Meet Our Team
Executive Board
Kayla Haberman
Director of Presenters
Kayla is a third-year biology graduate student passionate about brining the world of science to the community. Kayla is in Dr. Taube’s Lab and studies breast cancer. She is interested in understanding how the cell can modify DNA, without modifying the genomic sequence. Understanding epigenetic regulation provides insight on protein DNA interaction and the role of chromatin.
Lauren Butterworth
Director of Organizers
Lauren is a PhD student with the Trakselis Laboratory of DNA Replication and Repair. As a biochemist, she focuses on the E. coli replisome to study the protein mechanisms involved in DNA replication.
Emily Alonzo
Director of Logistics
Emily is a PhD candidate in the biochemistry department working in the Shaw Lab. Currently, she focuses on nucleic acid modifications. Additionally, she works with the blind and visually impaired to make universal visualization in the STEM field possible.
Members
Temilade Adeniran
Presenter/Organizer
Temilade is a PhD candidate in the Min Lab.
Cyril Agadagba
Presenter/Organizer
I’m a second-year PhD student in the Trakselis lab. I’m currently working on RecFOR proteins in NER
Walifa Azad
Presenter
Walifa is is a first-year graduate student in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department.
Madeline Bannon
Organizer/Presenter
Madeline is a third-year graduate student studying analytical chemistry in the Gallagher Lab.
Colin Burdine
Presenter
Colin is a third-year graduate student in the Blair Lab. He does research in machine learning, quantum computing, and computer science. He is in PYPhD in order to improve his communication skills and to contribute to increasing scientific literacy and participation in STEM-based activities.
Shaif Chowdhury
Presenter
Shaif is a fourth-year graduate student studying computer science.
Meenuka Dalpathadu
Presenter
Meenuka is a third-year graduate student in the Min Lab, where she focuses on the Transcription-Coupled Nucleotide Excision Repair (TC-NER) pathway in yeast.
Lakshitha Dayananda
Presenter/Organizer
Lakshitha is a first-year graduate student in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department.
Sadia Sinty Disha
Presenter
Sadia is a PhD candidate studying biochemistry with the Trakselis Lab.
Chirantha Edirisinghe
Organizer
Chirantha is a first-year graduate student in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department.
Achini Eliyapura
Presenter
Achini is a PhD candidate in the Trakselis Lab.
Julianne Fazekas
Presenter
Julianne is a first-year graduate student in the Biology department.
Chinthaka Fernando
Organizer/Presenter
Chinthaka is a second-year graduate student in the Shaw Lab. He is from Sri Lanka and really love chemistry!
Sandaru Fernando
Presenter
Sandaru is a PhD candidate in the Trakselis lab, studying protein and DNA interactions
Mayte Gonzalez
Organizer/Presenter
Mayte is a PhD candidate in the Shaw Laboratory studying electron transfer, heterodimerization, and deamidation in SOD1. She also works robots to make science more accessible to the blind and visually impaired.
Chathurika Hewa Bhashithage
Presenter
I am a third year PhD student in Min lab studying DNA damage repair.
Pedro Huergo Curiel
Presenter
Pedro is a first-year graduate student in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department.
Na Jing
Organizer/Presenter
Na is a first-year graduate student studying information systems.
Travis Lato
Organizer
Travis is a PhD candidate in the Shaw Lab studying electron transfer proteins like cytochrome c. Additionally, he works on making science accessible to the blind and visually impaired.
Isaac Liu
Organizer/Presenter
Isaac is a third-year graduate student in the engineering department.
Sasha Lubaev
Organizer
Sasha is a PhD candidate student in the Romero Lab studying organic chemistry.
Jordan Lyons
Presenter
Jordan is a PhD candidate in the Farmer Lab studying inorganic chemistry.
Leonardo Maduro-Salvarrey
Presenter
Leonardo is a graduate student studying geoscience.
Tatyana Martynova
Organizer
Tatyana is currently a PhD graduate student working in Dr. Cheolho Sim’s lab. Her research is focused on studying the sex gene cascade of Culex mosquitoes, which are vectors of serious diseases such as the West Nile virus.
Duncan Miertschin
Organizer/Presenter
Duncan is a third-year graduate student in the physics department specializing in material science using pulse laser deposition, nano magnetic structures, and laser spectroscopy. He is in the Ferroic Systems lab with Dr. Alan Farhan and the Materials in Extreme Environments lab with Dr. David Hilton.
Lacy Miller
Organizer
Lacy is a fourth-year graduate student studying biology.
Fernanda Mirón
Organizer
Fernanda is a third-year graduate student in the anthropology department.
Brooke Morris
Organizer
Brooke is a PhD student working under the guidance of Dr. Stephen Trumble and Dr. Erich Baker. She studies epigenetics of aging in multiple species model, and has been an organizer with TBI for over two years!
Geeth Ongole
Presenter
Geeth is a PhD student in physics. He studies black holes in the quantum gravity sector.
Hope Padgett
Organizer/Presenter
Hope is a first-year in the Human Health and Performance department.
Marcela Pfaff
Organizer/Presenter
Marcela is a graduate student in the Anthropology department.
Paige Plattner
Organizer/Presenter
Paige is a third-year graduate student studying anthropology.
Thushani Punchipatabendi
Presenter
Thushani is a third-year biochemistry student in the Trakselis Lab.
IFEANYICHUKWU Promise
Organizer
I am a first-year graduate student in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department.
Mushafika Rahman
Organizer
Mushafika is a second year masters student in the Statistical Sciences department.
Anna Samsonov
Presenter
Anna is currently a third-year graduate student studying anthropology.
Chloë Sells
Presenter
Chloë is a PhD candidate studying organic chemistry with the Kane Lab.
Irushika Senarathne
Presenter/Organizer
I am a third-year graduate student in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department.
Emily Sperou
Presenter
Emily is a PhD student in the biology department working with Dr. Sarah Kienle. Emily is broadly interested in investigating the links between organisms’ physiological systems to larger ecological processes. Currently, she is studying ecophysiological traits of an Antarctic apex predator, the leopard seal.
Colin To
Presenter/Organizer
Colin is a third-year PhD student in chemistry in the Trakselis Laboratory. My project is focused on elucidating the function(s) and roles of MCM8/9, the heterohexameric helicase complex found in higher eukaryotes.
Nick Wagner
Presenter
Nick is a PhD student with the Planetary Research Group studying the planetary geophysics, specifically, studying the inside of Mars via gravity and topography.
Liz Waymire
Presenter
Liz is a PhD student in cellular, molecular, health, and disease biology studying an invasive mosquito in the Horn of Africa. She hopes to work at the CDC one day in infectious diseases and epidemiology.
Malisha Welikala
Presenter
Malisha is a graduate student in the Trakselis Lab.
Paige Womble
Organizer
Paige is a PhD graduate student in the Psychology and Neuroscience program. She is studying with Dr. Joaquin Lugo in a developmental neuroscience lab, and is currently investigating potential therapeutic dietary interventions in an epileptic mouse model.
Charli Worth
Organizer
Charli is a PhD graduate student currently rotating in the Biology department. She is interested in molecular biology and wants to help develop methods to fight disease.
Nathan Wright
Presenter
Nathan is a PhD student studying invertebrate paleontology in the department of Geosciences. He is interested in researching the preservation, ecology, and evolution of parasites in the marine fossil record.
Alumni
Patrick Ortiz
Director of Presenters; Presenter 2018-2024
Patrick served as Director of Presenters for three years.
Heidi Pullman-Lindsley
Presenter 2020-2024
Heidi graduated with her PhD in Biology!
Morgan Raines
Presenter 2022-2023
Morgan is in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department, and is now focusing on her studies and CGSA!
Megan Behrmann
Director of Logistics 2021-2022; Director of Organizers 2022-2023
Megan completed her doctorate in 2023 and is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute. She is happily learning more about microbes and DNA and continues to be active in science outreach and education.
Carl Bender
Presenter 2019, Dir. of Organizers 2020-22
Carl was a PhD student in the Health Human Performance and Recreation Department. Carl focused on the role that genetics plays in the response to exercise and nutrition interventions.
Rachel Shriver
Presenter, 2021
Rachel is a PhD candidate in the Health Services Research program working with Dr. Michael R. Richards on health policy research.
Keighley Reisenauer
Founder, Presenter, Dir. of Logistics 2017-21
Keighley worked hard to grow PyPhD and remains passionate about STEM education. She graduated with her doctorate and and is now working under a teaching fellowship at Baylor. She plans to continue to pursue a career in SciComm.
Samantha Hodges
Organizer 2018-20
Sam researched developmental neuroscience and organized for several different collaborators. After graduating with her PhD, Sam began a post-doctorate program in Michigan.
Victoria Neises
Organizer 2018-19
Tori studies fatty acids in northern marine mammal population using wet lab and in silico data techniques. She is finishing her degree remotely with her two little girls.
Suzanne Nolan
Organizer 2017-19
Suzanne studied the impact of early-life environmental factors on the development of autistic-like behaviors in mouse models. She graduated with her PhD in 2019.
Gavin Saari
Presenter 2017-18
Gavin studied in Environmental Sciences department and graduated with his PhD in 2018.
Jacob Hatvany
Presenter 2022-2024
Jacob studied HDX using mass spectrometry and hopes to incorporate SciComm in his future career.
Moises Bravo
Presenter 2022-2023
Moises graduated from the Chemistry and Biochemistry department Summer 2024!
Vanessa Muniz
Organizer 2022-2023
Vanessa is in the Psychology and Neuroscience department, and is now focusing on her studies!
Peyton Little
Presenter 2022-2023
Peyton graduated with her Masters in Chemistry and Biochemistry, and now resides in Europe!
Lila Musegades Towers
Presenter 2020-22
Lila was a PhD student in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. Her research specifically focused on physical chemistry.
Felicia Osburn
Presenter, 2018-21
Felicia earned her PhD in Biology in Dr. Thad Scott’s lab in 2021. She is now a post doc using stoichiometry to produce teaching modules, and continues her research in freshwater science.
Eva Konstandinova
Presenter and organizer 2018-21
Eva was an active member of PyPhD and graduated with her PhD in physics. She now has a tenure track teaching position where she continues to foster students’ interest in STEM
Andrew Flynn
Presenter 2018-20
Andrew represented the Geology department during his prolific tenure with PyPhD as a Presenter. He graduated with his PhD in 2020 on his paleobotany research.
Will Matthaeus
Presenter 2018-19
Will was a member of PyPhD as a presenter, focusing on ecological biology and computational models. He is a PhD candidate with the biology department.
Grace Sutherland
Presenter 2018-19
Grace studied predictive toxicity of seafood and other food related toxins. She graduated with her Masters in 2019.
Meron Ghidey
Presenter 2017
Meron studied how plants and bacteria can be used to combat bacteria and their increasing resistance to antibiotics. He graduated with his PhD in 2019.
Jon Beard
Presenter 2022-2024
Jon studied the toxicity of e-cigarette and 3D printer emissions.
Presenter 2020-2023
Sarah’s dissertation focused on atmospheric chemistry, and resulted in her getting a PhD in Environmental Science.
Presenter 2022-2023
Jessica graduated with her PhD in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the Kane Lab.
Will Best
Presenter
Will was a Statistics PhD candidate studying to improve forecasting accuracy. His research involved collaborating on a NASA satellite data set.
Grace Aquino
Organizer, 2019-21
Grace is a PhD candidate in the environmental science department. She is currently working to finish her research while writing her dissertation. Happy dissertating, Grace!
Ankan Choudhury
Founder, Dir. of Logistics, Presenter 2018-21
Ankan earned his PhD in the Kearney Lab developing novel delivery methods for synthesized products. He now works as a post doc studying the human gut microbiome.
Vivian Vigliotti
Organizer 2018-19
Vivian was the first organizer for Transformation Waco, dedicating herself to one of our most intensive collaborations, demonstrating her commitment to PyPhD’s mission and success.
Himasha Perera
Organizer 2018-19
Himasha was a student in Dr. Trakselis’s lab studying the stability, binding and orientation of helicases. After earning her doctorate she started work at a biotech company investigating drug therapies.
Dani Crain
Founder, Presenter 2017-19, Dir. of Presenters, 2018-19
While here at Baylor, Dani studied sex hormones in whale earplugs.
Cansu Cetin
Founder, Presenter 2017
Cansu studied at Baylor 2016-17.
