Words from the team

Dr. Osvaldo Morera said,

“On behalf of the team, we are excited and humbled to provide this chance to the teachers and students in those communities”.

Project ACE will recruit and engage students and teachers from area high schools in Gadsden, Del Valle and Canutillo with multiple tiers of mentors and a research-focused curriculum.

The research team consists of Osvaldo Morera, Ph.D. professor of the Psychology Department; Josefina V. “Josie” Tinajero, Ed.D., professor of teacher education; and Thomas Boland, Ph.D., professor of biomedical engineering.

“We think we can develop a culture of high academic achievement among students, and better prepare them to pursue degrees in biomedical, behavioral and clinical research fields,” Morera said. “Students at these high schools are just as talented and deserving of opportunities like BUILD, and we want to work with these schools to help these students.”

The program will offer students workshops that promote careers in the biomedical fields and access to tutors for 12 weeks per year. It also will use grant money to create one state-of-the-art biomedical research lab at each participating high school. The program also will help restock these labs. Select students will participate in research at UTEP in the latter stages of the grant.