Talk: Seeing Us

Gray Babbs uses epidemiologic and econometric methods to examine structural drivers of health inequities. He is particularly interested in the role of Medicare and Medicaid policy to improve population health for transgender, nonbinary and other gender diverse populations. Before coming to Brown, he received an MPH from the Boston University School of Public Health and a bachelor of arts in biology from Carleton College.

Talk: Visual Motion Improves Our Sense of Time

Anthony Bruno is nearing his final year of doctoral study. In his experimental research, he investigates how humans perceive time, with a recent focus on how the brain integrates time information across the senses. Anthony unites his passions for understanding human behavior and music with his research, as he has been a saxophone player for the majority of his life. Before beginning his Ph.D., he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in music performance from Denison University. 

Talk: Reimagining Cultural Frameworks: Afrosurrealism in Practice

Melaine Ferdinand-King is in her final year of doctoral study. Her dissertation explores Afrosurrealism as a vital but underexamined tradition in U.S. and Caribbean thought and culture. In tracing its presence through twentieth-century theory, literature, and art, she underscores valuable strategies for making sense of our increasingly surreal world today. As a cultural worker, Melaine’s broader interests lie in the use of experimentation and critical civic imagination toward social and political change. She holds a bachelor of arts in sociology from Spelman College. In her leisure time, she appreciates stand-up comedy, soul and jazz music, and writing poetry. 

Talk: Caring for an Aging Population in Community Health Centers

Nicole Giron is a firm believer that healthcare should be affordable for all. Her research focuses on the delivery of comprehensive primary care within safety net and community health center populations. Before coming to Brown, she earned her master’s in community health and prevention research from the Stanford School of Medicine and a bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University. Her other passions include pleasantly sunny days and the smell of morning coffee.

Talk: Impact of Bacterial Motility

Silverio Johnson is in his final year of doctoral studies. Growing up, his love of nature and his desire to understand the world around him led him to pursue research in physics, particularly in the field of biophysics. Using innovative tracking techniques, Silverio aims to gain a deeper understanding of how bacteria move and, ultimately, the impact of that motion on a larger scale. In his spare time, he is an avid learner who enjoys meeting new people, playing chess, and practicing calisthenics.

Talk: Polymeric Nanoparticles as Next-Generation Vaccines

Brendan Knittle is in the second year of his master’s program on the research thesis track. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan, where his undergraduate research focused on the impact of chiral modification on metal oxide nanoparticles in regards to their biological interactions with bacteria. Following his interests in biomaterials and nanotechnology, he joined the Desai Lab at Brown where he discovered new passions for immunology and oncology. Outside of the lab, Brendan finds time to hone his cooking skills and expand his ever growing library of music.

Talk: Bridging Epidemiology and Organizational Change

Joey Leszczynski is in the second year of his master’s program, where he is studying applied epidemiology. His research interests include infectious disease epidemiology, hematology, and immunoepidemiology. Joey holds a bachelor’s of science in business administration from Bryant University, in both innovation management and health sciences. He strives to find new ways to combine business acumen and public health expertise to create tangible, action-oriented solutions. A double published author, he has contributed literature in subjects of genomic research and implementation science. In his free time, Joey enjoys styling, clothing design, makeup, reading, writing, and drinking his weight in coffee. 

Talk: The Missing Link in Brain Health: Why Literacy and Community Matter

Akashleena Mallick is a physician-scientist and public health student committed to advancing health equity. With extensive experience in brain health research, she focuses on stroke, health disparities, mixed methods, and implementation science. Her capstone investigates a multifaceted intervention for hypertension management in low-middle-income countries. A driven science advocate, she has served as president of the Mass General Postdoctoral Association. Beyond academia, she is dedicated to mental health advocacy and enjoys hiking. Raised in Calcutta, India, she delights in Tagore’s songs and Amartya Sen’s theories with equal enthusiasm.

Talk: Breaking Through the Biofilm Barrier

Alec McCall is in the fourth year of his doctoral degree specializing in the characterization of bacterial biofilm infections to develop biomaterials for their treatment. Alec received his bachelors of Science in engineering from Arizona State University, majoring in biomedical engineering with minors in business and chemistry. Currently, Alec conducts his research as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and also works for the Brown Technology Innovations office as a Brown Innovation Fellow. In his spare time, he enjoys working out, playing the guitar, cooking, and learning about American history. 

Talk: It’s Good to Have a Body, Even if You’re an AI

Patrick McKee is in his fifth-year of doctoral study. His research focuses on ethics, philosophy of mind, and topics at the intersection of these areas. He is currently wondering whether non-conscious AIs can have moral status, and what, if anything, would be good for them. He is also interested in animal ethics, which he has taught at Brown. He holds a bachelor of arts in applied mathematics from Harvard College. In his free time, he enjoys running, making pottery, and spending time with his family.

Talk: Can We Talk About Algorithms in the Ancient World?

Erica Meszaros is in her final year of doctoral study in history of the exact sciences in antiquity. Her current research project focuses on Babylonian astronomical procedures and the place of algorithms in ancient science. Her goal is to interrogate the language current scholars use to interpret Mesopotamian astronomy while using this modern scaffolding to reveal more about the very human cultures behind these ancient scientific procedures. In her downtime, she enjoys escape rooms and training for the circus.

Talk: Egg-Sploring Ovarian Aging and Fertility

Morgan Woodman-Sousa is a third-year graduate student with a strong passion for women’s health, particularly infertility. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms behind oocyte quality and ovarian aging, aiming to shed light on idiopathic female infertility and reproductive health. Morgan’s work is deeply personal, influenced by her transformative experience of becoming a mother, which has shaped both her professional and personal life. In her free time, she enjoys reading and running marathons, with the Boston Marathon being her favorite—a feat she’s completed twice!

Talk: How Brain-Inspired Imaging Reveals Hidden Worlds

Ning Zhang is studying electrical and computer engineering. His research focuses on developing advanced optical imaging techniques, creating innovative wearable medical devices, and exploring brain-computer interfaces. Combining expertise from engineering, neuroscience, and healthcare, Ning is committed to developing technologies that enhance health and well-being. He holds a master’s of science in biomedical engineering from Brown and a bachelor of engineering in electronic engineering from Zhejiang University, China. In his free time, Ning enjoys skiing, basketball, mountain biking, and taking walks with his dog, Sky.

A journalist and Ph.D. candidate in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies, Karyn Mota completed a master’s in Africana studies and Portuguese and Brazilian studies from Brown through the Open Graduate Education program and also completed her master’s in communications from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Mota has served as a visiting research fellow at Brown, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Université Paris 8. She has presented her work at academic conferences in Brazil, the U.S., Portugal, Israel, France, England and Greece. Her research interests include contemporary Brazilian literature and culture, Africana studies, Latin American and Caribbean studies, communications and digital humanities.