Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy

Winter 2003 Fellow Biographies

		Camelia Arsene (DBASSE/BOCYF) will complete her Master of Health Sciences degree at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in May 2003. She received an MD from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila Bucharest in Romania. After finishing her studies in Romania, she received a Chevening fellowship offered by the Foreign Office and Soros Foundation for doing research in Public Health at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. During the last academic year, Camelia’s incorporated into her course work demographic methods, maternal and child health, family planning, and policy analysis. The program was intensive and allowed her to draw on knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines. She worked as a research assistant for the Healthy Steps for Young Children Program and prepared her thesis dissertation regarding nifedipine and ritodrine in the management of preterm labor. Camelia considers herself a team player who enjoys working with other people to achieve the optimal results. She is creative and flexible in planning strategies to reach proposed goals and can convey her thoughts and assume leadership in appropriate situations. Contact by email.
		Sarae Bausch (PGA/COSEPUP) plans to complete her PhD in Chemistry at Johns Hopkins University this summer. Her research has focused on understanding the interactions between ribosomal RNA and proteins involved in translocation on the ribosome. Before coming to Hopkins, Sarae earned a BS in Chemistry from the University of Delaware and participated in a summer research program at Colorado State University in inorganic chemistry. Throughout her scientific experiences, she has discovered that public policy and law making have an immeasurable influence on scientific advancement. For this reason, her career ambition is to fully utilize her scientific expertise to contribute to the interface between the scientific community and public policy. In her spare time, Sarae mentors a high school student in math and science. She also enjoys spending time fixing up her recently acquired house.
		Aimee Eggler (NAE/Office of Public Understanding of Engineering) completed her PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in December. Previously she earned a BS in Chemistry with highest honors from the University of California-Santa Cruz. Her career goal is to facilitate the transfer of scientific knowledge, either by becoming a professor of biochemistry or by working outside academia with an organization that promotes public understanding of science. One of Aimee’s most rewarding teaching experiences was tutoring Tibetan refugee students during her four years in Madison. She enjoyed playing and coaching Ultimate Frisbee for many years, and won a National Championship with her team at UCSC. Lately she has traded in her Frisbee for a yoga mat. She also enjoys music and singing. Contact by email.
		Karl Galle (PGA/BISO) recently completed two years as a AAAS Diplomacy Fellow at the Department of State. During the first year of the fellowship, he worked in the Afghanistan office, where he covered counternarcotics issues, police training, border and customs reforms, and a range of science and health-related issues. During the second year of the fellowship, he worked in the Cooperative Threat Reduction office, where he supported programs to help scientists and scientific institutes formerly associated with Soviet biological and chemical weapons programs transition into peaceful, sustainable scientific research. Prior to joining the State Department, Karl worked at the Institute of Medicine for two years as a research associate for the President's office and an ad hoc researcher for the Board on Global Health on projects relating to malaria, SARS, HIV/AIDS, and other topics. He first joined the National Academies as a Christine Mirzayan Fellow with the Board on International Scientific Organizations. He holds a Ph.D. in the history and philosophy of science from the University of London, a B.A. in international development from Williams College, and master's degrees he would rather forget about from the University of Chicago and the University of London. In his spare time, he is available for glamorous, high-paying tuba gigs (which, alas, continue to be remarkably difficult to find). Contact by email. (Updated 09/07)
		Sunita Kaushik (DEPS/NMAB & BMAED) completed her MS in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida in the summer of 2002. She earned a BE in Polymer Engineering from the Maharashtra Institute of Technology at the University of Pune in India. She hopes to gain some first hand experience in conducting research for practical applications. She feels that gaining this experience will help her decide on an area of interest for the research she hopes to pursue in the future. She has been working in the area of Radiation Tolerance studies on ceramics for disposal of radioactive waste at the Los Alamos National Laboratories. Earlier as part of her Masters program she had been working on designing slurries with highest possible solids loading for applications like "Chemo-Mechanical Polishing" and "Rapid Prototyping". She has also worked on polymer composites and coatings during the course of her Bachelor's degree. She would like to further her knowledge by gaining experience in several other areas including high-performance structural fibers for advanced polymer matrices, managing and disposal of radioactive waste, and manufacturing and processing of materials. Contact by email.
		Kim Lundberg (IOM/BGH) is a Research Associate for the Institute of Medicine’s Forum on Microbial Threats.  Two years prior to joining the Forum, Kim was a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow at The National Academies.  She was recently awarded a MA in International Science and Technology Policy and a MPH in International Health Policy from George Washington University, where her research focused on the HIV/AIDS crisis in Zimbabwe. She received a BA from Franklin and Marshall College in Biology and Political Science. Kim joined the Board on Global Health staff in June 2005. Contact by email. (Updated 05/06)
		J. Bernadette Moore (IOM/FNB) graduated with her PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Florida in December 2002. Previously, she earned two BS’s, one in Nutrition and one in Chemical Sciences, both from Florida State University. She began her graduate studies driven by a fascination in the molecular physiology of nutrients and the impact of diet on human health. Initially she believed that she would teach and study this topic as a professor and independent researcher. Although her interest in nutritional biochemistry has not waned, over the past five years she has developed a global interest in the social context and application of her scientific understanding. Her career goals remain education and research based, however she now believes that her analytical and communication skills may be applied in contexts other than a university setting. Bernadette believes that the impact of diet on health and disease is underestimated by the general population and hopes to contribute to ongoing public policy efforts that are aimed at reducing disease incidence through preventative strategies. She is outgoing and enthusiastic, enjoys working as part of a team, and values work that is motivated by a mission of helping people. Contact by email.
		Elizabeth “Libbie” Prescott (PGA/STEP) is currently an AAAS Congressional Fellow funded by the American Society for Microbiology working with Senator Kennedy on the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Prior to taking up this position, she was a Research Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies–US focusing on the intersection of the life sciences, society and international affairs. During her fellowship at the National Academies, Elizabeth supported the Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy (STEP). She also consulted for the National Health Service in London on a strategy for integrating genetic technologies into clinical practice. Elizabeth received her D.Phil. in Molecular Biology from the Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and graduated with High Honors from University of California, Berkeley with degrees in Economics and Molecular Cell Biology with an emphasis in Genetics. At Oxford she was a member of Balliol College and served as Junior Dean while also Co-Coordinating the 'Genetics Forum’ that looked at the social, legal and ethical issues resulting from advances in genetics. Contact by email (Updated 10/04)
		Julie Rider (DELS/BLS) is currently completing her PhD in Environmental Health Sciences and Toxicology at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She earned a BS in Biology from Loyola University of Chicago. She has a diverse scientific background in the fields of public health, toxicology, cancer prevention, cancer treatment and oxidative stress. Julie also has extensive teaching experience. During her undergraduate studies she implemented advanced science education courses in the Chicago public school system and designed and directed summer science programs for intercity children. In the last five years, she has been involved in both tutoring and counseling undergraduates at The Johns Hopkins University. Julie enjoys the intellectual challenge of research; however, believes her education and interpersonal skills would be better utilized outside the bench science arena. She is interested in a career where she could be involved in the translation of advanced scientific research into medicine, education and policy. She hopes her experience with BLS provides an opportunity to gain exposure to the policy creation process, work with others in a group environment, and ultimately allows her to use her skills to help others outside of the academic arena. Contact by email.
		Virginia Rutter (PGA/CWSE) is an assistant professor of sociology at Framingham State College in Massachusetts. Virginia has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Washington/Seattle (2004); she also earned an MA in 18th Century British Literature from University of London, Queen Mary College, and a BA in English and Art History from Williams College in Massachusetts. Until last winter Virginia was a research scientist at Battelle Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation, where she was a co-investigator and project manager of the National Couples Survey, a study of over 1000 couples around the country and how they negotiate contraceptive choices. During her first year at Framingham State College, Virginia organized a campus-wide global warming teach in that included 49 professors in 15 different departments (from physics to philosophy). For an entire week in April 2007, students across campus addressed global warming as part of their course content and then discussed concerns from diverse disciplinary perspectives in a campus-wide town meeting. While Virginia continues to teach and conduct research on gender, couples, and sexuality, she sustains involvement in public policy as a board member of the Council on Contemporary Families and work on the editorial board of the American Sociological Review, focusing on helping to see sociological research disseminated through mainstream media. Prior to graduate school, Virginia worked with national organizations, publishers, and authors to improve the public's and policy makers understanding of social science research. Virginia has written two books, including The Gender of Sexuality (with Pepper Schwartz, currently under revision for our 2nd edition). For many years, Virginia has been involved with national organizations and media projects all related to improving the public's and policy makers' understanding of social science research. For example, she works with the Council on Contemporary Families on communicating about family diversity. As a book publicist, she worked with authors and journalists on books addressing ranging from bipolar disorder, Asperger's syndrome, domestic violence, to women's sexual health and making marriages work. Contact by email. (Updated 07/06)
		Emma Seiler (NAE/Diversity in the Engineering Workforce) received her Master’s in Civil Engineering from Mississippi State University in December 2002. She earned a BS in Biological Engineering with an Environmental Emphasis, also from Mississippi State University. Emma’s passion is piquing the interests of young women to explore science and engineering through a hands-on and unique approach. For example, along with the former outreach coordinator of the Bagley College of Engineering at Mississippi State University, she developed a shoe design activity for her high school girls’ camp. This activity, called The Cinderella Project, involved using the biomechanics of the foot and the engineering design process to create a comfortable and sturdy shoe. Along with designing the shoe, the girls had to develop a marketing plan for their shoe through a PowerPoint presentation. Emma has presented this activity at the Women in Engineering Program Advocates’ Network (WEPAN) International Conference and also the Mississippi Science Teachers’ Association Conference. Contact by email.
		Pamela Szatanek (DELS/BASC) is a recent graduate of Arizona State University, having completed the graduate programs in both Natural Science and Atmospheric Sciences. She previously earned a BA with majors in Earth & Space Sciences and Anthropology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, Pam embarked on a career in the Weather Services occupational field of the United States Marine Corps. Pam believes that her time in the military cultivated maturity, both personal and professional integrity, an ironclad work ethic, and the ability to work in a team. Her previous experiences working with others to better understand weather and climate has convinced her to pursue her current career track. Early in her military career, her verve and command of science was recognized as an asset to the organization, and this directed her to collateral billets. These duties included training aviators to interpret electro-optical environmental data, and mentoring junior personnel to enhance their proficiency. Additionally, Pam assisted several elementary school science teachers by developing a curriculum that contained basic meteorology and climatology commensurate to the grade level. It became apparent to her that she enjoyed helping people understand atmospheric phenomena, and the impact it has in their lives. Pam believes that the fellowship at the National Academies will afford her a unique opportunity to work with the scientific architects of policy related to climate and applied meteorology. In her spare time, she enjoys reading scientific literature in other disciplines, practicing hatha yoga, and doting on her feline companions. Additionally, Pam has been a long distance runner since the age of twelve. Contact by email.
		Guoqian Wang (PGA/STS) is currently with the Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Unit, World Bank Institute, The World Bank, in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, she spent a year in Beijing, China, with Tsinghua University after her fellowship at The Academies. Her major work revolves around the early integration and mainstreaming of environmental consideration in the planning and decision-making processes for the protection and preservation of environmental and ecosystem values. This includes capacity building (design and implementation of executive and mid-career professional training programs for timely update and dissemination of latest sustainable development theories and experiences) and analytical research work. She has received dual Master's degree in International Development & Economics (2002) and Environmental Management (2003) at Yale University and has earned two Bachelors: in Economics and in Computer Science and its Applications from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China. Contact by email. (Updated 07/06)
		Maxwell “Max” Wingert (DEPS/BEES and NAE/Engineering and Environment Program) is a PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering at Ohio State University. Max earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame. He has exercised leadership ability throughout his academic life. While an undergraduate at the university of Notre Dame, he was a squad leader in the Band of the Fighting Irish and president of the engineering student council. As a graduate student, he is currently serving on his department student council as recruiting officer for the graduate program. He is known in the department not only for co-planning orientation, but also adding a tour of the football stadium to the activities, especially important for those who are too busy in the laboratories to make it out to any games. His personal career goal is to become a leader in corporate research, likely in the field of polymer processing, where he is progressing in research at the Ohio State University. His work is in foam extrusion, and it is part of the NSF sponsored Center for Advanced Polymer and Composite Engineering (CAPCE). In particular, his research involves environmentally benign methods of producing polymeric foams. He is excited about his upcoming fellowship with the National Academies to understand how industry, policy, and academia interact. Contact by email.
		Rebecca “Becky” Zarger (CSES-DBASSE/HDGC) received her PhD in Anthropology from the University of Georgia in August 2002. She earned a BA in Anthropology and English from Wake Forest University. Her doctoral research was conducted in southern Belize and focused on the transmission of environmental knowledge from generation to generation in Q'eqchi' Maya communities there. Her ethnographic work contributes to the fields of conservation and natural resource management, ethnobotany, child development, and environmental anthropology. Her career goals are to further develop as an educator and researcher interested in human-environment relationships and to create opportunities to integrate her research with policy initiatives. Her future plans are to examine ecological and sociocultural responses to a hurricane that struck southern Belize in October 2001, as well as to further investigate patterns of change in environmental knowledge throughout the Q'eqchi' regions of Belize and Gautemala. For the past year she has been a participant in a new public policy initiative of the Anthropology and Environment section of the American Anthropological Association, with the goal to facilitate communication between environmental anthropologists and policy-makers. She also serves as the co-editor of the Journal of Ecological Anthropology. Prior to this fellowship, she served as temporary Instructor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Georgia. Contact by email. (Updated 02/03)