2013-2014 Scholars
2014 Scholarship Recipients
Patrick Bailey
Patrick is an undergraduate student majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology. He overcame a difficult youth to attend the local community college, transferring to UCSC with a 4.0 GPA. He will use his scholarship to fund childcare while he gains lab experience. His long-term goal is to conduct research on breast cancer, which runs in his family.Ryan Baker
After serving in the US Army, Ryan returned to school to complete his bachelor’s degree in marine biology. Ryan will use his award to complete the scuba certification necessary for participation in the fall field quarter in Corsica.Alex Bardales
Alex tells us that his wife and three young children are the reason he returned to the university. He wants to be a role model for his family and is completing a degree in electrical engineering. Alex plans to use his scholarship to purchase electronic equipment for a home lab.Ruben Barron
The first in his family to attend college, Ruben majors in art and literature to, “...push the interaction of art and literature into the 21st century with the modern technology available to produce new experiences and reach diverse audiences.” His scholarship will be used to fund equipment and software for art classes.Sara Blaylock
Sara is a doctoral candidate in visual studies. The purpose of her dissertation is to investigate post World War II East German artistic practice, "...from the margins of cultural and historical awareness, so as to explore the existence, within a decidedly oppressive context, of an artistic vanguard." Sarah plans to use her research to work as a teacher and consultant. Her scholarship funds travel costs to Germany.Erin Ellison
Erin is a PhD student in psychology who, growing up, never saw herself as a researcher. Now her dissertation examines, “...how California-based anti-oppression activists fight against racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, and other social forces of dominance.” Her research examines, “...how activists confront their own complicity in these systems to work together for social change.” She will use her scholarship to attend a workshop to study social network analysis, a method that fits well with her dissertation subjects.Katherine Ennis
A graduate student in environmental studies, Kate studies how coffee farm management affects the biodiversity of predators and their predatory function. Her scholarship will fund travel and supplies toward her fieldwork in Chiapas, Mexico.Corinne Gibble
Corinne is a PhD candidate in ocean sciences. She studies how a microcystin toxin affects marine and estuarine birds at higher trophic levels. Corinne will use the scholarship for supplies to complete this research and reach her ultimate goal of producing ‘sound and important science.’Lisa Hickman
Lisa is an undergraduate student majoring in the History of Art and Visual Culture. A single mother of three children, her goal is to become a professor. As Lisa says, "Teaching is one of the best gifts you can give to the world." Lisa’s scholarship will go toward summer school costs.Preetha Menon
A middle school science teacher, Preetha is pursuing a PhD in Education to address meaningful ways of understanding and assessing students’ science learning. The mother of two, she plans to take her new skills back into the classroom and hopes to be involved in efforts to improve science education for students from diverse backgrounds.Leilani Monfort
"As a single mother and an anthropology student, I have learned firsthand how sociocultural identities and positions make an impact on how parenting is both framed and experienced," says Leilani. She investigates the relationship between child-rearing practices, cultural narratives, and structural inequality. Leilani’s research will apply toward requirements for her undergraduate degree and prepare her well for future graduate work.Melissa Nievera-Lozano
From a blended Filipino immigrant family, Melissa joined the Army Reserves to fund her college education, eventually serving in the war in Iraq. Melissa wants to add to the knowledge of Filipino Americans through teaching and research and is currently pursuing her PhD in Education. Her scholarship will apply toward her fall quarter tuition.Jose Ortega
A first generation student, Jose's interest in the natural world has inspired him to become a physician. Jose will use his scholarship to apply toward individual tutoring for his most challenging courses as he completes his undergraduate degree in Human Biology.Sarah Peterson
Sarah’s doctoral dissertation focuses on how the at-sea foraging behavior of marine mammals, particularly elephant seals, influences their contaminant accumulation. Upon completing her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Sarah’s goal is to work as a scientist for a government agency or non-profit research group.Angela Quiros
Angela is a PhD student in the ecology and evolutionary biology program. Her scholarship will help to fund her research project in the Philippines that involves measuring the health of seagrass beds around the islands, which are the home to an important food source foraged by women and children. Angela’s goal is to return to the Philippines to teach and conduct research, to promote women in science, and to mentor them toward an academic track. Raymundo Reyes
Raymundo ran far away from a dysfunctional family situation at age 14 and worked to support himself. Eventually Raymundo helped to support his mother and younger siblings by working in the construction field. Now Raymundo wants to hone his intellectual skills by completing a bachelor’s degree in literature and eventually a PhD in Spanish literature. His scholarship will go towards the purchase of a laptop computer.Ashley Robart
Ashley will use her scholarship to attend a conference in China on the theme of her dissertation, that is, how cooperation and conflict influence breeding systems in animals. In Ashley’s research, she focuses on the extended parental care period of the convict cichlid, a monogamous freshwater fish. She pursues a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Her long-term goal is to join a faculty at a university with a focus on undergraduate education.Dena Spatz
Dena studies islands, where conservation management has huge impacts on ecosystems and species at risk from human actions. Her scholarship provides a stipend to an intern who will assist Dena in processing and mapping data on species distribution, threats, climate, and political attributes. As she completes her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Dena will use her research to help island residents and governments solve environmental problems.Maxim (Max) Tabatchnik
Max is completing a PhD in politics. His research focuses on the politics of citizenship, national identity, ethnic biases and discrimination. His scholarship will help fund a research methods training at Central European University, the world’s most renowned university for the study of nationalism and national identity. Max hopes to teach at the university level.
Virginia (Gina) Thomas
Gina Thomas has studied the capacity for solitude, especially in the current culture of social media. She intends to identify solitude skills that coordinate with social skills to maintain an emotional balance. Gina’s scholarship will fund her time to research and analyze data collected toward writing a publishable article. In completing her PhD in Psychology, Gina says she is, "...dedicated to bridging academic research with community involvement and real-world application."
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