REM-EFRI

Areya Blanco (she/her) is an undergraduate at Lewis and Clark College, where she is pursuing a major in anthropology and minor in health studies. She plans to use her education to protect and improve the health of people and their communities. For her summer research experience, Areya worked with Dr. Rebecca Fielding-Miller's lab to develop ethical and legal guidelines for the implementation of living materials in healthcare settings. Some of Areya’s passions include advocacy, learning about different cultures, traveling, and poetry.

Mayra Fonseca (she/her) is an undergraduate at California State University, San Marcos pursuing a degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in chemistry. Her goal is to attend dental school after graduation and she hopes to become dentist. For her summer research experience, Mayra worked with Dr. Rebecca Fielding-Miller's lab to develop ethical and legal guidelines for the implementation of living materials in healthcare settings. In her free time, Mayra enjoys going to the beach, hikes, and spending time with loved ones.

Saidi (sigh-dee) Garcia (they/he) is currently a student at Cal State San Marcos, in their final year of pursuing a B.S in Biotechnology. Their interest in science only grew more after moving to San Diego from Oxnard, CA. They want to work in the industry for a bit before pursuing a Master’s degree. They are eager to gain experience and tools to apply to future learning opportunities. For their summer research experience, Saidi worked in Dr. Shaochen Chen’s lab to fabricate living materials with 3D bioprinters. When not working in a lab, Saidi likes to hike, eat new foods and enjoy coffee, and hang with friends.

Rebecca Mendoza (she/her) is an undergraduate student at California State University San Marcos pursuing a B.S. in biology, with the intent to pursue a career in health care. She has been volunteering at Palomar Health for almost a year now. As a REM intern, she researched microbial competition in the built environment in Dr. Jack Gilbert's lab. She is a first-generation Mexican American and hopes to continue her path in STEM while proudly representing her community.

Josue Navarrete (they/them) is an undergraduate student at California State University San Marcos pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science. In Dr. Karsten Zengler’s lab, Josue performed computational metabolic modeling of bacterial interactions to build our understanding of how different strains of bacteria survive and complete in built environments. Josue aims to establish a research career combining data science, ecology, and biology, with a short-term goal of pursuing a PhD in Data Science. Their long-term aspiration is to become a professor at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), teaching and inspiring future STEM leaders.

Jayden Chaloux is an undergraduate student at University of California Los Angeles, where she majors in biochemistry with the intent of becoming a forensic scientist. She is a member of the United National Indian Tribal Youth Council (UNITY) and volunteers with the San Pasqual Education Department’s after-school program. For her summer research experience, Jayden worked in Dr. Shaochen Chen’s lab to fabricate living materials with 3D bioprinters. 

Antoinette Jane (AJ) Dizon (they/she) is an undergraduate student at California State University San Marcos pursuing a B.S. in Biotechnology. As a REM intern, they researched microbial competition in the built environment in Dr. Jack Gilbert's lab. AJ plans to attend graduate school for marine biotechnology and biomedicine, combining her love for the ocean and background in biotechnology. They hope to continue projects in science education, communication, and outreach to inspire young students interested in pursuing STEM careers while representing that STEM is for everyone.

Talia Quiroga (she/her) is an undergraduate student at the University of San Diego majoring in Business Analytics and Sociology with a Law, Crime, and Justice Studies Concentration and a Law and Ethics minor. Talia joined Dr. Rebecca Fielding-Miller's lab for her summer research experience, where she worked on developing ethical and legal guidelines for the implementation of living materials in healthcare settings. Being a Kumeyaay native with a mixed background, Talia is passionate about working to assist marginalized communities to success in personal and professional affairs. When not in school Talia can be found trying new restaurants, spending time with family, friends and cat, or at a local sports game.

Harshika Rathod is an undergraduate biology major at California State University San Marcos. During her summer research experience in Dr. Karsten Zengler’s lab, Harshika worked on computational metabolic modeling of bacterial interactions to build our understanding of how different strains of bacteria survive and complete in built environments.