Mendi Marquez was born in southern New Mexico, where she graduated high school and the New Mexico Junior College, but was also raised in California and Colorado as her parents worked in the construction field requiring her family to move often. At one point she attended 4 different schools within a single year, but what remained common in all four were the STEM curriculums. She excelled early on within STEM classes, but never thought that a career would come of it. Mendi participated in Upward bound during high school at the prodding of school counselors which helped bridge the college and STEM gap. Those who knew her in high school are not surprised by the career path she has taken, but as a first-generation immigrant and college student, every step after high school has been foreign. It has been a surreal experience having the opportunity to complete a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and M.S. in Materials Engineering at New Mexico Tech. During her undergraduate, Mendi was awarded the Alliance for Minority Participation scholarship leading to her research introduction with Dr. Michaelann Tartis’ on the characterization of novel compounds in drug delivery vehicles.
For her master’s training, Mendi continued to work with Dr. Michaelann Tartis, further expanding her skillset within tissue culture, medicinal chemistry, and in vitro ultrasound triggered drug delivery applications. This work led to a first-author publication in which she received the Langmuir Award from New Mexico Tech. From her academic studies and research experiences Mendi has developed a transdisciplinary background in biomaterials and drug delivery techniques. Having the opportunity of pursuing a PhD in Biotechnology in the Chemical Engineering department under Dr. Michaelann Tartis’ guidance is one of those rare opportunities of a lifetime in Mendi’s opinion. Why? Because working with someone like Dr. Michaelann Tartis whom inspires a passionate work ethic by imparting kindness and compassion is what separates Dr. Tartis from other mentors.
Mendi’s research has developed into a multi-institutional interdisciplinary project focused on utilizing ultrasound for the therapeutic enhancement of inoperable or rare cancers. Recently, Mendi had the privilege of giving an oral presentation encompassing a manuscript in preparation at the Acoustical Society of America’s winter meeting in Seattle, WA made possible by the meetings travel subsidy contribution and New Mexico Tech’s Graduate Student Association travel grant. From past and future opportunities, Mendi aspires to become an independent researcher focused on contributing to the advancement of therapeutic applications and hopes to inspire others with their career aspirations.
|
