The Yale Ciencia Initiative is an effort within the Yale School of Medicine’s Office of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to expand access to scientific knowledge, experiences, and careers among communities or populations traditionally underrepresented in, or underserved by, the scientific enterprise.
The Yale Ciencia Initiative leverages a collaboration with Ciencia Puerto Rico, a large and dynamic community of more than 15,000 Latino, students, educators, and professionals interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
The goals of the Yale Ciencia Initiative are to:
- Promote research and scholarship in the development and study of interventions that rely on role models and communities to enhance the engagement and participation of people from diverse backgrounds in STEM education and careers
- Establish collaborations with faculty and programs within Yale to increase recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups in STEM and to enhance outreach to Latino communities
- Serve as model to other communities who would like to emulate our science network approach and provide a home for the sharing of best practices in the development and implementation of culturally relevant science education and science networking efforts
We welcome collaborations with people at Yale, in New Haven, and across the world who are similarly interested in providing more equitable access to science knowledge and scientific careers.
We also hire bilingual/bicultural students from Yale University to support our programs.