My name is Ella Lim and I am entering my freshmen year at Blue Valley High School in Overland Park, KS. My broad research interests include physical and mental health and how social media would influence health and cultural/social diversity. I enjoy playing the violin and piano, dancing, baking, and spending time with my dog. I joined the CRoME Lab Youth Advisory Board to enhance my understanding of the research process and learn more about social media and health related topics. I am excited about my first year with CRoME and am eager to learn and grow from this immense experience.

My name is Kavni Maniar, and I am a sophomore at Hebron High School in Texas. I enjoy playing tennis and singing Hindustani classical music. My favorite subject in school is biology. I am interested in learning more about how the use of technology impacts medicine and research. I’m thrilled to be a part of the YAB this year, and am looking forward to see where it takes me.

Hi everyone! My name is Emma Pourshah and I go by she/her pronouns. Currently, I am a sophomore attending Flower Mound High School in Dallas, Texas. In my free time, I enjoy playing lacrosse, traveling (obviously not now :( ), or hanging out with friends. I am super excited to be a part of the Youth Advisory Board this year. From a young age, I have had a profound interest in math and science, particularly, biology. My 7th grade biology teacher is one of the biggest advocates for my love for science, and I plan to go into the medical field after graduating high school.

My name is Clara Park, and I am a rising senior at Biotechnology High School in New Jersey. I am an International Baccalaureate student with a passion for both science and the arts. In my community, I lead teams at my school’s Biotech Bootcamp, teach design at a fashion design school, and create innovative solutions for environmental issues in my community. In my free time, I enjoy designing and sewing garments, painting, watching the sunrise, and exploring the environment. I look forward to working with the CRoME Lab, as it offers an invaluable opportunity for me to apply my creative and technical skills to clinical research and further my passion for scientific research.

Hi! My name is Devaanshi Kawatra and I am a rising senior at Bethpage High School in NY. I’ve wanted to pursue medicine and postdoctoral research for as long as I can imagine; that’s why I am so appreciative of STEM education for the youth. I encourage this principle by fostering STEM activities at my local museum, managing the Science Buddies mentorship program I founded at school, and running my podcast, “The Way We Think.” Being involved with the CRoME Lab presents an exciting opportunity to witness the benefits of research and how we can collaborate with many different communities to spread health education and awareness.

My name is Soleil St. Laurent, and I am currently a sophomore at Flower Mound High School in Texas. I am currently a cheerleader, and I love cheering at late night football games! I am also very interested to see how education and creative technology can further impact youth and family health literacy. I became interested in the YAB for CRoME lab because I wanted to take part in medical research to spread the word on medication safety and promote health in families! From my experience in the YAB I look forward to gaining new research skills and working as a team to leave a footprint some day in someone’s life and the medical field. And I believe doctors should be researchers, so I plan to carry the research skills I gain into med school and eventually pediatric neurology!

My name is Edward Wang. I am entering 9th grade in the northern area of New Jersey. A large portion of my middle school experiences were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and my interests have sprung to learn more about a person’s well-being mentally and physically. When I grow up, I hope to go into the fields of healthcare or medicine. Those jobs have definitely appealed to me such as being a physician or pediatrician. I am very close to my grandmother who came from China. She suffers from some chronic health issues which were partially due to poor healthcare earlier in her life. I feel people could live better if the public health system is well established and is accessible to the public. I am very excited to become part of YAB and hope to learn more knowledge and experiences from the CRoME lab. I think it is extremely important to spread the words of medication safety and enhance the public’s health awareness. I look forward to working with the CRoME team.

Hi my name is Austin Koff, and I am a rising senior at Hopkins School in New Haven, Connecticut. During my junior year, I participated in a lab-based class that provided an opportunity to learn bench research techniques, analyze scientific papers, and to work in a lab at Yale University during the summer between my junior and senior years. Because of these opportunities, I have developed a passion to pursue a scientific career. Outside of school, I play soccer and tennis. I am excited to be part of the CRoME Youth Advisory Board to learn more about clinical research and how medicines are evaluated for safety. I look forward to working with the YAB and all its members.

Oluwadara is a student at Madison West High School, graduating in the summer of 2025. She joined Dr. Olufummilola Abraham’s CRoME research team in July of 2023 to help educate young people in the world of Pharmacy, especially her classmates. She also hopes to reach elementary and middle school students in the future. After graduation, she hopes to major in English and reach young people in the world of academia. Oluwadara loves reading and writing original stories in her free time.

My name is Asha Patel, and I am entering my senior year at Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas. I enjoy playing soccer, babysitting, and cooking. Ever since I was a little kid, I have had a profound interest in the medical field and science overall. I hope I can achieve my dreams after high school of being in the medical field, and hope that the Youth Advisory Board will help me further my interest overall!

Hi! I'm Jana, a junior at Vel Phillips Memorial High School in Madison, Wisconsin. From elementary to AP Biology, science has always been one of my favorite subjects. With goals of becoming a pharmacist, my interests lie mainly in the drug manufacturing process and research in neurological disorders. Outside of school, I love learning new roller skating tricks and creating digital art. I look forward to joining YAB to explore more about clinical research and public health initiatives.

My name is Nethra Srinidhi Gopalakrishnan. I am a sophomore attending High Tech High North County in California. In my free time, I enjoy playing piano and singing Carnatic classical music. Through a psychology and a chemistry college course, I developed more interest in science, especially in neuroscience. I founded a club at my school to advocate for mental health awareness. My passion for math and science led me to also becoming a tutor at my high school. I would like to pursue a career in both patient care and research, especially in neuroscience and Alzheimer disease. I am very excited to join the CRoME Lab as a member of the Youth Advisory Board and I am looking forward to having actual research experience.

My name is Jasmine Hasan (she/her pronouns) and I am currently a sophomore attending Mission Hills High School. Through a college psychology course and my current AP Bio class, I've been granted the opportunity to declare my passion in biology and psychology. Through podcasts, tutoring students, writing articles, conducting surveys, etc., I have gained a great deal of information and I hope to learn more each day I have the opportunity to. I additionally enjoy the art of painting, watching television, and working with organizations in the realm of social justice. I am beyond excited to engage with the CRoME Lab as a new member of the Youth Advisory Board!

Hi! My name is Claire Choo and I am a rising senior at Valley Christian High School in San Jose, California. In the future, I intend to pursue a career in pharmacy. After discovering my passion for chemistry sophomore year, I wanted to pursue a career which emphasizes the discipline and offers opportunities in both research and patient care. This summer, I attended UW-Madison’s Pharmacy Summer Program, where I learned about the multiple pathways for the career through immersive labs and tours. My research interests include Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes. Some of my favorite activities include playing the piano and walking with my friends at the park. I’m excited to contribute my skills in designing unique medication safety solutions with YAB!

My name is Melissa Hill, and I am a sophomore at Edward S. Marcus High School in Texas. I’m mainly interested in neuroscience, however I have also taken a liking to biology. I enjoy going to Karate because I have many friends and am a first-degree black belt. I joined CRoME Lab YAB because I wanted to gain more medical and data gaining experiences. In the future, I would like to become a neurosurgeon.

My name is Maya Keeling, my pronouns are she/her, and I am now a junior at Rogers High School. In my free time I love to paint, and am currently staring a film club at my school. I also love to travel, and spend time with my little sister. My sophomore year I was lucky enough to be a part of scholars and storytellers at UCLA, which got me introduced on how technology effects youth. My research interests mainly include mental health. After high school I am hoping to go to UCLA studying psychiatry. I am looking forward to joining the YAB to learn more about collaborative research in the medical field.

My name is Arya Panda. I am a rising junior at Jesuit College Preparatory of Dallas. My research interests include pharmacology and neuroscience. I am excited to be part of the CRoME Lab and have the chance to have actual research experience. My hobbies include cooking, making music and playing basketball. My passion for math and science brought me to CRoME lab, and I look forward to researching pharmacology and neuroscience.

Aidan is a senior at Vel Phillips Memorial High School. His interests include sports, and engineering. He had not given much thought to the field of Pharmacy until he watched the documentary Painkiller, which really opened his eyes. He is excited to join Dr. Olufunmilola Abraham’s team as a Youth Engagement and Outreach Specialist in order to reach teens about the world of Pharmacy. In his free time he loves playing Tennis and volunteering at Miracle League of Dane County.