The Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholarships has a great group of experienced undergraduate researcher peer advisors that are ready to help you out.
Wondering how to get started in undergraduate research or seeking scholarships? Meet virtually with one of our peer advisors.
Drop in hours are on pause over the summer term. Please check back at the beginning of the fall semester.
Mauricio Chandler
Political Economy - URAP
Hey! My name is Mauricio. I’m a Senior studying Political Economy with a minor in Global Poverty and Practice. I became involved with the undergraduate research community in my sophomore year when I took on a research assistant position with law fellow Diana Reddy through URAP. My research under Diana concerns work law and social movements and examines social interpretations of labor throughout the second half of the 20th century. Aside from my research role, I enjoy reading, playing basketball, and thrifting. I would love to help you out with any questions you may have.
Rachel Chen
Business Administration, Data Science - URAP
Hey! My name is Rachel (she/her/hers). I’m a junior double majoring in Business Administration and Computer Science, with a minor in Data Science. Throughout my freshman year, I was involved with URAP under the apprenticeship of Haas Professor Ellen Evers researching judgment and decision-making in the marketing industry. I spent this past summer as a research intern in Taiwan at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, where I worked on using AI to identify greenwashing in corporate ESG reports, along with the launch and refinement of the lab’s own large language model. Outside of school, I love watching any 2000s show/movie (One Tree Hill, OC, GG, TVD, and Desperate Housewives are some of my favorites!) and staying active at the gym, Pilates, and running. Feel free reach out via email anytime for questions, application feedback, or if you just want to talk. 🙂
Ben Davis
Business Administration (GMP) - Boren Scholar
Hi, I’m Ben, a senior majoring in Business Administration (GMP). I’m an undergraduate research fellow at Berkeley Risk and Security Lab, a former fellow at the Milken Innovation Lab in Jerusalem, and a 2023 Boren Scholar. My research interests include dual-use technology, national security, defense, foreign policy, financial innovation, industrial policy, capital markets, venture capital, international trade, and currencies. Feel free to ask me about prestigious scholarship applications and technology research; I want to be your advocate!
Yasmine Kaki
History & Sociology - URAP & SURF
Hi! My name is Yasmine. I am a senior (!!!) majoring in History and Sociology and am currently embarking on a year-long history thesis centered on Ottoman Tunisia in the 18th and 19th centuries. I’ve been a part of a URAP project since the second semester of my sophomore year under Dr. Christine Philliou cataloging and creating profiles for historically Greek neighborhoods in 19th-century Istanbul. I have also just finished a summer of independent research in Tunisia and Istanbul under the SURF program working on the tombs of royal women in Ottoman Tunisia. Outside of academics, I like to host get-togethers, watch (binge) kdramas, and sew! Well, procrastinate on my sewing… I’m looking forward to connecting with anyone seeking advice or support on research on campus!
Megan Luo
Molecular & Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Chinese Minor - URAP & SURF
Hello! My name is Megan. I’m a research associate at UCLA studying mass spectrometry-based proteomics. I’m interested in developing new technologies for precision medicine that would allow more personalized medical care. During my undergrad at UC Berkeley, I majored in Molecular and Cell Biology with an emphasis in Biochemistry and a minor in Chinese. I worked in the Marqusee Lab – where I completed a SURF project and an honors thesis – to study the energetic landscapes of proteins. In the past, I have been involved in URAP working in an immunology lab at UCSF. I also worked at City of Hope, studying cancer epigenetics for a summer fellowship. I love exploring the food scene nearby (and not so near), reading books, and talking science. Please feel free to reach out to me via email if you’d like to talk or have questions about research or anything in general!
Chloe Ma
Ethnic Studies & Sociology - URAP & SURF
Hi! My name is Chloe Ma (she/her). I’m a 4th year major in Ethnic Studies and Sociology with a concentration in Research Methods. I transferred from UC Santa Barbara my junior year and have been involved in URAP and SURF ever since. For URAP, I participated in BIMI (Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative) and conducted research on the historical settlement patterns of Chinese American immigrants as well as the impacts of legislation on these patterns. For SURF, I am studying the undocumented East Asian American students and their experiences in higher education under the guidance of Prof. Tsuchitani, and I’m extending this project into the school year as my honor’s thesis. Please feel free to reach out via email or come to my office hours! I’d be happy to answer questions or read over your applications, or anything really 🙂
Emily Nguyen
Computer Science - URAP & SURF
I’m Emily, a CS PhD student in the Machine Learning & Data Mining (Melady) Lab at USC! My research interests lie in multimodal machine learning, explainability, and generative AI, with applications in biology, healthcare, and sustainability (currently excited about ML for cancer and drug discovery!) Prior to my PhD, I explored the use of AI in computational neuroscience, from simulating SCN2A mutation effects on neuronal excitability to applying ML to 3D rat reaching kinematics as an undergrad researcher at UCSF and LBNL. As an undergrad at Cal, I earned a total of 34 research units (mostly through URAP), wrote a senior honors thesis, and completed a BA in CS. Outside of academia, I’m deeply interested and active in CS education and community service. I also enjoy sunset walks, thrifting, and anime! Come chat about anything Berkeley or research-related with me!
Alejandro Ocegueda
EECS & Math - SURF L&S
Looking for research in EECS, Math, or similar STEM fields? You’ve come to the right spot! I am a 5th-year MS student in the EECS department, advised by Professor Sanjit Seshia. I did my undergrad right here at Berkeley, majoring in both EECS and Mathematics. I have been a Peer Advisor for OURS for more than a year now, and I am always looking for ways to diversify the research landscape for my fellow Golden Bears. Please reach out to me if you need advice on anything related to research, grad school, or math! My inbox is always open, and I am always happy to help!
Iman Qureshi
Political Science, Data Science Minor - URAP
Hi everyone! My name is Iman and I’m a junior majoring in Political Science with a minor in Data Science. I’ve been studying Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Post-Conflict Contexts with Dr. Biz Herman through URAP since my second semester at Cal. I’m currently co-authoring a paper on the prioritization of mental health and psychosocial support in international organizations. Last year, I researched dynamic user-friendly data implementation at Geopogo, a software company in Berkeley, through the Data Science Discovery Program. My other research interests lie within the realms of quantitative methods in the social sciences and comparative politics within South Asia. Three things I love doing most are strolling through art galleries, reading Urdu poetry, and hiking!
Reach out to me if you want to talk or ask questions about anything from school and doing research as an undergrad to the best hiking spots around Berkeley!
Genie Sullivan
Sociology - Voyager Scholar & Strauss Scholar
Hey hey! My name is Genie (they/them), and I am a senior in the Sociology Department. I am a low-income, first-gen, re-entry transfer student. Since being at Berkeley, I have applied for several nationally competitive scholarships and have received some of them, such as the Obama Foundation Voyagers Scholarship. I have also applied for almost all of the OURS research programs and am very familiar with the process to becoming a successful applicant. I have experience building healthy relationships with faculty, staff, and graduate student mentors and am more than happy to help demystify this relatively scary process. When I am not pursuing research and preparing for graduate school applications, I am very involved in social movements in Oakland. My primary experience is related to fighting for housing as a human right. I would love to help with any of your research-, scholarship-, or graduate school-related goals and questions. I am here for you in this process that can be daunting and often overly competitive.
Danielle Tran
English, Education and Creative Writing Minors - URAP & Beinecke Scholar
Hello! My name is Danielle. I’m a senior majoring in English and minoring in Creative Writing and Education. I’ve been lucky enough to have many wonderful research experiences, from developing social networks for the Sagas of Icelanders with Prof. Timothy Tangherlini (essentially, Facebook for Vikings!) to producing an edited volume on writing with AI with Prof. Nina Begus. Outside of research, I enjoy running and exploring swing dance venues throughout the Bay. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions (especially if you’re a humanities student unsure where to start in research :)). I look forward to learning with you this semester!
