Think & Do Tank 

Alvin Mak is a junior at Rutgers majoring in Political Science with a minor in Biology & French. Outside of being part of the inaugural cohort of the Think and Do Tank, Alvin works as a legal intern for Hoagland Longo, a premier law firm in New Brunswick and the Northeast. On the side, he works as an Editorial and Acquisitions Assistant at the Rutgers University Press, as well as being a Scarlet Ambassador for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. 

My name is Ananya Bongoni and I am a senior majoring in ITI and Data Science with a minor in Critical Intelligence Studies.  I have a strong interest in technology and problem-solving, but I also enjoy the creative side of working with people and bringing ideas to life, which is why I joined the Rutgers Democracy Lab. Over the past few years, I’ve taken part in different projects and events, including hackathons and student organizations, which gave me the chance to grow my leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. 

Arfa Rana is an undergraduate student at Rutgers University pursuing a double major in Information Technology & Informatics and Communications with a minor in South Asian Studies. At Douglass Residential College, she is a participant of the Global Leaders Program and works as a Creative Content Intern at Douglass Residential College, where she produces media that highlights student stories and campus events. 

Ashiyana Ahamed is a senior in the School of Arts and Sciences and Douglass Residential College at Rutgers, majoring in Computer Science with minors in Political Science and Critical Intelligence. She was previously an intern at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York in the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime unit. She is currently an intern with the Center for Election Reform and supports ranked choice voting advocacy through Voter Choice NJ. 

My name is Ava Bandelli and I’m a sophomore in Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences from Westfield, NJ. Currently, I’m double majoring in Sociology and English with a minor in Economics, in pursuant to a pre-law track. I’m very passionate about how crime and social justice are related, studying instances of police brutality and other consequences stemming from flawed implementations of law enforcement practices such as Broken Windows policing and Zero Tolerance policies. 

Jane Teran is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Geography with a minor in Latino and Caribbean Studies. Her passion for civic engagement stems from her research interests in urban Latinx geographies, shaped by her upbringing in a Latinx neighborhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey. This fall, she will serve as a Gardner Fellow, conducting research on the economic and social dynamics of her neighborhood to inform local and state urban renewal policy. 

Molly Garvin is an undergraduate student at Rutgers University, New Brunswick majoring in Public Health and Political Science with a minor in Criminology.  Her academic interests center on the intersection of law, healthcare, and social justice, with a particular focus on immigration law and sexual violence prevention. Molly plans to attend law school and pursue a career as an attorney after graduation and continue to support and uplift vulnerable communities. 

Born and raised in South Jersey, I'm a filmmaker studying at Mason Gross School of the Arts, with a passion for communicating knowledge and perspective to large audiences. I've worked closely with Emmy and Academy Award-winning documentary filmmakers to understand the art of communicating truths and studied propaganda to help comprehend how media can mislead audiences, so I can effectively counteract altered materials. 

Shayan Chaudhury (he/him) is a sophomore in the honors college studying Political Science and History. His interest in democratic engagement began in his senior year of high school when he competed in the We the People competition nationally, and continued into his experience as an Education Intern at the National Constitution Center this summer. Shayan is interested in improving the accessibility of politics at every level, which he pursues as an opinion columnist for the Daily Targum.