is a neuroscientist and an associate professor of Biology at Northeastern Illinois University. His laboratory studies various aspects of zebrafish development, including neuronal proliferation, specification, and wiring. Being an URM, a scientist with a disability, and teaching at the “most diverse University in the Midwest” fostered his passion for guiding students of all backgrounds and abilities to navigate their career paths. Professor Cantú serves as the Director of the Student Center for Science Engagement, Co-Investigator of the Chicago STEM Teaching Collaborative and the Faculty Advisor for the NEIU chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native American in Science (SACNAS). Dr. Cantú was a first-generation college student, completed a B.A in Biology from University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and a PhD in the Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience (NUIN) program.