Emily Beale

Emily's work connects genomics, research support, and environmental advocacy. At Illumina, she helps researchers troubleshoot sequencing technology and make better use of genomic tools. Her background includes marine science, vaccine research, and fieldwork with marine mammals. A former Miss Delaware, she also promotes conservation, scientific literacy, and environmental education for future generations.

Marie Burns and Lucy Xu

Marie and Lucy are talented and driven civil engineers whose work helps ensure the safety of Delaware's traveling public. Project Engineers in Bridge Design, they combine technical excellence with creativity and commitment to STEM outreach. Through their work organizing the Delaware Bridge Design Competition, they helped grow the event from 32 students in 2018 to ~500 in 2025-26. They were recognized with DelDOT's 2024 Team of the Year Award as well as the Governor's 2024 Team Excellence Awards.

Angel Burns

Angel is a lifelong educator whose work helps connect children and families to the outdoors through Delaware State Parks. She leads programs at Brandywine, White Clay, and Lums Pond State Parks, while expanding access to field trips, day camps, and nature-based learning. Through her leadership and partnership with the Children in Nature Fund, she continues to inspire environmental education across the state.

Sunita Chandrasekaran, Ph.D.

A dynamic leader, Sunita's work sits at the intersection of Al and high-performance computing. She is Director of the First State Al Institute, serves as Vice Chair of the State of Delaware Al Commission, and leads Democratizing Access to Research Software Engineering (DARSE), a $4.7 million NSF-funded program. She's also known for orchestrating large-scale hackathons where teams of UD students come together to develop computer code to solve problems.

Catherine Grimes, Ph.D.

Catherine is a chemical biologist whose research explores how the body senses and responds to bacteria. She has been nationally recognized with a Pew Biomedical Scholars Award, Sloan Research Fellowship, and ACS Infectious Disease Young Investigator Award. She is a dedicated mentor, co-directing the NIH-funded Chemistry-Biology Interface Graduate Training Program and as the faculty mentor of the UD Graduate Scientistas.

Carissma McGee

Carissma's career uniquely integrates aerospace engineering, artificial intelligence, detector materials science, science policy, intellectual property strategy, and mentorship, positioning her as a next-generation leader at the intersection of space technology, law, and national competitiveness. A native Delawarean, Carissma is a 2024-25 MathWorks Fellow, recipient of the 2026 MIT Graduate Student of Excellence Award, and President of Graduate Women in Aerospace Engineering.

Mary Ellen McNally, Ph.D.

Mary Ellen is an analytical chemist whose work has helped make Delaware a center of excellence in separation science and analytical chemistry. She is an international leader and pioneer in supercritical fluid extraction and chromatography and is recognized for her critical role in developing analytical methods that support major agricultural innovations. Mary Ellen is also widely respected for her mentorship, teaching, and leadership in scientific societies.

Katrina Milbocker, Ph.D.

Katrina's work focuses on women's brain health, neurodevelopment, and translational neuroimaging. Her research has advanced understanding of prenatal alcohol exposure, brain mechanics, and hormonal influences across the lifespan. A passionate and dedicated mentor, she co-founded the UD Graduate Scientistas, and built programs that increased women's retention in STEM through mentorship pipelines and career development workshops.

Victoria Muir, Ph.D.

Victoria leads an interdisciplinary research group working at the interface of soft matter, cell culture, and biofabrication. Her many honors include an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Princeton Presidential Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, and AIChE 35 Under 35 Award. She is also a gifted teacher and mentor, known for her empathy, leadership, and ability to help students thrive in engineering.

Lynda Woodward

Lynda is a data science and machine learning leader with more than 34 years of experience turning complex data into strategic business value. During her career at FICO, she led Al-driven decision science work across lending, healthcare, and insurance. A native Delawarean, she is also committed to mentoring others and advancing women's participation in data science, using her expertise to help grow the next generation of leaders in analytics.