Faculty
Corinna Burger
Corinna Burger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology. She has been a member of the Neuroscience Training Program Diversity Enhancement committee since 2008, and the Cellular and Molecular Graduate Program Diversity Enhancement committee since 2014. She has participated in the recruitment of talented students from various universities in Puerto Rico to various graduate programs at UW. She has hosted 14 URM undergraduate students for summer research opportunities since 2009.
Colleen McDowell
Colleen McDowell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. She has been a member of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee since 2021. She is also the chair of the CMB Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee. She has two mentored two URM PhD students in her lab as well as several URM undergraduate summer research students. Colleen is dedicated to ensuring research and academic spaces are inclusive for people from historically marginalized backgrounds.
Freya Mowat
Freya Mowat is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgical Sciences (School of Veterinary Medicine) and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (School of Medicine and Public Health). She has been a member of the CMP program since 2020, and a member of the Diversity Committee since 2021. She has participated in diversity activities throughout her career – including the Detroit Zoo “Girls Night Out”, the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine Enrichment Summer Program and the National Veterinary Scholars Program. She is passionate about creating an inclusive environment and promoting diversity of all kinds in research and in veterinary medicine.
Ozioma Okonkwo
Ozioma Okonkwo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine and the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. He has been a member of the Diversity Committee since 2018. He holds leadership roles in several diversity programs including serving as the Leader for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study Diversity Task Force. He is passionate about amplifying the perspectives of persons from underrepresented groups.
Mariana Pehar
Mariana Pehar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine-Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology and is part of the Biology of Aging Research team at the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital. Drawing from her personal and professional experience, she is committed to contribute to create a diverse and inclusive biomedical research workforce.
Jayshree Samanta
Jayshree Samanta is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Comparative Biosciences at the School of Veterinary Medicine. She came to the US for graduate studies, after earning her medical degree in India, and started her lab at UW-Madison in Nov. 2017. Since 2018, she has mentored 4 URM undergraduate students and hosted one URM student through the Biological Signals summer research opportunities program.
Students
Billy Erazo
Billy Erazo is a second year CMP student in the laboratory of Dr. Laura Knoll. He has been a part of the CMP Diversity Committee and a SciMed GRS member since spring 2021. Billy did his undergraduate degree in Microbiology at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez. He is dedicated in creating fair academic spaces for underrepresented groups.
Marienela Heredia
Marienela Heredia (she/her/hers) is a third year CMP student and SciMed GRS fellow in the laboratory of Dr. David Andes. She has been a member of the CMP Diversity Committee since the spring of 2021. Marienela completed her undergraduate degree at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York (CUNY), one of the leading Hispanic-serving institutions in the state of New York. She is extremely passionate about encouraging underrepresented individuals to pursue careers in science and actively participated in student diversity and outreach initiatives as part of her undergraduate institution’s research program.
Anna Marie Hugon (formerly Rowell)
Anna Marie is a fourth year CMP student and member of Team Placenta, aka the Dr. Ted Golos lab. She is a member of CMP Diversity Committee, SciMed GRS member, and a Public Service Fellow. Anna Marie obtained her B.S. in Biochemistry with a minor in Microbiology at the University of Oklahoma. She is a STEAM advocate and social entrepreneur. To learn more, please visit AnnaMariePhd.com.