Stacy Ochoa

I am the Director of Advising in the College of Sciences,  a Lecturer in the department of Biology and the Program Director of the  STEM Pathways program. My biology background is in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology. During my graduate work I studied neural crest development and in my postdoctoral research I worked on generating a systems-level view of embryogenesis. Along with developmental biology research, I took a great interest in education research during my postdoc. My foundation for a career in teaching and science education was established while attaining my Master’s Degree in Secondary Education and teaching middle school science through a partnership with Teach for America in South Los Angeles. This experience established my lifelong commitment to promoting student centered learning through inquiry based and active learning, as well my dedication to promoting educational opportunities for underrepresented minorities and low socioeconomic communities. My science education research is focused on investigating the effectiveness of active learning strategies and student-centered approaches in biology curriculum to improve instruction and to investigate how interventions affect students’ self-identity, self-efficacy and/or sense of belonging.

I am a first generation college graduate and proud Latinx mother with a large Mexican family who are loud, funny and loving,  In my spare time I love to spend family time with my husband, son and daughter and extended family. We love the beach and just being outside which is why we love being in San Diego. 

Projects

STEM Pathways is a supportive mentored program committed to helping students navigate how to transition from community college to a 4-year university, explore STEM careers, and pursue a career that best fits their interests. The STEM Pathways program is built upon San Diego State University’s (SDSU) commitment to inclusive excellence, and implements a mentored and applied experience for STEM majors. It begins at one of the partnering community colleges, Southwestern College & San Diego City College (City), continues through SDSU and on to graduate school and/or STEM career path. With a target audience of Latinx students, STEM Pathways is committed to bridging the access gap for minoritized communities and increasing the numbers of Latinx STEM professionals entering the workforce. STEM Pathways is committed to cultivating a supportive environment to foster and grow a diverse community of STEM professionals, while identifying and removing roadblocks to student transfer and post-transfer success. For more information see our website: stempathways.sdsu.edu