Meet Lark From SURF L&S! | OURS Student Spotlight

Lark (they/them) | Spring ‘25 | Sociology and Art Practice Lark (they/them) is one of our SURF L&S participants and is currently double majoring in sociology and art practice. During their time in the program, they researched how Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) ballroom communities negotiate their racial and cultural identities regarding gender performances within the predominantly Black and Latine ballroom history and context. Lark is interested in the ways that gender is racialized so that the larger society can reimagine gendered structures, performances, and ways of being.   What was […]

Meet Raquel from UCDC! | OURS Student Spotlight

Raquel Lopez Blanco (she/her) Raquel (she/her) participated in our UCDC program in the Spring of 2024. During her time in UCDC, she interned with the American Bar Association’s Commission on Immigration, where she was able to better understand the immigration process through working directly with detainees. Her experience allowed her to develop her professional skills and future plans. How will the skills you developed through your internship help you achieve your academic and/or professional goals? During my time with the ABA, I worked one-on-one with detainees – guiding them through […]

Meet our Haas Scholars! | OURS Student Spotlight

Amber Griffin-Royal (she/her) | Haas Scholars Program | Summer ‘25 Amber is a Haas Scholar currently majoring in African-American studies and minoring in Journalism. During her time in the Haas Scholars program, she researched Oakland’s Black Soundscape, including the everyday sounds heard in Oakland neighborhoods, community events, and her own sonic memories growing up in Oakland. After graduating, Amber plans to take a gap year to rest from academia before applying to graduate school. During her break, she will focus on creating cultural productions that merge her professional skills as an […]

Celebrating National Transfer Student Week | OURS Student Spotlight

Chloe Ma (she/her) | SURF & URAP | Spring ’25 Chloe Ma is a transfer student from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is currently a double major in ethnic studies and sociology, and is interested in understanding how society functions and theorizing her personal experiences. She hopes to pursue a Ph.D. and work in academia. Chloe previously participated in URAP and is continuing her research in SURF L&S. For her SURF project and honors thesis, she is studying the experiences of undocumented Asian immigrants in higher education institutions. […]

Berkeley Talks: What is understanding? Berkeley scholars discuss

Professors in psychology, biology and ethnic studies broach this deep question as part of a series for the College of Letters and Science course, Research, Discovery and You. Listen to the episode and read the transcript on the UC Berkeley News article linked here. The podcast is available to stream on all platforms now! From left: Aileen Liu, director of Curricular Engagement Initiatives in L&S, facilitates a conversation with three UC Berkeley faculty — Hernan Garcia, an associate professor of molecular and cell biology and of physics; Christian Paiz, an […]

URAP Students Making it Happen!

Recent posts on URAP students and mentors! Click here for the link to the “Piecing together history: Student discoveries at The Bancroft Library’s Center for the Tebtunis Papyri provide a window into antiquity” Article Click here for the link to the “Arts & Humanities: Next Generation Internet Sustainability” Article

2024 OURS Research Programs Application Portal is Live!

The application cycle for 2024 is now open for the Haas Scholars Program, SURF L&S, and Rose Hills Summer Scholarships. Please review your eligibility for each program and the application materials prior to applying. Get support on your research proposal by attending a draft workshop, which are being offered throughout the month of February. Applications are due Friday, March 1, 2024, at 11:59 AM PST. Link to the application portal