E-Board & Members
The people behind NiCE
E-board
Vice President: Neal Goturi
nrg43 (at) cornell.edu
Neal Goturi is a sophomore at Cornell University, where he is pursuing a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations. He has led and supported successful climate and energy legislation in Maryland, including statewide utility cybersecurity standards and local all-electric construction standards, and has testified before legislative bodies on energy and regulatory reform. Beyond nuclear energy, Neal is a staff writer for the Cornell Undergraduate Law and Society Review and a nationally ranked competitor on Cornell’s British Parliamentary debate team.
Communications Coordinator: Itzel Melendez
iam42 (at) cornell.edu
Itzel Melendez is a sophomore in the college of arts and sciences. Her interest in nuclear comes from a longstanding history developing climate-conscious curriculum for schools and programs, and an interest in clean energy and physics. Currently, she helps with Cornell NiCE's club newsletter!
Secretary: Ivy McConarty
Im394 (at) cornell.edu
Ivy McConarty is a sophomore at Cornell University studying Mechanical Engineering. Her interest in nuclear energy stemmed from a high school summer internship program at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. Beyond NiCE, she is the Analysis Lead for Cornell's Concrete Canoe project team, an Engineering Ambassador, and a Dining Room Attendant for the Cornell Supper Club.
Co-Founder: Diana Michaelson
dam378 (at) cornell.edu
Diana Michaelson is a senior at Cornell University pursuing a dual BS/MHA degree with a B.S. in Health Care Policy and a minor in Russian in the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. She is the founder and president of Cornell Nuclear is Clean Energy (NiCE) and helped lead the effort to establish Cornell as the first Ivy League American Nuclear Society chapter. For Diana, the connection between health care and nuclear energy is clear: advancing health equity depends on reliable, sustainable energy, and nuclear power's low-carbon, long-term affordability makes it a critical tool for equitable, resilient health systems. On campus, Diana is also involved with the Dean’s Advisory Council, Cayuga Healthcare Consulting, Women in Healthcare Leadership, the DEBUT Project Team, and the Health Futures Club.
Co-Founder & ANS Lead: Juliette Tonnel
jet245 (at) cornell.edu
Juliette is a junior at Cornell studying Materials Science and Engineering. Passionate about climate change, she discovered the benefits of nuclear energy in high school and has wanted to pursue a career in the field ever since. Her interest has since expanded to nuclear power in space. She is an undergraduate researcher in Cornell's Laboratory of Advanced Materials Manufacturing, where she explores the response of refractory alloys in extreme conditions. Through Cornell NiCE/ANS, Juliette is passionate about reinvigorating Cornell's nuclear engineering program.
Co-Founder: Carson Appel
Committee Leads
Sponsorship Lead: Alejandro Ferrer Gomez
af676 (at) cornell.edu
Alejandro Ferrer Gomez is the Sponsorship Lead for NiCE and he is a sophomore from Madrid studying Physics at Cornell University with a high interest in applied physics, especially in nuclear energy and its applications in industry. He helped NiCE become a chapter of the American Nuclear Society with the proposal. Besides nuclear energy, Alejandro plays in a band in local bars and is a radio host for WVBR 93.5FM.
Policy Lead: Sloane Fiverson
Social Chair: Joey D’Arcangelo
NiCE Summit Committee Leads
Bryant Yang
by323 (at) cornell.edu
Bryant Yang is a sophomore studying Chemical Engineering with an interest in sustainability and clean energy. He became interested in nuclear energy after taking Prof. Van Dover’s Intro to Materials Science class and is excited to explore how it intersects with ChemE. Outside of NiCE, he enjoys playing on Cornell’s Club Ultimate Frisbee team and supporting the Chemistry Peer Advisors program.
Nedzma Srkalovic
ns973 (at) cornell.edu
Nedzma Srkalovic is a junior studying Electrical and Computer Engineering. She is interested in nuclear energy because she wants to contribute to the global energy transition through commercialization of fusion energy with a goal of improving quality of life. Nedzma is a student researcher at Cornell's Laboratory of Plasma Studies (PUFFIN) currently researching energy coupling in the preheat stage of Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF).
Nuclear Analysts
Marcelo Tejada Rivera
mjt285 (at) cornell.edu
Marcelo is a Senior studying Architecture at Cornell University. He is one of the Nuclear Analysts at NiCE, researching for weekly news on the Nuclear field. His interest in nuclear energy led to him working on a near-future science fiction novel, where some of the protagonists are operators of an underwater nuclear reactor in a scientific research base. Outside NiCE he likes worldbuilding, art, nature, and space exploration.
Aarish Talukdar
at2227 (at) cornell.edu
Aarish Talukdar is a sophomore at Cornell University, pursuing a B.S. in Engineering Physics. He currently conducts Computational Plasma Physics research at Cornell's Laboratory of Plasma Studies, and is intent on pursuing Ph.D. within the same field. By committing himself to the study of Plasma Physics he hopes to one day be able to apply what he learns in the Nuclear Fusion Industry post-grad. Outside of research, Aarish is an avid dancer and musician, most notably being a member of Cornell's competitive South Asian Dance team Big Red Raas.
Bi-Weekly Speaker Series Co-Leads
Korra Littwin
kl2339 (at) cornell.edu
Korra is a freshman studying biological sciences and neurobiology. She has had a fascination with and passion for advocating towards greater adoption of nuclear energy since being assigned a research project on Chernobyl in elementary school. By engaging in a technical fascination with and a love for how safe and environmentally friendly it is, she hopes to combat misinformation and get more people to love nuclear!
Lucy Steinheimer
las573 (at) cornell.edu
Lucy Steinheimer is a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences majoring in physics. Her interest in nuclear energy stems from a love for clean, renewable power. Outside of NiCE she loves drawing, chocolate, and has an interest in particle physics. Currently she is a co-lead helping with the Biweekly Speaker Series in NiCE!
Jett Loar
jll374 (at) cornell.edu
Jett Loar is a freshman at Cornell University studying Mechanical Engineering. Jett’s interest in nuclear energy came from living in a coal dependent region of Appalachia, leading him to explore other more sustainable forms of energy. After discovering the many benefits of nuclear energy in high school, Jett now hopes to pursue a career in nuclear operations.
jjd323 (at) cornell.edu
Joey is a 3rd year mechanical engineering student. He is interested in the applications of nuclear energy in the space industry, due to his overlapping interest with rocketry.
Ezra Burghouts
ejb332 (at) cornell.edu
Ezra Burghouts is a sophomore at Cornell University studying Mathematics and Computer Science. He is interested in nuclear energy for its potential to provide reliable, sustainable energy.
Members
Andreas Psillos
ap2354 (at) cornell.edu
Andreas Psillos is a junior pursuing engineering physics, with an interest in plasma physics and nuclear fusion technology. He is a research assistant within the laboratory of plasma studies, working under Professor Lavine in pulsed power. In addition, Andreas is a subteam lead in Cornell Concrete Canoe and a member of the Hellenic Student Association.
Jonathan Distler
jhd94 (at) cornell.edu
Jonathan Distler is a junior at Cornell University studying mechanical engineering with a minor in physics. He became interested in nuclear power after a growing disillusionment with other energy alternatives and the inability for the current grid to keep pace with the growing energy demands of the rapidly evolving technology field. He is currently a member of Cornell's Aerospace Adversary Lab, HRC2 Lab, and Cornell Hyperloop Project Team, and will be working at Valar Atomics during Summer 2026 to develop Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
Pete Olhava
pjo42 (at) cornell.edu
Pete Olhava is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences studying Math and Computer Science. He is interested in the physics behind nuclear energy and the potential it has as a renewable source of energy. Beyond Nuclear Energy, Pete is loves being in nature, playing poker, and traveling.
Marlon Clarke Jr.
mac638 (at) cornell.edu
Marlon Clarke Jr. is a freshman at Cornell University studying mechanical engineering. He became interested in nuclear power after participating in a high school research project. He is currently a part of the Cornell NiCE communications team, creating publications for upcoming events.
Yosef Herrera
yjh4 (at) cornell.edu
Yosef Herrera is a sophomore at Cornell University studying Government and Classics. He is interested in becoming a Radiation Oncologist and is interested in all aspects and applications of Nuclear Science. In his past he has done Nuclear Experimentation with a Farnsworth Fusor that he used to do Neutron Activation. His work surrounding nuclear science has led him to placing at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and he has received various awards from different nuclear organizations.
Amy Li
al2675 (at) cornell.edu
Amy Li is a sophomore pursuing Mechanical Engineering, with an interest in food development and clean energy. Her responsibility is to debunk nuclear myths and keep you up to date with @cornell_nice on Instagram! In her free time, she hunts for campus food resembling her NYC eats and exercises her artistry in fashion drawing, origami, and ukulele.
Eli Zucker
ebz5 (at) cornell.edu
Eli is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. He has been studying the physics of the stars and is also very interested in the future of nuclear energy. He hopes one day to use the former to help humanity develop the latter.
Andy Glesmann
arg292 (at) cornell.edu
Andy Glesmann is a sophomore majoring in chemical engineering. His interest in nuclear comes from a passion for clean and sustainable energy. He has been a member of Cornell NiCE since Fall 2025.
Silas Dorsky
sad282 (at) cornell.edu
Silas Dorsky is a sophomore majoring in Materials Science and Engineering from New York City. He was first drawn to nuclear due to research he conducted on materials for nuclear fusion in high school. Outside of the classroom, Silas enjoys playing baseball and is a part of the Cornell Club Baseball team.
Heidi Yoo
hy695 (at) cornell.edu
Heidi Yoo is a freshman at Cornell University studying physics in the College of Arts & Sciences. She first became interested in nuclear energy while taking introductory physics survey courses that discussed condensed matter, nanoscale, and particle physics, and is currently most interested in physics' applications to clean nuclear energy.
Evan Brezicki
ejb323 (at) cornell.edu
Evan Brezicki is a junior Chemical Engineer at Cornell University. He first became involved in the nuclear space when joining Cornell NiCE last fall, and he now gives biweekly nuclear technology news updates to members in meetings every other week. Outside of NiCE, Evan is heavily involved in his ChemE Car team where he is the pressure subteam and safety team lead, is a teacher and the secretary of the Cornell Piano Society, and is currently auditioning to become a chimesmaster!
John Martini
jtm334 (at) cornell.edu
John Martini is a sophomore from Long Island, New York majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He has a strong interest in nuclear energy, inspired by the reactor systems used in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarines. Outside academics, he is interested in hiking, traveling, and going to the gym.
Harrison Rurka
hr366 (at) cornell.edu
Harrison Rurka is a junior civil engineering student from Raleigh, North Carolina. He is interested in nuclear energy advocacy given its viability as a solution to future energy crises. He is currently a member of Cornell NiCE’s ANS drafting team.
Andrew Jain
akj52 (at) cornell.edu
Andrew Jain is a freshman Engineering Physics student from Chicago studying at Cornell University. He has a strong interest in nuclear energy and hopes to pursue a career in the field. Outside of academics, Andrew enjoys running, playing tennis, and going outdoors.
Walter Lumpkin
wl799 (at) cornell.edu
Walter Lumpkin is a sophomore from Seattle majoring in Chemical Engineering. He is pursuing a commission as a Naval Nuclear Submarine Officer and is interested in the nuclear energy industry post service. Outside of NiCE, he enjoys playing the piano, lifting weights, and working in his engineering project team!
Logan Carr
lmc389 (at) cornell.edu
Logan Carr is a sophomore at Cornell University studying mechanical engineering. He is involved with Cornell Engineering’s Design Build Fly project team as a member of the Aerodynamics Subteam. His interest in nuclear energy stems from his aspiration to serve in the U.S Nuclear Navy through the NUPOC program.
Ahrar Sameeo
aas434 (at) cornell.edu
Ahrar Sameeo is a freshman from New York City majoring in Electrical & Computer Engineering and minoring in Dyson Business for Engineers. He enjoys working out and playing pool outside of classes. He hopes to commission in the U.S. Navy as a submarine officer and work in the nuclear energy industry afterwards.
Jeremy Schubert
jts334 (at) cornell.edu
Jeremy Schubert is a freshman majoring in Mechanical Engineering from New Canaan, Connecticut. He’s particularly interested in nuclear fusion, as well as the use of nuclear energy to power space exploration. His interest in nuclear energy comes from doing a paper on it in a high school English class, as well as its capacity to lower the world’s carbon emissions.