HERBERT H. LEHMAN COLLEGE, CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK LOUIS STOKES ALLIANCE FOR MINORITY PARTICIPATION (LSAMP) LEHMAN COLLEGE CHAPTER ANNUAL REPORT

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1 HERBERT H. LEHMAN COLLEGE, CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK LOUIS STOKES ALLIANCE FOR MINORITY PARTICIPATION (LSAMP) LEHMAN COLLEGE CHAPTER ANNUAL REPORT LSAMP Steering Committee Chairperson: Dr. Edward Jarroll Dean, Division of Natural and Social Sciences LSAMP Activity Coordinator: Mr. Uchenna Unachukwu LSAMP Activity Coordinator Supervisor: Dr. Ainsley Parkinson Introduction 1.1: Time line of Key Events Table of Contents 2 NYC LSAMP Research Training Program Undergraduate and Graduate Research Program 3 Key LSAMP Activities 4 LSAMP Statistics 5 LSAMP Scholar Forum

2 1. Introduction LSAMP Lehman College Chapter is pleased to announce the completion of a successful year. The year s events were spear-headed by Steering Committee chairperson, Dr. Edward Jarroll, and activities organized by the Science Learning Center Coordinator, Dr. Ainsley Parkinson, and the LSAMP activity coordinator, Uchenna John Unachukwu. In the 2010/2011 academic year, the LSAMP program at Lehman College reported the highest number of scholars ever accepted at the college with an equally lengthy list of prospective applicants. As a result, most laboratories in the college reported saturating numbers of scholars with few internship positions remaining for a large number of applicants. The continued increase in the number of accepted Lehman students being funded by the program, a trend which began in the previous academic year (2009/2010), can be attributed mainly to the ability of the program s coordinators to actively educate our campus students as to the tenets of the program and thus attract the right type of undergraduate and graduate applicants. Similar to last year, current scholars have contributed the most to recruitment efforts, closely followed by several awareness programs organized by the program s activity coordinator. Additionally, the LSAMP main office s endeavor to streamline the application process, has also made for an outstanding turn-around time from student registration to scholar acceptance, making student enrolling more efficient. LSAMP scholars actively participated in many conferences including those hosted by Lehman College, the LSAMP program in collaboration with City College s Einstein in the City conference, as well as international locations. Our scholars also won numerous awards and got accepted into prestigious graduate and medical schools. There were also some changes in the membership of the LSAMP steering committee, whereas one faculty member left the college and two new faculty joined the steering committee. There was a remarkable increase in participation of faculty on campus in the LSAMP program, in which faculty recruited more scholars than usual while supporting scholar travels for conferences and poster presentation. 1.1 Timeline of Key LSAMP Events and Activities Listed below is a timeline of the major events and activities that occurred through the year ending July 31, 2011 Table 1: Timeline of Key LSAMP Events and Activities Date Key Events November 2010 Spring LSAMP Scholar Recruitment Events Mailings to faculty and prospective LSAMP scholars Scholar and mentor database collection and organization LSAMP Steering Committee Meeting 1 Changes in LSAMP Steering Committee membership

3 December 2010 Spring LSAMP Scholar Recruitment Events Mailings to Academic Departments heads about LSAMP program Request from faculty for minimum requirements for scholar recruitment Distribution of prospective LSAMP scholar list to faculty January 2011 Processing LSAMP scholar applications Planning for LSAMP steering committee meeting 2 Presentation of LSAMP program at the Minority Association of Pre- Health students (M.A.P.S.) Lehman Chapter Annual Conference February 2011 Planning for the Urban University Conference 2011 March 2011 Summer Internship Opportunities Brochure compiled and distributed LSAMP Steering Committee Meeting 2 Visit to Lehman College by LSAMP Administrator, Dr. Claude Brathwaite April 2011 LSAMP Urban University/ Einstein in the City Conference at CCNY Processing applications for LSAMP Summer program May 2011 Lehman Scholarship Day Processing applications for LSAMP Summer program June 2011 LSAMP Summer Research Internship Program begins July 2011 LSAMP Summer Research Internship Program ends Fall LSAMP scholar recruitments Events 2. NYC LSAMP Research Training Program Undergraduate and Graduate Research Experience Program Fall 10/Spring 11 Session A. Undergraduates: Twelve (12) new applicants were funded for the Fall 10-Spring 11 session along with three (3) returning scholars having existing scholarships. The scholars hailed from different disciplines ranging from the Biology to Physics and Geoscience. The session also witnessed active mentorship from new LSAMP steering Committee member and Chemistry Department Chair, Dr. Timothy Paget. A listing of all scholars funded by the program for the Fall 10/Spring 11 session is provided below. Figure 1. New LSAMP scholar Lexsy Davy at the Urban University Conference 2011.

4 Table 2: Table showing accepted undergraduates for Fall 10/Spring 11 session. First Name Last Name Department Status Mentor Chidinma Kanu Biology New Acceptance Edward Jaroll Dana Miller Psychology New Acceptance Vincent Prohaska Janelle Lawrence Astronomy & Physics New Acceptance Christopher Gerry Laurel Anyaehie Biology New Acceptance Timothy Paget Lexsy Davy Biology New Acceptance Timothy Paget Michael Hintze Math & Computer Returning Scholar Katherine St. John Sci Michael Taveras Biology Returning Scholar Renuka Sankaran Naomi Ramesar Biochemistry Returning Scholar Renuka Sankaran Racine Brown Chemistry New Acceptance Timothy Paget Raul Carranza Physics/Astronomy New Acceptance Christopher Gerry Rosa Miguelina GeoScience New Acceptance Yuri Ghorokhovich Sturlainny Paulino Chemistry New Acceptance Edward Kennelly Cecilia Asante Biology New Acceptance Martin Muntzel Jeffrey Guard Biology New Acceptance Charles Maliti Victoria Poku Biology New Acceptance Liesl Jones Figure 2. Jamie Parker, seen here responding to questions, was funded through the Bridge to Doctorate Program. B. Graduates: Graduate research internship programs offered by the LSAMP at Lehman College consists of the Bridge to Doctorate program and the Graduate Research Assistantship Program. For the Fall 10/Spring 11 session, there were no new graduate applicants from Lehman College. However, the program witnessed the graduation of LSAMP Bridge scholar Jamie Parker from his Master s program where he conducted research at Maryam Bamshad laboratory and his onward acceptance to further graduate studies at Columbia University. Former LSAMP scholar Shari Walcott continues to work on her doctorate in Biology and Plant Sciences. Spring 11/Fall 11 Session A. Undergraduates: Eight (8) new applicants were accepted into the LSAMP program for the Spring 11/Fall 11 session along with ten (10) returning scholars. A complete listing of all accepted scholars is Figure 3. Newly accepted scholar Fayeza Aliou at the Urban University Conference.

5 provided in the table below. Some of the new scholars were recruited by faculty, notably Drs. Napthali O Connor and Katherine St. John, while others were recruited by existing scholars and the activity coordinator. Table 3: Table showing accepted undergraduates for Spring 11/Fall 11 session First Name Last Department Status Mentor Name Roger Arhin Chemistry New acceptance Thomas Young Aliou Fayeza Biology New acceptance Maryam Bamshad Doreen Aboagye Chemistry Returning Scholar Andrei Jitianu Guadalupe Gonzalez Chemistry Returning Scholar Andrei Jitianu Albert Guzman Biology New acceptance Renuka Sankaran Juan Castillo Math & Computer Sci New acceptance Katherine St. John Kelechi Ndukwe Biology Returning Scholar Stephen Redenti Jason Mighty Biology Returning Scholar Stephen Redenti Mamadou Moustaph Chemistry New acceptance Thomas Young a Emmanuel Obeney Biochemistry New acceptance Gustavo Lopez Adan Santana Chemistry New acceptance Naphtali O Connor Rasheda Simpson Psychology Returning Scholar Keith Happaney Wilfrido Valentine Biology Returning Scholar Stephen Redenti Onyinye Kanu Biology New acceptance Renuka Sankaran Sumaira Ismail Psychology Returning Scholar Keith Happaney Jossy Joute Psychology Returning Scholar Keith Happaney Olubukola Ajisogun Psychology Returning Scholar Ann Reid Alan Joseph Caceres Math & Computer Sci Returning Scholar Katherine St. John Summer Session 2011 Six (6) students were funded for the summer session through the LSAMP program. Among those funded were four (4) new applicants. A complete listing of all accepted scholars is provided below. Lehman LSAMP scholars also participated in non-lsamp sponsored summer research programs and some traveled to distant locations for their internship experiences notably the United Kingdom and Jamaica Figure 4. LSAMP scholar Kelechi Ndukwe traveled to the University of Southampton, UK, for a summer research program.

6 Table 4. Table showing LSAMP-sponsored Summer Research Scholars and their mentors First Name Last Department Status Mentor Name Marvin Bennett Biology New acceptance Liesl Jones Valencia Brooks Biology New acceptance Timothy Paget Naomi Ramesar Biochemistry Returning Scholar Renuka Sankaran Racine Brown Biology Returning Scholar Timothy Paget Charity Obeney Biology New acceptance Timothy Paget Deborah Otun Biology New acceptance Naphtali O Connor Table 5. Table showing some Notable Non-LSAMP Sponsored Summer Research Internships First Name Last Name Department Status Country/Place for Research Kelechi Ndukwe Biology Returning Scholar Michael Hintze Math & Computer Science Returning Scholar Guadalupe Gonzalez Chemistry Returning Scholar Jason Mighty Biology Returning Scholar United Kingdom Nokia, New York City College, NYC Jamaica LSAMP Scholar graduation Lehman College celebrated a landmark 43 rd graduation ceremony on June 2 nd, 2011, marking the 80 th year of the historic campus. A total of sixteen (16) undergraduate scholars walked down the aisle at the end of the spring semester of the year under review and most of them did it with departmental and college honors as well as scholarships and prizes, while belonging to prestigious societies on campus. Figure 5. Recent Graduate Miguelina Rosa with an award-winning poster at the Urban University Conference.

7 Prior to the graduation ceremony, Lehman College boasted the highest number of participating students in the LSAMP program CUNY-wide, a total of forty-one (41) scholars, and the trend continues to the Fall 11/Spring 12 session. Graduated Lehman scholars got accepted into prestigious graduate and medical schools including Columbia, Havard and South University school of Pharmacy. A listing of the graduated scholars and their accomplishments is provided in brief below Table 6: Table showing graduated LSAMP scholars January/June 2011 First Name Last Name Department Graduation Year Mentor Graduation Honors Olubukola Ajisogun Psychology June 2011 Dr. Anne Reid Summa Cum Laude, Golden Key, Psi Chi International Honor Society on Psychology, Departmental Honors Ann Marie Alcocer Math & Computer Science John DeJesus Math & Computer Science June 2011 June 2011 Dr. Katherine St. John Dr. Katherine St. John Jossy Joute Psychology June 2011 Dr. Keith Happaney Diquan Moore Math & Computer Science June 2011 Dr. Katherine St. John Miguelina Rosa GeoScience June 2011 Dr. Yuri Gorokhovich Rasheda Simpson Psychology June 2011 Dr. Keith Happaney (Psychology) Summa Cum Laude, Teacher Academy, Lehman College Foundation scholarship Magna Cum Laude Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa Chi, Psi Chi International Honor Society on Psychology, Departmental Honors (Psychology), St. George s Scholarship Magna Cum Laude, Golden Key, Departmental Honors (Computer Science) Magna Cum Laude Noyce scholarship program, Phi Beta Kappa Chi, Departmental Honors (Geology) Magna Cum Laude, Golden Key, Psi Chi International Honor Society on Psychology, Departmental Honors (Psychology), Lehman College Foundation scholarship Chidinma Kanu Biology June 2011 Dr. Timothy Paget Cum Laude, Departmental Honors (Anthropology/Biology/Chemistry) Janelle Lawrence Physics June 2011 Dr. Cum Laude, Lehman Scholars

8 Christopher Gerry Dana Miller Psychology June 2011 Dr. Vincent Prohaska Victor Nnah Biology June 2011 Dr. Stephen Redenti Samsiya Onah Biology Jan Dr. Edward kennelly Michael Hintze Math & Computer Science June 2011 Dr. Katherine St. John Sumaira Ismail Psychology June 2011 Dr. Keith Happaney Mamadou Moustapha Chemistry June 2011 Dr. Thomas Young Jamie Parker Biology Jan Dr. Maryam Bamshad Program, Departmental Honors (Physics) Cum Laude, Golden Key, Psi Chi International Honor Society on Psychology, Sigma Xi society for Scientific Research, Departmental Honors (Psychology), Lehman College Foundation scholarship Cum Laude, Chi Alpha Epsilon Biology Delta Psi Chapter, St. George s Scholarship Lehman Scholars Program, Golden key, Departmental Honors (Biological Sciences and Anthropology), Hirsh scholarship, The Kane Prize Lehman Scholars Program, Golden Key, Departmental Honors (Computer Science), the Professor Annita Tuller Prize Psi Chi International Honor Society on Psychology MA (Biology) 3. Key LSAMP Activities A) Annual Urban University/Einstein in the City Conference (UUC/EIC 2011) at City College, CUNY UUC 2011 was held from April 14 th to 15 th in collaboration with City College s Einstein in the City (EIC) conference at the historic City College campus. Lehman LSAMP scholars and faculty were actively involved in the event and gave presentations and logistical support. A total of 18 scholars gave poster presentations at the conference and two Lehman posters won awards at the conference, notably presentations by Miguelina Rosa and Rasheda Simpson. Mentors Stephen Redenti, Keith Happaney and Katherine St. John were on hand to support their research interns.

9 B) Lehman Annual Scholarship and Research Day Lehman Scholarship and Research Day was held on May 5 th, 2011 and its organization was spearheaded by LSAMP faculty Vincent Prohaska and scholar Dana Miller. The event, which took place at the Lovinger Theatre showcased research by LSAMP scholars and non-lsamp students at Lehman College. Lehman LSAMP chapter was well represented at the event with scholars such as Lexsy Davy, Dana Miller, Chidinma Kanu, Racine Brown and Guadalupe Gonzalez among others, presenting their posters at the conference. The activity coordinator also set up shop with a new LSAMP banner and brochures and information leaflets for recruitment purposes. The event was concluded with keynote speeches from Dr. Alan kruger, the Chair of Psychology department, research presentations by Drs. Liesl Jones and Katherine St. John, and discussions on graduate school admission by Drs. Suzanne Yates and Anne Reid. Drs. Christopher Gerry of the Physics department and Chiseche Mibenge of the Political Science departments emphasized on the importance of research in all course disciplines. C) Visit to Lehman College by LSAMP Administrator, Dr. Claude Brathwaite The LSAMP administrator, Dr. Brathwaite visited the Lehman College campus on the 25 th of March, 2011, to meet with LSAMP faculty and students to discuss LSAMP issues with faculty and scholars. With Lehman College housing the highest number of LSAMP scholars CUNY-wide, the visit was a very important one aimed at streamlining the LSAMP application process, discussing problems envisaged by mentors and scholars with the LSAMP program, and to experience first hand, research activities at the college. Although there was a low turn-out of faculty and scholars, being that the visit was on Friday, with few classes being held on campus, Drs. Happaney, Katherine St. John, Maryam Bamshad, Stephen Redenti, and the activity coordinator, Uchenna Unachukwu, were available to host the administrator on a tour through research laboratories on campus. The administrator entertained questions from faculty and scholars, notably Moustapha Mamadou of the Chemistry department and Wilfrido Valentine of the Biology department. Lehman faculty especially requested to understand the criteria for scholar acceptances, while scholars inquired about assistance from the program towards graduate school applications. At the end of the visit, Dr. Brathwaite expressed his gratitude for the support the program is receiving from STEM faculty and students alike and promised smoother dealings between the campus and the LSAMP program including possible remittances of scholar stipends on-site at lehman College, and electronic faculty endorsements which would greatly improve the efficacy of the scholar application process.

10 Figure 6. LSAMP administrator, Dr. Claude Brathwaite (third from left) with LSAMP steering committee member, Dr. Keith Happaney (4 th from left) and his students at the Happaney Laboratory.

11 4) LSAMP STATISTICS Figure 1: Graph showing trends in LSAMP undergraduate applications (Fall/Spring) Figure 2: Graph showing trends in LSAMP undergraduate applications (Summer) Trends in undergraduate acceptances (Summer sessions) Number of Acceptances Summer '08 Summer '09 Semester Summer '10 Summer '11 Total No. of undergrad acceptances New acceptances

12 Figure 3: Graph showing trends in undergraduate stipend allocation (Fall/Spring) Trends in undergraduate stipend allocation (Fall/Spring) Stipend Amount ($) Fall '08- Spring '09 Spring '09- Fall '09 Fall '09- Spring '10 Spring '10- Fall '10 Fall '10- Spring '11 Spring '11- Fall '11 Session Figure 4: Graph showing trends in undergraduate stipend allocations (Summer) Trends in undergraduate stipend allocations (Summer Session) Stipend Amount Summer '09 Summer '10 Summer '11 Semester

13 4. Scholar Forum Notes from scholars Adan Santana, Undergraduate LSAMP Research Scholar Junior, Dept. of Chemistry Research Interest - Investigation of Chitosan Gels As Molecular Imprinted Polymers A Support System As an undergraduate student pursuing a science degree, the existence of a program such as LSAMP used to seem improbable, not to say unrealistic. In other words, it is amazing that the program foment my interest for chemical research by funding and allowing me to participate in scientific events like fairs, symposia, and others. As a Lehman College scholar, the experience has been memorable as well. Since the first day I inquired about the program, the activity coordinator has been more than efficient going above and beyond. Not only he has been prompt in communicating us all information, as well as in addressing my doubts and concerns, but he has consistently shown interest in the development and progress of my research. On the same hand, the program administrator appears to embrace his role in a professional manner. Moreover, to try to describe my entire experience as a Lehman LSAMP scholar in just two paragraphs could undermine the gratitude I fell towards the program. It has allowed me to network with both, undergraduate and graduate students from a wide variety of fields. It has shown me that my interests, plans and goals are cared for by those administering the program. That is, more than just a program, I have found a support system. Adan Santana Lehman College Mr. Adan Santana at the Urban University/Einstein in the City Conference held at City College, CUNY.