Undergraduate Research
OUR Student Staff: Research Ambassadors
Research Ambassadors are experienced student researchers who can provide guidance to their peers throughout the research process at Oberlin and beyond for any subject. They can provide feedback on research applications, give advice on developing a research project, and help students get involved in research opportunities. Read more about the 2025-26 Research Ambassadors below!
Tanisha Shende
OUR Research Ambassador
Tanisha Shende (she/her) is a fourth-year student majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics with a minor in Sociology and an integrative concentration in Data Science. During her first year and third years, she conducted computational astrophysics research under Professor Jillian Scudder at Oberlin. She has spent four summers participating in computer science, human-computer interaction, and engineering research at Columbia University, Cornell University, Pennsylvania State University, Gallaudet University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At Cornell University, Tanisha currently develops assistive technology and researches how to make technology, especially extended reality, more accessible for disabled people. Additionally, at the MIT Media Lab, she is researching the usability and efficacy of a mixed reality interface for a 4D ultrasound imaging system. She is also authoring a review paper on the applications of augmented and virtual reality within healthcare, particularly its potential to expand access in settings marked by geographic or resource constraints. At Oberlin, Tanisha conducts research on educational disparities within the computer science department under Professor Cynthia Taylor. Additionally, under Professor Benjamin Linowtiz, she is researching the history of mathematics by incorporating the contributions of historically marginalized genders and cultures, with the aim of producing a more comprehensive and unbiased account. She was recently named a 2025 Goldwater Scholar for her research efforts. Beyond her STEM research, Tanisha is an Engaged Learning Lab Research Fellow at the Bonner Center, a member of the Math Majors Committee, a 2024-25 Ashby Business Scholar, a 2025-26 Law and Justice Scholar, and a Student Delegate to the Athens Democracy Forum. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing. As a Research Ambassador, she hopes to uncover and mitigate barriers to research faced by Oberlin students.
Nyrobi Whitfield
OUR Research Ambassador
Nyrobi Whitfield (‘26) is a fourth-year student, double majoring in Geoscience and Environmental Studies and minoring in Spanish. During her first year, she conducted research on the biogeochemistry of the Great Lakes. Nyrobi has also participated in two summer REU programs at UConn and the University of New Mexico, respectively, studying predator-prey relationships in the rocky intertidal, nematode trophic levels and identifying endemic spring snail species. This past summer, she worked as a Hollings Scholar at the NOAA's Kasitsna Bay Laboratory in Alaska studying a unique tidal lagoon complex. She will be continuing this work through her Environmental Studies Honors Project. She is also in the process of co-authoring a synthesis paper for the Winter Grab, focusing on the physical and chemical elements of the Great Lakes. Outside of school, Nyrobi is a captain on the Oberlin Swim team and part of the STRONG and Bonner Scholar programs. As a Research Ambassador, Nyrobi wants to encourage students to participate in a research project to explore possible career paths and enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Olivia Hood
OUR Research Ambassador
Olivia Hood (she/her) is a third-year student majoring in Art History and Cinema Studies with a minor in Hispanic Studies. She has conducted research during Winter Term 2025 with documentarian Brian Becker for one of his future documentaries. During Summer 2025, she participated in the Oberlin Undergraduate Research Institute. Her OSRI project examined Afro-Brazilian representation in Brazilian cinema in the latter half of the twentieth century, filtered specifically through the lens of the filmography of director Carlos Diegues. Outside of her research, Olivia is a serious artist, animator, and illustrator of ten years as well as a dedicated cinephile. As a Research Ambassador, Olivia aims to encourage more humanities students to pursue research and to uplift underrepresented groups and subject matter in research.
Swaranya (Sway) Sarkar
OUR Research Ambassador
Swaranya (Sway) Sarkar is a second-year student at Oberlin College studying neuroscience, global health, and philosophy. She conducts computational neuroscience research at Oberlin and spent her first summer at Yale School of Medicine engaged in translational work on memory consolidation and loss of consciousness during seizures. Passionate about bridging science and storytelling, Sway teaches JoyCo, an ExCo that explores happiness through reflective conversation and interdisciplinary curiosity. She is also a STRONG and Bonner Scholar, News Editor for The Oberlin Review, and the creator of In Their Words, a memory preservation project rooted in care, culture, and community. Her work lives at the intersection of brain science, ethics, and public health, always grounded in a deep belief in service. As a Research Ambassador, she’s excited to help students find joyful, meaningful entry points into research—and to make the journey feel a little more welcoming for everyone!