The STEM Ambassador Program began in 2016 as a training program for a small cohort of University of Utah scientists. Since then, we have grown to work with over 170 graduate students, post-docs, faculty, staff, and undergraduate students. Scroll down to learn about the scientists who have participated. Contact us if you would like to reach out to a STEM Ambassador.
Note that many Ambassador bios were uploaded when the Ambassador joined the program and may not be current.
Dr. Olja Simoska received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Bard College, NY, in 2015. She received her Ph.D. degree in Analytical Chemistry in 2019 from the University of Texas at Austin, working with Prof. Keith J. Stevenson. Her graduate research focused on the design, development, and application of ultramicroelectrode array platforms for the quantitative, real-time monitoring of dynamic metabolism and responses of pathogenic bacteria. At present, Olja is the ACS Irving S. Sigal Postdoctoral Fellow and working in the research group of Prof. Shelley D. Minteer at the University of Utah Department of Chemistry. Her postdoctoral research focuses on methodically exploring bioengineering approaches to improve extracellular electron transfer and performance of microbial-based electrochemical systems. She also a strong science outreach enthusiast and is excited to expand her science communications skills through the STEM Ambassador Program. In her free time, Olja enjoys jewelry design, baking, hiking, and skiing.
Abrianna, or “Abbey”, works with Dr. Phyllis Coley in the Biology Department at the University of Utah. She is a chemical ecologist broadly interested in plant-herbivore interactions, plant chemical defenses, botany, entomology, and defense sequestration. In the Coley lab, she helps investigate and identify defensive compounds found in the leaves of the tropical tree genus Inga.
Abbey also worked with Dr. Mark Hunter at the University of Michigan to study how dietary plant chemistry and environmental change affect flight ability in the monarch butterfly. She currently works as a lab tech for Dr. Coley, but hopes to move on to a PhD program in the near future and pursue a career in research and academia.
Abbey loves backpacking, camping, hiking, and generally appreciating in the natural world with her friends and dog, Korra. She also enjoys reading, writing, singing, live music, and good food.
Bryn Spielvogel currently works as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Utah. Her research is broadly focused on how the contexts that people live in and interact with shape their development and wellbeing. She seeks to understand how inequities show up in these contexts and how environments can be transformed to disrupt social stratification and support wellbeing. At present, Bryn does research on out-of-school learning contexts, particularly summer camps, with a second line of research exploring spatial disparities in neighborhood resources and stressors. She loves stories (especially science fiction and fantasy), building community, and the natural world. She is a proponent of Mutual Aid as a remedy for inequitable systems and is exploring ways of leveraging her privilege where it is needed and stepping back where it is not. Bryn is excited to engage the public around research that is relevant to the community.
Lindsey Stewart works in the Edgar Lab at Huntsman Cancer Institute, studying the role of genetics in damage-sensing signaling related to colorectal cancer. She uses gene silencing techniques to determine downstream effects of gene expression when exposed to stress. In her research, she has screened over 150 genes in a drosophila model to determine their effect on intestinal stem cell proliferation rates upon damage. She has been a tutor for the biomedical engineering department for over a year and has engaged in public engagement through participation in the Society for Women in Engineering Outreach Board as well as Project Youth, a program to educate Title IX elementary schools and first-generation students about opportunities for higher education available to them. She can’t wait to share her love of science and improve her skills to do so through the STEM Ambassador Program! Along with her love for science and teaching, she loves spending her time with her husband and dog, backpacking, playing sand volleyball, and embroidering.
Clayton Szczech is a Ph.D student and teaching assistant in the Sociology Department at the University of Utah. He studies the rural communities in Mexico that distill traditional spirits from agave plants. His research focuses on the points of contact between nature and culture and how communities connect (or resist connections between) their environment and the global economy. Clayton is currently researching the socioeconomic and environmental effects of Geographical Indications (a type of trade regime) on rural communities. He frequently conducts educational seminars on the sociology of agave spirits for bartenders, business owners, and trade groups. He is also a volunteer TA with the University Prison Education Project. His first book, “A Field Guide to Tequila,” will be published by Artisan Books in 2023. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, music, movies, and cooking.
Pratiti Tagore holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a master’s degree in Urban Planning, both from India. Her work at the University of Utah focuses on human behavior and perceptions on western water conservation and conservation habits in general. She is interested in research on outdoor landscape and water use in single family homes. Pratiti is also interested in the built environment and human perceptions, and how the built environment influences conservation behavior. She is an active member in the Metro Water Lab. Her research is interdisciplinary, connecting planning, sociology, policy, and landscape architecture. Pratiti is enthusiastic about continuing to work on resource management and human perceptions with a multipronged approach.
Keaton Tremble works in the Dentinger Lab at the Natural History Museum of Utah and studies the drivers of speciation and genome evolution in the globally prized porcini mushroom (Boletus edulis group). Keaton is specifically interested in a group of ecologically important fungi called ectomycorrhizae, which associate with trees and provide nutrients in exchange for energy. There are over 20,000 species of ectomycorrhizae, and we have little understanding of why the group is so diverse and what different roles these fungi may play in the ecosystem. In his work, Keaton is in constant collaboration with citizen mycologists around the world and is excited to improve his science communication skills through the STEM Ambassador Program. When not wandering around looking for porcini, Keaton is an avid skier, rafter, and mountain biker and can often be found chasing his enthusiastic boston terrier, Evie, down a trail somewhere.
Ashwin Velraj works in Sustainable Polymers for Medical Devices with Dr. Jeff Bates at the University of Utah, where he focuses on tuning material properties to employ 3D printing techniques to fabricate medical devices and drug delivery platforms for use in fluid-filled organs within the body. With experience in various research environments and communities, he has an extensive interest in outreach and the involvement of people in the progress of science. Ashwin is an avid hiker and enjoys cooking, kayaking, traveling, and learning languages.
Anna Vickrey works in Dr. Michael Shapiro’s lab at the University of Utah. She is interested in understanding the genetic, developmental, and evolutionary basis of variation. Birds in particular display an enormous amount of variation that has evolved under natural, sexual, and artificial selection. Relatively little is known about the molecular mechanisms that produce this variation. In order to identify genes, mutations, and developmental pathways that produce particular traits in birds, her lab studies the rock pigeon. Rock pigeons are an ideal species in which to study variation because of the tremendous phenotypic diversity present among over 350 breeds.
The lab is currently investigating a variety of traits in rock pigeons, including colors and color patterns, feather ornaments, and flying behaviors. Similar traits are present in wild species of birds, and learning about the molecular and evolutionary basis of these traits in pigeons helps her learn about the same traits in wild species.
Anna has about 40 pet pigeons, and loves birding, bird banding, road biking, trail running, and cooking in her free time.
Bryce grew up in Vermont and attended the University of Vermont, where she received her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry. Following graduation, she worked as a high school chemistry teacher for three years. Her love of the outdoors, education, and science brought her to the University of Utah, where she is working towards a Ph.D./ MS in Molecular Pharmaceutics and Clinical Investigation.…
Read MoreBryce grew up in Vermont and attended the University of Vermont, where she received her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry. Following graduation, she worked as a high school chemistry teacher for three years. Her love of the outdoors, education, and science brought her to the University of Utah, where she is working towards a Ph.D./ MS in Molecular Pharmaceutics and Clinical Investigation. She is passionate about women’s health and aspires to work as a Medical Science Liaison for a pharma company representing birth control product(s). Bryce is excited to be part of the STEM Ambassador Program where she hopes to bring access to women’s health products and/or education to women in vulnerable communities.
Lindsay Walter is a PhD candidate in the department of Mechanical Engineering with a research focus on near-field radiative heat transfer. She is currently developing computational modeling tools to better understand the fundamental physics of heat transfer between micro/nanoscale structures. After graduation, Lindsay is interested in pursuing work in the energy field, especially as it relates to sustainable energy options and energy justice. Outside of career life, Lindsay enjoys reading, circus arts, and socializing in the great outdoors.
Morgan Wambaugh works in the lab of Dr. Jessica Brown at the University of Utah. She is using a screening method to identify drugs that work synergistically (having a greater effect together) with the common antifungal fluconazole. She then investigates the mechanism of why these two drugs work better together to identify the potential new fungal target and more treatment options for invasive fungal infections.
Morgan enjoys craft breweries, hiking, and traveling with friends.
Dr. Bryan Welm is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Utah and breast cancer researcher at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. His laboratory is developing a method, called Functional Precision Oncology, where live cancer cells are removed from a patient and studied in the lab to evaluate therapeutic vulnerabilities. The goal of his research is to determine whether the response of a person’s cancer cells to different drugs can help physicians determine the best treatment for the patient. Dr. Welm is also an artist and builds metal sculptures that symbolize elements of science and biology. In his spare time, Bryan enjoys skiing and mountain biking in the mountains around Salt Lake City.
David Wheatley works with Dr. Marjorie Chan in the STAR (Sedimentary and Terrestrial Analog Research) group at the University of Utah. He studies sedimentology and planetary geology focused specifically on soft-sediment deformation within the Carmel Formation of southern Utah. Clastic pipes (a type of soft-sediment deformation) reveal ancient water table conditions and provide clues about past environments.
David uses these terrestrial analogs to inform interpretations of Martian environments and soft-sediment deformation to understand past groundwater conditions on Mars. David’s other research interests include geoarchaeology, GIS applications, and engineering applications to geology.
David enjoys exploring the outdoors through snowboarding, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, and canyoneering.
Lauren Williams works in Dr. Trafton Drew’s Applied Visual Attention Laboratory at the University of Utah. She studies medical image perception, attention, working memory, and individual differences in cognition. She enjoys the opportunity to utilize many different techniques in her research, including eye-tracking and EEG. Recent projects include quantifying the cost of interruptions in diagnostic radiology and exploring novel interventions to help mitigate these effects.
Lauren enjoys traveling to new places, hiking around Utah, playing board games, and vegan cooking.
Amanda Wood is currently working on her PhD in the Biomedical Engineering program at the University of Utah. Her current research interests revolve around how specific sugars on mucins in our mucus play a role in viral and bacterial infection. She hopes to gain insight into how mucin presentation can be useful in detecting and treating diseases such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, and some cancers. Amanda loves public engagement that aims to introduce STEM concepts to kids, as well as engagement that explains current findings in medicine to adults not trained as scientists. Outside of the lab, Amanda can be found swimming, rock climbing, hiking, or cross-country skiing.
Under the direction of Dr. Leslie Knapp at the University of Utah, Michael Zaccheo is exploring the connection between genes, variation in the structure of neurons in the brains of primates and differences in the individual analytical and behavioral propensities of both humans and non-human primates. His work is focused on a small, hyper-variable segment of a gene called DRD4.
He also enjoys being with his family, making music and exploring the natural world.
Veronica is a neuroscience Ph.D. at the University of Utah, where she uses computational neuroscience techniques to study the neural mechanisms of cognition and consciousness. Veronica completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology at the University of Texas at Austin. She had previously researched the neural circuits underlying emotional and episodic memories. In her free time, she enjoys attending concerts and exploring new restaurants.
Rebecca Goldstein Zitnay works at Huntsman Cancer Institute in the Lab of Michelle Mendoza. She is interested in how the environment around cells informs and directs their behavior and is pursuing her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering with an emphasis in biomaterials. In Dr. Mendoza’s lab, she is investigating how features of the environment around a lung tumor instruct cancer cells to invade away from the tumor. Her favorite part of this research project is getting to observe fluorescently labeled cells moving around in 3-dimensions under the microscope. When she is not in the lab, she is likely talking about science, reading books about inspiring people, outside playing in the Wasatch mountains, or exploring the southern Utah desert.
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