Fellows
Monika Webber
Microelectronics PhD '16
A researcher in microelectronics and the founder of the startup Fluid-Screen, Monika communicates her ideas on how to make the world a safer place by enabling fast bacteria detection.
Craig Holloway
Sociology PhD '15
A PhD candidate in Sociology, Craig shares his unique journey as a young black scientist and his experience as the only African American in his program.
Andrés Muñoz
Biomedical Eng. PhDc '18
Andrés, a proud Mexican native, thrills the room with the latest surprising results on human immune system research and biomedical cancer treatment.
Zlatko Minev
Applied Physics PhDc '17
Our MC and the founder of Open Labs, Zlatko outlines a recipe for how to solve impossible problems by controlling individual artificial atoms in a quantum computer.
Darryl Seligman
Astronomy PhDc '21
As an eagle scout on Earth, Darryl loves all outdoor oxygen activities: from backpacking to scuba diving, and most certainly sports. In high school, in the Philadelphia area, he wrestled and played football and rugby.
Jordyn Feingold
Applied Psychology M. '16
Jordyn wants to integrate the principles of Positive Psychology into the medical field. She shares her knowledge of the relationship between mindset and physiology, intrinsic motivation toward health behaviors, and the doctor-patient relationship.
Staff Sheehan
Material Science PhD '15
Holder of several patents, serial entrepreneur, chief science officer at Waste Hub, founder of Catalytic Innovations, and GPSS social chair, Sheehan shares groundbreaking work on Materials Science.
Julianne Thomsen
Chemistry PhDc '16
Julianne inspires the audience by revealing the elegance and efficiency of natural solar to energy conversion. Her lab results successfully mimics the natural method of energy extraction and helps pave the way forward to a solar future.
Qing Yang
MD PhD '13
Qing, a medical student, explores brain death across the world and its implications for a young doctor.
Arvin Kakehani
Physics PhDc '16
Arvin, a physics PhD candidate from Iran, examines nature's simple beauty by focusing on the superconducting state of matter and its technological fecundity.
Faustin Carter
Applied Physics PhD '15
A brilliant young scientist, an airplane pilot, and a sailor, this native Alaskan shared his story about the Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization (BICEP).
Michael McHugh
Biomedical Eng. PhDc '16
Michael takes us on a fascinating trip down the human bloodstream as he shows us how his nanobots can fight disease.
Aida Behmard
Astronomy
A physicist by training, Aida is fascinated by questions regarding the origin of life. She studies exoplanets and extremophiles to better understand the places where life may arise, and the strange forms it might take.
Kevin M. Sweeney
Marketing PhDc '21
Kevin is a PhD student in Marketing at the Wharton School. He studies consumer decisions to shed light on human behavior and its importance in developing better products and businesses.
As an undergraduate, Sharif was nationally ranked in the 800-meter and 8000-meter runs. He is fascinated by consciousness, and explains how we can investigate the human thought process using magnetics and electrodes.
Rachel Clary
Neurobiology PhDc '20
Rachel, a first generation student, studies neurobiology at Columbia. Her work focuses on how touch receptors change to adapt to changes in the skin.
Kirsten Blancato
Astronomy PhDc '21
Kirsten is a PhD student in astronomy at Columbia University. As the first person in her family to pursue a bachelor’s degree, she is passionate about increasing the accessibility of STEM education to students from underserved backgrounds.
Matt Grobis
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology PhDc '18
Matt explores how groups are larger than the sum of their parts, using experiments and modeling to uncover how the ability to avoid predators emerges in fish schools yet is absent in individuals.
Ethan McCurdy
Biochemistry PhDc '20
Ethan examines how molecular transport can govern both the development and degeneration of the nervous system. He inspires his audience by showing the elegance and creativity of scientific research and explains the necessity of underrepresented groups in science.
Cait Williamson
Psychology PhDc '20
Cait is a PhD candidate in Psychology and studies the neurobiology of social networks. She is interested in the complex relationship between our brains and our social behavior, and how they can each affect our social behavior, and how they can each affect the other in a dynamic manner. She is also a runner and is passionate about reaching out to young students through both athletics and science.
Gaurav Ragtah
Computer Science Ms '16
Gaurav Ragtah's studies are focused on Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing. He has been on various mission-critical teams, co-invented a patented user search engine and co-founded ThisYaThat - the first non-US startup to be backed by Wharton Innovation Fund. Currently, he is building Profillic to improve job candidate screening through skill-testing artificial intelligence.