Officers
Alicia Bielik, Vice President of Development
Alicia Bielik completed her Ph.D. in Chemistry at Boston University in 2007. Her research at BU focused on the quantification of sulfated carbohydrates in healthy and osteoarthritic cartilage using the technique of mass spectrometry. Alicia currently works for New England Biolabs as the Glycobiology Product Manager.
In her spare time Alicia enjoys traveling, running, shopping, and watching Grey's Anatomy.
Jerrad Pierce, Director of Curriculum and Programming
Jerrad studied Environmental Policy within the Urban Studies program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, although he flirted with Chemistry as a major and has a strong technical background.
Jerrad's interests include research in sustainable development and environmental policy with a focus on diffusion of technology. He is currently enrolled in the Urban and Environmental Policy department at Tufts University.
Gregory Staples, Vice President of Operations
Greg Staples is a Ph.D. candidate in biochemistry in the division of Graduate Medical Sciences at Boston University School of Medicine. Greg holds a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a masters degree in biochemistry from Boston University School of Medicine. His research focuses on developing mass spectrometry platforms for glycomics analysis in the model organism C. elegans.
When not in the lab, Greg is an avid motorcyclist and outdoor enthusiast.
Judy Wilber, Coordinator and Recruitor, Washington DC Area
Judy Wilber is a Massachusetts native who graduated from Regis College with a BA in Biochemistry and History. She has been working for the past 2 years at the NCA Medical Simulation Center with Medical and Nursing students from the Uniformed Services University. At the Sim Center she is a Standardized Patient Educator who manages the creation, training and implementation of standardized patient cases. Students get to practice physical exams and difficult interview skills with simulated patients at the Sim Center before attempting to do so in the "real world". Judy also serves as a research assistant, working with nursing and medical school faculty to coordinate research studies on the use of novel educational and clinical medical tools. When not at work, Judy enjoys playing on her co-rec softball team, singing, running, and working on medical school applications.
Jin Yi, Director of Communications
Jin Yi is a technical staff member at Applied Materials focusing on next generation CMP product development. He has been active in the commercialization of emerging technology and entrepreneurship. He was the winner (first runner-up) of MIT $50K business plan competition 2005 with a business plan based on a technical breakthrough of PEM fuel cell. He advised two energy start-ups, which offer innovative energy solutions for industrial application, on business development.
While at MIT, Jin was an active member of MIT entrepreneurship community. He founded MIT student entrepreneurship conference – Technology and Entrepreneurship Forum, and led teams at various student groups promoting and facilitating student entrepreneurship activities. He was the co-founder of two mentorship programs, MIT MentorConnection, a major student career mentorship program at MIT serving about 200 mentors, and MIT International Graduate Student Mentoring Program.
Jin received his Ph.D. degree in Engineering with a minor in Finance from MIT in 2004.
Staff
Julia Breger
Julia Breger is a laboratory technician in the Infectious Diseases Division of Massachusetts General Hospital. She holds a Bachelors degree in biology, with a concentration in molecular biology and genetics, from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Her research focuses on curing yeast infections using the model organism C. elegans. When not in the lab, Julia enjoys reading science fiction novels.
Yvonne Chan
Yvonne Chan is a graduate student at Boston University pursuing a Masters in Medical Science. Her current research project investigates the effect of thyroid hormone on the epidermis. Before coming to BU, she studied at Amherst College and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Fine Arts. In her free time, she likes to paint and has an interest in digital photography.
Jeremiah Farelli
Jeremiah Farelli is a Ph.D. candidate in biophysics in the division of Graduate Medical Sciences at Boston University School of Medicine. In the autumn of 1999, Jeremiah moved to Amherst, MA to attend the University of Massachusetts. While there, he finished a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry in 2003, as well as a Master of Science degree in Biochemistry in 2004. Currently, Jeremiah is working on elucidating the structural and biochemical roles of IcmQ in the Type IVb Secretion System of the pathogen Legionella pneumophila. Jeremiah is interested in teaching future generations of scientists and researchers.
Avi Feygin
Avi Feygin originally from Brooklyn NY received a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University- New Brunswick in Cell Biology and Neuroscience. Now he is a first year Dental Student at Boston University Dental School pursuing a career in General Dentistry or Maxial and Facial Oral Surgery. Outside of school Avi enjoys skiing, hiking, the outdoors, football, racquetball.... You name it he probably does it.
Kara Gallagher
Kara Gallagher is pursuing a Masters in Teaching degree in Science Education at Boston University to teach Biology at a secondary level. Kara graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Minor in Irish Studies in 2006. She previously performed research in the field of Cell Biology at UMASS-Boston. She is originally from Norwich, CT. Her goal is to teach science in the most engaging method possible so that students will be excited about the world around them. When not teaching, Kara enjoys traveling, cooking, and running.
Daniel Grollman
Daniel Grollman has been interested in math and science his entire life. Doing his first professional research in high school, Daniel is now pursuing a PhD in Computer Science at Brown University. Focusing on Artifical Intelligence and Robotics, Daniel is interested in the big question of what it is to be alive and conscious.
In addition to his academic studies, Daniel enjoys life to the fullest, finding time to study Tae Kwon Do, play the bagpipes, and find humorous situations everywhere.
Ali Guokas
Alexandria Guokas is currently a student at New York University. A National Merit Scholar, she has a wide variety of academic interests. She is a member of the Gallatin Dean's Team for Recruitment and the President's C-Team (a volunteer community service organization.) Through the President's C-Team, she has volunteered with A Place for Kids after-school program, NYU Clothes Line, and Grand Street Settlement. Alexandria is also on the executive boards of the NYU Classics Club and the Gallatin Theatre Troupe. In her free time, Alexandria enjoys oil painting, knitting, music, and theater.
Cole Jones
Cole Jones is a research specialist in the Department of Plastic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, where his research focuses on adenovirus-mediated therapy of peripheral neuropathy in the model organism Mus musculus. Cole received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry at Emory University, where his research encompassed nerve regeneration, neuromuscular specificity and synaptic plasticity in M. musculus at Emory University School of Medicine. He enjoys good books, good movies, and good company.
Amanuel Kehasse
Amanuel is a 2002 graduate of the University of Asmara in Eritrea. There, he majored in Pharmacy. He is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Biochemistry in the division of Graduate Medical Sciences at Boston University School of Medicine.
Amanuel is a certified Master Trainer on Community Development, and Red Cross Knowledge and Disaster preparedness and Management.
Amanuel worked as The Red Cross Society of Eritrea's HIV/AIDS Program Coordinator, and as The Red Cross representative in UNAIDS in Eritrea from 2003 to 2004. He was also the General Secretary of the Eritrean Pharmaceutical Association (ERIPA) from 2004 to 2005.
Erika Kullberg
Erika Kullberg graduated from Emory University in 2005 where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. She is currently pursuing dental medicine at Boston University Goldman School of Dentistry and plans to specialize in either Orthodontics or Pediatrics. In her free time, Erika enjoys running, dancing, swimming, tennis, and going out with friends. She is also very excited about the opportunity to teach and inspire young children through WhizKids. Her hometown is Gastonia, North Carolina.
Laura Packer
Laura Packer is a Biophysics PhD candidate in the department of Physiology and Biophsics at Boston University School of Medicine. Laura received a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry from Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. Her research focus is in protein folding, structure and design. She enjoys music, being with her friends and family, getting outdoors... and of course science!!!
Elizabeth Palaima
Elizabeth Palaima is a Ph.D. candidate in molecular medicine in the department of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. Elizabeth holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from Northeastern University. Her research focuses on developing mass spectrometry platforms for glycomics analysis in the model organism C. elegans and studying the biological role glycans play in bacterial adhesion. When not in the lab, Elizabeth enjoys swimming, running, shopping, and photography.
Ed O'Connell
Ed holds a bachelor of science degree in Biochemistry from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Originally from the Buffalo area, he relocated to Boston after graduation and is a pharmaceutical scientist for Baxter Healthcare. He is currently pursuing a masters degree in economics from Boston University. He is interested in politics and enjoys skiing, jogging, cooking and music.
Robin Riedel
Robin Riedel is currently a director at Air Canada in Montreal, QC, Canada. Originally from Muelheim, Germany, he studied at MIT between 2000 and 2006 and recieved a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and a Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Robin's research interests at MIT were focused operation research applications in transportation.
In his free time Robin loves to travel and enjoys flying as a pilot. He is certified to fly multiple types of aircraft, including the Airbus A320 series, as a commercial pilot.
Misha Riley
Misha graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a BS in biology and has worked in research labs studying learning and memory development and biodefense. She is currently a 3rd year PhD candidate at BU in the department of Molecular Medicine. Her research focuses on the Sirtuin protein family and its role in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. She is using C. elegans as a model organism to study its role in these processes.
Outside of school Misha enjoys traveling, snowboarding, the ocean and anything competitive or adventurous. She hopes to eventually work studying marine biology, developing novel conservation methods for our oceans.
Stacy Rodgen
Stacy is a fifth-year graduate student of organic chemistry in Professor Scott Schaus' Laboratory at Boston University. Her research focuses on the total synthesis of natural products exhibiting potent antiproliferative activity against human cancer cell lines. Stacy graduated from the University of Delaware in 2003. While there, she worked in the medicinal chemistry department of Astra Zeneca in Wilmington Delaware, as well as playing soccer and becoming a member of Kappa Delta.
Krystyn Ross
Krystn Ross is a MD/PhD candidate in Pathology at Boston University. She holds a Bachelors degree in physics from Wellesley College. Her research focuses on the role of N-glycosylation on cell-cell adhesion, specifically during cancer progression. In her free time, Krystyn enjoys playing tennis.
Stephanie Seidl
Stephanie Seidl is a Ph.D. candidate in Biochemistry at Boston University School of Medicine. Stephanie received a bachelor of science degree in Biochemistry from University of Wisconsin Madison. Her research focuses on lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis. To do this she many works with smooth muscle cells. When not in the lab, Stephanie enjoys running, traveling, and anything adventurous.
Jeremy Todd
Jeremy Todd is a New England native whose childhood passions included sailing and tinkering with computers. As a child, Jeremy was fascinated with video games and he considered a future career in making video games. To pursue these goals, he attended MIT and graduated in 2001 with a degree in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.
As Jeremy grew he discovered a new passion, music. He considered a career making music professionally. This proved daunting, so he tried a variation of that: get a job making music software. When this didn't suit his disposition he finally found the ideal solution: start a company making music software. This is just what he did in 2001 with a few friends, and such was born iZotope, Inc. iZotope develops audio processing technology for companies and customers in the music industry. iZotope products have become widely recognized for their innovative audio processing technology, user interfaces, and even for their "Easter Eggs" which are, in fact, video games.
Michelle Walk
Michelle Walk recently graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Since then she has relocated to Boston and is pursuing a PhD in Biochemistry at Boston University. Her research focuses on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and its involvement in angiogenesis. Michelle aims to keep a busy schedule and loves the outdoors, traveling, painting and trying all types of cuisine! In the future she wants to move back to Australia permanently, having fallen in love with the country when she studied abroad there.
Erica Walsh
Erica Walsh is a Cell and Molecular Biology PhD candidate in the department of Biochemistry at Boston University School of Medicine. Erica received a bachelor of science degree in biology from Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA. Her research focuses on discovering how MDM2 regulates p53 and RB proteins during cell differentiation. In her free time, she likes to go sailing and skiing.
ÂSanaz Zhalehdoust
Sani's passion for science and building things led her to the vast world of biomedical engineering. The perfect marriage between engineering and medicine excited Sanaz as an undergraduate and led her to pursue her graduate degree in biomedical engineering from Boston University. There, she spent her graduate years researching the mechanical and ventilatory properties of lungs in asthmatic patients in response to deep breaths.
Sanaz's other full-time responsibilites as a wife and mother don't deter her from pursuing her other interests including playing the piano, swimming, and belly dancing. Sanaz hopes that by setting a good example for young women that she will encourage more female participation in the sciences, especially engineering.
Baraa Zuhaili, M.D
Bara graduated from Damascus Medical School. Afterwards, he joined the laboratory of tissue repair and Gene transfer at Harvard Medical School. His main interest is the pathophysiology of skin graft healing in burn patients
Bara will start his residency in General surgery at Brigham & Women's hospital, Harvard Medical School in July 2008. Bara is willing to specialize in Pediatric Reconstructive surgery.
Away from his career, Bara is a marathon runner during the winter and skydiver during the summer.