Stacy Alikakos earned her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and is now in the Geography and Environmental Studies master’s program at NEIU. Stacy grew up in an ethnic enclave in Chicago. Both of her parents immigrated to the US as adults from different countries. As an undergraduate she wanted to understand the interactions and powerful connections people have to lands and places through an Integrative Biology major and Spanish minor. Her undergraduate experience was difficult because she received little guidance from university offices and felt she had to navigate herself. Despite the struggle she was privileged to complete a portion of her studies abroad in the Dominican Republic, Singapore, and Spain, which further fueled her initial curiosities.

After working in a biology research lab her senior year, Stacy realized she wanted to attend graduate school but that she would need to find a program that addressed her interests more directly. She found that at NEIU specifically seeking a diverse faculty and student community for a high quality education. She currently researches processes of gentrification, territorial stigma, and class power tensions in cities. Stacy also applied to work for NEIU as a STEM Success Coach to help students thrive in their university by offering them the support and good information she felt was missing from her undergraduate experience.

El programa Agua en Comunidades Experimentales tiene como metas incrementar tanto las habilidades de los estudiantes como la confianza en sí mismos cuando se trata del tema del agua, y de esta manera propulsarlos en sus carreras académicas. En ACE, buscamos entrenar a una nueva generación de científicos orientados a la protección ambiental para buscar nuevas soluciones a los problemas de contaminación del agua; para aprender cómo la calidad del agua afecta directamente a organismos como las algas, invertebrados, y peces; y para buscar formas de mantener hábitats acuáticos de manera sustentable. Nuestra experiencia de investigación está basada en ecosistemas y problemas locales a los cuales deseamos encontrarles soluciones. De esta forma, estamos comprometidos a tener un gran impacto en nuestra propia comunidad y en nuestro medio ambiente.

Los estudiantes que entran a NEIU en el semestre del Otoño (fall) 2019 son bienvenidos a unirse a nuestro nuevo programa de ACE, el cual juntará 24 estudiantes en su primer año. Los estudiantes trabajarán en colaboración con profesores de STEM (Ciencia, Tecnología, Ingeniería, y Matemática por sus siglas en inglés) y con diverso personal de apoyo. A través de sesiones de construcción de habilidades, investigación de campo y laboratorio, y entrenamiento personalizado, los estudiantes podrán cultivar sus talentos y afianzar su habilidad de crear su propio camino al éxito personal. En cada año del program, los estudiantes crecerán en su desarrollo académico y profesional a través de desafíos que, progresivamente, incrementarán en complejidad.

Como miembro del programa ACE, podrás:

1. Hacer investigación paga sobre temas del agua en el medio ambiente con profesores de NEIU.
2. Acumular créditos aplicables a tu graduación, pagados por el programa ACE.
3. Colaborar con profesores de Geología, Biología, Ciencias Ambientales y Psicología en NEIU.
4. Viajar a conferencias y jornadas científicas, pagadas por el programa ACE.
5. Trabajar en pasantías o prácticas profesionales (internships) pagadas durante el Verano.

Éstos serán tus beneficios si te unes al programa ACE:

• Cursos pagados por el programa ACE que aplicarán para tu graduación
• Experiencias en investigación científica remuneradas.
• Aprendizaje de habilidades académicas invaluables.
• Ser parte de una comunidades de aprendizaje y apoyo que comparten los mismos objetivos.

Qué se necesita para unirte a ACE en el 2019?

• Ser un estudiante de primer año en NEIU (empezando el fall 2019).
• Haber calificado para tomar clases cuyos códigos comienzan con el número cero (“developmental courses” como por ejemplo MATH 091 y ELP 097)
• Estar interesado en las ciencias (Biología, Geología, Matemáticas, Ciencias Ambientales, Psicología).
• Ser ciudadano americano o residente permanente.

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Contacto Primario

Dr. Pam Geddes

Correo electrónico: ace@neiu.edu

Funded by National Science Foundation DUE Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program Award 1832421.

Meet the people involved in the ACE Project:

• Pamela Geddes

• Ken Voglesonger

• Shannon Saszik

• Laura Sanders

• Maureen Erber

• Jean Hemzacek

• Stacy Alikakos

Funded by National Science Foundation DUE Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program Award 1832421.

Contact Information

Location 

91Porn
5500 North St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, Ill. 60625-4699

Primary contact

Dr. Pam Geddes

Email: ace@neiu.edu

Staff

Ph.D., Ecology, University of Chicago                                           

Post-doc., Ecology, Loyola University Chicago     

M.S., Biology, Florida International University     

B.S., Biology, Florida International University                                      

A.A., Biology, Miami-Dade Community College

Undergraduate students are underlined

Geddes, P., L. Murphy, Y. Astudillo-Scalia, D. Blasini, S. Nugent, M. J. Rios, A. Schirmer, and J. P. Olfelt. 2021. Microsatellite markers reveal unprecedented high frequencies of hybridization among Typha species in the Midwestern US. Wetlands 41(2021): 1-9.  

Pini, A.K. and P. Geddes. 2020. Fungi are capable of mycoremediation of river water contaminated with E. coli. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 231:83. 

Geddes, P. 2019. The invasion of the cattails. Podcast. In Defense of Plants.

Volesky, L.A., S. Iqbal, J.J. Kelly, and P. Geddes. 2018. Relationships of native and exotic Phragmites australis to wetland ecosystem properties. Wetlands 38(3):577-589. 

Room BBH 340H
91Porn
5500 North St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
United States

Ph.D. Arizona State University

B.S. State University of New York at Stony Brook

Room BBH 225E
91Porn
5500 North St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
United States

M.A. Experimental Psychology

Ph.D. Neuroscience

Saszik, S. M., & Smith, C. M. (2018). The impact of stress on social behavior in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). Behavioural pharmacology, 29(1), 53–59.

Saszik, S., & DeVries, S. H. (2012). A mammalian retinal bipolar cell uses both graded changes in membrane voltage and all-or-nothing Na+ spikes to encode light. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 32(1), 297–307. 

Bilotta, J., Barnett, J. A., Hancock, L., & Saszik, S. (2004). Ethanol exposure alters zebrafish development: a novel model of fetal alcohol syndrome. Neurotoxicology and teratology, 26(6), 737–743. 

Saszik, S., Alexander, A., Lawrence, T., & Bilotta, J. (2002). APB differentially affects the cone contributions to the zebrafish ERG. Visual neuroscience, 19(4), 521–529. 

Saszik, S. M., Robson, J. G., & Frishman, L. J. (2002). The scotopic threshold response of the dark-adapted electroretinogram of the mouse. The Journal of physiology, 543(Pt 3), 899–916.

Room BBH 307 B
91Porn
5500 North St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
United States

M.A. and Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

B.A. University of Hawaii

Erber, R., & Erber, M.W. (2024). Intimate Relationships: Issues, theories, and research, 4th ed., Routledge.

Erber, R., Erber, M.W., & Poe, J.R. (2004). Mood regulation and decision making: Is irrational exuberance really a problem? In J. Carillo & I. Brocas (Eds.) Psychology and Economics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Erber, M.W. & Erber, R.  (2001). The role of motivated social cognition in the regulation of affective states.  In J.P. Forgas, Handbook of Affect and Social Cognition.  Mahwah, N.J.:  Erlbaum.

Erber, M. W. & Erber, R. (July 2017). Mate Choice Copying in Humans. Poster presented at the 18th General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology. Granada, España.

Erber, M., Rueckert, L., Dykema-Engblade, A., Merchant, C., & Cuevas, L. (2015). Collaborative and active learning strategies promote critical thinking across psychology curriculum. Symposium presented to the Society for the Teaching of Psychology Division at the Midwestern Psychological Association 87th Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL.

Room BBH 313 C
91Porn
5500 North St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
United States

Maureen Erber, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology. Educational Researcher.

Dr. Erber grew up in the small town of Kaneohe on the island of O’ahu. Her mother was born in Kohala, Hawaii, before it became the 50th state, and her father immigrated to the U.S. from China, via Egypt. She spent much of her childhood enjoying the unspoiled natural beauty of the islands and memorizing lyrics to the Beatle’s "Michelle" in French. Growing up in a multiethnic, multicultural place and living abroad in Japan and France sparked her interest in understanding people. She double-majored in French and Psychology at the University of Hawaii and went on to obtain her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, where she focused her studies on trust and conflict resolution.

Dr. Erber was the recipient of a National Science Foundation award that established a program of Peer-Led Team-Learning in the Psychology Department’s foundation courses. As the Principal Investigator of that project, she oversaw and developed ways to assess student gains and the program’s ability to meet its goals.

Funded by National Science Foundation DUE Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program Award 1832421.

Jean Hemzacek, M.S. Senior Instructor of Earth Science. Project Coordinator.

Prof. Hemzacek always knew that the outdoors was the place for her: camping, hiking and exploring all facets of the natural world. Originally a biology major in college, she discovered a better fit, switching to geology and ultimately earning a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in that discipline from Northern Illinois University. She worked in the mining industry for a number of years, evaluating mineral resources and developing products and applications, before pursuing studies toward a Ph.D. at Indiana University. That endeavor was interrupted, but the experience fed an interest in mentoring students to ensure they succeed, and also an interest in pursuing research questions that are relevant to real-world applications.

Prof. Hemzacek has mentored students, including first-year students, in summer research exploring questions related to water and soil quality. She teaches introductory Earth Science and First-Year Experience courses, with specific interests in Chicago-area aspects related to soil, the glacial history of the area, and the current environment of this region.

Prof. Hemzacek looks forward to getting to know the ACE students in her role of overseeing paperwork and financial aspects of the program.

Funded by National Science Foundation DUE Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program Award 1832421.

Laura Sanders, Ph.D. Professor of Earth Science. Project Director.

Dr. Sanders grew up in a working class family in a Rust Belt town in eastern Ohio. Her parents emphasized the importance of education. They made sure all eight of their kids went to college with family support, scholarships, grants, loans and jobs. As a girl she enjoyed playing in woods and fields, and she especially loved creeks and rivers. When she got to college and learned that geologists get paid for working outdoors, she was hooked. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., and a Ph.D. in Applied Geology from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.

As a hydrologist at NEIU, Dr. Sanders teaches a variety of water-related courses, along with introductory Earth Science and First-Year Experience courses. For three decades she has mentored students doing research into water resources, water quality, and flooding.

Funded by National Science Foundation DUE Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program Award 1832421.

Shannon Saszik, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Psychology.

Dr. Saszik was a college dropout in 1993 when she returned to earn her B.A. in Psychology from a small school in Kentucky. With minimal research experience but curious about how the environment impacts behavior, she went on to earn her M.A. in Experimental Psychology from Western Kentucky University and her Ph.D. in Visual Science from the University of Houston. Her research focused on trying to understand how to measure the interaction between visual perception and environment using animal models.

At NEIU, Dr Saszik teaches both introductory courses and advances courses in the Department of Psychology and continues her research using zebrafish as a model system. She has advised and mentored students in the department and believes that research experience provides students with a unique opportunity to use the information from their courses and learn valuable skills that will allow them to be successful in and out of the classroom.  

Students from different departments (Math, Psychology, Biology) have worked in the lab with Dr Saszik on research projects using the zebrafish. In the neuropsychology lab students are trained on how animals are used in research, learning different methods that can be used to measure the impact of environment on neurological system function using the visual system of zebrafish.

Funded by National Science Foundation DUE Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program Award 1832421.

Ken Voglesonger, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Earth Science.

Dr. Voglesonger was a first-generation college student. Born in Connecticut, he moved to New York City when he was 16, and he had no plans to go to college. He always had an interest in science, but didn’t really have ideas about how to use his interest to prepare for a career. After being told by a guidance counselor that he was wasting his time, he ended up filling out college applications at the last minute and was eventually accepted at a four-year school. He found he was very interested in one of his courses, a course in geology. He majored in that field, earning his bachelor’s degree in five and a half years.

Toward the end of his undergraduate degree, he learned about research done by professors at universities, and he thought that would be a rewarding career. After being accepted into a doctoral program at Arizona State University, he developed an interest in the chemistry of water and how different natural and human activities can impact water chemistry. He completed his Ph.D. degree in seven years, and took a temporary research position at the University of Toronto.

In 2008 he came to NEIU and has been here ever since. He loves to teach, and he finds working with students at all levels one of the most rewarding and fun things that he does in his current job.

Dr. Voglesonger’s research provided him with amazing opportunities – from a submarine trip to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, sampling water 10,000 feet underground in mines in Canada, exploring the Chicago River system, and working in Mexico, to attending conferences around the country. His initial interest in science and the path he took opened up so many opportunities for him. He appreciates being able to work with NEIU students to help them on their own paths toward success. In addition to teaching Earth Science and mentoring research students, Dr. Voglesonger is Director of the NEIU Student Center for Science Engagement.

Funded by National Science Foundation DUE Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program Award 1832421.

Pamela Geddes, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Science.

Dr. Geddes earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees at Florida International University in Miami, Fla., and her doctoral (Ph.D.) degree at the University of Chicago. She was a post-doctoral fellow at Loyola University Chicago before joining NEIU.

Dr. Geddes began her STEM journey when she packed her bags in Argentina and moved to the U.S., leaving her home country to pursue a biology degree. As a first-generation student in her family, she worked three jobs and paid her own way through college as an administrative assistant, library page (shelved books in the children’s section), and a dance teacher for an after-school program.

Dr. Geddes serves as a mentor for the SACNAS @ NEIU Chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, a national society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of underrepresented minorities to attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in science. She is a research mentor for environmental science and biology undergraduate and graduate students. She researches fascinating (and fun!) aspects of water ecosystems, from invasive plant species that invade wetlands, to how organisms interact in freshwater lakes and ponds, to how contaminants affect water quality and organisms that live in those aquatic ecosystems.

Dr. Geddes strongly believes in the importance of mentoring. Throughout her journey in science she experienced the support and encouragement of several mentors, and she believes in paying this forward. She is glad to be able to help students realize their unique potential and achieve their success, not only academically but also as citizens, members of our community, and future professionals.

Funded by National Science Foundation DUE Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program Award 1832421.