Staff

Marc M. Graham, Ph.D.
9th Grade Mechanical Engineering & 10th grade Civil Engineering Instructor (Fall 2007-Spring 2008)
polo@mit.edu
http://www.jotls.com

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Marc specializes in product design, machine design, and engineering design process. He has been a SEED Academy instructor since 2004. Marc brings experience from both the classroom and industry to SEED Academy. He has served as an instructor for the MITES program and several undergraduate courses and programs at MIT, including Project Interphase, The Second Summer Program, Design and Manufacturing I, Pathways to Peace, NASA RISE, and Poetry in Progress (a writing course started by Marc).

In addition, Marc has worked as a Mechanical Design Engineer for Corning, a Thermal Test Engineer for General Motors, a Mechanical Engineer for TRW, and now works as a Senior Design Engineer for Stryker Development. Also, he has written a book,Journey of the Lost Souls, and produced an accompanying audio CD. Marc received his B.S., S.M., and Ph.D. from MIT.

Bao Tran
9th Grade Mechanical Engineering & 10th grade Civil Engineering Teaching Assistant (Fall 2007-Spring 2008)
ubaotran@mit.edu
http://ubaotran.com

Raised in New Orleans, LA, Bao Tran is currently studying and doing research in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. She hopes to find ways to further use the media, science, and technology to find innovative and effective ways to solve urban problems by helping to rebuild fallen systems, to represent a different voice, and to bridge the gap between developed nations and underprivileged people and regions.

Bao also directs the Massachusetts Academic Games League of America< http://mit.edu/magloa >, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing "Thinking Kids" of character, excellence, and integrity. She is involved with various
organizations, such as the Asian American National Committee, ACCESS-Asia, and the Gates Millennium Scholarship Fund. In addition, Bao is also a recognized artist and photographer.

Christopher Oravetz (2nd LT, USAF)
10th Grade Aero/Astro Instructor (Spring 2008)
coravetz@mit.edu

Chris is a graduate student at MIT pursing his Masters Degree in the Department of Aeronautics/Astronautics. He is a recent 2007 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and is currently a member of the active duty Air Force. Following his graduation in June 2009, Chris will attend Pilot Training in Texas.

Chris holds a passion for both Aeronautical Engineering and the leadership and mentorship of younger students with great potential. As an undergraduate student, he researched parachute deployment strategies for the new NASA CEV spacecraft, and is currently researching the psychophysics behind Astronaut slope estimation on the Moon. He has previously been a parachute instructor for cadets at the Air Force Academy lending to their confidence and knowledge of skydiving, as well as the president of the Catholic Choir and numerous military positions that inspired younger students. He currently spends his free time as a minister at the Catholic Center at Boston University, as well as volunteering within the community

Chris is excited at the opportunity to instruct and lead students at the SEED Academy. He hopes to share the passion he holds for aerospace engineering and to impact the lives and futures of bright, determined individuals.

Ramon Torres
10th Grade Aero/Astro Teaching Assistant (Spring 2008)
rltorres@mit.edu

Ramón Torres was born and raised in Puerto Rico and is currently a Junior in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT. He like airplanes and things that fly, and is very happy that he will be able to share my interests with younger students. He is a very sociable person and enjoys traveling a lot.  He is also a private pilot. He looks forward to having a great Spring Semester with SEED.

John Pope
11th Grade Computer Programming & Robotics Instructor (Fall 2007 - Spring 2008)
johnp@mit.edu

John is a graduate student in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also attended MIT for his undergraduate education. His current work deals with using artificial intelligence to create educational systems for science and math.

Roberto Cabral
11th Grade Computer Programming Teaching Assistant (Fall 2007)
cabral.ro@neu.edu

Roberto Cabral is a member of the Northeastern Class of 2008, majoring in Computer Engineering and minoring in Technological Entrepreneurship. A native of the Dominican Republic , he now resides in Chelsea , MA . He is proud to be involved in the surrounding communities and enjoys taking on leadership positions in student organizations at Northeastern (NU). At NU, he is a member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the Latin American Student Organization. He is also a LaCLA and LSAMP Scholar. Best of all, he is a proud father of his beautiful daughter.

Cameron Allen
11th Grade Robotics Teaching Assistant (Spring 2008)
callen18@mit.edu

Cameron is a member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Class of 2011, majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He was raised in Dayton, Ohio, and has had a passion for computers since grade school. His goal for life after MIT is to find a job working with either hardware or software, and to continue helping kids through excellent programs like SEED.

Joy Marie Johnson
12th Grade Electronics Instructor (Fall 2007)
joyj@mit.edu

Joy is a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, pursuing a PhD in Electrical Engineering. She previously attended North Carolina State University where she graduated with degrees in Electrical & Computer Engineering. She is an Intel GEM PhD Fellow and MIT Presidential Fellow. She has a passion for engineering research, bringing a wealth of academic and industrial research experience to SEED. She previously interned at Sageworks,Inc., IBM, and most recently Intel Corporation  for the past 2 years.

She has researched and volunteered, teaching many engineering, math, and science courses in programs similar to SEED over the course of her undergraduate career at NC State and  Cornell University . She also has a passion for community service as seen through her involvement with many non-profit organizations, campus advocate groups, as well as being an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Joy's goal is engage in meaningful research to create technologies that will enhance the lives of those in her own community as well as abroad.

Aaron Ramirez
12th Grade Electronics Teaching Assistant (Fall 2007)
aeram@mit.edu

Aaron Ramirez is currently a sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering at MIT. He was born and raised in Chicago 's West side in the barrio of La Villita. He is a technophile and is always looking out for gadgets that will make him more productive. He is currently captain of the mechanical subteam of the MIT-Harvard robot soccer team, RFC Cambridge. He hopes to begin research on a mindmachine interface before graduating . His interests include machining, woodworking, robotics, electronics, video games, Shotokan karate, cooking, classic rock, and playing his acoustic and electric guitar, when not overwhelmed by coursework."

Austin Che
12th Grade Synthetic Biology/Biological Engineering Co-Instructor (Spring 2008)
ausche@mit.edu

Austin is currently a Ph.D. student at MIT. Although he is nominally in the department of electrical engineering and computer science, his research mostly involves experimental biology. He has been working at the forefront in the field of synthetic biology ever
since this emerging field began to develop. Austin also introduced and has taught the biology course for the MITES program since 2003. He received his MS (2004) from EECS, MIT and BS (2001) in computer science and psychology from Stanford University . 

Justin Buck
12th Grade Synthetic Biology/Biological Engineering Co-Instructor (Spring 2008)
jbuck@mit.edu

Justin is a Ph.D. candidate in Biological Engineering at MIT. Justin's research in the DeLong Lab focuses on engineering of bacterial metabolism and energy physiology. His interests include Synthetic Biology, metabolic engineering, and microbial biotech and bioenergy with the goal of environmental sustainability.

He also attended Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO where in 2004 he received his Bachelor of Science degree in the Environmental specialty track of Chemical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science. In the year interim before graduate school, Justin worked at the Washington Group International as a process engineer in the Oil and Gas group.

He enjoys being active in several student organizations including student government and athletic groups. As a Graduate Resident Tutor in Simmons Hall, Justin enjoys working with the undergraduate students at MIT. In his free time, Justin likes to play soccer, ski, golf, hike, play guitar, and watch movies.

Alia Carter
12th Grade Synthetic Biology/Biological Engineering Teaching Assistant (Spring 2008)

A home-grown Arizona girl, Alia Carter is a senior in the Biology Department at MIT and an alumna of the MITES 2002 class. Upon graduation, Alia plans to work as a research technician before pursuing at PhD in Biology. Her research interests lie in cancer biology, as it allows her to study and integrate several biological areas while focusing on a major health-risk.

Her ultimate goal is become a faculty member at a cutting-edge research institute that values both research and teaching. One day she would also like to teach high school biology and chemistry and instill students with the same excitement and inspiration from all her teachers and instructors.

Shawna Young
Learning and Educational Assessment Facilitation Counselor (LEAF) (Fall2007-Spring 2008)
shawna@broad.mit.edu

Shawna Young is a science teacher who joined the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in April 2007 as the Administrator for the Diversity Initiative and Educational Outreach Program. Before this position Shawna worked at the Educational Development Center as an online curriculum developer/facilitator and she also taught science for several years in North Carolina . Shawna received a BS in Chemistry from Howard University and MAT in Science Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .

Shawna has lots of experience working with students and helping them prepare for college and careers in science. She is really excited to share her expertise with our SEED Academy students. As a LEAF counselor, she will work with all students and take the lead on planning and facilitating the Life Mastery course for our juniors and seniors.

Michelle Ryan
Learning and Educational Assessment Facilitation Counselor (LEAF) (Fall2007-Spring 2008)
mjaslyn@yahoo.com

Currently, Michelle is pursuing her Masters of Education at the University of Massachusetts/Lowell, where she earned her Bachelor of Art degree in History in 2006. Michelle has been a member of the SEED Academy family since 2005. She is currently

Michelle hopes to teach secondary education, and has a long term goal of becoming a principal. In addition to serving as a Teaching Assistant for SEED Academy, she has been a Teaching Assistant for the Citizen Schools program of Boston and the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Also, she directed a sports camp at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury.

Michelle is an alumna of the Boston Latin Academy. When she is not teaching or studying, she enjoys building her faith in God, spending time with loved ones, relaxing, and exercising.

Ryan Slaughter
SEED Academy Tutor (Spring 2008)
slaught@mit.edu

Ryan Slaughter is a junior at MIT studying Mechanical Engineering with particular interest in robotics and mechatronics design. He was first introduced to the MIT community when he attended MITE2S 2004. Ryan hopes that participating as a SEED tutor will allow him to give back to a community that has already given him so much.