Anh Diep is a recent graduate from the University of California, Merced, earning their PhD in Quantitative & Systems Biology. Their graduate research work focused on characterizing immune responses to Valley fever, a respiratory fungal disease endemic to the California Central Valley. While at UC Merced, Anh participated in science advocacy/communication events, becoming the campus finalist for the 2019 UC GradSlam and winning People’s Choice Award at the UC-statewide competition. Outside of the lab, they’ve devoted the last 4 years to labor union advocacy and organizing graduate student workers within UAW 2865 and the newly formed Student Researchers United. Anh identifies as a first-generation, immigrant scholar and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Their ongoing career goal is to improve health education and improve health science accessibility to vulnerable, marginalized communities.