Research Lab Supervisor

Morgan Boonshaft is a dedicated student-athlete at Brown University, where she is pursuing a double concentration in Business Economics and Political Science/International and Public Affairs. As a D1 cross-country and track athlete, she balances rigorous academics with an intense athletic schedule.

Her experiences include managing a $140,000 student-led endowment fund and creating voter education content for a leading media outlet in her hometown. Morgan is also the founder of Mighty Striders Running Club, a team that empowers children and teens with special needs through athletics.

Asha is a rising sophmore and student-athlete concentrating in Cognitive Psychology and Sociology. She currently serves as a member of Brown Democrats and Brown’s Athlete Multicultural Alliance and participates in the University Chamber Orchestra. Her academic interests are driven by how one’s environment affects one’s behavior at a cognitive level, especially in these ever-changing social times. When she is not on the pitch or in the classroom, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and watching reality television.

Sarya Baran Kılıç is a freshman from Istanbul, Turkey. She is currently undecided but plans to study Computer Science with a humanities focus at Brown University. Sarya is interested in social change, data analysis, cultural preservation, sustainable design and policies, human rights, and history. She has worked on various community involvement projects with an emphasis on Kurdish issues. In her free time, Sarya enjoys drawing, working on film projects, and cooking.

Nick Lee (he/him) is a senior at Brown University concentrating in Education Studies and International and Public Affairs.  Nick is a passionate advocate for accessible and antiracist education and youth civil rights.  Therefore, he focuses on the CRSS Lab’s Mass Protest Index to study the social and economic impact of young student protest.  Nick also serves as Brown’s 2026 Class President, a Bonner Community Fellow and Minority Peer Counselor, and was previously the Co-President of Brown’s Students for Educational Equity, which he now supports in an advisory role.  Post graduation, he looks to attend law school to become a civil rights lawyer.

Linnaea McGuinness is an undergraduate student studying Biology and an incoming MPH candidate at Brown’s School of Public Health. She is interested in the intersections of healthcare equity, reproductive justice, and how research and policy can work together to address systemic health disparities. Her experience includes researching VBAC access and clinical algorithm bias at Maimonides Medical Center—where she contributed to a $300K grant proposal as part of the CERCA project—as well as working on studies in both pediatric asthma and small-cell lung cancer biology. Linnaea also captains the Brown Women’s and Gender Expansive Frisbee A Team. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and writing poetry.

Felipe Barbosa is a junior at Brown University concentrating in Computer Science–Applied Mathematics and International and Public Affairs. He is an international student from Brazil and has a strong interest in the convergence of technology, data, and international development, with a regional interest in Latin America. He has engaged in archival and diplomatic research through the Opening the Archives project and has been a leadership member for organizations dedicated to sustainability. Felipe’s academic work examines the impact of diplomacy on economic development and policy making strategies, applying technical training to political study. In his free time, he likes playing music, handcrafting, and trying out new recipes.

Philip Dackiw is a rising junior pursuing a degree in Engineering and Physics. Raised in Europe and the Middle East, his international background has cultivated a deep appreciation and strong interest in international relations and the intersection of science and global policy. Besides his passion for STEM and politics, Philip is an avid writer, experimenting with mediums including creative non-fiction and science fiction. On campus, Philip serves as a chair for Brown’s annual MUN conference, leading discussions on topics ranging from rising extremism within the Sahel to the risks of foreign influence in Africa as demand for critical minerals and rare earth elements grows. Philip also contributes to research at the K-Lab, an experimental lab in the Physics department that investigates nanofluidics and nanoionics in low dimensional materials.

Quyen Nguyen is an undergraduate student at Brown University pursuing a degree in Economics and International and Public Affairs with a focus on developmental public policy. With an interest in diasporic experiences, her work explores how disparities in capital access faced by Southeast Asian immigrants impact their trust in, approach to, and engagement with formal institutions. She aims to demystify intellectual conversations around poverty, education, and other social issues through her creative endeavors as a visual art director for Brown Art Review and Art at Watson Institute.

Sanam is an incoming sophomore at Brown University concentrating in public health, joining the CRSS Lab for the summer. She is passionate about athletics as a member of Brown’s cross-country and track team as well as biostatistics, health economics, and epidemiology. Sanam hopes to gain experience in real-world applications of qualitative research methods through being a part of the Lab.

Verena Welch is a sophomore studying Health and Human Biology and International and Public Affairs. Verena is interested in the social determinants of health and international health policy, and plans to attend medical school after graduation. She has worked in advocacy related to women’s health, reproductive justice, and infectious disease. In her free time, Verena enjoys listening to music, training with her club triathlon team, and language learning.

Ryan Samuels is a resumed undergraduate education (RUE) sophomore at Brown University, double majoring in Philosophy and Political Science. He is a pre-law student whose main academic interest centers on punishment theory, constitutional law, and U.S.-China relations. In addition to his studies, Ryan serves as the Transfer and RUE Representative on Brown’s student government and is the founder of Non-Trad Ivy Crossover, a social networking organization that aims to increase opportunities of nontraditional students across Ivy League institutions.

Remi Takahashi is a Japanese undergraduate at Brown University studying International & Public Affairs and Gender & Sexuality Studies. Her work focuses on social justice, reproductive rights, and inclusive policy reform, including a published paper on menstrual awareness and ongoing advocacy at Brown and in Japan. Currently, she is involved in the Watson Institute DEI Committee, Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE), Period Equity @ Brown, and other social advocacy groups. She hopes to expand her understanding of social justice and policy change through this lab. In her free time, she enjoys scrapbooking, gardening, and spontaneous picnic trips. 

Brynn is a current student at Brown University studying Political Science and Computer Science-Economics. She also serves as a Senior Editor for the Brown Political Review, a Fellow for the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Society, and as a Meicklejohn Peer Advisor. A lifelong resident of Washington state, she loves to run, hike, and sip coffee in her free time. Otherwise, you can find her obsessing over crossword puzzles, reading, or practicing her French. She plans to attend law school and fight for students’ rights to learn, as well as authors’ and journalists’ rights to publish.

Michelle Bi is an incoming sophomore from Oak Park, CA studying English and International and Public Affairs. She writes for both The Brown Daily Herald and post- Magazine, and is involved with Musical Forum’s pit orchestra. Academically, she is interested in the nature of socioeconomic stratification, how citizens and policy shape each other, and how language can be used to investigate inequality. She enjoys birdwatching, poetry, and taking pictures of trees.

Cyntia Roig is a first-generation Cuban American and dual-degree student studying Social Analysis and Research and Latin American and Caribbean studies. Her work experience explores the intersections of policy, migration, and environmental justice across the Americas, with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. She is passionate about using research, storytelling, and advocacy to support community-based solutions to climate displacement, housing insecurity, and racialized labor exploitation. Cyntia has led grassroots organizing, conducted policy research, and created multimedia public archives to amplify marginalized voices. She is committed to building a more just and collaborative future through interdisciplinary and cross-cultural engagement.