AMEBA: The Association for Multi-Ethnic Bioscientists' Advancement
I joined AMEBA in 2020 and since then have served as Co-Chief Administrative Officer (2021-22, 2024-25) and Co-President (2022-24). AMEBA is dedicated to supporting post-undergraduate level researchers at UCLA through community-building efforts, holding outreach events, offering professional development opportunities, and supporting mental wellness series.
Notable events include: Annual Demystifying the Oral Qualifying Exam, Friendsgiving, First Friday Coffee Hours, Journey Talk seminars, participation in Explore Your Universe, and more.
2022-2023 AMEBA Board Members
Teaching children for Meet-A-Scientist Day
Making slides to look at cheek cells
Introducing microscropy
Heart of Los Angeles and "Your Neighbors, the Birds!"
As part of a larger effort, I, in partnership with graduate students Ellie Diamant and Sara Freimuth, developed an afterschool program called "Your Neighbors, The Birds" held at Heart of Los Angeles (HoLA). This is a weekly 1-hour class with activities designed to help children learn about bird biology. Classes focus on the inclusion of local bird species to explore concepts ranging from identification, bird anatomy, behaviors, and conservation.
The first set of students to complete the "Your Neighbors, The Birds" class!
Learning how to use binoculars.
Seeing the local birds at MacArthur Park.
Mentoring is the most direct source of change. Students will develop a living compact to set expectations and guidelines for both mentor and mentee. These, along with regular communication, are necessary to ensure students have the support they need regardless of their ultimate career and personal goals. Previous students have moved on to pursue careers in industry, academia, medical fields, and veterinary fields.
Previous Students:
Lillian Ma
Lillian Ma was one of my undergrad co-first authors. While she is pursuing a veterinary career as a studen at the University of Pennsylvania, she has an affinity for research and coding that have made her vital for many projects.
Sara Lim
Sara Lim was my other undergrad co-first author. Her naturalist tendencies made her a stand-out for fieldwork and research. She is continuing to pursue a medical degree.
Austin Aguirre
Austin Aguirre was one of my undergrads at UCLA. His work and dedication landed him many grants and fellowships and he's continuing his research at a post-bacc program in New York.
Kayla Law
Kayla Law was my mentee for the 2023 Bruins-in-Genomics program. She has continued new research projects since and is currently working as a Research Administrative Assistant in the clinical trial program at UCLA Health.
Vivian Leung
Vivian was also my mentee for the 2023 Bruins-in-Genomics program. She is currently currently pursuing her dream of becoming a physician as a medical student at Rocky Vista University.
The Lab at Large
My research is only possible thanks to the amazing work of many students. Whether they join for a summer or their entire undergrad degree, their work helps support my research.