Graduate Student
Mentorship Initiative (GSMI)

I am a PhD Student at Virginia Tech and my research examines antimicrobial resistance in the environment, using culture-based and sequencing approaches to characterize wastewater and surface water. I received my MS in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and a BS in Biochemistry from Christopher Newport University. I have had important mentors that have helped guide me and without them, I know I would not be where I am at today. For this reason, I hope to be that figure in someone else's journey.

I come from a cross‑cultural background that shapes how I understand people, health, and community. As a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student, I’m interested in how culture influences the way people cope with stress, seek support, and navigate health challenges. My research interests are still developing, but I’m drawn to questions about well‑being and culturally responsive care.

Lindsey Sofia Aguilar (she/her) is a Clinical Psychology PhD student at Arizona State University studying how substance use relates to mental and physical health outcomes across the lifespan. Her research investigates how biological, psychological, and social factors interact to shape pathways of risk and resilience in substance use. She is passionate about mentorship and strives to create more accessible and inclusive spaces in science for first-generation and underrepresented students.

I am a PhD student in Cardiovascular Biology at the University of Cincinnati with a passion for science, mentoring, and supporting students. Good mentors have played an important role in my academic and personal growth, and I hope to give back as a CL-GSMI mentor by helping students build confidence, explore their interests, and see themselves as future scientists.

I am a PhD student at the University of Southern California, where I'm studying the therapeutic effects of inotropes on cardiac contractility using tissue engineering approaches. I previously earned my B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Columbia University, where I worked on brain regeneration in salamanders and mammalian skin wound healing. As an alumni of the CL-GSMI Scholar program and first-generation college student, I am excited to serve as a Mentor and give back to this wonderful community!

I am a first-year PhD student in Immunology at the University of Colorado Anschutz. I received my B.S. in Biotechnology Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey and am interested in tumor immunology and the tumor microenvironment. I was a CL-GSMI scholar, and the program really helped me strengthen my graduate school application. I wanted to come back as a mentor to help other students through that same process.

I am a first-year PhD student at DePaul University. While in graduate school, I aim to test the efficacy of concurrent mindfulness meditation and physical exercise to produce synergistic effects beyond the sum of their parts. In doing so, I hope to help develop scalable interventions for individuals with depression and anxiety. I am eternally grateful to be supported by great mentors and hope to pay forward their guidance by mentoring other future scientists through CL-GSMI.

I am a Clinical Health Psychology PhD student at the University of Colorado Denver, where I explore how Black cancer patients and survivors perceive psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. I earned a BA in Psychological & Brain Sciences and Sociology from WashU, where I studied racial disparities in Alzheimer's disease and dementia. I've greatly benefited from scientific mentorship, including as a 2023 GSMI scholar, and am excited to support the next generation of scientists as a CL-GSMI mentor.

I am a 3rd year PhD student at UMB, synthesizing and evaluating inhibitors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to reduce bacterial growth and virulence. I received my B.S in Chemical Engineering from University of Maryland, College Park where I investigated Hst5 variants against Candida albicans. As a first-generation student from a low-income background,I would not be where I am now if not for the guidance of my mentor. I am excited to pay that forward and help the next generation of students achieve their dreams.

I am currently an NSF-GRFP Fellow & Developmental Psychology and Social Data Analytics dual-title Ph.D. student at The Pennsylvania State University. I am focused on understanding (1) why loneliness develops (e.g., gene-environment interactions) and (2) who experiences loneliness and how it is expressed, by identifying the individual and contextual factors that influence risk and variation in loneliness. CL-GSMI helped me get into graduate school, and I am so excited to continue giving back.

I am a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech/Emory, where I engineer CAR-T cells to make cell therapies safer and more precise. I earned my B.S. in Biotechnology Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico. Science is hard to navigate without someone who has walked the path before you, and many people along the way made it possible for me to be here. I'm grateful for that, and being a CL-GSMI mentor is my way of doing the same for someone else.

I am a postdoctoral researcher at Oregon State University (OSU), where I develop 3D human models to study infectious diseases. I received my PhD in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Pharmaceutical Sciences from OSU. Many mentors have supported my journey, and I hope to give back by inspiring young scientists, especially from Latin America, to navigate career paths abroad, find resources to succeed, and share their experiences with others.

I am a PhD student at UC San Diego in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. I'm originally from Argentina and I graduated from UCLA with a BS in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology. My research interests are in tumor immunology, specifically how intrinsic and extrinsic cues in lymphoid tissues drive immunological memory and anti-tumor immunity. GSMI helped me so much when I applied to graduate school that I jumped at the opportunity to come back and be a mentor!

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and I earned my undergraduate degree in Physics from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. Currently, I am a PhD candidate at the University of Michigan's Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering. I analyze spacecraft measurements to study heliospheric plasma physics and solar wind dynamics. Passionate about K-12 education, I hold a High School Physics Teacher Certification and aspire to become a high school physics teacher.

I'm currently a postdoctoral researcher at Caltech studying the chemistry and structure of protoplanetary disks and gas giant atmospheres. I actively seek out mentorship opportunities because I think these one-on-one partnerships can have an immense, long-lasting, and positive impact on your student's career. I believe very strongly in not only *not* pulling up the ladder behind you as you advance in your career, but in the importance of reaching out to students to help pull them up along the way.

Shirley A. De La Cruz is a Counseling Psychology PhD student at UC Santa Barbara. She is proudly from South Central, Los Angeles, and a first-generation/low-income college graduate. Shirley received her BA in Psychology with a minor in Central American Studies as a UCLA transfer. Her interests include culturally-responsive healing modalities, equitable mHealth, CBPR, and mixed-methods research to highlight lived experiences and understand the wellness of people of the Global Majority.

I'm a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Utah, where I'm building what will hopefully soon become my own independent research program investigating virus infections and transmission dynamics across host and non-host species. My career began with the guidance of two incredible research mentors, and I strive to propagate their support through the next generation of diverse and enthusiastic scientists as a mentor though CL-GSMI.

I am a third-year Neuroscience PhD student at UC Riverside studying dopamine and endocannabinoid signaling in corticostriatal circuits that regulate motivated behavior and cocaine relapse. I earned my B.S. in Neuroscience from UC Santa Cruz, where I studied prefrontal cortical contributions to cognitive flexibility. I’m excited to support and help diversify the next generation of scientists as a CL-GSMI mentor!

I am a PhD candidate at Harvard University where my research focuses on developing methods and software for estimating greenhouse gas emissions using satellite observations. Prior to my PhD I worked as a software engineer after receiving my undergraduate degree from Williams College in Computer Science and Geoscience. Doing science is cool, and everyone should have the chance to do it.

I'm a 2nd year PhD student in the department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Dartmouth College. I graduated from Boston College, where I majored in Neuroscience and minored in Mathematics. I then worked as a lab manager in the Social Cognitive and Neural Sciences lab at Columbia University. Broadly, I am interested in multimodal person perception, NeuroAI, and memory. The CL-GSMI program played a major role in my grad school application process - I'm excited to continue my involvement as a mentor!

I'm a postdoc in chemistry/molecular life science at Newcastle University in northern England. At Newcastle, I design new bioderived and biodegradable materials for use as additives in beauty products. I completed my PhD in chemistry at Virginia Tech where I studied how synthetic polymers interact with metal ions in solution for mining and environmental problems. I'm passionate about teaching and mentoring and volunteer with a number of organizations like Científico Latino.

I am a first-year graduate student at the University of Michigan where I'm currently rotating through labs. However, I am interested in developing and synthesizing chemical probes that will give it better insight into disease mechanisms of subjects like cancer, diabetes, and women's reproductive health. I would not be here without my mentors and I am looking forward to pay forward the skills and knowledge they have given me as a 2026 CL-GSMI mentor.

I am a PhD student at University of Toronto where I am exploring the genomic, chemical, and phenotypic diversity of mimetic nudibranchs. My overall research interests include how marine mollusks physically and chemically protect themselves. I received my M.S. at Cal State LA, where I studied the chemical ecology of sea slugs and participated in GSMI 2023 as a scholar. I hope to give back to the current and future GSMI scholars, as well as other first-generation students through being a CL-GSMI mentor.

I am a third-year PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University, where I study rational vaccine design using a collagen polymeric material for a long lasting immune response and computational modeling to predict vaccine formulations. I received my B.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2023 and completed NIH PREP at Purdue. As a 2023 GSMI scholar, I hope to give back to the program as a mentor and support students as they navigate their own paths in science and graduate education.

Brigitta Gundersen is a Senior Scientific Officer at the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), where she manages a grant portfolio involving research in animal models using behavioral, electrophysiological, and molecular approaches. She received her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania, and subsequently was a Senior Editor at Nature Neuroscience. She looks forward to sharing her experiences with GSMI mentees and to building a diverse and equitable scientific community.

My name is Eldridge, I am a Costa Rican-American currently finishing my PhD at the University of Texas Medical Branch, where my research is motivated in understanding vector-borne virus infection of the male reproductive tract. I received my Bachelors of Science in Microbiology from Virginia Tech, where my research was focused on characterizing antibiotic resistance genes as contaminants in wastewater. I am born and raised in southwest Virginia in the Appalachian mountains.

I am a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Bristol and an affiliate faculty member at Oregon State University. My research investigates how animal communication varies over space and time, with focus on cetacean social communication and culture. I obtained my PhD at Dalhousie University and have held postdoctoral positions in the Netherlands, USA, and now UK. I found the graduate school application process very confusing and hope to help other students have a smoother experience.

I am a second-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD Program at Arizona State University. I received my B.A. in Psychology from the University of San Diego. I am interested in evaluating mechanisms of change in evidence-based interventions to improve outcomes for youth and caregivers. I am also interested in how technology can be used to increase engagement with interventions. Mentorship shaped my path to graduate school, so I’m excited to support future scientists as a CL-GSMI Mentor!

I am a first-year biomedical engineering PhD student at Georgia Tech and Emory University, where I’m studying how to engineer microbial communities to combat antibiotic resistant infections. I have benefited greatly from amazing mentors throughout my undergraduate and research career, and I hope to give back in a mentorship role to those aiming to pursue a graduate degree as a CL-GSMI mentor.

I am a scientist at Scribe Therapeutics where I work on bringing the next generation of CRISPR medicines to patients. I received my PhD from Yale University developing sequencing technologies to capture RNA dynamics and during my postdoc at UCSF discovered a link between 3D genome architecture and neural connectivity patterns in the brain. I have had the fortune to have many great mentors through the years and I am excited to give back the support I have received through my role as a CL-GSMI mentor.

I am a PhD student at Harvard Medical School, where I'm studying cellular and molecular mechanisms of unique behavior in sea slugs, jellyfish, and algae. My undergrad institution was Stanford, where I did bone tissue engineering research. I am passionate about mentorship and providing

I am a second-year PhD student in UCLA’s Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology program, where I study the molecular dynamics of proteins involved in translation quality control pathways using single-molecule imaging. I earned my B.S. in Chemistry - Emphasis in Biochemistry from CSU Channel Islands. Programs similar to GSMI empowered me to pursue graduate studies, and I’m excited to support GSMI scholars in their academic journeys.

I am a PhD student at UC Berkeley conducting research at Gladstone Institutes, where I study neurodegeneration, aging, and cellular stress using human stem-cell models and robotic microscopy. I previously trained as a pharmacist at the University of Toronto. Having benefited greatly from mentors throughout my own path into research, I joined GSMI to help students navigate graduate school and find research environments where they can thrive.

I am a second year PhD student at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. My research focuses on using simple existing biomaterials and immunology to model the bone marrow to study the reactivation of dormant breast cancer cells in the bone marrow.

I am a fourth-year PhD candidate at The University of Texas at Austin, where I study environmental microbiology, computational biology, and host–microbe interactions. As a first-generation student and immigrant, mentorship has been essential to my journey. I am passionate about advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in science and hope to give back by supporting the next generation of scientists as a CL-GSMI mentor.

I am a third-year graduate student studying Cognitive Neuroscience at The Ohio State University. I am broadly interested in how traumatic brain injury, chronic stress, and interpersonal violence exposure affect the brain and cognition across the lifespan, and in optimizing neuromodulatory interventions to combat symptoms related to concussion and PTSD. I was a CL-GSMI mentee when I was applying to PhD programs, so I am thrilled to take on a mentor role now and support students through this initiative!

I am Maria Mercedes, a sixth year PhD candidate at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. My dissertation investigates the role of the chromatin regulator Bap1 in skin development. This is my second year participating as a GSMI mentor, and I value the opportunity to pay forward the sustained support and motivation I have received from my mentor since junior high.

I am a PhD student at Yale University, where I study the molecular and cellular mechanisms of lipid trafficking at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). I received my bachelor's degree from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea and also spent six months as a research intern in Lausanne, Switzerland. Having navigated different academic environments throughout my scientific journey, I hope to share my experiences and support the next generation of scientists!

I am a graduate student in Dartmouth College's Molecular & Cellular Biology PhD Program. I aim to elucidate how signaling pathways become dysregulated and how these alterations contribute to disease development and progression. Having great mentors throughout the years has influenced my career immensely. Therefore, I hope to be that influence on GSMI scholars, the next generation of scientists.

I am a PhD candidate in the Cancer Cell Biology program at West Virginia University. My research is focused on exploring chronotherapeutic administration of immunotherapy to improve treatment outcomes in breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) and other solid tumors. My work is interesting because it sits at an intersection of neuroscience, immunology and oncology. I am passionate about helping others, especially individuals from underrepresented groups, to access global opportunities through mentorship.

I am a 1st year PhD student at the University of Washington in the Molecular Engineering program. I hold a Bachelor's from Northeastern University, where I used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the physical properties of lipid bilayer systems. I had an incredible series for mentors that supported me throughout the years, and I wish to support a younger generation of Latinos in STEM fields through being a GSMI mentor.

I am a first-year Ph.D. student in Bioengineering at the University of Washington, studying the molecular mechanisms of diseases of the heart muscle, with a focus on dilated cardiomyopathy. I am passionate about translational research and turning molecular discoveries into treatments. This passion has been shaped by mentors who have believed in my potential before I could fully see it in myself. As a CL-GSMI mentor, I hope to offer students the same support that shaped my own journey.

I am a postdoc in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University where I'm studying the ecology of infectious diseases such as malaria and the impacts of climate change. I received by PhD from the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, and prior to that was an undergrad at Arizona State. I grew up in Colorado. I have been tremendously fortunate to benefit from many great mentors and hope to contribute somewhat myself for others!

I am a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Miami, where my research focuses on developing biomaterial-based platforms for stem cell manufacturing. I received my B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Universidad del Atlantico in Colombia. As a first-generation and international student, I understand the challenges of navigating the graduate school application process, and I hope to use my experience to support future graduate students as a CL-GSMI mentor.

I am a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania studying the hierarchical organization of the visual system. Previously, I worked on brain–machine interfaces as a lab technician at Vanderbilt University and earned a B.S. in Neuroscience from West Virginia University. As a Latina from West Virginia, I aim to mentor and increase the representation of underrepresented minorities in science through CL-GSMI.

I am a chemical engineering PhD student at the University of Colorado Boulder, where I study ion transport within charged membranes and electromembrane processes through continuum modeling — with broader interests in sustainable ion separations. Throughout my academic journey, my community has provided invaluable guidance and support. I hope to give back by mentoring and celebrating the next wave of scientists and engineers as they reach their next academic milestone.

A PhD student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes and its mechanisms of pathogenesis. Undergrad: B.S. in Microbiology and double minor in Infection Control & Public Health, University of South Florida. SciMed-GRScholar; NSF-GRFP Honorable Mention. I am grateful to my past and present mentors for all their support throughout the years, and I aim to pay it forward and increase the diversity in the next generation of scientists as a CL-GSMI mentor.

I am a third-year Bioengineering PhD student at Stanford, where I engineer CAR T cells to infiltrate solid tumors using 3D tumor models and CRISPR screens. I am originally from Mexico, and have been curious about science since I was little, but no one in my life growing up worked in research, so I pieced this path together as I went. As a CL-GSMI mentor, I want to help others figuring it out without a roadmap, and share what I learned so they can skip a few of my mistakes.

Christian F. Sandoval Pauker is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of St. Thomas. His research integrates computational chemistry, catalysis, and materials science to develop sustainable solutions for environmental remediation and chemical synthesis. He has authored more than 39 peer-reviewed publications and inventor on patent applications.

I am a first-year neuroscience PhD student at the University of Washington. I am interested in studying population dynamics of learning and memory. I graduated from UC San Diego with a BS in Bioinformatics. After college, I worked for two years at Stanford University studying spatial memory in the hippocampus. I strongly believe in increasing accessibility to science and am overjoyed to participate as a CL-GSMI mentor to help contribute towards that goal.

I am a 5th-year Clinical Psychology PhD student at the University of Washington, where I study neural mechanisms of visual processing in autism using EEG, neuroimaging, and psychophysics. I grew up in Colombia before pursuing my higher education in the US and am passionate about supporting students from diverse backgrounds in science. I am excited to mentor with Científico Latino for the first time and to pay forward the mentorship that has shaped my journey!

I am a third-year PhD candidate in the Scott-Hewitt lab at Duke University, where I study neuroimmune interactions in aging and Alzheimer's disease. My dual degree in Neuroscience and Music from The Ohio State University blended technical and creative skills that still shape how I approach research. I believe science is stronger with diverse voices, and I know how isolating applying to grad school can feel, so I hope to help expand access to scientific careers as a CL-GSMI mentor!

I am an advanced doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. My research examines how systems of oppression, including racism, discrimination, colorism, and colonialism, shape identity development and psychological well-being among racially and ethnically diverse communities, with a particular focus on Latine populations. I am passionate about cultivating restorative spaces for scholars to connect and help one another thrive and achieve success.

I’m a Yale Science Fellow hosted in the Konnikova lab, where I'm studying how immune cells direct normal gut development in extremely early life to understand how to better treat pediatric intestinal diseases. I graduated with my PhD from Yale University in 2023, where I studied viral pathogenesis and immune evasion. My mentors have been instrumental in my journey, and I am passionate about paying it forward to the next generation to ensure everyone can access science and positive mentorship.

I am a PhD candidate and NSF GRFP fellow at Purdue University, where I study the effectiveness of electrical stimulation parameters used in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). I got my Bachelor's in Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience from Syracuse University in 2024. I am dedicated to increasing the accessibility to and diversity in higher education, and I am excited to be a CL-GSMI mentor!

I am a second-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at VCU studying pediatric pulmonary diseases, development of culturally competent interventions, the transition from pediatric to adult health care, and the importance of healthy family dynamics to mitigate worsened health outcomes during emerging adulthood. I am looking forward to giving back to the field and providing mentorship that I received and made it possible for me to get where I am today!

I am a PhD candidate at Stony Brook University, where I study mechanisms of visuospatial working memory across young adults, older adults, and individuals with Parkinson’s disease using functional neuroimaging and eye tracking. I received my bachelor's in behavioral neuroscience from CUNY Hunter College. As a CL-GSMI mentor, I hope to support students of diverse and underrepresented backgrounds in navigating the PhD application process and pursuing careers in science.

I am a PhD student in the Microbiology Graduate Group at the University of California, Davis where I'm studying how actin-binding proteins in our cells are used by intracellular bacteria to facilitate their spread. I received my B.S. in Microbiology & Immunology from UC Irvine, and I hope to support the next generation of scientists, especially from underrepresented backgrounds. I would NOT be here today if it weren't for my mentors, so I am excited to pay it forward as a CL-GSMI mentor!

My name is Jesus and a postdoc at Johns Hopkins where I develop statistical methods for studying incomplete data. I received my PhD and MS in biostatistics from UNC-Chapel Hill where I developed statistical methods for studying Huntington disease. I'm a fronterizo: I grew up on both sides of the border, and found comfort in academia among scholars who share my traditions, food, and language. Being a CL-GSMI mentor lets me stay connected to this growing community and learn from them.

I am a fourth-year Clinical Psychology PhD student at the University of Memphis and received my BA from Johns Hopkins University in Psychology and English. I conduct community-engaged, mixed methods research to assess the impact of trauma on marginalized families, evaluate child-serving organizations, implement effective programs, and ultimately build resilience across generations. I’m so excited to serve as a CL-GSMI mentor for the second time and help support students on their graduate school journey!