Aaron Onufrak, Natural Sciences Mentor

Aaron is a 3^rd year PhD student in the Entomology and Plant Pathology department at the University of Tennessee. He studies the fungi and bacteria that associate with eastern black walnut, a tree that is highly valued for its lumber. He is currently working to identify methods to control the fungal pathogen that causes Thousand Cankers Disease, which kills eastern black walnut trees throughout the United States.  His long term career goal is to be an instructor at a college or university sharing my passion for biology with undergraduate students.

Andrew Amburn, Machine Learning and Emerging Technology

Andrew is a 3rd year graduate student in the department of Genome Science and Technology at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. His research focuses on developing computational techniques to target RNAs involved in human disease. Specifically, he focuses on the use of machine learning to assist the process of discovering new drugs which can bind RNA with high affinity. Andrew’s career goal is to be a staff research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and continue pushing the boundaries of science in new and impactful ways.

Emily Proehl, Engineering & Math Mentor

Emily is a 4th year graduate student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Her research focuses on structural materials for nuclear reactors, which must withstand extreme environments – high temperature, corrosive fluids, and intense radiation. The overarching objective is to make nuclear reactors more cost-competitive and safer to help power the globe. Emily’s career goals are to further nuclear materials development and the understanding of radiation effects in materials, while paying forward the invaluable mentorship she received throughout her educational pursuits.

Human Sciences Mentor

TBA