STAR

Explore UC Berkeley's STEM Opportunities!

About

STAR.berkeley.edu website project is led by Cal NERDS Executive Director & the Division of Equity and Inclusion’s STEM Equity and Success Director Diana Lizarraga (nerds@berkeley.edu), using a TechnoInclusive approach to help provide access to information about UC Berkeley’s STEM resources through web pages, a pdf guidebook, and engagement-related tools.

A young man stands in front of science-related posters holding a flag that reads 'Cal' and smiling Francisco at our Cal NERDS Student Center

STAR.berkeley.edu's Educational Technology Development Phases

  • Phase 1 (2019): Develop a project management plan and fundraising campaign
  • Phase 2 (2020): Design and Launch 200+ web pages of resources; collect student profiles; design pdf guidebook with qr codes; add a blog
  • Phase 3 (2021 & 2022): Accessibility compliancy review/editing; Collect geolocations; photos/logo validation; pop-up design and testing; add additional blogs
  • Phase 4 (2023 & 2024): Faculty engagement preference research; design, test, and build "Faculty Engagement Opportunity Mapping Tool" with filtering options; data validation project
  • Phase 5 (2025): Accessibility compliancy review/editing; student profiles; blog enhancements, geolocation validation project, image carosel building, and "Faculty Engagement Opportunity Mapping Tool" polishing

Inspiration, Dedication, & Motivation

A grid of 20 headshots of university age students, mostly smiling A snapshot of some of our original 2019-2020 Cal NERDS Student Directors and staff that helped launch STAR.berkeley.edu.

The Theory of TechnoInclusionTM

TechnoInclusionTM (see image below) is the framework we used along with data driven decision making processes to design the STAR.berkeley.edu experience. Through feedback loops, we will work hard to keep improving and updating our site and materials when possible. 

TechnoInclusionTM Framework & Definition

Six concentric circles create a diagram to help explain the theory of TechnoInclusion. The rings (starting from the center) include: ring 1 - equity and inclusion strategies ring 2 - technology ring 3 - people (students, faculty, staff, and/or other ring 4 - activities, information, opportunities and/or networks ring 5 - sense of belonging, validating experiences, and/or positive campus climate ring 6 - academic setting DEFINITION: Is the practice of using equity and inclusion strategies via technology to connect students, faculty, staff, and others to activities, information, opportunities, and networks that create a sense of belonging, a positive campus climate, and/or validating experiences within an organization (like a university campus).

The STAR.berkeley.edu Story

“In the late 90s, I put myself through college building websites and that passion for technology has always stayed with me. Fast forward to my work in higher education at UC Berkeley, for the last 22 years I have been a NERD on a mission to make STEM opportunities more accessible. Upon my additional role as the Division of Equity and Inclusion’s STEM Equity and Success Director (circa 2019), I pitched my vison for a new innovative MEGA website, which I nicknamed STAR (STEM Training ,Activities, and Resources). Thanks to fundraising, we were able to bring STAR to life. Originally, STAR was going to launch in January of 2021, but due to COVID our team felt that this digital tool was more important than ever since many students were taking classes virtually. Through hard work, we were able to achieve key milestones, making it possible to launch STAR.berkeley.edu six months early in late August 2020. Thus allowing folx to discover what Cal has to offer and creating opportunities to make important STEM connections. Educational technology can make a difference in STEM and we hope that STAR.berkeley.edu will be a useful tool. This tool involves the help and support of wonderful team and I appreciate everyone's efforts to problem solve and create together.” ~ Diana Lizarraga, Cal NERDS Exectuive Director