Johnny Bear Contreras can recall with perfect clarity the moment the world came to life for him. He was working high atop the mountains in the ski town of Mammoth Lakes. For weeks, the sky had been heavy with clouds, gray and unyielding.
Amber Martinez wants to lead the way for others to live authentically. A freshman at UC San Diego, her vision is to become a high school science teacher as well as serve as a role model for other transgender youth who are questioning their gender identity or expression.
Michaela Juels kept her emotions bottled inside. The UC San Diego senior recalls the pain of witnessing her mother suffering from mental illness, her lack of treatment options and the stigma her family experienced.
Writing was never a passion for Leonel Pérez Hernández—until he realized he didn’t want anyone else to tell his story. Born in Mexico and raised in Los Angeles, the UC San Diego senior has always held a desire to give back. For the past three years, he has been conducting independent research with…
They are probing the fundamental ideas of time, reimagining how energy can be stored and designing new ways to immerse audiences in theatrical performances. In the classroom, they look deeper into new forms of engagement and peer learning, flipping traditional teaching scripts.
When she is not journeying across the ocean, Jennifer MacKinnon is helping the Scripps Institution of Oceanography community navigate working relationships and mentoring underrepresented scientists. A professor and physical oceanographer, she serves as an unofficial ombudsman, listening compassionately…
It was a labor of love for Vanessa Teran. As an undergraduate at UC San Diego in the late 1990s, she was driven by a vision to create community for lesbian, gay and bisexual students at a time when a formal resource center did not yet exist.
Every love story is unique. And many of them begin right here at UC San Diego. This Valentine’s Day, we share the magical moments that brought together student, staff and alumni couples. From a first kiss under an iconic sculpture, to passing a phone number written on a napkin and a La Jolla Cove engagement,…
When a person is afflicted by a serious illness, certain existential questions often arise—from how medical treatments will affect the quality of life to what happens after death. For those seeking emotional and spiritual counsel during times of sickness, Allison Kestenbaum is there to connect, comfort…
As a freshman at Lincoln High School, Lizbeth Roman knew that she wanted to achieve more than a high school diploma. She participated in a college readiness program and worked hard to maintain top grades with the goal of becoming the first in her family to attend a university.