Main content
School of Natural and Social Sciences

Purchase College Bridges Students Win Awards at Biomedical Research Conference

The Purchase College Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program provides support to underrepresented students studying science.

Dr. Mark Jonas, Associate Professor of Biology and Bridges Program Associate Director, and Dr. Chelsea Keesler, Bridges Program Coordinator, accompanied four Bridges students to Anaheim, CA November 9-13 for the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS).

Each student gave a poster presentation on the research they conducted in the eight-week Summer 2022 Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program (funded by NIH).

Two students, Ruth-Ann Gordon (Dutchess County Community College) and Mauro David Cortina (Sullivan County Community College), were recognized with outstanding presentation awards. David is planning to transfer to Purchase College. The students are preparing applications for future summer research opportunities.

At the conference, over 3000 students from more than 300 colleges and universities participated in poster and oral presentations in twelve STEM disciplines.

From left to right: Dr. Chelsea Keesler, Bridges Program Coordinator; Nya Sanchez, Orange Community College (Research Mentor: Dr. Elliott Abrams, Biology); Ruth-Ann Gordon, Dutchess Community College (Research Mentor: Dr. Frank Bellevue, Chemistry); Mauro David Cortina, Sullivan County Community College (Research Mentor: Dr. Krystal Perkins, Psychology); Chloe McDonald, Purchase College, SUNY, (Research Mentor: Dr. Jim Daly, Biology); Dr. Mark Jonas, Associate Professor of Biology and Bridges Program Associate Director.