Navigating the labyrinth of academia can be intimidating, especially when you feel like you don’t have a community on campus. This is especially true in the STEM fields. According to the National Science Foundation, in 2021, only about 16% of the STEM workforce identified as Hispanic or Native American.   

The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) aims to change that. A national organization with over 10,000 members, SACNAS seeks to foster the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in STEM fields, shepherding them from college through their careers with the hope of achieving true diversity that accurately reflects population demographics. 

“SACNAS is honestly, and I truly mean this in my heart of hearts, my family on campus,” said Jace Kuske, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Psychology and the graduate student representative of the Graduate Student and Postdoctoral SACNAS Chapter at UC Davis. 

Founded at the tail end of 2020, the SACNAS chapter at UC Davis was created to fill a growing cultural need for community during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kuske remembered talking to other graduate students then and learning they didn’t feel a part of the UC Davis community. They felt lonely and homesick, with some unable to find others who could relate to their upbringing or life experience.  

“People would come to SACNAS specifically to feel like they were a part of something bigger when they couldn’t find that in their home department,” Kuske said. “The university cannot do everything. They provide a lot of resources on their own, which is great and wonderful, but there’s just this space that seems to be lacking that we are doing our best to fill.”      

As classes returned to in-person, the chapter continued its outreach, community-building and mentorship efforts. As of August 2024, the chapter has 155 members spanning the biological sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, engineering, health sciences and psychology. The chapter creates a celebratory and welcoming space for students who are passionate about making science more inclusive, and the member base continues to grow, with more students resonating with the organization’s mission.

Members can participate in graduate student panels, K-12 and community college outreach efforts, career exploration panels and community-building and social events, among other activities. In fact, last year the chapter hosted the first ever Spanish/English Bilingual grad panel to meet the growing demand for equitable and accessible professional programming for Hispanic students.

“To have an event that’s clearly Spanish and English is really important for these students,” Kuske said. “We plan on working with the Cross Cultural Center at UC Davis to continue doing these events.”  

The UC Davis SACNAS chapter also runs a Graduate School Readiness Program that pairs “UC Davis undergraduates with professional students to help guide them through the entire application and interview process for their next steps in their educational journey,” Kuske said. Interested undergraduate students can apply to the program here, while interested graduate students can apply to be mentors here.

The chapter’s work on campus and in the community was recognized with the 2023 Role Model Chapter Award for “Outstanding STEM Diversity” by the national SACNAS organization.   

With the start of the new academic year, the organization is gearing up for upcoming events. 

On Saturday, Oct. 26, the group will travel to the Community Observatory in Placerville for an evening of stargazing. The trip is being funded by the UC Davis Health Education and Promotion.  

“That’ll be a fun nighttime event and hopefully, there will be some cool stuff happening in space that we’ll be able to see,” Kuske said. “Students who want a break from the work, lab or school are all invited to join us in learning about the great beyond.”  

On Friday, Nov. 8, the UC Davis SACNAS chapter will host a Community Potluck in Walker Hall from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

“It will be a potluck focused on celebrating the cultural diversity across campus and we are encouraging attendees to bring a cultural dish of their own,” Kuske said. 

To learn more about the Graduate Student and Postdoctoral SACNAS Chapter at UC Davis, contact the organization at gspdsacnas@ucdavis.edu and check out their Linktree for all their associated websites, social media pages and signup forms. 

Upcoming SACNAS Events & Signups 

• Interested in the Graduate Student Readiness program? Register as a mentor or mentee. 
• Register for the Stargazing Social on Saturday, Oct. 26.
• Register for the Community Potluck on Friday, Nov. 8 at Walker Hall.