Meet Our Research Team
The SynBio & Me team brings together researchers, community leaders, and educators from Baltimore and El Paso. We work collaboratively to bridge the gap between institutional science and local knowledge, fostering an inclusive space where every family can see themselves in the future of biotechnology.
Leadership
Justice T. Walker, Ph. D.
Project Leadership, Assistant Professor
Dr. Walker is an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland whose research focuses on how students and teachers engage with biotechnologies and computer science-enabled data science tools in STEM learning environments. His work draws on constructionism, design, and literacy-based approaches and is informed by over a decade of K-12 teaching experience. He has received more than $4.2M in funding from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education and holds a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from the University of Pennsylvania.
Lisa Scheifele, Ph. D.
Project Leadership, Professor
A molecular biologist at heart, Dr. Scheifele focuses on the "why" behind genome structure and how it actually makes cells tick. Much of this work happens through the Synthetic Yeast Project, where she has teamed up with students to build custom chromosomes—everything from the tiny synI to the massive synIV—to see how 3D organization changes the way cells grow. Beyond the lab, she headed up the Build-a-Genome Network and helped launch COVID-360 to give teachers better tools for explaining the pandemic. She also runs the Baltimore Underground Science Space (BUGSS), a nonprofit community lab where she helps artists, entrepreneurs, and students experiment with DNA in a way that’s more creative and personal than a typical classroom.
Foad Hamidi, Ph. D.
Project Leadership, Associate Professor
Dr. Hamidi is an Associate Professor in the Information Systems Department at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). His research focuses on participatory design and the evaluation of emerging systems, with an emphasis on inclusive and sustainable maker practices for diverse communities. He has led international research and design projects across the United States, Canada, Kenya, Mexico, Bhutan, and Spain, and holds a PhD in Computer Science from York University.
Consultants
Alisha Collins
[information needed]
Anja Scholze, Ph. D.
[information needed]
Corinne Takara
Corinne Takara is Honolulu based artist/STEAM educator who creates technology integrated art projects. Her public collaborative work explores the use of modern day artifacts to preserve cultural heritage and memory, and honors the colliding and merging stories that arise in rapidly shifting communities. The workshops Takara designs for museums, libraries, K-12 classrooms and colleges foster creative confidence; they encourage us to see ourselves as drivers of culture and technology. By engaging in maker activities taking shape in public spaces, we can share creative ideas that impact our world and increase our collective civic engagement.
Graduate Trainees
Karen Del Rio
PhD, Education
Karen Del Rio has a biology, health promotion, and leadership studies background and is working towards her Ph.D. in Teaching, Learning, and Culture. Karen's current research project aims to increase the capacity of the UTEP Department of Computer Science to support Hispanic students, particularly Latinas, in obtaining computer science teacher certification. Karen is involved in implementing and evaluating the project. In the future, Karen plans to focus her research on computer science education, self-concept, and program evaluation.
Avanish Singh
[information needed]