Faculty Mentors

 

Ruth Brown-Ennis, PhD
Assistant Professor; Psychology
Notes: Able to work with students interested in psychology, mental health disparities, communities of color, genetics, disability awareness, accessibility, intersection of disability and communities of color. Has a lab in Bio Tech One that can serve as a tour site on MCV campus. Twelve month employee and can accommodate students in summer for research. Previous mentoring experience includes Great program and Urop.  

Lane Carasik, PhD
Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering
Notes: Can work with students interested in physics, math or engineering. Someone who has an interest in energy applications. Has a lab and can work with students over the summer. Recommended potential scholar (Jerel Houston who will be applying to the PhD program). Volunteered to host students on a lab visit. 

Punit Gandhi, PhD
Assistant Professor; Mathematics
Notes: Area of expertise is Applied Mathematics. Knowledgeable on application of math to Biology and Ecology. Prefer some knowledge of or willingness to learn about data sets. 

Dina Garcia, PhD
Assistant Professor
Health Behavior and Policy 
Notes: Has four undergraduate students in the lab. Research area is public health and community engaged research. Specifically latinx, immigration and how it impacts mental and overall health, and health disparities. Research methods include qualitative and surveys.

Rebecca Heise, PhD
Professor; Engineering
Notes: 

Jared Keeley, PhD
Psychology
Notes: Clinical Psychology. Students should have an interest in mental health, this can include communities of color. 

Gabriela Leon-Perez, PhD
Assistant Professor; SociologyNotes: Research focuses on immigration and health. Specific research on health disparities where she teaches a class on the subject. Can also work with students interested in English/Spanish learning and Latinx related topics. 

Natassja Lewinski, PhD
Associate Professor; Engineering
Notes: Emphasis of research is on Biology (the Life Sciences). Research consists of human, coral and plant (cells). Safety of chemicals. Has a lab and can accommodate a student. Can also work with students during summer. Students should have an interest in Biology. Those interested in Chemistry would not be a good fit. 

Joao Soares, PhD
Mechanical Engineering
Notes: Has a lab. Can accommodate students. Will recommend potential students. 

Judy Twigg, PhD
Professor; Political Science
Notes: Can work with students interested in public policy. Serves as a member to the Council of Foreign Relations that offers opportunities for students to go to Washington DC and newwork. Can recommend students for this opportunity. 

Shawn Utsey, PhD
Professor; Psychology (Counseling)
Notes: Areas of interest are Psychology, Black Studies, Counseling Psy. Worked with the McNair program at Howard University. Former McNair mentee is now a professor at NYU. Available to assist in any way. Summers are when he travels but can make an effort to accommodate for research with mentees. 

Marcia Winter. PhD
Associate Professor; Psychology
Notes: Area of research is child development/psychology, poverty. Working with Salvation Army to offer support to families. Has lab and can potentially fund students in lab.