Brigitta Gundersen (she/her)

City Coordinator

Neuroscientist and one of the few people in the world who doesn’t like beer (wine or cider for me, please!). In my free time you’ll find me walking my dog along the Hudson or checking out a new restaurant with friends. I help plan Taste of Science festivals and monthly events at Ryan’s Daughter in NYC.

Rosemary Puckett (she/her)

Volunteer Coordinator

Rosemary is a neuroscientist who loves getting people to think more about how their brains are working in everyday life. Outside the lab, she enjoys museum adventures and rainy days in the city. Pretty sure the evolution of human consciousness is the ultimate bar talk.

Dean Matthews (he/him)

Volunteer Manager

I'm a graduate student studying how the immune system and the microbiota influence and shape one another. Science is hard even for scientists, so I spend a lot of time thinking about how best to demystify the process for non-scientists. I also think a lot about what my dog is dreaming about.

Mihir Pendse (he/him)

Volunteer

I am a neuroimmunologist turned medical strategy and advertising professional. My scientific background focused on understanding how the immune system and the enteric nervous system (the brain of the gut) interact during health and disease. When I'm not in the lab, I'm usually running, listening to emo music, playing video games, or building up my second career as a fantasy football aficionado.

Katrina Mar (she/her)

Social Media/Website Manager + Volunteer

Hi, I’m Kat! I’m an immunologist who studies viral and fungal co-infections in the lungs. Outside of the lab, I'm excited by marine biology, animal behavior, and exploring NYC!

Matt LeClair (he/him)

Volunteer

I’m Matt and I always enjoyed mad scientists when I was a child. Now, I am neither mad nor a scientist, but it’s fun to pretend sometimes.

John Bahrenburg (he/him)

Volunteer

Hi! I'm John, I am a public high school English teacher by day, bartender on the weekends, and wear a cape in the evenings. I first became interested in Taste of Science when I learned that I could listen to lectures in a pub. I attended regularly and liked to imagine myself in the days of old arguing over philosophy, science, and the arts, but with a pint of mead!

Kaitlin Frey (she/her)

Volunteer

Barrett Allen (he/him)

Volunteer

Barrett is a butcher, biologist, and sourdough enthusiast from San Francisco, California.

Fitty Liu (they/she)

Digital Content Creator + Volunteer

Hello I'm Fitty! I study infectious fungi and what they do to the immune system. I'm passionate about making science more accessible and my life more whimsical :)

Kristen Olson (she/her)

Volunteer

Hi! I’m Kristen - I’m a science educator, birder, and overall lover of the natural world. I’m very happy to be part of the Taste of Science community!

Ned Lieb (he/him)

Volunteer

In another life, I was a physics grad student who wanted to study macroscopic quantum effects. Now, I’m looking for a lab to apply my new coding knowledge after some time studying photodynamic therapy at a cancer hospital. Eating food and talking about science are two of my favorite things!

Karla Kretschmannova (she/her)

Volunteer

A neuroscientist with a knack for small things. Still learning more about myself and world around me.

Ayesha Salman (she/her)

Volunteer

Hi! I’m Ayesha, a research technician in a fungal immunology/microbiota lab. I'm building science communication skills to explore career paths beyond bench research and hopefully make science more accessible! When I’m not in the lab, you can find me cooking, at Pilates, or exploring NYC!

Tsee Lee (he/him)

Volunteer

I seek the extraordinary, whether it's experiences, people, or YouTube science videos. I teach CS in a real public high school, and I've tutored students privately. In my free time I take lots of classes (like improv and swimming), and try to bring people together through pickup soccer, karaoke, and cooking. I also volunteer with BBPB's public kayak program.

Clayton Wollner (he/him)

Volunteer

Midwesterner turned New Yorker with a PhD in immunology. Hoping to contribute to science engagement in my new community. My favorite things about living in NYC include the theater scene (on and off-Broadway), the limitless food options, and, of course, that there is a Taste of Science chapter! Novice birder eager to spend more time viewing the world through a pair of binoculars.