Executive Board

Ava is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, working under Dr. Arie Kaufman in the Center for Visual Computing. Her research interests are interdisciplinary, focusing on the intersection of machine learning and augmented reality/virtual reality with medical oncologic surgeries. 

Jennifer is a Master’s student in the Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, conducting research under the Tsirka lab. Her research focuses on elucidating the complex crosstalk between the central nervous system and the immune system in the context of inflammatory diseases such as Glioblastoma Multiforme, the most aggressive form of primary brain cancer. She aims to uncover the mechanisms by which cells within the tumor microenvironment are hijacked, pathologically modulated, and suppressed, facilitating tumor growth and progression. 

Veronica is a second-year master’s student in geosciences. She works with Gregory Henkes on carbonate-clumped isotopes in shark teeth to understand thermal preference across species. She is also working to measure fossil teeth, much of which is being done in close collaboration with Oliver Shipley. Her undergraduate research revolved around mapping and GIS analysis of paleogeomorphic features in Northern New York. In her free time, Veronica works as an environmental educator for young children, introducing them to science through nature. On a personal note, she loves figure skating and hiking and is an avid reader. 

Sai Ram is a first-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science, specializing in artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing. His research focuses on enhancing multi-modal foundational and large language models and their practical applications in solving real-world challenges. Originally from India, reading science fiction, and hiking in his free time. He aspires to pursue a career in academia or as a research scientist in the tech industry, contributing to groundbreaking advancements in AI and machine learning. 

Rachel is a first-year PhD student in Marine Atmospheric and Sustainability Sciences, working in the Warren Lab. She is researching whether marine microorganisms contribute significantly to ocean mixing through their movement and biomass density. She is from New Jersey, where she completed her undergraduate and master's degrees at NJIT in Ecology & Evolution, looking into the potential for automated insect classification using infrared remote sensing. During her free time, she loves to write, paint, bake, and spoil her cats. In the future, she’d love to have a career where she’s able to communicate science to the public and teach. 

Narmin is a third-year PhD candidate in the department of Neurobiology and Behavior working in  the Dubnau lab. She is studying how stress influences the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. She is a first generation Egyptian-Moroccan woman from Staten Island, New York. In her free time she likes to organize with community groups, sing and bake. Long-term goals include starting a research lab at an academic institution while contributing to the community and advancements to education and science. 

Laiba is a first-year master's student in the MBA in Marketing program, where she is actively exploring the complexities of consumer behavior and visual storytelling. As a graphic designer, the intersection of art theory with marketing underscores her belief that effective knowledge is not only about the message but also the way it’s presented. During her free time, she loves to bake, read, and learn new languages. 

Esther is a 3rd year Ph.D. student in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, studying the movement ecology of great black-backed gulls in the Thorne Lab, towards understanding their risk from offshore wind farms in the Northeast US. Outside research, Esther enjoys reading, writing, and listening to real or made-up stories, especially those that highlight how exciting science and nature are. 

Amanda is a 3rd year PhD candidate in the Mechanical Engineering Department, studying alternative fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia and natural gas in compression ignition engines. She enjoys teaching and hopes to become a professor one day. In her free time she likes to read and paint.