Pathways to STEM 2026
January 2026
Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, and in collaboration with Citrus College, Oak Crest Institute of Science hosted Pathways to STEM undergraduate students in its student incubator.
The students, guided by a team of excellent peer mentors, self organized to explore the biome of the human nasopharynx.
Working under BSL-2 conditions, the students learned microbiological and biochemical methods and were able to isolate important human pathogens.
Participants: Alyssa Altamirano, Ashley De La Cruz, Ethan Ensign, Ivan Delgardo, Janelle Sackey, Layli Mackani, Leslie Huerta, Luis Limiac-Madrid, Madison Pangelinan, Neeah Mira, Phyliss Battaglia, Sam Wilde
Peer Mentors: Alexa Medel-Barradas, Berenice Rosales
Students also learned a variety of microscopy techniques
Gram-stained cheek cells with attached Gram-positive cocci
Resin-embedded cheek cell sections stained with Richardson stain