Liliana Bello Fernandez
Liliana Bello Fernández is a graduate student in chemical and biomolecular engineering who is advised by Charles E. Sing. Their research group uses both theoretical and computational tools to tackle fundamental problems in polymer physics and develop design principles for bio-inspired soft materials.
Why did you choose ChBE for graduate school?
I chose ChBE for graduate school because my bachelor’s was also in Chemical Engineering and I wanted to do more exciting work than I thought was possible with only a bachelor’s degree. I chose Illinois because I felt UIUC ChBE had a wonderful community and that I would feel supported throughout my graduate career. As an added bonus, the stipend goes a little further in Urbana-Champaign than it would in other places.
What is your favorite part about graduate school, so far?
My favorite aspect about graduate school is the various opportunities we have for mentoring and teaching. I really enjoyed being a teaching assistant and that has helped me improve my scientific presentation skills as well. The ChBE community has been really great - I really liked the ChBE intramural sports team, the outreach events, and fun events throughout the year!
What has been a highlight of your time at UIUC?
An incredible highlight of my time at UIUC is that as a 2nd year, I won 1st place poster in the UIUC ChBE symposium. It really made me feel like I do belong in graduate school and motivated me to keep going!
What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you?
Diversity, equity, and inclusions is building a community that is representative of the global population where we all support one another and where we can all use each other’s different past experiences to solve interesting problems. DEI is about creating a space in science that is accessible to folks of every race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, marital/parental status, etc.
Why do you believe having a diverse environment for graduate school is important?
The work we do in graduate school affects everyone because science impacts everyone. Therefore, everyone should be involved in those endeavors. Past experiences, can also impact what approach one takes to solve a problem so if we pool together all of our experiences, we can solve problems more efficiently and more creatively.
What are some DEI initiatives that you take part in on/off campus?
I have been a part of the ChBE Diversity Task Force since its inception roughly 2 years ago. I worked with other graduate students to come up with a list of target conferences to attend to improve representation in the ChBE department. Furthermore, I am involved with various mentoring organizations such as the Sloan mentoring program for underrepresented graduate students and SHPE PMVUS which is a virtual mentoring opportunity for undergraduate students. I have also helped organize outreach efforts in the ChBE department like some of our demonstrations for the St. Elmo Brady Academy. Most recently, I had the opportunity to attend the GEM conference in Phoenix, AZ to represent the ChBE UIUC department.
Tell us about a time you have advocated for DEI on campus?
I think mentorship in general is really important. Through my participation with ChBE GSAC, I started a mentorship program for recently admitted students so that they could have an opportunity to ask questions to a current graduate students about life in Urbana-Champaign. I think providing this opportunity makes our department more accessible to folks who may have concerns about being “one of the few x students”, disability accommodations, and other concerns that may not be addressed in a public forum during our graduate student recruitment visit weekend. It’s been a great way for recently admitted students to connect 1 on 1 with a graduate student and to assist them in the graduate school selection process.