WAVE Council

The WAVE Council is a group of graduate students, postdocs, and research staff who serve as non-research mentors to WAVE Fellows over the summer.

The 2026 WAVE Council members are:

Isaac Aguilar (he/they)
GPS – Geobiology | G2
Email: [email protected]
Isaac is a Geobiology PhD student studying the co-evolution of Earth's biodiversity throughout geological history, with a focus on paleoecology in Central and South America. He earned his undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley and is a first-generation Mexican-American from Southern California. He is a passionate player of the ancestral Mesoamerican ballgame and enjoys exploring the outdoors, roller-skating, and community-centered science. Mentoring interests: First-generation experiences, navigating Caltech, balancing family/life, graduate school guidance, and cultivating joy.

Luis Burgos Hernández (he/him)
CCE – Chemical Engineering | G2
Email: [email protected]
Luis is a G2 student in the Manthiram Lab working at the intersection of biology and electrochemistry, engineering microbes and proteins to perform more efficient redox chemistry. He came to Caltech from the University of Puerto Rico and is a former WAVE Fellow and first-generation college student. Outside of campus, he enjoys running around Pasadena and bouncing between pickleball courts, the beach, and bookstores. Mentoring interests: First-generation experiences, navigating Caltech, graduate school guidance, and cultivating joy.

Shailen Chugh (he/him)
Graduate Student in Geobiology
Hi all! My name is Shailen Chugh (I go by Shai!), and I'm a rising second-year PhD student in the Geobiology program. I grew up in Michigan, went to Northwestern for my undergrad studying Earth Science and Chemistry, and came to Caltech to continue studying environmental microbiology using stable isotopes and biomarkers. Right now, I work on developing tools to study microbial carbon cycling in soils and the ocean. Outside of the lab, I love to bake cookies, travel, and listen to audiobooks. I'm especially passionate about supporting fellow students of color in academics and hope to encourage you to make the most of your experience this summer — building confidence, trying new things, advancing professionally, and building community! Click [here] to contact Shailen.

Jade Konsler (she/her)
CCE – Chemical Biology | G1
Email: [email protected]
Jade is finishing her first year as a Chemical Biology PhD student. She's originally from Massachusetts and studied Chemistry at Wellesley College. Her research focuses on DNA replication and repair in the Semlow Lab, where she was also a WAVE Fellow in 2024. WAVE really solidified her interest in pursuing a PhD. Outside of lab, she enjoys swimming, cooking, crafts, and exploring California nature. Mentoring interests: Navigating Caltech, graduate school guidance, and cultivating joy.

César Lasalde-Ramírez
EAS – Applied Physics & Materials Science | G3
Email: [email protected]
César is a third-year PhD student working in electrochemistry, photoelectrochemistry, and CO2 capture and conversion. He is a former WAVE Fellow. Mentoring interests: Navigating Caltech, graduate school guidance, and cultivating joy.

Naiara Lebron Acosta (she/her)
CCE – Chemical Biology/Organic Chemistry | Rising G3
Email: [email protected]
Naiara graduated from the University of Puerto Rico–Río Piedras in 2024 with a B.S. in Chemistry. In the Morstein group, she works on the synthesis of probes to study the lipid–protein interactome. She is a former WAVE Fellow and first-generation college student. Outside of research, she enjoys reading fiction, petting dogs, and spotting coyotes on campus. Mentoring interests: First-generation experiences, navigating Caltech, balancing family/life, graduate school guidance, and cultivating joy.

Meryl Liu
PMA – Physics | G1
Email: [email protected]
Meryl is a first-year PhD student in Physics. Mentoring interests: Navigating Caltech, balancing family/life, graduate school guidance, and cultivating joy.

Sierra Marable (she/her)
BBE – Biology & Biological Engineering | Postdoc
Email: [email protected]
Sierra is a developmental biologist and postdoctoral researcher in the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. After earning her doctorate in Molecular and Developmental Biology, she joined the laboratory of Dr. Marianne Bronner to study craniofacial development. Her research investigates how neural crest cells develop into craniofacial cartilage and bone during embryogenesis. Mentoring interests: Graduate school guidance.

Noor Naji (she/her)
CCE – Physical Chemistry | G4
Email: [email protected]
Noor is a fourth-year PhD student in Professor Lu Wei's lab developing spectroscopy and microscopy tools for bio-imaging. She completed her undergraduate studies at Cal Poly Pomona. She has been an active WAVE Council member for three years and has mentored students across chemistry, biology, and physics. In her free time, she enjoys cross-stitch embroidery and exploring coffee shops. Mentoring interests: First-generation experiences, navigating Caltech, balancing family/life, and graduate school guidance.

Alex Ramirez (he/him)
PMA – Physics | G4
Email: [email protected]
Alex is a fourth-year PhD student working in quantum optics, ultra low noise detectors, cryogenics, interferometry, and full stack automation and software. He is a former WAVE Fellow and first-generation college student. Mentoring interests: First-generation experiences, navigating Caltech, and graduate school guidance.

Isaryhia Rodriguez (she/her)
Graduate Student in Biology & Biological Engineering
Hi! I'm a 5th-year PhD candidate in Dr. Angela Stathopoulos's lab. My research focuses on how a protein called Runt — a critical developmental regulator — functions during the earliest stages of fruit fly (Drosophila) development. I use a mix of wet lab experiments, microscopy imaging, genomics, and computational analysis to study this at the molecular level. The Runt protein belongs to a family highly conserved across species, including humans, where related proteins are linked to blood cell development and cancer. I'm also a first-generation college student from a low-income background, and that experience shapes how I think about mentorship — I genuinely care about making science accessible and welcoming to students from all walks of life. Having previously served as a WAVE Council member, I know how important it is to have support beyond the lab. Outside of science, I'm a music lover, an avid reader, and a sudoku enthusiast! Click [here] to contact Isaryhia.

Tatum Umiamaka (she/her)
PMA – Astrophysics | G1
Email: [email protected]
Tatum is a rising G2 student in Astrophysics working in the Exoplanet Technology (ET) Lab with Dimitri Mawet. Her research focuses on high-contrast imaging techniques for exoplanet detection and adaptive optics. She graduated from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2025 with a B.S. in Astrophysics and a B.A. in Computer Science. Outside of research, she enjoys outrigger paddling, spending time at the beach, thrifting, and going on adventures. Mentoring interests: Navigating Caltech, balancing family/life, graduate school guidance, and cultivating joy.

Tristan Villanueva (he/him/his)
EAS – Mechanical Engineering | G3
Email: [email protected]
Tristan grew up in San Diego and completed his B.S. at UC Berkeley in mechanical engineering, also studying mathematics and physics at UNAM. He works with Professor Adrian Lozano Durán on methods to control high-dimensional chaotic dynamical systems using information theory. He was a UC Berkeley McNair Scholar in 2021 and a Caltech WAVE Fellow in 2022. Mentoring interests: First-generation experiences, graduate school guidance, and cultivating joy.

Jieyu Zheng
BBE – Biology & Biological Engineering | G6
Email: [email protected]
Jieyu is a sixth-year PhD student in the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. Mentoring interests: First-generation experiences, navigating Caltech, balancing family/life, graduate school guidance, and cultivating joy.