2018-2019 Scholarship Recipients
2019 Scholarship Recipients
Jacob Anzarouth
Jacob Anzarouth is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in History, primarily focusing on Europe and the Middle East. He comes from a working class background, electing to pursue higher education so that he could learn more, feed his soul, and be able to have more opportunities to provide for his wife and his daughter. Jacob’s end goal is to earn a Master’s in Education so that he can become a teacher and give back to his community. Jacob utilized this scholarship toward his tuition fees for summer session.
Anne Beulke
Anne Beulke's research is focused on conservation issues affecting salmon and steelhead in California. Throughout her educational career, Anne has garnered funding to execute her own research project, has co-authored three papers, and has presented at conferences before even starting her Ph.D. program in the Ocean Sciences Department. Her goal as a female scientist is to make an impact in academics and research, as well as having a family. The Women's Club funding helped Anne attend the American Fisheries Society Conference, as well as support her with procuring a more ergonomic work station.Bahtin Bilow
Bahtin Bilow is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in neuroscience after a 12-year break from school. Her research investigates the role of excessive manganese exposure in early development on the gut microbiome. She has been doing so well with her research that her faculty adviser said that her project has the potential to turn into a 2-year project, possibly getting her into the Master’s program in Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology. This is unusual for undergraduate students, but it reflects Bahtin's diligence and dedication to her studies. Bahtia’s goal is to attend a PhD program in Neuroscience, and the funding provided by the UCSC Women’s Club will allow her to prepare for the GRE as well as assisting her with the purchase of a tablet that she crucially needs for her research.Faeze Brahman
Faeze Brahman's pursuit for a higher education in America has certainly come with its challenges, but she has perservered and is an international student from Iran working toward a doctorate in Computer Science with a GPA (grade point average) of 3.87. Since coming to UCSC, Faeze has submitted proposals to national conferences, participated in an internship at Xerox, and started the Women in Artificial Intelligence group in her department, all of this while still tending to her family. As part of her research, Faeze is designing an interactive interface for humans to collaborate with assistive writing systems, which can be extremely helpful in the field of education, especially for students with disabilities. Faeze’s end goal is to establish a start-up company that will build a scalable platform for interactive, high quality, online education in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). She is using her scholarship toward a laptop to help her with her computationally intensive work.Amanda Brambila
Amanda Brambila is a doctoral candidate pursuing a degree in molecular cell and developmental biology. Amanda’s research studies how cell size is controlled, aiming to break a well-established paradigm in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) field. On a more personal level, her purpose at UCSC is to become a leader and mentor within the Latinx community. She is currently the president of UCSC’s SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native American in Science) chapter, and thanks to her vision and leadership, they recently won ‘Chapter of the Year’ at the national SACNAS conference! Amanda will use the funds from this scholarship to purchase a laptop that will allow her to process data at a faster rate, which is critical to ensuring that her research is more efficient.Marion Cadora
Marion Cadora is this year’s Robert Leet-Corday scholar. She is pursuing her PhD in Visual Studies. Her work has primarily focused on the education and curation of Pacific Art in various museums throughout the United States. Her current research investigates critical curatorial practices through a comparative study of museums, cultural heritage sites, and contemporary art biennials. More specifically, her project aims to show how cultural spaces have emerged as appropriate venues to visually and publicly challenge the legacy of US colonial representations of Pacific Island peoples while creating space for rhetorical sovereignty across Oceania. Marion hopes to become a curator and educator after she graduates, and she will use her funding for a laptop to help her finish her schoolwork more efficiently. Jeannette Calvin
Jeannette Calvin has navigated many obstacles throughout their educational journey but has been very successful, earning a BA in Psychology and a BS in Chemistry before initiating a doctoral degree in Ocean Sciences. Jeannette aims to construct and lead successful research projects that will offer the preparation needed to become an effective Principal Investigator when in a future faculty position. Jeannette’s current research focuses on the data analysis of bacterial cultures, which Jeannette believes will help in accurately predicting where harmful algal bloom will occur next. Funding from the Women's Club will help Jeanette purchase the research materials needed to execute this important project.
Terry Carol-Beyak
Terry Carol-Beyak works part-time and commutes every day from Oakland while working on a Master’s Degree in Games and Playable Media at UCSC. Despite having to balance all of these responsibilities, Terry has been doing outstanding work within his field. He recently developed a virtual reality game that teaches people about the movement of stars and constellations and a persuasive game about the impact of climate change on California wildfires. Terry believes that games can be a uniquely educational experience, and he aspires to use his games as educational tools. Terry will use his funding for his student fees next academic year.
Jeffrey Chaffin
Jeffrey Chaffin is a graduate student pursuing a doctorate in physics. Jeffrey’s interest in physics was sparked while he was employed as a mechanic, working on rewiring vintage motorcycle systems. He started listening to physics podcasts, and then decided he wanted to pursue the study of physics fulltime. This new passion led him to take night classes at the community college, which then led to a transfer to the University of Minnesota, which ultimately led to UCSC. His research is focused on Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGF), and he intends to study the implications of TGFs in the early environment and their possible role in prebiotic synthesis of organic compounds by radiation chemistry. Jeffrey’s scholarship funds will help him with his research, enabling him to buy a laptop able to process complex simulations that might take days or weeks to process.Matthew Evans
Matthew Evans is this year’s Francis Spodick Drake Scholar pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. When Matthew returned to school after a rough period in his life, his grade point average was low. Currently, Matthew is excelling in his field and is also a research assistant for Professor Takayama’s Human Robot Interaction lab as well as for Professor Davidenko’s High Level Perception lab, quite a feat for someone who has been at UCSC less than a year. After Matthew finishes his undergraduate degree, he will pursue a doctoral degree. His ultimate goal is to become a cognitive psychology professor at a community college. He wants to contribute to scientific achievements throughout the field as well as inspire the students he will serve. His scholarship will help pay for summer session tuition.Morgan Gates
Morgan Gates is a first generation graduate student who has been supporting herself throughout her educational trajectory toward a doctorate in Literature. Her ultimate goal is to become an academic, hopefully teaching English or literature at a university. She is beginning the process of advancing to candidacy, and this process requires her to become a specialist in her field by preparing an extensive bibliography. She needs to purchase anywhere from 70-100 texts in order to do so. Morgan is using the scholarship to help her purchase materials she needs for her bibliography so that she can successfully complete her project, pass her qualifying exams, and move closer to her goal of becoming a professor.Brittany Gomez
Brittany Gomez is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. When she began her educational journey, she faced a lot of discouragement at her community college as she pursued a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) degree, but she persevered and is now in her third quarter at UCSC with a 3.42 GPA (grade point average) in her major. Brittany’s goal is to eventually work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a scientist in hopes of developing new vaccines and treatments that will benefit our society. She will use the Women’s Club scholarship to purchase a laptop to help her with her studies.
Matthew Johnson
After initially being declined admission by the university, Matthew Johnson appealed UCSC’s decision, which was reversed. Matthew is currently excelling in his undergraduate coursework in Computer Science. He will continue on his path after he graduates from UCSC to pursue either a Ph.D. or an M.S. He would also like to establish a company after he gets another degree and will teach at a community college once he gets closer to retirement. Matthew will use his scholarship to help pay for summer session tuition.
Brett Kashmir
Brett Kashmere is a graduate student who is pursuing a doctorate in Film and Digital Media. He chose UCSC for graduate school due to the institution’s ability to integrate critical studies and media practices in order to link together the relationship between theory, research, and production. His latest research project, Ghosts of Empire, focuses on football players and the cultural, legal, social, and scientific impacts of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease that is a hot topic in the sports industry. Brett will use his funding to travel and conduct interviews throughout the country with leading experts in neurodegenerative disease.Ayesha Khalid
Ayesha Khalid wants to design games that will make an impact on societal and cultural issues, such as gender inequality and immigrant rights. Ayesha entered her Master of Science in Serious Games with little knowledge in computer programming, but due to her hard work and dedication, she has managed to excel in her programming courses. Besides being a dedicated full time student and a teaching assistant, Ayesha is also raising a three year old. She hopes to use her funding toward a laptop so that she can be equipped with the computational resources that she needs to finish her work.
Fahim Khan
Fahim Khan is a graduate student pursuing a PhD in Computer Science. Fahim decided to continue his higher education journey after teaching computer science for seven years. His research interests in computer graphics and data visualization led him to develop a mobile app which will detect and warn users about dangerous rip currents. Throughout the development of his app, he has received assistance from high school students that Fahim mentors through the UCSC Science Internship Program (aka SIP). The Women's Club funding will help Fahim, enabling him to purchase a laptop that is crucial in helping him render 3D graphic visualizations as well as run accelerated applications. Abolfazl Khuzani
Abolfazl Khuzani has always been a very hardworking student, and that hard work and dedication led him to be the top student in his department as an undergraduate. Since beginning a doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Abolfazl has published 28 papers (which have been cited 86 times), two books, and six patents. Through his research, he wants to develop new quantitative image analysis and machine learning schemes to identify early symptoms of different types of cancer. He will purchase a laptop to help him with his research.
Tannia Lau
Early experiences with medical issues in her community led Tannia to develop an interest in the medical field at an early age. This keen interest led Tannia to become an exceptional student, starting her university career at age 15 and graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry at the age of 19. She is now on to a doctorate in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. Tannia is currently researching drug discovery through chemical biology with an emphasis on immunology, specifically investigating natural product anti-inflammatory drug discovery. Tannia hopes to become a scientist after graduation, seeking to continue her research to find cures and treatments of diseases. Tannia will use her funds to attend the SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) conference, where she will present some of her research to peers in her community.Hugh Leonard
Hugh Leonard is an undergraduate student who will graduate with a degree in Biology in spring of 2020. Since he transferred to UCSC, he has encountered many hardships that have made his transition to the research university a bit more difficult. Nonetheless, he has excelled in his field academically and was even approached by the Norris Center in hopes of having him become an intern for them. Through this internship, he reaffirmed that he wants to pursue a Master’s degree in Environmental Restoration. The Women’s Club scholarship will help Hugh take courses during the summer that are required for him to graduate on time.Samuel Mansfield
Samuel Mansfield is a graduate student pursuing a doctorate in Computer Engineering. His research focuses on bed sores, known as pressure injuries, and how science and technology can create tools that can avoid these injuries, as well as improve the quality of life by those who are affected by them. Throughout his graduate career, Samuel has financed his education through 14 appointments as a teaching assistant, all while maintaining his dedication as a full time student. Samuel is thankful for his funding, and he will use it to purchase a laptop that will help him analyze the data needed to continue his project.Mark Morales
Mark Morales is earning a doctorate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Through this program, he participates in public outreach, teaches undergraduate courses, mentors undergraduate researchers, and conducts his own research. His research aims to improve sustainable natural resource management through identification of the links between the physical environment and the replenishment of exploited fish populations. Mark plans to get a job with the National Marine Fisheries Service after attaining his doctorate. He hopes that his work will contribute to ensuring sustainable US marine commercial fisheries as well as preparing fishery management plans for dealing with hardships expected from global climate change. Mark will use his funding for a new laptop to help increase the speed of his workflow.Marcelo Perez
Prior to transferring to UCSC, Marcelo Perez was completing an Associate of Science certificate in Respiratory Therapy, and it is through this program that he fell in love with the medical world. Since beginning his undergraduate program in Human Biology, Marcelo has realized that he would like to be a researcher for drug and treatment development and possibly pursue a career as a clinical practitioner. He wants to stay within the field of medicine because he wants to save lives and improve the quality of life for all patients. Aside from being a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) student, he is also single father commuting daily from Menlo Park. He will use his scholarship to help pay for a parking pass, as well as childcare expenses and tuition for summer school if any funds are left over.
Miguel Pinto
Miguel Pinto is a graduate student pursuing a doctorate in chemistry, concentrating on bioinorganic chemistry. Throughout his time at UCSC, he has finished seven projects which have resulted in five first author publications, and one of the articles he contributed to was highlighted on the front cover page of a critical chemistry journal. His research focuses on developing advanced drug delivery systems for anticancer chemotherapeutics. The Women’s Club Scholarship will help Miguel buy a new laptop that will be useful for his documents and presentations. After he graduates, he hopes to get a post-doctoral position at an institution where he can continue the work of developing these advanced treatments. Miguel’s long-term goal is to eventually become a professor at a research-intensive university. Sandra Ramirez
Sandra Ramirez is a first-generation undergraduate student pursuing a double major in Latin American Latino Studies and Spanish Studies. She is pursuing these degrees so that she can become a court interpreter in order to support her community and ensure that no one is exploited. Sandra goes to school full time and also works, throughout the week, often not being able to utilize computer labs to do her schoolwork because they are closed. This scholarship will allow Sandra to purchase a laptop so that she can focus on her schoolwork and not have to worry about not being able to access a computer as needed.
May Roberts
May Roberts is in her 4th year at UCSC, pursuing a doctorate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Her research focuses on the role of evolutionary adaptation in coral reef fish species to persist in the face of climate change. This research is crucial in helping us predict vulnerable reef fishes and populations, helping the people that directly rely on coral reefs by managing them accordingly. May hopes to eventually become a professor and researcher of coral reef conservation. She will use this funding to go toward genome sequencing that is critical for her data analysis.Alicia Romero
Alicia Romero is a working single mother who credits her son, Lionel, as her motivation to go back to school to finish her education. She is almost done with her Master's in Education and is gearing up to start her first year as a K-5th bilingual teacher in August. Finishing up her degree is crucial to getting this job, so some of her funding will go toward helping her pay tuition for the last requirement she has left during the summer. The rest of the funding will go toward enrolling Lionel in child care so that Alicia can focus on her studies and complete her program, moving her one step closer to actualizing her goal.
Katie Shiver
Katie Shiver has navigated many obstacles throughout her higher education journey, but through her resilient spirit, she has managed to overcome and successfully transfer to UCSC pursuing a BA in Literature, with an emphasis on creative writing. Her purpose here is to learn and be able to think critically about the world and herself, hoping to network and build connections that will help her gain traction toward her end goal: to establish a non-profit animal sanctuary where domestic violence survivors and at-risk folks can help take care of the animals, in exchange for basic needs resources as well as shelter. The funding from this scholarship will help Katie take courses at UCSC over the summer, which will help her start putting together the blueprint for her end goal.Eric Sneathen
As a re-entry graduate student, Eric Sneathen has had to work multiple jobs within and outside of UCSC in order to pursue his academic goal of a doctorate in Literature. Eric’s research focuses on looking into attendant gaps in historical records that have developed due to LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trangender, and queer) censorship throughout American history, specifically in the history of LGBTQ writing in San Francisco. Eric hopes to become an academic so that he can continue to learn more about this rich history and share it with others. He will use his scholarship to purchase numerous books critical to his research.
Eda Tarak
Eda Tarak is a second year international student pursuing a graduate degree in anthropology. She is the first in her family to attend graduate school, as well as the first to study abroad. She grew up having the only mother in her community that worked, so she considers her academic pursuits as a way of giving back to the women in her family and in her community. Her research focuses on studying the ecological damages of the cargo shipping industry in the Eastern Mediterranean, through an anthropological lens -- the first of its kind. Eda will use her scholarship to help her carry out her research in Athens.
Kelley Voss
Kelley Voss is a third-year doctoral student pursuing a doctorate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Kelley researches octopuses, due to their ability to regularly lose and regrow arms. Her research on this topic has led her to present at various conferences, workshops, as well as landing her a spot as an octopus expert on an NPR (National Public Radio) show. Through her octopus research, she hopes to inspire women in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) field, and she also hopes to make science more approachable for the community in general, especially those that don’t identify as ‘science’ people. Kelley will use the funding from the Women's Club to purchase a pixelbook that will help her with her dissertation, as well as a Oceanic Geo 2.0 dive computer which will help safely collect data underwater.
