Dr. Emily Boltcreed got her B.S. in Biomedical Physics from Northeastern University (2017) and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology (2024). She currently studies the effects of serotonin and dopamine on behavior as a postdoctoral researcher in Developmental Neuroscience for the New York State Psychiatric Institute at the Columbia Irving Medical Center. She is passionate about STEM education and loves running long distances and reading obscure nonfiction microhistories.

Marisa Booty is a doctoral candidate in the University of Kentucky Sociology Department. Her research focuses on the intersection of public health with public safety, and she currently examines treatment and recovery outcomes for individuals with opioid use disorder who are involved in the criminal legal system. Ms. Booty uses quantitative and participatory qualitative methods, and deeply cares about community-engagement in research. Prior to entering the Sociology doctoral program, Ms. Booty earned a Master’s of Health Science in Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; she has also worked as a research data analyst for the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. Her long-term goal is to become a public health sociologist who specializes in community-engaged research to collaboratively promote the well-being and dignity of individuals impacted by the criminal legal system.

With a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and an M.S. in Oncology, I bring a strong multidisciplinary background, enriched by international experience at Columbia University in the United States and Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. This diverse expertise is complemented by an IT diploma, providing me with technical skills in coding, SQL, and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite. I have honed my abilities to manage complex projects, analyze data efficiently, and collaborate within dynamic, multicultural teams. Driven by a commitment to innovation and continuous learning, I am eager to contribute my unique blend of scientific knowledge, technical proficiency, and strong organizational skills to diverse professional environments.

Amanda Brock Morales is an anthropological archaeologist who brings together landscape and digital archaeology, storywork practices, and community-collaborative methods to explore how people form enduring relationships with landscapes amid environmental change. She approaches the past not as static or distant, but as something that continues to live, teach, and shape the present and future. Guided by the teachings of Jo-Ann Archibald and Sonya Atalay on Indigenous storywork and the co-production of knowledge, Amanda centers reciprocity, responsibility, and reverence in both her research and collaborative relationships.

Ph.D. student in National Institute of Genetics, Japan. I am from India and have completed my undergraduate studies in pharmaceutical science. My research focuses on the understanding how the retina in the eye processes visual information. Outside of the lab, I’m an amateur painter and city enthusiast, always on the lookout for new cultural experiences – Japan being the top of my favorite destinations.

Rae is a second-year electrical and computer engineering Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech, focusing on developing accessible and helpful sensing technology for low-resource groups. She is pursuing a career as a professor and is passionate about bridging the gap between what is researched in universities and putting it into action through science communication and science policy.

I am currently a fourth year graduate student at the Medical College of Wisconsin completing my dissertation on concussion in female athletes and the roles of hormones and hormonal contraception in their outcomes. When I graduate, I plan to make a career doing advocacy and policy related work to promote women’s brain health. I recently completed the Wisconsin Women’s Network Policy Institute to gain knowledge, skills, and experience in advocacy and policy within the Wisconsin legislature, and also have experience as an engineer in the power industry and a high school science and math teacher. I feel part of being a great scientist is communicating about your work and the work of scientists in general in an accessible way. I look forward to learning how to improve my communication skills! When I’m not working, I enjoy reading, hiking, and spending time with my two teenagers, my husband, and our dog!

Ian Gonzalez is a neuroscientist and physiologist with a Ph.D. in Molecular and Integrative Physiology from the University of Michigan. His research focused on the central regulation of metabolism and obesity, with postdoctoral experience at Eli Lilly and Company contributing to early stage discovery programs in chronic pain. Across academic and industry settings, Ian has been drawn to the intersection of science, health, and public engagement with science, recognizing that the impact of research depends not only on discovery, but also on communication. Outside of the lab, Ian engages in public health advocacy with a focus on firearm safety and community well-being. He serves as a liaison with End Gun Violence In Michigan and participated in Lobby Day at the Michigan State Capitol, where he spoke with legislators about public safety measures grounded in scientific evidence. He has also represented the BeSMART initiative at community events, where he speaks with families about secure firearm storage and reducing the risk of firearm injury. He is passionate about using science-based messaging to support sound policy and strengthen trust in medical research. Ian joined the SCOPE course to build new media communication skills and become a more effective public advocate for science. He hopes to use this training to promote accurate, accessible scientific information that empowers communities and informs policy.

I am a postdoc in physics at the University of Kentucky working in precision measurements and fundamental symmetries. In my research, I apply magnetic field characterization techniques and precision magnetometry to problems in neutron physics including the search for the neutron electric dipole moment and properties of neutron beta decay.

Sriram Kumar (Sri) is a postdoctoral fellow working on highly pathogenic respiratory viruses and human lung tissue models in Münster, Germany. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s in biotechnology in India, and has worked with a diverse array of medically-relevant viruses (including Chikungunya, Hepatitis, HIV, Influenza and Coronaviruses) in his research projects. Receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Münster in 2023, he carried out a short postdoctoral fellowship at the UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, on the genomics/epigenetics of virus infections, post which he began his full time postdoctoral research on infection-induced hyperinflammation at the Institute of Virology, Münster. Sri is also a recipient of the Indian Academy of Sciences Research Fellowship twice, the AcSIR Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Research Fellowship, the NTU-India Connect Research Fellowship, and was also nominated as a Young Scientist Fellow under the bannership of the Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute at Harvard University. Sri has been active in several public engagement and community outreach activities as a part of the iGEM Synthetic Biology community over the past 9 years, educating the general public on the principles behind everyday scientific applications. He has also been active in several science policy-related initiatives, with his specific interests revolving around the oversight framework of dual use research involving enhanced Potential Pandemic Pathogens (ePPPs).

Monserrat Orozco is a Ph.D. candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program at the University of New Mexico, specializing in neuroscience. Her research focuses on how high-intensity drinking affects different cell types in the brain’s reward system by studying molecular and electrophysiological changes in the nucleus accumbens, and how these changes impact motivation and behaviors associated with high-intensity drinking. Passionate about science communication and advocacy, Monserrat has led community engagement initiatives and participated in national science policy programs to help reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorders.

I’m a Colombian postdoctoral fellow at the University of Idaho, under Dr. Michael Strickland’s supervision. I’m deeply interested in how different soil management strategies can influence an agroecosystem. My interests include microbial communities, organic matter degradation, the microorganism-microorganism/plant-microorganism relationship, soil biogeochemistry, and outdoor activities.

Natalia is currently a third-year Ph.D. candidate in genetics and genomics at the University of Florida (UF). She works with evolutionary bioinformatician Dr. Joseph Ryan, studying the genomics of neurons in ctenophores (comb jellies) to better understand the evolution of nervous systems in animals. Beyond her research, Natalia is deeply committed to science communication, accessibility, and education. She serves on the Outreach and Translation team at Knowing Neurons, a neuroscience education platform, where she translates lesson plans and articles into Spanish. She also serves as Treasurer for UF’s SACNAS chapter & UF’s Graduate Student Council, where she leads efforts to promote accessible science education and expand career/professional development opportunities for aspiring researchers.

Second year Ph.D. student in public health. Prior experience includes: B.S. Neuroscience, B.A. Public Health, M.S. Medical Sciences, >9 years of clinical research experience across many fields (MRI research, radiology, breast oncologic surgery, nephrology, pathology, interventional radiology, colorectal & pelvic surgery, & urology) and in both adults and pediatrics. Research interests include: health services epidemiology, maternal & child health, perinatal health, research with vulnerable populations, clinical research, health disparities and health equity, preventive health. Thesis topic is describing severe maternal morbidity and access-related impacts in US military-affiliated and civilian pregnant people.

Meg is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory through the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She received her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Virginia and Bachelor’s in Materials Engineering from the University of the Philippines. Her work is focused on growing thin films for applications such as microelectronics, optics, and space, and engineering surfaces and interfaces to achieve desired device properties. Although her work in nanoscale materials involves high vacuum chambers, Meg believes that science should not be done in a vacuum, and she is passionate about the importance of communicating science to a wide audience.

Lida Sarafrazarpatapeh, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral fellow in medical humanities at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her interdisciplinary research explores the intersections of bioethics, philosophy of science, and science policy, with a particular focus on public engagement and the ethics of community-based research. She has published on topics including critiques of medical research methodologies, and historical analyses of scientific practices. Lida is committed to enhancing the connection between academic research and policy development, utilizing both traditional and new media platforms to facilitate effective science communication.

Aswathy Shailaja is a postdoctoral associate at Duke University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on examining the impact of breast milk-associated oxysterols on systemic inflammation in neonatal brain injury. She earned her doctorate from Clemson University, SC. Dr. Shailaja is an active leader and advocate within the academic community. She serves as a guest editor and reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals, contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge and the integrity of scholarly publishing. Her leadership extends beyond research; she currently serves as Chair of the Professional Development Committee for the Duke University Postdoctoral Association (DUPA) and as Deputy Editor of The POSTDOCket, the official publication of the National Postdoctoral Association. She is also deeply committed to science communication and outreach, with a strong belief in making science accessible, inclusive, and engaging to diverse audiences. Outside of academia, Dr. Shailaja values mindfulness and creativity. She enjoys journaling, practicing Koru mindfulness, and creating Mandala art. When not engaged in research or mentoring, she enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and camping, finding balance and inspiration in nature.

I am a Ph.D. candidate in molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale University, focusing on the relationship between protein structure and function in cancer and aging. I completed a post-baccalaureate fellowship at the National Cancer Institute and earned my B.S. in Biochemistry from SUNY Geneseo. I have participated in science communication initiatives through Yale’s Science in the News program and recently began exploring science policy with communication and policy analysis training from the National Science Policy Network. I am passionate about public health, climate, and sustainable food systems policy, as well as the pursuit of basic research as a cornerstone of our scientific institutions. In the future, I aspire to use my expertise to educate and act as a champion of science.

Taylor Stolberg is an incoming neuroscience and physiology graduate student at SUNY Upstate Medical University. After she graduated with her bachelor’s in biology from SUNY Geneseo in 2024, she was accepted into and pursued a post-baccalaureate research scholar (UM-PREP) position at the University of Michigan. At Michigan, she investigated therapeutic treatments for the neurodegenerative disease Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3). Outside of her research, Taylor is active in science outreach and writing. She has authored and published two works on science policy and diversity, including an article in the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s nationally accredited member magazine ASBMB Today. She is passionate about making science accessible and inclusive and advocating for basic science research.

Monica (she/her) is a neuroscience Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington, studying how trauma impacts the connection between the brain and gut. Since pursuing her Bachelor’s in Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Rutgers University, she’s been actively engaged in community outreach to make science more approachable and accessible, especially to historically underrepresented groups in STEM. For over five years she’s been demystifying science careers and is now increasingly involved with training other scientists to do the same, by reframing their research to effectively engage with the public.

My name is Gabriel Ivan Vega Bellido, I was born and raised on the island of Puerto Rico, where I obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. From there my curiosity and passion for learning led me to pursue a doctoral degree in materials science and engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. I am broadly interested in the intersection of science, technology and policy; and particularly interested in the energy transition away from fossil fuels and how policy can facilitate that. I consume a lot of online science content and am deeply interested in learning how to create some.

I am a pharmacology Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania researching upper respiratory diseases, calcium signaling, bitter taste receptors, and GPCRs. I graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry from Boise State University. After graduation, I completed a post-baccalaureate fellowship in the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences at the National Institutes of Health. My research interests have always centered around enzymes and their role in human health, whether in breast cancer research, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, bitter taste receptors, etc. I have interests in science outreach, diplomacy, policy, and communication. I plan to pursue a career helping scientists to become better communicators of their work – regardless of the audience. I also hold a special interest in increasing science literacy and communication in rural areas (I’m a native Idahoan – no, you’re thinking of Ohio or Iowa, keep going west), where scientific resources and outreach are already insufficient.

Quadrat is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS.