![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2019\/08\/McNair300x200-300x200.jpg\")
The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement program is a federal TRIO programnamed for the pioneering African American astronaut. He earned his doctorate in laser physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was the second African American to fly in space. He lost his life when the space shuttle Challenger exploded during takeoff in 1986.<\/p>\n
Congress established the program in his honor in 1991 to support low-income\/first-generation college students from historically underrepresented groups in pursuing a research-based doctoral degree.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were one of the first programs funded by the Department of Education,\u201d said Ramona Tenorio, director of the UWM McNair Scholars Program. While the program serves undergraduate juniors and seniors at UWM, it is part of the Graduate School.<\/p>\n
At the August reception, 14 McNair Scholars presented their research on topics ranging from women\u2019s experience with chronic homelessness to tracking of mobile robots. The scholars work year-round with their UWM faculty mentors conducting research and developing presentations for the McNair National Conference, which will be at Baylor University in Austin, Texas, this year.<\/p>\n
During the academic term, scholars attend colloquia, prepare applications for graduate school and fellowships, and take the McNair Research Methods course in spring. \u00a0As part of their preparation, \u201cwe travel to graduate schools for visits,\u201d said Tenorio, including visits to the University of Minnesota, University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,<\/p>\n
Each year the program supports 30 McNair Scholars. Currently, 13 of them are graduating seniors, according to Kao Yang, McNair advisor. While the focus is on supporting and encouraging scholars to go on to graduate school, research is also a key part of the preparation, Tenorio said. As a result, the UWM McNair Scholars Program works in close collaboration with the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Support for Undergraduate Research Fellows program to encourage and support students.<\/p>\n
The McNair Scholars who presented at this year\u2019s awards ceremony and their mentors were:<\/p>\n
Rin Nguyen\/Nadya Fouad, educational psychology and Romila Singh, organizations and strategic management;<\/p>\n
Ruben Prado\/Nadya Fouad, educational psychology;<\/p>\n
Katalina Cha\/Hobart Davies, psychology;<\/p>\n
Janet Lagunez-Garcia\/Christine Larson, psychology<\/p>\n
Patricia Mendoza\/Christine Larson, psychology<\/p>\n
Isaac Ngui\/Mohammad R. Rahman, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering<\/p>\n
Paul Espinoza-Kissell\/Karyn Frick, psychology<\/p>\n
Taylor Beecher\/Shawn Cahill, psychology<\/p>\n
Margarita Garcia-Rojas\/Aims McGuiness, history<\/p>\n
Maixee Yang\/Shama Mirzra, chemistry and biochemistry<\/p>\n
Emily Crain-Castle\/Paru Shah, political science<\/p>\n
Ciera Oglesby\/James Moyer, psychology<\/p>\n
Madeline Allen\/Gwat-Yong Lie, social work<\/p>\n
Amber Joshway\/Paru Shah, political science<\/p>\n