Executive Board
Bio
Hanna is PhD student in the Department of Geosciences at Penn State studying geobiology. Her research focuses on interactions between microbes and carbonate minerals in lakes and how those interactions can help to inform ideas about evolution of early life on Earth and the deposition of carbonate on Mars. When not on the lake for research, she can be found floating, boating, or boarding on the lake.
Hanna Leapaldt
President
Bio
Viky is a fifth-year PhD candidate in Meteorology and Atmospheric Science.
Vikrant Sapkota
Vice President
Bio
Emilee is a second-year PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering designing novel ferroelectric materials for improving the energy efficiency of electronic memory devices. Her science policy interests are centered around a just and equitable transition to clean energy. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, hiking, cooking, and reading.
Emilee Fortier
Treasurer & Science on Tap Co-Chair
Bio
Dani is a second-year PhD student in the Geosciences department focusing on geomicrobiology and astrobiology. She studies microbes that live in the oxygen-free layers of cave lakes in Italy. She hopes to uncover the strategies that these microbes use to survive in this early Earth analog environment. She got hooked on science policy through thinking about space policy in an astrobiology context. When she’s not in Italy or in the lab, Dani spends her time reading fiction, crafting, roller skating, doing handstands, and dreaming about the stars.
Dani Buchheister
Elementary Explorers Co-Chair
Bio
Ryan is a third-year PhD candidate in the department of Materials Science and Engineering with a passion for clean energy technologies. His research involves thin film synthesis for the purpose of enhancing thermal management in electronic devices. In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing, disc golfing, and live music.
Ryan Spangler
Advocacy Chair
Bio
Charlie is a fourth-year PhD student in Food Science researching food bank supply chains and their associated microbiological risks. Outside of work, he enjoys rock climbing, cooking, and gardening.
Charlie Connelly
Science on Tap Co-Chair
Bio
Ella is a master’s student in the Department of Geosciences whose research aims to constrain fluid behavior in the southwest Japan subduction zone. Her free time is often split between reading outdoors, writing to penpals, and enjoying a cup of coffee.
Ella Do
Elementary Explorers Co-Chair
Bio
Natalia’s research is focused on using computational approaches to study the evolutionary genomic and population structure of human parasites, and the co-evolutionary relationships between parasites and their hosts. Outside of work she enjoys hiking, reading, organizing and animal watching.
Natalia Grube
Science Insider Chair
Bio
Christopher is a Ph.D. candidate for Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, and Climate Science with a focus on summertime precipitation and ocean currents. He is interested in policy pertaining to climate change including adaptation, mitigation, and justice. When not focusing on research, he can be found skiing, surfing, or dancing with friends and family.
Christopher Sala
Secretary
Faculty Advisor
Christina Kirchhoff
SPS Faculty Advisor