EJIE Associate Deans
In collaboration with Chancellor Muñoz, the EJIE Associate Deans are champions within their schools to promote and seek implementation of climate-improving practices to advance DEI goals outlined in each school’s strategic plan. The EJIE Associate Deans work closely with the Division of Equity, Justice, and Inclusive Excellence and the School Deans to provide EJIE – related information and toolkits for groups responsible for graduate programs, curriculum development and assessment, faculty tenure and promotion, and faculty and staff hiring. They provide support in addressing EJIE concerns within the schools and work collectively with the leadership team to advance EJIE initiatives.
Marcos E. García-Ojeda, PhD
As a founding faculty, Dr. García-Ojeda, started at UC Merced in 2006. Dr. García-Ojeda's commitment to EJIE is exemplified by their work as Co-PI on UC Merced's HHMI Inclusive Excellence Grant, fomenting institutional change in the School of Natural Sciences, as well as co-developing the GEEC's EJIE working group. Dr. García-Ojeda earned a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University in 2022, giving them the tools to address institutional challenges related to EJIE.
Michele Nishiguchi, PhD
Dr. Nishiguchi brings a wealth of experiencedirecting both Undergraduate and Graduate Research Training Initiatives for Student Enhancement (URISE@UCM, RISE to the Postdoctorate at New Mexico State), faculty mentor for MARC (Maximizing Access to Research Careers) and BRIDGES to NativeAmericans programs. She is on the leadership team for broadening participation in the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (President-elect). She is currently serves as Faculty Equity Advisor.
Néstor Oviedo, DVM PhD
Dr. Oviedo is founding member of the Inclusion and Outreach Committee of the Society for Developmental Biology. He is an Associate Member of the Minority Affairs Committee, American Society for Cell Biology and a Senate member Committee in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Faculty Welfare and Academic Freedom UCM. He also served as Faculty Equity Advisor.
