Journeys of Scientists

My name is Keontré  (key-on-tray) and I am a second year dual phd student in physics and quantitative biology with a concentration in molecular biophysics. Big words aside, I was initially a physics major at Colgate university in Hamilton, New York. Before that I lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana and I was raised even before that in Huntsville, Alabama. My dad played football for the Spartans in the early 90s under George Perles, and stories from my childhood are what stoked both my love for athletics (I ran track d1 and played baseball at Colgate) and my love for MSU! I also have 6 siblings (Tim 32, Kayla, 30, Emery 28, Octavius 14, Lucia  13, and September 12)

Georgia is a second year PhD student studying experimental nuclear physics. Her research focuses on investigating the properties of nuclei beyond the neutron dripline. In her free time, Georgia enjoys  exercising, spending time outdoors, and playing the trumpet!

Nicole is a fourth-year PhD student in applied mathematics at MSU. Her research interests lie in machine learning, particularly with applications in biology. She also has a background in mathematics  education and is passionate about teaching and mentoring students. In her free time, Nicole enjoys cooking, trivia, and swimming.

Rachel is a second year PhD student in Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering studying topological data analysis and computational education with emphasis on social good. Outside of her research, Rachel enjoys working on DEI and STEM outreach, reading, swing dancing, relaxing by the lake, traveling, and spending time with loved ones.

Amelia is going into her second year pursuing a PhD in experimental  nuclear physics at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at MSU. Her research is focused on the radioactive decay of rare, unstable nuclides. Outside of work, her interests include her two cats, vegan cooking, and nature hikes.  

Jessica J. Mencia (she/her/ella) is a PhD student at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. She completed her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a major in Public Policy and double minors in Latinx Studies and Women and Gender Studies. Jessica currently researches abortion accessibility and sexual-risk taking for young women and non-binary youth. She identifies as Honduran-American, queer, and manatee enthusiast.  

Sarah is a Mathematics Education PhD candidate and Mathematics Masters student who is studying the impact of computation on undergraduate students' mathematical creativity and understanding. Outside of her research, Sarah loves to craft, spend time with her husband and cats, as well as go camping.

Emily  is going into her third year as a PhD student in the Computational  Mathematics, Science, and Engineering (CMSE) Department working in computational education research. Outside of research, she enjoys  participating in STEM outreach opportunities, crocheting, and reading.

Aubree is going into her third year in the Anthropology program at Michigan State University. With a focus in bioarchaeology, she is interested in the relationship between diet and social identity in the  ancient Maya and how this relationship changes over time.

Samara is a third year PhD candidate in the department of Mathematics at  MSU with a specialization in Control Theory. Being an international  student from Lebanon, Samara has strong commitment to DEI. She has  strong passion for leadership and enjoy working with students that are  struggling academically. In her free time, Samara enjoys reading, writing, and visiting new places!

Carolyn is a second year PhD candidate in the plant biology and ecology, evolution, and behavior programs, studying the evolution of defense  traits in the wild grape genus Vitis. Outside of her research, she loves to participate in public outreach about bat conservation and indulge her many nerdy hobbies.

Alyssa is a PhD student in the Integrative Biology Department and  Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB) Program who studies the  reproduction of Mormyrid electric fishes from Africa (which are the only known vertebrates that have sperm without tails!). Outside of research  she is passionate about engagement in science outreach.

Gissell is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate studying Pharmacology at the University of Michigan.  

She is interested in the field of neuropharmacology, especially addiction research. Gissell is currently investigating opioid signaling pathways that increase the pain-relieving effects of opioids  such as morphine without increasing adverse side effects. Gissell is Mexican-American from California, and her identity has inspired her to be involved in community outreach with groups that support DEI in academia and minority advancement in science.  

Danika is a fourth year math PhD student studying equivariant homotopy theory. Danika enjoys spending time with her friends, family and two  rabbits Mimi and Moomoo in her free time.

Ursula is a second year PhD student in the comparative medicine and integrative biology program. Her research focuses on understanding oleic acid's effect on adipose tissue metabolism in early postpartum dairy cows.

Emily is a Fisheries and Wildlife PhD candidate studying the statistics  underpinning stock assessment models. Her work aims to find the best  techniques to accurately and precisely estimate fish  population abundances using fishery data.  

Madison is a 2nd year PhD student studying experimental accelerator physics, with a focus on beam diagnostics. In her free time, Madison enjoys reading, baking, and being a cat mom to her two cats, Hannibal and Frannie.  

Maria (she/her) is a first year PhD student studying Human Nutrition and Environmental Toxicology, where she is investigating the potential endocrine  disrupting effects of maternal obesity and how it may impact offspring  reproductive biomarkers and development. She is also actively involved in her department, where she is the Secretary for the Food Science and Human Nutrition Graduate Student Association (FSHN GSA) and the FSHN Representative on the Council of Graduate Students.  

Carmen graduated from Florida Atlantic University’s Honors College in 2019 with a double major in Biology and Molecular Neuroscience. She began veterinary school the following Fall and officially joined Dr. Adam Moeser’s lab in January 2022. Her research primarily focuses on the role of androgens and the effects of neonatal castration on functional development of the gastrointestinal immune system. In her free time Carmen enjoys cooking, going to the gym, and flying down to visit family in Florida.  

Erin is a Master's of Social Work (Organization and Community Leadership  Focus) and M.S. in Global Health Candidate whose interests revolve  around program development and promotion of holistic wellness. Erin has  strong interest in community engagement, leadership development, and the intersectionality of social development and health.

Sara is currently a PhD candidate in the Integrative Biology department, also working towards a dual degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior as well as a specialization in Environmental Science and Public Policy. Her work mostly focuses on how anthropogenic change affects patterns of genetic diversity in Chinook Salmon. She currently serves as the President of the Council of Graduate Students.  

Osama is a microbiology and molecular genetics PhD candidate studying microbes living in deep ocean hydrothermal systems and trying to understand what they can tell us about life beyond earth.

Antonia “Toni”  Gordon is an Army Veteran and Political Science PhD student. Her  research interests include Public Policy with an emphasis on education policy reform.

Samantha is a DVM candidate in the College of Veterinary Medicine  pursuing small and exotic companion animal medicine, she's passionate  about client education and cultivating positive workplace culture. She  also enjoys the outdoors, weight lifting, singing in the MSU Choral Union, and spoiling her cats Chai and Banshee.

Macy is a PhD candidate in Dr. Shannon Manning's lab in the department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics. Macy studies the genomic  diversity and stress-tolerance mechanisms of persistent Group B Streptococcus infections during pregnancy.

Rachael Pyram is a second-year doctoral student in Organizational Psychology at Michigan State University studying (a) group dynamics at work and (b)  the future of work, specifically as it applies to the intersection of technology and DEI. When she's not tied to her laptop, Rachael enjoys reading, embroidering, and experimenting in the kitchen.

Zoe is a PhD candidate in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program at MSU. Her  research explores how foodborne infection impacts the human gut microbiome, and she is especially interested in potential consequences related to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Zoe is also the president of Graduate Women in Science Mid-Michigan, an organization dedicated to advocating for women in STEM spaces.

Arianna is a first year veterinary student at MSU college of veterinary medicine. She is interested in pursuing a career in small animal medicine. Her hobbies include practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu, going to the gym, and doing jigsaw puzzles. You can follow her on Instagram: @veterin.ari

Grace (she/her) is a former high school Chemistry teacher and currently a PhD student in teacher education and education policy, with research  interests in alternative science epistemologies and justice in science education and policy. She is an international student from Nigeria and resides in East Lansing with her husband and two teenage daughters.  

Erin is an NSF GRFP recipient and a 4th year PhD candidate in Nuclear Astrophysics developing a single atom microscope to measure rare, low-yield nuclear reactions to aid in determining the origin of the elements that make up the universe. She also is a tour guide for the Facility of Rare Isotope Beams on campus and a member of the lab's outreach committee. Her hobbies include playing with and teaching tricks to her puppy, traveling, hiking, DIY projects, and creating artwork.  

Kandace is a PhD student investigating how migrating sea lamprey use habitat features and chemical cues to avoid predators when moving through rivers. This information will allow us to create novel invasive species control methods based on manipulating and exploiting these movement tendencies.  

Hazel is a 1st year Ph.D. student in Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior researching large spatial patterns of plant  biodiversity to improve conservation. She is also passionate about science communication/engagement and is the Assistant Coordinator for the MSU Science Festival, Communications Coordinator for Conservation Corridor, Science Policy Chair of MSU SciComm, and runs the MSU Covid Campus Coalition Instagram account.  

Laurisa is a 4th year PhD candidate in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics researching the genetic regulation of IFNg-dependent MHCII expression on macrophages. She is also the founder and current director of the MSU Graduate Recruitment Initiative Team (GRIT), a graduate student group focused on equitable recruitment and  retention of historically excluded people in STEM. Her hobbies include kayaking, sitting around a bonfire, and board game nights with her family.  

Julie is a PhD candidate in Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. Her research focuses on how livestock grazing practices influence  spotted hyena foraging behavior and landscape ecology in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. In her free time, Julie enjoys playing the banjo,  gardening, doing improv, and spending time with her partner and dogs. She is also am a co-organizer for Biology on Tap Lansing and a member of the Women in Nature Network.

Tracy is a 2nd year nuclear physics and radiochemistry PhD student. Her research is focused on harvesting isotopes for the purpose  of medical applications. In her free time, Tracy enjoys binge watching crime shows, learning how to cook from YouTube videos and being a cat mom to Lilo and Stitch!  

Amanda is a 1st year PhD student in the School of Criminal Justice. Her research interests include intimate partner violence (IPV), technology-facilitated abuse, and court policy and technology. In her free time, she collects houseplants, goes biking on local trails, and learns new recipes.  

Bianca graduated from the University of New Mexico (UNM) in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Bianca is originally from San Jose, California, and also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from San Jose State University. As an undergraduate at UNM, Bianca was an NIH Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Scholar and NSF Louis Stokes New Mexico Alliance for Minority Participation (NM  AMP) Scholar. Bianca's undergraduate research project focused on  understanding plants' growth development, anatomical, and photosynthetic  rates, Arabidopsis thaliana, in a microgravity environment, in Dr. David Hanson's laboratory. During her undergraduate degree at UNM, she did an  internship in the Space Life Science Training Program at NASA Ames  Research Center. Bianca is now a second-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Molecular Plant Sciences program. She is now a member of Dr. Thomas Sharkey's laboratory, where she studies the mechanism of the protective role of isoprene against ozone stress. In her free time, she is involved in the BMB Outreach program, Co-Outreach coordinator for MSU AMPSS, BMB Graduate Student DEI Representative, and on the Student Board for the American Society of Gravitational and Space Research.  

Samridhi is a 3rd year Chemistry PhD candidate focusing on harvesting radionuclides from heavy-ion beam irradiated refractory metals. My  hobbies include cooking Indian delicacies and binge-watching The Office.

Sarah is a 5th year PhD student in the department of Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering. Her research interests include applied and computational topology, time series analysis, and machine learning. Outside of math, she spends most of her time playing with her dog, Bella.  

Jane is a 4th year PhD candidate studying nuclear many-body problems and ways machine learning can improve existing computational methods. On her free time, she likes to hike and crochet.

Karina is a 3rd year graduate student pursuing a PhD in Physics. She works at FRIB on applying bayesian analysis and modeling to heavy-ion  collision research to gain a better understanding of quark-gluon plasma properties.

Sarah is a 3rd year PhD student in the department of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering (CMSE). Her current research  interests involve applied topology and machine learning applications for graph structured data. Her non-math interests include running, crocheting, and doing jigsaw puzzles.

Olivia is a 5th year PhD candidate studying predator effects on prey behavior in agroecosystems. She is currently working with American Kestrels  (North America’s smallest falcon) in Michigan cherry crops.  

Erik is a PhD candidate in Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering (CMSE). His research focuses on bridging mathematics, x-rays, and plant biology. Raised in Guatemala, college-educated in Mexico, he moves north one country at a time. Whenever he is not cursing at his own non-working code, he enjoys cycling year-round throughout mid-Michigan.

Jen Fry is a PhD student in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences at MSU. "The purpose of my research is to use the experiences of current and former Black female volleyball players who have played internationally to inform coaches, agents, parents, and staff who support pre-professional Black female volleyball players, and the Black female volleyball players themselves, who are currently playing collegiate volleyball and considering playing professionally on the experiences they are likely to have overseas. I will be situating my area of expertise within geography as it allows me to think boldly about how the intersection of race, gender, sport, and geography affects the experiences of Black female athletes, both domestically and internationally."

Chloe Lewis is a 4th year graduate student pursing a PhD in mathematics and a master’s degree in mathematics education. Her mathematical research focus is on algebraic topology where she studies spectral sequences for Real topological Hochschild homology. Her mathematics education research interests lie in quantitative literacy courses and the way that students think about quantitative arguments in news media. Chloe is a member of the MSU chapters of the Association for Women in Mathematics (@msu_awm) and Graduate Women in Science (@gwismidmi), and is the treasurer of the GEU, the labor union for graduate teaching assistants at Michigan State. She enjoys baking, especially cookies, and is a devoted NYT crossword solver!

Yoani is a Neuroscience PhD student at the University of Michigan's Medical School. She got her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from UMich, and is now studying synaptic and network mechanisms used by neural circuits in the auditory system for encoding sound and speech for her graduate studies.  

Andrés is an incoming 4th year PhD student in the Department of Mathematics. His research broadly consist in how to best numerically approximate solutions for Partial Differential Equations that appear in Mathematical-Physics. He investigates both theory and computational algorithms.