AWIS
ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE
Central Massachusetts Chapter
AWIS Central Massachusetts Board of Directors
Izabela RC Stroe, Ph.D.
President - izabela@wpi.edu
Associate Professor of Teaching
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Prof. Stroe is an experimental biophysicist with fourteen years of innovative teaching and curriculum development experience. She earned her undergraduate degree in physics at the University of Bucharest, and her PhD in physics at Clark University. She completed her postdoctoral research as a Seaborg Postdoctoral Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory. At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Dr. Stroe conducts both fundamental and applied research that bridges many disciplines. Her work on proteins and cell-protein interactions impacted current understanding of the role of water in the function and dynamics of proteins and the relationship between Alzheimer’s and Type II Diabetic disease. She developed a novel detection method of amyloidogenic proteins that may lead to early detection of amyloidosis diseases, specifically Alzheimer’s Disease. In her teaching, she transformed and enriched the physics undergraduate and graduate curriculum by incorporating components of Entrepreneurial Mindset Learning and Value Creation to accelerate innovation and global technological and societal impact. She led the Master of Science in Physics for Educators since 2015 and the Renewable Energy Materials STEM Scholars Program since 2018. Dr. Stroe presented her work nationally and internationally, and her work was published in high impact journals like PNAS and has been featured in the New and Views of Nature. She became an AWIS volunteer member in 2022, and a full member in 2023. Dr. Stroe aims to continue building a strong networking and mentoring STEM program that provides impactful value to the members and strengthens the AWIS local community.
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Peren Coskun, Ph.D.
Vice President - Peren.Coskun@umassmed.edu
Post Doctoral Associate
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Peren is a Post Doctoral Associate in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. Her research focuses on post-transcriptional regulation in mRNAs in the germline. Before her graduate studies, Peren studied Biological Sciences and Bioengineering in Istanbul, Turkey, and received her Bachelor of Science degree with minor honor in Chemistry from Sabanci University. Dr. Coskun completed her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. She is passionate about outreach and mentoring; she participated in several student organizations such as Graduate Student Body Committee and Peer Mentoring Committee in University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. She has joined AWIS in 2022 as the Outreach and Engagement Chair. She currently serves as the co-chair in the Industry Exploration Program’s executive board.
Sarah Woodard
Senior Treasurer - sarah.woodard.awis@gmail.com
Director Product Management
Invoice Cloud
Sarah currently works as a Director of Product Management at Invoice Cloud with a focus on solving customer pain points with clear business goals and product vision. She has previously worked as an applications engineer at Instron and founded an engineering and technical training program at IPG.
Sarah holds a certification in project management and received a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She is passionate about inspiring and mentoring others to have fulfilling STEM careers. She is committed to helping grow a society that promotes women in STEM.
Lydia Ellen Tonani-Penha
Communications Director - letonani@wpi.edu
PhD candidate
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Lydia Ellen Tonani-Penha is the Communications Officer of the AWIS Central MA chapter. She is a Research Assistant in the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), her alma mater. Her work contributes to research involving experiments on the solidification of metals in microgravity, leading to collaboration with the DLR (German Aerospace Center), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and universities in Canada and Japan. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in May 2023 and enrolled in WPI’s doctoral program upon graduation. Due to her experience being a first-generation student, she profoundly appreciates mentorship and outreach in STEM. She enjoys helping high school, undergraduate, and graduate students find the resources to pursue their academic and professional aspirations. Tonani currently mentors undergraduate students in the NSF Renewable Energy Materials in STEM Scholarship program at WPI and joined AWIS in the Fall of 2023 to continue engaging with the scientific community and contributing to mentorship and outreach in STEM.
Snehalata Kadam, Ph.D.
Brand Ambassador- snehalata.kadam.awis@gmail.com
Assistant Teaching Professor - Department of Physics
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Snehalata Kadam is the President and one of the founding members of the AWIS Central MA chapter. She is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Physics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Worcester. Dr. Kadam earned a B.S and M.S in Biology from India and her Ph.D in Animal Genetics from University of Tuebingen, Germany. She worked as a Post-Doctoral Scholar at California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Pasadena where she studied how mechanics of cell migration affects developmental processes. Dr. Kadam joined WPI as a Physics faculty in 2014 with a goal of bridging Physical and Biological Sciences. She is passionate about creating a Physics loving atmosphere especially in female students and developing innovative learning strategies for students to adapt and apply their knowledge in diverse fields of science.
Dr. Kadam, an AWIS member since 2014 was involved in founding the AWIS affiliate group, which led to the establishment of the AWIS Central MA chapter. She currently lives in Shrewsbury with her husband and two sons. She is an active volunteer of the non-profit organization, India Society of Worcester (ISW) and helps coordinate cultural performances for the society. She is an avid dancer and loves performing the classical Indian dance style of Kathak.