Meet the Bargaining Team
After two full days of campus-wide voting, Graduate Student Workers (GSWs) at USC elected a bargaining team! You can support the bargaining team by signing onto the Initial Bargaining Demands here.
Jacqueline Johnson
5th-year PhD student, Cinema and Media Studies
“Hi everyone, I’m Jackie (she/her). My research examines Black women as both the producers and subjects of romance narratives across a variety of media forms in the 2010s. In my free time, I read a ton of romance novels, explore new restaurants, and blast Beyoncé’s Renaissance at full volume.”
Quote: “I’m here for the right reasons.”
– Every Bachelor/ette contestant
Wes Wise
3rd year PhD student, Mathematics Department
“Hello all, I’m Wes (or Linds) Wise (he/him). In my research, I am examining card shuffling schemes. When I can find any free time, I love weightlifting, drawing, and swimming. My favorite way to hang out with friends is over a nice, long, complicated board game. I drink more coffee than water (on a good day).”
Quote: “This is somewhere to be. This is all you have, but it’s still something.”
– Disco Elysium
Annastasia Haynie
6th year PhD student, Physics & Astronomy Department
“Hi! I’m Anna (she/her). I am working on numerical modeling of core-collapse supernovae and am passionate about scientific outreach, communication, and accessibility. In my free time, I love to go dancing, tend to my many house plants, and crochet and I strongly believe that the only thing that beats live music is laying in the park with my dog and a good book.”
Meg Tiller
5th-year PhD student, Religion Department
“Hi! My research examines the intersections of American Christianity, politics, and popular culture. I am an avid runner and cook. When not working, I can be found giving belly rubs to my dog, Salome.”
Piril Nergis
3rd year PhD student, Electrical and Computer Engineering
“Hi folks, I’m Piril (they/them). My research focuses on antenna design for drone-based remote sensing of soil hydrology, but I have other interests despite the presence of my sleeping bag in the lab. I love to host and cook, go on an adventure in any setting, and most importantly read a good book with my cats on my lap. And if you need your fortune read, give me a call.”
Stepp Mayes
5th year PhD student, Environmental Engineering
“Hi I’m Stepp (he/him), a fourth year PhD candidate in Environmental Engineering. My research focuses on using creative methods to reduce emissions from the electric grid. I like reading, sports, games, and places that sell drinks for less than $10. I think any outdoor activity is a good one!”
Megan Cassingham
5th year PhD student, Chemistry Department
“Hey, y’all! I’m Megan (she/they). In the lab, my work involves synthesizing crystals to study structure property relationships. I love baking sweets to share with my lab or playing my Nintendo Switch in my free time. While I love a weekend staying in, traveling is also a big passion of mine.”
Bryan Byrdlong
English PhD student, Creative Writing
“Hi! I’m Bryan and I’m from Chicago, Illinois. I received my MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan where I was a member of the graduate student union GEO #3550.”
Anna Weiss
4th year PhD student, Marine and Environmental Biology
“Hi I’m Anna (she/her). I study how the environment impacts relationships between bacteria in an environmentally important consortium. Outside of my research, I enjoy connecting with people over a meal, petting cats, exploring walkable neighborhoods and making embroidered art.”
Maile McCann
5th year PhD student, Civil Engineering
“I’m Maile (they/she)! My research is in coastal engineering, mainly real-time tsunami modeling and disaster resilience. When I’m not coding or traveling for field work, I love to slap the bass in my band, climb rocks, hike, and read books.”
Sayan Ghosh
2nd year PhD student, Computer Science
“Hi! I’m Sayan (he/him), and I’m working in the area of Natural Language Processing. I love collecting/DJing electronic music (especially UK Garage/Detroit Techno and Electro), reading, learning languages, and going on frequent Bourdain days (lounging at a streetside café before a gluttonous evening).”
Maggie Davis
4th year PhD student, Sociology Department
“Hey y’all, I’m Maggie (she/her)! I research the politics of logistics and resource distribution. If not on campus, you can find me reveling in Steven Soderberg’s cinematic universe or bumping MBV in the car on my way to one of the three bars (total) I vibe with in LA.”
Ashley Lehr
4th-year PhD student, Program in Biomedical and Biological Sciences
“Hi everyone! I’m Ashley (she/her). My work focuses on the regulation of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 3 in Deep Crypt Secretory Cells in the Colonic Epithelium. Other than research, I enjoy surfing, taking my dog to the park, and attending EDM concerts.”
Sulyab Thottungal Valapu
3rd year PhD student in Computer Science
“I’m Sulyab (he/they). My research focuses on designing reliable decentralized systems and the network infrastructure to support them. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing open-world RPGs, and hanging out at my favorite low-key live music spot.”
Yongqin Wang
5th year PhD student, Electrical and Computer Engineering
“I’m Yongqin (he/his).
I love politics just like you love sports!”