Leadership
T'Emi Oshin (she/her)
President
hs4015@wayne.edu
T'Emi is currently pursuing her dual B.S. in Public Health and Neuroscience at Wayne State University as part of the Med-Direct Program. She is passionate about advancing equity within the healthcare system and values SciPol as a platform to engage in meaningful advocacy and community engagement. T'Emi plans to become an physician, integrating patient care, community work, and policy advocacy to promote health equity.
Lynessa Asplund (she/her)
Vice President
lasplund@wayne.edu
Lynessa is a sophomore in the Med-Direct program at Wayne State University, majoring in Nutrition and Food Science with a minor in Biology. She is excited to join SciPol Detroit to advocate for and support her new community, as well as the communities she hopes to serve as a future physician. Lynessa is passionate about using science and research to improve health outcomes and promote wellness for all.
Maraudel Junior N'Gola (he/him)
Secretary
hz7249@wayne.edu
My name is Maraudel Junior N'Gola, and I am a post-baccalaureate student in public health at Wayne State University's Graduate School. I studied neuroscience as an undergraduate, and this is my first year with SciPol-Detroit, where I serve as Secretary. I like that SciPol brings together students, researchers, and faculty at every stage of training to speak with lawmakers about science, and that it gives future clinicians like me a way to turn what we learn in research and patient care into advocacy. I plan to apply to medical school next year and hope to become a physician who pairs patient care with advocacy for science-backed health policy.
Hunter Phillips (he/him)
Treasurer
hunter.phillips@med.wayne.edu
Hunter recently graduated from SUNY Geneseo in 2026 with a BA in psychology and philosophy. Currently, he works as a clinical research assistant for the Warrior C.A.R.E. Lab at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine where he helps investigate the effects of cannabis on veterans with trauma. In the future, he hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a focus on the transdiagnostic treatment of PTSD and associated disorders. Hunter’s passion for policy to protect research funding and promoting knowledge of the process and benefits of research is what led him to join SciPol, and he hopes to make an impact by advocating for these at the public level.
Megan Schrimpf (she/her)
Events Coordination
meganschrimpf@wayne.edu
Megan Schrimpf is a post-bacc research assistant and study coordinator for the THINK Lab in Wayne State University's School of Medicine. Megan's long-time passion for mental health advocacy has led her to join Sci-Pol and she loves that Sci-Pol brings together a group of equally passionate people to create meaningful, actionable change. Megan hopes to earn her PhD in Neuroscience to investigate treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders and contribute to the development of more effective treatments.
Natalie Thurston (she/her)
Events Coordination
natalie.thurston@wayne.edu
Natalie recently graduated from SUNY Geneseo in 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She is currently working as a Study Coordinator for the THINK Lab at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine. With plans to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology, she aims to focus her research on trauma-informed interventions for at-risk youth populations. Natalie’s passion for policy has led her to become involved with SciPol, where she hopes to foster conversations between scientists, policymakers, and the public to ensure that science policy serves and reflects the needs of all communities.
Caitlin Johnson (she/her)
Communications
caitjohnson@wayne.edu
Caitlin is a first year doctoral student in Wayne State's Counseling Psychology program. She loves having the opportunity to advocate for policies that are backed by science. SciPol has helped her refine her skills on science communication as well as improving her understanding about what goes into policy making. She hopes to use her knowledge in advocacy to provide competent care in therapeutic spaces.
Erika Strobel (she/her)
Communications
erikastrobel@wayne.edu
Erika graduated from Virginia Tech in 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She currently works as a study coordinator in the THINK Lab at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine. Planning to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology, she is aiming to work with children and families exposed to trauma and adverse life events. Erika joined SciPol in 2025 to deepen her involvement in science advocacy and strengthen her science communication skills, with the goal of advocating for equitable health care access across communities.
Sumer Chaudhry (she/her)
Membership Coordinator
hh2548@wayne.edu
Sumer graduated from Wayne State University this year with a B.S. in Public Health and a minor in Chemistry and Social Medicine. Joining SciPol has allowed her to further her efforts in science advocacy on behalf of underserved populations. She is currently working on a couple of research projects with the intention of furthering her education in medicine and social justice through research and educational programs.
Christina Jiddou (she/her)
Membership Coordinator
hz5595@wayne.edu
Christina is a junior at Wayne State University, majoring in Biochemistry & Chemical Biology Honors. She is passionate about the intersection of science, law, and public policy and enjoys advocating for issues that matter to her. She values SciPol’s supportive environment and the opportunities it provides to build professional connections, learn from individuals with diverse backgrounds, and engage in meaningful advocacy. In the future, Christina hopes to attend law school and pursue a career in pharmaceutical regulation and intellectual property law, where she can combine her interests in science and advocacy to make a positive impact.
Sakina Rizvi (she/her)
Undergraduate Liaison
hy6685@wayne.edu
Sakina is a second-year Honors Nutrition and Food Science scholar in Wayne State University’s Wayne Med-Direct Program. She values SciPol as a vital platform for science advocacy, focusing on how evidence-based policy can address root health disparities and expand community wellness avenues. As a future physician, Sakina aspires to integrate clinical care, nutritional medicine, and health policy to drive long-term public health equity.
Clara Zundel (she/her)
Postdoctoral Liaison
clara.zundel@wayne.edu
Clara is a senior postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on how environmental exposures - such as outdoor air pollution - impact brain and mental health across the lifespan. Clara is passionate about translating scientific evidence into equitable environmental health policy and community action. Through SciPol Detroit, she enjoys connecting with like-minded scientists to advocate for policies that promote healthier, more sustainable communities. Her long-term goal is to lead an independent research program that bridges neuroscience, environmental health, and psychiatry to advance mental health equity.
Dr. Tricia Miranda-Hartsuff
Advisor
Dr. Patricia Yvonne Miranda-Hartsuff is a health equity policy scholar with over 18 years of experience with community-based participatory methods and expertise in the measurement of population-based health disparities. She has underscored the importance of the intersectionality of gender, race, class and immigration in evaluating health disparities, and has added the critical assessment of the implementation of health in all policies and sociopolitical context to the discourse on health inequity and as a lens to examine important conditions that affect vulnerable populations.
Dr. Miranda joined Wayne State University in August 2020 as tenured Associate Professor of Public Health.
Nicholas Schroeck
Advisor
Nick Schroeck is an environmental law expert whose work focuses on air pollution, water pollution, environmental justice, transportation, and citizen suit enforcement. Professor Schroeck joined the Detroit Mercy Law Faculty in 2018 as the Director of Clinical Programs and Associate Professor of Law. He was appointed Associate Dean of Experiential Education in 2019. He previously directed the Transnational Environmental Law Clinic and taught Environmental Law at Wayne State University Law School.
Dr. Thomas Fischer
Advisor
Dr. Fischer is an Associate Professor of Psychology and the founding Director of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program at Wayne State. He coordinates community education outreach activities throughout the metro Detroit area and serves as a co-advisor for the WSU Chapter of Nu Rho Psi, the National Honor Society in Neuroscience. Dr Fischer is the current national President of Nu Rho Psi.
Advisors
Hilary Marusak, PhD
Advisor
hmarusak@med.wayne.edu
Dr. Marusak is a developmental neuroscientist and associate professor of psychiatry at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She cofounded SciPol-Detroit in 2020 with a few fantastic students to empower students and scientists to better communicate their science and advocate for science funding and science-based policies. She is so proud and impressed of how the group has evolved over time, which speaks to the passion and dedication of our young science advocates and leaders - they are the next generation!
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Stacie Clayton, MBA
Advisor
stacie.clayton@wayne.edu
Stacie is the Director of Community Affairs for Wayne State University. In this role she serves as the primary contact for individuals, business, community organizations, and local municipalities that seek involvement with the University. Stacie promotes the urban mission of the University by strengthening, developing and sustaining mutually beneficial partnerships with stakeholders throughout the metropolitan Detroit area. This includes strategically extending Wayne State’s resources to the community so that Wayne State continues to have a significant impact on the cultural, economic and social life of southeastern Michigan. Stacie also works directly with the University’s leadership, schools and colleges to advance their work internally and externally.
Carrie Leach, PhD
Advisor
carrieleach@wayne.edu
Dr. Leach is an Assistant Professor (Research) at the Institute of Gerontology and Community Engagement Program Manager at the Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES) at Wayne State University. Dr. Leach has considerable experience in inter-disciplinary research in a variety of settings with expertise in health communication, environmental health literacy, and community-based and aging services delivery and communication.
Dr. Theresa Hastert
Advisor
Dr. Hastert is an Associate Professor in the Department of Oncology within the Wayne State University School of Medicine, and a Scientific Member in the Population Studies and Disparities Research Program at the Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI). Her research focuses on social, economic, and behavioral factors as predictors of cancer outcomes. Her recent work focuses on cancer survivorship, and on financial and employment outcomes and social needs experienced by cancer survivors, particularly those with the fewest resources. Dr. Hastert is the PI of a Mentored Research Scholar Grant through the American Cancer Society (ACS) examining the economic consequences of cancer and leads a project funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to develop educational resources to connect people with cancer and their caregivers to help them navigate financial issues related to cancer. She completed her PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Washington and Master of Public Policy degree at UCLA, where she worked in the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
Dr. Lori Pile
Advisor
Dr. Pile is a professor in the department of Biological Sciences and associate dean of undergraduate affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Wayne State University. She is currently a co-PI and the co-Program Director of the National Institutes of Health funded Maximizing Access to Research (MARC) at Wayne State University undergraduate student training program. The goal of this scholar program is to build a strong cohort of research-oriented underrepresented minority students who identify as biomedical scientists and will enter Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs in the biomedical sciences. Dr. Pile is the co-developer and instructor in the undergraduate course Science Advocacy and Public Engagement, which is designed to promote student interaction and engagement with diverse audiences around a variety of science topics.
Rochelle Chapman
Advisor
Rochelle is the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES). Her role is to create bi-directional relationships with community members. To educate and disseminate research in a relatable way to the community.She was added to the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Team weekly engagement meetings. For the past 19 years she has been involved in grassroots organizing and community outreach which includes free resources (food, clothing, school supplies, etc.) for residents.
THANK YOU
We are very grateful for the generous support of:
Wayne State University Office of Government and Community Affairs
Wayne State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Wayne State University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences
Research!America Microgrant
Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) Science for Public Good Fund