Where Does Your Journey STEM From?

Olivia Gonzalez is an economist at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in the Office of Strategic Management and Enterprise Integrity, where she conducts regulatory economic analysis, supports the evaluation of SBA programs, and leverages data and evidence as strategic assets to drive decisions. She co-leads the SBA’s Evidence and Evaluation Community of Practice which is intended to promote a culture of learning and evidence-based decision-making throughout the agency.

Celena Michaud is an Electrical Engineer at Avalanche Energy, a nuclear fusion startup developing a compact fusion device capable of providing clean, renewable energy for use in distributed and remote systems such as underwater vehicles and satellites. Her work includes designing experimental hardware, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems to support fusion research and experiments.

Dr. Daisy Rosas Vargas identifies as first generation indigenous (Mexica) and Latine born in what is called the United States. She is a chemist, science communicator, and educator who enjoys sharing the wonders of chemistry and science with the future generation. She used her voice to represent and advocate for the underrepresented students in the college classroom, as a former professor at a small liberal arts college.

Daryl is a seasoned product lead dedicated to simplifying complex systems and creating seamless online-to-offline experiences. Her career across 3 countries is rooted in banking and spanned sustainable energy and tech at Tesla and Twitter. She is now in healthcare after co-founding a chat-based health consultation service, which won a global award for its impact and creativity on healthcare accessibility.

Talis has spent the last 20 years co-founding and growing social enterprises focused in entrepreneurship education, youth leadership, and tech: FeelGood, Latiendo por Mexico, and Crew for All. She currently serves as an Associate Director at the ideaHUB in Dalhousie University, a deep-tech incubator committed to supporting founders to build physical products for a healthier world while becoming mindful leaders.

Danielle Cantrell-Sikstrom is the global gaming content strategist at Intel. In this role, she develops and executes the strategy for video and retail gaming content for Intel Core processors and Intel Arc graphics. In her free time, she builds PCs, plays and streams video games, and enjoys live music.

Kayla Bassett (she/her/hers) is the Head of Product at Ensis, a company developing AI-powered proposal software for responding to government RFPs, RFIs, and more. Prior to Ensis, she was a Director of Product Management by way of their acquisition of Limbix. Prior to her career in tech, Kayla was a Marine Corps intelligence officer and served in a variety of posts around the world. She co-founded a non-profit dedicated to improving mental health among veterans through peer support.

Sohnee Ahmed is a board-certified genetic counselor and variant analyst involved in genetic analysis and report writing for whole genome sequencing, whole exome sequencing, and panel tests. She graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Science, specializing in Genetics & Biotechnology with a minor in Anthropology. She then attended Wayne State University to achieve a Master of Science degree in Genetic Counseling.

Lainie Mataras is the Senior Director of the Consultant Architecture and Design Group at Planar, a global leader in visualization technology. In this role, Mataras leverages her extensive professional network to foster relationships with industry partners and further develop the company’s consultant and architecture and design programs.

Jason Garbarino is an experienced nurse educator, clinician, and leader whose 16-year career in nursing spans across various speciality areas. Jason remains clinically active within primary care nursing, overseeing patient Annual Wellness Visits while teaching undergraduate and graduate nursing students. He taught nursing full-time for 11 years as a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Vermont (UVM). At inSpring, Dr. Garbarino's primary objective is to contribute to the growth, diversification, and global advancement of professional nursing practice. He resides in Vermont with his wife and two children.

Dr. Divan is the founder of Trulitica, a professional career services company that focuses on strategy, communication, and career development for scientists in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. He holds a Ph.D. In Medical Sciences from Texas A&M University and completed his postdoctoral studies in microbiology and medicinal chemistry at the University of North Dakota.

Samuel Oluwakorede Oyefusi is a Mechanical Engineering student at Pan Atlantic University, Ex-president of the Living Green Club, the co-Founder of Ridebuddy and Global Ambassador of Thierworld. He has a passion for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which drives his focus on Energy Transition and Robotics innovation, alongside advocacy for quality education.

Shaundra Toy is currently working as a Solution Engineer for Clari, a company working with AI in the Sales Process. Toy is PMP certified, double certified in change management, holds a certificate in UX Research, a certificate in Human Centered Strategy, has mentored new project managers, taught many advanced seminars for the Project Management Institute (PMI) and recently finished a minor in User Experience Research along with her Bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary Studies and Integrative Problem Solving.

Driven by a blend of formal education in accounting, a thriving career in technology for over 22 years, and a profound passion for art, Chaya has embraced every facet of her life with a growth mindset. Living with ADHD has been her greatest teacher, guiding her through triumphs and trials and fostering personal growth at every turn. From navigating the complexities of distraction to discovering the power of hyperfocus, each experience has shaped her into who she is today. Chaya's mission is to empower the neurodivergent community in homes, schools, and workplaces through coaching and training. Regardless of neurodivergence, every mind possesses remarkable potential and warrants acknowledgment and respect.

Etienne Palos hass a Ph.D. in Theoretical & Computational Chemistry, working in the group of Prof. Francesco Paesani at the University of California, San Diego. His work is founded on a data-driven approach for molecular simulation, and encompasses method development, implementation, and making conceptual connections between electronic structure theory and many-body representations of molecular systems, particularly in the condensed phase. His work resides "on the border" between quantum chemistry and statistical physics, seeking to improve our understanding of the complexity of molecular interactions, from the dimer to the thermodynamic limit.

Brianna Jepsen is pursuing a PhD in Chemistry at Indiana University, focusing on Materials and Organic Chemistry. Her current research focuses on developing an alternative cancer treatment by synthesizing a new photosensitizer, a molecule that can absorb light and be used in photochemical reactions, to be used in photodynamic therapy, where light is shined on a photosensitizer to destroy tumor cells.

Emmaleah Jones is a recent graduate from Northeastern University's Master's program in Urban Informatics-- a blend of data science and urban planning. Her background is in urban planning, social science, and resilience studies. In 2022 she was a Fulbright researcher in Chile, where she worked with an interdisciplinary team at CIGIDEN (the Research Center for Integrated Disaster Risk Management) and the National Office of Emergency to build a simulation-based visualization and decision-support tool for integrating risk assessments into urban planning nationwide in a mid-size coastal city called San Antonio. She still lives in Santiago, Chile where she also works for The Cities Observatory of UC (OCUC) on a data infrastructure project for the regional government of Santiago, part of a larger project to promote interoperability between various city ministries through the design of a functional data infrastructure.

Dr. Marilú Pérez García is a first-generation college graduate. She started her academic career at the College of Southern Idaho, then transferred to Idaho State University to complete her bachelor’s degree in chemistry. After completing her doctorate in 2014, focusing on analytical and computational chemistry, Dr. Perez stayed in Ames for a post-doc position in the Critical Materials Innovation Hub, studying primarily rare earth elements. Now pursuing independent research, she examines ways to combine empirical and computational data to understand and predict metal ion complexation in solution.

Emma Peterman is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow in the Galloway Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her current research is focused on engineering genetic circuits to perform more reliably in mammalian cells for applications like cellular therapies.

Sophia is a 1st year PhD student in Biochemistry at Stanford University, where she is currently rotating in labs. In her spare time, you can find Sophia climbing at the local rock gym or enjoying a mug of herbal tea.

Noah Lemke was an NSF Graduate Fellow and has a PhD in the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University. He researched the reproductive behavioral ecology of the black soldier fly, a species of insect being mass-reared by companies around the world to convert agricultural residuals into feed for livestock and fertilizer for crops. His research aims to understand how evolutionary processes have shaped the black soldier fly’s reproductive behavior, and how specific behaviors might persist or be modified within captivity.

Vanshika Gupta is currently a PhD student in the Dick lab at Purdue University. In 2023 she became an NSF graduate student fellow and is now working towards finishing her dissertation work with Dr. Dick regarding real-time pharmacokinetic analysis in single cells.

Amal Dadi is a biologist with broad experience in basic science research, clinical testing, and environmental education and advocacy. She currently works as a scientist at Q2 Solutions, where she conducts laboratory work supporting clinical trials.

Andrea is an Environmental Engineering Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Ashok Gadgil's Lab at the University of California, Berkeley. As part of Gadgil's Lab, Andrea works on the design of technologies for the removal of chromium in groundwater and hopes to extend these technologies for the removal of other contaminants, such as uranium, found in groundwater.

Valerie started her career as a researcher in the US after obtaining a PhD in biological and biomedical sciences from University of Bordeaux. Valerie joined Microsoft 3.5 years ago, is now Director of corporate business development at Microsoft, leading strategic partnerships in healthcare and life sciences.

Dr. Zollie Yavarow is a science communicator and patient advocate focused on rare disease and gene therapy. She founded Zaris Consulting, an organization providing gene therapy consulting and science educational content with a patient focus. She earned her PhD in Pharmacology and MA in Bioethics and Science Policy from Duke University in 2022.

Anoop is a second-year Engineering Ph.D. student and an NSF Graduate Research Fellow at Brown University. His research focuses on the physics-informed control of aerial robot (drone) swarms in unsteady environments.

Prathic is an associate in the Software Development Program at Becton Dickinson (BD). His current work focuses on implementing systems to secure the cloud technology powering BD’s current and future products deployed in hospitals.

Bryn Loftness is a PhD candidate in the Complex Systems and Data Science program at University of Vermont and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. She works in the Neurobotics Lab and M-Sense Research Group at the UVM Complex Systems Center developing machine learning and digital phenotyping algorithms. She also collaborates significantly with the MAPPS (Mobility Analysis for Pandemic Prediction Strategies) Center at Brown University.

Hosea Santiago Cruz is a Puerto Rican engineer and scientist. His research focuses on enhancing treatment techniques to remove and destroy pollutants from water, specifically PFAS, also called “Forever Chemicals.”

Natalie Coleman uses data science, machine learning, and disaster research to understand how communities recover after natural hazards such as Hurricane Harvey, Winter Storm Uri, and Hurricane Ida. This includes quantifying system losses, promoting data transparency, and emphasizing human values in the management and restoration of infrastructure.

Maria Zavala's research explores algal strains as a food source for humans under simulated space conditions. More specifically, Maria is ensuring a simulated environment through gravitational cancellation in a 2-D plane and evaluating algal growth under liquid and solid media for vitamin and macronutrient synthesis. This research seeks to close the gap in availability of specific nutrients for homeostatic human health under a micro-gravity environment.

Katelyn is a second year PhD candidate at the University of Chicago, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, and Neubauer Family Fellow. Using ultrafast laser spectroscopy, she researches how biological systems harness fundamental quantum mechanics to control light-driven processes.

Patrick is a technology executive and founder. He currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer at Shippo managing both product and engineering organizations. In his spare time he enjoys skiing, riding motorcyles and hiking in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and two dogs.

Brayan focuses on studying the pathogenic ciliate responsible for the mass mortality of sea urchins who belong to the Diadematidae family.

Ben Ormond's main focus in his career has been to understand the complexities of our particular health care ecosystem, with the express purpose of turning that knowledge into more affordable, higher quality health care for patients.Doug Herta is a Principal Analyst for Optum and has a dual degree in political science as well as economics from the University of Michigan. He also has a graduate degree from Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs

Rachel's work in the Rehab Neural Engineering Labs (RNEL) studies mechanistic changes in the brain after a stroke, which can lead to visual-spatial attention and upper-limb motor dysfunction. The ultimate goal of this work is to develop technology-driven rehabilitation protocols and tools to facilitate stroke recovery.

Mai Huynh's research in the Jamieson Lab revolves around the complex relationship between the microbiome and the immune system in the context of cancer.

Meghan is a second year Ph.D. student and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow at Harvard University. In the group of Prof. Daniel Nocera, she studies photocatalysis and other energy-relevant reactions. (1) Meghan Sullivan | LinkedIn

Ashley Bosa is a fourth year geosciences graduate student at Boise State University. She is also a vulcanologist. The first part is to monitor rain triggered lahars (lava flows) in Vulcan de Fuego in Guatemala. The second part is to develop a collaborative vulcanic hazards training workshop for a local community in the cascades.

Kristi Boyd is the Trustworthy AI Specialist with SAS' Data Ethics Practice(DEP). With a blend of technical and ethical expertise, Kristi’s mission is to understand emerging technologies like AI, assess them in the context of culture, and translate the findings into actionable recommendations to fuel and push the boundaries of responsible innovation in ways that promote human well-being, agency, and equity.

Suraj is a Ph.D. student in the Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Computational Biology at Weill Cornell Medical College, specializing in computational biology and bioinformatics. His research interests include the impact of data heterogeneity in federated learning, predicting the ploidy status of embryos using deep video classification, clinical trial emulation, and deep learning in genomics.

Andy was a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering at Columbia University, where his research focused on ways to improve osteoarthritis-related knee surgeries. He holds an MS in biomedical engineering from Columbia and a BS in mechanical engineering from New York University.

Rachel Kozloski is a PhD student in UNR’s Graduate Program of Hydrologic Sciences. Her research focuses on microplastics in urban runoff and microplastic movement in connected surface and groundwater systems.

Joshua is originally from Memphis, Tennessee and matriculated to UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX in 2020. He joined the Siegwart lab in 2021 and is working on the development of three-component lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) as gene carriers. As seen with the COVID-19 vaccines, delivery of genetic material (in this case mRNA) has been very helpful and successful.

Mel Ortiz Alvarez de la Campa is a Puerto Rican & queer scientist, writer and artist. Their research focuses on finding a link between early life adversity, anxiety and the microbiome.

Have you ever wondered where people's journeys stem from? Welcome to my podcast where we explore career paths and research in STEM.