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.

To make an appointment with Dr. Artis, please contact Ms. Mercedes Favor at mfavors@ucsd.edu

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Assistant Director

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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

Mercedes Favors

Office Manager

Mercedes Favors is the Office Manager and Assistant to Dr. David Artis. Mercedes served 10 years in the United States Navy providing guidance and administrative support to active-duty service members. While deployed, she obtained her degree in science. Currently, as a veteran, she is pursing her degree in education. Her goal within URH is to provide unlimited support and contribute to the success of all students.

E-mail: mfavors@ucsd.edu

Kirsten Kung, PhD

Research Programs Coordinator
UC Scholars, LAEP

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 seven 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.

Noel Nguyen

Faculty Mentor Program (FMP) and Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) Coordinator

Noel helps students make professional connections and gain career skills through research presentations. He is a proud UCSD alumni and received his undergraduate degree in speculative design. He has also completed professional certificate programs through UCSD Extension and the San Diego Community College system. With a background in working with diverse groups across campus, Noel strives to provide inclusive support and opportunities to members of the UCSD community.

E-mail: ncnguyen@ucsd.edu

Marie Sheneman, PhD

McNair Program Assistant Coordinator | RSRI Program Coordinator

Marie assists in all stages of the program, from recruiting program participants to collecting post-graduation data. Marie is a proud sociology alumna of Washington State University (BA), Northern Arizona University (MA), and Iowa State University (PhD). She is the first person in her family to earn a BA (first-generation pride!) and the first person in her extended family to earn graduate degrees. During her time in Iowa, she was a sociology professor and honors program coordinator at a community college. Through her work with the honors program, Marie fell in love with working with students outside the classroom and helping them enhance their education.  

E-mail: msheneman@ucsd.edu 

For RSRI questions: rsri@ucsd.edu

Make an appointment: calendly.com/msheneman

Sophia Tsai Neri, PhD

Research Scholarships Coordinator
URS, Genentech, Prestigious Scholarships

Sophia Tsai Neri coordinates multiple programs within the Undergraduate Research Hub (URH). She has experience coordinating student-mentor matching, research scholarships, and helping students get more out of their research programs. 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.

Office Hours: Tuesday (1:00 pm - 3:00 pm), Wednesday (10:00 am - 12:00 pm)

E-mail: stsai@ucsd.edu

Phone: 858-534-9014

Make an appointment: calendly.com/stsai-ucsd

Isobel Varney

STEMM Community Coordinator
CAMP, NACME

As the new STEMM Community Coordinator, Isobel is dedicated to facilitating the success of students in dynamic STEM and medicine fields by providing comprehensive support and advancement opportunities. She coordinates federal, state, and private-funded programs, collaborating with research faculty, senior administrators, and industry partners. Isobel’s academic background is in environmental studies and education at UC Santa Cruz. Previously, she coordinated programs to support underserved communities for the San Diego Promise Zone initiative.

E-mail: ivarney@ucsd.edu

Make an appointment: https://calendly.com/ivarney/30min

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

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Undergraduate Research Hub