Graduate Fellows Program

Grant Bruner is a PhD student in the Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on the intersection of land, labor, and inequality in the Roman World. Grant is also interested in the early Church and the development of Christian spaces in Late Antiquity.

Elizabeth Campbell is a doctoral student in the Graduate School of Education and the School Visit Manager at the Penn Museum. An experienced archaeology and history educator, Beth holds a masters degree in Roman archaeology from the University of Leicester, an MA in Secondary Education from Notre Dame of Maryland University, where she was an Operation TEACH Fellow, and a BA in history from the University of New Hampshire. Prior to moving to Philadelphia, she taught High School Social Studies in Baltimore, MD, and worked in museums on three continents (including the British Museum in London).

Abi Chavez is pursuing a Ph.D. in Neuroscience in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Abi is broadly interested in neurological disease and how to unveil the mechanisms behind neurodivergence. She wishes to focus on the translational aspect of research while leveraging electrophysiological techniques. In her free time, she enjoys trying new things, hiking, singing, traveling, and baking.

Justin is a PhD candidate in the Biology and Molecular Pharmacology program. He graduated with a BS in biochemistry from Temple University in 2017, then from 2017 to 2019 he worked as a research technician at the University of Pennsylvania in a lab studying small peptide inhibitors of the complement system.

Andres is an MD/PhD candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. His research interests include chemical biology and molecular imaging. He is currently working on developing small-molecule targeted degraders of pathological aggregates in models of neurodegeneration.

Joshua is a doctoral candidate in the Theology and Religious Studies program at Villanova University, where he pursues interests in medieval intellectual history, political theory, and education. Originally from a small town in Alabama, he now lives with his wife and son in Drexel Hill and can be found there reading on the porch or playing basketball, music, and board games with friends. He is a parishioner at St. Francis de Sales. 

Felipe Martins is a fourth-year Physics PhD student investigating how physical systems attain functionality with the help of both new data science techniques and traditional condensed matter ideas. Felipe is broadly interested in medieval thought and art.

Colby Agostino is a PhD candidate studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Colby works in the Kulp lab at the Wistar Institute and his research focus on the development and application of protein engineering methods for immunotherapy applications.

Christina Mitchell is a city planning master's student at the University of Pennsylvania. She is interested in urban planning theory and its application, specifically how the built environment impacts social networks and community formation. With a background in sociology, she hopes to explore the influence urban design principles have on our communities and seeks to highlight their intersection with the Catholic faith. In her free time, Christina enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and planning community gatherings.

Kylie Konrath is a second year PhD student in the Cell and Molecular Biology program at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research uses protein structure to guide vaccine design for coronaviruses and influenza. She is a Saint Patrick's parishioner.

Matt is pursuing a Master's in Computer and Information Technology through Penn's part-time online program (MCIT). Professionally, Matt works full time as a data scientist, primarily focusing on automation and machine learning. From this joint perspective, he hopes to understand the moral effects of evolving artificial intelligence technologies on student and professional life. He is a parishioner at St. Patrick's Church in Rittenhouse.

Catalina "Mica" Udani is a PhD student in Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania studying International Relations. Her research interests include conflict, immigration, authoritarianism, and human rights. She studies the effect of ethnic and religious identities on collective action and how international conflict affects individual domestic outcomes and social identities, with a focus on authoritarian states in the global South. Beyond writing on global geopolitics, she is also a freelance illustrator and musician.