Previous Student Research Assistants
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Student research assistants have played a key role in the work of the Office of Government and Community Relations (OGCR), gaining hands-on experience with economic and community development research, data visualization and entrepreneurship. Meet some of the students who have worked with OGCR in recent years.
Interested in joining the team? Learn about current student research assistant opportunities.
Radhika Agarwal
Major: Economics and Business Administration (dual major)
Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal
Research areas: New firms and startups, K-12 districts, and growing and declining industries in the seven-county I-69 Thumb Region
Interests: Traveling and reading
Graduation: Spring 2019
Uche Agbo
Major: English Language and Literature
Hometown: Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Research areas: Innovation Incubator at Northbank Center
Interests: Writing, public speaking and soccer
Graduation: April 2021
Ahmed Alaiwat
Major: Energy and Sustainable Systems
Minor: Regional Planning
Hometown: Sanabis, Saudi Arabia
Research areas: MapFlint (Genesee County) and Census 2020
Interests: GIS, sustainable design, green building and renewable energy, biking, hiking, sailing and water sports
Muhammad Ammar
Major: Finance and Economics
Hometown: Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan
Research areas: Data analyst for Region 6
Interests: Sports, reading and adventure
Graduation: December 2019
Mohammad Badar
Major: Economics
Hometown: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Research areas: Major employers and alternative energy sources in the seven-county I-69 Thumb Region
Interests: Writing, photography and equestrian sports
Graduation: Spring 2020
Charis Blatt
Major: Economics
Minor: Finance
Hometown: Brown City, Michigan
Research areas: Economic indicator data for the seven-county I-69 Thumb Region from state and federal sources
Interests: Playing beach volleyball, reading, and spending time with friends, family and animals
Graduation: Spring 2019
Sydney Booth
Major: Economics
Hometown: Flint, Michigan
Interests: Traveling, hiking, art, music, football, artificial intelligence (AI), innovation and technology, health economics, international trade and finance, automation, and environmental economics
Graduation: December 2023
Madison Bright Schade
Major: Economics
Minor: Music
Hometown: Flint, Michigan
Research areas: Flint, economic development and health equity
Interests: Playing piano and cello, reading, and spending time with family and friends
Graduation: December 2025
Jacob Citiroglu
Major: Economics
Hometown: Long Island, New York
Research areas: Whether banking products such as loans, credit lines, mortgages and investment instruments drive sustainable economic growth and social mobility, or instead concentrate wealth and reinforce inequality
Graduation: June 2027
Shelby Coates
Major: Art and Design
Hometown: Flint, Michigan
Graduation: April 2020
Jennifer Delong
Major: Graphic Design
Hometown: Flint, Michigan
Research areas: EDA University Center projects and the Kawkawlin River Watershed
Interests: Drawing, painting, reading and video games
Graduation: 2020
Hunter DeNicolo
Major: Marketing
Hometown: Flushing, Michigan
Research areas: Social media and marketing promoting the EDA University Center
Interests: Distance running, listening to music, going to concerts and spending time with grandparents
Graduation: May 2020
Manika Dhiman
Major: Economics
Hometown: New Delhi, India
Research areas: Development economics, macroeconomics and finance
Interests: Traveling and learning languages
Graduation: June 2021
Mohamed Elaswad
Major: Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Hometown: Cairo, Egypt
Interests: Biotechnology, graphic design, drawing, calligraphy and photography
Graduation: Winter 2019
Arianna Elkins
Major: Wildlife Biology
Hometown: Davison, Michigan
Research areas: Aquatic species and ecological conservation
Interests: Learning, working with animals and outdoors, and connecting with one’s body
Graduation: Spring 2023
Kevin Fons
Major: Marketing
Minor: Economics
Hometown: Fenton, Michigan
Research areas: Marketing and promotion of the EDA Center
Interests: Sports, games and puzzles
Graduation: May 2019
Megan Fritz
Major: Data Analytics (master’s)
Hometown: Grand Blanc, Michigan
Interests: Reading, running and playing the violin
Graduation: May 2025
Eucharia Ganda
Major: Computer Information Systems, business information systems track
Hometown: Nigeria and Italy
Research areas: Database systems and online survey entry
Interests: Reading, soccer and volleyball
Graduation: April 2019
Callum Holley
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Ovid, Michigan
Interests: Drawing, reading, writing, composing music, weightlifting, shooting, grilling, law, history, economics and computer-aided design
Graduation: Winter 2025
Lauren Koleda
Major: Economics
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Fenton, Michigan
Interests: Data collection and analysis, behavioral economics, education, gentrification, traveling, nature, hiking and painting
Graduation: April 2022
Sami Kotob
Major: Political Science and Economics
Hometown: Grand Blanc, Michigan
Interests: GIS, swimming, weightlifting, reading, video games, history, fencing and kayaking
Graduation: December 2024
Ali Krairy
Major: Criminal Justice and Sociology
Hometown: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Research areas: Data analysis and research
Interests: Martial arts, politics, photography, drawing and music
Graduation: August 2018
Eion Lange
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Mathematics
Hometown: Reese, Michigan
Research areas: Capital, productivity and education
Graduation: April 2020
Max Lange
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Mathematics
Hometown: Reese, Michigan
Research areas: Cybersecurity and cryptography
Interests: Working out, hiking, playing video games and reading
Graduation: April 2020
AJ Laube
Major: Elementary Education
Hometown: Flint, Michigan
Interests: Video games, education and city planning
Graduation: May 2028
Aidan Leach
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Lapeer, Michigan
Interests: Video games, reading, and researching AI and philosophy
Graduation: 2025
Luis Martinez
Major: Economics
Minor: Political Science
Hometown: Grand Blanc, Michigan
Interests: Reading and researching
Graduation: May 2025
Ross McEacheron V
Major: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management; Entrepreneurship
Hometown: Grand Blanc, Michigan
Research areas: Data analyst for Region 6
Interests: FIRST Robotics, traveling and reading
Graduation: May 2023
Colin McKune
Major: Economics
Hometown: Saginaw, Michigan
Interests: Nearly all of economics, especially behavioral economics, econometrics and the economics of poverty
Graduation: Winter 2024
Maria Olvera
Major: Economics
Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico
Research areas: Economic development
Interests: Listening to podcasts, playing the piano, working out and traveling
Graduation: April 2026
Jacob Palinsky
Major: Environmental Science and Sustainability
Hometown: Montrose, Michigan
Research areas: Improving people’s everyday health within their environmental surroundings
Interests: Kayaking, fishing and restoring motorcycles
Graduation: April 2021
Saili Pharate
Major: Computer Science and Information Systems (master’s)
Hometown: India
Graduation: April 2020
Jay’la Rivers
Major: Business Administration
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Research areas: Employment, wages, occupation and industrial clusters, ALICE and poverty percentages for the I-69 Thumb Region
Graduation: Spring 2021
Miles Roblyer
Major: Environmental Science
Minor: Economics
Hometown: Fenton, Michigan
Research areas: Region 6 legal and regulatory environment, ecotourism opportunities, and the education system
Interests: History and economics, woodworking, flying drones, hunting and snowboarding
Graduation: Spring 2018
Noor Ruzhan
Major: Economics and Computer Science
Hometown: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Research areas: Macro development and sustainability under resource scarcity
Interests: Traveling, social work, Netflix and spending time with friends
Graduation: December 2025 or April 2026
Gretchen Sack
Major: Health Science with a concentration in Environmental Health and Safety
Hometown: Linden, Michigan
Research areas: GIS analysis
Interests: Biking, working out and baking
Graduation: Spring 2023
Ishmal Sapp
Major: Fine Arts
Hometown: Bainbridge, Georgia
Interests: Drawing, playing piano, video games and video editing
Graduation: 2021
Muhammad Abdulla Shafiq
Major: Actuarial Mathematics
Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan
Research areas: Collecting and analyzing economic data on unemployment, industry organizations, small business statistics and business incubators
Interests: Debating, scientific theories, global politics, world history, video games, billiards and cricket
Graduation: April 2020
Katelyn Stuck
Major: Communication Studies
Minor: Graphic Design
Hometown: Grand Blanc, Michigan
Interests: Social media, branding, design, biking and music
Graduation: April 2020
Michael Szczepanski
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Marysville, Michigan
Research areas: Computer science project with Dr. Fadi Mohsen
Interests: Programming, collecting state quarters, collecting Legos and playing video games
Graduation: Winter 2018
Alexandra (AJ) Welty
Major: Fine Arts
Hometown: Fenton, Michigan
Research areas: Marketing and graphic design
Interests: Reading, traveling, going to concerts, art and writing
Graduation: August 2018
Yongwei Wu
Major: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management; Finance
Minor: Economics
Hometown: Guangzhou, China
Research areas: IN at the Ferris Wheel
Interests: Traveling, trying new things and listening to music
Graduation: April 2021