Current Ambassadors

• joseph.h.chen@tamu.edu
• Organizations & Programs: University Honors, Dulin Lab, AMSA, MORPH
• Activities: Music Production, Piano, Tennis, Fishing, Volleyball
• Awards & Distinctions: University Honors Program
• Experience with: Research, Research Presentations

Howdy!! My name is Joseph and I'm a sophomore Biology major and Computer Science minor from Houston, Texas. Upon graduation, I hope to attend medical school and become a physician in the future! I began my researching career as a freshman here at TAMU in the Dulin Lab working under our wonderful postdoc, Miriam, and I have loved it ever since! In the lab, we conduct research on spinal cord injuries and explore various therapeutic methods, such as neural progenitor cell transplantation for recovery of locomotor functions and reducing the pain associated with such injuries. The project that we are conducting right now focuses on characterizing embryonic spinal cords from the days E11.5 to E13.5 both in vivo and in vitro. The reason for this is that embryonic spinal cords generate over the span of several days, with each day exhibiting distinct phenotypes that consequently have differing ratios of cell proliferation. By characterizing these time points and collecting data on which cells are most abundant at each time point, we can begin to generate more effective and efficient cells for transplantation not only in experimental models, but eventually in humans as well! Aside from being able to conduct exciting and innovate scientific research, joining the Dulin lab has been an amazing experience, and I've found not only a group of intelligent, curious, and like minded coworkers, but a family as well. I'm happy to say that I've found some of my closest friends in the lab, and it is a joy to be side by side with them conducting research and experiencing life, and it is my hope that everyone can have the same amazing experience that I've had!

• jellard@tamu.edu
• Organizations & Programs: American Fisheries Society (Activities Chair), Wildlife Society
• Activities: Fishing, Camping, Drummer for Local Church, Playing Guitar and Piano, Tennis
• Awards & Distinctions: Undergraduate Research Ambassadors, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Scholarship Nominee
• Experience with: Internship - Riverscape Ecology Lab, Summer Research, Fisheries Technician, Texas Bass Brigades Adult Leader, Assessing Alligator Gar Diel Activity in Lower Brazos River Basin: Poster presented at 2021 Texas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society

Howdy! My name is Johnathan and I am a junior Wildlife and Fisheries major from Caldwell, Texas. I began my involvement with undergraduate research when I joined the Riverscape Ecology Lab under Dr. Joshuah Perkin before my Sophomore year. Since then, I have been involved with freshwater ecology research particularly studying Alligator Gar diel activity along the Brazos River. The goal of this project is to give a clearer perspective on discrete Alligator Gar movements and specific habitat uses in association with time of day. This in turn will contribute to our understanding of fine scale movements and microhabitat use to inform management of Alligator Gar not only in the Brazos River but also throughout its range. Aside from this project, I also aid in other projects as needed among our labs group of outstanding graduate and undergraduate scholars. My interest of fisheries sciences began long before my undergraduate research opportunity. As I completed courses and learned more about freshwater ecology and aquatic sciences, my desire for involvement within these fields only increased. I eventually was able to become plugged into a lab in which I have been presented the opportunity to learn and grow as a student and a person. Undergraduate research for me thus far has been an opportunity to expand my scientific mind and broaden my academic experience in a field that I have interests in. It is a way for me to engage with others on projects that are not only beneficial to this field but possibly society. After my bachelor's degree I hope to pursue a master's degree in some form of freshwater fisheries science. I am truly blessed and excited to be a part of this program and would love to talk to anyone who has questions about undergraduate research! 

• emilyha303@tamu.edu
• Organizations & Programs: Texas A&M Pre-Medical Society, Undergraduate Research Ambassadors, Biology Honors, University Honors, Christian Women in Medicine
• Activities: Vaccination Assistant at the Brazos County Vaccine Hub, Pianist and Piano Teacher, Calculus and Algebra Tutor on Tutorfly, Former Bible Study TA for First Communion Class
• Awards & Distinctions: University Honors, Biology Honors
• Experience with: Undergraduate Research, Presentations, Education

Howdy! My name is Emily and I am a Biology major and Psychology minor from Houston, Texas. After graduating from Texas A&M, I have very high hopes of attending medical school and becoming a Dermatologist, and specializing in surgical and cosmetic dermatology. I am currently undergraduate researcher in Dr.Blackmon's lab. As a student in the Biology Honors Program and being in Dr. MacKenzie's class I felt a strong passion for evolutionary biology and an urge to participate in undergraduate research. With my love for technology and evolutionary biology I came across Dr. Blackmon's lab and immediately felt at home. My lab specifically focuses on two major realms of biology, firstly being genome evolution and the second being the development of various methods and databases for data analysis in biology. I am currently working on my own research project regarding y chromosome evolution using beetles as a model species. In my project, I am extracting as well as sequencing multiple sets of DNA from 7 species of beetles, males and females, to later code and identify specific genes pertinent to and specific to the male sex. I will then create Y chromosome assemblies for each species to allow the first comparative genomic analysis of Y chromosome content across a large taxonomic sampling of species. In my free time, I enjoy playing piano, listening to music, working out, involving myself at church, hanging out with friends, and involving myself in creative activities. I love being able to explore and learn more about the world and if the opportunity arises I am always down for a new adventure and a way to grow my mind. If anyone has any questions about joining Undergraduate Research or have any questions about my experience I am happy to help and talk to you!

• marissahenley19@tamu.edu
• Organizations & Programs: Undergraduate Research Ambassadors, Fade to Black Dance Ensemble, Minority Association of Pre-Med/Health Students
• Activities: Physician Shadowing, Volunteering, Teaching Dance, Dancing 
• Experience with: Research Presentations

Howdy! My name is Marissa and I am a junior public health major from Austin, Texas! After I graduate, I plan on attending medical school and eventually becoming a pediatrician. Outside of school, I love to dance! I have been dancing since I was 18 months and have been teaching dance for a few years now. I've always known I wanted to be a doctor, but my love for medicine, helping people, especially those who are underrepresented, and working with kids solidified my plan on becoming a pediatrician. I first started my research the second semester of my freshman year. My research primarily focuses on renal lymphatic and hypertension. Throughout my two years, I have worked on different projects. My first semester, I focused specifically on lymphatic endothelial cells and its connection to hypertension. I did a lot of cell culture which allowed for me to treat different cells with hypertensive stimuli and look at different lymphatic genes to see which ones were up or down. I also performed a scratch assay to examine the migration and proliferation of the cells. This past semester, I worked with human lymphatic endothelial cells and mouse mesometrium to visualize blood and lymphatic vessels. Hypertension is a major public health problem that many people suffer with, so being able to do research on it is very rewarding. My research experience has been one of the best experience I've had in my time as an undergraduate student. I've learned so many new scientific concepts and experiences that are very helpful for the medical field and I've learned so much about myself. Research has personally given me more confidence in myself and my abilities. I want to be able to share these experiences and hopefully show other undergraduate students that research is definitely something they should participate in. 

• lee73769598@tamu.edu
• Activities: Senior RA
• Experience with: Presentations and Summer Research

My name is Sangji Lee (I go by David) and I am in junior year for biomedical science from Plano, Texas. I am in a neuroscience/psychology lab under Dr. Brian Anderson since my first semester of sophomore year. I started learning coding, cognitive psychology and other basic knowledge required for lab works from no background knowledge. I struggled a lot had hard time in the beginning. However, Dr. Anderson and other graduate students showed me that all of the given resource comes together with proper approach to a question we want to figure out. I have learned research is not about being smart or significantly outstanding only but pure curiosity and passion towards your research are the main core of your fundamental base.

After first semester, I started to get some more hands on experience such as collecting data, writing analysis code, writing manuscript, and different process of research. With more experience I have now, I can clearly see my heart for research and want to share this feeling to others. I will gladly share my experience, hear any hardship in research, and be here for students to move forward.

• sofiaquintero@tamu.edu
• Organizations & Programs: Undergraduate Research Ambassadors, Texas A&M MEDLIFE
• Awards & Distinctions: National Hispanic Merit Scholar, Endowed Opportunity Award Scholar

Howdy! My name is Sofia and I am a Psychology major and Neuroscience minor, with a certificate in Applied Behavioral Health. I'm originally from Bogota, Colombia but I went to high school in Katy, Texas and I'm currently on the pre-PA (Physician Associate) track. I'm very passionate about mental health and psychology and decided to pursue my degree in Psychology to dive into that before going to PA school.

I started my research experience in the fall of my sophomore year in Dr. Burte's Spatial Thinking and STEM Learning Lab where I worked for three semesters. My project focused on investigating the way in which individuals navigate through space and how they think about directions. This experience opened up many opportunities for me within research and really taught me the value of participating in the research process. In Spring 2022 I transitioned to the CHANGE lab, led by Dr. Idia Thurston. This lab encompasses all the things that I am passionate about – healthcare, equity, mental health, diversity and empowerment among minority populations. I'm looking forward to learning more about these topics during the research process and applying that information and experience whenever I enter the healthcare field.

I am also a part of Texas A&M's MEDLIFE, an organization dedicated to providing healthcare and education through mobile clinics and development projects to communities in remote areas around the world. Outside of school and research, I enjoy cooking, reading, and spending time with the people I care about. I also love traveling and trying new food! After many semesters of research, I have grown in ways that I would have never just within the classroom. I truly believe that research is an irreplaceable experience, especially as an undergraduate, and I'm looking forward to helping others take advantage of this opportunity!

• tj380744@tamu.edu
• Organizations & Programs: Undergraduate Research Ambassadors, Explorations: The Texas A&M Undergraduate Journal, Texas A&M National Scholar Ambassadors, Texas A&M Wind Symphony, University Honors, Engineering Honors
• Awards & Distinctions: President's Endowed Scholar, National Merit Scholar, College of Engineering Dean's Honor Roll, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
• Experience with: Fall/Spring Semester Research, Summer Research Internship (REU), Oral Presentations

Howdy! My name is Jeremy  and I am a junior biomedical engineering major/chemistry minor from Highland Village, Texas. After graduating from Texas A&M, I plan on earning a PhD in biomedical engineering with a research focus on tissue engineering. I have conducted research at TAMU since the spring of my freshman year, for one semester in Dr. Cote's Optical Bio-sensing Lab through the AggiE-Challenge program, and in Dr. Gaharwar's iNanoTE lab since then. My research centers around 3D bioprinting, which is a form of 3D printing that prints cells to mimic the behavior of natural living systems. This past year I helped develop a protocol for converting cheap 3D thermoplastic printers to functional bioprinters so that universities with less research funding still have the opportunity to conduct this type of research. Undergraduate research has completely changed my professional aspirations. I entered Texas A&M as a pre-med student without the slightest idea of what research is. At the suggestion of a friend, I enrolled in the AggiE-Challenge program, a program designed to introduce students to research by placing them on a research project. I fell in love with the research process and the direct applications it can have on our daily lives. I decided that I want to go into academia to conduct cutting-edge biomedical engineering research that will have an impact on the medical community. Undergraduate research has been instrumental in my professional development, and I am excited to help create similar experiences for other students as an undergraduate research ambassador!

• trikurm@tamu.edu
• Organizations & Programs: Aggie Research Program
• Activities: Cooking, Baking, Painting, Reading, Thrifting
• Experience with: Team-based Research Projects

Howdy! My name is Meera Trikur and I am a junior Materials Science & Engineering major from Frisco, Texas. I was introduced to research through the Aggie Research Program and work with Dr. J. Carlee Purdum on a project that focuses on the impact of hazards and disasters on prisons and incarcerated populations.  The research explores the social vulnerability that incarcerated people experience due to environmental and technological hazards in Texas, focusing on the issues of extreme temperatures, water quality, and medical care. We work closely with a nonprofit organization called Texas Prisons Air-Conditioning Advocates. They advocate for incarcerated people and their loved ones about the conditions that they experience within Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities. My role within the project is to collect and analyze data within surveys, help create social media posts for TPAA, and write written reports based on news media and survey data. By analyzing these surveys filled by people who are suffering through unfair conditions, I've been able to better understand the nuances of what incarcerated people go through. I have always had multidisciplinary interests and wanted to explore outside of engineering and through research, I was given that chance. Participating in research topics that aren't directly related to my major has allowed me to interact with a more diverse set of people and even observe connections between my major and my research. I am very excited to be a part of this program and see what opportunities lie ahead!

• ktwilhoit@tamu.edu
• Organizations & Programs: Texas A&M National Scholar Ambassadors, Biomedical Sciences Association, University Honors Program, Student One Health Association
• Activities: Biomedical Sciences Association Volunteer Tutor, Disability Services Peer Note-Taking, Texas A&M Navigators, Cooking and Baking
• Awards & Distinctions: Presidents Endowed Scholar, Craig and Galen Brown Foundation Scholar, Deans Honor Roll, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
• Experience with: Summer Research Internship, State Conference Poster Presentation, Prospective Student Outreach

Howdy! My name is Kayla and I am a junior Biomedical Sciences major from Grand Prairie, Texas. I plan on obtaining a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences with a focus on genetics research. I hope to eventually pursue a career as a genetics researcher. I began my undergraduate research experience as soon as I entered my freshman year of college. I am currently working on a theoretical population modeling project in Dr. Heath Blackmon's lab in the department of Biology, where I am investigating chromosomal fusions using a model built in the programming language R. During my two years in the Blackmon lab, I have really enjoyed learning programming for the first time and exploring the field of genetics. Despite the importance of genetics to disease and speciation, there are still so many aspects of the subject that we know very little about. I am beyond excited to be producing work that can help fill some of the gaps in our knowledge of how chromosomes fuse and evolve, and I hope to continue to explore and discover new questions to answer in my research career. Outside of the lab, I am involved in several student organizations where I provide volunteer tutoring and prospective student outreach. In my free time, I enjoy cooking for my friends and trying out new recipes and techniques. Undergraduate research has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my college experience and I am excited to help others find the same fulfillment in their own research experience.