Meet the team behind the SBU Graduate Arts & Sciences Magazine
Founder, President & Executive Editor
Ava is a PhD Candidate in 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.
Vice President of Publication Design and Media
Rachel is a PhD student in Marine Atmospheric and Sustainability Sciences, working in the Warren Lab, researching the interaction between internal waves in shallow systems and pycnocline stability. 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, 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 policy-makers and teach college students to become interested in the sciences.
Vice President of Administration
Narmin is a PhD candidate in 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.
Treasurer
Akhil is a PhD candidate in Materials Science, working under Prof. Sprouster in the EMX Lab. His research focuses on developing innovative approaches to recycle and repurpose nuclear waste, with a prime emphasis on nuclear graphite, and designing safe repositories for long-term nuclear waste storage. Originally from India, he completed his bachelor’s at Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT)-Nuzvid, and master’s degree at IIT-Kharagpur and is the first in his family to pursue a PhD. Outside the lab, he enjoys photography, watching movies, listening to music and playing volleyball. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a career in industry as a research scientist, contributing to solutions for sustainable nuclear energy.
Secretary
Yashwanth is a Masters student in Electrical Engineering, specializing in Signal Processing and Communications. He spends his downtime traveling, swimming, and following the fast-paced action of F1 and MotoGP. As an aspiring entrepreneur with a passion for innovation, he aims to combine his technical expertise with his entrepreneurial spirit to shape the future of technology.
HR Director
Dennis is a Masters student in Human Resource Management. He initially completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Buffalo, where he got his bachelor’s in anthropology, before taking a gap year and switching career paths to Human Resources. In his free time he enjoys playing and watching soccer, reading, and spending time with friends. As he completes his studies, he intends to join the HR field for hands-on experience and views GradMag as a great organization to help develop and refine related skills.