The primary responsibility of the residential college Dean is to supervise the academic progress of students and advise them throughout the process of selecting courses, picking a major, and completing graduation requirements. Because academic success is often closely connected to non-academic concerns, however, the Dean is also a great resource for a wide range of other matters, including everything from personal crises to post-graduation plans. In cases of incapacitating illness or family emergency, the Dean is authorized to postpone deadlines for academic work or final exams, so it is important and wise to be in close touch with her as soon as possible when these things arise. The Dean also oversees room draw and student housing.
Bárbara Cruvinel Santiago, Residential College Dean, Berkeley College
Bárbara Cruvinel Santiago is the Dean of Berkeley College and an instructor at Yale. Originally from Brazil, she first moved to the US as a college student to attend Yale. She earned her B.S. in Physics at Yale as part of the Pierson College Class of 2017 and a Ph.D. in Physics from Columbia, where she pursued astronomical instrumentation research supported by a NASA fellowship. In college, she started her scientific career through an internship at CERN and later worked in atomic physics. Between college and her return to New Haven, she also worked at MIT’s Nobel-prize-winning LIGO lab on quantum optics for gravitational-wave detection and at the Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation as a Stanton Postdoctoral Nuclear Security Fellow, where she pivoted her research to nuclear policy issues, more specifically on how to prevent science from being weaponized.
As an immigrant, Latina in STEM and former low-income undergraduate on Yale’s campus, Dean Cruvinel Santiago (who welcomes students to call her Dean Santiago for short) is deeply committed to inclusive mentorship. As a student at Yale, she was once an OISS Peer Liaison and a STARS Program Peer Mentor. As a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia, she taught physics for two years to over 140 majors and non-majors from various backgrounds. She also led initiatives to improve diversity and the well-being of students on both Yale’s and Columbia’s campuses as a former member of Yale Women in Physics, the Columbia Physics Graduate Council, the Yale Physics Climate and Diversity Committee and Columbia Spectra, the organization for underrepresented students in the Columbia Department of Physics. While her background is in STEM, Dean Santiago has spent time in multidisciplinary environments and is ready to advise students who are pursuing a variety of majors and programs within Yale College.
When she’s not teaching or advising Berkeley undergraduates, she enjoys rock climbing, playing the guitar and the piano, and working on arts and crafts. She lives in the Berkeley Dean’s Suite with her English cream golden retriever, Fubá, whom you will often find roaming around Berkeley’s two courtyards. Fubá, named after “corn meal” in Dean Santiago’s native Portuguese, is incredibly friendly and playful. He loves getting pets and belly rubs from people all across campus in his free time.
Dean Santiago is keen on making Berkeley a welcoming place for undergraduates, fellows and Berkeley’s wonderful staff. Her office is open to students seeking advice on academic and personal matters.
Damaris Cardona, Senior Administrative Assistant II, Berkeley College
Damaris Cardona is the Senior Administrative Assistant II, Berkeley College Dean’s Office. Damaris organizes student registration and oversees course schedule deadlines. She is often the first person to contact if you have questions regarding academic requirements. Likewise, if you need a copy of your unofficial academic record, wish to make a change to your course schedule, would like to apply for a tutor, or require an academic form of any kind, you should come to the Dean’s Office and speak to Damaris. You can also talk to her about the dossier service available at the Dean’s Office, by which your letters of recommendation can be kept on file and upon your request be mailed to law or graduate schools or places of employment. Need an appointment to meet with the Dean? Either phone or stop by the BKDO and she will arrange it. If you choose to stop by the BKDO for no particular reason, there’s always a great supply of candy available for those of you who have a sweet tooth.