LAB:SYNC is excited to have the following new team members as part of our group at UMass Amherst:
Kiley Baker (Project Manager)
Kiley Baker is the LAB:SYNC Project Manager at UMass Amherst and a dance educator throughout New England. She holds degrees in Athletic Training and Dance Studies from Dean College, as well as an M.Sc. in Dance Science and Education from The University of Edinburgh. She has previously worked as part of dance and movement research projects at Dean College, The University of Edinburgh, and University of Connecticut, and is the author of “Is It True? An Expose on Pilates: The Man and The Method.” Baker is delighted to continue her work in dance science at LAB:SYNC,
Sophia Chang (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Sophia Chang is a senior biomedical engineering student with a passion for orthopedics, biomechanics, and biomaterials. She is also passionate about outreach and supporting underrepresented minorities in engineering, and serves as the president of the UMass Amherst chapter of the Society of Women Engineers. She also sits on the Engineering Curriculum Review Board, examining curriculum through a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens. When she is not hanging out around the Engineering Quad working on her senior design project, she can be found in the library doing homework, getting some fresh air on the walking trails around campus, or most likely drinking coffee in the Campus Center.
Mia Carazza (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Mia Carazza is a current senior at UMass Amherst studying marketing. This will be her first experience in a research lab. She is currently completing her thesis on how music therapy can be utilized in patients’ rehabilitation from orthopedic surgeries. After graduation, Mia is interested in pursuing a career in marketing, and is particularly interested in industries related to music and sports performance technology.
Edward DePalma (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Edward is currently a junior biomedical engineering student at UMass Amherst interested in medical devices, instrumentation, and gesture-controlled robotics. His work at LAB:SYNC will be his first research position. Outside of the lab, Eddie enjoys playing guitar, painting, and hiking trails in the Amherst area.
Brienne Donahue (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Brienne Donahue is a junior at the UMass Amherst pursuing a major in biomedical engineering and a minor in mathematics. She is excited to apply course material to a research lab setting and has a passion for investigating how exercise affects physical and mental aspects of people’s lives. Brienne is a member of the Division I Women’s Rowing team at the University and intends to pursue a career in orthopedics or biomechanics following graduation.
Sarah Falanga (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Sarah is an undergraduate student at UMass Amherst studying biomedical engineering. Her current research interests are related to cancer, pharmaceutical production, health science, and bioinstrumentation.
Wesley Hoang (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Wesley is a junior in the biomedical engineering department at UMass Amherst, and this will be his first experience in a research laboratory. He comes from a strong classical music background, and has an affinity for the contemporary arts. This opportunity serves to be a synergistic meeting of his interests in the musical arts and academics. He is excited to use the applications he learned throughout his Biomedical Engineering courses, and put them into practice to help other people in the community, especially those in the Dance Department.
Colby Lane (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Colby is a junior biomedical engineering (BME) student at UMass Amherst and a new member of LAB:SYNC. She has an interest in biomechanics and decided to join BME after she discovered a fascination with prosthetics in the seventh grade. Colby is excited to expand her technical experience and explore new fields of interest through research. Colby is also the entertainment and events coordinator for Communities Against Cancer and a Kenya Project Manager for Engineers Without Borders. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, skiing, reading, collecting house plants, and most recently, knitting.
Sophia Maalouly (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Sophia Maalouly is a current sophomore at UMass Amherst, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in physics and a Bachelor of Arts in dance. She has a passion for dance as well as a curiosity for the mechanics behind it, making her work at LAB:SYNC a perfect fit.
Ellen Marshall (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Ellen Marshall is a junior biomedical engineering major on the pre-dental track at UMass Amherst. Ellen trained at Shannon O’Brien School of Dance, where she now choreographs, and she continues dancing on the UMass Dance Team. Her passion for dance combined with an interest in the science and engineering behind medicine and healthcare brings her to the LAB:SYNC laboratory.
Juliana Martin (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Juliana Martin is a sophomore at UMass Amherst, pursuing a degree and subsequent career in biomedical engineering. She is excited to start working in a lab and gain more experience. She has always been an active person and is very excited to learn more about how exercise affects people physically and mentally.
Alexandra Shlopak (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Alexandra Shlopak is a sophomore studying biomedical engineering at UMass Amherst, and she is just starting her lab experience this semester. Fun fact: Alexandra is trilingual, and is fluent in Russian, English, and Spanish.
Nina Strojny (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Nina is a junior biomedical engineering student at UMass Amherst with an interest in biometrics and physiology. Outside of the lab, Nina is a dancer and executive board member for the UMass Ballroom Dance Team, and is excited to combine her passion for movement with research.
Soumya Vadicharla (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Soumya Vadicharla is a sophomore at UMass Amherst majoring in biomedical engineering. Her interests include human motion and biomechanics, as well as neuroscience in engineering. She is currently the treasurer for UMass Neuroscience club and an event coordinator for the Association of Women in Science. In the future, she hopes to work in the medical device industry to develop motion technology, which brings her to LAB:SYNC.
Pradhyum Vikram (Undergraduate Research Assistant)
Pradhyum Vikram is a sophomore at UMass Amherst studying mechanical engineering. He has a passion for robotics and its applications towards the human body, such as prosthetics and exoskeletons. Pradhyum also has interests in space and the technology revolving around space travel, tourism and exploration. In the future, he hopes to learn more about how robotics can aid the physical body to be able to handle the effects of prolonged space travel. The study of the human body and motion as well as its intersection with human wellness is what interests Pradhyum at LAB:SYNC.