The Chemistry Graduate Student Association is an active organization dedicated to fostering and maintaining an inclusive and supportive community for the department’s graduate students. Monthly meetings are intended to allow opportunities for graduate students to gather to discuss the state of the department, life as a graduate student, and to provide resources that could support their graduate student experience. Additionally, the CGSA functions as a liaison between graduate students and faculty to assist in communication between both parties.
Links:
The CGSA provides a great opportunity to network with fellow graduate students, discuss research, and build relationships with fellow researchers. In the past we have sponsored departmental picnics, faculty/student softball games, the departmental recycling program and various forums and seminars involving faculty from other institutions. Additionally, we have advocated for better compensation and have given suggestions on how graduate students could feel better supported.
Previously, the CGSA had a mentoring program for all incoming graduate students. We have started up a similar mentoring program and paired early career graduate students with PhD candidates in the program. The mentors and mentees were selected based on common goals and interests to help newer graduate students feel supported in the program.
Executive Board:
The Current executive board invites you to contact them with any specific question you may have about the department as well as any other general questions.
President: Kayry Segarra (email: kayrys1@umbc.edu)
Vice President: Misti Cartwright (email: mistip1@umbc.edu)
Treasurer: Leopoldo Posada Escobar (email: lposada1@umbc.edu)
Secretary: Lekan Ajiboye (email: oajiboy1@umbc.edu)
Senators: Trisha De Jesus (email: patricd2@umbc.edu) and Owen Sparr (email: osparr1@umbc.edu)
Social Media Manager: Madison Conte (email: mconte1@umbc.edu)
Previous Board Members:
This is an incomplete list. Alumni who were part of the board in previous years are welcome to email current board members to be added to this list.
Joy Thames, President & Secretary
Christianna Kutz, Treasurer & VP
Amanda Belunis, Treasurer
Zach Nichols, Senator
Kushani Mendis, Senator
Shreyasi Sengupta, Senator
Naba Krishna Das, Senator
Curtis Jones, Senator
Ciara Pitman, Senator
Patricia Boyd
Laura Kesner
Erin Kennedy
Scott Riley
Chanda Lowrance
Evgenia Barannikova, President
DeLauren McCauley, Vice President
Tonya Santaus, Secretary
Richard Brown, Treasurer