Arpah
Education
at Indiana University Bloomington (Bloomington, IN),
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Program in Neuroscience
at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC),
Department of Biological Sciences
Minor(s): Math, Genetics
8 / 2012 to 5 / 2015
at University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH),
Department of Philosophy
at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC),
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
Minor(s): Cognitive Science
Experience
As a Science and Engineering Technical Advisor (SETA) I serve as the primary expert overseeing a collection of ARPA-H projects with a total annual budget of more than $18 million and a total project-lifetime budget of more than $80 million. In addition to this, I serve as secondary SETA on projects with a total annual budget of more than $23 million and a total project-lifetime budget of more than $125 million. I provide technical guidance and oversight to project teams and ARPA-H personnel, regularly interface with internal and external stakeholders, track project milestone progress, and review incoming proposals. I also help scope and design new projects. I developed the initial structure and vision for the ARPA-H Systematic Targeting Of MicroPlastics (STOMP) program. I served as the primary architect of the former Imaging Data Exchange (INDEX) program’s major technical requirements (TA 2).
As an AAAS STPF Fellow placed in the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC) I have engaged in a wide range of endeavors supporting the mission of the OAC. These include assisting with the Pathways to Open Source Ecosystem (POSE) (e.g., panels, revising program description, triage), several ongoing endeavors supporting NSF Public access efforts, and internal reviews. My interagency work includes assisting with the OSTP’s Subcommittee on Open Science’s (SOS) Open Science Infrastructure (OSI) Working Group, where I performed an analysis using openly accessible data from federal agencies and incorporated these results into a report on current agency investments in Open Science Infrastructure. I also serve as a member of the NSF team coordinating and organizing the multi-agency National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot program, in particular assisting with the development of practices and policies related to data.
As a postdoctoral researcher I produced automated segmentation methods for the brain’s major white matter tracts in tractography using cross-species and literature-based information. These tools allowed for the cross-referencing of ‘ground truth’ studies of non-human primate brain connectivity anatomy with imaging based studies of human brain connectivity anatomy, and have also served as anatomy models used in the development of deep brain stimulation (DBS) techniques and technologies. This also entailed the visualization of tractography and segmentation results, as well as the quantification of tract properties. To ensure the replicability and stability of these products I developed, documented, and maintained several code repositories.
As an application developer for the brainlife platform, I was responsible for the production and maintenance of containerized brain-data processing applications, enabling drastically simplified use of advanced processing and analysis techniques. This entailed the creation of novel data processing and visualization code, as well as adaptation of existing resources. I also engaged in testing, monitoring, and feedback on service deployment and coordination. I also led the scoping, creation, coordination, and maintenance of specific data formats/standards.
As a graduate student researcher I developed and implemented automated segmentation methods for major white matter tracts in tractography, enabling personalized models of brain anatomy and connectivity. This also entailed the visualization of tractography and segmentation results, as well as the quantification of tract properties and development of tractography quality assurance methods. This work required a deep review of contemporary and historical neuroanatomy literature.
at Indiana University Bloomington (Bloomington, IN),
Bloomington Faculty Council (BFC)
As a voting member of the Bloomington Faculty Council (BFC), I represented graduate student researchers on all matters coming before the council, including campus-level policy, resolutions, and campus development planning. I often met or interacted with campus/university administrators on specific issues and persistent ad hoc committees.
at Indiana University Bloomington (Bloomington, IN),
Bloomington Faculty Council (BFC)
As a member of the Research Affairs Committee I represented graduate student researchers on campus issues related to research affairs. Regular meeting topics included COVID impacts, conflict of interest management, research disclosures, campus open access policies, NTT researchers, and other subjects. Worked with campus stakeholders and administrators from the Office of Research Administration, Office of the Vice Provost for Research, and others.
at Indiana University Bloomington (Bloomington, IN),
Bloomington Faculty Council (BFC)
As a member of the technology policy committee, I represented Indiana University graduate student researchers on campus issues related to technology implementation. Regular meeting topics of this group included virtual conferencing (e.g. Zoom), email and data platforms, and research data storage and ownership.
at Indiana University Bloomington (Bloomington, IN),
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Across four semesters as a graduate teaching assistant, I provided assistance with grading and classroom management, led discussion sections, and held office hours for various courses in research methods and statistics, cognitive neuroscience, and social neuroscience.
at Indiana University Bloomington (Bloomington, IN),
Indiana University Graduate and Professional Student Government
As chair of the Benefits committee in the Indiana University Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG), I represented and advocated on behalf of graduate and professional students on issues related to compensation, benefits, and professional issues. I regularly met and communicated with university administrators, including the Dean of University Graduate School, about policy development, mutual endeavors, and specific concerns. I was also a member of the GPSG executive committee and managed a team of graduate student representatives.
As a summer Research Fellow, I served as participant lead for two projects, one focused on ontology & taxonomy development for army personnel performance assessments, the other on systematic valuation of open source development processes. Also in this capacity, I developed/produced code, analyses (qualitative and quantitative), and web content. Additionally, I performed data curation/cleaning, linked datasets, created visualizations, presented insights, and managed interns.
at Indiana University Bloomington (Bloomington, IN),
Graduate and Professional Student Government
As the elected representative for graduate students from the Program in Neuroscience to the Graduate and Professional Student Government, I helped to shape and develop resolutions, and was overall an active member of the organization.
As an undergraduate researcher I assisted the Godwin lab’s exploration of stress and anxiety markers in the brain of a model species (zebra fish). I ran experiments, collected and analyzed data, prepared and processed biological samples, maintained subject stocks, developed grants, and presented research results.
As the chief editor of the undergraduate research journal I evaluated submissions and provided feedback to authors. I also collaborated with faculty in support of organization.
As a graduate teaching assistant for GN 311 - Principles of Genetics, I led discussion sections, lectured and reviewed, held office hours, and graded course assignments and tests.
at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC),
Future Society Club
As Vice President of the NCSU Future Society Club, I led meetings, scheduled and organized talks, and managed membership. Meeting topics included technology, science, society, and the interplay between these.
As a summer research scholar I engaged in a focused and intensive research project centered around characterizing and calibrating the process for producing functional thymic organoids for immune system function revitalization. I assisted with sample production, processing, and analysis, in addition to also presenting on project status and findings. This work was supported by a SENS Research Foundation Summer research fellowship.
at University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH),
Department of Philosophy
As a graduate teaching assistant, I provided assistance for a number of philosophy courses with grading and classroom management, led discussion sections, and held office hours for various courses in ethics, introduction to philosophy, political philosophy, and classical philosophy.
at Duke University Talent Identification Program (Durham, NC),
Duke University Talent Identification Program
As a psychology instructor at Duke TIP, I led an intensive and comprehensive introduction to psychology for academically gifted high school students. This course was taught at a 101 level and covered the standard range of topics that would be expected in a first-year college course.
As an undergraduate research assistant I aided with research and data collection for projects involving EEG and eye tracking (using the attentional blink paradigm) as we studied memory and emotion’s effects on attentional control.
at Duke University Talent Identification Program (Durham, NC),
Duke University Talent Identification Program
As a psychology teaching assistant at Duke TIP, I provided assistance with grading and classroom management, and led daily review sessions.
at Duke University Talent Identification Program (Durham, NC),
Duke University Talent Identification Program
As a nanotechnology teaching assistant at Duke TIP, I provided assistance with grading and classroom management, and led daily review sessions.
As a pre-baccalaureate research assistant researching Fusarium wilt (a plant disease) in melons I explored genetic hallmarks of susceptibility and resilience. I was trained to assist with a number of research production processes, including both work in the field and at the lab-bench.
Awards, Fellowships and Grants
| Title and Source | Type | Duration | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at National Science Foundation (NSF) via Association For the Advancement of Science (AAAS) | Fellowship | 8 / 2022 to 8 / 2024 | |
| Neuroimaging NIH Postdoctoral Training Fellowship (T32) at University of Minnesota via National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) | Fellowship | 1 / 2022 to 8 / 2022 | |
| Data Science for the Public Good (DSPG) Young Scholars program at University of Virginia Biocomplexity Institute via Data Science for the Public Good (DSPG) | Fellowship | 6 / 2020 to 8 / 2020 | |
| Clinical Translational NIMH Predoctoral Training Fellowship (T32) at Indiana University Bloomington, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Clinical Science Program via National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) | Fellowship | 8 / 2018 to 5 / 2020 | |
| UW eScience Institute Neurohackacademy Summer Scholar at University of Washington eScience Institute via NeuroHackAcademy | Fellowship | 8 / 2019 to 9 / 2019 | |
| Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet) Training Fellowship at Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet) via National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) | Fellowship | 12 / 2016 to 1 / 2017 | |
| Psychological and Brain Sciences departmental fellowship at Indiana University Bloomington via Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences | Fellowship | 8 / 2015 to 5 / 2017 | |
| SENS Research Foundation Summer Scholar at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine via Sens Research Foundation | Fellowship | 6 / 2013 to 8 / 2013 | |
| Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine Summer Scholar at Wake Forest University School of Medicine via Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine | Fellowship | 6 / 2013 to 8 / 2013 | |
| NCSU Undergraduate Research Grant at North Carolina State University via Office of Undergraduate Research | Grant | 1 / 2013 to 6 / 2013, & 1 / 2014 to 6 / 2014 |