UC Mercd Magazine-Volume XVI, Issue 2

Ph.D. Student of Promise

RhondeneWint is one of 10 exemplary graduate students WR EH IHDWXUHG LQ D UHFHQWbVSHFLDO LVVXHbRI 'LYHUVH Issues In Higher Education based on “standout scholarship thus far and their current trajectory toward a very promising future in academia and beyond.” :LQW Db4XDQWLWDWLYH DQG 6\VWHPV %LRORJ\b3K ' VWXGHQW ZKR hails from the coastal town of Ocho Rios, Jamaica, is part of WKH VHFRQG FRKRUW RI 'LYHUVH 5LVLQJ *UDGXDWH 6FKRODUV “It's a very big honor. I appreciate the recognition,” she said. “It means a lot for my family and my wider community. I'm not just the first in my family (to get a degree and go on to SXUVXH D 3K ' EXW WKH ILUVW LQ P\ QHLJKERUKRRG ,W LV unheard of where I'm from.” :LQWǽV FR DGYLVRU 3URIHVVRUb0LFKDHO &OHDU\b QRPLQDWHG KHU for the award citing her passion for science, research competences and commitment to mentoring among the numerous reasons why she deserves this honor. “Rhondene is very serious about training people that come from communities where careers in academia might seem XQREWDLQDEOH Ȁ &OHDU\ VDLG ǿ+HU SHUVRQDO MRXUQH\ VHUYHV DV an inspirational example.” From a young age, Wint said she dreamed of studying PHGLFLQH 6KH SDUWLFLSDWHG LQ D VFLHQFH IDLU LQ KLJK VFKRRO DQG said she enjoyed the process but didn't see science and research as a viable option. “I didn't know any scientists,” she said. “I only read about them in books.” 'HVSLWH RYHUFRPLQJ PDQ\ FKDOOHQJHV LQFOXGLQJ D VSHHFK impediment, Wint went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in ELRORJLFDO VFLHQFHV IURP 1RUWKHUQ &DULEEHDQ 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ Jamaica and got hooked on research. “It was the research that drew me here,” said Wint, who MRLQHG 8& 0HUFHG LQ WR VWXG\ ZLWK &OHDU\ DQG 3URIHVVRUb 'DYLG $UGHOO ǿ, ZDQWHG WR GR LQWHUGLVFLSOLQDU\ UHVHDUFK Ȁ $W 8& 0HUFHG VKH VWXGLHV KRZ ZKROH JHQHV influence brain development; her main research intersects QHXURELRORJ\ DQG WUDQVIHU 51$ W51$ ǿ:RUNLQJ ZLWK W51$V LV QRWRULRXVO\ GLIILFXOW DQG 5KRQGHQH has diligently established novel methods that have yielded H[FLWLQJ GDWD Ȁ &OHDU\ VDLG ǿ5KRQGHQH HQWHUHG RXU

4XDQWLWDWLYH DQG 6\VWHPV %LRORJ\ JUDGXDWH SURJUDP ZLWK DQ untraditional background, having worked hard to obtain a strong education despite numerous obstacles in her native -DPDLFD 6KH DUULYHG ZHOO YHUVHG LQ ELRORJ\ DQG FKHPLVWU\ and had an impressive set of computer skills, largely acquired through self-teaching.” ,Q VXPPHU :LQW ZDV VHOHFWHG IRU WKH 8 6 'HSDUWPHQW RI (QHUJ\ -RLQW *HQRPH ,QVWLWXWH -*, 8& 0HUFHG LQWHUQVKLS SURJUDP 7KH -*, LV D QDWLRQDO XVHU IDFLOLW\ DW /DZUHQFH %HUNHOH\ 1DWLRQDO /DERUDWRU\ 7KHUH VKH XVHG cutting-edge computational approaches to reveal novel SURSHUWLHV RI W51$ HYROXWLRQ LQ IXQJL %DVHG RQ WKDW UHVHDUFK VKH LV ILUVW DXWKRU RQ D UHFHQWb SXEOLFDWLRQb LQ 0ROHFXODU %LRORJ\ DQG (YROXWLRQ In addition to her research prowess, Wint has mentored several undergraduate students in the lab, all from underrepresented backgrounds, and taught several courses. ,Q :LQW ZDV DZDUGHG WKH FRPSHWLWLYHb%H\RQG WKH 0 ' b /LYLQJ /HDUQLQJ &RPPXQLW\ IHOORZVKLS $V WKH LQVWUXFWRU RQ record for the one-unit course, she designed a mentorship program for incoming undergraduate students majoring in 67(0 ILHOGV E\ UHFUXLWLQJ JXHVW VSHDNHUV IURP GLYHUVH professions to share their experiences with the students. LikeWint, most of the studentswere the first in their families to pursue a college degree. “I remember being scared when I first started at the university. It was a whole new environment, and it was overwhelming,” she said. “I shared ways to build a successful roadmap for themselves and helped them build a sense of EHORQJLQJ Ȁ $V RQH RI 'LYHUVHǽV 5LVLQJ *UDGXDWH 6FKRODUV :LQW MRLQHG VWXGHQWV IURP WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 0LFKLJDQ 8QLYHUVLW\ RI .HQWXFN\ +RZDUG 8QLYHUVLW\ )ORULGD ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 8QLYHUVLW\ ,QGLDQD 8QLYHUVLW\ %ORRPLQJWRQ 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 7ROHGR 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 6RXWK &DUROLQD 1RUWKHUQ $UL]RQD 8QLYHUVLW\ DQG 'XNH 8QLYHUVLW\ “I have no doubt that Rhondene will continue to have a successful career as a researcher, educator and mentor,” &OHDU\ VDLG ǿ,ǽP YHU\ H[FLWHG WR VHH ZKDW VKH DFKLHYHV DQG consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to work with her.”

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