June 18, 2026
June 2, 2026
The 2024 and 2025 Watson scholars had dinner to meet and get to know each other. We met shared personal and professional stories and connections. For our next event, we discussed attending a Golden State Valkyries game!
April 29, 2026
The purpose of this event was to bring a group of faculty together for networking and community building. This group had previously come together for a retreat last year focused on professional development and wellness, and this event was a reunion to carry forward some of the principles built from the retreat. The topics covered during the event included challenges with grant submissions, mentoring staff and trainees, as well as identifying collaborators. There was also space for social connections. A few attendees were on maternity leave or recently came back from maternity leave and there was a discussion on balancing work with a new baby. Overall, attendees said they had a wonderful time and we hope to have another dinner in the fall.
April 20, 2026
Over the course of the evening, attendees had the opportunity to connect across departments and career stages, building the kind of cross-institutional relationships that the program's community networking model is designed to foster. It was an evening of candid conversation, mutual support, and the sort of relationship-building that makes navigating an academic career feel a little less solitary.
April 9, 2026
Attendees were welcomed with breakfast before identifying a writing-related goal they wanted to prioritize during the retreat. Attendees planned to make progress on presentations, revising manuscripts, and creating outlines for new papers. We used the pomodoro method (25 minutes of writing, 5 minutes of break) to structure the writing time. In the last 15 minutes, attendees shared on their progress and expressed interest in future retreats.
February 27, 2026
Catera, Melina, and April, members of the ARCHES23 peer mentorship group, met at Kaiyo Restaurant. This was the first group meeting since 2024. We met and discussed various topics such as funding opportunities (e.g. John A Watson Faculty Scholars Fund), tenure promotion, progress on projects and publication strategies, optimal commuting options to UCSF campuses, and achieving work-life balance.
February 27, 2026
Participants shared accomplishments and discussed goals for the next 6 months.
February 26, 2026
We convened a group of UCSF faculty, trainees and staff to meet at ZSFG for peer support and focused writing around health equity research projects. Participants shared feedback that they were able to successfully complete small focused writing projects and felt connected to their peers.
January 29, 2026
The event was attended by 4 UCSF scholars: April Bell (organizer), Waru Gichane, Odi Ehie, and LaMisha Hiller Weller. Over dinner, we discussed some of the challenges that we faced in our ongoing work and talked through specific strategies to address workplace challenges. We also talked about finding joy and purpose in our work.
January 29, 2026
Researchers convened for a morning of writing and community building. We built community over a shared meal and interspersed focused writing time with discussion and connection. The event was well-attended and received, and attendees expressed hope of hosting similar events monthly moving forward.
December 19, 2025
This was an opportunity to gather with colleagues and mentees before the end of the year. It was a space to talk about challenges we face at UCSF, to take stock of 2025, and look forward to 2026. The gathering provided an opportunity to strengthen our connections and strengthen our community.
October 22, 2025
The event was attended by 4 Watson Scholars: April Bell (organizer), Waru Gichane, Melanie Molina, and Michael Waul. Over dinner, we discussed some of the challenges that we faced in our ongoing work and talked through specific strategies to address workplace challenges. We also talked about finding joy and purpose in our work.
September 10, 2025
PEM SPACE met at Temescal Works' Telegraph Conference room. TW is a co-working space near UCSF Benioff Children's hospital in West Oakland. Attendees had a wonderful meal from Burma Superstar and a coffee. 9 people participated. A post event survey, showed 100% would attend the 2nd event and having food at the event definitely contributed to productivity. The majority of attendees said they worked on an item they otherwise would not have, if it weren't for PEM SPACE! Thanks COIN/ARCHES!
June 18, 2025
This was an end of quarter gathering for peer mentors and their mentees. It was a great time for us to connect in person before the summer break. Mentees I work with one-on-one appreciated the opportunity to connect with other mentees at various stages.
May 15, 2025
The ARCHES 24 cohort met for dinner at Harborview restaurant. It was a chance to meet each other in person. Over dinner, we discussed our roles at UCSF and enjoyed casual conversation.
May 9, 2025
This was a peer mentoring and support group gathering for researchers to discuss current recent funding landscape. It was a great time for us to meet to discuss how we can support each other in this period. It was a great opportunity to connect.
April 9, 2025
Over lunch, we discussed some of the challenges that we face in the academy, including identifying and cultivating mentors and sponsors. We also shared about our ongoing work and talked through specific strategies to address workplace challenges. Lastly, we shared personal stories to build community.
February 11, 2025
The event was attended by 5 of 9 current Watson Scholars: Kwame Adjepong, April Bell (organizer), Camille Jackson, Mel Molina, and Michael Waul. Over dinner, we discussed some of the challenges that we face in our ongoing work, current concerns about the changes at NIH, and talked through specific strategies to address workplace challenges. We also talked about finding joy despite uncertainty.
December 27, 2024
This served as holiday gathering for researchers and their mentees. It provided an opportunity for us to catch up, discuss issues we were dealing with and provide support to each other over a meal.
December 11, 2024
The event was attended by April Bell (organizer), Patience Afulani, Waru Gichane, Kelly Taylor, and Martha Tesfalul. Over dinner, we discussed some of the challenges that we faced as Black women in the academy, including building and managing our research teams. We also shared about our ongoing work and talked through specific strategies to address workplace challenges.
December 3, 2024
At this event, planning continued for a two-day retreat focused on professional coaching and leadership development, wellness activities, community building and support for faculty, fellows, and postdoctoral scholars. The volunteers organizing the event are committed to making this retreat accessible to all interested participants, many of whom face limited discretionary funding.
November 30, 2024
We met at Fluid 510 and had dinner and then enjoyed a night of comedy, mentoring, collaboration, and discussion about a P30 grant. We discussed aspects of our research and future plans over the next year. We strategized over a P30 grant for the School of Nursing. Everyone was very encouraged and we all considered it a fun bonding experience.
November 13, 2024
Members of the ARCHES 23 peer mentoring cohort met and caught up since the last meeting in July. Some of the topics discussed included participation in the UCSF KL2 Scholars Program and potential changes in research. It was a good opportunity to discuss the types of research the KL2 Scholars program typically supports (i.e. clinical and/or basic). There was also discussion regarding hurdles with booking and utilizing campus space for research-related events.
July 24, 2024
The ARCHES 23 peer mentoring cohort met for dinner. There was discussion about takeaways of the CTSI retreat that some of us attended in June, funding opportunities, and other ARCHES events. As there is a mix of clinical and basic scientists in the group, there was also informative discussion about our research from a clinical or fundamental perspective and the unique needs that both encounter.
June 24, 2024
We met for dinner at Burma Love to discuss our careers, current research, and future plans. We also talked about what we'd like to get out of the ARCHES Peer Mentoring Circle. Lastly, we both expressed an interest in figuring out ways to collaborate in the future.
June 18, 2024
Dr. Tina Raines-Bennett joined the most recent event. The discussion and planning continued around the Innovation research lab/hub at UCSF. There was discussion of writing retreats, promotion standards, networking and collaboration, the role of a Research Career Coach and how to run a research group.
June 11, 2024
May 10, 2024
We met for a midcareer networking event and discussed pressing issues including mentees wanting to co-submit grant applications, expectations for campus-wide service, norms within the different segments of campus, and other issues.
May 7, 2024
In March 2020, our cohort of faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences gathered for an inaugural meeting. Rumblings of pandemic-related closures and cancellations loomed large, and none of us could imagine how our lives would be disrupted. Despite much uncertainty, our group committed to regular (now virtual) meetings. Our initial goal was to collaborate and provide peer mentorship for research that advances gender equity in the scientific workforce. Our group has met consistently since and we have come to understand how peer mentorship complements, rather than duplicates, mentorship from senior faculty. This meeting was held to celebrate four years of partnership and collaboration, and provide a space for reflection and looking ahead.
April 29, 2024
The event was attended by 7 of 9 current Watson Scholars: Kwame Adjepong, Oscar Aguilar, April Bell, Waru Gichane, Camille Jackson, Lucy Ogbu-Nwobodo, and Michael Waul. Over dinner, we discussed some of the challenges that we faced in our ongoing work and talked through specific strategies to address workplace challenges. We also talked about finding joy and purpose in our work.
March 25, 2024
We had a great event with 3 faculty and 6 mentees including PhD, Masters, and undergraduate students and staff mentors. We started with a general round of introductions in which mentees described their research interests and faculty talked about their research. Mentees then had the opportunity to have one-on-one chats with faculty and others with whom they were interested in learning more about.
March 15, 2024
This was a networking and fellowship dinner for faculty and residents in the department of dermatology. It was an incredibly fun and restorative event coming at the perfect time.
March 15, 2024
Community building opportunities such as this one play a crucial role in supporting trainees and faculty by fostering a sense of belonging, providing networking opportunities, and offering mentorship and support. This special Spring event coincided with Match Day whereby our psychiatry residency training program matched incoming residents, continuing our work towards diversifying our educational training program in the department. Overlooking the beautiful Bay, in a private setting of the restaurant, this was an incredibly fun event, filled with celebration whereby faculty and trainees of color connected with each other, sharing personal and work experiences, challenges, and aspirations—all of which can help combat feelings of isolation and stress.
March 15, 2024
Attendees discussed some of the challenges faced as Black women in the academy, including identifying and cultivating mentors and sponsors. They also shared their ongoing work and talked through specific strategies to address workplace challenges.
March 12, 2024
The ARCHES 23 cohort met and discussed the shape of their ARCHES experience and support. They learned more about each other's research and discovered that though they're all doing very different research, there is both nuance and overlap in their experiences within academia.
February 21, 2024
Researchers from several SOM Departments gathered at the Black Wellness Center at Mt. Zion. The group began strategic planning for the Innovation Research Hub. The goal of this hub is to offer a range of impactful deliverables and activities designed to enhance collaboration, productivity, and community building at all stages of the research pipeline.
January 24, 2024
This dinner networking event allowed faculty leaders from anesthesia, surgery, orthopedic surgery, and ophthalmology to strategize upcoming initiatives. This has helped tremendously with further collaboration as we are planning our next Grand Rounds. These Grand Rounds have been well attended and well received. This event has also allowed us to kickstart potential ideas around the initiatives within the School of Medicine.
January 19, 2024
Three Mid-Career Scholars from the current cohort (2022-2024) and one from the original cohort (2020-2022) met for dinner on January 19th, in lieu of our regularly scheduled monthly meeting in January 2024. We had a great time and plan to continue meeting to support each other moving forward after graduation.
October 21, 2023
The event provided attendees with the chance to hear from women in medicine about their experiences. Some key topics were women's health (reproductive rights), resilience, and intersectionality.
October 12, 2023
This Mid-Career Peer-Mentorship Circle met together in-person to have dinner and discuss mid-career issues. Participants shared their experiences on hiring, grant applications, mentoring of early career faculty, and discussed the mentorship group needs going forward. They identified future opportunities for ARCHES Mid-Career Mentorship meet ups and supports including walks and discussion of lessons learned during their time at UCSF.
September 27, 2023
A group of researchers gathered at CHORI in Oakland. The group was clinical-researchers, primary researchers, learners and faculty. Discussion included cross cutting collaboration in research, community building, mentorship and sponsorship, best practices.
September 15, 2023
Over lunch, participants discussed some of the challenges faced as Black women in the academy. Participants also chatted about their lives including families, work, future projects, and possibilities for collaboration.