{"670725":{"#nid":"670725","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Ph.D. Student, GEM Fellows Alum Receives Role Model Award from SHPE","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarolina Col\u00f3n, a Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech and a member of GTRI\u2019s GEM Fellowship cohort, has been honored with the \u0022Role Model Award \u2013 Graduate\u0022 by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). This award is part of SHPE\u0027s Technical Achievement and Recognition (STAR) Awards and will be presented at the SHPE National Convention taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah, from Nov. 1-5.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarolina Col\u00f3n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarolina is currently working toward her Ph.D. in Bioengineering, focusing on T-cell therapies, at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. She earned her B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2022 and holds an A.A. in Engineering from Valencia College, awarded in 2019.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOriginally from Puerto Rico, she moved to Florida for her last year of high school.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch at GTRI, Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarolina\u0027s research work aims to combine aerospace engineering and bioengineering to develop devices that enable the mass production of cell therapies to lower their cost and make them more accessible.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGEM Fellowship\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECol\u00f3n was a participant in GTRI\u2019s \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gemfellowship.org\/gem-fellowship-program\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGEM Fellowship\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E program in 2022. The national GEM Consortium provides funding for graduate education through corporate sponsorships and a partnership with university partners, such as Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe National GEM Consortium is \u003C\/span\u003Ea network of leading corporations, government laboratories, elite universities, and elite research institutions that empowers qualified students from underrepresented communities to pursue a graduate degree in a STEM field. GEM\u2019s mission is to garner a talent pool of African American, Hispanic American, and Native American advanced degree-seekers in STEM fields.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEvery year, GEM identifies and recruits close to 2,000 students and working professionals from underrepresented groups to participate in its program, which consists of three graduate fellowship tracks: Master of Science in Engineering, Ph.D. in Science, and Ph.D. in Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGEM also provides financial support to aspiring graduate students from underrepresented groups, allowing them to pursue their dreams without worrying about money.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStudents selected into the GEM Fellowship program must complete a corporate internship during the summer and attend graduate school during the fall and spring semesters. In exchange, students are provided funding for graduate school through an agreement with their home institutions.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn the GEM Fellowship program, one of her advisors was GTRI Principal Research Engineer Jud Ready of the Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory (EOSL).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EReady said that Carolina \u201cincreased teamwork and morale while creatively expanding knowledge of her lab mates\u2019 different cultural backgrounds.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESaid Carolina of her GEM experience: \u0022\u003C\/span\u003EThe experience I gained at \u003Cspan\u003EGTRI\u003C\/span\u003E will definitely last me a lifetime, and it\u2019s something that has changed my life immensely. Thanks to all at \u003Cspan\u003EEOSL\u003C\/span\u003E and GEM.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOther Research Programs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarolina\u2019s research and professional trajectory has also been aided by her participation in multiple Georgia Tech summer research programs, including the Cell Therapy Manufacturing (CMaT), FOCUS, and SURE programs. Georgia Tech\u2019s FOCUS program is one of the nation\u2019s premier graduate recruitment programs designed to attract highly skilled students who have historically been underrepresented in higher education. The Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering\/Sciences (SURE) program is a 10-week summer research program designed to attract qualified under-represented minority and women students into graduate school in the fields of engineering and science.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWoodruff School Honors\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMost recently, as a new graduate student at Georgia Tech, she has been selected as the Vice President of the Woodruff School Graduate Women (WSGW) group and has already put into motion her ideas regarding Hispanic heritage, GT PRIDE, community college information sessions, etc.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe School of Mechanical Engineering has recognized her Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. She is an active volunteer with student recruitment panels and represented the school at the Women of Technology Gala. The school also awarded her the Inaugural Women of Woodruff \u201cRising Star\u201d award for her efforts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETo cap it off, the Woodruff School also awarded Carolina the inaugural Interdisciplinary Research Fellowship (IRF). This honor recognized Carolina\u0027s vision of intertwining the fields of aerospace and bioengineering to create enhanced devices and enable cell therapies in the space environment for astronauts in long-term space missions.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENada es imposible si lo intentas. (Nothing is impossible if you try.)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;-- Carolina Col\u00f3n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBeyond Academia\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn addition to her studies, Carolina has worked with Marriott Hotels for about ten years. When she is not in the lab, Carolina enjoys activities such as watching anime, learning languages, playing video games, and swimming.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAbout the Award and SHPE\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESHPE is the largest association in the U.S. aimed at supporting Hispanics in STEM fields. The organization\u2019s STAR Awards are annual honors given to individuals, companies, and government agencies that have demonstrated commitment and measurable impact in advancing Hispanics in STEM. The awards are a key feature of the annual SHPE National Convention.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarolina has been a member of SHPE for three years. A key example of her contribution to SHPE is that, in 2022, she was invited to represent Georgia Tech College of Engineering at the SHPE national conference in North Carolina, and is reprising the same role this year as well.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELeading up to last year\u2019s event, she helped students with graduate school applications, resumes, practice interviews, and pointers on how to land internships. At the event, she talked to many students and told\/encouraged them to apply to the many programs that she has participated in, such as Georgia Tech\u2019s FOCUS and SURE programs.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe award received by Carolina Col\u00f3n reflects GTRI\u2019s and Georgia Tech\u2019s ongoing commitment to creating a diverse academic environment and advancing excellence in STEM fields.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarolina Col\u00f3n\u2019s recent accolade serves as a testament to her dedication and contribution to the field of STEM. It also highlights the quality of research and academics within GTRI and Georgia Tech.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWe are proud to celebrate her achievements.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EReady said about Carolina: \u201cIt seems apparent already that she is destined to be one of those \u2018special\u2019 students that go on to make an impact throughout their career in numerous areas.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWe agree\u2014and expect to note many more achievements in the future.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Christopher Weems\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EGTRI Communications\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPhotos: Candler Hobbs\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).\u202fFounded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Emillion of problem-solving research annually for government and industry.\u202fGTRI\u0027s renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarolina Col\u00f3n, a Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech and a member of GTRI\u2019s GEM Fellowship cohort, has been honored with the \u0022Role Model Award \u2013 Graduate\u0022 by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). This award is part of SHPE\u0027s Technical Achievement and Recognition (STAR) Awards and will be presented at the SHPE National Convention taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah, from Nov. 1-5.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Carolina Col\u00f3n, a Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech and a member of GTRI\u2019s GEM Fellowship cohort, has been honored with the \u0022Role Model Award \u2013 Graduate\u0022 by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). "}],"uid":"35832","created_gmt":"2023-10-27 16:29:21","changed_gmt":"2024-03-22 15:30:30","author":"Michelle Gowdy","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-10-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-10-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672199":{"id":"672199","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech Ph.D. Student, Carolina Col\u00f3n","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECarolina (third from right) with members of her GEM Fellowship cohort and members of GTRI leadership.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1698423726","gmt_created":"2023-10-27 16:22:06","changed":"1698423841","gmt_changed":"2023-10-27 16:24:01","alt":"Georgia Tech Ph.D. Student, Carolina Col\u00f3n","file":{"fid":"255397","name":"2023_1025_image_Carolina Colon--with GEM Fellowship cohort.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/27\/2023_1025_image_Carolina%20Colon--with%20GEM%20Fellowship%20cohort.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/27\/2023_1025_image_Carolina%20Colon--with%20GEM%20Fellowship%20cohort.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":733311,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/27\/2023_1025_image_Carolina%20Colon--with%20GEM%20Fellowship%20cohort.jpg?itok=g1f8ZCkH"}},"672200":{"id":"672200","type":"image","title":"Carolina Col\u00f3n","body":"\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech Ph.D. Student, \u003C\/span\u003ECarolina Col\u00f3n\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n","created":"1698423850","gmt_created":"2023-10-27 16:24:10","changed":"1698424061","gmt_changed":"2023-10-27 16:27:41","alt":"Carolina Col\u00f3n","file":{"fid":"255398","name":"2023_1025_image_Carolina-Colon--headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/27\/2023_1025_image_Carolina-Colon--headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/27\/2023_1025_image_Carolina-Colon--headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":200734,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/27\/2023_1025_image_Carolina-Colon--headshot.jpg?itok=XrxAboH8"}}},"media_ids":["672199","672200"],"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"416","name":"GTRI"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"166902","name":"science and technology"},{"id":"7689","name":"EOSL"},{"id":"193225","name":"student researcher"},{"id":"189447","name":"developing future technology leaders"},{"id":"167776","name":"SHPE"},{"id":"167777","name":"Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E(Interim) Director of Communications\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle Gowdy\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle.Gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E404-407-8060\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michelle.gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}