Our E-Board
Antonio Gumucio
Chapter Mentor
Major: MPH Candidate -Behavioral and Community Health Sciences-Pitt Public Health
Hometown: New York /La Paz, Bolivia
Research Project: TRACIR Project: TRAuma Care In a Rucksack.
About me: Antonio attended the 2019 SACNAS Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii as a mentor and was inspired by the inclusive atmosphere, the commitment to diversity, and passion for science. It was his objective to rebuild the SACNAS Chapter at Pitt and provide mentorship opportunities for undergraduate students in order to help them navigate any obstacles they may encounter throughout their academic journey. Antonio is currently a graduate student pursuing his Master of Public Health degree. He previously received his Master of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Previous research experiences include the Vascular Medicine Institute and Safar Center for Resuscitation Research at the University of Pittsburgh.
Larissa Sallowicz
National Liason/Founder
Major: Biology and Psychology w/ Chemistry Minor
Hometown: Miami, FL
About Me: I am a first-generation US citizen originally from Brazil.
Research Project: I am assisting in a COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Research study conducted by the Center for Behavioral Health, Media, & Technology. We are using a mixed-methods analysis approach to study COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy to open avenues for future research and intervention and increase lifesaving vaccinations' uptake.
Why I love SACNAS: I love that a community of diverse individuals from all fields in STEM are able to come together to guide and motivate each other on their path to success!
Fun Fact: I do not like peanut butter.
Vaani Bansal
President
Major: Bioengineering with a certificate in Innovation, Product Design, and Entrepreneurship
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, PA
Research Project: I'm currently doing Public Health research on Denovo malignancies post-liver transplant.
About Me: Outside of SACNAS, I am a first-year engineering peer mentor and also am working as a business leader at a student-led healthcare startup! I am very passionate about topics relating to healthcare technology and as an aspiring entrepreneur, I hope to address efficiency and global accessibility in this field.
Why I love SACNAS: I love SACNAS because it gives me an awesome opportunity to connect with other motivated individuals and experts without feeling any academic pressure. SACNAS truly highlights the importance of STEM representation and provides so many unique opportunities for students to be more involved in their field.
Fun Fact: I have never watched a horror movie!
Isha Shah
Vice President
Major: Computational Biology with a Chemistry Minor
Hometown: Hershey, PA
Research: For the purpose of targeting tumors and other disorders in the brain through the cerebrospinal fluid, I developed 3D and 2 D anatomical models of the human brain at Penn State University.
About Me: I am a sophomore. I love to play soccer. I enjoy going on walks with my family to watch the sunset!
Why I love SACNAS: SACNAS gives minorities a plethora of opportunities and connections that can be vital for those looking to pursue a career in STEM. I love how it presents these opportunities and also connects members at the same time.
Fun Fact: I tore my ACL!
Arianna Haskins
Secretary
Major: Biological Sciences with a Korean minor and Conceptual Foundations of Medicine certificate
Hometown: Hampton, VA
About Me: I'm a fun and outgoing person who loves to meet new people and make them smile.
Why I love SACNAS: I love SACNAS because it has helped me become more professional.
Fun Fact: I love rollercoasters
Will Vidal
Events Coordinator
Major: Biology & Economics with Chemistry minor
Hometown: River Edge, NJ
About Me: I work as a dental assistant at the pediatric dental clinic.
Why I love SACNAS: SACNAS is great because it connects people from all different STEM fields creating a melting pot of ideas.
Fun Fact: I hiked Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
Vincent Hicks - Prieto
Business Chair
Major: Political Science and Economics with a certificate in Sustainability
Hometown: Columbus, OH
About Me: My family is from Argentina so send me a message if you want to talk about soccer, mate, empanadas, or anything else Latinx!
Why I love SACNAS: I love bringing value to students' lives -- fostering research or professional connections is incredibly rewarding.
Fun Fact: I have moved 6 times throughout my life!
Shanmayee Devarapalli
Social Media Chair
Major: Biological Sciences with Chemistry minor and Conceptual Foundations of Medicine Certificate
Hometown: Chester Springs, PA
Research Project: I'm currently doing research in the Biological Sciences Department at Pitt focused on the integrative function of the cell by using lysosomal storage disorders.
About Me: Outside of SACNAS, I am an Honors college student and am EMT certified. I love to swim and have competitively swam for 8 years.
Why I love SACNAS: I love SACNAS because I'm able to connect with other like-minded STEM individuals while being surrounded by a friendly community.
Fun Fact: I have a lab retriever named Toby.
Michael Moyerman
PR Manager
Major: Anthropology Major with a Studio Minor
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
About Me: I like Art and learning about human history and art styles throughout history.
Why I love SACNAS: I love SACNAS because I feel like it's a small but welcoming community that helps and gives voices to students of color.
Fun Fact: If I didn't get into Pitt I would've gone to art school.
Isabella Rodriguez
Outreach Chair
Major: Biological Sciences and Psychology
Hometown: Katy, Texas
About Me: I am a freshman. Outside of SACNAS, I am on the Pitt Women's club soccer team and a member of the Pitt Psychology club. I love hammocking with friends, Zumba, and exploring the city.
Why I love SACNAS: I love SACNAS due to its continuous efforts to fund and represent the success of minorities in STEM.
Fun Fact: I am a first-generation American while the rest of my family lives in Argentina.
Jaia Gallegos
Recruitment Chair
Major: Natural Sciences major, Sociology minor, and Conceptual Foundations of Medicine certificate
Hometown: Albuquerque, NM
Research: I'm currently assisting Pitt's Department of Epidemiology on a 30-year follow-up study of childhood-onset diabetes.
About Me: I grew up in New Mexico, lived outside Philadelphia for a while, and now I live in Arizona. My beautiful New Mexican culture holds a special place in my heart, but I'll always root for my Philly teams- go birds!
Why I love SACNAS: SACNAS creates an encouraging environment where inclusivity and opportunity lead to success for our members. I am so proud to be a part of a dedicated team passionate about creating a future where minorities are accurately represented in STEM.
Fun Fact: The tortillas from the Frontier restaurant in New Mexico are so good that I never want to eat any other tortillas ever again. New Mexican food is unmatched!
Bindu Chunduri
Opportunities Chair
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, PA
About Me: I am a freshman at Pitt, and in my free time I love to take walks and try new restaurants!
Why I love SACNAS: SACNAS facilities a caring and uplifting community in the STEM field, and I love that it provides a diverse set of opportunities that suit everyone's interests!
Fun Fact: I can write on cakes!