BGS Fontaine Event: Student Group Panelists

Meet the BGS student group panelists! 


Ernest E Just Biomedical Society (EE Just)

Melanie Schaffler

Melanie Schaffler

Pronouns: She/her
Program: Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG)
Bio: I am a 4th-year in Ishmail Abdus-Saboor's lab studying the role of touch neurons in stress resilience. I grew up on Long Island, NY, went to Wesleyan University, and worked as a lab tech at UC Davis for 2 years before moving to Philly. I recently adopted 2 black kittens that I cannot tell apart and are destroying all my plants, and my favorite thing about living in Philly is that I am walking distance from so much good food.

Pronouns: She/her
Program: Neuroscience Graduate Group (NGG)
Bio: I am a 4th-year in Ishmail Abdus-Saboor's lab studying the role of touch neurons in stress resilience. I grew up on Long Island, NY, went to Wesleyan University, and worked as a lab tech at UC Davis for 2 years before moving to Philly. I recently adopted 2 black kittens that I cannot tell apart and are destroying all my plants, and my favorite thing about living in Philly is that I am walking distance from so much good food.


LTBGS+

Daniel Morris

Daniel Morris

Pronouns: he/him
Program: Cell and Molecular Biology (CAMB) - MVP
Bio: I'm a University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) alum, Class of 2018. I'm a candidate in George Shaw's lab with a passion for HIV vaccine and cure efforts. I'm very involved with LTBGS and Lambda Grads, two student-led organizations on campus that serve LGBTQ+ graduate students at the Perelman School of Medicine and the entire university, respectively. I'm an avid volleyball player, downhill skier, spin class enthusiast, dance club lover, and foodie. My biggest advice for students about their grad school decision is to pick the school/city that you can see yourself being happy at for 5/6 years. Lots of schools have great science, but you'll do your best science where you're happiest! 

Pronouns: he/him
Program: Cell and Molecular Biology (CAMB) - MVP
Bio: I'm a University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) alum, Class of 2018. I'm a candidate in George Shaw's lab with a passion for HIV vaccine and cure efforts. I'm very involved with LTBGS and Lambda Grads, two student-led organizations on campus that serve LGBTQ+ graduate students at the Perelman School of Medicine and the entire university, respectively. I'm an avid volleyball player, downhill skier, spin class enthusiast, dance club lover, and foodie. My biggest advice for students about their grad school decision is to pick the school/city that you can see yourself being happy at for 5/6 years. Lots of schools have great science, but you'll do your best science where you're happiest! 


SACNAS

Kimberly Veliz

Kimberly Veliz

Pronouns: she/her/ella
Program: Cell and Molecular Biology (CAMB) - GTV
Bio: I was born and raised in Southern California and I'm a first-generation college graduate. My first language was Spanish, I love being outdoors, eating tacos, drinking boba and expanding my plant collection. Philly has great food and is an incredibly walkable city! My best advice for incoming students would be "the squeaky wheels gets the grease."

Pronouns: she/her/ella
Program: Cell and Molecular Biology (CAMB) - GTV
Bio: I was born and raised in Southern California and I'm a first-generation college graduate. My first language was Spanish, I love being outdoors, eating tacos, drinking boba and expanding my plant collection. Philly has great food and is an incredibly walkable city! My best advice for incoming students would be "the squeaky wheels gets the grease."