USD Magazine Summer 2015

TORERO  NEWS

Post-doctoral fellows Melanie Zauscher, PhD, (left) and Josen Diaz, PhD, (right) say that having mentors like Ethnic Studies Profes- sor Gail Perez, PhD, (center) has made their transition from student to teacher nearly seamless.

[ m u l t i p l i c i t y ] MIXING THINGS UP

Diversity Post-Doctoral Fel lowship brings new scholars to campus

says with a laugh. “These are great students, and I really enjoy interacting with them in the class- room and lab.” Her research involves atmospheric chemistry, “specifically brown carbon,” she explains. “We’re looking at ques- tions such as how does it form and how quickly? It’s related to climate change.” Much of Diaz’ work focuses on trans-nationalism. “I’m interest- ed in the way that the experi- ences of Filipino-Americans in the U.S. are related to global conditions,” she says. “My work has to do with the relationships and connections that immi- grants have to the Philippines. The notion of ‘home’ becomes complicated.” She says that her own Filipino background is defi- nitely a factor in her abiding interest in the subject, but adds that the enduring relationships and connections that U.S. immi- grants have beyond our borders translates to all sorts of other racial and ethnic categories. Assistant Dean Pauline Berry- man Powell, who co-chairs the Advisory Council alongside Puli- do, says that the benefit of these new post-docs to students is immediate. “I really like that these hires allow our students to be exposed to people from different ethnic backgrounds in the class- room,” she says. “It’s really about perspective, and diversifying not just the faculty, but the curricu- lum and the work that we do.”

NICK ABADILLA

by Julene Snyder n a thoughtful, concerted effort, the University of San Diego’s College of Arts and Science is working to affirmatively address areas where its faculty is lacking in terms of racial and ethnic diversity. “The dean’s idea, two years ago, was to establish a post-doc for those who’ve completed or are completing PhDs to do research and teach at USD,” explains Alberto Pulido, PhD, co-chair of Dean Noelle Norton’s Advisory Council on Faculty I

Diversity Recruitment and Reten- tion. “The goal is to bring diverse faculty here —who are under- represented in the college — and get to know them and let them get to know us, with the ultimate goal of hiring them.” “Supporting and recruiting a diverse faculty is a top priority for the college,” affirms Norton. “As a Catholic university, we need to uphold our commitment to diversity and address the needs of our increasingly com-

plex global society.” Candidate recruitment for three two-year fellowships resulted in 173 completed applications to vari- ous departments within the col- lege. Fellowships were ultimately offered to Josen Diaz, PhD in Ethnic Studies and Melanie Zauscher, PhD in Marine Sciences/Chemistry. Both are thrilled by the opportunity. “In fact, I’m jealous that I didn’t know about USD as an under- graduate student when I was looking for a program,” Zauscher

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USD MAGAZINE