Meet the Fellows!
The DIB Fellows would love to get to know you, so please come up and say hi if you see us! We would love to hear your thoughts on what we can do to improve DIB at SEAS through the feedback form below or even in-person. Looking forward to seeing you around!
Meet the DIB Fellows for the 2024-2025 school year!
Agustín León Sáenz
BA Environmental Science and Engineering (2025)
Agustín León Sáenz is a senior at Harvard College studying Environmental Science and Engineering. He was born in Quito, Ecuador, and grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Agustín is the 2024 Vice President of Fuerza Latina, the largest pan-Latine student organization at Harvard College. He has been a research intern at Harvard Forest and the Sunderland Lab.
Mohammad Mohammad
BA Computer Science (2026)
My name is Mohamed. I’m a junior at Lowell House, studying computer science. I’m very passionate about inclusion in stem and representation of students from marginalized communities. In addition to being a DIB fellow, I also serve at the Derek Bok center as an undergraduate pedagogy fellow, where I work on projects facilitating the connection between undergraduates, graduate Teaching Fellows, and instructors. Beyond work, I enjoy being part of the Harvard computer society where I’m an academic director. In my free time, I enjoy reading (I love talking about what I’m reading so please ask), swimming, and cooking middle eastern, specifically Egyptian, food.
Sophia Salamanca
BA Computer Science (2025)
Sophia Salamanca is a Senior in Eliot House studying Computer Science, with a secondary in Government and a language citation in French. Sophi is Colombian, and she hails from Miami, Florida. She plans to pursue a career in tech policy, with an interest in promoting diversity in computing and regulating the use of AI. Outside of school, Sophi enjoys crocheting and knitting, graphic design, and playing the cello. This is Sophi's second year as a DIB fellow, and she is so excited to be back at the ODIB!
Tami Kabiawu
BA Computer Science (2025)
Hi, my name is Tami Kabiawu, and I'm a senior in Kirkland House studying Computer Science with a secondary field in Mind, Brain, and Behavior. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my SEAS experience and have loved building community during it. Over the past few years, I was fortunate to find a home in the Harvard Society of Black Scientists and Engineers, where I served as president for the 2023-24 school year. I'm excited to bring this experience into my role as a DIB Fellow and contribute to creating an inclusive and impactful program this year.
Allison Delgado
BA Applied Mathematics (2027)
Anthony Miguel
BA Computer Science + Molecular and Cellular Biology (2027)
Anthony is a senior at Harvard College studying Computer Science and Molecular & Cellular Biology. His family lives in the Central Coast of California but comes from the Mixteca of Oaxaca. Outside of SEAS, Anthony is the co-president of Natives at Harvard College. He also enjoys long distance running and watching movies!
Vaishnavi Krishnamurthy
Masters Design Engineering
Vaishnavi is a Masters's student in Design Engineering at Harvard passionate about leveraging human-centred design and AI to advance healthcare equity. She brings 3+ years of experience as the founder of an AI-driven dermatology platform that helps users find safe and effective products based on their unique skin profiles. Vaishnavi also co-founded Everyday Equality, a non-profit creating inclusive workspaces for transgender individuals in India through corporate training and job placement programs.
With a background spanning engineering, product management, and entrepreneurship, Vaishnavi takes a multidisciplinary approach to developing innovative, user-centric healthcare solutions that are accessible to all. Vaishnavi is thrilled to be a DIB fellow, as it aligns perfectly with her passion for leveraging technology and design to create more equitable healthcare outcomes while fostering a more diverse and inclusive environment in STEM. When she's not working on healthcare innovations, Vaishnavi can often be found on the basketball court or dancing. She also enjoys travelling and exploring new cuisines.
Matt Agboola
PhD Applied Physics (G1)
Matt Agboola is a first year PhD student in the Applied Physics program and is co-advised by David Weitz and Michael Springer through the Experimental Soft Condensed Matter and Synthetic Bio HIVE groups. He is currently researching protein ligand binding for sustainable bio-mining applications. As a DIB Fellow, he hopes to further connect SEAS with its local communities. He received his BS & MS in Materials Science and Chemistry from Penn State. He originally from Lagos Nigeria and grew up in the DMV. He enjoys running and listening to Duval Timothy.
Talha Rehman
PhD Applied Physics (G3)
Katie Barajas
PhD Applied Physics (G1)
I’m a first year PhD student in Applied physics studying solid-state defects for quantum computing applications. I grew up in Los Angeles, California with strong ties to my Mexican and Nicaraguan roots. As a first-generation student, I’ve always loved to give back to mentors and younger students in my community through outreach and teaching. Before starting my studies at Harvard, I received a dual Bachelors of Science in Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering at Cornell University. There, I began to explore research at the intersection of materials science, biology, and optics. Outside of the lab, I enjoy biking, playing water polo, and discovering new music. If you see me zooming around don’t hesitate to say hi!
Meet the Graduate Student Assistants for the 2024-2025 school year!
Daivik Chawla
EdM Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology
Daivik is a Residential Master of Education Candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, in the "Learning, Design, Innovation, Technology" program. His academic and professional interests include exploring the fields of design thinking and making learning more equitable and accessible, particularly in Higher Education and workforce settings. Outside of school, he likes exploring new restaurants in the city, biking along the Charles river, writing poetry and watching Hindi-language films.
Annanya Panagala
EdM Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology
Annanya Panagala is a full-time graduate student in the Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology (LDIT) program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Annanya's academic and professional background spans Social Work and Management, and she has worked across diverse fields—from spearheading educational interventions to empower tribal communities in India to building HR functions in startups and leading corporate global digital learning initiatives. She began as a founding member of Volunteer for India (VFI), focusing on sustainable social impact through structured volunteering programs that emphasize building capacity for positive change. She later transitioned into learning design and technology, creating and implementing digital learning solutions at Freshworks—India’s first SaaS unicorn to go public---before working closely with the founders at Peakflo, a Y-Combinator-backed fintech startup in Singapore, to build the People & Culture function from scratch. Currently, she is exploring large-scale AI-based learning solutions for health education through the Global Ventures program at MIT Media Labs. Annanya is passionate about leveraging technology for education and capacity building in large community development and social work settings. Outside of her professional pursuits, she is an avid trekker, having completed 12 Himalayan treks and is now planning her next adventure in Patagonia.
Amberly Xie
PhD Applied Physics (G3)
Amberly is a 3rd year Applied Physics PhD student in the Hu group at SEAS. Her research work focuses on fundamental studies of color centers in 4H-silicon carbide for applications in emerging quantum technologies and to allow us to better understand light-matter interactions. In her spare time, she likes to bake (she especially loves decorating cakes), find small coffee shops to study at, and watch Studio Ghibli films.
Previous DIB Fellows
Lizette Ortega
PhD Applied Physics
I am a first-year Applied Physics PhD student studying and making devices on the nanoscale. Before starting my studies at Harvard, I attended Wellesley College where I received a B.A. in Physics. Though I've been in Massachusetts for several years now, I proudly call Houston, Texas my home. Outside of academics, I love finding new music and crocheting.
Salma Abdel Magid
PhD Computer Science
I am currently a 4th year PhD student in Computer Science — advised by Hanspeter Pfister in the Visual Computing Group. My research is on computer vision (specifically, image enhancement) and interpretability: trying to understand how and why ML models make the decisions they do. My goal as a DIB Fellow is to support students from underrepresented backgrounds in the CS department, and the larger SEAS community. Outside of work, I love to surf (yes, in the winter here, too!), practice and watch improv comedy, and learn and perform magic.
Elizabeth Suitor
PhD Electrical Engineering
Elizabeth is a second year PhD student researching wearable sensors in the Biodesign Lab with Conor Walsh. She grew up in rural areas of Virginia and Vermont (the largest town she lived in before attending college was 2000 people). Elizabeth received her BS in Biomedical Engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology and worked as an Electrical Engineer in startups for five years after receiving her bachelor’s before returning to graduate school. She is passionate about using engineering to solve issues affecting underserved populations. She has worked on many products from toys for STEM education (Electroninks Writeables) to autonomous aerostats that bring connectivity to rural areas (Altaeros) to assistive devices for herself and other disabled people.
Amberly Xie
PhD Applied Physics
I’m currently a first year PhD student in the Applied Physics program–working under the guidance of Evelyn Hu in fabricating nanoscale devices for solid state defects. I received a dual Bachelors of Science in Physics and Chemistry from Indiana University. In my free time, I love finding new cafes (with fun drinks like tea or boba) and baking for friends and family. I also love watching Bob’s Burgers and Studio Ghibli films.
Deepika Gopalakrishnan
MA Design Engineering
Deepika Gopalakrishnan is currently pursuing her Master's in Design Engineering at Harvard University. She is passionate about designing interventions to tackle unmet healthcare needs for developing countries. After her undergrad in 2020, she co-founded a healthcare innovation startup, Dverse Labs. At Dverse Labs, her team developed autonomous disinfection systems for high-traffic confined spaces and implemented their product in hospitals across India.
At Harvard, she aims to gain interdisciplinary and strategic skills to tackle complex systemic challenges in healthcare. Her focus is on gaining skills to develop product-service systems that empower people to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
In addition to her healthcare work, Deepika has a passion for STEM and design education, and she enjoys mentoring students in creating impactful interventions. She also enjoys illustrating and has created illustrations for children's books.
Augustin Leon-Saenz
SB Environmental Science & Engineering
Agustín León Sáenz is an undergraduate student at Harvard College in the Class of 2025 studying Environmental Science and Engineering. He was born in Quito, Ecuador, and grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Outside of SEAS and working as a DIB fellow, Agustín is the Professional Development Chair of Harvard Fuerza Latina and the Policy Chair of the Quechua Initiative on Global Indigeneity at Harvard. He has also researched and interned at Harvard Forest and is currently a research assistant in the Sunderland Lab.
Lauren Chen
AB/SM Computer Science
Lauren Chen is a junior at the College studying Mathematics and Statistics with a Concurrent Master's in Computer Science. Outside of being a DIB fellow, she conducts statistics research and is on the board of the Harvard Undergraduate Mathematics Association and Harvard Undergraduate Quantitative Traders. In the past, she has also served on the WiCS Advocacy Council as the Percentage Project lead. In her free time, Lauren enjoys rock climbing, dancing, and trying new restaurants.
Elizabeth Suitor
PhD Electrical Engineering
Elizabeth is a second year PhD student researching wearable sensors in the Biodesign Lab with Conor Walsh. She grew up in rural areas of Virginia and Vermont (the largest town she lived in before attending college was 2000 people). Elizabeth received her BS in Biomedical Engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology and worked as an Electrical Engineer in startups for five years after receiving her bachelor’s before returning to graduate school. She is passionate about using engineering to solve issues affecting underserved populations. She has worked on many products from toys for STEM education (Electroninks Writeables) to autonomous aerostats that bring connectivity to rural areas (Altaeros) to assistive devices for herself and other disabled people.
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Why did you apply to be a SEAS DIB Student Fellow?
As a disabled woman engineer, I have first-hand experience with the barriers affecting people with disabilities both at Harvard and in the broader field of engineering. As a DIB Fellow, I hope to improve the experience of underrepresented minority students at SEAS with a focus on improving the accessibility of higher education for disabled students.
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How do you spend your time outside of being a student and DIB student fellow?
Outside of my research and DIB work, you will likely find me playing sled hockey (and other adaptive sports), fixing and designing adaptive equipment, or spending time with friends and family.
Brián Magdaleno
AB Applied Math
Hi everyone! My name is Brián Martín Magdaleno, and I am a current senior at the College studying Applied Mathematics with a secondary in Music. I am originally from Watts, Los Angeles, California, and currently living in Downey, California! I have a passion for music, and I currently serve as president of Mariachi Véritas de Harvard, Harvard's only mariachi!
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Why did you apply to be a SEAS DIB Student Fellow?
I applied to be a SEAS DIB Fellow because I wanted to help foster a more diverse and inclusive environment where all feel welcomed, especially those that may come from an URM group. We know that our SEAS is a vibrant school with lots of innovation and great ideas, and it is vital to ensure all voices are being heard and considered. I believe the first step is making sure we have a community where everyone feels they belong.
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How do you spend your time outside of being a student and DIB student fellow?
As I mentioned, I really have a passion for music so you can usually find me composing songs or playing guitar. I also love taking 20-minute naps throughout the day.
Amari Griffin
MS/MBA student
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What do you enjoy most about being in STEM?What I enjoy most about STEM are the people I often come in contact with. Whether I am in school or at work, the people are always full of new ideas and a passion to innovate. It continuously inspires me to seek out new ways to create to make a difference in the world. -
Why did you apply to be a SEAS DIB Student Fellow?Being a Black woman in engineering, I have often experienced what it felt like to be the minority in a room. I know the pressure to perform and the hesitance to show any uncertainty or struggle when working on a difficult task. I wanted to become a SEAS DIB Student Fellow because I want to help other students in the short-term help cope with being the minority while also looking long-term to ensure that STEM is more diverse and inclusive for all. -
How do you spend your time outside of being a student and DIB student fellow?I love to bowl and play volleyball. I also love going to the movies. But what I enjoy most is napping. I consider myself a professional napper.
Chepchumba Choge
AB Computer Science and African and African American Studies
My name is Chepchumba, and I am a senior at the College concentrating in Computer Science & African and African American Studies, with a secondary in the Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. I have a keen interest in the intersection of tech and social justice, and have really appreciated the ways in which Harvard’s liberal arts curriculum has allowed me to deeply engage with my varied intellectual interests spanning tech ethics, gender and racial equity, bias in computer systems, and social implications of artificial intelligence. I am extremely passionate about advancing diversity, advocating for inclusion, and fostering belonging for historically underrepresented minorities in STEM, and I am grateful that I am able to engage in this work at SEAS through the DIB Fellowship.
Bianca Byfield
SB Mechanical Engineering
My name is Bianca Byfield and currently live in Eden Prairie, MN. I am a senior at the College in Kirkland House studying Mechanical Engineering with a Secondary in Energy & Environment. I am interested in issues regarding sustainability and how environmental issues impact marginalized communities worldwide (specifically looking at the Caribbean where my parents are from). I also have a passion for encouraging underrepresented populations to enter STEM fields!
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Why did you apply to be a SEAS DIB Student Fellow?I have always been grateful to have women of color in my life who pursued STEM fields. I never felt deterred from pursuing a concentration such as mechanical engineering, however, I know that this is not the same experience some underrepresented students have. As a DIB fellow, I want my work to encourage everyone to feel more welcome and become more involved in the SEAS community. -
How do you spend your time outside of being a student and DIB student fellow?Outside of being a fellow, I am also a part of clubs such as Harvard Women’s Club Soccer and Harvard Society of Black Scientists and Engineers. I also enjoy hanging out with friends, listening to music, and baking
Amberly Xie
PhD Applied Physics
I’m currently a first year PhD student in the Applied Physics program–working under the guidance of Evelyn Hu in fabricating nanoscale devices for solid state defects. I received a dual Bachelors of Science in Physics and Chemistry from Indiana University. In my free time, I love finding new cafes (with fun drinks like tea or boba) and baking for friends and family. I also love watching Bob’s Burgers and Studio Ghibli films.
Isaac Robinson
A.B. Computer Science and Mathematics
Isaac Robinson is a current senior studying pure math and computer science. Originally from Milton, Massachusetts, this is Isaac’s second year as a DIB fellow. Outside of SEAS and working as a DIB fellow, Isaac is a varsity heavyweight rower and the co-president of the Harvard College Democrats. He created and occupied the position of director of diversity, inclusion, and ethical technology at the group Technology for Social Good. He has also done research and interned at the National Institutes of Health, Jane Street Capital, Meta, and the BGI Group. Next year, Isaac will be pursuing a degree at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, studying topics including electoral systems, voting rules, and artificial intelligence.
Mia Polansky
EE PhD student
I'm Mia, a fifth year Ph.D. student working with Professor Todd Zickler in Computer Vision (technically EE) . I received my undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Rice University in 2017—though it took a year of pre-med courses for me to find my way to engineering, and I will forever be grateful that I eventually did.
Why did you apply to be a SEAS DIB Student Fellow?
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- Just as I attribute my switch to engineering as chance, my path to graduate school started when I responded to an listserv email advertising a summer research position; before that, engineering research was a mythical subject to me. As a DIB fellow, I want to ensure that any Harvard undergrads with an interest in research (and those who have yet to realize their interest!) have the resources and knowledge to get started.
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How do you spend your time outside of being a student and DIB student fellow?- When I'm not attending to my research or DIB duties, you can find me pampering my rescue poodle Tuzi, drawing on my iPad, playing hidden identity board games with friends, and once in a while, going on a jog (pre-covid, I had marathon aspirations, though we'll see if that desire returns in 2022). I love chocolate and coffee (ideally together), can't stand raw tomatoes, and plan my days and vacations around food. If you're wondering if research might be for you, have any questions on how to get started, want to hear me rant about raw tomatoes, or have any other related or unrelated questions or concerns, please reach out because I'm always happy to talk!
Winston Michalak
BS Electrical and Electronics Engineering
My name is Winston, and I am a senior at the College studying electrical engineering. I hail from the great city of Evanston, IL, and on campus I live in Pforzheimer House. One aspect about engineeringI really enjoy is its versatility and breadth, and I think studying engineering against the backdrop of Harvard's liberal arts core curriculum is a really rewarding way to pursuing a degree at SEAS.
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Why did you apply to be a SEAS DIB Student Fellow?- I decided to become a SEAS DIB Fellow because I wanted to give back. SEAS has afforded me an unparalleled education and incredible experiences working with and learning from professors and peers. As a DIB fellow, I hope to pay my experience forward so that others may take advantage of the same opportunities that SEAS has granted me.
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How do you spend your time outside of being a student and DIB student fellow?- Outside of being a student and a student fellow, I love hanging out with friends and walking through Harvard Yard
Shi Le Wong
AB/SM Applied Mathematics with Psychology
Shi Le is a senior at Harvard College pursuing an AB/SM in Applied Mathematics. She is born and raised in Singapore surrounded by many cousins. As a first-gen student, she went into college not really knowing what to expect and bounced around in the natural sciences and social sciences, before finally settling on Applied Math. She really enjoys AM since it allows her to combine her interests in both quantitative, STEM curriculums and people-oriented, humanistic lenses of psychology.
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Why did you apply to be a SEAS DIB Student Fellow?- I was fortunate to meet a lot of wonderful people in my AM classes, including faculty, staff and fellow students. I was also very interested in understanding more about diversity work, and normalizing the narrative that STEM is not as objective as we think it is and we should actively acknowledge that and work to be more inclusive. Hence, I thought being a SEAS DIB Student Fellow would be a great place for me to grow and contribute to efforts in a community that I feel deeply connected to.
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How do you spend your time outside of being a student and DIB student fellow?- I find jogging really boring but I also recognize its value for health and would like myself to do it more. So to reconcile that, I like to watch food videos while I jog because I love watching food videos. Coming from Singapore where great, cheap food is available everywhere, it is also a nice way of connecting back to home when I watch these videos. I also love going into the outdoors with friends (and then going for good food)!