our team
Andrew Mattson
President
Andrew is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University. His research focuses on developing quantum sensors to study topics in both fundamental and applied physics, which include dark matter searches, gravitational wave detection, and medical imaging. He received his bachelor’s degree in Astrophysics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he conducted research in neutrino physics.
Andrew has experience in science policy, diplomacy, advocacy, and communication. He is also a co-organizer with the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy, APS Student Ambassador, and coordinates multiple outreach and science communication initiatives.
Natasha Ninan
Vice President for Science Policy
Natasha is a third-year Electrical Engineering Ph.D. student at the Johns Hopkins University's Whiting School of Engineering. Her research focuses on high-speed optical systems, with an emphasis on its applications in space and advanced imaging. Her current work uses fiber-optic interferometry to measure and improve the performance of these systems.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Akron. During her undergraduate years, she completed internships in space electronics, space robotics, and nanophotonics. These experiences sparked her interest in engineering optical systems for deep-space navigation and quantum sensing.
Beyond research, she is interested in science policy, particularly in aerospace and quantum initiatives. She has participated in Hill Day with the Johns Hopkins Science Policy and Diplomacy Group and advocated, alongside other students, for sustained science funding amid proposed agency cuts. In the long term, she plans to contribute to advances in aerospace and quantum technologies while helping shape the policies that guide their development and use.
Jingyao (Kate) Zhu
Vice President for Science Diplomacy
Jingyao (Kate) Zhu is a Ph.D. Candidate in Immunology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on engineering biomimetic antigen-presenting platforms to modulate immune cell activity and restore immune tolerance, with applications in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes. Beyond her academic work, Jingyao is passionate about science policy and innovation strategy, particularly how biotechnology advancements can be responsibly translated into global health and economic impact. She also serves on the leadership team of the Hopkins Biotech Network, fostering collaboration between students, industry professionals, and investors. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, she earned her M.S. in Immunology from Harvard University and her B.Sc. in Immunology and Bacteriology from the University of British Columbia. Outside the lab, she enjoys mentoring students, exploring healthcare startups, and traveling.
Arleth Ortiz Villa
Treasurer
Arleth is a Ph.D. Candidate and chemist in the Thoi Research Group at Johns Hopkins University. She is interested in policies governing R&D funding, alternative energy development and conservation, science communication/science misinformation, women's health.
Previously, Arleth received her B.S. in Chemistry from Florida Gulf Coast University and her M.A. in Chemistry from Johns Hopkins University.
Zoli Smith
Science Communication Chair
Zoli is an incoming Health Science Informatics PhD student in the Biomedical Informatics and Data Science (BIDS) program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her research interests between genomics, public health, and equitable precision medicine, with a focus on using clinical and genomic data to better understand disease and improve outcomes across diverse populations. She is particularly interested in pediatric health, population health, and developing computational approaches that support more equitable care.
Previously, Zoli received her BA in Psychology from Spelman College and her MPH in Epidemiology from Emory University. Her graduate research included studying cardiovascular outcomes using electronic health records, and she has experience teaching and mentoring students in data science and public health. As Communication Chair, she hopes to make scientific research understandable and engaging across disciplines, professional backgrounds, and communities, helping connect research with policy, advocacy, and public engagement.
Jocelyn Chu
Science Communication Coordinator
Jocelyn is a Medical and Biological Illustration Master’s student at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biophysics from Brown University. She is an advocate for widespread scientific literacy, environmental policy, and women’s health research.
Jhanay DaviS
Science Communication Coordinator
Jhanay is a PhD candidate in the Human Genetics and Genomics program at Johns Hopkins University, where her research focuses on the preclinical development of small-molecule therapies for genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis. Her work utilizes multiple cellular models, including patient-derived human cells, to better understand therapeutic responses and evaluate potential treatment strategies.
Before beginning her doctoral training, Jhanay earned her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, and subsequently completed a post-baccalaureate program at her alma mater.
Jhanay is passionate about making science accessible and understandable to everyone. She is particularly interested in strengthening the connection between scientists and the public and building bridges between scientific research, policy, and the communities those advances are intended to serve.
Smriti Chhibber
Science Policy Coordinator
I am a 3rd year PhD student at the Jenkins Department of Biophysics at JHU. My research focus is on developing theoretical and computational methods for analyzing problems of biological self assembly for systems such as HIV Viruses. I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degree in physics from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, India. I am passionate about variety of topics in science policy and advocacy particularly research for women specific health issues and advocacy for international students in the USA. I am currently working on building hurricane economic policy impact models for the government of St. Lucia through the World Bank. Beyond the lab, I enjoy sketching, picking up new hobbies and playing with my cat.
Science Policy Coordinator
Trisha is a Master's student pursuing Cellular & Molecular Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School Of Medicine. She received her bachelor's degree from Wheaton College Massachusetts where she majored in Biology & Philosophy. She intends to pursue a career in gynecologic immunology research with a strong interest in intersectional reproductive health policy, accessible science communication, health literacy, and healthcare system reform. Previously she authored and defended her undergraduate thesis exploring the biochemical characteristics of antioxidants and their effects on triple-negative breast cancer cell viability at a high-school reading level in order to demonstrate the importance of science accessibility while addressing major public health issues.
Trisha has previously worked on public health initiatives aimed at improving health literacy, healthcare accessibility, and reproductive health and has additional experience in policy making, healthcare advocacy, and disability rights campaigning. She has a strong passion for advocating for science policy that supports scientific research as well as conducting outreach initiatives that aim to expand public access to scientific knowledge that is easily digestible and comprehensible.
Outside of her academic interests, Trisha is an avid reader, musician, and loves experimenting with new activities and hobbies.
Maria Haro Sly
Science Diplomacy Coordinator
Maria Haro Sly is a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology at Johns Hopkins University, where she is a fellow at the Arrighi Center for Global Studies. She graduated with a degree in Sociology and Political Science from the Federal University for the Integration of Latin America in Brazil. She holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil and an M.A. in Contemporary China Studies from the Silk Road School at Renmin University of China. She was a fellow from Erasmus Mundus Program at the New University of Lisbon in Portugal. Haro Sly served as the executive coordinator at the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Argentina and worked as a consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). Her research has been published in Nature, SAGE, Routledge, and Palgrave, among others.
Simriya Sandhu
Science Diplomacy Coordinators
Simriya is a Cellular and Molecular Medicine Masters student in the Eshleman Lab in the department of Pathology. Her research utilizes CRISPR-Cas9 induced double stranded breaks to create personalized treatments for pancreatic cancer patients. She also serves as a cohort representative in the CMM Student Senate. Previously, Simriya obtained her Bachelor of Science at the University of California, Merced, where she used CRISPR-Cas9 to identify relevant virulence related genes of the prevalent fungal pathogen Candida albicans as well as study the host-pathogen interactions between C. albicans and eukaryotic flatworm, Schmidtea mediterranea. When not in the lab, Simriya spends her time exploring nature, arts, and crafts, and spending time with her cat.
Shreya Jagtap
Science Diplomacy Coordinator
Shreya is a fourth-year Ph.D. Candidate in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her research in pediatric oncology and neurology focuses on identifying novel therapeutic strategies for high-grade gliomas, particularly in NF1-deficient tumors. She is especially interested in cancer drug discovery and development and in translating molecular insights into new therapeutic approaches.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences in India and her M.H.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Beyond the lab, she is interested in international policies that shape biomedical research and scientific collaboration. Having trained in both India and the United States, she is particularly curious about how national research priorities and healthcare systems influence which scientific discoveries are pursued, translated and ultimately reach patients worldwide.
Outside of science, she enjoys printmaking visual art, swimming and traveling.
Emeritus Members:
Brendon Davis: Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology | AAAS/IEEE Congressional Fellow 2026-27
John Soltis: Lasker Post-Doctoral Fellow at Space Telescope Science Institute | AAAS Congressional AI Fellow 2026-27
Berk Kasimcan: M.S in Mechanical Engineering | PhD Student at Vanderbilt University
Naina Misra: M.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering (Neural Engineering) | D.O./Ph.D. Student at Michigan State University
Isabel Jimenez: Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Medicine | Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University
Delia Friel: M.D., ongoing
Corinna Torabi: Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
Lauren Hesse: M.S. in Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Vogel Group
Nick Zhang: Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering | Eagleton Science and Politics Fellow 2025-2026
Ona Ambrozaite: Ph.D. in Chemistry | US East Coast Director of the UK Science and Technology Network
Vivian Su: Ph.D. Candidate | Materials Science and Engineering | JHU KSAS
Gihan Sherif Elhadidy: Ph.D. | International Affairs | JHU SAIS
Ryan Posthumus: Master of Arts | Strategy, Cybersecurity, and Intelligence (MASCI) | JHU SAIS
Nathan Van Damme: Master of Science | Mechanical Engineering | Johns Hopkins University
Kevin Prasad: Masters Student, Biotechnology
Piyusha Mongia: Ph.D. Student, Department of Biological Chemistry
Bernat Navarro Serer: Program Officer - Global Sustainability and Development | National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Brandi Glover: Ph.D. Candidate | Wood Lab | Department of Pathology
Sabrina Khan: Ph.D. Student, Department of Earth & Planetary Science
Kirsten Butner: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Master of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Nate Laughner: Ph.D. Candidate | Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology (BCMB) program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Dezmond Cole: Ph.D. Candidate | Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology (BCMB) program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine