Marshall Scholar Bios

Gabriel Amo
US University: Wheaton College, MA
Gabriel Amo
Gabriel Amo, of Pawtucket, RI, will graduate from Wheaton College, with a
B.A. in Political Science. A Phi Beta Kappa inductee and 2009 Truman
Scholar, Gabe's interests are social welfare, education, and development
policy. With Liberian and Ghanaian roots, Gabe has worked as an educator at
both the Liberian Refugee Camp in Ghana and in Uganda. Gabe has been
student government president and led the Roosevelt Institute chapter. Away
from Wheaton, Gabe was a PPIA Fellow at UC Berkeley, political organizer,
citizenship test instructor, and non-profit board member. Gabe will pursue an
MSc in Comparative Social Policy at Oxford.
Dorian Bandy
US University: Cornell University
Dorian Bandy
Los Angeles native and Cornell University-trained musicologist Dorian
Komanoff Bandy has performed across the United States and Europe as a
conductor, baroque violinist and violist, harpsichordist, organist and
fortepianist. Dorian's research interests are broad, and include historical
performing practices of 17th- and 18th-century music, Mozart's operas,
baroque acting techniques, literature of Germany's "Sturm und Drang"
period, 20th-century American verse, linguistics, Classics, postmodernism
and chess. Conducting credits with his New York-based baroque orchestra
Les Petits Violons include operas of Mozart, Handel, Purcell and Rousseau, as
well as orchestral works of the high Baroque. He is the 2009-2010 Cornell
Undergraduate Artist of the Year, and two-time recipient of the Adelson
Award for Excellence in Music.
Carolyn Barnett
US University: Georgetown University
Carolyn Barnett
Carolyn Barnett graduated in 2009 from the School of Foreign Service at
Georgetown University with a major in Culture and Politics and a certificate
in International Development. At Georgetown she was editor-in-chief of the
Georgetown Journal of International Affairs and published part of her thesis
on Islamic feminism in a peer-reviewed journal. Carolyn is currently studying
advanced Arabic in Cairo on a Fulbright Scholarship. She will pursue an MA in
Islamic Studies and MSc in Middle East Politics at SOAS in London, where she
hopes to study the evolving discourses on women's rights within Islam and
women's involvement in Islamist politics. She is also an avid tap dancer.
Joshua Bennett
US University: University of Pennsylvania
Joshua Bennett
A Yonkers, New York native, Joshua Bennett will graduate from the University
of Pennsylvania with a double major in Africana Studies and English. He is a
professional performance poet, and has recited his original work at events
such as the Sundance Film Festival, The NAACP Image Awards, and President
Obama's evening of poetry and music at the White House. When he is not on
the road, Joshua enjoys watching indie films, listening to Lupe Fiasco, and
playing Scrabble with his mom. Next year, he will pursue a Master of Arts in
Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Warwick.
Megan Beyer
US University: Agnes Scott College
Megan Beyer
Meg Beyer will graduate from Agnes Scott College in May with a B.A. in
Women's Studies, Sociology & Anthropology and a minor in Political Science.
She is the President of Agnes Scott's Student Government Association and
advises multiple administrative committees on campus LGBTQ policies. A
Truman Scholar, Meg has worked for the National Organization for Women
and the American Association of University Women on issues ranging from
health care to education policy. She plans to attend the University of
Nottingham to pursue a Ph.D. in International Human Rights Law and
research sex trafficking prevention policy for the 2012 London Olympics.
Samuel Bjork
US University: Harvard University
Samuel Bjork
A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Samuel Bjork will graduate with a degree
in Chemistry from Harvard. In three years of research, he has explored
ethanol production in a novel microbe, methods of probing the biological
activity of small molecules, and alternate genetic systems capable of
encoding biological information. On a leave from Harvard, he helped
establish an HIV educational program for primary and secondary school
teachers in Botswana. Samuel played violin in the Harvard-Radcliffe
Orchestra for three years and has written for several Harvard publications.
He also enjoys teaching, traveling, and working with film.
John Calhoun
US University: University of Richmond
John Calhoun
John Calhoun, a native of the Bronx, N.Y., graduated Phi Beta Kappa and
summa cum laude from the University of Richmond in 2009 with a B.A. in
philosophy. Currently a Fulbright Scholar teaching English and researching
comparative education policy in Taiwan, John is interested in how public
policy can increase equality of opportunity throughout the world. John's
interest in equity issues drove him to develop numerous social development
programs in the Bronx, New Orleans and abroad. He will spend his first year
as a Marshall Scholar pursuing an M.A. in 'Equity Issues in Education' at the
University of York.
Michael Campbell
US University: United States Naval Academy
Michael Campbell
Mike Campbell stands first in his class of 1,042 midshipmen at the U.S. Naval
Academy. A Truman Scholar, he has served as a military liaison to the
Department of State, studied economic development in Asia on Phi Kappa
Phi and Olmsted scholarships, and volunteered for missions to India and
Mexico. Mike is the Director of the 50th Anniversary Naval Academy Foreign
Affairs Conference, and is an undergraduate assistant coach on Navy's
varsity lacrosse team. Mike plans to examine the nexus of conflict and
development at King's College London and Oxford to prepare for a career in
the national security establishment.
Matthew Clawson
US University: University of California - Los Angeles
Matthew Clawson
Matthew Clawson, of Fort Collins, Colorado, will graduate from the University
of California, Los Angeles with a double major in Economics and Political
Science. An avid student of security and foreign policy, Matt conducted
research at the Homeland Security Advisory Council and at the Center for
Strategic and International Studies. Last summer, Matt furthered his
knowledge of global finance and economics as an analyst at Goldman Sachs.
In addition to Matt's academic pursuits, he is the President of the UCLA Ski
and Snowboard Team and was named First Team All-American. Matt plans to
study international relations at Oxford University.
Erin Conrad
US University: University of Wisconsin - Madison
Erin Conrad
Erin Conrad, a native of Eden Prairie, MN, attended the University of
Wisconsin-Madison where she studied physics, math, and French. Erin has
conducted research in condensed matter physics, neutrino astronomy,
physical chemistry, neuroradiology, and medical ethics. She has served as
an ER volunteer and as a housing counselor, and taught physics at her
university's Physics Learning Center. Erin plans to pursue a taught MA in
Philosophy, Politics and Economics of Health at University College London.
She hopes to combine her medical training with training in ethics and health
policy to become a physician-ethicist.
Andrew Cunningham
US University: Duke University
Andrew Cunningham
Andrew (Andy) Cunningham, from Rutland, VT, graduated Phi Betta Kappa
summa cum laude from Duke University as a Robertson Scholar in 2008 with
a double major in International Comparative Studies and African Asian
Languages and Literature witha concentration in Chinese. After graduation,
he moved to rural Muhuru Bay, Kenya where he has lived and worked as the
Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Women's Institute of Secondary
Education and Research (WISER), the first all girls secondary boarding school
campus and community center for development in the region
(www.wisergirls.org). Andrew is also a Goldman Sachs Global Leader and
Truman Scholar and plans to study International Comparative Education at
Oxford University.
William Dougherty
US University: Temple University
William Dougherty
William Dougherty, of Columbia, Maryland, will receive his bachelor's degree
in composition from Temple University's Boyer College of Music. Third in his
class, William is a leader in Temple's new music community, creating cross-
disciplinary events that encourage open dialogue. Performed internationally,
William's music is often influenced by current affairs, confronting topics such
as the Iraq War. In 2008, William was awarded the Global Scholarship to
study in Vienna where he organized a public symposium on his music. As a
resident assistant at Temple, William continues to bring students together
through cultural programming. William will pursue a MMus in Music
Composition at the Royal College of Music.
Grace Eckhoff
US University: University of Texas - Austin
Grace Eckhoff
Grace Eckhoff was born and raised in Haiti, the poorest country in the
Western Hemisphere. Her experiences gave her a passion for international
health. After graduating from high school, she spent eight months in
Afghanistan as a teacher's aide. After two years at the University of Texas in
Austin, Grace returned to Afghanistan to collect DNA samples from sputum
slides to check for mutations that confer resistance to rifampin. Other
research includes a summer at L'Institute Pasteur as a Zuccaire Fellow, an
epidemiology project analyzing barriers to timely completion of tuberculosis
therapy in Texas, and molecular diagnostics.
Andrew Ehrich
US University: Stanford University
Andrew Ehrich
Andrew Ehrich, from Los Angeles, CA, graduated Phi Beta Kappa from
Stanford University with a B.S. in Mathematics, where he pursued research
interests and a senior thesis in formal multidisciplinary design methods for
sustainable built environments. Andrew also served as the President of Hillel
at Stanford and as a teacher for the Breakthrough Collaborative in
Manchester, NH. Currently a Tom Ford Fellow in Philanthropy, Andrew is
working at the Surdna Foundation in New York. As a Marshall Scholar,
Andrew will explore ways to improve transportation systems through
programs focused on urban design and governance.
Ruth Ezra
US University: Williams College MA
Ruth Ezra
Ruth Ezra, of Ithaca, NY, will graduate Phi Beta Kappa from Williams College
with highest honors in Art History and a concentration in Cognitive Science.
In Fall 2009 she was a Ruchman Fellow at the Oakley Center for the
Humanities and Social Sciences. Ruth has interned at the Clark Art Institute,
the Williams College Museum of Art, and MASS MoCA. She is particularly
curious about connections between science and the visual arts. This
summer, she will research visual perception and aesthetics at UC Berkeley.
Ruth loves to dance, and she has performed with African dance, Bhangra,
and tap groups at Williams. After having spent her junior year abroad at
Oxford, she is excited to continue her studies in England. She plans to
pursue an M.A. in the History of Art at the Courtauld and an MPhil in History,
Philosophy, and Sociology of Science at Cambridge.
Reynaldo Fuentes
US University: University of Wyoming
Reynaldo Fuentes
A life-long resident of the Wyoming, Rey Fuentes will graduate with a BA in
Political Science from the University of Wyoming. He has co-authored a
journal length study of educational praxis for first year students and is
passionately involved in public service and partisan politics. He is currently
serving as an AmeriCorps member in the Student Leadership and Civic
Engagement Office developing community-wide service projects and as Vice-
President of the statewide Young Democrats. Also a Truman Scholar, Rey will
be studying Comparative Politics at the London School of Economics, with
aspirations of studying public policy at Princeton.
Tanya Goldhaber
US University: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tanya Goldhaber
Tanya Goldhaber, a native of Boulder, CO, graduated from MIT with a major
in Mechanical Engineering and minors in Cognitive Science and Music. At
MIT, she performed research on the neural basis of conceptual
representations in the Kanwisher Lab and was a member of the Gordon
Engineering Leadership Program. She is also an avid violinist and won the
2009 MIT Concerto Competition. Tanya fell in love with England when she
spent a summer working for British Telecom and looks forward to returning
to pursue a PhD in Inclusive Design at the Engineering Design Centre at the
University of Cambridge.
Jeremy Goodman
US University: Brown University
Jeremy Goodman
Jeremy Goodman, a native of Bethesda, Maryland, will graduate from Brown
with degrees in philosophy, cognitive neuroscience, and physics. He will
study philosophy at Oxford. His philosophical research has focused on the
mind-body problem, but he is also interested in metaphysics, epistemology,
meta-ethics, and the philosophies of David Hume and David Lewis. He has
conducted cognitive neuroscience research at the National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke, where he used a variety of brain scans to
investigate the neurophysiology of language in normal and epileptic
populations. Jeremy is passionate about jazz.
Anne Kalt
Annie Kalt
Annie Kalt of Boston received a BA in Human Biology from Stanford
University. Her interest in global health equity has come to center on child
health in communities confronting poverty, infectious disease, and post-
conflict reconstruction. She spent the past year in Rwanda as Africa Program
Director for FACE AIDS and as Microfinance Program Assistant for Partners In
Health. She previously worked on women's health and research projects in
Zambia and Brazil. As a Marshall Scholar, Annie will study health policy and
public health in developing countries at London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine and LSE before returning home for medical school.
Zachary Kaufman
US University: Dartmouth College
Zachary Kaufman
A Truman Scholar and All-USA First Academic Team Member from Madison,
Wisconsin, Zak Kaufman is committed to advancing health worldwide. Zak
graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College
in June 2008, with an interdisciplinary major focused on international health.
He has spent nearly three years abroad working on public health projects in
Latin America and southern Africa. Currently overseeing research/evaluation
for Grassroot Soccer's HIV prevention programs across southern Africa, Zak
aspires to continue fighting infectious disease through research and service,
working relentlessly to improve well-being in marginalized communities
around the world. He will study Epidemiology at LSHTM.
Jessica Lanney
US University: Princeton University
Jessica Lanney
Jessica Lanney, of Concord, New Hampshire, will graduate from Princeton
University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in June
2010. A winner of Princeton's Shapiro Prize, Jess has crafted post-Katrina
economic development programs with the City of New Orleans and worked
on affordable housing interventions for homeless patients at the Boston
Health Care for the Homeless Program. She has also served as Chair of the
Daily Princetonian Editorial Board and competes on a nationally ranked mock
trial team. In the UK, Jess will study social policy and urban planning at the
London School of Economics and cheer the Red Sox from afar.
James Luccarelli
US University: Yale University
James Luccarelli
A native of New York City, James Luccarelli will graduate Phi Beta Kappa from
Yale University with B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry. A Goldwater
Scholar, his research interests have ranged from developmental
neurobiology to theoretical chemistry, but now center on pharmaceutical
development. As Chief of Yale's student EMS service, he oversaw the
implementation of a scholarship program and a migration to electronic
medical records. He is also a nationally ranked debater and competes in
national and international debates as a member of the Yale Debate
Association. James plans to pursue a D.Phil. in Chemistry at Oxford.
Tamela Maciel
US University: University of Oregon
Tamela Maciel
Tamela Maciel, of Grants Pass, Oregon, will graduate in June 2010 with a B.S.
in Physics and a minor in Mathematics from the University of Oregon (UO).
Passionate about astrophysics, she has twice interned at the NASA Goddard
Space Flight Center, and has investigated the star formation of dwarf
galaxies while at UO. Tamela also helped revitalize the local chapter of the
Society of Physics Students and volunteered at the Eugene Planetarium,
focusing on physics and astronomy outreach. In 2009, she studied abroad at
the University of Bristol. At Cambridge, Tamela will pursue a PhD in high-
energy astrophysics.
Kathryn Marklein
US University: Emory University
Kathryn Marklein
Kathryn is a double major in Anthropology and Human Biology and Classics
at Emory. She was inducted into the Eta Sigma Phi and Lambda Alpha
Honors Societies, having also received the Anthropology Departmental
Award. Kathryn has presented her research at national conferences of the
Paleopathology Association. At the American School of Classical Studies'
Wiener Laboratory in Athens, she spent three months researching ancient
burial remains. She will pursue bioarchaeology graduate studies at University
College London and University of Sheffield. Throughout college, Kathryn has
been involved in Emory theatre, singing at the Catholic Center, and
volunteering with the American Cancer Society.
Austin McKinney
US University: United States Air Force Academy
Austin McKinney
Austin McKinney, of Canton, Michigan, will graduate from the U.S. Air Force
Academy with a B.S. in Management and a minor in Spanish. Through his
Spanish studies, Austin has participated in a summer language immersion in
Spain and a semester abroad in Mexico. Austin was a Cadet Group
Commander, responsible for leading over 1,100 cadets. He has volunteered
as a mathematics and English teacher in Mexico and Ecuador. Austin will
become a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force after graduation. He
plans to pursue a MA in Latin American Studies at the Institute for the Study
of the Americas.
Jessica Muir
US University: Michigan State University
Jessica Muir
Jessie Muir, of Romeo, Michigan, will graduate with B.S. degrees in Physics
and Astrophysics. A Goldwater Scholar, she is intensely interested in the
areas of investigation where cosmology and particle physics overlap. She has
conducted high energy physics research at her undergraduate university and
abroad, participating in the 2009 Summer Student Program at CERN, and is
working on a senior thesis in theoretical cosmology. She is an officer of
Science Theatre, a volunteer outreach organization, and a member of Phi
Beta Kappa. Next year, Jessie will enroll in Part III of Cambridge's
Mathematical Tripos.
Aroop Mukharji
US University: Williams College
Aroop Makjarji
Aroop Mukharji graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Williams College in 2009 with
a B.A. in Math and Political Science. He is currently a Junior Fellow at the
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. At Williams, Aroop participated
in a broad swathe of activities, from tennis to songwriting and a cappella. A
member of the Gargoyle Society, he was voted "Mr. Williams" in his
sophomore year and was elected to be class speaker at graduation. Aroop
looks forward to returning to the UK, having spent his junior year abroad at
Oxford, to pursue International Relations at LSE and Peace/Conflict Studies at
King's.
Vinayak Muralidhar
Vinayak Muralidhar
Vinayak Muralidhar, of Chandler, Arizona, will graduate with degrees in
Mathematics and Biology from MIT. Vinayak performed research at MIT on
engineering targeted nanoparticles for cancer drug delivery and on
computational methods to analyze biomolecular networks. After volunteering
in Bidada, India, at a rural clinic, Vinayak discovered a passion for medicine
and social issues. He was struck by the inequalities in health care, and began
to investigate health policy as an intern for the US Senate Committee on
Finance. Vinayak has also founded an outreach program that connects high
school students to research opportunities at MIT and led a peer health
advocacy group at MIT. He hopes to use his career to help bridge medicine,
science, and policy.
Amol Naik
US University: University of Chicago
Amol Naik
Amol Naik, of Oak Brook, Illinois, graduated from the University of Chicago in
2009 as a Phi Beta Kappa with honours in History and Political Science. While
at the University of Chicago, Amol was designated a Student Marshal - the
highest distinction given by the University of Chicago - and completed an
honours thesis on law and racial integration in Oak Park, Illinois. He has
published numerous policy memoranda related to public defence that he
later presented to legislators in Chicago and Detroit. Amol founded the
Chicago Justice Initiative, an organisation raising awareness in Chicago about
inequities in the criminal justice system. Amol was awarded the Jeff Metcalf
Fellowship, the University of Chicago Public Interest Program Fellowship and
the Richter Grant to serve the poor at non-profit organisations around the
country. Amol plans to pursue a taught MSc in International Relations at the
London School of Economics.
Brian Pellot
US University: University of Missouri - Columbia
Brian Pellot
Brian Pellot, of Wausau, Wisconsin, is pursuing a double major in
Convergence Journalism and International Studies. As a Rotary
Ambassadorial Scholar and Clinton Scholar at the American University in
Dubai, Brian organized international service projects and gave presentations
throughout the Middle East. He also studied Arabic as a Critical Language
Scholar. In 2009, Brian monitored Lebanon's parliamentary elections and
reported for Inter Press Service News Agency and Foreign Policy. He reported
for the Huffington Post on press trips in Egypt, Qatar and Jordan. Brian will
pursue the M.Phil. in Modern Middle Eastern Studies at the University of
Oxford.
Steven Robinette
US University: University of Florida
Stephen Robinette
Steven Robinette is a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology senior at the
University of Florida. Son of an Air Force flight surgeon, Steven grew up
across the United States and abroad before graduating from high school in
Niceville, FL. Steven spent his junior year as a Goldwater scholar at Imperial
College developing computational methods in metabolomics and will return
to Imperial to apply his previous work to identify small molecular markers of
stem cells. An avid climber, Steven looks forward to exploring the granite of
Cornwall and the gritstone of the Peak District in the UK.
Mitesh Shridhar
US University: University of Colorado System - Boulder
Mitesh Shridhar
Mitesh Shridhar of Centennial, CO will graduate from the University of
Colorado, Boulder, with degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular, Cellular, and
Developmental Biology and minors in Chemistry and Economics. A 2006
Boettcher, Norlin, J.W. Fisher and National Merit Scholar, Mitesh has
conducted research for the past three years with Professor Linda Watkins at
CU, where he has received authorship on several articles related to central
nervous system opioid activity and the mechanisms of neuropathic pain. A
two-year teaching assistant, Mitesh is also an avid chess player. He will
pursue an MPhil in Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge in 2010.
Anna Jo Smith
Anna Jo Smith
Anna Jo Bodurtha Smith, who hails from Ashland, Virginia, is a Sociology
major at Yale University. Passionate about children's health and education,
she weaves her academic work on social policy with advocacy on behalf of
children and families. While in New Haven, she has worked at All Our Kin to
increase access to quality, affordable childcare. She is also the co-
coordinator of Dwight Hall, the Center for Community Service and Social
Justice at Yale. Anna Jo will study public health at the London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and public policy at the London School of
Economics.
Nabiha Syed
US University: Johns Hopkins University
Nabiha Syed
Nabiha Syed, a native of Orange County, California, is the author of
Replicating Dreams (Oxford University Press, 2008), a study of microfinance
marketing in Pakistan and Bangladesh. As a Yale Information Society Project
student fellow, she founded the Media Freedom and Information Access
Practicum to support newsgatherers through litigation. Nabiha pursues her
interests in corruption, development, and accountability through the World
Bank Office of Evaluation and Suspension, Oxfam America, and as an
Amnesty International Patrick Stewart Scholar. She holds a B.A. in
International Relations and Anthropology from Johns Hopkins (2007) and will
receive a J.D. from Yale Law School (2010).
Emily Warren
Emily Warren
A San Francisco native, Em Warren graduated with honors and distinction
from Stanford University in 2008, receiving a degree in Economics a minor in
Political Science and winning the Firestone Award for her thesis on the
effects of migration on education in Guatemala. From 2007-2009, Em worked
at the Hewlett Foundation managing the philanthopy's Nuclear Security
Initiative, a multimillion dollar grantmaking initiative providing funding to
researchers and nonprofits working to reform international nuclear weapons
policies and reduce the risk of a nuclear attack. Em will study Economics and
China Studies at the London School of Economics and expects to continue to
work in the field of U.S. foreign policy.
Michael Wilkerson
Michael Wilkerson
A native of Denver, Colorado, Michael Wilkerson graduated in 2009 from
Stanford University. He earned a B.A. in Political Science with departmental
honors, university distinction and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. A columnist
at the Stanford Daily, he also worked as a journalist in Uganda at local
publications The Daily Monitor and The Independent. In Washington D.C.,
Michael has interned at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, World Politics
Review and Foreign Policy magazine. A current Fulbright Scholar in Uganda,
Michael is working with local journalists and researchers to study how the
press influences government decisions. He will pursue an M.Phil. in Politics at
Oxford, focusing on comparative government.
Adam Bouland
Adam Bouland
Adam Bouland, of Laurel, Maryland, will graduate with a double major in
Physics and Computer Science/Mathematics. A Goldwater Scholar, Adam's
past research includes work in structural mechanics and physics. As
technical director of the Yale Chapter of Engineers Without Borders, he has
worked on a water project to bring clean water to a village in Cameroon.
Adam's other interests include percussion and theology. Adam will study
Mathematics and Physics at the University of Cambridge next year.
Donald Bungum
Donald Bungum
A Chicagoland native, Donnie Bungum is working toward a B.S. in Chemistry
at the University of Chicago. In three years of research, he helped develop a
new method of vibrational spectroscopy and synthesized a novel class of
organometallic compounds. He was named a Goldwater Scholar in 2008 and
an Arnold O. Beckman Scholar in 2007. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa
and the Sigma Xi research society. Donnie plays saxophone for the
University of Chicago Jazz X-tet and the funk/R&B group "Intense City." He
will pursue the M.St. in Science and Religion at the University of Oxford.
Kyle Checchi
Kyle Checchi
Kyle Checchi, from San Ramon, California, stands first academically in his
class of 1,073 Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy. He was
awarded the Naval Academy American Chemical Society Undergraduate
Chemistry Award last year. In addition to his coursework, Kyle found time to
volunteer at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Majoring in
Chemistry, he is now doing a research project, conducting a multidisciplinary
study that links the chemical synthesis of antimicrobial compounds with a
microbiological study of induced cellular stress responses caused by these
compounds. Kyle will study International Health Policy at LSE. Kyle plans to
become a U.S. Navy doctor after graduation from the Naval Academy and
completing medical school.
Conor Clarke
US University: Amherst College
Conor Clarke
Conor Clarke graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Amherst
College in 2008 with a double major in political theory and English. Currently
a fellow at the Atlantic Monthly, he has worked previously for The Guardian
and The New Republic, and has reported from central Africa and Cuba. His
work has also appeared in the Boston Globe, Slate and the American
Prospect, and he is the co-editor of a book about the economics of corporate
social responsibility. At Amherst, he edited two college magazines, published
academic legal scholarship and served as a teaching assistant in political
economy. Conor will study Economic Policy at the University of Birmingham
and International Journalism at Cardiff University.
Jeffrey Cloutier
US University: Middlebury College
Jeffrey Cloutier
Jeffrey Cloutier, a native of Berlin, New Hampshire, is a senior Molecular
Biology and Biochemistry major at Middlebury College. In 2007, Jeff
conducted breast cancer research as an Amgen Scholar at the University of
Washington, Seattle. At Middlebury, he has been researching a novel cell
cycle mechanism involved in meiosis and infertility. Jeff is a cyclist, an avid
hiker, and a certified emergency medical technician and wildland firefighter.
As a Marshall Scholar, Jeff will investigate the epigenetics of meiosis at
University College London. After completing the PhD and MD degrees he
hopes to pursue a career in translational medical research.
Samuel Daly
US University: Columbia University
Samuel Daly
Samuel Daly of Milwaukee, Wisconsin will graduate with a B.A. in African
Studies and History. Much of his time as a Columbia student has been spent
abroad, and he will return to the UK to pursue an MA in Historical Research
Methods at SOAS and an MSc in African Studies at Oxford. Samuel's research
interests are in late colonial and early postcolonial Anglophone Africa, and he
hopes to study the development of vigilante justice movements in Tanzania.
He previously studied Swahili and history at the University of Dar es Salaam
in Tanzania on a David L. Boren Scholarship, and Yoruba at Obafemi
Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria on a Fulbright-Hays Advanced
Language Study program.
Henry Donaghy
Henry Donaghy
A native of Wallingford, PA, Henry Donaghy will graduate from the United
States Naval Academy as an Ensign and plans to join the submarine service.
Hank majors in physics and mechanical engineering, plays bass in USNA's
Trident Jazz Band, and has completed 8 marathons as a member of the
Academy's marathon team. He heightened his French proficiency through
courses in Paris during the summer of 2007, and in Morocco in the summer
of 2008. He plans to study energy technologies at Imperial College of
London.
Katelyn Finley
US University: Davidson College
Katelyn Finley
Katelyn Finley, of Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, will graduate in May 2009 with
a bachelor's degree in political science from Davidson College. At Davidson
Finley's academic work focuses on politics, gender and development in the
Middle East. She also participated in and led such extracurricular groups as
the Gay Straight Alliance, the Rape Awareness Committee, and a student-run
counseling service for survivors of sexual assault. Finley has studied at
intensive Arabic language institutes in Jordan and Yemen, and has also
traveled and studied in Syria, Lebanon, Ecuador and Djibouti. At Oxford she
will pursue an MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies.
Andrew Gamalski
US University: Arizona State University
Andrew Gamalski
Andrew Gamalski, a native of Chandler, Arizona, will graduate in May, 2009,
from Arizona State University's Barrett Honors College with a B.S. degree in
physics and mathematics. In his research, Andrew has investigated the
electrical properties of graphene at MIT, the ferroelectric properties of
barium strontium titanate and its application to hydrogen fuel cells at
Carnegie Mellon, and the growth dynamics of carbon nanotubes at ASU's
LeRoy Eyring Center for Solid State Science. Andrew will join the PhD
program in electrical engineering at the University of Cambridge, where he
will continue researching the growth dynamics of high aspect ratio
nanostructures.
Kurt Herzer
Kurt Herzer
Kurt R. Herzer will receive a B.A. in public health from Johns Hopkins
University in 2009, where he studies health services research/policy with the
Quality and Safety Research Group. His work ranges from using medical
simulation and system engineering to improve surgical care, to national
assessments of healthcare quality standards. Kurt's research has carried him
from congressional hearings on Capitol Hill to the World Health Organization,
where he began developing a methodology to estimate the global burden of
healthcare-associated infections. Kurt has authored/co-authored several
journal papers and a book chapter, and has spoken at international
conferences. In 2008, he became a Truman Scholar and USA Today named
him to the All-USA Academic First Team. As a Marshall Scholar, Kurt plans to
study evidence-based policy and health intervention at the University of
Oxford and will later attend medical school in the United States.
Dhananjay Jagannathan
Dhananjay Jagannathan
Dhananjay Jagannathan, of Cypress, Texas, will graduate with a B.A. in Plan II
Honors, Philosophy, and Classics from the University of Texas at Austin and
plans to study Ancient Philosophy at Oxford and Cambridge universities. He
was born in New Delhi, India, attended primary school in Kingston, Jamaica
and secondary school in College Station, Texas before matriculating at UT
where he became fascinated by the literature and philosophy of the ancient
Greeks. He has worked with local middle and high school students as a
mentor and tutor and hopes to embark on a career as a scholar and
professor while dedicating himself to improving public K-12 and higher
education in the United States.
Max Kleiman-Weiner
Max Kleiman-Weiner
Max Kleiman-Weiner, of Santa Monica, California, will graduate in June 2009
from Stanford University with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. As a Goldwater
Scholar, Max pursued his interest in neuroscience through research at
Stanford, UCLA and the Institute of Neuroscience in Shanghai. His senior
thesis investigated the neural circuits that underlie synchronized oscillations
of sleep and epilepsy. At Stanford, he taught a course on the neural basis of
memory, edits an undergraduate philosophy journal and helped design a
nutritional intervention for Chinese students with the Rural Education Action
Project. Max will pursue a D.Phil. in Neuroscience at the University of Oxford.
Samuel Kleiner
US University: Northwestern University
Samuel Kleiner
Sam Kleiner is a third-generation Arizonan. He left his hometown of Tucson
to study Political Science and American Studies at Northwestern University.
Seeking to create learning communities on campus, Sam co-founded the
Northwestern Political Union, the Northwestern Interdisciplinary Law Review
and served on the Executive Council of Northwestern Hillel. His interest in
foreign policy lead Sam to intern at the White House, the State Department,
the American Enterprise Institute and serve on the Executive Council of the
American Israel Public Affairs Committee. He will complete the M.Phil in
International Relations at the University of Oxford.
Robert Kubala
US University: Boston College
Robert Kubula
Robert Kubala, of Austin, TX, is a senior at Boston College where he studies
philosophy. His primary research interests lie in philosophy of mind, although
he has presented papers in history of science and worked in a cognitive
neuroscience lab. A Phi Beta Kappa inductee, Robert also plays piano, organ,
and harpsichord for a variety of chamber and liturgical ensembles in the
Boston area. He has traveled to Iceland, France, and Germany on university
grants, translated scientific papers from German into English, and served as
musical director for Boston College's contemporary theater group. Robert will
study Philosophy at University of St Andrews.
Richard Lin
Richard Lin
Richard Lin of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from Richfield, Ohio,
will study at University of Oxford. Fascinated by technology's ability to
improve healthcare quality and access for those living in resource-limited
settings, Lin has engineered a mobile clinic in Tanzania to bring medical
facilities directly to local towns and villages. He has also performed research
to construct point-of-care HIV monitoring device for patients in developing
countries, and worked with Oxfam International to design an inexpensive
water purification device against cholera outbreaks. Having enjoyed studying
abroad at Oxford before, he looks forward to continuing his academic
pursuits, as well as developing his hobbies of horseriding, volleyball, and
crew.
Sally Liu
Sally Liu
Sally Liu, of San Diego, CA, graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa
from Duke University, where she studied biology, physics, and genome
sciences and policy. An Angier B. Duke Scholar, she conducted neuroscience
and genetics research at Duke, the Salk Institute, and UC-Berkeley.
Passionate about global health, she volunteered in China and at the U.S.-
Mexico border region. She also pole vaulted for Duke and was a team captain
of the varsity track and field team. Sally will study public health and health
policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine before
attending medical school.
Kuong Ly
US University: Boston College
Kuong Li
Kuong Ly, from Woburn, Massachusetts, received his degree in Philosophy
from Boston College. The son of genocide survivors and a former refugee
himself, Kuong has an interest in genocide prevention, post-conflict
reconciliation, migration, health, and refugee rights. His undergraduate
research examined the increasing rates of type-2 diabetes in refugee
communities in the U.S. and the impact of trauma in preventing diabetes
self-care. A Truman Scholar, Harvard Galbraith Scholar, and a member of
USA Today's All-Academic First Team, Kuong will continue research on
refugee rights and health. He will pursue a Masters in International Human
Rights Law from the University of Essex.
Kyle Mahowald
Kyle Mahowald
From sunny Fort Lauderdale, FL, Kyle Mahowald will graduate Phi Beta Kappa
with a degree in English from not-so-sunny Harvard University. He will then
study linguistics at the even less sunny University of Oxford. Until his record
was broken, Kyle was the youngest person to have a crossword published in
the Sunday New York Times. Nonetheless, he has written many puzzles for
both the Times and other publications. Besides arranging words in grids, Kyle
also sometimes arranges them linearly, like when he used a Harvard College
Research Fellowship to write an article that undertakes a reading of Chaucer
through Derrida's theory of the gift. When not playing with or on words, Kyle
enjoys playing most sports.
Rishi Mediratta
Rishi Mediratta
Rishi Mediratta, of Portage, Michigan, graduated from Johns Hopkins
University in 2008 with a degree in public health. Rishi's interest in children's
health developed while working in Ethiopia. He founded the Ethiopian
Orphan Health Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides
community-based health care to orphans. Rishi has interned at the World
Health Organization, was co editor-in-chief of Epidemic Proportions,
volunteered as a first-responder, and was a member of an Indian a capella
group. He plans to study medical anthropology at the School of Oriental and
African Studies and public health at the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine.
Andrew Miller
Andrew Miller
A native of Chicago, Andrew Miller will graduate Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard
with a degree in Social Studies and a citation in Mandarin Chinese. Andrew
has served as World Editor at the Harvard Political Review and a member of
the Harvard Crimson's Editorial Board. He has also interned at the Beijing
bureaus of both the Christian Science Monitor and City Weekend magazine.
While at Harvard, he has tutored in a variety of subjects, organized study
groups at the Institute of Politics, and competed with Harvard's Chinese-
language debate team. Andrew will pursue an M.Sc. in Politics and
Communication at the London School of Economics, where he hopes to
continue his research on Chinese press coverage of international affairs.
Brian Mueller
US University: United States Air Force Academy
Brian Meuller
Brian Mueller will graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a B.S. in
Political Science and a commission in the U.S. Air Force. While at the
Academy, Brian helped create the Model United Nations club and served in
several leadership positions including Squadron Commander and Soaring
Instructor Pilot. Earning a minor in Chinese, he studied at Nanjing University
in China and combined his cultural experiences with an internship at the U.S.
State Department. The Bureau of Intelligence and Research published his
classified research on the future space policy intentions of foreign nations.
Brian will pursue a MA in Science and Security at King's College London.
Elizabeth Nyikos
US University: University of South Carolina - Columbia
Elizabeth Nyikos
Hungarian-American pianist Elizabeth Nyikos has performed across three
countries and conducted research in Italy, Hungary, Spain, and the US. A
University of South Carolina Magellan Research Fellow, Nyikos transcribed a
newly discovered fifteenth-century manuscript of polyphony, and arranged
for it to be performed and recorded for the first time in six hundred years.
She curated an exhibit of manuscripts from the eleventh to sixteenth
centuries, founded USC medieval ensemble Canticum Novum, and studied
Ars Nova polyphony in Italy and Mozarabic chant in Spain. Elizabeth will
continue to research and perform early music, reading for an MPhil in
Musicology at Oxford.
Michelle Prairie
US University: University of Connecticut
Michelle Prairie
Michelle Prairie, of Vernon, Connecticut, will graduate in May 2009 with a
B.A. in economics from the University of Connecticut. While on campus she
has done research for the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis, assisted
in the development of an economic and social rights index, and been active
in Reformed University Fellowship. Her months spent volunteering as an
English teacher in Peru, studying development in Sweden, and traveling
around Latin America and Europe have moved her to study income inequality
and international development with the aim to evaluate and eventually
recommend policies. She plans to study economics and development at the
University of Nottingham and London School of Economics and Political
Science.
Kelcie Ralph
US University: University of Alaska - Anchorage
Kelcie Ralph
Kelcie Ralph of the University of Alaska Anchorage will graduate in May 2009
with a degree in economics. Kelcie served as a Resident Advisor, a member
of the Chancellor's Council for Sustainability and a Senator in the Union of
Students. Her research background includes economic valuation studies at
the Institute of Social and Economic Research, Carbon Baseline studies for
the University and the Municipality of Anchorage and an experimental
investigation of inequality and property rights at the UAA Experimental
Economics Lab. She enjoys backcountry skiing, climbing and backpacking.
Kelcie will pursue a MSc in City Design and Social Science at the London
School of Economics.
Sheela Ramesh
US University: Carnegie Mellon University
Sheela Ramesh
Sheela Ramesh will graduate from Carnegie Mellon with a BFA in Vocal
Performance and a BS in Psychology. Sheela has performed in university and
professional operas, while studying with music legends Mildred Miller-Posvar
and Robert Page. Sheela is also an avid pianist and has studied Indian
classical music/dance extensively. Additionally, she undertook psychological
research in four laboratories at Carnegie Mellon and Yale, and is completing
her Honors Thesis in cognitive development. As a Marshall Scholar, Sheela
will pursue vocal/operatic studies. She hopes to apply her diverse influences
toward creating operas that are engaging to non-traditional audiences.
David Reshef
David Rashef
David studied computer science and biology at MIT. He grew up in Israel and
Kenya and has continued to show his interest in international health through
his work in communities in India, Zambia, and Peru. At MIT, he co-founded
the Global Poverty Initiative, an organization that aims to inform and engage
students about global poverty and health issues, and was a varsity baseball
and track and field athlete. Additionally, he created a software application to
analyze and track the spread of disease, which is currently being used by the
CDC, the Clinton Foundation, and the Harvard University School of Public
Health. David hopes to work at the interface between computer science and
epidemiology, applying cutting edge computational techniques to study the
emergence and progression of infectious diseases. David will be pursuing a
DPhil in statistics at Oxford University.
Daniel Roberts
Daniel Roberts
Dan will graduate from Duke University with a double major in Physics and
Electrical & Computer Engineering. A Goldwater Scholar and Duke Faculty
Scholar, Dan conducted research under Professor Smith in the emerging field
of transformation optics, in which coordinate transformations are used to
create unconventional electromagnetic devices such as invisibility cloaks.
Dan is also a serial entrepreneur, with two start-ups to his credit. Recently,
he co-founded SkillsTM.com. At the University of Cambridge, Dan will pursue
a Certificate of Advanced Study in Mathematics. In his second year, Dan will
conduct research at Imperial College, London, under Sir John Pendry.
Nathaniel Sharpe
Nate Sharpe
Nate Sharpe, of Canton, Massachusetts, will graduate from MIT in June 2009
with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He plans to pursue an MPhil in
Engineering for Sustainable Development at Cambridge University, and is
excited about making the world a better place through engineering. At MIT
he was a pole vaulter on the varsity track team and captained both the
indoor and outdoor track teams as a senior. He is a world renowned juggler
and performer, having won medals and awards at various international
festivals and competitions.
John Sheffield
John Sheffield
John Sheffield, of Fayetteville, NC, will graduate from Harvard University in
Social Studies. His research focuses on violence and public security in the
developing world. As an advocate with the Argentine League for the Rights of
Man, he published several reports documenting police brutality and public
accountability mechanisms in Argentina's shantytowns. John spent seven
months in the urban slums of Buenos Aires, Argentina and Medellín,
Colombia for a senior thesis and related publications on police violence in
Latin American cities. He is also co-authoring a statistical method for
improving causal inferences on time-series data, with applications to
empirical research in international relations. John will read for masters'
degrees in Applied Statistics and Politics at Oxford.
Michael Shih
Michael Shih
Michael Shih, a Houston resident, will graduate from Princeton University's
Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in June 2009. His
interest in policymaking has led him to intern with the House Oversight
Committee and New Jersey's Department of Children and Families. On
campus, he teaches academic writing and launched a program that recruits
undergraduates to serve as English tutors for adults in the community. He is
also an experienced debater and has ranked among America's top ten teams
for two consecutive years. In the UK, Michael will study International
Relations at Cambridge and Modern Chinese Studies at Oxford.
Douglas Stanford
Douglas Stanford
In June, Douglas will graduate with physics and mathematics degrees from
Stanford. He is obsessed with physics, particularly the intersection of string
theory and cosmology, which he will continue to study during his time at
Cambridge's Part III, and subsequent research. A current resident of
Anacortes, Washington, Douglas spent five of his pre-college years sailing
around the world with his family. Aside from physics, Douglas enjoys playing
ultimate frisbee, piano and low-quality chess.
Christina Thatcher
US University: Temple University
Christina Thatcher
A native of Bucks County, PA, Christina will graduate with a B.S. in English
and Secondary Education, and minors in Anthropology and Sociology. She
has studied in England and Ireland, taught creative writing to "at risk" youth,
led discussions on diversity with college students as a Diamond Peer
Teacher, and tutored adults in the Center for Literacy. When not teaching or
writing, Christina rides for Temple's Equestrian team and plays the guitar.
Christina will pursue an MA in the Teaching and Practice of Creative Writing
at Cardiff University to study how creative writing can be used to improve
students' lives.
Anjali Tripathi
Anjali Tripathi
Anjali Tripathi, of Woodland Hills, CA, will graduate from MIT with a Bachelor
of Science in Physics and a Minor in Applied International Studies. With a
passion for astrophysics, Anjali has done everything from working on Mars
Rovers to analyzing computer simulations of colliding galaxies. Her
enthusiasm for science extends into her outreach efforts as President of
MIT's Society of Physics Students and a member of MIT's Solar Electric
Vehicle Team. Anjali will soon take her enthusiasm for science and outreach
to the University of Cambridge, where she will pursue degrees in Astronomy
and Mathematics.
Derron Wallace
US University: Wheaton College
Derron Wallace
Derron Wallace of Bronx, N.Y., is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wheaton
College (Massachusetts), where he studied sociology and the African
Diaspora. He also served as president of the student government. A Watson
Fellow and Fulbright Scholar, Wallace has worked in vulnerable rural
communities in the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia as a
teacher, researcher and policy analyst to help strengthen education systems
and lessen geographical disparities. At Cambridge University, he intends to
pursue an MPhil in Education with a focus on rural educational development.
Born in Jamaica, Wallace is a keen student of gospel music and liberation
theologies.
Emma Wu
Emma Wu
A native of Dallas, Texas transplanted to Camarillo, California, Emma Wu will
graduate from Harvard University with a B.A. in linguistics. Her thesis focuses
on theories of cognition as related to language processing in brain-damaged
subjects. Emma is a black belt in taekwondo with collegiate, national, and
international competition experience. She plans to study experimental
psychology and cognitive neuropsychology at University College London.
Shuai Xu
US University: Rice University
Shuai Xu
Shuai 'Steve' Xu of Houston will graduate from Rice University in May 2009
with a B.S. in Bioengineering. At Rice as a Rice/Baylor Medical Scholar, Steve
led the development of a mechanical testing platform for artificial heart
valves. For breadth, he has performed research in molecular oncology at
HMRI and neuro-biomechanics at Columbia University as an Amgen Scholar.
Concerned about education, Steve directed an after-school program for at-
risk youth in robotics. Most recently, he studied traditional medicine in
modern China and completed an internship in strategy consulting. A
Goldwater Scholar and a member of the 2008 USA TODAY Academic 1st
Team, he is currently leading a cost-effective technology adoption study at
the Methodist Hospital. Steve plans to study health policy at a dual program
between LSHTM and LSE.
Yun Yu
US University: Indiana University
Yun Yu
Yun William Yu, of Huntingburg, Indiana, matriculated at age fifteen to
Indiana University, studies chemistry, mathematics, and Germanic studies,
and will be the first IU undergraduate to write an honors thesis in
mathematics. A Wells Scholar, William coordinated the undergraduate
literary magazine "Labyrinth" and annual "Writers on Writing" panel
discussion. On the Board of Aeons, he researched student issues for the IU
President. A Goldwater Scholar, he applied proteomics techniques to lipids
thought to be endogenous nociceptive neurotransmitters. He will study
biomedical physical chemistry at Imperial College London and computational
biology at Cambridge. William is also an avid swing dancer.
Kelly Zahalka
Kelly Zahalka
Kelly Zahalka, from Richmond, VA, will graduate from the U.S. Naval
Academy with a B.S. in History and a minor in Chinese. Upon graduation, she
will be commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. Kelly
was a four-year member of the varsity women's swim team where she was
twice named an Academic All-American. As a junior, she served as the
Brigade Sergeant Major. She was the first woman from the Naval Academy to
graduate from the rigorous US Navy Dive School. Kelly will pursue a MA in
Chinese Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies.
Jessica Wei Zhu

US University: University of Houston
Jessica Wu
Pianist Jessica Zhu, from Houston, Texas, studies at the University of Houston
as an undergraduate student of Nancy Weems. Jessica made her debut with
the Houston Symphony at age 19 and soloed with many orchestras
throughout Texas. In addition to her recital debut at Houston's Hobby Center
for the Performing Arts, she has given guest recitals for many organizations,
including Missouri State University and Wichita Falls Symphony League. As
the national winner of the Steinway Young Artist Piano Competition of the
2008 Music Teachers National Association competitions, Jessica received a
Steinway & Sons grand piano. Committed to fostering a stronger arts
community, she performs for a terminally ill patient and educates young
students. As a Marshall Scholar, Jessica will pursue her graduate studies at
the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Jessica Zhu, pianist, studies at the
University of Houston with Nancy Weems and will work with Joan Havill at the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Jessica made her debut with the
Houston Symphony at age 19 and soloed with many orchestras throughout
Texas. A frequent recitalist, she made her recital debut at Houston's Hobby
Center for the Performing Arts in 2006. As the national winner of 2008 Music
Teachers National Association Young Artist Piano Competition, Jessica
received a Steinway & Sons grand piano. Committed to fostering a stronger
arts community, she performs for ill patients and educates young students.
Benjamin Zintak
Benjamin Zintak
Benjamin Zintak, from Arlington Heights, IL, will graduate from the United
States Naval Academy with a B.S. in Systems Engineering and a commission
as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy as a Naval Aviator. While at the Academy, he
served as a Plebe Summer Squad Leader and the Executive Officer of the
Brigade of Midshipmen. Focusing his studies on control systems and
aerospace engineering, he helped build an autonomous miniature helicopter
for his senior research project. Ben plans on continuing work in this field by
pursuing a MS in Autonomous Vehicle Dynamics at Cranfield University.
Ali Alhassani
A native of greater Boston, Ali Alhassani studied mechanical engineering at

MIT. Interested in health, he has interned at the World Health Organization in
Geneva and the National Children's Hospital in Washington, DC, and he has
conducted research on drug delivery to the heart at MIT. Passionate about
interfaith dialogue, Ali helped found Ascent, a Harvard-MIT student
publication about Islam; he also participated in the Addir Fellowship, a
federally funded interfaith dialogue program at MIT. Ali enjoys basketball and
is a proud member of Red Sox Nation. He plans to study health policy,
planning, and financing at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical
Medicine before attending medical school.
Sean Arenson
Sean Arenson, of Sacramento, California, will graduate from Stanford

University in June 2008 with a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Biological
Sciences. Sean has pursued his interest in health policy through research on
a broad range of topics such as queuing for specialist services in Canada and
medical savings accounts in Singapore, and has spent a quarter at Oxford
studying the British National Health Service. His senior thesis examines the
effects of agricultural policy on obesity in the developed world. At Stanford,
he played saxophone and clarinet in the Stanford Jazz Orchestra, taught a
course on Social Security reform, and served as coordinator of Stanford's
Student Initiated Courses program. Sean plans to pursue an MSc in
International Health Policy at the London School of Economics.
Robert Arnold
US University: Ohio University
Robert Arnold, a Dayton, Ohio native, will graduate from Ohio University in
June with a B.A. and M.A. in political science. Robert's research is focused in
the areas of comparative political economy and social science methodology.
He worked as an intern at the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public
Affairs and at the United States Congress Joint Economic Committee. A Phi
Beta Kappa inductee, Robert has also served as a graduate assistant and
tutored elementary school children. He plans to study philosophy of social
science and political theory at the London School of Economics.
Michael Barany
US University: Cornell University
For someone who could not count past 29 when he started school, it is
especially appropriate that Michael Barany's areas of mathematical research
have included combinatorics, the study of counting, and analysis on infinite-
dimensional fractals. Attending closely to the critical underpinnings of his
mathematical work, he will continue his study of the history, sociology, and
philosophy of mathematics at the universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh.
Michael is also secretary on the board of directors of the Telluride
Association, an educational non-profit corporation. He will soon complete his
B.A. at Cornell in mathematics and the college scholar program.
Tildon 'Grant' Belgard

US University: Rice University
T. Grant Belgard, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, graduates in May 2008 with a

B.S. in biophysics, chemistry, and chemical physics and a B.A. in
biochemistry and cell biology. While at Rice, he synthesized and
characterized a novel class of nanomaterials. Grant has had a variety of
experiences: supervising an equestrian center, volunteering in emergency
services, working for the FBI, and serving as a live-in mentor, tutor, and
foster parent to sixteen talented children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
At the University of Oxford, Grant will tackle problems in biophysics.
Benjamin Carmichael
US University: Brown University
Ben Carmichael of Falmouth, Maine, graduated Magna Cum Laude from

Brown University with a degree in English. While at Brown, he was the
founding editor of Watershed, a journal of the environment and culture.
Since graduating, he has worked as The New Yorker's publicist, and as a
communications consultant for the Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC). He has also contributed more than a dozen articles to On Earth,
written for Print magazine, and worked for a New York Times columnist. He
plans to pursue an MSc from Oxford's Environmental Change Institute.
Inn-Inn Chen
US University: Georgia Institute of Technology
Inn Inn Chen graduated from Georgia Tech studying Biomedical Engineering
and Engineering Entrepreneurship. A Goldwater Scholar and USA Today Third
Academic Team Member, Inn Inn was involved in an organization called
Engineering World Health which donates "discarded" biomedical equipment
collected from US hospitals to developing world hospitals. Inn Inn has also
conducted extensive research projects in Dr. Julia Babensee's laboratory at
Georgia Tech investigating the host immune response to implanted
biomaterials in tissue engineered devices. Inn Inn's intellectual passions are
in taking part in cutting-edge biomedical research and in entrepreneurship
so that better therapies can translate into the clinic. She plans to conduct
research at Oxford University and NIH to develop implantable bone tissue by
using adult stem cells seeded on nano-fibrous scaffolds.
Brian Clark
US University: North Carolina State University
Brian Clark, a native of Mount Pleasant, NC, will graduate in May 2008 with a
bachelor of science in physics and a minor in applied mathematics from
North Carolina State University. At NC State University, Brian has served as
the student director of the university's stadium recycling program, Chuck-It
Recycling. Brian's love for physics has sent him to Europe twice before to do
summer research at both the University of Oxford and CERN. Brian will spend
the next two years studying for degrees in applied mathematics and physics
at the University of Cambridge.
Ian Clausen
US University: University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
Ian Clausen, of Wheaton, IL, will graduate Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in
English and religious studies from the University of Illinois. There he was
distinguished as a James, Cohn and Chancellor's scholar and received the
Raymond Seng scholarship for English. His research was among the first
published for an academic website on ancient Near Eastern material culture.
At Illinois, Ian divided his time by co-founding an AIDS organization,
instructing freshmen classes, and leading student ministries on campus and
in Asia. A former Cross-Country/Track collegiate athlete, he will read
Theological Ethics at the University of Edinburgh in the fall.
Stephen Danley
US University: University of Pennsylvania
Hailing from Germantown, Maryland, Stephen is a proud alumnus of Penn

where he studied Philosophy, Political Science and Economics. After a year
as a fellow for the Center of the Study for the Presidency and a summer at
the White House, he is looking forward to getting away from the presidency
and meeting royalty. Stephen was co-captain of Penn's basketball team and
won three Ivy Championships while also performing spoken word with the
Excelano Project. He started a dance party craze at the Catholic Student
Center and wrote for the New York Times. Stephen's novel writing is confined
to the month of November. After graduating, Stephen served as a Philly
Fellow at the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement. That work is the basis for
his pursuit of an MPhil in Comparative Social Policy at Oxford.
Jeffrey Eaton
US University: University of Washington - Seattle
Jeff Eaton, of Seattle, Washington, will graduate from the University of

Washington in June 2008 with a Master's Degree in Statistics, Bachelor's
Degrees in Mathematics and Sociology, and a Minor in Music. Eaton intends
to pursue a PhD in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College in
London. His research interests are in mathematical modeling of HIV and
other disease epidemics and collection and utilization of demographic data.
As an undergraduate, Eaton's research created a mathematical model of
potential male circumcision HIV intervention scenarios. He also spent a year
working at the Agincourt Health and Population Unit, a rural demographic
surveillance site in the northeastern region of South Africa.
George 'Will' Flathers

US University: Virginia Military Institute
George Flathers, of Meadowdean Farm in Rixeyville, Virginia, will graduate in

May from the Virginia Military Institute with a B.S. in Electrical and Computer
Engineering and a minor in writing. A Goldwater Scholar, he was the primary
researcher on a biomedical project for children born with hearing
impairments and led a design team developing a seismic communication
device, which is patent pending. George will research avionics and aircraft
sensors at the University of Sheffield, working towards an MPhil in Automatic
Control and Systems Engineering. Following Sheffield, he will begin Europe-
NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training with the Air Force.
Megan Galbreth
Megan Galbreth, of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, will graduate Phi Beta

Kappa from Harvard College with a joint degree in French Literature and
Linguistics. She has focused on French and English medieval literature and is
writing her thesis on medieval irony. At Harvard, she plays cello in the Bach
Society Orchestra, tutors students at the Writing Center, and participates in
the Harvard-Radcliffe Christian Fellowship. She has also taught writing to
inner-city high school students through Harvard's Crimson Summer
Academy. At Oxford, Megan will study for an MPhil in Medieval English
Literature.
Eric Gardiner
Eric Gardiner, from Upland, CA, will graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy
with a B.S. in Political Science and a minor in French. Upon graduation, he
will be commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy with a billet to become a
Naval Special Warfare Officer. Eric interned at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies and was a four-year member and co-captain of the
varsity water polo team. He also served as a Plebe Summer Squad Leader
and his company's Chief of Staff. He will pursue a MA in Terrorism, Violence,
and Security from Queen's University in Belfast.
Marzyeh Ghassemi
US University: New Mexico State University
A New Mexico State University graduate, Marzyeh majored in Electrical

Engineering, Computer Science and Applied Math. As a Goldwater Scholar,
she researched the viability of neural networks as diagnostic tools in medical
settings. Marzyeh has been employed at Intel working in Digital Health and
Emerging Market Platforms groups towards bringing better technology into
healthcare and underdeveloped regions globally. Currently residing in
Portland, OR, she serves on the Board of Trustee for the Islamic Center of
Portland and volunteered with SARC, Hillsboro Tech Wizards and the Oregon
Food Bank. Marzyeh will study at the Life Sciences Doctoral Training Centre
in Oxford.
Sarah Horn
Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sarah Horn will graduate from the
United States Naval Academy commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the
U.S. Marine Corps. A political science major and racer on the Academy's
Varsity Offshore Sailing Team, she has served in numerous leadership
positions within the Brigade of Midshipmen and completed internships with
Defense Intelligence Agency and the Chief of Naval Operations Executive
Panel. Selected as the Academy's VADM James B. Stockdale Fellow, Sarah
published a paper in the Center for the Study of the Presidency's annual
anthology; her work analyzed American AIDS relief policy toward Africa. At
the University of Oxford, Sarah plans to focus upon the role played by the
American military in African development efforts.
Kathryn 'Katie' Huston

US University: University of Massachusetts - Amherst
A native of Royal Oak, Michigan, Katie Huston studied journalism, political

science and international relations at the University of Massachusetts
Amherst. She was the managing editor of her daily student paper, and has
interned at a weekly newspaper and a political magazine in Michigan. While
studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa, she mentored a high school
newspaper in a township, helped run a media and leadership camp for
underprivileged students and wrote for a student international affairs
magazine. She has also performed and choreographed for the University of
Massachusetts dance department, played in the marching band and concert
band and conducted ethnography on undergraduate academic culture. She
plans to study global political economy at the University of Sussex with the
goal of working in international development.
Emma Kaufman
US University: Columbia University
Raised in Carlisle, PA, Emma Kaufman will graduate from Columbia

University with degrees in Philosophy and Gender Studies. Emma serves as
Editor-in-Chief of the Columbia Journal of Literary Criticism, founded a
volunteer program in Harlem, and competed on the nationally-ranked mock
trial team. Committed to exploring the relationship between gender and
justice, she has worked at the Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn District Attorney's
Office, SIECUS, and Planned Parenthood. A 2007 Guggenheim Fellow, Emma
interviews inmates and advocates for prison reform with the Correctional
Association of New York. She will read for an M.Phil in Criminology at the
University of Oxford.
Judd Kennedy
US University: College of William and Mary
Judd Kennedy studied Arabic Language and Literature and Middle Eastern
Studies at the College of William & Mary. As an Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi
Beta Kappa early-inductee, Judd conducted qualitative research in the West
Bank, Syria, Lebanon, France, Germany, and the UK and focused on the
interaction of religious minorities and social conflict. In college, he serves as
the chief justice of the undergraduate Honor Council, co-founded the campus
International Justice Mission club, and sings in an all male a cappella group.
He plans to study international law and diplomacy at the School of Oriental
and African Studies.
Rachel Kincaid
US University: University of Rochester
Trumpet player and composer Rachel Kincaid grew up in Ohio, and is a

Rogers Scholar at the Eastman School of Music. She is pursuing a Bachelors
of Music in trumpet performance and spent 2006-2007 studying at the Musik
Hochschule, Freiburg under the tutelage of trumpet player and composer
Anthony Plog. Her compositions are published by Editions BIM and have been
heard in venues in the U. S., Germany, and Great Britain. As a Marshall
Scholar she will pursue a master in trumpet performance at the Royal
Northern College of Music and a master in composition at another UK
institution. She is especially interested in expanding contemporary classical
music's audience by playing and writing socially relevant works which are
accessible to diverse audiences.
Matthew Linsley
A native of East Palestine, Ohio, Matt Linsley will graduate from the United
States Naval Academy with a BS in History and a minor in Spanish. As a
midshipman, Matt is ranked first in his class academically and has served as
Battalion Sergeant Major, Company Commander, and Battalion Executive
Officer. His academic work on civil rights, ethics, and American history has
resulted in several awards, including the Daughters of Colonial Wars prize
and the William P. Lawrence Military Ethics prize. Matt has been selected into
the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program and intends to enter the submarine
service upon commissioning.
Hilary Martens
US University: University of Montana - Missoula
Hilary Martens, a Missoula native, will graduate from the University of

Montana-Missoula in May 2008, with B.A. degrees in physics and music and a
minor in mathematics. A 2006 Goldwater Scholar, Hilary studies ions in
Saturn's magnetosphere with the international Cassini/Huygens Mission. In
summer 2005, she interned at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory in
England. Named one of Glamour Magazine's "Top Ten College Women" of
2007, Hilary also plays the violin, composes music, competes in marathon
canoeing, and raises funds to supply books to schools in developing
countries. Hilary will pursue a M.Sc. in Space Science at University College
London.
Megan McGinnity
US University: Arizona State University
Megan McGinnity
Megan McGinnity will graduate from Arizona State University with honors
degrees in economics and political science. A recipient of the Harry S.
Truman Scholarship and Circumnavigator Scholarship, she traveled around
the world researching the economics of international trafficking in persons
and completed her thesis on the subject. She spent a year in Romania
working at orphanages and studying Romanian language. In Arizona, she co-
founded a middle school Model United Nations program, interned with a U.S.
Senator, and conducted human trafficking awareness presentations. Megan
will study Middle East Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies,
having studied Arabic in Egypt on a State Department language program.
Monica Mukerjee
US University: Michigan State University
Monica Mukerjee will graduate from Michigan State University in 2008 in

international relations and psychology. Her research focuses on the
gendered impact of sexual violence during war. Selected as a Truman
Scholar for her commitment to public service, Monica has worked as a sexual
assault and crisis counselor, medical advocate, and director of children's
theatre workshops. She is a guest editor for a special-edition volume of MSU
Women in Development Working Papers, which will be on rape in violent
conflict. She will read for degree in Forced Migration at Oxford University to
work towards improving lives within conflict zones.
Priyanka Narayan
A native of Los Angeles, California, Priyanka will graduate from Stanford

University with a degree in Chemistry. She has been studying the
pathogenesis of Celiac Sprue through various biochemical research projects,
research for which she was awarded a Goldwater Scholarship in 2006.
Priyanka also enjoys playing violin as a member of the Stanford Symphony
Orchestra. She is looking forward to conduct research on protein folding and
its relationship to neurodegenerative diseases at Cambridge University.
Lee Pearson
Originally from Spokane, Washington, Lee will graduate as Duke University's

first dual-major in Civil/Environmental Engineering and Biomedical
Engineering. Pursuing interests in the environment and sustainable
development, Lee has studied marine population dynamics in the Florida
Keys, researched and published on pipeline dynamics in China, spoke at
engineering conferences in Washington DC and Bogotá, and established
development projects during his summers in Uganda and Peru for Duke
Engineers Without Borders. On campus, as engineering senior class
president, Lee enjoys organizing events and enabling underclassmen at
weekly engineering socials. Next year, he plans to study Ecological
Economics at the University of Edinburgh.
Patrick Rumley
US University: George Mason University
A Virginia native, Patrick Rumley currently studies Government, International

Politics and Islamic Studies at George Mason University. He has traveled
extensively, volunteered, and conducted research in the Caucasus, Middle
East, and Africa. As an NSEP/David Boren Scholar, Mr. Rumley explored the
efficacy of orphan deinstitutionalization legislation in the South Caucasus.
Interested in the development implications of religious tradition and culture
in the post-Soviet "Islamic Rim," he will pursue degrees in Islamic Law and
Development Studies with special reference to Central Asia at the School of
Oriental and African Studies.
Melvin Sanborn
US University: United States Military Academy
Raised in the rural environment of Wilmot, NH, Mel will soon graduate from
West Point with a BS in Chinese and commission as a military intelligence
officer in the US Army. Before entering West Point, Mel worked in the US
Army for four years as a Blackhawk helicopter crewchief, serving in both the
United States and the Republic of Korea. He enjoys soccer, volleyball, tennis,
poetry, and singing karaoke in Chinese and Korean. He plans to pursue a MA
in International Studies and Diplomacy and an MA in Chinese Studies at
SOAS at the University of London.
Jenna Sherry
US University: Indiana University
Jenna E. Sherry, from New Orleans, Louisiana, studies violin with Mark Kaplan
at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. A Wells Scholar and a
member of IU's 2007-08 Kuttner String Quartet, she recently produced a
Hurricane Katrina anniversary benefit concert for New Orleans' arts
organizations and is active in planning extracurricular programs for the
Hutton Honors College. She has performed as a soloist with orchestras in
Louisiana and Texas and participated in music festivals around the world. As
a Marshall Scholar, she will study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
with violinist David Takeno.
Stephen Silvius
US University: Georgetown University
Stephen Silvius
Stephen Silvius, of San Bernardino, California, graduated from Georgetown

University, summa cum laude in 2007 and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. A
double major in History and Mathematics, his senior thesis explored the Kelly
Conjecture on regular tournaments, which is applicable to problems of social
choice. An education entrepreneur, Steve founded HCS Educators at the age
of 17, bringing affordable SAT preparation and college guidance to students
in his hometown. At Georgetown he co-founded Georgetown Outreach which
organized and coordinated university tutoring and outreach programs to
District of Columbia public schools. Steve is currently teaching AP Calculus
and Algebra II at Animo Leadership Charter High School in Los Angeles. He
plans to continue his studies in Mathematics and Education at Oxford,
researching issues involving the organization, content, and presentation of
mathematics courses at the primary and secondary school levels.
Sabrina Snell
Sabrina Snell, of Washington, DC, will graduate Phi Beta Kappa from Yale
with combined BA/MA degrees in Anthropology. Editorial Director of
Global21, a worldwide network of student-led international affairs
magazines, she earlier served as managing editor of The Yale Globalist,
which took her to China, Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Venezuela. As a Light
Fellow, she studied Chinese at the Harvard-Beijing Academy; as a Paskus
Traveling Fellow, she studied Bolivia's MAS party, interviewing, among
others, its leader, President Evo Morales. She also coordinates a bilingual
tutoring program. She will read for an MPhil in Development Studies at the
University of Sussex.
Mary 'Cassie' Stoddard

A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Cassie is a biology major at Yale University.

She researches the evolution of avian color and has presented her work in
the United States and abroad. A tour guide at the Peabody Museum of
Natural History, she founded YEEBUG, an undergraduate organization which
promotes local science outreach. Cassie, a seabird enthusiast who has
studied gull ecology at Shoals Marine Laboratory, served as a delegate to the
international Peace University conference on human rights and the
environment in Caen, France. She is a Goldwater Scholar and Phi Beta Kappa
member who enjoys playing violin in the Yale Symphony Orchestra. At
Cambridge, she looks forward to pursuing ornithology research in the
Department of Zoology.
Alice Sverdlik
Alice Sverdlik majored in history at the University of Chicago and wrote her
honors thesis on famine relief in China. She led the Amnesty International
club for three years and interned with a Paraguayan environmental
organization, as well as volunteering at a free clinic in Dallas and a health
outreach van in Chicago. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 2006, Alice
researched affordable housing at the Sargent Shriver National Center on
Poverty Law. She will complete two MSc degrees at LSE, focusing on housing
policy in developing-world cities, and she hopes to work as a researcher with
a nonprofit organization.
Sarah Vander Ploeg
A native of northern New Jersey, lyric soprano Sarah Vander Ploeg has been
singing since before she could speak. Her passion for public policy and arts
advocacy work, however, led her to major in the Woodrow Wilson School at
Princeton University, where she is currently investigating a senior thesis on
music rights and cultural reconciliation in South Africa. Previous
accomplishments include Princeton's Shapiro Prize for academic excellence,
the Ferris Prize for journalism, lead roles in music department operas, and
winning the Princeton concerto competition, besides numerous professional
performances around New York and New Jersey. Sarah plans on studying
singing in a Masters programme at the Royal College of Music while
continuing her arts advocacy work with a local policy group.
Viktorya Vilk
US University: Boston University
An immigrant, Viktorya juggles multiple identities and pursues a cross-

cultural, inter-disciplinary approach to the humanities. She graduated
summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Boston University, with a B.A. in
art history and minors in French Literature and painting. Her senior thesis,
which traced the exchanges between Claude Monet and Guy de Maupassant,
was awarded the Gregory Hudson Award for Writing Excellence and the
College Prize for Excellence in Art History. She is currently researching the
Monet collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and has interned at
Christie's Auction House and the Nichol's House Museum. At the Courtauld
Institute, she will prepare for a career in museum curating.
Alyssa Wechsler
US University: University of Wyoming
In receiving a double major in Zoology and Environment & Natural Resources

at the University of Wyoming, Alyssa combines science and activism. She
conducted research in both fish embryology and the new field of ecological
stable isotope analysis. She is the volunteer coordinator and youngest board
member of Biodiversity Conservation Alliance and a trip leader for her
university's Outdoor Adventure Program. After volunteering abroad on
organic farms, she helped found a sustainable student farm on campus and
developed a sustainability handbook for incoming farm volunteers. She
hopes to address international sustainable development while pursuing a
Masters of Science at Oxford.
Zain Yoonas
Zain Yoonas of Boise, Idaho, graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of
Texas at Austin in 2006 with a degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Plan II
Honors. He spent an academic year abroad in Amman, Jordan studying
classical and modern Arabic. His senior thesis was a translation and study of
the "Book of Wisdoms", a seminal text in the tradition of Islamic mysticism.
Since graduating he has worked for the Boston Consulting Group, a
management consulting firm. Zain will read for the MPhil in Modern Middle
Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford.

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Marshall Scholar Bios

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Gabriel Amo

US University: Wheaton College, MA

Jessica Wei Zhu

A native of greater Boston, Ali Alhassani studied mechanical engineering at

Sean Arenson, of Sacramento, California, will graduate from Stanford

Tildon 'Grant' Belgard

T. Grant Belgard, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, graduates in May 2008 with a

Ben Carmichael of Falmouth, Maine, graduated Magna Cum Laude from

Hailing from Germantown, Maryland, Stephen is a proud alumnus of Penn

Jeff Eaton, of Seattle, Washington, will graduate from the University of

George 'Will' Flathers

George Flathers, of Meadowdean Farm in Rixeyville, Virginia, will graduate in

Megan Galbreth, of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, will graduate Phi Beta

A New Mexico State University graduate, Marzyeh majored in Electrical

Kathryn 'Katie' Huston

A native of Royal Oak, Michigan, Katie Huston studied journalism, political

Raised in Carlisle, PA, Emma Kaufman will graduate from Columbia

Trumpet player and composer Rachel Kincaid grew up in Ohio, and is a

Hilary Martens, a Missoula native, will graduate from the University of

Monica Mukerjee will graduate from Michigan State University in 2008 in

A native of Los Angeles, California, Priyanka will graduate from Stanford

Originally from Spokane, Washington, Lee will graduate as Duke University's

A Virginia native, Patrick Rumley currently studies Government, International

Stephen Silvius, of San Bernardino, California, graduated from Georgetown

Mary 'Cassie' Stoddard

A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Cassie is a biology major at Yale University.

An immigrant, Viktorya juggles multiple identities and pursues a cross-

In receiving a double major in Zoology and Environment & Natural Resources

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