Biophysical Society Bulletin | May 2020

Biophysicist in Profile

professionals, rather than experts in her field. “Nicely enough, two Latino attendees, Maria Christensen and Ronald Shikiya , happened to be experts in the biology of prion protein misfold- ing who worked in the medical school of my institution. They connected me with Jason Bartz , their PI. Since then, we have established a solid collaboration that inspires my modeling projects,” she shares.

Her research has been funded by state programs, specifically the National Institutes of Health INBRE (IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence) and the National Science Foundation EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) but her challenges in getting federal funding motivated her to work on her scientific writing skills. “Through this path, I became involved with a supportive com- munity that understands and respects my limitations,” she shares. “The members of this community inspire me to refine my thinking and convey my ideas with greater clarity, asser- tiveness, and purpose.” Sustaining scholarship at a PUI has had its challenges, but Soto has found key support through inter-institutional pro- fessional networks. “I was lucky to be chosen as member of the National Science Foundation ADVANCE ASAP network. The five-year grant helped me to contextualize my pro- fessional performance through peer mentoring by women faculty in STEM at PUIs. Being a member of AAPT (American Association of Physics Teachers) opened doors to enrich my educational practice. Recently, I joined the MERCURY consor- tium (http:/mercuryconsortium.org/), a community of faculty at PUIs that pursue excellence in molecular computational re- search,” she shares, in hopes that these resources will benefit other faculty at PUIs.

Soto’s lab group meeting via video call in Spring 2020

Soto is currently an associate professor in Creighton’s physics department. “The culture, academics, and administration of Creighton University inspire and support research with under- graduates,” she says. “Excellence in research and quality teach- ing (three courses per semester) are equally weighted for ten- ure and promotion in the physics department.” This is a great fit for Soto, who describes her passion for scholarly teaching as on par with her dedication to disciplinary research. “I embrace teaching as the one contribution I can have on young minds who would follow a wide range of after-college pathways. I envision my role as a scaffold that my students may use to develop reasoning habits and skills consistent with the scien- tific method,” she says. “Therefore, I have invested myself in tailoring my teaching to active learning in a student-centered style. To design my curricular material, I use keen observation and interpretation of my students’ behavior and responses, analysis of assessment and metacognition metrics, and my learning of disciplinary-based education research work. As with any enterprise there have been ups and downs, but overall my students and I see a sustainable positive slope!” Her group has trained 47 undergraduates majoring in neuro- science, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, or physics. While in her lab, the students engage in modular and interconnected subprojects that fit with the main research plan. “Our group pro- vides an authentic interdisciplinary undergraduate research ex- perience at the interface of life and physical sciences. Graduates from the research group are attending—or have attended— medical school, dental school, or graduate school, or have jobs in the knowledge industry,” Soto shares. “Undergraduates often say howmuch they enjoy using a mix of what they have learned in their standard courses to tackle our research projects. I am thrilled when my students reach the level of connecting data and visual representation with an interpretation they propose themselves that answers the science question we have posed. Every time this happens, I confirm I am in the right place!”

Soto’s family social distancing in March

At the time of writing, Soto and her family are participating in social distancing in response to the global COVID-19 pandem- ic. “On the positive side, we have gotten to re-connect with each other, and with friends — thanks internet and social media! We have had a chance to eat a warm lunch every day and to walk our dog. I have been following more closely the schoolwork of my three kids. We have also had a chance to ponder our attitude as responsible citizens and as a part of something larger than us, and to recognize the privileges that we have,” she shares. “Paraphrasing an email I wrote to my students, we see this time as an opportunity to grow and en- rich our lives, to pull together through this, and to get creative while we navigate the unexpected.”

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