ANNETTE Pladevega-Sablan, the Public School System’s project director for the Statewide Longitudinal Data System program, has been featured on the National Air and Space Museum’s website.
Pladevega-Sablan is highlighted in the “Women in STEM Across America” interactive online map, which, according to the National Air and Space Museum, is an attempt to represent the “stories of women and underrepresented genders in STEM.”
The interactive map that features Pladevega-Sablan was launched to coincide with Sally’s Night, which was a celebration of Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.
On the website, Pladevega-Sablan’s background in science is highlighted. It states that she “has published her work in Nature magazine and has made significant contributions to the field of antiretroviral treatment. Most recently, she studied the effects of brown tree snakes on the limestone forests in the Mariana islands.”
“[It was] surreal knowing that my hard work and dedication were being acknowledged in such a profound way,” Pladevega-Sablan said. “I feel incredibly honored and filled with gratitude for the recognition, which instills in me a strong sense of pride for the CNMI.”
Pladevega-Sablan said her interest in STEM is rooted in a fascination with immunology, epidemiology, pathogenesis and vaccine development. She said her most profound work involved researching the immune response in monkeys at that Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Pladevega-Sablan said her research from that time had implications for treating HIV in humans.
As for the online interactive map, she said it can lead to more women in STEM.
“Spotlighting success stories, like those featured in the Women in STEM Across America map, not only demonstrates the impactful contributions women make in our community but also inspires others to become future trailblazers,” Pladevega-Sablan said.
She is also supportive of introducing “diverse opportunities in STEM careers to our youth” and establishing mentorship and networking initiatives to individuals at “any stage of their STEM journeys.”
She said diversity has a place in STEM because it encourages “problem-solving from various angles.”
Annette Pladevega-Sablan
