Leadership Team
Editor in Chief: Ryan Schildcrout
Ryan is a Ph.D. student in the Biomedical Engineering department at the University of Michigan. His research in Dr. Sriram Chandrasekaran’s lab leverages data-driven machine learning models to study metabolic regulation in cancer. Before starting his doctoral studies, Ryan completed his BFA in music and BSE/MS in biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan. He enjoys running, making music, cooking, hiking, and playing basketball. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Logisitics Coordinator: Julia Kravchenko
Julia is a Ph.D. candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Michigan. Her current research in the Kaczorowski Lab focuses on investigating the genetic basis underlying resilience or susceptibility to sleep dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease. Julia is passionate about making science and academic disciplines accessible to the general public and looks forward to achieving that mission with MiSciWriters. Outside of the lab, Julia is a competitive powerlifter, and when not at the gym can be found reading fantasy novels amidst her growing gnome collection. Connect with Julia on Twitter and Linkedin.
Communications Director: Charukesi Sivakumar
Charu is a PhD candidate in Molecular and Cellular Pathology at the University of Michigan. She is in Dr. Rajesh Rao’s lab, studying the role of epigenetics during retinal development and disease. Before coming to Michigan, Charu completed her B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Dallas, where she studied fruit fly genetics, trying to understand the mechanisms of “selfish” genes. When she’s not in the lab, you can find her playing the violin with the U of M Life Sciences Orchestra, reading, singing, cooking, listening to music and podcasts, doing art, or spending time outdoors. She can be found on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Events Coordinator: Courtney Myers
Courtney earned her M.S. in Chemical Biology and B.S. in Neuroscience here at the University of Michigan and is now a Ph.D. student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program. In the Roberts lab she is investigating how neural circuits in the central auditory system process cues important for understanding speech and other vocalizations. Courtney is committed to advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in STEM, and bridging the gap between academia and the broader community through clear and accessible explanations of scientific concepts and discoveries. Her hobbies include playing with her dog (Kya), tending to her plant collection, and spending time with friends & family. Connect with her on LinkedIn here!
Spanish Language Coordinator: Rocío Cisneros
Rocío is a Ph.D. student in the Cellular Molecular Biology program at the University of Michigan. Originally from east Oakland, CA, she earned her Biochemistry degree from San Francisco State University. Prior to graduate school, Rocio participated in the Sarafan ChEM-H/IMA Postbaccalaureate Program in Target Discovery at Stanford University. She is committed to synergizing basic scientific principles with efforts aimed at mitigating health disparities. Outside academia, she enjoys hiking, camping, and traveling with family. Connect with Rocío on LinkedIn.
Chinese Language Coordinator: Zhiying Yang
Zhiying earned her M.S. in Biological Chemistry here at the University of Michigan and entered the Ph.D. program in Biomedical Sciences. Before coming to Ann Arbor, she graduated from a joint program, where she earned two bachelor’s degrees in Materials and Nanosciences at Beijing Jiaotong University and the University of Waterloo. Because of her diverse background, she found her broad interest in learning about findings in science and engineering fields and communicating with people. Born in China and studying around the world, Zhiying always hopes to help people from different cultures through science communications. And she now works actively to build up our Chinese Translation Team (Simplified & Traditional). Her hobbies include traveling, doing and guiding meditation, watching TV series and learning Korean.
Lead Illustrator: Jessica Li
Jess is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Michigan. In Dr. Xiaoxia (Nina) Lin’s lab, they are developing novel microfluidic methods to grow biofilms and test them for properties of interest. They aim to use these tools to better understand how community membership influences disinfection resistance in drinking water biofilms. Outside of lab, they enjoy multiple artistic hobbies including digital art, crochet, knitting, and cross stitch. They also love video games and board games. You can find them on LinkedIn as well as various social media platforms.
Alumni Relations Director: Sarah Kearns
Sarah earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Biology at the University of Michigan where she studied the molecular roads of the cell in the Cianfrocco and Verhey labs. She is active in science communication by writing for her blog Annotated Science, freelancing with the American Institute of Physics and eLife, editing for MiSciWriters, and chaired the inaugural ComSciCon-Michigan 2018. She also organized the publication of the first MiSciWriters magazine, EquilibriUM. Sarah also loves to bake, take photos, make playlists, and drink lots of coffee. Connect with her on Twitter or LinkedIn.
Faculty Advisor / Consulting Editor: Scott Barolo
Scott is an Associate Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology at the U-M Med School and the Director of the Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS). Scott enjoys editing far, far more than writing. He also likes movies; dead British writers (Austen, Wodehouse, Conan Doyle, I.M. Banks, Sterne, Dickens, Spark); science communication; and enhancers. Grammar nerds: check out that Oxford semicolon! You can follow Scott on Twitter (@sbarolo) and connect on LinkedIn.
Senior Editors
| Christina Del Greco | Jennifer Baker | Ryan Schildcrout |
| Sarah Bassiouni | Emily Eberhardt | Olivia Pifer Alge |
| Peijin Han | Austin Shannon | Chloe Rybicki-Kler |
Content Editors
| Kristen Loesel | Sheila Marte | Claire Shudde |
| Mena Davidson | Madison Fitzgerald | Kate Giffin |
| Andrew Alvarez | Jessica Li | Nick Jänne |
| April Kriebel | Hector Mendoza | Julia Donovan |
| Julia Kravchenko | Sophie Maxfield | Skyeler McQueen |
| Kapil Shrawankar | Divyam Sharma | Brenna Saladin |
| Emma Milligan | Caroline Harms | Mariam Nazjoo |
| Jeremy Chen | Ari Hoffman | Andrés Rivera Ruiz |
| Liz Tidwell | Kane York |
Spanish Translators & Editors
| Andrés Rivera Ruiz | Cristina María Ríos | Genesis Rodríguez |
| Neikelyn Burgos-Tirado | Daniela Tapia Pitzzu | Franco Tavella |
| Martin Fernandez | Juan Blume | Hector Mendoza |
Chinese Translators & Editors
| Zhiying Yang | Tao Zhang | Yuezhong Zhang |
Illustrators
| Jacquelyn Roberts | Zoe Yeoh | Jessica Li |
| Emma Thorton-Kolbe | Devon Hucek | Saaj Chattopadhyay |
| Paola Medina-Cabrera | Skyeler McQueen | Caroline Harms |
| Adriana Brown | Katie Bonefas |
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