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Interview with Edcel Cintron-Gonzalez, doctoral student
Get PDFOral history interview with Illinois State University doctoral student Edcel Cintron-Gonzalez. The interview was conducted by Milner Library intern Paige Malloy on May 22, 2023.
Cintron-Gonzalez provides insights into his upbringing in Puerto Rico, emphasizing the cultural richness and challenges of life on the island, particularly dealing with hurricanes George and Maria. He shares fond memories of Puerto Rican cuisine and educational experiences, highlighting the significance of his alma mater, the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.
Transitioning to his academic journey, Cintron-Gonzalez discusses his passion for children\u27s literature, influenced by his undergraduate studies in English literature and education. He credits his professors for igniting this passion and expresses his plans to teach a Caribbean children\u27s literature course. Cintron-Gonzalez reflects on his transition to ISU, shaped by Hurricane Maria\u27s aftermath and the encouragement of a supportive faculty member, Dr. Ricia Chansky. Delving into his Ph.D. research, Cintron-Gonzalez elaborates on his focus on mental health representation in children\u27s literature, emphasizing the importance of inclusive and age-appropriate narratives.
The discussion shifts to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on his academic and personal life, emphasizing challenges and silver linings, such as adapting to online teaching and finding solace in nature. As a graduate assistant, Cintron-Gonzalez describes his tasks, including teaching and newsletter editing, emphasizing project-based learning and diverse literary explorations in his courses. He shares insights into his role as president of the Graduate Student Association, including the association\u27s aim to foster a supportive community for graduate students through various social events.
Cintron-Gonzalez also discusses his involvement with the Graduate Workers Union. He emphasizes the importance of unions in protecting workers\u27 rights and notes his participation in negotiating the union\u27s first-ever contract. Through these negotiations, significant victories were achieved, including substantial increases in stipends for graduate workers and improved protections for international students. Cintron-Gonzalez passionately advocates for fair treatment and equitable pay for all graduate workers, citing his own stipend amount and the challenges many face in covering basic living expenses. He also touches on his multifaceted role within the union, from serving as a certified steward to actively engaging in propaganda and communication efforts.
Transitioning to his position within the English Department, Cintron-Gonzalez discusses his role as a social media specialist and graduate teaching assistant. He recounts his positive relationships with faculty members and his involvement in various departmental initiatives, including managing social media platforms and supporting faculty-led projects. He describes his efforts to promote student and faculty achievements through social media, emphasizing the importance of visibility for academic work. Additionally, he discusses his work in podcasting and his aspirations to expand the department\u27s journal to include more creative submissions from graduate students.
Cintron-Gonzalez highlights his recent award as the Outstanding Student Social Media Manager, which recognizes his efforts to enhance the English Department\u27s social media presence. Additionally, he celebrates his accomplishment as a published author and his upcoming participation in the MLA Conference.
Despite feeling supported by faculty and finding community in the Latin American Studies program, he acknowledges experiencing microaggressions due to his identity. Reflecting on ISU\u27s changes, he notes infrastructure improvements and hopes for enhanced support for BIPOC students, equitable opportunities, and recognition of indigenous peoples. Cintron-Gonzalez also expresses a desire for continued success in the English Department\u27s social media efforts post his departure.https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/aoh/1069/thumbnail.jp
A Comprehensive Study of Library-Led Textbook Affordability Initiatives in the United States
Get PDFThis study presents findings from a survey and interviews investigating library-led textbook affordability initiatives in the United States. The results document diverse considerations and divergences in workflows, challenges librarians face in establishing and maintaining textbook affordability programs, and the intersection of these initiatives with library and institutional strategies. Findings suggest that these programs have grown in number and scale over the past few years, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, and are sustained—even without permanent, designated funding—due to consistently positive perceptions about their impact on student success, just-in-time delivery, and alignment with library and institutional goals
An Agent-Based Model of Microglia and Neuron Interaction: Implications in Neurodegenerative Disease
Get PDFWhether immune cells protect or harm the brain is an open question depending on context, and their role is implicated in multiple diseases such as Alzheimer\u27s disease, dementia, and other neurological disorders. Microglia, a specific type of immune cell in the central nervous system, play a key role in homeostasis, and genes associated with an elevated risk of Alzheimer\u27s disease correspond with deficiencies in their behavior. We created an agent-based model that incorporates inflammatory signaling, chemotaxis, and phagocytosis of damaged neurons and allows the exploration of crucial pathways in the maintenance of brain health. We specifically investigated pathways related to Alzheimer\u27s risk variants of the gene TREM2, which results in impaired microglia phagocytosis and sensing
A Narrow Corridor
No full textThis image is a representation of the feeling I intend to invoke in my senior capstone film project. I am using photography and film to create an image of a brain, a memory affected by time and loss. My film follows a young woman as she becomes increasingly disoriented in an urban maze. Subtle moments of absence allude to a missing life and that she is living through this moment whether she wants to or not. The setting is a vacant city, once full of noise and now eerily silent. Windows, fire escapes, textured brick walls—all things emulating a certain human-like emotion to me, an unfulfilled desire trapped in time and space forever. The faded murals on old brick walls tell a story similar to that of my main character as someone who is pleading for her existence to be acknowledged.https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/ior2025/1015/thumbnail.jp
Tensions and Possibilities
No full textIn this image, I use a Rubik’s cube, decorated with Thai and American flag patterns, as a metaphor for navigating cross-cultural educational differences. Each twist symbolizes the challenges and adjustments Thai doctoral students face as they transition from their familiar educational backgrounds to the distinct teaching and learning environment of the U.S. Achieving the perfect alignment requires multiple twists, ultimately revealing an image of two hands shaking—a symbol of the resolution of initial tensions and the possibilities that emerge through adaptation. This handshake also reflects a theme from interviews I conducted for my research about the experiences and challenges faced by Thai students in the U.S. By capturing these perspectives, my study aims to provide insights to professors so that they can better understand and support international students and foster more inclusive and diverse approaches to teaching and learning.https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/ior2025/1006/thumbnail.jp
Bridging STEM Education with Local Knowledge: Empowering Rural Students in Papua, Indonesia
No full textMy research explores the impact of training prospective teachers to deliver Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in rural elementary schools in Papua, Indonesia—a region with limited access to resources and unique geographical challenges. My research seeks to understand how STEM teaching can be adapted to these settings and examines the potential of using local knowledge to foster student engagement and learning. My study found that teachers can effectively introduce STEM concepts without relying on high-tech materials. By integrating local cultural practices and students\u27 everyday experiences, these educators make STEM topics more relatable and accessible. This approach not only enhances students’ understanding and performance in STEM subjects, but also sparks greater interest in the field, empowering young minds with the knowledge and curiosity essential for future growth. The image reflects this vibrant blend of local culture and STEM learning, capturing students actively engaged in hands-on, locally relevant science activities.https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/ior2025/1000/thumbnail.jp
ACEDHH 2025- We Thought It Would Be Easy: Examining Current Deaf Education Daata
Get PDFThis handout is a resource for round-table held at the American College Educators of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ACE-DHH) 2025 conference in Washington, DC. January 30-Feb 3, 2025
Transforming Teacher Preparation Programs with AI Literacy
No full textThis presentation entails the most current research to enhance preservice teachers’ (PSTs) AI literacy. Twenty-two US states have issued AI guidelines that underscore the importance of AI literacy (Kosta, 2024). As non-AI experts, PSTs are encouraged to explore AI curricula enhancement and integration in their classrooms (Chiu, 2022). Owing to the pressing need to refine AI literacy in different contexts, this movement requires non-AI experts to determine professional knowledge and skills (Laupichler et al., 2022). Therefore, PSTs are equipped with professional knowledge to educate students effectively while augmenting their workflow. Co-design teaching and learning with AI prioritizes PSTs\u27 agency, enhancing the contextual usability and application as AI infusion makes critical decisions to the student\u27s academic achievement success and bridges the equity and inclusion gap in K-12 education
A DIY Approach to Designing Full Body Freedom of Movement in Virtual Reality
No full textThe Movement Freedom Exploration Experience (MFEE) looks at the building of a customizable lowcost full body movement controller for application in games, simulations, and other digital environments. The focus of this project lies in two aspects of the concept of freedom. First, we are interested in the idea of using free full body motion to control movement in a virtual environment. This has been developed as a commercial product; however, we are interested in the ability to customize such controllers to reflect our own game designs.
Second, we are interested in working to develop a template for others to create this type of controller. We want to show that no matter the project, if a small group of people can start a project together then anything, even a wide scale custom controller on a budget, is possible. The project shows the possibility for small development teams to explore the relationship between the mechanics of the game and the design of custom controllers. We are exploring this area to show that anyone with the right motivation can accomplish this goal of making a custom controller
The Effect of Stress on Female Preference and Perception of a Socially Relevant Stimulus
No full textAnimals must respond adaptively to social cues for survival. Stress, often triggered by environmental factors, can alter how animals perceive and respond to social stimuli. A stress hormone, corticosterone (CORT), prepares the body to respond to a stressor; thus, it is used as a measure of stress levels. In the brain, different types of stress, such as acute and chronic, can cause shifts in the expression of neuropeptides that modulate social behaviors and changes in behavior. By assessing female preference for a socially relevant stimulus under different stress conditions, we can understand how stress impacts social behavior and the perception of social signals. In our study, female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) will undergo different stress conditions (control, acute - AS, and chronic - CS). Then, using a three-chamber setup, females will be presented with a choice between a social stimulus consisting of a picture of a female zebra finch paired with contact calls or a control stimulus consisting of a scrambled zebra finch image and pink noise. Females will also have the option to remain in the neutral zone (no stimulus). We will assess social preference by comparing how long they spend near the control vs the social stimulus. We predict that there will be a negative correlation between preference for social stimulus and CORT levels so the control birds will have the lowest CORT levels and strongest preference, while the AS birds will have the highest CORT levels and weakest preference. This is consistent with research showing that chronic stress causes a dampened stress response while acute stress induces high CORT levels due to the novelty of the stressor. In the future, we will assess changes in the gene expression of social neuropeptides in sensory regions of the brain due to stress condition. This work will provide insights into how stress might change the perception of social signals, thus affecting future decision-making and social interactions