Paul Barber

University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | 2022

Paul Barber Portrait Photo

In science, we often forget that the most important contributions we make to our fields are the people we mentor. My science pathway was paved by a group of exceptional mentors—the Presidential Award is a celebration of their legacy and lasting impact. I am grateful to work with so many remarkable collaborators and inspiring students and look forward to celebrating their continuing successes as we work towards making STEM a more impactful and inclusive enterprise.

The official biography below was current at the time of the award. Awardees may choose to provide their latest biographical information on their profile page.

Paul Barber has been a Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) since 2008. Paul’s mentoring activities focus extensively on undergraduate students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds. In 2004, with funding from NSF, Paul founded The Diversity Project, a nationwide summer research intensive-undergraduate program focused on diversifying marine science that he has run with Dr. Peggy Fong since 2012. Approximately 75% of program alumni continue to graduate programs. At UCLA, Paul has been the Faculty Director of the Program for Excellence in Education and Research in the Sciences, serving alongside Academic Director Dr. Tama Hasson since 2009. Supporting 400 first and second-year students annually, this program employs research-based pedagogies to maximize student success. With a 73% STEM graduation rate, the program has eliminated the STEM persistence gap at UCLA. In 2019, with funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and alongside Jeannie Barber-Choi, Paul launched the UCLA-HHMI Health Disparities and the Environment Program, a course-based undergraduate research experience focused on diversifying the physician workforce. Paul earned a B.S. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Arizona, a Ph.D. in integrative biology from the University of California, Berkeley, and was an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Scholar at Harvard University. Honors include a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, a Distinguished Student Mentor Award from the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, the Distinguished Teaching Award, and the Equity Diversity and Inclusion Award from UCLA, and being named an HHMI Professor.