Dr. Justin Conner PhD

Passionate and driven growing up, I had a deep-rooted fascination for reptiles and amphibians. Hailing from Miami and nurtured in the vibrant landscape of South Florida, my early encounters with these captivating creatures ignited a lifelong pursuit of understanding their adaptations.
Fueling my passion, I embarked on a transformative journey at Oregon State University, where I pursued a Zoology degree. It was there that my curiosity took a turn, leading me to develop an interest in the intricate workings of animal physiology.
In 2021, my dedication and perseverance were rewarded as I proudly received my Ph.D. from the University of North Texas, specializing in the field of biology. Throughout my doctoral research, I dedicated my efforts to unraveling the mysteries of reptile physiology. This experience broadened my horizons, deepening my understanding of the diverse adaptations that enable animals to thrive in extreme environments. To further expand my expertise, I was honored to be awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation
Postdoctoral Fellowship. This recognition propelled me to the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where I studied hibernation and temperature regulation in mammals. Exploring the intricate interplay between these remarkable animals and their environments, I gained invaluable insights into their unique strategies for survival. I recently moved to the Bay Area and will begin working as a scientist at UC Berkeley in the fall. Throughout my STEM career, I have been passionate about science education and giving back to underrepresented groups in science. Hopefully, providing them with the inspiration that this path is not only attainable but fruitful.

Britney Le

Britney graduated in Fall of 2022 with her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology at the University of Utah. During her time at the University of Utah, she enjoyed working as a medical assistant and volunteering at various non-profit organizations who demonstrated great initiatives in giving back to the local community, specifically towards underrepresented and marginalized populations. She deeply believes in cultivating diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments for ALL—regardless of background, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. 

Britney moved to the Bay Area in May of 2023 and is currently in the Pre-Health Academic Program (PHAP) at California State University-East Bay. She is currently working on her post-baccalaureate certificate, and obtaining prerequisites to apply to medical school in the near future. She hopes to obtain her medical doctor degree and further specialize in Obstetrics and Gynecology—aiming to advocate for the injustices in healthcare, bring awareness and education to such societal issues, as well as bridging and eliminating the gap in health disparities across the United States. 

With her passion and desire to give back to her surrounding communities, DEI, as well as her love for the sciences—she was elated to come across Young Steamers, as she believes Young Steamers encompasses all of the values she profoundly resonates with.  She believes that children should have enriching, accessible, and equitable opportunities for education. She has tremendously enjoyed her experience working alongside the kiddos involved in Young Steamers, as she is continuously amazed by their curiosity, brilliance, and high potential. 

In her free time, she is a dog mom to a goldendoodle named Ford, loves going on scenic runs, or being a very, very, very novice food connoisseur (aka loves trying new foods/restaurants)!

Cori Isbell

Cori graduated with her degree in Molecular Biology from Pomona College, and she plans to continue her education with a PhD/MD-PhD. She’s originally from small-town Kansas and now lives in San Francisco. Her strong interest in research has led her to become a staff research associate for UCSF, where she contributes to HIV cure research. Cori also has an extensive background in other research topics spanning from plant transcriptomics to double-stranded DNA break repair mechanisms in yeast. 

Cori has a passion for teaching and making STEAM fun for everyone. She believes that everyone should have access to a great education with instructors who love teaching. She hopes to enable all kids to explore their curiosities and find their love for something.

Outside of academia, Cori loves to do anything outdoors, actively faces her fears by being a rock climber, loves finding new food spots and is an avid supporter of boba.

Uma Agarwal

Uma has recently earned her degree in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and plans to attend medical school and become a pediatrician. She has a passion for science, teaching, and helping her community. Uma has had multiple Teaching Assistant and tutoring jobs throughout college and thoroughly believes all students deserve teachers that focus on their individualities and allow them to lead their own learning experience. Additionally, her previous hospital volunteer experience with non-verbal children has taught her how to adapt and communicate with individuals in unique ways. Working with YoungSTEAMers doesn’t feel like “work” to Uma; instead, she enjoys the opportunity to spend time with the students and do fun science experiments.

Sebastian Gonzalez

Sebastian is from Chula Vista, California and recently graduated from UC Berkeley in Fall 2024 with a degree in astrophysics and physics. He has a great passion for science outreach and STEM education. As an officer of the Undergraduate Astronomy Society he started a sidewalk astronomy outreach program where random passersby could look through a telescope and enjoy the wonders of the night sky. He also taught a discussion section and ran star parties for the introduction to general astronomy course as an undergraduate student instructor. Most recently he has worked as an education facilitator for the Lawrence Hall of Science where he guided visitors through interactive exhibits and presented planetarium shows. 

In addition to his experience in science communication he has also participated in astrophysics research and plans on attending grad school to continue his work in this field. In the past he worked on detecting optical emission from massive stars before they explode as supernovae. Now he is working on predicting the detected neutrino emission from supernovae where the stars are surrounded by thick clouds of material. He uses this research experience to better inform students and the public on how astrophysics research is done and what it requires.

In his free time Sebastian does amateur astronomy and astrophotography as well as studies other subjects such as history, paleontology, and zoology (he used to do trivia competition back in high school). He also enjoys doing origami, hiking, weightlifting, and watching football. (GO NINERS!)

Leland Hodge

Leland is studying for his Kinesiology degree and always found science intriguing. He aspire to become a student athlete in the near future with hopes to play professionally.

"Teaching at  Young STEAMer hardly feels like a job. Teaching science to these kids brings light to my week, and I absolutely love seeing these kids learn and retain previous lessons".

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Marcos Villasenor

Marcos is currently studying at San Jose State University pursuing a degree in Engineering Technology and a minor in Business. He is looking to lead the manufacturing field into a more sustainable future. He has gained some experience in the medical devices manufacturing field through an internship he had just finished. Marcos has a passion for teaching and mentoring. He has been a part of a mentorship program for his old high school in the Central Valley and spent time tutoring as well. He hopes to teach later on in his life after he works in the engineering field. Marcos is very excited to be a part of Young STEAMers as he believes in its mission and values to help give everyone equal opportunities at education.