DEI Committee – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Science Divisional DEI Committee is a rotating group of undergraduate students, graduate students, staff, and faculty currently led by Christina Ravelo. Email the committee (pbscidei@ucsc.edu) to set up a meeting or fill out this Google Form with feedback. Drop into Christina’s office hours, or email her directly (acr@ucsc.edu) for an appointment to meet.

Science Division DEI Committee Charge

Division of Physical and Biological Sciences Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Charge

Composition: The committee will be chaired by the associate dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The committee will include five additional faculty members from the division who will self-nominate and be selected by the associate dean and the dean. The committee will consist of two staff members who will self-nominate and be chosen by the associate dean and the dean. The committee will include one undergraduate student and one graduate student who will self-nominate and be selected by the associate dean and the dean.

Appointment Duration: Committee members will be appointed for two years, with a potential for renewal.

Charge: The Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences will do the following:

1) Identify how structural and systemic racism, sexism, and other forms of bias manifest in the instruction, mentoring, research, staffing, community-building, and overall climate of the division.

2) Propose actions the division can take to eliminate these biases and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, for example, through changes in hiring practices and in training on inclusive teaching and mentoring, by incentivizing change through the personnel process, by operationalizing our commitment to the campus’s Principles of Community, and by providing resources and support to groups that are the targets of bias and to individuals (students, faculty, staff) who work to end that bias.

3) Serve as a central point of coordination and facilitation for anti-bias, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts taking place at the department, program, and/or staff unit level within the division.

4) Serve as a central point of coordination when the division is advocating for or working with the central administration or other campus units to eliminate systemic biases outside the division.

5) Review incidents of bias affecting members of the division and present a yearly report on eliminating discrimination and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the division.

Department DEI Information

One of the goals of our committee is to be a liaison with departmental Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committees. Please click on the links below to find contact information for department committee members:

Science DEI Committee Members

Click on the names below to find directory information for members of the committee if you wish to meet with anyone individually.

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Roxanne Beltran

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Faculty. My research focuses on marine mammal behavior and ecology, with an emphasis on how the three-dimensional ocean environment shapes predator-prey interactions. A critical component of my work is expanding access to inclusive field courses for all students, with the ultimate goal of broadening participation in STEM.

Kalina Browne

Coastal Science & Policy Program Graduate Student. I research the integration of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in the conservation nonprofit sector. Starting in the fall of 2021 I will work with an environmental or conservation organization to execute a solutions focused project on this topic.

Tesla Jeltema

Physics Faculty. My research focuses on observational cosmology and particle astrophysics and I have been involved in promoting diversity and supporting the success of a diverse student body throughout my career. I am strongly motivated by the extraordinary students I have had the pleasure to teach and mentor in my 10 years at UCSC.

Doug Kellogg

Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology Faculty. My research is focused on discovery of molecular mechanisms that control cell growth and size, and I teach a core course in biochemistry for juniors and seniors. Ensuring equity in faculty hiring and undergraduate and graduate education have been major priorities of my work.

Debra Lewis

Math Faculty. I joined the UCSC community in 1990. My research focuses on geometric mechanics and optimal control theory, including models influenced by psychological and social pressures. Math placement and preparation is a central part of my work; I use learning analytics to assess and increase equity in math access and outcomes.

Rexton Lynn

PBSci Divisional Lead Adviser & Chemistry Department Undergraduate Adviser. My doctorate is in Multicultural Education with an emphasis on gender identity. I spent the last 20 years in teacher education programs teaching social justice/anti-bias courses and administering a variety of programs. I am thrilled to be in a direct student support role again!

Benny Mosqueira

Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology Undergraduate Student. I work in Susan Carpenter’s research lab studying the innate immune system and long noncoding RNAs using high throughput analysis to shed light on their activity. I joined this committee to help create a more inclusive community at UCSC.

Yuli Ortega

STEM Diversity Program Director. As a first-generation student and UCSC alumna, I am a strong advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to challenge the status quo and create transformative change and develop structures that genuinely cement DEI in academia. I am here to support students from communities that are not traditionally represented in STEM.

Christina Ravelo

Ocean Sciences Faculty and Associate Dean of the PBSci Division. My research focuses on understanding the role of ocean in past climate changes. UCSC has been my home since 1992, and I have been promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of my service at UCSC and in my professional community.

Peter Weiss

Chemistry Lecturer and Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Researcher. Since 2011 I have taught large gateway Chemistry courses and mentored undergraduate students on research projects. I have seen the positive impact of innovative pedagogy and undergraduate research on shaping the identity of budding scientists. Creating more undergraduate research opportunities is a big priority for me.