Project Staff
2012-2013 Graduate Student Research Assistants
Sarah Alfaham
Sarah Alfaham is a masters student at the School of Social Work, concentrating in Management of Human Services within Children, Youth and Families. Sarah is currently the co-chair for the phone-operations team. At the NCID, in addition to valuable teamwork skills, she has further expanded her knowledge on the importance of institutionalizing access to diverse populations within America’s education system. In the future, Sarah would like to start her own nonprofit and empower minority youth and young professionals through programming components such as education, arts and culture, among others.
Sara Bliss
School of Education
Educational Studies: Assessment & Evaluation
1st Year Graduate Student
I have worked with NCID since April 2012
Data Entry/Data Management Team Leader
NCID has allowed me to learn about the logistics of running a grant-funded longitudinal research study as well as an opportunity to put my IRT and data analysis skills to good use. In the future, I hope to contribute to the field of educational assessment by coordinating with classroom teachers to develop assessments that are informative and serve to enhance the educational outcomes of children.
Jessi Carrothers
Silvena Chan
Silvena Chan is soon-to-be a second year Masters student in Higher Education. Her role on the Data Management team at NCID has strengthened her ability to work with large sets of survey data in SPSS and more importantly, her SPSS googling skills. She is glad to be involved in research that focuses on the creativity and agency of marginalized students instead of relying on more limited deficit based frameworks.
Sarah Erwin
Sara Fitzgerald
Sara Fitzgerald is entering her final year of the Master of Social Work Program. After graduating from the School of Social Work next year, she will pursue her LMSW and AASECT Certification. Her professional interests include sexual practices, particularly HIV and disorders of sex development/inner sex. She enjoys working at NCID, as it provides her with valuable research experience.
Kathleen Jordan
Nicole Lockwood
Previous Education: B.S. in Neuroscience from University of Michigan, Class of 2012
Current Education: MPH Candidate in Health Behavior and Health Education at University of Michigan, Class of 2014
Research Interest: HIV/AIDS Education, Health Disparities
Current Role at NCID: Recordkeeping Co-Teamleader
Previous Roles at NCID: Data Entry, Phone Operations, Incentives Teammembers
What Have I Learned at NCID? I have learned about the various factors that are part of conducting a longitudinal research study, along with the changes that come along.
Loan Nguyen
Loan Nguyen is a Masters student at the School of Public Health. Through her work in the NCID project she is learning the breadth of conducting a large scale research study, the importance of team collaboration, and fostering leadership skills. In the future, she hopes to reshape the way healthcare is delivered to diverse populations, while primarily working on improving outcomes for underprivileged women and children.
Nancy Ortiz
Nancy Ortiz joined NCID in August 2011. She has been a team leader for a unit of the project since then and has thoroughly enjoyed her time working with the NCID team. Ms. Ortiz is a Master’s of Social Work candidate and expects to graduate from the School of Social Work at UM in December of 2012. Her focus within the School of Social Work is Community Organizing with Communities and Social Systems with a minor in Social Policy and Evaluation. Through her work at NCID, she has discovered her appreciation and interest in social science research.
In August 2012, Nancy will conduct research at the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana, B.C. on U.S. deportation policies and the response of Mexican bordertowns. She hopes to utilize her research to create a policy briefing that will guide future Social Work practice around policy advocacy for immigrants. Nancy looks forward to applying her experiences from her coursework, field placements, and work at NCID to her new career as a Social Worker. She hopes to apply for fellowships that will allow her to expand on her current research interests and gain further experience in research and policy advocacy. Finanlly, she anticipates to enter law school in the near future and practice as a public interest lawyer and social worker for immigrants, children, and domestice violence victims.
Carly Wegner
Carly is a Masters student in Higher Education at the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education. Through her work on the project, Carly has gained useful knowledge and insight into the inner workings of an extensive research project. After graduating, she plans on pursuing a position in a university that will help to provide equal access to higher education for all people who wish to have it.
Abigail Williams
Abigail is a second year doctoral student in the Social Work and Social Science program. She will be a data management team leader supervising undergraduate staff members in maintaining and updating the databases regarding the project. Her research interests involve racial disparities for adolescents in the child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health systems. She is particularly interested in the overrepresentation of African American youth in these systems and the transition to adulthood. In the future she looks forward to utilizing her research skills to enact system reform in the area of social policy.
2012-2013 Undergraduate Student Research Assistants
Julia Bank
Julia is a rising senior in the University of Michigan’s school of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Her major is in Sociology and has minors in Spanish and Community Action/Social Change (CASC). Next year Julia hopes to get her Master’s degree in the School of Social Work. Julia’s research experience includes participating in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and the Community Based Research Fellowship (CBRF). At NCID Julia’s primary team is Data Entry, and her secondary team is Phone Operations.
Rachel Bartolo
Rachel is a rising Junior studying Women’s Studies and Urban Studies, with hopes of going into Public Health after graduation. Working with the incentives team, she has learned the importance of communicating with team members and working efficiently to complete projects quickly and accurately.
Lorne Carter
Lorne Carter is a Junior at the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts program. He is currently an undergraduate research assistant on the Diverse Pathways to Graduate Studies Project. French Horn Mentor for Livonia Philharmonic Orchestra for three years. Majors in African American Studies with a minor in Economics.Upheld as an Dell Representative for the University of Michigan. Plans after graduation include U of M law school.
Cordi Craig
Cordi Craig is a junior majoring in Anthropology in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. She has learned about teamwork in her role on the recordkeeping team—how to effectively communicate with each other and respectfully work together to get jobs and projects done quickly and efficiently. In the future, she would like to pursue physical therapy.
Beka Guluma
I am a Junior studying Political Science with a Minor in Applied Statistics. I have been with NCID since November 2012. My career goal is to work on sustainable economic and environmental development
on the continent of Africa, specifically Ethiopia and the other countries of East Africa.
Katelyn Hoisington
Katelyn Hoisington is currently a senior in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, with concentrations in Sociology and French. Academically, she is most interested in a the sociology of education, specifically concerning the social mobility of underprivileged youth. During the school year, Katelyn works as a literacy tutor for elementary school students in Detroit through a U-M program called America Reads. In the future, she hopes to teach elementary school in a low-income area, and ultimately pursue a Ph.D. in some combination of sociology, public policy, and/or education policy.
Sharon Kim
Leslie Kociemba
Leslie Kociemba is a junior at the University, majoring in Political Science, and minoring in Community Action and Social Change through the School of Social Work. Her previous experiences with volunteer work and international service trips, led to her interest in working with diverse student populations through the NCID and other on-campus organizations. One of her goals is to become fluent in Spanish, as she believes it is of the utmost importance to be able to communicate with the growing populations in the United States. Upon finishing her undergraduate studies, Leslie hopes to attend a graduate program in Public Health, specializing in Health Administration and Policy.
Hillary Kolb
Hillary Kolb transferred to the University of Michigan in September 2011. She recently graduated and plans to begin her first graduate program studying social work in Fall 2013. Hillary is a domestic violence advocate, enjoys researching diversity in higher education while also contemplating how more individuals may have more opportunities and fewer obstacles to gain education.
Janice Lee
Janice Lee is a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in History of Art and Museum Studies. Through her work at NCID she has gained experience in professionalism, organization, and the process of conducting research. Janice has also gained valuable interpersonal skills. After graduation she intends on attending graduate school, although she is not completely sure in what area as of yet.
Olivia Lee
Olivia Lee is a senior majoring in International Social Justice and minoring in Italian. Through her role on the incentives and data management teams, she has learned how to navigate research databases in Excel and SPSS, and how to problem solve by getting to the source of the issue. Following graduation, she will be attending law school to practice international law, particularly focusing on human rights and human trafficking.
Salomi Rami
Salomi is a senior majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. Through her work with both phone operations and data management at NCID, she has broadened her knowledge about social science research, in addtion to enhancing her skills with data collection and organization. Furthermore, she has gained valuable communication and teamwork skills. After graduation, Salomi plans to attend medical school and continue doing research in the medical field.
Qetuwrah Reed
Maria Robinson
Maria is a junior majoring in Psychology and Music with a minor in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer studies. Having started on the phone operations team, she has developed new research skills over the last year and is now also part of data management. Being a part of this team has taught her how important all the many facets of this study are, and that teamwork and communication are vital in the research environment. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school at the School of Social Work, and become a licensed sexual therapist.
Nicole Rowden
Eduardo Salas
Eduardo is a rising Junior at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. At NCID, he has learned the importance of maintaining accurate data efficiently, and the importance of maintaining the protection of human subjects. His knowledge with databases has increased much more, and looks forward to later leading a team at NCID. His work at the NCID has allowed him to improve himself as an individual and help the team accomplish their goals. After graduating, he intends to work at one of the big four accounting firms. This 2013 summer, he will be interning with Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC).
Grecia Serrano-Navarro
Grecia is a sophomore at the School of Music, Theatre and Dance. She is studying bass performance with teaching certification. Since working at NCID, Grecia expanded on her organizational skills and during the process, she gained access to several fascinating research surrounding social reforms through diversity. Grecia feels involved in a cause that hits close to home and it has inspired several career decisions. Specifically, Grecia would like to combine her lifelong passion of music with her work at NCID to focus her future goals around a teaching career that gives students, of all backgrounds, access to the world of music.
Sam Song
I’m a Psychology major and intend to graduate in 2014. I would like to pursue either a PhD or a PsyD in the same field. Currently, my aspirations include working as a therapist, working in a non-profit organization, writing motivational books or speeches, and of course a little bit of research.
Haley Stevens
Prapitha Suresh
Prapitha Suresh is a senior in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, with concentrations in Cell Molecular Biology and International Studies (Global Health and Environment). She has been a member of the recordkeeping team since the summer of 2011. Through her experience on recordkeeping, she has learned the importance of communication among team members, of working efficiently, and the importance of accuracy of a large scale study. In the future, she hopes to attend medical school and continue avidly participating in research in the medical field.
Yuan Khoon Tay
“I am a Junior in the Literature, Arts and Science College at the University of Michigan. I have been a undergraduate research assistant at the National Center of Institutional Diversity for the summer of 2012. I have a strong interest in Investments and plan to dive into the financial industry upon graduation.”
Daniel Temkin
Daniel is a senior majoring in Public Policy at the Ford School of Public Policy. As a member of the data management team, he has used SPSS and Excel to reverse-recode variables, write skip patterns, create comparison grids, and otherwise prepare study data for analysis. In addition, he has designed a tutorial for using Microsoft Excel. Next year he will be attending law school, where he plans to study intellectual property law.
2011-2012 Graduate Student Research Assistants
Sarah Alfaham is a first year Master in Social Work Candidate, concentrating in Management of Human Services, Children, Youth and Families, and Interpersonal Practice. Sarah is currently the co-chair for the phone-operations team. At the NCID, in addition to valuable teamwork skills, she has further expanded her knowledge on the importance of institutionalizing access to diverse populations within America’s education system. In the future, Sarah would like to start her own nonprofit and empower minority youth through programming components such as education, arts and culture, among others.
Rhianna M. Benberry is pursuing a Masters of Social Work, with a concentration in interpersonal practice with children and youth. Through her work on the project, she continues to learn valuable organizational and leadership skills. Her graduate studies focus on the child welfare system and welfare policy. After graduating, she would like to pursue a J.D., which will enable her to effectively lobby for underserved populations.
Sara Bliss is a first year Graduate Student in the School of Education. I have worked with NCID since April 2012 as a Data Entry/Data Management Team Leader NCID which has allowed me to learn about the logistics of running a grant-funded longitudinal research study as well as an opportunity to put my IRT and data analysis skills to good use. In the future, I hope to contribute to the field of educational assessment by coordinating with classroom teachers to develop assessments that are informative and serve to enhance the educational outcomes of children.
Silvena Chan is soon-to-be a second year Masters student in Higher Education. Her role on the Data Management team at NCID has strengthened her ability to work with large sets of survey data in SPSS and more importantly, her SPSS googling skills. She is glad to be involved in research that focuses on the creativity and agency of marginalized students instead of relying on more limited deficit based frameworks.
Anna Chiang is a first-year Masters student in Higher Education at the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education. At NCID, Anna has gained an understanding of research methodologies and has learned the complexities of a large-scale research project. After graduating, she will pursue a position in multicultural student affairs or admissions to promote access and diversity in higher education.
Sarah Fitzgerald is a Masters student in the School of Social Work. Through her work in the project, she is learning the issues and considerations in conducting quality research. After graduating, she plans on pursuing further study to become a licensed sex therapist in a non-profit setting.
Kimberly Foley is a Masters student at the Ford School of Public Policy. In her role as recordkeeping team leader, she has learned the breadth of work involved in conducting sponsored research. Her future career goals involve policy research.
Rachel Martin is a first-year Masters student in the School of Social Work, concentrating in interpersonal practice with children, youth, and families. She continues to gain knowledge of and skills in statistical analysis software through her work on the project. Rachel is considering law school and aspires to work for child protective services.
Nancy Ortiz is a first-year Masters student the School of Social Work. Through her role at NCID, she has further developed her team building skills, and an understanding of how important each role within the research project is to the success of the overall study. In the future, she would like to work with marginalized communities in a legal and community activist capacity.
Dorothy Pirtle is a Master of Public Policy (MPP) candidate in the School of Public Policy. She joined NCID as recordkeeping team leader in the winter of 2012. Upon graduating, Dorothy plans to pursue a PhD in Sociology with a concentration in Education and Social Policy.
Fatima (Amena) Qureshi is a first-year Masters student in the School of Public Health. She joined NCID in the winter semester as part of the data management team. Her passion is working and improving quality care for patients in underserved areas. In the near-term future, Fatima would like to work in developing countries to improve clinics and hospitals.
Yasmin Romodan is a second-year Masters student in the School of Public Health, concentrating in Health Behavior and Health Education. She joined NCID in winter of 2012 as the incentives and outgoing mail team leader. Upon graduating, Yasmin is interested in developing and working on programs that address health disparities among minorities.
Kathleen Rubio is a second-year Masters student in the School of Natural Resources and Environment, concentrating in Environmental Justice. She has developed management skills through her work at NCID and continues to learn about how to conduct research projects. She aspires to apply these skills and her education as a community organizer focusing on urban environmental issues.
Lindsay Townes is a third-year dual Masters student, majoring in Epidemiology (M.P.H.) and Environmental Informatics (M.S.). Lindsay joined NCID in January, 2012, and is learning about how to implement data management protocols for large longitudinal data sets in her role on the data management and entry team. After graduating, she aspires to be a tropical disease epidemiologist.
Jeffrey White is a first-year Masters student in the School of Social Work. Through his work on the project, he has learned how to oversee data collection and management, effectively communicate across teams, and delegate group tasks in a team-oriented setting. He is interested in developing mentor programming for ethnic minority youth to build college enrollment.
Mike Wolf is a first-year Masters student in the School of Social Work, concentrating in community organizing. He joined NCID in March 2012 as recordkeeping team leader, given his interest in exploring how the influence diversity promotion on a university campus can be tracked and measured. In the future, Mike hopes to be involved in social justice work on college campuses, mostly through student affairs work.
Nick Yankey is a dual-Masters student in the School of Social Work and the School of Public Health, with concentrations in Social Policy & Evaluation and Health Behavior and Health Education. Nick is developing skills in statistical analysis software, as well as management skills as a supervisor through his role in the project. He aspires to social work practice in health related policy and program evaluation, with an emphasis on substance abuse issues.
David Zeman is a first year Masters student in Social Work, concentrating in Interpersonal Practice and Health. He has built team management skills through his work at NCID. His future goals are to conduct program analysis and social science research in the human services field.
2011-2012 Undergraduate Student Research Assistants
Lauren Ahlers is a senior majoring in Anthropology with a minor in Gender and Health. Through roles on the data entry, incentives and phone operations teams, she has developed a better understanding of the components in a research study, learning how the various teams interact with one another and work individually to produce reliable data and analysis. In the future, she plans to join AmeriCorps and later pursue graduate studies in epidemiology.
Julia Bank is a rising senior majoring in Sociology in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. She joined NCID in May 2012, given her interest in learning more about research process on such a large project. After graduating, she hopes to attend graduate school in social work, with a focus on interpersonal practice.
Cordi Craig is a sophomore majoring in Anthropology and Communications in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. She has learned about teamwork in her role on the recordkeeping team—how to effectively communicate with each other and respectfully work together to get jobs and projects done quickly and efficiently. In the future, she would like to pursue research on diverse societies and cultures.
Fatimah Farooq is a sophomore majoring in Middle Eastern and North African Studies in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. Fatimah has learned about issues in research such as the functions of cohorts and human subjects protections, as well as how to manage databases. After graduating, she intends to apply to the Masters International program through the Peace Corps, and pursue graduate study in public health
Eryn Hong is a junior majoring in Political Science, Psychology, and International Studies. Eryn enjoys the detail-oriented work she does and continues to do across multiple teams of this study, and has learned the value of communication. After graduating, she would like to pursue law school, and work with Asian communities domestically or abroad.
Reuben Kapp is a senior at the Ford School of Public Policy. At NCID, he has learned the importance of maintaining accurate data efficiently. In the future, Reuben would like to enroll in a dual Master’s degree program or in law school, and pursue a career in higher education.
Sharon Kim is a junior majoring in Anthropology and International Studies. She has gained broad exposure to social science research through her work with NCID.
Hillary Kolb is a transfer student from Mid-Michigan Community College and Central Michigan University. She studies psychology and criminal justice and is involved with the Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Center. Her future goals include graduate study, and continuing to work in crisis intervention to aid victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Kara Li is a senior majoring in Mathematics and Economics. This is her second year working at NCID, where she has gained troubleshooting skills as well as experiencing managing a large database. Her future goals include obtaining a Masters degree in Finance and to work in investment banking.
Zach Lynn is an Economics major. Through exposure to other teams and their functions, his work at NCID has taught him workplace and research protocol. Upon graduating, Zach aspires to enter the field of economic consulting.
Sofia Murad is a senior majoring in Global Health and Environment. Working with data and phone operations at NCID, she has learned the importance of accuracy and efficiency in a team-based project.
Elizabeth Parr is a senior majoring in History and Political Science. At NCID, she has learned the logistics of survey research and the importance of teamwork in research, especially on large-scale projects. In the future, she aspires to pursue graduate study.
Dan Tempkin is a junior majoring in Public Policy at the Ford School of Public Policy. He has learned how to conduct phone conversations for the purpose of academic research, and also helps to assist with the translation of materials into Spanish for research participants in Puerto Rico. His future goals are to attend law school, and subsequently work in international law or journalism.
Carillon Skrzynski is a senior majoring in English and Psychology. At NCID, she has learned the demands of a mixed-method study, and how important organization is in research studies. After graduation, Carillon plans to pursue graduate study in the areas of Psychology, Criminology, and English.
Haley Stevens is a junior majoring in Biology. Through her work she has learned the various steps and challenges involved in carrying out a longitudinal study. In the future she may pursue graduate study in public health or education.
Prapitha Suresh is a sophomore majoring in Microbiology and Immunology. Since joining NCID in May 2011, Prapitha has learned the importance of being detail oriented when managing large scales of data and information, as well as the importance of working as a team. After graduating, Prapitha plans to attend medical school and practice medicine in developing countries.
2010-2011 Graduate Student Research Assistants
Fatima Fadlalla is working towards a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology. Her research interests are health disparities and global health. After joining NCID in September 2010, she has developed skills in data collection, which is a useful skill in any future research. She also believes her work with NCID will help her interact with diverse populations in the medical field. In the future, she wants to become a more culturally competent physician.
Gia Jones is pursuing a Master of Arts in Educational Studies with a concentration in Curriculum Development. She joined NCID in September 2010. At NCID, she is excited about learning how to use statistical analysis programs for quantitative data. Upon graduation, she plans to return to the field of after-school/co-curricular programming, where she will use her new knowledge to create engaging and education curriculum using multicultural education pedagogy.
Emely Medina is pursuing a Master of Arts in Educational Studies with a concentration in Educational Policy and Leadership. Her research interests include public policy, social stratification, underrepresented students and higher education. At After joining NCID in September 2010, she is an interviewer and member of the Participant Incentives Group. In the future, she plans to continue her education in doctoral programs in sociology and cultural studies in education with the goal of becoming a college professor and researcher.
Kathleen Rubio is working towards a Master of Science in Environmental Justice. She joined NCID in September 2010. Her research interests include the intersection of class, gender and race in environmental debates, specifically with regards to proximity to hazardous sites. At NCID, she has learned how to conduct telephone interviews and looks forward to learning more about the practice of research methods in the social sciences. Her future career goals include working as a community organizer on issues regarding environmental and social justice.
Relando Thompkins is pursuing a Master of Social Work with a dual concentration in Interpersonal Practice and Children, Youth and Families in Society. He is very interested in issues regarding the experiences of students of color in higher education, such as access, recruitment and retention and qualitative accounts of their experiences on campus and in the classroom. After joining NCID in September 2010, he has learned about the research process through managing data collection and coordinating effective teamwork through leadership and communication. In the future, he plans to pursue doctoral study in higher education or the joint program in social work and social science at the University of Michigan.
Brittany Williams is pursuing a Master of Social Work with a dual concentration in Interpersonal Practice and Children, Youth and Families. Her research interests include family dynamics, such as the relationship between kids and their parents. After joining NCID in September 2010, she has conducted telephone interviews and has learned to enter survey data into statistical analysis software. Upon graduation, she plans to become a clinical social worker and college professor.
2010-2011 Undergraduate Student Research Assistants
Shawn Devilla is a junior majoring in Finance at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. He joined NCID in September 2010. In his work with NCID, he has learned the importance of quick and effective communication between team members. In the future, he plans to pursue a career in investment banking at a bulge bracket bank and later transition into private equity.
Johanna Dolle is a senior majoring in Spanish and Economics. She joined NCID in September 2010. Since her time at NCID, she has conducted interviews and gained knowledge in survey research methodology. After graduation, she plans to participate in public policy research.
Lesley McGee is a sophomore majoring in Brain, Behavior and Cognitive Science. He joined NCID in September 2010. He is interested in performing large-scale data collection and evaluation. He also wants to be a helpful and valuable team member. In the future, he plans to pursue doctoral study in clinical psychology and, hopefully, attend culinary school.
2009-2010 Graduate Student Research Assistants
Jamie Carlisle is working towards a Master of Arts in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies. She graduated from Elmira College, where she performed research on federalism and ethnic violence. It provided her with a sound knowledge of what goes into research. She joined NCID in October 2009. During her time at NCID, she has learned the importance of team work, and how everyone’s work compliments and builds upon each other. Additionally, she has learned the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to research. In the future, she intends on living abroad in Ukraine and Russia for a year and work for the American government.
Christiane Edwards is a Community-Based Initiative (CBI) Scholar working towards a Master of Social Work. Her concentrations are Community Organization and Management of Human Services with a focus in Community and Social Systems. She joined NCID in October 2009. During her time at NCID, she has advised 2 UROP students in preparing their papers for the annual research symposium and has assisted with the recordkeeping group by updating incoming information from study participants in the NIH study. Her experiences have enabled her to gain a much better understanding about the complexities and necessary steps in conducting a national study. Her professional goals include gaining employment with either a federal agency or international NGO where she can utilize her community organizing and policy advocacy skills. She wants to find more universal strategies and policies in dealing with the complex subject of human trafficking.
Faheemah Mustafaa is a first-year doctoral student in the Combined Program in Education and Psychology (CPEP). She joined NCID in May 2010. At NCID, she has been trained to administer phone interviews, conduct interviewer trainings, and manage components of a larger team project. She has also had the opportunity to apply and hone her quantitative analysis and written communication skills. She believes NCID’s unique mission and organizational structure has provided her with many opportunities to observe and engage in critical analysis about contemporary diversity issues. She is very grateful for the quality mentoring, training, and expectations. After she graduates, she plans to pursue a career path that will allow her to utilize her research interests and skills in an applied, policy-related manner.
Lauren Walker is working towards a Master of Science in Information (MSI) and a Master of Social Work (MSW). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Policy and African American Studies from Northwestern University. After joining NCID in September 2009, she has participated in a variety of assignments, including research, communications and project management. Her academic interests are community informatics and macro social work practice. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a career focusing on economic and social justice.
Erica Wilhelmsen graduated in May 2010 with a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology. Her past work had been in facilitating data collection and management, as well as working with senior and child populations, which had strongly emphasized quantitative research methods. After joining NCID in November 2009, the NIH study had been a great asset in honing her skills in data analysis, conducting literature searches, and working collaboratively. After graduation, she plans to work in infectious disease surveillance and apply the research skills of the NIH study in a public health setting.
2009-2010 Undergraduate Student Research Assistants
Sara Burke is a senior majoring in Psychology (honors) and English with a minor in Statistics. She joined NCID in May 2010. She had experience in research reports for non-academic audiences, which broadened her perspective on statistical reporting. At NCID, she has gained experience working with a dataset much larger than what she has previously encountered in experimental social psychology. She is also undergoing training in phone interviewing. Overall, these experiences have been essential in her preparation for future research projects. In the future, she plans to apply to doctoral programs in social psychology with a focus on intergroup relations. She wants to conduct rewarding research and pursue an academic career.
Chanerica Evuen is a senior majoring in Sociology. After joining NCID in June 2010, she has learned many important organizational and data entry skills. After graduation, she plans to apply to law school and focus on Contract Law. Her experience at NCID has given her the opportunity to work with a group of students from diverse backgrounds and to excel professionally in a laidback office environment.
Delvina Kolic is a senior majoring in Political Science and History. She joined NCID in September 2009. During her time at NCID, she has learned that research involves far more analysis than she originally imagined. Her experience has shown her the incredible amount of work that goes into designing a research experiment and the complex data analysis used to defend it. She believes organization, responsibility and patience are important traits to be successful in any research field. In the future, she plans to write her senior thesis, apply to law school, and study abroad in the Balkan countries where she could participate in research on economic and social development.
Clare Levijoki is a senior majoring in Neuroscience. After joining NCID in May 2010, she has learned data collection, design and management. This experience has given her a better understanding of the research process. She can apply her skills in a variety of careers. In the future, she plans to pursue a career in science and science fiction writing. She has many diverse interests, so her career plans can change in a number of different ways!
Joy Wilke is a senior majoring in Political Science. She joined NCID in May 2010. During her time at NCID, she has learned valuable research experience in data collection and telephone interview training. She has become more comfortable in conducting interviews over the phone with strangers. In the future, she plans to work for a political consulting agency and return to graduate school.
2008-2009 Graduate Student Research Assistants
Gloryvee Fonseca-Bolorin
2006-2008 Graduate Student Research Assistants
Angela Locks