Amanuel Berga

He/Him
Hometown: Sammamish, WA

Junior in Computer Science

Mentor: Amir Taghvaei

Why am I interested in research?: I am interested in research because it allows me to apply computer science skills, such as machine learning, in innovative ways to tackle complex problems and improve decision-making functions in various disciplines.

Jared Doran

He/Him
Hometown: Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI

Rising Junior majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering with hopes of double majoring in applied physics and minoring in Materials Science Engineering.

Mentor: David Masiello

Why am I interested in research?: Research allows one to explore new futures and freedom to learn and explore concepts that have the power to advance society. Perhaps the most rewarding feeling is coming up with a theory and being able to prove it. Whether you are right or wrong you know that you are making progress, which is a step in the right direction.

Fardowsa Douled

She/Her
Hometown: Kent, WA

Senior in Informatics

Mentor: Margaret Cheung

Why am I interested in research?: As an informatics student interested in UX, I understand that research allows designers to delve deeper into understanding human behavior and preferences, which are important aspects of user experience design. By entering the scientist program, I can gain valuable insights that can enhance my understanding of research methods and analysis despite not being a physics student or having a physics background. By participating in this research, I can learn and contribute to my knowledge of what ‘good design’ is and create impactful solutions for problems I aim to solve.

Max Emigh

He/Him
Hometown: Dallas, TX

Junior in Chemical Engineering

Mentor: Samson Jenekhe

Why am I interested in research?: I am interested in research because I believe it is the fundamental building block for every bit of science and technology that we know and utilize in the world today.

Sophie Garrote

She/Her
Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Sophomore, Environmental Science and Resource Management

Mentor: Amy Van Cise

Why am I interested in research?: I’m interested in research because it gives me the opportunity to learn about problems that people may consider to be really niche and examine how they can have wide-ranging impacts.

Amara Iheke

She/They
Hometown: Bothell

Junior in Public Health Global Health Sciences

Mentor: Beth Traxler

Why am I interested in research?: I am interested in conducting research because of the many positive ways it can help impact marginalized communities. Knowing that all findings lead us one step closer to improving the health, knowledge and life experiences of individuals in our communities is inspiring.

Jainaba Jawara

Hometown: Lynnwood, WA

Senior in Informatics

Mentor: Jay Cunningham

Why am I interested in research?: My research interest lies in exploring how technology and data can have a positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged communities. I am driven to achieve this by applying data science methods, integrating ethical perspectives, and actively involving stakeholders throughout the research process. A key focus of my research is to advance equitable and responsible practices in the domains of speech recognition and natural language processing.

Noah Krebs

He/Him
Hometown: Sudbury, MA

Junior in Marine Biology

Mentor: Steven Roberts

Why am I interested in research?: I am interested in research because it is a field that aims to push boundaries and answer questions we have yet to answer. If we are to solve the problems that I am passionate about then it will undoubtedly be thanks to research.

Diego Loeb

He/Him
Hometown: Berkeley, CA

Senior, Physics major, History minor, Labor Studies minor

Mentor: Agnieszka Sorensen

Why am I interested in research?: I am interested in research because I have always dreamt of being a physicist and doing undergrad research feels like a great opportunity to learn what research actually entails. I’m excited by the idea of working daily towards learning and eventually crafting a question to be researched with the knowledge I’ve gained.

Ashly Lopez Escober

She/Her
Hometown: Federal Way, WA

Junior in Biochemistry

Mentor: Andrew Laszlo

Why am I interested in research?: I’m interested in research because I believe that innovation in any field is what drives our world towards better things. I enjoy working hands on in a lab, but I also enjoy thinking about how the work we do impacts our communities for the better.

Alice Lutzenhiser

She/Her
Hometown: Carnation, WA

Sophomore Biological Sciences Major

Mentor: Adam Steinbrenner

Why am I interested in research?: I am interested in learning more about the world around me and how it functions. Research provides a layout for developing new ideas and sourcing information about things I do not know yet but would love to know more about.

Marky Mayanja

She/Her
Hometown: Seattle, WA

Rising Junior in Atmospheric Science

Mentor: Laurel Anderson

Why am I interested in research?: I love to learn, and there is no learning experience quite like figuring out a secret of the universe that no one else knows. I also love to share what I learn and see how it can be helpful to the world. I am thrilled to be working with such an incredible team and finally be part of the research process instead of watching it from inside a classroom. I can’t wait for this invaluable hands-on experience to learn what my strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to research.

Daniel Montes

He/Him
Hometown: Yakima, WA

Rising Senior in Chemical Engineering

Mentor: Heidi Gough

Why am I interested in research?: I’m interested in research because I think that it is an amazing opportunity to gain valuable skills that are relevant in many aspects of my future career as an engineer and academic. I think that discovering new things through your own efforts is very exciting and I’m very eager to know what my project will find.

Vania Moreno-Colin

She/Her
Hometown: Federal Way, WA

Upcoming Junior in Civil Engineering

Mentor: Travis Thonstad

Why am I interested in research?: I am interested in research because I aim to decrease the environmental impact of the infrastructure I design and build. I will do this by investing my academic career in researching what materials and recycling methods maximize my structures’ strength, safety, and durability without compromising the environment and ecosystems surrounding them.

Lisette Octaviano-Francisco

They/Them/Theirs
Hometown: Federal Way, WA

Sophomore interested in Neuroscience

Mentor: Jeff Riffell

Why am I interested in research?: I’m interested in research because of the pursuit of new knowledge. It’s exciting to investigate something no one has ever sought out and then sharing it with others to spark more discussion about the topic at hand. I am excited to get first-hand experience in a research lab and doing so in a safe space that allows mistakes and encourages growth.

Jessica Pineda

She/Her
Hometown: Seattle, WA

Senior, Marine Biology, Oceanography, SAFS

Mentor: Aaron Ninokawa

Why am I interested in research?: Research interests me because it can help us improve our understanding of the natural world and can be used as a tool to investigate ecological systems, and how they may change over time. I am eager to develop my own project using the resources provided at Friday Harbor Labs and gain familiarity with new laboratory instruments.

Antonio Pixtun

He/Him
Hometown: Seattle, WA

Senior in Computer Science

Mentor: Jeff Ban

Why am I interested in research?: I am interested in research because I want my work to make an impact in a real-world sense. I am excited to learn from more experienced graduate students and my mentor, whom will be working with me throughout the duration of the program.

Gaby Salaben

She/Her
Hometown: Long Beach, CA

Senior in Math Department

Mentor: Peter Rau

Why am I interested in research?: I’m interested in applying my math knowledge to research interdisciplinary sciences. I’m excited to explore the new topic of neutron stars and also build my skill set in scientific computing.

Mumtaz Sheikhaden

She/Her
Hometown: Seattle, WA

Junior Interested in Informatics

Mentor: Sharon Doty and Robert Tournay

Why am I interested in research?: I am interested in research because it allows us to gain knowledge and understand the world. Without research, many of the things we know now would not have been discovered. Furthermore, research makes an immense difference. Research assists us in developing and improving methods, technology, and treatments. Lastly, research gives us room for exploration and discovery; it allows our creativity and curiosity to grow.

Ethan Walker

He/Him
Hometown: Lynnwood, WA

Senior in Biology

Mentor: Sharon Doty and Robert Tournay

Why am I interested in research?: The process of discovering previously unknown knowledge is really exciting and also the capacity for what we research to contribute to future ideas contributes to the wonderful cycle of sharing and gaining new information. The results of research can also lead to the development of new technologies and strategies that benefit society in a variety of ways which is also a major plus.

Kaleb Yohannes

He/Him
Hometown: Shoreline, WA

Sophomore in Mechanical Engineering

Mentor: Alexandra Velian

Why am I interested in research?: I enjoy collaborative work and value mentorship. Research is a great way to experience both. I am excited to meet new people and build skills essential for my future career.

Alex Maldonado

Junior in Civil Engineering

Mentor: Travis Thonstad

Research project: Shear Behavior of Macro-Synthetic Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Dennise Aguilar Cano

Sophomore interested in Applied Mathematics

Mentor: Chris Chickadel

Research project: Understanding the Size Distribution of Breaking Wave Bubble Plumes through Remote Sensing

Dororthy Lartey

Junior in Molecular Cellular Biology

Mentor: Steven Roberts

Research Project: Influence of Temperature on Mussel Gene Expression

Francisco Alvarado-Medina

Senior in Biology

Mentor: Andrew Laszlo

Research Project: Sequence Dependent Enzyme kinetics of SARS-CoV2 helicase nsp13

Joel Lemus

Senior in Biochemistry

Mentor: Sharon Doty

Research Project: Characterizing Genetic Traits of Endophytes in silico and in vitro

Jonathan H. Ortiz-Candelaria

Sophomore interested in Informatics

Mentor: T.J. Fudge

Research Project: Understanding ice temperature in ice streams in Antarctica and Greenland

Joy Jung

Junior in Electrical Engineering

Hobbies: playing violin or piano

Mentor: Alvaro Chavarri

Research Project: Defect Analysis of a CCD Using Stage 6 Images

Lillian Tran

Senior in Biophysics & Astronomy

Mentor: Alejandro Garcia

Research Project: Calibration Sources of Monoenergetic Electrons

Lily Kim Nguyen

Sophomore in Biochemistry

Mentor: Brandi Cossairt

Research Project: Exploring Ligand Exchange Reactions on CdSe Cluster Surfaces

Lluvia Garcia

Junior in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology

Mentor: Isobel Kolbe

Research Project: Creating a Python Script to Study Jet-Medium Interactions in Heavy-Ion Collisions with JEWEL

Michael Sanchez

Senior in Biophysics

Mentor: David Masiello

Research Project: Probing Laser Stimulated Nanomaterials Using Electron Beams

Sam Puentes

Sophomore Interested in Physics and Astronomy

Mentor: Peter Rau

Research Project: Neutron star interface modes at superfluid s-wave/p-wave transitions

Areesa Trevino

Junior interested in Engineering

Mentor: Alvaro Chavarri

Research project: Thermal Analysis of Bulk Silicon Charge-Coupled Devices used to Detect Dark Matter

Chris Mantegna

Senior in Marine Biology

Mentor: Steven Roberts

Research project: Functional Annotation of the Roslin Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) genome in response to 17a-ethinylestradiol exposure

Edgar Daniel

Senior in Environmental Engineering

Mentor: Samson A. Jenekhe

Research project: Polymer Solar Cells

Kaitlyn Vera

Sophomore interested in Chemical Engineering

Mentor: Cole DeForest

Research project: The Role of Light Exposure and Crosslinker Degradability on Double Network Hydrogel Mechanics​

Manny Munoz

Senior in Computer Science & Systems

Mentor: Armita Nourmohammad

Research project: Exploratory Analysis of B-Cell Repertoires in Individuals with Chronic HIV​