Congratulations to Our URF Scholar Graduates
We are delighted to celebrate our wonderful Class of 2023 URF Scholar Graduates. From Huntington Ave to Palo Alto, the River Thames to Timor-Leste, the Emerald Isle to Broadway, and all of the places in between, we are confident that our Huskies, shaped by their powerful Northeastern University educations, will continue making positive impacts around the world. We are proud to recognize all those who shared their time, intellect, and ambition with us and with one another through one of the many opportunities to extend their learning that our office provides — through our PEAK Experiences Award Program, participation in our Making a Graduate School Plan Workshop, or forwarding an application for any one of the distinguished fellowships.
Thank you to the many who mentored these wonderful students during their time at Northeastern. Congratulations and good luck, Huskies!
Kareem Abdelkader COS’23, Biology/Political Science
Mentor(s): Sara Lazar, Tarik Gouhier, Jamie Reilly
Applications: Churchill Kanders Scholarship Nominee
Next Steps: Clinical Research Coordinator, Mass Eye and Ear
I will be working with clinical research labs at Mass Eye and Ear under the Center for Clinical Research Operations.
Kristine Aleksandrovica DMSB’23, Economics/Business Administration
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: PEAK Base Camp, Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Unknown at this time.
Justin Almendral COE’22, Computer Engineering
Mentor(s): Victor Zappi, Leanne Chukoskie, Celia Pearce, Mark Zolotas
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Associate Game Engineer, Stormflag Games
Game Engine Programming in C++ for hire, working primarily in multiplayer networked services.
Gillian Audia COE’23, Chemical Engineering
Mentor(s): Adam Ekenseair, Vaso Lykourinou, Jeffrey Karp, Yuhan Lee, Lauren Wolf
Applications: PEAK Base Camp, Summit, Trail Blazer Awardee; NSF GRFP Awardee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Rice University PhD in Bioengineering
I hope to develop novel biomaterials for 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering/regeneration and gain experience in translational research in my graduate training.
Marc Bacvanski Khoury’23, Computer Science
Mentor(s): Christopher Amato
Applications: Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: MIT EECS PhD
I hope to contribute to the field of quantum computing by bringing a computer science approach to building the software stack that enables quantum computers to be widely useful.
Sarah Benson COE’23, Chemical Engineering
Mentor(s): Ryan Koppes, Lelia Keyvani, Courtney Pfluger
Applications: PEAK Trail Blazer, Shout-It-Out Awardee
Next Steps: Process engineering.
I will be working in process engineering job after graduation (either in pharma or sustainbility).
Shreya Bhalla COS’23, Behavioral Neuroscience
Mentor(s): Hannah Wolfe, Derek Isaacowitz, Jennifer Ingemi
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Unknown at this time.
Still making plans.
Barkha Bhavsar COE’23, Chemical Engineering
Mentor(s): Joshua Gallaway, Benjamin Howell
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Associate Battery Engineer, 24M Technologies
I will be working on electrolyte formulations on the Product Development team for company partners manufacturing li-ion batteries.
Ren Birnholz CAMD’23, Cultural Anthropology/Theatre
Mentor(s): Liza Weinstein, Dani Synder-Young
Applications: PEAK Base Camp Awardee; Fulbright Fellowship Applicant
Next Steps: Fulbright Fellowship in India.
Tyler Bobbitt COS’23, Cell and Molecular Biology
Applications: PEAK Base Camp, Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Unknown at this time.
Sophia Cabellon COE’23, Bioengineering
Mentor(s): Noel Vera, Jude Mathews, Timothy Lannin, Julie Nguyen
Applications: PEAK Base Camp, Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Northeastern University, Bioengineering Masters Program
Andrew Chang COS’22, Biology
Mentor(s): Aria Olumi, Zongwei Wang, Melissa McElligott, Wendy Smith, Samuel Scarpino
Applications: PEAK Base Camp, Summit Awardee; Goldwater Applicant; Rhodes and Marshall Scholarship Nominee
Next Steps: Measey Scholars Program, University of Pennsylvania
After graduation this May, I will be heading to Pennsylvania as a Measey Surgical Scholar for one year at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine while applying to medical schools for this upcoming year. During my year in Pennsylvania, I will be working with Dr. Brendan Keating in the Division of Transplant Surgery on various research projects from iGeneTRAiN.
Joshua King To Ching Khoury’23, Computer Science/Cognitive Psychology
Mentor(s): Sijia Dong, Nadine Fornelos, Sara Garcia
Applications: PEAK Base Camp, Trail Blazer Awardee; Knight-Hennessy Nominee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Research Assistant, Tonegawa Lab at MIT
I want to answer the question, “how genomic diversity leads to divergent genetic mechanisms of diseases?” With the ultimate goal to characterize the applicability of genetic findings on different populations.
Brian Cho COE’23, Chemical Engineering
Mentor(s): Neel Joshi, Barbara Imperiali, Liam Holt
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee
Next Steps: MIT Bioengineering (PhD)
Katherine Coyne COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Akiko Shimamura, Wayne Marasco, Hari Parameswaran, Erin Cram, Kirsten Fertuck
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Clinical Research Coordinator, Boston Children’s Hospital Department of Hematology and Oncology: Bone Marrow Failure and Myelodysplastic Syndrome Program
I was a full-time co-op student here for six months from January to June 2022 with continuation of employment while I finished classes. In this position, I review patient medical records for two national, multicenter pediatric registries, the Bone Marrow Failure Registry and Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome Registry. I extract and enter pertinent patient data such as medical histories, infections, complete blood counts, bone marrow biopsies, genetic testing, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation into the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) system. I also aide in identifying cohorts of patients for specific studies to understand better rare pediatric hematological conditions. Through my research positions, I have co-authored on the different abstracts for conferences such as the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and SDS Congress. When I start full time, I will have more responsibilities such as in collecting patient samples, consenting patients, and with the Instituitional Review Board.
Christina Curran COS’23, Biochemistry
Applications: PEAK Trail Blazer Awardee, Fulbright Fellowship Applicant
Next Steps: Unknown at this time.
Kristin D’Angelo COS’23, Biology
Applications: Fulbright Fellowship Applicant
Next Steps: Peer Tutoring Program Coordinator
Amanda Dee COE’23, Bioengineering
Mentor(s): Carolyn Lee-Parsons, John Zuris, Maxim Prigozhin, Madelaine Bartlett, Helen Markewich
Applications: PEAK Ascent, Summit, Trail Blazer, Shout-It-Out Awardee; Goldwater Nominee; Hertz Fellowship Applicant; Knight-Hennessy Nominee; NSF GRFP Honorable Mention; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: UC Berkeley Plant and Microbial Biology Department (PhD)
A robust plant gene engineering system is needed to address climate change and mass starvation. For my PhD, I will develop CRISPR tools in plants, focusing on non-model crops.
Jason Denoncourt COE’23, Chemical Engineering
Mentor(s): Hilary Sullivan, Edward Geisinger, Jonathan Kaufman, Mikyung Yu, Jinna Bai
Applications: PEAK Base Camp Awardee, Churchill Kanders Scholarship Nominee
Next Steps: Doctor of Medicine (MD) – UMass Chan Medical School (Population-Based Urban and Rural Community Health)
Jake Duffy Khoury’23, Computer Science/Physics
Mentor(s): Mona Minkara, Jeffrey Potoff, Matthew Fishburn, Kerim Babaoglu
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Post-graduation employment.
I am looking to work in software engineering and data science and am going to enjoy some time at home.
Olivia Durant Bouve’23, Health Science
Mentor(s): Carmel Salhi, Sagar Nigwekar, Trish Case
Applications: PEAK Trail Blazer Awardee
Next Steps: Intramural Research Training Award, Post-Baccalaureate Research Fellow, Rocky Mountain Labs, National Institutes of Health
I will be working in the lab of Dr. Andrea Marzi. Dr. Marzi studies ebolaviruses in biosafety level 4 conditions. The project I will spend the most time on is the Tai Forest Ebolavirus. The lab has two strains of this species of Ebolavirus, one is lethal and the other is not but genetically they are very similar. I will be on the team looking into the differences between these two strains! I am very excited about this work because I am very passionate about studying Ebola and hope to work in this field as a researcher one day!
Elizabeth Ethier COS’22, Behavioral Neuroscience
Mentor(s): James Quinn, Othman Benchama, Emi Takahashi
Applications: Ford Foundation Applicant, Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Research assistant, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
I hope to advance the fields of memory and neurodegeneration, focusing on the encoding of memories, memory loss during neural decay, and its role in neurodegenerative diseases.
Taylor Extavour COS’22, Marine Biology
Mentor(s): Emily Zimmerman, Nicole Viquez, Lashyra Nolen
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Thomas Jefferson Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Juliana Gesztesi COE’23, Bioengineering
Mentor(s): Timothy Lannin, John Sangster, Abbas Yaseen, Boris Yelin
Applications: PEAK Shout-It-Out Awardee
Next Steps: Northeastern University PlusOne Masters in Bioengineering
Nathan Gong COE’23, Bioengineering
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: PEAK Base Camp Awardee; Early Research Creative Endeavor
Next Steps: Software engineering
Owen Graham-O’Regan CSSH’23, Economics/Mathematics
Mentor(s): Bilge Erten, Tim Bacon, Karen Graham
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Predoctoral Research Professional, University of Chicago
I will be working with Professor Jack Mountjoy on education research within the Booth Business School.
Althea Henvill COS’23, Psychology
Applications: Fulbright Fellowship Applicant
Next Steps: Banyan Impact Fellow.
Indira Holdsworth COS’23, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Mentor(s): Steve Schneider, Stephanie Eby, Margot Abels
Applications: Fulbright Fellowship Applicant; Marshall and Mitchell Scholarship Nominee
Next Steps: Northeastern University’s Environmental Science and Policy Plus-One program
Jarrod Homer COE’23, Electrical Engineering
Mentor(s): Rifat Sipahi, Bahram Shafai, Amir Farhat
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee, Goldwater Applicant
Next Steps: Northeastern University College of Engineering Robotics Program ECE Concentration Plus One Program
Jacob Horowitz CSSH’23, Politics, Philosophy, and Economics
Mentor(s): Matthew Smith, Dan Urman, Areeb Akbari
Applications: PEAK Trail Blazer Awardee, Truman Scholarship Nominee
Next Steps: Conducting political research.
Vivian Hua COS’22, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Edward Geisinger, Kirsten Fertuck, Shu-Shih Wu, James Maguire
Applications: PEAK Ascent, Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Clinical Research Coordinator, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
I work as a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Center for Clinical Investigation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. I assist physicians from all different departments with any research coordinating needs they require. The work ranges from administrative IRB work to conducting study visits and more. It has been a great experience seeing the wide range of research taking place at the hospital and getting to wear so many different hats at my job. I look forward to continuing to grow in the position and learning more!
Lauren Hulshof COS’23, Behavioral Neuroscience
Mentor(s): Rebecca Shansky, Heather Brenhouse, Jennifer Ingemi
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee, Goldwater Applicant
Next Steps: Research Associate 1, Harvard Medical School
Research assistant looking at the effect of thyroid hormone on brain plasticity and risk taking behaviors.
Emerson Johnston CSSH’23, Politics, Philosophy, and Economics
Mentor(s): Denise Garcia, Kirsten Rodine-Hardy, Kathryn Wang, Amilcar Barreto, Heather Hauck
Applications: PEAK Ascent, Summit Awardee; Gilman Scholarship Awardee; Truman Scholarship Applicant; Knight-Hennessy Nominee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Stanford University, Masters in International Policy
My particular interest is in examining the impacts of complex sociotechnical systems on the evolving role of non-state actors in the global political-military climate.
Vivek Kanpa Khoury’23, Data Science/Biology
Mentor(s): Javier Apfeld, Alina Oprea, Jade Shi
Applications: PEAK Ascent and Trail Blazer Awardee; Mitchell Scholar; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: University College Dublin School of Medicine, MSc in AI for Medicine & Medical Research
I want to leverage machine learning (ML) to predict -omics network interactions that are relevant in cancer prognostication and precision medicine.
Cerina Karr COS’23, Biology
Mentor(s): Cammie Lesser, Dessy Raytcheva, Maria Sevillano Rivera
Applications: PEAK Awardee; Churchill Scholarship Nominee
Next Steps: Lab Technician, Lesser Lab
I’m going to continue my work at the Lesser Lab at the Harvard Medical School, studying Shigella pathogenesis under Cammie Lesser, with whom I did my second co-op.
Julia Kautz COE’23, Bioengineering
Mentor(s): Guohao Dai, Nate Silvia, Tony Cancilla
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee, Goldwater Applicant
Next Steps: Automation Engineer, Generate Biomedicnes
As an Automation Engineer at Generate, I will be building the onboarding process to expedite the pipeline of bench-top assays to reach their fully automated and high throughput potential. I will have the opportunity to collaborate and translate methods across a large library of cutting edge bioassays. The position allows me to pull resources from both the Digital and Preclinical Discovery and Development teams. The process of high throughput and parallel processing via automation significantly increases the turnaround time for drug discovery to reach clinical trials, a component of biotech I am extremely interested in optimizing! I am also enrolled in Northeastern’s PlusOne program. I will be attaining my Masters in Bioengineering with a concentration in Biomedical Devices and Bioimaging next May, while I work full time throughout the year.
Amil Khattar DMSB’22, Business Administration
Mentor(s): Frankie Gonzalez, Brooke Johnson, John Brum
Applications: Fulbright Fellowship Applicant
Next Steps: Digital Marketing Analyst, BBQGuys
Bjorn Kierulf COE’22, Mechanical Engineering
Mentor(s): Andrew Gouldstone, Umit Coskun, Marilyn Minus, Michael Allshouse, Drew Weibel
Applications: PEAK Summit and Shout-It-Out; NSF GRFP Awardee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Mechanical Engineering Department (PhD)
I want to build foundational knowledge in fluids, math, and numerical methods through graduate study. Through research I want to tackle tricky problems in numerical methods for fluids.
Katherine Kikta DMSB’23, International Business
Mentor(s): Nikki James, Walter Gabriel, Kyle Gobrogge, Nathaniel Raymond, Risa Kitagawa
Applications: PEAK Ascent and Trail Blazer Awardee; Critical Language Scholarship Awardee; Fulbright Fellowship Awardee; Gilman Scholarship Awardee; Pickering Fellowship Awardee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Master of Law and Diplomacy at the Fletcher School, Tufts University
In my studies, I hope to understand how past and current foreign policy initiatives within the Eastern European and Central Asian affairs evolved.
Taylor Kimbrough CSSH’23, International Affairs
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: Boren Scholarship Awardee; Gilman Scholarship
Next Steps: Unknown at this time.
Giona Kleinberg COE’23, Bioengineering/Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Sandra Shefelbine, Ester Comellas, Daniel Hochbaum, Olga Vitek, Mona Minkara
Applications: PEAK Trail Blazer and Shout-It-Out Awardee; Goldwater Scholar
Next Steps: Preparing for graduate study.
I will be applying to combined MD/PhD programs while I continue working on research at Harvard Medical School.
Samuel Koblensky COE’23, Mechanical Engineering/Physics
Mentor(s): Xiaoyu Tang, Charles DiMarzio, Michael Allshouse
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Princeton University, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (PhD)
Andrea Koid COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: New York University Chemistry Department (PhD)
I aspire to use organic synthesis to tackle issues related to understanding diseases and creating tools to better the lives of people impacted by such diseases.
Shriya Krishna COS’23, Cell and Molecular Biology
Mentor(s): Shadi Abdar Esfahani, Benjamin Spears, Wendy Smith
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Post-baccalaureate Intramural Research Trainee at the NIH
I will be studying epigenetic RNA modifications that are involved in cancer and immune function.
Ramya Kumar COS’22, Behavioral Neuroscience
Mentor(s):Laura Senier, Glenn O’Grady, Bram Wispelwey, Daniel Noemi Voionmaa, Richard Wamai
Applications: PEAK Base Camp, Summit Awardee; Fulbright Fellowship Applicant; Knight-Hennessy, Rhodes, Marshall Scholarship, Mitchell Scholarship Nominee; Truman Scholarship Nominee and Finalist
Next Steps: Preparing for medical school.
After graduation I will be continuing work at Harvard University FXB Center for Health and Human Rights as a program and research assistant, facilitating research surrounding determinants of health for marginalized populations around the world and assisting in the design and execution of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s first ever social medicine in Palestine course this summer. I will also continue my work as a research assistant at Boston Medical Center leading a project investigating culturally-inclusive dietary interventions for patients with Type 2 Diabetes and my work at Team fEMR where I will continue research in projects providing electronic medical record technology to clinicians in low-resource settings.
Sage Kumar COS’23, Biology
Mentor(s): James Monaghan, Jon Farley, Patricia Hampf, Alicia Ballok, Emily Madden King
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Research Associate
I plan to serve as a Research Associate in an academic or industry role in the life sciences, working in a therapeutic discovery space!
Jade Law Bouve’23, Pharmaceutical Sciences
Mentor(s): Edward Geisinger, Edward Kennedy, Neel Joshi, Nicole Raustad
Applications: PEAK Base Camp, Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Lab Technician, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
I will be working in Dr. Keith Joung’s Lab in the department of Pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital. The Joung Laboratory is developing strategies to reprogram the genome and epigenome of living cells to better understand biology and treat disease. These tools have many potential research uses and have promise for developing therapeutics. I will be doing research on either the off-target effects of these gene editing technologies, or looking at epigenetics.
Anna LeClair COE’23, Environmental Engineering
Mentor(s): Annalisa Onnis-Hayden, Jackie Tupper, August Welch
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Environmental Engineer 1, CDM Smith, Inc.
Damian Lee CSSH’23, Political Science/Economics
Mentor(s): Madhavi Venkatesan, Régine Jean-Charles, Austin Barraza
Applications: Making a Graduate School Plan
Next Steps: Undecided
Tien Yi Li CAMD’22, Architectural Studies
Mentor(s): Lucy Maulsby, Cole Roskam, Philip Thai, Shuishan Yu, Robert Cross
Applications: PEAK Trail Blazer Awardee
Next Steps: Master of Science in Architectural Studies in History, Theory and Criticism of Art and Architecture, MIT
Devin Lloyd COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Luke Chao, Veronica Godoy-Carter, Erin Cram
Applications: PEAK Summit and Trail Blazer Awardee; Goldwater, NSF GRFP Applicant; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Research Assistant
I hope to discover more about the mechanisms behind protein trafficking, helping me to gain the skills to run my own lab someday.
Tyler Locke COS’23, Biomedical Physics
Mentor(s): Mona Minkara, Andrew Lee, Lee-Peng Lee
Applications: PEAK Base Camp, Ascent, Summit, Shout-It-Out Awardee; NSF GRFP and NDSEG Applicant; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Cornell University Biomedical Engineering PhD
I aim to study the effects of different mechanical and chemical stimuli on the growth, development, and function of human tissue. This has applications in tissue engineering and medicine.
Marcus Mahtemework CSSH’23, Political Science/International Affairs
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: Marshall Scholarship Applicant, Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Unknown at this time, graduate study of some kind.
The professional niche that I am hoping to enter is to help states and communities become more resilient to the threat of internal war.
Saoirse Mcnally CSSH’23, Human Services/Criminal Justice
Mentor(s): Emily Mann, Lee Ann Burdick, Angela Armstrong
Applications: Critical Language Scholarship Applicant; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant; Fulbright Fellowship Awardee
Next Steps: I will be deferring my start time for a Northeastern University graduate program by one year, in order to utilize my Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship grant to Spain.
My aspiration is to research and implement evidence-based nterventions that focus on disrupting trauma and developmental risk factors in vulnerable children trauma exposure (single event, developmental), violence, and juvenile delinquency.
Anna Meglan COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Roman Manetsch, Dan Custar, Juan Salinas
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Research Technician, Whitehead Institute
I hope to better understand how the immune system can be co-opted for therapeutic purposes, specifically to target cancer or autoimmune diseases.
Victoria Micha Waiss COS’23, Psychology
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: PEAK Base Camp Awardee
Next Steps: Case Manager, House of Possibilities
I’ll be working in a day program for individuals with Down Syndrome as a Case Manager.
Lee Milburn COE’23, Computer Engineering/Computer Science
Mentor(s): Taskin Padir, Claudio Semini, Kai-yuh Hsiao
Applications: PEAK Summit and Shout-It-Out Awardee; NSF GRFP Applicant; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, PhD
My primary research interest is making large-scale autonomous systems that can provide a foundation for passively enacting sustainability solutions. After graduation, I want to continue researching sustainable robotic capabilities.
Katherine Miller COE’23, Chemical Engineering
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: PEAK Ascent, Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Process Development Research
Christopher-Robin Millican CSSH’23, Public Administration
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: Fulbright Fellowship Applicant
Next Steps: Unknown at this time.
Kira Mok CSSH’23, Sociology/Environmental Studies
Mentor(s): Phil Brown, Alissa Cordner, Kelsey Pieper
Applications: PEAK Base Camp and Summit Awardee; Fulbright Fellowship Applicant; Truman Scholarship and Udall Scholarship University Nominee
Next Steps: Research Assistant, Northeastern University
This summer, I’ll be working at Northeastern in Dr. Kelsey Pieper’s lab on water quality disparity research, specifically looking at well water contamination post-hurricane Harvey.
Meagan Morgan COE’23, Bioengineering
Mentor(s): Sandra Shefelbine, Timothy Lannin, Deron Dixon, Tess Davis
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill / North Carolina State University Joint BME PhD
Haley Moriarty Bouve’23, Health Science
Mentor(s): Rachel Rodgers, Melissa Hagerstrom, Joanna Weaver
Applications: PEAK Base Camp Awardee
Next Steps: Northeastern University MPH Program
Nikita Murli COS’23, Cell and Molecular Biology
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: PEAK Base Camp Awardee
Next Steps: Research Specialist, Adelphi Values
Hannah Nivar CSSH’23, Political Science/International Affairs
Mentor(s): Matthew Smith, Emma Futhey, Panagoula Diamanti-Karanou
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Discipleship & Social Responsibility Coordinator, Aletheia Church
I will be responsible for congregational care, missions planning, and managing community partnerships.
Liam O’Malley COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: PEAK Ascent, Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Clinical Research Coordinator, Adams Clinical
Ebelechiyem Okafor COS’23, Cell and Molecular Biology
Mentor(s): Jessica Williamson, Justin Silvestri, Elizabeth Clark, Richard O’Bryant, Wendy Smith
Applications: Fulbright Fellowship Applicant
Next Steps: Clinical Research Apprentice, Lane Lab, Division of Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorder at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Ebele is graduating with an Honors BS in Cell and Molecular Biology with a Minor in Writing. In addition to revising her latest writing projects, she is ecstatic to begin a summer internship at Dr. Jacqueline Lane’s lab at BWH, affiliated with the Broad Institute’s Medical and Population Genetics Program. Dr. Lane’s translational research focuses on understanding the human circadian system and associated neuropsychiatric conditions through the lens of extreme circadian rhythm disorders and novel functional follow-up approaches to address questions of basic biology of the circadian clock and expose the influence of circadian characteristics over human health and life history. Ebele will assist in testing for genetic associations with circadian rhythm disorder patients, performing the critical step of circadian rhythm sleep wake disorder chart review (CRSWD) under the guidance of Dr. Lane and clinicians from the Circadian Disorder Clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and will be leading a group of students and technicians to review all charts of CRSWD cases with genetic information in the MGB Biobank. Ebele hopes to continue refining her skills for a career in medicine and research, with the long term goal of graduate or medical school. She is sincerely grateful to the Northeastern community and Honors Program, her past professors and mentors, and URF for their guidance these past years. She will absolutely be applying for more fellowships in the coming years and is hopeful for what the future has in store.
Nicole Page COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Psyche Loui
Applications: PEAK Ascent, Summit, Shout-It-Out Awardee
Next Steps: Clinical Research Coordinator, Massachusetts General Hospital
Post-graduation, I will be working as a Clinical Research Coordinator with the Massachusetts Genreral Hospital Center for Rare Neurological Diseases. In this role, I will be managing clinical trials for adrenoleukodystrophy, which is a rare neurodegenerative disorder. I am also currently applying to medical school with plans to matriculate in 2024.
B. Parazin COS’23, Physics
Mentor(s): Sam Munoz, Michael Coughlin, Robert Silversmith,
Applications: Goldwater Scholarship Awardee; NSF GRFP Awardee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: McGill University, Earth and Planetary Sciences PhD
I want to computationally study geophysics, I’m specifically drawn to mantle physics because of the interesting fluid flow problems there. I hope to do research as a career.
Grayson Peel CSSH’23, Cultural Anthropology
Mentor(s): Gordana Rabrenovic
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee; Fulbright Fellowship Applicant; Critical Language Scholarship Awardee
Next Steps: Go to India with the Critical Language Scholarship to study Hindi.
Gabriel Reid CAMD’23, Media Screen Studies/Media Arts
Mentor(s): Jennifer Gradecki, Ellen Fontana, Cagen Luse, Sean Leavy, David Tamés
Applications: PEAK Ascent, Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Boston University College of Fine Arts MFA
Jordan Rhyner Bouve’23, Health Science
Mentor(s): Rebekah Moore, Aziza Robinson-Goodnight, Suzanne Garverich
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee
Next Steps: AmeriCorps at Boston Health Care for the Homeless
Erin Rosenfeld CSSH’23, ASPS/ASL/Psychology
Mentor(s): Rachel Berman-Kobylarz, Elizabeth Addison, Meghann Perry, Desi Oakley
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Actor
I am currently making my Broadway debut in the new play “Grey House”! I am an understudy for three roles: Bernie, A1656, and Marlow. “Grey House” is written by Levi Holloway, directed by Joe Mantello, and stars Laurie Metcalf, Tatiana Maslany, Paul Sparks, Sophia Anne Caruso, Millicent Simmonds, and more.
Alexis Rubin CSSH’22, English
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: Fulbright Fellowship Applicant
Next Steps: Unknown at this time.
Nikitha Sam COS’23, Biology
Mentor(s): Benjamin Spears, Naeem Nadaf, Jennifer Lieb, Erica Homan
Applications: PEAK Bridge Builder Awardee
Next Steps: Microbiology Research Associate, Selux Diagnostics
I will be working in the lab of Selux to optimize diagnostic machines that provide personalized antibiotic readings to patients. The company is groundbreaking with its innovation and provides a collaborative lab space that is at the center of their company. Alongside other talented individuals, I will be a part of a team that tackles antibiotic resistant superbugs, a growing concern in our hospitals. I will be using a lot of the lab skills that I have learned through my college career and co-ops, and I am looking forward to starting this July!
Tejas Sathyamurthi Khoury’23, Computer Science
Mentor(s): Cody Dunne, Auroop Ganguly, Pradeep Kurup
Applications: Goldwater Applicant; Udall Scholarship Nominee
Next Steps: Unknown at this time.
Joyce Shen COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Sidi Bencherif, Khushbu Bhatt, Lauren McGrath, Elizabeth Palmer
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Preparing for medical school.
I will be taking two gap years as I prepare for and apply to medical school. I will be pursuing an MD degree specifically. In the fall, I hope to start working full-time in one of the Boston area hospitals as a Clinical Research Assistant or Medical Assistant.
Michael Shen COE’23, Computer Engineering
Mentor(s): David Kaeli, Yifan Sun, Amir Kavyan Ziabari
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee; Goldwater Scholarship Applicant; NSF GRFP Awardee
Next Steps: Cornell School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, PhD
I am interested in exploring how we can make the design of next-generation hardware more secure, to mitigate the impacts of vulnerabilities that currently exist, without adversely impacting performance.
Ashwini Shinde COS’23, Behavioral Neuroscience
Mentor(s): Gord Fishell, Jordane Dimidschstein, Rebecca Shansky
Applications: PEAK Bridge Builder Awardee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: University of Colorado Anschutz Neuroscience Program (PhD)
It’s fascinating that each tiny region of cells in the brain has such specialized functions and I want to help define those regions and functions.
Jessica Silverman CSSH’23, Political Science
Mentor(s): Colin Brown, Jeffrey Moyer, Stacia Sheputa
Applications: Fulbright Fellowship Applicant
Next Steps: MSc in Politics and Communication at the London School of Economics
Sabra Sisler Khoury’23, Computer Science/Behavior Neuroscience
Mentor(s): Dagmar Sternad, David Redish, Vivek Venkatachalam
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee, Goldwater Applicant
Next Steps: Research Assistant
Victoria Soule COS’22, Environmental Studies/Economics
Mentor(s): Laura Kuhl, Ronald Sandler
Applications: PEAK Summit
Next Steps: Research Associate, Wellington Management
Research investment implications of physical, transition, and biodiversity climate risks.
Melania St. Cyr COE’23, Electrical Engineering
Mentor(s): Perri Lomberg, Thomas Consi, Nian Sun, Amir Farhat
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee; Hertz Fellowship Applicant; NDSEG and NSF GRFP Applicant; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Massachusetts Institute of Technology EECS PhD
I have strong technical interests in circuit design for interdisciplenary applications. By pursuing a PhD, I hope to deepen my circuit design skills and experience more sustained research efforts.
Amanda Stark COS’22, Behavioral Neuroscience
Mentor(s): Christopher Chen, Wade Regehr, Don O’Malley, Taekyung Kwon, Rebecca Shansky
Applications: NSF GRFP Awardee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: UC San Francisco Neuroscience PhD
I am pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience to progress toward my goal of becoming the principal investigator of my own lab. I hope to continue studying synapses and circuits.
Isabelle Sutton CSSH’23, International Affairs
Mentor(s): Ann Marie Mahoney, Larry Zabar, Pauline Spheekas,
Applications: PEAK Base Camp Awardee, Fulbright Fellowship Applicant, Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: University of Edinburgh, Master’s in International Affairs
I want to become more involved with creating international policy regarding the monitoring of AI to ensure technology does not develop in a way that could undermine human rights.
Sahiti Tholeti CSSH’23, Political Science/International Affairs
Mentor(s): Kirsten Rodine-Hardy, Panagoula (Youly) Diamanti-Karanou
Applications: Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) MSc in Political Science, Political Behaviour
Emma Toole DMSB’22, Business Administration
Mentor(s): Shawn Bhimani, Nada Sanders, Martin Dias
Applications: PEAK Base Camp Awardee
Next Steps: Consulting Development Program Analyst, Accenture
I’ll be working in the consulting development program (CDP) to work towards becoming a consultant. I’m focused on the supply chain side of the business, but I am most interested in responsible sourcing/sustainable value chains within the company. I’ll be working on many different projects, as is the nature of consulting.
Molly Tully COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Maciej Nogalski, Kai Bao, Zachary Rogers, Sidi Bencherif
Applications: NSF GRFP Applicant; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: University of Chicago, Cell and Molecular Biology PhD program
I want my PhD in either Cell and Molecular Biology or Immunolgy. I hope to work in a lab involved with cell signalling to better develop of successful therapeutics.
Justin Vega COS’23, Physics/Philosophy
Mentor(s): Louise Skinnari, Sean Andrews, Michael Johnson, Freek Roelofs, Rory Smead
Applications: NSF GRFP Awardee, Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Columbia University Department of Astronomy (PhD)
I hope to work at the intersection of astronomy and data science to ensure that we are maximizing the utility of astronomical data in interpreting the physics of astrophysical objects.
Robert Harrison Voigt CSSH’23, Political Science/Economics
Mentor(s): Thomas Vicino, Lori Gardinier, John Portz,
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee; Fulbright Fellowship Applicant; Rhodes and Marshall Scholarship Nominee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Harvard Kennedy School of Government, MPP
I am interested in the following questions: How can local policymakers craft solutions that negate problems of urban inequity? In particular, what creative interventions can increase urban mobility?
Kelly Ward COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): – –
Applications: PEAK Summit Awardee
Next Steps: Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at UMass Chan Medical School, PhD in Basic and Biomedical Sciences
Ke Chloe Wen COE’22, Chemical Engineering/ Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Eno Ebong, Sidi Bencherif, Chuntian Hu, Salvatore Mascia Mascia, Mohammad Hamrangsekachaee
Applications: PEAK Summit, Trail Blazer, Shout-It-Out Awardee; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Stanford University – Chemical Engineering (PhD)
I wish to continue exploring the principles of building complex living systems and applying them to control biological phenomena, with the goals of understanding disease pathophysiology and curing diseases.
Grace Yang COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Lori Ferrins, Pranali Buch, Lalit Golani, Kelly Freides, John McGee
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee; NSF GRFP Applicant; Making a Grad School Plan Workshop Participant
Next Steps: Boston University, PhD in Chemistry
I hope to utilize synthetic organic chemistry and machine learning models to identify, synthesize, and test potential therapeutics inspired by natural products in Eastern Medicine.
Anne Yauch COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): Leigh Plant, Sally Robinson, Diomedes Logothetis, Erin Cooney
Applications: PEAK Ascent, Summit, Trail Blazer Awardee; Fulbright Fellowship and Goldwater Applicant
Next Steps: Research Technician, Northeastern University
I will be continuing to work in the Plant Lab at Northeastern University, where I had first gotten interested in research as an undergraduate. I have been a member of the lab since 2019 and am involved in multiple projects, which I am eager to see through to completion. Because of this, I decided to stay with the lab after graduation while I prepare to apply for graduate school. The Plant Lab is housed within the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and is focused around the physiology and biophysical properties of ion channels, particularly in relation to cardiovascular disease. We use a variety of electrophysiological and biochemical techniques to study the dysfunction of these channels and seek new ways to treat the diseases that they can cause. As a research technician, I am responsible for my own project related to pulmonary artery hypertension. I also support other members of the lab in carrying out their work and contribute to the general operations of our workplace. I am confident that this experience will help me become a stronger scientist.
Emma Young COS’23, Cell and Molecular Biology
Mentor(s): Belle Lim, Emily Pham, Jessa Malicdem,
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee
Next Steps: Northeastern University
I will be continuing on to get my Masters in bioinformatics through the Northeastern PlusOne Program
Ari Zlota COS’23, Biochemistry
Mentor(s): James Monaghan, Elena Ivanova, Clifford Woolf,
Applications: PEAK Ascent Awardee; Goldwater Scholarship Awardee
Next Steps: Research Associate, Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
In collaboration with Takeda, I will be further developing and characterizing a novel therapeutic combination that we identified during my co-op. Unfortunately, I am constrained by confidentiality agreements; however, I can share with you that our overarching goal is to continue developing a cellular therapy for a class of solid tumors, tumors that classically don’t respond well to such therapies.