Doctoral candidates are hooded at the UC Santa Barbara Graduate Division's 2014 Commencement ceremony. Credits: Mike Eliason, Patricia Marroquin

Of the 423 students participating in this Sunday’s Graduate Division Commencement ceremony, nearly half (210, to be exact) will have the privilege of wearing the “odd garment” known as the doctoral hood.

To avoid a hooding horror story, the UC Santa Barbara Graduate Division has produced a how-to video narrated by Dean Carol Genetti. In the video below, you’ll learn such things as how to hold the hood, how to avoid having your cap fly off your head, the importance of the button and loop, and the proper way to adjust and wear the hood.

The demonstration also includes new procedures this year for entering and exiting the stage.

Full step-by-step details on doctoral hooding may be found on the Graduate Division’s Commencement Information for Students page under “Doctoral Hooding.”

Congratulations to all of our master’s, doctoral, and certificate graduates!

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The Graduate Division’s June 14 Commencement ceremony begins at 4 p.m. on the Faculty Club Green. For those unable to attend, the ceremony will be live-streamed at the UCSB Commencement Live Webcast 2015 page. More information about Commencement may be found on the Graduate Division’s Commencement page. Also, you may read the Office of Public Affairs and Communications’ article “Here Comes Commencement” for a roundup of all the Commencement ceremonies. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #UCSB2015 on your social media photos and other posts to be featured on the Webcast page.

Credit: Patricia MarroquinIn a landmark 5-4 decision on Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in all 50 states. Reactions ranged from anger and disappointment to pride and jubilation. Gay rights supporters including President Obama took to social media, using the hashtag #LoveWins.

The GradPost interviewed a few graduate students to get their reactions to this historic civil rights ruling. They told us that while they were pleased with the decision, they realized that it is but one step in an ongoing process for equality.

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Timothy Irvine, MA candidate, Global Studies; UCSB GSA Vice President, Committees and Planning, 2015-2016

“As a human being, a queer individual, and an activist, my first reaction to the SCOTUS decision is a blend of happiness, anger, and relief. I am happy for all of the individuals who have waited so long for this moment, and for the joy of love to be out in the light of day with full legal protections. I am also angry at the fact that this process has taken so long, cost so many lives, and must still survive a conservative backlash that continues to dehumanize and threaten violence against our communities. 

"The most fitting feeling I would say is relief," said Timothy Irvine.The most fitting feeling, however, I would say is relief. I am relieved that this landmark, high-level decision has finally been made. Every individual has the fundamental right to have their consensual, adult, loving relationship recognized by society's institutions. It is a huge relief for this to finally be recognized by the highest body of the judiciary in the USA, and it will set an example for other states and bodies to follow around the globe. The legal foundation for future civil rights victories is now clearly, finally laid.

However, as a person of relative privilege, and as someone active in local UCSB and statewide UC politics, I have a responsibility to point out that the legal right to marry is only one narrow victory that will benefit the LGBTQ community in disproportionate ways. Despite achieving a symbolically, politically, and actually important victory, this legal change alone will not shift the cultural and social practices of homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, and/or racism that perpetuates violence, regardless of what the law says. In my opinion, ending persistent extra-legal violence must be prioritized as we move forward and capitalize on this political win. 

Despite shifting legal structures that previously supported oppression and violence, we must continue to organize to change the hearts and minds of those who would actively inflict pain on our community members, or those who would passively allow it to happen without protest.

Mario Galicia Jr.In short, the LGBTQ community and its allies must not be satisfied with just achieving the legal right to marry, even if we deserve to be proud of all of the very hard work that went into this important victory. Marriage is just the beginning. There is so much left to do.”

Mario Galicia Jr., Doctoral candidate, Education

“I'm ecstatic that the SCOTUS has ruled in favor of marriage equality. I believe it is the right choice for our country moving forward. As we work on all of our civil rights struggles, the legal rights to all must be ensured. This is a step in the right direction.”

Melissa Barthelemy, History Ph.D. student

Melissa Barthelemy, left, and Julia Diane Larson"My wife Julia Diane Larson (UCSB Library staff member) and I have been married for over six years because we were able to rush to the altar a week before Proposition 8 passed in California. Being married has personally (and economically) meant so much to us, that I am thrilled this right is being extended throughout the nation. Everyone deserves to live a life filled with dignity and love. As we celebrate this crucial milestone let us not forget how much other work is still left to be done to ensure the basic human rights of others. Solidarity and compassion build community."

Alex Kulick, Sociology MA/Ph.D. student; graduate assistant, Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity

Alex Kulick“Living in California and being 23 and not in a committed relationship, it’s not a huge moment for me on a personal level. But I think definitely being able to recognize the impact it has on the larger community is really important to me, especially those folks who live in states where, without this type of federal ruling, it would have taken much longer or maybe never have happened. ...

The LGBT community has been talking a lot recently about what are the next steps after marriage, what are the issues that we want to focus on. There’s still a lot to do in terms of health care, employment, housing. And so I think it’s really exciting to have this step in the process of continuing to work toward equality. I think it’s definitely a big step, especially with the amount of media coverage around this and the amount of conversation that’s happening is helpful to get the energy, to continue the energy going toward some of those other issues as well.” 

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For more information, read the UCSB Office of Public Affairs and Communications' article, "A Historic Moment."

 Do you have suggestions for future professional development programming or resources you'd like the Graduate Division to offer? Email your ideas to Robert Hamm!

Danny Hieber at the Grad Slam semifinal. Credit: Patricia MarroquinOnly in his second year of UCSB's Linguistics doctoral program, Daniel Hieber already has a Grad Slam win under his belt. His smooth and well-prepared presentation made him an instant standout, and he took first place at UCSB's 2015 competition. Danny then went on to the inaugural UC-wide Grad Slam and scored another win, an impressive second place!

Before coming to UCSB, Danny graduated with a double major in linguistics and philosophy from the College of William & Mary in Virginia. He then spent several years working before returning to pursue a doctoral degree. He is currently working on his master's project, titled "The Interaction of Tone and Prosody in Ekegusii Folktales." In this Spotlight interview, Danny shares some valuable advice for succeeding in graduate school, as well as how he earned a third degree black belt in karate!

Where did you grow up? Tell us a little about your childhood.

I grew up in a small town in the Shenandoah Valley (where the Appalachians cut through Virginia), a beautiful area with lots of hiking and small family-owned farms. Much of the area was settled by Old-Order Mennonites, so I learned to drive with lots of horse-and-buggies on the road! I have one younger sister, and both of us are first-generation college students.

Are there any particular experiences that had a big influence on you and helped shape who you are today?

My travel experiences have been some of the most formative events in my life, and have a lot to do with me becoming a linguist and an anthropologist. I didn't really travel before college, but in college I spent a month hiking the Camino de Santiago, a medieval pilgrimage across northern Spain. I also spent a year living in Kenya. Traveling gave me an interest in the huge variety of cultures and languages around the world. 

Danny enjoying a sunny drive with his friend's dog Charlie, who he often takes care of. Photo courtesy of Daniel HieberTell us a little about your research and how you came to choose the topic.

I look at the patterns and grammatical structures across languages, and try to explain why we see these same patterns in language after language – or, more interestingly, how there can be such amazingly diverse ways for languages to accomplish similar tasks.

This area of linguistics is called language typology. But in order to do language typology, you need to know what language patterns are out there in the world. Since most of the world's languages are under-documented, I also do fieldwork in East Africa, documenting a language called Ekegusii (or Kisii).

I first started working with endangered languages at Rosetta Stone, a company that makes language-learning software. We worked with a variety of Native American groups to create language-learning software in their languages, and I've been working with some of those groups ever since.

Danny with his sister, visiting Chaucer's Books on her first visit here. Photo courtesy of Daniel Hieber

What has graduate student life been like for you?

I was out of school for five years while working at Rosetta Stone, so it's been an absolute thrill to be back in academia and to get to do linguistics all day, every day. (And night. And weekends. And holidays!) You have to love your field of study to do a Ph.D., but thankfully grad school has only made me more passionate about linguistics.

What do you wish you had known before you started grad school?

I wish I had realized how little time there would be for my own research agenda during the coursework phase of my Ph.D., especially on the fast-paced quarter system. I would have taken on fewer projects and submitted to fewer conferences when I was starting my degree.

What do you like most about grad school and what do you like least?

My least favorite part of grad school is when I'm unable to make my class assignments and term papers relevant to my own research. Or worse, when it is relevant and even really exciting, but I don't have the time to pursue it! I've got a lot of half-finished projects floating around because of that.

My favorite part is getting to learn from not just the incredible faculty in the department, but also from our awesome cohort of grad students. I walk out of my meetings feeling excited and brimming with ideas, and I never fail to be amazed when I attend one of our students' talks. Living in Santa Barbara isn't so bad either!

Danny holds a third degree black belt in karate. Photo courtesy of Daniel HieberWhat has been a source of motivation for you in your graduate studies?

I'm privileged to work with some amazing communities who are passionate about revitalizing their languages. I help them make dictionaries, classroom materials, and grammar guides, which they then use in their language revitalization efforts. Seeing the direct and very meaningful impact of my research for these communities is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.

Who are your heroes or mentors and why?

Two of my heroes are Benjamin Paul and Delphine Ducloux, the last two fluent speakers of Chitimacha, one of the languages I work with. They were so dedicated to preserving their language that they worked with two different linguists 20 years apart to record hundreds of pages of stories in the language. If not for their efforts on the Chitimacha Tribe's language revitalization, my work would not be possible today.

I also have an incredible amount of admiration and respect for the members of the language teams I've worked with – Kim Walden, Rachel Vilcan, Sam Boutte, Lorene Legah, Lorraine Manavi, and Edna MacLean – who all worked tirelessly for years on end to give new life to their languages. They inspire me in my work every day.

Danny enjoys rock climbing at the Santa Barbara Rock Gym a few times a week. Photo courtesy of Daniel Hieber

Name an accomplishment you are most proud of and why.

I think I'm most proud of my third degree black belt in karate, just because I started doing karate when I was 13, so it's the longest thing I've consistently devoted time to learning and perfecting – 15 years now!

What do you do to relax?

I love martial arts and practice every day, but I enjoy mixing it up with any sort of exercise as cross-training: running, strength training, rock climbing, yoga, you name it. It's the first thing I do after classes each day, and the perfect way to relax before settling in to work for the evening. I'm a huge wine and cheese fan, so I spend a lot of time at C'est Cheese in Santa Barbara. I also play piano, and my favorite composer is Chopin, though I'll also play anything Disney.

What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

I'm a closet Classicist. I read Latin and did a philosophy major in undergrad specializing in Greek philosophy.

Do you have any advice for current grad students?

Don't wait for someone to give you permission to start doing your own research, but do get as much feedback on that research from your peers and your faculty as you can. Establish your research agenda early, and make sure you pick something you love, because you'll be spending a lot of time on it.

What was it like coming in first place in the 2015 UCSB Grad Slam?

Danny says he often pairs wine with audio transcription of endangered languages. Syrahs pair well with the Ekegusii language, he finds. Photo courtesy of Daniel HieberIt was both exhilarating and incredibly humbling at the same time. Exhilarating because the crowd completely erupted when my name was called. There was so much energy in the room. And humbling because every single one of the other talks was so fantastic, and the students so brilliant, that it was an absolute honor to present alongside them.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Just to say thanks to the entire Graduate Division for putting together such an awesome event! Not to mention Yardi, QAD, and Sonos for their sponsorships. I think the Grad Slam more than accomplished its goal of highlighting the incredible work that our grad students are doing at UCSB. As a grad student, you tend to have more loyalty to your department than to your university, but seeing the caliber of students competing in Grad Slam really made me proud to be a Gaucho as well.

How does my experience and training as a graduate student matter?

This was the fundamental question addressed at the Humanists@Work conference in San Diego, a one-day event sponsored by the UC Humanities Research Institute (UCHRI). Geared towards UC Humanities and humanistic Social Science graduate students, the event provided guidance for those considering careers beyond academia. Through interactive workshops, panels, and collaborative activities, attendees sought to weld together the necessary skills of career preparation with their work as young scholars. Over 75 graduate students from all of the UC campuses – including 31 students sponsored by UCHRI – attended the event, which sought to foster frank conversations about the experiences of current graduate students.

Below you will find recaps of each part of the conference – Stories from the Field, Exploring Options for Humanities Ph.D.s, The Art of the Informational Interview, and Don't Call It a Template: Unraveling Your Resume's Purpose, Content, and Design – as well as links to related resources and videos.

STORIES FROM THE FIELD

This panel of recent UC Humanities Ph.D.s shared their stories as humanists at work in the world – in government, educational consulting, public humanities program management, and university administration. Panelists discussed their transition from the academy to other sites of work, reflecting upon the ways they integrated their doctoral training with their career interests. Here is a list of the panelists and some of the questions they fielded:

Adam Lowenstein received his Ph.D. in English from UCLA in 2011 and spent a year lecturing full time in the English Department before joining an education startup in San Diego called Summa Education. Adam is now the Vice President of Counseling and Enrollment at Summa, a position which allows him to work closely with middle and high school students as they navigate their idiosyncratic paths to college and career.

Sarah Rebolloso McCullough is the Associate Director of the Center for the Humanities at UC San Diego. Prior to this position, she received her Ph.D. in Cultural Studies from UC Davis and wrote about what the bike boom of the 1970s can teach us about the relationship between nature, technology, counterculture, and innovation.

Natalie Purcell earned her Ph.D. from UC Santa Cruz’s Department of Sociology in June 2011, and she is currently the Patient Centered Care Program Director at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center – a full-service health care system serving over 40,000 patients in seven Northern California counties. Natalie is also a faculty member in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at UC San Francisco.

Q: What conversations were you having in grad school that set you up for these post-Ph.D. opportunities?

Natalie: At UC Santa Cruz, there was a lot of openness and support. Grad students were not being channeled exclusively into a tenure-track position. I found many people who were willing to support me on my journey. However, opportunities like this [Humanists@Work] workshop weren’t available, and my committee members didn’t necessarily have the resources to support me to take a non-academic path. A lot of time you have to seek out where the expertise for non-traditional positions is located in the university. Adjunct faculty and lecturers can be a good resource.

Adam: As a grad student, I felt constrained by the lack of conversation about the state of the profession. The bottom line is, it’s about how you can translate what you do into a job. You’re not going to vocational school, so you have to evaluate your skills and your training yourself. We need to find other narratives to talk about humanities education and career paths, because the reality is that many of us do have educational debt and it does matter to have a paycheck. I wish professors would openly discuss alternatives. There needs to be more engagement with the ironies and realities of being in a graduate program.

Q: How do you develop your professional network since grad school can be so isolating?

Adam: Get everyone’s contact information here!

Sarah: Doors open when you remain curious. When you’re trying to curate the small amounts of time you do have, do it in the direction of things that drive you.

Natalie: You don’t always know what a job will be in advance, but you have to figure out ways to bring your training and experience to the job to make it more meaningful to you and those you work with. Make your own workplace as livable as possible and add value to your employer. Open up the space for conversations that didn’t exist in that environment before.

Q: How do you deal with an academic culture that looks down on Alternative-Academic (Alt-Act) or non-professorial careers?

Adam: It’s not like my committee wasn’t supportive, but they almost went mute on the issue. They may have no idea how to help grad students how to navigate this reality, so universities need to have more training for faculty mentors and advisors.

Sarah: By maintaining relationships with your colleagues, particularly those that go on to do work outside the university, you can help validate intellectual work that is more applied.

Q: How do you deal with bias outside of academia against those with Ph.D.s?

Natalie: I don’t think that having a Ph.D. is ever a bad thing in the job market. It’s all in how you’re describing what you’re capable of and what your skill set is. You bring this set of skills that’s really desirable because you’ve done research, teaching, analysis, and public speaking. These skills are widely marketable.

Q: Did any of you mourn your academic career?

Adam: I didn’t feel much grief about not landing an academic job. But there were lots of peaks and valleys and uncertainty along the way. It was helpful to have a supportive network. There is an element of luck to it, but you have to be open to and actively looking for opportunities. Persistence is key. Maybe also shredding your dissertation in some ritual of extradition.

Natalie: My mourning happened later because I was initially excited about going into the public sector. Once I realized that I didn’t get to set my own research agenda and ask my own research questions, I wanted to find a way to re-engage with that, and I am still searching. I negotiated with the VA to drop down to part time and got a research position at another university. Maybe this bridge didn’t exist before but I’m going to try to build it.

Sarah: You will always be an intellectual. Keep coming back to that, and you’ll find that even the most mundane tasks can be reframed in research-centered ways.

Related Resources:

Presidential Management Fellowship Program

National Association of Independent Schools

EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR HUMANITIES PH.D.S

Workshop with Dr. Debra Behrens

Workshop PowerPoint Slides

Work Values Inventory (PDF) – Values are an important part in the career decision-making process. It is important to select career options that best fit your values. Use this worksheet to discover your core values as well as your ideal types of work environments, interactions, and activities.

Related Resources:

Pathways Program – Program for recruiting students and recent graduates into federal service

Idealist – Job listings for non-profit organizations

The Ladders – Career match service

THE ART OF THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW

Workshop with Dr. Debra Behrens

Workshop PowerPoint Slides

DON'T CALL IT A TEMPLATE: UNRAVELING YOUR RESUME’S PURPOSE, CONTENT, AND DESIGN

Workshop with Jared Redick

(Video from 2014 workshop in Berkeley)

Some takeaway points from the workshop:

• The first step in the job search process is to do career research without preconceived notions. This is where informational interviews can come in particularly handy, but most of this research will be done online through websites such as Google, Indeed, LinkedIn, and GlassDoor.
• Be your own advocate and stay open to diverse possibilities. Some people take degrees off their resume and that really goes against the grain of what Jared was trying to do because you’re trying to build and display your body of work through your resume. You have a story to tell; it’s just a little bit harder to tell it and you need to find the people that will value it.
• Organize your resume into core themes that connect with the job ad. Draw these categories from your job description analysis (link to materials below) and put them into “buckets” that organize your experience and skills.
• Get specific when describing the core skills you have demonstrated in your prior experience. Instead of saying “I am a great communicator,” say “I have presented X number of times” or “I have taught X number of classes/workshops/etc.”
• Quantify when possible. How many years? How many people? How many languages? How much revenue?
• Pro-tip from converting CV to resume: Put all the important/relevant things that won’t fit on a resume on a resume addendum and/or on your LinkedIn profile.
• How can we make visible (and valuable) the often-invisible work of being a grad student? Some ways to account on a resume for the hard work of dissertating:
  • Source compilation, integration, and synthesis
  • Grant writing
  • Committee coordination/team management
  • Data collection, annotation, and analysis
  • Field research
  • Travel to different communities/countries
  • Clearance and compliance management
  • Conduct interviews
  • Applied quantitative and/or qualitative methods

Job Description Analysis Materials - As a career planner/changer, you’re looking for the intersection between your experience and what the market wants. You’re looking for unifying ideas or common themes that appear in the various descriptions. An analysis of job descriptions you’re interested in will give clues about what to address in your job application documents (i.e., your resume and cover letter), and how to focus your talking points during your job search. You will eventually build your story around these keywords and phrases.

Workshop Resume Example

Author’s Note: I would like to thank UCHRI and UCSB’s Graduate Division for their support of my trip to Humanists@Work. I would also like to thank Kelly Anne Brown for her insight and collaboration.

The Graduate Division's Peer Advisors are here to help you. Each peer keeps office hours in the Graduate Student Resource Center, which is located in the Student Resource Building, Room 1215.

Credit: Neal SancheAre you in the midst of your dissertation and in need of more structure and inspiration? Would you like to make some serious progress on your dissertation this summer? Then you should consider applying to the 2015 Intensive Dissertation Writing Retreat, co-sponsored by the Graduate Division and Summer Sessions.

Many writers lose steam after completing the first chapter of their dissertation, and progress can slow tremendously. The Intensive Dissertation Writing Retreat is a free four-day writing workshop aimed at helping Ph.D. students in the middle stages of their dissertation process by providing intensive writing times, breakout sessions with a facilitator on typical dissertation issues (including dealing with procrastination, managing research and sources, and writing to work through difficult ideas), one-on-one consultations with the facilitator, and peer consultations. Participants will gain strategies and tools to create positive writing habits and thus become more efficient and productive writers.

The Intensive Dissertation Writing Retreat is open to doctoral students from all disciplines and will take place Monday, Sept. 14, through Thursday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (location TBA). You are eligible to apply if you are a Ph.D. student who:

• Has advanced to candidacy
• Has completed a chapter of your dissertation
• Is committed to attending all sessions of the Writing Retreat

The application process for the Writing Retreat will open Monday, Aug. 17, and close Friday, Aug. 28. [Update 8/14/15: The application window has been revised to open on Friday, Aug. 14, and close Monday, Aug. 24 in order to ensure timely notification to applicants.] A reminder notification will be sent out once the application process opens. Interested students will need to complete a short application that includes the following information: 

• A brief (approximately 150 words) description of your dissertation project
• A list of your work/progress on your research and writing up to this point
• Any obstacles you have encountered in your writing thus far
• Expectations for what you hope to accomplish during the writing retreat
• Identify specific writing issues with which you would like help

Please note: The Intensive Dissertation Writing Retreat is limited to 20 participants. Students who are selected to participate will be notified by Sept. 1.

Have questions about the Intensive Dissertation Writing Retreat? Please email Robert Hamm (robert.hamm@graddiv.ucsb.edu).

Levi Maaia. Photo courtesy of Levi MaaiaLevi Maaia, a seventh-year doctoral student in Education, wants to "make" things happen. Levi grew up in East Providence, Rhode Island. He earned a B.S. in Film and Television from Boston University and an M.A. in Journalism from Emerson College.

Levi’s life changed while working at Full Channel, a family-owned broadband provider in Bristol County, R.I. He saw that many of the educational outreach initiatives by cable TV networks were not actually reaching classrooms. New media technologies were evolving faster than educators could integrate them into curricula.

While Levi felt that the link between media and education had always been tenuous at best, he thought there could be a better way to integrate them, and came to UC Santa Barbara to work on his ideas.

While chatting with Levi, I learned all about how the “maker” culture might be the answer, why the maker culture is alive and well in Cuba, and what advice he has for graduate students to get through a doctoral program more efficiently.

You recently went to Cuba as part of an educational research delegation. Tell me a little about what you were doing there and your impressions of Cuba.

I am really interested in Cuba’s maker culture. People there have limited resources and have to make do with what’s on hand. You’ll see a lawn mower made from the parts of a washing machine. Another person took a Soviet-era tractor engine and placed it into a ‘57 Chevy. The country is filled with examples of that type of ingenuity. It is an art form unto itself.

What does this have to do with your current research?

I am interested in the emerging maker culture and President Obama’s initiatives to encourage maker education as a way to instigate a new generation of design and manufacturing in America. Specifically, I am looking at what a maker-based high school course looks like and how students and teachers prepare for and interact during such a program.

Can you explain more about the maker culture and what this type of education would look like?

Maker cultures and do-it-yourself movements encourage informal affiliations of people who work on projects out of their garages, basements, and backyards: computer clubs to microbreweries to builders of specialized composting machines and 3-D printers. You come up with an idea that you want to realize and then you find the materials, skills, and community to help you do it.

In the fourth grade, I participated in the Invent America program. There you had to come up with a problem and then design and build a device that solved that problem. I created an automatic fish feeder and came in second place. Another kid came up with the idea of shoes with sole zippers, so you could easily replace the soles.

In K-12, maker-based education is about getting kids thinking about problems and empowering them to build solutions. I’d like to see at least part of the school day break from the traditional structure and let students be free to explore. I want to move away from only replicating expected results and afford students with the opportunity to discover the unexpected.

Cubans have created novel and creative ways to keep their “Yank Tanks” running in Havana, despite the lack of access to American auto parts. Cuban culture highly values ingenuity and the maker spirit. Credit: Levi Maaia

Who would you say has been one of your main influences?

I have many, but at the moment I'm really intrigued by Steve Wozniak. He had the ingenious idea to design and to build a computer that was accessible to consumers. In the years prior to his design, computers were only available to people working at huge corporations and institutions. When I was I kid I used an Apple II computer that was designed by "Woz." It was my earliest exposure to electronics and computing.

What advice do you have for incoming grad students?

Find ways to have your work, research, and projects build on one another. I ended up spinning my wheels for a long time. You should think early on about how to create a system or path for yourself. Have your internship lead to your master’s project, which will help you with your dissertation. If you can find a way to plan efficiently, everything can be a building block for the next part.

What do you do enjoy doing when you’re not innovating education?

I enjoy traveling, exploring, and communicating. I like to understand where I am and the landscape and the people around me. Maps, charts, and geography fascinate me. Wherever I go, I try to orient myself. Growing up in the Ocean State, I learned to sail and I enjoy being on or near the ocean.

Levi’s students designed and built two high-altitude balloons using Arduino microcontrollers and amateur radio transmitters to gather and transmit live environmental data and images from altitudes as high as 111,814 feet. Credit: Levi Maaia

What’s in high rotation on your playlist these days?

The Bird and the Bee, Generationals, Chromeo, and classic Motown music.

Finally, what do you plan to be doing 10 years from now?

Building things. I’d like to be working on projects that build new networks, systems, spaces, and places for educational collaboration, learning, and exploration.

The UCSB Graduate Division is currently accepting applications for its Funding Peer Advisor position to begin employment in Fall 2015 and run through Spring quarter 2016.

The Funding Peer educates and advises UCSB’s graduate students about on- and off-campus funding opportunities as well as personal finance topics such as budgeting, savings and debt repayment, and more. The successful applicant will lead workshops on finding funding and the basics of personal finance, work individually with students to identify and apply for research grants and fellowships, and design tailored presentations for specific departments. This position offers the opportunity to gain valuable experience working in academic administration while helping fellow graduate students and developing valuable financial skills. The Funding Peer position may be extended beyond Spring 2016.

PAYMENT: $16.00 per hour, plus fee payment equivalent to TA-ship for 25% time work

HOURS: 14-20 hours weekly (35%-50% appointment) during the academic year

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Priority consideration given to applications received by Friday, August 28, 2015.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Plan and implement workshops on topics such as fellowships and research funding opportunities; the basics of personal finance; budgeting; and resources, credits, and tax deductions for graduate students;
• Conduct one-on-one advising on funding searches;
• Lead department-specific presentations on funding;
• Contribute articles and announcements to the UCSB GradPost;
• Attend academic and professional workshops and panel discussions and write articles about them for the GradPost;
• Assist with campus-wide events and programming, including New Student Orientation and the Grad Slam;
• Work collaboratively with other peer advisors on events and workshops sponsored through the Graduate Student Resource Center (1215 Student Resource Building).

The Funding Peer also holds drop-in office hours, responds to student requests (by email, phone, or in person) for information or assistance, provides confidential advice, and makes referrals as needed.

Minimum qualifications:

• Has completed one year of graduate study in residence at UCSB, is in good academic standing, is within university time-to-degree standards, and meets all other standard student employment eligibility requirements;
• Is energetic and knowledgeable about the UCSB campus, demonstrates organizational abilities, and possesses good communication and interpersonal skills;
• Can represent graduate student interests and concerns, and is attentive to the goals of excellence and diversity in UCSB’s graduate education;
• Experience with or demonstrated ability to learn new software and technology (e.g. Squarespace, Sitefinity, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, image editing software, etc.)
• Writing, interviewing, and presentation skills.

Previous experience in advising, teaching, and workshop or conference planning is desirable, although training will be provided.

Additional Benefits: With the appropriate eligibility and approval, the position may be combined with a GSR or TA position, as long as the combined hours do not exceed 75% appointment. Graduate Division will pay partial fees and graduate student health insurance (Gaucho Health Insurance) equivalent to those provided for TAs if other student academic appointments or awards do not provide these fees.

Application Process: Interested applicants should submit a cover letter indicating interests and highlighting related experiences, along with a formal resume to Robert Hamm in the Graduate Division, 3117 Cheadle Hall, mail code 2070 or by e-mail to robert.hamm@graddiv.ucsb.edu.

Credit: Rennett StoweThe application period for the 2015 Intensive Dissertation Writing Retreat, co-sponsored by the Graduate Division and Summer Sessions, is now open. This program is open to doctoral students from all disciplines and will take place Monday, September 14, through Thursday, September 17. 

The Intensive Dissertation Writing Retreat is a four-day writing workshop aimed at helping Ph.D. students in the middle stages of their dissertation process by providing intensive writing times, breakout sessions with a facilitator on typical dissertation issues (including dealing with procrastination, managing research and sources, and writing to work through difficult ideas), one-on-one consultations with the facilitator, and peer consultations. Participants will gain strategies and tools to create positive writing habits and thus become more efficient and productive writers.

You are eligible to apply if you are a Ph.D. student who:

• Has advanced to candidacy;
• Has completed a chapter of your dissertation; and
• Is committed to attending all sessions of the Writing Retreat.

To apply, please complete the online application here. Important: Once you have completed the application, please also send PDFs of your dissertation prospectus (where applicable) and a completed chapter (either drafted or accepted) to Dr. Katie Baillargeon of UCSB's Writing Program, who will direct the Writing Retreat. The deadline to apply is Monday, August 24. [Note that this deadline is earlier than the previously publicized deadline in order to ensure timely notification to applicants.]

Dr. Baillargeon will notify applicants of their admissions decision by Tuesday, September 1. Please note:

• The Intensive Dissertation Writing Retreat is limited to 20 participants.
• As part of its efforts to provide financial support for graduate students who are engaged in short-term intensive campus programs that contribute to their development as academic professionals, the Graduate Division will provide a Professional Development Award to the participants of the Writing Retreat. A fellowship of $400 will be awarded to students who successfully complete all four days of the program.

Have questions about the Intensive Dissertation Writing Retreat? Please email Robert Hamm, Director, Graduate Student Professional Development.

Jessica Perkins. Credit: Patricia MarroquinWhat is the secret to second-year Ph.D. student Jessica Perkins’ success? At first, you might think it comes from her growing up in a large, extended family in Rhode Island and learning to appreciate the value of active involvement in a community. Later, you might think it’s her time management skills. She earned a combined B.S./M.S. in Environmental Engineering at Tufts University while playing field hockey. Finally, you might consider her secret is that she only needs six hours of sleep a night.

No matter what you think the secret is, after meeting Jess, you will come away amazed at how much she has accomplished in 26 years. She plans to accomplish much more once she graduates from UC Santa Barbara, after earning two degrees from two different departments: a Ph.D. in Environmental Science & Management from the Bren School and a Master's in Technology Management from the Technology Management Program.

Maybe you have heard of Jess or seen her perform at the 2015 Grad Slam? She was the one who wielded a ballpoint pen and wowed the audience and judges alike with a terrifying tale of life-cycle assessment. In fact, you may have seen her more than once (during Round 4, or Semifinal Round 1). She made it to the final round, where she was a runner-up.

I had a chance to interview Jess this summer but she was unavailable to meet in person. Why, you ask? She was doing a snazzy internship at Apple Inc., working on life-cycle assessments of some of their products to evaluate the environmental impact, specifically looking at the water footprint.

For someone who as a child used to tell her parents that some things were “too hard for a girl to do,” she has since made things look awfully easy. While we talked over the phone, she revealed some of her secrets to her success from her research to her approach to life to how to prepare for the Grad Slam.

You made it all the way to the Grad Slam 2015 finals where you were a runner-up. How did you prepare? Do you have any advice for people competing next year?

Just to practice, to bounce ideas off other people. I practiced a couple of times for my classmates, my roommates who weren't in grad school, and with my sister over FaceTime. The more you practice, the more feedback you get from a lot of people, the better your presentation will be. Presenting is nerve-wracking, but it only gets easier the more you do it.

Jess, center, on a summer trip to Yosemite with fellow UCSB graduate students. Photo courtesy of Jessica Perkins

You won a gift card and some cash. Did you have any special plans for your winnings?

Since it was my first year, I used my gift card to buy a UCSB sweatshirt. Now I can proudly wear the letters.

You famously stood up to the Grad Slam audience holding a single pen. How would you best describe your research?

It’s life-cycle assessment or LCA. I evaluate environmental and human health impacts on the entire life cycle of a product: raw material extraction, production, transportation, use, and end-of-life (disposal/recycling). My goal is to improve the usefulness of LCA as a decision-making tool by applying concepts from organizational science and communication.

What advice would you give to an incoming graduate student?

One thing I learned when I got here was that as a grad student you could expand the boundaries of your research. Even going into Bren, an interdisciplinary school, I didn’t realize how far the interdisciplinary bounds could be pushed. I found I could include communication, psychology, and other subjects in my research. I wasn’t just limited to hard sciences.

As a grad student, you should explore other areas even if they are outside of your department.

What do you in your free time?

Jess finishing a half marathon in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Jessica PerkinsI love sports and anything where I get to be outside and active. I’m currently training to run the New York City Marathon. But really, I’m just a people person. I like spending time with good friends and sharing a bottle of wine in my downtime.

What’s in high rotation on your playlist these days?

I’m a big fan of country music. I like the Zac Brown Band. But one song that keeps showing up recently is “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon.

Speaking of accomplishments, what do you consider your biggest one so far?

I think my biggest accomplishment was making the choice not to let my comfort zone dictate my big life decisions.

I figured this out when I was deciding my first job, at Dow Chemical in Michigan. I was living in Boston at the time. I had many good friends and there were plenty of good jobs in Boston. I’m sure I would have had a good career and been happy there. But I decided to choose the best opportunity overall, not the most comfortable one. I was going to take the best opportunity even if it was scary. I made a conscious decision to be brave.

Who has had the biggest influence on you and your life?

Jess's first day in Santa Barbara after the road trip adventure that she and her sister made from their hometown in Rhode Island. Photo courtesy of Jessica PerkinsMy family. My parents really instilled in me the idea that as someone who had a lot of opportunities in life that I should do something to have a positive impact on the world. They have had a big influence on many of the decisions I’ve made in my life.

What do you hope to be doing 5 or 10 years out of graduate school?

I really want to be working at the intersection between industry and environmental change. I want to be managing an environmental team in an organization where the company’s decisions are having a big impact on the direction of the industry and local economy in terms of environmental performance and climate change.

Whether you are just beginning to write your dissertation/thesis and wondering about formatting, or you are close to filing and need to know about policies such as copyrighting and embargoing, the Graduate Division has you covered. Rickie Smith and Shawn Warner-Garcia will offer an expanded and redesigned workshop on formatting and filing your dissertation/thesis on Wednesday, September 2, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Student Resource Building Multipurpose Room.

The workshop will consist of three parts:

1. Formatting Pre-Checks (10-10:30 a.m.). Graduate Division Academic Advisors will be available to do pre-checks and to answer your filing questions one-on-one. To take advantage of this portion of the workshop, bring a printed copy of your dissertation/thesis preliminary pages (e.g., title page, signature page, abstract) as well as a few pages of the body.
2. The Filing Process (10:30-11 a.m.). This portion of the workshop will cover the ins and outs of the electronic filing process including deadlines, leaves of absence, embargos, copyrights, and document distribution. Rickie will also familiarize participants with additional online resources and tutorials.
3. Formatting Information and Q&A (11 a.m.-noon). This part of the workshop will explain the formatting requirements for filing your dissertation/thesis and how to use the online templates. Rickie and Shawn will also answer questions and troubleshoot formatting issues that participants are experiencing.

If you plan to attend one or several parts of the workshop, please RSVP by filling out this form.

Did you know? The Graduate Division also offers information and advising on dissertation/thesis filing both online and on a walk-in basis at their office in Cheadle Hall.

Check out these online resources:

• Filing Deadlines
• Step-By-Step Tutorial on Electronic Filing
• Formatting Guidelines and Document Templates

You may also contact Rickie Smith to set up an advising appointment.

UC Santa Barbara, described as “in the top echelon,” has risen a spot in Washington Monthly magazine’s annual list of Top 100 National Universities. The 2015 list has UCSB at No. 14, up from No. 15 in 2014 and No. 22 in 2013.

UC campuses were prominent on the list, with six of them making the top 20.

“As it has in previous years, the University of California system dominates our national university rankings, with a combination of research prowess and economic diversity among undergraduates,” Washington Monthly said in the introduction to its College Guide and Rankings.

Washington Monthly's rankings as compared to U.S. News & World Report's list.The magazine ranks four-year U.S. colleges on three measures. “Upward mobility” takes into account enrollment and graduation rates of students of modest means at reasonable prices. “Research” factors in universities’ success at creating new technologies and ideas that drive economic growth and advance knowledge. And “service” considers institutions’ efforts at encouraging students to give back to the country by joining the Peace Corps or the military; or performing community service.

UC Santa Barbara “is in the top echelon of its state’s universities, serving students of variable income and ability,” wrote Mamie Voight, director of policy research at the Institute for Higher Education, and Colleen Campbell, a senior policy analyst at the Association of Community College Trustees. “Yet 38 percent of Santa Barbara students are low income, compared to only 15 percent at Penn State, and Santa Barbara charges low-income students about half as much.”

UCSB was also ranked No. 17 in the magazine’s “Best Bang for the Buck” rankings in the Western Schools category.

For more information, read the Office of Public Affairs and Communications’ article, “In the Top Echelon”; University of California’s “UC dominates Washington Monthly’s college rankings”; Washington Monthly’s “A Different Kind of College Ranking”; and the magazine’s full list.

ARC/SC/UC LEADS 2015 Scholars with members of the Graduate Division staff. Credit: Patricia Marroquin 

From June 22 to August 14, the Graduate Division held its annual Academic Research Consortium (ARC)/California Pre-Doctoral Sally Casanova (SC)/UC LEADS Scholars Program. The annual program hosts college undergraduates from across the country for eight weeks in an effort to simulate the graduate school experience and encourage participants to consider applying for graduate school at UC Santa Barbara. The program centers on individual research projects under the supervision of a faculty member and a graduate student mentor, and culminates in each student presenting in a public forum.

In addition to research, students also participate in Graduate Record Examination (GRE) preparation workshops, professional development sessions, and social activities designed to engage students with the surrounding Santa Barbara community.

Scholars were selected in a competitive application process. After completion, students raved about how the program exposed them to the possibilities associated with graduate school. They felt increased self-confidence, not only in preparing to apply to graduate school but also in succeeding as graduate students.

ARC Scholar Diana Chagolla commented on the program’s impact. “Prior to participating in UCSB’s ARC summer program, I was slightly intimidated by the graduate school application process," she said. "After having participated, I feel qualified to proceed on the path of applying for graduate school and obtaining a Ph.D. in Education." 

“My research experience at UCSB was an unforgettable one," added UC LEADS Scholar Markus Walker. "Being able to work so closely with my faculty and graduate student mentors was truly an honor. Not only that, but the people in the program made the experience that much more worthwhile.”

From left, summer scholars Brianna Demirci, Newton Nguyen, Kuang Wei, and Michael Young. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

For the first time, the program partnered with the Office of Undergraduate Research to have the scholars blog about their research and summer experiences. Read the students’ summer blogs here:

ARC Scholar Blog                                      
California Pre-Doctoral Sally Casanova Scholar Blog

UC LEADS (Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees) Scholar Blog

The program would not have been a success without the assistance of key Graduate Division personnel: Dean Carol Genetti; Assistant Dean Christian Villasenor; Director of Admissions and Outreach Walter Boggan; Assistant Director of Admissions and Outreach Haley Orton; Outreach Assistant Director Roxanna Van Norman; and Diversity and Outreach Peer Charles Williams. 

A special thanks goes to Van Norman, who has been with the program since its inception in 2012, but has recently transitioned to a new position on campus. Her leadership made the summer research program an enjoyable experience for all students and her professionalism contributed greatly to the program’s success over the last four years.

The 2015 summer scholar participants are listed below. For more information about the Graduate Division’s program efforts, see the outreach page and read GradPost articles about the three previous summer programs here:  

The 2014 program
The 2013 program
The 2012 program

“Prior to participating in UCSB’s ARC summer program, I was slightly intimidated by the graduate school application process. After having participated, I feel qualified to proceed on the path of applying for graduate school and obtaining a Ph.D. in Education."
– Diana Chagolla, ARC summer scholar

***

2015 Academic Research Consortium Scholars

Diana Chagolla: San Diego State University

• Major: Sociology
• Faculty Mentor: Rebeca Mireles-Rios
• Graduate Student Mentor: Tiffany Ibarra 

Michael Young: University of North Texas

• Major: English 
• Faculty Mentor: Linda Adler-Kassner
• Graduate Student Mentor: John Soboslai

From left, summer scholars Sarath Pathuri, Kevin Dervishi, Brandon Hendrickson, Kelly Pham, and Gauree Chendke. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

Brianna Demirci: California State University, Channel Islands

• Major: Biology
• Faculty Mentor: Josh Schimel
• Graduate Student Mentor: Ken Marchus

Mario Espinoza: California Polytechnic State University

• Major: Comparative Ethnic Studies
• Faculty Mentor: Gerardo Aldana
• Graduate Student Mentor: Rudy Mondragon 

2015 California Pre-Doctoral Sally Casanova Scholar

Yvonne Sohn: San Francisco State University

• Major: French
• Faculty Mentor: Catherine Nesci  
• Graduate Student Mentor: Alexandra Magearu

2015 UC LEADS Scholars

Newton Nguyen: UC Berkeley

• Major: Geophysics 
• Faculty Mentor: Frederic G. Gibou  
• Graduate Student Mentor: Arthur Guittet 

Kelly Pham: UC Irvine

• Major: Mathematics 
• Faculty Mentor: Padraic Bartlett 

 Markus Walker: UC Merced

• Major: Computer Science
• Faculty Mentor: Matthew Turk 

Kevin Dervishi: UC Santa Barbara 

• Major: CCS Biology
• Faculty Mentor: Stu Feinstein 
• Graduate Student Mentor: Sarah Benbow

Brandon Hendrickson: UC Santa Barbara 

• Major: Biology
• Faculty Mentor: Susan Mazer 
• Graduate Student Mentor: Kristen Peach

Sarath Pathuri: UC Santa Barbara

• Major: Biochemistry 
• Faculty Mentor: Norbert Reich  
• Graduate Student Mentor: Clayton Woodcock

Gauree Chendke: UC Santa Barbara

• Major: Biology
• Faculty Mentor: Samir Mitragotri 
• Graduate Student Mentor: Tyler Brown

Kuang Wei: UC Irvine

• Major: Physics 
• Faculty Mentor: Jean Carlson 
• Graduate Student Mentor: Chantal Nguyen

From left, summer scholars Yvonne Sohn, Mario Espinoza, Diana Chagolla, and Markus Walker. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

UC Santa Barbara continues its impressive upward trajectory, rising to No. 8 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 list of the “Top 30 Public National Universities” in the country. The distinction represents a jump of two spots from UCSB’s position last year and is UC Santa Barbara’s highest ranking in the history of the magazine’s annual listings.

On U.S. News’ list of “Best National Universities,” which includes both public and private institutions, UC Santa Barbara also moved up from last year – to No. 37 from No. 40. Among University of California institutions, only UC Berkeley and UCLA ranked higher than UCSB. Other UC campuses on the Top 30 list are UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and UC Davis.

U.S. News’ ranking system involves assigning universities and colleges to categories. The category of national universities that UCSB was placed in includes only those institutions that focus on faculty research and offer a variety of undergraduate majors, in addition to master’s degree and doctoral programs.

It is those excellent UCSB graduate programs and their extraordinary graduate students that helped lead to this high honor, said UCSB Graduate Division Dean Carol Genetti.

“This new ranking is a tribute to the UCSB’s unique combination of visionary leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and strong sense of esprit de corps,” said Dean Genetti. “Our graduate students are essential to the success of our teaching and research missions and have directly contributed to this advancement in ranking. I’d like to express my thanks to all of our students for their creativity, dedication, and sheer hard work: Thanks, everyone, for helping to make this institution great!”

There’s more good news for UC Santa Barbara in the magazine’s 2016 “America’s Best Colleges” guidebook. UCSB placed No. 6 among public universities on U.S. News’ list of institutions that offer students the best education value. And UCSB’s College of Engineering ranked No. 18 among public universities in the category of “Best Programs at Engineering Schools Whose Highest Degree is a Doctorate.”

For more information, read the UCSB Office of Public Affairs and Communications’ news release, “The Cream of the Crop” and last year's GradPost article; and see U.S. News & World Report’s complete list.

Simran Singh, OISS Director, presenting statistics on international students. Credit: Charles WilliamsThe Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) hosted its annual staff workshop, “Supporting International Students,” on September 9.

The workshop provided information on immigration law, campus policy concerning international students, and social issues surrounding the international student experience. The event targeted UC Santa Barbara faculty, administrators, and staff. It is typically held a week before the International Graduate Student Orientation, also known as Graduate Cultural Awareness, Laws, and Immigration, or CALI, Training).  

After the welcome address by OISS Director Simran Singh, UCSB Global Studies undergraduate student Alagie Jammeh shared his experience as an international scholar from the Gambia. The segment provided an opportunity for the audience to understand the social and cultural challenges that many international students encounter.

Alagie illustrated how OISS has been instrumental in alleviating difficult legal and social issues. "When I had a problem with my scholarship from the Gambian government," he said, "OISS staff were able to tell me what I needed to do and how to make this thing work." He continued, "International students can just come in to OISS, tell them what is needed, and they will be able to help with almost anything."   

Alagie's experience aligns with the approach OISS Director Singh encourages in her office: "We're here to help and assist them in every aspect. Whether it is cultural adjustment, academic, mental health issues, or immigration issues, we tackle the whole gamut of international student challenges."  

"International students can just come in to OISS, tell them what is needed, and they will be able to help with almost anything."
– Alagie Jammeh, UCSB international student from Gambia

Singh hopes domestic students at UCSB know that befriending an international student could be an invaluable learning opportunity. "A simple hello can be a first step toward a great friendship," Singh explained. She encouraged cultural exchange between domestic and international students and believes lessons learned through these friendships can be as valuable as those learned in the classroom. Singh recommended that domestic students speak slowly at times and ask questions to increase communication efficiency with international students, especially during initial conversations.

Presentations during the half-day workshop included: 

• One Student’s Story: Navigating Cultural Conflict, Expanding Global Awareness (Alagie Jammeh, international student, and David Whitman, Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity)
• UCSB’s International Students by the Numbers (Simran Singh, OISS Director)
• Addressing Academic Integrity in International Education (Ko Kashiwazaki, Assistant Judicial Affairs Coordinator)
• Introduction to H-1B (Tanya Plant and Jason Hopkins, OISS Staff)
• Hosting J-1 Visitors 101 (Martha Ledesma and Jason Hopkins, OISS Staff)
• Hiring International Students" (Layla San Jose and Nancy Doan, OISS Staff)

Jason Hopkins, OISS Staff, explains the H-1B visa. Credit: Charles Williams

Supporting international students has become an increasingly important issue for UCSB. During the "UCSB's International Students by the Numbers" segment of the workshop, Singh presented statistical data to provide context regarding the international student experience in both the United States and at UCSB.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the country saw an all-time high of 887,000 international higher education students in 2014, accounting for four percent of enrolled higher education students. California led the nation with 121,647 international students, generating $4 billion for the state's economy. International students added a total of $26.8 billion to the U.S. economy in 2014.

Last year, UCSB’s incoming class saw an increase in the following international student categories: freshmen, transfer, master's, and doctorate. Doctoral students comprised the largest increase, up 57.7 percent from 2014. UCSB expects a total of 933 international students on campus in 2015. China accounts for the vast majority of incoming international students at 76.6 percent. India is second with 7.7 percent, and the United Kingdom is third at 7.3 percent.

In regard to field of study, a clear majority emerged among international students, with 74 percent majoring in STEM-related fields. Humanities placed second with 19 percent.

For more information on OISS, visit its website, email oiss@sa.ucsb.edu, or call 805-893-2929.

"We're here to help and assist them in every aspect. Whether it is cultural adjustment, academic, mental health issues, or immigration issues, we tackle the whole gamut of international student challenges."
– Simran Singh, Director of the Office of International Students and Scholars

At UC Santa Barbara, we pride ourselves on our innovative and entrepreneurial spirit and practices. That innovation was recognized this week, when the global media firm Reuters named the University of California system No. 13 on its inaugural list of the Top 100 World’s Most Innovative Universities.

“The Reuters Top 100 World's Most Innovative Universities gets to the essence of what it means to be truly innovative,” Reuters said in its announcement. “The institutions recognized here most reliably produce original research, create useful technology, and have the greatest economic impact. They are the surest bets for anyone seeking to invest in and create real innovation.”

Reuters noted that the UC system is one of the leaders in direct investment in startups. "It has various incubators and accelerators on its campuses, and has established a $250 million venture capital fund, as well as campus-based seed funds for prototypes,” Reuters said.

Innovation has a special meaning for UCSB Graduate Division Dean Carol Genetti. “When I think of the word ‘innovation,’ I think of graduate students,” she said. “Their fresh perspectives, boundless creativity, and ardent conversations with faculty are the very roots of this award. It’s exciting to be at the start of the academic year and think that we are on the verge of so many new discoveries. I can’t wait to hear about them, in this year’s Graduate Student Showcase!”

Stanford University was ranked No. 1 on Reuters’ list, followed by MIT (No. 2) and Harvard University (No. 3).

Reuters’ methodology employed 10 metrics. Among factors considered were academic papers, which point to the volume and impact of research being conducted at a university; and the volume and success of patent filings, which indicates the importance an institution places on protecting and commercializing its discoveries. Also taken into account was the use of cited discoveries in the corporate and academic worlds.

At the Graduate Division’s 2015 Commencement ceremony, keynote speaker David Marshall, UC Santa Barbara’s Executive Vice Chancellor, spoke of the value of research done at UCSB.

“Whatever our disciplines or career paths, we must argue for the value of voyages of discovery, voyages that take us through history to the origins of the universe, voyages that take us to the future,” he said. “We must demonstrate the value of what we do. But we must not lose sight of the value that may not be visible. Unsuspected Nobel Prizes, untold strokes of genius. … This is the work that makes our university worth defending.”

Said Reuters in its article: “Whether they're in the top five or near the end of the list, all 100 universities in this ranking are among the best in the world. Thomson Reuters reviewed hundreds of universities to produce this ranking, and the ones that appear here are the most elite.”

For more information about UC’s innovation honor, read University of California’s “UC ranked among top innovative universities”;  Reuters’ “The World’s Most Innovative Universities” and its article, “Universities lead in innovation, Asia a rising power.”

UC Santa Barbara welcomes 842 new graduate students into its ranks this week. Here, we break down the statistics on our incoming graduate student cohort and introduce you to several of our new students. All infographics created with Piktochart.

At UCSB, there are a variety of gender and sexual identities represented in our student population. From the current demographic data we have collected on the incoming graduate student class, 53 percent of students identified as men and 47 percent identified as women. Starting in Fall 2016, applicants to UC will have the option to choose among six gender identities listed on admissions forms: male, female, trans male, trans female, gender queer/gender non-conforming and different identity. Additionally, all current UC students will be able to update their gender and sexual identity through the UCSB Registrar if they would like to.

Most of the incoming graduate students are between the ages of 23 and 30, but our youngest incoming student is 20 years old and our oldest is 66 years old.

Map creation by Patrick Hall; map template by Kevin Ross

Map template by GunnMap

Our new graduate students are coming from 45 different countries – from China to Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia to South Africa, New Zealand to Nigeria – representing nearly every continent. In fact, roughly one-third of incoming students (287, to be exact) are coming from places outside the country. Our U.S. students hail from 42 of the 50 states, but nearly half of them are California natives.

The most popular disciplines that our new graduate students chose were Environmental Science and Management (90 new students), the Teacher Education Program (88 new students), and Electrical and Computer Engineering (87 new students). By division, the most new graduate students are in Engineering (226), Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences (175), followed by Education (131) and Humanities and Fine Arts (124).

We asked several of our new grad students to tell us more about themselves, including what degrees they will be pursuing, their favorite things to do, and what they are looking forward to most about graduate school. Read on to find out what we learned. 

Amanda KaczmarekAMANDA KACZMAREK was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and has lived in various locations in Florida, Ohio, and New York. As Amanda put it, “I had what people tend to politely refer to as a ‘difficult’ childhood, which has made me a very independent and resilient person. I hear that can come in handy for grad school!” Amanda earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Cognitive Neuroscience and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Ohio State University. At UCSB, she will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Her research interests focus on moral decision-making and morality as a social behavior.

A first-generation college student, Amanda said that she is looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with other social scientists and to pursue her own research. When she’s not working on research or working out, she likes to watch movies, play video games, read, and crochet. She also loves to tap into her artistic side as a beginner Scottish Highland dancer as well as her nerdy side through her love of Star Trek, Game of Thrones, and Marvel movies.

Jenny SelvidgeJENNY SELVIDGE grew up just outside of Boston. She was actually born in the Bay Area, so moving back to California feels like coming back to her roots. She said that she has always felt very connected to Boston and that the move out to California will be a big shift for her and her family – especially because she will have to drive or fly to see snow now! Jenny earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Materials Science and Engineering, and she will be continuing her studies here at UCSB pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials. Jenny said that she loves the broad applicability of her field, and she is looking forward to taking on the new challenge of studying optoelectronic materials, which are materials that interact with both electricity and light (such as lasers, LEDs, and solar cells).

Jenny said that she is really excited that her department and the university as a whole seem very committed to diversity. “As a woman in STEM, it can sometimes feel a little bit lonely, since there are many more men than women. But I knew the Materials Department here was for me when I came and the students in the Graduate Students for Diversity in Science group ran an event especially welcoming to women, people of color, and other groups of people historically underrepresented in STEM.”

In addition to joining a thriving community of scholars, Jenny is looking forward to exploring the indigenous trees of the different parts of the state. As she put it, “I think part of the reason that trees fascinate me so much is that they are so perfectly engineered by nature to fit their environment, just like the work I strive to do.”

Luke RosedahlGrowing up on a 21-acre farm in the middle of Minnesota, LUKE ROSEDAHL spent a lot of time outdoors, reading, and managing a small vegetable growing business. His dad was a firmware engineer for IBM and his mother was a stay-at-home mom who homeschooled Luke and his two brothers. Luke said he loved being homeschooled “because it allowed me to focus on what I liked doing.”

He comes to UCSB with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and he will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Dynamical Neuroscience. For his research, he is interested in modeling the brain. He said he became interested in this area because he “always loved math, and the modeling/mathematical approaches towards neuroscience really seemed to be gaining momentum and opening a lot of new doors.”

Luke has quite a variety of interests and aspirations outside of his studies. In addition to his love of outdoor activities and enjoying good food and spirits, he said that people are often surprised to find out that he is a competitive ballroom dancer. In fact, he even travelled to Israel last spring for a West Coast Swing competition. The thing he’s most looking forward to in Santa Barbara? “Learning to surf! I have always wanted to surf, but growing up in Minnesota there wasn’t ever the opportunity!”

Michelle GrueMICHELLE GRUE’s dad was in the Air Force, so she moved around a lot as a kid – from California to Texas to England and then back to California. She spent her high school years in Santa Barbara County, so “in many ways, attending UCSB is like a homecoming for me.” She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing from Pepperdine University and will pursue an M.A./Ph.D. combination in Education at UCSB. She said that she also plans to add emphases in Writing Studies and Black Studies, “as long as they don’t overly detract from also being a mom of an eight-month-old baby.”

Her research interests are focused on how universities can better leverage their existing infrastructure and technologies to more adequately aid students from minority backgrounds integrate into the academic world.

Michelle said that she is very excited about diving back into academia. “I know it’ll be a humbling experience, but I’m that nerd who loves hunting down resources, writing multiple drafts until it’s as right as I can make it, and sharpening my mind against the iron of my fellow students and of my professors. I have to admit, I’m also going to enjoy ‘me’ time away from my baby.”

In her free time, Michelle loves reading, traveling, and the occasional trip down the Netflix rabbit hole. She also said that she enjoys “hosting parties that inevitably wind down to a few good friends chatting about the problems of the universe or fun philosophical topics like how we view time, and Disney movies.”

Petra PeršoljaPETRA PERŠOLJA comes from the relatively young country of Slovenia. When she was six years old, she told her parents that she wanted to play the piano. “My mom is an economist, my father used to have a truck company, and my two little brothers are excellent in sports. To this day we don't know where I got the idea. ... Although my country is not economically very stable, and finding a job as a pianist there would be quite impossible, my parents always encouraged me to follow my dreams.”

Petra earned her first bachelor's degree in Education at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia and then pursued her second bachelor's degree in Piano Performance at Rowan University in New Jersey. She recently completed a master's degree in Music at the University of Hawaii and will be starting her Doctor of Musical Arts program at UCSB in Piano Performance.

During the time Petra spent at the University of Hawaii, she picked up surfing and hopes to be able to continue that hobby here in Santa Barbara. She enjoys nature, traveling to new places, and extreme sports such as skydiving and shark-cage diving. And would you believe that Petra is also on level 63 in Skyrim?

Rick ThomasRICK THOMAS grew up in Santa Clara, California, as the third of four children. His childhood was spent mostly playing soccer and reading. He said that he has loved the outdoors for as long as he can remember and has always known that he wanted to work in a facility that helps the planet in some way. Rick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities, both from UC San Diego. At UCSB, he will be pursuing a Master's in Environmental Science and Management. His research interests are broad, which is something that drew him to the Bren School, as it focuses heavily on interdisciplinary approaches.

Rick said that he is most looking forward to the natural surroundings that UCSB and Santa Barbara have to offer. “I think the combination of mountains and oceans is something special, and you definitely have to take advantage of it while you are here.” In addition to his love of the outdoors, Rick also enjoys music (he plays a left-handed violin!) and juggling and has written a few fantasy novels that he hopes to publish one day.

Shriniwas PatwardhanSHRINIWAS PATWARDHAN wants to become an engineer who creates technology to make human life better. Growing up in Pune, India, his parents encouraged him to be devoted to his studies but also committed to character development. He comes to UCSB with a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pune, and he will be pursuing a Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research will focus on Communications, Control and Signal Processing in the field of biomedical implants and prosthetic devices. “I have seen the effects of the high price of medical care in emerging countries like India. I want to make a change in this by contributing to the world of low-cost technology in the medical field.”

Shriniwas is looking forward to “the wonderful and open research environment and the beautiful campus. It should be a joy to work in a building situated right on the coast.” In his free time, he enjoys playing Indian classical music on the mandolin and also participating in theatre.

Tara ClarkTARA CLARK grew up in the Garlic Capital of the World – Gilroy, California. As Tara said, “I come from a very low-income, single-parent household where I faced the daily struggle of worrying about how we would put dinner on the table. ... In order to distract myself from fear and worry, I decided to focus all of my time on school instead of on the daily tribulations that I encountered.” These experiences helped her develop diligence and self-discipline, which enabled her to earn an Associate of Arts from Gavilan College upon graduating high school at an Early College Academy. Tara then completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at UCSB in just two years, majoring in Philosophy and Linguistics and minoring in Education.

As our youngest incoming graduate student at 20 years old, she will start as a Ph.D. student in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, where she hopes to “gain the essential knowledge and experiences in order to become a school leader who will effectuate necessary changes in the world of education through reform methods.”

Although Tara has lived in Santa Barbara for two years already, she said that there are still lots of places that she would like to explore. She enjoys meeting new people, being crafty, and staying active. According to Tara, “The number one thing that surprises people about me is my maturity despite my age. I am young in years, but old in resilience.”

There was a packed house at Corwin Pavilion on Wednesday for the Graduate Division's New Graduate Student Orientation. Credit: Patricia MarroquinNew Graduate Student Orientation kicked off on Sept. 23 with a warm welcome from Graduate Division Dean Carol Genetti. She encouraged graduate students to maximize their time at UC Santa Barbara, and introduced many of the Graduate Division's resources dedicated to this end. “How can you live a rich and productive life here to fuel your success and reach your career goals?” she asked.   

Dean Genetti praised UCSB’s graduate programs, citing the success of graduate-level research as a crucial factor in UCSB achieving its recent ranking as a top public university. “Graduate students are making the discoveries we are known for,” she said. She emphasized the “very competitive” nature of graduate admissions and that only “the best” are selected. 

“How can you live a rich and productive life here to fuel your success and reach your career goals?”
–Graduate Division Dean Carol Genetti

Genetti encouraged incoming students to build a network of a wide variety of mentors across campus, and to be a mentor for others. “The boundaries between all of the departments on campus are porous,” she explained. “There are no two units that don’t collaborate on research here.”  Genetti emphasized that students can get involved across campus and cited the 16 Interdisciplinary Doctoral Emphases as one avenue to do so.

Graduate Division Dean Carol Genetti told new graduate students about one of the division's signature annual events, the Grad Slam, and encouraged them to take advantage of the beauty surrounding them for a good work-life balance. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

Dean Genetti also highlighted some key resources for graduate students. She displayed helpful sections of the Graduate Division website, including the Academic Services and Career and Professional Development pages. She encouraged all to get involved in the annual Graduate Student Showcase, the centerpiece of which is the Grad Slam.

In addition to professional resources, Genetti encouraged new students to live a well-rounded life, taking advantage of our beautiful campus, nearby beach, sports and recreation, cultural life, and all UCSB and Santa Barbara have to offer. She mentioned her favorite California trips outside of Santa Barbara, including the famous Mendocino Redwoods and San Francisco.

In closing, Genetti encouraged students to frame their graduate experience in a positive way: "See your time here as a steppingstone to a productive professional life," she suggested.

Keynote Address: Thrive in Grad School

Dr. Turi Honegger admitted that grad school is stressful, but that some stress is good, and there are ways to deal with the bad stress. Credit: Patricia MarroquinIn his keynote address, Turi Honegger, Clinical Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, emphasized that grad students shouldn't get caught up in the pressure to work an 80-plus-hour week: "You can also be a person in grad school," he said. He shared research proving that a well-developed “approach for balance” leads to higher quality work.

He admitted that graduate school is stressful, but you can channel that stress in a way that propels you forward and motivates you. He quoted an ancient Nordic saying, as well as explained his "Three Pillars of Thriving in Grad School."

Three Pillars of Thriving in Grad School:

• Know thy self. What drives you? Where does your motivation for graduate school come from? When do you trust yourself or second-guess yourself? How much structure versus non-structure? What are your healthy coping mechanisms and what are your unhealthy coping mechanisms?
• Relationships. Stay in touch with friends and family. Remember the difference between Formal Authority vs. Personal Power: We all have personal power even if your formal position in the department is the newest person there. Create intentional community: Think about who you really want to get to know, to meet some folks who you really like.
• Physical health and mental wellness. Forty hours a week of consistent work has shown to be more effective long term than a 60-hour week.

“What we attend to becomes our reality.”
–Ancient Nordic saying, presented by Dr. Turi Honegger

A panel of graduate students answered questions from new students. From left, Matt Gebbie, Dan Boulos, Wu Ti, Jennifer Guerrero, and speaking, Samantha Powers. Credit: Patricia Marroquin Dr. Honegger then moderated a panel composed of five graduate students. The grad students shared personal reflections to help new students and fielded audience questions. Graduate students on the panel were: Dan Boulos, Theater and Dance; Matt Gebbie, Materials; Jennifer Guerrero, Chemical Engineering; Samantha Powers, Communication; and Wu Ti, Education.

Advice From Graduate Student Panel:

• Budgeting: Form a good system for budgeting your income.
• Staying connected: Make an effort to get out and be around peers. It's important to counteract the social isolation and long hours of working alone inherent to many graduate programs. Try working in a local coffee shop.
• Associate Dean Don Lubach discussed the resources available through Student Affairs. Credit: Patricia MarroquinTime management: Do what works for you. This may mean keeping typical hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., for example, or varying hours according to when you can be most productive. Don't compare yourself to others, or the amount of time they seem to be working.
• Maintaining balance: Make use of the Recreation Center and its programs. Stay active by running and biking in the area, joining a team, or enjoy the ocean. Many of the panelists made time to work out first thing every morning. Walk around the labyrinth on campus, or explore hiking in the area.
• Avoid a propensity to over-commit yourself: You don’t have to do it all now – you will have years to take advantage of all opportunities. You can get involved in extracurricular activities after fully adjusting to student life.
• Career goals: It’s OK to realize that the non-academic path is not necessarily your end goal. You can be open to putting your Ph.D. to work in other ways.
• Wellness: Use CAPS as a resource and refer stressed peers to CAPS when it seems needed.

Dr. Mary Ferris from Student Health introduced the center's doctors and showed a video about Student Health. Credit: Patricia MarroquinIntroduction to Campus Resources

Student Health Plan (Gaucho Health Insurance):  

• Primary care visits, labs, X-ray, drop-in Urgent Care (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays) are available for no charge at UCSB Student Health. 
• There is no charge for Advice Nurses or the 24-hour Nurseline.
• A full pharmacy is available, as well as referrals to outside specialty doctors (Aetna Network).
• For services outside of those on campus, the health plan carries a $400 annual deductible, $200 emergency room co-pay, and 80 percent coverage in-network (50 percent otherwise). 
• Co-pay for outside specialty visits: $25; $15 mental health, but first three visits are free (Student Health or CAPS can provide referrals to community therapists).

Library:

• UCSB's library features graduate student only study areas; pick up key at the service desk.
• Construction on new library is in progress, and is set to open Jan. 4, 2016.
• A lot is online now on UCSB's databases, but you should still visit the library at least once during your career here!

Student Affairs and the Graduate Students Association (GSA):

GSA President Aaron Jones and other executive members explained some of the GSA's resources. Credit: Patricia MarroquinAssociate Dean of Students Don Lubach and Aaron Jones, President of GSA, encouraged us to engage in the campus community. GSA resources include:

• GSA Grants:  Conference Travel Grant, Emergency Relief Grant, Child Care Grant, and Event Co-Sponsorships
• Awards: GSA Excellence in Teaching Award (cash award), Dixon-Levy GSA Service Award
• The GSA Lounge, a place to study and relax every Monday to Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and every Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free coffee and tea are available daily, and grad student groups can use the space for their events.
• Bagel Hour, every Wednesday morning in the GSA lounge, with free bagels, coffee, and tea.
• Get Involved: Go to a GSA meeting, represent your department, and get free dinner for yourself and money for your department. Or serve on a campus committee and get a stipend.

Resource Centers:

Dave Whitman of the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity told new students about the center's services and events. Credit: Patricia MarroquinIn the final half hour of the orientation, we heard from Dave Whitman regarding the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity's services. Habiba Simjee detailed the role of Undocumented Student Services and her work as Counsel for the UC Undocumented Legal Services Center.

Finally, Robert Hamm, Director of Graduate Student Professional Development for the Graduate Division, briefly discussed the Graduate Student Resource Center and introduced the graduate peers. Stop by the GSRC office in Student Resource Building 1215 to gain help with funding, writing, and professional development.

Dean Genetti made closing remarks and the now well-informed graduate students headed out to a delicious catered lunch on the Campus Green.

New graduate students enjoyed lunch on the Campus Green at the conclusion of the orientation program. Credit: Patricia Marroquin

"See your time here as a steppingstone to a productive professional life."
– Graduate Division Dean Carol Genetti

Jose Hernandez spoke of reaching for the stars in his Commencement address to UCSB School of Engineering graduates in June 2014. Credit: Mike EliasonCalifornia-born José Hernandez didn’t learn to speak English until he was 12 years old. Young José would travel throughout the state for nine months out of the year to farms, where he would work in the fields alongside his siblings and immigrant parents to pick strawberries, cherries, cucumbers, grapes, and tomatoes. In December 1972, a fascinated 10-year-old José sat in front of his family’s old black-and-white console TV to watch Apollo 17 Commander Eugene Cernan make the last walk on the moon. It was at that moment that José decided: “I want to be an astronaut.” Despite his determination and the excellent graduate engineering education he later received at UC Santa Barbara, NASA rejected him for the astronaut program 11 times. But Hernandez didn’t give up, and the 12th time was a charm. In his 40s, he was finally accepted into the program, and he reached his dream to fly in space as an astronaut.

The Stockton boy who overcame many challenges grew into an adult with numerous achievements to his name. Among them: At Lawrence Livermore Lab, Hernandez co-developed the first full-field digital mammography imaging system to aid in early detection of breast cancer. He founded his own engineering consulting firm, Tierra Luna Engineering. He created a nonprofit foundation that aims to ensure opportunities for children to pursue their educational and professional goals regardless of perceived obstacles. A San Jose middle school was named after him. He has received six honorary doctorate degrees. He was UCSB School of Engineering’s Commencement speaker in June 2014. And he has written a biography (no ghostwriter, he says; “I wrote every single word”) called “Reaching for the Stars,” which will be made into a movie next year directed by Alfonso Arau (“Like Water for Chocolate,” “A Walk in the Clouds”).

It is because of these achievements and others that the UC Santa Barbara Alumni Association has named Hernandez (M.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering, 1986) UCSB’s 2015 Distinguished Alumnus. Hernandez, 53, will be honored on Saturday, Oct. 24, at an awards luncheon in Corwin Pavilion.

The ceremony also will commemorate UCSB’s new designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). An HSI is a college or university in which Hispanic enrollment comprises a minimum of 25 percent of the total enrollment of undergraduate and graduate students. UCSB was named a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and is the only HSI that is also a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities.

Jose Hernandez tweets about the successful separation of the Mexican satellite from the rocket.“We are very excited to have José Hernandez return to campus to help us kick off the campaign to raise money for Dreamers’ scholarships,” George Thurlow, UCSB’s assistant vice chancellor for alumni affairs and executive director of UCSB’s alumni association, said an Office of Public Affairs and Communications news release. “José’s story is an inspirational one for all alumni and for all Californians. His work today with Latino youth is even more inspirational.”

Hernandez was at Cape Canaveral in Florida this week to assist his Tierra Luna Engineering client, Mexico, in the launch of its Boeing-made communications satellite aboard a Lockheed-made rocket. He took some time away from his duties (which included tweeting about the launch in both Spanish and English from his account, @Astro_Jose) for a phone interview with the GradPost. He spoke about the Distinguished Alumnus honor; the mammography technology he co-developed; his father’s winning “recipe”; how UC Santa Barbara prepared him for his career; what he thinks of space movies; which actress he would like to portray his wife in the upcoming film about his life; and more.

Jose Hernandez tweeted from Cape Canaveral at the launch of a Mexican communications satellite on Friday, Oct. 2.

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Hernandez called the Distinguished Alumnus award “a great honor.” Said the retired NASA astronaut: “I’m very happy, very humbled to be recognized in this fashion.”

The additional celebration of UCSB’s new designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution will make this occasion extra special for Hernandez.

“To be recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, you have to have a student body that’s 25 percent or more Hispanic,” he said. “And the fact that the school has reached that milestone is a great testament to the commitment that the university makes in its strategy to have a diversified population. The designation is a tangible metric that basically demonstrates the fact that the university is committed to diversity and is a welcoming institution for everybody. And so I’m very happy to be participating in the recognition of that milestone.”

Hernandez knows a thing or two about milestones. When he shared his dream of becoming an astronaut with his father, Salvador took José to the kitchen table, sat him down, and presented his five-ingredient recipe for success. That recipe was smart and sophisticated for a man with a third-grade education, and it came to serve José well.

The recipe: 1. Decide what you want to be in life. 2. Recognize how far you are from that goal. 3. Draw up a detailed roadmap of where you are and where you want to be. 4. Prepare yourself with the appropriate education, because “there’s no substitute for an education.” And 5. Develop a strong work ethic – the same strong work ethic that went into harvesting crops. “Always deliver more than what people ask of you,” Salvador told his son. 

NASA astronaut Jose HernandezHernandez has followed that recipe throughout his life. He realized that to become an astronaut would require an advanced engineering degree. So upon earning his bachelor’s degree at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, he chose to pursue his graduate studies at UC Santa Barbara after discovering that UCSB was among the Top 5 schools for electrical engineering.

His education at UCSB prepared him for his job afterward at Lawrence Livermore Lab.

“My undergraduate program at the University of the Pacific prepared me to be a good engineer in the sense of giving me the basic tools,” he said. But it was at UC Santa Barbara, he said, that he learned and honed skills in research.

“I got a great opportunity to do research at the graduate level at UCSB and that allowed me to become an even better engineer when I went to work for Lawrence Livermore Lab,” he said.

Hernandez said his acquired research skills “allowed me to flourish as an engineer.” He also attributed those skills “to being able to latch onto a project.” He did just that as one of the two investigators to develop what was then the first full-field digital mammography system for the early detection of breast cancer.

He said when he’s asked what is the proudest moment of his professional career, “a lot of people expect me to say being an astronaut and going into space.” But in reality, Hernandez said, it’s the mammography technology he co-developed. The system, he said, produced images far superior to the film screen technology that was being used then and opened up a new area of study called computer-aided diagnosis.

“So I have no doubt that the technology that we co-developed at Lawrence Livermore Lab has saved hundreds if not thousands of lives,” he added. “And I attribute a lot of that – the skills to be able to develop that – to the research skills that I acquired as a graduate student at UC Santa Barbara.”

Along with learning research skills at UCSB, Hernandez acquired writing skills. He wrote research reports and took technical writing courses. That skill has been put to use at Lawrence Livermore Lab, at NASA, and in his work as the author of his biography, “Reaching for the Stars.” He is proud to say that he had no ghostwriter and that he “wrote every single word.”

“They say engineers can’t write. But I was able to write that book,” he added.

The crew of the 2009 STS-128 mission on the shuttle Discovery. Jose Hernandez is second from left.The book details his life from the age of 6 on and includes, of course, his persistent efforts to get accepted into the astronaut program and his 14-day STS-128 mission into space aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 2009.

Hernandez says director Alfonso Arau picked up the option for his book and plans are to start shooting the film in April 2016.

Hernandez says he’ll be one of the executive producers of the movie and he will have a voice in who will play him and his wife, Adela.

Several actors and actresses are being discussed for those roles, he said. Hernandez said if he had his wish, his 12-year-old son, one of the Hernandezes’ five children, would play the role of José as a young boy. “He’s the spitting image of me at that age,” Hernandez said. Actor Michael Pena, who played the lead role in “Cesar Chavez,” is reportedly being considered for the role of Hernandez as an adult.

Hernandez said he jokingly told the producers that “if they get Eva Longoria to play my wife, I will be more than happy to take acting lessons and play myself. My wife didn’t appreciate that comment.”

We asked Hernandez what he thinks about space movies these days. Are they all entertainment and no reality?

“I think they’re fun entertainment,” he said. “I read the book, ‘The Martian,’ so I’m very excited to see the Matt Damon movie. Although movies are never as good as books. There are a lot of things that are left out. I’m afraid I’m not going to enjoy ‘The Martian’ as much as I enjoyed ‘Interstellar’ or ‘Gravity’ because I didn’t read those books.”

“Gravity,” he said, “was very unrealistic in what happened. The only thing they got right was the scenery. The scenery was exactly how I remembered it.” As for “Interstellar,” “It was even more unrealistic, but it makes you think about time travel, so I really enjoyed it,” Hernandez said.

“Any time we have the opportunity to expose the public to space and to space travel in a popular way, I think it’s very good,” the former astronaut said. “It informs the public about space exploration.”

And it just may inspire other 10-year-olds to dream of “reaching for the stars.”

***

The UC Santa Barbara 2015 Distinguished Alumnus award luncheon begins at noon on Oct. 24. The cost is $25 per person, and the public is welcome. For tickets or reservations, call Mary MacRae at 805-893-2957 or go to the Eventbrite page.

Jose Hernandez's Reaching for the Stars foundation helps children pursue their educational and professional goals.