Contact Information
Name: Enid T. González-Orta, Ph.D.
Title: Professor of Biological Sciences, Director, Science Educational Equity Program
Office Location: 3011 Tschannen Science Complex and Zoom (please E-mail for link)
Email: gonzalezorta@csus.edu
Mailing Address: Sacramento State 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819-6077
Office Hours: Fall 2023: Mondays 10:30 AM-noon; Tuesdays 12:30-2:00 PM; or by appointment. If you'd like to meet via Zoom during these times, please contact me for a link.
Courses that I teach
- BIO 139: General Microbiology
- BIO 145: Diversity of Microorganisms (a Tiny Earth Course)
- NSM 100A: Transfer Seminar
Research Interests
I am interested in the roles and chemistries that different bacteria possess in various soil environments. For more information, please visit my lab website here: Gonzalez-Orta Lab Website.
University and Community Service
Science Educational Equity Program: SEE
The Science Educational Equity Program, SEE, was established in 1986 to broaden the participation of students who face social, economic, and educational barriers to careers in science research, science teaching, and health professions. Currently, I serve as one of the Directors of SEE, along with Dr. Mary McCarthy Hintz, and I advise students in the areas of pre-health professions, microbiology, molecular biology, clinical lab science, and graduate studies.
Center for Science and Math Success
The Center for Science and Math Success (Success Center) serves as an umbrella for several existing programs in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics with the goal of providing innovative and comprehensive student and academic support services to students in math and science courses. The Success Center focuses on the implementation of interventions designed to contribute to overall student success, leadership, and engagement. In essence, the Success Center is a one-stop-shop for students to obtain help to be successful as well as leadership opportunities within Center programs. For more information about Success Center Programs, please click on the link above.
Science Education for Underserved Youth: 4-H On the Wild Side
The 4-H On the Wild Side (OTWS) program is a collaborative effort between adults and high school youth that brings environmental science and outdoor education experiences to grade-school children with limited access to these activities. The lessons, ranging from water microbe ecology to environmental awareness, take place in a weekend sleep-away camp setting in the Foothills near Nevada City. Preparation for the two weekends of OTWS takes place eight to nine months prior to the camp dates (the first two weekends in June) and primarily involves the development of youth-adult partnerships. During this critical planning time, teens are paired with adult coaches who assist with the planning and execution of the lessons. Lessons are taken from curricula developed for the 4-H programs and teen teachers play a large role in selecting the lessons they deliver at camp. Topics for lessons include, but are not limited to, the following topics: water ecology, salmon life cycle, pollination, worms, seed dispersal, trees, migration, and predation, to name a few. The lessons are delivered as a series of activities such as games, arts and crafts, imagination exercises, and role-play. If you are interested in becoming an adult coach or learning more about the program please e-mail me or click on the link 4-H On the Wild Side link above.