"You can't Be what you can't see" - Marian Wright Edelmen
Dr. Janet Browne
Historian of Science
Professor, Harvard University
Dr. Janet Browne is a distinguished historian of biology who has written extensively on the subject. Among her writings is the widely acclaimed two-volume biography of the naturalist: Charles Darwin. The latter volume, Charles Darwin: The Power of Place has received several awards including the James Tait Black award for non-fiction in 2004, the W. H. Heinemann Prize from the Royal Literary Society, and the Pfizer Prize from the History of Science Society. She is the first woman to be the president of both the British Society for the History of Science and the History of Science Society. In recognition of her significant contributions to biographical knowledge related to Charles Darwin, she was honored with an honorary Doctor in Science (Sc. D) degree from Trinity College, Dublin in 2009. She taught at the Wellcome Trust Center for the history of medicine, university college london. She has recently retired from teaching at Harvard University.
Dr. Laura Lowrey
Associate Professor, Boston University
Laura Lowery is an Associate Professor at Boston University in the Department of Medicine. Professor Lowery discovered her love of academia and biomedical research as an undergrad at the University of California, San Diego. In 2008, Prof Lowery received her PhD from MIT, working at the Whitehead Institute. During her post-doctoral research in the Department of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School she became fascinated by the inner workings of the neuronal growth cone and axon guidance. Currently Prof. Lowery leads a comprehensive, multi-faceted research program to further the understanding of the cell biological defects that underlie neurodevelopmental disorders, various developmental disorders affecting other organ systems, as well as cancer metastasis.
In addition to her research interests, Prof Lowery is actively involved in service related to promoting anti-racism in the Boston university community. She is the Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion for the Hematology and Medical Oncology section, Chair of the Section Anti-Racism Steering Committee, the Hematology and Medical Oncology representative to the Racial Equity Champions Committee for BU’s Medical Group , and a trained facilitator for the LIFT microaggression bystander training workshop.
Daniella DiPaola
Ethical AI Activist
PhD Student at MIT Media Lab
A Ph.D. student in the Personal Robots Group at the MIT Media Lab, Daniella received her B.S. in Engineering Psychology from Tufts University and a masters degree from MIT in Media Arts and science. Her research interests include understanding the social-emotional, ethical, and legal implications of AI and robots, particularly in the lives of children. She has developed various curricula to inspire middle school students to think about the societal implications of artificial intelligence. Her current work explores the relationship between AI literacy and child-robot interactions.
Raechel Walker
Data & AI Activist
PhD Candidate at MIT Media Lab
A PhD Candidate in the Personal Robots Group within the Department of Media Arts and Sciences. Her research is primarily centered on AI education, with a specific focus on the concept of “liberatory computing” for minoritized communities. Raechel holds several prestigious fellowships, including the MIT Presidential Fellowship, Amazon Robotics Fellowship, and Graduate Education for Minorities (GEM) Fellowship. Raechel completed her Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, with concentrations in Perspectives of Social Sciences and Dance & Theatre, at the University of California, San Diego.
Dr. Randi Williams
AI literacy, MIT Graduate Research Assistant
Dr. Randi Williams works at the Personal Robots group at the MIT Media lab where she studies human-robot interaction and preK-12 education, with a focus on students from diverse backgrounds. Her research aims to create sustaining bridges between communities and technology to drive innovation. She is affiliated with MIT’s RAISE initiative and a founding director of the Boston chapter of Black in Robotics.
Her projects on social robot learning companions (PopBots) and grade school AI + ethics curricula, (How to Train Your Robot) have received coverage from outlets such as The Atlantic, Wired, and the MIT Tech Review.
Dr. Namrata Sengupta
Science Comunicator
Broad Institute
A Scientist, Science Communicator, Career Coach, And Advocate For Equity In Health And STEM. She Works At The Broad Institute Of MIT & Harvard As The Associate Director Of Scientific Public Engagement . She Is Also On The Board Of Directors Of Asian Women For Health And Is One Of The Kendall Square Association’s Emerging Leaders. Holds A Ph.D. In Environmental Toxicology From Clemson University, An MS In Biotechnology From Bangalore University, And A BS In Chemistry From The University Of Calcutta.
Dr. Judith Bronstien
Microbial Ecologist
Research Scientist & Co-Founder
She is an ecologist and evolutionary biologist who researches mutualism. Dr. Bronstein obtained her Ph.D in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Michigan and her Bachelors of Arts from Brown University as an independent major focused on the use of ecological theory in environmental policymaking.
She has edited multiple books and volumes, including Mutualism, which was published by Oxford University Press in 2016. And Currently is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Arizona in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & Entymology. Over her career she’s received multiple awards and honors including being the past president of the American Society of Naturalists and Recipient of the American Society of Naturalists Distinguished Achievement in the Conceptual Unification of Biological Sciences Award. Elected Fellow of the Ecological Society of America, Pillar of Excellence Award, University of Arizona, and 2008, Distinguished Service Award from National Science Foundation,
Dr. Danielle Tomasello
Neuroscientist, Postdoc fellow at Whitehead Institute
Dr. Tomaselo is a postdoctoral fellow at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in the lab of Rudolf Jaenisch. She utilizes human stem cells to model and study neurodevelopmental disorders, including Rett syndrome and 16p11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Her current focus is mitochondrial and metabolic changes in the developing brain using hESC-derived cerebral organoids. She is the founder of The Social Scientist, a virtual one-on-one mentorship initiative for STEM career guidance and advice. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Biology, with a concentrations in developmental biology and genetics from Penn State University, and received her PhD in Neuroscience from University at Buffalo.
Caroline Julia Sears
Nuclear engineering, MIT Masters candidate
Engineering Master’s Student at MIT Nuclear Science & Engineering Department. A recent graduate of the Picker Engineering Program at Smith College, she previously interned at the Nuclear Science and Technology Department of Brookhaven National Laboratory. Performing research in uncertainty quantification for nuclear reactor models.
Dr. Esther Miller
Microbial Ecologist
Research Scientist & Co-Founder
Dr. Esther Miller Has A Bachelor Of Arts In Biology From University Of Oxford And A PhD In MicroBiology From Tufts University. Her STEM Career Started As A Research Assistant At The University Of Sydney & The University Of Oxford. Her Career Trajectory Includes Working As A STEM Educator, A Science Communicator & Regulatory Affairs Specialist. During Her PhD At Tufts University, She Studied Microbial Community Assembly.Esther Is The Co-Founder, Scientist And Microbiology Lead At BrickBuilt Therapeutics In., She Currently Works As A Scientist At DermBiont.
Dr. Jayashree Ranga
Associate Professor, Salem State University
Dr. Jayashree Ranga is a professor at Salem State University, where she explores pedagogical interventions that help students learn better and train them to apply content from introductory courses to real-world problems. She is a board Member and coordinator for the North Eastern Section of American Chemical Society(ACS). She’s received several awards for her active community involvement, including the 2019 ACS Volunteer of the Year Award and the ACS ChemLuminary award for Outstanding CCEW Community Involvement.
Xochitl Luna
Doctoral Candidate, MIT Brain & Congnitive Sciences
Dr. Esther Miller Has A Bachelor Of Arts In Biology From University Of Oxford And A PhD In MicroBiology From Tufts University. Her STEM Career Started As A Research Assistant At The University Of Sydney & The University Of Oxford. Her Career Trajectory Includes Working As A STEM Educator, A Science Communicator & Regulatory Affairs Specialist. During Her PhD At Tufts University, She Studied Microbial Community Assembly.Esther Is The Co-Founder, Scientist And Microbiology Lead At BrickBuilt Therapeutics In., She Currently Works As A Scientist At DermBiont.
Aadia Moseley-McCloud
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
University of Michigan
Dr. Esther Miller Has A Bachelor Of Arts In Biology From University Of Oxford And A PhD In MicroBiology From Tufts University. Her STEM Career Started As A Research Assistant At The University Of Sydney & The University Of Oxford. Her Career Trajectory Includes Working As A STEM Educator, A Science Communicator & Regulatory Affairs Specialist. During Her PhD At Tufts University, She Studied Microbial Community Assembly.Esther Is The Co-Founder, Scientist And Microbiology Lead At BrickBuilt Therapeutics In., She Currently Works As A Scientist At DermBiont.
Megan Madden
Whitehead Institute, Research Technician
Megan Madden is a research Labratory technician at the Whitehead institute for Biomedical Research in The Corradin lab She started as an undergraduate researcher in June 2021, working through the summer and then her senior year of college at Boston College. In May 2022.
she graduated with a Bachelors of Science and became a full time research technician.
Melisa Rojas
Youth and Community Engagement Coordinator at the MIT Museum.
Melisa Rojas has a Bachelors in Psychology from Pomona College and a masters in education from Boston University. She has worked as a middle school science teacher in Boston Public Schools and an educator at the Boston Museum of Science, and is currently an educator and student mentor at the MIT Museum.
Kathleen Higgins
MD/PhD Harvard Medical School; Weng lab Whitehead Institute
Shubha Tuljapurkar
Programmer, Entrepreneur & Photographer
Shubha Tuljapurkar, is currently a Vice President at Telairity, bringing experience from previous roles at Lsi, an Avago Technologies Company. Shubha Tuljapurkar holds a 1977 – 1978 Master Of Business Administration from Boston University and a masters from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. She has a robust skill including experience in Start Ups, Embedded Systems, Business Development, Program Management, Strategic Partnerships and more. She is also a professional Nature photographer, Her portfolio includes landscape and wildlife images from the National Parks, Europe, Africa, Australia and India.
Dr. Emily Stephen
Assistant Professor at Boston University
Dr. Barbara Liskov
Computer Programmer
Barbara Liskov is an American computer scientist who has made pioneering contributions to programming languages and distributed computing. Her notable work includes the introduction of abstract data types and the accompanying principle of data abstraction, along with the Liskov substitution principle, which applies these ideas to object-oriented programming, subtyping, and inheritance.
Her work was recognized with the 2008 Turing Award, the highest distinction in computer science. Liskov is one of the earliest women to have been granted a doctorate in computer science in the United States, and the second woman to receive the Turing award. She is currently an Institute Professor and Ford Professor of Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dr. Lakshmidevi Sreeramareddy
Associate Professor at Salem State University
Dr. Lakshmidevi Sreeramareddy, is an Associate Professor at Salem State University in Computer Science Department. She is teaching various IT/CS related course. She is collaborating with her colleagues in developing IT Major with ABET accreditation guidelines.
Her research focuses on human computer interaction, usability, accessibility and security. She has developed gesture-based password authentication method and has conducted a series of user studies to evaluate the method. She has authored/co-authored five publications based on her research. She has extensive teaching experience, hands on system administration experience, and programming experience in standalone and web applications. She has great passion for teaching and collaborative research. She is a passionate advocate for women in STEM and has led Women in STEM events and talks at Salem State University during her time there.