Dr. Delaney Dann

Curriculum Vitae

Scientist, teacher, and higher education leader with expertise in developing, implementing, and assessing education, teaching, and mentorship programs. Innovative, empathetic leader with 10+ years of research, teaching, and community engagement experience across industry, academic, non-profit, and government sectors.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO – September 2024-present

FULL-TIME LECTURER

Full-time lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences specializing in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

SCRIPPS RESEARCH – May 2022-August 2024

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Scripps Research is the #1 most influential non-profit research institution in the world with a top 10 ranking graduate program in chemical and biological sciences. 

Scope: Led institute’s education and training initiatives, creating high-impact, tailored learning opportunities for our 700+ trainees (graduate students, postdocs, and undergraduate interns). Served as faculty for 2 graduate-level courses and owner of education program design, administration, and evaluation.

  • Directed grant writing, administration, outreach, budgeting, curriculum design, and outcomes tracking for institute’s undergraduate research fellows program, an NSF-funded initiative to advance diversity in biomedical sciences 
  • Created and implemented first of its kind training on DEI; student evaluations and outcomes led to formal integration into our institute’s research ethics training program 
  • Instructed “Effective Career Planning for PhDs” course which is recognized as a national model for graduate education and has been implemented across six biomedical graduate programs nationwide
  • Developed and facilitated over 50 career and professional development trainings annually based on needs assessments including scientific skill development, leadership training, inclusive mentorship, and science communication; provided over 100 one-on-one career advising meeting for trainees annually
  • Designed and implemented over 10 new education and training initiatives based on needs assessments, including a new Alumni Mentorship Program; invited to presented program at national conference as a model for inclusive mentorship. 
  • Successfully planned large scale in-person and virtual events (300+ attendees), including seminars with Nobel Laureates, multiday conferences, and multi-institute training symposiums for biomedical researchers
  • Integrated new marketing and communications platform which provided previously untapped analytics to drive marketing strategy, increasing readership and engagement

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NHGRI) AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HUMAN GENETICS (ASHG) – August 2021-May 2022

GENETICS EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT FELLOW

The NIH’s National Human Genome Research Institute is the primary agency of the US government responsible for genomics research, policy, and public education. ASHG is a non-profit professional society recognized as the national leader for advancing human genetics and genomics in science, health, and society through research, education, and advocacy.

Scope: Recipient of fellowship co-sponsored by the NIH’s National Human Genome Research Institute and the American Society of Human Genetics to develop and implement genetics/genomics education, community engagement and professional development initiatives for diverse K-12, undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate, professional or public audiences, including groups historically underrepresented in science.

  • Collaborated with Department of Defense to create international high school classroom exchange program with Title I schools in DC and in Santiago, Chile focused on topics of culturally relevant research in genetics and community health
  • Partnered with National Science Teaching Association and Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History as a scientific advisor to develop new, freely available genetics education modules called Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code that have been adopted into high school classrooms across the nation 
  • Developed national social media marketing campaign to promote public engagement in DNA Day; led outreach initiatives at targeted high schools to enhancing engagement in under-resourced districts
  • Performed foundational needs assessment for DEI trainings for genomics researchers to inform the scope of ASHG’s professional development offerings

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO – September 2016-August 2021

Ph.D. in Biology

  • Thesis Advisor: Amy Pasquinelli, Ph.D.
  • Thesis: “The Role of the microRNA Pathway During Recovery After Heat Shock in C. elegans”

CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO – September 2011-June 2015

B.S. in Biology, Minor in Biotechnology

  • Research Advisor: Ed Himelblau, Ph.D.
  • Undergraduate Research Project: “The Role of DNA methylation in the expression of triplicate genes in Brassica rapa”

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO      

  • Cellular and Molecular Biology Lab (BIO 161) – Instructor of Record
  • Microbiology Lab (MCRO 221) – Instructor of Record

SCRIPPS RESEARCH       

  • Ethics in Science – Instructor of Record
  • Career Planning for PhDs – Instructor of Record

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO        

  • The Cell (BILD 1) – Instructor of Record
  • Introduction to College Teaching (BISP 195) – Senior Graduate Teaching Mentor
  • Recombinant DNA Techniques (BIMM 101) – Lab Instructor
  • Molecular Biology (BIMM 100) – Teaching Assistant

UPWARD BOUND

  • High School Biology Course – Instructor of Record

MENTORSHIP EXPERIENCE

Over 10 years of mentorship experience supporting underrepresented students in STEM through local programs and in academic and professional settings. 

  • Conceived and implemented first of its kind Alumni Mentorship Program at Scripps Research and presented program as a model initiative at national conference
  • Developed Women’s Organization for Research Mentorship in STEM, a San Diego-wide initiative that grew to 500+ members; oversaw all aspects of fundraising, marketing, event-planning, platform creation and web design
  • Recognized expert in mentorship training with extensive experience creating and leading trainings for diverse audiences (including faculty and academic leaders) with specialization in inclusive, culturally competent mentorship approaches

Additional Volunteer Mentorship Activities:

  • Reality Changers – Mentored two first-generation undergraduate students, monthly meetings to support success in college, academics, and career planning (IG shout out)
  • Undergraduate Research Mentor – Mentored two undergraduate researchers in Pasquinelli Lab. Students are currently Ph.D. candidates at Johns Hopkins University and UC Berkeley
  • Developed and co-led training on culturally competent mentorship with over 200 attendees, including graduate students, postdocs, and faculty mentors
  • Biology Undergraduate and Master’s Mentorship Program (BUMMP) -Mentored two first-generation undergraduate level students
  • Rotation Student Mentor – Mentored two rotation students in Pasquinelli Lab, acquainted students with C. elegans and provided project oversight
  • GradAMP Mentor – Mentored two UCSD undergraduate students through grad school application process in weekly meetings, provided feedback on application material and mock interviews

SERVICE & OUTREACH EXPERIENCE

Demonstrated leader in STEM engagement initiatives with over 10 years of experience serving on committees, advisory boards, and as a science educator.

  • Leadership and Advising: San Diego Diverse Perspectives in STEM Seminar Organizing Committee, Scripps Research Network for Women in Science Advisory Board, Diversity Action Committee Member, Scripps Research Alumni & Friends Committee Member, Advisor to Society of Fellows (Postdoc Organization), Student Professional Skills Development Committee Member
  • Volunteerism: Expanding Your Horizons Volunteer Educator for middle and high school girls, Science Advocate at Fleet Science Center for adult education program (Two Scientists in a Bar), Sprout Up

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  • Courses: Foundations in Leadership (Sanford Burnham Prebys), College Course Design (UCSD), Introduction to College Teaching (UCSD), Train-the-Trainer Research Ethics Program (UCSD)
  • Workshops: Safe Zone Certification in LGBTQIA+ Allyship (CSUSM), Supporting Students in Distress (Scripps Research), DEI Through an Academic Systems Lens (Stanford), Communicating Your Research (UCSD)

AWARDS

SELECTED SEMINARS

  • Dann DC, Dillon HA. “The Torrey Pines Training Consortium: A Model for Inter-Organization Collaboration.” Graduate Career Consortium Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA. June 2024.
  • Dann DC. “Academic Job Search 101.” Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA. August 2022, August 2023, August 2024.
  • Dann DC. “Applying for Industry Positions.” Scripps Research, Jupiter, FL December 2023, November 2022; La Jolla, CA August 2022, May 2023.
  • Dann DC. “Career Exploration for Scientists.” Scripps Research, Jupiter, FL. December 2023, July 2024.
  • Dann DC. “Ace the Interview.” Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA. December 2022, May 2023, November 2023. 
  • Dann DC. Tacliad LD. “Building Bridges: Leveraging Alumni Networks to Build Inclusive Mentorship Programs.” Graduate Career Consortium Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN. June 2023.
  • Pagliuso DC, Bodas, DM, Pasquinelli AE. “Recovery from Heat Shock Requires the microRNA Pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans.” Invited Student Speaker, UC San Diego PiBS Symposium on Stress: From Cells to Society, La Jolla, CA. April 2021.  
  • Pagliuso DC, Pasquinelli AE. “Small but Mighty: How microRNAs Bring the Heat to the Heat Shock Response.” Invited Speaker, San Diego Worm Club, La Jolla, CA. December 2019.
  • Pagliuso DC, Pasquinelli AE. “Small but Mighty: How microRNAs Bring the Heat to the Heat Shock Response.” Invited Speaker, UC San Diego Cellular and Molecular Genetics Training Grant Colloquium, La Jolla, CA. June 2019.           *Pagliuso is my former last name

Podcast appearances: Diverse Routes: Career Journeys in Science and Medicine