The Diversity & Inclusion Fellows support the efforts of the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (EDIB), help Harvard Griffin GSAS to identify needed areas of support, work with student affinity groups across Harvard Griffin GSAS, and work on projects and initiatives to advance inclusion and belonging on campus.
Interested in serving as a D&I fellow? Email gsas_edib@fas.harvard.edu.
2024–2025 Diversity Fellows
Adriana Aguilar-Maldonado
Before starting graduate school, I attended Santa Rosa Junior College in my hometown to save some money before transferring to a four-year university. At the University of California, San Diego, I earned my bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and cellular Biology and became the first student in my family to graduate from college. Currently, I am a fifth-year PhD candidate in the molecules, cells, and organisms program at Harvard, studying the evolution of reproductive capacity across fruit fly species in the Extavour Lab. Outside of science and school, I like spending time with friends and family, being outside, cooking and baking, and traveling.
Zachary Lim
I'm a fifth-year PhD candidate working on using computational linguistics methods to uncover patterns in social behavior, specifically, how researchers navigate methodological disputes. My goal is to better understand how various practices in research contribute to or detract from the value of research in society—interdisciplinary research is my jam! But as important as my research is, it's only one aspect of my life. These past few years have also been incredibly formative for me in terms of developing hobbies, understanding myself better, and fostering deep friendships—activities that are crucial yet often overshadowed by pressures for professional progress. Throughout my time at Harvard, I've been involved in trying to create spaces for others (and myself!) to explore these aspects of their lives and more through organizing events and creating opportunities for people to get involved.
Jose Aceves-Salvador
I am a fourth-year PhD student at Harvard Medical School in the biological and biomedical sciences program. I am originally from Los Angeles, CA, and moved to Boston for my undergraduate degree. As a first-generation college student, I studied biology and chemistry at MIT, where I was involved in different outreach programs in the Office of Engineering Outreach Programs as well as student groups such as the Leadership Training Institute.
Akhil Thomas
I am fifth-year PhD student in South Asian religion/Comparative studies at the Committee on the Study of Religion. I grew up in Delhi and dearly miss the three-day long train rides to Kerala, on the southwest coast of India, where my family is from. As a first-generation college student, I studied philosophy for my undergraduate degree at St. Stephen's College, Delhi, and worked with various student advocacy groups and nonprofits in the area. I came to the United States to study the relations between religious vision and social reformation at Yale Divinity School (YDS) in New Haven, CT. During my time at YDS, as the President's Public Service Fellow, I served at Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS) where I worked with Afghan resettled students and young adults helping set up and run summer schools.
