Biography

Dr. Arnaldo Diaz Vazquez is the Assistant Dean for Diversity for the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Diaz Vazquez received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, and his Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry from Texas A&M University. After completing his PhD, Dr. Diaz Vazquez completed postdoctoral training in cancer pharmacology in the Blair Laboratory at the University Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.

Dr. Diaz Vazquez has extensive experience developing and implementing targeted outreach and recruitment strategies and research training programs aimed at increasing the number of UR students pursuing PhDs in biomedical graduate programs. He has also participated in several minority student research symposia and recruitment fairs each year, including ABRCMS, SACNAS, ERN-STEM, etc. These opportunities help him interact with highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students interested in pursuing studies in the biomedical sciences and to develop partnerships with several minority-serving colleges and universities. Dr. Diaz Vazquez is a Leadership Alliance Doctoral Scholar and an alumnus of the Linton-Poodry SACNAS Leadership Institute.

In the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at UTSW, Dr. Diaz Vazquez works collaboratively with Associate Deans, Senior Leadership, Program Directors, and faculty to strengthen and support programming geared towards recruiting, training, and retaining UR trainees. Dr. Diaz Vazquez co-directs the UTSW's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) and AMGEN Scholars programs and is part of the leadership of the UTSW Provost’s Initiative for Diverse Emerging Scholars (PROVIDES), a recently launched program targeting postdoctoral fellows that aims to close the racial diversity gap that persists at most academic institutions nationwide in the sciences by offering resources to early-career scientists from UR backgrounds and supporting their transition into independent faculty positions.

Dr. Diaz Vazquez also collaborates with the UTSW Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion, the UTSW Office of Faculty Diversity and Development, and the UTSW Office of Equity and Access to coordinate efforts to enrich the campus climate for diversity and inclusion, particularly regarding basic science research.

Professional Associations/Affiliations
  • AAMC GREAT (Graduate Research Education and Training) Group (2021)
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science (2021)
  • Graduate Career Consortium (2021)
  • National Postdoctoral Association (2018)
  • Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (2009)
  • American Chemical Society (2001)