Miami Dade College (MDC) science students placed above the competition during the 19th Annual Florida-Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (FGLSAMP) STEM Conference, conducted recently in Jacksonville. More than 250 students took part in the three-day event. MDC was the only community college where students presented their original work. Daniel Villagomez, a Kendall Campus chemical engineering student, took home first place for his oral presentation in the chemistry division, titled “Towards Carbon-Based Nanotechnology: Electrostatic Potential Maps, Electrical Conductivity and Nanotopography of (n,0)-Zigzag Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, SWCNTs.” “I could not be prouder of the research work and efforts of our student scholars,” said Malou C. Harrison, president of the North Campus. “Mr. Villagomez’s receipt of top honors in the chemistry division is a true testament to the great potential of our students and the excellence of their professors’ mentorship. “The conference was filled with opportunities to share original STEM research, interact with fellow FGLSAMP participants, and learn about important programs, such as the National Science Foundation’s Bridge to the Doctorate.” Dr. Heather J. Belmont, MDC’s School of Science dean, served as the facilitator for the opening ceremony. The FGLSAMP program — supported by the National Science Foundation — harnesses the collective expertise and competencies of its 14 partner institutions to promote the recruitment, retention, and graduation of underrepresented minorities in STEM disciplines.
