Meet the Interns

Current Interns

Isha Jha

Year: 1st year graduate student
Focus: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Background: Isha is a first year graduate student pursuing her MS in Electrical Engineering with research focusing on communications and signal processing. She holds a BTech. from SNDT University (India) in Electronics and Communications. At SNDT, Isha was the senior editor of Pinnacle, a college science magazine that brings research and technology news to the SNDT student population. Besides being passionate about science and technology, she is interested in astronomy, music, reading and trekking.

Ryan Nygard

Year: 2nd year graduate student
Focus: 2D Art (Painting)

Background: Ryan is originally from the Twin Cities area and earned his BFA from the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul, MN. In addition to his undergraduate work in painting, he also studied Urban Geography at the University of Minnesota before attending the University of Wisconsin. Upon completion of his MA and MFA, Ryan intents to pursue a career in art, design and education. Ryan was also once kicked by a horse, while riding another horse and has the picture to prove it.

Jai Paguirigan

Year: 1st year graduate student
Focus: 3D Art (Woodworking & Furniture Making)

Background: Jai is a second year graduate student pursuing a MFA in 3-D studio arts focusing on furniture and woodworking. He received his BFA in Architecture from Miami University (Ohio) where design and furniture became a focus of his work. Prior to his graduate career he spent several years designing museum exhibits for Taylor Studios, Inc in Rantoul, IL, where the focus was on natural history and public visitor education center exhibits. Being a member of the IPSE program gives him a chance both learn about nanotechnology and research, as well as work with others to bring that education to the public.

Ann Vedder

Year: 2nd year graduate student
Focus: Art Education

Background: Ann is a native of Neenah WI, made famous by the Neenah Foundry, the manhole cover of the world. She earned her BA in Art History at the University of Wisconsin. After graduating, she moved to New Zealand and worked and traveled her way across the country before returning to Madison to work at the Madison Children's Museum. While working at the Children's Museum, Ann became passionate about informal learning institutions and decided to return to school to pursue her MA in Art Education. As a member of the IPSE team, Ann is excited about using art as a means to teach nanotechnology.

Former Interns

Carrie Holladay

Year: 2nd year graduate student
Focus: Life Science Communications

Background: Carie is originally from Indiana and has a bachelor degree from Indiana University in Biology with a minor in Anthropology (Museum Studies). She also holds a certificate in History and Philosophy of Science from IU. Upon finishing her masters work in August 2005, she hopes to pursue a career in either science education or in a museum setting.

Exhibit: Liquid Crystals/Nanosensors

Terra Theim

Year: 4th year graduate student
Focus: Botany

Background: Terra holds a Bachelors degree in Botany and Biological Aspects of Conservation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is now in her fourth year as a graduate student in Botany and will recieve her PhD in May 2006. She has extensive field experience that has taken her across the globe, including Costa Rica and Ecuador.

Exhibit: Scanning Probe Microscopy

Gina Walejko

Year: 2nd year graduate student
Focuses: Life Science Communication & Environmental Studies

Background: Gina holds a Bachelors degree in Communication Arts and Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has experience in many different media, including radio, video, Internet and works with Earthwatch Radio as a scriptwriter. Gina will complete her masters degree in summer 2005 and will pursue her PhD at Northwestern University in the fall.

Exhibit: Scanning Probe Microscopy

Aaron Steckman

Year: 4th year undergraduate student
Major: Music

Background: Aaron is currently working on his bachelors degree in music at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI. A native of Madison, WI, Aaron is putting his extensive experience in online gaming to good use with the nanotechnology boardgame project.

Project: Nanotechnology in Society boardgame

Arianne Baker

Year: 3rd year graduate student
Focus: Physical Chemistry

Backround: Arianne is originally from Fargo, ND and holds a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University. She will complete her masters degree in spring 2005.

Megan Anderson

Year: First-year grad student
Focus: Life Science Communications
Research: The role the media plays in developing the science literacy of the public

Background: Julie is originally from Paris, Illinois and has a bachelor's from the University of Illinois in Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology. She would love to go on to work in either science education or science journalism--anything that lets her be creative and get others interested in science.

Project: Societal Implications

Lynn Diener

Year:Graduate student
Focus: Molecular and Environmental Toxicology
Research: Metals, interactions with SOM and microorganisms

Background: Lynn grew up in Washington State and then went to New York where she got her Bachelors degree in Environmental Science at Bard College. She is now in her fifth year as a graduate student in the Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center (METC). She enjoys participating in the METC outreach program. She hopes to pursue a career in education.

Project: Smart Papers

Julie He

Year: Junior, UW-Madison
Focus: Biochemistry
Research: Axonal growth patterns in the early development of the vertebrate nervous system

Background: Julie is an undergraduate in the College of Letters and Science, where she plans to graduate with an honors degree in biochemistry. Since middle school, she has been interested in science as a career. She enjoys teaching others and have had experiences as a tutuor/instructor since high school. After college, she plans to go to graduate school and continue to do research.

Project: Liquid Crystal Sensors

Chris Luebke

Year: First-year graduate student
Focus: Political Geography, Southeast Asia
Research: Thailand-Myanmar borderlands, Mekong River

Backround: Chris is originally from Bismarck, North Dakota, has bachelor's degrees in Political Science and Geography from the University of North Dakota. He lived in Yokohama, Japan, working as a Conversational English Teacher for 18 months. After completing his masters, he hopes to begin work on his Ph.D.

Project: Societal Implications

Jeff (Max) Maxwell

Year:Graduate student
Focus: Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience, Experimental Psychology
Research: Neural substrates & behavioral manifestations of cognition-emotion interactions

Background: Max has a B.S. from University of California, Davis. He volunteers with high risk juvenile populations.
His hobbies include volleyball, mountain biking, alpine skiing, fantasy football.

Project: Liquid Crystal Sensors

Brian McCall

Year: Senior
Focus: Chemical and Biological Engineering
Research: Electrorheological fluids

Background: Brian is originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, and he plans on graduating by December 2004. He manages and plays for a local soccer team, and tutors weekly at Hamilton Middle School. After graduation, he hopes to do Teach for America and then possibly start his own business.

Project: Smart Papers