Projects

Community Standards have been developed and are now posted on the Science Division DEI website. Mechanisms to report violations of the Science Division Community Standards and Faculty and Student Code of Conducts are also provided on this website. The Science Division DEI committee is working on an additional mechanism for reporting and support that sits at the Science Division level, but it still needs to be vetted and discussed before it can be formalized.

The Science Division DEI Committee organizes regular Summits to bring folks across the division together to discuss important DEI issues, share resources and ideas, and define future projects. There will be one Summit per quarter. The kick-off Summit was in W21 (see recording). The S21 Summit was focused on Graduate Programs (see Summit information and recording).

The STEM Faculty Survey was launched in Spring of 2021.  The survey results are currently being analyzed and will be used to define interventions that can enhance Science Division and BSOE climate and promote DEI work that is valued and recognized.

The Science Division Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee designed and launched this program in 2021. The Work-Study Research Initiative (WSRI) function is to create more opportunities for undergraduate students to get paid for conducting scientific research while being supported professionally and academically through the cooperation of the STEM-Diversity Center at UCSC.  For faculty, the WSRI helps to streamline the process of hiring undergraduate researchers and offers peer-peer mentoring opportunities. We believe that the WSRI will further DEI work at UCSC by providing equitable opportunities for students with financial need and also will improve the culture of inclusion in STEM. More details about the WSRI.

For over thirty years the Academic Excellence (ACE) Program has been increasing the diversity of students earning their bachelors degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at UC Santa Cruz. ACE advances educational equity by engaging students in active learning, peer mentoring, skill-building, and community development. At ACE, students work together to commit to and strive for academic excellence.

The Building a Better Fieldwork Future (BBFF) Program involves a 90-minute workshop developed by a team of field researchers at UC Santa Cruz. It identifies the unique risks posed by fieldwork and offers a suite of evidence-based tools for field researchers, instructors, and students to prevent, intervene in, and respond to sexual harassment and assault. Through a series of practical intervention scenarios, this workshop guides participants on how to be an active and engaged bystander, how to report incidents, and how to plan field settings to minimize risk. Armed with these tools, participants can play a role in ensuring that field settings are safer, more equitable, and more welcoming for the next generation of field scientists.

The California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) is a statewide initiative that aims to support and retain underrepresented undergraduates to achieve their degrees in the biological sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering.By integrating research and undergraduate education, CAMP creates a cohesive set of experiences that fully prepares undergraduates for graduate education and influences career choices. CAMP programs motivate participants through cooperative learning, internships, faculty mentored research, and travel to professional conferences. The CAMP program at UC Santa Cruz is run in conjunction with the MARC/IMSD programs.

The Center to Advance Mentored, Inquiry-Based Opportunities (CAMINO) is an inclusive community that aims to propel excellence by diverse undergraduates in ecology and conservation. CAMINO supports UCSC students from the first day of class to graduation and beyond by linking them with resources that prepare them for careers or graduate school in ecology and conservation. CAMINO provides diverse, and well-trained peer, graduate student and faculty mentors while also onnecting motivated and capable student researchers with funded research and field-based opportunities.

The Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program at UCSC exposes early-career college students to the field of environmental conservation through field research, leadership and professional training. Each year, 20 students are selected from around the U.S. and its territories to participate in a two-year conservation leadership program. The students represent a diverse spectrum of cultures and backgrounds, which helps to cultivate an inclusive and rewarding experience.

The IMSD Grad Program at UCSC offers support to qualified predoctoral students who have demonstrated and shown promise for future achievement in biological and biomedical research or other related fields. Funded through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), the purpose of the IMSD Grad program is to encourage the development and increase the research competitiveness of underrepresented students at the graduate level, and to facilitate their progress toward a career in biomedical research and other related fields.

The Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Co-Funding Program is designed to provide co-sponsorship support to UCSC activities, projects and events that reflect ODEI’s mission to promote a campus that is diverse, equitable and inclusive.

ODEI’s co-funding provides co-sponsorship up to the amount of $750 per proposal and is open to all campus constituents (students, staff and faculty) for programs that have a campus-wide impact and will make a substantial contribution to improving campus climate

The Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program offered by the STEM Diversity Program offers research training to participating honors students to help prepare them to compete successfully for entry into graduate programs leading to the Ph.D. in the biomedical sciences. Funded through the National Institutes of Health, the MARC program’s goals are to increase the numbers and capabilities of underrepresented scientists and to prepare students for careers in biomedical research. Acceptance is competitive and based on above average academic preparation and performance.

The RAD program is geared for students in all STEM disciplines. Through the RAD membership students are eligible to participate in the following:

• Bio15: This is a one unit course that we hold each quarter. It is a seminar course where students learn to present research and give feedback to their peers. You would be qualified to receive the permission code for this class any quarter(s) you would like to attend, If you would like to enroll please contact Yulianna Ortega at yuli@ucsc.edu
• RAD community events: We put on a variety of workshops and community events to promote self-growth, community and professional development of our students.
• Study groups and Tutoring: As a RAD member, you are eligible to participate in the facilitated study groups and private tutoring offered each quarter by the STEM Diversity Programs.
• Graduate school application support: RAD members are eligible to receive assistance and guidance from the CAMP regional Coordinator regarding the graduate school application process. Appointments are limited for this during peek application time ( late fall ) so be sure to start the process in the summer before you graduate.
• Graduate School Application support: RAD members are encourged to use this support in preparation for graduate school application process.
• Journal Club: This is a 2 unit, independent study seminar through physics independent study198. Students learn how to read, evaluate and discuss a scientific journal article. They do a background research on journal topic and present. Seminar geared towards Bio-informatics, Computer Science, Physics, EE, Math and related disciplines.

The Office of STEM Diversity Programs is made up of a variety of programs that support underrepresented students in STEM fields. The Office of STEM Diversity Programs is an umbrella office that includes programs funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, as well as state-funded and donor-supported programs.

The University of California Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees program is aimed to educate California’s future leaders by preparing promising students for advanced education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The program is designed to identify upper-division undergraduate students with the potential to succeed in these disciplines, but who have experienced situations or conditions that have adversely impacted their advancement in their field of study.