Diversity

UC Davis Principles of Community

Promotion of mutual respect, dignity, and compassion at UC Davis is fostered through the Principles of Community. In practice, these principles are expressed in the culture of service to society through research, teaching, and outreach that provides a common bond among faculty, staff, students, and the public at large who we engage with. This service is the hallmark of our community.

Diversity in Atmospheric Science Mentoring and Education

According to an August 2011 report by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration, UC Davis is ranked #1 in the United States in women’s representation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). In 2016 a Forbes article "The 13 Most Important STEM Colleges For Women" also identified UC Davis as #1 for "best value colleges for women in STEM".

The UC Davis Atmospheric Science Program targets key challenges affecting inequality and underrepresented communities on both the national and international stage. Recognizing that the atmosphere and broader environmental system connect populations across social status, race and nationality, the work of the UCD Atmospheric Science program transcends these boundaries by tackling problems in air quality, climate change, human health and water resources. Our commitment to diversity is exhibited by our faculty and our recruitment activities, as well as broad efforts to mentor all admitted and enrolled students to ensure their long term career success. In particular, women and underrepresented minorities are strongly represented throughout the student population of the Atmospheric Science program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Although we do not track the numbers of LGBTQ students or students with disabilities, we welcome applications from members of these groups. The Atmospheric Science program also receives a large number of international applicants, espcially for graduate students, and we actively pursue funding sources to reduce the financial burden of higher education on these students.

Diversity in Atmospheric Science Mentoring and Education

Current and past faculty activities associated with diversity have included, but are not limited to:

Mentoring in the Women In Science and Engineering (WISE) program run by the Women’s Research and Resources Center (WRRC) with support from the National Science Foundation ADVANCE program (Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers) at UCD.

Membership on the Campus Initiative Committee for CAMPOS (Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives On Science) at UCD as part of the National Science Foundation ADVANCE program (Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers); one of CAMPOS’s goals is to support Latinas in science.

Co-Principal Investigator in a grant from the Institute for Women’s Leadership (Rutgers University) funded by the Ford Foundation to study inequities in hiring of women and minorities at the University of California.

Membership and Chairing the UC Davis Academic Senate and the University of California systemwide Academic Senate Committee on Affirmative Action and Diversity.

Membership on the University of California President’s Taskforce on Faculty Diversity.

Board Membership on the Asian-Pacific American Systemwide Alliance (APASA).

Membership on the Council for Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA).

Programs Concerning Underrepresented Minorities

The UC Davis McNair Scholars Program is a two-year program funded by TRIO and the U.S. Department of Education. It is designed to encourage students from groups often underrepresented in graduate programs to pursue doctoral degrees.

The AWG Minority Scholarship encourages young minority women to pursue an education and later a career in the geosciences.

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) Program, funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was established in 1999 to provide outstanding African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline area of interest. Continuing Gates Millennium Scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following discipline areas: computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science.

Other scholarship opportunities for underrepresented minorities are available from Affordable Colleges Online.