A University of New Mexico undergraduate student is building a path toward a career in research through mentorship, hands-on experience, and opportunities that began with El Centro de la Raza's student programs.
Now a third-year student, Danae Munoz has participated in a mentorship and study abroad program, a research program, and a scientist training program. She also was accepted into UNM's Undergraduate Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (URISE) program, which will support her research over the next two years.
Munoz's journey began before her freshman year, when a friend encouraged her to apply to Transformar. The program introduced her to a community of mentors and students while giving her the opportunity to study abroad in Mexico.
Through Transformar and her connections at El Centro, she learned about the El Puente Research Fellowship. Encouraged by mentors to apply, she participated in the program during her sophomore year.
She had been considering research as a possible path toward medical school; the fellowship gave her the chance to explore the field and determine whether it was right for her.
"I kind of dipped my toes in the water because, you know, my long-term goal was medical school, but let's see this research thing and see how that goes," Munoz said.
El Puente helped her develop the skills needed to pursue additional opportunities. Through assignments focused on preparing students for graduate or professional school, she learned how to formulate research questions, create annotated bibliographies, and write literature reviews.
One assignment encouraged students to apply for undergraduate research opportunities. Munoz was accepted into to programs, including Washington University in St. Louis' Medical Scientist Training Access program, which she attended over the summer to build her research skills.
Her research interests centered on the potential effects of microplastics on neurodegeneration, particularly Alzheimer's disease. She was interested in whether microplastics found in bodies of water could enter the brain after being consumed and potentially contribute to the development or progression of the disease.
The experience helped her move from exploring research to pursuing it more seriously.
"It was a chance for me to see what the environment was like," Munoz said. "At the end, students are able to decide if it's the right path for them."
Now, through U-RISE, Munoz is beginning research in a UNM laboratory focused on neurodegenerative diseases. The lab is studying microplastics, aligning with the interests she developed during her earlier research experiences.
She is starting by rotating through projects and learning laboratory techniques, including Western blotting and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The goal is to build her skills before potentially moving into an independent research project.
For Munoz, the opportunities have been about more than gaining technical experience. She said the support she received through El Centro helped her feel confident pursuing opportunities that initially seemed intimidating.
"It felt like I had a really sturdy support system," Munoz said. "I feel like I was comfortable going after those opportunities because I had people that would back me and that would support me along the process."
She described the center as a place where students can ask questions, seek guidance, and receive help as they navigate unfamiliar academic and professional experiences.
Through her experiences, Munoz hopes other students will recognize that research is accessible even early in their undergraduate careers. For her, mentorship and hands-on opportunities made it possible to explore a field, develop new skills, and begin building a path toward future research.
"I wanted to highlight how important student resource centers are to the community," Munoz said. "This is why it's important, and this is why they should continue to exist, because they really do make an impact."
