About nucsj
Mission
The National Undergraduate Consortium for Science Journalism was founded by Arya Rao and Isabella Leite in 2020. Our primary mission is to create dialogue between undergraduate research journals regarding ethics, research practice, and our role in the dissemination of science. As the largest network of its kind, NUCSJ also leverages its platform to support the next generation of student-scientists and work towards a more equitable future for science journalism. Learn more about our leadership team below!
Executive board
President
Director of Events
Director of Events
Vishwanath Prathikanti, University of California-Davis – Aggie Transcript
Vishwanath Prathikanti studies Biological Anthropology and Education and is currently undertaking a research project on Undergraduate Research Journals (URJs). He is interested in understanding the impact of student-run URJs specifically, and believes working with th
Vishwanath Prathikanti, University of California-Davis – Aggie Transcript
Vishwanath Prathikanti studies Biological Anthropology and Education and is currently undertaking a research project on Undergraduate Research Journals (URJs). He is interested in understanding the impact of student-run URJs specifically, and believes working with the NUCSJ will provide not only valuable answers to his research, but will help the scientific community understand the value of URJs.
Director of Events
Director of Events
Director of Events
Heather Laurel Jensen, University of Arizona – Arizona Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies
Heather Jensen is a senior majoring in Neuroscience, Creative Writing, Middle Eastern and North African Studies, and Arabic, with minors in Spanish, Philosophy, and Consciousness Studies. Her current research includes projects on ethical community b
Heather Laurel Jensen, University of Arizona – Arizona Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies
Heather Jensen is a senior majoring in Neuroscience, Creative Writing, Middle Eastern and North African Studies, and Arabic, with minors in Spanish, Philosophy, and Consciousness Studies. Her current research includes projects on ethical community building in environmental justice, Palestinian cultural production in Europe and South America, and the construction of symbols through autobiographical-memory-based poetics.
Director of Policy
Director of Events
Director of Policy
Neha Mani, Columbia University – Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal
Neha Mani studies biochemistry and linguistics at Columbia University, where she is also an associate editor and Director of Outreach for the Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal. She is interested in the structural biology of Wnt signaling and characterization of gut physiology. She lives in the Bronx, New York.
Journal Liaison
Director of Events
Director of Policy
Claire Tumlin, University of Alabama – Journal of Science and Health
Claire Tumlin studies Biology and English and at the University of Alabama, where she is on the editorial staff of the Journal of Science and Health at UA (JOSHUA). She currently researches the impact of mTBIs on the aggression levels of the mangrove rivulus and is also i
Claire Tumlin, University of Alabama – Journal of Science and Health
Claire Tumlin studies Biology and English and at the University of Alabama, where she is on the editorial staff of the Journal of Science and Health at UA (JOSHUA). She currently researches the impact of mTBIs on the aggression levels of the mangrove rivulus and is also interested in improving healthcare literacy within rural communities.
Director of Civic Engagement
Director of Academic Advocacy
Director of Civic Engagement
Shaina Eagle, University of California-Davis – Aggie Transcript
Shaina Eagle is a Global Disease Biology major at the University of California, Davis, where she is also the Managing Editor of the Aggie Transcript, an undergraduate life sciences journal. Born and raised in San Diego, CA, she is currently researching hull dehiscence in pista
Shaina Eagle, University of California-Davis – Aggie Transcript
Shaina Eagle is a Global Disease Biology major at the University of California, Davis, where she is also the Managing Editor of the Aggie Transcript, an undergraduate life sciences journal. Born and raised in San Diego, CA, she is currently researching hull dehiscence in pistachios. She is interested in agroecology, disease management in food crops, and the conservation of native Californian ecosystems.
Director of Communication
Director of Academic Advocacy
Director of Civic Engagement
Adyasha Padhi, University of California-Davis – Aggie Transcript
Adyasha Padhi is a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Sociocultural Anthropology major at the University of California, Davis, where she is an editor at the Aggie Transcript, an undergraduate life sciences journal and is interested in translational research in pain medici
Adyasha Padhi, University of California-Davis – Aggie Transcript
Adyasha Padhi is a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Sociocultural Anthropology major at the University of California, Davis, where she is an editor at the Aggie Transcript, an undergraduate life sciences journal and is interested in translational research in pain medicine and is currently researching the signaling pathways involved in proteostasis in cardiac & skeletal muscle diseases & the side affects of commonly used NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen.
Director of Academic Advocacy
Director of Academic Advocacy
Director of Academic Advocacy
Sarah Sherman, Columbia University – Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal
Delegates Emeriti
Megan George, Texas Undergraduate Research Journal
Lina Huang, Colombia Undergraduate Science Journal
Executive board EMERITI
President Emeritus
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING Emeritus
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING Emeritus
Shloka V. Janapaty studies applied mathematics and geoscience at Columbia University, where she also sits on the executive board of the Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal. A native of Almaden Valley, California, she models terrestrial ecosystems within the context of climate change.
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING Emeritus
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING Emeritus
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING Emeritus
Rohan Nigam studies molecular and cellular biology at Vanderbilt University, where he is the treasurer for the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Research Journal. Born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC, Rohan conducts critical care research specifically within the context of surgical interventions and neurological injuries.
Director of policy and journal liaison Emeritus
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING Emeritus
Director of policy and journal liaison Emeritus
Davis H. Smith studies biochemistry and mathematics at Columbia University, where he is also an associate editor for the Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal. He is interested in biotechnology and its applications within cancer research. Davis was born and raised in northwestern Montana.
Director of events Emeritus
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING Emeritus
Director of policy and journal liaison Emeritus
Shamel Basaria studies neuroscience and psychology at Vanderbilt University, where he is also secretary for the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Science Journal. He is interested in immunology, specifically infectious disease research. He lives in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.
Director of Civic engagementEmeritus
Director of policy and journal liaison Emeritus
Director of Civic engagementEmeritus
Taylor Ginieczki studies International Relations and Romance languages at the University of Oregon, where she is Editor-in-Chief of the interdisciplinary Oregon Undergraduate Research Journal. Originally from Santa Cruz, CA, her research interests include U.S. foreign policy, conflict studies, and nuclear issues. She is particularly inter
Taylor Ginieczki studies International Relations and Romance languages at the University of Oregon, where she is Editor-in-Chief of the interdisciplinary Oregon Undergraduate Research Journal. Originally from Santa Cruz, CA, her research interests include U.S. foreign policy, conflict studies, and nuclear issues. She is particularly interested in integrating academic knowledge about geopolitical security into public consciousness and government policy.
PRESIDENT EMERITUS
Director of policy and journal liaison Emeritus
Director of Civic engagementEmeritus
Arya Rao is a senior at Columbia University studying Biochemistry and Computer Science. Originally from Big Rapids, Michigan, Arya aims to increase access to science education and promote scientific literacy, especially in rural areas like her hometown. As the founder and first President of NUCSJ, Arya spearheaded the Consortium’s first annual conference.
Director of policy and journal liaison Emeritus
Director of policy and journal liaison Emeritus
Director of policy and journal liaison Emeritus
Aditi Goyal is a fourth-year at UC Davis completing a double major in Genetics and Statistics. She serves as the Editor in Chief of her home journal, the Aggie Transcript, an undergraduate life sciences journal. Aditi is an undergraduate researcher in two labs, and plans to pursue a career in bioinformatics and data science.
Delegates Emeriti
Danny Ha, Georgetown Scientific Research Journal
Dave Banerjee, Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal
Giselle Rasquinha, Georgetown Scientific Research Journal
Kyla Schmitt, Oregon Undergraduate Research Journal
La Rissa Vasquez, The Aggie Transcript
Mirabel Sprague Burleson, The Aggie Transcript
Pragnya Adapa, Vanderbilt Undergraduate Research Journal
Sarah Beaudoin, Vanderbilt Undergraduate Research Journal
Shriti Parajuli, Stanford Intersect
Theodore Lowell, Arizona Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies