Meet the Team!
Dr. Ben Woodard
Team Mentor
Director, Biotechnology Research and Education Program
Director, Bioprocess Scale-Up Facility (BSF)
Dr. Svetla Baykoucheva
Team Librarian
Chemistry and Life Sciences Librarian
She holds a BS and MS in Chemistry, a PhD in Microbiology, and a library degree.
Demetri Cendo
Major: Biochemistry, Pre-Medicine
Minor: Computer Science
Demetri Cendo comes from the Cumberland, Maryland. He is on the Maryland Men's Crew team as well involved in College Republicans. He hopes to attend medical school after college and become an Orthopedic Surgeon. He enjoys playing the bass guitar and travelling.
Parmida Enkeshafi
Paul Han
Major: Philosophy & Government and Politics
Minor: French Language and Culture
Parmida is a Philosophy and Government and Politics double degree with a French Language and Culture Minor from Cumberland, MD, who plans on using her time at Maryland to prepare her for law school. Parmida is involved with the Maryland Mock Trial Team. Parmida enjoys traveling, writing short stories, and baking pastries. Parmida is also a member of the nationally ranked Quidditch team at Maryland. Parmida is a member of IMAGES, the official tour guide group on campus. She is also involved with ISF, Iranians Students’ Foundation. She is also Section Leader for GEMS100 and GEMS102.
Major: Chemical Engineering
Paul Han is currently a junior at the University of Maryland College Park and is studying chemical engineering. His favorite subjects are mathematics and chemistry and plans to go to medical school in hopes of becoming an anesthesiologist. His favorite sports are football and soccer and has participated in both of these intramural sports his freshman year. Aside from staying active, he also puts a lot of time and effort into his school work so that he can aspire to great things in the future.
Cameron Harner
Major: Bioengineering
Cameron is a junior bioengineering student at the University of Maryland. Other than Gemstone, Cameron is involved with the University of Maryland's QUEST program, the Navigators, the club Jiu Jitsu team, and a professional engineering fraternity, Theta Tau. Cameron plans to attend medical school after earning his undergraduate degree and become a doctor.
Rae Herman
Major: Neuroscience & Psychology
Rae is a junior Neuroscience and Psychology major pursuing a future career in research and academia. She is a research assistant in Dr. Roesch’s neuroscience lab, where she does work investigating addiction and learning with rat animal models. In her free time at Maryland, she is involved with service learning through the America Counts program and has a radio show at WMUC.
Margo Huffman
Major: Cellular Biology and Genetics
Margo is a Cellular Biology & Genetics major from Westminster, Maryland who plans to attend medical school and aspires to become a pediatric oncologist. Margo enjoys community service, traveling, going out to eat, and spending time with friends and family. She also enjoys being part of the UMD Club Gymnastics Team and her sorority, Alpha Phi.
Faith Lee
Major: Psychology
Faith is a junior Psychology major. She currently works as a research assistant at the University of Maryland Diversity and Selection Lab and has previously worked in the Child Stress and Emotions Lab. She is a BSOS (College of Behavioral and Social Sciences) ambassador and an active member of Kharis Campus Ministry at UMD. She hopes to go to graduate school to pursue a PhD in industrial-organizational psychology.
Taylor Liu
Major: Cellular Biology and Genetics
Taylor is a Cell Biology and Genetics major and Statistics minor who hopes to go into medicine. She is involved in the Student Health Advisory Committee with the University Health Center, and in service learning with America Reads America Counts. In her free time she enjoys walking through art museums and running.
Connie Nguyen
Major: Bioengineering
Connie is from Silver Spring, Maryland. She is a junior bioengineering major who hopes to attend medical school in the future. She enjoys playing field hockey and lacrosse. In her free time, she does volunteer work with the local hospital.
