San Francisco, California, United States
D'Anne Duncan, PhD serves as UCSF’s first Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Affairs in the Graduate Division, and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor, at UCSF. D’Anne is the instructor for the inaugural DEI Academic Leadership course, which is designed to teach PhD students how to become DEI leaders and experts. D'Anne is committed to biomedical PhD and postdoctoral education and training; diversity, equity, and inclusion; anti-racism; career and professional development; and mentorship initiatives and programs. She is passionate about inclusive excellence and combating anti-blackness in the academy. D’Anne and her work were featured in Science Careers in 2020: https://www.science.org/content/article/day-life-assistant-dean
D'Anne Duncan's responsibilities included managing the Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training (BEST) Program, a consortium of 17 awardee institutions across the U.S. Specifically, the goal of the BEST Program is to enhance career preparation and education for current and future biomedical PhD and postdoctoral scholars. D'Anne served as the liaison between the 17 BEST Programs and the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD.
As a postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt University, D'Anne studied the mechanisms of neuron-chemokine interactions in healthy and diseased retina systems. During her 3-year fellowship, D'Anne learned several techniques related to basic eye physiology.
As an AGEP PhD Scholar, D'Anne Duncan attended monthly seminars affiliated with career development of Northwestern University PhD candidates. She contributed to yearly conferences which supported professional development related to PhD completion and future tenure-track faculty positions. D'Anne also mentored junior PhD students as a member of CLIMB.
D'Anne Duncan designed and successfully applied for a grant (Community Building Projects at Northwestern University) geared towards building and fostering a community among Northwestern University PhD trainees (biological science and engineering discipline). She developed quarterly reports of professional development and community building activities and provided descriptions of future group events. As President, D'Anne was responsible for organizing monthly activities in Chicagoland area to encourage development of interpersonal relationships among PhD trainees, and to create an environment for successful completion of the PhD degree.
D'Anne Duncan was responsible for leading weekly sessions geared towards scientific education and professional skills in graduate school development for 1st-3rd year PhD students in biomedical sciences. She also worked closely with first-year graduate students on develop strong scientific oral and written communication skills. D'Anne tutored first-year graduate students on basic science topics.