UWM STAR Participants
Want to learn more about our STAR students? Read all about the students involved in the STAR program for the 2023-2024 year!
| Melanie Monaco | Melanie (she/her/hers) is currently a senior at UWM, majoring in Biological Sciences. As part of the STAR program, she is working with Dr. Elizabeth Liedhegner to research mitochondrial aging. She is a medical scribe in the emergency department at Children's Hospital. In her free time, she likes to cook, bake, work out, and spend time with the people she loves. |
| Tracy Izard | Tracy (she/her/hers) is currently a senior at UWM, majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Spanish and Kinesiology. As part of the STAR program, she is working with Dr. Sabine Heuer to research image naming in older adults. She is interested in researching topics relating to speech and language, with an empahsis on the natural and pathological changes affecting language. |
| Armonie Dotson | Armonie (she/her/hers) is currently a junior at UWM, majoring in Nursing. As part of the STAR program, she is working with Dr. Murad Taani to research health outcomes of older adults who participate in semi recumbent exercise, in addition to specific breathing techniques. She is also interested in exploring ways in which health of an individual can be improved, particularly in underrepresented populations. |
| Cameron Lee | Cameron (she/her/hers) is currently a senior at UWM, majoring in Data Science with a certificate in Public Health. As part of the STAR program, she is working with Dr. Inga Wang to examine the relative decline of grip strength across the lifespan. This past summer she studied the impact of social capital on cardiovascular mortality rates and overall mortality rate. After graduating, she is interested in pursuing epidemiology or quantitative social science. |
| Erin Alexa | Erin (she/her/hers) is currently a continuing freshmen at UWM, majoring in biochemistry with a pre-medicine focus. As part of the STAR program, she is working with Dr. Deborah Hannula to research the tracking of eye movements to measure memory. She has previously volunteered at two non-profits in Mequon, and is interested in various life science fields and health care. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, making art, and shopping. |
| Edwin Chiquito (Alex) | Edwin (he/him/his) is currently a junior at UWM, majoring in Pre-Nursing. As part of the STAR program, he is working with Dr. Gabriela Nagy with a research topic not yet selected. He is interested in developing research that can help him understand different age groups and cultures from an educational perspective. |
| Ra'Shida (Sadie) Rockette | Sadie (she/hers/hers) is a transfer sophomore at UWM, majoring in psychology with a pre-medicine track. She is currently the Co-President of the Student Gerontology Association at UWM, and has research interests in memory, cognition, pediatric psychology, and minefulness-based interventions. As part of the STAR program, she is working with Dr. Caitlin Bowman to research memory and how it changes as populations age. |