STEM PATHWAYS PROGRAM

CURRENT PATHWAY SCHOLARS

STEM Pathways logo with red and gray letters.

San Diego State University 

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium length brown hair up to their shoulder. Has a small beard and a mustache. Wearing black frame round glasses. Wearing a button up shirt blue and white with a black undershirt underneath.

Enrique Acosta

Major: Geology

Headshot of scholar. White and grey background with lights. Has short thick black hair. is smiling with teeth. Has thin black facial hair and a mustache. Is wearing a pink and black striped shirt.

Ahmed Ahmed

Major: Electrical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black wavy hair up to their ears. Is wearing a white and blue button up collar shirt. Has a small closed smile with a light black mustache.

Carlos Ivan Akerlundh 

Major:  Electrical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has black medium size dreads for hair. Scholar is tall has thick black eyebrows and black facial hair on his cheeks. The facial hair connects as a goatee on the face. Wearing a striped blue and white button up inner shirt. On top of the inner shirt they wear a black SDSU sweater. SDSU is in red letters on the sweater

James Allison

Major:  Electrical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium length bright blue hair, red lipstick. They are wearing a black long sleeve shirt and a necklace with a silver pendant. They have black eyeliner and red lips

Evelyn Barouch

Major: Biology

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium length curly brown hair. Wearing square clear glasses. Has hazel eyes and is smiling with no teeth a slight smile. Wearing a blue coat and light brown and black t- shirt inside jacket

Andres Cadena Perales

Major: Computer Science 

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short wavy black hair that is combed to the side of their face. Is wearing a white polka dotted button up shirt with a black undershirt underneath. Over their clothes they are wearing a grey patterned sweater. Has a closed smile and a tiny mole above their lip.

Owen Chavira

Major: Electrical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has black short hair, gold earrings and is wearing a white turtle neck and pink blazer

Ana Paula-Diaz Dominguez

Major: Environmental Science

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium length brown hair. Freckles. Wearing a black button up polo shirt

Chase Duncan

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black hair with brown highlights. Has a big smile and is smiling with teeth. Is wearing a navy jacket with a white and stripe around the collar.

Cesar Edeza

Major: Biology

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has wavy black hair that comes up to the ears. Wearing a dark purple button up shirt with a blue shirt underneath. Wears a chain necklace tucked inside blue inner shirt.

Hector Estrada

Major: Computer Science

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has long black hair and wearing a bright pink button up shirt with a black blazer

Kyara Gandara

Major: Mechanical Engineering (Graduate) 

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium black length layered hair with bangs split to the side. The bangs are blond highlights. Is smiling with teeth and is wearing soft brown lipstick with lipgloss. Wearing a white button up shirt and a brown shirt is underneath the white shirt. Has long black lashes.

Jia Gapuz

Major: Computer Science

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium length dyed auburn hair. Wearing a button up black shirt. Has a loop nose earring and the top of her ear pierced with a bar and ball earring

Sandra Gil

Major: Biology

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has black short hair, gold earrings and is wearing a black turtle neck and blue sweater vest.

Amy Gonzalez

Major: Electrical Engineering 

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium brown with blonde highlights in their hair. Hair is split down the middle. Wearing a black ruffly shirt with a white undershirt. Has a big smile. Is wearing a silver necklace with a pendant. Also has a tiny nose ring.

Claudia Gonzalez

Major: Electrical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has long black hair with dark eyes and clean shaped eye brows.Wearing a black shirt. Has a big smile . They also have a nose ring on the left side and is wearing a thin silver necklace.

Andrea Sabrina Guarin

Major: Civil Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium ear length black wavy hair. Hair is split down the middle. Has a tiny ring earring in their right ear. Is wearing a buttoned down striped blue and white shirt. Is smiling with a closed smile.

Adriel Guerrero

Major: Computer Science

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has long curly black hair and facial hair. Wearing a light blue button up shirt

Johnathan Guerrero

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black hair. Has a small black goatee. Wearing a blue sweater with a hood towards his back. Grey shirt inside hoodie. Silver chain around their neck.

Alfredo Maldonado

Major: Biology

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black wavy hair. Has thick black eyebrows. The Scholar is smiling no teeth. They are wearing a dark blue two piece suit with a white button up shirt underneath the suit. Is wearing a light pink tie and a light pink pocket square coming out of the pocket.

Gonzalo Morales

Major: Electrical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black hair and is wearing a light blue button up shirt with a blue and white patterned tie

Justin Pudiquet

Major: Computer Science

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black hair and is wearing clear reading glasses and a purple button up shirt

Fernando Quintana

Major: Statistics

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar is bald, has facial hair, and is wearing a white patterned button up shirt with a black tie

Conor Ring

Major: Aerospace Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium length brownish black hair. Top of hair curls over forehead. Wearing a dark blue suit jacket with a light blue button up shirt underneath and a striped tie with dark blue and light blue. Has a small light mustache.

Richard Ryan

Major: Astronomy

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has thick black short hair. Wearing a button up black floral shirt with brown and light brown flowers. Is wearing white shaded glasses that are oval shaped.

Jose Segura

Major: Geology

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind the scholar. Has medium long brown wavy hair. Is wearing a pin striped black suit jacket with a black and white polka dotted undershirt.

Jennifer Severance

Major: Biology

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium brownish red length layered hair with bangs split to the side. Is smiling with no teething wears soft red lipstick. Wearing a black leather jacket with a white fur color. Wears a black shirt inside and has a gold necklace around their neck

Melissa Sicairos Bobadilla

Major: Biology

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black hair with some grey hairs. Has a black goatee and clean cut facial hair. Has some neck hair stubs. Is wearing a light blue button up shirt with a white cotton t-shirt underneath. They have thick black eyebrows.

Aj Straight

Major: Computer Science

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has black hair and also facial hair. Wearing a black button up shirt with a gold chain necklace

Isaac Torres

Major: Biology

Headshot of scholar with black hair in a bun. Wearing a white dress shirt with white puffy lacy flower sleeves. Has a

Grace Viljoen

Major: Biology

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has long black curly hair and wearing a black thick cloth headband. Is wearing a black shirt with a grey knitted blazer. Wearing a gold necklace with a gold pinwheel like pendant

Naomi Webb

Major: Aerospace Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short clean cut black hair with curly bangs. Has thick black clean eyebrows. The Scholar is smiling big with teeth. They are wearing a brown button up shirt with a white cotton shirt underneath the brown shirt

Omar Zamora

Major: Aerospace Engineering

San Diego City College

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium length black curly hair. is combed to one side. Is wearing a black button up collar shirt. Has a big smile with a closed mouth.

Alyn Acosta

Major: Chemistry

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar short black hair with bangs that go up. Thick eyebrows. Is smiling with teeth. Has a tiny mole above their lip. Wearing a dark blue patterned suit with a black undershirt underneath. Wears a silver chained necklace.

Adrian Alaniz

Major: Civil Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium black hair that is dreaded. Hair length comes hangs down by eyes. Is wearing a black hooded sweater with the hood hanging on the back of their neck. Smiling with teeth. Has a birth mark on his right cheek.

Nile Celaya

Major: Electrical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has long brown hair, red lipstick. They are wearing a white collar shirt with a pink sweater on top.

Brittany Formath

Major: Aerospace Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black clean cut buzzed hair. Has a big smile with teeth. Has thin black eyebrows. Wearing a diamond stud earring on one ear. Wearing a button up dark blue with white title patterns throughout shirt. Has a silver thicker chain necklace and a thin longer gold chain

Erica Gaddis

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has medium shoulder length light brown hair. Is wearing a light purple button up collar shirt. Wearing two black necklaces. Has light brown facial hair. Has a slight smile. Has two small hoop earrings.

Juan Jose

Major: Biology

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black with some grey hair. Has a black and gray beard covering the lower half of his face. Is wearing a white button up shirt with a red tie.

Esteban Naranjo

Major: Computer Science

Southwestern Community College

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has black hair that is pulled back in a pony tail. Has thick eyebrows. Wearing a black dress coat with a red button up shirt underneath. Is smiling big with teeth.

Jia Lae Barangan

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black wavy hair. combed to one side. Is wearing a white button up collar shirt with a blue and black suit coat. . Has a big smile with a mustache. They aslo have two stud earrings.

Eduardo Bonilla

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Scholar is bald with small patches of black hair on top and on side. Has a grey and white goatee and 1 dimple. Smiling with no teeth. Wearing a brown button up shirt with a white cotton undershirt underneath

Enrique Campos

Major:  Mechanical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black wavy hair. Is wearing a white button up collar shirt with a blue patterned tie. Has a big smile with a mustache.

Angel Frutos

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black hair with thick bangs split in the middle. Wearing a black button down shirt. with a white undershirt. Has a big smile

Akira Garcia

Major: Biology 

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short wavy black hair. Is wearing a white shirt and a silver chained necklace.Has a closed smile.

Francisco Silva

Major: Civil Engineering 
Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has long dark brown auburn hair. Their hair is hanging over their shoulder. Is wearing a light pink suit coat and inside they are wearing a black inner shirt. Has soft pink lipstick.

Martha Turner

Major: Biochemistry 

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has short black hair with hair combed to one side. Wearing a black button down shirt. Has a big smile, facial hair, and black square framed glasses.

Jose Velasquez

Major: Chemistry

Headshot of scholar. Green plants behind scholar. Scholar has long black curled hair parted in the middle of face. They are wearing a black silk button up shirt with a black shirt underneath. Has light pink lipstick and is smiling with teeth. Wears a gold chained necklace

Iliana Villasenor

Major: Mechanical Engineering 

Scholar Accomplishments

STEM Pathways Scholars 23 in total and 3 staff members stand in front of the room screen to take a picture.

Summer 2024:  This summer on July 26,  we had 23 scholars attend and present their research at the SDSU STEM Pathways Research Symposium! Scholars were placed with SDSU mentors and faculty to help in their research labs! Great job scholars!

Scholar stands in between plants with a black and white SDSU cap and glasses. She tips her hat! Clear blue skies with the mountain is in the background. Scholar wears a white shirt with a patterned yellow shirt on top. She has white shoes and a balck watch and her black purse hangs over her shoulder. This picture was taken in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Summer 2024: Ana Paula Diaz Dominguez was part of two internships funded by the USDA. She was able to travel to Oaxaca for 2 weeks and participate in the study of migration from the south of Mexico to the north part of Mexico. When returning home she worked in Dr. Love’s lab helping with the research of Black soldier Fly larvae as an alternative food source for livestock.

STEM Pathways Scholar is tabling at the Collins Aerospace table. Scholar stands in front of the table wearing a black polo from Collins Aerospace and brown khakis.

Summer 2024: Justin Pudiquet spent the summer, at Collins Aerospace, Rockford, IL,  as a Cybersecurity Software Engineering Intern at Collins Aerospace, where he contributed to key cybersecurity projects. Using Python, he focused on generating Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) with CycloneDX, enhancing supply chain security and transparency. This experience aligns with his passion for Embedded Systems and Cybersecurity, showcasing his commitment to innovative solutions in the aerospace industry.

Kyara Gandara for a summer internship is taking a picture with 4 other mentors from NIWC

Summer 2024: Kyara Gandara partook two mechanical engineering projects during her time in NIWC. She oversaw the material list as well as the meetings conducted with the RESTORE lab, a group of Electrical Engineers specializing in Solar Energy and Power lines. For project 1,  she had the role of designing a Portable Solar Charging Station for the SEAS Unit, a machine that extracts water from oxygen. This was done for the OASIS Lab, an Environmental Engineering Lab focusing on Oceanography. The goal is to provide soldiers and civilians with self- sustaining drinkable water for all terrains and disaster aid. For project 2, she had the assignment of designing a mounting hardware instruction manual for a power pole autonomous system. The instruction manual is dedicated to soldiers who need visual aid in assembling the mounting hardware. The autonomous system minimizes blackout damage

STEM Pathway Scholar Daniela Santibanez wears a black pantsuit with a light blue collar button up shirt, white dress shoes. Around her neck she wears a medallion and holds up her award for winning the Student Distinction Award (SODA) at Southwestern College in the spring of 2024. This award is considered the highest award granted to a Southwestern College Student. Only 20 students are selected each year! She stands in front of a SWC sign that says Students Awards Ceremony.

Spring 2024: Congrats to scholar Daniela Santibanez! She won the Student of Distinction Award (SODA) at Southwestern Community College. This award is considered the highest award granted to a Southwestern College Student. Only 20 students are selected each year!

STEM Pathways and IRACDA scholar from San Diego City College presents their research poster at ABRCMS 2023. The poster is green and white and is about Exploring DNA Recombination: The identification of the Hop1-CBR and Histone H3k4me3 Interaction. They are wearing a black button down shirt with a white undershirt underneath. Has glasses and light reddish hair and a beard.

Fall 2023: STEM Pathway and IRACDA SAN Diego City College scholar, Jesse Larid presents their research poster at ABCRMS in Phoenix, Arizona on November 15- 18th. At this conference, Jesse won the ABRCMS Poster Presentation in the category of Biochemisty for Community College. Congrats Jesse, we are so proud of you!

2023 N Di STEM SACNAS Conference. 12 people from the STEM Pathways Program both staff and scholars stand in front of main stage with their SACNAS conference badges hanging from their neck.The background is of diverse people coming together in front of the SACNAS logo 50th anniversary 1973- 2023.

Fall 2023: STEM Pathways Scholars and Staff attend the SACNAS 2023 NDiSTEM Conference held in Portland, Oregan on October 26- October 28th. In this picture, the STEM Pathways Program takes a picture with the SACNAS Executive Director, Juan Amador. We are so proud of our scholars as we had 11 scholars present their research posters! From Left to right: Juan Amador, Melani Soto, Dr. Stacy Ochoa Top row:  Issac Torres, AJ Straight, Brittany Fromlath, James Allison,Richard Ryan Bottom Row: Jesse Larid, Naomi Webb, Dr, Heather McGray, Justin Pudiquet

Industry Assessment Center Team with 6 people featured. A colorful rainbow background is behind the people. From left to right there is one male, one female, and then 4 other males. The fourth male is holding a white dog. All are wearing black polos and one is wearing a red polo.

Fall 2022: Oliver Casillas and Chase Duncan were hired from their summer research lab with Dr. Joaquin Camacho to work in the Industry Assessment Center (IAC). At the IAC the scholar’s help industries to reduce energy usage and save the company money.

Scholar presents a poster for SACNAS conference in Puerto Rico. Wearing a conference name badge around her neck and a button up black dress shirt and glasses. Dean Roberts stands next to her

Summer 2022: Roxana Nevarez presents her poster for the national SACNAS conference in Puerto Rico. Dean JeffreyT. Roberts from the SDSU College of Sciences stops by to hear the presentation.

STEM Pathways Scholar dressed in graduation black cap, SDSU medalion, and graduation sashes smiles big holding up a peace sign graduates from SDSU in May of 2024.

Spring 2024: Shaddy Elhamad is our first STEM Pathways Scholar to graduate from the very first STEM Pathways Cohort from San Diego State University with his Bachelor’s in Computer Science! Congrats Shaddy! Shaddy was a transfer student from San Diego City College.

At San Diego City College 3 scholars present at San Diego City College. There are a group of 8 people in the picture. They are all in dress clothes. The President of City College is waring a mask and The Dean of Sciences at City is also present.

Spring 2023: Julio Nunez (far right), Amy Gonzalez (third in from left) and Naomi Webb (fourth in from right) were awarded the Jim Sinegal $250.00 scholarship for presenting at San Diego City College. San Diego City College President, Dr. Ricky Shabazz and Dean Leticia
Lopez were present.

Scholar presents poster at ABRCMS Anaheim. Wearing a great pant suit and wears a conference name badge around their neck

Fall 2022: Amy Gonzalez presents her poster “Control of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) by Body Posture for the ABRCMS Conference in Anaheim, California

Scholar presenting at a Conference stands in front of computer. White name badge around the neck. Black curly hair. Red long sleeve shirt, black skirt, and black lace tights. Gold necklace

Fall 2022: Naomi Webb presents her poster for the American Astronomical Society Conference in Seattle Washington. The research title “Exploring the Epoch of Reionization: Verifying a Capacitive Displacement Sensor for the Ear-Spec on FYST.”

STEM Pathways logo with red and gray letters.

The STEM Pathways Program is supported by:

San Diego State University (SDSU) is a part of the California State University (CSU) system. SDSU follows CSU COVID-19 policies and requirements. For more information regarding SDSU and COVID-19 follow this link: https://sacd.sdsu.edu/student-health-services/covid-19