Diversity & Outreach

Mission Statement

Our department is committed to excellence in research, education, and service. As part of that mission, we value and promote equity, fairness, and inclusion of diverse members. We expect all members of our department--whether faculty, staff, or student - to uphold these priorities.

Diversity & Outreach Initiatives

We welcome opportunities to engage a broader audience in the excitement of discovery, and to connect more members of our campus and local communities with the chemistry of everyday experiences. Please join us – as a participant or a volunteer – in these ventures! General inquiries may be directed to: chem-diversity@ucsd.edu.

UNDERGRADUATE

BioChemCoRe

This summer program allows significant opportunities to explore a variety of interests through work on projects ranging from the use of computational biophysics to explore dynamic molecular recognition events, to applying multi-scale modeling to fully elucidate a protein from the molecular to the subcellular level. It is a dynamic summer internship program dedicated to nurturing the vast potential each student possesses, and challenging him or her to always consider science in the context of societal needs.

ACSSA: American Chemical Society Student Affiliates

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Student Affiliates is an undergraduate student club that is also affiliated with the national ACS, the world’s largest scientific organization. The club provides an academic, social, and professional development network for our undergraduate majors in the chemical sciences. Department Contact: Drs. Stacey Brydges and Haim Weizman (Faculty)

NSF-Funded Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) Program (4Cs@UCSD)

Our NSF-funded REU program - Chemistry Connections for Community College Students at UC San Diego - offers 10 first year (or the equivalent) students attending the extensive network of two-year colleges within commuting distance of UC San Diego an intensive and integrated early undergraduate research experience in the chemical sciences, at the frontiers of materials synthesis, human health and disease, energy and environmental science. Prior research experience is neither required nor expected. Program participants benefit from a year-long apprenticeship that includes two quarters of research (summer and fall) and various enrichment activities (spring through spring).Department Contact: Drs. Stacey Brydges and Haim Weizman (Faculty)

Emeriti Mentoring Program

The Emeriti Mentor Program's is a partnership between Chancellor’s Scholars and accomplished retired UCSD faculty and staff, and is intended to provide the intellectual, social and cultural preparation necessary for a successful college experience. Department Contact:  Dr. John Wheeler (Faculty)

SDCSB USRF

The San Diego Center for Systems Biology (SDCSB) Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship is designed to introduce motivated undergraduate students planning to major in math, physics, bioengineering, or computer science to cutting-edge biological research (upon their transfer to UCSD or SDSU from a junior/community college).

GRADUATE

UCSD Chemistry & Biochemistry Society for Women in Graduate Studies (SWIGS)

The primary goals of our group are to generate constructive discussion on various issues that affect women in the field, positively impact graduate student well-being by creating a supportive network, and build upon skills necessary for our professional development. We hold informal monthly meetings as well as larger networking and outreach events. Visit our website at swigs.ucsd.edu, and contact Alissa Sasayama (asasayam@ucsd.edu) to get on our mailing list. Click here to view our newsletter!

SIMPA at UCSD

SIMPA supports chemistry graduate students seeking industry careers by providing a consistent avenue for exposure to the private sector. We are the first UC San Diego graduate student association solely devoted to connecting students with industry professionals in their field.  SIMPA hosts speakers from industrial settings, plans trips to local companies, and allows for networking between students and professionals. For more information, visit our website (simpa.ucsd.edu) or contact us at simpaucsd@gmail.com.

K-12 OUTREACH AND STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Center for Aerosol Impacts on Climate and the Environment (CAICE)

A specific mission of this National Science Foundation-funded research center is to support and reinvigorate K-12 science education through direct interaction of CAICE scientists with young students.  The outreach program unites educational organizations and local school districts, and provides for young students exciting environmental science learning opportunities in their own classrooms. Department Contact: Dr. Kimberly Prather (Faculty)

Expanding Your Horizons

Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) San Diego is an annual bilingual conference (held each March) that is intended to interest young girls, ages 11 to 16, in STEM studies and careers.  Undergraduate and graduate female mentors accompany participants as they engage in hands-on workshops directed by San Diego’s top biologists, chemists, computer scientists, doctors, engineers, forensic scientists, geologists, physicists, and veterinarians.  Department Contact:  Dr. Stacey Brydges (Faculty)  

Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology

The invite-only summer school is an intensive, 6-week introduction to electrochemically nanostructured silicon.Department Contact:  Dr. Mike Sailor (Faculty)