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.
Elizabeth Daniels
Elizabeth is a third-year Ph.D. student in Bioengineering. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Biology and Quantitative Biology respectively, from Fisk University before joining the University of Illinois. Her research focuses on developing biomimetic tissue-engineered models to understand how the physical microenvironment regulates disease progression. She currently investigates the role of mechanical cues in age-related macular degeneration and breast cancer.
Elizabeth enjoys mentoring students and helping them discover opportunities that support their academic and professional growth. She has mentored students interested in graduate school, guided undergraduate researchers in a laboratory setting, and participated in community outreach initiatives focused on education and health awareness. She is passionate about helping prospective and new graduate students navigate the transition to graduate school and looks forward to fostering a welcoming, collaborative community at Grainger Engineering.
Outside of the lab, Elizabeth enjoys reading, discovering new coffee shops and restaurants, spending time with her dog, and traveling with friends and family.
Michelle Huang
Michelle is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science with a focus in Interactive Computing. Her research develops accessible and sociotechnically-aware health AI for low literacy patients, and her work is generously supported by the NSF GRFP, GEM Fellowship, and the Grainger Engineering Surge Fellowship.
She is passionate about fostering inclusive communities in STEM and higher education. As an undergraduate at Princeton, she served on the Princeton Engineering Council, HackPrinceton, Princeton University Science Olympiad, and in first-year academic advisor roles. Additionally, she has served as a TA and mentor through the Summer Science Program and partnered with SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory to expand science education to high school students.
Outside of academics, Michelle is an avid fan of F1 (GR63!), Balatro, sweet treats, and Costco, and only an indifferent fan of pickleball and running.
Sandesh Poudel
Sandesh Poudel is a Ph.D. student in Agricultural and Biological Engineering and is a second-year doctoral student as of Fall 2026. His research explores the use of artificial intelligence, computer vision, and open-access digital technologies to make agriculture more sustainable, efficient, and
accessible to farmers worldwide.
Originally from Nepal, Sandesh values the connections and friendships that make graduate school meaningful. He enjoys creating welcoming spaces where students feel comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas, and supporting one another. Through mentoring, student leadership, and cross-cultural experiences, he hopes to help others feel a sense of belonging while encouraging collaboration and lifelong learning.
Outside of research, Sandesh loves traveling and discovering new cultures through local food, history, and conversations with people from around the world. One of his favorite parts of every trip is bringing home stories and perspectives that inspire both his personal life and his research.
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.
Bengü Sengul
Bengü is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Materials Science and Engineering. Her research explores the structure, function, and mechanical properties of biomimetic membranes, ranging from synthetic lipid-peptide membranes to plasma membranes.
She has served on the Materials Science and Engineering Community Committee, working to broaden participation and engagement within the department. She is also active in outreach,
mentoring undergraduates from other departments as well as high school students through the GEMS summer camp.
An international student from Türkiye, Bengü served for two years as president and graduate
student representative on the Turkish Student Association board. Having had the opportunity to
study and work in five different countries, she has developed a deep appreciation for different
cultures and perspectives and enjoys participating in events that connect people from diverse
backgrounds.
Outside of research, Bengü loves exploring new cuisines and unique restaurants, keeping a
notebook of her favorite finds. She has practiced Latin dance for five years and is always looking
for her next opportunity to travel and experience new adventures.
Freddy Ward
Freddy is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE). His research focuses on understanding the relationship between the
structural network and functional connectivity of neurons for disease and neuro-inflammatory
modeling. He also works with biomaterials to develop suitable substrates for culturing these
cells.
On campus, Freddy is dedicated to cultivating a positive and welcoming culture where graduate
students can thrive as both researchers and people. He has served as the ChBE department’s
graduate student advisory council president, working with his department and advocating for his
peers. He strives to make every environment like a Crayola – nontoxic! He is also a Graduate
Student Outreach Coordinator at the Beckman Institute, where he works closely with local
elementary and middle schools. He is a Chemistry-Biology Interface and Mavis Future Faculty fellow.
Freddy has a passion for teaching, and he has a history degree too. He also wears the costume for
the famous “invisible gorilla” at the Beckman Institute. In addition, he loves watching sports,
cooking, hiking, and spending time with his 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.