PhD Student Groups | NYU Langone Health

Life at Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences PhD Student Groups

PhD Student Groups

Student groups at NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences provide an opportunity for students to work with their peers outside of the lab and to get to know fellow students with similar interests. Joining a student group is also an excellent way to network. All clubs are open to all Vilcek Institute PhD students.

Vilcek Student Council

The Vilcek Student Council, whose members are elected by students, plans social and academic events for the student body. We act as a liaison between the students and program leadership to suggest new initiatives or events. We also organize fun, seasonal events to promote community building and encourage work-life balance. The Vilcek Student Council plays a major role in student admissions and recruitment, organizing housing tours and serving as resources for applicants and incoming students.

Elected Student Council Members 2025–26

The Vilcek Student Council of 2025–26 consists of: back row, left to right: Ryan Gado, Julie Luehr, Nikolas Kalavros, Heemaja Mewada, Adam Walker; front row: Valeria Estrada Navarro, Yumi Briones, Cassie Areff, Jacob Bernheim, Sindy Gorka, Jen Motter.

Co-Presidents: Cassie Areff, Jacob Bernheim 
Vice President: Yumi Briones 
Secretary: Sindy Gorka 
Co-Treasurers: Nikolas Kalavros, Adam Walker 
Co-Community Engagement Chairs: Jen Motter, Julia Luehr 
Co-Social Chairs: Valeria Estrada Navarro, Ryan Gado 
Health and Wellness Chair: Heemaja Mewada 

Student Diversity Initiative

The Student Diversity Initiative aims to be a safe and open space for discussion, growth, and empowerment. We host a wide range of events and workshops geared toward building community and addressing issues that underrepresented groups face more globally. Additionally, we organize the Marie M. Daly speaker series, which is designed to feature the untold stories of underrepresented scientists and provide a space for scientists to share their groundbreaking work and journey to success.

Another one of our main events is the Annual D.I.V.E (Diversity, Inclusion, Valor, and Empowerment) Retreat, which culminates the workshops we have hosted throughout the year and brings together students of different backgrounds for a day filled with activities and discussions about diversity-related issues at the graduate school. For more information, contact Gabby Whiten at Gabrielle.Whiten@NYULangone.org or Teni Idowu at Teniola.Idowu@NYULangone.org.

Student Queer Association

The goal of the Student Queer Association (SQuAd) is to strengthen the student LGBTQIA+ community, as well as to facilitate connections with the wider NYU Langone queer community.

We host events throughout the year and welcome the entire Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences community, including meet and greets, happy hours, queer history outings, drag shows, and small-group dinners. Our events aim to spark discussion and foster appreciation of the rich queer culture in our student community.

For more information, contact Joaquin Rodriguez at JoaquinJesus.RodriguezGalvan@NYULangone.org, Tori Hallisey at Victoria.Hallisey@NYULangone.org, or Richard Von Itter at Richard.Vonitter@NYULangone.org.

Special Interest Clubs

In addition to clubs hosted by Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, our students are encouraged to participate in other special interest groups hosted by NYU Grossman School of Medicine or NYU.

Biomedical Data Science (BioDataSci) Club

The Biomedical Data Science Club is a community where students, research scientists, and postdocs come together to learn about data science topics in biomedicine. We offer a variety of data science workshops and live coding interactive sessions to provide participants with beneficial knowledge and hands-on experience. Our goal is to help everyone learn data science methods within a short period of time and gain a better understanding of biomedical data in various research areas. If you have any questions or requests, please email us at Xinyi.Zhang@NYULangone.org and Richard.l@NYU.edu.

Black Student Union

The mission of the Black Student Union (BSU) is to foster a supportive and empowering community for Black students within the Vilcek Institute. We strive to create an inclusive and culturally enriching environment that promotes unity, celebrates diversity, and addresses the unique needs and experiences of Black students. For more information, you may contact BSUatNYU@Gmail.com.

Board Game Club

The Vilcek Board Game Club meets every week to play games and hang out after a long day in the lab. We have a number of games including Dominion, Catan, Ticket to Ride, Wingspan, and many more. First time board game player? Risk Tournament winner? We can be as casual or as competitive as you want to be! All are welcome to join us for pizza and fun. For additional information, contact Juan at Juan.Irizarry-Cole@NYULangone.org or Nora at Nora.Herzog@NYULangone.org.

Chinese Students and Scholars Association

The Chinese Students and Scholars Association at NYU Grossman School of Medicine promotes Chinese culture and communications between diverse groups. The group organizes various activities in culture, career, and research to enrich the work and life of the Chinese community at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. We represent the Chinese community here, protect the rights of the community, and encourage cultural exchanges between different groups.

For more information, visit us on Facebook or email Mingzhou Fu at Mingzhou.Fu@NYULangone.org.

Community Research Consulting Initiative

The Community Research Consulting Initiative provides research support for community-based organizations. A student-consulting undertaking, our goal is to share our expertise in human subjects research with the broader community and gain experience in working in applied settings with community organizations. For more information, contact Deborah Onakomaiya at Deborah.Onakomaiya@NYULangone.org or Miriam Gofine at Miriam.Gofine@NYULangone.org.

Crafting Club

The Crafting Club is where creativity meets community! Our club is a space for students to explore their artistic side, learn new skills, and destress through the joy of creating. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned crafter, you'll find something to love as we explore various techniques like crocheting, floral arrangement, watercolor painting, embroidery, and more. This is a place to connect with fellow creators, share inspiration, and celebrate the beauty of handmade craftsmanship. Come join us to learn, create, and unwind while building lasting friendships and crafting memories.

For more information, you may contact ca3261@NYU.edu or ec2676@NYU.edu.

Jewish Graduate Student Club

The Jewish Graduate Student Club provides a safe space for Jewish graduate students to come together and celebrate holidays as well as go to cultural events throughout the city. This club will be a safe space for Jews and our allies to delve deeper into our religion. For more information, you may contact JewishStudentClub@NYULangone.org.

Neuroethics Club

The Neuroethics Club seeks to promote active discussion within the scientific community about topics related to the impact of neuroscience on policy, self-reflection and philosophy, and ethics. We encourage such discussion through monthly journal clubs, seminars, and various outreach activities. Topics are member-driven and can range from free will and criminal justice to artificial intelligence. We encourage members from the greater NYU Grossman School of Medicine community to join due to the interdisciplinary nature of neuroethics.

For more information, contact Asha Caslin at AC7878@NYU.edu.

Neuroscience Outreach Group at NYU

Neuroscience Outreach Group at NYU (NOGN) coordinates outreach efforts and forms partnerships with organizations within NYU and throughout New York City. These partnerships, and the dedication of nearly 100 scientist volunteers, have allowed NOGN to have a large impact.

Classroom visits, Brain Awareness Week programs, and new initiatives like Brains and Brews provide many opportunities to get involved. Contact Heather McKellar at Heather.Mckellar@NYULangone.org to sign up for our volunteer list.

NeuWrite Downtown

NeuWrite integrates the scientific and science communication communities through events, talks, and a monthly workshop where members create compelling science journalism and art.

NeuWrite is looking for students or postdocs who are willing to embrace aspects of organization and leadership, as well as those who would like to participate in workshops as writers and communicators. Contact Heather McKellar at Heather.Mckellar@NYULangone.org for additional information.

Raíces (Latin American Student Association)

Through social and educational events, Raíces hopes to celebrate the Latino community throughout our campus by promoting an inclusive environment. While Latin American cultures are historically complex and unique, we share similar roots, and our name honors our diverse Raíces. We seek to provide a space to explore the intersectional identities and individuality of our members and celebrate our personal journeys as members of the Latino community. In the spirit of making you feel en casa, students should feel free to speak the language they prefer, while promoting a respectful and inclusive environment. In our home, everybody is welcome.

For more information, email Kimberly Zaldana at Kimberly.Zaldana@NYULangone.org, Paola Angulo Salgado at Paola.AnguloSalgado@NYULangone.org, and Josue Canales at Josue.Canales@NYULangone.org.

Running Club

Vilcek Running Club brings together runners of all experience levels for the most healthy form of stress management! We meet every morning for a run at Vilcek Hall (334 E 26th St) and run various routes throughout Manhattan, typically between 3-5 miles. We will also be signing up for group 5Ks, 10Ks, and halfs throughout the year. For additional information contact Molly at Molly.Cohn@NYULangone.org or Adam at Adam.Silhavy@NYULangone.org.

We have a peer-editing pipeline and work to polish articles for publication on other platforms. Our goal is to build a community of writers that keeps each other accountable and provides feedback to encourage productivity. If you want to improve your writing and develop your science communication skills, or are just interested in exploring other careers, keep an eye out for announcements about our next meeting. For more information, contact Kristen D’Elia at Kristen.DElia@NYULangone.org.

For more information, contact José Montoyo-Rosario at Jose.Montoyo-Rosario@MED.NYU.edu. You can also visit the Graduate and Faculty Ministries website.

Scigraphy

Scigraphy aims to tap into our fellow scientists’ creativeness and artistic expression through photography. Come evolve your still storytelling skills with others who share your passion for science and visual arts. We welcome everyone with an interest in photography, even those who’ve never handled a camera. For more information, please contact Nelson García-Vázquez at Nelson.Garcia-Vazquez@NYULangone.org.

The Science Policy, Communications, and Diplomacy Group (SciPol)

The Science Policy, Communications, and Diplomacy Group (SciPol) is a local chapter of the National Science Policy Network housed at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. We aim to equip researchers with the tools and skills to effectively translate their research interests and findings into science communication, diplomacy, and policy. We achieve this mission by building and connecting students and postdocs to a professional network, hosting expert-led workshops and events, providing educational resources, and preparing students to advocate for health/science policy.

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