Native American public health expert coming for minority seminar series

Dr. Linda Burhansstipanov, director of the Native American Cancer Research Program in Denver, will be the second speaker in the quarterly series of minority academic seminars organized by the Student Coalition for Diversity in Science, with support from the Dean's Office in the School of Medicine.

Burhansstipanov, of the Western Cherokee tribe, will speak on "Strategies to Address Barriers for Native Americans Participating in Studies and in Scientific Careers" at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Pelton Auditorium at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center South Lake Union campus. The presentation is open to everyone.

In addition, Burhansstipanov will meet with minority students while she is at the UW. A workshop luncheon has been scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, in the Chicano Room at the Ethnic Cultural Center, 3931 Brooklyn Ave., N.E., where she will speak directly to students regarding careers in science. For the workshop only, register by contacting Anhthu Hoang at hoang@zoology.washington.edu.

Burhansstipanov earned a master's degree in 1972 and a doctorate in 1974 from the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Public Health, the first Native American to do so. She worked part-time teaching at UCLA from 1971 though 1976 and full-time at California State University, Long Beach from 1972 through 1991. She developed and implemented the Native American Cancer Research Programs at the National Cancer Institute from 1989-1993. She joined the Native American Cancer Research Center in Denver as director in 1993. The main stipulation of her program is that the Native American community must directly benefit from research and service projects implemented in partnership with her programs—the benefit must be more than findings in a survey.

Burhansstipanov also consults for the National Native American AIDS Prevention Center, as well as serving on numerous national and local advisory boards and committees on Native American health.

The seminar series was organized and conceived by the Student Coalition and Dr. Patrick Stayton, assistant professor of bioengineering, to foster an increased awareness of minorities in academic science and emphasize the need to encourage young underrepresented minority students to pursue careers and higher degrees in the sciences. The series is called the UW Minority Academic Seminar Series for Excellence in Science (UW-MASSES).

For more information on this speaker and the series, contact Robert Alaniz at ralaniz@u.washington.edu.¶