- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Moore Named Director of Undergraduate Research and Mentoring

John Hill — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 13:19:38 +0000

Dr. Michael Moore has been named the director of undergraduate research and mentoring at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Moore has an extensive background in science education, peer mentoring, and inclusion. He already runs two important student success programs – Learning Assistants Program and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation – at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. In his new expanded role, Moore will continue to oversee these programs as well as take on oversight of undergraduate research. As part of these new responsibilities, he will continue building upon the success of the Signature Experience Program, which is designed to provide undergraduate students access to the high-impact learning experiences afforded by research and creative endeavors. “I am excited to take on this role and build on Dr. Jeremy Ecke’s work. I would also like to thank Deans Brian Berry and Larry Whitman for all their work in creating this position,” Moore said. “A unifying theme for the programs I will oversee is skill development and mentoring, both of which I am passionate about developing in students.” Moore joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2021 to coordinate the Learning Assistants Program in the STEM Education Center. The program is designed to train and equip undergraduate students to teach and guide other undergraduates through difficult courses. In February 2022, Moore was appointed as the director of the Arkansas Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation, which aims to increase the number of underrepresented minority students in STEM disciplines. “This campus has a long and vibrant history of research and mentoring, and I look forward to partnering with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty, staff, and students to get involved in and develop more opportunities for research and mentoring across our campus,” he said. “I encourage anyone to reach out if they are interested or want more information.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Geology Student Selected for U.S.-Mexican Research Program

John Hill — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 14:52:49 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student is participating in a unique U.S.-Mexican collaborative research opportunity that combines digital field mapping techniques with state-of-the-art laboratory analytical work on the tectonic evolution of the Santa Rosalía basin area in the Gulf of California rift. Mariela Saavedra Duran, a double major in geology and Spanish from Alexander, Arkansas, was chosen for the , which is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation as an International Research Experiences for Students program. During the first part of the trip, Duran spent three weeks in January conducting field research in Baja California, Mexico. Student researchers study rocks, sediments, and landforms in basins of the Santa Rosalía area mentored by faculty from University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of California-Davis, University of Oregon, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Indiana Geological & Water Survey, and Mexican collaborators from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur and Universidad de Guanajuato. Duran joined a group studying tectonic geomorphology, while other research teams studied volcanology, mining, mineralogy, and basin analysis. Duran used GIS mapping software to map out different terraces across the region. The Santa Rosalía basin area was selected because it is one of the few places in the world where volcanic and marine sedimentary sequences and large uplifted Quaternary terraces can be used to understand the processes involved in the progressive stages of continental breakup. Because of the rapid tectonic motion in the Gulf of California rift, the Santa Rosalía basin area is a site where the stratigraphic history and processes of deformation can be studied in detail with exceptional exposures and accessible outcrops. “I’ve only had two geology courses before this research experience, so I had a lot of learning along the way,” Duran said. “I am grateful that I had this field research experience, because now I am able to use my knowledge from that research trip and connect it to what I am learning in my classes today.”

Mariela Saavedra Duran

During the second part of the project, Duran and her fellow student researchers will spend four weeks this summer at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. They will compile and draft field data, collect and analyze lab data, and prepare and present an abstract and poster on their research. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Duran is also a member of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and Chancellor’s Leadership Corps as well as the Learning Assistants Program, where she worked in Dr. Laura Ruhl’s physical geology classes. She plans to graduate in 2023 and then pursue graduate school. Duran has been interested in geology ever since she was a child. “Geology students all love to be outside and interact with nature,” Duran said. “It takes me back to when I was a child, and it’s really interesting and intriguing.” Duran is grateful for her experience with the Baja Basins program for giving her the opportunity to work with people like her who are passionate about geology. “Before this research, I felt a little lost because I didn’t see a lot of Latinos majoring in geology,” Duran said. “I enjoyed collaborating with my Latino mentors and a university student from Mexico. They supported me and helped me understand that other people like me work as geologists. It’s still one of my hopes to see more Latinos pursuing geology. I don’t want other people like me to feel alone in geology like I did. This research experience helped me realize that geology is my thing and it’s what I want to do with my life.”

Moore Dedicated to Helping Students Succeed in New Role as Director of Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation Program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 14:28:38 +0000

Dr. Michael Moore, of Benton, grew up watching his father bring out the best in students as a college professor. It’s no surprise that Moore followed in his father’s footsteps. “My father was a biology teacher in college that researched education, and my mother worked as a secretary for the music department,” Moore said. “I grew up around college students. My father really modeled how students can be supported by more than teaching. He always wanted the best for his students, and the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.” Moore came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2021 to coordinate the Learning Assistants Program in the STEM Education Center. Learning assistants are peer mentors that are trained to help students understand class material using evidence-based practices like facilitated group work. Moore started a similar program while working in a postdoctoral teaching fellowship in STEM education at Baylor University, so the role seemed like a perfect fit. In addition to being the coordinator of the Learning Assistants Program, Moore now has a dual role and has been appointed as the director of the Arkansas Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation (ARK-LSAMP) program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “I am excited to have Dr. Moore as the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock LSAMP director,” said Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost of research and dean of the Graduate School. “In addition to his expertise with peer mentoring, Dr. Moore is also studying inclusion in STEM disciplines and is part of several national initiatives to increase inclusion in STEM. His experience and passion for inclusion will be instrumental to the success of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock LSAMP program.” Nine universities and colleges in Arkansas participate in the program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation and aims to increase the number of underrepresented minority students in STEM disciplines. “The LSAMP program helps minority students find their path to graduate school and successful careers,” Moore said. “I recently attended a virtual LSAMP meeting hosted by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and it feels like we have a family of educators who are dedicated to supporting students across the state of Arkansas. I appreciate the opportunity to lift up students to the best of my ability.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s LSAMP program has approximately 30 students. Participants attend a six-week summer institute that helps incoming freshmen make a seamless transition into college. During college, they receive a scholarship along with academic advising and mentoring, professional development opportunities, and faculty-mentored research experiences. “One of the things I’ve enjoyed the most about the Learning Assistant Program is mentoring students,” Moore said. “This new role allows me to mentor more students and help them find their paths, whether that be grad school or the next step in their career. This program puts mentoring first.”

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Moore Named Director of Undergraduate Research and Mentoring

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Geology Student Selected for U.S.-Mexican Research Program

Moore Dedicated to Helping Students Succeed in New Role as Director of Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation Program at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Geology Student Selected for U.S.-Mexican Research Program

Moore Dedicated to Helping Students Succeed in New Role as Director of Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation Program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock