Fellows

Jem is a Filipina Fulbright Scholar from the Philippines and PhD candidate in the Ecological Science Program of Old Dominion University. She has over a decade of experience in conducting research in various settings, including private consulting, environmental non-profits and the academe. Outside doing her research on determining the extinction risk of fishes in the marine aquarium trade, she is heavily involved in various initiatives advocating for international students at ODU, promoting women in STEM, and diversity, equity and inclusion. She loves musical theater, karaoke, hiking, cycling, and off-road triathlons.

Bernard Boston has an Associate of Arts degree from Kennedy-King College, a Bachelor of Science in Physics: Engineering Option from Chicago State University, and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Northern Illinois University. He is currently pursing a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at Norfolk State University. Upon completing his degree, he aspires to become a professor and mentor for underrepresented students and students with disabilities.

Yasasi Abeysinghe is a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at Old Dominion University. She is presently pursuing the areas of her research interest in data science, human-computer interaction, eye tracking, and virtual reality. Her contribution to these fields includes publishing papers in venues such as IEEE IRI, and ACM ETRA and reviewing papers for ACM CIKM, IEEE Big Data, ACM CHIIR, and ACM/IEEE JCDL conferences. Yasasi is the publicity chair of the ACM ETRA 2024 organizing committee. She graduated with a B.Sc. Engineering (Hons) degree in Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, with first-class honors. Before starting her Ph.D. career, Yasasi worked as a Senior Software Engineer at Sysco LABS, Sri Lanka.

Laura Akesson is a Ph.D. student in Physics at George Mason University with a focus on Identity and Belonging in Physics. She holds a MS in Applied Physics from VCU, a BS inMathematics and BA in Physics from the University of Richmond. She has worked in research groups in Particle Physics at Jefferson National Lab, and Solid State Physics specializing in optical properties of semiconductors. Most recently, Laura was serving in the Department of Energy as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow. Previously, she taught high school Physics, Math, and Biomedical Engineering/Design for 22 years, and Virginia Commonwealth University (2 years). She is the owner and founder of Science Overdrive, a nonprofit serving K-8 Science Teachers. Laura has been invited to the TEDx stage and to deliver talks for the Department of Education, FC-STEM , DisruptHR, Science and Social Justice workshops, among others. She is passionate about creating equity in STEM, and effective programs and policies are systematic, interdisciplinary, and community-based. Laura was born in South Korea, adopted at three months old with her twin sister by an Irish Catholic couple in Philadelphia. She is a first generation college graduate, and currently lives with her husband and son in Richmond, where she loves running along the James River in her free time.