PHILADELPHIA (FEBRUARY 28, 2018) – Liz Hernandez Borrero, a graduate student in the El-Deiry Lab at Fox Chase Cancer Center, has been named a fellow of the Yale Ciencia Academy (YCA) for Career Development. She is one of only 40 graduate students from around the country to be selected for this competitive program.
The non-profit organization Ciencia Puerto Rico (CienciaPR) leads the YCA program in collaboration with Yale University. The year-long, mostly virtual program leverages the CienciaPR community — one of the largest networks of Hispanic/Latin scientists in the world — to connect doctoral students in biological, biomedical, health and behavioral sciences with advisors, mentors and professional development opportunities. Through workshops and conversations with successful scientists, participants explore different careers, define their academic and career goals, expand their networks, and acquire communication and leadership skills. The program also allows students to have an impact on society through science outreach.
“The Yale Ciencia Academy complements traditional graduate training with access to a diverse network of peers, role models and advisors”, said Giovanna Guerrero-Medina, principal investigator and director of the YCA. “The goal is to help students gain clarity in their academic and professional goals and become the scientists they want to be. We are excited about the talent and promise among this new class of YCA fellows.”
Started in 2016 and funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, YCA has trained 74 young scientists from 36 institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico. YCA fellows have completed 55 outreach projects, impacting nearly 11,000 people.
“We are proud of Liz and for earning this well-deserved opportunity, and we look forward to all she will accomplish in the program,” said Wafik S. El-Deiry, MD, PhD, FACP, deputy cancer center director at Fox Chase Cancer Center.
The new fellows began their year by attending the American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas from February 15 through 19, where they participated in designated workshops and meeting sessions.
About Ciencia Puerto Rico
CienciaPR is a nonprofit organization that connects over 8,600 Puerto Rican and Hispanic scientists, students, and educators worldwide through an innovative online platform. By leveraging its community’s collective knowledge, the organization has created thousands of resources to improve science education and help forge the next generation of Hispanic STEM leaders.