeds of Succeed), the first STEM ambassador program for middle school girls in Puerto Rico.

Before joining CienciaPR's staff in 2017, Díaz was the Grants Program Director at the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust. Díaz was responsible for the implementation of the first local grants mechanism in Puerto Rico with initiatives such as the Science and Technology Research Grants, the Small Research Grants and the Researcher's Startup Funds. At the Trust, Díaz also coordinated the outreach activities that include the Research & innovation Meetups, the Forward Research & Innovation Summit and the Forward Grantees Symposium, among many others.

Díaz is the president of the Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologists (PRSM), where she previously served as the PRSM's board of birector's secretary, and ASM councilor. The PRSM is the local branch for the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), where Díaz is a member of its board of directors.

Díaz completed a B.S. and M.S. in biology at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. Then she earned her Ph.D. in molecular, cellular and developmental biology at The Ohio State University, where she studied intracellular protein trafficking, using budding yeast as a model system. Her research described a requirement of the spindle pole body (yeast centrosome) for targeting/tethering peripheral proteins to the inner nuclear membrane. After earning her Ph.D., Díaz started as a postdoctoral researcher at the Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, where she got a NIH T32 postdoctoral fellowship to conduct studies in reproduction of human papilloma virus.

Díaz has received numerous awards and honors from various organizations such as CROEM Alumni, the University of Puerto Rico, The Ohio State University, ASM, SACNAS and the Ford Foundation, among others. In 2017, Díaz was recognized by the Senate of Puerto Rico for her professional achievements and her election to the ASM Board of Directors. Her work and projects have been featured on local and international media outlets, such as El Nuevo Día, el Vocero, Noticel, Metro, Caribbean Business, News in my Business, Diálogo, Voces del Sur, Periódico La Perla, Microbe and Scientific American, among others.

Catherine Eze, Ph.D. is a researcher in public health microbiology and an environmentalist with over 15 years’ experience in a wide variety of laboratory and field techniques. Eze is a specialist devoted to the implementation of existing technology in microbiology, public health and the environment. Eze’s research interests include focusing on the influence of the environment on human health, controlling such influences through prevention and intervention strategies and predicting and manipulating the microbial community with a goal towards protecting and sustaining human and environmental health. Eze also works to investigate areas of health systems and evaluation of health programs/interventions. Her ongoing community-based projects include disease-specific research, mainly on malaria, HIV/AIDS and vector control involving designing, conducting and analyzing trials and surveys.

Joel Oppenheim, Ph.D. is currently a Professor Emeritus of Microbiology at NYU School of Medicine. Oppenheim served on the NYU School of Medicine’s M.D. and M.D/Ph.D. committees and chaired the Ph.D. admissions committees for over 20 years. 

Oppenheim has served on many national advisory committees (AAMC, NIH, NRC, NSF, ASM, Leadership Alliance, and UNCF/Merck), grant study sections (NCATS, NIAID, NIGMS, NSF, Sloan Foundation, UNCF/Merck), and as a reviewer of numerous NIH, NRC, NSF and NAS reports involved with graduate education, pipeline issues and the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students to graduate programs. Oppenheim has been an invited speaker to over 70 colleges and universities, at the NRC, NSF and NIH as well as at ABRCMS, IRACDA, Leadership Alliance, McNair, SACNAS and UNCF/Merck national meetings.

In 2010, Oppenheim was the recipient of the American Association of the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) Life Time Mentoring Award, one of the nation’s highest mentoring awards. Oppenheim was also one of the founding members of the Leadership Alliance in 1992, which in 2010 received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Engineering and Mathematics.

Dioscaris R. Garcia, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of orthopaedics (research) and co-director of the Diane N. Weiss Center for Orthopaedic Trauma Research at Rhode Island Hospital. Garcia is an experienced pharmacologist and microbiologist specializing in drug development and infectious diseases.

Through a diverse multidisciplinary approach, Garcia has amassed extensive experience in the development and characterization of translational technologies at both the academic and industrial level. Garcia has also received numerous recognitions for his mentorship and research training of hundreds of students at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School. Garcia has also received several accolades and awards for being a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the region.

Garcia’s work on infectious diseases in the department of orthopaedics at Brown University has led to the development of cutting edge diagnostic technologies, and antimicrobial coatings against the emerging threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Garcia has also received several municipal, state and national citations for his leadership and role as an architect of the Rhode Island State COVID-19 response. Garcia currently serves on a number of committees focused on improving public health disparities, improving the urban education to college pipeline and optimizing diversity, equity and inclusion at Brown University.

Margaret Powers-Fletcher, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division at the University of Cincinnati. She received her doctorate in pathobiology and molecular medicine from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in 2013 and completed fellowship training in medical microbiology at the University of Utah in 2016. Dr. Margaret Powers-Fletcher is a board-certified clinical microbiologist and devoted to improving health care outcomes through diagnostic stewardship research and education. She is also passionate about enhancing the accessibility and appreciation of science in the community.

Rachel Roper, Ph.D. is a professor at East Carolina University’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Brody School of Medicine. Roper has published over 50 manuscripts on viral genomics, virulence genes, immune regulation, bioinformatics and vaccines and has been cited more than 6800 times. She has published on flavivirus, coronaviruses, poxviruses and oncolytic viruses. Roper was part of the team that first sequenced and analyzed the SARS Coronavirus genome and oversaw SARS vaccine development and testing. She has served on numerous national and international Grant Panels and Editorial Boards and received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation as well as regional centers and industry partners.

Roper is a recipient of the East Carolina University Woman of Distinction Award, the School of Medicine Women’s Advocacy Award, and the Faculty Senate Extraordinary Service Award.
 
Roper became interested in DEI issues in science, and has published on bias and strategies for improving diversity and inclusion in academia and STEM. She has given numerous national and international seminars and workshops on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She was a Co-Principal Investigator on a National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant to promote Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

Carla Y. Bonilla, Ph.D., is assistant professor at the University of San Diego. Bonilla was born in El Salvador and immigrated to the United States at the age of 13 to be reunited with her parents. Bonilla spent her academic formative years in San Francisco, Calif., where she attended high school and community college before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley to receive her bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology.

Bonilla then received a master’s degree in biology at San Francisco State University before earning her Ph.D. at the University of California, San Francisco. Knowing with all her heart that she wanted to be a faculty member who trained and supported undergraduate students, Bonilla sought postdoctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop a bacterial genetics research program. Bonilla taught molecular biology for 10 years at Gonzaga University before joining the University of San Diego in 2022 to teach microbiology.

In her lab, Bonilla works with undergraduate students, teaching them the wonders of bacterial genetics. Bonilla’s lab studies the bacterial response to environmental and oxidative stress. Bonilla is also a founding member of the Microbes and Social Equity working group, which aims to generate discussion around issues of microbial research, policy, pedagogy and social equity. Bonilla is excited to join the ASM MicroBio-LEAP task force and help promote reflective action amongst microbiology leaders to make the ASM an exemplary scientific society of inclusion and equity.

Douglas Johnson is a Ph.D. candidate at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C., and a Microbiology Leaders Evolving and Accountable to Progress (MicroBio-LEAP) Task Force member. Johnson’s passions involve engaging in microbiome and immune-related translational science research and using this knowledge to improve health outcomes in diverse populations. In addition to research, Johnson delves into science communication, mentorship and diversity in STEM. Johnson’s focuses involve exploring the link between multiculturalism and science education alongside opportunities and challenges in science outreach.

Lee Hughes, Ph.D., is associate dean for undergraduate studies in the College of Science and an associate professor of biology at the University of North Texas (UNT). Hughes has a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in biology and a doctorate in microbiology, all from UNT.  Hughes conducts both microbiology and science education research. Hughes focuses on early research experiences for biology majors and serves as director for UNT’s Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science program, an affiliate of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education Alliance.

Hughes’s research laboratory focuses on the isolation of novel bacterial viruses, known as bacteriophages, that infect the genus Streptomyces. Hughes is a past organizing committee chair for the ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators and a past-president of the Texas Branch-ASM. Hughes is a proud first-generation college student.
 

Iyiola Oladunjoye is a Nigerian microbiologist with a strong passion for addressing the overwhelming infectious disease burden in Africa through a systemic approach known as One Health. Oladunjoye’s journey in microbial sciences began in 2018 when he graduated from University of Ilorin with a B.S. in microbiology and with First Class Honors. Oladunjoye has embarked on further studies in the field of vaccinology at the University of Antwerp. Currently, as a recipient of the prestigious Erasmus+ scholarship under the Joint Master in Leading International Vaccinology Education program, Oladunjoye is actively involved in cutting-edge learning endeavors that explore innovative technologies, such as vaccines and biologics, to combat infectious disease challenges. 

One of Oladunjoye's core aspirations is to contribute to the establishment of resilient health systems in Africa, which are capable of effectively controlling endemic diseases and curbing persistent outbreaks of zoonotic infections across the continent. To this end, Oladunjoye has dedicated his career to supporting Africa in augmenting its local capacity for vaccine discovery and production. This aligns with the goals set forth by the African Union and Africa CDC's Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing initiative, which aims to manufacture and produce 60% of the required vaccines within the continent by 2040.

Driven by the desire to address the challenges of poor workforce development in microbial sciences and instill confidence in microbiology students, Oladunjoye assumed the role of ASM Young Ambassador to Nigeria in January 2021, as well as becoming a member of the ASM Young Leaders Circle and the ASM Future Leaders Mentoring Fellow. Leveraging the abundant resources offered by the ASM, Oladunjoye has organized professional development webinars and workshops, empowering the next generation of microbiologists in Nigeria.

The culmination of Oladunjoye’s experiences in public health, environmental management and animal health has solidified his commitment to addressing the global challenge of zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance. Through his work, Oladunjoye has honed his skills in scientific writing and research, resulting in the collaborative publication of several articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Driven by a deep sense of purpose and a relentless pursuit of knowledge, Oladunjoye strives to make a significant contribution to the field of microbiology and the overall improvement of public health in Africa and beyond, especially in improving microbial science education and practice in historically underrepresented groups.

Daniel McArdle, M.S., MSM, is a senior specialist at Merck & Co. Inc. specializing in nonclinical drug safety (NDS). McArdle runs global operations for several functional groups and is the lead in supporting equipment tracking within the NDS environment. McArdle assists in validation and qualification of complex manufacturing equipment for small scale research prior to large scale manufacturing production.

Within Merck & Co. Inc., McArdle serves on the Veteran Leadership Council, the governing body of the Veterans Leadership Network as the operations group lead. In addition, McArdle is the NDS Safety Representative. 

McArdle has been an adjunct associate professor at Rowan University on topics such as evolutionary biology, genetics and microbiology since 2015. Additionally, McArdle serves as a Sergeant in the Pa. Army National Guard in the 166th Training Battalion based at Ft. Indiantown Gap in Annville, Pa.

McArdle completed a bachelor’s degree in biology and completed a master’s in microbiology, with a special topic concentration in law from Rutgers University-Camden. McArdle also completed a master’s degree in management from Wilmington University. McArdle is completing his doctorate in public health emergency management and disaster response at A.T. Still University of Health Sciences in December of 2023.

McArdle lives in Conshohocken, Pa.  

McArdle’s areas of interest include science communication, population biology and quality management systems. Outside of work, McArdle is a senior USRowing referee, serving as a national championship referee since 2011. McArdle is a member of the AAAS, the ASM, Out to Innovate and Out in Science, Technology, and Mathematics Incorporated. 

Phoebe Lostroh, Ph.D., earned a B.A. from Grinnell College and a Ph.D. in microbiology and molecular genetics from Harvard University. Lostroh is a molecular microbiologist who studies horizontal gene transfer. Lostroh has recruited a diverse team of undergraduate researchers at Colorado College, where she has won multiple awards, such as the Theodore Roosevelt Collins Outstanding Faculty award for teaching, mentoring and advising students of color and first-generation students.

Lostroh’s research has been supported by the NSF (2009-2018), NIH (1994-2003) and the Keck foundation (2001-2003). Lostroh is the author of the prizewinning textbook The Molecular and Cellular Biology of Viruses. Lostroh is also a volunteer comedienne with Science Riot, which brings science to the public through stand-up routines.

Amy Reese, Ph.D., is an associate professor of biology at the University of Health Science and Pharmacy in St. Louis, Mo., where she teaches microbiology, biology, and science, ethics, and society. She also leads a research team of students studying fungal organisms that cause disease in humans whose immune systems have been suppressed or compromised.

Reese's undergraduate degrees were in chemistry and music at The College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio. She obtained her Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Minnesota. It was during her postdoctoral work at Washington University School of Medicine that she found microbiology and fell in love with studying microbes. She was able to combine that interest with her passion for teaching when she joined the faculty at the women’s liberal arts institution of Cedar Crest College, in Allentown, Penn. in 2004, where she taught for 11 years. In 2015, she joined the University of Health Science and Pharmacy faculty to help expand their undergraduate program offerings and perform research with students. In 2018, she was invited to join the team of faculty and staff delivering the co-curricular social awareness and cultural sensitivity training for pharmacy students.

Zoe Hansen, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher in plant pathology at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Hansen earned her doctorate in microbiology and molecular genetics from Michigan State University in 2022. Hansen’s research interests broadly focus on the intricacies of microbial ecology across different systems. She has explored multiple facets of microbial communities in her doctoral and postdoctoral work, ranging from metagenomics analysis of the human gut microbiome to characterizing competitive interactions among soil microbes. Hansen aspires to further investigate and understand the complex interplay between microbes, their host(s) and their environment.

Hansen has been a committed advocate for women in STEM throughout her career. As a graduate student, Hansen held multiple leadership positions for Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) Mid-Michigan and co-facilitated the GWIS National Conference in 2021, as well as the organization’s annual outreach event, Girls Math and Science Day. Now, as a postdoctoral researcher at UMN, Hansen serves as chair for the Outreach Committee of Empowering Women in Science, a group committed to the advancement of women and genders that are historically underrepresented in STEM. Hansen is also involved in multiple initiatives emphasizing inclusive mentorship and teaching practices. Hansen is passionate about improving diversity, inclusion and accessibility of STEM spaces across career levels. Hansen is an ASM member and a member of the ASM Subcommittee on the Status of Women in Microbiology (SSWiM).

Jennifer Goff, Ph.D. is a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Georgia Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is an environmental microbiologist whose current research interests include microbial mediation of nitrogen and sulfur cycling, physiological responses of microorganisms to environmental stressors and the role of mobile genetic elements in genome evolution under high-stress conditions. Goff received her B.S. in biology from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2014. Goff later obtained her Ph.D. in microbial biology from Rutgers University, New Brunswick in 2020.

Akorede Seriki, M.S., is a doctoral student of biology at the University of Idaho. Seriki completed her master’s degree at the University of Lagos in Lagos State, the commercial capital of Nigeria in the heart of West Africa. Seriki’s academic background is in human physiology; however, she developed a staunch interest in studying life forms at the molecular level. This led Seriki to her current research that focuses on stress response in bacteria.

In addition to her academic studies and scientific research, Seriki enjoys traveling by road and exploring new places. Seriki is invested in several diversity, equity and inclusion activities and she works to help lead these activities at ASM as a member of the Subcommittee on the Status of Women in Microbiology (SSWiM).

Katherine Caflisch is a Ph.D. candidate at the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Rochester, Minn. and a member of ASM’s Committee on the Status of Women in Microbiology (CSWiM). In addition to her research on Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage, Caflisch enjoys exploring topics at the intersection of science and daily life, including the history and culture of science, training and career development, scientific advocacy and biomedical ethics.
 

Lindsey Clark is an assistant professor in the laboratory sciences department at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and is a member of ASM’s Committee on the Status of Women in Microbiology. She is a certified Medical Laboratory Scientist (ASCP) and is earning her Ed.D. at the University of Louisiana Monroe after completing her M.P.H. in 2019. Her research interests include biosafety in molecular and microbiology laboratories, interprofessional education and the use of virtual reality in laboratory science curriculum.

Nneoma Confidence Anyanwu, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral research fellow at New York Medical College, where she investigates the role of nano-sized extracellular vesicles (EVs) and extracellular condensates (ECs) in HIV-associated neurodegenerative disorders, HIV-induced inflammation and barrier dysfunction, amongst other things. She is also the Membership Committee Chair for the Black Microbiologists Association (BMA) and a university lecturer at Bingham University, Nigeria (BHU).

Since 2014, Anyanwu has taught various medical microbiology courses in the BHU's Department of Biological Sciences, where she has also held administrative posts such as the Departmental Seminar/Research Coordinator, Departmental Examination Officer and the Level Coordinator/Students Advisor.

Anyanwu is a stellar researcher, trainer, young achiever and resourceful member of the STEM community. Anyanwu belongs to various professional organizations including the American Society of Microbiology (ASM), where is also a mentor for the ASM Future Leaders Mentoring Fellowship (FLMF) and a member of the Subcommittee on the Status of Women in Microbiology (SSWiM).

Rachel Roper, Ph.D. is a professor at East Carolina University’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Brody School of Medicine. Roper has published over 50 manuscripts on viral genomics, virulence genes, immune regulation, bioinformatics and vaccines and has been cited more than 6800 times. She has published on flavivirus, coronaviruses, poxviruses and oncolytic viruses. Roper was part of the team that first sequenced and analyzed the SARS Coronavirus genome and oversaw SARS vaccine development and testing. She has served on numerous national and international Grant Panels and Editorial Boards and received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation as well as regional centers and industry partners.

Roper is a recipient of the East Carolina University Woman of Distinction Award, the School of Medicine Women’s Advocacy Award, and the Faculty Senate Extraordinary Service Award.
 
Roper became interested in DEI issues in science, and has published on bias and strategies for improving diversity and inclusion in academia and STEM. She has given numerous national and international seminars and workshops on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She was a Co-Principal Investigator on a National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant to promote Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

Michaela Gazdik Stofer, Ph.D., is a molecular microbiologist and educator who has focused her career engaging undergraduate students in the excitement of microbiology. Gazdik Stofer has taught a variety of courses including microbiology, emerging infectious diseases, microbial pathogenesis and general biology. Her research interests focus on understanding the role of cAMP in Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis, and she engages a team of undergraduate students using non-pathogenic mycobacteria to investigate her research questions.

Gazdik Stofer earned her B.S. in biotechnology from Rutgers University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from SUNY Albany, where she was also a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Disease Fellow. Gazdik Stofer has held academic faculty positions at 2 primarily undergraduate institutions. The first from 2007-2014 at Ferrum College, a small liberal arts institution, and the second from 2016-2023 at Utah Valley University (UVU), a large public undergraduate focused university. At UVU she held the position of associate professor and served as department chair of the 45-member biology department for 3 years. During her time at UVU she was awarded the College of Science Faculty Excellence Award, Office of Teaching and Learning Flexible Teaching Award and most recently the Provost Excellence Award.

Gazdik Stofer is interested in equity in science education. She has engaged in a variety of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) workshops and is a co-PI on a National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM grant to improve educational outcomes of underrepresented biology students through mentored research experiences. Outside of her academic positions, she has also worked in in the Division of Epidemiology and Infectious Disease at Intermountain Healthcare, using molecular strain typing to better understand hospital acquired infections.

Carolyn Teschke is a professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, and professor of chemistry at the University of Connecticut. Her NIH funded research group studies how viruses assemble using bacteriophage P22 as a model system. Her group also investigates how Mycobacteria species secrete proteins, and is participating in a collaborative projects on phage therapy. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is an Associate Editor for Science Advances and the Journal of Virology. She is a 2022 recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to study virus assembly reactions at the University of York, UK. In 2018, Teschke was awarded the Alice C. Evans Award for the Advancement of Women by the American Society of Microbiology for “major contributions toward fostering the inclusion, development, and advancement of women in careers in microbiology, demonstrated commitment to women in science through mentorship and advocacy, and by setting an example through scientific and professional achievement.” Teschke was Jefferson Science Fellow at the U.S. State Department in 2015-2016, where her work primarily focused on global health issues, including anti-microbial resistance, and the cooperative science relationship between the U.S. and Japan.

Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson received an A.B. in Music from Duke University before obtaining his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After completing his dissertation in bacterial motility and attachment, he went to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the Department of Infectious Disease to study how bacteria process nutrients, specifically metals, during bacterial infections. He then worked in the Department of Immunology studying newly discovered ways of how the body eliminates harmful pathogens. During his postdoctoral fellowship, he also founded Science Sound Bites, a science podcast for kids. Currently, Dr. Johnson is an assistant professor at the University of Arizona in the Department of Immunobiology where he studies mechanisms of metal toxicity in bacteria. In short, he’s killin’ it with copper. He is active in science outreach through events like The National Summer Undergraduate Research Project, DNA Day, The BIO5 Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, in minority scientific affairs through the American Society for Microbiology, and online through Twitter @blacksciblog.
 

Rebecca Pollet, Ph.D., received a B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Tulsa before obtaining her Ph.D. in biochemistry and biophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Pollet then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Michigan, focusing on polysaccharide degradation by the human gut microbe Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.

Pollet gained teaching experience as faculty in the Citizen Science program at Bard College and as a visiting assistant professor at Davidson College. Currently, Pollet is an assistant professor in the chemistry department at Vassar College where her lab focuses on mechanisms of nutrient transport and transcriptional regulation in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.

Pollet is a citizen of Cherokee Nation and an advocate for Indigenous microbiologists. Pollet is also the coordinator of Diversify Microbiology and a member of the ASM Subcommittee on Minority Education.

Ariane L. Peralta, Ph.D., attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to earn a B.S. degree in biology and chemistry and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in ecology, evolution and conservation, with emphasis on agricultural and wetland microbial ecology. Peralta was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study the consequence of long-term cropping diversity on soil microbial community structure and disease suppression in soils, while at the Kellogg Biological Station at Michigan State University and the Department of Biology at Indiana University.

Peralta is currently an associate professor of biology at East Carolina University. Current projects examine climate change effects on plant-microbe interactions and biogeochemical processes in urban, freshwater and coastal wetlands. As a National Science Foundation CAREER awardee, Peralta’s scholar-teacher approach increases student access to research opportunities focused on applying ecological principles to address critical environmental problems that require microbiome management. Peralta was a member and then chair of the ASM Microbe Program Committee's Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Track. Peralta is also a member of the ASM Subcommittee on Minority Education, where she works to collaborate on current and new programming targeted to early career scholars.

Cesar A. Perez, CQA, RAC, Ph.D., is the Director of the Division of Establishment Support, Office of Regulatory Programs (ORP), Office of Product Evaluation and Quality (OPEQ), Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The division is responsible for the development and implementation of policies and processes related to imports, registration and listing, exports, regulatory inspections/audits and compliance programs for medical devices. As the director, Perez is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the division and serves as the technical authority and principal advisor to the office director on medical devices programs. From 2015-2018, he was the branch chief within the Division of Premarket Labeling and Compliance, FDA, responsible for enforcing premarket, labeling and promotion/advertising requirements for medical devices. Prior to that, for 7 years, he was a consumer safety officer within the Office of Compliance, CDRH, FDA. In 2009, Perez joined the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) and currently holds the rank of Commander (CDR).

Perez attended the State University of New York at New Paltz in 1998 and obtained his bachelor’s degree in biology. In 2008, Perez received his doctorate in microbiology from New York University Sackler Institute. His research thesis focused on elucidating the mechanisms responsible for manipulating cellular protein synthesis in cells infected with the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Perez was the recipient of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Minority Undergraduate Research Fellowship (1997) and the Robert D. Watkins Graduate Research Fellowship (2007). Perez is passionate about mentoring students and young professionals in leadership development and career progression.

J. Alan Goggins, Ph.D., is an associate principal scientist in the pre-clinical development group (PCD) within Merck Research Labs—South San Francisco. In this role, Goggins supports Merck’s discovery pipeline by characterizing the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug properties of candidate compounds, with particular emphasis on immunogenicity risk assessments.

Prior to his role at PCD, Goggins completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Biologics and Vaccine Bioanalytics group at Merck, where his research project focused on developing assays to characterize the antigen-specific cellular immune response to mRNA vaccine platforms. During his postdoc tenure Goggins operated as President of the Merck Postdoc Association, facilitating career development and training opportunities for the postdoc community and served as New Jersey’s Young Science Ambassador for the American Society for Microbiology.

Goggins obtained his doctorate in biomedical sciences (2016) from the Microbiology & Immunology Department at the Tulane University School of Medicine and a bachelor's degree in environmental health from Western Carolina University (2010). In 2014, Goggins was awarded the ASM Robert D. Watkins Minority Research Fellowship to support his dissertation research. Goggins identifies as a Latinx, first-generation college graduate. Goggins is a passionate advocate for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the microbial sciences and across the STEM enterprise.

Laura Sanchez, Ph.D. is an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Sanchez’s lab specializes in using and adapting imaging mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry for small molecule analyses in complex systems. Sanchez was a K12 BIRCWH Scholar (2016-2017), a program that supported the translation of the techniques to women's health. She was the Rising Star in the Life Sciences in 2019 at UIC, the 2022 American Society for Pharmacognosy Matt Suffness Young Investigator Awardee and the 2022 ACS Infectious Diseases/ACS Division of Biological Chemistry Young Investigator Awardee. Sanchez is a member of the ASM Subcommittee on Minority Education (SME).

Ninecia Scott, Ph.D., attended North Carolina Central University (a HBCU—historically black college and/or university) and obtained her B.S. degrees in pharmaceutical sciences and biology. Scott's Ph.D. was obtained at Washington University in St. Louis in molecular microbiology and microbial pathogenesis. Her research focus was on understanding the beneficial and pathogenic impacts of the immune system during pulmonary Tuberculosis infections. Scott completed her post-doctoral research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham on understanding Streptococcus pneumoniae invasion, particularly to the heart, and its contribution to cardiac injury. Currently, Scott is a Laboratory Leadership Fellow within the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases and Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

During Scott's scientific career, she has been heavily involved in promoting diversity in science and microbiology and has been given many awards due to her work. Scott was named a 2021 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Program Fellow, 1 of 1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists by Cell Mentor and "1 of the 7 women scientists in Birmingham you need to know." She is founder and holds an advisory position for UAB’s Black Postdoctoral Association and is a co-founder, an executive board member and programming director of the Black Microbiologist Association. Scott continues to be active in these efforts through ASM as the Georgia ASM Young Ambassador, a mentor with the Future Leaders Mentoring Fellowship and as a member of the Subcommittee on Minority Education.

Dr. Jorge Vidal is an associate professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Vidal is also a member of the 1ASM Subcommittee on Microbiological Issues Impacting Minorities and the ASM Subcommittee on Minority Education. He studied medical laboratory science (Honors) at the University of Puebla, Mexico, and then obtained a master's degree (Honors) in microbiology (2001, “Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biologicas”) and a Ph.D. in cellular microbiology (2006, Center for Research and Advanced  Studies), both from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) in Mexico City, after which he moved to the University of Pittsburg School of Medicine. There he conducted post-doctoral research in bacterial genetics (2006-09) in the laboratory of Professor Bruce A. McClane. Vidal was recruited as an assistant professor at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health in Sept. 2009 by Keith P. Klugman and promoted to associate professor. Vidal was later recruited by Larry McDaniel to the UMMC Department of Microbiology and Immunology, where he currently has his research laboratory. His research programs and academic activities have been generously funded through grants from the NIH, BMGF, Pfizer, Cempra pharmaceuticals, Melinta Pharmaceuticals, Nabriva Pharmaceuticals, NIH-sponsored ACTSI and others.

Samina Akbar, Ph.D., is currently a professor of microbiology at Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Akbar is an experienced microbiologist with more than 15 years of experience as an osteopathic educator focusing on human infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.

Akbar earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the Department of Microbiology at University of Karachi, Pakistan. Akbar received her Ph.D. in microbiology and molecular biology from University of California Davis. Akbar’s dissertation was on genetic analysis of the signal transduction network that activates the transcription factor B of Bacillus subtilis in response to adverse environmental conditions. After finishing her Ph.D., Akbar worked in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Harvard Medical School for 3 years as a postdoctoral fellow working on virulence gene regulation in Salmonella Typhimurium. Akbar then moved to the University of British Columbia, Center for Disease Control, Canada where she was a research associate examining the presence of a Type III secretion system in Chlamydia trachomatis.

Akbar has been a member of the Indiana Academy of Sciences (IAS) since 2013 and was appointed chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee of the IAS in 2021 for a 4-year term. The committee put together a DEI statement and strategic plan for the IAS. As part of the strategic plan, the DEI Committee requested and received a grant of $15,000 from the IAS to invite proposals for projects that focus on DEI issues from academic institutions across Indiana. The committee awarded 6 grants to graduate students and faculty from different universities in Indiana.

In 2023, the committee received approval from the academy council for annual DEI advocate awards to bestow upon individuals who have promoted diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and/or justice within the IAS and/or their scientific communities through actions sustained over time or that have made a recent critical impact (e.g., initiating new programs, etc.).

Akbar has been a member of the American Society for Microbiology since 1990 and became a member of the Indiana branch of the ASM in 2014. She has been an NBOME (National Board of Osteopathic Medicine) and an NBPME (National Board of Podiatric Medicine) board exam question writer and reviewer since 2008. Akbar was appointed NBOME National Faculty in Clinical Microbiology and Immunology in 2013.

Akbar’s broad research interests include genetic and molecular analysis of gene regulation in both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, as well as molecular analysis of host-pathogen interactions. The research projects in her lab focus on studying multiple antibiotic resistance in bacteria from different sources, including humans, animals and the natural environment. Currently, Akbar’s lab focuses on the isolation and characterization of multiple drug resistant bacteria from fresh bodies of water in the greater Indianapolis area.

Cervantes obtained his M.D. degree from Cayetano Heredia University in Peru. He received research training in tropical medicine in Japan and conducted dengue surveillance in the Amazon, before pursuing a doctorate in biomedical sciences in Kagoshima University, Faculty of Medicine in Japan.

Cervantes has worked on immunology and infectious diseases, focusing on the innate immune aspects of phagocytes as a postdoctoral fellow in Japan and later in UConn Health and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. His interests include antimicrobial peptides and host-pathogen interactions in the field of tuberculosis, leprosy and Lyme disease. Cervantes is an expert on the human lung microbiome in tuberculosis and how mucosa-associated microbiota can confer risk for the development of precancerous lesions in the colon. Cervantes also works on inflammatory processes occurring in microglia triggered by bacterial-derived peptides in the context of multiple sclerosis. Cervantes is passionate about translating his findings and applying his knowledge to public health problems like leprosy, tuberculosis, tick-borne diseases and infectious diseases education.

Cervantes is an advocate for scientific integration into medical education. Cervantes believes that the assimilation of basic science and understanding of new technologies is paramount to how medical professionals can base clinical reasoning. When learners understand how basic science knowledge informs clinical practice, their confidence on foundational scientific underpinnings transcends assumptions and reliance on learners’ intuitively practicing and advancing medicine on evidence-based foundations of science. The more that future health professionals can achieve excellence in clinical decision making, the better the future of the health care systems will be to promote patients’ health and quality of life.

Cervantes serves on the editorial board for renowned journals such as Frontiers in Immunology, Frontiers in Public Health, Clinical Microbiology Reviews, PLoS ONE as well as a reviewer for a long list of scientific and medical education journals. Cervantes is also the Editor in Chief for Clinical Infection and Immunity.

Cervantes served for 2 consecutive terms as the president for the American Society for Microbiology Rio Grande Branch, and now he is a Council on Microbial Sciences (COMS) representative and a member of the ASM Future Leaders Mentoring Fellowship (FLMF) program. Cervantes is the Southern Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Medical Research (AFMR). Cervantes is the ASTMH Scientific Program Committee, Pneumonia, Respiratory Infections and Tuberculosis Chair, as well as member of the ASTMH Travel Award Committee.

For the past 15 years, Tracey Taylor, Ph.D., has extensively taught medical microbiology at medical schools. Taylor is currently an associate professor in the Department of Foundational Medical Studies at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB) and operates as the Assistant Dean for Diversity & Inclusion, where she is interested in evaluating meaningful diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) related content in the curriculum.

Prior to joining OUWB, Taylor was an assistant professor, and then an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Microbiology at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, where she taught microbiology to M1 and M2 osteopathic medical students.

Taylor received a B.S. and a M.S. in cellular, molecular and microbial biology from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada and a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Western Ontario, London. Taylor’s main research areas are medical education research and microbiology and pathogenesis. She is specifically interested in the use of online learning modules for microbiology laboratory teaching, medical student peer assessment, investigation of the quality of life of Polio survivors, how the aquatic bacteria Plesiomonas shigelloides cause diarrhea and other infections in humans and infections (including the antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or (MRSA)) among populations that are experiencing homelessness.

Taylor joined ASM in 1997 as a master’s student and has continued her membership through her Ph.D. program, post-doctoral fellowship and now as a faculty member.

Hyacinthe TUYUBAHE is a biotechnology student at KL University, India. TUYUBAHE joined the American Society for Microbiology in November 2022 as a global outreach member. Throughout TUYUBAHE’s academic journey, he actively sought opportunities to bridge the gap in representation, recognizing the importance of diversity in scientific advancements. TUYUBAHE worked to engage in projects and collaborations that shed light on the challenges in the life sciences field that are faced by historically excluded groups, particularly in the African context.

TUYUBAHE's commitment to research excellence led him to join SRM University-AP, Amaravati, India as a research assistant studying phages and bacterial biology. During his time at SRM University-AP, TUYUBAHE conducted various research works including CRISPR-Cas regulation in persisters of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to understand the mystery behind this phenomenon of antibiotic persistence. TUYUBAHE's major research interests include CRISPR/Cas systems, phage therapies, microbial pathogenesis, vaccines, infectious diseases and molecular biology.

In addition to his academic pursuits, TUYUBAHE has been actively involved in advocating for inclusion and equal opportunities in microbiology. TUYUBAHE has participated in various conferences and symposiums, presenting his research findings and raising awareness about the underrepresentation of microbiological aspects.

TUYUBAHE is also a recipient of the 2023 ASM community science grant as a founder of the African Life Science Enhancement Forum—the initiative of young life scientists’ students and aspirants of life sciences. This initiative aims to create a thriving, vibrant and sustainable community by bringing together life science experts, young students and stakeholders in Africa and around the globe, to enhance life science research and innovation in the continent.

Andrea Rocha, Ph.D., is a scientist based in Geosyntec Consultant, Inc.’s Knoxville, Tennessee office. She has over 10 years of experience conducting innovative research using a broad range of geochemical, microbial, computational and genomics techniques within environmental microbiology, computational biology and engineering science. As a consultant, Andrea assists clients with environmental remediation planning and implementation, engineered phytoremediation using TreeWell^Ò technology, applied research and groundwater monitoring and data management. Her client work also includes environmental microbiomics research related to biogeochemical stabilization of metals in CCR; elevated temperature landfill microbiology; detailed biomass monitoring in bioreactors; surface water/groundwater interactions; critical shifts in microbial populations that are directly related to biogeochemical reactivity and biodegradation; and other applications, where deep microbial community analysis can provide key insights and opportunities for engineered solutions. 
 
Andrea serves on ASM’s Subcommittee for Issues Impacting Minority Microbiologists and  Geosyntec’s University Collaboration Initiative panel, which supports universities and affiliated student programs designed to help diverse student populations in STEM programs reach their career goals. She is also engaged with The National GEM Consortium’s Speaker Bureau to promote higher degrees of education in STEM by underrepresented groups. 

Amanda Ojeda, MPH, a Miami, Fla. native with Cuban and Venezuelan heritage, brings a diverse and accomplished background to her scientific pursuits. With 5 years of laboratory experience, Ojeda has excelled in microbiology and public health, with experience in the food safety industry sector at Merieux NutriSciences. Furthermore, Ojeda has made significant contributions to academia as the teaching lab manager for microbiology and cell science, showcasing her commitment to education and fostering a passion for science.

During Ojeda’s Master's in Public Health program, her drive to merge her interests led her to seek research opportunities in international settings. This led Ojeda to embark on a transformative journey, participating in 2 groundbreaking studies funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in rural eastern Ethiopia. These studies focused on the Campylobacter genomics and environmental enteric dysfunction (caged) and exposure assessment Campylobacter infections (EXCAM). This research focused on identifying the prevalence and composition of Campylobacter species in infants and potential exposure pathways during the first year of life.

Ojeda worked on these studies under the guidance of esteemed researchers, including Arie Havelaar, Ph.D., Sarah Mckune, MPH, Ph.D., Song Liang, Ph.D., Gireesh Rajashekara, DVM, Ph.D., Loic Deblais, Ph.D., Eric Triplett, Ph.D., and Luiz Roesch, Ph.D.

Ojeda is currently a doctoral student at the University of Florida, pursuing a Ph.D. in microbiology and cell science. Ojeda envisions a future in teaching and engaging in international collaborations to improve maternal and child health through microbiome research, while embracing diversity and empowering communities worldwide.

Floyd L. Wormley, Jr., Ph.D. is currently a professor and associate provost for research and dean of graduate studies at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Wormley received his B.S. in cellular and molecular biology from Tulane University in New Orleans, La. and his M.S. and Ph.D. in microbiology, immunology and parasitology from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, La. He then conducted his post-doctoral studies in infectious diseases at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC.

Wormley is a 2019 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, a 2017 Fulbright Scholar, and a 2016 Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. The purpose of Wormley’s research program is to develop novel immune therapies and/or vaccines to treat and/or prevent invasive fungal infections and is currently supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health.