Santa Barbara

“Hi there! My name is Gabrielle Abraham, and I’m in the Physics Department at UCSB. I support the formation of a union because I believe all workers deserve to know their rights. I’ve seen friends talked down to and overworked by their PIs, but they lacked the support to stand up against these conditions.  A union will help us band together to eliminate unsafe and unhealthy working conditions for researchers.” – Gabrielle Abraham

“I am a PhD student in Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology studying plant ecology and restoration. I work with the US Forest Service to better our understanding of limiting the spread invasive species during wildfire management. I am excited to be a part of Student Researchers United to support workers and be able to bargain collectively.” – Robert Fitch

“My name is Elizabeth Huang and I’m a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering. I apply control theory to study human interactions over a social network. During my time at UCSB, I have seen that oftentimes faculty and many of the university’s policies and resources fail to address issues that may negatively impact GSR’s in our capacity as researchers. I believe the collective bargaining power of a union would help ensure that the university and departments are held accountable in maintaining a fair and safe working environment for everyone.” – Elizabeth Huang

“I am a Graduate Student Researcher working on using cells to degrade plastic from a biological control systems approach, and I support forming a Student Researcher union. Too often are Student Researchers mistreated by their institutions and their advisors. There needs to be a more robust framework to ensure that researchers are treated fairly by the people who ought to be looking out for their best interests.  A Student Researchers union would work to see that these ends are met.” – Jamiree Harrison

“I am a Graduate Student Researcher in ECE, studying applications of control theory to network systems like the power grid. The strength of the power grid lies in the network of transmission lines that unify all the individual components under one system. Without the unifying structure that a union provides, GSRs are like a power system without any transmission lines, letting our power go to waste.” – Kevin Smith

“I’m a Graduate Student Researcher in Chemical Engineering. By forming a union, we can guarantee Student Researchers in all departments at all campuses the right to negotiate equitable and safe working environments, and fair compensation. Being able to shape our working conditions to meet our needs and ensure all our fellow workers feel safe is a vital first step in making research accessible to researchers from underprivileged and marginalized communities, and will foster a healthy and productive research environment for all.” – Kimberlee Keithley

“I work on Navigation and Control algorithms in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. As researchers and mentors, we are the driving force behind intellectual discovery, and we deserve vastly better treatment! After the difficult experience of advocating for even minor reforms to laboratory conduct policy, it is clear to me that the best way for us to ensure better benefits and guarantees, as well as improved working conditions, is to organize and exert our collective influence.” – Sharad Shankar

“I am a fifth year PhD student in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at UCSB. I support forming a union because I believe we should have workplace protections quarter to quarter, regardless of whether or not we’re Teaching Assistants (who have a union contract) or Student Researchers (who don’t, yet). A union will expand our options for dealing with conflicts in the workplace and advocate for us so that we can focus on research. As graduate students, we need all the support we can get.” – Caroline Ackley

“I work on bright, high-efficiency LEDs for lighting and screen technology. I think it’s important for Student Researchers to form a union to ensure our interests are represented in policy making, and to ensure advisors, departments, and grad division remain accountable to their agreements and decisions.” – Ryan White

“I am a Graduate Student Researcher working to develop long lifetime semiconductor lasers for telecommunications applications. In 2018-2019, UC researchers generated one billion dollars of profit (800 million in research awards not spent on research expenditures, and 200 million in active patent royalties and fees) for the system. I support forming a Student Researchers union because, in the same time period, the combined salaries of two students from my department were insufficient to qualify for most two bedroom apartments in Santa Barbara.” – Jenny Selvidge

“I am a Graduate Student Researcher in Computer Science working on securing software systems through automated vulnerability discovery. I believe in forming a union so that we can meet with UC administrators as equals, and ensure that everyone has fair pay, good benefits, and a safe working environment. By standing together we are advocating for ourselves, our colleagues, and for all researchers to come.” – Robert McLaughlin