Nicolas Daniel Silva, LMSW, MS, “Nico” is a Society for Neuroscience “NSP” Scholar, social worker, artist, scientist, musician, curator, theatre maker, performance studies researcher, policy worker, writer, and consultant.
Nico was recently offered a Climate Fellowship with the City of El Paso Office of Climate and Sustainability which aligns with his goals that peace, health, and environment go hand in hand.
Most recently, Nico completed a solo exhibition entitled “Excruciating” at Galería Cinco Puntos in the Historic Five Points area of El Paso, Texas commenting on the history, future, and present of medicine and community care through multimedia installations and a durational performance.
He holds a BS in Microbiology with a concentration in Neuroscience, a Master of Social Work, a Master of Biological Sciences and Women’s and Gender Studies, and is a PhD student in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) investigating the use of music and sound for mental health symptom alleviation in the Mexican American Latino community. He has lectured on performance studies theories, texts, and realities in the Department of Theatre and Dance with Dr. Melissa Melpignano, the Director of Dance. The first iteration of the course culminated in a multidisciplinary performance installation, MAPPING THE RIO which was part of World Water Week UTEP.
He has been invited to the NYU Hemispheric Institute for Performance and Politics Global Convening where he was part of the “Thinking Beyond the Human” Working Group. Last Summer, he presented on the Border Bioentrepeneurship Ecosystem at the NYU/Imperial College London Racial Equity in Technology Entrepreneurship Workshop. He published an article titled “Ultraendurance Sports: A Call to Action” in the peer reviewed Sport Social Work Journal. He also reviews for the Journal as an advanced social work and ultraendurance performance practitioner and researcher. He is a contributor to the Houston-based online arts magazine Glasstire and is a supporter, entrepreneur, and advocate of the Paso Del Norte region. Most recently, he was awarded a BIPOC Point Foundation scholarship along with an El Paso Sun City Pride Scholarship and is part of the sixth cohort of the Global Arts in Medicine Fellowship.
He has attended and was awarded a Full Scholarship to the University of Florida Arts in Health Intensive 2023. He also was awarded a 50% Professional Scholarship to the 2024 Arts in Health Research Intensive with the Social Biobehavioural Research Group at the University College London. He currently serves as a PhD Research Associate under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer Salinas, PhD, LMSW and Dr. Jason Mallonee DSW, LCSW-S and has engaged in focused study on pain neuroscience, arts in health, neuromusic, music therapy, mental health equity, and Latino health. Nico’s research and practice spans many disciplines and intersections including performance, social work, arts in health, medicine, and society, mental health, disability, gender studies, queer studies, transportation, accessibility, mobility, public health, community health, global health, and basic needs security. He is attending the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science this year on scholarship and has gained much pleasure from mentoring and helping teach Women’s and Gender Studies students— for example students in Professor Marshall’s Women in Fine Art highly interactive and practice based course. Nico foresees a future in harmony with technology but knows that ethical research and practice are paramount in such a fast growing field.