President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Recipients 2007– 2008

Arts & Humanities

Christine Balance

 Education: B.A., University of California, Berkeley, Ethnic Studies; M.A., New York University, Performance Studies; Ph.D., New York University, Performance Studies

Dissertation: Intimate Acts, Martial Cultures: Performance and Belonging in Filipino America

Thesis Advisor: José Esteban Munoz, Professor and Chair of Performing Arts, New York University

Research Topic: Intimacy, Deviance, and Belonging in Filipino/Filipino American Performance and Culture; Asian Americans and War; Race, Gender, and American Popular Culture

Mentor: Deborah Wong, Professor of Music, University of California, Riverside

Web Site: http://www.music.ucr.edu/people/faculty/balance/index.html

Aisha Finch

Education: B.A., Brown University, English and Afro-American Studies; M.A., New York University, History; Ph.D., New York University, History

Dissertation: Insurgency at the Crossroads: Cuban Slaves and the Conspiracy of La Escalera, 1841-44

Thesis Advisor: Ada Ferrer, Professor of History, New York University

Research Topic: Slave Resistance and Freedom, Race and Identity in the African Diaspora, Women and Gender, Slavery in Cuba

Mentor: Brenda Stevenson, Professor of History, University of California, Los Angeles

Lachelle Hannickel

 Education: B.A., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Liberal Studies; M.A., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Education; M.A., University of California, Santa Barbara, French; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara, French

Dissertation: From Cultural Transgressions to Literary Transformations: Recasting Feminine Archetypes in French Caribbean Women's Autobiography

Thesis Advisor: Eric Prieto, Professor of French and Italian, University of California, Santa Barbara

Research Topic: Daring Domestics: Serving and Renegotiating National Identity in France and the United States

Mentor: Jacqueline Bobo, Professor of Women's Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara

Brian Klopotek

Education: B.A., Yale University, Anthropology; Ph.D, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, American Studies

Dissertation: The Long Outwaiting: Federal Recognition Policy in Three Louisiana Indian Communities

Thesis Advisor: Brenda Child, Professor of American Studies, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Research Topic: Recognition Odysseys: Race, Sovereignty, and the Politics of Federal Recognition of American Indian Tribes

Mentor: Tom Biolsi, Professor of Ethnic Studies, University of California, Berkeley

Karina Oliva Alvarado

Education: B.A., University of California, Berkeley, English; M.A., University of California, Berkeley, Ethnic Studies; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Ethnic Studies

Dissertation: Transnational Lives and Texts: Writing and Theorizing U.S. / Central American Subjectivities

Thesis Advisor: José David Saldivar, Professor of Ethnic Studies, University of California, Berkeley

Research Topic: A Literary and Historical Analysis of Novels, Testimonio and Poetry produced by First and Second Generation of Central American Born and/or Raised in the U.S. that Explores Emergent Issues of Subjectivity as New American “Border” and “Transnational” Identities.

Mentor: Rafael Perez-Torres, Professor of English, University of California, Los Angeles 

Juan L. Sánchez

Education: B.A., Biola University, English; M.A., California State University, Long Beach, English; Ph.D., University of Notre Dame, English

Dissertation: Spain and the British Romantic Imagination

Thesis Advisor: Greg Kucich, Professor of English, University of Notre Dame

Research Topic: Latin America and the British Romantic Imagination: Reconciling Empire and the Modern Liberal State

Mentor: Ian Duncan, Professor of English, University of California, Berkeley

Kalindi Vora

Education: B.A., Wesleyan University, Religion and Music; M.A., University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Cultural Anthropology; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, History of Consciousness

Dissertation: Race, Affective Labor and Biocapital in the Transmission of Value Between India and America

Thesis Advisors: James Clifford, Professor of History of Consciousness, University of California, Santa Cruz; Neferti Tadiar, Associate Professor of History of Consciousness, University of California, Santa Cruz

Research Topic: Affective Labor and India 's Call Center Industry

Mentor: Aihwa Ong, Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley

Life Sciences

 Roberto M. Aguilar

Education: B.S., University of Texas at San Antonio, Biology; Ph.D., University of Texas at San Antonio, Biology

Dissertation: Characterization of Growth Hormone Receptors in a Neuronal Cell Line of Rat Hippocampal Origin (H19-7): A Model for Determining the Biological Actions of Growth Hormone in Neuronal Cells

Thesis Advisor: Luis S. Haro, Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Research Topic: Development of a Bilateral Cervical Contusion Model in Mice

Mentor: Oswald Steward, Professor of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine

Laura Bartley

Education: B.A., Swarthmore College, Biology; Ph.D., Stanford University, Biochemistry

Dissertation: Insights into RNA Tertiary Folding: Examination of Structure Formation between the P1 Helix and the Pre-folded Tetrahymena Group I Ribozyme

Thesis Advisor: Daniel Herschlag, Professor of Biochemistry, Stanford University

Research Topic: The Regulation and Roles of Transcription Factors in Rice Innate Immunity

Mentor: Pamela C. Ronald, Professor of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis

Wesley Clapp

Education: B.A., Oberlin College , Neuroscience; Ph.D., University of Auckland, (New
Zealand), Psychology/Neuroscience

Dissertation:  Non-invasive Induction of Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) in Human Sensory Cortex

Thesis Advisor:  Michael C. Corballis, Professor of Neuroscience, University of Auckland

Research Topic: Alterations in Neural Networks Underlying Attention and Memory in Cognitive Aging

Mentor :  Adam Gazzaley, Professor of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco

 Alberto Cruz-Martín

Education: B.S., Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Biology; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, Neuroscience

Dissertation: Lack of balance between excitation and inhibition among synaptic connections of CA3 pyramidal neurons

Thesis Advisor: Felix Schweizer, Professor of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles

Research Topic: Mechanisms responsible for deudritic spine abnormalities in fragile X syndrome

Mentor: Carlos Portera-Cailliau, Professor of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles

 Corinne Richards

Education: B.S., University of Michigan, Biology and Chemical Engineering; Ph.D., University of Michigan, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Dissertation: An Integrative Approach to the Conservation of Panamanian Golden Frogs

Thesis Advisor: L. Lacey Knowles, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan and Ronald A. Nussbaum, Professor of Biology, University of Michigan

Research Topic: Selection and the Evolution of Morphological Diversity Among Strawberry Poison Dart Frogs of the Bocas del Toro Archipelago

Mentors: Jim McGuire, Professor of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley; Eileen Lacey, Professor of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Desiree Thayer

Education: B.S., University of Michigan, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute, Chemical and Biological Sciences

Dissertation: Effects of Glycans on Peptide Antibiotics and Analytical Methods for Carbohydrate Sequencing and Binding Interactions

Thesis Advisor: Chi-Huey Wong, Professor of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute

Research Topic: Role of Glycosylation in Voltage-gated Potassium Channels

Mentor: Lily Y. Jan, Professor of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco

Mathematics, Engineering & Physical Sciences

 Sarah Baker

Education: B.A., Grinnell College, Chemistry; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Materials Chemistry

Dissertation: Functionalization of Carbon Nanotube and Nanofiber Electrodes with Biological Macromolecules: Progress Toward a Nanoscale Biosensor

Thesis Advisor: Robert J. Hamers, Professor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison

 Research Topic: Clay-Based Materials for Hemorrhage Control

Mentors: Galen Stucky, Professor of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara

Gerardo Dominguez

Education: B.A., University of California, Berkeley, Physics; M.A., University of California, Berkeley, Physics; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Physics

Dissertation: Fluorescent Aerogels for the Capture and Identification of Hypervelocity Extraterrestrial Hypervelocity Particles

Thesis Advisors: Andrew J. Westphal, Associate Research Physicist 4, University of California, Berkeley; P. Buford Price, Professor of Physics, University of California, Berkeley

 Research Topic: Development of Sample Handling Techniques for Laser-fluorination Mass Spectrometry of Cometary Particles and First Isotope Ratio Measurements

Mentor: Mark Thiemens, Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego 

Sandra Garcia

Education: B.S., California State University, Sacramento, Chemistry; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Physical Chemistry

Dissertation: Xe-129 NMR as Applied to Remote Detection and to the Xenon Biosensor

Thesis Advisor: Alexander Pines, Professor of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley

Research Topic: Microcoil MRI

Mentor: Michael J. McCarthy, Professor of Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis

Trieu Mai

Education: B.S., University of California, Davis, Physics; M.S., University of California, Santa Cruz, Physics; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, Physics

Dissertation: Anomalous Heat Transport and Numerical Studies of Magnetic Hysteresis

Thesis Advisor: Onuttom Narayan, Professor of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz

Research Topic: Cooperativity in Quantitative Biology

Mentor: Terence Hwa, Professor of Physics, University of California, San Diego

Andrea Rae Tao

Education : B.A., Harvard University, Chemistry & Physics; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Chemistry

Dissertation:   Nanocrystals Assembly for Bottom-Up Plasmonic Materials

Thesis Advisor: Peidong Yang, Professor of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley

Research Topic: Biomimicry of Cephalopod Skin to Construct Tunable Photonic

Mentor:   Daniel Morse, Professor, Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies, University of California, Santa Barbara

Teri Lynn Robinson

Education: B.S., Jackson State University, Chemistry; M.S., Louisiana State University, Chemistry; Ph.D., Jackson State University, Chemistry

Dissertation : Formation and Characteristics of Hydrogen Bonding Systems in Dihydrogen Bonded Compounds, Rare Nucleotides, and Clay-Nucleic Acid Base Complexes

Thesis Advisor: Jerzy Leszczynski, Professor of Chemistry, Jackson State University

Research Topic: Prebiotic Chemistry of DNA Bases

Mentor: Mattanjah deVries, Professor of Physical Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara

Daniel Vasquez

Education: B.S., University of California, Los Angeles, Electrical Engineering; M.S., University of California, Los Angeles, Electrical Engineering; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, Electrical Engineering

Dissertation: Flexure – Based Nanomagnetic Actuators

Thesis Advisor: Jack W. Judy, Professor of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles

Research Topic: Design and Fabrication of a Microfabricated VSM for Measuring Nanomagnetic Properties

Mentor: Alex Zettl, Professor of Physics, University of California, Berkeley

Social Sciences

 Sylvanna M. Falcón

Education: B.S., Santa Clara University, Marketing; M.A., University of New Mexico, Sociology; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara, Sociology, Women's Studies doctoral emphasis

Dissertation: ‘Where are the Women?’ Transnational Feminist Interventions at the United Nations World Conference Against Racism

Thesis Advisors: Avery F. Gordon, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara; Denise Segura, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara

Research Topic: The Role of the United Nations Committee to Eliminate Racial Discrimination on Anti-Racism Efforts in the United States

Mentor: Piya Chatterjee, Professor of Women's Studies, University of California, Riverside

Angela Garcia

Education: B.A., University of California, Berkeley, Anthropology; Ph.D., Harvard University, Social Anthropology

Dissertation: The Pastoral Clinic: Addiction and Absolution Along the Rio Grande

Thesis Advisor: Arthur Kleinman, Professor of Anthropology, Harvard University

Research Topic: Into Oblivion: Heroin Addiction and Suicide Among Hispanic Women in Northern New Mexico

Mentor: Carole Browner, Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles

Elisa Huerta

Education: B.A., University of Texas, Austin, Plan II/ Anthropology/ Ethnic Studies – Mexican American Studies; M.A., University of California, Santa Cruz, Cultural Anthropology; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, Cultural Anthropology

Dissertation: Buscando la armonía: Discursive Embodiments of Indigeneity in Danza Azteca

Thesis Advisor: Olga Nájera-Ramírez, Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz

Research Topic: Cultural Politics of Indigeneity

Mentor: Inés Hernández-Ávila, Professor of Native American Studies, University of California, Davis

Jelani K. Mahiri

Education: B.S., Morehouse College, Physics and Spanish; M.A., University of California, Berkeley, Anthropology; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Anthropology

Dissertation: Asphalt Dreams, Concrete Realities: Camelôs and the Struggle for a Space to Work in São Paulo, Brazil

Thesis Advisor: Stanley Brandes, Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley

Research Topic: Examine the Relationships between Expressive Culture, Ethnic and National Identity, the Body, Power and Public Space as exemplified in Bumba-Meu-Boi Celebrations in Maranháo, Brazil.

Mentor: Olga Nájera-Ramirez, Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz

Kylie Peppler

Education: B.A., Indiana University, Bloomington, Psychology and French; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, Education

Dissertation: Creative Bytes: Literacy and Learning in the Media Arts Practices of Urban Youth

Thesis Advisors: James S. Catterall, Professor of Education, University of California, Los Angeles; Yasmin B. Kafai, Professor of Education, University of California, Los Angeles

Research Topic: Uncovering Literacies, Disrupting Stereotypes: Media Arts Practices of Youth with (Dis) Abilities

Mentor: Mark Warschauer, Professor of Education, University of California, Irvine

Russell Rodríguez

Education: B.S., Santa Clara University, Anthropology; M.A., Stanford University, Latin American Studies; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, Anthropology

Dissertation: Cultural Production, Legitimation, and the Politics of Aesthetics: Mariachi Transmission, Practice, and Performance in the United States

Thesis Advisor: Olga Nájera-Ramírez, Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz

Research Topic: Musical Transnationality: Binational Cultural Production

Mentor: George Lipsitz, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara

Kimberly TallBear

Education: B.A., University of Massachusetts, Boston, Community Planning; M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Urban Studies and Planning; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, History of Consciousness

Dissertation: Native American DNA: Narratives of Origin and Race

Thesis Advisor: James Clifford, Professor of History of Consciousness, University of California, Santa Cruz; Donna Haraway, Professor of History of Consciousness, University of California, Santa Cruz

Research Topic: Native American DNA: Origins, Ethics, and Governance

Mentor: Charis Thompson, Professor of Gender & Women's Studies and Rhetoric, University of California, Berkeley

Christopher Wetzel

Education: B.A., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Sociology; M.A., University of California, Berkeley, Sociology; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Sociology

Dissertation: One Spirit, One Nation: The Politics of Potawatomi Cultural Revitalization

Thesis Advisor: Kim Voss, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Berkeley

Research Topic: Exploring the Recent Renaissance of Potawatomi National Identity

Mentor: Duane Champagne, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles