Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy

Summer 2003 Fellow Biographies

		Liz Alter (PGA/Intl Programs) recently completed a Masters of Science in Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California, Berkeley, and will begin a PhD program in Biological Sciences at Stanford University this fall. Her doctoral research will focus on the conservation genetics and molecular evolution of marine organisms. Liz is interested in the policy implications of environmental problems that require cooperation across international borders, particularly issues related to marine conservation and climate change. Throughout her academic and professional career, Liz has worked to encourage greater public understanding of the science that shapes our society. As an undergraduate at Yale University, she taught for and eventually directed an environmental education program for low-income New Haven elementary schools. After graduating from Yale, Liz taught high school biology in Cairo, Egypt, and worked at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History on a biodiversity database project. Her professional goal is a career in academic research with a focus on producing science that will aid the conservation of natural resources. During the course of the fellowship, Liz hopes to gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which scientific research is translated into public policy. Contact by email .
		Angela Armendariz (IOM/FNB) is a PhD candidate in Molecular and Biochemical Nutrition at the University of California, Berkeley. She earned a BS in human nutrition and food science with a minor in biochemistry from New Mexico State University. She spends the majority of her time understanding molecular processes of micronutrient metabolism, but has taken the time during graduate school to pursue other interests by enrolling in several policy-related courses as well. She has yet to declare a definite career plan, but is certain of one goal. That is to continue the pursuit of scientific knowledge, and at the same time, making sure that this knowledge is used to benefit the population as a whole. She feels that science policy could offer her the opportunity to accomplish this goal. Angela hopes that this fellowship will allow her, a lab scientist, the unique opportunity to gain insight into the ways in which science influences governmental policies and vice-versa. Whether science policy becomes a new career path for her or not, she knows that, at the very least, the fellowship will be an invaluable tool to use in her future work as a scientist. Angela finds time to perform some volunteer work by giving scientific talks and demonstrations at children’s summer camps and is an active participant in her daughter’s team sports. Contact by email.
		Kristen Averyt (DELS/PRB) finished her PhD in Geological and Environmental Science at Stanford University in 2004. She earned an MS in chemistry from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand while on a Fulbright Fellowship, and received her BS in chemistry and marine science from the University of Miami. The overarching goal of her research is to understand the chemistry of the modern and ancient oceans in the context of global climate. Currently, she is a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow working as a staffer for Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). Among her primary responsibilities for the Senator, she is the principal contact for issues related to fisheries and coordinates all the appropriations for the State of Oregon. She also assists the Senator’s counsel with issues that include nanotechnology, participation of women in science, energy policy, coastal management, and several environmental topics. Contact by email. (Updated 9/05)
		Amy Brown (DBASSE/BCYF) earned a MPH in Health Policy and Administration at Yale University and a BA in biology from Smith College. As a Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellow during the summer of 2003, Amy contributed to a study to help build the research base to improve adolescent health and development outcomes, particularly among those at increased risk. Amy currently works as a Policy Associate at Health Systems Research, Inc. (HSR) in Washington, DC. In this position, she has coordinated data collection, analytic, and writing support on numerous maternal and child health projects, including an needs and capacity assessment for the State of Idaho and a national evaluation of the Food Stamp Nutrition Education program. She also serves as the Project Manager for a national evaluation of infrastructure-building activities across Title V Block Grant programs for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Amy is also the Project Manager for an evaluation of National Women’s Health Week for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. In addition, Amy has continued to pursue her personal and professional passion engage in research to reduce health disparities among vulnerable populations and has recently presented a poster at the National Leadership Summit on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health. Amy hopes to obtain a doctoral degree in public health policy. Contact by email. (Updated 06/06)
		Amy Love Collins (DBASSE/BBCSS) obtained her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Boston College where she was involved in research examining older adults' psychological resilience against life challenges associated with normal aging. Prior to Boston College, she earned an MA in psychology from The Catholic University of America and a BA in English Literature from the Honors College at the University of South Florida. She is currently a postdoctoral Research Associate at Princeton University continuing her research on health and well-being in older adults.  (Updated 11/06)
		Stephanie Cupp (NAE/CASEE) is a Masters candidate in Computer Science at the George Washington University. She earned a BS in computer science from Kennesaw State University. In selecting a course of study in college, she immediately gravitated toward technology, and her research interests have been focused around bringing technology to people. Her interest in computer science is focused around human-computer interaction and technology presentation. As a graduate research assistant, she is researching and producing a collaborative learning environment for the National Security Agency. The project involves creating an experience for users to learn how to collaborate online in order to solve “Wicked Problems.” The reseacrch includes the areas of teaching and learning styles, groupware and other collaborative tools. Her goal is to continue to explore and expand the ways in which science and technology are introduced to children and/or adults in an effort to spark an interest in a broader arena of people who will be able to bring more talent into the engineering workforce. Growing up in a U.S. Military family, and living in seven states and Japan, provided a personal familiarity with cultural diversity. She is excited to see the role of technology and engineering in government and policy at the National Academies.
		Collette Eccleston (DBASSE/CFE) is a PhD candidate in Social Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She earned a BA in psychology from Columbia University. Her research attempts to gain a greater understanding of the psychological experience of individuals who belong to stigmatized groups. Specifically, she is interested in how structural and psychological factors contribute to differences between members of relatively disadvantaged groups and relatively privileged groups in important life outcomes, such as educational achievement and health. Her career goal is to conduct scientific research that has potency outside the realm of academia. Collette hopes that the fellowship at the National Academies will provide her with an opportunity to learn about the process through which scientific research influences public policy. She is looking forward to being back on the east coast and getting to know Washington D.C. In her free time, Collette enjoys running and hiking. Contact by email.
		Mary Feeney (PGA/COSEPUP) is a Masters of Public Policy candidate at Rutgers University. She earned a BS in political science from the University of Wyoming. Mary spent two years teaching English in a small village in Japan and was challenged to understand and adapt to a new cultural environment without the benefit of guidance or direction. This led her to initiate alternative language lessons, rewrite language curriculum, and develop innovative lesson plans to incorporate international studies. Mary’s interests are in S&T policy, R&D policy, public management, and international studies. Mary is particularly interested in researching the role of federal R&D at universities and S&T policies to enhance private-public-university research. She feels the fellowship will provide her a unique opportunity to gain practical experience and training in S&T policy formation and evaluation. She plans on obtaining a Ph.D. and working as a researcher in S&T policy. In her free time, Mary enjoys running, reading, and traveling. Contact by email.
		Lee Finewood (DELS/BRWM) has worked for the US Geological Survey in Philadelphia, and in private industry in the engineering field in both Denver and Boston. His work with the New York state Office of the Attorney General began his career in science and technology policy while he also tutored disadvantaged youth in a federal education program. At the National Academies Lee was with the Board on Radioactive Waste Management (now the Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board), exploring the important policy issues of safety and security of the Nation’s nuclear facilities and associated waste disposition. He finished his MS in Geology with his thesis entitled “Three dimensional kinematics and dispersal of particle bearing jets and gravity flows” at the State University of New York and intends to pursue a law degree to continue his involvement in the important union between science and public policy. Currently Lee is working with Booz Allen Hamilton as a consultant for the US Department of Energy on a broad range of litigious policy issues including nuclear waste disposition and the potential future directions of the nuclear industry. An avid outdoorsman and sports enthusiast, Lee enjoys kayaking, climbing and cycling in the DC area and playing on various softball and other sports teams. Contact by email (Updated 06/06)
		Monique Hite (BICE/DEPS & NDR/DELS) is a PhD candidate in Civil Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. She earned an MS in civil engineering from University of Delaware, and has presented her thesis work at the American Society of Civil Engineers Engineering Mechanics Conference (2002). Her research is in the area of earthquake resistant design. She hopes to contribute her knowledge to BICE and NDR by providing them with a better perspective on the issues and implementation of state-of-the-art applications for earthquake resistant design. While significant research advances have been made in civil engineering, many of these advances have not found their way into practice. Monique believes this is due to the disconnect between those performing research and those setting policies that would enable such technologies to be implemented. She believes this fellowship will provide her with the opportunity to broaden her scope of identifying research needs in her field and to bridge the existing gap between research and policy. In addition to her research, Monique dedicates her time to engineering outreach programs, serving as a science fair judge for local schools in Georgia and as an engineering design instructor for the Forum to Advance Minorities in Engineering (FAME). Contact by email.
		Rima Izem (DEPS/BMSA) is a PhD candidate in Statistics at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She previously earned a Maîtrise de Mathématiques Appliqués in applied mathematics from Université de Montpellier II, in France. Her doctoral research is on quantifying the effect of selection on evolution using functional data from Evolutionary Biology. Her interest as a statistician is in collaborating with experts to answer questions in their fields by developing new statistical methodologies or improving existing statistical methods. Particularly, she would like to apply statistics to questions in health, biotechnology, agriculture, and the economic and social development of third world countries. Rima also works as a statistic tutor with the Disability Services at the University of North Carolina and assists a visually impaired student in a statistics course by developing non-visual tools to explain statistical concepts. A fellowship at the National Academies will complement her academic experience and her personal motivation to work on policy related projects. Contact by email
		Sarah Kieweg (NAS/PNAS) is a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering at Duke University. She earned an MS in bioengineering from University of California, San Diego. She would like to focus her career not merely on the consolidation of scientific and technical knowledge, but in the successful explanation of it to others. This includes working with students, educating the general public, or providing information to policy makers. Her other career goal is to continue a multidisciplinary approach, particularly applying engineering techniques to unexplored interfaces with science and medicine. Her doctoral research involves fluid dynamics modeling of polymer gels for the development of a topical microbicidal formulation to protect women from HIV infections. Her research presentations at professional meetings on microbicide development have enabled her to network with others to learn a great deal about policy issues in AIDS research, prevention, and advocacy and the urgent need to educate the public and the policy makers on the issues. Sarah hopes this fellowship allows her to explore her additional interests in science writing, increasing the public's understanding of science, and enhancing math and engineering education for women. Sarah also enjoys reading, being outside, and spending time with her husband. Contact by email.
		Aaron Levine (PGA/STEP) is a doctoral student in the Science, Technology and Environmental Policy cluster of the Ph.D. program in Public Affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School.   His dissertation is in the area of stem cell policy and focuses specifically on assessing the impact of the atypical policy environment regulating human embryonic stem cell research on the development of this field.  Aaron is the author of Cloning: A Beginner's Guide, published in May 2007 by Oneworld Publications. This book offers an accessible introduction to the science of cloning and human embryonic stem cells and discusses the ethical and policy debates this controversial science inspires.  Aaron completed his undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he studied biology and computer science and completed an award-winning thesis under Dr. Jeff Dangl using DNA microarray analysis to explore disease resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana. He also holds a masters degree from the University of Cambridge where he worked with Dr. Richard Durbin and developed computational tools to help analyze and annotate the human genome. Outside of school, Aaron enjoys photography and competes as an amateur triathlete. Contact by email.
		Kelly Martinez (IOM/HPDP) is a Masters candidate in Exercise Science/Physiology at University of Kansas while concurrently in medical school at University of Kansas School of Medicine, where she also earned a BS in biology. While working for the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) department, she observed that patients’ medical needs simply were not being met because the clinic was ill equipped, both in available technology and bilinqual staff. Kelly aspires to one day provide a health care service that is culturally and linguistically sensitive to the needs of the Latino community and increase availability of medical technology to underserved areas. Her goal is to help foster a new system that will provide innovative health awareness programs, target specific medical programs for the economically challenged, and establish a bilingual medical program to assist the Latino community in obtaining proper medical care and insurance, with an emphasis on prenatal and child health care. Kelly hopes that her participation in the fellowship program will contribute to her pursuit of creating that health care system—one that is safe and beneficial to all that utilize it. Kelly, also, volunteers for organizations such as the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute and the Kansas City Kansas Youth Soccer Association. Contact by email.
		Robert McDonald (DELS/BANR) is a PhD candidate in Ecology at Duke University, where he studies topics related to remote sensing, habitat fragmentation, and large-scale conservation. He earned a BS in biology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His current research interests center around the effects of landscape structure and composition on plant communities, and especially on successional processes within plant communities. He is focused on the response of forests to landscape fragmentation from suburban sprawl. He would like to work at the intersection of science and policy, in that fertile ground where science takes its goals from policy needs and in turn informs future policymaking. He is most satisfied when he is doing research on a scientific issue that also presents a pragmatic need for further understanding, whether connected with environmental issues or issues related to economic development and human health. Through the fellowship he hopes to gain experience in how policy is made, and the techniques by which scientific knowledge can be communicated to a broader audience. He wants to understand further how that scientific work is translated into a product that is useful to policymakers. In his free time he loves to go backpacking, argue about politics, and dance tango. Contact by email.
		Naila Moreira (PGA/STS) is an aspiring science writer and Ph.D. candidate in geological sciences at the University of Michigan.  This summer, she's interning at Science News in Washington, DC, writing science and research articles.  She plans to complete her dissertation on aqueous geochemistry and carbonate mineral formation this fall, then pursue a science journalism career.  Naila completed her bachelor's degree in geology at Amherst College, and studied European politics both at Amherst and as an exchange student at the Sorbonne and Institut Catholique in Paris.  During her spare time, Naila plays an inordinate amount of ultimate Frisbee, and traveled last year to the Ultimate National Championships with traveling team Clutch of Michigan.  She also enjoys birdwatching and writing fiction and poetry. Contact by email. (Updated 06/05)
		Blake Purnell (PGA/COSEPUP) is a General Scientist at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.  He is being qualified to perform criticality safety reviews as part of the licensing process for fuel cycle facilities.  Prior to working at the NRC, Blake worked for six months at the Federation of American Scientists.  At the FAS Blake worked on nuclear non-proliferation issues.  Blake received a Masters degree in physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Contact by email. (Updated 01/06)
		Reena Raman (PGA/DSC) is a JD candidate at American University, Washington College of Law. She earned an MS in Neurosciences from New York University School of Medicine, Sackler Institute for Biomedical Sciences. As a graduate student, she enjoyed conducting laboratory research, but was drawn more to the applications of the research and its public policy implications. Reena became interested in the interaction between science and public policy, including both the effects of law and policy on scientific research. As she came to appreciate the broad impact on society that science and technology can have, she decided to enter law school to pursue a career exploring the interaction between science, law, and policy. Reena feels strongly that continuing dialogue between policymakers and scientists is crucial to the development of intelligent and effective policies. It is this process in which she hopes to participate in during the fellowship and afterwards. Contact by email.
		Ericka Reid (NAE/CEE) is a PhD candidate in Educational Psychology at Georgia State University. She previously earned a MEd in counseling and development at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. As a part of her research assistantship at GSU, she coordiantes the Advanced Academy for Future Teachers, a program designed to attract high school students to the profession of teaching. Her research interests include women in leadership and women in the sciences, and her dissertation topic has to do with the persistence of African American women in engineering. While her doctoral degree will be in educational psychology, her professional and academic interests have always been in the educational, professional, and leadership development of women. From a psychological and developmental perspective, she continuously strives to understand women, their experiences, pursuits, struggles, and achievements. Ericka looks forward to career opportunities where she can continue to share her knowledge, talent, and energy in researching, supporting, and encouraging the endeavors of women who wish to pursue education, careers, and professional and leadership development in areas where they have been underrepresented. Ericka views herself as an educator, a researcher, and an advocate for achievement, as well as a promoter of purpose and effectiveness. She believes this fellowship offers an opportunity to develop and enhance essential skills that will greatly enhance her professional contributions far beyond program and degree completion. Ericka also enjoys writing on personal growth issues, as well as developing and facilitating leadership seminars for the academic community and the general public. And just for fun (when there's time) she enjoys Bikram yoga, Salsa, and making jewelry. Contact by email.
		Heather Rosoff (PGA/COSEPUP) is a Masters candidate in Public Policy at the University of Southern California, School of Policy Planning & Development. She earned a BA in International Relations from Tufts University. Her academic focus is on science and health policy and how the law pertains to these issues. Heather is completing an internship with Los Angeles County’s Department of Health Services, Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Department. Her primary duties have been to evaluate the unmet needs of Los Angeles County and assist in the implementation of a federally funded bioterrorism response plan. Heather is interested in building an expertise in policy analysis and working with the institutions designing and implementing science policies. This interest developed when she worked for a healthcare communications firm addressing policy issues related to scientific discovery and development. These include stem cell research, human and animal cloning, patient privacy and race in medicine. Last September, she returned to school to learn about the policies affecting the healthcare industry and build the specific skill sets needed to be a successful policy analyst in this field. Throughout the fellowship, Heather plans to develop her research and analytical skills and learn more about the interaction between science, technology and government. Contact by email.
		Gretchen Schwarz (PGA/COSEPUP) is a Masters candidate in Science & Technology Policy at Rutgers University. She earned a BA in english from Warren Wilson College. Her nine-year career working on documentaries and museum exhibits culminated in a position as Creative Director of the Rose Center Planetarium Space show at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Last year, she altered her career as a producer of educational media to pursue a degree in science and technology policy. Her goal is to explore and mediate the relationship between science and public life. Gretchen is completing a research internship for the Director of Economic Development in the New York office of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. She is also working on an NSF funded evaluative study on Research and Social Policy, examining social research and evaluation processes at the federal agencies HHS, Justice, Labor, and Education and is the editorial assistant for Science and Public Policy, a refereed international journal. She plans to pursue a PhD and hopes to gain exposure to a current science and technology policy issue that could form the basis for a dissertation topic. Contact by email.
		Federico Sciammarella (DEPS/NMAB) received his PhD this past May in Metallurgical and Material Science Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology where he also earned an MS and BS in the same field. Federico has gained a tremendous amount of experience throughout his schooling and engineering consulting career. Working in the field of experimental mechanics, he has helped develop cutting edge technology for NDT optical techniques. He also participated in a program entitled “Maintaining the Supply Chain Viability for the Microwave Power Tube Industry” that produced level 1 industry standards. He has participated in modeling and simulation conferences and developed a model for a small business to evaluate its manufacturing capabilities. His career goal is to become a leader in the scientific community building global coalitions to advance science and technology. Federico has traveled the world and has lived abroad which he feels gives him a better understanding of the need for developing science and technology worldwide. His overall goal for this summer is to help create meaningful policy to benefit government, industry, and research institutes. Contact by email.
		Andrew Walther (DEPS/AFSTB) is a Masters candidate at the Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, focusing on science and technology policy. His career vision is closely tied to the purpose of the National Academies, providing high-quality advice to the federal government on science, technology and policy issues. His other policy interests include education/curriculum policy and national security policy. Prior to entering his graduate program he earned a BS in Computer Science at Harvey Mudd College and spent two years at The Aerospace Corporation as a systems engineer and computer security researcher. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, concocting culinary experiments and searching for bits of wilderness to hike. Contact by email