Allison Eck is the executive communications manager for Dean George Q. Daley at Harvard Medical School (HMS). As the dean's sole speechwriter, she articulates and promotes his vision by developing relevant and compelling content—speeches, community-wide emails, presentations, and more—for a broad range of internal, external, and global audiences. After graduating from Hamilton College in 2012 with degrees in physics and comparative literature (and after having endured many late nights as editor-in-chief of the school's student newspaper), she began her career at the PBS science documentary series, NOVA, where she was a digital reporter covering everything from quantum computing to climate change. After seven years there, she worked for two years as a development writer for the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—a role that sparked her interest in ghostwriting.

Allison also served as president (2019-2023) and vice president (2023-2024) of the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra of which she is a member and principal clarinetist. She is active in the community where she lives (Watertown, MA), as well—she is a member of Watertown Community Conversations, which facilitates the use of dialogue to increase understanding across differences and support community-engaged decision-making. Outside of work and civic life, she enjoys reading, birding, churning homemade ice cream, and golfing.

Dr. Amber Lenon is a dynamic professional who seamlessly merged her passion for physics with a flair for design, crafting a diverse career that spans academia and the tech industry. Beginning her journey in graphic design, Amber discovered a deep-seated passion for physics that led her to embark on a transformative path. In her current role, Amber plays a pivotal part in harnessing the potential of data to drive knowledge and innovation. As a data professional, she engages in a spectrum of activities, including crafting insightful data visualizations, preparing and exploring datasets, conducting statistical analyses, coordinating with key stakeholders, and implementing advanced analytics techniques. Amber's unique blend of skills, stemming from her background in both graphic design and physics, brings a distinctive perspective to her work, enabling her to tackle challenges with a holistic approach.

Dr. Taviare Hawkins is an Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor of Physics at Wagner College since 2023. She was previously the Division Chair for Math and Sciences at St. Catherine University and Chair and Professor of Physics at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL). She has taught at Mount Holyoke College, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Syracuse University. 

Dr. Hawkins completed a postdoc at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in experimental biophysics. She holds three degrees from Syracuse University, two MS degrees (in Computer Science and Physics), and a Ph.D. in Physics. She received her BS in Physics and minored in African American Studies from the University of Iowa.

While at the bench, Dr. Hawkins ran a productive biophysics lab and trained over 50 undergraduate students in research. About half have gone on to attend graduate school. Her research involves understanding cellular filament mechanics and how drugs and other proteins can regulate their rigidity. 

Dr. Hawkins is passionately involved in initiatives to increase the number of underrepresented individuals in STEM and improve student retention and graduation rates. She raises her voice nationally and internationally by serving on her professional society committees. Dr. Hawkins serves on the Biophysical Society council and is past chair of the APS Forum on Outreach and Engaging the Public. She is married to a physicist, and has one daughter who is a freshman in college.

M. Lisa Manning is the William R. Kenan, Jr.  Professor of Physics at Syracuse University, studying the mechanical properties of biological tissues and the failure of disordered materials. She earned her B.S. in Physics and B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Virginia in 2002, before attending graduate school at UC Santa Barbara, where she earned a Ph.D. in Physics in 2008, advised by Jean Carlson and James Langer. She worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science from 2008 until she joined faculty at Syracuse University in 2011. Prof. Manning has given over 150 invited talks and published 72 peer-reviewed articles. She has received several honors and awards including being named to the Science News “Top 10 Scientists to watch” list, 2018 Maria Goeppert Mayer Award from the APS, 2016 IUPAP Young Investigator Prize, a Simons Investigator award, a Sloan Fellowship, a Scialog award, as well as several teaching awards.  As an NSF CAREER awardee and a Cottrell Scholar, she has also developed innovative programs to help recruit and retain a diverse group of scientists in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields. 

Eva Halkiadakis is a Distinguished Professor of Physics at Rutgers University. She is an experimental particle physicist and is a member of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the CERN laboratory in Switzerland. Her research focuses on searching for new physics at the LHC, with a special emphasis on searches for new physics in "multi-jet" signatures. Professor Halkiadakis is an APS-DPF Fellow, and currently serves as the Chair of the US-CMS Collaboration Board.

Shubha Tewari is Senior Lecturer II in Physics and the Director of the STEM Education Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  A theoretical condensed matter physicist, she uses computer simulation methods to study the collective behavior of soft matter systems such as granular materials and foams. Most of her research these days is done in collaboration with undergraduates, something she greatly enjoys.

Shubha got her Masters’ degree in Physics at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India, her PhD at the University of California, Los Angeles, and did postdoctoral work at the University of Virginia. As an instructor, Shubha is deeply interested in improving the classroom experience for students using active learning methods. She is an NRMN-trained mentor and mentoring-workshop facilitator, and an enthusiastic organizer of outreach activities for the scientifically curious of all ages. Shubha is currently past-Chair of the National Organizing Committee for CU*iP.

Dr. Baylor, originally from Columbia, MD, took a winding path to arrive at her current position as a professor of Physics at Carleton College. After completing a Physics BA at Kenyon College (with more credits in Chinese than physics), she spent two years teaching Middle and High School Physics at the Maret School, K-12 private school in Washington DC, and then spent two years working as an engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. After working at NASA, she earned a PhD in Physics from the University of Colorado including an internship working at a laser company in China, taught at Carleton College for 2 terms, returned to Boulder to do a 2-year optics postdoc in the electrical engineering department before starting a permanent position at Carleton in 2010, where she teaches and does applied optics research. Dr. Baylor is passionate about making the physics community more accessible and welcoming to students and supporting physics educators developing greater cultural competence to make their classrooms more welcoming and accessible. In addition to her professional work, Dr. Baylor is an avid whitewater rafter, lego builder, and cat-lover.

Dr. Meagan Sundstrom is a postdoctoral researcher at Drexel University conducting physics education research (PER). Her current work uses social network analysis, classroom observations, and conceptual inventory data to better characterize different active learning pedagogies used to teach undergraduate physics. In Spring 2024, Meagan completed her PhD in PER at Cornell University. Her dissertation research used social network analysis to understand undergraduate physics students’ interactions with their peers and recognition of their strong peers, with a focus on the role of student gender in these networks. Prior to that, Meagan earned a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics-Physics from the University of Connecticut.

Colleen Tartow, Ph.D. has over 20 years of experience in data, engineering, analytics, and consulting. Adept at assisting organizations in deriving value from a data-driven culture, she has successfully led large data, engineering, and analytics teams through the development of complex global data management solutions, and architecting front- and back-end SaaS and enterprise data systems. Colleen has a wealth of experience in the world of AI, focusing on the evolution of data infrastructure and bringing value to organizations through cutting-edge data technologies. Her ability to work in depth cross functionally makes her a valued partner to all business functions. Colleen is a seasoned executive with a history of building and leading diverse teams through business reorganization and transforming existing data ecosystems, maturing them into modern and robust technology stacks.  Her breadth of experience and demonstrated excellence in data and engineering leadership makes her a trusted senior advisor among executives and across organizations.

Colleen strives to make engineering organizations better for both humans and business through mentoring, leadership, and streamlining process. Her passion for both technology and inclusion has led to her speaking at a variety of events in the technology leadership space, and mentoring aspiring leaders in data and technology. She is a prolific author, experienced speaker, valued mentor, and startup advisor.  Colleen is currently Field CTO and Head of Strategy at VAST Data, holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics, and lives in Massachusetts.

Sarah Monk is the Membership Recruitment and Retention Manager at the American Physical Society (APS), where she leads efforts to engage and support members at every career stage. She earned her B.S. in Physics from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2018, where she was an undergraduate researcher on the LUX-Zeplin Dark Matter Experiment, as well as training as a nuclear reactor operator on campus. Prior to joining APS, Sarah served as a congressional intern in the United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. In 2023, Sarah also joined the team of Core Organizers of The Access Network, an organization co-working with graduate and undergraduate students across the country towards a vision of a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible STEM community.

James (Jay) Henderson is the Director of the BioInspired Institute and a Professor of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering. He has served as Director or Co-Director of the NSF REU Site: Interactive Biomaterials for the last 9 years and as Director of the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Programs (MS and PhD). His service to professional societies includes the Society for Biomaterials Education & Professional Development Committee. Providing opportunities for undergraduate research has always had a central place in his research lab, and he has mentored more than seventy undergraduate researchers during academic year research and research experience for undergraduate programs. Many of these undergraduate students have won undergraduate awards and fellowships that include Syracuse University Scholar, Remembrance Scholar, Senior Marshal, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Goldwater Scholar, Seinfeld Scholar, Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence in the category of Excellence in Student Research, Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink internship, and Annual Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) STEM Conference Research Award. The quality of the mentoring environment in the Henderson lab has been recognized by relevant units within Syracuse University on multiple occasions, including the 2016 James K. Duah-Agyeman Faculty Award from the Center for Graduate Preparation and Achievement, the 2017 Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Excellence Award from The Graduate School, and the 2024 Mentor of the Year award from the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising.

Shikha Nangia, PhD, is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering at Syracuse University. Dr. Nangia received her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in 2006 and completed her postdoctoral training at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Nangia’s research uses computational approaches to overcome biological barriers and enhance drug delivery. Her research projects include exploring treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, gut tight junctions, implantable device-related infections, and epigenetics. Her focus has been to examine the architecture of the blood-brain barrier to develop novel strategies to facilitate the transport of drug molecules into the brain. Dr Nangia’s research has received substantial funding to date. Dr Nangia has also received numerous honors and awards for her research (NSF CAREER, Scialog Fellow, ACS OpenEye Faculty Award, ACS WCC Rising Star Award) and teaching throughout her career. She was recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for her outstanding contribution to the student experience and university initiatives at Syracuse University. She is a director of the NIH-funded ESTEEMED program that prepares undergraduate students for a career as a Ph.D.-level biomedical researcher.

Jeniffer Gonzalez Reyes joined the Bonner Foundation in February 2023 and serves as the Program Manager. In this role, Jeniffer helps ensure that community engaged professionals are effective in building and sustaining high quality campus programs. She develops new or refined existing training and curriculum to provide technical assistance to colleges/universities within the Bonner Network. She supports planning for national conferences, conducts campus visits, and manages international and national organizations that enrich and support the Bonner Program and Network. Jeniffer is a Bonner Scholar 2019 alum from Guilford College. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics. As a Bonner Scholar, Jeniffer served as a Bonner Congress Representative and Site Coordinator. Jeniffer organized many community initiatives on issues of access to higher education and immigrant rights. One of these initiatives was Soy un Leader, an annual conference that provided crucial information for access to higher education for 500+ disenfranchised and undocumented/DACAmented high school students in the surrounding counties of Greensboro, NC. After graduating Jeniffer worked as the Bonner Program Coordinator for Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. Jeniffer managed Allegheny’s Hybrid Leader/Scholar Bonner Program of 60 students, including new student onboarding, curriculum/training design, and implementation. She established a more efficient student-led Bonner Leadership Team structure and cultivated and maintained community partnerships. Prior to joining the Bonner Foundation Staff, Jeniffer was a program manager for UNC Chapel Hill School of Government in Chapel Hill, NC. She worked as an administrative liaison to faculty, NC judicial officials, and attorneys.

Dr. Mejia is an assistant professor of Cryosphere and Polar Sciences in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Syracuse University. She received her B.S. in Physics in 2014 from Texas A&M University, Commerce, her M.Sc. in Geophysics with a concentration in Snow, Ice, and Permafrost in 2016 from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and her Ph.D. in Geology in 2021 from the University of South Florida where she was formally trained in both Glaciology and Hydrogeology. Following completion of her Ph.D., Dr. Mejia did a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the University at Buffalo in the Glacier Modeling Lab where she led field campaigns on Helheim Glacier in southeast Greenland. Dr. Mejia’s research focuses on the coupling between glacial hydrology and ice dynamics using geodetic, hydrologic, and remote sensing observations as well as process-based models to understand how the world’s ice sheets will respond to future melt increases.

Karmela Padavic-Callaghan is a physics reporter at New Scientist. Karmela earned a PhD in theoretical condensed matter physics and atomic, molecular and optical physics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and their research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including Physical Review Letters and New Journal of Physics. They studied ultracold atomic systems in novel geometries in microgravity and the interplay of disorder and quasiperiodicity in one-dimensional systems, including metamaterials.  Before joining New Scientist, Karmela was an assistant professor at Bard High School Early College in New York City, where they taught high school and college courses in physics and mathematics. Karmela’s freelance writing has been featured in Wired, Scientific American, Slate, MIT Technology Review, Quanta Magazine and Physics World and their first book, titled Entangled States: A Life According to Physics, is forthcoming from Beacon Press.

Dr. Kathy-Anne Brickman Soderberg is the Air Force Research Laboratory Senior Scientist (ST) for Quantum Science and Technology. Prior to becoming ST, Dr. Soderberg was the primary investigator and team lead for AFRL’s Trapped-Ion Quantum Networking group.  Dr. Soderberg received a B.S. in physics from the College of William and Mary, a M.S. and Ph.D. in physics from the University of Michigan and was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chicago.  Dr. Soderberg has over twenty years of technical experience in atomic physics and quantum information processing.  Her graduate work focused on trapped-ion quantum computing research and included key demonstrations of phonon-mediated entangling gates and proof-of-principle quantum algorithms.  Her postdoctoral work focused on novel neutral-atom quantum computing and the difficulties associated with targeted atomic interactions and optical lattice translation and control.  Before joining AFRL, Dr. Soderberg was a technical consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Elizabeth Hilliard graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a dual B.S. in physics and psychology, then went on to receive an M.S. in medical physics from Louisiana State University. She worked in radiation oncology clinics for six years, first in a two year medical physics residency training program at the Medical University of South Carolina and then as a staff medical physicist at SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital. She now works for Radformation as a technical support physicist. Radformation was founded in 2016 by a group of medical physicists to develop automation software that helps radiation oncology clinics increase quality, safety, and efficiency. As a technical support physicist, Elizabeth installs and configures software, explains the dose calculation algorithms and other details of how the software works to customers, troubleshoots issues with customers, and helps the Radformation product development team translate customer feedback into product improvements.

Georgia Mansell is an assistant professor at Syracuse University. Her research is in gravitational-wave instrumentation with a focus of quantum-enhanced interferometry. She previously worked at LIGO Hanford Observatory as a postdoctoral associate and completed her PhD on squeezed light at the Australian National University in 2018. In her spare time, she enjoys rock climbing.

Phalguni is currently a Research Engineer, Expert at PPG Industries. She has a Ph. D. in experimental soft matter physics from Northwestern University, and an M.Sc. in physics (Gold medal) from UM-DAE Center for Excellence in Basic Sciences, Mumbai. Her research interests include colloidal physics, interfacial phenomena, and statistical physics. For her Ph. D., she used high-speed imaging to study the dynamics of dense colloidal suspensions via impacting drops and rupturing fluid films. At PPG, Phalguni develops new experimental and data analysis capabilities to enable innovation in the coatings space. She is passionate about improving ways in which data is generated and used to drive decisions in research and product development. 

Phalguni deeply enjoys mentorship and science communication. Working closely with chemists, chemical engineers, and materials scientists, she strives to create a curiosity-driven environment to fuel cross-pollination of ideas. She leads several technical training and communication initiatives to enable company-wide transfer of best practices among PPG scientists. In her free time, Phalguni practices Kathak, an Indian classical dance form, and enjoys hiking.

Elaine Ulrich, Ph.D. is a Senior Advisor in the U.S. DOE Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response where she works on clean energy security and long-term community recovery and resilience following disasters. Elaine served as Director of Building and Transportation Decarbonization for the State of Connecticut. A former APS/AAAS fellow, she spent 9 years in the DOE Solar Energy technologies Office. She has served as a Senior advisor for Energy at the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy, and previously held positions in the office of former U.S. Senator Ken Salazar, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, and in the office of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords. She holds a B.A. in physics from Wellesley College and a Ph.D. in optical science from the University of Arizona.

Julia Felice, Ph.D. is a trained scientist and experienced communicator and visual designer. She founded Felice Information Design to help other scientific experts share their ideas in a way that’s clear, engaging, and compelling. Her scientific expertise, which centers on biological and quantitative sciences, comes from doctoral work at Cornell University, undergraduate training at MIT, and original research that has spanned wet labs, statistical coding, and interviewing new parents on their living room floors. 

Dr. Felice has published and presented this original research across diverse peer-reviewed journals, international conferences, and expert and non-expert audiences. She also brings 20 years of experience training others in the practice and communication of science across higher education, professional, and public settings. Through Felice Information Design, she applies this experience as well as evidence-based practices in visual design, data visualization, and dialogue to elevate scientific ideas and voices that have the power to improve lives.

Catherine M. Gerard is Emerita Professor (August 2024) of the Public Administration and International Affairs at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. As Professor of Practice for the department, she taught courses on leadership, conflict, and human resource management. In addition, Professor Gerard was Codirector and Director from 2005-2020 of the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC). She also served as Associate Director of Maxwell’s Executive Education Programs, where she designed and delivered leadership for domestic and international government officials and NGO managers. Before joining Syracuse, she was Assistant Director of the Office of Employee Relations, directing the unit dedicated to management, leadership, and organizational development. She continues her consulting and training work with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Population Council, and Rockefeller College Professional Training Program. Professor Gerard is the author of several publications on collaborative leadership and conflict. She serves on several community organization boards, including CNYArts.

Marina Artuso is a distinguished professor of physics and LHCb team leader at Syracuse University. She was awarded a ”Laurea” in Nuclear Engineering (Electronics focus) at Politecnico of Milano, then pursued her Ph.D. at Northwestern University, and postdoctoral fellowships at Columbia University and Cornell University. She is now a Distinguished Professor of Physics at Syracuse University. She is an APS fellow and a AAAS fellow. She currently studies various properties of the exotic beauty quark with the LHCb detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, CH. She had leading roles in the development and construction of multiple detectors, most recently she was the project leader for the design and construction of the Upstream Tracker for the LHCb Upgrade. Marina works on initiatives to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM an early career scientists. She is currently co-leader of the group WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) at Syracuse University and participates in the CERN mentoring program.

Prof. Mirna Mihovilovic Skanata is an experimental neurobiophysicist focused on understanding how the brain processes information, using simple model organisms and developing cutting-edge microscopy techniques. She earned her B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Zagreb, Croatia. Prof. Skanata completed her Ph.D. in Physics at Brown University, where she investigated the properties of individual DNA molecules using nanoscale devices. Her postdoctoral research was conducted in Marc Gershow's lab at New York University, where she transitioned to developing a microscope capable of detecting neural activity patterns in freely moving animals. Prof. Skanata has received several awards, including the 2022 McKnight Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Award, the 2023 NIH Maximizing Investigators’ Research (MIRA) Award, the 2023 Physics Department Faculty Teaching Award, and the 2024 Physics Department Community Building and Social Justice Award. She is also dedicated to fostering undergraduate research and supporting outreach initiatives.

Melanie Pelcher is a dedicated educator with extensive experience in science education, currently teaching at Henninger High School in Syracuse, NY. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Rochester, focusing her studies on Medical Physics. Mel holds a Master of Science in Science Education with a concentration in Physics from Syracuse University and possesses teaching licenses for Physics and Mathematics, as well as additional licensure to instruct students with disabilities. In the past three years, she has taught a variety of courses, including college-level Physics, Sports Physics, and Physics of the Arts. As the Lead Physics teacher in the Syracuse City School District, Mel fosters a dynamic, collaborative approach to making physics accessible to all students. Additionally, she coordinates an internship program with the Syracuse University Physics Department, which recently received significant NSF ExLENT funding. Passionate about inspiring the next generation of scientists, Mel advocates for inclusive and engaging physics education.

Megan Marshall Smith is an Assistant Professor of Instruction at Hamilton College. She studies supermassive black holes and the environments around them using computer simulations. In particular, her work focuses on how magnetic fields and plasma close to the black hole interact leading to instabilities that move matter closer to the black hole. She is also interested in how mentoring and similar programs can better support students and improve departmental communities. Outside of teaching and research, she likes reading mystery novels, cooking, and swing dancing.

Corinne Motl is an undergraduate student at Syracuse University. She is currently a research assistant in Professor Soderberg’s lab exploring high resolution PET scanners with LArTPCs. She worked at the University of Chicago through the NSF REU program, where she completed research on quantum transducers. She has also completed research at Argonne National Laboratory through the SULI program funded by the DOE. At Argonne, she continued her passion for quantum technology as she explored designs for nanophotonic devices in the interest of developing quantum memories.

Antara is a PhD student specializing in experimental particle physics. She is currently focused on validating and analyzing the latest data from LHCb, one of the four main detectors at the Large Hadron Collider. She completed her undergraduate studies in India and her master’s degree in Canada. As an outreach enthusiast, Antara believes in making science more accessible to the public. If not working, she is found cooking, traveling or writing. 

Julia Rice is a second-year physics PhD student at Syracuse University. She works with Professor Georgia Mansell doing experimental gravitational wave research. She is also current president of the Physics Graduate Organization.