Meet the 2026 Champions

As a clinician-scientist and first-generation immigrant, I understand the isolation international researchers and their families experience when adapting to unfamiliar systems. This experience has shaped my commitment to ensuring every researcher has access to mentorship, resources, networks, and family-centered support. Through collaborations with Lane Medical Library, Stanford Research Park, SURPAS, and the National Postdoctoral Association, I have helped strengthen postdoctoral communities that promote researcher well-being and growth. I have realized that equitable professional development depends on intentional, inclusive support systems. Through my “Eye Can” initiative, I remain committed to supporting underrepresented communities globally and advocating for policies that create systemic change.

Great science depends on people as much as data. As Vice Chair of SLPA at Stanford, I've learned that growing a strong postdoc network takes the same rigor as running an experiment: you have to show up consistently, listen, and support your peers through the highs and lows of research. I bring that same approach to co-organizing the ScientistA Award, celebrating and giving back to Brazilian scientists, mentoring community college students on their first research questions, and building networks across English- and Portuguese-speaking scientists. I've seen that strong relationships make people take bolder risks and do better science!

We all benefit from science, medicine, and technology whether we work in STEM or not. As STEM professionals, we explore our curiosities through research, but we also have an obligation to share this world with the public. It is easy to discount our capacity or duty to this goal , but no matter your role, you can provide an access point for others outside STEM. Embracing this responsibility has also introduced me to some of the best people I have met in STEM.

I am driven by a desire to strengthen our community by inspiring younger generations to pursue science and scientific education. Through volunteering with Inspiring Future Scientists through Shadowing (IFSS) and co-mentoring students in the Undergraduate Visiting Research Program (UGVR), I strive to make science more accessible and welcoming to students from diverse backgrounds and stages of training. Whether introducing students to hands-on research, mentoring them in experimental design and data analysis, or sharing guidance on scientific and graduate school pathways, I hope to help others recognize their potential and envision themselves in a career in science.

I believe that meaningful connection and a sense of belonging can make a profound difference in how people navigate life's challenges. This belief guides my work with adolescents and young adults experiencing psychosis at Stanford's INSPIRE and INSPIRE360 clinics, where I strive to help young people pursue their goals without being defined or limited by a diagnosis. Whether that means continuing their education, building relationships, or finding a sense of purpose, I am passionate about helping young people envision and work toward a meaningful future. One of the most rewarding parts of my work has been co-developing and co-leading our College Wellness and Success Group, which brings together young people navigating higher education while also managing their mental health. Watching group members complete their first year of college, graduate, and continue pursuing their goals has reinforced my belief in the power of community, connection, and support.

I believe that having a strong support network is essential to thrive in academia, and I know firsthand how important peer mentors have been to my scientific growth. As director of BELONG, I am proud to foster this same sense of community among Stanford neuroscience trainees. Together with our executive team, I organize lunches and social events that bring trainees together across career stages, labs, and interests. These spaces help trainees find peer mentors, become mentors themselves, and build their scientific networks. My goal is to make academia a place where anyone, no matter their background, feels supported and empowered to achieve their goals.