Panelists
Maria Barbarena
Associate Professor
Universidad Ana G. Méndez
Dr. Maria Fernanda Barberena-Arias earned a BS in biology with a minor in entomology at Universidad del Valle in Colombia. Then, she moved to Puerto Rico to pursue a master and a PhD in Biology at University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras. Now she is an associate professor at Universidad Ana G. Mendez, and has a strong history of research and teaching in the specialty area of biology. In the last years, she has been Co-PI of projects in collaboration with Sea Grant Maryland and the Center for Environmental Sciences of the University of Maryland (UMCES) such as Centro TORTUGA (www.centrotortuga.org). Also, currently she is part of the NSF Includes - SEAS Islands Alliance - Supporting Emerging Aquatic Scientists (https://www.umces.edu/news/nsf-award-supports-island-students-marine-science-careers). Both efforts are aimed at increasing participation of minority students in STEM and fostering an interest in pursuing careers in geoscience such as marine and coastal science.
Craig Scott
Professor and Chair
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Morgan State University
Dr. Craig J. Scott currently serves as Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Clarence M. Mitchell Jr School of Engineering at Morgan State University. He has also served as Interim Dean of the School of Engineering since 2018 and as the Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering since 2007. He was instrumental in establishing the department as one of the nation’s first fully online electrical engineering programs. He also directed and guided his faculty in developing a strategic vision for research and education and in designing Morgan’s first state-of-the-art facilities in cyber engineering and visual analytics. Under his leadership, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has been consistently ranked as the number one producer of African American electrical engineering graduates in the Nation. He is currently serving as the President of the Inclusive Engineering Consortium (IEC). The IEC is a consortium of HBCU electrical engineering departments operating as a ‘super department”. Dr. Scott is a recipient of the ECEDHA Diversity Award and has been named a NASA/ASEE Fellow and Army Science Board Nominee. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Howard University, his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University, and his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Howard University.
Christine Grant
Program Director
National Science Foundation
John Kelly
Associate Director
North Carolina A&T State University
Amaury Malavé
Executive Director of the Technological Innovation Complex
Universidad Ana G. Méndez
Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor at Universidad Ana G. Mendez and director of the Puerto Rico Energy Center. Has a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad de Puerto Rico-Mayaguez and a MS and PHD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Malave is a professional engineering registered in Puerto Rico and has led diverse energy related projects such as CIESESE Consortium, University of Miami Industrial Assessment Satellite Center, Consortium for Hybrid Resilient Energy Systems consortium, the Accelerator for Clean Technologies and the Juracan Energy Team.
Pedro Maldonado
Assistant Professor
Universidad Ana G. Méndez
Don Millard
Deputy Division Director
National Science Foundation
Karen Peterman
President
Karen Peterman Consulting, Co. (KPC)
Andrea Tirres
Deputy Director
Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI)
Associate Director
Office of Research and Sponsored Projects
University of Texas at El Paso
Andrea Tirres serves as Deputy Director for the Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI), an NSF INCLUDES national alliance. She also supports interdisciplinary research and education efforts in her role as Associate Director within the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). As a member of the CAHSI Backbone, she focuses on training leadership within each regional hub, building strategic relationships with industry and nonprofit stakeholders at a national level, and managing the CAHSI Student Scholars Leadership Program. She is a native borderland resident and has been active in efforts around social justice and the environment. She holds a M.P.Aff. from the LBJ School of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin and a BA from Stanford University with a specialization in race, ethnicity, and policy.