(she/her)
Ph.D. student, Environmental Engineering
“You miss 100% of the shots you never take.” - Wayne Gretzky

Moyo is a graduate student in environmental engineering where she is conducting research on the synthesis of novel membranes for water treatment. Moyo also received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. As a returning GT6000 group leader, Moyo seeks to help new graduate students establish their academic, professional, and social presence on campus. She believes GT6000 will aid new students in their transition into Georgia Tech.

(he/his)
Ph.D. student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional." - John C. Maxwell

Victor was born and raised in Rio, Brazil where he earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Military Institute of Engineering in 2020. He is now a second-year Ph.D. student working on electrochemistry for carbon recycling. When not in the lab, Victor likes to bake, play volleyball, read, and check places off his travel bucket list. He recounts participating in GT6000 during his first semester at Georgia Tech as an excellent opportunity to smooth his way into grad school and is excited to connect with new students again, now as a GT6000 group leader. Victor believes that establishing a good work-life balance and making time for people and activities you love go a long way toward being successful in grad school.

(she/they)
Master's student, Physics
“She quietly expected great things to happen to her, and no doubt that's one of the reasons why they did." - Zelda Fitzgerald

Sarah is a Florida native and went to undergrad at a small liberal arts school where she mostly did astrophysics research. She has since joined Dr. Sabetta Matsumoto’s soft matter group in the School of Physics where she studies the mechanics of different types of knitted materials. That means that Sarah has seven balls of yarn on her office desk right now and she runs simulations that generate cute little stress v strain plots. Her hobbies include sitting on the couch while her cat tries to bite her, eating bread, and walking my over-enthusiastic dog.”

(she/her)
Ph.D. student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Karoline grew up in Germany and received her B.S. and M.S. in Chemistry from the Technical University Darmstadt. She is a third-year Ph.D. student in chemical engineering. Karoline participated in GT6000 during her first year of the Ph.D. program and describes the experiments as one of her weekly highlights. “Especially the exchange with other peers during GT6000 let me realize that we are all in the same boat. One of the most important lessons in my Ph.D. journey was that grad school is not a sprint, but a marathon. Enjoy your time at Tech and make the most of it. GT6000 is a great opportunity to meet interesting people and learn about helpful campus resources.”

(he/him)
Master's student, Civil Engineering
"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to swim!" - Jon Kabat Zinn

Ali grew up in Pakistan and completed his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He is pursuing a graduate degree in construction management in the civil engineering department. He wants to help empower and grow communities through the implementation of construction management. Advice for new students would be to always stay proactive with your personal growth by networking and staying active in social events. The opportunities provided at Georgia Tech are endless, you just have to find your interests and allow yourself to be groomed by the experiences.

(she/they)
Ph.D. student, Environmental Engineering
"Don't poison your colleagues!" - Dr. Jianfeng Zhou

Mo is a Ph.D. student in environmental engineering working under Dr. Xing Xie on developing innovative and chlorine-free water disinfection technologies and is the entrepreneurial lead for their lab’s start up efforts. Mo was born in Japan, grew up in Ithaca, New York, and completed their bachelor’s in Buffalo. Go Bills! As a GT6000 group leader and someone who joined this program during the pandemic, Mo seeks to help new graduate students establish their academic, professional, entrepreneurial, and social presence on campus and in Atlanta as we move back to normal. Mo enjoyed their GT6000 experience when they participated in Fall 2020 and now hopes to aid new students in their transition into Georgia Tech.

(he/him)
Ph.D. student, Aerospace Engineering
"If you ask, the answer may be no. If you do not ask, the answer will always be no." - Jeff Jagoda

Sriram is a 5th (going into 6th) year doctoral student in aerospace engineering. He is also completing master's degrees in mechanical engineering and mathematics, as well as the higher education minor with CETL. His other activities on campus include serving as a resident assistant with Georgia Tech Housing, working as a group member for the Tech Aerospace Engineering Student Activities committee, and serving as the practice coordinator with the Yellow Jacket Archery Club. He started at Tech coming in with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering with minors in psychology and architecture, and a master's degree in aerospace propulsion. Sriram’s one piece of advice to incoming grad students is to not be afraid to explore possibilities.

(she/her)
Ph.D. student, Bioengineering
“The highest form of understanding we can achieve are laughter and human compassion." - Richard Feynman

Nischita is a Ph.D. student in the bioengineering program. She earned her B.S. in Electrical Engineering in India, where she grew up, and currently focuses on developing microscopy tools and techniques to image cells and tissues for clinical applications. Outside of research, Nischita enjoys cooking, reading, dabbling in art, and watching tennis and soccer. Her advice to incoming graduate students is to not be afraid to try new things or ask for help when necessary. She also suggests that you to prioritize your physical and mental well-being and take advantage of the resources and supports on campus.

(she/her)
Master's student, Industrial Engineering
"Just keep swimming." - Dory from Finding Nemo

Vinaya grew up in Chennai, India, and earned her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering before moving to the U.S. in 2021. She is currently pursuing her M.S. in Industrial Engineering at Tech. Her interests lie in supply chain logistics and industrial organization. Outside of classes, she enjoys spending time outdoors - be it running, biking, or simply lazing in the park. She is excited to meet new grad students and help them transition into their life at Tech. Vinaya believes that grad school is beyond academics; it’s a great time to experiment and get to know oneself better. “Dive in, explore anything that mildly interests you, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. It’s going to be a wild ride, but you’re going to love it!”

(she/her)
Ph.D. student, Biochemistry
"There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs." - Zig Ziglar

Kavita grew up in India and traveled to the U.S. to pursue her Ph.D. at Tech. Her research in the biochemistry department focuses on illuminating prebiotic processes that occurred on Earth four billion years ago. Kavita loves conversations about evolution, fossils, all things biology and astrobiology. She loves listening to podcasts, running, playing table tennis, and reading books. She encourages new graduate students to take on the growth mindset and explore as many events on campus as possible.

(she/her)
Ph.D. student, Biology
“The true path to progress is paved not with certainty but with doubt, with being open to revision." - Lulu Miller

Melody received her B.S. from the University of Georgia and came to Georgia Tech to pursue her M.S. and eventually Ph.D. in biology. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and eating good food, rollerskating on campus, and exploring all the green spaces that Atlanta has to offer. As a first year Ph.D. student, she participated in GT6000 and found a community that supported her through the ups and downs of grad school. Her advice to incoming graduate students is to make time for themselves no matter what is going on in their academic life; she finds that being able to step back and find enjoyment outside of campus life is key to staying motivated and excited about her program.

(any/all)
Ph.D. student, Aerospace Engineering
“The time to worry is three months before a flight. Decide then whether or not the goal is worth the risks involved. If it is, stop worrying. To worry is to add another hazard." - Amelia Earhart

Becca is a graduate student in the aerospace engineering department and earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. After working for ten years in the gas and power and then waste & recycling industries, they decided to pursue the one true love (orbits!) and help make Earth space sustainable. Becca is currently a member of the Space Systems Design Lab at GT. During any spare time, Becca enjoys baking, birdwatching, making costumes, and playing board games.

(she/her)
Ph.D. student, Aerospace Engineering
“The journey matters as much as the goal." - Kalpana Chawala

Haripriya is a second-year Ph.D. student in the department of aerospace engineering. She is from India and finished her undergrad degree in mechanical engineering from there. Haripriya loves to garden and read science fiction. As a part of her research, she works on understanding the energy dynamics of hydrogen-based detonation waves using Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) datasets to aid in the development of pressure gain propulsion systems. Her efforts also include measurement of turbulent flame speeds of high hydrogen fuels at gas turbine relevant conditions.

(he/him)
Master's student, Architecture and Real Estate Development
"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly." - Buddha

Ishwar is a fourth-year master’s student in both the architecture and real estate development programs. He was born in Queens, New York, where he lived about half of his life, living the other half of his life in Orlando, Florida. Ishwar earned his B.Des. Architecture and B.A. Religion from the University of Florida in 2019. His current research focuses on how community centers can become an integral part of the design, development, and construction realms in terms of socio-economic improvements. Outside of academics, Ishwar enjoys traveling and collecting artifacts/sculptures, having a collection of more than 400 articles. He also speaks six languages and enjoys cooking international cuisine. He also collects Hot Wheel model cars and enjoys modifying his Acura RSX. Ishwar also enjoys his Chow Chow dog named Cleopatra, his guinea pig named Dorothy, and 22 exotic fish in his 200-gallon aquarium. His advice to incoming graduate students is to maintain a good live-work-play balance, including a good diet, time for rest, time for culture, and time for you, enjoying even the smallest of victories with some sort of reward. Also, be sure to explore the city, building a strong network of people and places.

(he/him)
Ph.D. student, Materials Science and Engineering
“Everything is theoretically impossible until it is done." - Robert Heinlein

Krishna is a Ph.D. candidate in materials science and engineering studying the corrosion of materials in next generation nuclear reactors and solar power plants. Krishna completed his bachelor’s in materials science from India before moving to Atlanta for his Ph.D. As a GT6000 group leader, he is excited to help graduate students settle in to graduate school and into Atlanta, and to help them build their professional and social network in Tech.

(she/her)
Ph.D. student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
“Well-behaved women seldom make history." - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Harini is pursuing her Ph.D. in chemical and biomolecular engineering after an M.S. in Polymer Engineering and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. She was born and raised in India and moved to the U.S. in 2018. She loves to bake, dance, and listen to music. She is very excited to interact with incoming grad students, especially international students to help them navigate the first few months of their life in a new country. Her advice to incoming grad students is to build a support system and seek validation from only oneself instead of placing it in the hands of others. She also suggests that you draw clear boundaries between personal and professional life and measure progress instead of results.

(he/him)
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
“What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him." - Viktor Frankl

Diego is currently working on his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech. He grew up in Ecuador where he obtained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He holds a master’s degree in sustainable energy technologies from TU Delft (the Netherlands), and another master’s degree in materials science and engineering from Tech. He has lived in a couple of countries during his adult life (Argentina, Japan, the Netherlands, U.S.A.). These experiences gave him the opportunity to be exposed to several cultures that allowed him to grow a person. He believes that graduate school is a great opportunity to expand our horizons, not only academically, but also as human beings. He enjoys running and spending time with his son and his wife.

(she/her)
Ph.D. student, Building Construction
“When you know better, do better! Continue to soar!"

Candace is pursuing her Ph.D. in building construction at Georgia Tech and is graduate researcher and graduate instructor at Tech. Her academic and professional credentials include a B.S. in Business, M.S. in Project Management, and most recently, an M.S. in Construction Management from Georgia Tech. Candace is a licensed general contractor in Georgia (June 2022) and holds certifications as a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Scrum Master Professional. Candace is the CEO and Founder of Cancave Management and Cancave Engineering, privately-owned WMBE certified construction management and engineering firms. Candace resides in Kennesaw, Georgia with her husband, Terance; son, TC; and 4-year-old German Shepard.