The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry welcomes emerging pedagogy scholar Jazmin Aguilar-Romero, who joined the UCLA faculty as an Assistant Teaching Professor on July 1, 2025.
“The division of physical sciences enthusiastically welcomes Jazmin Aguilar-Romero to UCLA,” said Dean of Physical Sciences and Chemistry Professor Miguel Garcia-Garibay. “She has shown a tremendous commitment to providing equal opportunity for all students, regardless of social identity, and will serve as a wonderful role model for our students.”
Aguilar-Romero was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and chemical biology from Cornell University. After benefiting from small-group, problem-solving instruction during her undergraduate studies, and becoming a teaching assistant (TA) herself, she observed courses designed with evidence-based teaching practices in mind to address disparities in student performance. These formative experiences instilled a deep belief in the power of active learning communities to close achievement gaps in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Aguilar-Romero then obtained her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She worked in the lab of Professor Steve C. Zimmerman, where she focused on developing acid-generating polymers for applications in drug delivery and degradable plastics. It was at UIUC where she further honed her expertise in evidence-based pedagogy and inclusive teaching practices.
She served in leadership roles within the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), forming a strong, supportive community of STEM undergraduates and graduate students. She organized the inaugural “Latinas in STEM” panel at UIUC during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has since become an annual event, and has mentored more than a dozen female chemistry Ph.D. students and numerous undergraduates from historically excluded backgrounds through programs such as the Women Chemists Committee, Sloan Scholars and Científico Latino.
Aguilar-Romero then served as a Center for Sustainable Polymers Postdoctoral Fellow in the lab of Professor Jessica Lamb at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, focusing on developing non-isocyanate based polyurethanes.
“The search committee was very impressed by Dr. Aguilar-Romero’s varied and creative ideas for enhancing student interest and sense of belonging in organic chemistry,” said Search Committee Member Chair Professor Al Courey. “These include efforts to design and implement organic chemistry games in discussion sections as well as the introduction of course-based undergraduate research experiences into organic chemistry labs.”
At UCLA, the Aguilar-Romero group will focus on increasing students’ sense of belonging to improve student performance and success in organic chemistry courses. Projects in the group will include forming effective learning communities in large-enrollment classes, integrating a course-based undergraduate research experience into lab sections, and reforming courses to reduce performance gaps in organic chemistry.
“Since I was an undergraduate, I have consistently sought, built, led and maintained communities for students who have been traditionally excluded from STEM careers,” Aguilar-Romero said. “I aim to foster an inclusive and supportive environment that enables students of any background to succeed in the sciences.”
By Kelsea Valerio, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, kvalerio@ucla.edu.
