Meet our 2026 SURF Cohort
2026 SURF Bay Area Fellows
Ahyan Malik (he/him) Ahyan is a second-year student at Berkeley City College studying computer science, intending on transferring to a four-year university in Fall 2026. His current research interests lie in computational imaging, specifically in co-designing optical sensing systems and machine learning methods for task-driven imaging performance. He currently conducts research in the Computational Imaging Lab in UC Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, following his participation in the university’s Transfer-to-Excellence Summer REU in 2025. His favorite hobbies include traveling (he love road trips), photography (especially of the night sky), and video editing. Additionally, he enjoys playing soccer with his friends and their spontaneous hangouts together. Fun fact: he's seen the northern lights while on a plane two different times! Also a fun fact: he takes way too many photos (he has 70,000+ on his phone, oops). He's excited to participate in SURF this summer and to meet and learn from such an inspiring community of researchers and peers! This summer, Ahyan will be working with Professor Amin Arbabian in the Arbabian Lab.
Alondra Robles (she/her) Alondra is a student at Modesto Junior College transferring to a four-year institution in the fall. As an environmental engineering major, her main research interest falls under the scope of waste valorization, specifically carbon sequestration, biomaterials, catalysts, and different catalysis methods. For the past 3 years at Modesto Junior College, she has been a math tutor for the MESA program, a STEM transfer program for first-generation college students. She is a tennis player and a blue belt in Taekwondo. This summer, Alondra will be working with Professor Matteo Cargnello in the Cargnello Group.
Braylon Creighton (he/him) Braylon is an undergraduate at UC Berkeley studying chemistry, with a minor in chemical engineering. He aspires to pursue a PhD and is interested in using first-principles approaches to discover new physical properties in chemical and energy systems. He previously conducted research in the Jaramillo Group at Stanford, where he worked with ionic liquids to improve interfacial reaction kinetics in fuel cells. Over the past year at Berkeley, he has been part of the Cheng Group, a computational chemistry lab, where he has gained experience in molecular dynamics and statistical mechanics. This summer, he will work with the Congreve Lab, combining his interests in chemical and electrical engineering. Outside of research, Braylon enjoys long-distance running, playing acoustic guitar, and baking homemade bread.
Cayleigh Sitchon (she/her) Cayleigh is a second-year community college student transferring this fall to pursue chemical engineering. Her research interests lie in monitoring elemental contaminants in water to support improved water quality and characterizing and fabricating plasma-deposited thin-film sensors. She works as a research assistant in the Plasma and Energy Devices Lab at California State University, Fresno, where she contributes to projects focused on plasma-based fabrication and materials characterization for photovoltaic sensors. Driven by her passion for expanding STEM accessibility in California’s Central Valley, Cayleigh also leads STEM outreach initiatives, serving as president of a science outreach club and working as a STEM educator at a nonprofit organization. Outside of academics, she enjoys playing badminton, reading fantasy novels, and eating acai bowls. This summer, she will be working with Professor William Tarpeh in the Tarpeh Lab.
Eduardo García Sosa (he/him) Eduardo is a rising fourth-year student at UC Berkeley majoring in mechanical engineering with an emphasis in biomechanics. His research interests are at the intersection of the mechanics and dynamics of the human body and healthcare equity, with particular interest in the Eastern Coachella Valley. Eduardo is passionate about creating more access to higher education and is a dedicated mentor to first-generation high school students applying to college. He is also minoring in Chicanx/Latinx Studies! This summer, Eduardo will be working with Professor Mark Cutkosky in the Biomimetics and Dexterous Manipulation Laboratory.
Ernesto Téllez Pérez (he/him) Ernesto is a rising senior studying mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. His research interests focus on materials science and the development of composite materials for lightweight structural applications. He is especially interested in identifying and testing new material systems and developing new fabrication methods. Through his work on Formula Electric at Berkeley, he has had the opportunity to work with multiple composite materials, such as carbon fiber, and see their strengths over traditional materials. Outside of research, he enjoys concert photography. This summer, he will be working with Professor Mark Cutkosky in the Biomimetics and Dexterous Manipulation Laboratory and is very excited for the opportunity.
Francisco (Frankie) Márquez (he/him) Frankie is currently a sophomore at Foothill College, majoring in computer science and mathematics. His research interests include artificial intelligence, robotics, and software engineering, particularly in developing technologies that solve real-world problems. He currently works as a Calculus and C++ tutor and serves as the president of his school’s Computer Science Club! He enjoys trying different ways to stay active. This summer, he will be working with Professor Jeannette Bohg in the Interactive Perception and Robot Learning Lab (IPRL).
Huy Nguyen (he/him) Huy is a transfer junior studying Data Science, with a domain emphasis in Economics, and pursuing a second degree in Statistics, concentrating in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley College. He is particularly interested in quantitative and qualitative research, using data-driven insights to understand economics, finance, and sustainability in business operations, energy systems, water resources, air pollution, and data center infrastructure. Before coming to Berkeley, he earned two associate's degrees in Mathematics and Economics from De Anza College. During his first year after transferring to Cal, he gained experience as a Research Assistant at the Climate & Society Center, the Ten Strands organization, and the CoolClimate Network research consortium, where he used Python to support environmental research, data analysis and visualization, and modeling, and contributed to the development of carbon footprint tools. He also works as a Student Technology Consultant at UC Berkeley Student Technology Services, where he enjoys helping students resolve technical issues that interrupt access to campus systems. He was recently accepted as a member of the Data Science Transfer Council, working with UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society faculty and staff to help shape the academics and co-curricular experiences for transfer students in the major. In his free time, he enjoys discovering restaurants and matcha shops around the Bay Area. This summer, he is very excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with Dr. Khalid Osman in the Osman Lab to develop a national database of city-led risk information platforms to support communities.
Jacob Ativo (he/him) Jacob is a senior at California State University, East Bay, majoring in computer science. His research interests include hardware–software co-design and public-interest technology. He is a member of the East Bay Deep Learning Lab, where he works on AI systems for disaster-response and humanitarian applications. He also serves as a peer mentor in the Pacific Islander Asian American (PIAA) program, supporting AAPI students and helping foster a strong campus community. Outside of research, Jacob enjoys weightlifting, watching live theatre, and getting hyphy. He would like to thank Dr. Hongmin Li and Dr. James Tandon for introducing him to research, and his homies for keeping campus life lively. This summer, Jacob will be working with Professor Priyanka Raina in the Stanford Accelerate Group.
Jasmine Yang (she/her) Jasmine is a junior at California State University, Fullerton. She is studying mechanical engineering with a minor in aging sciences. Her main research interests are in rehabilitative robotics, wearable devices, and active orthotics. She aims to use these technologies to aid our aging populations. She is also the President for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at CSUF, where she build hands-on experiences for women in engineering in a safe space. In her spare time, she loves to modify and build 3D printers! This summer, she will be working with Professor Allison Okamura in the CHARM Lab.
Jonathan Desravines (he/him) Jonathan is a junior mechanical engineering student and Simons STEM Scholar at Stony Brook University. His research experience spans energy systems, thermofluids, and advanced materials, with a strong interest in sustainable energy technologies and engineering solutions that address real-world challenges in water and energy systems. On campus, Jonathan is involved with the Black Student Union, where he serves on the event committee and engages in community and cultural initiatives. Outside of engineering, he enjoys playing soccer, listening to music, photography, and trying new things. This summer, he will be working with Professor Adam Boies in the Aerosol and Nanotechnology for Energy and the Environment (ANEE) Group.
Natalie Torres (she/her) Natalie is a third-year Biomedical Engineering student at San José State University, and she's especially interested in research on bioartificial implantable devices and medical technologies that can improve patient care. On campus, she is involved in SWE and MESA, and serves as the Vice President of Programming and Enrichment for Alpha Omicron Pi, where she supports academic success and programming for members. Her favorite way to clear her mind is going to hot Pilates. This summer, she will be working with Professor Polly Fordyce and Dr. Jennifer Ortiz Cárdenas in the Stanford Microfluidics Foundry.
Ndeye Sarr (she/her) Ndeye is a sophomore at Georgia State University Perimeter College majoring in engineering. She is completing an associate's degree and will be transferring to a four-year university in Fall 2026 to continue her engineering degree. She plans to major in civil and environmental engineering with a minor in biomedical engineering, followed by master’s and doctoral study in biomedical engineering. Her research interests lie at the intersection of biomedical and environmental engineering, particularly in applying computational modeling and data-driven methods to improve human health and resilient systems for underserved communities. She is the president of her college's Computing and Engineering Club, the vice-president of the Society of Women Engineers Affiliate Chapter, and a Perimeter College Ambassador. She also serves as a peer tutor at MESA and volunteers at Open Hand Atlanta. In her free time, she enjoys reading Manga and solving puzzles, usually with the help of her dad. She is very excited to work with Dr. Alison Marsden this summer at the Cardiovascular Biomechanics Computation Lab (CBCL).
Samanta Chang Kuoman (she/her) Samanta is a rising junior majoring in data science and transferring from Skyline College. As President of the Data Science Club, she leads technical workshops and community initiatives designed to make the field more accessible to everyone. Her research interests focus on the safety and reliability of large language models, reinforcement learning for model alignment, and the application of AI and machine learning methods to problems in bioinformatics and computational biology. Drawing on her background as a tutor and mentor, she is deeply committed to democratizing knowledge through technology. Outside of academics, she enjoys playing video games and baking new recipes. This summer, Samanta will be working with Professor Sanmi Koyejo in the Stanford Trustworthy AI Research (STAIR) Group.
Samuel Amedzi (he/him) Samuel is an undergraduate at Grambling State University majoring in computer science with a minor in economics. His interests are in machine learning and robotic systems, especially how they can be applied to autonomous vehicles. Outside of academics, he helps lead a student ministry on campus and is a cofounder and backend developer of a startup called Georim. He almost never goes anywhere without his headphones. This summer, Samuel will be working with Professor Thierry Tambe in the Tambe Group.
Sebastian Chegini (he/him) Sebastian is a sophomore at Foothill College majoring in applied mathematics and data science. His primary research interests are in machine learning and AI, and an idea that he finds really interesting is how we can create future models that form symbiotic relationships with humans. He enjoys athletics and played on the men’s basketball team at Foothill for two years. He is also an avid jiu-jitsu hobbyist and enjoys producing and mixing music. This summer, Sebastian will be working with Professor Cory Shain in the Laboratory for Computation and Language in Minds and Brains (CLiMB Lab).