Evelyn Valdez-Ward – Wikipedia

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Scientist and immigration activist

Evelyn Valdez-Ward is a scientist, science communicator, and immigration activist living in the US. She is known for her activism related to DACA as a formerly undocumented scientist.[1][2][3]

Valdez-Ward speaking at the March for Science

Education[edit]

Dr. Valdez-Ward is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Rhode Island. Valdez-Ward obtained her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine, in 2022.[2][4][5] Her doctoral dissertation research was focused on the impact of California’s drought on interactions between plants and their soil microbes.[6] Valdez-Ward also investigates science communication in marginalized communities.

Scientific career[edit]

Valdez-Ward is a founder of Reclaiming STEM, a science communication workshop series aimed at underrepresented minorities in STEM.[7][8] The goal of the workshops is to help scientists learn to use STEM for social justice.[7][9] This workshop series was partially funded by a grant from the American Geophysical Union.[8]

Valdez-Ward was also a speaker at the 2018 March for Science in Washington, D.C.

Immigration Activism[edit]

Valdez-Ward advocates for DACA and improved rights for undocumented people in the US, especially scientists.[2][10] She is a DACA recipient and was born in Mexico City.[1][11] She learned that she was undocumented while applying for college.[12][6] As a graduate student at the University of California, she was one of 10 UC students and alumni who were featured in a documentary about being undocumented, which was part of a federal lawsuit to maintain DACA.[12] She argues that DACA and immigration are science issues.[1] In January 2020, Valdez-Ward became a legal permanent resident.[13]

In 2018, she was named a Science Defender by the Union of Concerned Scientists because of her activism.[4]

Honors and awards[edit]

  • Dynamic Womxn’s Award for Outstanding Social Justice Activist, UC Irvine, 2018[14]
  • Science Defender, Union of Concerned Scientists, 2018[4]
  • Annual List Of 50 Fixers, 2020 Grist 50 [15]
  • Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, 2017

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Valdez-Ward, Evelyn (2017). “I’m an undocumented scientist fighting for my Dream”. Science. doi:10.1126/science.caredit.aar4457. ISSN 0036-8075.
  2. ^ a b c Woolston, Chris (2018). “US immigration fight heightens legal limbo for young ‘Dreamer’ scientists”. Nature. 553 (7688): 258–259. Bibcode:2018Natur.553..258W. doi:10.1038/d41586-018-00489-5. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 29345651.
  3. ^ Valdez-Ward (She/Ella), Evelyn (2020-02-11). “As a new permanent resident, I will no longer be speaking about the undocu experience. It’s not my space anymore. We all have to be aware of our privileges…” Twitter. Retrieved 2020-02-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b c “Announcing the 2018 UCS Science Defenders”. Union of Concerned Scientists. December 6, 2018. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  5. ^ “People”. faculty.sites.uci.edu. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  6. ^ a b “Evelyn Valdez-Ward: An Undocumented Scientist”, soundcloud, retrieved 2019-11-08
  7. ^ a b “ReclaimingSTEM (@Reclaiming_STEM)”. twitter.com. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  8. ^ a b “Celebrate 100 Grants Archives”. AGU Centennial. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  9. ^ Danielle Hoefelle (24 October 2019). “Science Writers and Communicators of Canada – Reclaiming STEM: Minority scientists are doing a lot of work, and we are tired”. sciencewriters.ca. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  10. ^ Valdez-Ward, Evelyn (December 12, 2018). “The End of DACA Would Be a Blow to Science”. Scientific American Blog Network. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  11. ^ “A Dreamer’s Tale: Soil Microbes, Climate Change, and Being an Undocumented Scientist”. Union of Concerned Scientists. December 11, 2018. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  12. ^ a b McMillan, Carolyn (November 2, 2017). “Aspirations on hold, UC students await court ruling on DACA”. University of California. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  13. ^ Valdez-Ward (She/Ella), Evelyn (2020-01-13). “I’m a US Resident y’all! I just had my interview this morning & got approved!! My journey in STEM is about to change pic.twitter.com/RpPckSd5lD”. @wardofplants. Retrieved 2020-02-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ “EVELYN VALDEZ-WARD”. EVELYN VALDEZ-WARD. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  15. ^ “Grist Announces Annual List Of 50 Fixers”. news.yahoo.com. March 10, 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links[edit]

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