Technology and Democracy Research Hub

Michelle Rozenfeld is a rising sophomore in the Honors College at Rutgers University majoring in Environmental Policy and minoring in Science Communication. She works as a Data Analyst for Rutgers Economics Labs, a Copy Editor for The Daily Targum, and a Marketing Assistant for the Department of Human Ecology. She also serves on the E-Board of the Honors Peer Mentor Program, is President of Kol Halayla A Cappella group, and is Co-Lead Writer for the HC Media Team. 

Amanda Goceljak is a junior majoring in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration. Outside of interning with the Rutgers Democracy Lab, she hosts a music show on WRSU-FM Rutgers Radio, serves as a College Avenue Representative in RUSA, and gives prospective student tours as an Honors College Ambassador. She is interested in exploring how to uphold democratic values within strategic decision-making, especially at the cross-section of social media, technology, and foreign policy.

Sunny Ajitabh is a junior at Rutgers majoring in English and Data Science, with a minor in Computer Science. On top of being a summer intern at the Technology and Democracy Research Hub, Sunny is a copy editor at the Daily Targum, an Aresty Research Assistant, and the editor-in-chief for NOVA, a youth-led digital literary magazine. After college, she plans on pursuing a Masters in Communication and Media Studies.

Seleena is a rising sophomore in the Honors College double majoring in computer science and data science with a minor in critical intelligence studies. On campus, she is involved in organizations like the Undergraduate Student Alliance of Computer Scientists and Society of Women Engineers, and is conducting research on AI-powered air pollution detection and drift-diffusion modeling of cognitive processes. In her free time, she enjoys playing badminton, crafting, and exploring the creative tech space.

Chelsea Sisule is a rising junior majoring in Chemical Biology and Biomathematics. Outside of coursework, Chelsea conducts research in the Sun Lab, and brings research experience in molecular docking, protein structure prediction using AlphaFold, and data analysis on protein studies related to drug discovery for diabetes. She hopes to pursue an MD/PhD and make meaningful contributions to the field of chemical biology.

Bella Ayres is a sophomore double-majoring in English and Philosophy with a minor in Psychology. Bella is a legal intern at the Matus Law Group and the Internal Vice President of the Rutgers Pre-Law Society. She is also an Aresty Research Assistant, Staff Writer for the Rutgers Undergraduate Law Review, and a member of Phi Sigma Pi. She intends to pursue a law degree after college, specializing in estate planning or copyright law.

Daniel Benimovich is a sophomore at Rutgers with the Honors College, majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Business Administration. Daniel’s interest in understanding technology and its impact on civic engagement stems from an independent research project examining the relationship between social media use and the mental health of young men. Currently, Daniel is involved in pancreatic cancer research at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and volunteers as an EMT. 

Lewis Fang is a student at the Rutgers Honors College, majoring in Political Science and Piano Performance. Outside of the Technology and Democracy Research Hub, he is a research analyst for the Rutgers Consulting Group. Lewis is a self-published author of three books and enjoys researching aviation and misinformation.

Julien Thiberge is a junior majoring in Electrical Engineering. Outside of political research, he is also involved with maintenance of autonomous underwater gliders for marine science research, works for the Princeton University Art Museum, and is a member of IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu Honor Society. He is particularly interested in the mechanics of propaganda and hopes to eventually work in ocean engineering and science policy.

Venya Tiwari is a sophomore studying Aerospace Engineering. Venya serves as the Trade Study Lead for the Rutgers STAR SpiceSAT Structures Team. She has worked as a Consulting Analyst for the Rutgers Consulting Group and had worked as a Policy Fellow for the Spring Group Global Youth Think Tank. Venya looks forward to working at the intersection of engineering and AI policy in the future.