Asuka Koda

Editor-in-Chief

Asuka Koda is a junior in Davenport College from New York City. She majors in Mathematics and Philosophy and is a Global Health Scholar. Outside of the Scientific, she is a STEM Tour Guide and an assistant researcher at the School of Medicine. She writes for CNN, the Yale School of Public Health, and the Yale Daily News among other outlets. When not frantically studying for a midterm, you can find Asuka at the pottery studio, at trivia night with her friends, or in Bass Library.

Max Watzky

Managing Editor

Michael Sarullo

Managing Editor

Mia Cooper

Publisher

Mia Cooper is a junior in Grace Hopper College from New York City. She majors in the History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health and is a Global Health Scholar. She became involved in YSM as a teacher in Synapse’s 2024 Resonance Conference and worked at Synapse Co-President in 2025. Alongside YSM, she is part of Yaledancers, volunteers in Yale New Haven Hospital’s pediatric units, works for Yale Peristalsis, and is a counselor for Camp Kesem. In her free time, Mia can be found baking with friends, going on runs, or reading historical novels.

Melody Jiang

Production Manager

Melody Jiang (JE ‘28) is a Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry major pursuing a Data Science certificate. She has been involved in YSM since her first semester and enjoys illustrating, writing, and creating layouts for the magazine. Outside of YSM, Melody spends most of her time studying RNA exosomes and their adaptors as a part of the Steitz Lab. You could also find her at Design for America meetings, volunteering for the YNHH, working as a YES Scholar Representative, and bouldering at City Climb.

Makena Senzon

Full-Lengths Editor

Makena Senzon (PC ’28) is a prospective chemical engineering major and is from Jupiter (not the planet), Florida. When she is not writing or editing stories, she may be working at a garden, thinking about her next outdoor adventure, or reading books across genres. Alongside YSM, Makena is involved with Society of Women in Engineering, Yale Climbing Team, and water research in environmental engineering.

Aiden Zhou

Features Editor

Aiden Zhou is a sophomore in Pierson from Vancouver, Canada. He majors in CS and Math, and is particularly interested in the intersection of neuroscience and machine learning. Outside of YSM, he works as a Math ULA, writes for the Yale Daily News, and represents Yale in the Collegiate Chess League. In his free time, Aiden enjoys pickup basketball, playing card games, and watching cooking shows.

Edis Mesic

Special Sections Editor

A San Jose, California native, Edis is a sophomore in Saybrook College double majoring in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and Spanish. Outside of YSM, he captains the Yale Men’s Club Volleyball team, performs research in the LusKing Lab, and serves as a Department Director for Interpreting & Diversity at the HAVEN Free Clinic. He also enjoys movies, basketball, and creative writing.

Michelle So

News Editor

Michelle So (TD ’28) is an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major and Global Health Scholar from Arcadia, California. She was previously involved with YSM as a Copy Editor, writer, and photographer. Outside of YSM, Michelle conducts mosquito research in the Sorrells Lab, volunteers with the YNHH Living History Project, and climbs with the Yale Climbing Team. For fun, she likes birding, crafting, and consuming pickles.

Joelle Kim

Online Editor

Joelle Kim (PC ’28) is a Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry major from Southern California. She was previously the YSM Synapse Events Coordinator in 2025. Outside of YSM, she plays flute in the Yale Symphony Orchestra, is a member of Christian Union Lux, and performs research on antibodies and receptors in the Ferguson Lab. In her free time, she enjoys cafe hopping and crocheting.

Sophia Staples

Online Editor

Sophia Staples (ES ’29) is a first-year majoring in astrophysics from Lexington, Kentucky. She has written multiple articles for YSM and is excited to contribute as online editor. Outside of YSM, she is a member of Splash at Yale and Society of Physics Students. In her free time, she enjoys playing Minecraft, drinking coffee, and binge-watching Grey’s Anatomy.

Lynn Dai

Scope Editor

Lynn Dai is a sophomore majoring in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry. She has been involved with YSM since her first semester and previously served as a layout editor. Outside of YSM, she advocates for accessible health through Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) and investigates pharmacodynamic properties of natural products at the School of Medicine. She enjoys making traditional Chinese watercolors and watching nature documentaries in her spare time.

Isabelle Wolchek

Copy Editor

Isabelle Wolchek is a first-year in Paul Murray College from Huntsville, Utah, and a prospective Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry major. She has conducted research on obesity-induced osteoarthritis, served as a youth delegate to the United Nations, and worked as a TechBuzz SheTech Media Intern. She has been involved with YSM as a writer and photographer. Outside of YSM, she swims with Yale Club Swim and serves as an events coverage editor for the Yale Global Health Review. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and listening to music.

Ilana Greenberg

Copy Editor

Ilana Greenberg is a first-year in Ezra Stiles College from Long Island, NY. She is a prospective double major in Physics and Mathematics and hopes to explore the intersection of theory and application. Outside of YSM, she conducts machine learning research, serves on the board of the Society of Physics Students, and teaches for CodeHaven. In her free time, you can find her speed-solving Rubik’s Cubes, creative writing, or memorizing digits of pi!

Min Mandy Chen

Copy Editor

Mandy Chen (MC ’29) is a prospective Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry major from Las Vegas, Nevada. She has previously written for the YSM and has worked at three boba shops! Currently, she is on the Secretariat for YMUN-China as a Committee Director, volunteer for DEMOS, and seeking employment ;) In her free time, she enjoys making jewelry, volleyball, and chocolate!

Ryan Park

Archivist

Ryan Park (BK ’29) is a prospective major in Physics & Philosophy and is pursuing a certificate in Sanskrit. He is interested in the interdependence of science and the humanities, particularly the history of science and the science of history. Outside of YSM, he serves on the board of Yale Effective Altruism, conducts research, and reads works of religion, philosophy, and literature. In his free time, he enjoys attending screenings by the Yale Film Archive, spending time at museums and bookstores, and listening to music.

Erin Lee

Layout Editor

Erin is a first-year in Ezra Stiles from Durham, North Carolina. She is interested in studying MCDB, Art History, or Humanities. Outside of YSM, she enjoys volunteering at the Troup School, editing for the Journal of Literary Translation, and illustrating for The New Journal. She also loves reading, drinking coffee, and spending time with family and friends.

Sion Joo

Layout Editor

Sion Joo is a first-year in Pauli Murray College from Pearland, Texas. She is undecided about her major but is interested in exploring the intersection between artificial intelligence and political science. Outside of YSM, she is involved in Yale’s Design for America, teaches English to Burmese refugees through FOKE (Friends of Karenni Education), and enjoys ice skating at Ingall’s Rink. She spends her free time oil painting, watching KDramas, and getting Whale Tea with friends.

Leah Mock

Layout Editor

Leah Mock (SY ’28) is an Earth and Planetary Sciences major with a concentration in Paleontology and Geobiology from New Haven, Connecticut. Outside of YSM, she is a museum research assistant in the Invertebrate Paleontology division at the Yale Peabody Museum and a finance manager for the Undergraduate Organizations Funding Committee. She is passionate about arthropod systematics, identifying fossil weevils, and science communication. In her free time, she can be found making tea, knitting, or beating her friends at Slapjack.

SophiaMarie Rodriguez

Layout Editor/Photography Editor

SophiaMarie (Timothy Dwight ‘28) is an Art major with a concentration in sculpture and Intensive Education Studies Scholar from Georgia. In addition to doing layout for YSM since her first semester, she’s part of various clubs on campus such as Ballet Folklorico, Dominican Student Association, Yale Students for Christ, and Yale Visual Artists. In her free time she can spend hours drawing, watching nostalgia video essays, or playing bananagrams in her suite.

Alondra Moreno Santana

Arts Editor

Alondra Moreno Santana (SM ’27) is psychology and biology major from Maryland. Starting in the spring semester of her freshman year, she has written, drawn, and designed for YSM, and been a teacher and teacher liaison for the 2024 and 2025 Resonance Conference. Outside of YSM, she is the editor in chief of Hippo Literary and Arts Magazine and an editor the Yale Layer. She is a member of Yale Visionary Artists, Latina Women at Yale, and the CANDLab. She also volunteers at YNHH, HAVEN, and CHCV. In her spare time, she loves playing Bananagrams with friends, creating art, and running around with her little siblings.

Dahlia Kordit

Arts Editor

Dahlia Kordit (PC ’28) is a Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry major from Nanuet, New York. She has previously served as a senior staff artist and layout editor for YSM. Outside of YSM, Dahlia conducts research, leads science tours, and volunteers at HAVEN Free Clinic. In her free time, she can be found practicing jump rope tricks, playing racket sports, going on runs, starting new paintings or crochet projects, and trying new tea flavors.

Matilda Twigg

Cover Artist

Matilda Twigg (Grace Hopper ‘29) is a prospective Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major from Lopez Island in Washington State. She loves drawing and painting and started contributing illustrations to YSM in her first semester. Outside of YSM, she competes on the Yale Sailing Team, serves on the San Juan County Climate and Sustainability Advisory Committee, and researches Pacific herring toxicology and Chinook salmon migration in the Salish Sea. When on dry land, she enjoys gardening, tandem biking, and eating oranges in the sun.

Sammy Feingold

Web Manager

Sammy Feingold is a sophomore neuroscience major in Pauli Murray College from Long Beach, New York. Outside of YSM, she conducts Alzheimer’s disease research at the Arnsten/Datta Lab, volunteers at Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital, is secretary for YNEURO, and is a clarinetist in the Yale Concert Band. She spends her free time watching Grey’s Anatomy, tending to her air plants, gymming, traveling the world, and ogling all of the dogs in New Haven.

Sunny Vuong

Social Media Manager

Sunny Vuong is a junior in Saybrook from San Antonio, Texas, majoring in Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology with a neurobiology concentration. She has previously been a Director of Publicity for the Resonance Conference, social media content creator, and Synapse outreach coordinator. Outside of YSM, she is captain of Yale’s ballroom dance team and is president of Yale Peristalsis, which teaches dance to patients at the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. In her free time, Sunny enjoys funky cheeses, playing Bed Wars on her iPad with friends and family, and writing poetry.

Rishi Sultana

Social Media Content Creator

Rishi Sultana (SM ‘29) is a prospective biomedical engineering major from Shreveport, Louisiana who is deeply interested in the intersections of engineering and women’s health. Previously, she contributed to YSM as a writer and artist. Outside of YSM, she conducts research on placenta trophoblasts in the Kliman Lab at the Yale School of Medicine and works with Yale New Haven Health as an arts volunteer. She is also currently pursuing her EMT certification. In her free time, you can find her writing poetry, studying in the Good Life Center, or playing Jackbox with her friends.

Ryder Lariviere

Operations Manager

Ryder Lariviere (ES ’28) is a Biomedical Engineering major from Northern California, having previously contributed as a layout editor and illustrator. Outside of his work with YSM, he can usually be found tinkering with a new recipe, mapping out his next backpacking trip, or diving into a quirky self-help book. On campus, Ryder is involved with YPop-Up and Yale EMS, and serves as an aide in the Stiles HOC office.

Brandon Quach

Operations Manager

Brandon Quach (DC ’27) is a junior studying Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry from Alhambra, California. He has previously served as the President and Director of Operations of Synapse and the editor of Scope. Outside of YSM, Brandon works at the Sorrells Lab in the School of Medicine designing novel enhancer sequences that can localize DNA expression to specific areas of the mosquito brain. You can catch him drinking copious amounts of tea, appreciating fish, and trying new restaurants around New Haven.

Nicholas Skevis

Subscriptions Manager

Nicholas Skevis (TD` 29) is a Physics major from Athens, Greece. He is interested in Theoretical and Particle Physics, as well in History, Mathematics, and the intersection of these fields. Outside of classes, he is involved in the Yale Undergraduate Aerospace Association, where he contributes to the design and construction of a liquid-fueled rocket, and conducts research in space law/policy. He also participates in the Yale Undergraduate Quantum Computing Organization and teaches courses for middle/high school students through Splash at Yale. He represents TD in the FCC, and in the evenings, you can find him cooking in the TD buttery.

Purav Kaneria

Advertising Manager

Purav Kaneria (YC ’29) is a prospective Neuroscience + Economics major from Windermere, Florida with interests between psychology to economic policies. He has been involved with student advocacy initiatives and is passionate about how all types of research can be focused into real-world impact, especially in areas like nutrition and neurological health. Outside of YSM, he loves to watch Star Wars, listen to all sorts of music, and play video games/card games with friends.

Jennifer Duong

Community Coordinator

Jennifer Duong (TD ’29) is a prospective Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology major interested in research and education studies. She is from Pennsylvania and has previously written in articles for YSM. Alongside YSM, she volunteers with PALS and loves spending time with ViSA, her home away from home. She also enjoys sewing and crafting gifts for her friends, as well as baking sweet treats. The Good Life Center is her favorite study spot, where she can often be found.

Asia Anderson

Community Coordinator

Asia Anderson is a sophomore in Berkeley College majoring in History in the Science, Technology, and Medicine pathway. She is from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where she gained an interest in the Southern agricultural landscape and history. She also serves on the events committee for YHHAP Fast, as well as the Dwight Hall student executive committee. Occasionally, she’s involved in theatre on campus as a performer and worker. Asia also loves working at the Yale Farm!

Patrick Walhig

Alumni Coordinator

Patrick Wahlig (BC ’27) is a Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry major from Falmouth, Maine. An avid fisherman, Patrick developed his research skills studying the Atlantic striped bass in the beautiful Gulf of Maine. He currently conducts structural biophysical research in the Tang Laboratory. Patrick is also involved in several clinical research projects focusing on validating and streamlining contemporary neurosurgical approaches. Outside of academic life, he enjoys sailing, swimming, and hanging out with his Labrador Retriever, Rex. Patrick previously served as a copy editor and online editor for YSM.

Gabriela Berger

Synapse Co-President

Wyatt Aiken

Synapse Co-President

Wyatt Aiken (GH’28) is an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology enthusiast from Fairhope, Alabama. Previously, he was involved with YSM as the Synapse Outreach Coordinator, as a Teacher at Resonance 2025, and is an active staff writer. Outside of YSM, he is a proud member of the Yale Climbing Team, YEEBUG, and is a researcher of mycorrhizal fungi with the Wong Lab. In his free time he enjoys backpacking, pondering, wandering around New Haven, and the unorthodox seating situation at Koffee?.

June Park

Synapse Vice President

June Park (SY ‘29) is a prospective Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry major from Corning, NY. She was previously a teacher liaison for Synapse’s 2025 Resonance conference and is passionate about the possibilities of education as a tool for empowerment. Outside of YSM, June may be found volunteering with the American Red Cross at Yale, drooling over food (both online and in the local area), outside studying with friends, or most likely, holed up in her dorm room with a variety of both academic and nonacademic pursuits.

Roxy Jones

Synapse Events Coordinator

Roxy Jones (SM ’29) is a freshman majoring in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry from Las Vegas, Nevada. She previously contributed to YSM as a writer. Outside of YSM, she is involved with the Yale Undergraduate Science Olympiad, Yale Undergraduate Research Conference, and the YNHH. She also bakes for YPopUp, is involved with the Yale Alumni Nonprofit Alliance, and is a pianist for the Undergraduate Chamber Orchestra. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, baking, or trying new restaurants and coffeeshops.

Shriya Kunam

Synapse Outreach Coordinator

Shriya Kunam (DC ’29) is a first-year student at Yale College planning to major in Neuroscience. She is excited to design engaging, interdisciplinary programming that makes science accessible and inspiring to students of all backgrounds. Outside of YSM, she conducts neuroscience research at the Yale School of Medicine and is deeply interested in the intersection of medicine, public health, and education. In her free time, she enjoys running, exploring New Haven cafés, and spending time with friends and family.