New Pathways Bridgewater Scholars

Jizal Aboneaaj grew up between Atlanta, Georgia and Nazareth. She has an interest in behavioral economics and ESG and plans to do research with Professor Homa Zarghamee this coming fall. In the meantime, she is serving as president of Columbia's BlackGen Capital chapter and participating in the Girls Who Invest Summer Intensive Program. Additionally, Jizal will be interning in the Real Assets division of the MacArthur Foundation as well as continuing to be a personal trainer throughout the summer.

Camila Fernandez is a sophomore at Barnard College studying Economics with a minor in Psychology. She was born and raised in Venezuela. This summer she is interning at American Express as a Finance intern in Financial Planning and Analysis. Next fall, she will be researching with Prof. Zarghamee, through the Bridgewater program, exploring the intersection of Economics and Psychology. In campus, she is on the board of Columbia Women’s Business Society and BlackGen Capital. Outside of school she loves to exercise and cook! 

Michelle is originally from Los Angeles, California majoring in computer science and minoring in environmental humanities. She’s interested in cybersecurity and the intersection between finance, tech, and sustainability. In the meantime, she’s a part of the Cybersecurity Club and has competed in multiple CTFs including the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. In the summer, she’s planning on doing research with Professor Thijs van Roumen at Cornell Tech to build a guidance system for a device to make furniture assembly easier for visually impaired users. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, exploring cafes, and hanging out with friends!

Tobechi Onwuka is a Barnard College student from Haverhill, Massachusetts who plans to major in Computer Science! She cares about social issues such as accessible education, bias in artificial intelligence, and representation in the technology industry and hopes to base her studies around these topics!

Syna Sachdeva is a junior at Barnard College majoring in Computer Science with a concentration in intelligent systems and computer vision. She is fortunate to work under Mr. Teal Witter at NYU Tandon School of Engineering on how Machine learning and Deep learning can help solve problems with social impact. She is also passionate about accessible Arts and STEM education, and she is a part of the Meet Me at the Museum Club which empowers students to interact with museums that often feel intimidating and exclusionary.

A Bay Area native, Reda has grown up influenced by the world of technology. She is interested in pursuing a career at the intersection of quantitative financial analysis and innovation. She is a research assistant for Professor Anja Benshaul-Tolonen, conducting developmental economics research on extractive industries in Zambia. She is additionally very involved on campus holding leadership positions in pre-professional organizations and works as a student admissions representative for Barnard. This Summer, Reda will be interning at KPMG New York on the Transfer Pricing team. She is passionate about interdisciplinary learning and advocates for the empowerment of underrepresented populations in the finance industry.

Carly is an Economics major from Long Island, New York. Her research at Columbia Business School alongside Professor Jeremy Kagan focuses on entrepreneurial resources for startups in New York City. Her passion for entrepreneurship stems from an Incubator class she took where she won first place for developing the most creative idea and attractive business model. This class sparked her interest in entrepreneurship, finance, and marketing. She plans to further explore these interests through the Bridgewater Scholars Program at Barnard and hopes to start her own company one day. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, spending time with her friends and family, and trying new foods from all over the world.

Born and raised in China, Yuqi Cheng is a rising junior majoring in economics-mathematics. She is doing research with Professor Rajiv Sethi on Models and Market Prediction Performance this summer. Yuqi’s research interests lie in Applied Microeconomics, Game Theory, and Econometrics. She hopes to pursue graduate studies in economics and use economic knowledge in her future career. In her free time, Yuqi enjoys traveling and reading greatly.

Alexia is an economics major at Barnard College. Born and raised in NYC by Brazilian, immigrant parents, she is interested in researching the economic inequalities that exist in society and how to develop more equitable systems. Alexia hopes to enhance her skills in finance and pursue a career that fosters economic progress. She is a second-degree black belt in taekwondo and plays volleyball at Columbia in her spare time.

Sreya Nandanampati is a rising junior from Atlanta, Georgia majoring in Computer Science and Archaeological Anthropology. She is interested in how technology can be utilized to create equity and make social impact. She founded the Barnard/ Columbia campus chapter of the organization Encode Justice to spread awareness on the challenges of ethical AI, and she is currently working on a research project under Prof. Kathy McKeown to mitigate racial bias on large language models like GPT-3 and GPT-4. Furthermore on campus, she is involved with the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi and hopes to use her background in technology for a career in finance. Outside of work, she loves to bake, play the piano, and try new foods around the city!

Dorothy Zhang is a junior from Bellevue, WA studying Computer Science. She is interested in exploring the dynamic applications of technology to impact education at every level. For the past year, she has been working with Prof. Lydia Chilton at Columbia University in investigating the role of AI in promoting effective communication of complex scientific topics. On campus, she is a teaching assistant for Advanced Programming and also participates in Columbia Taekwondo. Outside of school, she loves to hike and volunteer at her church.

Anushka Kumar is a rising sophomore from Dallas, Texas intending to major in Economics & Statistics on the Computational Track. She is currently working in Professor Rajiv Sethi’s lab in projects regarding prediction markets, the history of deadly force by law enforcement in the United States, and developing interactive economics modules for students. On campus, she is part of the Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs. She is interested in exploring fields related to the intersection of data analytics and economics. In her free time, Anushka loves dancing with Columbia Bhangra, crocheting, and finding new cafes in the city. 

Ramya Subramanian is a Computer Science and Economics major from the Bay Area, California. She is interested in the intersection between finance and technology and hopes to pursue a career in fintech. Her research at the Data Science Institute at Columbia, under the guidance of Professor Wu, focuses on databases and creating a front-end interface framework. She plans to further explore her fintech interests through the Bridgewater Scholars Program. Ramya is also actively involved on campus in the Columbia Women in Computer Science club and the Application Development Initiative, helping to plan hackathons for the Columbia/Barnard community. In her free time, Ramya enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family!

Aishwarya Thiyagarajan is a rising junior from the Bay Area, studying Computer Science with a minor in Statistics. In the future, she hopes to learn about the applications of artificial intelligence on human interaction and mobile development. On the social aspect, she also passionate about learning the gender biases within the tech industry. This summer, she is in Mountain View, California as a Google STEP Intern. During school, she is involved on the education committee of the Application Development Initiative at Columbia. During her free time, she loves to bake and trying new restaurants in the city.

Anna Hammell is from Long Island, New York double majoring in Computer Science and Economics. She is a member of Columbia Women in Computer Science club and actively participates in programs that support women in STEM fields, such as Girls Who Code and Goldman Sach's Engineering Possibilities Summits. In her spare time, she enjoys solving crosswords and crocheting.

Meaghan Jungels is a History and Mathematical Sciences double major from Chicago, Illinois, now based in Dublin, Ireland. As a Research Assistant for Columbia’s Mapping Historical New York: A Digital Atlas, Meaghan uses GIS, archival sources, and census data to investigate how migration, residential, and occupational patterns in the 19th and 20th centuries shaped the city’s development. Alongside exploring applications of quantitative methods in the social sciences, Meaghan is a Peer Health Educator at The Wellness Spot, where she develops educational programming and workshops to promote health and wellness in the Barnard community. A fan of Russian and Victorian literature, Meaghan is sure to like your updates on Goodreads when she isn’t too busy listening to The Ezra Klein Show.

Neasha Mittal is a Barnard College student from New Delhi, India, planning to major in Computer Science, and possibly minor in Economics. She is interested in exploring the intersection between finance and technology, more specifically, technology consulting. This summer she is working in the Accessible and Accelerated Robotics lab, A2R lab, under the guidance of Professor Brian Plancher. She strives to inspire more women to enter finance and STEM fields to encourage gender equality and diversity. In her free time, she enjoys biking around the city and trying out new cuisines.

Jessica Sun, a rising sophomore from Houston, Texas, is pursuing a dual major in Computer Science and Economics at Barnard College. Passionate about the stock market and cryptocurrency, she aims to pursue a career in finance in the future. Jessica is also a part of the Columbia Women's Business Society in hopes of inspiring more women in financial services. In her free time, Jessica volunteers to teach English to children at a Myanmar orphanage weekly and runs her own business to raise funds for rescuing laboratory animals. This summer, she is conducting research with Professor Rajiv Sethi, focusing on Models and Market Prediction Performance through Bridgewater Program. With a strong commitment to learning and making a positive impact, she aspires to merge her analytical skills and passion for finance to provide financial assistance to women in developing countries.

Suhani Sharma is a rising junior studying at Barnard College, double majoring in Economics and Political Science. Her passion for the intersectionality of these two academic interests carries over into her work and her aspirations for the future. She is a research assistant for Professor Sharon Harrison's Unintended Consequences Lab, taking a behavioural economics and econometrics-based look at the process by which key economic policymakers make decisions. She is also heavily involved with NY state politics, interning this summer with Eleanor's Legacy, an organisation committed to helping pro-choice Democratic women secure seats across the political structures of the Empire state. On campus, one can find her most easily in creative spaces — indulging her minor in Shakespearean Literature with the Shakespeare troupe on campus, helping run and facilitate space for student musicians or writing pieces about what goes on in her favourite sports. A strong advocate for equitable and sustainable economic policy, she is most interested in pursuing ESG and Federal Public Policy.

Mimansa Kant is from the Bay Area, California studying computer science and economics. She is currently working with Professor Xia Zhou from Columbia University on a project that uses ambient light encryption to better AI security. On campus, she is on the board of Girls Who Code, is actively involved in Columbia Women in Computer Science, and plays for Columbia Badminton.

Sheza Sheikh is from Queens, New York, majoring in political science with a minor in economics gearing toward the pre-law track. She is interested in understanding the complexities of global migration, the intricacies of legal systems, and the profound impact of policy on human lives. Along with a keen legal interest, she is also fascinated by the intersections between law and economics, hoping to further explore how economic policies shape various legal systems. In the meantime, she is an avid member of Barnard Athena Mock Trial and a volunteer for Columbia Students For Sanctuary, expanding her legal interests and efforts for immigration reform. Additionally, Sheza will be interning at The Bronx Defenders within their Family Defense Practice during the summer. Outside of work, she loves Bollywood dancing and traveling!

Tianshuo (Wendy) Liu is a first year majoring in economics and mathematics with an intended minor in computer science. Born and raised in Hebei, China, she is intrigued by the observation and prediction of different economic development patterns through the perspectives of data analysis and mathematical modeling. She is currently a research assistant in Professor Tatiana Mocanu's lab, which focuses on examining efficiencies of the public sectors in Brazil. She will join Professor Rajiv Sethi's research group this summer. Projecting into the future, she is interested in deepening her education through graduate studies and hopes to innovate the fields of economics and financial analysis, especially when they are highly connected with mathematical technologies such as data interpretation and modeling. In her daily life, she enjoys theater (onstage, backstage, and offstage!), traveling, and reading.

Ashley Hudson is a first year at Barnard College, double majoring in economics and music, with a minor in theatre from Teaneck, New Jersey. Interested in bridging the gap between the arts and STEM, Ashley hopes to explore the intersectionality between music, music production, and theater with the science of economics and fiscal responsibility. Additionally, she will be researching with Professor Zarghamee through Bridgewater this summer, looking forward to understanding the key connection that behavioral economics has to offer to the broader field of the discipline. On campus, she can be found as a member of Columbia’s Black Student Organization, as well as an editor fellow for the Columbia University Fashion Society. To add, Ashley is an avid attendee of Columbia University Democrats, as well as the Barnard-Columbia Chorus & Chamber Choir. In Ashley’s free time, she enjoys singing professionally, and is often somewhere reading. With a focused stance on intersectionality in the realm of economics, Ashley anticipates helping more women into the profession, as well as learning from the women before her.

Sachi Patel is a current first year from the Bay Area, California intending to major in computer science and economics. She is interested in pursuing a career in software engineering and working at the intersection of technology and finance. She is currently working as a research assistant for the Rajiv Sethi Lab, where she is helping develop an open-access, interactive web platform for students to learn economics. This summer, she’ll be joining Columbia’s Spoken Language Processing Group to explore her interests in Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning. On campus, Sachi is an event coordinator for Women in Computer Science, an operational committee member of the Multicultural Business Association, and DJs for events hosted by student organizations.

Sarya is an economics and mathematics major at Barnard College. Having grown up in Lebanon, she is presently based in Dubai, UAE. Her academic pursuits are matched by active involvement in campus activities, serving as an analyst for the student-run investment fund, Morningside Investments, and in the Sustainable Finance Group's portfolio management team. Sarya's professional interests lie at the intersection of artificial intelligence and market prediction. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in finance. Beyond her academic and professional engagements, she enjoys art history, fitness, and cooking.

Sahara, from Newark, New Jersey, is an intended economics major with a concentration in political economy. She is interested in investment banking and hopes to enter a career in which she can create solutions to economic inequality. Through the Bridgewater Scholars Program at Barnard, she looks forward to exploring multiple fields like finance and marketing. In her free time, she loves spending time with her friends and family and watching football matches.