2017-2018 AGEP Scholars
Zakaria Al Balushi

B.S. Pennsylvania State University: Engineering Science; Minor in Nanotechnology - 2011
M.S. Pennsylvania State University: Engineering Science - 2012
Ph.D. Pennsylvania State University: Materials Science & Engineering - 2017
Division: Engineering and Applied Science
Principal Investigator: Dr. Harry Atwater
Hometown: Bronx, New York
Current Research Project: Designing Two-Dimensional Semiconductor Heterojunctions for Highly Efficient Light Emitters
Interests & Hobbies: traveling abroad, hiking national parks
Andrea Balbas

B.S. Queens College CUNY: Geology- 2010
Ph.D. Oregon State University: Chemistry, Geology - 2016
Ph.D. Oregon State University: Chemistry, Geology - 2016
Division: Geological and Planetary Sciences
Principal Investigator: Dr. Kenneth Farley
Hometown: Hollister, CA
Current Research Project: Defining new geochemical proxies for paleomagnetic change
Principal Investigator: Dr. Kenneth Farley
Hometown: Hollister, CA
Current Research Project: Defining new geochemical proxies for paleomagnetic change
Marchello Cavitt

B.S. University of Louisville: Chemistry; Minor in Mathematics - 2007
M.S. University of Michigan- Chemistry, Chemical Biology- 2009
Ph.D. Georgia Institute of Technology: Chemistry, Organic Chemistry - 2015
Division: Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Principal Investigator: Dr. Brian Stoltz
Hometown: Murray, KY & Detroit, MI
Current Research Project: Expanding the Synthetic Toolbox: Development of New Methods Using Nickel Catalysis
Interests & Hobbies: traveling, singing, reading, politics, science policy, and cosmology
Bradley Dickerson

B.A. Swarthmore College: Biology with High Honors- 2008
Ph.D. University of Washington: Biology - 2015 D
Ph.D. University of Washington: Biology - 2015 D
Division: Biology and Biological Engineering
Principal Investigator: Dr. Michael Dickinson
Hometown: Lawrence, NJ
Current Research Project: The neuromechanics of a biological gyroscope
Interests & Hobbies: reading, watching basketball, listening to too many podcasts
Principal Investigator: Dr. Michael Dickinson
Hometown: Lawrence, NJ
Current Research Project: The neuromechanics of a biological gyroscope
Interests & Hobbies: reading, watching basketball, listening to too many podcasts
Brittany Kamai

B.S. University of Hawaii, Manoa: Physics - 2007
M.A. Fisk University: Physics- 2011
M.S. Vanderbilt University: Physics - 2013
Ph.D. Vanderbilt University: Physics - 2016
Division: Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy
Principal Investigator: Dr. Rana Adhikari
Hometown: Honolulu, HI
Current Research Project: Cryogenic tests of silicon for LIGO Voyager
Interests & Hobbies: being outside, soaking up sunshine, biking, exploring in the mountains, surfing, skateboarding around town, swimming in oceans, lakes or pools, laughing with friends
Dana Levine

B.S. California Institute of Technology: Chemistry - 2009
Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley: Chemistry with Designated Emphasis in Nanoscale Science and Engineering - 2016
Division: Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Principal Investigator: Dr. Mark E. Davis
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Current Research Project: Development of Targeted Nanoparticles for Treatment of Intracranial Cancers
Interests & Hobbies: soccer, drums, singing, dancing, traveling
Stewart Mallory

B.A. University of Hawaii, Manoa: Mathematics - 2011
B.S. University of Hawaii, Manoa: Chemistry - 2011
Ph.D. Columbia University: Physics - 2017
Division: Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
Principal Investigator: Dr. John Brady
Hometown: Denver, CO
Current Research Project: The role of hydrodynamics in active matter
Interests & Hobbies: Basketball, books & board games
Michaelle Mayalu

B.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Mechanical Engineering - 2010
S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Mechanical Engineering - 2012
Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Mechanical Engineering - 2017
Division: Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Principal Investigator: Dr. Richard Murray
Hometown: Tucson, AZ
Current Research Project: Modeling and Control of Biomolecular Circuits
Interests & Hobbies: Music, Singing, Nature walks, Cooking, Eating, Yoga, Traveling, Art, Museums
Teddy Mekonnen

B.A. Washington University in St. Louis: Economics - 2011
Ph.D. Northwestern University: Economics - 2017
Division: Computing and Mathematical Sciences, SISL
Principal Investigator: Dr Adam Wierman
Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Current Research Project: Ex-ante Comparative Statics: Responsiveness to Information Quality
Interests & Hobbies: Hiking, Tennis, Cooking, Board Games
Brian Ramirez

B.S. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona: Material Sciences - 2013
M.S. University of California, Los Angeles: Mechanical Engineering - 2015
Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles: Mechanical Engineering - 2017
Division: Mechancial and Civil Engineering
Principal Investigator: Dr Chiara Daraio
Hometown: East Los Angeles, CA
Current Research Project: 3D Imaging of the microbiota
Interests & Hobbies: Developing methods to study biological systems in a quantitative fashion. Current work is focused on bacterial communities of the gut. Swimming, Biking, Hiking, Exploring new neighborhoods, beaches, and restaurants
Gustavo Rios

B.S University of California, Irvine: Electrical Engineering - 2009
Ph.D. California Institute of Technology: Bioengineering, Biodevices - 2016
Division: Biology and Biological Engineering
Principal Investigator: Dr. Thanos Siapas
Hometown: Ingelwood, CA
Current Research Project: Chronic recording of brain activity in the hippocampus of freely-behaving rodents using a state-of-the-art neural probe system.
Interests & Hobbies: running and kickboxing