About Us
Our Mission
The WiSE PhD Student Advisory Board (AB) was established during the 2017-2018 academic year as a division of USC’s WiSE program to cultivate mentorship and promote the involvement of graduate women in science and engineering. The WiSE PhD AB now functions as a community-based organization specifically focusing on opportunities and events for USC graduate students. We host social, mentorship, and professional development events throughout the academic year to help foster a supportive graduate community. Our events and initiatives are open to all gender identities.
Our PhD Advisory Board
Anamika Nanda
President of the board
Anamika Nanda is a Ph.D. student in the Integrative and Evolutionary Biology program. She studies biological mechanisms of physical activity and aging. Specifically her dissertation focus’s on how physical activity and genetics influence our neurological health. In her free time she enjoys grabbing coffee, weightlifting, and cooking.
Anjali Bhatnagar
Vice-president of the board
Anjali Bhatnagar is a PhD student in the Marine and Environmental Biology department. Her research aims to investigate how microbes and cyanobacteria interact in the surface ocean. In addition to WiSE, Anjali is involved in student government and the DEI committee in her department.
Jaspreet Ranjit
Secretary
Jaspreet Ranjit is a fourth-year PhD student in Computer Science and a student leader at the Center for AI in Society at the University of Southern California. Her research focuses on the responsible design and deployment of language models for social good. In her free time, she enjoys going to Pilates and learning new instruments
Raven Althouse
Treasurer
Raven Althouse is a Ph.D. student in Environmental Engineering, with a research focus of utilizing Membrane Biofilm Reactors as a means of water and wastewater treatment, greenhouse mitigation, and microbial cultivation. Off campus, Raven spends her time volunteering at animal shelters and exploring restaurants in LA.
Sarah Hourihan
Social chair
Sarah Hourihan is a Ph.D. student in the Integrative and Evolutionary Biology program. She broadly studies associations between physical activity and sedentary behavior contexts and chronic disease outcomes. In her free time, she enjoys reading, making music, and exploring LA.
Huijing Gao
Programming chair
Huijing Gao studies vocal learning in songbirds in neuroscience, which involves understanding how songbirds learn to sing, much like how humans learn to speak. She is motivated to contribute to the community of WiSE, not only to the organization. In her free time, she exercises to stay healthy and does activities to relax and maintain a balanced life.
Nripsuta Saxena
Mentorship
Nripsuta (Ani) Saxena is in the Computer Science Ph.D. program and focuses on algorithmic fairness to create a more equitable world. She is actively involved in outreach and engagement efforts at USC. In her free time, you will find her reading or traveling (or both).
Alyssa Chan
Mentorship
Alyssa Chan is a Ph.D. student in the Physical Biology program under the Physics department. In her free time, she is often out enjoying the food and restaurants around LA.
Shirin Nataneli
Mentorship
Shirin Nataneli is a fourth-year PhD student in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, where she uses statistical modeling to explore how ancestry patterns form and evolve in human populations. In her free time, she can be found sweating it out in an indoor cycling class, pausing mid-walk to identify trees, or spoiling her three cats.
Emily Herbert
Co-treasurer
Emily is a second-year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering. Her research focus is in electrochemical sensor solutions to prevalent issues in women’s health. Outside of lab, she enjoys playing piano and rollerskating.
Su Ozcan
Committee member – social
Su Ozcan is a PhD student in the Chemical Biology program. She studies RNA biology and enzyme structure–function relationships, investigating how RNA-editing enzymes and their protein partners regulate RNA metabolism in the context of viral infection and cancer biology. Beyond the lab, Su enjoys swimming, playing chess, and exploring Los Angeles’ coffee spots.
Allison Pataro
Committee member – programming
Allison Pataro is a Ph.D. student in the integrative and evolutionary biology program. Her research focuses on the neural mechanisms of nausea during illnesses and as a result of medications such as chemotherapy. Outside of the lab, she enjoys baking, playing video games, and going to concerts.
Fatemeh Afshar Ghahremani
Committee member – programming
Fatemeh Afshar Ghahremani is in the Physical Chemistry program, specializing in the mechanisms and kinetics of chemical reactions. Outside the lab, she enjoys exploring Los Angeles and watching films.
Sanaiya Islam
Webmaster
Sanaiya Islam is a PhD student in Environmental Engineering. Her research focuses on understanding the transformation pathways of chemicals in the environment. In her free time, she can be found chilling with her cats or visiting Disneyland.
Past Liaisons
Kylie Trettner
Michella Rustom
Elana Helou
Nora Li
Tristan McPhail
Vanessa Rubien
Shilpa Vijay
Affiliations
