Leadership team 2023-2024
Advisor
Ashley Sorrell, PhD
Assistant Director
Office of Graduate Student Professional Enhancement
ashley.sorrell@uky.edu
859-323-6807
Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT) role: Senior Faculty Instructional Consultant
Executive Board
President: Sara (Cheng) Qian
My name is Sara (Cheng) Qian and I am originally from Guilin, China. I received a bachelor’s degree in Plant science from China Agricultural University and a master’s degree in Agronomy from Auburn University with a minor in Statistics. Currently I am in the 4th year of my PhD in the department of Plant and soil sciences. My research mainly focuses on silicon fertilization in turfgrasses. Outside of work and study, I enjoy watching operas and musicals, traveling and weight training.
Vice President: Faraneh Fathi
Faraneh Fathi is a Ph.D. candidate in the UK College of Engineering's Biomedical Engineering (BME) department. Prior Joining to the UK, she obtained her master’s degree in BME from Marquette University, Milwaukee. Faraneh has received several competitive awards including the prestigious 2022 Halcomb Fellowship in Medicine and Engineering, and Joyce Evans Outstanding Service Award. She is elected as the vice-president of BMES at the UK Student Chapter, serves as the BME representative of Graduate Students, representative of the BME department at the UK Graduate Student Congress (GSC), and Chair of the Award Committee at GSC. Apart from her research work, she has a keen interest in pursuing business and aspiring to be an entrepreneur. She completed the Entrepreneurs Bootcamp 1.0 program at the University of Kentucky's Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE) and is currently enrolled in Bootcamp 2.0 to further enhance her skills. During her non-research hours, she takes pleasure in practicing Yoga and spending time with her cockatiel Cheeka.
Chief of Staff: Sarah Carr
Sarah is a PhD candidate in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences. She works with Dr. Phillip Bridges studying the effects of Selenium-form on fertility in beef cows. She specifically examines molecular and cellular responses to specific selenium-form diets in the corpus luteum, endometrium, and conceptus. She has previously earned a graduate certificate in College Teaching and Learning and in Applied Statistics from the University of Kentucky. Sarah completed her B.S. in Agriculture and Natural Resources at Berea College in 2015 and her M.S. in Animal Physiology at West Virginia University in 2018. Sarah is the GSC Secretary and the AFSGA President. She is the mother to a 7-year-old daughter and eight pets. In her free time, she is obtaining B.A. in Hispanic Language and Culture and is the operations coordinator for a non-profit call Journi’ s Hope that provides food and nutritional resources to immigrant, refugee, and minority families here in Lexington.
Secretary & Professional Student Affairs: Michelle Graham-Smith
Michelle Graham-Smith, has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, and holds certification as a Certified Rehabilitation counselor, a License in Social Work, and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor through the state of Kentucky. She has seven years of experience working with adolescents and adults with Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders co-occurring disorders providing various services which assist in case management, family dynamics, and transitional care plans. Michelle has worked in case management and advocacy with individuals with multiple disabilities for the last 17 years. She continues her advocacy by providing vocational evaluations, coordinating transitional work services, career exploration, resume building services, and job development and training skills. Michelle currently is a full-time professional and attends the University of Kentucky College of Education, earning her Doctorate E.D. in Educational Leadership with a research focus on remote work and how to build a stronger connection within the workplace.
Treasurer
Treasurer: Samaneh Rabienia Haratbar
I am Samaneh Rabienia, a Ph.D. candidate in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Kentucky. At present, I serve as the Treasurer for the Biomedical Engineering Student Society (BMES). Additionally, I have actively undertaken the responsibilities of Treasurer for both the Iranian Student Association (ISS) and BMES, making meaningful contributions to their financial management and fostering growth throughout the previous year.
Institutional Affairs Officer
External Affairs Officer
Postdoc Affairs Officer: Dominic Nthenge
Dominic was born and did his early education in Kenya. He moved to India where he did his B.Sc at the Periyar University in Tamil Nadu. This was followed by M.Sc. from the Cochin University of Science and Technology In Kerala, with a focus on neurobiology. He went on to do research in neuroscience with emphasis on neurodegenerative diseases and more so, experimental parkinsonism at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, earning a PhD from the University of Calcutta. He is currently a postdoctoral scholar at the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, In the College of Medicine at the University of Kentucky where his interests circle around the role of the cerebral vasculature in the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury. In this context, he is also interested in cardiovascular disorders and their relationship to the brain. When not in the lab he is probably riding his bike, playing badminton or swimming (or at least trying to do one of them).
Student Government Association (SGA) Representatives: Tori Stanton
My name is Tori Stanton and I am originally from Asheville, North Carolina. I received a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from UNC Asheville, a master’s degree in Integrated Plant and Soil Sciences from UKY, and master’s degree in Statistics also from UKY. Currently I am in the 4th year of my PhD in the department of Statistics. I am early in the early stages of my research but I am interested in better ways to combine data that was collected on different scales, particularly agricultural data. Outside of work and school, I enjoy watching tennis, reading, and playing with my cat.
Committee Chairs Appropriations & Revenue Committee Chairs
Upama Dev
Upama is a PhD student in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Kentucky. Her current research focuses on the localization of endophytic seed bacteria in maize kernels. Her expertise is in microbial ecology and molecular biology. She is originally from Bangladesh and completed her undergrad and master's degree at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. She is on the executive committee 2023-2024 as a cultural affairs officer in the Bangladeshi Student Association at the University of Kentucky. She is a mother of a fantastic 2.5-year-old boy who always makes her proud. Upama has a deep passion for cooking traditional foods. She loves to cook for family and friends. Her hobby is gardening, traveling, and reading the Bengali classics.
Samaneh Rabienia Haratbar
I am Samaneh Rabienia, a Ph.D. candidate in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Kentucky. At present, I serve as the Treasurer for the Biomedical Engineering Student Society (BMES). Additionally, I have actively undertaken the responsibilities of Treasurer for both the Iranian Student Association (ISS) and BMES, making meaningful contributions to their financial management and fostering growth throughout the previous year.
Awards Committee Chairs
Faraneh Fathi
Faraneh Fathi is a Ph.D. candidate in the UK College of Engineering's Biomedical Engineering (BME) department. Prior Joining to the UK, she obtained her master’s degree in BME from Marquette University, Milwaukee. Faraneh has received several competitive awards including the prestigious 2022 Halcomb Fellowship in Medicine and Engineering, and Joyce Evans Outstanding Service Award. She is elected as the vice-president of BMES at the UK Student Chapter, serves as the BME representative of Graduate Students, representative of the BME department at the UK Graduate Student Congress (GSC), and Chair of the Award Committee at GSC. Apart from her research work, she has a keen interest in pursuing business and aspiring to be an entrepreneur. She completed the Entrepreneurs Bootcamp 1.0 program at the University of Kentucky's Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE) and is currently enrolled in Bootcamp 2.0 to further enhance her skills. During her non-research hours, she takes pleasure in practicing Yoga and spending time with her cockatiel Cheeka.
Mounica Talasila
I’m Mounica Talasila, a Ph.D. candidate from the department of Plant and Soil Sciences in the College of Agriculture. I’m from India and I moved to the US for my master’s in agriculture at Murray State University in 2019 and started my doctoral program at UK in 2021. I’m studying soybean agronomy and ecophysiology through crop modeling. It has been a pleasure being part of the vibrant student community here at UK and I’m looking forward to serving and learning from my term in the student congress. Outside work, my interests include painting, yoga, and reading. I love animals and sometimes, I volunteer to foster animals at the Humane Society that need care and a loving home.
Communications & Documents Committee Chairs
Michelle Graham-Smith
Michelle Graham-Smith, has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, and holds certification as a Certified Rehabilitation counselor, a License in Social Work, and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor through the state of Kentucky. She has seven years of experience working with adolescents and adults with Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders co-occurring disorders providing various services which assist in case management, family dynamics, and transitional care plans. Michelle has worked in case management and advocacy with individuals with multiple disabilities for the last 17 years. She continues her advocacy by providing vocational evaluations, coordinating transitional work services, career exploration, resume building services, and job development and training skills. Michelle currently is a full-time professional and attends the University of Kentucky College of Education, earning her Doctorate E.D. in Educational Leadership with a research focus on remote work and how to build a stronger connection within the workplace.
Levone Li
Levone is currently a social work PhD student at the University of Kentucky. He has been a member of the Social Work, Social Justice, & Sport Research Lab since Aug 2020 and has contributed to two published manuscripts. Additionally, Levone has served as an ad hoc reviewer for two journals. Levone’s research interests include youth development, experiential learning, and statistical analysis. Levone is a certified lifeguard and is currently a member of a local master’s swimming team. In his free time, Levone enjoys hiking, camping, and snowboarding.
International Student Concerns Committee Chairs
Anjana Subramoniam
I am Anjana Subramoniam, originally form India. I completed my Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Masters in Entomology in India. Currently, I am a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biology, studying the contribution of the Autonomic Nervous System and sleep, in memory and cognition, in both rodent models and humans. My vision is to partake in the education and spread awareness on the research on understanding the links between sleep and the neurobiological mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases. During my free time, I play racquetball and tennis, travel, dance, explore coffee shops, and spend quality time with my partner and our dog.
Diane Iradukunda
Diane Iradukunda is a Ph.D. student specializing in Biomedical Engineering, with a strong emphasis on exploring the connection between sleep patterns and neurodegenerative diseases, such as epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. She earned her Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering from Arizona State University and holds a Bachelor's degree from Ghana. Currently, Diane serves as the co-chair for the International Student Concerns Committee (ISCC) and holds the position of Vice Chair for the IEEE EMBS Wildcats student chapter at the University of Kentucky. Beyond her academic pursuits, she finds joy in activities such as yoga, cooking, and reading. Diane is also an international student from Kigali, Rwanda.
Professional Development & Networking Committee Chairs
Deepti Adhikari
My name is Deepti, and I am from Lexington, Kentucky. I received a Bachelor of Arts in Information Communication Technology in 2017, followed by a master's degree in Instructional System Design in 2019, both from the University of Kentucky. I am in the 1st year of my doctoral program in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction's Instruction & Administration Program. My research mainly focuses on microlearning in an industry environment. Outside work and study, I enjoy playing basketball, drawing comics book, traveling, and watching Broadway plays and musicals.
David Lu
Hi everyone! I am a fourth-year PhD candidate in chemical engineering and the current president of the Materials and Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Association (MACE). I previously completed my undergraduate studies here at UK in 2020 and I am now a member of Dr. Isabel Escobar’s lab group in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering with a research focus on improving polymeric membrane fabrication sustainability and scale-up; the application of these membranes is for removing environmental contaminants from water. Before this year, I served as the MACE representative in the Graduate Student Congress and I am involved with the GSC Professional Development & Networking committee as a committee member and now a co-chair. Outside of the lab, I enjoy travelling, hiking, socializing, and playing sports! Always feel free to contact me for anything!
External Affairs Committee Chair
Madison Flory
Madison is originally from Defiance, Ohio, and is now enjoying her time living in Lexington. She got her undergraduate degree in biology in 2020 from Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio. She is now a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, studying the relationship between the gut microbiome and colorectal cancer. Madison serves as the MIMG department's representative to the GSC, and is the current president of KASPR (UKY's science policy & advocacy group). After finishing her degree, Madison hopes to move into science policy work. When she is not in the lab, Madison enjoys playing clarinet with the Central Kentucky Concert Band, game nights with friends, watching musicals, and reading historical fiction.
Institutional Advocacy Committee Chairs
Maaz Fareedi
Maaz is currently a Masters student in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. During his undergrad, he interned at Jewel Cave National Monument where he learned about the exciting fields of cave exploration and karst geology. This inspired him to seek out a career in public lands and stewardship. After receiving his Earth Science B.S. in 2019, Maaz worked as a geoscientist at Mammoth Cave National Park, where he discovered new cave entrances and performed studies on radon fluxes in cave passages. Later, Maaz went on to work at Yellowstone National Park, where he studied hydrothermal pools and geysers. His research at UK looks at how anthropogenic and environmental factors contribute toward microplastic contamination in Kentucky’s karst groundwater. Maaz is an avid caver and has recently co-founded a UK caving club called the Cavers of Central Kentucky.
Sarah Carr
Sarah is a PhD candidate in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences. She works with Dr. Phillip Bridges studying the effects of Selenium-form on fertility in beef cows. She specifically examines molecular and cellular responses to specific selenium-form diets in the corpus luteum, endometrium, and conceptus. She has previously earned a graduate certificate in College Teaching and Learning and in Applied Statistics from the University of Kentucky. Sarah completed her B.S. in Agriculture and Natural Resources at Berea College in 2015 and her M.S. in Animal Physiology at West Virginia University in 2018. Sarah is the GSC Secretary and the AFSGA President. She is the mother to a 7-year-old daughter and eight pets. In her free time, she is obtaining B.A. in Hispanic Language and Culture and is the operations coordinator for a non-profit call Journi’ s Hope that provides food and nutritional resources to immigrant, refugee, and minority families here in Lexington.
Institutional Research Committee
Tabitha Kinneer
Tabitha H. Kinneer is a 3rd-year doctoral student at the University of Kentucky Department of Communication. Her research focuses on health and interpersonal communication. Specifically, she has an interest in the opioid epidemic, relational dynamics, and deception.
Mental Health & Wellbeing Committee Chairs
Tori Stanton
My name is Tori Stanton and I am originally from Asheville, North Carolina. I received a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from UNC Asheville, a master’s degree in Integrated Plant and Soil Sciences from UKY, and master’s degree in Statistics also from UKY. Currently I am in the 4th year of my PhD in the department of Statistics. I am early in the early stages of my research but I am interested in better ways to combine data that was collected on different scales, particularly agricultural data. Outside of work and school, I enjoy watching tennis, reading, and playing with my cat.
Faezeh Akbari
My name is Faezeh Akbari, and I am originally from Iran. Currently, I am a second Year PhD student in the biomedical engineering department of UK. Before coming to the US, I got my bachelor’s degree in Optics and Laser engineering and my master’s degree in Photonics from Iran. My favorite hobbies are hiking, camping, listening to music, reading and watching series. I also have a cute dog. She is the best therapist ever and can indulge me in happiness whenever I pet her.
