Training Program

Announcing 2020-2021 SJTP Fellows

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Started in 2010 with a grant from the National Science Foundation, the Science & Justice Training Program (SJTP) celebrates its 10th anniversary and welcomes a new cohort!

Now more than ever the SJTP provides critical skills for addressing problems of our times, whether ecological destruction, growing inequalities, or a global pandemic. These are problems that span disciplines and areas of practice, and the SJTP provides the space for transdisciplinary thought and collaboration needed to respond to them. It is creating the next generation of path-breaking researchers who have the tools needed to place justice at the heart of our best science and technology. Read about their innovations as reported in the Danish Daily Information and Le Monde.

Offered Winter 2020 as BME/FMST/SOCY 268A and ANTH 267A, the Science & Justice: Experiments in Collaboration, the introductory seminar of the SJTP brought early career science and engineering students together with social science, humanities and arts students to foster experimental collaborative research practices.

We are proud to welcome the newest cohort of graduate students to the SJTP as Fellows this Spring 2020, joining us for our 10th anniversary, are Colette Felton, Jonas Oppenheimer, and Jennifer Pensky! Learn more about them below.

In addition to working with SJRC affiliated faculty, Fellows connect with SJRC’s network of local, regional, and international partners to inform projects that explore how questions of science and knowledge meet questions of ethics and justice. Fellows gain access to funding for projects and events, mentorship and training, and experience designing innovative collaborative transdisciplinary research and public dialogues.

MEET the FELLOWS

Colette Felton is a first-year member of Professor Angela Brooks’ Lab in Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics. Colette is working on analyzing long-read transcriptomics, especially in identifying and visualizing gene fusions. Colette’s SJTP project is focused on improving the accessibility of scientific research to students from marginalized backgrounds.

Jonas Oppenheimer is a second-year member of the paleogenomics lab with Beth Shapiro in Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics. Jonas works to understand the evolutionary dynamics of Beringian megafauna through ancient DNA, investigating the consequences of climate, population history, and hybridization on these species. Jonas is also a Fellow with CITL (Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning) learning pedagogical techniques to make an education in science accessible to all.

Jenny Pensky is a third-year member of Professor Andrew Fisher’s hydrogeology lab in Earth & Planetary Sciences. Jenny focuses on how managed aquifer recharge (MAR) can be used to improve both water supply and quality. For their SJTP project, Jenny and Jonas will explore the relationships between “invasive” plants, botanical gardens, and colonialism.

SJTP Fellows Ian Carbone and Derek Padilla with undergraduate Artist-in-Residence Kiko Kolbi inside greenhouse

[postponed] Giving Day fundraiser for Science & Justice Training Program

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Wednesday, April 22, 2020 [postponed due to COVID-19]

All-Day

Join the Science & Justice Research Center at UC Santa Cruz on Wednesday April 22nd, for Giving Day, a 24-hour online fundraising drive!

Help us celebrate the 10 year anniversary of our Science & Justice Training Program (SJTP) by supporting our graduate student researchers through the Science & Justice campaign. Incentives to give include matching funds: if you are interested in matching funds, please email scijust@ucsc.edu.

ABOUT the SJRC’s SJTP

Started in 2010 with a grant from the National Science Foundation, 2020 marks the ten year anniversary of the internationally-recognized Science & Justice Training Program (SJTP). Now more than ever the training offered by the SJTP is critical to addressing the problems of our times: ecological destruction; data justice; growing inequalities. These are problems that are not the domain of one discipline or area of practice. They require working across fields of knowledge and practice. The SJTP provides the space and transdisciplinary tools and thought needed for social science, humanities, engineering, physical and biological science, and art students to collaborate to respond to core concerns of our times.

Our Science & Justice Training Program trains the next generation of researchers to maximize the public good of science and technology.

Why Support S&J

Central to the success of our students is their ability to work on their Science & Justice projects during the summer. With your help, we can offer summer fellowships that supports this critical dimension of the training of these future leaders of science and justice.

Over the last decade, our students have produced innovative research and projects. An SJTP graduate fellow from Biomolecular Science and Engineering worked with marine biologists and illustrators to self-publish the children’s book Looking For Marla (Buscando a Marla), a tale of diverse expressions of gender and sexual identity among marine creatures. Physics graduate students and artists came together to develop a novel solar greenhouse that highlighted problems of energy use and access to new material sciences in agriculture. They went on to secure tenure-track positions in which they found a route to incorporating justice into both their teaching and research. In these and many other instances, the SJTP is part of the next generation of researchers who seek to place justice at the heart of the best science and technology.

Share our Campaign for Justice!

Post on social media and ask your friends to join us on April 22 by making a gift on Giving Day to support the Science and Justice Training Program!

Thank you for making a more just world possible!

November 06, 2019 | Informational meeting for new cohort of Science & Justice Training Program

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The Science and Justice Research Center will host an Informational Meeting on our internationally recognized interdisciplinary Graduate Training and Certificate Program:

Wednesday, November 06, 2019

12:00-1:30PM

Graduate Student Commons Fireside Lounge

Our Science and Justice Training Program (SJTP) is a globally unique initiative that trains doctoral students to work across the disciplinary boundaries of the natural and social sciences, engineering, humanities and the arts. Through the SJTP we at UC Santa Cruz currently teach new generations of PhD students the skills of interdisciplinary collaboration, ethical deliberation, and public communication. Students in the program design collaborative research projects oriented around questions of science and justice. These research projects not only contribute to positive outcomes in the wider world, they also become the templates for new forms of problem-based and collaborative inquiry within and beyond the university.

As SJTP students graduate they take the skills and experience they gained in the training program into the next stage of their career in universities, industry, non-profits, and government.

Opportunities include graduate Certificate Program, experience organizing and hosting colloquia series about the research projects, mentorship, potential for additional research funding and training in conducting interdisciplinary research at the intersections of science and society.

WINTER 2020 COURSE:

Science & Justice: Experiments in Collaboration (SOCY/BME/FMST 268A and ANTH 267), Prof. Jenny Reardon, scheduled tentatively Wednesdays 9am-12noon (to be confirmed). Enrollment in the course is required for participating in the Training Program. Attending the informational meeting is strongly encouraged, but not required.

Students from all disciplines are encouraged to attend

Prior graduate fellows have come from every campus Division.

20 Represented Departments: Anthropology, Biomolecular Engineering, Digital Arts & New Media, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Education, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Feminist Studies, Film & Digital Media, History of Consciousness, Latin American & Latino Studies, Literature, Math, Philosophy, Physics, Politics, Psychology, Sociology, and Visual Studies.

Past collaborative research projects have included:

  • Physicists working with small scale farmers to develop solar greenhouses scaled to local farming needs.
  • Colloquia about the social and political consequences of scientific uncertainties surrounding topics such as climate change research, food studies, genomics and identity.
  • Examining how art can empower justice movements.
  • Working with local publics to improve African fishery science.

For more information on the Science & Justice Training Program, visit: https://scijust.ucsc.edu/about-sjrc/sjtp/

Join the SJRC at the October 9th Meet & Greet from 4:00-5:30 in the SJRC Common Room, Oakes 231!

Book Release! Looking For Marla (2019)

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Overview

Discover the diversity of sex, gender, and parental care in the underwater world of Looking for Marla. Looking for Marla tells the tale of a curious clownfish in transition as they find their way through fatherhood, and into motherhood! As readers follow along through playful and punny rhymes, they encounter a diverse cast of friendly marine creatures, each with a unique story to tell and a jewel of wisdom. Looking for Marla hopes to inspire readers of all ages on their own journey of gender expression and self-exploration, while they explore the diversity of an underwater world.

This book is for educators, parents, youth, and anyone wanting to learn about sex and gender diversity in nature and gender pronouns in a fun way! A portion of the book’s proceeds will be donated to the Diversity Center of Santa Cruz, to support diverse communities in Santa Cruz & Watsonville counties.

More information can be found at: https://www.jessiekb.com/looking-for-marla.

Find Marla on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/wheresmarla/.

The book is available from the Looking for Marla team and in a few local shops. For your personal, classroom, or shop copy, contact LookingForMarlaBook@gmail.com.

Book cover for Looking For Marla (Spanish edition).

Join the bilingual release celebration:

On November 15, 2019, from 7pm to 9pm at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History Looking for Marla will share the BILINGUAL version of the book, there will be performances, face painting, brainstorming on the meaning of parenthood, and activities for all ages! (Details on the launch)

Endorsements

“Looking for Marla takes you on an undersea discovery journey through the surprisingly diverse expressions of gender and sexual identity among marine creatures. I have taught sexuality education classes for ages ranging from kindergarten to senior high school, and this wonderfully imaginative book will be a precious addition to the curriculum. Little kids will marvel at the beautiful illustrations and older youths will appreciate the whimsical rhyming text. For all, the variety of parenting styles and gender expressions depicted in these pages are sure to expand their understanding of the many ways to be human. May they find their own inner Marla.”  –  François Bar | Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education facilitator

“Looking for Marla beautifully illustrates how art can help to communicate scientific information and break down social stereotypes. We at the Norris Center for Natural History are proud to have supported this creative and outstanding book.”  – Karen Holl | Professor of Environmental Studies, UC Santa Cruz | Faculty Director, Norris Center for Natural History.

“Looking for Marla is joyful, beautiful and informative.  If you are curious about: gender identity, the ocean, its inhabitants or parenting then this is the book for you!  This is revelatory reading at its best.” – Beth Rendeiro, M.Ed | Co-founder, More Than Sex Ed. | Trainer, Our Whole Lives, Lifespan Human Sexuality curricula |  Educator, UCLA Lab School

“Looking for Marla speaks for the often overlooked and misunderstood ocean creatures. With gorgeous illustrations and unforgettable facts, this story will warm the hearts of those willing to undertake a new perspective on our underwater world.” – Roxanne Beltran, Ph.D. |  Postdoctoral Researcher, UC Santa Cruz.

About the Looking for Marla Team

Paloma Medina (Visionary) is a scientist and educator currently in a Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. program at UC Santa Cruz. Paloma is interested in evolutionary genomics, bioinformatics, and creative mediums to explore sex and gender diversity in nature. They are an award recipient of the U.S. Fulbright student research scholarship and the National Institute of Health T32 Training Program. Their creative projects have been supported by the Santa Cruz Arts Council, the UCSC Norris Center for Natural History, and the UCSC Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development. Paloma has fun integrating feminist theory and science to help share queer stories.

Read more about how Paloma contributes to the field of population genetics with a distinctly feminist mindset, in an interview with the SJRC.

Audrey Ford (Writer) is a UC Santa Cruz graduate with a degree in Marine Biology. Her passions surround the combined use of science and art as a vehicle to both explore threats to our environment and animal communities, and to connect the world to these issues through concepts that resonate with each individual personally. She is currently working as a face painter for a local Santa Cruz company, as well as a researcher for a non-profit organization which responds to communities across California being affected by polluted local environments. Audrey is so excited to play a part in creating this beautiful story and she hopes that it’s words will reach everyone in need of reading them!

Jessica Kendall-Bar (Illustrator) is a UC Berkeley graduate in Marine Science. She is a PhD student and NSF Graduate Research Fellow at UC Santa Cruz, where she studies the neurobiology of marine mammals. She has studied a broad range of marine topics, including oceanic geochemistry, cephalopod and arthropod mating behavior, moray eel movement, and marine mammal sleep. Her whimsical illustrations and immersive underwater photography aim to accurately portray science and its invaluable role in preserving the underwater ecosystem. At the interface of science and art, she endeavors not only to make meaningful discoveries, but also to convey those results broadly and creatively to impact diverse populations within and outside academia.

Read more about Jessica’s passion for using art to explain science, in a campus news article.

Karen Ross (Spanish Translator)

Sofia Vermeulen (Designer)

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Science & Justice Fellow Erica Zurawski interview with the Association for the Study of Food and Society

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Science & Justice Fellow Erica Zurawski (sociology) was interviewed by the Association for the Study of Food and Society.

Zurawski discusses her work in food justice and colonization, how her Juris Doctorate and yoga teaching informs her work and teaching, social media for academics, and the transdisciplinary programming at the UC Santa Cruz Science & Justice Research Center!

CITRIS logo

SJTP receives funding for comparative cross-campus review of graduate curriculum that make questions of gender and social justice fundamental to STEM training

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With colleagues at UC Davis, Sociology@UCSantaCruz Professor and SJRC Director Jenny Reardon with Feminist Studies Professor and SJRC Director of Teaching Karen Barad received a CITRIS grant to collect data on two graduate curriculums at UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis.

The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) aims to leverage the interdisciplinary research strengths of multiple UC campuses to advance the University of California’s mission and the innovative spirit of California. The institute was created to shorten the pipeline between world-class laboratory research and the development of cutting-edge applications, platforms, companies, and even new industries.

More at:

UC Santa Cruz researchers win four CITRIS seed funding awards

This research is supported by a 2019 Seed Fund Award from CITRIS and the Banatao Institute at the University of California under “2019-0112: Comparative Analysis of Interdisciplinary Training for STEM Scholars”.

Just Science | SJRC interviewed in Inquiry Research Magazine

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The Science & Justice Research Center and it’s Training Program Fellows were interviewed by UC Inquiry@ a research magazine published by the UC Santa Cruz Office of Research for its inaugural 2015-2016 issue.

Read the 2015-16 Inquiry Research Magazine to find out more about Fellow Gene Felice’s Ocean Scales exhibit on page 8; Affiliate Beth Shapiro’s work on ancient DNA on page 10; the SJRC and its Training Program on pages 19-21.