Meet Our Ambassadors
Bridget Agyare
Bridget is a second-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science. Her research focuses on broadening participation in computing, with a particular interest in understanding the social and structural factors that influence students’ career choices.
Bridget is deeply committed to building supportive and inclusive communities. As an undergraduate, she served as President of UC Berkeley’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, where she led initiatives to support Black students in STEM. More recently at U. of I., she served as a mentor in the Graduate Society of Women Engineers' undergraduate mentoring program. She is passionate about helping students navigate higher education and connect with the communities and resources that support their success.
Outside of her research, Bridget enjoys spending time with her friends and family, watching “Day in My Life” and “Get Ready with Me” videos on YouTube, and decorating her living space with items from Facebook Marketplace and HomeGoods.
Sunny Chen
Sunny is a third-year master’s/Ph.D. student in Materials Science and Engineering. Her research explores the crystallization behavior of crosslinked polymer networks using molecular dynamics simulations to better understand photopolymerization in materials like thiol-ene, commonly used in 3D printing, biomedical materials, and coatings.
She has served on the Materials Research Society board for two years, organizing events that foster community and collaboration among students. Sunny is also active in outreach, mentoring middle and high school students through summer camp programs such as Mid-GLAM and GEMS.
As an international student from Taiwan, she participates in weekly international coffee house events to exchange cultures and languages, connecting with people from diverse backgrounds and building mutual understanding.
Outside of academics, Sunny enjoys team sports with nets (nets are crucial!), especially volleyball, pickleball, and table tennis. She’s also passionate about language learning and crocheting funny little critters—especially when it’s too sunny out for outdoor sports.
Jacob Fritchie
Jacob Fritchie is a third-year master’s/PhD student in Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering. His research focuses on radiation detector characterization, crucial for advancements in nuclear verification technologies. Jacob furthers his passion for international safeguards and nuclear nonproliferation through his role at Sandia National Laboratories in the International Safeguards and Engagements department.
As a first-generation college student and queer individual from a rural area, Jacob has been actively involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, holding leadership roles to foster a welcoming environment. He has served on the Campus Honors Program student council, the Elks National Foundation Scholar Advisory Board, Collegiate 4-H executive committee, the U of I Institute of Nuclear Materials Management student chapter, the NPRE Graduate Student Advisory Committee, and the Engineering Graduate Student Advisory Committee.
Outside of his academic and professional pursuits, Jacob is an avid music enthusiast who enjoys exploring different genres and attending live concerts. He also loves hiking and has visited over 50 national park sites.
Garima Gupta
Garima is a second-year MS/Ph.D. student in Electrical Engineering, focusing on nanotechnology-based neural probes. She received her bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Mumbai, India, in 2023.
Garima firmly believes that campus diversity enriches educational experiences and prepares students for an interconnected world. As an international student and woman in STEM, she has been actively involved in initiatives aimed at supporting inclusivity since her undergraduate days.
Beyond academics, Garima enjoys going on walks, binge-watching Netflix, and taking up new hobbies.
Yasmin Isa
Yasmin is a third-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science with a focus on interactive computing. Passionate about the intersection of technology and society, her research investigates the application and transformative potential of generative AI.
Yasmin brings a unique perspective to her work, enriched by diverse experiences, including her roles as a Heritage Garden Intern Leader, member of the Honors College Advisory Board, Women in Computer Science organization member, Undergraduate Student Mentor, Student Body President, and Black Tech Scholar. This diversity in experiences fosters a more inclusive approach to problem-solving in interactive computing.
Committed to increasing representation in tech, Yasmin authored a book introducing programming logic and design in the Hausa language, aimed at providing non-English proficient students with the tools they need to succeed in the realm of computer science.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Yasmin is known for her desire to learn and her curiosity. She has a fascination with languages and cultures, enjoys philosophy and psychology, and loves archery, ice skating, and Zumba. Additionally, she is fond of solving riddles and mysteries.
Johanna Arita
Johanna is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Energy-Water-Environment Sustainability track in Civil and Environmental Engineering. She works with techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment to study the performance of non-sewered sanitation technologies in cities.
She received her bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras and her master’s degree in Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. Having the possibility to study and work in three different countries has given Johanna a broader outlook of the globalized world we live in. She is the founder of the Central American Chapter of the World Youth Parliament for Water, is part of the Swedish Institute Network for Global Professionals, and the Graduate Society of Women Engineers at Illinois.
She is passionate about higher education and dreams on becoming a professor to positively impact students’ lives. She values diversity and is a strong supporter of women in STEM. In her free time, she likes to try coffee shops and restaurants around town.
Pedro Rivera-Cardona
Pedro is a third-year Physics Ph.D. student researching the particle physics of the early universe, with a focus on dark matter and extended Higgs models. Pedro is also an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, a GEM Fellow, an Illinois Surge Fellow and Graduate College Fellow, and an Alfred P. Sloan Scholar.
Pedro earned his B.S. in physics at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez (UPRM), with departmental honors in 2022. Pedro was also a visiting student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a PR-LSAMP Scholar.
In Puerto Rico, Pedro conducted live physics demonstrations in schools and particle physics workshops for teachers and students worldwide through UPRM’s Society for Physics Students chapter and particle physics research group. At the U of I, Pedro has actively mentored students through the physics department’s Graduate Peer Mentoring and Sloan Scholars programs. Independently, Pedro helps students navigate through the graduate school application process.
For fun, Pedro enjoys climbing at Urbana Boulders (like all physicists do), watching boxing matches and conquering Soulsborne games.
Juan Armando Rojas
Juan is a third year Ph.D. student in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE). His research focuses on utilizing polymer nanomembranes to capture CO2 from emission sources for CO2 electrolysis. Juan received his bachelor’s degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2023.
On campus, Juan serves as the Graduate Ambassador for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) where he cultivates a strong community for Hispanic graduate students to grow as future leaders in their respective fields. With this position he also increases visibility and accessibility to graduate school for the SHPE undergraduate community. He also has served in the ChBE Graduate Student Advisory Council (ChBE GSAC) as the Outreach and Community Engagement Chair to further build the ChBE graduate community and increase STEM awareness to the Champaign-Urbana community.
Beyond his academic and professional ambitions, Juan enjoys hiking, going to the gym, and spending time with his family and friends.
How can we help you?
Use this form to learn more about the program, get in touch with an ambassador, ask a question about becoming an ambassador, or request an ambassador’s presence at your event.
Grainger Engineering departments can request Graduate Student Ambassador involvement in mentoring, onboarding, and social events. Contact us with your ideas and requests.