SACNAS Announces 2026 Distinguished Awardees

Awardees to be honored at the 2026 SACNAS Annual Conference in Long Beach, California

SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 SACNAS Distinguished Awards. This year’s awardees have exemplified the SACNAS mission by showing exceptional dedication to excellence in STEM, research, and mentoring. These outstanding individuals were nominated by those who have been impacted by their work and selected by a committee of their peers. Awards will be presented during a 2026 SACNAS Annual Conference general session.

Since the SACNAS Distinguished Awards program was initiated in 1997, the Society has honored over 140 scientists, educators, and program directors for their commitment to and personification of the spirit of the SACNAS mission: to foster the success Chicano/Hispanic and Native American scientists, from college students to professionals, in attaining attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM.

We are honored to present the 2026 awardees:

2026 SACNAS Distinguished Scientist Award

The SACNAS Distinguished Scientist Award honors excellence in STEM and research. The awardee has a minimum of ten years of experience as a principal investigator, with a demonstrated record of engaging in research and educational activities at the national level including, but not limited to, active funded research projects or funded STEM-based education initiatives, notable STEM contributions, and training the next generation of STEM students and researchers. This year we are proud to recognize:

Dena Smith-Nufio, PhD

Curator Adjoint
University of Colorado Museum

Dr. Dena Smith-Nufio is a paleobiologist who uses the fossil record to study the evolution and ecology of insects. She earned her BA from the University of California at Santa Cruz in the Departments of Biology and Environmental Studies and her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona from the Department of Geosciences, with a minor in Entomology. She then worked for sixteen years at the University of Colorado in Boulder as the Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology in the CU Museum of Natural History and as a faculty member in the Department of Geosciences. She also served as the Executive Director of a scientific consortium that was based at the Geological Society of America.

Dr. Dena Smith-Nufio joined the National Science Foundation in 2016 as Lead Program Director for the Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology Program, assumed the role of Division Director of Earth Sciences in 2023, and is now a Section Head in the Geosciences Directorate. She is a long-time SACNISTA and first started participating in the annual conference in the early 1990s. SACNAS has been a guiding light for her through every stage of her career, from her undergraduate days to her mid-career shift out of academia and into the federal government.

In addition to her personal experience as a Chicana, first-generation student, she has a wealth of leadership experience in the training and mentorship of STEM scientists who are members of historically excluded groups. She is deeply committed to transforming culture and developing policies and practices that ensure that STEM spaces are both safe and inclusive.

Dr. Smith-Nufio said of receiving the Distinguished Scientist award:

“This award means the world to me. The love, encouragement, and mentorship that I have received from my SACNAS family has helped me to navigate every stage of my career. I am so honored to receive this recognition from the community of scientists that raised and nurtured me.”

2026 SACNAS Distinguished Mentor Award

The SACNAS Distinguished Mentor Award honors excellence in mentorship. The awardee has a sustained record of at least ten years of participating in educational and/or community outreach activities, encouraging students and/or professionals to pursue advanced degrees in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics or a related field, and advancing the SACNAS mission through mentoring. This year we are proud to recognize:

Cheryl Ramirez Sangueza, PhD

Professor, Advanced Education & Research Services
University of Guam

Cheryl Ramirez Sangueza, Ph.D., is a recently promoted Professor of Education at the University of Guam. A proud graduate of the Guam Public School System and the University of Guam, and an Air Force veteran, she brings a deeply personal perspective to her work as an educator, mentor, and scholar. Shaped by her own experiences as a mischievous student who was conditioned to believe she had a limited future, Dr. Sangueza is committed to supporting students whose experiences or circumstances may lead them to feel similarly. Her work focuses on helping students activate their capacity and reimagine the possibilities.

Before earning her Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Dr. Sangueza spent 14 years teaching secondary mathematics and science to a richly diverse student community, including learners from East Harlem, New York, and learners in Washington who were navigating the juvenile justice system and pursuing recovery. She wrapped up her public-school teaching career in the Guam Department of Defense Education Activity school system.

Fast forward to 2026: Dr. Sangueza now has 28 years of teaching experience, trusted partnerships with the Guam Department of Education, and a decade of leadership positions in the Alfred P. Sloan and NSF EPSCoR, Navigating Home, and INCLUDES SEAS Islands Alliance (with U.S Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) initiatives. Beyond her executive grant roles, Dr. Sangueza oversees the Guam participant programs in each grant. Her roles enable her to nurture numerous mentoring ecosystems that include high school to graduate students, early career fellows, faculty and government agency mentors, administrative teams, and grant leadership. Guided and cheered by her own mentors and professional allies, Dr. Sangueza is in her element when facilitating a continuum of learning experiences that guide students beyond their vision and enhance faculty mentoring mindsets and practices.

Dr. Sangueza said of receiving the Distinguished Mentor Award:

"To be named the 2026 SACNAS Distinguished Mentor for an endeavor that brings me the absolute greatest joy is a deeply moving honor and is a testament to the butterfly effect of my own mentors. They are proof how a person’s encouragement can rewrite the trajectory of a life, inspiring my own mission to foster that same transformation in others. I share this recognition with the mentors who shaped my journey and the community that walks this path with me."

SACNAS is also proud to recognize 5 exceptional members through Outstanding Awards, including inaugural Outstanding Postdoctoral Leadership and Outstanding Graduate Student Leadership awards. The 2026 outstanding awardees are as follows:

Outstanding College/University Mentor:

Jorge Moreno, PhD – Pomona College

Outstanding Research & Professional Mentor:

Cecilia Zurita Lopez, PhD – Chapman University

Outstanding Postdoctoral Leadership Award:

Christian Cazares – University of California San Diego

Outstanding Graduate Student Leadership Award:

Nicole Doran – University of Washington

Outstanding Graduate Student Leadership Award:

Jocelyn Rodriguez – University of California Los Angeles

All awards will be celebrated during the 2026 SACNAS National Conference happening October 29 to 31, 2026 in Long Beach, CA. Learn more and register for the conference at sacnas.org/conference.

To learn more about past SACNAS awardees, visit our website at https://www.sacnas.org/honor-excellence/archive

View past SACNAS award acceptance speeches, on our youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSTYnN-PxG8YF57akTqGF4lf7angTWeh_

ABOUT SACNAS
For over 53 years, SACNAS has been committed to fostering the success of Chicano/Hispanic and Native American individuals in STEM—from students to professionals—by supporting their pursuit of advanced degrees, meaningful careers, and leadership positions. SACNAS welcomes everyone to join as members and participate in its programs. Today, SACNAS supports a vibrant and expanding community of approximately 5,300 members and more than 150 student and professional chapters across the United States, including Puerto Rico and Guam. The organization strengthens the STEM workforce through outreach, leadership development, and career advancement opportunities—highlighted by its flagship event, the SACNAS Annual Conference. Discover more about SACNAS and how to get involved at sacnas.org or connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X.