SigmaCamp 2025: Faculty

Alexander Brook is a biostatistician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Lecturer in Radiology in Harvard Medical School. He has a PhD in Applied Mathematics, and used to work in computer vision. Currently, his job is to work with clinical researchers to help them design their research, collect and analyze their data, and report the results.

Andrey is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Oxford University and has been at SigmaCamp since the very beginning. Andrey graduated from the University of Toronto in 2019 and completed his PhD in Mathematics at MIT in 2025. Andrey is always open to chat about math, physics, or computer science! He greatly enjoy board games, puzzles, square dancing, and contra. Andrey's research is in quantum computing and quantum information theory. He is investigating how to reformulate the study of quantum error-correcting codes by using graphs.

This is going to be my third year at SigmaCamp as a counselor and I'm excited to join this wonderful community! I'm studying theoretical physics at YITP in Stony Brook. My research interests include mathematical physics, black-hole perturbation theory, and phenomenological string theory. I practice a very hands-on approach and like to use programming as a way to tackle some hard mathematical problems. In my spare time, I like to stay active (strength training, BJJ) and sometimes cook. I did play different musical instruments in the past, including cello and drums (hopefully I will do it again in the future).

Lev goes to NYU, and he was a member of the Harvard Undergraduate Aeronautics Club. He has attended Sigma camp as a camper 3 times and was a counselor before. Lev was a member of his high school's competitive Roblox team, and he participated in Quiz Bowl, math teams, and Science Olympiad. Other than STEM, Lev enjoys tennis, sailing, and environmental advocacy. During his time at SigmaCamp, he ran a workshop that taught people how to fly quadcopters and build rocket engines. Lev was a teacher's assistant at School Nova assisting a 7th-grade math class. In his spare time, Lev likes to build multirotors and destroy the patriarchy.

Dmitri Donetski is an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Stony Brook University. He received his PhD in Physics from the St. Petersburg State Technical University and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Stony Brook University.
He is teaching courses on Digital Logic and Analog Integrated Circuits. His research is focused on the development of optoelectronic devices and integrated circuits based on III-V semiconductor compounds. He enjoys hiking in the mountains and stargazing.

I am currently a grad student studying quantum gravity and string theory, primarily based at Stanford University but also spending a lot of time at the University of Cambridge in the UK. My primary research interests are in how the fabric of spacetime emerges from strongly interacting chaotic quantum systems, and in the nature of black hole microstates within these systems. At Sigma this year I will teach two semilabs - one on Cosmology (the study of the history and eventual fate of our universe) and one on black holes and how we think about them from both a classical and a quantum perspective.

I am always very approachable, especially if you want to chat about physics or hear me rant about tennis :-)

Oksana is a physicist by training, graduate of Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology with a Master of Science in Engineering Optics and Laser Physics. She currently lives in Setauket, Long Island, NY and works as a Controls Engineer in Brookhaven National Laboratory. Oksana builds beamlines for new NSLS2 synchrotron, an exciting scientific instrument with half a mile in circumference. This instrument is used to peek into atomic structures of new materials and biological samples using the rainbow of X-rays. Oksana also teaches math at School Nova.

Zohar is a Professor at Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, Stony Brook University, NY. He studied at the Weizmann Institute in Israel, where he received his PhD in 2008. Later he joined the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. In 2011 Zohar returned to the Weizmann Institute, and in 2017 joined the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics. His research is on Quantum Field Theory, which has applications on a wide variety of fields in physics, including Particle Physics and Condensed Matter Physics.

Boris is an accelerator physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). He got his PhD from the Stanford University Department of Applied Physics. His expertise is to design, build, and operate large particle accelerators. These are mostly used as colliders for high energy and nuclear physics research, or serve as light sources that provide powerful X-ray beams to researchers in many different fields of science. Having spent two decades working with light source accelerators at BNL and elsewhere, Boris recently joined the Electron-Ion Collider project at Brookhaven, which will be building the most powerful collider-accelerator in the US. As you might guess, Boris’ job has a lot to do with all aspects of electricity and magnetism, and this is exactly the topic of the Semilab he is teaching at Sigma. For fun, he really enjoys fishing as well as playing ping-pong.

Alexei Tkachenko is a theoretical physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory working on nanoscience and in the field called soft condensed matter. He studies problems that range from from living matter (DNA, proteins, membranes) to nanoparticles, plastics and even sand. He also teaches physics at School Nova. At SigmaCamp, Alexei, together with Tanya Zaliznyak, is responsible for the tastiest of all the semilabs, called "The Science of Cooking".

Hi! I am a PhD student at the University of Toronto in the department of electrical and computer engineering and I've been at Sigma since 2019. My research lies in the field of laser fabrication of sensing devices in optical fibers for astronomical applications. I am also interested in biology and chemistry and I am looking forward to discussing everyone’s science-related (and otherwise!) interests and ideas. Outside of academics, I've recently been dabbling in improv, crochet, and running.

Anar is a neuroscientist. His background in physics and mathematics helps him solve computational problems arising in human brain at scales from a single neuron to the entire brain network. He also tries to predict what will happen to our brains as we age. In the past, he taught the Codes and Ciphers semilab. This year he will be teaching a semilab on games and how to play your best against the best possible opponent.

Hello! I am a Ph.D. candidate in Bio-Electrical and Computer Engineering, co-advised in Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. My research is focused on soft robotics and polymer development for additive manufacturing. Outside my studies, I play the violin, enjoy bad movies, and build sketch 3D printers and other contraptions. I can't wait to see everyone at the next Sigma Camp.

Evgenii Boriushkin is originally from Russia where he earned both his MD and PhD degrees with a research interest in vascular biology, angiogenesis, and cancer metabolism. During his career, he works on hidden secrets of biology and applies this knowledge for the development of new therapies. At SigmaCamp, Evgenii will show how the understanding of nature helps to solve scientific and medical problems. In his free time, Evgenii enjoys soccer, volleyball, and hiking.

Dr. Galkin received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 2001 at Moscow State University and completed postdoctoral studies at Frankfurt University and University College London. In 2009 he established his research group at Queen's University Belfast, UK. In 2017 he moved to the US and currently he is an Associate Professor in Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Galkin research lab studies the energy metabolism and mechanistic details of cellular injury during cardiovascular diseases or neurodegeneration.

Spending every summer growing up at the Mediterranean coast in Spain led to my passion for the ocean and becoming a biological oceanographer. I obtained a bachelor degree in Marine Sciences at the University of Cádiz (Spain), a master’s degree in marine microbial ecology at the University of Stirling (Scotland), and a PhD in marine virus ecology at the University of Plymouth (England). I investigate microbial host-virus interactions in marine environments. Viruses are the most abundant biological agents in the ocean, but still one of the most unexplored reservoirs of genetic and functional diversity. My overall goal is to understand the genetic basis of viral infections and how they affect life in the ocean. I am constantly awed by new discoveries that reveal the mighty impacts tiny viruses have in modulating life the way we know it.
I am honored to join SigmaCamp again!

I've been coming to Sigma since the beginning, and I'm really excited to be here for another year. I’m a grad student at MIT studying biological engineering. Outside of STEM, I'm interested in history, mineral water, and linguistics. I also really enjoy playing racket sports, my favorite being Wii Sports tennis, and I'm looking forward to organizing the ping pong tournament at Sigma again. I’m also looking forward to another season of swimming - I’m a big Silver Lake enthusiast. Can’t wait to see everyone this summer!

My research focuses on epigenetic alterations – changes in gene regulation without altering the DNA sequence. Our genetic code, made up of over 3 billion nucleotide base pairs, is the blueprint of our body. However, the story doesn’t end with these base pairs. DNA is wrapped around proteins called histones, and their chemical modifications, along with changes to the DNA itself, create the epigenome. Unlike the stable genetic code, the epigenome is dynamic, constantly responding to factors like diet, stress, and environment, helping our cells to adapt.

Lena is a molecular biologist. The primary subject of her interest is the protein-DNA interactions, and Lena has studied many of them using such state-of-the-art techniques as X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and various spectroscopic methods. However, during her work, Lena came to the conclusion that even the most sophisticated device does not make you smarter: Despite the stunning technological progress, humans’ own brains are still their most powerful tool. The thing Lena likes the most is the company of intellectually like-minded people. Lena and her friends got together every summer to talk about science, art, and music. Then they realized that their group would be incomplete without a young generation, so they invited motivated and talented kids to join their company, which they called Sigma. We are inviting you to become a part of our community!

I am a computational biologist and bioengineer fascinated by how cells age and how we might slow—or even reverse—the process. As a postdoc at UCSF, I study the signals aging cells send to their neighbors and explore ways to reprogram those signals to extend healthspan. My background blends math, physics, computer science, and biology, and during my PhD at Georgia Tech, I combined CRISPR, RNA sequencing, and computational modeling to study how cells move, grow, and adapt. This is my fourth SigmaCamp, but my first year as faculty, and I’m excited to bring hands-on genetic engineering to the classroom! In my semilab, we’ll use CRISPR to rewire bacterial DNA, stepping into the role of bioengineers to explore real-world applications of gene editing. I’m always up for chatting—whether it’s about science, cool experiments, or a completely unexpected topic—because the best part of Sigma is having fun discussions and learning something new from each other.

The focus of Mark Lukin's scientific interest are nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) - the molecules responsible for storage and transfer of hereditary information in living organisms. How does DNA get copied? What happens when DNA molecules breaks? To answer these, as well as many other questions, Mark needs to prepare artificial (modified) nucleic acids and their building blocks, the crazy compounds that normally do not exist in nature. The only way obtain them is to do a chemical synthesis, the thing Mark likes the most. Besides that, Mark loves music, history, Greek philosophy, and science fiction. When he was young, he loved to do simple but spectacular chemical experiments. Recently, he realized he still loves to do that.

Lilia Frenkel is a CTO at ADS (American Data Solutions), working on the next generation of Interactive Manuals. New approaches in handling electronic instructions enable vendors (ranging from commercial airlines to medical professionals) to apply AI and Machine Learning methods to troubleshooting, automate maintenance, training, and facilitate business-to-business social networking using private communication hub. At SigmaCamp, Lilia hopes to excite campers with building fully customizable smart house models using MicroPython, and setting up a local server/network that enables communication between these models without relying on the internet. Lilia loves to play chess, ping-pong, hike and .. work on IoT projects.

Jaime Ide is a Mechatronic engineer who became a Computational Neuroscientist and Data Scientist. He got his Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and received his training in MR imaging at the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University. Broadly, he is interested in the application of Bayesian methods, computational modeling, and machine learning in cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, and decision-making, as well as in real-world predictive and reinforcement learning problems (autonomous vehicles). He is passionate about robotics, chess, and table tennis.

Julia has a PhD in Mathematics and Computer Science and MS degrees in Math and Physics. In the first decade of her research activity she has worked in quantum computation and information, studying algorithms for quantum computers. She has then worked nearly a decade in finance before returning to academia, where she is now a Professor working at the interface of data science, machine learning and science at NYU's Center for Data Science and the Courant Institute. Most recently she has worked on Machine Learning, focusing on Neural Nets and Language Models.

I have been a camper or counselor at Sigma Camp since its inaugural year and hopefully for years to come. Throughout the years I've attended Sigma, I have graduated high school, attended Cornell for my undergraduate degree and started a PhD at Stony Brook University in the Computer Science department. I work with robotics or programming semi-labs and set up sports and events like Chessball. I look forward to meeting you all and don't hesitate to come talk with me about any of your scientific or sporting interests.

Sofya received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in mathematics and computer science from MIT. She works in the areas of randomized and approximation algorithms and also data privacy. These areas are part of theoretical computer science. Before joining the faculty at Sigma, Sofya taught at Epsilon Camp and C.A.M.P. (Camp for Algorithmic and Mathematical Play). Her best memories of her childhood are from a math camp she attended in Belarus. As far as her hobbies go, recall that she works on privacy.

Yuri Salkinder’s career spanned academia, telecommunications and financial technology. Yuri started in research in human-computer interaction, then moved on to help create software development tools for Voice response systems. He participated in creation of some standards in wireless messaging. Nowadays Yuri is dealing with technology that fuels financial markets. Yuri loves art, music, movies and good math puzzles. Yuri has been a member of the Sigma Camp staff since 2013 and is returning this summer.

Adam is a computer scientist at Boston University, where he is a founding member of the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences. His areas of research include cryptography and information privacy. He is known, along with Cynthia Dwork, Frank McSherry, and Kobbi Nissim, as one of the co-inventors of differential privacy, for which he won the 2017 Gödel Prize.

He taught a semilab at SigmaCamp in 2021, and has returned each year since!

I earned my Master's degree in Architecture from Moscow State University of Civil Engineering and worked as an architect for seven years participating in residential, recreational, and urban development projects. Recently, I pivoted my career to Interface and User Experience Design, following my passion for design, technology, and real-world problem-solving. In addition to my professional pursuits, I also teach art to children from first to third grade at SchoolNova. This role allows me to share my love of creativity with the next generation and inspire them to express themselves through art. In my spare time, I enjoy biking, beachcombing, and taking pictures of accidental art.

Vicka has a degree in Economics and Art History. She worked with numerous cultural organizations and was involved in various history, art, and anthropology programs. Victoria still spends a lot of time on arts and history. At SigmaCamp, Victoria wants to show a different angle of life by opening up the world beyond science.

Hello, I am Natalia, a portrait photographer on Long Island, New York, and image creator for small businesses and services.
I am proud to photograph SigmaCamp from 2014.
I love capturing human relations, characters, and emotions, especially when people learn new things, experience the joy of discovery, and share their life's passions.
All of those are abundant at SigmaCamp, that’s why I’m so excited to be part of it.

Sasha is a Brooklyn-based artist who has lived in the New York City area since age one, when his family came to the US from St. Petersburg, Russia. Since graduating from the Cooper Union in 2013 with a degree in Fine Arts, he has continuously worked part-time as an art and art history teacher, and he has experience teaching students of all ages from 3 years old to adult. Alongside teaching art, Sasha has held various full-time jobs including being an Art Handler and Installer at a large auction house, being a designer at a firm specializing in awards and trophies, and even working as a lead pre-K teacher. Currently, he works as a graphics designer and event coordinator and has been moving into the world of User Experience (UX) Design. Outside of work, Sasha is constantly trying to find ways to be creative and enjoys writing songs, making music, and designing games. He also gives museum tours at several NYC museums, primarily at the Metropolitan Museum of Art