Meet the 2015-16 Fellows
Dr. Yssavo Camacho
RiSE/ NSF REU in Physics and Astronomy Scholar: Summer 13
Undergraduate Studies: Lehigh University
Program: Ph.D. in Physics and Astronomy
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Saurabh Jha
Ph.D. Research Topic: Researching the diversity of white dwarf supernovae (WD SN) via spectroscopic analysis of an extreme subgroup called Iax supernovae.
Support post Super Grad Award, other notable Awards, fellowships, publications or accomplishments:
Camacho-Neves Y., et al., 2023, ApJ, 951, 67, Over 500 Days in the Life of the Photosphere of the Type Iax Supernova SN 2014dt, https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acd558
Current status in graduate program/Expected graduation: Defended PhD in 2023
Advice for prospective graduate students: Working with kind and intelligent people has a big impact on your academic, professional and even social life. Seek out and nurture these collaborations whenever you have the opportunity.
Kevin Dillon
RiSE Scholar: Summer 13, and co-participant in the National Science Foundation REU, Biogeography of Biotransformations for Halogenated Organic Compounds: a Comparison of the Tropics, Temperate and sub-Arctic Environments
Undergraduate Studies: Monmouth University
Program: Ph.D. in Microbial Biology
Thesis Advisor: Professor Donna Fennell
Ph.D. Research Topic: The diversity and activity of microorganisms in the atmosphere. This work spans projects looking at the activities of microorganisms suspended in gas-phase bioreactors in the lab to examining the diversity of microorganisms in clouds in France.
Support post Super Grad Award, other notable Awards, fellowships, publications or accomplishments: Kevin has been funded as a STEM Chateaubriand Fellow working in the BioMETA team at the French National Scientific Research Center and the Chemistry Institute of Clermont-Ferrand led by Dr. Anne-Marie Delort, a pioneer in atmospheric microbiology. Additionally, he was an Air Pollution Education Research Grant Fellow of the Mid-Atlantic States Section of the Air & Waste Management Association for two years.
Current status: Defended PhD in May 2021 (October 2021 graduation). Currently appointed as a post-doc in Environmental Sciences as part of an NIH/NIEHS Training Grant in Exposure Science.
Advice for prospective graduate students: The most important part of graduate school is taking care of yourself: physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Steven Jones
RiSE Scholar: Summer 14
Undergraduate Studies: University of the District of Columbia
Program: Ph.D. in Social Psychology
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Gretchen Chapman
Ph.D. Research Topic: *pending
Support post Super Grad Award, other notable Awards, fellowships, publications or accomplishments: *pending
Current status in graduate program/Expected graduation: *pending
Advice for prospective graduate students: *pending
Talia M. Planas-Fontánez
Graduate Program: Toxicology
RiSE Scholar: Summer 14
Undergraduate Studies: University of Puerto Rico–Rio Piedras
Program: Joint Graduate Program in Toxicology
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Cheryl F. Dreyfus
Ph.D. Research Topic: The effects of the metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, CHPG, in mouse models of brain demyelination
Support post Super Grad Award, other notable Awards, fellowships, publications or accomplishments:
- Publications:
- Planas-Fontánez, T.; Sainato, D.; Sharma, I.; Dreyfus, CF. (2021) Roles of astrocytes in response to aging, Alzheimer’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. Brain Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147464.
- Planas-Fontánez, T.; Dreyfus, CF.; Saitta, K. (2020) Reactive astrocytes as therapeutic targets for brain degenerative diseases: Roles played by metabotropic glutamate receptors. Neurochem
Res 45, 541–550. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-020-02968-6.
- Honors and Awards
- American Society of Neurochemistry (ASN) Neuro Award 2021
- Doctoral Student COVID Funding 2021
- NYU DeNDriTeS Program Fellow 2021
- School of Graduate Studies Acceleration and Completion Fellowship, Rutgers University 2021
- Bristol Myers Squibb Fellowship in the JGPT 2019-2020
- International Society of Neurochemistry (ISN) Travel Award 2019
- Scientist Mentoring and Diversity Program (SMDP) Scholar 2019
- Trainee Professional Development Award, Society for Neuroscience 2019
- NIH R01 36647: Administrative Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health- Related Research Program (2017-2020)
- NIH Training Grant T32ES007148, Rutgers University (2016-2017
Current status: Defended PhD in January 2022 (May 2022 graduation).
Advice for prospective graduate students: Find your friends and your support group! Aim to find balance between research and social life. You will probably feel better if you grab coffee or lunch with someone and complain about the struggles and celebrate the victories.