Center for STEM Diversity - Tufts University

Home
Center for STEM Diversity - Tufts University

The Center for STEM Diversity was created in order to help Tufts University address the need to incr

The Center for STEM Diversity was created in order to help Tufts University address the need to increase diversity in the STEM fields.

23/05/2021

The Center for STEM Diversity sends sincere congratulations to our seniors and the entire graduating class of 2021 🐘💙🎓

20/04/2021

Last but certainly not least, our final highlights Talisa Watts!

Talisa is a Civil Engineering major with minors in Spanish and Engineering Management. Talisa has been involved with the CSD since her freshman year as a Bridge to Engineering Success at Tufts (BEST) scholar and has also done research in engineering education as a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) scholar . This year, Talisa was a member of the Tufts Steel Bridge Team.

After graduation, Talisa will stay at Tufts as a graduate student in the Offshore Wind Program in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. One piece of advice Talisa wants to pass on to underclassmen is “Don’t stress too much. As long as you are learning about and pursuing your interests, you’re doing great! There are always opportunities to continue growing so take as long as you need to find the right ones for you.”

Talisa Watts
Civil Engineering

Well said! Congratulations to Talisa and all of our 2021 seniors, we hope that you enjoyed reading all of our posts as much as we did!

16/04/2021

Next up for ... Sara Blake!

Sara is a Questbridge Scholar from Miami, Florida who is majoring in Biomedical Engineering. Sara has been involved with the CSD since her freshman year as a Redefining the Image of Science and Engineering (RISE) scholar. She later went on to become a Teaching Assistant for RISE, where she was able to have a direct impact on incoming underrepresented first-years, teaching them how to navigate the "Tufts bubble" and talking through topics together, such as Imposter Syndrome.

Sara is a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) scholar and has conducted research in the Kaplan and Oudin Labs throughout the years. Respectively, her research focused on creating silk-based sustained drug delivery systems for chemotherapeutics and birth control, and investigating the effects of manipulating the components of the extracellular matrices (ECM) of metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). For the past two summers, she has conducted research at Brigham and Women's Hospital under the Harvard Yes for Cure Program, researching drug synergism and mRNA therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Currently, Sara is trying to 3D Print Meat for her senior design project.

After graduation, Sara will remain in Boston, working at a biotech startup aimed at the intracellular delivery of biologics. Outside of academics, Sara is a strong advocator of mental health and loves stumbling upon new coffee shops, anime, and working out. The one piece of advice Sara wants to pass on to underclassmen is to "remember to fuel your happiness... I started doing better academically when I made time for the things I actually wanted to do."

Sara Blake
Miami, FL
Biomedical Engineering

13/04/2021

Today's is dedicated to Kiara Rose, a Computer Science major from Brooklyn, New York.

The CSD first met Kiara as part of the inaugural cohort of Redefining the Image of Science and Engineering (RISE), our first-year advising course aimed at acclimating students to college. Since then, Kiara has played tennis for Tufts on the Women's Tennis Team, where she is currently co-captain, and also serves as co-president of Athletes of Color. Kiara was also a previous Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) scholar, where she was given the opportunity to do research abroad at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

After Tufts, Kiara is headed to the west coast to work as a Software Engineer at Apple in California. Her advice to younger students: "Don’t be discouraged if things don’t work out the first, second, or third time you try to accomplish a goal. Keep your head up, stay positive, and utilize the resources that others around you are willing to give."

Kiara Rose
Brooklyn, NY
Computer Science

09/04/2021

This week's goes to Derrick Sosa, an Environmental Health major from Washington Heights, New York.

Derrick is a Bridge to Engineering Success at Tufts (BEST) scholar, a previous Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) scholar, and has been a STEM Ambassador for the past 3 years. In all of his roles, Derrick has served as a mentor to younger students and strived to advocate for more representation of underrepresented communities.

After Tufts, Derrick will move back home to NYC to work in the industry. His advice to younger students: "These four years are tough for us, but remember to keep the main goal in mind for when it gets the hardest. It feels very rewarding at the end!"

Derrick Sosa
Washington Heights, NY
Environmental Health

06/04/2021

Back at it with another ! Amina Dieng, a native of Queens, New York, is a double major in Computer Science and English, who has been an integral part of her student organizations during her time at Tufts.

Amina has been a STEM Ambassador for the past two years, helping to lead the switch over to a virtual format by presenting the first virtual school visit last fall with Medford High School. Other initiatives Amina has been apart of include writing sketches for the POC comedy group, Comic Relief, building free software in JumboCode, and she co-founded Black Students in Computer Science (BSCS), a group dedicated to fostering a sense of community for Black students who are studying computer science and related concentrations.

Outside of coding, which was her initial draw to computer science, Amina has embraced her passion for advocacy and has had the opportunity to gain product management experience during summer internships at Zynga and with the NYC Department of City Planning.

After graduation, Amina will be moving to San Francisco to join Salesforce as an Associate Product Manager, where she hopes to continue growing and learning how to build technology that highlights underrepresented perspectives. Her advice to younger students: "Try to be present everyday. So much of life can be spent looking ahead: to college when you're in high school, adulthood when you're in college, etc. Sometimes it feels good to just sit and acknowledge how far you've already come."

Amina Dieng
Queens, NY
Computer Science and English

02/04/2021

Happy April from all of us at CSD! This Friday’s is Joel Lima, a Bridge to Engineering Success at Tufts (BEST) scholar who has contributed immensely to the CSD community over his four years as an undergraduate student.

Joel is from Elmont, New York, and has extensive experience in biomedical engineering and engineering management. After graduation, he is set to become an Associate Clinical Specialist for Medtronic, a medical device company with a mission to contribute to human welfare by the research, design, manufacture, and sale of instruments or appliances that alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life.

In his free time, Joel loves storytelling, board/video games, and tutoring others. He wants younger students to know the following: “As a member of the first-generation community, it’s hard to absorb the mentality of taking care of yourself first, because you feel the weight of others’ expectations on your shoulders, but there’s nothing wrong with seeing yourself as the main character of your own story. You owe yourself love and second (and third) chances.”

Joel Lima
Elmont, NY
Engineering

30/03/2021

Time for another ! Writing up a summary of this senior’s accomplishments has proven to be a difficult task, because he has accomplished SO much in four years! Hezekiah Branch is originally from Columbia, SC, and while at Tufts he majored in Cognitive Brain Science. But that is the tip of the iceberg, folks. Over his undergraduate career, Hezekiah has participated in many research experiences, including health machine learning, computational cognitive science, and a special project at the Tufts School of Medicine, where Hezekiah is part of a team working to develop a cure for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Outside of his scientific endeavors, Hezekiah has been at the forefront of many extracurricular activities focused on resources for underrepresented students. In 2019, he cofounded the Tufts Black Students in Computer Science (BSCS) organization, which has since exploded in popularity and corporate support. Hezekiah is also a member of the first-ever Tufts Department of Psychology Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, where he’s working to increase BIPOC representation in doctoral studies programs.

Typical of Hezekiah, he’s pushing the envelope even further next year by getting a master’s degree in Data Science. His advice to students is to “seek out mentors and elders who will help you to cultivate the greatness that is already inside of you.”

Hezekiah Branch
Columbia, SC
Cognitive Brain Science

26/03/2021

We are (somehow) already at the tail end of March, and it is crazy how fast time is flying, especially for our graduating seniors! This Friday’s is Spencer Schmid, a student researcher from Kansas City, Missouri who is double majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Economics.

Spencer is one of our Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) scholars, and through this program, he has been able to conduct research and facilitate connections with faculty members in the Mechanical Engineering department. He is also a Student Technician in the Tufts Micro and Nano Fabrication Facility on the Medford campus.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Spencer has been involved in many student organizations, including the swim club, the trading club, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), where he serves as an event planner on the e-board. Next year, Spencer will be staying at Tufts as a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering. We think it speaks to the extensive opportunities available at Tufts that many of our graduating seniors have chosen to continue their postgraduate studies here!

Spencer Schmid
Kansas City, MO
Mechanical Engineering and Economics

23/03/2021

Welcome to another round of ! Today’s inspiring senior is Kim Dao, a BEST scholar from South Carolina! With a major in Civil Engineering and a minor in Urban Studies, Kim is passionate about the intersection of engineering, transportation, environmental justice, and equity for historically underrepresented students in STEM fields.

Kim has served as the president of the Tufts chapter of ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers), where she spearheaded equity initiatives and facilitated town halls focusing on education and systemic change. She is also a current member of the Vietnamese Students Club (VSC), and a Cataldo Research Scholar, a position where she is conducting policy research on waste disposal of coal combustion residuals and beneficial reuse of fly ash in Synthetic Lightweight Aggregates (SLA).

Kim is currently applying for full-time positions in transportation engineering and design firms. We wish her well in her professional journey after Tufts, and want to also wish her an early birthday (her birthday is tomorrow!).

Kim Dao
Columbia, SC
Civil Engineering

19/03/2021

Raul Pech Figueroa is our this Friday, and to make it even better, it’s also his birthday!

Raul is a Mechanical Engineering major from Thousand Oaks, California who has been very involved with event planning and foundation setting for a number of student organizations during his time at Tufts. As Event Coordinator for the Society of Latinx Engineers and Scientists (SOLES), he has been using his strengths in graphic design and social programming to advertise SOLES workshops to the greater Tufts community. As President of the Massachusetts Delta Chapter of Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society, Raul has also been actively contributing ideas for new programming and initiatives.

Additionally, Raul has been heavily involved in STEM Ambassadors for the last three years. One of CSD’s flagship programs, STEM Ambassadors is a professional development program with an outreach mission to spark intellectual curiosity among high school students in the surrounding Boston-area community. Raul’s choice of extracurricular activities reflects exactly who he is as a person—someone who is invested in creating measurable change for underrepresented communities. Happy Birthday Raul!

Raul Pech Figueroa
Thousand Oaks, CA
Mechanical Engineering

16/03/2021

It’s time for ! As a reminder, we are using our social media channels to highlight our incredible seniors this semester. We could all use an extra dose of happiness and positivity these days!

Today’s amazing senior is none other than Yan Zhou Chen. With a primary major in Chemical and Biological Engineering and a secondary major in Biotechnology, Yan has demonstrated outstanding academic prowess and work ethic throughout her four years at Tufts. She has also conducted extensive research, both in protein engineering at the Van Deventer Lab, and in computational metabolomics at the Hassoun Lab.

As president of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the vice president of Tau Beta Pi, and the publicity chair for the Engineering Student Council (ESC), Yan has dedicated her time to increasing access to engineering education opportunities outside of the classroom. We are very excited to report that next year, Yan will be starting a PhD program at Tufts in Computer Science. We hope that this next journey will continue to provide opportunities for Yan to advocate for inclusion and equity in STEM fields.

Yan Zhou Chen
Saint Paul, MN
Chemical and Biological Engineering and Biotechnology

Address

20 Professors Row

02155

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00

Website

http://stemdiversity.tufts.edu/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Center for STEM Diversity - Tufts University posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to Center for STEM Diversity - Tufts University:

Shortcuts

Want your university to be the top-listed University?

Country:

City: