I became a founding Undergraduate Research Scholar (URS/aka Fellow),
in December of 1992, and graduated from TTU cum laude in August, 1996, with a B.S. in Biology, and a minor in Chemistry. I hold a lifetime certification from the State of Texas to teach the Composite Sciences in secondary schools in Texas.
My work with the Program is unique. I have participated in every phase of the TTU/HHMI grants, including Student Research as an URS, and in
Science Education, teaching students in my public school science classroom using the TTU/HHMI
traveling labs, training other teachers in the use of traveling labs, and teaching a workshop series for Region 17 science and math teachers as a Teacher Partner for
CISER. I regularly serve as a reviewer for the student poster presentations at TTU/HHMI 's annual Research Conference and as a reviewer for the
Blanton Scholarship Committee. Because of my extended experience with the entire program, I have become a nuanced member of CISER.
After graduating from TTU and teaching in a local public school, I returned to academic research labs at TTU to work as a bench scienctist where I specialized in technical writing skills as defined by the EPA's Good Laboratory Practices. Ultimately, my enjoyment of developing skills in technical writing lead me to seek a career in Technical Communications.
Currently, I am finishing my MA in the
Technical Communications program at TTU, and am working with CISER as a Technical Communicator and as a founding TTU/HHMI Graduate Technology Scholar (GTS) under the grant's newest component: Technology. The Technology Scholar Team work in Room 12 in the Biology building, and remotely, communicating through Skype and working in CISER's new Windows SharePoint Services single-source information system. CISER's new and extremely innovative SharePoint web environment was created and implemented by
Brian Enderson, former Programmer Specialist at CISER.
My research and work as a Technical Communicator for CISER are focused on creating an interactive science web community that is seamless, integrated, and interdisciplinary among all CISER audiences through the use of technology and the Internet. I continue to research freeware for the Program.
My thesis research, "Why is there no diagnostic test for HPV in males?" explores science and social issues of (lack of) high risk HPV diagnosis in men.
I like to
garden,
read, listen to music, and
travel.
You can find me on
Facebook, or follow me at
Melody's Media Blog.