MENDOZA, Juan

Statement of interest

Being a member of the ASBMB Nominating Committee would be a wonderful opportunity for me to be an integral part of the ASBMB and be able to provide service to the ASBMB and the broader scientific community.

As an assistant professor at the University of Chicago, I am committed to promoting and educating about the molecular nature of life. As part of this commitment, I am passionate about making education in STEM accessible to everyone and inspiring future generations of scientists. For me, this includes active participation in community outreach and societies such as the ASBMB.

As a newer member of ASBMB, and having attended the annual meeting, I have been impressed by the scientific excellence and participation at all levels of training and career. I greatly appreciate the ASBMB’s ability to demonstrate that efforts in diversity and inclusion enrich and contribute to excellence in every area of research. In this and many other ways, ASBMB is exemplary.

I would like to help the ASBMB by contributing to this effort and continuing to find innovative ways to keep us at the forefront of research, promoting science, member participation, membership growth, education, mentorship and training.

Education and training

• Ph.D., molecular biophysics (with emphasis in computational and systems biology), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
• B.S., biochemistry, San Francisco State University

Awards and honors

• Milstein Young Investigator Award, International Cytokine and Interferon Society (2019)
• Dean’s Discretionary Award — Academic and Research Excellence, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2011)
• Best Graduate Student Poster, Molecular Biophysics Annual Symposium, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2011)
• Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, National Science Foundation (2004–2005)
• Edwin Motel Award — Most Promising Student, San Francisco State University (2004)
• Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program, National Institutes of Health (2003–2004)

Experience

I have established a history of service over my career. Most recently and over the past two years, I have served as a co-chair and organizer of the Enzyme Interest Group for the ASBMB annual meeting. It has been a pleasure to organize the session and interact with the outstanding scientists. Beyond ASBMB, I serve on three committees focused on diversity and inclusion, act as a faculty mentor to student organizations whose activities include community outreach, and serve on two committees in an international society focused on immunology.