SACNAS Chapter at
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State University ranks first in Native Americans who earn degrees in educational categories including engineering, biological and biomedical sciences, business, architecture and agriculture. SACNAS wants our graduates, including all our members, to continue to be successful after graduating and become the leaders of tomorrow.
Meet the Oklahoma State SACNAS Chapter Officers
Chapter President
James Erdmann (he/they)
James is a PhD student in the Department of Integrative Biology studying the comparative evolution of frog calls. They are from the Cowboy State of Wyoming, with heritage mainly from Germany and Mexico. James loves naturalizing and will tell you anything about frogs in exchange for some horchata.
Chapter Vice President
Itzel Chavedo
Major: Animal Science Biotechnology
Minor: Microbiology
Originally from Mexico City 🇲🇽
Hobbies: walk/spend time with animals at shelters❤️ & music (play instruments and sing) & travel ✈️ 🧳
Chapter Secretary
Paola Salazar
Major: Natural resources ecology and management/Wildlife ecology and management and plans to double major plan in Botany.
From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Hobbies: play the accordion, dance, sing, draw, and paint. I enjoy reading books over scientific historians. I love to play with my three pitbulls.
Chapter Treasurer
Ryan Koch
I am a PhD student in the Department of Integrative Biology. My research involves understanding the life cycles of turtle parasites and how these parasites may impact turtle populations. I hope to learn more about increasing diversity in STEM fields.
Chapter National Liason
Shawn Ray
Shawn Ray (Navajo) is currently a senior in Electrical Engineering has worked on research projects ranging from tools for NASA to artificial muscles, and now is working to expand STEAM based Indigenous groups on through organizations like SACNAS and AISES.
Chapter Co-President
Alin González-Barnes (she/her)
Alin is research staff at the Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit but works remotely from Utah. Her current research involves sturgeon diet and condition in the lower Missouri River. She received her bachelor's degree in Biology at California State University - Monterey Bay, and master's in Fisheries and Mariculture at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi. Alin is a first-generation American, a second English language learner and the first in her family to receive a Master of Science degree.
Chapter Advisor
Dr. Mario F. Borunda
Dr. Mario F. Borunda is a Professor in the Physics Department at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Borunda has developed and instructed courses at the Bachelor and Doctoral degree levels. His research has focused on solving problems in the quest for quantum information devices, the quantum-to-classical boundary in chaotic systems, and using theoretical methods to predict novel materials for energy production and electronic applications. Dr. Borunda is enthusiastic about working with undergraduate students and has worked towards producing a positive impact as undergraduate research coordinator for the OSU physics program, with minority students through the OK-LSAMP students, as faculty advisor of OSU’s SACNAS chapter, and as technical officer with the National Society of Hispanic Physicists.