AnnaMarie Bliss is a sixth year PhD Candidate in Architecture with concentrations in Historic Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Perception Studies, Environmental Design, and Tourism. She is also pursuing her architecture license and hopes to become a professor and preservation architect/consultant. Her work concerns the impacts of preservation and restoration of historic architecture on future design and tourism in Barcelona. She is a world traveler, experimental cook, avid runner, and college football fanatic.

Raghavendra Pradyumna Pothukuchi is a sixth year graduate student pursuing his PhD in Computer Science (CS), focusing on Computer Architecture. His interdisciplinary research draws on Control Theory and Machine Learning to advance the efficiency of computer systems. He shares an equally keen interest in teaching and was selected as a Mavis Future Faculty Fellow (2016-2017) by the College of Engineering. Outside of his academics, he and his wife (also pursuing PhD in CS at U of I ) spend time playing with their one-year old son or cooking or learning classical Indian music, dance, language, texts and philosophy.

Maryam Khademian is a fifth year graduate student in the department of Microbiology. Her research focuses on oxidative stress and anaerobic respiration. She tries to understand why organisms have so many different enzymes to degrade hydrogen peroxide, using genetic and biochemical approaches. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and discussing books, painting, biking and hiking in Champaign heights.

Matthew Fiorentino is a second year PhD student in Music Education studying teacher education. Before moving to Illinois, Matthew was an orchestra director in Boise, Idaho. He hopes to work with preservice teachers and is passionate about string education, as well as teacher leadership and issues of social justice. He is an avid trail and mountain runner and enjoys exploring the Midwest in search of a good hill.

Harsh Banwait is a second year Master of Business Administration candidate. As an aspiring technology professional, he hopes to leverage his business background and engineering knowledge to help companies utilize technology to solve complex problems. His research interests broadly include the economic impact of IoT and Autonomous Vehicles. You can usually spot him running up and down the BIF stairs, at the gym, or talking about why Tesla is the future to any and everyone.

John Musser is a sixth year PhD candidate in the department of English. His research interests include performance studies, queer theory, and 20th century literature and visual culture. He is currently writing a dissertation about the figure of the diva in the long 20^th century, and the diva’s evocation of the queer sublime. In this project, John is most interested in the queerness of aesthetic theories and how they inform genealogical conversations about race and sexuality in the 20^th century.

Vicky Baraldi is a second year graduate student in the Professional Science Master’s program in Food Science and Human Nutrition. Her passion towards food has motivated her to contribute to the transformation of processed foods into a healthy and affordable option. She enjoys trying new food, running, and yoga.

Sophia Imtiazi is a second semester graduate student pursuing a Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations. As an aspiring HR professional for a multinational organization, she hopes to gain experience in the various functions of HR in order to contribute strategically to the development of a healthy talent pipeline in concert with business goals and objectives. Outside of class, she enjoys spending time with friends, traveling, and making progress on lists of books/movies/TV shows to dive into.

Mackenzie Neally is a second year Master's student in the College of Education with a concentration on Higher Education. Her research interests revolve around the experiences of racial minorities in educational institutions, primarily Black males and minority populations of student-athletes. Mackenzie is passionate about teaching, working in collegiate athletics, and working on social justice causes. When she is not on campus, Mackenzie enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and spending time with her husband, Justin, and their dog, Rex.

Ga Young Chung is a fifth year doctoral student in education policy studies with a minor in Asian American studies. Her dissertation investigates the current US immigration system and its impact on undocumented Korean immigrant youth. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, scuba diving, and exploring with her two chihuahuas, HoSoo and BaaDaa.