2026 SACNAS Outstanding Research & Professional Mentor
Dr. Zurita Lopez was selected by a panel of SACNAS members, on a nomination by former student Juan Leal Doblado, for making access to science actively constructed rather than passively offered.
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VR and lab anxiety at AERA 2026
Findings from the NSF-funded project on chemistry laboratory anxiety and self-efficacy, presented at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting.
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Virtual reality as equitable lab access
Dr. Zurita Lopez presented evidence that VR practice can ease anticipatory anxiety before lab courses at the AAC&U Transforming STEM Higher Education conference.
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VR in general chemistry labs at ASBMB TUEMLS
Early results suggesting VR modules reduce student anxiety in general chemistry labs were presented in St. Paul.
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Fulbright visiting scholar joins the lab
Dr. Rigoberto Castro Beltrán of the Universidad de Guanajuato joined the lab through the Fulbright–COMEXUS program.
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NSF award to close the equity gap in lab training
Dr. Zurita Lopez is Co-PI on a four-year NSF award building virtual-reality chemistry lab modules.
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Chapman faculty research grant for histone crosstalk
A Chapman Office of Research grant supports work on how phosphoserine and arginine methylation interact in histone proteins.
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PGC-1α methylation at DiscoverBMB
Dr. Zurita Lopez presented the lab’s PGC-1α work at DiscoverBMB in Seattle and received a travel award.
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Nine student co-authors on new Biochemistry paper
The lab’s study showing that arginine methylation of the PGC-1α C-terminus is temperature dependent was published in Biochemistry.