Science and Technology Competency Enhancement (STCE) Core
The STCE provides training through tuition support for specialized short courses and workshops, research experience for students through JRA, support for visiting speakers through a seminar tours program, and professional development for student and faculty via travel support to scientific meetings.
The objective of the STCE is to increase the research and technical skills of the biomedical workforce in Puerto Rico and encourage a greater number of undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral associates to pursue careers in science and technology by providing hands-on research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students at network institutions to increase the numbers of undergraduate students that are competitive to enter graduate programs and compete for jobs in industry.
The STCE will facilitate access to specialized research and technical training courses and postdoctoral associates including new opportunities for instruction on 1) protection and commercialization of IPs, 2) entrepreneurship, and 3) data science.
Core Activities
Students Summer Internship Program: The Program will stimulate initiating research opportunities for junior faculty with potential for competitive funding, develop partnerships between the network institutions and research collaborations between faculty from Undergraduate Institutions and Mentoring Institutions.
Tuition and Thematic Technical Workshop: The STCE will provide for undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate students, direct tuition funding for short-term (up to 6 months) training in areas of science and technology relevant to the needs of emerging as well as established biopharmaceutical, biotechnological, and research enterprises in Puerto Rico in addition, is will offer Thematic Technical Workshops, a hands-on training experience according to the needs of groups involved.
Technology Transfer Awards: The program will provide Travel Award to students and faculty of Undergraduate Institutions to receive research training at mainland institutions. The objective of this program will be to enhance the research competence of our research faculty and students, promote research collaborations between faculty in Puerto Rico and their peers in other states that will expand the research network between IDeA states.
Travel Awards Program: Research opportunities for students from the undergraduate institutions. Investigators and students will have the opportunity to visit research laboratories for up to four weeks to learn a technique whose implementation in their work will enhance their results as well as their research capacity and transfer new technology to Puerto Rico.
Students Fellowships: Incentives are needed to attract more students into science, technology, mathematics, and engineering fields, particularly minorities and women into biotechnology research. Graduate and undergraduate fellowships will be awarded to candidates who present high quality applications to work on multidisciplinary research within the INBRE research networks.
Seminar Tours: This project will allow for internationally recognized scientists to lecture during 3 consecutive days throughout the INBRE institutions in order to attract promising students into science majors and to provide additional opportunities for exposure to cutting-edge research.
Students
We invite you to meet STCE students (undergraduates and graduates) from all PR-INBRE network institutions.
Undergraduate Students
2023 – 2024
Acevedo, Reidiliz
Institution: Univ. Interamericana – Bayamón
Mentor: Dr. Claudia Ospina
Program: Microbiology
Alonso, Alondra
Institution: UAGM – Cupey
Mentor: Dr. Beatriz Zayas
Program:
Aponte, Adriana
Institution: Univ. Interamericana – Bayamón
Mentor: Dr. Michelle M. Martínez
Program: Biology
Carrasquillo, Jefxander
Institution: URP – Río Piedras
Mentor: Dr. Nilda Medina
Program: Psicology
Estrada, Stephanie
Institution: UPR – Cayey
Mentor: Dr. Yamcy Ferrer
Program: Biology
Hernandez, Alejandro L.
Institution: UPR – Cayey
Mentor: Dr. Enrique Rodriguez-Borrero
Program:
Negroni, Ariana
Institution: UPR -Mayaguez
Mentor: Dr. Juan Lopez-Garriga
Program: Biology
Olivieri, Gerianne
Institution: URP – Río Piedras
Mentor: Dr. Filipa Godoy
Program: Microbiology
Rivera, Jonathan
Institution: UPR – Río Piedras
Mentor: Dr. Lisandro Cunci
Program:
Torres, José
Institution: UPR -Bayamón
Mentor: Dr. Yancy Ferrer
Program: Biology
2022 – 2023
Aviles-Mercado, Rocio del Mar
Institution: Univ. Interamericana – Metro
Mentor:
Program: Biology
Birriel-Rodríguez, Leonardo
Institution: UPR – Río Piedras
Mentor: Dr. Ingrid Montes
Program: Chemistry
Hernandez-Padilla, Alejandro
Institution: UPR – Cayey
Mentor: Dr. Enrique Rodríguez-Borrero
Program: Biology
Hernandez-Solis, Fatimma
Institution: Univ. Ana G. Mendez – Cupey
Mentor: Dr. Beatriz Zayas
Program: Chemistry
Maldonado-Vargas, Neymar
Institution: Univ. Interamericana – Bayamón
Mentor: Dr. Claudia Ospina-Millan
Program: Biology
Mendez-Escalera, Daviana L.
Institution: Univ. Ana G. Méndez – Carolina
Mentor: Dr. Loyda Méndez
Program: Microbiology
Nieves-Oquendo, Paola C.
Institution: Univ. Interamericana – Bayamón
Mentor: Dr. Caludia Opina-Millan
Program: Biology
Oliveri-Henry, Gerianne
Institution: UPR – Río Piedras
Mentor: Dr. Filipa Godoy
Program: Biology
Rosario-Luquis, Omaris
Institution: UPR – Cayey
Mentor: Dr. Enrique Rodríguez-Borrero
Program: General Natural Sciences
Valentín-López, Keren
Institution: Univ. Ana G. Méndez – Cupey
Mentor: Dr. José Rodriguez / Nataliya Chorna
Program: Biology
Graduate Students
2023 – 2024
Cotto, Neishaiz
Institution: Pontifical Catholic University of PR
Mentor: Dr. Ceidy Torres
Program: MS Neurosciences Neurobiology
Ufarry, Axel
Institution: Pontifical Catholic University of PR
Mentor: Dr. Ceidy Torres
Program: MS Neurosciences Neurobiology
2022 – 2023
García Cortés, Carlos G.
Institution: UPR – Mayaguez
Mentor: Dr. Elsie Pares
Program: MS Chemistry
Rodríguez López, Elliot R.
Institution: Ponce Health Sciences University
Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Rivera-Amil
Program: PhD Biochemical Sciences
Pérez, Dariashka
Institution: UCC
Mentor: Dr. Yancy Ferrer-Acosta
Program:
Ufarry Alvarado, Axel
Institution: Pontifical Catholic Univerity of PR
Mentor: Dr. Ceidy Torres
Program: MS Neurobiology
Velez Crespo, Grace E.
Institution: UCC
Mentor:
Program: PhD Biochemical Sciences
Ortiz Rivera, Jescelica
Institution: UCC
Mentor:
Program: PhD Biochemical Sciences
Our Staff
Meet PRINBRE Cores Directors and Staff Members