Alexander Adames joins the Department of Sociology, studying social stratification and inequality, with a focus on educational inequality and racial inequality in the US. Adames holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, a M.A. in statistics from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, a M.A. in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A in sociology from the University of Virginia. He is co-advised by Yu Xie, Bert G. Kerstetter '66 University Professor of Sociology and the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies, Tod G. Hamilton, Professor of Sociology, and John N. Robinson III, Assistant Professor of Sociology.

Stevie Custode is appointed in the Department of Psychology. Her research focuses on how the contextual factors of everyday environments (home, classroom, and clinic) influence children’s early language and social interactions and ultimately their language development. Custode holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Miami, a M.A. in applied psychology from New York University, and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Tennessee. She is advised by Casey Lew-Williams, Professor of Psychology.

Estela Diaz joins the Department of Sociology. Her research examines the commodification of child rearing through a case study of private nursery, preschool, and kindergarten admissions in New York City. From Columbia University, Diaz holds a Ph.D., M.Phil., and M.A in sociology, as well as an A.B. in Sociology from Princeton University. She is advised by Jennifer Jennings, Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs.

J. Felix Gallion joins the Lewis Center for the Arts, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches to the study of media, race, labor, and migration. Their current research explores U.S. agriculture as a carceral system through the lived experiences of Mexican American/Chicanx farmworkers. Gallion holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in English and American Studies from Cornell University. He is advised by Brian Herrera, Associate Professor of Theater in the Lewis Center for the Arts.

Archontoula Giannakopoulou joins the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, with a research goal to deepen understanding of the design principles of biotechnological tools for numerous applications in the areas of renewable energy, the environment and human health. She aims to develop novel multifunctional synthetic systems involving several aspects of nanobiotechnology and synthetic biology, to address challenges of renewable energy and the environment. Giannakopoulou holds a Ph.D. in biotechnology and a diploma of biology (Intergraded Master) from the University of Ioannina, Greece.  She is advised by José L. Avalos, Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment.

Amna Liaqat is appointed in the Center for Information Technology Policy. Her research seeks to build social technologies that help people connect, collaborate, and learn in new ways. Liaqat holds a Ph.D. in and a M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Toronto and a B.S. in Business Administration and Computer Science from Simon Fraser University. She is advised by Andrés Monroy-Hernández, Assistant Professor of Computer Science.

Laetitia Mwilambwe-Tshilobo joins the Department of Psychology. Her work focuses on loneliness and social connection, aiming to identify the mechanisms driving the feedback loop between how loneliness shapes brain function and how brain function determines people's ability to connect. Mwilambwe-Tshilobo holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from McGill University, a M.A. in Developmental Psychology from Cornell University, a M.Sc. in Biology/Neuroscience from the University of Hartford, and a B.A. in Neuroscience from The College of Wooster. She is advised by Diana Tamir, Professor of Psychology.

Sultan Abdul Wadood is appointed in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research uses quantum-inspired techniques to improve classical imaging and communications. Wadood holds a Ph.D. in optics from The Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester and a B.E. in electrical engineering from the National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan.  He is advised by Jason Fleischer, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Maha Yusuf is appointed in the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, where she is leveraging her expertise in advanced neutron and X-ray-based characterization to: (1) engineer anodes for long-life lithium-metal-free solid-state batteries, (2) advance fundamental understanding of ion-selective materials such as membranes and electrodes for clean water production. She holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University with support from Schlumberger Faculty for the Future Fellowship, Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence Fellowship, and Edward G. Weston Fellowship from Electrochemical Society. She holds a B.E. in Chemical Engineering from National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan, following which she worked on oil rigs as a drilling engineer in Colombia. She is co-advised by Ryan S. Kingsbury, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, and Craig B. Arnold, the Susan Dod Brown Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Vice Dean for Innovation in the Office of the Dean for Research.

Erik Župa is appointed in the Department of Molecular Biology. His research focuses on revealing the molecular details by which malaria and related parasites remodel their membranes. Župa holds a Ph.D. in Biology from Heidelberg University, Germany, and from Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic, a M.S. in biomolecular chemistry and a B.S. in biochemistry.   He is advised by John Jimah, Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology and James A. Elkins, Jr. '41 Preceptor in Molecular Biology.

Rodolfo Brandão is appointed in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, with a research focus on the theoretical modeling of physical phenomena, especially those involving fluid dynamics and wave phenomena. Brandão holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from Imperial College London and a M.Sc. and B.Sc. in physics from Federal University of Pernambuco. He is advised by Howard A. Stone, Donald R. Dixon '69 and Elizabeth W. Dixon Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Chair, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Jodi Kraus is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Molecular Biology, advised by Sabine Petry, Associate Professor of Molecular Biology. Kraus’ research interests include biophysics and cell biology, particularly related to understanding structure, function, and regulation of the cytoskeleton during dynamic cellular processes like cell division. Kraus holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Delaware and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Drexel University.

Francisco Lara-Garcia is a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Sociology, where his research focuses on Latinx immigrants in the US, specifically on the Mexican immigrant populations in Tucson, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico—a critical case comparison—to elucidate how differences in institutions shape integration trajectories. Lara-Garcia holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Columbia University, a M.U.P. in Urban Planning from Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, and a B.A. in Sociology, Latin American Studies, and Political Science from the University of Arizona. He is advised by Filiz Garip, Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs.

Uyen Mai is appointed in the Department of Computer Science, where she plans to leverage her expertise in species evolution to develop more realistic models of cancer evolution. Mai holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, San Diego and a B.S. in Computer Science from Portland State University. She is advised by Ben Raphael, Professor of Computer Science.

Julia Wilcots is appointed in the Department of Geosciences where she plans to focus on a quantitative approach to interpreting Earth history from carbonate rocks. Wilcots holds a Ph.D. in Geology, Geochemistry, and Geobiology from MIT and B.S.E. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Princeton University. She is advised by Adam C. Maloof, Professor of Geology.