The Undergraduate Research Peer Ambassadors are experienced student researchers representing
each college at Kennesaw State University. They take active roles representing the
Office of Undergraduate Research at on-campus recruitment and student support events.
Additionally, Peer Ambassadors conduct workshops on various undergraduate research
topics, such as how to get involved, how to write an abstract, how to navigate conferences,
how to make a poster, how to present, and much more. They are also available for one-on-one
appointments, meeting with students in-person or virtually, to provide peer mentoring
on undergraduate research specific topics.
Hello, my name is Aichel Candanedo! I am currently a senior Biology major on the Pre-med track here at KSU. I was previously a First-Year Scholar working with Dr. Cyril Okhio on “Brain Augmented Technology (BAT) and STEM-Peer Augmented Success & Support (STEM-PASS).” I presented the project at the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) in the spring of 2024 and at the Symposium of Student Scholars in the spring of 2024. I am entering my third year as an Undergraduate Research Peer
Ambassador.
Outside of school, you can catch me participating in 5k’s as I love to run, as well as studying, cooking, going to concerts, and volunteering. I look forward to working with everyone! Please do not hesitate to reach out to me!
Aster Cheung is an honors student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at Kennesaw State University (KSU). She began research in the First-Year Scholars Program and continued in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program, where she worked on the project: Optical phantoms mimicking cerebral blood flow for validation of Speckle Contrast
Optical Spectroscopy. In this project, she fabricated phantoms and evaluated the system’s depth sensitivity. She is currently an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Paul Lee’s lab.
In addition to her research, she serves as the President of the Society of Women Engineers
at KSU. She was a Peer Mentor for Journey Honors College and a Supplemental Instruction
Leader for CHEM 1211. Outside of school and research, she enjoys cooking, playing
badminton, and meeting new people.
Mikkel is a senior majoring in Music Theory with a minor in Ancient and Modern Classics.
They have participated in the First-Year Scholars Program, Sophomore Scholars Program, Junior Scholars Program, and Summer Undergraduate Research Program through their work with Dr. Peter Fielding on “Analysis of Traditional Philippine Vocal Repertoire.” They have presented this work and others at several international, national, regional, and local conferences. Mikkel is also a Student Assistant with the Office of Undergraduate Research and a tutor with the Bailey School of Music.
Mikkel is very passionate about research and expanding opportunities for fine arts
students. They are always happy to help other students and love learning about other
students' projects. Outside of school, they spend their time reading, playing video
games, and napping.
Darius is a second-year Bachelor of Architecture and Honors student at Kennesaw State University. He began his research journey with
AP Capstone and the First-Year Scholars Program, where he worked on the project: Turning Waste into Architecture: Sustainable Design with 3D Printing. Here, he engineered different mixes to transform sawdust into viable 3D printed
building materials. His work was presented at the Symposium of Student Scholars. Additionally,
Darius is a member of AIAS (American Institute of Architecture Students) and NSS (National
Space Society). His interests center on sustainable architecture, drawing on the intersection
of innovation, science, and diverse experiences.
Darius believes that research offers invaluable experiences outside the classroom and unique ways to contribute to our body of knowledge. Outside the lab and studio, Darius enjoys cooking and gaming with friends.
Abeer is currently a senior working towards a degree in Economics along with the President's Emerging Global Scholars minor. She was previously involved
in the First Year Scholars program in which she worked under Professor Melih Madanoglu
on "Corporate Governance Factors and Financial Performance of Restaurant Companies".
Outside of research, she is also involved in the KSU Journey Honors College through the PEGS Program and PEGS RSO.
Abeer believes that the opportunities provided by the Office of Undergraduate Research
at Kennesaw have helped inculcate a deep-seated interest in research within her and
she hopes to be able to impart the insights she gained through the First-Year Scholars
program to incoming freshmen! This is her third year as a Peer Ambassador.
Hello! My name is Allison Martinez, and I am a third-year Honors student majoring
in Integrated Health Science with a concentration in Nursing at Kennesaw State University. I began my undergraduate
research experience under the mentorship of Dr. Melissa Osborne in the SKYE Research Lab, where I contribute to projects focused on child safety in the home environment,
particularly firearm injury prevention.
In addition to my research at KSU, I serve as an Assistant Research Evaluator with
the National Center on Child Trafficking at Georgia State University. Through this
role, I assist with evaluating training materials and program outcomes related to
child trauma and human trafficking.
I became a Peer Ambassador because I want to encourage prospective nursing students
to get involved in research before admission to nursing school. Research has allowed
me to develop valuable skills, collaborate with an interdisciplinary team, and find
meaningful mentorship, and I hope to help other students discover those same opportunities.
Outside of class, you can find me walking around campus, studying in the Honors Lounge, or trying a new café around Kennesaw. I look forward to meeting you all!
Saloni is currently a junior honors student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Data Science & Analytics at KSU. She began her research through the First-Year Scholars Program, where she worked on a project investigating inflammatory biomarkers associated with
adverse childhood experiences (ACES), executive functioning, and psychological well-being.
Her role included collecting and analyzing data from running participants, performing
enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) in the lab, and contributing to research
on cognitive functioning. She has presented her work at the Symposium of Student Scholars and the Georgia Students in Psychological Science Conference, and continues her research
with Drs. Pearcey, Holliday, and Mashburn.
Outside of research, Saloni serves as the Social Media & Marketing Officer for the
Undergraduate Neuroscience Association (UNA) and is a member of Psi Chi (the International
Honor Society in Psychology). She is passionate about supporting students in research
and making opportunities more accessible. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography,
listening to music, and creating Pinterest boards!
My name is Zakaria Sherif and I am an undergraduate student majoring in Computer Science. I started my research journey in fall 2024. I joined the Equifax Research Lab. and
I was the first undergraduate student to be accepted into that lab. Since then I've
embarked on diverse areas of research in AI and machine learning. I found a new interest
in a path that I didn't know was possible for me as an undergraduate student.
Nowadays I spend my time pursuing my passion; researching applications of AI in Fintech.
