Connections: Life, Science, and, Community

Connections aims to welcome first-year students into the Biochemistry Department by fostering connections between you as a scientist and you as an individual with the broader communities of the department, Stanford, and local, national and international communities. The students, staff and faculty who have organized Connections believe that a sense of oneself and of belonging are foundations for doing transformative science and for doing so with purpose and wellness. We strive not just to be scientists but rather citizen-scientists, with broad and manifold aspirations for ourselves and those around us. The sessions planned, in addition to providing practical information, are aimed at continuing your exploration of your values and goals and placing that exploration in context of the multiple communities that you can embrace and that will embrace you. They will do so in ways that are inclusive to all individuals, thereby empowering individuals to be whoever they are, strengthening community, and promoting the ongoing causes of social and societal fairness and justice.