Meet the 2012-2013 Graduate Student Association officers

The newly elected Graduate Student Association (GSA) officers participated in a Q-and-A to help the Rice community get better acquainted with them. Their responses appear below.

ANNA DODSON SAIKIN

Name: Anna Dodson Saikin
Office: President
Department: English
Originally from: Houston
Why I came to Rice: Rice offers unique opportunities for graduate students to shape their education and their future. It was an added bonus to be close to family and friends!
Why I joined the GSA: I enjoy being a part of an organization that integrates social and academic graduate student life. It has been a great experience meeting people across disciplines and fields of study.

KIRI KILPATRICK

Name: Kiri Kilpatrick
Office: Internal Vice President
Department: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Originally from: Carrollton, Texas
Why I came to Rice: The friendly community and innovative research.
Why I joined the GSA: I joined GSA because it provides a valuable service to graduate students by sponsoring programs that enrich graduate student life and presenting unique opportunities for students to grow academically and professionally.

HENG JI

Name: Heng Ji
Office: External Vice President
Department: Physics and Astronomy
Originally from: Anhui, China
Why I came to Rice: Besides the top rank in the field of nanoscale science, I like the diversity here at Rice. An open-minded environment is important for an international student. (And Yao Ming was at Houston!)
Why I joined the GSA: I respect the work GSA has done for the graduate student community, and I have benefited a lot from it since I came to Rice. I want to keep this tradition and bring GSA’s culture and spirit to more international students.

JENNIFER HARGRAVE

Name: Jennifer “Niffy” Hargrave
Office: Secretary
Department: English
Originally from: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Why I came to Rice: The English Department at Rice offers a vibrant intellectual atmosphere as well as an exceptionally collegial environment with excellent support from faculty, staff and fellow graduate students. I felt privileged to be invited to be a member of this amazing community.
Why I joined the GSA: As graduate students, it is easy to disappear into either our labs or the library. However, I believe that we can learn an incredible amount by interacting not only with other people in our departments, but also across the disciplines. By joining GSA (as the English Department’s GSA representative for 2011-12 and the GSA secretary 2012-13), I hope to help bridge the gap between disciplines, particularly between the humanities and the sciences. Moreover, I am committed to maintaining an environment at Rice wherein graduate students will thrive — a mission that I believe GSA supports through both social and professional development activities.

APARNA RAJU SAGI

Name: Aparna Raju Sagi
Office: Treasurer
Department: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Originally from: India
Why I joined the GSA: I enjoyed serving as treasurer for other student organizations on campus and thought that being the GSA treasurer would be that much more interesting and challenging because of the magnitude of funds involved compared with the other ones I worked for.

MAN CHEN

Name: Man Chen
Office: Community Service Chair
Department: Physics
Originally from: Hubei, China.
Why I came to Rice: The free scientific research atmosphere and the beautiful campus are what attracted me to Rice.
Why I joined the GSA: I’ve been enjoying so many of the social events in the GSA that I wanted to be part of it and contribute to the community activities.

CAROLYN VAN WINGERDEN

Name: Carolyn Van Wingerden
Office: Historian
Department: Art History
Originally from: Carpinteria, Calif.
Why I came to Rice: I came to Rice to study northern Renaissance and Baroque art with Professor Diane Wolfthal, and I am grateful for the warm, welcoming and supportive community that I found here.
Why I joined the GSA: I joined the GSA as an officer because I greatly enjoyed my experience this past year as the GSA representative for the Art History Department, and I would like to ensure that the humanities disciplines have a voice in the graduate student community here at Rice. I have always enjoyed taking photographs of friends and family at group gatherings, and I am happy to be able to use this skill to enhance the Rice community by commemorating the many fun-filled, team-building events that the GSA sponsors.

KAUSHIK KALAGA

Name: Kaushik Kalaga
Office: Graduate Lounge Manager
Department: Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Originally from: Vizag, India
Why I came to Rice: I completed my bachelor’s and master’s from India, and my research interests are focused on nano-device fabrication. I have a deep desire to contribute my understanding toward application-based research and fabrication of nanoelectronic devices. Therefore, the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Rice, having designated emphasis for research on such areas, became a top choice to pursue my graduate studies. I am currently working with Professor Ajayan, whose work is congruent to the areas I intend to work in. In addition, Rice has a high reputation in terms of the campus life, which is very active and highly motivating for any student.
Why I joined the GSA:  I always wanted to be a part of a student body, which represents the entire student junta. It is an amazing opportunity to interact with people of many different cultures, exchange ideas and work together as a team to make the grad life in the campus more enjoyable. I am highly excited to be a part of the GSA as the Graduate Lounge manager and would like to extend my complete support to all the grad students — present and incoming.

JEANETTE PASUIZACA

Name: Jeanette Pasuizaca
Office: Publicity and Marketing Chair
Department: Marketing
Originally from: New York City
Why I came to Rice: I fell in love with the campus and felt the school was the perfect place to get a fresh start for my MBA.
Why I joined the GSA: To represent the Jones School in the GSA and interact with students from other schools at Rice.

ANNE HELLEBUST

Name: Anne Hellebust
Office: Parliamentarian
Major: Bioengineering
Originally from: Carlsbad, N.M.
Why I came to Rice: The collaborative and friendly graduate student environment is what sold me on coming to Rice. The proximity to the medical center was another factor in my decision.
Why I joined the GSA: GSA does so many wonderful things that add to the quality of life of Rice graduate students that I wanted to do my part and contribute to all of the social and professional development events that GSA sponsors.