ignas@uchicago.edu

Co-President

Ignas is a fourth year PhD Candidate in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and is a part of Prof. Supratik Guha’s group and spends most of his time at the Argonne National Lab. He graduated with B.S. in Astronomy and a secondary major in Physics from the Case Western Reserve University. His current research involves development of thin-film devices to be used as quantum repeaters.

samarsden@uchicago.edu

Co-President

Co-Publicity Committee Lead

Sam is a PhD candidate in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering working in Prof. Stuart Rowan’s lab. His focus is on the synthesis and characterization of new materials that behave similarly to commercial plastics while being able to be chemically broken down for ease of recycling. He joined the JRSI in order to help foster a culture of safety at the university. Outside of work, Sam loves baking, tabletop games, and reading by the lakeside.

vdharmaraj@uchicago.edu

Research Committee Lead

Vishnu is a 4th year graduate student in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, where he is co-advised by Profs. Matthew Tirrell and Yun Fang. His current research concerns the thermodynamics governing the self assembly of polymer nanoparticles used in drug delivery applications. Vishnu joined JRSI to support labs at UChicago in developing a sustainable safety culture. In his spare time, Vishnu enjoys cooking, board games, playing guitar, and following/playing sports.

mahdiassari@uchicago.edu

Education Committee Lead

Mahdi (he/him) is a 5th year graduate student in the Department of Chemistry, working at Pan lab and co-advised by Prof. Chuan He. His research involves RNA biology studies and biochemical method development in oncology-related systems. Mahdi joined JRSI to help in raising the standards of safety in science at UChicago. In his free time, Mahdi loves to explore live shows, hiking trails, and various cuisines!

emilyazcue@uchicago.edu

Research Committee Member

Finance Committee Member

Emily (she/her) is a third year graduate student in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, where she is advised by Prof. Aaron Esser-Kahn. Her current research aims to understand the interactions between nanomaterials and the innate immune system. Emily joined JRSI to help implement safety-focused initiatives for fellow graduate students hoping to have a long career at the bench! Outside of lab, Emily enjoys playing soccer, watching reality tv, and seeing live music throughout Chicago.

anmolmishra@uchicago.edu 

Finance Committee Member

Research Committee Member

Anmol is a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry in the Szostak lab. His research is broadly based on the ‘Origins of Life’. He is particularly interested in the in-vitro evolution of ribozymes that carry out primordial cell metabolic tasks. Anmol started out at JRSI in 2024 and is excited to help enhance the campus safety culture. Outside of the lab, Anmol likes listening to music, cooking, traveling and playing cricket.

katrinas@uchicago.edu

Education Committee Member

Research Committee Member

Katrina is a 3rd year graduate student in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, where she is co-advised by Jeffrey Elam and Seth Darling at Argonne National Laboratory. Her current research focuses on the nanofabrication of devices to test the fundamentals of ion transport in water. Katrina joined the JRSI to encourage an excitement and dedication to safer lab practices. In her free time, Katrina enjoys trying new restaurants and playing with cats.

lle3@uchicago.edu

Education Committee Member

Research Committee Member

Linh is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Chemistry, where he is advised by Prof. John Anderson. He is interested in developing new metal-sulfur materials with novel properties and applications in small molecule catalysis. Linh joined the JRSI to learn more about safety culture in different subfields of chemistry, as well as promote a safe working environment. In his free time, Linh enjoys staying active, listening to music, and going to pop concerts.

nlmason@uchicago.edu

Research Committee Member

Finance Committee Member

Noah (he/him) is a 3rd year graduate student in the Department of Chemistry in the Dmitri Talapin lab. His research focuses on the synthesis and surface chemistry of two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides. Noah joined the JRSI to continue promoting safety culture in the chemistry department and get JRSI more involved in department events. In his free time, Noah is a big fan of hockey and enjoys walking his dog. 

yejik@uchicago.edu

Education Committee Member

Publicity Committee Member

Bio incoming!