As Native American Heritage Month draws to a close and as many of us prepare to gather with family and friends, there are also opportunities to experience the Indigenous perspectives threaded throughout PST ART: Art & Science Collide, both at UCLA and through alumni representation across the regional art event.
JD Mendez, an associate professor of chemistry at Indiana University Columbus, is no stranger to the transformative power of global experiences. Specializing in chitin — a naturally occurring biopolymer found in the shells of crustaceans, the exoskeletons of insects and the cell walls of fungi — Mendez also focuses on chemical education, particularly the ways 3D printing and gamification can enrich students’ understanding.