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

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 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.

Junior Faculty and 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.
Students
We invite you to meet STCE students (undergraduates and graduates) from all PR-INBRE network institutions.
Undergraduate Students

Aviles-Mercado, Rocio del Mar
Institution: Univ. Interamericana – Metro
Mentor:
Program: Biology

Birriel-Rodriguez, Leonardo
Institution: UPR – Río Piedras
Mentor: Dr. Ingrid Montes
Program: Chemistry

Hernandez Padilla, Alejandro
Institution: UPR – Cayey
Mentor: Dr. Enrique Rodriguez-Borrero
Program: Biology

Hernandez Solis, Fatima
Institution: Univ. Ana G. Mendez – Cupey
Mentor: Dr. Beatriz Zayas
Program: Chemistry

Maldonado-Vargas, Neymar
Institution: Univ. Interamericana – Bayaymón
Mentor: Dr. Claudia Ospina-Millan
Program: Biology

Mendez-Escalera, Daviana L.
Institution: Univ. Ana G. Mendez – Carolina
Mentor: Dr. Loyda Méndez
Program: Microbiology

Nieves-Oquendo, Paola C.
Institution: Univ. Interamericana – Bayaymón
Mentor: Dr. Claudia Ospina-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 Rodriguez-Borrero
Program: General Natural Sciences

Valentín-López, Keren
Institution: Univ. Ana G. Mendez – Cupey
Mentor: Dr. José Rodríguez / Nataliya Chorna
Program: Biology
Graduate Students

García-Cortés, Carlos G.
Institution: UPR – Mayagüez
Mentor: Dr. Elsie Pares
Program: MS Chemistry

Rodríguez López, Elliott R.
Institution: Ponce Health Scieces University
Mentor: Dr. Vanessa Rivera-Amill
Program: PhD Biochemical Sciences

Pérez, Dariashka
Institution: UCC
Mentor: Dr. Yancy Ferrer-Acosta
Program:

Ufarry-Alvarado, Axel
Institution:
Mentor:
Program: MS Neurobiology

Vélez-Crespo, Grace E.
Institution: UCC
Mentor:
Program: PhD Biomedical Sciences

Ortiz-Rivera, Jescelica
Institution: UCC
Mentor:
Program: PhD Biomedical Sciences
Our Staff
Meet PRINBRE Cores Directors and Staff Members