The Graduate Diversity Ambassadors are current MIT graduate students who partner with OGE GradDiversity to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community at MIT.
Over the past year, our Graduate Diversity Ambassadors engaged with over 775 prospective graduate students by attending 12 diversity recruitment conferences, hosting eight GradCatalyst sessions, reviewing 20 statements of objectives of our MIT Summer Research Program – General (MSRP) alumni applying to MIT graduate programs, evaluating almost 500 applications for MSRP, acclimating MSRP interns to the MIT community, and established a Graduate Students of Color Advisory Council to foster collaboration across student organizations and enhance the overall graduate student community.
The legend below indicates the various ways the ambassador is involved in Grad Diversity programs during the academic year. Prospective students are invited to reach out to the ambassador of their choice with any questions.
Aeronautics and Astronautics (Course 16)
Christopher Kwon
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Virginia
Hometown:
Burke, Virginia
Grad Student Life, AeroAstro Grad Program
Ryann Hee
Degree Objective:
PhD
MIT Summer Research Program, Grad Student Life (first-gen experience), AeroAstro, Graduate Application Assistance Program (GAAP), Off campus housing
Architecture (Course 4)
Ina Wu
Degree Objective:
Master of Architecture, (M.Arch)
Hometown:
Taipei, Taiwan
Undergraduate Institution:
The University of Hong Kong
MIT Architecture; NOMAS MIT Chapter
Gabriel Andrade
Degree Objective:
Master of Architecture, (M.Arch)
Hometown:
Orange, New Jersey
Undergraduate Institution:
University of Virginia
Architecture, Urbanism, Consultancy, & Start-ups @MIT
Biological Engineering (Course 20)
Rachel Myers
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Hometown:
Springdale, Maryland
MIT Summer Research Program, MIT MICRO, External Fellowships, Biological Engineering Grad Program
Ariana Barreiro
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
Tufts University
Hometown:
Quito, Ecuador
Life as an International Student, Grad Student Life, BE Grad Program
Oluremi Akindele
Degree Objective:
PhD
Hometown:
Pittsburgh, PA
Undergraduate Institution:
Stanford University
Biology (Course 7)
Gabriella Lopez Perez
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Hometown:
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution:
Universidad de Puerto Rico – Mayagüez
MIT Summer Research Program, Biology Grad Program, Grad Student Life, Diversity, Mental Health
Giselle Valdes
Degree Objective:
PhD
Undergraduate Institution(s):
Florida International University
Hometown:
Miami, Florida
Anais Tsai
Degree Objective:
PhD
Undergraduate Institution(s):
Standford University
Hometown:
Stockton, California
Biology Grad Program, Off campus housing, Moving from the West Coast, Grad Student Life, Work Life Balance
Oscar Molina
Degree Objective:
PhD
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of California, Los Angeles
Hometown:
San Diego, California
Biology Grad Program, Moving across the country, high school outreach programs
Juana De La O
Degree Objective:
PhD
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Chicago
Hometown:
Chicago, IL
Navigating the graduate admissions process (GradCatalyst), MIT Housing, off-campus housing, finding well-priced food/groceries, finding/building community making friends (like me!), MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP) General or Biology
Brain and Cognitive Sciences (Course 9)
Mingus Zoller
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
Reed College
Hometown:
Chicago, Illinois
Brain and Cognitive Sciences Grad Program, neuroscience grad school applications (statement of purpose, CV), honing your research interests, Grad student life, deciding on a lab, rotations, life at MIT as a black person or black woman, mental health resources, work/life balance, dealing with imposter syndrome
Raul Mojica Soto-Albors
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Hometown:
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution:
University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez
MIT Summer Research Program in Bio/Neuro, BCS graduate program, grad student life, off-campus housing
Chemistry (Course 5)
Ekua Beneman
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
Spelman College
Hometown:
Burtonsville, Maryland
Ayannah Lang
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Hometown:
Edgewater, MD
Undergraduate Institution:
Spelman College
Chemistry Grad Program, Grad Student Life, Off-campus Housing, Diversity, Women in STEM
Corshai Williams
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
Virginia Union University
Hometown:
Baltimore, Maryland
Chemistry, Graduate Housing at MIT , Diversity Initiatives in Chemistry , Social Event in Chemistry, CAMP , BGSA , Women in Chemistry/+ ( WIC/WIC+)
Civil and Environmental Engineering (Course 1)
Zane Schemmer
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution:
University of California, Berkeley
Graduate Institution:
University of California, Berkeley
Hometown:
Park City, Utah
MIT Housing, Grad Student Life, West Coast to East Coast Transition
Computational and Systems Biology (CSB)
Emanuel Burgos
Degree Objective:
PhD
MSRP, Grad Student Life, Biology/Microbiology/CSB Programs., LatinX at MIT
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (Course 12)
Alexandra Cabanelas Bermudez
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
Nova Southeastern University
Graduate Institution(s):
The Ohio State University
Hometown:
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Grad Student Life, MIT-WHOI Joint Program, Off-Campus Housing, Fellowships, Outdoor Activities, Meal-prepping
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Course 6)
Alvaro Sahagun
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Science, Engineer’s Degree (ScD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Illinois at Chicago
Hometown:
Chicago Heights, Illinois
MSRP, EECS Grad Program
Miela Gross
Degree Objective:
PhD
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of California, Berkeley
Hometown:
San Diego, California
Grad Student Life, EECS Grad Program, GAAP Program
Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST)
Kimberly Bennett
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of California, Riverside
Hometown:
Mojave Desert
First-generation/Low-income graduate experience, off-campus housing, moving from West to East coast, fellowships (NSF GRFP, Ford Foundation, HHMI Gilliam, etc), MIT UCEM/PEM program, HST PhD program, translational research, mentoring, women in STEM, Latinx in STEM, first-gen Mexican-American identity, moving from a rural/small town, co-advisors, grad student life, work-life balance, DEI advocacy
Diana Grass
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
Rutgers University
Graduate Institution(s):
National University of Colombia
Hometown:
Cartagena, Colombia
GFLI, Graduate Students with family, HST program
Favour Obuseh
You can ask me about:Feel free to contact me about: MIT Summer Research Program, HST PhD Program.
Management (Course 15)
Aishu Nambiar
Degree Objective:
MBA
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Graduate Institution(s):
Georgetown University
Hometown:
Glocester, RI
Grad Student Life, Women in Management, Sloan Senate, Education Club, Management Consulting
Materials Science and Engineering (Course 3)
Rachel Luu
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of California, San Diego
Hometown:
San Diego, California
Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Fellowships, Grad Student Life
Tatem Rios
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Minnesota
Hometown:
Minneapolis, MN
Materials Science & Engineering Grad Program, Program in Polymers & Soft Matter, DMSE Application Assistance Program (DAAP), Grad Student Life (first-gen), Fellowships (GEM, NDSEG), UCEM
Jacqueline Baidoo
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
DMSE grad program, Grad student life, MISTI for grad students
Mechanical Engineering (Course 2)
Vanessa Hernandez-Cruz
Degree Objective:
Master of Science, (SM)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
UC Berkeley
Hometown:
Ontario, California
MIT Mechanical Engineering, MIT housing, LGSA
Tobi Majekodunmi
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Hometown:
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
MIT Summer Research Program, Mechanical Engineering Grad Program, National Fellowships
Kaitlyn Gee
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
Stanford University
Hometown:
California
Grad student life, Indigenous community
Daniel Maldonado Naranjo
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of California San Diego
Hometown:
Changuitiro, Michoacan, Mexico
First Generation, Grad Student Life, MechE Grad Program, MIT housing
Stephanie Ross
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of Delaware
Graduate Institution(s):
University of Delaware
Hometown:
Delaware, USA
MechE Grad, MIT Housing, Co-Advisement, Lithium Batteries
Alex Brady-Miné
Degree Objective:
Master of Science (SM)
Hometown:
Gainesville, FL
Undergraduate Institution:
University of South Florida
MIT Summer Research Program, Mechanical Engineering
Ozioma Ozor-Ilo
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Mechanical Engineering Program, GEM Fellowship, MIT Housing, FGLI
Brandon Rios
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
MSRP, Mechanical Engineering, Intramural/ Club Sports
Media Arts and Sciences (MAS)
Raechel Walker
Degree Objective:
SM
Undergraduate Institution(s):
University of California, San Diego
Hometown:
Temecula, California
MIT housing, Grad Student Life, Research Opportunities
Physics (Course 8)
Sergio Eraso
Degree Objective:
Doctor of Philosophy, (PhD)
Undergraduate Institution(s):
Emory University
Hometown:
Colombia
Applying to Grad School, Grad Student Life, Physics Program, MIT Housing
Junior Peña
Degree Objective:
PhD
MIT Summer Research Program, Grad Student Life, Work-Life Balance
Timothy Zaklama
Degree Objective:
PhD
Theoretical Physics Program, Life at MIT, Life in Boston, Transitioning from Industry back into Academia
Urban Studies and Planning (Course 11)
Gabriel Andrade
Degree Objective:
Master of Architecture, (M.Arch)
Hometown:
Orange, New Jersey
Undergraduate Institution:
University of Virginia
Architecture, Urbanism, Consultancy, & Start-ups @MIT
Katelyn McVay
Degree Objective:
MCP