SACNAS - Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science

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About SACNAS

Welcome to SACNAS

The mission of SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) is to encourage Chicano/Latino and Native American students to pursue graduate education and obtain the advanced degrees necessary for science research, leadership, and teaching careers at all levels.

For 35 years, SACNAS has provided strong national leadership in improving and expanding opportunities for minorities in the scientific workforce and academia; mentoring college students within science, mathematics, and engineering; as well as, supporting quality precollege (K-12) science education. SACNAS’ annual national conference and precollege teacher training workshops, chapters program, postdoc and leadership initiatives, and online internship and job placement resources are tools that help a diverse community of undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, professors, administrators, and precollege educators achieve expertise within their disciplines.

Session Proposals – 2009 SACNAS National Conference

SACNAS is currently seeking proposals for scientific symposia, professional development, and other sessions for the 2009 SACNAS National Conference being held from October 15-18, 2009 in Dallas, Texas. Please see the Session Proposals page for additional information and instructions for submitting a proposal via your MySACNAS account.
Submissions Deadline: February 20, 2009

2008 SACNAS Board of Directors Elections

The annual elections of the SACNAS Board of Directors is the opportunity for members’ to select individuals to lead and represent their interests within the organization. SACNAS is pleased to introduce the newly elected members of the Board of Directors. The slate was filled with outstanding nominees; we congratulate all the candidates who participated and thank all members for your continued contributions to our community:

General Board Members

Maria Pontes Ferreira, PhD (Huron-Wendat First Nation and Brazilian)
Postdoc, University of Kansas/Haskell Indian Nations University
J.Victor Garcia-Martinez, PhD
Professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Lino Gonzalez, PhD
Faculty Research Scientist, Genentech
Ernest Marquez, PhD
Health Sciences Administrator (retired)
Gustavo Miranda-Carboni, PhD
Faculty Research Scientist, David Geffen School of Medicine @ University of California, Los Angeles
Maria Teresa Velez, PhD
Associate Dean, Graduate College, University of Arizona

Student Board Member

Tepring Piquado
Doctoral Student, Neuroscience, Brandeis University

Out of a paid membership of 3,000 individuals, 256 members voted in this year’s election. We are seeking feedback regarding how SACNAS can improve the election process. Please send all recommendations, with your name, to Tanya Beat, membership program manager. Your voice is important for change!

To view the full roster of 2009 SACNAS Board of Directors, see the Board of Directors page.

New Job Opportunity – SACNAS Program Manager Position

SACNAS is hiring! For additional information regarding the SACNAS program manager position, see full job description on the Job Opportunities page.
Application Deadline: Open until filled

SACNAS Overview

View a 11-minute movie about SACNAS. Please feel free to share this material with your community, colleagues, and friends. (Developed by SACNAS in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.)

SACNAS’ New Home

SACNAS' mailing address: SACNAS, P.O. Box 8526, Santa Cruz, CA 95061-8526.
Our new street address is: SACNAS, 1115 Mission Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.

SACNAS Celebrates 35 Years and Joins International Community to Address Global Change

In 2008, SACNAS invited all of our members, partners, and supporters to join in celebrating of the organization’s 35th anniversary and in honoring everyone who has contributed and benefited from three and a half decades of excellence in science, mentoring, and cultural connection.

As part of its anniversary celebration, SACNAS joined researchers from around the globe in focusing on climate change, especially in the Arctic and Antarctic. Through its ongoing International Polar Year participation beginning in 2008, SACNAS continues to engage the underrepresented minority scientific community in addressing the impact of global ecosystems change on the polar regions, the planet, and the health and well-being of all Earth’s inhabitants. For more details on IPY, see our IPY Resources (PDF).

To learn about SACNAS’ efforts to minimize the environmental impact of SACNAS’s programs, including our annual national conference, and to discover ways to green your personal and/or conference-related travel, see the SACNAS Green page.

SACNAS Goes to Antarctica, December 16-31, 2007!

SACNAS students and board members traveled to Antarctica!

Aaron Velasco, SACNAS President, and Normal Neely, SACNAS Board Member, joined two dozen students and five precollege educators in exciting, hands-on polar research as part of International Polar Year - Research and Educational Opportunities in Antarctica for Minorities (www.ipyroam.org).

The group's journey and participation in IPY-ROAM is just one way in which SACNAS is supporting this year’s 2008 SACNAS National Conference theme, “International Polar Year: Global Change in Our Communities.” Learn about the group’s adventures through the frigid Antarctic Ocean and the documentation of their discoveries:

Check out their blogs and podcasts at: http://sel.utep.edu/IPY-ROAM/outreach.html.
View pictures of the group and follow links to media coverage of their activities at: http://sel.utep.edu/IPY-ROAM/media.html.
For additional IPY information and resources see: http://www.sacnas.org/pdfs/IPYresources.pdf

SACNAS e-nouncements

The SACNAS e-nouncements is an email newsletter which features information on upcoming events, career opportunities, and SACNAS announcements of interest to the SACNAS community. A new issue is published online every two weeks.

MySACNAS

Access your MySACNAS account to:

Renew your SACNAS membership or sign up as a new member
Sponsor individuals for membership and/or registration fees
Update your contact information, current status or career history
Manage, pay and print your SACNAS invoices/orders.