Pomales-García, Cristina D.
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Publication A successful pre-college nanotechnology experience for low-income students (evaluation)(2018-06-24) Pomales-García, Cristina D.; College of Engineering; Department of Industrial EngineeringIn three years, the Nanotechnology Center at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez Campus (UPRM) has impacted with science and engineering activities a total of 1,512 Hispanic pre-college students (967 female students) from 23 low-income public schools. Socioeconomic data from the Puerto Rico Department of Education show that, on average, 73% of the participating students belong to low-serving communities under the poverty level. This pre-college program promotes and supports Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Clubs at middle and high schools with a myriad of individualized activities in Materials Science, Nanotechnology and Engineering. Each club hosts four annual visits from the Nanotechnology Center’s students and faculty, who deliver hands-on activities on applications of nanotechnology and materials science concepts. Two annual events crown the intervention: a) an annual club meeting at the university campus, and b) a Nanodays event, where each club conducts nanotechnology demonstrations at their own schools. Furthermore, a group of high school students and teachers is selected to participate in a 4-week Summer Research Program, in the Center’s laboratories. College admissions data show that 75% (N=12) of the research summer program participants and 42% of students admitted from schools with MSE clubs have enrolled at UPRM, with a 94% second-year retention rate. For the schools with MSE clubs, between 49% and 75% of students who chose to major in Science, Engineering or Technology programs were active MSE Club members. The present work describes the structure and activities of the pre-college program, and presents the model for the annual club meeting and the summer program with corresponding assessment results.Publication Design, impact and best practices for a graduate research and innovation center(2019-06-16) Ayala-González, Hilda T.; Alvarez, Jaquelina E.; Pomales-García, Cristina D.; Academic Affairs; General LibrarySince 2009, the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez (UPRM) implemented several assessment strategies to identify services and infrastructure to meet the needs of graduate students and faculty researchers. In general, results revealed the need for developing information literacy skills, technological infrastructure and physical facilities for collaboration. More specifically, assessment findings showed that researchers: (1) identified a need for assistance with technical writing, communication skills, search strategies, and ethical use of information; (2) expected new services encompassing data management, authorship, copyright, and organizing, sharing, and preserving information in the digital environment; and (3) needed a collaborative space where teaching and research services coincided. A grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, has enabled the UPRM to facilitate research services across campus, broadening graduate offering in engineering programs and sustaining the research and innovation ecosystem across the entire research lifecycle. This award allowed the design and inauguration of the Graduate Research and Innovation Center (GRIC) in 2016, transforming the way the Library intervenes in our institution's research ecosystem. Overall, the GRIC provides (1) a holistic suite of services in which students can be referred to specialists, knowledgeable in the proper technology or content development expertise; (2) a robust technological infrastructure to support interdisciplinary and interactive collaborations; and (3) support to graduate students’ needs as both information consumers and information producers. By design, the GRIC has become a testbed for activities that facilitate the implementation of the Association of College & Research Libraries’ Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. The paper will describe the design process for the GRIC, its impact in a two-year period, and the services offered at the Center with best practices and lessons learned in the process, that directly impact the research lifecycle.Publication Impact of Materials Science and Engineering Clubs on student’s perceptions and aspirations towards STEM(Material Research Society, 2018-08-28) Pomales-García, Cristina D.; Reyes-Rivera, Zairelys; Mercado-Coon, Johana; Padovani Blanco, Agnes M.; Suárez, O. Marcelo; Alvarez, Jaquelina E.; College of Engineering; Department of Industrial EngineeringThis research evidences the impact of Materials Science and Engineering Clubs as an outreach effort to expand the education and training required for a competitive Nanotechnology workforce beyond traditional STEM areas. An engineering perception questionnaire was implemented as a pre-test/post-test to track student perceptions and goals throughout the academic year and identify trends amongst gender and school level groups. Findings (107 students) show a perceived increase in student knowledge and interest for different fields of study, based on pre/post-test responses, with differences amongst gender and school level groups (middle school and high school). Also, significant differences in students’ aspirations for higher education degree were found among school level and gender. Results show that over 20% of participants increased their aspirations to higher educational degree and their interest in pursuing STEM degrees at end of the academic year. Specific findings on engineering perceptions and perceived level of knowledge and interest in science, engineering, materials, and nanotechnology as a result of club participation and student’s educational aspirations, expectations and future study plans are discussed along with implications for future STEM education.Publication Fostering Students’ Graduate Education Attainment and Success in Biomedical and Aerospace Engineering and Sustainable AgricultureÁlvarez, Jaquelina E.; Suárez, O. Marcelo; Didier M., Valdés-Díaz; Pomales-García, Cristina D.; González-Gill, Lizzette; Juan-García, Eduardo J.; Academic Affairs; General LibraryThe Transformational Initiative for Graduate Education and Research (TIGER) of the University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez upraises the institutional STEM environment, by cultivating experiential learning and field research for low-income graduate students working in biomedical and aerospace engineering, and sustainable agriculture. The project enhanced curricular activities by funding three new core research facilities: i) Center for Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine; ii) Center of Advanced Aerospace Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies; and iii) Thermal Processing Laboratory. TIGER also defrayed an expansion of the field research facilities of the Alzamora Educational Farm and the Graduate Research and Innovation Center (GRIC), a technology-infused, collaborative learning space. Furthermore, TIGER supports cohorts of low-income graduate students (fellows) broadening their preparation for an increasingly competitive job market. They, as key stakeholders, receive personalized guidance and tutoring through the GRIC services. In addition, UPRM students enhance their graduate training in research venues via the Extramural Research Experience Awards that funds summer investigation in renowned universities and national laboratories in the mainland. As they return, recently acquired knowledge advances research approaches in their UPRM mentors’ teams.Publication Design of an ergonomic coffee basket to increase worker productivity and comfort(2017-03-02) Martínez Velazquez, Iraida N.; Moreno Hernández, Amanda D.; Pomales-García, Cristina D.; College of Engineering; Department of Industrial EngineeringIn 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a total number of recordable cases of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses of 5.5 out of 100 workers in Crop Production. Still, many factors may undermine the injuries and Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD’s) suffered by farmers, as national statistics show that only 4 to 10% of farms are subject to the OSHA reporting requirements because they employ less than 11 workers. Previous attempts to design a coffee harvesting basket showed no effects on productivity, a small reduction on worker-reported pain, increased strain on upper back and shoulders, and increased muscle activity. Our work aims to design a coffee harvesting basket with supporting mechanisms to increase productivity and comfort, focusing on the needs of puerto rican workers. Impacts in worker strain and comfort will be assessed using mixed methods approach (i.e. pressure sensors, biomechanical analysis and questionnaires). With the proposed basket design and harvesting methods improvement, we expect an increase in productivity, comfort and reduction in worker strain. Basket design ideas will assess the form, fit, weight, support and related work methods to empty the basket. A preliminary study showed evidence of stress on the worker’s shoulders and backs due to carrying a 30 pound bucket and 90 pound bag, excessive over the shoulder movements during harvesting due to the coffee bush height, and coffee beans lost due to unreachable branches, reducing worker productivity. Evidence of upper body postural evaluation suggested further investigation and changes are required to reduce worker risks, and the development of MSD's. This work in process will document the design methodology to create a coffee harvesting basket, along with the methodology to evaluate its impact. We would like to acknowledge the support of workers in Hacienda Candelaria in Yauco who participated in the preliminary study.Publication An industrial engineering design experience reflecting upon moral development and well-being(2017) Pomales-García, Cristina D.; Papadopoulos, Christopher; College of Engineering; Department of Industrial EngineeringTypical design projects in the Industrial Engineering (IE) curriculum use a systematic process improvement methodology to solve problems for the manufacturing or service industries, where students have an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained through coursework in a real-world environment. While these projects are often assessed in terms of technical efficiency and course outcomes, less often do they assess experiential dimensions, such as the students’ reflections on the process, their engagement with the people involved (i.e. workers, users, affected communities), or their commitment towards ethical values and social responsibility. This work describes the reflections about a non-traditional junior year design experience, for a group of 45 industrial engineering students who worked in 13 teams, and completed a set of self-reflection discussion questions as part of the post-project experience evaluation. A participatory design experience in local coffee farms provided a novel and positive experience, helping students to better understand the IE profession and its scope. Content analysis framework was used to: summarize the students’ responses into trends and common ideas, quantify the impact of the experience, and uncover common themes across student responses. Findings show that the experience was novel for students, they envisioned how Industrial Engineers (IEs) can influence society and well-being, and that the project positively impacted their skills, knowledge, as well as their personal and professional development. The reflections show that 49% of students believed that the proposed recommendations in their project impact well-being, and more than 30% perceived that IEs could influence society and well-being through creating safer working environments. Findings show strong evidence that the experience helped students gain a better understanding of ergonomic-related applications within the IE field. Students perceived that the project helped them refine or develop teamwork, communication, critical thinking and interpersonal skills, as well as intuition, empathy, commitment, and leadership. Results also show students’ engagement at three different levels of moral development, including value realization, prevention and integration, as well as insights from a perspective of capabilities approach and social well-being with an emphasis on bodily health. Rubrics for project proposal, final written report and poster are included as part of the documentation for the project evaluation.