SOURCE Peer Mentors & Ambassadors play a vital role in the vibrant life of undergraduate research and creative work at Syracuse University and are especially integral to the student governance of The SOURCE. Peer Mentors serve in paid student employee positions as peer mentors to students in all phases of the research and creative process, assist with SOURCE planning, outreach, programs, and office tasks, and design and implement their own project to foster undergraduate research. Ambassadors are volunteers representing a wide variety of disciplines, while they do not host office hours at the SOURCE, they are available to contact via email. SOURCE Peer Mentor & Ambassador profiles can be found below:
Office Hours | Fall 2025
Peer Mentors have open office hours each week in 208 Bowne Hall. Whether you’re just getting started brainstorming ideas or are polishing your final presentation, we’re here to help.
Mondays
- 9am – 11am: Owen
- 11am – 1pm: Gavin
- 2:30pm – 4:30pm: Alex
Tuesdays
- 9am – 11am: Ayla
- 12:30pm – 2:30pm: Alyssa
Wednesdays
- 9am – 11am: Alex
- 11:30am – 1:30pm: Gavin
- 2pm – 4pm: Alyssa
Thursdays
- 9am – 11am: Ayla
- 12:30pm – 2:30pm: Alyssa
Fridays
- 9am – 11am: Alex
- 11am – 1pm: Owen
- 1pm – 3pm: Gavin
- 3pm – 5pm: Ayla
Student Profiles
Peer Mentors
Gavin Linton: Mechanical Engineering (ECS)
Email: gclinton@syr.edu
Year: Senior
Faculty Mentor: Assistant Professor Anupam Pandey
SOURCE Programs I have participated in: Research Assistant through the Faculty RA Grant, Fellowship Award
Research: My work lies in the intersection of soft matter and fluid mechanics. More specifically, we work with harnessing mechanical instabilities for function. The most recent projects have involved creasing structures for fluid transport and characterizing rate dependence in beam buckling.
Campus Involvement and Hobbies: I play and coach soccer!
Alexandra Milchovich: English and Textual Studies (A&S), Communication and Rhetorical Studies (VPA), Minor in Music Performance (VPA)
Email: apmilcho@syr.edu
Year: Senior
Faculty Mentor: Associate Professor Sylvia Sierra
SOURCE Programs I have participated in: Research Assistant through the Faculty RA Grant, Bridge Award, Fellowship Award
Research: I am a SOURCE Research Fellow working on an independent project with Dr. Sierra on queer media references and their function in everyday conversation; we are currently co-authoring an article for publication. I was the first undergraduate to present at Columbia University's Teachers College's Language and Social Interaction Working Group (LANSI) conference, where I presented this work. I am trained in discourse analysis, transcription, and take an interdisciplinary approach to sociolinguistics, incorporating media studies/analysis and queer theory to my work. I have also done research in the public history and archival field (Fulbright Canada Mitacs Globalink Research Internship and the Senator John Heinz History Center curatorial internship) and in English literature (English Distinction/Honors Thesis).
Campus Involvement and Hobbies: I am the Editor-in-Chief of TENDER Magazine, an arts, literature, and cultural publication. I am also a Music Performance minor and am a classically trained vocalist, participating in the Hendricks Chapel Choir. Aside from my SOURCE Fellowship and Peer Mentor position, I am also an English Department Undergraduate Ambassador, a College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Career Ambassador, a VPA Peer Advisor, and a DJ/Radio Show Host for WERW Radio, an independent radio station on-campus. Outside of my involvements, I love to hike, draw, collage, and read. I am an animal-lover, and love to hang out with my dog, Andy.
Ayla Ray: Biology (A&S), Environment, Sustainability, & Policy (Maxwell), Minor in Earth Sciences (A&S)
Email: aray08@syr.edu
Year: Junior
Faculty Mentor: Assistant Professor Christopher W. Fernandez
SOURCE Programs I have participated in: Meeting of the Minds conference, Fellowship Award
Research: I work in a fungal ecology lab focusing on ectomycorrhizal fungi which form symbiotic relationships with plant hosts. I am completing an honors and distinction thesis investigating the impacts of pH, soil organic matter, and inoculum on leaf litter decomposition, fungal diversity, and plant productivity.
Campus Involvement and Hobbies: I am a member of the Renee Crown Honors program and Phi Kappa Phi. I am also a member of the SU outing club within which I enjoy hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, and caving.
Alyssa Mariah Abrams: Forensic Science & Psychology (A&S)
Email: aabram02@syr.edu
Year: Senior
Faculty Mentor: Associate Professor Sara Vasilenko
SOURCE Programs I have participated in: SOURCE Explore, Research Assistant through the Faculty RA Grant, SOURCE Symposia presenter
Research: I conduct research in the HEART Lab with Dr. Sara Vasilenko, focusing on predicting adolescent health issues and risk behaviors. My recent project examined whether there is a predictive relationship between social media use and the age at which adolescents begin using alcohol. This work aims to highlight public health issues and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that emerge early in youth development
Campus Involvement and Hobbies: I enjoy bike riding, doing yoga, and going on long walks/hikes. On campus, I am a peer leader for First-Year Seminar, I occasionally volunteer at Upstate, and I am the Vice President for the Caribbean Student Association.
Ambassadors
Taryn Keefe: Applied Mathematics & Biotechnology (A&S)
Email: tskeefe@syr.edu
Year: Junior
Faculty Mentor: Professor Ramesh Raina
SOURCE Programs I have participated in: Fellowship Award, SOURCE Symposia presenter
Research: I conduct research in the Raina Lab, where we study how different genes influence Arabidopsis thaliana’s responses to both abiotic and biotic stresses. Our work focuses on uncovering the molecular mechanisms that underlie stress tolerance.
Campus Involvement and Hobbies: I am Vice President of Biotechnology Society, President of Campus Cursive, a Shaw Center Leadership Intern, English Conversation Partner, and a Member of Pi Mu Epsilon (National Mathematics Honorary Society). My hobbies are running and making jewelry.
Rogayah F. Alamarie: Biology & Linguistic Studies, Minor in Chemistry (A&S)
Email: rfalamar@syr.edu
Year: Senior
Faculty Mentor: Assistant Professor Richard Kopp (Upstate) & Associate Professor Heather Coleman
SOURCE Programs I have participated in: Research Assistant through the Faculty RA Grant, SOURCE Symposia presenter
Research: I currently work in a genetics lab that studies the genetics of neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on schizophrenia. My research examines how cortisol may contribute to the development of schizophrenia by analyzing various aspects of gene expression and neurodevelopment. Also, I have worked on various project that correlate to linguistic filed; including phonology, applied linguistics, and currently I am working toward examine sentences clarity in the medical field.
Campus Involvement and Hobbies: I volunteer at Upstate Children’s Hospital and am an active member of TriBeta Biological Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi, and several other organizations associated with the medical community.
Edward Lu: Music Composition, Minor in Music History and Cultures (VPA)
Email: elu103@syr.edu
Year: Senior
Faculty Mentor: Associate Professor Natalie Draper
SOURCE Programs I have participated in: Fellowship Award, SOURCE Symposia presenter
Research: Independent creative projects and original musical compositions presented at summer festivals/conferences. (Summer 2024 and Summer 2025).
Campus Involvement and Hobbies: I am a Remembrance Scholar, VPA Community Committee Student Representative, and VPA Peer Mentor. I am a part of University Singers, Hendricks Chapel Choir, SU Wind Ensemble, and SU Saxophone Ensemble.
Emerson Long: Geology & Physics, Minor in French (A&S)
Email: elong04@syr.edu
Year: Senior
Faculty Mentor: Associate Professor Jay Thomas
SOURCE Programs I have participated in: Bridge Award, Fellowship Award
Research: I currently do geology research in Dr. Thomas' experimental petrology lab. I run experiments at high pressure and temperature conditions to study how copper partitions between granitic melt and aqueous fluid.
Campus Involvement and Hobbies: Society of Physics Students, Undergraduate Organization in Geoscience, and SU Abroad Global Ambassador.