Current Officers
Co-President: Raudel Covarrubias
Bio: Hi, my name is Raudel Covarrubias. I am from Watsonville, CA. I am the Co-President of UCSB’s oSTEM 2017-2018 chapter. My pronouns are he/him/they. I am senior majoring in Biology. My career goal is to work at a botany lab. Fun Fact: I have attended professional Yu-Gi-Oh competitions and I won!
Bio: Hi, my name is Raudel Covarrubias. I am from Watsonville, CA. I am the Co-President of UCSB’s oSTEM 2017-2018 chapter. My pronouns are he/him/they. I am senior majoring in Biology. My career goal is to work at a botany lab. Fun Fact: I have attended professional Yu-Gi-Oh competitions and I won!
Co-President: Syrian Truong
Bio: Hey everyone, my name is Syrian Truong, I’m gay, Nicaraguan and Vietnamese, my pronouns are he/him and they/them, one of the Co-Presidents of UCSB’s oSTEM chapter, and previously a transfer liaison. I’m graduating from UCSB in 2018 with a physics degree and I’ll also have my triple AS-T in biology, mathematics, and physics from Fresno City College. I work under Prof. Mark Srednicki and Dr. Keith Fratus doing research in computational condensed matter theory and statistical mechanics. In my freetime I enjoy eating, watching tv, and/or hanging out with my housemates.
Bio: Hey everyone, my name is Syrian Truong, I’m gay, Nicaraguan and Vietnamese, my pronouns are he/him and they/them, one of the Co-Presidents of UCSB’s oSTEM chapter, and previously a transfer liaison. I’m graduating from UCSB in 2018 with a physics degree and I’ll also have my triple AS-T in biology, mathematics, and physics from Fresno City College. I work under Prof. Mark Srednicki and Dr. Keith Fratus doing research in computational condensed matter theory and statistical mechanics. In my freetime I enjoy eating, watching tv, and/or hanging out with my housemates.
Vice President: Kevin Flores
Bio: Kevin is a fourth year cell and developmental biology major. He currently works in the Dahlquist lab at UCSB where he helps research chemotaxis mechanisms in e. coli. in addition to his role in ostem, Kevin writes for the science & tech column of the daily nexus and plays the violin in the UCSB pops orchestra. he hopes to attend medical school and become an obstetrician.
Bio: Kevin is a fourth year cell and developmental biology major. He currently works in the Dahlquist lab at UCSB where he helps research chemotaxis mechanisms in e. coli. in addition to his role in ostem, Kevin writes for the science & tech column of the daily nexus and plays the violin in the UCSB pops orchestra. he hopes to attend medical school and become an obstetrician.
Secretary: Gerardo "Jerry" Velasco
Bio: Gerardo “Jerry” Velasco is a first-generation queer Chicano third-year majoring in Biological Sciences. He is currently working for Housing and Residential Services, as well as the Information Desk at the University Center. Jerry loves meeting new people and exploring new places and ideas with others. Jerry has a passion for Biology, and enjoys observing nature. Apart from his position as Secretary for oSTEM, Jerry is deeply involved in the various communities around UCSB. Before he graduates, he hopes to conduct research and inspire others to live a life of unity and respect.
Bio: Gerardo “Jerry” Velasco is a first-generation queer Chicano third-year majoring in Biological Sciences. He is currently working for Housing and Residential Services, as well as the Information Desk at the University Center. Jerry loves meeting new people and exploring new places and ideas with others. Jerry has a passion for Biology, and enjoys observing nature. Apart from his position as Secretary for oSTEM, Jerry is deeply involved in the various communities around UCSB. Before he graduates, he hopes to conduct research and inspire others to live a life of unity and respect.
Fundraising Chair: Oscar Esparza
Bio: Hi, my name is Oscar Esparza. I am from Palm Springs, CA. I identify as gay and my pronouns are he/him/his. My major is sociology and a minors in education. My career goal is to become a school teacher and potentially become a principal. I love physical activities. I play soccer and volleyball. My fav color is green.
Bio: Hi, my name is Oscar Esparza. I am from Palm Springs, CA. I identify as gay and my pronouns are he/him/his. My major is sociology and a minors in education. My career goal is to become a school teacher and potentially become a principal. I love physical activities. I play soccer and volleyball. My fav color is green.
Project Manager: Marina Sigsworth
Bio: Marina Sigsworth is a fourth year Environmental Studies BS major with a background in chemistry. She eventually wants to be an environmental lawyer and run an animal sanctuary, but until then she plans to work in ecological restoration and/or habitat management. She enjoys reading, cooking and, when she isn't trying out new recipes while singing along to the High School Musical soundtracks, she engages in various forms of animal rights activism.
Bio: Marina Sigsworth is a fourth year Environmental Studies BS major with a background in chemistry. She eventually wants to be an environmental lawyer and run an animal sanctuary, but until then she plans to work in ecological restoration and/or habitat management. She enjoys reading, cooking and, when she isn't trying out new recipes while singing along to the High School Musical soundtracks, she engages in various forms of animal rights activism.
Public Relations Chair: Sophia Diaz
Bio: Hey, I’m Sophia! I’m from Roseville, CA. My pronouns are they/them. I’m the Public Relations Officer of UCSB’s oSTEM chapter. I’m a junior majoring in Mathematics and I hope to one day be a professor. Fun fact about me: I play the guitar, ukulele, and the piano!
Bio: Hey, I’m Sophia! I’m from Roseville, CA. My pronouns are they/them. I’m the Public Relations Officer of UCSB’s oSTEM chapter. I’m a junior majoring in Mathematics and I hope to one day be a professor. Fun fact about me: I play the guitar, ukulele, and the piano!
Treasurer: Ruby Peterson
Bio: Ruby Peterson is a biology major with an interest in plants and agriculture. She works in the D'Antonio Lab and the greenhouses on campus. She is passionate about sustainability and her cat Harley!
Bio: Ruby Peterson is a biology major with an interest in plants and agriculture. She works in the D'Antonio Lab and the greenhouses on campus. She is passionate about sustainability and her cat Harley!
Freshman-Sophmore Liaison: Diana Henderson
Bio: Diana is a second year Chemistry major from the San Fernando Valley. Her favorite things, aside from chemistry, are cats and books. Other than oSTEM, Diana plays the flute in the Pops Orchestra on campus. She hopes to do research one day but doesn't have her life together enough for that yet.
Bio: Diana is a second year Chemistry major from the San Fernando Valley. Her favorite things, aside from chemistry, are cats and books. Other than oSTEM, Diana plays the flute in the Pops Orchestra on campus. She hopes to do research one day but doesn't have her life together enough for that yet.
Junior-Senior Liaison: Nathaniel Reyes
Bio: My name is Nathaniel Reyes and I am a junior transfer CCS Biology student. Currently reeled into research regarding Disease Ecology. Proceeding undergraduate studies, I plan on conducting experiments between the co-invasion of marine microbes and their correlation to current disease outbreaks. My pronouns are He/his/him. I work at Peet’s Café and in my free time I like to dye my hair, do taxidermy (there’s a fox in my living room), and do my roommate pastime of eating and watching tv with my roommates.
Bio: My name is Nathaniel Reyes and I am a junior transfer CCS Biology student. Currently reeled into research regarding Disease Ecology. Proceeding undergraduate studies, I plan on conducting experiments between the co-invasion of marine microbes and their correlation to current disease outbreaks. My pronouns are He/his/him. I work at Peet’s Café and in my free time I like to dye my hair, do taxidermy (there’s a fox in my living room), and do my roommate pastime of eating and watching tv with my roommates.
Graduate Liaison: Soorya Gopalakrishnan
Bio: Soorya is a 4th year Electrical Engineering PhD student, working in the Wireless Comm. and Sensornets Lab at UCSB. In his free time he loves reading fantasy and science fiction novels and playing board games.
Bio: Soorya is a 4th year Electrical Engineering PhD student, working in the Wireless Comm. and Sensornets Lab at UCSB. In his free time he loves reading fantasy and science fiction novels and playing board games.
Advisor: Professor Omer Blaes
Bio: Omer Blaes is a Professor and former Chair of the UCSB Physics Department. He works in theoretical astrophysics, with a particular focus on dynamics and radiation processes in accretion flows onto black holes and other compact objects. His education and postdoctoral career took place in four countries (the UK, Italy, the US and Canada) before he joined the UCSB faculty in 1993. Professor Blaes is a happily married gay man, and strongly supports the fostering of an inclusive environment for all human beings in the sciences so that they may achieve their highest potential.
Bio: Omer Blaes is a Professor and former Chair of the UCSB Physics Department. He works in theoretical astrophysics, with a particular focus on dynamics and radiation processes in accretion flows onto black holes and other compact objects. His education and postdoctoral career took place in four countries (the UK, Italy, the US and Canada) before he joined the UCSB faculty in 1993. Professor Blaes is a happily married gay man, and strongly supports the fostering of an inclusive environment for all human beings in the sciences so that they may achieve their highest potential.
Officer Alumni
Co-President Alumni: Mel Kanne
Alumni Bio: Mel Kanne is a transgender junior Biology major, minoring in Spanish. He volunteers in the Collins lab, a biology lab at UCSB, where he studies the development of juvenile cabezon. There he helps to lead a project which aims to take care of larval cabezon until they reach one year of age. In his free time, Mel loves to listen to all kinds of music, fantasize about traveling the world one day, play sports and read. In the future, Mel hopes to join the Peace Corps and make a difference in the world. If you would like to hear more about Mel's transition (it's just the beginning) check out his blog under the name Sebastian Fawkes, click here.
Alumni Bio: Mel Kanne is a transgender junior Biology major, minoring in Spanish. He volunteers in the Collins lab, a biology lab at UCSB, where he studies the development of juvenile cabezon. There he helps to lead a project which aims to take care of larval cabezon until they reach one year of age. In his free time, Mel loves to listen to all kinds of music, fantasize about traveling the world one day, play sports and read. In the future, Mel hopes to join the Peace Corps and make a difference in the world. If you would like to hear more about Mel's transition (it's just the beginning) check out his blog under the name Sebastian Fawkes, click here.
Co-President Alumni: Chris Siefe
Alumni Bio: Chris Siefe is a gay junior Chemical Engineering major with tremendous passion for all aspects of STEM. He currently works with graduate student mentor Jose Navarrete in the Moskovits Group of UCSB's Chemistry Department, where he studies and works with surface plasmons and nanodevices. In addition to his roles with oSTEM, Chris is an avid member and officer of SACNAS; he has enjoyed engaging in the goals of both groups and meeting such friendly and talented individuals. Though he has no idea what he wants to pursue as a career, Chris is currently considering graduate school because of his love of research and plans to stay involved with organizations like oSTEM.
Alumni Update: Chris Siefe was one of the founders of the UCSB oSTEM Chapter and graduated in 2016 with a degree in Chemical Engineering! Long live the gay kraken!
Alumni Bio: Chris Siefe is a gay junior Chemical Engineering major with tremendous passion for all aspects of STEM. He currently works with graduate student mentor Jose Navarrete in the Moskovits Group of UCSB's Chemistry Department, where he studies and works with surface plasmons and nanodevices. In addition to his roles with oSTEM, Chris is an avid member and officer of SACNAS; he has enjoyed engaging in the goals of both groups and meeting such friendly and talented individuals. Though he has no idea what he wants to pursue as a career, Chris is currently considering graduate school because of his love of research and plans to stay involved with organizations like oSTEM.
Alumni Update: Chris Siefe was one of the founders of the UCSB oSTEM Chapter and graduated in 2016 with a degree in Chemical Engineering! Long live the gay kraken!
Vice President Alumni: Sarah B.
Alumni Bio: Sarah is a Biopsychology major at UCSB. She currently conducts research for a cognitive neuroscience lab on campus in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences exploring the psychophysiological correlates of mind-wandering. She loves cooking and playing with puppies. She also enjoys finding new music and marathoning her favorite TV shows. STEM: queers and science, what’s not to love?
Alumni Bio: Sarah is a Biopsychology major at UCSB. She currently conducts research for a cognitive neuroscience lab on campus in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences exploring the psychophysiological correlates of mind-wandering. She loves cooking and playing with puppies. She also enjoys finding new music and marathoning her favorite TV shows. STEM: queers and science, what’s not to love?
Secretary Alumni: Nedda Amini
Alumni Bio: Nedda Amini is a Computer Science and Art double major at the University of California, Santa Barbara. When she's not running around between the computer lab and the art studio, Nedda interns at Procore Technologies and is a part time DJ at KCSB. When she found out oSTEM was creating a chapter she immediately knew she had to be a part of the perfect union of queer identity and STEM passions. When she has free time, Nedda loves reading fiction and comic books, hanging out with friends, and sleeping.
Alumni Bio: Nedda Amini is a Computer Science and Art double major at the University of California, Santa Barbara. When she's not running around between the computer lab and the art studio, Nedda interns at Procore Technologies and is a part time DJ at KCSB. When she found out oSTEM was creating a chapter she immediately knew she had to be a part of the perfect union of queer identity and STEM passions. When she has free time, Nedda loves reading fiction and comic books, hanging out with friends, and sleeping.
Secretary Alumni: J Steven Raquel
Alumni Bio: J Steven Raquel is a Statistics undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara, set to graduate in spring of 2018. He splits his time between his statistics classes and studying programming, in pursuit of becoming a data scientist. Once a data intern at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, he is now a volunteer DJ for 91.9 KCSB-FM, the university radio station. A scholar of Spanish and Portuguese, he aspires to travel to both Europe and Latin America someday.
Alumni Bio: J Steven Raquel is a Statistics undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara, set to graduate in spring of 2018. He splits his time between his statistics classes and studying programming, in pursuit of becoming a data scientist. Once a data intern at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, he is now a volunteer DJ for 91.9 KCSB-FM, the university radio station. A scholar of Spanish and Portuguese, he aspires to travel to both Europe and Latin America someday.
Project Manager Alumni: Adam Melgoza
Alumni Bio: Adam Melgoza is a junior majoring in Biochemical Molecular Biology and minoring in Spanish. He currently volunteers at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, the RCSGD, and is on the executive board of la Familia de Colores. After being pre-med for a year, Adam has realized that he wants to pursue graduate school due to his passion for the science side of medicine, as opposed to clinical care. In his spare time he enjoys the beach, puppies, Netflix, and nerding out with his favorite STEM queers.
Alumni Bio: Adam Melgoza is a junior majoring in Biochemical Molecular Biology and minoring in Spanish. He currently volunteers at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, the RCSGD, and is on the executive board of la Familia de Colores. After being pre-med for a year, Adam has realized that he wants to pursue graduate school due to his passion for the science side of medicine, as opposed to clinical care. In his spare time he enjoys the beach, puppies, Netflix, and nerding out with his favorite STEM queers.
Project Manager & Senior Advisor Alumni: Sam Alcantar
Alumni Bio/Update: Hey there, I am Sam Alcantar. I majored in Chemistry at UCSB Class of 2016 and was a former Project Manager for oSTEM. I currently work in an analytical laboratory that focuses on the standardized testing of cannabis and cannabis products where I process samples for residual pesticides. Fun fact: I have volunteered as a MESA competitions judge for the last 7 years.
Alumni Bio/Update: Hey there, I am Sam Alcantar. I majored in Chemistry at UCSB Class of 2016 and was a former Project Manager for oSTEM. I currently work in an analytical laboratory that focuses on the standardized testing of cannabis and cannabis products where I process samples for residual pesticides. Fun fact: I have volunteered as a MESA competitions judge for the last 7 years.
Public Relations Chair Alumni: Patricio A.
Alumni Bio: Patricio is a third year Pre-Molecular Biology student at UCSB, as well as the Public Relations officer of oSTEM on campus. Whenever he isn't busy with scholastic pursuits, Patricio spends his time thinking about and enjoying the world and people that surround him in all forms, truly believing that learning is a continuous function. Participating fervently in music, he has been a member of the UCSB Jazz Ensemble and performs at retirement homes and homeless shelters across Santa Barbara as a part of Medical Music, even performing for various on and off campus organizations. But of course, his passion lies in biochemistry, a subject which he adamantly pursues on his own time, and which he hopes to fulfill through university level research in time soon to come.
Alumni Bio: Patricio is a third year Pre-Molecular Biology student at UCSB, as well as the Public Relations officer of oSTEM on campus. Whenever he isn't busy with scholastic pursuits, Patricio spends his time thinking about and enjoying the world and people that surround him in all forms, truly believing that learning is a continuous function. Participating fervently in music, he has been a member of the UCSB Jazz Ensemble and performs at retirement homes and homeless shelters across Santa Barbara as a part of Medical Music, even performing for various on and off campus organizations. But of course, his passion lies in biochemistry, a subject which he adamantly pursues on his own time, and which he hopes to fulfill through university level research in time soon to come.
Co-Treasurer Alumni: Brandon Chacon
Alumni Bio: Brandon is a 4th year Cell and Developmental Biology major at UCSB and the Co-Treasurer of oSTEM. Having worked for RHA for two years, he now spends his time hospital volunteering and seeking research opportunities on-campus. He'll always be down to chat, battle you on the tennis court, or try a new recipe. On quieter days he enjoys a good book, plays cello and dreams of world travel. He hopes to attend graduate school and pursue a career in Regenerative Medicine, assuming that wanderlust doesn't take him too far away!
Alumni Bio: Brandon is a 4th year Cell and Developmental Biology major at UCSB and the Co-Treasurer of oSTEM. Having worked for RHA for two years, he now spends his time hospital volunteering and seeking research opportunities on-campus. He'll always be down to chat, battle you on the tennis court, or try a new recipe. On quieter days he enjoys a good book, plays cello and dreams of world travel. He hopes to attend graduate school and pursue a career in Regenerative Medicine, assuming that wanderlust doesn't take him too far away!
