Mentoring
Daniel Wilson (2016-present)
Mr. Wilson came to our lab the summer before his Junior year of college. While maintaining classwork and ROTC training, Mr. Wilson works hard on his research projects in the lab and is eager to learn new science techniques, theories, and projects. Mr. Wilson's project in the lab is focused on miRNA control of muscle development. Mr. Wilson's leadership and enthusiasm have allowed him to tackle this new direction of interest in the lab. Mr. Wilson won first place among the undergraduate presenters for his poster presentation of his work at the UNM Biology Research Day, March 2017, and was awarded a SACNAS travel scholarship to present his work at the annual conference in Fall of 2017. Mr. Wilson attended a competitive summer research program at MIT summer of 2017.
Mr. Wilson came to our lab the summer before his Junior year of college. While maintaining classwork and ROTC training, Mr. Wilson works hard on his research projects in the lab and is eager to learn new science techniques, theories, and projects. Mr. Wilson's project in the lab is focused on miRNA control of muscle development. Mr. Wilson's leadership and enthusiasm have allowed him to tackle this new direction of interest in the lab. Mr. Wilson won first place among the undergraduate presenters for his poster presentation of his work at the UNM Biology Research Day, March 2017, and was awarded a SACNAS travel scholarship to present his work at the annual conference in Fall of 2017. Mr. Wilson attended a competitive summer research program at MIT summer of 2017.
Praveen Paudel (2016-present)
Mr. Paudel, an international student from Nepal, started in our lab performing essential support functions such as cleaning and organizing laboratory space and equipment and making solutions and fly food. Through his hard work and dedication, he was able to move to a research assistant under my mentorship after his sophomore year of college. Mr. Paudel's project focuses on characterizing the muscle development of dominant negative and constitutively active Mrtf Drosophila lines. Mr. Paudel has jumped right into this independent research project. He is an enthusiastic and hard worker and always ready to learn more with insightful questions about background information, project data and experiments, and career paths. Mr. Paudel was awarded a SACNAS travel scholarship to present his work at the annual conference in Fall of 2017 and attended a competitive Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at the Mayo Clinic in FL summer of 2017.
Mr. Paudel, an international student from Nepal, started in our lab performing essential support functions such as cleaning and organizing laboratory space and equipment and making solutions and fly food. Through his hard work and dedication, he was able to move to a research assistant under my mentorship after his sophomore year of college. Mr. Paudel's project focuses on characterizing the muscle development of dominant negative and constitutively active Mrtf Drosophila lines. Mr. Paudel has jumped right into this independent research project. He is an enthusiastic and hard worker and always ready to learn more with insightful questions about background information, project data and experiments, and career paths. Mr. Paudel was awarded a SACNAS travel scholarship to present his work at the annual conference in Fall of 2017 and attended a competitive Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at the Mayo Clinic in FL summer of 2017.
Genesis Garay (2017)
Ms. Garay came to our lab as a University of New Mexico Undergraduate Pipeline Network (UPN) scholar. The UPN program is geared towards younger students who have not had the opportunity to apply their classroom concepts to laboratory projects. During her time here, Ms. Garay performed sequence alignments for potential Drosophila muscle genes and their vertebrate orthologs and attempted to create in situ hybridization probes characterize these poorly characterized vertebrate orthologs in zebrafish embryos to determine their potential involvement in muscle development. Ms. Garay was awarded a SACNAS travel scholarship to present her work at the annual conference in Fall of 2017.
Ms. Garay came to our lab as a University of New Mexico Undergraduate Pipeline Network (UPN) scholar. The UPN program is geared towards younger students who have not had the opportunity to apply their classroom concepts to laboratory projects. During her time here, Ms. Garay performed sequence alignments for potential Drosophila muscle genes and their vertebrate orthologs and attempted to create in situ hybridization probes characterize these poorly characterized vertebrate orthologs in zebrafish embryos to determine their potential involvement in muscle development. Ms. Garay was awarded a SACNAS travel scholarship to present her work at the annual conference in Fall of 2017.
Colleen Perfect (2012)
Mrs. Perfect teaches Biology and Biotechnology at a small high school. She became interested in mentored summer research after attending a high school science day with her students. While in the lab, we worked together to clone the zebrafish gene lycat and to construct numerous transgenic lycat lines. Mrs. Perfect continues to engage students at the high school level through Biotechnology and outreach programs - including classroom and student grown organic greens for the cafeteria.
Mrs. Perfect teaches Biology and Biotechnology at a small high school. She became interested in mentored summer research after attending a high school science day with her students. While in the lab, we worked together to clone the zebrafish gene lycat and to construct numerous transgenic lycat lines. Mrs. Perfect continues to engage students at the high school level through Biotechnology and outreach programs - including classroom and student grown organic greens for the cafeteria.
Ben Snyder (2011)
Mr. Snyder came to our lab as part of the ExSEL II program at University of Cincinnati. While in the lab, we worked to clone the gene coup-tf1a and to create and inject transient transgenic coup-tf1a fusion reporter lines. Mr. Snyder has since completed his undergraduate education in Cell and Molecular Biology at Liberty University and his MD from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.
Mr. Snyder came to our lab as part of the ExSEL II program at University of Cincinnati. While in the lab, we worked to clone the gene coup-tf1a and to create and inject transient transgenic coup-tf1a fusion reporter lines. Mr. Snyder has since completed his undergraduate education in Cell and Molecular Biology at Liberty University and his MD from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.
Demonstrations
Graduate Student Applicant Laboratory Demonstrations (2012, 2013, 2014)
I have had the opportunity to provide our graduate student applicants to the Molecular and Developmental Biology program with a demonstration of using zebrafish in developmental research. For these demonstrations we show the students our microscope equipment and laboratory space and let them practice observations of numerous fluorescent transgenic zebrafish lines. We show them the fish room and discuss housing and care of adult zebrafish as well as other stages of development, embryo collection, and mutant and transgenic zebrafish lines. To give students hands on experience with the zebrafish embryos we demonstrate and let students practice microinjections and/or embryo decorionation.
I have had the opportunity to provide our graduate student applicants to the Molecular and Developmental Biology program with a demonstration of using zebrafish in developmental research. For these demonstrations we show the students our microscope equipment and laboratory space and let them practice observations of numerous fluorescent transgenic zebrafish lines. We show them the fish room and discuss housing and care of adult zebrafish as well as other stages of development, embryo collection, and mutant and transgenic zebrafish lines. To give students hands on experience with the zebrafish embryos we demonstrate and let students practice microinjections and/or embryo decorionation.
Middle School Girls STEM Conference Demonstrations (2011)
This program allows young girls to hear about and interact with real science and medicine. We take time to give a short presentation on the uses of zebrafish in biomedical research and an overview of basic science research and related professions with an emphasis on women in science. We then help students observe some of the tools we use in research such as fluorescent transgenic zebrafish lines.
This program allows young girls to hear about and interact with real science and medicine. We take time to give a short presentation on the uses of zebrafish in biomedical research and an overview of basic science research and related professions with an emphasis on women in science. We then help students observe some of the tools we use in research such as fluorescent transgenic zebrafish lines.
High School Science Student Symposium Laboratory Demonstrations (2012)
On this interactive day for a select group of high schoolers we take time to give a short presentation on the uses of zebrafish in biomedical research and an overview of basic science research and related professions. We then help students observe some of the tools we use in research such as fluorescent transgenic zebrafish lines.
On this interactive day for a select group of high schoolers we take time to give a short presentation on the uses of zebrafish in biomedical research and an overview of basic science research and related professions. We then help students observe some of the tools we use in research such as fluorescent transgenic zebrafish lines.
Other
Summer Biomedical Research Symposium: Diversity in Interdisciplinary Research: Today's Problem Solvers, Tomorrow's Leaders - Judge (2017)
This annual symposium is sponsored by Initiatives to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) program, the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) and Post-baccalaureate Research and Education Program (PREP). These programs provide research opportunities and mentoring to UNM undergraduates and graduates to prepare students for admission to Ph.D. programs and research careers.
This annual symposium is sponsored by Initiatives to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) program, the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) and Post-baccalaureate Research and Education Program (PREP). These programs provide research opportunities and mentoring to UNM undergraduates and graduates to prepare students for admission to Ph.D. programs and research careers.
Undergraduate Pipeline Network Summer Research Experience 2017 Research Symposium - Judge (2017)
Along with the summer research UPN students, summer undergraduate researchers from NM-INBRE Summer Experince (NISE) and BRIDGES to Baccalaureate Programs presented their work in a competitive poster symposium. This was many of these student's first time doing and presenting research and we were very proud of all they had learned and accomplished over the summer.
Along with the summer research UPN students, summer undergraduate researchers from NM-INBRE Summer Experince (NISE) and BRIDGES to Baccalaureate Programs presented their work in a competitive poster symposium. This was many of these student's first time doing and presenting research and we were very proud of all they had learned and accomplished over the summer.
Central New Mexico Science & Engineering Research Challenge - Judge (2017)
This annual science challenge for New Mexican Jr. high and High school students has professional volunteers judge poster presentations of each student's work. I volunteered in the Jr. high biology projects division. The students had worked really hard and had a great display of interesting questions and innovative methods. I am really excited to see some of these young scientists back as they continue to compete and come up with great ideas.
This annual science challenge for New Mexican Jr. high and High school students has professional volunteers judge poster presentations of each student's work. I volunteered in the Jr. high biology projects division. The students had worked really hard and had a great display of interesting questions and innovative methods. I am really excited to see some of these young scientists back as they continue to compete and come up with great ideas.
Undergraduate Development Workshop (2015-2017)
The Cripps laboratory has large numbers of undergraduate students being trained at all levels of their college experience. Together with other higher ranking lab members we developed a series of undergraduate workshops in which these students could gain skills and knowledge pertinent to their continued learning and development as students and scientists.
The Cripps laboratory has large numbers of undergraduate students being trained at all levels of their college experience. Together with other higher ranking lab members we developed a series of undergraduate workshops in which these students could gain skills and knowledge pertinent to their continued learning and development as students and scientists.
- Dec. 2015 - Research experience for undergraduates (REU) summer programs. This workshop described the "why" and "what" of REU programs and had time for discussions of application material and a peer review/discussion of CVs and resumes.
- March 2016 - How to make and present posters for conferences. This workshop focused on how to make and present a poster in preparation of the University Research Day and multiple conferences for which our students are submitting abstracts.
- Feb. 2017 - Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator basics for scientists. This hands on workshop focused on some of the most common Photoshop and Illustrator uses for scientific images. Each student had the opportunity to manipulate an image in Photoshop and input images into figures in Illustrator.
Summer Biomedical Research Symposium: Mentorship in the 21st century Judge (2016)
This annual symposium at UNM is sponsored by Initiatives to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) program and Post-baccalaureate Research and Education Program (PREP). These programs provide research opportunities and mentoring to UNM undergraduates and graduates to prepare students for admission to Ph.D. program and research careers. This symposium gave trainees the opportunity to present their work through posters and oral presentations.
This annual symposium at UNM is sponsored by Initiatives to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) program and Post-baccalaureate Research and Education Program (PREP). These programs provide research opportunities and mentoring to UNM undergraduates and graduates to prepare students for admission to Ph.D. program and research careers. This symposium gave trainees the opportunity to present their work through posters and oral presentations.
The Allied Genetics Conference Poster Judge - Drosophila (2016)
The genetics conference in 2016 combined international meetings for seven genetic models. Poster judging was an excellent way to see some of the great graduate and undergraduate research posters that were on display.
The genetics conference in 2016 combined international meetings for seven genetic models. Poster judging was an excellent way to see some of the great graduate and undergraduate research posters that were on display.
Ohio Science Fair Judge (2014)
District 10th Annual Science & Engineering Expo has volunteer degree-holding judges to score the hundreds of projects presented by 6th-12th grade students according to the Ohio Academy of Science guidelines. Students presented their research project, answered questions and received a score based on 4-5 categories: Knowledge gained, Scientific methods, Presentation/Communication (oral and written), and Originality. I was able to help judge projects in the Medicine and Health Sciences category.
District 10th Annual Science & Engineering Expo has volunteer degree-holding judges to score the hundreds of projects presented by 6th-12th grade students according to the Ohio Academy of Science guidelines. Students presented their research project, answered questions and received a score based on 4-5 categories: Knowledge gained, Scientific methods, Presentation/Communication (oral and written), and Originality. I was able to help judge projects in the Medicine and Health Sciences category.
High School Science Student Symposium Program round table professions discussion (2013)
I was able to lead a round table discussion with students about potential career options and research career pathways in Developmental Biology Research.
I was able to lead a round table discussion with students about potential career options and research career pathways in Developmental Biology Research.
Developmental Biology Zebrafish Lab (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
As part of the Advanced Developmental Biology course for the graduate program the students have a lecture and a laboratory practical on zebrafish as a model organism. As part of this practical, students will rotate through stations to learn tools such as transgenic zebrafish lines, practice sorting adult fish, identify embryonic stages and mutant embryos, and observe and record gene patterning data.
As part of the Advanced Developmental Biology course for the graduate program the students have a lecture and a laboratory practical on zebrafish as a model organism. As part of this practical, students will rotate through stations to learn tools such as transgenic zebrafish lines, practice sorting adult fish, identify embryonic stages and mutant embryos, and observe and record gene patterning data.