RAMP Scholars 2016-2017

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Danya Belnour

Danya Belnour

My name is Danya Belnour, I was born August 30th, 1997 in Tripoli, Libya. I moved to the Orlando, Florida when I was 15 years old. I have obtained my High School diploma from Colonial High when I was 16. Next, I attended Valencia College where I obtained my A.A. Finally, I am currently a student at the University of Central Florida where I am studying Biomedical Sciences. Starting Fall 2018, I will be a graduate student in the MS biotechnology program at UCF. During my academic years, I have obtained many honors and awards such as, LEAD scholars, Presidents list recognition, and All Florida Academic Team Award.
Bria Mayo

Bria Mayo

Bria Mayo was born and raised in Southern California. She is pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology. She is passionate in the Industrial Organizational Psychology to find alternative methods to recruit and attract potential employee in the workplace. Mayo is currently involved in research at the Team Performance Lab at IST. The Team Performance Lab has emphasis on the Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). In the Team Performance Lab, Mayo is under the guidance of Dr. Florian Jentsch. She plans to obtain her Ph.D. in the Industrial Organizational Psychology, and plans to pursue are career in consulting with an emphasis in recruitment.
Jessica Needham

Jessica Needham
Joel Abad

Joel Abad

Joel Abad is a junior at the University of Central Florida, majoring in health sciences pre-clinical and minoring in health services administration. Joel intends to attend medical school and become an orthopedic surgeon. Since January 2016 Joel is the head researcher in his laboratory, where they work on sensors ranging from color-changing films that rapidly indicate the presence of ozone to more compact forms for sensitive quantitation of ozone. Joel has planned and executed scientific workshops and conferences for the nonprofit organization Society for Scientific Advancement. These workshops promote science initiatives in Jamaica among children in an effort raise interest in STEM careers.
Andrew Aboujaoude

Andrew Aboujaoude

Andrew Aboujaoude is an honors student and a LEAD Scholar at the University of Central Florida. Andrew is majoring in biomedical sciences and minoring in political science. His current research focuses on molecular parasitology and important malarial kinases, in hopes of uncovering vital protein interaction networks. Andrew has also conducted research in the field of rhetoric and writing, where he explicated the persuasive elements of ISIS propaganda. He has volunteered in the Orlando Regional Medical Center’s cancer center, cardiac unit, neurological unit and emergency department. Recently, Andrew started a nonprofit organization Hearts for the Homeless Orlando that aims to decrease hypertension incidence rates in homeless communities throughout the world. For his charitable work, Andrew was awarded the Clinton Global Initiative University Scholarship, the Heart of UCF Award, and the Resolution Fellowship. Andrew intends to pursue a career in medicine as a physician for the United States of America military.
Caroline Artega

Caroline Artega

Caroline Arteaga pursues a major in mathematics at UCF. Previously, she dabbled in chemistry, psychology, and Latin American studies as possible academic centers. Even though she did not continue in these fields, the varied experiences culminated to a bare desire for knowledge. Understanding information at its most basic core, i.e. “pure” math, was her passion. Understanding numbers would allow her form relationships with other subjects. Caroline is a member of the Exoplanets Research Group at UCF. Here, she is learning computational programming to unscramble the exoplanet data transmitted from the Spitzer Space Telescope. Caroline hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in mathematics to then conduct research professionally, whether in astronomy, psychology, computational systems or any science that could benefit from this knowledge.
Paris Bishop

Paris Bishop

Paris initiated her journey into the field of aerospace engineering Fall 2016. She has conducted research within material science and engineering. This research gave her the extra push to minor in mathematics and material science. Paris is part of RAMP. In the future, she hopes to perform additional research in the field of material science and engineering- pursuing a master's degree in that area of study. She want to work for an aerospace company. like NASA and become an astronaut. She would love to travel around the world for her work, but she will gladly take outer space instead.
Robert Caldwell

Robert Caldwell

Robert Caldwell moved to Orlando, FL from Eastern Tennessee to study at the University of Central Florida. A lifelong lover of the arts, he enrolled in history and social science education programs. Robert's excitement for history pushed him toward a career in education. His goals include obtaining a high school teaching position, while pursuing a master's in history. Currently, Robert partakes in research on the history of South Africa where he analyzes the Apartheid era. The career path that Robert is pursuing is his dream and he want to push himself further within his chosen field.
Erica Castaneda

Erica Castaneda

Erica Castaneda is majoring in biomedical sciences with a minor in psychology. Until recently, Erica was the Director of Volunteer Affairs for the Honors Congress at UCF. Her passion to help animals, inspires her to become involved in conservation efforts and pursue veterinary school. This past summer, she interned at Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge where she helped rehabilitate Central Florida’s wildlife and she is currently working as a kennel technician at University Animal Hospital. She will participate in a study abroad trip to South Africa’s Nkosinathi Community Center in order to assist conservation efforts on the Nambiti Game Reserve.

Erica works with the Science and Planning in Conservation Ecology (SPICE), conducting independent research since September 2016. Her research investigates the effect of traffic noise on Cuban Tree frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) tadpole feeding behavior. After veterinary school, Erica intends to continue her involvement in conservation efforts through research and volunteer work.
Meredith Cohen

Meredith Cohen

Meredith Cohen majors in communication science and disorders. She completed her AA degree at Florida State University. Meredith interns at The Fountains Assisted Living Facility. Her work in the Behavioral Analysis Memory Care Program assists residents suffering from memory loss. Meredith is also participating in a research project funded by the National Institute of Health. She works closely with Dr. Kent-Walsh teaching preschoolers with communication disorders to use augmentative alternate communication through iPad application. Her goal for her next research project is to work with a different age group suffering from another disease that correlates with speech production. Meredith intends to earn a master’s degree in speech language pathology, in order to work with various age groups. She hopes to have experience across the spectrum of her field.
Tithonas Davis

Tithonas Davis

Tithonas Davis attends the University of Central Florida and majors in environmental engineering. Inspired by the world around him, Tithonas strives to become an engineer in the field of wastewater treatment, pursuing both research and consulting. His primary research interest is the development of renewable energy to create a world powered by renewable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly energy sources. He will continue his education to earn a master’s and doctorate in environmental engineering.
Michael Dieffenbach

Michael Dieffenbach

Michael Dieffenbach is a junior in the College of Medicine at the University of Central Florida. He is studying biomedical sciences and hopes to earn an MD/PhD in order to pursue a career in medical research. His research interests include genetics, cancer, microbiology, and drug development. Currently, Michael is performing research in a genetics lab at UCF. There, he is investigating the genetics behind the cellular transport of chemicals called polyamines in order to develop more effective cancer medications. Michael’s undergraduate honors thesis involves developing a more effective assay to screen genes for their involvement in polyamine transport.
Andrew Ezigbo

Andrew Ezigbo

Andrew Ezigbo is a junior, majoring in sport and exercise science, at the University of Central Florida, Orlando. He completed an Associate in Arts degree from Valencia College, Orlando, in May 2016, prior to transferring to UCF in June 2016. Since enrolling at UCF, Andrew has actively pursued leadership and volunteer opportunities. He volunteers weekly at the Knights Helping Knights Pantry, a service organization affiliated with UCF. He is also a Research and Mentoring Program-Transfer Student (RAMP-T) Scholar, and a Lead Out Loud Scholar in UCF’s Lead Scholars Program. Andrew’s future graduate school plans include completion of a Master’s in Sport and Exercise Science at UCF. He also hopes to earn a doctoral degree in exercise physiology. His areas of research interest include health promotion and wellness.
Stephanie Gaspar

Stephanie Gaspar

Stephanie Gaspar is a senior at the University of Central Florida where she majors in biology with a double minor in environmental studies and health sciences. She is a research assistant at the Aquatic Biogeochemistry Laboratory at UCF, focusing on wetlands research. Here she works with various analytical chemistry techniques to study the effects of climate change on wetlands and examine the biochemical effects of oyster restoration in the Indian River Lagoon. Stephanie is currently researching the nutrient dynamics related to restoration efforts at Lake Tohopekaliga. Her intention is to pursue a career in botany, with an emphasis on sustainable agriculture and medicinal plants. She is currently a member of the Florida Native Plant Society and is involved with the American Farmland Trust.
Michelle Gaynor

Michelle Gaynor

Michelle Gaynor is majoring in biology at the University of Central Florida, with a particular interest in plant biology. She is involved in a research project under the mentorship of Dr. Eric Hoffman and Dr. Linda Walters. The project evaluates the impact of current restoration efforts on genetic diversity of smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, used for shoreline stabilization, within the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida. As a member of the Student Undergraduate Research Council and the GEMS (Girls EXCELing in Math and Science), Gaynor is dedicated to increasing female presence in the sciences and overall helping students engage in undergraduate research. She will pursue a graduate degree to continue addressing research questions. Gaynor hopes to have a career in academia and mentor the next generation of scientist.
Emily Gipson

Emily Gipson

Emily is majoring in biology and minoring in statistics. Her research focuses on the spatiotemporal distribution of dwarf seahorses, mercury concentration in blue crabs, and integrated conceptual ecosystem models. Emily’s attraction to marine ecology originates from her love of the ocean and the quantitative aspects of ecological research. Her research interests now broadly include the use of modeling and quantitative methods to improve the management and conservation of valuable marine fisheries. In the future, she will attend graduate school in order to strengthen her background in fisheries management. Emily intends to pursue a career in academia because she believes it is a great platform for mentorship and public advocacy.
Nikki Huynh

Nikki Huynh

Nikki Huynh is majoring in biomedical sciences at UCF and is on the molecular microbiology track for her major. She currently researches Clostridium Difficile under the mentorship of Dr. William Self. The project entails utilizing an antimicrobial that is secreted from corals, Pupenhenone, to see its potency on the bacterium, C. difficile. Using different concentrations of the antimicrobials, the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) can be identified for the targeted Clostridium Difficile. In the future, Nikki will pursue a master’s degree in microbiology or food sciences. She hopes to have a career in biotechnology or a food related industry.
Jacqueline Jensen

Jacqueline Jensen
Miguel Jimenez

Miguel Jimenez

Miguel Angel Jimenez pursues a major in molecular biology and microbiology, and a minor in medieval and Renaissance studies. He has worked in basic science labs on cancer and neuroscience research and is currently completing a thesis on brain tumor biology. Along with his oncology research, Miguel studies the philosophical and theological aspects of early modern Spanish literature. He has received numerous scholarships and research awards, plays the flute, is fluent in Spanish, volunteers at a health clinic for the uninsured, and founded a registered student organization to fight child sex trafficking. After graduation, Miguel hopes to attend a top-tier medical school, where he will pursue a career in academic medicine. He plans on becoming a neurosurgeon at a teaching hospital, where he can contribute to medical education and lead groundbreaking research in neurological diseases.
Nicholas Kosan

Nicholas Kosan

Nicholas is a sophomore at the University of Central Florida. His studies are focused in optics and photonics. His goal is to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Photonic Science and Engineering and to continue the study of Optics at CREOL. Nicholas has been conducting research with the Nanophotonic Materials Group since his freshman year. His research interests include the fabrication and characterization of nanophotonic devices. These devices include spatially variant photonic crystals and grated index lenses. Specifically, these devices are fabricated through multiphoton lithography – an advanced form of laser-based, 3D printing. In addition, he is an active member of the undergraduate Society of Optics Students.
Mike Lopez

Mike Lopez

Mike is a driven undergraduate student at the University of Central Florida studying aerospace engineering. He is an accelerated sophomore and plans to graduate by the spring of 2019. Currently, he is conducting research in two dimensional materials. He is heading the research team and trains other undergraduates. Mike is an Eagle Scout and is determined to purse a Ph.D. in order to continue conducting research.
Christopher Martin

Christopher Martin

Christopher Martin is from Tampa, Florida and majors in chemistry with a focus in biochemistry. His passion for biochemistry originates in high school and he hopes to earn a doctoral degree in a closely related field. During his time at UCF, Chris has participated in multiple research-oriented programs. The L.E.A.R.N program proved the genesis of his current connection with principal investigator, Dr. Chumbimuni-Torres. He has been a member of Dr. Torres’s lab since the Spring semester of 2016, where his work revolves around the development of an electrochemical sensor used for the detection of specific sequences of DNA/RNA. Chris wishes to pursue a Ph.D. somewhere in the wide range of the biological sciences. His future research interests include the identification and potential manipulation of enzymes in the treatment of disease, both infectious and genetic. Chris’s ultimate goal is to translate his education into a career in industry where he can perform valuable research in an area such as drug discovery or biotechnology.
Abed Elrahman Naser

Abed Alrahman Naser

Abed Elrahman Naser pursues a major in biomedical sciences at the University of Central Florida. He is a member of associations such as the American Society of Microbiology, Muslim Student Association, Pre-Professional Medical Society, and Students Organized for Syria (SOS). Abed participates in various research endeavors as a RAMP scholar. He intends to pursue a medical degree and specialize in orthopedic surgery. Thus far he as shadowed a gastroenterologist and orthopedic surgeon. He hopes one day to open his own clinic and open free clinics in developing countries that are in desperate need for quality medicine.
Christine Nguyen

Christine Nguyen

Christine is a third-year student at the University of Central Florida majoring in biomedical sciences with minors in chemistry and sociology. She has a strong interest in medicine and aspires to become physician. She is a member of UCF’S Multicultural Association of Pre-Health Students and previously served as the Volunteer Director.

Christine has been heavily engaged research throughout high school and college. As a senior in high school, she spent half of a year in the Biological Sciences Department at the George Washington University, studying the role of endosymbionts in the immune function of Drosophila flies. Throughout college, she has continued to develop her skills at a researcher, studying neural tube defects at the Center for Neuroscience Research at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC and mitophagy and cell death at the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences at UCF. At UCF, she worked with a local non-profit to found Charisma Crayons, an organization that provides tutoring and mentoring to homeless kids in downtown Orlando, and she previously served as Fundraising Director for She’s the First, a club that sponsors girls’ education in third world countries.
Jorge Nunez

Jorge Nunez

Jorge Nunez was born in Miami, Florida. Jorge attends the University of Central Florida where he majors in computer Science and minors in both Russian studies and secure computing and networking. Jorge has many academic interests, including cyber security, modern languages, and philosophy. His academic focus is currently occupied by computer science and the study of the Russian language. Jorge is currently conducting research on how to incorporate digital stories into a language-learning curriculum, but his research interests lie primarily with ethical hacking and security. It is his goal to work as a cyber security specialist or as a network penetration tester, and he is looking for opportunities to better protect the information and identity of patients in the medical health-care system by studying HIPPA Compliance guidelines.