#PARTICIPATION
Many of our lab members are involved in outreach to engage our local community. Here we feature Julianne, fourth-year PhD Candidate who is actively involved with Expanding Your Horizons:
Julianne Pelaez remembers her first time as a freshman in high school learning the names of common plants in her neighborhood – jewelweed, nightshade, thistle, pokeweed, wood sorrel – how there was vegetation and wildlife bustling under foot even in her low-income, urban hometown in New Jersey. Thanks to local outreach programs, these experiences at an early age played a pivotal role in her progression towards a career in scientific research, and it is these experiences that drive her to give back to outreach programs now as a fifth year PhD candidate studying genetics and evolutionary biology.
Alongside other members of the Whiteman Lab -- PhD candidates Jessica Aguilar and Kirsten Verster -- Julianne shares her enthusiasm for science with middle school girls through Expanding Your Horizon (EYH), an annual conference held at UC Berkeley that aims to inspire these young students to pursue careers in STEM. On the day of the conference in early spring, 300-400 middle school girls flock to our campus to enjoy a day full of hands-on workshops led by grad students, postdocs, and industry professionals. In these workshops, they learn about fields, such as electrical engineering by learning how berry juice can be used to generate electrical energy, and about environmental science by playing with fire and learning how and why wildfires happen. For example, Kirsten led a workshop showing young girls how to identify different bugs under a microscope, and went outside with them to explore the local bug life around campus. The girls are able to meet female role models across a diverse array of fields to also learn about their experiences pursuing their careers, and about how exciting and rewarding a career in STEM can be. Parents are also encouraged to attend where they are able to learn about how they can be involved and support their child's career aspirations.
Julianne has volunteered with EYH for the past three years, serving as chair of the Facilities committee for the past two years, alongside Jessica who also served as co-chair this past year. Working behind the scenes all year long leading up to the conference, reserving spaces and equipment for all aspects of the conference, Julianne and Jessica are able to spend some time on the day of the conference dropping in on some of the workshops, listening to the enthusiastic chatter of students making discoveries of their own.
Julianne Pelaez remembers her first time as a freshman in high school learning the names of common plants in her neighborhood – jewelweed, nightshade, thistle, pokeweed, wood sorrel – how there was vegetation and wildlife bustling under foot even in her low-income, urban hometown in New Jersey. Thanks to local outreach programs, these experiences at an early age played a pivotal role in her progression towards a career in scientific research, and it is these experiences that drive her to give back to outreach programs now as a fifth year PhD candidate studying genetics and evolutionary biology.
Alongside other members of the Whiteman Lab -- PhD candidates Jessica Aguilar and Kirsten Verster -- Julianne shares her enthusiasm for science with middle school girls through Expanding Your Horizon (EYH), an annual conference held at UC Berkeley that aims to inspire these young students to pursue careers in STEM. On the day of the conference in early spring, 300-400 middle school girls flock to our campus to enjoy a day full of hands-on workshops led by grad students, postdocs, and industry professionals. In these workshops, they learn about fields, such as electrical engineering by learning how berry juice can be used to generate electrical energy, and about environmental science by playing with fire and learning how and why wildfires happen. For example, Kirsten led a workshop showing young girls how to identify different bugs under a microscope, and went outside with them to explore the local bug life around campus. The girls are able to meet female role models across a diverse array of fields to also learn about their experiences pursuing their careers, and about how exciting and rewarding a career in STEM can be. Parents are also encouraged to attend where they are able to learn about how they can be involved and support their child's career aspirations.
Julianne has volunteered with EYH for the past three years, serving as chair of the Facilities committee for the past two years, alongside Jessica who also served as co-chair this past year. Working behind the scenes all year long leading up to the conference, reserving spaces and equipment for all aspects of the conference, Julianne and Jessica are able to spend some time on the day of the conference dropping in on some of the workshops, listening to the enthusiastic chatter of students making discoveries of their own.
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