Executive Board
President:
Name: Azadeh Mousavi (She/Her/Hers)
Email: sfm5808-at-psu.edu
Azadeh is a passionate PhD Candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Her primary focus is studying flow dynamics and sediment transport, particularly for nature-based solutions in river restoration. Azadeh is dedicated to making a positive impact on her community. She served as the professional development chair (2021- 2022) and vice-president (2022- 2023) of Graduate Women in Science at Penn State University, where now she serves as the President (2023- 2024), fostering a supportive environment for women in STEM.
President-Elect/Vice-President:
Name: Xiaoling Chen (She/Her/Hers)
Email: xiaoling.chen-at-psu.edu
Xiaoling is from Japan but now calls Boston home. In the lab she looking for novel ligands to the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in mushrooms as well as medicinal plants to improve gut health. Outside of research, she likes to care for and visit gardens, bake sweets, and work on her sci-com blog. She also loves exploring the latest openings of restaurants and cafes.
Secretary:
Name: Susan Tian (She/Her/Hers)
Email: sbt5355-at-psu.edu
Susan is a Ph.D. candidate in the Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology program. She graduated from RIT on May 2019. Her research interest is human microbiome. She is a huge animal lover and her favorite thing to do is going to the zoo and aquariums!.
Treasurer:
Name: Sara Trimidal (She/Her/Hers)
Email: sgt5083-at-psu.edu
Sara is a 4th year PhD student in the BMMB program. Before coming to Penn State, she graduated from University of Nevada Las Vegas with a BS in Cell and Molecular Biology and worked at a biotech company in San Diego, CA. Her current research in the Paulson Lab looks at the process of red blood cell development with a particular focus on the transcription factor ATF4 and its effects on gene expression and metabolism. During her spare time, Sara likes to bake (a hobby that persisted due to her cravings for particular desserts that can’t be found in State College) and watch soccer games (mainly FC Barcelona, who sometimes causes her stress).
Public Relations Officer:
Name: Aashka Shah (She/Her/Hers)
Email: aqs6368-at-psu.edu
Aashka is a 4th year Ph.D. student in the BMMB Program. She is currently a part of the Paulson lab, where she works on identifying novel signaling pathways that regulate the development of the stress erythropoiesis niche. In her spare time, she loves to watch (SRK) movies, promote Cafe Alina (her favorite restaurant in SCE), and stan Mbappe.
Co – Chairs
Grad School 101:
Name: Morgan Vincent (She/Her/Hers)
Email: mzv5264-at-psu.edu
Morgan is a third year graduate student that studies the changes in copper reactivity in beer as it relates to the staling process. In her free time, she enjoys running, horseback riding, and spending time with family and friends.
Young Women in STEM:
Name: Brock James Hunter (He/Him/His)
Email: bmh6193-at-psu.edu
Brock is a Ph.D. student in Chemical Engineering. His research focus is developing photocatalytic materials for antibacterial applications in wastewater treatment and health care. In his spare time, Brock likes to travel on the weekends, play board and video games, and hang out with his cat, Tango!.
Name: Maia Pappadakis (She/They)
Email: mvp6103-at-psu.edu
Maia is a second year PhD student studying errors in purine metabolism in the Hanna-Rose lab, where she get to use C. elegans. Outside of the lab, she loves playing soccer and board games, and is always trying to do something new. She is really excited to become more involved on campus and in the community, and for meeting more women in STEM 🙂
Fundraising:
Name: Steph Szarmach (She/They)
Email: sjs7465-at-psu.edu
Steph is a fourth year PhD candidate in the Biology program. Steph’s research focuses on the evolution and genomics of avian migration and the adaptations that allow birds to migrate to and from high latitudes. In their free time, Steph enjoys hiking, birding, art projects, and playing tabletop and video games.
Professional Development:
Name: Gaurav Dey (He/Him/His)
Email: sjs7465-at-psu.edu
Gaurav completed his Master’s degree from the University of Hyderabad, India, and worked for a couple of years on biomaterials research before coming to Penn State. He is currently a 3rd year graduate student in the Chemistry department. His research is focused on the synthesis and mechanistic understanding of high entropy alloys. Outside of lab, he is actively involved in science outreach through various on-campus organizations. He enjoys reading, cooking, rock climbing and playing board games in his free time.
Science + +:
Name: Sohini Saha (She/Her/Hers)
Email: svs7065-at-psu.edu
Sohini is a fourth year Chemistry PhD student. She grew up in India, where she completed her undergraduate and master’s degree in chemistry. Here, at Penn State, she works with metalloenzymes to elucidate their mechanism in the Bollinger-Krebs lab. Outside of research, she enjoys taking care of her plants, hiking, baking, and playing Pictionary.
Women in STEM:
Name: Dharani Abeysinghe (She/Her/Hers)
Email: dta5135-at-psu.edu
Dharani is a 4th year PhD student in the Chemistry program. Her research is focused on developing novel artificial cell models using multiphase aqueous emulsions. Outside of research, she enjoys traveling crafting, and cooking.
Name: Dhwani Patel (She/Her/Hers)
Email: dbp5384-at-psu.edu
Dhwani’s research focuses on gut microbiome derived Tryptophan metabolites in blood circulation and their effects on Head and Neck cancer progression. Outside the lab, she enjoys cooking dishes from various ethnic cuisines, playing badminton, and doing Yoga in state parks in central PA.
Outreach:
Name: Neha Patwardhan
Email: nsp5295-at-psu.edu
Neha is starting her third year in the MCIBS program. She works on trying to understand the regulatory mechanisms that maintain constitutively accessible regions of the genome in an open state. Outside of research, she enjoys reading, hiking, cooking, crafts and she has learnt classical dance that she wishes she could continue learning.
Name: Mei-Ling Liber (She/Her/Hers)
Email: mpl5915-at-psu.edu
Mei-Ling is a second year student in Dr. Moriah Szpara’s Lab, where she studies the genetic contributions to virulence for Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). She is super passionate about STEM outreach and education, especially for communities who have historically not been represented in science. She is a first generation PhD student, so she understands the unique challenges of supporting oneself and having the strength to persevere in a rigorous academic program. You can usually catch her on a weeknight or weekend at a science outreach event with Neha! They have lots of events planned for this fall, so please keep an eye out for opportunities!
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI):
Name: Ariana Santos (She/Her/Hers)
Email: als7694-at-psu.edu
Ari is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in the Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Microbiology (BMMB) program. Before coming to Penn State, she earned her B.S. in biochemistry at the University of Dayton in Ohio. Currently, she studies the role of bacterial oxygen-sensing proteins in regards to the regulation of biofilms. She spends her free time reading, writing, playing board/card/video games and enjoying the company of her two cats.
Name: Jane Sharon Akinyemi (She/Her/Hers)
Email: jva5822-at-psu.edu
Jane is a President’s Postdoctoral Fellow at the department of Kinesiology, Women’s Health and Exercise Laboratory. Over the years, she has worked extensively with women as research participants and is currently working on The Female Athlete TRIAD, which comprised Energy Availability (with or without disordered eating) Reproductive Dysfunction and compromised Bone Mineral Density of Female Athletes in Africa. As a hobby, she enjoys activities such as dancing and cooking.
Empower:
Name: Samantha Seibel (She/Her/Hers)
Email: sls6550-at-psu.edu
Sam’s research focuses on antimicrobial resistance surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship. Outside of school, Sam enjoys hiking, spinning, cooking, and volunteering at PAWS.
Name: Jessica Norris (She/Her/Hers)
Email: jln5448-at-psu.edu
Jessica is a 5th year PhD candidate in the Hedglin Lab, where her research focuses on the interactions of ssDNA binding proteins involved in DNA Replication and DNA Damage Tolerance (DDT). This is her second year being a co-chair for the Empower conference planning committee! In her spare time, she loves to read and take her dogs (Boo and Ollie) to the dog park.
Faculty Advisor
Name: Parisa Kalantari (She/Her/Hers)
Email: puk103-at-psu.edu
Parisa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at Penn State University since Oct. 2021. Research in her lab is focused on Immunology and infectious diseases. As an immigrant woman in STEM from an underrepresented country, she is very aware of barriers that not only a woman but someone with a minority background can face in pursuing a carrier in academia. It is crucial for students to have a sense of belonging regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, personality, learning styles, or level of knowledge. She is specifically eager to train underrepresented and female students. Out of 8 students that she has trained so far at Penn State, 6 of them have been women and 1 was an underprivileged student. She believes in creating diversity and inclusion and ensuring that students from different backgrounds and genders have equal opportunity to thrive.
Executive Mentors
Name: Holly Godin (She/Her/Hers)
Email: hek65-at-psu.edu
Holly is a 5th year PhD candidate in Dr. Lucy Bai’s lab within the BMB department where she studies the binding logic of pioneer transcription factors in human cancer cells. She is from Saint Louis, MO and received her B.S. in Biochemistry and Environmental Science from Saint Louis University. Holly was previously the Public Relations Officer (2020), President-Elect (2021), and President (2022) of the State College GWIS Chapter. She now serves as a Fellowship Committee Co-Coordinator for National GWIS. Outside of lab, Holly enjoys crafting, collecting stickers, visiting festivals and outdoor markets, and reading in local coffee shop.