OUTREACH & DIVERSITY

"The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people." - Cesar Chavez

Alliance for Graduate Education & the Professoriate (AGEP)
(University of California)
UC AGEP is designed to help increase the number of underrepresented people in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM) disciplines at the PhD level (and above). Our program at UCSC is headed up by Julio Cardona and consists of about 15-20 science PhD students. As AGEP graduate students, our responsibilities include attending monthly meetings, designing workshops and engaging in professional development. I have found that one of the best things about AGEP is the community that it builds. I feel that it is my "graduate UCLEADS". Thanks and Love to all my AGEPers!

=> Click for more information on UC AGEP.

UCSC 1st Annual Diversity Dinner
(University Center at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Ocotber 10, 2005)
The goal of this dinner is to discuss graduate diversity and the issues faced at UCSC. Following dinner, me, Susy Zepeda and Blake Riggs served as a graduate student panel to help facilitate discussion about diversity issues here at Santa Cruz. This event was deemed to be successful, and hence a 2nd Annual Diversity Dinner took place on October 9th, 2007. Photo of Chelsey, Kirsten, Suzie & Jamie

COSMOS - Stars, Sight & Science
(CfAO at the University of California, Santa Cruz, June 26-July 23, 2005)

Photo of Catherine, Amanda, Kirsten and the Milky Way


Photo with students Catherine & Amanda who designed scale models of the Milky Way and the relative location of their imaged globular clusters.
COSMOS is a 4 week program for high-school students who are interested in math and science. The goal of this program is to get students involved in real science projects in order to promote their love of science! Students receive an overview of the topics in the field, and then are allowed to select projects. The projects are designed and taught by graduate students, and are carried out as real scientific investigations. The course I taught was focused on Milky Way Globular Clusters. Students imaged & reduced data, measured the distances to the clusters, and determined their ages.

Here's a GREAT write-up done by myself and Laura Chomiuk on our Cluster project:
  • COSMOS Stars, Sight & Science (2005 Open & Globular Cluster Projects)

    Here's more information on COSMOS in general:
  • COSMOS @ UCSC webpage

    • UCLEADS Symposium
    (San Francisco, CA, Mar 5-6, 2005)

    Panel Photo at UCLEADS Symposium
    Panel Photo at UCLEADS Symposium

    Joint Conference of the NSBP & NSHP
    (Orlando, FL, Feb 16-19, 2005)
    Group Photo at NSBP Conference

    The 2005 joint conference between the National Society of Black Physicists and the National Society of Hispanic Physicists was held this year in Orlando, Florida. This is one of the best conferences I have ever attended. In addition to myself, two other UCSC graduate students (Evan Kirby and Candace Church) went to this meeting in an effort to increase the number of underrepresented undergraduate and graduate physics students applying to the UCSC astronomy department. By far, this was one of the best interactions amongst students and faculty that I have experienced. The speakers were dynamical, the research conducted by undergraduates was outstanding (certainly at a graduate level), and the atmosphere was friendly and supportive. Undoubtedly, my favorite speaker was Professor Peter Delfyett from UCF. He was not only an incredible physicist, but person as well! Next year's conference is to be held in San Jose, California (mid-February). Check out the NSBP website for more details.

    For the National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP) website, click here

    For the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) website, click here

    California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education
    (University of the Pacific, Oct 30, 2004)
    Graduate student panel at the CA Forum for Diversity (photo courtesy of Kip Polakoff)

    This was a outstanding forum designed to provide underrepesented students with resources to pursue doctoral degrees in the arts, humanities and sciences. I participated in this event by joining a panel of graduate students who offered advice on how to apply to and be successful in graduate school. This event was held at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. Next year's event will be held at the University of San Diego, California. I highly recommend that any female or ethnically underrepresented undergraduates who are considering graduate studies attend this forum. More information is offered at the official website.

    For the official website for the 15th Annual California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education, click here


    National Analysis of Diversity
    (Sponsered by UCLEADS, Jan 15-16, 2004)
    Capitol Hill Briefing on the National Analysis of Diversity in Science and Engineering Faculties at Research Universities
    In January 2004 I had the priviledge to participate in the annoucement of a study on the percentages of female and minority tenured and tenure track faculty at the "top 50" science departments in the country. The research, conducted by Dr. Donna J. Nelson, a tenured Native American chemistry professor at the University of Oklahoma, found that both women and minorities were grossly underrepresented given the percentages of PhD recipents in the relative previous years. Upon receipt of the report, the National Organization of Women (NOW) commented,
      "In the top 50 computer science departments, there are no African American, Hispanic or Native American women in tenured or tenure-track positions."
    Our visit to Capitol Hill was an attempt to enforce Title IX, an act already in place stating that 'statistical evidence of imbalance' is proof of discrimination and that no 'education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance' may discriminate against peoples on the basis of gender (You are probably most familiar with this title and how it applies to sports). Joining us on that first day for the briefing at the National Press Club was Dr. Mae Jemison (astronaut), Kim Gandy (Pres. of NOW), Marcia Greenberg (Co-Pres. of NWLC), and Jacqueline Woods (Exec. Director of AAUW). On the second day, Dr. Nelson, Diane Rogers, Laura Lopez and myself went to Capitol Hill, where we divided our day between speaking with the advisors of both senators and respresentatives, and holding a question and answer panel at the House of Representatives.

    A copy of the report, as well as the statement I gave, are linked to below:


    UCLEADS at UC Berkeley
    (University of California, Berkeley, 2002-2003)
    The University of California Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees program (UCLEADS) was an incredible source of personal, financial, and academic support in my undergraduate research. The program at UC Berkeley is coordinated by Diana Lizarraga, and she is devoted to preparing her scholars for graduate school. UCLEADS mentors students in their sophomore or junior year at a UC who are planning on applying to a graduate program in mathematics, science or engineering upon completion of their undergraduate studies. If you are a woman or minority pursuing a degree in a field in which you are underrepresented, or if you've experience some other hardship, you should look into this program.