Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

I was born and raised in Peru, where I started my research career in immunology. I pursued advanced training at Yale University, where I obtained a Ph.D. in Immunobiology. Throughout my career I have been fortunate to interact with and learn from people from many different backgrounds. These experiences have made me realize that diversity is what makes good ideas even better ones. From the multiple ways to increase diversity, I have focused primarily on mentoring. Through mentoring, I have tried to help younger students gain access to various resources to allow them to have a successful career in science.

During my undergrad, I mentored several students from multiple backgrounds, encouraging them to pursue science. My goal was to show them the opportunities available in science and the steps needed to pursue a scientific career. As a Ph.D. student, I co-founded "Serendipity: Scientific mentorship program", an initiative for Peruvian students aspiring to be scientists, helping them secure internships and grad school opportunities. I was also part of "Science Clubs Peru," offering science workshops to high school and undergraduate students. As a lead instructor in the "Yale Young Global Scholars" program in New Haven and Beijing, I refined my teaching skills and mentored international students from diverse backgrounds. To make science more accessible to Spanish speakers, I have presented my research in Spanish and started a YouTube channel. As a postdoc, I continued mentoring multiple graduate and undergraduate students guiding them in their paths in science. These experiences have helped me develop my mentoring philosophy, which I will employ in my laboratory, making sure to provide unique mentorship to each trainee.

In the Zegarra-Ruiz lab, I aim to foster diversity, provide equal opportunities, and support students' unique backgrounds to help them achieve their goals.

UVA Code of Ethics and Mission

Statement: https://www.virginia.edu/statementofpurpose
UVA Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights: https://eocr.virginia.edu/
ADA Coordinator: https://eocr.virginia.edu/ada-coordinator
Accessibility at UVA: https://accessibility.virginia.edu/
Title IX: https://eocr.virginia.edu/title-ix
UVA Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center: https://womenscenter.virginia.edu/
UVA LGBTQ Center: https://studentaffairs.virginia.edu/subsite/lgbtq
UVA Resources: https://staffsenate.virginia.edu/resources
UVA Benefits and Wellness Resources: https://hr.virginia.edu/benefits