Rolando is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Bioengineering at Stanford University and a Salinas, CA native that develops technology to support a more democratic, equitable, and sustainable future. He uses culturally relevant pedagogy to decolonize STEM, dismantle school-to-prison pipelines, and build alternative opportunity structures for disenfranchised communities. Rolando graduated magna cum laude from Hartnell Community College with AS degrees in Physics and Mathematics, cum laude from UC Santa Cruz with a BS in Biomolecular Engineering and a minor in Bioinformatics, and from Stanford University with a MS in Bioengineering. Rolando’s past projects span the fields of biotechnology, nanotechnology, metamaterials, and computer-aided drug discovery. He is currently developing standards and engineering tools for mycelium-based bioproduction, a platform technology that produces high value commodities such as textiles, construction materials, or pharmaceuticals, from waste streams and filamentous fungi. Rolando has co-authored two peer-reviewed scientific papers, has been recognized with numerous awards for his research, and is frequently invited to speak on various topics such as research excellence, technology, education, and STEM outreach. He is also the cofounder of the community action space, Xinampa.