STEM Ambassadors Team
Program Administrator
Sophia Hamdan
Before arriving at Tufts in 2021, Sophia earned her Bachelor's degree in English Literature from the University of Mary Washington and a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Boston College. She is currently completing her second Master’s degree in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Leadership here at Tufts University.
As the Program Administrator overseeing the STEM Ambassador program, she is responsible for the successful execution of the program and the professional development of the Ambassadors. Sophia is the main contact for Tufts' community partners regarding the STEM Ambassadors program and within the Engineering Ambassadors Network for Tufts.
Current Students
Cansu Birsen
Computer Science & Engineering Psychology
Class of 2025
Extracurricular Activities: Tufts Women in Computer Science, Tufts Turkish Student Association, Social Media Intern for the Center for STEM Diversity, JumboCode
Internship/Research Experience: Astrophysics Research at the Summer Science Program, Software Development Engineering Intern at Siemens Advanta
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? I am grateful for people who supported me through my journey of becoming a Computer Science student as a female, low-income, international student, and I would like to be there for student from difficult backgrounds like me to keep this chain of support going.
Christina Nguyen
Biochemistry
Class of 2025
Extracurricular Activities: Cancer Outreach Club, Tufts Biology Research Club, Leonard Carmichael Society, Vietnamese Student Club
Internship/Research Experience: Student Researcher Assistant in the Freudenreich Lab; Research Intern at Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center part of the YES for CURE program; Intern at Harvard School of Public Health in Zhu Family Center for Global Cancer Prevention); Student in Visiting and Early Research Scholars' Experiences Program (VERSE) program
What I want students to get out of our visits: I want to use my interest in biology, passion for scientific research, enthusiasm for inquiry, and background as a first-generation college student to promote learning and scientific curiosity among underrepresented youth populations. I strive to empower and mentor students to explore their unanswered questions, to participate in active learning, and to pursue STEM fields in higher education. Through leading creative STEM activities for students, teaching novel topics, and engaging with the community, I hope that students can realize their potential to problem solve, overcome challenges, voice their passions, and have fun!
Daphne Garcia
Biology and Biochemistry
Class of 2024
Extracurricular Activities: Ballroom team and RA
Internship/Research Experience: I've done undergraduate research at the Uricchio Lab, I am a Tufts Summer Scholars, and part of the TECBio REU for computational biology.
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? I love mentorship! I really enjoy talking to others about our respective passions and other's plans for the future. I had a strange path finding my niche in biology, and had it not been for great mentors and representation in the field, I might not be where I am. I also went to MA public schools and my mom works in them. Though I always loved science, I was discouraged because I didn't fit the demographic of everyone else in the class, and I would try to hide my heritage. I also wasn't excited by any particular field they taught in depth.
I now love talking about niche fields in science that they don't teach in scool. I want to help others see themselves as scientists and show them that there's always a niche field perfect for them!
David Michel
Civil Engineering
Class of 2024
Santee Education Complex
California
Extracurricular Activities: Society of Latinx Engineers and Scientists, First-Generation Collective, United for Immigrant Justice, Association of Latin American Students
Internship/Research Experience: Visiting and Early Research Scholars Experience (Tufts' Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Department)
What inspired you to pursue STEM? Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, I was constantly amazed by the skyscrapers, freeways and infrastructure that make up downtown Los Angeles. At the same time, however, I was frustrated by how different these were for low-income communities compared to more affluent areas. This has invoked a drive to hopefully one day be able to transform the lives of people through the engineering of the built environment that values and respects the needs of those communities that are often left unheard like my own.
Genevieve Hayes
Biochemistry
Class of 2025
Extracurricular Activities: I am currently apart of SOLES (Society of Latin American Engineers and Scientists), ALAS (Association of Latin American Students), and ISOT (Indigenous Students' Organization of Tufts).
Internship/Research Experience: I currently do not have any internship or research experience, but I am looking forward to starting down that road this school year.
What I want students to get out of our visits: As someone who found an interest in STEM in high school, I immediately wanted to be a part of the mission to share with students of the many opportunities and fields STEM has to offer. I firmly believe that if STEM education was accessible to younger kids, more would be willing to pursue scientific careers and think differently about our universe. The chance to reach out to high school students, to develop individual science projects, and to learn more about my own interests drew me to become an ambassador.
Hamida Giwa
Biomedical Engineering
Class of 2024
Wachusett Regional High School
Massachusetts
Extracurricular Activities: Tufts Muslim Student Association (MSA), Resident Assistant, National Society of Black Engineers
Internship/Research Experience: BDBS Research Intern at Tufts Medical Center (Dr. Wallingford's Lab); Kaplan Lab; MLSC Summer Intern at WPI Biophysics Lab
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? You might come from an unrepresented background and you might doubt yourself. But have confidence, find your role models and support system! Besides, you don’t have to be a genius to pursue STEM. Of course you need to be able to problem solve, ask the right questions, and be willing to learn, but you don’t need to have some crazy IQ or really high test scores to succeed.
Iris Yang
Computer Science
Class of 2025
Extracurricular Activities: Tufts Robotics, JumboTalk, Leonard Carmichael Society, Wuzee, Women in Computer Science, Chinese Students Association, Society of Women Engineers
Internship/Research Experience: Intern in Manning Lab at Mass General Hospital, DEIJ research under Professor Chris Swan, Break Through Tech AI scholar, Human Computer Interaction Lab, Multimodal Learning, Interaction, and Perception Lab
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? I've always wanted to support my community and share my passions of STEM in the hopes of inspiring others to pursue the field as well. I'm grateful to those who have helped me along in my journey and I now want to pass along my knowledge so they can understand STEM's impact in the world around them.
Isabella Sidoruk
Cognitive and Brain Science, and Science, Technology, and Society
Class of 2025
Extracurricular Activities: At Tufts, I am president of the mental health club, Active Minds, and on the E-board for Girls in Stem, Girl Gains, Breakthrough Undergraduate Research Journal, Parnassus Creative Writing Club, and PEW. I am also a member of Thalia, and on the side enjoy baking, reading, playing music, going to the gym and skiing.
Internship/Research Experience: I have been an undergraduate researcher in the Tufts Applied Cognition Lab since the summer of 2021, and through that experience have been able to lead two studies, both registered reports, which I have presented at conferences, including the annual New England Psychological Association (NEPA) conference. As a Laidlaw scholar, I have been funded to explore my research interests more, and I also took the opportunity to go to Colombia in the summer of 2023 for an internship where I could apply my research skills in the real world.
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? I chose to be a STEM Ambassador because I am extremely passionate about science and technology and have a deep rooted belief in the transformative power of education and the impact it can have on society. By bridging the gender gap in these STEM fields, I hope to empower and inspire more women and girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I am also excited to engage with the community and schools, creating opportunities to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with others. I aim to leave a lasting impression on future generations, nurture young minds and encourage them to embrace the limitless possibilities of the STEM world.
Julia Rivera
Biomedical Engineering
Class of 2026
Extracurricular Activities: Tufts Running Club, BEST
Internship/Research Experience: Dana-Farber Cancer Center/Mass General Hospital
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? To meet new people and educate younger students about STEM careers.
Leonid Sakjov
Physics and Math
Class of 2025
Extracurricular Activities: I am president of the International Club, event coordinator of the Society of Physics Students, and I work as a TA for introductory physics courses.
Internship/Research Experience: I have done research in the Department of Physics and Astronomy with Prof. Anna Sajina on counting galaxies with and PhD student Valentina LaTorre on the application of machine learning to classifying observations of galaxies.
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? Before entering high school, I saw Physics as a field that was entirely inaccessible, really difficult, and a bit boring. I then had the privilege of being taught in high school by an incredible woman who both sparked my curiosity for the physical world and showed me that there was no stereotypical image of a physicist: anyone with a passion, a dedication, and appropriate resources could pursue Physics. I have since done my best to spread this message and to inspire a similar curiosity for the world.
Nery Matias Calmo
Biomedical Engineering
Class of 2025
Extracurricular Activities: UIJ (United for Immigrant Justice) // ISOT (Indigenous Students at Tufts) // SOLES (Society of Latinx Engineers and Scientists) // Latinx Center Programming Intern
Internship/Research Experience: GBM Research at Harvard P. H. Chan of Public Health
Why did you choose to become a STEM Ambassador? Coming from the Greater Boston Area, I know what’s it like being brought up in the public education system and how difficult it may be for students to be exposed to beneficial programs that make getting a higher education possible. Being a stem ambassador would not only help me gain the confidence to lead and teach, but also give me the ability to spark change in the community by providing information that helped me navigate through high school and college.
Sam Goldberg
Biology
Class of 2026
Extracurricular Activities: Curator of TEDxTufts (formerly a Speaker Coach), Writing Fellow at the StAAR Center, Executive Organizer at Nucleate Cultivate (outside Tufts)
Internship/Research Experience: Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA/Kaplan Lab), University Recruiting Intern at UPSIDE Foods (cultivated meat company/cellular agriculture), Targeted Immunotherapy Research Intern at BioEclipse (targeted immunotherapy)
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? STEM has historically been a field that does not value or consider diversity, equity and inclusion and has been inaccessible to so many. As a queer trans person in STEM I have witnessed firsthand how this lack of representation can impact young people who don't fit the typical hold of what a scientist or engineer should look like. I hope that as a STEM Ambassador I am able to contribute to the initiative of encouraging students of all backgrounds to pursue STEM and change the historic paradigm.
Sandra Le
Biochemistry
Class of 2024
Extracurricular Activities: FIRST Peer Leader, Tufts Legacy Project, Asian American Center Peer Leader, Vietnamese Student Club, Japanese Culture Club, Letters to a Pre-Scientist
Internship/Research Experience: COVID-19 Intern at Cambridge Health Alliance, Diaz-Cuadros Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? With STEM being an rapidly growing field, I believe that STEM ambassadors have an important role in encouraging young people to pursue careers in STEM. And so, I chose to be a STEM ambassador to help make a difference in inspiring the next generation of mathematicians, scientists and engineers. As a STEM Ambassador, I also want to address the lack of diversity in STEM, as women and other marginalized minorities such as first-generation students like myself, are often underrepresented in the STEM field. I hope to be able to promote diversity and inclusion by sharing my own experiences and encourage students with similar identities to also pursue careers in STEM.
Serena Meng
Biology
Class of 2025
Extracurricular Activities: FOCUS leader, Leonard Carmichael Society, Strong Women Strong Girls, TEDxTufts
Internship/Research Experience: Bioengineering research in Levin Lab.
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? In hopes that my stories and experiences could serve as a helpful resource for those who might be intrigued yet uncertain about delving into the broad world of STEM. I am confident that in sharing the very subjects that initially captivated me within STEM, I will also learn about other topics I have yet to explore. Through empowering students to share their own knowledge and curiosity, I hope to show them that they possess the ability to create a positive impact on the world through STEM.
Tallia Dudley
Biomedical Engineering
Class of 2024
Extracurricular Activities: Biomedical Engineering Society Webmaster, Founder of BIPOC in BME
Internship/Research Experience: The YES for CURE internship through Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center where I spent two summers researching at Boston Children's Hospital.
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? I want to inspire and provide resources to students like myself. Having attended Lynn public schools for all of my education leading to Tufts University, there were not many opportunities to meet people in STEM who looked like me or had grown up in similar environments. That being said, I understand the impact of representation on one's confidence in their own ability. As a young biracial woman who was raised by a single mother in a low-income household, I know just how far out of reach things may seem. Because of this, I want to make sure kids in similar situations know that they are capable of anything they put their mind to.
Varun Sasisekharan
Biochemistry
Class of 2025
Extracurricular Activities: The Beelzebubs, Tufts Chemistry Department DEIJ Committee, Undergraduate Research Intern at MGH Brain Tumor Research Center
Internship/Research Experience: I've spent several summers in the past working broadly on antibody development / applications (in both human and canine systems). I am currently working in a neuro-oncology lab that studies the genomic drivers of brain metastasis!
Why did you choose to be a STEM Ambassador? Outreach programs have played a significant role in the way I view education and the way I’ve interacted with curricula both as a student and as a student-educator; as a STEM Ambassador, I hope to pass my experiences along to younger students.
Alumni
Dennis Bazan Tello
Civil Engineering
Class of 2024
"I I believe everyone has their own story to tell; I always believed that every story could be inspiring for someone. Therefore, I want to share my passion for engineering and personal experiences with underrepresented and first-generation students like myself. I want to inspire them to not be afraid to pursue their interests in STEM because no matter the background one comes from or their life circumstances, anyone with the willingness to serve others and improve their talent can be successful in the field."
Fatimah Mumuney
Biomedical Engineering
Class of 2024
"I had heard it all before. 'You got this!', 'You can achieve anything you set your mind to!'', 'Nothing is impossible!' and the likes of other popular motivational phrases. It was not until I met another black Muslim woman, who had achieved great feats in the world of STEM, that these words of ‘empowerment’ really began to sink in. She had come to give a presentation back in my local high school in Nigeria, where she talked us through her journey into the STEM field. That was the eye-opening moment for me. If this young lady, with the same skin shade, same beliefs, and same background as me, could do it, then what excuse did I have for not doing the same? It was with this newfound determination that I began to apply to colleges in the United States with the hope of studying engineering. What seemed like such a faraway dream is now a reality in the making. I want to be, to another person, as this lady was to me. If there is a chance that someone might feel empowered by my experiences and learnings into the world of STEM, then I will more than gladly grab on to that opportunity."
Wanda Schlumpf
Biology & Biotechnology
Class of 2024
"Students should choose STEM because it encompasses every aspect of our lives. Behind every new product or innovation, there is a team of scientists and engineers making it possible; there is a true impact on society. Furthermore, there are so many different, exciting paths one could follow within STEM that the opportunities are seemingly endless."
Zainab Yaqub
Computer Science
Class of 2024
"I've struggled quite a bit over the years as someone going into a STEM career but I've really learned from all of it and I want to show that you don't have to be any specific 'type' of person to succeed in STEM!"
Bijan Harandi
Biology
Class of 2023
"I hope that students understand the importance of STEM's impact on the world and furthermore attain the confidence in themselves to pursue their respective STEM interests, regardless of their background."
Britnie Nguyen
Engineering Psychology
Class of 2023
"A new sense of curiosity and another perspective on topics! STEM is highly interdisciplinary - while the field may seem black-and-white on paper sometimes, there are many different ways to attack a single problem."
Cristina Arellano Chiroque
Human Factors Engineering
Class of 2023
"Just as much as I believe technology is never neutral and is always shaping our social fabric, I believe that embracing this tool of the future will prove to be a feat. I can see us rebuilding and refurnishing both the technological and social construct we live in by closing the distance between action and impact. As an aspiring web designer/consultant, I find that seizing this opportunity is what motivates me. Similarly, I believe that this effort is not done in the hands on one individual but rather a generational effort. I believe that by being a STEM Ambassador, I will be able to aid in this pursuit by helping others grow at their pace."
Enrique Rodriguez
Biomedical Engineering
Class of 2023
"As a first generation, latinx and queer identifying student in engineering, I never saw anyone like me growing up and involved in STEM in my local community. By being able to participate in STEM Ambassadors, I hope to impact and inspire someone like me."
Joshua Leferman
Math and Music
Class of 2023
"I am very passionate about the inequity within education in general. Many students cannot obtain a quality education due to financial constraints, and others are discouraged due to stereotypes. Furthermore, I believe that the current curriculum in schools are not conducive towards sparking interest in learning or creating passionate scholars. By being a STEM Ambassador, I can hopefully provide students with that spark and allow them to transcend their financial or racially induced barriers."
Leslie Jaramillo Martinez
Mechanical Engineering
Class of 2023
"Although my neighborhood wasn’t full of scientists or engineers, it was full of people who greatly inspired me. Their dedication and ambition have fueled my own. To me, engineering is much more than a career choice. It is a way I can help the people who raised me. Through designing and building, I will be able to provide some form of support to the community that has given up so much for me."
Marianne Chuy
Biomedical Engineering
Class of 2023
"I hope students learn that STEM can be an outlet for creativity, a place that allows them to think critically but also helps them dream big. STEM can push you to think in ways that feel completely foreign and confusing at first, but those concepts can later inspire you to think boldly and confidently when approaching a new problem."
Maximo Mateo
Chemical Engineering
Class of 2023
"I want to help other first-generation student to become excellent scientists, researchers, and engineers. Growing up, I didn’t see many engineers that looked like me. I want to inspire other students that are not well represented in STEM fields to contribute to the scientific community! As an ambassador, I want to help student think outside of the box through many hands-on projects."
Roshni Bhat
Biopsychology
Class of 2023
"I chose to be a STEM Ambassador because I am passionate about making STEM fields and content more accessible to underrepresented students. I still remember the role models and mentors I've had that have helped me along my path in a STEM-related course of study and I hope that being a STEM Ambassador will allow me to fulfill that role for someone else so that they, too, can envision themselves in a STEM-related career."
Steph Karam
Civil Engineering
Class of 2023
"For most of my childhood, I was that student. It was not until my sophomore year of high school, when a teacher recommended me for the Cooper Union Summer STEM Academy and the TA of the course was a woman of color currently pursuing a degree in civil engineering at the institution. It was after that experience, that I seriously began to think of engineering as a possible career. I truly believe that this experience was a defining factor in why I am a civil engineering major today and hopefully I can do the same for students of color as a STEM Ambassador."
Vanesa Gonzalez Torres
Human Factors Engineering
Class of 2023
"I want to show students like me that pursuing a profession in STEM is possible and to not let anything hold them back from doing so, even if the people in STEM fields do not look like them."
Zainab Olushoga
Biomedical Engineering
Class of 2023
"I chose to become a STEM Ambassador because I grew in an underrepresented community. Many of the kids I grew up with were so discouraged by the many obstacles in their path, that they never bothered to pursue their interests in STEM. I want to be there for younger generations and cheer them to overcome whatever stands in their way; to show them that someone who has shared their struggles, who looks like them, and someone that they can relate to has made it this far in their life. To show them how cool STEM really is and show them how STEM is an option for them too."