OUR INTERNS
BERKELEY PHARMA TECH
SPRING 2024 INTERNS
MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM
mcKenna Chafee
California State University, Northridge
Class of 2024
Marketing Major
Recent Achievement: “A recent achievement that I am proud of is that I recently got promoted to a management position at the retail store I work at. I am extremely proud of this achievement as it exemplifies my hard work, dedication, and leadership skills. It has also given me the opportunity to utilize business practices and apply my knowledge of running successful marketing campaigns.”
EDITORIAL TEAM
GRACE RYU
University of California, Santa Barbra
Class of 2024
Pharmacology Major
Recent Achievement: “One recent achievement I am proud of is that my last academic quarter, I was accepted into the Professional Writing minor in the Science Communication track! The minor accepts applicants competitively, so I was very excited to be part of the program and am currently taking the first major capstone course to build my professional writing portfolio.”
HUMAN RECOURCES TEAM
KATIE QUACH
University of California, San Diego
Class of 2025
Business Psychology Major
Recent Achievement: “As a Sustainable Analyst for the Sustainable Investment Group and UCSD, I led a team to victory in a rigorous 8-week stock pitch competition in Winter 2023. We analyzed 3-10+ years of data for a sustainable stock, presented our findings, and defended our assessments to judges from investment and ESG firms and successfully led my team to victory in Winter 2023.”
DORIS BRU
Rutgers University Camden
Class of 2024
Management (HR) Major
Recent Achievement: “My team members and I managed to find someone to take up the Public Relations position in our club organization last minute as our President quit and our previous PR took up the position. I recruited that member personally so it was a big achievement for me.”
MEDICAL RESEARCH TEAM
Calvin Shih
University of California, San Diego
Class of 2025
Master’s in Biology
Recent Achievement: “For the past year and so, I've been partaking in a fruitful venture to experiment with novel interactions between viruses and polymers. To say the least, I am fortunate to be working with an amazing lab and mentor who truly helped me to embark on this journey! I hope to be challenging myself in the coming years, perhaps taking on a career path aside from R&D, such as sales or translational research.”
Jeongbin (Caroline) Kim
Emory University
Class of 2026
Biology Major
Recent Achievement: “One of my recent accomplishments involves participating in a medical volunteering mission to Honduras, where our team collectively served 200 patients. Looking ahead, I envision myself in medical school five years from now, specializing in the study of physical medicine and rehabilitation.”
Mari Ziegler
Columbia University
Class of 2027
Biomedical Engineering Major
Recent Achievement: “Hosting fireside chats with startup founders on the Columbia Campus and sharing my passion for hard-tech focused startups (joining the water polo team has been pretty great too!!) In five years, I hope to be bioprinting tissues to increase the availability and reduce the cost of transplants. Diving into internships and research, making industry connections, and studying hard is how I'll get there!!”
Cindy lu
Columbia University
Class of 2027
Biology and Economics-Statistics Major
Recent Achievement: “Recently, I became the only undergraduate on the leadership team of Nucleate's flagship virtual accelerator program for global biotech startups and also started picking up two new sports besides volleyball! In the future, I hope to apply my interests in biology, medicine, and economics as a dermatologist or a life science consultant. I hope to gain more exposure to research, industry, and clinical opportunities to achieve this goal.”
Khushi Shah
University of California, Davis
Class of 2025
Neurology, Physiology, and Behavior Major
Recent Achievement: “In my last quarter, I made the Dean's List, despite having one of the most difficult schedules of my college education. I was able to do well while also balancing my extracurriculars, which included being an active leader on the Women's Club Waterpolo team, working as an Emergency Medical Technician every weekend, and studying for the MCAT. In addition, I wrote a couple pieces in my health writing class which I was proud of and submitted to a prized writing contest and began an internship at UC Davis Health working with the pediatric population!”
Kalp Soni
Emory University
Class of 2027
Biology Major
Recent Achievement: “Some of my recent achievements include working at hospital part-time as a Patient Care Associate (PCA) to carry out skills like phlebotomy and EKGs. Alongside that, I have continued tutoring high school students in classes like, chemistry, physics, and calculus.”
Brandon Chang
Johns Hopkins University
Class of 2027
Biomedical Engineering Major
Recent Achievement: “Over this past semester, I joined a research group focused on engineering nanoparticles through simulations, which has inspired the start of a few projects. In my senior year, I had the honor of being named Male Athlete of the Year and I was able to achieve a top-50 ranking in my track event in California.”
Evan Lee
University of Central Florida
Class of 2027
Microbiology Major
Recent Achievement: “Over the summer I got my certification to become a lifeguard, and completed a triathlon and came in for 3rd in my division. I also programmed a small separate computer that is able to translate and analyze base codon sequences and other biotech functions.”
Danica Hergenroeder
University of California, Santa Cruz
Class of 2025
Molecular Cell Development
Recent Achievement: “A recent achievement of mine over the past few weeks is learning new and challenging cooking and baking recipes. Another recent achievement of mine has been getting the continuous opportunity to work in a small coffee shop during school breaks. It has been a great experience getting to learn the scientific parts of coffee as well as getting to work in a great group of coworkers, and learning good customer service. When I finish school I hope to attend medical school or work in medical research to try and help make people feel better.”
Cheyenne Fischer-Zimmermann
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Psychology and Public Major
Recent Achievement: “A recent achievement of mine was having the opportunity to lead a group in developing a digital resource to help guide first generation students through the process of applying to and transitioning into college. This was a project that resonated deeply with me as the first in my family to attend college myself. Furthermore, I was recently selected to train and volunteer at a non-profit clinic that focuses on providing free care to individuals and communities who are socioeconomically marginalized or excluded by the current healthcare system.”
Noah Perazzo
Florida International University
Class of 2027
Bio Chemistry Major
Recent Achievement: “I am proud of being placed on the dean's list in my first semester of college. In 5 years I see myself starting my first year of grad school on the road to getting an MBA. To achieve this goal I will consistently keep good grades and build a strong resume.”
Irene Eu
University of California, San Diego
Class of 2026
Global Health Major
Recent Achievement: “A recent achievement I am proud of is writing a scientific article for students from diverse academic backgrounds, as part of the undergraduate biological sciences communication program at the UC San Diego. My current article is centered on animal communication, with a specific emphasis on the communicative behaviors of honeybees and songbirds.”
glory gage
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2027
Nutritional Science Major
Recent Achievement: “Some achievements I'm proud of are winning best at show at the 2022 International Degart Gallery art competition and having my work displayed in its exhibition in Bryan, Texas for two months. In five years, I see myself finding what I want to do in life whether it be pursuing med school or working in biotech through working hard academically and enriching my understanding in the biology industry.”
Nathan Tan
University of California, Riverside
Class of 2026
Biomedical Engineer Major
Recent Achievement: “I am mainly proud of being able to maintain a healthy work-life balance. I took up dragon boating at the start of the fall quarter which I have improved immensely in, helping my team earn a 1st place B division trophy at College Cup while having made my school's Projects Team for my biomedical engineering club where we design, construct, and test medical/healthcare-related gadgets.”
Swetha Ravisankar
University of California, Santa Cruz
Class of 2025
Biology Major
Recent Achievement: “My recent achievements include successfully obtaining both my Pharmacy Technician license and Immunizer license while working at CVS pharmacy. Additionally, I'm proud to have taken on the role of an Emergency Scribe at Sutter Health. This position has allowed me to actively contribute to patient care and enhance my skills in high-pressure situations.”
BERKELEY PHARMA TECH
FALL 2023 INTERNS
MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM
maria malta
San Francisco State University
Class of 2024
Marketing Major
Recent Achievements: “An achievement I am proud of is learning a new language. I actually grew up in Mexico and moved to the US when I was 10 so I didn’t speak English at all. Another achievement of mine is being the first in my family to attend college.”
Karen lin
UC Santa Barbara
Class of 2026
Communication Major
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement that I am proud of is having the opportunity to work for a startup for a couple of months, where I gained a deeper understanding of the business field and was able to develop my marketing skills.”
GAME DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Shane Pearson
University of Central Florida
Class of 2024
Game Design Major
Recent Achievements: My recent achievements include numerous earnings on the College of Science's Dean's List, being recognized by the Nicholson School of Communication and Media via the Director's Honor Roll for all 3 years I've attended UCF, and my recent internship completed here at BPT over the summer (this will be my second semester doing so).
NFT TEAM
Waverly Souvannachack
University of Texas at Dallas
Class of 2026
Computer Science Major
Recent Achievements: “This past summer, I had the opportunity to be a scholar in a coding program for minorities. I also had the honor of being team lead for a technological team where we visited underprivileged schools in local districts and repaired computers for educational use.”
HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM
arjun gill
Western Governors University
Class of 2024
Computer Science Major
Recent Achievements: “My recent achievements include being the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Theta Xi Omega chapter. I am also passionate about technology and the environment, and that is what drives me to become an environmental engineer. As a member of the Engineers without Borders club, I get to tackle environmental issues that require innovative engineering solutions. When I finish school, I hope to find a job that uses Technology to make our environment a better place.”
PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM
Simone Anguera
University of Washington
Class of 2023
History Major
Recent Achievements: “An achievement I am proud of is overcoming my nerves about conversing in Italian and Spanish with native speakers. During my time studying in Europe, I connected with people from various regions and linguistic backgrounds who were similarly eager to communicate. Our shared goals of personal growth and international connection encouraged me to jump in and prioritize my language development (while also prioritizing my studies, an internship, and research & club activities.) Transitioning from a structured classroom to the dynamic real world was intimidating, exhilarating, and rewarding - even amidst the challenge of deciphering various dialects. Now, not only can I communicate more colloquially, but I also foster meaningful connections with people who broaden my global and personal perspectives.”
Sanjana Prabhakar
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Class of 2024
Master’s in Biotechnology
Recent Achievements: “Some of my recent achievements are firstly getting some good internships for the fall semester, completing a year of my grad school, and learning so much about responsibilities and growing up. Most importantly during my previous role in Regulatory Affairs, being something that takes years of practice, I gauged interest and passion in such a short span, I gained skills of leadership and confidence to take up any work. I've excelled at giving good presentations in all my school work. I've gained more insights and recognition of my strengths and capabilities, leading to self-care and appreciation in the last few months where I am regularly exercising and keeping fit.”
MEDICAL RESEARCH TEAM
Sahaj Sidhu
UC Berkeley
Class of 2026
Mechanical Engineering Major
Recent Achievements: This summer, I interned at Youth Finance Institute of America, where I presented personal finance experience in virtual workshops. I researched various real-world careers and created a video for incoming college students.”
Vedasri Surada
Liberal Arts and Science Academy
Class of 2024
Recent Achievements: “Some of my recent achievements include teaching classes in Kenya and India, and I had the opportunity to work in labs in the past at UT Austin including the Ecological Systems Lab and the Drug Discovery Lab.”
Jehan Balading
Lane Technical High School
Class of 2024
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I helped my high school softball team win the title of Regional Champions at the varsity level.”
Eduardo Arteaga
Columbia University
Class of 2026
Neuroscience and Public Health Major
Recent Achievements: “Some of my recent achievements are beginning work on a fracture healing project at HSS and Weill Cornell using patient cells. I can't wait to see what can be revealed from the findings. Additionally, I have begun receiving offers for the summer cycle from healthcare-related consulting firms.”
Roshni Nandwani
Emory University
Class of 2026
Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “Some recent achievements of mine include reaching the first milestone with my low-income, high-achieving high school students that I mentor to help make applying to college easier and much more accessible! I have also been learning a brand new skillset while working on a few projects in my research lab which show a lot of promise!”
Shruti Shah
Purdue University
Class of 2025
Brain and Behavioral Science Major
Recent Achievements: “Some of my recent achievements include doing an internship in the Stanford Radiology Department over the summer, and getting a research position in a lab with one of my favorite professors. Other recent ones include going to the playoffs with my Intramural Volleyball team, and becoming Choreo Chair for my school philanthropic dance team.”
Mythili Nair
UC Santa Cruz
Class of 2025
Biomolecular Engineering Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently I joined the Indian classical dance team at my school, Kalanjali, and we've been performing at various fundraisers and events at Santa Cruz. I also recently finished three major classes this summer and I am now on track to graduate early!”
Elaine Liu
UC Berkeley
Class of 2024
Chemical Biology and Economics Major
Recent Achievements: “One of my recent achievements includes getting involved in two research labs on campus - one on the elongation switching of RNA polymerases, the other on the therapeutic approaches for influenza virus.”
Lauren Chiang
UC Berkeley
Class of 2026
Recent Achievements: “Some of the recent achievements I'm proud of are starting a nonprofit with over 3k participants in just half a year, presenting a research poster at a national conference and winning the Adobe Digital Edge award!”
Eshaan Mehra
UC San Diego
Class of 2023
Molecular and Cell Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “I am excited to graduate this year near the top of my class and do this internship, both of which are accomplishments that I hope to complete soon.”
Darshita Prathap
UC Berkeley
Class of 2027
Molecular and Cell Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “After 3 years of volunteering at the American Cancer Society, I'm now part of the national ACS youth engagement team. I recently created an art piece about cancer which earned me the Silver Key in the Scholastic Art and Writing competition.”
Fantasia Obomanu
University of Chicago
Class of 2026
Neuroscience Major
Recent Achievements: “I took part in a Healthcare Explorers program which is a highly selective program that guided me in tailoring my academic path. This experience not only enhanced my comprehension of healthcare fields beyond medicine but also allowed me to engage with physicians in discussions about medical treatments and contentious subjects.”
emily woo
UC Davis
Class of 2026
Biotechnology Major
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement of mine is completing a research training program. This experience has equipped me with a diverse set of lab techniques and valuable skills. Additionally, I recently got selected to join a Research Team at UC Davis that focuses on microfluidics.”
Srila Palanikumar
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2025
Computational Biology and Classics Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I gave a 30-minute long talk on quantum error correction to an audience of about 12 people during my summer internship, which I'm very proud of.”
Nethra Srinivasan
Case Western Reserve University
Class of 2026
Neuroscience Major
Recent Achievements: “I am the founder of my 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The NeuroKidz, where we strive to bring neuroscience to underprivileged children around the world through STEM with arts! This past summer, we were able to provide lessons and donate school supplies to orphanages in rural India.”
Ethan Kakavetsis
UC Berkeley
Class of 2025
Data Science and Molecular and Cellular Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement of mine is getting the opportunity to work in the emergency room in the Alameda health system. This has been a long journey after a long commitment to volunteer work within the Alameda health system.”
Sriya Dommaraju
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2026
Biology/Plan II Major
Recent Achievements: “Some recent achievements of mine include advancing my research with Dr. Lambowtiz in identifying biomarkers for inflammatory breast cancer within plasma, maintaining a 4.0 in college, and teaching myself how to play the guitar.”
ISABELLE PAPPAS
Cornell University/NYU
Class of 2023
English Major
Recent Achievements: “One of my most recent achievements includes writing an honors thesis on the deuterocanonical Book of Judith from the Old Testament. I won a $1500 dollar prize for my writing!”
BERKELEY PHARMA TECH
Summer 2023 INterns
MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM
Jennifer Mupenda
West Career and Technical Academy
Class of 2024
Recent Achievements: “I recently achieved a Microsoft Office Specialist certification in Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint, and Word. Microsoft applications have been a struggle for me in the past. This certification means I have the knowledge to truly be of value in interpreting and representing financial data. In addition, I just finished my two first college courses designated for high school students with an A! ”
Isaiah Ntekop
University of California, Santa Cruz
Class of 2026
Cognitive Science Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently I have accomplished maintaining A's in each of the courses I have explored, resulting in achieving a spot of the Dean's List of my school. In addition, I have found success exploring the UX/UI field by working toward certifications in softwares such as Photoshop, and improving my skills utilizing these tools.”
EDITORIAL TEAM
mansi patel
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2026
Neuroscience Major
Recent Achievements: “Throughout the past few years, I have initiated multiple community organizations with goals ranging from conducting medication/healthcare product drives to providing free tutoring/mentorship at under-funded refugee schools struggling to meet minimal standardized test scores. As these digital-based start-ups earn me national computing awards and state-wide service recognitions, I strive to further utilize the advancing technology of this era to provide unique and personalized service.”
ariel lee
UC Berkeley
Class of 2026
Integrative Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “I also successfully made and distributed care packages to the homeless community around Berkeley and participated in providing free kidney disease screenings to underserved communities in San Francisco.”
nupur shah
University of Michigan
Class of 2026
Kinesiology Major
Recent Achievements: “This past semester of college, I have gotten involved in two consulting groups where I broaden my impact on clients by addressing their needs and concerns for their business. Additionally, I am eager to work with Michigan Dentistry and Medicine to further research chronic migraines and maxillofacial pain.”
GAME DEVELOPMENT TEAM
SHane pearson
University of Central Florida
Class of 2024
Game Design Major
Recent Achievements: “My recent achievements include earning the Dean’s List numerous times from the College of Sciences, being recognized from the Nicholson School of Communication and Media with the Director’s Honor Roll in 2020, 2021, and 2022, as well as creating a small 3rd person game with peers for a class that we had together.”
allen sun
Texas A&M University
Class of 2026
Computer Science Major
Recent Achievements: “Some recent achievements include maintaining all As and serving as a Projects Officer in the Data Science Club at my college. Additionally, I am a recipient of the President's Endowed Scholarship at Texas A&M.”
NFT TEAM
Mohammad islam
Cornell University
Class of 2025
Computer Science Major
Recent Achievements: “Some of my recent achievements that I am very proud of are building an interactive brokerage system using a functional language with a very accurate trading algorithm, joining a research group, and learning how to cook!”
brandon wong
California Polytechnic State University
Class of 2026
Computer Science Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I have been exercising more and was able to run a 5k in under 22 minutes.”
HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM
taylor hamerski
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Class of 2024
Human Resource Management Major
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement of mine in regards to my current role as a studio manager is that I recently introduced efficient workflows and improved studio operations, which led to a noticeable decrease in production time and costs!”
anisha voocha
University of Pittsburgh
Class of 2026
Information Science Major
Recent Achievements: “Some of my most recent achievements is joining acapella, which was very new for me and something I wanted to try while entering my freshman year at college. Overall another achievement is successfully completing my freshman year.”
PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM
benjamin troth
University of Pittsburgh
Class of 2024
Strategic Communication Major
Recent Achievements: “A recent accomplishment that I am proud of is placing 2nd at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate and Undergraduate Randall Family Startup Competition, where my startup was awarded $15,000! Another accomplishment since then that I am proud of is climbing and summiting a mountain in the Himalayas this past month.”
CREATIVE WRITER TEAM
kate townley
Michigan State University
Class of 2023
Astrophysics Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I was awarded several scholarships and awards through Michigan State University’s Journalism School. I’ve also been recently published in Hour Detroit Magazine, various newspapers across Michigan, and with the online magazine Her Campus, where I am the Senior Editor of the MSU chapter.”
MEDICAL RESEARCH TEAM
simran lallian
UC Davis
Class of 2026
Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently, with the entrepreneurship division of the Neurotechnology Club at UC Davis, we presented our work at an annual Neurotechnology Conference with other UCs and club members. Additionally, as part of the Women's Club Volleyball team at UC Davis, we ended our season by winning our division national championship.”
Mayumi Schaepers-Cheu
Cornell University
Class of 2024
Biological Science Major
Recent Achievements: “ Some of my recent achievements are are getting a position in a research la as well as having done two past internships working in labs. One lab focused on gene therapy and the other on immune cell biology. I am also proud of competing in a Global Health Case Study competition earlier this year, to problem solve real-world health issues.”
sarah moran
University of Washington
Class of 2025
Public Health Major
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement that I am extremely proud of was being admitted into my major program this past quarter. I was accepted as a Public Health B.S. student into the UW Public Health School. I am really happy and excited about this accomplishment!”
gizell lien
UC Berkeley
Class of 2026
Molecular Biology & Business Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently, being able to land this internship and get the chance to learn something new is something I am very proud of. In this internship, I hope to learn more about medical research and hopefully connect with a great network of people.”
Niharika agrawal
University of Rochester
Class of 2026
Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “In 2022, I published an original biology research paper with my team and presented at a national biology conference for experimental biology. My research compared the gene editing systems of CRISPR Cas9 and CRISPR Cas12.”
jason park
Texas A&M University
Graduated
Recent Achievements: “Currently working as a manufacturing technician in the pharmaceutical industry, I am excited to join Berkeley Pharma Tech for an internship before starting medical school in August.”
haily holston
University of California, Irvine
Class of 2025
Biomedical Engineering Major
Recent Achievements: “Some of my recent achievements are that I just graduated from my local community college with an A.S.T in Mathematics, a Student Senate Presidency, 1/2 recipients of the Distinguished Service Award and scholarship (I also get my name engraved on a plaque within the school), and 1/17 recipients of the Excellence in Leadership Award!”
Amaaya Arora
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2025
Integrative Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “My recent achievement that I am proud of is venturing out to conduct research in the bioengineering field, specifically the disease space of knee osteoarthritis at University of California, San Francisco. I learned about machine learning, matlab programming and the importance of preventative healthcare. I also learned to train models and assess accuracy through specificity and sensitivity.”
Ammabel Tukiman
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Molecular & Cell Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “One of my recent achievements would be participating in this Medical Research Internship; it’s my very first one! I was also accepted into a three-week summer program at Keck Graduate Institute in July, which I look forward to taking part in. Overall, I am just very proud and excited to have a productive and busy summer.”
Akshaya Ajan
Basis Independent Silicon Valley High School
Class of 2024
Recent Achievements: “Recent Achievements: Recently I was able to write an abstract on the relationship between Hashimoto's disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. My favorite extracurricular event in school was the Brain Bee, where I won second place. Outside of academics, I am a nationally accomplished badminton player - I won many medals in badminton championships conducted by USAB around the country and the most recent win is the gold in Midwest Open at Chicago in 2022!”
Kelsea Wisniewski
Cornell University
Class of 2025
Biology & Animal Physiology Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I wrote a paper discussing upcoming treatment for Alzheimer's Disease; specifically, I researched the use of prebiotics as molecular chaperones to dissolve amyloid beta plaques (ie. build-up of misfolded proteins in the brain), which are hypothesized to contribute to the brain damage associated with Alzheimer's Disease progression. This work is incredibly meaningful to me, as several of my loved ones have suffered with Alzheimer's.”
leanne lui
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2024
Pharmacology Major
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement of mine is getting recognized for exemplary customer service at my job on campus and getting to my upper division Pharmacology classes!”
Gabriela Bentolila
Columbia University
Class of 2025
Biomedical Engineering Major
Recent Achievements: “I’m excited that this fall I will be continuing my educational journey at Columbia University SEAS as a transfer student. I hope to take part in various organizations and clubs that foster innovation and volunteer work, like Engineers without boarders and Columbia Space Initiative.”
Patricia Gonzaga
University of San Francisco
Class of 2024
Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “I take pride in co-founding an organization fundraising for and highlighting the importance of socks as a basic necessity for the homeless population. This piece of clothing is highly overlooked and we aim to shed light on its significance in the health of homeless people. We currently raised more money than expected and are only continuing to grow from here.”
Julie Phung
Purdue University
Class of 2026
Biomedical Engineering Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I have finished my first year at Purdue. I finished the year on the Dean’s List and with Semester Honors. I was also active in the Vietnamese Student Association at Purdue.”
Noelie "Ellie" MacMullan
University Of Pennsylvania
Class of 2026
Bioengineering Major
Recent Achievements: “Some recent achievements of mine include being elected Communications Chair for Penn Reading Initiative and Vice President of Outreach for the Biomedical Engineering Society at Penn. I also recently ran my first half-marathon, and I received Dean's List for my freshman year at UPenn.”
Zaden Yet
University of California, Santa Cruz
Class of 2025
Biomolecular Engineering Major
Recent Achievements: “Recent achievements of mine include earning a conditional middle-class scholarship and giving my family financial support. I am on track to achieve a 4.0 this quarter. I'm proud to say I have lost 19 pounds in the past 3 months while maintaining strength. I am proud to finally reach a goal of bench pressing 225 pounds, squatting 315 pounds, and deadlifting 405 pounds.”
Linh Van
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2025
Molecular & Cell Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I started working as a research assistant in a lab at my university to help optimize photoprotection in plants. I have also been accepted to join an upcoming mission trip to Mexico that I'm very excited for!”
Sanchitha Kannabran
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2026
Molecular and Cell Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “One of my achievements is being named one of the National Merit Semifinalists during my senior year of high school. Other recent achievements include the work I have done as a part of the Undergraduate Street Medicine Outreach club on campus that is dedicated to advocating and supporting the unhoused population in the Berkeley and Oakland Area and I am excited to be working as a committee chair next year.”
Mansi Patel
The University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2026
Neuroscience Major
Recent Achievements: “Throughout the past few years, I have initiated multiple community organizations with goals ranging from conducting medication/healthcare product drives to providing free tutoring/mentorship at under-funded refugee schools struggling to meet minimal standardized test scores. As these digital-based start-ups earn me national computing awards and state-wide service recognitions, I strive to further utilize the advancing technology of this era to provide unique and personalized service.”
Avani Karvat
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Class of 2025
Brain & Cognitive Science Major
Recent Achievements: “I am very proud of my recent accomplishment of working with my team in the creation of a custom wheelchair, tailored to meet the specific needs of a young girl in our community who has cerebral palsy. Additionally, I am currently in the process of launching a health-focused initiative for children in the Champaign area. Furthermore, I am eager to begin my research journey this coming fall, focusing on neurodegenerative diseases.”
Gatik Trevedi
Dougherty Valley High School
Class of 2024
Recent Achievements: Gatik Trivedi, a then 14-year-old freshman from San Ramon, won 3rd place in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair for his project monitoring COVID-19 symptoms using biotechnology. His invention detects organ dysfunction through an oxygen meter, thermal camera, and spire meter, providing real-time health readings during quarantine.
Benny (Ping Ju) Wu
Carnegie Mellon University
Biomedical Engineering Major
Recent Achievements: Benny (Ping Ju) Wu, a research intern, achieved leading a project on EEG neurofeedback for food cravings, developed ML models for fMRI signal prediction from EEG, and supported research on fMRI neurofeedback for mental health conditions.
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
Dr. Jennifer Ngolab, Ph.D.
Scientific Communications Advisor
UMass Chan Medical School | Ph.D.
University of California, San Diego | B.S.
Recent Achievements: Dr. Jennifer Ngolab, Ph.D., has recently achieved significant advancements in retinal research. Her work includes investigating retinal imaging for Alzheimer's Disease diagnosis, establishing a valuable tissue bank, and studying retinal-specific tau-mediated pathology in mouse models. As a Project Scientist at UC San Diego, she continues to explore unique retinal AD markers and coat color-dependent gene expression differences. Her achievements hold promise for early Alzheimer's detection through retinal imaging.
M.Sc. Hoc Lan (Landon) Phung
Graduated | John Hopkins
Master of Science in Biotechnology
Recent Achievements: Landon, a former team leader in medical research, has joined Health Legacy as a laboratory intern studying epilepsy, while serving as the Grant Writer Fellow at BPT since 2021.
BERKELEY PHARMA TECH
SPRING 2023 Interns
SOCIAL MEDIA, MARKETING, & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Esmi Pistelak
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
MCB, Nutritional Science Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I have been working with startups, helping them market their products and grow on TikTok. I am passionate about social media, and love the creativity these platforms encourage.”
Pavan Varakantham
Olympia High School
Class of 2024
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I qualified for state in DECA (a business/marketing club) for Start-Up Business Plan. A few months ago, I was able to finish up an internship at Bumper Investing, where I was able to learn more about how startups operate along with gaining new business skills.”
Alicia Mathew
Metea Valley High School
Class of 2025
Recent Achievements: “Regarding my recent achievements, I performed Deh Vieni Non Tardar from The Marriage of Figaro, one of Mozart's operas, at Sinfonietta Bel Canto's New Year's Day Gala concert. I was accompanied by a full orchestra, and I sang alongside college students and professionals in the field.”
EDITORIAL TEAM
Elizabeth Paglinauan-Warner
University of Maryland Honor's College
Class of 2023
English & Pre-Med Major
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement of mine is maintaining my spot on the Dean's List this past semester, as well as being elected to the executive board for Students Helping Honduras, a nonprofit organization I am very passionate about. I also recently signed with a NY modeling agency and I am excited to begin work when I move to the city after graduation.”
Sue Bin Park
University of California Los Angeles
Class of 2024
Human Biology and Society Major
Recent Achievements: “As I approach the end of my time as an undergrad student, determining future career paths is definitely at the forefront of my mind. That being said, I have worked hard to improve my native Korean skills and have just managed to land my first freelance part-time position translating Korean media for a YouTube video essay creator.”
Rishika Chidananda
Rice University
Graduated
Recent Achievements: “In college, I became very interested in pursuing my love for words and did everything from writing articles in our college's newspaper 'The Thresher' to being a playwright in a musical parody of 'Hamlet'. After my freshman year, I interned at a production company called Hyde Park entertainment where I read screenplays and was involved in the production process. The next summer, I worked as an editorial intern at Hachette Book Group, one of the Big Five publishing companies in the US.
GAME DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Evan Lew
University of California, Santa Cruz
Class of 2024
Computer Science Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently I finished three game jams for a class that turned out really well. Two of them were made with Unity and the other was my first game designed with Unreal. The standout of the three games was a first person thriller game where the player is trapped in a ground hog's day type of setting. I designed the teleporting mechanics and UI in the game.”
Yufeng Liu
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Class of 2023
Physics Major
Recent Achievements: “My last semester was the busiest one since freshman, as I needed to apply to grad school, search for jobs, and take major courses to boost up my gpa. I was proud that I managed to accomplish all the tasks. Last semester I got A in all the courses.”
HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM
Alina Pham
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Business Administration Major
Recent Achievements: “One recent achievement of mine is becoming the director of Video Games for my club 'Business Careers in Entertainment'. This position allowed me to create my own project based on the gaming industry, where I plan to work in the future. I've gained experienced in leading a team of ten people and connections from companies that I plan to work for in upcoming years.”
Sabrina Tiseo
University of Delaware
Class of 2023
Psychology Major
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement of mine is conducting and completing my own Psychology research study. My study examined the effects of social media usage on college students' emotional well-being.”
PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM
Zariah Anglin
Flagler College
Class of 2023
Strategic Communication Major'
Recent Achievements: “Last year, I was elected Vice President of The Black Student Union at Flagler College, and have been in charge of planning several successful campus involvement events and activities. In December, I was invited to join Alpha Chi – an academic honor society that accepts only the top 10% of students from various disciplines.”
MEDICAL RESEARCH TEAM
Yacoub Alokam
St. Francis College
Class of 2025
Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “Apart from being a student leader and a research assistant, I believe my greatest accomplishment is my community health advocacy work with the Clementine Collective Project. Our mission is to educate communities on the disparities that exist in our current health system, and our work involves giving out fresh produce to communities living in food deserts.”
Daniyal Atiq
St. Francis College
Class of 2024
Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “I recently started my own independent research project on treatment methods for systemic lupus. It’s been fun using literature and analysis to develop new relationships and connections and is something I hope to continue in BPT.”
Maria Favela
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2023
Neuroscience Major
Recent Achievements: “Completed a Computational Science and Engineering Certificate and writing a literature review paper on ion selective electrodes for cerebral injuries.”
Kareem Halwah
Stony Brook University
Class of 2023
Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “I recently got accepted to conduct clinical research with patients in the emergency department. I am looking forward to interacting with patients and getting experience in the medical field through research. I am also going to be the co-chair for one of the outreach committees in my school. I am really excited about the impact we will have on the community.”
Heyi Fang
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Molecular and Cell Biology & Economics Major
Recent Achievements: “One of my most recent achievements is that I finished reviewing and annotating a bunch of medical research paper on cancer prognosis and am trying to make a series of video on the topic as a popularization of knowledge to the general public.”
Suraj Shah
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2026
Molecular & Cell Biology Major
Recent Achievements: “A few months ago, I was accepted for a research position under a neurosurgeon at the University of California, San Francisco, in which I studied ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, as well as subarachnoid hemorrhages. I am also proud to be making progress on my self-taught guitar journey, which I've been pursuing for a couple years so far.”
Harshita Pinneboina
The King’s Academy
Class of 2024
Recent Achievements: “ A recent achievement I am proud of is the work my non-profit, Nourish.nxt, has been able to do such as raising funds for an international cancer trust hospital and conducting a nutrition education series mentored by health professionals. We have been able to work alongside and support many local charities in addition to expanding our team.”
Alexandra Yakimova
University of Washington
Class of 2025
Biochemistry Major
Recent Achievements: “Recently I've had the opportunity to write and publish my first independent articles with The Daily here at UW, as well as join a research lab and take ballet classes again, which I've really missed.”
Jowana Ghazzawi
University of Central Florida
Graduated
Recent Achievements: “As I continue to work towards medical school applications throughout my gap year, I have since been accepted to attend medical school and pursue my dreams of becoming a physician and am continuing to interview for others at the moment! I also currently serve as the Head Clinic Coordinator of the Free Clinic of Florida and have recently been trained to become a scribe, which I plan on pursuing until attending medical school in the Fall!”
Hasset Yishak
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2023
Biological Sciences Major
Recent Achievements: “Some recent achievements of mine is that I will be graduating this year which is really exciting for me. Also, recently I took a computer programming course just to learn a new skill and while it was challenging, it was very rewarding learning how to troubleshoot and problem solve, and whenever the code was able to run properly after many hours of fixing it was the best feeling!”
Diya Kumar
Brookfield High School
Class of 2028
Recent Achievements: “I conducted research on developing a new metric for measuring the evolutionary distance between groups of microbiota over the summer and presented it at a research conference in Boston. Additionally, my team and I won first place in a Congressional App Challenge for our app that helps diagnose Parkinson's Disease.”
Joanna Rhim
Portola High School
Class of 2027
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I have worked as a research intern in one of the University of California, Irvine laboratories. Through presentations and review research paper writing process, I was able to learn immunotherapy, breast cancer receptors, and combined therapy.”
Hailey Guinto
San Jose State University
Class of 2026
Major: Pre-Nursing
Recent Achievements: “Some recent achievements I am proud of include joining the executive team for my nursing club at my university! I also recently started working at a child nursery near my school. I hope to gain more perspective and experience working with children as I want to become a pediatric research nurse in the future!”
Aarushi rathaur
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Major: Molecular & Cell Biology
Recent Achievements: “I work as a Production Manager for UC Berkeley’s Premier Bollywood Dance Team, UC Berkeley Azaad, and am so excited to be a Medical Research intern for BPT! “
BERKELEY PHARMA TECH
FALL 2022 INterns
MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM
Michelle Li
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2026
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
About Me: “Hi! My name is Michelle Li, and I am part of the Class of 2026 as a freshman at the University of California, Berkeley. I am intending to major in Molecular and Cell Biology. I enjoy practicing Hapkido and hope to obtain my second degree black belt certification during or after college. I also deeply enjoy jamming out to Kpop music (preferably Seventeen and The Boyz), and am passionate about exploring the field of biomedicine, biotech, research, and bio-entrepreneurship. One fun fact about myself is that I am currently trying to make my dorm room Seventeen aesthetic-themed.”
Recent Achievements: “In terms of recent achievements, I am proud to have received my 1st degree black belt certification back in February of 2022. During the summer, I was able to dedicate many hours in volunteering at my local Hapkido studio. A while back, I was able to learn about bio entrepreneurship and pharmaceutics under the KECK Graduate Institute SURE Program, where I was able to analyze research articles to propose whether Ebselen could be used to treat Staphylococcal Infections. This experience caused me to fall in love with medicine even further.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I hope to have graduated with a double major in MCB and Business Administration. I hope to either be starting my first year at medical school to pursue a higher degree in order to prepare for a future career in medicine. Another aspiration in the next five years, if not medical school, would be me starting my first year at a biotech industry. I would achieve these aspirations through actively participating in research and work experience, while maintaining a learning mindset.”
EDITORIAL TEAM
jane li
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Major: Molecular & Cell Biology and Psychology
About Me: “Hi I am Jane, a junior at UC Berkeley majoring in Molecular & Cell Biology and Psychology. I love visiting coffee shops, cooking with my friends, and reading. One fun fact about me is that I have 2 cats who are in China and 1 cat that I adopted with my cousin who is at my cousin's place.”
Recent Achievements: “Recently I troubleshooted and overcame a challenge that I've been experiencing for about 2 months in my lab at Berkeley.”
Aspirations: “Five years from now, I would still be in grad school pursuing a Ph.D. degree.”
CRYTOCURRENCY TEAM
DEEPAK ANANTHAKRISHNAN
Purdue University
Class of 2026
Major: Computer Information Technology
About Me: “My name is Deepak Ananthakrishnan and I am a freshman attending Purdue University this fall. My passions involve messing with computers and watching or playing sports in my spare time. One fun fact about myself is that I've played the piano for seven years.”
Recent Achievements: “An achievement I'm proud of is that I got all the way to Certificate of Merit level 9 right when I graduated high school. Additionally, I am proud that I was able to successfully achieve a third degree black belt in Taekwondo.”
Aspirations: “ In five years I see myself not only working a technology based job that I would find interesting, but also following my passions as well. Whether it comes from through my job or in my own time, I see myself analyzing and playing sports for fun. I plan to achieve this goal by not only hard work, but also trying to do projects that connect sports and technology in my own time as well.”
GAME DEVELOPMENT TEAM
kAITAO CHEN
Case Western Reserve University
Class of 2023
Major: Computer Science
About Me: “Hi, my name is Kaitao Chen. I am a senior student at Case Western Reserve University. My major is Computer Science and my main study field is software engineering.”
Recent Achievements: “I have completed two Unity game design projects over two semesters in 2021 and have uploaded the final product to itch.io for public viewing. My first project, Slash and Burn, gave me a deeper understanding of zombie games. The second project is called Trunko, which is a 2D side-scrolling roguelike game. Acting as Trunko, you must navigate and fight your way through three floors of enemies, picking up weapons and upgrades along the way, to earn your freedom and return to space. Moreover, I am still working on an HTML game called 2048. The game adopts the most standard web design of HTML+CSS+Javascript. And use Vuetify for front-end UI design to make the whole game look better.”
Aspirations: “After five years, I want to continue developing in the game design field and seek a more senior position for myself. I think game design must be a very hot industry within five years. With the popularization of artificial intelligence and virtual reality, if game design is integrated into it, it will inevitably change how people entertain. I think this internship allowed me to learn new skills, and this one can help me improve myself.”
HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM
audrey chan
Cornell University
Class of 2025
Major: Industrial and Labor Relations
About Me: “My name is Audrey Chan and I am a sophomore at Cornell University studying Industrial and Labor Relations. In my free time, I love reading, hiking, and trying out various matcha drinks. One fun fact about myself is that tangerines are my favorite fruit!”
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement that I am proud of is that I was team captain of Cal Fencing in Sabre. After training novices from fall through spring semester, our team traveled to Rhode Island for CFC nationals and won first place.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself completing my undergraduate degree and working in the consulting industry. I hope to pursue a law degree after a while, either in entertainment or employment law.”
Medical Research Team
serena huang
University of California, Los Angeles
Class of 2024
Major: Physiological Sciences
fadel batal
University of Pennsylvania
Class of 2025
Major: Bioengineering
AMa anwar
Columbia University
Class of 2024
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Ashley varatip
University of California, Irvine
Class of 2024
Major: Biomedical Engineering
About Me: “My name is Ashley Varatip and I am a third year undergraduate student at the University of California, Irvine majoring in Biomedical Engineering. Outside of academics, I enjoy working out, playing volleyball, and trying new foods. One fun fact about me is that I love traveling and I recently just went to Thailand for the fifth time this summer.”
Recent Achievements: “I was selected as one of the few students to obtain an undergraduate research position in the Cardiovascular Modeling Laboratory at UCI. Here, I will be researching the effect of different stimuli, such as hypoxia and cytokine, present in diseases on cardiac structure and function.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself obtaining an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at UCI. Furthermore, I want to be in the process of getting my PhD. I want to be in a position where I have gained more experience and knowledge in this field. My overall goal would be to use my research and laboratory skills to work as a biotech researcher and be able to help my community. I plan to achieve this by always being a hard worker when it comes to coursework and research.”
Atoosa H.Bigvand
University of California, San Diego
Graduated
Major: Clinical Research
About Me: “My name is Atoosa H. Bigvand, and I am a graduate from the University of California, San Diego majoring in Clinical Research.”
Aspirations: “ I aspire to become a Clinical Researcher specializing in pain and sleep medicine. With my educational background, pain and sleep medicine certification I intend to achieve, this internship's experience, previous experiences, and medical research, I intend to succeed through these aspirations throughout the next 5 years.”
emma son
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2025
Major: Molecular Environmental Biology and Nutritional Science
About Me: “My name is Emma Son, and I am a Sophomore at UC Berkeley, pursuing BS degrees in Molecular Environmental Biology and Nutritional Science. Some of my passions include playing the flute, swimming, and graphic design. One fun fact about me is that I love teaching and working with children.”
Recent Achievements: “Some achievements I am proud of includes holding leadership positions in three clubs in my university, including a club focusing on distributing medical supplies to impoverished communities. Because I am passionate about Nutritional science, I drafted and published an eating disorder awareness pamphlet for my high school district. Additionally, I founded and led a class for reading classes for underprivileged ESL students. I also founded an student-run organization focusing on physical and mental wellbeing, focusing on social media publicity to raise awareness in students. Additionally, I created a fundraiser in partnership with UNICEF to donate money towards global education, funded by an online business that I started and ran selling handmade jewelry.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself graduating with my double degrees and working in biological research. I hope to continue working in a lab setting, discovering and experimenting with new theories in the biomedical field, and its correlation with increasingly technological methods.”
Sofya Svyatskaya
University of California, San Diego
Class of 2024
Major: Biology
About Me: “My name is Sofya Svyatskaya, but I go by Sonya. I am currently a rising junior at the University of California San Diego. Some of my passions include fitness, fashion, many different out door activities, working with/meeting new people. One fun fact about me is that I worked as a ski instructor.”
Recent Achievements: “Some of my recent achievements was learning how to surf, hence getting over my immense fear of the ocean, getting a lab position within the UCSD Medical School and getting more involved in it over times, as well as getting a volunteer position at UCSD Medical Center.”
Aspirations: “In five years I hope be doing something that I love, well I hope I at least figure out what it is. Right now all my interests are in the same frame work of biology and medicine, but I don't know if I want to take the medical school route or look more into biotech.”
Darshita Prathap
Dougherty Valley High School
Class of 2027
Major: Interested in Human Biology and Art/Design
About Me: “I'm Darshita Prathap, a senior at Dougherty Valley High School. I absolutely love working with kids, whether that's tutoring or even just playing with them. Fun fact: I have 7 guitars (all of which I play for my youtube channel).”
Recent Achievements: “I'm extremely proud of my American Cancer Society club for growing in the most diverse and communal of ways after the pandemic. We just had our first relay for life since the pandemic, and I was our opening speaker. I'm also proud of the synthetic chem research I've presented at the American Chemical Society.”
Aspirations: “Five years from now, I'll have finished my undergrad doubling majoring in Human biology and Art/Design. I'm currently developing a project to create therapeutic art for children with Autism and hope to expand that with my research experience at Berkeley Pharma Tech.”
kylie mccauley
University of California, Los Angeles
Class of 2023
Major: Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology
About Me: “Hi everyone! My name is Kylie McCauley, and I am a senior at UCLA. I spend my time reading, playing tennis, golfing, and surfing, as well as working in a UCLA research lab. A fun fact about me is that I swam and played water polo for five years.”
Recent Achievements: “During my time at UCLA, I have been involved in several campus organizations, including serving as the president of a philanthropic women's organization with over 200 members. Through my research postion at a UCLA neuroscience laboratory, I am a co-author of several works submitted to a neuroscience conference and two medical journals. During the pandemic, I worked in a COVID-19 testing lab, processing and running thousands of tests daily while gaining insight into how a commercial lab operates.”
Aspirations: “My career goals include either persuing a medical degree, or working as a leader within the biotechnology industry to not only develop a life-changing product but also direct and make decisions on behalf of the company. Ultimately, I aim to have a positive impact on improving health care, and working with companies like Berkeley PharmaTech will help me to gain experience and network with individuals who can make my career dreams a reality.”
isis decrem
University of Chicago
Class of 2025
Major: Chemistry
About Me: “My name is Isis Decrem and I am a sophomore at the University of Chicago. I love science, but am also passionate about innovation and political issues. I have not declared a major, but am learning towards Chemistry. In my free time, I enjoy going on walks, surfing, and hanging out with friends. Additionally, I usually have a miscellaneous side project going on– these can be anything from learning about mindfulness to making a series of paintings.”
Recent Achievements: “My current side project is creating an app. As of today, the most basic version of the app is fully functional. While it is really rewarding to see everything come to life on my phone, what really makes me happy is knowing how much I’ve learned. I haven’t coded anything of this scale by myself before, and in this process, have learned how to “do” so many things that future projects will need.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself at a startup working at the intersection of science and computer technology. I would love to be at a biotech startup working on something I am particularly passionate about, such as women’s health or mental health issues. To get here, I plan to build a strong research background, and spend time interning at both large and small companies. I have always been interested in going to graduate school, so that is in the cards, as well.”
cameron asadi
Boston University
Class of 2024
Major: Biology
About Me: “My name is Cameron, and I am a junior at Boston University. My major is Biology with a specialization in Cellular Biology, Molecular Biology & Genetics (CMG). Outside of academics, I enjoy being active, whether it is running, biking, swimming or going to the gym. A fun fact about me is that I did Variety Bowling for one winter season in high school.”
Recent Achievements: “Last year, I co-founded the Boston University Blockchain club and have started an engaged cryptocurrency community at my college. The e-board and I are continuing to grow the club as well as the club’s network with blockchain related companies and organizations.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself gaining a few years of professional work experience in the healthcare industry. I would also like to pursue a master’s degree in either Public Health or Biology.”
Yash KILAM
Mission San Jose High School
Class of 2027
Major: Interested in Biological and Neural Engineering
About Me: “I am a senior at Mission San Jose High School and an aspiring humanitarian biomedical engineer. Born and raised in Fremont, California, I have travelled to over 21 countries. I believe that to change the world for the better, I must start in my own community. My hobbies include writing blogs on neuroscience, playing guitar and cooking with my little brother (pasta is our favorite). One fun fact about me is I practice Guardian Art (from indigenous heritage martial art).”
Recent Achievements: “Recent achievements that I am proud of is I got an AP Scholar with distinction award and was selected to be a Youth Wellness Ambassador for the City of Fremont.”
Aspirations: “I believe in the power of socially responsible biomedical engineering to help solve pressing challenges of our times, including global health inequality. I can’t wait to join Engineers Without Borders. As a graduate student, I aspire to pursue neural engineering to help find solutions to neurological diseases.”
kelly an
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Major: Molecular Environmental Biology
About Me: “Hello! My name is Kelly An and I am a third year studying Molecular Environmental Biology with an emphasis in Environment and Human Health and minor in Nutritional Sciences. I am very passionate about food, staying active, and trying new things! A fun fact about me is that I never order the same thing twice at a restaurant, cafe, or boba shop.”
Recent Achievements: “I enjoyed the opportunity to present a project that I have been assisting with at UCSF at a research showcase for my college at UC Berkeley. I am excited to take on this position as BPT's medical research intern. I have also completed a personal summer goal of being able to do at least one pull up!”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself as a medical student, pursuing a career as an effective physician. On this journey, I will stay dedicated to my studies and learn from the research opportunities I engage in. I will focus on building more skills to be an empathetic and reliable doctor through clinical and volunteer experiences I will engage in. My passion for medicine, health, and wellbeing drives my aspirations to be an impactful individual.”
Jillian popovich
Loyola University Chicago
Class of 2025
Major: Biology
About Me: “My name is Jillian Popovich, and I am a sophomore Biology student at Loyola University Chicago. I am passionate about showing representation of disability in medicine and biomedical research, and making quality healthcare more accessible to groups who are historically disadvantaged. One fun fact about me is that I graduated high school after only three years!”
Recent Achievements: “Some recent achievements I am proud of include obtaining this research internship, writing a research paper about the ethics behind the use of CRISPR, being offered the Presidential Scholarship from my school, and completing my first year of college in a big new city. I am also very proud of myself for having finished 41 credits by the end of my freshman year, along with my GPA that followed those classes.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself with a B.S. in Biology, and attending medical school, hopefully somewhere in Chicago. I plan on achieving this by continuing to apply my knowledge to my studies, growing the knowledge I already have, and staying focused on things that will further accelerate my path to graduate school, such as this internship.”
BERKELEY PHARMA TECH
SUMMER 2022 INterns
Medical Research Team
Jordyn Novick
University of Michigan
Class of 2025
Major: Biomedical Engineering
About Me: “I am Jordyn Novick a Freshman studying biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan. Some of my passions include dancing, traveling, and baking. A fun fact is that my roommate and I currently have a pet fish in our dorm!”
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement that I am proud of is making the Dean's list for first semester. I worked really hard in all of my classes as well as adjusted really well to college life.”
Aspirations: “After graduation, I hope to be part of a collaborative team undertaking cutting-edge research in tissue engineering and/or artificial organ creation. After gaining clinical experience, I would like to attend graduate school to advance my knowledge in the field of biomedical engineering to create revolutionary devices that improve human health.”
Donna Tran
UC Irvine
Class of 2024
Major: Biomedical Engineering
About Me: “My name is Donna Tran, and I am a second-year student pursuing a Biomedical Engineering B.S. degree at the University of California, Irvine. I am passionate about bridging the realms of medicine and engineering by developing innovative solutions to challenges in the MedTech industry. I also enjoy tutoring and sharing my knowledge with the next generation of bright scholars. A fun fact about myself is that I have double-jointed knuckles.”
Recent Achievements: “I recently obtained an undergraduate research position at the Microbiomechanics Lab at UCI where I will be exploring hippocampal in vitro electrophysiology. I will apply my experience with coding and data analysis to study neural networks in the hippocampus.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I envision myself having already graduated with a Biomedical Engineering, B.S. and gaining experience at a biotech company. During this time, I also hope to specialize in a branch of BME that I am most passionate about by pursing a higher degree.”
aNna Pollini
UC Berkeley
Class of 2024
Major: Molecular and Cell Biology
About Me: “My name is Anna Pollini and I am a second-year at the University of California, Berkeley. My major is Molecular and Cell Biology with a concentration in Biochemistry. I am really passionate about my field of study, but I also have many other interests and hobbies including dance, art, photography, reading, and journaling. One fun fact about me is that I am from New Jersey and I am really interested in pursuing a business degree on top of my current major.”
Recent Achievements: “Some of my recent achievements that I am proud of include running a successful small business and social media account on tik tok. I really love working with big brands for marketing opportunities and it is one of my favorite activities. I am also proud of being a student here at Berkeley and being successful in my courses because I put a lot of effort into my academics and am happy to see positive results.”
Aspirations: “In five years I see myself in a PhD program pursuing a degree in the biomedical field. After finishing school, I hope to work in an innovative biotechnology company. I plan to achieve this goal by being successful in my coursework and also making an effort to participate in research both on and off-campus.”
Prakruti Jajoo
University of Pittsburgh
Class of 2025
Major: Bioengineering
About Me: “Academically and professionally I am very passionate about medicine, healthcare and science. I would like my job in the future to be something in which I am able to make a positive impact on people. Outside of this, I love to dance, paint, spend time with my friends and family and randomly learn songs on the piano. One funfact about me is that I love to travel, and one of my favorite experiences was cliff diving in Jamaica.”
Recent Achievements: “Some of my most recent achievements was obtaining my EMT certification. Additionally I recently started to learn under a PI in a research lab in Pittsburgh that I will be working in over the school year to get more experience.”
Aspirations: “In 5 years I would have finished my undergrad degree in bioengineering and would like to be doing one of two things. I would either be pursuing further education in the form of an MD or an MSE/MBA, otherwise I would like to work in the clinical bioengineering industry. My overall goal in life is to work in the medical/healthcare field, and help the community around me. I plan to do this by using these next few years to figure out how I best fit into this field, and where I would be able to work the best to make the biggest impact.”
Matt Gostkowski
University of Connecticut
Class of 2023
Major: Molecular and Cell Biology
About Me: “Matt Gostkowski, Class of 2023, University of Connecticut, molecular and cell biology major. Some of my passions/hobbies include sports, listening to music, outdoor activities like fishing, biking, hiking. One fun fact about me is that I am a huge soccer fan.”
Recent Achievements: “Some recent achievements that I am proud of include earning a 2020 Babbidge Scholar award and reaching my fundraising goal for HuskyTHON 2022 at UConn.”
Aspirations: “In 5 years I hope to be pursuing a career as a physician or working in a biomedical research role. My goal is to pursue further education in medicine and gain experience biomedical research in the next few years to set myself up for a career where I feel like my work is having a positive impact on the others. I believe my passion in the biomedical field and experience I plan to gain will help me be successful in achieving my goal.”
Sanjana Satish
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Class of 2024
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
About Me: “My name is Sanjana Satish, and I am a sophomore studying Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Outside of academics, I love to dance and play the piano. I also love to swim and play tennis when the weather is nice outside. Additionally, I enjoy traveling to different countries and have visited eight countries so far. One fun fact is that I got to travel to Poland with a Holocaust survivor where I visited different concentration camps and historical sites with her!”
Recent Achievements: “A while back, I was selected for the McLean County Cadaver Lab program where I got to dissect a cadaver and interact with surgeons, histologists, nurses, medical researchers, and other healthcare professionals. Recently, I got a chance to shadow and interact closely with a pediatrician and optometrist and joined the Cellular Neuroscience and Imaging Lab on campus.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself with a degree in Biology and a secondary discipline in Bioengineering. I hope to be in medical school and gaining more experience in the healthcare field.”
Anyoko Sewavi
Dartmouth College
Class of 2023
Major: Biology
About Me: “My name is Anyoko Sewavi and I am in the Class of 2023 at Dartmouth College. I enjoy reading science fiction books as well as cooking. One fun fact about me is that I am a bingo fanatic.”
Recent Achievements: “I am an E.E Just Undergraduate Fellow which allows me to pursue an independent research project during my junior and senior year.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I will be a biology/genetics PhD student and continue my journey as a scientist. I plan to achieve this by working hard during my undergrad years with classes and research to make myself a competitive applicant.”
Jason Chiu
UC Berkeley
Class of 2024
Major: Chemical Engineering
About Me: “My name is Jason, and I am a second-year chemical engineering major at UC Berkeley. In my free time, I enjoy coaching club basketball and cooking. One fun fact about me is that I religiously take a nap every day.”
Recent Achievements: “As a member of the corporate committee at my school’s chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, I recently hosted an interview-style event where alumni led mock interviews with students. I was also invited to Tau Beta Pi, an engineering honors society at Berkeley.”
Aspirations: “In 5 years, I see myself having completed a master’s program in chemical engineering and starting a Ph.D. program or entering into the industry, working for a biotech company. With more experience, I plan to decide what sub-field of research I want to pursue through education or work. Regardless, I hope to be on the cutting edge of pharmaceutical research.”
Pragnya Vijayan
Santa Clara University
Class of 2025
Major: Biology
About Me: “My name is Pragnya Vijayan and I am a freshman at Santa Clara University. I am majoring in Biology and minoring in Computer Science. In my free time, I enjoy reading, hiking, and going on car rides. A fun fact about me is that I have never broken a bone.”
Recent Achievements: “In my current internship at 1Cademy, an online-collaborative platform built by the University of Michigan School of Information to promote interdisciplinary research, I abstract literature in the fields of neuroscience and psychology and perform content mapping. I am also a writer for the SCU Her Campus chapter and publish articles about college experience and lifestyle.”
Aspirations: “My ambition is to transform the lives of people by identifying gaps between healthcare delivery and current medical technology. In five years, I hope to be working as a biomedical engineer and envision integrating myself into high-focus research and design areas. I am interested in studying biomaterials for tissue engineering and reversing the progression of diseases. Alternatively, I plan on pursuing an MD/Ph.D to build a foundation for tackling medical challenges.”
Ethan Miranda
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Class of 2023
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology & Informatics
About Me: “Hi! I'm Ethan. I am a junior studying molecular and cellular biology and informatics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Outside of school, I enjoy playing tennis, lifting, or playing the guitar.
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I made the dean's list as well as obtained my Pharmacy Technician license, both of which I am very proud of.”
Aspirations: “In 5 years, I see myself graduating either med school or graduate school in some type of computational neuroscience field. My experiences in the classroom and in this internship will be very helpful as I am on that journey.”
Belinda Yeung
Stanford University
Class of 2025
Major: Bioengineering
About Me: “My name is Belinda Yeung, and I am a freshman at Stanford University. I love trying new foods and photography. One fun fact about me is that my favorite medium of photography is 35mm film.”
Recent Achievements: “One recent activity that I am proud of is that I volunteered at a bone marrow drive.”
Aspirations: “In the next five years, I hope to be continuing biomedical research. I hope that I can use what I learn to make a meaningful impact for others.”
Tanvi Yalamanchili
UC Berkeley
Class of 2025
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
About Me: “Hi, my name is Tanvi Yalamanchili, and I am a rising sophomore in UC Berkeley, intending to major in Molecular and Cellular Biology with an emphasis in Immunology and Pathogenesis. I really love baking/cooking, playing tennis, and watching Indian movies. One fun fact about me is that I know how to make seven different ice cream flavors.”
Recent Achievements: “I recently wrote a scientific review article called "Autophagy: A Multipotentialite" and got it published under the biology section in the Young Scientists' Journal. It addresses how autophagy, a multicellular process, could be used as a potential therapeutic for COVID-19.”
Aspirations: “I am planning to go the pre-med track, so in five years, I see myself being in my first year of med school and hope to be an OB-GYN in the future. I plan on achieving my goal by getting involved in research, working hard in school, and finding opportunities to volunteer at hospitals or clinics and shadow different healthcare professionals.”
Saahil Mohta
UC Santa Cruz
Class of 2024
Major: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
About Me: “Hi! My name is Saahil, and I am a rising junior at UC Santa Cruz studying Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. Some of my hobbies include spending time outdoors, rock climbing, and listening to podcasts, and one fun fact about me is that I have an (almost) 2-year-old golden retriever that I trained myself!”
Recent Achievements: “An achievement that I am proud of is that I recently got accepted into, and have begun doing research in, an immunology lab on campus. Our lab studies the regulation of immune responses in disease by MHC molecules (which are crucial for the function of the adaptive immune system). I also became a co-president of an on-campus organization that seeks to establish and operate a shelter for students who may be homeless; I am looking forward to coming up with solutions that can address the needs of the unhoused student population.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself in medical school, pursuing a MD degree, on a path to becoming a physician. One of my long-term goals is to give back to my community in an impactful way while addressing disparities in health and medicine that are experienced by traditionally marginalized populations and groups.”
Ishita Purwar
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Class of 2024
Major: Engineering Physics
About Me: “Hi! I am Ishita Purwar, a rising junior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I am an Engineering Physics, and naturally, I love Math and Physics. I also have a huge knack for Biochemistry and Psychology; I think that they are really interesting. One fun fact about me is that I am really short and young for a normal college student.”
Recent Achievements: “I have been the choreographer of the Bollywood dance group at my University for one year. I have been on the Dean's List of UIUC Grainger College of Engineering for 4 consecutive semesters.”
Aspirations: “I see myself in the healthcare industry, with better interpersonal skills and communication skills. I want to be on the engineering side of biotechnology. For this to happen, I would like to do a master's in Public Health or Bioengineering.”
Venkata Repaka
University of Texas at Dallas
Class of 2024
Major: Molecular Biology
About Me: “Venkata Repaka is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Dallas, majoring in Molecular Biology and minoring in neurobiology with an expected graduation date of May 2024. She is passionate about becoming an MD/Ph.D. within the oncology and genetics departments. A fun fact about her is that she loves reptiles and owns a pet tortoise.”
Recent Achievements: “Venkata is proud of her achievement in presenting her college research from Dr. Douglas Root's lab at the 2021 ASBMB North Texas Regional Conference. She is also happy to be with Berkeley Pharma Tech as a Medical Research Intern for her fourth semester and hopes to build her research background.”
Aspirations: “In five years, Venkata hopes to be attending an MD/Ph.D. program and do great research for others. Currently, she is conducting research at her university and in BPT to build the backbone for her career while gaining clinical experience on the side.”
Christina Yang
UC Berkeley
Class of 2025
Major: Molecular and Cell Biology & Business Administration
About Me: “Kia ora! I'm Christina (Yu Qing) and I am a rising sophomore at UC Berkeley. Some of my passions include content creation, reading, and photography. I am from New Zealand so I love to use various forms of media to share my perspective as an International Student with my peers. One fun fact about me is that I have a twin brother called Dennis, who is currently studying in Beijing, China.”
Recent Achievements: “The spring semester of 2022 was pretty hectic for me! I came into college a little unsure of what I wanted to pursue so I tried to get involved in various activities. One of the most rewarding activities I participated in was being an apprentice at an optometry lab on campus: SELAB. I met a lot of amazing people and learned more about the scientific process, specifically in terms of human subject testing. I was also involved with a consulting club in Phi Beta Lambda, where I was challenged to think critically and solve problems creatively.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I want to be a passionate scientist who is eager to drive innovation that has the potential to positively change the world. I hope to pursue higher education, potentially a MD-PhD to initiate a career as a changemaker in the healthcare space. I am equally passionate about becoming a physician, where I can directly impact patients’ lives, or a biotech researcher, where I can utilise my endless curiosity to find solutions to medical problems. I want to be a leader for the people, and make the healthcare system more equitable for the people in my community.”
Charankamal Padda
UC Davis
Class of 2022
About Me: “Some of my passions are running and swimming. Fun Fact: I was born in India and moved to the US at the age of two.”
Recent Achievements: “Maintained at least a 3.5 Cumulative GPA in my academics and at the same time have been able to balance family priorities and my personal workout routines.”
Aspirations: “Where I see myself in five years: I see myself in a good medical school. I plan to achieve this goal by studying hard for the MCAT, maintaining a strong undergraduate GPA, getting plentiful clinical experience, and by building a strong medical school application.”
Gayoung Yang
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
Class of 2023
Major: Biomolecular Science
About Me: “I am Gayoung Yang, a senior majoring in Biomolecular Science with a minor in Medical Anthropology at the University of Michigan--Ann Arbor. I love to play my violin and the piano, and being in a praise and worship team in the church. A fun fact about me is that I have perfect pitch.”
Recent Achievements: “I am proud of my internship experience in Korea last summer where I was one of the frontline workers in the COVID-19 crisis. I performed Viral DNA/RNA extraction for rapid diagnostic kit for detection of SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19), set up and run real-time LAMP PCR, and interpreted results.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself pursuing my dream of becoming a physician. I believe my passion towards medicine will empower me to face the rigor of an international student entering a U.S. medical school. I plan to get involved in various clinical work and volunteer experiences or in research in the field of biomedicine or chemistry after graduation.”
Jay Patel
Emory University
Class of 2024
Major: Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology
About Me: “My name is Jay Patel and I am a rising junior at Emory University majoring in Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology. Some of my passions include running, writing, and sports (Detroit fan!). One fact about myself is that I can speak 4 languages.”
Recent Achievements: “I was recently listed as an author for an abstract published at my undergraduate research lab studying Alzheimer's disease.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I hope to be attending medical school to eventually attain my lifelong goal of becoming a physician. To achieve this, I plan to continue gaining clinical experience and developing my academic and research skills.”
Carlota Sagarduy
University of Miami
Class of 2024
Major: Biomedical Engineering
About Me: “My name is Carlota Sagarduy and I am a rising junior at the University of Miami. I am majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Biomaterials and Tissue. My passions include advancing medical devices, research and development, and applying artificial intelligence to the medical field. I would love to make a positive impact on the world of medicine.”
Recent Achievements: “I have been selected to join and lead a Research Lab at the University of Miami. At this lab I will be studying regenerative medicine. In addition, I have been on the Dean's List and achieved the Provost's Honor roll for four consecutive semesters at the University of Miami.”
Aspirations: “In five years I see myself having completed my master's in Biomedical Engineering and working at a company where I can use my knowledge to better our understanding of diseases and their progression. In addition, I hope to contribute to the creation of cutting edge biotechnology.”
Gatik Trivedi
Dougherty Valley High School
High School Sophomore
About Me: “Hello! My name is Gatik Trivedi and I am a sophomore at Dougherty Valley High School. I love going hiking and also enjoy playing the piano. As a side hobby, I like to shoot hoops frequently as well! One fun fact about myself is that I am ambidextrous!”
Recent Achievements: “Last year, I took my biotechnological research to the International Science and Engineering Fair where I had won 3rd place. This year, I had the honor of attending the annual National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. I have also spoke at multiple TEDx and industry-level conferences like BIOMEDevice.”
Aspirations: “Within the next 5 years, I hope to have a successful biotech startup where we create innovative solutions for problems that exist in the world today! I plan to continue to pursue my passion in research and biotechnology and see where that road takes me!”
Editorial Team
Victor Pham
UC Santa Barbara
Class of 2024
Major: Pharmacology
About Me: “Hello! My name is Victor and I am a 2nd year at UC Santa Barbara (Class of 2024), pursuing a degree in Pharmacology. Some of my passions are exploring and photographing nature whenever I can, making music, running, and meeting new individuals. A fun fact about me is that I have ran a marathon.”
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I have started to become aware of my nutrition as I bodybuilding as well as taught myself how to trade the stock market.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself in graduate school, particularly physical therapy, as I learn how to treat and rehabilitate various injuries. I plan on reaching this goal by applying all the skills and experience I have continuously gained throughout my years in college and high school. This includes the successes and failures along the path of my education as well as the various individuals I have interacted with that have impacted my life.”
Alexa Hendricks
University of Chicago
Class of 2025
Major: Biological Chemistry
About Me: “I'm Alexa Hendricks, a freshman at the University of Chicago majoring in Biological Chemistry. Some of my passions include reading, fencing, and writing—for a few weeks when I was younger, I read so much I took to reading upside-down as a mental exercise.”
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I wrote a play for one of my literature courses, a re-interpretation of Euripides' Medea in the style of Lewis Caroll's works, which forced me outside the box of the prose which I am most comfortable in and into the realm of the stage. I am proud of the play which emerged from this process and the experience of this new medium.”
Aspirations: “Five years from now, I'd like to be pursuing a higher-level degree in my specific field of interest with the intent to do work that benefits our society, a goal I will work towards by contributing to research during my time in college. I hope to work in pharmaceuticals or related fields, having gained the breadth of experience with biochemistry necessary for competence in these environments.”
Jae Grace
Barnard College at Columbia University
Class of 2024
Major: Political Science & Economics
About Me: “My name is Jae Grace and I am a political science and economics student at Barnard College graduating in 2024. I love reading, hiking, and road trips. One fun fact about myself is that I have a terrible sense of direction but love taking geography quizzes.”
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I have been spending a lot of time working on an article for the Columbia Political Review about why Florida should no longer be considered a swing state in presidential elections. It was just published and I'm excited to move on to my next article about the impact of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine on globalization.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I hope to be working at a startup in the Bay Area. I want to be surrounded by likeminded peers in a collaborative and fast paced environment. I also hope that my work has a meaningful impact on people. I hope that I can gain a few years of work experience before returning to school for my MBA. I plan to achieve this by pursuing internships and work that challenge me, seeking out new opportunities to learn, and staying focused on my goals.”
Game Development Team
Bingqi Wang
University of Chicago
Class of 2024
Major: Computer Science & Media Arts and Design
About Me: “I am Bingqi Wang, a sophomore at UChicago majoring in Computer Science and Media Arts and Design. I love VR and Media Arts, and I aspire to become a digital artist.”
Recent Achievements: “I gapped two years after college admission and started my own startup in education. Recently, I have down a VR art project called Virtual Opera House.”
Aspirations: “In five to ten years, I will become a digital artist, transforming and redefining the edge of digital art.”
Cryptocurrency Team
Yash Kolli
University of Virginia
Class of 2023
Major: Computer Science
About Me: “Hi! My name is Yash Kolli and I am a rising third-year at the University of Virginia. Currently I am studying Computer Science in the school of engineering, with a minor in business. My academic passions include machine learning, blockchain engineering, and fintech.”
Recent Achievements: “Recently I just finished my fourth semester in college, taking courses mainly related to machine learning such as Introduction to Machine Learning, Algorithmic Economics, and Foundations of Data Analysis. Along with completing these classes, I have also been working on my own blockchain-based carpooling website!”
Aspirations: “In five years I hope to be a software engineer at a fintech-related company such as Coinbase, Robinhood, etc., or maybe even some trading firm. I hope to achieve this goal by continuing to pursue internships in my field to develop my technical skillset, while also building my own personal project portfolio.”
Jonathan Mindel
Princeton University
Class of 2025
Major: Computer Science
About Me: “I have a passion for fitness and spend much of my free time lifting weights at the gym.”
Recent Achievements: “On campus I am involved in the club baseball team, a member of the entrepreneurship club, and the a co-founder of Princeton’s Hack4Impact Chapter.”
Aspirations: “I have always had a deep passion for technology and innovation, rooted in a desire to create products that have a tangible impact on society. By studying computer science, I hope to attain skills that enable me to personally drive this societal growth. To actualize my passion, I anticipate continuing to work for companies that have a positive impact on societal advancement. Later in life, perhaps five or 10 years from now, I hope to start my own technology centered company.”
Marketing, Social Media and Business Development Team
Varsha Kodi
University of South Florida
Class of 2024
Major: Marketing
About Me: “My name is Varsha Kodi and I am a sophomore at the University of South Florida majoring in marketing. I am also minoring in biology because I'm passionate about science. A fun fact about myself is that my favorite movie is Howl's Moving Castle.”
Recent Achievements: “One of my most recent achievements is traveling to Italy for a study abroad program and completing organic chemistry in six weeks!”
Aspirations: “In five years, I hope to start a brand design company and help sustainable companies build a brand for themselves. I plan to achieve this goal by strengthening my science background in college and gaining experience in creating an online presence for companies through freelancing.”
Han Nguyen
UC Santa Barbara
Class of 2024
Major: Communication
About Me: “My name is Han Nguyen and I am a 2nd-year student (class of 2024) at UC Santa Barbara majoring in Communication and minoring in Statistical Science. Some of my passions are discovering new music and playing volleyball. One fun fact about me is that I have an ENFP-T personality type which is known for its idealism and enthusiasm.”
Recent Achievements: “Some of my recent achievements that I am proud of involve raising over $130 for a church fundraiser in which all proceeds go towards sending mission goers. Additionally, I am also proud of a group project that I recently completed for my class, and was able to deliver a great presentation.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself progressing in the marketing industry and into a leadership role, ideally pursuing a career in advertising and public relations and working at a company that supports innovative initiatives. I believe my academic work and experience at Berkeley Pharma Tech will provide me with an outlet to develop the necessary skills needed to achieve my future career goals.”
Lauren Koch
UC Berkeley
Class of 2024
Major: Molecular and Cell Biology
About Me: “My name is Lauren Koch and I'm an incoming third-year at the University of California, Berkeley. My major is Molecular and Cell Biology with a concentration in Immunology & Pathogenesis. I'm passionate about molecular biology & biotechnology, but I also enjoy golfing, being outdoors, and trying new things. One fun fact about me is that I'm from Michigan, but I avoid cold weather at all costs!”
Recent Achievements: “A recent achievement is that I was voted to be president for a student organization here at Berkeley. The organization is centered around professional and peer education for those interested in pursuing a career in biology related fields. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work towards cultivating an educational and enjoyable experience for my peers.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself pursuing a career in the biotechnology space. I'll be navigating the world of biotech consulting or pursuing further education in biomedical engineering. I plan to travel the world and create an impact on the knowledge base of global health.”
Yash Jain
UC Berkeley
Class of 2026
Major: Computer Science and Business
About Me: "Hi! My name is Yash Jain and I'm a rising freshman at UC Berkeley intending to study Computer Science and Business. I love everything to do with engineering, such as robotics, machine learning and bioinformatics. I love playing basketball and am a huge Golden State Warriors fan!"
Recent Achievements: "Recently, I graduated high school as a class Valedictorian with a Summa Cum Laude standing. But, I also got the opportunity to present a project I've been working on to my high school's Board of Trustees!"
Aspirations: “In 5 years, I hope to have completed my MS+BS from Berkeley and launched a bioinformatics startup that looks at diagnosing early-stage diseases using blood tests during my time at college!”
Irina Sakharova
UC Berkeley
Class of 2025
Major: Data Science & Economics
About Me: “My name is Irina Sakharova and I am an incoming junior at UC Berkeley! I am majoring in Data Science with a concentration in Economics and could not be happier to join the team as a Business Development Intern! I ma extremely passionate about combining technology and creativity, as well as equal access to education. One fun fact about myself is that I have been playing professional tennis for nearly ten years and decided to quit right before college (I really regret it!).”
Recent Achievements: “Recently, I have been diving deeper into the world of consulting and product marketing. In the past semester, I have competed in a consulting case competition, as well as led a team of 15 marketing associate for a social media platform at Berkeley, HerCampus. Being a part of these experiences furthered my interest in strategy and growth, as well as allowed me to succeed in running for Director positions in clubs on campus.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I am hoping to be attending law school after working in the consulting/technology industry. I would love to be involved with intellectual property or entertainment law, and believe that the skills I would have developed as part of my Data Science coursework, as well as my work experience would certainly be beneficial in my upcoming legal career.”
Scientific Communications Team
Nessia Dambal
UC Berkeley
Class of 2025
Major: Bioengineering
About Me: “My name is Nessia Dambal, and I’m a freshman at UC Berkeley studying Bioengineering. I have a love for traveling and have been fortunate to visit some beautiful destinations, finding enjoyment in every moment from the airport bustle and boarding red-eyes, to learning new traditions and exploring different cultures. Fun fact: My name is of Greek origin! I’ve also been learning Kathak (a form of Indian classical dance) for the past 13 years, and I've continued practicing the art form with a dance team at my university.”
Recent Achievements: “Some of my most recent milestones have been: I started a small-scale business during the pandemic, selling home-made hand sanitizers and donating all proceeds to my community hospital; I was presented with the Volunteer Service Excellence Award at my community hospital; I’m one of the Subcommittee Heads for Berkeley BMES’s Corporate Committee this semester.”
Aspirations: “Within the next five years, my goal is to explore the myriad of opportunities in the biotech field, while understanding how I can engineer solutions to make a positive impact in an evolving industry. By immersing myself in projects where I can collaborate in teams, innovate towards betterment, and build foundational skills, I feel I can best prepare myself for a career where I can make this happen.”
Harrison Xu
Dougherty Valley High School
HS Junior
About Me: “My name is Harrison Xu, and I am a junior in Dougherty Valley Highs school. I love science, but I also love music! I play multiple types of saxophones and perform in multiple jazz bands. On top of that, I enjoy recreationally singing and performing in talent shows. One fun fact about myself is that I love playing soccer recreationally and in a competitive team.”
Recent Achievements: “I have taken initiative and led many research groups. An example of this is our andrographolide subgroup, where I significantly contribute to this subgroup’s progress: I am the main contributor to the project of andrographolide extraction from plant powders, synthesis of an andrographolide stereoisomer, and purification of andrographolide analogs to test bioavailability on cancer cells. Besides andrographolide, I am also in other subgroups: the neuroscience group; where we create analogs of compounds rivastigmine and vinpocetine to test their effectiveness at treating Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, the total synthesis group; where we are creating a more accessible pathway of totally synthesizing the cyclotripeptide Psychrophilin E, and the ADCs group; where we make antibody-drug conjugates with a variety of drugs to see their effectiveness in treating certain cancers.”
Aspirations: “In five years into the future, I see myself in college pursuing an undergraduate degree following a subject related to biomedical engineering or chemical biology. I would finish my undergraduate years and look for an industry job where I can work on medicinal synthesis and scientific research. I would like to explore the translational research world, so I would also look into finding more scientific opportunities that would give me a broader perspective of how research of different types would be like.”
Human Resources Team
Riya Patwardhan
San Jose State University
Class of 2023
Major: Human Resources Management
About Me: “My name is Riya Patwardhan. I am a third year Human Resources Management student at San Jose State University. My hobbies include hiking, drawing, and spending time with my friends.”
Recent Achievements: “I am proud of maintaining a good GPA throughout college so far and being involved in school clubs.”
Aspirations: “I see myself working as a HR generalist at one of the Big 4's or maybe even a tech company. I plan on pursuing a master's degree to achieve that goal. I plan on working a year or so after I graduate SJSU before I apply for my master's degree.”
Ethan Tse
Cal Poly SLO
Class of 2023
Major: Public Health
About Me: “My name is Ethan Tse; I'm a 3rd year at Cal Poly, SLO (Class of 2023) majoring in Public Health with 2 minors in Entrepreneurship and Ethics. My primary passions are building disruptive startups and learning about advanced technologies for human enhancement. A fun fact is that I love cinema: my favorite TV show(s) are "Billions", "Game of Thrones", "The 100", "The Good Place", "The Office", and a variety of Marvel and anime.”
Recent Achievements: “Starting 2 months ago, I'm the primary co-founder of an agriculture startup that's approaching nearly $1000 this month and hopefully more once we expand our relatively small inventory. We sell healthy microgreens using our scientifically innovative approaches and strong business acumen. I believe we're poised to become the biggest supplier in San Luis Obispo with the long-term goal of franchising locations across California. Right now, I'm also co-founding an e-commerce app hoping to improve experiences for innovation-first entrepreneurs. My next idea is to create a program at my school a lot like the MIT Media Lab.”
Aspirations: “In 5 years, I hope to be apart of founding teams of companies on the cutting edge of sustainability, commerce, and biomedical applications. Ideally, my role will be leading multidisciplinary teams in product development: ideating technical solutions, conducting to business operations, and innovating the 1st MVPs for go-to market strategies. I want to abolish antiquated industries blocking the way of innovation in health by establishing new technological paradigms.”
Isabella Valentine
University of Virginia
Class of 2024
Major: Global Commerce
About Me: “My name is Isabella Valentine and I am a rising third year at the University of Virginia. I am majoring in Global Commerce with a double minor in Psychology and Leadership. Some of my favorite things include cooking, being outdoors, fashion, and hanging out with friends. A fun fact about me is that I have dual citizenship (US and Italy).”
Recent Achievements: “This past semester I have had a few accomplishments. I made dean's list for the second time, and I was one of 40 students at UVA accepted into my major. I have also been accepted into SEO Career's internship matching program.”
Aspirations: “In five years, I hope that I am working in human resources. I am looking forward to advancing my education with a master's degree. Additionally, I am hoping that I will be in a position that allows me to implement my leadership skills while working with a team.”
BERKELEY PHARMA TECH
Spring 2022 INterns
Cryptocurrency Team
Jacey Buchner
UC Santa Barbara
Class of 2025
Major: Computer Science
Aspirations: “In the future, I either see myself working at a larger company such as Google/SpaceX or see myself starting a company with a small group of friends. I want to work on something that provides value to others. I aim to achieve this goal of mine through gathering experience through research, internships, and receiving a master’s. I find Blockchain, Autonomous vehicles, or Quantum Computing extremely intriguing and would hope to work in any of these fields of technology in the future.”
Kyle Wong
UC Santa Barbara
Class of 2025
Major: Computer Science
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself working as a software engineer at an impactful tech company. I plan on getting a masters degree so I can specialize in artificial intelligence and machine learning, which will help me develop innovative technology.”
GAME DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Brandon Islas
Rice University
Class of 2022
Major: Computational and Applied Mathematics
Aspirations: “In the next five years, I see myself using data to make an impact in people’s lives by helping organizations and individuals make the best decisions that they can. There are a lot of ways I can achieve this, but I have been most interested in analyst positions in fields such as: alternative energy, space exploration, extended reality, or healthcare. I expect to have worked my way into a leadership position and be a role model for other minorities looking to succeed in STEM.”
Emma holt
UC Berkeley
Class of 2023
Major: Computer Science
Aspirations: “In 5 years, I see myself working at an environmental startup doing some sort of software engineering in order to help build the company! I am very interested in the intersection between CS and the sciences, particularly environmental science. I plan on learning as much as possible in both subjects at college, and participating in Berkeley's environmental clubs in order to gain connections in that industry.”
Human Resources Team
Edlyn Hui
UC Berkeley
Class of 2023
Major: Psychology
Minor: Data Science
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself as either being part of the Human Resources team in the tech industry or a User Experience Researcher. I believe my experience as a HR Intern at Berkeley Pharma Tech will hone the necessary skills needed for my future career.”
Alexander Cope
University of San Francisco
Class of 2024
Major: Business - Human Resources
Aspirations: “Five years from now, I see myself with a degree in business with a specialization in Human Resources. With that degree, I hope to land a job as a Human Resource Generalist, so I can branch out in all aspects of my field. In terms of my personal life, I want to rent out my first apartment and start saving for a house either in San Francisco or near it.”
Estee Foroozan
UC Santa Barbara
Class of 2022
Major: Communication
Aspirations: “In five to ten years, I see myself in a leadership position at a company that encourages innovation and pushes the boundaries of what we have already uncovered. I hope to combine my communication and scientific skills to play a role in making the biggest difference I can in a world where there is so much more to be explored.”
Editorial Team
Nidhi chandran
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
Second Year PharmD Student
Hailey Tapia
University of Central Floria
Class of 2024
Major: English - Technical Communication
Medical Research Team
Shreya Jeyakumar
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Class of 2023
Major: Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
Bon Hee Koo
UC Berkeley
Class of 2023
Major: Molecular and Cell Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself having pursued Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (PharmD) and work at a multinational pharmaceutical company as well as pharmacies to build more experiences. Step by step in building my career, I am positive that I would have a clearer vision of how I want to contribute to society by making use of my capabilities and degree. I look forward to having a high degree of expertise in the area of pharmacy and biology, sufficient to be able to share my experiences and skills with confidence.”
Omar Said
UC Irvine
Class of 2024
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself pursuing a PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering. I am planning to achieve that goal by working in research labs during my undergrad years and trying to get involved in research papers.”
Sesha Batra
UC San Diego
Class of 2023
Major: Molecular and Cell Biology
Aspirations: “In five years, I see myself in medical school! It has been my dream to be a doctor for so long, and I know that I will eventually reach my goal because of how much I want it. I plan on reaching my goal by doing well in school and making time for volunteer and research work.”
Venkata repaka
University of Texas at Dallas
Class of 2023
Major: Biology
Minor: Spanish
Aspirations: “In five years, I hope to be attending an MD/Ph.D. program and do great research for others. Currently, I is conducting research at her university and in BPT to build the backbone for my career while gaining clinical experience on the side.
Priscilla Castro
Columbia University
Class of 2023
Major: Biology
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself pursuing a DDS x MBA at a dental school that matches my values. I would like to envision myself pursuing a career that expands on the creative, social, and strategic aspects of my personality. I want to partake in a lifestyle that gives back to my community through service and advocacy for health disparities affecting marginalized communities. I'd like to be an open-minded student that is passionate about what she is learning while always thinking about she can improve her quality of work. I hope to retain that spark of curiosity that I currently hold to pave my future with limitless goals to strive towards. I hope to pursue something beyond what my degree dictates by expanding on my other interests in entrepreneurship and service.
Hrishikesh Bhagwat
University of Michigan
Class of 2023
Major: Neuroscience
Minor: Computer Science
Aspirations: In five years, I could see myself pursuing further education to open up more opportunities for myself in neuroscience or related fields. Ultimately, I would like to benefit society by finding solutions to scientific or medical challenges.
Uma Grandhi
UC Santa Cruz
Class of 2022
Major: Human Biology
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to be starting my third year of medical school and well on my way to becoming a physician. After I graduate from UCSC in June of this year, I would like to gain more clinical and work experience by shadowing different healthcare professionals and joining as many internships and volunteering programs in the medical field as I can. I am also considering enrolling in a Post-Baccalaureate Program to take courses that would help prepare me for medical school. I hope to start my medical education three years from now, and as such, be halfway through it in five years.
Anar bhatt
UC Berkeley
Class of 2024
Major: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Aspirations: As of right now, I am equally interested in genetic manipulation and gene editing, as well as general medicine. I could either go the scientific researcher route to investigate fields such as CRISPR more, or become a practicing physician. So in five years, I would love to either be well into medical school gaining the knowledge and skills to become a doctor, or en route to becoming a renowned scientific researcher.
Sophie Bronstein
New York University
Major: Global Public Health and Sociology
Class of 2021
Post-Bacc Pre-Med Program at Columbia University
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to be in medical school pursuing my goals to become a physician. I would love to additionally take part in global health research and not only help individual patients, but diverse populations and communities to help them receive equal care and equal opportunities for a healthy lifestyle. In order to obtain this goal, I will continue studying hard, and accumulating research and clinical experience!
Daniel Lomboy
UC Irvine Graduate
Class of 2021
Major: Biological Sciences
Aspirations: In 5-10 years, I hope to be attending graduate school (either an M.D. or D.D.S) and continuing to learn and expand my experience in clinical research and academia. I also hope to apply my skillset in the administrative sides of healthcare in order to make access to care more affordable and more accessible
Jade Cherfils
UC Berkeley
Class of 2023
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself working for a biotechnology company in a position that will allow me to take part in the advancements of medicines and science. I will work with a company whose mission aligns with my goals to improve the lives of people all over the world through science. I will achieve my goals by working hard in school to be able to absorb all the knowledge that is presented to me and to build strong, meaningful connections with my peers and professors, so that I can acquire opportunities to expand on my experiences outside of the classroom.
Nabeen Chu
Cornell University
Class of 2024
Major: Human Biology, Health, and Society
Aspirations: In five years, I will hopefully be in my second year of medical school, studying a lot before starting rotations the following year. I hope to continue biomedical research in addition to my studies, potentially delving deeper into a project I first became interested in during my undergraduate years. To get here, I am living every day to the fullest and gaining various experiences and pursuing my interests to be a strong applicant in a few years.
Anisha Jain
UC San Diego
Class of 2022
Major: Human Biology
Minor: Psychology
Aspirations: In five years I hope to be involved in research specifically geared towards the innovation of medical devices, as well as research pertaining to nutrition and its relation to diseases. I hope to have utilized my experience in research and patient care to promote accessible healthcare for women and bigger populations. I also hope to have travelled the world more and explored my passions in healthcare across borders as well, in order to provide medical practices/technology to underserved communities. Overall, I aspire to provide equal healthcare across the globe while emphasizing the need for greater attention to women's healthcare first but I also have a desire to see advancements with our understanding of the effects of nutrition with the development of diseases.
Ava Bagherian
University of Virginia
Class of 2024
Major: Biology
Minor: Bioethics
Aspirations: In 5 years, I see myself in medical school pursuing a career in psychiatry. I will achieve this goal through my engagement in my academics, my involvement in extracurricular activities, and my drive for creating a stronger future in medical mental health.
Jacob CalendinE
UC Irvine
Class of 2022
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Aspirations: My primary goal is to obtain a position upon graduation this coming spring; then looking to advance my career to a solid position in the following years. I would like to be in the realm of prostheses or similar devices looking at mimicking traditional bodily functions. In addition to this, my hopes are to be looking at graduate school after some time in industry to advance my career and ability to be involved on the cutting edge of biomedical research.
FALL 2021 INTERNS
MEDICAL RESEARCH TEAM
Purnima Venkat
In five years, I hope to be completing a MA in Biotechnology and see myself working as a researcher focusing on marine derived pharmaceuticals and drug development.
Eric Chong
UC Berkeley
Major: Bioengineering
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself working as an engineering manager for a medical devices company, where I am responsible for leading a team of engineers that develops products geared towards innovating the biotech space. My plan is to first work in an entry-level position to get a feel for the industry and then apply my research experience to work my way up towards a more leadership oriented role. Additionally, I can see myself working towards a master’s degree, studying more about the workings of business, hardware and software, and the areas where biotechnology can be improved upon.
Darshita Prathap
Dougherty Valley High School
Class of 2023
Five years from now, I'll be in my final year of college, potentially pursuing a dual degree in pre-med and art. I see myself developing a passion project with a goal to create therapeutic art for physically or mentally challenged children. I would utilize my connections with my professors to complete research on this idea and use my research experience at Berkeley Pharma Tech to begin sketching a professional startup.
Venkata Repaka
Major: Molecular Biology
University of Texas at Dallas
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In the next five to ten years, I see myself completing my pre-med requirements and on my way to MD or MD/PhD school. I would like to explore more research opportunities and benefit parts of the world that are in need of more medical services.
Minori Aoki
Majors: Molecular & Cell Biology, Music
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2022
Aspirations: As of now, I am equally interested in clinical and research sides of medicine. Regardless of which career I decide to pursue in the end, I want to continue studying the field of biological sciences and understand how our healthcare services can be accessible to a bigger population, whether it is through research on development of new treatments or practicing medicine.
Gokul Deep
Majors: Biology,
Statistics & Data Science.
University of California, Santa Barbara.
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to be attending graduate school (obtaining an MD or PhD) to gain the knowledge and skills to become a doctor or a medical researcher. Then, I would like to be working in a clinical setting, understanding patient-interaction and conducting innovative medical research aiming to improve life and treat detrimental diseases.
Courtney La
Major: Nutritional Sciences, Physiology & Metabolism
University of California, Berkeley
Aspirations: In five years, I intend to continue to gain clinical experience and expand my network within the healthcare system as I hopefully pursue a career as a physician assistant specializing in a section of surgery.
Liam MILLER
Major: Biochemistry, School
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In 5 years I hope to be a PharmD graduate working in the specialty or hospital care pharmacy fields. I will be in a position that allows me to utilize my strengths as a leader, and my knowledge gained through years of schooling and research experience. I hope to create a positive, ethical, and patient-minded environment within my workplace that strides towards providing the highest level of patient care.
Christopher Singh
Major: Biotechnology
University of California, Davis
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In 5 years, I hope to be in graduate school or working as a researcher at a biopharmaceutical company.
Business and Finance Team
Kyle Winter
Major: Business Honors and Finance
Minor: Philosophy
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2023
Aspirations: I see myself attaining an MBA within the first 5 years of my career following work experience.
Zach Nemeth
Major: Business
Concentrations: finance / computing & data science
New York University - Stern School of Business
Class of 2024
Aspirations: I hope to pursue an MBA 2 to 4 years post-undergrad. I do not know what I want to do career wise, but I am interested in consulting, asset management, and investment banking. In my free time, I love watching and playing sports and listening to music.
Jennie yang
Boston University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to be working in either asset management, investment banking, or sales and trading. Another option I am intending to pursue is going back to school for my master's degree.
Rigzin Lhatoo
Major: Finance
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, in the likely event that my music career fails to take off, I hope to be working a full–time finance role at a startup centered around mitigating some medical or social challenge. Additionally, by that point I’d like to working towards receiving my MBA.
Vian Bui
Major: Business Administration
University of Southern California
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, I see myself nationalizing my tutoring business while continuing my education through the pursuit of an MBA. I hope to be working within the healthcare space and look forward to expanding my knowledge and diversifying my experiences!
Joseph Lai
Major: Business Administration
University of Southern California
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years I plan to have finished both my undergraduate degree in Business Administration and my Masters of Science in Finance at USC. I hope to be working as a financial analyst at a fintech company that is focused on improving financial literacy in the world.
Viraaj Kumar
In five to ten years I see myself working on Wall Street as an analyst and potentially preparing for graduate school.
Adheet Gupta
Major: Finance and Data Science
Minor: Mat
New York University Stern School of Business
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5-10 years, I see myself as a successful investment banker at a bulge bracket investment bank. Additionally, I may be exploring the option to pursue an MBA if I feel as though it is appropriate towards advancing my career. Eventually, I see myself holding a high position in Private Equity. I plan to switch from investment banking to private equity a few years into being in investment banking. I may also potentially explore the route of pursuing an entrepreneurial idea, or joining a startup I feel as being promising, assisting them through a high finance position..
Seunghyun Jung
I envision myself studying to earn a CPA certificate within five years while developing my professional working skills in an accounting firm. I will ultimately chase my dream, which is to own an accountancy firm.
UX/UI Design TEAM
Amber Yumen
Bachelor’s in Graphic Design
San Jose State University
Class of 2021
Aspirations: My goal is to continue furthering my knowledge in the design field, and attend graduate school to earn a Master’s in UX Design.
David Murray
Masters in UX Design
Maryland Institute College of Art
Class of 2021
Aspirations: My goal is to continue to build my skills and knowledge to improve the interplay between business and design. Long term, I can see myself working on improving the experiences users have with products such as video games or AR/VR.
EDITORIAL TEAM
Karissa Lin
Major: Public Health
UC Berkeley
Class of 2023
Aspirations: I hope to attend law school and work as a life sciences or healthcare attorney for a big law firm in the future.
Nika Bondar
Major: Biochemistry
California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo)
Class of 2025
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself pursuing a master's degree in biochemistry or biomedical engineering and working in the biotechnology field. Additionally I look forward to traveling and studying abroad as much as possible.
Charankamal (Kamal) Padda
Major: Biotechnology School
University of California, Davis
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In Five years I hope to see myself enrolled in an MD/PhD program on my path to become a Physician and Medical Professor. I hope my experience working as an intern at Berkeley Pharma Tech will provide me with exposure to Medical Research.
Game Development Team
Younkyu (Daniel) Kim
Major: Computer Science
University of Washington Bothell
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In the next 5-10 years, I see myself working full time as a mid-level employee at a mainstream or indie video game company as a programmer and concept designer, where I would get to apply all the knowledge I've gained from this internship.
CRYPTOCURRENCY TEAM
Hrishikesh Ingale
Major: Computer Science - Data Science
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In the future, I see myself working as a software engineer at a growing and leading software company. Hopefully, I will be working on technologies and ideas that will positively impact society.
Human Resources TEAM
Zoe Boomershine
Major: Anthropology
University of California, Davis
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself working as a Human Resources Specialist where I will foster an inclusive and supportive environment for employees. I hope to have completed a Master's Degree in HR–– using the experience I have gained in the field to create innovative and thoughtful solutions to HR issues..
Estee Foroozan
Major: Communication
Minor: Education
University of California Santa Barbara
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five to ten years, I see myself in a leadership position at a company that encourages innovation and pushes the boundaries of what we have already uncovered. I hope to combine my communication and scientific skills to play a role in making the biggest difference I can in a world where there is so much more to be explored..
Olivia Baldwin
Major: Psychology
Minor: History
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In the next 5-10 years, I see myself having a career in either Law or as a Psychologist. I would like to be in a position to pursue my passion for better accessibility to mental health resources for all. I hope to be a part of a company or community that values innovation and inclusivity.
BERKELEY PHARMA TECH
SUMMER 2021 INTERNS
MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING INTERNS — SUMMER 2021
Laszlo Heckler
Major: Inspirational Speaker/Business
Monroe Community College
Class of 2013
Aspirations: In five years from now Laszlo will be a renowned inspirational speaker empowering and transforming peoples live by shattering their preconceived thoughts and planting the seeds for the reality they so desire! He will continue expanding his LLC business and donte a portion of the proceeds to charity and those in need! He plans to have written a minimum of one book reaching the best seller's list, a book that will help people realize their dreams and a step by step instruction to plan and achieve them! Finally he plans to have owned five rental properties at affordable rates to help provide people with housing and shelter.
FINANCE INTERNS — SUMMER 2021
Yicheng Yao
Major: Computer Science and Economics
Cornell University
Class of 2024
Sophie Rydzewski
Major: Economics and Statistics
Minor: Religious Studies
University of Chicago
Class of 2024
Aspirations: I intend to pursue an MBA and JD in order to pursue a career as an economic consultant.
Kylie Lai
Major: Molecular and Cell Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I would ideally see myself working in the biotech industry or starting to pursue my MBA!
Erica Zhou
Major: Pre-applied Mathematics
University of California, Los Angelos
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself expanding my start-up MZM Academy while continuing my education in Business and Mathematics. Passionate about interdisciplinary studies and research, I look forward to combining my interest science and humanity and making positive social impact through this combination.
Joanna Wang
Major: Business Economics and Statistics
University of California, Los Angelos
Class of 2024
Aspirations: I see myself as a consultant in five years after I graduate from college!
Zaid Darwish
Major: Business Administration (Entrepreneurship)
Sacramento State University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: I hope to see my brand blossom into something bigger than a pet project + I want to have a starter position in an exciting VC fund.
Vivek Lashkari
Major: Business (Consulting/Health Innovation) and Human Health
Emory University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to be either working as a healthcare consultant to help further revolutionize the healthcare industry or going back to graduate school to complete an MBA/MPH.
CRYPTOCURRENCY INTERNS — SUMMER 2021
Ryan So
Major: Computer Science and Data Science
New York University
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself working as a software developer at a leading global tech company, hopefully developing software and technologies that help the world in an influential way.
Tyler Ottman
Major: Computer Science
University of California, Davis
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, I hope to see myself as a leading software developer at a popular tech company in the Bay Area. Eventually, I would like to see myself pursuing a Master's Degree at a prestigious university in a field I enjoy.
Aditya Kumar
Major: Computer Science
University of California, San Diego
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, I see myself working at a company that uses machine learning to enhance people's day to day lives. I will be creating products that people all around the world use and help them a great deal.
ONLINE MARKETING INTERNS — SUMMER 2021
Nicole McGinnis
Major: Communications and Political Science
University of Washington
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In 5 years I hope to be working as a marketing consultant for companies that want to advertise their sustainability goals and products. I have a passion for sustainable development in business and I hope to continue to contribute to innovative solutions in Berkeley Pharma Tech and beyond.
Shuangtong li
Major: Business Analytics and Applied Maths
University of Norte Dame
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself pursuing a master’s degree in business. Hopefully, I will have my own startup! Meanwhile, I want to contribute to nonprofit organization to improve the well-being of people who need help.
Joyce Li
Major: Management and Marketing
Minor: International Business
Washington University in St. Louis
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, Joyce sees herself working towards a master's degree in a business field that she is passionate about and continuing to challenge herself to become an influential business leader. She also plans to be interning or working part-time at a company that shares her values. Joyce aspires to make meaningful contributions to the business world and further impact the greater society.
Abhiram Tetali
Major: Business Administration and Computer Science
University of Michigan
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, I see myself working as an Associate Consultant at a consulting firm due to my passion for tackling issues within the business world.
EDITORIAL INTERNS — SUMMER 2021
Sophia Ajanee
Editor-in-Chief for the Berkeley Pharma Tech Journal of Medicine
Major: General Biology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Graduated
Aspirations: I plan on applying to Master of Science in Nursing programs later this year. My goal is to ultimately work as a Nurse Practitioner.
Sri Guttikonda
Major: Biology
Rutgers University- New Brunswick
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years I hope to be enrolled in an MD/PhD program and somewhere in New York City.
Ria Tilve
Major: Biochemistry
Case Western Reserve University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself attending medical school and conducting research to improve our current understanding of disease.
Jessie Hsu
Major: Cell, Molecular, and Genetic Biology
Minor: Philosophy
Boston University
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself in medical school, having finished my Bachelor's/Master's dual-degree program at BU, and working in science communication.
Anna Kurianowicz
Major: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Minor: Journalism
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In five years, Anna sees herself in the process of completing a PhD after having completed a Master’s in biotechnology, immunology, or chemical engineering whilst being in the process of integrating her knowledge biotechnological approaches, natural medicine, and green chemistry.
Sathvik Pai
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to see myself in medical school pursuing either an MD or MSTP program.
Courtney Hooks
Major: Biochemistry
Claremont McKenna College
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself in graduate school pursuing in Ph.D, and conducting research in drug discovery and pharmaceutical development.
Silan Morris-Gavrieli
Major: Biological Sciences
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In 5 years my hopes are to have graduated from NYU Tandon School of Engineering with a Masters in Biotechnology and be working at a Biotechnology company.
Safiyah Zaidi
Major: Biology and Political Science
University of Texas at Dallas
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In 5 years, I see myself working as a leader in the global health and public health space. I hope to have completed my higher education and that I will be pursuing my love of continuous learning and growth.
Riya Jain
Major: Biology and English
University of Virginia
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself as a graduate student of biology, using my passion for writing and research to contribute to important discoveries.
Anuradha Krishnan
Major: Neuroscience and Mathematics
Pomona College
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to be pursuing my passion for academia and medicine on the path to make a difference in the world.
Theja Vembar
Major: Neuroscience
University of California, Irvine
Class of 2025
Aspirations: I see myself graduated with a degree in Neuroscience and pursuing further education.
MEDICAL RESEARCH INTERNS — SUMMER 2021
Ria Tilve
Major: Biochemistry
Case Western Reserve University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself attending medical school and conducting research to improve our current understanding of disease.
Venkata Repaka
Major: Molecular Biology
University of Texas at Dallas
Class of 2025
Aspirations: In five years I see myself in medical school!
Filina Nurcahya-Tjoa
Major: Computational Biology and Mathematics
University of Texas at Dallas
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to be pursuing my masters in Data Science or starting my career within that field.
Anushka Desai
Major: Bioengineering Engineering
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, I hope to create inexpensive prosthetics and artificial organs for developing countries.
Aaron Feldman
Major: Chemical Engineering
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself in graduate school studying in the biotechnology/biomedical or related field and working toward an M.D.-Ph.D. degree. Besides STEM, I am also a music enthusiast and piano player, and I try to play piano as much as I can despite school often keeping me busy.
Jack Damiani
Major: Computational Neuroscience
University of Southern California
Class of 2022
Aspirations: I see myself graduating grad school in 5 years and working with human machine interface technology with the brain!
Aala Omer
Major: Global Public Health
University of Virginia
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years I see myself being in my second or third year in Medical school pursuing an MPH/MD. I want to pursue a master’s degree in global public health whilst working towards my MD, focusing on immunology or endocrinology, in medical school. I believe that having both a holistic and medical view of healthcare would allow me to become the best medical professional I can possibly be. I would like to pursue a medical degree in a field that focuses on infectious diseases and bodily disorders. Many upperclassmen have said to enter medical school with an open mind, but the world of diseases and disorders has infiltrated my mind making it impossible to suppress. If my interests in Epidemiology take charge, then I see myself working in the International Epidemiologist Association to be able to implement effective solutions to combat infectious diseases around the globe.
Christopher Chi
Major: Biopsychology
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself in graduate school pursuing a Ph.D., where my primary focus will be on neurological disorders.
Darshita Prathap
Major: Biopsychology
Dougherty Valley High School
Class of 2023
Aspirations: Five years from now, I'll be a 3rd year in college, potentially pursuing a dual degree in pre-med and art. I see myself developing a passion project with a goal to create therapeutic art for physically or mentally challenged children. I would utilize my connections with my professors to complete research on this idea and use my research experience at Berkeley Pharma Tech to begin sketching a professional startup.
Amrit Singh Sandhu
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years I hope to be enrolled at medical school!
Miranda Makowski
Major: Biomedical Engineering
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, I hope to be enrolled in medical school or working in R&D or quality control at a top pharmaceutical company.
Claudia Zimmerman
Major: Bioengineering
Stanford University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In the next five years, I see myself graduating from Stanford’s Coterminal Degree Program (with a B.S./M.S. in Bioengineering) and hopefully on my way to getting my PhD. During my free time, I like cartooning, hiking, and baking! Fun facts: I can speak Mandarin, have a black belt in karate, and was on the boys wrestling team in high school.
Meliea Chiu
Major: Biological Sciences
University of California, Irvine
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years: I see myself as a MD/or MBA graduate student in a (hopefully) East Coast, New York school!
Roshan Shaik
Major: Computational Biology
Minor: Healthcare Reform
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself in medical school working towards a career in medicine.
Shiphalika Mahesh
Major: Bioengineering
University of California, Riverside
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to see myself working at a Biotech or R&D company to develop medical devices and help people, while studying for an MBA program.
Saahil Mohta
Major: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
University of California, Santa Cruz
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, I hope to see myself in medical school pursuing a medical degree on the path to become a dermatologist or internist. If my plans do change, though, I see myself pursuing a career in biotechnology with a focus on drug development or on the development of biodegradable plastics.
Rohan Tonk
Major: Molecular Biology
University of California, Los Angelos
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to have finished a graduate degree and working in the biotechnology industry. I hope to be a more skilled scientist that is able to address difficulties in healthcare.
Carlye Makuch
Major: Integrative Biology and Clinical Psychology
University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years I hope to be in medical school where I plan on studying to become a pediatric psychiatrist.
Megan Ying
Major: Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, I see myself beginning a PhD program to pursue a doctorate in biomedical engineering.
Sho Takahashi
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to be in medical school or pursuing my PhD!
Eric Simon
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Johns Hopkins University
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself either working for a biotechnology company or leading a start-up company of my own!
He Lin Helen Park
Major: Biochemistry
University of Washington
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself traveling around the world and help those who are sick. I also see myself studying diseases and working to develop medications that can treat currently incurables.
Sujata Shivakumar
Major: Biotechnology with an animal emphasis
University of California, Davis
Class of 2023
Aspirations: I see myself either already pursuing a master’s degree in the field of biotechnology or working towards the same at a biotech startup or established firm doing exciting research!
Elaine Keung
Major: Molecular and Cell Biology
University of California, San Diego
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, I hope to either be in graduate school or working in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry.
Alexandria Sochocki
Major: Cell and Developmental Biology
University of Rochester
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, I see my myself in my third year of medical school.
Ethan Liebnick
Major: Neuroscience
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years I see myself either in medical school training to become a neurologist or pursuing my PhD in Neuroscience and leading research to eliminate heritable neurological diseases.
Zach Leid
Major: Cognitive Science
Occidental College
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to be attending a graduate school of my dreams. While there, I plan to pursue a PhD program centered around biomedical research.
Miriam (Mimi) Grady
Major: Science-Business
University of Notre Dame
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In 5 years from now I picture myself in medical school, preparing for a career as a physician with the hopes of treating patients in a clinic or other outpatient setting. I could also see myself entering consulting, research and public/global health. At Berkeley Pharma Tech, I am a medical research intern and hope to use this experience as an opportunity to apply my classroom knowledge to a real world issue.
Miriam (Mimi) Grady
Major: Science-Business
University of Notre Dame
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In 5 years from now I picture myself in medical school, preparing for a career as a physician with the hopes of treating patients in a clinic or other outpatient setting. I could also see myself entering consulting, research and public/global health.
Akshata Shukla
Major: Biology with a specialization in Cell and Molecular Biology and Genetics (CMG)
Boston University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: I see myself in an MD/PhD program in 5 years.
Robert (Ben) Rose
University of California, Irvine
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself either in med school or graduate school, studying a science that I enjoy full time, working towards a degree
Ronit Lal Shrestha
Major: Biomedical Engineering
University of California, Irvine
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to be working at a biotech company that focuses on tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. I want to lead projects that will help push the boundaries of what can be done in medicine.
Mahima Sinha
Major: Public Health
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, I see myself graduating medical school and beginning a career in medicine and research.
Thejaswini Vembar
Major: Neuroscience
University of California, Irvine
Class of 2025
Aspirations: I see myself graduated with a degree in Neuroscience and pursuing further education.
Sathvik Pai
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I hope to see myself in medical school pursuing either an MD or MSTP program.
Chris Ha
Major: Biological Sciences
University of California, Davis
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years I see myself attending medical school somewhere in California, as that is currently the biggest goal/dream I have in my life right now.
Pradyoth Sirineni
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
GAME APP INTERNS — SUMMER 2021
Aidan Meyer
Major: Computer Science
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five years I see myself working in a videogame development team and owning a cute dog!
Jimmy Zhang
Major: Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I plan on working for a company or becoming the lead of a project that involves the social interactions of computer science, and that could be anything from smart home systems to video game AI to anything user-centered.
Miguel Monares
Major: Math-Computer Science
University of California, San Diego
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself leading a start-up that researches and applies new machine learning technology to the medical and environmental fields.
Jonathan Yin
Major: Mathematics-Computer Science
University of California, San Diego
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself working at a startup in the field of AI/machine learning, helping drive the future and innovating to better people's lives.
HUMAN RESOURCES INTERNS — SUMMER 2021
william wong
Major: Communications
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2020
Aspirations: In 5 years, he envisions himself in a senior human resources position where he can help the employees around him. In 10 years, he hopes to be in a director position, where he can further influence the benefits employees receive.
Annie Zhou
Major: Neuroscience and Psychology
University of Chicago
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five years, I see myself working as a senior HR professional who helps my employer achieve business objectives by cultivating a growth-oriented and inclusive workplace where people can reach their full potentials.
Justin Huey
Major: Psychology and Social Behavior
University of California, Irvine
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In 5 years, I see myself working as a Human Resources Specialist, where my main focus is to not only work in the best interests of the company, but also foster a creative, safe environment for employees to perform at the best of their ability as well as act as a resource for employees to turn to. Additionally, I also see myself working towards obtaining a Master’s degree to further strengthen my foundation in Human Resources and translate that knowledge into my profession.
Marc Gonzales
Major: Human Resources
Rutgers University
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five years I see myself as an HR Manager, and I hope that I can use the knowledge I have learned until then to pass on to others.
Business Development INterns — spring 2021
Mirkanan Hasanzade
Major: Business Administration
Northeastern University
Aspirations: In 5 years, Mirkanan sees himself as a growth marketing manager of a SaaS startup where he can find new and innovative ways to acquire users around the globe. In 10 years, he hopes to be involved in the blockchain industry to shape the world's new financial infrastructure.
Windy Wang
Major: Information Management
University of Washington - Information School
Aspirations: In five years, Windy sees herself as a consultant who can lead her team to work with global clients. She plans to achieve these goals by finding a job, gaining some experience, and practicing her leadership skills. In ten years, Windy hopes to become an entrepreneur. She is determined to take her business insights and create a business that can bring a positive impact to her community.
Human Resources Interns — Spring 2021
Nadia Moneishedi
Executive Assistant
San Francisco State University
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In 5 years, Nadia sees herself either having her own business or working at a company that helps others. The company she would work for would be a fun and happy environment where everyone helps each other succeed. She plans to achieve that by applying to different companies she believes in and thinking what she would do if she had her own business. In 10 years, Nadia sees herself with a family and a job she loves. She expects to achieve this by sticking to what feels right for her and believing in what she does.
William Wong
Major: Communications
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2020
Aspirations: In 5 years, he envisions himself in a senior human resources position where he can help the employees around him. In 10 years, he hopes to be in a director position, where he can further influence the benefits employees receive.
Angela Zheng
Boston University
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In 5 years, Angela sees herself working as a mid/senior level HR manager and helping employees get the most of out of their job. In 10 years, she sees herself running her own business. In those 10 years, she plans to continue exploring and gaining skills that will help her become successful.
Sarah O'Neill
Major: Business Administration
Brandman University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, Sarah hopes to be an established HR professional. Ideally, she will either be a manager who oversees recruiting or a professional dealing with conflict management. In ten years, Sarah sees herself as an HR executive at a Fortune 500 company. Ultimately, she wants to be able to make a difference and make sure people feel comfortable and competent at their workplace.
Online Marketing Interns — Spring 2021
Ashley Snedaker
Major: Media Studies
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself graduated from UC Berkeley. In the next 10 years, she sees herself working towards an MBA, gaining work experience at an advertising agency where she designs and implements marketing campaigns for her clients.
Nihal Deopura
Major: Management Information Systems
University of California, Riverside
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In 5 years, Nihal sees himself building off of this internship and his marketing abilities to lead his own team within a Marketing division of a company. In 10 years, Nihal hopes to pick up more of a leadership role within the company he will be working at and continue to excel through his experience and dedication.
Nancy Nguyen
Major: Data Science and Media Studies
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, Nancy hopes to be a successful UX/UI Designer. To achieve that, she aims to learn more about visual communication, collaboration, visual empathy and brand building. In 10 years, she hopes to have mastered UX/UI Designing and move on to other fields like product design.
finance DEVELOPMENT Interns — SPring 2021
David Fang
Major: Nutritional Science
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, David hopes to work at Deloitte in an accounting or consulting role while also continuing his education in pursuit of an MBA. In 10 years, he hopes to continue onwards with his career in Finance while steadily improving his golf swing!
Yicheng Yao
Major: Computer Science and Economics
Cornell University
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, Yicheng aspires to work as an investment banking analyst in the healthcare industry group. Yicheng plans to help finance and healthcare companies bring their technology to the world by helping them navigate the nuances of the market. In 10 years, he plans to work as an executive at a biopharmaceutical company. With his skills learning from the investment banking industry, Yicheng hopes to help companies bring their scientific ideas to reality.
Pavan Prasad
Major: Business Economics
University of California, Riverside
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In 5 years , Pavan plans to either be pursuing an MBA or to be working as a financial analyst in a biotech company or a fintech company. In 10 years, Pavan hopes to be able to be deep in the financial industry and hopefully working his way towards joining an organization like the WTO where he can impact and change peoples lives on a grander scale.
Fares Fares
Major: Finance
Baruch College
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, Fares sees himself either pursuing a masters in Finance or attending law school. In 10 years, Fares sees himself starting his own business. He feels that after 10 years, he would have an adequate amount of capital saved up from working, reselling, and cutting costs where possible, so that he can create a passive source of income for himself. Fares also hopes to potentially buy out property to rent to others.
Jeffrey Du
Major: Economics and Statistics
Duke University
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, Jeff plans to enter the finance industry, particularly focusing on the fields of investment banking or private equity. He hopes to utilize his understanding and knowledge of the industry acquired from internships and mentors to optimize his overall performance. In 10 years, Jeff hopes to obtain his MBA and utilize his experiences towards navigating the venture capital and hedge funds spheres.
cryptocurrency software engineer interns — spring 2021
Raymond Tan
Major: Computer Science
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, Raymond sees himself completing his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He will also be a software engineer at a tech company in Silicon Valley with the hopes of bettering society. In 10 years, he will have founded a startup that focuses on utilizing technology to make resources more accessible to people all over the world.
Shelden Shi
Major: Computer Science and Cognitive Science
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, Shelden sees himself either working for a startup or a growing company in the field of AI, medical or neurotech. He also sees himself pursuing a PhD degree in Neuroengineering. In 10 years, Shelden sees himself using the skills he learned and experiences he gained to problem solve. Startup? Cutting edge research? The possibilities are infinite, but he is certain that whatever he will be doing is something that is meaningful and will improve people's lives.
Ka-Hyun Nam
Major: Computer Science
Cornell University
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself working on meaningful projects as a Software Engineer in a tech company. She plans to achieve this by taking proactive steps to learn and grow as a Software Engineer. In ten years, she hopes to use her knowledge and skills gained in the tech industry to become involved in the entrepreneurial community, focusing on making a positive impact on environmental concerns or socioeconomic issues.
Game App Software Engineer Interns — spring 2021
Anonna Hasan
Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Santa Clara University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years she sees herself pursuing a PhD in a field related to computer science. Her interest will be mostly in artificial intelligence, and its application in education. In 10 years she would like to create her own education platform that uses AI.
Anthony Dushaj
Major: Computer Science and Software Development
Marist College
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In 5 years, Anthony sees himself working as a senior software developer with the ability to design and implement complex distributed systems that can scale massively, process untold quantities of data, and yet satisfy performance requirements like fault tolerance and high availability. In 10 years, Anthony hopes to advance in his role as much as possible. He loves the industry of technology and think it is the right choice for him long term.
Sarah Chen
Major: Computer Science
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, Sarah would like to be working as a software engineer at a tech company that values its social impact. In 10 years, she hopes to use her experience as a software engineer to create an online educational platform that makes learning more accessible and personalized for students with learning disabilities.
Rahul Kartha
Major: Computer Science
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, Rahul aims to be working as a Software Developer at a leading tech company with a large userbase so that his code can have an impact. In 10 years, Rahul would like to start his own startup in the tech space. By then, he hopes to have extensive development experience and industry knowledge. The goal is for his startup would be to improve people's lives with the seemingly limitless power of technology.
Editorial Interns
Sarah Siddiqui
Major: Cell Developmental Biology
Research Assistant at the Robinson Lab at UCSF
Aspirations: In five years, Sarah sees herself completing medical school and gaining more clinical research experience in the OB/GYN field. She hopes to achieve this through internships and shadowing experiences. In ten years, Sarah plans to become a practicing physician and be able to address the issues in reproductive health using biotechnology.
Anna Kurianowicz
Major: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In 5 years, Anna sees herself in the process of completing a PhD after having completed a Master’s degree in either biotechnology, chemical engineering or immunology. In 10 years, Anna sees herself having completed a PhD in either biotechnology, chemical engineering or immunology and in the process of applying all of the knowledge and expertise she has gained to start her dream job of creating a company that integrates biotechnological approaches, natural medicine, and green chemistry.
Sri Guttikonda
Major: Biology
Rutgers University
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, Sri envisions herself in an esteemed MD/Ph.D. program, where she will be further developing a passion for research. In ten years, she aims to be working at a hospital either as an academic or clinical cardiologist.
biomedical research interns — SPRING 2021
Andrew Albert
Major: Cell and Molecular Biology
Binghamton University
Aspirations: In 5 years, Andrew plans to continue working as an innovator to help deliver new technologies in a variety of biotechnology subfields such as digital health and cosmetics. In the next 10 years, Andrew intends to see his biotechnology companies and projects grow to new heights.
Aisling Macaraeg
Major: Cell and Molecular Biology
University of Rhode Island
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years, Aisling aspires to be in medical school or a MD-PhD program. She is also interested in being a full-time research assistant at a health center or through the NIH Postbaccalaureate program. In ten years, she hopes to have finished up her higher education, and has a job that involves continuous learning and her passions.
Alyssa Tabucao
Major: Medicinal and Synthetic Chemistry
University of San Francisco
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five years, Alyssa hopes to take a gap year before going to medical school to travel the world and immerse herself in new cultures. In ten years, she will have completed her residency in pediatrics, hopefully at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Mission Bay.
Calvin Chao
Rutgers University
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In five years, Calvin wants to be graduated from pharmacy school and find a career in drug development. In ten years, he would like to be pretty situated in his career, whatever it may be. If he ends up in the pharmaceutical industry, he would hope to have found the specialty of his choice.
Anna Borbely
University of Central Florida
Class of 20233
Aspirations: In five years, Anna plans to see herself attending medical school. She will prepare herself by gaining experience with internships like this one and shadowing opportunities. In ten years, she sees herself working in a hospital as a radiologist.
Aarushi Agrawal
Major: Biopsychology
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In five years, Aarushi aspires to attend an MD program in medical school while pursuing her passions of cognitive neuroscience and pediatrics. In 10 years, she hopes to be working in a hospital in the west coast specializing in pediatrics while also searching advancements and treatments for neurological disorders.
Christine Nguyen
Major: Biomedical Engineering
University of California, Irvine
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, Christine sees herself working in a biotech company, specifically with medical devices in quality, manufacturing, or R&D, to save up for graduate school. She plans to attend graduate school to get an MBA and possibly a Master's of Science in Engineering. In 10 years, Christine sees herself in a managerial or higher position at a biotech company, most likely a startup. She aims to help take a start-up company public and become a leader in the biotech field.
Hetu Patel
Pursuing Doctorate in Pharmacy
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Aspirations: In 5 years she plans to start a job in medical affairs within the biotech field and use her knowledge and research experience for patient care. Within 10 years, she sees herself in an administrative position leading a medical affairs team.
Aadrita Chatterjee
Major: Molecular and Cell Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, Aadrita hopes to be enrolled in a PhD program in the field of neuropharmacology or neuroscience more broadly. In 10 years, Aadrita sees herself pursuing a career path that focuses on drug development. She wants to work as a researcher or laboratory analyst where she will be able to work directly in the synthesis of new treatments.
Danielle McMillion
Major: Public Health and Molecular Cell Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 year, Danielle sees herself graduating from UC Berkeley and joining a MPH/MD Program or a PhD/MD program. In 10 years, she sees herself graduating from an MD program and on her way to owning her own clinic.
Iman Jaka
Major: Biochemistry and Finance
University of Houston
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In the next five years Iman hopes to be in medical school, possibly in a MD-MBA program. In the next ten years she hopes to have completed medical school and take part in a cutting edge residency program, specializing in cardiothoracic surgery.
Emma Biswas
The Harker School
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, Emma sees herself as a 3rd year in college majoring in something related to biology or pre-med. She plans on achieving this by working hard in high school and further pursuing her interests in order to get into a college. In 10 years, Emma sees herself finishing medical school and also doing research on something that interests her. She hopes to get into a residency and work hard to help others.
Kaitlyn Yeh
Major: Chemistry and East Asian Studies
Cornell University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In the next five years, Kaitlyn hopes to either attend graduate school for chemistry or medical school, depending on where her interests take her. In ten years, depending on which path she takes, Kaitlyn sees herself either working in the pharmaceutical industry developing drugs that improve the lives of individuals or as a practicing doctor.
HUman Resources Interns — fall 2020
Miguel Santos
Major: Business Administration (Option in HR)
California State University, Fresno
Class of 2021
Achievements: Air Force ROTC, Arnold Air Society
Aspirations: 5 years from now he would like to be a Captain in the Air Force as a pilot for remote aircrafts. Within 10 years he would also like to pursue a Master’s degree in HR, or Leadership.
William Wong
Major: Communications
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2020
Aspirations: In 5 years, he envisions himself in a senior human resources position where he can help the employees around him. In 10 years, he hopes to be in a director position, where he can further influence the benefits employees receive.
Online Marketing and Social Media INTerns — fall 2020
Nicholas Jarrett
Major: Undecided, leaning towards Finance
New York University-Shanghai
Class of 2022
Achievements: Nicholas has served as the Community Social Media Manager for a cryptocurrency project, works in Student Government as a Financial Assistant at his university, and tutors English for Chinese school children.
Aspirations: Within 5 years he will earn an MBA. And in 10 years he will work in the field of finance, possibly in consulting or logistics.
Ashley Snedaker
Major: Media Studies
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2023
Achievements: Valedictorian at her high school; 2nd Place Finalist at the International Career Development Conference in 2019 (DECA- Association of Marketing Students); Finance Committee Member of The Women’s Network at UC Berkeley.
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself graduated from UC Berkeley. In the next 10 years, she sees herself working towards an MBA, gaining work experience at an advertising agency where she designs and implements marketing campaigns for her clients.
Veronica Rasmussen
Major: Kinesiology
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2021
Achievements: University Honors in Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2019, Spring 2020; College of Education Scholar 2020 (Top 20% of class); Received 2020 modeling MVP award
Aspirations: Within the next 5 years she will earn a Master’s Degree in Marketing. Within 10 years she will be working for a company that she is passionate about while also maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
software engineering interns — fall 2020
Quinn Duggan
Major: Computer Science
Virginia Tech College of Engineering
Class of 2022
Achievements: President and cofounder of the school's Python Learning club
Aspirations: In 5 years he would like to work at a tech company as a software engineer. In 10 years, he will have transitioned to an advanced data scientist or machine learning engineer role.
Anonna Hasan
Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Santa Clara University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In five years she sees herself pursuing a PhD in a field related to computer science. Her interest will be mostly in artificial intelligence, and its application in education. In 10 years she would like to create her own education platform that uses AI.
Timmy Dang
Major: Computer Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, he sees himself as a software engineer at a tech company after completing a bachelor's degree. In 10 years, he sees himself transitioning from a tech-focused career to one that combines medicine and technology in order to make advances in the medical community and help improve people’s health.
Moshe Haiem
Major: Computer Science
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2021
Achievements: He's been on the Principal's Honor Roll since Fall 2018; Works with TheBruinExperiments, which helps organize science fairs with underprivileged middle schools.
Aspirations: In 5 years he will be forming his own start-up related to data analysis in sports. In 10 years, his start-up will be successful and his data analysis will be used extensively by sports teams.
biomedical research interns — Fall 2020
Alzheimer’s Disease Research Project
Nidhi Kanchumarthi
Team Leader
Major: Neuroscience and Behavior
Barnard College at Columbia University
Class of 2023
Achievements: She is the NCAA division I Archery Team Captain for Columbia University, was top 8 for 2020 college of National Indoor Finals, and is on the 2020 USA Archery Academic All-American team.
Elaine Liu
Innovation Leader
Major: Computer Science and Economics
Northwestern University, School of Engineering
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself further delving into the medical fields of research and innovating new products for society. In 10 years, she envisions joining a startup company to extend her impact.
Ramiro Garza
Editor
Major: Biomedical Sciences
University of Akron
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, he plans to hopefully attend a medical school on the east coast. In 10 years, he wishes to continue his path to becoming an investigative physician while leading meaningful research projects on the side.
Benjamin Chen
Team Member
Major: Medical Engineering
Dartmouth College
Class of 2024
Achievements: Placed 3rd in the 2019 Brain Bee; President of Youth Care Club, a volunteer organization focused on educating disadvantaged youth in China; Volunteers at the Breakfast Banister House and with the Salvation Army.
Aspirations: In 5 years he sees himself continuing his education by attending medical school. In 10 years he plans to have graduated from medical school and matched with a residency program.
Thejaswini Vembar
Team Member
High School Senior at Plano West Senior High School
Achievements: Took part in a Biology Camp hosted by the University of Texas at Dallas; Participating in a Pre-Health Virtual Shadowing Program.
Aspirations: 5 years from now, she sees herself with an undergraduate degree in neuroscience with a minor in innovation and making an entry into the field of clinical research. 10 years from now, she sees herself working as a researcher at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke conducting clinical trials.
Avigail Rockland
Team Member
Major: Biology
New York University
Class of 2021
Achievements: Earned her national certification as an E.M.T.
Aspirations: She plans to spend a year after graduation pursuing further research opportunities prior to attending medical school. 10 years from now she hopes to complete her residency and be a practicing physician.
Kira Tiv
Team Member
Major: Biology
University of Chicago
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, Kira would love to see herself attending medical school and making her family proud. In 10 years, she would like to become a medical professional in order to help others in need.
Rithvik Kanaad
Team Member
Major: Neuroscience
University of Texas at Dallas
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In the next 5 years, Rithvik plans on beginning his residency while in medical school. In 10 years, Rithvik sees himself becoming a physician.
Shira Hao
Team Member
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Vanderbilt University
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In 5 years, Shira sees herself working towards a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. In 10 years, she aims to be working in the research and development of medical devices, potentially in global and low-resource settings.
Alexis Olmos
Team Member
Major: Biochemistry and Psychology
Grinnell College
Class of 2023
Aspirations: Within 5 years, Alexis sees himself pursuing an MD-PhD in Neuroscience. In 10 years, he envisions himself partaking in research as a physician-scientist to advance the field of neuroscience.
Sri Guttikonda
Team Member
Major: Biology
Rutgers University
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, Sri envisions herself in an esteemed MD/Ph.D. program, where she will be further developing a passion for research. In 10 years, she aims to be working at a hospital either as an academic or clinical cardiologist.
Erick Torres Hinojosa
Team Member
Major: Neuroscience
Yale University
Class of 2022
Aspirations: In 5 years, he plans to be attending medical school under a MD/PhD program. In 10 years, he sees himself in the process of completing residency as a medical doctor and contributing towards the advancement of gene therapy and treatments for neurological disorders.
Parkinson’s Disease Research Project
Bhavana Sreepad
Team Leader
Major: Psychobiology
University of California, Los Angeles
Class of 2021
Achievements: Former Volunteer Events Director for Young Professionals of Children’s Bureau.
Aspirations: In 5 years she would like to be enrolled in an MD/PhD program and working towards becoming a doctor. In 10 years she hopes to be a certified doctor, and pursuing a career path that she’s passionate about. She believes that being a doctor and helping as many patients as possible is a great superpower.
Diego Sandova
Innovation Leader
Major: Bioengineering
University of the Pacific
Class of 2021
Achievements: He was a research assistant in Dr. Joshua Steimel’s material science lab at Pacific last spring. He is also a student in the university’s Legal Scholars Program.
Aspirations: In five years, Diego sees himself enrolled in either a J.D. program or a dual-degree program in law and engineering after acquiring some work experience for a few years. In ten years, he will be an attorney specializing in intellectual property and administrative law.
Maliha Khan
Editor
Major: Biopsychology
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2021
Achievements: Research assistant in the Memory Lab at UCSB; Working on the Education Initiative at the Center for Mindfulness and Human Potential Lab.
Aspirations: In 5 years, she plans on being a part of an MD or MD/PhD program, pursuing her passion for research within the scope of neuroscience/endocrinology while becoming an MD.
Ariana Samimi
Team Member
Major: Biochemistry and Biology
San Francisco State University
Class of 2021
Achievements: First-generation college student; President of the Afghan Student Association at SFSU; Currently working as a Medical Scribe at a cardiology clinic; Dean’s list all semesters.
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself finishing her last years at medical school. Within 10 years, she sees herself opening a private practice.
Neha Ramachandran
Team Member
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Class of 2024
Achievements: Previously worked as an intern in Dr. Kuzhali Muthumalaiappan's lab at Loyola University, studying the correlation between anemia and burn patients.
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself pursuing a medical degree with a focus on technology and public health. Within 10 years, she envisions herself completing medical training and combining it with her knowledge of biotechnology to create effectual and accessible medical devices for developing countries.
Rochelle Shtutin
Team Member
Major: Human Biology
Hunter College
Class of 2021
Achievements: Honors scholar; Currently working as a pediatric dental assistant; Previously a research assistant at Weill Cornell Medicine where she annotated various microbial species.
Aspirations: In 5 years, she hopes to be in dental school pursuing a career in pediatric dentistry, aspiring to provide children with proper oral care and aid in making them smile. In 10 years, she hopes to open a pediatric practice in New York City.
Danielle McMillion
Team Member
Major: Public Health and Molecular Cell Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2023
Achievements: At UC Berkeley, she is on the Student Health Advisory Committee, the Partners in Health Engage Committee, and in the Biological Scholars Program; A Heart2Heart Advocate, advocating for quality health care for African Americans in the Bay Area.
Aspirations: In 5 year, she sees herself graduating from UC Berkeley and joining a MPH/MD Program or a PhD/MD program. In 10 years, she sees herself graduating from an MD program and on her way to owning her own clinic.
Tejaswini Govindaraman
Team Member
Major: Bioengineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Achievements: Part of the Engineering James Scholar Honors Program at her university.
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself combining her passion for medicine and research by pursuing a MD-PhD degree. In 10 years, she envisions herself working as a physician and also researching medical innovations.
Sofia Piedrafita-Ortiz
Team Member
Major: Molecular and Cell Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Class of 2022
Achievements: Previously worked as a research intern synthesizing various PROTACs to target EGFR in cancer cells.
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself pursuing a PhD in neuroscience or an MD-PhD. In 10 years, she hopes to be delving into neuroscience research or completing the path to becoming a physician-scientist.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Project
Carolyn Skotz
Team Leader
Major: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Yale University
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, she would like to see herself pursuing a graduate degree in the biomedical field. In 10 years, Carolyn sees herself researching cancer causes and treatment.
Samrat Thapa
Innovation Leader
Major: Biomedical Computation
Stanford University
Class of 2024
Achievements: He has been a research assistant at the Stachura Research Lab in California State University, Chico, for four years; Won 1st place at the Chico Science Fair twice; Co-first author on his scientific paper at the Stachura Research Lab, published in Science Matters (online, peer reviewed, open source journal based out of Switzerland.)
Mary Nowak
Editor
Major: Biology and Catholic Studies
Seton Hall University
Class of 2021
Aspirations: In 5 years, she plans to be enrolled in a DVM/PhD program, synthesizing research and veterinary medicine to study the mechanisms of cancer metastasis. In 10 years, she envisions herself pursuing a postdoc or beginning a career in research and development.
Akshitha Mamidi
Team Member
Major: Global Disease Biology
University of California, Davis
Class of 2024
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself taking a gap year to work in the biotechnology field before applying to graduate school. In 10 years, she plans on becoming a research doctor while working to establish gender equality in the healthcare system.
Hetu Patel
Team Member
Pursuing Doctorate in Pharmacy at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Aspirations: In 5 years she plans to start a job in medical affairs within the biotech field and use her knowledge and research experience for patient care. Within 10 years, she sees herself in an administrative position leading a medical affairs team.
Mabel Ho
Team Member
Major: Biochemistry
University of Washington
Class of 2023
Aspirations: In 5 years, she would like to continue her studies at medical school. In 10 years, she sees herself starting her own OBGYN clinic and being able to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Landon Phung
Team Member
Graduate Student at Johns Hopkins University
Aspirations: In 5 years, he sees himself attending and graduating from medical school. In 10 years, he aspires to become a skillful physician with strong ties to the global health and education sectors to improve people's lives.
The Microbiome (Gut-Brain Axis) Research Project
Piper Tonne
Team Leader
Major: Biopsychology
University of California, Santa Barbara
Class of 2024
Nabeeha Hasan
Innovation Leader
Major: Honors Biomedical Sciences and Economics
University of Houston
Class of 2024
Achievements: She is a Health and Wellbeing Influencer as part of the Counseling and Psychological Services department at her college campus.
Aspirations: In five years, she sees herself pursuing an MD-MBA program. In 10 years, she wants to finish her graduate degree and start working as a licensed doctor and a clinical professor, specializing in pediatric oncology.
Deondre Do
Editor
Major: Biology
University of California, Los Angeles
Class of 2020
Aspirations: In 5 years, he hopes to have educated himself in fields beyond his background in biology by achieving a Masters in Biomedical Engineering, and in 10 years he hopes to be part of an esteemed M.D. P.H.D. program.
Aishwarya Kotha
Team Member
Major: Neuroscience
University of Texas at Austin
Class of 2022
Achievements: Director of Communications at the Texas Undergraduate Research Journal; Two certificates in Applied Statistical Modeling and Pre-Health Professions.
Aspirations: 5 years from now, she sees herself in medical school, pursuing an MD/PhD. 10 years from now, she sees herself pursuing research in the treatment of glioblastomas and gliomas at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Saadhana Sridharan
Team Member
Major: Biology
Florida Atlantic University
Class of 2023
Achievements: Conducted two independent research studies examining the pharmaceutical impacts of urban agriculture.
Aspirations: In the next 5 years, Shree hopes to enroll in a graduate program specializing in the biotechnology field while also playing an active role in her local community. In 10 years, she hopes to be a research scientist and science policy advocate, helping raise public awareness of important findings within the scientific community.
Sierra Richardson
Team Member
Major: Biology
Skidmore College
Class of 2023
Achievements: Founded a Mindful Movement club at Skidmore; Previously worked with a non-profit called WiseTribe where she was a systems leader and lead a group to help solve food insecurity issues in her hometown in Florida.
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself pursuing a Ph.D. in a field related to biology or medicine. Her interests are mostly in lab or field research. In 10 years, she would like to further pursue a career in a health-related field, either as a physical therapist, physician’s assistant, or a doctor.
Sravya Gundapaneni
Team Member
Third-Year Medical Student at Ross University School of Medicine
Aspirations: In 5 years, she sees herself finishing up her residency and starting a family. In 10 years, she hopes to have her own medical practice as well as own a biotechnology company of her own. She is amazed by the impact technology can have on medicine and is constantly eager to learn more.
Ariya Reddy
Team Member
High School Sophomore at The Harker School
Aspirations: In 5 years, Ariya sees herself as a Junior at Brown double majoring in history and biochemistry. 10 years from now, she sees herself continuing to pursue a doctorate degree while also seeking to pursue other projects that delve into both biochemistry and history.