Maria Santisteban Wins Undergraduate Research Mentor Award

Dr. Maria Santisteban has spearheaded undergraduate research inside and outside the college classroom ever since joining the Biology faculty in 2007.  Santisteban is one of two winners of the 2022 Undergraduate Research Mentor award, which “recognizes individuals who make significant contributions to forwarding undergraduate research, creative scholarship, and entrepreneurial scholarship.” The award, which was bestowed by the Pembroke Undergraduate Research and Creativity (PURC) Council, was formally announced during the Sixteenth Annual UNC PURC Symposium last April. Santisteban promotes and fosters undergraduate research by way of educational programs, science initiatives, and personal mentorship. 

As faculty director of the NSF-funded UNCP COMPASS (Creating Opportunities for Students in Science) Program, she recruits COMPASS students and their mentors, organizes and leads workshops, and escorts students to off-campus venues, including conferences, where they engage in and learn about scientific research. Aimed at underrepresented students, COMPASS supports academic success, and it empowers students to enter graduate and professional programs in STEM disciplines.