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WISE Network

The mission of WISE is to catalyze a constant and transparent communication that is essential to inspire and support female faculty to succeed.

WISE is a COS network of faculty committed to nurture, sustain and inspire women faculty activism to ensure an environment of inclusiveness and equal opportunities for career success.

Today, we are making history!

WISE Officer Team - TERM: Spring 2021-Fall 2022

  • Chair: Dr. Engil Pereira
  • Vice-Chair: Dr. Tina Thomas
  • Secretary: Dr. Mirayda Torres-Avila
  • Member representing P&A: Dr. Liang Zeng 
  • Member representing SMSS: Dr. Mayra Ortiz Galarza
  • Member representing the BMBP: Dr. Shizue Mito
  • Senior Mentor – in the absence of a Past-Chair: Dr. Megan Keniry

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES

Chair: Dr. Engil Pereira

Dr. Engil Pereira joined UTRGV in 2018 as an assistant Professor in the School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences (SEEMS). Her efforts have increased recruitment of students in research and preparation for careers that have historically lacked diversity. She works in partnership with external collaborators and with the support of Federal grants, has initiated a program to train and place students in natural resource conservation-related careers. Together with the WISE Officers Team and Members, she hopes to develop a resourceful network supporting career development and well-being.

Vice-Chair: Dr. Tina Thomas

Dr. Tina Thomas, Lecturer III, joined the UTRGV/UTPA family in the Fall of 2013 in the Department of Chemistry. Even though she connected well with her students initially, after participating in COS & NSF– HSI Program, she took extra effort to better understand the culture in the valley and modify her pedagogical methods, which improved her teaching evaluations from above 90% to consistently above 95% even in large classes with over 200 students. She received “Excellence in Teaching”- College of Sciences in 2020, was selected to “Master Teacher Workshop” from VCOBE and is currently taking part in the Teaching Fellows program by NSF aiming to transform STEM learning among underserved minority students.

Secretary: Dr. Mirayda Torres-Avila

Dr. Mirayda Torres-Avila is a lecturer II at the Department of Biology, teaching general biology I and II, plant morphology, and biological communication. Her different teaching strategies include community engagement, sustainability components, and bilingual science education. She was awarded the 2018 Commitment to Excellence Award UTRGV-Mathematics and Science Academy and 2019 COS Excellence in Community Engagement. She has contributed to several departmental and university committees and as an advisor of three student organizations. Her current collaboration in research projects involves transcriptome analysis, bilingual-biology education at the college level, and collaborative online international learning.

Member representing P&A: Dr. Liang Zeng 

Dr. Liang Zeng is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. She specializes in physics education and physics teacher education.  She is currently serving as the National Physics Teacher Education Coalition Fellow for 2019-2021. She has also served as an ADVANCE Administrative Fellow with the Department of Community Engagement from 2013-2014, when she spearheaded Middle School Challenges event. Dr. Zeng has published 22 peer-reviewed articles in international and national journals. She has incorporated community-engaged scholarship into teaching, research, and service.  By using examples from regional Mexican-American lived experiences at an Hispanic-serving institution, her papers provide evidence to show how physics educators can use funds of knowledge to engage students in learning introductory college physics concepts.

Member representing SMSS: Dr. Mayra Ortiz Galarza

Dr. Mayra Ortiz Galarza is an Assistant Professor in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at UTRGV. Dr. Ortiz advances and supports STEM education research and reforms. She uses project-based learning to advance professional practice in STEM education. Dr. Ortiz has been an educator in multiple cultural settings. Proudly Hispanic, she serves as a role model, mentor, and innovator of ways to improve minority and underserved students’ participation in STEM. Dr. Ortiz has over 10 years’ experience in teaching engineering and mathematics at both, secondary and postsecondary levels. She has a passion for educating and inspires students to pursue and complete degrees in STEM fields. Dr. Ortiz currently serves as a CoPI in various funded research grants. 

Member representing the BMBP: Dr. Shizue Mito

Dr. Shizue Mito earned her BS and MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Osaka University, Japan, and then worked as a pharmacist. But she could not forget the excitement in research, and went back to school, and earned Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Hokkaido University. Thanks to an inspiring chemist, who also happened to be her father, she came to love chemistry since she was a girl. Unfortunately, she encountered discrimination against female scientists in Japan and moved to the US. After a postdoctoral experience at Harvard University, she started her independent career at UT El Paso in 2008 and moved to UTRGV in 2015. At UTRGV, aside from her research in drug synthesis and teaching, she is a faculty advisor for Elliott Chemical Society faculty advisor. Through the chemistry show, she hopes that our chemistry demonstrations will inspire the younger generation in RGV as her father did to her!

Senior Mentor – Dr. Megan Keniry

Dr. Megan Keniry is an Associate Professor in the UTRGV Biology Department.  Megan’s education and training include a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Oregon and postdoctoral training at Columbia University at the Institute for Cancer Genetics.  Her research focuses on gene regulation and signal transduction in glioblastoma multiforme and basal breast cancer.  Her husband (Robert Gilkerson) is also faculty in the UTRGV Biology Department.  She has two children Patrick (8) and Clare (12).  She also has 3 cats and 2 dogs.  She loves to hike.  Dr. Megan Keniry is a very energetic and active member of the Women’s Faculty Network and has served on the Achievement & Advancement Committee for multiple years. The main goal of this committee is "To recognize women’s achievements and to facilitate activities to help women at all levels advance."

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