Our inaugural visiting mentor

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Zuleyma Tang Martinez will be our REU program's first visiting mentor, and will be a featured speaker at the HESTEC Science Symposium, and participate in Latinas' Day.

Zuleyma studies animal behavior, particularly social behavior and communication. She was born in Venezuela and has been affiliated with the University of Missouri-St. Louis since 1976, where she has published over 20 journal articles, edited several symposium proceedings, given over 75 conference presentations, and over a dozen invited presentations.

Zuleyma served as President of the Animal Behavior Society in 1993-1994, and founded the society’s Latin American Affairs Committee in 1996. This year, she was given the society’s Distinguished Service Award (pictured) for her efforts to diversify the Animal Behavior Society and increase participation of Central and South Americans.

Dr. Martinez’s other awards include being named O'Neil Ray Collins Distinguished Minority Scientist, at University of California, Berkeley in 1995, and receiving the Educational Equity Teaching Award for Higher Education, 1995 from the St. Louis Educational Equity Coalition.

Zuleyma is an outstanding scientist, and will be a fantastic guest for HESTEC. I couldn't be happier with having her as the first person to visit UTPA as part of our REU program.