People

Alexis Robertson is a doctoral candidate in the DBBS Neurosciences program, with a keen focus on elucidating the genetic, cellular, and molecular mechanisms underpinning neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Her academic journey began in Memphis, Tennessee, where she was the esteemed recipient of the Clarence Day Scholarship. This prestigious award enabled her to provide aid […]

Taylor is originally from a small town in Mississippi. In 2024, she graduated from WashU with a major in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology.  Now, Taylor is a second-year JD student at WashU School of Law, where she has been an active member of organizations such as Phi Alpha Delta, the Texas Legal Society, and the Christian Legal Fellowship. […]

Jewel McDonough, a JD candidate, seeks to study international/public interest law. In her legal career, she plans to fight for survivors of abuse and human trafficking. During her undergraduate degree, she gained experience working with these survivors and found it to be some of the most rewarding work she has been a part of. Jewel […]

Yi Kang is a PhD student in the Movement Science program within the Department of Physical Therapy. She earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2024 and holds a degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Mathematics. Yi has contributed to research on biomechanics and lower back pain, as well as on lifestyle factors, […]

Sarah Borders is pursuing a Master’s in Architecture. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and a minor in Urban Studies. While at Penn, she assisted in the development and construction of affordable housing as an intern with Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. Motivated by this […]

Pursuing dual Master degrees in Architecture and Landscape Architecture in the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, Reba Shoup is interested in experimenting with and creating symbiotic relationships between building forms and nature with a focus on people’s connection to the landscape. To do so means working though the challenges of the building […]

Jess Camacho (she/her) is a PhD student in the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences with a focus on Cancer Biology. She earned a BA in Biochemistry from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York in 2024. Jess joined the Silva-Fisher Lab in May 2025, in the Division of Oncology at the School of Medicine, where […]

Hannah is a law student currently pursuing her JD. As a double major in chemistry and political science, she is committed to studying and forging various intersectional connections here at WashU and beyond. During her undergraduate career, she remained committed to democratic and community engagement, working closely with the League of Women Voters Lansing Area. […]

Callie Boren is an audiologist and a PhD student in Speech and Hearing Science. She received her BA with concentrations in communication sciences and disorders, neuroscience, and medical humanities from Baylor University in 2021 and her AuD from Washington University School of Medicine in 2025. Her combined interests in the physiological mechanisms of hearing loss, […]

Grace Duong, a PhD student from St. Louis, earned her BS in Environmental Engineering from Missouri University of Science & Technology, with minors in Geology and Sustainability. She has passed the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, is an Engineer-in-Training, and a member of Chi Epsilon, SWE, WEF, AWWA, and ASCE. Her undergraduate research focused on solutions […]

Debbie “Dada” Dada is a doctoral student in Public Health Sciences with a concentration in Dissemination and Implementation Science. Passionate about global health justice, implementation science and decolonial thought, her research interests are in improving access to infectious disease prevention and care services among marginalized populations in Sub-Saharan Africa using participatory implementation science and addressing […]

Lauren Nacke, MSW, LCSW (she/her) is a PhD student in the School of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis. With over a decade of experience as a perinatal social worker, she focuses on addressing structural racism and inequities in maternal and infant health. Lauren’s research employs an intersectional approach to promote equitable policies […]

Sejal Popat is pursuing an MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture. She is an interdisciplinary artist, researcher and writer from California. She studied Fine Art along with Logic and Computation at Carnegie Mellon and did her masters in Information Systems at UC Berkeley. She is especially passionate about the role of creativity in education and […]

Emma Groetecke (she/her) is a second-year PhD student in Chemistry working in the Wencewicz laboratory, where she studies the influence of natural product analogs on bacterial nutrient acquisition, with a focus on the total synthesis of novel antibiotic scaffolds. Emma completed her B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Kentucky in 2024, where she was […]

A PhD student in Mechanical Engineering, Savannah hopes to use engineering principles to gain a deeper understanding of pregnancy-related biomechanical changes in uterine tissue. After graduating from Scripps College in 2021 with a BA in Biophysics, she continued her education at WashU as a member of the Dual-Degree Engineering Program, where she earned a BS […]

Eric is a PhD student in the IMSE who seeks to use computation methods to predict material behavior for a vast range of uses. He is a First-Generation student who was the first in his family to get a college degree. He is a 4-year recipient of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and has been awarded […]

Jacob is a portfolio coordinator which means he supports the portfolio of work of the full institutional effectiveness team. He helps manage day-to-day administrative functions and select initiatives for the team including intake document of new projects, scoping visualization products, assisting in operational tasks, and being our lead project manager. 

Soophia is a data visualization designer supporting the institutional effectiveness team and campus stakeholders at WashU by transforming complex datasets into clear, compelling visual narratives. With a background in both analytics and user experience, she creates data visualizations which prioritize the needs of users, ensuring data is transparent and equitably shared. A dedicated storyteller, Soophia […]