Nolan Origer (noriger@uci.edu) – President, External
Hi everyone! My name is Nolan and I am going into the third year of my PhD in the Downing Lab. My research focus is in sequencing-based exploration of cell-cell interactions in cancer. This last year in GABES I served as the mentorship chair and helped organize many of the other events. In my spare time I enjoy going to the gym, coffee shop hopping, and spending time with friends.
Blanca Romero Milà (blancr1@uci.edu) – President, Internal
Hello everyone! My name is Blanca Romero Milà, and I will be starting my third year as a PhD student in the upcoming school year. I am a member of Dr. Lopour’s lab, where we specialize in computational neuroscience, focusing on processing EEG signals to research epilepsy patients. Over the past year, I have been a member of GABES, where I enjoyed planning social events and initiating the GABES Newsletter. Additionally, I am a leader in the Graduate Interconnect Program at UCI, managing our social media platforms. I have also mentored high school students through various programs organized by ReachOut TeachOut (ROTO). In my free time, I enjoy Pilates, yoga, hiking, and playing the flute. I am passionate about traveling and make an effort to explore new places whenever possible!
Rahul Sreedasyam (rsreedas@uci.edu) – Mentorship Program Chair
My name is Rahul Sreedasyam, and I am an incoming 3rd year PhD student co-advised by Professors Botvinick and Venugopalan. Over the past two years, I have enjoyed attending GABES events and appreciate the strong sense of community they foster outside of our lab environment. As the club advisor for Rotaract at UCI, I have grown to love planning, hosting, and marketing club events. I am also deeply passionate about mentorship, having recently launched the Find Your Path Initiative – a program designed to connect local high school students with undergraduate and graduate mentors to help guide them towards their dream careers. I am excited about the opportunity to bring my enthusiasm and past experience with mentorship and event planning to GABES as an officer. I aim to help sustain and grow the GABES community, so future students can experience the same opportunities, resources, and friendship that have benefitted me.
Clara E. Jones (claraej@uci.edu) – Treasurer
Hi everyone! My name is Clara Jones, and I’m a fourth-year PhD student working on patient-specific cardiac growth modeling in the Oomen Lab. This year I would love to continue organizing our finances including reimbursements, budgeting, and event planning. Hope to see you all at lots of GABES events this year!
Sofia Altieri Correa (altieris@uci.edu) – Communications, External
Hi everyone! My name is Sofia Altieri Correa and I am a second-year PhD student. I am a member of the Chesler Lab working on cardiovascular modeling. My hobbies include hiking, cooking, surfing, painting, and crafting. I’d love to contribute to GABES by helping to plan, organize, and lead activities and events. At UCI, I mentor international students through the GIC program, the New Gen Pathway program and volunteer with Zot Exchange. I really enjoy getting involved in university life and fostering community.
Edilber Palacios (edilberp@uci.edu) – Communications, Internal
My name is Edilber Palacios, and I am a rising second-year Ph.D. student focusing on microfluidics in the BioMiNT Lab. I have a background in biology from California State University-San Bernardino and engineering experience at Roche. I have been both a mentor in CIRM’s STRIDE program and am currently a mentee in the Scientist Mentoring & Diversity Program (SMDP), gaining valuable insights from both perspectives. During my first year at UC Irvine, I started ARC Group, bringing together BME graduate students for sports at the Anteater Recreation Center, fostering great relationships outside of research. I am confident that I can bring a diverse skill set to GABES, enhancing our BME community and fostering strong relationships among students. Outside of academics, I enjoy listening to R&B and Hip Hop music and playing basketball! Let’s connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/edilber.
Sara Marmarchinia (smarmarc@uci.edu) – General Club Assistance
Hi! My name is Sara, and I am a rising 3rd year PhD student. My research focuses on designing a closed loop system for hypertension cancellation using nerve electrostimulation. I have been an active member of the Society of Iranian Graduate Students (SIGS) since last year, where I have gained valuable experience in community engagement and event organization.
As a GABES officer, I am excited about the opportunity to help organize events that promote support among graduate students. So, I’m eager to contribute my enthusiasm to enhance our graduate student experience.
I look forward to the chance to serve and make a positive impact.
Christian J Andrade Herrera (candrad5@uci.edu) – General Club Assistance
Hello, Everyone. I am running to become an E-board member of GABES. I have over five years of organizational experience, working in every role of an E-board, from secretary to social media chair to vice president of membership and president of various organizations. I am also a Co-Assistant director of Prof. Dev. and Campus Resources for QTABS, a graduate organization for LGBTQ individuals. I want to join GABES as an E-board member to further engage with my fellow grad students and create an inclusive space while creating meaningful and engaging experiences for all.
Olivia Ritchie (oritchie@uci.edu) – General Club Assistance
Hi all! I’m Olivia, a 4th year Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Young Jik Kwon’s lab focused on developing gene delivery platforms. In my free time, I enjoy getting outside and running along the Newport Back Bay. This past year I helped plan social events, make flyers, and send out announcements as one of GABES’ communications chairs. In addition to GABES I’m apart of the GPS-STEM trainee council and a mentor for CRI’s (Cancer Research Institute) Youth Science Fellowship Program. Next year I hope to continue growing with our BME community as a member of the GABES board.
Dr. Jered Haun (jered.haun@uci.edu) – Faculty Advisor
Founder of GABES at UCI!