Thirteen Khoury students honored as part of fall 2024 Huntington 100

Author: Meghan Hirsch
Date: 01.27.25

Khoury College had 13 inductees in the fall 2024 Huntington 100 class. The prestigious honor, which until 2024 was awarded only in the spring, recognizes students in their final year at Northeastern who have demonstrated outstanding achievements both inside and outside of the classroom. 

Click on a name to jump to that section, or simply read on. 

 

Alexis Musaelyan-Blackmon 

Alexia Musaelyan-Blackmon, a Huntington 100 honoree

Having graduated in 2024 with a bachelor’s in data science and biology, and now pursuing a PlusOne master’s degree in data science, Alexis Musaelyan-Blackmon has had her hands full for a while. But her busy academic schedule has not stopped her from forging a unique path outside the classroom. 

In terms of research, Musaelyan-Blackmon gained experience at the US Naval Research Laboratory in the computational biology division. She then worked at the Department of Homeland Security, Microsoft, and now at Harvard Medical School, where she focuses on improving fairness in machine learning models. 

Musaelyan-Blackmon is also an inventor. She co-founded Exploro, a platform that simplifies research recruiting, and Dephend, a venture focused on AI cybersecurity. 

READ: Khoury “Women Who Empower” winners advance cybersecurity, pet care tools 

All this experience has earned her praise, perhaps most tangibly in the form of numerous awards, including the Apple Pathways Award, the Google Generation Scholarship, the Women Who Empower Innovator Award, first place in the Fall 2023 Husky Startup Challenge, and the Science Connects to Innovation Award. 

Now, she adds Huntington 100 to that list. 

Amirah Ibrahim 

Amirah Ibrahim, a Huntington 100 honoree

When she arrived at Northeastern, Amirah Ibrahim was a pure computer science major. However, she quickly switched to a combined major in computer science and design, which allowed her to “explore the best of both worlds and uncover how technology and design intersect to create impactful user experiences.” 

Coming from this interdisciplinary background, Ibrahim pursued interdisciplinary co-op roles. At Johnson & Johnson, she has held two roles, first working as an R&D/data analyst and then as a software engineer and product manager, where she “gained a deeper understanding of how innovation is driven in large organizations.” 

Outside of academics and co-ops, Ibrahim participates in tech-focused clubs, which have strengthened her technical skills, allowed her to network, and connected her with peers who share her interests. Ibrahim also frequents out-of-state conferences that, she said, stress the “importance of collaboration, lifelong learning, and staying at the forefront of innovation.” 

Daniel Vahey 

Daniel Vahey, a Huntington 100 honoree

For Daniel Vahey, who combines data science with environmental and sustainability sciences, Northeastern has been the perfect place to learn and grow. This is because, Vahey said, he “embraces intellectual exploration and values diverse perspectives, experiences, and opportunities.”  

His time at Northeastern bears that out. Vahey has completed two co-ops, one at the DEME Group working with offshore wind development and another at Wellington Management doing climate change investment research. In both, Vahey blended his interests in data science and sustainability. He also mentors his peers and has participated in a climate science Dialogue of Civilizations in Thailand and Indonesia.  

Going forward, Vahey hopes to continue building sustainable futures and help ensure that everyone has access to a healthy planet. 

Elissa Alarmani 

Elissa Alarmani, a Huntington 100 honoree

When she started at Northeastern, Elissa Alarmani was a biology and computer science major who had never written a line of code. After one computer science class, she was hooked, and began to realize how technology could be a powerful tool for creating solutions. 

After that class, Alarmani switched to a computer science and business degree, hoping to use her technical skills to make a large impact. She first realized this goal during her co-op at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a research center focused on improving human health. Afterward, Alarmani worked at Harvard’s Translational Genomics Group as a software engineer, where she developed genomic tools. This work, she said, “was very rewarding since it was presented at the American Society of Human Genetics conference in 2023 and had real-world significance.” 

On campus, Alarmani wears many hats. She’s president of WEST (Women in the Enterprise of Science and Technology) and she pioneered FIRST Key, which helps first-generation college applicants. 

“As a first-gen student myself, the project was deeply personal and an opportunity to create something meaningful and impactful for me,” Alarmani said. 

In addition to these roles, Alarmani also took full advantage of Northeastern’s global offerings. She went on a Dialogue of Civilizations to Italy, where she studied Italian architecture and urbanism, and completed a semester abroad at John Cabot University in Rome. 

After graduation, Alarmani hopes to continue leveraging her technical skill set and business background to tackle complex problems. 

Elizabeth McDowell 

Elizabeth McDowell, a Huntington 100 honoree

During her time at Northeastern, Elizabeth McDowell has worn many hats. 

As a computer science major, McDowell has been a TA for various classes, been a lab lead, mentored peers through the Computer Science Student Mentoring Organization, and participated in numerous hackathons. She also works as a Husky Ambassador, at the Sexual Violence Prevention Education Center, on Northeastern’s annual production of their version of the popular reality series “Survivor,” and with tutoring organizations on campus. In addition, McDowell also co-oped at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office, where she worked on cybercrime issues. 

Every day, McDowell said, she “tries to embody what it means to be a proud Husky by trying new things and mentoring younger students.” 

Jeffrey Pan 

Jeffrey Pan, a Huntington 100 honoree

When he’s not plowing through his environmental and sustainability sciences and data science coursework, Jeffrey Pan can be found in the kitchen planning new recipes, whipping up delicious meals, and documenting it all on his food Instagram and website

Pan has had two engineering co-ops in the green energy and green steel industries. In addition to TAing data science courses, he volunteers as a coach at his hometown high school, embodying his “there’s always more to learn, more to give, and more ways to make a positive impact” motto. He has published data analysis research at the Haelewaters Lab at Ghent University in Belgium and has authored numerous articles for NU Sci Magazine

In the future, Pan hopes to continue extending to others the support and guidance he received at Northeastern, and to pursue his own interests around sustainability and data analytics. 

Jonah Jaffe 

Jonah Jaffe, a Huntington 100 honoree

Not many students can say that one of the first things they did after arriving on campus was founding a team that would place among the world’s 10 best. But Jonah Jaffe can. 

A combined computer science and math major, Jaffe founded Northeastern’s Marine Robotics Team (NUWave, not to be confused with the campus Wi-Fi network of the same name). The team started as just two people in a room together with no funding and has since grown to more than 40 people, placing eighth at the 2023 International MATE ROV Competition along the way. 

In addition to this feat, Jaffe has been co-president of NURobotics for the past two years, where he has worked on new projects and earned funding for the club. An avid runner, Jaffe is also vice president of Northeastern Club Running and helped host the club’s first home meet. 

In the professional realm, Jaffe has held two co-ops. His first was at Guardian Agriculture, where he built sustainable crop-dusting drones. His second co-op was with Square Robot building underwater vehicles. This co-op fit nicely with Jaffe’s planned next step of combining his passions for engineering, robotics, and sustainability into an ocean engineering graduate school track. 

Maha Sidi 

Maha Sidi, a Huntington 100 honoree

As a computer science and design major who studied abroad, completed two co-ops, and freelanced as a brand designer on campus, Maha Sidi seemingly shouldn’t have had time for much else. 

But that would be a misconception. Sidi is part of the university’s honors program, has represented Northeastern at conferences, earned the Karen T. Rigg Shining Torch Scholarship, and co-founded the Black Islamic Association to provide “a space of belonging, a platform to advocate for greater inclusion within university Islamic spaces, and a place to further one’s connection with their faith,” she said.  

Additionally, and perhaps closest to home for Sidi, she mentors local youth, touching on topics like being a first-generation student and defeating imposter syndrome. By mentoring, Sidi said, she “wants the youth to understand that feeling doubtful doesn’t make you inadequate; everyone has those moments, but they don’t define your abilities or your worth.” 

Sebastian Tremblay 

Sebastian Tremblay, a Huntington 100 honoree

Although Sebastian Tremblay is a computer science major, much of his research and career decisions at Northeastern have been influenced by his younger sister’s type 1 diabetes. Tremblay is an event ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and had a co-op at Insulet Corporation, where he worked on software for insulin delivery. Tremblay has also led diabetes-related events and speaker sessions at other companies, including during his co-op at Salesforce. 

READ: At medical-device maker Insulet, co-ops contribute to software tests and microcontroller design 

Tremblay is also passionate about mentoring other students, whether in his fraternity (Delta Tau Delta), the Computer Science Mentoring Organization, or in Northeastern’s technology fraternity (Kappa Theta Pi).  

In addition to these on-campus experiences and his four co-ops, Tremblay completed a Dialogue of Civilizations in South Korea, where he studied international business. Post-graduation, Tremblay hopes to continue using his research skills and myriad professional experiences to continue working on meaningful projects that help others. 

Shannen Espinosa 

Shannen Espinosa, a Huntington 100 honoree

Originally from the Philippines, Shannen Espinosa saw firsthand how diseases like malaria and dengue could impact a community. After she immigrated to the Boston area at age 14, Espinosa’s background propelled her toward the medical field. 

READ: Renaissance woman: Shannen Espinosa blends quantum computing, vaccine research, and digital diplomacy 

At Northeastern, Espinosa is pursuing a combined major in data science and biology with a minor in mathematics. Despite her STEM-heavy slate, she also enjoys doing policy work and political research, specifically in health care.  

“There’s so much opportunity to use policy for more education and health care equity,” Espinosa said. 

Espinosa combined her technical skills and policy interests while interning at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health after her first year. Next, she became a research assistant at Harvard’s Corbett Lab, where she helped develop universal coronavirus vaccines, and at the University of Oxford, where she helped identify an early pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Espinosa also enjoys quantum computing hackathons, such as MIT’s iQuHACK, which she won in 2024. After winning, Espinosa became one of 18 American representatives at the International Hackathon for Social Good in Abu Dhabi. Espinosa also participated in a Dialogue of Civilizations in Switzerland, visiting the UN office and meeting with World Health Organization leaders. 

Recently, Espinosa became a semifinalist for the Fulbright program. If admitted, she plans to work on quantum computing algorithms for drug discovery. She continues to compete in quantum computing competitions internationally.  

Shruti Kedharnath 

Shruti Kedharnath, a Huntington 100 honoree

Shruti Kedharnath arrived at Northeastern as a novice coder. At first, her data science courses were difficult, but, she said, she “was determined to learn and quickly grew to love programming.” Now, Kedharnath TAs for the courses she once struggled in. 

During her time as a combined data science and behavioral neuroscience major on the pre-med track, Kedharnath has had ample opportunities to grow. Her first co-op, at a cardiovascular clinic, allowed her to deeply connect with patients and understand medicine better.  

Another experience that stands out for Kedharnath was her work studying the drug BIA 10-2474 at the Center for Translational Neuroimaging, where she and her fellow researchers pinpointed how the drug was causing fatal brain damage. Then, on a Dialogue of Civilizations in Paris a few months later, Kedharnath connected with professionals who had been involved in an investigation into the original research and regulations for the drug. 

Now as a co-op with Morphic Therapeutic, Kedharnath has fused her data science and neuroscience expertise while working independently on an RNA sequencing pipeline. This analysis relies on machine learning and user input to pinpoint biomarkers and gene pathways, which Kedharnath said lets her “apply my Khoury background in the biotech space.” 

Wanru Shao 

Wanru Shao, a Huntington 100 honoree

Few Northeastern students share Wanru Shao’s combined major in computer science, business administration, and philosophy, but she manages to combine elements of all three disciplines in the classroom and outside it. 

As a ServiceNow product manager co-op, Shao worked on a search engine for the company’s portal, boosting conversion rates and empowering users. Then, as a software engineering intern at IBM and a two-time product intern at Microsoft, she worked on solution-based problem solving. 

At Northeastern, Shao’s entrepreneurship continues to shine in her e-board roles with IDEA — Northeastern’s venture accelerator — and the NU Entrepreneurs Club. She is also involved with her community, working as a TA, peer tutor, and outreach and mentorship chair with the Computer Science Mentoring Organization. 

Shao combined all her experience during her last co-op, in which she mentored first-generation Cambodian college students. Shao said this provided a great opportunity to “integrate technology into teaching methods in order to enhance educational accessibility and empower young women.” 

Shao hopes to continue harnessing technology for social good and community change after she graduates. 

Not shown: Huntington 100 honoree Dheeraj Valluru 

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