Staff and Appointments

David Artis, PhD

Dean of Undergraduate Research Advancement

David Artis, PhD came to the Undergraduate Research  Hub (formerly known as Academic Enrichment Programs or AEP) in November 2000, from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. There he had served as a faculty member, graduate school administrator and Director of Academic Services in the School of Public Health.

At UC San Diego, he has overseen steady growth in the number of the Undergraduate Research Hub (URH) programs and services, including coordinating more scholarship opportunities for students in all fields, increased participation in URH-sponsored undergraduate research conferences, and more collaborative program efforts with other campus units. Dr. Artis is a graduate of Yale and Stanford.

Make an appointment with Dr. Artis: contact Julie Kim juk055@ucsd.edu

Sophia Tsai Neri, PhD

Assistant Director

Sophia Tsai Neri has coordinated multiple programs within the Undergraduate Research Hub (URH). She has experience guiding student-mentor matching, coordinating research scholarships, supporting underrepresented populations, and helping students get more out of their research programs at UC San Diego. She received her PhD from the University of Southern California (USC) in molecular biology doing x-ray crystallography, and her Bachelor of Science at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) studying cybernetics with an emphasis on bioinformatics. Prior to coming to UC San Diego, she was a postdoctoral scholar at UCLA.

E-mail: stsai@ucsd.edu

Phone: 858-534-9014

Make an appointment: calendly.com/stsai-ucsd

Thomas K. Brown, PhD

McNair Program Coordinator

Thomas K. Brown has been coordinating the McNair Program since December of 2005. He has earned advanced degrees in chemistry (CPhil, Caltech) and anthropology (PhD, UCSD). In his role as McNair Program coordinator, he helps students find research placements with UC San Diego faculty. The McNair Program is a preparatory program for traditionally under-represented students (first-generation college students from low-income households and those from under-represented ethnic groups) who want to earn a PhD in any field.

E-mail: tkbrown@ucsd.edu

Make an appointment: calendly.com/tkbrown/15min

Jenny Espiritu

STEMM Community Coordinator
CAMP, NACME, RSRI, MEDS

Jenny is a first-generation college student from Oakland, CA. She received her Bachelor's in Psychology at UC San Diego and her Master's in Mental Health Counseling from Bethel University. In high school, she participated in college prep programs geared towards serving first-generation students and is passionate about working with students from first-generation backgrounds and underrepresented communities.

E-mail: j1espiritu@ucsd.edu

Make an appointment: calendly.com/j1espiritu-ucsd

Julie Kim

Office Manager

Julie works with Dr. Artis and the URH team to maintain office efficiency and reliable support for operations. She is a graduate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and received her undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary arts. Her studio practice focuses on researching relational art and different categories of aesthetics. During her time at SAIC, she worked with students to develop community programs and foster engaging environments across campus. 

Email: juk055@ucsd.edu

Kirsten Kung, PhD

Research Programs Coordinator
UC Scholars, Mentor Liaison

Kirsten Kung, PhD, works with a number of students through the Undergraduate Research Hub (URH). She has extensive experience coordinating multiple year research programs and helping students experience opportunities outside of the classroom. She is particularly interested in issues related to mentoring, engaged learning, and research ethics. Dr. Kung received her PhD from the Ohio State University in social psychology with minors in health psychology and quantitative psychology. Prior to coming to UC San Diego, she was a faculty member at the University of Houston.

E-mail: kkung@ucsd.edu

Daniel Movahed

 TRELS Program Coordinator

 In his role, Daniel manages the TRELS Program and collaborates with the undergraduate colleges at UC San Diego. He earned his business administration degree from CSU Fullerton. During his time at CSU Fullerton, he worked at the university’s Outreach, Recruitment and Orientation department. Prior to coming to UC San Diego, he worked at National University as an advisor in the Admissions department.

 Email: dmovahed@ucsd.edu

 Make an appointment: Daniel's appointment calendar

TBA

Faculty Mentor Program (FMP) and McNair Program Assistant Coordinator

TBA

Research Scholarships Coordinator
URS, Prestigious Scholarships

TBA

Elizabeth Vazquez

Transfer Research and Involvement Coordinator

Elizabeth is the Research and Involvement Coordinator for the Triton Transfer Hub and a liaison between Transfer Student Success and the Undergraduate Research Hub. In her role, the goal is to connect incoming and current transfer students to a wide variety of opportunities offered at UC San Diego such as research, internships, study abroad, volunteer work, and entrepreneurship opportunities. She is passionate about assisting the transfer student community at UC San Diego feel included on campus. A transfer student herself, Elizabeth transferred from community college to UC Santa Barbara where she earned her BA and earned her master’s in postsecondary educational leadership and student affairs from San Diego State University.

Email: e6vazquez@ucsd.edu

Make an appointment: Elizabeth's Appointment Calendar

Madison Clark

Miranda Viveros

Undergraduate Research Hub

Have a question, but you aren't sure who to contact? Email the Undergraduate Research Hub at ugresearch@ucsd.edu and someone will help you!

Quick link to this page: https://bit.ly/URHstaff