Silvana (she/her) is a current PhD student entering her second year in the Chemistry and Biochemistry program at UCLA. Her research predominantly revolves around natural products involved in plant-fungal interactions, with the hope of understanding their mechanisms and applying them towards combating plant pathogens affecting crops. Growing up in Vermont, she was around farmland my whole life, so this subject is very close to the heart. Silvana was motivated to apply for the CDLS Fellowship to find a community that was as passionate about the environment as she is.

Juan Felipe (he/him) is pursuing a Ph.D. in Geography at UCLA, where he studies the politics of bioenergy generation and carbon management in post-conflict Colombia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and Anthropology from Wheaton College (MA), a Graduate Certificate in Development Management from Universidad de los Andes, and a master’s degree in Cultural Studies from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia. He has carried out research for the Climate and Community Project, where he studied Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and bioenergy generation. Before starting his Ph.D., he lived in Colombia, doing research on armed conflict, conservation, and environmental governance. Paralleling this work, he developed a career in the human rights field, working with environmental and women’s rights defenders at organizations such as Civil Rights Defenders and the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Joshua Orona is currently a second-year undergraduate student at UCR, majoring in Global Studies. Joshua’s aspiration is to work in the medical field as a doctor, where he can make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

Joshua’s desire to join the CDLS Fellowship stems from a deep-seated commitment to expanding his knowledge and contributing to society. Joshua is passionate about fighting for a better future for himself and future generations and aims to inspire others to realize that they too can make a meaningful impact. Through this fellowship, Joshua hopes to gain invaluable experiences and insights that will help him contribute meaningfully to ecosystem sustainability and explore strategies for enhancing environmental resilience in the face of climate change, ultimately influencing and inspiring others to work towards a brighter future.

Felicie Trebian (she/her) is a proud member of the Navajo Nation. She is currently based in Crownpoint, New Mexico where she is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems at Navajo Technical University.

Felicie’s academic journey and research are deeply rooted in enhancing cybersecurity measures and developing user-friendly security applications. Despite growing up in a small town on the Navajo reservation with limited access to STEM resources she always had a strong enthusiasm for technology and learning.

Felicie’s fascination with advanced technology she was exposed to fueled her ambition to establish her own computer security enterprise. The unwavering support and encouragement from her late father have been instrumental in developing her drive to pursue this path. One of the pivotal experiences in her journey was participating in the NNSA-MSIIP internship, a program offered by the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration for minority-serving institutions. Under the mentorship of Michelle Burke at Sandia National Laboratories, she conducted user experience research. Her work involved utilizing heuristic principles to enhance Sandia’s security website, conducting user interviews, gathering and analyzing survey data, and redesigning web pages. This internship honed her skills in organization and gave her a strong work ethic; reinforcing her passion for cybersecurity. 

Felicie was motivated to apply for the CDLS Fellowship because it represents an opportunity to further her education and make significant contributions to her community. Her goal is to continue research and projects in IT and cybersecurity, ultimately establishing a pathway for others with a strong interest in STEM. Her journey reflects resilience, commitment to meeting goals and a strong desire to create a positive impact in her community. Felicie’s story serves as a beacon of motivation for ambitious students, particularly those from marginalized communities.

Vanessa (she/her) is a PhD student in UCLA’s Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) department. She is currently using observational data to investigate the influence that dust, an efficient ice nucleating particle, has on the microphysical structure of clouds that contain ice crystals. As a first-generation student and woman of color, Vanessa is acutely aware of the challenges faced by individuals from historically excluded backgrounds in academia. These experiences motivated her to apply to the CDLS Climate Resilience Fellowship, aiming to support disadvantaged communities through education and outreach because knowledge is a powerful tool for empowerment and change. Thus, in the future, Vanessa aspires to eventually secure a faculty position where she can continue to conduct her research, develop curriculum that incorporates innovative pedagogical methods, and advise students from diverse backgrounds while fostering an inclusive and equitable atmosphere. By establishing supportive spaces and providing guidance, she hopes to help others navigate and succeed in their academic journeys.

Yongjia He (she/her) is a third-year PhD candidate at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA. She enjoys investigating molecular qubits for quantum information science and employing these quantum properties for future applications. Yongjia’s life-long goal is to tackle climate change with the help of quantum technologies. Therefore, she applied for the CDLS Climate Resilience Fellowship to learn more about the field and figure out what she can do to contribute to the community.

Tena Dhayalan (she/they) was born in San Diego, CA and currently resides in Northridge, CA. Tena is a first year Biology Master’s student at California State University, Northridge studying under Dr. Nyssa Silbiger and Dr. Casey terHorst.

Tena’s research is based in the California rocky intertidal, at the intersection of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Specifically, she studies the effects of warming and acidification on both the physiology and ecology of rocky intertidal foundation species.

The study organisms of California mussels and rockweed are habitat-forming species that facilitate other species by ameliorating the stressors of their extreme environments. However, these species are experiencing mass declines along our coast, affecting coastal ecosystems for marine organisms and humans alike.

Tena was motivated to become a CDLS Climate Resilience Fellow to apply her climate change-based work broadly and reach a diverse audience. Coastal ecosystems are incredibly important globally, and among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. She’s had the opportunity to bring in a diverse cohort of undergraduate students to gain research experience through her thesis, but she hopes to expand that even further through this program. Ultimately, Tena hopes to increase awareness about these vital coastal ecosystems and work with those who will be affected the most by climate change.