DISC Leadership

Dr. Goforth joined the chemistry faculty at Portland State University in August of 2008 after a joint post-doctoral appointment with the Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Davis. She is a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Careers at the Scientific Interface award recipient and an Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) Signature Research Fellow. Dr. Goforth also has interests in solid-state and materials chemistry, and the application of inorganic nanoparticles for technological applications, e.g., device minaturization.

Dr. Zhang is the Assistant Dean for Inclusive Innovation in the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at Portland State University. She supports student success & retention programs for Maseeh College and STEM students across campus, including in LSAMP. She also works on developing inclusive workforce strategies with local industries and nonprofits. Her research interests are in STEM education, cancer biology, and virology. She has a Ph.D. in Immunology from The Johns Hopkins University-School of Medicine and a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Washington.

Professor Teuscher's research goal is to develop disruptive new computing paradigms and machines that will allow for lasting breakthroughs and open new application domains in the next 5-20 years. His team uses an interdisciplinary approach and applies tools from computer science, computer engineering, physics, biology, complex systems science, and cognitive science to the study and the design of next generation computing models and architectures. Dr. Teuscher obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree in computer science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) in 2000 and 2004 respectively. In 2004 he became a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), in 2005 a distinguished Director's Postdoctoral Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and in 2007 a Technical Staff Member.

Vikki Espinosa, CPC is a Career Strategist, leadership transformation coach, and internationally recognized career development instructor. With over twenty years of experience in people development, she has a passion for empowering individuals to craft meaningful careers. Vikki is the Program Coordinator for the Discover Internships for Semiconductor Careers (DISC) at Portland State University,  

Vikki holds a degree in International Business and Marketing from Northeastern University and a Masters in Educational Leadership and Policy from Portland State University.  She has received numerous accolades over her career, including the Society of Women Engineers Spark Award for promoting diversity and mentorship.