The Leadership Team

 

Meet the SPOT Leadership Team!

 

Molly Sun is a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry and serves as SPOT President. At Northwestern, she works in the Dichtel group to recycle polyurethane plastic through green catalysis, dynamic covalent chemistry, and industrial methods. By developing methods to reprocess this currently unrecyclable plastic, progress can be made in reducing the plastic waste crisis. Molly first got involved in STEM outreach as a curriculum developer for the University of Chicago’s SMART Science program, helping middle school students connect with the process of scientific experimentation and publishing. She is excited to interact with different audiences and promote science literacy for policy and decision-making, with particular interest in developing effective science writing tactics. In her free time, Molly is a ballerina and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast.

 

Brody Johnson is a Chemistry Ph.D. student and a member of the Stupp research group. He serves as the Vice President and Treasurer of SPOT. He grew up in Doylestown, PA and graduated from Ursinus College in 2020 with a degree in Chemistry. Brody has been a member of the SPOT executive board for three years. In that time, he has helped organize SPOT’s annual symposium, written one-pagers for members of the Evanston community as well as lawmakers in Springfield, and given outreach talks through Science with Seniors. When he’s not in the lab or working on science policy, Brody enjoys running, hiking, and traveling.

 

 

Tracy Zhou is a second year PhD student in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  She serves as the Communications Chair of SPOT. Tracy completed her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Rochester in 2014. She then went on to complete a Masters of Science in Reproductive Science and Medicine from Northwestern University in 2018. During her time in the Masters program Tracy completed her thesis research in Dr. Francesca E. Duncan’s lab and focused on characterizing O-GlcNAcylation in bovine and human oocytes. Currently, Tracy is in Dr. Elnur Babayev’s lab where she is studying the impact of global warming on reproductive longevity. Tracy is passionate about science communication and is excited to be involved with the science policy community at Northwestern

 

Prianka Hashim is a SPOT Symposium Co-Coordinator and a PhD/MPH candidate in the Driskill Graduate Program in Life Sciences through Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She is a member of the Duncan Lab looking at the intersection of the innate immune system and the female reproductive system. The lab is focused on understanding the mechanisms of why the female reproductive system is the first to age with the intention of developing novel therapeutics for fertility preservation and extending the female reproductive lifespan. Outside of the lab, Prianka is committed to reproductive justice and equity. Prianka has worked with NGOs in Bangladesh, Uganda, and Denmark committed to protecting bodily autonomy and access to reproductive healthcare for marginalized populations around the globe. For fun, Prianka loves to explore, bake, and search for new plants.

 

Kelly Matuszewski is a second year Materials Science and Engineering PhD student in the Dravid research group studying materials for environmental remediation. She is a SPOT Symposium Co-Coordinator. Kelly is originally from New Jersey and she attended Penn State for her undergraduate degree. In her free time she enjoys exploring Chicago and playing volleyball.

 

 

 

 

Alex Evenchik (he/him) is a materials science and engineering PhD student in the Robotic Matter Lab and serves as SPOT’s Legislative Outreach Chair. Alex was born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he also attended undergrad at MIT. At Northwestern, his work focuses on developing artificial muscles for applications in soft robotics. As the Legislative Outreach Chair, Alex is excited to continue bringing together state legislators and PhD students to increase the prevalence of evidence-based policy. In his free time, Alex enjoys working out, cooking, exploring Chicago, and blowing glass.

 

 

Meagan Olsen is the Public Engagement & Outreach Chair of SPOT and a PhD student in the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering at Northwestern University. She grew up in Fayetteville, AR and graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Chemical Engineering. Meagan’s current research focuses on improving cell-free systems to enable low-cost, decentralized manufacturing of medical therapeutics. Meagan is passionate about science communication and ensuring that everyone, regardless of educational background, can be involved in discussions about new scientific discoveries and technologies. She hopes to help break down misconceptions surrounding who can participate in science, research, and policy decisions. Meagan is also an initiative leader for her department’s Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ARDEI) committee and a board member for the Engineering Biology Research Consortium’s Student and Postdoc Association. In her free time, Meagan enjoys cooking, reading, hiking, and exploring museums.

 

Elisabeth Latawiec is a Chemistry Ph.D. candidate and serves as the Local Policy Chair of SPOT. After growing up in Scranton, PA, she attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh to earn degrees in Chemistry and Mathematics. At Northwestern, she works in the Wasielewski group studying the electron spin properties of DNA hairpins for use in quantum computing.

Elisabeth’s interest in science policy is rooted in the importance of ethical, evidence-based policy making and improving science literacy. She enjoys traveling, crafting, attending concerts, and biking along the lakeshore.

 

 

Kimberly Riordan is a chemistry Ph.D. student in the Kelley group and serves as SPOT’s Diplomacy Chair. She grew up in Newark, Delaware and graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2021 with a degree in chemistry. At Notre Dame, Kimberly worked with Dr. Emily Tsui on several projects involving sulfur and understanding its accelerated reduction and solubility in aqueous solutions. In the Kelley group she develops reagentless sensors to detect biomolecules such as melatonin.

Kimberly is excited to involve the Northwestern community in international science policy, drawing on the diverse backgrounds of the graduate students.

 

Rishabh “Ray” Juneja is from Houston, Texas and is a second year MS student in Chemical Engineering. He is a Board Member at Large for SPOT. Before starting graduate school, Ray worked in the semiconductor industry for three years. He is very passionate about environmental sustainability and hopes to work to advance policy in this area after graduation. At SPOT, he is interested in strengthening SPOT’s relationship with local and state governments. In his spare time, Ray enjoys cooking, working out, and playing with his dog!

 

 

 

Emma-Rose Newmeyer is a Chemistry Ph.D. candidate and serves as a SPOT Board Member at Large. She grew up in Mesquer, France before moving to the US to pursue a BS in Chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Emma-Rose worked at a biotech in the Bay area before starting at Northwestern. She works in the Swearer group researching plasmonic nanomaterials for photocatalytic transformations. Emma-Rose’s interests in science policy lie in science communication and addressing issues of environmental justice at the national and international scale. Some of her favorite things are snowboarding, cheese, and the great outdoors!

 

 

Kavitha Chintam is a Board Member at Large for SPOT and a PhD Candidate in the Chemical and Biological Engineering department. For her research in the Seitz group, she focuses on the fundamental mechanisms behind electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction. Kavi is passionate about sustainable energy and fuel solutions in the demanding modern world.

Outside of the lab, Kavi is an advocate for policies related to environmental and energy justice, immigration, and higher education. She is a policy analyst for RE-AMP’s transportation hub, where she works with Midwestern grassroots organizations and nonprofits to determine the best policy options for equitable, clean transit. She also spends time volunteering with local Chicago nonprofits and grassroots organizations dedicated to environmental justice causes. Kavi is an active member of the National Science Policy Network (NSPN). She is also a Founding Member and Co-Chair of her department’s Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ARDEI) committee. Kavi enjoys running, hiking, crafting, cooking, and fostering cats!

 

Emily Schafer is a fourth year Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University in the Rivnay Lab and a Board Member at Large of SPOT. She grew up in Grand Rapids, MI and earned a B.E. in Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience from Vanderbilt University in 2018. Her research focuses on the use of organic materials in bioelectronic devices, specifically designing novel sensors for electrochemical detection of neurotransmitters. She also serves as the Vice Chair of the Public Engagement and Communications committee of the National Science Policy Network and the Academic Co-Chair of the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Society at Northwestern University.

Emily’s interests in science policy mostly emphasize science literacy and community engagement, helping more of the general public understand important science issues to then make informed decisions. She strives to be an advocate for science communication training for scientists and connect scientists with their local communities. She is also passionate about advocating for representation of women in STEM and changing the stereotypes of who a “scientist” is. Outside of research and science policy, Emily’s hobbies include traveling, reading, backpacking, and volunteering at a local animal shelter.

 

Colleen O’Brien is a PhD student in Environmental Engineering in the Packman Lab and a Board Member at Large for SPOT. Her research explores the use of urban green spaces for flood prevention. Before starting at Northwestern, she worked at a non-profit in Laos and as a water resources engineer in Boston, working with cities and towns in Massachusetts to manage their stormwater.

 

 

 

 

SPOT Alumni

Suraj (Engineering Management) was a Board Member at Large from 2022-2023

Emilie Lozier (Chemistry) was a Board Member at Large from 2022-2023

Grace Wickerson (Materials Science and Engineering) was the Legislative Outreach Director for SPOT from 2022 – 2023

Nicolas Scrutton Alvarado (Molecular Neurobiology) was Communications Chair from 2021-2023

Jamie Neely (Earth and Planetary Science) was Treasurer of SPOT and Symposium Co-Chair from 2018-21.

Chamille Lescott (Materials Science) was President of SPOT from 2020-21.

Emma Zajdela (Applied Mathematics) was SPOT Science Diplomacy Chair from 2020-21.

Sean Koyama (Materials Science and Engineering) was SPOT Communications Chair from 2020-21.

Michael Mullowney (Chemistry) was a founding member and Co-Chair of SPOT from 2017-20.

Kavita Chandra (Materials Science) was a founding member and Co-Chair of SPOT from 2017-18.

Amanda Corcos (Chemistry) was involved with SPOT from 2017-18.

Jennifer DiStefano (Materials Science) was Community Engagement Chair of SPOT from 2019-20.

Rianna Greer was SPOT Treasurer from 2019-2020.

Suvai Gunasekaran (Radiology) was a Board Member at-large from 2018-2021.

Emily McClure (Chemistry) was Communications Chair of SPOT from 2018-20.

Michael Mattei (Chemistry) was a founding member and Treasurer of SPOT from 2017-18.

Ryan Mayers (Biotechnology) was involved with SPOT from 2018-2020 and started the Chicago SPOT chapter.

Laura Olenick (Chemistry) was a founding member and Secretary of SPOT from 2017-18.

Rohun Palekar (Nanomedicine) was a founding member and Chicago Campus Chair of SPOT from 2017-18.

Jonathan Pfluger (Materials Science) was involved with SPOT from 2017-18.

Louisa Savereide (Chemical and Biological Engineering) was a founding member and co-chair of SPOT from 2018-19. She led a number of initiatives and started the monthly discussion program during her time with SPOT.

Sarah Schlossberg (Materials Science) was involved with SPOT from 2018-19.

Kyle Siegel (Molecular Biosciences) was Webmaster of SPOT and involved in the outreach programs from 2018-19.

Stephen Wilke (Materials Science) was involved with SPOT from 2017-18.

Zack Woodruff (Mechanical Engineering) was involved with SPOT from 2019-20.