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For eight weeks this summer, undergraduate scholars from across the country traveled to UCSB to participate in three research programs hosted by the Graduate Division that allowed them to conduct research in their fields of interest under the guidance of a faculty and graduate student mentor.
For eight weeks, scholars from across the country traveled to UC Santa Barbara to participate in three summer research programs: Academic Research Consortium (ARC), California Pre-Doctoral Sally Casanova (SC), and UC Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees (LEADS) Scholars Program. Hosted by UCSB's Graduate Division, these programs provided students the opportunity to conduct research in their fields of interest under the guidance of a faculty and graduate student mentor. Additionally, students partook in graduate school preparation through weekly professional development workshops and a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) course. Throughout their time in Santa Barbara, students also had the opportunity to participate in social activities, such as visiting The REEF (The Research Experience and Education Facility) at the Marine Science Institute. The eight-week program ended with students presenting their research at a symposium.
After the program ended, scholars shared their overall experience participating in the summer research program. ARC Scholar Vicente Mata said, "Being a part of the Academic Research Consortium summer research program is by far one of the best experiences of my academic career. It gave me the opportunity to work with amazing scholars from other UC and Cal-State campuses and also allowed me to work with great faculty members."
ARC Scholar Rishana Ubah commented on what she found most valuable about her time at UCSB: "I learned what to expect when I decide to pursue a doctorate degree. I enjoyed the resources that were provided throughout the program, from the workshops to the GRE prep classes." Similarly, UC LEADS Scholar Ximena Garcia said, "I definitely think this UC LEADS summer has prepared me for grad school, both the application process and the academic experience itself."
UC LEADS Scholar Emmanuel Kayede shared that "the nanofabrication facility at UCSB provided me with the chance to engage and appreciate device processing. As a result, I will now be pursuing a graduate degree in this field. In addition to the academically enriching experience that I have attained from spending my summer at UCSB, I met equally motivated and amiable friends."
The summer program would not have been a success without the assistance of Director of Admissions and Outreach Walter Boggan; Assistant Director of Outreach Ethny Stewart; Diversity & Outreach Peer Ana Romero; and the faculty and graduate student mentors.
The 2016 summer scholar participants are listed below. For more information about the Graduate Division's summer programs, visit the outreach page.
2016 Academic Research Consortium Scholars
Nury Chavez: UC Los Angeles
Major: Sociology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. George Lipsitz
Graduate Student Mentor: Sarah Devoto
Ramces Gonzales: UC Merced
Major: Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kevin Plaxco
Graduate Student Mentor: Ava "Shruti" Greenwood
Vicente Mata: California State University, Fullerton
Major: Sociology/Chicano and Chicana Studies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Victor Rios
Graduate Student Mentor: Salvador Rangel
Lliana Flores: California State University, Fullerton
Major: Human Services
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Erika Felix
Graduate Student Mentor: Haley Meskunas
Gabriela Hernandez: UC Irvine
Major: Psychology & Social Behavior
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Shelly Gable
Graduate Student Mentor: Jason Anderson
Rishana Ubah: Bloomfield College
Major: Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Susannah Scott
Graduate Student Mentor: Abigail Serrano
Jacquelyn Madlock: Bloomfield College
Major: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Brenda Major
Graduate Student Mentor: Kathy Espino-Perez
2016 California Pre-Doctoral Sally Casanova Scholar
Sami Alsalloom: California State University, Northridge
Major: Music and Honors Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Karen Nylund-Gibson
Graduate Student Mentor: Vanessa Witenko
Rosemary Garcia: California State University, Los Angeles
Major: Environmental Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Cheryl Biggs
Graduate Student Mentor: Andy MacDonald
Yereni Ruiz: California State University, Northridge
Major: Gender & Women's Studies
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Victor Rios
Graduate Student Mentor: Jamella Gow
Samantha Lorenz: California State University, Los Angeles
Major: Anthropology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Gerardo Aldana
Graduate Student Mentor: Toni Gonzales
2016 UC LEADS Scholars
Emmanuel Kayede: UC Santa Cruz
Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mark Rodwell
Graduate Student Mentor: Brian Markman
David Lowe: UC Santa Barbara
Major: CCS Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Denis Montell
Graduate Student Mentor: Chris Connor
Shannon Grossman: UC Santa Barbara
Major: Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Norbert Reich
Graduate Student Mentor: Erin Morgan
Ximena Garcia: UC Santa Barbara
Major: L&S Physics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Cyrus Safinya
Graduate Student Mentor: Bretton Fletcher
Rachel Liu: UC Santa Barbara
Major: CCS Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Dave Valentine
Graduate Student Mentor: Eleanor Arrington
Omar Curiel: UC Santa Barbara
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Paolo Luzzatto-Fegiz
Graduate Student Mentor: Samaneh Sadri Irani
Sarath Pathuri: UC Santa Barbara
Major: Biomolecular Science and Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Norbert Reich
Graduate Student Mentor: Clayton Woodcock
Ramces Gonzales: UC Merced
Major: Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kevin Plaxco
Graduate Student Mentor: Ava "Shruti" Greenwood