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About Us
Our Mission Statement
We strive to facilitate a safe environment where people of all backgrounds and genders can work together to promote equality in STEM through professional development, networking, and advocacy.
Our Executive Team
Chair
KennDI Weston
Kennedi is a 5th-year PhD candidate in the Larsen Lab in the Biology Department. Her research focuses on age-associated alterations in histology and mRNA/microRNA changes in aged salivary glands to find miRNA-based therapeutics. In her free time, Kennedi enjoys crocheting, reading books, and playing video games.
Postdoctoral liaison
Dr. Sai Sravya Varali Kovvali
Dr. Sravya Kovvali is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Ken Halvorsen’s lab at the University at Albany, SUNY, where she works on developing DNA-based biosensing tools. She earned her PhD at The Ohio State University studying Salmonella protein biochemistry and high-throughput drug discovery and then spent a year at the U.S. FDA developing biofilm models for medical devices. Outside the lab, Sravya is an enthusiastic reader with a book-buying habit that far outpaces her reading speed. She also loves hiking, playing board games, and attempting to cuddle her two cats.
Secretary, Psychology Liaison
Pauline Meunier
she/her/they/them
Pauline is a 2nd-year Ph.D. student in the Zuloaga Lab in the Behavioral Neuroscience department. Her research focuses on the interactions of pregnancy and menopause over Alzheimer's disease related behavioral and neurobiological outcomes. Her focuses include the hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary axis, estrogen, and neurokinin-B peptides. In her free time, Pauline enjoys painting, creative writing, playing video games, and wrestling with her cat.
Biology Department Rep.
Naa Nuerki Adade
Naa is a 3rd year PhD candidate in the Fuchs and Reddy labs in the Biology Department and RNA Institute. Her research focuses on understanding the translational stress triggered by inosine misincorporation into RNA, resulting from human ITPase enzyme deficiency. In her free time, Naa enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music and watching movies while sewing.
Event Coordinator, Treasurer
Dylan Ehrbar
He/him
Dylan is a 5th year PhD candidate in the Begley in the Biology Department and RNA Institute. His research focuses on RNA modifications in aging and senescence with a passion for discovering how to manipulate the aging process and alter it therapeutically like any other disease, since aging is universal. In his free time Dylan enjoys photography, playing guitar, watching anime, and playing computer games rather than sleeping.
Forensics Department Rep.
Cameron Childs
He/him
Dylan is a 5th year PhD candidate in the Begley in the Biology Department and RNA Institute. His research focuses on RNA modifications in aging and senescence with a passion for discovering how to manipulate the aging process and alter it therapeutically like any other disease, since aging is universal. In his free time Dylan enjoys photography, playing guitar, watching anime, and playing computer games rather than sleeping.
Social Media Coordinator, Web Designer
Angeline Song
Dylan is a 5th year PhD candidate in the Begley in the Biology Department and RNA Institute. His research focuses on RNA modifications in aging and senescence with a passion for discovering how to manipulate the aging process and alter it therapeutically like any other disease, since aging is universal. In his free time Dylan enjoys photography, playing guitar, watching anime, and playing computer games rather than sleeping.
Undergraduate Rep.
Heer kukreja
Dylan is a 5th year PhD candidate in the Begley in the Biology Department and RNA Institute. His research focuses on RNA modifications in aging and senescence with a passion for discovering how to manipulate the aging process and alter it therapeutically like any other disease, since aging is universal. In his free time Dylan enjoys photography, playing guitar, watching anime, and playing computer games rather than sleeping.
Spotlight:
Marlene Belfort, P.h.D.
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Marlene Belfort was born in Cape Town, South Africa to German-Jewish refugees escaping Hitler's regime. One of the first women to study biochemistry and microbiology at the University of Cape Town, she earned her PhD from the University of California, Irvine, and conducted postdoctoral research at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and Northwestern University. A member of the US National Academy of Science, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Science and the American Academy of microbiology,she holds the International RNA Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Belfort’s research interests are in splicing, mobility and evolution of self-splicing introns and inteins, and their application to biotechnology. She is an advocate for women and the underrepresented in science and a proponent of work-life integration. Dr. Belfort is a Distinguished Professor at the University at Albany SUNY, and Senior Advisor to The RNA Institute. She has three sons, three daughters-in-law and seven grandchildren, and lives with her husband, Georges, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
