Proposed Projects
Anna Vernier, Chemistry, PhD Candidate
Connecting Undergraduates of PUIs to Graduate School
Project Summary:
As a graduate from a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI), I am acutely aware of the disconnect
between perceptions of graduate school and the reality. The representation available for these students are only the professors at the university who often a) do not have the time or resources to properly communicate what graduate school looks like for the students and b) are years separated from graduate school and perhaps do not have a great memory of what it looks like. So, while those professors can provide a general idea to students who are eager enough to inquire about graduate school, they often cannot provide adequate and relevant information to all of the students. Like myself just a few years ago, these students do not realize the essential information they are missing out on about graduate school. I had known half of what I do now about graduate school, I could have made better decisions at the outset (and throughout) that would’ve put me in a much better position than I am in now. I want to help aspiring graduate students who don’t have those resources to learn about what graduate school is actually like to gain a better understanding of higher education – especially those from community colleges and/or underrepresented communities who have less access to mentors who have personal experience with the process.
Diana Malarchik, Anthropology, PhD Candidate
Publish or Parent? Helping Professional Parents Access Resources at UC Davis
Project Summary:
For many people attending higher education, the timeline of their degree often overlaps with their desire to start a family. While this decision affects both parents, women and pregnant people often face more parenthood related setbacks , which is reflected in the gender make-up of our university. At UC Davis, women make up 60% of undergraduates, 57% of graduate students, 47% of post docs, and 38% of faculty. It is easy to see the trend of losing women in academia. And while this loss can be due to a variety of factors, a major obstacle many women come up against is struggling to maintain a competitive academic career while starting and raising a family. To help counteract many of the struggles from balancing a family and work life, UC Davis offers many resources. While resources offered at UC Davis are designed to help students, staff, and faculty, it can be daunting to hunt each resource down. Adding another time consuming task to an already full schedule slows the academic and professional progress of parents on our campus. Through the PFTF Program, I aim to create a series of workshops to help parents learn all that UC Davis offers for its parents. By creating a series of ‘brownbag’ workshops, parents can come and learn without needing to set aside a large portion of their already full schedule. These workshops will aim to create a community of well-informed and supported parents on campus as they continue their professional journey at Davis.
Diego Placido, Psychology, PhD Candidate
Investing in scholars to become arbiters of their careers and to reshape the academic climate to serve their collective needs
Project Summary:
There are two types of problems that graduate students and aspiring graduate students face that need to be addressed immediately. The first problem is that of inequity in training of technical skills, such as manuscript preparation, statistical analyses applications, and grant writing. While most programs provide instructional courses to expose students to basic concepts relevant to their field through pedagogy, the support is short for efficient and individualized training of technical skills that are essential for students to excel in graduate programs and beyond. Individuals from historically minoritized groups are particularly at a disadvantage as access to the support and resources to develop such skills has typically been untenable for them. The hidden curriculum of academia starts well before entering university and many minoritized people expend an overwhelming amount of effort to catch up with their peers that have not had to experience similar barriers. The second issue is that of financial inequity that has negatively affected minoritized individuals in their career trajectories. Securing funding mechanisms from any funding agency is extremely competitive. The actual process of applying for such mechanisms is even more daunting and challenging. Not all graduate programs guarantee funding, and within those that do (e.g., through teaching assistantships), disproportionate consequences may arise by inadvertently imposing further burdens on minoritized individuals that are already exerting an immeasurable amount of effort to keep up with their more privileged peers after being neglected for so long.
Eleanor Pressman, Animal Biology, PhD Candidate
From Podcast to Program: Collaboratively defining a framework to develop the Research Program
Project Summary:
Graduate students and postdocs gain skills for day-to-day operations in research groups, such as planning and conducting research, writing grants for individual projects, and managing interns. For those with academic aspirations, however, this preparation may not develop skills needed as a principal investigator (PI), as PI’s usually do not carry out experiments themselves or focus only on individual projects or mentees. Instead, PI’s coordinate across grants, projects, and students, to execute components of an overarching, long-term intellectual project: the Research Program. The Research Program guides all activities of the lab and is critically important, but as PhD students and postdocs who only work on one or two projects that are part of that program, it can be difficult to access formal training on how to envision a Research Program. Leadership skills such as financial and personnel management have been subjects of previous PFTF projects. However, none of these projects focused specifically on the conceptual development of the Research Program. Most academic professional development resources at UCD and elsewhere focus on grantsmanship, but a research program entails the conceptualization of several interlocking grants simultaneously. Finally, a research statement outlining the envisioned Research Program is a critical component of academic application portfolios. Lack of a framework for developing and articulating this vision is a key training gap. I plan to address this gap with a podcast series that provides key insights into the development of a successful Research Program and culminates in the production of a working framework for Research Program developme
Elmira Louie, Comparative Literature, PhD Candidate
Chat with an Editor: De-mystifying Academic Journals
Project Summary:
The crux of my initiative is to tackle an aspect of the “hidden curriculum” that impacts graduate students, especially those from first-generation and underrepresented minority backgrounds. Upon receiving an invitation from a reputable journal to submit an article for peer-review and potential publication, I was terrified because I lacked insight on academic journals. Many graduate students find themselves in a similar fearful position when it comes to understanding the intricacies of journal publication. Through conversations with peers, I realized that the importance of publishing in peer- reviewed journals, particularly for those pursuing academic careers, is often emphasized without adequate explanation of how these journals operate. This lack of guidance creates stress and acts as a significant barrier to the academic progression of graduate students, notably those who are first- generation. It causes them to miss out on publication opportunities, which in turn makes them less competitive for postdoctoral and faculty positions. Navigating academic journals ineffectively takes valuable time away from their research and hinders their time to degree completion. I am determined to address this facet of the "hidden curriculum" by demystifying academic journals. By providing insights into the multifaceted nature of academic journals and the publication process, I aim to equip graduate students with the knowledge needed to approach journal submissions with confidence and insight, thereby enhancing their prospects for success. Moreover, this endeavor underscores the imperative for universities to address the hidden curriculum in graduate education, a discourse that has traditionally centered on the undergraduate experience.
Emmanuel Momoh, Geography, PhD Candidate
Cultivating Cultural Connectedness and Food Sovereignty AmongInternational Student
Project Summary:
When international students from low and middle-income countries relocate to high-income ones, they experience an abrupt shift in their food and sociocultural environment. This shift entails a notable transition from a more traditional, locally-based food environment to one that is modern and industrialized (Terragni e t al., 2014; Ibe-Lamberts, 2016; Paxton et al., 2016; Akingbule et al., 2021; Osei- Kwasi et al., 2023). As a result, international students often face difficulties in accessing culturally appropriate foods. The inability to eat familiar food impacts diet-related health and disrupts socio- emotional and cultural systems (Smith & Franzen-Castle, 2012; Okafor et al., 2014; Almohanna et al., 2015; Wu & Smith, 2016; Agyemang & van den Born, 2019). This is because food is cultural, and food culture forms a vital part of people’s identity, heritage, and how they maintain their health and sense of food security. Preliminary findings from UC-Davis suggest that 81.8% of student respondents (n= 33) perceive access to cultural food from their home country as important to their food security and well- being. Despite the well-established importance of cultural food in maintaining food security, most food security initiatives and research simultaneously focus on access to healthy/nutritious food, ignoring the cultural perspectives of food security. Besides food, there is also a deviation from the more tight-knit, interpersonal communities that international students are accustomed to. So, they often lack a sense of belonging in their new environment, resulting in feelings of isolation and impacting their overall well- being.
John Paulus, Neuroscience, PhD Candidate
Navigating Graduate School with Attention Deficits: Strategies for Success
Project Summary:
Recent studies shed light on the significant academic challenges and unique needs of college students with ADHD, which are highly relevant to the graduate student population. A study examining longitudinal academic outcomes of college students with ADHD over two years found that they experience more academic difficulties compared to their peers without ADHD (DuPaul et al., 2018). These difficulties persist over time, indicating the ongoing challenges faced by students with ADHD throughout their academic journey. Importantly, motivation to study reported in the first year was a significant predictor of second-year GPA, emphasizing the importance of early intervention and support services for students with ADHD. Beyond the effects on academic success, attention disorders can also impact mental health. Balancing the tasks and upholding expectations of graduate students can lead to heightened levels of stress and anxiety, exacerbating symptoms of ADHD. A study from 2022 comparing U.S. college freshmen with ADHD to those without ADHD found that students with ADHD were more likely to report co- occurring conditions and feelings of depression and overwhelm, and were less likely to report emotional health that was above average, highlighting the emotional toll of ADHD in an academic setting (Hotez et al.). In light of these challenges, it is imperative to provide comprehensive resources and support tailored to the needs of students with attention deficit disorders to restore confidence in their abilities to succeed in graduate school and alleviate the emotional toll associated with attention deficits.
Nicole Weronika Korzeniecki, Animal Behavior, PhD Candidate
We are First Symposium: Supporting and Celebrating First-Generation Graduate Students
Project Summary:
As of Fall 2023, 37% of undergraduate students at UC Davis are first-generation college students. Ongoing programs, such as the Office of Undergraduate Education’s First-Generation Initiative and First- Generation Seminars through the First Year Seminars program, support, connect, and celebrate first- generation undergraduate students. However, there is a lack of programming to support first-generation graduate students at UC Davis. Although Graduate Studies has a First-Generation Grads Initiative, programming seems to have fallen short with the lack of activity necessary to support the first- generation graduate student community. Additionally, there is a lack of public visibility in regards to the demographic information of first-generation graduate students at UC Davis through the AggieData Institutional Analysis website. First-generation students face tangible challenges, such as imposter syndrome, a lack of belonging, difficulty asking for help, and a lack of familiarity with graduate level university culture. All of these challenges can become exacerbated by an isolating, academic environment. First-generation students are resilient, motivated, and have a strong sense of purpose and identity. By providing targeted programming for first-generation graduate students, we can celebrate the diverse experiences and knowledge they bring to the academy, whilst aiding them in navigating a successful graduate career and beyond. Through active, in-person events that aim to demystify higher education, foster community, and prepare for successful post-doctoral careers, we can fill this gap in first-generation graduate student support.
Quimby Lee, Neuroscience, PhD Candidate
Empowering neurodivergent researchers in academia
Project Summary:
Neurodiversity refers to the variation in how different brains perceive and process information. Within this neurodiversity, neurodivergent individuals think, communicate, and experience the world differently than their “neurotypical” peers. Common forms of neurodivergence include autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Down Syndrome, and mental health conditions. Neurodivergent individuals are underrepresented in higher education and academia. This underrepresentation is in part due to historical stigmatization of neurodivergence as a deficit or “disorder”, a lack of awareness amongst the academic community of the unique challenges and opportunities for neurodivergent individuals in research, and insufficient resources and engagement from the academic community to effectively support neurodivergent individuals in their academic careers. My project aims to address these barriers to academia by amplifying the voices of neurodivergent researchers, sharing their experiences, and how they can be best supported by their colleagues. Historically, academia has pathologized neurodivergence and conducted research from a neurotypical perspective of curing neurodivergence as a “disorder”, rather than listening to the needs and desires of neurodivergent individuals and their families. In developing ways to support neurodivergent individuals, it is important for them to share their own experiences, where they need support, and what strategies they feel are the most impactful. Furthermore, a wide range of neurodiversity exists within neurodivergence itself, which is further intersected by gender, race, and socioeconomic status, contributing to a wide range of lived experiences and pathways to success. Thus, my project will spotlight this diversity by inviting multiple neurodivergent individuals, from different backgrounds and career stages, to share their experiences.
Zarah Deutsch, Animal Biology, PhD Candidate
Not so Straight…Forward: the Pathways to Non-Traditional Family Building
Project Summary:
Like myself, many of my peers in both graduate and postdoctoral programs are in their late 20s or 30s and are considering their options for family building. As a proud bisexual woman married to a woman, I found the on-campus resources for LGBTQIA+ family building not only limited but often completely unavailable or nonexistent. (In)Fertility care for the LGBTQIA+ community is often significantly more expensive than for heterosexual couples, and the logistical and financial complications can cause significant stress for those who are pursuing graduate education during their prime reproductive years. Many options for family building for LGBTQIA+ couples or individuals can be laborious, expensive and time-consuming, and educating this group of people can be beneficial in helping them prepare, organize and save in order to build their family in the future. Adoption, assisted reproduction technologies, trans fertility and surrogacy, among many other options, are utilized not only by the LGBTQIA+ community but also commonly by heterosexual couples and single parents by choice. The logistics of pursuing these options and the differences between them are not easy to find. The graduate and postdoctoral community are often in their prime reproductive years, and exposure to family planning should be available to them. Specifically, LGBTQIA+ students face additional hurdles in their family planning process, and should have access to increased education.
Charis Ramsing, Plant Pathology, PhD Candidate
Research retention through clear expectations: establishing an undergraduate mentoring compact at UC Davis
Project Summary:
Undergraduate researchers are a crucial part of research and teaching at research universities, but there is often little thought is given to how to effectively mentor undergraduate students. Many times undergraduates are seen as free or cheap labor, rather than opportunities to raise the next generation of researchers. The UC Davis Undergraduate Research Center website, for example, displays a UC Davis Faculty Handout with a list of 15 reasons to mentor undergraduates. Many of the listed are problematic to say the least. I seek to make undergraduate research at UC Davis a more intentional, well-thought-out experience that benefits both parties.
Colton Baumler, BMCDB, PhD Candidate
The modern scholar: a practical guide
Project Summary:
Simply, cognitive overload. Every day of graduate studies is an exercise in how much knowledge a student can absorb and disseminate. Much like every student, no matter what the educational achievement! However, graduate students work (and live!) at the boundary of what is known to science. They must use what is known to explore the unknown; all the while, teaching their novel findings to collegial scientists (as well as the more challenging task of accessibly teaching the general population). This is quite the abridgement of the years-long scholarship of graduate education. Beginning a project, the nebulous feeling of summoning the unknown many times starts without any structure. Though, some structure may be found in two of the major tasks for any graduate-level project: (1) Finding, reading, and integrating existing literature, and (2) designing striking scientific visualizations to communicate complex ideas rapidly and easily. By addressing these two tasks (and peppering important soft skills), I aim to build a workshop that strengthens the resilience of graduate students to cognitive overload.
Laurinne Balstad, Environmental Science and Policy, Population Biology, PhD Candidate
Navigating conflict in academic classrooms
Project Summary:
Conflict is ubiquitous in the workplace. In academic classrooms, conflict can occur between professors and students, and within teaching teams of faculty. Navigating these conflicts in academic classrooms can be especially challenging because of the academic hierarchy structure (e.g., student/faculty power dynamic, and within teaching teams, junior/senior faculty or TA/IOR power dynamics). Successfully reducing and resolving conflict can create a positive environment that helps increase feelings of belonging and satisfaction for both students, teaching assistants, and professors (Forcey and Rainforth, 2002 in Peace & Change). Yet, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars have limited opportunities to build confidence and gain tools to appropriately address conflict. I would like to lead a series of workshops and panels which aim to give graduate students and postdocs knowledge, practice, and tools to reduce conflict, both a priori (e.g., conversations before a course starts, syllabus design) and as conflict arises.
Sabrina Mederos, Animal Behavior, PhD Candidate
Navigation of interpersonal relationships as both mentors and mentees in academia
Project Summary:
Navigation of interpersonal relationships. Being a graduate student or a postdoc puts individuals in a unique position where on any given day they are faced with what it means to be both mentee and mentor. Graduate students and postdocs often engage in mentorship with interns in their labs or courses, or may even mentor their peers. Concurrently, higher education involves being mentored by their faculty advisors, committee members, and other scientists in their field. Success in future endeavors regarding a job in academia often hinges on the ability of individuals to strengthen and learn from their roles as mentors and mentees. Mentorship by a faculty advisor remains a significant factor in the perceived success and satisfaction within graduate school for students (Blackwell, 1981; Heinrich 1995; Patton 2009). Additionally, the act of mentoring others has the potential to facilitate development of new skills, understand other’s experiences and overall make you a better educator, but these benefits can be lost if one is not well equipped or trained to handle mentees and navigate professional boundaries (Bordogna, 2023). This remains an important aspect of the graduate and postdoctoral experience. There are challenges in serving both roles and knowing how to navigate these day to day, hour to hour, can be difficult at times.
Ste Traxler, Nutritional Biology, PhD Candidate
Science is Queer: A Cross-Disciplinary STEM Research Symposium
Project Summary:
LGBTQIA+ students are underrepresented in STEM graduate programs. Often, they may be the only members of their program who identify as LGBTQIA+. This makes it difficult to find a sense of community and belonging, both of which are vital to successfully navigating the challenges of graduate school. The most recent research into the experience of self-identified LGBTQIA+ students in graduate school found that said students were more likely to mask behaviors or avoid being “out” in an attempt to ward off discrimination and reported difficulty finding affirming spaces in new environments, which was further linked to increased stress and mental health challenges. Moreover, this underrepresentation makes it challenging for aspiring queer scientists to see themselves in STEM programs, with many talented students opting not to pursue graduate education due to concerns for their safety or a belief they will be unwelcome.
Talitha Angelica Acaylar Trazo, Cultural Studies, PhD Candidate
UC Davis Kasamas: Building a Filipino American Graduate Student and Postdoc Support Network
Project Summary:
Filipino Americans are the third largest Asian group in the United States, with the majority residing in California. UC Davis has about 1,800 Filipino American students. Despite the model minority myth’s subsumption of Asian students under a guise of academic success, Filipino American students continue to face difficulties in graduating from college, entering graduate school, and finishing their graduate degrees. While there are numerous organizations which serve undergraduate Fil-Am students, there is yet to be a group created for Fil-Am graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.Through my project, “UC Davis Kasamas,” I aim to create a supportive space for Fil-Am graduate students and postdocs across disciplines that will aid in the retention of Fil-Am scholars. Furthermore, despite the growing Fil-Am undergraduate student body, Fil-Am professors are few and far between. “UC Davis Kasamas” will also connect Fil-Am undergraduate students thinking about careers in academia with Fil-Am graduate students and postdocs who aim to become professors. Through the creation of a mentor-mentee network as well as a formal networking event featuring a panel titled “Demystifying Graduate School from the Fil-Am Perspective,” my project will also facilitate the retention of Fil-Am undergraduates and their recruitment into graduate school.
Rachel Moreno, Microbiology and Immunology, PhD Candidate
Thinking Big: A Guide to Approaching Your Research
Project Summary:
Theories and dogmas in the research setting restrict researchers from considering the full realm of scientific and artistic possibilities. There are two types of researchers most well-equipped to challenge ideas of this nature: well-established researchers who have had substantial time in their respective field and new researchers in their field of study. New students and early-career researchers often have the newest and most unhinged ways of approaching research problems, in part due to the lack of restraints put in place by research dogmas. One of the many things that graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are trained to do is to critically think about their research project and how it relates to the “bigger picture”. Moreover, students and scholars are also taught the knowledge foundation that enables this outside-of-the-box thinking to take place. However, not all students get equally trained in this aspect. Performing research without boundless thinking is not only detrimental for the furtherment of the science and arts but can lead to intensified feelings of imposter syndrome, missed opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, and dissatisfaction for the trainee. My proposed project will supplement trainees and early-career scholars with perspective-building tools and strategies to lay their own knowledge foundation and how to develop critical, bigger picture thinking skills.
Erika Milagros Bueno, Entomology and Nematology, Postdoctoral Scholar
Building Retention Strategies with People Management Skills
Project Summary:
While graduate school often focuses on the ability to conduct independent research, graduate programs typically do not provide training in people management skills, which is essential for leading productive research programs in academia and other non-academic roles. People management in academia involves the training, encouragement, and guidance of lab personnel to maximize research efforts and facilitate their professional development. This can be challenging because lab groups typically consist of members from diverse backgrounds, age groups, and career levels, which require different managerial styles. Therefore, having the skill to adapt managerial styles effectively to lab personnel is crucial for the success of both the Principal Investigator (PI) and the students. People management also involves practicing effective communication techniques such as active listening and providing constructive feedback. Mastering the ability to give and receive constructive feedback can foster psychological safety and positive working relationships between PIs, students, and lab personnel. Lastly, in academia, people management skills are instrumental in cultivating strong mentoring relationships by empowering PIs to use the effective methods for motivating and inspiring mentees to attain both their personal and professional aspirations. This is especially important for the retention of historically underrepresented students who often face challenges when navigating the higher education pipeline. Overall, people management is a crucial aspect that directly impacts both the PI and students, yet it is often overlooked in graduate school programs.
Nicole Halmai, Genome Center, Postdoctoral Scholar
ACERT – Advancing Cancer Health Equity through Research Training
Project Summary:
It is well documented that there is a significant lack of racial and ethnic representation in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields. This is particularly true for the biomedical research workforce, for which individuals who identify as racial or ethnic minorities (Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/a/x, Native American, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) make up less than 10% of research faculty in the US (Valantine and Collins, 2015). Despite efforts to increase diversity throughout the biomedical research community, limited exposure to research opportunities during high school and undergraduate education remains a major barrier. There is a significant need to improve the availability of and access to research opportunities for undergraduate students from minoritized communities, to provide a doorway into the biomedical fields through which students can realize a career. And for those who do aspire to pursue a career in biomedical research or medicine, there is also a need to for graduate/medical school preparation and application support, as many are often the first of their relatives to pursue these higher education programs. Together, I believe that improving access to research opportunities and developing supportive infrastructure to apply scientific interests to careers in biomedical research and medicine will help to foster a more diverse and inclusive generation of biomedical workforce. This, in turn, will create a workforce that can better serve the diverse communities who experience higher burdens of disease and medical needs because it is made up of individuals who themselves are members of these same communities.