Leadership

President

ejcosta@umich.edu

Emily (she/her) is ESPA’s President. She is a third year Ph.D. student in the Chemistry Department. Her research focuses on characterizing individual aerosol particles based on their morphology and elemental composition.  Emily is interested in working at the intersection of science and policy, and is passionate about making scientific ideas more accessible to the public. Outside of the lab, she enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time outdoors.

Vice President

thedford@umich.edu

I am Joshua Thedford. I am a third year chemistry PhD student in the Sanford lab. I study palladium and sulfur catalysis and look at organometallic intermediates to study reaction profiles. I am interested in connecting scientists with the government to better enact change within society. Outside of lab, I enjoy music, reading, and exercising. 

Secretary

chlobru@umich.edu

Chloe is a second-year Master's student at the School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS). Her research focuses on community resilience to wildfires, renewable energy policy, and utilizing GIS for environmental justice. After working in environmental policy and education, Chloe became increasingly interested in demystifying science topics to fight for change in her community and beyond. In her free time, you can find Chloe looking for mushrooms, in the climbing gym, or snuggling her cat, Aki. 

Treasurer

parts@umich.edu

Peter (he/him) is the treasurer of ESPA. He is a PhD candidate in Environmental Engineering studying virus persistence and fate in the environment and the resulting intersections of disease transmission and public health. Peter joined ESPA to further study and engage with policy and communication related to infectious disease prevention at the community level. With his free time he enjoys spending time with his dog Maya, trail running/hiking and camping.

Government Engagement Chair

mramkl@umich.edu

Malavika (she/her) is ESPA's Government Engagement Chair. She is a second year PhD student in the chemistry department studying microplastic contamination in soil. Malavika is passionate about improving science communication between scientists and the government to improve policy, especially related to environmental health. Outside of the lab, she enjoys hiking, reading, and painting!

Community Engagement Chair

cloughm@umich.edu

Maddie (she/her) is ESPA’s Community Engagement Chair. She is a third year PhD candidate in the Chemistry Department. Her research focuses on identifying and quantifying atmospheric microplastics in Michigan. Maddie’s research with community partners around the state fuels her interest in policy to address environmental justice concerns. Outside of the lab, Maddie enjoys reading, crafting, and camping.  

Policy Chair

thoard@umich.edu

Tyler is a Sixth-year PhD student in Cell and Developmental Biology. His research focuses on elucidating communication between cells in embryonic development and disease. He is aso in the Science and Technology in Public Policy Graduate Certificate Program and hopes to go on to work on the integration of science and policy issues. Outside of the lab, he enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, and going to concerts. 

Public Engagement Chair

abbylynn@umich.edu

Abby (she/her) is ESPA's Public Engagement Chair. She is a third year Ph.D. student in the Chemistry Department. Her research focuses on protein-RNA interactions during tRNA maturation and processing and how this impacts processes downstream. She has been interested in science communication and believes it is crucial to bridge the gap of knowledge between academics in STEM and the public. In her free time, she enjoys listening to audiobooks, running, baking, and playing with her Boston Terrier puppy, Ollie. 

National Science Policy Network (NSPN) Liaison

sdeschai@umich.edu

Sara (she/her) is ESPA’s National Science Policy Network (NSPN) liaison. She is a 3rd year Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Pharmacology and an M.S. Candidate in the Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics. Currently, Sara studies potential therapeutics for metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Sara is passionate about science communication and increasing the accessibility of science to individuals with non-scientific backgrounds. Outside of the lab she enjoys hiking, skiing, and photography.