DLS Ambassador Alumni
- Michelle Brown
- Graduation Year: 2025
- Major: Biological Sciences
- Hometown: Princeton, NJ
- Career Interest: Geneticist
- Fun Fact: I love cats and have 6 of them.
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class was Gender and Consumption because I learned more in that class than any other class I was in, and I really liked the professor. She encouraged me to submit my final project for a competition and I won an award (Rick Lee prize).
What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?
I am a physics tutor for ODASIS and completed a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) at Rutgers. I also love scary activities like sky diving and bungee jumping.
- Nick Powers
- Graduation Year: 2024
- Major: Genetics
- Hometown: Asbury, NJ
- Career Interest: MD-PhD programs in order to get more involved in the health professions field while still keeping research at the forefront of my career. I would happily continue my academic career at Rutgers as well!
- Fun Fact: I was born in Edison Hospital and lived in Metuchen until graduating kindergarten, when I moved to Hunterdon County. My mom went to Rutgers, as did my sister. I really enjoy playing basketball and soccer with my buddies and reading. For a small portion of my life, I was related by marriage to country singer Darius Rucker.
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class was Behavioral and Neural Genetics. I found this class really interesting because it captured my interest in genetics while introducing me to new concepts related to neurobiology. That peaked my interest in the subject and spurred me to join the lab I'm currently in.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
I have been involved in the Rutgers Seq and Rutgers-AUG clubs, two student-based genetics clubs. I am a member of the Shumyatsky lab and have run with the Rutgers Intramural Running Club. I hope to get more involved before I graduate!
- Disha Choksi
- Graduation Year: 2024
- Major: Biological Sciences
- Hometown: India
- Career Interest: The way the human body works just fascinates me because we notice people even if one part of the body does not work the way it is supposed to even one minor detail then it can the person most vulnerable and dependent and I want to help those people which is why I want to go into PA school and for the specialty I am leaning towards cardiology but I am still exploring.
- Fun Fact: Besides academics, I love to dance, especially Bollywood and Indian classical!
- Siddharth Ghosh Roy
- Graduation Year: 2025
- Major: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
- Additional Major(s): Data Science- Chemical Data Science Option
- Minor(s): Chemistry
- Hometown: Bridgewater, NJ
- Career Interest: I've always been interested in anatomy and the inner workings of the human body. My major has opened my eyes to the really cool research at the cutting edge of medicine today, and I love it. I realized I don't just want to treat diseases as a physician, I want to come up with new treatments and see them successfully implemented. A career as a physician-scientist at the intersection of medicine and biomedical research is exactly where I want to be.
- Fun Fact: When I'm not in the lab, I like to play drums and enjoy the outdoors.
- What was your favorite class and why?:
This is a tough one. I really enjoyed the MBB elective Chromatin and Epigenomics because the material was so closely linked to the research my lab does. If you're doing research, I would definitely recommend taking at least one class directly related to the work you do. Classes like that engage you like nothing else and it's so cool to make connections to everything you learn. If you're passionate about your work, it will be one of the most rewarding classes you can take.
Outside of my major, I had a great time taking Musics of the World. In lecture we discuss music traditions from all corners of the world and the homework is listening assignments. I got introduced to so much new music and some artists I still listen to now and taking it with friends was an all-around great experience.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
I'm a big fan of teaching. Outside of class, I work as a Learning Assistant at the Rutgers Learning Centers, a Peer Instructor at the Aresty Research Center, and a tutor at Budding Years, Inc. When I have time, I also am part of a few clubs around campus including HOSA and HC Ally.
- Sneha Kandalgaonkar
- Graduation Year: 2025
- Major: Genetics
- Hometown: South Brunswick, NJ
- Career Interest: Being able to help people in their most vulnerable moment is very meaningful to me and a great source of satisfaction. Working in healthcare jobs, either through volunteering at health screenings or as an EMT, has allowed me to help people when they need it most and encourages me to pursue this journey, despite how long and difficult it can be.
- Fun Fact: I am an EMT and ride on a volunteer squad in my hometown.
- What was your favorite class and why?:
My favorite class so far was a Genetics major elective called "Implications of New Genetics" 01:447:354.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
I am a chemistry teaching intern and have helped facilitate Active Learning Workshop for General Chemistry 161 and 162 for the past three semesters. I am also the Digital Media Coordinator and incumbent President of Rutgers chapter of American Preventive Screening and Education Association (APSEA), a nonprofit organization that runs free health screenings in New Brunswick and central New Jersey. I work in Dr. Michael Verzi's research lab at the Human Genetics Institute and have completed the Aresty RA program and received the SURF fellowship while working in his lab for the past two years. I am also part of the Douglass Residential College and am currently part of the "Global Leaders at Douglass" program that will travel to Kuwait this winter break!