CCD STEMinar series
The Caltech Center for Diversity is excited to invite STEM faculty, scholars, and experts to explore the intersections of their various identities with their science. We hope that with each monthly lecture in this series, you will be able to explore your own path through the world of STEM and reflect on how your science interacts with who you are as a broader person.
Wednesday, October 19th 2016
4:00-5:00PM
Appetizers will be served!
Maria Elena Zavala, PhD
Dr. Zavala is a graduate of Pomona College and University of California, Berkeley. She has worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Yale University, and Michigan State University. Currently, Dr. Zavala is a professor of Biology at California State University, Northridge. She has spent most of her career studying plant development, particularly the distribution of cytokinin (a plant hormone) in roots. Her research has been funded by the Ford Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Institute of Health. In addition to her scientific research, Dr. Zavala is interested in educational equity issues, and has worked to develop science curricula for K-12 teachers, and has established and directed programs that seek to increase the number of minorities in the sciences. She has also worked with numerous organizations such as American Women in Science, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and Women in Cell Biology on projects that seek to increase the participation of women in science. Dr. Zavala was the first Chicana president of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science and has been recognized by the California State University System for her success in mentoring students. Finally, she is a recipient of the Presidential Award of Excellence for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring, an honor awarded to her by President William Jefferson Clinton.