#IAmNYAS: Na Xu
A Q&A with Global STEM Alliance Mentor Na Xu.
Published June 09, 2017

Na XU, PhD
Na Xu earned her Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental biology from Weill Medical College of Cornell University. As a graduate student, she characterized the novel role of Rho GTPase in Drosophila embryonic salivary gland invagination, migration and lumen size control. She has presented her work at national and international conferences, and has published in many scientific journals and book chapters. She also mentored and published with high school students, who won many scientific awards due to her mentorship. During her postdoctoral fellowship at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. Xu worked with Dr. Arthur Skoultchi and Dr. Dmitry Fyodorov to determine how linker histone H1 regulates blood tumor formation in Drosophila. Besides of scientific research, Dr. Xu continued promoting science education in inner city schools. She served as a mentor of the afterschool STEM mentoring program at the New York Academy of Science. She also won an award (IRACDA-BETTR Scholar) from National Institute of Health to be a science educator. As IRACDA-BETTR scholar, she taught at Hostos Community College (CUNY) while doing her postdoctoral research. Currently, Dr. Xu is working at LaGuardia Community College (CUNY) as Assistant Professor. She is a mentor for CUNY Scholars to promote undergraduate scientific research.
Why and how are STEM education and the Global STEM Alliance important to you?
I have always been passionate about STEM education. Mentoring students and helping them grow as a scientist is the most rewarding experience to me. Having more scientists is extremely important for our country and society. Our society in the future will need more experts in STEM discipline. Therefore, it is extremely important for the younger generation to love science and to enroll in STEM disciplines. Global STEM Alliance is very meaningful. I believe this effort will have far-reaching implications in the future.
MENTOR
Title
Assistant Professor
Natural Sciences
LaGuardia Community College
Long Island City, New York
Affiliation
Global STEM Alliance
Honors
IRACDA-BETTR Scholar (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards, NIH & Albert Einstein School of Medicine)
Harry Eagle Scholar (Albert Einstein School of Medicine)
Degrees
Ph.D. (Weill Medical School of Cornell University)
What are/were your goals for participation in the Global STEM Alliance?
My goal is help more kids and students to have fun with science, to be involved in scientific activities and to grow as a scientist.
What is the most important benefit that you feel the Global STEM Alliance provides?
I think Global STEM Alliance not only provides great learning opportunity for kids around the world, but also provides an opportunity for scientists like myself to contribute to the society, to be connected with a bigger audience and to grow as an educator.