Biological Sciences

Research: Behavioral Ecology

Socrates Project: The Behavioral Ecology of Bees

Megan “Meg” Eckles is a field biologist and currently a Ph.D. cadidate in UCSD’s Ecology, Behavior and Evolution graduate program where she is studying the roles of communication and navigation systems in the behavioral ecology of social bees. Always fascinated by research involving behavior and cognition, she shares an equal passion for teaching, and has received numerous accolades and awards for presentations and workshops she has conducted in this regard.

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Biological Sciences

Research: Cell-to-Cell Adhesion

Socrates Project: DNA Damage Project

After graduating cum laude in Molecular Genetics from Ohio State University, Samuel Lasse entered UCSD’s graduate program in Cell Biology in 2005 where he is researching cell-to-cell adhesion, a biological process essential to organisms maintaining multi-cellular life.

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Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Research: Extremophiles/Deep Sea Microbes

Socrates Project: Under Pressure

“Mentoring and teaching have been a passion of mine for many years,” says Socrates Fellow Rosa Leon-Zayas, a native of Puerto Rico. “ Early in my college career, I began working with high school and middle students, teaching them science and encouraging them to pursue studies at the college level. I gave workshops on biotechnology and general biology to students who were in the process of choosing their university major.”

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Biomedical Sciences

Research: Signaling proteins in cytokinesis

Socrates Project: Worms in the Classroom

Looking back on her own career in science, Lindsay Lewellyn can remember the exact moment when she began to realize “how cool science really is.”

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Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Richard Norris Laboratory

Research: Paleoclimatology

Socrates Project: Microlife and Climate Change

Entering the graduate program at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 2003, Johnnie Lyman became the first person in her family to attend post-graduate school – an achievement that is a source of pride to her as she looks back on the challenges she faced growing up in Alaska. “I grew up poor, so I know what life is like for poor students,” says Johnnie, who received her B.S. degree in Geology from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, graduating with high honors. “As a Socrates Fellow, I appreciate the chance to show students that their economic background does not translate directly to how far they can make it in school.”

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Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Research: Biological impacts of climate change

Socrates Project: Bird Adaptations and Acid/Base

A chance to serve as a mentor and role model, in addition to the opportunity to communicate his research to a young audience are reasons that Ignacio Vilchis looks forward to serving as a Socrates Fellow. “Many scientists do not get the opportunity to develop skills to communicate complicated concepts to a non-scientific audience,” says Ignacio. “It’s important that we have the necessary skills to share our research and knowledge with all members of the community, especially young students.”

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Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Research: Ecology and Economic

Socrates Project: Ecotourism and Biodiversity

Sheila Walsh is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in Marine Biology at Scripps Institution of Oceanography where she is working with mentor Nancy Knowlton. Sheila received her B.S. degree in Biological Studies from Stanford University (graduating with honors), and now uses her strong background in ecological studies to better understand how poverty levels in a given population are linked to the viability of that population’s ecological environment.

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