About

Alex’s degrees are in Psychology (PhD, MA) and Public Administration (MPA). He conducts research on decision making and social behavior, and works primarily on applied projects (e.g., evaluating police training in the United States, assessing persuasive messaging campaigns among charity organizations, linking oncology patients’ religious beliefs to end-of-life treatment decisions). Since 2019, he has run the science communication website Applied Science Live.

Conor is a PhD student in auditory neuroscience at McGill University. He is interested in how non-neuronal cells such as astrocytes are able to influence learning and memory by regulating the reorganisation of neuronal circuits. In particular, he wants to examine whether we can target these cells to improve cognitive functioning in conditions such as dementias. Outside of the lab, Conor can usually be found cooking for friends or out exploring Montréal!

Rosa is a Ph.D. student in Social and Health Psychology at Stony Brook University. Her research interests involve studying experiences of discrimination, specifically how they affect the educational and health outcomes of Black and Latinx communities. In her free time, Rosa enjoys drawing and painting.

Jennifer recently completed her MSc at McGill University studying the impact of stressors on phytoplankton and bacteria communities in shallow lakes. Now, she teaches science and math at an alternative public school in the city. Jennifer’s passion is teaching and learning; she has always had an interest in science communication and community outreach. When not working, Jennifer spends as much time as she can outdoors, playing sports, trying to identify bird calls, reading, and just watching the clouds go by.

Sarah is a Microbiology and Cell Science BS graduate from the University of Florida. She currently works at NorthShore University Healthsystem, associated to University of Chicago, in the Center of Psychiatric Genetics. When she's not in the lab, she enjoys reading, running and exploring!

Lexi is a recent graduate of Marist College where she received a BS in Biomedical Science with minors in Chemistry and Psychology and competed in Division 1 collegiate water polo. Currently, she works with children and adults of all ability levels as a swim instructor. She is also working towards becoming a physician and has a special interest in community health education, promoting wellness practices, and pediatric care. In her free time, Lexi enjoys traveling, audiobooks, learning new things, and staying active (especially outdoors).

Mariah is a PhD student in Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research is on the breakdown of proteins by enzymes and designing substrates that are uniquely susceptible to individual enzymes for use in disease tracking and diagnosis. As a grad student, she most enjoys mentoring new researchers and making scientific illustrations that help convey technical concepts in accessible ways. Outside of the lab, she enjoys playing volleyball, biking, hanging out at local breweries, and spending as much time as possible with her dog.

Suchitra is a fifth year Ph.D. student in biochemistry and an aspiring writer. Suchitra's research is on Alzheimer’s disease and solving the world’s energy problem. Suchitra describes herself as an introvert, warm, friendly, and eager to meet new people. Suchitra loves books, music, cats and globe-trotting and experiencing different cultures around the world.

Emma recently graduated from McGill University with an MSc. in Experimental Medicine, studying how cancer metabolism contributes to drug resistance in breast cancer. She now works as a Medical Writer in Montreal and is happy that she spends her day creating interesting learning materials instead of pipetting at a lab bench. Emma has many other passions and tries to do as much rock-climbing, wandering in parks, and reading as possible.

Kevin graduated from McGill with a PhD in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, specializing in Nanotechnology. In his spare time he reads & writes about science in society. He also works with video game developers as a science media consultant at Thwacke! to help to make games smarter.

Clara is a journalism student at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. She holds a BSc in Anatomy & Cell Biology from McGill University, and an MSc in Global Health from Maastricht University. She loves learning about everything from neuroscience to oceanography, and enjoys playing the guitar and running in her free time.

Phuong is a Science undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia. She is studying Immunology and Microbiology and is currently involved in breast cancer research. Outside of school, Phuong enjoys swimming, reading books, trying out new hobbies, and whispering encouraging words to her plants.

Graciela holds a BA in Biology from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She has continued on to work as a science educator at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry where she spends her days working with teen volunteers and creating curriculum to get people excited about the world around them. In her free time she loves fixing/riding bikes and making elaborate meals with friends.

Farah holds a PhD in biomedicine from University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Orignally from Pakistan and currently resising in Sweden. She has transitioned from academia to science communication and currently working as a freelance science writer, editor and reviewer. When not working she enjoys running (after her 2 beautiful children). Loves exploring different forms of art, enjoys creativity and is an avid DIYer. Currently polishing skills in water colour painting and polymer clay jewellery.

Katie is a Master's student in the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs and Program on Climate Change at the University of Washington. She is currently researching zooplankton sensitivity to ocean acidification, and is passionate about bridging the gap between scientists and policy-makers. When she's not in the lab or attending some scicomm workshop, you'll find her backpacking in the Olympic mountains, beachcombing in Seattle, or catching up with friends at a local coffee shop.

Dominika is a doctoral researcher in the Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences. Her thesis is focusing on fungal pathogens of plants, in particular developing fast and effective methods of their detection. More recently, she has also started analysing the metagenomic communities of organic strawberries. In her spare time she is expanding her collections of read books, pole sport figures and indoor plants.

Julia is a lecturer (Asst. Prof) at Victoria, University of Wellington in New Zealand. Her work bridges economics, ecology, and natural resource management.

Donn Van Deren is a postdoctoral researcher studying the role of the immune system of the brain in neuropsychiatric disorders, specifically chronic anxiety and trichotillomania, at the University of Utah School of Medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Mario R. Capecchi (Nobel Laureate, 2007). He obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Since he grew up in the military lifestyle, he is a scientist with military-derived core values. For example, he likes his house to be clean and tidy! His extracurricular activities include, but are not limited to, fitness, hiking (it's Utah!), and traveling.

Aisha Al Abri is a biomedical scientist and recently completed a master's degree in cancer biology and therapeutics. Her master's project was focused on the anti-cancer effect of statins. She has always had an interest in science communication to a broad audience. While not working she enjoys hiking, traveling, and painting.

Magali is a young scientist with a PhD in molecular biology with a background in biotechnology and genetics. She spent 5 years at the Spanish National Cancer Research Institute performing basic research on a tumor suppressor protein from the cohesin complex. Currently, her interests are shifting towards global health and science communications. She now works as an independent consultant for a company that develops innovative global healthcare solutions for remote areas. In her spare time she enjoys nature, yoga, traveling, diving, and scrapbooking.

Vivian Lam is a researcher in thoracic and geriatric oncology at UCSF. They completed their undergraduate degree in human biology and comparative literature at Stanford University. They are captivated by palliative and end-of-life care, death and dying, and medical anthropology. They believe that critical theory and narrative can unveil alternative modalities of care and ways of being. They also enjoy distance running, staring vacantly into the distance, and warbling in the shower.

Jessica Reuter Castrogiovanni is a scientist and writer interested in studying genetics and neuromuscular disabilities. She is always working toward improving her knowledge and is passionate about scientific literacy. When she isn't writing or advocating for science, she enjoys reading, trying new tea flavors, and teaching her little girl.

Caitlin recently started a PhD in Biological and Biomedical Engineering at McGill University in Montreal. She is using neuroimaging to study how brain chemistry and structure change over time in a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease, and if anti-inflammatory treatment can mitigate these disease-related changes. She is not yet jaded by the world of academia and is keen to expand her horizons by learning about (and concisely communicating!) as much scientific research as possible. In the little spare time that is left, Caitlin can be found playing competitive ultimate frisbee, reading, or scouring the internet for easy meal prep ideas.

Menna is a dentist and a lecturer with a PhD in dental biomaterials from Egypt. She has worked on the development, modification and testing of various dental materials. Currently, she is residing in Dubai with her family and concentrating on raising her sons.

Lindsay is a behavioral scientist at the Institutes for Behavior Resources in Baltimore, Maryland, working in the areas of behavioral economics, substance use, and fatigue and performance. Her dissertation focused on the use of behavioral economic methods to quantify drug value in those with substance use disorders. These days Lindsay is focusing her efforts on using biomathematical models of fatigue to understand how sleep and fatigue can impact performance in different industries like healthcare and aviation.