Executive Board

Jonathan Lawton is a fifth-year PhD Candidate in Molecular Epidemiology within the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health. He earned a BS in Biology from The College of William & Mary, then a MS in Clinical Research and Epidemiology from UMB. Jonathan is interested in tropical infectious diseases, and he enjoys working at the intersection of bioinformatics and clinical/translational research. His doctoral research focuses on untangling the complex epidemiology and pathogenesis of cerebral malaria in Sub-Saharan African children. Outside of research, Jonathan is passionate about fostering the graduate student community at UMB and ensuring a fun/fruitful/equitable grad school experience for all. In his spare time, you may find him scootering around East Baltimore, probably in search of a latte or a taco.

Contact: umb.gsa.president@gmail.com

Contact: umb.gsa.vp@gmail.com

Lakota Watson (pronouns: she/her/they/them) is a 4th-year Neuroscience Ph.D. student at the School of Graduate Studies. Lakota earned their B.A. in Neuroscience and Psychology before moving to Baltimore to become a lab technician in the lab of Dr. Joe Cheer prior to their admission to the graduate school. As a disabled academic, Lakota knows firsthand the importance of uplifting the voices of persons who could potentially benefit from or be harmed by scientific research, and this guides their work in and out of the lab. Currently, Lakota works in the lab of Dr. Luana Colloca as a Ph.D. candidate studying the neurobiological effects of early life adversity on social behavior and pain perception. In addition to serving as the Secretary of GSA, they head the Graduate Research Conference (GRC) Planning Committee, a committee which organizes and facilitates the annual GRC. They also serve as a senator for the School of Graduate Studies in the University Student Government Association and as a member of the UM-MIND IDEAS committee. In their many roles as a student leader, Lakota hopes to continue being a vocal advocate for students and accessibility on this campus to address historical exclusion of marginalized and disabled individuals from academic spaces. In their free time, Lakota enjoys crocheting, caring for their many house plants, and hanging out with their (very large) orange cat.

Contact: umb.gsa.sec@gmail.com

Contact: umb.gsa.treasurer@gmail.com

Aman Shrestha is a doctoral student in an intercampus program in Gerontology, focusing on epidemiology, at the University of Maryland Baltimore and the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He holds two master’s degrees: a Master of Gerontological Studies with a graduate certificate in applied statistics from Miami University, Ohio and a Master's in Population Studies from the Central Department of Population Studies, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He has extensive experience working in nonprofit and clinical administration roles in Nepal and teaching and leading research projects in Nepal and the United States. His research interests include studying older adults' overall health and well-being, novel biomarkers of aging, and elder abuse issues in Nepal and South Asia. His current project at the UMB focuses on studying renal biomarkers of aging and its association with dual decline in older adults. He is a Graduate Council Representative for the UMB Graduate Student Association for 2024-25. A fun fact about Aman is that he can play several percussion instruments.

Contact: umb.gsa.gcrep@gmail.com

Beth Pattie is a third-year PhD Candidate in the Program for Neuroscience. After earning a BS in Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience at Rochester Institute of Technology, they moved to Baltimore, MD to study neuropsychiatric disorders in human iPSC-derived neurons and post-mortem brain tissue as a Research Associate at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development. Her doctoral research studies the impact that altered molecular pathways in the brain can impact development and treatment outcomes in patients with rare genetic epilepsies. Outside of the lab, Beth enjoy tabletop games, creating digital art, and raising her two dogs. 

Contact: umb.gsa.pro@gmail.com