Dr. Paloma Vargas (she/they/ella) is the Dean of Mathematics, Science, Health Education, Kinesiology and Athletics at Oxnard College, a 2-year public Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). In her capacity as Dean, Dr. Vargas works with administration, faculty, and staff to determine best practices in serving a diverse student population. Dr. Vargas received her B.S. in Biology from the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College (HSIs), and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Medical and Molecular Parasitology from The Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at New York University. Her graduate and post-doctoral work focused on host-pathogen interactions of both parasitic amoeba (E. histolytica) and Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaire’s Disease. Dr. Vargas previously served as a biology faculty member, researcher, HSI Director, Science Coordinator and STEM Advisor at private and public institutions.
Dr. Vargas has extensive experience in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work. Her focus has been on dismantling policies that negatively impact Black, Latinx, and Native American/Indigenous students in higher education. She has served as a facilitator and trainer for faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions in centering equity with a particular focus on inclusivity in STEM. Dr. Vargas is an active member of the Aspiring Radical Leaders Institute, the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Latinos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), and serves as President of the Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institute Educators (AHSIE).
Vargas, P.*, Ward, M.G., Gina A. Garcia (editor). (2020). Building an HSI Brand: A Case Study of California Lutheran University. Defining “Servingness” in Practice at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Information Age Publishing.
Simeon, T.*, Vargas, P.*, Olfet, J.O., Rutschman, D., Sztainberg, M. (2016). The Student Center for Science Engagement (SCSE): An Urban Hispanic Serving Institution Model of Achievement for STEM Undergraduate Recruitment and Retention. 9th Annual Mentoring Conference Proceedings: Developmental Networks: The Power of Mentoring and Coaching. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. *Authors contributed equally to work and are co-first authors.
Tyson, J.Y.*, Vargas, P.*, Cianciotto, N.P. (2014). The novel Legionella pneumophila type II secretion substrate NttC contributes to infection of amoebae Hartmannella vermiformis and Willaertia magna. Microbiology. 160 (Part 12): 2732-44. *Authors contributed equally to work and are co-first authors.
Tyson, J.Y., Pearce, M., Vargas, P., Bagchi, S., Mulhern, B.J., Cianciotto, N.P. (2013). Multiple Legionella pneumophila type II secretion substrates, including a novel protein, contribute to differential infection of amoebae Acanthamoeba castellanii, Hartmanella vermiformis and Naegleria lovaniensis. Infect Immun. 81(5)1399-1410.