Project Mentors:
Dr. Jacaranda van Rheenen helps develop and support global health initiatives at Washington University and facilitates engagement amongst and between faculty and students. She organizes an annual global health and infectious disease conference, a summer research program, visiting global health speaker series and global health student group meetings. Prior to joining the Center, she worked as Assistant Dean for graduate student affairs at the University. Dr. van Rheenen earned a master’s of science degree in agricultural and environmental sciences at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and a doctorate in plant ecology from Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Her research has taken her to the Bolivian Amazon rain forest to study the role of seed trees and seedling regeneration for species maintenance in logged-over forests.
Dr. Chaya Gopalan is the Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Health Education at the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior, at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois. She also serves as faculty at the Graduate Nursing Program at the School of Nursing. Dr. Gopalan is an accomplished teacher and researcher and was a recipient of the 2001 National Association of Biology Teachers’ Teaching award. Dr. Gopalan is actively involved in the St. Louis community youth group volunteering activities.
Dr. Diana Graizbord is a Doctoral Fellow in Brown’s Graduate Program in Development and Inequality at Providence, Rhode Island. She holds an MA in International Affairs and Development from the New School and a BA from Sarah Lawrence College. Her research and teaching interests include the sociology of development and globalization, poverty and inequality, and international social policy. While her current research is focused on Latin America, she has extensive research and practical development experience in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. She has previously taught courses in the Leadership Institute, as well as in the Sociology and Development Studies programs at Brown University.
Dr.Tanya Roth is a faculty member of the History department at Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School. She completed her PhD from Washington University in St. Louis and has been teaching Upper school history at MICDS since 2011.