The computer science community is homogeneous and widely inaccessible. In the U.S., this is evident in classrooms from grade school to grad school [Zweben and Bizot 2023; Code.org Advocacy Coalition 2024]. In this statement, I outline the most impactful diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts I have taken during my Ph.D., excluding my approach to teaching and mentoring. I am proud of the implications for inclusion in my teaching and mentoring philosophy—but I discuss that in my teaching statement.
You Belong! The inequalities in our field start well before undergraduate studies. For example, while approximately 40% of people living in California identify as Latino [U.S. Census 2023], only about 5% of computer science degrees at UC Berkeley are awarded to Latinos [UCB OPA 2023]. During my Ph.D., I worked in local schools to develop and deliver scientific lessons in Spanish to expose young Latino students to potential careers in science. With Bay Area Scientists in Schools (BASIS), I helped develop a new bilingual “You Belong” lesson on Ynés Mexía’s research [BASIS 2020]. This lesson is taught in schools serving low-income and historically marginalized communities. I then worked with Be A Scientist (BAS) to mentor a group of four seventh-grade students in Spanish over a six-week-long lab.
Transfer-to-Excellence. Working with local schools will increase the diversity of our field in the long run, but there is much to do at the undergraduate level, too. During my Ph.D., I was fortunate to participate in UC Berkeley’s Transfer-to-Excellence (TTE) program, which I believe is an exemplary initiative. California has a robust community college system that offers 2-year associate’s degrees that are free for residents. After graduating, students can apply for a transfer to a 4-year bachelor’s degree program. The TTE program pairs students from these community colleges with graduate student mentors during a summer research program. This exposes students to research for the first time and strengthens their transfer applications.
I mentored two students through TTE. After the program, one student transferred to UC Santa Cruz, and the other transferred to Stanford. Even more exciting, one student won a SACNAS National Diversity in STEM presentation award, and we extended their work to a conference publication. The TTE program made all of that possible.
Moving Forward. As faculty, I will continue investing time in programs like TTE and engaging with the community by supporting programs like BASIS and BAS. As discussed in my teaching statement, I will continue incorporating inclusive practices into my teaching and mentoring philosophy.