•Community Service Award•

Education:
-Ph.D. in Plant Pathology — University of Arizona
-B.S. in Biology — Universidad de Puerto Rico, Cayey

For such a young scientist, Dr. Nicole Colón Carrión has already built an inspiring career at the intersection of science, education, and community service, dedicating herself to expanding access to STEM for underserved communities in Puerto Rico and beyond. Her unwavering commitment to equity and empowerment is reflected in the grassroots programs she has led and / or founded, the countless students she has mentored, and the institutional partnerships she has nurtured — work that has made her a beacon of service and leadership.

For more than a decade, beginning when she was an undergraduate, Dr. Colón Carrión has led programs that make science education accessible and relevant to communities historically excluded from STEM. As Vice President of Ciencia en Tus Manos (CETM), she has shaped national programming and mentorship efforts in Puerto Rico, including launching the Desde los Zapatos de un Boricua en STEM storytelling series, which highlights Puerto Rican STEM professionals to help students envision themselves in these roles. She also co-designed CETM’s first Summer Camp, which brought 14 students from rural Puerto Rico together for immersive, hands-on STEM experiences that sparked long-term interest in science careers.

Her vision extends to programs she personally created, like Micología en Ruedas, a mobile science education initiative that introduced mycology to underserved schools. With From the Classroom to the Farm, she partnered with the Puerto Rico Extension Service to train farmers and extension agents in ecological practices, producing bilingual resources that reached dozens of agricultural professionals. She also co-founded Líderes Boricuas en Ciencias Agrícolas, a year-long leadership program that prepared undergraduate students for graduate study and careers in agricultural sciences.

Even during her short tenure in industry, Nicole’s passion for service was evident. At Corteva Agriscience, she devoted significant time to the company’s outreach steering team, collaborating with organizations such as GENYOUth, the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, and Junior Achievement to deliver STEM programming to hundreds of families and students. She also co-organized Girls, Inc.’s Eureka Summer Camp, co-led STEM Exploration Day for the Children’s Museum, and developed classroom-ready STEM curricula for teachers, ensuring her expertise directly benefited the broader community. A prolific mentor, Dr. Colón Carrión is personally guiding more than 20 students and early-career professionals, most of them first-generation Hispanics.

Nicole’s impressive record of service is matched by her academic and professional achievements. She earned her Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Arizona, where she researched the impact of climate change on tropical and agricultural ecosystems, and pursued postbaccalaureate research in Neurotoxicology at Michigan State University. In 2021, she won the HENAAC Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Leadership. 

While at Corteva, she led multiple R&D projects in plant pathology, improving disease detection timelines and pioneering cost-effective testing strategies. At the Hispanic Access Foundation, she managed workforce development programs for Latino students, mentoring 20+ interns across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and organizing a recruitment tour that engaged more than 300 students across 16 universities.

In the summer of 2025, Dr. Colón Carrion accepted a position as an Associate Professor at Inter American University in Puerto Rico, bringing her journey full circle and positioning her to continue shaping future generations of scientists and leaders.