Executive Board
President:
Name: Xiaoling Chen (She/Her/Hers)
Email: xiaoling.chen@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: Kae Nakamura (She/Her/Hers)
Email: kbn5299@psu.edu
Kae pursued her bachelor’s degree in bioscience and engineering at Waseda University in Tokyo. Her research focuses on ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials, especially on the application of piezoelectric thin films for microelectromechanical systems. She enjoys spending time in the cleanroom in the Millennium Sciences Complex. Outside of research, she likes to go to the gym, watch random YouTube videos and Netflix, and play the electric bass guitar.
Treasurer:
Name: Goli Ghajar (She/Her/Hers)
Email: gvg5253@psu.edu
Goli is a 4th-year PhD student working with Dr. Zydney in the Chemical Engineering Department. Her research focuses on the performance of depth filters in the downstream processes of biopharmaceutical industries. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor adventures and going to the gym.
Public Relations Officer:
Name: Sohini Saha (She/Her/Hers)
Email: svs7065@psu.edu
Sohini is a fifth 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, baking, playing board games and exploring new places.
Special Chairs
Fundraising:
Name: Steph Szarmach (She/They)
Email: sjs7465@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: gfd5138@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 rising 5th 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.
Co – chairs
Empower:
Name: Samantha Seibel (She/Her/Hers)
Email: sls6550@psu.edu
Sam is a 3rd year Ph.D. student in the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Sciences program. Before coming to Penn State, she graduated from the University of Connecticut with a B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology. In the lab, she is optimizing a diagnostic technique to detect antimicrobial resistance in complex samples. She also is utilizing in vitro and in vivo techniques to study Salmonella. In her spare time, you can find her running/hiking with friends, reading, or trying new food!
Name: Shreya Mathela (She/Her/Hers)
Email: svm6533@psu.edu
Shreya hails from the Himalayan foothills in India. She is pursuing her Ph.D. in Chemistry in the Asbury Group at Penn State. Her research focuses on unraveling the exciton dynamics in two-dimensional materials using cutting-edge ultrafast laser spectroscopy techniques. By delving into the behavior of excitons, she contributes significantly to the advancement of knowledge crucial for developing next-generation semiconductors and electronics. Beyond the confines of the laboratory, she likes to cook, read, travel, and explore all the cafes and restaurants around her. She is also a big fan of murder mysteries, whether they are in books, movies, or TV shows.
Grad School 101:
Name: Morgan Vincent (She/Her/Hers)
Email: mzv5264@psu.edu
Morgan is a fourth year PhD candidate in Chemistry. She has two research focuses, one on the effect of copper complexation toward polyfunctional thiols in beer and the other on student understandings of electron configurations. Morgan spends a lot of time as a TA, always thinking about teaching and learning. In her free time, Morgan enjoys running, horseback riding, and spending time with family and friends.
Name: Shannon Leahy (She/Her/Hers)
Email: sml6792@psu.edu
Shannon is a 4th year Ph.D. candidate in the Chemistry Department. Originally from Belmar, New Jersey, Shannon moved to Baltimore to pursue her undergraduate degree at Loyola University Maryland. Shannon currently does research in Dr. Jonathan Kuo’s lab where she designs small molecule receptors to study the structure and function of metalloenzymes. Aside from her academic interest, she spends most of her free time exercising, exploring state college, traveling domestically and internationally. She is an avid lover of indoor cycling, Taylor Swift and baking for friends.
Young Women in STEM:
Name: Maia Pappadakis (She/They)
Email: mvp6103@psu.edu
Maia is a third year PhD student. She grew up in Colorado before getting her BS in biochemistry from Marymount University. Now, she uses the model organism C. Elegans (microscopic worms!) to study rare diseases of purine metabolism in the Hanna-Rose lab here at PSU. Outside of lab, she loves playing soccer, video games, and board games, and is always looking to try something new and fun (especially if it’s outside). 🙂
Science + +:
Name: Sadia Afroz (She/Her/Hers)
Email: ska6018@psu.edu
Sadia is a 3rd-year Chemistry graduate student in Paul Cremer’s lab. Her current research focuses on metal binding to different phospholipids at the air/water interface. She is known for her friendly and approachable nature. Besides her academic pursuits, she finds joy in playing sports, watching movies, spending time with friends, and indulging in reading.
Women in STEM:
Name: Savindya Dayawansha (She/Her/Hers)
Email: mpd5772@psu.edu
Savi is a 5th Year Graduate Student in Bollinger-Krebs lab. Her current research focuses on unraveling chemical mechanisms of Non-Heme mixed-valent diiron oxygenases by trapping and characterizing intermediates using kinetic and spectroscopic methods. In her free time, she likes to bake, decorate cakes and hangout with her friends.
Name: Mei-Ling Liber (She/Her/Hers)
Email: mpl5915@psu.edu
Mei-Ling is a third-year PhD student in Biology studying the evolution of antiviral resistance in herpes simplex virus 1 to acyclovir in immunocompetent & immunocompromised adults. Some of her passions involve hiking, STEM outreach, and social activism. She previously served as Science Outreach co-chair and loved it, and is now the Women in STEM month co-coordinator!
Outreach:
Name: Kiran Reddy Pitta (he/him)
Email: kxp5576@psu.edu
Kiran is a 4th year chemistry graduate student from Dr. Freedman’s group. His research focuses on studying the physical and chemical properties of aerosol particles to understand their impact on weather patterns.
Name: Arpit Jain (He/Him)
Email: ajj5678@psu.edu
Arpit hails from Punjab in northern India and did his undergrad in materials science from NIT Trichy. He is currently a 4th year PhD student in the Materials Sciences department working with Prof Joshua Robinson and Prof Shengxi Huang. His graduate work involves reducing elements to atomically thin sheets in two dimensions and studying their use for sensing applications. Outside of work, he likes to be involved in science outreach events, especially for school students. His hobbies include cooking, baking, cycling, and gardening.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI):
Name: Ariana Santos (She/Her/Hers)
Email: als7694@psu.edu
Ari is a 3rd 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 the c-di-GMP signaling pathway. She spends her free time reading, writing, playing board/card/video games and enjoying the company of her two cats.
Name: Clin Lai (She/Her/Hers)
Email: clin.lai@psu.edu
Clin Lai is a fourth year PhD study in the cognitive area in the department of psychology. Her research focuses on understanding how individuals with diverse levels of expertise develop creative problem-solving abilities within challenging and resource-constrained environments. This includes investigating the role of generative AI in this process. The ultimate goal is to leverage these insights to enhance educational practices and improve learning outcomes. In her free time, she reads a lot (she is in two book clubs).
Faculty Advisor
Name: Parisa Kalantari (She/Her/Hers)
Email: puk103@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@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.