Visiting Future Faculty Program

Heba Alex, University of Chicago

Hosted by the Department of Sociology, CAS

Heba Alex is a PhD candidate in the sociology department at the University of Chicago. She is a political and legal sociologist who studies evaluation processes in areas such as occupations, organizations, and courts. Her work has been funded by the Pozen Center and W. Allison Davis Graduate Research Award at the University of Chicago, and the American Bar Foundation Fellowship.

Madison Allen Kuyenga, Michigan State University

Hosted by the Department Learning and Instruction, GSE

Madison Allen Kuyenga is a PhD candidate in educational psychology and educational technology at Michigan State University. Her research focuses on integrating indigenous, vernacular, and computational knowledge into technologies that center cultural heritage, diversity, and equity.

Özlü Aran, University of Denver

Hosted by the Department of Psychology, CAS

Dr. Özlü Aran (she/her), is a postdoctoral researcher in the REID lab at Northeastern University. She completed her PhD in developmental and child psychology with a concentration in developmental cognitive neuroscience at the University of Denver in summer 2024. Previously, she received her BS in psychology and MS in developmental psychology at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey and spent a year as a Fulbright visiting scholar in the Institute of Child development at the University of Minnesota.

Da'Ja'Nay Askew, Indiana University Bloomington

Hosted by the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, GSE

Da'Ja'Nay Askew, MSEd, is a PhD candidate in higher education and student affairs at Indiana University, where she also holds minors in human development and certificates in quantitative and qualitative research and institutional research. Her dissertation critically examines the impact of faculty relations and civic engagement on Black students' success and social integration at private liberal arts institutions. Da'Ja'Nay brings over a decade of experience in teaching, program development, and consulting, focusing on equitable practices, anti-racist pedagogy, and social justice.

Megan Awwad, University of Southern California

Hosted by the Department of Indigenous Studies, CAS

Megan Awwad is a Palestinian scholar and PhD candidate in American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California. She earned a MA in environment and community from California State Polytechnic Institute, Humboldt. Her research interests lie in Indigenous studies, critical environmental studies, carceral studies, and Palestine studies. Focusing on settler colonialism and colonial environmental initiatives, Megan's work examines the dispossession and marginalization of Indigenous Palestinians, shedding light on the impacts of these systems on both land and community.

Faizun Bakth, Wayne State University

Hosted by the Department of Psychology, CAS

Faizun Bakth (she/her/hers) is a fifth-year PhD candidate in developmental science at Wayne State University. Using multiple longitudinal methodologies, her research focuses on how adolescents' positive and negative peer experiences shape their health, identity, and academic performance. Her research has been published at outlets including Sleep Health, Journal of Research on Adolescence, Development and Psychopathology, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, School Mental Health. Faizun has also received multiple Wayne State awards in recognition of her teaching and research.

Maalvika Bhat, Northwestern University

Hosted by the Department of Communication, CAS

Maalvika Bhat is a PhD candidate in technology and social behavior, which is a dual PhD program in computer science and communications at Northwestern University. Her research spans two distinct areas. First, the designing of explainable AI experiences that bridge the gap between complex algorithms and users, with a particular focus on how algorithmic trade-offs impact AI literacy and governance. Second, Maalvika studies online knowledge networks, investigating the creation and diffusion of information in digital spaces. She received her BS in computing from Olin College of Engineering.

Marissa Carmi, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Hosted by the Department of Indigenous Studies, CAS

Marissa Carmi (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin) is the Associate Director of the American Indian Center and a PhD candidate in the department of American studies at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Her research explores the multidimensionality of Oneida sovereignty in the twentieth century and Oneida intellectual history. In her role at the American Indian Center, Marissa is responsible for building campus partnerships and developing community-driven initiatives to advance UNC's capacity to serve Native nations across the state and beyond. Previously, she worked for the Administration for Native Americans where she now serves as a consultant.

Nicole Contreras-García, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Hosted by the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, GSE

Nicole Contreras-García is a PhD candidate in the department of educational leadership and policy analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She uses qualitative and mixed methods with the goal of identifying holistic supports for, and in collaboration with, racially and ethnically minoritized community college students. Nicole is a community college graduate, having received her AA from Rio Hondo College. She is also a former McNair scholar and received her BA in sociology from University of California Los Angeles and MS in educational leadership and policy analysis at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Giovanna Denucci, Indianan University School of Dentistry

Hosted by the Department of Restorative Dentistry, SDM

Giovanna Denucci is a Brazilian DDS, MSc, and PhD candidate in dental sciences at the Indiana University School of Dentistry. With a passion for preventive dentistry, her research focuses on erosive tooth wear, with a particular emphasis on non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs). She aims to deepen the understanding of NCCLs etiology, early diagnosis, and clinical management. Through innovative detection tools and in vitro simulation modeling, her work seeks to enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve patient outcomes in managing this complex dental condition.

Henry Duah, University of Cincinnati

Hosted by the School of Nursing

enry Duah, PhD, MPH, RN, is a nurse scientist who is dedicated to addressing emerging clinical and public health problems, advancing health equity, and improving population health through data-driven solutions. He has collaborated on multiple clinical and public health research projects using secondary data methodology, culminating in over 60 peer-reviewed publications. He currently serves as a postdoctoral scholar at the Ohio State University College of Nursing.

Florence Egbeyale, Florida State University

Hosted by the Department of Classics, CAS

Florence Egbeyale is a PhD candidate in the department of religion at Florida State University. Her research engages Jewish-Christian histories and texts, especially in African contexts, in relation to gender and cultural hermeneutics, intersectionality, and children and maternity-related issues.

Dalia Gracia, University of California, San Diego & San Diego State University

Hosted by the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, CAS

Dalia García is a PhD candidate in language and communicative disorders, a joint doctoral program at the University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University. Her research focuses on how to measure language proficiency; how bilinguals control their languages; and how these language control mechanisms change in aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Akira Harper, University of Massachusetts, Darmouth

Hosted by the Department of Learning and Instruction, GSE

Akira Harper is a PhD candidate in STEM Education at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Her research and scholarship seeks to understand how raciolinguistic, antiracist, and/or antiblack ideologies manifest themselves in STE(A)M teachers' discourses; as well as the organizations of learning, in ways that become consequential to the positioning, or disciplinary engagement, of racialized youth. She is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor at UMass Dartmouth.

Thomas Hinneh, John Hopkins University

Hosted by the School of Nursing

Thomas Hinneh is a PhD candidate and American Heart Association predoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. Drawing on his experience in establishing a nurse-led clinic and co-founding a NGO for community cardiovascular screening, Thomas' research highlights the potential of team-based care in improving hypertension management, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Pooja Ichplani, Florida State University

Hosted by the Department of Communication, CAS

Pooja Ichplani is a PhD candidate at Florida State University School of Communication. She examines the sociological aspects of communication science to address applied challenges at the intersection of health and social justice, with a keen interest in participatory communication, social network analysis, and intervention research for risk prevention. Her topical areas of interest include intimate partner violence, cancer communication, anti-smoking, and climate change. She completed her MA in development communication and extension from University of Delhi, and her thesis paper was named recipient of the Schiller Award at IAMCR 2019.

Lisa Je, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Hosted by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, SEAS

Lisa Je is a PhD candidate in chemical and biological engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Lisa holds a BA in chemistry and a BS in chemical and material science engineering through the Vassar-Dartmouth Thayer Dual Degree Program in Engineering and holds an MS in chemical and biological engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a first-generation college student and is committed to mentoring underrepresented students and creating more accessible STEM inclusive opportunities. Lisa's research is on modeling ionic liquids for next-generation batteries using molecular dynamics and topology.

Roseline Jean Louis, Emory University

Hosted by the School of Nursing

Roseline Jean Louis is a trained labor and delivery nurse and PhD candidate at Emory University School of Nursing. As a recipient of the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA predoctoral fellowship, her work focuses on modifiable risk factors to improve maternal health outcomes plaguing the Black birthing community in the United States. Roseline is an Edward A. Bouchet graduate honor society scholar and a previous birth equity research fellow at the National Birth Equity Collaborative. Through research and practice, she aims to develop and implement respectful and anti-racist strategies to improve maternal health among marginalized populations.

Lester Kern, University of Chicago

Hosted by the School of Social Work

Lester J. Kern is a PhD candidate at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. He examines mental health interventions and explores the experiences of their central actors. Specifically, he highlights the experiences of psychiatric emergency department workers, including how they exercise discretion in their daily work; and how inter- and intra-organizational relationships impact their work. Lester received an MSW from Wayne State University and a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Violet Kimble, Yale University

Hosted by the Department of Psychology, CAS

Violet M. Kimble is a PhD candidate in neuroscience at Yale University, specializing in substance use disorders with a focus on sex differences in addiction. Her research on L-type calcium channels examines the neural mechanisms driving drug-seeking behaviors, particularly in female subjects. Violet has earned the NIH OSNAP award and Yale's Dean's Emerging Scholars Research Award. She is passionate about mentoring, teaching, and healthcare advocacy, aiming to influence both scientific research and policy to advance gender-specific treatments for addiction and mental health.

Amber Lawson, Michigan State University

Hosted by the Department of Learning and Instruction, GSE

Amber Lawson is a PhD candidate in curriculum, instruction, and teacher education, specializing in language, literacy and urban education at Michigan State University. Her research is in making foundational literacy culturally responsive for children of color in K-2 by incorporating children's identities, home languages, and lived experiences as assets throughout their learning. With 2 years of teaching kindergarten and 4 years of teaching first grade in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, Lawson's experiences as an early elementary teacher play a vital role in her research and teaching.

Tiantian Li, Purdue University

Hosted by the Department of Engineering Education, SEAS

Tiantian Li is a PhD candidate in engineering education at Purdue University. She received her BS in biological engineering and her MS in industrial engineering also from Purdue University. Tiantian is passionate about improving systems thinking education to increase students' readiness for challenges of Industry 5.0. Her research interests include systems thinking, assessment development and validation, and multicultural experiences in STEM. She has received the Purdue College of Engineering Outstanding Service Scholarship and the Center for Instructional Excellence Graduate Teaching Excellence Award.

Kashauna Mason, Texas A&M University

Hosted by the Department of Geology, CAS

Kashauna Mason grew up on the island of Dominica, also known as the Nature Island of the Caribbean. Her experiences in nature cemented her love for Geoscience. She earned an AS in Geography, Physics, and Mathematics from Dominica State College followed by a BS in geology and physics at the University of Arkansas. Currently, she is a PhD candidate at Texas A&M University, focusing on sedimentology and planetary science. At TAMU, she co-founded the first National Association for Black Geoscientists chapter, raising thousands of dollars to support students attending technical conferences.

Sasha Mejia-Bradford, University of Pennsylvania

Hosted by the Department of Counseling, School, and Educational Psychology, GSE

Sasha Mejia-Bradford is an Institute of Education Sciences fellow and PhD candidate in interdisciplinary studies in human development at the University of Pennsylvania, researching how cultural values buffer Latino adolescents from in-the-moment racial-ethnic discrimination stress using wearable tech. A former teacher and research manager, she holds an MEd in secondary education from Eastern New Mexico University, an MA in educational studies, program evaluation and improvement research from the University of Michigan and a BA in history, education and applied psychology from University of California, Santa Barbara.

Ashley Melcherts, Mississippi State University

Hosted by the Department of Sociology, CAS

Ashley Melcherts is a Surinamese Dutch sociologist, former track & field student-athlete, and currently a PhD candidate at Mississippi State University. She teaches Intro to Sociology and Intro to Race and Ethnicity and is a member of The Race and Racism Research Working Group (RRWG). Ashley researches how social inequalities at the intersections of race, ethnicity, and gender influence people's sense of self. She seeks to understand identity formation in the larger context of processes such as racism and colorism, by centering the lived experiences of Black Surinamese Dutch people.

Jayla Moody Marshall, North Carolina State University

Hosted by the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, GSE

Jayla Moody Marshall is a PhD candidate in higher education, opportunity, equity, and justice at North Carolina State University. Jayla's scholarship empowers marginalized students' voices to foster more equitable spaces in higher education. Her scholarship critically questions college outcomes, examining students' purposes, joy, and dreams, and who possesses the privilege to pursue these concepts. She is a seasoned professional with expertise in student success, advising, and equity training. She is also an avid speaker and writer, believing that by empowering those on the margins of education to share their stories, meaningful change is achieved.

Laxmi Ojha, Michigan State University

Hosted by the Department of Learning and Instruction, GSE

Laxmi Prasad Ojha is a PhD candidate in curriculum, instruction, and teacher education at Michigan State University. His research focuses on the language and literacy practices of transnational multilingual children and youth across family, school, and community contexts. His work has been published in various academic journals and edited volumes, including International Multilingual Research Journal, Educational Philosophy and Theory, and Modern Language Journal. Laxmi has also guest edited for a special issue on reimagining pre-service teacher education to prepare critically conscious teachers for multilingual classrooms.

Oluwatoyin Olatunde, University of Arkansas Fayetteville

Hosted by the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, SPHHP

Oluwatoyin Olatunde is a PhD candidate in health behavior and health promotion at the University of Arkansas. Oluwatoyin obtained her MPH in child and adolescent health from the University of Ibadan and a BS of medicine and surgery from Olabisi Onabanjo University. Her research focuses on substance abuse, mental health, and sexting. She has experience in both clinical and public health settings and is committed to advancing health outcomes through her research and professional efforts. Oluwatoyin received the Outstanding PhD Student Award in Public Health from the University of Arkansas.

Camila Olivero-Araya, The Ohio State University

Hosted by the Department of Engineering Education, SEAS

Camila Olivero Araya earned a BS and MS in industrial engineering from Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Chile. She is a PhD candidate in engineering education at The Ohio State University. Her research focuses on advancing faculty development, well-being, teaching empathy, and intercultural communication in doctoral advising. Her vision is to foster an engineering culture that supports well-being and growth. Her teaching integrates rigorous technical instruction while empowering students through critical thinking, problem-solving, and reflection.

Jacqueline Paiz, Indiana University Bloomington

Hosted by the Department of Counseling, School, and Educational Psychology, GSE

Jacqueline Paiz is a PhD candidate in counseling psychology at Indiana University - Bloomington. She has an MS in learning and developmental sciences from Indiana University - Bloomington and a BA in psychology and Spanish from Rodes College. Her research interests include attitudes toward seeking psychotherapy, social determinants of mental health, and intergenerational trauma among people of color through a health equity lens. Jacqueline uses intersectionality, critical race, and feminist theory as guiding frameworks for her research and clinical work.

Shawn Parra, University of Illinois at Chicago

Hosted by the School of Social Work

Shawn (they/ele/él) is a genderqueer, Afro-Latine, child of immigrants who has dedicated their work to address intersectionality, Black, brown, queer, trans rights, mental health, and family relationships. Shawn completed their BA and MA in psychology and their MSW from Boston University. In their MSW, they majored in clinical social work, minored in macro social work and specialized in trauma and violence studies. Shawn is currently a Social Work PhD candidate at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

JaNiene Peoples, Washington University in St. Louis

Hosted by the School of Social Work

JaNiene Peoples is a Social Work PhD candidate in the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) T32 Predoctoral Fellow. She studies risk and protective factors influencing mental health and substance use among Black emerging adults and college students through a health equity lens. Her dissertation is funded by NIDA (R36) and the Grand Challenges for Social Work. JaNiene is currently pursuing tenure-track faculty positions to continue advancing health equity through research, teaching, and service.

Great Umenweke, University of Kentucky

Hosted by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, SEAS

Great C. Umenweke is a PhD candidate in chemistry at the University of Kentucky and a Research Assistant at the Center for Applied Energy Research, with an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Nigeria. He is a member of ACS and NOBCCHE, and has received awards from these organizations, as well as the North American Catalysis Society. He was also named a Southeastern Conference Emerging Scholar and recognized as a 'Young Talent' at the 18th International Congress on Catalysis. Great seeks academic opportunities and networks to advance his research in sustainable catalysis and secure a research-focused faculty position.

Darion Wallace, Stanford University

Hosted by the Department Educational Leadership and Policy, GSE

Darion A. Wallace is a PhD candidate in the race, inequality, and language in education and history of education programs at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. His research interrogates the ways K-12 American schools (re)produce logics of (anti)blackness and structure the life and educational outcomes of Black students. His domains of research interrogate: 1) the politics of un/freedom and abolitionism in Black educational history, 2) Black historical sense-making in youth movement spaces, and 3) critical analysis of the contemporary social context of Black education that permits or constraints the aforementioned.

Jameka Wiggins, The Ohio State University

Hosted by the Department of Engineering Education, SEAS

Jameka Wiggins is a PhD candidate in engineering education at The Ohio State University. She holds a BS in chemical engineering from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a MS in engineering management from The Ohio State University. Jameka's current research aims to understand engineering faculty's meaning-making of their critical consciousness through an examination of their positionality and lived experiences. As a scholar and advocate, she aims to amplify underrepresented voices in engineering through research and support.

Hamdi Adam (he/him), public health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Hosted by the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, SPHHP.

Hamdi Adam is a PhD epidemiology student at the University of Minnesota. His work focuses on the relationship between the human microbiome and cardiometabolic disease in population-based studies. Hamdi is currently a T32 predoctoral fellow in Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and is a member of the American Heart Association and the Society for Epidemiologic Research. Prior to his doctoral studies, he received a BS in biology from Augsburg University and an MPH from the University of Minnesota. Hamdi aims to better understand the role of the microbiome in cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk, especially among populations that have been historically underrepresented in epidemiologic studies.

Julissa Adames-Torres (she/her), social work, Adelphi University School of Social Work.

Hosted by the Department of Social Work, School of Social Work.

Julissa Adames-Torres is a New York State and New Jersey Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in private practice and a doctoral candidate at Adelphi University. Julissa is adjunct faculty in the schools of social work at Adelphi University, Lehman College and Syracuse University. Julissa teaches courses in human behavior, diversity, oppression, social work practice with individuals and families, group therapy, social work in health care and social work research. Julissa has vast experience in clinical areas of depression, anxiety, trauma, immigration acculturation, and other life transitions. She has worked as a clinical supervisor and administrator in health care and community-based settings. These experiences contribute to Julissa’s research in cultural humility and predicting factors of mental health utilization among marginalized communities, and program evaluation initiatives that include Photovoice intervention and permanent exhibition of research findings. Currently, Julissa is a research assistant on a Certified Community Behavioral Health Center Improvement and Advancement Federal Grant (CCBHC-IA).

AraOluwa Adaramola (she/her), chemical engineering/engineering education, Purdue University.

Hosted by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, SEAS.

AraOluwa Adaramola is a graduate student in the chemical engineering PhD program at Purdue University. She is co-advised by Bryan Boudouris and Allison Godwin. She graduated from Purdue University in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. Her research interests are in chemical engineering, developing interdisciplinary solutions to engineering processes, and engineering education, supporting undergraduate students' academic and professional development. In the future, she aspires to become a faculty member, pursuing her research interests and teaching undergraduate chemical engineering classes. She has been nominated for several teaching awards and was recognized by the Purdue Teaching Academy and the chemical engineering department for her commitment to effective undergraduate teaching and learning. She is a member of the ASEE (American Society of Engineering Educators) and AIChE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers) and actively participates in local events and national conferences.

Olutosin (Tosin) Adesogan (she/her), clinical psychology, University of Georgia.

Hosted by the Department of Psychology, CAS.

Tosin Adesogan is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Georgia (UGA) under the supervision of Justin Lavner. Prior to attending the University of Georgia, Tosin received her BS in psychology with a minor in Health Disparities in Society from the University of Florida. Tosin’s research is focused on understanding experiences of multisystemic risk and resilience and their impact on the health and well-being of Black individuals, families and communities. Her recent work, partially funded by a Diversity Supplement from the National Institute on Aging, has examined models of stress and resilience accumulation across ecological levels and subsequent effects on the health of Black Americans living in the rural South. Tosin’s professional goal is to work in an academic setting conducting health equity research that works to mitigate health disparities among Black populations.

Sylvia Ayieko, health promotion and behavioral sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Hosted by the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, SPHHP.

Sylvia Ayieko is a PhD candidate in health promotion and behavioral sciences at the University of Texas, Health Science Center at Houston. She is part of the We Can Do More project that seeks to expand contraception access in Harris County, Texas. Sylvia’s research interests are in maternal-child health and adolescent reproductive health. Her goal is to better understand various social and non-medical determinants that impact maternal health outcomes among Black women. Sylvia received her MPH/MSW from the University of Georgia.

Christian Brickhouse (he/him), interactional sociophonetics, Stanford University.

Hosted by the Department of Linguistics, CAS.

Christian Brickhouse is a PhD candidate in linguistics at Stanford University with a specialty in sociolinguistics. Motivated by an interest in language variation and change, Christian has studied variation in the vowels of California English and reconstructed changes in a family of languages in Papua New Guinea. His ongoing dissertation work investigates how speakers vary their intonation, pronunciation and choice of words as a way to augment their investment in the truth of a statement while arguing. Looking at U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments, his dissertation will explore how subtle variation in speech contributes to the construction of knowledge and our relationship to that knowledge. He looks forward to finding a faculty job where he can continue this research and teach students about the wonderful diversity of human language and culture.

Julia Brisbane (she/her), engineering education, Virginia Tech College of Engineering.

Hosted by the Department of Engineering Education, SEAS.

Julia Brisbane (she/her) is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the engineering education department at Virginia Tech. She received her MS in biomedical engineering from Virginia Tech and her BS in bioengineering from Clemson University. Her research interests lie in undergraduate research experiences, graduate education, and biomedical research mistrust. At Virginia Tech, she received the Torgersen Graduate Student Research Excellence Award and is a New Horizons Graduate Scholar. Additionally, Brisbane has served in equity-related roles within Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering, including serving as a graduate ambassador for the Center for Enhancement of Engineering Diversity, leading reading and writing groups for first-year graduate students from marginalized backgrounds, and serving as an academic coach in a summer bridge program for first-year students entering engineering. Brisbane is pursuing postdoctoral and faculty positions to start in the 2024-25 academic year.

José Capa Salinas (he/him), structural engineering, Purdue University.

Hosted by the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, SEAS.

José Capa Salinas is a PhD student in the civil engineering department at Purdue University. José's research project, a validation center for drone bridge inspection, demonstrates his ability to find innovative solutions to complex engineering problems. His research interests include drone bridge inspection, routine and fracture critical inspections, and earthquake engineering. José is a member of the TRB Standing Committee on Seismic Design and Performance of Bridges (AKB50), a voting member of the Dead and Live Load Subcommittee, and an associate member of the Main, Wind Load, and Seismic Subcommittees for ASCE/SEI 7-28. In 2023, he was recognized as a Young Leader to Follow by ITE, in addition to receiving honorable mention in Purdue’s Most Outstanding Interdisciplinary Project Award. He was also awarded a scholarship and travel grants, and won a national contest. José wants to continue building upon opportunities to connect with other professionals and develop long-lasting relationships for future collaborations while pursuing a faculty position in a research-focused institution.

Shakti Castro (she/her), history, Columbia University.

Hosted by the Department of History, CAS.

Shakti Castro is a PhD candidate in the history department at Columbia University. Shakti’s dissertation project excavates the Puerto Rican history of syringe exchange programs and AIDS activism in New York City and the Puerto Rican archipelago. Exploring health and drug policy and public health and criminal surveillance, Shakti situates harm reduction as a crucial part of the broader history of Puerto Rican antiracist and anticolonial protest, and political and social organizing. She is a member of the Puerto Rican Studies Association and the National Council on Public History, serving as student representative and part of the inclusion committee. Shakti has been awarded fellowships from the Smithsonian’s Latino Museum Studies program, Columbia University’s Office of Academic Diversity and Inclusion, and the Lehman Center for American History at Columbia University. After graduation, Shakti plans to use her education and work experience to teach undergraduates difficult history and help shape more humane drug policy.

Evelyn Coker (she/her), social welfare, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Hosted by the Department of Social Work, School of Social Work.

Evelyn Coker is a PhD student in the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Evelyn has earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, a Master of Social Work, and a Master of Business Administration. Her 20-year career includes extensive experience providing direct services and administering mental health, juvenile justice, and social services programs. Evelyn’s research interests are Black girls in the juvenile legal system, Black girlhood, the social-emotional health of Black adolescent girls, culturally relevant and gender-responsive programs for system-involved Black girls, and implementation science. She owns Morning Joy, LLC, which provides program development and evaluation consulting services, and founded a nonprofit serving Black court-involved girls and their families. Evelyn has also authored an interactive journal called “Get L.I.T.: A Teen Girl’s Journal to Learning Intentional Tools for Positive Personal Development” to teach teen girls how to practice mindful self-regulation and journal with intention.

Adelis Cruz (she/her), behavioral and cellular neuroscience, Texas A&M University.

Hosted by the Department of Psychology, CAS.

Adelis Cruz is a PhD candidate in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Texas A&M University where she is pursuing a psychology degree with an emphasis in behavioral and cellular neuroscience. She received a BS in biological sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso with support from the National Institutes of Health BUILDing SCHOLARS research program. As an undergraduate, Adelis worked under the mentorship of Edward Castañeda, investigating the neurobiological mechanisms of behavioral sensitization to amphetamine using a rodent model. As a graduate student, Adelis works under the mentorship of Rachel Smith, investigating the neurobiological mechanisms of compulsive drug-seeking using a rodent model of drug self-administration. She was awarded an NIH D-SPAN fellowship (F99/K00) to support her current and future postdoctoral work investigating the neural mechanisms that control compulsive drug-seeking. Her long-term goal is to become an independent neuroscientist studying dysfunctional neural mechanisms associated with drug addiction.

Hector Díaz (he/him/el), higher education administration, University of South Carolina.

Hosted by the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, GSE.

Hector Díaz is a PhD candidate in the Educational Leadership and Policy program at the University of South Carolina. His research interests are colorism in the LatinX community, AfroLatinX college students, and STEM Education for LatinX Undergraduates. Hector hopes to become faculty at a research university where contributions to addressing educational inequities can be made, as researching college access and career development of LatinX undergraduates can aid in addressing inequities faced by the LatinX college-going population.

Khrysta Evans (she/her), education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Hosted by the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, GSE.

Khrysta A. Evans is a PhD candidate in educational policy studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Khrysta uses a Black geographic lens to explore the relationship between Black girls’ geographies and the organizational routines of their schools, understand the role of peer groups in Black girls’ development of knowledge about the spaces that they create and occupy in schools, and attend to the influence of ethnicity in Black girls racialized and gendered socialization within schools. Her work has been funded by the Women & Wellbeing in Wisconsin & the World initiative; the American Educational Research Association’s minority dissertation travel award; and the departments of Educational Policy Studies and Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Post-PhD, Khrysta will pursue a tenure-track professorship in education, women’s studies, and/or Black studies to train and learn with future generations of students who center Black girls’ humanity in their research and practice.

Amy Fallas (she/her), education, UC Santa Barbara.

Hosted by the Department of History, CAS.

Amy Fallas received her MA in history from Yale University and is currently a PhD candidate in history at UC Santa Barbara. Her research examines historical memory, sectarianism and spiritual geographies in the modern Middle East, as well as transnationally between El Salvador and Palestine during the 20th century. She was a 2021-22 research fellow at the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) and is currently the Coptic studies fellow at the Orthodox Christian Studies Center for 2022-23, as well as a doctoral scholar-in-residence at the Center for Economic, Legal, and Social Studies and Documentation (CEDEJ) in Cairo. She is an assistant editor of the Arab Studies Journal, and her academic writing appears in peer-reviewed journals including History Compass and the Journal for Religion, State and Society, among others. She is interested in developing her scholarship and academic mentorship in higher education, especially at public institutions.

Jessica Fremland (she/her), gender studies, UCLA.

Hosted by the Department of Indigenous Studies CAS.

Jessica Fremland (Wahpetuwan Dakota; she/her) obtained a BA in American Indian studies, sociology, and global studies from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and an MSc in sociology from the London School of Economics. She is currently a fifth year PhD candidate in the gender studies department at UCLA. Jessica uses mixed archival and ethnographic methods to examine the ways Dakota women call attention to the violence of the settler state and create anticolonial geographies through aesthetic expressions of relationality, performance, arts-based resistance and sensorial insurgence. In particular, she is interested in dance, sound, crafting, letter writing and everyday expressions of joy as radical and relational methods of dissent. Jessica draws especially on the fields of Black and Indigenous feminisms to not only document and map these moments of refusal in her academic work but to imagine alternative possibilities in her own writing and performances of spoken-word poetry.

Rubén González, race, inequality, and language in education, Stanford University.

Hosted by the Department of Learning and Instruction, GSE.

Rubén González, proudly from Greenfield, Calif., is a PhD candidate in race, inequality and language in education at Stanford University, where he also earned a master’s degree in sociology. His research explores how students and teachers of color develop, sustain and operationalize a critical sociopolitical disposition in classroom, school and larger community settings. Prior to pursuing his graduate studies, Rubén taught high school English and English language development. He completed his bachelor’s degree in English at Sacramento State University after transferring from Hartnell College. His scholarship has been supported by California State University chancellor’s doctoral incentive program fellowship, the Stanford graduate public service fellowship, the graduate student fellowship, and the Ford Foundation predoctoral fellowship. At the statewide level, Rubén serves on the Education Trust–West’s (ETW) Educator Advisory Council (EAC). In local community settings, Rubén has organized with the Association of Raza Educators (ARE) Sacramento and Ethnic Studies Now (ESN) Sacramento.

Quintin Gorman Jr. (he/him), sociology, Rice University.

Hosted by the Department of Sociology, CAS.

Quintin Gorman Jr. is a sociology doctoral candidate and a graduate research assistant in the Racism and Racial Experiences (RARE) Workgroup at Rice University in Houston, Texas. His research interests include the intersection of racial attitudes, racial identity and second-class citizenship. His dissertation project uses multi-item scales he developed to examine the contemporary meaning, prevalence and significance of Du Boisian double consciousness among Black adults. He is a 2023-2024 American Sociological Association Minority Fellowship Program (ASA MFP) fellow. He plans to pursue a tenure-track position in a ranked sociology department in 2024.

Paigean Jones, social work, Howard University.

Hosted by the Department of Social Work, School of Social Work.

Paigean Jones received her Bachelor of Arts in sociology from West Chester University and her Master of Social Work from Georgia State University. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, registered yoga instructor, and certified clinical trauma professional. She has also completed specialized training towards Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C). Her research interests center on mindfulness, maternal health disparities, gendered racism, Black women’s mental health, and health inequity. Paigean is a reviewer for the National Association of Social Work and was a member of the inaugural fellowship cohort for the Interdisciplinary Minority Fellowship Program hosted by the American Psychological Association. As a fellow, she implemented programming to improve the mental health outcomes of adolescent girls living in underserved communities in Philadelphia. Paigean currently works as a psychotherapist, adjunct instructor and research consultant. She is passionate about increasing access to culturally responsive modalities of care through research and policy changes.

Katherine Lebioda (she/her), higher education, University of Michigan Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education.

Hosted by the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, GSE.

Katherine Lebioda (she/her) is a doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan’s Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education, where her research focuses on the nexus between postsecondary structures and individuals, the importance of relationships and community for societal transformation, marginalized people’s strategies of resistance and survivance, and how we can dream and enact a more humanizing postsecondary education. Her dissertation is a participatory action research study that uses digital storytelling to facilitate a conversation with racially minoritized students about their experiences with diversity, equity and inclusion on campus. She previously worked as a research and policy analyst for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and also has experience working in both graduate and undergraduate admissions at The George Washington University and the University of Michigan, respectively. She intends to pursue a tenure-track faculty position where she can continue developing her research agenda and pedagogical praxis.

Terrance Lewis (he/him), social science education, Auburn University.

Hosted by the Department of Learning and Instruction, GSE.

Terrance Lewis is a Presidential Research Fellow at Auburn University and is completing a PhD in social science education. Before enrolling at Auburn, he taught U.S. government, geography, and Georgia studies for four years at the high school and middle school levels in Columbus, Ga., where he also served as student council sponsor, robotics coach and wrestling coach. Terrance studies race and Black education, with research interests in the pedagogical practices of Black men teachers and teacher-coaches, teaching with documentary film, and Black history education. His future plans include securing a tenure-track faculty position where he can continue to engage in work aligned with his research interests. A firm believer that a life spent serving others is a life well lived, Terrance enjoys mentoring and molding those who follow in his footsteps.

Charlotte Logan, linguistics, Cornell University.

Hosted by the Department of Linguistics, CAS.

Charlotte Logan is Kanien’kehá:ka of Akwesasne (Mohawk of Akwesasne) and a PhD student in the Department of Linguistics at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Her work focuses on two aspects, the first being the Hodinoñsyoñnih Language Documentation and Conservation Initiative, which aims at sitting with Hodinoñsyoñnih elders to ensure the passage of story and language to the next generation of Confederacy speakers. Charlotte started her language revitalization work as a learner and teacher of Onoñdaʔgegaʔ with the Onondaga Nation School and adult immersion program and continued on to Cornell University where she supports the Gayogohonǫ7 (Cayuga) language course within the Linguistics and American Indian and Indigenous Studies departments. The primary goal of her work is to produce data and resources that directly support language revitalization efforts within Hodinoñsyoñnih communities to support the continued sovereignty and great peace of the Hodinoñsyoñnih Six Nations Confederacy.

Ruth López Fajardo (she/her), financial mathematics, Florida State University.

Hosted by the Department of Mathematics, CAS.

Ruth López Fajardo is a doctoral student with concentration in financial mathematics in the mathematics department at Florida State University. Prior to matriculating at FSU, she earned a BS in mathematics from the National Autonomous University of Honduras and an MS in pure mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. Within the math department at FSU she is part of Feng Bao’s research group focused on analysis and numerical solutions for stochastic PDEs, data assimilation and stochastic inference, stochastic optimal control, uncertainty quantification, and mathematical foundations for machine learning. Currently her research focus is on data assimilation methods for parameter estimation in state-space models and possible applications on pressure distribution in a porous medium.

Robson Martins de Araujo Junior (he/him/ele), teaching, learning, and technology, Lehigh University.

Hosted by the Department of Learning and Instruction, GSE.

Robson Martins de Araujo Junior is a Brazilian PhD candidate in teaching, learning and technology at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Junior is also a licentiate BA in English language and literature with a distance education graduate degree. Junior’s research interests focus on fostering agentic strategies and using gameful and immersive technologies for lifelong learning. He develops virtual environments to improve one’s cognitive, affective and psychomotor outcomes and engagement, from formal to informal learning settings. Since 2019, Junior has been an active member of the international Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN). In 2022, he received iLRN’s Innovation in Higher Education Award and a Best Academic Reviewer nomination. At Lehigh, Junior received the 2022 Graduate Life Leadership Award and the 2023 Graduate Research Competition People’s Choice award. Junior plans to continue in academia and write a book on the semiotics of quotidian life and the mechanisms of RPG video games.

Arturia Melson-Silimon (she/her), industrial-organizational psychology, University of Georgia.

Hosted by the Department of Psychology, CAS.

Arturia Melson-Silimon is a PhD candidate at the University of Georgia studying industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology. Arturia is primarily interested in researching the experienced discrimination and prejudice of employees with marginalized or stigmatized identities, especially among people of color. In recognition of this research agenda, Arturia is a 2020-2023 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. Additionally, she has published numerous research journal articles and book chapters on the future of diversity given rapid changes in the digital workplace practices; experiences of LGBTQ employees; neurodivergent employees; employees with personality disorders; and implications of racial stereotyping for Black individuals. Arturia was also named a 2021-2022 Racial Equity and Inclusion Research Scholar at NORC at the University of Chicago as part of their inaugural class.

Efraín Rodríguez-Ocasio (he/him), chemical engineering, Iowa State University.

Hosted by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, SEAS.

Efraín Rodríguez-Ocasio is originally from Puerto Rico and graduated from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez with a BS in industrial biotechnology and a project management minor. During his undergraduate studies, Efraín’s demonstrated commitment to accessible higher education led to a two-year tenure as a member of the Governing Board of the University of Puerto Rico, which oversees 11 campuses. He is currently a chemical engineering PhD candidate at Iowa State University, where he is developing microbial platforms for plastic waste upcycling. Efraín is a member of AIChE, IMES, SACNAS, and SIMB. At SIMB, he serves on the Membership Committee, the Science Policy Working Group, and the Online Task Force. Efraín won the NASA ISGC Fellowship and presented his work at various conferences, winning awards at the SIMB and AIChE annual meetings and the iBio2 Symposium. In June, he presented at the International Metabolic Engineering Conference in Singapore.

Blessing Okafor (she/her), organizational communication, University of Missouri, Columbia.

Hosted by the Department of Organization and Human Resources, School of Management.

Blessing Ekene Okafor is a fourth-year PhD student at the University of Missouri. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Nigeria), a master’s degree in English language from the University of Lagos (Nigeria), and a second master’s degree in communication studies from North Dakota State University. Her research in organizational communication explores topics related to workplace communication, organizational dissent, culture, identity and power. She explores the various expressions of dissent and how employees can effectively communicate in both social and cultural contexts. As a teaching assistant, Blessing has years of experience teaching public speaking and organizational advocacy. She is a recipient of the Loren Reid Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, the inaugural Department of Communication Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award, Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholars Program Dissertation Award, and Mizzou 18 award. She is a member of the National Communication Association, International Communication Association. Her career goal is to become a professor of organizational communication.

LuBeth Pérez (she/her/ella), health science, Nova Southeastern University.

Hosted by the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, SPHHP.

LuBeth Pérez is a PhD candidate studying health science at Nova Southeastern University, currently conducting research on the effectiveness of Tobacco 21 legislation, which raised the minimum legal sales age of tobacco from 18 to 21 years, on Texas youth. She works under the mentorship of Elliot Sklar, C. Lynn Chevalier, and Page Dobbs. She holds degrees in respiratory therapy, health science, American Sign Language, and public health. LuBeth works as a senior program manager at UTHealth Houston and teaches courses on public health at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and South Texas College. She earned membership in the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi based on academic excellence. LuBeth is active in the American Public Health Association, holding a leadership position in the Public Health Education and Health Promotion section and serving on the policy committee in the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs section. LuBeth serves on the board of the local Tobacco Prevention and Control Coalition, Holy Family Services, and the Medical and Health Service Management Program at South Texas College. She serves as Co-Chair for the Screening Workgroup with Unidos Contra la Diabetes and works closely with the Texas Society of Respiratory Care. Following the completion of her doctoral program, LuBeth plans to continue working on advancing respiratory health through teaching, research, and service. 

Khadejah Ray (she/her), educational leadership and policy analysis, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Hosted by the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, GSE.

Khadejah Ray is a PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. She earned a BA in sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was a McNair Research Scholar. Additionally, she earned an MS in educational leadership and policy analysis at UW-Madison. Broadly, her research interests include: the racialized histories of academic disciplines, doctoral socialization, and the sociology of higher education. Her dissertation research, supported by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Minority Dissertation Fellowship, examines how Black doctoral students are socialized into the academic and professional norms of sociology as a discipline.

Luz Robinson (she/her), school psychology, UNC Chapel Hill.

Hosted by the Department of Counseling, School, and Educational Psychology, GSE.

Luz E. Robinson is a third-year doctoral candidate in school psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For the last five years, she has worked as a research assistant in Dorothy Espelage’s Research Addressing Violence in Education (RAVE) lab and has disseminated research on youth violence prevention. She has co-authored 25 peer-reviewed publications, eight book chapters and over a dozen conference submissions. Her research interests include understanding protective factors to improve outcomes for Latinx and other historically marginalized students in schools and clinical settings. Her clinical work as a bilingual mental health therapist providing culturally responsive mental health services to Latinx youth and families informs her research. She also co-teaches an upstream suicide prevention course at UNC for undergraduate students and was recently awarded a Ford Foundation predoctoral fellowship from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Meki Singleton (she/her), gerontology, University of Southern California.

Hosted by the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, SPHHP.

Meki Singleton is a PhD candidate in the Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. Her research interests focus on sexual and gender minority older adults’ access and utilization of end-of-life care and decision making and long-term care. Prior to attending USC, she earned a BA in psychology and gerontology and an MSW from the University of South Florida. She has published work in several journals including Sexuality Research and Social Policy and the Journal of Applied Gerontology. She received a NIA Aging Research Award to Increase Diversity (R36) grant to fund her dissertation research, which explores the interaction between race and sexual orientation in advance care planning for older lesbian and gay adults. Complementary to her research experience, Meki has served as a teaching assistant, provided numerous guest lectures and invited talks, and was a Mentored Teaching Fellow through USC’s Center for Excellence in Teaching.

Lina Tabak (she/her), music theory, The Graduate Center, CUNY.

Hosted by the Department of Music, CAS.

Lina Sofía Tabak is a PhD candidate in music theory at the CUNY Graduate Center. She was recently awarded the 2023 SMT-40 fellowship for her dissertation titled “I Can’t Feel It That Way: Theorizing Metric Complexity in Colombian Zapateo Genres,” which analyzes the relationships between rhythm, perceived meter and stylistic expertise. She currently teaches music theory at New York University and has previously taught at Brooklyn College. Prior to her doctoral studies, she received a BM in music theory and euphonium performance from Florida State University.

Blake Thompson, curriculum, instruction, and teacher education, Michigan State University.

Hosted by the Department of Learning and Instruction, GSE.

Blake Thompson is currently a doctoral student at Michigan State University in the Curriculum, Instruction and Teacher Education program. His areas of interest lie at the intersections of critical curriculum and Blackness throughout the Atlantic World while centering the epistemologies and ontologies of Black folks. While pursuing his PhD, he serves as the director of social studies curriculum at Collegiate Academies Schools in New Orleans, Louisiana. In his role with Collegiate Academies, he works to create experiences that seek to engage Black youth in critical analysis of themselves and communities. He previously taught secondary social studies in both urban and rural contexts, and served as a social studies department lead, founding social studies teacher and founding head football coach at Livingston Collegiate Academy. Blake seeks to collaboratively create curricula that provides space for Black youth to engage in critical conversations that lead to tangible change. Although academia is not off the table, Blake knows his work remains in the community with schools, youth and families.

Chesney Ward (she/her), social work, The University of Tennessee.

Hosted by the Department of Social Work, School of Social Work.

Chesney Ward is a PhD candidate in the social work program at the University of Tennessee. She has eight years of experience in social work practice with middle and older adults in hospice and health care environments. She plans to graduate after her third year and is currently working on her dissertation. She is a member of GSA, Coalition of Black Social Workers, NASW, and other affiliated organizations. She plans to become a tenure-track faculty member at an R1 institution and teach future scholars while engaging in rigorous research agendas.

Randi Williams (she/her), media arts and sciences, MIT.

Hosted by the Department of Learning and Instruction, GSE.

Randi Williams is a PhD candidate in the Personal Robots Group at the MIT Media Lab. Randi earned her SM from MIT and, before that, a BS in computer engineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Randi studies AI, robotics, human-computer interaction, and computing education, with a focus on serving students from historically marginalized backgrounds. Her projects on social robot learning companions (PopBots) and grade school AI + ethics curricula (How to Train Your Robot) have received coverage from outlets such as The Atlantic, Wired, and the MIT Tech Review. She is affiliated with MIT's RAISE initiative and is a founding director of the Boston chapter of Black in Robotics. She has received numerous awards, including the Microsoft Research PhD Fellowship, Cambridge Curious Scientist of the Year Award, LEGO Papert Fellowship, and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

Brittanni Wright (she/her), health behavior, Indiana University-Bloomington.

Hosted by the Department of Global Gender and Sexuality Studies, CAS.

Brittanni Wright is a health behavior PhD candidate at Indiana University Bloomington in the Department of Applied Health Sciences. She obtained her MDiv from Emory University and MPH from Indiana University Bloomington. Broadly, her research interest is at the intersection of religion, sexuality and/or race. She was awarded a four-year graduate scholars fellowship to pursue sexuality research at IU. Currently, her research focuses on the sexual health of Black people living with sickle cell disease. She is a member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists, the American Public Health Association, and the International Association of Sickle Cell Nurses and Professional Associates. Brittanni plans to pursue a career in academia.

Abiodun Adefola Adeosun, chemical, physical and structural biology, Baylor College of Medicine.

Abiodun Adefola began her undergraduate training at Howard University and ultimately received her BS at the University of Maryland, where she was the recipient of a Howard Hughes undergraduate research fellowship. She went on to complete her MS at Johns Hopkins University, where she co-authored two papers identifying Galectin-3 as an important player in IgE-dependent activation of basophils. Abi is currently a PhD student in the chemical, physical, and structural biology program at Baylor College of Medicine, where she is focused on elucidating signaling pathways of the G protein coupled receptor MRGPRX2. This protein is expressed on tissue-resident mast cells and is involved in drug hypersensitivity reactions to a number of drugs, including fluoroquinolone antibiotics and neuromuscular blocking drugs. Abi also co-authored a recent article about synaptic localization of mGluR6. She is a member of the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development training program and a leader in the Black Scientist Collective, which has built a community of Black students and supports outreach activities encouraging underserved high school students to pursue post-secondary STEM education.

Dahlia Al-Haleem, rural health sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine.

Dahlia Al-Haleem is a PhD candidate in the rural health sciences program at Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, GA. Prior to matriculating at Mercer, she earned a BA in sociology from the University of Florida and a MA in aquatic environmental science and oceanography from Florida State University. Her research interests include environmental health, mental health, and public health in rural and underserved populations, with a focus on posttraumatic growth (PTG), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use in rural Veterans.

Elizabeth Barahona, U.S. history, Northwestern University.

Elizabeth Barahona is a 5th year doctoral student specializing in Latinx, African American, and United States history at Northwestern University. Her dissertation will chronicle how Black and Latinx communities created grassroots organizations and coalitions to fight white supremacy in the Deep South, specifically Durham, North Carolina. Elizabeth is first-generation, from Orlando, FL and her family is Mexican and Colombian. Elizabeth graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Duke University studying borderlands, Latinx history, and human rights. Elizabeth wrote the first history of Latino students at Duke University which was converted into an exhibit at the Duke University Library. Elizabeth led the protests to change Duke University’s policy to accept undocumented students, provide them full need-blind financial aid, create a Latinx center, and hire Latinx program staff. While in graduate school, Elizabeth co-founded a monthly wellness workshop for graduate women of color. She was the president of the History Graduate Student Organization, served on the executive board of the Latinx Graduate Student Association, and is a member of the Graduate Workers Union.

Elizabeth Blackman, epidemiology and environmental health, Temple University Health Sciences Center.

Born and raised to immigrant parents in New York City, Elizabeth Blackman’s research focuses on heath disparities across the African Diaspora. Her current work focuses on colorectal cancer screening disparities where she takes a mixed methods approach to assess barriers to colorectal cancer screening within the heterogeneous Black population. By elucidating the nuanced barriers that exist within ethnic sub-groups of the U.S. Black population, Blackman hopes to improve colorectal cancer screening in this population via targeted interventions informed by her research.

Daniel Chavarria, biomedical engineering, University of Texas at Austin.

Daniel Chavarria is a 6th year biomedical engineering PhD student graduating in Spring of 2023 from the University of Texas at Austin. Daniel will be the first person in their family to earn a PhD. Chavarria grew up in El Paso, TX and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, aptly nicknamed the sister cities due to their proximity and similar Mexican - American culture. Daniel intends to return to El Paso, TX as a professor for the University of Texas at El Paso to give back to the community that raised him. Daniel's research interest primarily consists of cellular biomechanics and tissue engineering. Daniel is interested in modeling healthy and diseased tissue/organ systems for basic science studies and drug discovery. Daniel's thesis work has primarily consisted of designing and optimizing a novel high-throughput blood brain barrier in vitro model that incorporates shear stress. The model has revealed that shear incorporating assays were able to identify inhibitors of pathways known to alter blood brain barrier function in vivo that previous static models missed.

Joy Chepkorir, nursing, John Hopkins University.

Joyline "Joy" Chepkorir's research interests center around breast and cervical cancer prevention. She holds a BSW in nursing from Michigan State University. She is also the president and founder of Mwangaza Cancer Initiative, a non-profit organization in Kenya that focuses on education and screening of breast and cervical cancer among uninsured, low-income women. Her long-term goals include planning and implementation of global health policies to improve cancer outcomes.

Joshua Cloudy, media and communications, Texas Tech University.

Joshua Cloudy is a doctoral student at Texas Tech University in the College of Media & Communication. He received his MS and BA from the University of Louisville. Broadly, his research area is political communication with a focus on public opinion, partisanship, and social identity. More specifically, he is interested in how partisanship influences the way individuals perceive news and how their perceptions may (or may not) contribute to hostility, polarization, and other, potentially, antisocial feelings or behaviors. Additionally, he is interested in how social identity and participation in online political networks can influence political mobilization, particularly political mobilization that is extreme in nature. 

Naniette H. Coleman, sociology, University of California, Berkeley.

Naniette H. Coleman is a PhD candidate in sociology at the University of California Berkeley, a Maverick-in-Residence at the Santa Fe Institute, and a multi-year UC-National Laboratory Graduate Fellow (Los Alamos). She was the first and is the only social scientist selected for this University of California-wide distinction in the history of the program. Naniette is also an affiliate of the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues at Berkeley and two centers at Harvard University - Berkman Klein Center for the Internet and Society (2019-present) and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs (2019-2021). Naniette’s research sits at the intersection of the sociology of culture and organizations and focuses on cybersecurity, surveillance, and privacy in the US context. Specifically, Naniette’s research examines how organizations assess risk, make decisions, and respond to data breaches and organizational compliance with state, federal, and international privacy laws. Naniette holds a MPA with a specialization in Democracy, Politics, and Institutions from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and both an MA in Economics and a BA in Communication from the University at Buffalo. A non-traditional student, Naniette’s prior professional experience includes local, state, and federal service, as well as work for two international organizations, and two universities.

Kinyata Cooper, rehabilitation sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Kinyata J. Cooper is a PhD Candidate in the rehabilitation science concentration in movement science and disorders program at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. After graduating from Howard University with her BS in chemistry, Kinyata transitioned to rehabilitation science with research interests in rehabilitation efficacy and diagnostics to improve human performance and clinical outcomes. As a former Division I 400m hurdler, her current work emphasizes improving functional performance testing to determine return-to-sport after anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction.

Veronika Espinoza, psychology and behavioral neuroscience, University of Texas at El Paso.

Veronika Espinoza is a PhD candidate in psychology and behavioral neuroscience at The University of Texas at El Paso under the mentorship of Dr. Laura O’Dell. Veronika’s research focuses on determining neuropharmacological age and sex differences in the brain during nicotine withdrawal. She is a first author of two papers in press and has delivered a total of 19 presentations (oral or poster) at regional and national conferences. Among several other honors, she received the National Award of Excellence in Research by a Student at The National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse (NHSN) annual meeting. Veronika has served as a teaching assistant in psychology, behavioral neuroscience, lab methods, and statistical methods courses since 2019, which has provided a first-rate foundation for her scientific training in neuroscience. Veronika shows tremendous potential as a researcher in the neuroscience of substance use disorders, which affect females disproportionately and with greater severity.

Mariela Faykoo-Martinez, behavioral neuroscience, University of Toronto.

Mariela Faykoo-Martinez is a PhD candidate in cell and systems biology at the University of Toronto. Her work bridges behavioral neuroendocrinology with comparative genomics under the co-supervision of Dr. Melissa Holmes and Dr. Michael Wilson. The focus of the work is on how social environment mediates the most extreme form of mammalian pubertal suppression as seen in the naked mole-rat. Through the use of genomic and epigenetic techniques, Mariela is developing an understanding of how molecular pathways are linked across brain regions essential to both sociality and reproduction. Mariela is a Massey College Junior Fellow who enjoys learning history and cooking new recipes in her free time.

Akil Fletcher, anthropology, University of California, Irvine.

Akil Fletcher is currently a 5th year PhD candidate studying sociocultural anthropology at the University of California, Irvine. Where in his dissertation, “Gaming Blackness: An Exploration of Black Gaming Communities and Practices,” he explains how online Black communities use digital platforms to form selfhood and relationships. Based on two years of research funded by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP), a National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (NSF DDRIG), and UCI’s President’s Dissertation Year Fellowship. Fletcher explores the lived realities and tactics of navigation taken on by Black players in gaming sites. Beginning from the question “How does it feel to be a problem online?”, he expands on W.E.B Du Bois’s pivotal question “How does it feel to be a problem?” to explain the unique position of Black online gamers who find community and belonging in gaming spaces that are often read as sites of anti-Blackness. Specifically, by researching Black communities within the video games Final Fantasy XIV, League of Legends, and communication sites like Discord and Twitter, his work explores a digital Black double consciousness in which Black individuals recreate Black identities under the affordances of online gaming.

Israel Garcia-Carachure, behavioral neuroscience, University of Texas at El Paso.

Israel Garcia-Carachure is currently completing a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience at The University of Texas at El Paso. Israel has been mentored by outstanding scientists (Drs. Sanders McDougall, Cynthia Crawford, Mary Kay Lobo, and Sergio Iñiguez), all of whom have strong neurobiology research programs and are champions of equity and inclusion at their respective institutions. Israel Garcia-Carachure has a robust publication record (10) for a doctoral student, has had 6 oral presentations at regional and national conferences, 12 first author abstracts at national meetings, and is currently a Society for Neuroscience Scholar Program Fellow (through 2023). Israel is an outstanding scholar and shows tremendous potential as a researcher in the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders, which affect people of color disproportionately and with greater severity, due to stigma and lack of care seeking, among other reasons.

Daniela Goya-Tocchetto, management and organizations, Duke University.

Daniela Goya-Tocchetto is a PhD candidate in management & organizations at the Fuqua School of Business – Duke University. She holds a BA and a MS in Economics from UFRGS (Brazil), a MS in philosophy & public policy from the London School of Economics, and a PhD in philosophy from UFRGS (Brazil). Daniela previously worked as an adjunct professor at the College of Charleston, teaching courses in economics and political philosophy. She researches political biases and the psychology of socioeconomic inequality. Her main goal is to help provide a better understanding of the cognitive and motivated processes underlying the general acceptance of rising inequalities. Daniela’s work has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals such as Political Behavior, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, and Journal of Consumer Psychology; and in popular press outlets such as Behavioral Scientist and Politico.

Juan Hernandez, clinical psychology, Arizona State University.

Juan Hernandez is a 5th year doctoral student studying clinical psychology at Arizona State University. As part of Dr. Marisol Perez’ Body Image Research and Health Disparities (BIRHD) Lab, Juan is interested in learning more about the interplay between culture, eating, and mental health among Mexican American youth. Juan's clinical interests include eating disorder treatment and medical weight-affirming care that celebrates body diversity.

Nielson Sophann Hul, linguistics, Cornell University.

Nielson Sophann Hul was born in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge period and escaped to the United States of America when he was very young. After high achool, he joined the U.S. Army and deployed during OIF/OEF as a Combat Medic. During his breaks in service, Nielson graduated from UCLA with a BA in english literature and the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa with an MA in linguistics. Nielson initially taught TESOL and English Composition at community colleges in California where he noticed that native Khmer-speaking students living in Long Beach, CA were taking both foreign language classes like French or Spanish in addition to struggling with English. As an additional obstacle, many could not read or write their native language, Khmer. With support from the Dean of Language Arts at Long Beach City College, Nielson designed and launched a Khmer language course intended to teach reading and writing the Khmer language to heritage learners in order to facilitate transfer to 4-year institutions for Khmer in the diaspora — a severely underrepresented group in higher education. Since Nielson began teaching heritage Khmer in 2014, he has moved on to teaching all levels of students at California State University, Long Beach; University of Wisconsin at Madison; and other institutions. He is currently working toward his PhD in linguistics at Cornell with a focus on the acoustic phonetics of laryngeal sounds in Khmer.

Adedoyin Inaolaji, electrical engineering, Florida International University.

A clean energy enthusiast, Adedoyin Inaolaji is passionate about proffering solutions to the challenges associated with the integration of renewable energy technologies into the electric power grid. Adedoyin was born in Nigeria, where she received a BEng in electrical engineering from Covenant University. She is currently working toward a PhD degree in electrical engineering with a research focus on developing optimization and control algorithms for voltage regulation of the distribution grid.

Brittany Jones, curriculum, learning and teacher education, Michigan State University.

Brittany Jones is a doctoral candidate in the curriculum, instruction, and teacher education department at Michigan State University. Her current research interests include anti-racist social studies education, critical Black histories with an emphasis on Black emotionalities and emotions in social studies education, and examining how the intersections of race, power, and oppression inform the creation of social studies standards and curriculum materials. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Brittany was a high school social studies teacher in Richmond, Virginia. She holds a MA in african american history and a MT in secondary social studies from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a BA from Longwood University.

Babatunde Keshinro, industrial and systems engineering, North Carolina A&T State University.

Babatunde Keshinro is a 4th year PhD student in industrial and systems engineering at North Carolina A&T State University. Babatunde received his BS and MS degrees in industrial and production engineering from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in 2015 and 2018 respectively. His research interests are in human-robot interaction, human-robot teaming, and machine learning. He is also interested in applying machine learning and deep learning methods to recognize human activity and actions and communicate these intents to robots for smooth task collaboration. Babatunde is a data analytics enthusiast and currently has a post-baccalaureate certificate in data analytics from North Carolina A&T State University. He also loves to travel and play soccer.

Yemimah King, early childhood education, Purdue University.

Yemimah King is a postdoctoral research associate in the department of psychology at Spelman College, where she works on an NSF-funded study that investigates factors related to the academic success of Black children. Her research focuses on children’s language and math development and the learning contexts that are important for promoting these skills. She was awarded a Head Start Dissertation Grant and received her doctoral degree in Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University.

Brittany Leslie Marshall, learning and instruction, Rutgers University.

Brittany L. Marshall is a 4th PhD candidate in mathematics education at Rutgers University's Graduate School of Education. Her work focuses on K-12 mathematics teaching and learning and math identity development, particularly among Black girls. Before Rutgers, Brittany taught middle and high school mathematics in Chicago for almost a decade. Prior to education, she practiced architecture in both Chicago and DC. Brittany holds MArch from North Carolina State University and BArch from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Adam McNeil, history, Rutgers University.

Adam McNeil is a PhD Candidate in the Department of History at Rutgers University focusing on Black women’s lives during the Revolutionary and Founding eras in the Chesapeake Bay. Adam's scholarship focuses on how enslaved women were key contributors to the Chesapeake’s culture of rebelliousness during the Age of Revolutions, which, by implication, centers the region as a critical site of slave insurrection and revolutionary activity during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Secondarily, Adam's focus on histories of Appalachian mountain slavery and labor histories in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Adam's research has been supported by fellowships from the University of Michigan’s Clements Library, the David Center for the American Revolution at the American Philosophical Society, the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, and the Omohundro Institute of Early American History & Culture (OI). Of note, in 2021, Adam became the Omohundro’s inaugural OI Audio Fellow, a new fellowship meant to present “fresh histories of the American Revolution” via the narrative podcast medium. In addition to academic writing, Adam regularly contributes to academic blogs Black Perspectives and The Junto, along with interviewing scholars on the New Books in African American Studies podcast, where Adam has interviewed nearly one hundred scholars about their works in African American studies and African American history. Follow him on Twitter @CulturedModesty.

Kristina Medero, communications, Ohio State University.

Experiences as a former health worker and educator in the US and in South Africa shaped Kristina Medero’s understanding of health disparities as it influences and is influenced by different social identities and social systems. Now a doctoral candidate at the Ohio State University, Kristina's research examines how the use of messages, predominantly entertainment narratives, may attenuate health disparities among stigmatized social groups (e.g., racial minorities, individuals with mental illness, etc). Stories about stigmatized groups have been observed to improve the attitudes of the general public toward those stigmatized groups as well as encourage people to vote for policies that will support stigmatized groups. Similarly, these stories may embolden members of stigmatized groups to seek out health services, share their personal stories, and feel more confident in advocating for social support. As such, Kristina’s work aims to amplify marginalized voices through narratives to enhance access to health services that may be encumbered by a) negative attitudes held by the general public toward stigmatized groups and b) a lack of efficacy among stigmatized groups to access health services. As a pragmatic thinker, her work utilizes quantitative and qualitative methods to identify key factors in changing stigmatizing attitudes, behaviors, and social systems. Implications for her work include the potential to close the gaps in health disparities and promote health equity.

Daniel Morales-Armstrong, history/africana and american studies, University of Pennsylvania.

Daniel Morales-Armstrong is a joint PhD candidate in Africana studies and history at Penn, where he studies emancipation and memory in nineteenth-century Puerto Rico, placed more broadly within Caribbean and Atlantic contexts. His research focuses on newly freedpersons' responses to the systems of forced labor that followed abolition, centering those stories which have been marginalized in the (mis)constructions of the emancipation narrative within and beyond the colony's shores. Beyond his work as a historian, he is an educator and has coordinated study abroad programming through which Black Latinx high school students in his native New York City have studied Black Latin American history in Cuba, Peru, and Puerto Rico.

Udodiri R. Okwandu, history, Harvard University.

Udodiri R. Okwandu is a doctoral candidate in the history of science department and Presidential Scholar at Harvard University. Broadly, her research explores the intersection of race, gender, and medicine and social and cultural constructions of health and disease. Her dissertation traces how medical understandings of maternal mental illnesses – such as postpartum depression and psychosis – have been used to rationalize the “transgressive” behavior of childbearing women from the late nineteenth to mid twentieth century. In doing so, she demonstrates how these rationalizations served to either excuse or pathologize women in ways that mapped onto existing racial and class hierarchies. She illuminates the consequences of these discourses by examining various sites, including the courts, asylum, family planning clinic, psychoanalytic research “lab,” and sterilization laws.

Termara Parker, neuroscience, Yale University.

Termara Parker is a sixth-year PhD Candidate in the interdepartmental neuroscience program at Yale University. She studies neural mechanisms of social interaction in autistic individuals using functional near-infrared spectroscopy and eye-tracking. Termara has presented her research at several conferences such as Society for fNIRS, Society for Neuroscience, ABRCMS, SACNAS, and Black in Neuro. She was an invited speaker for NYU’s CoNNeXINS Symposium and received an honorarium. Termara has authored nine publications, which includes five first-author publications. She has won two prestigious awards (NSF GRFP and Neuroscience Scholar Program Fellowship) during her time at Yale. In addition to her passion for science, Termara’s commitment to outreach strengthen her desire to teach and mentor future black neuroscientists. In 2020, Termara was named the graduate director of the Yale BBS Diversity and Inclusion Collective (YBDIC). As the graduate director, Termara has been instrumental in the creation of resources and opportunities for underrepresented minorities to build community through the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS). Specifically, Termara has worked closely with other YBDIC leaders to develop events that empower, advance, and engage underrepresented students in BBS. In addition to leading YBDIC, Termara was also the Deputy Editor of the Medical Education Issue for the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine. This opportunity allowed her to work on her goal to inform the public about important scientific issues. Termara also won the Annie Le Fellowship Award and was named one of NIH's 2022 Outstanding Neuroscience Scholars.

Minerva Rodriguez, psychology, University of Texas at El Paso.

Minerva Rodriguez is currently working towards a PhD in psychology at The University of Texas at El Paso under the mentorship of Dr. Sergio Iñiguez. Minerva’s research has consisted of examining the long-term effects of fluoxetine treatment in vulnerable populations (i.e., adolescents). In addition, Minerva’s current dissertation project will be to assess the impact of the vicarious defeat stress (VDS) animal model in underrepresented populations (i.e., adolescents and females). Minerva has contributed to five papers and has had nine presentations at regional and national conferences. Minerva has served as a teaching assistant in a psychology lab course, which is excellent training for the future. Minerva shows great potential as a researcher in the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders, which affect people of color disproportionately and with greater severity, due to stigma and lack of care seeking, among other reasons. Minerva’s long-term professional goal is to obtain a tenure-track faculty position at a research-intensive university that has a commitment to support diversity where she will be able to help minorities seeking STEM careers.

Aya Shhub, special education, University of California, Riverside.

Aya Shhub is a 4th year doctoral student in special education. She holds a dual credential in mild/mod and mod/severe special education. Her area of research is reading fluency instruction with a focus on reading prosody development. Prior to her doctoral studies. Aya worked in the inland empire public school setting as a special education teacher and IEP specialist. Aya has also sat on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and worked as an applied behavioral interventionalist. Aya currently serves as an associate in at the University of California, Riverside. She has previously served as a research assistant in a reading lab focused on the development of reading components such as vocabulary, reading comprehension, and reading fluency for students with autism. Aya was awarded the Harry Singer Endowed Fellowship and Hammill Institute on Disabilities doctoral fellowship to further investigate the relationship between word reading, fluency, and reading prosody. Aya has presented research findings at conferences including Pacific Coast Research Conference and Center for Research on Special Education, Disabilities, and Developmental Risk. Her dissertation is focused on understanding the reading profiles of different students. Specifically, investigating reading prosody differences between typically developing students and students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in upper elementary (grades 4-8). Identifying this critical information will allow practitioners and researchers to better understand and develop instructional strategies to enhance students' reading abilities.

Martez Smith, nursing and health science, University of Rochester School of Nursing.

Martez Smith is a Licensed Master Social Worker, and a doctoral candidate at the University of Rochester School of Nursing. His research interests include addressing racial, sexual and gender minority health disparities through community-driven, asset-based interventions. Currently, Martez is a member of the University of Rochester School of Nursing Interdisciplinary Sexual Health and HIV Research (INSHHR) Group, where he collaborates with researchers on a variety of scientific studies. In addition to conducting research, Martez works alongside a nationwide cadre of activists, organizing for social justice with the Keeping Ballroom Community Alive Network (KBCAN), which he co-founded in 2015.

Clifton E. Sorrell III, history, University of Texas at Austin.

Clifton E. Sorrell III is a history PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin, studying slavery and the African diaspora in the Atlantic world with an emphasis on the early modern Caribbean under Professor Diana Ramey Berry. He earned a double major BA in African American studies and history at the University of California, Davis. His dissertation project addresses the making of Black freedom practice and community in Spanish Jamaica and explores its relationship with the development of the Caribbean’s geopolitical configuration between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Working between English and Spanish archives, this project examines the island’s free and enslaved communities and their transition into Maroon societies to trace how they forged and (re)elaborated meanings of freedom, community, and sovereignty. It also considers how these developments shaped and were shaped by the region’s political economy, the contexts of Afro-European cross-cultural encounters, and the ways these different groups understood these complicated landscapes in staking competing and overlapping claims in the early modern Caribbean.

Anapaula Themann, psychology, University of Texas at El Paso

Anapaula Themann is currently working toward a PhD in psychology (behavioral neuroscience) at the University of Texas at El Paso under the mentorship of Dr. Sergio Iñiguez. Anapaula has received several accolades in recent years, including being the 2022 recipient of the enhanced Interdisciplinary Research Training Institute on Hispanic Substance Abuse (eIRTI) Fellowship from USC and the Outstanding Thesis Award from UTEP. In 2021, among other awards, Anapaula received the National Award of Excellence for Best Poster by a New Investigator in Basic Sciences at the National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse Conference. Anapaula has seven publications to her credit, and seventeen abstracts at regional and national conferences. Additionally, Anapaula has extensive teaching experience as an assistant instructor in statistics and psychology since 2020. Anapaula shows great potential as a researcher in the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders, which affect people of color disproportionately and with greater severity, due to stigma, lack of care seeking, and unaffordable mental health care.

Alberto Valido, psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Alberto Valido obtained a BS in psychology from the University of Florida and is a fourth-year PhD student in applied developmental science at the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Alberto’s research is focused on the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youth of color, and protective factors that can buffer against the adverse effects of discrimination and bias-based victimization. His research examines the role of societal-level factors such as systemic inequality, racism, heterosexism and cissexism, and ways to combine individual, state- and policy-level data using integrative data analysis. To date, he has published 53 peer-reviewed articles, 13 book chapters and 31 conference presentations.

Deidra Ward, chemical engineering, University of Texas at Austin.

Deidra Ward is a PhD candidate in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. Her doctoral research is focused on the development of polymeric nanoparticles for the delivery of RNA-interference molecules to treat neurological malignancies. Prior to UT Austin, Deidra received her BS in chemical and biomolecular engineering from Clemson University.

Waylon Wilson, performing and media arts, Cornell University.

Waylon Wilson is a citizen of the Skarù:rę (Tuscarora) Nation, Deer clan. As a media maker and theorist, his fusions of video game development, filmmaking, animation and interactive media consider the role of digital and analog technology to facilitate knowledge practices. He strategizes these platforms to examine critical Indigenous topics and human relationships to place. His work evokes theories of game design like critical play to influence his own critical game development and create experiences that construct virtual simulations and environments as our extended realities. Waylon’s work intermixes film studies with video game technologies, global Indigenous topics, and design to be in dialogue with Indigenous methodologies, representation in media, mapping, interactive data visualization, and the digital divide. His recent work includes hybrids of 3D video games and digital filmmaking, transformations of traditional Indigenous practices to digital settings, and interventions on existing media theories such as reconstructing our understanding of the western film genre.

Sarah Alamdari, chemical and biological engineering, University of Washington.

Sarah Alamdari is a data scientist for the Biomedical Machine Learning Group at Microsoft Research New England. Her research interests lie broadly at the intersection of biology, machine learning and molecular level design. She was an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, and an NSF Data Science National Research Trainee. Among her numerous awards are an MIT Rising Star, and a Husky 100. She is passionate about increasing diversity in the computational molecular research space through mentorship and outreach, and she is a co-organizer of the COMSEF Scholars REU program.

Rafael Alfena Zago, economics, University of Oklahoma.

With a background in international relations and economics, Rafael Alfena Zago conducts research in applied microeconomics, mainly focused on topics in the fields of development and labor economics. He combines unusual data with quasi-experimental methods to study a range of issues of great public policy interest, such as the impact of improved public infrastructure on urban crime, the impact of international migration on local labor markets, and the impact of ride-sharing services on traffic deaths. At present, much of his work focuses on his native country of Brazil, an emerging market economy that is home to approximately 3% of the world’s population and offers a huge amount of relatively unexplored, high-quality data.

Isabel Anadon, sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Isabel Anadon is an American Bar Foundation/National Science Foundation Doctoral Fellow in Law and Inequality. Her research examines the intersection of punishment and migration with a focus on race and ethnicity, and the sociology of law. She earned an MS in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MPP from the University of Chicago, and a dual BA in anthropology and psychology from the University of Notre Dame.

Bi'Anncha T. Andrews, urban and regional planning, University of Maryland-College Park.

Over the years, there has been a renewed interest in investing in historically distressed neighborhoods in the inner city. This economic escalation has contributed to increasing rates of displacement following redevelopment in forms commonly known as gentrification. As gentrification and displacement rapidly reshape neighborhoods across the U.S., low-income, Black, single mothers are forced to grapple with the rising cost of housing, the physical transformation of their communities, and the intentional displacement of their own families to make way for more affluent households.

While low-income, Black women are arguably the most vulnerable to the social and economic pressures that accompany gentrification, single, Black mothers are understudies in gentrification scholarship; hence knowledge about their vulnerability, and outcomes during and post displacement, are unclear.

In addition, few studies have considered the barriers that Black mothers face in accessing social services and informal social supports post-displacement.

Bi'Anncha Andrews' dissertation research aims to fill an established evidence gap on gentrification and displacement, including the impact that it has on single-family households and where families go post-displacement, and provide an in-depth outlook of the consequences associated with displacement and the residual trauma experienced by Black women during the displacement process.

Andrews says the purpose of her research is to generate a body of evidence that will enable improvement in social services, provide early intervention points that limit the number of vulnerable families forcefully displaced from their homes, and enable development of urban planning policies and practices that fosters sustainability among individuals and households that are at risk when new development occurs.

Waheed Awotoye, oral biology, University of Iowa.

A trained dentist, Waheed Awotoye's research focuses on understanding the contributions of genetic factors to the risk of craniofacial birth defects. His study of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (nsCL/P), Aggressive Periodontitis and Hereditary gingival fibromatosis in the African population has resulted in novel discoveries that he hopes will translate into therapeutic advancements to alleviate the burden of these defects on public health.

Zachariah Berry, organization and human resources, Cornell University.

Zachariah Berry studies organizational behavior at the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell. His research focuses on morality at work, with a particular emphasis on passion and loyalty.

Samuel Byiringiro, nursing, Johns Hopkins University.

Samuel Byiringiro‘s research interests include cardiovascular health outcomes, health systems strengthening through quality improvement, and community engagement in research. He earned a BS in nursing from the University of Rwanda and an MS in global health delivery from the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda.

Gladys Camacho-Rios, linguistics, University of Texas at Austin.

An L1 speaker of the South Bolivian variety of the Quechua language, Gladys Camacho-Rios is a community-based language researcher and a published author in Quechua. Her fieldwork involves documenting monolingual Quechua as it is spoken by elderly people in rural towns in Bolivia. Her research interests in linguistics include Quechua phonology, the grammar and semantics of the verbal morphology, and morphosyntax.

Beyond that, she is a language activist, leading the Linguistics Summer School Bolivia since 2016. The aim of her community service initiative is to foster a pioneering new group of native speakers documenting and describing their native languages in their communities of origin.

Casidy Campbell, global gender and sexuality studies, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Casidy Campbell’s research focuses on the fullness of Black girls’ personhood and seeks to understand how Black girls use the same digital technologies that often efface them to assert their quotidian perspectives.

She is currently a DISCO (Digital Inquiry, Speculation, Collaboration, and Optimism) Network Graduate Scholar, a member of the Digital Inequality Lab, and a former 2021 Community of Scholars Fellow at the Institute of Research on Women and Gender.

Lynnora Grant, materials design and innovation, Rice University.

Lynnora Grant's research focuses on the mechanics of sintering 3D-printed ceramics. Prior to her PhD, Lynnora obtained a BS in mechanical engineering from West Virginia University. Grant is a recipient of the NSF-GRFP (2017) and Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship (2019).

Ashley Gripper, urban and regional planning, Harvard University.

Ashley Gripper's research is transdisciplinary and uses mixed methods to investigate the associations between urban agriculture, mental health, spirituality and collective agency within Black communities. She designed and is the principal investigator on a grant-funded, IRB-approved study that employs spatial, qualitative, epidemiologic and psychometric methods to understand these impacts.

Her work highlights the historical and sociopolitical factors, such as structural and environmental racism, that have impacted and influenced Black agriculture in the United States. The first aim is a descriptive epidemiologic study assessing the association of neighborhood demographics with the number of community gardens at the block group level. This study shows that both Black and low-income neighborhoods have a greater concentration of community gardens compared to non-Black and higher income areas. This work serves as an introduction to the landscape of agriculture in Philadelphia and begins to lay the groundwork to understand how collective agency and community resistance might occur in the city’s Black and immigrant communities.

The goal of her current research is to show City Council officials and the Mayor’s Office how urban agriculture benefits the health of residents.

Margaret Ikape, physics, University of Toronto.

Margaret Ikape is a PhD candidate in the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, David A Dunlap Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto. She was born in Nigeria, where she received an undergraduate degree in physics and astronomy. She completed a master's degree at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, AIMS, Cameroon, before beginning graduate studies in Toronto.

Her interest in astronomy started at a very young age and that interest has been sustained by the numerous unknowns in the universe. Her current work tries to understand the nature of the first stars using simulated data.

Debrielle Jacques, psychology, University of Rochester.

Debrielle Jacques' broad research interests combine adult psychopathology, parenting and family processes, and child psychopathology. Specifically, she is interested in how mental illness, addiction and traumatic experiences among parents affect caregiving, parent-child interactions and child well-being.

She also is interested in studying how children cope with and navigate potentially traumatic environments and the effects these strategies have on children’s long-term psychological development.

Prior to matriculating at Rochester, she received an MA in psychology from Rutgers University and a BS in psychology from Penn State.

Justin Lund, anthropology, University of Oklahoma.

Justin Lund (Navajo) focuses his work at the intersection of genomics, anthropology and Indigeneity. Lund uses academics and research to elevate Native American and other Indigenous voices.

Josh Manitowabi, Indigenous studies, Brock University.

Josh Manitowabi is Potawatomi of the Black Bear clan. He completed his honors BA at McMaster University with a major in history and a minor in Indigenous studies. He was a recipient of the Harvey Longboat Major Graduate Scholarship at McMaster in 2016. He was also a Joseph Bombardier Doctoral Scholar from 2018 to 2021 at Brock University. He completed his MA in cultural anthropology at McMaster University, where he was also a teacher assistant in the Indigenous Studies program.

His current research includes integrating Indigenous knowledge and oral history within contemporary education systems. He will be critiquing Great Lakes Anishinabek history within contemporary historiography.

Oluwafunke Brinda Ogunya, English, Florida State University.

Oluwafunke Brinda Ogunya specializes in African American literature and cultural studies. Her research interest focuses on Black women’s fiction, African/Africana folklore and Motherhood.

Ligia Schmitd, oral biology, University of Michigan.

A PhD candidate at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ligia Schmitd is an internationally trained dentist specializing in oral medicine who has held teaching positions in her home country.

She is a clinician-scientist developing translational research in the field of oral cancer. More specifically, her research focuses on molecular mechanisms of cancer and tumor microenvironment interactions, and on how this knowledge can be used to advance patient care.

Payton Small, psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Payton Small is a social psychologist whose research program broadly focuses on pushback against diversity initiatives and the downstream consequences of such pushback on minoritized group members.

He also studies multiracial individuals’ experiences with identity denial and the impact of such experiences on racial identification processes.

In the fall, he will join the faculty of the Psychological Sciences Department at Vassar College.

Rashad Williams, urban and regional planning, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Rashad Williams' research and teaching leverage oppositional social theory, particularly within the variegated areas of Black political thought, to satisfy three questions confronting the field of urban planning in particular, and perhaps the fields of urban affairs more generally.

The first concerns the extent to which a serious confrontation with the intellectual contributions of the Black radical tradition requires a fundamental reordering of the concepts through which we narrate urban histories and processes in the United States. Williams argues that the concepts of racial planning, the racial state and racial capitalism might, in certain cases, better reveal connections between race, class and urban planning than the standard, and somewhat obfuscatory, rational planning/equity planning or efficiency/equity model.

The second question concerns what can and should be done within urban contexts once we recognize the causal significance of white supremacy as a sociopolitical system and its enduring consequences for our primary areas of concern (urban inequalities in housing, environmental quality, transportation, wealth, policing, among others). In what is the first article on the subject of reparations within the field of urban planning, Williams has proposed that we begin to intellectually develop a tradition of reparative planning.

The third question concerns the evaluation of reparative planning as an unfolding movement across American municipalities and regions.