The 2010 American Society for Microbiology (ASM) William A. Hinton Research Training Award will be presented to Renato J. Aguilera, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), for his fostering the research training of underrepresented minorities in microbiology. This award honors William A. Hinton, a physician-research scientist and one of the first African-Americans to join the ASM.
Aguilera received his B.S. and M.S. from UTEP and his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. He was an Assistant and Associate Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where his quality teaching was recognized by his department with the conferring of the Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award.
Known for his commitment to training and development of students, Aguilera initiated and received a National Institute of General Medical Sciences' Research Initiatives for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) grant to help fund a research experience for approximately 30 minority undergraduates at UTEP. It was recently renewed with funding for six additional undergraduates and nine Ph.D. minority trainees. Seven graduates of the RISE program are now enrolled in Ph.D. programs and many more are currently enrolled in M.S. programs. Aguilera also established the Student Research Training Center for a majority of the student research training activities in biomedical sciences.
The William A. Hinton Research Training Award will be presented during the 110th General Meeting of the ASM, May 23-27, 2010 in San Diego, CA. ASM is the world's oldest and largest life science organization and has more than 43,000 members worldwide. ASM's mission is to advance the microbiological sciences and promote the use of scientific knowledge for improved health and economic and environmental well-being.