Sophie Pierszalowski (she/her)

Sophie (she/her) serves as Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. She received her Ph.D. in Science Education from Oregon State University (OSU), where her dissertation examined potential barriers to accessing undergraduate research experiences, including systemic and structural inequities that perpetuate opportunity gaps. Before joining the Office of Undergraduate Research, Sophie worked at OSU, first coordinating the OSU STEM Leaders Program and then later serving as Associate Director of OSU’s Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and the Arts. Prior to pivoting to a career in student success, Sophie studied marine ecology and used molecular genetics and demographics to investigate long-standing questions regarding the ecology and population structure of humpback whales in the North Pacific. She received her M.Sc. in Wildlife Science from OSU. Her passion for marine mammals and molecular genetics began with an undergraduate research experience while completing her B.S. in Biology and Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at UW.

sophpier@uw.edu

Publications
Pierszalowski, S., Hong S., Kenney, J., & Vignos, S. (2024). Mentoring for Equity and Inclusion: Strategies for Balancing Student Advocacy and Empowerment. Perspectives on Undergraduate Research & Mentoring, 12.1.

Pierszalowski, S., Steel, D. J., Gabriele, C. M., Neilson, J. L., Vanselow, P. B., Cedarleaf, J. A., … & Baker, C. S. (2023). mtDNA heteroplasmy gives rise to a new maternal lineage in North Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Journal of Heredity, 114(1), 14-21.

Pierszalowski, S., Bouwma-Gearhart, J., & Marlow, L. (2021). A Systematic Review of Barriers to Accessing Undergraduate Research for STEM Students: Problematizing Under-Researched Factors for Students of Color. Social Sciences, 10(9), 328.

Pierszalowski S, James G, Fetherstonhaugh G, Cheung I, Chappell P, Engels J, Plaza D, Ramos S, & López-Cevallos D. (2021). Communities of practice in academic administration: An example from managing undergraduate research at a research-intensive university. Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education, 4(1), 81-90.

Pierszalowski S., Smith F., & López-Cevallos D. (2020). Research experiences for all undergraduate students? Building a more equitable and inclusive office of undergraduate research at a land-grant institution. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 52(6), 38-47.

Pierszalowski S., Heinonen G., Ulman B., & López-Cevallos D. (2020). Developing a virtual undergraduate research symposium in response to COVID-19 disruptions: Building a Canvas-based shared platform and pondering lessons learned. Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research, 4(1), 75.

Haddad B., Pierszalowski S., & Velez J. (2020). Access to leadership efficacy: Those who start early finish ahead. Journal of Leadership Education, 4, 4-40.

Pierszalowski, S. P., Vue, R., & Bouwma-Gearhart, J. (2018). Overcoming barriers in access to high quality education after matriculation: Promoting strategies and tactics for engagement of underrepresented groups in undergraduate research via institutional diversity action plans. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 19(1).

Pierszalowski, S. P., Gabriele, C. M., Steel, D. J., Neilson, J. L., Vanselow, P. B., Cedarleaf, J. A., & Baker, C. S. (2016). Local recruitment of humpback whales in Glacier Bay and Icy Strait, Alaska, over 30 years. Endangered Species Research, 31, 177-189.

Pierszalowski, S. P., Ferrari, M., Glockner‐Ferrari, D., Mizroch, S., Clapham, P. J., & Dickerson, B.R. (2013). Investigating the feasibility of using DNA from sloughed skin for individual identification and kinship analysis in humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Marine Mammal Science, 29(3), 533-541.

Olivia Albiero (she/her)

Olivia (she/her) is the Associate Director for the Office of Undergraduate Research. She first set foot on the UW campus as an international student to start her graduate studies in Germanics, after earning a B.A. and M.A. in Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures from the University of Padua (Italy). Her first research experience was part of her undergraduate thesis on English and German fairy tales. As a graduate student, she spent a semester in Vienna, where she first entered a national library and made extensive use of literary archive resources. Later, she spent a year in Berlin to conduct research for her dissertation. After earning her Ph.D. in Germanics, Olivia held faculty positions at San Francisco State University and at the University of Puget Sound. Her research focused on German-language contemporary literature, comics and graphic novels, in particular stories of mobility, migration and the (re)definition of identity. Throughout her time in higher education, Olivia loved working with students, advising, and mentoring them in their academic journeys, which motivated her to shift her career path to student affairs. Prior to joining the Office of Undergraduate Research, she served as the Assistant Director for the Mary Gates Endowment for Students in the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards (OMSFA), where she primarily supported applicants to the Mary Gates Leadership and Research Scholarships, as well as Mary Gates Scholars and their mentors.

albieroo@uw.edu

Jenny Kim (she/her)

Jenny (she/her) is the Program Manager for Early Career Programs for the Office of Undergraduate Research. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Whitman College and her Master of Public Health at the University of Washington. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research on how racial diversity impacts social cognition, attitudes, and categorization. In her Master’s program, she worked to devise and evaluate health promotion programs to advance health equity among immigrant populations. She served as the office’s GSA for two years and is excited to bring her experiences in program development, building partnerships, and supporting students into this new role.

jkjenny@uw.edu

Ruby Barone (she/her)

Ruby (she/her) is the Program Manager for Leadership and Outreach Initiatives for the Office of Undergraduate Research. She received her B.A. in Art History and Comparative History of Ideas from the University of Washington. Her research as an undergraduate was sparked by her participation in the Summer Institute in the Arts & Humanities (SIAH), where she completed a formal project which investigated the intersection between art and language through an interdisciplinary and accessibility-focused lens. This project informed her undergraduate thesis on conceptualizing new ways to interact and coexist with art. She is excited to bring these experiences to her position with the Office of Undergraduate Research as she continues to advocate for diversity and accessibility in UW’s research community. Prior to joining the Office of Undergraduate Research, she served as the program assistant to the UW’s Mary Gates Endowment for Students (MGE), where she gained valuable insight on funding and supporting undergraduate research and leadership endeavors.

rkb27@uw.edu

Ethan R. Ankrum

Ethan R. Ankrum (he/him) is the program manager for advanced undergraduate research programs in the office. Through this role, he actively supports the office’s Washington Research Foundation Fellowship and Levinson Emerging Scholars programs, in addition to the Undergraduate Research Conference Travel Award. Beyond this, he serves as an advisor, supports the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, and plays a key role in marketing and communications on web and social platforms for the office.

Research interest: Ethan’s interest in research stems from his undergraduate research experience working with speech-language pathologist and educator Dr. Amy E. Barth in supporting middle-grade students from rural communities, with special attention to struggling readers. The research focuses on increasing knowledge accessibility and availability to these students while reading to increase overall reading comprehension. With literacy in America slowly dropping, while maintaining as a key factor in determining economic outcome and societal mobility, they utilize inference-making as a tool to assess and provide educational instruction to address this detriment.

Background: Ethan is originally from Iowa, and received his bachelor’s in business, Marketing, and Communication Studies from Buena Vista University. After graduation, he took a brief hiatus to explore wellbeing and the power of nature in managing stress, anxiety, and depression. He then joined Creighton University as an IRB and IBC specialist where he supported human subjects and biohazardous materials research review. He then transitioned into a program manager role in the university’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship before moving to Seattle, WA, in 2023, where he joins the Office of Undergraduate Research at UW.

Fun fact: His favorite book is “Geography of Bliss” by Eric Weiner.

Deborah Oladipo (she/her)

Deborah (she/her) is the Graduate Staff Assistant for the Office of Undergraduate Research and an MPH candidate in the Department of Global Health. She earned her B.S. in Human Biology, Health, and Society with a minor in Global Health from Cornell University. Deborah began her research journey in the Division of Plant Microbe Biology, gaining valuable wet lab experience in various molecular techniques. As an undergraduate immunology research intern at the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, she utilized her skills to elucidate degradation patterns of viral HIV proteins.

Driven by a passion for improving population health in resource-limited settings, Deborah has led multiple community-based research projects. Notably, she was awarded a grant from Cornell University to investigate emergency preparedness behaviors in South-West Nigeria. Before starting her graduate studies at UW, Deborah worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Stanford Medicine, where she collaborated with translational research laboratories. These experiences have equipped her with extensive knowledge in basic science, clinical, and social science research methods. Deborah is enthusiastic about advising undergraduate students and creating a supportive environment for aspiring researchers.

edo26@uw.edu