Emilio Emilio Soto Soto
Kriegsfeld Lab
7th year

Valerie Vargas-Zapata
Coscoy Lab
5th year

My name is Valerie Vargas-Zapata and I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. I’m a graduate student in the Coscoy lab where we study herpesvirus-host interactions. I love to listen and learn from other people’s stories and experiences. I’m passionate about helping students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds pursue higher education and succeed. I also serve as the graduate STEM coordinator for the Underrepresented Researchers of Color (UROC) program.

Anna Rogers
Lareau Lab
2nd year

My name is Anna (she/they) and I grew up in Boston, MA. I love gene regulation in all its strange forms, and am currently a PhD student in the Lareau Lab where I study regulatory mechanisms of RNA splicing. I am passionate about challenging inequalities in undergraduate research and STEM education and creating a more inclusive environment in biological research.

Cara He
Hayes Lab
4th Year

My name is Cara He and I was born and raised in Oakland, California. I am a 4th year graduate student in the Hayes Lab, where we study developmental endocrinology, which is how hormones impact development. Building a strong, supportive community where everyone feels that they belong is very important to me.