Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellows

Summer 2006 Fellow Biographies

		Athena Abdullah (DBASSE/BCYF) is currently pursuing an MS in Health Policy at George Washington University and expects to graduate in 2007. Athena received a BA in Hispanic Studies from Vassar College and a JD from Boston University School of Law. She realized early on in her legal career that she did not have a passion for traditional legal practice. Prior to returning to school, she worked for a large government contractor supporting the DOJ on the Tobacco Litigation. After completing the Masters program, Athena plans to complete a PhD in Health Policy, and begin a career in research and teaching. Athena is particularly interested in studying health care and health disparities in vulnerable populations. This summer she is hoping to learn more about the “science” behind the nation’s pressing science and technology issues, and its application to complex policy issues. Athena is excited about her fellowship with BOCYF, where she will have the opportunity to couple her legal and policy background with science and technology information to analyze issues. She also looks forward to seeing how experts from various disciplines work together to analyze an issue. In her free time, Athena enjoys watching HGTV, cooking, travel and reading. Contact by email.
		Dara Aisner (IOM/IOM EO) completed a combined M.D./Ph.D. program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in June 2004. She earned her Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology. Her dissertation focused on telomerase, an enzyme found in most cancer cells, which allows them to bypass normal cellular aging. After completing medical school, Dara began a residency in Anatomic Pathology at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. This experience gave her a greater understanding of disease diagnosis as well as clinical trials. Her main areas of interest are in health care policy as it relates to preventive services, diagnostics and disparities. During the summer 2006 fellowship session, Dara worked with the Roundtable on Evidence-Based Medicine, and is now continuing with the Roundtable as a program officer. In her free time, Dara enjoys reading, cooking, water sports, and home improvement. Contact by email. (Updated 10/06)
		Yvonne Szymko Bennett (NAE/NAE PO) received her Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania and her undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Union College. Her doctoral thesis focused on several projects involving inner ear hair cell micromechanics and transduction in the chick cochlea. She continued work in the area of hair cell electrophysiology as a Research Associate at the Institute for Sensory Research at Syracuse University. She also earned a second master’s degree in audiology, and became a licensed aud iologist, to bridge both clinical and basic science areas of hearing research. Yvonne was a Research Fellow at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) at the NIH from 1998-2002, where she published several papers in the area of hereditary hearing loss and auditory electrophysiology. While at NIH, Yvonne served as the NIDCD Representative and later as the Clinical Co-Chair of the NIH Fellows’ Committee (FELCOM). While serving on FELCOM she became interested in a career in science policy and administration. Yvonne is currently a policy fellow with the Engineering, The Economy and Society program of the National Academy of Engineering, where she will be working on a project entitled Technology for a Quieter America, involving noise control engineering. In her spare time Yvonne enjoys Ashtanga yoga, reading and boating. Contact by email.
		Jessica Cohen (IOM/FNB) will graduate in December 2007 with an MS in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition and an MPH from the Tufts School of Medicine. Her graduate research projects focus on the relationship between nutrition policy, health policy, and economic issues. This summer, she is conducting research at the USDA-Economic Research Service on federal food assistance programs. Her time at the Academies provided wonderful opportunities to understand the relationship between research and the political process; to network with other nutrition and public health advocates; and to enjoy the summer offerings in DC. Contact by email. (Updated 06/07)
		Asha S. Collins (PGA/CSTL) earned her PhD in Cancer Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in December 2005. Her dissertation delineated the role of the viral oncogene, E7, in the life cycle of Human Papillomavirus. In addition, her doctoral studies illuminated mechanisms by which Avian Sarcoma and Leukosis Virus, an avian retrovirus, induces its cytopathic effect. Before attending graduate school, Asha also researched Epstein Barr Virus and breast cancer progression at the University of North Carolina. As an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, Asha won research awards for her work with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Herpes Simplex Virus. Outside of the lab, Asha uses her broad knowledge in chronic and infectious disease biology to increase public health awareness, to increase scientific literacy and to impact policies affecting science and health. For example, as a certified HIV/AIDS Educator, Asha has worked locally, nationally and internationally to increase the understanding of HIV/AIDS biology and to advocate for better health and science policies related to this pandemic disease. In the future, Asha plans to leverage her scientific training with the growing policy experience she is obtaining to promote the growth of the science and technology sectors and their benefits for global health. When not detailing plans to save the world, Asha enjoys good food, relaxing runs, great shoes and a little lake and tree-watching. Contact by email.
		Ivy Estabrooke (DBASSE/BOSE) received her PhD from the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at Georgetown University in November of 2005. Her dissertation research examined sex differences in language production. Since then she has worked as a post-doctoral fellow in the Memory Disorders Program also at Georgetown University examining changes in brain activity in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease after pharmacological intervention when probed with a declarative memory task. Previously, Ivy earned her BA in Biological Sciences from Smith College. In addition to her research interests, Ivy is particularly interested in curriculum development and enhancing the educational experience at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Contact by email.
		Diane Hannemann (NAS/KSM) received her PhD in Biophysics & Biochemistry from Yale University in December 2005. She received her BA in chemistry from Purdue University. Her doctoral research involved kinetics studies to refine the mechanical mechanism used by a motor protein, myosin V, to transport cellular cargo along the actin cytoskeleton. Prior to becoming a scientist, Diane enjoyed a career in marketing and communications for more than six years. It was her experience working with biomedical diagnostic and pharmaceutical clients that inspired her to change careers and return to college full-time to study science. Applying her career experience, she created professional development seminars at Yale, and with the New York Academy of Sciences. Her passion for communicating science earned her a teaching award for engaging non-science students in molecular biology, and led her to found the community health education organization, “That Makes Me Sick!.” In addition, as a member in the Yale Bioethics Project, she wrestled with ethical issues related to public health emergencies. Diane believes that scientific outreach is critical to the development of sound public policy and is delighted to be working with the Koshland Science Museum this summer. In her free time, she looks for excuses to sail and volunteers for a feline rescue organization. Contact by email..
		Margaret Horton (PGA/COSEPUP) is completing her PhD in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For her thesis research she studies synthetic cellular membranes to understand protein and lipid ordering in biological membranes. Margaret’s PhD research is supported by a graduate research fellowship from the National Science Foundation and prior to graduate school, she received an undergraduate chemical engineering degree from Purdue University. As part of her doctoral research, Margaret spent several months at the Biophysics Department of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich, Germany and worked on an interdisciplinary research team at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France. Through her experiences conducting research abroad, Margaret has developed an interest in international scientific collaboration and she believes that pursuing international research programs and welcoming foreign scholars are critical steps for ensuring the nation’s continued success in the global scientific community. Margaret looks forward to being a fellow in COSEPUP this summer and hopes to learn how national policy studies at the forefront of science and technology are conducted by COSEPUP. Margaret will support the Committee on Women in Academic Science and Engineering. She is particularly interested in the role of mentoring relationships in the graduate science and engineering education process. In her free time, Margaret enjoys baking, running and studying German. Contact by email.
		Stephanie Jaros (DBASSE/CNSTAT) is currently completing her Ph.D. in Sociology along with a minor in Social Statistics and a certificate in Women Studies at The University of Washington. In May 2006 she will defend her master’s thesis titled “Taxation without Representation? Exploring Men’s and Women’s Experiences with Abortion”. She has a Master’s degree in the Social Sciences from the University of Chicago, and an undergraduate degree in Sociology with a concentration in Latin American Studies from Grinnell College, for which she completed her senior thesis based on her fieldwork at the Monteverde Institute in Costa Rica. Prior to returning to graduate school, she worked as a Research Coordinator in the Department of Psychiatry at Stanford University and as a Research Associate with a litigation and communication consulting firm in Chicago. She is looking forward to working at the Academies and with CNSTAT on issues of coverage in the decennial census because she will be researching specific design practices intended to reduce bias, which presents a formidable challenge in her own research. In addition to being a professional student, Stephanie enjoys all things pop culture, Diet Coke, shopping, Ms. PacMan, and spending time with friends talking about things decidedly un-academic. Contact by email.
		Keren Ladin (IOM/BGH) is pursuing a PhD in Health Policy at Harvard University. Keren graduated with General and Departmental Honors from the University of Chicago with an AB in History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine in 2005, and received an MSc in Population and International Health from the Harvard School of Public Health in 2007. During her graduate studies, Keren focused on health disparities, particularly research exploring ways by which social inequality affects health and well-being. At HSPH, she also worked on health care reform in Santiago de Chile, and served on the boards of the Student Advisory Committee, Harvard Health Policy Forum, and the Latin American and Caribbean Health Organization. Upon graduation, Keren served as a Research Fellow at the Mannheim Institute for Economics of Aging (MEA) researching socioeconomic inequality and depression. In 2006, Keren served as a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Academies, where she contributed to the evaluation of PEPFAR with the Board on Global Health. Her time at the Academies provided excellent opportunities for understanding the intersection of the political process and science, particularly ways by which science informs current health policy. At the Academies, Keren enjoyed learning about how national policies for global health are informed and the long term implications of such polices for vulnerable populations. Her current research interests include ethical resource allocation and priority setting in health policies affecting vulnerable populations. Contact by email. Updated 5/08
		Erin Lamos (PGA/COSEPUP) is currently completing her MS in Public Policy at Georgia Institute of Technology. She graduated from Vesalius College, in Brussels, Belgium, with a BA in International Affairs and Politics and a minor in economics. While conducting research on the political processes that take place at the supra-national level within the European Union for her undergraduate thesis, she became interested in European efforts to boost innovation and to promote scientific research in order to achieve greater economic growth. She continues to pursue and refine this interest in the intersection of science and technology policy with economic development issues—how science and technological advancement can be leveraged to increase competitiveness and economic growth. She is particularly interested in innovation research and policy. She feels that her experience at the National Academies will provide her with important insights as to how actors from different private and public agencies interact to create science and technology policy. Erin will support the Convocation on Rising Above the Gathering Storm. Contact by email.
		Burton H. Lee (DEPS/CSTB) completed his PhD in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Stanford University in 2002. His research focused on the application of artificial intelligence and knowledge engineering methodologies to industrial product failure modes analysis and Internet-based diagnostics. Following Stanford, Burton finished his MBA at Cornell (2004), during which he worked at General Electric Corporate R&D Labs as a strategy manager in the GE hydrogen energy and nanotechnology group. During the past year, he has served as a Senior Consultant with a local management and strategy consulting firm specializing in the space sector. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree in physics and economics from Brown University, Burton came to Washington where he worked as a legislative and policy analyst for the AFL-CIO labor union federation. He later served as Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Edward Seaga of Jamaica. During the 1990s, Burton advised NASA on new venture creation and US-Japan space policy. His industry experience also includes time spent at Hewlett Packard, DaimlerChrysler, and various startups in Silicon Valley and elsewhere. During his time at the Academies, Burton expects to focus on the CSTB’s IT research and development ecosystem project. He also plans to extend his understanding of current federal and state efforts to develop policies in support of S&T innovation and economic development. Contact by email.
		Nicole Lockhart (PGA/BHEW) recently received her Ph.D. in Molecular and Integrative Physiology from the University of Michigan; she holds a B.S. in Biology from Brown University. Her dissertation research investigated contraction-induced skeletal muscle injury and the cellular processes necessary to reduce injury. While at the University of Michigan, she pursued an interest in science policy in both her coursework and later by serving as a graduate student instructor and lecturer in science policy. Her policy interests include science education, public communication of science, and biomedical research. Following the NAS fellowship, Nicole will begin a science and technology policy fellowship with the American Association for the Advancement of Science working at the NIH in the National Cancer Institute in the Office of Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research. Nicole will support the Research Doctorate Programs at BHEW. Contact by email.
		Jessica Manning (TRB/SAIS) is pursuing a joint MD/MPH at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. She received her B.S. Honors in Genetics from the University of Georgia in 2002. After graduation, Jessica lived in New York City and San Francisco working in international medical communications. As a graduate student, she spent a year studying biomedical science as a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar in New Zealand. Currently, she holds positions within Emory and national medical associations to influence medical education policy and physician political activism. Earlier this year, Jessica helped organize a state-wide collaboration to lobby for immigrants’ healthcare. Her experiences have driven her interests in healthcare access and global health, and she hopes to pursue a career as a public health physician and policymaker. Jessica believes her Academies experience will be invaluable in teaching her more about the policy creation process. In addition to developing a joint PGA/TRB/IOM project on road safety in developing countries, Jessica will be working with the IOM's Board on Global Health on a congressionally mandated evaluation of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In her spare time, Jessica loves exploring new restaurants and continents, reading the New Yorker, making jambalaya, and indulging her enthusiasm for good red wine. Contact by email.
		Toni Mizerek (DELS/OSB) is currently working toward her Masters at San Diego State University in the Quantitative Conservation Ecology lab. She is working on a population modeling project to assess the combined effects of both harvesting and habitat fragmentation on blue crab populations in Chesapeake Bay. Toni’s conservation interest began during her undergraduate education at the University of California, Santa Barbara. There, in one of the world’s biodiversity hot spots, Toni became aware of many local issues of conservation concern and learned how essential a role policy can play. Though the projects she was involved with included a variety of systems, Toni was pleased to focus her attention to the marine realm. She has lived along the coast most of her life and has recognized many serious issues and anthropogenic impacts present in the oceanic environment. She hopes that her time at the National Academies will strengthen her understanding of the policy and science interface enabling more effective strategies to conquer current scientific concerns. Toni will support the Review of the JSOST Research Priorities Plan. Toni loves outdoor activities and sports like snowboarding and softball and is looking forward to discovering what the east coast has to offer. Contact by email.
		Andrew Page (PGA/DSC) completed his Ph.D. in molecular biology and genetics from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2004, followed by a short postdoctoral fellowship. His doctoral research focused on the identification and characterization of novel cell cycle regulatory proteins. Using budding yeast as a model organism, he studied the proteolytic machinery responsible for chromosome segregation and initiation of anaphase. Andrew received a B.S. in chemistry and environmental studies from Tufts University. While at Tufts, he also indulged his interest in Russian language and culture and on two occasions studied abroad in Russia. Prior to entering graduate school, Andrew worked as a research assistant at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. After completing his doctoral thesis, Andrew temporarily sated his wanderlust with a five-month trip to Eastern Europe, Turkey, the Southern Caucasus, Morocco, and Spain. During his fellowship at NAS, Andrew worked in PGA/DSC in support of the Committee on Scientific Communication and National Security. Andrew’s interests include travel, reading, hiking, geography, Turkish language and culture, international affairs, politics, ultimate frisbee and Iyengar yoga. He currently works at the Department of Homeland Security. Contact by email. (Updated 06/07)
		Ben Roberts (PGA/STEP) is currently working towards an M.P.P. in Science and Technology Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Carleton College and a J.D. from the University of Michigan. While in college and law school, Ben worked for a wide variety of organizations, including the State Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, the office of a U.S. Representative, and a northern Michigan public interest law firm. After obtaining his law degree, Ben moved to Honolulu, where he clerked for an appellate judge and worked as a Deputy Attorney General representing the Hawaii Department of Health. Ben hopes his fellowship will give him insight into how governments can encourage socially-useful innovation in high-tech industries such as biotechnology and IT. He plans to pursue this interest wherever it takes him in the public, for-profit, or non-profit sectors. Contact by email.
		Lily Tong (NAE/CASEE) is currently completing her Ph.D. in the Bioinformatics and Metabolic Engineering Laboratory in chemical engineering at MIT. Her research, funded by an NSF graduate fellowship, focuses on the measurement and patterning of varying blood metabolite concentrations using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in disease/non-disease states. In particular, she is applying these methods to applications in end-stage renal dialysis patients and also gamma-hydroxybutyrate toxicity in rats. Lily completed her undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech and spent nine months afterwards learning Chinese in Beijing and volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club in Atlanta. At MIT, she hosts a radio show in which guests from the MIT community appear to chat about themselves, oftentimes translating abstruse scientific concepts into everyday speak.  In addition, she has recently performed in and shaped a theatrical interpretation of the impact of and challenges felt by women in science.  Lily looks forward to working in CASEE and supporting the PR2OVE-IT project for the summer because of her longstanding interest in education. She hopes that this Academies fellowship will teach her the process of policy writing and the ways in which scientists can increase public understanding of science and engineering. In her spare time, she also enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and knitting. Contact by email.
		José L. Zambrana, Jr. (DELS/BCST) is completing a certificate in Interactive Technology and Pedagogy, and a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY) where he has been both an NSF Graduate Research and GK-12 Fellow, and has been supported by the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. José studies the excited state coordination chemistry of ruthenium diimines, and in particular, the unusual photochemical formation of transition metal exciplexes in aqueous solution. He has served in several elected leadership positions of the Graduate Center’s Doctoral Student’s Council, including Co-Chair for Business, Steering Committee member, and chemistry representative. He graduated summa cum laude from Houghton College having majored in chemistry and music. José is thrilled about working at the National Academies, hoping it will provide insight and hands-on experience related to his S&T policy interests—energy policy and resources, the need for better understanding between scientists and the general public, and consensus building. Jose will support the Panel on Benchmarking the Research Competitiveness of the US in Chemistry. José enjoys pursuing music as a composer, arranger, singer, professional organist and choir director. He was born in New York City, grew up in Warwick, NY and now resides in Brooklyn. Contact by email.