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Good morning!Happy October! It's hard to believe we're in the fifth week of classes already; we hope you've been taking care of yourselves amidst all your midterms and classwork.
As always, there's a ton of scholarship, research, and internship opportunities at the end of the newsletter (plus a fun GIF), so make sure to read all the way through!
- The CSD Team
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| Table of Contents1. Student Highlight
2. CSD Programs and Updates
3. Events and Flyers
4. Research, Internship, and Volunteer Opportunities
5. CSD Staff Bios
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Omar Da'darah
Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2026
LSAMP, STEM Ambassadors
What's a recent achievement you're proud of?
I'm incredibly proud of my recent group publication titled "Set Up and Utilization of a Three-Dimensional In Vitro Bioreactor System for Human Intestinal Studies and Microbial Co-Cultures." This work represents the culmination of over a year of dedicated research in the Kaplan Lab's Intestinal Tissue Engineering Group. Over the past summer, I had the chance to work full-time in the lab, focusing on a project that investigates the interactions between human induced pluripotent neural stem cells (hiNSCs) and Caco-2 cells in a simulated intestinal environment. I used a 3D scaffold model mimicking the human intestine to study gut-brain interactions. This hands-on experience allowed me to gain lots of valuable lab skills and really deepened my understanding of tissue engineering. Plus, it reinforced my passion for research!
I also wanted to shout out a travel experience I participated in during last year's spring break. I had the opportunity to travel to Monte Cristi in the Dominican Republic through Timmy Global Health as part of a medical service brigade. It was such a fulfilling and eye-opening experience. I immersed myself in a new culture and setting, and it felt incredibly rewarding to interact with and make an impact in the local host communities.
What would you tell your first-year self?
Knowing what I know now, I would tell my first-year self to fully take advantage of the resources and opportunities available at Tufts. Whether it’s research opportunities, travel programs, or club participation, dive in! Don’t hesitate to seek out and utilize the support systems already in place, such as academic advising, academic support resources, or research opportunities. Never be afraid to ask for help early on; there are so many people at Tufts who are eager to mentor and support you on your journey. They want to see you thrive, so don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, upperclassmen, and mentors for advice. Also, embrace new experiences and step out of your comfort zone. Trying new experiences can lead to unexpected and valuable opportunities. Don't be too hard on yourself if you encounter challenges or setbacks, and don't worry about every tiny detail. It will all work out and fall into place in the end.
Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or want any advice about anything, and I would be so happy to help!
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Want to be our Student Highlight?Nominate yourself or a fellow peer to be our Student Highlight! Write two paragraphs about the student’s accomplishment(s) and why you think this person should be student of the month. Email your nominations to stemdiversity@tufts.edu with the subject line: Student Highlight.
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CSD Lending Library
Want to check out a textbook for free? The CSD has a library full of books you can check out for the semester! You can peruse the list below, and please contact Grace Melo at grace.melo@tufts.edu with any questions. You can pick up your textbook this week with a CSD staff member or designate a specific pick-up time with Grace Melo.
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Let's Talk: CMHS Drop In Hours
Wednesdays | 11AM - 12PM (flyer has incorrect time listed) | CSD Basement
Stop by the CSD on the second Wednesday of the month to talk with CMHS counselor Taka Watanabe!
Let's Talk is an easy, low-committment way to speak to a CMHS counselor about challenges in your life. Individual drop-ins are 15 to 20 minutes, and you can talk about specific problems, brainstorm solutions, and consider next steps.
Learn more information at the CMHS website here.
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STEM Ambassadors
The STEM Ambassadors are starting their class visits next week, where they'll be presenting to 9th - 10th grade science classes and encouraging students to pursue STEM! Follow along on our Instagram stories every Friday to see what the Ambassadors are getting up to!
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BEST: 15 Years of Being BEST
Bridge to Engineering Success at Tufts
The BEST program celebrated its15-year anniversary during the Homecoming. It was a heartwarming event that brought together past and current BEST scholars, mentors, and supporters to reflect on the program’s growth and impact over the years. Alumni shared their stories of how the BEST program helped shape their careers, build lasting networks, and provide invaluable skills for personal and professional development and success.
As we look forward to the next 15 years, we remain committed to empowering future leaders and fostering a community of lifelong learners. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this incredible journey!
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RISE Seminar
RISE Scholars did a library tour with wonderful librarians Joanna and Gabby and attended a presentation on how to use the available library resources (pictured above).
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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
You are invited to set up a time to meet with our Diversity Program administrators, Simone Nicholson and Kasandra Yee, and Mafalda Gueta, Associate Director of Diversity & Inclusion Programs, at the links below to discuss how they can best support you. They are open to meeting in person or virtually.
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New CSD Mural: Keep Dreaming of the Future
Painted by artist Angela Krieg (she/they), the initial sketches were created by Tufts graduates, Anushka Chadha and Isabel Hansmann, who wanted to capture the idea of nature and technology working together in harmony.
Krieg added their own whimsical touch, mainly fun forest mushrooms and a cyberpunk theme, and finished the mural this summer. Krieg felt, “As a neurodivergent individual, this project was very personal to me and my own lived experience.”
Follow them at their Instagram @akriegstudio and check out their art at local markets!
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Election Day
Tuesday, November 5
Are you ready to make your voice heard? Explore election resources and tools to register to vote, request your absentee ballot, view state deadlines, sign up for free election text reminders, learn more about this year’s elections, get involved with JumboVote, and more.
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Project Connect
Sponsored by Residential Life and Counseling and Mental Health Service
Project Connect is a peer-facilitated program to help build social connection and community on campus. Students get to know a small group of 4-6 peers over the course of six 1-hour sessions. We'll offer a mix of virtual and in-person groups, where you'll get to respond to a series of fun and thought-provoking questions and engage in a small connection project.
This is not a counseling or therapeutic program. Space is limited.
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CMHS Groups: Fall 2024
CMHS (Counseling and Mental Health Services) offers a variety of confidential therapy groups and workshops that are free and open to undergrad and grad students! You can participate in multiple groups and workshops each semester.
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| | Research, Internship, Scholarship, and Volunteer Opportunities
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All opportunities are listed in order of their deadline.
- Register for the College Diversity Network Virtual Career Fair happening on Wednesday, October 2 from 3-6PM EST. You can find internships and entry level positions at this free fair! Find more information about College Diversity Network (CDN) and the Career Fair at this flyer. Register for the event here.
- Attend the Job & Internship Search Strategy virtual workshop on Thursday, October 3 from 1-2PM EST. You can find more information on Handshake, join the Zoom here, and view the presentation recording on the Tufts Career Center YouTube page.
- Attend Bristol Myers Squibb Women in Engineering Day, an event to build connections with young women in the New England area who are interested in pursuing a career in chemical or bioprocess (or related) engineering. It will be held in-person at BMS in Devens, MA on Monday, November 11 from 8:30AM to 4:30PM. Transportation will be provided.
If interested, please email sehba.hasan@tutfs.edu by October 3.
- Apply to Project Onramp, a paid internship program for underrepresented students in Life Sciences for Summer 2025. Learn more information here, and attend the information session on October 18 from 1-2PM in Dowling Hall; register on Handshake here.
- The Volpe Center, a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is the preeminent transportation systems research center; their core mission is to advance transportation innovation for the public good. Learn about paid internships and student employment opportunities in an online info session on October 22 from 12-1PM. Find more information and register here.
- Want to attend graduate school for free? Apply to the GEM GRAD Lab! Learn more from this flyer, and register for their information sessions at Northeastern on October 25-26 here. Applications close November 8.
- Apply to HackDiversity's Fellowship for Summer 2025! You'll be placed with a company in NYC or Boston, and the internship could lead to a full-time job. Learn more information here and check out when they're having info sessions here; there's one on September 17! Applications close November 15.
- Break Through Tech AI is a free, 1-year extracurricular program at MIT that helps undergraduate women and non-binary students, especially women of color, obtain the skills and experiences they need to launch their careers in machine learning and AI when they graduate.
- Read EduMed's online guide on how minority healthcare students can excel in healthcare fields! Find more information about scholarships here and read about EduMed here.
- Check out undergraduate scholarship and research opportunities from the Chemistry department here.
- Building Audacity is looking for volunteer drivers and food packers to help distribute groceries to over 500 food-insecure families throughout Greater Boston. To learn more email foodjustice@buildingaudacity.org and join the volunteer email list at bit.ly/BAVolunteerSignUp.
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Dr. Grace CaldaraDirector of the CSD | she/her/hers
Dr. Caldara is from upstate New York and holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of California, Irvine. She previously worked at Supermajority and Pantsuit Nation Foundation leading national leadership trainings, and developing diversity training for online communities. In her downtime she loves to spend time with her family and read.
As Director of the CSD, she works to support the CSD staff, all programmatic work of the center and co-teaches the RISE Seminar.
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Grace MeloAdministrative Coordinator | she/her/hers
From Malden, MA, Grace graduated Boston University with a degree in Special Education: Disability Studies. As the Administrative Coordinator for DSDI, Grace helps support the eight identity centers, but specifically shares her time with the CSD.
Outside of Tufts, Grace's enjoys making flan, sewing, and at the moment, watching Ugly Betty.
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Kasandra Yee Diversity Program Administrator | she/her/hers
Kasandra is passionate about diversity & inclusion in STEM education. Prior to her role at Tufts, she was an electrical engineer at Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, MA. At Draper, she co-founded the Asian Pacific American employee resource group (ERG) and co-led the LGBTQIA+ ERG.
She received her Master’s degree in Learning Experience Design and Technology at Northeastern University in 2023. By joining Tufts in Winter 2024, Kasandra will apply her interest in the learning sciences and experience in organizational planning to implementing diversity & inclusion best practices. Kasandra works directly with students and faculty of the Tufts Gordon Institute, Derby Entrepreneurship Center, Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering department.
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Mafalda Gueta Associate Director of Diversity & Inclusion Programs | he/him/his
Mafalda earned his BA in Liberal Arts from the University of California, Riverside followed by a Master of Education degree in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University. He is currently a candidate for a Master of Arts in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Leadership program here at Tufts.
As an Associate Director, Mafalda currently works to support Mechanical Engineering and Civil & Environmental Engineering towards building an accessible, inclusive and diverse culture within each department by partnering directly with faculty. From talking to students to learn more about their experiences in the department, to training faculty and adapting curriculum, Mafalda works to make sure students feel safe and successful while at Tufts.
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Simone Nicholson Diversity and Inclusion Program Administrator | she/her/hers
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Simone Nicholson completed her bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina A&T State University. Currently, she is a third year Engineering and Computing Education Doctoral Student with a minor in women and gender studies.
In her role as a DIPA, she supports students, faculty, and staff within the CS and ECE departments with diversity, equity, and inclusion related areas through programs, trainings, personalized learning needs, etc.
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Sehba Hasan Associate Director of the CSD | she/her/hers
Sehba is an Electronics and Telecommunications Engineer, hailing from Maharashtra, India. She did her MBA in Management here in the US. Coming from a culturally rich and diverse landscape of India, Sehba has found inspiration in her background to contribute meaningfully to the DEIJ work.
In her role at the CSD, she is dedicated to supporting and championing the cause of underrepresented minorities, BIPOC communities, low-income, and first-generation students across various majors within the School of Engineering and Arts and Science. She is involved in co-teaching the RISE seminar class and oversees the management of the BEST program, among other responsibilities.
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Sophia Hamdan Program Administrator | she/her/hers
Originally from Leesburg, Virginia, Sophia earned her Bachelor's degree in English and Philosophy from the University of Mary Washington, a Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from Boston College, and a second Master's degree in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Leadership from Tufts.
In her role as Program Administrator, she advises the STEM Ambassadors program, supports the BEST Summer Program, serves as an academic advisor, writes the CSD's monthly newsletter, and collaborates with colleagues on and off campus to support all the incredible students at Tufts.
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