Claudia Flores (BS Physics 2000, MS Geophysics 2003)

Claudia Flores (BS Physics 2000, MS Geophysics 2003) on board a U.S. Geological Survey research vessel on a cruise around the island of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea. Claudia served as a scientist on the cruise, conducted in October 2006. The purpose of the cruise was to collect marine seismic reflection data to determine the location of active faults and landslide deposits off the coast of Puerto Rico. These data will help develop better earthquake and tsunami hazard models of the Puerto Rico region.

Djebrane, Mohammed; B.S., 1991

This was a banner year for Mohammed "Mo" Djebrane, a 6th grade teacher at Canyon Middle School here in El Paso. In January 2007, he was recognized and honored by the EPISD Board of Trustees as "Employee of the Month" for his hard work and diligence to make a difference in the lives of students. In April 2007, he was nominated as "Teacher of the Year". There are 10 finalists, 5 at the elementary level and 5 at the secondary level; Mo is one of the secondary five. The nominees were honored for their dedicated efforts to inspire and make a difference in the lives of EPISD’s youth. As if he weren't busy enough, "Mo" is a NSF GK-12 teacher participant. Each GK-12 fellow is paired with a middle school science teacher and spends 10 hours per week in that teacher’s classroom. The fellow is identified as a Science Mentor in the schools. In 2006, Mo once again participated in LiftOff Summer Institute at Johnson Space Center Space Camp for Educators during the summer in Huntsville, Alabama and was made leader of a team of 15 teachers. Due to his active participation, he was granted a scholarship to support and send a student of his choice to the Summer 2007 Space Camp. Three students will be attending the came this summer space camp, and has been raising additional funding for them. This is very exciting, because these children would not have this opportunity otherwise.

Dr. Paul Orajaka PhD in Geology, 1981 Vice Chancellor Of Anambra University, Uli, Nigeria

An emerging university that it trying to be the alternative tothe rot in education in Nigeria in less than five years of its inceptionand which has joined the league of the first generation universities inNigeria is Anambra State University of Science and Technology withits acronym ASUTECH with its main campus in Uli. This is becauseASUTECH under the current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Paul Orajaka, waslaid on solid foundation of academic and research excellence. Anothermilestone that stands her out is because ASUTECH has certainprograms that encourage liaisons with overseas students anduniversities. There are exchange programs in place. It also offers extra–mural and pre- degree programme, a strategy to encourage andfacilitate learning.

Professor Orajaka was trained at the prestigious University of Texas, El Paso in the United Statesof America. It is equally worthy of mention that Professor Orajaka has carved out a niche for himself. His selfless service contributed in no small measure in making Nnamdi Azikiwe University what it istoday. He had at various times headed the Department of Geology.

Dr. Wiemer, 2006 College of Science Gold Nugget

Klaus Wiemer grew up in Germany graduated from the German Air Force Academy in 1958. Upon graduation he was assigned to Germany’s first Nike Antiaircraft battalion training at Ft. Bliss. While in El Paso, he received both a B.S. and M.S. in physics from Texas Western College and met his wife, Stella Velasquez. He received a NASA fellowship to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and graduated in 1969 with a Ph.D. in theoretical solid-state physics.

Dr. Wiemer worked in the semiconductor industry for 37 years with Texas Instruments, Thomas Group Inc., and companies in Taiwan and Singapore. He currently works as an Independent Consultant in Microelectronics and Manufacturing and is a member of several technology boards in the United States and abroad. Dr. Wiemer enjoys fishing, skiing, and traveling, and is looking forward to his visit to El Paso.

Dr. Andy Y. Kwarteng, Director of the Sudan Qaboos University (SQU) Remote Sensing and GIS Centre

Andy works for the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. Some of his research projects have been the study of Kuwait’s Oil Lakes and Oil-Polluted Surfaces using Satellite Remote Sensing, analysis of satellite synthetic aperture radar images for environmental assessment and land-use mapping, and evaluation of RADARSAT synthetic aperture beam modes for characterizing desertification.

Most importantly, Andy is Director of the Sudan Qaboos University (SQU) Remote Sensing and GIS Centre. In February 2006, this new Centre of Excellence in satellite meteorology was commissioned at SQU, making it a significant boost for efforts to strengthen preparedness in dealing with potential weather-related natural disasters. The facility, jointly sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and EUMETSAT, is the seventh such WMO centre of excellence for satellite meteorological training to be established around the world. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) are also supporting the centre.

Dr. Kendra Rumbaugh, Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Born in Tucumcari, New Mexico, Kendra Rumbaugh graduated from UTEP in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology. Accepted to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, she earned a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology in 2001. Dr. Rumbaugh studied as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Anesthesia at the University of California at San Francisco in 2001-02, and as a fellow in the Department of Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center from 2002-04. She presently holds a joint appointment at TTUHSC in Lubbock as Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery and in the Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry. Dr. Rumbaugh is a member of the American Society for Microbiology, Women in Life Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Recent research and publications focus on pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in burn patients. Dr. Rumbaugh may be reached at kendra.rumbaugh@ttuhsc.edu.

Dr. Keelung Hong, Recipient of the 13th Technology Innovation Award

A native of rural Taichung, Dr. Hong received his undergraduate degree in chemistry at Taiwan Cheng Kung University, his Masters in chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso, and his Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley. He went on to do postdoctoral research at Stanford University and was a research scientist at the University of California, San Francisco for twenty years.

Capt. Arturo Bravo, D.D.S. Recipient of the 2005 Gold Nugget Award
B.S. Biology 1979

Arturo Bravo is an El Paso native son who has combined a UTEP education ad a childhood in bicultural communities to improve the health and lives and children and adults in medically underserved communities. Dr. Bravo has a 20-year career as a practicing dentist among migrant worker families and in community clinics and he holds the rank of Captain in the United States Public Health Service. Several of Dr. Bravo's brothers and sisters have earned college degrees here at UTEP. After graduating from El Paso's Austin High School, Arturo attended UTEP on a baseball scholarship where he played second base for Andy Cohen. He was named All-Conference and All-WAC. He majored in biology and minored in chemistry, graduated in 1979, and entered the University of Southern California where he earned the doctor of dentistry degree in 1983.