2022 Authors
Isabel-Yelena Andreev (she/her/hers) is an undergraduate student at the University of Washington who will graduate in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in neuroscience. After graduating, she plans to continue her education at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy in the hopes of becoming a clinical pharmacist. She has always been passionate about science, and she hopes that she can utilize her scientific background to become a knowledgeable, yet compassionate pharmacist to give back to the community.
Samantha (Sam) Buck (they/them) is a second-year undergraduate at UW Bothell. They’re pursuing a major in Biology along with a minor in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, in addition to being in the pre-med track. Currently, Sam is participating in wild Kokanee salmon research with Dr. Jeffrey Jensen to look at and compare past and present population numbers. They hope to continue research in the upcoming years at UWB, ultimately helping towards a career in genetics. In their free time, Sam likes to hang out with friends and family, explore nature, listen to music, participate in theater (extending to TRPGs), and watch YouTube videos.
Dakota Bunger (he/him/his) is a senior majoring in Physics and minoring in Mathematics. He is currently completing his senior project for Spring 2022, working with Dr. Paola Rodriguez Hidalgo in her Quasar research group. He intends to apply to Data Analytics graduate programs following graduation. In his free time he enjoys playing with his dog and watching K-dramas.
Mikel Charles (she/her/hers) recently graduated from UWB, majoring in Mathematics with a minor in Physics. She is currently continuing her research at UWB as well as teaching and tutoring at a local private school. She has a passion for learning and teaching and has a goal of pursuing a PhD in Astronomy to eventually become a professor. In her free time, she enjoys painting, drawing, traveling, and spending time outdoors.
Cora DeFrancesco (she/her/hers) is a 4th year majoring in Astrophysics and Math. Currently she works for the Physics and Astronomy Department at the University of Oklahoma; she is completing her Senior Capstone remotely with collaborators at UW Bothell. Cora is President of Women in Physics at her home institution, and she is an active member in the OU women’s ultimate frisbee team.
Helen Fita is a junior at the University of Washington Bothell majoring in both Biology and Conservation & Restoration Science with a teaching certification. She specializes in oceanography and wants to share the same passion and knowledge of marine sciences with future students, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to the scientific community. Recently, she led an individual project on ctenophore single cell genomics at Friday Harbor Laboratories, Spring 2022. Helen loves to run and volunteer at UWB’s wetlands as well as 21 Acres farm with friends in her free time.
Wendy Garcia Naranjo (she/her/hers) is a senior who will be graduating in June 2022 with a BS in Physics. After graduation, she will be pursuing an MS in Medical Physics and plans to complete a residency afterwards. She enjoys cooking, traveling, attending concerts, and analyzing the physics in those subjects in every aspect. She is passionate about food, education, and health equity, along with spreading information on the subjects.
Ellie Henry (she/her/hers) is a University of Washington Bothell student graduating in June 2022 with a Bachelor’s in Community Psychology, and minors in Health Education and Promotion, and Gender, Women, & Sexuality Studies. She has a passion for including marginalized target populations in community based research, specifically autistic women and nonbinary people. Ellie works at Bellevue College’s Neurodiversity Navigator program, where she supports neurodivergent students adapting to college life. Her current goal is to get her doctorate in clinical psychology and research and redesign diagnostic criteria for autism to become more inclusive to a diverse range of identities. She is also interested in expanding interventions for underserved people on the spectrum, namely women. She would like to give her thanks to her peer review collaborator Fallon Zollars, as well as the incredible mentorship from Professor Stefanie Iverson Cabral.
Nathnael Kahassai (he/him/his) is a second year undergraduate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in Physics with a specialty in Astrophysics. He participated in the UWB Physics REU in the summer of 2021 where he worked with Dr. Paola Rodriguez Hidalgo with follow up work for the Quasar Research Group in the following year. Nathnael is a board member of Visibility in Physics at Carolina and active in the National Society of Black Physicists. His research interests include astronomical instrumentation which he is pursuing at UNC-Chapel Hill. In his free time he enjoys hooping and photographing the night sky with his many telescopes.
Alysa Levi-D’Ancona (she/her) will graduate from the UW Bothell MFA in Creative Writing and Poetics in 2023. She received her bachelor’s degree from Lawrence University in English and Italian studies, with a minor in creative writing, and certification in secondary education teaching. Originally from Italy and Chicagoland, she works as a high school English teacher by day in the Seattle area and enjoys spending time with her family and cats. Levi-D’Ancona weaves themes of liminality, culture, language, belonging, and magical realism into her writing, throwing in the occasional absurd joke. You can additionally find her writing in The RavensPerch, Clamor, and Stories That Need to Be Told 2021.
Jacqueline Monteza (she/her/hers) is a senior at the University of Washington who will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Minor in Neuroscience in June 2022. Volunteering in the ICU at Swedish Hospital has inspired her to pursue a career in medicine and she plans on applying to allopathic medical schools after graduation. She hopes that this professional role will help her better advocate for underrepresented Hispanic/Latino groups in medicine. In her free time, Jacqueline enjoys baking desserts, going on hikes, and playing the piano and violin.
Vi Nguyen (she/her/hers) is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Health Studies. After graduating, she intends to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant focusing on pediatrics. In her free time, she is researching De Novo Drug Design in Mycoplasma Genitalium with the assistance of Professor Peter Anderson and has a passion for infectious disease as well as being president of the Pre-Physician Assistant Club at the UW Bothell. She also enjoys volunteering, exploring the city, and spending quality time with her friends.
April Oertle graduated from U.W. Bothell in December 2021 with a B.A. degree in chemistry and a minor in biology. She will be attending the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford in 2022. She has plans to specialize in emergency medicine or orthopedic surgery and practice medicine in a rural location. Dr. Brandon Finley, a U.W.B. faculty member, has been a tremendous supporter of her education and mentor. Outside of school, April enjoys many outdoor sports such as mountain biking, horse riding, and snowboarding.
Michael Parker (he/him/his) is a senior at William & Mary majoring in Physics and minoring in Chemistry. He will be attending the University of Maryland’s physics PhD program starting this fall where he plans to do experimental condensed matter research. Michael participated in the UWB Physics REU in the summer of 2021 where he worked with Dr. Paola Rodriguez Hidalgo and Dr. Subramanian Ramachandran. In his free time he enjoys running, rock climbing, and playing disc golf with friends.
Jade Kanui Roque (she/her/hers) is a first-generation American of Native Hawaiian and Filipino descent. Currently, she is a 3rd year majoring in Community Psychology. She intends to pursue Environmental Psychology for graduate studies and entertains the possibility of a PhD depending on her graduate school experience and career direction. In her free time, she enjoys reading, dancing, wine tastings, and watching anime and K-dramas.
Tori Satterfield (they/them) is a non-binary, multi-racial, Latinx student and McNair Scholar double majoring in Law, Economics, and Public Policy as well as Society, Ethics, and Human Behavior with a minor in Human Rights. Their social and environmental justice activism is informed by lived experiences with houselessness, food insecurity, and intergenerational trauma. When they aren’t busy attempting to attack and dethrone capitalism, Tori enjoys spending time with family, playing pinball, and volunteering on Solid Ground’s Community Accountability Council.
Raelynne Woo is a first-year graduate student pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing and Poetics at UW Bothell. Last year she received her BA in creative writing and arts, media, and culture from UW Tacoma as a result of rediscovering her passion for writing while she was a student there. A few of her poems are published in Tahoma West, UW Tacoma’s literary arts journal. Her writing interests include poetry, fiction and non-fiction short stories, children’s literature, and multimedia work. In her free time, she likes to read, dance, crochet, cook and bake, play games, and spend time learning while relaxing by watching YouTube videos.
Fallon Zollars (she/her) Is a Senior graduating in Summer 2022 with a degree in Health Studies. She plans to go on to pursue a masters in Public Health, hoping to work in health policy and advocacy. She spends her free time with her two year old daughter Madeline. She loves hiking, swimming, playing tennis, and doing anything outside.