Riya G
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill)
Expertise
Genomics, CRISPR-gene editing, genome architecture, social justice in STEM, Art in STEM, creative writing (poetry/short stories)
Bio
I am a PhD student studying how the genome is organized and regulated in our cells. I use genetics, genomics, and molecular techniques to study genome architecture. I entered the scientific world as a freshman in high school where I was involved in a 4-year research project. In college, I continued working in molecular genetics research labs. I love thinking scientifically and learning new things everyday! Outside of science, I love being creative. I love to paint, cook new recipes, and write creative short pieces. Over quarantine, I got really into houseplants/gardening and now I am slowly building an indoor jungle. I like hiking, going out with friends, and stopping to pet every dog I pass.Project ideas
The Leaky Pipeline
Although diversity is required for scientific productivity, innovation, and advancement, women and people of color (POC) are not equally represented at higher academic positions as their male counterparts. Women in the biological sciences represent over half of the PhD student bodies, however less than half tenured professors are women, and even less so of those from minority backgrounds. The gender/racial gap in STEM fields increases as people further their career due to gender/race bias and societal pressures that decrease self-efficacy. Students will learn about diversity, stereotypes in STEM, and career barriers and write a review article summarizing the current diversity environment in STEM and ways we can approach fixing this leaky pipeline.
The sequencing world
In this project, we can learn about the history and future of sequencing technologies, and how they have revolutionized our understanding of the human genome. Students can explore publicly available datasets or write a review article.