Jordan Bartosiak is a fourth-year student from Brookfield, Wisconsin majoring in Neurobiology with a certificate in Global Health. She is applying to dental school and is highly involved with volunteering at the More Smiles WI clinic and is a part of the Pre-Dental Society on campus. Her research the past three years was in biochemistry and centered around the structures and metabolic pathways found in plant membrane proton pumps. Outside of academics, Jordan enjoys horseback riding, playing tennis, reading, and being with friends.
Simon Bushmaker is a third-year student from Stevens Point, Wisconsin studying geology and geophysics. He is interested in studying the spatial and temporal sequence of geologic events through geologic mapping of structures and distribution of natural materials. During his time as a URS Scholar, Simon utilized electron microscopy (EPMA and SEM) to characterize the geochemistry and micro-structure of jarosite and related ammonium bearing minerals. He currently works within the Department of Geoscience as a lab assistant dating glacial landscapes in both the Sierra Nevada and Patagonia.Outside of research, Simon is the president of Undergraduate GeoClub and enjoys running, painting, and sailing.
Isa Butz is a fourth-year student hailing from Greenfield, Wisconsin and has an endless passion for learning. She is majoring in Psychology and Neurobiology with certificates in Health and the Humanities, LGBTQ+ Studies, and Health Policy. She is currently applying to medical school and also hopes to earn a Master’s in Public Health. During her time as a URS Scholar, Isa worked on research investigating the implementation of digital and physical learning methods. Outside of research, she likes to play video games, exercise, and chat with friends.
Shannon Carnahanis a fourth-year student from Los Angeles, California studying Psychology with a certificate in Global Health. She is a research assistant/senior thesis student in the psychology department’s SABR (Stereotyping and Bias Research) lab, focusing on the social, cognitive, and neural mechanisms that perpetuate stereotypes and biases. In the future, she hopes to earn a PhD in psychology and go into the Peace Corps. When she is not working on her thesis, Shannon enjoys spending time with friends, being outdoors, and cooking.
Tam Doan is a fourth-year student from Stevens Point, Wisconsin. She is double majoring in Biology and Asian Languages and Culture, and is planning to enter the field of dentistry as a pediatric dentist. As a URS Scholar, Tam worked with Dr. Dawnene Hassett on her research involving children and how play and creativity affects literacy education. In Tam’s vast amounts of free time (she’s being facetious), you can find her baking for her friends, chasing her chinchilla, watering her plants, or reading a book by the lake. More than likely though, you can find Tam stressed out at Memorial Library.
Jillian Flanagan is a senior from Malvern, Pennsylvania studying Anthropology with a certificate in Environmental Studies. She is a part of the Filipinx American Student Organization and researches tribal food sovereignty on the Fort Peck, Montana reservation. She volunteers as an English as a Second Language tutor and is interested in becoming an elementary school teacher in the future. In her free time, she’s painting anything that has a surface for it and catches every Lake Mendota sunset possible.
Mauricio Garcia is a fourth-year, first-generation student from Chicago, Illinois. He’s majoring in Communication Arts: Radio, TV, Film with certificates in Entrepreneurship, Digital Studies and Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies. He’s also a scholar of the First Wave program and you can catch him performing at various events. During his time as a URS Scholar, he worked on an artificial intelligence research project that focused on examining the spontaneity and excitement AI achieves through human interaction. Mauricio is a music artist, songwriter, performer, poet, independent video director, and is currently working on establishing new artistic projects and independent businesses.
Samantha Greco is a fourth-year student from Fullerton, California with a major in Psychology and certificates in Asian American Studies and Disability Rights and Services. She currently conducts research in the same Psychology lab she began in as a URS Scholar, aiming to create more effective diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s Disease. In the future, she hopes to work in Clinical Psychology, helping children with psychological disorders. When she’s not studying, she enjoys trying out new makeup looks, going to new restaurants/cafes, and engaging in movement such as yoga and dance.
JP Gutierrez is a third-year student originally from Chicago, Illinois. JP is majoring in Political Science and Life Science Communications and is getting a certificate in History. In his time as a URS Scholar, he researched the morphological aspects of underground and aerial roots from giant corn in the AneLab. JP is focusing on getting into law school in the near future. In his free time, he plays flag football and cheers for his favorite NFL team the Chicago Bears.
Ashton (Ash) Jenks is a third year student triple majoring in History, Anthropology, and Classical Humanities with Certificates in Archaeology and Gender and Women’s Studies. During their time as a URS Scholar, they worked on the Wisconsin Palmyrene Aramaic Inscription project with Dr. Hutton helping to further analyze and categorize the Epigraphy of 2nd and 3rd century loculi inscriptions. Ash is also interested in Wisconsin Archaeology. Outside of URS, Ash works at College Library, is President of Anthro Circle and a Co Consul for the Classics Society as well as being a member of Model UN and Fencing Club. In their free time, Ash enjoys listening to history podcasts, writing poetry, and annoying their friends with puns.
Shilpa Maddikunta is a fourth-year student from Eau Claire, Wisconsin pursuing a major in Psychology with a certificate in 3D Studio Art. During her time as a URS Scholar, Shilpa worked with Dr. Bianca Baldridge in the School of Education studying discussions surrounding racial disparities between Madison’s White and Black residents. The purpose of the project was to eventually create educational reforms to alleviate the disparities within schools in predominantly-white cities. Shilpa currently works as an EMT in the city of Marshall and in the Dhanu lab in the Department of Surgery and Animal Sciences studying the Dictyostelid species, a type of amoeba, to elucidate their ability to break down antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In her free time, Shilpa enjoys playing tennis, painting gifts for friends, and binging Kdramas and murder mysteries with her roommates (she has tons of recommendations).
Cassidy Martin is a senior majoring in Sociology with certificates in Arts Education and Educational Policy. She is a spoken word poet and visual artist from Nashville. TN. Cassidy is a member of the 12th Cohort of the First Wave Spoken Word & Hip Hop Arts Learning Community. She is also a Ronald E. McNair Scholar. Cassidy’s research is centered around equity, arts, and youth at the intersection of education. She works with Dr. Erica Halverson at PLACE, an NEA funded lab looking at the social emotional learning of arts programming. Cassidy’s specific corner of research is looking at observations of arts programming through poetic inquiry.
Gráinne McDonagh is a first-generation third-year student pursuing a major in Health Promotion and Health Equity whilst earning a certificate in Gender and Women’s Studies. She is a proud Posse scholar who was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. During her time as a URS Scholar, Grainne worked as an undergraduate research and promotions intern for the Social Media Adolescent Health Research Team under the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Since, she has continued her research and presented nationally. Grainne is greatly invested in mental health and women’s health. Beyond academics, she is a lover of travel, reality television, poetry, and holistic self-care.
Yasmin Mirhashemi is a current third-year student from Appleton, Wisconsin studying English Language/Linguistics and Spanish. She is also a pre-Law student, so she spends her time competing for the UW-Madison Mock Trial team and, in the summer, working as an advisor for the Intensive Law and Trial Camp hosted in conjunction with Stanford Law School. Her research as a URS Scholar was focused on psychology and investigating the limitations of our own knowledge. Lately, she has spent her free time training as a bodybuilder and participating in as much off-season mock trial as possible.
Hailey Patel is a third-year student from Wisconsin studying Legal Studies, Public Policies, Criminal Justice. As a URS Scholar, she worked with the Political Science Department studying public influence/lobbying efforts on the legislative law-making process. She is also part of Amnesty International on campus, helping lead the environmental team. Hailey loves trying out new coffee spots, taking long walks by Lake Mendota, and trying out new recipes in the kitchen.
Alejandro Perez is a 4th year student from Southern California majoring in Electrical Engineering and minoring in Energy Sustainability. He is a proud Posse Scholar who finds passion in learning new things. He spent his first 3 years at UW-Madison as a research assistant in the Department of Engineering Physics where he authored and published research pieces on nuclear heat transfer for reactor models. Alejandro is usually studying but when he’s not he can be found at the gym or watching soccer highlights.
Lekha Pillarisetti is a senior majoring in Biology with an interest in public health and medicine. As a URS Scholar, Lekha worked with the Social Media and Adolescent Health Research Team (SMAHRT) and studied how social media can be used as a tool to monitor the safety of medical devices on the market. In her free time, she dabbles in pottery, bullet-journaling, cooking and other hobbies.
Journey Prack is a third-year student from Denver, Colorado majoring in Entomology with a certificate in Environmental Studies. As a URS Scholar, Journey worked with the Anthony Ives lab to research how food sources affect parasitic wasp dispersal among aphid populations. Through her work in the Ives lab, she got the opportunity to go to Iceland as an REU student to study midge population dynamics. Currently, she works in the Kerri Coon lab researching the pitcher-plant mosquito and its associated microbiota as a potential symbiotic driver. In her free time, Journey likes to cook, read, and spend time outdoors.
Sherry Wong is a third year Posse scholar from New York studying Computer Sciences and Astronomy-Physics. Her research interests lie in using computational methods to study galaxy evolution and neutrinos. She is the House Fellow for the Gender Inclusive Affinity Community in Lowell Hall. Outside of school, Sherry is an avid Dungeons and Dragons player and dabbler in the performing arts.
Evan Wooldridge is a junior studying Marketing with a certificate in Afro-American Studies. He is a Posse scholar from Los Angeles, California. Throughout his time at UW-Madison, Evan has worked at the Morgridge Institute for Research under the PATh Project. During his time as a URS Scholar, Evan worked on research through the Schoville Lab on identifying microbial organisms in resistant and susceptible Colorado potato beetle whole transcriptome RNA read data from Wisconsin. He currently works as a Business Engagement Content Intern at UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies and is a Social Media Manager for Herpetological Conservation International. In his free time, he enjoys binging Netflix shows, enjoying time with close friends, and indulging in a good meal.