NSF ADVANCE ASCEND
Northwest Alliances
Administrators
Dr. Sharon Jones
University of Washington Bothell • Bothell, WA
Dr. Sharon Jones is the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the Bothell campus of the University of Washington. Dr. Jones’ research portfolio includes applying decision-making methods to evaluate sustainability policies, improving engineering ethics education, broadening participation in STEM, and bridging engineering and the liberal arts. Most recently, she was the Principle Investigator for a successful five-year NSF project focused on retention for at-risk students in computer science and engineering. Dr. Jones received her bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and her Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University. She is also a licensed Professional Engineer in California and a Board Certified Environmental Engineer.
Dr. Jacqueline Van Hoomissen
University of Portland • Portland, OR
Dr. Jacquie Van Hoomissen, Ph.D. is a Professor of Biology, and Associate Dean for Scholarship and Creative Engagement at the University of Portland. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in the interdisciplinary areas of kinesiology and neuroscience. Her research and grant portfolios include work in behavior neuroscience, physical activity and public health, school-university partnerships for STEM education and outreach, inclusion in higher education, and creative writing focused on higher education teaching. In her role as Associate Dean she is also the Director of the University’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience program. Jacqueline is also the Executive Director of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society, and educational society dedicated to advancing effective and inclusive education. She also severs as a national Partnership in Undergraduate Life Science Education fellow. In 2023, she was awarded the University of Portland's Culligan Award for excellence in campus leadership and in 2014 the Oregon Academy of Sciences Outstanding Educator Higher Education award for her dedication to excellence in STEM education.
Biology
Dr. Rebecca Jabbour
Saint Mary's College of California • Moraga, CA
Dr. Rebecca Jabbour is a Professor of Biology at Saint Mary’s College of California. She has a PhD in Biological Anthropology from City University of New York, and she studies human and ape evolution. Her current projects focus on Neanderthal fossils and gorilla skeletal variation. Faculty mentoring has been an area of particular interest in her professional development, and her service as a member of the Rank & Tenure Committee and as Department Chair has deepened her interest in effective approaches to mentoring. Among other leadership roles, she has been Chair of the Program Review Committee, and she will be Vice Chair of the Academic Senate in 2024-25.
Dr. Jung Kim
University of Puget Sound • Tacoma, WA
Dr. Jung Kim is currently an Associate Professor of Exercise Science and Neuroscience at the University of Puget Sound. She earned her BS in Physiological Science from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1995, her MA in Education from Pepperdine in 2000, and her PhD in Biology from New Mexico State University in 2006. Dr. Kim’s research interests are focused on elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in regulating skeletal muscle phenotype in response to changes in activity and injury. She has mentored over 40 undergraduate student researchers and is committed to making research opportunities accessible to all interested students.
Dr. Norma Velazquez Ulloa
Lewis & Clark College • Portland, OR
Dr. Norma Velazquez Ulloa is an Associate Professor of Biology at Lewis & Clark College, which she joined in 2013. She earned a BS degree in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego. She was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco where she trained in behavioral genetics. At Lewis & Clark College, she teaches courses for biology major and non-major undergraduate students. In addition to teaching, she maintains an active research lab where she has mentored many women and first generation undergraduate students. She has developed and adapted curriculum to provide classroom-based research experiences for students in her courses. As a foreign-born professor, a woman in science, and a person of color, Dr. Velazquez Ulloa has aimed to be an advisor and mentor that supports diversity and equity. She values collaborations and belonging to interdisciplinary groups.
Chemistry
Dr. Megan Bestwick
Linfield College • McMinnville, OR
Dr. Megan Bestwick is currently an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Linfield College. She earned her BS chemistry degree from Southern Oregon University (2001), her MS in chemistry from the University of Washington (2002), and her PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Utah (2009). After completing her PhD, Dr. Bestwick was a postdoctoral fellow in the pathology department at the Yale School of Medicine and funded through an NIH Ruth Kirschstein NRSA Fellowship. In 2013 Dr. Bestwick joined the faculty of Linfield College in the Chemistry Department and later also became the program coordinator for the interdisciplinary Biochemistry and Molecular Biology degree. She actively teaches courses at both the introductory and advance level including Biochemistry and Instrumental Methods of Analysis. Dr. Bestwick has an active research program, and has held several NSF and private foundation grants to support her work in the field of mitochondrial biology focusing on various biochemical processes that take place within the organelle. Dr. Bestwick’s research program is centered on undergraduate student participation and learning.
Dr. Jenny Cappuccio
Cal Poly Humboldt • Arcata, CA
Dr. Jenny Cappuccio is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry in the Department of Chemistry at Cal Poly Humboldt in Northern California. She received her PhD from UC Santa Cruz, followed by postdoctoral work at both Lawrence Livermore and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories. Dr. Cappuccio has a passion for research in the areas of membrane protein nanobiotechnology and surface display of enzymes. She serves as a member of the Faculty Consensus Group for the California State University Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB). She is implementing course based undergraduate research experiences (CURES) in her courses at Humboldt. Dr. Cappuccio is proud to have served as the CSU LSAMP campus coordinator promoting diversity in STEM disciplines. Dr. Cappuccio also serves a Co-PI and outreach mentor for the CIRM Bridges 3.0 training grant for regenerative medicine.
Dr. Amanda Mifflin
University of Puget Sound • Tacoma, WA
Dr. Amanda Mifflin, Professor and Chair at University of Puget Sound, earned her chemistry degree from Wellesley College in 2001 and her PhD in Physical Chemistry from Northwestern University in 2006. She completed a Camille and Henry Dreyfus Environmental Chemistry Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University before joining the faculty at the University of Puget Sound in 2009, where she teaches courses in general, physical, and food chemistry. Dr. Mifflin’s research program focuses on the nonlinear spectroscopy of environmental interfaces, and her work has been funded by the DOE Visiting Faculty Program, a Murdock College Research Program for Natural Sciences grant, and an NSF Environmental Chemical Sciences Award, among others. She recently established an on-campus luncheon series for women faculty in STEM+ to facilitate peer-to-peer mentoring and support. She enjoys trail and beach walks with her dogs and experimenting in the kitchen.
Dr. Trisha Russell
Whitworth University • Spokane, WA
Dr. Trisha Russell is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Whitworth University. She earned a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Michigan. She is currently the co-Chair of the Department of Chemistry and the Chair-elect for the American Chemical Society, Inland Northwest Local Chapter. Dr. Russell’s research interests include applications of organic chemistry to medicinal chemistry, azo dye structural studies and chemical education. She was awarded the 2019 Whitworth University Faculty Academic Challenge Award and regularly teaches a course in the general education curriculum on Pharmaceutical Drug Public Policy. Dr. Russell enjoys spending time with her family and getting out into nature.
Computer Science
Dr. Haiyan Cheng
Willamette University • Salem, OR
Dr. Haiyan Cheng is a Computer Science professor at Willamette University’s School of Computing and Information Sciences. She received a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Applications from Virginia Tech. Specializing in scientific computing and applied machine learning, her research focuses on uncertainty quantification and reduction techniques for large-scale simulations, specifically on data assimilation for forecast systems. As a Principal Investigator for an NSF grant, she worked on nonlinear particle filters. She has supervised numerous student research projects, and was a recipient of the Mentoring Award for Undergraduate Research (MAUR) in 2021 from the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). She chairs the school’s personnel committee and teaches core courses in computer science and data science.
Dr. Becka Morgan
Western Oregon University • Monmouth, OR
Dr. Becka Morgan, Professor of Computer Science and Division Chair for Computer Science, has a deep commitment to the work of creating inclusive spaces. Her experiences as an undergraduate provided the drive to become a teacher so she could affect change in the status quo. She earned her Ph.D. at Oregon State University, focusing on pedagogical practices that promote inclusion. Currently she is working with the Willamette Educational Service District to bring dual credit courses to high school students in Oregon. Her latest project is creating a Web Design Institute for high school teachers to reach students in underserved communities. The Institute trains teachers using a more creative pathway into computer science which is often more attractive to historically marginalized students.
Dr. Anna Ritz
Reed College • Portland, OR
Dr. Anna Ritz is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. A computer scientist by training, she earned her master’s and Ph.D. in computer science from Brown University and was a postdoctoral researcher at Virginia Tech. Dr. Ritz works at the intersection of computer science and biology, where she develops algorithms to analyze and interpret large biological datasets. Her recent work focuses on molecular interaction networks and their use in understanding how molecules work on a systems level to respond to cellular signals and regulate cellular responses. Dr. Ritz’s interdisciplinary research has been funded by multiple NSF grants, including an NSF CAREER award in 2018. Dr. Ritz has mentored over 30 undergraduates in research and has provided opportunities for 50 students to attend computational conferences, earning her a National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Undergraduate Mentor Award in 2019.
Dr. Maggie Vanderberg
Southern Oregon University • Ashland, OR
Dr. Maggie Vanderberg is an Associate Professor and the Chair of the Computer Science (CS) department at Southern Oregon University. She is passionate about increasing diversity in all STEM fields, especially CS, and believes the best way to do so is through education. She earned a Ph.D in CS from West Virginia University in 2010. Dr. Vanderberg has experience working with Rosetta Stone, NASA, and the DOE’s National Energy and Technology Laboratory as a software engineer, researcher, and project manager, and has taught university computer science full-time for over a decade. Currently, she is working with local school districts to integrate computational thinking into K-5 education as part of a National Science Foundation CSforAll grant. The goal is to introduce students to computational thinking so they are prepared to study computer science while progressing through K-12, and hopefully, eventually into her classroom.
Mathematics
Dr. Milagros Loreto
University of Washington Bothell • Bothell, WA
Dr. Milagros Loreto, associate professor at University of Washington Bothell, is a Latina, born in South America, and a first-generation college graduate. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science, MS. in Mathematics, and a BS in Applied Mathematics. Since 2014, Dr. Loreto has worked at the University of Washington Bothell (UWB) at the School of STEM. From 2014 to 2020, she was a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor; in 2020, she was promoted to Associate Professor. She teaches courses from basic math to optimization electives and mentors undergraduate students in optimization research projects. Her passion for undergraduate research has been strong throughout her whole career. As a result of her work with undergraduate students, she was honored with the 2018 Chancellor’s Distinguished Undergraduate Research and Creative Practice Mentor Award. Furthermore, she was recognized at the 2019 Latinx Faculty Recognition Event hosted by the Latino Center for Health at the University of Washington. Currently, she is a member of the Northwest Regional Network of the NSF ADVANCE Partnership ASCEND project, which empowers STEM mid-career women to be successful and drives institutional transformations to create environments where diversity is encouraged and supported. Before joining UWB, Dr. Loreto worked as a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Florida Memorial University (FMU), an HBCU institution dedicated to teaching. There, she received awards such as Scholar of the Year 2012 and Teacher of the Year 2013 for the Division of Computer Science and Mathematics. Her teaching and research experience started at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, where she held the Aggregate Exclusive Dedication Professor position before deciding to move to the United States of America.
Dr. Stephanie Salomone
University of Portland • Portland OR
Stephanie Salomone is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Portland and an Associate Director of MAA Project NExT. She currently serves as Co-PI on the NSF-funded Western Regional Noyce Network project, providing professional development and networking opportunities to Noyce scholars and fellows from 14 western states. She also serves as Associate Dean for Faculty in the Shiley School of Engineering at UP, Director of the UP STEM Education and Outreach Center, and Faculty Athletics Representative. She earned her PhD at UCLA in 2005. She lives in Portland, OR, with her husband, three baseball-playing sons, and three miscreant cats.
Dr. Brandy Wiegers
College of Idaho • Caldwell, ID
Dr. Brandy Wiegers is an Associate Professor at College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho, having moved in 2023 from Central Washington University. She grew up in Meridian, Idaho having spent her youth as a dedicated Girl Scout. Her undergraduate work was in Biological Systems Engineering and Mathematics at the University of Idaho. In 2008 she completed a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics at the University of California, Davis. From Davis she worked at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute as the founding director of the National Association of Math Circles. She then made her way to San Francisco State University as the Co-Director of the (CM)^2 NSF GK12 program and a Program Director for CSME. Dr. Wiegers began working at CWU in 2014 and over her tenure at Central she has created the Kittitas Valley Math Circle, co-founded the Journal of Math Circles, and served as counselor on the Council on Undergraduate Research.
Physics + Engineering
Dr. Heather Dillon
University of Washington Tacoma • Tacoma, WA
Dr. Heather Dillon is Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington Tacoma, where her research team is working on renewable energy systems, solid-state lighting, energy efficiency in buildings, fundamental heat transfer studies, and engineering education. She holds a joint appointment with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory working on both energy efficiency and renewable energy systems. She recently served as the Chair of the Council on Undergraduate Research Engineering Division and the Fulbright Canada Research Chair in STEM Education at the University of Calgary, Alberta. Before joining academia, Heather Dillon worked for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) as a senior research engineer, where she received the US Department of Energy Office of Science Outstanding Mentor Award.
Dr. Cassandra Fallscheer
Central Washington University • Ellensburg, WA
Dr. Cassandra Fallscheer is an Associate Professor in the Physics Department at Central Washington University. Her area of specialization is astronomy. She completed her PhD at the University of Heidelberg in Germany.
Dr. Eve Klopf
High Point University • Highpoint, NC
Dr. Eve Klopf is a tenure track Associate Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the Webb School of Engineering at High Point University. Research interests include: computational electromagnetics, microwave engineering and engineering education. Membership/leadership: IEEE, IEEE WIE and ASEE.
Dr. Nicole J. Moore
Gonzaga University • Spokane, WA
Dr. Nicole J. Moore is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Physics at Gonzaga University. She is the first woman to be promoted, tenured, and to serve as the chair of that department. She is an enthusiastic teacher at all levels of the curriculum and she is passionate about the value of a broad liberal arts background for students entering all fields. After earning her PhD from the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester, her research largely centered on theoretical, computational, and experimental investigation of highly-focused lasers and their interactions with cell-sized objects. During a recent sabbatical, she started to pivot toward the application of optical modeling techniques to water waves, particularly tsunamis. In addition to her professional pursuits, she's a dedicated volunteer who enjoys music, coaching her son's math team, running, playing with LEGO, and spending time with her family.