Meet the Team

Michael Dedek
Education: PhD in English with a specialization in rhetoric and composition (Northeastern University); B.A. in English and Mathematics (University at Buffalo)
Academic writing experience: business administration, criminal justice, engineering and technical professions, health sciences, humanities, and social sciences.  
Fun fact: I have played guitar since I was 12

Syzygy Allen
Year: Sophomore
Major: Civil Engineering 
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Writing, Literature
GPS: Humanitarian Engineering: Past and Present
HUA Depth: London HUA Project Center (focus on History & Architecture)
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Residence Hall Council, Alpha Phi Omega, Model United Nations, Astronomy Club, Horticulture Club, Crimson Keys, Beta Theta Pi
Hometown: Brightwaters, NY
Fun Facts: I have had four of my poems published, and I've been to 18 countries.

Shanna Bonanno
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Tissue Engineering
GPS: Heal the World
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Won't find out until December 20^th
Extracurriculars: Alpha Xi Delta, DanceCrimson, BMES, SWE
Hometown: Methuen, MA
Fun Facts: I have won 4 gold medals at the World Championships for tap dancing in Germany.

Kelly Borden
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Psychology, Genetics
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Santa Fe, A'17
Extracurriculars: The Towers (Features and Entertainment Editor), Habitat for Humanity, Alpha Xi Delta
Hometown: Livermore, CA
Fun Facts: I can say the alphabet backwards in three seconds.

Mark Bright Bray
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Medicine, Entrepreneurship, and Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Varsity Track and Field, National Society of Black Engineers( Academic Excellence Chair), Engineers without Borders, Engineering Ambassador
Hometown: Shrewsbury, MA
Fun Facts: I have played the alto saxophone for over 7 years.

Ryan Cudemus-Brunoli​
Year: Senior
Major: Professional Writing
Minor: Material Science
Other Academic Interests: Rhetoric, Linguistics
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: London, D’18
Extracurriculars: Writing Tutor, Sigma Pi
Hometown: West Hartford, CT
Fun Facts: I’m trying to teach myself German. Trying.

Sonia Deodas
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biology & Biotechnology
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Too many to list
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: German
IQP: TBD 
Hometown: Norfolk, MA
Fun Facts: I might like Star Wars more than is socially acceptable.

Trevor Dowd
Year: Sophomore
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Writing
Other Academic Interests: Data Analytics
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Cape Town B’18
Extracurriculars: Men's Varsity Crew
Hometown: Fairfax, VA
Fun Facts:  I went to high school down the road from the US Capital building.

Ella Forbes
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biomedical Engineering 
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Psychology, Professional Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Men's Rowing, BMES, and EWB
Hometown: Bridgton, ME
Fun Facts: I have hiked 2090 miles of the Appalachian Trail (From Maine to the beginning of Georgia)

Jacqueline Forson
Year: Senior
Major: Biology and Biotechnology
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Molecular Biology, Genetics, Environmental Studies
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: English/Writing
IQP: Worcester Project Center, Summer'17
Extracurriculars: Chemistry Club
Hometown: Worcester, MA
Fun Facts: I was granted a Provisional Patent for an assistive writing device that helps relieve pressure in arthritic hands.

Caroline Flynn
Year: Senior
Major: Chemical Engineering & Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Chemistry, Environmental Studies
GPS: Heal the World
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: N/A
Extracurriculars: Women’s Swimming and Diving Team, Chi Omega, Crimson Key, AIChE
Hometown: Norwell, MA
Fun Facts: I’ve been swimming competitively for 12 years.

Faye Gauthier
Year: Junior
Major: Architectural Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Business, Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: History
IQP: Cape Town B’18
Extracurriculars: Varsity Track & Field, Alpha Xi Delta
Hometown: West Warwick, Rhode Island
Fun Facts: I’ve been throwing competitively for over 8 years. 

Erin Heinle
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Medicine, Sustainability, U.S. History
GPS: Technology and the Developing World
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: N/A
Extracurriculars: Phi Sigma Sigma Women’s Fraternity, Student Government Association, Community Advisor, SocComm, Society of Women Engineers.
Hometown: Beaver, PA
Fun Facts: I’ve been to Russia six times and I have four siblings (the oldest one also attended WPI).

Karen Ho
Year: Freshman
Major: Psychological Sciences, Psychobiology Concentration 
Minor: Chemistry
Other Academic Interests: Pre-Med
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Club Fencing Team, Psych Society (Public Relations Officer), Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs
Hometown: Kingston, MA
Fun Facts: I have a pet betta fish.

Sydney Hurley
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Santa Fe, A'17
Extracurriculars: : Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority, Community Advisor, Women’s Club Soccer
Hometown: Averill Park, NY
Fun Facts: I ran a half marathon in the rain.

Fareya Ikram
​Year: Junior
Major: Computer Science
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Business, Data Science
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Hangzhou, B'18
Extracurriculars: WICS, Class Board 2020
Hometown: Shrewsbury, MA
Fun Facts: I have family in 6 different states and extended family in 6 different countries.

Ann Jicha
Year: Sophomore
Major: Computer Science and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Physics
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Debate Team, Association of Computing Machinery
Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA
Fun Facts: I play guitar in a band with friends in my hometown.

Natasha Levey​
Year: Junior
Major: Computer Science and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Cell Biology and Psychology
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Upcoming: Namibia, D’19
Extracurriculars: Pep Band, Church
Hometown: North Bellmore, Long Island (but I live in Northborough, MA and I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa)
Fun Facts: I found a missing person during the summer of 2017.

Emma Lowry
Year: Sophomore
Major: Interactive Media & Game Development
Minor: Psychology
Other Academic Interests: Writing, 3D Modelling
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Art​
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Ice Hockey
Hometown: Framingham, MA
Fun Facts: I can ambidextrously draw Wolverine.

Matthew Lund
Year: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering and Physics
Minor: Writing
Other Academic Interests: Philosophy, Fusion Physics, Poetry
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Bar Harbor E'17
Extracurriculars: Club Rugby, Running, Chess
Hometown: Colchester, CT
Fun Facts: I eat and grow some of the hottest chili peppers on the planet

Shion Matsumoto
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Biomaterials, Nanotechnology
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Cape Town, B'17
Extracurriculars: Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (Co-president), Outing Club Climbing Team, Undergraduate Research Volunteer
Hometown: Kyoto, Japan
Fun Facts: At one point, all four of my family members (including me) lived in separate continents.

Karen Mushrall
Year: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Sustainability, Alternative Energy
GPS: Biosphere, Atmosphere, and Human Fears
HUA Depth: Writing and Rhetoric
IQP: WPI, '17
Extracurriculars: Varsity Field Hockey
Hometown: Mariaville, ME
Fun Facts: I've lived in four different states (including Hawaii).

Miles Nallen
Year: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Material Science Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Business
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Hangzhou, B'17
Extracurriculars: Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, ETHOS, Exploradreams, Men’s Club Rugby
Hometown: Hampden, MA
Fun Facts: I’ve been sailing since I was seven years old.

Mitchell Pastizzo
Year: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: English, Writing, History
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: English/Writing
IQP: N/A
Extracurriculars: Navy ROTC
Fun Facts: I traveled through 25 different states last summer alone.

Rachel Peterson
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Biomaterials and tissues, medical research policies, rhetoric in scientific writing
GPS: Heal the World
HUA Depth: English and Writing
IQP: Cuenca, Ecuador C’18
Extracurriculars: Alpha Xi Delta, Varsity Crew, Nordic Ski Team, Sleep
Hometown: Hastings, MN
Fun Facts: I grew up on a farm and raised goats, pigs, and ducks. My ducks have won Grand Champion at the Minnesota State Fair Poultry show for the last two years.

Jackson Perry
Year: Senior
Major: Mathematical Sciences
Minor: Psychology
Other Academic Interests: Computer Science
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing and Rhetoric
IQP: Teaching Practicum at Doherty High School, 2017-18
Extracurriculars: Men's Varsity Swimming, Newman Club
Hometown: Cumberland, RI
Fun Facts: I've gotten 42 stitches for 3 different injuries in just the last year.

Carla Romo
​Year: Senior
Major: Chemical Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Biochemistry, Pharmaceutics, Chemistry
GPS: Livable Cities
HUA Depth: Writing and Rhetoric
IQP: Boston A’17
Extracurriculars: International Student Council, AICHE
Hometown: Quito, Ecuador
Fun Facts: I’m from one of the highest cities in the world, Quito, at 9,350 ft.

Madison Ryan
Year: Junior
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor: Writing
Other Academic Interests: Environmental Studies, Business 
GPS: Ignorance Is Not Bliss
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Upcoming: Melbourne D’19
Extracurriculars: PAWS, Spikeball Club, BMES
Hometown: Adams, MA
Fun Facts: I have a cat, a dog, and a chicken

Christopher Tocci
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biotechnology & Biology and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Medicine, Pathology, Linguistics
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: TBD (Hopefully Thessaloniki in D'20)
Extracurriculars: Student Government Association (SGA), Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, Crimson Key Admissions Tour Guide, Ballroom Dance Team
Hometown: Bridgewater, MA
Fun Facts: I am a beekeeper and a certified Basic EMT. I also love playing the piano and I am currently learning the ukulele.

Katie Vasconcelos
Year: Junior
Major: Biochemistry and Professional Writing 
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Psychology, Neurology, Business
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing and Rhetoric
IQP: Thessaloniki, Greece D'19
Extracurriculars: Chi Omega (Recruitment Chair). Crimson Key (Tour Guide), Lab Assistant in Professor Heilman's Lab, American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Hometown: Lakeville, MA
Fun Facts: I saw Kris Jenner, Simon Cowell and Hugh Hefner (and have a picture with him) on a Star Tour in Hollywood.