Tess Hernandez, MS
Director of the Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement Program at College of the Sequoias
bio
Tess is a dedicated STEM equity advocate and scholar, proudly rooted in California’s Central Valley. A first-generation college graduate and Chicana in STEM, Tess began her higher education journey at College of the Sequoias before earning a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UC Santa Cruz and an M.S. in Chemistry from CSU Fresno.
She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Applied Social Justice, where she plans to continue her research centered on the lived experiences of underrepresented communities in STEM within higher education. Her academic work is deeply informed by her own path through the sciences, and it drives her commitment to transforming STEM education into a more inclusive and equitable space.
Tess has partnered with numerous outreach organizations and collaborates closely with Central Valley community and statewide initiatives to expand access and opportunity for historically marginalized students. Her leadership reflects a deep belief in the power of representation, mentorship, and systemic change.
Today, Tess proudly serves as the Director of the MESA Program—where she once was a student—empowering the next generation of diverse STEM leaders in the very region that shaped her.
“Friends and neighbors will say, What happened to that Esperanza? Where did she go with all those books and paper? Why did she march so far away? They will not know I have gone away to come back. For the ones I left behind. For the ones who cannot [get] out."
Sandra Cisneros
research
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Hernandez*, T., Donnelly, D.F., Person, E. (2019). An investigation of the impact of a zoo-context chemistry laboratory on undergraduate learning and conservation perspectives, American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition, San Diego, CA, August 25-29.
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Hernandez, T., Donnelly-Hermosillo, D., & Person, E. (2020). Using a zoo narrative and inquiry to design an innovative introductory chemistry laboratory, 2020 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. Abstract accepted March 31, 2020. Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education was terminated on April 2, 2020, by the Executive Committee of the Division of Chemical Education, ACS; and, therefore, this presentation could not be given.
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Hernandez*, T., Donnelly-Hermosillo, D.F., Person E. (2021). Re-taking introductory chemistry with a new course structure: Narratives from underrepresented female chemistry students. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Virtual, April 5-9.
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Hernandez*, T., Donnelly-Hermosillo, D. F., Person, E., & Hansen, A. K. (2021). “At least we could give our input”: Underrepresented student narratives on conventional and guided inquiry-based laboratory approaches. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 61(3), 992–1001. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icab014
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Hopkins, F., Gonzalez-Rocha, J., Hernandez, T. (2025). Exchange and Support for California Academic Latinx in Experiential Research in the Atmospheric Sciences (ESCALERAS), American Geophysical Union National Conference, New Orleans, LA, December 15-19.
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Hernandez, T., Cervantes, T. (2026). Rooted in Belonging: A Culturally Affirming Summer Bridge Model for LatinX STEM Students, Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators National Conference, Boston, MA, March 8-11.