Alex Contreras, born in the Dominican Republic, grew up in Westfield, Indiana.  Alex earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry and minored in Molecular Biology at Ball State University in May 2021.  He is interested in chemistry, pharmacology, and seeks to earn his PhD.  At the moment, he is leaning towards a future in industry but is considering academia.  Some of his pastimes include playing piano, cooking, and going to the gym.  He matriculated through VERTICES PREP from 2021-2022 and continues his students at Vanderbilt University in the IGP Program.

Scott Dawson was born and raised in Albany, a small rural town located in Southwestern Georgia. He is an avid video and card game player.  Scott is a 2021 graduate of Albany State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.  His research interests are in Organic and Biological Chemistry.  He matriculated through VERTICES PREP from 2021-2022 and is enrolled at Wake Forest University in the Chemistry PhD program.

Alexander M. Martinez Lopez was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico where he studied Biomedical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico. He aspires to become a physician-scientist, researching engineering and computational modalities that can have a profound impact on cardiac treatments. Outside the laboratory, Alexander enjoys cooking, playing basketball and spending time with his family.  He matriculated through VERTICES PREP 2021-2022 and is enrolled at Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico Engineering and Applied Sciences PhD program.

Sierra Williams-McLeod is a 2021 graduate of Hampton University and is originally from Charlotte, NC.  In the future, Sierra plans to pursue a PhD in Neuroscience in order to fulfill her aspiration of pursuing a career in academia or in the neuropharmaceutical industry. Her research interests include cellular and molecular neuroscience and understanding the mechanisms that drive neurodegenerative disease. In her free time, Sierra enjoys traveling, baking, and doing community service.  She matriculated through VERTICES PREP from 2021-2022 and is enrolled at John Hopkins University in the Cellular and Molecular Medicine PhD program.