Alejandra Jaramillo. Photo by George Foulsham, Office of Public AffairsUCSB grad student Alejandra Jaramillo is able to fund some of her important Ph.D. research as a result of being awarded a prestigious fellowship with the UNESCO-L'Oréal Fellowships for Young Women in Life Sciences for 2011.
Panama-born Jaramillo, who studies in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, is in some exclusive company. She is one of only 15 recipients from throughout the world to receive the honor and was chosen from a pool of 1,000 applicants.
She is the first UNESCO-L'Oréal Fellow from UCSB and only the fourth at any campus in the UC system.
The fellowships, which include $40,000 over two years, help to boost promising research in the life sciences.
"My research focuses on understanding how parasites mediate selection on the immune system of fish," Jaramillo said in a UCSB Office of Public Affairs press release. "I hope my research helps us improve our understanding of parasite-host dynamics, as well as gain some new insights into the ecology of diseases."
She added: "This award will help me complete my Ph.D. research. In addition, L'Oréal and UNESCO have done an excellent job of creating a worldwide network of women scientists. This type of community is especially important for young women in science as it promotes collaborations and provides important opportunities for mentorship."
For more information, read the Public Affairs press release.