Leadership-2023

President

Nicole Sivetz

(she/her)

Nicole matriculated into CSHL's School of Biological Sciences PhD Program in 2019 after graduating from Monmouth University with bachelor’s degrees in Molecular Biology and Chemistry. Her current dissertation research investigates mechanisms of innate immune responses that can be leveraged to reduce pancreatic liver metastasis in the context of primary tumor resection. Nicole has been an active member of WiSE since 2019, including serving as In-House Education Chair (2020) and Vice President (2021).

 

Vice President

Emily Isko

(she/her)

I am a third-year graduate student in the School of Biological Sciences. I received my B.A. in Music and Neuroscience from Amherst College in 2018. At Amherst, I completed an honor’s thesis studying zebrafish hair cells, analogous in structure and function to hair cells in the cochlea necessary for human hearing. After graduation, I worked at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at NIH studying the role of the microbiome in the genetic and metabolic disease of methylmalonic acidemia. Here at CSHL, I am combining my interests in neuroscience, developed at Amherst, and bioinformatics, developed at NHGRI, in my thesis research to look at the connectome and transcriptome differences underlying singing behavior observed in the singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina). Outside of lab, I enjoy attending dance classes, listening to a variety of music, and playing clarinet in a chamber group on campus.

Co-Chair of In-House Education

Janeen Braynen

(she/her)

I am a computational post-doc in the Ware Lab. I received my doctorate degree at Zhengzhou University in Zhengzhou, China. As a Ph.D. student, my primary focus was to understand instabilities occurring during reproduction and flowering time in diploid, haploid, and polyploid plant species. Currently, my research focuses on understanding gene regulatory networks which control nutrient-used efficiencies in crop plants. Apart from my research endeavors, I am passionate about teaching and communicating science to non-scientist and young future scientists. Thus, prior to my post-doctorate studies, I was a middle high school biology teacher in Nassau, Bahamas. Here, I developed a passion for teaching and a commitment to uplifting children and young adults within local communities.

Co-Chair of In-house Education

Viet Hang Le

(she/her)

Hang joined CSHL as a Postdoc in 2021. She completed her BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences at The University of Nottingham. She obtained her PhD degree from The University of Aberdeen, where her research focused on axon guidance in the visual system during early embryonic development. Currently, her studies revolve around understanding the mechanism of seizures in brain disorders, including the interaction between neurons and cancer. Having been fortunate enough to receive training in different parts of the world, Hang is always aware of the challenges and rewards of being a woman in science. As a result, she dedicates her time to serving as the Co-Chair of In-House Education, with the goal of raising awareness about equality and inclusivity within the Lab. Her hope is to encourage more individuals to share their opinions and foster understanding among everyone in the lab, regardless of gender or origin.

 

Co-Chair of Outreach

Sessen Daniel Iohannes

(she/her)

Sessen Daniel Iohannes is a second year PhD student at the School of Biological Sciences. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Pisa (Italy) and her master’s degrees in Molecular Biotechnology and Agricultural Sciences from the University of Pisa and Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Italy). During her master’s studies she became interested in plant genomics and worked on the genomics of local adaptation of a grass called teff. She was involved in a science communication and outreach initiative called Progetto Biotecnologico aimed at bringing biotechnology to local high schools and the public in Pisa. She is currently a coordinator of the African Researchers Network within the American Society of Plant Biologists. 

Co-Chair of Outreach

Marygrace Trousdell

(she/her)

After receiving bachelor's degrees in math and biology from the University of Rhode Island, I joined the dos Santos lab as a bioinformatician in 2019. In this role, I programmatically develop, optimize, and implement pipelines to analyze high-throughput sequenced datasets in order to better understand various aspects of breast cancer initiation and progression. I am passionate about getting people excited about science and promoting equity in STEM. In my spare time, you can find me on the volleyball court, in my art studio, or on my peloton.

Co-Chair of Outreach Communications

Samantha Blau

(she/her)

I'm thrilled to be a part of WISE here at CSHL and work to improve the norms in our field. I started by serving as a member of Biotechnology society at Syracuse University as the PR chair. My job was to highlight the accomplishments of different members of our organization as well as promote meetings, events, and celebrations via social media accounts. Part of the joy I get from holding positions in clubs like ours is the ability to meet new people and inspire them to keep going in the pursuit of their scientific career, no matter what obstacles one might face.

 

Co-Chair of Outreach Communications

Debora Tenenbaum

(she/her)

I am a postdoc in the Kinney lab, where I am using biophysical and computational tools to understand how DNA sequence controls transcription in bacteria. I received my PhD in Physics from Brandeis University in 2022. For my dissertation, I used single-molecule microscopy experiments to study the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial transcription. Before that, I received my Bachelor and M.Sc. in Physics from the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina). I strongly believe that the advancement of science is a collective effort, one that benefits enormously from the diversity of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. I have planned and executed multiple outreach activities aimed to broadening participation of women and Latinx people in STEM disciplines. In my free time I enjoy dancing, crocheting, and traveling.

 

Co-Chair of Mental Health/Communications

Hoda Ansari

(she/her)

I am a graduate student at CSHL School of Biological Science. I study the sensory integration of social encounters in rodents and how affective signals shape sensory responses to social cues. I graduated from Sarah Lawrence College, where I studied psychology and music, followed by a Masters in cognitive neuroscience at University College London. I then spent three years at Schneider Lab at New York University as a research assistant studying how the brain learns from the past to make predictions about the future. My hobbies include singing, discovering quaint cafes, and picnics with my dog when it is not frigid.

 

Co-Chair of Mental Health/Communications

Yaman Thapa

(she/her)

I am a Ph.D. student at the School of Biological Sciences at CSHL. I graduated from Caldwell University in 2022 majoring in Chemistry with a minor in neuroscience. I am fascinated by the brain and by our ability to experience the physical world. In my graduate school, I would like to specialize in systems neuroscience. I'm really excited to be part of WiSE and help foster a supportive environment for diverse budding scientists. In my spare time, I crochet, sing, read, and take pictures.

 

Co-Chair of Professional Development

Nissim Ranade

(she/her)

I am a computational post-doc in the Krasnitz lab. I received a PhD. in pure mathematics from Stony Brook University in 2017. After that I taught at Lafayette college in Pennsylvania for a year before transitioning to research in applied mathematics, specifically computational biology. Thought my graduate and post-doc career, I have also been interested in education and making science and math more accessible. 

 

Co-Chair of Professional Development

Katherine Matho

(she/her)

I am a Research Investigator in the Huang and Zador labs at CSHL. My research interests include understanding the genetic and developmental mechanisms that shape sensorimotor processing in the mammalian cerebral cortex and how these can be affected in neurodevelopmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder. For my postdoc in the Huang lab, I developed a set of genetic tools to target a broad array of cortical cell-types defined by multiplex features and study their role in forelimb movement. I earned my PhD in Neuroscience in 2013 from Sorbonne Université, Paris, France. For my graduate work, I mapped the finescale layout of an auditory circuit using the Brainbow approach and advanced microscopy. Outside of the lab, I enjoy raising a family, music, the outdoors, reading and travel.

 

Chair of Website Development

CiCi Zheng

(she/her)

I am a third-year Ph.D. student at CSHL School of Biological Science. I study functional networks in nature, like leaf venations or neural network architectures. My research involves developing quantitative tools to characterize networks, and deriving algorithms inspired by nature that potentially serve as better engineering solutions. I graduated from the College of William and Mary with math and biology degrees in 2020, and have since wanted to apply math and computational tools to understand biological phenomena. I believe scientific reasoning and mathematical logic can empower us to become better thinkers. In my spare time, I am an amateur barista and I devour novels.

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