GRADUATION 2020

Quantitative Biology

Congratulations,
QBIO Graduates!

Friday, May 15th, 2020, 1-2 pm

Zoom Meeting ID: 937 4103 2158
Password: 097136
 GRADUATION 2020

VIRTUAL GRADUATION RECEPTION

Hosted by Dr. Remo Rohs
Professor and Chair of Quantitative and Computational
Biology

Introduction by Dr. Michael Waterman

University Professor Emeritus

Remarks by Dr. Andrew Viterbi

USC Life Trustee and Co-Founder of Qualcomm

Congratulations by Dr. Bonnie Berger

Professor of Mathematics and Computational Biology at MIT

Congratulations by Dr. Stephen Bradforth

Divisional Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Music by Leeav Sofer

Artistic Director of Urban Voices Project and Bandleader of
Mostly Kosher
 CONGRATULATIONS,
FIRST QBIO GRADUATING CLASS!

The QBIO major started in 2017 and our

2020 graduates were the first students to
join. They were thrilled to find a major
that integrated biology, computer science,
and math. They have helped shape the
major by becoming mentors, giving
faculty feedback on the classes they think
should be a part of the required
coursework, and by helping to spread the
word about the major. We look forward to
watching all of the fabulous things you
will go on to do. Congratulations to you
and your families!
 GRADUATION 2020

IAN BUNNER

My name is Ian Bunner, and I'm excited to be

heading across the border to do a Master's in
Statistics at the University of Waterloo. I like
to spend my free time playing pick-up
basketball at the Lyon Center and reading.

Holiday Party 2019

Professor Beau Visits
 GRA
SDPR
U IANTGI O2N0 2200 2 0

KATHERINE CUNNINGHAM

I grew up in Bellingham, Washington, and

started at USC in January 2017. I joined the
QBIO major in summer 2017 shortly after it was
announced. My favorite parts of being a QBIO
student were the introductory seminar and
getting to work with other seniors in the honors
seminar. I studied circulating blood cells  for
two and a half years in the Convergent Science
Institute in Cancer led by Dr. Peter Kuhn, which
was the highlight of my undergraduate
experience. After graduation, I'll be working
and applying to medical school. I'd love to
thank Dr. Waterman, Dr. Rohs, and Katie Boeck
for making RRI feel like home!

Holiday Party 2019

Professor Beau Visits
 GRA
SDPR
U IANTGI O2N0 2200 2 0

SAMANTHA GRAHAM

I switched into QBIO after completing my

freshman year in BISC, since QBIO wasn't
available my first year. Over the last 3 years in
QBIO, I've appreciated the broad course
curriculum, the small community, and
the  support I've had. I've spent the past two
and a half years studying gene regulation in
heart development with Dr. Le Trinh in the
Fraser Lab. This fall, I'll be starting a PhD in the
University of Minnesota's Molecular, Cellular,
and  Structural Biology program. I am so
grateful to have been able to watch this major
grow over the past 3 years, and I can't thank
Katie Boeck, Dr. Rohs, and Dr. Waterman
enough for making my undergraduate
experience the best I could have asked for!

Holiday Party 2019

Professor Beau Visits
 GRA
SDPR
U IANTGI O2N0 2200 2 0

HENRY JIAO

I took a data science track in QBIO as I plan to

enter industry after finishing the QCB Masters
next fall. I had a great time in the program and
really enjoyed the provided class flexibility.

Holiday Party 2019

Professor Beau Visits
 GRA
SDPR
U IANTGI O2N0 2200 2 0

ALEXANDER MAHER

QBIO was the third major that I switched into

during my time at USC, and I am so happy to
have found my home in this major. I initially
started as Computer Engineering Computer
Science and then switched into Computational
Neuroscience for the opportunity to explore my
curiosity in biology. When I discovered Quanti-
tative Biology and talked to Dr. Rohs about the
major, I couldn’t have been happier with the
amount of academic freedom and
departmental support that was offered to us.
As a Quantitative Biology major, I was able to
choose from a variety of classes and was only
limited by the number of units I had in a
semester to explore the fields that I was
interested in.  After completing my under-
graduate degree in QBIO I will be staying at
USC for another semester to also finish my
progressive masters degree in Quantitative and
Computational Biology. Beyond my time at
USC, I plan on continuing to do research—either
in academia or in industry—while I apply to
graduate school.

Holiday Party 2019

Professor Beau Visits
 GRA
SDPR
U IANTGI O2N0 2200 2 0

NICHOLAS MARKARIAN

I’m a Southern California native from Oak Park,

California, and I started my journey majoring in
Biological Sciences. I loved the theoretical
principles of biology, but I still had a passion
for mathematics. When I heard about QBIO
from my mentor, Steve Finkel, I switched
majors immediately and have not looked back.
In QBIO, being mentored by Dr. Rohs and Dr.
Waterman has been absolutely incredible, and I
think this was part of what made QBIO so
special for me- well, that and all the great
people I’ve become friends with. Plus, the
amazing Katie Boeck has always had our
backs. Through QBIO, I’ve discovered that I
also enjoy learning about algorithms, discrete
mathematics, and physics, but surprisingly, my
exploration of the quantitative sciences helped
me realize how I deeply value the qualitative
human element in medicine. In my next steps, I
hope to bring those interests together as an
MD-PhD candidate on my way to becoming a
physician-scientist.

Holiday Party 2019

Professor Beau Visits
 GRA
SDPR
U IANTGI O2N0 2200 2 0

CAROLINE ROSANKY
I found both research and the QBIO major late,
but I knew they were for me. I became a QBIO
major at the end of my sophomore year and
started research in the Cohen Lab at the
beginning of my Junior year. I’ve continued that
research until this last semester where I hope
to submit my thesis on it and graduate with
honors. Along the way I have also become an
undergraduate teaching assistant for an
introductory computer science course and have
done so for 2 years now. My senior year, I was
elected director of the Emergency Medical
Services of USC, an on-campus, working group
of EMTs, and have held a second job as an EMT
for the greater Los Angeles area. My
experience as an EMT has taught me that
there’s a lot to be done with regards to
evidence based practice. Next year, I intend to
combine my fields of interests and start
research on emergency medicine and
prehospital care in the UT Heath system in
Austin, Texas. In the next few years, I hope to
matriculate to medical school to further my
pursuit of research and improving health care.

Holiday Party 2019

Professor Beau Visits
 GRA
SDPR
U IANTGI O2N0 2200 2 0

SYDNEY SUZUKI

I first heard about QBIO through Dr. Waterman

during my sophomore year. At the time, I was
majoring in Biological Science and wanted to
pick up a minor in Computational Biology and
Bioinformatics. I had taken Remo's BISC 481
course and was really interested in the
coursework. When I spoke to Dr. Waterman, he
mentioned that there was a new major that
better fit my interests and suggested that I look
into it. Since switching into QBIO, it has been
such a blessing to work with Remo and Dr.
Waterman, who both truly care for us and have
done so much to make the program what it is
today, and the faculty  and staff. I am currently
in the QCB PDP program. After completing the
program, I hope to apply to law school .

Holiday Party 2019

Professor Beau Visits
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could

From
The Road Not Taken
by
Robert Frost