Melissa Franch, PhD
Values
As a former high school Biology teacher, I know the importance of providing education and opportunity to all people. Through various efforts described below, I exemplify my core values of service, authenticity, inclusivity, and growth.
Creating an embracing and outstanding
environment in STEM
I mentor a local high school robotics team where I empower three initiatives that create a safe space for Black, female, and/or LGBTQ+ students to improve engineering skills and pursue careers in STEM. We organized 3 events at the FIRST Robotics World Championship in 2022, 2023, and 2024, held here in Houston, in which we connected over 300 robotics students from around the world with 40+ Black, queer, and/or female STEM professionals. By providing representation and networking opportunities, we help our minority students feel more welcome and comfortable in STEM, which helps establish a secure future for them in a STEM related field.
Additionally, I am passionate about raising awareness and opportunity for women in neuroscience. To this end, I volunteer as an audio editor of interviews with Neuroscientists who identify as a woman on the Stories of WiN podcast. I am grateful for this ability to champion their voices and experiences.
My autistic brother has given me a neurodiversity perspective, which I use to guide my research and communications, enabling me to be an informed advocate for individuals with disabilities. I participate in AKALAKA, a sibling support group for siblings of individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and for anyone who identifies as having a disability. In this community, I speak monthly with other siblings as we explore ways to best care and advocate for our siblings with disabilities.
Brain Awareness in the Community
I participate in many Science Nights and Brain Awareness Nights held at museums and schools. At these public events, I really enjoy teaching students and their families about neuroscience phenomena such as optical illusions and neuroanatomy. The photo depicts me leading a brain hat activity with elementary students in Miami-Dade county public schools.
Keith Haring
Undergraduate and Graduate Student Mentoring
I have and will continue to train and mentor graduate and undergraduate students in the lab. I've taught students how to perform experiments using wireless electrophysiology and eye tracking, and data analysis using Python and Matlab Programming. For example, when a student is challenged by a computational analysis, I recommend they code with fabricated data to better understand the outputs and method. I will continue to provide encouragement and these supports throughout my postdoc and when I am faculty.