STEM Alliance

The goal of STEM Alliance is to significantly increase the number of graduates who belong to groups that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines, including those who become certified to teach in these disciplines.

Services offered by STEM Alliance at Illinois State University include:

• Academic coaching
• Mentoring support: Faculty/STEM professionals
• Peer support and accountability
• Community of Scholars meetings
• Professional development opportunities
• Access to research opportunities and financial support for research projects
• STEM Career Day
• STEM field trips

To get involved, email Josh McNeal, Program Support Specialist for STEM Alliance.

STEM Alliance Student Spotlight Awards

• 

  Erinda Aidoo

  12 October, 2022

  Award
  Student Spotlight

  Major
  Molecular and Cellular Biology Pre-Med

  Hometown
  Plainfield, IL

  Favorite Part of STEM Alliance
  The support students receive both form peers and staff. I love having a community of other minorities in STEM who can relate to my experiences and are willing to give advice when needed.

  Interest and Hobbies
  Volunteer at the Carle Bromenn Medical Center. I love art so I paint whenever I get the chance. I also enjoy reading and playing piano.

  Student Highlight
  Summer research at Yale School of Medicine as an American Cancer Society scholar.

  "With the help of my PI, Katerina Politi, and my research mentor, Jordan Cardenas, I researched the capacity of human lung cancer cell lines to process and present specific tumor antigens. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. A commonly noted mechanism of resistance is the lack of HLA Class I (HLA-I) antigen presentation by tumor cells. Antigen presentation is essential for allowing immune cells to recognize tumor cells. My project aimed to develop methods to analyze alterations in HLA-I antigen presentation on cancer cells which can be useful for understanding these mechanisms. To do this, I tested specialized antibodies that recognize HLA-antigen complexes in human lung cancer cell lines using flow cytometry (a technique used to detect and measure cell behaviors). | then used this assay as a read-out of HLA-I antigen presentation in cells in which I introduced changes that alter antigen presentation (stimulating an immune response with interferon gamma). Through my experimentation and data analysis, I concluded that Flow Cytometry is a viable method to analyze antigen presentation in lung cancer cells."

• 

  Alexis Haas

  26 September, 2022

  Award
  Student Spotlight

  Major
  Graphic Communications Technology

  Hometown
  Bloomington, IL

  Favorite Part of STEM Alliance
  Getting to know other people in STEM majors

  Student Involvement
  103.3 WZND, which is ISU's student-run radio station

  Interest and Hobbies
  I enjoy playing with my dog, watching TV, improving on my current Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator skills, and listening to music.

  Student Highlight
  Co-Director of WZND's Multimedia department

  "My experience at WZND comes in the form of an internship, as I am the Co-Director of WZND's Multimedia department. As the Multimedia Co-Director, I lead a team of interns, create positive visual representations of the station, and run our website.

  WZND impacted me by helping me become more confident in both myself and my creative skills and abilities, as well as by helping me learn important leadership skills such as how to be assertive and how to advocate for myself and my department in a professional capacity."

• 

  Justin Palmer

  26 September, 2022

  Award
  Student Spotlight

  Major
  Biology (Physiology, Neuroscience, and Behavior Concentration)

  Hometown
  Oak Lawn, IL

  Favorite Part of STEM Alliance
  The people in it, from the students to the staff that go extra mile to connect with us and promote involvement.

  Interest and Hobbies
  I am an avid gamer and movie-watcher. Gaming has kept me in touch with life-long friends that don't go to ISU and watching movies has become a passion since I began my minor in film studies. I also enjoy hiking and watching sports with friends. I look forward to traveling and hiking more after I graduate.

  Student Highlight
  Study Abroad at Griffith University in Australia

  "During my study abroad experience at Griffith University in Australia, I reached out to a medical research lab that is conducting a clinical trial using a stem cell transplant therapy to treat spinal cord injuries. I was fortunate to be involved as a volunteer in their implementation science team that works to research how they can implement their medical research into actual practice, while considering valuable feedback from stakeholders. I was able to help brainstorm on surveys, visit the partnering physical therapy organization, shadow various experiments in the lab, and conduct and assist on supervised experimehts. I will forever be thankful for this experience.

  My involvement in research at Griffith has shown how far just one introductory email can take you. There are opportunities out there, you just have to put in the extra effort to find them. In terms of its impact on my view on research, it was inspiring. I was able to witness the actual and physical impact of medical research through the patients I met at the physical therapy facility. For me, they represent the reason why we must continue to expand, diversify, and improve STEM fields."