Dr. DePass’ background in the areas of student and faculty development is quite extensive. He was the principal investigator and co-director of the Multimedia and Interactive Learning (MIL) project. The NSF funded MIL Project trained math and science faculty from five institutions in the New York metropolitan area in the development and utilization of multimedia applications designed to enhance the active role of students in the learning process. As chair of the Minority Affairs Committee for the American Society for Cell Biology and former chair of a similar committee for the American Society of Plant Biologists, Dr. DePass has provided leadership in coordinating activities at the national level that are aimed at increasing underrepresented minority representation within the scientific workforce.  This work is supported by the respective societies in addition to a   MARC grant from NIH-NIGMS awarded to ASCB for which he serves as the PI.  Dr. DePass has served on several review panels and advisory committees that focus on the issue of under representation of minorities in the sciences.  

 

Originally trained as a plant biologist, Dr. DePass currently directs a funded research program that explores cell differentiation as a therapeutic target fro cancer therapy.   His laboratory provides training for students at the high school bachelors and masters levels, among which several students from underrepresented minorities have gone onto competitive doctoral programs.