Meet our 2026-2027 Peer Mentors!
The Peer Mentoring Program is designed to provide support to undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing research and inquiry. Our peer mentors are wonderful undergraduate and graduate students who represent active researchers and role models from FAU's colleges and partner campuses. If you are interested in participating in undergraduate research or have questions related to how you can get started in research please email one of the mentors in your college to set up a time to meet. Mentors are available to meet in person or virtually. The Peer Mentor page can tell you more about how YOU can become a mentor too!
To meet with a Peer Mentor, visit them during their office hours , or send them an email to set up an appointment. Peer Mentor's office hours schedule .
| Peer Mentor Name | College | Peer Mentor email address |
|---|---|---|
| Brielle Walter | Arts and Letters | briellewalte2023@fau.edu |
| Kayla Ahlness | Broward Campus | kahlness2020@fau.edu |
| Suhaan Mahtani | Business | smahtani2023@fau.edu |
| Lauren Maier | Education | Lmaier2024@fau.edu |
| Suniyah Sohail | Engineering and Computer Science | ssohail2025@fau.edu |
| Cristal Auger | FAU High | cauger2022@fau.edu |
| Valentina Campos | Jupiter Campus | vcampos2023@fau.edu |
| Jack Meyer | Medicine | jmeyer2023@fau.edu |
| Kanaa Clarke | Nursing | clarkek2023@fau.edu |
| Jake Thornberry | Prestigious Fellowships | jthornberry2022@fau.edu |
| Bella Moon | Science | imoon2024@fau.edu |
| Sarah Roldan | Social Work and Criminal Justice | sroldan2023@fau.edu |
Peer Mentor Bios
Brielle Walter
College & Major: College of Arts and Letters; Languages, Linguistics, and Comparative Literature (LLCL) with Certificates in TESOL and Undergraduate ResearchResearch Interest(s): Reading, trying new foods, babysitting, dogsitting, & decorating cakes
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards: F-LEARN Program Alumni, F-LEARN Peer Mentor, Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Fellow, Undergraduate Research Grant Recipient, Undergraduate Research Symposium Presenter (2nd Place People’s Choice Award)
Email:
briellewalte2023@fau.edu
Kayla Ahlness
College & Major: College of Science; PhD in Integrative BiologyResearch Interest(s): Animal conservation, behavioral ecology, data science, citizen science, and biological education
Hobbies/Fun Facts:
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards:
Email: kahlness2020@fau.edu
Suhaan Mahtani
College & Major: College of Business; International Business with a minor in Business LawResearch Interest(s): The Economic Impact of Urban Mining in America
Hobbies/Fun Facts: Painting, Basketball, Wood Engravings
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards: Undergraduate Research Symposium Presenter
Email:
smahtani2023@fau.edu
Lauren Maier
College & Major: College of Science; Neuroscience and BehaviorResearch Interest(s): Examining the effectiveness of the newly developed BRIDGE program in supporting transition-aged individuals with autism, excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance of the neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA activity in the brains of individuals with autism
Hobbies/Fun Facts: running, listening to music, watching movies with my roommate, and cooking and baking
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards: F-LEARN Program Alumni
Email: Lmaier2024@fau.edu
Suniyah Sohail
College & Major: College of Engineering and Computer Science; Biomedical EngineeringResearch Interest(s): Neuropsychiatry/Neuroscience
Hobbies/Fun Facts: Crocheting, watching shows
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards: F-LEARN Program Alumni, Undergraduate Research Symposium Presenter
Email: ssohail2025@fau.edu
Cristal Auger
College & Major: Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College; Biology and Data AnalyticsResearch Interest(s): Neurotransmitter signaling, Protein modeling, Bioinformatics and AI analysis
Hobbies/Fun Fact: Cross-stitch, hiking, and thrifting
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards: Undergraduate Research Grant Recipient, Undergraduate Research Symposium Presenter, Wilkes Honors College Symposium Presenter
Email: cauger2022@fau.edu
Valentina Campos
College & Major: Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College; Cellular NeuroscienceResearch Interest(s): Extracellular matrix, synaptic pruning, and neuronal plasticity
Hobbies/Fun Fact: Extracellular matrix, synaptic pruning, and neuronal plasticity
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards: Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Fellow
Email: vcampos2023@fau.edu
Jack Meyer
College & Major: College of Science; Biological SciencesResearch Interest(s): Cardiovascular & musculoskeletal pathobiology, cancer biology
Hobbies/Fun Fact: Snowboarding, photography and listening to music
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards: Undergraduate Research Grant Recipient, Posters at the Capitol, Undergraduate Research Certificate, Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Fellow
Email:
jmeyer2023@fau.edu
Kanaa Clarke
College & Major: College of Science; Biological SciencesResearch Interest(s):
Hobbies/Fun Fact:
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards:
Email: clarkek2023@fau.edu
Jake Thornberry
College & Major: Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College; NeuroscienceResearch Interest(s): Pain neuroscience, neuroinflammation, the neural mechanisms of chronic and migraine-associated pain
Hobbies/Fun Fact: Watching movies, listening to music, going to the gym, and going scuba diving
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards: Undergraduate Research Grant Recipient
Email: jthornberry2022@fau.edu
Bella Moon
College & Major: College of Science; Biological Sciences with a minor in Environment and SocietyResearch Interest(s): Water Quality, Marine Botany, Environmental and Sustainability Initiatives
Hobbies/Fun Fact: Snorkeling, Paddleboarding, Shelling, Cooking
Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards: F-LEARN Program Alumni, F-LEARN Peer Mentor (2025-Present), Undergraduate Research Symposium Presenter
Email: imoon2024@fau.edu
|
Sarah Roldan College & Major: College of Arts and Letters; HistoryResearch Interest(s): Central America, women and gender, the Hispanic experience, assimilation, and political science Hobbies/Fun Fact: Martial arts, reading, Model United Nations, writing, and music Previous OURI Program Involvements and Awards: Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Fellow, Undergraduate Research Symposium Presenter Email: sroldan2023@fau.edu |