2023 - 2024 NSCP Scholars

Sarah Combs
Sarah Combs
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major: Senior/Environmental Health Sciences
Research Mentor/PI: Sue Fenton, Ph.D.
Honorable Mention: Fall Connection Presentation (Tie)
Fiona Daly
Fiona Daly
North Carolina State University
Major: Senior/Human Biology
Research Mentor: Helena Hogberg-Durdock Ph.D.
Research PI: Nicole Kleinstreuer, Ph.D.
Honorable Mention: Fall Connection Presentation (Tie)
Jianna Evans
Jianna Evans
Fayetteville State University
Major: Junior/Computer, Information and Data Science
Research Mentor: Hamed Bostan, Ph.D.
Research PI: Jiang Liang Li, Ph.D.
Justin Gutkowski
Justin Gutkowski
North Carolina State University
Major: Senior/Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Research Mentor/PI: Erik Toker Ph.D. and Guang Hu, Ph.D.
Alex Marchi
Alex Marchi
North Carolina State University
Major: Senior/Genetics
Research Mentor: Pelin Yasar, Ph.D. and Fleur Chapus, Ph.D.
Research PI: Joseph Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Skylar Montague
Skylar Montague
Duke University
Returning Scholar
Major: Junior/Biology
Research Mentor: Steve Wu, Ph.D.
Research PI: Francesco Demayo, Ph.D.
Giovonnii Nelson
Giovonnii Nelson
North Carolina State University
Major: Junior/Psychology
Research Mentor/PI: Jean Harry, Ph.D.
Honorable Mention: Summer Connection Presentation
Janell Odom
Janell Odom
Shaw University
Major: Senior/Biology
Research Mentors: Virginia Savy, Ph.D. and Lenka Redanova, Ph.D.
Research PI: Carmen Williams, Ph.D.
Best Presenter: Fall Connection Presentation (Tie)
Precious Onwuteaka
Precious Onwuteaka
North Carolina State University
Major: Senior/Neurosciences
Research Mentor/Research PI: Joan Packenham, Ph.D.
Honorable Mention Presenter: Summer Connection Presentation
Neha Palle
Neha Palle
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major: Senior/Cognitive Science
Research Mentor: David Scoville, Ph.D.
Research PI: Anton Jetten, Ph.D.
Best Presenter: Summer Connection Presentation
Best Presenter: Summer Connection Presentation
Best Presenter: Fall Connection Presentation (Tie)
Noelle Rodriquez
Noelle Rodriquez
Wake Technical Community College
Major: Junior/Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Research Mentor: Yitang Yan, Ph.D.
Research PI: Darlene Dixon, Ph.D.
Joevensky Seme
Joevensky Seme
St. Augustine's University
Returning Scholar (summer)
Major: Senior/Biology
Research Mentor: Caroline Duval, Ph.D.
Research PI: Xiaoling Li, Ph.D.

2022 - 2023 NSCP Scholars

Shivani Ayyagari
Shivani Ayyagari
North Carolina State University
Outstanding Scholar 2023
Major: Senior/Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering
Research Mentor/PI: Sue Fenton, Ph.D.
Best Presenter: Summer Connection Presentation (Tie)
Honorable Mention: Fall Connection Presentation
Emma Budden
Emma Budden
North Carolina State University
Major: Junior/Microbiology – Microbial Health Sc.
Research Mentor/PI: Windy Boyd, Ph.D.
Charles Coleman
Charles Coleman
North Carolina A&T State University
Major: Senior/Bioengineering
Research Mentor/PI: Lalith Perera, Ph.D.
Honorable Mention: Summer Connection Presentation
Ariana Frazier
Ariana Frazier
North Carolina State University
Major: Junior/Public Health, Africana Studies
Research Mentor/PI: Joan Packenham, Ph.D.
Best Presentation: Fall Connection Presentation
Thusna Gardiyehewa
Thusna Gardiyehewa
North Carolina State University
Honorable Mention: Outstanding Scholar 2023
Major: Junior/Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Research Mentor: Vandy Parron, Ph.D., M.S.
Research PI: Stavros Garantziotis, Ph.D.
Best Presenter: Summer Connection Presentation (Tie)
Best Presenter: Fall Connection Presentation (Tie)
Best Presenter: Spring Connection Presentation
Not Pictured
Ameena Hester
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major: Junior/Environmental Public Policy/Environmental Justice/Data Science
Research Mentor: Christine Parks, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.
Research PI: Dale Sandler, Ph.D.
J’Ya Hunter
J’Ya Hunter
North Carolina A&T State University
Returning Scholar
NIEHS-SOT Scholar
Major: Senior/Biology
Research Mentor: Linda Yu, M.D.
Research PI: Darlene Dixon, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Dongwon Lee
Dongwon Lee
Duke University
Major: Senior/Biology, Neurosciences
Research Mentor: Marine Baptissart, Ph.D.
Research PI: Marcos Morgan, Ph.D.
Skylar Montague
Skylar Montague
Duke University
Major: Junior/Biology
Research Mentor: Steve Wu, Ph.D.
Research PI: Francesco Demayo, Ph.D.
Sahana Ramamurthy
Sahana Ramamurthy
North Carolina State University
Major: Junior/Computer Science
Research Mentor: Ann Von-Holle, Ph.D.
Research PI: Clarice Weinberg, Ph.D
Briany Santos-Villalobos
Briany Santos-Villalobos
North Carolina State University
Major: Senior/Biology
Research Mentor: Linda Yu, Ph.D.
Research PI: Darelene Dixon, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Joevensky Seme
Joevensky Seme
St. Augustine's University
Major: Junior/Biology
Research Mentor: Caroline Duval, Ph.D.
Research PI: Xiaoling Li, Ph.D.
Kyra Varley
Kyra Varley
Duke University
Outstanding Scholar 2023
Major: Senior/Social Determinants of Health and Inequality
Research Mentor: Melissa Smarr, Ph.D.
Research PI: Claudia Thompson, Ph.D.
Best Presenter: Fall Connection Presentation (Tie)
Honorable Mention: Spring Connection Presentation

2021 - 2022 NSCP Scholars

Violet Evans
Violet Evans
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major: Junior/Biostatistics, Asian Studies-Chinese
Research Mentor: John House, Ph.D.
Research PI: Alison Motsinger-Reif, Ph.D.
Ariana Frazier
Ariana Frazier
North Carolina State University
Major: Junior/Public Health, Africana Studies
Research Mentor/PI: Joan Packenham, Ph.D.
Best Presentation: Fall Connection Presentation
Rajee Ganesan
Rajee Ganesan
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major: Senior/Quantitative Biology
Research Mentor/PI: Jason Watts, M.D., Ph.D.
Not Pictured
Ameena Hester
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major: Junior/Environmental Public Policy/Environmental Justice/Data Science
Research Mentor: Christine Parks, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.
Research PI: Dale Sandler, Ph.D.
J’Ya Hunter
J’Ya Hunter
North Carolina A&T State University
NIEHS-SOT Scholar
Major: Senior/Biology
Research Mentor: Linda Yu, M.D.
Research PI: Darlene Dixon, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Best Presentation: Spring Connection Presentation
Micah Hysong
Micah Hysong
North Carolina State University
Honorable Mention: Outstanding Scholar 2022
Major: Senior/Biochemistry, Genetics
Research Mentor/PI: Joseph Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Honorable Mention: Summer Connection Presentation
Best Presentation: Fall Connection Presentation
Honorable Mention: Spring Connection Presentation
Tanae Lewis
Tanae Lewis
North Carolina A&T State University
Major: Junior/Biochemistry
Research Mentor: Cassandra Hayne, Ph.D.
Research PI: Robin Stanley, Ph.D.
Not Pictured
Maya Logan
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major: Senior/Bioinformatics, Public Policy
Research Mentors: Mackenzie Dickson, Ph.D. and Steve Wu, Ph.D.
Research PI: Francesco Demayo, Ph.D.
Jadesola Iremola Oladosu
Jadesola Iremola Oladosu
North Carolina Central University
Returning Scholar
Major: Senior/Pharmacology
Research Mentor/PI: Sue Fenton, Ph.D.
Bhairavy Puviindran
Bhairavy Puviindran
North Carolina State University
Major: Senior/Biomedical Engineering
Research Mentor: Marine Baptissart, Ph.D.
Research PI: Marcos Morgan, Ph.D.
Jessica Wu
Jessica Wu
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Outstanding Scholar 2022
Major: Junior/Biomedical Engineering
Research Mentor: Ayland Letsinger, Ph.D.
Research PI: Jerrel Yakel, Ph.D.
Best Presentation: Summer Connection Presentation
Honorable Mention: Fall Connection Presentation
Honorable Mention: Spring Connection Presentation