Dr. Margaret (Peg) Riley is STEM AP’s Principal Investigator. Peg is a biology professor at UMass Amherst with research interests in Microbial Molecular Evolution and Ecology; Gene Trees, Genomics and a Microbial Species Concept; Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance; and Evolution of Microbial Defense Systems. In 2008, Peg created the Massachusetts Academy of Sciences (MAS), a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase levels of civic science literacy. Under her leadership, the MAS went from a nascent idea to a full-fledged STEM outreach organization with over 400 dues paying members and 70 Science Fellows, representing the Commonwealth’s leading STEM researchers, educators and outreach specialists.
STEM AP Faculty & Staff
Dr. Margaret (Peg) Riley
Dr. Sonji Johnson-Anderson
Dr. Sonji Johnson-Anderson is the Director at STEM AP. Sonji’s research interests sit at the intersection of Black Feminist Epistemology, Critical Race Theory and Performance Ethnography. Her work focuses on the experiences of students and families who are marginalized in public domains, primarily educational institutions. A gifted educator and public speaker, Sonji brings decades of teaching experience and a deep commitment to critical and culturally relevant pedagogy. Sonji has taught in K-12 classrooms, as well as higher education contexts in Western Massachusetts, New York City and Jamaica, and currently lectures in world literature at Westfield State University. Dr. Johnson-Anderson develops and teaches/facilitates courses, workshops, lectures, trainings, public events, and performances.
Kyle Keegan
Kyle is the undergraduate program leader for STEM AP. He is a fourth-year student majoring in sociology. Kyle loves sociology and working with people. He is in the commonwealth honors college where he is working on his thesis and pursuing the premedical track. He recently studied abroad in Barcelona during fall 2019. In his free time, you can find him working out, play lacrosse, or keeping STEM AP running.
Priyanka Bhakhri
Priyanka is a third year pre medical biology and political science student. She has been a part of the STEM AP family since her sophomore year. When she's not studying for her next exam, you can find her volunteering at Craig's Door's, grading exams for the classes she TA's for, or binge watching Netflix series.
Danielle Hoffman
Danielle is the Outreach Coordinator for STEM AP. She is a current senior in the Commonwealth Honors College. Danielle is pursuing a bachelor of science in Microbiology and a certificate in Culture, Health, and Science. She is also an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Muller lab in the Microbiology department.
Shelby Phillips
Shelby is our graduate mentor leader. She is a first year graduate student who is determined to use her science knowledge to improve the lives of others. Phillips's ultimate goal is to become a genetic counselor.
Rebecca Louisthelmy
Rebecca Louisthelmy is a junior currently majoring in biomedical engineering. Rebecca is also a member of a research lab, the Corneilson Group, where she does research on the extracellular matrixes of cancer cells. Outside of her academic studies, Rebecca is an active leader in her community. She is one of the undergraduate leaders for STEM AP, President of the Black Student Union, and President of Cultural Council. At home in New York, Rebecca is a youth leader in her church's youth and music ministry. After her bachelor's, Rebecca plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering.