Women and Gender Minorities in Graduate Science (WIGS+)

Isabelle is a Ph.D. student in the Chemistry Department studying organic chemistry and received her B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Vermont. She is excited to be involved with outreach in the community and increase interest and excitement about science.

In her spare time, Isabelle enjoys reading, going to concerts, and exploring new coffee shops and restaurants!

Alekhya is a Master's student currently pursuing a degree in Applied Data Science. Before this, she was working as a Software Developer for a network security company. She is thrilled to be a part of WIGS+ and is looking forward to connecting with all the members.

In her free time, she reads a lot, runs a little and often tries out new hobbies.

Ryan is a Master's student in the Applied Data Science program. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology in 2023 and worked in healthcare IT before starting her Master's. She is excited to be a part of WIGS+ and is looking forward to hosting events and meeting other students from the PSD.

In her free time, Ryan enjoys reading and playing cozy indie games. The cuter and more pastel the art, the better!

Joy graduated from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, with a BS in Forestry, where she was in the environmental forestry stream focused on ecology and forest economics. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in PSD's newest Master's Program in Environmental Science. She is looking forward to organizing and promoting different events that foster community and learning.

During her free time, she enjoys crocheting, playing video games, and exploring different neighborhoods.

Michelle is a Ph.D. student in the Chemistry Department, studying physical chemistry. Previously, she received her B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is looking forward to participating in community outreach and fostering enthusiasm for science.

For fun, Michelle likes to run, read, and play Sudoku.

Alexa is a Ph.D. student studying organic chemistry in the Department of Chemistry. She received her B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Rochester in 2024. She is excited to be a part of the WIGS+ board to plan exciting events for PSD students and promote outreach with the Chicago community.

In her free time, Alexa enjoys reading, crocheting, and participating in speed puzzling competitions.

Payton is a Master's student in the Applied Data Science program. She recently graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in Mathematics and Economics. She is excited to be a part of WIGS+ as an Event Coordinator and to help organize many great events!

In her free time, she likes to read mystery and romance novels, bike around the lake, and explore Chicago with friends!

Aleks is the PSD Director of Student Engagement and Belonging and Assistant Dean of Students. She joined UChicago in November 2021. She previously worked extensively in student-facing diversity and inclusion roles with student organizations, student leadership teams, and peer mentorship teams at Kennesaw State University in GA. Aleks is passionate about student success, diversity and inclusion, and intercultural competence.

Originally from Bulgaria, Aleks considers GA her US "home base." In her free time, she enjoys cooking and eating, exploring new places, and spending time with her spouse and their two dogs, Bruno and Julez.