Department Representatives Spring 2023
Andrew Bishop
Biography
I am a 4th year PhD student in Applied Physics working with Alex Gaeta on quantum and nonlinear photonics. I’m excited to once again serve as a DR for the department.
About
I grew up in Massachusetts, got my BS in Physics from Harvey Mudd College in California, and am happy to be back on the east coast since 2018.
Contact
Ask me about qSTEM or the graduate worker union. Please reach out anytime at [email protected].
Alexander Benanti
Biography
Hey everyone! I’m Alex Benanti and I’m currently an Applied Mathematics Master’s student here at Columbia!
About
In my free time, I love to play tennis, chess, and golf! I also spend a lot of time watching tennis (Nadal is my favorite).
Contact
I would love to hear from you if you have any thoughts or ideas. Please feel free to reach me at [email protected].
Thomas Bina (Lead DR)
Biography
Hi! I am a 3rd year PhD student in Dr. Helen Lu's lab, working on biomaterials, especially tissue engineering scaffolds. I am also the president of GoBME for 2023!
About
I like exploring new hobbies in my free time, especially anything related to food!
Contact
Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]!
Baziel Taghon
Biography
Hi, I am Baziel, a Master's Student from Belgium, specializing in Biomedical Engineering in the MS in BME Program. I earned my undergraduate degree and first Master's degree in BME at Ghent University, Belgium, where I delved into the domains of neural engineering and artificial intelligence.
I am currently researching how deep language models, including GPT4, process and encode language, and how this relates to contextual language encoding in humans at the Neural Acoustic Processing Lab under Prof. Mesgarani.
About
When I'm not hitting the books, you can catch me hitting the tennis ball or hitting the open road on my trusty bike. I love to try out new sports and activities too - I'm always down for an adventure! On top of that, I'm a bit of a leadership junkie and enjoy getting involved in both non-profit and for-profit projects. But let's be real, my favorite thing to do is hang out with my friends and paint the town red, especially here in the amazing city of New York ;)
Contact
Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]!
Elizabeth Maker
Olimpia Gavaudan
Biography
Hi, I'm Olimpia, a French-Italian biomedical engineering student currently pursuing my master's degree. I grew up in London, but completed my undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering at Columbia University. Currently, I'm part of the lung team in the Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, where we focus on understanding cystic fibrosis.
About
In my free time, I love playing tennis and skiing, as well as contributing to my community as an active member of the communications committee.
Contact
Feel free to reach me at [email protected]!
Xiaoxiao Sun
Biography
Hi, everyone! I am Xiaoxiao. I am a Ph.D. student in Biomedical Engineering with Dr. Paul Sajda working on the field of biomedical imaging, neuroengineering, brain stimulation (e.g., TMS), and brain computer interface (BCI).
About
As an international student from China, I have spent a significant amount of time in New York City, soaking up all the vibrant energy that this bustling metropolis has to offer.
In my free time, I love to travel and explore different parts of the world. I'm always eager to meet new people and learn about different cultures.
Contact
Kevin Turaczy (Lead DR)
Biography
I am a 3rd Year PhD student in the Chen lab working on characterizing different metal catalysts, via surface science techniques, for hydrogen generation.
About
I like to bike long distances, eat really spicy food, pick things up & put them down, and get people to fall in love with STEM!
Contact
Hansen Mou
Biography
I am a 4th year PhD student in working with Professor Jingguang Chen. I did my undergrad at Clemson University in South Carolina.
Research focus: Electrocatalysis for biomass conversion
About Hansen
In my free time I enjoy biking, skating, and learning new languages. I've also been trying to go through the backlog of games on my Steam account.
Contact
If you've got any questions or concerns, you can reach me at my email [email protected] or on Slack.
Pan Thi Khine
Biography
Hi! My name is Pan Thi Khine, and everyone calls me Pan! I'm a 1st year master's student in Chemical Engineering, with a biopharmaceutical and biotechnology concentration.
About
I am a foodie who loves cooking and baking. I also love watching tv shows and playing badminton.
Contact
I am always ready to make new friends and hear ideas or feedback. Feel free to contact me at [email protected].
Varun Inamdar
Ishan Panigrahy
Shivani Patel (Lead DR)
Biography
Hi everyone! I am Shivani, M.S. in CEEM student and your DR. I am focusing on construction strategic management, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
About
I am also the president of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Graduate Student Council (CEEM GSC), and I love traveling and hiking.
Contact
Palash Badjatya
Biography
Hey everyone! I am Palash (he/him), a 4th year PhD student in CEEM. I got my undergrad in India and Master's in Illinois.
About Palash
I like photography, traveling, exploring NYC, trying new restaurants - ask me for recommendations.
Contact
Feel free to reach me at [email protected]. Glad to address any questions, concerns, comments, especially from PhD students.
Preet Jasoliya
Biography
Hello everyone!! I am Preet Jasoliya pursuing masters in Civil Engineering and expected to graduate in May 2023.
About Preet
I am very passionate about the Real Estate industry, F1 and meeting new people. I am looking forward to help out students with their concerns.
Contact
If you have any ideas, suggestions or just want to have a conversation about anything, feel free to contact me on [email protected]
Sai Mithil Krishna Kumar
Biography
Hi Guys! I’m Sai Mithil from Bengaluru, India and I’m pursuing Master’s in Civil Engineering. Im one of the DRs for CEEM this semester.
About
I like Archery, Movies, Video Games and Cycling.
Contact
If you have any questions, concerns or comments, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]
Ritik Panda (Lead DR)
Kahlil Dozier
Biography
I'm a 3rd year PhD student in Computer Science working in the Distributed Network Analysis group with professors Dan Rubenstein and Vishal Misra. I'm also super excited to be serving as a DR for the second consecutive semester.
About
In the Fall of 2020, I moved across the country to NYC from Los Angeles, where I had previously completed my MS degree at USC. Among other things, I like to stay active, doing things like running in Central Park, or playing pickup basketball in the NYC parks when the weather gets nice. I’m also into skateboarding, something I picked up from my time in LA!
Contact
Please feel free to email me at [email protected] any time!
Joel Salzma
Biography
Current MS student, recent Bridge Program alumnus, perennial XR enthusiast. I majored in Geography and Philosophy at UC Santa Barbara and worked for two years (mapping where to build big renewable energy projects) before pivoting to study Computer Vision here. Big fan of rocks and trees.
About
As a member of the Social Committee, it's my solemn responsibility to be fun. I'm also a DR for the CS department. Feel free to contact me about anything related to events, computer science, or rock climbing.
Contact
Emails sent to [email protected] make my phone go bzzzz
Lennart Schulze
Biography
Hi! My name is Lennart and I'm a second-semester master's student on the machine learning track, focusing on deep learning, computer vision, and robotics. Originally from Berlin, Germany, I was fortunate to live, study and work in four countries before coming to the US last fall with an undergraduate degree in business informatics. These stations led me to become involved in NGOs, intergovernmental organizations, and the tech sector, working between business, policy, and engineering. While my academic interest lies in research and development of human-centered emerging technologies, I have always found it fundamental to advocate for organizations that proactively meet the needs of their members. At a place as full of ideas as SEAS, I am delighted to represent the concerns of the CS graduate students and would particularly like to improve career opportunities, student-to-admin relations, and interdepartmental exchange. Please reach out via e-mail with any questions or suggestions!
Contact
Daniel Galperin (Lead DR)
Biography
Dan is a chemical engineering undergrad from Cooper Union and is currently in Professor Park's group in EEE. Dan has always had a passion for improvement of institutional effectiveness.
About
Dan is committed to improving any institution he is a part of and sees it as his duty to participate and help students voice concerns (and positive comments!) to administration to ensure that everyone has a voice.
Contact
You can reach Dan at [email protected].
Gnanaraj Augustine
Nathalie Tuya
Biography
Nathalie is a 2nd year PhD student in EEE. Her research is primarily focused on the manufacturing and characterization of Li-ion battery electrodes. Prior to this, her undergraduate research focused on remediation of nuclear waste sites.
About
Nathalie was born and raised in Miami, FL, and currently lives in New York City with her cat, Faust. She’s been part of EGSC since Fall 2021 and is passionate about making the voices of SEAS graduate students heard!
Contact
[email protected] or https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-tuya
Petar Barac (Lead DR)
Biography
I am a 4th year PhD student in Electrical Engineering. My research interest is in RF & Analog ICs for wireless communication systems.
About
I am also the President of Graduate Electrical Engineering at Columbia (GEEC). In my free time, I like to play basketball and watch F1.
Contact
You can reach me at : [email protected]
Mili Sehgal
Aishwarya Patange
Biography
Hey! My name is Aishwarya Patange and I am a graduate student in the Electrical Engineering Department.
About
I'm a graduate of the University of Mumbai, where I studied Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering. When I'm not working hard on my projects, you can usually find me relaxing with a game of chess, cheering on my favorite football team (or soccer, for those on this side of the pond), or protecting my Ancient. And, of course, defending DC against any Marvel fans out there - gotta stick up for the better one, right?
Contact
Please do not hesitate to contact me at your convenience via email at [email protected] should you have any inquiries, feedback, or suggestions. I would be delighted to hear from you and to offer any assistance or information that may be helpful.
Sai Vittal Battula
Biography
I am a master's student in electrical engineering and will be graduating in December 2023. I have a staunch research background in the field of nano-electronics, especially in analyzing the electronic and magnetic properties of nanomaterials. I have three peer-reviewed publications. I have also authored a fictional novel titled 'A Road up the Shimmering Blues.' Furthermore, I have founded a non-profit named Swattle and co-founded MergeURL.
About
I did my undergrad at Mahindra University, India in electrical and electronics engineering. I am a 22-year-old student, programmer, writer, researcher, foodie, and a massive proponent of learning. I try to learn new stuff every day.
I love playing tennis, flying planes in simulators, stargazing, traveling, and exploring NYC.
Contact
Feel free to reach me at [email protected] for any questions or feedback!
You can also contact me through my website: saivittalb.com.
Yatharth Bansal
Biography
Hello there! My name is Yatharth Bansal and I am a first-year master's student in the Electrical Engineering department. As the current Department Representative, I am thrilled to serve as the voice of my peers and contribute to the ongoing success of the department.
About
I am a recent graduate of Huazhong University of Science and Technology HUST, Wuhan, CN where I earned my Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications Engineering and a chinese name 杨松 yang song.
✨ Music is a big part of my life, and in my free time, you can find me playing my acoustic guitar and singing. My love for adventure and diversity has taken me to 15 countries, and I have many more to explore in the future.
Contact
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Electrical Engineering Department or any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]. As the Department Representative, my priority is to ensure that our students have a fulfilling academic experience. I appreciate your interest in our department and I am happy to assist you in any way I can.
Anita Shi (Lead DR)
Biography
Hey everyone! I'm a first year MS student studying Management Science & Engineering. I'm from Canada, and I studied Math in my undergrad at Cornell.
About
Brought up in China and Vancouver, I love learning about different cultures. In my free time, I also enjoy the outdoors, ice skating, and cooking.
Contact
If you have any questions, feedback, or ideas for SEAS, please feel free to reach me at [email protected], I would love to connect with you!
Anusha Kulkarni
Biography
Hello! I'm Anusha Kulkarni, a first year Management Science and Engineering MS student.
I did my undergraduate degree from VIT Chennai, in Electronics and Communication Engineering. Post that, I worked as a business analyst at Axis Bank, India.
About
I'm someone who loves reading and watching movies, and will throw quotes at you left and right. I'm also a basketball player, swimmer and cyclist. I genuinely love solving problems and would like to extend my abilities to help the IEOR students.
Contact
Feel free to reach me at [email protected] if you have any questions, feedback or ideas for SEAS.
Nirali Vadodaria
Biography
Hey everyone! I am an MS in Business Analytics Dec '23 student from India.
About
In my free time, I love watching movies and sports. I would eat Mexican food with coke & a cookie for every meal if it were possible.
Contact
I would love to hear from you if you have any questions, feedback or ideas for SEAS. Feel free to reach me at [email protected] at any time!
Vighnesh Srinivasa Balaji
Biography
Hey Everyone!! I’m a graduate student at Columbia University pursuing my Master in Business Analytics.
I worked as a Data Scientist at IBM for 3 years prior to this. I play basketball, swim or go hiking in my free time.
About
Want to be a Hokage one day.
Contact
Feel free to reach me at [email protected] if you have any questions, feedback or ideas for SEAS.
Naveen Elango
Biography
Hey everyone! I'm a Master's student in the Management Science and Engineering program. Before joining Columbia, I completed my undergraduate degree in Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Madras post which I worked at a hedge fund as a Quantitative Researcher and at a FinTech firm as a Product Manager.
About
I love all kinds of water-sports especially Surfing and Stand-Up Paddling. Other than that I love painting, sketching and other forms of artwork!
Contact
Feel free to reach me at [email protected]
Tejas Vijh
Joe Lee (Lead DR)
Biography
Wassup?! I am a 3rd year PhD student in Professor Michael Burke's combustion lab.
About
If you ever see me outside of the Northwest Corner Building late at night, it is probably to pick up my Sushi Sushi sushi from my Grubhub driver.
Contact
Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]!
Turki Al Rubaya
Biography
Hey everyone! I'm a first year student pursuing a M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. I moved to the US from Saudi Arabia back in 2018 and graduated with a B.S. from Boston University last year. I did some exciting research on soft robots in my undergrad, so I decided to concentrate in Robotics and Control here at Columbia.
About
As a DR, I work to create a better experience for all SEAS graduate students. Outside of class, you can find me either cycling or playing tennis at Central Park.
Contact
Feel free to reach me at my email: [email protected]
Jason Fan
Biography
Hi everyone! I am a 4th year ME PhD student. My research is about how photochemical reactions can change the biomechanics of transparent soft tissues.
About
I am excited to be a DR and hope to contribute to the engineering community. Outside of the academic work, I enjoy watching movies, strolling in the Riverside park, and exploring NYC.
Contact
I would love to hear from you if you have any ideas or thoughts about SEAS or ME. Please feel free to reach me at [email protected].
Shruti Sharma
Biography
Hey hello, Hope you are all well or here is hoping things are getting better each day! I am Shruti Sharma, a first year MS in Mechanical Engineering with Robotics Concentration!
About
I love robots, and love to write! Always trying to understand, look for understanding different cultures and perspectives!
Contact
Feel free to reach out at - [email protected]
Shiksha Sabharwal
Biography
Hi everyone! I am a 1st year MS Mechanical Engineering student with a concentration in Robotics and Control. I am your new DR and hope to address any concerns/developments you might have for the department.
About
I am also the graduate representative of IEEE @ Columbia and the career placement chair of GradSWE.
Contact
Feel free to contact me at [email protected].
Mark Barbet
Nathaniel Ho (Lead DR)
Biography
Hello! I'm Nathaniel Ho, and I am a current MSDS student with an expected graduation date of December 2023. I have a BS in Computer Science and a BA in Economics from the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!) and my hometown is St. Louis, Missouri.
About
I am currently a lead department representative (DR) for the Data Science Institute and help EGSC by helping with projects in the Academic Affairs Board. Additionally, I am the current president of the Data Science Institute's Student Council (DSISC), and I hope to contribute to both student leader organizations to the best of my ability.
In the (little) free time that I have, I like to watch K-Dramas, listen to music, play the viola, and weightlift/run. I also like to explore NYC on the weekends; any recommendations with regards to attractions and restaurants would be greatly appreciated!
Contact
Feel free to reach me at [email protected] or connect with me on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/nathanielho1)
Yichen Huang
Biography
Hey everyone! I'm Yichen Huang, an MS in Data Science student graduating in December 2023.
About
I completed my undergrad in Computer Science from The University of Alabama in 2022. I love sports, cooking, learning new things, and exploring new places!!
Contact
I will love to hear from you if you have any thoughts or ideas. Feel free to reach me at [email protected]. Don't hesitate to contact me regarding anything you want to be addressed. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/huangyichen) and Instagram (@yichuuang). Looking forward to hearing from you.
Sushant Prabhu
Biography
Hello everyone!
I'm Sushant, a first-year MS in Data Science student graduating from Columbia, in Dec 2023. I have a Bachelor in Computer and Communication Engineering from MIT Manipal, India. I am originally from Mumbai.
Check out more about me from my website - https://sushantprabhu.netlify.app
About
I love to meet and connect with people from different backgrounds and learn about their cultures. I have been involved in a lot of things as I like to push my limits. Talk to me about networking, technical advancements in ML, and AI, breaking and building things, content creation, making something impactful in your career, and everything that’s happening in tech. I am currently learning how to incentivize my limited time on this planet. In my free time, I like to binge-watch movies and play games.
As an MS in Data Science Department Representative (DR), in the communications committee of EGSC, I look forward to helping solve student issues in order to improve the educational experience. I am also a member of the Data Science Institute Student Council (DSISC), and I look forward to being a bridge between the two, ensuring all voices are shared and heard with the best action in the interest of students is taken.
Contact
I would love to hear from you if you have any thoughts or ideas.
Feel free to reach me at [email protected]. Please contact me regarding anything you want to be addressed.
You can also connect with me on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/sushant-prabhu/ ) & Instagram ( @_sushantprabhu ). Looking forward to hearing from you.