Student Staff

Norina Zhang is a junior studying Computer Science (6-4) and Mathematics (18). On campus, she is passionate about building and giving back to communities, and she is an active member of Sloan Business Club, Women Business Leaders, and Asian Christian Fellowship. She also loves traveling, meeting new people, and trying new foods, which makes her a huge fan of MISTI and GTL. In her free time, you can find Norina walking along the Charles, having late-night conversations with her roommate, and stalking her friends on Beli.

Rojina is a second-year student at MIT pursuing CS and Math with an interest in the intersection of tech and entrepreneurship. On campus, she’s involved in IEEE/ACM, research, and the South Asian Association of Students (SAAS). Outside of academics, Rojina is an avid fan of music. You’ll usually find her listening to a mix of Daniel Caesar, SZA, and the Arctic Monkeys, as well as a little bit of country. She also loves to travel, and if she could have one superpower, she would choose teleportation. As a Career Exploration Leader, Rojina is dedicated to helping her peers navigate the many paths available at MIT to find careers that truly align with their passions.

Jessie is a third-year undergraduate student studying Biological Engineering (Course 20) and Finance (15-3). At MIT, she is serving as Vice President of Sloan Business Club, Undergraduate Advisor for the Center of Constructive Communication, and a part of Society of Women Engineers, Hacking Medicine, and the Varanasi Research Group. She enjoyed interning in investment roles across hedge fund, private equity, and wealth management settings. Jessie loves road trips, rewatches of her favorite shows, and late nights in the lounge with her friends.

Originally from Lima, Peru, and currently based in Cambridge, MA, Diego is a first-year Master in City Planning candidate at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and an architect from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP). His work is dedicated to making visible and strengthening, through design and planning, the multidimensional frameworks of societies and communities. He has a special interest in public spaces and policies, housing, and water management. His academic and professional experience includes specializations in Public Policy and Participatory Governance, International Cooperation for Development, Governability and Public Innovation, and a diploma in Geographic Information Systems. Before MIT, Diego worked in international development and the public sector, as well as an assistant professor and associate researcher.

What did you dream about being when you were a kid? When I was a kid, I dreamed about becoming an artist, a writer, and also a professional tennis player (like Roger Federer)!

Jayashree is a first-year PhD student in the Computational and Systems Biology program, with research interests in computational structural biology and protein design. Before joining MIT, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she studied Computational Biology and Biochemistry/Biophysics. She has experience pursuing internships at government research institutes, including the NIH, as well as in industry. Jayashree has also presented her work through talks and posters at academic conferences and has received competitive fellowships. Outside of research, she enjoys hiking, dancing (Bharathanatyam), and watching and playing cricket.

What do you collect as a hobby?  I enjoy collecting postcards from every place I visit, with the goal of one day visiting every country in the world!

Michelle is a fourth-year PhD student in Course 1 (Civil and Environmental Engineering) with research interests in earth remote sensing and hydroclimatology. Her main research focus involves using remote sensing to make direct and global measurements of key environmental variables to understand the links between the water, carbon, and energy cycles on Earth. Outside of research, she is involved with MIT Emergency Medical Services as a volunteer EMT, Student Events Board, CEE CommLab, and CEE GradCom.

Before coming to MIT, Michelle graduated from UC Davis with her bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering. She has internship experience within both private and public sectors and academic experience writing journal articles and presenting talks at conferences. Originally from California, she is not prepared for the Boston winters and enjoys running, playing tennis, and snowboarding in her free time.

Miles is a fourth-year PhD student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he uses optimization methods to understand how the nervous system produces coordinated movement during locomotion. Before MIT, he completed his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and a master’s degree from Stanford, competing as a student-athlete in track and field at both institutions. He has interned at government research institutes and worked as an engineer at an early-stage startup. Beyond research, Miles is involved with Melanated MechEs and continues to compete for Tortoise Track Club, an MIT-based running club. He remains a highly competitive middle-distance runner and may be the only MIT PhD student to run a sub-4 mile while completing his degree.

What’s a fact about you that surprises people? I’ve worked as a freelance fashion model for Tracksmith, a locally owned running apparel brand — so I know their catalog quite well!