Two students and faculty member reading PCR film

UCLA values diversity and inclusivity because it enriches our work, fosters community and promotes excellence. Graduate Programs in Bioscience is committed to a collaborative and inclusive environment where students from diverse backgrounds are trained to thrive as leaders in the biomedical and life sciences regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, first-generation college student, immigration status, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Our programs celebrate the richness of our differences and commonalities, and provide opportunities and resources that encourage each individual to reach their potential.

UCLA offers funds to top candidates from varying cultural, racial, linguistic, geographic, educational, and socioeconomic backgrounds. For example, the Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship is a four-year fellowship program that supports entering PhD students interested in a teaching and research career at a college or university. Secondly, the UCLA Competitive Edge Program is an intensive six-week bridge program that funds newly admitted PhD students whose backgrounds are underrepresented in STEM doctoral programs.  Additionally, the Will Rogers Memorial Fellowship provides funding for students with physical disabilities. A comprehensive list of funding opportunities can be found at https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/. View our 2022 Diversity, Inclusion, Community and Excellence Newsletter, highlighting our Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship Recipients or past Diversity, Inclusion, Community, and Excellence Newsletters

(2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016).

Two students laughing at New Student Orientation Program

Graduate Programs in Bioscience provides advising and sponsorship for enrichment programs (listed below) that support current Ph.D. and MSTP students.  Furthermore, weekly drop-in advising sessions provide students the opportunity to discuss wide-ranging topics including, well-being, professional development, mentorship, inclusion and diversity.

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Enrichment Programs

Enrichment Programs

  • Grad School Hacks Workshops
    This workshop series is designed to assist incoming GPB students acclimate and thrive during the first year of their graduate programs. Through enriching academic experiences and guidance, these seminars provide students with strategies for effectively integrating into a PhD program, lab, and department; as well as a space for sharing experiences with peers and building community.
  • Entering Mentoring Training Program (EMT)
    EMT provides mentorship, leadership and diversity sensitivity training to graduate students and post-doctoral trainees.  The goals of the mentoring seminar are to guide mentors to 1) understand “scientific teaching” and apply it in mentoring, 2) build relationship based on trust and respect with a mentee and 3) build community with other mentors.
  • Scientific Excellence through Diversity Seminar (SEDS) Series
    The SEDS Series is student organized and it provides career development and informal networking opportunities to underrepresented groups on campus, bringing scientists and diversity associations at UCLA together to highlight and celebrate the importance of diversity in scientific excellence.
  • Association for Multi-Ethnic Bioscientists’ Advancement (AMEBA)
    Graduate Programs in Bioscience student initiated programing that aims to foster community and provide professional development and outreach opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds.
Graduate Programs in Bioscience AMEBA Cinco De Mayo Community Building Event
Graduate Programs in Bioscience AMEBA Cinco De Mayo Community Building Event
  • Black Scholars in Bioscience (BSB)
    Graduate Programs in Bioscience student initiated programming that aims to foster community, provide professional development, and outreach opportunities amongst postdoctoral Scholars, graduate students, and faculty.Black Scholars in Biscience group of students

In addition to these programs Graduate Programs in Biosciences works closely with student organizations including Advancing Women in Science and Engineering (AWiSE), Black Scholars in Bioscience, Organization for Cultural Diversity in Science (OCDS), Organization of African-American Students Excelling in STEM (OASES), and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) Chapter at UCLA to promote programs that encourage outreach and support inclusion and diversity.

Diversity Resources at UCLA

Diversity Resources at UCLA

The Graduate Programs in Bioscience has a Director for Inclusion, Dr. Diana Azurdia, who leads the strategic plan to enhance diversity in the biomedical graduate student population. Additionally, UCLA created the Chancellor’s ADA & 504 Compliance Office in order to coordinate and monitor campus compliance with requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the provisions of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Here is a link to get more information regarding the university’s resources for students with disabilities.

Below are some additional widely-used diversity resources for current and entering students; more resources are available on the UCLA Admissions Diversity page.