Aliaksandra TuchaYale School of Art, Photo ’25 aliaksandra.tucha@yale.edu |
I take photographs and write and hope to make that my career. Originally I come from Belarus, where I lived until seventeen until I left to international school (United World College of the Adriatic), where my life has changed forever; I still think a lot about the things I learned there. I went on to study at Yale College, intending to become a doctor and explore cinema as a side interest. I ended up taking two years off during my time here and changing my trajectory completely. I understood that I care deeply about photography and decided that this shall be my path, at least for the time being.
Davenport has been my home on and off since 2016. It’s a place where I felt at peace. It also helped me get the finances for my art and writing; I feel indebted and grateful. Let’s meet to get some food, or go to the YUAG or the library, or take a walk in nature? I am here to answer any and all questions or kindle a friendship. |
Alexander Zhang Yale History Department |
I’m a PhD candidate in American legal history, and my scholarship is focused on race and the interpretation of legislation. I was an American Studies major at Yale, where I was also a photographer and member of WORD. I worked in tech for a bit before grad school. Feel free to reach out! |
Terri Motraghi (she/her) MSN candidate (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) Yale School of Nursing |
Hi Davenport,
I’m an RN as well as a published photographer and poet. I’m a part-time student in the Yale School of Nursing and a full time Clinical Research Nurse for the Yale School of Medicine where I work on an inpatient psychiatric research unit - ask me about our psychedelics trials! I obtained my first masters degree from the University of Oxford, completed my RN training in the Bay Area at UCSF, and was a Fulbright fellow to New Zealand. I’ve worked in psychiatry, postpartum/lactation nursing, community health nursing, school nursing and neonatal intensive care research. I lived in the UK for a few years and California for almost a decade, but now call New England home (mortgage and all).
I was a first-generation college student and am passionate about mental health and helping students find spaces of belonging. I enjoy daily nature walks, making whimsical floral arrangements, antiquing and paying attention to the natural world.
Let’s go for a walk, grab lunch, talk through personal issues, review essays or mull over postgraduate plans. I’m also very excited about the pottery wheel, someone please show me how to use it!
|
Jun Luke FosterJ.D. Candidate, Yale Law School |
Hi Davenport, I’m a second-year student at the law school, and D’port alum! During my undergrad I majored in EPE with a focus on wealth and income inequality, and was a member of No Closed Doors at Dwight Hall. In the years since college, I was a musician: I performed, studied, and taught as a pianist, and recently completed a doctorate in piano performance at the Peabody Institute (part of Johns Hopkins). But I always felt that at some point I’d pivot back toward work more closely related to my focus in undergrad, and view law school as a path toward that end. When I’m not reading law cases these days, I’m often looking for dogs to meet (like the fellow on the right, Bentley), or finding a piano to play, or going for a run/workout. Also love poetry but don’t have much time to read things that aren’t law-related these days.
|
Ryland Mortlock (he/him)2nd year MD-PhD Student, Yale School of Medicine
ryland.mortlock@yale.edu |
Hi gnomes, My name is Ryland, and I am a 2nd year MD-PhD student at the med school. I grew up moving around as part of a military family and ended up in California for college where I studied chemical engineering at USC (go Trojans!). Before coming to Yale, I spent two years at the NIH doing research in hematology and immunology.
|
Chaney KalinichMD Student, Yale School of Medicine |
Hello! My name is Chaney, and I’m a medical student (and Davenport alum!) interested in emerging infections, genomic epidemiology, and humanitarian medicine. Before medical school, I was in the 5-year BS/MPH program (MB&B ‘19 and EMD ‘20) and was on the field hockey team. Since undergrad, I’ve done research at the School of Public Health studying arboviral and SARS-CoV-2 phylogenetics, and I’m currently doing a dedicated research year developing lower cost sequencing for a variety of microbial pathogens. I also work with the Yale Center for Asylum Medicine, the HAVEN free clinic, and the New Haven Medical Response Corps. Outside of school and medicine, I love reading (mostly sci fi), working out, board games, and any outdoor activity.
|
Nicholas SurdelPhD Student, Psychology |
Nick is a third-year PhD student at Yale. He received his M.S. in Psychological Sciences from William & Mary and graduated Summa cum Laude from the University of Florida. Nick’s research explores how people form mental models of AI, and how people respond when they misbehave. He works at the cutting edge of research designed to improve human-robot teaming throughout society. Outside of the lab, you can find him at the docks with the Yale Graduate Crew team.
He encourages all Davenport students, especially First-Generation students, interested in the graduate studies or networking to reach out to him. He is always willing to find a time to have a coffee chat.
|
Kerri DavidsonYale School of Medicine |
Hey y’all, My name is Kerri, I’m a 4th year MD-PhD student at Yale School of Medicine. I was born and raised in London, UK, specifically in Croydon for any of you that are familiar with London! I moved to the US for college and graduated from Princeton in 2019. While at Princeton I was a student-athlete on the Track & Field team while also being pre-med, so I’m more than happy to talk about balancing classes, social life and sport! After undergrad, I worked as a Research Technician in Seattle for 2-years in a basic science lab studying the cytoskeletal dynamics involved in nuclear transport. At Yale, I’m involved with SNMA/LMSA a student organization for underrepresented minorities in medicine. I’m also involved in various mentorship and outreach programs for high school/college students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. I’m more than happy to chat about anything, from being an international student, to being pre-med, to being a student-athlete! Happy to help in any way I can! |
Alaaddin Ibrahimy
PhD Candidate, Biomedical Engineering |
Hello Everyone!
I was was born and raised in Herat, Afghanistan. At 18, I moved to Turkey for college, later to Germany, and then to the states. Currently, I am a third year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Engineering Department. My primary research focus lies in Positiron Emission Tomography (PET) image processing and kinetic modeling, with the aim of improving drug drug development and targeted therapy in pre-clinical and early phase trials. Prior to Yale, I worked as a pre-doctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where I utilized my expertise in processing MRI images to enhance diagnostic accuracy for Chiari Malformation. Outside of school and research, I love to play soccer or go for a hike. I enjoy spending my time learning new languages and knowing new cultures. Please feel free to reach out to me, if you would like to talk regarding any topic.
|
Santiago T. Potes
J.D. Candidate, Yale Law School
|
I am a first-year student at the Law School. Before Yale I studied Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Columbia University, where I focused on the works of Dante, Petrarch and Bocaccio and undertook the Core Curriculum, which is similar to Yale’s Directed Studies program. Thereafter I read philosophy, politics and economics (PPE, similar to EPE) at Pembroke College, Oxford, where I studied inter alia Plato and Aristotle, British politics and government since 1900 and development economics. In my off hours I am a member of the Yale Law Christian Fellowship and the Yale Polo Club, and I am a Buckley Fellow. I also enjoy dancing salsa, practicing Brazilian jiujitsu and surfing. Please drop me a line if you think I could help in any way –– such as by editing essays, talking about post-graduation plans, or offering study tips –– or if you simply would like to chat about something on your mind. The Graduate Affiliates and I are here for you during some of the most beautiful years of your lives.
|
Collin Edouard
GSAS Dept. of Music (Ethnomusicology) |
Beni swa l’eternel!
I’m an educator, author, activist, and music director who focuses his career on equity, inclusivity, and representation. I have invested time in the theoretical and practical study of music and music education at the University of Cambridge (Gates Cambridge Scholar), Columbia University (Dr. Beverly E. Johnson Annual Fund Scholar), The City College of New York (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa 2016) and Seminole State College of Florida. I am a third-year ethnomusicology Ph.D. student researching the vocality in Haitian Vodou ceremonies.
|
Matthew Chong
Yale School of Drama |
Hi Davenport!
I’m a first year playwright at the School of Drama. My work is about the immigrant experience, and explores how oppressive systems can make its victims complicit in their own oppression. I grew up in Seoul, South Korea and Queens, New York and graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Following graduation I worked in television production at MTV and Netflix; I’ve also been been the director’s assistant on movies like The Many Saints of Newark. My short play Jung premiered at the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Festival and my full-length play Lessons was staged this summer by the Middlebury Acting Company. I’d be happy to connect with anyone interested in a film/TV/theatre career. My hobbies include taking street photography, baking and skiing. I also love watching horror movies and exploring museums. I look forward to getting to know everyone — please email me if you’d like to get tea or boba (I’m a sucker for anything matcha flavored!) |
Jason Weinstein
Yale School of Medicine |
Hey y’all! I am a first-year medical student here at the Yale School of Medicine (YSM). I graduated from Yale College in 2021 studying Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and spent two years afterwards working in research and nonprofit work focused on oncology and prison health justice. In YSM, I am the class president and I am still exploring different specialties of interest. Feel free to reach out to me about the medical school application process, medicine, health policy, the best coffee shops in New Haven, anything and all things tennis, or anything else you want to talk about!
|
Maria Teleman
M.Arch I Candidate ‘25, Yale School of Architecture |
Hello everyone! I’m a second-year Architecture student in the M.Arch I program. I was born in Romania and immigrated to Canada at a young age, where I grew up in the beautiful city of Montreal. After completing my undergraduate studies at McGill University, earning a B.Sc. in Architecture, I took a year off to work for a small architecture firm. This experience reinforced my goal to pursue a career in Architecture, which is why I’m now continuing my studies here at Yale! While I spend most of my day in front of a screen, I thoroughly enjoy staying active outside of school. Whether it’s cycling, golfing, playing tennis, squash, or badminton, I’m up for it! However, on gloomy rainy days, I find pleasure in baking, and I’ve recently started doing pottery! Whether you have career related questions or are simply looking for a badminton partner, please don’t hesitate to reach out :) |
Madisen Swallow
MD Candidate, Yale School of Medicine ’25 |
Hi Davenport! My name is Madisen and I am a medical student at Yale School of Medicine. I am originally from California and moved to the East Coast almost a decade ago to attend Cornell University for college. After graduating, I spent two years as a 7th and 8th grade science teacher in New Haven through Teach for America and concurrently completed a Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University. Within medicine, I am excited about dermatology, medical education, and the impact of medical-legal partnerships. When I am not in the lab or the hospital, you can find me dancing with Yale Danceworks, at the pottery wheel, crafting, reading a rom com on Cross Campus, trying new ice cream spots around New Haven, or traveling to new places.
I am very excited to meet you all! Please feel free to reach out with any questions. I am looking forward to getting to know you this year!
|
Elizabeth (Liz) Zhang
Yale School of Medicine |
Hey y’all! My name is Liz, and I’m a third year MD/PhD student. I’m currently doing my PhD in the Parikh Lab (YSPH) work on seasonal malaria chemoprevention and its implications for malaria transmissibility.
I was born in Guangzhou, China and grew up in Houston, Texas. I graduated from Yale College with a BS in MB&B (Davenport 2016), and since then, I’ve done global health and infectious disease research in India, NIH/NIAID, NIH/NCI, and completed a MSc in Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to chat about global health, the process of applying to grad/med school, baking/crocheting, or if you’d just to chat. I love getting to know people and hearing their stories :) I hope to meet y’all soon! |
Rita Nwanze
MA African Studies ‘26 |
Hello Yalies, I am Rita, pursuing my Master’s in African Studies at the MacMillan Center on African Studies, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. My research focuses on waste repurposing, climate ecology, and sustainability, and my aim is to contribute to solutions to environmental challenges. I am looking forward to organizing a variety of social and educational activities throughout the year to enhance the undergraduate experience. I am always open to conversations and have discovered some of the coolest spots to read and relax on campus, and I invite students to reach out to me anytime. Feel free to connect with me for a normal chat, academic guidance, or simply to discover the best places to chill on campus. I am excited to be a part of Davenport College. |
Daniel Jovin
Yale School of Medicine |
Hey y’all, My name is Daniel, and I’m a 4th year MD-PhD student. I was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Richmond, VA. For college, I ended up back in Philly where I studied Bioengineering at Temple and graduated in 2021. At Yale, I research the biology of cardiovascular disease (Greif Lab - Genetics department), play on the C2 club soccer team, and volunteer at HAVEN Free Clinic. I am also part of the American Physician Scientists Association (APSA), a national, trainee-led organization dedicated to supporting more (undergrad, med, and grad) students to pursue training and careers interfacing clinical medicine with research. In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, rooting for Arsenal and Philly sports teams, and doing and watching stand-up comedy. Please don’t hesitate to reach out any time if you’d like to chat about applying to grad/med school, MD-PhD programs, sports hot takes, or anything else (daniel.jovin@yale.edu)! |
Matthew Sexton
J.D. Candidate, Yale Law School |
Hello Davenport!
I am a first-year law student primarily interested in worker and consumer rights issues. I’m also a lifelong New Englander, though I’d consider myself more of a specialist than an expert. I graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 2022, studying economics, political science, and statistics. Before starting law school, I worked in applied microeconomic research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. While there, I worked on urban and labor economics projects, including criminal justice reform, market discrimination, occupational licensing, and racial identity shifts. Outside the classroom, I love to write poetry, bake for my friends and family, and explore nature on runs/hikes whenever I can. As an LGBTQ+ and first-generation college student, I aim to create a space where people feel safe sharing their thoughts, ideas, and identities. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about economic research, law school, or just need a friend to chat with :) I look forward to getting to know all of you!
|
Sindhura Siddapureddy
PhD Candidate, Immunobiology |
Hi Davenport! My name is Sindhura, I’m a first year PhD student in the department of Immunology and a Davenport alum! I grew up in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and I came to Yale in 2019 for undergrad. Originally class of 2023, I took a gap year around pandemic times, so I graduated in May 2024 from the BS/MS program in MB&B (DC ‘23+1).
For my PhD, I’m primarily interested in studying genetic autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases. Outside of the lab, I love traveling, being outdoors, and eating lots of food. I’m an avid mountaineer and runner, and am currently training to climb the Matterhorn! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about Yale, MB&B, grad school, science, or New Haven! Always down to chat over a coffee :) |
Anne Ciarlone (they/them)
Theater Management MFA ‘25 |
Hi all!
I’m Anne, a third-year MFA Theater Management student at the drama school. I’m currently working as the Associate Managing Director of Yale Repertory Theatre. I got to spend last semester as the Artistic Producing Fellow at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, CA. It was my first time in SoCal, having grown up between Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia. Prior to grad school I spent twelve years in New York City producing indie theater with my friends while working for a range of different non-profit theater orgs. I got my BA in Theater Arts with a concentration in Directing from Marymount Manhattan College in 2014. In my free time I love to play and watch women’s soccer, go to concerts, and cuddle with my cat named Maggie. I’m always happy to grab a coffee, see a play, or talk about our fav Taylor Swift lyrics. Don’t hesitate to say hi :) |
Cristina Arnés Sanz
MPH Student, Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Climate Change & Health |
Hi, gnomes! I am Cristina, I come from Spain, and I’m a 2nd year Master of Public Health student at the Yale School of Public Health. My main focus is the intersection of public health and climate change, particularly, climate-sensitive infectious diseases. I am also very interested in urban health from the climate lens. I’m actively involved with various international organizations, including the United Nations as the Focal Point for Europe for the UN Major Group of Children and Youth, and the World Health Organization as a member of the Youth4Health network. My interest in international policy started back in college through Model UN – and now I can’t believe I’m leading youth engagement in real UN conferences in grad school! Some of my passions include meeting people from different countries, speaking languages, travelling the world, exploring nature, dancing, and listening to Taylor Swift.
|
Daniel Qenani
PhD in Physics |
Hi Gnomes!
My name is Daniel, I’m a first-year PhD student in Physics and a Davenport alum (class of 2022). Before coming (back) to Yale, I completed a master’s in physics at Brown. I grew up in California and love spending time surfing and hiking. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about studying physics (or STEM) at Yale, navigating Yale and New Haven, or if you’d just like to chat! I’m happy to help in any way I can.
|
Christopher Lu (he/him)
PhD History of Art, ’30 |
Hi all! My name is Chris and I’m a first-year PhD student in Art History, with a focus on Renaissance Italian art and intellectual history. Born and raised in Shanghai, I was trained in Renaissance history at the Warburg Institute in London and then spent two fruitful years at Oxford reading for two Master’s in Classics and Italian literature. During my time there I developed a growing enthusiasm for oil painting and pottery, organized classes in both arts for my college and assisted with outdoor painting sessions and wood firings at a local anagama kiln. I have also been trained in palaeography (i.e. the study of old scripts) and book history and have worked with the bibliographical press at Oxford.
I would love to explore similar opportunities with you all and enjoy the wealth of resources at Davenport! Feel free to reach out to my for any art or literature-related questions; and catch me at the Beinecke or YUAG, if not in New York for alternative pop gigs.
|
Nandita Rao (she/her)
MBA, ’26 |
Hi everyone! My name is Dita and I’m a student in the MBA program at the School of Management. I was born and raised in New Jersey, where I continued on during my undergrad years. I received a degree in Molecular Biology with minors in Jazz Vocal Performance and Global Health from Princeton.
I have held jobs in consulting and academic publishing, focusing on technology, finance and operations projects. I continue to play music in my free time. At Yale, I am involved with the ISM choral groups and the Yale Jazz Combo. Feel free to reach out with any ideas to build communities around music, if you want to share any music with me, or if you want to hear any of my original music. I can also be a resource for any consulting interview practice and to commiserate over amorphous cases. I’m so looking forward to meeting everyone and chatting.
|
