Notebook 2020

Page 6

I want to spark an interest in

STEM in future generations of Indigenous scholars.

4

DOMINIQUE PABLITO

applied for 15 scholarships and was awarded

Dominique used targeted photoactivatable

BS’20, Chemistry - Dominque Pablito grew

12, including the Larry H. Miller Enrichment

multi-inhibitor liposomes to induce site-spe-

up in the small town of Aneth, Utah, on the

Scholarship—a full ride.

cific cell damage in various cancer cells.

Navajo Nation, and in New Mexico on the

Zuni Reservation. She lived in a four-bedroom

Pablito was not prepared for college aca-

cancer and molecular biology developed,”

house with 13 family members, sharing a bed-

demics and sought help from tutors, profes-

said Pablito. “That internship taught me how

room with her mother and brother, and often

sors, and TAs.

to effectively present scientific data and how

visited relatives for extended stays.

important community can be for the success

YouTube,” said Pablito. “College retention rates

of Native American students.”

English, Pablito learned the Zuni and Navajo

for indigenous students are exceptionally low,

languages. Pablito said her father, an alco-

so instead of going home for the summer, I

childhood experience with the Indian Health

holic, came in and out of her life.

sought out research internships and difficult

Service. “Many of my elders distrusted going

coursework to keep busy.”

to doctors because most health care provid-

courses limited in reservation schools, Pablito

Academics were not her only challenge. “I

ers are white,” said Pablito. “My great-grandfa-

convinced her family to move. “We ran out of

started college at 15 and by age 16 I had no par-

thers’ illnesses could have been treated much

gas in Saint George, Utah, where I registered

ents,” said Pablito. “My mother was abusive and

better had they visited a doctor sooner. I will

for high school even though my family was

we ceased contact. At 17, I was diagnosed with

use my medical training to improve the care

unable to find housing,” said Pablito. “During

an adrenal tumor, which pushed my strength to

of elders on my reservation by integrating

my first quarter at my new school, I slept in a

its limits. I never felt more alone in my life.”

culture, language and medicine.”

2008 Nissan Xterra with my mother, brother

and grandmother while I earned straight A’s,

I participated in the PathMaker Research

medicine, Pablito plans to earn a doctoral

took college courses at Dixie State University

Program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute,

degree in cancer biology and eventually

and competed in varsity cross country.”

where I used biochemistry to investigate

open a lab on the Zuni Pueblo. “I want to

DNA damage and repair in cancer cells,” said

spark an interest in STEM in future genera-

from high school in three years, racking up

Pablito. “Dr. Srividya Bhaskara guided me

tions of Indigenous scholars,” said Pablito. “I

honors and college credits.

through the world of research, helping me

want to give them advantages I never had.”

earn many awards and grants.”

- by D.J. Pollard, American Indian Science and

GPA, having taken college courses at night

Engineering Society (AISES)

and with exceptional ACT and SAT scores. I

School and Massachusetts General Hospital,

Because her grandparents did not speak

With access to math and science

Pablito achieved her goal of graduating

“I graduated at 15 with an excellent

Despite her hard work in high school,

“I spent late nights watching tutorials on

“I decided to major in chemistry when

During an internship at Harvard Medical

“That’s where my research interest in

Her interest in medicine stems from her

In addition to earning an MD in family


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