Julia Finch is a junior in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia, where she is pursuing her Bachelors of Arts in English with a concentration in Professional Writing and Rhetoric. In fall 2025, she transferred from Augusta University in her hometown Augusta, Georgia, to attend UGA and officially be a “dawg”. After graduation, she hopes to teach dual-enrollment and AP Language to high school juniors and seniors. Along with writing papers and various books for fun in her spare time, Julia also enjoys long walks with her roommates, spontaneous trips, and watercolor painting.
Bianca Orfila-Molinet is a second-year Political Science and International Affairs major at the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs. She is minoring in International Human Rights and Security and Women and Gender Studies. She currently serves as a General Writer, General Editor, and Week-in-Review Editor at the Loch Johnson Society International Affairs Editorial, where she will assume the position of Editor-in-Chief of the General Editorial for the 2026-2027 school year.
Joanna Zhu is a senior double majoring in biochemistry and biology. Her future goal is to become a physician-scientist, conducting research and practicing medicine at the intersection of cancer and immunology. This article spun out of her general interest in immunotherapies and a personal anecdote she heard from a friend. After doing some research, she became really intrigued by CAR-T therapy’s application in solid tumor cancers and wanted to write an article on the current challenges and hopes surrounding it. Joanna hopes to give everyone who reads the article the same optimism and excitement she felt throughout her research process, all while presenting the subject realistically.
Gus Weed is an undergraduate student at the University of Georgia studying both religion and music. Being a local church intern and long-time musician, Gus has found the two fields of human expression to be deeply profound for much of his life. Seeking a Bachelor’s degree in Religion with a minor in Jazz Music, Gus plans on continuing his education in seminary after graduating to one day serve in vocational ministry. In his free time, he performs in the UGA Jazz Band and Redcoat Marching Band and serves with local Christian ministries for his peers. He also loves to read, exercise, and spend time with loved ones. His paper is an extension of his interest in the stories of other people and places to learn more about human expression and experience.
Dedeepya Yarlagadda is a student in the Division of the School of Computing whose research sits at the intersection of machine learning, natural language processing, and explainable artificial intelligence. Her current work focuses on hybrid neural architectures that combine text-based and graph-based reasoning for misinformation detection. She is particularly interested in building AI systems that are not only accurate but also transparent and accountable to the communities they serve.
Phoebe Feibus is a 3rd year student from Canton, GA, pursuing a Bachelor of Music from the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. A proud HHSOM Ambassador, she studies vocal performance as well as film and media scoring. She can be seen performing with UGA’s Hodgson Singers and Opera Theatre Department, and her film scores have earned honors at various film festivals. Phoebe would like to thank the School of Music faculty for their encouragement and support!
Jodie Stone is a fourth-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biology and an A.B. in Music at the University of Georgia. She conducts gender studies research through the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, focusing on gender equity and the practical applications of feminist theory in medicine. Jodie serves as a Student Ambassador for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and as Advertising Chair for MEDLIFE UGA. She has also participated in microbiology and genetics research at the New Materials Institute and is currently applying to medical school. As a member of the UGA Symphony Orchestra and Viola Studio, she enjoys performing on the viola, attending concerts, and supporting the musical community in Athens.
Ettesaf Rayan is an undergraduate student studying philosophy at the University of Georgia. Ettesaf’s research interests lie in normative and applied ethics, particularly effective altruism, animal ethics, artificial intelligence, and consequentialism. Ettesaf also deeply cares about public philosophy, seeking to bridge the gap between academic philosophy and the public, between theory and everyday ethics.
Melyssa Munn is a 3rd year majoring in Psychology (AOE in neuroscience) and Women’s and Gender Studies. Her academic interests include grief and trauma in adolescent development, cultural psychology, adolescent psychopathology, as well as women’s health and sexuality. Her work explores how societal structures shape women’s identities, particularly in relation to sexuality, autonomy, and life course expectations. She is especially interested in how early socialization influences long-term cognitive and emotional outcomes, as well as how feminist theory can be applied to challenge normative frameworks surrounding womanhood and agency.
Briana Roberson is a 2025 graduate of the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Her research interests include applications of remote sensing methods for wildlife physiology and conservation. She is currently a master’s student at James Madison University, where she researches remote sensing methods for mapping impacts of wildlife on emerging post-glacial habitats. Outside the lab, she is passionate about environmental education, and an is alum of the UGA Women’s Swimming and Diving team.
Emma Fitzgerald recently graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts & Sciences, earning her Bachelor of Science in Biology while preparing to apply to medical school. Her academic work includes laboratory experience in protein analysis and molecular biology techniques, with a growing interest in the intersection of biomedical research and patient care. Fitz is particularly interested in pediatric oncology which led to her research in mental health affecting cancer treatment. On campus, she was a Pre-Health ambassador for the Pre-Professional Advising Office, a member of the Pre-Health Honor Society, AED, and a member of the sorority Chi Omega. Outside of academics, Fitz enjoys hiking 14ers across the state of Colorado, running trail races, and watching over-the-top reality shows with her roommates. She is ecstatic about her acceptance into the EPEP Program at Piedmont Heart Institute in Atlanta during her gap year before medical school.
Maddi Finn graduated from UGA in spring 2026 with a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Theory (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa), and she is an incoming Master’s of Music Theory student and graduate assistant at Michigan State University. Originally from Buffalo, NY, her musical journey began at the Eastman School of Music’s community music school in Rochester, NY, where she completed her first theory courses and studied classical saxophone. More recently, Maddi held a peer-learning assistant position for music theory levels II and III. Independently, she additionally designs and teaches her own theory courses for students with experience ranging from high school through graduate school. Pedagogically, she is an advocate for early exposure to linear-perspective tonal analysis, as well as the integration of Fuxian species counterpoint in beginning part-writing. Maddi is an active member of the Society for Music Theory, both attending national conferences and presenting her research with societies such as the Music Theory Society of New York State. With intentions of pursuing a doctorate in music theory, her primary research interests include the evolution of fugue, unorthodox voice-leading behaviors in counterpoint, and church music of the Middle Ages.
Kaitlyn Hartman is an undergraduate student in the Mathematics Education Department at UGA. Her interests include mathematics, vocal pedagogy and performance, and classroom management, with particular attention towards improving student-teacher relationships and feeling safe at school. Within music, she has a drive for creating a community, whether that be singing in choir, attending recitals, or joining her music fraternity, Sigma Alpha Iota (SAI). Aside from coursework, Kaitlyn enjoys being a part of the Redcoats on flagline, her cat, and a nice coffee shop.
Mary Palmer is a junior at the University of Georgia studying Communications with minors in Art History and Spanish. A high school Art History course sparked her interest in intercultural exchanges, and she has since become a travel enthusiast and avid reader of a wide variety of cultural literature. Mary, along with her four siblings, was raised in Athens, Georgia, on a healthy diet of road trips, church attendance, and group hugs.
Naimisha Kodali is from Johns Creek, Georgia. Naimisha is currently pursuing a B.S. in Genetics and Psychology with an Emphasis in Neuroscience and a minor in Philosophy. She plans to pursue an MD-PhD centered around infectious disease research and become a physician-scientist. Naimisha is working at SporoCore, Dr. Ash Pathak’s lab, investigating malaria and its variation in infectivity in various genetic strains. Naimisha wrote this paper as part of a semester long literature review project with Dr. Tessa Andrews while taking GENE3000H, Evolutionary Biology Honors. The combination of the grandmother hypothesis and mate-guarding, which is what this paper discusses, forms a potentially powerful evolutionary framework for explaining why humans have socially evolved to form such distinct relationships and socio-familial structures. Naimisha thoroughly enjoyed writing this paper and hopes readers enjoy the piece!
Alison Mooney is expected to receive her B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Georgia in Spring 2026. She has been involved in undergraduate research with Professor Ferreira studying novel methodologies to synthesize bicyclohexane derivatives using a chromium photocatalyst with the support from the UGA CURO Research Award. Her interest in organometallic chemistry has inspired her to review literature discussing transition metals as anticancer agents. After graduation, she plans to continue advancing her career by working as a chemist in an industrial setting.
Aarya Merchant is a fourth-year undergraduate on the pre-med track who is majoring in Biomedical Physiology with a minor in Women’s Studies. Through her minor and volunteer work with The Cottage in Athens, she has learned the stories of women in the community and around the world who have been told not to ask questions about sexual health and taught that their bodies are not their own, leading to years of shame and stigma. These experiences are often reinforced by idealized religious female figures whose stories are shared with young girls as examples of how they should remain chaste and obedient.
Because she grew up in an opposite environment–a multifaith household that encouraged curiosity–Aarya became aware of how often other children, and sometimes even herself, were dismissed by elders in their community for questioning what they were told. Witnessing this shaped her into someone who values asking questions, engaging in conversations, and speaking publicly so she can learn from others and share their stories alongside her own perspectives.
She hopes to become an OB-GYN and use her career to advocate for greater research in women’s health, both in the United States and in India, where many of her female relatives live. In her free time, she enjoys listening to podcasts, staying active through running marathons and hiking, and writing–the latter of which led her to write this article, which she is excited to share with the UGA Classics Journal.
Hayden Lamar is a third-year senior from Augusta, Georgia majoring in English and Philosophy with a minor in Law, Ethics, and Philosophy. Growing up surrounded by attorneys, she has always been fascinated with the law and has long planned on becoming a lawyer. She is the vice president of UGA’s Undergraduate Moot Court, an intern at a law firm here in Athens, and the co-lead for pre-law PPSA. Her postgraduate plans are to attend law school and pursue a career in constitutional law. As a writer, she finds herself compelled by a range of subjects spreading from modern political philosophy to midcentury southern-gothic fiction. Outside of her academics, she enjoys reading, seeing live music, and going on coffee-fueled walks with her friends.
Taylee Holland is an undergraduate student majoring in both Classics and Art History at the University of Georgia. Her academic interests include classical reception, museum studies, and the politics of archaeology. She is particularly interested in how ancient artifacts are interpreted, debated, and displayed in modern museums and how these interpretations shape public understanding of the ancient world. Her work explores issues of cultural heritage, repatriation, representation, and the legacy of colonialism in the development of archaeology and museum collections, with a focus on Egyptian antiquities. Through her research, she aims to better understand the ethical and political challenges surrounding the ownership and display of ancient material culture.
Katie Leslie is a third-year Morehead Honors College student at the University of Georgia from Atlanta. Katie studies history and international affairs with a minor in Spanish. In the fall 2025 semester, Katie joined the VIPR Agrivoltaics team to pursue her interest in the environment and sustainability. Through a policy and legal lens, Katie researches agrivoltaics and environmental law, exploring and proposing solutions to how the law can best accommodate and promote clean energy. In her spare time, Katie is a cellist in the UGA Philharmonia and leads the Spanish Language and Culture Club, which she founded last year. Katie looks forward to working more with the VIPR team and advancing our collective knowledge on renewable energy and sustainable practices to protect our world.
Agni Athreya, Kavya Mohan, Cameron Halaby, Lia Mathews, and Cullen Owens all brought their unique experiences together to collaborate on this VIPR project, ranging from creating software systems for analysis and visualization, data analytics, and designing and presenting data pipelines. With the support and mentorship from Dr. Nancy O’Hare and Dr. Deepak Mishra, this team had the opportunity to apply the proficiency gained from their foundational coursework to real-world practical experiences. This collaborative effort has not only enhanced their technical skills, but also allowed them to develop a more holistic understanding of the challenges and methodologies involved in satellite research and environmental monitoring. They are committed to learning not only from each other, but from all steps of the research process, and are proud to have that knowledge culminate in this publication with the Classic Journal.
Melanie Frick is a third-year Bachelor of Arts in Ecology student minoring in both Horticulture and Landscape Studies and pursuing UGA’s Sustainability Certificate. She is passionate about ecological resiliency in the growing solar economy, scientific communication, and environmental education. In August 2025, Melanie joined UGA’s Agrivoltaics Initiative, one of UGA’s Vertically Integrated Projects for Research teams. Since then, she has worked under the direction of Dr. Bodie Pennisi with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and Dr. Mark Hunter, the Dean of the Odum School of Ecology, to study how a perennial legume performs within solar settings. Her work has the potential to influence the future of solar field groundcover and agrivoltaic land-use, the co-location of agricultural production and solar energy generation.