Introduction of Gerardo Pérez-Ponce de León, Recipient of the 2014 Clark P. Read Mentor Award Author(s): F. A. Jiménez Source: Journal of Parasitology, 100(6):708-709. Published By: American Society of Parasitologists DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1645/14-637.1 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1645/14-637.1
BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder.
BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research.
J. Parasitol., 100(6), 2014, pp. 708–709 Ó American Society of Parasitologists 2014
´ ´ INTRODUCTION OF GERARDO PEREZ-PONCE DE LEON, RECIPIENT OF THE 2014 CLARK P. READ MENTOR AWARD F. A. Jime´nez Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901-6501.
Members of the American Society of Parasitologists and guests, it is with the utmost pleasure and joy that I introduce Dr. Gerardo ´ as the recipient of the 2014 Clark P. Read Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon Mentor Award. On behalf of those who submitted letters supporting his nomination, I thank the committee chaired by Dr. Valerie McKenzie and the Society for recognizing our mentor. ´ has used his teaching skills to inspire Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon undergraduate and graduate students, who have also found in him an example of dedication to research and mentoring. His indefatigable efforts have served as an example of discipline, a strong work ethic, and determination to pursue goals and attain ´ has change. Throughout his career, Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon influenced the research at the Instituto de Biolog ´ıa of the ´ Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Me´xico (UNAM) by incorporating phylogenetic and quantitative tools that helped in transforming and diversifying the vocation of his institution from a primary repository of collections and refuge for taxonomy into a stronghold of evolutionary thinking. All of these characteristics, in combination with his charming personality, have made an indelible impression on all of his former students. ´ received his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon Ph.D. degrees from UNAM. As a student he was keen to develop projects around parasites associated with vertebrates in freshwater systems. During this time he cultivated a genuine interest in the evolutionary processes that shaped the interactions among the elements one may encounter in aquatic systems. As a consequence he authored studies in the distribution of parasites in fish, studied the distribution of the apparently ubiquitous Posthodiplostomum minimum in intermediate and definitive hosts, tracked the invasion of the Asian tapeworm in Mexico, and participated in the inventory of parasites of marine fish. The continuation and expansion of his research has resulted in the production of 129 scientific publications. The quality and implications of his work ´ made him the recipient of the Premio Nacional de Invesitgacion en Ciencias Naturales, awarded by the Mexican Academy of Sciences in 2002, and the Henry Baldwin Ward Medal of the American Society of Parasitologists, awarded in 2006. Yet, he still maintains a humble attitude that makes him continue his own education, instruction, and training. Thus, he has used sabbatical leaves to work at the University of Nebraska with Dr. Scott Gardner and the University of California at Davis with Dr. Steve Nadler. In addition to the basic scientific results derived from his research program, important results also have included the formation of scientists and undergraduate and graduate students who gained research experience working under his direction. Most students working in his lab were soon involved in the inventory of parasites of aquatic and semiaquatic vertebrates in
Mexico; several delved into the structure of the parasite communities in basins across the central plateau of Mexico or reconstructed the influences of Neartic and Neotropical elements in the phylogenetic relationships of parasites occurring in the transition zone. All of his trainees were and are exposed to bench and field techniques and challenged to integrate basic notions of parasitology with other disciplines of science. ´ The inspirational teaching career of Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon started in 1984, when he became a TA for parasitology at UNAM. During subsequent years, he taught specialized courses in invertebrate zoology and parasitological-themed electives. In 1987 he became the instructor of the field biology course ‘‘Helminth Parasites of Aquatic Vertebrates,’’ which was pivotal in the scholarly formation of several of his students. His engaging teaching style and dedicated mentoring has resulted in the training of 11 undergraduates completing research theses, 14 M.S. students, and 6 Ph.D. students, as well as 4 postdoctoral researchers. These individuals are now leading independent groups completing research in various branches of parasitology, ichthyology, and biogeography. They now teach in universities around Mexico and the United States, with 6 securing academic positions at his home institution, and 5 more at other institutions of higher education scattered across Mexico (Table I). Those students staying in his home institution have branched off to different departments and schools to enhance the training and perspectives of future parasitologists. Those in other institutions have diversified the curricula in their home institutions by teaching subjects pertaining ´ has to the parasite-host interaction. Since Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon ventured into the advising of non-parasitologists, some of his former students are teaching other aspects of biology, including biogeography and evolutionary biology. I consider that his ability to provide a learning atmosphere and knack for making every student feel immersed in the middle of a scientific conversation were key in engaging students in the universal endeavor of doing science. By thoroughly discussing ideas and guiding us to the identification of problems he helped us to enumerate potential alternatives to tests these hypotheses. By doing this, especially with undergraduates, he made us overcome misconceptions and use this knowledge to ask new questions. Consistently, this made us feel part of a scientific dialogue and made us realize that to have something relevant to contribute to this dialogue one needs to show dedication to work and careful analysis. His teaching style incorporates an extraordinary ability to dissect abstract concepts and convince individuals in their early 20s to work toward pursuing a common goal. Several of these abilities translated into his mentoring style, by helping young people to coordinate and complete small expeditions and complement experiments. His respectful interaction with students would help us in applying general concepts into parasitological problems. In most
DOI: 10.1645/14-637.1 708
JIME´NEZ—2014 MENTOR AWARD INTRODUCTION
709
´ who have attained tenure-track positions in universities or work in research or educational TABLE I. Students of Dr. Gerardo Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon activities.
Mentee Omar Dom ´ınguez-Dom ´ınguez Sol Galicia Guerrero Lorena Garrido Olvera Adriana Garc ´ıa Vasquez Irma Garc ´ıa Altamirano Ma. Del Carmen Guzma´n Cornejo F. Agust ´ın Jime´nez ´ ` Virginia Leon-R egagnon Andre´s Mart ´ınez Aquino Hugo Mej ´ıa-Madrid Francisco Neptal ´ı Morales-Serna M. Berenit Mendoza-Garfias Alejandro Oceguera-Figueroa Patricia Ornelas Garc ´ıa Griselda Pulido-Flores Patricia Ramos Ramos Rogelio Rosas Valde´z Ulises Razo-Mendivil
Program Ph.D. M.Sci. Postdoc M.Sci. M.Sci. M.Sci. Ph.D. Ph.D. Ph.D. Postdoc M.Sci. Postdoc Postdoc M.Sci. M.Sci. Ph.D. Ph.D.
Degree conferred/ completing postdoc 2008 2001 2006 2013 2001 2000 1999 1996 2013 2005 2012 1996 2012 2015 1997 1994 2008 2004
cases the command that students have of these concepts was not very firm, yet our mentor would work with each of us in transforming our ideas into a solid test of hypotheses. To the eyes of young students, with no experience in interaction with professional scientists, this was a huge welcoming sign, and it encouraged us to become involved in scientific projects. ´ features an adventurous and generous Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon spirit, genuinely involved in the scientific endeavor. This has been demonstrated by his advising of non-parasitologists or mentoring postdoctoral researchers working in other laboratories. These individuals acknowledge that his intellectual feedback was important in the completion of their research. ´ Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon’s commitment to students extended beyond the laboratory. Even by becoming engaged in small talk
Current affiliation Universidad Michoacana San Nicola´s de Hidalgo Technician, Hospital de Cardiolog ´ıa Postdoc at Instituto de Ecolog ´ıa de Xalapa, A.C. High school teacher, Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades Vallejo Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM Southern Illinois University Unidad Occidente Instituto de Biolog ´ıa, Colima Postdoc at Museo de la Plata, Argentina Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM Catedra CONACyT, CIAD, Mazatla´n Electron Imaging Unit, Instituto de Biolog ´ıa, UNAM Instituto de Biolog ´ıa, UNAM ´ Catedra CONACyT, Universidad Autonoma de Quere´taro ´ Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo ´ Education branch of Zoologico de Chapultepec ´ Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas Postdoc at Instituto de Ecolog ´ıa de Xalapa, A.C.
or by participating in the informal social events of the laboratory, he presented himself as an interlocutor able to listen. Up till ´ maintains communication with today, Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon his students and continues to give us advice and set an example even when his responsibilities as a mentor have concluded. Every single person writing letters offered testimony of his generosity and affirmed that he continues to provide technical assistance, occasional equipment, and advice. Finally, and again on behalf of his mentees, I congratulate Dr. ´ for being the recipient of the 2014 Clark P. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon Read Mentor award, and would like to take this opportunity to thank him for giving us a chance to work in his lab and for transmitting his enthusiasm for research, expertise in parasitology, and passion for life.
BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder.
BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research.
J. Parasitol., 100(6), 2014, pp. 708–709 Ó American Society of Parasitologists 2014
´ ´ INTRODUCTION OF GERARDO PEREZ-PONCE DE LEON, RECIPIENT OF THE 2014 CLARK P. READ MENTOR AWARD F. A. Jime´nez Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901-6501.
Members of the American Society of Parasitologists and guests, it is with the utmost pleasure and joy that I introduce Dr. Gerardo ´ as the recipient of the 2014 Clark P. Read Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon Mentor Award. On behalf of those who submitted letters supporting his nomination, I thank the committee chaired by Dr. Valerie McKenzie and the Society for recognizing our mentor. ´ has used his teaching skills to inspire Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon undergraduate and graduate students, who have also found in him an example of dedication to research and mentoring. His indefatigable efforts have served as an example of discipline, a strong work ethic, and determination to pursue goals and attain ´ has change. Throughout his career, Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon influenced the research at the Instituto de Biolog ´ıa of the ´ Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Me´xico (UNAM) by incorporating phylogenetic and quantitative tools that helped in transforming and diversifying the vocation of his institution from a primary repository of collections and refuge for taxonomy into a stronghold of evolutionary thinking. All of these characteristics, in combination with his charming personality, have made an indelible impression on all of his former students. ´ received his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon Ph.D. degrees from UNAM. As a student he was keen to develop projects around parasites associated with vertebrates in freshwater systems. During this time he cultivated a genuine interest in the evolutionary processes that shaped the interactions among the elements one may encounter in aquatic systems. As a consequence he authored studies in the distribution of parasites in fish, studied the distribution of the apparently ubiquitous Posthodiplostomum minimum in intermediate and definitive hosts, tracked the invasion of the Asian tapeworm in Mexico, and participated in the inventory of parasites of marine fish. The continuation and expansion of his research has resulted in the production of 129 scientific publications. The quality and implications of his work ´ made him the recipient of the Premio Nacional de Invesitgacion en Ciencias Naturales, awarded by the Mexican Academy of Sciences in 2002, and the Henry Baldwin Ward Medal of the American Society of Parasitologists, awarded in 2006. Yet, he still maintains a humble attitude that makes him continue his own education, instruction, and training. Thus, he has used sabbatical leaves to work at the University of Nebraska with Dr. Scott Gardner and the University of California at Davis with Dr. Steve Nadler. In addition to the basic scientific results derived from his research program, important results also have included the formation of scientists and undergraduate and graduate students who gained research experience working under his direction. Most students working in his lab were soon involved in the inventory of parasites of aquatic and semiaquatic vertebrates in
Mexico; several delved into the structure of the parasite communities in basins across the central plateau of Mexico or reconstructed the influences of Neartic and Neotropical elements in the phylogenetic relationships of parasites occurring in the transition zone. All of his trainees were and are exposed to bench and field techniques and challenged to integrate basic notions of parasitology with other disciplines of science. ´ The inspirational teaching career of Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon started in 1984, when he became a TA for parasitology at UNAM. During subsequent years, he taught specialized courses in invertebrate zoology and parasitological-themed electives. In 1987 he became the instructor of the field biology course ‘‘Helminth Parasites of Aquatic Vertebrates,’’ which was pivotal in the scholarly formation of several of his students. His engaging teaching style and dedicated mentoring has resulted in the training of 11 undergraduates completing research theses, 14 M.S. students, and 6 Ph.D. students, as well as 4 postdoctoral researchers. These individuals are now leading independent groups completing research in various branches of parasitology, ichthyology, and biogeography. They now teach in universities around Mexico and the United States, with 6 securing academic positions at his home institution, and 5 more at other institutions of higher education scattered across Mexico (Table I). Those students staying in his home institution have branched off to different departments and schools to enhance the training and perspectives of future parasitologists. Those in other institutions have diversified the curricula in their home institutions by teaching subjects pertaining ´ has to the parasite-host interaction. Since Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon ventured into the advising of non-parasitologists, some of his former students are teaching other aspects of biology, including biogeography and evolutionary biology. I consider that his ability to provide a learning atmosphere and knack for making every student feel immersed in the middle of a scientific conversation were key in engaging students in the universal endeavor of doing science. By thoroughly discussing ideas and guiding us to the identification of problems he helped us to enumerate potential alternatives to tests these hypotheses. By doing this, especially with undergraduates, he made us overcome misconceptions and use this knowledge to ask new questions. Consistently, this made us feel part of a scientific dialogue and made us realize that to have something relevant to contribute to this dialogue one needs to show dedication to work and careful analysis. His teaching style incorporates an extraordinary ability to dissect abstract concepts and convince individuals in their early 20s to work toward pursuing a common goal. Several of these abilities translated into his mentoring style, by helping young people to coordinate and complete small expeditions and complement experiments. His respectful interaction with students would help us in applying general concepts into parasitological problems. In most
DOI: 10.1645/14-637.1 708
JIME´NEZ—2014 MENTOR AWARD INTRODUCTION
709
´ who have attained tenure-track positions in universities or work in research or educational TABLE I. Students of Dr. Gerardo Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon activities.
Mentee Omar Dom ´ınguez-Dom ´ınguez Sol Galicia Guerrero Lorena Garrido Olvera Adriana Garc ´ıa Vasquez Irma Garc ´ıa Altamirano Ma. Del Carmen Guzma´n Cornejo F. Agust ´ın Jime´nez ´ ` Virginia Leon-R egagnon Andre´s Mart ´ınez Aquino Hugo Mej ´ıa-Madrid Francisco Neptal ´ı Morales-Serna M. Berenit Mendoza-Garfias Alejandro Oceguera-Figueroa Patricia Ornelas Garc ´ıa Griselda Pulido-Flores Patricia Ramos Ramos Rogelio Rosas Valde´z Ulises Razo-Mendivil
Program Ph.D. M.Sci. Postdoc M.Sci. M.Sci. M.Sci. Ph.D. Ph.D. Ph.D. Postdoc M.Sci. Postdoc Postdoc M.Sci. M.Sci. Ph.D. Ph.D.
Degree conferred/ completing postdoc 2008 2001 2006 2013 2001 2000 1999 1996 2013 2005 2012 1996 2012 2015 1997 1994 2008 2004
cases the command that students have of these concepts was not very firm, yet our mentor would work with each of us in transforming our ideas into a solid test of hypotheses. To the eyes of young students, with no experience in interaction with professional scientists, this was a huge welcoming sign, and it encouraged us to become involved in scientific projects. ´ features an adventurous and generous Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon spirit, genuinely involved in the scientific endeavor. This has been demonstrated by his advising of non-parasitologists or mentoring postdoctoral researchers working in other laboratories. These individuals acknowledge that his intellectual feedback was important in the completion of their research. ´ Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon’s commitment to students extended beyond the laboratory. Even by becoming engaged in small talk
Current affiliation Universidad Michoacana San Nicola´s de Hidalgo Technician, Hospital de Cardiolog ´ıa Postdoc at Instituto de Ecolog ´ıa de Xalapa, A.C. High school teacher, Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades Vallejo Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM Southern Illinois University Unidad Occidente Instituto de Biolog ´ıa, Colima Postdoc at Museo de la Plata, Argentina Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM Catedra CONACyT, CIAD, Mazatla´n Electron Imaging Unit, Instituto de Biolog ´ıa, UNAM Instituto de Biolog ´ıa, UNAM ´ Catedra CONACyT, Universidad Autonoma de Quere´taro ´ Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo ´ Education branch of Zoologico de Chapultepec ´ Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas Postdoc at Instituto de Ecolog ´ıa de Xalapa, A.C.
or by participating in the informal social events of the laboratory, he presented himself as an interlocutor able to listen. Up till ´ maintains communication with today, Dr. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon his students and continues to give us advice and set an example even when his responsibilities as a mentor have concluded. Every single person writing letters offered testimony of his generosity and affirmed that he continues to provide technical assistance, occasional equipment, and advice. Finally, and again on behalf of his mentees, I congratulate Dr. ´ for being the recipient of the 2014 Clark P. Pe´rez-Ponce de Leon Read Mentor award, and would like to take this opportunity to thank him for giving us a chance to work in his lab and for transmitting his enthusiasm for research, expertise in parasitology, and passion for life.
