SACNAS congratulates professional member Dr. Milka Montes on receiving tenure at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB).
Dr. Montes first heard of SACNAS while attending the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) as a first-generation transfer student. She remembers a new professor mentioning SACNAS during an organic chemistry class, offering to take students to SACNAS’ National Diversity in STEM Conference. It was at this conference that she presented her research, won an award, and met the director of the Children’s Nutrition Research Center (CNRC), who she would later intern for.
Now, 15 years later, Dr. Montes is an Associate Professor of Chemistry, the chapter advisor of the UTPB SACNAS Chapter, and has mentored 22 students. She believes, “SACNAS has done and still does an excellent job to promote higher education and professional careers in science for underrepresented groups. I really enjoy the community we have at SACNAS, the motivation, empowerment and opportunities it provides. I am a proud SACNISTA.” Dr. Montes consistently attends SACNAS Conferences with her students adding, “We must support the next generation of scientists.”
Congratulations Dr. Montes!
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Dr. Montes is also a part of the SACNAS Biography Project, read her story here.