The Population Biology Graduate Group strongly values diversity in all forms, and aims to train students from diverse viewpoints, backgrounds, and experiences. Our students demonstrate leadership in promoting the university's mission for diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Population Biology Student Diversity Committee (PopBio SDC) exists to increase and support student diversity in the Population Biology Graduate Group. As graduate students, we formed this committee in 2016 to facilitate the recruitment and participation of students from diverse backgrounds. We also seek to raise awareness about barriers to the participation of underrepresented groups in science and how our community can create positive change. Specifically, we aim to identify and implement methods of increasing student diversity in the program and to create a positive culture within the program that highlights and supports multiple axes of diversity.
Current chairs: Tracie Hayes (thayes@ucdavis.edu) and Jeffrey Groh (jgroh@ucdavis.edu).
If you are interested in applying to ecology/evolution graduate school programs, please visit the page for Ecology and Evolution Preview Program, an informational program created by Population Biology graduate students and led by current UC Davis graduate students in related fields. This program provides students with critical information, advice, and mentorship with the aim of increasing the accessibility of ecology and evolution graduate programs for students of all backgrounds.
If you have any questions about life as a Population Biology graduate student at UC Davis, we put together a list of current students willing to discuss particular topics. We invite you to reach out to any of the listed students with questions on these topics prior, during, or after recruitment.
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Danielle De La Pascua |
LGBTQIA topics, moving to California, mental health resources, union membership & organization |
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Alexus Roberts Hugghis |
Underrepresented students, Women in science; Students of faith, Quantitative background concerns, Moving to California, Long distance relationships, Equity + Inclusion work at UC Davis |
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Hannah Nelson |
Mental health resources, teaching concerns, women in science, LGBTQIA topics |
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Collin Gross |
LGBTQIA topics, moving to California, mental health resources |
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Elena Suglia |
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, mental health resources, science communication, #MetooSTEM, stereotype threat, imposter syndrome, quantitative background concerns |
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Elise Elwood |
Adjusting to Davis/CA, Mental health, Imposter syndrome |
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Jon Aguiñaga |
First year experience during zoom university, POC perspective, quantitative background concerns, imposter syndrome |
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Karolina Zabinski |
First gen, Starting grad school remotely, women in STEM, mental health, imposter syndrome, figuring out what you want to research for your PhD after starting |
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Oshiomah Oyageshio |
International student, POC perspective,transitioning to ecoevo from a different field, quantitative background concerns |
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Claire Murphy |
Starting grad school remotely, moving to CA, quantitative background concerns, mental health, women in STEM |
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Darien Satterfield |
Women in STEM, Parenting in STEM, Body Diversity, mental health resources, imposter syndrome, #MetooSTEM |
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Jeff Groh |
deferring admission, long distance relationships, mental health |
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Khalil Russell |
Moving to California, long distance relationships, underrepresented students in STEM/grad school |
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Regina Fairbanks |
Moving to California from the east coast, LGBTQIA+ topics, interdisciplinary work, long-distance caregiving of family members |
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Brooke Benson |
Quantitative course concerns, (chronic) mental health conditions/disability, ADHD |
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Maddie Armstrong |
mental health, imposter syndrome, moving to California, Women in STEM, science communication and outreach |
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Tracie Hayes |
Women in STEM, mental health and imposter syndrome, unconventional science communication, field work |
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Marissa Sandoval |
Underrepresented students in STEM/first gen concerns, women in STEM, science communication, quantitative course concerns, long distance relationships, field work |
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Shreya Banerjee |
Women in STEM, AAPI in STEM, long gap between schooling, family issues while in grad school |
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Joe Brennan |
LGBTQIA+ in STEM, first generation college student, long distance relationships, managing anxiety in graduate school, moving far distance for graduate school, going into graduate school straight out of undergrad, mathematical and theoretical ecology |
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Katie Erickson |
Women in STEM, LGBTQIA+ in STEM, science education and outreach |
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Laurie Balstad |
Moving to CA, non-academic jobs, women in STEM (theoretical ecology) |
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Denise Yamhure Ramirez |
International experience (e.g., funding, writing), Latina women in STEM, pets in graduate school, mental health resources and support |
