The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) plays an essential role in supporting the innovative research and graduate education that are cornerstones of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. WARF invests in graduate education through University Fellowships, Advanced Opportunities Fellowships/Graduate Research Scholars, and Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowships Program. The following profiles illustrate the diverse and important ways that WARF contributes to graduate student success at UW–Madison.
WARF Student Profiles
Luke Loken
Luke Loken is a hydrologic research technician for the USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center and concurrently pursuing a PhD in Freshwater and Marine Sciences in Emily Stanley’s lab at the Center for Limnology. He and his colleagues at the University of Wisconsin developed a new tool to better understand aquatic ecosystems.
Eun Ha Namkung
Eun Ha Namkung is a PhD candidate in the School of Social Work and graduate assistant at the Waisman Center. Her research interests center around the dynamics and consequences of family caregiving over the life course. Most of her recent work examines families of an adult child with intellectual and developmental disabilities or serious mental illnesses.
Katherine Amato
Katherine Amato is a second-year PhD student conducting research in the laboratory of Dr. Andrew Mehle. Her research examines how influenza virus interacts with the cellular environment during infection.
Rachel Silver
PhD candidate, Educational Policy Studies, Anthropology Faculty advisor: Nancy Kendall, Associate Professor, Educational Policy Studies; Claire Wendland, Professor, Anthropology Rachel Silver’s research explores the relationship between discourse on girls’ education and sexuality in international development and the …
Jaye Gardiner
PhD Candidate, Cancer Biology Faculty advisor: Nathan M. Sherer, Assistant Professor, Cancer Biology Jaye is a fifth year graduate student in the Cancer Biology program. She is a graduate research assistant in the Sherer Lab. Her …
Amir Mashal
PhD Candidate, Electrical Engineering Faculty advisor: Michael S. Arnold, Associate Professor, Electrical and Materials Science Engineering Amir Mashal is a fourth year graduate student pursuing a PhD in Electrical and Materials Science Engineering at UW–Madison. Mashal’s …
Adrienne Wood
PhD Candidate, Psychology Faculty advisor: Paula Niedenthal, Professor, Psychology Wood is a fifth year Ph.D. student in psychology at UW–Madison. Wood studies the mechanisms that guide humans’ recognition of facial expression of emotion, and has been …
Adela Cedillo
PhD Candidate, History Faculty advisor: Steve J. Stern, Professor, History Adela Cedillo is a fourth-year student pursing a PhD in history at UW–Madison. Cedillo’s dissertation research contributes to an emerging field of study that re-conceptualizes the …
José Rodriguez-Molina
PhD Candidate, Cellular and Molecular Pathology Faculty advisor: John Svaren, Professor, Comparative Biosciences José Rodriguez-Molina is a fifth year PhD student in the Cellular and Molecular Pathology program at UW–Madison and the School of Medicine Public …
Sofiya Hupalo
PhD Candidate, Neuroscience Faculty advisor: Craig W. Berridge, Professor, Psychology Sofiya Hupalo is interested in the neuropeptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). CRF has been studied extensively for over three decades as a stress-related neurotransmitter, but no one …
Melissa Charenko
PhD Candidate, History of Science, Medicine and Technology Faculty advisor: Gregg Mitman, Professor, History of Science Melissa Charenko’s research explores the origins, development, and consequences of discussions about anthropogenic change and deep time. Through her research …
Samuel Acuña
PhD Candidate, Mechanical Engineering Faculty advisor: Darryl Thelen, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Samuel Acuña is third year PhD student in mechanical engineering. He is a member of the UW–Madison Neuromuscular Biomechanics Lab. The focus of his research …
Elsa Noterman
PhD Candidate, Geography Faculty advisor: Keith Woodward, Associate Professor, Geography Elsa Noterman is a PhD student in geography. Her research focuses on the socio-spatial struggles involved in the ongoing development and management of multiple material and …
Jose “Tony” Jimenez-Torres
PhD Candidate, Biomedical Engineering Faculty advisor: David J. Beebe, Professor, Biomedical Engineering Tony Jimenez-Torres is a fifth year PhD student in biomedical engineering. His research involves the design and development of microfluidic tools that are used …
Maia Pujara
PhD Candidate, Neuroscience Faculty advisor: Michael R. Koenigs, Associate Professor, Psychiatry Maia Pujara’s research focuses on understanding how the brain processes information about rewards to guide decisions. Because the ventromedial portion of the prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) …
Monica Yue
PhD Candidate, Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Faculty advisor: Richard Peterson, Professor, School of Pharmacy Monica Yue investigates the effects of TCDD on development in the embryonic zebrafish. TCDD is a ubiquitous and persistent environmental contaminant, and …
Kousei (Martin) Perales
PhD Candidate, Freshwater and Marine Science Faculty advisor: Jake Vander Zanden, Professor, Zoology Kousei Perales is studying how droughts alter the quality of habitat in lakes and how that impacts fish communities. Kousei is also studying …
Lauren Moscoe
PhD Candidate, Botany Faculty advisor: Eve Emshwiller, Associate Professor, Botany Lauren Moscoe enjoys learning and teaching about ethnobotany: the interactions between human cultures and plants. Her research interests center around agrobiodiversity and traditional crops. In her …
Katelyn Milliman
PhD Candidate, Astronomy Faculty advisor: Bob Mathieu, Professor, Astronomy Katelyn Milliman studies the dominant formation mechanism for anomalous stars (blue stragglers, sub-subgiants, etc.) in open cluster environments. Her work focuses on investigating the surface abundance of …
Aaron Reich
PhD Candidate, Chinese Faculty advisor: Mark Meulenbeld, Associate Professor, East Asian Languages and Literature Aaron Reich is a PhD student in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literature at the University of Wisconsin–Madison studying Chinese …
Laura Stephenson
PhD Candidate, Communication Arts Faculty advisor: Marie-Louise Mares, Associate Professor, Communication Arts Laura Stephenson is a PhD candidate at UW–Madison with an M.A. from University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg School. Her research focuses on the role of …
Amanda McMillan Lequieu
PhD Candidate, Sociology Faculty advisor: Michael Bell, Professor, Community and Environmental Sociology Amanda McMillan Lequieu is a fourth-year PhD student in the joint departments of Sociology and Community and Environmental Sociology at University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her …
Maria Serakos
Master’s degree student, Public Affairs Faculty advisor: Barbara Wolfe, Professor, Population Health Sciences Maria Serakos is a second year masters of public affairs student at the La Follette School of Public Affairs. She is interested in …
Maichou Lor
PhD student, Nursing Faculty advisor: Barbara Bowers, Associate Dean for Research and Sponsored Programs and the Charlotte Jane and Ralph A. Rodefer Chair, Nursing Maichou Lor’s research interests center on improving health service delivery and outcomes …
Michael Halpin
PhD student, Sociology Faculty advisor: Joan Fujimura, Professor, Sociology Halpin is a doctoral student in Sociology with a focus on ethnographic research in the fields of medical sociology, science studies and social psychology. His dissertation addresses …
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