Fellows

PhD scientists teaching and building STEM capacity worldwide

Eligibility

Science Corps welcomes applications from individuals who have recently completed or will soon receive a PhD in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline, but who have not yet begun a faculty or similar level position. You may apply up to four years after you have received your PhD degree. If you become a Fellow, we will ask you to commit six months to the program. This will allow time for acclimation and orientation, a complete school semester, and a concluding period. There is no nationality or age restriction.

Fellow Activities

Science Corps Fellows have a combination of the following core roles on site:

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Current Fellows

Matthew Reinhold

Matthew Reinhold

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  Sept 2026 – March 2027

Matt earned his PhD in Planetary Science at Stanford University, where his research focused on simulating the interactions between the interiors and atmospheres of hypothetical rocky planets. His work explored how planetary climates and habitability evolve over the lifetimes of these planets. Passionate about science communication and education, Matt dedicated much of his graduate career to science outreach at local elementary, middle, and high schools, teaching advanced topics in astrophysics, geology, planetary science, and astrobiology. Outside of science, Matt is an avid outdoorsman with a passion for mountaineering, hiking, caving, and exploring the world.

Former Fellows

Adriane McDonald

Adriane McDonald

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  Jan – June 2026

Adriane earned her Ph.D. in marine ecology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where her research focused on investigating the impact of marine heatwaves on the reproduction and early development of the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. During her dissertation work, Adriane developed a strong passion for teaching, science communication, and outreach. Outside of research, Adriane enjoys reading, baking, hiking, and exploring new areas and foods.

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An Tran

An Tran

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  Jan – June 2026

An earned her PhD in Plant Sciences from the University of Cambridge, where she investigated how microalgae can be produced on a large scale for high-value bioproducts. Her curiosity about the microbial world inspired her postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she studies marine microbes associated with particles and their roles in global biogeochemical cycles. An is passionate about science communication and making scientific knowledge accessible to all. When she's not in the lab, you'll likely find her outdoors, hiking, climbing, or sailing, and always in search for her next adventure.

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DaNae Woodard

DaNae Woodard

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  June – Dec 2025

DaNae received her PhD in biological chemistry from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX, where her research focused on uncovering the molecular mechanisms that underlie retinal degenerative diseases. Driven by her fascination for vision research, she continued her journey as an IRACDA postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Diego. Beyond the lab, DaNae is passionate about teaching and mentoring students. She also enjoys crocheting and loves to blend art and science to inspire students to pursue STEM opportunities.

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Markus Holzner

Markus Holzner

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  Aug – Dec 2024

Markus is a pharmacist by training and holds a PhD in genetics from ETH Zürich, where his work focused on early mouse embryonic development. He is passionate about teaching and is eager to introduce innovative study concepts into the current curriculum. Markus also aims to offer a new intensive college-prep course and actively supports CVIF's research group in testing the genetic diversity of local marine life. In his free time, Markus enjoys playing the piano, running on trails, and working his way through a never-ending reading list.

Bianca Baldassarri

Bianca Baldassarri

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  Jan – May 2024

Bianca obtained her PhD in applied physics at Northwestern University, where she focused on employing computational methods for the discovery and characterization of new materials for renewable energy applications. Before that, she had a wonderful time during her MSci degree in physics at University College London (UCL). She is passionate about sustainable development and community building, and highly values the enrichment that comes from sharing different approaches to teaching, learning and research across different cultural and academic contexts.

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Ilayda Karadag

Ilayda Karadag

City University  ·  Bangladesh  ·  Sep – Dec 2023

Ilayda earned her PhD in Materials Science focusing on using collagen-based scaffolds for tissue engineering and regeneration from the University of Oxford, St Catherine's College. She received her MEng from the University of Exeter in Materials Engineering. Outside of her research, Ilayda has a strong passion for outreach work, especially in bringing the joys and endless scope of Materials Science to the younger generations.

Kris Sales

Kris Sales

RAS  ·  Morocco  ·  Aug – Dec 2023

Kris received his PhD in evolution and ecology from the University of East Anglia (UEA), UK, in 2021. He studied the link between fertility in insects and climate change. Since receiving his degree, he has worked in academic institutions (UEA and the Norwegian Polar Institute) and in UK federal government agencies (Forestry Commission and the Office for National Statistics). This work mostly focused on improving climate change adaptation, human health, and biodiversity. In addition to his research, Kris has taught and developed a diverse range of educational activities around ecology, evolution, and behavior. Kris has a passion for science and providing equal opportunities for school STEM education.

Matt Solt

Matt Solt

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  Sep – Dec 2020 & July 2023

Matt is currently a postdoc at the University of Virginia in affiliation with three Department of Energy laboratories. He received his Ph.D. in physics from Stanford University and specializes in experimental particle astrophysics. Matt also obtained a dual degree in physics and mechanical engineering from Oakland University. Outside of the laboratory, Matt is passionate about spreading scientific literacy and believes that providing proper STEM education and resources can help improve the lives of people in developing countries.

Swastika Issar

Swastika Issar

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  Sep 2022 – Apr 2023

Swastika is an evolutionary biologist from New Delhi, India. Her research is focused on how natural selection shapes interactions within social groups, species, and ecological communities. She recently finished her PhD at the University of Cambridge on a Dr. Manmohan Singh Scholarship from St. John's College. Swastika's work at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior on the ecological and life-history correlates of social behavior in cichlid fish of the Great African Lakes has been funded by the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour in Konstanz. She is a guest lecturer in Global Change to undergraduate students in Environmental Engineering and Resource Management at the University of Applied Sciences (HTWG), Konstanz. Along with her extensive experience in community-based teaching and mentoring in India and the United Kingdom, she is deeply passionate about making science education open and inclusive.

Tanvi Chheda

Tanvi Chheda

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  Jan – June 2021

Tanvi is currently a Data Scientist at Meta. She finished her PhD in Geology, with a PhD minor in Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University. She has a Bachelors in Mathematical Geoscience from Cornell University, and is grateful for values like cultural empathy that she imbibed during scientific expeditions in countries across the spectrum of the Human Development Index. Tanvi hopes to apply her technical skills in the environment or social realm full-time, starting with building STEM capacity in underserved communities through Science Corps.

Chrissy Crute

Chrissy Crute

AST  ·  Morocco  ·  Aug 2022 – Jan 2023

Chrissy earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Health and Toxicology from Duke University in 2022. Her thesis research focused on understanding how environmental contaminants during pregnancy impact the health of mothers and their babies. While at Duke, Chrissy earned doctoral certificates in both Global Health and College Teaching. She completed a Morehead Science & Planetarium IMPACTS Fellowship, in which she was trained in science education and outreach and designed and implemented outreach activities at underfunded schools in North Carolina. She also led a Bass Connections team through field and lab work in China and taught the subsequent course on electronic-waste recycling for Duke undergrads. Chrissy is passionate about science education and outreach, especially in underserved communities.

Betsy Melenbrink

Betsy Melenbrink

Aavishkaar  ·  India  ·  Jul – Oct 2019

Betsy is currently an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow at the US State Department in the office of Science and Technology Cooperation. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Southern California where she designed and made semiconducting plastics for use in flexible electronics. Prior to her graduate studies, she worked as an Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education Fellow at the Environmental Protection Agency and earned her B.S. in Polymer Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Betsy is passionate about energy, the environment, and building scientific capacity in developing countries.

Gabriela Fernández-Cuervo

Gabriela Fernández-Cuervo

Aavishkaar  ·  India  ·  Jan – Mar 2020

Gabriela is now an Intellectual Property Specialist at Advanced Clinical Pharmaceuticals. She majored in chemistry as an undergraduate at the University of Puerto Rico. As a HHMI Gilliam Fellow, she obtained her PhD at the University of Arizona before moving to California to continue her career as a postdoctoral research fellow at Stanford University. As a scientist, Gabriela develops and applies chemical tools to better understand biological questions that have an impact on improving global health, with a focus in underdeveloped communities. Gabriela is passionate about STEM education and believes that educators and entrepreneurs have the power to create learning experiences that can transform lives.

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Patti Murphy

Patti Murphy

AST  ·  Morocco  ·  June – Dec 2021

Patti earned her B.S. in Biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology and completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania in December 2020. As a graduate student, she used tissue engineering to build living scaffolds to regrow injured nerves and studied basic mechanisms of nerve regeneration in zebrafish. Alongside her graduate work, Patti led STEM and research workshops for K-12 students, including at the New York Academy of Sciences and the Franklin Institute Science Museum. She also created STEM outreach programs for students in Philadelphia Public Schools, including a neuroscience curriculum for early elementary students.

Hyunjin Shim

Hyunjin Shim

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  Jul – Dec 2018

Jin is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Banfield Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. She completed her PhD in Bioengineering at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. She is passionate about computer-based research, and how it can be used in locations with comparatively limited resources to produce world-class science.

Victor Sojo

Victor Sojo

CVIF  ·  Philippines & Aavishkaar  ·  India  ·  Jul – Dec 2018

Victor is now a Scholar in bioinformatics and computational biology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Victor did his PhD in Evolutionary Biology at the University of London's University College (UCL). Before joining Science Corps as an Education-Advancement Special Fellow, Victor did postdoctoral research at RIKEN in Tokyo and at the University of Munich (LMU) in Germany. Victor has been teaching in one form or another ever since he was given the chance as an undergraduate. He is passionate about the power of education to build a more equal and inclusive world. He pursues this passion by building online education systems, including with our collaborators at CVIF.

Doug Shin

Doug Shin

CVIF  ·  Philippines  ·  Jun – Dec 2019

Doug is currently preparing to apply for medical school. He received his PhD in Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His backgrounds include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), laser spectroscopies, and photoacoustics of condensed matter. Doug is passionate about expanding scientific literacy for curious young minds with various socioeconomic backgrounds, especially in underserved communities. Doug taught calculus-based Physics 1 and Chemistry 2 at CVIF.

Interested in becoming a fellow?

Science Corps fellowships are open to PhD scientists within four years of completing their doctorate. Fellowships last six months. The deadline for the current cycle is June 30th.

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